Hi to all, I’m writing you today with my thoughts surrounding treeless saddles. I have personally witnessed several “wrecks” involving treeless saddles. These particular “wrecks” were due to the saddle rolling while mounting, riders becoming unbalanced and discomfort to the horse by over cinching. The spinal column of a horse is a far more delicate part of his anatomy, than the large muscles surrounding it. The overall purpose of a tree in a saddle is to evenly distribute the weight of the rider and protect the spinal column of the horse, lifting weight off the spine, and distributing it more evenly across the larger muscles. This makes sense to me.

Let’s talk about girthing. For a horse to breathe properly and effectively during performance, it is far better to not have him cinched too tightly. I personally use elastic girths, for the comfort and performance of my horse. Now, let’s talk about saddle fit. Sure, some horses are hard to fit. But, I have noticed that saddle manufactures have risen to the occasion by using flex trees and interchangeable gullets. Also, the pad manufacturers, like Cavallo, have produced several magnificent pads to help alleviate saddle fitting problems.

Our overall goal at ACTHA is to help support horses in need and provide a fun venue for contestants, giving horse and rider an enjoyable goal. But remember this, we are also concerned for the welfare and safety of you and your horse at all times. There is new equipment being introduced to the market all the time and the type saddle you use is personal choice. I have shared with you today the reasons I choose to use a treed saddle. Regardless of your choice, whether Western, English, Flex Tree or Treeless, we encourage all riders to take advantage of professional consultation when fitting their saddle of choice to their horses. Proper fit relative to the shape of your horse, proper positioning of your tack, good quality and safety must all be considered. Be safe and have fun in whatever you choose to ride in. Carry on, Carrie

Hi All, Well, I was recently reading an article in the Horse Journal called ” Sneaky Laminitis ” and it was discussing something I’ve been wondering about. You all might know I am a big fan of the barefoot movement. Well, so many people will say to me ” Carrie , my horse just can’t go barefoot” . However, every good Equine Veterinarian, will tell you to let your horse go barefoot for 3 to 4 months. So, Consider this….. A tender-footed horse might actually be fighting mechanical laminitis. Mechanical laminitis develops insidiously, I believe this was the problem I had a long time ago with a horse that began to go lame and fall down. I spent a fortune on him, trying to fix the problem, I finally gave up and turned him out BAREFOOT. Guess what, the problem fixed itself. So for those of you, who think your horse cannot go barefoot, please get a copy of the Horse Journal article in March of 2011. I also believe a Cavallo boot, can really help with the transition period, or may be the answer to the problem altogether. Thanks for listening, Ride on Carrie

Well, America’s Favorite Trail Horse auditions are just around the corner, so I thought I’d discuss the art of making a good impression.

When I learned to ride in New York my instructors were very military, so that everything was very clean. Even as a little kid, I’d better be clean! Remember, judges are people just like you so do your best to make a good impression. Kind of like when you go on a job interview. You want to look neat, tie back your hair, make sure your saddle blanket is clean, and don’t forget to polish those boots. When you are preparing your horse fasten everything down, so your horse will also look neat. Groom your horse, EZALL is not that costly and really puts a nice glo on them. Show up yourself and your horse!

I really think a neck scarf looks great on a trail rider, and can come in handy on trail. Horseloverz has a beautiful black neck scarf that says ACTHA. They also have ACTHA CAPS. Remember, you may see yourself on TV. If you are wearing leg wraps on your horse, make sure and check that you have fastened all straps. Give your horse the chance he deserves, and present him well. Stay in keeping with the trail rider theme, America’s Favorite Trail Horse is not a costume contest, so don’t put silly stuff on your horse. Enjoy yourself and your pleasure will come shining through. May you all do well! Ride on, Carrie

Have you checked out ACTHA TV? We have several great short videos and one of my favorites is about saddle fitting. We share Tucker Saddles with you in one of our segments on ACTHA TV. You will notice that we emphasize the “fit” part. If you do not ride your horse often, your saddle is going to fit differently than if you do. A well muscled horse carries his saddle and you allot better. This is also true when your horse has not reached maturity. The fit of a saddle for a 4 year old horse is very different, than it will be as they mature. The ones we showcase are the ones we believe to be the best “western style” trail saddles made by Tucker. These saddles ride comfortably from the minute you saddle-up and remain comfortable even after a full day on trail. This is not the saddle you want if you are only riding for only a few minutes in an arena competition. Make sure and try out the saddle if you can because a trail saddle needs to fit you well, as well as meet the needs of your horse. Look for comfort, security, and one with plenty of places to tie stuff, at least that’s what I like to see. I also like a saddle that is not too heavy, and I prefer to ride a trail saddle that does not have a horn, just in case I have to duck under a branch or jump over a log. Tucker makes many different types of trail saddles to meet individual needs and preferences. Watch for this episode, on our website, at ACTHA TV. Remember, a fit horse also stands less chance of being injured. So, get out and ride, spring is here, and we hope to see you out on trail. Tally Ho, Carrie

Hi All, So today while riding we rode up on or alongside a large Texas Rattler! Luckily, he was rattling and slithering away. Our new dog Olive didn’t know what to make of this, and was easy to call off. But Shorty the queen of heelers was on it. She tore out after that snake and was extremely lucky to escape without being bitten. I’ve already experienced having one dog and one horse bitten, and let me tell you anti-venom is very expensive. So, the dogs will both need their snake shots before we will ride out again. I also protect the horses with support boots that have plastic outer shells and bell boots. This covers the lower part of the leg that is most susceptible to snake bites. I sure hope it works! Shorty has even gone to snake avoidance training but to no avail. The dog trainer had a snake and he put a shock collar on Shorty to deter her. The shock collar did not have the desired effect. The trainer kept increasing the voltage until he was giving her enough volts to deter a 150 lb. Labrador, and she still wouldn’t back off. She was just so determined to get that snake! Well, Shorty still charges after snakes, and now also hates dog trainers! Ride on, and watch out for snakes. Carrie

What a beautiful day! I’m sitting here thinking of all the folks I’m met and heard from that have been frightened by their horse. Are you one of them? I know I have been and am pretty sure that many of you have also. There are so many different types, breeds, and temperaments of horses. You really need to consider this when choosing a horse. You want to make sure the horse is right for you and for the job. If you are a show horse person, you need a certain type of look and action out of your horse, and will also spend most of your time riding in the arena with a trainer. You may be the type person, (type A), that actually enjoys being scared to death by your horse. If so, then I am not talking to you. I had enough of that type stress when I was young, and didn’t really like it even then. I’m older now and that is no longer what I’m looking for. I’m looking for a good trail horse one that will be reliable, and steady. Don’t ever forget the older horse they can be a great addition to your family. May God bless the grade horse! What type of horse do you have? If your horse is the kind that gives you a high level of stress then don’t worry! Your horse may just need TIME WITH YOU, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE. In one of my previous blogs I told the story of the first time I drove a horse trailer, talk about stress! Needless to say I was white knuckled, stressed out, and my hands were glued to the steering wheel. Now after many years of experience, driving a trailer is much less stressful. The same thing goes for your horse, work with him, take him places, give him plenty of experience, and your time. All horses spook, it’s hard wired into them, but with plenty of experience (you may see a pattern here), and good communication, you can overcome almost anything, yes even spooking. Always, remember to talk to your horse. I have found that using voice aids has worked really well with my horses. Now ACTHA has a new ambassador, Mark Peterson and his awesome horse, Dusty! Mark teaches the use of voice aids and verbal praise when working with horses. He even has his incredible horse Dusty walk away from a bowl of grain using only simple voice commands. Amazing! If you don’t know who they are you must visit the Mark and Dusty facebook page. For all of our ACTHA members we now offer Mark and Dusty DVD’s! His training DVD’s are a great use of your ACTHA bucks! I really love verbal praise! Oh yes, just lie to me. Spring is officially here, get out and ride those trails, Tally Ho, Carrie

This was a very sad week in the Scrima household, as we lost our beloved dog Kramer. Do you remember Kramer from Jerry Seinfeld fame? Similar to that Kramer, our Kramer had crazy hair, bounded into rooms without warning, and stole everyone’s heart. He was a wonderful dog and a great teacher of how to live a joy filled life. Losing Kramer reminded me that we all need to stay flexible, ready to adjust when things don’t quite go as we had expected. This can be especially true with horses. Have you ever packed to go trail riding when something unforeseen happens with your horse, like he starts limping so badly that your trip needs to be postponed. Well, you could choose to take this opportunity to visit the ACTHA website and check out the (FAB), find a buddy program, meet a trail rider that lives near you and both sign up for an upcoming ACTHA ride. Remember, we choose how we react to situations and I always choose to look for the opportunity. My cure for a broken heart is to get another beating heart. So, when we lost Kramer I immediately visited our local animal shelter and found our newest family member, a rescue, that we have named Olive. She is a Heeler/English Bull Terrier mix, and looks like Spuds McKenzie, is covered with black Heeler dots, and has a black patch over one eye. Try and remember when faced with your next tough situation that the universe might be pointing you in a different direction towards a new rewarding opportunity. We at ACTHA are behind horse and dog rescues. REMEMBER, THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE RESCUED! Encouragement to all, Carrie

Well, the cold weather has finally retreated, and it is beautiful once again in central Texas. Due to the cold and a rather nasty cold I haven’t been doing much riding, and my horses are both FAT and SASSY. Peterbilt is still in confinement due to his injury and will not be released for quite some time. Anyway, we are about to release a new ACTHA OBSTACLE, “the labyrinth”. It will consist of a maze that the horse will need to work his way through. The purpose of this obstacle is to teach the horse to pay attention to where he places his feet. When travelling a narrow mountain trail a horse has to pay close attention to where he places his feet to prevent accidentally stepping or slipping off the trail which could critically injure both the horse and his rider. This new obstacle works on the skills needed to traverse just such a trail. It is recommended that you start this new obstacle on the ground by leading your horse through it. You will walk a little ahead of your horse, stopping frequently and will need to carry one of those precious sticks, or a dressage whip. If your horse tries to get ahead of you, bump him back with a rope halter and lead, or a nylon or leather halter with a chain over his nose. You can also use your “stick” to touch him on the nose or chest. Make him think about it! Make him wait for it. Next try backing through the obstacle. Use your stick to touch the appropriate body part. Touch his hip or croup to ask him to move forward if need be. Also, use your voice! I like nothing better than using voice commands with a trail horse. For those of you, still in the clutches of winter, ground exercises are great for you and your horse to practice together. This obstacle will soon appear in upcoming ACTHA competitions. You can see other ACTHA obstacles on our website; http://www.actha.us. This exercise can be seen in the February issue of Trail Rider Magazine, demonstrated by Linda Tellington-Jones. We are happy to announce that Linda has agreed to participate in America’s Favorite Trail Horse as one of our esteemed coaches. Wow! We hope to see you all there. Tally Ho, Carrie

Well, so much for global warming, the BIG CHILL hit Texas last week. The horse’s water froze for 3 solid days. I was out there breaking ice just like the old days before heated water buckets in Colorado. I asked my Vet if he was getting many colic cases, and he said he was expecting them. It is amazing how many people don’t know that they have to break ice, or keep their water running to their horses. Although, horses don’t drink as much in cold weather, it is important to encourage them to drink. I usually, give them a mash, with plenty of water and salt added to encourage drinking. I also think, that these low starch “forage first” feeds like the kind made by ADM really help. Although, these feeds sometime seem more expensive, one vet bill takes care of that. Also, it’s good to have some Equine Colic Relief on hand. Speaking of Vet bills, my darling pony (mini warm blood) Peterbilt is out of commission for the next 6 months, with a torn check ligament. He is my favorite riding horse, and is loved by many. He is especially loved by my Mustang mare Larkin, who stands dutifully outside his stall, so he won’t be alone. Oh yes, STAND BY YOUR MAN. Peter will be especially missed by my adopted Grandchild Grace. I’m afraid Grace will be disappointed when she comes for a visit from Colorado this Spring break. Well, she’s just going to have to get tough and ride Larkin. Or at least as tough as Larkin and that is MUSTANG TOUGH! Ride Baby Ride! John Moncada from Horseloverz came for a visit during the big chill. It was a bit of a shock coming from Pennsylvania, and finding it to be just as cold and snowy in Texas. John came bearing gifts of a sort. He brought about 8 Wintec English saddles for us to try out. Both Tom and I were very impressed with the quality and comfort. We braved the Arctic cold to saddle up and give them a try. John also braved the Arctic Texas weather and mounted up on Larkin. Here is where I was really impressed with the security of the seat in the Wntec Dressage saddle, as Larkin, tried very hard to buck John off. I would say John and Wintec scored 3 — Larkin — 0. Ride Baby Ride!! Tally Ho, Carrie



This past week was spent visiting with Pat and Linda Parelli in Ocala Florida. The purpose of my trip was to film a couple of commercials. Well, I kind of hate traveling, especially alone, and especially by plane. However, I really wanted to see Ocala. I’d heard it was the ultimate horse place, and you could definitely say that! It seemed as if black board Kentucky fence was mandated by covenant. Maybe it was! Pat and Linda were warm and gracious, which was a good thing, because the weather was pretty cold. I think the weather in Ocala is similar to San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The Parelli place was about 300 acres of green pastures, black board Kentucky fence (of course), and beautiful large oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. The house was very contemporary, not at all like their ranch in Colorado. Pat and Linda said the previous owners had kept Giraffes and other exotic animals. (How very un-Kentucky, nobody races Giraffes!) Everyone was extremely friendly, and the place was bustling with apprentices, employees, and students. The “shoot” went well. Pat had all his apprentices dressed up, and performing obstacles in the background. WOW, I would never have imagined anything like this, when I was a little horse loving kid in the Bronx (NYC). Most of Pat’s students were riding Western, along with one token dressage rider. I really want people to understand that trail riding and trail competition is open to ALL STYLES of riding. After all, the original purpose of riding was transportation, a way to get from one town to the next. ACTHA competitions can be done in any saddle. Just make sure you wear a saddle! —Well, we finished filming just in time for me to catch a ride to the airport with Pat’s sister and her husband. They were returning to California and as it turned out, we were booked on the same plane, or so I thought! I had just about made it to the gate area, when I heard my name over the loud speaker. They were instructing me to report to the gate. My plane was leaving! Somehow when I checked in, they had switched me to an earlier flight. I barely made it! I’m still wondering if Pat’s sister thinks I went missing in action. Oh well, that’s traveling. Tally Ho, Carrie