THE HORSE GAZETTE training the flying change Training without force If your horse is com-


English Apparel • Helmets Vests • Boots • Blankets Sheets • English Tack • Gifts Cards • Books • DVDs Grooming Supplies Consignment Corner


Phone: 210-698-7802 Fax: 210-698-8370


Monday - Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm Sunday: 12 Noon - 4 pm


Store Hours:


Website: www.boernestagesaddlery.com Located at IH-10 and Boerne Stage Road in the HEB Shopping Center


Plum Creek QUARTER HORSES 5022 East FM 20, Lockhart, TX 78644 – Phone 512/398-4958


Web: www.plumcreek-quarter-horses.com – Call about other horses we have for sale. H O R S E S F O R S A L E


fortable with walk/canter/walk transitions, half-pass in canter and counter canter, there is one more exercise which will make achieving the flying change very much easier because it will help your horse to shift his weight more to the haunches and gain the impulsion and collection needed. This exercise in-


volves reducing the number of walk strides in the canter/ walk/canter transition. If you have been walking three or four steps between canter departs start reducing the walk steps first to three then to two and finally transition from canter to walk, take only one walk step and immediately strike off in canter. Do not always change leads during this exercise. Sometimes strike off on the same lead and sometimes on the opposite. This will help to ensure that your horse is truly listening to your aids and it will help you to make your applica- tion of the aids more clear. Whenever you ask


your horse for something new you always do your best to prepare and position him so


that he gets the answer right and you can then praise him, take a little break and repeat. As with any movement it is helpful to the horse if you will picture in your mind exactly what you want from him - rather than worrying about what may go wrong.


Assuming your horse


finds taking the left lead slightly easier than taking the right I suggest asking the first flying change from right to left. There are several places in the arena that may be equally easy to ask for and perform a good change. For example, on the right rein ask for right lead canter from the walk, canter through the short end and take the short diagonal. As you approach the long side ask for one step of half pass right, bringing the head and neck slightly right, then, in the moment of suspen- sion, bring your right shoulder and leg back and shift your weight forward onto your left seatbone.


You are likely to get a


clean change the first time. The timing of the aid is important so if you count “one” every time your horse’s leading foreleg


By Mary Rose, FBHS © 2011


strikes the ground and give the change aid just at that moment you will be correct. Sometimes it’s hard for the rider to know if the horse performed a cor- rect flying change so be sure to have a ground person with you (preferably your instruc- tor) when you are practicing flying change. If you did get the change reward your horse, give a long rein break and repeat in exactly the same way. If you did not get a clean change try again in the same place. Do not perform more


than two or at most three flying changes the first time you intro- duce them. Do not perform the change both ways the same day early in the training, ie. perform changes right to left the first day and then if you like, left to right the next time, this will help avoid confusion for your horse.


Next time we’ll con-


sider other good places to ask the first changes and also address how to proceed when things don’t go exactly right.


at 512-589-3796 or 512-894- 4536 or visit: www.maryrose- dressage.com.


You can contact Mary horse rescue plans first


PEBBLE PLUMBERRY 2006 Mare – Red Roan


SUGS CAMEO PLUM 2005 Bay Mare - Under saddle


PRINCESS PLUMWOOD 2006 Mare - Sorrel


Poco Tivio-King-Three Bars-Poco Docs Sug-Three Bars-Speedy King-Three Bars-Poco Tivio bred. Bueno blood assures cow & speed. Glow-King bred. Cutting prospect. Cow & speed events prospect.


Humane Society (BEHS), an organization that helps starving and abused horses across Texas, will hold the Bluebonnet Adopt- a-Thon on May 14th


, 2011 at BUTTON MY PLUM 2005 Bay Mare – Barrels and/or


HINT OF GENTRY PLUM 2005 Stallion – Deep Sorrel


DOUBLE FOUR PLUM 2005 Stallion – Brown


cow events potential. Tripolay Speed & cow potential. Docs Sug- Cow & speed potential. King- Bar-Three Bars-Poco Tivio bred. Three Bars-Speedy Glow-King bred. CJ Sugar-Leo-Tiger Leo bred.


950 acres of irrigated coastal, fertilized after every cutting according to soil analysis to maximize nutritional value.


Contact: Scott Yanta 210-288-8140 E-mail: yantafarms@aol.com


“We want Yanta Hay!”


the Bar Cross Cowboy Church in Alvarado, Texas. The event will run from 10am until 4pm and the organization hopes to have 20-30 adoptable horses on hand to meet the public. Randi Smith, Adop-


tion Coordinator for BEHS, says, “We hope to find many adopters and showcase the talents of our rescue horses. I want to show the public that rescue horses can do anything any horse can do.” Attending horses will range in age from young foals to older horses. Some will be broke to ride while others still need training. Horses of different breeds and talents will be present at the adopt-a-thon. In addition to the


adoptable horses, there will be trainers giving training and behavior clinics throughout the day, a silent auction featuring horse and ranch themed art, clothing, crafts and jewelry, and a sale area that will include


new and used horse tack and equipment. Proceeds from the silent auction and sale area will benefit the horses of Bluebon- net Equine Humane Society. “We want to make this a fun- filled horse day for everyone to attend,” commented Dr. Jen- nifer Williams, President and Executive Director of Bluebon- net. “We’re hoping people will come out, watch the clinicians, meet some horses and decide to become part of the Bluebonnet family by adopting a horse, joining the rescue or becoming a volunteer.” Pre-approved adopt-


annual equine adopt-a-thon Bluebonnet Equine


BEHS still needs help


to make this a successful event. The organization is currently seeking: Event Sponsors – Spon- sorships start at just $25 and the organization offers varying benefits depending on the spon- sorship level. Tack and other horse-related items – The rescue is seeking new and used tack, farm and ranch items and horse and ranch-themed jewelry and home décor for the silent auction and sale area. All donations are tax-deductible. Bluebonnet Equine


ers will be allowed to adopt at the adopt-a-thon on a first- come, first-served basis, will receive 25% off their adoption fee and will be able to take their new horse home the day of the event. Anyone who applies to adopt a horse at the event, is approved and adopts within 30 days of the event will also receive 25% off their adop- tion fee. Anyone interested in being pre-approved to adopt can download an adoption ap- plication off the organization’s website at http://www.bluebon- netequine.org.


Humane Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of equines by educating own- ers, assisting law enforcement agencies, rehabilitating abused and neglected equines, and plac- ing them into safe, permanent homes. BEHS has been over- whelmed with calls about starv- ing horses throughout Texas, and the organization hopes to make the Bluebonnet Adopt-a- thon an annual event that will enable them to help many horses throughout the year. For more information,


visit www.bluebonnetequine. org, call (888) 542 5163, or email jenn@bluebonnetequine.org.


nais is an ongoing threat (Continued from Page 1.)


ACTION NEEDED After the proposed


Exoticos Salvajes Inc.


Import and Export of Horses to Mexico, Central and South America


We take care of everything, including certificates, USDA, customs and transportation


30 Years of Experience


Importación y Exportación de Caballos a México, Centro y Sud América


speak up! The USDA’s deci- sion to withdraw the NAIS plan shows that the grassroots can be successful. Every citi- zen needs to be involved to ensure that any new regula- tions do not create unfair burdens for the hundreds of thousands of small farmers, ranchers, and other animal owners across the country. A short summary of


rule is published, there will be a public comment period. The Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance will email alerts to its members to show how you can access the proposed rule and make comments as soon as that information in available. Please be ready to


concerns about the new rule was compiled by the com- mittee. However, since the committee was not allowed to read the actual text, it is impos- sible to know for certain what schemes have been devised by the USDA. Several topics of


provide a longer public com- ment period than currently planned, preferably a 6-month


Page 6


period. Currently the USDA plans to limit the comment period to April and May, co- incidentally also the busiest months for most ranchers and farmers.


include a clear statement of the problem the agency seeks to solve. Do I need to elabo- rate?


2. USDA should


concern include: 1. USDA should


standards and tiers should not be applied so as to penalize producers and veterinarians.


must address the impact of a realistic budget on implemen- tation. The framework of the new rule does not explain how the program will be funded. The bigger question is how ANY new program will be funded at all by a government that is bankrupt. 5. The performance


should not be included in the program. The USDA has not identified a basis that justifies including feeder cattle in the new program. The burden of identifying feeder cattle threatens to harm both pro- ducers and sales barns, while also potentially swamping the system with more data than can be efficiently handled. 4. USDA’s proposal


3 Feeder cattle


It is inappropriate to place burdens on producers based on agency failures, but the framework is likely to lead to precisely that result. 6 . We o p p o s e


delisting brands as an of- ficial identification device or method. Creating new requirements while delisting the brand, which is a tried and proven official identification device, is unwarranted. Del- isting brands as an official identification device or meth- od is also likely to have unin- tended consequences. Stay informed and


active in the ongoing battle with the USDA. Go to www. farmandranchfreedom.org for the latest news and calls for action. Links to the USDA site, a summary of proposed requirements and other re- ports are available on this site.


once. We can do it again. Portions of this


We stopped them


article were taken, with per- mission, from the FARFA February 18, 2011 update newsletter.


mentary is the author’s. All subjective com- Visit us at: www.HorseGazette.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24