STAR EXTRA FARM

Our horses had some fun today

Happy New Year !!

Great show and we have horses going

This is a very thought provoking article. I had top show ponies and horses ,Pride ‘n’ Joy and others however I did my own braiding and much of the time my own coach. The takeaway is that you follow your passion and find creative ways to do it . Thought for the day...why do you ride or your child ? Status or love.

Here we see Daryl Kinney and the OTTB mare, Rosi's Girl, over a "jump" that is about 4 inches high, and again, over a five foot high oxer. What does the one hav...e to do with the other, one might ask. If Daryl had missed her distance at the bigger jump, Rosie would have either quit or smashed the jump. But Daryl has a superb eye for a distance, and the main way that she developed her eye was by "jumping" thousands and thousands of tiny "jumps" like rails on the ground, leaves, hoof prints, any fixed object. First you need to learn basic skills, and the best way is to keep it simple at first as you learn. As you gain skill and confidence, make it gradually more testing. Do it backwards, fail, lose confidence---We see too much of this. Learn HOW first. So unbelieveably simple, so unbelieveably often ignored. Fail to learn correct basics to fail the bigger picture. So don't skip steps. Or do and screw up---your choice---

Horses are very sensitive to your internal energy, and any technique is only as good as the internal energy you bring to it. They will respond at least as much ...to that energy as the physical action you are doing, so we need to be able to control our thoughts, emotions, and our internal energy if we are to be successful with horses. If you are standing with a horse and they spy something off in the distance that puts them on alert, one technique you can employ is to look at what they are looking at. This lets them know that you are aware of it, as well as aware of their concern or interest in it. BUT your thoughts, your energy, and your physical being all have to be in alignment. Your internal dialogue would need to sound like this. PHOTO 1. "Yes, I see that dirt bike (alpaca, plastic bag, naked man, wooly mammoth) over there, it's a long way away and looks like it won't be coming anywhere near us." My body is relaxed but confident, and I am only observing what is happening, not attaching a story to it or catastrophizing a future event that is not happening. What you CANNOT do for this technique to be effective is to start having mental pictures and inner dialogue of a worst case scenario, that sounds like this. PHOTO 2. "Oh gawd, there's a dirt bike ((alpaca, plastic bag, naked man, wooly mammoth) over there, I hope it doesn't come any closer cause them you'll jump on me, and you will knock me down and I'm not wearing my helmet and I'll get knocked out, and I wonder will it be an ambulance or a helicopter that comes and gets me, I hope it's the helicopter because then I'll get to the hospital quicker and maybe I can talk them into doing that blood test I had to get tomorrow and who's going to pick my kids up from school." You can see my body position in the picture is very defensive, I'm being ineffective with my ask on the lead rope, and I have my bum stuck out behind me leaning away from the catastrophe that's about to happen. One thing I hear a lot about any technique is "I tried that and it didn't work with my horse", but what you need to remember is your physical application of that technique is only a small portion of the whole interaction. As you can see in the second photo, the internal catastrophizing actually affects my physicality, so it really starts with controlling your mind and emotions. If you struggle with this with your horse, it's a good idea to practice this without your horse. Pretend that a situation arises, and practice the thoughts, energy, and physical actions required for that eventuality. 'You don't rise to the occasion, you fall to the level of your preparation". ~U.S. Navy Seal saying. Or as I like to say "You don't control the horse, you control you".

My guess is that many of us tried to sneak through 2020 like this---Trying to remain invisible and safe----

One day his coat won’t shine quite as bright, His eyes won’t sparkle quite how they used to. His legs will become tired and he’ll take a little longer to get u...p. He won’t come to the door when you bring his saddle out anymore and he’ll find those jumps just a little harder work than he did before. But he’ll never stop loving you. He’ll never stop waiting, with pricked ears, to hear you arrive in the morning. He’ll never stop grabbing your zip if you stand too close. He’ll never stop throwing his bucket over the door when he finishes his dinner. One day he'll grow old. One day his body will slow down and he will let you know it’s time to hang up the bridle. And when that day comes, give him a hug, hold him tight and thank him for everything. Give him days in grass filled fields under summer sun. Give him love, attention and never let him believe he is anything less than perfect. Don’t cast him out into a far away field to be glanced at for the rest of his time. Don’t hand him to the groom and downgrade him to the stable at the end of the yard. Don't try and pass him off to someone else as a companion and let him go somewhere strange and new at a time in his life when all he needs is you. Love him, exactly as you did when he was in his prime. He'll never stop loving you, so never stop loving him.

Excellent article

Congratulations Darryl

Our horses love to have fun

Contrary to common stereotypes, many racehorses actually have better manners than their non-racing peers. Racehorses are handled daily, are trained according to... a strict schedule, and are exposed to a variety of atmospheres. They are in close contact with people starting at a very young age and are accustomed to having caretakers constantly present. So what exactly does a racehorse learn during their time on the track? - Racehorses know how to tie, typically in a stall, and are very used to being groomed. They do have sensitive skin though, so they tend to prefer soft brushes. Racehorses are also used to having their manes braided and legs wrapped while tied. - Racehorses are accustomed to having their feet handled and have often been taught to allow grooms to pick out all four feet while standing on the left (near) side. - Racehorses are bathed frequently. Although they may not be used to a hose, they are used to water, buckets, and sponges. - Racehorses are used to traveling. While it may take some time for them to adjust to smaller trailers, they are used to loading and shipping. - Racehorses are exposed to a myriad of scary objects. They see tractors and golf carts regularly. They are exposed to banners, flags, and loud noises, and are typically not spooky. - Racehorses are familiar with carrying a rider and usually know how to walk, trot, canter, and gallop undersaddle. While the cues are different than regular riding, they do also know how to change leads and perform other necessary maneuvers. Racehorses have a greater education than many people realize, however off-track horses are often misunderstood. Racehorses are incredible athletes. They are cared for around the clock and fed an extremely high calorie diet. When they make the transition from the racetrack, they often feel less secure. Insecurity coupled with a dramatic change in diet can lead to behaviors that many misinterpret. A familiarity with how racing barns operate can make the transition easier for both the horse and the new owner. Off-track horses can transform into willing, athletic, unparalleled partners when given proper understanding and retraining. Photo of Ashlee Eileen Wolf and Road to the Pulpit by Wendy Rawlings #OTTBwestern #RoadToThePulpit #OTTB

Call me a cynic---you'd be right---but when I read about these "horsemanship clinics" in Wellington, for these kids who probably have not spent many hours moppi...ng the tackroom floor, and they make a big deal out of teaching them "horse care skills," that any card carrying barn rat already knew by age 12, I think that the moment the clinic is over, most of those kids hand their horses back to their grooms. And that right there, not insisting those horse show kids do consistently the sort of things that barn rat kids, Pony Club kids, get MADE to do, has got to be a structural weakness in the system. Parents who think that making life easier for their children is a good thing don't get what creates a hard ass athlete. You want to be in the same league as a rider as those kids who grew up scrappy? Get scrappy. Don't let your parents turn you soft. They aren't doing you any favors---

Update: the original horse is not in danger of shipping...the pen is selling him as a re-sale once his leg heals. So another boy gets a chance! Hip tag 408 is a... beautiful standardbred and he is in danger of shipping soon. All donations will go towards his bail and quarantine. This time of year in the pen brings a lot of health issues and it passes quickly from one horse to another. Let’s get this boy home before Christmas! Can we pull of a Christmas miracle?! Please donate to my rescues PayPal to save him https://www.paypal.me/HOHhorserescue See more

Love Thelwell ponies

Well, boredom leads me to start a war! hahahahahaha You are trapped alone on an island for 5 years. You are an OK rider, basically trained a bit in both dressag...e riding techniques and jumping techniques. On the island are 5 well schooled jumpers, complete with tack, jumps, all of that. Also on the island are 5 well trained dressage horses, complete with tack, an arena, the usual. You can practice to your heart's content. Five years later, you are rescued. Are you a better dressage rider after that time, or are you a better jumping rider? And why? I have a theory, but for this one, I'm going to sit back, watch, and eat popcorn.

Great gift idea

This is a fabulous opportunity

Why are so many top skiers from countries with snow and mountains? Why are so many top hockey players from Canada? Why do we find very few top hockey players or... skiers from Saudi Arabia? Am I making myself clear about the things someone needs to do to become a good rider? Hint---It involves sitting your seat on a horse and getting used to all the things that happen while you are up there. And doing this for as long as it takes. It does NOT involve having expensive horses or expensive lessons, not until you are part of the horse, can ride like a valkyrie, are ready to refine what you are already able to so easily do. Take it down, down, down to the most fundamental of fundamentals---Go ride and ride and ride and when you are as at ease doing that as you are as at ease eating popcorn in a movie theatre, you are ready to get better educated if that is something you aspire to. Most of the rest is bull@#!%.

How cool is this

Transfixed by Totilas! We're celebrating the magic of Olympia with FEI Dressage World Cup record breakers! Setting the stage alight, Edward Gal and the the w...onderful warmblood Moorlands Totilas stole the show in 2009, with a shining performance worthy of the best! Here's to a legend that changed the sport and will forever be remembered as one of the very best. Rest in Peace, Totilas.

*WARNING. There are graphic photos in this post.. not just of my beautiful boy, but others as well. * This beautiful Thoroughbred had a name. His registered na...me was Be Brutally Honest, but we called him Rue. I was fortunate to have Rue as one of my own. He was fun, sweet, and playful. This boy LOVED to jump and never stopped. In 2014 I had to move in to a smaller farm and I leased out 3 of my horses to 3 different people. Rue was one of them. The woman leasing Rue was responsible for all of his care and our lease specifically listed the type of care he was to receive. I was also to be notified of anything affecting him from injuries to getting lost to death. She begged to buy him and I said I could maybe do a lease to purchase. However, she never made a single payment and had a lot of excuses, so he remained my horse. Due to the distance I would check in via phone every few months. She would answer and send me a picture occasionally if I asked. In 2018 I finally had enough room to bring him back, however she stated she was happy keeping him there and assured me he was doing well. 2020 was hard. In January, my father was diagnosed with cancer and it was very consuming. After losing my dad I continued to ponder on Rue and his well being. The woman no longer would answer me. On December 14th I became connected with someone who shared with me that this evil woman STARVED my horse to death. Not only did she starve him to death, but at least 2 others that we are aware of. According to multiple reliable sources she can not afford feed. She continues to BREED ponies under the name Tradale farm. One of her main studs is Tradale Belleman. Her name is Anne Marie Martzen Trapper. She is from Waymart Pa. PLEASE help me stop this from happening to the other horses on her property. The humane officer tried to press charges once, but got no where. 3 horses, including my gorgeous boy, have suffered an awful fate at her hands. This can't continue!! Im sorry for being graphic, but I am horrified. I trusted this woman and that was my fault. I do not want anyone else or their animal to go through this..the remaining horses need to be removed. #justiceforrue See more

Covid has affected so many people in so many ways and a lot of people cannot afford to take care of their animals anymore. So many wonderful horses are ending ...up in kill pens. Luckily I was contacted about this girl today. She was a family horse and had her own little girl all of her life. She is probably wondering where her family is and is petrified being in this strange and scary place. She’s shipping tomorrow and I put a hold on her in hopes that we can raise the $925 to get her to a new family. Please if you can spare anything, send to my rescues PayPal link https://www.paypal.me/HOHhorserescue and lets get this girl to safety See more

TROP BEAU patinage et Cheval .................. Un peu de douceur dans ce monde à l'envers ......

Good horsemanship is.... Going out in the dark when its cold and windy and raining to double blanket the retired senior pony who's spent her life working hard...... Its patting your horse when you walk out of the ring even if you didn't take home the blue ribbon..... Its going back out in the freezing cold to drag your house downhill so it will drain and the horses can be watered again the following day... Its many hours in the summer heat stacking hay in the loft.... Its all the trudging through mud and snow to feed or check up on the horses... Its spending your last few dollars on a round bail or bag of feed or farrier visit instead of buying those new boots you could really use... It is that thing motivating you too keep going even when your sweating in unbearable heat or feeling like your fingers are frozen to the point its painful to get the barn chores done. Its all those hours spent mucking stalls, riding less then perfect horses because they teach you the most, listening carefully to every vet and dental appointment, and every discussion with your farrier about how to better their hooves. Continuing lessons when you can even if your a talented rider Its every clinic you attend or article you read...any knowledge you can gain is helpful at something in your equestrian journey Good horsemanship is a ton of hard work in less then perfect conditions, when you just don't feel like it but doing it anyway because it's all for the betterment of every horse in your barn, every horse you ride, and every horse you come in contact with.

This is awesome

Excellent post from Malvern Saddlery and JIll Apfelbaum It is so important for the health of your horse to discuss with your veterinarian when to start training

This pictures are amazing !! Rachel captures Tad’s love for his little girl

Our rescue mission is growing and we are excited to announce our Winter camp at Our Happy Place! Horses, friends and fun...what more could you ask for?! If you would like to sign your children up, all the information is on the flyer

Phillip Dutton is coming to Radnor Hunt Stables!! Radnor is pleased to have the Olympic gold medalist/5* rider at our facility for a series of clinics before h...e heads south for the winter. The clinics will be hosted in our brand new indoor arena. We are offering both dressage lessons and show jumping lessons depending on demand. Space is limited so please secure your spot now. We will also be taking a very small group of auditors (we are requiring masks for all auditors as well as enforcing social distancing). The dates will be as follows- ~November 28th ~December 5th ~December 12th Register at https://radnor-hunt-stables.square.site/clinic

Rachel Elizabeth and Jesse had a great dressage test today

Great place for gifts

Anne Kursinski’s clinic is LIVE NOW! We are streaming EVERY section ALL 3 DAYS! Plus educational presentations daily! Do not miss this awesome event.Go to www.m...arketstreetinc.com to purchase your pass. Daily Broadcast Schedule 2’9 - 3’ Section 9:00 am 11:00 am 3’3 - 3’6 Section 11:15 am 1:15 pm Presentations 1:15 pm - 2 pm 3’9 - 4’ Section 2:00 pm 4:00 pm Finish Line Horse Products Respond Systems, Inc. Market Street Inc. King Construction Charles Owen Hermès Cindy McKee Natural Vet Palm Beach Strider Horse & Country TV ADT Tack

Star Extra Farm wants to give a big shout out to JIll Apfelbaum and Malvern Saddlery for having the best customer service and products !Star Extra Farm wants to give a big shout out to JIll Apfelbaum and Malvern Saddlery for having the best customer service and products !

Horses are wonderful for the souls

Aileen Stevens, Founder of Herd of Hope, is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of horses that have been bound for slaughter, deserted, abused, and/or ne...glected. Her mission is to restore horses to health and then find them loving, forever homes. Herd of Hope now partners with mental health and wellness experts to provide therapeutic programming that meets the needs of both human and equine herd members. Herd of Hope is Growing The Herd by supporting our youngest herd members through a 4-day, Saturday camp series designed for children who will experience lessons related to healthy herd living: Trust, Emotion Regulation and Cuing, Boundary Maintenance, and Mutual Respect. Space is limited! See our flyer for more info and registration details and please message us if interested in signing up! #JoinTheHerd #GrowingTheHerd #EquineTherapy #EquineTherapyHorse #EquineAssistedTherapy #EquineAssistedLearning #AlternativeTherapy #AlternativeTherapies #herdofhopehorserescue #mentalhealth #MentalHealthMatters #Wellness #FosterCare #FosterParents #FosterParenting #LancasterPA #LancasterCounty

Adorable mini seeking new companion. Blackie’s dear old buddy was recently put down, and he is now looking for a new home. Rescued several years ago from a ki...ll pen, he’s around 11hh, 10 years old and has been very well cared for. He’s been living on a mostly dry lot because his buddy had Cushings. UTD on everything and has good manners for vet and farrier. Located in Glen Mills PA. If you can help this sweet pony find an excellent new home, please call or text my friend Mary: 610-764-0921 See more

Colheita de cenouras Coopadap São Gotardo - MG

This is wonderful!

Please consider Nominating Herd of Hope Rescue in Mount Joy,PA They rescue from kill pens and then rehab and train them for rehoming. They do an excellent job with placement and continue following up on them

We all know that one person who is forever trying to get their horse on the trailer.

Everyone at Star Extra Farm send prayers and thoughts to Brett on the loss of her beloved Ziva today. There are no words for a time like this

Just found this fantastic article and diagram explaining bending and turning and the importance of having the horse connected between your inside leg and outsid...e hand. ‘MORE INSIDE leg!’ or ‘more outside rein’ is a common comment by Trainers and coaches. (I say it all the time ) What does it really mean? It means that your inside leg creates the energy when riding, and your outside rein regulates it. The inside leg, being at the girth, asks the horse to bend around it. Then the outside rein is there to elastically maintain the horse’s shape around the inside leg, by supporting the inside aid so the horse doesn’t move away from the leg. Your inside leg and outside rein should constantly be talking to each other and coordinate. If you were to only use the inside leg for instance, without the support from the outside rein (and leg), the horse would move away from the leg instead of around it, and he would fall out through his outside shoulder. Using the outside rein and leg we can support the outside of the horse. The inside rein is used as a direction by opening the hand to guide the animal to the direction your wanting to go. By turning your body and shoulders your horse will find it easier to turn and bend around the inside leg. Of course, it’s not just the inside leg and outside rein that’s doing all the magic. They are just individual instruments in the orchestra of aids that combined creates the symphony of harmonious riding. But they do play important parts of the beat. If you want to be sure you’re riding on your outside rein: Do a shoulder in, and let go of the inside rein. In walk, trot, and canter. The movement should not be disturbed if you’re coordinating the aids correctly. *correct bend shown on the right of the diagram

your calander. Exciting and educational for everyone.

It has really saddened me to see what Plantation Field, Cuyler Walker and our sport is going through with the controversy over the name Plantation Field. Over t...he last fifteen years Plantation Field has developed into an incredible venue that has given horses and riders of all ages and experience some great memories from the Beginner Novice Starter Trials up to the Plantation International. Personally my horses and students have benefitted immensely from their time on this venue and it’s cancellation will be an enormous loss to the eventing community. There is no question for me that having more racial diversity in our sport should be one of the sport’s goals. It is something that Evie and I have worked on and felt strongly about for some time, and can only improve the shared experience. Along these lines, Plantation Field has also worked closely with groups and charities to do their part. I am no expert in US History but I do know that the naming of the Field was never about slavery or anything resembling this. Our everyday actions are more important than names, and I am confident that Plantation has proven it’s good intentions by it’s actions in the past. For me, Eventing Nation and the governing bodies of our sport have been very disappointing in this whole experience. We need positive ideas and actions moving to a racially diverse and inclusive sport that we can all aspire to. See more

You are so right Katie !

Jill has the best selection of helmets with perfection fitting. my helmet

The jumping method of Cadre Noir in Saumur

When preparing horses for sales or shows, vets recommend not clipping away whiskers. If it must be done, only trim away some of the length. Whiskers around the eye offer sensory protection; without them, a horse may be more susceptible to eye injuries.

Be sort of honest--- You take care of three horses. One day, your vet comes to the barn and says, "I have a test for you. Put on this blindfold. Now, feel the l...egs of four horses from the knees and hocks down. Three of them will be the ones in your care, the 4th will be one you do not know. From feel alone, tell me which horse is which." Jack LeGoff actually made his riders do this one time, in a slightly different way. Jack said that we should check our horse's legs daily, and so carefully that we could spot the slightest change from normal. Could you do this, do you think?

Congratulations to Katie Rinda and Sir Tadpole on their champion, first and second at Radnor Jumper show today. He is so proud and pleased with himself. Tad is looking forward to his next show soon.

Buffered Mineral Complex (BMC) in horse feed was researched and proven to improve gastric health, hind gut health and bone density. Hallway Feeds Prep 14 was de...signed with BMC. Prep 14 offers a 20% boost in ‘calm and cool’ calories with highly digestible fibers and fats. Prep 14 is designed to feed horses of all ages and physical condition. Contact Hallway Feeds today to see how Prep 14 can work for you! See more

Accidents happen. Horses inevitably always get nicks and cuts; it is essential we take a closer look. When cleaning a small leg wound, it is recommended not to ...use a spray nozzle or water pressure. If the wound is deeper than it appears, pressure may push debris into the wound. Let the water from the hose run gently over the wound until it is fully visible to assess the damage. See more

Horses fed all hay diets consume more water than horses fed a diet of hay and concentrates (feed). One study showed horses consuming hay diets consumed 26% more... water than a horse consuming a mixed diet. More water is drawn to the digestive system of a horse consuming all hay to aid in digestion. The increase of water in the digestive system creates increases in thirst. Be sure your horses have access to clean, fresh water at all times to help prevent impaction colic, no matter what their diet! See more

Good nutrition is key to success and health of your horse

When I bought Tense from Ginger Wright a few years ago, he had just come off Finger Lakes Race Track, with a history of 34 starts and earnings of about $50,000.... He was that typical shape, thin neck, lean, not well muscled. Dressage work is body building work, in large measure. Here was Tense yesterday in our lesson with Lindle, starting to have more consistent moments of semi self carriage. It's a slow deal, or it is at any rate for many of us and our "normal" horses, because strength training is incremental. Have you heard that saying, "build a horse like an onion, one layer upon the one before." You lay down a small slice of muscular development, and you solidify it. Then you build the next slice upon that. And then you do it some more--- Eventually, you can begin to see and feel the emerging difference, but try not to be greedy about how soon to expect results, because it can make you start to grind in the work if you want more than the horse has been built up to be able to deliver. Think---"How many push ups can i do?" If you are a hard working athlete, probably quite a few. But not many if you don't bust your butt and push yourself in a program. You will only be as strong as you have made yourself. Same with your horse. Don't expect your horse to be any stronger than what you have made him able to be. https://www.pedigreequery.com/tense