On a regular basis it is easy to find information on how to properly haul your horse and check your rig for general road worthiness, but rarely is the topic discussed in more depth than the absolute basics.
Did you know that most trailer accidents are caused from being rear ended by other drivers?
Do you know that lack of trailer visibility is a leading cause of all multi-vehicle trailer accidents?
Recently I had the amazing opportunity to attend a Awareness Level- Technical Large Animal Emergency Response Course offered by TLEAR.org, the Texas State Horse Council, and Texas A&M Engineering Extension Office. In this course we learned the ins and outs of large animal rescue from trailer accidents to just about every other rescue situation imaginable. I highly recommend that every horse lover consider signing up for this class when offered in your area (or in a reasonable distance) you will walk away with a whole new appreciation for the worse case scenario.
But back to this blog post here are a few of the major road safety tips I took away from the 2 day course.
1. Every horse/livestock trailer should have more reflective tape than a fire truck. Especially on the back of the trailer and tape on both on the top and bottom of the trailer for better overall visibility in hilly regions. Even a white or silver trailer can be invisible (until it is too late) to other drivers especially at night.
2. It is not the wear on the tires but the age of them that can cause them to blow out and cause accidents. Learn learn how to check the date of your tires. Even new tires from the shop can be older (so check the date before install). Most trailer tires should be replaced (even if not worn) every 6-7 years.
3. Every trailer should have at least two (or the average number of people in rig) reflective construction vests that should immediately be put on by everyone outside of the vehicle in the case you are forced to work roadside. Reflective leg and tail wraps for the horses are also recommended.
4. When hauling a few horses it is safest to haul your horses over the axles, if in a two horse straight load and only hauling one horse the horse should be placed on the driver's side.
5. Since most multi vehicle trailer accidents are caused by rear ending the animal placed in the last stall is the most likely to incur serious injury. When you have the option consider leaving the last stall empty. For example you have a 4 horse trailer but are only hauling two, put your horses in spaces 2-3 instead of 3-4 even if it means having to shovel the poo from farther up the trailer.
6. In some states/and counties the fire department (usually first to respond) is not allowed to enter your glove compartment to look for information on your animals in case you are severely injured and unable to provide information. For best results In Case of Emergency Information should be in your trailer itself. Consider placing ICE in here stickers and a resealable vinyl pouch Velcro-ed to the inside of your escape and back trailer doors.
7. In this pouch you should have a letter to responders, a limited power of attorney authorizing someone (usually not in the truck with you) to make sound medical judgments for your animals in case you are unable to do so, in addition to a copy of your coggins and registration papers of horses you normally haul. Also consider placing a medical limit (for reasonable veterinary care) written on on coggins or papers for each animal. Without this information emergency responders and the on scene veterinarian will be unable to act in your horse's behave and provide much needed euthanasia if you are in the hospital unable to provide consent and or you may be subject to $$$$$$ in veterinary bills you are unable to pay (and a animal with a poor long term life outcome) which you would have not consented if available to respond.
8. Consider placing a simple trailer description in this emergency packet to aid in safe animal extraction. Note managers, gates (number and which side they normally swing from),any special features such as propane, water tanks (black water), and gas and even a simple hand drawn diagram. Many first responders are not experienced with trailer configurations and this information can be extremely helpful for all parties involved.
Hopefully you will never have to face a trailer accident situation but following the above tips can greatly aid in a positive outcome for both you and your beloved horses.
If you enjoyed and found this information helpful and informative please feel free to share this post on facebook to better raise awareness.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Choosing the right equine professional
From sellers not being honest, to professionals not caring for their animals, to boarding barn drama I've watched quite a bit of negative stuff unfold on social media recently.
Choosing a professional to work with can be daunting (with so much at stake) but there are a few things horse lovers can look for to hopefully avoid getting taken advantage of.
1. Selling green horses/unbroke (old enough to be started) without at least 30 days of riding.- A reputable trainer knows that takes months and years to create a solid mount and that you can not know a horse's true nature, deposition, and ability in just a few rides. Those who offer horses with less than 30 days are usually more interested in the money than the horse and the person who ends up buying them.
2. In depth Testimonials- It's super easy to say someone is great. Look for testimonials with real sustenance and reasons why someone is great instead of generic buzz words. And of course the more in depth/detailed testimonials the better.
3. References and Referrals- A reputable trainer should have scores of happy customers of whom are more than willing to share their experiences with others if asked. If you are considering putting a horse into training or buying one ask to be put in contact (or seek them out for yourself) with people who have done the same.
4. How they keep and talk about their own horses- Is every horse on the place (unless a single rescue or two in rehab) in excellent shape? Are they super secretive about their horse life? If they are on facebook (and use it regularly) do they talk about and share their personal horse life like a regular horse lover?
5. If they regularly offer horses for sale who is buying them?- A professional with a good local reputation will usually have local/regional people seeking out and buying their horses.
6. How and how often they advertise?- Everyone has to start somewhere but if a professional has been in business for awhile and has a good reputation they usually don't have to advertise for new clients every single week.
7. General life stability/ consistency- Everyone moves from time to time and has an occasional rough patch but constant turmoil and change in a professional's personal and or professional life can also be a red flag.
8. Birds of a feather tend to flock together- shady professionals usually get a long fairly well other shady professionals. A person's personal and professional connections can provide some insight into one's character.
9. Can you see the results/ improvement?- If you run across clients of a professional and or horse's they've sold how are they? Every professional has a few clients who don't listen (or are not there best representation as to what they can do depending on the circumstances) but as a whole their should be some constancy in a professional's work as seen by the public. If someone you know starts working with a professional can you see good improvement at a reasonable pace (considering the circumstances)?
10. Talk with other equine professionals- Farriers, feed stores, and other equine service professionals can provide much needed insight into the real workings and business practices of a professional you are considering working with.
Of course the above list is only one person's opinion and cannot be accurately applied to every equine professional in every situation, but in creating this list I hope to help horse owners seeking help and horses to avoid getting taken advantage of by those who give the profession as a whole a bad reputation.
Choosing a professional to work with can be daunting (with so much at stake) but there are a few things horse lovers can look for to hopefully avoid getting taken advantage of.
1. Selling green horses/unbroke (old enough to be started) without at least 30 days of riding.- A reputable trainer knows that takes months and years to create a solid mount and that you can not know a horse's true nature, deposition, and ability in just a few rides. Those who offer horses with less than 30 days are usually more interested in the money than the horse and the person who ends up buying them.
2. In depth Testimonials- It's super easy to say someone is great. Look for testimonials with real sustenance and reasons why someone is great instead of generic buzz words. And of course the more in depth/detailed testimonials the better.
3. References and Referrals- A reputable trainer should have scores of happy customers of whom are more than willing to share their experiences with others if asked. If you are considering putting a horse into training or buying one ask to be put in contact (or seek them out for yourself) with people who have done the same.
4. How they keep and talk about their own horses- Is every horse on the place (unless a single rescue or two in rehab) in excellent shape? Are they super secretive about their horse life? If they are on facebook (and use it regularly) do they talk about and share their personal horse life like a regular horse lover?
5. If they regularly offer horses for sale who is buying them?- A professional with a good local reputation will usually have local/regional people seeking out and buying their horses.
6. How and how often they advertise?- Everyone has to start somewhere but if a professional has been in business for awhile and has a good reputation they usually don't have to advertise for new clients every single week.
7. General life stability/ consistency- Everyone moves from time to time and has an occasional rough patch but constant turmoil and change in a professional's personal and or professional life can also be a red flag.
8. Birds of a feather tend to flock together- shady professionals usually get a long fairly well other shady professionals. A person's personal and professional connections can provide some insight into one's character.
9. Can you see the results/ improvement?- If you run across clients of a professional and or horse's they've sold how are they? Every professional has a few clients who don't listen (or are not there best representation as to what they can do depending on the circumstances) but as a whole their should be some constancy in a professional's work as seen by the public. If someone you know starts working with a professional can you see good improvement at a reasonable pace (considering the circumstances)?
10. Talk with other equine professionals- Farriers, feed stores, and other equine service professionals can provide much needed insight into the real workings and business practices of a professional you are considering working with.
Of course the above list is only one person's opinion and cannot be accurately applied to every equine professional in every situation, but in creating this list I hope to help horse owners seeking help and horses to avoid getting taken advantage of by those who give the profession as a whole a bad reputation.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Why I haven't been doing groundwork with the 15 month old colt
Why I haven't been doing groundwork with the 15 month old colt.
Yes, you read the title right.
At 15 months of age I haven't done any Anderson/Parelli/Anyone Else style groundwork with Mozzie. He hasn't been lunged or schooled in any games or published exercises.
To be quite frank at 15 months of age I don't NEED him to do any of those things. The month before I start him under saddle when his knees have closed is when I will really hunker down and teach him all that. But until then I have tried my best to grow his mind in other ways.
Instead of groundwork he has...
Tied- Tied to the trailer, the fence (secure of course), trees, on a high line, etc and at multiple locations.
Lived in the herd- Mozzie has been in over 5 different herds (horse combinations). As a result he has learned equine language, herd dynamic, and all around horsey (grumpy mare) etiquette.
Traveled- He has hauled numerous times in 3 different trailers to multiple locations.
Learned basic life skills- Leading respectfully, bathing, blanketing, fly spraying, clipping, hoof trimming, grooming, etc.
Learned to respect people- Both when in hand and loose in the pasture. He yields to pressure and is very respectful of space.
Ponied- He has been ponied off several horses in different groups of horses, crossed multiple bodies of water, and numerous hills and other varied terrain where he has learned the value of watching his step and watched countless good role models tackle those same feats.
Desensitized- He has been in plastic bottle boxes, cowboy curtains, pool noodle car washes, and experienced countless other spooks.
Yes, you read the title right.
At 15 months of age I haven't done any Anderson/Parelli/Anyone Else style groundwork with Mozzie. He hasn't been lunged or schooled in any games or published exercises.
To be quite frank at 15 months of age I don't NEED him to do any of those things. The month before I start him under saddle when his knees have closed is when I will really hunker down and teach him all that. But until then I have tried my best to grow his mind in other ways.
Instead of groundwork he has...
Tied- Tied to the trailer, the fence (secure of course), trees, on a high line, etc and at multiple locations.
Lived in the herd- Mozzie has been in over 5 different herds (horse combinations). As a result he has learned equine language, herd dynamic, and all around horsey (grumpy mare) etiquette.
Traveled- He has hauled numerous times in 3 different trailers to multiple locations.
Learned basic life skills- Leading respectfully, bathing, blanketing, fly spraying, clipping, hoof trimming, grooming, etc.
Learned to respect people- Both when in hand and loose in the pasture. He yields to pressure and is very respectful of space.
Ponied- He has been ponied off several horses in different groups of horses, crossed multiple bodies of water, and numerous hills and other varied terrain where he has learned the value of watching his step and watched countless good role models tackle those same feats.
Desensitized- He has been in plastic bottle boxes, cowboy curtains, pool noodle car washes, and experienced countless other spooks.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
The Horse Course- Free Educational Opportunities
It is no secret that I love learning and that I have spent most of my life studying all aspects of the horse.
Recently I stumbled upon Coursera, a completely free online database with college courses being offer on every subject imaginable taught by facility from over 80 universities from across the globe. (I'm also taking a baby nutrition and cooking course found here. This is the best website I've found in years.)
This month I have been taking the The Horse Course offer by the University of Florida and have really enjoyed it.
And later I will also be taking the Equine Nutrition Course being offered early next year by the University of Edinburgh.
What are some ways that you continue your equine education?
Recently I stumbled upon Coursera, a completely free online database with college courses being offer on every subject imaginable taught by facility from over 80 universities from across the globe. (I'm also taking a baby nutrition and cooking course found here. This is the best website I've found in years.)
This month I have been taking the The Horse Course offer by the University of Florida and have really enjoyed it.
And later I will also be taking the Equine Nutrition Course being offered early next year by the University of Edinburgh.
What are some ways that you continue your equine education?
Friday, May 30, 2014
I Like The Sound That You Make- All Your Horse Really Wants
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| not my image, thanks internet! |
I really couldn't put it any better myself.
All your horse wants is for you to shut up.
He looks for ways every ride to get you to quit.
If you just shut up when he is doing it right, he will do it again to shut you up in the future.
By quitting at the right time and not pestering him (micromanaging) when he is doing it right you can always maintain a happy and willing partner.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Food for Thought- The Importance of Properly Feeding the Growing Horse
I had a fantastic weekend out at the competitive trail ride in our area. I was able to ride with people I hadn't seen in years (due to pregnancy and motherhood) and all in all had a smashingly good time.
After the ride I ate a late lunch with my mother, friend, and another friend who is a vet.
As always the topic was of course on horses and since all three besides myself have been looking at young horses the conversation veered in the direction of the importance of proper nutrition for the growing horse.
As trainers Mom and I voiced our concern for the structure of the horse starved while growing up.
Considering how horses mature at a much faster than a human I asked the Vet how old a yearling horse would be using a human time line and she replied. "About the same as a 8 year old child."
Which means that a horse starved for the first year of it's life has really been starved the first 8 years of it's life when comparing it to the human growth timeline.
As the thought rippled throughout the group the Vet (of 20 years) then piped up again, "And it is not even about the body and end health of the animal. The first year of every animal's life is when they have the most development of their brain and cognitive processes. If they are not fed well, how can they think well?"
I had always known that starving a young animal was very bad for the development overall but I had never stopped to consider the effects that it could have to the brain and an animal's ability to think.
And once seen in this light the phase "Food for Thought" takes on a whole other meaning.
After the ride I ate a late lunch with my mother, friend, and another friend who is a vet.
As always the topic was of course on horses and since all three besides myself have been looking at young horses the conversation veered in the direction of the importance of proper nutrition for the growing horse.
As trainers Mom and I voiced our concern for the structure of the horse starved while growing up.
Considering how horses mature at a much faster than a human I asked the Vet how old a yearling horse would be using a human time line and she replied. "About the same as a 8 year old child."
Which means that a horse starved for the first year of it's life has really been starved the first 8 years of it's life when comparing it to the human growth timeline.
As the thought rippled throughout the group the Vet (of 20 years) then piped up again, "And it is not even about the body and end health of the animal. The first year of every animal's life is when they have the most development of their brain and cognitive processes. If they are not fed well, how can they think well?"
I had always known that starving a young animal was very bad for the development overall but I had never stopped to consider the effects that it could have to the brain and an animal's ability to think.
And once seen in this light the phase "Food for Thought" takes on a whole other meaning.
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