FEI Redhorse: Kentucky

http://feiredhorse.blogspot.com
Kentucky


100 Acre Farm in Nicholasville, KY

Trying to remember why I abandoned my nice comfortable life to live in a box with wheels for months on end. Actually not that bad, been to some very interesting places and met some wonderful people, an experience that I will always hold dear.



Danville to Kentucky was not too far, about 7 hours, but it was nice and hot, highest temp I saw was 97. Just as I got into town the AT&T network went down so could not call Ron Brown to get the final few miles of directions to the farm.

Arrived in Nicholasville, KY at about 1:30 PM on Thursday the 16 of August. Ron has 100 acres in the middle of a upper scale neighborhood, just seconds from the Hwy, we are about 15 miles to Shaker Village and the same to Lexington Horse Park, so perfect. He has two very large older barns that are in good repair. Ron's dream is to have really nice boarding and exercise facility.

MONK loves Kentucky, as do I. He likes that green stuff they put on the ground, they have a little in California, but it goes away fast. Here he has it has far as the eye can see, he runs in it, rolls in it and then eats it, what more could you ask.. He has quite a routine when I give him his hay and grain as I can hear him right outside the trailer door. He eats a little hay, some grain and then some of that green stuff, and so it goes...


During the day time MONK goes into a large 4 board pasture of maybe 4 acres or so which is next to the dry lot which is reserved for the weight loss patients. He runs the fence line with some of the more able, but mostly just hangs out and eats. Mid day, during the heat of the day I try and put him into a stall for a few hours to get away from the sun and the flies. When I get him out I wash and disinfect his pasterns and reapply my zinc oxide. Currently only a couple of very tiny spots of scratches.. They don't call them that here in Kentucky, will have to remember to find out what they do...

...more

Endurance Event Volunteer's Introduction to WEG

Thehorse.com
21 Aug 2010, 12:10 AM

The first step in my adventure as a volunteer for the endurance phase of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games was taken July 26, 2010, when I attended my first volunteer training meeting. It is estimated there will be about 8,000 volunteers and World Equestrian Games Foundation staff working during the Games. Many of the workers have come from places other than the Lexington area, taking their vacations to volunteer. The room was abuzz with excitement about what was to come, the anticipation heightened by a beautiful promotional video played on a big screen in the front of the room.

We were told that the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will be the largest equine event ever held in the United States, and the largest, over the 14 days, sporting event ever held in Kentucky. Just typing this sentence gives me chills! I have attended the Kentucky Derby many times, never considering the logistical and safety challenges the staff of that event must face. When I think of Derby day, I think of traffic problems. During the World Games, traffic heading to the Horse Park will be re-routed directionally so all traffic enters from one direction and exits heading the opposite direction. All left turns into and out of the Park are eliminated, which will speed up the overall traffic flow. Several different traffic and parking scenarios have been proposed so everyone attending the Games should remember that the traffic, the lines, the crowds, and the excitement level will be on a grand scale. Car-pool. Be patient. Be courteous—words to live by.

At this training session we were given a few tips about cultural differences in behavior and saw a video about conflict resolution. A list of responsibilities and expectations was discussed which included things like where the volunteers are to park, check in times, wearing clean uniforms, and that we are not to light fires. Now I enjoy a crackling campfire but I would not think of starting one at the Horse Park! We were told what to do if someone approaches and states that they want to “defect.” If anyone in the room did not understand that this will be an international event, perhaps this discussion drove the point home. There will be people from 59 countries participating in the games. You know they are going to love our beautiful Bluegrass area!

As volunteers we must wear specific uniforms that consist of provided polo shirts, a jacket, a hat (we must wear the bill forward) and a cinch pack for the personal things we need to survive our shift. We are to wear long khaki pants, but they are not provided. I do not know what the shirts will look like yet, but they will surely be better than the ones we were given for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. I worked there as an equine therapist, happily wearing the way-oversized shirt with its gaudy design of blue and turquoise loops and circles. You could easily pick out the workers in a crowd and perhaps that is the idea. As during the Olympics, workers will all have an accreditation pass to enter the Park. We must show this pass for access to our venue.

My work venue will be the endurance test, which is like a marathon race. The horses will run a 160-kilometer course laid out through the Park and surrounding farms. Team and individual championships will be determined and the veterinary commission will select a horse that finishes in the best condition. I truly look forward to watching this demanding event and to doing my small part to make it happen. I will be checking back in with updates as we get closer to the opening of the Games. See you there!

...full article at http://cs.thehorse.com/blogs/behind-scenes-weg/archive/2010/08/21/endurance-event-volunteer-s-introduction-to-weg.aspx

WEG: FIRST USA BRED SHAGYA ON SHORT LIST FOR WEG ENDURANCE

SA Belshazzar (Bayram x Jay El Tongafarah ox) named by USEF to go to Shaker Village. First USA Shagya to travel to Dubai, UAE to race in the President's Cup. First USA Shagya to do a 100 miles in 9 hours 17 min.
In 2006, a purebred Shagya won the WEG endurance 100 mile endurance race and "Zar's" breeder, Daunna Sellers,
of Verona, Ky. is wishing for another Shagya win. The Shagya breed is a rarity in the horse world with only about 150
breeding animals in the U.S. It's versatility has been proven, as the Shagya excels in all the disciplines, but lately it
has found a niche in the endurance world.

According to the American Shagya Arabian Verband, inc. the breed originated in Hungary and has been developed since 1789 from purebred Arabian stock. Recognized in 1978 as a distinct breed by the World Arabian Horse Organization,
WAHO, the Shagya has struggled to comeback following WWII when it almost became extinct.

The Shagya registry is holding an annual meeting and a judging clinic Sept. 25 and 27th

-- The clinic will be held in Finchville,KY. (between Louisville/Lexington), just off the main hwy. and easy drive from WEG
grounds.
The registry is honored to have as clinician, Dr. Walter Huber, ISG judge and
renowned speaker.
Dr. Huber is interesting and fun and you will enjoy hearing about his lifetime
experience with the Shagya breed. He is a resident of Germany and vice president of http://www.shagya-isg.de/index.php

Information about the clinic and annual meeting may be found at www.shagyaregistry.com

Contributions and sponsors are welcomed to fund SA Belshazzar towards his quest for the WEG race. They
may be sent to ZAR Fund, 15918 Porter Rd., Verona, Ky. 41092

Horses, riders from WEG to work out at Shaker Village before games

Story at http://www.amnews.com/stories/2010/08/18/loc.142004.sto
By BEN KLEPPINGER
bkleppinger@amnews.com
August 18, 2010

PLEASANT HILL — Shaker Village has been selected to host the U.S. Equestrian Endurance Team in the run up to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games this fall.

A dozen horses and 10 riders will arrive at Shaker Village on Sept. 1, where they will do light conditioning work with the horses, Endurance Team Coach Becky Hart said. Riders will exercise the horses on a circular treadmill known as a ‘eurociser,’ climbing hills and doing some short canter, she said.

The riders also will keep in shape by going on hikes, jogging, bicycling and swimming.

Hart said the horses already are very fit and will need only minimal training before the games. On Sept. 17, the list of riders will be halved as the final five are selected to represent the U.S. at the games. Then the team will move to the World Equestrian games venue on Sept. 24.

Hart said the team chose Shaker Village because it had everything they were looking for, from stalls and access to trails, to living quarters close to the horses and on-site meals. Shaker Village also will provide the team with a nice level of privacy because it is a good distance away from Lexington, she said.

“Privacy and a place where we can retain our focus and dedication to winning a medal for the United States was an important part of opting for Shaker Village,” Hart said.

The World has Moved On, John di Pietra

My father passed away a couple of weeks ago. It's hard to believe that over twenty years has gone by since he first started toying with the idea of the ultimate endurance saddle. In the eighty's, as he was racing more and more, he was having a hard time finding a saddle that fit him and his horse and also had all of the comfort features that he thought were important. Rather quickly, it became a bit of an obsession for him. He had been the owner of a twenty some year old office supply and computer business but as he focused more on designing saddles his attention shifted away from business and he ended up losing his house and closing his business. He then moved into his warehouse and lived on credit cards for a couple of years as his reputation as a saddle maker slowly spread and he started taking orders for saddles.

He lived with such a passion for life and always pushed and tested himself constantly. He loved competition. Earlier in his life he competed in water skiing, quick draw competitions and raced speed boats. In the seventies he got his first horse and discovered endurance racing and spent the next thirty years competing all over the United States. He had over 50 first place finishes and in 1989 he was the National 100 Mile Champion. In 1992, he was Reserve Champion over all weight divisions in AERC sanctioned races. In 1995, at the age of 63, my dad finished 4th out of 250 entrants at the Tevis Cup 100 mile endurance ride. This ride is so tough that on average half of the competitors never see the finish line.

My wife and I feel very fortunate to have learned the art of saddle making from my father and to be able to work together to carry on the tradition. We are proud of the fact that what started as my dad's dream of the perfect endurance saddle has turned into a saddle company that can build any type of saddle: English, endurance, cutters, barrel, reiners, trail, ropers or any combination that our customers can dream up. I envision a day when we too will pass this business on to our children.

John Paul Di Pietra 1932-2010. He will be missed.

Dave

contact at synergist.mail@synergistsaddles.com

Kiwi Harris in good spirits after Mongol Derby effort

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

August 16, 2010

Reporting: Diana Dobson

The New Zealander who finished third in the 1000-kilometre Mongol Derby says the aches and pains are not nearly as bad as she imagined.

"I'm doing really well actually," said Madonna Harris, who is Equestrian Sports New Zealand's endurance high performance leader.

"I'm not anywhere near as sore as I thought I might be."

The Aucklander led for several days and remained in contention for most of the race, but in the end finished three hours behind American Justin Nelzen and two-time derby veteran Saskia van Heeren, from South Africa.

Nelzen and van Heeran ended the race only a few metres apart...

Read more here:
http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2010/08/118.shtml

Top Ten - Heather Reynolds' Blog

Reynolds Racing - Heather's Blog

Thursday, 12 August 2010
Yesterday it was announced who was in the top ten for the USA World Endurance team. The top ten riders are: Ellyn Rapp, Michele Roush, Jan Worthington (our host), Meg Sleeper, Melody Blittersdorf, Lindsay Graham, Ceci Stasuik, Deborah Reich (friend and client) and Heather and Jeremy!!! It was really cool to make it. Sam and Smitty are both looking great.

It was a billion degrees yesterday and we all were putting up a healthy sweat as the announcements were made. Then there were discussions of future details and time lines...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/304/top_ten

Danville WEG final selection ride - Monk's blog

FEIRedhorse.blogspot.com - Full Article

Friday, August 13, 2010

"MONK goes to Shaker Village"

Lots of pictures in the Danville file on this link http://picasaweb.google.com/Webtackusa , there are I think two videos on that link.

What appears to be a nicely groomed trail is a ankle buster. I walked about 3 miles of the manicured trail and was surprised to find hoof sized holes, probably left over from the mud ride now covered with nice evenly cut grass..

MONK and Lindsay were in the saddle early. MONK was #1, and I guess you can read into that what you want too, I know I did. We had 6 horses in our group and I think there were 5 groups and the highest number I remember seeing was 26. Team #1 left at 5:45am, riders were out cantering their horses by 5:30am. Teams were spread 20 minutes apart.

Teams were allowed one groom, all other team members became crew to help cool down the incoming horses. When not helping others you could then go do your own thing with your horse.

Crew persons were down in numbers from the previous trials we had been too which hindered the process a little, but everybody worked together nicely and got the job done.

I was busy most of the time and did not keep track of the actual pulls but there were lots, and mostly for lameness...

Read more here:
http://feiredhorse.blogspot.com/2010/08/danville-weg-final-selection-ride.html

Linny and Sojourner ride from coast to coast

http://www.linnykenney.blogspot.com

On March 1, 2010, San Francisco based singer/songwriter Linny Kenney set off with her horse, Sojourner, on a cross country ride starting in CA heading to her childhood home in NH. Linny is riding in celebration of strong families and as an outreach to families dealing with divorce-related depression. The ride is about endurance, challenge, a love for the land, people, and the horse, and the beauty of slowing down to enjoy the moments.

"Hi!
I looked through your site and it looks like most of it is dedicated to endurance races, but if you're interested in sharing our story with your readers...I have been on my horse for nearly 6 months now, 2,115 miles. I have always dreamed of riding a horse across America since I was a little girl and now we are finally doing it. My best friend is in a support truck (no trailer) and slowly but surely we are making our way from Los Angeles, CA to Bath, New Hampshire!

Here is a link to my blog...

http://www.linnykenney.blogspot.com

The ride has shown the incredible trust, generosity, and openness that is still available in this country. It's been a pretty incredible ride full of stories that I would love to share with more people. If you have a section on your site for links or blogs maybe we could swap links on our sites?

Thanks for taking the time to read this! "

Linny

Mongol Derby: Day 6 update

http://mongolderby10.theadventurists.com/index.php?page=derby-news-template-field%20update
Dispatch from the field, race day six

Riders feel the heat
Just 13 riders remain in the fray for Mongol Derby glory. British Anna Bradbury and South African Elsa Post are riding at leisure, alternating between horses and back-up jeeps, and have retired from the competition after an exhausting first half.

The Mongolian climate has taken on some significance during the last two days of racing. Fierce heat yesterday may have ended Australian Alisa Vermay's hopes for victory. Having led the field away yesterday (Wednesday) morning, she succumbed to heat stroke and dehydration later in the day, and was held by the medical team at Urtuu 16. She responded very well to treatment but was advised to take a rest day today, and remains at Urtuu 16 with one of the Prometheus Medical team.

Today has been a good deal cooler and seen some heavy rainfall, throwing up a new set of challenges to the horses and riders.

The leading pack may have been split again today. We have had reports of a time penalty being imposed on one of the leading riders. Riders may have time penalties imposed by the vets if their horse fails its vet check, or by the back-up team if they stray too far away from the course. The penalty system is designed to protect the welfare of the horses and riders, and ensure a fair contest. At the end of day six, Saskia van Heeren and Justin Nelzen are at Urtuu 20, an urtuu clear of the next rider, Madonna Harris.

Madonna remains clear of the next group at Urtuu 18, Hilary Ponti representing the US, Sophie de Selliers of Belgium, Camilla Swift, Rhiannon Thomas, Anya Campbell and Richard Dyer of the UK. They are one urtuu ahead of Brit Susi Saddler and American Kat Swigart, who gamely recovered from a fall on day two and is reported to be sporting a shiner of a black eye, whilst Camilla Speck is just a couple of kms short of the chasing pack between Urtuus 17 and 18. Meanwhile, Alisa is bringing up the rear, some 100 kms off the pace, at Urtuu 16.

As we have seen today the race can change shape in very short order. Even if the leaders have commenced their sprint to the finish, they are only a mishap away from rejoining the chasing pack.

The horses seem to be coping very well, and we have had no veterinary incidents reported to date. The course is set with water sources in mind.

Report filed by Miss Kate Willings, Head of Equitation and Tack Cleaning, The Adventurists, from Bristol, UK

Observation Trials: Charisse Glenn

Malibuendurance.com - Full Article

Update:

*Aug 12, 2010

The Observation Trials were held on Aug 10, in Danville, Illinois. We arrived safely. Carl left us and flew back home. I set up camp with my friend and coach Trevor Copland from New Zealand, along with Iza Watcher from San Miguel, Mexico and both Steel and Bogart.

Acclimating to the weather has been great. HOT and Humid can't even begin to cover what we have lived in.

It has paid off, with the fact that we don't feel the heat any longer even though it has been in the 100+ and 85+% humidity.

Horses have a way of bringing us the greatest joys as well as teaching us life long lessons. I am grateful to have experienced both and this trip was a mixture of the two.

The horses were going well, although I still had concerns that Steel's knee was a bit problematic.

Bogart VF was perfection.The day before the trials Trevor, and I along with Sue Hedgecock and Cheryl Dell were out previewing the trail. Trev was cantering in the rear and suddendly the trail gave way and he was knee deep in a hole.

Thankfully Bogart did not break anything, but certainly stained himself.

When we returned, we felt he was slightly off. BUMMER! Becky came up about that time and I let her know. If I could have with drawn him, I would have. I knew that I did not want to risk any permanate injury, but without starting the trials my chances would be over. Bogart is a great horse with a hugh heart, tougher than nails and fiercely competitive...

Read more here:
http://www.malibuendurance.com/raceschedule.php

Canadian champion riding high

Yourottawaregion.com - Full Article

Andrew Snook
Aug 11, 2010

PERTH - When it comes to riding, Elaine Steele does not horse around. When the mother of three from Mountain Grove is not spending her nights as the swing manager at the McDonald’s restaurant in Perth on Highway 7, she is riding her horses, Chanticleer Shadow and Xena Warrior Princess, to victory at numerous competitions.

Steele has been riding horses for 48 years; she first rode when she was four years old.

“My parents have always had horses,” she said. “It runs in the family. They’re the ones that taught me to ride and raise horses.”

Her first competitions were horse shows; Steele didn’t start competing in long distance riding until 1997...

Read more here:
http://www.yourottawaregion.com/sports/local/article/859335--canadian-champion-riding-high

James Henry Steere - Veterinarian

Petaluma360.com - Full Article

Published: Thursday, August 12, 2010

James Henry Steere practiced veterinary medicine for more than 50 years, the majority of them in Sonoma and Marin counties, where he opened Artaurus Veterinary Clinic in Petaluma in the early ’70s.

Mr. Steere was known in the community for his compassion and skill as a veterinarian and his participation over the years in long-distance endurance riding, where he helped to establish many of the safety standards that govern the sport today.

A longtime resident of Petaluma, Mr. Steere died unexpectedly at his home on Aug. 3, 2010. He was 85.

“He touched so many people and was able to inspire you to do all kinds of things,” said sister-in-law Sharon Bezuhly. “He was a very happy person who had a gentleness to him and a wonderful sense of humor. He was just a great person and a great horse doctor..."

Read more here:
http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20100812/COMMUNITY/100819826?Title=James-Henry-Steere&tc=ar

World Equestrian Games: Endurance

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

August 11 2010
By: Coree Reuter

When I was at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships last week, I was driving through downtown Lexington, Ky., and found myself brimming with excitement about the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Not only were there totally beautiful horse statues everywhere, but we drove under a countdown clock to the Games!

There are only 43 days left until the opening ceremonies, so this week I’m exploring another fairly new horse sport: endurance.

Theoretically, endurance riding’s origins are thousands of years old. Since the time when man first tamed horses and trained them for transportation and work, they’ve been the engines behind man’s nomadic ways. However, endurance riding as a modern sport didn’t exist until the early 1900s. Quite a time gap!

Before it became a sport, riding over long distances was simply a means to an end...

Read more here:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/world-equestrian-games-endurance

Final Time Trial - Heather Reynolds

Heather Reynolds blog

August 10 2010

It has finally happened, the time trial is over. We will find out tomorrow who will be in the top ten. Smitty and Sam had a great day. The weather was crazy and the trail was technical.

Loop one was a 17 mile trek through hazy humidity that would fog up your sunglasses, I tried it. The bugs were crazy, it felt like it was raining on your face but it was just the bugs, currently my right eye is bloodshot from the bugs landing in it.

We had a 40 min vet check after each loop. Our next loop cooled off a bit. The humidity lifted as it was preparing to rain. The result was that loop 2 was cooler. We were able to pick it up on loop 2 which was 24 miles.

Another 40 min hold. About 5 min before I was out, it let loose.

More...

Veterinarian and horse expert James Steere dies at 85

Marinij.com - Full Article

Rob Rogers
Posted: 08/09/2010 06:42:28 PM PDT

A memorial celebration will be held Aug. 22 for Dr. James Henry Steere of Petaluma, who died Aug. 3 after a brief illness. He was 85.

Dr. Steere practiced veterinary medicine for more than 50 years, the majority of them in Marin and Sonoma counties. A dedicated advocate for horse welfare, Dr. Steere remained active as an equestrian well into his 80s, having completed the 19-mile Ride & Tie Championship Course, a grueling long-distance relay, with his son Thom in June.

"A lot of us met him through the horse," said Sandy Greenblat of San Rafael. "He became our veterinarian, and through that he became our friend. You could never talk to Jim without learning something, and he had a terrific sense of humor. He is going to be sorely missed."

Born March 5, 1925 in Hollywood, Dr. Steere grew up riding each day on horseback to his two-room school in the hamlet of Rosamond. He graduated from Boulder High School in Colorado and studied for a year at Pomona College in Claremont before serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a second lieutenant and radar navigator. During the war, Dr. Steere flew B-29 bombers from the island of Guam.

After the war, Dr. Steere completed his studies at Pomona College and was accepted to both veterinary and medical school. He chose to pursue veterinary medicine, earning his degree at the University of California at Davis in 1953.

"It was an agonizing decision," Dr. Steere said in a 1983 Independent Journal interview. "Horses were my first love and still are..."

Read more here:
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_15724082

Africanized Bee Swarm Kills Two Horses in California

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Pat Raia
August 02 2010, Article # 16755

A California rancher recommends horse owners examine their barns for Africanized honeybee hives after two horses stabled on her Menifee property died subsequent to sustaining hundreds of stings.

The two Tennessee Walking horses were stabled in a barn containing undiscovered Africanized bee hives at Wagon Wheel Ranch. On July 21 a ranch hand discovered the animals swarmed by the bees, said ranch owner Christa Caudle Schaffer. A veterinarian called to the scene treated the animals with epinephrine (a hormone that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system to increase heart rate and dilate air passages) and dexamethasone (a steroid anti-inflammatory, immune suppressant drug). Both horses later died of anaphylactic shock, Schaffer said.

Chris Huth, DVM, said anaphylactic shock occurs when horses, humans and other mammals experience a severe reaction to an allergen such as bee venom. The condition causes hives, sweating, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, drop in blood pressure, and fluid accumulation. Severe cases can cause death in horses...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=16755

Tevis Volunteer Rescues Fallen Mare

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Marsha Hayes
July 30 2010, Article # 16748

Jack Meyer, a Tevis volunteer and an ultra-marathon runner from Foresthill, Calif., went beyond the call of duty when he rescued a black Anglo-Arab mare that had fallen into a ravine. Christoph Schork's 9-year-old Castle Country Karahty ("Kat"), ridden by David Shefrin, slid from the Western States Trail July 24 during the horse and rider's attempt to complete the 100-mile Tevis Cup ride.

The accident occurred around 4 p.m., nearly 50 miles into the journey that began near Lake Tahoe, and extended to Auburn, Calif., and at the same site where a mare died during the 2009 Tevis Cup after sliding from the trail and striking her head on rock.

Meyer, one of the 800 or more volunteers credited with making the event possible, had finished his shift at the Last Chance checkpoint and had decided to go for a run. Running the switchbacks into Devil's Thumb, he stopped to snap a picture of the steep canyon below when he heard Shefrin call, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," followed by the sound of sliding rocks.

"I ran right back down and saw a rider sitting on the edge of the trail with his head on his knees," recounted Meyer. Meyer ascertained the rider was not hurt and saw the mare lying on her back on top of a log at the bottom of the ravine...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=16748

Back Country Horsemen of America Supports USDA’s Public Access Program

For Immediate Release: August 5, 2010
 
By Sarah Wynne Jackson
 
Back Country Horsemen of America, the leading organization in saving public lands trails for equestrian use, strongly supports the United States Department of Agriculture’s new program called “Open Fields” or Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).
 
An Innovative Step
 
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced this effort to encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch, and forest land to voluntarily provide public access for recreation under programs implemented by state or tribal governments. Such access will offer new opportunities for enjoying open spaces through a variety of activities such as hunting, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, bird watching, and, of course, horseback riding. 
 
Open Fields is the first federal incentive program designed to encourage best management practices and sportsman access to undeveloped land. Instead of creating new federal programs, it relies upon existing and new state programs to protect landowners from liability and reward them for doing the right thing with their land.
 
Back Country Horsemen of America realizes that the majority of the existing programs have limited scope and budgets, with most programs having an annual budget of under a million dollars. Open Fields will provide up to $50 million through fiscal year 2012. This funding will help states and tribal gov­ernments address many issues that can greatly increase access and recreational experiences.
 
Funding priority will be given to proposals that line up with the program’s objectives such as maximizing participation by landowners; ensuring that land enrolled in the program has appropriate wildlife habitat; and providing information to the public about the location of public access land.
 
Sharing and Caring
 
Back Country Horsemen of America notes that the benefits of the Open Fields plan are numerous. In these times, undeveloped land is becoming harder to come by, and public lands managers are working with increasingly small budgets that cannot cover the maintenance costs required to keep trails open. This is where hard working folks like BCHA members fill in the gaps with strong volunteerism.
 
For a variety of reasons, horses are now being banned from more and more trails, properties, and whole wildernesses. Back Country Horsemen of America feels that, as a nation, we are in danger of losing our heritage as a people who traveled by horseback, who depended on the sturdy backs and generous nature of their pack and saddle stock.
 
The Open Fields program is a positive against those negatives, increasing the number of undeveloped acres available for recreation, and increasing our opportunities for enjoying America’s beauty the way our forefathers did, by horseback.  
 
BCHA sees that this program will also promote conservation and appreciation of our undeveloped private lands, which compliments BCHA’s role of preserving opportunities on public lands. Property owners will be rewarded for managing their lands to provide recreational opportunities while sustaining a diverse and healthy ecosystem. Recreationists will learn how to tread lightly on the land, as well as gain a new appreciation for nature.
 
Additionally, there is the potential for the Open Fields plan to stimulate local economies and support job growth. As folks come into the area to recreate, they purchase a variety of goods and services such as fuel, food, supplies, and lodging.
 
Private landowners may have concerns about liability protection when opening their land to the public for recreational purposes. All fifty states, however, have enacted some degree of liability protection for these landowners through statutes know as "recreational use statutes”.
 
A Step in the Right Direction
 
Back Country Horsemen of America sees the Open Fields program as a step against the tide of a growing trend that is making our public lands unavailable for pack and saddle stock use. Not only does it promote the protection of undeveloped land by rewarding private owners for maintaining best practices, Open Fields also encourages the appreciation of those lands by the general public.
 
About Back Country Horsemen of America
 
BCHA is a non-profit corporation made up of state organizations, affiliates, and at large members. Their efforts have brought about positive changes in regards to the use of horses and stock in the wilderness and public lands.
 
If you want to know more about Back Country Horsemen of America or become a member, visit their website: www.backcountryhorse.com, call 888-893-5161, or write PO Box 1367, Graham, WA 98338-1367. The future of horse use on public lands is in our hands!

Contact: Back Country Horsemen of America, Peg Greiwe
1-888-893-5161

Thistle Down Run: Frazee locals donate land use for equestrian endurance run

Frazeeforum.com - Full Article

August 5 2010

• by Cally Nundahl

Calling all cowboys and cowgirls, grab your gear and horse for the Thistle Down Run Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14-15 near Frazee.

The run is a sanctioned endurance horse event.

Local landowners Les and Pat Kertscher, Ron Kertscher, Vinton and Joyce Vogler and Scott and Lisa Piche have donated their land for the Thistle Down Run for four years. There is hard work involved behind the scenes of the run including grooming the trails and keeping it new and exciting each year.

"A special thanks to these guys for letting us use the land each year, it is a lot of work to keep the trails groomed and different. Some riders think the trails will be the same, but the routes are different each year," ride manager Theresa Fett explained...

Read more here:
http://www.frazeeforum.com/main.asp?SectionID=21&SubSectionID=61&ArticleID=23507

Meg Wade's Story

ANNE KRUGER, PRESENTER: The 1st of August is the official birthday for all horses in the southern hemisphere.

And this year it marks another important step in the comeback of one of the world's most accomplished equestriennes, Meg Wade.

It's just over a year since a competition fall left the 47 year old endurance riding champion in a coma with serious head injuries.

Fitter, Faster, Further - watch video here - http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2010/s2970147.htm

From Garrett's Desk | Making History

There are countless equestrian sports available to horse enthusiasts and different types of competitions within each discipline. From dressage to eventing, to cutting, to reining, to jumping, to driving and endurance to name a few. Each sport is exciting, competitive and invariably has its own event of significance within the discipline: like the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event for eventing, The Kentucky Derby for Thoroughbred racing and the Tevis Cup for endurance racing. These historical events define the sport segment. It’s where horsemen and horsewomen take their horses to measure them against the best.

The Tevis Cup 100-mile horse race is unquestionably one of the most difficult equine events in the world. It has a deep tradition and its 55 year history defines the sport of endurance racing. The challenging trail stretches from North Lake Tahoe in California to Auburn, California. Riders and equines climb over Emigrant Pass at nearly 9,000 feet; traverse canyons with swinging bridges and ride in temperatures that often climb over 100 degrees. Average completion rates run in the 50% range year after year after year.

The winning horse and rider team is presented with the “ Tevis Cup”. Winning ride times average 15 hours and the course record of 10:46 was set by Boyd Zontelli on Ruchcreek Hans. The list of Tevis Cup winners reads like a legends of the sport list and is an award that most endurance riders can hardly imagine.

Although many look at the Tevis Cup as the ultimate achievement in endurance racing, others argue that the Haggin Cup is more prestigious. Dr. Richard Barsaleau, a veterinarian who joined the race in 1961, was instrumental in creating this distinction, which he saw as an objective award that would recognize horsemanship, conditioning and respect for the health of the mounts. But it would also honor great performance. Starting in 1964 the top ten horses would be judged for the Haggin Cup. In her book, “The Tevis Cup: To Finish is to Win,” author Marnye Langer wrote: “Many people, especially noted horsemen, have come to regard the Haggin Cup as the most prestigious honor one can earn, and the award remains unique in both the sport of endurance and other equestrian pursuits as well.”



[...more]

Ready, Set, "GO"!!!

FEIRedhorse blog - Full Story by Chris Martin

Monday, August 2, 2010

Ten "10" days to go, it is what it is, what's done is done, etc. etc.. I am getting nervous already. You always wonder if you did too much, or not enough. MONK has handled the humidity and temperatures like he does most things, in stride... He looks great, I brought my scale, but have not weighed him. Sounds silly but at home everything is the same, everyday. He hears me coming on the quad and goes potty and walks over the the stall door ready to come in. Here things are different, he is basically on pasture for maybe 20 hours out of 24. He does come in for a fly vacation and snacks but that's it.. There is not much I can do about his weight at this point, other then not have him do any work, which is where we are at about NOW.... I do put his additives and elytes in his snacks, which some times he eats it all, and other times does not touch it.

But he still has lots of cover and I particularly like the fact that he seems very "happy" with his band of mini horses, all girls of coarse, all out on pasture. He does have one REAL girlfriend though, she follows him everywhere and calls to him, and hangs with him all day long.

All tack issues have been resolved, at least for me, hopefully it will be the same for Lindsay. I have been taking some preventative measure to keep him from getting scratches, which hopefully will work.

MONK has been ridden barefoot just around the farm for the last couple of days, all on nice mowed hay fields. We made a little 1.5 mile track around edge of the rolling hay fields. Only a couple of scares, one was when we were right next to the rail road tracks when the train came, they sure make lots of noise, and we were only maybe 150' from the tracks. Fast trots on the downhills, cantor and run the hills, pretty fun when he LISTENS... This is usually only when he has not been ridden much...

Read more here:
http://feiredhorse.blogspot.com/2010/08/ready-set-go.html

Fundraiser to support burgeoning equestrian sport

Malibutimes.com - Full Article

By Michael Aushenker / Special to The Malibu Times

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

For the first time, the World Equestrian Games, or WEG, will be take place on United States soil. A culminating endurance riding competition will take place in Lexington, Kentucky, on Sept. 26, and one local rider, Charisse Glenn, is going for the gold on behalf of the USA. To defray costs, a fundraiser will take place this Sunday in Agoura Hills.

"It's [the WEG] the equivalent of the World Cup or the Olympics, held in different countries every year," Glenn said. "This is the highest level that a rider can compete at."

Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long-distance races. In America, most endurance rides span 50 or 100 miles. The first horse to cross the finish line wins.

Endurance riding has an avid following throughout Europe, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, which Glenn called "a huge contributor to developing the sport worldwide. It is the largest growing equestrian sport in the world. It's on the bubble of becoming the next sport to watch...

Read more here:
http://www.malibutimes.com/articles/2010/07/21/malibu_life/art2.txt

Easycare presents Natural Horse Care Webinars

Announcing the First Trilogy of EasyCare Webinars
Friday, July 30, 2010 by Kevin Myers

We are pleased to announce the first trilogy of free 60-minute webinars designed to address three basic areas of natural horse care.

These free 60-minute live webinars will take place via the Easyboot Facebook Page this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday August 2, 3 & 4 at 5:00 PM MDT. Yes, that would be 4:00 PM on the west coast and 7:00 PM on the east coast.

Three Key Areas of Discussion
1. Monday, August 2: Easyboot Glove Fitting and Easyboot Glue-On Application.

2. Tuesday, August 3: Trimming and Hoof Care Maintenance.

3. Wednesday, August 4: Nutrition Basics for the Barefoot Horse

more info

Getting through the Vet Checks at Tevis

Enduranceridestuff.com - Full Article

by Karen Chaton

One of the most useful pieces of advice I was given prior to riding the Tevis this year was to make sure I got in line to vet as soon as I got my horse’s pulse timed in.

This is good advice. If you stop for even a minute after getting your pulse and in-time to let your horse eat, or for you to run to the restroom – when you come back you could have a half a dozen horses or more in front of you in the line to vet through.

On a ride like Tevis, every minute counts. If you spend five extra minutes at 8 of the vet checks, that is forty minutes that you could have used walking later in the ride rather than trotting if you are pushing the cut-off times.
sara trot out tevis Medium 300x214 Getting through the Vet Checks at Tevis

Sara vetted behind me. I got to the other side and stopped at the hay to let Bo eat while we waited. This is Sarah trotting towards me.

I had luck on my side this year because I never had to wait in a line to vet. Perhaps there would be one horse in front of me but the majority of the time I just walked up to the vet and vetted right through...

Read more here:
http://enduranceridestuff.com/blog/2010/07/vet-checks-tevis/

Agoura's Queen of Equestrian

Agourahills.patch.com - full article

By Mira Reverente

Agoura Hills resident and endurance rider Charisse Glenn is on the road less-traveled to Illinois and Kentucky, galloping her way to the World Endurance Games.

Willowy and lithe, Charisse Glenn moves with the confidence of an athlete. As a female in the not too common sport of endurance racing, she's unperturbed and used to the endless fascination and curiosity.

Training relentlessly for the last three years, Glenn has her sights set on one of five spots in the US Endurance Team. Endurance racing is one of eight disciplines in the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky this September. Since it has not been designated as an Olympic sport, the WEG is considered the pinnacle of endurance racing.

No Horsing Around

Endurance racing is a combination of the skills of one horse and one rider, who compete in 50- to 100-mile races and must finish within a specified amount of time. The Agoura Hills resident is the only rider from Southern California to qualify and be nominated to the World Equestrian Games. Her So Cal-bred horses, Bogart VF and Steel, have also qualified...

Read more here:
http://agourahills.patch.com/articles/agouras-queen-of-equestrian

Equestrian rides off to Kentucky

Simcoe.com - full article

Bruce Hain
Jul 28, 2010

KENTUCKY — A young Springwater woman is in Kentucky this week preparing for an international competition.

Jessica Hendriks has qualified for the North American Young Riders Endurance event being held on July 29. In order to represent Canada, she showed well at the Canadian Long Distance Championships held in New Lowell where she finished 13th. She also rode for Team Ontario and captured a silver medal.

The 20-year-old began training when she was 10 and has collected more than 1,000 competitive miles in hopes of representing Canada on the international stage.

In Kentucky, Hendriks will take part in a 120 km. event.

She started riding when she was only eight years old...

Read more here:
http://www.simcoe.com/community/barrieinnisfil/article/853256

MONK: Corydon, Iowa - Part 2

FEIRedhorse blog - Full Story

Friday July 23 2010

Rode MONK on Wednesday, humidity was about 80 and the tempature was about 85, it was overcast with some heavy looking clouds. MONK was ready to go,he was shying at everything, we were booted and were just traveling the edge of these nice country roads. We had just had 6" of rain two days before so everything was nice and soft. We did about 12 miles at a pretty good clip, with a nice warm up and cool down. MONK wanted to go fast on the hilly parts so I let him, but you have to let him ease into it or he will think he can do what he wants and go as fast as he can. Most of the time our speed was somewhere between 12 and 15 miles an hour. When I brought MONK back to the farm we did not go to the barn, we went to where my trailer is parked and there is another very large metal building, probably 50x80 or so. Inside Angle has her two horse trailer parked deep inside the building. I had noticed previously that when I took MONK into the building the big horse fly or the little flies for that matter did not follow us in. The humidity inside the building is very high, kinda like a sauna but without the high tempatures. MONK got a nice bath I parked him inside the building for a couple of hours until the flies went to bed.

So my new plan is to maybe do a high line inside the metal building for the nights when we are going to have torrential rains with thunder and lightning.

I tried putting MONK out with Angie's other horses but they all ganged up on MONK so that did not work. One of Angie's neighbors who keeps her mini arab cross horses at the ranch thought we should try MONK with some of her little horses in the great big pasture. She put 5 of her little horses in the big pasture and I walked MONK out to the pasture gate, right past the mini's who were grazing along the fence line. I opened the gate and MONK ran into the pasture. He ran right past the mini's down towards the fence line where the other horses were…

Read more here:
http://feiredhorse.blogspot.com/2010/07/corydon-iowa-part-2.html

Canada: Equestrian making name for herself in competition

Standard-freeholder.com - Full Article

July 25 2010
ERIKA GLASBERG NEWS@STANDARD-FREEHOLDER.COM


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* Equestrian making name for herself in competition

Equestrian making name for herself in competition
Posted By ERIKA GLASBERG NEWS@STANDARD-FREEHOLDER.COM
Updated 3 days ago

Monica Grundmann has been involved in many competitions with her Morab horse, Excalibur Legend. Together they ve won many different awards including taking home first place in the Canadian National Morab Champianships. The goal is to come out of novice and into the open category doing 80k in a day, said Grundmann.



Monica Grundmann has only lost one competition since she's started competing with her Morab horse, Excalibur Legend 'Legend' and that was only because she helped another competitor.

Grundmann has won multiple awards for the competitions she has entered.

Her walls are covered with coloured ribbons and photos of her and Legend.

Some of her ribbons include a first place for the Canadian National Morab Championship in 2007, Canadian Morab Hall of Fame, 2007, Tulip Arabian Horse Show, 2008, and she has also been in the top five Novice Riders in Ontario for competitive trail riding...

Read more here:
http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2683169

Searle completes Tevis Cup

Examiner.com - Full Article

July 25, 2010 \ Chicago Horse Examiner \ Kimberly Rinker

Rider Debbie Searle, 48, completed her very first attempt at the Tevis Cup, a 100-mile endurance ride that begins at Truckee, CA and ends at Auburn, CA, over some of the toughest and most demanding terrain found anywhere in the United States.

Searle, a resident of Beecher, Illinois, regularly competes on the UMECRA circuit in the Midwest with her 13-year-old Arabian-Quarter Horse cross, Ranger.

“I really enjoy trail riding because of the various types of trails that you encounter,” said Searle. “I’m not as competitive as I am adventurous. I wanted to do the Tevis because it’s a different kind of challenge and to see if I could...”

Read more here:
http://www.examiner.com/x-41133-Chicago-Horse-Examiner~y2010m7d25-Searle-completes-Tevis-Cup

Tevis: New Mexicans halfway finished with endurance horse race

Santafenewmexican.com - Full Article

Staci Matlock | The New Mexican
Posted: Saturday, July 24, 2010

Santa Fean Kathy Myers and her Arabian gelding Blue were more than halfway through the 24-hour, 100-mile Tevis Cup from Lake Tahoe to Auburn, Calif. at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Myers' husband, Pete Myers, who is part of her crew, said Blue "had an enormous amount of energy and was eating like a pig at the last check in. That's what you want to see in an endurance horse."

The crew are waiting for the team to reach the Forest Hills veterinary check point at the 68-mile mark.

The Tevis Cup, held since 1955 on the rugged Western States Trail in California, is considered the toughest horse and rider endurance race. This is Myers' and Blues' first attempt at the event...

Read more here:
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/LocalNews/Tevis-update-for-web

2010 Tevis Cup 100 Mile One-Day Ride

Rosevillept.com - Full Article & Slideshow

Fifty-five years of endurance riding tradition

Michael Kirby/Auburn Journal
7/24/10

Over 200 horse and riders saddled up at Robie Park in Truckee for the 2010 Tevis Cup Western States 100 Mile One-Day Ride to Auburn. Testing the endurance of horse and riders, through some tough trails and hot July weather, most will accomplish their goal of riding into the arena in the Gold Country Fairgrounds in under 24 hours. The Tevis dates back to 1955 when Wendell Robie, local businessman and horseman proclaimed that a horse and rider could cover the old Pony Express trail from Lake Tahoe to Auburn in one day...

Article and slideshow here:
http://rosevillept.com/detail/155095.html

Photographer injured in fall during Tevis Cup

Auburnjournal.com - Full Article

7/26/10

A photographer was airlifted to a Reno hospital after a fall from Cougar Rock on the Western States Trail during the Tevis Cup endurance ride Saturday.

Chris Gonzalez, 41, suffered a broken ankle, two broken wrists and a broken nose, according to Melinda Hughes-Berland, owner of Hughes Photography in Santa Rosa.

“He just stepped backward and all of a sudden he was airborne,” Hughes-Berland said Monday.

It was his first time to cover the ride for Hughes, the official Tevis Cup photographer for 30 years.

On Monday, Gonzalez, a Santa Rosa resident, was recovering at Renown Hospital in Reno and was to be transferred to a Kaiser facility, Hughes said.

Cougar Rock is 23.5 miles into the 100-mile trek, which runs from Robie Park near Truckee to Auburn. The accident happened a little after 9 a.m., ride director Mike Pickett said...

Read more here:
http://auburnjournal.com/detail/155164.html

Endurance Alaska! - Wilderness ride tests horses, riders

ANNUAL EVENT: This year a record number of people participated.
By K.T. McKEE kmckee@adn.com
Original Article

WASILLA -- Early Saturday morning, in trampled-down hay fields at the foot of Bald Mountain, the horses seemed almost giddy to "giddyup," chatting as they stood next to their trailers, their riders just starting to stir from their campers and tents.The same time the next morning ... silence. Not a whinny nor a neigh. Not even heavy breathing. And they had another 25 miles or so left of tricky trails and even deeper river crossings in the 2010 Bald Mountain Butt Buster Competitive Trail Ride put on by the North American Trail Ride Conference.

K.T.MCKEE / Anchorage Daily News
Lindsay Mearkle became a fish out of water at the Bald Mountain Butt Buster Competititive Trail Ride in the Valley last weekend. Unaccustomed to such difficult trail conditions, her horse Demi refused to carry Mearkle on the first leg of Saturday's 25-mile trek, forcing her to walk the horse across the Little Susitna and nearly being swept down the river.

"It was dead quiet, the horses were so tired after Saturday's ride!" laughed event volunteer and Valley resident Tina Victory Sunday night while helping feed prime rib and potatoes to dozens of wet, worn-out riders gathered for the awards ceremony at the end of the 60-mile trek across park lands and at least 25 private properties.

For many local horses and riders, it was old hat -- just part of the thrill of testing your horsemanship skills, discipline and fitness in an annual event that brings teachers, doctors, nurses, accountants, writers, software engineers and their children together for a weekend in either Wasilla, Palmer or Fairbanks.

RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRANTS
This year there was a record number of entrants -- 50 -- some coming from as far away as Tok, Fairbanks and Soldotna to pay at least $120 for the privilege to bust their butt and share some giggles along the way. In past years and in most similar competitions in the states, maybe 30 riders showed up.

"I don't know what it was that brought so many this year, but we love it -- even if it did offer some unusual challenges," said ride coordinator Nancy Williams, who diagnoses learning disabilities for Mat-Su schools when she's not doing horse-related activities.

Twenty first-time riders meant maps would be misinterpreted, riders would get lost and horses would be pushed to their limits because they weren't properly conditioned. For a few novice participants, it also meant having to scratch because of rule violations, such as walking a quarter horse mare across the Little Susitna River and nearly getting washed down with the frigid current.

PENALTY POINTS

"One thing that really caught us off guard this year was constantly having to change our schedule because of the number of riders coming into camp late on Saturday," ride manager Diane Sullivan of Chugiak said Monday. "Riders only get a window of 30 minutes late into camp before they receive a penalty point for each minute they were late. Two riders had 112 penalty points!"

Such an unexpected shift makes it difficult to make sure the event's two judges, flown in from out of state, are where they need to be as each rider goes through the various obstacles on the course, such as managing rocky river crossings where king salmon might swim between their horse's legs, or being able to walk their horse in a figure eight backward around a bush.

SHOCKING EXPERIENCE

Or avoid a rather shocking experience, as one experienced rider working as a safety official managed to do.

"The funniest thing I heard about was when one of our safety riders backed her horse into an electric fence, thus doing a pirouette-type fall off the back of her horse as he shot forward," Sullivan recalled Monday.

"As she hit the ground, he hit the river, crossed it and stood on the other side looking at her as if to say 'Lady, are you nuts? I'm not hanging out with you anymore!' "

One of the first-timers in this year's event was Soldotna nurse Jane Faulkner, who was confident she could handle the trail after finishing this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race -- 53rd out of 55 mushers.

She had come with three other nurses and a pediatrician, all a little unsure of what to expect as they prepared to head out of camp Saturday morning.

"It's the only endurance ride in Alaska," Faulkner, 49, said as she tightened the saddle on her horse.

"I asked the organizers if there's any way to prepare for this and they told me you just have to do it once to find out you're not really prepared. But I like long distances. I may not be fast, but I get there eventually," she said.

Faulkner was riding a horse she had rescued 16 years ago.

She said she was able to put a couple hundred pounds on the horse in only eight weeks, he was that malnourished.

She said she was attracted to the event because of its emphasis on horse care and proper riding techniques.

Palmer High science teacher Susan Dent, a former veterinarian who runs Wildwood Farm in Meadow Lakes with Rae Arno, said she never would have gotten involved with the competitive trail rides in the early 1990s if she thought they weren't beneficial for horses and riders.

"It's a fun (event) name, but it's a misnomer because if you're riding correctly, your butt shouldn't get hurt because you're sitting lightly in your saddle, using your legs and taking your weight off your horse," said Dent, whose horse "Cheval" took top honors in her division and helped Dent garner enough points to win a first-place ribbon in the overall combined class.

LIFESTYLES THING

She has consistently placed high in these events over the years because she doesn't just train a couple of months before they start as many might do.

"It's a lifestyle thing," she said Monday from her home off Pittman Road, explaining that she takes her horses on several long trail rides throughout the year, as well as making sure they are kept in good condition with some sort of exercise ritual throughout the year -- even in winter.

"The first time I did one of these rides I was so ignorant. But I learned so much about what they were looking for, behaviors and habits along the way. Now I just do what they've taught me as an everyday thing. That's why I keep doing it -- it makes daily riding so much more fun and safe. I don't do it to win a blue ribbon."

Horses and Divorces (Tevis 2010)

Sacramento Bee - http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/18/2893585/horses-and-divorces.html
Tevis Cup rider Robert 'Potato' Richardson has had plenty of both, plus lots of friends and foes who agree he's quite the character
By Sam McManis
smcmanis@sacbee.com
Published: Sunday, Jul. 18

A man named Potato needs a sense of humor. A thick skin, too.

He needs to do his name proud by being unconventional. Needs to abide the mockery, scorn, even jealousy spawned by his outsized behavior. Needs to thrive on the attention, live for the good times, good booze, good women, the unceasing quest for kicks.

And Potato must look the part: the leathery Old West sage, no buttoned-down Bob afraid to get his boots dirty. He must be part scoundrel, a lover of women and mares (not necessarily in that order), and know life in the saddle and in the hoosegow.

Robert Fordney "Potato" Richardson, 67 going on 13, is a throwback – "I could see him living in the 1800s," said friend Rho Bailey – yet too quirky to be a traditional Marlboro Man.

There's that world-class droopy mustache that makes him seem in a constant smirk. His wiry, 5-foot-7 frame may belie the stereotype of the tall, strapping cowboy, but it's a key to his horse-riding skill. A director casting the Potato biopic would choose the late Dennis Hopper – and give him Sam Elliott's 'stache.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/18/2893585/horses-and-divorces.html#ixzz0uA97Rmrf
-

Australia: Horse riders to flock to Putty for second endurance

Singletonargus.com.au - Full Article

13 Jul, 2010 11:10 AM
PUTTY Valley Endurance Ride 2010 Putty Valley will be home to over 100 riders and their horses on July 17 to 18 as they compete in the second Putty Valley Endurance Ride.

A presentation at the Putty Hall ride base at 11.30am on Sunday, July 18, will enable spectators to understand the rules governing the sport of endurance riding.

The lead riders are expected to arrive at the hall around 12 noon after a ride of up to 100km. The horses walk to the finish line and then tension mounts as the vet testing begins.

An endurance ride is won by the first rider to complete the 100km course with a fit horse.

The horse’s welfare is of prime importance and their temperature, pulse, and respiration are checked by vets throughout the ride.

Read more here:
http://www.singletonargus.com.au/news/local/sport/athletics/horse-riders-to-flock-to-putty-for-second-endurance/1883799.aspx

New Zealand: Awards incentive for rider to go the distance

Findarticles.com - Full Article

July 10, 2010

Saddle soreness is not something Toko teenager Amanda Walton complains about, despite spending more time on the back of a horse in a day than most people would spend in their lives.

The 18-year-old is pretty good, too, having picked up the majority of junior titles at the national endurance horse riding prizegiving in Christchurch, being awarded rider of the year, while her horse, Sir Cae, was judged the best distance horse in the junior ranks.

The young farmhand has been involved in endurance riding for the past three years after being encouraged by her grandfather Trevor Walton, who used to take his young charge away to help with the strapping of the horses...

Read more here:
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/taranaki-daily-news-new-plymouth-zealand/mi_8060/is_20100710/awards-incentive-rider-distance/ai_n54425147/

Australia: A sensational partnership

Mudgeeguardian.com.au - Full Article

BEN HARRIS
14 Jul, 2010 09:07 AM
Rochelle Knihinicki rides horses for the love of it, but not in a lifetime did she thought she would achieve one of the greatest achievements in endurance riding.

Following the Tom Quilty Gold Cup ride late last month, Knihinicki was presented with her 10,000-kilometre Scroll for completing 10,000km in endurance rides on board her Purebred Arabian horse Tuldar Ronnie.

Knihinicki became the 12th Australian to receive the 10,000km scroll, and at 20 years of age, she is also the youngest.

She completed the milestone at the St Albans endurance ride in early June but was not presented with her scroll until after the Tom Quilty event.

“It was pretty exciting, pretty emotional,” Knihinicki said.

“Dad cracked a bottle of champagne in the veterinarian area. He was dying to do it... I got drenched. It was something I haven’t done before and probably would never do again..."

Read more here:
http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/news/local/sport/equestrian/a-sensational-partnership/1884667.aspx

Back Country Horsemen of America Leads the Way in Preserving Public Lands Trails

Horsecity.com - Full Article

by Sarah Wynne Jackson
Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010

During these tough economic times when many folks have tightened their budgets and are spending less, Back Country Horsemen of America members have been donating more of their time, effort, and resources to preserving our heritage of equine use on public lands.

BCHA is proud to announce that its national volunteer value for 2009 was $7,500,000. That includes 345,700 hours of manual work; skilled labor; use of heavy equipment; hauling equipment, animals, and people to work sites; as well as Leave No Trace education and attendance at public meetings. What did BCHA members accomplish in all that time? Lots!

Making a Difference

Central Kentucky Back Country Horsemen have been working hard with the Kentucky Horse Council on the White Sulphur Horse Camp in the Daniel Boone National Forest. This primitive camp with 20 sites was started but never maintained. CKyBCH members eliminated a stagnant watering tank and laid a water line from a pond to the center of camp, providing clean, fresh water for campers' horses. Further improvements are planned for completion in 2010...

Read more here:
http://horsecity.com/stories/071310/pre_backcountry.shtml

Canada: Endurance riders put in long miles at Horse Creek Ranch

Barrheadleader.com - Full Article

July 13 2010

Ian Kucerak
Leader Staff
Excellent athleticism from both horse and rider were on display during the second annual Horse Creek Ranch ride, held near Fort Assiniboine July 10-11.

Riders from across Alberta and British Columbia came out to compete under cloudy skies, which is the perfect weather to practice a sport that pushes horses and riders to their limits.

The Endurance Riders of Alberta sanctioned the ride, which had 50 registered adults riders and six junior riders. Riders took to the four-stage courses in four distance classes, including 25, 50, 75 and 100 mile distances.

Brenda Hendrikson and Joan Harris managed the ride alongside a staff of volunteers and veterinarians who took times and conducted horse health checks. Harris said they make sure the animals are in the proper shape after each leg of the race...

Read more here:
http://www.barrheadleader.com/news/2010/0713/sports2.htm

Mighty Amigo back under saddle

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

July 13, 2010

by Neil Clarkson

Endurance horse Amigo, given only a two per cent chance of survival after a terrible impaling injury, is back under saddle.

The purebred Arabian got the all-clear for light riding on July 2 and excited owner Gary Sanderson saddled Amigo up that day and took him for walk around the 110-acre farm the horse grazes in Luttrell, Tennessee.

It has been a remarkable journey for Amigo, who overcame a series of life-threatening problems during his recovery, watched by a growing legion of fans on Facebook.

Amigo handled the ride well and the pair have since been out again.

Gary told Horsetalk that Amigo's vet bills amounted to $US35,000. He said that an anonymous donor who gave $US11,600 towards Amigo's care continued to meet the vet bills as the costs climbed well beyond his means.

The accomplished endurance horse accidentally impaled himself on a large branch in his paddock in mid-January...

Read more here:
http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2010/07/090.shtml

Long Riders

Dailyinterlake.com - Full Article

July 8, 2010
JIM MANN/Daily Inter Lake

A horseback endurance race in the upper Thompson River area is expected to attract more than 50 competitors from across the region July 17 and 18.

“We had quite a few last year so we’re hoping for 50 or more this year,” said Sherrie Calaway, manager of the Hooves and Co. Endurance Ride. “They are coming from everywhere.”

Riders are expected from Montana, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, North Dakota and Canada.

Among the competitors are former Iditarod champion Doug Swingley and Suzie Hayes, a well-known endurance rider from Ovando who competes internationally.

The 50-mile race is sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference and is a qualifier for prestigious endurance races such as The Tevis Cup in California.

Calaway said there will be a 35-mile race and the 50-mile race, both starting on July 17 at the Thompson River Ranch just off U.S. 2 west of Kalispell...

Read more here:
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/featured_story/article_e1654838-8a36-11df-803c-001cc4c03286.html

Back Country Horsemen of America Leads the Way in Preserving Public Lands Trails

June 29 2010

By Sarah Wynne Jackson
 
During these tough economic times when many folks have tightened their budgets and are spending less, Back Country Horsemen of America members have been donating more of their time, effort, and resources to preserving our heritage of equine use on public lands.
 
BCHA is proud to announce that its national volunteer value for 2009 was $7,500,000. That includes 345,700 hours of manual work; skilled labor; use of heavy equipment; hauling equipment, animals, and people to work sites; as well as Leave No Trace education and attendance at public meetings. What did BCHA members accomplish in all that time? Lots!
 
Making a Difference
 
Central Kentucky Back Country Horsemen have been working hard with the Kentucky Horse Council on the White Sulphur Horse Camp in the Daniel Boone National Forest. This primitive camp with 20 sites was started but never maintained. CKyBCH members eliminated a stagnant watering tank and laid a water line from a pond to the center of camp, providing clean, fresh water for campers’ horses. Further improvements are planned for completion in 2010.
 
Back Country Horsemen of Alabama and Show Me Missouri Back Country Horsemen worked together to clean up trails in the Mark Twain National Forest after an inland hurricane. Most BCH units across the country do their best to get out on the trails as soon as possible after storms to clear aside fallen trees and branches, fix washed out trails, and replace bridges that have been swept away.
 
Members of the Skagit and Whatcom chapters of Back Country Horsemen of Washington State worked alongside the Department of Natural Resources to complete a monumental task that was sorely needed: using GPS equipment, they mapped the 76 trails (nearly 100 miles) of the Les Hilde Trails in the Harry Osborne State Forest. To assist users until DNR is able to post permanent signs, BCHW members posted over 200 temporary signs.
 
In addition to trail maintenance and watching over the ecosystem, the Chloride Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of Arizona assisted large ranchers and the BLM with needs local to their area. They helped gather cattle in the very rough mountainous terrain, as well as packing in water for workers.
 
The lovely Spanish mustangs in the Cerbat Mountains of Arizona are still protected, and the Chloride Chapter of BCHAZ keeps an eye on them, counting the herds and tracking their condition, as well as making sure the watering holes are usable.
 
Back Country Horsemen of Idaho also had a busy year. The High Desert Chapter partnered with the Off Road Association and the Geocache Club in cleaning the North Rim. They filled five dumpsters with trash. They were also involved with a work project at the Porcupine Springs Campground with the U.S. Forest Service, where, in addition to regular trail maintenance, they built a horse riding loop and constructed four horse corrals for overnight camping. 
 
The North Central Idaho Chapter conducted the U.S. Forest Service Defensive Horsemanship Training at the rodeo grounds in Grangeville, Idaho. They also sprayed unwanted weeds on the Moose Creek Ranger District and the Lochsa Ranger District in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness; and in the Seven Devils/Windy Saddle area, they constructed a hitch rail, cleaned up the campground, and removed hazardous trees.
 
Buffalo River Back Country Horsemen of Arkansas have been battling their own “right to ride” issue on Buffalo National River lands. The general management plan is scheduled to be rewritten within the next five years, and BRBCH is determined to preserve our heritage of using pack and saddle stock on public lands. At public meetings held in various area towns, they encouraged other horse users to voice their opinions to the National Park Service regarding horse use on public lands.
 
BRBCH also packed out a variety of scrap from an old hunters’ camp in Rae Valley. Ten horses, six volunteers, and three park employees carried out rolls of old barbed and welded wire to Elephant Head, where a Park boat floated the load away.
 
Your Voice for Horse Use on Public Lands
 
As the leading organization in saving public lands trails for equestrian use, each one of these Back Country Horsemen of America groups is happy and eager to accomplish all these tasks and more; not just for users of pack and saddle stock, but for everyone who loves wild lands as much as they do.
 
It’s an unfortunate truth that federal, state, and local public lands managers simply don’t have the budget to maintain the majority of the trails under their jurisdiction. That means that the burden falls on the backs of dedicated and hard working volunteers across the country such as Back Country Horsemen of America.
 
Another difficult reality is that more trails, properties, and whole wildernesses are being designated “No Horses.” Without a unified voice such as that of Back Country Horsemen of America, our heritage of equine use and our right to ride on public lands is in serious jeopardy.
 
About Back Country Horsemen of America
 
BCHA is a non-profit corporation made up of state organizations, affiliates, and at large members. Their efforts have brought about positive changes in regards to the use of horses and stock in the wilderness and public lands.
 
If you want to know more about Back Country Horsemen of America or become a member, visit their website: www.backcountryhorse.com, call 888-893-5161, or write PO Box 1367, Graham, WA 98338-1367. The future of horse use on public lands is in our hands!

Contact:  Peg Greiwe
peg@backcountryhorse.com
1-888-893-5161
www.backcountryhorse.com
 
 

USRider criticizes proposed digital license plates

(06/30/2010)

For immediate release
 

Lexington, KY (June 30, 2010) - Advertising is everywhere these days. Flyers mysteriously appear on your front door as well as your windshield. At the filling station, blaring announcements attempt to entice you to go inside and spend more money. Even in the restroom, ads are strategically placed on the back of the stall doors. Now the California government is seeking to profit off what they consider the next prime piece of real estate for marketing efforts - license plates.

The idea is to show advertising on new digital license plates when a vehicle stops.

Facing $19 billion in debt, California is exploring the option of selling advertising on electronic license plates as a way to generate revenue. 

As reported by InformationWeek.com, the idea is contained in Senate Bill 1453, which has already passed the state Senate and is now before the Legislature. The proposal by Sen. Curren D. Price Jr. (D-Los Angeles) would give the California Department of Motor Vehicles the authority to investigate the emerging "digital electronic license plate" technology as a viable means for advertising and other communication. The idea is that when a vehicle is stopped for longer than four seconds, the license plate would transform into digital ad-space for which companies would pay to display an ad. 

“This proposal is totally irresponsible on behalf of the California legislature and will only serve to create more distractions and a more dangerous driving environment for drivers who face enough distractions already,” said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider, the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians.
 

Statistics show that driving while distracted is a factor in 25 percent of police reported crashes. Driving is an activity that demands close attention. Not only do drivers need to watch what they’re doing, but they also have to keep an eye on other drivers and road conditions.

“We urge the residents of California to contact their legislators and voice opposition to this proposal,” said Cole. “This is a no-brainer: drivers should be looking at the road - NOT at an advertisement on another vehicle's license plate.”
USRider provides roadside assistance and towing services along with other travel-related benefits to its members through the Equestrian Motor Plan. It includes standard features such as flat-tire repair, battery assistance and lockout services, plus towing up to 100 miles and roadside repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with horses, emergency stabling, veterinary referrals and more. For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit www.usrider.org online or call (800) 844-1409.
 

For additional safety tips, visit the Equine Travel Safety Area on the USRider website at www.usrider.org.

Tevis: We're Looking For Volunteers!

July 2, 2010

Be the proud owner of a 2010 Volunteer Tevis T-shirt!

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Tevis Cup Ride, and we are so appreciative of everyone who helps out each year. About 800 people participate each year on Ride Day - a ratio of about four per rider! Being a volunteer is fun, adventurous, exciting - and you get a commemorative t-shirt!

This year we need your help!

Check the Latest News Bulletin page for postings by Ride/Checkpoint Officials who may actively be recruiting for volunteers. If you are uncertain which type of assistance you would like to offer, take a look at the list of functions shown in Ride Organization page of this site. If you know what you'd like to do, or if you just want to help wherever needed, fill out our online Volunteer Sign-up form.

Thanks for your help!
Mike Pickett
2010 Ride Director

For further information, see the Tevis Cup page at:
http://www.teviscup.org/

Heraldic And Crandell Make A Triumphant Return At Old Dominion 100

Cronofhorse.com - Full Article

June 24 2010
By: Coree Reuter

After a potentially career-ending injury, John Crandell’s mount is back at the top of his game.

“He’s a freak of nature,” John Crandell III said of Heraldic after winning his sixth and Heraldic’s second Old Dominion 100 on June 12 in Orkney Springs, Va. “He’s not the easiest personality in the world to get along with, but physically, athletically, he’s a freak of nature. That’s the best way to describe him. He’s just athletic in every way you can imagine.”

Crandell, 48, was the first to finish in the 100-mile race, crossing the line in 13:32:58, and claimed the AERC best condition award and Old Dominion Trophy. About 13 minutes later, Sandra Conner and Elegant Pride finished second in 13:45:23. Crandell’s wife, Ann, finished third aboard HH Saba Shams in 14:30:26.

“This is his forté because he just has endless adrenaline,” said John...

Read more here:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/heraldic-and-crandell-make-triumphant-return-old-dominion-100

How to get to the World Equestrian Games

Horsebytes blog - Monica Bretherton

July 1 2010

"He's a rock star!" I said.

Chris Martin grinned in agreement.

His face took a more reflective cast as he acknowledged his good
fortune, "He's a once-in-a-lifetime horse."

After my burst of enthusiasm, I felt a twinge of unease. Several horses I had been rooting for were already out of the ride. I glanced over at Monk, who was standing, one hoof cocked, outside the EZ-up canopy that sheltered his crew from the high desert sun. He had the physical attributes - a deep chest, short back, a strong hind end, straight, well angled legs and sturdy feet - a structure that had carried rider Lindsey Graham through the first three loops of the selection trials for the US Endurance team for the Western region. No obvious reason to worry there.

"The hardest thing is finding ways to get him fit," Chris said. He ponies Monk off a Quad, but that alone isn't enough.

Unlike a racetrack conditioner, Chris is not limited to workouts on a
level surface and uses the steep hills near his home for mounted
workouts too. "I'm 190 pounds," he pointed out. Even so, he has
trouble driving Monk's heart rate up into the zones that are
considered cardio-building. He has done most of the conditioning on
Monk, hauls him to rides, takes pictures and promotes him through his
blog - a combination trainer and stage dad...

Read more here:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/horsebytes/archives/213193.asp

Manilla Tom Quilty 2010 - Booted Horses are More Likely to Finish!

Easycareinc blog - Full Story

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 by Duncan McLaughlin

Last weekend saw endurance riders from all over the Australia and from around the world gather at Manilla, NSW for this years Quilty. The Quilty is Australia's oldest and most prestigious endurance ride. 11 booted horses were entered in the event and 8 were successful, for a 73% completion rate (compared to the 54% completion rate overall). The successful combinations were:

* Carol Layton on Omani Mr Squiggle;
* Deanna Trevena on Warr of the Roses;
* me on Jupiter Mikeno;
* Virginia Dodson on Qmriya Raheema;
* Ann Batt on Roxborough Nato;
* Donna Tidsdale on Karrana King;
* Jane Martin on Blake's Heaven Dubbonet; and
* Rebecca Hayes on Summerzar M'zigye.
* (Commiserations to Rachel, Colleen and Darryl)

Read more here:
http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/easycare/0/0/manilla-tom-quilty-2010-booted-horses-are-more-likely-to-finish

2010 WEG - USA: This Week in International Endurance

USEF.org

June 29 2010

Over the last week the USEF hosted three Regional Selection Trials for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, paring down the number of eligible horse/rider combinations for the US Endurance Team from 62 to 47.

The Central Selection Trial was held in Danville, IL on June 19. Athletes and horses faced hot, humid and muddy conditions, turning a fast course into true test of endurance. At the East Selection Trial held in Fair Hill, MD on June 22 there was a repeat of the heat and humidity which plagued the Central Selection Trial, but no mud to contend with. The third selection trial took place in Prineville, OR on June 26, the conditions were perfect and the course was fast.

The horses and riders who attended one of these trials will be eligible to attend the Observation Trial August 8-11, in Danville, IL. Following the Observation Trial, the top ten horse/rider combinations will be named to the nominated entries, from which the final five horse/rider combinations will be selected to represent the US on the Endurance Team in September at the World Games.