Lilah and the Gentle Giant

  Lilah is 6 years old and LOVES horses! 

  Here she is with Urik, our Gentle Giant:

Lilah thinks Urik looks like an enormous pony. 








He loves to cuddle.












                                 
Don't they look FANCY?

Urik is a big boy, and he is as sweet as pie. 

He must be tired after all that dressage! 

Lilah gets to ride him bareback to his field. She says his back is as soft as a couch. 

They have great style!

Smoochie Kitty joined the fun. 














Watch the action on Lilah's Latest:

Tekes Near and Far

    Photos have been pouring into Amrita's inbox from across the globe, and we've been having a blast seeing what all those Tekes are up to out there! These photos will be used to represent the versatility of the breed at the Akhal-Teke Breeders Co-op booth at the World Equestrian Games. Due to the surplus of images being donated from near and far, the Breeders Co-op is considering different ways of displaying them so that everyone involved gets a chance to have their horses seen by the masses. Amrita found a company called DisplayStar that sells moveable framed banners that could provide two additional sides for the booth on which photos could be printed. Another idea is the possibility of having a TV screen, computer, or projector that replays a slide show of photos, video clips, etc. Whatever they decide, they have to consider the fact that it will need to be seen above the heads of many, many people. 


 

These ones were sent to us by Cynthia Swensen of Bold Vantage Farm in Alberta, Canada. The grey mare is Olimpic Gul, originally owned by Sweet Water Farm, and the mother of two of Amrita's young geldings.

We are VERY jealous of the riding they get to do in Alberta. It looks so BEAUTIFUL! The chestnut on the far left in this photo is Ovazli, one of Olimpic Gul's foals, now all grown up and becoming quite the mountain girl! 

Here is Ovazli again looking very svelte. 

I can't help but wish we had a place like this to pony our youngsters! We are hoping to visit Cynthia in Alberta very soon. 

Here is Kiki Osbourne and Gaman, a lovely palomino Akhal-Teke from the Akhal-Teke Stud in Virginia. Photo courtesy of http://Argamak.ca. 

An impressive jump by Goklen, a 1989 imported AT stallion from IRUS Stables in Lebanon, Indiana. 

This stunning smoky-buckskin stallion is the late Pieter, of Shah' Zadeh Akhal-Tekes in Osakis, MN. What a beautiful horse! Pieter was famous for his amazing color and intense metallic sheen. Amrita included him in the backdrop collage for the WEG booth to represent the Western disciplines. YES, ATs are for cowgirls, too! 








And speaking of collage. . .here is the newest edition, shown as a possible postcard with the website for the Akhal-Teke Breeders Co-op on the back:

Our only problem? Our photographer friend says we need to have the originals of all of these photos in order to get a resolution that will be good enough for blowing up to a massive size. And most of these photos are a bit past their prime, so obtaining the originals might not be possible. His other idea? To REENACT the scenes in all the photos with our own ATs so that he can produce the same kind of footage. HA HA. . .if only it were that easy! 

Akhal-Teke WEG Booth Update ~ The Juices are Flowing

     


     We've been brainstorming ideas, and Amrita has been drafting more designs for the WEG booth. It's looking better and better. . .with an eye-catching logo and an impressive dressage photo, I think this booth is going to get a lot of attention from passers-by. No less than 130 countries participate in the World Equestrian Games, and there will be an estimated 800,000 people attending this year. And we want ALL of them to know about the Amazing Akhal-Teke!  

    Aren't the miniature books and pamphlets on the table cute? My only worry is that the people standing inside the booth will end up blocking the photos on the bottom. But if we can have the back-drop high enough, I think at least the tops of the photos will be visible through the crowds. I also think they should sell tee shirts with silhouettes of ATs performing in different disciplines on the front. People could purchase the ones picturing the sport they are into, and then the shirts themselves provide advertisement long after the games are over. 


   On a different subject, I had my first ride on my 4 year old, Bijoux, yesterday! I've been doing the belly-over thing for about a week, but yesterday I actually sat on her while Amrita led me around the arena. She was totally relaxed and couldn't have cared less that big mama was on board. Exciting! 

A Versatile Breed ~ Working on the WEG Booth

     Amrita is a member of the Akhal-Teke Breeders Co-op, which is responsible for organizing, coordinating, and manning the Akhal-Teke breed booth that will be part of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games trade fair. The 2010 WEG will be held in Lexington, Kentucky in September. . .only 7 months away and the clock is ticking! This is an exciting opportunity for breeders, owners, and enthusiasts everywhere, but it's also a substantial undertaking for the group of people working hard to make it a stellar debut. The Breeder's Co-op needs all the help it can get: financially, materially, volunteer-ially, etc. Amrita designed the ad which will be published in the upcoming issue of Teke Mania magazine:

     She also volunteered to design the basic lay-out of the booth, which will include: the construction of the display, the photos, the colors, the advertising, the table(s), etc. Because the WEG encompasses so many disciplines (eventing, endurance, show jumping, vaulting, dressage, reining, combined driving, and more), it seems only fitting to advertise the versatility of the Akhal-Teke breed. Even though there are less than 5,000 Akhal-Tekes trotting along on Planet Earth. . .these horses have excelled in nearly every european discipline (meaning English, or what-have-you. . .I am including endurance and driving here, too, please hold your fire--I come in peace), with the exception of, perhaps, vaulting (if you're out there, give us a holler, but you'd have to be half-monkey to attempt gymnastics on the narrow, and rather cat-like, back of a purebred AT!). Amrita has been contacting owners and breeders across the globe to get the most impressive photos of their Tekes performing in professional sports. She was particularly in need of endurance and driving images, so she put the word out and was pleasantly surprised at what popped up in her inbox. 


Here are some of the photos that have been donated to the cause:

Got your color fix lately?? Buckskins in the front, cremellos in the back. You don't see a team like this every day: 

I don't know about you, but I would be VERY proud to be driving this team. Cute horses!

     Amrita is designing a huge collage of Akhal-Tekes in action that will be displayed as the backdrop to the booth, hopefully big enough to be seen by people in the crowds from a fair distance. The idea is that the photos of these amazingly beautiful horses performing to their full potential in equestrian sports will entice many a passer-by to drop in for a chat. Here is her very-rough-draft beginning ideas for the collage & booth layout:

     We have concluded that she needs additional dressage photos, and perhaps a way to make the collage wrap around to the sides of the booth, giving it a 3-D effect. So far she's got a great start on a big project, and it's been fun to see what photos arrive from where. I am tickled by the driving photos in particular, because this has been a life-long goal of mine that has somehow always been put on the back burner. Though now that I am newly-inspired by these elegant carriage Tekes, I swear it won't be a-burnin' there for long. . .get ready Urik, you're new job is at hand!! 

AREA VII USEA 2010 Annual Meeting & Banquet

Last weekend we attended the Area VII annual meeting and banquet, which was held in Gig Harbor, WA. This was our first year attending, and it turned out to be a lot of fun! There were silent and live auctions, various informational presentations, workshops, as well as lunch, dinner, and of course, Happy Hour (which was actually Happy Two-Hours). Amrita had a blast putting her name down on silent auctions of all sorts, and ended up coming away with some great stuff--two containers of joint supplements for a fraction of their retail value, an awesome eventing book by William Fox-Pitt, some colorful tail bags (which we'll never use, but are nice anyways), a tee shirt, and it was all towards a good cause. Dressage judge Janis Linnan gave us a witty and informative talk explaining collective marks, new and old dressage rules, and how to think like a dressage judge (so that you don't take it out on them after you receive your less-than-you-hoped-for scores). We really appreciated Linnan's witty paraphrasing of what I'm sure concludes endless heated debates in the drawing room of the dressage gods. Her sarcasm was right up our alley, and she successfully turned what could have been a boring enunciation of dressage terms into something during which we were hanging on her every word. The awards ceremony, accompanied by a slide-show of great eventing photographs from 2009, brought tears to me eyes (seriously!). The food was good and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Furthermore, we didn't have to worry about driving because we stayed overnight at that very same place: The Inn at Gig Harbor.

The next day we drove to Port Orchard, WA for the USEA Live 2010 Dressage Test demonstrations at Northwind Farm. Janis Linnan dictated how she would score each movement as the horse and rider performed it. We were really glad we stayed the extra day because this was a highly educational experience. For the five minutes it took each test to be ridden, the audience got to be inside a dressage judge's brain. . .COOL! Not only did we get to witness the new tests being ridden for the first time, but once again, I realized just how far I've come in only a year. I began the 2009 season thinking the novice dressage tests were incredibly challenging. . . but now think the Prelim tests actually look do-able. And the Training tests look fairly easy. Of course, I've had quite the "leg-up" in dressage after training on Dagjeir for a year, so I owe a lot of this to him & Amrita.

Here is video I took of USEA Novice Test B. The horse is a youngster with only 90 days under saddle, so please excuse his squirrelliness:



Unfortunately, my camera quit about three-quarters of the way through the next test, which was USEA Training Test A, so I didn't bother downloading it. We haven't practiced any of the new tests yet, though we brought home some copies of them from the meeting and are looking forward to trying them out. I haven't studied them yet, but from what I saw at the demonstrations, there are quite a few innovations that will call for more thorough training on the rider's part, and obedience on the horse's, such as a lot of trotting work and more difficult canter transitions in the novice tests, serpentines in the training tests, and an interesting bit in prelim where you have to give and take the reins at canter to show that your horse has self carriage.
We also learned that there is a new rule regarding nosebands: whether they are drop, flash, figure-eight, regular caveson, etc., they must be loose enough to fit two fingers between the strap and the horse's jaw, giving the horse freedom to open its mouth, lick & chew, stick out its tongue, display its frustration & pain from a rider with rough hands, etc. Crank nosebands are illegal in USEA tests, though I think a lot of people still use them and get away with it. Unfortunately, I have my doubts that this noseband rule will be enforced. . .unless they put it on the list with the bit-check. . .which in my opinion, they should.

If you've never attended your area's annual meetings, I highly recommend it. It's a great way to meet fellow competitors, get caught up on new events, programs, & facilities in your region, and get an intimate re-cap on the previous season you might otherwise not experience. I also walked away with lots of inspiration for 2010 that I wasn't expecting to get from a banquet held at a hotel in the middle of January!  And after watching the dressage tests the following day, I wanted to rush home and get to work right away!

CUTE Kids. . .CUTE HORSE! Round #2. . .it doesn't get much cuter than this!

Dagjeir is truly a one-of-a-kind horse that is totally versatile in every way. Not only is he the most incredibly catty and athletic horse I've ever sat on. . .but he is also utterly trustworthy with even the tiniest of riders. Here are some of the most adorable pictures I've ever laid eyes on. OK, I know I'm slightly biased because these two kids happen to be my niece and nephew. . .but combined with such a lovely specimen as Dagjeir. . .nobody can argue the uncanny appeal of it all:

Lilah is 6 years old and LOVES horses. She is one of those girls, like myself, that was born with a one-track mind for everything-equine. I have a spot reserved for her as my future protege extraordinaire.

Lilah is a determined little rider, and sticks on a horse's back like a baby monkey. We like to encourage children to find confidence in the saddle by performing fun vaulting moves like "around the world," and practice sitting sideways and backwards while the horse is moving.

Dagjeir is a wonderful schoolmaster, and patient throughout it all!

Simon will be 11 in March, and also loves horses, among many other things! He has the busiest schedule of any 5th grader I've ever known. He is an incredible athlete, an avid dancer, an artist, and a star on all the sports teams. When I give him a leg-up, he practically vaults himself over the other side of the horse with all his "spring!"

Playing Follow the Leader. . .

I am crazy about Lilah's boots. They are no less than 3 sizes too big for her, but they are her FAVORITE kicks and she wears them with every outfit.

Dagjeir LOVES children. He is an exceptionally personable horse, and I think this makes him naturally drawn to young people. He interacts with kids in a sweet and endearing way. There is no other horse like him.

Cute Kid. . .Cute Horse: Our 1200 lb. Labrador Retriever

We have a young student, Zoe Saccio, who is riding Pashildi and training with us full-time. She plans to compete in three-day events with us this summer, and it will be her first season of showing! We are very excited for her. Zoe also likes to ride Urik, our Friesian-in-training. They make a CUTE pair! He's not quite four years old, but has the disposition of an over-sized, very mellow, very sweet. . . .DOG. He grows a handle-bar mustache on his upper lip, which is often rather muddy. . .and he likes to wiggle it against cheeks & the back of necks. . .leaving behind mud-flavored lipstick smooch-marks.

Here he is with Zoe. . .who doesn't quite fit into the dressage stirrups! She and Amrita switched horses during a lesson. Urik has begun his training in dressage & jumping.

He's a gentle giant and takes everything in stride. Friesians and Akhal-Tekes are opposites in so many ways. It's fun to go from one to the other in the same day. He's a bit of a heavy-weight compared to the lithe ATs, but you can't beat this guy's temperament! He is easy-as-pie.

We will be making a new video in February showing Urik's progress in driving, dressage, & jumping. Stay Tuned!

The Dog and Pony Show!

Bijoux is my Thoroughbred x Dutch Warmblood filly. Her very best friend is Sara. . .the Ibold's exuberant yellow dog. They have long play sessions together in the front pasture, often with Sara's favorite chewed & deflated kick ball, which they share. Or rather, Bijoux confiscates it and Sara's smart enough to give her the right-of-way. The other day our friend's daughter joined in the game and Amrita--who is always handy with her camera--caught the trio in action. Towards the end of these, Bijoux looks downright demonic. . .but don't worry, it's all in good fun. (I'm just glad I'm not the dog!) 

Good thing Sara's FAST!!

Tips for Working Horses in the Winter

Ever wonder HOW you are EVER going to get all your horses worked when winter is breathing down your neck with icy tentacles of pure torture???

At Sweet Water Farm, we get our fair share of nasty winter weather! So when the going gets tough (or shall I say, muddy?), we bag the idea of schooling dressage in the soggy arena, and opt for working four horses at once by ponying them out on trail rides! It's a GREAT way to get youngsters out to see the world, get double the horses exercised, and condition their feet for cross-country! My 3 year old, Bijoux, LOVES going out, and would probably take herself for a trail ride, but she acts like a spoiled brat when she has to follow along next to another horse without being able to pass them. For her, this is a lesson in obedience. The only horse in the barn I will even attempt to pony her off of is Dagjeir. . .who is an angel to put up with her antics. She rears, bucks, kicks, bites Dagjeir, bites me, and generally throws temper tantrums throughout the entirety of our rides. And Dagjeir just continues on in a straight line, paying her no heed, with his ears pricked in the direction he's going. I know he's not thrilled to be leading such a hot-headed juvenile around on a leash, but he maintains his dignity by not giving her the time of day, no matter what she does. Can I just say, once again, that Dagjeir is WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD?! To Bijoux's credit, the faster we move forward, the better she behaves. . .so once I'm savvy enough to flat-out gallop while ponying a 16-hand filly-from-fiery-hell, she'll probably give up the attitude and everything will be peachy.
And to give you an idea as to why our horses are so bomb-proof. . .I've included some photos Jay Ibold took of us when we were heading out for a ride. Notice all the heavy machinery? Sweet Water Farm is also home to the Ibolds' Sawmill!

The Ibolds' dogs, Sara and Charles, come with us on all our trail rides.

Amrita is riding Ak Pashildi, and leading Paktaly, his full brother, though they look nothing alike!

I am riding Dagjeir and leading Bijoux. She looks demure in these photos, but it's all a facade. . .I am convinced she was plotting her moves from the very beginning. . .

It's wonderful to have horses who are confident around stimulus of this magnitude. Believe it or not, it comes in handy when we go to events. Our horses barely bat an eye at things that send most horses to the moon!

We can't wait for SPRING!!!

Akhal-Tekes Eventing in 2009 ~ Photo Album

I had a short & sweet jumping session today on Dagjeir. . he was so excited to be "back-at-it" that he was tearing after cross-country jumps like the little Ferrari he is, and gave a big buck for joy after jumping into the arena over one of our coops (one of our arena walls is actually a line-up of cross country jumps, so we jump in or out of the arena over whichever one we choose!). It brought back all the memories of our amazing summer of eventing, so I decided to share some of them here:

Dagjeir and I jumping a trakehner at the Heron Park Eventing Clinic in Kalispell, MT.







                                          
                                                            





Dagjeir and I in our dressage test at the Whidbey Island Pony Club Horse Trials, on Whidbey Island, WA. Amrita and Pan Tau are looking on.                                                    

Amrita and Pan Tau practicing their galloping speeds at the Olympic Experience Event Camp with David & Karen O'Conner, Amy Tryon & Cathy Wieschoff in Kalipsell, MT.








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This was taken during one of my dressage lessons with Gary Mittleider at Heron Park.

Amrita and Pan Tau sailing over a bench at Heron Park.

This is one of my favorite photos. I had to jump this oxer on a diagonal line during a stadium lesson with Sara Mittleider. Dagjeir wasn't sure what was up. . .but he shows one of his catty techniques by trying to straighten his line in mid-air! This horse is SO FUN to jump!

Dagjeir and I going through the HSBC water at The Event at Rebecca Farm HT in Kalispell, MT.

Amrita and Pan Tau navigating a coop at Rebecca. . .



















These two photos are out of order. This one shows Dagjeir and I with our 6th place ribbon at Donida Farms Young Riders Benefit HT in Auburn, WA.

And this was us one day earlier on cross-country. My dad, little brother, and nephew came to cheer us on for cross-country, and caught the action on camera. It was so much fun!!

However, no matter what we're up to, we ALWAYS have fun at Sweet Water Farm! This was taken one day while we were schooling jumping in the front pasture. Sam Ibold and his friends were having a dirt-bike extravaganza at the same time! Dagjeir was so excited, his collection was AMAZING. . .and he was a blast to ride that day.

We get creative making jumps. . .one day we wrapped this pole with blue duct tape in a spiral. The pole on top of the little coop had stripes that went in the other direction, and it made for a bit of an optical illusion.

Somehow, I was very color coordinated and wore a shirt that ended up being the same color as my saddle pad. . .

This was my first corner jump. . .and we nailed it the first time without any guide poles. We were schooling at Sunset Park near Bellingham, WA.

The following photos are from two schooling shows we attended given by the Whidbey Island Pony Club on Whidbey Island, WA. We went Training Level, I got my two best dressage scores to date, and we had a ridiculous amount of fun. It was a fantastic way to end the season.

Dagjeir loves cross-country! He gets so excited about it, in fact, that he sometimes squeals!

We had a great training level stadium round at the Whidbey schooling show.

We stayed the next day to school Preliminary cross-country with WIPC's eventing instructor Linda Chatfield. Linda was extremely impressed with Dagjeir's honest personality and athletic ability. She told us he's "worth his weight in gold," and we enthusiastically agreed!

And here's Amrita and I rehashing after our dressage tests @ Whidbey. What an amazing summer!

Here's to 2010!

BAREBACK PUISSANCE: You're Not Going to Believe This!!!

Bareback Puissance??? Who knew there was such a thing!
The biggest jump in this video is well over 7 ft. . .and the intro shows Swiss rider Willi Melliger and Airport Moet clearing it gracefully, bareback, at a height of 7 ft. 7 inches.
All I have to say is. . .WOW!

Eagles, Horses, Islands

A Bald Eagle landed in the front pasture today at Sweet Water Farm, and reminded us of what we sometimes take for granted. . .our beautiful San Juan Island wildlife. For most people, this would be a rare opportunity, and though it's more common here than in most places, we try not to forget how lucky we are. My 3 year old filly, Bijoux, knows no fear. . .and marched right over to say hello to this magnificent creature. The eagle, however, must have felt it was beneath him to cavort with such an over-sized prey animal, and promptly departed!

Amrita caught the action from inside her house. Doesn't she have a beautiful view of her mares?











The eagle landed to have a drink out of the pond. This pond is seasonal, and disappears in the summer. We've had so much rain this winter that it is bigger than ever. This is a great opportunity for schooling event horses. We set up stadium jumps along the edge so that the horses can practice landing in the water and cantering confidently through it.

                                                                                          


The eagle looked positively poetic at the edge of the pond. Little did he know. . .the mares had spotted him and were on their way.

The girls are quick to notice intruders, and are usually very bold. Here they are watching him drink. And trying to decide who will approach him first.

Sometimes the eagles like to bathe, and will roll around in the water like feathered seals, spreading out their wings and then plopping their bellies in the water over and over again. But I think this guy was keeping too close an eye on the approaching horses to feel comfortable laying down.

It wasn't long before he decided to change locations. He flew up and glided to the other side of the pond.

Amrita got a spectacular shot of his wingspan. It's hard to tell in the photo, but this is a BIG bird! He had talons that could probably snap my arm.

Much to our delight, he landed again and continued with his business. Perhaps he was hoping the girls wouldn't dare venture across these vast wetlands.

Unfortunately for him. . .they were too curious to leave him alone for long.

Here is Kamiah pretending to ignore him.

Then she decided she needed a drink, too! And provided a gorgeous photo-opt.

The gang wasn't far behind. . .though most of them seemed content to sniff the place where he had first landed.

Except for Bijoux! This horse is afraid of nothing. I seriously think she thought this was her new playmate, flown in from Horse-Toys-R-Us.

She navigated the pond, going around the edge closest to where he was sitting. Pika watches her as  if to say, "ARE YOU CRAZY?!!"

A shark on the prowl. . .she is contemplating her attack.

But of course, this eagle wasn't about to belittle itself amusing her. He took flight with a powerful sweep of his wings. Bijoux was surprised!

I was hoping she would actually start chasing him, but I think she was confused to see her new toy flying into the air.

I particularly like this one because of the reflection in the water. If you look in the background, you can see one of our cross-country ramps. Normally, it's facing the other direction, but we've had such incredible wind storms, that this is the SECOND time this winter that it's blown over. And the thing is HEAVY! It takes two strong people to tip it back over to it's correct position.

Bon Voyage!

The EQUIWINNER PATCH by Signal-Health (and Patch-ildi becomes the guinea pig. . .squeak, squeak)

The "Equiwinner Patch" is a new product by Signal-Health that is designed to restore normal homeostasis, or physiological stability, within a horse's body. The demands put on a horse through training, competing, breeding, traveling, etc. can often lead to an impaired immune system, and/or what are referred to as "negative feedback systems." If a horse's normal negative feedback systems stop working correctly due to prolonged periods of stress, debilitating conditions can occur. The Equiwinner Patch uses "revolutionary patented Smart-Cell Signal technology to restore homeostasis and full performance."

Amrita read about the Equiwinner Patch in Equus Magazine, and contacted the company for more information. She was curious if it would help horses who crib and/or have stomach ulcers. She has a 7-year old Akhal-Teke gelding who has been cribbing since he was a foal. The interesting thing is that he was born and raised at Sweet Water Farm, has had 24 hour access to pasture year-round all his life, has never been locked in a stall. . .and as of yet, has had no reason to be stressed or bored to the point of needing to crib--as far as we can see. He is also fed a totally-natural diet free of processed grains, molasses, etc. Amrita allows her mares to wean their own foals, and Pashildi nursed until he was 10 months old. Obviously, the onset of cribbing and stomach issues was not caused by too-early weaning on Amrita's part. He is the only horse at the farm that does it, and will crib on anything that happens to be in front of him. . .fence posts, trees, his hay feeder, the side of the barn. . .and god knows what else. After hearing that cribbing is now being linked to stomach ulcers (the air gulped into the stomach supposedly soothes the discomfort), Amrita tried a multitude of stomach & digestive supplements before finally breaking down and buying some good ol' GastroGuard. I was an up-close-and-personal witness to the change those tubes of candy-smelling medication did for him. He was a DIFFERENT-BEING! Within days he became more calm, more obedient in his work, and had a peaceful look in his eye that wasn't there before. His cribbing lessened considerably. . .and we are now certain it has something to do with his stomach. After the initial 14 days of treatment were over. . she discontinued the paste and switched to a generic form of powdered Omeprazol, which is the drug used in GastroGuard. We had read that there are discrepancies between the effectiveness of the paste vs. the powder, but we were hopeful, especially since GastroGuard is NOT CHEAP! We were also hoping his stomach had had a chance to heal enough that he could soon kiss his ulcers goodbye for good. Unfortunately, not-so-much. Within days of switching to the powder, he was cribbing with a vengeance! Soooooo. . .we are experimenting with some alternative products, one of which is this interesting new patch.

It seems to be made of copper for the most part, and one side of it is very, very sticky. On the sticky side are two "signaling centers" which look like waxy buttons, and sort of press through the fur to the skin once you have the patch in place. You clean and dry the area where you are going to stick it (rump works the best. . .stomach and legs are not recommended). You peel off the paper, stick the patch to the fur and press firmly. Low and behold, these things actually stay-put despite TORRENTS of rain--I'm impressed!  Each patch stays on for 24 hours, then needs to be replaced with a new one, in a different area, and continued this way for ten days. So far, we've noticed a relaxed change in his temperament. . . but we really can't be sure yet if it's working for his cribbing. Apparently, they have not yet been used specifically for cribbers or stomach ulcers, so Pashildi gets to be a guinea pig, and we will report back to the company on his progress. We actually go so far as to count how many times he cribs within 5 minutes each day while he's eating his dinner. We'll publish his results when this experiment has drawn to a close.

If you are interested in the other conditions the Equiwinner Patch is designed to correct, here is a list directly from the product information leaflet:

1. Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) including "bleeders" or blood in the trachea.

2. Head-shaking for no known cause when the horse is exercised.

3. Fading effort or pulling up when an otherwise fit horse is asked for performance.

4. Distress or refusal for no known reason when asked for increased effort, e.g. going from walk to canter.

5. Dry or dull coat from no apparent reason.

6. Overheating from lack of sweat (anhidrosis), or patchy sweating.

7. Equiwinner ensures full hydration and better performance.

8. Equiwinner prevents stress in the horse when traveling in transort.

9. "Tying up," otherwise known as azoturia or rhabdomyolysis.

For more information, click here to be redirected to: Signal-Health's website.

Apparently, the Equiwinner Patch has no negative effects on horses, contains no banned substances, and is completely safe to use while riding. As you can see here, "Patch-ildi" seems content sporting his fancy new quarter mark:

The Hickstead Derby: Now THIS is Show Jumping!!

I recently watched the video of Nick Skelton and his brilliant horse, Apollo, winning the 1988 Hickstead Derby. And I HAD to include it here. . .EVERYBODY should view this round, drool over Apollo, marvel at Skelton's riding, and book their tickets to the UK to catch the next event. The Hickstead Derby is defintiely on my list of someday-must-see's. It's home to the British Grand Prix and Nations Cup, and hosts a multitude of equestrian venues: show jumping, polo, dressage. driving, and eventing. The show jumping at this place is an eventer's dream-come-true, and Skelton's Apollo DEVOURS the course like CANDY!

Urik Does the Spanish Walk!!

We're making some updated video's of our darling Friesian for a potential buyer. The first video is a short clip showing his conformation, the beginnings of his Spanish Walk from the ground, and some fun we had turning him loose in the arena for "free-lunging." Our round pen is too slippery to use with the torrential downpour we've been experiencing, so he got really excited when we let him rip it up in the arena instead. In his more-energetic-than-usual mood, he showed off his GORGEOUS trot:



And here is the video we made in November when we first started him under saddle, the day after a storm. You can hear his feet sloshing in all the water. We hadn't even gotten around to picking up all the fallen jumps & branches. This is Amrita riding him:



Our 12-year-old student LOVES to ride him, and he is absolutely angelic for her. Here is a video taken the other day of the two of them in the arena. It was very windy, but it doesn't seem to phase him:



His newest video. . .showing his progress under saddle and over small jumps:



Stay Tuned. . .

CONTROVERSY IS THE JUICE OF ALL LIFE

A friend of mine recently responded to my post on Facebook: "Controversy is the meaning of life" and said he had always thought that controversy is akin to gravity; a phenomenon that is fundamental to all life. Of course, I read this late at night and was up until 2AM pondering. Insightful doesn't begin to cut it.

If you'd like to read a blog post that I happen to deem downright heroic. . .but that also stirs up the defensive side of many an equestrian in the most entertaining way, go to Eventing-A-Gogo's recent hotspot: Elephant in the Corner. The author describes her reasons for eventing barefoot, the physiological trauma caused by the use of studs on shod event horses, the negative effects on her horse's legs following the administration of hock injections that may not have been necessary, and her own analysis of Gogo's sudden & previously unexplained lameness issues. She backs up her well-thought-out discussion with informative and intelligent reasoning that tells us this is a girl who does her homework and declares her principles without being dogmatic.

For some reason, this post wiggled its way under the skin of some of its readers, and several couldn't resist publicizing their opinions. Though the majority of the comments were supportive in their neutrality or agreement, as usual, most of the hot-heads were from one extreme or the other, and I couldn't help but wish they would get away from horseville long enough to take a course in pragmatics. It made me wonder what percentage of literate American equestrians can intellectually enjoy an articulate discussion regarding the controversies between practices within their own sport. Or have we all just forgotten how to read between the lines?

Andrea, I hope you don't mind me using one of your posts for one of my posts, but you deserve the recognition.

Revealing the Answer to the Weird Photo. . .(drum roll. . .)

Here is the original. . .looking more bovine than equine:

Unfortunately, if you put your dollar down on Old Bessie. . .this really is the horsey variety!

Introducing. . .one nasty seedy toe!

What at first appears to be the cloven hoof of a cow is actually the left front hoof of a 4 year old gelding whose toe crack originally formed when he was a yearling. It developed into a seedy toe which has stubbornly persisted despite chemical thrush treatments. However, he was previously maintained with traditional trims that left him with a fair amount of flare, and separation of the white line on both front feet. So no matter what it was dunked in, this hoof didn't stand a chance. . .major structural imbalances, combined with chronic fungal infections, were compromising any normal growth. He is currently being rehabilitated with bi-monthly barefoot trims, Keratex Hoof Hardener & Gel, apple cider vinegar/tea tree oil/betadyne, and an occasional dose of Thrush Buster when things are really sloppy. It looks goatish because I carved away a thin film of hoof wall that was covering the seedy toe and allowing moisture, dirt, and manure to accumulate in the pocket. The appearance is alarming, but it is now much easier to clean and treat the area, and it no longer provides a cozy home for toe-eating bacteria.

Akhal-Teke Booth at the The World Equestrian Games

Click HERE to find out more!
or
Go to the 2010 WEG Website by clicking HERE

Weird Photo of the Day

Can anybody guess what this is???

Rehashing ~ I've Had Quite The Year!

This photo really puts things in perspective. In July we competed at the Whidbey Island Pony Club Horse Trials, and one of our favorite things to do at events is walk the upper level courses and take photos of all the jumps we want to build at home. We asked a friend to snap this shot of us standing behind a Preliminary sod-roof log cabin jump. For reference, Amrita and I are both around 6 ft. tall, so you're looking at a hefty coop. I loved the way the sod draped over the edge of the roof. Whidbey was my 3rd show (in my entire life), I was competing at Novice level, and to be honest, some of the Novice coops looked imposing to me at the time. The idea of Dagjeir and I hefting ourselves over this Prelim puppy seemed about as far-fetched as jumping a school bus. But low-and-behold. . .exactly three months later, Dagjeir and I jumped it:

Hats Off to Our Generous Sponsors!

Here's a toast to our sponsors! 

Thanks to You, Our Amazing Akhal-Teke Eventing Endeavor was a Complete Success!

Before this year is over, I want to give thanks to two generous donors who heeded our call for support: Cynthia Swensen of Bold Vantage Farm in Alberta, Canada and Karen Freitas from San Diego, California. With funding being the biggest obstacle on my course, your generosity smoothed the way and helped make the best summer of my life financially possible. Many happy wishes for you both in the coming New Year. 

Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Jenny & Dagjeir

Sweet Water Farm Wins 1st & 2nd Place in the FOTATA

We are proud to announce the results of the 2009 Friends Of The Akhal-Teke Award! The FOTATA is an annual award for owners and enthusiasts of the Akhal-Teke. This is an international organization that recognizes individuals for their efforts in promoting the Akhal-Teke in equestrian sports. All professional sports qualify, and there is no restriction on part-bred equines. Congratulations everybody. . .and best of luck in 2010!

FOTATA Website:
http://fotata.webs.com/



2009 FOTATA Results:

1st place (55 pts) ~ Amrita Ibold and Pan Tau (stallion) of Sweet Water Farm Akhal-Teke
(Eventing)

2nd place (50 pts) ~ Jenny Rice and Dagjeir (gelding) of Sweet Water Farm Akhal-Teke
(Eventing)

2nd place (50 pts) ~ Jas Shearer-McMahan and MV Patrickhan (stallion) of Magic Valley Akhal-Tekes
(Endurance)

3rd place (25 pts) ~ Laurence Bougault and Almilia (mare)
(Long-Riding)

4th place (10 pts) ~ Cathy Leddy and Galen (gelding) of Cascade Gold Akhal-Tekes
(Endurance)

4th place (10 pts) ~ Monica Bretherton and Arzuw (gelding) of Cascade Gold Akhal-Teke
(Endurance)

5th place (5 pts) ~ Wendy Connell and Alpowa (mare)
(Endurance)

Friesians For Sale at Sweet Water Farm?!

That's right. . .we have taken in a 3-year old purebred Friesian gelding to train and sell. And of course, the first thing we did is teach him to jump! His owners are Lisa and Jim Lawrence of Thirsty Goose Farm. . .you can get some information about their organic foods farm at this website: 


http://www.eatwellguide.org/listing/detail/27072 


The Lawrences breed these magnificent black horses, and last spring Lisa took some eventing lessons from Amrita on another of her geldings, a handsome young horse named Zeek. (I love Zeek. . .he has these fuzzy ears that curl in towards the center). 
"Urik" (a.k.a. "Fritz" because we think Urik sounds so serious), is an affectionate and extremely good-natured horse that is easy to train, works to please, and absolutely LOVES trail rides. He is a grandson of Wander 352, a highly-sought sire with great bloodlines. He's FHANA-registered, micro-chipped, and ready for dressage! The best thing about him, besides his charming good looks, is what Friesians are famous for: his wonderful, people-loving personality. This horse is as sweet as they come! Urik has an adorable "little-boy" face and a soft, curly-haired nose which he uses to give you wet kisses. AND. . .he has AMAZING feet with the biggest, widest, and healthiest looking frogs I've ever seen in my life--I will post a photo of his tootsies soon so you can all marvel at their amazing-ness. We are developing Urik for dressage, pleasure riding, driving, and jumping. 


You can check out his Dreamhorse ad here:


http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1483344 

"The Dao of Hoof Care"

A great article on receptors in the hoof. . .and the controversy between shod and un-shod horses in the sport world:

"The Dao of Hoof Care--thoughts on the shoes vs. barefoot debate"

by Dr. Christine King, BVSc, MACVSs

King's article is wonderful for its neutral presentation of the facts. . .she is an advocate of responsible horse care, including keeping horses barefoot, but promotes this without swinging to one extreme or the other. I like her style.
The most interesting topic she presents in her article is the presence of receptors in the horse's hoof that feel changes in terrain as a horse moves over the ground. There are many different kinds of these receptors, and each one is responsible for a different sensory system. The most crucial of these, the mechanoreceptors, are "tension--and pressure--sensitive receptors" that make possible the horse's "coordinated locomotion."
The argument is that by putting shoes on a horse's feet, and "protecting" them from the ground, you may actually be inhibiting the horse's natural sense of balance and sure-footedness over rough terrain. The first time a horse is shod, he has to learn a new way of placing his feet, and thus, a new way of moving over the ground he no longer feels. Obviously, horses are adaptive creatures and do quite well with this, but nevertheless, they lose a fair amount of their sensory perception of the ground. Additionally, barefoot horses may actually perform better in sports that require "precision of foot placement" such as dressage, barrel racing, eventing, endurance, and competitive driving.

Initial Observations of Keratex Hoof Hardener & Gel

As previously noted, we are trying out some new hoof products. This goes against our normal principles of keepin'-it-natural. . .but sometimes, you just have to try what's out there. There are mixed opinions concerning hoof dressings in general, and most barefoot hoof practitioners will advise against such things as polishes, pine tar, hoof oil, turpentine, or petroleum-based products. I think most people disagree with the notion that you can apply something to the outside of the hoof and somehow make it miraculously healthier. I'm not expecting a miracle, but I am willing to consider that there are some things we humans can do to help the hoof along on the outside, while we are waiting for the inside to catch up. I would love to hear from anyone that has had success with using hoof hardeners/conditioners for barefoot performance horses. And I'm talking about barefoot, not in boots. . .the use of which I don't consider going barefoot. Sorry boot-enthusiasts. . .but I've used nearly every kind of hoof boot out there and am not impressed.

OK, on to business . .our new hoof goop: Keratex Hoof Hardener & Hoof Gel. Actually, it's not really goopy at all. Just really smelly. It smells just like fingernail polish, but has the consistency of kerosene. . .which is actually what I suspect its made out of. The Hardener came with a miniature paint brush, the Gel did not, so we got our own and keep them separate, since the Hardener should not be applied to the frog. For some reason they give you a really big bottle of the Gel, but a very small bottle of the Hardener. . .though they are priced nearly the same and are not cheap. I do not know why Keratex calls it Gel, because it's far from being jelly.

To start, we clean the hooves very carefully with a rag, making sure they are dirt-free and dry. Then we paint the Gel onto the frog, really glopping up the sulcus area. Then we paint the sole, white line, and hoof wall with the Hardener. I like to hold up each foot for a few minutes after painting the frog & sole, before putting it down to paint the walls. Both products are clear liquid, and they look like polish when you first brush them on, but by the time they dry, the hooves look normal again. The idea behind the Gel is that it creates a protective seal that repels water, urine, and manure while still allowing the hoof to breath. I actually do notice moisture beading off of it. . .just like Rain-X, that stuff you put on your windshield when your wipers break. It makes the rain bead off your windshield and if you drive really fast, it's like being on the Star Ship Enterprise (no, I'm not a Trekky. . .but I admit to being in love with Captain Kurk as a child). The Hardener bonds with the hoof's natural keratin, and with consistent use builds a thicker outer layer of hoof wall and sole that prevents cracks & bruising, and allows seedy toes, toe cracks, white line disease, brittle hoof walls, etc, grow out and go away for good. Well, we'll see about that. . .

So far, both products are easy to apply. . .but if you like to park yourself in the pasture next to your equine guinea pig. . .beware of curious on-lookers, because this stuff spills VERY easily! I was doing this very thing when Urik, our Friesian-in-training, came along and DUMPED the bottle of Hardener with his big, black, slobbery, curly-haired nose. That was a hard $40 down the drain. . .or actually, down the dirt. And I'm certain the nearby soil microbes did not appreciate it (if they even knew what hit them, that is). I recommend tying your horse up like a responsible and safety-minded pony clubber, well out-of-reach of other horses, dogs, children, and especially 3-yr-old Friesians!

The directions say to apply it every day for a week, then twice weekly for general maintenance. However, we have opted for jumping straight to the twice-weekly routine as we are in the midst of a cold snap and everything is frozen solid. . .including our fingers when we take them out of our gloves to slop this stuff on!

What we're hoping for is a period of improved performance going barefoot on the trails--which is how we like to condition our event horses during the darkest months--which will in turn create stronger hooves for the long run. . .and by spring, when our eventing season begins, we can abandon the hoof products all-together because our horses' feet will be rock hard and ready for cross country. At least until next winter. . .when we are apt to need the goop again.

All Hail the Beautiful Pacific Northwest Winters!
The challenge in our climate is creating hooves that can go from soft conditions--stalls, pastures, arenas--to hard & abrasive conditions--shale trails, gravelly roads, hard-packed landings, gravel-bottomed water jumps--and have horses that are confident about the feet they'll be landing on.  This means tough hoof wall, rock hard soles, healthy frogs, and lots of concavity.

Soooooooo. . . . Coming Soon to an Eventing Blog Near You: The Perfect Hooves!

Free Advertising for Keratex ~ We're Trying out Their Products!

We've decided to try out some new hoof products to help battle wintertime wetness, gravel in white lines, feet that are still a bit ouchy on shale trails, and put an end to one stubborn seedy toe:

Keratex Hoof Hardener
Keratex Hoof Gel
http://www.keratex.net/

The Hardener is brushed onto the soles & hoof walls, avoiding the frog & coronet band.
The Gel is brushed onto the frogs. . .and can be used on the sole & wall. . .but we're using the Hardener for those areas instead.  You're supposed to use it every day for a week, then twice per week, or as needed for maintainence. The only complaint I've read in reviews so far is that it tends to dry out their feet. . .which, in our climate, I consider a bonus. I've been wanting to try this stuff for a while, and recently Amrita got fed up with squirting purple Thrush Buster all over herself every day, so she made one of her awesome executive decisions and ordered some. The products are VERY smelly. . .like fingernail polish. . .but clear and not messy.

Chapter 1: Sweet Water Farm's Amazing Akhal-Teke Eventing Endeavor

A little over a year ago, I contacted Sweet Water Farm for jumping lessons on the off-the-track thoroughbred I had at the time. I had been doing Parelli exclusively for about 7 years, had studied at the Parelli Center in Pagosa Springs, CO, and had gotten to a place in my horsemanship where I was ready to focus on a specific discipline. In other words. . .I had become a member of  the lead-em and feed-em club and things had gotten a little stale. I think my horse thought so, too.

I decided to call Amrita Ibold--owner of Sweet Water Farm Akhal-Teke--because I had heard she was an eventer. . .and there's nobody better to call for jumping instruction than your neighbor the successful 3-day-er. We set up an introductory lesson on one of her school horses, and when I showed up at her farm that cold and windy morning, I was introduced to the horse that sparked my love-affair with the Akhal-Teke breed: Dagjeir, a purebred gelding imported from Russia. It was an amazing and rare introduction to the world of eventing that, unfortunately, not many people will get the chance to experience. For centuries, the Akhal-Teke has been known as The Divine Horse, and I soon found out why. A wonderfully-versatile breed, they are: athletic, smooth, steady, elegant, extremely personable, and incredibly catty. . .all in one handy package of a horse.

At the time, I was managing a natural horsemanship academy for children. . .at a barn that had a No Bits, No Spurs, and No Shoes policy. The president (and owner) of this program was NOT thrilled that I was seeking outside instruction from a traditional trainer, but was at least tolerant during this beginning stage of what turned out to be my equestrian-career-overhaul. Later on, I would come to realize that the only downfall of receiving a well-rounded education in both traditional and "natural" training methods is trying to maintain the peace between radicals on both sides of the spectrum (Come on girls. . .can't we just agree to disagree?????).

Following my intial jumping lesson, I continued training with Amrita on my TB, and decided to make the transition from riding with a rope halter, to riding with a traditonal bridle, and make our debut in a schooling show in the spring. A few months later, and only days after my new bridle had arrived in the mail, my beautiful grey gelding broke his leg in a tragic pasture accident, and had to be put-down on the spot. It was one of the most painful and traumatic experiences of my life, and I now know how it feels to be the victim in every horse-owner's worst nightmare. But, as things often go, there was a silver lining to one of my life's darkest clouds. As heartbreaking as it was, the sudden loss of my horse allowed for the opportunity to train on Dagjeir for the upcoming 2009 eventing season.

Due to the fact that I was so enamored by Akhal-Tekes, I wanted to help Amrita promote the breed. With only about 500 Tekes in the United States, most people have little or no knowledge of them. We decided the best way to do this was to train hard and compete often--people need to know what these athletes can do! Over the course of the season, we competed in 5 USEA recognized three-day events, 3 schooling shows, and 3 eventing clinics--including the Olympic Experience Event Camp with the O'Conners and Amy Tryon in Kalispell, MT. We called it our Amazing Akhal-Teke Eventing Endeavor, and it turned out to be the best summer of my life. Amrita's beloved Dagjeir brought me from Novice level to Training level, and schooling Preliminary, in a single season!

Along with Parelli, I had also been studying barefoot hoof care, and had been doing my own trims for nearly as long. When I started training with Amrita, I offered to teach her how to do her own trims, and we soon took over the hoof maintenence for her herd of Akhal-Tekes, as well as her eventing horses. She had been keeping her broodmares and young geldings barefoot, but had always kept her competition horses shod in the front. She was so pleased with the improvement of her horses' feet with the barefoot trims, she decided to give barefoot eventing a try.

Our first event was The Spring Fling at the Northwest Equestrian Center in Rainier, WA--a four-day eventing clinic and schooling show. Pan Tau, Amrita's stallion, and Dagjeir, both did great barefoot and never missed a step on cross-country, even when we schooled the water jump. It was an encouraging beginning to our season. May brought our first real show of the season, The Mother's Day Classic, also at the Northwest Equestrian Center, and was equally successful. In the end of May, however, Pan Tau bruised his sole during a water-obstacle schooling session at Nick Holmes-Smith's eventing clinic at Chase Creek. Amrita gave him a day off and treated the foot with ABC's Poultice. He seemed as good as new the next day, so she opted to ride and tried him in a pair of Renegades she brought in case of such a situation. The Renegades proved to be too slippery to safely ride cross-country in, so she had to retire half-way through a jumping lesson. This was a very disapointing experience for them both, and Amrita decided it would be best to put front shoes on the two competiton horses for the busiest months of the 2009 season.

In July, I moved my TB/Warmblood filly, Bijoux, to Sweet Water Farm. . .giving up my position at Plumb Pond Natural Horsemanship for a life of eventing full-time. I had been doing Parelli with Amrita's youngsters for several months, and we both felt great about the way things were going. I was living my dream of using natural horsemanship to develop sport-horses, and loving every minute of it. In August, when our schedule was starting to slow down a little, we decided to have Dagjeir's and Pan Tau's shoes pulled and would focus on conditoning their feet for performing barefoot. We did two Training Level schooling shows in September and October, and two Preliminary cross-country sessions with Whidbey Island Pony Club's event trainer, Linda Chatfield. Our horses went confidently cross-country barefoot, and we were thrilled with their sure-footedness and stability on-course.

With the winter just started, and the 2010 Eventing season soon on its way, we are working to find ways to maintain hoof health in our wet climate, condition our event horses' feet so they are rough 'n ready to gallope cross country over any terrain, and still have time to develope the young horses into up-and-coming competitors. We love barefoot performance horse success stories. . .and are always looking for words of wisdom from those who have paved the way in the equestrian sport-world. We're hoping this blog will connect us with people on the same path. So bring it on ~ We want to hear from you!

Sweet Water Farm's Competition Results for 2009

Spring Fling Schooling Show at NWEC April 2-5
6th place for our Akhal-Teke Hunter Pace Team

Northwest Equestrian Center Mother's Day Classic May 8-10
Novice Level
Pan Tau ~ Ended on a Dressage score of 50.5 ~ 15th place
Dagjeir ~ Ended on a Dressage score of 43.0 ~ 11th place

Aspen Farms HT June 12-14
Novice Level
Pan Tau ~ 52.1 Dressage, 0.4 XC time penalties, clear stadium ~ 12th place
Dagjeir ~ 45.8 Dressage, clear XC, eliminated in stadium for going off-course ~ TE

Whidbey Island Pony Club Horse Trials, Whidbey Island, WA July 10-12
Novice Level
Pan Tau ~ Ended on a Dressage score of 50 ~ 11th place
Dagjeir ~ 40.o Dressage, 20 XC penalties, clear stadium ~ 17th place

The Event at Rebecca Farm, Kalispell, MT July 23-26
Novice Level
Pan Tau ~ 49 Dressage, clear XC, 4 jump penalties in stadium ~ 13th place
Dagjeir ~ Ended on a Dressage score of 41.6 ~ 10th place

Young Riders Benefit at Donida Farm, Auburn, WA August 7-9
Novice Level
Pan Tau ~ 48 Dressage, 9.6 time penalties in XC, 4 jump penalties in stadium ~ 11th place
Dagjeir ~ 36 Dressage, 9.6 time penalties in XC, 4 jump penalties in stadium ~ 6th place

Whidbey Island Pony Club Schooling Show, Whidbey Island, WA September 12-13
Training Level
Pan Tau ~ 3rd place
Dagjeir ~  4th place

Whidbey Island Pony Club Schooling Show, Whidbey island, WA October 10-11
Training Level
Pan Tau ~ 46.3 Dressage, Voluntary Withdrawal on XC
Dagjeir ~ 30.0 Dressage ~ 3rd place

In The Beginning. . .

Heeeellllloooooo Out There!

This will be a new blog site for Sweet Water Farm's many endeavors. . . .which may include any of the following (and probably all of it): barefoot eventing, our purebred Akhal-Teke sport horses, Natural Horsemanship, the goings-on at Sweet Water Farm, Akhal-Tekes in equestrian sports around the world, barefoot performance horses around the world, who we are and how we ended up in this business. . .and subjects of interest related--or sometimes un-related--to all of this! Stay tuned for Chapter One: Sweet Water Farm's Amazing Akhal-Teke Eventing Endeavor! Be sure to check out our website:

http://www.akhalteke.cc