Full blog here - https://heatherclemenceau.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/the-last-best-days-of-sugar-the-mattawan-junkyard-horse/

Written by Heather Clemenceau

The transition from summer to fall is a time when the air may still be hot,  but the winds signal…

Flight response: A horse’s instinct as a prey animal, to flee from perceived danger. 



Dr Andrew Mclean says “A structure deep inside the brain called the amygdala, sorts out stimuli as to whether they are fearful or not. Fearful stimuli receive special recognition by the brain in terms of remembering - unlike other information, once learned fearful…

I actually got to ride on the mini trail twice this week, and both time I was riding an Arabian!

Wednesday morning Debbie called me saying they were going to be fixing the footing on her ring, big equipment, lost of noise, etc..  Since I was still suffering the effects of a head cold (BAD NEWS for us with MS) I was willing to wait a day.  So I got my lesson on Thursday on the Arab gelding Mick.  The fence on the far end of the riding ring was completely down, and the…

A Journey of a Thousand Miles

Hey bloggers,

This week, in the spirit of the Halloween weekend and upcoming Halloween day, we are going to base our blog on an equine Halloween. Every year lots of people dress up themselves and their horses for fun horsie themed Halloween pictures and to see just how cooperative their horse can be wearing some fun outfits. A great idea to have this Halloween is to make a barn Halloween party. Horses and riders should dress up and compete for the best Duo Halloween costume, and the…

Last week I finally got my leather snaffle.  Since I re-started riding Bobby I have been thinking hard about what might be irritating his mouth.  I read the ad about those super pricey titanium bits and I was looking for an alternative that I could afford that also was temperature neutral and did not have any electric currents or magnetism going through the bit.  I was really excited to get my leather snaffle, at least until I measured the mouthpiece, 2 centimeters wide and…

Hey bloggers,

I bet everyone is getting ready and excited for the upcoming Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. For anyone who wants to purchase any last minute tickets for the horse show here is the link to the schedule for you. http://www.ticketmaster.ca/Royal-Winter-Fair-Horse-Show-tickets/artist/891637. At the Royal this year we will not have a booth at the trade show so if…

This is going to end up a rather large blog, that could be seen as a rant, but it's not really intended as such.  Just keep in mind that this is my opinion, from my experiences and you are free to disagree.

I find the more I browse the internet or go spectate at shows the angrier and frustrated I get at many of today's horse people's attitudes.  I've banned myself from looking at riding photo's for the most part or getting involved in any kind of training conversation as I usually…

The wind positively howled. There was sun, not that you could feel it. The horses didn’t want turn out. It was 20 degrees warmer in the south-facing runs and there’s not much windbreak on our prairie pasture. The horses that were turned out looked longingly at the barn and I knew the season has truly changed.

I was mucking a pen, coat zipped against the wind and my warmest Elmer Fudd hat tied down, when my phone rang. A client re-scheduled her lesson that afternoon. I don’t blame her;…

Well it could have been worse, the horse could have been stolen!  My leasing experience is not as bad as some but bad enough, the horse is reasonably okay but the people were quite a nightmare to deal with.  I thought I had got a wonderful long term lease for my school horse Bandit with a novice adult rider wanting to get back into shape after years of being away from riding.  I knew the trainer and she seemed like a decent person, albeit less experienced than me but I was willing to give…

Is it the responsibility of the owner of the horse to fence their animal in, or the responsibility of the neighbors to fence the horse out? I have been debating this issue with my father in law who refuses to hold his little sister responsible for her STALLION who is always out, on our property, eating my hay, flowers, and destroying my fences.  Her property is next door and she has a 3 wire barbed wire fence that is very loose.  She operates a small animal rescue on her property and refuses…

I finally got my RS-tor last week, and I did not waste any time putting it on my saddle.  The name of this wonderful piece of gear is pronounced “arrestor.” 

Due to the effects of my Multiple Sclerosis I have lost the confidence I used to have decades ago about my ability to stay in the saddle.  Faulty balance, weak and quickly tiring muscles, lack of coordination, my…

Hey bloggers,

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and staying warm during this cold fall weather. This week the Baker's blog is going to specify in bandaging- proper bandaging technique, the importance of bandaging and proper bandaging products. Being a competitive rider it is very important to know how to properly protect and treat your horses legs after…

  I lost a friend this week,  I forgot I could hurt this much.  My beautiful little mare coliced and couldent be saved. Her little mini donkey companion is morrning and I must find hin a  friend  before I lose him too.  Any sugestions

As more than a few people have commented on my tack box in past weeks, I post these here for a wider audience.

I got tired of arriving at a barn only to spend 10 to 15 minutes scrounging up brushes, hoof picks, &c., so I put those in a bag.

Then I bought my own saddle, with the changeable gullet, so I wouldn't have to ride those school saddles that feel like two angle-irons welded to an old oil-drum. The changeable gullet meant I could fit any horse I was given in only a few…

Out on the trail, bushwhacking through woods too thick to walk through on foot, we come across a fallen tree, branches everywhere, and pine trees on the other side. Vinnie is behind us, following. I ask Oakley to approach so I can see if there is a way around. While I'm looking around, he keeps walking up to the tree, looks down at the trunk as if to say "oh, this up to my chest. I can't step over this... I'll have to jump..." and…