Grooming: an important and often overlooked part of horse care

Everyone grooms their horse before they ride. Most grooming is done in the saddle area to keep burs, sand, and hair from causing pain or rubbing under the saddle while riding. While this is definitely an important benefit of grooming, there are many other reasons to groom your horse before riding, after riding, and even on days when you don’t ride. 

Grooming steps:

To get all the potential benefits from grooming, there are several key steps in the grooming process that need to happen. 

Curry Comb: there are several types of curry comb each work on different hair coats and serve slightly different purposes. These should be used in a circular motion all over the body to loosen hair, dirt, and other debris from the skin. This is an essential part of creating a healthy, shiny coat for you horse. Using the curry comb before riding will ensure there are no clumps or hair or dirt causing discomfort while riding. Using the curry after riding will allow you to remove much more of the dead loose hair, and help encourage the oils in your horses coat to lubricate the skin and hair which will create that shiny coat. Stimulating the hair follicles will also help healthier hair to grow. 

• Metal curry combs are great for removing mud and long hair, but can damage the hair and do not encourage the natural oils of the skin to flow and soften the hair. These should be used sparingly, only for extra dirty horses and maybe the first day of starting a grooming regimen. 
• Rubber spiky curry combs are great for long hair and horses with less sensitive skin. The spikes can dig into sore muscles and sensitive skin and cause discomfort for the horse. If the horse has longer hair, the spikes can be great for getting down to the skin to encourage the natural oils to lubricate the skin and encourage healthy hair growth. They are also great for loosening hair closer to the skin that other curry combs will not reach.
• Rubber round curry combs are a great general curry comb for any horse. They are great at loosening hair and dirt from the skin; they generally do not irritate more sensitive horses; and they are easy for anyone to use. These can also be used like a shedding blade by cupping the comb in your hand and using fast firm strokes with grain the hair this will help warm the skin a bit and pull loose hair from the body. 

Body brush: this is generally a stiff bristle brush used for removing all the hair and dirt loosened by the curry comb. These should be used all over the body with special attention paid to the saddle areas. This brush should be used with the flow of the hair to flatten out the hair and get it ready for the saddle.

Finishing brush: this brush is similar to the body brush but has longer bristles used for flicking excess dust and hair off the body and creating a shiny coat. Like the body brush this is used all over the body and with the flow of the hair. 

Hoof pick: Possibly the most important part of a grooming kit. As the saying goes: No hoof, no horse. Hooves need to be cleaned both before and after riding. A thoroughly cleaned hoof prevents fungus build up which can lead to lameness. It gives the rider a chance to check for rocks or other injuries to the hoof. It also makes the horse more comfortable for riding or going out to his stall or pasture. 

Mane comb: a metal comb for the mane allows the rider to brush out the hair and do basic maintenance on the mane such as pulling long sections to keep it even and ready for show. Using a metal comb on a regular basis makes the horse less difficult to deal with when mane pulling is done before a horse show. 

Tail brush: tails break easily, so brushing should be done gently. For daily maintenance, your body brush can be used on the tail to brush out debris. This brush is not going to tear the hair or remove tangles. A hair brush style brush can be used weekly or bimonthly to remove tangles and thoroughly brush out the tail. When brushing out the tail, start at the ends and slowly work your way up in small sections. Grooming in small sections will create more body in the tail and make it less likely for you to pull out large chunks of hair. 

Face brushes: a smaller, softer version of the rubber curry comb and body brush should be used on the face. You can curry and brush the face just like the rest of the body with these brushes, remembering to be gentle as the face is more sensitive. If your horse has sensitive legs, you can use these on their legs as well rather than the body brushes. Legs should be groomed regularly as fungus and skin issues can develop especially if you live in a wet climate or use boots or wraps on their legs. 

Regular grooming will keep your horse healthier, sounder, and looking its best. Grooming is also a great way to bond with your horse, and get to know its body. Knowing the normal skin, lumps, and issues with your horse will make it much easier to detect when problems arise and may keep your horse from expensive vet bills. 

Equestrian teams: where true horsemen are trained

Interscholastic equestrian competitions are a unique challenge that few horse people ever get the chance to participate in. This type of riding challenges a rider to get good at not just riding one horse like in regular competition, but at riding any horse in a competitive environment. The riders must be brave enough to get on the unknown horse, strong enough to survive intense equitation competition, and versatile enough to compete in several different disciplines.

Many people have heard of college equestrian teams, the IHSA and Varsity Equestrian, but few are familiar with that style of competition or know that there are several organizations that allow riders of any age to compete in those style competitions. 

Interscholastic and Intercollegiate equestrian competitions are fairly unique in what they ask of riders and horses. These competitions are a test of equitation unlike most others in the horse show world. Though a random draw, riders are assigned an often unknown horse, on which they have to compete in their given class against riders of similar experience. These classes can involve riding complex reining patters, jumping 3ft courses, or doing complex dressage tests, without any prior experience on the horse or on the course. The riders are judged on how they handle the unknown horse and their equitation. Riders are divided into experience levels so that each rider competes on horses and do courses that are appropriate for their riding level and every rider has a chance to win in the competition. Riders earn points for their placements in classes that add up to a team score which determines which team wins the competition. 

The IHSA and Varsity Equestrian are structured slightly differently. The IHSA has riders competing in large groups and compete on different horses for the same level. Varsity equestrian, part of the NCAA, pairs riders and has each pair ride the same horse so that the test is entirely of the rider and not about whether the horse is behaving well that day. 

These type of competitions are also available for middle school and high school students to compete on school teams. The IEA and RIFNA have programs that help students get teams started and track points to earn awards and move up in levels. RIFNA offers this type of competition without teams for all ages and experience levels of riders.  RIFNA offers classes in Western, Hunt Seat, and Dressage. IEA offers classes in Western, Hunt Seat, and Saddle Seat. RIFNA is available for all ages, elementary school though adult, with team competition available for middle school and high school students. IEA offers classes for middle school and high school students. 

Because these competition are separated into ability levels, even novice riders can compete and win. Novice riders are especially valued in college programs because most people who get involved with horses do so before college and therefore don’t qualify for the lowest levels of competition. So if you are a college student interested in riding with little experience, contact your school’s equestrian coach as they may have the perfect spot for you on the team. 

This type of competition also allows riders that do not own a horse or  that cannot afford to pay the large amounts of money involved in showing a personal horse to ride and compete and improve their riding without a large investment. 

Preparing for an emergency

In light of Hurricane Sandy and winter looming for us in Colorado, its time to look at how horse owners should prepare when rough weather is predicted for their area. 

Barn Preparation

Keeping your horses in the barn has both pros and cons. It will keep the horses dry, and out of mud, away from falling trees and lightning, and other hazardous conditions that may cause injury. However it may end up trapping the horses in hazardous conditions if the barn floods or collapses. This choice is dependent on the horses, the barn, and outdoor conditions that need to be evaluated by an experienced professional. 

If you are going to keep your horses in the barn, make sure you have easy to open doors and that the barn is not prone to fires or flooding. If you are going to keep your horses outdoors, have some sort of identification on the horses so that if your horses escape, they can be returned to you. 

If possible, you should have any horse trailers on the property attached to a truck and ready to evacuate horses in case evacuations become mandatory. You may also want to pack extra hay and grain for the horses, water, buckets, supplements, and other daily supplies.

Horse Preparation

To prepare your horses for an emergency you need to attach contact information to your horses in case they get loose to end up in a large herd of horses at a rescue facility

Ways to identify your horses include:

• Halters with contact info written on halter or tied to halter
• Tying a plastic bag with contact info into the mane
• Shaving a contact phone number into the hair
• Tying an ID tag with contact info around the horse’s neck

Where ever you keep your horses, they should be easy to catch in case staying at your barn becomes a non-viable option. Your horses should be trained to load into a trailer and your trailer should be ready for the horses. 

You should also have an emergency vet kit on hand. 

Included in this kit should be: 

• Basic first aid stuff for treating wounds and small injuries
• Banamine and Bute
• Contact info for several vets in the area

Evacuation procedures

If the authorities have declared mandatory evacuations, get your horses out as quickly as possible. You don’t want to be in the way if emergency services are entering the area and mandatory evacuations mean that your area will be in danger. If evacuations are voluntary, then you need to asses the situation. Is your barn and property in an area that will be prone to issues, low ground, lots of trees, or hard to get out of? Or is it in a defensible area where your horses are likely to be safe during the emergency?  You should then evaluate what your evacuation options are. Do you have a friends place you can take your animals to? Where are the government evacuation shelters? Is there are safe place to take your horses? 

When evacuating your horses, make sure they have contact info attached to them and make sure you have identification and health papers with you. 

If you don’t have a horse trailer, there are services available to help you evacuate your horses during an emergency. 

Evacuation services:

Horse Evacuations East is for the eastern US but they may have contacts in other parts of the country as well. 

https://www.facebook.com/HorseEvacuationsEast

Fleet of Angels is a national organization that will transport horses in an emergency or to help with rescue efforts to find horses new homes:

http://www.fleetofangels.org/

People Preparation

• Charge your cell phone and make sure you have the ability to charge it with you.
• Make sure everyone in the barn has a contact info for the people at the barn. 
• If someone else is trailering your horses, make sure you have their phone number and they have yours. 
• Have an emergency kit for yourself including food, water, first aid, and change of clothes.

Body Clipping

Body Clipping

To Clip or not to clip:

The first question to ask when considering body clipping is: is it necessary? The horse’s winter coat provides natural protection and insulation as well as keeping natural oils near the skin which helps keep a healthier shinier coat. If you choose to body clip your horse, you will need to keep him blanketed and provide extra shelter to make up for the loss of hair. If you cannot keep your horse in a stall or do not want to do the extra work of managing blankets, you should not body clip your horse. 

There are some legitimate reasons to body clip your horse. If you are working your horse on a regular basis during the winter, they will tend to get sweaty and may overheat or be difficult to cool out and dry off when you are done working. This is especially true for horses that get a very long or fluffy winter coat. If your horse is not in good physical shape, they may also be prone to overheating or excessive sweating and may also be candidates for body clipping especially if you are going to be riding to get the horse into shape. 

If you will be showing your horse, you probably want to consider body clipping. The body clip will make the horse look better for the show ring as he will have cleaner lines and sweat less when competing. Also if you are traveling from cold climates to warmer climates to show, the horse will need help adjusting to the warmer weather and body clipping will keep them from overheating. 

The reason you are clipping and the condition of your horse will determine what type of clip to do. Clipping patterns range from just small areas of hair removal to clipping the entire body. If you or your horse does not have experience with body clipping, start with a small area and have someone that is experienced help you. There are techniques and procedures that will help your horse have a good experience and look its best. These techniques are best taught by an experienced groomer and through the experience of clipping the horse. As a general rule of thumb, when choosing what type of clip to do, is to remove as little hair as possible for what you are doing with your horse. Also, clipping goes best when the horse has been washed and the hair is dry. This means that unless you have a warm water bathing area, you need to choose a warm day to clip your horses and plan for it to take a few hours.

Types of Clips: ()

While there are many types of clips, these are the basic clips and most types are variations of these. Heartland saddlery has a great page with pictures of these clips. Always consult your trainer or other trusted equine professional before clipping your horse. The chest is the warmest part of the horse and the hardest to keep cool especially when the horse is working, so clips will start in that area and expand to the rest of the body.

Neck and Belly Clip:

Like the name suggests, this clip goes from the neck to under the belly, leaving the neck, chest, and belly free of hair. This clip stays between the legs and does not extend to the face. This is for horses that just need a bit of extra help cooling down after work. Horses with this clip can still be turned out but may need a blanket on colder days. 

Irish Clip:

This is an extension of the neck and belly clip where the clip also includes part of the shoulder and barrel. This is for horses with a thicker coat or in poor physical condition who need help cooling down after work. These horses may need a blanket when turned out, this will depend on the horse and the weather. 

Trace Clip:

This continues from the irish clip back along the rest of the body. A “high trace” will extend up to remove hair from the jaw and higher up on the rest of the body. Hair will still be left on the legs and back. This is best for horses being put back to work after time off that easily get sweaty. Remember that the more hair that is removed, the heavier a blanket the horse will need to keep warm. 

Blanket Clip

This clip leaves hair on the legs, back, and rump. This is for horses that are being worked hard and may have to go to a show or move to a warmer climate. If these horses are in cold areas they will need blankets and possibly hoods to keep warm. 

Hunter Clip

For horses that are going to shows, but don’t need a full body clip, this clip will work well. This clip just leaves hair on the legs and saddle area. The hair on the saddle area is for extra padding and comfort when riding. These horses will need to be blanketed if turned out and should be watched closely for signs of chill. 

Body Clip

This is where all the hair on the horse is removed. Legs, head, belly, and the rest of the body are completely clipped. This is only for horses that will be showing and are mostly kept inside or with heavy blankets. 

Clipped horses need to be groomed to keep the oils on their skin and to help a healthy summer coat grow back. They should be watched carefully for signs of chill and should be brought inside or given extra blankets on especially cold or wet days. Clipping should only be done if absolutely necessary and should be done under the supervision of a trainer or barn manager. 

Equitation Exercises

As riders, we know that equitation is important, but we don’t always practice it as often as we should. We focus on the horse and not on ourselves and forget that often how we are sitting on the horse has more effect on the horses actions than anything else we do. Here, though, are a few ideas for exercises to work on either by yourself or with a friend to help improve your riding and build some muscle.

The best way to start to focus on your equitation is with a friend or instructor. The friend should know how your leg should look and from the ground be able to tell you how to fix leg, seat, hand, or other issues. The horse you choose to practice on should be able to lunge, calmly and quietly, and for at least 20 minutes. 

Start with the horse in your usual tack, saddle, bridle, etc and bring a lunge line and lunge whip. While you sit on your horse, have your friend or instructor lunge the horse, start at a walk and move through the trot and canter in both directions.  Do not move to a faster gait until you have master it at the slower gait. If possible, ride the horse without using the reins, your friend should have control over the horse so reins should not be necessary. Use these exercises to focus on your body position and building strength without worrying about how the horse is moving. All of these exercises should be done for short periods of time at first and time should increase as rider becomes more comfortable with the exercise

Exercises while lunging:

• Two-point at all gaits
• Two-point without stirrups at all gaits
• Sitting without stirrups
• Posting trot or canter without stirrups
• Sitting or posting with arms outstretched to the side
• Add circles with your arms, large and small
• Stretching at the walk
• Stretch to touch toes
• Stretch fingers to poll of horse
• Stretch fingers to tail of horse
• Stretch to touch toes
• Stretch legs: grab ankle and pull toward butt to stretch thigh
• Eyes closed
• Take off saddle and ride bareback-still keeping proper position
• Set up a small cavaletti 
• Start at the walk, slowly increase speed and height of jump
• Start with stirrups then drop stirrups
• Bareback after rider is comfortable without stirrups
• Add more cavaletti around circle
• Practice dropping and picking up stirrups while horse is moving

Exercises in the arena:

• Same exercises as on the lunge line, but keep your reins and continue to focus on your position rather than the horse
• Gymnastic exercises
• Start simple with trot poles then small jumps
• Work toward bigger jumps and more complicated rhythms
• Drop reins through the exercise
• Drop stirrups though the exercise
• Bareback through exercise
• Jump course without stirrups
• Jump course bareback
• Equitation patterns

It is best to not work alone when focusing on equitation, your instructor or friend should be helping you find the correct position so that it becomes second nature to you when you are on a horse. Without eyes on the ground, you may end up learning the wrong position that you will have to eventually unlearn. Having better equitation and riding muscles will give you more confidence and make you a better more effective rider which will make both you and your horse happier.

The value of Equitation Practice

When most kids get started riding, the focus of riding lessons is on equitation. Instructors focus on our bodies, how we sit, where and how we use our legs, hand position, and seat. The first shows for kids are often focused on equitation and not on who has the fanciest horse. 

As riders progress in the horse world, the focus moves away from equitation. The focus becomes the horse: Is the horse moving properly, is the horse picking up his feet, is the horse listening? Then, if the horse is not working properly, we ask what can we do to the horse to fix the issue.

Riders often forget that the early focus on equitation had a purpose. Equitation is more than just sitting on the horse, its being in the right position to communicate properly. When you are in the correct equitation position, you are much more effective at communicating what you want the horse today as well as staying balanced with the horse so that the horse can move the way it should. When you move out of that proper equitation position, your weight shifts and can get in the way of the natural movement of the horse causing it to have many of the issues we try to fix as riders. 

The value of equitation goes beyond just communicating with the horse and allowing them to do their job. Proper equitation, especially when practiced regularly, can save your life, or at least a hospital bill. Equitation helps build proper muscles and balance which allows a rider to react faster and more effectively when the horse is not behaving. If the horse stumbles, a rider with strong equitation skills will be less likely to be thrown forward because their leg muscles will be strong, their balance will be natural, and their weight will be in their heels in the best position to keep them moving with the horse. As you can see in the video accompanying this article, the riders equitation strength keeps them from falling off when the horse gets bad spot at the jump. Since the ride cannot get his stirrups back in the short distances in the combination, he uses his strong leg muscles and balance to stay with the horse and keep the rhythm going through the jumping combination. The rider is obviously used to jumping without stirrups which helped this go from being a compete disaster to a beautifully ridden combination. 

Proper equitation is something riders should always practice when riding and should make a point to work on building strength and balance through equitation exercises as it might just save their life someday.

Drug Use in horses

With massive drug use scandals rocking many professional sports, its time for the equine community to take a look at their practices when its comes to the use of drugs. The issue of drug use is in all levels of the sport from local hunter shows, with trainers using calming “supplements” or butte to help the new riders deal with a stressed horse to the Olympics in 2008 when several horses were disqualified from show jumping and dressage for testing positive for banned substances. This trend is not only doing a disservice to the reputation of the equestrian community, but also putting both riders and horses at risk of injury or death. The international equestrian governing body, the FEI, has an extensive list of banned substances and strict rules about following the spirit of these rules by not allowing and testing for substances with similar effects even if not specifically listed in the rules. Even with these rules, riders and trainers still continue to use the medications and supplements. While the FEI and other competition governing bodies do urine and blood tests, not all substances can be easily tested for and not all horses are tested at events. The most controversial types of drugs are those that have either a calming effect, a pain relieving effect, or a sensitivity effect. 

The calming supplements can work in many different ways and can be administered in many different ways. Some definitely have a greater effect than other supplements. Some are also significantly more dangerous than others. Smartpak offers a wide variety of calming supplements, mostly herbal remedies that may be support the horse being calm along with a proper feeding and exercise regimen. Riders should be cautious about giving these supplements as there may be substances in them that are banned in competition or may have a more significant calming effect than desired. Riders should consult with their trainer and veterinarian before starting their horse on any supplement. Even with these herbal supplements, riders should monitor their horses behavior and be cautious when riding or asking their horse to be athletic as the horse may not be able to react as quickly or be as agile as when not on the supplement. There are other substances on the market that pose significantly more danger to both horse and rider. This article from the chronicle of the horse last year discusses the use of intravenous magnesium sulfate at a hunter/jumper stable. Magnesium sulfate will suppress the nervous system of the horse when injected intravenously, if the injection is not done slowly and in the right amount, this can lead to the death of the horse. Magnesium sulfate is one of the ingredients in the injection used to put horses down. Add the risk to death of the horse to putting a rider on a horse without a fully functional nervous system and you have a recipe for disaster. Especially when asking a horse to do a hunter or jumper course where the horse is running and jumping and expected to be functioning as a finely tuned athlete, having a suppressed nervous system can lead to injury or death of both the rider and horse. 

Like calming supplements, pain killers also put both horse and rider at risk of death or serious injury. While bute (Phenylbutazone) and banamine (Flunixin meglumine) are two of the most common pain relievers for horses, there are many kinds of pain relievers both topical and oral that riders can use. While most effective pain killers for horses require a veterinary prescription, they are often readily available from barn owners, trainers, and other riders. While it is prudent to keep both bute and banamine around incase of injury or colic, often these substances are not used in prudent manners. Both bute and banamine can have severe side effects if used inappropriately and both can have long term health effects. Bute can cause ulcers and stomach bleeding if used in too high a dose or for too long and can also lead to colic, kindney failure and other serious health problems. Banamine, if given intramuscularly, can cause severe tissue inflammation and should be given orally or intravenously. Banamine has all the similar side effects of bute as well. 

On top of the clinical side effects, there is another consideration that riders and trainers often ignore. Pain killers affect the pain response of the horse, so the horse is less aware what hurts. While this is the intended effect, if you ride a horse while it has its pain response decreased, it will not know if it does something to hurt itself. This can cause the horse to push itself too hard which can lead to strains, re-injury of the problem area, and other issues. This puts the rider at risk because if the horse pushes itself to the breaking point, the rider may get thrown when the horse injures itself and may have little or no warning when this happens. Bute and banamine can be used to treat specific conditions, but should not be used when the horse is going to be ridden. A horse, after being treated with a pain killer, should be given at least 24 hours between its last dose and when it is ridden next to prevent injury. 

Unlike the calming supplements and pain killers, the sensitivity drugs are often not used with good intention. While it can’t be proven, the show jumpers that tested positive for capsaicin were accused of potentially using it to make the horses more cautious over the jumps to prevent knocking rails. Capsaicin can be used to relieve sore muscles, but it can also be used to make the skin more sensitive. The saddlebred association has also had several scandals break from their use of “soring” to make their horses step higher and with more animation. These sensitivity treatments can also cause the horse to injure itself by trying to avoid the pain or sensitive areas. These practices are cruel and any rider made aware of their trainer using these practices should find a new trainer.  

Most drugs for horses should be used to treat specific ailments of the horse and when the horse is being treated it should not be in training or being ridden. Exercising the horse puts both rider and horse in danger of injury or death and there is no reason to risk exacerbating the issue with exercise. 

Horseman's liability: Denis Quaid being sued for flawed trail system

As reported by TMZ, Lester Wood is suing Dennis Quaid for a “flawed trail design” that put his life in danger. Wood had been given permission by Quaid to borrow a horse and ride across the star’s property to reach a park in the Pacific palisades area of Los Angeles. During the trail ride, the horse was spooked by sprinklers than came on near the trail, the hose then reared and fell on top of Wood. Wood had to be taken to a hospital and held in critical condition with “a concussion, fractured scapula, torn aorta, multiple pulmonary emboli, broken ribs, a nicked liver, a tear in his bladder, fractured lumbar discs, a shattered pelvis, internal bleeding, and a torn meniscus in his knee.” Wood was not wearing a helmet and was not paying attention to his horse when it spooked as he was “looking at his watch”. 

This brings several issues into light for the horse world. Can we lend out horses to friends or other riders safely? What are our responsibilities when allowing people to ride on our property? Should helmets be required of all riders?

Most of my fellow horseback riders that I have talked to are generally comfortable allowing other people, and especially experienced riders (as Wood claims to be), to borrow our horses to ride or take on trail rides. Most of these riders do not think they would be at risk for being sued if the horse misbehaves, spooks, or the rider has other issues. Especially when lending horses to experienced riders, other riders assume that they understand the risks and will not be upset if something does happen. This incident is a reminder to know your state laws, what they protect against and what they don’t, and to be cautious when lending out your horse.

Most people when heading out on the trail assume there will be obstacles and other things that can spook horses. The question is: where is the line between expected obstacles and things the property owner should have cleaned up, or warned riders about? From this case, are the sprinklers near the trail a normal obstacle or should have something been done to avoid this issue? Should the trail be moved or should the rider have been warned that may happen? Should the property owner have to make any guarantees about the safety of their trails and property? The answers to these questions may depend on state law but they are questions to consider before allowing people to ride on your property. 

Many states are starting to require that all riders under 18 years of age wear a helmet anytime they are on a horse and especially during competitions. Some states are even considering requiring helmets for all riders, regardless of age, like with motorcycle helmet laws. If your state does not require helmets, this leaves the property owner with a decision. For liability purposes, its safer to require helmets, but that also means you have to enforce that rule at all times. Protecting yourself against liability and the personal freedom of your clients is hard to balance at times. Property owners, riders, and anyone else around horses should be made aware of the risks and should be cautious about allowing people around horses who are not familiar with risks and safety precautions. 

Colic: A preventable and potentially fatal condition

Colic is simply another word for abdominal pain, but in horses, this can be a sign that something is seriously wrong with a horses digestive system. Horse’s digestive systems are fragile with many areas that can cause the horses pain and can even turn fatal for the horses. 

There are many different types of colic in horses as well as many different causes. The major types include impaction, displacement, and torsion. Impaction involves food or sand getting stuck and packed into the intestines. This can cause severe pain and inability to pass fecal matter. Displacement involves part of the intestines get trapped around other internal organs which can cut off blood supply to the intestine or the other organs as well as trapping food or fecal matter and stopping the function of the other organs. Torsion is when the intestines wrap around themselves and can end up cutting off blood supply as well as the ability to pass food through. Many of these require surgery to fix and may be fatal to the horse without immediate intervention. 

Causes of colic can be wide ranging from things as innocuous as weather change, to changing diet, stress, worms, injury, or even drinking too much water. As the weather starts to cool, several issues can arise to make colic far more likely. First, just the weather change can cause horses to stress enough to cause colic. If your horse is prone to this, establish a routine and if possible, bring the horse into a stall at night to keep his temperature more even. As the weather gets cooler, horses tend to want to eat more and feel the need to drink less. This is the perfect storm of changes in diet to cause an impaction colic. The extra forage, especially in the short period of time, will collect in the gut and the lack of water will slow digestion down so that the food will become stuck. 

Another major cause is diet change. If you need to change your horse’s diet, there are several things to keep in mind. As the diet changes, the horse’s digestive tract needs time to get used to the new food and digesting a different volume of food. Especially when increasing grain, the tract needs time to adjust to the larger amount of simple carbohydrates. When changing a diet, its is important to make sure the horse has plenty of water and that the diet changes slowly. 

Other important ways to prevent colic include:

• Keeping your horse on a regular worming schedule
• Regular feeding schedule with more feedings rather than fewer
• Making sure horses cannot eat too quickly 
• Regular dental care and veterinary care
• High fiber in the diet especially in places where sand colic is an issue

If you see your horse behaving outside of his normal behaviors, it may be a sign of colic.

Signs of Colic include:

• Pawing and/or scraping
• Stretching
• Frequent attempts to urinate
• Flank watching: turning of the head to watch the stomach and/or hind quarters
• Biting/nipping the stomach
• Pacing
• Repeated flehmen response
• Repeated lying down and rising
• Rolling
• Groaning
• Excess salivation
• Loss of appetite
• Decreased fecal output
• Increased pulse rate
• Dark mucous membranes

If you think your horse is colicing, he needs to be watched carefully. Horses should not be allowed to roll if at all possible. Rolling can be the cause of the torsion and displacement types of colics which can lead to major surgery. Depending on the severity of pain, banamine should be administered orally or intravenously, never intramuscularly. If after given banamine, the horse does not improve, your vet should be called. Walking the horse may help get the digestive tract moving, but you should never force a horse to walk. Too much walking may cause a horse to further injure himself from stretching at the wrong time or from exhaustion. Water can be provided to the horse, but food should not be offered as more forage can exacerbate the problem. Other treatment methods should only be done by experienced personnel and preferably by a vet or with vet supervision. 

The best way to treat colic is through prevention. Prevention is best achieved by knowing your horse, his personality, his eating habits, and keeping up with his general heath care. The better you know your horse, the more likely you are to see the signs of colic before it becomes life threatening. If you see any behavior from you horse that is not normal, you can always call your vet and ask for their opinion before having them come out to your barn or bringing your horse to them. 

Jack’s Gulch: Horse camping for beginners

Ever wanted to take your horses camping but are not able to train your horse to hobble or high-line? Jack’s Gulch is the perfect place for you!

Located off of Pingree Park road, Jack’s Gulch has 5 camping sites with horse stalls attached. The stalls are metal pipe fencing, 6’ tall and 12’ by 12’ so there is plenty of room for the horses to wander around. The campsites will fit a horse trailer or camper as well as a tent. There are plenty of trees around to provide the horses shelter and shade. This is a beautiful site and provides access to the Comanche Peak Wilderness and many miles of trails to explore. For the adventurous rider, there is even an old plane wreck near one of the trails that takes a bit of searching to find. 

While this type of camping with horses is far less intensive than backcountry camping, riders still need to be prepared and make sure to bring important supplies for taking care of their horses. The follow list is not a complete list, but is the bare minimum you will need to bring.

Things to bring include:

• Weed-free hay (if possible start feeding this several days before the trip)
• Grain and other treats
• Water (for both people and horses)
• Horses often prefer water from home
• Water is not always available at the campsites
• You may also want to bring flavored electrolytes to help horses drink
• Buckets
• Hay net
• Manure fork 
• Muck bucket
• Other trail riding supplies (see trail riding articles)
• Other camping supplies

There are miles of trails accessible from the Jack’s Gulch campground. Riders should watch signage within the campground as they do not want horses off the trails or in the group camping area. Trails from Jack’s Gulch include Little Beaver Creek and Fish Creek which connect through other trails to make a great loop ride. The Poudre Wilderness Volunteers have a great map of the trails available in this area. 

Also keep in mind:

Some of this area was affected by the High Park Fire, so there may be unseen hazards and downed trees that riders need to watch out for.

This area is in the mountains where the weather can change quickly, it gets very cold at night and there are wild animals around. Riders should be prepared for these conditions and be willing to change plans. 

See these sites for more info on camping at Jack’s Gulch and how to reserve a spot.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recarea/?recid=36677

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recarea/?recid=36675

Happy trails!

Hewlett Gulch: Nature recovers quickly

Just a short drive up the poudre canyon, Hewlett Gulch offers a great chance to explore the areas affected by the fires this summer. The Hewlett Gulch area was affected by both the Hewlett Gulch fire and the High Park fire and may have downed trees or other hazards that riders need to watch out for. The pictures accompanying this article are from a trail ride through the area several years ago.

Just 11 miles up the canyon from Ted’s Place, the turn off for Hewlett Gulch is on the right over a narrow bridge. This turn can be tricky for longer horse trailers, so drivers need to plan ahead and drive carefully. The parking lot is not large and may be difficult for larger vehicles to use especially during high use times such as weekends or holidays. There is no designated trailer parking, so be courteous and park so that others can use the parking area as well. 

For the difficulty in getting there, riders are hugely rewarded. The trail heads northwest following an old road bed and creek. In this area there are remains of old homesteads from the Poudre Park settlement in the early 1900s. The trail crosses the creek several times then heads up west up the hill. The official trail at the private property fence, but trail users still use the area past this point. In fact, if you get permission from the private property owners, riders can continue to ride all the way into the deer meadows or glacier view areas. This ride will take most of the day, so riders should plan ahead to have their trailers meet them at the other end of the ride. 

The trail takes riders through narrow canyons, up steep hills, and through beautiful open  meadows. The views and terrain are beautiful and rewarding. The pictures are from a ride in 2007, so the vegetation will look very different. This ride though is a great chance for riders to see how fire affects the land and to watch as nature, the unstoppable force, reclaims the land. Already in the fire area grass and bushes are growing back and by next summer there will be small stands of aspen and sapling pine trees starting to sprout. Riders should use caution, especially if riding off trail, as the land may be unstable in places where the fire burned hot or completely burned the roots of the trees out of the ground.  

Happy Trails!

Soapstone Prairie Natural Area

Located just 20 miles north of Fort Collins, Soapstone Prairie offers hours of riding, many trails to explore through mostly unspoiled prairie. While there are many trails in the area, riders need to observe signage as many of the trails do not allow horses. The horse trails are accessible from the south parking lot, which can be accessed by turning left after the entrance station. The entrance station is there to provide information, there is no access fee. The south parking lot has ample room for horse trailers with pull through spots, a mounting area and hitching posts. From the parking lot, riders have several options. 

At the west end of the parking lot, the Cheyenne Rim trail leads northwest and connects into the Red Mountain Open Space. This trail will take riders into Red Mountain, then into Wyoming for a long day ride. Red Mountain is a beautiful area to ride in and in this area riders have several options to loop back to Soapstone Prairie. While this trail does connect to the Canyon Trail, riders are not allowed on the Canyon Trail and should read signage. 

The other horse trails are accessible from the entrance station. Riders should ride back to the main road (Rawhide Flats Road) then continue Northeast on the Pronghorn Loop. There are several available loops from this trailhead. The pronghorn loop is about 8 miles and will be a 2-4 hour ride. 

For a longer loop, riders can connect to the Plover trail, although it is closed from Apr. 1 through July 15. The Plover trail connects to the Sand Wash trail and back into the Pronghorn Loop. Riders should be cautious when taking trails as the Plover trail and Sand Wash trail connect into trails that are not open to horses. 

Rider should be vigilant for rattlesnakes and other wildlife while out on the trail. These areas are also used for stock grazing and riders should give stock and ranch workers plenty of space. Also, because this is a wildlife preserve, no dogs are allowed even leashed or in cars. 

Happy trails!

Elkhorn Creek

A fairly new (opened 2010) recreation area, Elkhorn offers a wide variety of terrain and trails to explore for any level of trail rider. The roomy parking lot provides ample room for horse trailers and pull through parking spots and a separate hitching post make this parking lot ideal for riders. 

The trail heads out from the west side of the parking lot through a fairly easy to open gate. Following the trail through beautiful open stands of pine and aspen, riders are quickly presented with several easy creek crossings before the trail opens into a grassy meadow. In the meadow riders can explore and find an old homesteader cabin. From this meadow, riders have several options and may have to do a bit of off trail exploring to find the areas they want to explore.

From the meadow, riders can follow the creek south following an intermittent trail that leads to an large open meadow with beautiful views of the Never Summer and Mummy Mountain ranges near Rocky Mountain National Park. From this meadow, if you turn north-northwest through part of the meadow, riders can connect with an an old access road. Following this road, through several gates, riders can connect to the Molly Lake and Lady Moon trail systems. Currently, the Lady Moon area is closed and riders may see forest service workers clearing hazard trees and doing other maintenance. Past the Lady Moon trail, the access road continues through open forest areas and eventually connects to the Molly Lake trail. 

Following the signs to the right, a quarter mile trail through a stand of aspen trees leads to Molly Lake. Following the trail around to the north side of the lake offers a beautiful view of the lake and meadow and offers a great chance to let the horses rest and grab a picnic lunch. 

From the lake there are several trails riders can take around the area but they should use caution as there is some private property in the area including the area around Lady Moon Lake. If riders return on Molly Lake trail and follow the old access road, they can connect to the disappointment falls trail that leads back to the Elkhorn Creek trailhead. 

Following the old access road, riders will go through several gates, but need to turn right at the gate with a trail leading east at the gate. On the other side of this gate, there is another forest access road and the trail should be fairly easy to spot. This trail leads through some meadows and trees and does have some tight and muddy spots and may be more challenging for beginner riders or horses. 

For their efforts, riders are offered beautiful views of Rocky Mountain National Park and glimpses of the Shambala Mountain Shrine.  This trail connects to the north side of the meadow with with the cabin and reconnects with the trail back to the trailhead. 

With many other trail options and acres of backcountry to explore off the trail, this new trail area is a place to explore over and over. 

Reservoir Ridge: Wildlife, rocks, and views

One of the smaller natural areas in the Fort Collins area, Reservoir Ridge is just north of the city and west of Overland Trail. Paths in this natural area make for a great short ride or can connect you with miles of trails in the other natural areas around Fort Collins.

Following Overland Trail north from Fort Collins, the road bends sharply to the left, then sharply right and continues into LaPorte. To get to the parking lot, drivers should continue straight when Overland turns right and follow Michaud Lane. The road dead-ends at the parking lot after a narrow bridge. Trailers should parallel park at the fence on the right of the lot. Cars should continue into diagonal parking on the left side. Parking is limited, so be courteous and use all available trailer space. If the lot is full, you will have to ride at another time.

The trail leaves from the south end of the parking lot and continues through an open meadow. Even through the meadow, the trail is rocky and fairly narrow. Horses should be equipped with shoes and riders should be vigilant for signs of lameness in their horses. The rocks and low grass are also ideal habitat for rattlesnakes, so use caution and carry a snakebite kit.

As the trail starts to climb, riders meet their first option. To the right, the trail climbs the hill and does a long, wide loop back to this junction. To the left, following the Foothills Trail, riders will have several more options for routes to take. About a quarter mile up the trail from this junction, another option is available; it goes straight over the ridge and connects back to the loop trail or to a parking lot on County Road 23.

The Foothills Trail continues south over some rough terrain with some large rocks for horses to climb over. If riders continue on the Foothills Trail, they will walk though an open gate and make the final choice to stay in this natural area or continue through the foothills. If riders take a right turn, they will reconnect with the other trail options and can make shorter or longer loops back to the parking lot. This option takes riders though some nice meadow areas and gives views of both Fort Collins and Horsetooth Reservoir. Taking the Foothills Trail, riders can connect into Maxwell and Pineridge natural areas and extend their ride for several hours.

Reservoir Ridge's largest loop takes about 1.5 hours and makes a nice evening ride.

The trails in this area are challenging, with many rocks, tight spots and other trail users. Riders need to watch for mountain bikers, hikers, dogs and wildlife while out riding on this trail. For the effort, riders are treated to views of the city, the reservoir, the Bellevue area and the foothills.

Lory State Park

Just a short drive north west of town is one of the best places in Northern Colorado to ride. Lory State Park has a wide variety of trails for horseback riders ranging in difficulty level from beginner to advanced. 

There are several places to park each with their own options for trails. After stopping at the visitor center to purchase a day pass, follow the main road through the park. The first left leads to the first parking lot with trail access. There are two trails you can access from this lot, both head south on either side of the valley and reconnect at the south parking lot.

The next parking on the main road is on the left and connects to the east valley trail as well as beach access. The east valley trail has some bridges that can be challenging for horses new to trail riding. They are wooden bridges, fairly narrow without sides, while most bridges on the trails are short, one on this trail is fairly long and winding and provides a great schooling opportunity. This trail is also great for conditioning for eventing or endurance riding as the trails are long and have a variety of terrain. 

Just before the road ends, there is a large trailer parking area on the left.  This parking lot gives you access to all the trails. The east and west valley trails meet at this parking lot and continue into the next valley. Following those trails into the next valley also gives riders access to the cross country course. The jumps are being worked on the the CSU english riding team, but not all of the jumps have had recent maintenance. When schooling, walk around and inspect the jumps and take off and landing areas as they may be holes, loose boards, nails, or other hazards. The east and west valley trails connect at the south end of the park and make a nice loop. From the end of this loop, riders can continue into the Horsetooth park open space. 

From the east valley trail, another trail branches to the left and heads down to Horsetooth Reservoir. This trail gets steep and rocky and can be hard to follow, but there are several beaches and reservoir access. There is also a short branch from that trail that follows the ridge line and gives beautiful views of the park. 

From the west valley trail, a trail branches off and heads west. This trail heads into the backcountry of the park. This trail is steep and rocky and for more advanced riders. There are several branches off this trail that can connect back to the west valley trail or into Horsetooth park. 

Lory State Park is also part of a trail system that connects to Devil’s Backbone Open Space though Horsetooth park. This trail can also be a great all day ride. 

Lory State Park offers year long passes so riders can feel free to explore all the trails this park has to offer. 

Happy Trails!

Mount Margaret

About 20 miles west of livermore, horseback riders have a choice to make. Turn left and explore the Lady Moon trail or turn right and explore the Mount Margaret area. 

The Mount Margaret parking lot is well maintained with ample room for trailers. The trailer parking area has pull through spots and easy access to the restroom facilities. The trail heads north though a gate out of the parking lot.  The trail is wide and meanders though open pine forests and meadows. 

About a mile from the gate, the trail crosses south lone pine creek. The crossing is friendly and wide, and should be easy for any horse, even those unfamiliar with water.  The trail continues through meadows and open forest areas to a rickety old gate. 

Shortly after the gate, the trail branches, the dowdy lake trail heads off to the left, while the Mount Margaret trail heads straight. As the trail continues, there are several trails that branch off giving riders the opportunity to make their ride as long or short as they want. 

The main trail is well marked and easy to follow, but doesn’t have a well marked end at the summit. There is very little altitude gain on the trail, but toward the end of the trail, riders a treated to a gorgeous view of the canyon carved by the north lone pine creek.

Along the trail are 9 campsites available for back country camping. Each site comes with a bench and enclosed fire pit. While not equipped with horse stalls, camping with hobbles or high lining is possible at the sites. 

This area is a gorgeous place to ride for any level of horse and rider and definitely worth the drive.

For more information about the trail, and other trails in this area, check out the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers website.

Happy Trails!

Colorado Equine Emergencies

Spring time is a great time to travel with your horse for trail rides and shows, but here in Colorado we have a few concerns for people traveling with horses to be aware of.

Equine Herpes Virus 

A horse recently was euthanized after showing neurological symptoms associated with Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy, which also is known as EHV-1. This virus caused a massive outbreak last spring after horses were exposed to it at a large event in Utah.

Currently, only a few barns are affected. The horse that was euthanized had been transported from Iowa by a transport company along with several other horses. The facilities affected are locked down and monitoring their horses for symptoms.

Caution should be used when brining new horses onto your property, and all new horses should be quarantined for at least two weeks before being allowed to interact with other horses on the property.

Several good resources for information on this outbreak are online.

For information about the disease and prevention of its spread: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/ehv/equine_herpesvirus_brochure_2009.pdf

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh/docs/EHV-1WhitePaper.pdf .

For news and updates on the outbreak in Colorado:

http://www.colorado.gov/ag .

For news and updates around the rest of the nation:

http://www.aqha.com/en/Showing/News-Articles/05102012-EHV1-Outbreak.aspx .

---------------

Hewlett Gulch Fire: Protect Your Horses!

At 1 p.m. Monday, a fire broke out in the Hewlett Gulch region near Poudre Canyon. The fire has caused trail closures in the area including the Hewlett Gulch and Gray Rock trails.

The Hewlett Gulch area often is used by horseback riders. As of Tuesday night, there are no evacuations, but residents are on alert in case the fire’s path changes. The fire covers more than 600 acres and is 10 percent contained.

Equestrians should not trail ride near the area and may want to avoid Poudre Canyon in general to allow emergency crews unhampered access to the area. The smoke is thick and can be seen along much of the Front Range. Riders should use caution when riding because horses can be affected by the smoke in the air.

Horses may need to be evacuated from the fire area. If you are in the area and need help with horses, or have resources available to help with the fire, visit the Facebook group Front Range Area Equestrians at https://www.facebook.com/groups/346370242066987/.

If you cannot get your horses evacuated, make sure they have identification (such as a halter with contact information). Then, open gates on the property so horses can escape from the fire if needed.

Please try to plan ahead and get horses and other pets out of danger before being forced to resort to last-minute measures.

Cherokee Park State Wildlife Area: Lone Pine Unit

Cherokee Park State Wildlife Area provides opportunities to see a wide variety of species including bighorn sheep — and to enjoy a beautiful day in the hills with your horse.

The state wildlife area can be entered through two main access points: one off of Cherokee Park Road (Larimer County Road 80C, which leaves U.S. Highway 287 22 miles northwest of Fort Collins) and the other off of Red Feather Lakes Road.

Maintained by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Cherokee Park is divided into five management units which cover almost 21,000 acres of public land.

The Lone Pine Unit connects with all the wildlife area's other units, so riders can feel free to explore and ride for days. It's named after Lone Pine Creek, which runs through the tract. Access is off of Red Feather Lakes Road, about 8 miles from the Livermore turnoff along U.S. 287. The dirt parking lot has plenty of room for most horse trailers to pull in, park and turn around, but there are no designated parking spots. Drivers should be courteous to fellow trail users and park so that other trail users have easy access to the lot.

The trailhead presents two choices: Follow historic Maxwell Ranch Road or take a trail up the hills. Both trails reconnect in the gorgeous canyon where Lone Pine Creek runs. The road is flatter, wider and easier, although it makes several stream crossings before  reconnecting with the other trail. The other route climbs over a few hills, and provides for gorgeous views in all directions. The descent into the canyon following this route is steep, rocky and not for inexperienced riders or horses.

Once down the hill, riders can head due west, following Maxwell Ranch Road, which also follows Lone Pine Creek. The road crosses the creek several times, but the crossings are friendly, shallow and great for teaching horses about water crossings. The road heads up a hill and then descends into another beautiful canyon. The road is about 8 miles long and enters Forest Service property.

Riders who head northeast along the road will find a bathroom and access to the Lone Pine Trail. This trail loops through the unit and reconnects with Maxwell Ranch Road. The loop is about 8 miles long as well, so riders should plan for around half a day of riding.

This area is open to recreation from May 1 through Sept.1 but is limited to hunting and fishing the rest of the year. Permits are required for hunting, and if riding during those months, riders should be cautious and wear orange hunting vests and other fluorescent-colored gear.

Happy trails!

Coyote Ridge Natural Area: An Adventure

For those looking for a more challenging trail experience along with gorgeous views, Coyote Ridge Natural Area is the natural area for you.

The parking lot is off of South Taft Hill Road, just south of the Fort Collins landfill. The large lot has plenty of room for horse-trailer parking and hitching posts for those that can't be tied to your trailer.

The trail heads west from the parking lot across plains full of prairie dogs. About a mile from the parking area is a cabin and restroom facilities which include hitching posts for your horses.

The trail then climbs into the foothills. It's fairly wide in most places but does rise fairly rapidly -- and, as you climb, the trailside drop-off is long and steep. The trail also is very rocky, with some slick, flat stones as well as small, sharp ones; your horse should have shoes or strong feet.

Cresting the second hill, you follow the ridge and then start heading down the other side. At this point, a sign recommends that all riders dismount for the stairs. The part-rock, part-wood stairs are between 1 and 2 feet high. The turn in the fairly narrow steps is difficult for some horses to navigate, especially when being led and having to watch out for the person leading them. There is no path around the steps. If you choose to descend the stairs, make sure you or someone with you are experienced and confident so that your horse can safely be led through this obstacle.

After the stairs, the trail narrows and switchbacks down into a wide valley. Across the valley, it heads into a canyon. This part of the trail is narrow and cuts into the side of the hill. Horses need to be surefooted here because the rocks on the side of the trail give way easily and there is not much room for error.

The trail forks as you leave the canyon, but taking either fork will lead back to the same point because it is a small loop. You can leave the loop and connect into the other Front Range trails which connect Devil's Backbone to Lory State Park.

After the short loop, riders must return on the same trail. While no sign advises riders to dismount before riding up the stairs, less experienced riders may want to lead their horses to stay safe.

This area is best to ride in the spring or late fall, because many rattlesnakes gather on the rocks and in the grass during the warm summer months.

While this trail is intense, the rider is rewarded with views of Fort Collins, Loveland, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Rocky Mountain Horse Expo: March 9-12

A great way to get geared up for spring riding and competing is the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo.

Hosted this Friday through Monday at Denver's National Western Complex, this event has everything a horse person could ask for -- including clinics, art, shopping and competitions.

The clinics are a great learning experience for every level of horse person. This year's featured clinician, Julie Goodnight, is a Colorado local but is known nationwide as the Horse Master and has her own show on RFD-TV.

Other clinics include cattle working with Jeff and Gerrie Barnes, working obstacles with Debbie Bibb, an introduction to three-day eventing, starting your horse over fences and improving your horsemanship.

The expo also features an art show and craft fair as well as an extensive trade show. Riders can spend hours just wandering this area to find all sorts of tack, clothing, supplies and decorations.

Those who want to watch the horses will have many opportunities at the expo. All of the clinicians will work with several riders, but you can sign up to “Ride with an Expert” next year by visiting the website.

A miniature horse and pony show will be held all three days. The “Mane Event” on Friday and Saturday nights will feature reining, dressage, vaulting and other exciting riding which shows off both horse and rider.

While the expo brings together many excellent horse people, it also is hosting the Holistic Horse Fair and many related clinics. As with holistic health care for humans, many of the ideas of holistic horsemanship are not founded in reality or science. While some of their methods or ideas may be harmless, many are not and could lead to injury or death of rider or horse. If you choose to participate in these clinics, please be cautious when applying any of these ideas and use common sense. If something sounds dangerous or if you do not know what is in the supplements you are giving your horse, ask your veterinarian or trainer, or avoid that activity.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo!

Cross Country Schooling Opportunities

As spring approaches, it's time to start schooling and getting yourself and your horse ready for the show season.

The Front Range provides many opportunities for cross-country schooling. Each course offers a unique combination of jumps, terrain and atmosphere.

Lory State Park 

Lory, located west of Fort Collins, has a great variety of trails and conditioning opportunities as well as a wide variety of cross-country jumps. The course was originally built to host recognized events, so jumps range from beginner novice through prelim. It has been many years since these events were held at the park, so many of the jumps are not well maintained. Colorado State University's English riding club has been doing maintenance on the jumps, however, so plenty of schooling opportunities remain.

Before jumping, please inspect the jumps as well as the approach and landing because there may be hazards both on the ground and on the jump. The jumps are scattered throughout the south valley, so some great opportunities can be found by simply taking some time to wander around.

Lory State Park charges a parking fee unless you have a Colorado State Parks pass.

Windy Wyoming at Wyoming Territorial Prison Park

Installed a few years ago at the park in Laramie and still under construction, this cross-country course is only open on specific days throughout the year. Riders will need to contact the Windy Wyoming Eventing Club for more information.

A fee is charged for schooling and use of the park grounds. All the jumps are safe and up to competition standard because the park hosts several schooling shows and an annual recognized event. Full courses through preliminary level are featured.

With a wide variety of jumps and more coming soon, this course will evolve into a great place to both school and compete.

Spring Gulch

Located just south of Colorado Highway 470 in Littleton, this park is a great place for beginners and introducing horses to the next level of jumps. The jumps and terrain here are friendly and inviting and promote confidence for both horse and rider.

Several schooling shows and recognized events are held here, many of which support the local pony club and young riders' groups. A parking fee is charged unless you have a Colorado State Parks pass.

Tomora Training Center

Located on the west side of Greeley, this course is easy to access from U.S. Highway 34. To school here, you must sign up for lessons with the trainer on site. The farm hosts several events and schooling shows each year, so schooling here is great preparation for those shows. An expansive schooling area is featured, and some unique jumps are great practice for your horse and rider.

Remember to never school cross country alone. Always school with your trainer and wear your helmet, vest and boots. Enjoy schooling, and good luck at your shows this year!