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 A
Note From Martha
Winning Ways was always important brain food for us.
It kept us thinking all the time about making ourselves
better. Motivation and proper training helps every winner win
more. Like having clinics, doing the Winning Ways helps keep
me winning by reminding me of all the basics and details and
helping me focus on positive things. Speaking of positive,
congratulations to all our former Josey students including,
June Holman, Denise Adams, Mesa and Shiloh Leavitt. I am
excited about barrel racing. I think that winners will be the
people who demand more of themselves-the ones who are willing
to put forth the extra efforts. Personally, I’m happy to be
running barrels in my fifth decade, because I see more
enthusiasm and growth than ever in our industry. There seems
to be more interest in barrel racing than ever before, judging
from the attendance at our clinics and schools, and from the
amount of people looking to buy horses. With the great youth
barrel races around the country, the future looks more than
promising. I think the key to winning is taking advantage of
the knowledge that there is available through reading and
attending clinics and schools and being motivated. This month,
the main topic of Winning Ways is saddles. It’s important to
understand that not every saddle will work for every rider.
That’s why, in my Circle Y line of saddles, I have a variety
of sizes, 12, 13, 13 ½, 14, 14 ½, 15, 15 ½, and 16. The saddle
should fit both the rider and the horse to work well and allow
maximum movement for both.
I like a
wider stirrup because it allows me to balance better. We used
to think the narrow stirrups were better because of the
freedom they allowed, but when you ride on the ball of your
foot and balance, more weight goes on the stirrup and the
entire weight of the rider is distributed more evenly through
the saddle.
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A lot of riders like a tall seat for confidence. If you have a tall
seat, be careful that the angle of the back doesn’t throw you
forward. Sitting on any saddle, you should be able to feel the horse
closely-not be perched up there like you’re at the top of a tree. As
for the difference between a fully tooled and a half-breed saddle,
some people say a fully tooled saddle lasts longer, but most prefer
a half-breed saddle after they’ve had one because they keep you from
sliding. The weight of a saddle can also raise some questions. It’s
hard to get a real good saddle with top quality leather that’s real
light weight. I go for quality and security. If I ever try to take 2
or 3 or 5 pounds off the saddle, Josey laughs at me and says, “Take
it off yourself!” That’s why I’m on a diet right now! At our
clinics, we get an opportunity to get on a lot of saddles. Some you
just don’t feel secure on. I want to ride a good, safe saddle. The
better, safer saddles do often cost more, but it’s always easier to
explain price first than apologize over quality later. Video your
runs in different saddles; watch how your saddle is affecting your
feet, shoulders and hip position. A lot of times changing a saddle
can make a change in a horse’s performance. For example, if one is
pinching him in the withers, a horse will often drop in front. If
it’s hurting him in the kidneys, he might not use his rear. An
improperly fitting saddle that has to rely on a too-tight girth can
make both his back and belly sore.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN THE WEATHER
IS TOO HOT!!!
Critical Heat Formula
David Freeman at Oklahoma State University has come up with
a simple formula to tip riders to critical heat conditions for their
horses. Since too hot weather can lead to possible dehydration in
heavily exercised horses, this rule of thumb is a good one to
remember. The test combines outside air temperature with relative
humidity. “When the sum of the temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit)
and the relative humidity is less than 130, heat stress shouldn’t be
a problem,” states Freeman.” Figures around 150 should tell the
rider to use caution in exercising the horse so heat build-up
doesn’t become critical. Most riding activities should be postponed
when figures approach 180.” He adds that an exercising horse can
produce up to 50 percent more heat than one at rest and when
temperature and humidity are both high, horses are prime candidates
for heat stress and heat stroke can develop rapidly. Symptoms of
heat stress are dry and hot skin, higher than normal pulse and
breathing rates and unusually high rectal temperatures (105 degrees
or over for any length of time).
Heat
Stroke
Hard work in extreme heat and humidity can cause heat
stroke, a life threatening condition that is especially severe in
horses. If a horse is not fit or not acclimated to the weather, the
condition can be exaggerated. (So be careful in moving a horse from
one part of the country to another or in going off to another part
of the country to compete in very hot weather.) The horse suffering
from heat stroke will not be able to coordinate voluntary muscle
movement and respiration will be frequent and forced. A body
temperature of over 105 degrees is not uncommon with this condition.
Sometimes the horse will appear blind and stumble around into
things. If you suspect heat stroke, call your vet immediately. Get
the horse to a cool, shaded, well-ventilated area and run cold water
or alcohol over his entire body. Ice packs can be used on his head
and areas of the body where large blood vessels are near the surface
of the skin to speed up body cooling. Prevent heat stroke by not
working your horse during periods of extreme heat and humidity.
Warning
on Peroxide
It seems that in some areas of severe drought, horse owners
have been wondering about stretching their water supply with some
home treatment techniques. One of these have been adding industrial
strength peroxide (peroxide in a 30% concentration) to purify the
water. According to Iowa State University, the claim that peroxide
purifies water is open to question. ISU reports that using peroxide
at the rate of one ounce for 260 gallons of water (as recommended in
some farm magazines) would be unlikely to have much affect on
harmful bacteria. The report continues that peroxide in any strength
over 8 percent can cause blindness, burns, lung damage, and other
health problems. Thus, eyes and skin must be protected, and water to
dilute the peroxide must be immediately available. Furthermore,
since peroxide can cause fire and even explosions, it must only be
used in well ventilated areas. Of particular importance to horse
owners is the warning that delayed fires can result if peroxide is
allowed to dry on hay, straw, feed, wood or even clothing! |
