Category: Travel across the U.S. with HorseTail Legacy LLC Blog

Follow us as we travel across the U.S. with an American Quarter Horse named Irish. The journey will be a modern day version of the pioneers trek to discover this great country. What better way than to do it with America’s horse. Check in often to see all the great place we visit like National and State Parks as well as unique regional attraction.

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Horseback Riding Safety

Horseback Riding Safety

To be able to connect with a horse is a gift to be cherished. However, horseback riding is one of the most dangerous sports when it comes to head trauma. In this post, I will be covering some of the safety equipment available to help protect you while you ride. Working with and around horses requires you to remain focused on what is going on around you and your horse.

Helmets

Horseback riding accounts for the highest number of sports related traumatic brain injury in the United States.(http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2016.1.FOCUS15613). Head injuries are the main cause of horseback riding fatalities. That being said, it surprises me how many people don’t wear a helmet when riding.  Helmets today are light weight and come in many styles to fit the rider’s needs. When choosing a helmet, you want to be sure that is has been approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). You can also look to see that the helmet has been certified by FEI for safety. Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) maintains a list of all the models and sizes it has certified, so if you have any questions regarding the authenticity of any manufacturer’s product, you can verify certification with the SEI. Here is the SEI link http://www.seinet.org/search/search.php

It is important that your helmet fits well and is comfortable. Start by measuring the circumference of your head just above your eyebrows. Remember to take into account how you will be wearing your hair since this will affect the fit of your helmet. Once you have that measurement you are ready to start trying on helmets. It is best to try on a variety of helmets to be sure it fits your head shape well. Ideally you want the helmet to sit one half to one inch above your eyebrows. The helmet should be snug but not tight. When you move your head back and forth and side to side without the strap closed the helmet should not slide around.

Remember to replace your helmet every five years or after a fall with an impact to your head. In the scheme of things helmets are a cheap investment to protect your brain. Never buy a used helmet since you have no way of knowing the true condition the helmet is in.

Boots

Your boot choice depends on functionality, support and style, so before you buy know what you’re looking for in a boot. When working around horses it is inevitable that your horse will someday step on your foot. Having a sturdy pair of boots on can make the difference in the extent of the injury you incur. The type of riding you do will dictate the what kind of boot you will need. There are a wide variety of boots you can choose from no matter what discipline you choose to focus on. The thing to keep in mind is the heal should be between 1 – 1 ½ inches high. The tread should be small so your boots can have traction in the stirrup without getting your foot stuck if you need to pull it out quickly. Investing in a well-fitting quality boot is essential to ensure comfort and safety while riding. For more information about what to look for in riding boot check out these links:

https://www.thespruce.com/choosing-boots-for-horseback-riding-1885875

https://www.horsejournals.com/riding-training/tack-gear/western/how-find-riding-boots-fit

Safety Vests

Riders that compete in eventing, steeple chasing, and flat racing are required to wear body protection, but that doesn’t mean riding in another discipline is any less dangerous.  There are different types of vest on the market that help prevent injury to your internal organs, spine and ribs. With any type of protective equipment three things need to be considered, fit, quality and the type of riding you do. There are soft pliable vests, body armor type vests and air vests. Whatever you choose you want to be sure it is tested by either American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) and Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) or by the British equivalent BETA. This link goes into more details about specific brand of vest and what they offer. http://horse-journal.com/article/heres-choose-body-protector-25128

Chaps and Half Chaps

Chaps and half chaps help protect your legs from minor scratches while on trail rides. They also help prevent rubbing and pinching of your calves if you ride in an English saddle.

Gloves

A well-fitting pair of riding gloves offer protection to your hand both in and out of the saddle by providing better grip strength. We have all experienced rope burn which can be quite significant when lead lines or reins are forcefully pulled through your hands by a horse.

Stirrups

When choosing stirrups, you first want to consider the type of riding you do to help narrow down your search. Then try stirrups wear the boots you practice in and show in. There should be about one fingers width of space on either side of your boot to allow for your foot to slide in and out easily. You don’t want stirrups that will allow your foot to slide through or will cause your foot to get stuck in the case of a fall or miss step. There are quick-release stirrups for English riders and breakaway stirrups for Western riders. Again, these releasing stirrups may or may not be the best choice for the type of riding you do. I ride a reining horse and the breakaway stirrups kept opening during my sliding stops which caused me to lose my stirrup. Here is a link to help you choose the best stirrup to fit your needs and safety. https://www.equisearch.com/articles/stirrups-buyers-guide

Mouth guard

The American Dental Association projects that one third of all dental injuries are sports related. The types of dental injuries that can occur without the use of a mouth guard are chipped or broken teeth, fractured crowns or bridges, lip and cheek injuries, root damage to the teeth, and fractured jaws. Custom fitted mouth guards made by a dentist offer the most protection for your teeth from an impacted. They are also more comfortable to wear than the boil and bite type. Riders that jump or do events that put them in a situation where they would land on an obstacle are the most in need of wearing a mouth guard. It is a small investment to protect your teeth in case of an injury.

No matter how well a horse is trained you can never completely overcome their instinct. Remain aware of your horse and the surrounding area and stay safe. After all we all want to be able to ride another day.

For More Post About Reining Horse Trainers Click this Link  https://horsetaillegacy.com/063o

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Finding the Right Boarding Faciality for Your Horse

Finding the Right Boarding FacialityHorse Barn

Owning a horse comes with a great deal of responsibility, the least of which is where are they going to live. If you are faced with the task of finding a new boarding facility like I was you will find using this logical approach will take some of the stress out of finding a new barn. There is a wide variety of facilities available which can make finding the right one even harder. The best approach is to start with an outline of what your non – negotiables are and what you can afford. From there make a list of what amenities would be nice to have but are not necessities. Once you have these thing clear in your mind you are ready to start looking for a barn.

Where to start looking for barns to consider.

  • Ask your veterinarian, farrier or friends.
  • Check the local horse association for list of trainers
  • If you are moving out of the area check with your national organization for list of trainers and barns.
  • Boarding facilities do advertise.
  • Equine chat boards online
  • Go to horse shows and clinics in an area to meet people and learn about the types of facilities that are available in an area.

Facility’s Condition, take a complete tour.

  • Stall size should be large enough to allow your horse to lay down and get up without the risk of getting cast.
  • The stalls should be structurally sound. With smooth walls and no nails or splinters.
  • The stall doors should operate smoothly latch securely
  • The flooring in the stall should be level and rubber mats should be flat.
  • Ask about smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers Some barns have sprinkler systems.
  • Security – are there cameras monitoring the premises.
  • The paddocks and pastures should have well maintained fencing, secure gates, shade and water. Check that the areas are free of toxic plants and have sufficient drainage to prevent mud and standing water.
  • Is there a wash area with hot and cold water available all year?
  • Is there an area for tacking up your horse?
  • Is there an area for the horse to receive veterinary and farrier care?
  • Arena should have the correct type of footing for the type of riding you do and it should be maintained regularly
  • Is there an indoor and outdoor arena and are they an appropriate size for the type of riding you do?
  • Tack room – is there an area that you can secure your belongings and is it large enough to hold everything you need?
  • The barn should be dry, clean and well ventilated. If there is an ammonia smell it is often a sign of lack of cleanliness or ventilation problems.
  • Are their trails available?
  • Is there a round pen?
  • Is there a laundry for washing horse equipment?
  • Is there a high turnover of boarders?

Care of your horse

  • Feeding – how much and how often are the horse fed grain and hay and who is responsible for taking care of that? Are the feed buckets clean?
  • Is the hay of good quality and free of dust and mold?
  • Is the grain kept in such a way that vermin cannot get to it easily?
  • Medications and supplements – will they take care of giving daily medications and supplements?
  • How often are the horses turned out and in what manner? Are they in group fields, or solo paddocks?
  • Can you use your own veterinarian and farrier?
  • Do they provide blanketing, fly masking and fly spraying?
  • How often are the stalls cleaned and the bedding changed?
  • How often are the water levels checked in the water buckets and are they cleaned regularly. Are the automatic waters checked to be sure they are clean and operational?
  • How are emergencies handled?
  • Is there someone that lives on the property?
  • Does the facility require a negative Coggins test and Certificate of Veterinary Inspections when new horses come to the facility?
  • Check the conditions of the resident horses to be sure they look healthy and have a relaxed attitude around people.
  • Meet the people that will be handling your horse.
  • Have the employees been working there for a while or do they have a high turnover of help?
  • Who checks the horses for any changes in their overall condition and how often are they checked?
  • How is deworming handled?
  • Is there a pest control system for flies and rodents?

Types of boarding

Self-care – which requires you to do all the daily care for your horse and provide all feed and bedding.

Partial care – which requires you to do half the care of your horse when the barn staff is not on site. Often you will need to feed once a day and clean the stall.

Full care – all the daily care of the horse is done for you.

Field board – your horse is kept in an outdoor area

Stall board – your horse is in a stall with possible turn out time

Contracts

  • Be sure to outline in writing exactly what is included in your board fee. Ask if there are additional fees for extra hay or feed, holding a horse for the veterinarian or farrier, blanketing, turnout, giving medications, supplements or sports medicine care.
  • Know when board payments are due. Be aware that in some state the owner of a facility can put a lien on your horse and sell it to recoup money that they are owed.
  • Know how much notice needs to be given to terminate the boarding contract.

Personal Considerations

  • How far is the facility from home or work?
  • Your budget needs to be realistic.
  • Is there a trainer on site for you and your horse?
  • How much do lessons cost and are they group or private?
  • Can you bring your own trainer in for lessons?
  • Does the trainer go to shows and will they go with you to those shows?
  • Do the other people ride in the same discipline you do?
  • Know if there are restrictions on when you can ride.
  • Is there a place to store your trailer or is there a trailer you can use if needed?
  • Meet the other boarders?

 

This post outlines many of the factors that go into choosing a boarding facility. Do your homework before you move your horse to a new barn. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to. A well-managed facility will be more than willing to answer your questions and be happy to tell you about all they can offer you and your horse. Take your time, you and your horse will be much happier if you choose the best fit for both of you.

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For More Post About Reining Horse Trainers Click this Link  https://horsetaillegacy.com/063o

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How to Find a Horse Trainer

Finding a Horse Trainer

Mike Davis V2 Reining
Mike Davis V2 Reining

Once you have found a horse that suits you there are many things that need to be considered when planning for your future together. Depending on your skills and your horse’s abilities you may find yourself in need of a professional trainer. When hiring a trainer, it is important to remember that this is a professional business arrangement. Be sure to outline what your goals and expectations are before you start your search for a trainer. Here is an outline of things to consider when looking for the best trainer for you and your horse.

 

Goals for needing a trainer

  • Starting a young horse under saddle.
  • Train your horse in your chosen riding discipline
  • A trainer that can show and sell your horse
  • Help to solve a particular training issue that is more than you can handle
  • Help to maintain the training and conditioning that your horse already has
  • Train you to ride better so you can reach your showing goals
  • Learning a new riding discipline
  • Preparing your horse for sale.

How to find trainers

  • Ask your veterinarian, farrier or friends.
  • Check the local horse association for list of trainers
  • If you are moving out of the area check with your national organization for list of trainers and barns.
  • Boarding facilities do advertise.
  • Go to horse shows and clinics in an area to meet people and learn about the types of facilities that are available in an area.
  • Internet chat rooms.
  • Trainers websites.

Keep in mind that in the U.S. there are no regulatory associations or licensing boards that evaluation the qualification of a horse trainer. In many cases the only thing that classifies the person as a professional is they are being paid.

What to look for in a new trainer

  • Is the trainer skilled in the riding discipline that you want to train in?
  • Are the trainer’s students doing well in that discipline?
  • Do their students look prepared to show at the level they are showing at?
  • Do you like their training style and feel you will be able to learn from that person?
  • Do you think your horse will thrive with the trainer’s techniques?
  • Does that trainer remain active in the sport and stay current on any changes in techniques and philosophies?
  • Do you want to ride like them or their students?
  • Are their horses healthy and happy doing their job?
  • Are they fair and consistent in their correction of the horse?
  • Where is the trainer located? Can you travel to them or will they travel to you?
  • Does the trainer teach the rider or do they only train the horse?
  • Are you able to ride your horse while it is in training?
  • Check to see if they are in good standing with their riding disciplines association.
  • Do and internet search on the trainer and see what comes up. If they have a website or Facebook page you can learn a great deal about them.
  • Watch the trainer at horse shows and see how they interact with their students and their horses. This will help determine if their style of coaching is going to work for you.
  • Does the trainer maintain a professional demeanor?
  • Are you able to understand their instruction to their students?
  • Contact potential trainers by phone or email. If they don’t get back to you in a timely manner chances are you will not want to work with them.

Once you have narrowed down your list of trainers it is time to set up interviews and tours of the facilities. Be sure to allow plenty of time for your visit.

  • Set up a time to meet the trainer as well as any assistant trainers that will be working with you and your horse
  • Watch them ride a horse that is about the same age and skill level as your horse.
  • Watch them give a lesson to a person who’s riding abilities is close to yours.
  • Are they focused on what they are doing while training and teaching?
  • Check to see that their equipment is in good condition and they do not use any items for training that you are not comfortable with.
  • Ask for references from present and former clients as well as veterinarians and farriers.
  • Evaluate the condition of the facility and the horses. This link is to a post on finding a new boarding facility https://horsetaillegacy.com/lile
  • Review the trainer’s contract and be sure to include any terms that were agreed on that may need to be added to the standard contract.
  • Review the boarding facility contract.
  • Discuss how much time will be needed to train your horse to meet your goals. Be aware that these goals may need to be adjusted based on your horse’s progress.
  • Be sure you are able to visit your horse at least once a month so you can monitor their progress.
  • Know what items of tack need to be sent with your horse and be sure to label them with your name and the horse’s name.
  • How much is it going to cost to have your horse in training. Know about any additional costs that you will incur such as, hauling, veterinary, farrier, show fees, etc. Also discuss the billing cycle so you know when payment is due. Ask for an itemized bill for any charges beyond the training and board.
  • Discuss the trainer’s philosophy concerning horse training and teaching.

Training agreement should include

  • How much is it going to cost to have your horse in training. Know about any additional costs that you will incur such as, hauling, veterinary, farrier, show fees, etc. Also discuss the billing cycle so you know when payment is due. Ask for an itemized bill for any charges beyond the training and board.
  • How often your horse will be ridden
  • Who will be training the horse
  • Who will be caring for the horse
  • How show expenses, trailering, training, care, and show winnings are handled
  • Does training include giving you lessons and how often? If not, how much are lessons?
  • Will the trainer attend horse shows with you?
  • How much turnout will the horse get and in what form?
  • If the trainer sells your horse how much is the commission paid to the trainer?
  • Can you watch the trainer work your horse and what arrangements need to be made for that to happen?
  • Who is responsible for making arrangements for the horse to receive veterinary and farrier care?
  • Will you be notified in advance for any additional fees beyond board and training?
  • How often will you be updated about your horse’s progress?

 

When planning my trip across the U.S. with my American Quarter Horse Irish I followed many of the same steps I just outline above. First, I mapped out the areas of the country I wanted to visit and then looked-for trainers in those areas. My biggest source of information came from the National Reining Horse Associations website. The information on their website gave me a jumping off point to contact trainers that would be willing to take us in for a week of board and training. I also found that reading the trainers websites before contacting them was helpful in narrowing down trainers that liked to teach non-pros. All I can say is that the trip took a lot of planning but in the end, we had a great time and worked with some truly talented horse trainers along the way.

Irish and Ashley Villmow
Irish and Ashley Villmow Gillette, WY

 

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For More Post About Reining Horse Trainers Click this Link  https://horsetaillegacy.com/063o

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Ohio and Its Heritage

Ohio and Its Heritage

Honda Heritage Center

Honda Motor Company was founded by Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa in 1949 as a motorbike company.

It wasn’t until the 1960’s that the company started producing small cars. With the development of the Civic in 1973 Honda solidly enter the auto market.

The Honda Heritage Center located in Marysville, OH showcases the company’s history, as well as the challenges it has overcome to make a positive impact on the automotive industry. Over the years Honda has strived to make their vehicles more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. They have worked by the motto “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.” https://ohio.honda.com/our-planet

A tour of the Honda Heritage Center takes you through the timeline of some of the vehicles that have made Honda a leader in the industry. Through it all the underlying focus has been to build a better engine to meet the needs of their customer and the environment. Honda had its start in motorbikes and racing but continues to set its sights on the future of not only the automobile but every aspect of transportation including flight.

Even if you are not a car buff, a visit to the Honda Heritage Center is must if you are in the Marysville, OH area.

Union County Ohio Courthouse

The Italianate and Second Empire architectural style building was designed by David W. Gibbs and was dedicated as the courthouse in Marysville, OH on January 27, 1883. The outside of the building is impressive with its brick and stone facade sitting up on a hill. There are also areas around the building that honor the men and women that served their country and community. The interior of the building is quite plain compared to the exterior but has be restored to preserve the history of the building. This is a nice stop if you like history and architecture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_County,_Ohio

Nash House in Delaware, OH

The Italianate brick home was first owned by Thomas and Mina Slattery in 1878. After Mina Slattery death, the home was sold to William Henry and Emiline Nash in 1885. The home remained in the Nash family for 70 years until Paulina Nash donated the building to The Delaware County Historical Society. Today the home and adjoining building house a collections of home furnishings, period pieces and accessories that belonged to the Nash family during the time they lived in the home.

There is also a research area for people to use to learn more about the history of Delaware County and its residents. One of the volunteers gave us a guided tour of the home and pointed out many of the locally made furnishings throughout the home. If you love antiques a visit to the Nash house is a real treat. http://www.delawareohiohistory.org/?page_id=49

Myers Inn Museum in Sunbury, OH

Myers Inn
Myers Inn

The Myers Inn was the one room home of Lawrence Myers from around 1816. By 1820 he had added a two-story stage coach inn to the building. The buildings were enclosed into one building in 1825. A balcony was added by Jeduthan Skeels in 1870. Around the turn of the century Hosea Hopkins purchased the property and it became known as the Hopkins House. In 1974 the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today the building is owned by the Big Walnut Area Historical Society.

 

 

 

Inside the Myers Inn Museum is a wide collection of items depicting the history of Sunbury, OH. There is a display of civil war items as well as the information about General William S. Rosecrans a native of Delaware County Ohio. Rosecrans graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1842 and later returned there as a professor of engineering. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rosecrans

The original section of the home is now restored to how it must have looked when Lawrence Myers first moved in. On the second floor, there are additional displays about how people came to lived and worked in the area. Sunbury, OH was founded by people leaving the taxation practices of the State of Pennsylvania. The town was a stage coach stop and the center of life in and around Delaware County Ohio. The area was also the first place to have R.D.F postal delivery in the United State. We were fortunate to have a guided tour of the building and the collection by one of the volunteers that works at the museum. The Big Walnut Area Historical Society have done a great job restoring the Myers Inn and preserving the history of Sunbury, OH. http://www.bigwalnuthistory.org/

I hope you have enjoyed this post about Ohio and will share it with your friends.

For more blog posts click on this link: https://horsetaillegacy.com/kvm3

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Horseback Riding Tips From Professional Reining Horse Trainer Brandy Murphy

Horseback Riding Tips From Professional Reining Horse Trainer Brandy Murphy

Brandy Murphy Professional Reining Horse Trainer
Brandy Murphy Professional Reining Horse Trainer

Murphy Performance Horses is located in Marysville, OH and is owned by professional reining horse trainer Brandy Murphy with help from her husband Terry Murphy. Brandy started riding at a young age and has continued to grow as a trainer and rider as she purses her passion for riding horses. Today, Brandy spends her time training horses and coaching non-pro riders as they make their own way in the world of reining. My visit with Brandy was the last stop on my trip across the U.S. visiting reining horse trainers. While I was there I not only got to work with Brandy but I also worked with Terry. We focused on the importance of keeping the horse collected and straight, fast to slow circles, lead changes, turnarounds, rollbacks, run downs, and stops.

Keeping your Horse Straight and Collected

This exercise helps you develop a feel for how your horse’s body moves and how to make corrections to keep the horse straight and collected. As you lope around, you want to have the horse’s face in line with their shoulders and their shoulders picked up. To do this you need to keep even pressure on the reins as you pick them up. If the horse is looking in, pull back with the outside rein to straighten them up. If they are looking out, pull back with the inside rein. Be sure to maintain even pressure and then release after you pull back. If the horse starts to lean in, use your inside leg pressure to prevent that. If the horse drops out, use your outside leg pressure to prevent that. This exercise can be done at the walk, trot and lope to insure collection at all gaits. Click this link to see video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PPXvKLNxcM

Fast to Slow Circles

When transitioning from fast to slow circles you need to build in the cues that signal the horse to make the change in speed. Start by loping a circle and when you want to slow down start to hum, pick up your hand as they start to come back to you drop your hand. Use your outside leg to push the hip into the circle. Then once they come back, you want to stop them. This conditions the horse that when they hear the hum they think stop. Once they understand the cues, then move on to the transitioning from fast to slow circles. Be consistent and your horse will learn how to transition smoothly. Click this link to see video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNNLjj1js88

Lead Changes

When doing a lead change, you want the cues to be very simple. This exercise is done in a counter canter circle. As you circle you want the keep your outside leg off the horse and your inside leg is used to push the horse’s hip over and maintain the counter canter. Continue to lope around like this until the horse is following the circle well. When you are ready to change leads simply close your outside leg on the horse and open your inside leg to ask for the lead change. Doing the lead change this way sends a clear message to change leads when your legs change position. Click this link to see video   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aOyNxd-ots

Turnaround

There are two exercises that we worked on for the turnaround. For the first exercise, you start by walking the horse in a small circle. While you are doing that you lay the outside rein on the horse’s neck and bump the inside rein out and slightly back to get the horse to point their nose to the inside. This helps get the horse back on the inside rear foot as well. Once the horse is responding to the outside neck rein you can ask for the turnaround. When you are working the turnaround, you want to walk or trot out of the maneuver to make the horse work harder outside the turnaround. This helps get the horse to hunt the turnaround since it is less work.

The second exercise is designed to keep the horse in the correct frame during the turnaround. With one hand on the reins start trotting a circle. Than take your free hand and close it over the reins at the level of the horse’s neck. Using both legs bump the horse’s belly to get them collected up and straight. Once the horse is collected ask for the turnaround by bumping only with your outside leg. Be sure to maintain the same hand position so the horse remains in the collected frame. This helps teach the horse not to throw their head up or turn their nose out when they are asked for the turnaround. Click this link to see video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUmwszMd5EU

Rollback

This exercise is designed to work on the rollback without having to do the rundown and stop. Start by walking your horse forward a few steps and then open your legs to stop them. Back the horse up a few steps than put your hand down. Start the rollback by looking in the direction you want to go. Next, pick your hand up and back towards the new direction. Wait a few seconds to let them figure out what you want then squeeze with your outside leg to get them to follow through with the rollback. If they continue to lag, make them turnaround a few times and start again. You can also trot them around in a small circle, pushing them into the bridle. Once you have built up the energy, stop, back the horse up and ask for the rollback. Continue to do this until the horse starts to snap through the rollback. Click this link to see video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t7gyBAG448

Rundown

To have a good stop you must have a good run down. Start your lead departure by walking the horse forward with their head straight and in the bridle. After your first strides, you will be able to tell if the horse is soft and collected or if you need to work to get them that way. When you are working the rundown, forget the stop. Use the length of the arena, even if they break down, trot them up into the bridle to the end of the arena. Once the horse is straight you can start to ask for an increase in speed during the rundown. Only after the horse is going straight and you can rate their increase in speed should you say whoa and ask for the stop. Doing this teaches the horse to hunt the stop with their head down and their body round, as well as travel straight and wait for your cue to increase in speed. Click this link to see video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkfi0_67Q7E

Stopping Exercise

Using two hands start out on the left lead across the pen on the diagonal. As you go, build speed while maintaining collection. Once you get to the half way point break down into a trot. Continue to the corner and counter bend a circle in the direction of the right lead at the trot. Now lope off in the right lead and do another diagonal breaking down to the trot to the corner and counter bend a circle in the direction of the left lead at the trot. As you are building down the diagonal you want to pick up your reins and hold them to maintain collection. Doing this helps teach the horse to pick up their back and stay collected as you drive to the stop. Click this link to see video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUChKea5TFA

One Handed Rein Control

Working your reins one handed does take practice and this YouTube video show Brandy explaining how she does it. Click this link to see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yErkNA0OU-A

Brandy Murphy and Irish
Brandy Murphy and Irish

While riding with Brandy Murphy I logged 13.5 hours toward the AQHA Horseback Riding Program. 

https://www.aqha.com/trail-riding/programs/aqha-horseback-riding-program

I hope you have enjoyed this blog and will share it with your friends.

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Iowa and The Mississippi River

Things to do in Iowa Along the Mississippi River

The Quad City region along the Mississippi River is made up of four counties located in Northwest Illinois and Southeastern Iowa. The area is rich with the history of life along the river as the area grew and changed to match the economic and cultural need of the people that made it home.

Davenport, Iowa

Davenport, Iowa is a metropolitan city with an urban center surrounded by clusters of residential communities. Davenport is the largest city bordering the Mississippi that does not have any permanent flood walls or levees. The open access to the parks and river are preferred over flood control. Davenport’s Skybridge located next to the river and is 50 feet high 575 feet long was completed in 2005 to connect LeClaire Park to Rhythm City Casino. At night, the bridge is lit with multicolored lights. From the Skybridge there is a great view of Centennial Bridge and Lock and Dam No.15. that crossing over the Mississippi River. http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davenport,_Iowa

Vander Veer Botanical Park

Vander Veer Botanical Park was established in 1885 and is located on 33 acres in the Vander Veer section of Davenport. The park offers walking paths, gardens, play grounds and the conservancy. A nonprofit organization currently maintains the park and conservatory. The seasonally rotating display and the greenhouses are open to the public. The park is a relaxing oasis in the heart of the city. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vander_Veer_Botanical_Park

LeClaire, Iowa

Northeast of Davenport is the historic town of LeClaire, Iowa on the banks of the Mississippi River. The town’s motto is “It’s all there … In LeClaire”. LeClaire is the birth place of William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) and currently the home of Antique Archaeology, of the History Channel’s American Pickers fame. Like many small towns LeClaire has seen its ups and downs. Like the ever-changing flow of the Mississippi, LeClaire as continued to change to meet the needs of residents and visitor alike. Along the main street, music from speakers create an inviting feel as you walk past the small shops, restaurants, Green Tree Brewery, and Wide River Winery. We had a great day enjoying all this small town has to offer. http://www.visitleclaire.com/

Buffalo Bill Museum LeClaire, Iowa

The Buffalo Bill Museum is located right on the Mississippi River and house a unique collection of local artifacts depicting the heritage of the region.

Among the collection is a cross section of the “Green Tree Hotel” which really is the largest Rock Elm tree on record before the over 200-year-old tree had to be cut down in 1964 due to Dutch Elm Disease. The Lone Star Wooden Hull Steam-powered Paddle Wheel Riverboat Pilot, built in 1890 is on display. Professor James Ryan, the inventor of the flight recorder, seat belt, and crash bumpers for cars is from LeClaire is honored with a display. A model of the iron clad ships built by James Buchanan Eads, used in the civil war by the Union Army is on display. A stop here gives the visitor a real look back into life along the Mississippi River from days gone by. http://buffalobillmuseumleclaire.com/

John Deere Pavilion

Located across the river in Moline, IL is the John Deere Pavilion. In 1837 a blacksmith named John Deere saw the need for a better plow to cut through the hard-sticky soil of the area. To that end, he fabricated the first of the companies many agricultural, construction and forestry products. On display, are vintage tractors, concept machines, as well as state-of-the-art simulators for visitors to enjoy as they explore the pavilion. John Deere and his company have a never-ending drive to improve how we manage our natural resources in the best way possible. It is truly amazing how one man’s wish to make a better plow has led to giant combines that are guided by GPS.  https://www.deere.com/en/connect-with-john-deere/visit-john-deere/pavilion/

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How to Ride Your Reining Horse with Mike Davis, V2 Reining Horses, Davenport Iowa

Mike Davis
Mike Davis

Mike Davis

V2 Reining Horses Davenport Iowa

Mike Davis is a professional reining horse trainer located in Davenport, Iowa. Together with his partner Tami Schiltz they founded V2 Reining Horses in 2007. Prior to that Mike worked for fifteen years in Texas and Italy training horses. Today he focuses on training young horses and non-pro riders. He encourages his clients to be better horsemen by teaching them how to connect to their horse so they can feel and fix what the horse is doing. As a trainer, he tries to expose horses to everything that can go wrong at home so they become a quiet and confidant horse. While at Mike’s barn we worked on steering, turnarounds, rollbacks and lead changes.

Riding is Steering

In order for a horse to be ridden they have to be able to take direction through steering. Everyday Mike starts by trotting a circle leaving his hand down on the horse’s neck. He waits to see if the horse will leave the prescribed circle. If the horse does leave the circle he picks up his reins and stops the horse and turns them around and then goes back to the circle. He will continue to do this until the horse maintains the circle with his hand down. Mike does not like to redirect the horse across the circle because he feels it take the horses’ mind off the circle onto a straight line. Click this link to see video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLGG01jbNZA

Turnaround

Irish tends to tip his nose to the outside during his turnaround which makes it harder for him to cross over in the front. Mike feels that the reason he does that is because he is trying to move off the pressure from the outside leg and the more pressure the more he tips his nose out. To fix this he works on lifting the horses front end up as they are trotting around in a small circle by picking up with the reins. At first you will need to exert a good deal of pressure to get the horse to lift their front end but as you lift and release over time the amount of pressure needed will decrease until the horse is lifted enough in the front end to be able to cross over smoothly. Click this link to see video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCm4ens9B1M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDAk5fZ72JQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wshSMpp7exc

Rollback

We worked on two exercises to improve the rollback. The first was done on the circle. Start by loping off in a circle and then stop, wait, backup, look in the direction you want to go, bring your hand to your outside hip, open your outside leg, and follow through with the lead departure with your new outside leg. If you want to work on the rollback in one direction, stop in the middle then you can rollback in the same direction over and over as you circle around the pen. This exercise also helps with speed control in the middle of the pen and teaches the horse to relax in the middle as well. Click this link to see video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6rqRQn1G5Q

The second exercise is a combination of rundown, stop, back up, turnaround and lead departure. Start at one end of the arena and lope to the opposite wall and stop. Back the horse up and then ask them to turnaround at least one and a half time and then lead depart on a straight line and repeat the exercise. Doing this exercise improve the rollback by teaching the horse to stay in motion instead of always stopping and backing up. Click this link to see video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t5No0OyRV4

Lead Change

Before loping off pick up on the reins to let the horse know that they are about to do something. Than lope a few circles picking up on the horse through center to get them to straighten up. Once the horse is picking up well than move on to the main exercise. The exercise is started by loping a straight line down the length of the arena. At the top make a counter canter circle and cross the arena picking up as you cross the middle. Continue around on the counter canter to the top of the arena and turn to go on a straight line to the opposite end of the arena. Repeat this pattern a few times picking up on the horse when on the straight lines down the center and across the middle of the arena. Once the horse is picking up and moving smoothly change legs and ask for the lead change. This exercise works well because the horse does not anticipate the lead change and all the time spent picking them up allow them to change leads smoothly. Click this link to see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKWK7YOA_E4

Irish in Iowa
Irish in Iowa

I hope you have enjoyed this post and will share it with your friends.

While I was with Mike Davis I logged 6 hours toward my AQHA Riding Program Hours

https://www.aqha.com/trail-riding/programs/aqha-horseback-riding-program

For more information about Mike Davis and V2 Reining click on this link. http://www.v2reininghorses.com/index.html

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South Dakota’s National Treasures

Things to Do in South Dakota

Mount Rushmore National MemorialMount Rushmore National Memorial Sign

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is located in the southwestern part of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor that designed the 60-foot-tall granite sculpture of the four presidents. From 1927 – 1941 there were 400 men and women working on the sculpture. Dynamite was used to carve 90% of the mountain. The remaining work was done by drilling holes close together in a honeycomb to weaken the granite so the carvers would use hand facers and bumper tools to even out the granite and create a smooth surface.

 

Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Mount Rushmore National Memorial

The four presidents in the memorial were chosen to represent important events in U.S. history. George Washington was father of the country and laid the foundation of American democracy. Thomas Jefferson represented the growth of the United States. Abraham Lincoln represented the preservation of the United States. Theodore Roosevelt represent the development of the United States.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of the places that represents America and what it stands for. From the simply elegant Avenue of Flags with all the state flags waving in the breeze. To the Grand Viewing Terrace on top of the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Cente,r a visit to Mount Rushmore is truly an American Treasure. https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm

Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial
Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial is located in the southwestern part of South Dakota’s Black Hills. The 6,532-foot pegmatite granite mountain was selected by Korczak Ziolkowski and Chief Henry Standing Bear as the site for the massive sculpture to be carved. Korczak arrived in the Black Hills on May 3, 1947 and continued to work on the project until his death on October 20, 1982.

 

 

 

 

“The Mission of Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is to protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians. The Foundation demonstrates its commitment to this endeavor by following these objectives:

  • Continuing the progress on the world’s largest sculptural undertaking by carving a Memorial of Lakota leader Crazy Horse;
  • Providing educational and cultural programming to encourage harmony and reconciliation among all people and nations;
  • Acting as a repository for Native American artifacts, arts and crafts through the INDIAN MUSEUM OF NORTH AMERICA® and the NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL CENTER®;
  • Establishing and operating the INDIAN UNIVERSITY OF NORTH AMERICA®, and when practical, a medical training center for American Indians.” https://crazyhorsememorial.org/

 

Chief Henry Standing Bear was the Native American elder that saw the need for a memorial to honor the living heritage of the North American Indians. To that end, Chief Standing Bear enlisted the help of Korczak Ziolkowskie, an award-winning sculpture to bring the memorial to life.  Korczak arrived at Thunderhead Mountain to start the project that he would spend the next 36 years working on.

Chief Crazy Horse the Lakota warrior was chosen as the subject for the memorial because of how he defended his people and their way of life. In 1876, he and his Lakota warriors fought against Custer’s Seventh U.S. Cavalry in the battle of the Little Bit Horn and won. Than in 1877 under a flag of truce Crazy Horse was killed at Fort Robinson.

The mountain sculpture is the world’s largest with the face of Crazy Horse being 87.5 feet tall and the horse’s head being 219 feet tall. The memorial is more than the sculpture alone.

Planned Mountain Dimensions – geology of rock could be responsible for adjustments.

  • Entire Carving – 641 feet long
  • Entire Carving – 563 feet high
  • Crazy Horse’s Face – 87 feet, 6 inches (completed June 3, 1998)
  • Outstretched Arm – 263 feet
  • Opening under arm – 70 feet wide and 100 feet high
  • Hand – 25 feet high
  • Finger – 29 1/2 feet long
  • Horse’s Head – 219 feet high (22 stories)
  • Horse’s Mane – 62 feet high
  • Horse’s Ears – 54 feet long
  • Horse’s Eyes – 20 feet wide; 15 feet high
  • Horse’s Nostrils – 26-foot diameter

There is a large collection of Native American artifact in the museum. There is the sculptures studio and Native American cultural center. The privately funded Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation has created a place that not only honors the Native American people but also is a testament to the drive and perseverance of these truly visionary men.

Corn Palace

The world’s only Corn Palace is located in downtown Mitchell, SD. Since 1892 there has been three versions of the Corn Palace built to serve as a representation of the South Dakota’s healthy agricultural climate. The building serves as a gathering place for residents and is used to celebrate the harvest.

Every year the exterior murals are redesigned with a new theme. The murals are decorated with 13 different naturally colored corn as well as grains and native grasses to reflect that year’s theme.

The interior corn murals are never changed and tell the story of how the white man and Native Americans came to coexist on the plains of South Dakota. Not being from an agricultural background I had no idea what to expect before I went to the Corn Place. This one building was a unique combination of auditorium, art gallery and child discovery center. The Corn Palace is a place you never thought you would go to but once you have you are glad you experienced it. http://www.cornpalace.com/

 

Dakota Discovery Museum Mitchell, South Dakota

The Dakota Discovery Museum mission is to “preserve the past and inform the present by uniquely combining art and artifact to tell the story of this region in a manner that contributes to building the future of the people of the Dakotas.” This museum combines a history gallery, an art gallery, and a historic village into a comprehensive picture of life in the Dakotas.

The history gallery is full of displays that chronicle the history of the Dakotas from the Plains Indians to the 1930’s and the Great Depression.

There are three art Galleries that display art from Charles Hargens Jr. Oscar Howe and other displays of Great Plains art.

The historic village contains buildings such as the Dimock Railway Depot, the Farwell Methodist Church, the Sheldon Country School and the Beckwith House. All of these buildings have been moved to the property to preserve them. The Beckwith House is on the National Register of Historic Places and was once the home to one of the co-founders of the Corn Palace. The Dakota Discovery Museum does a great job of presenting all aspects of life on the plains of the Dakotas. https://www.dakotadiscovery.com/

Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society is located in De Smet, SD. Aubrey Sherwood, Alice Kirchmeier, and Vera MCCaskell formed the society in 1957 to honor their friend Laura Ingalls Wilder. Since that time, they have been collecting Ingalls’ family belongings. With additional funding and support the organization acquired the Surveryors’ House, the House that Pa built and the first school that Laura attended.

Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in Wisconsin on February 7, 1867 and died in Missouri on February 10, 1957. The Little House books written by her chronicle the life and struggles of the Ingalls family as they try to make a home for themselves as homesteaders on the frontier. It wasn’t until 1932 that the first book “Little House in the Big Woods” was published.

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the grounds and buildings owned by the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society. The tour guide was very informative and the collection of items and building served to further transport you into Laura Ingalls Wilders life. http://www.discoverlaura.org/welcome.html

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian VillageMitchell Prehistoric Indian Village

The Prehistoric Indian Village was discovered in 1910 by a student from Dakota Wesleyan University. It wasn’t until 1975 that the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Preservation Society was formed. That same year the site was listed as a National Historic Landmark. The mission of the society is to “promote an understanding of the first people to inhabit in this region by developing, preserving and exhibiting a significant collection and archaeological site; by taking a leadership role in research and scholarship; by engaging and providing access for audiences from all nations; and by delivering innovative programs of benefit to the general public and community.” http://www.mitchellindianvillage.org/

The excavation that takes place in the Thomsen Center Archeodome have allowed researcher to learn about the people that lived in the area 1,100 years ago. They have found evidence of bison hunting, farming and earthen lodges built on a bluff overlooking the creek. It is believed that the people left the area once they no longer could find enough natural resources to sustain life in area. This active archaeological site was informative and served to show that basic human needs have not changed over time.

George and Eleanor McGovern Library

McGovern Library
McGovern Library

On the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University, the George and Eleanor McGovern Library was built in 2006. The building houses an exhibit that chronicles George and Eleanor McGovern’s’ lives from childhood through their years in public office. They both attended Dakota Wesleyan University and later George became a history professor. By 1956 George was elected to U.S. House of Representatives and in 1962 he was elected to U.S. Senate. In 1972, he was the Democratic Party’s’ presidential nominee against Richard Nixon. It was interesting to learn about a man that dedicated his life to benefiting others throughout his political career. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_McGovern https://www.librarything.com/venue/6098/George-and-Eleanor-McGovern-Library-Dakota-Wesleyan-University

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Improve Your Horseback Riding with Dallas Cunningham Professional Reining Horse Trainer, Mitchell, SD

Dallas Cunningham Professional Reining Horse Trainer, Mitchell, SD 

Irish and Dallas Cunningham
Irish and Dallas Cunningham

Dallas Cunningham Performance Horses is located in Mitchell, SD. At the age of 12 Dallas started training horses and continued on to the college rodeo. After sending time working for Jim McCutcheon, Dallas and his wife Chelsie opened their own training facility. They specialize in reining, working cow, reined cow, roping, and barrel racing. While I was at Dallas’ I worked on guiding, framing up, lead changes, turnaround, and the rollback.

Guiding

Dallas starts everyday by making sure the horse is guiding well. We would start by trotting a small circle and expect the horse to remain in the circle we set out. Once the horse is following the circle well we would ask them to cross the circle by laying the outside rein on the neck. If the horse doesn’t move off the rein, then we would turn them in a tight circle a few times before going back out on the main circle. Once the horse was guiding well in both direction at the trot we would repeat it at the lope. Dallas believe that a horse has to be guiding well before working on any other maneuvers. Click this link to see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yp7Zjw9MeY

Once the horse is guiding well, we went out to a larger circle and ask the horse to follow the circle while keeping our hand down in the center of the horse neck. The horse should go in the direction you are looking without having to pick up your hand to steer. If the horse doesn’t maintain the circle we have chosen, we would use the rein to direct the horse across the circle. If the horse resists the rein, then turn them in a tight circle and lope off. Allowing the horse to make the mistake of going off the circle and then correcting the mistake, helps teach the horse what is expected of them. Click this link to see video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdcDHRFziZU

Lead Changes

For the lead change Dallas prefers to keep it as simple as possible. He feels that the horse should be able to change leads whenever they are asked. In keeping with that philosophy, he does not do much in the way of setting the horse up. He leaves his hand down and asks for the lead change by changing legs.  To practice this, we loped a counter canter circle and maintain light leg pressure to maintain the counter canter. Once the horse was moving well we simply changed legs to get the horse to change to the correct lead. Dallas feels this method helps take the anticipation out of the lead change because the horse never knows when it is coming. Click this link to see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfAEdOtqTHY

Turnaround

This turnaround exercise helps develop a snappier turn by teaching the horse to move their inside front leg back and their outside front leg to push off and cross over. Start the exercise by trotting a small circle with your inside rein up and slightly forward and your outside rein on the horses’ neck. If the horse is leaning to the outside with their shoulder, you want to bump your outside leg to get their shoulder to commit and then ask for the turnaround. Once they are turning well, trot out to a small circle again and repeat the exercise until the horse will commit to the turn as soon as you lay the outside rein on their neck. Click this link to see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7GQlJD1Kek

Rollback

The key to a good rollback is to stop squarely, wait, look in the direction you want to go while drawing your rein back at the level of your hip and follow through by asking for the lead departure in the opposite direction with your new outside leg. To practice this Dallas, like to lope around the arena and ask for the rollback at any time. He believes the horse needs to be able to rollback when ask as if they are chasing a cow. Click this link to see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S9mm9M7lKw

I hope you have enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with your friends

While I was with Dallas Cunningham I logged 20 hours toward my AQHA Riding Program Hours

https://www.aqha.com/trail-riding/programs/aqha-horseback-riding-program

For more information about Dallas Cunningham Performance Horses click on this link http://www.dcperformancehorses.com/

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Wyoming, Discover All It Has to Offer

Things to do in Wyoming

Devils Tower National Monument 

Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower National Monument

Devils Tower National Monument is located in the Bear Lodge Mountains of northeastern Wyoming. The tower and the surrounding 1,153 acres was designated as the first national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt on September 24, 1906. Even before entering the park the tower is visible as it projects up from the relatively flat plains surrounding it. Devils Tower has inspired many people including explores, geologist, climbers, movie makers and Native Americans with its majestic presence.

There are three main geologic theories as to how Devils Tower was formed but all agree that the laccolithic butte was formed by intrusion of igneous material between other rock formations. Over time the tower was exposed by erosion of the surrounding sedimentary rock by wind and water. There are no other know formation like Devils Tower on the planet which adds to the overall significance of the tower and the surrounding area.

 

 

Prairie dog at Devils Tower
Prairie Dog

The plains area adjacent to the Belle Furche River is home to the parks’ Prairie Dog Town. The small light-brown rodents live in family groups called coterie. The coterie normally consists of one adult male multiple adult females and their offspring. They burrow into the ground creating an interconnecting network of tunnels over approximately an acre. Their primary food sources are grasses and flowering plants.

 

 

 

 

Many of the Native American tribes in the Great Plains and Black Hills regions view the tower as a secret place. The stories of how the tower came to be have been passed down throughout history. The area is still used for spiritual and traditional ceremonies.  The evidence of which can be seen by the many colorful prayer cloths and prayer bundles attached to trees around the park.

It wasn’t until June 28, 1937 that Devils Tower was climbed using traditional climbing techniques. Fritz Wiessner, Lawrence Coveney and William House were the first three people to make the climb. Today, the park averages 5,000 people a year that climb the tower. Some extreme climbers have even done the climb without ropes. While we were there we saw a few climbers on the face of the tower. However, we contented ourselves with the walking path at the base of the tower. https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

Eagle Butte Coal Mine

Eagle Butte Coal Mine is located just north of Gillette, WY. This mine is currently operated by Alpha Natural Resources. The mine is an open pit, which means the coal is mined with trucks and shovels. In one year this mine produces 20 – 25 million tons of coal which is used primarily for domestic energy generation. The Eagle Butte Mine has received awards for its mining and reclamation efforts. We only went to the overlook to watch the massive trucks and shovels dig and transport the coal from the mine to the train loading operations. There are tours available that take you to the mine and explain the operations, we were unable to schedule a tour.   https://www.visitgillettewright.com/business/eagle-butte-coal-mine-overlook/

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Butte_Mine

Rockpile Museum Gillette, WY 

Since 1974 the Rockpile Museums’ mission is to serve as the local history center for residents and visitors to Campbell County Wyoming. After seeing the collections housed there I would say they are doing a great job fulfilling their mission. The collection is well organized and truly gives you a sense of Campbell County as it developed from a homesteading railway town to the current day coal mining producer. There are many exhibits depicting life in the area such as print shops, medical equipment, saddle making, homesteading, coal mining and the general workings of the area. We could have spent even more time than we did touring the museums’ collection but we ran out of time. https://www.ccgov.net/317/Rockpile-Museum

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