It’s time for me to take my annual blogger break. This will be my last post of 2024. Then, I hope to be back to writing on the first Monday of January 2025.

This time of year holds special meaning for me. Sure, the secular decorations and festivities of the Christmas season are fun. But celebrating the gift of salvation brought to the world through Jesus is where I find the real delight. Good tidings of great joy indeed.

It is a time of reflection. And among other things, an opportunity to share thoughts of gratitude.

In that spirit, I’d like to thank each of you who have read, shared, liked or commented on the blog this year.

I recognize that everyone’s time is limited. There is so much content on the internet to consume, and I know you have other places to be. So when you choose to spend some time with me and my cast of critters, I feel fortunate. It is fun for me to share some of my horse life with you. Thank you for allowing me to do so.

From my backyard to yours, I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Someone please tell Old Man Winter to take a hike! After a warm fall season, the end of November and early December were wicked cold. We had almost a week of no daytime highs above freezing. The overnight lows were in the teens. The feel-like temps were often single digits.

Outside of doing basic horse chores, the most exciting horse interaction I had during this extended freeze was taking photos of Shiloh’s mouth. His veterinarian wanted to assess Shiloh’s healing progress after he had three teeth removed in November.

I asked my husband if he was game to go outside on a 20-degree day and help me take the photos. To his credit, he said yes. Mercifully, the sun was shining with barely a cloud in the sky. It was still brutally cold, but the sun made going outside almost tolerable.

I wondered how Shiloh would react to us messing with his mouth. We horse folks know that bad weather can frequently affect horse behavior for the worse.

You will appreciate the difficulty if you’ve ever tried to take photos inside a horse’s mouth. This assumes you can even reach your horse’s head in the first place. Some horses lift their nose sky-high once they figure out what you are trying to do. This makes the task impossible and is likely the reason sedation drugs were invented.

If you do reach your horse’s mouth to open it, even to just do a small upper lip lift as we did, the horse typically starts moving his jaw and tongue around. It’s a lot of action happening at a time when you need them to be still. You’ve got to be fast and accurate with that camera shutter button, even when your fingers feel frozen. Otherwise you miss the moment.

Shiloh may not have been thrilled about it, but he was cooperative. Sure, he tossed his head around at first, but he was quiet enough for long enough for us to get some decent photos for the veterinarian.

During the photo shoot, my husband and I traded places so we could each capture some photos on our respective phones. At one point, in the process of Shiloh opening up his mouth, the side of my husband’s cheek got side-swiped by Shiloh’s enormous tongue.

The expression on my husband’s face was priceless. There is nothing like getting clobbered by a big old wet horse tongue on a twenty-degree day. I wish I had gotten that moment on camera. I still laugh when I think about it.

By the end, I had seven in-focus pictures of Shiloh’s surgery site to text to the vet. My husband and I gave each other a high-five when the vet’s technician later thanked us for sending such good photos.

The veterinarian thinks that Shiloh is healing well and the surgery site looks normal for this stage of healing. It’s good to know that he is pleased with Shiloh’s progress. And my husband is pleased that, thanks to the quality of the photos he helped take, Shiloh doesn’t need a vet re-check appointment. It’s winning news all around.

I’ll end here with a random barn cat photo. As I snapped the picture, I wondered if Asa noticing his own shadow holds any weather predictions for the rest of winter? I’m not sure about that one. But I know I’ve had about enough of the cold temperatures. It’s a sorry state to be in considering that we are only in early December with another four months of winter to go.

Yes, today is Cyber Monday. But I want to give my annual shout-out to tomorrow’s Giving Tuesday on 12/3/24.

Created in 2012, #Givingtuesday refers to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Wikipedia defines it as “a global movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.”

It’s fun to know that you are joining in with millions of people the world over to support worthy organizations and causes. YOU can be a part of making a difference. Remember, even small donations are appreciated and helpful.

Want to participate but not sure where to donate? Read on for a few horse-related suggestions.

YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR SANCTUARY
Many organizations, large and small, are doing the ongoing work of helping horses in need. There might even be one near you. A quick internet search should give you a list of rescues in your area. Giving Tuesday is a great time to learn about your local horse rescue(s). You might be surprised to learn about the equine rescue work happening in your community.

FOUR CORNERS EQUINE RESCUE
https://www.fourcornersequinerescue.org
If you can’t find a horse rescue to donate to in your area, please consider donating to Four Corners Equine Rescue in Aztec, New Mexico. Readers may recall that I visited the rescue earlier this year. You can read about my visit and see lots of photos HERE. Four Corners Equine Rescue takes in horses, donkeys and mules from all kinds of difficult situations, working to rehab and rehome them.

FLEET OF ANGELS
https://www.fleetofangels.org/
Fleet of Angels provides emergency assistance to horse owners in need, mostly in the USA, but also overseas. They help organize emergency transportation during disasters as well as donate physical goods like hay and medical supplies to equestrians in need. Individual horse owners in times of crisis can even apply for one-time financial grants to cover horse care costs. Donate to help keep these programs well-funded so more horse people can receive emergency assistance.

Black Friday is here! After surfing the web and collecting email offers, below are the horse-related shopping deals I found. They appear in alphabetical order by business name. I will update the list throughout the day if I come across additional offers.

Compared to seasons past, I didn’t find as many BOGOs, free gifts with purchase, free shipping with no order minimum, etc . . . But there are still plenty of sale prices.

When visiting retailer websites, please read the exact offer details thoroughly. Read all the fine print, including expiration dates. For example, some sales are just for Black Friday. Others extend through Cyber Monday or even longer. I’ve previously missed out on sales by not understanding the exact parameters of an offer. Don’t make my mistake.

In addition, make sure the sales discount shows up in your shopping cart total before you press “buy”. If not, you can call the company and try to recoup your money later, but there is no guarantee they will issue you a refund. Ask me how I know.

While I understand other countries do host their own versions of Black Friday, my list here is for USA shoppers only.

Finally, please consider buying physical items for your local horse rescue or other favorite equestrian charities. Or mark your calendars to donate on Giving Tuesday. There is so much need and every little bit of help counts!

Adams Horse Supply
https://adamshorsesupply.com/
Get 15% to 20% off many select brands. For example, get 20% off Mountain Horse boots and coats as well as 20% off Kerrits Performance Equestrian Apparel through December 3rd.

Big D’s Tack and Vet Supply
https://www.bigdweb.com/
10% off sitewide and doorbusters up to 75% off.

Cheshire Horse
http://www.cheshirehorse.com
30% Off: Apparel
20% Off: Tack, Horse Clothing, Wool Apparel, Gifts, Dog Clothing & Accessories, Dog Collars, Harnesses & Leashes, Cat Collars, Harnesses & Leashes
10% Off: Saddles, Supplements, Horse Health, Grooming, Supplies, Horse Treats, Livestock Supplies, Pet Supplies
Use promo code HOLIDAY24 at online checkout. Offer expires 12/02/24 at 11:59 p.m.

Chewy
https://www.chewy.com/deals/todays-deals-2723
Check out Chewy’s many Black Friday offers online. There are too many to list individually.
Remember, too, that Chewy has a donation program where you can place a Chewy order and have the items mailed directly to a rescue of your choice! A wonderful Black Friday gift for the lucky animal rescue you select! Take advantage of the Chewy sales to help horses and other rescue animals. Find more info at https://www.chewy.com/g/animal-shelters-and-rescues.

Chicks Discount Saddlery
https://www.chicksaddlery.com/
Up to 90% off on select items.

Chimacum Tack (harnesses and other driving supplies)
https://chimacumtack.com/harnessfortheholidays/
Take 10% off of ALL harness sets with coupon code: jingle24
Take 15% off of individual brass bells with coupon code: brassbells24

Dabble Bay (Equestrian apparel, horsewear and gifts)
https://www.dabblebay.com
Everything on the site is 20% off. No coupon code required. Sale runs through Monday, December 2nd. All order over $100 ship for free.

Dover Saddlery
https://www.doversaddlery.com/
Get 20% off select brands.

Eclectic Horseman Mercantile (Horsemanship books, dvd’s and more)
https://eclectic-horseman.com/mercantile/
Free shipping on Black Friday.

Five Star (Western Saddle Pads and Leg Boots)
http://www.5starequineproducts.com
15% off sitewide. Free hoodie with saddle sad purchase. Use code: BLKFRIDAY24.

GG Equine (GreenGuard Grazing Muzzles and HayPlay Slow Feed Bags)
https://www.GG-equine.com
Get 20% off sitewide Black Friday through December 2nd.

Great British Equinery (English tack, equipment, riding clothes, supplements and more)
https://greatbritishequinery.com
Save an extra 25% off show clothing, fly protection, luggage, coolers, rugs and more using code BF25 at checkout.

Horsemen’s Pride (enrichment toys, stall supplies and treats) https://horsemenspride.com/ On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, buy one, get one 50% off sitewide.

Ice Horse (compression and cold therapy products for horses)
http://www.icehorse.com
Get 20% off sitewide with code SAVINGS. Expires 12/2/24 at Midnight.

IVC Carriage
https://www.ivccarriage.com/collections/black-friday-sales
Select sale items through Monday, December 2nd for your harness and other driving horse needs. Discounts applied automatically at check out.

Jeffers (Equine, pet and livestock supplies)
https://www.jefferspet.com/
10% off sitewide. Use code: BF24. Sale ends Friday, November 29th at 11:59pm CST.

Le Mieux (Equestrian clothing, tack and accessories)
https://www.lemieux.com/us/
Save up to 50% off on select items.

Majesty’s Animal Nutrition (treats and supplements for equines and canines)
https://majestys.com/
Black Friday November 29th ONLY: Get 40% off your order using promo code: Friday40.

Masego Horseware
https://masego.se/
25% off sitewide.

Nag Horse Ranch (UV protection fly masks) https://www.naghorseranch.com/ Through December 11th, get 15% off orders under $100 with coupon code Holiday15. Get 20% off orders over $100 with coupon code Holiday20.

RAMM Fence and Stalls
https://www.rammfence.com/
One day only sale- November 29th from 9am to 4pm get 10% off select products. Use code: BLACKHORSE10.

Riding Warehouse
https://www.ridingwarehouse.com
20% off your purchase (prices already discounted on their website)(some exclusions apply).
If you’d like to have a portion of your Riding Warehouse purchases go towards helping horses in need, please go to the blog http://www.horseandman.com and click on their affiliate link with Riding Warehouse (scroll down to the bottom of their blog page to find the link). You can do this all year round, not just Black Friday. A portion of your sales will then go to help horses in need through the Horse and Man Bucket Fund!

Ride iQ (on-demand, audio horseback riding lessons)
https://www.ride-iq.com/
Get 35% off with code TAKE35.

Schneider Saddlery
https://www.sstack.com/
Sales of up to 80% off select items.

Smart Pak Equine
https://www.smartpakequine.com/
20% OFF with code BF2024 (some exclusions apply). In addition, orders over $200 will receive a free gift. See their website for further details. If the free gift offer is the same as last year, the free gift will change each day through the weekend..

State Line Tack
https://www.statelinetack.com/
Sales of up to 80% off select items.

The Original Muck Boot Company
https://www.muckbootcompany.com
Get 25% off sitewide using code TAKE25.

The Painting Pony
https://thepaintingpony.com/
Sales and offers on select items including:
10% off throw blankets, magnetic bumper stickers, 4 or more plates
$10 off leggings and hoodies
$5 off phone cases and pet mats
15% off 3 or more notebooks

The Thrifty Cowgirl (western scarfs)
https://thrifty-cowgirl.com/
All size 36×36 western scarfs – $10 with code: TC10

Total Saddle Fit (girths, cinches, saddlepads, stirrup leathers, bridles)
https://www.totalsaddlefit.com
Get 20% off site-wide on Black Friday, November 29th only.

Trafalgar Square Books (Horse books, ebooks, audiobooks and dvd’s)

25% off books sitewide November 29th through December 2nd, 2024 (Excludes clearance items, sets and streaming videos).

The Backyard Horse Blog has an affiliate link with Trafalgar Square Books. If you use the following link, the blog will receive a MUCH APPRECIATED portion of your sales without it costing you anything extra. Click on the image of the green horse below to go to their website!

Valley Vet Supply (for horses, livestock and pets)
https://www.valleyvet.com/
$25 off your purchase of $250. Use code BFSALE.
$35 off your purchase of $350. Use code BFSALE.
$50 off your purchase of $500. Use code BFSALE.

Weaver Leather Equine
https://www.ridethebrand.com
20% off sitewide through December 2nd, 2024.

Wild Horse Education
https://www.zazzle.com/store/whestorefront
Shop their store sale on Zazzle for all kinds of wild horse merch including their 2025 calendars featuring gorgeous wild horse photography! Wild Horse Education (WHE) advocates for our public lands and wild horses. All proceeds from sales in this shop benefit their work for the wild horses!
Get 25% off their calendars with code BLKFRIWK2024.

Zero Proof Horse Treats (horse, dog and cat treats)
https://www.zeroproofhorsetreats.com/
Until Dec 1 get freeshipping on all orders over $50 with code BlackFriday24.

If you want to see even more equestrian shopping discounts, visit the Breed Ride Event blog at https://breedrideevent.com to see their own annual list of equestrian Black Friday discounts.

It’s pretty quiet around here at the moment. After a warm and dry start to the month, the weather turned wet and cold. We even had our first snow of the season.

Shiloh continues to recover from his recent incisor removal. He is now three weeks post-surgery. Shiloh and Piper are back to mixing together in their paddock. There is no more temporary electric fence strip separating them.

I am still experimenting with slowing Piper’s hay consumption so he doesn’t eat all the communal hay. Shiloh can graze and eat loose hay on the ground just fine. But there is a learning curve to using the hay net slow feeders when you have fewer teeth than you used to. Piper can now out-eat Shiloh even faster than before.

I hoped to complete one or two more rides before hanging up my riding helmet for Winter. I got in one ride the weekend before Shiloh’s surgery. But now that Shiloh is cleared for light riding per the veterinarian’s instructions, the weather has turned sour.

I figured this might happen. I hated to cut short my ride count for the year by scheduling Shiloh’s surgery for early November. The vet clinic originally scheduled Shiloh for December. However, I was worried about caring for a horse post-surgery during Winter. Doing the surgery in November proved to be the right choice.

You see, the facilities in my backyard are quite limited. I have no fully enclosed barn structures. So my horse care is greatly affected by the weather. Much more so than it would be if I had a traditional horse barn.

It is hard work caring for the horses as a herd without a lot of infrastructure. But when the horses need to be separated, the work load worsens.

Trying to install temporary electric fencing stakes into the soil to separate the horses is next to impossible once the ground freezes. And when separated, neither horse has full use of the run-in shed as protection from the fierce Winter winds, rain and snow. I can only heat one water trough, not two. This would leave one horse with frozen water every night.

Soaking hay pellets and giving Shiloh his liquid oral medication for two weeks was difficult enough in decent weather. It would have been downright physically brutal on my arthritic hands in the freezing weather. My fingers frequently ache during Winter. More so when I have to take off my gloves to get a better grip. Even the simple task of hanging hay bags becomes cumbersome when clips and snaps freeze and won’t open.

Allowing Shiloh to start his recovery while the weather was warm and dry was the right call. Not only for me, but for him as well. Shiloh was understandably tired, touchy and just out of sorts after the surgery. He didn’t need the complications of coping with bad weather on top of it all.

I’ll end this post where I began. With the word “quiet.” I’d love to have more horse activities to report. Yet I also recognize that the concept of quiet encompasses many positive qualities.

Quiet as in no major disasters occurring at the moment. Quiet as in a period of relative rest after an upheaval. Quiet as in more time to think and plan rather than simply react to a series of events. Quiet as in more time to spend with Asa the barn cat.

When considering the potential alternatives, there is a lot to appreciate about quiet.

Are you getting ready for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday?

In 2024, Black Friday falls on November 29th, Small Business Saturday on November 30th, Cyber Monday on December 2nd and Giving Tuesday on December 3rd.

Strategic shopping during this five day period remains one of my key strategies for affording my horses on a modest budget. Ditto for having money to donate to the horse rescues and welfare organizations that I care about.

All the great Black Friday offers make equestrian shopping more affordable for me IF I do some pre-planning. So how do I prep for all this shopping and donating without breaking the bank? At the start of each year, I keep a list of horse-related items I will likely want to replace or add to my collection— everything from fly spray to dewormer to riding gloves and beyond.

If I can do without something until Black Friday rolls around, I wait. In the meantime, I put money aside to spend on Black Friday weekend.

By the way, sometimes by waiting to purchase something, I eventually realize I didn’t need the item after all. I know that sales are often couched in terms of “saving money,” but the best way to save money is not to spend it in the first place! Remember this to avoid getting caught up in all the holiday shopping frenzy. Use sale shopping strategically. Don’t let it use you!

With the arrival of November, I watch sale ads like a hawk. There are some excellent deals during Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. I watch for steep discounts, BOGO offers, and free gifts with purchases. Comparing deals and seeing who has what sales/offers is fun for me.

Don’t forget that you can also use Black Friday/Cyber Monday discounts to buy physical goods for nonprofits. It’s a great way to help out your favorite horse rescue before or instead of donating money to them on Giving Tuesday.

For example, many horse rescues keep a wish list of wanted items on their organizations’ websites or through shopping websites like Amazon or Chewy. You can buy their desired items online. Then you can take them to the rescue yourself OR have the items shipped directly to the rescue from the retailer!

Just like the last few years, on or right before Black Friday, I plan to post a list of horse-related discounts and special offers. If you shop in the USA, the list can help you buy strategically too.

Not familiar with my annual lists? You can check out my 2023 list HERE as an example of what to expect for 2024.

If you subscribe to The Backyard Horse Blog, you will receive an email notice when the horse-related discounts and offers list goes live. Otherwise, stay tuned to The Backyard Horse Blog website for the new post!

I had an interesting Election Day last week. But it had nothing to do with politics. It had to do with, you guessed it, horses.

On Tuesday, November 5th, my husband and I headed to the polls to perform our civic duty. Then on the way home, he dropped me off at the local veterinary clinic so I could pick up my truck, trailer and the horses. I eventually pulled into my barn driveway with an “I voted” sticker on my jacket and three horse teeth in my pocket.

You see, Shiloh had dental surgery on Monday, the day before Election Day (if you missed my announcement about Shiloh being diagnosed with the equine dental disease EOTRH, you can read my TEETH TROUBLE post).

Shiloh then stayed at the vet clinic overnight. Piper came along for the experience so he would not have to remain home without equine companionship.

The surgery went smoothly, and the vet noted that the rest of Shiloh’s teeth looked healthy. At 21, it’s possible that Shiloh might not live long enough to develop further dental issues. Let’s hope he can die with the rest of his teeth intact.

Since the surgery, Piper and Shiloh have been separated by a strip of electric tape across their paddock. For ten days, Shiloh is supposed to only eat grass or softened pellets. No long-stem hay at all.

You wouldn’t think a small change like that would be difficult from a management perspective, but I feel tired and cranky from all the upheaval. Separating the horses and feeding them differently makes horse chores more complicated. Everything is physically more difficult and takes more time to organize and complete. And those buckets of soaked feed are so heavy and messy! Ugh.

The good part of the story is that Shiloh is recovering. Of course, his mouth is understandably sore, hence the importance of soaking his feed for softness. He’s been doing a fair amount of licking, chewing, and jaw-adjusting as he tries to cope with the changes. And the antibiotics have changed his manure consistency. But I’ve been watching for further signs of tummy trouble or possible infection. So far, he has no fever and his appetite is good, despite his tender mouth.

Behaviorally, Shiloh acted a bit shell-shocked during the first days of recovery. Being whisked away from home and going through the dental procedure was a lot for him.

Other than feeding him and giving him his oral medication, I left Shiloh alone while I resisted the urge to fuss over him. As much as I would like to think I am a comfort to my horses, sometimes they do better when they are allowed to work through a situation on their own. My hovering was not wanted.

By Thursday though, Shiloh sidled up to me, asking me to scratch his itches. I brought out the grooming bag and gave Shiloh a free-choice grooming session at liberty. After an unusual and demanding week for both of us, it was a little slice of much-welcomed normalcy.

If all goes well, Shiloh will be back to eating hay by the weekend. I can then take down the strip of electric fencing that forms a temporary divide between the horses.

Going forward, I have some questions about how Shiloh will adjust to using the hay bags. I wonder if I might need to buy some other type of (expensive) slow-feed device if the hay bags don’t work. And I wonder if Piper, who has always been the faster eater, will pack on even more pounds as he continues to outperform Shiloh in the chewing department. There is nothing easy about easy keepers.

But I am too tired to do too much worrying about all that at the moment. Right now I need to take things one day at a time. I think Shiloh would agree.

This month I completed nine rides, eight with my horse, Shiloh, and one with a trail horse named Juliette who I described in my previous post.

For those of you new to the blog, Shiloh is a 21-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter gelding. We’ve been together for six years now. Shiloh has a flashy appearance with his loud chestnut and white coat, but his demeanor is generally calm and quiet. He is a great match for someone like me. Someone who enjoys riding and doing different things with her horses but can be intimidated by a mount with a big personality or motor.

As during most riding months, Shiloh and I did our usual routines. Sometimes we practiced parts of a gaited dressage pattern. Sometimes we just moseyed around the pasture. Occasionally I brought out ground poles or other obstacles. And of course, simply admiring the changing leaves from my horse’s back is a favorite October activity.

I’ve also been super pleased with our cantering progress this year. For some background, I will mention that Shiloh, as a Missouri Fox Trotter, is a gaited horse. It is common for folks with gaited horses to not train them to canter. Many gaited horse folks have long thought that one should not canter their gaited horses or risk ruining their “smooth gaits” like the fox trot, running walk, rack, etc . . .

With the advent of the internet, more exposure to different disciplines, and modern biomechanical information about the horse, this tradition is slowly changing. Encouraging a gaited horse to canter under saddle can be challenging due to their lateral movement tendencies but having a gaited horse who canters well under saddle is a boon and not a detriment to both gaited horse and rider. In my experience, it does not ruin their saddle gaits.

Over the six years I’ve had Shiloh, I’ve experimented lightly with asking him to canter. I learned early on that he actually has a lovely lope-style canter. It is surprisingly slow, smooth and balanced, especially for a horse that hasn’t been regularly cantered his whole life.

But until this year, I’ve never gotten more than perhaps seven or eight strides of canter at a time. Then earlier this Spring, out of nowhere, Shiloh surprised me by cantering halfway across the pasture! It was the coolest thing ever, and we’ve repeated it multiple times since.

Unfortunately, I don’t always get the transition into canter quite right. A clean canter transition has never been my strong suit. Instead, we get this weird sort of “almost cantering but not quite” result.

One day when I had my pivo recording device out, I got an example of this on camera. Hopefully, you can see the video clip below.

Those types of transitions aren’t quite what I want. Nonetheless, I consider it all a good try on Shiloh’s part. I always praise him profusely anytime he makes an effort. It’s not his fault if I can’t quite support him in the way that he needs. But when we get a decent transition and canter across the pasture, it puts a smile on my face for the rest of the day! Such a thrill!

This month I also brought out my big green horse ball. Bear, one of my former horses, absolutely loved chasing the ball under saddle. I had so much fun pushing the ball around the pasture with him. Sometimes I had to hold him back because he’d get so into the activity that he’d try to bite or jump on the ball.

On the other hand, Shiloh shows little interest in herding the ball around. He is just not naturally drawn to it like Bear was. Each horse’s personality is so different, and it often shows up in how they interact with obstacles.

Although initially disappointing, I now find Shiloh’s lack of enthusiasm rather humorous. But I also find it endearing that he still makes an effort for me. It speaks to his good nature.

Using my Pivo again, I got a little clip of one of Shiloh’s efforts with the ball. He gets some encouraging words and a scratch on the withers from me for the try.

Long story short, October was a good riding month with my good horse. I hope Shiloh knows how much I appreciate him. He really is a delight to have in my backyard.

Trail riding is one equestrian activity I really miss. There was a time when I regularly rode my own horses on local trails, but barring a major change in circumstance, those days are behind me. Long-time readers may recall previous blog posts about my struggle with my horses’ separation anxiety now that they are only a herd of two.

The last time I rode a horse of my own in the woods was September 2022. Here’s a short video of that day when I took Shiloh to a local trailhead and met a friend and her horse for a ride. The lead photo for this post was taken from a clip of this same video.

I was keenly aware that I had not been out on a trail in two years. The unusually warm and dry October in my area made me long for a ride in the woods, especially with beautiful fall leaf colors on display.

While scrolling through the internet, I was reminded of a trail riding outfit I had yet to visit about an hour from my home. The website photos showed a trail threading through thick woods. This immediately caught my attention, and I quickly booked a day to visit.

This particular outfitter only offers basic nose-to-tail trail rides at a walk. Nevertheless, I was ridiculously excited to be back on the trail, even if I felt a twinge of sadness that it was not on my own horse.

I found it charming that the mount selected for me, a cute chestnut and white paint mare named Juliette, sported a multi-colored mane not unlike my own horse, Shiloh. It was as close as I could get to imagining I was riding him, although any rider will attest that no two horses feel alike from the saddle.

The entire experience was awesome. Juliette was quiet and packed me around like a star. The somewhat rocky trail was visually interesting, with quite a few ups and downs. The woods were beautiful, even as many trees were already starting to lose their leaves.

The crunch-crunch-crunch of the horses’ hooves as they walked over those fallen leaves was music to my ears. And there was even a creek crossing! I loved hearing the splashing sounds as the horses traversed the shallow water.

Riding horses is a fun and engaging activity no matter where you ride, but there is something special about moving down a trail with a horse outside of fencing confines. The back of a horse is an especially beautiful vantage point to admire God’s creation.

Thanks to this recent outing, I remain of the firm belief that there is nothing quite like experiencing nature while in the saddle.

While riding is a highlight of keeping horses at home, I spend far more time with my two feet on the ground than in the saddle. There are daily chores to do. There are periodic farrier and vet appointments to attend. Even frequent grooming and groundwork sessions. Some of it is more fun than others, but being around horses in any capacity brings joy to those afflicted by “horseitis”.

To find satisfaction in having horses in our lives outside of riding, we sometimes seek out ways to appreciate different kinds of horse interactions. As an example, I must say I’ve really developed an appreciation for ground driving this year. Similarly to riding, I enjoy attempting to accomplish a task through communication with the horse, even if it is not from their back. Piper, my retired-from-riding horse, and I are moving forward again after a step back in our progress last month.

Following a wet spring and summer, fall in my area has been wonderfully dry with moderate temperatures. I can’t emphasize enough how much temperate weather adds in every way to the enjoyment of my horses. Fall is my favorite time of year, but the weather in my neck of the woods is often lousy, so having good weather this season has been an additional blessing. The horses think so too.

It’s even been warm enough during the daytime for the horses to enjoy some water play. One afternoon as I watered the juvenile poplar tree, Shiloh sidled up to enjoy playing in the water stream.

Not to be outdone, Piper later decided to get in on the action before I gathered up the hose.

I can almost guarantee there will be no water play this winter. Frozen water hoses are not fun, after all. But while the weather is still good, I encourage the horses to enjoy some misting.

When I think about how difficult it is to do horse chores during the winter, it makes me savor even mundane tasks like cleaning horse poop out of the paddock on these warm and dry afternoons. Soon it will be too painfully cold and muddy to entertain moments like these.

Of course, nights and early mornings are gradually getting colder. We’ve already had our first frost. But it’s not so frigid yet that I can’t linger to admire the moonlight as it baths the pasture in a soft hue.

Instances like these make all the effort of having horses in my life more than worth it. While riding remains the highlight of my keeping horses at home, simply being around horses creates a sense of fulfillment. True, it’s easier to appreciate horse life when it’s sunny and 70 degrees than when I have not seen the sun for a week and temperatures are below freezing. Please note that I reserve the right to complain about winter weather in future blog posts.

But for now, I will appreciate the balmy weather and the quiet moments I share with my horses, whether on the ground or in the saddle. I remind myself that it is all good.

Well, it’s official. Shiloh has been diagnosed with Equine Odontosclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH). Talk about a mouth full!

Readers may recall that at Shiloh’s annual health exam in April, his veterinarian suggested that Shiloh might benefit from having some teeth removed.

So last week, I took Shiloh to our local vet clinic to get dental X-rays. The veterinarian who examined him confirmed the EOTRH diagnosis.

Many horses with EOTRH experience quite a bit of pain. So much pain that they stop eating. Shiloh still eats with gusto, and I have not observed overt signs of tooth pain from him, but to prevent further deterioration and eliminate any potential pain, the veterinarian recommended the removal of two, possibly three, incisors. Shiloh’s surgery is now scheduled for later this year.

None of this is the greatest news for Shiloh, me or my pocketbook. But to make this whole thing more fun and interesting for the masses, I have some show and tell to share:

A week before the X-ray appointment, I began with a practice trailer-loading session for both horses. With Piper’s pronounced separation anxiety, I dread ever having to leave him home alone so I obtained permission from the vet clinic to have him accompany Shiloh.

Keep in mind that the horses had not entered a trailer since their last vet appointment in April. They were both a little nervous on trailer-loading-practice-day, but they got in the trailer without hysterics. And on the day of the actual appointment, they both loaded, traveled and unloaded well to and from the clinic. Good job, Piper and Shiloh! You did me proud.

Next, we have Shiloh in the stocks while the sedation takes effect.

Meanwhile, Piper watches Shiloh from across the aisleway that separates the exam room from a set of stalls. The thoughtful veterinary technician purposely provided Piper his “room with a view.” Piper initially bellowed, paced and pawed the stall door, but settled down eventually.

Next is a snaggletooth photo for sure! You can see Shiloh’s pronounced upper gum recession. You can also clearly see his offset lower jaw. The offset jaw was likely a result of a kick in the face as a foal, a story that has accompanied him as he switched owners throughout his life. It’s probably not related to the EOTRH, but who knows?

I’d like to point out that neither of these two skulls pictured is Shiloh’s! 🙂 Instead, they show someone else’s dearly departed horses before and after upper incisor extraction (or maybe one is a plastic mold? I forgot to ask, unfortunately). After his surgery, Shiloh’s skull will look something like the one on the right.

While Shiloh came out of sedation after his X-rays were taken, the veterinarian showed me a collection of teeth he has removed from other horses diagnosed with EOTRH. For comparison purposes, the tooth in the lower right-hand corner is a normal incisor. Smooth and shiny.

To the left of the normal tooth, you see an incisor that is mottled with holes. All that pitting and deterioration is part of the EOTRH disease. To the left of that one, you can see a tooth that displays the hypercementation part of the disease. This is where a layer of hard material is laid down over the tooth root causing lots of pressure and thus pain inside the tooth socket, similar to what happens with an arthritic joint. Fortunately, Shiloh’s X-rays show more of the pitting than the extra cementation development.

I plan to post more about all this once Shiloh has had his surgery. But in the meantime, if you want to read about EOTRH from professional sources instead of just me as a layperson, you may find the following links as interesting as I did:

https://horsesidevetguide.com/drv/Diagnosis/1217/equine-odontoclastic-tooth-resorption-amp-hypercementosis-eotrh

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/dentistry-in-horses/odontoclastic-tooth-resorption-and-hypercementosis-in-horses

https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/equine-odontoclastic-tooth-resorption-and-hypercementosis-eotrh

UPDATE: Shiloh has now had his dental surgery. You can read about it HERE.

Looking for a fun, horse-related art project? Consider a DIY crystal art project from the international company CraftBuddy.

CraftBuddy sells beginner-friendly craft kits for ages 8 plus. I finished this particular card and the journal cover over the Summer. I enjoyed the process and thought I’d share the idea with readers.

Like paint-by-number projects, you attach little crystal pieces to a pre-drawn picture. Each color of crystal is assigned a letter corresponding to the letters on the picture.

The horse card and journal kits both include a craft pen and jelly wax that allow you to pick up the little crystals and transfer them onto the card/journal cover.

To find out more, you can check out CraftBuddy’s website HERE. If you are in the USA, you can purchase a journal kit through the Chick’s Discount Saddlery website HERE. And most of the big websites like Walmart, Amazon and Etsy offer the complete line of CraftBuddy kits. At around $20 or less, these projects make for affordable fun.

Have you done one of these kits before? Or do you have any other horsey craft ideas? Let me know in the comments section.

*Please note that this post was neither solicited nor compensated.*

Shiloh and I completed ten rides for September.

I enjoyed playing with Shiloh’s form this month as we practiced gaiting over poles. Shiloh is normally a chill guy, but certain activities can bring out tension in him if I’m not careful. Gaiting over poles is one of them.

When he’s tense, he can’t round his body. He ends up on the forehand with his head in the air. I need to concentrate more on my own form and relaxation so I can help him position himself better.

I aim for MORE of this:

And LESS of this:

Besides that, we also practiced little segments of a basic dressage pattern, continued to work on the canter and played around with small movements like quarter turns on both the hind end and forehand. Mostly, though, we did lots of moseying around the pasture, simply enjoying taking strolls through the soft green grass.

We did have one “bad” ride though. It was our only ride in the round pen. Piper was fussing back in the paddock, making all sorts of noise as he did THIS to the grooming bag and the muck boots that I accidentally left within his reach:

To add to the chaos, Asa the barn cat felt especially frisky. He ran in and out of the bushes next to the round pen. And even worse, he cavorted up and down one of the trees on the other side of the fence. Asa’s constant rustling of leaves and bushes combined with all of Piper’s fussing was apparently too much for my normally quiet Shiloh. I counted four big spooks during our ride.

Near the end of our session, I finally convinced Asa to come out of the trees. I know that Shiloh feels better when he can keep an eye on the small predator. Looking closely, you will see that Asa is the small black blob on top of the mounting block.

Speaking of the round pen, after the chaotic ride with Shiloh, Piper and I had a pleasant ground driving session. We seem to be working our way back from the recent setback I wrote about in my previous post.

Now that we are almost in October, my riding season is winding down. I usually keep riding until Thanksgiving. But the weather and footing conditions often get more unreliable as winter approaches.

How often I can be in the saddle in October and November depends upon how cold it gets and how moist the ground stays between rains. The tail end of my riding season always feels bittersweet, but I sure enjoyed September in my backyard.

If you’ve followed The Backyard Horse Blog this year, you may have read about my experiment with ground-driving Piper, my retired-from-riding horse. To date, we’ve completed 25 drives.

Piper initially picked up on the ground-driving concept quickly, but he is nothing if not a sensitive and opinionated horse. This led to some “broncy” reactions to the surcingle, big spooks when vehicles passed by and plenty of miscommunications between us. But I felt like we were improving and Piper was reasonably content with the activity.

Reasonably content, that is, until the day I brought out the ground-driving tack and he ran from me. Piper may have some faults, but hard-to-catch is not one of them.

About the time that he started to run from me when he saw the tack, we had two miserable sessions in a row where he threw some epic temper tantrums. Piper refused to go forward, jumped around, spun and got himself tangled in the lines.

I was able to get him unwound in short order. And we were able to end both of those sessions on good notes. But it dawned on me that something had gone awry in my overall plan and approach.

I decided that the combination of the running away from me and the explosive temper tantrums likely meant that Piper was feeling some anxiety about ground-driving. And that I had created that anxiety.

Was I ground-driving him too frequently? For too long each session? Was I being confusing with my aids? Were we venturing too far away from Shiloh as we explored the bigger pastures beyond their shared paddock?

I still don’t know, but I knew I needed to change my approach. More skilled horsemen than I can often work through issues in real-time with their horses. Their superior feel and timing can lead their horses to a confident place in short order. But I felt like I was eroding Piper’s confidence in me with my inability to avoid bringing out the temper tantrums in the first place or redirecting them when they appeared.

So I spent two days bringing out the tack, but only putting on the halter. I then lead Piper over to the tire pedestal and asked him to step up on it. After hanging out half-a-minute, I then requested that he lower his head so I could take off the halter. End of session.

By the third day of this reduced schedule, Piper stopped running from me. I then tacked him up in his driving gear, and we did a ground-drive without leaving the paddock. We completed a few big circles with a couple of changes of direction. Piper was quiet and easy to guide.

I wanted an entire session without drama, even a ridiculously short session. So after about three minutes, I asked Piper to halt in a shady spot and took off the tack right then and there. Piper stared at me with a look of pleasant surprise. It felt good to see his expression.

I am hoping this will be the start of a reset, but who knows. Piper has been a difficult horse for me to get to know. And three years on, I am still trying to figure him out. I don’t always have the best instincts with him. I imagine that is as frustrating for him as it is for me. Likely more so.

In any case, the timing of this setback is a bummer. I only have a couple more months of reasonable weather and decent footing conditions before the cold and wet weather sets in.

Virtually all my riding and ground-work comes to a close for the five month duration of Winter in my area. I like to make the most of the fall season. Especially with a horse like Piper who is overweight and could benefit from the exercise. But perhaps in my enthusiasm, I expected too much from Piper. Now I need to step back to find another path forward.

It’s sure been a wet year in my neck of the woods. So much rain. So much morning dew on the grass even when it’s not raining. So much green vegetation everywhere. Including in what is supposed to be my horses’ dry lot. This year, a dry lot it is not.

All that moisture has caused other problems too. A late start to my post-winter riding year. Crumbly, cracked hooves in between farrier appointments. Tons of flies and other winged, biting insects this summer. And even a mild case of “scratches” or pastern dermatitis for Piper on his left hind leg. In contrast to much of 2024, the last couple of weeks have mostly been delightfully dry, and his skin condition is healing.

It’s been hard to keep up with the mowing too. I have four-plus acres of gorgeous green grass, most of which the horses can’t be turned on because they get too fat. Having all this free horse food that I can’t feed them is a bitter irony. The result is a lot of hours spent on my mower.

The constant morning dew plays a role in my riding too. I have to make sure to only ride on tall grass. Short, wet grass is way too slick. I could wait to ride until the grass dries in the afternoon, but by then, it’s usually too hot. I monitor the weather forecast, the grass length and the dew accumulation to see when it’s best to break out the saddle.

Looking forward, this wetter-than-normal year may stretch on into 2025. Much to my displeasure, The Farmer’s Almanac predicts a cold, wet and white 2024-2025 winter season for the Midwest. I don’t much look forward to the personal suffering entailed in caring for horses during a potentially long, harsh winter. But for now, I’m going to try to enjoy the mild end of summer and early fall weather. Even more so when I can do it from the back of a good horse. Dew or no dew.

I am often puzzled by why horses choose to do the things that they do. Of course, I could say the same thing about people, but that’s a topic for a different kind of blog. I wonder what the equine experience of the world is and what motivates their behavior.

For example, I decided to ground-drive Piper in the horses’ smaller paddock area the other day. I had just finished up a ride with Shiloh. Figuring he would go take a nap in his favorite corner, I left Shiloh loose in the paddock with Piper and me rather than tying Shiloh up.

Instead of going off on his own, Shiloh decided to make a conga line of sorts behind Piper and me as we ground-drove. It was about lunch time, making for washed out images in the harsh overhead light. But I think viewers can see enough to get a general impression of our makeshift parade.

When I later saw the photos that my husband took, they made me laugh. My husband pointed out to me that Shiloh had been walking along behind us for longer than I realized, periodically putting his head on the ground as he watched the end of driving lines drag on the ground.

When Piper and I eventually arrived at the little poles and cones course I set up, Shiloh planted himself in the middle. He stayed at a respectable distance and never interfered with the ground-driving. He stayed nice and still so we could maneuver around him.

Of course, as a herd animal, that behavior is certainly on brand. The innate response to move out with everyone else or to stick close by is evident in most horses. They don’t typically like being left behind. For better or worse, horses tend to synchronize with others.

But they do sometimes choose to make different choices, especially if they are tired, hungry or scared. Or don’t particularly like what’s going on. I think we’ve all seen horses refuse to participate in an activity with humans and with other horses. They often, but not always, follow the crowd.

In any case, whatever Shiloh’s reasons for joining in, I found his behavior quite charming. Anytime a horse chooses to partner up in a relaxed manner, even if it’s in an unconventional way, I see it as a positive. There’s something about the presence of a horse that is so special. It feels like a gift when they show up of their own accord. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of that kind of present.

August proved to be a month of weather contrasts. My August photographs reflect these see-sawing conditions. Some days were delightfully dry and balmy. Some days were so cloudy that I felt like I was riding in the dark. But ride I did, eking out 10 sessions for the month.

I began the month ponying Piper off of Shiloh. With all my focus on ground-driving Piper this year, I had not yet ponied him. Unfortunately, it didn’t go particularly well. Both horses were in a bickering mood, seemingly paying more attention to making faces at each other than paying attention to me. We successfully negotiated the tarp obstacle repeatedly, but overall it wasn’t a fun ride. I will likely stick with ground-driving Piper for the remainder of the year.

In my continuing quest to bring out more obstacles during my rides in 2024, I dragged some ground poles around the paddocks and pastures. I enjoy practicing little patterns using the poles as guides.

The poles also came in handy when I would later ground-drive Piper after riding Shiloh.

I’ve ridden mostly in the pasture this year, but I did one ride in August around my barn area, just outside of my round pen. I ride up and down my barn driveway and around the outbuildings and trees. Unfortunately, this is the area that really brings out Piper’s separation anxiety from Shiloh.

Piper and Shiloh have been a herd of only two horses for two years now, and Piper continues to worry when I leave Piper in his paddock and take Shiloh out to ride (or even out for a farrier appointment).

In fact, Piper was so distraught that day about my taking Shiloh to the barn area that Piper became soaked in sweat. Granted, it was quite humid, but I normally expect the horse that I ride to be sweatier than the horse I leave behind. The separation anxiety is a continuing issue that ebbs and flows with Piper, but it is always there to some degree.

Speaking of perspiring horses, here’s a close-up of Shiloh’s midsection post-ride. He appreciates my giving him a good curry after exercise. You can see how Shiloh is already shedding his summer coat and growing his winter one.

This tells me that bitter cold is just around the corner. About three short months away. But before it arrives, Lord willing, I can still log more time in the saddle with Shiloh and continue to practice ground-driving Piper. I need to appreciate every opportunity to work with my horses during the fall season before the start of another long and difficult winter.

I fondly remember the good old days when I subscribed to twelve horse magazines. Not a week went by when I didn’t have at least one new issue arrive in my mailbox. Even better, several magazines shared a similar publication schedule. This occasionally meant a small stack of horse magazines arrived in my mailbox all on the same day. Woo-who!

I would excitedly curl up on my couch and spend a couple of hours combing through each issue with a highlighter and a notepad nearby. I used the articles as inspiration for improving my horse care and riding skills. It was an especially wonderful way to spend a cold or rainy afternoon when I couldn’t be in the saddle.

Fast forward to 2024. I only have five horse magazine subscriptions. Most of the magazines I used to read are now defunct. And many that still exist only publish a few times a year. It is a sad state of affairs for someone like me. Someone who still feels giddy when I open up my mailbox and see a horse staring back at me.

But recently, the postman brought three horse magazines to my door. All in the same week! I had a flashback to those glorious days of magazine yesteryear.

It makes sense that magazines have lost readership in the last decade. Anyone with an internet connection can now access more equestrian material online than is contained in even a year’s worth of magazine content. There is unquestionable benefit in the ability to access information at my fingertips.

But there is a particular something I really miss about gleaning information primarily from magazines. It is the fact that information is presented right there in front of me, whether I asked for it or not. With the exception of an occasional survey sent out to readers, no one asks me what I want to read.

Instead, horse magazines typically offer a variety of articles containing various viewpoints. Years of reading horse magazines made me realize there are many ways to approach horse care, training and riding.

Nowadays, if I only want to read about barrel racing, Brabant Drafts or Bacterial Cellulitis, I can tailor my searches to just those subjects. There are advantages to that, but doing nothing but specific searches may limit my exposure to all the other disciplines, breeds, and issues that exist inside the horse world.

I find it strange that access to the internet, something that opens up the entire world, so often leads to the equivalent of putting on blinders. We can end up missing the richness of the equestrian world if we only see our little corner of it. I picture the internet as an adjunct to horse magazines when it comes to the acquisition of knowledge. Not as a replacement.

Does any of this resonate with you? If so, I challenge you to pick up a fresh magazine copy or re-up that old subscription. Maybe not everything contained therein will be directly relevant to you and your horse life. But that is part of the benefit. There’s a big wide horse world outside of our own backyards, boarding barns and chosen breeds/disciplines.

I appreciate those horse magazines still in publication. Please know that my subscription list may have gotten smaller over time, but I’m still reading. I’m still interested. I’m still happy to spend an afternoon curled up on my couch, holding a glossy magazine in my hands, as I read about all things horse.

August marks the sixth anniversary of Shiloh arriving in my backyard. In 2018, I bought him primarily as a companion to my then-retired but now-deceased horse, Bear. But I also hoped Shiloh would become my next riding horse.

As a youngster, Shiloh was trained to ride. His previous owner took him to clinics and on trails. He even participated in a parade or two. But after an unfortunate riding accident, Shiloh spent five years mostly at pasture with only a handful of rides. She eventually decided to offer him for sale.

After seeing Shiloh’s ad online, I drove a few hours north to meet him on a warm August day. I enjoyed chatting with his owner as she introduced him to me, and my test ride went well enough. But there’s always that question of how a horse who hasn’t been ridden regularly will feel about being put back into work. Nevertheless, I had a positive feeling about him and decided to take a chance.

Shiloh spent eight years in his former home. Living in my backyard was a big change for him. He was sometimes anxious and nervous at first in the pasture. Then seemingly dull to me and tuned out while being ridden. I think there might have been a day or two where I went back in the house and cried after another lackluster ride with him.

Shiloh was quiet under saddle even back then. I didn’t feel in danger. In fact I didn’t feel anything from him. That’s what I found disconcerting. Nonetheless, I kept showing up with the best of intentions. Trying to be patient, quiet and consistent with him no matter the response or lack of response.

Gradually, I could feel us communicating. Not every ride or all at once. But I felt I was slowly tapping into something very positive. Maybe a year or so later, we really started to click. It was super satisfying to feel Shiloh gradually come out of his shell and eventually adapt well to what I was asking from him under saddle. We finally had a basic level of trust and smoothness of interaction between us.

Six years later, I’ve come to know Shiloh as a kind, tolerant, level-headed horse. Interactive and friendly while also generally calm and cooperative. Both on the ground and under saddle. He is well-suited to his more-than-middle-aged rider who rides him alone in our home pasture.

I must admit that marking Shiloh’s 21st birthday earlier this year came with a twinge of sadness. Only God knows how much time we have left together or what his quality of life will be as he ages. But I don’t want to spend too much time on anticipatory grieving while we are both still breathing.

Instead, I will continue to enjoy Shiloh’s daily presence in my backyard. I will give thanks for every ride. I will remember to tell Shiloh what a good boy he is and how much he has enriched this horse life of mine.

If I scratch your back, will you scratch mine? Horses who get along well will often ask each other this question. Unfortunately for Shiloh and Piper, it rarely happens.

While I know each of them appreciates the presence of another horse, they don’t particularly like each other. If either one expresses separation anxiety, it’s about the fear of being alone, not about a special fondness for one another.

Every once in a while though, I can encourage them to mutually groom. The circumstances have to be just right. It will likely be a quiet, sunny day. On the warm side of the sliding temperature scale. I will have ridden Shiloh first and then taken Piper for a ground drive. Both horses will feel relaxed post-exercise and look a little sweaty after wearing their tack.

I will bring out my grooming bag and start currying one of the horses while they are both loose in the pasture. Then I will invite the other horse to come stand nearby.

I can’t force the horses to mutually groom. But I do know how to set the scene. I can design a picture in my mind of what I’d like them to do. I can smile. I can slow my breath. All in an effort to encourage this act of equine camaraderie.

If they take me up on my suggestion, I will let the horses start grooming each other with their teeth as I step back to watch. If I happen to have my phone handy, you can be sure I will document the occasion. Seeing them interact in this way makes me feel for a moment that all’s right with the world.

As we approach the end of Summer, my ground-driving experiment with Piper continues. Readers may recall that after retiring Piper from riding almost two years ago, I’ve struggled to keep him on some kind of consistent exercise schedule.

Certain horses do just fine being left mostly to their own devices during retirement. In the past, I’ve been happy to watch my older, retired horses enjoy their days at pasture. But Piper’s metabolic condition does not allow him to be kept that way. He has to live on a smaller, semi-dry lot instead. And as a busy minded horse, I suspect he gets bored.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve experimented with different types of groundwork and also ponying Piper off of my other horse, Shiloh. I’m thinking that ground-driving might be the best yet.

Piper and I have now completed 12 ground driving sessions. Overall, I think it’s gone well. We’ve done a few sessions inside his paddock area, but he particularly seems to like going into the wider pasture or even tooling around my barn area. He strides out nicely and seems to like taking in the different scenery.

Of course, not everything goes completely smoothly all the time. I previously wrote about some spooks occurring while practicing with obstacles. And there was the time Piper got away from me after spooking at a passing delivery truck. Piper panicked and the driving lines flew out of my hands as he took off running.

He galloped around, bucking and kicking out as the lines streamed behind him. Fortunately, his flight distance isn’t very long. He came to a stop and started to graze. I caught up with him, brought the lines out from between his legs and then resumed our session.

The occasional kerfuffle aside, the thing I like the most about the ground driving is that Piper can get some continuous exercise without being forced on a small circle as with longing. It’s also easier and safer for me to ground-drive him than hand-walk him.

Piper is a fast mover, and considering my own physical issues, it can be difficult for me to keep up with him. And if he gets spooky or jiggy, I would rather have him jump around in front of me than next to me. As an extra bonus, if I ever do reach my goal of owning a driving miniature horse, practicing ground driving certainly gives me experience I can apply once I am seated in a cart.

Piper and I started off this experiment with a ground driving lesson from a local horse professional. Then we did seven practice sessions on our own before scheduling another lesson. The instructor told me that I’m on the right track and encouraged me to keep at it. Certainly my consistency, feel and timing on the lines needs considerable improvement. But you can’t improve without practice. So for the time being, I’ll plan to keep at it.

Despite an unusually rainy July, I completed eight rides this month. July is almost always hot, but it is usually dry. I’ve been surprised by the amount of moisture.

All the resulting mud led me to ride in the horses’ small paddock area for several sessions. There I managed to do my first work this year carrying the American flag.

The flag doesn’t usually bother Shiloh, but Piper can be reactive to it. So I decided to tie him up with a hay bag for distraction. It worked well and Piper stayed calm.

But when the ground finally dried out, I was happy to take advantage of the wider pasture. There’s enough space to wander around and feel like we are actually going somewhere. There’s also sufficient room to do plenty of foxtrotting circles while we practiced elements of a gaited horse dressage test (Shiloh is a Missouri Fox Trotter).

But we also did some cantering (yee-haw!) and practiced a bit of fancy lateral footwork just to remind Shiloh he can still do it.

Thank you to Shiloh for continuing to pack me around like a champ. And to Asa the barn cat for hanging out with us. I find his company quite charming. And finally, many thanks to my husband for accompanying us on a couple of occasions as photographer. It’s always fun to have visual proof that I actually got out there and rode my horse.

The calendar tells me we are now halfway through the year. Time to pare down all those horse photos on my phone! I perform this ritual periodically so I can more easily find my favorite photos. Otherwise, they get lost in the chaos of hundreds of saved media clips.

Today I thought I would share a few of my favorite candid picks from 2024 so far. I am aware they are not spectacular pictures in the “this one is going to win a photography contest” kind of way.

Yet I particularly like them because they show different aspects of my horses’ personalities. And when it comes right down to it, these pictures just plain make me smile.

It’s what all my “best” photos do. They elicit some kind of positive emotion, anchoring me to a particular moment with my horses. A moment that maybe seemed especially exciting, funny or peaceful. A moment that brings me joy to remember. So even if a photo is technically too dark, out of focus or otherwise off balance, it can still seem like a winner to me.

I don’t know about you, but the bugs in my area are really buggin’ my horses this Summer. I am going through bottles of fly spray left and right.

It got me thinking about ways to save money on fly spray. Things like using a concentrate product, buying in bulk, and scouring sale offers.

If you use Absorbine UltraShield fly spray, joining their UltraShield Rewards program is another way to cut costs. My favorite fly spray is Absorbine UltraShield EX (in the black container). But it is expensive at around $25 a quart-size spray bottle. I also use cheaper fly spray concentrates sold by other manufacturers, but UltraShield EX has become my top choice when the flies are aggressive.

So I was pleased when I learned last year about this rewards program. By uploading your UltraShield fly spray receipts, you can earn rewards points. 1 point for every dollar spent. After you earn 100 points, you get a $10 coupon in the mail. You can earn points on UltraShield purchases from online retailers or in-store, but the coupons are only for in-store purchases. They are good on any of the four varieties of Ultrashield fly sprays in the black, blue, red and green bottles.

To get more for my money, I usually purchase the gallon jugs through an online retailer during sale periods with free shipping and then later go to my local Tractor Supply with my $10 coupon to purchase the quart-size bottles. This year, my local store has been selling bottles that have 25% extra product, allowing for even more savings.

Absorbine UltraShield Rewards features good customer service via email too. For example, with one of my gallon online purchases, the store I bought it from did not include a receipt with the price listed. This is one of the requirements for a receipt to be accepted, and my initial upload was rejected. In consultation with the customer service rep, I took a screen photo of my online store account which showed what I had purchased with the purchase price listed. Problem solved.

I hope this post comes as a pleasant surprise to readers as I debated whether to post about this program. I figured most horse folks likely already knew about it. But last week when I used one of my $10 coupons at my local Tractor Supply store, the clerk at the checkout line asked me how I found such a high-value coupon. She seemed really surprised. It made me think that if this horse person working in a farm store had not heard about the program, maybe some of you had not either.

What about you? If you use fly spray, how do you save money on your purchases?

*** Please note that I have no affiliate relationship with Absorbine. This post was not solicited or compensated by them. ***

What do you wear to the barn when it is hot and humid? I would love to know how other horse folks attempt to stay cool. But first, I’ll get the conversation started by sharing my favorite hot-weather riding outfit.

My Go-To Summer Riding Outfit:

• Kerrits long sleeve sun-type shirt
• Random tank top from Walmart
• Kerrits Ice Fil Bootcut Ladies Tights
• Kerrits Ice Fil Gloves
• My riding helmet with a heavy post-ride dose of Moss Naturals Fresh Rider Deodorizing Mist

Please note this outfit consists mostly of Kerrits brand items. It’s what works for me. Their clothes are generally well-made and last through many seasons. All at a price-point I find budget friendly. That being said, I am not a spokesperson for Kerrits (or Moss Naturals or Walmart). This post is neither solicited nor compensated.

Kerrits Sun-Type Shirt

Over the years, Kerrits has made a variety of equestrian long-sleeve shirts for Summer. I prefer long sleeves for riding to protect from insects and sun damage. These Kerrits shirts sport names like “Ladies’ Made in The Shade” or “Triple Chill.”

Unfortunately, Kerrits changes its shirtline almost every season. And naturally, my favorite Kerrits long-sleeve shirt is no longer made. I don’t even remember the name so I just call it a “sun-type” shirt. It is the most lightweight of any Kerrits shirt I own. The fabric allows for plenty of airflow and is moisture-wicking. It’s also rather sheer, so underneath I add a cheap cotton tank top from Walmart.

Kerrits Ice Fil Bootcut Ladies Tight

The fabric on these tights is cool to the touch (hence the Ice Fil name). They are super comfortable. Stretchy and without a compression-level feel. The have a pocket on each leg that keeps my cell phone super secure while I’m in the saddle.

The seat and back of the legs also have cute little carrot-shaped stickies for extra grip in the saddle. If you are familiar with Kerrit’s Griptek breeches, note that the little stickies on these tights do not provide the same level of grip as the Griptek full-seat breech. I can the same feel of grip from these tights as I do from a pair of jeans.

Kerrits Ice Fil Gloves

Hands down, these are my favorite Summer gloves. Pun intended. They are super comfortable. Thin enough to provide plenty of feel but protective against rope burns or the elements. I wrote a lengthy review of these gloves two years ago. You can read it HERE. I am still using the same pair shown in the photos.

Moss Naturals Fresh Rider Deodorizing Mist

Yes, wearing a riding helmet in the Summer can be the pits. I feel hotter with a helmet on than without. But I committed a long time ago to wearing a helmet. I don’t intend on stopping now.

Since my helmet sadly gets soaked with my head sweat, I keep this MOSS brand deodorizing mist on hand. I’ve never used another type of helmet spray, so I can’t say how it compares to others. But I can definitely say that this mist keeps that funky helmet odor at bay.

Before I found this mist a few years ago, I felt disgusted when I had to put my helmet back on after another sweaty Summer ride. Now the ick factor is gone. The Moss Naturals comes in two scents, Lavender-Vanilla and Mint Maze. I approve of both.

So there’s my favorite summer riding outfit. Unfortunately, I only have one of the shirts and one of the tights. I do therefore don other shirts, jeans and breeches. But as I’m planning my hot weather rides each week, if I know a particular day is likely to feel super soupy, this is the outfit I will set aside for that anticipated steamy ride.

Now it’s your turn! What is your favorite hot-weather riding outfit? Any recommendations? Let me know in the comments section or you can email me at thebackyardhorseblog@gmail.com.

Here’s to staying as cool as possible out there during the often sweltering summer heat!

Despite some rainy days and a week of extreme heat, I still managed to fit in eight rides for June. This included the obstacle course ride I posted about last week.

That ride inspired me to bring out a couple of obstacles in subsequent rides so I could practice a few more patterns and movements. Practice, that is, without having to set up an entire course again.

The footing around my place mostly stayed pretty solid all month. But the weather was still a challenge to my schedule. The photo above was taken not long before I started hearing thunder. By the time I dismounted and got the saddle off, it began to rain.

The photo below was taken around sunrise during a week of above-average heat and humidity. I tacked up in the semi-dark and was off the horse before the big ball of sun came over the horizon. It’s the only time of day I can tolerate being in the saddle during extreme heat waves.

Finding shade during hot weather helps too. But I don’t have a lot of tree cover on my property. I certainly try to take advantage of it though where I can. On the hot days, I suspect Shiloh and I spend more time practicing halting in the shade than actually going anywhere!

Of course, I have to be mindful that I don’t practice stopping Shiloh in the exact same spot every time. Like most horses, he picks up on patterns very quickly. Particularly patterns that benefit him. The shade can become a weird little magnet, capturing his draw and attention.

We sometimes halt in the sun so Shiloh doesn’t start to equate every patch of shade with grinding to a stop. If you squint at the photo below, you can see a small dark blob on top of my blue mounting block. That is my barn cat, Asa. Shiloh is apparently not the only creature drawn to parking in the shade.

During these warm Summer days, Shiloh thinks hand grazing post-ride is quite refreshing. Barn cat, Asa, sometimes joins us for the occasion. Here I got the impression Asa might have been contemplating whether he could take on prey of Shiloh’s size. Laying in the taller grass often brings out Asa’s inner hunter.

June’s weather wasn’t quite what I was hoping for, but who am I kidding? It is rarely balmy in my backyard. Yet despite the inconveniences of impending thunderstorms or steamy early morning rides, I am grateful every time I get in the saddle. There’s nothing like enjoying a quiet ride on a good horse. It’s definitely a singular pleasure.

I used to regularly incorporate obstacles into my riding and groundwork practice. I loved the variety of working horses over, under and through them. I especially enjoyed competing in local obstacle course clinics and competitions. While they were challenging for me, I enjoyed seeing what my horses and I could accomplish.

But since the change from a herd of three horses to a herd of two, I have done little more than put out ground poles. Dealing with separation anxiety issue has taken up so much of my physical and emotional energy. The additional effort of setting up and tearing down obstacle courses was too much.

Nevertheless, I didn’t want another year to pass with no obstacles. So I designed a small course, laying out a maze with a patriotic theme as I gave a nod to the recent Flag Day weekend.

Unfortunately, I had to adjust my original plans and ended up ditching a few obstacles. Both horses were uncharacteristically spooky that morning. In retrospect, perhaps setting out half a dozen obstacles that neither horse had seen in almost two years was a bit much.

After tacking up Shiloh and walking him out to the pasture where I had set up the course, I realized that I was going to have to lunge him before I mounted. My normally quiet horse was jumpy in hand. He bounced around on the end of the line, looking all around and not paying much attention to me. Piper didn’t help the situation as he panicked back in his paddock, just on the other side of the fence from Shiloh. I had my hands full.

Fortunately, it didn’t take Shiloh long to slow down and tune in. I eventually felt safe to mount, but the earlier situation rocked my confidence so I decided to eliminate three obstacles.

My big green horse ball, the American flag and a sparkly, shimmering Fourth of July decoration went by the wayside. All the fun stuff. But those are also the obstacles that tend to move with a mind of their own. I didn’t want flags whipping around or balls suddenly shooting across my riding area on a day when the horses were on edge.

Once on pattern, Shiloh and I made circles and serpentines around the lawn decorations and barrels. We crossed over and through some pole configurations. We negotiated the tarp, walking over it and backing off it. Rinse and repeat a few times with only one small spook.

Then it was Piper’s turn. We started and ended well. But in between, Piper had a few spooks, resulting in some ground-driving kerfuffles. Instead of walking forward and staying in front of me, he whipped around, and I ended up positioned at odd angles to him.

Note that to ground-drive successfully, one needs to be more or less behind the horse. Not at a 90-degree angle to the horse. Not directly facing the horse.

But such is life with horses. You sometimes don’t end up where you originally intended. Some days you pivot (or the horse pivots on you). You make some adjustments, but hopefully still get something accomplished. My obstacle play day might not have gone according to plan, but it was still (mostly) fun. I’m glad I gave it a shot.

Attention all my fellow USA citizens as well as stamp lovers the world over! The United States Post Office has now issued horse Forever Stamps. I bought mine on Monday, the first day they went on sale. Gushing to the postal worker about how gorgeous they are, I got the impression she might have thought I was a bit looney. Who gets that excited about stamps, right? But I think blog readers will join me in appreciation of this fine equine collection. These stamps are stunning!

Now that Piper’s right eye seems healed, we can continue ground driving practice. We started last month in May but took a little break to let him recover from the eye injury. After my riding instructor gave us an initial ground driving lesson, I’ve since ground-driven him solo a handful of times.

Regarding the necessary equipment, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money. But I still wanted tack that would be safe and practical.

I already had a lunging cavesson. I decided to use the cavesson instead of a bridle. Piper works okay off of halter pressure so I didn’t see a reason to go with a bit.

It’s safer too. For example, if he ever got away from me, he still might get tangled in the lines, but he wouldn’t catch himself in the mouth.

I had to search for a surcingle and a pair of driving lines as I didn’t already have them in my tack box. I found a lightly used surcingle online but chose a new set of driving lines.

Without much driving experience, I am not that familiar with the pros and cons of different types of equipment. But what I selected seems to work fine for our purposes.

Regarding the actual driving, we’ve had some miscommunications, but no major blowouts. This new way of working together takes time to get used to, but I particularly like being able to give Piper some exercise without turning him on small circles as with lunging.

The only real issue is that Piper is having some problems getting accustomed again to girth pressure. I find this odd considering that he used to be a riding horse.

I did not have problems with him being cold-backed when he was under saddle, but for some reason, he can get a little “broncy” with the surcingle. Like an untrained horse that is still getting used to the feel of the tack.

Per my riding instructor’s suggestion, I let him wear it in the paddock before I put the lines on him so he can have a minute to get used to the girth sensation. If he has a crow hop or two to get out of his system, better that he does it without me or the lines attached.

I am hoping the issue will get better with exposure. He is a more reactive/sensitive type of horse and perhaps the feel of the surcingle is just different enough from the feel of a saddle that he is not able to generalize the experience.

In the meantime, we’ll keep slowly plugging along and see how far we can go.

Today I expected to post a Piper ground driving update. But my plans for more practice sessions have been delayed. I came out one morning to feed and observed that Piper presented with a funky eye. There was some unusual discharge and his eye lashes were pointing downward.

You may recognize that funky eye is not a veterinary term. I knew something was off, but I would not have guessed that the vet eventually would find a tiny piece of debris lodged in his eye. My diagnosis of funky eye translated to an actual DVM diagnosis of corneal ulcer.

I could see that his right eye wasn’t quite right (no pun intended). But I certainly did not think he had a foreign object lodged therein. Yikes.

Sometimes pain in horses is obvious but not always. Often something as simple as a horse acting a bit more quiet than usual can indicate discomfort. I know this fact and yet I still missed the seriousness of this situation. Corneal ulcers are thought to be quite painful, and I must say that in true prey animal fashion, Piper hid well whatever pain he likely felt.

Note that Piper let me walk right up to him while he was lying down so I could quickly snap some photos at the vet clinic’s request. I marched outside, removed his fly mask, leaned over him as I tried to get a good look at the eye, shoved a camera in his face and replaced his mask. Piper stayed put, only getting up to stretch after I walked away.

Long story short, after a week of eye ointment applications and oral anti-inflammatories, Piper is doing well. And he was better about my putting in the eye ointment than I would have suspected. Keep in mind that we started off applying the eye-ointment three times a day!

But Piper allowed me to easily halter him every time. And he stood pretty quietly and never threw a fit. It wasn’t until the final two treatment days, day eight and day nine, that he started moving his head around more than I would have liked. I honestly can’t blame him for being over it by then.

If nothing else, I have a new appreciation for a horse’s eyelid strength. I would typically manage to prop his eyelids open, only to have them suddenly fly shut before the little ribbon of medicine made contact with his eyeball. My poor technique resulted in my purchasing a second tube of ointment after I damaged the first one with too much twisting and squeezing.

Of course, Piper’s eye issue occurred right when I had two vehicles in the shop back to back. You know that all expensive and unexpected life events occur in a series of threes, right? The two vehicle repairs and the horse repair were my latest series. My bank account is now worse for the ware, but the important thing is that Piper seems well now. I am grateful everything in my backyard with horsepower is back up and running.

After a surprisingly warm February, I thought my chances of getting an early start to my riding season were pretty good. Unfortunately, a cold and rainy March followed by an even more rainy April put the kibosh on my plans.

May was still unusually wet. But the ground seemed to dry faster between the rain days than in April. This allowed me to fit in eight rides for the month of May! It’s not as many as I would otherwise like, but it was more rides than I got in during the previous three months combined.

Shiloh and I toggled between rides in the paddock, the pasture, and the round pen. All depending upon footing conditions. Shiloh has been his quiet and cooperative self, but at the start of every Spring riding season, it takes him a while to regain strength, coordination and balance under saddle.

Sure, we just ride in our backyard with no grand plans to do more. But I still want him to be relatively straight and balanced. Bend in the direction of the turn. Move his weight off the forehand. Stretch forward. Show some semblance of consistency and rhythm at the walk and his foxtrotting gait. And please no pacing!

All this in so far as my modest riding skills can conjure, of course. Like in a western dressage intro level sort of way. In my head, I know how I want Shiloh to go, but I struggle to help him go better due to my own issues. Good thing we are both patient with each other.

As we head into June, I’m still watching the weather and ground conditions like a hawk. Ever waiting for that next good opportunity to get back in the saddle.

If you’ve been around horses for any length of time, you recognize they have distinct personalities. Learning what makes them tick is one of the delights and challenges of getting to know a new horse.

After two and half years, you think I would know him better. But I’m still trying to figure out Piper. It surprises me that this “getting to know you” stage continues to drag on.

I could tell from the get-go that Piper, on the sliding scale, was a more sensitive and reactive type. Closer to exploding bomb than bombproof. I never thought of him as a curious horse though, save for his tendency to sniff every new person he came in contact with. But as the years start to slide by, he has turned increasingly busy and into everything.

Generally in horses, I see curiosity as a good thing. A sign the horse is feeling confident.

But curiosity can have its downside too. And in Piper’s case, that’s a tendency to fiddle. This year especially, I’ve noticed that Piper is fiddling with seemingly everything.

He picks up lead ropes left on the fence posts. Knocks over the mounting blocks. Rearranges my grooming bag. He even opened up a gate once.

I try to channel some of that tendency when we do groundwork. Asking him to push a big horse ball around or to pick up cones. But so far it is not taking the edge off.

Sometimes I end up just asking Piper to park on the tire pedestal. He gets to have a back stretch. And I get a break from all his exploratory behavior. It’s a welcome moment of peace in all the activity.

Piper usually seems quite pleased with himself when he fiddles. Sure, fiddling can have an anxious quality to it, especially with higher energy horses like Piper. But for the most part, I think he largely displays playful curiosity.

I know some folks find these kinds of horses charming. Not me though. It’s an unfortunate mismatch between Piper and me. I admit to feeling exasperated with all the fiddling.

But sometimes when we get what we didn’t expect or want in life, it’s an opportunity to grow. To develop a new muscle. Like perhaps an outsized sense of humor.

That’s what the writer in me has to say about the matter. Yet the control freak in me struggles. She has less noble thoughts.

Please, someone, pray for me a boatload of patience to deal with all that fiddling!

Piper goes to driving school. Ground-driving school, that is!

For further clarification purposes, please note I have no plans to make 23-year-old Piper start pulling a cart. My goal is to give him another form of ground-work-type exercise that doesn’t involve moving him in small circles on a long line.

Since I decided not to ride him anymore, it is an ongoing struggle to manage his weight and keep his busy mind more relaxed. But as on older horse who sometimes looks “off” when I lunge him, I wanted to explore other exercise possibilities.

Yet despite having previously ground-driven a handful of trained cart horses, I did not feel confident doing a first drive on my own. Fortunately, I had another option.

The local horse trainer, who has kindly given me riding lessons over the years, starts all her young horses with ground-driving instruction. She agreed to pay me a visit and give Piper an introductory lesson.

Piper took pretty well to the whole thing. Of course at the outset, Piper had a brief 23-year-old horse going on 3-year-old moment where he was a little caught off guard by the feel of the new equipment on his body. But he quickly got the hang of walking forward with a human behind him.

I practiced walking behind Piper at the end of the lesson too. It’s not as easy as a professional makes it look! Ditto for riding, loading a horse in a trailer and everything else with horses that I frequently find daunting.

But with the ground driving, I especially struggled to figure out the right amount of contact while also keeping Piper moving forward. I tended to have a loop in one rein or the other, making it challenging to steer Piper straight and keep him out of the middle of the round pen. Have I mentioned that coordination is not my strong suit?

Nevertheless, the ground driving should be an interesting experiment for Piper and me. But first, I need to acquire my own equipment. A surcingle and a set of driving lines. And then hopefully we can add ground-driving into our list of shared groundwork activities.

How about you? Have you ever ground-driven a horse?

“Long in the tooth.” It’s a once-common phrase with an equestrian origin. The saying harkens back to the days when horsepower reflected the physical might of an actual horse and not an engine.

Most everyone in the 1800 and 1900’s would have likely understood the reference, but maybe not so much anymore. In case “long in the tooth” is likewise new to you, here is the definition according to Dictionary.com:

“Getting on in years, old, as in Aunt Aggie’s a little long in the tooth to be helping us move. This expression alludes to a horse’s gums receding with age and making the teeth appear longer. [Mid-1800s]”

Bringing this topic closer to home, I will point out that both my backyard horses are long in the tooth. Shiloh will turn 21 this week according to his registration papers. And while Piper didn’t come with paperwork, he is an estimated 23 this year.

Considering that the average life span of a horse is 25 to 30 years, both Shiloh and Piper are in the final stretch. This means, among other things, they may start having teeth problems.

Of the seven horses I have owned in my 23 years of horse ownership, my oldest horse died at age 28. And none of them, even the oldest, had teeth problems other than periodic quidding. In case you are not familiar, quidding is where the horse spits out chunks of hay or feed they can’t chew well enough to grind down into a size they can easily swallow.

So perhaps it’s high time that I encounter a substantial equine tooth issue with one of my horses. You see, at Shiloh’s annual exam last month, his veterinarian suggested that we are nearing the point where taking X-rays of his teeth is warranted.

For many years, Shiloh has gradually been experiencing more root exposure and gingivitis in two of his incisors, one more dramatically than the other. He showed signs of this when I bought him six years ago in in 2018. The cause is unknown. It could be related to the trauma he experienced as a foal (being kicked in the face which resulted in him having a slightly offset lower jaw for life). Or it could be an unfortunate dental disease called equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis or EOTRH.

As a reference, here is my former horse, Bear, in the year 2015 when he was 20 years old, sporting healthy gums.

In contrast, here is Shiloh last month, also at age 20. It’s a very different picture. The photo, taken by his veterinarian, clearly shows the incisor with the exposed roots. Talk about long in the tooth!

Whatever the cause, these gum/tooth changes may become painful and interfere with his ability to eat and thus maintain weight. Right now, I don’t see any indication that he experiences pain. And he certainly isn’t losing weight. But it is something I watch for.

Let me show you one more Shiloh photo on a related but different note. This one is of an inside front hoof. Like his incisor photo, this hoof photo also shows an abnormality. And just like his incisors, Shiloh had this hoof crack before I bought him. And yet, it doesn’t seem to cause him problems.

Perhaps it will one day. Or maybe it might have been an issue if I rode him more/differently, kept him in a different environment or didn’t keep him on a regular farrier schedule.

Considering that Shiloh has an off-set lower jaw, funky incisors and a sizeable hoof crack, you’d think he’d be a mess of a horse. And yet, he seems to do pretty well for himself. It just goes to show you that looks can be deceiving. This is Shiloh hand-grazing yesterday after our ride, looking more normal that one otherwise might suspect based on his hoof and tooth photos.

But without X-rays for those incisors, no one can really say how extensive of an issue this tooth thing is. So Shiloh is looking at a couple of days stay at the veterinary clinic with X-rays taken one day and then surgery the next day, assuming the X-rays do in fact indicate that removal is warranted.

It also requires my spending about $2,000 for the full surgery and figuring out what to do with Piper if there is no extra stall at the clinic for him to accompany Shiloh. Considering Piper’s separation anxiety when I take Shiloh out to ride, the thought of leaving Piper home alone does not give me warm fuzzies.

I’m thinking of scheduling his clinic stay for Fall or Winter. So I’ve got time to set extra money aside, figure out my options with Piper, and do more research about equine tooth surgery.

I realize that everyone’s experiences and everyone’s horses are different. But I am interested to hear from any horse people who’ve gone through this with their horse(s). Any reflections, suggestions, warnings or comforts you could offer me on dealing with potential dental surgery and the recovery? My inquiring mind wants to know!

If you live in the USA, maybe you’ve heard of National Avocado Day, Radio Day and Flashlight Day?

Well here’s another day to add to the ridiculously long list of lesser-known recognition days. It’s Buy A Horse Book Day this Friday, May 10th, 2024.

I sometimes do an eye roll when these national day notices pop up. But you know what? I like this one! If you are a horse lover, hopefully you will too.

Fact or fiction, there’s likely a horse book out there that will tickle your fancy. Why not plan to buy it on May 10th?

Remember that The Backyard Horse Blog does affiliate marketing for Trafalgar Square Books, a publisher of hundreds of horse books. I use money received through affiliate marketing to offset blog expenses.

When you purchase through the link below (the green jumping horse), this blog receives a much-appreciated portion of your purchase at no extra cost to you. If you enjoy reading this blog, please consider using the link to snag your next horse book in print or E-book format!

Trafalgar Square Books usually offers some kind of discount on Buy A Horse Book Day. Watch their social media for sale announcements. Then return to this page and click on the following link to go to their website:

I hoped to present a more exciting riding update for April. But no. I stayed in tiny riding territory for yet another month.

It’s better than no riding. That’s for sure. But disappointing nonetheless. I know that those of you who crave time in the saddle and continually have your plans thwarted will understand.

I enjoyed my eclipse day ride in the round pen. And a couple of weeks later, I was thrilled to ride in my pasture for the first time this year. But that was it for April. Once again, the weather got the best of me.

We’ve experienced an unusual amount of rain in my area this month. And while I don’t mind riding in the rain, I do mind riding on wet or muddy footing for safety reasons. Even when I can find a relatively dry spot like my round pen to ride Shiloh between storms, I must consider Piper.

Piper still frets when I take Shiloh out to ride. He tears up wet footing in their paddock as he races and paces around. Fixing the footing is not something I can do myself. It’s also difficult to secure a contractor and expensive to resurface. So maintaining the footing is serious business.

Piper’s separation anxiety really is a headache for me. It has considerably detracted from my horse experience. My horse life is more stressful and less satisfying. It’s bad enough that I’ve stopped doing clinics, trail rides and little shows. But even just riding in my own backyard is more difficult than it used to be.

Nevertheless, I’m still trying to ride. But I modify when, where, and how much I am in the saddle. Again, it’s better than not riding at all, but I find the constraints frustrating.

Shiloh, bless his solid-gold horse heart, seems game to keep humoring me through all of this. He allows me to ride him with minimal fuss even if Piper is majorly fussing.

That’s one thing I particularly appreciate about the small handful of tiny rides I’ve completed so far this year. They’ve allowed me to test the waters after our annual winter riding break.

The tack is still working for him. Shiloh still stands to be mounted. He doesn’t seem anxious or spooky. He has been willing to move out and follow my lead. All the basics are still there.

With a handful of short rides this year, Shiloh and I have a little foundation to build on. Now I need the weather and the rest of the universe to cooperate so I can log longer and more consistent time in the saddle. If you are a rider, I imagine you must be nodding and thinking, “Don’t we all!”

P.S.- Remember to check out the next FREE two-day showing of the Art of The Horseman online fair. Today and tomorrow, April 29th and 30th. For 2024, the Art of The Horseman offers 140 presentations on horsemanship, horse care, equine bodywork and more. For free!

If you use the link above to get your free ticket to the two-day fair, and later purchase full-time access, this blog will receive a much-appreciated portion of your purchase at no extra cost to you!

These free, two-day showings only come around a few times a year, so don’t miss this one!

This cutie is available for adoption at the Four Corners Equine Rescue in Aztec, New Mexico.

If you missed last week’s post about my recent trip to New Mexico, I will clarify the nuts and bolts for you. Basically, I love New Mexico. I used to live in New Mexico. I want to move back to New Mexico. And I’d feel especially charmed if I could move back to New Mexico with my horses.

The hitch for me as a backyard horse owner is the affordability factor. In general, it is cheaper to keep horses in the Midwest than in the Southwest. The two biggies are the cost of horse property and the cost of hay as compared to where I live now.

I hold out hope that I can return to live in the Southwest with horses. But the reality may be that I can’t move there until I am no longer a horse owner.

Frequently in life, you can’t have everything. Or at least not everything all at once. But in the name of keeping hope alive, I wanted to get some sense of the horse community in the great Farmington, New Mexico area. To that end, I added several horse-related activities to my to-do list during my trip. This included

• Visiting a horse rescue
• Attending a horse event
• Stopping by several horse feed/tack/supply stores
• Grabbing horse-related brochures

Before my visit, I surfed the internet and wrote down pertinent information. I emailed several barns/horse professionals too. Not everybody responded, of course, but I was able to gather lists of veterinarians and farriers in the area. I also surmised that there are very few boarding barns there. Seems like backyard horse-keeping is more the norm than the exception.

The highlight of my trip was visiting the Four Corners Equine Rescue. I received an invitation to tour their facility after emailing them about my interest in moving to the area. I first heard about Four Corners Equine Rescue maybe fifteen years ago or so. This made the opportunity to see the place in person particularly interesting. There’s always something fascinating about seeing a place on the internet and then actually going there in person.

Terry Coburn, the executive director, was kind enough to spend almost an hour talking with me, introducing me to the horses and volunteers. I was impressed with what I saw. So many horses (and donkeys!) of all different sizes, ages, breeds and descriptions being given a second chance to thrive. If you are looking for a horse, by the way, they adopt across the country. I’d highly suggest giving them a call.

The same day I visited the horse rescue, I also headed over to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Posse arena and event center in Farmington. They were hosting a benefit trail ride to raise money for another event, the Four Corners Mustang Challenge.

I arrived after the participants had already headed out, but I spent some time hiking the horse trails, located between their rodeo arena and Farmington Lake.

There are lots of interesting places to hike in the greater Farmington area, but since I was alone for this trip, I wasn’t keen on hiking anywhere too remote for fear of getting lost. But here, I could always see where I was by spotting either the large parking lot full of horse trailers or Farmington Lake in the distance. Seeing hoof tracks in the sand also helped orient me.

I breathed in the delightful scents of sage and juniper while feeling the crunch of the sand and rock beneath my feet. I soaked in the views. My only regret was not being able to enjoy the experience from horseback, of course!

Besides the equestrian trails around Farmington Lake, there are several other places to trail ride in the area. I found this brochure during one of my stops at a local visitor’s center.

Interestingly, there is no local horseback riding outfitter, so if you want to enjoy trails on horseback there, you must have personal access to a horse. You can venture about an hour North into Colorado or further into the rest of New Mexico for guided trail rides, but I find it curious that there’s nothing local. I see a business opportunity there for some horse-loving entrepreneur.

Having previously referenced the Four Corners Mustang Challenge, I have to point out Bloomfield Wild Horse Corrals. These pens house wild horses removed from lands managed by the US Forest Service in New Mexico. The horses there are available for adoption. They are also the horses that can be selected for the Four Corners Mustang Challenge. I liked the horse trailer that marks the entrance to the corrals so I stopped to take a photo. I would have liked to have seen the horses up close, but their visitor policy wasn’t clear to me, so I chose not to drive up uninvited onto government property.

I also visited several feed/farm supply stores. I wanted to see if I’d have problems purchasing a ration balancer feed my horses. But I found that would not be an issue.

Purchasing hay, though, might be more of a quandary. One feed store I came across sells hay right out of their parking lot. The manager explained that alfalfa is grown in the area on irrigated pasture. He was selling alfalfa at $12 to $14 a bale.

When I inquired about grass hay, he said I’d struggle to find it locally. He suggested calling a co-op in Durango, Colorado about an hour North of Farmington. So basically, I’d have to pay roughly twice what I pay for hay in the Midwest and/or jump through more hoops to find grass hay. Yikes.

I also swung by several horse properties for sale. We have almost five acres in the Midwest, but it’s unlikely we could afford that size of property in New Mexico. So I drove by multiple horse properties that were one to two acres in size.

When we lived in Colorado, we kept our two horses on a rented three-acre farm property. That size worked well, but I saw lots of smaller properties in the area. It was all about careful design and set up of the property as well as access to public arenas or trails nearby.

Likewise in New Mexico, I was impressed with what people could squeeze into a small property. But I’m thinking a minimum of two acres would be best for Piper and Shiloh who are used to having a certain amount of room to stretch their legs. Of course, if I stick to my plan of eventually moving on to miniature horses once Piper and Shiloh leave this earth, even just an acre would likely do.

Long story short, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to New Mexico. I delighted in every minute. But the big question remains. Will I ever be able to move there as a horse owner? I’m not sure about that, but one thing I do know. Since my trip, I have spent a fair amount of time daydreaming, imagining riding through a juniper and sage-dotted desert landscape.

I fell in love with New Mexico the first time I visited. It’s strange how a place you weren’t born and raised can still feel like home. The landscape, the low humidity, the mix of cultures, the food. Nearly everything about the place suits me.

But in the past, I did more than visit. My husband and I lived there during much of my twenties. Most of my major adult milestones took place in New Mexico, giving me links to the State that go beyond just a preference for the place.

Unfortunately, my husband and I struggled to make a living or buy property in the Southwest. So we pursued further education and jobs elsewhere, eventually ending up in the Midwest. Save for a brief six-month stint in Colorado, I’ve resided in the Midwest for most of my adult life. The cost of living and keeping horses is generally cheaper there than elsewhere. It was either live in the Midwest with horses or live elsewhere without them. I chose the horses.

Prior to this trip, the last time I stepped foot in New Mexico was in 2004. Twenty years is a long time to be separated from a place you love. I finally returned last month, March 2024. You don’t know how happy I was to see that “Welcome to New Mexico” sign at the Colorado border on my way to the greater Farmington, New Mexico area. Cue the angels singing.

The purpose of my visit was to get a lay of the land again. So much can change in twenty years. Not only about the place itself but also how one feels about it. It’s funny how your previously firm likes and dislikes can morph as you age.

However, I discovered that my appreciation for New Mexico has not waned one bit. I am as enamored with the land of enchantment as ever. Its high-desert landscape continues to beckon, and my desire to move back to the area remains.

Next week, I expect to post about specific horse-related stuff I experienced during my trip. This is a horse blog after all. But I’d like to leave you today with something dog-related. I’ll use the excuse that many horse people are also dog people and hope readers will indulge me.

During my trip, I signed up to be a volunteer dog walker at the Farmington Regional Animal Shelter. Someone had the fantastic idea to build this shelter on the edge of a local park near picturesque rock formations and a walking path by a river.

On the day I arrived in town, I walked into the shelter, gave them my identifying info, signed a liability waiver and viewed a couple of short videos on rules and procedures. And then I got to walk dogs by the Animas River!

I ended up walking two dogs over two days, Layla (pictured below) and Paloma (pictured above). Both are available for adoption (the shelter does out-of-state adoptions, by the way!). Layla ended up in the shelter last Fall after being rounded up as a stray and her owner nowhere to be found. Paloma was surrendered to the shelter after her owner died.

Both Layla and Paloma were delightful to walk. If you are interested in them, please contact the Farmington Regional Animal Shelter at (505) 599-1098.

If you know anything about dogs, and especially about dogs in shelters, you also know what a treat it is for them to get out of the kennels and go for walks. Next time you visit a new location, I highly recommend checking out the volunteer opportunities in the local shelters. Some may only be available to permanent residents, but you never know if you don’t ask. It was so fun to share my New Mexico joy with animals in need of extra attention!

It’s not often that you get a front-row seat to a special celestial event in your own backyard. But today, that’s exactly what happened. I witnessed the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse right from my horse pasture. It rained yesterday, and it is forecasted to rain tomorrow. But hot diggity dog, we experienced clear skies for today’s event!

In true horsewoman style, I completed a brief ride beforehand. My husband and I accompanied both horses to the round pen as that was the only dry ground available. This made Piper very happy as he didn’t get left behind by himself in the paddock. My husband walked Piper in-hand while I got some much-cherished saddle time with Shiloh. We both wore eclipse glasses, of course!

Here Piper demonstrates what happens during a solar eclipse when the moon blocks the path of the sun. I guess in this case, Piper is the moon and Shiloh is the sun. Seems about right.

After the brief ride and photo session, we turned the horses out with some hay. This was twenty minutes or so before totality.

At first, the horses didn’t seem to pay much attention to the gradually changing horizon. But when the moon got fully in front of the sun, darkness seemed to hit quickly. And the horses definitely noticed. The following photo progression shows the changing of the skies as well as the horses’ increasing alarm.

During the almost four minutes of totality, Piper walked part of the fence line and then settled under the run-in shed. But Shiloh came over to stand near my husband and me for the duration.

Post totality, as the moon moved away from the sun, the light returned as quickly as it disappeared. It was all over in a flash. While the eclipse was definitely a cool experience for us humans, the horses seemed briefly shell-shocked. In this photo taken just after the light returned, you can see that Shiloh has a “what the heck just happened” look on his face.

Shiloh hung out with us for a while longer as we assured him that he was safe and all was well. He soon went back to munching on hay and then took a brief standing nap. After all, Shiloh experienced a ride and a total eclipse all in one day. How many horses can say that?

In other news, Piper and Shiloh made it last week to their annual health appointment at the veterinary clinic. They both loaded and unloaded well at home and at the clinic.

The week before, we practiced trailer loading on a warm and sunny day. Unfortunately, on appointment day, the weather was cloudy, windy, rainy and cold. I was concerned this might affect their willingness to load, but I need not have worried. They did me proud.

Here Shiloh and Piper stood at the ready in stalls until the veterinarian became available.

And here is Shiloh getting prepared to unload once home again. He looked worried, but his behavior didn’t indicate it. You’re a good egg, Shiloh.

After loading and unloading both ways in the rain and driving with the windshield wipers, I was ready to be done. I breathed a big sigh of relief when the horses were safely ensconced in their paddock.

Originally, the forecast called for snow, so I am grateful it was only rain for the drive. But any kind of less-than-ideal weather adds to the normal level of stress I feel when taking my horses on the road.

The rain finally stopped for five seconds to let the sun come out for two seconds so I could snap this paddock picture. Such is Springtime.

After all was said and done with the horses, Asa decided to check out the trailer. He loaded and unloaded just as nicely as the horses. He’s a good egg, too.

It’s no joke! The March weather played an early April Fools’ trick on me. Spring seemed to come early in February but then played hide and seek the following month. The temps seesawed. The amount of sun varied. And we saw more rain (and thus had worse footing) in March than in February.

I got in exactly ONE ride in March. Better than no rides. But not nearly as many as I was hoping for based on February’s weather. Such is horse life when you live in a notoriously poor climate area without an indoor arena.

The most exciting thing I did horse-wise was to bring my horse trailer out of winter storage. The horses have their annual vet appointment scheduled for later this week. I needed to air up the tires, do a general trailer inspection, etc … I also needed to make sure the horses remembered how to load. I managed to pick a day in between clouds, rain, and wind storms to do so. Amazing.

As you can see, our practice session proved successful. This is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly on the day of the vet clinic appointment, of course. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful.

Due in large part to the weather, nobody wants to visit where I live. Except that, we happen to reside in an area of totality as far as the upcoming Monday, April 8th total solar eclipse goes. The local news keeps warning that out-of-towners will appear like a plague of locusts. We should expect heavy traffic, long lines at venues, and even temporary food/gas shortages. You know, the apocalypse.

What I think is ironic about this is that because we have such poor weather in these parts, the eclipse may barely be visible due to cloud cover and/or rain. I am personally preparing for a letdown. Nonetheless, I expect to be outside with my horses during the event so we can, at the very least, stand around in the dark during the middle of the day together.

Please note that I usually post to this blog early on Monday mornings, but next week I will likely post in the evening or on Tuesday morning. That way, if there is anything interesting to see, I might have photos to share with you by then.

Speaking of upcoming posts, I have one more blog housekeeping note to share. I am excited that there are five Mondays in April, because I have so much to relay about my recent out-of-town trip. The trip I alluded to last post. Hopefully I start posting about it on Monday, April 15th. It’s going to take me that long to sort through all the photos.

I continue staying firmly cryptic about the trip location so as not to spoil the surprise. But I will reveal that I had so much fun. I am still riding on an emotional high from the experience. Good thing, too. Because when I look at the upcoming forecast, I don’t see any other kind of riding in my immediate future.

I am out of town today. Soon to return from a long weekend trip. My husband is on horse duty while I am away. He’s kindly taking care of the horses, Piper and Shiloh, as well as the barn cats, Asa and Saul.

Fun fact here. My husband and I haven’t taken an out-of-town trip together since 2004. Someone always has to stay behind to take care of all the critters, house, and property. Finding and/or paying for a farm sitter to take over those duties has proven elusive. Maybe someday we will have better fortune. But for the last twenty years, it’s been separate trips for us.

This particular jaunt is not specifically horse-related. You know, no great international riding vacation or the like. Long-time readers likely wouldn’t expect anything quite that exciting from me anyway. For new readers, though, I thought it best to temper expectations. But even if not the main subject, horses do factor into this trip. I expect to explain more in a future post.

In the meantime, here’s a previous post that is relevant to our current season (assuming you live in the Northern Hemisphere, that is). It’s on the topic of the spring season and horses. If you click on the link, it will take you to a post that in turn links to seven more previous spring-time posts on The Backyard Horse Blog. Seven! You’ll see topics such as spring barn cleaning, using a grazing muzzle, preparing for spring riding and more. Happy reading!

For horse people, is there anything more synonymous with spring than horse hair? Lots and lots of it!

After several winter months of mostly no-touch equine care, I’m slowly getting back into the habit of regular horse grooming. As is typical for shedding season, both Piper and Shiloh feel itchy. They seem to welcome the extra attention this time of year.

As the temperatures continue to see-saw, we’ve experienced wind, rain and a severe storm with nickel-sized hail. But there have been some days warm enough that I can stand to take my gloves off!

After months of staying wrapped up and covered due to the cold, it felt great to finally run my ungloved hands through their hair coat. I like to check for any signs of skin issues under all that thick winter hair. Sometimes with skin conditions, I can feel them before I see them, allowing me to intervene quickly and prevent spread.

While we are on the topic of shedding horse hair, did you know that some folks turn horse hair into art projects? Lots of us have seen horse hair used to make jewelry. Creations made with mane and tail strands. But less well-know is art made with the hair from a horse’s main hair coat.

As I surfed the internet recently, I came across several fun pictures and video clips related to artistic uses for spring-time horse hair. These include sculptures, wool making and needle felting. I admire the creativity.

Inspired by such internet media, I’ve thought about trying to do something fun with all the hair I collect. But the most I’ve ever done is ball the hair up and place it under trees for avian use.

Many times I’ve seen birds flying around with spring-shedded horse hair in their little beaks. And of course, over the twenty-plus years I’ve kept horses at home, I have periodically found bird nests containing strands of mane and tail hair.

I love the thought of my horses contributing to the cycle of life. It’s a small but beautiful reminder of how nature is interconnected in unexpected ways.

Here’s to spring and all that shedding horse hair!

I’m finally done with my equestrian winter reading challenge. Time is likely better spent actually being around horses rather than reading about them. But for many of us, circumstances do not allow for as much direct involvement as we would otherwise like. Even if you have horses in your backyard like I do, you can feel prevented from doing as much as you would like with them due to weather, finances, etc . . .

Reading is a worthy substitute that can help us maintain some kind of connection to the horse world. It can increase our knowledge, impart practical ideas, and spark our imagination. I’ve long enjoyed reading about all things horse, especially when the rest of my horse life is curtailed.

The horse world is diverse in its breed and discipline preferences, but one thing most of us have in common is this ongoing love affair with the horse. An nearly lifelong desire to be around them and think about them. Two books that I read during my winter reading challenge emphasized this point.

In Susan Friedland’s book Marguerite, Misty and Me: a Horse Lover’s Hunt for the Hidden History of Marguerite Henry and her Chincoteague Pony, Susan writes about spending hours doing research in an Illinois library archives. She reviewed letters that fans wrote to Marguerite as well as Marguerite’s return correspondence. One note in particular stood out to me. It was written by Marguerite to a child who lamented not having a horse of her own.

“I know EXACTLY how you feel about looking at people up on a horse. They look so happy at being there that you yourself want to crawl under a rock and cry.”

I got misty-eyed (no pun intended!) when I read that. Talk about making a little girl’s desires understood and seen! No wonder Marguerite maintained a huge fan base even up to the end of her life. She herself was a horse-crazy youngster who didn’t have a horse of her own until she was an adult. Marguerite fully understood the depth of longing that so many of us have for horses.

Speaking of lifelong obsessions, the following illustration by Morgane Schmidt in her book Life With Horses Is Never Orderly sums up the almost birth-to-death attachment many of us feel for these four-legged wonders. It made me laugh out loud.

By the way, for all you cemetery owners out there, I think the idea of having horses graze on your grave is a winning business idea if I ever saw one. Sign me up! 🙂

Since my first bareback ride of 2024 in February, I fit in two more short rides. I even broke out the tack for the third one. I felt excited to dust off the cover after not using the saddle since November.

I’m still wowed by the fact that I rode in my backyard during the second month of the year. Most years, I don’t even take a first ride until late March or April. But in 2024, the unusually high temperatures and lower rainfall totals have allowed me to get started sooner. Everything becomes covered in shedding horse hair, but that’s part of the charm.

This time of year, “short and sweet” is the name of the game when it comes to working with my horses. In some ways, I’m not really doing anything. Certainly not as much as I’d like to be doing. But each Spring, I have to start somewhere. So I begin by attempting to reestablish habits and patterns while posing lots of questions.

I ask Shiloh, “Can you lower your head down for me to put on the bridle? What about lining up smoothly at the mounting block without much repositioning? Can you stay with me mentally even when your herd mate, Piper, starts fussing during our ride?” So far, Shiloh has mostly responded in the affirmative to each of my inquiries.

I pose a different set of questions to Piper. “Can you stand tied for 15 minutes without fidgeting, pawing or biting the fence while I ride Shiloh? Do you remember from past experience that even when I tack up Shiloh and ride off I eventually bring him back to you?” So far, Piper’s answer to the first question is “sort of” and the answer to the second question is “nope.”

After I ride Shiloh, I take Piper for a little hand-walk to let out the tension he feels about being tied. And of course, Piper is very itchy as he sheds his Winter coat so a good currying is in order. Then both horses help me collect any tack, grooming tools, mounting blocks or cones that I brought out for my ride.

I thought it was funny when Shiloh picked up a set of cones and brought it over to where I had halted with Piper at one point during our walk. Piper couldn’t resist the temptation. He quickly grabbed the cones from Shiloh. They kindly each held different ends of the cones long enough for me to whip out my phone. Who says horses don’t have a sense of humor?

I know some people would argue that I don’t really do anything with my horses. I readily acknowledge that various circumstances over the last decade have sharply curtailed my equestrian activities. But without big goals and plans on the horizon for Shiloh and Piper, I can still, weather permitting, do something with them.

Any way I slice it, the joy of being around horses for me is still quite fierce. So strong in fact that even when I more or less do nothing with my horses, I walk away feeling like I’ve done something.

If you missed my original book review and giveaway announcement, you can link to it HERE. But since I only have one book to award, there can only be one name selected. Congrats to Mary L! You are the winner of Wild Horses of Skydog: Blue Zeus and Families!

While we are on the topic of Blue Zeus, did you know he is being introduced as a Breyer model this year? A reader who entered the contest alerted me to this announcement (thank you!). The model is set to make its debut at Breyerfest. This year’s Breyerfest theme is Against All Odds, promoting the underdogs of the horse world. It seems quite fitting that Blue Zeus and his story would be promoted at this year’s event. If you’d like to see a photo of the upcoming Blue Zeus model horse, click on this link.

There might only be one book winner, but here’s a consolation prize of sorts for all readers. Today only (March 1st, 2024), Canada’s University of Guelph is offering free sign-up for their online course “Introduction to Body Condition Scoring.” This $30 value is offered for free today only in honor of World Horse Day:

On Demand: Introduction to Body Condition Scoring

Congratulations again to our book winner! I hope those of you who didn’t win will consider either purchasing the book or asking your local library to buy it. A portion of each book sale will go towards supporting Blue Zeus and the other horses at Skydog Ranch.