I’ve never had much experience with filming until last year with ACTHA.  Vetericyn asked me to film a commercial at the RFDTV studio in Nashville. I had a dressing room with my name on it, and a professional makeup artist who did my makeup.  Alas, makeup can’t hide it all. It was a live show and I was called upon to answer some questions on the spot. Luckily, I was once a school teacher, so talking is kind of natural for me. Being a live show there wasn’t much hanging around.  The camera crew looked like what an air traffic control tower must look like when a plane is in trouble.  Well, we are about to launch something new at ACTHA, ACTHA TV. We shot a beautiful episode on the barefoot movement, with Carol Herder (the founder of Cavallo).  Angelo (Tom’s Percheron/T.B. rescue) was fabulous jumping logs in his Cavallo running shoes.  We didn’t have many re-takes, but Angelo did get a little bored and sloppy near the end.   Larkin (my mustang) on the other hand, has a very movie star personality and decided to be difficult. Honestly, I don’t know why we pay her the big bucks. Her movie career may be short lived. Peterbilt is still out of commission so all he is doing at the moment is eating. We might have him star in a Prevent feeder special, or he would be a great poster horse for ADM feeds.  We plan to have these informative specials on our web site. We will be covering topics like saddle fitting, bits, feeding your horse, dressing for style, and comfort on the trail. ACTHA TV is coming soon! Ride on, Carrie

I was reading an article about the Pres. of AQHA asking his judges to stop abuses in their industry before some outside force takes up the cause.   This made me so proud to be a part of ACTHA where abuse of horses will never be tolerated!  Our judges are trained from the get go, to reward a soft rein, and subtle cues.   We want our riders to accompany our horses on the trail as if they were playing music together:  the harmony of horseman and horse enjoying the trail.  Our original rule of one hand on a shank was designed to protect the horse from the unbalanced rider, so that a rider would not balance off the reins, and possibly injure a horses’ mouth or worse.  In 2011 we have removed the mandatory one point deduction, but the idea behind it is still alive. We are totally behind the welfare of the horse, and (Tom who waxes poetic at times) and I have never forgotten why we got into this in the first place— We love our horses!  WOW, just think, now there is a sport and a competition where the welfare of the horse is of the highest priority. We actually don’t care how high your horse picks up his knees or how high or low his head is.  We don’t care if his tail is high or low.  We care if he is confident in himself and his rider through training.  We care if he is well groomed, as it shows care for the horse and respect for the sport. We care that the horse, is happy in his job, and does a good job.  We care about our riders: we care about our hard working affiliates. We are not a big company:  we are a handful of dedicated people who CARE.  Thank you, our supporters.  We appreciate every one of you. Tally Ho, Carrie

Hi All, Well, this weekend we had another wintry day in Texas.  I found myself inside and was able to sit down and catch up on some work.  In the afternoon it was still really cold,  so we decided to venture out  and see a movie.  If you have the chance don’t miss “The King’s Speech”.  This movie doesn’t have any violence, nothing gets blown up, there is not any sex, and it is really one of the best movies I have ever seen. I found it to be  as triumphant and inspiring as Secretariat. This movie is really just a great story.  I left the theater feeling like I could accomplish anything!  It’s funny how ACTHA has come so far, and yet I worry often about our future.  It’s a good thing that Tom knows no fear, because I am often the opposite.  This movie really represents the human condition to me.  It does not matter who you are, even the King of England, has problems. But the way through them is by accepting the help of others, and in the process learning about friendship and love.  By the way, the royal family is really into horses. See we have something in common already.  One more thing we have in common is Monty Roberts.  Monty is a friend, an ACTHA sponsor, and for many years has been on assignment to the Queen of England helping to train her horse trainers.  Anyway, I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to the many people who have encouraged us and helped us along the way.  ACTHA has many friends, and for this we are most grateful. Tally Ho! Carrie

This past weekend, just before the rain and the cold front hit Texas, Tom and I went down to the Bandera Area of Texas and judged a CTC. We like to keep aware of what’s happening at the grass roots and took this opportunity to do just that.  We always enjoy visiting with ACTHA members but don’t usually have the chance to judge; it is really a lot of fun.  However, I must say that I love to teach and found it very hard not to put my two cents in. One thing we try to get across to all ACTHA contestants is that CTC obstacles are like a golf course.  Similar to a hard hole in golf, there will always be an obstacle that is more difficult.  The key here is that it is the SAME playing field for everyone.  It is not your individual score that matters, but how you and your horse did in relationship to everyone else in your division.  This is what makes it fair!  At the end of the day it is also important to realize where you and your horse need work.  Such as, backing up, or opening and closing a gate.  Then you can go home and focus on those things.  This will help to both re-fine your skills and better prepare you for next time.  Besides, it’s fun!  In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion.  It seizes a person whole and once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed.”  I believe this to be very true.  This past weekend I noticed horses resisting their bits.  They were either raising their heads or ducking behind the bit. Here are my suggestions:  (1) ride more from your seat legs and voice, (2) have your horse’s teeth done (this is very important), and (3) Use a pinch less bit.  Robart is one of the bit manufacturers I recommend for pinch less bits.  Their bits are both very comfortable for your horse and also fairly priced. Of course, I also would like to say that the hands of the rider are most important.  Having said that, remember that good hands come from a good seat.  The rider must NEVER balance off the horse’s mouth.  If you find yourself needing work in this area check out ACTHA’s Trail Tips Videos.  I highly recommend them.  The tips you will find are easy and work!  Tom and I loved being out in the field (literally). We loved getting to see some of our friends and new ACTHA members. Ride on! Carrie

It’s becoming winter, even in Texas.  So, I’m looking at my horse’s blanket collection.  Today here is my advice about blankets. Most healthy horses with substantial coats don’t need blankets.  However, when horses get wet their coats can no longer fulfill their intended function of fluffing up which is what helps keep horses warm.  During cold weather I would suggest at a minimum that you cover your horse with a waterproof, breathable sheet.  Make sure to use a breathable sheet!  Also, most shoulder rubs occur when the horse is wearing a blanket that is too small, so make sure your blanket is on the roomy side.  When you measure your horse, start from the middle of his chest and measure to the top of his tail.  Most blanket manufacturers have available detailed instructions for how to measure your horse for a blanket.  One of my favorite time savers is to put a cotton sheet under my blanket, because they are so much easier to wash than a blanket.  Kensington products sell the Kensington Super Mesh Turnout.  If you haven’t tried them I suggest you do as this product wears like iron and is great at protecting the blanket being worn underneath.  I have plenty of trees in my pasture, and between the trees and the horseplay between horses, a blanket can really take a beating.   Kensington sheets made with textilene help to protect my blankets.  Also, an easy way to clean blankets is to lay them over the fence and hose them off with Ezall.  Have you tried this?  It works great and will save you time and even help you to avoid all those dirty looks when you take a horse blanket to the Laundromat.  Have a safe and prosperous New Year, and stay warm!  By the way, did you know that Texans wear flip flops even in the winter?  Tally Ho, Carrie

Well, Christmas is over and a New Year has just begun.  I find Christmas to be such a stressful time for women.   I think it is kind of like child birth.  Men seem to breeze right through it while women bear the brunt of it.   I wanted to share a little of our Christmas with you.  I was given a pig calendar and two pig toys in my stocking which reminded me of Sir Edmond Hillary, my favorite pig.  I’ve written about Sir Edmond Hillary (Eddie the trail pig) in a previous blog.  You may have guessed by now that I have a real love of pigs and I really liked my gift.   But then, my daughter, the biologist, had to remind me that the reason we all have the “swine flu” as it is called, is that it incubates in pigs.  I still like pigs, but did come down with the flu on Christmas Eve of all days, and could barely get out of bed on Christmas morning.  Our Christmas was pretty much ruined.  Then, Tom came down with the flu the next day, and the after Christmas Day sale was ruined for our daughter Justyne and me when she came down with the flu in the middle of Nordstrom’s.  We all received a belated Christmas gift, a trip to the Doctor’s on Monday.  The good news is that we are all well and it is finally raining in Texas, which we really need.  But I guess the rest of the country is getting hit hard with snow.  I moved to Texas during the winter so I will never have to drive a horse trailer in the snow again!  Remember, if you are stuck in a blizzard with your horses on the road, they are okay in their trailer.  Really, your horses are just fine resting in a trailer that is not moving.  Make sure to pull off the road at the nearest truck stop and wait it out.  Just make sure your horses have water, and don’t panic.  Remember wild horses have been known to go a long way between watering holes.   Take care, be safe, and the best to you and yours.
Tally Ho, Carrie

Our good friend Linda Parelli chimed into our chat room the other day.  She was joining a discussion about the “bomb proof” horse.  She shared her thoughts, saying the bomb proof horse is a myth.  She said what you are looking for is Confidence; self-confidence in the horse, confidence in his rider, confidence in his environment, and confidence among other horses.  Let me first say that I agree totally with Linda.  Secondly, I’d like to discuss where and how confidence is acquired.  Well, I don’t know if you remember the first time you drove a horse trailer but I sure do.  I was scared to death, white knuckled with both hands on the steering wheel, shoulders erect, and eyes glued to the road ahead.  So, I got some late night instruction from Tom, yup he took me out to a Wal-Mart parking lot at midnight, and taught me how to back the cursed thing up.  Step number one, Instruction!  Step number two, Experience.   After lots of miles and hours behind the wheel, I had experience and found myself starting to sit back, no longer gripping the steering wheel quite so tightly, able to relax, at least a little.  What an accomplishment this was for this city girl!  I had grown up in New York City taking the subway everywhere and now I had learned to drive a horse trailer.   Did I mention that I can also handle a tractor pulling a manure spreader?  This is something you just don’t see that much in NYC.  Anyway, but back to confidence, with both rider and horse, instruction and training are key, and lots of miles together. Spend time with your horse, come on an ACTHA CTC.  Remember your first ACTHA ride will be very different from your 10th or 100th.  Have faith, take action, and Ride on! Carrie

As the holiday approaches I think of the great souls that have touched this earth. Jesus in a manger surrounded by guess what …Animals! I do believe, as I’m sure many of you do to, that not every great soul is human. Sometimes we are touched by a great soul, who just happens to be an animal.  I believe animals have a lot to teach us, and with their ability to love unconditionally, open our hearts.  An open heart shows compassion, and I for one believe compassion must be a quality of the divine creator. When we show compassion we are acting in concert with the divine, as Martha Stewart would say “and that’s a good thing”.  We have wonderful dogs and horses (no cats since allergies do not permit one). Angelo is certainly a very special soul.  The picture I’ve posted today is of Angelo and our precious granddaughter.  This summer I rescued an unlikely pet, who I believe he had much to teach.  We were trail riding about 100 miles from anything, and out pops this little pink pig. He was a baby show pig, who came bounding out of the woods at about 9,000 feet.  He was determined to be with us and followed us to the top of a mountain (about 11,000 ft.) and all the way back down to the trailers. He was the bravest animal I have ever encountered.  We named him Sir Edmond Hilary (who climbed Everest). He was very sunburned and cut up when he found us, but Vetericyn to the rescue!  Our home owners association frowned on a pet pig, so alas, he now resides at a Horse Rescue, in New Mexico. I think of Sir Edmond (Eddie) quite often, but I know he is in good hands and has the run of the place.  Horses, dogs, goats and a pig…  He was a great teacher in striving for what you want just like The Little Engine that Could he just never gave up.  Some days when running ACTHA is a little too much, I think of Eddie, and we strive on. Happy Holidays to all, Ride on, Carrie

We are currently revving up for the Holiday Season.  It’s 17 degrees at our home in Colorado, and 71 degrees at our Texas abode.  Most of our Christmas cash has been eaten up (literally) by the damage mice have done to our cars. I know what you are thinking we should get just get a cat!  Well, let me tell you these mice are like the mice on Star Trek.  They go “where no mouse has gone before”.  (Tom’s car had a nest in the engine).  We’ll just call that mouse Scotty!  And the rest of our Christmas cash well…let’s just say it has been donated to vet bills.  I’m not joking.  This Christmas, I am asking Santa for Vetericyn in my stocking.  And our wonderful friends at Kensington were generous enough to give my 3 horses Bug Eye fly masks for their stockings, complete with a pen to draw on their faces.  I think I’ll make Peterbilt look like Antonio Banderas.  I wonder, will Larkin even notice?  Actually, they say that if you draw face markings on the fly masks other horses won’t rip them off.  (This gives a new meaning to the phrase, “I’m going to rip your face off”.  LOL!  Truly, do you think that will work?  I’m going to try the Antonio thing!  Angelo, Tom’s proud steed, tried to give himself a third nostril by gouging a huge hole in his nose. I wonder should I draw that on his face mask?  Peterbilt, my special pony, is taking 6 weeks off for the Holidays after doing in both his front suspensory ligaments.  (Well, at least no art work is needed on his wraps).  Happy Holidays to all our friends, Tally Ho, Carrie

Speaking of bits, I’d like to mention that ACTHA is changing the ruling regarding two hands on a shank bit.  Henceforth, there will be no longer be a mandatory deduction for riding with two hands on any bit. We realize that the severity of a bit is in the hands of the rider.  So, Judges will now have complete discretion on this matter.  If a horse appears to be uncomfortable or resistant, the judge may deduct points from that rider.  Heavy hands are never a pleasure to watch!  But let’s talk about “good hands”.  Good hands are developed from a good seat. If a rider is well balanced in the saddle, and is able to develop good supportive leg strength, then they should never find themselves balancing off the horse’s mouth. This is akin to riding the clutch of a standard transmission. Your clutch will go out, and so will your horse’s mouth. I can’t tell you of the horror stories I have heard of people saying their horse flipped over backwards with them.  I have never seen a horse flip over backwards in nature, and it usually has something to do with a human. When we are riding trail, we are on uneven and steep terrain. Your horse will appreciate a balanced ride, with no interference to his mouth and head. Let him do HIS JOB!  When a horse is struggling to maintain his balance, and a rider interferes with his efforts, he will often fill trapped and panic.  Can you imagine, a backpack on your back, and sitting in that backpack is a monkey, and that monkey is holding a wire in your mouth, and you are trying to do something athletic. What would you have that monkey do?  So, this New Year, let’s make every effort to be the best rider you can be.  Ride on, Carrie