TEMECULA – The Southern California Reined Cow Horse Association buckled up its business of the year just past on Jan. 22 with a club awards banquet at Sweet Lumpys Barbeque in Temecula.

The standing-room only event illustrated the popularity of the SRCHA, which continues to enjoy growth in participation and membership during what to this point has been a sluggish economy.

President Laura Edwards honored sponsors and year-end high-points with an awards distribution.

BURBANK — Langer Equestrian Group kicked off the 2012 show season and the company’s 40th Anniversary year with the LAEC Opener Horse Show Jan 20-22, and although Saturday morning dawned cold and rainy, the show was able to go on.

The new Olympic Mix footing in the large oval for the jumpers played a role in that, while the hunters and equitation riders enjoyed the expansive Equidome. By late morning, clouds disappeared, and the jumper arena was the place to be to show and soak up some sun.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI4* ended as it began, with American dressage superstar Steffen Peters of San Diego and Ravel storming to their second consecutive sweep of the event.

Their dramatic freestyle was very difficult, and they were rewarded by the judges with a score of 83.70 percent and recognized with a standing ovation from the crowd. It was a narrow victory, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin gave Peters and Ravel a lot to handle, but they held on by 5/100ths of a point.

GEORGETOWN, Texas — The Extreme Mustang Makeover kicked off its 2012 schedule Jan. 19-21 with the Mustang Magic event at the 116th annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

The top Mustang trainers from 2011 invited to compete at the invitational event traveled from Georgia to California, and with a packed house watching, Logan Leach of Granbury, Texas, took first with and Kiowa, a 5-year-old pinto mare that was gathered from South Steens, Ore., and who was adopted by Madeline Pickens for $4,500. Leach earned $3,500 and other prizes for the victory.

HEY RAY: I’ve read articles and seen shows on Western Dressage. I’m not sure what to make of it. My wife has a dressage horse, and I have a western trail horse – to me, they are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Allen Hollis, Rancho Cucamonga

HEY ALLEN: The disciplines of English/ Dressage and Western have been on opposite sides of each other for years – not just on how they do things, but how they feel about each other. One thing we should never lose sight of regardless of the discipline or breed is that a horse is a horse, is a horse.

Fourteenth in a series
After looking at ways toward a lighter touch in our hands last issue, Les coaches us on our seat.

When you see an equine athlete performing, you’ll notice that although they exhibit tremendous power, every movement is fluid and relaxed. There is no tension or stiffness anywhere. If this type of performance is your ultimate goal, the first thing you need to check on is your own riding. When you ride are you fluid and relaxed, with no tension or stiffness anywhere? Many novice riders get so focused on a particular movement that they end up carrying a lot of tension in different parts of their body, shoulders in particular. Stiffness in the rider results in movements and cues that are laborious and abrupt instead of smooth and flowing, and this will result in resistance and stiffness in the horse’s movements as well. This is why many of the exercises in this first section are designed to help you develop your feel and learn to stay relaxed in the saddle.

It’s here! Horse Expo Pomona fill the Fairplex Thursday through Saturday (that’s right – no Super Bowl conflict!), so please come by the Horsetrader Booth #7215 to pick up something special. Your visit will be a GREAT chance to show you in person and the latest in print an online advertising packages with California Horsetrader and Horsetrader.com –- the Official Online Marketplace of Horse Expo Pomona! Whether you are buying are selling horses, horse property or any horse product or service, Horsetrader is your BEST marketplace — we look forward to seeing you!

Would you like to meet and greet Horsetrader columnist Ray Ariss? Come by and get one-to-one insight from Ray all three days in the Horsetrader booth:

Thursday, Feb. 2: 3-5 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 3: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 4: 1-2:30 p.m. and 4-5 p.m.

Mark your calendars – Tierra Del Norte Arabian Horse Association is starting off its 2012 show and event line-up with a great clinic! On Sunday, March 4, there will be a Country, English & Hunter clinic with Jonathan Ramsay, held at Discovery Valley Equestrian, in San Marcos. Mr. Ramsay is part of the Stachowski Farm training team, currently on site full-time at the Stachowski Farm satellite facility in San Marcos. He is known for his patience with both amateur and youth riders, along with his ability in starting young horses with ease and in a relaxed manner. To save your spot and to learn more about the clinic and other upcoming TDNAHA events, please call Darlene Hopkins at (760) 535-9293, and see the ad on page 102.

Simply amazing! That’s how users of King Feed’s Ultra 20/20 describe the results. Billed as the ultimate equine performance supplement, just a few pounds each day will improve coat/ hair/ hoof appearance, maintain weight, provide concentrated energy, and also support digestive, immune, joint and cardiovascular health. Endorsed by Matt Sheridan Performance Horses, King Feed believes supplements are designed to correct dietary deficiencies or to enhance the quality of nutrition in a current feed program. For more than 70 years, King’s family-owned and operated mill has been providing quality feed and exceptional customer service to livestock producers, breeders, and show and pet owners throughout California. For them, the connection between nutrition and health is widely known. In addition to well-balanced nutrition, you’ll discover a bounty of natural ingredients that support the health and longevity of your animal. Be sure to find your $2 off coupon on a 40 lb. bag of Ultra 20/20 in this issue on page 45, and stop by the King Feed booth #9124 at Horse Expo Pomona to learn more about this great product.

Question: What if you had one of the best products on the planet and were looking for the best way to get it into stores for distribution? Answer: Talk with Chuck Gawle of Flying C Promotions. And — NOW is the perfect time to ask Chuck all kinds of questions, in person, at his booth #7124 at Horse Expo Pomona. Join the likes of Double K Industries’ Horse Sense Shampoo and Boot Guard, Renew Gold, Sher Mar Enterprise’s Four Flex and Four Hoof, Ice Horse, and Santa Ynez Shavings Company. Chuck combines innovative marketing strategies and professionalism with years of his solid reputation in the horse industry. See his ad on page 15.

Take Grand Meadows’ Grand Calm Challenge! Riding and preparing your horse for a casual trail ride, exercise and training, or participating in a show should be fun for you and your horse. A hard to handle, spooky, stressed out horse will quickly ruin your enjoyment and affect the outcome of your ride or performance. Grand Calm is a unique calming supplement that is drug-free and non-herbal. The formula contains three different sources of magnesium that provide maximum bioavailability to broaden the effects of the magnesium. The formula also includes the amino acid Theanine, well -ocumented as an aid to relaxation. Grand Calm will help control nervousness in horses that are tense, spooky and inattentive. Visit Grand Meadows at Horse Expo Pomona. For free samples, call (800) 255-2962, and see the ad on page 18!

Adeptus Nutrition offers a new product in a new category! Adeptus Wound and Skin Spray is an all-natural, topical spray for wounds and skin problems. Not just another cleansing spray, this unique and exclusive formula contains Chitosan – a polyglucosamine that is a soothing topical “nutrient” that promotes wound-healing, reduces bleeding, relieves pain and itching, forms a natural film to protect wounds, and has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Great for skin abrasions, infections, cuts, rain rot, rashes, fungus, and scratches. Adeptus Nutrition, Inc. offers a complete line of quality, scientifically formulated nutritional supplements for horses, pets, and humans at very reasonable prices – quality with value! Their advanced, effective products are all formulated by a PhD. nutritionist, using pharmaceutical-grade ingredients made in the U.S., and are manufactured under strict quality control (ISO 9001 & GMP certified manufacturing). For more info, call 866-ADEPTUS /(866) 233-7887, and see the ad on page 57.