Anniversary of Lt Col Custer's Last Stand

The Battle of the Little Bighorn, usually referred to as Custer's Last Stand, occured 137 years ago today on June 25th 1876. This battle has been made famous through many books, a few movies, and still retains many myths.  Hands down, the best book on the subject is the recent work by Nathaniel Philbrick called "The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull and the Battle of the Little Bighorn".

The U.S. Army in the midst of the Plains Indians Wars sent several columns of Cavalry and Infantry to fix and destroy the Indians. Custer, for reasons probably pertaining to his vanity or ego about sharing what he thought would be glory and probably some disrespect for the Indians ability to fight a fixed battle, located a large Indian encampment on the Little Bighorn River the morning of June 25th 1876 and despite warnings from his Crow Indian Scouts concerning how large and therefore how many warriors he faced, Custer decided not to wait on the other columns, but to attack, fearing the element of surprise had been or would be lost.

The village the Crow Scouts spotted consisted of Lakota (Sioux), Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors, women and children led by Crazy Horse, Chief Gall and Sitting Bull. Custer divided the 7th Cavalry, which consisted of 12 Companies into three forces: Three companies (Co A, Co G and Co M) under Major Marcus Reno; three comapnies (Co D, Co H and Co K) under Captain Frederick Benteen; and kept five companies under his own command (Co's C, E, F, I and L). The 12th Company, Co B, was commanded by Captain Thomas McDougall to guard the pack train and supplies.

Custer sent Major Reno to attack the Indian camp from the East and draw their attention while Custer rode around North of the camp to attack the camp from the rear (the West end of the camp) and prevent the Indians from escaping.

The Indians had no intent on escaping, even if they did, the warriors would have fought until the women and children were able to withdrawal. Major Reno was unsuccessful in pentrating the camp and was driven back sustaining heavy casualties. Lt Col Custer was discovered trying to circle the camp and was engaged on the move until heavy Indian forces pinned the largest portion of his command on a hill known as Last Stand Hill.

It was here that the majority of Custer's force, approximatley 210 men, were killed. Total casualties for the 7th Cavalry were 268 killed and 55 wounded out of a total force of 700 men. ...a stunning loss for the Army and a great victory for the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho. A big loss for the Custer family as not only did they lose George Custer, but Custer's brother, brother in law and nephew were also killed.


Of course, the story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn would not be complete without the story Commanche, the mount of Captain Miles Keough who died with Custer. Commanche a veteran Cavalry horse was wounded several times by bullets and was found one or two days after the battle, badly wounded, but nursed back to health by surviving members of the 7th Cavalry. He has often been referred to as the only survivor of Custer's Last Stand, which wasn't true as there were other horses found alive. Commanche was described as a 15 hand Bay gelding, who like beer by the way, and was retired after overcoming his wounds, only to be used for cermonial purposes. Commanche died 15 years later and remains today perserved in a environmentally controlled glass case at the University of Kansas.

You and Your Horse Shoer

I received an e-mail from kcadle about horseshoers. "Sir, I have an issue with my horse shoer. I am using a different horseshoer than the woman who place I keep my horse at. My shoer wants me to be on a six or seven week schedule which I don't necessarily agree with. My other problem with him is that sometimes he gets mad and whacks my horse. The woman who owns the barn tells me that I should get a new shoer. This is my first horse so I haven't much experience with horseshoers. Can you help point me in the right direction? Thanks. kc"

Howdy kc, I'll try to give you some things to consider and my opinions on a horse owner to horse shoer relationship. First of all this is a two way relationship. Yes the horseshoer works for you so you can fire him/her if you need to, but on the other hand the horseshoer may ask you to find yourself a different shoer if he/she feels you are asking him to do things he can't do or doesn't think should be done as that horse's feet and as it relates to his soundness and performance. The way that horse is trimmed or shod is a reflection of the shoer's competency.

Keeping your horse on a schedule is pretty vital to your horse being as sound as possible. My shoer comes in every six weeks during the warmer months and every eight weeks during the coldest months, as hooves will grow slower during cold weather. I have known horse owners who think they can skip a session and pick back the next scheduled session. This is a lose lose situation for the shoer as that horse is now walking around on feet that are getting too long, or flaring too much and that shoer risks someone seeing that horse and asking "Hey, that horse's feet don't look so good. Who is your shoer?" Do you think the owner is going to admit being negligent and leting his horse go 12 to 16 weeks without attention?

So the best deal for the horse is regulary scheduled trimming or shoeing. I would beware of the horseshoer who does not want to keep to a regular schedule, be it 6, 7 or 8 weeks.

As far as the shoer "whacking" your horse,....I think it is legitimate for a horseshoer to be up underneath that horse with a foot up and get a little upset when that horse truly tries to pull that foot away. I use my voice when a horse tries to take back a foot when I am cleaning, but have occasionally used my open hand slap that horse's butt to get his attention when he is impatient. Not much of an alternative since you shouldn't let the horse have his foot back as it teaches him and that he can take it back when he wants. Anyway, getting their attention should not be done out of anger.  Timing on correcting the horse is so important.  If that horse succeeds in pulling his foot then there is nothing to correct now except picking the foot back up and not letting him pull it away when he wants. 

Nobody should stand for anyone mistreating a horse.  One my Border Patrol friends fired their horseshoer, and rightly so, when he tried to hit a horse with a rasp.  This same shoer was fired by another friend of mine when he actually hit a horse with his rasp leaving a cut.  And I have fired a equine dentist when he tried kicking my horse in the belly for moving around too much - the dentist didn't give the horse enough sedative so the horse took exception to him being in his mouth with a file.    

But the horse trying to pull his foot back is not the horse's problem - it's the owner who should have made that horse safe and compliant for trimming and shoeing. Probably the biggest complaints from horseshoers, other than not getting paid on time, is that some owners think the shoeing they are paying for also includes training that horse.  So if you think about it, why should a shoer get paid the same for a solid horse that stands still, as he does for a horse that tries to pull his feet away, can't stand still and make it rough on the shoer?

Other common complaints from horseshoers are horses who continually move around, swishing their tails and hitting the shoer, and owners who make excuses for their horse's behavior. 

I think that in the best case you have a shoer who is patient with you and your horse; explains what he doing and why; sets a schedule with you, shows up when he is supposed to, and his work results in a sound horse. If you pick up and clean your horse's feet daily or almost daily, not letting him pull that foot away from you, you'll soon get your horse good about standing for shoers and that will result in an appreciative horse shoer,.....and a horseshoer who won't get into a position where he thinks he needs to whack the horse.

You  start by picking your horse's foot up and when he relaxes it, you set it down.  Even if this is just for a couple seconds.  Then build on that.  Pretty soon you'll have a horse that picks his feet up to give to you when you ask and stand quiet while his foot is being cleaned, trimmed or shod.

One other thing - many people are prone to dropping their horse's foot when they are done with it.  I like to give him a little warning by moving the foot towards the ground before I let go, or otherwise place his foot on the ground.  I think that if you just drop his foot when he is relaxed, the horse will soon learn to keep tension on his foot and misjudge when you are releasing it.  Dropping it when you are on a concrete shoeing stand can also chip up the hoof,...plus it's just kinda not fair to the horse. 

Good luck and safe journey.

Handgun for an Old Cowboy

I recently received this question from Walt about a suitable handgun for snakes and for personal defense:     "I am 63 years old and live by myself about 9 miles outside of town with my two horses. I keep my horses both in a corral next to the house and sometimes turn them out into a three acre fenced pasture. I saw a rattlesnake there two weeks ago. I ride three or four times a week up into the small mountain range north of my house. Saw another rattlesnake on the trail there. Lately I have had several vehicles come up my drive, two in the day time and one at night then turn around and leave. There have been some breakin's at some of the neighboring homes. The only gun I own is an inherited .32-20 Winchester rifle.  I don't even have a scabbard for it and probably wouldn't carry it most of the time.   I'd like to get a handgun both for two legged and no legged critters. Do you think it is reasonable to get a revolver in .32-20 or should I be looking to a different caliber? I don't want a automatic. Adios, Walt. "

Hey Walt, yes there are .32-20 caliber handguns. Smith and Weson as well as Colt manufactured single and double action revolvers in .32-20, also called .32 WCF. Smith and Wesson manufactured the Hand Ejector model double action revolver, while Colt made single actions on the 1873 pattern, as well as double action revolvers call the Police Positive. See picture above, from upper left going clockwise: Colt Single Action; Smith and Wesson Hand Ejector Model; Colt Police Positive; and another sample of the Colt Police Positive.

None of these are currently being manufactured but many are available at gun brokers on the internet. Some of these guns are going for $550 and upwards. A couple of these sites are:

Armslist.com

Gunlist.com

If you are looking for a handgun to serve both as personal protection and for snakes, perhaps shooting snakeshot cartridges, and for personal defense then the double action revolver may be better suited for you. With the double action revolver, one pull of the trigger cocks then releases the hammer to fire a shot. The Double action revolver can be fired one handed which is handy when horseback so you can handle the reins with the other hand. The single action revolver has to be cocked manually for each shot, taking more time and pulling the gun off target in order to cock it unless you are well skilled with it or are shooting it with both hands and using the off hand, called the weak hand, to cock the hammer. Given the cost of .32-20 ammunition, I don't believe a person would be liable to shoot hundreds if not thousands of rounds in order to be decently proficient with it.

You could always go with a revolver in another caliber. Consider .38 special a marginal cartridge and a minimum caliber. With a .357 magnum revolver you could also shoot .38 Special through it giving you a better chance to find ammunition for it. Note: You can't shoot .357 Magnum in a .38 Special revolver. CCI makes shot shell (snake shot) cartridges for .38 Special.  I like a revolver in .45 Long Colt and double action revolvers in this caliber are hard to find, so I have single action revolvers (Ruger Vaqueros) chambered for .45 LC.  It gives me the capability to shoot regular cartridges, softer Cowboy loads, snake shot or blanks to train my horses to gun fire.  So you may also consider this caliber as well.  

By the way, you can visit Classic Old West Styles, among others to find a good scabbard for your Winchester rifle.

Hope this helps Walt, have a safe journey.  Oh, sorry about the title calling you an OLD Cowboy.

Another Anxious, Buddy Sour Horse

A anonymous reader left a new comment and question on a previous post - 'Anxious, Buddy Sour Horse': "I'm aware of all the exercises that can be used to cure a buddy sour horse. However, my 7 yr old gelding has gotten progressively worse and literally throws a fit. He will spin and jump with no warning when his current buddy is too far and has dumped me. Yesterday, he started running backward, got off balance and landed on his side with me still in saddle. Does anyone think he can be cured?"

I wouldn't give up on this horse yet. A 7 year old horse is still pretty young. In his point of view, he is not wrong trying to stay with the herd. The solution is to replace that safeness of the herd with safeness in being with you. I guess you would call it trust. He has to come to the understanding that being with you is as safe or safer as being with the herd, so you have to be his leader. I don't think that's something you achieve easy, nor once you do acheive a measure it, does it stays forever without being constantly re-inforced.

On some horses you may be able to achieve this with much less work than others but it's likely that riding or working once a week is going to get there, unless you willing to take years. It's also as likely that the buddy sour horse has some other issues like not respecting your space, maybe pushy to get at feed, not being able to stand still whether tied, or in hand at the end of a lead rope. Probably doesn't lead well,.....and maybe when in an arena the horse is anticipating at the gate - to name a few. So I think solving or correcting the horse in these other problems, always giving him a fair deal out of it, will help establish your leadership and building that trust.  I can't help but thinking that ground training is one of the most neglected aspects of horse training.  I would not take a horse out on the trail that does what you describe without a lot more ground work. 

So a badly buddy sour horse, I would think that taking him out on the trail with other horses and correcting his buddy sourness may not be starting from the beginning, and can even make it worse. Consider that you are riding with a group and your horse is more concenrned with staying with his buddies rather than listening to your cues. So you fall back aways as you double him, or trot circles then you trot your horse to catch up to the group, the horse is probably pushing against the bit, not rating well and ends up justifing his anxiety being away from the herd since he is working when away form the herd and trotting back to the herd is re-inforcing the need to hurry up and catch for safety.

Maybe part of the solution is working him on correcting the bad habits, in a round pen or an arena, getting him to move his feet when asked, getting him to stand still when asked. When around other horses close to the barn or in an arena I would try working him in close proximity to the herd and giving him a rest at the farthest point from the herd. This is similar to correcting the horse that anticipates at the gate. We've all seen or ridden a horse that wants to slow down, or in worse cases, drifts over to the gate. What do we do? We begin by being ready to keep him from breaking down (slowing his gait) at the gate, making that end of the arena work for him and giving him a rest at the far end of the arena away from the gate. But I think the key is riding this buddy sour horse quite a bit - like the old saying goes "wet saddle blankets make a broke horse".

SaddleSkin Saddle Pad

Most of us have some predisposition to one type of saddle pad or another. Mine has always been to use felt, wool or fleece (sheepskin) pads. I never like the neoprene type pads as I thought they were a lot less comfortable to the horse. I have used the Impact Gel type pads which have close gel type impact reduction pads placed in strategic locations within the felt pad to add in the dispersion of the impact that the horse feels through his back with heavy loads and/or long rides.
 
In the Spring of 2012 I was exposed to a company that made a liner type pad designed to be worn between a law enforcement officer's body armor and the shirt. This material was designed to reduce the blunt force trauma caused by a bullet hitting but not penetrating the vest. The additional benefit was the surface cooling effect on the body. This product was called the CORTAC Trauma Attenuation and Cooling vest or panel.

The company started design on a saddle pad to take this technology and apply the trauma attenuation and cooling aspect to a horse's back. Even though I was pretty committed to felt or fleece pads, I thought a saddle pad of this type would be attractive to numerous riding groups such as rodeo speed events and endurance riders, and committed to ride and help with development and testing.

Throughout the late Summer and early fall, I rode a prototype on long desert rides, working in the arena and even sorting cows. While I had reservations on this pad because of the non-natural material, it's thickness (or actually lack of thickness), it never galled or sored my horses. I did not have a thermal measurement device so I could not measure the surface cooling effects on a horse's back, but from previous experience with the body armor version I knew that this worked pretty darn good.  The picture at top is the protoype Saddle pad which I used with a thin wool blanket.

I also figured out that the lack of pad thickness compared to many of today's pads actually gave a little more closer contact to the horse.  An additional benefit was this pad diminished the saddle's tendancy to slide as the horse got heated up.  Some rider's may not like the fact that you have to use an air hand pump to fill this pad.  But it just takes a minute or so and I have gone over a week of riding without having to put more air in.

 
The company finished testing and evaluation of the prototype, and has now produced a final version for the market and SaddleSkin was born.  SaddleSkinTM advertises that it delivers a custom-fit saddle experience and your horse will stay comfortably dry and cool under saddle with Advanced Impact ResistanceTM (AIR) Technology with the moisturewicking science of EverDry™. SaddleSkin’s design facilitates convective air flow between horse and saddle while its nanocrystal surface structure keeps your horse comfortably dry.

Most of us recognize that a poor fitting saddle can't be made to fit using pads and that there can be a general tendancy for riders to over pad.  When a saddle is over padded, it can make the saddle easier to slip and can place the rider out of balance.  It's hard to over pad using the SaddleSkin because of it's lack of thickness.  I know is my horses backs' are much less sweaty when I use my SaddleSkin pad.  Currently I alternate use of an Impact Gel pad and the Saddleskin pad.

SaddleSkin also states that "Outside air naturally flows between horse and saddle allowing body heat to escape as it is no longer trapped between horse and saddle. The metabolic heat generated by the horses is conducted into the inflated air chambers where it then naturally vents from underneath the saddle. The Nanocrystal Surface has super-hydrophilic properties preventing sweat from soaking the coat and the moisture barrier prevents sweat absorption into the saddle."

Visit the SaddleSkin website to see thermographic images demonstrating the SaddleSkin's ability to make an 8 to 15 degree cooler difference for the horse's back. 

Horses and Riders - Prevention of Heat Injuries

For humans and horses alike, heat injuries occur when your body temperature rises to dangerous levels, usually during periods of exposure to high temperatures and direct sunlight, aggravated by physical exertion and dehydration - not drinking enough water. The body cools itself by sweating but sometimes sweating is not enough, particulary when the aridity index is a high or at the other end of the spectrum, the humidity level is too high.

Another aggravation of human heat injuries are alcohol consumption, certain medications, heart disease, diabetes, and poor physical condition.

Heat Cramps is usually the beginning indication of a heat injury. Cramping or spasms in muscles, possibly a heat rash, dry mouth and sometimes, oddly enough, a lack of thirst. It is important at this stage to consume some fluids and monitor this person.

Heat Exhaustion is evident in humans by some or all of these symptoms: Weakness and muscle fatigue; profuse sweating; light headedness and/or dizziness; fast-weak pulse; and could include nausea and vomiting. One common way to check for heat exhaustion in a person to have them sit down for a couple minutes then have them stand up. If they are close to becoming a heat causalty their pulse will go up more than 10 beats a minute and they will feel light headed or dizzy upon rising from the seated position.

If you or someone you are riding with have these symptoms then getting out of the Sun and get some fluids, preferably water but gatoraid type drinks are okay - stay away from sodas and especially alcohol. Washing the exposed portions of the skin with a water soaked rag or sponge will help the evaporative cooling process.

Heat Stroke or what we used to call Sunstroke, begins when the body's temperature reaches above 103 degrees. Sweating make be profuse or stop completely. The skin will be hot and the person should have a severe headache and appear confused, and even lapse into unconsciousness. At this point the person's life is very much at risk. This person needs medical treatment now.

Until medical response can arrive, get this person out of the Sun, remove some of the clothing and wetting exposed skin. You can fan air over the person too to help with the cooling process. You probably won't have ice, but ice packs applied to areas of the body were blood vessels are close to the skin would be a good idea. Many medical authorities warn against giving the heat stroke victim water. If that person was conscious, I would feel okay about giving them small amounts of water, but this person really needs is intervenous fluids.

Think about this,....you have supper in the evening, hit the rack later on, get up with or before the Sun, feed the horses, drink a cup or two or coffee, then saddle up and ride. If this is you then you may have just gone 10 hours or more without any fluids besides coffee which is a diuretic..you are already dehyrdated.    

Not drinking water before riding because you don't want to get off your horse to pee is a bad reason to become a heat casualty. Not taking water with you on your trail rides is something a rider needs to reconsider. You can either carry a canteen on your saddle or you can carry a water bladder or hydration pack on your back. When I was riding by myself in remote country I always carried a two quart canteen on my saddle and often I wore a 100 ounce Camel-Bak Hydration Pack just in case I was thrown and broke a leg as it could have been a day or two before anyone found me and I don't crawl very well. 100 ounces of water weighs slightly more than 4 lbs and is relatively un-noticed on your back.  Never got in my way while riding.

Camel-Bak makes smaller bladder/hydration packs as well as belt worn hydration packs. They are available in many colors including yellow and red which would be useful if you were trying to attract a search and rescue unit. Some are available with small or large cargo pockets for storing additional items like a first aid kit, other survival gear, or even lickies and chewies (snacks). Camel Bak's motto is "Hydrate or Die", you can visit them here.


Heat Injuries in Horses I suspect many horses are exercised or ridden when they are not fully hydrated as some riders will feed their horses then pull them, tack up and ride without the horse drinking.

Try this little experiment sometime soon: Rake or smooth over the dirt around your stock tank or water bucket so you can tell if a horse has went to the water. Throw your hay and monitor how long it takes your horse(s) to eat, how long they spend picking up the last pieces of hay spread around, and how long it takes them to get a drink. You may be surprised.......surprised at how long it takes them to drink after starting to eat, and if you can, monitor how much they drink. A couple of my horses will begin to drink about an hour and a half after eating and then each drinks a good three to four gallons of water. And I also have a horse who only drinks a gallon to a gallon and a half at any given time. So they are different and it's a good idea to know each one.

When dehydrated, horses will appear lethargic, have a dullness in the eyes, and may have a dry mouth even though you have your favorite sweat iron bit in their mouth.  They may not have peed or when they do the color is dark and may appear thick. The horse's skin will lose elasticity when dehydrated - you can check by pinching a fold of loose skin along the horse's neck or back then releasing it. A hydrated horse's skin will move smoothly back into place whereas a dehydrated horse's skin will stay tented for a bit.   The picture at left shows pinching the loose skin on the neck.  I will release and the skin should lay flat if the horse is hydrated. 


The picture below right shows the horse's upper gum line.  Using your finger or thumb, pressing into the gum for a second or two will push all the blood away from that spot, once you release the blood should flow back in a second or two.  If it takes more than that then it's a good chance the horse is dehyrdated.

Do the same for a horse as you would for a person you suspect of having a heat injury - get off their back, get them out of the Sun, a water bath can help evaporate cool thier skin and minimize the water the body is sending to their skin, and let them drink water.

Prevention is the key: Access to clean drinking water 24/7, providing a salt block for your horses, considering the horse's eating and drinking schedule - just feed them earlier enough so they can get a drink and be cognizant of the signs of heat injuries will help you have a safe ride for you and your horse.

Horses for Mounted Search and Rescue

I have received e-mails from mounted search and rescue organizations in four different states. Usually they are casting about for different opinions on what horsemanship skills are necessary to safely and successfully conduct search and rescue on horseback.

Most of these organizations are volunteer in nature sometimes affiliated with a County Sheriffs Office or associated with multiple Counties in rural areas where combining resources and skills are necessary. My hat is off to these people who volunteer to spend their own time and sometimes risk their own safety to search for and rescue those lost or injured. When I was involved in search and rescue missions as an Army Range Rider it was part of my job, so unlike these volunteer units I got paid to do it.  

I think the bottom line in mounted search and rescue (SAR) organizations are that the people and horses participating have to be competent enough out in the wilderness to minimize the risks of becoming an object of a rescue themselves.  This means pretty calm horses and fairly experienced riders. Horses who have problems with other horses being close to them, such as kicking, should probably not be part of a horseback SAR unit.

SAR horses should be accepting of new and various stimulus and this is usually accomplished through desensitizing exercises. You may not like the term "desensitizing", so just think of it as exposing the horse to new situations and stimulus where the horse learns to think before panicking. However, this takes a rider who is patient and does not push the horse before he is ready. The key point here is to get the horse to accepting.

The issue with the desensitizing on various objects is that the horse can become really good as recognizing and dismissing various stimulus (objects) at one place, but take him down the road and the same obstacles are different to him. Again, the whole idea in my way of thinking, is that the desensitizing is really getting your horse soft and accepting, and learning to think his way through problems.

I think it would be important to have routine or periodic training events, where the obstacles and rider/horse tasks are different. Some things that would be important to me are:

~ The horse leads up correctly; stops when asked and does not move forward unless cued.

~ The horse stands while mounting and does not move off unless cued.

~ The horse can back when asked, move his front end over and rear end over independent of each other, and both ways when asked.

~ Be able to turn in tight box- this is for dead end trails where you have little room to manuever.

~ The horse should be able to be ridden one handed, and while a reining prospect the horse need not be, being capable to be neck reined or ridden one handed is important, as the rider may have to use a radio or a flashlight, move low laying branches out of the way or do any other tasks with the other hand.

~ The horse should be okay with the rider putting on and taking off a coat or rain slicker. You should be able to spin a slicker around like you would a lariat as yellow slickers are also useful to get an over flying helicopter's attention.

~ Each horse should be broke to be ponied or to pony another horse in case you have to lead a horse out of the wilderness. Imagine one of your SAR team members hurt and having to be being MEDEVAC'ed - somebody will have to lead that horse out.

~ All the horses needs to load and transport in a trailer easily and calmly.   Train on using different trailers.   

~ Think of obstacles that the horses may encounter on a SAR mission: riding into a camp site with a smokey fire, seeing different colored sleeping bags laid out, maybe a tent with someone coming out of the tent as the horse approaches, riding through brush, mud, and water obstacles.

As you do obstacle training consider doing each obstacle as a group to ensure each horse and rider are going to be safe about it then work you way towards one horse and rider completing the obstacles with the rest of the group a significant distance away. For most horses, doing these by themselves, with their buddies not there with them, will be a whole different thing.

One time as an Army Range Rider I was riding in the rare instance where we rode as a team, this time there were three of us. A government agency was training Afghani pilots in large old Soviet Helicopters with flight routes in the remote areas we patrolled. The helicopter (an Mi-17 HIP - think school bus with rotors) spotted us and decided to fly and hover over the three of us. Two of our horses were initially spooked, spinning a circle before settling down,...completely understandable with a large, noisy object hovering 30 feet over our heads. However, the third horse bolted and ran through scrub creosote and uneven terrain. Everything worked out, no wrecks, except us getting on the radio and threatening to shoot down any more helicopters who did the same thing.

So if you could get a helicopter to fly over riders and their horses in a controlled manner that maybe be something to sack them out on especially if you face the possibility of MEDEVACing someone via helicopter. It would take several training passes, at decreasing altitudes, to get the horses understanding the helicopters are no threat.

Good luck and safe journey to all volunteer Mounted Search and Rescue Units.

Question on Horse's Head Position

Jaclyn wrote and asked me, "I am a pleasure rider and sometimes trail ride with a friend of mine who is taking lessons. Some of the time she has good tips to pass off to me but sometimes it makes riding not very fun. The latest thing she is trying to get me to do is to drop my horse's head and try to ride her with her head bowed but not long after I try to get my horse to drop her head she will stop become seemingly frustrated and toss her head. When I just ride her normally everything is fine. My favorite thing to do is to ride her in a big open field and just spend time with her, so how important is it to get my horse to drop her head or is this just for competitions?"

Hi Jaclyn, maybe your friend is just excited to share what she is learning. Your friend is seemingly explaining Collection, where the horse breaks at the poll placing the plane of their head, from forehead through the nose, perpindicular to the ground.  This does a couple things such as rounding the horse's back, helping to get the back end up and underneath the body, transferring weight from the front end, where the majority of the horse's body weight is, to the rear end for balance, quicker turns, stops and back ups. It shows an element of training, or softness on the horse's part that reflects the horse and rider's relationship.

It is most often attained by being in contact with the horse, through the reins and bit. From the pressure of being in contact, a horse will learn to drop it's nose fiding that release from that pressure.  So notice if your friend is riding with a taunt rein when she gets her horse to give his head and notice that she ain't always riding him like that cause it would wear him out, as it isn't a natrual headset or otherwise we wouldn't have to teach it, the horse would already be there.

Think of a boxer who keeps his chin tucked into his chest to protect against an uppercut punch. With his head tipped downwards he has to look out of the top of his eyes as opposed to the center of his eye. The boxer will get into this position as he gets close to his opponent because he has a purpose for that position - to protect his exposed chin, but he can't stay that way all the time, let alone hard enough for an entire 3 minute round as it is too fatiguing and un-natural. Go ahead and try this - stand straight up and look at something eye level. Then tuck your chin into your chest, your back should start to round, and continue looking at the object. See how long it takes for your neck and eyes to get tired. I think it's the same way for a horse. It is natural and more comfortable for them to have their head more forward and be looking through the center of their eyes.

So just like the boxer, the horse breaks at the poll and collects in order to establish a position, again a weight transfer from the front end to the back end, through rounding the back and making it easier to get the back end more underneath the body. This is particularly useful when backing the horse as it allows for the rear legs to be picked up more easily.  The picture above left is a horse standing with his natural head set on a loose rein.  The picture above at right shows a standing horse being asked to drop his head (notice the taunt rein) and collect for which I will reward him with a release of the pressure.  Eventually, the idea is to hold the contact at a point where the horse can bend at the poll, drop his nose to a position where he finds his own release.

The picture above left is a horse at the trot where he takes a natural head set that is comfortable to him.  The picture above right is the horse at the trot being asked to collect - he's not quite there yet but will be when his face is vertical and his poll is about the same level as his withers.  It will be hard to begin to train your horse to do this while he has forward momentum. Normally, the progression is to train your horse to break at the poll in ground training, then with you mounted while she is standing, eventually doing that while she is walking, then trotting and holding that position for longer and longer periods of time. Your mare tossing it's head is showing some frustration, most likely because she doesn't know what you are asking of her. As you are walking her and your friend trys to get you to get her collected through being in contact with her mouth through the reins ands bit, she is probably slowing or stopping because that is similiar to her for how you are getting her to stop.

I think you can ride all your life, not asking your horse to collect and you'll be fine, however getting your horse to be soft, to give and learn how to collect will help in so many other aspects of your riding.  I don't work a lot on collection except when asking my horses to back.  It makes it easier to back on an arc if they are collected and get their back end more underneath their body.  And it sure is pretty to watch a horse and rider screaming down an arena, head lowered and collected, and come to a stop with the back end sliding 20 feet.  Hope this helps you Jaclyn.  Safe Journey.

Lonnie's Horse Won't Back Anymore

Lonnie wrote me about her horse who is getting worse on backing up. As she tells it "Hello, I often read your site and decided to write about my horse Yankee. He is an 5 year old gelding who I bought 3 years ago but only really started riding him again late last year. He and I are both still rusty, but he is safe to ride. He re-learned quickly but within the last couple of months he is getting slow or stubborn on backing up. Not only is he slow to backup but now stops after a steo or two and throws his head up.ccCould this be a phase where I need to go to a different bit?"

Hey Lonnie, before you try some different leverage in your horse's mouth, I would start over teaching him to back on the ground then in the saddle. It may be that when you are asking him to back you are not providing enough release so your horse gets confused with what you are asking then just stops - the head tossing is a sign of frustration. It is pretty common actually, not providing a clear release, the late timing of the release or a inadvertant release where you acidentally teach the horse that the wring thing is the right thing.  

I would try to use as little pressure as I could and release upon his try. Be unmistakable on the release.  Then ask for alittle more. Give him time to think between asking.

Your timing on the release is key here. Once a front foot leaves the ground moving to the rear, release the pressure you have on his mouth through the bit. Same with your legs, if you are using them to help move his feet, release the pressure as he starts to move back.

Your release can be subtle and still provide your horse a understanding that he is doing the right thing. Again, this is common.....not providing a release and confusing the horse. Another mistake is the timing of the release as when we do not provide a release, then the horse just plain stops, then we release - we are actually teahes him that he id the right thing by stopping and not continuing to back.

Let me know how it's working out for you and Yankee. Safe Journey.

Question on Lunging a Horse

Haley wrote to say she has a 9 year old TB gelding, "Macho", previously owned by teenage girl who was given the horse from a racing stables. She wants to use the horse for pleasure riding and maybe start doing Western Showing with him. She is suspect that the girl sold Macho becaue he was too much horse for her. Haley say's that Macho is so hyped up he is hard to control. If she rides him 5 or 6 miles then he will normally be much calmer towards the end of the ride. Haley's friend suggested she lunge Macho before she rides him to "bleed off some energy" but Haley doesn't have a round pen for use, only an arena and a dressage field.

A round pen is a great tool because it has no corners and allows the horse to keep forward momentum and is generally safer than a pen with square corners.  Round pens are really necessary for free lunging horse also called lunging horses at liberty, meaning they are not constrained by a lead rope or lunge line.

I wasn't big on lunging horses on a line, but over the years I have came to recognize that lunging horses on a lead or lunge line is not only valid it is necessary to help them get soft, moving their feet, to face up and to move their hindquarters around.  I am not getting on horse if I can help it that can't be lunge on a line in circle and have some degree of softness.  I'd want to be able to move that horse around on a loose lead or lunge line, without him being bracy and be able to disengage his back end and have him face up at a minimum. 

Lunging your horse is not just to "bleed off excess energy", it also gives you a chance to do some ground work which is often the most neglected area of horse training. It gets the horse tuned to you before you ride him that day, as well as allows you to see any lameness problems.

So if you are using a lead or lunge line, you don't need a round pen. The arena or a flat section of ground will work.  In the photo above I am lunging a horse using the reins on a hackamore, not the best lunge line to use, but I am using it to warm him up and get an idea of where his mind is that morning.  I have seen people lunge their horses with the reins attached to a bit, which I highly suggest you don't do. 
Haley's friend's idea to lunge your horse before you ride him is a good idea. If don't have time to ride him on a particular day, lunging him for for whatever time you do have would be good for you both, providing that you end the ground training session on a good note.  I have 14 foot tie on lead ropes for my rope halters for this purpose.

I would also look at what you are feeding him as too much feed or the wrong types of feed can make him an "energetic horse".  But by far, probably the best thing you can do with him is to create alot of wet saddle blankets - riding him as often as you can and changing up the rides and routines. Ground work should be a part of it.

How Do I Get A Horse to Stop Pawing?

Clint, as well as a couple other people, have written to ask how do they get their horse's to stop pawing, which is an issue that has plagued many horses and owners over the years. In the past when I have been asked about pawing my usual response was, "If you get it figured out let me know", because this stymied me for quite a while.

Actually, I have had two horses who had pawing issues. I really don't care, nor respond to a horse that paws when I am entering in the pen or beginning to feed as I just don't see it often enough nor choose to make it a big deal. However, I don't like my horses to paw when they are tied. The reason a horse paws is usually because they are impatient, bored (same thing really) or have some anxiety. It can be associated with pain too, such as a gut ache or colic so you have to eliminate this as a cause.

The reason I don't like pawing when tied and especially when I am saddling is that it shows that the horse is not with you or not paying attention to you. Usually when this happens, I just get the horse's attention or make him move over to distract him. Sometimes as you are moving around getting tack, picking up grooming tools or prepping the trailer, a pawing horse just isn't cutting it.

I feel like I should be embarrased that years ago I tried pawing chains, which may be best described as dog collar like straps with a six inch piece of lightweight chain, which are intended to strap around the horse's hoof at the coronary band so when he paws the chain whip around and make it uncomfortable when he paws. These did not work for me.

I have seen pawing clamps advertised as well. These appear to be "U" type clamps that are placed around the top of the horse's hoof and also designed to make it uncomfortable when the horse paws. I passed on trying these.

One method to try and stop the pawing process is when the horse paws, pick him up and move his feet making it work and then offer him to stand still and tied again.  You want him to get the idea that standing still is a good thing - that's where he gets his rest.  However, the time it takes to untie him and get him moving makes this less effective.  A tie ring that will feed the rope out in a controlled manner can work, so the pawing problem can be addressed much like you would on a horse that can't stand still when tied. 

However, some horses, mine included, will only paw when you are too far away to address it in a timely manner.  For the two horse's of mine who had pawing problems, one of these horse's would usually not paw until I was 30 or 40 feet away doing something else, so I had to resolve this by tieing him and sitting about eight feet away off to the side and behind him with a lunge stick. When they would start to paw I would make a verbal warning and hit the ground with the lunge stick at the same time. This distracted them from pawing by getting attention on the noise I was making. I can't remember how long it took me on the first horse years ago to get him to stop pawing, but the second horse I only had to do this twice, and both times were also helpful for him to learn to stand tied and be patient.

A word or warning - don't start anything with a horse unless you have the time to see it through. I sat on an old tire behind and to the side of my horse, with my lunge stick, and just waited. This actually workd out for both of us....the horse learned to be patient,...we both got a rest,...........and my wife couldn't find me to tell me to do something.

Night Latches on Saddles

I have had a couple e-mails asking me about Night Latches on Saddles and if I have ever used one. A Night Latch is simply a piece of rope or leather strap ran through the gullet of your saddle and provides the rider something to hang onto as the horn of the saddle is tough to grasp - even tougher to hand onto if you have a wide Wade type horn.

The Night Latch got it's name from night riders watching over cattle herds. The rider would sink one of his hands into the night latch, much like a bull rider does on a bull riding rig, primarily so that if he fell asleep he would not necessarily fall off.

Night Latches have use when riding green broke horses as you can wrap your hand around the night latch, palm towards you and your elbow into your side to give you the best chance of riding out a bronc ride.

I have a Night Latch on my colt saddle and would not hestitate using one on any saddle or any horse if I thought I needed it.  The picture at left shows the part you would be holding onto.  I keep it just lose enough so I can rotate it to the other side of the horn, so if I'm riding in a halter using just the lead rope I can flip the lead rope to the other side and change the night latch to the opposite hand.   


I imagine in the old days Cowboys made Night Latches out of ropes, spare leather straps or even a spare belt. The Night Latches I use are from Craig Cameron, who calls his version a Harness Leather Bucking Strap, which is made out of premium harness leather with a quality buckle, visable in the picture at top right, made out of stainless steel I believe.   I had two of them at one time but I loaned one out and haven't got it back yet.  Again, you can use a belt, but you would not be disappointed in this thick harness leather bucking strap.

Riding into Rattlesnake Season

I try to write a annual warning on Rattlesnakes each spring. Much is the same on Rattlesnakes across different geographic areas - such as don't handle Rattlesnakes! - while the predominate species of Rattlesnake may be different across the country, down here in the desert Southwest, we mostly see Western Diamondbacks, Prarie Rattlers and sometimes in the rocky, mountainous areas Rock Rattlers, which are usually much smaller (and harder to see). 

When temperatures begin to warm in April, the rattlesnakes come out of hibernation. They remain near the den entrance for a few days to a couple weeks, hunting at night then moving off usually no more than a few miles from their winter dens.

During the mornings Rattlesnakes will seek the Sun to warm up, moving to shade for the hotter parts of the day, then back out into the Sun at the end of the day before moving off to hunt at night. In periods of higher winds blowing sand and dust, Rattlesnakes will seek protection as they have no conventional eye lids to protect their eyes.

It is a old myth that Rattlesnakes will always rattle if you are close, and always rattle before they strike. Often the first horse and rider, and maybe even the second will pass, before a Rattlesnake may rattle, which is an attempt to warn you off.

A Rattlesnake's young are born alive. The female Rattlesnake doesn't reproduce every year, usually just once every two to three years. An average Rattlesnake litter is anywhere from 4 to 10 babies, usually born as early as late June/early July through as late as September. Born, on average, around 10-12 inches long and without a rattle, only a button, the baby Rattlesnakes are fully venomous and are more dangerous than an adult Rattlesnake since they do not control the load of venom they inject, cannot rattle to warn you off, and are much smaller in size and harder to see.

Rattlesnakes acquire a new rattle each time they shed their skin, called molting. Sometimes this can happen a couple times a year, therefore number of rattles is no indicator of age.

Horses, because they investigate things with their head and nose, are often bitten on their muzzles. One of my horses, years ago, was bitten on the corner of his cheek and jaw which I attributed to his fast but not quite fast enough spook. Being bit on the nose can be life threatening as there is the possibility of the nasal passages swelling shut and cutting off air supply so the horse cannot breath.

I carry a 10 inch length of plastic tubing (nasal-gastric tubing is best but some people use sections of garden hose) so I can keep the air way open is my horse is bit. Ensure that the ends are beveled so as you insert the tubing into the horse's nostrils you won't cut his soft tissue up. Vaseline can be used to coat the tubing. I carry pieces of tubing lightly coated with bag balm and vacuum sealed in a small bag and placed into my saddlebags. If there is a substantial length of time between when the horse was bitten and you accessing some tubing, the nasal passages may be too swollen to emplace the tubes,...or they may not swell very much at all depending upon the amount of venom injected. In any case,...repeat, in any case call your Vet and get him/her enroute to you. I would not hestitate giving any of my horses a dose of banamine, but I suggest if you keep Banamine on hand then to get the advice of a Vet before giving it to your horse.

This will make some reptile lovers mad, but if I encounter a Rattlesnake fairly close to where livestock or people are,....I kill them. If we are far away from civilization, I leave them alone. Last year I did not even see, let alone kill, even one Rattlesnake and I averaged two rides into the desert a week. The year before that I saw and killed two and the year before that 4.

There is a Rattlesnake vaccine available for horses. I have not given it to any of my horses, and don't believe I will in the future. But it is an option. I believe it requires a series of three shots followed by boosters every six months.

Chances are that most people will never encounter a rattlesnake, but there is always the chance, so be careful and have a safe ride.  

Equine Neurological Diseases

The only experience I have had with horses and severe neurological disease was with a horse brought into the stables I was managing, and while in quarantine the horse became symptomatic for and diagnosed with West Nile Virus (WNV). This was around 2004 when WNV was spreading throughout the southern United States.

This particular horse, a flea bitten colored grade gelding, was not in the best condition coming into quarantine as he was bought from the local horse auction where most of the horses went to the killer market. After several days in quarantine this horse started showing signs of severe lethargy, walking stiff and having balance problems. Almost falling over when he tried to turn around. This makes you heart sick to see a horse in this condition.

Other symptoms of West Nile could have included: muscle twitches or tremors; behavior that appears to be depression - pushing head into a wall or fence; tongue sticking out seemingly paralyzed.

We got a Vet in to take blood and it was confirmed that the horse has WNV. We weren't too worried about infection of the horses in the main barn since WNV is transmitted by mosquitoes, with symptoms appearing in a horse 5 days to two weeks from when bitten/infected and the barn was mosquitoe free. I also had bug people from the hospital set traps just to make sure.  Plus WNV cannot be transmitted from one horse to another. Still, the fact that our quaratine was 300 yards or more from the main barn and arenas was comforting.

So the only thing we could do was provide supportive care....Bute, Banamine, and placing water buckets at various levels so the horse could drink easier. I also put bucket loads of sand in a quarantine stall we moved him to in case he fell over, which would not be uncommon to a WNV positive horse.

This horse actually recovered. I hauled him to a family with two young boys who adopted him and were eventually team roping off of this gelding.  There is a even chance this horse can live asympamatic the rest of his life.  

This bulletin, below, came from Western Horseman advertising a television presentation on Equine Neurological Diseases. You can receive e-mail notifications from Western Horseman as well through contacting Western Horseman at info@mktg.westernhorseman.com

Equine neurological diseases have been on the rise over the last few years. Last year, 618 equine cases of WNV were reported, up from 87 in 2011. And in 2011 the infamous EHV-1 outbreak that started in Utah caused significant nationwide concern. Do you know the signs or what to look for if you suspect your horse may be affected? Join us for a one-hour presentation on what you can do to protect your horse from these devastating diseases.

Neurological Diseases: How to protect your horse. On RFD-TV • Monday, April 15, 2013 • 8 p.m. ET.

The show will be broadcast live from Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery in Weatherford, TX with an in-studio audience. Our experts will discuss:

• Preventing horses from contracting WNV

• Importance of biosecurity to protect against EHV-1

• Diagnosing signs and risk factors of EPM

• Additional neurological diseases

Sponsored by Merck Animal Health, the show features leading experts to answer questions from the studio audience, including:

Joe Manning, D.V.M., M.B.A. Equine Technical Services Veterinarian, Merck Animal Health

Chris Ray, D.V.M., Dipl. ACVS Owning Partner, Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery

and, Reese Hand, D.V.M., Dipl. ACVS Associate, Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery

Reins to Bit Connections

Austin wrote to say, "I found your site the other day and I have already read a good portion of it. I have read few horse blogs from time to time and I have found yours to be one of the best. You have some very good info and interesting opinions. Mostly though it is your approach that I really like. Anyway I was hoping that you would way in on what if any effect using metal rein clips vs something that doesn't vibrate like slobber straps. Does it bother the horse or affect command input? Or anything else that comes to mind. Thank you and don't squat with your spurs on. - Austin"

Thanks for your comments and the advice about squatting with spurs, Austin. I have done some dumb ass things in my life, but I have yet to impale my butt with a spur rowel.  Even when I was young where I would often hear my Pa say "Boy, you're so smart you must have two brains,....one the size of a pea and the other a little bitty thing."

Back to your question,.....I don't know if I'm that concerned about vibration, or noise for that matter, coming from metal snaps connecting reins to the bit. I think the biggest reasons people would use metal snaps to connect reins to a bit are that many reins they buy already have them as an attachment, and it is also a matter of convenience.

I would think that the weight of metal snaps connecting reins to a bit would serve as a preparatory signal as the reins are started to be picked up changing the feel of the weight of the bit to the horse. I think that slobber straps serve the same purpose. Look at the picture at top - right showing reins connected to a snaffle bit using metal snaps.  Notice that the reins are loose and the weight of the metal snap allows them to hang down with loose reins.  Once these reins are began to be picked up the weight shift of the metal snaps on the snaffle can be felt by the horse through the bit in his mouth.  So the weight change of the connecting metal snaps hanging down when the reins are loose, then going horizontal as the reins are picked up, would probably be less evident if the rider had really quick hands.    

While I have some reins with snap connectors of various types, they do have springs which eventually get oxidized and sticky, or the spring strength weakens or gets dirty - all of these impacting the integrity of the connection, but fixable with some routine maintenance - a small brush, maybe a can of compressed air and a drop of WD-40 would fix most connector issues.  I wouldn't try to clean my metal snaps with a can of compressed air while they were hooked to the bit in a horse's mouth, though....just saying....  In the picture above you see reins attached using snaps to a curb bit.  In the photo on left the rider has a little contact with the horse and as the reins are picked up the slack in the reins is taken out and the horse begins to collect.  I think the weight provided by metal snaps aids in the subtle signals to the horse.  By the way, that's my lovely wife on the other end of the reins and one of her horses, Charlie, above.
 

Slobber straps, in the pictures at left are normally used with round reins, like rope reins, or a mecate (also called McCarthy reins), and of course are less quicker to change out than reins with metal snaps. But I prefer slobber straps when I can use them.  You can see in the picture at far left the Slobber Straps are handing down with a loose rein.  Once the reins are picked up, the Slobber strap goes horizontal changing the weight on the bit, which is evident to the horse, so again a preparatory command.  

Going Bitless?

Over the last couple of years I have had several people write me with positive comments about riding in a Hackamore or riding bitless like I am some throwback to the pre-industrial age.  And while I have been accused of being a cave man by my wife,... for the record, I have nothing against bits.  I used to ride my primary horse, Junior, in a broken bit with short shanks that some people call an "Argentinian snaffle" but is really not a snaffle because it had shanks, and of course shanks provide leverage.

Junior will never again be ridden in anything by a Hackamore since he cut his toungue several years ago, and while his toungue is fully healed, I just don't have a need to use anything else with him.  In the picture at top left, I am holding a hackamore on the left and on the right, a bridle with a snaffle bit.  In the picture below, on the left I am holding a broken bit, with shanks - this is what some call the Argentinian Snaffle but it is not really a snaffle at all.  The true Snaffle bit is on the right. 

So I am not going bitless with Junior because I have something against bits. In the past I have used several different types of bits. I think excellent horsemen can actually use the differences in bits, of which some are large differences and some just subtle. I ain't one of them.  Years ago I gave up using a correction bit on a horse when I figured it out that I didn't know what I was trying to correct in the first place.

Bits, even spade bit and sliding gag bits, are not by themselves dangerous. Same as a gun,...just a tool. But any bit in the hands of someone who just doesn't know how to use it or is heavy handed, it can hurt a horse and probably ruin him to a bit, or at least have that horse expecting the worst from people when a piece of metal is shoved into his mouth.

Some people believe, me among them, that horses can get stale riding them in the same bit, so the occassional switch to a hackamore or a different bit can be a good thing, as long as you are fair and judicious in using it.  

If your horse is soft in the bit or rig you ride him in and he does what you ask him to, without bracing or head tossing, then there is nothing to say you ever have to ride him in anything different. Some people can get by in a snaffle bit all their life. Throw in a good hackamore with that and I'm one of those people.

Sharps Carbine as a Saddle Gun

I was asked recently "what I thought of a Sharps Carbine as a Saddle Gun?"

The Sharps Rifle and Carbine are great rifles with a lot of history particularly in the Old West, replacing muzzle loaders and providing a greatly extended range for hunting which made the Sharps Rifle a favorite of Buffalo hunters. The picture at left is the excellent Uberti reproduction of a Sharps carbine, priced at $1,739.

The Sharps is a single shot rifle, using a lever much like a lever action Winchester, to drop a locking block and exposing the chamber to load a cartridge. The most common chambering or cartridge for the Sharps is in .45-70 also called .45 Government.

In 1874, after 700 Comanche warriors attacked approximately 30 buffalo hunters in the Texas panhandle, at a place called Adobe Wells, the buffalo hunters situated here held off the Comanches for 4 days until re-enforcements arrived. This is the famous fight where Billy Dixon made a reported 1,000 yard+ shot on a Comanche Warrior using his Sharps, believed to be in .50-110. The Comanches warriors were killed at ranges they thought they were safe at.

The Sharps rifles are commonly in 32 to 34 inch barrels, although I have one in a 29 inch barrel length. The Sharps carbine has a 22 inch barrel. Weighing in at around 10.5 lbs, and being a single shot rifle, the Sharps carbine may not be the best saddle gun depending on your need to carry a rifle. Even the U.S. Cavalry carrying a similar type carbine, the single shot Trapdoor Springfield, would primarily use their six shot revolvers or sabres before using the carbine on horseback.

More sources for the Sharps rifle/carbine:

C. Sharps Arms Inc.

Shiloh Sharps Rifles

Cimarron Firearms Company



I have never carried my Sharps rifle on horseback. I prefer a lever action, repeating rifle such as the Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 or a Marlin Model 1895 in .45-70. However, many did carry the Sharps or Springfields while in the saddle, sometimes using the saddle ring to secure the gun with saddle strings, which I'm sure gave way to carrying the rifle horizontally between the rider and the swell of the saddle.

For The Love Of A Horse Benefit

I am posting this in support of For The Love Of A Horse, a horse rescue organization.

Save the Date!

The 2nd Annual "Fore" the Love of a Horse Golf Classic is just around the corner! Registration is now open, Monday, March 4, 2013.

Please join us for a great day of golf, fun and prizes. You don't need to play golf to make a difference in the lives of horses or your community.

Register online at www.fortheloveofahorse.org If you can't join us, please consider one of our sponsorship opportunities, donation to our silent auction, prizes or simply a cash donation. No donation is too big or too small! Thank you for helping us, help them!

Warmest regards, Miaka D. Palmieri, President, "For The Love Of A Horse"  Miaka@fortheloveofahorse.org
Telephone: 404.680.0392

Hoof Supplements: Carolyn's Question

Carolyn Moore left a comment on this site: "Very informative blog you got here. Ever considered adding a post about hoof supplements? I think it would make a great addition to the site. :)"

Thanks for your comments Carolyn.  Years ago my horse shoer was shoeing Border Patrol horses on contract and met a student at New Mexico State University who was finishing his Doctorate, in some field related to ruminant management or equine nutrition, who was contracted himself to evaluate how the Border Patrol was feeding their horses. The student, Justin, was also a hand with horses having previous worked on a ranch and feedlots in Kansas, so my shoer invited him when it was time to trim and shoe horses at the stables I was managing years ago.

Since, at the time I had three horses to be shod and also held horses for other people, I spent the whole day, every six weeks, at the farrier's stand with these two and was able bother Justin with questions about equine nutrition and supplements. I remember Justin was not too supportative of supplements in general, but did say something to the effect that if any supplements work, then hoof supplements would be it, providing they have the necessary amounts of Biotin, Methoinine and Lysine in the formulation.

I actually contracted Justin at a later date to give a presentation on equine nutrition, which resulted in some people quiting their practice of feeding sweet feed and probably creating some grateful horses as well, as some needed more feed and other less.

Back to horse feet and supplements,.........my 22 year old roping horse turned up three legged lame one day and a subsequent vet check and x-ray revealed that he had broke the wing of his coffin bone in his rear, right hoof. My shoer said that he had only seen that twice before, on much younger horses, and that he had success in getting these horses sound again. If I was willing to try to bring my horse back to soundness, he was willing to try.

My shoer fitted bar shoes on my horse for 9 or 10 months and I kept that horse on Horseshoer's Secret hoof supplement. When the last bar shoe came off we had the same Vet take x-rays again, but the Vet was pretty sure because of the age of the horse that he would not be healed. I had a feeling he was wrong, and I was right as the x-rays revealed a complete heeling of the coffin bone. While my shoer deserves most of the credit, I do believe the hoof supplements provided the necessary nutrients for the hoof to heal as best it could.

Today, my main horse is Junior, just a grade horse out of Mexico. Hoof problems are pretty common in horse's who do not get consistently good feed, but when I bought Junior years ago my shoer said his feet were in terrible shape,......big outside flairs in the bars, thin hoof walls, dropped heel bulbs on one back foot. My shoer did not have much hope of this horse turning out to be a good horse for my horseback law enforcement duties in the back country. But Junior never failed me,..never lost a shoe except the time we were loping and hit a sink hole where he over stepped and sprung a front shoe which I had to finish pulling off....that's were a Hoof Wraps bandage came in handy to protect that foot as we moved back to the horse trailer.

I also put Junior on hoof supplements, alternating between Farriers Formula and Horseshoer's Secret. My shoer did his usual great job, but still today he say's Junior's feet are still terrible, but he also remarks that Junior's soles are healthy and he grows alot of foot between shoeing. I attribute that to good, consistent feed and the hoof supplements.

So Carolyn now that I've bored you to death, the bottom line is that I do believe hoof supplements work. But also believe that not all horses need them, and that a horse would have to be on hoof supplements for 9 months or more to be able to tell a difference. Hoof supplements can't fix conformational problems, but can (I believe) give your horse the nutrients for as healthy of feet that is possible for him - combined with good farrier care and consistent, good feed.  And if you put a horse on good hoof supplements, then consider not telling your farrier and see if he or she notices a difference.