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NOVEMBER 2024
Issue 13 - Give Thanks
All the signs of fall are here—the crunchy leaves, crisp morning air, colorful hillsides, and the hum of farm equipment as the farmers do their jobs. Iowa, I love it.
I’ve noticed the horses beginning to get their winter coats; the new hair growth is thick and rich in color. It’s amazing how Mother Nature prepares them for winter. As riders, we need to remember to do a proper cool-down near the end of the lesson so they can start drying before going outside. Riders can prepare for cooler weather by dressing in layers and remembering to wear gloves. We’re moving past the season of forgotten water bottles and into the season of forgotten jackets. Look behind you before you leave!
November, the month of gratitude, reminds me of how much I appreciate all the opportunities I’ve been given and the support of family and friends which helped me see my dreams come true. I am grateful for the good lesson horses that have come through our barn, for the wonderful instructors and students who have helped them become better horses. Most of all, I am grateful to each of our barn family members who share a bit of their week with us, which allows us to live the life we have always wanted—one that involves spending time with horses every day! Thank you!
Robin
WHAT'S COMING
November 1 - 3
Julie Christie Biomechanics Clinic
Fri 1 - 5pm Sat 8 - 5pm Sun 8 - 2:30pm
November 10
Equitation Horse Show 12 - 3pm
November 16
Barn Buddies 11am - 1pm
Social Hour 1pm
November 25 - 30
Holiday Closure
We are grateful for all of you, thank you for being part of our world! We will not be having any specialty camps during Thanksgiving break. The horses will truly have a week off!
Heeding is a very valuable skill, also referred to as groundwork, It involves horse psychology and an understanding of "why" you might ask a horse to do something. These skills will help you with your day-to-day handling of any horse.
So Long Sebastian 💚
We said farewell to Sebastian in October. Yasmin Osorio Bello is the lucky young lady who is his new owner. Her plans are to enjoy having her first horse and possibly show him in some dressage shows. The best thing we can do for our horses is to eventually find them their person and we are thrilled that Sebastian found his.
HALLOWEEN PARTY
Great fun was had by all! Excited to celebrate again next year!
Horse Lover - Barn Buddy Program
Building community is one of our goals for this year, so we thought we could ask our Horse Lovers to be a mentor for a younger student who wants to be around the barn more. Many of our younger students wish they could be at the barn more, so we devised a plan to allow that to happen. Current Horse Lovers know and understand the procedures we follow to take excellent care of our horses. Horse Lovers do a lot of behind the scenes work! Activities include scrubbing buckets, cobwebbing, cleaning water tanks, helping with class changeovers, moving horses to the areas that they are needed next.
If you are interested in being a mentor or being a buddy please
ask your instructor help you find a match.
Next opportunity is on November 16
Sign up early!
HORSE SPOTLIGHT
MEET BELLA 💜
The cutest pony at Greenbriar, Miss Bella! All 38 inches of her. Bella might get more hugs than treats! Every tour stops by her stall and is invited to give her a hug. Our weekly students stop by as well to give her one of her favorite scratches on the neck. Bella is our mascot that gets to go to local schools and teach kids about horses and horse care.
Bella came to Greenbriar in April of 2013 as a seven-year-old, that makes her 18 years old this year. As the smallest pony at the barn, she has been a confidence booster for many students. You must have your leg in the correct position if you want her to trot from your squeezing leg. She is a great first canter pony if you are still small enough to ride her. I always tell the young people, ‘You are so lucky to be small enough to ride Bella right now, because you are going to be too big someday.’
I love Bella with all my heart!
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
MEET SARAH
Tell us about your first experiences with horses. When did you start riding?
I went on a guided trail ride when I was seven with the YMCA of Colorado and that started my bug for riding. When my family moved to Oregon when I was twelve I started to take riding lessons regularly and began showing in western pleasure, equitation, barrel racing/ pole bending, halter/showmanship
Who was your favorite horse when you were a Greenbriar student?
I have two. Despey and Pete were my two buddies during
my time of taking lessons and working at the barn.
Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Greenbriar?
Getting to show retrain my own horse Popeye from a saddleseat horse into a dressage horse and winning my bronze and silver medals with him. Also getting to do saddleseat demonstrations with Popeye at the end of Pee Wee camps. Also getting to do my job as the stall cleaner, taking care of the horses during camp season and the off season, cleaning stalls, helping with camps and lessons.
In what ways have you reconnected with Greenbriar?
I try and visit as often as I can when my schedule allows it .
Tell us about your experiences with horses since leaving Greenbriar.
Since I left Greenbriar in 2018 I have been fortunate enough to have owned three horses my mom and I adopted Rocket in 2018, I believe and owned him until he passed in the spring of 2019. I then was able to purchase my first training horse that I trained at Kirkwood in 2011, her name was Scarecrow or Crow I had her till she passed from Potomac Horse Fever and then I bought my most recent horse Georgia who I trained and then sold in February of 2023 due to my life changing and not being able to give her the attention she needed.
Do you work with horses today? Do you have your own horse?
Not anymore I am currently horseless and wanting to get
back into riding lessons and start showing again.
What are your current goals?
Get back into riding again and also finish up my criminal justice degree and get my bachelors degree in forensic science and then have a job that I can afford to have a horse again.
SHARE YOUR STORY!
If you have been a student of Greenbriar
in the past, fill out our questionnaire!
Fill out our questionnaire and we will publish your experience in our next newsletter!
Care for Horses in Winter
Adrianne Lake
How to Care for Your Horses and Ponies in Winter
So often well intentioned horse owners opt to stable and/or blanket their horses during the winter months usually because they are afraid of their horses being cold and miserable. Just because we are “cave dwellers” and get cold very easily doesn’t mean your horse does. Most horses prefer outdoor open spaces, room to move, lots of forage and the company, companionship, and the freedom to participate in a herd hierarchy. This is because horses have evolved to live naturally and despite being domesticated for so long they are still well equipped to deal with harsh winter weather. But please don’t throw your beloved equine into sub-zero temperatures quite yet! Read on to be sure your horse is fully prepared and has everything he needs to keep happy and warm outside in the winter.
Stabling:
Did you know that by keeping your horse stabled you may actually be making him colder? Everyone knows that if you are cold, moving around and increasing circulation will warm you up. This is especially true for horses. Even a box stall is like keeping a dog in a small kennel. They cannot move around enough to maintain good circulation, digestion and warmth. Aside from anything else fresh air and the freedom to move is much healthier than keeping a horse in the fanciest of stables. A run-in, or open shelter, enables your horses to move out of the wind and rain if they so desire, while still providing them with the freedom to roam.
Natural Winter Coats and Blanketing:
A horses’ best defense against cold temperatures and dampness is his own well developed winter coat. A horse with a winter coat leaves air pockets for insulation and warmth when it is cold (when you shiver, your own hair is making air pockets to warm you up!). A good winter coat grows longer, thicker and develops a slightly oily texture for protection against rain and dampness. However, once the coat becomes soaked the all important air pockets lose their ability to trap air and the horse loses some of its super thermal natural coat. (See below for more information on this and how to help your horse cope naturally).
Blankets apply enough pressure to flatten the coat and remove any natural air insulation.
And if you put on a blanket that is too light for the weather it is the same effect as if you were to wear a fall coat in the middle of winter.
Forage, Digestion and Water:
It is crucial for horses that are outside in the winter to have plenty of forage. Good quality free choice hay, or restricted hay feeders are the best options. Horses are trickle feeders and constantly need something in their bellies. Digestion releases heat and keeps the horse warm. In really cold temperatures horses will eat more forage naturally to keep themselves warm. Of course, along with forage, water is very important in the winter. Horses tend to drink less if the water is really cold. Horses and ponies need access to fresh water at all times…watering twice a day just doesn’t cut it. Also, leaving a horse to eat snow as water intake is not wise either. Make sure salt is available, and have a heated water trough if you can. Feeding soaked hay cubes is also a good idea. If a horse isn’t getting enough water digestion issues often occur. This is why more colic cases occur in the winter months.
Resource: horses-and-ponies.com
OUR MAILING ADDRESS
Greenbriar Riding Academy
PO Box 435 - Springville, IA, 52336
United States
+1 319-854-7115