Trailmeister.com - Full Article
September 29, 2019
PREPARING A TRUCK FOR TOWING – Setting up a new truck for safe trailer towing
I got a new to me truck! She’s a 2019 Ford F450, diesel, 4×4 crew cab, long bed, and I’m finding out that much of the equipment from my old truck (2008 Ford F350, diesel, short bed) doesn’t swap over to the new vehicle. Even with all the factory installed towing options I’ve learned that there’s a lot more to preparing a truck for towing than pulling out of the dealership and hitching up. My animals are depending upon me getting this right for the many trips we have planned!
My initial Challenges:
New truck came with a factory gooseneck package. The ball may be removable (via a nasty greasy latch on top of the ball) but neither it nor the factory safety chain loops inspired confidence.
• With the trailer attached I cannot open the tailgate. It hits the trailer jack’s hydraulic pump housing. This was not a problem before but the new tailgate is a fraction taller than the old. I’d like to be able to drop the tailgate to load and unload hay and water when still connected to the trailer.
• The new truck’s rear bumper pull hitch receiver is much larger than that on the old truck. (3 inch square vs 2 inch).
What I thought were 3 easy questions soon turned into a rabbit hole of new queries and concerns, and the thought of messing it up was keeping me up at night. I’m not a truck guy, and have never been mechanically inclined, so I started searching for answers from experts. Real experts in the field, not the keyboard warriors you find across the internet. My investigations led me to Beth Barlow of B&W Trailer Hitches in Kansas. Beth was able to help me sort through the most important considerations for my situation...
Read more here:
https://www.trailmeister.com/preparing-a-truck-for-towing/?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=October+2019+general
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Friday, October 18, 2019
Horse Manure on the Trails: Should we do something?
ELCR.org - Full Article
Horses have been a critical part of human progress from the early days of our history. They have carried men and supplies in times of war and peace, pulled the plows of farmers’ fields and were the main source of transportation during the settlement of the American west. Horses were the backbone of farms, the transportation to town for supplies and social activities, and a family necessity. Historically, many trails were created by horses ridden by people who needed to get from point A to point B. Today those trails are a critical part of recreation in open spaces and parks. Over the decades, the role of horses in daily life greatly diminished in both importance and numbers. As a result, horses are little understood by modern community members, especially trail users.
The modern horse is generally confined to a barn or small (5 acres or less) pasture area. They are mostly used for pleasure riding, showing, racing and the like. A few modern horses are working horses, and most of those are used in ranching and the production and management of other livestock. Many horses retire from ‘work careers’ to become pleasure and trail horses.
The Rise of Trail User Conflicts
A decrease in the number of boarding stables in or near urban areas, and community planning and zoning ordinances that place farms further away from urban areas place the typical trail user, or for that matter, equine enthusiast, far from any horse facility. Thislack of accessto horses creates a situation where many trail users have no experience with them. The number of horses on the trails has rapidly diminished in the last 100 years while the number of hikers and bike riders has increased exponentially. This has created the potential for conflict between the user groups. For example, hikers and equestrians don’t like fast bikes, mountain bikers want the challenge of single-track trails, and everyone wants to be out in open space enjoying the day. And no one wants to be told that they can’t be there, or they aren’t welcome...
Read more here:
https://elcr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Horse-Manure-on-the-Trails-by-Lyndall-Erb2-2019-002.pdf
Horses have been a critical part of human progress from the early days of our history. They have carried men and supplies in times of war and peace, pulled the plows of farmers’ fields and were the main source of transportation during the settlement of the American west. Horses were the backbone of farms, the transportation to town for supplies and social activities, and a family necessity. Historically, many trails were created by horses ridden by people who needed to get from point A to point B. Today those trails are a critical part of recreation in open spaces and parks. Over the decades, the role of horses in daily life greatly diminished in both importance and numbers. As a result, horses are little understood by modern community members, especially trail users.
The modern horse is generally confined to a barn or small (5 acres or less) pasture area. They are mostly used for pleasure riding, showing, racing and the like. A few modern horses are working horses, and most of those are used in ranching and the production and management of other livestock. Many horses retire from ‘work careers’ to become pleasure and trail horses.
The Rise of Trail User Conflicts
A decrease in the number of boarding stables in or near urban areas, and community planning and zoning ordinances that place farms further away from urban areas place the typical trail user, or for that matter, equine enthusiast, far from any horse facility. Thislack of accessto horses creates a situation where many trail users have no experience with them. The number of horses on the trails has rapidly diminished in the last 100 years while the number of hikers and bike riders has increased exponentially. This has created the potential for conflict between the user groups. For example, hikers and equestrians don’t like fast bikes, mountain bikers want the challenge of single-track trails, and everyone wants to be out in open space enjoying the day. And no one wants to be told that they can’t be there, or they aren’t welcome...
Read more here:
https://elcr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Horse-Manure-on-the-Trails-by-Lyndall-Erb2-2019-002.pdf
Heart Horses - Ashley Wingert
GoPony.me - Full Story
September 27, 2019 / Ashley Wingert
I think anyone who has been around horses for any length of time has heard the term “heart horse.” That special horse with whom you share a special bond, an almost indescribable feeling you get when you’re around them.
I found the above video yesterday, courtesy of my Facebook feed, and I couldn’t help but tear up as I watched it. I love some of the descriptions they use…how they are “…the horse that brings out the best in you…not only teaches you to be a better rider, but a better person.”
I’d never quite heard it put into words that way, but I think that describes it really well. I can say I’ve learned something from every horse I’ve ridden, and there are very few times I’ve ever regretted climbing into the saddle…but those heart horses…they’re something special.
I got very, very lucky: my first horse is one of my heart horses. Not too many people are that fortunate right off the bat to end up with a lifetime heart horse that they keep for a couple decades and counting. Granted, I spent several years of riding lesson horses before I ever got Mimi, but some of those lesson horses did their best to try to dissuade a small, horse-crazy child from further pursuing her passion...
Read more here:
https://gopony.me/2019/09/27/heart-horses/
September 27, 2019 / Ashley Wingert
I think anyone who has been around horses for any length of time has heard the term “heart horse.” That special horse with whom you share a special bond, an almost indescribable feeling you get when you’re around them.
I found the above video yesterday, courtesy of my Facebook feed, and I couldn’t help but tear up as I watched it. I love some of the descriptions they use…how they are “…the horse that brings out the best in you…not only teaches you to be a better rider, but a better person.”
I’d never quite heard it put into words that way, but I think that describes it really well. I can say I’ve learned something from every horse I’ve ridden, and there are very few times I’ve ever regretted climbing into the saddle…but those heart horses…they’re something special.
I got very, very lucky: my first horse is one of my heart horses. Not too many people are that fortunate right off the bat to end up with a lifetime heart horse that they keep for a couple decades and counting. Granted, I spent several years of riding lesson horses before I ever got Mimi, but some of those lesson horses did their best to try to dissuade a small, horse-crazy child from further pursuing her passion...
Read more here:
https://gopony.me/2019/09/27/heart-horses/
Thursday, October 17, 2019
‘Havoc’ From Wild Horses Is Top Issue for Trump Lands Chief
News.bloombergenvironment.com - Full Article
October 11 2019
by Emily C. Dooley
• More than 88,000 wild horses, burros represent ‘existential threat’ to land
• William Perry Pendley also overseeing BLM move to Colorado from Washington, D.C.
The biggest challenge facing public lands is the more than 88,000 free-roaming wild horses and burros on nearly 27 million acres of Bureau of Land Management property, a top Trump administration official said Oct. 11.
Acting BLM Director William Perry Pendley said the destruction and devastation created by the descendants of animals used by Spanish explorers, the U.S. cavalry, and others costs the federal government millions of dollars each year.
He called the horses and burros “an existential threat to these lands.”
Pendley spoke as part of a panel on public lands during the Society of Environmental Journalists annual meeting in Fort Collins, Colo. He replaced Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who had a scheduling conflict, during a morning session.
Other panelists said climate change was the biggest threat, but Pendley said he was most concerned by roaming animals, which the agency routinely auctions off. More than 11,000 horses and burros were removed in 2018...
Read more here:
https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/drilling-ban-on-federal-lands-insane-trump-land-head-says
October 11 2019
by Emily C. Dooley
• More than 88,000 wild horses, burros represent ‘existential threat’ to land
• William Perry Pendley also overseeing BLM move to Colorado from Washington, D.C.
The biggest challenge facing public lands is the more than 88,000 free-roaming wild horses and burros on nearly 27 million acres of Bureau of Land Management property, a top Trump administration official said Oct. 11.
Acting BLM Director William Perry Pendley said the destruction and devastation created by the descendants of animals used by Spanish explorers, the U.S. cavalry, and others costs the federal government millions of dollars each year.
He called the horses and burros “an existential threat to these lands.”
Pendley spoke as part of a panel on public lands during the Society of Environmental Journalists annual meeting in Fort Collins, Colo. He replaced Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who had a scheduling conflict, during a morning session.
Other panelists said climate change was the biggest threat, but Pendley said he was most concerned by roaming animals, which the agency routinely auctions off. More than 11,000 horses and burros were removed in 2018...
Read more here:
https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/drilling-ban-on-federal-lands-insane-trump-land-head-says
Monday, October 14, 2019
Bicyclist Rides Entire Pony Express Trail Alone
Fox40.com - Full Article
POSTED 11:09 AM, OCTOBER 13, 2019, BY ASSOCIATED PRESS,
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Jan Bennett endured food poisoning, hail and near misses with tornado weather on her solo bicycle ride across the entire 2,220-mile (3,572-kilometer) Pony Express Trail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.
The former cycling road racer from Dallas, who made the trip as part of her effort to map out a bike-packing route along the historic trail knew it wouldn’t be easy.
But she wasn’t fully prepared for her toughest challenge yet in a remote piece of terrain in northern Nevada, where the climb was too steep and rough to ride and water was scarce.
More than 1,700 miles (2,735 kilometers) into the ride out of Missouri last year, she realized just how alone she was in a canyon north of Eureka.
“It was a little bit of a gut check,” Bennett told the Reno Gazette Journal in a recent interview.
“It is in the middle of a really remote section of route,” she said. “I had the moment of, ‘If something happens out here, I am kind of screwed’.”
As she slowly pushed her bike up the steep incline, she remembered an old piece of advice about endurance riding.
“If you have to cry, cry while you are moving,” Bennett said. “If you cry on the side of the road you still have to get up and cover that area...”
Read more here:
https://fox40.com/2019/10/13/bicyclist-rides-entire-pony-express-trail-alone/
POSTED 11:09 AM, OCTOBER 13, 2019, BY ASSOCIATED PRESS,
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Jan Bennett endured food poisoning, hail and near misses with tornado weather on her solo bicycle ride across the entire 2,220-mile (3,572-kilometer) Pony Express Trail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.
The former cycling road racer from Dallas, who made the trip as part of her effort to map out a bike-packing route along the historic trail knew it wouldn’t be easy.
But she wasn’t fully prepared for her toughest challenge yet in a remote piece of terrain in northern Nevada, where the climb was too steep and rough to ride and water was scarce.
More than 1,700 miles (2,735 kilometers) into the ride out of Missouri last year, she realized just how alone she was in a canyon north of Eureka.
“It was a little bit of a gut check,” Bennett told the Reno Gazette Journal in a recent interview.
“It is in the middle of a really remote section of route,” she said. “I had the moment of, ‘If something happens out here, I am kind of screwed’.”
As she slowly pushed her bike up the steep incline, she remembered an old piece of advice about endurance riding.
“If you have to cry, cry while you are moving,” Bennett said. “If you cry on the side of the road you still have to get up and cover that area...”
Read more here:
https://fox40.com/2019/10/13/bicyclist-rides-entire-pony-express-trail-alone/
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Nick Bondarev Introduces Us to the Eagle Hunters of Mongolia
ThePhoblographer.com - Story and photos09. Oct. 2019
One of the most fascinating topics to explore in documentary photography is how people have retained their traditional culture and way of life. Tribes and ethnic groups are perfect for these, as we’ve previously seen in projects that covered the Toda Tribe of the Nilgiris, the Brokpa Tribe of the Himalayas, the Ladakh locals of India, and the Tengger group of Java, Indonesia. This time, we take a peek into the life of the Kazakh eagle hunters of Mongolia, who keep this fascinating, age-old practice alive to this day.
According to a BBC travel story, the art of berkutchi has been around for 6,000 years, among the best-known practitioners being Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan who both kept thousands of hunting birds. The ethnic Kazakhs of today continue to hunt with the aid of eagles as part of their way of life, which is very different and detached from the modern world. They continue to tame and train eagles for hunting on horseback and live off the grid in portable round tents called gers..
More photos and story here:
https://www.thephoblographer.com/2019/10/09/nick-bondarev-introduces-us-to-the-eagle-hunters-of-mongolia/
Wednesday, October 09, 2019
New Equestrian Podcast Released
September 28 2019
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast is a new show from equestrian bloggers discussing current topics in the horse world. This podcast was founded by three international bloggers Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider (USA), Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina (AUS) and Louise Dando of In Due Horse (UK/FRA) to discuss a wide variety of topics including confidence, horsemanship, health, and trending events important to horse lovers across all disciplines.
Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider is a returning adult equestrian, equine sports massage therapist, and author writing about confidence in and out of the saddle. Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina is a dressage rider and dietician based in Queensland, Australia. Louise Dando writes In Due Horse, a horse girl’s lifestyle blog. She is a Brit now based in France talking about all things horsey.
Upcoming episodes include an interview with Raquel Lynn of Horses & Heels and Stable Style, Challenging Yourself in and Out of the Saddle, Beginning Clicker Training, Tips on Moving to a New Barn, and much more.
Are you interested in being interviewed? Please complete the form and you may be contacted to appear on the podcast. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well as product reviews and sponsored blog posts. Please inquire for details to equestrianpulse@gmail.com.
About the Equestrian Pulse Podcast
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast takes the pulse of the global equestrian community. A podcast by international bloggers Heather Wallace (The Timid Rider), Andrea Parker (The Sand Arena Ballerina), and Louise Dando (In Due Horse) to discuss and interview brands and equestrians regarding nutrition and fitness, trends, horsemanship, and confidence amongst all disciplines. Listen on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. Follow us on Instagram @equestrianpulse and Facebook @equestrianpulsepodcast.
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast is a new show from equestrian bloggers discussing current topics in the horse world. This podcast was founded by three international bloggers Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider (USA), Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina (AUS) and Louise Dando of In Due Horse (UK/FRA) to discuss a wide variety of topics including confidence, horsemanship, health, and trending events important to horse lovers across all disciplines.
Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider is a returning adult equestrian, equine sports massage therapist, and author writing about confidence in and out of the saddle. Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina is a dressage rider and dietician based in Queensland, Australia. Louise Dando writes In Due Horse, a horse girl’s lifestyle blog. She is a Brit now based in France talking about all things horsey.
Upcoming episodes include an interview with Raquel Lynn of Horses & Heels and Stable Style, Challenging Yourself in and Out of the Saddle, Beginning Clicker Training, Tips on Moving to a New Barn, and much more.
Are you interested in being interviewed? Please complete the form and you may be contacted to appear on the podcast. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well as product reviews and sponsored blog posts. Please inquire for details to equestrianpulse@gmail.com.
About the Equestrian Pulse Podcast
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast takes the pulse of the global equestrian community. A podcast by international bloggers Heather Wallace (The Timid Rider), Andrea Parker (The Sand Arena Ballerina), and Louise Dando (In Due Horse) to discuss and interview brands and equestrians regarding nutrition and fitness, trends, horsemanship, and confidence amongst all disciplines. Listen on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. Follow us on Instagram @equestrianpulse and Facebook @equestrianpulsepodcast.
The battle over wild horses
washingtonpost.com - Full Article
Ranchers and animal advocates finally made peace. But critics call it a betrayal.
By Karin Brulliard
September 18, 2019
ELKO COUNTY, Nev. — Wild horses may be symbols of the wide-open American West, but J.J. Goicoechea watched them warily. Under a bright desert sky, about 20 mustangs munched on the crested wheatgrass meant for the Angus cattle he grazes here on public land.
“You’ve got to look up to them. They’re tough,” the fourth-generation rancher said, leaning against his dusty red truck. “But if we turn a blind eye, in five years there will be 100 horses here, and it won’t look as good.”
Goicoechea has long been on one side of the battle over wild horses and burros, an issue so contentious that Congress, animal advocates, conservationists, ranchers and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have long been in a stalemate. Everyone agrees the situation is untenable: The government says three times more equines roam public land than the fragile terrain can handle. To address this, the BLM, which is charged with managing most of the animals, periodically rounds up horses and now has nearly 50,000 in holding. The agency says caring for the warehoused animals devours most of its wild horse budget, leaving little for other approaches.
Horse advocates call the roundups cruel, contend that millions of cattle do vastly more damage to public lands than thousands of horses, and insist mustangs must never be killed. Ranchers and some environmentalists view the horses as feral pests that damage ecosystems, compete for resources with cattle and wildlife and should be culled or sold...
Read more here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/18/wild-horses-have-long-kicked-up-controversy-now-foes-say-they-have-solution/?arc404=true&utm_campaign=26d6e1c183-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_09_19_03_28&utm_medium=email&utm_source=1500%20CWP%20List%20Daily%20Clips%20and%20Updates
Ranchers and animal advocates finally made peace. But critics call it a betrayal.
By Karin Brulliard
September 18, 2019
ELKO COUNTY, Nev. — Wild horses may be symbols of the wide-open American West, but J.J. Goicoechea watched them warily. Under a bright desert sky, about 20 mustangs munched on the crested wheatgrass meant for the Angus cattle he grazes here on public land.
“You’ve got to look up to them. They’re tough,” the fourth-generation rancher said, leaning against his dusty red truck. “But if we turn a blind eye, in five years there will be 100 horses here, and it won’t look as good.”
Goicoechea has long been on one side of the battle over wild horses and burros, an issue so contentious that Congress, animal advocates, conservationists, ranchers and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have long been in a stalemate. Everyone agrees the situation is untenable: The government says three times more equines roam public land than the fragile terrain can handle. To address this, the BLM, which is charged with managing most of the animals, periodically rounds up horses and now has nearly 50,000 in holding. The agency says caring for the warehoused animals devours most of its wild horse budget, leaving little for other approaches.
Horse advocates call the roundups cruel, contend that millions of cattle do vastly more damage to public lands than thousands of horses, and insist mustangs must never be killed. Ranchers and some environmentalists view the horses as feral pests that damage ecosystems, compete for resources with cattle and wildlife and should be culled or sold...
Read more here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/18/wild-horses-have-long-kicked-up-controversy-now-foes-say-they-have-solution/?arc404=true&utm_campaign=26d6e1c183-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_09_19_03_28&utm_medium=email&utm_source=1500%20CWP%20List%20Daily%20Clips%20and%20Updates
Friday, October 04, 2019
Bert the Bear Horse
HorseNetwork.com - Full StoryCAELAN BEARD
September 30 2019
One of the questions I get asked most often is if I have any bear spray in my saddlebags.
The answer is no: in part because it’d be hard to spray a bear from horseback without it getting in my horse’s face and eyes, and in part because I don’t need it. My horse, Bert, scares away the bears for me.
For the past three summers that I’ve been a horseback trail guide in Jasper, Alberta, I’ve been riding Bert, my guide horse, every single day. We typically ride about three to five hours a day, six days a week; all together, I spend more time with him over the course of the summer than any other single being. You could say we know each other pretty well by now. A sure-footed chestnut Quarter Horse, standing at 15.3 hands high, he’s the most solid partner I could have ever asked for...
Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2019/09/bert-the-bear-horse/?utm_source=MASTER&utm_campaign=236b1055a1-HNS_2019_10_3_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-236b1055a1-84641243&goal=0_5694ca6b0c-236b1055a1-84641243&mc_cid=236b1055a1&mc_eid=b3c9897994
Wednesday, October 02, 2019
Just Bad Luck or Bad Decisions? A 2019 Tevis Cup Wrap-Up with Personal Perspective and Analysis
Easycare Blog - Full StoryBy Christoph Schork - September 26, 2019
Like a yearly ritual, I have completed my Tevis Checklist:
• Horse is optimally conditioned and prepared for the most difficult 100 Miler in the world.
• Horse has completed other 100 milers, or back-to-back 50 milers, and is sound and fit.
• EasyCare Hoof Boots applied with diligence.
• Saddle fit and all tack adjusted and checked.
• All supplement and electrolyte containers filled.
• Assortment of different hay types and various different grain feeds prepared.
• Crews organized and briefed.
• Ride plan rehearsed.
Did I overlook anything? It all seems good. Will the Tevis gremlins stay put this year?
We arrived at Robie Equestrian Park in Truckee, California, the Wednesday before the 2019 Tevis Cup 100-Miles-One-Day Trail Ride. Global Endurance Training Center started three horses at this yearʼs Tevis. All of them passed their veterinary pre-check. They were all well hydrated, properly fed, and eager to start...
Read more here:
https://blog.easycareinc.com/just-bad-luck-or-bad-decisions-a-2019-tevis-cup-wrap-up-with-personal-perspective-and-analysis/
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