I want to use the editorial space this week to share with you the news of an upcoming seminar in Smithers. This 2-day session is sponsored by Horse Council BC and hosted by members of the Northern Saddle Club.

HORSE COUNCIL BC ZONE SEVEN NEWS

Zone Seven will be hosting an Equine Short Course on March 1 & 2 at Northwest Community College.

There is a long list of presentations. They include several talks with Donna Hawkins, who is a Certified Course Conductor. Donna will be covering the new Teaching Methology (which is mandatory for coaches in 2003), and what a judge is looking for in Western Pleasure, Hunt Seat, Reining and Trail. She’ll go over both judging and scoring of these events.

Biz Bastian of Smithers will be discussing homeopathy for horses. Biz is a well known doctor who specializes in alternative medicines for people and horses.

Another Smithers area equestrian, Darlene Helkenberg, will be discussing Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

Photo credit: Chris Hassell

Darlene is the local EAP Coordinator and also runs Double Deluxe Trail Riding.

The Back Country Horsemen will be offering presentations on Highlining and Leave No Trace among other topics.

The organizers are trying to keep the cost low so as to encourage participation. Rates will be set approximately at $100 for the two days, or for $60 per day.

When you live in the north country as we do, you need to take advantage of as many courses as you can - after all, it is not often that they hold these courses right in our own backyard! Hope to see you there!

For more information on this course, please contact Dianne at 250-846-5562 (email timothyhill@bulkley.net) or Reka at 250-847-4529 (email schipp@bulkley.net)

‘Til next week,
~ Kristi :)

(Kristi has added the 2003 Events List)

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If your horse is the type that simply walks away quietly whenever you approach, you can try walking this horse down. It is important to use a smaller pen at first, or you will get tired and run out of patience! On the other hand, I wouldn’t recommend a really tiny pen either - horses are smart enough to know the different and will soon be easy to catch in the small pen and still be hard to catch in the pasture.

When you set out to walk a horse down, you’d better (a) act like you have all day, and (b) have all day! The more upset you get about being unable to catch the horse, the less likely he will be to allow you to catch him.

Simply follow him everywhere he goes (be careful to stay out of kicking range!). Make no pretense with the halter, just carry it naturally on your arm or shoulder. When he walks, you walk. When he stops, you stop (after sneaking in an extra step or two!). If he runs, simply keep walking until you have caught back up again. If you run after him, you may be putting too much pressure on by chasing him.

After a while you should begin to see patterns in the body language of the horse, in response to your own. If you move towards his hip, you may start him moving. Same if you move towards his head. However, if you move towards his shoulder, he may allow you to approach closer than at either end.

If this sounds like your horse, use some of the approach and retreat methods discussed in the halter training articles from earlier this winter. Pet his shoulder, then back away from him. Approach again with a treat, then back away from him again. Rub his shoulder or neck with the rope, then back away again. Pretty soon, chances are that the horse will be stepping towards you with the hopes of getting caught in order to get that treat.

If he is still running when you use the rope or halter nearby him, then go back to the comfort zone work with the item until he is letting you halter and unhalter him without fuss. You may decide not to ride this horse is do anything else with him for several sessions - the catching part becomes the whole lesson.

More next week....

If you have comments or suggestions along the way, please share with me at kristi@hiway16.com

Submitted by Marty Cox
Secretary, Totem Saddle Club

The Totem Saddle Club held its Year End Awards Banquet at the Terrace in Saturday, January 18th. The evening was planned by Jocelyn Benoit and Sherry Chilibeck, and included good food, music by our own DJ, Dean Weitman, lots of door prizes, a brief presentation on the new rules for helmets, and the year end awards. The helmet presentation also included door prize of a helmet that was won by Neoma Patterson. Each High Point winner received a plaque with a certificate showing a picture of themselves and what the award was for. They also received prizes specifically picked out for each of them. The awards were presented by Vice President Judy Eisner and were as follows:

TSC Year End Awards 2002

Gymkhana Masters
1st Dan Muller
2nd Trudy Rafuse
3rd Doug Clinkenbeard

Seniors
1st Lyn Lavoie
2nd Danita Petch
3rd Jason Rempel

Junior A
1st Amy Hayduk
2nd Rachel Muller
3rd Brittany Johnson

Junior B
1st Neoma Patterson
2nd Jessie Weitman
3rd Sarah Ridler

Junior C
1st Michalla Heighington
2nd Samantha Koopmans
3rd Bradley Kuemper & Kim McCormick

Junior D
1st Cody Kuemper

Lead Line
1st Karlee Kuemper
2nd Amanda Stella
3rd Jennifer Rempel

Totem Saddle Club awards banquet news and high point winners continued next week!

Northern BC Horse is sponsored by local businesses who support equine sports in our area including:

• Baerental Ranch
• Burns Lake Building Supplies
• Hoskins Ford
• Northern Horse Supply
• Ridennoure Paint Horses
• The Tack Store

Do you have a horse or equipment to sell? Want to buy a horse or equipment? Check the Free Classified Ads.