April 2011

Happy Spring !! Now let's just keep it that way. Too much grass is BAD!!! Here's an excellent article
about grass founder.  http://americashorsedaily.com/grass-founder/
Please read it and follow the guidelines. As you start riding your horse again after the winter break,
remember he is out of shape and needs several weeks to get back in shape before he can do the riding
he was doing last fall. Tired horses are more susceptible to injury. Let's keep spring a happy time. Limit
the grass intake and bring your horse back to work gradually. And schedule a saddle fit evaluation. I can
evaluate your English or Western saddle fit and soon I will be able to offer solutions if possible.

SADDLE FIT?

Jochen Schleese was here on Sunday for another saddle fitting lecture and fittings. In his lecture he
emphasizes the difference between saddles built for men and saddles built for woman. A woman has
a wider pelvis and seat bones, her center axis is further forward, her thighs are shaped differently and
are usually stronger, Back pain, hip and knee problems and soreness in the pubic area or soft tissue
damage can occur when a woman rides in a man's saddle.

Jochen also talked about the saddle support area on the horse, how the saddle should fit the horse and
why. A poor fitting saddle will damage your horse's spine, the shoulder cartilage and the nerves. If the
nerve beside the withers (cranial nerve 11) is being pinched by a saddle that is too narrow at the top, it
will cause your horse to lift his head and hollow his back. If he is asked to perform for too long in this
position it can also cause back and soundness problems.

If you would like me to check your saddle fit, let me know and we will do it at your next lesson. Jochen
Schleese will be here for fittings again in June. If you would like to be fitted with Jochen register on their
web site www.schleese.com

CLINICS

Our first clinic on March 20 with the Kindergarten horses was going pretty good. The horses were
responding to our training just like the text book says. When the door to the indoor was slid open one
of the youngsters bolted and accidentally broke poor Heidi's finger. One of the horse rules we talked
about that day was that the horse's instinct is to run first and ask questions later. He was just being a
horse. Some of the other horse rules we discussed that day were:

• The Boss controls the food.
• Backing away from your horse tells him that he is in charge.
• Holding your breath tells him that there is danger.
• The leader looks forward, chooses the path and sets the pace.
• In the herd there is a leader and everyone else follows.
• The horse in the back gets eaten first.
• The 2 things the horse is most concerned about are eating or being eaten.

Our goal is to communicate to our horses in a user friendly non abusive way. Everyone wants their
horse to respect them. Keeping in mind what the horse is thinking allows us to be respectable leaders.
To be respected we must be respectable.

OUR SPRING CLINIC SCHEDULE
Sunday April 10, 2011-Level 1 Clinic (groundwork & riding)
Saturday April 30, 2011-Level 2 Clinic (groundwork & riding)
Saturday May 7, 2011-Level 3 Clinic (all riding)
Sunday May 22, 2011-Level 1 Clinic (groundwork & riding)
Saturday June 4, 2011-Level 2 Clinic (groundwork & riding)

For more information about our clinics and an application, go to
http://www.bucknhorsehollow.com/clinics.cfm

Some of the clinics only have 1 rider spot available.

GOOD REPORTS
I passed my Biomechanics Final Exam with Distinction! I am now a Level 0 ISRB Registered Coach
(International Society or Rider Biomechanics) Never heard of it? that's because as far as I know, I'm
the first in PA. This is the organization that Colleen Kelly is affiliated with. There is some really good
information on her web site. http://colleenkelly.net/

Pyro's Mom & Dad got a new trailer.

Mike & Ike's Mom & Dad got a new trailer.

Congratulations to Heidi Barker! She was the grand prize winner at the saddle fitting last Sunday with
Jochen Schleese. She won a beautiful leather dressage bridle.

Since some of my students are currently looking for horses, I've decided to share a few suggestions.

FIRST 5 STEPS TO BUYING A HORSE

1. Make a list of what you are looking for. Are you going to make a horse or buy a made horse? My advice
for my students is to buy a horse that is already doing exactly what they want to do. For example:
• Mare or Gelding-it is better to not mix mares & geldings in the field so consider what you have already.
• 7 years old or older-green on green makes black & blue, either horse or rider must have a solid foundation
of basic horsemanship.
• 15-16 hands-do not believe the measurements in ads.
• Price range $1500-$5500-horses are cheaper right now but good horses still cost good money. Don't
worry, a $5500 horse can be bought for less most times.
• At least 3 years riding experience at whatever discipline you want to do-this is very important. Don't buy
a TB off the track for a trail horse unless you have many years experience retraining TB's. Some TB's will
make good trail horses and some will not.

2. Start looking online and in magazines. Go look & ride prospects. This will be very time consuming and
educational to say the least. Your list may change, that's ok. Don't buy anything. Take your time and look
at lots of horses. Don't buy anything.

3. If you find a horse you can't live without, go look at it again with a friend and make a video of yourself
riding the horse. Don't buy anything. If the seller tries to pressure you walk away.

4. If you still can't live without the horse, call me or your instructor to go look at it with you. Likely cost will
be around $75-$100. Don't buy anything.

5. Schedule a vet to do a pre-purchase exam. Likely cost $200-$400. This is a must. After you have
discussed the horse with your vet, make the owner an offer.

When you are thinking about buying a horse, please remember #3 under Terry believes on the web site.
*********Owning a horse is a lot of hard work, a huge commitment and expensive***********

You can read the rest of Terry's beliefs at http://www.bucknhorsehollow.com/aboutterry.cfm

You can easily plan on an hour or 2 EVERYDAY to care for your horse and $100 a week to spend on
your horse's needs. Even if the horse is boarded somewhere, you have to drive to the stable and at least
check in on your horse at the very least every other day. And please remember that owning a horse is a
huge commitment not to be entered into lightly

This month's favorite link to share
http://www.discoverhorses.com/counting-calories-barn.html

If anybody wants to burn some calories moving hay bales give me a call. We will have a couple thousand
coming in June and July.
As always, thank you for reading our little newsletter and for your responses. Most importantly, thank you
for allowing me to be a part of your riding goals. Happy Spring Riding Season !!

TTYS & God Bless
Terry