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The Cyber Saddle has moved...this is officially the last post on this site. Old posts will remain intact for the foreseeable future, but all new posts can be viewed at the Cyber Saddle's new home at http://nwhscybersaddle.blogspot.com/. You can also link to it from the navigation bar of www.nwhorsesource.com once our new site is officially up and running on September 1st. Thanks for reading! I hope you follow us over to our new home. | | |
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Click on the image for a larger view.
Feel free to pass this along to anyone you know who needs a barn cat. | | |
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The Olympics are over for another four years, but the US equestrian team will have plenty of memories to last a lifetime. If you haven't followed the overall standings, the US ranks #2 for gold medals in all events, and #1 for total number of medals won, with 36 gold, 38 silver, and 36 bronze, for a total of 110 medals.. Congrats to the hard-working US Equestrian Olympic Team, both horses and riders, as well as all other athletes who represented the US in Beijing! And don't forget Canada's Individual gold in jumping, or the silver medal in team jumping! Welcome home to our athletes in both countries. You can view all medal standings and click individual countries or medals for details here: http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml | | |
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Video of the US Olympic Jumping Team (not recommended for Dialup) Though slightly belated, NWHS offers its congratulations to Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden, Bill Simpson, Mclain Ward, Cedric, Authentic, Carlsson Vom Dach, and Sapphire on their Olympic gold medal. Are you looking for the schedule of upcoming equestrian events, or did you miss an event and want to see the results? Check out the official 2008 Beijing Olympics site at http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/Schedule/EQ.shtml. | | |
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Did you miss any coverage of the Olympic equine events? Just visit www.nwhorsesource.com, click on "news" in the menu on the left hand side of the page, and use the search box at bottom left to search for "olympic" or the name of your favorite event. We're also counting down to the release of our new website, which will be easier to navigate and offer more opportunities to interact with the Northwest Horse Source community. Check back on September 1 to see what we unveil! | | |
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Our trip to the NW Washington Fair on Wednesday night provided a great time and a much-needed "out of office experience" for a couple of members of the NWHS staff. We had a chance to talk to Tracey Westbury, a local woman who trains mustangs, and even got a few photos to share!
 
The critter pictured is one of her newest mustangs, and he's a great mover with a gorgeous mane.
We had the chance to watch Tracey work with him a little, leading and getting a rope clipped to his halter. Pretty amazing work for a brand new arrival from Oregon!
You may remember Tracey from her article Building Trust with Wild Mustangs from the September 2007 issue of NWHS. We're looking forward to having her back in the magazine in 2009! Maybe even sooner. ;-)
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Just in case you missed this on our news links, Alltech is accepting entries into its Young Scientist Program. If you know of a college student (or if you are a college student) with and interest in the agricultural sciences, this is a great program that gets students involved in professional research and gives them valuable experience for a career in helping animals and the people who care for them. This year, they have created a program for graduate students in addition to the traditional undergrad program. For the full details on the Alltech Young Scientist Program, click here. | | |
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I don't really have any horse-related or magazine-related news today, so for those of you who come here for that, check back later in the week. For anyone who just wants semi-amusing animal anecdotes, keep reading.
Meet Cinder (I don't have a photo on this computer, but I'll try to upload one later). Cinder is my 11-year-old half-Siamese cat who truly believes that the world revolves around her, and most of the time it does. This Saturday I had to take her to the vet for her annual check-up.
Cinder likes sleeping. She likes sunshine. She likes escaping if I leave the door open. She likes to watch birds, eat salmon, and trick visitors into giving her extra food.
Cinder does NOT like the vet. Or the drive to the vet. Or anything else about this whole vet business.
So we get to the vet first thing Saturday morning. I'm barely caffeinated (not a good start). Cinder has howled up a storm (remember: part-Siamese) on the way in, but is unusually quiet once we get to the vet, mostly because there are no other cats for her to spit at that early in the day.
My wonderful vet knows that Cinder is generally all talk (don't ask me where she learned all those swear words, but at least she doesn't bite). But Cinder also does not like having her belly touched, and squeezing the belly of a 12-pound cat in order to find little kitty-sized internal organs is not an easy process--for the vet or the cat. We had to transfer Cinder to the low bench to do the exam, which meant Cinder ended up with her face in the corner, snarling up a storm until she finally gave up, whirled around and took a swipe at both of us. She continued to snarl, her eyes dilated out to the rims, until the vet decided that perhaps a time out was best at that point--Cinder was certainly healthy enough to let us all know exactly what was what, no problem with her lungs or heart! We were sent home with a sedative so Cinder could come back for a full exam in a somewhat more docile state at a later date. A few more feline swear words were uttered, we trundled home, and Cinder was allowed to escape from the Evil Carrier of Doom.
Five minutes later, she crawled up into my lap and purred like nothing had happened. She even let me touch her belly.
So much for the humans being in charge. | | |
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Earlier today, I was working on our monthly events calendar (the What's Happening column in the magazine) and noticed that the number of events for the year is starting to wind down. There is still plenty going on in September, but after that, as the chilly dampness sets in, only a few brave souls have events to post. This is both good and bad...less to choose from means fewer events we have to miss in order to attend one. It's also sad, because we often have great fall weather in October, and it's a shame to not have group rides and events to attend.
This month, however, we have the NW Washington Fair here in Whatcom County, then the Puyallup Fair further south in September. Our sales manager and I are definitely going to the NW WA Fair next week to see some horses, not to mention the pigs, cows, chickens, llamas, and whatever else we can find. Then there's the fair food. Sometimes you just *need* a funnel cake, right? The fair falls right on time to celebrate the sendoff of the September issue to the printer, so we hope to see a few of you there to help us celebrate the good timing.
I'm not sure if I'll make it down to "moo" the Puyallup this year, but I hope I can. I've never had anything but a great time at that fair.
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Have you always wanted to tell a story about a horse-related happening? Do you have inside information on a new technique or health concern? Northwest Horse Source Has many great writers that we work with, but we also like to hear from fresh voices, too. We have just opened up our editorial calendar for 2009, and spots for the year are already filling fast! If you have an article or story you would like to share with us, please look over the guidelines below, and if you think your writing is a good fit, send us a proposal and a writing sample, or the full text if the article is already written. If it is previously published elsewhere, please note where (we prefer previously unpublished submissions, but will consider those published outside of our region). We'd love your input.
Northwest Horse Source Article Submission Guidelines About Northwest Horse Source: The Northwest Horse Source is the all breed, all discipline educational resource for horse owners in the Northwest. Currently in our 13th year of publishing, we distribute 22,500 magazines monthly to 11 states in the US plus regular subscribers, as well as British Columbia, Canada. What we look for: NWHS content educates the reader through stories that deliver well-researched information with a personal touch. We prefer articles that offer resources to readers who would like to broaden their interest in a topic beyond the scope of the article; such resources might include websites, books, or contact information for organizations related to the article. We have two classes of feature open to freelance writers: short features run about 500 words and full features run about 1000 words. The short feature should be accompanied by 2-3 high-resolution jpg photos; the full feature should have 4-6. Articles with photos provided will be given preference. Minimum photo resolution is 4x6" at 300dpi. Themes Each month, the magazine has an editorial theme. Past themes include Working Horses, Equine Wellness, Tack and Equipment, and Senior Horses. All features must fit the theme of the month for which they are slated. To find out the schedule of upcoming themes and which feature positions are still available, please contact the editor at the address below. Format: Query first by email to deb@nwhorsesource.com. Times New Roman font, single spaced within paragraphs and double-spaced between paragraphs (no indentation), is preferred for article submissions. Payment: As a magazine that is available for free to the public, we are unable to offer monetary payment for short features and fillers. Full feature articles receive advertising credit or a $25 gratuity. Please feel free to contact the editor, Deb Taber, at deb@nwhorsesource.com with questions, or call 1-866-385-5579. To find out more about the magazine, please visit our website at www.nwhorsesource.com and browse through the article archives. Thank you for your interest in the Northwest Horse Source! | | |
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Feeling sneaky today? Well, I am. So I thought I'd give people a peek at our work-in-progress revamp of the Northwest Horse Source article archives. We're moving the archives to a blog format to allow for easy commenting and interactivity. Now, you will be able to read past articles and comment on them directly through the site. Check it out at http://nwhorsesource.blogspot.com/. This is still a work in progress, so only a few categories of article are available, and the look and sidebars aren't yet finished, but feel free to play around on the pages and send us your comments, either here, on that site, or via email. Once it's finished, the site will be integrated with our main www.nwhorsesource.com site so you only have one url to remember for all your equine education needs. We welcome your feedback, so have fun and drop us a line! The changes to the full site will be unveiled September 1st as part of an ongoing process of web upgrades. | | |
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The Olympic Games begin next Friday in Hong Kong, and the television and Internet coverage of the equestrian events will be more thorough than ever. You don't have to travel across the globe--all you have to do is tune in.
Some of the latest Olympic headlines:
Hong Kong Hand-Over Ceremony for the American Shetland Ponies a Great Success
Content provided by Johnny Robb, American Shetland Pony Club
Morton, IL- The Hong Kong Equestrian Federation (HKEF) in conjunction with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and ING Corporation, hosted an extraordinary “Hand- Over” ceremony on July 10th in Hong Kong to receive two ponies the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) donated to salute Hong Kong’s efforts in hosting the 2008 Equestrian Olympics. Read More
USET Foundation Lauds NBC's Decision to Stream Olympics Live on Web
Gladstone, NJ - July 30, 2008 - The 2008 Summer Olympics marks the first time equestrian enthusiasts will get to watch the competition in Dressage, Eventing and Show Jumping from start-to-finish, thanks to NBC's decision to stream 2,200 hours of live coverage of 25 sports at www.NBCOlympics.com. USET Foundation Executive Director Bonnie Jenkins stated, "This is wonderful news and will be a great way to give many of our supporters who are responsible for getting our U.S. equestrian teams to the Olympic Games the ability to watch the equestrian events live and cheer on our athletes, even if they cannot be there in person. I know that our staff in Gladstone who will not be in Hong Kong will be glued to their computers throughout the two weeks. It will be fantastic!" Read More
Morse Withdraws Kingston; Barisone and Neruda to Head to Hong Kong as Traveling Replacement for US Olympic Team in Dressage
By Joanie Morris
Lexington, KY - Leslie Morse has withdrawn Kingston from the US Olympic Team in Dressage for veterinary reasons. Following the selection procedures, the USEF named replacement horse/rider combination Michael Barisone/Neruda as the traveling replacement for the US Olympic Team in Dressage. Read More
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The NWHS staff would like to extend its support and encouragement to our SW Washington/Oregon Sales Representative, Suzi, who suffered a fall from her horse yesterday. There was definitely some hefty "ouch" involved--we wish her a speedy recovery and full healing.
This is a good reminder to all of us to be careful when out riding. Always wear a helmet, and keep a first aid kit and a cell phone handy. It's best to ride with a group, but accidents can happen in the paddock or barn as easily as out on the trail or in a show ring, so enjoy your horses but always remember that they can hurt us without meaning to. We want our readers to be safe and have many more years of riding ahead of them, so take care out there! | | |
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Our columnists take time out of busy careers and family lives to write new articles each month, and while they do this because they love horses and want to help us educate horse owners, sometimes just coming up with a new idea each month can be stressful. This is where you can help. Do you have a question that might make an interesting article topic for one of our writers? Is there something you've been itching to know about holistic or conventional equine health care? Do you have a training question, or want to learn more about a specific English or Western discipline?
Let us know, either in the comments here or by emailing editor@nwhorsesource.com, and we'll pass your question along to our experts to fuel their article ideas and bring you the information you want to know. You can also find answers to training questions or ask specific experts questions directly through our Ask the Experts page on the Northwest Horse Source website. | | |
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For those of you who don't get our newsletter, here is a brief sneak peek at what's in store at NWHS in the next issue:It seems like we waited forever for summer to arrive, and now that I'm looking at the calendar, it seems like it's almost past. Before you give up on the longer, brighter days, let our August issue help you get the most out of time with your horses. In the Equine Wellness column, learn how play time benefits your horse and how to incorporate games into your training. From toys to tools, learn proper use of the flag in Beyond the Basics, then join our Trainers Corner experts for a new series on backing. In these lean times, we are also dedicated to bringing you information on how best to weather the economic downturn while still getting the most out of your equine lifestyle. This August, On the Plus Side offers tips to help you cut down your show budget, while the Doctor's Corner looks at the process prescription drugs go through, and whether or not generic drugs do the same for your horse as the name brands. Don't forget to check out the "What's Happening" column for nearly 100 Northwest events, plus our online calendar with more events added daily. The August issue also features our Art & Fiction contest winners, so look for it in feed and tack stores starting August 1st. | | |
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It's not exactly Smokey the Bear, but there are resources out there for anyone trying to find out the latest forest fire information in our region. Forest fires not only devastate wildlife and homes, but can make travel slow, frustrating, and occasionally impossible or dangerous. Detours and turning around to find an alternate route are even more difficult when you're hauling a horse trailer or trying to calm nervous, fire-excited horses when you get to your show, trail, or campground. It pays to plan ahead. Check with your local news to see if forest fires affect any of your hauling routes or trails. In Washington and Oregon, the Northwest Coordination Center maintains a website that tracks large fires and their danger levels. The website, http://www.nwccweb.us/index.asp, offers daily updates and 7-day forecasts for fire potential. The National Interagency Coordination Center is located in Boise, Idaho, and online at http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/index.htm. From there, you can link to many of the above sites and other regions as well. Be prepared and plan ahead to make your summer travels go smoothly and safely. If you'd like to help out in the efforts to control these fires, use the websites above to contact the effort organizers and find out what you can do to help. If you have stalls available, consider donating space to displaced horses. If the Coordination Centers can't point you toward a local group that organizes equine emergency efforts, do an internet search for your state and "animal emergency response." Washington State Animal Response Team ( http://www.washingtonsart.org/) has a great training program and regular meetings for those interested in helping out. | | |
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I hope you all had a great weekend. My apologies for missing Friday's post. I had some computer troubles in the morning, and by the time they were resolved, I have to admit that the post had slipped my mind. To make up for it, here are a few shots from the recent Hallmark movie, "Every Second Counts." Look behind the actors and you might see a banner with a familiar name on it! And that's our February issue in the pile of mail.  Also, I wanted to mention an event that's coming up this weekend in Sedro Wooley, Washington. NWHS publisher Karen Pickering will be there, and she would like to encourage anyone else who is looking to build confidence and safe riding skills to come along. "It's a pleasure to be involved in one of Raye's clinics. I watched him at the Mane Event in Chilliwack, BC last October, and found that clinic to be informative and entertaining, and I felt the crowd responded to him well. I have admired his position on helmets for a long time--It's good to see a trainer whose primary concern for the horse and rider. I'm looking forward to learning, and hope to meet some new readers while I'm there!" To read more about Raye's position on the importance of riding helmets, visit http://rlhorsemanship.com/ti/rlh/showcontent.html?content=helmetsFor more about the event, visit www.RLHorsemansip.com or view the NWHS Events Calendar at www.nwhorsesource.com. Have a great week! | | |
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Phew! The last two days have been packed full with the final proofing and upload stages of the magazine. This is the crucial time of month for editorial and design, during which we check and recheck and check again to make sure that everything in the magazine looks as it should. Here's a little made-for-blogging movie of how it works: INT. OFFICE, MORNING: Editor: Here's the layout. I hope you can read it. (Hands over ten pages of scribbled notes with ad codes and boxes representing placement) Designer: (Looks through pages) Is this a four or a nine? Editor: (Brushes eraser dust off pages) It's an H. No, wait, a K. Yes, definitely a K. ***Four hours later, a printed sheaf of paper with everything assembled in order sits on the editor's desk. While it was being compiled, Editor has been correlating indexes and checking printouts against initial copies.*** Designer: Let me know when you're ready to PDF it. Editor: Hmm...looks like we have two tractor ads on the same page. Let's swap the top block on page 32 with the bottom block on page 43. ***One hour later, editor hands designer a pile of additional notes*.** ***30 minutes later, designer hands editor a pile of printed corrections.*** Editor: (After going through every page again) Okay, looks good, let's PDF. Can I use PDF as a verb? (Editor consults various dictionaries and online style guides) ***While Portable Document Formatting is in progress, Editor rejuvenates with coffee, blog-reading, and possibly some grocery store-style Chinese food; Designer rejuvenates with Pizza Pocket and a few rounds of labyrinth on her iPhone.*** ***Once the PDF is done, Editor and designer pull up to the largest computer screen and sit side by side.*** Designer: Did you bring the popcorn? Editor: Darn, forgot it again. Let's get this movie rolling. (Editor and Designer start paging through the PDF to check for any items that underwent strange metamorphoses during the PDF process) Editor: I think I've seen this movie before. Designer: Yeah. I wish it had a better soundtrack. Editor: Wasn't there a box around that ad in the original version? (Editor checks against printout while designer checks against original file) Editor: Looks like there was. Designer: Weird. It was there in the file. (Designer notes page number and ad code) Designer: I swear I changed this ad to true black last month, and now it's 4-color again! Editor: I know you did. I watched you do it. Designer and Editor: *sigh* Technology. ***Notes are taken throughout the magazine. Once this is done, Designer fixes anything that needs fixing while Editor catches up on other work that fell behind during the production cycle. A new PDF is generated, and then...*** Designer: Next time, we really need to bring caramel corn. Editor: Definitely ***PDF is reviewed again. If it's good, it is finalized and uploaded. If not, more changes are made and another screening of this not-quite-blockbusting feature is arranged.*** Designer: I'm uploading to the printer now. Your email might be slow for a while. Editor: It's a good excuse to work offline for a bit. Designer: I'll be back tomorrow in case the printer has any issues with the file. Editor: Are you sure you remember where you live? You haven't seen it much lately. Designer: That's okay, my husband is picking me up. I'm sure he'll remember how to get home. The above work may or may not be a dramatization of the actual magazine-making process. No horses or computers were harmed in the making of this magazine, though a few animals and spouses may have been neglected. What happens now? After final checks on the printer's version of the PDF and any corrections there, the ink is set to paper and the magazine comes alive. Well, figuratively speaking. In the meantime our sales reps are researching new leads and our publisher is working on long-term projects for the company.
Then the process starts all over again for next month. | | |
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...or at least the mountains. From Dave Welch, Mt. Adams Chapter, BCHW The Mt. Adams Horse Camp out of Trout Lake and the associated trails are closed until further notice due to a wildfire. Check out the picture taken from the Horse Camp! That's usually Mt. Adams in the background.... The fire was started by a lightning strike near the Cold Springs Trail on the west side of the lava bed. The fire has crossed the Aiken Lava Bed and is headed for the reservation but is not there yet. The Gotchen Guard Station and Cow Camp may be in harm's way. They think this is from the thunderstorm two weeks ago.
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