JANUARY:

Traveler, the striking Andalusian in his 14th year as the University of Southern California mascot, returned to lead the Rose Parade to honor the legacy of Louis Zamperini and his affiliation not only with USC, but his love of animals. Zamperini, a World War II hero and former Olympian who died the previous July, is the subject of a best-selling book and the movie “Unbroken.”

Horsepeople in Lake View Terrace and surrounding areas had three words for the State High Speed Rail Authority about a revised path for the futuristic 220-mph bullet train through their community: Not so fast.
Three alternative routes surfaced in December after an original plan for the leg from Palmdale to the Burbank airport, a 51-mile stretch along the Highway 14 corridor, was criticized by residents and officials.  Called the East Corridor, the newest trio of alternative routes cuts through Lake View Terrace and would impact horse ownership throughout the San Fernando Valley.  Further, the redirection of the Highway 14 route would require a 35-mile tunneling beneath the San Gabriel Mountains and the Angeles National Forest, with the bullet train screaming from a tunnel and over the Tujunga Wash, an equestrian paradise.

Phil Hanson

JANUARY:

The first big headliner of the year with California roots was National Cutting Horse Association Hall of Fame rider Phil Hanson, who closed 2014 by winning NCHA Futurity on Classy CD Cat with a 228. Now based in Weatherford, Texas, Hanson is the brother of Temecula-based cow horse trainer Brenda Brown and of Clements-based reining trainer David Hanson. Classy CD Cat, who picked up a $200,000 paycheck for the Futurity win, is a mare owned by Dottie St. Clair Hill of Texas.
California reiners also made news with their late-year accomplishments, as Golden State competitors took their momentum from strong West Coast campaigns into the NRHA Futurity and Adequan North American Affiliate Championships.
After finishing close behind highly regarded Robin Bond in the last two of Charles Wilhelm’s Ultimate Super Horse competitions, Don Moore put it all together Jan. 29-Feb. 1 at Horse Expo Pomona and scored a decisive championship with his partner, Nic-O-Lena.

Lane Clark

JANUARY:

Steffen Peters won the hearts of East Coast fans, riding Rosamunde to a first-place finish in the FEI 3* Grand Prix with a 71.3 percent, and Legolas 92 to a 71.2 percent in the FEI 5* Grand Prix, respectively, At the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. The top-ranked FEI rider also received the People’s Choice award for his riding skills and contributions to dressage.
Also shining brightly in the Sunshine State was Kathleen Raine of Murrieta, who rode the lovely mare Breanna to a 73.667 and a title in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 5*.

FEBRUARY:

Will Simpson launched the most successful grand prix HITS campaign ever, winning six different events in the early weeks. A standout victory came aboard Katie Riddle, and it was a birthday present for Jami Heidegger, whose family owns Monarch International — for whom Simpson rides.
In Burbank, at the much-anticipated inaugural West Coast qualifying competition for the 2015 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final, Peters and Legolas 92 marked an 80.825 — their best. It came at California Dreaming Productions’ Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J/U-25 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.in their popular U-2-themed Grand Prix Freestyle.

Broken Horn Saddlery offers one-stop shopping for all of your English and western riding needs! Let their expert staff help you and your horse attain that professional look, with over 36 expert craftsmen, 623 years combined experience offering custom western saddles, custom silver tack, custom silver buckles, club buckles, year-end awards, horse blankets and sheets, leather ack and training aids — and so ,much more, including on-site repairs for saddles and tack. Also, Broken Horn in now hiring for full-time sales position in western tack and saddles. Spread the word at the barn! See December Savings in the Broken Horn ad on page 2.

Hawthorne Country Store is a family-owned and operated business with two locations to serve you. Brian and Suzy Hawthorne along with their daughter, Heather, and son-in-law, Terry Thelen, bring their varied experience to work in support of local country lifestyle enthusiasts. They provide useful and unique, quality products related to the agrarian lifestyle in our rural and growing urban environments. Three generations of family currently provide retail experience with broad pet, equestrian, livestock, gardening, home food preservation, western lifestyle clothing and home décor offerings. Their primary owner Brian comes from a heavy equipment background, family still in that arena and frequently recommend Hawthorne Brothers tool shed as another resource for you to use in your country projects. You can see through their product line, that one family member loves animals and one is passionate about canning! Heather is zealous about helping you find the right feed for your animal family .Bring your favorite animal and canning enthusiast, as well as children and pets, to Hawthorne Country Store today! See ad on page 16.

We say a horse is “soft in the bridle” when he has achieved soft vertical flexion – that is, when the horse will drop his nose by rounding his neck and poll whenever he feels light contact with both reins. Your ultimate goal is to get this reaction from your horse before you’ve even taken all the slack out of your reins—like you could ride with silk threads and not break them—wouldn’t that be great! We all dream about it!

But I’ll warn you right now, it won’t happen if you’re still feeling any resistance when you ask for lateral flexion. If you are still getting resistance to either side, you need to keep working that before you start into asking for much flexion vertically. If you ask too soon, you’re likely to create a dull mouth in your horse rather than the soft, responsive one that you’re after. Each step builds upon the one before it, and getting each step perfect, before you move on to the next one, is critical.

What is your definition of a “broke” horse? You may be able to ride your horse, but this does not necessarily imply that your horse is broke to ride.
For instance, does your horse kick out or buck when you urge him to go forward? Does he spook or bolt frequently, or panic while out on the trail when his companion horse gets out of sight? Does he threaten to rear when asked to leave the barn, or need to be in the lead position when riding in a group?

In many parts of the country outside California, the weather isn’t conducive to driving or riding, except by a hardy few. Winter was traditionally the time of staying indoors and doing repairs on vehicles and harness in preparation for the spring activities like planting, hunting, and visiting.

Inspection of harness: Take the whole harness apart. If you don’t know how your harness goes together or where all the parts go, look at it while it’s on your equine. Observe where all the straps attach to each other. When you take it apart, put each part- i.e. the bridle, breast collar, back strap etc., all in their own piles. (Hint- the first time I ever took my harness apart, it only took me fi ve hours to clean it and put it all back together. I was so proud of myself, as I only had a few left over pieces that I had no idea where they went! Now, I could assemble a harness blindfolded!).