News from Horse Council BC

This winter while we are sitting in our warm homes (or freezing in the barn!) is a good time to think about the big picture in our "horse world". There are so many concerns that we face now including the environment, horse welfare and bio security. Whatever happened to just making sure that you had enough hay and shavings in the barn to last for the winter?

As horse owners and enthusiasts we do owe our part to the planet and should use sound environmental practices in our care and management of horses. Composting manure is just one small part of what we can do. There are many other steps we can take to decrease our footprints on the planet. Recycling is one other practice that anyone can do. Feed bags and baling twine can be recycled. The plastic containers of coat spray and fly spray can be cleaned out and put in the recycling, just make sure that you dispose of any residue correctly first. Old horse blankets can be used as bedding at dog and cat shelters, and most appreciate the donations. When you go tack shopping, take a re-usable cloth bag with you instead of using plastic bags. If you purchase a new blanket or two this winter, the bags they come in have a lot of great storage uses, not to mention you could put the blanket back in them for storage over the summer. Old hay and straw can be used on gardens over the winter to protect plants and discourage weeds. There must be hundreds of other ways we can practice the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

We would like to ask our readers and membership to send in your favorite Environment saving tips to HCBC and we will compile and publish them for everyone to benefit from. PleaseEmail them to coaching@hcbc.ca

The HCBC bookstore has the Langley Environmental Partners publication "Land Management Guide for Horse Owners and Small Lot Farmers" which is $3.95 plus postage and GST.

Bio-Security is no longer a scientific term that applies only to laboratories, but one that we need to use in our daily lives. Putting aside the H1N1 flu, there are many virus's that affect our horses. Some stables now have a big jug of hand sanitizers at the entrance and exits of their barns to attempt to lessen the spread of virus's. Some tips from our Biosecurity brochure regarding the use of disinfectants include:

How to Disinfect - Surfaces must be clean to disinfectant to work. Brush off loose dirt and manure. If possible wash the item first with detergent and then use a disinfectant. Tack can be wiped with a disinfectant wipe or a disinfectant dampened cloth. Shoes can be brushed or scrubbed off and then sprayed with disinfectant.

Examples of Disinfectants - Mix � cup of bleach per gallon of water or one part bleach to 10 parts water. If you use a spray disinfectant be sure the label says it kills bacteria and viruses. Hand sanitizers are good, but make sure you work the cleaner through your fingers and under the nails. Other commercial disinfectants should be mixed and used according to the label.

Industry Survey
Please take the time to fill in the HCBC Industry Survey. It is posted on our website www.hcbc.ca or we can email or fax it to you.
Horse Council BC in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture is embarking on a province wide horse industry study. The purpose of this study is to determine the current status of the horse industry and estimate its economic benefits and values to the provincial economy. This study will focus on the broad scope of all business and services in BC directly and indirectly related to the horse industry. The changing perspective of agriculture and livestock among the general public has a direct impact on issues such as environmental stability and animal welfare. These issues are important to all horse people and must be addressed through valid and acceptable strategies by the equine industry stakeholders.

2010 Coaching News
Equine Canada has not yet released the revised Coaching Certification programs for 2010. We hope to have them soon so that we can let everyone know what to expect and how to prepare for Equine Canada certification. We do know that the designations have changed, Coach 1 will now be Competition Coach, and Coach 2 will be Competition Coach Specialist. This is the same for English and Western Coaching. Although we do not have clarification on the requirements for each level, potential coach candidates may wish to begin to work on producing a "portfolio" which will most likely be part of the exam application process. A Portfolio would consist of the candidates coaching experience, the experience and competition results of their students, the candidate's competition experience, along with sample yearly training plans for horse and rider, lesson plans and emergency action plans. The portfolio could also include notable experiences, awards, education and other background relevant to coaching.

The HCBC bookstore now has the 2009 Revised Stable Management in Canada manual in stock. The manual retails for $35.00 plus postage and GST.

Online Learning
Now is a great time to have a look at the online learning opportunities at www.hcbc.ca. Some of the courses are free or at a reduced fee for HCBC members. To access the online learning members will need to log on to the website membership system and create a user name and log in. This is not the same as the forums user name and log in. Once done, you will be able to take advantage of the online learning member benefits.

29th Annual HCBC Awards Banquet
BC's Best... Celebrating Equine Achievements
The 29th Annual HCBC Awards Banquet held on November 21st at Hazelmere Country Club was a HUGE success! This year's attendance set a record high of over 150 people.

The Awards ceremony was full of excitement and entertainment with paparazzi, red carpets, spot lights, media coverage and MORE! Byron James from JRFM was our Emcee for the evening and and outstanding live performance was provided by Karen Lee Batten, CMT Recording Artist and 2003 Canadian Idol Finalist.

HCBC would like to thank our generous sponsors which include; Capri Insurance, Greenhawk Langley, Totem Photographics, Dog and Pony, Best Western Country Meadows, Bates Tack Shop, Saddle Up Magazine, Stampede Tack and Western Wear and Cantexx Merchandising. Many clubs, zones, affiliates and individuals donated wonderful items to the Silent Auction. The evening would not be possible without our membership who nominated the award winners and of course the winners of the awards to whom the evening is dedicated to.

Membership Renewals
The 2010 HCBC membership renewals have been mailed out and members should be receiving them soon. Our online membership system is working well and everyone in encouraged to try the system out. You can print a copy of your membership card straight away. Not only is this method quick, it saves a few trees as well.

Remember the Less Fortunate
As always HCBC would like to remind everyone to remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves. The Christmas season is hard on many families as we all know, but is not the only time we can give someone a hand through a donation of food, clothes, money or gifts, anytime is a great time to pay it forward. Winter is a great time to remember the SPCA and other shelters with donations of animal supplies and financial support.

HCBC Office Christmas Closure
The HCBC office will be closed from Wednesday December 23 and will re-open on Monday January 4th. The Staff of HCBC would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Years and all the best for 2010.