Sometimes dressage riders think it is enough to teach their horses the movements, but they don’t take into account that a young dressage horse needs more than just movements to excel in competition and move up the training scale. Respect and self-assurance are the indispensable preconditions for building a harmonious partnership.

There is no question that horses are stronger than we are. Because they are flight animals, trouble can happen in the daily handling and work as well as at the more intense atmosphere of a show. All too often we observe bad behavior: Horses pull their riders around, do not stand still while they are mounted and use the rider to scratch their itchy heads. While all this is tiresome, it more importantly shows that the horse has never learnt to respect the rider as the herd leader. This is the position in which the rider needs to be, and so respect needs to be established early on. This includes fairness, which is key to a horse’s contentment and happiness.

The harmonious partnership we aim for begins with groundwork even before we have the young dressage horse under saddle. Securing a form of general obedience from the ground allows us to work in a relaxed way with our equine partner and helps a lot when it comes to riding because the horse has learnt to trust and follow us as he would in nature, following the lead mare in a herd. In this article, we show how we establish respect from the ground and how this leads to strengthening a horse’s self-assurance, which is necessary preparation for his first shows.

Step 1: Establish Respect
There is no magic. Rather, systematic training and consequence are indispensable in gaining a horse’s respect. And it must be done in a way that lacks any force, violence and injustice. Your uppermost aim has to be to become the herd leader, because in doing that you give your horse the security he needs when being worked, thereby increasing his faith in you and in the environment in which you work. The horse learns that you are the one determining the speed and direction in which he moves.

You do this by using specific body language and repeating short voice commands. Horses are usually quick learners. After showing them something new, given the right timing and praise, you only need about three repetitions to secure the behavior you want. One general remark on the use of the voice: In nature, horses communicate soundlessly. Voice aids are still useful, but we are not allowed to completely rely on them because in stressful situations the horse will pay less attention to them than to our body language. So the latter is of greater importance.

The basic needs: Groundwork begins by teaching the horse to halt, go forward and back up. With a young, unbroken horse, we most often use the Dually Training Halter designed by Monty Roberts. It works with pressure on the nose that can be quickly applied or loosened as needed.

Attached to the halter is a heavy lead rope that lies comfortably in the hand. Gloves protect the rider’s palms in case the lead rope slips through them when the horse jumps. We prefer a length of three meters (9 feet, 9 inches) in contrast to the usual two, because we have a better chance of holding on to the horse if he tries to break away.

With some horses it is useful to additionally use a stick/dressage whip to give signals, but you must first teach him to accept the touch of it on his body without fear. If a horse is not well-behaved on the ground when you begin with him, take a whip along with you, as it can be useful whether he pulls and rushes ahead of you or wants to trundle behind.

We start with the first exercises in the security and reduced space of our round pen, but later it should be possible to do the basics in every environment. For us, it is important to establish a “relaxing zone” in the middle of the round pen, where we allow the horse to rest after an exercise. Here, he gets praised and stroked and soon knows that this is a place where he can relax.

Lead forward. Lightly pull at the rope and combine it with a voice command. I use a “kissing” noise. Usually horses understand this very quickly and soon the noise is all you need to ask them to step forward. There are several positions the leader can be in: We prefer, particularly with stallions, to have the horse’s head at shoulder height. We walk relaxed at that position while keeping a certain personal space between us. The horse is not allowed to touch us, let alone push.

If a horse tends to pull, the typical reaction is to pull back. To stop this cycle, put either the Dually halter on or attach a lead chain running from the right cheek down over the nose and into your hands. It is not about using force but about refining the signals you give. Each time the horse tries to pull forward, give a short but firm signal with the lead rope and put the end of the whip in front of his nose. Praise him when he reacts promptly.

If the horse trundles behind you, carry the whip in your left hand and point its end at the hindquarters of the horse. Usually this is already enough, and the horse will catch up with you. If not, you can slightly tap the hindquarters to get the desired effect. Repeat until the horse has learned you will not tolerate him staying too far behind you.

Halt. A much-needed basic the young horse has to learn is to react to pressure applied by the rope running over his nose. The horse should learn to give to the pressure. If we want the horse to halt, we give a short impulse with the rope and combine it with a short but clear voice command. I use “whoa.” As soon as the horse reacts to this combined command, the pressure applied by the halter has to stop and he has to be praised accordingly. Some horses—in particular, sensitive, “electric” ones—understand the signals promptly, and you soon can give very fine impulses. Others will only react to your voice command. But some more phlegmatic types don’t react immediately to the impulse given by the rope over the nose, and you have to give several small but firm impulses in succession. If he continues to ignore me, I increase the impulse by putting the end of a whip in front of his nose.

Go backward. Once the horse learns to halt obediently and reliably, start teaching him to go backward. For that you need a rail on one side of the horse so he cannot evade you. Stand in front of him and take the rope with your left hand about where the snap attaches to the halter. The shorter the rope is held, the more directly the impulses are transferred to the horse’s nose.

With your right hand, hold the rope in a loop. The horse already knows that the pressure on the nose means to yield. It is important that the impulses you give via the rope are short but repetitive. If the horse does not react, use the end of a whip or bamboo stick to apply short taps on the shoulder. Eventually, it should be sufficient to give slight impulses on the nose for the horse to walk backward in a quiet rhythm.

Directly after the last step backward, you must establish the forward impulse in your horse again and ask him to step forward. With some horses, you may need to pause and relax for a moment at the end of the rein-back, but the horse must always be willing to step forward out of the rein-back at any time.

Step 2: Increase Self-Assurance with Long Reins
Once the young horse becomes familiar with the voice commands to go forward and he can halt, we begin longeing him in a round pen. We start with a single longe line, then add a second line so he gets used to them running behind his hindquarters. This is good and necessary preparation for the work in long reins.

Cautionary note: Find someone to help you. Remember that we have a lot of experience longeing and using long reins, and you need to be experienced too if you are going to try it.

Longeing and long-rein work releases the horse from the immediate proximity of his herd leader and asks him to discover his environment almost on his own. Going out in long reins develops and strengthens a young horse’s self-assurance and consolidates his faith in his rider, who now walks behind him. With more advanced horses, this work is a way of keeping them entertained between training sessions in the dressage arena.

What you need: We use a snaffle bridle with an egg-butt or full-cheek snaffle bit in combination with a flash noseband. The cheekpieces and noseband help keep the bit quiet and straight in the horse’s mouth.

We prefer soft, round long lines to flat, webbed ones. We attach them to the bit rings and always wear gloves.

We use the same voice commands we’ve been using. In general, the long reins replace the rider’s calves and together with the voice commands take care that the horse moves in the direction and speed we intend to go.

We don’t use a surcingle when long-reining so the reins can have more freedom of movement. We can touch the horses where we need to and can work them in a more sensitive way than when the reins are fixed on a surcingle.

First exercises. The first time we use long lines on young horses, we stay in our longeing circle or round pen, but you can also use a normal arena or indoor. We use all the commands the horse already knows from his weeks of groundwork.

Day by day, we explore the yard a bit more. For example, we might go to a nearby field or to the edge of the forest. If you observe that the horse is more and more comfortable in his new position ahead of you, show him some new tasks to deal with, such as walking into puddles or over logs, walking, trotting or even jumping over poles on the ground. Never forget to promptly praise him after he has mastered a new task.

The more faith he develops in you and himself, the more you can look for new challenges. We may ask our youngsters to pass by a grazing herd or work in long reins next to others. Or we might ask them to go through the creek running through our property. After extensive rainfall, we sometimes have a kind of lake in our courtyard, and we like to ask the horses to walk and trot in there to get used to water splashing their legs and belly. Be sure to do everything slowly, never asking for a second step before the first one. Then your horse will develop positive self-assurance, helping him to deal with the same things more easily when being ridden.

Step 3: Desensitization—Prepare Your Horse for the Unknown
Sometimes there are dressage riders who think that working their horses in a focused manner is only possible by excluding them as much as possible from any outside influences. A horse might be oversensitive for whatever reason and so needs to be worked in quieter surroundings in the beginning. But, in general, we are strong believers that it is no good hiding horses behind the walls of an indoor arena with the atmosphere of a monastery. Dressage horses are destined to be competed at shows and there they will find a whole lot of stimulation and noises that could easily distract them if they have not already seen and heard as much as possible at home. This is particularly necessary for stallions.

So part of our dressage training at home is to desensitize the horses to a lot of different noises and visual impressions that could come at them when it counts the most—at the showgrounds. Of course, we will never be able to simulate the special atmosphere at a show, in particular the ones held in a big stadium. And we will never know for sure what we will find there. But the more we show the horses, the more we know how they might react, and that gives us, the riders, the chance for prompt reactions. For example, we accustom stallions to working in the presence of mares step by step.

Cautionary note: Get help to do this, and remember that beforehand the horse needs to have learned respect for and faith in his rider.

The easiest form of desensitization is to keep horses outside as much as possible where they can see and hear a lot more than they do just standing in stalls. It helps to include regular trail rides in your training program so that your horse is not panicking if a bird flies out from a bush. Training outside in all types of weather helps horses when they have to compete in rain or worse.

The most decisive factor is that you have a firm impact on your horse if he spooks. “Firm” doesn’t mean to bore spurs into his flanks and holler loudly for him to pass the frightening object. Such a reaction, often seen, only strengthens the horse’s flight instinct and lets the “monsters” appear even more dreadful. Horses think in pictures and next time will associate the monster with the pain of the spurs or whip. Instead, when your horse meets a frightening object, react in the following way:

• Take the reins a bit shorter and halt in front of it. Allow your horse time to look or sniff at it quietly while you talk calmly and pat or stroke him. This also calms you down as the spook of your horse usually also makes your heart beat faster.

• Then pass the object a few times on each lead in walk, preferably in the shoulder-fore position.

• Now divert your horse’s attention from the object that frightened him by starting to trot and going on with focused work. Very effective, for example, is riding lots of different transitions so that the horse soon puts his thoughts in another direction and forgets about the fear.

Often it is typical objects like flags rattling in the wind, umbrellas being opened, running and barkings dogs, loudly clapping crowds or music that frighten young, inexperienced dressage horses at shows. Luckily, these are things that can quite easily include in desensitization training at home. All you need are some helping hands confronting the horse while you sit in the saddle. The advantage is that, in this case, you are aware of the fact that your horse might spook, jump sideways or show a little rear as a first reaction. Go slowly, step by step.

Don’t confront your horse with more than one frightening object in a lesson. Switch to another one the next time. Then, on another day, go back to the first object to confirm the horse’s positive reaction. If he ignores the once-disturbing object, great, but try once more on another day until there’s no significant reaction to it anymore.

There are horses that have to repeat this training several times over a longer period and only a very few never become bombproofed. The decisive factor is that you and your horse have built faith in and respect for each other. Then the horse will not bolt away panic-stricken.

Desensitization is just a way to strengthen this respect and faith and see if it is already strong enough or has to be deepened even more. When your horse is familiar with several different objects and doesn’t panic or spook at them, you can try an obstacle parcours, or obstacle course, including several of the objects following one another. You can ride this parcours or lead the horse, however, the motto has to be “make it more difficult.” This kind of overstimulation will harden your horse and done step by step, it will help enormously at a show.

It is also useful to take the horse to a show just to work in that atmosphere. There, you can see how he reacts to different objects and determine whether he still needs training at home or if you can start him with a quiet conscience.

Knowing that the young horse’s future is destined to be in the dressage arena, we set a good foundation from the ground. This kind of work helps you and your horse master the first starts outside the secure surroundings of your home turf. The horse knows that whatever comes his way does not have to be frightening because you, as his herd leader, are at his side.

Stefan Schneider and Uta Gräf are headquartered at Gut Rothenkircher Hof in Germany. Schneider, a veterinarian specializing in equine dentistry, has competed in jumping, reining and working equitation at the highest levels. Gräf is one of Germany’s most successful competitive and classical dressage riders. Both are well known for combining top sport with natural horsekeeping. At home, Schneider works the horses from the ground while Gräf does the riding. Gräf’s DVD series, “Joy of Dressage,” comes out in English in April 2013. Schneider has co-authored the book Stallions Care and Management. Look for reviews of both in future issues (gutrothenkircherhof.de).

Horses come in many shapes and sizes, and while all can benefit from basic dressage training, not all are physically capable of performing at the higher levels. One of the factors that can limit performance potential is conformation—the geometry of the skeletal framework in terms of the lengths and angulations of the bones and joints.

Ideally, the pelvis of a dressage horse should be long to give a large area for attachment of the propulsive muscles, and it should have a moderate slope to facilitate tilting the pelvis, lowering the haunches and moving the hind legs forward under the horse’s body.

Given the relationship between form (conformation) and function (performance), it is definitely helpful for the dressage rider to develop an eye for conformational features that affect a horse’s potential for dressage. The purpose of this article is to describe key features of the anatomy and conformation of the hindquarters with the goal of helping readers to evaluate important conformational features in this area.

Figure 1: Difference in shape of the sacrum. The bones are positioned so that the head of the horse would be to the right and the tail to the left. The sacral spines are labeled S1 to S5 and the green line shows the croup angle. These specimens illustrate how the size and shape of the bones vary between horses. In the top sacrum, the first sacral spine (S1) is short and poorly developed and the croup angle is 24 degrees. In the bottom sacrum, there is a more marked difference in length between the second (S2) and last (S5) spines and the individual spines have more of a backward slope. The croup angle is 30 degrees. These are examples of the diversity seen among normal horses.

Identifying Conformation
One of the secrets to being a good evaluator of conformation is to develop the skill to see beyond the outer layers of skin, fat and muscle in order to visualize the lengths and angles of the bones that lie beneath. Visualization of the bone structure is easier in some parts of the body than others. For example, below the elbows and stifles it is easy to see the outlines of the bones and to assess their conformation. In the shoulder and hip regions, however, the bones are concealed beneath the large, powerful muscles that attach the limbs to the trunk, making the bone structure more difficult to evaluate.

With that in mind, let us focus on the horse’s hindquarters and the differences between the shape of the croup versus the dimensions of the pelvis. The external contours of the croup are easy to see, but they give little information about the underlying pelvic structure, which is more relevant in our conformational evaluation.

Let’s start by taking a look at the bones that underpin the structure of the hindquarters: the sacrum and the pelvis (see Figure 3). The sacrum is part of the vertebral column located between the lumbar region and the tail. Although there are five sacral vertebrae, they are fused together into a single bone, the sacrum, which means that there cannot be any movement between them. The joint between the front of the sacrum and the last lumbar vertebra—the lumbosacral joint—is quite mobile. Its movements can tilt the sacrum and pelvis forward (flexion or rounding), flatten the croup (extension or hollowing) or turn the haunches to the side (bending).

Figure 1 shows the anatomy of the sacrum from the side view. The underside is formed by the fused bodies of the five sacral vertebrae with their five spinous processes protruding upward. The spines on the sacrum get shorter from front to back. The tips of these spines form the topline in the middle of the horse’s croup.

Figure 2: Horse pelvis articulated with the lumbar vertebrae. The horse’s head would be to the right and the tail to the left. The three bony prominences have been labeled: point of croup, point of hip and point of buttock (see Figure 3, p. 52). The acetabulum is also labeled; it forms the articulation of the hip joint. A lower position of the acetabulum favors the ability to perform highly collected movements.

The orientation (slope) of the sacrum varies with the horse’s posture. Horses with good strength and tone in their core musculature hold the lumbosacral joint in a slightly flexed position and keep the croup slightly tucked. Loss of tone in the core musculature may be reflected in poor posture even to the extent that the pelvis slopes upward toward the tail head.

As you can see in Figure 1, the amount of shortening of the sacral spines varies between horses, and this also affects how much the croup slopes downward toward the tail head. Note that in the live horse, the gluteal muscles may bulge on either side of the sacral spines giving a rounded profile, so it is important to assess the slope of the croup (sacrum) on the midline between the gluteal muscles.

Immediately behind the sacrum are the vertebrae of the tail. The length and angulation of the sacrum affect the position and carriage of the tail. A flat (horizontal) croup is associated with a high tail set and a high tail carriage as shown by the Arabian in the top photo in Figure 5. A sloping croup gives a lower tail set and a lower tail carriage as shown by the Friesian in the top photo in Figure 6.

Figure 3: The position of the sacrum and pelvis relative to the contours of the hindquarters. The three prominences on the pelvis are marked by red circles: 1. point of croup; 2. point of hip; 3. point of buttock. The red line running from the point of hip to point of buttock indicates the slope of the pelvis. The green line indicates the slope of the croup. In this diagram the two slopes are approximately the same. This horse has a rather flat (horizontal) croup and pelvic angles, and the acetabulum is placed relatively high.

Courtesy Hilary Clayton

The pelvis connects the bones of the hind limb to the vertebral column via the hip joint and the sacroiliac joint. When seen from behind, the pelvis is somewhat U-shaped with a narrow separation in front where it curves around and above the sacrum (see Figure 2). The union between pelvis and sacrum at the left and right sacroiliac joints suspends the sacrum beneath the pelvis and anchors it in place with strong ligaments. The sacroiliac joints, which are located on either side between the high points of the croup, do not allow a significant amount of movement; their function is to transmit propulsive forces generated by the hind limbs.

The hip joints are on either side of the lower part of the pelvis, where the acetabulum forms a rounded socket that receives the head of the femur. The hip is a highly mobile joint that allows the entire hind limb to swing back and forth and to move sideways in abduction (swinging outward) and adduction (swinging inward). A low-set hip joint facilitates compression of the hip angle and is advantageous for allowing the horse to perform highly collected movements.

Figure 4: The Warmblood. The warmblood is often considered the standard for ideal dressage conformation. The photo below illustrates how the hindquarters of successful dressage horses often have pelvises that tend toward the longer end of the spectrum and have a moderate slope.

Photo by Arnd Bronkhorst

Pelvic Length & Angulation
The pelvis is surrounded by the large muscles of the hindquarters, making it difficult to distinguish the contours. But, fortunately, there are three bony prominences on each side that are easy to see and feel and that we can use as landmarks to assess pelvic conformation. These are the point of the hip (tuber coxae), the point of the buttock (tuber ischii) and the point of the croup (tuber sacrale). Pelvic length and slope are measured by drawing a line from the upper part of the point of the hip to the point of the buttock, which is a few inches below the tail head (Figures 2 and 3).

Both the length and angulation of the pelvis are key conformational measurements that affect the horse’s strength, power, speed and agility. A larger (longer and broader) pelvis has more room for attachment of the powerful gluteal and hamstring muscles that provide propulsion during locomotion.

Figure 5: The Arabian. These two Arabians are of very different types. The top horse is a successful halter horse and is posed with the hind limbs camped out and the lumbosacral joint extended to make the croup appear as flat as possible. In this horse the croup angle is horizontal and the pelvic angle is 10 degrees. The high tail set and high tail carriage are also exaggerated in this pose. If this horse were not standing camped out, both the croup and pelvic angles would be a little more sloped. Neither the excessively flat croup nor the tendency to stand and move with the lumbosacral joint extended are desirable characteristics in a dressage horse. The lower photo is of a successful Arabian Grand Prix competitor. The angles of the croup and pelvis are parallel and measure 20 degrees. Perhaps unusually for an Arabian, this horse has a good ability to tilt the pelvis forward and engage the hind limb.

Top photo by Arnd Bronkhorst, Bottom photo courtesy Hilary Clayton

Horses that race over short to middle distances, such as racing Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds, have the longest pelvises, measuring up to one third of the total body length. A short pelvis offers less area for attachment of the propulsive muscles, but this is compensated by greater agility. Dressage horses have pelvises that tend toward the longer end of the spectrum, though not as long as racehorses.

The angle of the pelvis is measured relative to the horizontal with the horse standing square. Using these landmarks, an average angle for a dressage horse’s pelvis would be around 20 degrees. In his doctoral research, Swedish equine biomechanics expert Dr. Mikael Holmström found that the average pelvic angle in elite Swedish Warmblood dressage horses was 30 degrees. However, it should be noted that Dr. Holmström measured pelvic angle from the upper part of the point of hip to the hip joint.

These landmarks will always give a steeper pelvic angle than if it had been measured from the point of the hip to the point of the buttock. It’s not a matter of one method being right or wrong; it’s just two slightly different measurement techniques. However, you need to know which landmarks were used in order to evaluate and compare the results.

When the lumbosacral joint is flexed, the rear part of the pelvis tilts forward, bringing the hip joint and hind leg farther forward under the horse’s body. Equine conformation analysis expert Dr. Deb Bennett refers to this as “coiling the loins,” which helps us to visualize the effect. With the pelvis tilted forward, the frame is compressed and the hind limbs act closer to the center of gravity, providing more upward (rather than forward) propulsion. A significant amount of pelvic tilting (and untilting) occurs during each stride of canter when the lumbosacral joint flexes as the hind limbs are pulled forward and extends as they are retracted.

In piaffe and canter pirouettes, the horse can maintain lumbosacral flexion and keep the pelvis tilted forward throughout the stride because in these movements the hind limbs are not retracted. In horses with a flat pelvic conformation, the sublumbar muscles that are responsible for lumbosacral flexion exert less leverage than in horses with a more sloping pelvic conformation. Thus, it requires greater force to flex the lumbosacral joint with a flatter pelvic angle, and lumbosacral flexion compresses the hip downward, rather than tilting it forward. On the other hand, an overly steep pelvis may restrict the rearward swing of the hind limb and interfere with the ability to extend the stride. As with many conformational variables, extreme pelvic angulations in either direction are not ideal; and an intermediate angle is preferred.

Figure 6: The Friesian. Friesians were originally bred for use in warfare and agriculture. The breed is still popular as a light carriage horse, and the top Friesian photo is an example of the Baroque type used for driving. Note the steeply sloped croup and pelvis (both 20 degrees) and the consequent low-set tail. The Friesian sport-horse bloodlines, as illustrated by the horse in the bottom photo, are becoming increasingly popular for dressage. This Friesian sport horse has greater length and less slope in the hindquarters compared with the horse above.

Photos by Arnd Bronkhorst

In recent years, selective breeding for specific performance criteria has produced horses that excel in dressage, though these superstars are out of the reach of most riders. It is possible, however, to find horses of a variety of breeds that have conformation favorable for dressage. The key is to learn how to distinguish between horses that have the physical attributes needed for dressage versus those that are better suited to another occupation.

The breed photographs in this article compare the conformation of the croup and pelvis of an outstanding warmblood dressage competitor (Figure 4) with two representatives each of the Arabian and Friesian breeds to show the diversity of croup conformation within these breeds (Figures 5 and 6). The photos show that there are horses in each of these nonwarmblood breeds that have suitable conformation to become good dressage performers.

Even if you have a portable corral, there will be times when you’ll need to tie your horse on your camping adventure, such as at the trailer. So, he should be completely trustworthy standing tied before you go camping.

Photo by Cynthia McFarland

The best way to ensure a safe, fun horse-camping trip is to plan ahead. Taking the time to learn how to become camping savvy greatly increases the odds that your trip will be memorable in all the right ways.

If you’ve never camped overnight before, haul your horse away from home for several hours, so you at least have an idea how he’ll act out of his normal environment.

“A horse may be mellow at home, but a nervous wreck if you haul him to a trail ride or camp,” says Lari Shea, an accomplished endurance rider who owns and manages Ricochet Ridge Ranch, a riding-vacation destination in Fort Bragg, California.

“For your first campout, the best option is to travel with a friend whose horse is a buddy of your horse and preferably has already gone camping.”

Before you load up the trailer and head out for a camping trip, be sure you have skills to help him stay safe on the adventure.

Even if you have a portable corral, there will be times when you’ll need to tie your horse on your camping adventure, such as at the trailer. So, he should be completely trustworthy standing tied before you go camping.

“Your horse must tie well,” Shea emphasizes. “It’s one thing if he breaks loose at the stable, but another thing when you’re 20 miles from the trailhead.”

Shea strongly advises investing in a sturdy leather halter/bridle combination, then leaving on the halter portion at all times when trail riding and camping.

Never tie by the reins, even for just a few minutes.

“To be safe, tie with equipment meant for that purpose,” Shea notes. “Always have a strong lead or tie rope. The safest is to have a lead rope that attaches to the halter via a loop without a snap, as snaps can break.”

It may be tempting to just leave the lead rope attached to the halter while riding and loop the rope around your horse’s neck, but Shea discourages this. Your horse might get tangled up if he lowers his head to drink along the trail. Plus, the rope will bump against him while riding.
Instead, tie the leap rope around his neck with a cavalry knot. Unclip the snap, and hook it to either the breastcollar or to a D-ring on your saddle.

A champion endurance rider, Lari Shea has completed more than 6,500 miles in 50- and 100-mile endurance races. The owner of Ricochet Ridge Ranch (www.horse-vacation.com) on the coast in California’s Mendocino County, she produces daily trail rides, custom horse holidays, and the Redwood Coast Riding Vacations.

Cynthia McFarland is a full-time freelance writer who writes regularly for a number of national horse publications and is the author of nine books. A horse owner for more than 35 years, she and her Paint Horse gelding, Ben, enjoy trail- riding adventures on a regular basis.

Photos © Grady Kimbrell

In this article I’ll demonstrate an efficient and thorough ­system that lets you assess almost everything oral from the outside of your horse’s lips to the rearmost premolar (you can’t see the molars without special dentistry equipment). I’ll also show you how to safely grab his tongue and pull it out of the way so you can see its underside as well as the roof—the palate—of his mouth.

It’s a simple and useful skill that just about any horse owner can master. In a few minutes, you will have enough information to decide whether you’re looking at a minor injury like a tiny cut that will heal on its own, a problem like a foxtail (a weed with a thorny seedhead) that you can quickly and easily remedy or a more serious situation like a deep cut or sharp hooks on the cheek teeth that need professional attention. Even if you can’t decide what you’re seeing, when you call your vet, you’ll have very specific information to convey.

A word of caution: Few horses like to have their mouths ­examined, but most will tolerate it with some degree of fussiness. If your horse looks as if he’s going to overreact and get ­violent, back off and call your vet. With a little sedation, he should be able to get the job done safely and thoroughly.

What You’ll Need

• A quiet, unlit stall or barn aisle away from distracting activity and where, when you look up into your horse’s mouth, you’re not squinting at the sun and so missing a lot of detail.
• A way to rinse your horse’s mouth so you can see more than chewed-up food—a gently-flowing hose works well if your horse will tolerate it, otherwise try a 60cc syringe of water. And if you have a choice, examine his mouth before feeding him.
• Something to illuminate the back of his mouth—a helper with a flashlight will do or you can wear an inexpensive headlamp such as I have, available through sporting goods stores or websites (type “headlamps” into your search engine).
• A loose-fitting halter so your horse can open his mouth without restriction.
• A lead rope. Cross-ties can be ­unsafe if your horse lunges forward, rears up or runs backward.

What will you look for? Be prepared! I once found a small piece of baling wire piercing a horse’s tongue and lacerating his palate every time he swallowed. But you’re far more likely to encounter
broken teeth.

• raw, dark-red ulcers, often from high doses of bute or irritating foreign bodies such as foxtails.
• cuts, which tend to be pink and deep. If a cut is minor—say your horse accidentally bit the edge of his tongue—it may bleed copiously for a while, but it should heal quickly and completely on its own. A laceration, any kind of gaping tissue or significant bleeding that won’t stop, is a vet call.
• calluses—greenish erosions with the raised surface of scar tissue—­often caused by the continual ­rubbing of sharp, overlong teeth or hooks. inflamed gums with a raised, cauliflower-like appearance (gingivitis).
• fermented food in the spaces ­between the first three cheek teeth (premolars). This is probably the cause of any “off” odor you’re detecting.

Steve Goss, DVM, graduated from the University of California at Davis in 1988 and has practiced general veterinary medicine in Santa Barbara, California, since 1990. One-third of his practice is devoted to equine dentistry.

This article originally appeared in the February 2008 issue of Practical Horseman magazine.

Participating in a tack sale is a great way to clear out clutter and make a little extra money---either for yourself or to benefit a cause you support. You might even find a few bargains to bring home. Before you go, take some steps to make sure your day will be successful:

• Understand the terms ahead of time. Check what the table rental fees are and/or whether the organizers will be due a percentage of your proceeds. If the sale is run by a nonprofit organization, be sure you are clear on how much of your income is expected to be donated, and get a tax receipt for the amount of your contributions.

• Clean your tack and apparel. The more presentable your stuff looks, the more appealing it will be to buyers. Make sure tack is clean and in good repair and your clothes are either neatly folded or on a hanger.

• Plan your display. Find out whether tables will be provided, and if not, pack a folding table or two. Take stock of your inventory and think about how to display it to its best advantage. You might want to bring a portable clothes rack, if you have a lot of apparel to sell, or lightweight saddle racks, if you’ll need them. Don’t forget a folding chair for yourself if they’re not provided. When you’re setting up, group similar items together---for example, line up all your bits in one area, and place extra halters together---to make shopping easier.

• Take supplies and small bills. You’ll need to start the day with a pocketful of small bills so you can make change for buyers right away. A pocket calculator will come in handy as well as a pad and pencil if you’ll want to keep track of your sales. A Sharpie marker or two and some large index cards will be useful if you want to post signs announcing percentage discounts toward the end of the day. Bring a supply of (clean) used plastic grocery sacks to bag up smaller items; if you’re selling anything breakable, consider having some newspaper to wrap your goods as you sell them. A stash of snacks and drinks may be welcome if you’ll be stuck at your table for long hours.

• Price appropriately. New or very gently used tack and apparel may sell for close to their suggested retail prices, but older and more worn items go for much less. If your goal is just to get rid of stuff, be realistic about how much people will be willing to pay, and be open to lower offers. Mark your prices clearly on every item, and make sure your negotiated agreements are clear with buyers before cash changes hands.

Got leftovers? If you want to avoid carting unsold items home at the end of the day, look into places where you can donate them instead. Horse rescues and animal shelters might be happy to have your extra tack and supplies, either to use or to sell in thrift shops to benefit their animals. Finally, if you did some buying as well as selling, be sure to clean your “new to you” items so you don’t bring new germs home, too.

This article first appeared in EQUUS issue #429.

Not reading the labels your horse’s grooming products. Whether dilute in water before application or use gloves. Read the label and directions; it might save you hours of working up a lather … with conditioner. It takes longer to wash it all off then it did to lather.
Brooke Anderson, Texas

The biggest mistake I ever made was getting so caught up in moving up the levels and training that I forgot why I did it anyways. I lost that feeling you get when you accomplish something and the moment you cross the finish line after a clean cross-country and you feel as if you are walking in the clouds. Don’t ever lose that relationship with your horse where you are simply inspired by riding them and the partnership you have built. Because at the end of it all, whether you win or lose, you have a best friend for life who will try their heart out for you. ENJOY THE MOMENT!
Bobby Ann Christensen, via Facebook

Trusting someone else to feed my horses.
Elizabeth Brix, via Facebook

An acquaintance fed her horse’s hay on sand = sand colic.
Sally Weaver Lampson, via Facebook

Leaving my horses in someone else’s care and they ended up starving him... needless to say I care for my horses now and they never miss a meal.
Cayln Elliott, via Facebook

Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.
Natasha DeFeudis, via Facebook

Not having enough patience. It is easy to get frustrated on a bad day with your horse, but anger and violence never work with horses and never will. Its important to learn how to step back when you start to get angry and re-evaluate the situation and try to find a positive way to get your point across.
Maria Strong-Zupan, via Facebook

Never let anyone ride your horse! No matter how experienced they say they are!
Cheryle Klein, via Facebook

Not trusting my gut as to what was right for my horse. I am his voice, and I must speak up for him.
Trish Muskus, Florida

Having a “trainer” tell me how to ride/ fix problems on my horse when she was too afraid and inexperienced to ride her own horse. Once I saw her in action at her barn, I began to realize she had no idea what she was doing.
Dee Kellner, via Facebook

From a trainer’s point of view, I have learned to take boarders that trust in me that I have their horses and their own best interest at heart, listen to what my team (vet, farrier) says and take a consultation lesson with me before they make the move. Not everyone “meshes” and it’s a big decision.
Tulip Pond Farm, via Facebook

My biggest mistake was using a General Large Animal Veterinary Practice. Although the primary veterinarian was a well-respected horseman, his partner was not. A dog ran into the arena and started chasing my colt. He broke free and jumped out of the arena and slammed into the barn wall! He took a couple of seconds to get up. My least favorite vet that showed up. At the time I thought we did proper treatment. We did take x-rays, but he did not recommend splinting. Later he called and told me that the x-rays where okay. I did ask him to get his partner to look at them, but I didn’t hear anything. By Saturday night I was greatly concerned and I called in an Equine Specialist. Repeat digital X-rays did show a fracture! With his age, there was a decent chance with surgery. But this colt had heavy halter breeding, so his weight at that time was a concern (over 650 pounds). After a stiff splint was applied we drove him the 2 hours to the recommended University, but too much damage had been done and they we not able to approximate the fracture. Hard lesson learned, I should have immediately called the Equine Specialist when the Cow Vet showed up! To this day I only use Equine Vets and refuse to allow any vet I don’t trust on my property.
Jan Makens, via Facebook

My biggest mistake was not knowing the signs of Cushing’s disease. Neither the vet nor farrier caught the signs of foot trouble and thyroid issues (although they were separate from the Cushings). He went probably more than a year untreated. If I had known the symptoms, I would have gotten him tested. His last four years were very expensive, but I learned so much about him and diseases and ailments that I wouldn’t have given it up. He ended up passing (via euthanasia) last March because his arthritis had gotten too painful after three months of quarantine due to Strangles... But that’s another lesson.
Gina Hoeft, via Facebook

Pay the veterinarian. Other opinions are just that.
Kevin Cottrell, via Facebook

My biggest mistake in horse care when I was starting out was not finding a great coach to show me the way. If you work with the wrong people and don’t ask questions, you do yourself and all your horses a big disservice. Safety is overlooked, nutrition can be overlooked and bad habits are developed. My advice is to find a great coach or mentor who is certified or highly qualified to show you the ropes, so you don’t miss out on the right experiences.
Claire Ziff, Alberta

Read more answers to this question in the June 2013 issue of Practical Horseman magazine.

Powell Butte World Series Qualifier
Location: Brasada Ranch, Powell Butte, Ore.
2013 Dates: June 14-16
Contact: (406) 360-2225, wstroping.com
Format: Open, #15 and #13, #12, #11, #10, and #9 WS qualifiers, junior pick/draw
Fee: $250/run (Open pick/draw with 5-steer buy back in first round), $150/roper (#15, #13, #12, #11, #10, and #9), $100/roper (junior)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 2
Payout: $50,000 (Open alone), first year for WSTR qualifier
Prizes: Buckles, jackets
What Makes It Great? “Central Oregon in the summer is amazing. The location is actually an equestrian golf resort. They have a great pool. So the wives can come, and it’s like a little vacation spot. It’s like a getaway. And a lot of the top ropers in the world were here last year for the Open. We want to have a real top quality roping here. We’ve had a huge turnout for our Sunday afternoon ropings, and the World Series has been migrating up north a little bit, and we want to give the guys a chance to qualify for the World Series Finale here.” – Dean Tuftin

WestStar Summer Series
Location: WestStar Ranch, Ellensburg, Wash.
2013 Dates: June 1, 14 and 29, July 13 and 27, August 2 and 17
Contact: (509) 962-4144, weststarranch.com
Format: #5.5 handicap drawpot, #7.5 handicap drawpot, #7.5 handicap pick 1/draw 1 (ACTRA numbers)
Fee: 3 for $25 (5.5 and 7.5); 4 for $50 (7.5 pick/draw)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 5
Payout: $7,000 per roping
Prizes: Saddle pads and coats (nightly), engraved rifle, trophy crooked stirrups, pistol, cinch buckles, headstall, saddle pad, breast collar, wooden table, winter blanket, halter (series)
What Makes It Great? “People who come enjoy themselves, and a lot of times they bring friends with them. Beverages are free, and everyone just helps themselves. It’s more social, but that’s not to say they aren’t competitive. More people come and watch than other area ropings, and we’ve got great fresh cattle and great ground.” – Jo Repp

Big Loop Big Money Team Roping Tour Finals
Location: Brazos County Expo Complex Covered Arena, Bryan, Texas
2013 Dates: July 19-21
Contact: (713) 806-6012, philippranch.com
Format: Open, #15, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8 (pick 1/draw 2 or draw 3), junior roping (one-end, ages 14 and under), Must have attended three of eight qualifiers to rope at the Finals
Fee: $150/roper (Open, #15, #13, #12, #11, #8), $100/man (#10), $50/roper (#9, junior roping)
How Many Times Can You Enter: 3 (Open, #15, #13, #12, #11), 5 (#9, junior roping), 2 (#8)
Payout: $230,000
Prizes: 14 Don Gonzales handmade trophy saddles, handmade boots, Yeti coolers, Sonny Silva trophy spurs, 80% payback
What Makes It Great? “The good thing about it is that you can go to three out of eight of our qualifiers throughout the year and get to go to a good finals locally. You can win $5,000 and prizes close to home, and all of our qualifiers give out buckles to average winners, too.” – John Philipp

Lone Star Cowboy Church Finals
Location: Lone Star Arena, Montgomery, Texas
2013 Dates: Aug. 30-Sept. 2
Contact: (936) 537-5739, lonestar.tv/arena
Format: #8 capped at a #4 pick/draw, #10 capped at a #6, #13 slide jackpot no cap
Fee: $125 (#8 and #10, pick 1 draw 4 or draw 5), $30/roper (#13 slide)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 2 (#8 and #10), 10 (#13)
Payout: $32,000
Prizes: Two-horse trailer, trophy saddles
What Makes It Great? “We want to get people through the door who haven’t maybe been to church in a while. We keep the fees low, and it’s just a great roping that feels like a social event. We have two warm-up arenas, and our arena is filled with volunteers who want to make it a great day. We’ve got professional-quality flaggers, secretaries, and ground, and always good cattle.” – Charlotte Casey

4th Annual Gunslinger Classic
Location: Middle Park Fairgrounds, Kremmling, Colo.
2013 Date: June 22
Contact: (970) 531-6876
Format: Open handicap draw, #12 straight-team
Fee: $30
How Many Times Can You Enter? 10 each side
Payout: $10,000
Prizes: Pistols
What Makes It Great? “Get out of the Colorado heat and come up to the mountains to rope. It’s on a Saturday during a window that you can hit some rodeos, too, when you come up.” ­– Shea Meeks

Mormon Lake World Series of Team Roping Qualifier
Location: Mormon Lake Lodge Arena, Mormon Lake, Ariz.
2013 Date: July 5-7
Contact: (928) 692-8465, fullerteamroping.com
Format: #14 and #10 Warm up, #13, #12, #11, #10, and #9 WS qualifiers, All-Girl, #8
Fee: $100/roper (#14 and #10 Warm up), $50 (All-Girl), $200 (#8)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 3 (#14 and #10 Warm up), 5 (All-Girl), 2 (WS Qualifiers)
Payout: $302,000
Prizes: Buckles
What Makes It Great? “Mormon Lake, AZ is an ideal place to rope in the summer because of it’s location. Mormon Lake is 30 minutes from Flagstaff, AZ in the cool pines, there is plenty of room for camping, there are cabins to rent, a great restaurant and bar, and it is a family friendly environment.” – Stacie Fuller

Fernley World Series of Team Roping Qualifier
Location: Fernley Fairgrounds, Fernley, Nevada
2013 Date: June 22
Contact: (408) 640-6026, wstroping.com
Format: #13, #12, #11, #10, #9 WS qualifiers
Format: #13, #12, #11, #10, #9 WS qualifiers
Fee: $150
How Many Times Can You Enter? 2
Payout: $153,768 (in 2012)
Prizes: Buckles and breast collars
What Makes It Great? “You get 80-percent payback on your money, and you get to qualify to rope for the big money in Las Vegas.” – David Brown

Longhorn Productions ProRodeo Hall of Fame Ropings
Location: ProRodeo Hall of Fame Arena, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2013 Dates: Kicks off May 19, June 2, 16 and 30, July 14 and 21, August 4 and 18, Finale Sept. 15
Contact: (480) 710-2103, lhpropings.com
Format: #13 handicap, #12 handicap, #10 with #8 incentive
Fee: $125/roper (#13), $30/roper (#12), $30/roper (#10)
How Many Times Can You Enter? 3 (#13), 5 (#12 and #10)
Payout: $17,000 per roping
Prizes: Saddles, buckles, spurs, Resistol Hats (year-end)
What Makes it Great? “The producers make the day a family event. They provide beverages to quench our thirst on hot sunny days. They always make sure there is something for the kids to do (stick horse race, egg toss, sack race, etc.) and every kid that participates gets a prize. They have a vendor on-site for food, drinks and ice cream. Ropers are happy with the cattle, and there is very little downtime in between ropings. It’s just a great atmosphere with tons of rodeo history with great people!” – Mary Adamczyk Hughett

National All Amateurs' Cowboy Christmas
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
2013 Date: July 4-6
Contact: 520.251.1495; www.naateamroping.com
Format: Pick 1, Draw 2 or Draw 3 for $150
How Many Times Can You Enter? Two to three times
Payout: $160,000 in cash and prizes
Prizes: Saddles, buckles, Ford dually truck
What Makes It Great? “National All Amateurs already caters exclusively to 5 Elite-and-under ropers by providing great cattle, short scorelines and, most importantly, huge payoffs. The roping's called Cowboy Christmas because so much loot is up for grabs over three days. Think about it–Trevor Brazile has won more money during the PRCA’s Cowboy Christmas than any human–$39,993 in 2011. At the NAA Cowboy Christmas in Rapid City last year, 18-year-old Amelia McGuire earned $60,000 including a new truck. Merry Christmas, indeed!” – Ty Yost

If you're a camping enthusiast as well as a horse lover, overnight horse camping could be the perfect combination of your interests. If you're interest in events such as endurance riding or competitive trail riding, horse camping is often part of the experience.

No matter why you're hitching up and camping out, the key to having a good time is making sure that both you and your horse are prepared.

One of the ways to be prepared is to make lists.

"I have a camp list for horses and a people camp list that I use," says Bonnie Davis, consulting editor for The Trail Rider.

Horses
This is my basic camp list for horses. As I load an item in trailer or towing vehicle I check it off list. Before leaving, items are reviewed to make sure everything has been checked off and loaded! Add your own items too!

• Highline ropes
• Lead ropes
• Highline lead ropes
• Extra ropes
• Hammer
• Insect spray
• Bickmore
• Grain bags
• Rags
• Nails (various sizes)
• Saddles
• Saddle pads
• Gloves
• Water cans
• First-aid kit
• Bridle(s)
• Extra head stalls, reins
• Saddle bags
• Hay nets
• Knot eliminators
• Water tubs
• Pails
• Horse blankets (summer & winter)
• Manure rake
• Feed (weed free when required)
• Extra set of shoes
• Horse shoe nails
• EZ-boot
• Salt blocks (Mineral & plain)
• Broom
• Funnel
• Hooflex
• Spurs
• Halter(s)
• Extra halter Grain
• Horse’s medication
• Grain tubs
• Coffee can (for measuring)
• Baling wire or string
• Burlap bag(s)
• Hay hooks
• Tree savers
• Hoof cleaning tools
• Brushes Folding rake
• Duct tape Flashlight (extra batteries)
• Garbage bags Shovel
• Papers (ownership, vet, etc.)
• Leather sewing kit
• Water

Emergency road equipment-road flares or stands, spare tires for both trailer and towing vehicle checked to make sure they have air in them, jacks, lug wrenches to fit lug nuts on both trailer and towing vehicle tire nuts, chocks, large piece of canvas or folded lug tarp to put on ground when wet or snowy.

Barn names: Handsome and Sshamey.

What grabs us: This stallion only gets better with age--competing (and winning) against younger horses at 18 and having a Breyer figurine modeled after him at 21.

Owned by: Lisa Shover and Jerry Kackley, Scottsdale, Arizona.

Trained by: Chris Culbreth, Scottsdale.

Watch as Sshameless and Lisa present the flag at the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show.

H&R: What's his personality like?

Lisa: He’s probably the most amazing horse I’ve ever been around, and not just because he’s mine. I met him five years ago, and he’s just got this amazing, expressive dark eye that just pulls people to him.

He’s just got this soulfulness about him. He can be very gentle and quiet, which he is 99 percent of the time. And then he can fire up when you show him in halter and be the epitome of what an Arabian stallion is.

I just showed him last May. Literally people from all over the show grounds heard him going in to the arena. He was digging through the dirt, throwing it over his back. He went in that ring like I’ve never seen him, and he beat the 4-year-olds. He was 20 at the time.

He just came off the Scottsdale show where his Breyer model was introduced, and in five days, he met 700 children one on one. He’s just got this incredible love of people. He has an affinity for those who’ve been troubled. I’ve seen it happen with adults and children. There’s just something about him that draws these folks to him. They walk away with a sense of peace.

I’ve been working with animals my whole life, and I’ve never seen a temperament like this. That’s what drew me to him. We weren’t looking for a stallion, let alone a horse. I just fell in love with him. He was next to one of my mares at the show barn. That’s how we met. I would just share carrots and apples with him. Then I started going in his stall and grooming him. My trainer, Chris, said you’re just going to be broken hearted—his owners are taking him home to sell him. My husband surprised me with him. He’s a magnet.

H&R: Does he do any events other than halter?

Lisa: We are the only team for the Arabians to ever win a performance national title (for Western pleasure) and a halter national title (stallion halter, amateur owner) at the same U.S. National competition.

He went polar opposites. He had to be really quiet and calm for Western and then he had to be bouncing off the walls for halter. He was competing against horses between three and 12 years old, he was then 18.

It’s interesting. The gentleman who was his handler for the U.S. Nationals as a 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old--when he got his first titles--was at the last Scottsdale show when I presented the American flag with him for the opening ceremonies, and he said, “That horse looks better than he ever looked in his life; I’d never believe he’s 21.”

H&R: What do you think makes him special?

Lisa: He had some bad history before us, and he loves having his family. He lives at home with us, which is very unique for a stallion that’s still breeding. When I first took him for his collection, I thought it was our true test: If he’d be able to deal with coming home. He’s just truly a gentleman.

It’s almost like a person who’s been through tough times and appreciates all the good around them. It’s a true appreciation for what he has. He loves being home. There’s an appreciation about him.

When people ask how I treat him, I say it’s with a level of respect. He responds to that. That’s what we do with all of our animals. My kids are four-legged, not two-legged. It’s just a blessing to have him in our lives. He returns that, too. It’s an appreciation about him and an affinity for or understanding about what isn’t so good. I think that’s what he recognizes about people who are troubled, because in some ways, he’s been there.

H&R: What is he like under saddle?

Lisa: Amazing! You can’t tell if you’re on the wrong lead--not that he takes it. He is so smooth. He’s a big horse for an Arabian stallion------he’s 16 hands, but he moves so softly. There’s just such a dignity about what he’s like under saddle.

When we carried the flag a the Scottsdale show, it was probably one of the biggest honors and most memorable moments of our year. He literally takes people’s breath away; you can hear them gasp. When he breaks through the gate, they stand. Someone said, “I don’t know if they’re standing for the flag or if they’re standing for Sshame.” It’s just a vision, and he’s so respectful.

Like a needle on a gauge, your horse’s head position is an indicator of his emotional state. When his head rises, he’s tense and prepared for flight; when it lowers, he’s relaxed and at ease. By teaching a drop-head response, you can ask your horse to calm down on cue—especially useful if your horse is the nervous or spooky type.

I’ll explain how to teach the cue from the ground, then from the saddle. It’s straightforward, but does take patience on your part in the beginning.

From the ground. Put your horse in a rope halter with training lead. Place your thumb and index finger on the knot just below your horse’s chin and apply gentle, steady pressure downward. You’re not trying to pull the head down; you’re just applying pressure as a cue. Watch your horse carefully, and the instant he drops his head even a fraction, release the pressure and praise him. (It’s better to err on the side of releasing a bit too soon than a bit too late.) Then ask again.

The first few inches down will be a challenge. Be patient and keep at it. Once your horse gets the concept, he’ll soon be dropping his head all the way to the ground every time you ask. Eventually, encourage him to keep his head down at ground level for a few minutes, to allow time for him to feel the serenity that naturally comes from a lowered head.

From the saddle. Once your horse responds reliably to the cue from the ground, tack him up (a snaffle bit is best for this) and try it mounted. From a standstill, shorten one rein a bit, lift that hand slightly to apply light pressure to your horse’s mouth, then just wait. You’ll feel tempted to increase the pressure to get a response—but don’t. Apply just enough pressure that your horse begins to look for a way out of it.

Then, the instant he drops his head even slightly, release the rein entirely and praise him lavishly. Don’t worry if he moves about a little while you’re working on this; just focus on the head dropping and release whenever he complies. As before, the first few inches will be challenging, so be patient. Once your horse figures it out, he’ll begin to respond quickly and willingly.

Then practice the drop-head cue frequently on an ongoing basis, especially any time your horse becomes tense or fearful. Eventually, your horse may start dropping his head on his own whenever he begins to feel nervous or anxious, “self-medicating” himself in order to feel calmer. Now that is a result worth working for!

Julie Goodnight, known for her ability to teach horses and riders of all skill levels, hosts “Horse Master with Julie Goodnight” on RFD-TV. She also presents clinics nationwide from her home base near Salida, Colorado (juliegoodnight.com).