The AHYA Youth Board, in support of this year's theme, would like to challenge each region to decorate their Regional golf cart based on the specific decade or era voted on by your Regional Youth Directors at the March meeting. A list of specific historical events will be available on the AHYA website to help get your creative and artistic juices flowing. Each cart will be different, each cart exciting, a journey though the eras! See the era assignments below. 

Region 1                        Cavemen

Region 2                        Vikings

Region 3                        The Future

Region 4                        Dessert Bedouins

Region 5                        2000's

Region 6                        1920-1929

Region 7                        1880's and the Wild West

Region 8                        Mid-evil & Renaissance

Region 9                        1950-1959

Region 10                      1980-1989

Region 11                      1970-1979

Region 12                      Turn of the Century 1900-1919

Region 13                      1940-1949

Region 14                      1930-1939

Region 15                      Victorian/Civil War

Region 16                      1960-1969

Region 17 & 18             1990-1999

The AHYA Board is looking for activity and t-shirt sponsors for the 2012 Youth Nationals. Think it would be cool to have your barn listed on the back of all those qualifier t-shirts? How about a perfect memento for an outgoing senior to have their name on their last year as a qualifier? We also are still looking for additional sponsorships for the AHYA Convention to Hippology Contest. Download a Youth Activity Sponsorship form today from the AHYA website by clicking here.   

The Youth National Show Commission is working hard and in need of Youth National Champion Jacket Sponsorships for this year. Jacket/Buckle sponsorships are $300 each. Sponsors are named in the Youth Nationals Official Show Program as well as recognized in through center ring announcements as the champion of each class is named. To sponsor one of these most coveted prizes, click here and complete the sponsorship form.   

Youth Programs will NOT be holding the Consignment Sale at Youth Nationals, July 2012.  

We want YOU to cover Youth Nationals Activities! Enter the 2012 Youth Journalism contest by submitting a writing sample (details below). If you win, you'll be one of several kids to become journalists for Youth Nationals. Your work will be featured in official Youth Nationals coverage, and on the AHA website. Wow!

Winning youth journalists will work with an AHA staff member to write accounts or activities, get interviews, and take fun photos! If you're interested, make sure you'll be in Albuquerque, New Mexico for at least a few days of upcoming Youth Nationals. Winners must be able to write their own stories and attend actives. Check out the youth website for more details.  

Temperatures are warming, pastures are greening, and the flying, creeping, and crawling pests are making their yearly appearance. One pest that horse owners need to be particularly mindful about is the tick. Ticks are masters of "hide and seek."

We all care a lot about our Arabian horses and we make sure to vaccinate and worm them regularly. Checking for ticks should be a common practice for every horse owner, especially once warmer weather moves in and if you live or keep your horse near wooded and grassy areas.   

What's up with ticks?

Ticks are known to be carriers of bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Lyme disease affects animals and people differently. The most common symptoms that indicate your horse might be infected with Lyme disease are lameness and behavioral changes. The lameness is usually found in larger joints (not the foot) and can shift from one leg to another. You might also detect signs of stiffness in your horse's limbs. Behavioral changes can be more difficult to detect. They might show an unwillingness to work and some owners have even noticed an increase in irritability in their horses and a change in attitude. Don't rely too heavily on seeing your horse develop a temperature to know they are infected. Some horses never spike a temperature with Lyme disease. With treatment, the symptoms usually return to normal relatively quickly.

The adult tick, which is present in the fall and early spring, is the stage most likely to feed on horses. The adult tick is usually big enough to be found while simply grooming your horse. Ticks are sneaky, but usually hide around the head, throatlatch area, belly, and under the tail, but be sure to also look inside your horse's ears, forelock and mane. Develop your own system for checking for ticks while you do your daily grooming and if you find a raised bumpy area, make sure to take a closer look. 

Eek! I found a tick! Now What?

The best way to remove a tick is by grabbing it with a pair of tweezers gently at its mouthparts, where it is attached to your horse. Carefully and slowly pull gently backwards to remove the tick. Be sure to avoid rupturing the tick as you remove it. Once the tick is removed you can either place it in a closed container if your parents want to get it tested or you should dispose of them in the toilet. Either way, prompt removal is your best bet at minimizing the risks for Lyme disease in your horses. 

What can we do? 

Although there is no vaccine currently for tick prevention, there are a few repellant products out there to help minimize them. Make sure to apply any repellant you find for tick prevention in the areas most common where they like to hide. Don't let the repellants lure you into a false sense of security; make sure to continue to keep a look out for the really sneaky ones! The secret is that ticks need to attach and feed for 12-24 hours before they start transmitting the bacteria into your horse. Catching them early is key!

Consult your veterinarian for more advice on disease control or if you suspect your horse is showing symptoms of Lyme disease.