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Heads Up!
October 2012
10/3-7...State Fair A Show - Hunt Horse Complex
10/6...Triangle Jumper Series - MacNair's
10/7...NCDCTA Show - MacNair's
10/7...Healing Touch for Animals, Level 1
10/12-14...EHA Show - Williamston
10/13...Saddle Up 3-5
10/14...Horse 101
10/19...Community School Fun Day
10/21...NCHJA C Show - MacNair's
10/27...4H Clinic
10/27...Dressage Clinic with Laura Pendleton
MCA calendar
2012 Shows at MacNair's
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the Word from the Herd
Ever heard of Dr.Temple Grandin? She is a world-renowned animal welfare researcher who has written many books about animals and how they think and feel. She lectured at NCSU Vet School recently. Here are some of her observations and thoughts about herd animals. Maybe you have noticed some of these behaviors, too.
- Animals worry whenever there is a change in the floor--from dirt to metal, metal to concrete, shadow to reflection. Give the animal a chance to put its head down and look.
- When animals are calm, they will stop and look at things. If they're stressed, you won't see them do that.
- Don't pat animals, stroke them.
- Calm animals are easier to handle. Screaming and yelling is really stressful to animals. Screaming and yelling versus gate slamming? Animals know the difference. They know the screaming and yelling is directed at them.
- All grazing animals need to be in social groups.
- Calm animals gain more weight.
- New things are attractive when an animal is allowed to approach them voluntarily and scary when they are suddenly or forcefully introduced.
- Rescue animals have different baggage depending on their experiences. Starved horses don't have fear memories. Abused horses do.
Remember our quiz last month? Here are the answers!
HORSE QUIZ:
1. What country has the highest horse population?
The United States, with more than 9 million horses.
2. How many horse years equal one human year?
You've probably heard different versions of this one, and it's easy to confuse with comparisons for dogs and cats. Two of the most accurate calculators are:
- Multiply the horse's age by 2.2. Example: Dobbin is 15 years old. 15x2.2=33 years old in people years.
- The horse's first year equals 10 human years, and every year after that is equal to 2 human years. Example: For 15-year-old Dobbin, (1x10)+(14x2)=10+28=38 years old in people years.
3. What does a horse with "a lot of chrome" mean?
"Dude, that horse is chromed out!" He has a lot of white on his legs.
4. What natural bodily function of most mammals do horses not have?
Horses cannot vomit because a muscular valve that leads to the stomach prevents food from going back into the esophagus. This is a large part of why colic can be deadly to horses that overeat or get bad feed.
5. True or False: Horses can get the hiccups.
TRUE. Hiccups in horses are callled "thumps" because they begin near the diaphragm and cause an audible thumping sound in the chest area, sometimes accompanied by a rhythmic jerk in the flank area.
6. What is the approximate gestation period for a mare carrying a healthy foal?
11 months, approximately 340 days. Foals born at less than 320 days are considered premature and often have life-threatening respiratory problems.
7. What color or breed of horse might have a striped hoof?
Gray, spotted, or patterned horses, such as Appaloosas or Pony of the Americas, often have alternating dark and white striped hooves.
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Quote of the Month
A horse can lend its rider the speed and strength he or she lacks, but the rider who is wise remembers it is no more than a loan.
~Pam Brown
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Healing Touch Clinics
The next Healing Touch for AnimalsŪ will be Level 1 to be held October 5-7th.
Goodie and Nora with Carol loved being a part of the clinic in August!
Join us for Healing Touch for AnimalsŪ Level 1 on October 5-7! The Level 1 class comes to Raleigh only twice a year. The next Level 1 will be in March 2013.
Healing Touch for AnimalsŪ is a holistic therapy that supports an animal's health. In the weekend class, students learn and practice the techniques with well-mannered dogs on Saturday and gentle school horses on Sunday. The classes have been taught since 1996 in cities around the country; you can see pictures from the Raleigh classes at HTA class pictures.
Past participants have found the experience rewarding and helpful:
- "My horse has super-bonded with me since doing HT Animals!"
- "As a vet, I use it every day with the animals I meet."
Upcoming Healing Touch Clinic:
Level 4 November 2-4, 2012
Call Jane at 919-604-2327 (or email her) or visit http://www.healingtouchforanimals.com for more information.
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Dear Friends of MacNair's,
October is a busy horse show month! MacNair's will host the last show of the season for the Triangle Jumper Series on October 6 and an NCDCTA combined training and dressage show on October 7. Then, MacNair's riders head off to the EHA show in Williamston on October 13-14. Finally, MacNair's hosts an NCHJA C Show on October 21. Come watch and cheer our riders on!
The next Triangle C Show will be held November 4-5 at the Hunt Center. We will have MacNair's riders in this show so plan to come out and watch!
In addition to our busy show schedule, our 4-H club has a new project. On October 28, The American Cancer Society, in partnership with the American Kennel Club's Canine Partners Program, is sponsoring "Bark For Life" which is a Relay For Life fundraising event that honors the caregiving qualities of canine companions and is a fundraiser for cancer research. See the 4-H news below for more details.
Looking ahead, MacNair's is a proud farm sponsor of the 2012 Jump for Children Hunter/Jumper Show, being held November 6-12, 2012 at the Hunt Horse Complex. The show benefits Duke Children's Hospital. Please contact Anna Barkley at 919-656-4250 or annabarkley@nc.rr.com. It's not too late to show your support for the children.
Finally, we are happy to announce that MacNair's boarder Tiffany Kiernan has completed her equine sports massage certification through Equissage. She is now accepting clients, and all MacNair's boarders will receive a 10% discount. In addition, all new clients receive a 50% discount on the first massage. You may contact Tiffany by phone at (919) 906-4975 or by email at tiffkiernan@gmail.com. Go to www.followingfinn.com to learn more and to read fun daily horse facts.
Check out our Calendar of Fall Events.
Thank you to all for your continued support of our programs.
Nancy
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Showtime
September Results
Triangle Farms C Show August 24-26:
(We missed a couple of riders in last month's report on this show.)
- Thomas Gobble and Lacy ribboned in every class in the Long Stirrup division on both Saturday and Sunday, including two 2nds. The highlight was a 2nd in the second hunter round on Saturday, which set them up to take 6th in the Wee Derby!
- Lauren Hedley and G were 3rd in Hunter Eq on the Flat, 12-14, on Saturday and 4th on Sunday. She had some great ribbons in the Short Stirrup division both days as well.
Congratulations!
EHA Show September 15-16:
- Taylor Ellis and Theodore were Long Stirrup Champions on Saturday and Reserve Champion on Sunday.
- Kyler Peterson had a great weekend on Beauford, winning several ribbons in Maiden Young Entry on Saturday and taking Reserve Champion in the division on Sunday.
- Sammy Redwine and Windy ribboned in every class they entered.
Great job, everyone!
Triangle C Show September 28-30:
It was a very successful weekend for MacNair's riders!
- Biscaye was Champion in Adult Amateurs with Sarah Nash and Reserve Champion in the divisions he did with Cam.
- Cole was Reserve Champion in Children's Hunter with Sarah Bass and Reserve Champion in the divisions he did with Cam.
- Laura Barkley and Graf had a terrific showing. Graf was Children's Hunter Champion on both Saturday and Sunday, and Laura won the Children's Medal both days. They won the Hunter Derby on Saturday, too.
- Mary Copeland and Oberon won Champion in Special Hunter, Reserve Champion in Children's Hunter, and 2nd in the Derby.
- Samantha Wine and Wilson were Reserve Champions in Pre-Children's/Adult Hunter and won both Pre-Children's/Adult Equitation (on the flat and over fences) and 12-14 Equitation on the Flat.
- Courtney Bonini and Barney won their first Pre-Children's/Adult class and got very good equitation ribbons.
- Taylor Ellis and Theodore were Long Stirrup Champion on Saturday and Reserve Champion on Sunday, took 2nd in the Wee Derby, and won all of their Long Stirrup equitation classes.
- Lizzie Barkley and Bobby got good ribbons in their Short Stirrup and Equitation classes.
- Torey Fox and Dante had a great show, winning great ribbons in the Adult Amateur division and having an impressive 2nd round in the Derby.
We are all proud of you!!
Upcoming Shows:
Triangle Jumper Series 10/6 at MacNair's
NCDCTA 10/7 at MacNair's
EHA 10/14-15 in Williamston
Triangle C Show 11/4-6 at the Hunt Complex in Raleigh
Horse Show exhibitors are invited to compete at this year's NCDCTA, NCHJA C, EHA & Triangle Jumper Series Shows at MacNair's. Entry forms are on the Horse Shows page of the website.
2012 Shows at MacNair's
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A Couple Reminders for October We will be hosting another session of Horse 101 on October 14 from 11 am-2 pm. Through observation and hands-on exercises, participants will explore herd behavior, prey animal psychology, body language, and basics such as getting to the feet, haltering, and leading. Five out of five participants in our September session recommend Horse 101!   Cost for the Horse 101 is $55.00 per person. Mattie has a session of Saddle Up on 10/13 for those new to horses. And don't forget the Community School Fun Day on 10/19! We are offering another Fun Day for our community students. You can experience being a true "horse owner" for the day! This exciting new program will be offered on October 19 from 3:00-5:00 for riders currently enrolled in our Community School program. The program costs $55/person. It's a great opportunity to see exactly what is involved with having a horse of your own to manage, including feeding, haying, stall cleaning, general horse and barn care, and--of course--RIDING. Come join us to see all the fun you can have working around horses! Call the office (919) 851-1118 to sign up or for more information. |
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4-H News
for October
We held our first 4-H Club meeting of the year on Thursday, September 6th. It was good to see the 32 returning members back from a good summer and ready to work!
Welcome to the 8 new members who attended the new members meeting on September 27.
On September 22, we had our video clinic; four students rode two courses each, then reviewed video of their rides with Nancy. Everyone agreed it was fun and helpful to hear what judges are thinking about when they watch you ride. Mark your calendar for the next one, scheduled for December 1!
Our next clinic will focus on improving your flatwork through dressage with guest instructor Laura Pendleton and Martina on October 27 from 1 to 3. This clinic will include lecture, a demonstration ride, and riding time. It promises to be a very fun and educational clinic. Cost is $75.00. Space is limited, so call or email the office to sign up now!
We will also have a regular 4-H clinic on October 27. This clinic will start preparing those who are interested in trying out for the 4-H Show Team for 2013. Cost is $50.00.
On October 28, the 4-H club will participate in the American Cancer Society's Bark for Life at Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary. This is a Relay for Life event to recognize the caregiving qualities of canine companions; the club team will be walking in memory Caroline. We'll walk with dogs and people around the lake to raise funds and express support for the fight against cancer. Join our fundraising team, to walk or just to donate! Go to www.wakewalknwag.com, click SIGN UP. Choose "Join an Existing Team," and then search for "MacNair's." From there, the site will guide you to choices for walking or simply donating. The minimum registration is $20. Questions? Email Pam Mims at mimspam@nc.rr.com.
MacNair's 4-H Club is open to all students of the Riding School, ages 9 to 18.
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 The Rider's Position Series
There are seven physical qualities that make a good working position. Mastery of these qualities is needed to maintain strong equitation and achieve good communication and unity with the horse without interfering with the horse's natural balancing gestures or way of going. These are the qualities the rider must develop to achieve the four fundamentals of a good working position.
The first of the seven physical qualities is correct design of position.
Correct Design of Position
A correct design of position is marked by the rider's body being close to the pommel of the saddle, legs bent at the knees, heels down, stirrup leathers perpendicular to the ground, back straight, body straight or inclined slightly forward (depending on the horse's gait), shoulders open, head up, and elbows bent and near the rider's side so that the forearm and its rein form a straight line from the rider's elbow to the bit. The weight is evenly distributed in each stirrup, the ball of the foot resting near the outside branch of the stirrup, ankles flexed and rotated toward the horse sufficiently to allow the upper calves to be in contact with the horse's side. The rider is looking between the horse's ears, hands about 6 inches apart and slightly above and in front of the withers. |
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We love hearing from you. If you have a suggestion, an idea, or something we should be aware of, please take a few minutes to tell us.
Are you looking for past newsletters or recent photos? Please go to the Calendar_News Tab on our website.
Feel free to post on our Facebook page! (And anything you post there may show up here, too.)
Sincerely,
the Staff at MacNair's Country Acres
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