Going Backwards In Your Horse Training - Not By Design

Grand Prix trainer Paul Alvin-Smith at home

 

Training horse and rider takes a lot of time and patience. It can also be a very rewarding experience for all parties. Trouble is, as a trainer it can sometimes be equally frustrating because just when you feel you have had a breakthrough with both horse and rider, they bob off somewhere else to work due to other factors like seasonal migration. 

Regardless of whether you are a horse trainer/instructor located in the fish bowl that is West Palm Beach or Ocala, Florida, or the similarly horsey neighborhoods of Aiken, South Carolina or the Hamptons - or you work in Upstate New York or New England, from time to time you may find yourself giving pause about taking on students who migrate elsewhere for half the year.

Of course the answer is to be the trainer that also migrates to better climes during part of the year with the entourage of students hopefully in tow, but this is not always practical. So the compromise of sending the horse out of town and flying in and out to pick up a very occasional lesson or a few days for a show is the norm. 

Horse and rider can regress in their training no matter how much effort has been put in by everyone to date. But at the same time, riders and horses will still be learning something, even if it is somewhere else with someone else. It is best to view this as an opportunity.

The reality is that often equestrians come to you in the first place for help to fix something they are having a problem solving that has occurred either in their own or their horse's progress. Usually rather predictably, both. The issues are often based in the horse's previous handling and training, and are mirrored in the student in front of you as a mini-me version of their previous trainer's methods.

This is inevitable. Trouble is, you solve the issue and progress the education of both horse and rider and eagerly move on, building on what you now feel is a solid foundation. Then the pair disappear elsewhere and it all goes backwards and starts again.

As a trainer you obviously cannot be everywhere and wouldn't want to be anyway, but it is nevertheless a seasonal situation that makes you wonder if your efforts are all rather pointless.

I was once advised that you should be careful who you work with equestrian training wise as you will end up riding and looking like they do in the saddle, with similar good and bad traits. As humans we all have shortcomings and no-one is perfect. For this reason it is essential as a trainer you also continue your own education in a positive direction to improve yourself, otherwise your own bad habits will become ingrained and the students down the line (and their horses) will suffer the consequences.

 

My husband Paul and I are both Grand Prix trainers and regularly travel to continue our education

 

This isn't to say that the rider and horse haven't learned a new technique or improved during their transitory time with you, just rather it will be very difficult for them to continue that progress under a different tutor especially when that tutor is one that set them up for the problem initially. 

The tutor is usually is totally unaware of what has created the pause or halt in rider and horse progress. No-one is at fault, it's just that we all are learning and are all works in progress.

Paul working at home 

 

At the end of the day the best way I advise my fellow trainers to deal with this disappointing reality is to try and be satisfied with what has been achieved to date, and hope that the difference that you did make in the horse/rider partnership will hopefully resurface at some future point. 

Otherwise training wise you feel you are just treading water when the student returns to you the next year, and seems back to where they started with you six months before. Send them on their way with good wishes and just hope they have retained some of what you have spent time imparting and training. 

Not that you really have any choice in the matter anyway. It's simply a part of their equestrian journey and yours. 

Paul Alvin-Smith working with a student at a clinic

 

Though the poor horse is the worst one off for he truly is in for a confusing time. And that is the crux of it all for me. But as a lovely chef at a Portuguese restaurant once said to me as he de-boned a freshly harvested and beautifully cooked fish at our table, "You have to learn to work with the fish." Indeed we do..

 

A Farmer's Life - Weather Woes For Hay Season 2025

Working with what Mother Nature dishes out comes with the territory in farming life and this summer season has thus far offered a menu of upsets in the weather forecast game.

 

Even when you've disseminated information from several different sources you find the variety and discord of so called weather models is so major that you simply can't figure out what to do about knocking down hay. 

Sadly local news stations like WTEN, an award-winning weather reporting team that was headed by the notable Steve Caporizzo, the former Chief Meteorologist at NEWS10 before his retirement last month, doesn't seem to ever mention weather as it regards to the farmer. Despite the Upstate New York regions heavy reliance on farming businesses. Meaning, give us percentiles and chances of rain and offer more specific regional coverage especially in farming areas the Catskills region rather than always focusing on population hubs like Albany.

Many regional farmers have 'gone for it' with mixed results - working against the forecast variances and calling their own forecast. Basically desperate to get the 1st cut in to try and salvage the 2nd cut being available at all.

 

There are plenty of hay crop losses to rain, and of course many other farming enterprises are suffering with other types of crop problems too. Flooding, drought areas, fungus/insect damage due to high moisture etc. If you own horses you've likely already experienced the clover 'dribbles' with your herd, as the abundance of both red and white clover due to the heavy Spring rainfall predominates across much pastureland.

It seems that farmers are always whining about the weather. I guess it's a reasonable assessment. Growing and harvesting crops is so weather dependent it's hard not to understand the preoccupation that farmers have on the topic. 

 

No wonder then that many hay farmers choose to eliminate both the need for handling small square bales and succumb to the use of herbicides and drying agents and preservative to harvest their dry hay crop. There are tremendous changes going on with big pharma and the harvesting methods of hay going on right now, alongside a bunch of other nefarious business practices coming your way. If you want to learn more on that topic check out this blog on, "Hey - What's Happening in the Hay Herbicide World".  Chemical uses including salts, explain a lot about your horse's gut health, ulcers, leaky gut syndrome, hives, COPD and the like and what likely you are inadvertently doing to contribute to your horse's likelihood in developing these issues. 

 

It's a bit sad really. To see the smaller Mom and Pop farmers go out. Send their haying equipment off to auction and quit the business. Sell their land out for quarrying then development. But not too surprising either. Agricultural machines are expensive to buy, run and maintain. The cost of parts has almost tripled in many cases. Plus the ever rising cost of insurance, and the administrative burdens of collecting forms and tax for state governments. It's truly hard to make ends meet for many.

Labor wise many farmers find their family help all grown and flown the nest, little interested in taking on the very hard work that farming is and that they have experienced first hand.

Clearly horse barn owners running boarding businesses are struggling to make ends meet too - it's not just livestock farmers and dairy businesses. 

So - weather woes aside, the days of hay farming for the smaller enterprises are no doubt numbered. Artisan quality hay is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. 

There are simply too many clouds on the horizon.

 

It will be a very sad farewell. And for those of us who appreciate what our equine athletes need to reach their full potential, we won't have a place to turn for clean, green and non-chemical forage. And that truly is something worth whining about.

 

 

 

Canadian Hay In Your Barn??

If you buy hay from Canada to feed your livestock or in particular, horses, then you certainly know that a substantial price increase is highly likely in the coming months.  

Willowview Hill Farm, Stamford NY - Top quality horse hay organically grown and harvested in the Catskill Mountains of NY

 

Competition for hay sales from the Canadian market has always impacted U.S. farmers. At times of drought or extreme wet weather its import may have saved their bacon, but at most times the imports provide stiff competition for the farmers south of the Canadian border.

It is particularly difficult for farmers in States that are closest to this large production to compete with the imported hay that comes across the border. But it looks set for that to change.

As a New York horse hay farmer, I know keeping an eye on market forces is very important if our small farm is going to survive another year making artisan small square bales for the equine marketplace. There are many influences on hay prices and they are all set to promote higher prices as far as we can ascertain right now.

Mother Nature Can Be Kind Or Cruel

 

Aside from the imported hay competition, farms face many other rising costs. Not least of which is a 30% rise in insurance costs that has hit us again this year. Thankfully oil prices are lower. But repair costs for equipment are staggeringly high. And costs for fertilizer is even worse. As we farm organically the chemical fertilizer factor doesn't enter into our equation, but that is not true for most hay producers. Almost all round bales contain chemical preservatives too, so their expense will also need to be accounted for in the price.

Like many farmers we fix and mend what we can, but issues like a blown gear box on the discbine or a major tractor repair, can set a farmer back thousands and thousands of dollars, before the first blade of grass is even cut.

Hay equipment is expensive to buy and expensive to maintain

 

Of course, things don't break when you aren't using them, so we can expect more interruptions to hay production aside from the obvious one that is thrown at us every year by Mother Nature. The weather!

Like many, there is always the consideration to quit farming altogether. The demographic showcases that farmers are aging up and out of the business. It is sincerely hard work. And a roller-coaster experience of fighting with the weather, the machinery and the unknown factors that haunt the bottom line throughout the year can burn out even the most optimistic and hardworking individuals. It is a profession with a high injury factor and health risk too, and medical expenses are also through the barn roof for many.

So all in all I'd say take a good hold of the reins on your hay budget and expect a helluva ride. Because while we are bouncing about in the fields making hay while the sun shines, come Fall the clouds will be gathering as prices likely increase significantly. The only good news for hay farmers is that perhaps without the competition from large Canadian hay producers, they will have a shot at better margins for sales pricing overall to cover their own rising expenses.

When you see hay prices hit new highs, don't be surprised. Forewarned is forearmed. Stock up when you see good hay available on the market and buy the best quality you can to minimize waste. Don't fall prey to making false economies with poor quality horse hay that just brings a vet bill and a lot of mess to clean up come Spring. 

Come winter you'll need to be stocked up

 

 

 

All Around Good Time - Writing and Riding

 

Variety is the spice of life, and for horse people it is no different. Many of us wear multiple hats including the riding helmet, and are happy to put our creative talents to use in avenues other than the horse training one. And as most of you are aware, for me, one of these is writing. 

March marked a very special 'red letter' day for me, your current Editor at Catskill Horse, as my first work of fiction "The Dutchess of Chadwick" was published. It is available only in print. And you can find it here if you'd like to purchase an authentically signed copy. But hurry, because the First Edition is limited.

My book is a work of literary historical romance written in the traditional style. And it offers a nostalgic look at life in the Gilded Age, a book genre that has sadly seen a massive decline in recent years, mostly due to the 'woke' movement and the big publishers reluctance to promote romance per se. 

While popular Gen Z culture continues to expand its love of 'old money' fashion  styles and the romantic nature of the attire in a truly nostalgic escape from the present day trials, the publishing world has taken a giant step away from providing the women's fiction market with books that cover romantic interludes, passionate relationships, lifestyles of the 'haves and have nots' and the confining culture of the day that was prevalent, 'back in the day'.

Ironic perhaps, that the 'woke' movement included this step away from historical romance fiction. The action was driven by concern by publishers that the misogynistic aspect of these works was something to avoid mentioning and something not to be pushed into the readership realm, although most titles actually include the heroine overcoming the trials and tribulations that society presented as part of the storyline. 

I say ironic, because when you consider the founder of the huge author group, The Romance Writer's of America and who she was and what she stood for you realize that romance writing began its legacy in the U.S. as part of a 'woke' idea. Vivian Stephens, a black female author, wanted to inspire and help other women authors and thus she co-founded the organization with 37 other authors. It was in fact, originally, 'woke'. The controversial issues at what was actually the largest association of authors in the world at one point, The Romance Writers of America, caused a massive decline in membership leaving the organization in tatters. I sincerely hope it will recover.

This step way has meant that even noted and highly successful romance authors were told their next book wasn't wanted, so many authors pivoted and transformed their works to 'romantasy' and other mixed genre creations. Many notable authors went to indie publishing. And why not - there are many readers that love their works of historical romance fiction and see the merit in reading and assimilating it.  

 

Read a review here

 

And here I am, joining a dwindling group of authors who still believe that good writing combined with accurate representations of the life and times of yesteryear can help the 1,2,3 and Me and ancestry seeking present day reader learn and enjoy the process of what has gone on in history and what women both endured and conquered. Historical romance titles help people can find out what turmoils and tumults their ancestors dealt with and perhaps experience a taste of the, "Call The Midwife" like educational aspects that gift new-found respect for our mothers, grandmothers and relations further back in the family tree. We can collectively feel and know about what they endured and survived, and also what they enjoyed and loved in their lives.

The new world of writing that the publishing hierarchy has prescribed for women, is named, 'Chick Lit', itself a derogatory title for the effort and contributions writers in this genre provide.

The reality is, that other countries media are not quite as fickle as the U.S. publishing companies. Media entities abroad seem to realize that it is by showcasing how things happened in history that society learns what has come before and hopefully learns from it. 

Historical romance fiction can help today's generation better appreciate the efforts of the women that overcame the odds thrown at them to gradually improve life for women. Young readers are interested in experiencing that world. There are after all, only so many wizards and alien sci-fi fantasies the market can bear.

 

 

I give much respect to folks like Cindy Lauper, who illuminates the issues all women face and encourages us all to think more and to act with her foundation and its wonderful mission, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fundamental Rights," . Many authors do want to improve the health and well-being of all women and safeguard how far we have come to date, and protect the future from regressive laws and behaviors. 

But being aware doesn't mean we can't enjoy the look back at life in eras such as the Gilded Age, earlier Victorian and Regency periods and times even further back in history. Why should we be told what we can and can't access or enjoy.

If you go into a local bookstore, you will likely find that romance section is fairly small or missing altogether. The big 5 NYC publishing houses have taken it upon themselves to rely almost solely on shows like Bridgerton, a non-traditional language historical production, to carry the mantle of society's history of human romantic relationships to present day audiences. In fact when I went into my local bookstore in Oneonta, a two college town, called The Green Toad (what a wonderful name), the ONLY book they had in store in the historical romance genre was Bridgerton. How sad is that?

Across the pond and here in the U.S.A., the interest in traditional historical romance books and programs is high. Many have enjoyed Lord Julian Fellowes's writings and resulting productions such as Downton Abbey, The Monarch of the Glen, and remakes of Miss. Austin and Pride and Prejudice are streaming into the consciousness of a new generation of audiences worldwide.

In an effort to help inspire both aspiring and existing authors and to offer an opportunity for reader/writer engagement I've begun Nikki's The BookSmith Club. 

 

The BookSmith Club is free to enjoy, just like this magazine Catskill Horse that I began as community resource 12 years ago. The idea being to give access to all, and to create a useful environment for like-minded individuals with common interests to convene and chat. 

Horses and romance go very much hand in hand for many, and I hope that the mix that I have created in my novel, The Dutchess of Chadwick, will entertain, educate and offer a feel-good escape that we all need from time to time! 

Horse women are fairly savvy, tough and independent types of gals in general, but it is our 'soft center' that accesses the inner horse mentally and our hearts that give us the wisdom and the ability to be empathetic. And of course you learn empathy by reading. 

So kick off your boots, take a bath and enjoy some 'me' time with a good book. Please pick mine! I promise the horsey scenes are accurate and a horse doesn't neigh every time he enters a page and that the 'white knight' will be riding alongside our heroine, not taking charge of her life.

 

 

Propionic Acid In Your Horse's Hay - Good or Bad?

Hey - What's in your hay?

 

Organic Hay Supplies At Willowview Hill Farm

 

Today, the vast majority of large round and square hay bales are baled utilizing the convenience of adding the preservative propionic acid. And small squares similarly are regularly harvested using the 'spray' or as some horse owners refer to it, 'pickle juice'. In fact, farmers claim large masses of hay cannot be cured without mold occurring post harvest without pickling, particularly if hay is conjured up into large bale format.

Of course large bales also pose other risks for horses if preventative measures are not taken. As most horse owners are aware, many veterinarians advocate giving horses a vaccine against botulism if they are likely to be fed large bales, as the presence of dead vermin or other wildlife is associated with the larger-sized bales.

Many horse owners report issues with their equines' health that they believe stem from the animals' ingestion of forage produced using this increasingly popular preservative. Equine health issues with loose stools, hind gut acidosis, EGUS {equine gastric ulcer syndrome} and various skin conditions such as hives being the most common observed.

There are other preservatives too of course, including some worrying ones that are are based on bacterial microbes being added to the hay. But propionic acid is by far the most widely used at the present time. 

If you look at toxicity studies of the chemical compound in animals far less sensitive than the horse when it comes to digestive health processes, it reads rather ominously.

Extract - read full report here

One of many horses bred at Willowview Hill Farm

 

The reality is that horse owners have little choice when buying hay if they want to avoid these chemical additives in the forage supply. 

Market forces result in a decrease in the number of farmers who grow/harvest and produce small squares organically. This is for many reasons. Realize that the organic nature of farming precludes adding chemical fertilizers to increase yields which lessens overall yields; the labor costs/machine time expenses due to the length of time it takes Mother Nature to dry hay the old-fashioned way - sun and dry weather are higher for the farmer not using time-saving preservatives; higher crop losses are inevitable due to inclement weather rolling in unexpectedly. 

It's not even just the preservative factor that horse owners need to worry about, it's also the grass seed that is sown. Hay producers increasingly rely on Roundup ready seeds, particularly for alfalfa that is notoriously difficult to harvest in a timely manner without mold developing. Spraying with herbicides and pesticides is not uncommon.

The other question is whether small square bales themselves are becoming artisanal products. A topic we explored here.

The word artisanal is defined as,
“Creating a product in limited quantities by traditional methods.”

 

It's all a bit worrying really. When you consider how essential dry forage is to horses. Grazing is simply not available year around or when the horse is stabled.

To be fair, there have been studies conducted more recently that suggest the addition of propionic acid to a horse's diet is not a big thing. However, the issue is who conducted the study and its limitations. It is certainly a questionable study.

Sadly, it is rather transparently obvious that the ongoing pandemic in EGUS and other digestive and resulting health maladies our horses suffer is very much based on the changes in the formulations of both grain and forage that we are feeding our noble beasties.

One of many horses bred at Willowview Hill Farm

As many of our readers know, I am a solid believer in keeping our performance horses as healthy as possible from inception/birth through their vintage years and home-produce and sell organically grown hay and have done for more than 20 years. 

Back in the late 1990's, issues with respiratory and digestive conditions in horses were extensively reported across the pond with reports and research suggesting causative factors where indeed chemical and preservative based. Hence our decision to pick up sticks and move to a property large enough to home produce hay for our then budding performance horse breeding business and competition horse resource pool for ourselves and for sale to international level competitors.

Giving a horse a good start is so important, and keeping his gut health optimized is essential. When you consider the stressors today's equines are exposed to keeping them happy and well is harder than ever.

Look hard at what you are feeding your horses and know the provenance of it. Test your hay to ensure it doesn't include anything out of whack or nefarious. Be aware that you cannot smell or easily detect some of the elemental preservatives on the market yourself without some chemical analysis. 

If you are saddled with the only option being to purchase mold-free but heavily preserved hay, then consider adding a postbiotic product ( not a pre or pro), and learn about the digestive processes of your horse so you have a working knowledge of its needs and effects of it becoming sub-par and what you can do about it.

Shop artisanal if you can. It's the only way the labor of love diehard farmers who continue to produce organically grown and harvested hay will still be around. When you find an honest source, stick with it.

Willowview Hill Farm, Stamford, NY 

 

Winter Horse Training Tips 

 

When winter finally arrives - and it will - motivation to keep your horses in full training can often wane. 

 

There are many stellar reasons to take a step back and modify the training schedule. Not just you, but also your horses would likely appreciate an abbreviated work program. One that allows them some respite and downtime to refresh. 

 

In the North-East U.S.A, inclement weather often makes for a slip/slide affair on outside arenas. Those blessed with access to an indoor arena are obviously much more inclined to keep a full work program on point than those folks that need to work around snow and ice and dark evenings with no lights outside.

Professional trainers will often opt for heading South, Florida and South Carolina being the most popular destinations. You only have to look at the events calendar on our publication to see that the Florida Winter Circuit is already to go. With just a small list of local events to attend, the page is full of tempting sunny locations for winter work and competition.

Horses do seem to actually love the winter. And do enjoy keeping some level of activity up under saddle to keep their minds busy and bodies active.

Willowview Hill Farm, located in Stamford NY, keeps all horses in training all winter long. And even Grand Prix horses like this one enjoy long turnouts.

But what training can you do to keep your horses ticking over during winter months and how best can you take advantage of the quieter moments on the farm? Here are some tips on how to accomplish that - 

Winter is....

 

A great time to train your young horses to longe and free longe. Boot and wrap them if needs be to avoid injury from slipping over or catching a hoof with a shoe, but get them active.

 

 

 

An opportunity to take advantage of breaks in the weather to get out in the fields and ride. The fresh air is good for the lungs for both horse and rider. The horse has a long neck so cold air is not a big problem for the healthy horse.

Often a peaceful time at the barn - these quieter times offer more opportunity for training new tasks where the horse can focus wholly on the rider, without interruption from others using the space. Try and pick those very quiet times for best results. Added bonus, it is always good for any horse to be used to working in a space alone versus company.

Winter is also a great time for social equine horse events that include a good dose of education. Here our very own publisher, Horse in a Kilt Media's Paul Alvin-Smith - Grand Prix dressage trainer, is training an ANCCE Andalusian stallion at home 

(above photo) and also can be found out and about regularl giving clinics (below photos).

 

Always park your horse trailer in a handy, accessible location and keep the snow plowed out for easy hook up. Even if you are not going to a clinic it is always important to have it handy in case of an emergency.

Don't forget to clear the 'clutter' from horse areas, especially those where you plan to exercise your horse. Safety first!

Take advantage of winter riding gear to ensure you are comfortable temperature wise - otherwise you will be tense when you ride and that will translate into a tense horse beneath you. Insulated/heated riding boots, heated vests/jackets, ear warmers and of course, gloves!

 

 

Professional Horse Trainers Halt Video/Photo Recording

 

 

There is a new movement afoot in professional horse training circles to restrict videography and photography - to contain the message or conversation of the horse trainer's private process and progress working with horses. Folks may ask what are they hiding?

Training horses means taking full responsibility for their well-being. Exuberant behavior in the horse should be expected and his joyful attitude celebrated not subdued but it must for safety's sake sometimes be curtailed or contained.

 

 

There will be misunderstandings on both sides of the partnership. Both horse and rider will make mistakes. How much should you push your horse and when? Some horses will help you decide by giving an emphatic 'No' to your requests. But others are more vulnerable. It is essential as a trainer to protect those horses that can't or don't say, " No!"

When out and about giving clinics, hubbie Paul and I often see riders that are simply trying to hard to make things happen. The horse will (in most cases) simply shut down. I don't believe that horses are unwilling to work unless they lack understanding of the task or don't have the physical or mental wherewithal to complete the ask. And it should be an ask, not a threat or a punishment. But there are also those very special horses that will give their all and not stop giving even if it costs them physically or mentally.

 

As a trainer of horses you must be disciplined. And not just by following a schedule and turning up for work, but also by not allowing emotion to cloud your judgement. Just as temper and impatience has no place in training a horse, neither does over-zealous activity born of an emotional high that makes us keep asking for more and more effort from our 4-legged partner. 

If we are training our horses correctly the majority of the process will go smoothly. But there will be bumps in the road. Moments when 1500 lbs of horseflesh put us in danger. Moments when we must be proactive in how we react and read a situation. A preemptive strike or rather action.

This new pattern emerging among professional horse trainers to not allow video or photography at their stables or training clinics is gaining hoof hold. 

I have long held the belief that video and photography should be limited to the rider's use and not held for publication online. Moments of training taken out of context can easily be misread and there are an increasing number of armchair critics that frankly have no clue what they are talking about. 

Also trainers wish to protect their knowledge to some degree. It is a profession and they earn a living charging for their services. Why should they share it for free unless they wish to do so?

What do you think about a trainer who won't let you record what you see on recording devices and allow you to share openly online?