A Colorado Quine community, blog, news source, events calendar, and classifieds.
The Colorado Horse Park **UPDATES**
Press Release from Colorado Horse Park: https://chp.coth.com/article/colorado-horse-park-updates
Parker, CO. – December 18, 2019 – Colorado Horse Park (CHP) will continue to operate as a horse park in 2020 despite recent rumors to the contrary. The Colorado Equestrian Partners are enthusiastic about the 2020 schedule and have implemented changes to ensure that the horse show operates at peak performance.
Read MoreBlack Friday for Equestrians – 2019
We’ve found a few great deals on horse/equestrian items across the internet for Black Friday through Cyber Monday! Happy Shopping!
If you know of others, message us and we will add the link to this list.
Murdochs: https://www.murdochs.com/sales/black-friday/
Dover Saddlery: https://www.doversaddlery.com/black-friday-special-offers/c/bfoffers/
Centerline Style: https://www.centerlinestyle.com/
Tractor Supply: https://www.tractorsupply.com/landing-pages_events_black-friday
Asmar Equestrian: https://www.asmarequestrian.com/collections/2019-black-friday-sale
State Line Tack: https://www.statelinetack.com/content/gifts/great-holiday-deals/
SmartPak: https://www.smartpakequine.com/search/search?searchTerm=0&intcamp=Holiday19&from=A1
Premier Equine: https://www.premierequine.co.uk/
Solo Equine: https://www.soloequine.com/
Eppeljeck: https://www.ej.nl/english/
Hufglocken: https://www.hufglocken.com/collections/black-week
Ride-Away: https://www.rideawaystore.com/en-US/
Riding Warehouse: https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/
Big D: https://www.bigdweb.com/
Horze: https://www.horze.com/
Total Saddle Fit: https://www.totalsaddlefit.com/
Levade Kentucky: https://shoplevade.com/
Pixio: https://shop.movensee.com/en/
Horse Loverz: https://www.horseloverz.com/
Chicks Saddlery: https://www.chicksaddlery.com/
Schneider’s Tack: https://www.sstack.com/
Kastel Denmark: https://kasteldenmark.com/
Adam’s Horse: https://adamshorsesupply.com/
C4 Belts: https://c4belts.com/
For an even more robust list, visit one of our favorite blogs, The 900 Facebook Pony: https://the900facebookpony.com/2019/11/27/2019-equestrian-black-friday-deals/
Thefts in Local Barns
We have been informed by a local Deputy that there has been a slew of thefts in barns spanning across multiple counties here in Colorado.
There are 2-3 males entering equestrian centers, both private and public, and getting into vehicles. They steal purses, cell phones, and anything of value in your car while you are out riding your horse. They then go buy gift cards and other items with your credit cards.
Please be safe. Just because you are at your private barn, does not mean your belongings are safe. Please take extra precautions and lock your vehicle anytime you are not occupying it.
Local News: Horse Dragged by Truck
You may have seen the video floating around social media of the couple that tied their horse to their pickup truck and literally dragged it down the road while it fought and struggled. We are happy to report that the Grand County Sherriff is investigating the situation.
Original video of the horse being dragged (caution, disturbing): https://www.facebook.com/alison.richards.5/videos/10156871926771235/
Latest News Coverage (with a statement from one of the owners): https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/11/25/horse-tied-pickup-truck-colorado-grand-county-video/?fbclid=IwAR1pjlix4_jBrE6b-8KmLmsSII4YR5XrB8KWLhDXfapt1sUigacke1Lpr7A
Update from Grand County Sherriff 11/25/2019, 2:54pm: https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoHorseForum/posts/948629525512829
A Brief History of the Pommel Horse
You may know the pommel horse as a gymnastic device used by men in the Olympics. But it has a much longer history than that. It started out as a practice device for the real-life horse, back in 315 B.C.
The history of the pommel horse goes as far back as Alexander The Great. He and his Macedonian soldiers used an early pommel horse to practice mounting the animals they would ride into battle.
The first pommel horses were not like modern-day versions, and offered no padding like we see today in men’s gymnastics competition. Instead, it was a simple wooden structure modeled after the animal’s back where the rider would sit.
To read more about the pommel horse’s history, check out wikipedia!
Now that Cold Weather is upon us… Be Prepared!
The cold and snow have arrived here in Colorado. And if you are like the rest of us, you were scrambling yesterday to make sure your horse (and barn) were ready for the weather change.
Here are just a few tips to try to make the temperature (and weather) transition easier on all of us:
- Feed extra hay: the digestive process helps keep your horse warm, so extra hay will keep them warmer. Another benefit is the more constant food supply will help avoid colic.
- Heated waterers: use some form of water heater to avoid frozen water sources. This will keep your horse hydrated during cold snaps as well as make less work for you. No one likes breaking up ice! Plus, who likes drinking ice cold drinks during a snowstorm anyways?
- Blankets: if your horse has not grown a substantial winter coat yet, you might want to consider a blanket for added warmth and protection from the snow and dampness.
- Salt/Minerals: be sure to provide your horse with quality salt/minerals all year, but especially during the cold. Inadequate salt in the diet can result in abnormal eating behavior such as licking or chewing objects which have salt on them or licking/eating dirt. Water intake may also decrease without proper salt/mineral intake, increasing the risk of impaction colic.
- Shelter: good shelter is important all year in Colorado, but during the cold and winter it is even more important. Horses need a way to get out of the wind and inclement weather in an effort to stay warm (and for their forage to not blow away). This can come in the form of a shelter in a pasture, a stall in a barn, or other methods depending on your property’s setup.
- Bedding: you may want to add extra bedding for your horse’s comfort. It will give them a soft/warm place to lay down. It will also help soak up any urine before it can turn to ice and become dangerous.
- Footing Needs: Pay attention to the footing in your horse’s area. Most horses can cope with deep snow, but ice can be dangerous. Where needed, apply snowmelt to help icy conditions. If your horse is shod, you might also need pads to help prevent snow and ice balling up in the foot and causing a slippery situation for your horse.
And remember, our first hard freeze kills off many of our annoying (and disease-carrying pests), so it is not all bad!
VSV (Vesicular Stomatitis) Confirmed in Colorado
Colorado has become the third state in the country to have a confirmed case of vesicular stomatitis (VSV). Follow the Colorado State Department of Agriculture for updates. We will also be updating this page regularly.
If you suspect your horse has VS or shows any sores similar to VS, call your vet and do not transport your horse anywhere.
Read MoreInternational Helmet Awareness Day 2019
In 2010, Riders4Helmets hosted the first national event designed to educate equestrians on the benefits of wearing a properly fitting, secured and certified helmet. The event brought over 300 U.S.-based retailers and eight helmet manufacturers together, to help educate their customers on topics such as correct helmet fit and why wearing a helmet is important.
Since that day, Riders4Helmets expanded the event globally. Riders4Helmets International Helmet Awareness Day 2018 received support from 19 helmet manufacturers and hundreds of equestrian retailers in twenty six countries.
International Helmet Awareness Day 2019 will be held Saturday September 14th and Sunday September 15th, 2019.
For all participating retailers, visit here: https://www.riders4helmets.com/international-helmet-awareness-day-participating-retailers/
If your club or organization is interested in hosting their own event to celebrate the day, they may email admin@riders4helmets.com. They can send interested parties safety brochures at a small charge (to cover costs).
They will also be happy to help promote any event by posting details of it on Riders4Helmets.com and also on their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. Equestrians are encouraged to take lots of photos of their event and write up a short description of what they did, and who participated. This will then be included as a feature article on the Riders4Helmets campaign website.
Riders4Helmets was founded in early 2010 after Olympic dressage rider Courtney King-Dye was seriously injured in a riding accident. King-Dye, who remained in a coma for a month following her accident, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and continues to undergo rehabilitation. The goal of the Riders4Helmets Campaign is to educate equestrians on the benefits of wearing a properly fitted and secured, certified helmet.
Trail etiquette tips every hiker, biker and equestrian needs to know
Douglas County Open Space Rangers, Amy and Tyler, share real-life examples of trail etiquette, including yielding to other trail users, announcing yourself before passing and keeping your dog leashed. Help ensure everyone has a friendly, fun and safe experience by following accepted trail etiquette at all times, even when you think no one is watching.
Learn more at: https://www.douglas.co.us/dcoutdoors/trail-etiquette/
USEF Office Closed and All USEF Resources Unavailable August 30 to September 3
US Equestrian (USEF) is moving! From Friday, August 30, to Tuesday, September 3, the USEF office will be closed while we move to our new building within the Kentucky Horse Park. During this time, USEF’s online tools and services, including the website, Customer Care Center, horse and member records, fax, and email, will be unavailable. We recommend avoiding any digital communication with USEF (phone calls, email, faxing, etc.) throughout the duration of the move.
If you are competing at a horse show between August 30 and September 3, please ensure that you print and bring hard copies of the following documents with you to the show grounds, as applicable:
- Membership card
- SafeSport training certificates
- Horse recording
- Measurement forms
- Farm/business recording
- Horse passport
- FEI registration
The decision to build a new USEF headquarters was made after extensive analysis and review by the leadership and Board. The benefits of a new building include a financial savings of several hundred thousand dollars annually versus our current headquarters, and a new building will provide a more collaborative work environment that will support our efforts to provide exemplary member services.
Additional information can be found in the Building Move FAQ.
From the US Equestrian Communications Department
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