Member Briefs

MEET MAPFHA’s NEWEST YOUTH MEMBER
Submitted by Member Autum Mohawk

 HELLO,
My name is Autum Mohawk.  I am 11 years old and live in Hibbing, Minnesota with my parents Kurt & Gail Mohawk and my two sisters, 16 year old Brooke and 3 year old Cassidy.   I am a new member of the MAPFHA and recently participated at the Minnesota Horse Expo in the Paso Fino breed demonstration in St. Paul.  I have a 21 year old mare named First Priority de Petite, but we all call her “Breeze”.  Although she will be 22yrs. old in August, she still is going strong and I trail ride with her and show her often at local shows.  We also attend the Southern Minnesota Classic in Albert Lea Minnesota every year.

 I would also love to show “Breeze” at a real Paso Fino show this year.

 I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the MN Expo this year for giving me the chance to participate in the Demonstration of Breeds.  I have been begging my parents to let me do this for the past three years and was extremely excited to be able to do this!!  THANK YOU!!Thanks to Lynda and Bob Zimmerman for the great photos taken of us at the Expo!  I really appreciate it! Special THANKS to Brenda Bergman for being such a help to me!  My family and I really loved having her with us for the weekend and hope to get together with her in the future since she is not so far away from me.  My family and I met some really great people at the Expo and everyone from the Paso Fino organization was so nice!  We had a great time and would love the opportunity to participate again next year!

 Let me tell you a little bit about the MN Expo.   My favorite part of the Expo was the breed demos, and the SHOPPING was great. My least favorite part about the Expo was the stalls. The floors were all bumpy from years of horses staying in the stalls.  My friend Brenda got hurt. She slipped in a hole, and Cisco (her Paso Fino gelding) tried to move out of the way, but hit her with his hoof.  She’s fine now (thank goodness). 

 I got to see a ton of different horse breeds, but the Paso Fino’s were my favorite!

I have had my Paso Fino mare for four years now, and she’s been a thrill. She is thirteen/one and just the right size for me. We like to show, trail ride, and jump. I love Paso Fino’s because they’re great for everything!  I would like to thank the MAPFHA for the millionth time for everything they have done for me and Breeze!

 Sincerely,

Autum and Breeze           

MAPFHA’s CROW HASSAN PARK RESERVE WEEKEND
Submitted by Member Roxie Vogl

 MAPFHA’s riding season is officially on.  We had a great time over the weekend of May 8^th at Crow Hassan Park Reserve. This was also Mother’s Day weekend.  I found it pretty amusing to hear some of the mothers grumbling about having to leave a bit early on Sunday, not getting in much of a ride if getting out on the trail at all, because they had to go do M-Day activities with their kids!  But, I’m sure they love their kids just about as much as their horses and enjoyed their day.

The weather could have been a bit better, but it could have been much worse.  Typical for May, the clouds hung around most of the weekend delivering a few little showers, but never timed to keep us off of the trail - can’t complain about that.  The mornings and evenings were chilly, so the campfire felt good.  Evening gatherings around the fire provided us with good conversation and plenty of laughter.  Day time temps were perfect for the horses.  They were ready to go and brio-full.

We had a very nice turn-out and enjoyed all the good company and horse talk.  The Saturday potluck went very well.  We have great cooks among us.  All the food was delicious; the deserts to die for.  We were very happy to have those who couldn’t bring horses join us:  The Kuper family (was fun to see the kids), Sandy Reding, Kathy Swenson, Markay Soll, and Chuck Hauser.  It was good to see you! 

 Our campers were:  Nancy & Russ Doering; Nancy Drumsta; Nancy Fredericks; Helen Funk; Jack & Sharon Gallagher; JoAnn & Doug Ouverson (our newlyweds! Congratulations to you.); Cathy Tauer; Steve & Roxie Vogl; Sharon Winsness & Gary Hulin; Bob & Lynda Zimmerman.

 The Bluestem group camp is very nice.  It has become one of my favorites.  The cabin always comes in handy for the potluck; the group fire pit is great, and the general atmosphere of the camp and park is very peaceful and beautiful.  The trails are well groomed, though you will hit a few rocky patches, mentioned just in case this concerns you.  Also many spots to stop and take in a big view.  It’s hard to realize that one is just a half hour outside of Minneapolis. 

 I highly recommend Crow Hassan Park Reserve, especially to anyone near the Twin Cities looking for a day ride or weekend get-away close to home.  The park in May is beautiful, and I know I’m looking forward to returning to enjoy summer and fall.

      

PASOS FOR PLEASURE:  PFHA’s Riding Incentive Program
Submitted by Member Lynda Zimmerman

 Do you know the Paso Fino Horse Association has a trail riding program? I just learned about it in “The Trail Rider” magazine, March issue. It’s called the Pasos for Pleasure, and members use official log forms to record their hours spent riding or driving on the trail or elsewhere. Hours in the show ring or spent in show preparation do not qualify.

 Other trail-riding programs are also available, including Ticket to Ride, which awards points for participating in organized rides and PFHA-sanctioned trail rides, and programs pegged to pleasure long-distance rides, endurance rides, and competitive trail rides.

 To be eligible for Pasos For Pleasure, a participant must be a current member of the PFHA and ride (but doesn’t need to own) a PFHA-registered horse. Special forms must be completed for participating in organized or sanctioned rides. Pasos for Pleasure applicants pay a one-time $25 fee.

 The Ticket to Ride program is free. The other programs carry a fee of $10 per ride entry.

Pasos for Pleasure participants receive awards upon reaching hours-ridden milestones, starting at 50 hours. Awards include patches, mugs, clothing and gift certificates.  The Ticket to Ride awards are determined by an annual drawing. The other programs allow members to accumulate points toward an annual Horse of the Year in each category, as well as lifetime recognition awards.

 For all the details or to obtain registration forms, see the PFHA website at www.pfha.org and click on “Info Seek” from the link at the top of the page, then “Forms” on the pull-down menu or call them at 813-719-7777.

Ask The Trainer
By Gregg Gallagher

 You are invited to submit your questions to “Ask The Trainer”.  Your questions will be answered with complete anonymity, Gregg won’t know your identity unless you request otherwise.  Please email your question to “Ask the Trainer” or your request for additional information regarding any “Ask the Trainer” article to:  editorMAPFHAenews@msn.com .  Gregg Gallagher is a long time member and past President of MAPFHA.  He has lived with horses his entire life and has extensive background in training, showing, and breeding the Paso Fino, along with working with their owners.  Thank you, Gregg, for your contribution to the MAPFHA E-Messenger.   ~editor~

 Dear Gregg,My horse has become very disrespectful.  He is pushy, pins his ears back at me, or shows me his backside when I approach him.  I don’t think he likes me anymore, even though I give him lots of love and treats.  What can I do to change his relationship with me?

Sincerely,

I Don’t Want To Break Up

Dear Break Up,

A horse that loves you is the horse that respects you.  Lavishing love and treats on horses is fine when they are giving you the behavior you want, but it will not gain their respect.  You gain respect by showing them you are a fair leader they can trust, and that you are in charge at all times.  If you have an opportunity to attend a local clinic or through private instruction, hands on in the round pen on the ground or in the saddle is your best bet.  What I will offer to you here are some simple methods you can use while you are in the pasture with your horse, even while doing your chores.

Horses are definitely creatures of habit, and humans tend to be too.  Both get complacent and too often people put down their guard around their horses.  It is important to always keep safety in mind and be aware of the horse’s location and body language.  The other part of complacency is the horse stops paying attention to you when in your presence.  Frankly, you may bore him.  This is the opposite of what you want.  When with you, they should be alert to you and ready to respond to you.  A big first step in breaking this inattentive pattern is by changing up your habits and behavior.  There are countless ways to do this, and you should always look for ways to be creative.

 You can change your feeding pattern from day to day.  If you hay and then grain, switch it to grain then hay.  Or if you feed first and then muck the barn, muck then feed.  If you walk a habitual straight line through the pasture, take a different path, jog or skip.  Carry a strange object.  Be less verbal with your horse and use more body language.  It is how horses talk to each other.  Or if you are usually quiet, use your voice.  When moving from point A to point B, don’t walk around your horse; tell the horse to get out of your way.  You get the idea.  Constantly change your habits and the order of chores so the horse doesn’t know what to expect. Do not be timid about getting a startle response from your horse.  It gets his attention on you.  That’s the whole idea.

 Another cue to take from the horses themselves is around food.  There is always the dominant horse and a pecking order down the line with the rest.  The dominant horse will drive the others away from the hay, bucket of grain, from you when handing out treats, or even the water trough.  The others only eat in peace because he allows it.

 I am sure you have noticed that when you have food, horses find you very interesting indeed.  Take advantage of this.  When feeding, you can claim the hay as your own first.  If it is treats, don’t let him crowd you.  When you are with your horse(s), you must always be at the top of the pecking order, even for those of you that board your horse.  You can look for ways to assert your place as your horse’s leader, and demand respect from horses that do not belong to you but may share pasture or corral space with your horse.  They and your horse can stand a respectful distance away for a bit and come in for the hay or treat when invited.  In the beginning you may need a tool such as a training stick to enforce this and drive the horse away.  Your horse gets to eat when you say so.

With the very disrespectful horse as described in this Ask The Trainer question, more commanding behavior on the part of the human is necessary.  You must take charge of your space, do not let the horse crowd you.  Again, a good tool is to take a training stick or whip into the pasture with you.  Most often you won’t need to touch the horse as it will usually respond and move away from the motion and sound of the stick or whip.  One of the most disrespectful and dangerous things a horse can do is turn her butt towards you.  If you watch horses communicate to each other, the horse that turns its butt to another expects it to back down.  If it doesn’t back down, the next action is often a kick.  This is what the horse is communicating to you, and I won’t tolerate it, it is just too dangerous and I could get seriously hurt.  This is the time I will whack a horse with my whip, stick, or rope, whatever I have available to me (and be sure to stay out of the ‘line of fire’ should he kick).    I will also drive away any horse that is walking towards me with ears pinned.  She cannot enjoy my company using threatening behavior.  Remember, the more you command your personal space, drive a disrespectful horse away from you, and claim the food, the more she sees you as a leader, will show submissive behavior, and will want to follow you.

I am in no way suggesting a horse should be beaten into submission.  That is cruelty that I am firmly against.  You want to gain leadership through respect, not fear.  However, I am saying to not be afraid to be physical with your horse as they are with each other.  Never use more force than is needed to get what you want, and always remove the force immediately when he gives.

If you are not comfortable with taking these more assertive actions with your disrespectful horse, that’s ok.  It just means you may benefit from professional instruction to help build confidence, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  In fact, it’s the smart thing to do.

By observing horse’s behavior with each other, you can learn many ways to assert your leadership.  If you think about what you are doing every time you walk into the pasture with your horse and practice creative leadership, you should make progress quickly.   The key is to be in charge at all times and be consistently inconsistent – that is, no more being on ‘auto-pilot’ -  keep them alert for your next move.  The payoff is worth the extra effort!

 Happy Training, 

Gregg     

Tid Bits

If you come across any tidbits, please let me know!  Email to: editorMAPFHAenews@msn.com   ~editor~

IMPORTANT REMINDER FROM OUR VICE PRESIDENT/MEMBERSHIP CHAIR, SANDY REDING

This is to remind you to be sure to access from www.MAPFHA.com Member’s Only page the MAPFHA Yahoo Group.  This site is exclusive to members only where you can safely post your own pictures, talk to each other and share info on the message board, and find other sensitive information where your privacy is protected.  I have recently put up on the Yahoo group our 2009 membership list.

We have several members signed up on the group, but there are still many of you who have not taken advantage of this members benefit.  If it’s just that you are busy and don’t think of it, please take a few minutes now to register so I can approve your membership.  Otherwise, I would really like to have some feedback from you as to why you are not joining the group and it will help me to know how to better assist you.  I can be reached at sgreding@comcast.net or by phone at 612-597-1483.

CLICK HERE now and a new window will open where you can register for the group.  Please be patient as I will need to approve your application.  Typically, I approve these within 24 hours.  Thank you!     Sandy 

TRAIL ETIQUETTE

The Equine Network’s April newsletter, On The Trail, has some interesting articles.  There’s an on-line version available and you may want to check it out for the article on what to do if caught on the trail in a storm.  I, Roxie (editor), thought their Lead Horse Trail Etiquette article is timely for our new riding season.  I was inspired, hence, my (Roxie’s) version is below, but you are best served by reading their comprehensive and expert advice in their newsletter.  CLICK HERE TO READ ALL OF THEIR ARTICLES.  Thank you to Lynda Zimmerman for submitting this Tid Bit.

It has been my experience that the vast majority of MAPFHA members with whom I’ve been on the trail do show great courtesy for each other.  Really, I have no complaints.  I am a rookie in the saddle and they have all been very patient and thoughtful towards me.  Even though everyone is very thoughtful, there’s no harm in reviewing etiquette…

Good communication between riders is important.  Announce to the rider(s) behind you of any trail perils you spot such as holes, soft spots, pheasants (yikes!), etc.  It’s not always easy, but do try really hard not to smack the guy behind you with a branch you moved out of your way.

Keeping horses spaced apart is a good idea for many reasons.  Should the pace of the group change or the horse in front of you decides to stop, it can avoid the domino effect pile-up.  Also try to avoid letting your horse named Abe stop suddenly to eat unless you know there’s no one right behind you.

I have found spacing to be critical when on a narrow trail with heavy brush that makes the trail difficult to be seen by the horse.  On one of my rides, a horse didn’t see a log across the trail and fell over it.  Maybe he was a bit too close to the one ahead and couldn’t see the log coming.  Nobody got hurt, thankfully, and this mishap made me more conscious of spacing my horse.

If you are the lead horse, remember to be courteous to all behind you with a gait or speed that everyone is comfortable with.  That goes for terrain too.  Do not turn off onto a difficult trail before making sure everyone wants to take it.

Practice ‘No Rider Left Behind’.  Pay attention that the riders behind you aren’t lagging.  Stopping the group to let them catch up may be needed.  If you need to stop for personal reasons, I will appreciate you not being shy about needing a break… it’s opportunity for a smoke break for me.    =^}

My final advice is take responsibility for your own safety and comfort.  If you fall behind or find yourself in a situation that you are not comfortable with, SPEAK UP! 

OLD PASO FINO BLOODLINES

Here’s a website page I came across that I thought was rather interesting.  It has a little discussion on Paso Fino lines that were developed in Colombia and Peru, some from way back.  Link to it HERE  ~editor~ 

Everyone is invited to submit any Tid Bit you come across.  Send yours to: editorMAPFHAenews@msn.com