Buying and Selling a Horse~ The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

At the age of eleven, I began buying and selling horses. My parents didn't really care or get too involved in these ventures. I bought some good ones and I bought some bad ones. I learned the most from the bad ones.
I even wrote a humorous article for Horse and Rider magazine about what a horse ad really means,     ( you have to read between the lines).

These days I am not looking to buy any horses, but I still see the ads on CL and FB and let me tell you, I am dismayed by them.

First of all- I see ads that are as follows;
          " ISO- Beautiful horse. Must be between the ages of two and ten, no bigger than 14.2 and no smaller than 14 hh , must trailer, trail ride, be broke to roping, chickens, clowns, umbrella's and loud music. Must be a palomino or Perlino. Must run barrels and poles, but be able to go on long trail rides. Must not have any buck, it's for my grandfather. Must be sold with saddle and tack. I don't have a lot of money to spend, $1000 is my limit. SHOW ME WHAT YA GOT!"

REALLY? SHOW ME what YOU got!! ?

Is this the new way to search for a horse to buy?
I understand that there are no longer newspapers with classified ads, but even in those 'old fashioned days' there was never any - Here I am, and I'm cool so Pitch your horses to Me- attitude.

If you were in the market for a horse, you asked your friends, you found a training barn and asked if they had any thing to sell. You put the word out that you were available to
GO OUT AND LOOK for yourself.

There was no way you would ever buy a horse sight unseen from an ad. You put on your boots, got in the truck and went out to the barn and looked at the horse. You called a vet and then he looked at the horse too.  Oh it took longer, and there were some pretty rank horses out there, but there were some exceptional ones too. If the Seller liked you and you had the dough, then you could bring your horse home.

The other thing I see is a seller that does not care about the horse at all.  Those sellers go out into the pasture and take a picture of their Ol Dobbin, head down, head in a feed pan, strung out behind and dirty all over. Then they post the picture with a caption like,

" Perfect beginners horse, has ran barrells, will jump in a trailor,No Spook or Buck. Needs to be gelded, but my three year old leads him around by the forelock. Need Him Gone. $6000 FIRM"

I ask myself, why on earth would I ever want to come see this horse? It don't make NO SENSE.

What could you tell about these mares from looking at this picture?

So what is the best way to buy or sell a horse?

If you have never bought a horse before, the best advice I can give you is to find a responsible equestrian friend or a good trainer. Training barns often have horses for sale, or know of horses for sale. Then get your smartphone and a note book and go out and see the horses for yourself. Go see more than just one. Have an open mind and try not to have a preconceived notion of what your "Heart Horse" should look like. Try to find an older horse, one that has been around a little bit. Ride it. Go home. Think about it. Go back and ride it on a different day. Ask to handle the horse for yourself. Halter it, saddle it and untack it. Then if you really like it, call YOUR vet, or a vet unfamiliar to that horse to get an unbiased opinion on its soundness and overall health.

As a first time owner, I would not buy a horse from a rescue. Rescued horses often have health and other issues that a first time owner might not have the skill or knowledge to handle. If a rescue horse is the only kind of horse you want, I would suggest first offering to volunteer at that rescue  facility and determine if the horse is really what you like and if the seller is really what they say they are. I have bought several horses from people who did not care for them and it is an investment of time , money and hope.

(Unfortunately there are many, many horse 'people' that are not  what they say they are.And there are many more horses that are not what the sellers say they are. Beware. )

If you want to sell your horse, please act like it is a good horse. Pretend that you care for it, even if you don't.  Price your horse with his faults in mind and Please... PLEASE ..BE AS HONEST AS YOU CAN BE.

What could you tell about this horse from looking at his tail?

Groom your horse, wash him if there is time ( put don't take pictures of him wet), shine his feet. Put a clean halter on him and have someone help you take a decent picture. Don't take pictures of his ass and tail, that is an old timey Quarter Horse thing to do.  Have your horse stand in a way that shows off any of his good traits, legs under him, head looking forward, ears up.
When you get a phone call, be respectful to the buyer. Arrive at the barn when you say you are going to be there. Have your horse groomed and waiting for it's new owner. Be up front about what vaccines he's had, how he is with the farrier and the vet, if he's fresh in the mornings or all the time.

Our horse industry is in flux right now. Too many horses, not enough people to buy them. I encourage you to be an ambassador for our sport. Treat each other as you would like to be treated. 

Don't be in a rush to buy or sell.
Trust your vet.
Be humble.
Be aware.

Happy Trails!

FIRE

FIRE!!

The word strikes at our very heart. We revere and fear fire, as well we should. Living in California you learn all about Fire and its consequences.

California has always been a semi- desert state. There are records of large wildfires every year, going all the way back in written history and beyond. The Sequoia tree has adapted after thousands and thousand of years to propagate itself by the use of wildfire.The indigenous tribes of California learned how to adapt to fire and how to use fire to hunt and trap game.

Since Americans came into the State in 1849 hunting for gold, they began building Gold Rush camps in mountains where the gold veins run through, usually in the thick of the forests. Historically many, if not all, of those towns have been devastated by fire. Tenacious as humans are, they were often rebuilt upon the ashes of the destroyed towns.

Fifty years ago when I was just a baby, wildfire was not as much as a threat as it had been.
Forests were logged. Grasslands were planted with crops and watered regularly. I do not remember a really bad fire until about 1974, when my area was going through one of its regular 7 year droughts. The Mountain behind our home, Mt. Diablo caught fire and burned for three days. In retrospect it doesn't even seem very significant.

Summit of Mt Diablo

But of course, things change.

California is in the grip of Environmentalists and Democrats. The forests are no longer managed; the environmentalist would rather it burn than be logged or even partially cleared. The water from the rivers in the North is re routed from the mountains to the deserts of Southern, arid California. People have built homes upon homes and everyone wants a green lawn and more and more electricity. The planet is shifting its weather patterns - as it has done forever and a day- and now we have stronger winds, denser housing, less fear and bigger and bigger Wild land fires.

California Foothills

I live just a short 50 miles to the South of what is the biggest California Wildfire to date- The Camp Fire Blaze. It has just destroyed the towns of Paradise, Magalia, Concow and it is bearing down on Chico and Oroville. So far 23 lives have been lost, 1500 people are injured, 102, 000 acres is burning and it is only 5 % contained. The winds are up, and even after 4 days the fire rages. My house is enveloped in smoke,so much so that I cannot see the sun. Everything has a smoky hue. The birds are confused, roosting early and flying in large circles.

There is also a huge fire in Southern California, The Woolsey Fire, creating loss of life and property.

Animals left behind are being found and rescued. The local FB boards are full of pictures of people looking for lost loved ones, pets and livestock. It is truly a disaster.

Last year Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, Yuba County (where I now reside), Napa County and many, many others had horrific fires that tore through thousands of acres. Those fires were caused by PG&E lines sparking in high winds. This year, PG&E have said they are going to cut power to those people living in high risk areas. Maddening!  And our Governor has vetoed any bills presented to him to help manage the forests and rangelands, or help bury the electric lines in high risk areas. He prefers instead to  tax the population to death ( we have the highest tax rate in the United States,at 13.3%, Hawaii is next at 11%) and spend those monies on a high speed railroad project that has stalled out completely.

So while the Powers that Be see saw back and forth about who is to blame- WE the People of California are taking the hit.

Dry California foothills

What can we do for ourselves?
We have private organizations helping each other to find loved ones, livestock and pets.
We have private organizations helping to raise money for basic necessities.
We have private organizations helping to evacuate people and pets.
We have Churches and Temples feeding and housing families.
We have families housing other families on their properties.
We have individuals pitching in and helping where ever they can.
We are not relying on the Government- either local or Federal.
We are not crying in our beers- we are out in the ashes and fire helping one another.
We are not going to let this define us as humans, family or friends.

If anyone reading this would like to help I have a list of Private organizations that are helping and could use donations. Just drop me a line and I will give you the information.

And if you are of a mind to pray- Please know that we will accept those too.

To Blanket or Not to Blanket- That is the Question

The weather is turning cooler- Fall is in the air! 

To most people Fall is a welcome change, I am not one of those people. I like summer.

Oh sure, Fall smells amazing with Pumpkin Spice and Apple Pie and drying leaves and such.

But Fall is the beginning of Winter and Winter means mud in my world. Not a fan of mud.

Fall also is the time when you need to make a decision about whether you need to blanket your horses or not.
Most people have pretty strong opinions about blanketing. Since you are reading my Blog, I'm going to sally forth with mine.

I like to blanket my horse.

Why?

Because I am lazy. I don't like to scrape mud and pee and manure off my horse before I ride.  As a kid, I used to walk over 30 minutes to reach the stable, then I had to catch my horse, then I had to scrape the mud off of him, then if there was time, I could get in a ride. While working and as a young mother,I had only two hours to get out to the Boarding stable, brush, ride, and cool out my mount. Every precious minute counted. I didn't want to waste any time on mud-scraping. Now even though I am old and retired, I still blanket.Some habits die hard.

I also like that my boys coat doesn't get faded, sun-bleached or spotty. He's a roan and when a roan horse gets a good enough scrape, his coat will grow in darker, not lighter. I don't like that either. 

I like to blanket older horses, or horses that are compromised somehow, as well. Most horses, healthy young horses, can get all the heat they need with a good winters growth of coat. The coat grows in two  layers. Short hairs lie next to the skin,trapping a 'bubble' of warmth. Then longer guard hairs  fold down over the short hairs, sealing in the warmth and sealing out the rain. It's called 'loft'. When a horse shivers, he uses energy to create warmth under his hair. Nature at her finest!
A horse that is old may not have the healthiest coat. He may not have the resources in energy to create enough warmth. I especially like to help those oldsters out by giving them a comfy blanket to cozy up in. I think they deserve it.

There are a few things you need to know about blanketing before you decide whether or not to do it.

You don't need to clip your horse to use a blanket. I don't. BUT Clipped, or half clipped horses HAVE to be blanketed. You have taken their resource away, it's up to you to put it back. If you are going to clip your horse, you should do it before Thanksgiving. It has to do with the Winter solstice and circadian rhythms, darkness vs lightness. And it will mess up your Spring coat if you do it much later.  So just don't.

You need to decide what kind of weather you are going to try to keep at bay. Is it going to be sub freezing? Is it going to be rainy? Is your horse turned out - and if so, will you be there to take off and put on the blanket? Is your blanket tough enough to survive in a pasture condition? Is your horse hard on his blanket?
Buy your blankets accordingly. A high Denier count is going to be denser fabric, more durable and more water resistant. Rip stop will resist tearing well. Turn out rugs will let your horse have less restriction in his movement so he can romp in pasture.  There are so many types of fill, materials, buckle arrangements and styles. That is your call- fashionwise. Stores like Stateline Tack will also give you information on the materials, waterproofing, and correct fit.

Here is the biggest mistake that people make though. They buy a water resistant blanket and what they need is a water proof blanket . If your horse has on a blanket, and that blanket gets wet; soaked all the way through, it is just like submerging yourself in the cold waters of the ocean and then standing in a wind storm.  Even if your horse has not been clipped your horses coat cannot loft up enough to keep him adequately warm.  BAD PARTY!
If the blanket you use is quilted,( Like a Stable Blanket- made for being inside a stall) or has any seams along the topline, or is just cotton or nylon, you do not have a waterproof blanket. A Waterproof blanket will be one piece across the top, no seams. Your horse should be dry as the proverbial bone underneath the blanket, next to his skin. If he isn't- take off the blanket. It's better to have your horse be wet with his natural coat, than be blanketed and wet underneath!

A few last things about blankets.

Be sure you make the length of the straps correct. Not too long, or your horse may catch up a leg. No Bueno! And not too short, or it may rub a sore.

Make sure your blankets don't rub a sore on their withers either. It's easy to forget to check, but just like having a saddle weighing down on the wither, a heavy blanket can cause the same pain and 'gall'. Fleece padding along the wither can usually stop this.

Check under the blankets frequently. I knew a girl once that didn't check under her blankets, and when she finally did her horse had a huge oozy sore the size of a dinner plate from something that had gotten underneath the blanket. It was ugly!

So to Blanket- or not to blanket-

It's a Personal Question!
I hope this helps someone out there!
Happy Trails!


 

It's not just Cheap, it's Free

I went to a local Jr Rodeo today. I love local Rodeo!

I love the kids that participate, the volunteers that come out to help the community and the camaraderie of the contestants.

I know that these kids sometimes haul miles and miles to compete in these small Rodeos and that is hard to do. They give up a lot of other functions to participate because this is what they love to do.

BUT- ( Ah, you knew there was going to be a but!)

I surely wish that someone would teach these young riders actual Horsemanship.

By that I don't mean that these kids are unkind to their animals- they aren't.
They make sure they are tied properly, given food and water, left in the shade when possible.

What I mean is the manner in which they are riding; what I call Spur, Jerk and Spank.

I was watching the riders getting their mounts warmed up and what I saw was actually appalling to me. Horses being loped around on some pretty hard ground, riders trying to post on a wrong diagonal,riders trying to counter canter with no real idea of what they were trying to achieve, and racing around the warm up pen. I saw horses in very bad bits, having their mouths sawed off when trying to stop.

One girl was coming to the finish wire on the left lead and jerked her horse to the right to circle him. Guess what happened? Yep! Popped her up like a cork out of a bottle. ( She didn't fall off though- Whew!)
I ask myself," Who are teaching these kids how to ride?" Maybe I should ask, " Is anyone teaching these kids how to ride?"

I hear Mom and Dad at the gate, shrilling, yelling directions. I see kids over mounted on some speed horses. I see very few riders that have a clue about BASIC riding and horsemanship. Could it be that the parents just don't know? Or don't they care?

When you go to the more professional Rodeo, you will see at least the Basic Horsemanship being practiced. To win in some of these events you have to understand lead changes, shoulder movement and weight displacement.

 So where did these professionals learn ?

I'll answer my own question- they were taught it from the time they stepped onto a horse- no matter their age.

Just like anything else- practice makes perfect- and PERFECT Practice makes PERFECT better.

Parents and Grandparents and Girlfriends and Boyfriends, actually anyone with access to NEW riders, Please teach Horsemanship to your students. No matter if you are riding

 English,

 Western,

 Western Trail,

 

 Bull Dogging,

 or Barrel Racing,

just get those basics down pat!

Don't add 'more bit".
    Teach a good stop.

Don't add "more whip."
    Teach a good seat.

Don't add "more speed!"
     Teach leads.

Don't add "more spur."
 Teach proper diagonals.



It's hard to own a horse. They are expensive and getting more so by the minute. But passing knowledge to new riders can be free!

The Internet has tons of video.I won't add a link here, because your style of riding and training is very personal. TIP: Try to train or ride with someone with the same 'horse values' as you.

The Library has free magazines with articles on every subject.
Equus
Western Horseman
Horse and Rider
Dressage Today

Every discipline has value to every rider. Gymkhana  horses can learn from Dressage Riders. Dressage Riders can learn from Cutters. Barrel Racers can learn from Hunter Jumpers.

Take the time to learn all you can and no matter which style of riding you choose,you will become a much better Horseman.

Happy Trails!

I'm a Liar

I am a Liar.

You are too.

Show me someone who says they don't lie and I'll show you a liar.

Sometimes we lie to get our own way.
         ( Of course, Uncle John will be at Cousin Louise's party. )

Sometimes we lie so we don't get into trouble.
         ( The Gorilla came in the window and colored on the walls)

Sometimes the lie is a sin of omission.
            ( Oh, did I forget to tell you that the car is out of gas.)

We all know that we shouldn't lie. It is a Commandment after all, and if we are found out, the consequences are usually a lot worse than the trouble we were trying to avoid.

Still- it happens.

Little white lies are the norm I suppose. (No, that dress makes you look great!)

Bigger lies- bigger trouble.
        ( No Officer, I only had one beer.)

But to me the biggest and worst liar is a woman who lies about two things.

1. Being raped when it isn't true.
2. Being pregnant when it isn't true.

Because when either of those two things happen it is bad news for ALL women, not just the liar.

I'm not telling you women anything you don't already know. We have to protect ourselves from men at all times. We grew up knowing this. It is a fact of life- unfortunate but true. Society is evolving this slowly- my girl children did not have to put up with the bull shit I had to put up with working in a man's world. I'm heartily glad of that. But they still grew up with the mantra "Protect yourself at all times." 

Just like the story of the Wolf, a person ( no gender bashing here) needs to build a reputation. To build a reputation, a person needs to have character. That means you have to do what you say you are going to do, have compassion for others and don't lie about important stuff. When you do- say lie about a Ravening Wolf coming to town when there is no wolf- your character then comes into question and no amount of trust rebuilding will ever bring it back.

It isn't a matter of believing- we all want to believe!  We want to be compassionate. But a lie is a lie is a lie.

And now we have been set back 100 years by the most recent and very public lie. Now none of "Us Women" will be believed. 

King Solomon had a good idea to solve his problem of who to believe, but that wisdom wouldn't work in a case of rape or pregnancy. Pregnancy will out and time will tell, but not with rape.

What can any of us 'other gals' do about this?

Will screaming vitriol at people change this? Will putting stupid hats on our heads change it? Will declaring #METOO change this?

The only thing that will change this is US. Being real. Having character.

No lies and calling out the ones among us that do lie.

Teaching all of our children not to lie and, barring that, how to tell a liar from not a liar. Teaching them compassion but reality too. As a daughter of two policemen, I was taught early how to determine a liar. My children can spot one a mile away.

I can too. 

New Old California

I recently had the opportunity to drive Hwy 49, a road that I adore. Twisting and winding from Auburn to Grass Valley, Hwy 49~ the Gold Rush Road.

Highway 49 actually begins further North than Grass Valley and continues South to Mariposa, but I'll save those stretches for another day. This stretch of Hwy 49 encapsulates the very essence of the Gold Rush. It is where it began and has that same pioneer flair today.

From Sacramento, our (Not) Beloved State Capital, take Highway 50 East to Placerville.

Placerville was once called Hang town. Notorious for Vigilante Justice, the old hanging tree was cut down and a Hay and Feed store went up in it's place. Over the years it has been a theater and a saloon, the stump supposedly still under the floor boards. Now 305 Main Street is listed as a Historical Landmark #0141. Folks around there swear the place is haunted.

A few other historical buildings surround the Hangman's Tree, and it is sure worth your while to stop a spell and visit them. There are plenty of restaurants and a Brew house nearby too.

Take Hwy 49 North out of Placerville and you will pass Victorian style homes as you begin climbing the ridge. These roads were once just the paths that the miners walked, leading their pack donkeys into town.They have changed course very little over the hundred and seventy years since James Marshal discovered that first nugget.  Now and then you will see the tops of the denuded hills. Once these hills were thick with pine and oak, cut down to make buildings and shore up mines. Some of the Oaks have come back, but most recently they have been cleared to plant orchards of apples, peaches figs and of course, wine grapes. You will find a few orchards open to the public, selling their fruits, wines, jams and pies. It is like a moveable feast. During the fall you may even find Pumpkins and treats for Thanksgiving.

Further along is Coloma, the site of the the initial gold find and the start of the Gold Rush. Most of the town is now a state park, but the buildings that are still standing are the original buildings. The original saw mill first build at the behest of Captain John Sutter is the only building that has been reconstructed. It sits on the American River, a beautiful stretch of water that now caters mostly to white water rafting companies. There are probably ten rafting companies along the river now, a few even have 'walk-in' rafting. Prime rafting months are late spring and summer. It's a fun and exhilarating way to see the canyons.

Golden hills pass as you continue North, the air is pungent with the smell of tar weed, pine trees and clean fresh air. The best way to see Hwy 49 in my view is in an open sports car, with good brakes. If you are in your sedan, be sure to wind down the windows and inhale. This is what California should smell like!

You pass through Cool and begin your winding journey down. Check your brakes and don't be afraid to use 2nd gear, the road is more crooked than a car salesman. At the bottom of the canyon you will cross over the river again at Confluence Park in the Auburn State Recreational Area. There are extensive hiking trails through here and you can also park your car and try to find your own 'color', the miners term for finding gold nuggets. The park is staggeringly beautiful in any season, with wildflowers, falling water, craggy boulders and a glittering river.

After you have recovered from the exciting drive down the mountain, be sure to stop in Old
Downtown Auburn.There are Museums, ( my favorite is the Placer County Museum, inside the majestic old Capitol Building),restaurants, brew houses and shops. Don't miss the iconic Red and White Striped Firehouse at the edge of town, or the gigantic Gold Miner statue in Chana Park.
Find your way underneath Highway 80 and continue North on Hwy 49 toward Grass Valley.

Once the home of the Gold Rush International singer and dancer Lola Montez, Grass Valley is a strange mixture of Old California and New. The Lola Montez home was located at 248 Mill Street.

 It is rumored that she once had a pet bear chained in her front yard.

 Art Deco buildings sit side by side with Gold Rush era buildings; Italianate houses overlook trendy restaurants. Grass Valley is a thriving and growing town. Wineries have sprung up, local restaurants have samples of the fine beverages as well as locally sourced fruit and vegetables.  There is a large Farmers Market on Thursday evenings during the summer and fall. Music, food and drinks~ what could be better!


There is so much to do and to see along this small piece of California. It is often overlooked by tourists more eager to visit Yosemite, San Francisco or Disneyland, but it is essential to understanding the history of the Golden State. Golden hills, gold in the ground, golden sunshine, all excellent reasons to take a weekend and visit the Gold Country!

Science, Myth and Mayhem

I am a woman of a certain age. I'm not gonna say how old I am, because a Lady never tells. Let's just say I remember watching the moon landing on a black and white TV as it was happening. I'm so old that I know what the Dewey Decimal System is and how to use it.
So I may not be quite as tech-savvy as some of you younger women or men out there, but I am flabbergasted by the lack of knowledge and the inability to look things up for yourselves! I'm speaking specifically about horse knowledge.

Oh, calm down- I know not everyone has the depth of knowledge that I have, I was born to the horse and have forgotten more than most of you remember-but with all of the world at your fingertips I am still seeing posts that ask," How do I keep my horse from biting?" and the answers coming back are,  " Bite him back."
Really!!? Hhmph!
If he kicks you are you going to kick him back?
If he bucks you off, are you going to lift him up and throw him down?
Get real!

I have been taught some old 'folk remedies' from a lot of old cowboys now riding greener pastures. Some of that advice was, and is, weird.  Creosote for topical injury. Mercury for internal ailments.
Tar and Tobacco for worms. Sulfur as a laxative.
YIKES!

Those ancient remedies were the best they could do at the time. There were no sulfur drugs, no worming drugs. There wasn't much to use for man or beast. Sometimes those things worked, sometimes they didn't. Such as Orange peels rubbed on tendons for splints.( The actual rubbing was the cure). 

We have all those things now, and so much more; X-Rays, miracle drugs, micro surgeries!
Now, all you have to do is BING it. Or Googer (sic) it! The world is at your fingertips! Press the mic icon and say something like, " Does my horse have thumps?" Go on. Do it. I'll wait.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Actually a lot of the time all anyone need do is think. Yep. With your own little gray matter. Common Horse sense.
Ask yourself; " Self, if I had open oozing sores on my legs and arms, to clean and soothe it,would I pour on-
A. Listerine    B.  Vinegar     C. Saline

(If you wouldn't do it to yourself, why would you do it to them?)

"Self, If  I had shin splints how would I want to treat them?"

" Self, If I can carry a load 300 pounds more than my actual weight, how many people and saddles would that equal out to?"

"Self, if my horse bites me, would it do any good, or make any impression in his walnut sized brain for me to actually take his soft nose and bite him back? Especially knowing that these 900 pound animals bite each other regularly as social behavior?  Could I take the resulting bite,kick or strike?

See- simple!!

If you can't fathom those kinds of answers, may I suggest an actual book. Yes.A Library book. They are free to borrow, ya don't even have to pay for them! This is where the Dewey Decimal System comes in handy ( for those of you who were born after 2001. For the rest of you I'll have another example in a moment)
There are many books on animal behavior and medicine. Read one or two. Takes notes. Subscribe to an Equine magazine.

Third example- wait for it..... A PHONE book! Look up local veterinarians! Look up Horse Trainers! Trickle down theory and all that. What? You don't remember Trickle down?

Maybe it's just a tactic of the social media generation- something along the lines of " I need attention and I'm not getting it, so I am going to ask a question about my nag, that I already know the answer to, and then everyone will know how cool I am because I have a horse."

If that is the case~ I got nuthin!