HORSE NATION
horsing around the worldTuesday Video: Someone Bought the Home Goods Disco Pony 21 Jan 2025, 9:22 am
The U.S. Polo Association says it best in their caption, “The disco polo pony has entered the building!”
This shiny Home Goods home decor piece has been taking the internet by storm. It’s eye appealing — and looks to be almost pony-sizes. Farmington Polo Club took it upon themselves to purchase one and their video, shared by @uspoloassociation, is nothing short of amazing. Enjoy watching as this horse takes a ride in the horse trailer to his new home!
Buy the horse and go riding, Horse Nation!
SmartPak Monday Morning Feed: Winter Grooming Tote Must-Haves 20 Jan 2025, 8:39 am
Grooming your horse in the cold season poses plenty of unique challenges since you (usually) can’t actually bathe your horse. That’s why SmartPak offers up these winter grooming must-haves.
By SmartPaker Katrina Clark
Grooming my horse in the winter (and probably most horses!) is always enjoyable, and my Quarter Horse, Finn absolutely loves to be groomed. Since I can’t bathe him, he seems to literally collect dust and I’m always on a crusade to make him at least look clean. I swear (and my trainer will back me up!) that no matter how clean I think Finn is — even if I think I’ve gotten every shaving and clump of dust — once I go out and ride, the shavings and dirt just appear from nowhere! In the summer, he gets a quick brush down and that’s that. In the winter, there are a lot more steps, I’m talking extensive grooming.
Photo courtesy of SmartPak
Cut down on the Crud
To tackle the horse that dust and shavings cling to, I have a packed grooming tote. I usually start with the Epona Tiger’s Tongue Horse Groomer
. This thing is a game changer. I first used the April Power Shower Sponge with Tiger’s Tongue sponge this summer to bathe my horse, Finn. Finn gets the worst summer crud, especially on his face and ends up losing most of the hair on the center of his face. Finn is also the itchiest horse I have ever met. I used this on his face this summer and he LOVED it, he would drop his head down and close his eyes when I scrubbed his face. Knowing how much he loved the bath sponge, I figured he would also love the groomer and he sure does. I use it all over his body, but I particularly love it for his face (and so does he!).Epona Flexible Glossy Groomer is my go to Curry Comb because it is so flexible. Both the Epona Flexible Glossy Groomer and the Epona Tiger’s Tongue Horse Groomer are part of the Epona Bestselling Brush Bundle, plus you get the Queen’s Mane & Tail Brush with the bundle too!
Dust Free Finish
I finish off grooming with the Haas Pummel Flick Brush and the Haas Pummel Wurzel Stiff Brush, both of which I love because they are durable and doing a good job at getting out the dust that seems to be attracted to Finn’s coat.
For topical products during the winter I have the Effol® Regrowth Serum which I use on Finn’s forelock. Finn has a very thin forelock, but after being braided many times throughout the show season, I find his forelock to be very sparse in the Fall. A friend of mine used this on her horse’s forelock and swore by it, so I decided to try it and it truly made his forelock grow in quite a bit! I am not sure if you are actually supposed to use it on their forelocks as the product just says mane and tail, so don’t try it on your horse’s forelock. I use the EQyss® Avocado Mist for Finn’s tail in the winter to keep it from drying out.
Focus on Feet
Arguably, the most important products in my grooming tote are my hoof care products. I have been a long time fan of the Farriers’ Fix Hoof Oil that my farrier recommended many years ago, I use on the outside of his hooves as a conditioner, but it can also be used on the sole and the frog. For the frog of his foot I use the Stubben 3-in-1 Frog Care Spray to treat and prevent thrush which Finn is prone to, especially in the winter.
You can find more SmartPaker stories and adventures like this on the SmartPak blog.
Mythbuster Monday: Horses With Asthma Should Be Stalled 20 Jan 2025, 8:17 am
On Mythbuster Monday, we tackle a variety of equestrian myths to either bust or confirm. Today’s discussion: Should horses be stalled if they have Asthma?
It’s Mythbuster Monday, where Horse Nation dives into different equestrian myths and provides research-based evidence to either bust or confirm those myths. Today’s topic: Should horses be stalled if they have Asthma? What is Asthma? How does it effect a horse’s lungs? Read further to find out!
Myth: A horse with Asthma should be stalled to decrease outdoor air toxin intake
Myth or Fact: Myth
Canva/CC
Asthma in horses is a chronic, allergen-related inflammatory disease of the lower airways. It can affect horses of all shapes, breeds, and ages. Symptoms include shortness of breath at rest, coughing, exercise intolerance, nasal discharge, hypertrophy of the abdominal muscles, expiratory wheezing, and poor body condition.
But, should horses with Asthma be stalled to keep the condition from becoming exacerbated?
Canva/CC
According to veterinarian Laurent L. Couetil, of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, the ideal environment for horses with asthma is pasture due to better ventilation. When pastured, horses with severe asthma are not exposed to as much dust as they would be in stalls. Because there is more air flow in the pasture, ventilation is better, minimizing exposure to allergens and irritants.
From Dr. Couetil’s experience, she states that most horses show improvement after one to two weeks of being turned outside. However, if the horse’s asthma stems from allergens, he may suffer from bouts of asthma when in contact with the allergen. These horses are generally affected by asthma more in months where allergens are at their peak, June through September. For these horses, it is recommended to keep them stalled in low-dust areas.
Dr. Amanda Trimble of Texas A&M writes that asthma symptoms in horses are usually worse in the winter due to the cold, dry air. While this affects most horses, cases of summer pasture associated asthma is commonly found in the southern United States during the hot summer months. However, most cases of equine asthma are due to hypersensitivity to dust, mold, and bacterial toxins found in hay. Dr. Trimble states that the best way to manage symptoms is to place the horse on pasture to reduce his exposure to dust and mold. Also she notes that horses with asthma should never be in the barn while it’s being cleaned and leaf blowers should never be used to clear aisles. She states that Turing a horse out as much as possible is helpful unless the horse has pasture-associated asthma, then the opposite is true.
While pasture is the best option for horses with asthma, horses should be stalled when there are high winds, burning pastures or wild fires in the area, or extreme weather, greater than 90 degrees or less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Horses should not be eating from round bales out in pasture due to the ability to inhale mold and dust particles. All hay should be wet or steamed or a complete feed should be supplied instead.
Park City Equine Center asserts that horses with asthma should be placed on pasture to keep the horse outdoors and away from mold, fungi, dust, endotoxins, and ammonia. This helps decrease the risk of asthma flare-ups due to improved ventilation. If a horse can not be pastured, recommendations include storing hay in a different building, using shavings instead of straw, cleaning stalls daily, and changing diet to alfalfa or pellet only instead of dusty first and second cut hay.
After diving into the literature, unless the horse has summer-associated asthma, it is better for him to be out to pasture. This is due to increased ventilation and decreased exposure to irritants and toxins. Always consult your veterinarian for your horse’s unique case and to come up with the best plan of action.
Do you have an equine myth you’d like us to tackle? If so, send it our way! Email your suggestions to deann@horsenation.com. Put Mythbuster Monday in your subject line.
Weekend Wellness, Presented by Kentucky Performance Products: Help Your Horse Stay Warm 17 Jan 2025, 8:38 am
The best way to keep a horse warm varies from horse to horse and situation to situation. But here are some helpful tips and general guidelines.
Some horses begin to struggle to keep warm below certain critical temperatures. Here are some general guidelines to help your horse stay warm in the winter:
Clipped Horse
Critical temperature is 41°F (5°C)
Horse With a Thick Winter Coat
Critical temperature is 18°F (-8°C)
When horses are housed outside, exposure to wind can dramatically lower the ambient temperature. Be sure to take wind chill into consideration when looking at daily temps. The hair coat’s ability to retain heat is reduced when it is windy.
Canva/CC
The easiest and most effective way to keep your horse warm when the temperatures drop is to feed additional forage.
- A sedentary mature horse will need 2% more high-quality forage for every degree the temperature falls below the lower critical temperature.
- Begin feeding additional hay 24 hours before cold temperatures are expected.
- Small or older horses will be less tolerant of cold temperatures.
- Horses that are properly blanketed will stay warmer at lower temperatures.
Click here for a printable download of this infographic.
About Kentucky Performance Products, LLC:
Performance horses are susceptible to exercise-induced muscle damage. Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, limits the damage caused by everyday oxidative stress. It maintains healthy muscle and nerve functions, and supports a strong immune system in horses of all ages. Elevate was developed to provide a highly bioavailable source of natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) to horses.
Check out this KPP article: Vitamin E and the Performance Horse – A Winning Combination.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®. KPPusa.com
#TGIF: Byeeeee 17 Jan 2025, 8:25 am
This is horse is going out as hot as he’s coming in.
Some Fridays just hit harder than others, and there’s nothing you more than to just get the heck out of dodge.
This horse definitely knows the feeling — or at the very least how to clear the obstacles in its way. He’s coming in hot and going out hot.
Hang in there, Horse Nation. The weekend is nearly here.
Have a #TGIF moment to share? Email your photo/video and a brief explanation of what is happening to deann@horsenation.com.
Plaza Hotel & Casino Offering Free Stalls for Horses Affected by California Wildfires 16 Jan 2025, 10:15 am
The Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is offering up free stalls to any horses that need to be temporarily rehomed due to the California wildfires.
With more than 75 uncovered stalls available year-round at its equestrian facility, the CORE Arena, the Plaza Hotel & Casino is offering the stalls for free to any horses that need to be temporarily rehomed due to the devastating wildfires in Southern California.
The 10 ft. x 10 ft. stalls are adjacent to the venue’s large dirt arena where owners can exercise their horses daily.
The Plaza will also offer complimentary feed, waterlines, clean up, and trailer parking onsite.
“The wildfires in California have been devastating, and when we learned how they are displacing horses, we saw a unique opportunity to help the animals and their owners who may have limited options to rehome them as they rebuild,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino.
For information, horse owners with valid California ID should email CoreArena@PlazaHotelCasino.com
About the Plaza Hotel & Casino
Located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas, the Plaza Hotel & Casino combines a vintage Rat Pack attitude with modern styling and personal customer service for the ultimate Vegas experience. First opened in 1971 and built on the site of the original Las Vegas railroad depot at 1 Main Street, the Plaza has transformed its historic location into a one-of-a-kind destination for cocktails, gaming, entertainment, and dining. Its glittering porte-cochère is home to the outdoor Carousel Bar that offers handmade cocktails inside a life-sized, animated Vegas-themed carousel setting. The Main Street entrance also is home to Pinkbox Doughnuts and downtown’s first and only smokefree, social media friendly gaming space created in partnership with social media influencer Brian Christopher. The Plaza has nearly 1,000 modern rooms and suites, a classic Vegas showroom, downtown’s only bingo hall, live music at the Sand Dollar Downtown, and 30,000 sq. ft. of refurbished ballroom and meeting space. The Plaza brought the rodeo back to downtown with its CORE Arena, downtown’s only outdoor equestrian and multipurpose facility. Guests enjoy a variety of dining options led by the renowned Oscar’s Steakhouse in the hotel’s iconic glass dome and on a rooftop patio overlooking the Fremont Street Experience. A lounge-style sports book along with hundreds of slot machines and nearly two dozen table games comprise an 80,000-square-foot casino floor. A rooftop pool and recreation deck with private cabanas, hot tub, food truck, and dedicated Pickleball courts, provide a variety of outdoor amenities. For more information on the multiple award-winning Plaza Hotel & Casino, visit www.plazahotelcasino.com. Get updates via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Reader Photo Challenge: Draft Horses 16 Jan 2025, 8:39 am
Enjoy these five photos of draft horses!
This week we asked to see those big-bodied beauties. Enjoy these five photos of draft horses!
Photo by Larissa Glassioli
Photo by Rich McCarthy
Photo by Larissa Glacial
Photo by BearLee Photography
Photo by Larissa Glassioli
Keep an eye out for next week’s photo challenge! We announce challenge subjects on Monday around the end of the day on both Instagram and Facebook.
Thoroughbred Logic, Presented by Kentucky Performance Products: Saddle Time 15 Jan 2025, 9:10 am
“[S]ometimes what the horse needs gets lost to the cultural expectations of what makes up a proper ride.”
Welcome to the next installment of Thoroughbred Logic. In this weekly series, Anthropologist and trainer Aubrey Graham, of Kivu Sport Horses, offers insight and training experience when it comes to working with Thoroughbreds (although much will apply to all breeds). This week ride along as Aubrey shares her logic on what amount of saddle time is best for each horse (spoiler alert: it varies!).
Time is one of those things I have always found fascinating. I used to wonder — like with color — if it was the same for everyone. As I grew older and spent a lot of time thinking about culture, I began to realize that expectations of time were exactly that — highly cultured. Time spent, time wasted, not enough time, and expected amounts of time for each thing in the day. And then there is barn time — barn time has been its own meme. You know, the standard one hour at the barn is seven hours on earth type of thing.
An image of my general chaos from when I said, “I just have to do night check – I’ll be back up soon.” An hour or so later, I’m still not back in. Because the barn is a time blackhole. Photo by author.
But interestingly (at least to me), activities inside the barn are all timed and cultured too. Saddle time is one of them. How long one is actually on the horse definitely splits between recreational riders and professionals — though it of course is not that black and white. Diving into this whole time tangle is important, as sometimes what the horse needs gets lost to the cultural expectations of what makes up a proper ride.
I became aware of the time divide in riding when I first worked as a working student. When I was 19, starting two- and three-year-old Warmbloods under saddle was entirely new to me. As a recreational rider my whole youth, I would swing a leg over (and unless I was out on the trails), I’d expect to ride for an hour or so in the arena and probably sit on my horse and socialize for longer (don’t judge, we’ve all been there). I never thought about it (as one often doesn’t when it’s your culture), and only realized that I was conditioned to expect to be in the irons for a specific amount of time when I changed what I was riding … and how.
Butters (Justintimeforgold) putting the work in at home. Yes, Palomino Thoroughbreds exist. Photo by Izzy Gritsavage.
The youngsters I was working with in Montgomery didn’t need an hour. Frankly that would have been downright detrimental. And that took some adjusting. A long walk, some trot both directions and short canters each way plus more walk made up a 20 minute ride, and they were done for the day and we were on to the next. It felt too short – like I got nothing accomplished.
Nope.
Those shorter rides accomplished plenty (steering, riding off the aids, rhythm, fitness, and work ethic were just a few boxes checked) and they had the added benefit of not over-facing or burning out the young stock with drilling or monotonous circling. And while it took a while for them to not feel cut short or rushed (they weren’t — it was just a different way of riding and conditioning), eventually it got through my skull that the saddle time I was used to was not what every horse needed every time I swung a leg over. Enter concepts of horsemanship and the idea of assessing each on a horse-by-horse basis.
Snowman working on his outside rein connection during shorter rides. Photo by Izzy Gritsavage.
With green and recently restarted Thoroughbreds, I tend to keep my rides somewhat short until they are mentally and physically able to handle more. I honestly almost never ride anything for an hour anymore unless I’m legging them up for a level and need to do trot sets or the like. Partially, I just don’t have the time. Partially, they just don’t need it.
Rides look a little like this: A nice warmup “walk” (sometimes a warmup jig, trot, or canter if that’s where they’re at for the day), some “work” and a nice cool down walk (at least at that point most of them can actually four beat walk). Easy enough. This set up allowed me (with the help of one of my working students who was tacking and untacking for me) to zip through six productive rides in less than four hours. I don’t always assembly line ride with the help of others, but when they’re there and able to lend a hand, I’ll take it.
Lily Drew walking No Lime to cool him out while I school Quinn’s transitions. Photo by author.
For my Thoroughbreds, the work that often is sandwiched between the walking of warming up and the walking of cooling down doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Rather, I like to focus on a couple of points and reward them with breaks. For Snowman (Bowing Snowman), who has had around 10 rides post-track, this has meant a fair amount of trot work and getting him softer in my outside rein. I added poles in to keep him from getting bored and to keep him thinking about his feet. We did a bunch of transitions and trot figure eights and circles, small serpentines, and each change of direction work on improving the gait and the bend. I didn’t bother to canter that ride as his trot work will inevitably improve his canter, so I’ll focus on that for a bit.
Pole work for the Snowman. Photo by Izzy Gritsavage.
For Neil (Lute’s Angel) who has been under saddle with me since July, after warming up at a trot and canter (because Neil does not have a walk until way later in the ride) I then added in medium trot work, pole work with trot-canter-trot transitions and walk breaks. Once he successfully managed each activity each direction, we went back to a stretchy trot and a cool out meander.
Jenna the Boss was a different ride all together with her warmup being the majority of the focus — getting a forward-going easy walk, trot and canter completed what I needed from her under saddle. She was done and cooled out in 20 or so minutes. I wasn’t in a rush, but she didn’t have to do more to have put in a super successful day.
Jenna the Boss’ conformation pic is too pretty to not include. Her under saddle work is lovely as well. Photo by Lily Drew.
I could go on with all the different horses and what each gets during each ride and bore you all to tears, but the most important part is that if I were to push each ride to an hour — if I were to think of saddle time the way I did when I rode recreationally — I wouldn’t necessarily be doing them a favor. Sure, some could handle it and might take the “now we work on this next” approach to exercises well. Others, like the just-started-undersaddle Warmbloods, could be over-faced by the asks or might gain little from the extended timeline.
Neil (Lute’s Angel) admiring himself after a solidly good ride… because Neil. Photo by author.
An hour ride isn’t a bad thing — not at all. But riding for an hour because culturally one rides a horse for an hour, not because that’s the best option for the horse, is worth thinking through.
So go ride folks, and enjoy the time you do have in the irons — no matter the number of minutes.
About Kentucky Performance Products, LLC:
Performance horses are susceptible to exercise-induced muscle damage. Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, limits the damage caused by everyday oxidative stress. It maintains healthy muscle and nerve functions, and supports a strong immune system in horses of all ages. Elevate was developed to provide a highly bioavailable source of natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) to horses.
Check out this KPP article: Vitamin E and the Performance Horse – A Winning Combination.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®. KPPusa.com
The Idea of Order: New Year, New Me? 15 Jan 2025, 8:09 am
Or New Year, New Breeches?
Presented by:
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Milona DG and I. Photo (c) Q2 Photography.
The Buckskin Mare: Ellie’s Story 14 Jan 2025, 9:04 am
By Alicia Schueler
I was not the nurturing type of horse suitable for a horse-crazy kid. I wasn’t kind and forgiving. I knew tricks and avoided work. I was barn sour and buddy sour. I often resorted to biting, kicking, rearing, and bucking. The horse-crazy kids that came to our pasture fed treats to the gentle and friendly horses. The kids talked happily and scratched the horses’ itchy spots. The kids even picked grass on the other side of the fence for the horses that nickered and made sweet faces at them, those saps. When the kids came by, I was always as far away from them as I could be, on the other side of the herd. I usually had one rear foot cocked and ready to kick out, my ears swiveling to listen for approaching footsteps. I was ready to pin my ears flat against my head if someone approached me with a halter.
In the spring of 1987, one smiling young teen girl entered the pasture with her dad and Bill’s friend. They approached Sunny, Bill’s dun mare. The girl petted Sunny and gave her treats while the dad and Bill’s friend talked. This girl had all the typical markings of a horse-crazy kid. She looked at all of us with joy on her face. She was about average size, and wore tennis shoes, jeans, and a t-shirt. She had glasses and her hair was kind of scraggly, but she didn’t seem to care. The dad was not comfortable with horses, but he loved watching how happy his daughter was with Sunny. It would have amused me to move closer to intimidate the dad, but I was feeling lazy. I don’t usually take note of anyone that comes into the pasture, but these people seemed to think Sunny was for rent. That surprised me. Sunny had arthritis and Bill had recently retired her. I will admit that I hoped he would pick me as his replacement mount. My hope stemmed from the fact that Bill had ridden me a few times to try to get me to be less barn sour after the incident with Big Man. I was still in trouble after dumping that last renter like a wheelbarrow full of poop. However, Bill had brought home a young horse just a few days before and had obviously selected him as his primary mount.
Despite that, he still doted on Sunny. I figured she was safely retired. So, why were these people petting Sunny? They didn’t stay long, but returned the next day with Bill and another person that I learned later was the stepmom of the teen girl. This time, Bill shook his head when they pointed at Sunny and then? He pointed at me! Uh oh! The dad continued talking to Bill as he eyeballed me. I had my typical angry, suspicious demeanor. I was leaning on one hind leg while the other hind leg was touching the ground with only the toe in the ready-to-fire position. Sometimes that just means a horse is resting one of their hind legs. I, however, was using it as a warning. See that, buddy? Cocked and ready to fire off a kick. I gave the dad a hard stare. He frowned in response. I noticed that the girl was approaching me. Oh, great. I waited as she looked me over. Her smile never faded as she looked at my back. Hmm, she must be ignorant. She kept coming, so I raised my head and tensed up, ears slightly back. I was about to pin them flat when she pulled out a carrot. For me? Nah, this kid’s wasting her time. I’m no horse-crazy kid’s dream. I have issues. Move along, little one. She broke the carrot into pieces and approached me quietly at my shoulder. Okay, I’m not stupid, I took the carrot. She petted my neck as I ate. She was beaming at me. Those glasses can’t be working right, kid, I thought to myself.
Bill came up with the halter while giving me a warning look. Oh no, this won’t end well. They brought me into the barnyard. Bill showed the girl how to let me smell each grooming implement on each side, before using it, to keep me from biting. She obediently let me sniff the body brush on my left side and then carefully brushed me down. She let me sniff it again on the right side and did the same. She did the same with the curry comb, which has always been my favorite, and the finishing brush. She did a decent job and knew to go with the direction of my hair. She’d had some basic training at least. Okay, so I’m up for a decent grooming before she runs away screaming. She used the hoof pick to pick out my feet and did fine because Bill told her to be sure not to give me too much slack. Good job, Bill, I’m easily tempted. Bill spent a long time saddling me up and explained about the difficulties in fitting my saddle properly. The girl focused intently on his every word. Bill saddled up his new gelding and the girl climbed into my saddle. She sat well and I didn’t sense any fear in her. Bill led the way, and she steered me pretty well. She seemed to know all the common tricks, so the low branches and passing grass snatches were not an option. She didn’t react badly when I spooked to test her. She seemed genuinely concerned that something frightened me, and we stopped to look at it until I was ready to move on. I pretended to be studying the “scary” bush and then reached down for a snack. She pulled my head up and I felt her heels just nudge my sides instead of giving me a big kick. Okay, that was minimal, so no crow hopping this time, kid.
Bill increased the pace and checked back with us. I gave him my best “What?” look. I was being good. I surprised myself. If this kid was renting me for the next month, I might be happy, especially if she brings carrots. But she better not plan to take me out alone. Bill pushed his gelding into a canter as we headed for the loop trail. I didn’t slow down as we headed back to the barn. Bill tried to stay ahead, but I passed him easily. His gelding was way too slow. My rider didn’t whoop or kick. She pulled back some, but soon gave up and enjoyed the ride. The dad was watching us come back with a grin on his face. I’m sure the girl was smiling as well. I think she knew I wasn’t supposed to run back, so she walked me out in the barnyard until I caught my breath. The dad and Bill talked for a bit longer and then shook hands.
That night the girl came back. It was when the boarded horses were being brought in for their evening grain. I had already moved the herd to the far side of the pasture for the night. The boarded horses trickled back with sweet smelling breath that I tried to ignore. If they wandered too close, I pinned my ears, swung my head towards them, and showed my teeth. Then I heard someone walking up the trail.
That’s strange. I sniffed the air. It was that same girl carrying a new halter. She smiled, came toward me, and offered me her outstretched hand. It smelled like grain! She held the halter open while trying to arrange it. I shoved my nose right into it, surprising her. This wasn’t riding time. This was grain time! She smiled and laughed as she led me back to the barnyard. I walked quickly and nickered a few times to reward her for the promise of feed. Rental horses never get grain. What a treat! Sure enough, there was a bucket set up in the barnyard with a generous scoop of grain. She petted me and talked to me while I ate, which wasn’t the most unpleasant experience.
The girl came the next three nights in a row, using a two-note whistle to tell me she was coming to get me for my grain. I listened hard for it at the expected time and made my way toward the barnyard in anticipation. By the third night, I was waiting by the gate when she arrived. She didn’t try to ride, yet. I was sure this wouldn’t last after our first real ride, so I tried to enjoy it while I could.
The big surprise came the next day. Bill loaded me up in the metal poop box. I hesitated for a moment, but my alfalfa hay was inside. I neighed frantically to my pasture mates as Bill drove me away. Several horses, including sweet old Sunny, neighed back. Off we went down the highway past my pasture. I watched it flash by through the slats in the trailer. After driving for about the length of a short trail ride, Bill pulled over, unloaded me, and led me up a steep hill with houses on either side. Yep, mystery solved. I’ve been sold, again.
You can purchase The Buckskin Mare: Ellie’s Story on Amazon.com.
California Wildfires: Where and How to Help Affected Equestrians 14 Jan 2025, 8:40 am
As the wildfires in Los Angeles, CA continue to burn, several outposts for assistance have been set up to aid those affected and animal welfare organizations are seeking donations to assist as many animals as possible.
First and foremost, the Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control encourages those wanting to help to find legitimate, registered organizations and nonprofits and asks that volunteers not show up unannounced.
The LADACC reminds us that the best way to help relief efforts is by donating money so that organizations can obtain what they need. Below is a list of animal welfare organizations currently collecting money to help fire victims:
Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control handles animal control for Los Angeles County and has been coordinating evacuation shelters for large and small animals. For those looking to help in person, the agency said it is prioritizing volunteers with equine and livestock experience to help feed and muck out more than 200 evacuated horses, as well as help with new pick-ups. Interested volunteers must email volunteer@animalcare.lacounty.gov and await instructions, not show up unannounced at evacuation shelters.
The Equestrian Aid Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund is providing emergency grants to help people affected by the fires cover essential costs. Apply for grants here and donate here.
Fleet Of Angels is a nonprofit that operates nationwide to help horse owners and small rescues in the face of natural disasters and other major emergencies.
USEF Disaster Relief Fund is managed by the U.S. Equestrian Association to help horses that are victims of natural disasters.
LA Animal Services runs six city shelters in Los Angeles and has been accepting and coordinating evacuation shelters for large and small animals.
Pasadena Humane as taken in over 400 animals from the Eaton Fire Emergency. They are in need of monetary donations to help us purchase medical supplies and other resources as they start to see a significant increase in the number of burned and injured animals coming to their shelter.
Also, several outposts for assistance have been set up to aid those affected. Calabasas Saddlery is one such outpost, setting up a donation site where a large number of items is available for pickup by those displaced or otherwise affected by the fires. Additional donations are also being accepted for distribution into the community. You can find a list of what’s available and what is being accepted above or by clicking here.
At the time of writing, the Palisades fire just to the north of Santa Monica is at 14% containment, while the other major fire, the Eaton fire to the north of Pasadena, is 33% contained.
If you know of other organizations that should be added to this list, please feel free to let us know by emailing deann@horsenation.com. Put WILDFIRE RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS in the subject line.
Tuesday Video: Pony Chaos 14 Jan 2025, 8:03 am
Ponies are a handful and this video shows it!
When the group rides ponies, sometimes lessons can turn into complete chaos. That’s what happened here. From riding on the rail to becoming the world’s next saddle bronc riders, these kids learned emergency dismounts in full force on this occasion. None of the children were hurt, they may just have had a bruised ego.
Stay on and go riding, Horse Nation!
SmartPak Monday Morning Feed: Keeping My Horse Comfortable While Barefoot 13 Jan 2025, 8:30 am
When SmartPaker Val got her yearling, she hoped to keep her barefoot for as long as possible while the horse was growing. Read on to find out what she did to offer her horse as much support as possible.
Canva/CC
By SmartPaker Val LaCrosse
When I got my Quarter Horse mare Kai in 2020, I noticed that she had a little bit of tenderness while walking on the barn’s driveway, which had a lot of small rocks. I mentioned it to my farrier when he came, and he discovered she has thin soles. Since Kai was just a yearling at the time, I had really hoped to leave her barefoot for quite some time while she was still growing and only starting to learn the ropes of being a willing equine partner.
Photo courtesy of SmartPak
We were only working a few hours a week, and she had no trouble in her stall, on turnout, or in the arenas. But I could tell the walk on the driveway to the arena was a struggle for her. I wanted to offer Kai some help, while also being reasonable with my hoof expectations.
Thankfully, my farrier is wonderful and gave me the full scope of options. Of course, front shoes were an option since she only seemed to be having trouble on her front feet. With her being young and not working much, paired with her only experiencing discomfort on the rocky driveway, he felt that shoes were unnecessary at this point. There were some other management practices he suggested we try to see if they helped before going the shoe route.
The first product he suggested was Hooflex Conditioner to help promote overall healthy hooves. He suggested applying it a couple times a week to Kai’s soles, frogs, and hoof walls. It helps with brittleness and also treats any bacteria or fungus that may be present. I love that this conditioner utilizes a breathable barrier to help maintain proper moisture balance, which is very important to keeping hooves supple. This way, when she goes from wet to dry conditions (think bath time or coming in to a dry stall from a damp turnout), I don’t have to be as concerned about damage to her hooves.
Photo courtesy of SmartPak
The second product my farrier suggested was a pair of hoof boots. I had never used hoof boots before, but he suggested using them when walking on surfaces that seemed to cause Kai discomfort. I put them on whenever we needed to travel on the driveway, and I plan to use them when we trail ride in the future. I decided to go with the Easyboot Trail Originals. They’re very sturdy, and I love the double Velcro in the back!
As far as measuring for them, my farrier gave me some good advice. Since it’s a bit challenging to try and use a tape measure while lifting your horse’s foot up, I wasn’t confident in my accuracy. He suggested having Kai stand on a piece of cardboard and then tracing the outline of her hoof directly onto the cardboard. Then, all I had to do was measure the cardboard trace, and boy was that a lot easier! It also allowed me to recheck my measurement without having to try and convince her to hold her hoof up to measure repeatedly. The pair of boots I ordered fit like a glove, and they’re easy to take on and off without cutting into too much riding time.
My final suggestion (and crucial piece!) is to make sure we maintain our trimming schedule with a good farrier. Maintaining good trims and overall hoof health is essential for any horse, especially one who has minor issues and wants to go barefoot.
Photo courtesy of SmartPak
Fast forward to 2023, and we’ve been able to stay barefoot and eliminate Kai’s discomfort on the rocky driveway with no issues! I hope to be able to continue to leave her barefoot for a while, but I’m glad to have the fallback of front shoes if this doesn’t provide enough support for her as she gets older and we do more trail riding.
I wanted to give a shoutout to my farrier for his knowledge and for being open to discussing a variety of options—we would be lost without him!
You can find more SmartPaker stories and adventures like this on the SmartPak blog.
Training in the Right Way: Effective Aids vs Not So Much 13 Jan 2025, 7:40 am
Because it is critical to the training process, let’s take a moment to talk about what effective aids are and what they absolutely are NOT.
Dressage training is supposed to be the process of training ANY horse to be a better riding horse. The more the horse learns, in theory, the easier it is to communicate with and therefore complete more complex tasks with. Although competition dressage training often is more focused on training for the dressage test, that is not what the original intention (and original judging requirements) were for competitive dressage. Initially, it was designed to give riders and trainers a way to determine how their training measured up to the theoretical ideal of the training process. That said, it is critically important to understand the meanings and reasons for some of the terms we use to describe dressage training and what to look for when observing training and competition (and videos and photos), regardless of whether you intend to compete or just train your horse to be a better whatever you do with him. That, ultimately, is the main purpose of my articles. To provide education and knowledge for riders to understand and improve their eye and understanding of what dressage training is supposed to be. While there will always be some differences in practice and theory, good horse training is always recognizable to the educated eye. That said, it absolutely is necessary that we remember and understand that limited knowledge is limited judgment.
* * *
We all know that we need to “be in charge” and “make” the horse do what we tell him to. And we are often initially taught that when the horse “isn’t listening” we need to get tougher — use bigger aids, bigger spurs, a sharper bit, or hit him harder with the whip. Generally, the idea is that if a horse doesn’t do what we tell him to, we have to correct him and force him to be better. Give him bigger corrections and “teach him a lesson.” And then, hopefully, we are taught by someone that this is not at all how we train horses.
Bugatti,a 4 year old PRE being ridden in an age appropriate frame, forward and in balance. Photo (c) Morgane Schmidt
Yes. Sometimes we have to give a bigger aid to get the point across. Yes. Sometimes we have use an artificial aid like spurs or a whip to reinforce our aids. Sometimes it does boil down to keeping your horse from hurting you. But, how we use these artificial aids, or bigger aids, is critical to whether the horse actually learns from our corrections, or just simply gives you a reaction that momentarily feels better than thing you were trying to prevent (but does not mean that he understands what the aid *should* mean).
Ultimately, the most important factor in your daily ride is to make your horse (and you) better at your preferred discipline— all of which I might add, have their foundation in dressage, which is also known as training horses. Training horses means educating them to be better at responding to our aids and the exercises we use in dressage help horses become better at being ridden. But this is IF we give aids that actually help the horse understand what we expect of them; if the horse does not understand the correct response to the aid, you’ve got nothing (productive, anyhow). We must also remember that training is simply repetition over time. A horse is only capable of what he repeats every day.
Going forward from the leg aid. Photo (c) Gwyneth McPherson
At the core of our training process, we have to remember that horses have no way of learning dressage (or riding) from anything but us. They can never pick up a book, watch a movie, read an article, or attend a lecture or symposium to learn what they are supposed to do when we ride them. on top of that, they can only learn what we want through the sense of touch. Of course, they might learn a word or two, like whoa, walk, trot, canter, and maybe no, but abstract thought and theoretical discussion are a no-go. Keeping that in mind, if I had to teach people riding lessons while only using the sense of touch, my job would be so much slower and harder to succeed. It would be like teaching a new language without using the old language to translate it. This means that initially, horses have to guess at the meaning of our aids. We have to be consistent and fair, but also firm and confident, for them to learn how to respond to our requests.
Acquired Class, a 4 year old OTTB learning the meaning of the whip aid through Spanish walk. Photo (c) Gwyneth McPherson.
Learning the correct aids for each exercise is the rider’s responsibility. Delivering these aids in a productive way is also the rider’s responsibility. And having the emotional maturity, and intellectual strength to use your knowledge and not use force when things get difficult, is the mark of a great rider (trainer).
I think most riders really intend to be kind, fair, consistent, and responsible. Most of the time they want to do the right thing, but they don’t always know how to be “heard.” Often, when an aid or exercise isn’t giving the desired result, I hear rider’s say “he’s not listening,” which usually actually means “he doesn’t understand.” While these moments are undoubtedly frustrating, this is when, as a rider, you must reassess.
As a place to start, here are the components to making your aids promote productive results (and help you be more confident in your own riding).
You need to know:
- What the aid(s) is for what you are requesting
- How strongly to apply it
- When to stop the aid
- And the timing of the aid
It is common that a rider will give an excellent aid. The aid is correct for the situation. The intensity (strength) of the aid is correct, and it wasn’t kept on too long or too little, but it didn’t work because the timing was a fraction of a second off. The easiest example to understand is in the use of the whip. The riding whip is not meant to be a punisher. It is not for causing pain. It is meant to be used to create greater activity of the hind leg. It only works to create greater activity of the hind leg on the side it is on. And, it can only work when it is not used too hard, too light, or out of rhythm. The only time it has a positive effect is when it touches the horse’s haunch right before that hind leg is lifted off the ground. If you give exactly the same aid, but not when the hind leg is leaving the ground, it won’t have a productive effect (the hind leg moves forward quicker).
Using this thought process, a rider needs to be able to evaluate if their aids are producing what they actually want or if the aid is just producing a reaction that makes them feel as though the horse just “did something.” Again, using the example of the whip, hitting the horse with the whip, out of time, and with too much intensity, will often cause a surge of forward energy which makes the rider feel like something “got better.” And, indeed, there was a reaction. But did the horse stay on the bit? Is he supple? Is he reaching further under the rider’s weight with his hind leg in the rhythm of the chosen gait, and staying in an uphill tendency? Or is he just squirting forward in tension away from the whip in fear, without understanding? This distinction is critical to riding proactively and effectively training your horse. While the momentary squirt forward alone may make us feel better, it is not teaching the horse the correct response to the whip aid, and will likely –ironically—result in a less forward thinking animal as he learns he can ultimately tolerate whatever force you can bring to the table (this is why strength riding ultimately falls apart, but that’s another topic for another day).
Because our feel can lie to us, and timing and the horse’s reaction are so critical to the training process, in order to be a successful trainer for your horse, you will need someone on the ground who knows what they are seeing and knows what well-delivered aids create. And from there, the rider then needs to be able to honestly self-assess if they are giving aids with knowledge and understanding. Recognizing that a horse can only guess at our meaning when we touch them with our aids, it’s true that we do need to give bigger, stronger aids sometimes, but we must always approach the process with an understanding that we are ultimately responsible for delivering aids mindfully, as well as the horse’s response and learning process.
And remember: limited knowledge is limited judgment.
Gwyneth and Flair in competition at Grand Prix. (c) flatlandsfoto.
Gwyneth McPherson has over 35 years experience competing, training, and teaching dressage. She began her education in in the late 1970s, riding in her backyard on an 11 hh pony. Her first instructor introduced her to Lendon Gray (1980 and 1988 Olympian). who mentored Gwyneth for a decade during which she achieved her first National Championship in 1984, and her Team and Individual Young Rider Gold Medals in1987.
In 1990 Gwyneth began training with Carol Lavell (1992 Olympian) who further developed Gwyneth as an FEI rider and competitor. Gwyneth achieved a Team Bronze in 1991 and a Team Silver in 1992 in the North American Young Riders Championships, and trained her stallion G’Dur to do all the Grand Prix movements while riding with Carol.
In 2008, while Head Trainer at Pineland Farms, Gwyneth began training with Michael Poulin (Olympian 1992). Michael was trained by Franz Rochowansky (Chief Rider for the Spanish Riding School 1937-1955). Michael has shared much of Rochowansky’s knowledge and wisdom with Gwyneth, completing her education as a Grand Prix rider, trainer, and competitor.
Gwyneth’s teaching and training business, Forward Thinking Dressage,is based in Williston, FL. In addition to teaching riders and training, Gwyneth also loves sharing her knowledge of the sport and art of dressage as well as discussing relevant topics pertaining to the training itself and the current competitive landscape.
Winter Tips For Feeding Round Bales, Presented by Kentucky Performance Products 11 Jan 2025, 11:08 pm
Round bales sometimes get a bad rap as a feeding option for horses, but with proper management they can be a great option — especially during the colder months.
Canva/CC
If you really want to get serious about warming your horse up on a cold winter night, feed him or her additional hay. Just five extra pounds of hay will raise your horse’s body temperature a little above 1 degree F for four hours. Therefore, providing a constant source a forage is a great way to do this.
There is often a stigma attached to feeding round bales to horses, but managed well they can be a safe and economical option. When baled and stored properly, round bales are no more prone to growing bacteria or mold than square bales. If you decide to feed round bales to your horses, be sure to purchase them from a reputable dealer who has cut and stored the hay properly.
Click here to download a print version of this infographic.
About Kentucky Performance Products, LLC:
Performance horses are susceptible to exercise-induced muscle damage. Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, limits the damage caused by everyday oxidative stress. It maintains healthy muscle and nerve functions, and supports a strong immune system in horses of all ages. Elevate was developed to provide a highly bioavailable source of natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) to horses.
Check out this KPP article: Vitamin E and the Performance Horse – A Winning Combination.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®. KPPusa.com
#goriding Grams of the Week 10 Jan 2025, 8:26 am
Another week of horse life, rounded up in your images.
Join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram at @go_riding and tag your public photos with #goriding2025. We’ll share our favorites daily on Instagram.
Triple Trouble: Time For Sedation 10 Jan 2025, 7:43 am
When Payco decided he’d had enough of his confinement, chaos erupted. From knocking over Kamille to charging at my puppy and taking off down the road, the morning quickly turned into an all-out chase. Read on to find how this wild escape finally earned Payco a daily dose of sedation.
Lately, my horses have been relatively trouble-free — not enough excitement to warrant a true Triple Trouble article, at least — until about two weeks ago. If you’ve been following my series, you’re already familiar with Payco’s situation. He’s been on stall rest since September after suffering a spiral radial fracture. Compared to some of the other horses I’ve had in this situation, Payco has been an absolute angel — *mostly*. He’s been so calm and easy to handle that we haven’t needed to sedate him… until recently, that is.
The morning started like any other: wake up, layer up in multiple clothing items, and trudge down to the barn to feed. Kamille was helping with the chores since it was the weekend. Because of the chilly weather, the barn doors were cracked just enough to let a person slip through. Kamille opened Payco’s stall door to grab his feed pan, and out of nowhere, Payco knocked her over and bolted past her into the barn aisle.
Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
But he wasn’t done there. Payco made a beeline for the front barn door and plowed right through it, breaking free into the driveway. I exchanged a quick glance with Kamille, told her to grab a halter, and started to move toward him. Payco clearly had other plans for the morning.
In an instant, he pinned his ears and charged straight at my five-month-old puppy, Raven. The pure terror in her eyes as she tried to outrun him sent a jolt of fear through me. Payco was in full-on rampage mode, and it wasn’t just Raven he was terrorizing. As she sprinted up the small hill toward the house, she darted into a small hole where the ground had sunk after we ran the water line from the house to the barn. Payco didn’t miss a beat — he jumped over her, clearing the hole, and continued his wild run to the top of the hill before racing across the front yard.
Raven. Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
Kamille’s eyes were as wide as horse turds, and her face was pale as the snow. I couldn’t help but laugh — nervously, of course. It was one of those moments when you’re so overwhelmed by the chaos that all you can do is laugh to keep from losing it. Kamille shot me a look and snapped, “How can you be laughing right now?” Honestly, her distressed reaction just made me laugh harder. As an 11-year-old, she’d never been through a horse rehab process like this one, and I couldn’t help but find the humor in the absurdity of it all.
But that laugh quickly faded when Payco decided to take his rebellion to the next level. Yep, you guessed it — he bolted down the driveway, took a left onto the quiet lane I live on (thankfully, traffic is rare), and dashed up the street, disappearing from view. I’m pretty sure I dropped the F-bomb more times in those few minutes than I ever have in my life.
Trying to come up with a plan, I released the other horses into the pasture, hoping Payco might spot them and be drawn back to the herd. To my relief, it worked. Within seconds, Payco was charging along the fence line, galloping full speed. Kamille, absolutely terrified for everyone’s safety, ran to put the dogs inside. Meanwhile, I grabbed a halter and positioned myself in a spot where Payco would either have to stop or run me down.
Now, a quick note about my pastures: they’re bordered by a tree line, and where Payco was running, there was no way for him to get past me unless he ran right over me. So, there I stood, praying to every deity I could think of that he wouldn’t plow into me. As Payco galloped toward me, I stood tall, got big, and — though I loath to admit it — may have closed my eyes for a brief second.
Apparently, it wasn’t long enough to be a disaster, because what happened next was nothing short of miraculous. Just inches from me, Payco executed a perfect sliding stop — one of his favorite skills — coming to a complete halt with a snort and a toss of his head. In that moment, I was able to slip on the halter and calmly walk him back to his stall.
I fully expected that Payco’s leg would be re-injured and that all the progress he’d made over the past few months would be undone. But after watching him run around like a lunatic, I couldn’t believe my eyes — he looked sound and strong. In the days following, he didn’t take a single lame step.
Payco shortly after his injury. Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
While I still call him every name in the book, there’s never been a clearer sign that a horse on stall rest has *earned* daily sedation. Since that incident, Trazodone has become our best friend. Payco has been much more comfortable in his stall, and Kamille and I have been able to breathe easy again — anxiety attack-free! The puppy, however, may have some slight PTSD!
Marcella Gruchalak is a CMSA Ladies Level 5 shooter, Horse Nation Social Media Director, and digital content creator. Follow her Instagram accounts @_gru_crew_ and @msupercubed.
Thursday Video: Snow Day! 9 Jan 2025, 8:24 am
Winter is here! We’re happy to see some equestrians making the best of it.
Here at Horse Nation headquarters, we’ve gone a couple of years without any real winter to speak of. Under normal circumstances, we have some solid stretches of cold and snow, but in 2023 and 2024, that wasn’t really the case.
However, 2025 seems to be bringing back winter. Even though it’s cold and that means that everything takes more time, we won’t lie. We’ll take the cold and snow over the mud. HANDS DOWN.
With actual winter also come the benefits of snow day fun. Instagrammer @chernovaa__anastasiaa certainly won’t pass up an opportunity to enjoy some time in the snow with her friends and horses (and we’re totally here for it!).
Happy Thursday, Horse Nation. Go riding!
Reader Photo Challenge: Winter Wonderland 9 Jan 2025, 7:49 am
Enjoy these nine horses with a wintery background!
This week we asked to see horses with a snowy background. Enjoy these nine photos of horses in winter wonderlands!
Photo by Mollie Himes
Photo by Jean
Photo by Kelsey Gibson
Photo by Kamille Huff
Photo by B Albers
Photo by Kristin Matheny
Photo by Sheri Parkinson
Photo by Katherine Ring
Photo by Courtney Moss
Keep an eye out for next week’s photo challenge! We announce challenge subjects on Monday around the end of the day on both Instagram and Facebook.
Thoroughbred Logic, Presented by Kentucky Performance Products: The Best Arena For Restarting Your Thoroughbred 8 Jan 2025, 8:59 am
“Let’s start with the fact that if you have an arena of any shape or size, you’re already winning.”
Welcome to the next installment of Thoroughbred Logic. In this weekly series, Anthropologist and trainer Aubrey Graham, of Kivu Sport Horses, offers insight and training experience when it comes to working with Thoroughbreds (although much will apply to all breeds). This week ride along as Aubrey shares her logic on the best arenas for restarting off-track Thoroughbreds.
When I began restarting Thoroughbreds as part of my business, I honestly didn’t think too much about the arena. It was just there, so I made use of it. Pretty simple. But with various moves over the last year, I have had a chance to ride and restart in a very wide range of rings. Turns out, each comes with its benefits and detractions, and unsurprisingly, I have learned a lot and have gained some additional opinions. Perhaps the most important and obvious finding is that the arena shapes your ride and your training. And sometimes you just have to get creative to get them forward (or steering, or settled, or focused…)
No arena in this weather? Better bundle up and prepare to hack out in the wind. Your horses will be better, tougher citizens for it. Photo by author.
Let’s start with the fact that if you have an arena of any shape or size, you’re already winning. Thoroughbreds can be restarted in a paddock or a front lawn, and can still come along just as well as those whose first post-track rides happen in perfectly groomed indoors. That said, a first ride in some form of visually or physically demarcated space isn’t a bad thing. Though, as soon as I know I have brakes and a relatively sane ride under me, I get them out in open spaces to create a more balanced, stable version of forward.
Coragescontender got his first ride in the wood board paddock of my new location at the former Finale Farm in Lansing, NY. Photo by Sarah Hepler.
My arena in Georgia was pretty ideal in many ways. The sand footing was stable and never got too deep. The three-foot-six-inch to four-foot rail created a clear distinction that staying inside the space was in fact a good idea. No one in the time I was there tried to jump out (though Rhodie, aka Western Ridge, did try to climb out at one point… eek). The arena was large enough to establish a good canter down the long side and bring it back before the turn, but never so large that a gallop turned really dicey. Largely, I spent very little time thinking about the arena when I was there — other than trying to keep the footing dry and even.
I did think a lot about the turnout paddocks next to the ring though — the ones where the geldings would gallop down the hill while you rode, testing even the most seasoned of horses under you. I liked the smaller levels of chaos that those paddocks would bring; they created quality distraction and “noise” around the ride that allowed my horses to transition well into competition environments and busy barns. Too quiet for these guys seems to make them jumpy.
A younger Needles Highway schooling back at the original farm in McDonough, GA. Photo by the Kivu Team.
When I moved north to New York, the first barn I found myself inhabiting part of a barrel racing set up, and suddenly I had opinions about arenas. Their indoor was stunning — huge and easy to access, though the footing was set for more western disciplines, so I had to watch the depth. There were banners for the horses to get used to and the occasional movement in and out, but really, I found the arena a bit too still and quiet. Outside, we had a sizable but uneven outdoor that was a walk down the hill from the barn. The views were epic, and without an arena rail it appeared that you could just keep galloping down the long side and off and down the mountain.
Wolf (Louisiana Moon) hacking in the outdoor in Bath, NY. Photo by Sarah Hepler.
Oddly, putting first and initial rides on young Thoroughbreds in that environment never caused any issues. They never left the arena or went at high speed screaming back to the barn or down the mountain. But when I would have people come try horses and swing a leg over, they definitely noticed that there was no rail or demarcation to the arena, and they would ride like it — tight, handsy, aiming for slow not forward. Trial rides quickly got shuffled to the indoor. That said, though, I came to like my unrailed outdoor, where Littles the dog would hunt frogs and small fish in the creek-swamp next to it and keep my horses and me on our respective toes.
Littles the arena water mascot. Photo by author.
When I moved to my current (and hopefully very longterm) home farm, one of the things it does not have is an outdoor. What does it have instead? A great compact indoor with surprisingly good footing after all these years and a lovely rolling front lawn that acts as a heck of a jump field. The plan will be to put in an outdoor sometime this year once the winter packs up and goes the hell away. That said, these two new riding spaces have a lot to offer that I hadn’t thought about before.
Mojito Margarita hacking around during her first ride at the new Kivu location. Photo by Lily Drew.
On the upside, in the indoor, my young horses learn to steer better and quickly have to figure out how to get their hind end under them for turns. There aren’t a lot of options, you are pretty much always turning or about to turn. There’s also a lot for them to look at — the tractors at one end, their barn mates through the aisle, and the never ending flow of people and things: the farrier truck, the hay delivery, the barn help moving shavings, etc., etc., etc. The arena is utilitarian — function over form. But it gets the job done, and hell, I can be in there riding around just fine when it’s 12 degrees and blowing like mad outside… kind of like right now. I’ll take it.
On the less ideal sides, you’re always turning so it can be a little more effort to get the horses out in front of your leg and really going forward. Gathering the canter into a rhythm is a little tougher just due to the size. So, on days that aren’t frozen, out we go to use the land. The jump field provides terrain changes that help teach a half halt, and the hay field trail provides a long trot or gallop area to fix any stuck behind the leg issues.
Bowing Snowman struggled a bit with all the turning required in the indoor during his first post track ride, so as soon as it was nice, he got a lovely canter in the hayfield and found his forward. Photo by Lily Drew.
Between the two spaces, I’m really pretty set. But because I grew up riding outside in all weather and because I’m always happier outside, I’ll start squirreling away to put in an outdoor. And not just any outdoor, but hopefully one that is pretty ideal for working with and restarting Thoroughbreds — so an arena that encourages them to stay in front of the leg, turn, and to have options for the types of geometry we get to make. And if they need more time to get up and going, or get on a hill, or get out of the rains, sleet and snow, I’ll be super grateful for the other options this property provides.
So to sum up at this point, if I were to create an ideal arena for restarting Thoroughbreds, it would draw from the last decade of riding and training and would likely have some of these specs (and I’m sure a ton of others):
- Outside (except in winter up here… I have never been so grateful to have an indoor).
- Big enough to canter at least/around 15 strides on the long side and eight on the short, but not so big that they f0rget that they’re in a ring
- Have soft, even, not-too-deep and not slippery footing
- Have a clear rail that is high enough and doesn’t look like a jump
- Be located in a spot with enough going on to make it slightly chaotic, but not so hectic you feel like you might die
- Be located close enough to the barn that there isn’t an obvious desire for them to run back to their friends
- Have enough space around jumps and obstacles to ride well even when the chips are down and steering is out the window.
And if this isn’t all possible right away and I spend next year training in a field and not an arena, that’s fine too — at least I can guarantee my young horses will all come with a pretty damn good half halt, steering and traction control.
Fig (Ekati’s Verve) looking into the barn from turnout in the indoor arena (I’m grateful for that on days like this too). Photo by author.
Go ride, folks, and enjoy the arena or “arena” you might have. Today, I’ll go be very, very grateful for an indoor and less grateful for the sub-zero windchill.
About Kentucky Performance Products, LLC:
Performance horses are susceptible to exercise-induced muscle damage. Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, limits the damage caused by everyday oxidative stress. It maintains healthy muscle and nerve functions, and supports a strong immune system in horses of all ages. Elevate was developed to provide a highly bioavailable source of natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) to horses.
Check out this KPP article: Vitamin E and the Performance Horse – A Winning Combination.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®. KPPusa.com