Charlotte's Giddy Up Gazette©
Everything For Riding Except the Horse!
Vol. 1 Issue 05 - June 2007
- Letter From the Equi-ditor
- First-Aid Kits - Don't Be Without the Essentials
- Product Spotlight: Kerrits Performance Equestrian Apparel
- Little Known Dates
- Charlotte Goes West : Impact Gel® Western Saddle Pads
- SIRE - Houston's Therapeutic Equestrian Centers
- What Makes Two Look Alike Bridles So Different?
- Naysa - The Louisiana Mare
- Subscriber Specials
- Helpful Links
- Frequency and Feedback
Shop the Charlotte's Summer Sale online and take advantage of the savings! Take $25 off your purchase of $150 or more when you purchase selected items from the following departments: All helmets under $125, all performance tops including Kerrits and Ariat (show shirts excluded), all riding tights under $100, all paddock boots under $100, all saddle pads under $100, all half chaps under $100, all gloves and all socks.
Visit Charlotte's at the APHA World Show in Fort Worth, Texas June 23 through July 6. We are part of the Colors of the West Gift Show located in the Amon Carter Exhibit Hall. Our Show Booth numbers are 127-131. We will be offering complete selections of apparel, tack, accessories and more. Show hours are 9 am to 6 pm daily.
A reminder that all issues of the Giddy Up Gazette© are available online! Visit Charlotte's Saddlery website to review back issues or read the current issue.
Reading educates! Until next month.
Tim S. Raisbeck
First-Aid Kits - Don't Be Without the Essentials
A fully stocked first-aid kit is the first line of defense when minor equine medical emergencies strike. They're not only needed in the barn, in various sizes to
suit everyone from the single-horse owner to a 40-stall training center, but they're also essential on the road or trail. Riders who venture more than a few miles
from home should carry at least a few first-aid essentials with them. At a horse show, a compact first-aid kit that fits in the trailer's tack compartment can be
a blessing. Kits designed just for rider-related injuries are also useful.
Every equine first-aid kit should contain the following:
- Wound cream or ointment
- Large gauze squares
- Self-sticking first-aid bandage, such as Vetrap™
- Latex or vinyl gloves
- Rectal thermometer (The digital type is less apt to break than the glass-and-mercury variety; include a spare battery
- Sheet cotton
- Hoof pick
- An antiseptic scrub, such as Betadine (povidone-iodine, aka "tamed" iodine) or Nolvasan (chlorhexidine)
- Saline solution or hydrogen peroxide in a squirt bottle for cleaning fresh wounds. (Both are safe for use around eyes and mouths)
- Surgical scissors (the blunt-tipped safety type)
- Medical adhesive tape
- Stethoscope
- Rolls of gauze bandage
- Premoistened alcohol wipes
- Small flashlight (to examine injuries in dark stalls or to check for corneal scratches)
- Instant cold packs
Product Spotlight: Kerrits Performance Equestrian Apparel
At Kerrits our passion revolves around our horses, our love of riding and our dedication to create clothing that is the ultimate in comfort and function…while in the saddle, at the barn or around town. Since 1986 we have demonstrated our commitment to providing innovative, functional performance apparel for women who ride and love horses. Throughout the years Kerrits has valued the input of their team riders, product testers and customers. The Kerrits team prides themselves on being specialists. We are women who have combined our depth of experience in activewear manufacturing with our love of horses to create the most technically advanced riding apparel available.
We strive for perfection with each stride taken. In that quest to be the best, we may sometimes stumble, but we also know the thrill of completing a clear round, riding a stellar test or the thrill of an exhilarating gallop.
We invite you to enjoy our riding apparel and to find inspiration for all your riding goals!
Shop the complete selection of Kerrits Performance Equestrian Apparel and take
advantage of this month's Subscriber's Special listed below. FREE ground shipping on any Kerrit's Performance Riding Tights.
World Sauntering Day
June 19. A day to revive the lost art of Victorian sauntering and to discourage jogging, lollygagging, sashaying, fast walking and trotting. (Originated by the late W.T. Rabe of Saulte Ste. Marie, MI.)
Charlotte Goes West : Impact Gel® Western Saddle Pads
What makes the Impact Gel® Western Saddle pads different than any other saddle pad on the market today?
- Impact Gel® is strategically positioned at critical pressure points within the saddle pad to provide the ultimate in comfort and protection for both horse and rider.
- Impact Gel® reduces the energy waves transferred from the tree of the saddle to the horse’s back.
- The ultra light, high impact reduction system adds high performance to the base layer by reducing inconsistencies in the fit of your equipment.
Why purchase a Impact Gel® Western Saddle pad?
Impact Gel® Western Saddle pads fill in the space between the saddle and the horse’s spine ensuring a perfect match between the horse and the saddle.
Reduce the slipping and reduce the saddle roll!
Purchase the Impact Gel® Western Contour Pad, the Impact Gel® Western Straight-Back Pad or contact Suzanne Gwyn for more info on the Impact Gel® English Saddle Pads.
SIRE - Houston's Therapeutic Equestrian Centers
SIRE is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding and other equine-assisted activities.
Founded in 1983, today SIRE operates three premier accredited NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) centers in the Greater Houston Area, and is recognized as one of the nation’s top therapeutic riding programs.
Children and adults come to SIRE with physical and cognitive disabilities, sensory impairments, and psychosocial disorders.
Each receives a form of therapy that cannot be duplicated in a clinical setting.
Certified instructors serve more than 185 clients weekly through programs which include therapeutic riding, carriage driving, vaulting and hippotherapy.
The physical and emotional benefits of horseback riding have been known for several hundred years. The movement of the horse provides sensory stimulation to the body and the brain of the rider that, in turn, affects an array of muscle and nerve groups.
The three-dimensional movement of the horse’s gait replicates the correct position of the human body in a walk. For people who are impaired and do not have this freedom of movement, horseback riding helps to improve this normal range of motion.
In addition, the warmth of the horse’s body and its rhythmic movements help stiff or spastic muscles to relax, much like rocking soothes a crying baby.
Our clients report great improvements in gross and fine motor skills, balance and posture.
Equine-assisted therapies also stimulate the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and thus serve to “inspire” the entire body to renew cognitive and emotional abilities.
Muscles and nerves start to regenerate; speech comes forth; mental capacities are being worked on; and social interaction skills are improved.
So much more than just sitting on the back of a horse, for the only time in their lives, these children and adults are able to move through space, with a freedom of movement and sense of accomplishment that changes lives.
Riders at SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers, leave their limitations on the ground as they experience freedom from disabilities and physical, cognitive and emotional therapy on horseback.
SIRE Hockley
24161 Spring Dr.
Hockley, TX 77447
281-356-7588
SIRE Spring
4610 Sloangate
Spring, TX 77373
281-352-6160
SIRE Fort Bend @ Sienna Stables
5757 Sienna Parkway
Missouri City, TX 77459
281-431-1741
What Makes Two Look Alike Bridles So Different?
The cost of a bridle can range anywhere from $25 to hundreds of dollars, depending on the quality and workmanship that went into it.
Unfortunately, too often, inexperienced riders choose the cheaper version, only because differences in quality may not be visible to the untrained eye.
The quality, strength and durability of a piece cow leather depend on what part of the animal it comes from, as well as the tanning and manufacturing processes used.
The lowest grade is bonded leather, which is little more than pieces of split leather on the outside bonded with glue to cardboard on the inside. It is made to have the look and feel of real leather, but will not have the strength and durability to last over time.
Split grain leather is made from the innermost layer of the hide. It is one step up from bonded leather, but the fibers are looser and thus also less durable than its more expensive cousins.
Top grain leather is made from the outermost layer of the hide, but is buffed or sanded to get rid of imperfections, a process that makes it look prettier by some standards, but also diminishes the strength of the final product.
Full grain leather is also made from the outermost layer of the hide, but the natural look of the leather is untouched and imperfections remain. It is the strongest leather available and is prized by those who know for its durability and appearance.
Synthetic materials such as nylon or vinyl are also inexpensive, commonly used materials. Bridles made of the cheaper materials are more apt to break, leaving the rider in a precarious position, to say the least. They may also stretch and lose their fit on the horse.
The hardware on the bridle can be made of a variety of materials, and thus differ in quality as well. Brass, nickel, and stainless steel are among the most durable, while those made with metal alloys may break or corrode more easily.
Stitching is also an important consideration. Most lower-priced bridles are generally single-stitched, and the stitches are wide and far apart. Better bridles are double or even triple stitched, and the stitches will be small and tight together.
Habitat for Horses is dedicated to changing the lives of horses and humans. Our goal is to create a world where horses are respected for their intrinsic value and for their ability to help us fulfill our emotional, behavioral and spiritual needs.
June 10, 2007
The Louisiana Mare Arrives at Habitat for Horses.
Habitat for Horses received the call from Louisiana on Thursday about an injured mare in desperate need of special care. She had been dragged behind a trailer and badly hurt. She had spent 7 days in intensive care. That’s all we knew at that point, and by Saturday morning we were on our way. Arrangements for her new home had been made and the transport team left not knowing what would lay ahead.
As the trip started Saturday further details came trickling in. When found the mare was wearing a halter wrapped in barbed wire. She also had a hole than ran straight through her nose all the way through her sinus cavity presumably from impact with the trailer and of course her hooves had been worn down by the road.
We all began to marvel at the fact that this little mare had made it this far…we had no idea how far she’d really come.
Saturday afternoon our transport team arrived at the vet clinic. More news. The mare had not only been dragged but the trailer had been backed over her and had to be moved before she was rescued. There was virtually no heel left on the mare’s back hoof. The hole in her nose…appeared to be the entrance and exit wounds of a bullet.
There stood a little mare with so much spirit who simply refused to give in.
The Louisiana Mare arrived at her new home late Saturday evening. As the trailer door opened she stood timidly, unsure of what would happen next. Trembling as she was touched by human hands which in the past had brought her so much pain, but at the same time comforted by the gentle voices coaxing her on. She was not forced but allowed to slowly take her time emerging from the trailer. Her small audience watched in marvel. How had this little mare made it through?
She slowly made her way to the barn. Noticeably stiff, sore, and limping, but walking just the same. Refusing to give up.
She settled into her stall greedily munching her hay as hushed voices surrounded her. Bits and pieces of her story floating up through the rafters of the barn. He had paid 35 dollars for her and sold her for 100. Obviously she was worth much less than that to him. The reason for her punishment…she balked when he attempted to load her into the trailer. The photos of her rescue day were passed around. Everyone looking from photos to the mare and the mare to the photos. So hard to believe that she was standing there in front of us. The still lifeless in body in the photos had made her way to this stall.
The Louisiana Mare has a long road of recovery ahead of her. Most of the flesh from her face is missing because of the halter, the dragging and the bullet wound. Her hooves will have to regrow, but even more needed is the restoration of trust. It will take many hours to restore what one individual so quickly tore apart. But there was one thing that he couldn’t take away from this little mare. Try as he may he couldn’t break her spirit. He couldn’t destroy her will to live. He couldn’t convince her she was worthless and unneeded. Try as he might he didn’t win…couldn’t win. Despite being beaten, tortured, dragged, run over and shot, this little mare follows HER will; the will to live.
Now it’s our turn. This little mare has fought longer and harder than should have ever been asked of her. It’s our turn to shoulder some of the burden for her and help her through. This wasn’t an accident. This wasn’t one of those things that “just happens”. This is an innocent animal who has suffered needlessly. She needs the love of many good hearts to offset the damage of one bad one. Please keep her in your thoughts or consider sponsoring her on her road to recovery. To help sponsor the recovery of this little mare with an amazing will to live go to sponsorship information.
FREE ground shipping on any Kerrit's Riding Tights.
Choose from the:
Kerrits Ladies Performance Tight NEW Flow Rise Waist
Kerrits Kids Performance Tight
Kerrits Performance Tight Klassic Waist (Featuring Plus Sizing)
Kerrits Alpha Tight (Featuring Plus Sizing)
Kerrits NEW Microcord Bootcut Tight
Kerrits Kids Sit Tight
Kerrits Cargo Tight Fullseat or Kneepatch (Featuring Plus Sizing)
Kerrits Ladies Sit Tight NEW Flow Rise Waist
Kerrits Microcord Fullseat Breech
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