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SWAP
FEED FUND
MAKE CREDIT CARD DONATIONS TO THE SWAP FEED FUND... CALL
FOSTER FEEDS AT 304-269-1333, TALK TO CHARLIE TO GIVE A DONATION TO THE SECOND
WIND ADOPTION PROGRAM FEED FUND, WE GO THROUGH 6 TONS OF FEED A MONTH. YOU CAN
ALSO PAY FOR ADOPTIONS AND PURCHASES THIS WAY!!
monthly counters started on February 13, 2010 for the website, because this is a
free counter, it will only show about a 1/4 of our total numbers, so its
not an accurate depiction of all of our visitors, just gives an idea about all
the people that visit our site. We do love our international visitors. Welcome!
Visitors By Country
Top 100 Visitors
Last 100 Visitors
Visitors Map
Daily Stats
Congrats to our President for the nomination and eventual induction to the
ROTC Hall of Fame at West Virginia State University, nominated by the former VP
of the University, the induction will take place at the Embassy Suites in
Charleston, WV October 14, 2010. A former military school, rich in a history of
national defense has only inducted just over 100 military retirees to its Hall
of Fame, many of them general officers. Congratulations on this huge honor.
Stay up with our President/Executive Director, all the
directors, volunteers and riders. All the CSS/SWAP supporters and adopters are
having a big time sharing stories, pictures, lots of good stuff about their
horses. Our President is at her max friends so she is full but we are going to
set up a fan based page so everyone can be added. So sorry to the 200 + people
who have asked for a friendship.... we'll get our fan page up soon.
Benefit Wines is a unique online retail wine shop that partners with
non-profit organizations to raise funds. Every charity partner has their
own unique wine label. Supporters enjoy fine, organic wines while
supporting their favorite cause. Cheers!
Raise $1000. for Second Wind
Adoption Program and have a 1 in 70 chance at a 15 carat Ruby/Diamond
Ring! ... mail donations to Rt. 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road, West Union,
WV 26456
The Wish List of Our Needs:
More than anything we need a large donation to help us pay off our farm, we just
owe 70k. With a farm paid for, we will never worry about the program and schools
closing.
We are looking for 2 to 3 people to do work in exchange for a place to live.
1. New or lightly
used truck and 3 to 6 horse trailer, our equipment has seen its better
days, we've been using both for nearly 14 years to pick up horses and move them
to their new homes.
2. A Farm in any
location for low cost long term lease or donation to expand our program
to develop a retirement farm for our now aging horses returned to us from
adopters who could not retire our horses. Our highest priority locations
initially are Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland,
or Delaware.
3. New or Lightly
Used Farm utility vehicle (like a john deere gator), farm tractor,
& manure spreader
4. Tack and large
horse items donated... like carts/buggies, racing bikes, jog carts,
harnesses, saddles, horse trailers, blankets/rugs to use or sell on SWAP
Shopping. Supplies to use around the barn or office.
5. A bulk feed bin
that will hold anywhere from 6 tons to 9 tons of grain donated or at low cost or
even a break on the cost of purchase and instillation.
6. A volunteer or low cost
employee who can help us fix our
database that lists all adopters, donors, supporters and horses/dogs/cats
in the program.
7. Some sort of a cloth
facility like Cover-all or Farm-Tek
building to increase our abilities to be able to take more horses and
have an indoor area to work and train horses in winter, donated, grant or
partially donated. anywhere from 50 x 200 to 72 x 300.
8.
Monthly Sponsors for our light
use, elderly or retirement/sanctuary horses/dogs who's possibilities for
adoption are very low, ie. Orphy, Jelly Bean, Dixie, Allie, Kochese, Darlin, Mr.
Darcey, JoJo, Freckles, Lucy, Bandit, Max, etc.
9. Volunteers
to commit to doing one fund raiser for SWAP horses at your location during 2010,
it can be a golf tournament, a bake sale, book sale, lemonade stand, car wash,
setting up an information stand at a horse show. This is a great way to kids to
get involved in helping horses.
10 Anyone interested in
free high quality top soil
(manure already composted) and manure for gardens, you can pick up for free by
the truck load at our WV location (bring a loader). If you are a gardener and
only need a small amount, pick up in a truck or we'll be selling it by the feed
bag full at $2.00 a bag (in a bag that is usually used for 100 lbs of feed).
This is beautiful clean top soil. This offer will only last so long because we
will be leveling the manure pile this August when its dry enough to get a dozer
in there.
11. Someone to do
dozer work on the farm, level arena/round pen, do terracing on the hill
sides to keep water out of the barns and level the top soil and manure pile to
increase the level of that land in that bottom so we can put our methane
digester in and indoor arena. Volunteer or at a reduced cost.
Reporting Neglect:
Please, if you see neglect (ribs and hip bones showing or no
food available), its critical to call the sheriff of the county where the
horse/animal is located. Have the address where the horse is located or
directions to the farm, pictures and the owners name (if possible). If the
sheriff does nothing email our cruelty case workers Tom and Ruby Fleming at
tomfleming64@cebridge.net or email
PETA's cruelty case workers Stephanie or Tori at
sbell@peta.org,
or
ToriP@peta.org Remember horses can not speak for themselves so
we must speak for them!! All reports are kept anonymous.
Getting Help for Your Horses/animals if you can not care for
them:
If you can not feed your animals, whether they are horses or
other animals, if you are adopters, call SWAP HQ immediately, if not, call your
local horse rescue and plead for help, if they are full then call your animal
control officer or sheriff to release ownership of your animals so they can get
them help Before they are starved to death, do not wait until they are starved,
its critical to get help early. Contact us if you do not know what to do. call
304-873-3532 or email
secondwindadopt@aol.com. Many counties have pet
pantries so you can get feed when times are tough.
If things are getting tight with costs, go to a less expensive
grain like a simple stock pellet supplemented with corn, according to Ohio State
Corn is the leading horse feed in the US according to their research, many large
equine schools and large farms feed these all natural feeds because of what they
get for the price, a lot of negative stuff has been written about corn but no
one can support it with actual proof and research. We feed a simple all stock
pellet from southern states and we supplement with cracked corn for those who
need more calories, here is the link:
- http://ohioline.osu.edu/b
- 762/b762_7.htm
TOP TEN WAYS YOU CAN HELP PROTECT HORSES
(ASPCA and SWAP Suggestions)
1. BE THEIR VOICE - your vote is your
greatest weapon against injustice, so register and actively support horse
protection and preservation legislation.
2. LEAD BY EXAMPLE - Walk the talk. Don't support or attend cruel
horse activities such as Tennessee Walker events using "soring" techniques -
painful techniques to make the horse walk a certain way, or events that use
drugs to make horses achieve results. High-diving horse acts are cruel, as are
rodeo events that don't promote respect for animals and their health.
3. BE AN INFORMED CONSUMER - products made from horses like Premarin
(pregnant mare urine pills for estrogen replacement), are created through
horses' suffering. Your spending dollar is a weapon.
4. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE - inform people what happens to horses after
their short careers are over (slaughter plant bound), or where Premarin comes
from, talk to them about over breeding, the hazards of over using young horses
or not training a horse. Engage them in discussion.
5. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR SANCTUARY - these organizations
make life better for horses.
6. VOLUNTEER - your gift of time is valuable to horse groups and if
you have special talents, so much the better.
7. REPORT CRUELTY - if you witness abuse or neglect, report it to
local animal control or your county sheriff. Someone cruel to animals is cruel
to humans, too.
8. PROTECT THE AMERICAN WILD HORSE - mustangs have a special place in
our history and you can support federal and local legislation by writing emails
and letters to your government reps.
9. KEEP YOUR HORSE SAFE AND HEALTHY - if you own a horse, maintain
its health with regular hoof, medical and dental check-ups. Make sure they are
companioned as horses suffer living alone - even a goat makes a good companion.
Feed what the horse needs, if you are seeing ribs and hip bones, the horse is
not getting enough, if you can't afford to buy more feed, then give the horse to
someone who can, just be sure to check the person out and make sure they are not
selling the horse to slaughter or just going to turn out and sell the horse to
anyone that has the money. .
10. PLAN AHEAD FOR YOUR HORSE'S CARE - your health and finances
change so what happens to your horse of you can't care for it anymore? Research
your options, including a pet trust. Horses live into their mid 20s and early
30s now - that's a lifetime of commitment.
Crossed Sabers Stable:
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As many as 60
million visitors per year |
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As many as 530,000 hits in one day |
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Visitors from 113 different
countries |
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Website Visitors from every
continent of the world |
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Thousands of adoptions (of 68
different breeds) in homes today with SWAP |
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Horses adopted in 46 states and
Canada |
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14 Year History |
Preparing for a Cold Winter:
HAY: Get
your hay now before the prices become outrageous, get enough for the winter
(good planning is 2 bales for every 3 days for one horse or 10 bales per month
per horse, so to make it until the middle of June (first cutting), you're
looking at 90 bales per horse at the very least (from September to June). If you
have good thick grass that has been mowed and fertilized then depending on where
you live in the US you might just need 60 to 70 bales. For good grazing its
recommended that you have 3 to 5 acres of mowed, seeded, fertilized grass per
horse. Remember Grass is dead in WV from Oct/Nov until about April and every
state has some months where the grass does not give the horses their calories or
nutrients it needs to sustain life (USDA has details of that for each state).
They may be grazing in the winter but they are not getting anything from the
grass to survive. I know most know that but I say it because we had an adopter
last year in WV that thought if they were eating grass that was all they needed
and she nearly killed 2 horses.
GRAIN:
Remember on average horses need 1 lb of concentrated feed (grain) for every 100
lbs of body weight, so on average horses need about 10 lbs of grain a day, more
when its very cold or if they are living outside in a run because much of their
calories go to keeping them warm. Some horses need more so its critical to
watch to make sure their ribs and hip bones are staying meaty and covered. If
you see ribs, the horse is too thin and needs more calories, not supplements
but more calories.. Easy keepers may be round but it does not mean they are
healthy, most easy keepers need a multi vitamin to stay healthy.
WATER:
One of the most critical things needed in winter is clean fresh water all the
time, anywhere from 5 to 20 gallons per day per horse and everyone knows what a
pain that is when there is ice and snow on the ground but its critical to
preventing colic. Get your electric heaters, defrosters now, heated buckets,
what ever it takes to make sure they have good water in front of them all the
time and at least 10 gallons (2 flat backed buckets at the very least). Here we
keep 100 gallons troughs in the stalls since we have big stalls, its much easier
than frozen buckets in winter, all we do is break the ice and remove it most
days and put a heater in them on really cold days. We use a sump pump to empty
water and scrub troughs each week which keeps water fresh and clean.
SHELTER:
Domestic horses need shelter, they are not wild and can not survive outside
without shelter or some kind of heavy waterproof rug to keep them warm during
snow/ice and freezing temperatures but the best is a closed in shelter that is
free from drafts (meaning its closed on all 4 sides with some sort of
ventilation). Wild horses first of all don't live very long, living outside in
the elements is very hard on them, secondly wild horses move in cold
temperatures to keepselves warm and they often times move over thousands of
acres to keep warm or to find cover or water. No domestic horse can not do that
on 5, 20 or even 100 acres. Just because your horse has learned to survive in
bad weather does not mean its good for them, they need shelter in bad weather.
CARE:
Its important to make kids take care of their horses but they must have adult
supervision on a daily basis to make sure horses are getting what they need.
Trust me, I usually have 30 year olds working in our barn and I still have to be
there daily to make sure things are done, that they have clean water, especially
when its cold because our young helpers want to get out of the weather and then
the horses are left at risk for colic. Every day check your child's work, do not
leave your horses care to a child (completely).
The Woman I will Be
- I shall wear diamonds and a wide brimmed
straw hat with ribbons and flowers on it
- And I shall spend my social security on
white wine and carrots
- And sit in the alley of my barn and listen
to my horses breathe.
- I will sneak out in the middle of a
summer's night And ride the dappled mare across the moonstruck meadow, if
my old bones will allow. and when people come to call, I will smile and
nod, As I walk them past the gardens to the barn And show, instead, the
flowers growing there
- In stalls fresh-lined with straw. I will
shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair as if it were a jewel. And I will
be an embarrassment of all who look down on me Who have not yet found the
peace in being free To love a horse as a friend, a friend who waits at
midnight hour
- With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes For
the Woman I will be when I am old.
The perfect analogies for why we
have the life school tied into SWAP and animal welfare work:
"Everyone thought we took this
broken down horse and saved him but really he saved us"
Jockey Red Pollard from the
movie Seabiscuit
I rescued a
human today
Her eyes met mine as she
walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her
need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too
exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.
As she stopped at my kennel
I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't
want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers
get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.
As she read my kennel card
I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look
forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.
She got down on her knees
and made little kissy sounds at me.
I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.
Gentle fingertips caressed
my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I
raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.
Soon my kennel door opened
and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would
promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would
promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her
eyes.
I was so fortunate that she
came down my corridor.
So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors.
So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.
I rescued a human today.
Baggage
by Evelyn Colbath
Now that I'm
home, bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked into my warm new bed,
I would like to open my baggage,
Lest I forget
There is so much to carry -
So much to forget.
Hmm, Yes, here
it is, right on the top
Let's unpack Loneliness, Heartache and Loss,
And there by my halter hides Fear & Shame
As I look on these things I have tried so hard to leave-
I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain.
I loved them,
the others, the ones who left me,
But I wasn't good enough - for they didn't want me.
Will you add to my baggage?
Will you help me unpack?
Or will you just look at my things
And take me right back?
Do you have the
time to help me unpack?
To put away my baggage,
To never re-pack?
I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see,
But I do come with baggage -
Will you still want me?
A young boy was walking along the beach
- as high tide came in.
- With every crash of the waves
- he noticed that dozens of seahorses were
being cast onto the beach,
- where they lay gasping and squirming.
- Hurriedly, he ran to each seahorse he could
find
- and gently tossed them back into the surf.
- A man watching all this approached the boy
and said;
- "Son, what you are doing won't make a
difference",
- to which the boy replied,
"To
that seahorse .
. . it will".
Some folks said they missed my great goals
list for 2010, so here it is back again
1. Spend an hour a day with your horses, not just
feeding, training and turning out, but real quality time doing something that is
enjoyable for the both of you. Grooming or hand walking is a great way to bond
with your horse and good for both you and the horse.
2. Get your loved ones more involved in your
horses. Divorce is the biggest reason we see horses coming back to us. Don't
just share the work, share the fun too and find something they really enjoy
doing with horses.
3. Learn a new discipline, go to a clinic, a
horse show, or equine affaire. Come to one of our clinics or watch a training
video. If you are an adopter you can check out books and video's from SWAP's
Library for just shipping costs. Take a lesson at least once a month or Bring
your adoption horse here and we will help you. The better you are, the more fun
you will have.
4. Make a plan for your horse after you are gone
or if you have a major injury, let your Will Executor know your plans. Make a
plan for emergencies or financial bumps along the way for your horse. Have a
plan if you or your horse gets injured, even for the tough times of year like
winter (or summer down south and for a drought winter when hay prices
skyrocket). Ask friends, family and neighbors to be part of your plan, most
people that don't have horses or a farm love the idea of getting away and
helping. And people can not resist someone when they are asking for help for the
welfare of an innocent animal.
5. Get yourself healthy and in better shape to
prevent injury, to live a long life and to more enjoy your horses. Eat 1-1-1
(one ounce of dark chocolate, one ounce of fresh walnuts, one glass of red wine
daily) and 2-2-2 (2 servings of fresh vegis, 2 of fresh fruit and get 2 sources
of fat free calcium). Drink 100 ounces of spring water a day, get a whole house
water filter. Change over to Sea-salt. Take one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
every morning to keep your body alkaline (cancer and disease can not grow in an
alkaline body). Eat more fish and chicken and less red meat. Get a good air
cleaner and do daily deep breathing exercises, get outside in the fresh air and
sunshine for at least 1/2 hour every day. Get away from high fat food, processed
foods, fast food, can or boxed food, sugar or artificial sweeteners, soda and
don't eat anything if you can't read all the ingredients and know exactly what
is in it. Clean all vegis and fruits thoroughly, buy organic, buy ocean caught
fish, not farm raised, buy fresh meat and raw milk, not packed or processed. Eat
only natural carbs (potatoes, rice, oats) bake/broil or steam everything. Get 8
hours of sleep, reduce stress/risk (reduce commuting by car pooling, tight
schedules, cell phone use in the car, watch or read the news only once a day or
better yet once a week. Do one hour of walking, yoga or weight training every
day and it will make you strong, lean, you'll look great and get wonderful
complements from friends, coworkers and loved ones and the horse work will be
easier and more enjoyable.
6. Stay clear of negative people and those very
negative chat rooms and bulletin boards, they seem innocent but every time you
go to them you lose a bit of your positive self, they are truly emotional
vampires that will leave only a shell of a person. They are not based on the
truth, they are based on harassment, complaining, whining and dishonesty. We all
become tomorrow what we are around today, every person we come in contact with
defines who we are tomorrow so be careful who you choose for friends, even the
websites you go to as each of them affect who you are tomorrow. Do you want to
be a bitter, miserable, complaining person or do you want to be happy, inspired
and honorable, all that is affected by the decisions you make today. Stay away
from Toxic people and Toxic websites/forums that are negative or that spend all
their time talking bad about people and their horses. What you are around today
and what you are doing today is what you will be tomorrow. Stop Complaining and
be Thankful for what you have. If you become a target of harassment or anyone
saying anything negative about you, if you are doing only good, positive things
and not hurting anyone then ignore them, its all based on jealousy and a sick
sort of wish to be like you. They have the problem, not you.
7. Read at least one book on training your horse
and one on care each year, if for nothing else but just inspiration. SWAP has a
great library of books/videos that adopters can check out for just the cost of
mailing it.
Click
here to see our Library
8. Get carrots/apples every time you go to the
store, your horses will love you for it and always come running when you call.
Don't feed candy or anything sweeter. Carrots are sweet enough. Get rid of the
sweet feeds and you'll get rid of the hot horse once and for all.
9. Realize that if you are having a problem with
your horse, more likely than not, the problem is you. Learn more, practice more,
ask in a different way, be patient, change their environment or daily schedule
to better suit them. Taking better care of a horse always brings out the best in
that horse. Good feed/hay, time to rest in a quiet stall out of the elements,
lots of fresh water, time to be with you and time to just be a horse, time with
their buddies, farrier and vet care always done is a good start. The biggest
part of this relationship puzzle is you, not the horse. If you are struggling,
then you need to learn more and get better.
10. Ride at least once a week, regardless of
weather. Use this time as your down time for healing, your therapy, your time to
relieve stress and the pressures of daily life. Even if you don't ride, go sit
and read a book in the pasture with the horses or sit in the barn and listen to
them munch on dinner, away from the crowd and noise of your day. Enjoy the peace
and quiet, enjoy hearing happy horses eating dinner or grass in the pasture.
11. Spend time leisurely grooming your horse once
a week. Rubber curries are shine makers. You will have a beautiful horse and a
very loyal friend who will do anything for you.
12. Come and spend a week at SWAP HQ,
volunteering and focusing on helping a horse and giving will change your life
plus it will be the best vacation you ever had. Help an animal in need, whether
fostering, being one of our state reps that goes out to check on our horses in
their homes or helps us approve adopters in their area. Find horses in need and
help us find them homes. Buy a horse at a slaughter auction, get it fat and
trained and we'll help you place it into a good home. Foster and volunteer for
your local small animal adoption program. I promise, the good things you do will
come back to you a hundred times over. Every person has a talent they can offer
and if you help one horse or one dog or cat find a good home, you have changed
their life forever.
13. Know that every goal is obtainable and it
starts with a single step. Take that first step today!! No matter what it is or
how big, YOU CAN DO IT!! Every goal that is written down will come true
(really!). Every famous person, every great or notable scientist, author,
trainer/rider, parent or friend started out as just a thought, just a goal.
Remember to take one step today to reach your goals.
14. Start every day with thinking about, what is
the most important thing I can do today to change my life and make it better. Do
that one thing and in 30 days your life will be totally different. Can you
imagine what your life would be like if you did that for 60, 90 or even 365 days
a year. The opportunities are endless.
15. Want to keep your horse sound for life? (That
should be every horse owners number one goal) do a long slow warm up (cold
muscle is easy to injure, a warm one is nearly impossible to injure). The very
best cool down is hand walking your horse for 1 hour after every work out. Yes,
get off the horse and walk with it. Its great exercise for you and a good time
for you to bond. Stop riding your horse during cool downs and stop using a hot
walker, do something good for you and the horse, hand walking. Its also the best
rehab for over work and injuries, the only thing better is hydro therapy and
swimming your horse. Allow soft tissue and hard tissue to become more
conditioned before going into any training program... that means 3 months of at
least 3 days a week for soft tissues and 10 months of work for bones to become
strong enough to jump or do any strenuous training program. Don't start any
upper level work, jumping or extensive training until the horse is fit and at
least between age 4 and 6 and has been conditioned for at least 10 months
(especially if the horse has never been jumped/worked or not been jumped or
worked in the last year).
16. Appreciate what you have and be thankful.
Instead of looking at what you don't have, look at what you do. Thank those
people who have helped you and supported you. The more you give, the more that
will come back to you. When you give something away or give something to
someone/something in need, you make space in your life for something good to
come to you. We are all very blessed, if we just take a moment to look around
and enjoy those things.
17. Get used to using favorite mantra's and
visualizations every day, simple ones that are easy to remember, like 'I can do
this, I will do this', 'this isn't going to get the best of me' or even, 'I
deserve the best' or 'the gift of love, caring, and support always comes back'
and take two minutes every morning as you wake and at night as you go to sleep
to visualize the life you want, the you you want to be, Our thoughts become
things, what you see is what you get, if you expect the best, the best will
happen, change your self-talk from negative to positive and I promise your life
will change for the better..
18. Each person is put on this earth for a
reason, each of us has a mission. What is yours? Seek and you shall find,
finding is a journey ... in the journey and the search you'll find your life
purpose. If you died in your sleep tonight is there something you haven't done
that you need to do or want to do? Someone you need to mend fences with, burnt
bridges to fix? People you need to tell them how much you love them? Have you
fulfilled your purpose in your life? Ask yourself, Why am I here? How can I make
this better? Who do I want to be? Who am I suppose to be? What reason was I put
on this earth? What is my purpose?
19. Be an inspiration to your family, co workers
and friends. We all fall on our face, we all make mistakes, we all get
discouraged, most times we all get up and try again.... sometimes we need a
nudge. Instead of being negative or doing negative things, be their inspiration.
You do believe they can do it, so why not tell them. If their self talk is
negative, then you be their positive self talk.... eventually they will start to
say it and believe it too. Life is self fulfilling, failure feeds on itself or
causes more failure, achieving does as well. So if you or your love ones are in
a negative cycle, break the cycle by changing your thoughts, your self talk,
achieve something small to get yourself and your family back into the cycle of
achievement.
20. We all file a flight plan every single day
for our life. Where is your flight going today? Just like a pilot flying, the
winds, the gravitational pull will change your flight and take you off course,
so you must make small corrections along the way to make sure you make your
destination. Have you selected your destination? Have you picked the steps in
your flight plan to get there? Every goal is really that easy, pick the goal and
figure out how to get there. The easiest way to pick your flight path/plan is
find someone who has done it before you, then do what they did. Its all baby
steps you know. Just keep an eye on that destination and keep saying...."here is
my destination, this is where I'm going, this is where I am now, this is how I'm
going to get there.... I will arrive at this time on this day. You can do
it..... its just like getting in your car to go to the store, its just deciding
where you want to go and how to get there, then take that first step. You can do
it!! No matter how big or how outlandish you may think your dream to be... it
is obtainable.
21. Laugh every day and try (as hard as it is
sometimes) to find the positive and the humor in each situation (and have at
least one bite of a truly decadent desert once a week). Life is just too short
to not enjoy it thoroughly.
22. We learn the most and do our best work when
we have fallen on our face, when we are struggling, when we are worried, scared
or frustrated, when we are anguishing over something or troubled by it. It is
then that you have true motivation, when you think clearer. The most brilliant
ideas come to people when they feel lost, frustrated, or at the bottom, helpless
or hopeless. Cherish these times because its when you can come up with your best
ideas to your biggest problems and challenges. You see, there is a reason for
the rainy days.
23. You can't make everyone happy, its useless to
try and wasted energy to think you can. 50% of all people will not agree with
you at any given time, don't worry about it and don't let it stop you. 50%
becomes a lot of people when you are in the public eye. As long as you are not
hurting anyone and you are doing the right thing, then go ahead and do it. If
you are wondering what is the right thing to do, its usually the harder thing to
do, the toughest path to take. The easy way out is rarely the right thing to
do. Instead of worrying over what someone thinks of you or says about you, do
something amazing and outstanding to inspire them or at least have them sitting
on the side lines being jealous, secretly saying, "wow, she has guts". One
person with purpose becomes the majority, one way or another.
1. There are at least two people in this world
That you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world Love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you Is because they want to Be just
like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, Even if they don't Like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you Before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists, loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, Something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has
Turned its back on you, take another look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
Always in hope and admiration, Celeita
YOUR BANK ACCOUNT
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully
dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and
shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home
today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he
smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a
visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been
hung on his window.
'I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just
been presented with a new puppy.
'Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.
'Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or
not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my
mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when
I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the
difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of
bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and
all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank
account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank.
I am still depositing.' Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
Our
lives with horses...
Our lives with horses are rich with feeling. You know this if you've
ever.... choked back tears watching a new foal wobble to his feet for the
First time ...or watched your good horse wobble to his feet after surgery....
or seen the ends of the reins float straight out as a reining horse spins
beneath them . . or chuckled to yourself as you watched a tiny tot on a
patient pony trot through a barrel pattern at a saddle club payday ... or felt
the building tremble as an eight-up hitch of feather-legged giants towed a
hand-carved beer wagon into the arena ... or had your heart stop when you saw
your horse lying motionless in the pasture on a sunny day and waited
breathlessly for an ear to flick ... or cheered at the screen when 'The Man
From Snowy River' slid Dennie down the mountainside, .. or when Seabiscuit
made his final surge to beat War Admiral ... or cruised along the highway and
seen a horse in a pasture and wondered what he's like to ride or pictured him
as a prospect ... or sucked in your breath as a horse and rider approached a
six-foot wall ... or sworn a solemn oath to your horse that together you would
triumph ... or flipped through the TV channels and stopped when you saw a
horse even when it was a commercial ... or laughed aloud when you rubbed your
horse's face and he rubbed back ... or gotten chills hearing Dave Johnson's
'and DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!' (or 'Run for the Roses' circa 1980 ish?)
... or stood in awe at your horse in morning play as he sprinted around the
pasture, then stopped, head erect, and snorted defiance at the rest of the
world
... or been thankful to see wild horses grazing casually at the foot of a hill
... or felt calmed by the sleekness of a silky
haircoat beneath your hand ... or felt your jaw drop as you watched a Lipazzan
perform a capriole ... or if you've ever seen someone in the grocery store
wearing a certain kind of hat, or boots, or buckle, or have a certain cut and
length to their jeans, and felt some remote kind of connection ... or felt
warmed by a soft nicker greeting as you entered the barn ... or slid your hand
under your horse's blanket to straighten it out, only to pause in the glowing
feeling that you get when you touch the
warmth of his coat... or riding on a trail with your horse, thinking how that
trail over there looks nice and almost without asking, your horse has sensed
your slightest movement in the saddle and he's now taking you there. ... or
pulled up to your barn where you board and only your horse greets you with a
welcoming hello from the sound of your car or your voice.
HEROES AND HORSES
SOME NOTABLE HEROES AND THEIR HORSES ARE MENTIONED AND WE KNOW YOUR HORSE IS
YOUR HERO AND VICE VERSA.
1. Kanthaka - Buddha's horse, the one he used when he was still Siddhartha
the prince, to escape from his father's palace and begin his journey toward
enlightenment. Kanthaka's hooves made no sounds as they fled together and he
is often depicted being lifted on his four feet by benign spirits.
2. Pegasus - the mythical winged horse parented by Neptune and Medusa and
ridden by Bellerophon to rid the world of Chimera, the monster. Athena, the
Greek goddess of wisdom, was able to capture and train Pegasus when he allowed
her to place her golden bit in his mouth.
3. Phosphorus (Light Bearer) - the great Roman racehorse immortalized by the
4th century Roman poet Ausonius (at the emperor's request) in a beautiful
eulogy: Fly with haste to join the wing-footed horses of Elysium; may
Pegasus gallop on your right and Arion as your left-wheeler, and let Castor
find a fourth horse for the team.
4. Babieca - famed white gelding of El Cid, Rodrigo Diaz of Bivar, the
Spanish hero who united Christians and Muslims against a Moorish onslaught
from Africa. Babieca lived to be 30 years old and carried El Cid into all his
battles. Babieca means "crazy" as Rodrigo made a crazy choice since the colt
was the runt of the herd.
5. Bucephalus (Ox-head) - beloved horse of Alexander the Great who bore the
Macedonian hero on his back from Greece to India. Odds against a horse living
past 20 in that era were great, but Bucephalus, in his 20s, endured until he
fell in battle in India.
6. Sleipnir - the eight-legged war horse of Odin, the Norse god, was able to
fly without wings and shape-shift.
7. Balios and Xanthos - a grey and bay, both sired by Zephyros, the West
Wind, who together pulled Achilles' chariot.
8. Vivasat - a Hindu sun-god who often took the form of a stallion.
9. Al Burak - Mohammed's horse, on whose back he ascended to heaven, was
brought to him by the archangel Gabriel
10. Chiron - the centaur who taught Achilles, Jason and the first physician,
Ascelpius, all he knew.
11. Rakhsh - blue-eyed and dappled red horse of the legendary Persian
warrior, Rustam. Rakhsh was highly intelligent and saved his sleeping master
from a lion's attack, killing the predator.
There are many more famous mythical and real horses and we will be adding to
our list. Can you help us add to this list?. thank you Harmony Horse Works.
The question is not: "do you support horse
slaughter."
The question is: "do you support the cruel, terrifying
transport for days without food and water in their journey to death?"
The question is: "do you support the torture and abuse of
the killer chutes, even for crippled horses, pregnant mares, wild horses,
protective mares with foals by their sides?"
The question is: “Do you support the horse slaughter
factories that lie to their consumers about the many chemicals that taint the
horse meat, and call it Organic?
The question is: do you support the breeder who breeds
hundreds of horses just to pick out the good ones and cash in the rest to the
killer buyer?
The question is: Do you support the person who uses the
horse its whole life and when it gets to an old age sends it to slaughter as a
thank you?
The question is: “do you support the slaughter workers who
cheer a horse on that struggles extra hard for its life?
The question is: Do you support the killer buyer who not
only buys up the strong, fat and healthy horses and leaves the meek weak and
unhealthy for society, but also bids against the good homes and horse rescues?
The question is: “Can you see though the lies of the ones
who stand to loose a buck with the end of horse slaughter?
The question is: Do you support ripping the last of our wild
horses away from their families and peaceful lives to be slaughtered?
The question is: As a nation, can we allow this to continue
and still call ourselves a civilized country?
The question is: "Can you look at the footage of innocent
horses with their eyes gouged out, hooves ripped off, legs broken, beaten by
the workers, faces smashed in from being on the transport trucks, horses
stabbed in their spines, horses conscious for the entire killing process and
do nothing?
That is the question, so what is YOUR answer?
Resolve to make the world a better place for animals
(credit: PETA)
| If you haven't already done so,
have the companion animals who depend on you spayed or neutered. These
simple procedures help protect your furry friends from many types of
cancer and prevent thousands of animals from being born only to end up
abandoned on the streets or dumped at severely crowded animal shelters.
|
| If you live with a dog,
pledge to walk him or her every day, even when it's cold outside and you'd
rather hide under a blanket. If you share your home with cats, set
aside some "kitty (or horsey) quality time" every day to play
with, brush, and bond with them. It's sometimes too easy to overlook our
feline friends, but they can get bored and lonely too. |
| If there is a lonely "backyard dog" in your
neighborhood, try befriending his or her
guardian. Start by politely talking to him or her about the dog's needs,
such as companionship, daily portions of fresh food and water, and a
weatherproof doghouse filled with straw. Many lucky dogs have had their
lives changed because someone like you cared enough to intervene.
|
| If you're shopping for yourself or buying
holidays gifts for your loved ones, stay
away from fur, wool, leather, and companies that make or sell products
made from the skins of animals. |
NOTE: Crossed Sabers can not fully guarantee the accuracy of every page
on this website which is huge (38,000 files and over 300 pages). We do not
have the personnel or time to keep it up to date and accurate for every
situation as this Stable and all its programs have always been a dynamic
entity, ever changing and improving itself to meet the needs of horses and
horse people. We do try to make sure each page is up to date and accurate but
the best thing to do If you have a question, is email or call us. Additionally
Crossed Sabers can not guarantee anything that anyone says about us on line,
we have no control over other people and their websites, forums or ads, all we
can tell people is if you do not know the person, their name, address and
their experience, age or history/background/education and location do not
trust what they say. That is true for everything on the internet. Some things
said about us have been grossly inaccurate and did not come from CSS, some
come from past employees we fired for cause (for hurting horses or stealing
from us), people that are pro-slaughter and hate our mission and what we do
for horses enjoy trying to make us look bad, some are horse traders that we've
helped put out of business and some are people we helped put in jail on
neglect cases. Again, if you have questions about us, our services, our
company structure, how we are licensed, how we pay taxes, how we do things or
anything at all, please feel free to contact us, just don't assume that all
you read on another website is accurate because 99% of it is not true,
especially if you read it on a forum, blog or chat room and don't assume that
it came from us, just call 304-873-3532 or email us at
secondwindadopt@aol.com,
or better yet, come and see our operation and you will see how we do things. I
can guarantee it's 1000 times better than what the liars and frauds say who
are jealous of our work.
All programs and services listed on this website, including
SWAP is a part of Crossed Sabers Stable which has been licensed in WV for the
last 13 years. The Mountain State Horse School and Second Wind Adoption
Program, Inc. and Crossed Sabers International Horse School, Inc. was
incorporated on 4 Sep 08 to address the education needs and life challenges of
people and horses.
Buyer and Seller Beware!! Update on the
Robin Hollingsworth of Blacksburg, SC
(she has several alias's and about 10 fake names) fraud case for those
of you who have been asking. The SC prosecutor accepted a plea bargain from
her and dropped the case if she paid the people she ripped off (the people she
took money under false pretenses from when she sold them horses she did not
own), she did that so she was let go but the 3 arrests will stay on her record
and the record of what she did to all those people is still on the books and
will stay there. If she is caught again I'm certain she will go to jail but
people who are cheated by her must stand up and testify.. If more people that
she ripped off would have not chickened out and backed out because of fear
(Quote from them was we are scared of her, she is crazy) she would be in jail
right now but beware, she is still loose and still taking free horses or
companion horses that have things like ringbone and navicular and drugging
them and then selling them as high level jumpers and competition horses on the
internet. Her daughter works with her, Amanda or Mandy, she helps her rip
people off. Beware, I'm getting calls almost every month where Robin has
committed more crimes against people, taking horses, not paying for them,
bouncing checks, buying vehicles and horse trailers and not paying for them.
BEWARE OF THIS WOMAN!! If you want her history or to check a person's name
against our black list (our do not adopt to, do not sell to, do not buy from,
do not hire or even rent to list), then contact us.
BEWARE: Do not buy a horse from anyone you
do not know, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNET, unless they have websites like ours,
their names and addresses listed and they show they have a long long history
on their website and do not buy unless you go to see the horse and have it vet
checked and you have contact with the vet, not the seller or even trainer
telling you what the vet said. DO NOT GIVE YOUR HORSE OR SELL YOUR HORSE
WITHOUT A WRITTEN AGREEMENT AS TO WHAT IS TO HAPPEN WITH THE HORSE, RESELLING,
USE/LIMITATIONS, FACILITIES NEEDED, ETC. It you sell or give away a horse with
no agreement, they could go to slaughter the same day you release them or they
could be sold and misrepresented, living a life of neglect, abuse, over use
and miss use the rest of their lives. We hear stories all the time where a
best friend or neighbor, the nice lady you gave the horse to sent the horse to
slaughter or is neglecting it and there is not a thing the owner can do now
because they no longer own the horse and they made no written agreements
signed by both parties. If you need help doing written agreements, back ground
checks on buyers and sellers, just contact us, that is part of our 'SAFE
SELLING' SERVICES. Your horse's life depends on you being safe and thorough!
BEWARE: People are selling horses on the
internet that don't even exist so beware, the horse industry is full is liars,
cheaters, and thieves, even we have had to deal with them from potential
adopters who were in jail applying to adopt, to employees and former trainers
who totally ripped us off by stealing tack and tools, asking for huge advances
and then leaving after they get them, people who don't even know us or had any
experience with us slandering us on forums, harassing us and our supporters,
interfering with company operations and even adopters who don't think twice
about breaching their contract or forging their vets signature on applications
& annual updates or even selling their adoption horse to programs like ours
and even 501c3's public charities selling horses to slaughter auctions or
being put in jail for neglect and animal cruelty. We are bringing each person
that has wronged our horses to justice one at a time and winning all our cases
but that does not protect the general public from these liars, thieves,
con-artist and cheaters. Your horses life can easily be ruined forever, they
could end up in a fate worse than death so buyer and seller beware, your
horses life depends on you keeping them safe and you being thorough with doing
things like getting references and making sure the people have stable
employment, that they really own the farm they say they do, doing background
checks to check for criminal records. The horse world is full of dishonesty
which ruins it for honest people that really care and always try to do the
right thing, such a shame. Just be very careful and get proof that your horse
is going to a good home, get more than a feeling because we promise you about
50% of the time when it comes to horses, your feeling that its a 'nice' person
or a 'good' person' is wrong. And even when you pick a good home, they can
turn around and sell or give away to a bad home.
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and
height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them'
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches and negative people pull
you down. People who like to cause trouble will shorten your life and make you
just like them... miserable.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,
whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen.. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who
is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets,
keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,
improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next
county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
moments that take our breath away
| |
BRIDLE & BIT
SELECTION & FIT
|
What difference does a
Bridle Make?
Much is made of the
almost infinite variety of bits available and their various actions. The
bridle may sometimes be overlooked as simply the leather by which a bit is
hung on a horse but it is more than that and we shall look at some of the
different types of bridle, in particular nosebands, and their uses
Of course, the
choice of a bridle often comes down to personal preference. The difference
between two bridles of similar type will be the look and quality of
workmanship. The size and shape of a horse's head can be complimented by a
bridle which flatters the horse's features. Bridle's can be as much
fashionable as functional and often were ornately adorned to reflect the
riders wealth and status.
Fitting a Bridle Correctly - Browband, Throatlash
and Cheek pieces
The three main
pieces of any bridle that must fit a horse are the browband, which stops the
bridle from slipping down the horse's neck, the throatlash (or throat latch)
which stops the bridle from being pulled forward over the ears and the cheek
pieces, which attach to the head piece and the bit. The noseband (cavesson)
is discussed below as this is the main difference between the various bridle
types.
The browband must
fit without pinching and causing discomfort. This can be of particular
importance for warmblood types or horses with wider foreheads, and you may
need to ask your saddler if the browband from a new bridle may be swapped
for another if it doesn't fit properly. The throatlash should allow at least
several fingers to pass between it and the horse. In particuar make sure
that the horse is able to flex without throttling itself, if in doubt, allow
this to be a little loose.
|
|
Types of
Bridle |
|
When discussing types of
bridle we will in fact be mainly talking about different types of noseband,
used with a plain snaffle bridle. |
|
The snaffle bridle is a simple bridle
for a snaffle bit. In its most simplistic form it has no
noseband at all. The
 cavesson
noseband is commonly fitted although it is largely there for appearance's
sake since it does not perform any function (with the exception of lunging)
and is fitted loosely around the horses nose midway between cheek and jaw.
The dropped noseband
(shown on the right) is also fairly common. It is most often used to keep
the horse's mouth shut on those horse's who try to evade the bit by
opening their mouths. Be aware that shutting a horse's mouth when using a
large jointed bit can cause your horse considerable discomfort in the
palate and you should determine whether your horse really is evading the
bit or simply opening his mouth to allow for the bit to fit in his mouth!
(remember nature only allowed enough room for a tongue in there).
The noseband is done
up more tightly than a normal cavesson and the bottom strap is passed in
front of (below) the bit. Other nosebands used for a similar purpose are
the 'flash', (also called a Hanoverian) which is a normal cavesson which
has a small loop in the centre through which a second dropped noseband is
attached.
|
 And
the Grackle noseband (shown left) is a forerunner of the flash noseband.
The grackle noseband crosses the horses nose quite high and then crosses
again under the horse's jaw. These two nosebands are used on horse's with a
habit of opening their mouths and\or crossing their jaws to evade the bit.
Some
nosebands can also be rather harsh, the Kineton Noseband has metal
half rings which pass under the bit so that when a contact is taken up
strong pressure is brought to bear on both the nose and the poll
encouraging the horse to lower his head.
The Endurance 2-in-1 (shown left) on the other hand is designed to act as
both halter and bridle. This provides maximum functionality without wasting
time changing tack during a race.
The double bridle's only real
difference from a snaffle is, of course, to allow for the additional
bits. The only noseband accepted on a double bridle is a cavesson.
|
|
The hackamore bridle exerts
pressure on on the poll, curb groove and nose. It should be remembered
that the horse cannot breath through its mouth so it is important to use
gentle hands when using a hackamore.
The hackamore is often used in
western riding prior to training a horse with specialist western style
bits and is also popular in endurance riding where contact is not required
as in other sports such as dressage. The long side pieces to which the
reins are attached are called shanks. The longer the shanks on a
hackamore, the more leverage is applied and therefore the more severe the
action. This also applies to western bits which often also have shanks
and use some of the principles of a hackamore.
Hackamore used for
show jumping. The fleecy noseband additionally acts as a 'shadowroll',
causing the horse drop its head slightly to see over it and reduces the nose
pressure.
You can see from
this close up of a fairly simple hackamore that when the reins are pulled,
pressure will be applied to both the nose and poll. This photo shows a
reasonably short shank.
|
-
Basic Saddle Construction
- Saddle construction, like everything else, is continually refined and
takes advantage of new materials
- but the basic construction of a saddle has remained very similar for many
hundreds of years.
-
This is because the basic mechanics and aim of the saddle have remained the
same; provide a secure
- seat for the rider,
without inhibiting the movement of the horse's shoulder blades, it must
remove weight
- from the horse's spine and loins and spread it evenly over the
remaining area of the horse's back.
- It must also provide a
secure anchor for the stirrups.
-
The foundation of
any saddle is the saddle tree, a frame made traditionally of laminated wood
but
-
may also be made of metal, fibreglass,
plastics or high tech composite materials. The tree is strained
-
(put under
tension) to allow it to provide a rigid yet springy frame for the saddle
material. Many
-
saddles now have
adjustable gullets (the area under the pommel which sits over the withers
and
-
shapes the front
of the saddle) however the tree must still correctly fit the horse's back
width and shape.
|
-
There
are saddles designed to fit assorted specialised roles; Dressage, Jumping,
Racing (also known as flat),
-
Endurance, Side Saddle, Stock, Western.
General Purpose and Eventing saddles attempt to perform multiple
-
roles and
are therefore a compromise of the best features of the specialised saddles.
- Compare the 4 saddle types shown below for differences in length of flaps,
depth of seat, knee roll and seat.
-
Dressage saddles
have longer, straighter flaps than other saddles to allow a longer stirrup
length and
-
closer leg contact. They also tend to have much deeper seats,
although the one shown here is not as
-
deep as many. The jumping and eventing
saddles tend to have more forward cut flaps, larger knee rolls
-
and longer trees
to allow for the forward seat and shorter stirrups required by those
sports.
-
Surcingles
-
A surcingle is also referred to as an
over-girth. In this case it is a webbing or elasticated belt which
completely encircles the horse's belly. A surcingle may be used with
blankets to help keep them on or over saddles as additional security.
Racing saddles are a good example where surcingles are often used.
-
At first glance the girth may just be the
strap that holds the saddle on but girths can be as important to
your
-
horse's performance and well being as the
saddle. There are also different types of girths to fit different
types of saddles.
-
Dressage saddles have girth tabs near the
bottom of the flaps and therefore require a much shorter girth.
-
Girths generally have a dual buckle system,
when fitting the saddle you choose whether to use the front, back or outside pair of girth tabs, however some
dressage girths will use all three girth straps.
- Girths are traditionally made from leather but leather does not provide much
give, are relatively high maintenance and can be quite harsh when new. Many
are turning to synthetic girths or leather girths with elasticated inserts. It is important not to do these up so tightly that you take up all the
elasticity. Sheepskin sleeves are also popular to provide extra comfort especially for horses with sensitive skins.
|
-
Stirrup irons are made of stainless steel and may be fitted with rubber
treads to prevent the foot from slipping.
Safety stirrups are made either with one side open, fitted with a rubber
ring which is strong enough for normal
riding performance but will give way should the riders foot become trapped
during a fall (suitable for under 12's) or
with a bent side iron which also allows the foot to easily slip through.
Jointed stirrups like those shown below have
flexible sides, which are easier on stiff joints.
-
Stirrups also come in several types and may
be designed to assist correct leg and foot placement, to provide
-
greater safety and\or for specific sports.
Endurance riders, for instance, look for larger treads for greater comfort
and sometimes enclosed toes for added safety since running shoes or other
less traditional rinding footwear may be worn for greater comfort over
long periods of time.
-
Saddle pads are used to give an extra layer of comfort to the horse,
absorb sweat and help keep the saddle clean.
-
They range from a simple
cotton to high tech gel pads which also help with shock absorption. The
saddle pads on
race horses and eventers can also contain pockets for the lead weights
which may be required to bring the rider up
-
to the required weight. Newer types of pads may include air-filled
pockets which can be adjusted to assist with saddle
-
fit and comfort, however saddle pads should not be used instead of
correctly fitted saddles.
|
-
There are numerous other saddlery accessories including; saddle covers for
extra rider comfort, made from sheepskin
-
or gel.
-
Covers to protect the saddle itself from the elements, such as the
waterproof (but breathable) cover shown right,
-
can be obtained for events which may be held in tough weather conditions.
-
Of course there are also protective covers for storing or transporting your
saddle.
-
Straps for the front of your saddle, sometimes called 'sos straps' can
be very useful for hacking out in rough terrain,
-
working without stirrups or just to give you that extra something to hang
onto in an emergency.
-
This article is compliments of
Tack In The Box.
-
What Type of Saddle Do You
Need?
-
People come in various shapes
and sizes and so do saddles. It's not surprising then, that not every
saddle fits every rider. When the horse is added to the equation,
finding the right saddle can make you wish you'd taken up tennis! I've
spent a good deal of time in the last dozen or so years helping riders
select the saddle that best suits them and their horse and have
learned a lot in the process. Perhaps my experience can prevent you
from making a very expensive mistake.
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Balance
-
Any saddle must meet one very
basic criteria in order to function as a useful tool for riding: it must
be correctly balanced. This is especially true of the dressage saddle,
owing to the refinement of weight and leg aids. This first drawing is an
illustration we're all familiar with.
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Twist
-
The twist of the saddle, viewed
from above, is the narrowest portion of the seat, located just behind
the pommel. Saddles can be broadly categorized into narrow twist and
broad twist, with great variation possible within each category. The
general type of twist you need depends upon the conformation of your
pelvis and the way the femur is attached to it as well as the shape of
the inner thigh muscle.
-
 The
shafts of the two femurs are separated by the diameter of the pelvis and
the shafts slope downward and inward to bring the knee joints near the
line of gravity of the body.
-
Owing to the female pelvis'
being shallower and wider than that of men, this inward slope tends to
be greater in women (left illustration) than it is in men (right
illustration) though there is considerable variation between
individuals. The more knock-kneed an individual is the more the inner
thigh muscle tends to be relatively round. The more nearly perpendicular
the shafts of the pelvis hang, the flatter the inner thigh muscle (the
reason that most men have much flatter inner thigh muscles than women
and thus much less difficulty getting the thigh to lie flat against the
saddle).
-
Let's begin by separating the
boys from the girls. Figure 1 illustrates the basic skeletal differences
between men and women with regard to the shape of the pelvis. As you can
see, women's seat bones tend to be further apart than those of men. This
can cause a problem if the twist of the saddle is too narrow. In such a
case, the seat bones are not correctly positioned on top of the saddle
but fit down around the saddle - a very uncomfortable position! However
this is a very rare situation since the seatbones do not sit on the
saddle close to the pommel, but considerably further back, where the
saddle begins to broaden. In fact, the crotch pain that many riders,
especially women, experience rarely has anything to do with the width
between the seatbones. Instead it has everything to do with the
positioning of the femur in relation to the pelvis and the shape of the
muscle of the inner thigh.
-
In order to allow the rider to
sit in a balanced position; with half of the upper body mass on either
side of the vertical line bisecting shoulder, hip and heel; the stirrup
bar of the saddle must be correctly placed.
-
The stirrup leathers should hang
vertically and approximately 6" or 7" forward of the deepest part of the
seat.
-
This corresponds roughly to the
measurement from the ball of the foot to the heel. The relationship of
these two measurements is obvious. If the deepest part of the saddle
falls more than about 7" back from the stirrup bar, the rider is
encouraged to carry his leg too far forward and automatically adopts the
chair seat.
-
Conversely, a stirrup bar placed
too far rearward causes the rider to sit on the crotch. We'll talk more
about balance when we discuss fitting the horse.
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What has all this to do with
crotch pain, you ask?
Everything.........
When the rider sits correctly in the saddle he (or she) will be
supported by his seatbones, the pubic crest (crotch) and the muscles of
the inner thigh. The two generalized saddle shapes are illustrated
below.
-
-
The left illustration
corresponds to a broad twist saddle and the right to one with a narrow
twist. The narrower the twist, the more the saddle tends to be concave
on either side of the pommel. The concavity of narrow twist saddle very
nicely accommodates the greater mass of a rounded thigh muscle and
allows the rider to receive the proper amount of support from the thigh.
A flat thigh muscle would not provide the rider of saddle Figure 5-right
with any measurable amount of support until several inches down from
either side of the pommel. This would result in such a rider bearing too
much weight on the pubic crest and would result in much discomfort. The
broader twist illustrated in Figure 5-left would support the flat inner
thigh very nicely and would correctly and comfortably distribute the
rider's weight.
-
While men tend to have the
flatter inner thigh muscles associated with the need for a broader
twist, because of the narrower pelvis, there is usually less distance
between the shafts of the femur and thus few men will be comfortable
riding a really broad twist saddle but will tend to prefer something
with a more moderate twist.
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How can you be sure the
saddle fits the horse?
-
While there are many
subtleties of saddle fit you can always be sure you're on the
right track when the previously mentioned balance is present.
Different brands and models of saddles may look quite different
from each other when correctly fitted. Consequently, if you try to
fit all saddles by applying certain rules that you've doubtless
read in the myriads of saddle fit articles published in recent
years, such as, cantle should be X inches higher than the pommel
or, you should have X fingers' clearance at the pommel - it
becomes very confusing.
-
Some saddles are designed to
fit with the cantle substantially higher than the pommel (2" or even
more) while others are designed to be nearly level, front to back.
No saddle is designed to sit lower in the cantle than the pommel,
however, horses with a low back conformation will sometimes be
correctly fitted when the cantle does indeed sit lower than the
pommel. These horses are always a challenge to ride for they can
rarely be fitted with a gusset type panel and artificially raising
the cantle with a "bump" pad or other device may result in a badly
damaged saddle tree and is most always uncomfortable for the horse.
-
First things first - you
must ascertain exactly where on the horse's body the saddle should
sit. Horses having a lot of Thoroughbred blood are rarely difficult
to decide where the saddle should sit - they have a pronounced
indentation right behind the shoulder blade and if you try to place
the saddle anywhere else it will quickly find its way to this "sweet
spot." Unfortunately, many Warmbloods as well as other breeds such
as Arabians and Morgans, frequently lack this clearly defined area.
The saddle should be placed immediately behind the horse's scapula -
not on top of it. To determine where the scapula is located, have
someone lead your horse for you while you walk beside him with your
hand on the shoulder blade. As he moves it will rotate about its
axis and allow you to visualize its location. Place your saddle just
behind the scapula and girth it sufficiently to hold it securely in
place.
-
Keeping the rule of balance
uppermost in your mind, stand to the side of your horse and draw an
imaginary line through the center of the stirrup bar, perpendicular
to the ground. Draw a second imaginary line through the deepest part
of the seat, again perpendicular to the ground. As mentioned before,
the deepest part of the seat should be approximately 6-7" back from
the center of the stirrup bar.
-
-
The illustration at left
shows a saddle that is too narrow for the horse and consequently
sits with the deepest part of the seat too far back from the
stirrup bar.
-
-
The last illustration of
this series shows a saddle that is too wide and has the deepest part
of the seat too close to the stirrup bar. The former will place your
legs too far to the front while the latter will tend to tip you onto
your crotch.
-
Once you've ascertained
that the balance is correct, check the width of the tree by
stepping to the front of the saddle and observing the fit along
the horse's barrel. The "welt" of the saddle (the round piece of
leather that runs across the pommel and down either side) will
usually correspond fairly accurately to the shape of the tree of
the saddle. If you lay a riding whip along the horse's body,
starting at the top of his withers and right in front of the
saddle, you can compare the actual angle of his body to that of
the tree of the saddle. If the two angles are very nearly
identical, the width is correct. If the two lines converge over
the top of the horse's back, the saddle is too wide, while it's
too narrow if the lines diverge.
-
A word of caution here: It
is the lesser evil if the saddle is slightly (and I do mean
slightly) too narrow than if it is slightly too wide. A very mildly
narrow saddle is an inconvenience to the rider because it will tend
to cause his balance to be a bit too far back but nonetheless
results in an even pressure along the panels of the saddle and no
discomfort to the horse. A slightly wide saddle will increase the
pressure in the area of the bars of the tree and result in
discomfort on the part of the horse, who will usually react by
tightening his shoulders and shortening the reach of the forelegs.
-
"Bridging" is the result
of a panel that is not contoured to fit the shape of the horse's
back. It has become very popular in recent years to increase the
flocking in the rear portion of the saddle panel which raises the
cantle and helps to position the rider's pelvis correctly in the
seat.
-
Unfortunately, as you
increase the thickness of the panel by adding a gusset, the entire
panel becomes more and more flat from front to back. Turn your
saddle upside down and look at the panel - does it have a slight
"banana" shaped curve or is it relatively straight and flat from
front to back? Now look at your horse - can you take a piece of 2x4
the length of your saddle, sit it on his back and have it follow the
contour? If the answer is "yes" (and it is with many Warmbloods)
then the gusset panel saddle is for you! If, however, your horse's
back drops a little after his withers then slopes slightly upward
toward his croup, your piece of 2x4 will contact his body only in
the front and back.
-
This is "bridging" and it
can be as extreme as the 2x4 example or very subtle, resulting only
in differentials of pressure. No matter how subtle it is it will be
uncomfortable for the horse and will usually result in soreness and
tightness in the loin area. Sensitive horses may object violently
while more stoic individuals will probably become regular patients
for equine chiropractors and massage therapists.
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-
Left: Gusset
Panel Right: Traditional Panel
-
Frequently riders become
concerned whether the "banana" shape of traditional panels
provide an optimum amount of support for the horse. It's
certainly true that gusset panels have a greater surface area
than traditional panels and the question of support may indeed
be an important factor if the rider is a large, heavyweight
person. But since the majority of dressage riders are men and
women of normal stature, this rarely causes any problem for the
horse and is certainly to be preferred to a heavy weight being
pressed into his loins.
-
Compare your horse's topline to the illustrations below -
Thoroughbred type on the left and Warmblood type on the right.
If he is shaped like the horse on the left, a gussetted panel is
probably not a good choice.
-
-
When should my saddle be
reflocked? The answer to that is when and if it needs it! I have a
27 year old Passier that has never been reflocked and doesn't need
it yet! It has also never given a horse a moment's discomfort in
his back.
-
You will be able to tell
if your saddle needs reflocking. You'll one day notice that
leather of the panels seems almost to have "grown." It will begin
to bag and sag and perhaps to wrinkle. If you do not have excess
space in the panels and you bring your saddle in for reflocking,
where is the saddler supposed to put the new material?
-
When your saddle requires
reflocking, be sure to chose a qualified craftsman for the job. A
poorly reflocked panel will have lumps that will cause uneven
pressure and discomfort for your horse.
-
Frequent oiling is not
necessary to insure good service from your saddle. As a matter of
fact, precisely the opposite is true. Americans tend to over oil
their tack while in Europe oil is used very infrequently. Regular
cleaning with a quality glycerin soap will maintain your saddle in
top condition - keeping the leather supple yet sturdy. If the
leather in your saddle begins to feel dry or stiff from use or
neglect, use a quality leather oil product sparingly.
-
There are always
exceptions and I try not to say "always" or "never," for when I do
I'm sure to immediately meet a horse or rider who gives the lie to
every rule. However, if you follow these guidelines and use good
common sense, as well as observing the way your horse reacts to a
new saddle, you'll probably not stray far in your efforts to find
a fit for both you and your horse. Good luck!
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If you're a beginner, don't be put off by
the prospect of having to handle a large strange horse and know how to
tack up (put all the gear on) during your first lesson. Riding schools
will generally have your horse ready for you to ride when you arrive.
(Just remember to check your girth)
- If you want to learn how to put on
and take off your horse's gear or generally help with the horses, you
will find that you are most welcome to. You might like to start by
taking your horse's gear off after your lesson. There'll be less of a
time constraint and taking gear off, is easier to start with than
putting it on correctly.
- The sorts of gear (known as tack)
that you may come into contact with as part of your riding lessons are;
the saddle, bridle, head collar or halter, lead ropes, boots and
blankets. If your horse has more complicated gear on than this, like a
martingale, ask why, as this may mean that this is not a suitable horse
for you to learn on.
- All tack is done up from the near
side and many items either have buckles only on one side or have more
buckles on one side than another. This is a visual clue for you, when
you are putting tack on, as to which way around it should go.
Everything seems very simple in the books and pictures but when you are
confronted with actually tacking up the first few times, you'll
appreciate all the clues you can get.
- The
Head Collar, Halter or Head Stall
- Head collars may be
made from leather, webbing, nylon or rope and are the most basic form
of control over your horse.
- If the halter is leather or webbing
it may have one or two buckles that both do up on the near side and a
couple of 'O' rings where the noseband and the headpiece join on.
Generally you will only undo the buckle on the headpiece (see photo
right) and then slide the noseband down over the horse's nose.
- Head stalls technically are the
basis of a bridle, without a bit or reins. Halters may be made in such
a way as to teach your horse to lead with some manners, that is they may
provide a 'halting' action on either the poll and\or nose of the horse
(much like a hackamore). These sorts of halters are usually made from
rope, the various joins being made from slip knots to allow the halter
to change shape in order to provide this halting action.
-
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Putting a Bridle On
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Before taking off the horse's halter,
slip the reins over the horse's head and down his neck. This will
give you some control over your horse if he should take fright or
misbehave when you are trying to put the bridle on.
- Note: Horse's behave in
different ways to having a bridle put on, some are so eager or used
to the routine, that they literally open up their mouths for you and
help take the bit in, others are more tentative about having all
those bits of leather near their eyes or may remember a bad
experience with a bit and others take delight in teasing you. Be
calm, positive and workmanlike when tacking up and be considerate of
your horse's sensitivities to items near their eyes or ears.
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After putting the reins over the
horse's head, remove the headcollar. In this case it is
sufficiently loose to simply slip over the horse's ears but with
most halters you will need to unbuckle the headpiece.
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With one hand hold your horse's
nose, to keep it steady and slide the bridle up in front of his
face.
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Use one hand to hold the bridle
and use the other to guide the bit into his mouth. You may need
to use your thumb to press his gums toward the back of his lips
to ask him to open his mouth
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Once the bit is in place, slide
the headpiece over the horse's ears. Make sure that you keep
sufficent tension to keep the bit in place until the headpiece
is secure.
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After the headpiece is in place,
bring the forelock through
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Do up the throatlash. Make sure
that you have one rein looped over your arm.
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Make sure the throatlash isn't too
tight, you should still be able to get your hand through.
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Fasten the noseband. In this
case, it's a dropped noseband but you should do up the noseband
appropriately for the type.
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Boots
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-
Boots for horses come in many shapes
and materials, including leather, synthetic and neoprene. Boots are
most often used to protect the horse from knocking his own legs
against one another or against obstacles in jumping.
- By far the most common boots for
everyday use in New Zealand are neoprene brushing boots, they're
relatively cheap, easy to keep clean and fit any size horse. They
wrap around the fetlock of the horse, and have long velcro straps to
keep them on. You simply position them on each leg and wrap the
straps around.
- However different horses have
different requirements depending on their action. Bell boots protect
the front legs from overreach injuries, tendon boots help support
tendons and protect them from cuts or bruises, floating or trucking
boots try to protect the entire lower leg including the hocks and
knees while a horse is transported.
- There is also a huge range of
specialist boots to protect horses for competition and for
therapeutic purposes including sliding boots for western
competition, magnetic boots and hose boots which allow a horse's
legs to be constantly cooled with water.
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Saddling Up
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- *If you are
saddling a horse for the first time, make sure that you have someone
on hand to check your work. A badly placed saddle may be dangerous
for you and painful or harmful for your horse.
- Begin saddling by brushing your
hand over the horse's back, this both smooths down the hair and
checks for any injuries or items stuck in the coat that you may not
have seen.
- [PHOTOS BELOW] [1] Then place
the saddle cloth or numnah on the horse's back making sure that is
sits neatly and evenly. Do not place the saddle too far forward or
it will restrict the horse's shoulder and may cause pain or injury.
Place your hand on the shoulder blade and check that there is 2-3
fingers of room before the panel makes contact with the wither. [2]
Place the saddle quietly on and [3] bring the saddle cloth up under
the pommel of the saddle so that it doesn't pinch or put pressure on
the withers as the girth tightens on the saddle. [4-5] If there are
straps for the numnah, do these up now.
-
[6-8]
Finally bring the girth around to do up. [9] Leave a hand's width
free, at first, to allow you to smooth the skin down under the
girth. This makes sure that the girth isn't pinching before you
finally tighten it up. [10 & 11-12] Ideally the girth should sit
approx 1 hands width behind the horse's front leg (elbow) however
this may vary with the horse's shape, type of saddle and the girth
fittings.
-
Like everything else, rugs come in a
wide variety of shapes and materials. Frequently horses may have a
number of rugs, and wear more than one during the colder winters
months. The inner rug can be a warm quilted rug that doesn't have
to be waterproof since it is shielded by the heavy waterproof outer
rug. If you're helping to put a horse's rugs on, the important thing
to remember is that you make sure that the fastenings aren't going
to rub on the horse or get tangled up in his legs.
-
 New
Zealand Rugs: Commonly used in New Zealand this is a heavy
waterproof canvas with simple fastenings that allow the horse
freedom and yet keep the rug on, no matter what. Overseas these are
even known as 'New Zealand' rugs, although the version sold overseas
often have more complex fastenings (they just can't stop themselves
from making life more complex than it need be).
-
New Zealand rugs tend not to be 100% waterproof since
they are just canvas (although it is 'proofed') they are however
intended to provide protection from the worst of the weather and
keep a horse used to living out 24x7 dry and warm in the temperate
NZ climate without 'coddling' it.
- A New
Zealand rug has just 2 sets of straps.
The rear leg straps go from just in
front of the hind legs, are passed between the legs toward the tail,
crossed over the opposite strap and twisted before being clipped
onto 'D' rings at the back of the rug. The twisting is done so that
the straps do not rub between the horse's rear legs. Clips are done
up through the 'D' rings of both rugs (if an underrug is being worn)
and face the horse's body. The spare leather is then fed through
the clip ring, protecting the horse from both the clip and the
rubbing of any spare strap leather. (In
British books you will see the instruction to clip to the Dee away
from the horse's body - but this is because the leather is then
simply left hanging)
-
At the front the straps are simply
done up. If an under rug and/or protector is worn then the strap of
the under rug is passed through a loop on the protector to stop it
from sliding around underneath the rugs.
-
 Synthetic
Rugs: Synthetic rugs are becoming very popular as they are lighter
and more waterproof than canvas. They do tend to be more expensive
than canvas rugs and the fabric tears more easily than heavy
canvas. However, newer high-tech fabrics with greater strength and
even some stretch are coming onto the market. When putting rugs on
your horse remember that they have more problems shedding heat than
staying warm, so don't wrap him up too warmly! Hay provides a very
efficient central heating system for your horse.
-
Anti-Rub Vests: Some horses also
need a small poncho-like nylon or satin protector to help stop heavy
rugs from rubbing on their withers or shoulders. These may also use
fleece patches for additional protection and all should have some
method of attaching to the outer rug to stop it from slipping
around.
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Bits and Bitting
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From the earliest
stages of the domestication of the horse man has used pressure on the
sensitive bars of the horse's mouth to control the horse. Some of the very
oldest archeological finds of horse domestication from 6000bc at Dereivka,
are the remains of two pieces of antler tines which have been pierced with
carefully bored holes. These match objects from later sites known to be the
cheek pieces of a horse's bridle, the bit itself having been made of rope or
sinew.
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read more about
how archeology identifies whether a horse wore a bit or not...
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Despite what is shown on the movies,
the bit is not intended to be a device to either stop or turn a horse by
yanking on the reins. Indeed one of the goals of your riding instructor
will be to get you to always use your leg, seat and weight aids prior to
your hands (and therefore the bit). The aim should always be for the horse to
accept the bit with a relaxed jaw, without pulling or grinding its teeth.
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The bit therefore is hopefully, an aid of finesse. It is used to position
the head and to provide additional information to the horse, when used along
with the other aids, as to which actions are being asked for and the
collection or extension required. By positioning the head the rider may
assist the horse with balance during various movements.
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Description of 'parts' of a bit:
-
cannons lie on top of the bars and are
therefore the main pieces of the bit that go in the horse's mouth. They
are measured by their diameter (thickness) not circumference (how far
around).
-
The cheek is the length of the entire cheek
piece.
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The shank is the length from the cannon to
where the rein attaches - snaffles don't have shanks.
-
The purchase is the length from the cannon to
where the headstall attaches - it makes the headstall tighten up when the
bit is used.
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The link is the length of the
middle part of the bit, if it's a bit with 3 or more mouth pieces.
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In addition there are 7 points of control of the horse by the hands through
the rein, 4 in the mouth (tongue, bars, palate and corners of lips) and 3 on
the head (poll, nose, curb groove). The palate is a very severe point of
control. The curb groove causes the horse to pivot his head so that he comes
"on the bit."
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Bit thickness does not alter the basic mechanism by which a bit works. Thick
bits move less in response to a rein aid, and tend to "neutralize" strong
half halts. It is a myth that thicker bits are always kinder to the horse,
provided one does not go to a "cutting" degree of thinness.
It is important to remember that the horse's mouth is not made to
accept a bit and is quite full with its own tongue, therefore it is unfair
to expect a horse to accept a large bit or bits, without being allowed to
open its mouth a little. Since the horse can't spit out the bit, he may try
to spit out his tongue instead, or else to open his mouth. In general,
thinner bits are more comfortable for the horse.
-
There is an advantage to a heavier bit. It is silly to worry about the horse
having to carry the weight of the bit, when you compare that with the weight
of his head, and the weight of a rider. A too light bit may not return to
its original position with the giving of the rein, so that the horse will
not get feel a release. A bit should feel substantial.
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A bit with a curve
to both halves of the mouthpiece conforms better to the shape of the horse's
lower jaw than a straight mouthpiece. When choosing a single jointed
snaffle, ensure that there is room for 2 fingers to sit between the 2 halves
of the bit when the joint closes. This allows the bit to 'hang' in a natural
curved shape and it is less likely to allow the joint, in the case of an
ordinary single jointed snaffle, to push up into the horse's palate - a very
uncomfortable situation, as you can imagine!
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For
english style riding there are four basic groups; snaffle, double bridles,
pelham and gag.
-
The Snaffle
- The snaffle is
(generally) a mild bit which acts on the outside of the bars of the mouth,
the lips or the corners of the mouth depending upon the hand action. It is
the simplest, most popular bit.
-
Snaffles come in several basic mouthpiece types; straight bar, mullen mouth,
single and double jointed snaffles and may be made from stainless steel,
rubber covered steel, copper alloys, and various plastics.
-
The straight bar mouthpiece puts pressure on the tongue, whereas a slightly
curved mullen mouthpiece is more comfortable for many horses. Synthetic or
rubber mullen mouths allow the horse to bend the bit with its tongue. A
single-jointed bit has a mild nutcracker action, a double-jointed bit has a
central link that reduces this action but may feel less definite in the
hands.
- Link snaffles
have a flat sided central plate to increase pressure on the tongue and may
be used on strong horses. As well as different types of mouthpiece
snaffles may also have varying rings or cheek pieces. An egg-butt snaffle
is less likely to pinch or damage a horse's lips than an ordinary ring
snaffle.
-
Other cheek types include; loose ring, full cheek and D ring. A snaffle
with cheeks helps prevents the bit from rubbing the sides of the horse's
mouth, pulling the bit through the mouth from one side to another and there
is usually a leather keeper which attaches to the bridle to stop the bit
from turning over.
-
Beware of using complex jointed snaffles in conjunction with tight nosebands
which keep the mouth shut. When this is done the horse may receive
considerable pain and damage to the roof of the mouth (the hard palate).
-
There are many variations on the snaffle, none of which alter its basic
predominant function:
| Eggbutt:
There is no advantage over a correctly fitted loose-ring snaffle IN GOOD
HANDS. With a loose-ring, a small rein aid results in movement of the bit,
so that the horse can respond to a lighter, more invisible aid. However,
with a novice rider, this means that EVERY wobble on the rein is
transmitted to the horse. Eggbutts with their fixed cheek piece, only
transmit the "hard" wobbles to the horse's mouth.
|
| D-Ring.
Unless the shanks of the D-Rings are very long, they behave exactly like
an eggbutt. May be less likely to be pulled through the mouth. |
| Full Cheek.
The bit action itself is the same, but now there are cheek pieces to give
some advantages: keepers prevent the horse from turning the bit over in
his mouth (useful in young horses), and the cheek pieces themselves supply
some direct rein aid and can prevent a horse from evading by crossing his
jaw. |
| French Link.
The French link snaffle also rests on the bars, but applies less corner
pressure and removes the pinpoint tongue pressure of a single jointed
snaffle. |
| KK Snaffle.
This double-jointed snaffle has 2 points bearing down on the tongue, so it
has a STRONGER tongue action than the simple snaffle. Also, depending on
its thickness, it may also add palate pressure. It does however, release
pressure on the corners of the mouth. It is a stronger bit than the French
snaffle, and depending on the size of the link and whether the horse
prefers tongue pressure to corner-of-the-mouth pressure, may be more
severe than the simple snaffle. 6. Dewsbury Link. This bit has more weight
than the French link, and so encourages the horse to come down and into
the hand. It is particularly useful for horses that don't like to follow
the bit for long and low work, and during the free walk.
|
| Ported Link.
The action of this bit is identical to the KK but may be a little milder
or harsher depending upon the dimensions of the bit. |
| Dr. Bristol.
In this bit, the link cuts through the mouthpieces on an angle (the French
goes through straight). It is bit designed to give and release tongue
pressure. The problem is that the bit's action is opposite depending on
which way it is seated on the bridle: a simple mistake during bridle
cleaning could have disastrous results on the day of the test. When the
link is placed so that is goes up and away from the rider, then raising
the hands releases the tongue pressure and lowering the hands increases
tongue pressure. |
| Baucher
Snaffle. This can be thought of as a "poll pressure snaffle." Because the
cheek piece is attached to a different ring than the rein, pressure on the
rein puts slightly increased pressure on the poll (through a rocking
action of the bit in the mouth), encouraging the horse to lower the head
slightly. This bit is extremely useful in horses who need to be worked low
and deep in order to develop muscle tone or with horses who tend to carry
their heads a bit high. The effect is not dramatic-this bit gives a gentle
suggestion, but does not demand. DO NOT confuse with the "hanging cheek"
snaffle below. |
| Hanging
Cheek Snaffle. In this bit, the mouthpiece attaches at the centerline of
the cheek piece, so pressure on the rein has a straightforward up and back
action. In order to get the action of a Baucher bit, the mouthpiece must
attach to the cheek piece ABOVE the centerline so that rein pressure
causes the bit to tilt forward, slightly increasing pressure on the poll.
|
| Full Mouth.
This is similar in appearance to a full cheek snaffle, except the shanks
are attached to the mouthpiece, rather than the rings. This provides
greater leverage on the corners of the mouth, making this a very strong
bit. It has no role in dressage, except perhaps the reschooling of a very
strong horse.
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Every Dream Starts with a Single Step, Take Your Step Today!
Women from History Who Dared To Change the World (credit: O Magazine)
600 B.C. TO 200 B.C.: Tribes of statuesque women (and men) roam
the Eurasian steppes. The fearsome Amazons of myth? Not exactly. But
archeological evidence suggests that among these nomads, the women were the
warriors.
Circa 39: Dynamic sister duo Trung Trac and Trung Nhi amass a
Vietnamese army in a revolt against Chinese rule. For four years, they lead
the rebellion.
Circa 395: Fabiola, a Roman aristocrat whose divorce and subsequent
remarriage were condemned by Christian society, founds a hospital for the
poor and other outcasts of her city. It's likely one of the first hospitals
in the Western world.
Circa 1001: Murasaki Shikibu begins writing The Tale of Genji,
an epic portrait of court life (twice as long as War and Peace),
considered by many to be the greatest masterpiece of Japanese literature and
possibly the world's first novel.
1429: Peasant girl Joan of Arc commands the French army in a series
of victorious battles to liberate her homeland from the English; she is
burned at the stake for her trouble.
Circa 1579: Grace O'Malley, a swashbuckling Irish pirate known for
raiding ships, fights off an English government expedition sent to stop her.
Circa 1613: In her graphically violent painting Judith Slaying
Holofernes, Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi slays the ideal of
submissive womanhood: Her heroine is fierce, powerful, and ruthless.
1777: Teenager Sybil Ludington rides all night long through a storm
to alert the 400 men in her father's militia that the redcoats are coming.
She's called the female Paul Revere—but Paul rode with two of his buddies.
And he was captured by the British.
1805: Sacagawea joins Lewis and Clark as their expedition's
interpreter, traveling thousands of miles across the Rockies with her
newborn babe strapped to her back. Who says life ends when you have kids?
1814: As the British torch Washington, D.C., First Lady Dolley
Madison remains in the White House long enough to rescue historic
valuables—running out moments before the soldiers charge in.
1862: Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, just 19 and dressed as a man, enlists in
the Union Army. In a letter home, she assures: "I don't fear the rebel
bullets nor I don't fear the cannon."
1867: Ida Lewis rescues three drowning men from wind-whipped swells
in Newport Harbor. Then she rows back to save their sheep. Ida later
becomes the country's first female lighthouse keeper.
1872: Victoria Claflin Woodhull becomes the first woman to run for
president. A colorful candidate, she advocates for free love.
1906: Madam C.J. Walker hawks shampoos and serums door-to-door. The
orphaned daughter of former slaves, she becomes one of America's
wealthiest businesswomen.
1912: Astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt discovers the
period-luminosity relationship (later used to calculate the distances
between Earth and the stars).
1914: Barnstorming adrenaline junkie Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick makes
the first-ever free fall from a plane.
1916: In a tenement neighborhood in Brooklyn, Margaret Sanger opens
the doors of the country's first birth control clinic. Outside at least
150 women are waiting.
1916: Movie star Mary Pickford insists on becoming her own
producer. America's Sweetheart is no sucker.
1937: Amelia Earhart disappears on the ultimate adventure—her
attempt to fly around the globe. In a note to her husband, she explains:
"I want to do it because I want to do it."
1938: Anna Mary Robertson Moses sells her first paintings, at age
78. Known as "Grandma" Moses, she continues to paint for 23 years,
becoming one of the century's most renowned folk artists.
1941: Protofeminist superhero Wonder Woman first appears in a comic
book, fighting off Fascists in star-spangled hot pants.
1946: Super-geekette Dorothy Hodgkin cracks penicillin's chemical
makeup with an X-ray crystallographer. (Eighteen years later she'll earn
the Nobel Prize.)
1953: Jackie Cochran flies an F-86 Sabre jet through the sound
barrier. She learned to fly so she could travel around selling cosmetics,
but it turns out trashing speed records is a lot more fun.
1959: On the edge of the Serengeti Plain, Mary Leakey digs up and
pieces together a 1.7-million-year-old hominid skull, one of the most
important finds in the history of archeology.
1960: At the Rome Olympics, Wilma Rudolph (left)—once partially
paralyzed by polio—earns three gold medals in track-and-field, the first
American woman to do so.
1963: Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first female
to fly a spacecraft around the globe.
1967: Kathrine Switzer dares to run the all-male Boston Marathon,
while an irate race official chases her.
1981: Alexa Canady becomes the first black female neurosurgeon in the
United States.
1985: Just 175 miles from the Iditarod finish line, Libby Riddles
heads into a blizzard when other mushers opt to stay in camp; this gives her
a six-hour lead and, ultimately, the win.
1989: Performance artist Karen Finley smears her body with chocolate
to illustrate that women are treated like, you know, dirt. The National
Endowment for the Arts rescinds her funding, but she ultimately gets it
back.
2005: Roz Savage quits her corporate job, leaves her unraveling
marriage, and rows across the Atlantic by herself. Midlife crisis averted.
2008: Sandra Andersen, a barista at a Starbucks in Tacoma,
Washington, learns that one of her customers needs a kidney to live. So she
gives the woman hers.
2009: Navigator Ann Daniels leads the Catlin Arctic Survey, a 74-day
journey from the Arctic Ocean to the North Pole to measure the thickness of
sea ice.
******************* The Warmth of A Horse
When your day seems out balance...
and so many things go wrong ...
When people fight around you
and the clock drags on so long ...
When some folks act like children
and fill you with remorse ...
Go out into your pasture and wrap
your arms around your horse.
His gentle breath enfolds you as he
watches with those eyes ...
He may not have a PhD but he
is, oh so wise!
His head rests on your shoulder
you hug him good and tight ...
He puts your world in balance
and makes it seem all right.
Your tears will soon stop flowing,
the tension will be eased ...
The nonsense has been lifted.
You are quiet and at peace.
So when you need some balance
from the stresses in your day ...
The therapy you really need
Is out there eating hay!
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