Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2025 i Horse & Rider

TRAVEL Fort Worth, Texas WHAT Cinch RSNC World Finals WHEN June 7–14, 2025 Ranch Sorting Contestants Compete for a True World Title In 2025, ranch sorters will arrive in Fort Worth from points across the country, the continent, and the globe to compete for a predicted $1 million purse at the 2025 Cinch RSNC World Finals. Since its 2007 inception, the Cinch RSNC has introduced some 34,000 members to the sport of ranch sorting, with nearly 8,000 teams traveling to Fort Worth each June for the annual World Finals. This year’s contestants and fans can watch everyone from youth athletes to open competitors sort for glory on Ride TV, the official educational video and livestream platform of the Cinch RSNC. In ranch sorting, two-man teams (in most cases) compete in…

Blooming with Color From bright new tack and gear options to stylish wardrobe updates, spring is the perfect time to freshen up your look and embrace the vibrancy that comes with the season. 1. The Perfect Spring Button-Down This 100% cotton button-down brings a fresh floral print to your wardrobe with a perfect balance of classic style and modern flair. Fold up the cuffs to reveal a striking purple contrast that pairs perfectly with a rich purple wild rag for a polished, put-together look that turns heads in the show pen. $169; crranchwear.com. 2. Rainy Day Boots Step into spring with these butterfly-patterned rain boots, designed to bring both fashion and function to wet-weather days. The vibrant design adds a playful touch to any outfit, while the durable waterproof rubber…

➞ When you have a pattern that requires horses to perform physical maneuvers like sliding stops and multiple spins, it’s hard to believe that most non-pro riders find themselves in the penalty box over something as simple as large and small circles. But the truth is, while circles look straightforward, there’s a lot of strategy involved with this maneuver. It Starts in the Center Most of the time, you’ll find yourself starting your circle in the middle of the arena. Whether you’ve just completed a set of spins or you’re walking into the center of the pen to begin your pattern. Before you even lope off, make sure your eyes are up and you know where you want your horse to go. If you’re looking down, you won’t know where…

Your horse is amazing, and you couldn’t be happier. Every ride is great, and every day you wonder, How did I get so lucky. Then the doubts set in. It’s hard to beat them back. I mean, he is a horse, after all. What if he gets hurt? What if he goes lame? And the worst nightmare of all, what if he needs colic surgery? You’ve heard so many stories. People say colic surgery is incredibly expensive. (It is!) They warn that the recovery process is a nightmare. (Some are, some aren’t—but no matter what, it’s a long, hard road.) And perhaps most frightening of all, they claim horses never come back the same. (Some may struggle, but others return even better than before!) One thing is true. Every horse’s…

WITH THE INCONSISTENT WEATHER spring brings, riding can sometimes take a back seat if you don’t have access to a dry or indoor riding space. This is a great time of the year to transition into prioritizing or fine-tuning your own health and fitness. Prioritize Your Health It’s commonplace to want to get into better shape so zipping into your favorite chaps isn’t such a daunting task or so daily chores are easier to accomplish. Neither of these are bad reasons for wanting to get more fit. However, when we take a step back and really look at the time and effort that we put into our horses, their health, and their training, we can clearly see where we lack in doing so for ourselves. While working on improving your…

Soggy-Weather Skin Conditions When wet weather rolls in, so do a variety of skin conditions that can affect your horse’s health and comfort. Prolonged exposure to rain, mud, and moisture can create the perfect environment for bacterial and fungal infections, leading to issues like rain rot, pastern dermatitis, and allergic reactions from insect bites. Rain Rot Rain rot, also called rain scald or dermatophilosis, is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Dermatophilus congolensis. Cause: Typically, the bacteria are dormant on your horse’s skin and become activated in wet conditions, such as during rainy, high-mud seasons. This causes inflammation, resulting in lesions and scabs in your horse’s coat. Treatment: Mild causes are straightforward to manage. Bathe the affected area with anti-microbial soap and curry and brush to remove the scabs.…

Managing parasites requires more than deworming and checking a box. Here you’ll learn about some of the common internal and external parasites and five horsekeeping strategies to keep them at bay. While some level of parasite presence is inevitable, what you do and how you treat them can go a long way to reduce the likelihood of infestation and health repercussions. 1. Manage the Environment Cleanliness and environmental control are the best ways to avoid having an abundance of parasites to manage in the first place. Since flies are a known nuisance in most regions and settings, it’s often the first horsekeeping measure horse owners take. You can also use fly traps and Spalding Fly Predators, which can be spread on manure and attack fly larvae. Apply sprays, and use…

➞ When you first start a horse or ride one that hasn’t been well-trained to neck-rein, his natural tendency when the rein lies against his neck is to turn his head in the opposite direction of the way you want to turn. That rein has shortened just enough to make him think, “They want me to tip my nose that way.” Meanwhile, you’re in the saddle thinking, “How the heck am I going to get him to connect the dots and look to the left when I lay the right rein on his neck?” There’s a natural progression for training your horse to neck-rein, and the foundational elements are essential for success. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a confused horse and a frustrated rider. Here’s the process I use. It…

➞ THIS IS A CLASS OF young performance mares so I approach judging them based on my perception of how athletic they may be and how well they’ll hold up under work. Over many years, I’ve seen horses overcome flawed conformation to perform well. However, even though a horse may overcome conformation flaws, that horse will work much harder for success than a horse with better balance and structure. I look for overall balance, structural correctness, breed and sex characteristics and muscling, according to the rule books for the stock breeds. Regarding overall balance, a horse that is high in the hocks will have an uphill battle, in every meaning of the phrase, to succeed. A horse with hocks higher than his knees will struggle to lift his front end…

Horses and running businesses around them can get expensive. That’s not new news. But there are ways to manage the cost of horse ownership. And not only by cutting corners or using tricks to stretch your dollar (hello, diluted shampoo!). While you can, and probably should be mindful of your spending, there are other ways you can make expenses work for you. It all comes down to what you do with your horses and your horse-related services. Do you compete? Do you give lessons? Do you provide therapy? Do you breed and sell them? I’ve worked with horse people across disciplines and services for decades. Every horse person has a different financial situation, and while my accounting advice is tailored to those unique circumstances, there are a few tried-and-true horse…

you should know / from you, the reader / horseandrider.com Sorting Greatness: The Influence of Halreycious Halreycious has made a significant impact as a sire, with progeny earnings exceeding $3.9 million across multiple disciplines, including cutting, reined cow horse, roping, barrel racing, and ranch riding. His influence extends even further in the sport of ranch sorting. Head to our website to read this story brought to you by Chewy. Escape the Cold: Trail Riding Destinations! ➞ Enjoy This Desert Diamond California’s Joshua Tree National Park offers spectacular trail riding through unique desert ecosystems. ➞ Find Warmth in Florida Avoid the colder temperatures and head south for the winter to stay at Fiddler’s Green RV Ranch. ➞ Take a Trip to Tucson Take in the beauty of the Sonoran Desert sunrise…

Springtime Shedding Is there anything more satisfying than the before-and-after of a stroke of the Rapid-Groom Professional Groomer ($635; amazon.com) hose on a fuzzy, dull, and dusty, early spring coat? This model from Electric Cleaner Co. is equipped with four wheels for easy maneuverability but is compact enough and light enough (30 lbs.) to travel to shows, too. Plus, it features dual power settings so you can tackle sensitive areas accordingly. Tried-And-True Grooming Tools A little elbow grease goes a long way in spring, and these time-tested tools will help you get this dirty job done. 1. Epona Love Wood Curry Comb Nothing better than a curry comb for battling shedding season, but the long, wooden bristles on this brush make it a go-to tool for getting the job underway…

➞ For many years, Kyle Performance Horses had 40 or 50 head in the barn. But today, we concentrate on showing a few of our own, and focus on conditioning and building confidence in our horses. Instead of showing one or two classes on several horses, now we both show one or two horses in several classes. KR Smart Dreamer is one of those horses. In 2024, he won the Stock Horse of Texas open world champion title [with Pete] then showed at the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship show where he won the select ranch riding [with Tamra]. While it takes a special horse to be successful with open and amateur riders, there are several things that we do to ensure he’s in top condition to compete. Outside…

In the last five to 10 years, we’ve seen a shift back to more active trail riding. People are getting out, both alone and in groups, going to trail riding events, and enjoying themselves. As people are reconnecting with their horses outside of the arena, I’ve seen nerves surface. They’re finding trickier trail terrain to cross or are taking horses that are used to arena environments out into nature for the first time. I’ve been fortunate to trail ride across nearly every type of terrain in the United States and in every region. Here, I want to share exercises to do before heading out and tips to help you stay safe on the trail. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES If my horse is scared of an obstacle, I’m going to take my time…

‘As the program has grown and gotten bigger, the core foundation has stayed the same. It’s about the people. Most of my customers have been in the barn for more than 15 years. They’ve grown as riders, and as people, and have adapted as we have evolved as a barn. It feels like we’re all part of one big family.’ —Devin Warren on the importance of building a training program that revolves around community and helping non-pro riders grow, on The Ride, a podcast by Horse&Rider, available to stream or download wherever you listen to podcasts.…