Postponed twice, Pink Classic Horse Show refreshes after fires

By Horsetrader staff

BURBANK — Good things are worth the wait, and the Pink Classic Horse Show brought the Los Angeles Equestrian Center to life Feb. 6-9 after a pair of postponements. After the venerable fall event was postponed because of weather to January 9-12, the tragic fires of Los Angeles forced another date change to the first weekend in February.

The Pink Classic hosted the Pacific Coast Horse Show Association Trail Classic and the Jack and Linda Baker Reining Finals. Both classes were open to all PCHA youth and amateur members.

Support, dissent both aired at meeting to reveal center’s plans, needs

From Horsetrader staff reports

TEMECULA — Galway Downs owner Ken Smith hosted a well-attended presentation Feb. 19 to announce plans and hear public comments in the wake of January requests his team made to Riverside County planners. Along with Galway Downs Manager Robert Kellerhouse and land use consultant Alan Long, all three took turns at the mic to field questions. The almost two-hour forum was at times heated — especially when traffic caused by soccer events at Galway was broached — and at times supportive: the mention of Galway Downs’s proposed hosting of the 2028 Olympic Games equestrian events drew a loud ovation.

From fire to trophy saddle, Rookie Champ met challenges

By Horsetrader staff

BURBANK — Katrina Larsen and Dazzle N Chrome have never competed in a trail trials class, but they faced intense obstacles and challenges on their course to a reining title.

Perhaps the biggest one came when they were apart, not connected, when a policeman stood in front of the car she was in with her grandparents, telling the teen-ager, “no…you cannot go in there.”

Jeanne Rosenberg and ‘Chewy’ relax, take JLB reining title

By Horsetrader staff

BURBANK — Horses have always been part of Jeanne Rosenberg’s forty-some years at her Topanga Canyon ranch. Wildfires have been, too.

So, when Jeanne saw smoke about 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7 with strong winds, it was time to evacuate the horses.

“We’ve been through several fires up here,” says Jeanne, who can recall 10 or so blazes of varying intensity over the years. “We got the horses out, but then we stayed. It’s much easier for us to protect the property if the horses are not here. If the smoke is bad or if people can’t get in with hay and shavings, it can be really horrible.

Proper examination is the safest (and legal) path to prescriptions

By Daniel H. Grove, DVM

Here is a question that can be a point of contention between many veterinarians and their clients:

“Why does my veterinarian need to see that before I get medication? This is a simple problem, and I just need the medication.”

Let us take a look at why it is necessary for a patient to first be seen before dispensing or prescribing medication.

I will start with the client’s point of view. The client may be a very experienced horse person who has been doing this for 30-plus years. They have a minor cut on the horse that they are comfortable cleaning and wrapping to allow it to heal. They have had the veterinarian out for 10 of these in the past and the treatment is always the same: put them on some antibiotics, give them some bute and give a tetanus shot. Why can’t they just pick up some antibiotics and treat the horse without the expense of the veterinarian seeing the horse?

WCRH 3-day Ranch Horse Kick-off with Bud Lyon starts ’25 season

Special to the Horsetrader

TEMECULA — West Coast Ranch Horse launched its 2025 season with a Ranch Horse Kick-off event Feb. 14-16, featuring four sold-out clinic sessions led by multiple world champion and ranch horse expert Bud Lyon of Whitesboro, Texas. Forty riders and 75 auditors benefited from Bud’s well-structured session and practical coaching, gaining insights to elevate their ranch riding, ranch rail, and ranch trail performance.

Beyond the clinics, held at California Ranch Company, attendees enjoyed a rope handling and drag clinic as well as a Saturday night happy hour, fostering camaraderie among fellow ranch horse enthusiasts.

Temecula horsepeople balk at altering General Plan, use permit

By Horsetrader staff

TEMECULA — A pair of requests to Riverside County to alter policies defining how Galway Downs and adjacent property can be used were submitted in January, and area equestrians are voicing their disapproval.

Galway Downs, a 242-acre centerpiece to the equestrian region of southwest Riverside County, originally opened in 1968 as a racehorse training facility and now hosts equestrian competitions, trainers and services. It lies within the area’s Wine Country Community Plan, a formal guideline adopted in 2014 and then incorporated into the County’s General Plan to recognize and preserve the area’s equestrian and vineyard elements.

SCRCHA ‘Kickoff’ Show launches 2025 cow horse season

By SUE CARTER / for the Horsetrader

TEMECULA — The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association held its “Cowhorse Kickoff” Show on Jan. 3-5 at Tucalota Creek Ranch to open the 2025 show schedule, sponsored by title sponsor Equine Health Management of Murrieta.

January has traditionally been a cold and wet time to show members’ furry horses. This year yielded beautiful weather and some stellar sunsets on the park-like setting of Tucalota Creek Ranch, and there was a great number of entries to start the show year.

Bt Daniel H. Grove, DVM

One benefit I have seen after the COVID 19 period a few years back has been an increase in outdoor activities. I thought a little insight into the costs of ownership and some items you should have on hand as a new horse owner.

The expensive part of owning a horse starts after the purchase. While there is often time a significant upfront investment into owning a horse, it really is, usually, just a drop in the bucket. Let us look at a list of things you should budget for in your monthly expenses with horse ownership.

A look back at the year’s Horsetrader highlights

From Horsetrader staff

Faster than a speeding bullet, 2024 is approaching its end. Here’s is a look back at a year’s worth of Horsetrader headlines (and some links to entire articles if you missed them the first time!)