Vet clinic clients raise cash for Horse Trust

An open day run by a veterinary clinic in Britain has earned much needed funds for The Horse Trust.
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Vaccinate horses against rabies - AAEP

Horse owners in the United States are being urged to vaccinate their animals against rabies by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
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Vet body issues guidelines over competition horses

The owners of competition horses should obtain a clear diagnosis before administering treatment, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) says.
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Whip changes show "we will make difficult decisions"

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will continue to make difficult decisions in the interests of the sport, chairman Paul Roy says.
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Want to try driving? Here's your chance

A British initiative is aiming to get 200 mature adults into the sport of carriage driving and have them stay in the sport.
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Wisconsin racks up 25 cases of mosquito-borne disease

Twenty-five cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) have been confirmed in Wisconsin since mid-August, according to state Veterinarian Dr Robert Ehlenfeldt.
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Boomerang

Like Hans Gunter Winkler's Halla, Eddie Macken's Boomerang was a horse in a lifetime. When he retired in 1980, his money winnings were in the region of a quarter of a million pounds, which at that time no other horse had achieved. To this day no one has equalled his record four consecutive victories in the British Jumping Derby at Hickstead, and he was, in addition, one of the most consistent Grand Prix horses of all…
As is so often the case, it was pure chance which brought Eddie Macken and Boomerang together.  Macken had ridden him as a youngster in Ireland and found him a difficult horse: he had mouth problems and a tendency to stop.

The County Tipperary-bred gelding, by the Thoroughbred stallion Battleburn, passed through several yards before Paul Schockemohle bought him for £15,000, a big sum in the seventies for a horse with his problems. It was during the mid-seventies, when Macken was based at Schockemohle's yard in Germany, that he came to be given the ride on Boomerang.

At that stage the gelding filled the role of Schockemohle's speed horse. Macken was responsible for schooling him, and his wife, Suzanne, did much to sweeten the horse's temperament by taking him out hacking away from the work environment.

Just before the Wiesbaden Show of 1975 Macken, who found himself without a good horse of his own, took over the ride on Boomerang thanks to Schockemohle, who told him to keep him 'until you get a better horse'. The new partnership won the Grand Prix at that show and for the next five years proved to be one of the hardest to beat on the international circuit.

The highlights of Boomerang's career included those four Hickstead Derby victories, in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 (in 1976 and 1978 he jumped a clear round); a near miss in the 1978 World Championships, when Macken lost the change-horse final by only a quarter of a time fault, and in which Boomerang became only the third horse in the history of the championships to go clear with all four riders; and another near miss in the 1979 European Championships, when a controversial 4 faults at the water left him in fourth place.

Grand Prix wins included London, St Gallen, New York, La Baule, Brussels, Gothenburg, Nice, Rome, Aachen and Calgary.

Retired in 1980, he had to be put down on 20 May 1983 through ill-health and was buried at Eddie Macken's stud in Kells.

Boomerang's fame and popularity are well portrayed in a story related by a member of the equestrian press. Because of the horse's mouth problems, Eddie Macken habitually rode him in a hackamore, a bitless bridle. On one occasion at a big English show, when another horse came into the arena sporting an identical bridle, a young spectator was heard to say to her companion, 'Oh look, he's wearing a Boomerang!
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Zebra grazing can help African cattle - study

Researchers have dispelled the notion that cattle and zebra are always competing for food on the African savannah.
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Vet's candour, sensitivity commended

An American vet's help at a California rescue which cares for equines with complicated conditions has been acknowledged by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
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Horse Saddles and the Quality of Italian Leather

Italian leather it's not only about shoes, bags and Christmas presents. Horse riding is heavily involved with leather with saddles, reins and horse harnesses components. The better the quality of the leather, and the manufacturing of course, the better the harnesses will serve to the scope, might it be competition or fun, in whatever discipline. Main subject of the present discussion is horse saddle. What's the importance of the correct choice of a saddle? How can it affect the feeling between man and horse and ultimately their joint performance? How can the quality of the leather influence the above? Hold on, or, to stick to the matter, "hold your horses", we'll go into each single point. As a soft start, why saddles are used in the first place?
Response: support (as a primary purpose). A saddle will support the driver, giving more stability with its ergonomics. And it will support the animal by distributing your weight on a bigger portion of his back. The latter aspect tends to remain in the background so that many people are unaware of it (clearly referring to non Pro here) but its importance is extremely relevant as it translates in a useful recommendation: when it comes to choosing your saddle, seek for one that fits both yourself and the horse. That brings in some complications. If you wanted to follow the advice fully, you would need not only to try the saddle's seance yourself, but ideally try it on your horse. That is generally easier with second hand saddles but it might be complicate with new ones.
Solutions here might be different and range from basing the choice on the horse's withers measure to preparing a sort of template shape of your horse to avoid to bring the bulky "original" along. Whatever your method will be, the message is hopefully clear: make sure that saving your money for your saddle now will not mean spending a fortune for veterinary services in the future to fix the issues caused by a wrong saddle! Your horse's health in relation to saddle choice is something that should worry you on the medium or long run, but still the short run can be affected. It goes without saying that if you choose a saddle that hurts your horse somewhere, interferes with his shoulder's movements or makes him suffer somehow, you should not expect 100% performance.
What to say about the quality of the leather? We said that the saddle primary purpose is supporting. Support should be guaranteed along with the necessary softness to not hurt the horse (and yourself of course!) and materials should be elastic enough not to over-tighten. And you want your saddle to last as much as possible. Quality of the leather affects all the above. Italian leather is famous to excel at this, by selecting best materials, tanning and handcrafting leathers with ancient traditions remained unaltered as unaltered is the final result.

With more than two generations expertise in creating harnesses for turnouts and restoring period carriages, Moirano is the lead brand for equestrian equipment, saddles and fine harness for horses.
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Horse Saddles: Why Is It Necessary?

We have seen a lot of accidents and mishaps shown in television that involves horse back riding. There are those that involve failure in implementing their equipments and safety measures that have lead them into accidents that involves breaks in their legs, backs and even death. Whether you are a beginner an enthusiast or a fan of his port, you always want to be safe and you want to continually enjoy the full enjoyment that you have in riding your horse. That is why it is really necessary to keep the safe measures implemented especially in the equipment that you are suing. One of this equipment to ensure one's safety while riding on a horse's back is the horse saddle.
Horse saddle is used to keep the rider in the back of the horse as safe as possible. They are made into materials that could be well fitted on the horse's back and to ensure that the rider is kept comfortable as well as the animal. Whatever size and the length of your animal, various sizes and styles and made available in he market because of its demand. But those are buying thee saddles are now being too cautious so that it will mainly serve the purpose of keeping you o the horse's back. There are other materials that are attached to the saddles to maintain its stability and its attachment to the horse's back. This is beneficial to use since it is easier to climb on the horse's back especially it is too high to reach mainly by climbing into it.
You make order through online shops nowadays to meet the demands of those who readily need it ad does not have much time to go into animal shops. You can make orders in bulk, in sets or even individually depending on your preference. There are also styles and different colors to choose from depending on your need. These should serve its purpose well by searching more about it in the internet. You may want to visit some links and websites that may give you hints that may provide you with essential information to consider in buying this saddle. Whether you own a field occupied by your horses or you are a beginner whop may want to enjoy the enjoyment of being on a horse's back, safety is necessary. Consider the safety equipment and their features to avoid further damage and never regret why you ever hopped in the horse's back.
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Horse Saddles For Sale - How to Choose the Right One

The saddle is one of the most important pieces of horse riding apparel, so there are several things to keep in mind when deciding on horse saddles for sale. First, the riding style must be identified. Usually, this is either English or Western, although there are also specialty ones for activities like polo, dressage, jumping, and racing. In English riding, the rider holds one reign in each hand and tells the horse to turn by gently pulling one reign, which applies pressure to a bit in the horses mouth.
Western-style riders hold both reigns in one hand and tell the horse to turn by shifting their weight or laying the reigns against the horses neck. The western ones are larger and heavier than English saddles and were originally designed for hard-riding cowboys. The riders weight is distributed evenly across the horses back, which allows the horse and rider to be comfortable on long rides.
Dressage saddles allow the riders leg and the horse to have the most contact. The flaps are cut straight and narrow and these saddles have a different cut than an English saddle.
For jumping, a hunt seat saddle is used. This saddle was originally designed for fox hunting and it affords the rider a better position for jumping.
Horse racing requires a flat racing saddle. These are extremely lightweight and have very short stirrups so the rider can lean forward as far as possible.
No matter the activity, the next question is the type of saddle. There are leather saddles, suede saddles, and saddles made from synthetic materials. Leather saddles are the most well known, and a high quality leather saddle can last for years. Synthetic saddles can be lightweight and easy to clean, but may not have the longevity of a leather saddle.
The most important factor for saddles is comfort, for both the rider and the horse. A saddle that does not fit properly can cause back muscle bruising on the horse. Saddle sizes are measured in inches, from the pommel to the cantle. There should be two to three inches of space between the rider and the back of the saddle when seated. In addition, the saddle should stay firmly in place without slipping and it should fit the horse tightly across the shoulders and back without digging in.
There are many saddles to choose from, so it is important to remember your anticipated riding activities when choosing a horse saddle for sale. For more free tips and advice on Horse Saddles For Sale try visiting http://www.horse-saddles-for-sale.com/ and Crazy Horse Tack

Western Show Barrel Racing Rodeo Saddle Blanket Pad 030

		Buy New: $45.00 New (1) from $45.00
TOP FABRIC : High Quality Velvet, MIDDLE MATERIAL : Comfortable Wool Felt, BOTTOM MATERIAL : Polar Fleece, FRINGES : White, DECORATION : Hand Painted Glittering American Flag and Star (more).

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Western Cordura Leather Trail Barrel Pleasure Saddle Black Green Size 14" to 18"

		Buy New: $399.99 New (1) from $399.99
Web: http://www.tackrus.com, Toll Free: 1-888-477-1271, Enquiry: sales@tackrus.com (more)

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Barns back open at Churchill Downs months after tornado ripped through

Barns at Churchill Downs that were damaged by a tornado earlier this year have been repaired.
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Snowbound

Snowbound was a mediocre, unsound racehorse, kicking around Northern California in the early 1960s who went on to make history by carrying Bill Steinkraus to the first individual Olympic Gold Medal ever won by a U.S. rider, capturing Mexico City's show jumping Gold in 1968. Discovered by John (later Sir John) Galvin as a green hunter being shown by Show Jumping Hall of Famer Barbara Worth Oakford, who had bought him off the racetrack, Snowbound…
A brown gelding just over 16 hands in height and foaled in 1958, Snowbound was by Hail Victory out of Gay Alvena and had jumping blood on both sides of his pedigree.
He was precocious from the start and equally at home indoors and out, though he was never much at home in heavy footing. In 1965, he jumped double clears to clinch the Nations' Cups of London and Dublin, won the Grand Prix of New York, and capped the year by helping the U.S. win two more Nations' Cups.
The following year, he won the Grand Prix at Harrisburg and the Democrat Trophy in New York, and he contributed to another Nations' Cup victory.
This was Snowbound's pattern: try to jump double clear rounds in Nations' Cups--over one stretch he jumped 15 Nations' Cup clear rounds in 16 attempts--and try to win Grand Prix. Always threatened by recurrence of the tendon trouble that had driven him from the track, Snowbound was too valuable to the Team to risk in ordinary classes and was shown lightly.
In 1968, he jumped double clears in all of the European Nations' Cups in which he competed. He also won London's coveted Daily Mail Cup prior to the Olympic Games. At the Olympics, he jumped one of only two clear rounds in the first round of the individual competition, and though he finished on three legs, incurred only a single fault over the huge fences of the second round to win the Gold.
In 1970, Snowbound won four individual competitions in Europe--two in Lucerne and two in Aachen--but ended up sidelined again for most of 1971. The following year, his preparations to defend his Olympic title went well, but though he scored several victories in minor international competitions, he failed to qualify for the second round in the individual competition at the Olympics, and Steinkraus was obliged to ride Main Spring, a 2003 Show Jumping Hall of Fame inductee, on the Silver Medal-winning U.S. team.
After the Munich Olympics, Snowbound was retired to the Galvins’ farm outside Dublin. He and Steinkraus had shared a remarkable career and had become one of the best-known horse-and-rider combinations ever to represent the United States. Though Snowbound set no endurance records, he combined remarkable gymnastic ability with a stubborn determination not to hit fences. He was a truly extraordinary water jumper and will always be remembered for his consistent brilliance when the chips were down.

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Touch of Class

Touch of class was a famed member of USET's 1984 Olympic "Dream Team." After posting the first double clear rounds in Olympic history and clearing 90 out of 91 jumps, Touch of Class took home two Gold Medals and the admiration of the world. Her tremendous performance also helped her become the first non-human to win the USOC Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year Award.Even before the Olympics, Touch of Class was a winner. The 16-hand, bay Thoroughbred, foaled in 1973, quickly transitioned to the jumper ranks after a brief racing career. She won the intermediate championship at the Washington International Horse Show with Debi Connor before Joe Fargis took over her reins. In her first year at the grand prix level (1981), Touch of Class won classes at Harrisburg, Washington, and New York.
Touch of Class and Fargis proceeded to make the USET's World Championship team at Dublin in 1982, but a leg injury caused Fargis to turn her over to Conrad Homfeld for the remainder of the season. With Homfeld in the irons, she was victorious in the Grand Prix of Southampton and qualified for the World Cup final in Vienna the following spring, where the pair finished 4th.
In 1983, Fagis guided Touch of Class on victorious Nation's Cup teams in Rome and Calgary. Before her career was finished, she was also on winning Nation's Cup teams at Aachen, Washington, and New York. In 1984, she won the Grand Prix of Tampa, and turned in several consistent Olympic Trial performances before being named to the USET Olympic Show Jumping team.
Following the Olympics, Touch of Class continued to compete successfully throughout the 80's. In 1984 and 1985, she carried Fargis to first place in the World Cup U.S. East Coast League standings. She also embarked upon a successful breeding career. Touch of Class lived a happy retirement at River Circle Farm in Franklin, Tennessee where she passed away on July 1, 2001.
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Gem Twist

Gem Twist, owned by Michael Golden, was bred and trained by Show Jumping Hall of Famer Frank Chapot and ridden by Greg Best, Leslie Howard and Laura Chapot. Formally retired at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden on November 1, 1997, Gem has an incredible list of victories as long as that of any horse. He is the only horse to win three American Grandprix Association Horse of the Year titles. In addition…

Gem Twist won the American Grandprix Association's championship with three different riders: Best in 1987, Howard in 1993, and Chapot in 1995.

One of the early milestones that showed Gem Twist's unbelievable talent was his win in the 1985 USET Talent Derby in Hamilton, MA, at the age of six. This first prestigious victory, with Greg Best in the saddle, set the stage for future stardom. In 1987, Gem carried Best to wins in his first two Grand Prix events - the Grand Prix of Tampa and the Grand Prix of Florida. That year, Gem captured AGA Horse of the Year honors and Best won Rookie of the Year. That year also included a team Silver Medal at the Pan American Games.

The highpoint in the partnership between Best and Gem Twist came when the pair represented the United States at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, where they came away with team and individual Silver Medals.

Due to Best's shoulder injury in 1992, Leslie Burr Howard became Gem's rider. Howard continued as Gem's rider for two more years winning many prestigious competitions including Gem's second AGA Championship and third AGA Horse of the Year award.

Laura Chapot took over the reins in 1995. That year Laura and Gem won the World Cup class at the $100,000 Autumn Classic, helping to propel the young rider to Budweiser Rookie of the Year honors. Laura also rode Gem to his third win in the Budweiser American Grandprix Association Championships.

In the 1995-1996 season, Gem and Chapot won three World Cup qualifying classes and placed well at several other competitions. Their win in the final World Cup class at Tampa was over the largest starting field ever with 80 horses. This clinched Laura the World Cup USA East League Championship and was a fitting win at the close of Gem's career at the site of his first Grand Prix win with Best nine years earlier.
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How To Pick The Right Cutting Horse Saddles

Cutting horse saddles are an important part of the sport of cutting. Choosing the wrong saddle or the right one can mean the difference between winning first place, or going home in defeat. Cutting is the fastest growing horse sport in the world today, enjoying popularity from the United States to Australia. In 2006 athletes who competed in the United States NCHA Futurity did so for combined purses of 3.7 million. Today that number has risen to nearly four million dollars in prizes and money, and this does not factor in the purses that can now be earned at Australian, European or Canadian cutting events.
From cavalry saddles to English saddles, racing and cutting horse saddles, the past two thousand years have seen many changes in how we equip our horses. The first known saddles were little more than pads of cloth held on with a surcingle dating back to 800 BC. By 200 BC carven saddle trees were being used, and five hundred years later, in 302 AD, the first stirrups were introduced. The early saddle was an important sign of the rider's status, heavily decorated and embellished. As our understanding of the horse and what he could do evolved, the saddle became less about beauty, and more about usefulness.
In the sport of cutting, good cutting horse saddles are a vital necessity. The cutting horse will be working low to the ground as it moves to separate one cow from the herd, and move quickly with many sharp turns and stops as it works to keep the cow from rejoining the others. The cutting saddle must not only help keep the rider on the back of his horse, it must keep him perfectly balanced without interfering with his horse.
Cutting horse saddles have evolved from the familiar western saddle, also known as the cowboy saddle or the stock saddle. This vital piece of equipment was developed for the comfort of the rider and horse - who spent long hours together in a variety of weather and conditions - as well as their safety. While there are obvious similarities in shape and design, cutting saddles have a deeper, wider seat with wider swells that help the rider keep his balance during the sharp turns and stops of the cow horse.
The horns on western saddles are not merely decorations, but on cutting horse saddles - unlike western saddles - they are primarily used as a handle. Taller and more slender than the horns on the typical western saddle they are there to help brace the rider against the unexpected shifting of his horse. The stirrups are more narrow than on a western saddle and are positioned more towards the heel of the boot rather than the toe as, in the sport of cutting, leg contact is not the primary form of communication.
When buying cutting horse saddles, make certain it was built specifically for cutting, not reining or trail riding. People who make saddles are craftsmen who are skilled in the art of making saddles rather than riding them, and very few have ever competed in cutting events. If you don't know your exact seat dimensions or how long your stirrup leathers ought to be, ask your trainer to help you choose the right one. Using cutting saddles that suit neither you nor your horse is only asking for trouble.
Nicole Roberts
WranglerSaddles.com offers horse owners first-rate saddles and horse tack made from the highest quality materials to ensure the comfort of your horse. Our headquarters is located in Temple, Texas but you can get our Western Ranch Saddles, Cutting Horse Saddles [http://www.wranglersaddles.com], Barrel Racing Saddles, Trail Saddles, and other horse tack anywhere in the USA as we ship all orders.
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How to Fit a Horse Saddle

Fitting a horse saddle is very important for the health and well being of your horse. The horse will silently endure a tremendous amount of pain and discomfort without the owners knowledge. Saddle fitting can be a mystery to many horse owners.
Here are a couple of tips for helping you fit the saddle to your horse.
1. First of all, take a tracing of your horses withers. This is accomplished by using a flexible ruler, and placing it over the withers of your horse. Do not use a coat hanger, it is not flexible enough, and it could hurt you or your horse if there is some type of commotion.
Very carefully lay the flexible curve down on a heavy piece of paper and trace the inside edge. Then set your saddle pommel down on this shape. You should not be able to see the whole shape on the inside part of the saddle. Make sure there is a three to four finger clearance at the top of the shape between the outline of the withers and the inside of the pommel.
2. Make sure the tree of the saddle is straight and symmetrical. Your horses back may not be symmetrical, but you want to start out with a straight saddle, then have your English saddle panels flocked or shims made for your western saddle to get a custom fit.
3. If step one and two are completed, then try the saddle and make sure it fits you and is comfortable, and then take it home to try on your horse.
There is no sense in even taking a saddle home to try if the saddle is not straight or symmetrical, and does not line up with the tracing you took of your horse.
Important!
To save your horse's back, get a free illustrated report at Introduction To Saddle Fitting or go to http://www.western.saddlefittingguide.com
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Information on Western Horse Saddles

There are many different types of saddles that are widely used around the world, but one of the most popular types of Rigs used by a lot of horse enthusiasts are western style horse Rigs. Western horse Rigs are the type of saddle that is most widely seen in the movies, especially western movies, as well as at rodeos. Dude ranches and places that offer horse rides on trials also equip their horses with western Rigs because they are built to keep riders comfortable for long periods of time. The western horse Rigs has truly become a landmark in the equestrian industry and is widely used by enthusiasts everywhere.
The western Rigs, as mentioned above is meant to help keep riders comfortable for long periods of time. Western Rigs are widely used on cattle farms where ranchers may have to stay on their horses for long periods at a time, which would normally be hectic with any other saddle, but with the western saddle, the rider should still retain a level of comfort. The western saddle is also used for endurance riding and at rodeos because of their comfort and security which is essential in that style of riding. A lot of beginners start their horse riding experience on a western style of horse saddle because of the security if offers.
Like pretty much all saddles, the western saddle uses a saddle tree that acts as a foundation for the rest of the saddle to be built off of. Since these saddles are meant to be more secure and comfortable, they usually have added foam added in before the leather is put on the saddle. The foam is to act basically as a shock absorber and provide a soft place for the rider to sit. The rest of the saddle is basically set up the same as any other riding saddle, with a pommel, cantle, D-rings, stirrups, cinch strap and so on and so forth.
If you feel as though you want to purchase a western horse saddle for whatever reason then the same rules apply as if you were buying any other rig. You want to make sure that the saddle is going to fit snuggle and comfortable on the horses back, but at the same time you want to to be comfortable for you to sit on. For more information please visit - Horse saddles or The Saddle Zone