A great BIG thank you to our new Horse Sense sponsor - Arizona Saddlery of Clarkston!

Arizona Saddlery has been family owned and operated for over 30 years, offering a huge selection of supplies for all equestrians, including:

• English Tack
• Western Tack
• Horse Grooming Supplies
• New & Used Saddles
• Western Home Decor
• Gifts for Horse Lovers
• Riding Apparel - Schooling & Show Clothes
• And much more!

Arizona Saddlery of Clarkston offers horse tack and equestrian apparel from top manufacturers, such as Ariat, Justin Boots, Levi, Dan Post, Chippewa, and much more! If you don't see it in store, ask a sales associate about special orders!

Arizona Saddlery

6525 Dixie Hwy # A
Village of Clarkston, MI 48346-3499

248-620-4708

The Livingston County 4-H 2011 Tack Sale is almost here!

I've attended this sale several times and never went home empty handed! There will be hundreds of new and used tack items for sale, barn equipment and riding apparel. Hope to see you there!

Saturday, January 29, 2011 ~ FREE ADMISSION!
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Hartland Educational Support Service Center
(Former Hartland High School)
9525 Highland Rd., Howell, MI 48843
Sponsored by: Livingston County 4-H
Horse Leader’s Association
Public invited to buy or sell. No dogs allowed in building.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  For more information call Paula at 517-485-6558 or go to:
www.co.livingston.mi.us/msuextension under 4-H programs.

When I was a kid, the only thing more entertaining than a “Saved by the Bell” marathon was the Saturday night Michigan Horse Auction. Each week I would carefully pick out my outfit to look as “cowgirl” as possible and then nudge my parents out the door early to get a seat close to the auction floor.

Every week we’d start with the tack and barn items, sometimes picking up a feed bucket here or a bridle there, just waiting for the moment they would clear the “arena” to prepare for the horses. And each week I would beg and plead with my father to prove that this next horse is really “the one”.

But you know what I really miss about the auctions? I miss the stick thin cowboys with small jeans and big hats. I miss the crazy-haired youngsters dying to dig their hands into the mane of an auction pony. I miss the soggy polish sausage and half-flat diet cokes. And most of all, I miss that lively ol’ auctioneer that would let me slip a bid in every once in a while if my Dad wasn’t raising his card fast enough.

 

“Who’ll gimme a hundred dollars? One hundred dolla bid, now two, now two. Will ya gimme two? Two hundre’dolla bid, now three, now three. Three? Three an’ a half? Three fifty, fifty, three fifty, fifty, SOLD!”

 
With the increased popularity of Craigslist and other web-based horse and tack sale options, it seems that traditional horse auctions have become few and far between. But if you still crave that hat-tippin’, boot kickin’, chaw spittin’ good time, here are a couple of the Michigan Horse Auctions still going:

• Tom Moore Sales Horse & Tack Auction first Saturday of every month 

• Lake Odessa Horse and Tack Auction
  

If you know of any other upcoming horse auctions, please send me a comment or email with the details and I’ll add it to the list.

Cowboy Logic of the Day

“No matter where you go or what you do, keep your saddle

and chaps and always know where you can get a good ride.”

Before I was introduced to the Aussie saddle, I was sure that Simon Baker was Australia’s greatest export. But the moment I first fell into that hammock-like seat, I knew it was love.

Since I first learned to ride English and later converted to Western for the trail, the Aussie saddle turned out to be the best of both worlds for me. Combining my favorite features of English and Western saddles, it makes for the ultimate trail/endurance ride.

I originally bought the Aussie for my hard-to-fit Lyric (stay tuned for my blog on the importance of a well-fitted saddle), as she refused the Western saddle and was too unpredictable to be alone in the woods with my dainty English saddle. Aside from the general comfort for myself and my horse, I have found the Aussie to give me the most security as well.

Aussies have the forward seat of an English saddle, but like a Western saddle, it is designed to spread the rider's weight more evenly over the horses back. Weight wise, they are generally heavier than an English saddle, but lighter than most Western saddles.

In addition to the deep seat, the Aussie saddles include padded poleys (kneepads) to keep your tush in the saddle no matter what obstacle comes your way.  And to date, (knock on wood) it is the only saddle that I have not been thrown from.  Not that she hasn’t tried. 

The stirrup leathers are attached to stirrup bars, and are designed to release in the event the rider is thrown and has a foot caught in the stirrup. You can see the stirrup bar in the above picture peeking out from beneath the leather flap. When riding, the flap is actually secured beneath the overgirth (part of the double girthing system).

Now you'll probably never find an Aussie saddle in the show jumping ring or a barrel racing event, but for the avid trail rider, it is the best of both worlds. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself!

Cowboy Logic of the Day

"There never was a horse that couldn't be rode; 

there never was a rider that couldn't be throwed."

So I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Craigslist. Most of the time I love it, but there are just some days that I could do without. Let’s say, for example, when the chronic flagoholics are having my post removed unnecessarily for the third consecutive time or when someone posts an item for sale, but isn’t actually prepared to sell it for another 6 weeks and then you drive 150 miles only to find that the actual pile of rust for sale is not the beautifully pictured item you were sold on a month and a half ago (you know who you are). Those are the moments I could go without.

But like I said, most of my Craigslist experiences are positive, which explains my unhealthy addiction.  Most days I check my Craigslist notifications shortly after I wake up, at least a dozen times throughout the day, and (of course) once before bed. It is like a sort of drug that causes you to spend money on things you would never, ever think to buy otherwise.

If not for my husband’s interference, I might have impulse purchased an incubator (I don’t even have any animals that lay eggs), a draft horse too tall to even fit into our trailer to come home, and a baby camel (c’mon, really?). But, if you can successfully weed through all of the scams and garbage, there really are a lot of good deals on Craigslist.

In fact, I’m building my new horse barn & pasture almost entirely from Craigslist postings.  The actual barn is being supplied & installed by a lumberyard that I found on a Craigslist posting. The stall mats, pasture fence (including all gates), and at least one of the horses that will inhabit the barn were all found on Craigslist.

For the bargain savvy equestrian, you can buy or sell just about anything horse related. There are varieties of economy to luxury new and used tack, barn supplies (even entire barns for sale), local boarding and lesson specials, and horses of all sizes and colors from free to far-from-it!

  

So if you have a pretty good BS meter and enough self restraint to keep from impulse buying a camel (and aren’t offended by the occasional f-bomb), I say check it out!

Cowboy logic of the day

“The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.”