Stable Sheet - December 2020 |
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An American Legacy - The Morgan Horse |
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Get the most out of this newsletter -
For those viewing this newsletter for the first time, it is published in three sections. At the bottom of section one & two you will be prompted to click a link to go to the next section. Be sure to "click here" where indicated to continue reading.
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Board Meeting Minutes - November 4, 2020 |
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Much of the information in the November 4th minutes is also included in the minutes for the General Membership Meeting minutes posted below. This meeting was primarily preparation for the November 8th meeting. For that reason and to preserve space for news we are not detailing those minutes here. But below is a link you can use to read the full November 4th meeting minutes if you like.
Click here to read the November 4th Board Meeting Minutes
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MHAO News, Activities, & Events |
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The MHAO Virtual General Membership Meeting was held November 8, 2020 |
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Our thanks to to Tony Lee,AMHA President, and our District AMHA Representative, Dallas Bolen, for coming to our General Membership meeting and updating us on what is going on at AMHA. Carol Fletcher-Churchill was there, too.
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The meeting was called to order at 1:33pm. The President, Gay Adams, welcomed Tony Lee President of AMHA, Dallas our Region 8 Director/representative, and Carol Fletcher-Churchill Director Emeritus.
Board members present: Doana Anderson, Gay Adams, Julie Nygaard, Karen Breckenridge, Karen Weiderman, Kathy Christensen and Erin Silver
Guests & MHAO members: CA Tony Lee III, Carol Fletcher-Churchill, Dallas Bolen, Shelley Bullard, Sara Breyman and Tammy Boyer.
Board Members Not Present: Diane Pixlee, Grace Martin, Becky Bean, Shirley Champion, Mary Grimes, Martha Woodland, Natalie Woodland and Nancy Eidam
Board quorum not present.
Doana Anderson was our Zoom host and gave some brief instructions for the Zoom meeting.
Gay Adams introduced Dallas Bolen as our AMHA Western Director.
Dallas was thankful for being voted onto the AMHA board. She joked that she and Terri Sturm commiserated about 2020 being the worst time to start their positions with the organization; as so far there have been no ‘in-person’ meetings to get to know the other board members. She talked briefly about the Morgan Stronger Campaign and was impressed with the support by the members of AMHA. She then introduced Tony Lee as our keynote speaker.
Tony said that yesterday was the AMHA’s 3rd quarter meeting. Because of COVID-19 there have been no in-person meetings. He mentioned what a wonderful job Carol Fletcher-Churchhill has done in her position as a Director, and has been doing in her new position as Director Emeritus.
This has been a busy year for AMHA:
1- The Museum has moved to the New England area. It is now at a place that normally gets 1000’s of visitors each year; in non-pandemic years.
2- The headquarters for AMHA has moved to the Kentucky Horse Park. This is a huge advantage when trying to get information or questions answered by other Directors of other breeds; as simple as walking across the parking lot.
3- The looming lawsuit has been resolved by both sides.
4- Our registrations for Morgan horses, surprisingly considering COVID, has grown month by month; no down-tick. So we know we are on the right track.
5- It was a huge accomplishment to put on our National Show in October of 2020. The committee estimated/planned for a 50% drop in numbers but it was only down by 10%. It was very successful- WE DID IT!!
6- Stallion Service Auction raised $65,000+ in bids this year
7- The Morgan Stronger Campaign has generated a large amount of income for the association this year by advertising, early renewals of memberships by loyal people, and fund raisers (masks, etc…).
The meeting was opened up for questions and answers from Tony & Dallas:
Question was asked as to how the lawsuit left our organization financially?
Tony – Insurance kicked in but we had to spend dollars to defend ourselves. The Morgan Stronger Campaign helped. Donations of support is always needed and appreciated. AMHA recovered approximately half of the money spent for the lawsuit. The Rainy Day fund took a big hit.
Carol mentioned that we are “Lucky to have Tony, he is an amazing leader; lucky to have his leadership through all of these issues. It is a wonderful AMHA board!”
Tony- Despite the cost, on November 16th there will be a sneak peak of our new website. The current website was going to become obsolete. Erika has been working hard on that and it looks great!
Dallas- The revised logo looks great, too.
Question was asked about the rules of future shows having to do with Covid regulations?
Tony- We need a vaccine. The shows that did happen did well. In the near future we will all still be wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands...possibly no spectators. In OKC the officials and judges had regular temperature checks but exhibitors were responsible for self checking.
Gay- Karen Breckenridge is our Show chair for the 2021 Oregon Morgan Classic. Tony and Carol said to call anytime with questions. We will follow guidelines, Karen commented.
Gay thanked Tony, Dallas, and Carol for being present. She also invited them to stay for the meeting.
The official General Membership Meeting began at 2:00 pm
Gay thanked all the existing Board Members for their service. She is so thankful for all their hard work and their contributions. It has been a pleasure to serve as President. We should all be proud of our accomplishments in this difficult year. Becky Bean and Natalie Woodland are stepping down from the 2021 Board and will receive plaques commemorating their service.
TREASURER’S REPORT - Karen Breckenridge as of October 31st, 2020
General Checking $19,096
Savings $25,499
Futurity $12,676
Nancy Falk Trust Donation $12,654
OMC Checking $11,248
Total Fixed Assets $1,177
Paypal Online $194
Other Current Assets $293
Grand Total $82,837.00
P&L – shows an overall profit of $7,513 thanks to tight control of expenses and the success of our 2020 MHAO Stallion Service Auction. This combined with no payout of prize money for the Futurity this year is what resulted in this positive number. A financial report was posted in a special edition Stable Sheet that went out to all members that also included other handouts for this meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
SHOW REPORT- Karen Breckenridge
Our 2020 OMC Show did not happen, but in preparation we purchased most of the things we needed for the show earlier in the year - such things as ribbons, coolers, trophies and plaques. The good news is they can be altered economically and used for next year’s show. Our show showed a loss of $8,000+ for this year due to no income, but it will balance out next year when the 2021 show moves forward.
The Oregon Horse Facility in Eugene has already been booked for our show and we have approval from USEF and AMHA. The staff will mostly be the same. The same main judge will officiate and the working western judge will be the same; but we will look for a new dressage judge. Nancy Harvey is on board as our Show Manager.
Exhibitors need to be checking on reservations early, because the Olympic Trials will again be held at the same time in Eugene Oregon. Gay will get an alert out in the newsletter for everyone to get their reservations made.
HI-POINT - Gay Adams reported for Erin Silver who joined the meeting later
It is reported that points earned in 2020 toward our hi-point award program will roll over to 2021 totals. Nothing else to report at this time. Gay asked that everyone get their points in to Erin Silver now for any of this year’s shows or competitions.
YOUTH COMMITTEE – Gay Adams reported for Diane Pixlee
We currently have a Youth Newsletter which is posted to a new Youth Facebook page – both started this year. 2021 will see the start of our Virtual Shows for Junior Exhibitors. We will offer a virtual show each month for February, March and April. We will continue to have our Youth of the year contest at the OMC show in June.
STALLION SERVICE AUCTION – Gay Adams
Last year we had 22 stallion services donated to our Stallion Service Auction. Those and other donations generated over $15,000 in bids. The goal this year is to get 25 stallions.
Nominations are open now.
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In the last couple years, two major stallion events have been added for Morgan breeders across the country – the Stallion Sweepstakes out of New England, and a stallion auction with the Superior Horse Sale to take place on November 20th that has over 100 stallion services offered. Gay is excited about these two programs and what they offer to our breeders, but is concerned that they might make it harder for us to get stallion services donated to our SSA auction. Stallion owners are hesitant to make too many donations each year. They do want to be paid for as many services as they can.
Gay thanked Tony Lee for his continued support in offering a breeding to our auction for Astronomicallee, as well as Broadmoor’s support in offering other client stallions.
FUTURITY – Gay Adams
There are currently 30 horses enrolled in the Futurity. Our numbers are down due to several of our breeders retiring and closing down.
In 2021 we will be adding futurity classes to make up for no classes being offered in 2020 at the cancelled Oregon Morgan Classic Show. For 2021 only we will have halter classes and a Sweepstakes class for 3-yr-olds as well as performance classes offered for 5-yr-olds. This is a wonderful program for breeders to get their horses advertised and out in the public. It takes a foal thru its 4-yr-old year with halter classes for weanlings, yearlings and 2-yr-olds, & 2 halter Sweepstakes classes (one for yearlings & one for 2-yr-olds). Performance classes are offered to 2-yr-olds thru 4-yr-olds. While we don’t have large purse sizes, most people who participate in the classes get more dollars back in winnings than the nomination or class fees they payout! It was asked if Tony saw this years MHAO Breeders’ Cup Futurity Booklet at the Morgan Grand Nationals. He replied that, “Yes he picked one up at OKC.”
PROMOTION – Kathy Christensen
Kathy reminded everyone to please donate Morgan horse pictures toward the creation of one or more promotional stand-up banners. These need not be just show pictures; we want to show the versatility of the Morgan with everyday life with our horses. The pictures need to be of high resolution so they will print well. The banners will be used at shows, Expos, etc. They will be an important tool for our promotion of the Morgan breed.
The Oregon State Fair was cancelled this year. The fair is a place where we show off our Morgan horses and promote them in classes. In 2019 our MHAO Morgan horses won the Battle of the Breeds competition. We will be there once more in 2021.
Kathy came up with a great fundraiser to sell Face Masks with our OMC logo on it. Before the 2021 OMC there may be another offering of these masks or other items. Thank you goes out to everyone that supported this. 75 were sold.
In 2021 Kathy would like to develop an online store to market OMC gear; possibly before the June show so that people can model the clothing at the Eugene show.
MEMBERSHIP – Doana Anderson
We had 88 members in 2020. 43 people have already renewed for 2021, and we added 1 new member. This is half of our renewals. The Directory is out and came in under budget. Gay thanked Doana for the nice job she did and talked about the need to add historical info either to the directory when it goes out in the future, or maybe on our website. Doana would like to reach out to the membership for ideas of what they want in an online directory or if we should continue to publish a printed copy. This is a project for 2021. Doana asked Tony to send info about the program that AMHA uses for a software program.
A discussion was had about how to increase membership. Ideas for more social activities would be helpful once COVID is behind us. We would like to have more get togethers, Clinics, and ways to highlight a fun MHAO. We also want to make the banquet more inviting.
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM – Gay Adams reported for Mary Grimes
This was the first year an academic scholarship was offered in memory of our beloved Alex Mooney. The first recipient was Natalie Woodland for $500 dollars. We will be able to give another scholarship of $500 next year, but we need to do some fundraising to support this cause going forward.
SPRING CLINIC – Erin Silver
With COVID, nothing is really happening yet for our 2021 Spring Clinic. A Trail riding clinic is under discussion likely for April. This will be held in conjunction with out Spring General Membership meeting.
NEW BUSINESS –
EMERGENCY FUND COMMITTEE – Julie Nygaard & Karen Breckenridge reported – Diane Pixlee is also on the committee but was not present
Julie reported that this newly formed committee has donated $250 dollars to the Shady Shadows Morgan Farm after their home and facility was completely destroyed in the recent Oregon fires. Their plan is to rebuild. They have thanked us for the generous donation to their Go Fund Me page.
HUMANITARIAN AWARD – Julie Nygaard & Karen Breckenridge reported – Diane Pixlee is also on the committee but was not present
Patricia Carlson proposed and sponsors this award for people who have gone above and beyond in difficult circumstances to support others. Nominees can be MHAO members or members of the local Morgan community. An outline of the program was included in the handouts for this meeting. This year we have seen unsung heros among us; Morgan people helping others during the fires. We are currently accepting nominations for this award. Gay will ask for nominations in the upcoming Stable Sheet.
FOAL CONTEST WINNERS – Gay Adams
There were 22 photos entered this year. It is an open competition – people from outside MHAO may enter. 1st place of $100 went to Ellen Atkinson from New Hampshire. 2nd place of $75 went to Morgan Christianson and 3rd place of $50 went to Shannon Olson – both members of MHAO. An announcement will go out via Facebook. Our winners and the winning photos will be posted on our website & be highlighted in the next Stable Sheet.
MHAO ELECTION RESULTS WERE DISCLOSED – Julie Nygaard
All candidates were voted in as shown on the ballot. Write-in candidates for President who were elected to the Board will be contacted to see if they are willing to serve that function. Results will be posted with the minutes for members on Facebook, the website will be updated, and we will post the results in the next Stable Sheet.
There was a brief discussion about still needing to find a President. Our declared Board positions are all full, so in order to follow our By-Laws, someone on the newly elected Board needs to step forward. Meantime we will follow our By-Law procedures and continue to function as outlined. We have a great Board that will continue to serve our membership and the breed.
Gay welcomed Sara Breyman and Sandi Humphfres to the Board.
The next Board meeting will be in January 2021. That will be our budget meeting. The date will be determined by the new Board. More information will follow.
Happy holidays to everyone!
Meeting adjourned at 2:45pm by our 2021 MHAO Vice President, Kathy Christensen
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Nygaard – MHAO Secretary
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The votes are in! We still don't have a President, but all Board positions (15 Board members) have been filled. The Board will follow the MHAO By-Laws and the Board will continue to operate following those guidelines until a President can be appointed out of the existing Board members. |
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Here is the list of our Board members for 2021. Committee assignments and meeting dates will be announced after the first of the year. Thank you to our Board members for stepping forward, and to all our members for participating in our election.
Board Officers:
President: Open
Vice President: Kathy Christensen
Secretary: Julie Nygaard
Treasurer: Karen Breckenridge
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Directors: 2021-2022
Gay Adams
Doana Anderson
Sara Breyman
Shirley Champion
Sandi Humphfres
Nancy Eidam
Mary Grimes
Diane Pixlee
Grace Martin - Youth Director 2021
Directors: 2020-2021
Erin Silver
Karen Weiderman
Martha Woodland
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Let The New 2021 MHAO Year Begin! |
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Winners of the MHAO Foal Photo Contest Announced |
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First place went to a photo by Andy Illes for Ellen Atkinson, the original owner and breeder of FMS Brothers Grimm by Gladgay's Excaliber out of Pondview Aurora. FMS Brothers Grimm is now owned by Gerard Laperie.
First place goes to Ellen. She wins $100.
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Second Place goes to Morgan Christianson of Lebanon OR.
She is the photographer and owner of Dream Mtn Lasso The Moon by Astronomicallee out of Dream Mtn Hope.
Second place wins $75
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Our third place winning photo was submitted by Shannon Olson of Promise Farm. Shannon is the photographer and
owner of Promise Silver Obsession shown with his dam, KTM Silver Shade. He is by Whippoorwill Grandee.
Third place wins $50
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Thank you to everyone who sent in photos, and our contest judges - Carole Bradford, Debby Phaneuf, & Grace Martin. This contest is such a fun way to highlight Morgan foals. The first place photo will be on the cover of the 2021 MHAO Breeders' Cup Futurity Booklet and as the main photo to promote our Futurity. Second and Third place may also be used to promote the Futurity. The photo contest and all the pictures entered will be featured in the booklet.
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Hear ye! Hear ye!
Karen Weiderman would love to showcase you and your horse in the Members section of the Stable Sheet newsletter. Send her a story and picture or two.
She is also looking for stories from Morgan owners on how and when they got into the Morgan breed and what they have done since then.
Send photos of your versatile Morgan to:
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Nominations Requested For the New MHAO Humanitarian Award -
Sponsored by Patricia Carlson
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Approved November 4, 2020
Description:
Members of MHAO are dedicated to the health and welfare of animals and members of their communities. Many volunteer and donate generously to various causes. Indeed this organization wouldn’t exist without those who contribute their considerable time and talents. It is not surprising our members would do whatever they could to help others, especially during a time of crisis. It is the intent of the MHAO Humanitarian Award to honor and thank those especially generous members who courageously helped rescue and care for animals and people impacted by the disasters of this year’s fires and pandemic.
Qualifications:
- Member of MHAO at time of service, or a member of the Morgan community.
- Nominated by a member or non-member
- Submission of at least one brief written description of the nominee’s exceptional community service and impact.
- Nominations and essay submissions will be reviewed and nominees contacted before acceptance.
Discussion of further Qualifications:
- Limiting the number of awards or attempting to weigh one person’s altruism against another’s would not be within the proper spirit of this award. The more people we can acknowledge, thank and honor the better to show the depth of heart and generosity that thrives in our Morgan community.
- But IF Board feels a need to treat some nominee’s contributions as being of greater merit than another’s I would recommend having a two tiered approach. All those who actively participated and led in the rescue and housing of animals/people would each receive the full list of awards. A second group could consist of those who also made important but more passive contributions e.g. helping organize, donating funds, helping care for rescued animals, etc. whereby they could still receive honorable mention and inclusion in ads and articles. The bigger the list the better!
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Award:
- Framed certificate of honor.
- 1 year honorary membership in MHAO.
- Articles in Newsletter describing each nominee’s exceptional service.
- Inclusion in half page ad in next year’s Directory/Futurity honoring all MHAOHumanitarian Award recipients.
- Submission of article about MHAO Humanitarian Award and its honored recipients toThe Morgan Horse Magazine.
Actions Required:
- Approval of this new award by MHAO board.
- Designation of person(s) to whom nominations will be submitted.
- Widely release notices of new award to membership and encourage nominations.
- Approval and execution of design, prints and frames for official award certificates.
- Determine recipients.
- Send/give award to recipients.
- Design half-page ad for Directory/Futurity listing
- Mark 2021 MHAO membership dues for recipients as paid.
- Assign the writing of articles for Newsletter and The Morgan Horse.
- Submission of finished articles.
Expenses:
- Design, printing and framing of certificates will be donated by Patricia Carlson. Other volunteers are very welcome.
- Loss of 1 year’s MHAO membership income per recipient.
- Delivery of certificates.
- Dedication of 1/2 page advertising space.
Summary:
Recognition that the MHAO values and rewards community service of its members is especially important during a time when we are more isolated from the support and comradery we normally enjoy within our Morgan community. Telling the stories of how our members have managed to contribute in spite of, and because of, these difficult situations will inspire us all to appreciate each other more and hopefully envision what we might be able to contribute. With most awards in the equestrian community centered on winning-- this one is earned by giving.
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Please submit your nomination/s to the Emergency Committee within MHAO:
Please nominate by December 31st
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Shelley Bullard Is Gathering Information For The 2021 Sales Sheet |
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This is the information we circulate at all events and give to people looking for Morgan horses, tack, and related services
through 2021.
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Get Your Ads In!
Send your information to
Shelley Bullard
Deadline by December 31, 2020
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Attention those with Morgans for Sale, or Morgan
stallions standing to the public!
Let's get those ponies sold and doing something in 2021!
"I will be preparing a new sales sheet the first of the year."
"I need ALL MORGANS FOR SALE! UPDATES of those on the previous list.
Are they still for sale?"
Please get this information to me as soon as possible. Include pertinent data (age, bloodlines, color, size, discipline, etc), and especially contact information.
Shelley
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It Is Time To Renew Your Membership |
Renewal forms were included with your ballot for the MHAO election along with the latest MHAO Membership Directory. Please send your renewals to Doana Anderson,
1587 SW Birdsdale Ct, Gresham OR 97080 or email them to
Questions: (503) 250-2500
If you did not receive your renewal and directory please contact Doana Anderson
For more information on member benefits, see Section 3 of this newsletter.
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Nominate Your 2020 Foal To The MHAO Breeders' Cup Futurity
Deadline is December 31st, 2020
For The Low Fee of $45
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Initial Nomination in the year the foal is born - $45
Renewal fees - $25 each year
Class fees - $25 per class
Late nominations & renewals
are $100
For more information, click here to download the Futurity Rules. The Rules and all forms needed are available on our website.
Click here to download a nomination form to send to Gay
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Nominations are open
for the 2021
MHAO Stallion Service Auction
Closes January 31, 2020
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We would love to have the opportunity to promote your stallion. Here are the benefits we offer for the stallion owner:
- Press releases on Northwest Morgan News, MHAO newsletter (Stable Sheet), MHAO website, MHAO Facebook Page & the MHAO Stallion Service Auction Facebook Page, in The Morgan Horse Magazine, on The Blast, etc. There is heavy emphasis on advertising the stallions included in our auction.
- The Stallion Auction will be promoted at the Oregon Morgan Classic (OMC) Horse Show & donated stallions will be highlighted. OMC is the largest Morgan Horse Show in the State and even the Northwest.
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ATTENTION! The name of all stallions with a bid will be put into a hat for a drawing. The winner will receive a free 2-page spread in the 2021 MHAO Breeders' Cup Futurity Booklet. This is a new benefit that was added in 2019.
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Each stallion donated receives a full page dedicated to them in the MHAO Breeders' Cup Futurity Booklet. This is a high quality magazine distributed up and down the West Coast & at Grand Nationals.
- Bonus payments are made to breeders and stallion owners when a foal that is the result of a breeding sold through the MHAO Stallion Service Auction becomes a Futurity Sweepstakes Champion or Reserve Champion at the Oregon Morgan Classic Horse Show.
Funds from the MHAO Stallion Service Auction support the MHAO Breeders’ Cup Futurity which is the only known traditional Futurity in the Western Region. Morgan Horse Association of Oregon Breeder’s Cup Futurity classes will be held at the Oregon Morgan Classic Horse Show held in June each year at the Oregon Horse Center in Eugene Oregon.
Minimum starting bid is $700, or an amount set by the stallion owner (higher or lower, but no lower than $500). Bidding is open from January 15th to early April.
More information is available on our website. For questions, contact
Gay Adams, (503) 936-4276
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The December issue of Western Horseman—one of the equine community’s largest readership publications—has a feature on Grunden Ranch. Today, Harlan and Tammy Grunden and their family operate the Nebraska ranch using Morgan bloodlines raised by the family through multiple generations. The magazine is a staple in the ranch and stock horse world and their article shines a welcome spotlight on the Morgan breed’s western heritage.
See Page 82 of the December 2020 Issue of the Western Horseman
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It's TMH "Breeding Guide" Time |
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Deadline December 18, 2020 |
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It’s not quite breeding season, but it IS time to think about stallion advertising. Once again The Morgan Horse will offer a free “pedigree page” to accompany every full page, full color stallion ad in our January/February 2021 “Breeding Guide.”
It is the Morgan breed’s annual handbook for breeding and bloodline information and THE venue to reach mare owners with your stallion promotion. See below for contact information and booking deadline. It’s not too early to call or email.
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AMHA Youth Launches Fundraiser |
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The AMHA Youth Council is launching their Say Hay Fundraiser 2020. Each T-Shirt purchased will raise funds that will be used to buy hay that will be donated to Horse rescues for the winter! |
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If enough money is raised they will be donating hay to multiple rescues across the country! Great gift idea for the holidays! Please click the link to purchase yours today!
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An Article From The Horse Network |
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Preventing Tendon and Ligament Injuries |
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Among the more common injuries besetting equine athletes are injuries to the various tendons and ligaments of the legs.
In fact, they’re so common that some have even earned the sort of colorful, somewhat descriptive, name that has identified a lot of equine injuries for centuries: a “bowed” tendon.
If we can all agree on the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (said by none other than the American polymath and bon vivant, Benjamin Franklin), and if we agree that tendon and ligament injuries are unfortunately common, it would probably be a good idea for everyone to think about how to prevent the darn things rather than set aside a separate savings account in case you are enticed to buy the myriad devices and products that are used to treat them.
Even though, at the end of the day, tendon and ligament injuries do tend to heal pretty well, it still takes a lot of time and effort to get them back to where the horse is able to run/jump/piaffe/spin/slide or do whatever else we ask him to do.
So, in that regard, let’s talk about a few things that you can and should think about so that you can keep your good friend injury free for as long as possible.
Shoeing and trimming
As anyone who has ever met at least two farriers knows, there are generally only two ways to shoe and trim a horse: the right way, and the way everyone else but the farrier that you’re talking to does it.
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That said, in terms of general principles, the least complicated, simplest way to shoe and trim the horse is generally the best. If your horse can go barefoot, it’s not a bad idea (and it’s easier on the budget, too). If your horse needs shoes, that’s ok, too. For most horses, less (“special” shoeing and trimming modifications) and more adherence to general shoeing principles is usually associated with more (soundness). (Read my article on some basic shoeing and trimming principles.)
Nutrition
It’s said that you are what you eat. However, it’s pretty hard to associate any particular tendon or ligament problem with nutrition, unless you get into some weird toxicities.
Fortunately, horses tolerate a fairly wide range of nutrient levels and do well on a variety of feeds. In general, if your horse looks good, it’s because he’s being cared for well. Oh, and exactly no supplements have been shown to be useful in preventing tendon and ligament injuries.
Body condition
In my experience, it’s much more common to see a horse suffering from problems related to being too fat than it is to see a horse suffering from problems related to being too thin. That goes for tendons and ligaments, too.
It’s pretty simple, really; the more weight a horse carries, the harder it is on his tendon and ligaments. In general terms, good body condition for a horse is where you can feel his ribs easily, but not see them (obviously, there’s a range).
Training
If all you ever do is walk your horse down the trail, chances are pretty remote that he’ll even suffer from a tendon or a ligament injury. Oh, sure, horses being horses, they’ll generally find some creative way to hurt themselves—and accidents do happen—but tendon and ligament injuries are more generally seen in athletic horses—jumpers, runners, sliders, etc.—than they are in horses with a more sedentary way of life.
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If you have an athletic horse, it’s mandatory that they are trained for the discipline in which they compete. What constitutes “proper” training, of course, is not at all well-defined. In fact, it would be pretty difficult to define, given that our ways of assessing the training or fitness level of a horse are pretty rudimentary.
Even so, there are a few general rules that are likely to helpful in preventing tendon and ligament injuries:
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Don’t do too much, too fast. Even though horses are remarkable athletes, and even though most of them will go forward and try to do the job asked of them with a minimum of prompting (there are certainly exceptions), it’s important to build them up to the amount of training and endurance needed for their particular discipline.
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Do something, regularly. If you’re training your horse, get your horse out at least three or four days a week.
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Don’t overtrain. Strong tissues come from cycles of training and rest/repair. Rest allows for tissues to repair themselves. Overtraining—asking the horse to repeat the same movements, day after day—runs the risk of repetitive stress injuries, which is how most tendon and ligaments occur. Think of breaking a paper clip—you can bend it a couple of times, and it will be ok, but bend it too often and it will snap.
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Cross train. If you’re preparing your horse for some athletic endeavor, don’t make your horse do the same thing, day after day. For one, it will make him crazy and he’ll get tired of it (and probably get tired of you, too). That said, if you are cross-training, it’s probably a good idea to avoid working your horse beyond his accustomed level of (Continued)
*****
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Dr. David Ramey is a 1983 graduate of the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to being a full-time equine veterinary practitioner in Encino, California, Dr. Ramey is also an internationally recognized author, lecturer and blogger. Dr. Ramey is a vocal advocate for the application of science to medicine, and—as such—for the welfare of the horse. |
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activity. So, for example, don’t one day decide to see if your horse can do a 50 mile endurance race if all that he’s been doing in the past couple of years is hacking around on the flat.
Walk your horse a lot
I think that the most underappreciated gait of the horse is the walk. The benefits of walking are innumerable. Walking is fun, horses like it, and it’s a great way to sightsee. You can also get a lot of training work done at the walk.
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Walking has some big benefits insofar as preventing tendon and ligament injuries, as well. So, for example, once a horse is warmed up at the walk prior to working at faster gaits, it takes a lot more force to tear tendons and ligaments.
So, to prevent injuries to tendons and ligaments, you should probably walk your horse for at least 15 minutes prior to doing anything faster. You should also probably walk your horse around for 10 minutes or so AFTER exercise before you put him up, to help him calm and cool down (among other reasons).
Housing
Even if you don’t ride your horse over fences, run them in circles, or try to keep a steer from going back to his buddies, tendon and ligament injuries can occur in a horse’s own environment.
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Equids evolved on the flat ground of plains, steppes, and veldts—they left climbing mountains to goats, sheep, and such. So, when it comes to preventing tendon and ligament injuries, as much as possible, it’s probably a good idea for them to spend most of their time on flatter ground. It is possible (though less common) for a horse to strain a tendon or ligament without any prompting from a rider, so the gentler and flatter the footing, the better.
Of course, even if horses are in a stall, they can do things to hurt their legs by getting cast, or by kicking.
ASIDE: I’ve often been asked if I wish that horses could be kept in padded stalls to prevent injury. My response has always been, “No, they’d just eat the padding and colic.” It’s always something.
Putting in devices such as casting bars or giving horses room to get out of stalls can help prevent injuries. Kicking horses can do all sorts of damage to themselves and interventions such as more frequent feedings, slow feeders, kick chains, protective mats on stalls, or moving away from annoying neighbors can help prevent injuries to tendons and ligaments.
Footing
The link between footing and tendon and ligament injuries is a complicated subject. It’s reasonable to say that horses shouldn’t be worked for a long time at speed in deep, soft ground, but things aren’t always that simple. Here’s a good article on the American Association of Equine Practitioners website that I hope you’ll find helpful.
Boot and bandages
This one’s pretty simple. Don’t rely on boots and bandages to keep your horse from injuring a tendon or a ligament. Although they come in a fetching array of colors, when it comes to preventing tendon and ligament problems, boots and bandages overpromise and underdeliver. ( Read my article about boots and bandages from 2018.)
Conformation
Conformation is a bit of a thorny subject. It’s easy to assume that a horse with “good” legs will have fewer injuries than one with corkscrews of legs, but there have been plenty of good performance horses with bad conformation. Still, if you’re going to buy a horse, there’s nothing wrong with trying to pick one with relatively good conformation.
So, for example:
- Hooves with low, underslung heels have additional strain on the flexor tendons on the back of the limb compared to horses with more upright hooves.
- Horses that are “back at the knee” probably have more stress on their flexor tendons.
- Horses that have very straight conformation through the hock and stifle joints of the hind limbs place additional stress on their flexor tendons.
- Long backs and short croups may be associated with problems in the pelvis and back.
If your horse does have any of these problems, for goodness sake, don’t tell him. He’ll just go on trying to do the best he can anyway and you wouldn’t want to make him feel bad.
If your horse already has a problem, be extra careful
If a horse hurts in one spot, he will commonly try to shift weight away from that spot to other spots (say, from one front leg to the other one). Even if the horses isn’t obviously lame, overloading one side for the other puts the overloaded side at risk for injury.
If your horse has some sort of soreness or lameness issue, don’t just ride through it and hope it will go away. Treat it appropriately (consulting with your veterinarian, as needed) and you’ll be protecting the tendons and ligaments, too.
Make sure you’re not the problem
Obviously, when it comes to preventing tendon and ligament injuries, an in-depth article could be written about any of these sub-topics. Still, when you look at all of the things that can be done to try to prevent tendon and ligament injuries, the one thing that keeps cropping up is the one factor that you have complete control over: you.
You can’t guarantee that by doing the right things your horse will never have a tendon or ligament problem, but if you don’t do the right things, you can increase the odds that he will.
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The author is Dr. David Ramey |
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Fortunately, while wintertime means that people are breaking out the down parkas and long johns, horses are built to handle just about anything that winter brings along.
Horse geometry
One of the many reasons that horses do so well in the cold is because of their geometry. To help visualize this, think of a horse as a big cylinder on sticks.
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Your Business Card Here
Just $10 for 12 months
Other Options:
Full page - $25 per issue
Half page - 15 per issue
Quarter page - $10 per issue
Discounts for multiple months
Free classifieds!
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To advertise in the Stable Sheet, contact Gay Adams - (503) 936-4276 or
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JLC Joins Coalition Opposing Compromise Bill to PAST Act |
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November 11, 2020
The Joint Leadership Council is joining a coalition that the American Horse Council put together to oppose a compromise bill being circulated in the Senate to amend the PAST Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in 2019, and supported by the horse industry. The compromise bill includes substantial changes to the PAST Act that the horse industry cannot support as currently written. These changes include:
1. Eliminating references to the three horse breeds listed in the PAST Act, which include Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses.
2. Specific mention of “other horse breeds” that could expand the scope of regulation beyond the parameters of the PAST Act.
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3. Establishment of a new governing organization that would oversee a complex system of penalties and other regulations.
In addition, the compromise bill would eliminate the use of metal bands on shoes and braced tails. The Joint Leadership Council, whose members include the American Hackney Horse Society, American Morgan Horse Association, American Road Pony and Horse Association, American Saddlebred Horse Association, American Saddlebred Registry and United Professional Horsemen’s Association, will continue to work with the American Horse Council and our contacts in the House and Senate as we remain united in our opposition against the compromise bill.
Click this link to read the American Horse Council press release posted November 11, 2020.
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Featured Article From Platinum Plus |
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This is an in depth article on a diagnosis that we are hearing more often, so I thought I would pass it on. There is no intention to endorse this company or its product. Keep in mind, the company will promote its product toward the end of the article. With or without that, there is a lot of good information included. Gay
Kissing Spines, more scientifically known as impingement of the dorsal spinous processes, is a condition that has grown in relevance and impact throughout the last two decades with improved diagnostics and education. It’s hard not to feel a horse’s pain after taking just one look at an x-ray that indicates Kissing Spines. The condition can diminish athletic performance and render a horse unusable in severe cases, while other cases with the ugliest x-rays can experience no pain or performance implications. While still shrouded in some level of mystery, Kissing Spines is known to be conformational and most likely genetic. When spinous processes are conformationally close together they will inevitably contact, with that continual contact causing the modeling changes that are classically seen on radiographs.
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Support Morgan Stronger with AMHA's NEW 2021 Weekly Planner! |
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NEW for 2021 - Our AMHA Weekly Planner is FULL of beautiful Morgan horses to brighten your day and further support our Morgan Stronger Fundraising Campaign! Each week features a different Morgan and has ample space to plan your week...and they will make the perfect Christmas gift for the Morgan lover in your life!
Advertisers...Remember that you will receive two (2) calendar/planners for each ad placed. If you would like additional planners, please follow the instructions above. Thank you for your support of our fundraiser!
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AMHA Western Region Report |
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As 2020 enters the holiday season and begins to wrap up, we all count our blessings and extend our warmest thanks to each and every one of our members that provided support to our wonderful Morgan breed this year. When the Covid-19 pandemic first began in March with the shutdown of our economy and subsequently endured through the spring and summer with the cancellation of so many horse shows, we seriously wondered how a small association like ours, which had just relocated states and was embroiled in litigation, would survive.
We appealed to our constituency to help with our Morgan Stronger campaign; we applied for and received government stimulus in the form of a PPP loan; The Morgan Horse magazine found new, innovative ways to maintain interest and ad revenue; horse shows, and in particular the Grand National, adapted to new rules and brought us together successfully; we settled the Bennett litigation and received insurance funds to assist with the legal fees; and, most importantly, our members stepped up in so many ways to participate and support AMHA. We are very proud to announce that AMHA has weathered the storm thus far and will end the year in positive territory.
Of course, challenges remain as our industry seeks to find a new normal. The Morgan Stronger campaign will continue as we try to rebuild our emergency funds and have dollars available for critical upgrades to our website. For now, though, we are eternally grateful to all of you and take this moment to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!
Your Western Region Directors,
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Dallas Bolen
Mari Sanderson
Terri Sturm
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Be sure to get your votes into AMHA for Terri Sturm for Western Director. Votes are needed to hit the minimum
number required.
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Registry: The Registrar’s report was presented with statistics through September 30, 2020. |
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2020 Oregon Equine Excellence Awards
To Be Announced
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December 13, 2020, 7pm
on Facebook LIVE
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Join the Oregon Horse Council LIVE as we unveil the winners of our 1st annual Equine Excellence Awards on the 2020 National Day of the Horse! Hear from award winners about the passion and dedication that drives them, learn more about the Oregon Horse Council, and celebrate excellence in our industry!
Nancy Eidam has been nominated for the
Lifetime Achievement Award!
Be there to show your support!
December 13th at 7pm
Facebook LIVE
Hosted by the Oregon Horse Council
For questions or assistance, contact Brandi Ebner
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Day of the Horse - December 13th |
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2020 Morgan Superior Sweepstakes
November 20th, 2020
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"We don't even know where to begin, other than we are humbled, excited, and thrilled to provide this opportunity to Morgan breeders. With a few more being bought after the auction, our unofficial total is $225,000 in the jackpot! There are four Open stallions left that you can still 'Get In It To Win It!' Contact the sale office and make your selection!" |
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Sale Committee -
Dennis Bontrager (260) 585-4927 or Al Lehman (260) 350-9915
The Superior Morgan Sweepstakes is a brand new program designed to begin a new chapter in Morgan history! Every stallion owner has donated a breeding to their horse, which was auctioned off on Friday night at the Superior Morgan Horse Sale. All of the money raised will be pooled into the jackpot, which will be paid out in the first-ever Superior Morgan Weanling Sweepstakes in 2022.
Only two foals per stallion will be eligible to show for the jackpot. One will be bred by the winning bidder from the stallion service auction and the other will be bred by the stallion owner. That's it! The only way to get into the Sweepstakes is to donate a stallion breeding or be the winning bidder in the auction.
With over 100 stallion services donated & sold, this program is on its way to having one of the largest payouts ever in Morgan history!!
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USEF Safe Sport Reminder to all Competing Members
We are committed to creating and maintaining an equestrian community free of all forms of emotional, physical, and sexual misconduct. In an effort to cultivate this safe community, US Equestrian members and participants have a mandatory duty to report suspected sexual misconduct to the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The USEF Safe Sport Policy and U.S. Center for SafeSport Code are aimed at protecting all participants in our sport.
Effective January 1, 2019, all USEF members 18 years old and older with a Competing Membership must complete SafeSport Training in order to compete in USEF-licensed competitions.
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Time to line up your calendar for next year |
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PNW Morgan Horse Show
August 26-29, 2021
Hi folks! Although this show season didn’t turn out the way anyone had hoped, we are excited to announce our show dates for 2021! Please join us August 26-29, 2021 at the Washington Horsemen Tacoma Unit in Spanaway WA.
Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!
Kaitlin Lebon
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ATTENTION!
The Olympic Field Trials are again scheduled to take place the same time as the OMC show. Make your reservations early! We are seeking to find a hotel to work with us. As information is available, we will let you know.
Karen Breckenridge, OMC Show Chair, (503) 580-4716
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California SpringFest
Horse Show
Information Has Been Requested
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Mother Lode
September 3-5, 2021
Save the date for this wonderful show at the exquisite Rancho Murietta Equestrian Center. This A-rated Morgan Horse Show includes Saddleseat, Driving, Western Dressage, Cowboy Dressage, Classic Dressage, Hunter, Western, Jumping, Trail, and Ranch classes. The beautiful Gypsy horses join us in this fun filled show and we have plenty of classes open to all breeds. There is truly something for everyone!
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Morgan Medallion
Regional Show
No information available at this time.
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Morgan Grand National & World Championship Horse Show, State Fair Park, Oklahoma City OK
October 9-16, 2021
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Do you know other dates for your shows or discipline events? Please send them to me to publish. We need to cross our fingers and start looking forward to a better year ahead!
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MSV Shooting Star
(Liberation First Star x Ryan's Pure Silk Lady)
2002 - 2020
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MSV Shooting Star (Moose) was a beautiful, proven stallion siring show horse champions from coast to coast in Park Harness, Pleasure Driving, English Pleasure, Classic Pleasure, Hunter Pleasure, Western Pleasure, and In-Hand. He himself had many show championships in Park Harness, Pleasure Driving, and In-Hand. |
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Our hearts go out to Diane Pixlee, Margaret Korver, Susan King and Nancy Eidam, and all the members of the 5-1-5-0 Partnership that owned him, as well as to all who knew & loved him.
It was a point of pride to have Moose here in the Northwest. He will be greatly missed by many.
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Diann Conser
7/10/1945 - 9/5/2020
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Goodbye to our dear friend, Diann Conser of Newberg OR. May you be with your Morgans and Morgan friends who have gone before. Our warm thoughts are with her husband Dave at this time of loss.
Diann, a long time member of our Morgan family, succumbed to complications of ovarian cancer on September 5, 2020. Diann leaves behind two Morgans, Rusty (Beaver State Imperial) and Andy (Royal Myst Antares), her husband Dave Conser, and many friends.
Diann celebrated her 75th birthday in July, and on August 8 she and Dave celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Dave told me that on their first date Diann "drug" him to a CMH show! They had to have horses in their lives, and it had to be Morgans. Dave and Diann were longtime, active members of CMH (Columbian Morgan Horsemen) as well as members of MHAO. They also rode for many years with the Yamhill County Sheriff's Posse - on Morgans of course!
Even during her illness, Diann kept riding as long as she could. Dave is determined to also stay in the saddle even though his partner is gone and he says he is left without his "rudder." He is about to adopt a Labrador Retriever though, which his brother is giving him to keep him busy.
Diann, will be greatly missed. Dave, you are in our hearts and prayers.
Thank you Shelley Bullard, for sharing this.
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Looking forward to a better year ahead for everyone! |
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Included in the next Sections:
Section 2:
Meet MHAO Members
Member News
Section 3:
MHAO Requests for Volunteers
Advertising Thru MHAO
Classified Ads
How to become an MHAO Member
Oregon Horse Council News
USEF News
AMHA & UPHA News
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