Ride Bay Area

Horseman's blessing:

2008-07-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

From the AQHA's newsletter:

May you belly never grumble,
May your heart never ache,
May your horse never stumble.
May your cinch never break.

What to do?

2008-07-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we have our after school program up and running and its going to be a great year. We have our adventure rides - usually on the weekends but occasionally we sneak one in during the week. Recently we have had a number of people who are having trouble with their horses. Trouble like bucking, pulling back, etc. Please know these things happen - even to the most senior of trainers.

What makes the difference when these happen is what you do about it. Do you decide to quit riding and put your horse away? Do you decide that he/she is not feeling up to the challenge? Do you yank here and kick there?

As your horse's leader you need to have a plan, including dealing with the unruly testing, i don't know what your asking, and let me just see if I can get away with it, for every action. Newton said that every action has an opposite and equal reaction ... well the same is true for you and your horse(s) sometime - have a plan, reward the good behavior, correct the bad behavior, and always try to end on a good note.

Look who we found at the beach !

2008-07-10T18:48:00.001-07:00

Yes people, I'm talking about the penguin, not the cowboy. lol.

Beach Ride July 13th

2008-07-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

Anyone want to ride on the beach this weekend? Might be a bit cooler than the inland areas. We have spots for 4 more riders. Call us to reserve your ride time.

Woodside Anyone?

2008-07-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

We are now trainers at The Horse Park at Woodside. www.horsepark.org/. Check out the great facilities. If you have always wanted ride and train out there, let us know. We can make it happen for you. There is lots of opportunity for you and your horse(s).

You can find us teaching lessons Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Soon to be adding more so keep in touch! We can also accommodate private lessons and currently can accept horses in training (subject to prior evaluation).

Come join us for a day at the park sometime.

Beach riders take the weekend

2008-06-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone - I heard you had a great time at the beach this weekend. In fact I heard you owned that beach. Congratulations to all who galloped for the first time, laughed with their fellow riders, and who enjoyed themselves tremendously!

I'm so there next time!

Do you have a fire plan?????

2008-06-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

As you all know, Northern California is on fire. Be sure that you know your barn's fire evacuation procedures.

Talk to your fellow boarders or neighborhoods and have different contingency plans.

Check out: http://www.bayequest.info/horsetalk/ranchfire.htm

See also Emergency Evacuation Resources for Horses andRanch Animals in Northern California

Number one message: Start early, don't get trapped

Its Hot - Our Horses are Hot - What to do?

2008-06-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

Now that its officially summer, remember to take of your horse and yourself:

1. Provide ample fresh clean water. Check daily that buckets or troughs are not contaminated with bird droppings, insect larvae, chaff, or algae growth. Try to keep the water cool. Horses may not want to drink warm water. Ponies and foals may have trouble reaching to the bottom of a shallowly filled trough. Make sure everyone in your paddocks can reach the water.

2. Sponge or hose down the large blood vessels along the inside of the legs, belly, and neck. Make sure not to get water in its ears.

3. If you must work your horses hard try to schedule your session for early morning or late evening when it is cooler. After riding or driving in hot weather, cool your horse down slowly. Loosen girths or belly bands immediately after a work out. Offer sips of cool—not cold—water and walk the horse slowly. Muscles are more apt to stiffen if the horse is allowed to stand, and moving muscles dissipate heat better than stationary ones.

4. Consider using electrolytes if your horse is sweating hard, such as when the combined humidity and air temperature exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit or your horse will be working hard (a long trail ride or competition). Electrolytes replace salts lost in sweating. They are similar to human sport drinks. You can put electrolytes in the horse’s feed, or use a large-ended syringe to squirt into the mouth. Use electrolytes made for horses. Electrolytes made for other livestock may be unsuitable.

5. Make sure there is a place for your horse to avoid the sun, either a building or a shade tree.
Clip horses with heavy coats. Be careful not to clip too close however, since exposed skin can sunburn.

6. Apply zinc oxide cream to horses with pink noses to prevent and treat sunburn.

7. Mid to late summer weather often means that grass growth slows down and pasture quality declines. Make sure your horse is getting enough fodder and consider supplementing with hay if necessary. Horses need energy to stay warm and cool. Adjust your feed mixture if your horse begins to lose condition in hot weather.

8. If your barn becomes hot and stuffy, consider setting up a fan. Make sure the horse cannot reach the cord or fan itself, it can’t be tipped, and that it is plugged into a ground fault interrupt electrical receptacle if there is any chance of electrical wiring coming into contact with moisture, such as a spilled water bucket or a curious horse’s mouth.

9. If hot weather brings clouds of biting insects that keep your horse pacing and stomping, try using fly sprays, masks, and sheets. Water-based fly sprays may be less harsh on the coat hairs, as oil-based ones can cause bleaching.

10. Whether you are at home riding or competing, a bucket full of ice water and old towels can help refresh you and your horse. Place them over your horse’s neck and your own. A drop of lemon, mint, or citronella essential oil on the people towels is an energizing touch.

11. Take care of yourself. If you get overheated and tired, you may not be able to take care of your horse effectively. And you could miss warnings that your horse itself is showing signs of heat stress.

12. Heat stroke can happen to horses whether they are working hard, standing in stuffy stables, or traveling in trailers. Call a vet and take immediate action if your horse exhibits any of these symptoms:
Elevated respiration in an inactive horse (normal range is 4 to 16 breaths per minute).
Elevated pulse in an inactive horse, pulse that does not drop after several minutes, or climbs once exercise has stopped.
Profuse sweating or no sweating at all.
Elevated body temperature above 103F.
Irregular heart beat known as ‘thumps.’
A depressed attitude.
Dehydration. Test for this by observing your horse’s flanks. If they look caved in, he is probably dehydrated. Pick up a pinch of skin along your horse’s neck. If the skin snaps back quickly, the horse is sufficiently hydrated. If the pinched area collapses slowly, the horse is dehydrated.

Phar Lap

2008-06-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

If you don't know the story of Phar Lap - rent the movie, read one of the many books written about him, he is a Race Horse Icon.

And now we know the rest of the story ...

courtesy of Yahoo:

Phar Lap died of arsenic poisoning

Jun 19, 12:20 am EDT

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Forensic scientists say champion Australian gelding Phar Lap died of arsenic poisoning, solving a mystery that has intrigued the horse racing world for more than 75 years.

Phar Lap won 37 of his 51 starts before his death in mysterious circumstances at Menlo Park in California in April 1932. Days before his death, he won Mexico’s Agua Caliente Handicap, which was then the richest horse race in North America.

Arsenic poisoning has long been suspected as the cause of Phar Lap’s death, but confirmation had been lacking until Thursday when researchers Dr. Ivan Kempson of the University of South Australia and Dermot Henry, manager of Natural Science Collections at Museum Victoria, released the findings of their forensic investigation.

Kempson took six hairs from Phar Lap’s mane and analyzed them at the Advanced Photon Source Synchrotron in Chicago, finding that in the 40 hours before Phar Lap’s death the horse had ingested a massive dose of arsenic.

Phar Lap’s mounted hide is on display at the Melbourne Museum, while his heart is kept at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

“We can’t speculate where the arsenic came from, but it was easily accessible at the time,” Henry said.

Notebooks kept by Phar Lap’s handler Tommy Woodcock, obtained by Museum Victoria, show the horse was administered tonics and ointments containing both arsenic and strychnine. An accidental overdose has long been considered the likely cause of death.

Well the cookout was a success

2008-06-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

A perfect day for a cookout - warm and sunny. Sitting by the lake we listened to country music, ate by the grill, and talked horses. A fun group. The horses managed well. Why, we might have to do this again soon :)

Cowboy Cookout -- June 13th

2008-06-02T21:54:00.001-07:00

Okay all - we are going to have a cookout on June 13th. There will be a ride then bbq, games, and relaxation under the trees. The horses won't be far away so maybe we can convince Shawn to give us a little show. There will be a lot of fun had. Give us a call if you are interested. If we can't fit you in on that date, we are working on another cookout soon :)

The Beach

2008-05-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

The beach rides this weekend were fantastic. Everyone had a great time. We rode through the waves, our horses had fun, our riders had fun. A few lopes in the sand and the horses were ready for a break.

Quote of the Day

2008-05-22T15:40:00.001-07:00

He knows when you're happy
He knows when you're comfortable
He knows when you're confident
And he always knows when you have carrots.
~Author Unknown

Memorial weekend ... Here we come

2008-05-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

All we are planning to go ride on the beach in Monterey on this coming Sunday and Monday. We might also plan a quick ride through Golden Gate Park on the way back to the barn - hopefully there will be some cool activities going on there.

Anybody up for it just let us know.

Our Blog is Up and Running!

2008-05-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

YeeHaw... our blog is up and running. We can't wait share the horse adventures we have with you.