Triple U. Quarter Horses. The Future of Revamped. Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition By Whitney Knippling

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5 The Future of Revamped Triple U Quarter Horses By Whitney Knippling Roy and Nellie Houck s Triple U originated in Gettysburg, South Dakota, later moving to Fort Pierre in They started off raising buffalo, Clydesdale s and Quarter Horses, focusing on ranch type horses. As time went on, Shari Taggart become more and more involved with the ranch and the horses. She started to rodeo and run barrels with their quarter horses transitioning breeding wise towards this discipline. The ranch in Fort Pierre, SD was sold in 2015 when the Taggart s moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma to continue to raise and compete in the barrel racing industry changing their name to Triple U Quarter Horses. Since moving to OK, my husband and I have been able to focus a lot more seriously on the horses, since we no longer own buffalo, she says, We have basically done a 360 degree turn around with our barrel racing horses, and are now able to get serious about the quality of our horses. Since the transition of a new name and move to OK, they are working to build a whole new program. We value what Roy and Nellie taught us and we are very willing to learn and take advice from other people in the industry, says Taggart, Our neighbor Bob Loomis has been a great inspiration, mentor, and friend. He is one of the best horseman. Their ranch has many facilities available and is set up to breed, flush, and transplant their own embryos. They use Performance Equine Associates for all of their veterinary needs from breeding to surgery. With an office set up right at the place, they are able to perform all the steps necessary to ensure their mares are comfortable during breeding season. Their training facility is all under one roof with a stall barn attached to the 125X275 covered arena. Their horses get turned out into small pastures and come into big stalls at night. Weather Tell Em Bell Star by Heart Of The Cartel out of Tell Em Bell. She is a futurity colt. Photo Credit: JoH Photography Donttinkerwithmygun and Nicole Schneider-West 3 yr old mare. By Don t Tinker With Guns out of Starbuck Sassy. Photo Credit: Walternberry Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

6 is not a problem when training here, says Shari, We keep the ground in great condition for working colts to open horses. We have the stalls and pens to house visiting trainers for extended periods of time. We have several trainers stop by and spend time here. The horses are on a strict feed program, says Taggart, Thanks to Alan Woodbury of Woody s Performance Feeds we are able to get Woody s here in OK. We are able to ensure we get the right nutrition for each horse. Our competition horses, broodmares, and recip herd are all on a strict Woody s feed diet. We believe good nutrition is the key to top performance. A sound healthy horse is a happy horse, and a happy horse will give 110% to the rider. Their breeding program currently consists of a young stallion they purchased from R Peak Snowball Perksmaster out of daughter of Oklahoma Fuel. She has won about 30k Alan Woodbury, Vanila Latte. This gorgeous stallion has some reputable bloodlines sired by Dash For Perks, a leading barrel racing, futurity, and NFR champion producing sire, and his dam, one of Alan s great mare s Dash Ta Vanila, who her herself is an NFR qualifier and the producer of multiple winning barrel horses, including Alan s great mare Rosas Cantina CC, ridden by Lisa Lockhart. Vanila Latte is a unique cross, says Shari, He is very athletic, intelligent, 2 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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8 and an overall gentleman. He is a good outcross for many mares around today, yet he still has a winning pedigree. We are paying him up in incentives such as: Pink Buckle, Blue Collar Breeders, VGBRA, BRIF, and Colorado Classic. As his foals get older, he will be Future Fortunes, PESI, Triple Crown 100, and Select Stallion Stakes eligible. Of course, their breeding operation isn t possible without mare power. All of their mares are own daughters of many top stallions with strong maternal lines. Some of their mares include: UX Flit N Fabulous, Margarita Red Rita, Red Vanila, DTV Bucky Cartel, Dash Ta Strawfly, RR Peak Snowball, Varsity Lace, Tayter to the Top, and Ms Blu Moon, all of which are proven in barrel racing or on the race track and some still in competition today. We are trying to raise and produce horses with some excellent pedigrees, she says, Horses that want to run, race, and perform with ability, intelligence, and willingness to learn. We talk to other breeders in the industry and try to match our mares with phenomenal stallions along with Vanila Latte. They ve bred their mares to outside stallions as well including: Tres Seis, PYC Paint Your Wagon, First MoonFlash, Blazin Jetolena, Foose, and Frenchmans Fabulous to name a few, saying, There are many more stallions of this caliber we have chosen to cross. They have also purchased eggs from outside mares to cross back on Latte, saying We are very selective about the mares we choose. We study and follow the performance of these mares ensuring to get excellent foals on the ground and in the competition arena. Our breeding and training program is striving to produce great performance horses that are versatile to many different trainers and riders, says Shari, Our barrel racing mares have been trained by different people such as Hallie Hanssen, Samantha Flannery, and Brenda Hughes. We hope to put our foals into the hands of several trainers in the future and to see this operation grow into a strong program for the future of this industry. We want good confirmation, intelligence, trainability, soundness, and desire to win from the horses we raise. cc UX Flit N Fabulous close to 50k in earning Margarita Red Rita. Frenchmans Guy x SLR Nick It Time by DTF, approximately 50k in earnings Photo Credit: Olie s Images Red Vanila ridden by Hallie Hanssen Dash ta Fame x SX Frenchmans Vanila about 15k in earnings 4 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

9 Triple U Quarter Horses By Whitney Knippling 1 C-sections in Mares By Heather Smith Thomas 11 Broodmare Nutrition By Heather Smith Thomas Blackwell - Making a Difference in our Animal Athletes By Whitney Knippling Importance of Genetic Testing By Heather Smith Thomas 29 Vita Flex By Maegan McPherson 43 Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Breeder s Edition Edition

10 On the Cover Three Bars By Shawne By Maegan McPherson 49 Whitney Knippling Sales - Eastern South Dakota knippling.whitney@gmail.com Whitney was raised on a ranch north of Chamberlain, S.D. She rodeoed in 4-H and High School, where she competed in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, and team roping. After graduating from Oklahoma Panhandle State University with a degree in Agricultural Business, she returned to South Dakota and continues to rodeo at amateur and pro levels. She joined the THM team in the Fall of Ashley Buffington Magazine Coordinator todayshorseab@gmail.com Ashley grew up on a farm near Davis, SD. She received her Associates Degrees in Graphic Design and Marketing from South East Tech. She rodeoed in 4-H and High school and continues to rodeo at amateur rodeos and team ropings. Ashley and husband Trey welcomed son Trig in March of She joined the THM team in the Fall of Heather Smith Thomas Contributing Writer Heather is a rancher/writer, and lives near Salmon, Idaho, with her husband, Lynn. She has raised and trained horses for 55 years and has been writing about them nearly that long. As a writer, she has written for more 200 different publications, and written 20 books. Born on the Weber Ranch north of Valentine, NE, Whiskey W15 is an own son of Paddys Irish Whiskey, and out of Seven S Snickers, an excellent producing daughter of SuperHorse Real Gun. This young bay stallion was trained and is being campaigned by Cody Marx, in Reining, Working Cow Horse, and soon in all 3 roping events. Watch for him at the 2019 BHSS AQHA show! 6 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

11 A Not So Glossy Future Right at Your Fingertips By Maegan McPherson I wanted to do a reprint of my Note from the Publisher that I wrote for the November/ December 2018 issue of Today s Horse, to again spread the word, in case you missed it or didn t get a chance to read it. It s clearly no secret that magazines have been a dying industry for years, but to publishers it s definitely a hard idea to grasp. Due to many factors change is once again in our future, because of the lack of readership, the more economical cost alternatives for advertisers online, the paper tariffs that continue to sky rocket the cost of printing, and the extreme cost of distribution, to name a few. These are just some of the problems publishers face, and we have to make difficult decisions in order to stay in business. Unfortunately, we are no longer in a world like the 90 s, where glossy monthlies soaked up thousands of dollars in advertising revenue. Magazines have sputtered for years, with their monopoly of readers and advertising erased by Facebook, Google, and more agile online competitors. The love of this business forces us to yield to financial reality, and publishers are compelled to grasp for new revenue streams, as a try anything approach has taken hold. The longtime core of the business, the print product, is an afterthought over-showered by investments in live events, podcasts, video, and partnerships with outside brands. The changes represent one of the most fundamental shifts in decades for a business that long relied on a simple formula of glossy volumes, thick with high priced ads. Sentimentality is probably the biggest enemy for the magazine business, but we have to embrace the future whether we like it or not. Optimists in the business say that it may be healthy for younger generation editors to take the reins, as the older generation editors are less accustomed to the rhythms and forms of web journalism. Many of the industry s rising stars are finding ways to raise revenue and gain readers on the digital side. All media companies are going through a period of change and we have to find new ways to increase revenue and trim expenses. As owner and editor of Today s Horse Magazine, I have to do what s best for the company, my advertisers, and my employees, and to gain more readership the ticket is moving into more online avenues that can get us to those goals. Magazines are not completely in the past, and print is not completely going away any time soon. Business cards, flyers, sale catalogs etc. are still very popular advertising tools for people that Today s Horse Magazine will continue to produce for our customers. Magazines are like vinyl records though, there are only a select few anymore that will treasure them forever. I ve contemplated the idea for a year now about cutting out the hard copy of Today s Horse Magazine, and unfortunately we are in a time where the majority overrule, and the only way to survive is to keep up with the times, and make our publication available at your fingertips. As of January 2019, we will no longer charge a subscription rate for our publication as it will be available free online to anyone and everyone, in hopes of reaching a wider audience to benefit our advertisers and give us a more competitive edge. We will have the magazine available online at as well as our new app that is currently in the works. Ad rates will decrease because of the printing costs being cut out of the equation, and we will pour more money into reaching bigger audiences through social media advertising and other online sources, that way our publication is in the eyes of thousands more people. People still read, just more people read articles on Facebook and the web, compared to picking up a hard copy magazine at a local business, sadly. After a magazine is skimmed through, that expensive tangible copy just ends up getting thrown in the trash. I will forever be a hard copy type of gal, but we have to do what works for the majority, and even though it s hard, it s a transition we have to make. We will still continue to print a hard copy of our Annual Breeder s Edition, but the monthly copies will no longer be available as a Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition 2019

12 physical copy. There are pros and cons to this transition, but we are going to focus on the advantages. Not only will it save money and paper by being online and right at your fingertips, every article and ad will be readily available and easily shared with the world. Archives will be easy to find. Reaching a bigger audience will be a lot more affordable with the online route, because when you try to reach a bigger audience by printing more, it costs drastically more and that s what makes advertising prices so expensive. Another couple advantages to an online publication are the editing and time. Your final product that you send to the printing press is relatively unchangeable. Deadlines are created, met, and taken to press and once the proof is approved, the machines do the rest of the work and are unable to comprehend any possible errors in the text. When the press and bindery are done, you can t turn back. If you have overlooked anything, your readers will be the ones that notice. With online publishing, there is a great amount of ease when it comes to editing. If a date is wrong, a word misspelled, or there s a tense out of place, a simple correction can be made to the file and be updated on the Web with a snap of your fingers. Time is arguably our most valuable asset, and is more valuable than money. There is never enough time in the day to get everything accomplished that we want to, and when we can cut time out of our equation that s huge. Time is more valuable than money because you can use your time to make money, but you can t use money to purchase more time. With all this being said, we are plunging forward with this concept even though I ve been dreading the idea for quite some time now. I believe it will be for the better benefit of our advertisers, that have all been wanting to put more advertising dollars towards online avenues rather than print, for the last couple years. I know our die hard subscribers that want that physical copy will be upset, but those numbers have grown more and more thin over the years. Most people know they can pick a free copy of Today s Horse Magazine up at a local business, so people don t subscribe like they used to anyway. No one wants to pay for a subscription, when they can get the product free, so we are making our product completely free to gain more readership as well. To help you better understand this transition, I ll explain a couple factors. Advertising is expensive because it is and always has been what helps pay for the outrageous cost of printing and distribution. Subscription money doesn t help pay for the printing and distribution of the magazine, no matter how many subscribers you have because, a subscription rate of $25 a year strictly covers postage getting that magazine to your home. On average it costs $2 per magazine to get it mailed to your house, and with 11 monthly magazines and an annual Breeders Edition that puts just the postage at $24 for one subscriber, so when we have our specials of $20 a year at the Black Hills Stock Show, we are losing money. When you have less businesses wanting to advertise in print publications, we had to decide do something different. The online route will make advertising more affordable for businesses and we will be able to expose their business to a bigger audience in hopes of gaining them more revenue, and keeping costs down for us at the same time. I hope everyone will still continue to read Today s Horse Magazine, it s sad not having that copy in your hands, but in this day and age everyone has a phone, tablet, or computer they are on daily, and Today s Horse Magazine will be readily available to anyone and everyone at no cost to you. We appreciate all of the business and readership over the years and hope you continue to follow us down this new path. It may not be a glossy future, but it s a future right at your fingertips. cc 8 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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15 C-sections in Mares By Heather Smith Thomas There are some situations in which a mare cannot deliver her foal and the only way to save the mare (and possibly the foal) is to take the foal out surgically. Dr. Margaret Mudge (Professor of Equine Emergency and Critical Care, Ohio State University) says mare owners need to be aware that mares have a very short duration of labor. This is different from most other species. Labor in the mare is very brief and explosive, she says. If the mare has a dystocia, there s only a short window of time in which this can be safely corrected, and still have a live foal. After that, it becomes a matter of just trying to save the mare, and sometimes a caesarean section is needed. C-sections fall into two categories elective surgery and emergency surgery. Most cases are emergencies, in which the mare has a dystocia and the foal cannot be delivered d vaginally nor by assisted and controlled vaginal delivery. The only options left are a fetotomy (cutting up a dead foal and bringing it out through the birth canal in pieces) or a C-section. The latter would be the preferred course if the foal is still alive when the mare arrives at the equine hospital. ELECTIVE C-SECTION - An elective C-section would be the way to deliver the foal if the mare has a known pre-existing condition that would necessitate surgery. Pelvic abnormalities are an example--such as an old fracture that healed but left the pelvic area altered--or a tumor mass like melanoma growths in the pelvic area, or excessive scarring. A mare might have a recto-vaginal tear from a previous foaling that was repaired but left the birth canal very narrow. Cervical injuries are another situation where a C-section might be warranted. The owner might be lucky enough to get her in foal again, but doesn t want the risk or re-tearing a cervical laceration during another foaling. A cervical injury would reduce the mare s chances of getting in foal again. Mare owners need to be aware of pre-existing conditions ahead of time; the abnormality is usually discovered when their veterinarian does a breeding soundness exam prior to breeding the mare, or the owner might know about it as part of the history of the mare. If there is any kind of limitation in the size of the pelvic canal, this might require a C-section delivery of the foal. In these instances the mare owner needs to be working closely with a veterinarian to monitor readiness of the mare for foaling. The foal has a much better chance of survival if the mare is actually in labor at the time of surgery. The mare will have a good prognosis, no matter what, with an elective C-section. The foal, however, will have a much better prognosis if the mare has either started early labor which would be ideal or is at least very ready (and labor can then be induced). We can track her readiness by checking the milk electrolytes and watching the changes in those closely, to ensure fetal readiness. Several reports indicate that if done properly, we can get up to 90% foal survival with elective C-sections, in the right circumstances. This does not include surgeries in mares that are acutely colicky and the owner feels we should take the foal out because she s near term. Success rate is not as high when the foal is taken too early, says Mudge. This is very frustrating, and difficult for owners to understand. Just because the mare, in number The uterine horn with the foal in it (hind legs inside) is being brought out through the incision Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

16 of days of gestation, is near term, the foal may not be ready. To take the foal out at that time doesn t give him much chance. Fetal maturation and readiness speeds up considerably when the mare is ready to start labor (during the last days or hours of gestation). To take the foal out even just a few days ahead of this leaves him compromised regarding his ability to survive outside the uterus. Foals are not as likely to survive as are premature human babies, or calves taken out of the uterus prematurely. We had one mare come in for surgical colic with enteroliths obstructing her small colon, so she had emergency surgery to remove those. The surgery was performed 2 weeks before the mare s due date. She was certainly close to her due date, and she d had previous foals. The temptation for an owner in this situation is to go ahead and take the foal out, to relieve stress on the mare. But an enterolith surgery in most horses has a good prognosis, and in this mare we closed her back up, and 7 days later she foaled, with a very healthy foal. The outcome for the foal would not have been good if we d taken it out at the time of the colic surgery, explains Mudge. Mares rarely foal on their due date; they often foal 2 or 3 weeks earlier or later. Mares have a wide variation in gestation lengths; gestation in the mare is approximately 320 to 360 days. It is more appropriate to go by fetal readiness to determine the appropriate end of a pregnancy, rather than an arbitrary due date on a mare. Elective C-sections are often done in humans, and mare owners often think it should be that simple in mares. C-sections in women are often scheduled more for convenience rather than fetal maturity. Despite this, there s usually excellent prognosis for both the mother and child, in humans with elective C-sections, compared with the horse. In equines we are more limited due to fetal readiness that occurs immediately before delivery. Those few hours before labor can be crucial to the foal s readiness, so it s best to wait until the mare is actually preparing to foal. EMERGENCY C-SECTIONS - If the mare must have an emergency C-section, owners need to have the proper expectation. Sometimes they bring a mare saying they want us to save the foal that the foal is most important to them but this may be impossible. In most cases, to us, the mare is the most A foal that was delivered by C-section, being given intensive care. important because all we can actually do is try to save her. There are occasional cases in which a mare has a terminal condition like severe colic or serious disease in which it s a terminal C-section and you really are just trying to save the foal because the mare will be put down following surgery. Even in those cases, the foal does not have as good a chance as with an elective C-section, explains Mudge. In our practice, emergency C-section is by far the more common, versus an elective C-section. We have a wide referral radius, so it is not unusual for mares with dystocia to be referred to us from 3 hours or more away. Clearly, this sets it up for very poor survival rate for the foals. Reported foal survival rates for dystocias seen at referral hospitals range from 5% to 30%, she says. On the other hand, survival rate for the mares is good (approximately 90%). When the foal is dead, there are other options in addition to assisted or controlled vaginal delivery, including fetotomy, though there are certainly cases in which we decide that a C-section would be the least traumatic to the mare and to the health of her cervix as opposed to trying to do vaginal manipulations, she says. This is especially true when it has been several hours from the time a mare began her labor. The lubrication and health of the uterus are more compromised, the longer it s been. In these cases we are not doing a C-section to save the foal. We are doing it to save the mare and her future reproductive capabilities. There are always some risks for vaginal injuries when trying to take the dead foal out through the birth canal. Horses are much more delicate than cattle, and trying to pull the foal with extra traction (as you might do with a calf) can be disastrous for the mare. We have much better luck saving the mare and her future reproductive capacities if there have not been excessive manipulations performed prior 12 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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18 to referral to our hospital. The less trauma to the mare, the better. If there is vaginal or cervical swelling or lacerations and bleeding we may be forced to do a C-section even though we might have been able to get the foal out vaginally, if she d undergone less trauma, says Mudge. THE PROCEDURE When a mare is brought in, the typical procedure is to first quickly check her to see if the foal can be delivered vaginally, or if the mare must be taken to surgery. Most facilities like ours are quite successful in delivering foals through controlled vaginal delivery, under anesthesia, because the mare is unable to strain. We hoist up her hind end and gravity helps us. The foal has dropped away from her pelvis and she s not straining, and this makes it easier for our manipulations. Everything is done quickly, to save precious time in case there is a chance to save the foal. Everything goes at high speed if there is a live foal involved when the mare arrives. After a quick evaluation of the mare, if the foal is not deemed able to come out via assisted vaginal delivery (and this decision is made within a few minutes), the mare is then anesthetized and we attempt a controlled vaginal delivery. Again, if the foal is alive, we don t give ourselves very much time at this no more than 15 or 20 minutes. If our efforts are not successful within that time, the mare goes straight to surgery, explains Mudge. The mare is already anesthetized, which saves time. Also, while one person is doing the manipulation to try to deliver the foal, another person is clipping the mare s belly and prepping her for surgery, to save more time. Someone has to time the person doing the manipulations. We can easily become so focused on trying to manipulate the foal that we lose track of time. It s very important to time all this and have someone telling us when time is up and we need to quickly move the mare to the surgery room, she says. By then the amount of time it takes to do the final prep on her belly and for the surgeon to scrub is brief and they can quickly do the surgery and try to still bring out a live foal. There is extra crew available to immediately deal with the foal if it is still alive. Any time there is even a remote chance of getting a live foal we have the entire neonatal team here to work on the foal. Sometimes the foal is not alive by the time it is delivered surgically, but we always have everything in readiness whether the foal is being delivered by controlled vaginal delivery or surgically. Having that second team ready to resuscitate the foal is crucial. This is quite different from what is needed after a difficult delivery in cows; calves often make it through this precarious birth without as much intensive care. This is partly because calves can withstand longer labor and cows are not anesthetized during C-section; the surgery is usually performed under local anesthetic with the cow standing. General anesthesia of the dam has an adverse affect on the foal. AFTERCARE AND RECOVERY Aftercare for the mare is similar to that of a colic surgery. Our surgical approach is also very similar to that of a colic surgery, on the ventral midline of the belly. It s usually a longer incision because it must be large enough for the foal to come out, says Mudge. Because of this long incision through the bottom of the belly wall, the mare s exercise must be limited during recovery, to give the tissues a chance to heal back together before she does any strenuous exercise. We recommend limited exercise (keeping her in a stall) the first month. Then she can have a little bit of turnout during the second month. The actual time on these recommendations will vary depending on how quickly the body wall heals. By the third month the mare can usually have free turnout, she says. Keeping the mare confined can be an issue, however, if you are lucky enough to get a live foal after the surgery. This becomes a management challenge, because the foal needs exercise. Most people handle take the mare and foal out of the stall daily and keep her on 14 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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20 a lead, being hand walked out in a paddock while the foal can frolic around her. Mares and foals can both get a little bit stir crazy if kept confined in a stall. FERTILITY AFTER A C-SECTION Aftercare for the mare will include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce effects of shock. She will be given oxytocin to help shed the placenta. Depending on how quickly the mare sheds her placenta, and how quickly her uterus involutes, she may or may not rebreed that season. Chances of getting her rebred that year may depend on how early in the year she had the surgery and how well she recovered. One study showed a foaling rate of 60% in the year following a C-section, says Mudge. Mares can be fertile after a C-section, but are probably less so than the average mare, that season. If the mare had a C-section in May, for instance, it is less likely that she would breed back again that year. It might take her until next year to be fully ready to breed again. If she had a C-section in January or February, however, there might be more chance of getting her rebred that season, explains Mudge. Owners may wonder if the mare will always need have a C-section with future foals, because this is the assumption in many human hospitals (depending on the location of the uterine incision) that once a woman has had a C-section she must always have a C-section. This is not the case in horses. It s generally a mal-positioning of the foal or a limb retained, which created the need for C-section. It s usually not the fault of the mare, unless it s a situation where she has a pelvic obstruction like an old fracture. If it s due to something anatomic in the mare, then yes, she d need a C-section for every foal and she might not be the ideal broodmare. But if the problem is due to mal-positioning of the foal, there is no reason she d need a C-section the next time, says Mudge. The chances of having a similar dystocia in the future would be low. cc A Special Case By Heather Thomas Barb Cypris, Hidden Spring Farm (at Bruceton Mills, West Virginia), raises Thoroughbreds. A few years ago she had an 8-year-old mare named Golden Hope due to deliver her first foal in March. The mare began labor prematurely, however. The first week in January she began bagging up and dripping milk two months early, says Barb. I called Dr. John Hurtgen at Nandi Farm in New Freedom, Pennsylvania. He said we had one of three possibilities. One, I got the breeding date wrong (but I know I didn t). Two, she could possibly be having twins. I d had her ultrasounded to check for twins, and though I ve had mares missed before on ultrasound with twins, this mare was not unusually large. Three, he feared she may have some type of placentitis. I started the mare on bute and Tucoprim (an oral antibiotic) daily, she says. I had another vet coming on February 2. That morning the mare lay down and her water broke. She immediately got back up and started eating again, as though nothing was going on. I put on gloves to check her but couldn t feel anything, so I wasn t sure if it was actually her water breaking or something else going on, so when Dr. Maset arrived he checked her, says Barb. Dr. Maset said the mare was dilated and he could feel the foal, and he could tell it wasn t moving. It was already dead. He gave her oxytocin to see if we could get her progressing in labor and at least contracting so we could get the foal out. The 2 of us tried for about 2 or 3 hours, to get the foal out. When a foal is alive, it moves and straightens its legs and this helps it get into proper position, but when it is dead and limp it is more likely to be jammed any which way toward the birth canal. The foal s head was bent back and it had a leg up over the top of the head and twisted. We got it untwisted but we could never get the head and both front legs into the birth canal. After about 3 hours we contemplated doing a fetotomy on site, but we worried that since the foal was so close to being full term, and so large, there might be too much damage done and Hope wouldn t be able to have another foal, or it might put her life at risk with infection or injury, says Barb. I wanted to save the mare. We opted to do the C-section because a fetotomy can injure the mare and she wouldn t be able to carry a foal again. We chose to take the financial plunge and have the surgery, she explains. She s a lovely mare, and we felt we had to do something for her. Dr. Maset made a call to Ohio State University, where he had trained, and where Dr. Margaret Mudge would do the surgery. We loaded Hope in the trailer and took her there a 4 hour drive and Hope had no problems with the trailer trip. We arrived at midnight and there were at least 20 people waiting for us as we walked her into the hospital. They put her under general anesthesia and tried different ways of winching her hind feet up in the air to make it easier to manipulate the dead foal and try to deliver it manually. Five or 6 different people tried, in numerous different ways, in a 2 hour period, says Barb. They then took the mare in for surgery. It took 2 people to pull the foal out. It was a nice big filly, and very upsetting to me to have lost this foal. She was almost full term and so pretty. I was so disappointed, losing this baby, because I was fearful that Hope wouldn t be able to have a foal again. They stitched her up, and as she was recovering from the surgery everyone just loved her and was sneaking her carrots and apples from the cafeteria, says Barb. I was worried about founder, but it didn t occur. Instead of removing the placenta surgically with the foal, they sutured her up and allowed her to pass the placenta normally, and told me there was less risk of small pieces being left behind which would cause infection and founder, explains Barb. The mare did retain her placenta awhile, which is a common complication following a C-section. She was discharged from the hospital 5 days after surgery. Dr. Mudge thought Hope s chances of full reproductive recovery were good, says Barb. She told me to wait 30 days for her to recover and then go ahead and rebreed her on the next heat after that, to try and get her in foal again. Dr. Mudge said this would help reduce the amount of scar tissue in the uterus as the fetus was growing. I would have thought we d have to wait a year to breed her, but they advised I should go ahead and breed her that season. It wouldn t put stress on the uterus because the fetus stays very small until the end of gestation, explains Barb. She bred the mare again, and Hope had a wonderfully normal delivery the following year. As she got closer and closer to her due date, I became anxious and worried that she might end up with placentitis again or something else going wrong. It was a long 11 months, but everything went well, she says. cc 16 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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22 Broodmare Nutrition Feeding the Pregnant Mare By Heather Smith Tomas The mares you plan to breed need adequate body condition and proper nutrients (in proper balance) in order to cycle and conceive early in the breeding season. Proper nutrition is also important during the pregnancy. The future of a developing embryo/fetus depends upon health and nutrition of the dam. This formative time for the fetus can be adversely influenced by the uterine environment if the mare is exposed to certain diseases, toxins, or a poor diet. What a pregnant mare eats during gestation quantity and quality of various nutrients can have a long-lasting effect on her foal. Also, if the pregnant mare has a foal at side and is lactating, her nutritional requirements will be much greater than the demands of pregnancy alone. Brian Nielsen, PhD (Professor of exercise physiology and nutrition at Michigan State University) says his class was recently talking about broodmare nutrition, and why conception rate in horses is lower than what we d tolerate in beef cattle or other livestock. One student who already had a background with sheep and beef cattle asked if it was because horse people manage them wrong and may get them too fat. However, in contrast to those livestock species, the big issue is having horses too thin. With cattle you don t want cows too fat or they may have more dystocia, or decreased milk production. And with sheep we often flush the ewes by having them a bit thin and then putting them on an increasing plane of nutrition just before breeding season so they will ovulate more readily and have more twins or triplets. We do some things with other livestock species that we don t do with our horses, he says. Proper body condition in mares (not thin, but not obese) is often the key to successful breeding. Dr. Don Henneke came up with the Henneke body condition scoring system (on a scale of 1 to 9 with 1 being emaciated and 9 being obese) during his graduate study at Texas A & M University. This scoring is based on both visual appraisal and palpable fat covering of six major points of the horse that are most responsive to changes in body fat. Henneke also did studies looking at broodmares whether they were thin or fat and how that might affect conception rate, and foaling rate. He found that when mares are thin, lower than a body condition score of 5, when we start to see some ribs showing, it takes longer for them to begin ovulating again after foaling. If mares are thin, it will thus take longer to get them back in foal, says Nielsen. That research, back in the mid-1980 s showed that days to second ovulation was about a week longer in thin mare than in fatter mares. Since we are trying to keep mares on a yearly foaling schedule and not have them foal later next year (or fail to get pregnant), this becomes a bit of a problem, he says. Henneke s study divided mares into 3 different categories: mares that were thin and below a body condition score of 5, moderate condition mares that were at a score of about a 5 to a 6.5 and the last category was fat mares, at a score greater than 7. The 13 mares that were fat all got pregnant when bred. The 4 mares that were in moderate body condition all got pregnant. There were 11 mares in the thin group, below body condition score of 5, and when those mares were bred only 7 of them got pregnant. Looking at the mares that were able to conceive, all mares in the study that were body score 5 or greater got pregnant, whereas 18 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

23 only 7 out of 11 thin nares got pregnant, says Nielsen. Then when you look at the ones that were able to maintain pregnancy, 12 out of the 13 fat mares maintained their pregnancies, 4 out of the 4 moderate mares remained pregnant, but only 4 of the 7 thin pregnant mares remained pregnant, he says. The thin mares sacrificed their fetuses because they didn t have enough reserve body condition to maintain themselves and a fetus. Mother nature is saying, you can t take care of yourself so you can t try and raise a baby. Looking at total numbers, there were 17 mares with body condition score of 5 or better, and they all got pregnant, and 16 of them went ahead and maintained the pregnancy. By contrast, out of the 11 thin mares, only 4 had a successful pregnancy. Some people think that if a mare is fat they want her to lose a little weight before they breed her. Yet a mare that s losing weight is much less likely to cycle than a mare that s in optimum condition or gaining weight. Trying to breed a mare that s losing weight is absolutely the wrong time-- because Mother Nature is getting the wrong signal for maintaining a successful pregnancy. The other part to this is looking at how many cycles it takes for a mare to become pregnant how many times you have to breed her. Henneke s work showed that the moderate and fat mares took 1.4 cycles to conception. This means about half the mares you bred caught on the first breeding, and the other half took another cycle. In contrast, the thin mares averaged 2.8 cycles to become pregnant. This means you had to breed them about 3 times before they conceived, he explains. The other research he mentions is some work done in the late 1980 s looking at dystocia issues. In that study they got some mares up to body condition score of 8 to 9 and found no effect on these mares or their foals in terms of foaling and dystocia. Fat mares don t seem to have a problem foaling (in contrast to fat cows), but there may be other issues, says Nielsen. Newer research is looking at epigenetics and the influence fetal environment has on the fetus and its future growth and health. The mare (or even her dam) has some influence on future generations depending on whether she is too thin or too fat. This is an interesting area of research. We need to realize that apart from the issues of laminitis in the toofat mare, we might also create some other problems like insulin dysregulation in the foal, he says. In terms of breeding condition and reproduction, however, I ve rather have a mare that s a little more toward the fat side than thin. There s an old saying that you should feed your broodmare like a dairy cow, or else she ll look like one, especially when she starts lactation. Energy requirements go up tremendously during lactation. He says. Even if you have a mare in a body condition score of 5, which is a nice target, she may not maintain that condition after foaling because with lactation she will start losing weight unless you are feeding her a lot. She ll rob from her own body reserves to feed the foal. This is the same time we want to rebreed her, so you don t want her losing weight right after foaling and slipping below a body condition score of 5, says Nielsen. Stephen Duren, PhD (Performance Horse Nutrition) says the key is to remember that the pregnant mare is developing a fetus that we want to ultimately become an equine athlete. Regarding nutrition, we used to concentrate only on the third trimester, which is the last 110 days of pregnancy. Certainly that s important because that s when most of the fetal growth Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

24 occurs. There s a large increase in requirement for calories, protein, calcium, phosphorus and lysine in the pregnant mare during that time. Those nutrients must all increase in her diet during that last trimester of pregnancy, he explains. But we also can t forget the first and second trimesters because this is when a lot of the neural development of the fetus takes place. This early development is crucial, too. There are also several different scenarios. If we are talking about a barren mare or a maiden mare, often we have programmed those mares to get pregnant; we are feeding a diet with an increasing caloric content, so those mares are not in a negative energy balance. We want the mare gaining, not losing weight, if we want to get her pregnant. After becoming pregnant, these mares would go through the first, second and third trimesters without the added requirement for lactation. The other scenario is the pregnant mare with a foal at side and lactating. During her early pregnancy or even the second trimester, her requirements are greater. We must feed those mares appropriately for a lactating mare, and this would cover any of the requirements for early pregnancy and the small, developing fetus, he says. You address the needs of lactation, breed her, and she becomes pregnant. The requirements for early development and neural development of that small fetus will all be more than covered, if the mare is being fed appropriately as a lactating mare. Then she is not losing weight while nursing her foal, he says. Weight and condition of the mare tell you the caloric value of the diet, and this is the only dietary factor that you can actually visualize and ascertain. You can simply look at the body condition of the mare to see if she is holding her weight, losing weight, or gaining weight, he explains. It s not so easy to tell, however, whether she is getting adequate protein, minerals, trace minerals and vitamins. You can t determine these visually. This is where you have to resort to diet analysis to make sure you are feeding her not only enough calories (which you can see by her body condition) but also enough protein and other nutrients that enable her to maintain herself, repair her tissues and replenish what she is giving to the nursing foal by making milk. She has to produce milk as well as provide for the developing fetus, says Duren. On a breeding farm, mares are often grouped in terms of their nutritional requirements. If you have a mare that is grossly overweight or some that are underweight we often put them in a separate group so we can feed them differently. Initially, when doing reproductive work to get them safely in foal, or back in foal, those mares are coming to the barn daily, so even if they are not in separate groups we can still feed them individually. Typically those mares are in stalls at last part of the day, and often they are fed their grain meals inside. Those meals can be individually tailored, he explains. An overweight mare may simply need a ration-balancer pellet or a lower calorie diet than a mare that struggles to maintain her weight. Lactating mares are often out on pasture at least part of the day, with their foals. Good pasture can help with their nutritional needs. In some climates, however, there won t be green pasture yet when the mares foal. In countries such as Japan, and in upstate New York where there is snow on the ground when the early-foaling mares foal, those mares will hit peak lactation before there s green grass. We need to increase the calorie content of their diets. These mares will typically go from eating a grass hay to a hay that has some added alfalfa and more calories. The mare manager may continue with free-choice grass for these lactating mares and then limitfeed a small amount of alfalfa to add the protein and calories that would ordinarily be coming from abundant grass pasture, he says. Early foaling mares, because of the cold weather, are typically on a higher rate of intake for their grain/concentrate compared with some of the later-foaling mares. It takes more calories in cold weather just to produce the body heat needed to keep warm. If you have a cold winter, you have to feed them more. It s always important to give any broodmare whether she is pregnant or lactating (or both) free choice access to good quality forage. This might be in the form of abundant pasture or free-choice grass hay, and if there is snow and cold weather she also needs a certain amount of limit-fed alfalfa hay. Broodmare nutrition always starts with good forage. We need to make sure the forage is good, and abundant, and then we add the appropriate grain concentrate at levels enough to maintain desired body condition, he explains. The broodmare needs good overall nutrition, with good quality protein in adequate amounts, and plenty of energy, along with the right nutrients in terms of minerals both the macro and micro-minerals that are needed in lesser amounts. This is very important for pregnant mares and lactating mares. You need to know the nutrient content of your forages, and if you are feeding concentrates you need a balanced concentrate that is fortified to take care of any possible imbalances, says Nielsen. But the main thing to do is get enough calories into the mare so that Mother Nature can give the green light to go ahead and get pregnant, he says. cc 20 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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26 Working on Allen Auer s BAY Knippling Kustoms Blackwell Making a Difference in our Animal Athletes By Whitney Knippling The need to help horses runs deep in the Blackwell family of South Dakota. It started with Rex, who attended a Buster Harlow school in 93 where he learned a great deal in equine muscle conditioning. Dad has been working on horses for about 27 years, says son Jace, He currently is still working on horses as well as producing schools. Following his dad around over the years is where Jace acquired his desire to help horses. Before dad started muscle conditioning, he was a farrier and started shoeing for the public when he was 11, says Jace, Growing up Jade and I would tag along holding horses for him. When he started working on muscle condition, I really took a liking to observing the change in the horses and how much it can help a horse in so many aspects. Tagging along he had taught me a little bit on how to do the head of a horse. I remember having to put the horses in stocks and stand on a stool since I was so little and could hardly reach the horses head. Just learning that really got me hooked on how I could actually make a difference in these horses and it intrigued me to learn more to evolve into my own business. From there grew Blackwell Equine Muscle Conditioning, owned by Jace and wife Whitney in the heart of Hermosa, 22 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

27 SD. Blackwell Equine Muscle Conditioning consists of a series of deep compressions working with the muscles and nerves throughout the horse. He starts in the head and works his way throughout the horse to the tail. This kicks loose all of the lockedup muscles, helping the horse to be able to perform to the best of its ability. I would say something that sets me apart from the rest is the time I spend on a horse and the amount of time I dedicate to fixing the horses head. At times it takes me just as long to work on their head as it does the rest of the horse. Getting the head right is so important. It s like you or me getting a headache that builds and flows down through us, locking everything else up. I work on numerous points throughout the top of the poll down into the jaw and underneath the jaw. Without getting the head right first, I can not fix the rest of the horse. In the past five years, we have added so much to the head through studying and findings about how important the head is to control the rest of the body and muscles of the horse, says Jace. You can find him on Facebook, Blackwell Equine Muscle Conditioning to set up a date, time, and location for working on your animal athletes. You can also find him at many different events including team roping and barrel racing jackpots. Even though he s located in South Dakota, you will find him traveling to Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Minnesota, Colorado Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

28 and everywhere in-between. In the winter months, you will find him around Wickenburg, AZ, working on horses at team ropings and barrel futurities. My goal is to keep fixing horses, helping them perform at their top ability to get their jobs done, and to keep them winning at all levels from Jr. Rodeo to the Futurities, and PRCA to ranch horses. Hearing about my horses winning and performing at the top of their ability is such a rewarding feeling at any level, says Blackwell, Knowing I make a difference in their horses is awesome and seeing the smiles on happy customer s faces makes it all worth it. I hope to see the future of Blackwell Equine Muscle Conditioning continue to grow, getting more horses to the winner s circle in all aspects of the equine industry. TESTIMONIALS Lainee Sampson of Sampson Family Ranch Since Jace has started working on our horses it has been a game-changer for our horse program. The over-all improvements in our horses performance has been amazing! He is very knowledgeable in how to keep horses working and feeling their best. He works on all of our horses from Irish Pay to TK s pickup horses and every one of them love it! He keeps our horses happy so they can perform their best! Kristi Steffes CNFR Barrel Racing Champion and Badlands Circuit Finals Qualifier Jace has made a huge impact on my 17-year-old horse Captain. He is extremely thorough, taking the time to go through every part of Captain. Captain trusts Jace and is completely relaxed while Jace works his magic. Captain feels like a 7-year-old again, fresh and free-moving, and he s running harder and turning quicker than ever before. Thank you Jace for keeping Captain in top form! Allen Auer 2017 NSI Truck Champion Jace has worked on our horses for several years now and I TK Sampson picking up Photo Credit: Knippling Kustoms have yet to be disappointed. My good heel horse Bay was to the point where he was costing me some runs wasn t performing well, crow hopping down the arena, not sitting down, to the point I put him up until I could get him in to get worked on. After taking him to Jace, he was night and day! Not only that, but I thought he would be a tough one to work on as he can be a quirky horse. To my surprise, he literally melted. That says a lot about what he s able to do for our horses. I refer him to everyone I know as he has done wonders for my horses and their performance to help them help me win. cc 24 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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30 2018 Cornhusker Futurity Results Sire/Dam O: Owner R: Rider Breeders Futurity Average 1. RR Mistakelly *** Darkelly / Mistys Dash Of Fame O: Robin Weaver R: Brandon Cullins $2, CH Burnin Cheeks *** Darkelly / CH Cheek to Cheek O: David Cronquist R: Cody Hyde $2, Morning Sun Shine *** Frenchmans Guy / Robin Meade O: Webb Ranch, LLC R: Taylor Hildreth $1, Streaktafamenroyalty *** A Streak Of Fling / MS Dash Ta Fame B r u c e / Linda Stenerson Ryann Pedone $1, Breeders Futurity 1st Go 1. RR Mistakelly *** Darkelly / Mistys Dash Of Fame O: Robin Weaver R: Brandon Cullins $1, CH Burnin Cheeks *** Darkelly / CH Cheek to Cheek O: David Cronquist R: Cody Hyde $1, Morning Sun Shine *** Frenchmans Guy / Robin Meade O: Webb Ranch, LLC R: Taylor Hildreth $1, Turn N With Ease *** Guys Easy Jet / Holland Lady O: Sondra Blair R: Ryann Pedone $ Breeders Futurity 2nd Go 1. RR Mistakelly *** Darkelly / Mistys Dash Of Fame O: Robin Weaver R: Brandon Cullins $1, CH Burnin Cheeks *** Darkelly / CH Cheek to Cheek O: David Cronquist R: Cody Hyde $1, Any Guy Of Mine *** Frenchmans Guy / UX Firewatere Lizzie O: Jinx Maude/S Flannery R: Samantha Flannery $1, Morning Sun Shine *** Frenchmans Guy / Robin Meade O: Webb Ranch, LLC R: Taylor Hildreth $ Breeders Maturity/Derby Average 1. Creditthefirefighter *** Ima Firefighter / Sweet Flo N Cash O/R: Deborah Pate $ Shezastreakinsunfrost *** A Streak Of Fling / AP Lucy O: Gary/Debra Bartelt R: Shawn Varpness $ DHR Perks Easy Fols Oh Whatta Boy / Joys Choice O: Delvin/Sheryl Buhr R: Delvin Buhr $ Solid Red Socks BHR Frenchies Socks / Red Flashin Money O: T/A Ranch, Inc R: Ryann Pedone $ Breeders Maturity/Derby 1st Go 1. Shezastreakinsunfrost *** A Streak Of Fling / AP Lucy O: Gary/Debra Bartelt R: Shawn Varpness $ Creditthefirefighter *** Ima Firefighter / Sweet Flo N Cash O/R: Deborah Pate $ Bobs Famous Birthday *** Dash Ta Fame / Skylers Birthday O: Shawn/Casey Varpness R: Casey Varpness $ DHR Perks Easy Fols Oh Whatta Boy / Joys Choice O: Delvin/Sheryl Buhr R: Delvin Buhr $ Breeders Maturity/Derby 2nd Go 1. Creditthefirefighter *** Ima Firefighter / Sweet Flo N Cash O/R: Deborah Pate $ DHR Perks Easy Fols Oh Whatta Boy / Joys Choice O: Delvin/Sheryl Buhr R: Delvin Buhr $ Shezastreakinsunfrost *** A Streak Of Fling / AP Lucy O: Gary/Debra Bartelt R: Shawn Varpness 26 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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32 $ Solid Red Socks BHR Frenchies Socks / Red Flashin Money O: T/A Ranch, Inc R: Ryann Pedone $ Open Futurity Average 1. RR Mistakelly *** Darkelly / Mistys Dash Of Fame O: Robin Weaver R: Brandon Cullins $1, Sheez Strait Stinson Eddie Stinson / Sheeza Hank Baby O/R: Kayla Jones $ 1, CH Burnin Cheeks *** Darkelly / CH Cheek to Cheek O: David Cronquist R: Cody Hyde $ 1, Morning Sun Shine *** Frenchmans Guy / Robin Meade O: Webb Ranch, LLC R: Taylor Hildreth $ Open Futurity 1st Go 1. BW Sunshine N Whisky Fire Water Flit / BA Famous Zena O: Bogie Webb R: Rachel Dahl * $ 1, RR Mistakelly *** Darkelly / Mistys Dash Of Fame O: Robin Weaver R: Brandon Cullins $1, PC Judge Cashnlace Judge Cash / PC Driftin Lace O: Hull Lantern Ranch, LLC R: Hilary Van Gerpen $ VF Alive N Streaking Streaking Ta Fame / VF Burrs Alive O: Jana Peterson-Groski R: Shawn Varpness $ Open Futurity 2nd Go 1. Sheez Strait Stinson Eddie Stinson / Sheeza Hank Baby O/R: Kayla Jones $ 1, RR Mistakelly *** Darkelly / Mistys Dash Of Fame O: Robin Weaver R: Brandon Cullins $1, CH Burnin Cheeks *** Darkelly / CH Cheek to Cheek O: David Cronquist R: Cody Hyde $ Frostys Storm Watch Frosty Frenchman / Kaweah Flash Dance O/R: Ashlyn Goven $ Open Maturity/Derby Average 1. Creditthefirefighter *** Ima Firefighter / Sweet Flo N Cash O/R: Deborah Pate $ Shezastreakinsunfrost *** A Streak Of Fling / AP Lucy O: Gary/Debra Bartelt R: Shawn Varpness $ A Cornerstone Brookstone Bay / Speedy Petitti O: Sarah Griffin R: Brandon Cullins $ Time For An O Toole Time For A God / Marthas O Toole O: Bill/Cheryl Kennedy R: Cody Bauserman $ Open Maturity/Derby 1st Go Smooth And Irish Yellow Hammer Six / Miss Sporty Brown O: Jessica Goven R: Ashlyn Goven $ Shezastreakinsunfrost *** A Streak Of Fling / AP Lucy O: Gary/Debra Bartelt R: Shawn Varpness $ FL This Guy Rocs JL Sirocco / Frenchmans Chelsie O/R: Samantha Flannery $ Creditthefirefighter *** Ima Firefighter / Sweet Flo N Cash O/R: Deborah Pate $ Open Maturity/Derby 2nd Go A Cornerstone Brookstone Bay / Speedy Petitti O: Sarah Griffin R: Brandon Cullins $ Creditthefirefighter *** Ima Firefighter / Sweet Flo N Cash O/R: Deborah Pate $ Shezastreakinsunfrost *** A Streak Of Fling / AP Lucy O: Gary/Debra Bartelt R: Shawn Varpness $ Time For An O Toole Time For A God / Marthas O Toole O: Bill/Cheryl Kennedy R: Cody Bauserman $ Amateur Average Results 1. Sun Frosted Chicynn Mister Sunsocks / This Chics Kit O: Angela Shadbolt R: Jordan Sanders $ Troublenvrlooksogood First Down French / Tatango Twist Te O / R : Michelle DeBoer $ Amateur 1st Go 1. BW Sunshine N Whiskey Fire Water Flit / BA Famous Zena O: Bogie Webb R: Rachael Dahl $ Sun Frosted Chicynn Mister Sunsocks / This Chics Kit O: Angela Shadbolt R: Jordan Sanders $ Amateur 2nd Go 1. Sun Frosted Chicynn Mister Sunsocks / This Chics Kit O: Angela Shadbolt R: Jordan Sanders $ Troublenvrlooksogood First Down French / Tatango Twist Te O/R: Michelle DeBoer $ For full results please visit: cc 28 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

33 Importance of Genetic Testing: Sporthorse Breeds Look at Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS) By Heather Smith Thomas Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome has recently become a concern for a number of horse breeders, particularly in the Warmblood industry. This genetic disease has been a sleeper, sliding under the radar for many breeders and horse owners until this year. Mary Nuttall, a Warmblood breeder in Conroe, Texas learned about this tragic genetic condition the hard way when one of her best mares gave birth to a WFFS foal in February The foal had to be euthanized, and her quest to discover the cause of this tragic loss sparked debate and revelations, and realization of the need for genetic testing to prevent such losses. Genetic diseases appear when a foal inherits an abnormal trait from one or both parents. A dominant trait is passed directly from parent to offspring but a recessive trait only shows up if both parents carry that gene and it is doubled up in the foal. A recessive disease like WFFS can silently lurk in a population of horses and suddenly appear when those genes line up in a foal. During the past 3 decades, research has shed light on a number of important genetic diseases in horses that originated with mutations many years earlier. Some of these defects appear only in certain breeds. Some are dominant, which means all offspring of an affected horse will inherit that condition, but many are recessive only appearing in offspring if both parents carry the defective gene and it gets doubled up in the foal. Quarter Horses and their crosses can be at risk for several defects such as GBED, HERDA, PSSM, HYPP, etc. Arabians can be at risk for SCID. Now we are finding that some Warmbloods may be at risk for producing foals with WFFS (Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome). Dr. Nena Winand, retired veterinary molecular geneticist (Cornell University), says genetic defects keep emerging in horse populations due to various gene mutations. There is no way to avoid them, so it is important to stay on top of them, she says. By the time a recessive genetic defect is recognized, carrier status for the trait may have already become widespread in breeds or closed breeding populations. Yet when a trait emerges and is recognized, people are usually shocked, says Winand. Prior to retiring she studied a new disease emerging in Warmbloods and says horsemen and even veterinarians have been slow Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

34 to recognize this as a genetic problem. Duncan Peters DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVSMR, co-owner and founder of East-West Equine Sports Medicine in Lexington, Kentucky and resident veterinarian/ consultant for Spy Coast Farm in Lexington) is involved with sport horses and competition horses. He says very few veterinarians at this point in time are aware of WFFS. I was in the same boat; I had not heard about it until recently. Breeders have now been alerted to this disease. Because of the mapping of the horse genome and our ability for genetic testing we can now identify carrier animals. This is a nice tool to detect this trait that unfortunately causes problems in reproduction. Having a test for it now is beneficial. From a reproductive standpoint, WFFS causes tremendous foal loss. But we don t know how it affects breeding performance in general. Some of the mares that suffer early pregnancy loss or abort may have this condition. I believe some of the larger Warmblood breeding operations are starting to take this into consideration and look into this checking back through some of their breeding records to be able to figure this out, he says. Peters is also concerned about the potential impacts of WFFS on athletic horses. From a competitive standpoint, we don t know what desirable traits are linked to the WFFS gene itself. It might be durability, muscle strength, specific conformation, movement, longevity in a career, or something else. At this point, no one knows. As we start to identify more of these horses and become more aware of this condition, we may be able to make some associations. There may be a lot of desirable traits in those carriers that have led people to keep selecting them for breeding, but we haven t sorted out what they are, says Peters. Many of the carriers are good performance horses, and that s why people are breeding them. The recessive defect has been quietly filtering down through the generations, and unless it gets doubled up (to produce a defective foal) you don t realize it is there. As time goes on it creeps 30 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

35 through more of the population. The big thing, however, is when people decide to go ahead and breed their Warmblood mares or keep their colts as stallions, they should test those animals now that we have a test available. We need to find out whether those horses are carriers, so we can make sure we never breed a carrier to a carrier. Then there would be more no WFFS foals produced, that can t survive. It is important that people are transparent about the results of those tests whether they are large breeding farms or small individual breeders, he says. It s going to be a matter of judicial breeding and testing, to avoid running into problems from a reproductive standpoint (mares not carrying the foals to term), or foals lost after they are born. Many breeders in the Quarter Horse industry have dealt with this already, when genetic defects cropped up after popular stallions/ bloodlines (affected by certain defects from earlier mutations) were used extensively. We now have the ability to test for many of these problems and avoid the heartbreak of producing affected foals. People still breed to HYPP or HERDA horses because they have other traits that are desirable. WFFS is a similar situation, but we just don t know what those desirable traits are. We don t have enough information yet. This will be the challenge over the next 5 years or so, to sort out those links, he says. Education and awareness about WFFS, and transparency about positive carriers, will help us in this quest. Our best advice Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

36 is that people get their horses tested and that breeders disclose the status of their animals knowing that this condition can be devastating if a foal makes it to term, he says. WFFS may be a sleeper that is causing more economic loss and heartbreak than we realize. We don t know how many of the early pregnancy losses and abortions are due to this problem. Some of these losses might be avoided if people know the status of their breeding stock and make educated breeding choices. Many of the large Warmblood breeding operations are working toward this goal, and the registries will likely come on board, just like the Quarter Horses and Arabians, in determining whether these horses can be registered, or registered with an asterisk or some kind of notation on their papers. Then people will know, when they buy a horse or breed to a certain stallion whether that horse is a carrier. I think breeders are going to be very open about this, and they should be. It s better for the horse population and the breeding industry, to know these things, so they don t have disappointment down the road, says Peters. WHAT IT IS WFFS is a connective tissue disorder; affected foals have extremely fragile skin that lacks normal durability and strength. The skin is easily torn or ulcerated by minimal contact. Limb joints are extremely lax; these foals cannot stand normally, and must be euthanized soon after birth. Some are aborted, and in some cases the pregnancy may be lost fairly early. This is a severe connective tissue problem. Few affected foals have been born to date, so it may be similar to GBED (a mutation in Quarter Horses in which the foals die before or soon after birth), in that there is potential for prenatal lethality. It s such a severe defect that some foals may be dying long before they are full term, says Winand. The bloodline it traces back to (the original mutation) is extremely old, which afforded more chance for spread throughout this population of horses, says Winand. She traced it back to a French Thoroughbred in the 1800 s. This was the only common link, but that stallion was used widely in France and Germany and is in the bloodlines of many registries. Eventually some of his descendants, 150 years later, have become popular. This genetic mutation sneaked through many generations and is now surfacing more frequently as more of these horses are bred. The same mutation occurs in other species, and was studied in a human family with an EDS type VI affected child. This is a collagenrelated defect an Ehlers-Danlos type of presentation, she says. The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of inherited connective tissue disorders, generally characterized by joints that stretch further than normal, skin that can be stretched further than normal, and tissue fragility. This particular defect will be of interest to owners of various kinds of horses and many veterinarians. It may be complicated, however, because there may be other defects in the same gene that have not yet been identified. Also there may be defects in other genes that cause similar connective tissue defects, she says. Winand researched the HERDA mutation (an inherited skin fragility in some family lines of Quarter Horses) and worked on genetic muscle disorders in horses and other species and several other inherited defects. One thing HERDA taught us was that recessive traits may exist in horse populations for decades before they are recognized as a problem, she says. HERDA is a connective tissue defect in certain bloodlines that go back to a popular stallion. cc 32 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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38 Ulcers and Stress By Heather Smith Thomas Ulcers are a common problem today in show horses, due in part to the competitive environment and stressful conditions. There is a definite link between ulcers and stress in both humans and horses. Carissa Wickens, PhD, PAS, Assistant Professor, Extension Equine Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, says that incidence of gastric ulcers can sometimes be as high as 90%. The reason for this high rate is multifaceted. Some horses are fed a significant amount of grain which can predispose a horse to gastric ulcers. We know that when horses consume a lot of concentrate, this will increase gastrin, a peptide hormone that stimulates gastric acid secretion. Gastrin has a heightened response to grain feeding, so after a large grain meal we see a rise in gastrin which signals more acid output in the stomach, she explains. Horses stomachs constantly secrete acid, however, not just when they are eating a meal. They continually secrete acid throughout the day, so if the stomach becomes empty there is still acid present. The reason athletic horses are at a higher risk for ulcers is the type and intensity of exercise they perform. When they are moving at speed, there is an increase in abdominal pressure. As they run, the body is alternatively stretched out and bunched up during each stride. All of that abdominal pressure and the force of the organs in the abdomen pushing forward (referred to as the visceral piston) tends to collapse the stomach on itself. The acid that generally stays in the bottom, glandular portion of the stomach gets pushed up and splashed against the upper part the unprotected squamous mucosa. The squamous mucosa and margo plicatus (the demarcation between the top and bottom part of the stomach) is unprotected, resulting in gastric lesions or irritation in that squamous area on the lesser curvature or right along the margo plicatus. So the combination of the work they are doing (exercising at fast speeds) and diet can readily lead Giving oral meds to ulcers, she explains. Many trainers try to break the large amount of grain into at least three meals during the day, so the horse isn t having to consume so much at once. Many of these horses are fed early morning, mid-day, and early evening, she says. Some trainers are feeding a little more fat, and a little less grain, to try to minimize risk for ulcers, hard-working horses like racehorses still need a certain amount of concentrate to supply the glucose needed for quick energy. They are racing at top speed for a few minutes (anaerobic work) and need that burst of energy. They need both forms of energy (fat and carbohydrates). For speed work they need the starch and sugars (non-structural carbohydrates) provided in the grain to replenish 34 Breeder s Edition 2019 their glycogen stores. There is a fine line, but if you are feeding a large amount of grain it might be good to increase the fat percentage slightly and reduce some of that starch, for gastrointestinal health, says Wickens. It takes a balance between fat and carbohydrates, and forage. Feeding these horses is an art as well as a science. Some trainers try to minimize these problems. Either for behavioral reasons or for gut health and function, many trainers are trying to give their horses more opportunities to consume forages throughout the day, she says. When I was on faculty at University of Delaware I often had a chance to visit Delaware Park, where I observed many trainers providing hay for their horses throughout the day via hay nets. I don t think anyone has conducted a research study examining the effects of free access to hay in racehorses, looking at gastrointestinal health and behavior comparing horses with and without hay nets or forage in front of them most of the day. However, based on the gastrointestinal physiology of the horse, and feeding behavior, we know that keeping some forage in the stomach helps buffer gastric acid and reduces the risk of developing unwanted oral behaviors like cribbing, says Wickens. The other thing I ve seen, in addition to or in place of a hay Today s Horse Magazine

39 Ulcer LC Grade 4 Severe net (and maybe having both is better) is that some trainers hang a jolly ball or some other toy at the front of the stall. Most stalls have solid walls so the horses cannot see or touch the horse in the next stall. While this may be necessary for safety and biosecurity, this makes for a long time during the day that horses are isolated from other horses. They can stick their head out the top of the stall door so they can see across the shed row and maybe see the horse next to them. Thus hanging a jolly ball or some other enrichment device there for the horse to play with can give these horses something more to do. This is another strategy to give them something to do orally. This helps relieve boredom and stress. Alfalfa hay is higher in protein and calcium, and research has shown that it helps buffer gastric acidity. It can be somewhat protective against gastric ulcers. Keeping a lower-quality grass hay in front of horses between regular feedings is good for keeping something in the stomach and to help occupy the horse s time, says Wickens. Stress is also a factor, with confinement and minimal opportunities for grazing or turnout. Some people try to get the horses out of the stalls a little more of the day, such as turning them out in a round pen. The horses are confined enough they can t get too rambunctious, but have more chance to move around and expand their visual horizons. Allowing horses some additional time out of their stall and giving them the chance to munch on grass may be helpful in alleviating some of the stressors that come with living in confinement and a competitive lifestyle, says Wickens. It helps if the stomach is not completely empty during exercise. If the horse has been consuming forage, there is some forage material still in the stomach to create a protective mat that can help prevent acid splash while galloping, she explains. STEREOTYPIES AND ULCERS Providing toys in the stall can help relieve boredom and stress, or a jolly ball at the front of the stall to play with. When confined in stalls, many horses perform repetitive actions such as cribbing, weaving, stall-walking, etc., yet there are also horses that never develop these behaviors. It may be due to a combination of genetics (heritability) and the environment. This is the part we still don t completely understand, so we often have more questions than answers, she says. There is strong evidence to support the theory that stereotypies may be linked to Scoping a horse ulcers, however. When we think about when some of these horses start to develop these behaviors, it often starts to show up in Thoroughbreds when they go through a transition to the track. They actually have a good lifestyle during their first year and a half; most of them are out on pasture rather than confined. The most critical time point is the transition into race training, and into that off-the-farm at-thetrack environment, she says. This is when some horses start stereotypic behavior such as cribbing and weaving. Some of her PhD work at Auburn University with Dr. Cindy McCall focused on whether there is a gastrointestinal link with cribbing. My work there was with adult horses with a long history of cribbing. We tested the hypothesis that cribbers (compared to normal non-stereotypic horses) have greater number and/or severity of gastric ulcers. When we videoendoscoped those horses we did not find a significant difference between the cribbers and the non-cribbers in the condition of Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

40 Glandular ulcers in a racehorse - Clark Nonglandular ulcers at lesser curvature in a racehorse their stomachs, says Wickens. We also did a blood collection pre and post-feeding of a grain meal, looking at the gastric hormone gastrin, which is a stimulator of hydrochloric acid (HCL). When the horse has a meal with stomach stretch and protein in the diet this stimulates production of gastrin, which in turn stimulates the parietal cells to produce HCL, making the stomach more acidic. In our cribbing horses there was a tendency toward a heightened gastrin response after feeding grain, compared to the noncribbing horses, she says. When horses consume a grain meal we observed a heightened gastrin response compared to when they are eating forage. After consuming grain there is a rise in serum gastrin concentrations, which relays a message back to the stomach to secrete HCL. This is a natural process in response to the meal, but grain tends to cause more of that response, compared to forages. These horses are getting several pounds of grain at each feeding, to meet their energy requirements for racing, she says. Since my work (in ), another paper came out in 2012 from another research group that was looking at some additional gastro-intestinal hormones in cribbing horses. In particular they were looking at ghrelin and leptin, which are both tied to satiety (the feeling of being full and satisfied after eating). There were some differences between stereotypic and control horses, but then the same group of authors repeated that study in 2013 and in the second group of horses they didn t see significant differences. So this is another area that needs further investigation, says Wickens. TREATMENT AND PREVENTION - If the horse has ulcers, the owner or trainer may try a week or so of GastroGard to see if the horse improves. We often recommend this when people are unable to get to a facility to have their horse scoped, says Dr. Frank Andrews, Director of Equine Health Studies Program at Louisiana State University. We may suggest a trial treatment of 2 weeks of anti-ulcer medication. The same is true with people; the doctor may suggest 2 weeks treatment and if you don t feel better after that length of time will send you to a gastroenterologist to be scoped, Andrews says. Sometimes antibiotics are also used, or certain supplements or probiotics to try to aid stomach health. Initial treatment with pharmacological agents is customary, to suppress hydrochloric acid, but changes in nutrition and management are necessary to maintain healing and help prevent recurrence of ulcers. Many dietary supplements are now marketed for maintaining stomach health, and some have data to back their claims of maintaining stomach health. The downside of pharmaceutical treatments (like ompeprazole) for ulcers is that they are expensive and also reduce acidity of the stomach which may adversely affect digestion. Today there is increased interest in natural supplements, such as herbs and berries that may have therapeutic qualities. The berries and pulp from the sea buckthorn plant, for instance, are a rich source of vitamins, trace minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and other bioactive substances that seem to help in treating mucosal injuries such as burns, bedsores/ pressure sores and stomach/ duodenal ulcers in humans. Feed supplement containing sea buckthorn berries and other nutrients may help in treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers without altering gastric juice ph. Using a pharmaceutical agent like GastroGard (FDA approved for treatment of gastric ulcers horses) is important, but we realize that keeping horses on anti-ulcer medication for the rest of their lives has economic as well as possible health implications, since it alters the ph of the stomach long-term. Researchers are seeking ways to manipulate the horse s diet and find natural supplements that can help keep ulcers from returning, by coating the stomach or stimulating the body s own healing mechanisms. These might also protect horses that don t have ulcers and keep them from getting ulcers, says Andrews. cc 36 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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44 O: Owner B: Breeder R: Rider S: Stallion Futurity Round 1 1. French Goodbye O: DinoChouest Galliano, LA B: Randy or Vauna Walker Pingree, ID R: Vauna Walker Pingree, ID 0: $23,375 S: $2,750 B: $1, Jets Letters Ta Abby O/B: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX R: Ashley Schafer Millsap, TX O: $16,363 S: $1,925 B: $ Hes Furious O: Ryan & Timi Lickley Jerome, ID B: The Running A LLC Helper, UT R: Timi Lickley Jerome, ID O: $12,856 S: $1,513 B: $ Jets Heart N Soul O: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX B: Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Refugio, TX R: Jolene Montgomery Purdon, TX O: $12,856 S: $1,513 B: $ Our First Goodbye O/B: Mark & Linda Jarvis Spanish Fork, UT R: Marcie Wilson Lake Shore, UT O: $8,181 S: $963 B: $481 Futurity Round 2 1. Tee It Up In My Sox O/B: Kathy Donegan Bluff Dale, TX R: Lacey Harmon Morgan Mill, TX O: $23,375 S: $2,750 B: $1, Jets Heart N Soul O: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX B: Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Refugio, TX R: Jolene Montgomery Purdon, TX O: $16,363 S: $1,925 B: $ High Cotton Lane O: Gyp Hills Quarter Horse Ranch Wayne, OK B: Bob Burt West Jordan, UT R: Paige Jones Wayne, OK O: $12,856 S: $1,513 B: $ Smooth Movin Guy O: Presley Smith Denham Springs, LA B: Bill or Debbie Myers Saint Onge, SD R: Dustin Angelle Robert, LA O: $11,103 S: $1,306 B: $ French Goodbye O: DinoChouest Galliano, LA B: Randy or Vauna Walker Pingree, ID R: Vauna Walker Pingree, ID O: $8,181 S: $963 B: $481 Futurity Average 1. French Goodbye O: DinoChouest Galliano, LA B: Randy or Vauna Walker Pingree, ID R: Vauna Walker Pingree, ID O: $46,750 S: $5,500 B: $2, Jets Heart N Soul O: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX B: Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Refugio, TX R: Jolene Montgomery Purdon, TX O: $32,725 S: $3,850 B: $1, Jets Letters Ta Abby O/B: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX R: Ashley Schafer Millsap, TX O: $25,713 S: $3,025 B: $1, High Cotton Lane O: Gyp Hills Quarter Horse Ranch Wayne, OK B: Bob Burt West Jordan, UT R: Paige Jones Wayne, OK O: $22,206 S: $2,613 B: $1, Hes Furious O: Ryan & Timi Lickley Jerome, ID B: The Running A LLC Helper, UT R: Timi Lickley Jerome, ID O: $16,363 S: $1,925 B: $963 Amateur Futurity Round 1 1. Our First Goodbye O/B: Mark & Linda Jarvis Spanish Fork, UT R: Marcie Wilson Lake Shore, UT O: $3,188 S: $375 B: $ Laced With Talent O: June Tibbits Terry, MT B: Brian & Lisa Anderson Bozeman, MT R: June Tibbits Terry. MT O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $ Breeder s Edition Slingshot Lane O/B: Mark & Linda Jarvis Spanish Fork, UT R: Marcie Wilson Lake Shore, UT O: $1,381 S: $163 B: $81 4. Steakinwithmysockson O: Austyn Tobey Bemidji, MN B: Deborah J Semarge Alachua, FL R: Austyn Tobey Bemidji, MN O: $1,063 S: $125 B: $63 5. Uno Mas Goodbye O/B: Shana Gibson Ogden, UT R: Shana Gibson Ogden, UT O: $744 S: $88 B: $44 Amateur Futurity Round 2 1. Uno Mas Goodbye O/B: Shana Gibson Ogden, UT R: Shana Gibson Ogden, UT O: $3,188 S: $375 B: $ Steakinwithmysockson O: Austyn Tobey Bemidji, MN B: Deborah J Semarge Alachua, FL R: Austyn Tobey Bemidji, MN O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $ Slingshot Lane O/B: Mark & Linda Jarvis Spanish Fork, UT R: Marcie Wilson Lake Shore, UT O: $1,381 S: $163 B: $81 4. The Tiny Vaquero O/B: Mark & Linda Jarvis Spanish Fork, UT R: Gracie Beckstrom Spanish Fork, UT 5. Laced With Talent O: June Tibbits Terry, MT B: Brian & Lisa Anderson Bozeman, MT R: June Tibbits Terry. MT O: $744 S: $88 B: $44 Amateur Futurity Average 1. Slingshot Lane O/B: Mark & Linda Jarvis Spanish Fork, UT R: Marcie Wilson Lake Shore, UT O: $6,375 S: $750 B: $ Today s Horse Magazine

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46 2. Laced With Talent O: June Tibbits Terry, MT B: Brian & Lisa Anderson Bozeman, MT R: June Tibbits Terry. MT O: 4,250 S: $500 B: $ Steakinwithmysockson O: Austyn Tobey Bemidji, MN B: Deborah J Semarge Alachua, FL R: Austyn Tobey Bemidji, MN O: $2,763 S: $325 B: $ Uno Mas Goodbye O/B: Shana Gibson Ogden, UT R: Shana Gibson Ogden, UT O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $ DR Laughing Irish O: Maesa Kummer Grover, CO B: Le Roy Du Bray Mobridge, SD R: Maesa Kummer Grover, CO O: $1,488 S: $175 B: $87.50 Open 4D Round 1 1. French Goodbye O: Dino Chouest Galliano, LA B: Randy or Vauna Walker Pingree, ID R: Vauna Walker Pingree, ID O: $6,375 S: $750 B: $ Jets Letters Ta Abby O/B: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX R: Ashley Schafer Millsap, TX O: $4,250 S: $500 B: $ Jets Blazin Fame O/B: Cathy Morgan Menan, ID R: Cathy Morgan Menan, ID O: $2,763 S: $325 B: $ Hes Furious O: Ryan & Timi Lickley Jerome, ID B: The Running A LLC Helper, UT R: Timi Lickley Jerome, ID O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $ Jets Heart N Soul O: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX B: Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Refugio, TX R: Jolene Montgomery Purdon, TX O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $125 Open 4D Round 1 1. French Goodbye O: Dino Chouest Galliano, LA B: Randy or Vauna Walker Pingree, ID R: Vauna Walker Pingree, ID O: $6,375 S: $750 B: $ Jets Letters Ta Abby O/B: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX R: Ashley Schafer Millsap, TX O: $4,250 S: $500 B: $ Jets Blazin Fame O/B: Cathy Morgan Menan, ID R: Cathy Morgan Menan, ID O: $2,763 S: $325 B: $ Hes Furious O: Ryan & Tim Lickley Jerome, ID B: The Running A LLC Helper, UT R: Tim Lickley Jerome, ID O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $ Jets Heart N Soul O: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX B: Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Refugio, TX R: Jolene Montgomery Purdon, TX O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $125 Open 4D Round 2 1. Tee It Up In My Sox O/B: Kathy Donegan Bluff Dale, TX R: Lacey Harmon Morgan Mill, TX O: $6,375 S: $750 B: $ Jets Heart N Soul O: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX B: Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Refugio, TX R: Jolene Montgomery Purdon, TX O: $4,250 S: $500 B: $ High Cotton Lane O: Gyp Hills Quarter Horse Ranch Wayne, OK B: Bob Burt West Jordan, UT R: Paige Jones Wayne, OK O: $2,763 S: $325 B: $ Smooth Movin Guy O: Presley Smith Denham Springs, LA B: Bill or Debbie Myers Saint Onge, SD R: Dustin Angelle Robert, LA O: $2,125 S: $250 B: $ KN Born This Way O: Deborah Bloxom Stephenville, TX B: Nichols Brownwood, TX R: Katelyn Scott Odessa, TX O: $1,488 S: $175 B: $88 Open 4D Average 1. French Goodbye O: Dino Chouest Galliano, LA B: Randy or Vauna Walker Pingree, ID R: Vauna Walker Pingree, ID O: $12,750 S: $1,500 B: $ Jets Heart N Soul O: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX B: Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Refugio, TX R: Jolene Montgomery Purdon, TX O: $8,500 S: $1,000 B: $ Jets Letters Ta Abby O/B: Busby Quarterhorse LLC Millsap, TX R: Ashley Schafer Millsap, TX O: $5,525 S: $650 B: $ High Cotton Lane O: Gyp Hills Quarter Horse Ranch Wayne, OK B: Bob Burt West Jordan, UT R: Paige Jones Wayne, OK O: $4,250 S: $500 B: $ KN Born This Way O: Deborah Bloxom Stephenville, TX B: Nichols Brownwood, TX R: Katelyn Scott Odessa, TX O: $2,975 S: $350 B: $175 Youth Incentive Round 1 1. VF Mr Ed O: Travis & Johnna Dobbs Joneboro, AR B: Victory Farms Ada, OK R: Dylan Dobbs Jonesboro, AR O: $ 1,275 S: $150 B:$75 2. BS Honor Thy Fame O: Donna Workman Katy, TX B: Kris Suard R: Brielle Workman Katy, TX O: $850 S: $100 B: $50 3. Aztecsdontwearsocks O/B: Camron Fambro Stephenville, TX R: Chayni Chamberlin Stephenville, TX O: $553 S: $65 B: $33 4. Blazin High Velocity O: Tara Raftery Stanchfield, MN B: Jessica Hardy Cedar City, UT R: Emily Rafftery Stanchfield, MN O: $425 S: $50 B: $25 5. Herewego Guys O: Tracey Williams LaBelle, FL B: Crystal Nichole Shumate R: Tannah Williams LaBelle, FL O: $298 S: $35 B: $18 Youth Incentive Round 2 1. VF Mr Ed O: Travis & Johnna Dobbs Joneboro, AR B: Victory Farms Ada, OK R: Dylan Dobbs Jonesboro, AR O: $ 1,275 S: $150 B:$75 2. Aztecsdontwearsocks O/B: Camron Fambro Stephenville, TX R: Chayni Chamberlin Stephenville, TX O: $850 S: $100 B: $50 3. Herewego Guys O: Tracey Williams LaBelle, FL B: Crystal Nichole Shumate R: Tannah Williams LaBelle, FL O: $553 S: $65 B: $33 4. Cinch Me Up Ta Win O: Reagan Maxwell Godley, TX B: Andrea Wolf Sunset, TX R: Reagan Maxwell Godley, TX O: $425 S: $50 B: $25 5. Irish Ivy O: Thomas & Lainee Sampson Interior, SD B: Lucey Quarter Horses Hot Springs, SD R: Cooper Sampson Interior, SD O: $298 S: $35 $18 Youth Incentive Average 1. VF Mr Ed O: Travis & Johnna Dobbs Joneboro, AR B: Victory Farms Ada, OK R: Dylan Dobbs Jonesboro, AR O: $ 2,550 S: $300 B:$ Aztecsdontwearsocks O/B: Camron Fambro Stephenville, TX R: Chayni Chamberlin Stephenville, TX O: $1,700 S: $200 B: $ Herewego Guys O: Tracey Williams LaBelle, FL B: Crystal Nichole Shumate R: Tannah Williams LaBelle, FL O: $1,105 S: $130 B: $65 4. Cinch Me Up Ta Win O: Reagan Maxwell Godley, TX B: Andrea Wolf Sunset, TX R: Reagan Maxwell Godley, TX O: $850 S: $100 B: $50 5. Irish Ivy O: Thomas & Lainee Sampson Interior, SD B: Lucey Quarter Horses Hot Springs, SD R: Cooper Sampson Interior, SD O: $595 S: $70 $35 cc 42 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

47 Vita Flex The Fine Line Between Good & Great By Maegan McPherson Vita Flex was first introduced in 1990, where their goal was to provide innovative equine products formulated specifically for the extreme requirements of high-caliber equine athletes, and over the years that has not changed. Performance is everything. Over the last 28 years, Vita Flex has become a leading supplier of advanced performance products designed to satisfy the demands of horses competing at the highest of levels. In competition, the lines between good, better, and best are forever shifting. Winning can come down to inches or the merest fractions of a second, and a performance that s good enough to win this week might not be good enough to place the next week. To gain the winning edge, we as horse owners do our part in feeding, training, and finetuning our equine athletes. When it comes to nutritional supplements and health products, we can trust Vita Flex. Not only do they source the finest ingredients, they test and retest their products in the lab, and more importantly they do this under real-life working conditions. Trainers, owners, and top riders can rely on Vita Flex products for one simple reason; they deliver results. Respected veterinarians recommend their animal health supplements, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, electrolytes, joint supplements, and topicals. Professional horsemen and The Accel formula is a comprehensive multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. The Accel formula delivers optimal levels of essential water soluble and fat soluble vitamins, chelated and conventional minerals, trace minerals, and amino acids. It is the ideal one-step supplement providing a strong nutritional foundation for all horses. women expect the best not only of themselves and their horses, but the products they use on a daily basis. With that in mind, Vita Flex has introduced Vita Flex Pro, which is a line of products representing their most advanced formulations. With the Vita Flex Pro brand, we can feel confident that we are using the most up-to-date, science-supported products. With every single one being backed by extensive research and testing, they are formulated to help us achieve the ultimate success in performance. Every ride, every time. Vita Flex is a registered trademark of Farnam Companies, Inc. Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

48 We know that the bond between you and your horse is special it s a partnership built on mutual trust. Farnam Companies Inc. s mission is to continually strengthen that bond with simple, effective, and innovative horse care solutions that help make every moment of your life together safer, healthier, and more enjoyable. Widely recognized as the leader in quality horse care products, Farnam offers an ever-expanding range of equine essentials. These include fly & insect control, dewormers, grooming, hoof & leg care, wound care treatments, leather care, stable supplies and nutritional supplements. As they mark their 70th anniversary, we re proud to be your continuing partner in horse care. We know how special you and your horse are to each other. That s why we re in the business... we re horse people too and love to share our equine partnerships with you. GET THE COMPETITIVE EDGE In competition, there s a fine line between where you were yesterday, Vita Flex Equinyl Joint Formula with Hyaluronic Acid contains MSM, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Ester C*, Zinc, Manganese and Copper along with Comfort X, a unique ingredient that may reduce inflammation associated with daily exercise. where you are today and where you ll be tomorrow. It s the line we push ourselves to chase and cross. Vita Flex can help get you there. Our equine nutritionists, veterinarians and scientists are dedicated to developing the best supplements you can give your performance horse. That s our fine line. What s yours? When hay and grain alone aren t enough, horses need additional support, especially when they re required to This exclusive formula helps support optimal muscle function and metabolism for horses 44 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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50 perform at a high level. That s the science behind Vita Flex Pro Accel Health & Wellness Formula and Vita Flex Pro Accel Lifetime Health & Wellness Formula, two new supplements intended for all classes of horses. Now formulated in a premium mini-pellet, these supplements are branded as Vita Flex Pro, emphasizing that the ingredients and formulations are designed to give horses that winning, competitive edge. Plain and simple, Vita Flex pro customers want products that deliver results. We at Vita Flex believe that results come from investment in the best ingredients and the best products, so you can bring home the win. Vita Flex has a Victory Team made up of well-known competitors in all facets of the equine world including: Adrienne Lyle (Dressage Olympian), Al Dunning (Reiner, Cutter, Trainer, Competitor, Judge, and Hall of Famer), Todd Minikus (Jumper), Jackie Ganter (Professional Barrel Racer), Lisa Wilcox (Dressage), Patty Stovel (Hunter Jumper), and Timmy Dutta (Polo). It doesn t matter what area of competition you are in with your horses, Vita Flex has the right products for your horses no matter what. With Vita Flex being a leading producer of advanced equine performance products, they recently recognized Jackie Ganter s dedication and continued success in the discipline of barrel racing by welcoming her into the Vita Flex Victory Team Rider family. In the competitive sport of barrel racing, fractions of a second can make the difference between a good ride and a great ride. Vita Flex is thrilled to help top riders like Vita Flex Foal Response supplement contains dried bovine colostrum fortified with essential nutrients found in a healthy mare s colostrum. Ideal for immediate foal care when birth is premature or delayed; access to mare s colostrum is limited; or foal needs extra support. Also excellent for older foals and weanlings. Ganter cross that fine line from good to great by providing a variety of high-quality equine products, including antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and topical solutions to help keep horses in peak health. Vita Flex was one of our proud sponsors at the 5th Annual Today s Horse West Fest event held Sept 28th-30th I highly recommend their products as I have got to try both products from Vita Flex and Farnam, and I hope this article intrigues you to check out their websites and www. vitaflex.com to order products for your equine athletes and for more information. Resources for this article: and www. vitaflex.com. cc 46 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

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53 Three Bars By Shawne is a Real Treasure The Only Standing Grandson of Three Bars & Shawne Bug Photo Credit: S Running M By Maegan McPherson For those of you that don t know Zach and Amber West, of Hereford, South Dakota; they manage a large cow/calf operation just 17 miles south of Union Center, right along the Belle Fourche river. The place they manage has always been known as the Mooney Ranch since way back in the day, and even though the Mooney s haven t been on the ranch in years, that s how everyone still refers to it. It was a well-known horse and cattle ranch back then, and remains that way today. The West s raise and sell colts, train and sell barrel horses, and raise some of their own cattle as well. Recently, they also have become stallion owners, and are ready to take a dip in the breeding industry standing the only Grandson of Three Bars and Shawne Bug, their grey beauty, Three Bars By Shawne. Amber is originally from Colorado, and lived in Texas with her grandparents during high school, then later they all moved back to Colorado. She attended college at Idaho State University on a rodeo scholarship and majored in Biology. After college she went back to Colorado and trained some barrel horses, worked a job, and rodeoed. Zach was born and raised in Philip, SD. He grew up riding, roping, and playing all high school sports. He team roped and rode saddle broncs in high school. Zach and Amber met when he was in Colorado working and going to rodeos. Friends of his were friends of mine, and that s how we got acquainted in 2000, stated Amber. They moved to South Dakota and got married in They have 2 kids, Jaycie (16) and Eastan (14). Jaycie is a sophomore at New The West Family Underwood High School and Eastan is in his last year of country school at Hereford in 8th grade. Jaycie loves school. She is involved in track, National Honor Society, choir, and High School and Little Britches rodeo, and Eastan sure likes going to country school. It s a small two room school with two teachers. On the first day, everyone including kids, parents, and teachers ride their horses to school, it s Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

54 quite the tradition, and we re going to miss it when he moves on to high school, explained Amber. Eastan also loves playing basketball and is excited for another year of Junior High and Little Britches rodeo. We all enjoy everything that has to do with horses and cattle. We work together doing all the ranch jobs and we do them all on our horses. We are firm believers that having a job and a hard day s work makes for good horses, and even better barrel horses. Amber was born into the horse industry. Her grandmother Ardith Bruce is an NFR qualifier as well as the 1964 GRA (WPRA) World Champion Barrel Racer. She trained and sold barrel horses, went to rodeos, and was the first to do barrel racing clinics. My parents and my grandmother had me on horses before I could walk. I guess you could say that a love of horses was bred into me. I grew up going to Little Britches rodeos and then amateur and pro rodeos when I was a teenager. Zach grew up riding and helping his parents and grandfather on his grandfather s cattle ranch. This is where he really developed his love of horses and cattle. We ve had our kids in the saddle since they were tiny babies and they ve grown up just like us, whatever we do, so do Jaycie and Eastan. They work right alongside of us and they work hard. The West s hadn t bred or raised horses much to speak of until they moved from Philip, to the ranch out by Hereford. We decided to invest in a handful of the best mares we could find, and raise a few colts. We like to raise horses with proven bloodlines and that are proven in the arena. Without those top bloodlines resale is tough, buyers want those top names on their papers. They got started with All Warm N Fuzzy, aka Brandi. She is a daughter of Frenchmans Guy and out of the great producer Hot Brandi N Wine by Hot Colours. We bought her as a 2-year-old and Zach rode her and got her really broke, and used her to do lots of ranch work, and I trained her on barrels. She was very successful her futurity year placing at many events we ran at, and she even won a go round at the 5 States Breeders Futurity in Rapid City. Brandi has gone on to win money at derbies and pro rodeos as well as many 1D wins. She s just been a blessing to us and we love her so much, Zach and I call her our third child. They have also added some mares by First Down Dash, Rime, A Streak Of Fling, Amber West Zach West on All Warm N Fuzzy branding 50 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

55 and Merridoc. Some others they have raised that they will flush embryos from are by Dash Ta Fame, Irish Pay, Vanila Viper, and Tres Seis. We bought a filly from the 6666 s that s by A Streak Of Fling and out of a daughter of High Brow Cat that we are excited about as well. She and the others will be used to calve heifers next spring and then be started on barrels. The West s have done a great job in building their band of broodmares, and it was pure divine intervention that they found their new stallion Three Bars By Shawne. We never had any intentions of owning or standing a stallion, it s a full time job itself much less when we have a ranch to run. I saw him in a for sale ad on Facebook. I saw his bloodlines and I thought, now wait a minute! I showed it to Zach and he said well you better call them. So I did and bought him sight unseen over the phone. We then drove to Arkansas and picked him up last October. On the way I was so nervous thinking, what have I gotten us into? What if he isn t fertile at his age, are we even set up to own and stand a stud, are we biting off more than we can chew? But then I just put it in God s hands and said it s worth a chance, so let s go for it. I felt fairly confident in his fertility. In my opinion, fertility has a lot to do with genetics and when I saw that Three Bars was 28 when he sired Sport Bar s, and Sport Bar s was 29 when he sired Blue, I thought it was worth a try. We would just have to learn as we go and pray it all works out, and so far it has. We bred all of our mares to him as well as a handful of outside mares, and all of them are in foal. They call their stallion Blue, and the stallion s younger years are somewhat of a mystery. I heard he was bred to some APHA mares years ago, and when I bought him he was used for breeding quarter ponies. He is broke to ride, and we ve ridden him, but he was never been shown or raced. If he was younger we d love to ride and rope on him and use him on the ranch. He has such a beautiful way of moving, he just floats, and he s got such a good mind. We hand bred all of our mares and we just used a rope halter and a flag. He never gets mean or naughty, even my kids handle him and helped us get all the mares bred. Amber was worried that to collect him to ship semen it may be a little bit of a hurdle with him never being dummy trained, but in about 5 minutes he had it figured out and they had him collected. He is just so willing to please he s like, oh that s what you want, well ok. You just don t see a 21-year-old stallion learn to jump the dummy that quickly. We ve definitely been spoiled, as not all stallions are as easy as him. Three Bars was the most influential sire in the history of the AQHA, and even though he was a Thoroughbred he sired five into the AQHA Hall of Fame, 29 AQHA Champions, 4 AQHA Supreme Champions, and 317 ROM earners. Three Bars is the cornerstone of what performance Quarter Horses are today, and for the West s to have acquired a grandson of his is amazing. Blue s sire, Sport Bar s was bred by the godfather of AQHA racing, Walter Merrick and out of the great mare Viva Del Rio. Blue has plenty of speed coming through on his dam side as well. Miss Shawne Rocket is a 6 time stakes winner, she s sired by Photo Credit: Mindy Hubert Eastan West on Badger the all- time great maternal sire Shawne Bug. Her dam s sire was Jaguar Rocket who is also the dam s sire of Hold Air Hostage, that won the 2017 All American Derby. Those old genetics are what made the champions of today. They were hard knocking, tough, gritty, and most of all sound horses. They had bone and feet under them that withstood hard use. In those days, horses were used for everything. They roped, raced, ran barrels, showed at halter, you name it, and those horses could do it. Sometimes they did it all in one day, when they had rodeos and horseraces together. The performance horse industry has become so specialized now, that we have breeding for each discipline and the foot and bone has been bred out of them. Specialized breeding has refined Quarter Horses to make them more and more athletic, yet we have more soundness issues than ever. Horses in the old days didn t Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

56 have the care and supplements, magna wave machines, and Back on Track etc. like we have now to keep horses feeling good and performing. Yet they stayed sound, and had careers that lasted many years. We feel that s what the industry needs right now. It seems that there s a stallion on every corner and if it has a couple of popular names in its pedigree people think it should reproduce. We have a saying at our house, If you ve ever seen a gelding better looking or better bred than your stud, then your stud should be a gelding too. In our opinion, stallions should better the breed with every generation. The West s goals are to breed their mares to Blue and keep as many of the best fillies as they can to eventually breed later. We will use them on the ranch, run barrels, and rope on them and prove Blue as a stallion. I m sure he will sire the kind of horse that can be used for anything, and that will hold up for many years. We feel he has something special to offer to people who want to breed to him, as well as purchase his offspring. How often do you see upcoming 2019 foals that will still have Three Bars from 1940 on their papers? That s very rare and to have those old genetics that close up is almost unseen today. They will be paying him into the northern breeder s incentives as they start getting some colts on the ground. Some that are on the list are the 5 States Breeders Futurity, Gridiron, Cornhusker, Select Stallion Stakes, and Future Fortunes. It s expensive standing a stud and Blue has to help pay his own way, so I m hoping to get a solid book of mares to him and we will pay him into all we possibly can. I m planning on keeping and campaigning some colts ourselves, and that extra incentive money is very important. They are also planning on this being a long term endeavor for them and their family. Even though Blue is 21, he is in great shape and his fertility is good and we are getting some semen frozen this fall. It s such a long process raising horses. From the time you breed them, you have 3-5 years before you know what you ve got. Many studs are old or pass away before they get a chance to prove themselves. That s why we are freezing all the semen we can, so 10 years down the road we can still have some babies by him. Since Jaycie and Eastan are horse addicts like us, it would be wonderful for us to raise a stallion that they can build a breeding program with someday. The West household have numerous accomplishments when it comes to the horse industry, so you can feel confident that they know what it takes to own good horses that will get you to the winner s circle. Amber has qualified for the Mountain States and Badlands Circuit Finals, and has been blessed to get to train some really nice barrel horses Zach on All Waem N Fuzzy Photo Credit Mikah Wysocki that have placed at many top futurities like the 5 States and Cornhusker. Zach has also been to the Badlands Circuit Finals, and was one of the top saddle bronc riders in this area for a long time. Jaycie has been to the Little Britches National Finals, SD 4-H Finals, and SD State High School Finals. Eastan has qualified for the Little Britches Finals, SD 4-H Finals, and the National Junior High Finals. Not many people get anywhere in life without a little help. Sometimes that help is just advice and sharing of knowledge. Amber shares that, One of the most influential people in my life is my grandmother, Ardith Bruce. 52 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine

57 Jaycie NWBRA 2015 Photo Credit Olie s Images Eastan West heeling Photo Credit Jessica Deering Photography She taught me nearly all I know about horses, with conformation, training, and competing. She started barrel racing around 1950 and learned from the school of hard knocks, then teaching me what to do and nearly as important, what not to do. She knows bloodlines like no other and that has rubbed off on me, just from listening to her talk about what lines were good horses back in the 50 s and 60 s. So now when I see modern bloodlines, the first thing I do is I look back in their pedigree and see what they go back to, and generally I recognize those old names and know what kind of horses they were just from hearing her talk about them. Amber also said if it wasn t for their friend and boss, Carl Mathews, We wouldn t be where we are. We have plenty of pasture and room for our horse herd as well as cattle to work, which helps us make great horses. He s always been very supportive of us and our horse endeavors. Amber is blessed to have her husband Zach start all of their colts. The entire process is a team effort. He is a true horseman. He loves starting colts and he is constantly thinking of ways to help them learn and be as happy minded as possible. He never pushes them too hard and he can do so much with a colt in just 10 rides. We ve taken 2 colts to performance horse sales the last 2 years and he s received many compliments from top breeders in the business on how well broke and soft his colts are. He sure makes my job of training them on barrels easy. The main thing when it comes to the West Family is just their love for horses period. We love the friends we ve made, and the lifestyle we are blessed to live. Jaycie and I love barrel racing, Zach and Eastan love riding colts, team roping, and working cattle. We hope for Blue to leave a lasting impression on the industry. We hope someday people will say Boy those West s sure raise and ride some great horses. Because at the end of the day isn t that why all horse people have this addiction? To get to breed, raise, and train, and then compete and win on your own? I d say that s pretty rewarding breeding contracts are available for Three Bars By Shawne. He s the ONLY grandson of Three Bars and Shawne Bug standing at stud, preserving the genetics of the most influential sire in AQHA history, Three Bars. He is a perfect outcross and he will be paid into barrel racing incentives as he gets foals on the ground, making his babies worth that much more to own one. Blue is a 1997 model and his semen ships very well, so don t miss out! His babies born in 2019 will still have Three Bars on their papers, and that s something we don t see anymore! The bone and substance this stallion has, plus the Shawne Bug is one of the all-time best maternal producing sires. Make sure to check out their Facebook page Three Bars By Shawne and message Amber to get a contract or with any questions you may have. cc All Warm N Fuzzy Amber West Photo Credit Jackie Jensen Photo Credit: S Running M Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

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61 The Lazy Six Nine Ranch Goes BIG or Goes HOME By Maegan McPherson Shane, Cheyenne, and their son Stone Wilson are fifth generation ranchers, residing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and have been ranching there since Cheyenne and Stone are enrolled members of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe. They run a cow/calf operation and they also began a half-draft breeding program this past summer. We fell in love with halfdrafts back in 2006 when we purchased our first one, Shark, stated Cheyenne. Since then we ve added quite a few to our herd. Nothing compares to them in terms of bone, heartiness, stamina, and overall attitude (in our humble opinion). We enjoy them so much that when the opportunity presented itself we dove in head first, and went big with 25 head of AQHA registered mares and a registered Percheron stud. We are so excited to see this dream unfold, as our first foals arrive in the spring of Shane and Cheyenne met at the Bison Bar in Miles City, Montana. I was working and he was playing. He was quite outgoing and told me loudly that I was pretty. I had a habit of never dating anyone from the Bar, but I made an exception for him and about 2 months later we went on our first date. He cooked supper for me. Beef, of course. Even though we couldn t eat the meat (that s a funny story for another day and has no reflection on his cooking abilities) I fell for him. We ve been together ever since. We have been together almost 14 years, and married for 12 of those years. Their son Stone, was born in the late summer of Cheyenne claims that, He was truly the greatest gift we ve ever received. I was told I couldn t have children by several specialists over the years so you can imagine our surprise and delight when we learned that he was on the way. He truly is our miracle and we feel blessed to be his parents. He is a delight to be around and his smile is almost as big as his joy for life. We feel extra blessed to be raising our 6th generation rancher/ cowboy in the same fashion that we were raised in. In this day and age, the more dirt you have under your fingernails early in life is a good thing in my opinion! Shane was raised on his grandparent s place south of Greycliff, Montana in the Beartooth Mountain range. It s located between Big Timber and Absarokee. He went to school in Absarokee. Cheyenne was raised on her family s place on Cherry Creek north of Terry, Montana - northeast of Miles City, and went to school in Terry. They both grew up horseback working with cattle and horses, and learned how to ranch through their personal experience, and fell in love with the way of life at an early age. They both competed Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

62 in rodeo and earned full-ride rodeo scholarships for college. Shane went to Miles Community College in Miles City, MT and Cheyenne went to Dawson Community College in Glendive, MT. Shane learned to break colts and ride young horses at an early age. He also spent summers working his grandparent s day rides. He was taking rides out all by himself when he was just 11 years old. He also spent many weeks each fall in hunting camp as his grandparents also had an outfitting business. One of Shane s fondest memories when he was a kid was the steer he broke to ride. They went all over the place together. Whenever he talks about Smoky he smiles extra big! exclaimed Cheyenne. Cheyenne spent all of her extra time helping out on the ranch. There wasn t a day that she didn t learn something new when it came to cattle and horses. She also started writing when she was quite young. I became a published poet at the age of 12. I wrote for the local newspaper and pretty soon worked my way up to writing rodeo results for various publications. I eventually worked my way into blogging and now write daily/weekly. My blog is That is what I am after all! Cheyenne s biggest aspiration is to write a book, and she states, I m working on that! Back in the fall of 2014 an opportunity fell into her lap concerning a vitamin/mineral product. She had no experience in network marketing, but knew immediately that this product was too good not to share with others. So, again like the Wilson Family does, Cheyenne dove in head first and went to the top of the company in 6 short months. It s funny how things find us when we aren t even looking. Perhaps it s fate if you believe in that sort of thing. I just know that this product has changed our lives forever in all areas and I couldn t be more grateful for that. I spent a lot of my time traveling all over the country to help my teammates and share this product with others who don t know about it yet. I love that a lot of our team is made up of fellow horse lovers. We share many things in common. Cheyenne also dabbles in photography. I m in love with sunrises and sunsets and anything ranch related. I m working on honing this craft. Cheyenne s grandfather bred AQHA horses for as long as she can remember. He passed away in 1985, but her folks continued on his legacy. He raised a lot of foundation bloodlines and sold horses all over the country. Most were used in rodeo and on the ranch. I still have folks who remember him and rave about the horses that they got from him and my parents. Cheyenne has been riding horses for as long as she can remember also. It s not untrue to say that I was riding a horse before I could walk. My parents had a lot of pride in training our own horses. We never bought a trained horse for the rodeo events we competed in. The fact that I won 3 Montana state high school rodeo championships in 1990 and 1991 on horses we raised and trained was a big deal to us! My mom trained her own barrel horses and competed in the 1976 NFR. My parents were a great team back then. My dad would ride the rough out of them and start them. My mom would put the finishing touches on them for barrels and poles, and then my dad would rope on them. They were all-around horses when they were done with them. Many went on to do amazing things for lots of people, with many rodeo championships earned along the way on those horses. Shane s grandfather always had a lot of horses around as well. He bred and raised them and also bought some along the way. Shane was introduced to horses at a young age and was breaking colts at the age of 9 with his grandpa, Corky Hedrick. Corky also had a lot of horses that were used in the movie industry. I ve heard of some of the movies they were involved in: Far and Away, Son of the Morning Star, Maverick, Lightning Jack, Geronimo, Tombstone, Hidalgo, etc. That s just a couple of them. Speaking of Hidalgo, Shane worked on that movie set and was even in the movie! He s the soldier handing out the rifles towards the end of the movie when they are going to shoot the horses. He appears four times. I remember the first time he told me that, it all made sense why his friends called him Hollywood and I have to admit I thought it was pretty neat that I was dating a movie star back 58 Breeder s Edition 2019 then! Both Shane and Cheyenne s families raised horses, mostly for the ranch and competing, but this is their first venture with their own breeding program, and they couldn t be more excited. We are breeding half-draft horses because we love what they are. They can be used for competing. We mostly use them for ranch rodeos. I like to call these horses dependable. They may not be speed demons and they may not be catty like some of the others around, but I can guarantee you if I had a day full of horseback work to do, one of the guys we ride is what I d want. There isn t much nonsense in them. I m at the age where nonsense makes literally no sense, and I don t have the time nor patience to deal with it. I believe others are the Today s Horse Magazine

63 Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

64 same, whether you enjoy riding on your place or perhaps on a trail somewhere. The more I look around, the more I see half-draft horses filling a big void. It makes me happy to see this and that s why we ve decided to throw our hat in the ring so to speak. Shane found their new Percheron stallion, Mack, through their friend Brad Lange from Oglala, SD. We are what you call neighbors out here and he and Shane are friends. They share a love of cowboying and big horses you might say. We were looking for a stud at the time because as fate would have it we had acquired 25 mares. A gal we have known for a long time (Dalice Landers) was selling her entire AQHA mare herd. We had also bought a couple of mares from my folks and from Bernard and Terry Beguin-Strong out of Rushville, NE, so we needed a stud! Shane handled looking at him, buying him, and bringing him home. He had shown me pictures, and I agreed Mack was exactly what we were looking for in a Percheron stud. He was big, well-built, a beautiful dapple grey, and he had a really kind eye. He was also a proven breeder already. When Shane brought him home I have to admit that I was a bit overwhelmed by his size! He came rolling up in our half top trailer and Mack looked like he could have basically stepped over the end gate (but he didn t). Shane eagerly showed me his trick. You can squeeze up behind his ears and he will lower his head to the ground. Shane was delighted by that, and I honestly couldn t believe how calm and cool he was, not only because he is a stud, but because he is only 4 years old. I ve been around quite a few studs and Mack was something I d never seen before! He was so gentle and kind and full of good manners. The temperament he exudes is common for Percherons, but we believe the credit goes to Brad Lange for Mack s good manners. From the moment Shane brought him home he became an immediate member of the family. He is so majestic! I swear when he sees me getting the camera out, he knows it s time to pose! Mack is a registered Percheron with the Percheron Horse Association of America. He is a dappled grey, which isn t as common as black in Percherons. We are excited by his color, but also by his incredible personality and temperament. We are very hopeful that he will throw his good bone, color, and temperament onto his offspring. The Wilson s turned Mack out with his band of mares in June They are super excited to see what next April and May hold for their first round of half-draft foals. They plan to keep a couple, but also to sell some as weanlings or yearlings. We aren t exactly sure at this point as we are waiting to see how many we are gifted with this first year. At this point we don t plan to stand him just yet. Again we will see what unfolds for us at that point. We do have plans to have a second draft stud (Percheron or perhaps a Shire). We also have a registered Gypsy Vanner (coming 2-yearold), who will have his own mare band also this coming year. You might say we have multiple plans unfolding as time goes. One thing that Cheyenne loves about Mack is that you can just jump on him with a halter and a lead rope. Our 10-year-old son, Stone, does often and Mack doesn t bat an eyelash. This says a lot right there! This is a long term deal for Shane and Cheyenne. We really enjoy riding half-draft horses, so we are doing this as much for our own enjoyment as we are for the public. We are super excited to see what temperament, size, and coloring we get from the various crosses we are using. We believe in being diversified, so having operations in cattle, horses, and my direct sales business just makes sense to us. We can be involved in all of these things right on the place so it works out in all ways! Cheyenne admits that her folks, (Cliff & Lila Glade) have been the most influential people for her in the horse business because, I have watched them from a very small age. I know that horses don t make themselves. It takes a lot of hard work, patience, and determination to see a horse from start to finish. I also have learned about the horse business from them. I know there are high points, but there are also low points. I saw the pride in them whenever one they had raised went on and did great things, which was a lot of them. I knew long ago that if ever got a chance to be in the horse business, that I never wanted to get into trading horses. I want to raise horses that we know everything about, and that we can proudly put our name to with the history of a solidly built relationship in our pocket, versus guesswork as to what the horse is, and what he will be. Shane would say that his grandfather (Corky Hedrick) has been the most influential person in his life. Corky taught him how to work with horses from a young age (even the not-so-nice ones). Shane learned a lot over the years through personal experience about what it takes to get a horse though the rough patches and how to have respect on both sides. I can honestly say that any horse Shane has anything to do with around here, is one that I have no issue throwing a leg over or even having our son do so. Cheyenne also stated, That finding your partner in life is a rare and valuable thing. When you can work together towards a common goal all sorts of amazing things will happen. I think we are blessed because Shane and I have a shared vision in what we want, and we aren t afraid to roll up our sleeves and do whatever it s going 60 Breeder s Edition 2019 to take to get the job done. For many years they have ridden the half-draft horses. Shane is a big guy, so a lot of the smaller built horses just don t work for him. He always wants something with more size. What we found from riding these horses over the years is that there was a heck of a lot more to them than just size. We found a heart as big as the horse himself, we found lots of brains, we found a willingness to do pretty much whatever you asked of him, and we found athleticism in the arena and out on the ranch. There really isn t much these big, solid horses can t do. I really do love their minds. They aren t thinking about spooking around, they aren t goofing off, and once broke - they stay broke. I like that because these days, folks don t ride every day. Nobody wants to go out and have to warm their horse up for an hour, so they don t get bucked off. That doesn t fly around here and I certainly wouldn t want that for the many women and men that are looking for a good solid mount. These dream horses (yes, that s what I call them) will be exactly what they are looking for; pretty, kind, broke, and willing. I am really excited for late spring to roll around to see how many we have to work with, and what the future holds for the Lazy Six Nine Ranch. We couldn t be any happier to carry on our ranching tradition in whatever way we can! cc Today s Horse Magazine

65 The TRAINER Notes By Kelli Buckley, Marketing & Endorsee Coordinator Heel-O-Matic Training Systems is pleased to announce a new and improved product line for The new lineup will include only three standard machines The TRAINER, The PRO, and the DRIFTER. The TRAINER and The PRO are new and improved replacements for the older versions. The TRAINER officially launched August 1. The brand-new TRAINER will be replacing all older versions of the Ground-Driven models. It features a completely new hop sequence that has been studied and perfected. The new hop is the EXACT replica of a live cattle in tow and has even been matched correctly to real cattle movements by a mechanical engineer professor from Baylor University. This is THE machine to own if you want PERFECT PRACTICE! The TRAINER will change the way people rope. Necessity has always been the mother of invention, and that is how the TRAINER was born. I wanted a machine that wasn t going to waste my time to get what I wanted out of my practice states Josh Love, Heel-O-Matic s General Manager, Heel-O-Matic has always been a staple in the industry. Everybody knows that Heel-O-Matic means quality. We have been working on the TRAINER for over 2 1/2 years. Ultimately, this new TRAINER matches exactly what you are going to see in a steer. The new TRAINER has more movement in the hips and the tail head. That movement matches to what the legs are doing. This machine has a new hop, with a brand-new patent. The patent showcases the hips matching the legs, meaning when the legs are all the way back, the machine is at the top of a hop, and as the legs start forward, the hips come down just like a real steer. Another advantage of the TRAINER is it has collapsible legs made out of reinforced foam for a lifelike feel. The legs come together when you dally and with the help of the Spring-Loaded Tongue that comes standard on the TRAINER, you can stretch this machine like you can a real steer. This machine is designed to feel like a live run, it is not something that you can necessarily see until you ve roped it, then you will be able to feel the actual difference. The transition from the TRAINER to live cattle is 100% consistent. You want the most out of your practice in the smallest amount of time, and this new TRAINER is going to give you that exact outcome and produce the best results. With the new TRAINER, the way it moves helps you to work on your hand-eye coordination, and the movement and the noise help you to work on your horse at the same time. The new TRAINER is going to give you better results, quicker. cc Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

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67 37 Ranch Ranch Performance Horses...38/39 Arena West Trailers...56 Audie & Holly Larson...46 Boar Wheels...2 Cannon Falls Trailer Sales...13 Coat Hanger Ranch...12 Colorado Classic Futurity...19 Cornhusker Futurity...28 Double D Western Wear LLC...30 Fly The Red Eye...17 FMG Feed & Seed...30 Harty Appaloosas Healthy Coat...23 Heel-O-Matic...62 High Plains Genetics...47 Hinman Performance Horses...59 Interstate Vet Clinic...43 Knippling Kustoms...32 Larry Larson Photography...59 Lee & Hallie Hanssen...IBC/64 Lewis Realty...32 Mason & Morse Ranch Company...33 Miller Robinson Performance Horses...IFC My Secret Storm...14 Night Time Playmate...25 Olie s Images...2 Pro Earth Animal Health...37 Raymond Sutton Ranch...44 Routier Ranch...61 Sampson Family Ranch...41 Sergeant Derr Foundation...21 Schaack Ranch...15 SK Horses...24 Today s Horse West Fest...48 Top Notch Constrution...20 Triple R Tack...22 Triple U Quarter Horses...3 Uncorked Entertainment...36 Uherka Quarter Horses...10 Vista Equine...27 Vita Flex...45 Wagon Pin Performance Horses...9 Walz Performance Horses...54/55 Weber Quarter Horses... BC West Ranch...50 Woody s Feed...52 Today s Horse Magazine Breeder s Edition

68 64 Breeder s Edition 2019 Today s Horse Magazine