Everything Horses and Livestock® Magazine Feb 2019 Vol 4 Issue 1

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

Being raised by an Avid Outdoor Sports Writer, it was only natural for me to start our Magazine, Everything Horses and Livestock ®.

In my youth, I talked with my father about writing some small books on living off the land in our area and caring for animals. Out of high school, I gave riding lessons, trained horses, boarded, produced a variety of events and sold items from my own retail business, while also working for others. I wrote articles on proper feeding and horse management for magazines, websites and newsletters. It was very enjoyable to listen to my father edit them for me. He said, “It’s good to write how you feel, what you believe, just get rid of the extra words!” My father and I never got around to writing our booklets before he passed away November 1, 2009. I have many fond memories of my father and our time together. My passion is proper care and feeding of all animals and helping others enjoy their ride. Our family loves to hunt, ride and team rope. Flip through our pages. Enjoy articles, photographs, cartoons, word search, & fun news! This magazine is dedicated to my dad, mom, sisters, husband, son, family, friends, and everyone out there enjoying the ride! ~Jana T. Harrington Barcus Editor/Publisher; Jana Barcus Editing/Setup; Desiree Garcia Call Us to Advertise: Desiree Garcia 785-430-8408 Shelia Harrington Wilson 913-731-2509 Jana Barcus 913-333-2657 He worked at the same publishing company for 62 years.

4 9

Finally 50

Jana Barcus Ethan Saffer

Dream Vegas Total Feeds, Inc Living Life Ranch In the Horse World

10 16 18

Dr. Harry Anderson Melissa Cowan Matthew Jobe Windy Cummings

26 AHCA

30 Chad Mathes Roping 32 Keeping Promises

Chad Mathes

Brandy Von Holten

36 Medicine Wheel 38 Hamley History

Kelly Benhke

Randy Cornelius Alyssa Hogelin Dee Hay Crist Desiree Garcia

42 Chester

45 Wood Floor Rides 46 Passion, Patience

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Everything Horses and Livestock is distributed across the US and on the world wide web. No material from this publication may be copied or in any way reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Neither the advertisers nor Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine, nor staff are responsible for any errors in the editorial copy. This magazine reserves the right to refuse any advertising which we deem unsuitable for our publication. No liability is assumed for errors in or omissions of advertisers in this publication. Opinions and views expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or employees, nor does publication of any opinion or statement in Everything Horses and Livestock constitute an endorsement of the views, opinions, goods or services contained in any advertisement. Visit our website at www.EHALmagazine.com and Like us on Facebook. Copyright 2019 Everything Horse and Livestock ® All Rights Reserved The Publication office is located at 29545 Pleasant Valley Rd., Paola, Kansas 66071

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FINALLY 50 BY JANA BARCUS

O ctober, 2016 - Whitney said the longest 48 hours of her life was waiting from Saturday, when the ride vet at Hillsdale said he strongly suspected Miles had a high bowed tendon, until the Monday morning appointment with Dr. Karl Frees at Wilhite & Frees Equine Hospital. During the four plus hour appointment, two veterinarians and two vet techs were tending to Miles. What an impressive equine facility! And, much to her relief, Miles’ injury was one with a fairly good prognosis after an extensive rehabilitation plan. He was diagnosed with a lateral splint, and desmitis (inflammation) of the check ligament. Now, the challenge ahead was for Whitney to follow Dr. Frees’ rehab plan for Miles. This was truly a challenge for Miles and Whitney. Imagine having a fit, high energy young gelding facing complete stall rest going into the winter months, and Whitney’s work schedule as a COTA frequently gets her home after dark in the evening. Every morning Whitney started in the barn, first unwrapping Miles’

legs to do cold therapy (ice wraps). Then, the legs were rewrapped for the day. This routine was repeated every evening. Often Whitney found herself thankful for the good training she got on wrapping legs during her Mission Valley Pony Club days. For 3 months Miles was hand exercised 20-30 minutes a day. Whitney would get home from work and all this exercise was done in the dark and in the cold. Many nights she looked like a walking snowman in all her winter clothing trying to stay warm while safely exercising a rambunctious Miles who (in his mind) thought he was ready to run, buck, and chase the snowflakes. Besides the physical challenge of controlling and safely exercising Miles, there was the challenge of keeping him entertained and mentally stimulated. Lots of stall toys were used to try to help him pass the hours spent in his stall. Gradually, the exercise plan was stepped up to walking with tack to prepare him for the

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The weeks and months of rehab paid off. Four months later Miles was declared “sound” and cleared to gradually return to full work! Now, Whitney immediately returned to setting goals for her and Miles to return to the sport they love, “Endurance”! Goal #1 - first ride back would be the Jo Tate Memorial Ride in May of 2017. A challenging ride with lots of long, steep hills, but one that Whitney and Miles love. Goal 2 - get that first completion on a 50 mile ride - Owl Hoot Spook in Vinita, Oklahoma in October of 2017.

increasing to a trot. Weeks 6-8 were walk, trot, and canter! The night of his first canter, it was in the 20s with a wind chill in the teens. The only light they had was her headlight and the lights of her mom’s truck shining down the road ahead of them. As they built up to longer stretches of cantering, she hauled Miles to local indoor arenas in order to have safer footing. Miles was particularly amused at the first arena she took him to, because they had mirrors. He was quite intrigued by the tall, dark, and handsome horse looking back at him!

upcoming transition. Finally, in December of 2016, the day came when Whitney and Miles took their first ride. To say she was a little apprehensive is putting it mildly. With her mom holding on to a lead line, she stepped into her stirrup and swung a leg over. Miles was “fresh” to say the least. He was ready to roll! Whitney had a stick of dynamite under her but the team that they are and the trust between the two was evident as they took that first ride. Weeks 1-5 were building from a walk and gradually

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

And so, the journey begins again… Three weeks before the Jo Tate Memorial Ride, Whitney entered Miles in an AHCA event. As Miles was backing away from an obstacle, he tripped and they both went down. Even though Whitney was hurting, she and Miles entered another class. A week later, she finally went to the doctor, only to find out that she had two broken ribs, one of which was displaced! Of course, this made Jo Tate seem even more daunting. Whitney completed the 25 mile ride with broken ribs because, after all of their hard work they put in to achieve their goal, she was determined not to be the reason they failed. The Jo Tate ride was a HUGE accomplishment for this team. All those hours of rehab in the cold and in the dark had really paid off! Miles had great vet scores and performed better than ever, after all of the consistent conditioning over the preceding months. After Jo Tate, Whitney and her mom, Terre James Labus, headed to Idle Nook Campground in the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas for a weeklong vacation and beautiful, yet challenging, mountain trails. However, Whitney was already dreaming of getting that completion on a 50 mile ride… The next ride was in September, at Kanopolis State Park. This ride also had its

challenges and they did not know what exactly to expect, considering they had never been there before. There are lots of canyons, sand, rock, and water crossings. The difficulty can be a bit deceiving because of the terrain, so they chose to ride 25 miles instead of attempting 50. Although the hills weren’t like the ones in southern Missouri, the area certainly wasn’t flat. It seemed like if they weren’t going up, they were going down, plus this was a hot, humid Labor Day weekend. Whitney was riding conservatively but Miles

was not eating or drinking well, as he was more preoccupied with trying to catch the horses he saw ahead of him. Rather than trying to push harder to make up time, Whitney slowed their pace, knowing that it was more important to have a healthy, happy teammate who was ready to hit the trail again on another day. Miles had enough gas left in the tank but there was no need to run it dry, especially when he already wasn’t eating and drinking well. They came in with good vet scores but were over time - no completion.

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

Owl Hoot Spook - here they come! On Halloween Weekend, the team made their first attempt at a 50 mile ride in Vinita, Oklahoma. It was the first very cold weekend after a relatively mild fall. The temperature on the morning of the ride was in the 20s! Miles was eating everything in front of him. He was chowing down on his Total Equine like it was going out of style. He was a total “rock star” all day! First loop, 19 miles. Miles and Whitney were feeling good. Second loop, 19 more miles. The team was even a little ahead of schedule, eating and drinking well. Last loop - 12 miles to the finish. Miles and Whitney came in strong and sound. It was getting dark and the temperatures were rapidly dropping. As they waited for two horses to vet in ahead of them, Miles stood contently with his cooler on and was eating well. Then, the vet check... Heartbreak again. Miles was slightly off in his right hind - a muscle cramp. 50 miles ridden in great form but no completion. For the first time, they had gotten pulled by the vet. Now the pair was looking at 2018 with new goals to meet. First ride in 2018 was a 25 mile Limited Distance (LD) ride back at Kanopolis. Knowing this was a tough ride, Whitney and Miles were up to it. This one was different than the last, although once again, it was hot and humid. Whitney joined a group of seasoned riders and thought riding with them would help her keep an adequate pace so they would finish on time. It

was too late when she heard one of them say, “Even though we aren’t going to finish in time, this is still a great conditioning ride.” Only then did she realized they were no longer attempting to get a completion. Since a couple of the horses were not Arabians and due to their different body types, they had a more difficult time cooling themselves in the heat. It was

a tough lesson - they passed the vet check with flying colors but they came in over time. No completion. They had learned a tough lesson about one of the reasons why endurance riders always say, “RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE”! Now the team was sitting with three non-completions in a row. It was very discouraging but they did not give up. Next up was the 2018 Jo Tate Memorial Ride in May, and again, the pair proved themselves at this ride. There are many tough Ozark hills to climb on the rocky trails in the Flag Spring Conservation Area near Washburn, Missouri. It was also an EXTREMELY hot and humid weekend. There were nine horses in the 25 mile LD and only three of them finished that day! Whitney and Miles got 2nd place overall and 1st in their weight division. The curse was broken at last!

The next few months brought many more miles on the trails. First, a week in the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas. There are many beautiful, but tough and technical trails there. They were even more difficult due to the sweltering heat - temperatures were near or above 100 degrees every day. Later, in August, they made a couple of trips to Kanopolis for some good hot weather conditioning and trail riding. In early October, Miles and Whitney did their first ride at Eminence, Missouri. They spent a week there enjoying the trails and, in addition to having a wonderful time with good friends (both equine and human), Miles appeared to be well conditioned for the upcoming 50 in Vinita, Oklahoma.

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On October 27, 2019, they once again made the journey to the Owl Hoot Spook ride in Vinita. The weather was almost perfect, maybe even a little on the warm side. Miles vetted in with all “A”s, was calm and well behaved, and had a great body condition score of 5. The following day, Miles was eating and drinking well throughout the ride. He was actually so easy going and relaxed that Whitney was almost worried something might be wrong. When they crossed the finish line, it was already dark. Whitney held her breath as Dr. Jim Baldwin conducted his final check, ensuring that Miles met the AERC criteria of being declared “fit to continue”. Finally, Dr. Baldwin looked at her with a nod and a smile, and said the words every endurance rider loves to hear, “Congratulations! You have a completion!” Ironically, two years prior (almost to the day), Dr. Baldwin had been the one sympathetically shaking his head and voicing his concern regarding the potentially grave prognosis after examining Miles’ swollen, sore right front leg. There were a few tears, several hugs, and couple huge

sighs of relief after hearing that their completion was official. Miles even gave Whitney a hug by curling his neck around her as if he knew what they had done. They were now officially an “endurance rider” and an “endurance horse”! At last, it was time for Miles to get some pampering and a big bucket of his Total Equine with lots of apples, carrots and anything else his heart desired. Needless to say, they both slept quite well

that night! To top it off, the next morning, they looked like they were ready to hit the trail again. Miles was bright, energetic, moving beautifully sound and his legs were cold and tight - one would never have guessed the challenges they had endured along their journey during the two years prior!

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

aggressive. I then worked on our ask, suggest, demand method. Keeping our reactions calm and quiet ensures this horse to be soft and calm while working through each task. I make sure I don’t overwhelm the horses mind during the obstacle course. On the second day, I tried to keep the horse settled while giving him a refresher of each newly learned skill. When it came time to ride through the obstacle course, my horse was very level headed and prepared for each task we had to complete. Overall it was a really great experience meeting other trainers from around the US and observing their techniques. Bringing home the championship belt buckle to a small town in Kansas is truly where it all started. As a child my father, Patrick Saffer, taught me the true ways of natural horsemanship. When I was 9 years old, I started my first colt. Now over ten years later, our father son duo brings nearly 30 years of collaborative training experience to the table. We work hard to connect the rider and the horse to advance the pair using the same communication skills as the lead horse in the herd. This year I plan to continue traveling and competing in colt starting challenges, holding more clinics, giving more lessons and building better

I always had dreams of making it to the NFR when I was young. I figured it would be riding bulls or broncs. Needless to say, when I received an invite to the Colt Starting Challenge USA Finals, in Las Vegas, Nevada it was nothing short of a blessing! I feel my passion for riding the rough stock might give me an advantage of sitting the rank ones in this challenge.

language of your horse, it’s completely possible. The first day I drew a two-year- old paint gelding, stepping into the ring I exposed the horse to pop up barrels, tarps and flags. We moved onto lunging the horse and disengaging his hip to really get control of the hind quarters. Shortly after I began desensitizing the horse to the saddle, and preparing him to be mounted. Here I used a

For this colt starting challenge,

pressure and release technique by stepping into the stirrup until he stood still several times, then calmly taking my seat. Later I noticed that while asking for forward motion, he was getting

we have two and a half hours to train an unbroke horse to complete a timed obstacle course. Knowing this can be a little overwhelming. If you take it slow, really read the body

Continued on Pg 12

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WHEN RESEARCH BACKS RESULTS

When developing feeding programs and products for animals, many times the nutritionist must rely on background, experience, closely related research and often not on direct research that supports the program or product being developed and used. This is how many of the programs that I have developed and used over my career have come to be. How does this relate to the current programs and products of Total Feeds, Inc.? Total Feeds products have several unique benefits to all species of animals and the following is an account of what benefits are reported by customers as unique and why science is now allowing an explanation why the benefits are produced in animals:

report that when feeding Total Feeds products animals voluntarily consume less fiber in the form of grass or hay. This is the most common feedback

The research was conducted with ruminant animals, but the same digestive process is how equine digest fiber, so it may

I receive about large and small ruminants and equine customers. Explanation: There has been research projects conducted by more than one reputable institution that explain NDSU, which showed improvement in fiber digestion in ruminant animals. More recently, UC Davis in California reported a 30% reduction in methane output from dairy cows. In both cases they were studying the addition of seaweed to the diet. this. The first one was conducted at

Total Feeds Product Information Booklet by Better Equine

Copyright 2016 Total Feeds Product Information Booklet by Better Equine All Rights Reserve d

Benefit: Most all customers

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blood flow by creating a vaso dilation throughout the body. Also,research with chelated trace minerals have shown that if present in the diet and correct levels and combinations do promote both healing of joint damage and prevention of new damage developing. This is a brief explanation of some major benefits of feeding Total Feeds products and especially Total Equine. There are more benefits reported and as more research is uncovered to support them they will be discussed in this magazine.

explain why horses fed Total Equine consume less hay, produce less waste and less gas. These can be explained from research findings Research has shown that certain seaweed does kill and control many gram negative bacteria in the laboratory and transferring this to the rumen or cecum and colon it makes sense as there are several gram negative bacteria that tend to reduce the efficiency of fiber digestion and in the inefficient process, produce excess waste gas. The reason waste gas production is negative to fiber digestion efficiency is the gases methane and carbon dioxide are carbon units that would be used

in the biochemical pathways of the body to create energy and many other important metabolic compounds in the body if they would have been absorbed in the form of volatile fatty acids rather than being expelled as gas. Benefit: One of the most common reports from customers in the improve joint health in performance equine and old equine that have developed arthritic joint problems when feeding Total Equine. Other people have reported reduction in the incidence of OCDs in young, growing horses. Explanation: Research results have indicated that the presence of certain seaweed species in the diet can increase

Dr. Harry Anderson http://www.totalfeeds.com 620-272-1065

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Continued from Pg 9

relationships with my clients and their horses. My family recently opened a new facility outside of Lawrence, Ks offering colt starting, and finishing, performance horse training, lessons, clinics, trail rides, boarding and much more. Throughout a lifetime of labor, love and dedication to everything equine, becoming the 2018 National Champion Colt Starter, this endeavor is truly fulfilling all of my childhood dreams. I can’t say thank you enough to everybody that has backed me, and guided me along the way. I’d like to invite everybody to follow my Facebook Pages Easy E Colt Starting and Training, and Rocking R Ranch.

Our outlook for the new year is very promising! “There is something about the outside of a horse that changes the inside of a man ” Winston S. Churchill

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www

www.rodeopafra.com

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His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. II Peter 1:3

I read this verse, I think of how powerful God is. When you read his word (the Bible), you gain knowledge of who he is, how much he loves us (you) and the blessings you receive from him through your love and obedience. Through him you can experience joy and peace at the toughest moments of your life. Don’t ever forget, as you live your life God is with you always. Which brings me to how he has been answering our prayers with Living Life Ranch one after another. We just praise him all the time he is amazing as he works with Living Life Ranch. What a winter we are having here in Kansas! It has been a while since we’ve experienced this kind of weather. Due to our current location and setup, Living Life Ranch comes to a halt for outside activities. The mentor group continues no matter what. We can enjoy our Bible study while working on crafts or serving the community in other ways. The youth team at New Life Community Church

in Gardner is very organized and have so many activities for the young people to plug into. It is a blessing for Living Life to be connected to this program.

piece you are interested in and would like to purchase one. Please contact me either by email: Melissa@livingliferanch. org or call me 913-731-5579. We were struggling to determine what we could do for shelters to provide more protection for our horses. We cannot build any additional permanent structures or modify to enlarge what we currently have at our location due to zoning rules. So, we have been searching for something portable that would be sturdy, protect the horses and be affordable at the same time. Looking at all kinds of options. One day I sat down to attempt to search again. I made a few calls to inquire about a couple of styles I saw around. God lead me to John Verde and George We started praying asking for guidance on what to do. Starbuck both gentlemen assisted me in finding an answer. John’s company “StrokeMaster Windscreens” provides screening material

One of the crafts we are working on this year is making Horse Shoe Art. Each one of these unique pieces are custom made by our mentor girls. These designs come from our hearts and are being sold to help with Living Life Ranch expenses. I have included pictures of what we are making. If you see a

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

that works great for livestock shelters. George is our local contact here in Ottawa, Ks, he builds and installs the structures. God answered another prayer and Living Life Ranch raised enough funds to build the portable structures needed for our horses. With the weather we have been having this year the horses have really appreciated having these shelters. The material used for the structures protects against the cold winter winds but at the same time filters the air and provides a cool shaded place in the hot summer months. To look at this material you would wonder how it works.

these units around if needed and take them with us when we relocate. If you want to learn more about these shelters and the screens. Here is John’s company website: www. windscreensupply.net You can contact George Starbuck at (785) 418-8809 they are wonderful to work with. They were a blessing to us for this project. We are working on another project that is bigger than any of us. God has guided me to complete an Ark basically and has informed me that the time is now. As soon as we finalize our business plan. We are going to be meeting with investors to discuss an opportunity for a property that we have located in Johnson County. This property will allow us to complete the Living Life Ranch Business Design in its entirety. With the purchase of the land and additional funding Living Life Ranch will be able to continue to minister to children, at a larger scope. We will offer a full-blown Western Ranch (Camp) experience dedicated to show children unconditional love, assist in building self- esteem, self confidence and a renewed reverence for Life through our Lord Jesus. Our calling is to help those who have encountered life traumas (physical or emotional) we will have a program designed for children in need. The location of the property is in Johnson County that can be easily

accessed by all surrounding counties. Cowboys and Cowgirl Counselors will be working with our young cowboys and cowgirls. Living Life Ranch is designed to offer either day camp or 5-day camps. This is for the community to experience a western ranch, learn how to manage and care for the animals while experiencing God’s unconditional love and allow us to share the hope that he brings. As I mentioned this is a huge project. Please be praying for us that we are successful and will be able to first buy the 145-acre property. Phase One would also include funds to build: • Fencing • Barn with Indoor Arena • Outdoor Arena If you have a need or you know someone that could benefit from our program, please contact us. www.Livingliferanch.org Melissa Cowan 913-731-5579 Through the healing and therapeutic power of God’s word coupled with working, caring and riding horses, children can begin the recovering process of building self-esteem, self- confidence and a renewed reverence for life.

I experienced it myself. The cold wind was blowing my pretty my hair was all over the place, when I walked from the outside into the shelter no wind at all and it was warmer I was amazed at how this works! George brought one helper to take them off his truck and complete the install these structures are solid it takes work to manipulate them and anchor them down. But we can move

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IN THE HORSE WORLD by Matthew Jobe

I n the horse world, just like in life, we live in a society of instant gratification. Often times we see terrible progress in the behavior of people and horses because of this societal training. How often have you seen a child misbehave in a store, and thought that would NOT be my child, I would spank that kiddo? How often have you seen a hot-headed horse charge into the arena run a pattern and be stopped only by the gate keeper quick slam shut on the gate? This is very much a learned behavior in both the child and the horse. A behavior that could take years of reteaching and schooling. However, what if we worked with our horse instead of forcing them into things? How much more quickly could we accomplish our goals? How much easier and faster would we be able to get the results

we wanted? There is a time to demand more from our horse, although, I believe at the beginning of a new learning experience is not that time. I find that we can get the results we want much more quickly when we suggest what we want and wait for it to happen. Reward the newly learned behavior by release of pressure, then repeat the process after a short rest. Allow the horse to get into a willing frame of mind; this is where the great results are obtained. I call this the “Power of Release Method.” Collaboration with our horse to become one, instead of coercion by the boss. Let’s look at some examples: When first teaching a horse to back up, I like to push my feet forward and put weight (or pressure) in the stirrups. Simultaneously, I apply direct a direct holding pressure with

my hands. I do NOT pull, or “saw” on my horse, I hold my hands and wait. As soon as my horse so much as leans or sets itself backwards, I release INSTANTLY. The instant release, upon a response is pivotal to the reward. We are allowing the horse to find the correct answer without a lot of fuss and rewarding him for his response. I repeat this step multiple times, each time rewarding with a release of pressure after a little more gain, one step or two steps more. We will accomplish teaching the horse to back up much faster by allowing our horse to backup willingly, vs. forcing a backup. As the horse processes and begins to understand the backup, I can begin to add leg pressure to the front of the cinch to increase speed or straight- line progression.

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MATTHEW JOBE C BAR J RANCH WINDSOR, MO 660-537-9542 WWW.CBARJ.COM LIKE US ON FACEBOOK gratification we must slow down and work the process. Work WITH the horse in its timeline, not with our own. This is the key to a successful relationship with your horse, we must allow them to pass first grade before we move to second grade. Allow the good things to happen and reward it by releases of pressure and before long the great things will begin to take place. Then start to up the ante, getting bigger results. Walk your horse through a successful collaboration with you!

time, we could begin to add light pressure with our hands as we lope, suggesting to the horse to get off our hands and lower their head. As always, when we see even the slightest ‘try’ we release immediately. Repeat and build upon this method. The key to this method is allowing the horse to make his own decision and rewarding him for the correct decision by releasing pressure at the correct time. As the horse is in the willing frame of mind, we can start to ask for more. If the horse is obstinate, we must begin again, allowing the horse to work with us not against us. It takes quality learning in each step to progress, just like a child taking each step through school. In a society where everyone wants instant

The “Power of Release Method” can be used to teach in all aspects of horsemanship. Let’s speak about the high headed horse. Everyone loves to see a soft relaxed horse, loping around the arena with a low head set, as opposed to the horse who looks as though it may stampede around the arena wild eyed at any moment. What if, when we loped these high headed horses we did not pick up on the bridle and each time they lowered their head we allowed them to stop and relax? Stopping and relaxing is their release of pressure, they would much rather relax than work! Continue this stop and relaxing each time the horse lowers his head until they can relax several times. At this

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Bill Barcus 913-238-3139 Jana Barcus 913-731-2509

29545 Pleasant Valley Road Paola, Kansas 66071

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AMERICAN HORSEMAN CHALLENGE ASSOCIATION

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the AHCA is to promote

horsemanship and sportsmanship at its highest level while providing an arena of camaraderie within a competitive obstacle course setting. Its purpose is to instill public awareness and respect for the horse while members strive to improve their horsemanship skills. All competitions and/or clinics as well as, any other event that promotes AHCA or an affiliate representing AHCA will be conducted with the highest level of integrity.

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

W hat makes AHCA provides their affiliates a competitor payback chart and affiliates are required to adhere to the 50% prize money payback; plus, the affiliates should award ribbons through 6th place. AHCA also sponsors an annual National Finals Challenge, which is generally held in October. At the Year End Awards, AHCA recognizes the following achievements: High point Horse/Rider team in each division and High point Horse over multiple divisions. Heartland AHCA is an affiliate of AHCA. Heartland was started in 2017 by Clayton and Windy Cummings. To date, Heartland has approximately seventy-five members from Kansas and Misswouri. DIVISIONS Green Horse I - This division is open to all horses that have not previously competed in any trail/ obstacle type event. Eligibility for this class is based on the horse and not the rider. A horse is only eligible to compete in this division for one competition year. The course for the Green Horse will consist of 10 obstacles. Green Horse II - This division is designed for the inexperienced horse of ANY age. The AHCA encourages you to ride your horse at their actual skill level. This division will consist of 10 obstacles. unlike other obstacle associations? AHCA

Lead line - Riders 10 years and under are eligible for this division. This division is designed for the rider not yet ready to ride on their own in a youth division. The course shall consist of 6 obstacles that can be safely negotiated by the young rider and their handler. Wranglers - A wrangler is an amateur rider age 12 years and under. The course shall consist of 8 obstacles. Youth - A youth shall be considered any amateur rider age 18 years old and under. The course shall consist of 13 obstacles. Novice Rider - The Novice rider has basic horsemanship skills but lacks the confidence and knowledge of a more advanced horseman. This division is designed for the beginning/ inexperienced rider of ANY age. The course shall consist of 10 obstacles. Limited Amateur - This division is designed for the Amateur rider who has not placed in the top half or top ten (whichever

is less) of ANY national competition under saddle. The course shall consist of 13 obstacles. Amateur - A person is considered an amateur when he/she has not trained, or assisted in training a horse for remuneration, either directly or indirectly, nor received compensation for instructing another person in riding, training or showing a horse in competition for five (5) previous years. The course shall consist of 13 obstacles. Legends - Any amateur rider age 55 years and older as determined by their birth date on January 1st shall be eligible to compete in this division. The course shall consist of 13 obstacles. English - This division is open to all riders that choose to compete in traditional English tack. The course shall consist of 13 obstacles. Open - This division is open to all riders, regardless of age, experience or status.

27 Everything Horses and Livestock® | February 2019 | EHALmagazine.com

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

The course shall consist of 13 obstacles. In Hand I - This division is open to horses of any age that are new to obstacle events. The In Hand I course will consist of 8 obstacles. In Hand II - This division is open to all horses and handlers (including In Hand I horses). The In Hand II course will consist of 8 obstacles. The In- Hand II division will compete as the last division of the event. If you would like more information on Heartland AHCA, they can be found on Facebook or you can email ccranchadds92@yahoo.com . Windy Cummings

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

MEET Ken & Shary Hill K Bar H Saddle & Tack, LLC.

Ken started his passion for leather work in high school. Out of high school, Ken joined the marine core in 1968 and served active duty for 3 years. Out of service and job searching, Ken went to work for BOP (Buick/ Oldsmobile/Pontiac) in the Fairfax District, Kansas City, Kansas. After working there for around 10 years, Ken left BOP in 1982 and started trucking over the road. In 1983, he married his beloved wife, Shary. The two enjoyed five years driving over the road

together and Ken continued to do leather work part time. When Ken’s son came to live with them, the family bought horses and enjoyed trail riding together. Needing repairs done on their saddles and tack, they soon realized there was no one in the area that knew how to do repair work. This stimulated Ken and Shary to open their own shop, K Bar H Saddle & Tack, LLC. They chose the City of Kearney, Missouri for their store location. Offering their customers saddle & tack repair, custom made saddles & various

tack, boots, clothing and more for several years. As years when on, a customer requested Total Equine and they added it to their store. Ten years later it’s still a staple for them. In 2013, Ken and Shary closed the doors at Kearney and moved their business back to their home place where they continue to sell Total Equine, repair saddles and tack, create custom holsters, scabbards, knife sheaths, reins, bridles and more. Check them out! K Bar H Saddle & Tack, LLC 6127 SE Hwy 33 Holt, Missouri 64048 Phone 816-419-9853 Open Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

29 Everything Horses and Livestock® | February 2019 | EHALmagazine.com

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

Creatures of Habit

H ello to all, hope everyone had a great holiday season!!! As we move into a new year, I hope everyone is ready for new beginnings. We are seeing some format changes in all the associations and it's exciting for all of us to have new opportunities. With those new opportunities, comes making changes. Maybe even some that we don't want to make. In this article, I would like to discuss common things I see with my students that keep them from achieving their goals. Most of the time all that holds people back is being stuck with methods and habits that don't produce desired results. Trying new things can be tough sometimes, but if we can get over that "mental block", success can be just around the corner. One of the main things we must understand is that no matter what we think, we can't all rope the exact same way and have success. There are various methods the pros use that are

very effective. A lot of people get in a rut because they are only willing to listen to one person. For a handful of people, this can work well, for most it's a struggle to say the least. Many instructors only teach one method of execution, which isn't wrong, it's just doesn't work for every single person. To bring this home, I wanted to give a personal account of the last two months. In late October I was given an opportunity that every open caliber roper hopes for, a major sponsor and an opportunity to reach for the pinnacle of our sport. A lot of people don't understand what a

commitment it takes, both financial and scheduling, to reach that level. When you dive into it, you find out quickly. Here are a few transitions I've had to make to work towards my goal, keeping in mind that it's the new habits we have to create for ourselves to have success. First, my day to day had to completely change. In the past I have always taken outside horses to ride in the winter months, usually around 6-8 head. When working at being the best, there is no time for riding young horses and going slow. Time needed to be spent staying sharp with my riding and

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

my loop. So no outside horses. I usually average around 5 private lessons a week which I have cut back on also. Clinics work better for me now because I can devote two or three days to students and then get back to working on myself. So it's been very different to me to devote most days to myself and my roping. The next thing that I started working on is being more aggressive. I have always been what's considered a "catcher", not taking risky shots and making sure I catch two feet every time no matter what. This won't work at the highest level. Sometimes it's necessary to just catch, but most of the time shaving seconds become more important. For every jump that the steer travels across the arena, it adds three tenths of a second to the run. Most rodeos we go to, that's can be the difference between winning first and not even placing. One of the best headers in the world told me if I want better partners, I would have to get over taking the "sure shot" every time and trusting my fundamentals go help me pull off some tougher shots. This was a hard one for me, I've roped the other way for a long time. It's getting better all

the time, but it's a process.

I will also have to gather up at least two more this year so I can start next year with 4 good ones to use and be able to rotation them. Horses only have so many runs in them, they need rest to make it through a long season. Riding different horses and trying to figure each one of them out has been a challenge to say the least. In finishing this insert, we come back to where we began, having an open mind. Making changes for the better is difficult if we can't get out of our comfort zone. Many things will change when we truly decide to commit to being a better roper. Confidence comes from doing it….over and over again, until we get it right. I'm looking forward to my new journey, it won't be easy but I'm ready for the challenge, are you? Job 39: verse 21-22. Check it out for some inspiration!! PRACTICE HARDER .

One of the main things that people have a hard time with, me included, is being afraid to miss. In order to grow, we have to make mistakes and learn from them. I missed a lot of steers in that first month in the practice pen trying out different positions, it was brutal. But once I started figuring out what worked for me, it gets better all the time. In order to rope steers on the first jump, you have to be in position to do so. Putts no myself and my horse in a more aggressive position riding down the arena was outside the norm for me, but I struggled through it and now it just feels natural instead of awkward. I've had to make a bunch of changes in horsemanship also. I've had to ask a lot more from my two good horses as I've been trying to learn new things and translate that to them. Also, acquiring more horses had been a must. Practice horses are a necessity that I didn't have to have in the past. I needed horses I could make a bunch of runs on and save my good ones for the competitions. Thank goodness I have had friends loan me some so I can get the runs I need every day.

God bless, Chad Mathes

Call to Schedule: 816-820-0560 Email: mathes58@icloud.com

www.Facebook.com/ ChadMathesRoping

31 Everything Horses and Livestock® | February 2019 | EHALmagazine.com

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

H ow many times have you said, “I should do that one day”, knowing good and well that you will not even give it a second thought? Or have you ever wanted to sign up or enroll into a class or a competition and just did not do it. Why? Are you afraid of failure? Are you lazy and do not want to put forth the effort? Are you scared that others may make fun of you? Are you worried that you will be outclassed and look like a fool? We keep so many promises to other people, yet it is common practice to break promises that we make to ourselves. There are countless examples of

women that have set their mind to do something and they have rocked their journey and never looked back. Women that have lost 100lbs, completed 5K runs that had to use a walker due to cerebral palsy, graduated college when they did not finish high school, and the list goes on and on. But yet, you cannot muster up the notion to enter a horse competition, finish that project you started forever ago, or do something that is going to help you live longer and happier. Let’s take a minute to discuss why our society has gotten into this funk. Technology and

social media. We not only live in a “now” society, but we live in a “right now!” society. Anything we want or want to know is immediately accessible. Amazon and Google are changing our lives. The days of waiting are over. When your day to day life is filled with now and right now, the concept of a goal taking an extended amount of time appears to be an unachievable task, when in actuality, everything is possible and there is not a limit on one’s growth potential. Social media has us beat down in our perception of ourselves. Social media is not real life. It is

Start Keeping Promises to Yourself By Brandy Von Holten

“I should do that one day"

"I should do that one day”

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

not the full picture of someone. I own a trail riding facility and use social media extensively. My clientele sees mostly the end results, positive thoughts, and forward movement. They do not get to see the self-doubt, the tears, the fears, and the mundane truckload of hours put into making this business successful. Things are never as they seem. People view us as financially rich, when in all actuality we have sacrificed gifts for holidays the first five years of the business just to makes ends meet. This perceived reality is what everyone compares themselves to and concludes that they are not good enough. Comparing yourself to someone’s social media self is like comparing an ocean to a mudpuddle. Not in the same ball park, so don’t even do it. Now, let’s get to work on how to keep promises to yourself. The number one thing to do is become a “master of the mundane”. If anything matters in your life, everything has to matter. For me to become a successful author, I must wash the dishes. For me to increase my international ranking in

mounted archery, I must buy shampoo. If I want to sell more t-shirts, I must sweep the floor. You see, you cannot master one area and fail at another or you cannot achieve your goals. Make a list and knock the tasks off and then get busy doing what you want. If you are a chronic promise breaker, only put one mundane item such as laundry on your list and one goal on your list. Do not add to your list until those items are complete. You have to reinstill that sense of accomplishment internally. Make a physical list so you can mark that task off! Getting enough courage to go do something takes just an ounce of “grrr”. Take for example the annual All Around Cowgirl Challenge we host at our facility. Every year I get to hear “next year” probably four times more by women that do not sign up as compared to the number of women that sign up. The ones that have overcome their fear were the ones that signed up with a friend and the ones that sent in their deposit. Plain and simple. If they put “some skin in the game” aka paid out money and had an

accountability partner; those are the ones that show up! Take the words “next year” out of your vocabulary and flush them down the toilet. What a sad life we allow ourselves to live in. As children, we are told, you can be anything you put your mind to. As adults, we tell ourselves that we can’t do anything, or we do not deserve to treat ourselves. If we had a friend that spoke to us the way we speak to ourselves, we would call them a negative bully. Refuse to be a doormat. Refuse to let yourself talk this way to yourself. Repeat after me: I am good enough. I am worth the time and effort. Go live your life and stop listening to that bully! Other women are going to support you in your adventures and wish that they had YOUR ability to go for your goal. Become the shoulder that another woman needs to overcome their own rut. You have the ability to change. You have always had it.

33 Everything Horses and Livestock® | February 2019 | EHALmagazine.com