None of us gets out of here alive. 
And when we are no longer here, we have no say. Even a will can be ignored and dismissed in some cases. People don't like to think of such things, but I would rather plan and know that I've done all I can to have my animals taken care of once I'm gone. 

So how best to set a safe life plan in place for my horses? My husband is not a horse person and would have no desire to keep three horses and do all the work and care that comes with them even though he loves them. And so, my research began in earnest.

Estate planning is more than writing documents and sets up, in advance, who will pay for their boarding, grooming, and any other expense that comes along with owning or caring for a horse. Who will train, ride, care for, and in what manner is as important as being certain the animals are fed and watered. Establishing what we want is best done legally and having people named as guardians written down and notarized. But where to start?

I learned that basically, we have two choices; writing a will or leaving a trust. 

Appointed trustees carry out trusts. The trustee is given access to funds and is given guidelines as to how you want them to use the money. The trustee is someone you choose based on your faith in their carrying out your wishes and their knowledge to care, feed, and train your horse.

Here are two options for setting up your preferences for your horse(s): wills and trusts.

1) Name your horse(s) in your will:
A will is a legal document that allows you to leave property to whomever you choose. Horses are property, and you may designate either individuals or organizations as the benefactor, but remember that some organizations will be unable to take the horse except selling him. In this case, you will not be able to choose the buyer or your horse's future.
Some owners will take the most straightforward option and state in their will that the horse is given to a person they trust to care for him and may leave a specific amount of cash or even property to help cover the costs that will always be a part of caring for horses. 

The downside of stating a caretaker in your will is that even though you write a will laying out your wishes, it does not automatically mean anything will happen the day you die. If your family members don't want to oblige, or if the will hasn't been through probate—this can take a year or more—your well-intentioned instructions could be tied up and ignored for many months or even years. If you owe money to anyone, this can also prohibit your wishes from being met.

You must make provisions for the probate period, even though the person left as executor is legally bound to care for all the estate assets. If you haven't, and if your family doesn't understand how to care for your horse, or if your assets are not available to pay for the horse's needs (veterinary, board, feed, training, and farrier care, for example), your beneficiary will be left with all the expenses. Therefore, you should choose someone financially able to withstand these unexpected expenses or set up a trust for your horse(s). Remember that even the most well-trained horse will lose value if not kept in a program that keeps him fit and kept up in regards to his training.

2.) Set up a Trust:
A trust is a written statement saying that you leave your estate to specific persons or organizations. The most significant advantage of a trust is that the funds needed to care for your horse are available immediately since trusts do not go through the probate period. Setting up a trust in the U.S. today is around $1500.
There are two types of trusts used most often for horses—testamentary and inter vivos. Make sure copies that have been notarized are given to the person or people you are leaving as the trustee or beneficiary. Consult a legal professional to make sure it's done right. 

Testamentary Trust:  This is a trust document created when the horse owner dies, as specified in their Last Will and Testament. 
There are typically four parties involved in a testamentary trust:

• The grantor—this is you and is set up during your lifetime. 
• The trustee carries out the terms of the will. They may be named in the will or appointed by the probate court that handles the will. 
• The beneficiary, who will receive the benefits—usually funds or property as designated in the trust.
• The probate court oversees the trustee's handling of the trust.

Inter vivos trust: (AKA living trust) is a trust document set up by the owner of the horse before they die. 

The owner names a trustee who will follow your directions in either kind of trust. It is advisable to name a backup person as secondary trustee if needed. Within a trust written information and instructions regarding caring for the horse in all aspects and how funds are to used for the horse and where any other assets would go in the event of the horse dying.—at which time the trust ends. 

Since this article is so long already, and since creating a will is something you'll do with an attorney, I made up a 
FREE CHECK LIST FOR SETTING UP A LIVING TRUST here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/NVwj70Q/ChecklistHorseTrust
***This article is not written to offer any legal or professional advice and should not be construed as legal, financial, advisory recommendation to you or anyone else. Please obtain professional instruction from a qualified person in regards to your own objectives and needs.
Setting a plan into place will help you enjoy your horses and your life worry-free, Happily Ever After!

~Tanya Buck
TanyaBuck.com 
#HorsesHappilyEverAfter

 
Darby is a horse that people might take for dull or aloof, but it's because he's quite sensitive and worries he'll get in trouble so he stays quiet, stands back, watches. And waits. He was not a happy horse when I met him nine years ago; he and his last owner vacillated between not liking, and downright hating each other. They argued about everything from being caught to trailer loading to saddling to picking up his feet, to standing for mounting. It was a bad match, pure and simple. Or was it? 
 
What if, instead of being a bad match, it’s more a matter of communication and crossed wires? If Darby understood this man and vice-versa, would they have sailed through all the human-horse activities happily? And how did Darby tell this guy that he didn’t like him?
 
Darby didn’t like to be caught and seemed like he’d rather eat dirt than be with his owner. Darby didn’t actively avoid the man until he saw the halter or rope in his hand. And even then, he didn’t usually run away, he sauntered, with one ear cocked to the person and the other looking for a way out. Once caught, his expression changed into a sort of disgusted scowl and he turned rather robotic and stiff in all his movements.
 
When the two did get into an argument over something like trailer loading, Darby would shut down; his eyes went vacant and he stood his ground. If his owner tried to “make” Darby move forward, that’s when the fights started. First the horse would balk, the man would grimace, growl and chase him with a rope or wave a whip threateningly. Darby would back up, the man would hold tighter and lean back, the horse reared, and the red-faced man pulled harder. It was like watching a very unfair game of tug of war, but with underlying anger and a whole lot of angst from both sides.
 
All in all, not a pretty picture and yet one seen so often. The horse gets labeled as rank, sour, uncooperative, disrespectful, no good, stupid and any number of other adjectives. But is that even fair? I don’t believe it is, so I bought the horse and now, you’d not recognize him. 
 
First of all, he happily and readily comes when called by name and even runs in from pasture when he hears my voice. His eyes are soft and his ears no longer pin towards humans. He self-loads and stands calmly for mounting. He hasn’t reared in nine years because there is no reason for him to. He nuzzles people and politely asks for treats, but isn’t ever pushy. He leans his head in for a hug and he nickers in greeting. 
 
So, what was the deal and why the change? The problem was, Darby didn't want to work for his past owner, and I knew the reason was his fear of the man. He didn’t act afraid, he showed his fear as balkiness, sulkiness and lack of motivation until pushed to the point that he felt he needed to fight back to be heard. Then, he was considered dangerous, unruly, disrespectful, etc., etc., etc.
 
Which leads to the fact that communicating with horses is truly all about interpretation, isn't it? How a message is sent to the other is so often misunderstood--whether with human to human or animal to human or human to animal. The thing I observe most often is this inability for humans to understand an animal's body language. For example, most people feel they "get" dogs and then buy a horse and believe his body language to mean the same as in a dog. But horses and dogs are so different that people confuse the languages and end up speaking something that resembles "Dorgse" which no-one can comprehend. It's all about communication at the end of the day—the real meaning behind the action or words.
 
So, how do we develop good communication skills with another species? Well, try the W.R.I.N.K.L.E. Method! Here it is:
 
1) Watch. Learn what horses do physically to communicate with other horses. Does he simply look in their direction to move them away from hay or does he walk toward the other horse?
2) Realize that you are Not a horse and cannot communicate in the same way. You can’t pin your ears or kick out with your back feet or swish your tail. Heck, you can’t even raise your head all that much.
3) Be Inventive and think outside the box. If you want to move your horse in the round pen for example, how do you flick the rope? In a counter-clockwise circle perpendicular to the ground? If so, what does that look like to the horse? A tail lazily swishing flies or a flick indicating movement? 
4) No hazy grey notions regarding the kind of relationship you want with your horse. Do you prefer the robot-compliant, stay over there horse, or do you want more of a dialog and if so, how much say do you want him to have?
5) Know your horse. Is he sensitive and responsive with the smallest of suggestions from you or does he seem to need more “ask” than others? Can you refine and lessen the amount if it’s high? Does he want you to do so?
6) Listen. Both with your eyes by watching and to your responses to your horse’s actions. Listen to his take on what’s going on as well. Does his body tense when you ask for something? Does yours when he reacts? 
7) Energy. How much energy needed regarding giving a cue is as important as the cue itself. Are you clear on how much to use and when? 

​Try W.R.I.N.K.L.E Communication and let me know you are enjoying a new relationship with your horse, Happily Ever After!

​~TanyaBuck

Winter Games!
Things to do with your horse during winter

People ask what they can do with their horses in winter; especially those who live in snowy, icy, cold regions who now find quick trips to the barn and little riding is the norm.  If we can’t ride, or if we can only ride for short times in an arena, what can we do to maintain our relationship with our horses?

There are so many things to teach a horse in his lifetime that we find we may not have time to get everything done we’d like. The answer for some is to send to a trainer over winter, or to just drop all training until spring. But there are a ton of fun things to do, and yes, even in sub-freezing weather! 

Maybe you’ve always wished your horse knew how to ground-tie, but never had the time to spend teaching him to do so. Or perhaps you want him to know some tricks—bowing, playing fetch, etc. Your horse may not stand as quietly at the mounting block as you’d like or backs up like a drunken sailor and you’d like him to do a nice L or figure-8 in reverse. No time like winter to teach him the things you wish he knew already or things you want him to do better once riding season arrives. 

Some easy and fun lesson ideas:

• Train the horse to come to you when called, and with a specific auditory signal and/or a physical one, like you standing with your arms up or out to your sides.
• Shortening and lengthening strides while in-hand. Make it more fun by getting him to  imitate your steps.
• The Spanish Walk—be sure to cue correctly so he doesn’t decide you’re asking for raised front leg while you are in front of him.
• Standing still for you to mount, and landing himself up at the mounting block on command.
• Fetch. In my experience, this is best taught using Clicker Training. Your horse can learn to bring you a jacket, a cone or a dog toy. 
• Trailer loading at liberty. You point, he loads himself.
• Ground driving in preparation to drag a pole or travois. Why, you ask? Why not?
• Teach him to lunge at liberty in a large, open area, not a round pen. 
• Ground poles are great for engaging his mind and body and your sense of timing. Play with spacing them at random intervals, closer than usual or spread out more than usual.
• Teach him to “Wait.” Give the cue to wait and reward for short duration, then lengthen the time.
• Target train him to go to a traffic cone and stand until you tell him to leave. Also good to have this cue in place should you be unexpectedly unseated, so no more walking home for you!
• Obstacle training is fun if you have a non-icy area. Start small, build up to what worries him most. Spread the lessons out and you’ll be instilling confidence in both of you.
• Cross-rails in hand help your horse take responsibility for his own cadence and rhythm; again, only if you have good footing.
• Play “Easter-egg Hunt.” You hide goodies for him to find and while he’s searching, observe how he best learns. If your horse hates the arena, for example, this game helps him to look forward to going into it and searching for goodies. 
• Learn to get on bareback. Be inventive, stay safe and have fun! 
• Teach your horse to pony. If you have two, teach each to be the one being ridden and ponied.  Be sure to do this safely, never bareback or even in an English saddle to start, if possible.
• Help your farrier out and train your horse to hold his own foot up. Also train to allow their foot be put on a stand.

I find that keeping the lessons short in duration works best all year-round, and in winter especially, so usually, our sessions are five to twenty minutes long. It’s the repetition that is most important and the daily interaction helps keep the horses interested in what weird thing I’m going to do with them next.  
I’m currently training my new mare, Paizely, to step into her blanket without me having to unbuckle the front each time. All my horses learn this and it makes my life easier for them doing so. This lesson is NOT FOR BEGINNERS and I make no recommendations for others to teach this or practice this methodology. There are buckles on the front closures for a reason! 
*If you decide to teach your own horse, remember to keep yourself and your horse safe at all times. Break each lesson down into smaller pieces than you think are needed. Halter your horse and have him tied or better, have an assistant to hold him, and use a velcro front closure until the horse understands what you want. Begin with something small, like a wash cloth or part of a towel and get bigger over time. Teach him to not worry about his eyes being covered. 
Get your FREE excerpt from my own personal training diary here and see how I am currently working with my horse, Paizely. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/Bnj8Hm0/blanket 
So have fun with your horse, Happily Ever After!
~Tanya Buck


www.TanyaBuck.com 
www.HorsesHappilyEverAfter.com 


***This piece is not written to offer any legal, medical, or professional advice and should not be construed as specific training advisory recommendation to you or anyone else. Please obtain professional instruction from a qualified person concerning your own objectives and needs.

  Loading Under Fire
​

We’ve all had horses that are nervous when asked to load into a trailer. Maybe they are afraid, untrained, or have learned that they simply don’t have to get in if they raise a big enough stink. Which, honestly, is training in reverse and happens far more often than you’d think. 

As a member of an emergency animal evacuation team, when out on an incident, loading nervous horses is the norm. So how do we manage to get animals out during a fire when the horses don’t know us, can smell smoke or even see flames? 

First, let me tell you that I am no loading wizard able to load any horse, but my track record is pretty good if the horse is either not halter trained at all, or if he at least knows the basics of how to lead and was trained in a manner that is consistent with the generally accepted norm.

 I must change the horse’s mind in order to change his feet. If I can get him to want to move or stop, he will. In general, this is achieved by most people using the eon’s long method of making the wrong thing difficult and the desired action easy. It works for most and this is why it’s perpetuated and practiced so readily. 

Our team was called to a fire incident a few years back. This fire raged through Colorado south of Denver, covering acres and miles of open land, farm land, ranches and homes. It was one of the worst fires I’ve been on over the years, with heavy smoke and flames burning on almost every road we ventured. Horses, cattle, goats, alpacas and other animals had been turned loose, or were still in their corrals, some with scorched hides, but the humans were all gone. It’s an eerie thing, to approach homes and barns that have been vacated to find the animals that need our help, and we never know what we’re in for regarding the animals’ desire to join us in leaving. 

At one of the homes in the burn area, there were eight horses, a full water trough, and some bales of hay sitting out for them. Flames licked at the trees thirty feet from the horses, smoke made our eyes water, and the firefighters acknowledged us briefly, then grunted, “Hurry.” 
We had to wait to catch the horses as a helicopter dragging a bucket through the sky mere meters from their heads flew over. They ran, frantic until the chopper finally left. The horses settled slightly, and looked warily at us. One inquisitive grey mare let herself be haltered, and the rest of the small herd finally calmed down enough, until we had them all. 

My partner and I each had one horse and before doing anything else, with flames burning so near, I stopped and petted the bay gelding I was leading. I gave him a peppermint horse treat and asked him to back, then asked him to step his front in to the right. Finally, on the way to the trailer, I gave him the command you’d give to ask a horse to lunge; I stood on his near side and had the lead in my left hand. I raised the short whip I was carrying to just above my waist and then touched the ground with the tip. He moved right off, and I felt he’d be easy enough to load with those simple signals understood.

I have a two-horse, straight load trailer that is extra tall and wide, and many people tell me their horse won’t get in it, he doesn’t like a straight load, etc.  I didn’t know this horse, his owners, his preferences or his training, but he was getting on my trailer, or I’d lead him out of there. 

More fire trucks showed up as the fire got closer and the flames burned higher. There was a line of firefighters between the fire and all of our rigs. We had to go and we had to go now. Two trailers down from ours, there was a lot of noise. It sounded like a horse kicking the sides of a trailer and a woman none of us knew yelling at him.  No time to think about it now, but I couldn’t help wondering who she was and why she was being so loud, but there was no time.

My partner and I loaded our first horse fairly quickly by taking just a moment to stand behind the open trailer while not asking him to move or to do anything. We just stood for a minute, no more, and he ate another peppermint while looking around white-eyed and worried. Gently, I asked him to step forward and he did. He didn’t try to back away or say, “No,” he just walked ahead and into the right stall. We shut the door and went to load horse number two.
My trailer is a walk-through, meaning that as a horse is led in, the person goes through a door and stands next to the manger. Safest trailer I can imagine because it keeps metal between the handler and horse at all times. The bay gelding was on his side, while I was in the left stall, but I could have just as easily been in front of him.

The other horse, a chestnut gelding, was high-headed and more scared than the bay had been. My partner had already “tested” him on handle-ability and found him to also be easily positioned and willing to move away from pressure. He seemed happy to get his peppermint and walk in behind her, while I put the butt-bar up and closed the door.  Lucky us; we were good to go.

The escort sheriff came over and asked if we could help the woman having trouble loading. Of course, we could, and one last check on our two assured us they were happily munching the grass hay we’d provided them with from their own stockpile. 
Neither of us knew this woman, and she was not part of any rescue team. She shouldn’t have been allowed in to the area, but she was in a veterinarian’s rig that must’ve gotten her past the check point. She was alone and flapping a plastic bag on the end of a long whip to try and scare the horse  into the trailer. It wasn’t working and the horse was now not only afraid and saying, “No,” He was running backwards and rearing up. 

We watched as the sheriff asked her to hand us the horse. She was not happy as she threw the rope to me and muttered under her breath. She was still talking with the sheriff while we walked away.

We had to calm the animal down, and we had to be quick about it. Another of our team members has a stock trailer and had already loaded three horses. Room for one more.

We had to keep an eye on the fire and the firefighters now edging closer to our position, and ignore the hot smoky ash floating around us. The horse needed to pay attention to me, not the flames, not the fire hoses, not the screaming neighs of his herd mates. I reminded myself to get him feeling safe so he’d calm down, but he was frantic, prancing and snorting. 

I petted him and told him was okay. I offered him a treat that he politely refused. Bad news when they won’t eat because a chewing horse is a happy, calm horse. And, I had no time. I said to him, “Buddy, we have all day here. You’re safe and I won’t leave you.” 

The part about me not leaving him was true. The rest, well, not so much, but he didn’t need to know that. I asked my partner to keep up with the firefighters’ commands and I walked him back to my rig. I opened the trailer window so he could touch noses with his herd mate and he finally took a deep breath. We stood a bit longer, then I asked him to do the same maneuvers I’d done with the horses loaded already. Thankfully, he too, knew how to move away from pressure. Once he’d eaten three or nineteen peppermints and had stolen a bite of his buddy’s hay from my trailer, I walked him back to the stock trailer.

He made it to within six feet before planting his feet and raising his head. I stopped with him and stood, waiting, then offered another treat. He took it. Good news, that! I took a step forward and he came with me. Two feet away from the back, he stopped again, I repeated the wait, the treat, the stepping until we were right at the trailer, and this time, he stopped, reared half-heartedly and ran backwards about four steps, with me trailing along trying to keep float in the lead.

I laughed. 

He looked at me like I’d lost my mind and reared again, but not as high.

I laughed again. Maybe I was giddy from lack of oxygen, I don’t know. But again, I lied and told him with full conviction that we had all day. Sure we did. 

We had to repeat the dance of forward and back a few more times before he agreed that getting on wouldn’t be so objectionable. He put a foot in, took it out, stepped in, backed out and we repeated this part of the waltz about seven more times. Each time he went back, I followed. No tension on the lead, no change in my breathing (except for coughing) and no raised whip, flag or any other form of pressure put upon him. I needed his trust to get this done. 

A firefighter stood near enough that I bumped into him. He held an axe in one hand and a radio in the other. Looking over his shoulder at flames no more than ten feet from us, he said, “You about done?”

“Sure, yeah. Just one more minute,” I told him.

He nodded and said, “That’s all ya got,” before he walked away. 

When a firefighter tells you it’s time to go, there is no arguing. The flames were closer and hotter than ever. They were losing the battle, that much was clear.

I looked at the horse and he looked at me. I said, “Red, we gotta go,” and I sent him a mental picture of him loading. I led him forward one last time with the knowledge he’d follow me in. He stopped, my partner clucked to him, I tugged and released once, and darn if he didn’t just pop on up there with me. He stood trembling, his lip quivering like a small boy who’d just lost his lollipop. I laughed. I mean I had to, right? I hugged his neck, gave him a handful of treats, tied his head, and slipped out through the closed door my partner opened for me. 

We ran back to my rig, jumped in and pulled out. In my rear view, we watched the firefighters’ dozer push down trees, shrubs, and the corral fence. 

My assignment on writing this piece was how to load a nervous horse, and the showing of how is better than the telling, I do believe, so to recap, here are the main points:

• Train your horse to look to you for guidance by being a good, steady caretaker and leader.
• Remember that the best training you can do with him is to teach him to be a good citizen with any handler.
• Teach him by proving to him that he is always safe with you and that no one will harm him.
• Give him self confidence by being confident.
• Train your horse to load even if you have no trailer. You only need a wall. No wall? Use a fence. Teach him to walk forward on command, and through tight spaces.
• Practice backing him over a curb or step that emulates the trailer step.
• Borrow a trailer with a ramp and teach him to load and back off with that, too.
• Train your horse to load on command, whether it be a tap on the haunches or a tug and release of the rope.
• Train your horse to load no matter who is holding the rope.
• Teach your horse a calming cue, like “head down.” 
• Have no time limit when training your horse to load.
• Pretend you have no time limit when actually loading.
• Train your horse to load in daylight or dark, rain or shine.
• Train your horse to move away from pressure even if you prefer to not handle him that way yourself. Pressure release is used by most everyone at one time or another.
• Train yourself to stay calm even in emergency situations.
• Never pull on his head, this allows him to feel he’s given a choice.
• When training, do give him a choice. Loading halfway or even thinking of stepping in gets a reward.
• There are many ways to load. I’ve only covered one here. Others include use of a butt rope, clicker training to a target, chute loading the untouched, and about four others. For most, the cues to move forward, sideways and back will get him to loading on command.

      You all know me by now, I could go on for another month, but I covered the most important stuff here.  101 WAYS TO DIE WITH A HORSE OR LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER  covers more on loading and training to load. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me directly at [email protected]



     Load and go, Happily Ever After!
    ~Tanya Buck


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Covid-19 and Horses, The Positives!

We are all tired of hearing about the Covid-19, Corona Virus, but if you’re anything like me, you have already thought about the positive side effects of living in a world with changes to our daily routines. We, meaning most of my friends since I already work from home every day, are more likely to be not commuting to an office, and instead are in our most comfortable clothes, within (perhaps) a more flexible schedule. As horse owners, the ability to work remotely, coupled with the longer days may be a happy pairing of circumstances when planning time spent with our equine friends. ​

The best part about this new life, is that this virus doesn’t mean you must stay in your home (generally), and riding in the sunshine on the open trails is not going to do harm as long as you don’t hold hands with your riding buddies. Since horses don’t live in small quarters, this unfortunate turn of viral-induced daily patterns changing may actually have some unexpected benefits. In general, and unlike a viral outbreak affecting horses, where we must quarantine, this virus doesn’t necessitate a huge negative impact on our riding! Safety issues that we are practicing now in our daily lives still apply—hand washing, physical distancing, not gathering in large groups—and are practical measures to follow. 

Which brings us to the next positive ramification regarding our self-imposed quarantines: Socializing! Yes, we can still visit with our friends and share a good arena ride or even lesson as we are accustomed. There is no reason not to spend time with other people as long as you maintain distance. And the thing is, we are seldom closer than ten feet from each other while on the trail or in the arena. Basically, our horse world lives go on as before Corona entered our world. Only in the tightest barns will there be any issues. Shared tack rooms still need to be treated as possible infectious zones, and if you use the bathroom at the barn, do what you do in any public facility. But really, mostly, our horse time is still our best time!

So, do we need to worry about being a carrier of the virus and passing it to our horses or dogs? No, we do not. All research available at the time of this writing indicates that this simply will not happen, so we don’t even need to be concerned about harming our animals!

Let’s say you are now working from home in your grubbiest, most comfortable barn clothes. Dogs at your feet, a warm beverage at your elbow. In the office, you would normally take a short break and eat something, chat with coworkers, go the loo, whatever. But now, at home, you get up, throw on your barn shoes and trundle out to see your horse. The biggest problem with this scenario is remembering that your break is supposed to be fifteen minutes, and that’s just not enough time. So you do the math in your head; it took you five or six minutes to grab some carrots, walk to the door, get your shoes on and get to the barn, so those minutes don’t count. Then there is the time spent gathering up grooming supplies and checking the water as you walk past. Those minutes don’t count, either. Opening the stall door and haltering your horse? Doesn’t count. Grooming? Nope, not part of your break. Now that he’s clean, it would be a shame not to ride, right? And besides, you still have fifteen minutes!

Saddle or no saddle is the next question and either way, saddling and bridling don’t count as time off your break, either, so you decide you may as well saddle him up and then ride for your break time. 

Fifteen minutes to ride…is it worth it? Yes, that is a resounding yes, it is totally worth it! Especially in the spring, after a long winter, riding for fifteen minutes exactly, is something I recommend to my clients. It’s a great way to reintroduce that four letter word, work, to your horse and to let your own muscles remember how to sit a horse. Plus, for some reason, a ride of this duration (and no longer) is conducive to a happy, fun and pleasant ride. It doesn’t matter if you stay in the corral, the arena or go out on the trail. Set your alarm, ride for exactly fifteen minutes, and you’ll see that at the end, you both wish for a longer ride. Best thing? You can do this same thing at your next work break, and you may not even need to groom before saddling!

The point is that the Cover-19 Virus does not necessitate the need for less barn time, it can instead, increase it. If things go south badly enough that our counties or states lock us down to our immediate vicinities, we can almost always still ride! We can hop on, head out into the woods or across a field and we can even meet up with our best friends to share some social time. 

Here, in the foothills outside of Denver, Colorado, we did this yesterday and had a fabulous ride at a local park. The snow was deep enough that there were a couple of scary moments where the horses had to lunge through the drifts, but all in all, it was a fun time with good friends and we shared some good laughs. Doing things we normally would do, with people we like to spend time with helps the mental framing of where we are at right now, worldwide.

Here’s a list of Pros regarding the Cover-19 Virus and working from home. Because we all need some positive news now, right? 

• Non-horse people may feel lonely working at home. Not you! You have horses, dogs and likely a cat or two to play with!
• You’ll be able to feed your horse many meals throughout the day.
• Shedding your horse will be done in far less time than usual due to your multiple daily visits.
• The corral will never have been cleaned so many times in a day.
• A quickie ride will become common.
• The communication lines between you and your horse will open and clarify due to your riding more.
• You can clean a piece of tack daily during inclement weather days.
• You’ll know when your horse prefers to nap or sleep and can plan work times accordingly. It’s amazing how working with his natural biorhythms helps his work ethic!
• Your relationship will be the best its ever been and he’ll begin calling to you when the door opens as he anticipates your visit.
• More time for groundwork!
• Riding with friends will happen more often as the days lengthen and you skip lunch in order to end work early.
• You can have all your hay delivered and stacked and blame it on the virus keeping you home.
• Shopping on the internet for tack will be easier.
• Shopping on the internet for a horse will be easier.
• Horse sale prices will likely drop as people panic, but you keep your head.
• You can braid your horse’s tail and bag it more often, as needed instead of waiting for the weekend.
• The apple and carrot farmers will appreciate the increased business as horse owners buy more produce as horse treats.
• You can explore new trails with the extra time you’ve earned by working in the dark hours of night.
• You’ll get to share horse time with your significant other if they are willing.
• You’ll get to know your significant other all over again.
• Your significant other will see how happy you are being at home able to spend more time at the barn they will want to get you another horse. 
• During your afternoon break, you groom and then, at your quitting time, you saddle up and ride!
• You may be able to try out a new training method, or new discipline because your relationship is so much better.
• You will spend less on fuel which allows more funds for new tack or riding attire, boots, etc.
• Your barn will be immaculate in no time, your tack room organized, horse blankets and pads washed.
• Since it’s spring, you’ll be able to monitor pasture time and ease your horse onto green grass quickly and easily.
• There will be time to clean out your horse trailer and even wash it.
• Best of all, you have more time to ride, every single day if you want!

So, take that fifteen minute break and ride! If that is not feasible, do so at lunch, or skip lunch and go in the afternoon. If you can’t ride, just stand at the window and watch your horses, you’ll learn their daily routine. As you spend these next few days, weeks or months at home, you’ll find you are building a better relationship simply by being with your horse more.

Stay healthy, Happily Ever After!
~Tanya Buck

FREE Original Artwork by Jennipher Cunningham, because we all need pretty things right now, and a Palomino is nothing if not pretty! Get yours here, download and print, trim to size and laminate. Makes a great gift! In exchange, you get added to an email list that I seldom use and when I do, you always get more FREE STUFF!  https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/THHlynw/bookmark 
​

Ever watch someone riding with no bridle or saddle and wish you could do that with your own horse? The sheer magic of the horse-human relationship is never more clear than when both parties are in complete harmony doing whatever maneuvers they are performing.


​​This joining of minds is reminiscent of the movie “Avatar,” where the hair of rider
and the dragon-beast are braided together so that their minds meld and yet,
it is the rider who dictates where they go. Since we can’t braid our hair into the
manes of our horses and end up with this fabulous and magical connection, how
do we learn to ride our horses with no/little tack? Or even with no bit? Can you
accomplish this with your own horse? Of course you can! It’s not impossible, and
it’s not complicated. Bonus: You become a better rider, trainer and horse person
by doing so!

I find it easiest to teach people to ride with no tack by beginning with them
becoming completely at ease and comfortable riding bareback. Even if their goal
is to simply ride bit-less, learning to ride using body and mind as their primary aid
increases the communication level between horse and rider. By the time we
remove the bit, or even the bridle, the transition is smooth and easy for both
horse and rider.

Because training your horse always begins with training yourself, here’s how
to begin riding with no saddle if you are not competent as a bareback rider. It is
good to remember that all interaction with our horses begins with our intent to do
the best we are able and to help foster a willing attitude from our horse. Ride and
handle your horse from your mind first, then your body. This means connecting
to him on his level, not yours. Listen with your eyes by watching his reactions
before riding; is he tense or relaxed, paying attention or distracted? Get his
attention focused on the fun you are having and remember to take the time you
need to reach each goal you set for the both of you.

The best tip I can offer is for you to learn to ride well, is to teach yourself to
lower your center of gravity. You need to drop it from your shoulders—where our
innate center of balance is—down and into your hips and lower back. You can
practice this by doing a little game I call “Shake Your Booty.” It is one of the most
fun lessons we do in training the new rider to grasp the meaning of independent
seat and hands. If you can, get a friend to join you and you’ll laugh more than
you expect!

To play, start by watching yourself in a mirror while listening to some music
you enjoy. You’ll be standing straight, feet hip-width apart, while maintaining
square and still shoulders. As in belly dancing, you will move your hips while
keeping your upper body straight. Once you have that down, walk, dance, jump
and practice moving your lower body only, until you feel comfortable doing so.
Stairs or bleachers are good to practice on as are boards set on the ground that
you can learn to lower your center of balance on without using your arms.
Remember that holding imaginary reins helps you to learn muscle memory for
when you are on your horse.

When you are ready, get your horse and saddle him if you are not able to
comfortably ride bareback while sitting the trot.
• Begin in the round pen or a smaller corral.
• If you are unable to sit a trot without holding onto the horn, the pommel,
the mane or by bracing against the reins, begin with your saddle on your
horse.
• While learning to sit the trot, take your feet out of the stirrups and either
have a friend or trainer help control the speed of your horse by holding a
lunge line.
• You can also simply trot five steps with no stirrups.
• Be mindful of your feet and ankles. Do not grip with them! If your horse is
going too fast, it’s a good indication that your are inadvertently telling him
to do so.
• Hang on to the cantle if needed, not the horn—and use your outside hand
to do so as this keeps your hips in alignment for the circle.
• Repeat small incremental trot-walk-trot transitions with no stirrups until you
feel confident in your balance.
• Remove the saddle. (Yikes! But not really, you got this!)
• Use a quality bareback pad and you’ll save your horse’s back as well as
your behind.
• Repeat the walk-trot-walk transitions.
• Add in some figure-8’s and serpentines. Do not pull on the reins for
balance!
• Add stop and back up to your walk-trot work. Do not use your hands to
hang on unless you truly feel you are going to fall off.
• If you feel you are losing your balance, grab his mane, then try again. If
you still feel shaky, just keep trying until it’s more fun than scary!

Once you can easily sit the trot bareback, add a neck rope that ties around
the base of his neck with 4-6 inches slack when you pick it up from his withers.
Be sure that there is no metal snap gouging either of you. A plain one-inch cotton
rope is best since nylon ropes can burn both of you due to friction. Go back into
the arena, and practice riding with no reins. You’ll have them, of course, they’ll be
laying across his withers. If this is too much to tackle, keep your horse saddled
and bridled as usual, but add the neck rope.

Riding with no reins means that all your bareback work is now paying off! You
have learned to feel each other and each of you is able to anticipate what is
coming. For your horse, he now knows the subtle shift of your body before you
ask for either an upward or downward transition. What this breaks down to is
knowing that each cue and command is preceded by micro-cues that you may
not be aware of, but that your horse knows after only a few rides. A better
breakdown is included in another blog post here:
https://www.horseclicks.com/community/advice/equestrian/stop-n-go-101
Okay, back to the steps needed to get to bit-less and bridle-less riding. Your
goal is to communicate with your horse through your body language, not your
voice and with your legs, not your tack.

◆ Back in the round pen or small corral, with or without a saddle, bridle on,
and your neck rope loose enough that when holding it, there is slack and
no pressure on the horse’s chest.
◆ Begin by keeping to the rail and practicing some transitions such as walk-
trot-walk-stop-back-trot.
◆ No loping or cantering yet.
◆ Once the transitions are clean—meaning they are performed 99% of them
within a count of two—begin asking for them by using no reins, and while
holding the neck rope simultaneously.
◆ There will be a lot of float or slack in your reins and you’ll only feel contact
with the neck rope when you ask for any change of gait or direction, but
only if you must.
◆ Add in some figure 8’s and serpentines, change of direction and smaller
circles.
◆ The session up until this point is anywhere from 10-30 minutes, so quit and
go on a trail ride or do some obstacles. Something different is good for
both of you.
◆ While doing the different thing such as a trail ride, practice using no reins.
Does your horse respond or ignore you?
◆ If his response time is short, you are ready to go back into the round pen
the next day, beginning with a bridle on him.
◆ Rehearse what you both already know, then either tie the reins up and out
of the way, I like twisting them and threading the throat latch through one
to hold up and near the throat.
◆ Use your neck rope only and ask for walk-halt transitions, then add in
backing before walking on.
◆ The halt is most important and you should not depend too much on your
neck rope. If he is not responding, untie the reins and use them along with
the neck rope again.
◆ To halt, simply stop moving your hips. To stop moving your hips, simply
stop following with your lower back. Sometimes clenching your stomach or
raising your rib cage is cue enough.
◆ Practice daily for a week or two and if possible have someone film you so
you can see how to correct any issues.

Once you are comfortable riding with no reins, it’s time to go bit-less. You’ll
need to research what method of no-bit you will like best, so ask around, check
reviews, dig up all pros and cons of the bridle you’d like to move onto. A few
popular options are to use a rope halter and add reins. These are inexpensive
and easy to try, but long term, you may not want something this harsh. The knots
are strategically located to correspond to facial nerves on a horse’s head, and for
this reason, they are not my favorite. I don’t tie or haul a horse in this kind of
halter, but rather use them as correction aids and then, only temporarily.

Side pulls are a glorified halter in reality. Not much to them, but they usually
have a leather or rawhide nose band that has metal rings on either side to hook
reins too. They can be used with either a leather chin strap or a curb chain if a
little more “bite” helps your horse respond easier. Sometimes a curb chain is
preferred by riders on trail horses to prohibit unwanted snatching of grasses.

Dr Cook’s bridles are popular as well. These work by criss-crossing under the
bars of the jaw and kind of squishing the horse’s face. I have found that most
horses, not all, but most, become defensive in this bridle and begin to hollow out
their backs and raise their heads to avoid the discomfort. I’d recommend these
for horses who also go bridle-less easily and whose riders seldom use the reins.

Mechanical hackamores come in many forms, but basically, they have a
leather nose band and metal shanks of various lengths. The shorter the shank,
the less leverage and therefore, the more mild. These bits have no mouthpiece,
but do have either leather chin straps or curb chains. Some horses prefer this
bridle over a side pull and may have a little more responsiveness to it.

Bosals are teardrop shaped braided rawhide nose bands that are generally
used when starting a horse in the vaquero tradition. These bridles are not for
riders whose hands are not quiet and steady as they can cause raw and open
sores when used incorrectly. For this discussion, this is the bridle I’d not suggest
unless you are a trainer or a vaquero who knows how to properly implement
usage.

There are so many brands, types and opinions that I feel the best thing you
can do when deciding on one is to borrow, try and ask your horse what his
preference might be; and trust me, you’ll know! My own horses prefer a side pull
with a leather chin strap that is set high enough on their faces so as to avoid the
soft cartilage near their nostrils. I like the chin strap loose enough that I can fit
two fingers in between it and the bars of the jaw. My Arab mare that I recently
lost went fine in a side pull, but she much preferred a short-shank mechanical
hackamore. Why? I have no clue, maybe she wanted more bling? She’d go in
anything, as will my geldings, but they do show a preference to one over another,
so I go with that.

When working with client’s horses, I usually begin with a side pull and may
even use in combination with a snaffle to help youngsters make the transition
from halter to bit. On my own, I sometimes never take them out of the side pull
since I no longer show. I have found that training, even up to mid-level dressage
is doable in a bridle that has no bit. It comes down to personal preference, riding
ability and desire for each equestrian to decide what bridle is best for their horse
and themselves.

As always, if you have any questions or comment, feel free to contact me
directly at [email protected] and may your love of the horse live on Happily
Ever After!
​
~Tanya Buck

3-1=2
I can’t remember the last time I’ve had only two horses.  I was there when she was born and I was there to say goodbye, and I’ll tell you the birthing is a whole lot happier than the deathing. 

Her birth was uneventful. Fun. Happy. On a calm spring night in Colorado, she came into the world enveloped in love from her dam and the people gathered around to witness and help her arrival.  

It’s odd, really, the fact that I had her for the almost-twelve years of her life. Originally, I had bred her to sell. Her sire-to-be was one of the top Arabian stallions in the world and her dam was one I leased (for a small fortune) in order to produce a high quality foal. The original leased mare wouldn’t take. For months, we tried, shipping semen from California to New York, with me in Colorado. But, no, that mare was not getting pregnant and that was that. The mare owner had others and we switched from the original mare to another, but then I decided that the new mare would cross better with the original stallion’s sire. So in the end, I had a foal coming from a different sire and dam than I’d originally planned, but one that would still surely reap a nice profit, so it was okay., and I anxiously awaited the arrival of what I hoped would be a bay filly eleven months later. 

And wouldn’t you know it, the year she was born, the Arabian horse market crashed and breeders cut back on their own stock as well as new buyers being spooked about spending their money on horses. Aside from that, although pretty perfect in conformation, Gazahna was born with a head and neck that didn’t cut the now-expected exotic, eerie snake look that has become industry standard. Now, her head was nice, just not dished enough, she had no club feet, her legs were correct, she was balanced. But, her ears were too big, her muzzle too thick, her eyes just normal sized instead of froggy huge and bulging and those things made her substandard in comparison to what people now wanted in the Arabian horse. 

Still, I was offered a nice sum for her from an Arabian halter judge, but turned it down, convinced I’d get more due to her bloodlines and what I was certain would be a stellar show record. Suffice it to say I was wrong and home she came after being in training, and showing in the Nationals at Scottsdale in one class where she was second from the smallest and second from the youngest. We were out of our element, she and I. 

By the time she was ten months old, I had a healthy sum invested in her, but we all know how you can’t sell at that age unless...well, let’s just say I couldn’t even think of selling her then without losing my butt financially. I decided to wait, start her under saddle myself and then show her and sell once the market bounced back. Yeah. Right.

At five-eleven, I’m not fat, but I felt too big for her. By age three, Gazahna had only reached 15 hands in height and when I began training her as a riding horse, I felt I was too large to ride her, even though I’ve ridden plenty of horses that same size. She had plenty of substance and good bone. Her conformation was good, but still, she was such a baby to me! So, up until she was almost four, we did ground work, I ponied her on trails and around my neighborhood and hiked with her in tow with our four dogs. She always showed herself to be calm, opinionated, not flighty or spooky and willing to do anything asked of her, and we became friends on a level I’ve not had with any other horse I’ve ever owned. 

Mares. Arabian mares in particular bond with their human on a level that few know, and this was true for her and me, but I needed to get her under saddle. Finally, I hired an assistant who was smaller, got her going in the arena and on trails and I didn’t ride her myself until her sixth or seventh year. In a way, I regret that decision now, but I didn’t know how little time we’d have.
We made the trip to the veterinary clinic within thirty-five minutes of finding her down and this timeline includes hooking the trailer, loading two horses, (I didn’t want to leave Luke alone) the four stops along the way to check her; all added to the the twenty-five minute drive. My horses load and travel competently, obediently and consistently, but even with the expediency of getting her to the hospital, even with drugs on board to help ease the pain, we couldn’t help her. She was in agony and getting worse by the minute. Nothing could save her and saying goodbye was the only humane outcome. 

The saddest thing for me since Saturday, when I let her go, is opening my front door to silence. No neighing, no calling, nothing; she had a certain call that was for me only. I never heard her call anyone else—not another horse or any human—using that long-short-short-short whinny. When I drive up in my truck, the two boys come to the fence or watch with eager ears, but it’s so quiet. When I feed, no one tries to barge in, open the grain bin and refuse to back out without a mouthful of the other horse’s grain. 

The geldings are well-mannered, behaved. They are quiet and they don’t demand anything of me. If I ask either to move over, they do so without a toss of the head, a glare or a stomp of a front hoof. They don’t believe they are special, they are just themselves, here to do anything I want and they agree to do so obligingly and with happy demeanors. They don’t have a smarty-pants dance that they strut just because the sun is out. They don’t care if they are involved in any decision making regarding anything we might do together. They are both very good boys with no agendas and far less input on what they like or don’t like. Nope. They just do whatever is asked of them, and they don’t care who rides them or how balanced that human may sit or if they hold the reins too tight or too loose. They don’t carry themselves in-frame and collected just because they can, and they don’t swish their tails when I reach under them for the blanket straps on the snowy cold nights when I blanket them. 
Boys are just easy. 

Zahna, on the other hand, was easy if you knew how to ask for what you wanted and knew when to tell her to knock it off and be a good girl. She was good with either approach, if it was fair. She was smart, inquisitive, happy and floaty in her demeanor and gaits, but she could flip and become a little stinker just because you asked her to move to the side so you could pass. She was number three of three and had been fourth in the herd of four, but she liked to pretend that he flattened ears would intimidate any of the geldings or any human. When she was younger, she nipped human arms to prove her point, so her needing to understand the word Quit, coupled with a low growl was paramount. She had attitude, my little bay mare did, and as the only mare, she was the leader of the herd when let to pasture. She led them all on a spurt of dashing bucks and cartwheels before settling on where to graze first. She was the one who opened all the doors, pushed through any gate that wasn’t latched and begged for treats with the cutest expression a horse could muster. 

As I said at the start of this, birthings are easier than the deathings, but in the end, our ability to end the painful agony of colic due to a reason we can never know, is in itself a blessing. I cry for my loss, the emptiness and the vast silence she’s left me with, but I’m grateful for her peaceful passing under the hands of a caring veterinarian while I cradled her head in my lap. 

I suppose the question of why or how she came down with such a horrific bout of colic is expected. I’ve asked myself a thousand times why and there is no answer. She didn’t eat anything different, nothing in our weird weather pattern here was any worse than average. The temperature swings are drastic and we accommodate as best we are able. She was warm, dry, fed, mashed and salted as needed. She should be standing out in the corral with the boys. But she’s not.

The oddest thing since Saturday, is the fact that the boys have not called out to her. Luke, my quarter horse gelding was with her, with us, when we let her go. He got to sniff his goodbye and they shared one last call before she got so bad that she couldn’t or wouldn’t call for his help. But Darby, my Mustang, wasn’t with us. He was at a neighbor’s being company for a miniature donkey who’d lost his own horse-friend the Thursday before. Darby did not say goodbye; didn’t know that Gazahna was never coming home. 

Yet, neither gelding has called for her. If you have horses, you know how they holler and scream if one is gone from sight or from the premises, even if only for a short time. In the past, and with three or four horses here at all times, when one leaves, the others go a little nuts. This time, though, driving away from the vet hospital with only Luke, on our way to pick up Darby, he said nothing. No calling, nothing, and once both boys were home, the norm is for them to call to the horses waiting. But this time, no one said a word. Silence, all the way up the driveway, into the barn, out to their paddock. No calling for their girl then, and still, today, Tuesday, they are quiet and subdued.
So my question is, how does Darby know Gazahna is gone? Did Luke somehow tell him? And if so, how? Mental images, telepathy, their own language? They should be frantic for her still, and in the past were not prone to just letting it be, letting her be gone. Interesting question, isn’t it? 
And because this is a blog post meant to impart some great wisdom from a horse trainer and equine advocate, here it is: 

• Colic is the number one killer of horses worldwide. 
• No matter the care we provide, the love we share and the money we spend, we can’t prohibit this horrible phenomenon. 
• Horses can’t vomit, so what needs out has only one direction of travel. 
• Intestines twist, become impacted, and surgery may or may not help.
• Watching your horses can help facilitate a recovery if colic is caught soon enough... 
• …but not always.
• Know your horse’s facial expressions so you can detect pain before they even lie down.
• Know your horse’s sleeping, rolling and eating habits and take notice when they change.
• Have three veterinarian’s on speed dial.
• Keep Banamine on hand.
• Know your horses’ vital signs (each one is different).
• Be competent at hooking, loading and driving your rig.
• Train your horse to load promptly.
• Forgive yourself when you lose them and remember the good times.

Here’s some of the free stuff I’ve already given out. Please understand that I just don’t have it in me to do anything new. Until next time…

Go out, hug your horses, tell them you love them always and Happily Ever After.
~Tanya Buck
HorsesHappilyEverAfter.com 

Four gifts for you here:  https://conta.cc/37b9oaT

My favorite day of the year so far was autumn. 

That’s about how long it lasted here in the Colorado Rocky Mountains; a day, and then winter settled in like an unwanted long-lost relative. Don’t get me wrong, I love winter! Nothing better than the crisp early mornings, the lack of bugs, flies, heat and traffic! But a single day of fall followed by temps in the twenties and below? No, thank you.

Why do us horse people dread winter? Surely it has nothing to do with frozen fingers, toes, or water troughs. Nah, that can’t be it, so maybe it’s the broken rakes, the eternal layering of clothing and the frost in our eyes and noses, or perhaps the snow balls in our horses’ feet that must be pried out so they can walk. And the ice…yes, let’s not forget the ice coating everything. So how do we prepare, endure and enjoy the cold, wet, white, wonderful winter with our horses?

Lists help. Money helps. With a list and money, you write it down and pay someone else to do it! Oh, not practical? Okay then, but what are the best and most tried and true ways to get everything done, while not suffering? And how do we keep our horses drinking, eating, warm and healthy?

The horses:  Our equine companions do need a little extra care in the winter months, even in temperate climes, but especially in the northern areas of our planet. They are naturally fully-equipped for weather. For winter, they grow long, dense coats and they have no toes that turn blue, freeze and suffer frostbite. They can suffer frostbite, just not on their feet, generally, so as long as they have shelter, good hay and fresh water, they tend to do okay, though their nutritional needs do change.

*Hot topic: Blankets: Yes, some horses actually do need a little extra help during the coldest of months. The elderly, infirm, ill and young, especially; just like humans. It takes a lot for a warm-blooded body to maintain the perfect body temperature (Each horse is different, so know your horse’s norm!) The discussion over whether to blanket or not is a hot topic among horse people. Do the research and do what you want based on fact and experience, but know that there is no shame in whatever you choose. 

Personally, I live at 8500 feet and our temps plummet to below freezing air that is often accompanied by snow, so yes, I blanket. My horses “tell me” that they want them or not, and I follow their wishes. I need a servant as good as me, no kidding! Just hold the blanket up and if the horse wants it, he puts his head through and if not, he walks away. Simple, just like me. 

Feed: The short answer to the feed question is to up your hay rations on the coldest, wettest and windiest days. Feed more, but over a longer period of time by using hay bags, nets, or slow feeders. Feed grass hay and cut back on the alfalfa, because too much alfalfa could cause more harm than good (think founder, colic and obesity here).
 Grain is fine, just feed after you’ve fed them their hay and remember that there is no need to increase the ration. Mashes are another hot topic, so again, do your research and decide what’s best for your situation and animals. While you’re at it, research the addition of corn or any other kind of oil, as well as the addition of electrolytes.
Personally, mine love their hot mash of wheat middlings and a touch of salt—the salt makes them thirsty. I mix it to the consistency of soupy oatmeal, and they slurp it down and ask for more! I keep it simple, like me.

Water: This one’s easy: Keep it liquid, and warm to at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Horses will drink from a frozen source and can learn to break the ice, but this is not good for the digestive tract or the comfort of the animal. It’s below zero and they now must drink ice water? Not a brilliant plan, in my opinion.
If you can, install an automatic watering system where the water is kept warm, If you are unable to set an automated system, insulate, and add tank heaters to your trough, or carry down hot water at least three times a day, and once at night. If your horse drinks from a natural source, at least help him out by keeping a hole in the ice open, and do so at least three times a day. A sledgehammer and/or a pry-bar are handy for this.
Personally, I finally, after over fifty years of owning horses, installed an automatic waterer and if I ever move, it will be the very first thing installed on the new property. I love it, I thank it for its usefulness and easy care and it’s simple, like me.

Tools: In order to survive winter and still be cordial enough to go out in public, we must buy and use all the tools we can. Tools are our friends, our saviors, our guiding light. Here’s a list:

• Patience and determination. Everything will take longer, be more difficult and you’ll get it done!
• A good memory, so all veterinarians numbers are memorized. 911 is easy, so you’re good.
• Humor, because without it, you’ll morph into someone resembling Jack in “The Shining.”
• Stopwatch so you can clock how long all this takes and try to beat your time.
• Bear spray for any unwanted intruder. Around here, it can actually be a bear.
• Cell phone in case the bear wins or your cleats fail or your horse colics.
• Hoof pick, screwdriver, hammer, or other weapon against snow balls in hooves.
• Cooking spray. No, don’t cook, but spray onto the bottom of your horses’ feet in order to prevent the snow balls and diminish the need for the screwdriver, hoof pick or hammer.
• Quick release hose connectors, because you’ll want the extra minute these save you.
• Metal pitchfork. Can be held high to chase off bear, or can be used to pry manure from the ice before bringing out the plastic muck rake.
• Flashlight. Because dark winter feed times mean you get to be both blind and cold. You may also want one on a band around your head for free hands.
• Generator for when the electricity goes out, your well pump won’t work and the horses are thirsty. And for lights in case you forgot your flashlight.
• Heat tape to keep pipes and gutters from freezing.
• Hair dryer for when the pipes freeze and you need water.
• Sand, gravel or salt for those really bad icy spots in the shade.
• A wheelbarrow or cart with solid wheels and can’t go flat.
• An air pump for the other kind of cart wheels that do go flat. 
• Snow shovel, push broom, ATV, tractor, truck with blade. Guess why.

The Human(s): Face it, we are wimpy, unprepared creatures. We must have clothing, and it must be more than a blanket. No, we have a list of items to help us survive the cold, so here’s at least a partial one:

• Hats, and not just one, but many, and these include, but are not limited to: a beanie, a visor, a wool, one with ear flaps, lined, heated, hoodies with draw strings…you get the idea, go wild!
• Under-the-overalls clothing, and here’s the fun part, no one will see these, so you can simply wear long thermal underwear, fleece breeches, lined jeans, fleece leggings, PJ’s, sweats or nothing. Your choice!
• Coats, and yes, once again, go wild here and have many on hand. You’ll need all the weights, materials and choices. Some are even heated!
• Boots. You guessed it. More than one pair is essential because; snow, rain, ice, mud, lots more snow. Lined ones are supremely essential when it’s cold and don’t forget your riding boots.
• Gloves, many, lots and remember to get the ones you can use your phone while wearing.
• Phone, for reasons listed above. Plus, on the rare occasion all is fine and it’s not bitterly cold, you’ll want to take a picture and post to social media.
• Sunglasses are important in order to avoid snow blindness. 
• Face protection like a baclava or scarf is handy on those wicked windy days.
• Cleats for whichever boots you are wearing. There are some great and inexpensive options available. Never slam your booty on the ice again.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea and I like to keep things simple, like me. If you would like to add to this conversation, please, feel free to contact me through my website here.

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Tally ho, Happily Ever After!
       ~Tanya Buck