Don't Ride Dirt!

DMSO is a by product of the processing of wood to make paper.  It’s full name is dimethyl sulfoxide and it is found in nature as part of the cycling of sulfur between water, air and plants.  It also is found in coal but mostly in tree pulp.  It was first used as an industrial strength solvent for washing hands.  The problem is you have to be very careful what you mix it with. If you have been working with a pesticide and there is some residue left on your hands and you wash them in DMSO  I guarantee you will be nauseas at the very least.

DMSO is often used on horses for ligament problems and acute tendon, muscle and joint pain.  It works well and quickly.  It can be used on bee stings, insect bites and allergic reactions because it takes down the inflammation these bites cause, and relieves the pain at the same time.  Anyone who has seen a horse stung by a bee knows they want something that will help quickly.  DMSO treats edema which is inflammation and swelling associated with certain diseases like lamminitis and some nervous system infections that horses are prone to.

It has the ability to temporarily interfere with the transmission of pain signals from the brain, so it works directly on blocking pain transmission.  The effect is direct so the horse is able to relax instead of constantly being one tight ball of muscle.  DMSO  cross the brain barrier and it has the unique ability to be able to penetrate the skin quickly.Vets like it because it can carry other drugs with it like corticosteroids.  Some horses won’t tolerate it and will stomp and kick, so if your horse has never had it before be careful the first time he gets it.  You have to be aware what you are mixing it with, dilute one part DMSO with four parts of distilled water.

It really is an amazing drug but the FDA was very leery to approve it for human use even though a Dr. Stanley Jacob a Harvard Graduate and a professor at university of Oregon had tested the drug and helped countless people.  He wasn’t the only one, other doctor’s here and around the world had the same results.  However at the time of this writing the FDA has approved the drug for only one disease called interstitial cystitis which is the inflammation of the human bladder.

It is available for horses so if the vet mentions it to you don’t be alarmed, he is planning on using the pharmaceutical grade not poison your horse with a solvent.

Now to many of you that sounds like a contradiction.  How is a rider who hasn’t ridden in years, or a new rider,  get the horse to move?   Assuming this is a ground trained horse that is at least ten to twelve years old, how would you make him move?

Horseback riding is based on balance and balance is everything.  First the horse has to learn to balance without you on his back.  Next he must learn to balance with you on his back which is easier said than done.  My horse is over16 hands and I only weigh about 100 pounds, when I didn’t ride him for a while when I was sick, it took two days for us to get in rhythm with each other.

First you have to teach your horse to work off his hindquarter, which is the goal of all good horsewoman and men, in all disciplines.  Without a good engine you won’t go very far.  Superior horsemanship whether in reining, dressage, jumping, cutting is the result of solid fundamentals.

First make sure you are in the right saddle, it must fit you and him.  He needs to have the right bit, Splint boots, shoes, and he shouldn’t object to any equipment.  You have to be properly dressed too, for the climate and since I stress safety a helmet and vest.  The helmet should be snug on your head, if it flops over your eyes it’s way to big.  Vests are meant to be tight but if you can’t zip it by yourself it is too small.

After you are on the horse don’t be one of those people who would be great riders if they used their legs more than they use their mouths.  If you want to just talk go in the lounge, if you want to make progress with your riding then keep riding.

Most people grab onto the reins so tight that if their gloves weren’t on their knuckles would be white.  The upper body is supposed to be straight and your hands down elbows in and in front of the horn.  If the horse doesn’t listen and you keep kicking and kicking the daylights out  of  him, it will just dull him to the kick.  Don’t balance on his mouth!  Learn to use your legs squeeze them around him and he will move, the reins are there to guide and position the horse.

You will be much more successful if you learn to hug your horse with your legs and seat and guide him.  Ride with strong legs and seat and that is the best way to get the balance you are looking for.  Ride with light quiet hands, don’t hang on to the reins they are there to help guide him.  He doesn’t like his head contorted so it’s facing the wrong direction and his lips stretched so much you could put a plate in them.

I think you are catching on here, riding is fun but it isn’t if you spend the whole time fighting with your horse.  I welcome comments on this blog and any others.  Learning to be a truly good rider takes time and during that time you should be building a bond with your horse that is just yours and his and very special.

It’s not up to me or any other adult to watch your children when they ride.  This may sound like a callous, even cruel statement, but I have seen too many formulas for disaster.  Riding can be a wonderful fun sport for a family to do together, and many families do.  That is the responsible side of the coin.   Mon and Dad helping the kids with their safety equipment and getting all the tack on correctly,  and spending a good part of the day on a trail ride.   They might stop to rest the horses and letting them graze while they have a quick lunch, or they may make the ride shorter depending on the ages of the children and how well behaved the horses are.

I have no problem with that,  I would have no problem if another adult was asked to take the children out for a ride and the other adult was a good rider and knew how to handle the horses and children.

My problem is barn people that don’t come to ride their horses or don’t let anything get in the way of their riding.  A young girl was in the barn with me the other night.  Her horse is not well trained and when I went by at a canter the horse began to rear.  I immediately stopped Baylee and was surprised at how well she stayed on.  The rest of her ride was ruined, and the rest of my ride was ruined also.  I didn’t stop riding but I had to stay at the other end of the ring and I couldn’t work on what I’ve been working on with Baylee because I didn’t have enough space.

The worst part was watching out of the corner of my eye and seeing this girl stopped riding.  She was still on her horse but I could feel her fear from the opposite end of the ring.  I new the horse was in full control and had problems from the past.    When I dismounted I gave Baylee to my husband and I took her horse and showed her how to gain some respect.  I couldn’t work too long because her father was waiting in the warm car the whole time.   I showed her how to walk the horse and demand my space she reluctantly obeyed.  I walked with her and said whoa.   She walked on ahead of me and I pulled her back and said no.  When she was positioned properly I gave the command walk on and she stayed with me I said whoa, again she was a little bit ahead of me and I pulled her back forcefully and said no.  I then said walk on and said whoa. She stopped perfectly.  I continued with her for another ten minutes and she didn’t make another mistake.  Already she was starting to follow me  licking her lips,  she found her leader.

The young girl had to leave and I said I would train her horse if the barn owner had no objections.  I haven’t had time to work anything out with him and it’s been so cold I didn’t ride today.

If  ten minutes of walking properly can make a difference imagine what I could do in a hour several times a week.  I would be able to train the horse and the rider and instead of saying ” I don’t even like coming to the barn anymore, riding isn’t fun, I never know what she’ll do”.

To me this is a sad reality that happens way too often.  Dad didn’t watch he knows the problem and doesn’t know how to fix it.  So he sat in the car and my husband went out to talk to him.  What will happen I really don’t know, I will be out at the barn and talk to the owner and I’ll go from there.  He lets me work with Baylee but I own him, we’ll just have to see.   I’ll keep you all posted.

Too many times I have witnessed this scenario:  my horse is a little bit off but he can be turned out.  The other one is:  I’m sure this is nothing, he was worse, then he got better and today he is the worst,  “so what are you going to do”,  ” I guess I’ll have to call the vet tomorrow”.   I have seen people let their horses out to pasture so they can run around which only makes the situation worse.  Once I asked a girl, ” I thought the vet said he was on stall rest for three months”  her answer ” he was so bored”.  Folks, you are not helping the situation at all by waiting to call the vet to see if the lameness goes away.  The chances of that are slim to none.  The first thing to do is put the horse back in the stall.  The next thing to do is call the vet and get him out there that day.  Lameness is not a condition that goes away by itself and you can’t always tell the cause.

At one barn the owner couldn’t tell which leg it was and sometimes that is hard to discern.  However this horse picked up his back leg and swung it and gingerly put it down.  the owner said he couldn’t  tell which leg it was but his foot was getting hot.  He thought it was OK to ride the horse and let him out to pasture for six days prior.  He knew he was off but didn’t do anything.  Now the horse may be in more trouble than he would have been if the vet came out when he first noticed there was a slight problem.

People, I know we are in tough economic times, but if you get to the problem sooner than later it will be cheaper in the long run.  The other thing is some owners won’t accept the diagnosis, if it comes from a vet they aren’t familiar with. Even if other vets say basically the same thing maybe in a more gentle way, the owner will insist the first guy was totally wrong.   The less you listen to the vet and the longer you take to get him out to examine a lame horse the harder it is to make a correct definitive diagnosis and the longer it takes the horse to recover.  Don’t administer pain medication because that can mask symptoms and could lead to an incorrect diagnosis.

Do what is best for both of you, get the horse checked immediately and if things don’t seem right call him out again.   That will ease your mind and keep your horse healthier and happier in the long run.

I was watching You Tube the other day, actually about a month ago, and they had some clips of people mounting their horses.  Most people don’t think much about it.   There is a correct way and a dangerous way that can get you seriously injured.

First up was an English rider.  I haven’t ridden English in over 2 years, but I didn’t catch a mistake.  The rider took the irons (English stirrups)  down on each side and checked them to see if they looked even and were secure.   She checked the girth and made sure it was tight enough and evenly placed on the horse.  She chose a mounting block and led the horse to the appropriate spot.  She placed the reins over the horse’s head and put her reins in her left hand, and grabbed hold of the cantle of the saddle ( the very back end of the seat)  with her right hand.   Next she placed her left foot into the stirrup and gently put her other leg over the horse coming down slowly.  I couldn’t find a fault with anything she did.

Next was another English rider and she mounted from the ground.  This is very difficult because the stirrups are higher in English riding.   She lowered the stirrups on both sides and turned the left stirrup a bit so she was forced to hop two or three times to get in position to mount the the horse.  She held the mane in her left hand and the cantle and hopped up.   She adjusted the height of the stirrup while she was on the horse.  This is a common maneuver and extremely dangerous.    I know a professional trainer who did that all the time.  At one show he was riding a horse and put his leg up on the horse to adjust the stirrup and the horse bolted.  He fell off and his foot got stuck in the stirrup and was dragged for quite some time until he was able to free himself.  He lived through it but he was very lucky.

To mount a horse in a Western saddle from the ground, first check the cinch to make sure it is tight.  From the ground put the reins over the horse’s head.   Turn the horse’s head slightly to the left and give the command stand.   Put the reins in your left hand and put your right hand on the cantle put you left foot in the stirrup and pull yourself up and slowly sit down.

Mounting from a mounting block in a Western saddle is the same but easier for both the horse and rider especially if the horse is very tall.

Teach your horse to stand and to ground tie.   Once mounted don’t let your horse walk off right away.  I usually flex his head and soften him up and he only moves when he is given the signal from me.

If your horse begins to move when he feels your weight on him and he begins to walk off do which ever is the safer maneuver jump down off the horse,  or finish mounting and dismount and do some groundwork and teach your horse to stand still until you signal him to move.  Countless numbers of accidents occur because the horse moves off before the rider is secure in the seat.  Training the horse first on the ground and then in the saddle is the only way to stop this disrespect.

To become a truly great horseman you have to do three things, timing, feel and experience.  They are all very similar which learning them is so difficult.  teaching them is even harder to do.   Timing is the ability to release pressure at the exact moment the horse does the right thing he has been asked to do.  When I taught Baylee to put his head down from the poll at first he didn’t understand at all what I wanted from him.  The more we practiced he eventually found the answer,  and at that second I had to release the reins.  If I didn’t pitch the reins away instantly each time Baylee would still be backing up because at first that’s what he thought I wanted from him.  Timing comes with more and more practice, and you apply more pressure until the horse finds the right answer.  Then the horse understands the cue and he learns to do what you want.

At that point you you ask the horse to respond immediately and appropriately, and because of timing you release the pressure right a way.  Horses learn by repetition and release of pressure.

You release the pressure not just because of timing but also you can have a feel for his understanding.  You are sure he will respond as he has been responding over and over again.  It is knowing before it happens that is feeling.

Both timing and feeling take the third part of the equation experience.  No one can teach you experience you have to do that with your horse yourself.  There is no person that can fill in for you if you truly want to become a great horseman or horsewoman.  Practice makes perfect is a wise saying for horse people.  You may never be perfect but with a light touch, practice, timing, feel, and experience your relationship with your horse will be so much more rewarding.

For quite some time now I’ve been mulling this over in my mind.  Should I make mention of the mistakes and bad advice I’ve seen some very competent trainers on their shows.  I will not mention names, but I will remind you not to believe everything you see on television.  Most of the errors get cut out, but some manage to get through.  When you’re starting out the professionals as a group are like gods and goddesses and then the longer ride the easier it is to see the mistakes.

I bring this up for only one reason and that is safety.  I’m pretty handy with a stick and string and twirling the end of a lead rope.  That doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes , I do we all do.

When I see national trainers allow a horse to come into their space after only a few minutes of training, the wrong signal is being sent to the viewing audience.  I do realize that there is a lot done behind the scenes, but those kind of mistakes should be left on the cutting floor.

I’ve seen and heard dangerous training on the ground and under saddle, but there must be a point when each trainer says, ” wait leave that in and let me tell the audience what I did wrong.  No one expects perfection but it’s starting to look that way on the various shows.

The trainers some of your audience are coming back from serious injury, some are young and will believe what you say as gospel.  Whoever is in charge of editing these shows needs to take a closer look at what is aired.

The audience also has a responsibility to not attempt everything they see on a video, or everything they read in books.  How I trained Baylee is my own method of training based on a pool of knowledge.  All professionals and non professionals alike want you and themselves to ride safely.  Safety must always come first.  I paid a huge price for not concentrating on what was going on in the other ring and a new youngster got so close to Baylee he attempted to kick the other horse’s head off.  I can’t remember any of it except watching the barn owner carrying me for some odd reason and I could hear my husband in the background.

This had nothing to do with listening to the wrong trainer, It had to do with the girl not following the rules and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Starting back was a little scary for both of us. The first surgery fell apart in 24 hours and every time I moved I could feel the nails rubbing into my skin. Then in December I got a various hip infection and two more surgeries.  I was allergic to the drug they were giving to me in the hospital but the doctor’s refused to believe me.  I refused the medication but put it in IV while I slept and during the surgery.  On New Years  day at 3:00 A.M. my temperature climbed to 105.7.  It was a reaction with the first medication and my infectious disease doctor got me out in four days on a pic line for 12 weeks of vancomycin.  I am on oral antibiotics and will be for at least another year.

As soon as I got the word from the orthopedist I went to the barn and trained Baylee for almost a month and then it took all my determination to get up on his back and ride.  I’m still riding and I have to say I have great husband and 6 sons and grand kids.

Learn from my experience when ever you are with your horse pay attention to everything around you.  Some pros make mistakes, learn from them and watch videos and read books while always thinking is that the safest way to that.

Last night I went to the barn with my husband, which we do when we can.  It had been raining the last two days so waiting for it to stop would be a long, long time.  It is raining again today. There are two rings at our barn. The new ring is larger and I usually ride in there.  Yesterday it was so dark out,  the owner and his student were riding in the small arena and he had those lights on.

We tacked up Baylee and and my husband politely asked if the owner would turn on the lights in the other arena.  I knew the answer before he said it. It was no she can ride in here.

Baylee hates that ring and so do I.  We both remember my accident when some kid charged up so close to Baylee’s rear end that he bucked and I flew off.  I was laid up from complications for over a year.  I saw the horse but just recently started riding him this past spring.  This is the arena where the mounting block is so that’s not a problem, but this is Baylee’s training arena.

Once I was up on him he immediately started towards the other ring’s gate.  I had to pull him back and tell him we’re in here tonight.  I walked him and tried to stay away from the lesson.  Then I trotted him.  This is the ring where the roof leaks and water gets in under the flooring so there are several large wet spots I avoid.  The other two horses started to canter and of course Baylee started cantering.  I thought as long as he isn’t too close, we’ll be fine.  Then they rested their horses and Baylee continued to canter and one of the goats jumped out and we almost killed it.

Then Baylee tripped and he wanted to leave.  Just at that moment the Boss said trot down to the other end and come back on your left lead.  Now we were in trouble because now the owner had made us part of the lesson.   He knows I ride at least forty five minutes to an hour or more a day.  Saying Baylee was tired wouldn’t work.  So we each went up and down on one lead and back on the other.  Then we walked the horses and Baylee started towards the block and darn it the owner had his student and myself race down to the other end and come back on the proper leads.

The crowning glory was when all three of us raced. Nothing happened the first time.  The second time at the far end Baylee stopped on his front legs and almost dropped me.  He wanted to turn left but there was no room so he stooped suddenly and I almost fell.  I grabbed that horn and pulled myself up so hard and tuned and said to Baylee it’s OK boy let’s get out of here and he trotted to the block and I got off.

I have decided if there is a lesson in the small arena, and I can’t get into the large arena by going earlier in the day I will not ride.  Racing isn’t teaching especially when the teacher is one of the racers.   A small slippery ring isn’t a place to race.  An instructor belongs on the ground watching what the student is doing right and what he is doing wrong.  Now that winter is coming I’m going to talk to him about the issue of the lights.  I was and still am angry at my own stupidity,  I should have never ridden at all.  That is the way he teaches running barrels and poles and I am not competing and he knows that.  It’s time for a long sit down with the owner.  If he thinks racing is a proper teaching method I strongly disagree.   It is his barn and he can teach any way he wants but next time he tries to include me I will say “no thank you” politely.

Stabled horses need some form of exercise for one hour each day to get its beneficial effects.   According to a study by a Raf  Freire  Phd. from Charles Strut University Australia,  I read this in The Horse magazine.

The researchers took twenty four thoroughbreds and stock horses and for one hour and had them walk, walking on a treadmill, have a rider walk them, or put them in a paddock.  The results they came out with is,  horses are social animals and if they don’t get out for one hour a day some develop bad habits.  They can also become bored which can lead to human injury.

I found the article disappointing for several reasons.  Any horseman or women knows that horses need to get out of their stalls as often as humanly possible.  It is well known that a horse that are on stable rest hates it and some develop bad habits like cribbing, box walking, licking the wood panels in their stall, rocking back and forth, shaking their heads up and down constantly.

Anyone worth his salt knows a horse that gets out of the stall is fresh and more dangerous to be around, just because he was cooped up and you would have the same reaction.  If he is sound enough reminding him who is boss with some groundwork is a good idea.  Just to get the fresh out of him no, to get his head on straight and remember you are the leader and he respects you yes.

I also believe the kind of exercise you do, does make a difference as to how the horse responds.  Horses are social animals and like to go out in groups that is no new startling result of research.  Ask any rancher or any person who has more than one horse that socializing is good for horses.  The end result will be a happier horse that is easier to handle.

At the end of the article it says the horse will load in a trailer better if you use less commands.  That goes along with training and experience.   The more experience a horse has loading and unloading a trailer the better he will be at it.

No horse likes to be nagged at especially when he is already doing what you asked of him. This wasn’t in the article, as most of my comments weren’t.  Comm0n sense and good groundwork and training is what every horse needs.  Yes your horse will benefit more if he is exercised three days in a row, rather than every other day.  He can be turned out  everyday if you are willing to pay for it and there is enough room for it.

Riding every day is ideal but here in the cold weather sometimes you can’t get out of your driveway, and weather advisories tell people to stay off the roads.  Relax you horse won’t be a skinny shrieveled mess when the weather breaks.   The best thing to do is  stop worrying and enjoy your time together  knowing you are giving him the best care you can.

The other day I was riding Baylee and doing some poles that were set up on the inside arena. We haven’t done that in a while so it was a nice change for both of us. I have a new lighter weight saddle and a new bridle with long reins, despite that he did the pattern quite well.

I practiced some other things with him and he wanted to go outside. He goes to a certain gate and tries to open it himself. He can’t do it without a little help from me, because the gate swings back to fast.

Outside we ran in the lower arena and then ran up the hill and ran in the upper arena. We cantered along the grass and then came down to the path that leads back to the barn. I went to dismount him and I turned his head to the left and as soon as I got my right leg out, he began to move. I said whoa and he didn’t stop. My husband was there and he grabbed the horse and pulled me off. I couldn’t believe he did that. There is grass nearby, but he was backing away from it.

I told my husband to take everything off him. I went and got his training rope and my stick. As soon as I put him in the rope halter he knew he had made a mistake. I brought him down to the smaller arena and we went over a few things we hadn’t done in too long of time. I did longing for respect and moving the hindquarters away and then I had him stand still while I threw the rope over him. Next I took the stick and tossed that over him on both sides.

I did an exercise I created myself. I took the lead rope and he must stay with his head by my arm, without pushing in too close. I give a verbal command which way to turn and he does it. He can do this offline when I practice enough with him.

The point of this lesson was to stand still. I put Baylee at the spot he was at when we started and told him to “stand”. He didn’t move an inch even though I know he wanted to follow me. After at least fifteen minutes I said “Baylee come” and he wasn’t sure what to do so he stood there. I went and took the rope and pulled him to me. Then I backed him into the original spot and said “stand” and I walked away and he started to move so I yelled “no”. He backed up and didn’t move .

I was getting awfully tired and I’m sure he was so I said “Baylee come” and he walked right up to me. I petted him and said good boy and put him on a different spot and said “stand”. I walked farther away and looked back, he was still there. I said “Baylee come” and he came right to me.

At that point I let him loose and asked my husband to cool him down.

I have been taking Baylee’s good behavior for granted and the funny thing was, I was thinking of training him that day first. I changed my mind when I looked at the beautiful weather. I have not had a problem dismounting Baylee since that lesson.

I will make it a point to do groundwork more often because it is good for both of us. No horse is ever too well trained or bullet proof. It was my mistake, I didn’t do groundwork often enough and I won’t let that happen again. The least I can do is practice what I preach.