BURBANK — The California Reining Horse Associations capped off its 2017 year with good competition and good times, as competitors brought the Los Angeles Equestrian Center to life for its year-end Challenge show and the National Reining Horse Association Affiliate Qualifier.

One of the association’s great fall traditions is the CRHA Reiner of the Year, and the 2017 winner, Micki Quinn, had quite a show. Riding her Jacs Electric Velvet, Quinn brought home hardware after winning the Non Pro, Limited Non Pro, Maturity classes, and she also got to take home the Becca Goss Memorial Foundation trophy, Gatolotto Memorial buckle, Topsail Cody Memorial trophy — and a hrose trailer from All American Trailer. That is your 2017 CRHA Reiner of the Year!

A new CRHA award, the Rick Flathers Sportsmanship Award, was presented this year to trainer Penni Gerardi of Agoura Hills. The award honors a person who has distinguished herself or himself by demonstrating acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Donated by his friends and family, the award memorializes a favorite colleague who passed March 7, 2016, on the trail behind his home in Orange Park Acres following an accident on horseback. The award was presented by Nancy Flathers, whom Rick met in 1972 at the El Toro Stables in Orange County and later married. The couple were supportive, positive, and generous members of the CRHA, and along with his wife, Rick was an early club member and an enthusiastic presence at the CRHA shows. Rick was always encouraging not only to his wife, who was an avid competitor and successful Non Pro, but to his barnmates, fellow showmen and peers, setting an example of sportsmanship and goodwill that was infectious. A member of the CRHA since its inception, Rick was not only a financial supporter, but was also happy to give his time to the CRHA Board of Directors for several years, adding value not only as a competitor, but as a businessman, helping to shape what would ultimately become the flourishing association that CRHA is today.

At the Del Mar Fairgrounds duruing evacuations, trainer Manny Calvario with RajaliKa

Elizabeth Kaye McCall photo

There’s an advertisement in horse magazines that always gets my attention. It says something like, “your horse has never colicked until he does.” Something like that. It came to mind as I thought about the Lilac Fire in northern San Diego County that erupted with the same “until it does” urgency on Dec. 7, a day already infamous as Pearl Harbor Day. On a more personal level, also my late father’s birthday.

I was rushing to leave for an appointment at the Apple Store in Temecula, late as usual, when a friend from the barn called to tell me about a fire a couple miles from where I live in Fallbrook. The Santa Anas had depleted the air of any humidity a day earlier. I’d noticed my horse’s tail electric when I’d brushed it the night before. But fire? I turned on the TV as the friend suggested. It was close, but with little sign beyond the TV news coverage of getting urgent. I was packing a suitcase, already had my laptop out, and got dog and cat food ready as well as the carriers. I wasn’t really thinking about the barn at that point –only that I’d get a few things together in case. Two hours later, when a mandatory evacuation alert reached my street, I set off with a crying cat and worried dog, in the car, thinking I’d gotten things handled pretty easily on short notice.

A wreath brightens the bleakness of a gutted stall.

Sarah Williams photo

SUNLAND — For decades, Dale Gibson has been among the first to hitch his trailer and evacuate horses threatened by wildfires in the Los Angeles area. In fact, he would safely stage the animals at his Gibson Ranch until the smoke would clear — which is exactly what he was doing the morning of Dec. 6 when the Creek Fire ignited. When fierce winds shifted flames rapidly toward his facility, his crew and volunteers raced to remove 130 horses — 45 evacuees and 85 of his own — before the fire eventually consumed it. All animals made it out, including cattle used in his popular team sortings.

Gibson announced recently that he will rebuild “on the shoulders of awesome people”, including friends,volunteers, and vendors like Castlebrook Barns, with a proposed reopening Jan. 15.

MORE ONLINE: Http://bit.ly/801-gibson

Margaret Munro is set to haul home her winnings for the Rookie L1 Championship aboard her Mercedes Shiningstar.

John O’Hara photo

RANCHO MURIETA—The West Coast Reining Horse Association’s last show of the year was held Oct. 19-22 at the Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta. Classes ranging from Futurities, Derbies, and Maturities to Lead Line and Ranch Riding provided a “something for everyone” venue. Over 70 Champion and Reserve Champion buckles and nine saddles were awarded to winners as well as prizes to fifth place.

Champion in the Open Maturity with a score of 74 was David Hanson riding Rockabilly Banjo owned by Melinda Gaw. One half point behind was Martin Padilla on Tobyann Faingold’s Spangled Desire. Hanson and Padilla were also Champion and Reserve Champion respectively in the Open class.

Twenty-four riders gave it their all for a chance to win the beautiful, prestigious Champion saddle that went to the winner of the Rookie 1 class. With a score of 71.5, Margaret Munro riding Mercedes Shiningstar emerged the happy victor. Margaret just came from winning the Rookie 1 class at the Northwest Regional Affiliate Finals held the prior week in Nampa, Idaho.

Now here’s an opportunity that will send you spinning! On Feb. 10, the California Reining Horse Association will host a FREE Reining Clinic at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center with five top championship reiners, including Tom Foran, Brenda Brown, Mike Berg, Monica Albair, and Daphne Foran. Space is limited, and reservations are required. Contact the CRHA office via email at CRHAsecretary@aol.com or visit http://bit.ly/8clinic to access the entry form, release form or to register for vendor space during the event. This will be a day to remember for both participants and spectators. Reserve your spot today!

The CRHA was formed in 1993 and is an affiliate of the National Reining Horse Association. The Southern California-based group promotes reining in the region with events throughout the year and offers its members a variety of opportunities to compete for year-end buckles and awards, as well as a saddle for the coveted “Reiner of the Year”.

THERMAL — Eight weeks of USEF premier-rated shows are on the launch pad in the Coachella Valley, as top riders and horses gear up for one of the nation’s most challenging circuits.

Many are looking to qualify for the HITS Championship and over $4 million in prize money. The 26th edition of the HITS Coachella Desert Circuit will feature the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping CSI3*-W during Week IV and the sixth annual AIG $1 Million Grand Prix during Week VIII.

HITS officials expect this year’s Coachella Desert Circuit to be one of the best yet, pointing out that response has been tremendous with permanent stalls nearly full.

A client once brought a horse to me that had developed trailer-loading issues. It had endured an accident while being tied inside a trailer, and she had pulled back, resulting in minor injuries both physically and mentally. Subsequently, the owner had difficulty getting her into the trailer, and even once in, she would want out — and fast. She could fly backward.

If you break it down, there are a couple of issues here. In addition to her anxiety while in the trailer, she also had an issue with pulling back. I’ll tackle Issue No. 1 first, which is her overall anxiety while inside the trailer. If I were able to eliminate her anxiety and help her to feel more at ease in the trailer, she would be less likely to pull back.

To start, I removed a panel from my round pen and then backed my trailer up to the opening until it was flush with the other panels. While standing inside the round pen facing the trailer door, I opened the door of the trailer to my right until it swung flush to a panel, where I secured it. To the left of the trailer opening, I pulled that round-pen panel, so it was even with the trailer and secured it there, leaving no spaces or unsafe edges between the panels and the opening of the trailer. I left the truck hitched to the trailer to make sure it remained stable while the horse loads and unloads.

Nicolas Barthelemy of Simi Valley took Mary Cachat’s Hollywood Boom Town to both the L1 Open Aged and L3 Intermediate Open championships at the AZRHA Best of the West event.

John O’Hara photo

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Reining Horse Association wrapped up a solid 2017 with its Best of the West Reining Classic, Futurity, Derby and Southwest Affiliate Regional Championships. The fall event held Oct. 9-15 at Westworld facility featured a line-up with an Open and Non-Pro Futurity, an Open, Non-Pro, and Youth Derby, two full slates of NRHA classes and a full offering of ancillary classes.

Californians made their presence felt. At the ehad of the class was trainer Nicolas Barthelemy of Simi Valley, who took Mary Cachat’s Hollywood Boom Town to both the Level 1 Open Aged and Level 3 Intermediate Open championships.

Scottsdale-based Craig Schmersal enjoyed a dominant effort by one of his entries, Dunnit With Additude, who claimed the Level 4 Open Championship for owner Bruce Koefoot.
Dominating the Non Pro division at the 2017 AZRHA Best of The West was Terri Granger, who took her Gunnin For The Gold to the top.

MORE ONLINE: Http://bit.ly/8azrha

Choke in the horse is a common problem we see in equine practice. We were asked about choke and how to prevent it, so let’s discuss what it is, what you can do, what we as veterinarians can do and some tips on prevention and management.

Before we go any further, let’s define what choke is in horses. It is when the esophagus gets obstructed, usually with feed material. The esophagus is the tube that carries masticated (“chewed up”) food and saliva from the mouth to the stomach. When the esophagus is blocked, saliva and food material back up in the back of the oral cavity in the area called the pharynx. When this occurs, the common clinical signs are copious amounts of fluid mixed with feed draining from the nose, a desire to eat but not actually eating, cough, extending of the neck and lowering the head.

Sequence stop means a three stepper basically. You’ll have three or four steps from the beginning to the end for the stop. If you’re having problems keeping your hands moving, try the sequence stop. Remember, if you like the neck, you’re going to back him out of the stop. If you don’t like the neck, you’re going to drive him forward again, so why would you stop moving your hands? And don’t worry about timing here; you’re just searching for flaws throughout those beats.