By Bec Braitling
I’ve been working on perfecting a few things this winter. Firstly, learning to dodge the constant barrage of powerful storms repeatedly pounding the central coast in 2019. Secondly, when I don’t manage to avoid the rain, lasting the day outside working highly spirited horses whilst changing out jackets at least 8 times. Thirdly, I’ve been reminded yet again that horses really like the rain, and despite my best efforts to provide a nice warm stall for them, inevitably I’ll come out and everyone is standing in the pouring rain anyway. It’s sure been a wet start to the year and I’m hopeful our lakes and water catchment areas are benefiting from the above average rainfall. Along with excessive amounts of rain in California come a few challenges for horse owners, particularly when it comes to maintaining good hoof health.
Every day I arrive at the barn and pray everyone still has shoes on before I wrestle the mud out of everyone’s feet and stain my hands and clothes with any number of anti-thrush products. Looking forward to sunny days ahead!
Trailer Safety
Driving along the 101 last week I was yet again reminded how dangerous trailering horses is. Some roadwork along a freeway entrance caused a near miss and resulted in one of the horses ending up in a very dangerous situation in the trailer. One of my favorite ‘must haves’ is the EquiMedic USA First Aid Kit. It’s a perfect size to store in the trailer and is stocked full of super helpful products to assist with side of the road emergencies. Another one of my favorites are trailer cameras, there are a few cost-effective models on the market that link straight to your smartphone for quick monitoring. Don’t forget to check your tires, especially after the winter months when trailers aren’t in use as much. One investment I made over the winter was to install an air compressor on the truck, so I can deal with tire troubles a little faster when I have a trailer full of impatient horses. It’s often hard to rely on gas stations or truck stops to have the right tools so an extra long hose that reaches my trailer tires and a portable tire gauge has proven super helpful. Traveling with horses can be stressful so hitting the road well prepared is a must.
Volunteering
The equestrian community relies heavily on volunteers, from trail maintenance to running horse shows, pony club, crisis management situations
such as fires and floods through to rescues and shelters. Spare time is hard to come by so if you ever have the chance to get out there and give a little time, please give it some thought. There’s plenty of organizations on the central coast needing a little extra manpower right now.
Ellen Corob takes over at the California Dressage Society
San Luis Obispo based dressage rider Ellen Corob has recently taken over the reins as President of the California Dressage Society. She previously served as president of the San Luis Obispo chapter of the organization in addition to running local shows and organizing the CDS Central Amateur Clinics (the upcoming one being held at Templeton Farms). Ellen is an absolute powerhouse, dedicating herself to the sport as well as being an avid competitor herself. We wish Ellen the best of luck with this new role. Visit www.california-dressage.org for information on upcoming shows, clinics and how to get involved in the sport on a local level.
April Calendar
April 1-3 Sandy Collier and Barbara Schulte V6 High-Performance Clinic, V6 Ranch, Parkfield. Visit v6ranch.com for entry details.
April 10-14 Spring Cowboy Academy, V6 Ranch
April 6-7 Kick-Off Schooling Show, Paso Robles Horse Park, check pasorobleshorsepark.com
April 11-14 Twin Rivers International Three Day Event, 8715 N River Rd., Paso Robles. Check twinrivershorsepark.com for more info. Food available daily, spectators welcome. Volunteers are needed and appreciated, food provided and loads of great horse entertainment.
April 12-14 CDS Adult Amateur Central Clinic with Lilo Fore at Templeton Farms, 1799 Templeton Rd, Templeton. Contact
Ellen Corob 804-440-2947 for more details.
April 17-21 Paso Park Welcome Classic at the Paso Robles Horse Park. Enjoy two weeks of top hunters and jumpers on the Central Coast. Great vendors, food and entertainment. Visit pasorobleshorsepark.com for premiums and spectator information.
April 24-28 Paso Park Spring Classic at the Paso Robles Horse Park.
April 25-28 Burbank Showcase Multi-Breed Show, visit ceashowinfo.com for information. Los Angles Equestrian Center, Burbank.
