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Q-TALK Q-TALK ARCHIVE FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2005 The 2005 AQHA Convention starts today and runs through Tuesday. Journal editor Jim Bret Campbell and Racing Journal editor Jennifer Hancock file stories from the convention online. Check back with Q-Talk or click here to read about the latest happenings. Baylor Names New Equestrian Assistant Coach "We are thrilled to have someone with Trista's qualifications and experience joining our program," White said. "This is a great partnership, because I believe our skills match and complement each other nicely and will give our riders the best opportunity to be successful." Armstrong is currently in her second season as assistant coach at Fresno State and will finish the season there before arriving in Waco in May. Her main responsibility will be instructing riders for western competition, while White will handle the English side. Fresno State's Western riders have gone undefeated against regional competition the past two seasons (including this year), earning the Regional and Zone championships and reserve national champion status at the 2004 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships. Armstrong also guided eight individual riders to the national championships, including one AQHA world reserve championship title. As a member of the Oklahoma State Cowgirls' equestrian team, Armstrong placed in the top five for individual open western horsemanship and reining, helping the university claim the National Zone Championship. In 2001, she captured the alumni western horsemanship title at the IHSA National Championships. As a youth rider, Armstrong was an AQHYA World Show qualifier, and at the American Buckskin Registry Association she was the youth world champion in western pleasure, reining and halter. Baylor's first season is scheduled to start in September. Tryouts for the team were this week. Tips for Tack In her weekly newsletter, AQHA Professional Horseman Lynn Palm writes that “one of the most important things you can do for the safety of you and your horse is to keep your tack clean, conditioned, and in excellent shape.” Below are some of her tips on tack care that you can use to ensure you'll have great training sessions and show ring performances:
To subscribe to Palm’s newsletter or for more training tips, click here. Spring Break with her Horse West Texas A&M University freshman Clare Dunn won’t be spending her college spring break at South Padre Island. Instead, she told Krissy Mailman of the university’s newspaper, The Prairie, she plans to travel to either Ardmore, Oklahoma, or Houston to gather points on her Quarter Horse for her last shot at the AQHYA World Show. “I’m not sure which show I’m going to yet,” Dunn told Mailman. ”I’m showing my sister’s horse, George. My goal is to hopefully accumulate more points in western riding and horsemanship. I’m really looking forward to spring break.” Good luck Clare! Hope to see you in Fort Worth in August. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2005
Many of you probably already know, but if you don’t, country singer/songerwriter and Quarter Horse owner Chris LeDoux died Wednesday. The 56-year-old checked into the Casper (Wyoming) Medical Center earlier this week following complications from ongoing treatment for cancer of the bile duct. "All of us at Capitol Records and EMI Music are saddened at the passing of Chris," said Capitol Nashville President and CEO Mike Dungan. "In a world of egos and soundalikes, he was a unique artist and a wonderful man. We have always been proud to represent his music, and honored to call him our friend. Our thoughts go out to his wife Peggy and the LeDoux family." LeDoux started playing music in his teens while he competed in rodeos, writing about his life on the circuit. His songs captured the romance, the freedom, the dirt and the hurt of rodeo. LeDoux had recorded 22 albums on his own when Garth Brooks mentioned his name in the hit song “Much Too Young (To Be This Damn Old).” As a result, his music became widely known and he signed with Capitol Records Nashville in 1990. He the released another 15 albums and sold nearly 6 million records. In 2000, LeDoux was diagnosed with a liver disease, and successfully underwent a liver transplant. Within six months of the surgery, LeDoux was on tour again – throwing himself right back into the hard-driving, full-force stage shows he was known for. Late last year he was diagnosed with cancer and began undergoing radiation treatment. LeDoux spent his time off the road with his family at their ranch in Kaycee, Wyoming. LeDoux, who was also an accomplished sculpture artist, joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1968. He qualified five times for the National Finals Rodeo and won bareback riding at the NFR in 1976 to earn the world champion title. He retired from rodeo in 1980. "On behalf of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and its members, I want to express my condolences to Chris' family," said Troy Ellerman, commissioner of the PRCA. "Chris was not only one of our top cowboys, but he also has brought awareness of rodeo to millions of his fans across the country and has been a dedicated supporter of the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, which provides financial assistance to injured cowboys. For more on LeDoux, visit his Web site at www.chrisledoux.com. Sharing the Wealth The National Reining Horse Association is doubling the added money in three divisions of the 2005 NRHA Futurity. The open division’s purse, which will also be restructured, will have an additional $20,000 to boost the added money to $100,000. The intermediate open’s added money will double to $50,000 while the limited open doubles to $10,000. “We want to share the wealth with all of the finalists,” said President-Elect Dell Hendricks. The top 30 riders, including ties, advance to the clean slate NRHA Futurity finals. “It has been our goal that the entry that places last in the Futurity finals would earn $10,000. These changes and improvements to the program will put us very close to that objective.” Hendricks said that these changes are “investments in the future and a giant step in the education and development of new trainers,” many of whom compete in the intermediate and limited open divisions. “With more money to run for, it will make it easier for our owner/rider teams to justify the expense of keeping a Futurity entry in training,” he said. The 40th NRHA Futurity is November 24-December 3 in Oklahoma City. Book Highlights Reining World
B.J. Bramblett this week released her first novel in a series based on the modern performance horse show industry. Published by iUniverse Inc., “Sliding Stop” looks behind the scenes of making a champion reining horse. "We have been training and showing horses for over 30 years, yet little has been written about the complexities of the business. I wanted to give readers a glimpse into the world of the modern horse show industry," Bramblett said. “Sliding Stop,” Bramblett said, is a real horsey-who-done-it with a medical twist that will keep the reader guessing until the last page. The book centers around a three-generation family of horse trainers and their struggle to gain recognition in the competitive horse show industry. The main character, Wade Lawson, finally has the horse that can take him to the finals of the National Reining Horse Futurity. He desperately needs the $175,000 prize money to keep the family heritage of Green Mountain Ranch alive. The book is available through amazon.com and Barnes and Nobles bookstores. For more information on Bramblett or “Sliding Stop,” click here. Tennessee Teen Realizes Dream Crystal Daniel didn’t let anything stop her from pursing her goal of working with show horses – not even a dislocated shoulder, pulled ligaments and two knee surgeries. Laurie Pearson of the Elk Valley Times near Fayetteville, Tennessee, writes that Daniel’s most recent show accomplishment was in February at the 2005 Palomino Horse Breeders Association Dixie Nationals in Jackson, Mississippi, where she and Mr Conclusive Aglair won four grand reserve championships in the youth aged geldings division. "Out of six judges, we got four grand reserve championships," Daniel told Pearson. “Daniel's love for horses began when she was a mere 5 years old. She began riding the family's Quarter Horse "Pan," a retired barrel racing horse, around their property in Texas. “Her interest in riding and showing horses has intensified through the years. Daniel refers to herself as the ‘black sheep’ of the family, since her older brothers have all chosen technical careers. “She is currently a senior at Lincoln County High School and participates in the joint-enrollment program, taking both high school and college programs simultaneously. Daniel is majoring in livestock science with a concentration in horse science. “A very success-oriented young lady, Daniel considers carefully the career she will build following her graduation from college and how her show accomplishments will affect her future. "’It looks nice on a resume,’ she said. “With the win in Jackson, she becomes eligible to show Mr Conclusive in the Palomino World Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in July, where she will compete with the top 15 horses in each class from each state. “Preparing for the show will mean more hard work, maybe some more bumps and bruises, but, said Daniel, ‘It's worth it - I can't think of anything I'd rather do!’” WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2005Wow! What a great issue the March/April America’s Horse magazine is. On the cover are barrel racing greats Jackie Dube and her horse, Uno Commander, who fought off EPM and then took Dube to the 2004 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. America’s Horse editor Becky Newell writes that while at an event in Tucson, Arizona, Jackie knew there was something seriously wrong with “Rooster” when she noticed the right side of his face appeared to be smashed in. “Jackie got on the phone with her veterinarian back in Texas, thinking all the while that Rooster’s face injury was the result of hitting his head when he’d gotten fractious in the stanchions at the vet the week before. “’He had me explain where the injury was on Rooster’s face, and he said an injury from the stanchions would have appeared instantly, and this was several days later,’ Jackie says. ‘When he said, ‘Jackie, he’s got EPM,’ I was devastated.” Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is a neurological disease caused by a tiny parasite, which is carried by opossums. Horses can contract the disease by eating or drinking water contaminated with opossum feces. Jackie treated Rooster with Bayer’s EPM medication Marquis while she was in Arizona, and has two more treatments since then. “’I know that relapse or reinfection in EPM is a big deal,’ Jackie says. ‘So I’m trying to do everything I can. Next time, I may not be so lucky. Next time, it may not just be his face, it may be in his back end, and he may not be able to run.’ “Jackie would hate to lose her best friend. “’My horses are who I spend the most time with,’ she says. ‘You put your life in their hands every time you run through the gate. Whether you win or you lose, you win or lose with them.’” Every AQHA member gets a copy of America’s Horse. If you aren’t a member and would like to receive America’s Horse, joining AQHA is easy to do. Just click here for more details. Get Off the Paper Trail With the all-new aqhamembers.com, you’ll be able to get your AQHA business done with the click of your mouse – starting in early April. You’ll easily and quickly be able to register horses, renew memberships, complete breeding reports and much more, all from the comfort of your desk chair, WITHOUT waiting for papers and forms to arrive in the mail. Here’s what you’ll soon accomplish on aqhamembers.com:
Plus, AQHA members enjoy their first $10 of official AQHA online records free. Visit www.aqhamembers.com for a sneak peak. Aussie Clinician Wins Road to the Horse Again
And the winner is (drum roll, please) … Clinton Anderson! For the second year, the Australian-turned-American horse trainer won the Road to the Horse colt-starting challenge on Sunday against competing clinicians Craig Cameron and Van Hargis. Anderson trained his assigned filly fast and thoroughly to win the third Road to the Horse challenge in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Scores were not released, but judges said this was an extremely close competition. "The competition was tight, but so valuable not only for the horses that were being trained but for all the horses that belong to everyone who was watching," said judge Cherry Hill, horsewoman and equine author. "Clinton persevered. His horse was a challenge and he was working every minute doing something and often times more than one thing at a time." Anderson was thrilled with the results — and the opportunity to share his challenge check of $10,000 with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. Saturday marked the first day of Road to the Horse competition. The three competing clinicians drew for an untrained American Quarter Horse filly to train and show during the weekend. The horsemen started out by working their horses in a round pen for one hour. When time was up, the three were not allowed to touch the horses until Sunday's competition rounds.
On Sunday, the horses were brought in once again for a two-hour training session. After longeing, sacking out and riding their horses for a short time, Anderson, Cameron and Hargis entered the pen individually to show their horses at a walk, trot, canter, complete an obstacle course and perform a freestyle routine. "The level of competition this year was high, the horses were challenging and the crowd was fantastic," Anderson said. "As the defending champion, in a way, you're almost the underdog. It's human nature to want to see the last winner be unseated. The charity prize money also helped up the ante for us all — each of us like to see good causes rewarded." The 2006 event will be in at the Hoosier Horse Fair in Indiana. For more information on The Road to the Horse, click here. KSU Studies Equine Lung Damage Everyone who trots and lopes their horses should be thankful for one research team at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Thanks to an AQHF research grant that began in 2002, primary investigators David C. Poole, Ph.D., D.Sc., Danielle J. Padilla, M.S., and Howard H. Erickson, D.V.M., Ph.D. and their team have been seeking ways to prevent lung damage in horses. Their previous research has addressed how to reduce or prevent exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), a condition in which running horses bleed into their lungs. EIPH is believed to affect almost all performance horses and worsens with age rendering some horses –particularly racehorses- unsuitable for competition. They have investigated three interventions that reduce EIPH - equine nasal strips, Lasix (diuretic) and Seramune (concentrated equine serum, Sera Inc.) but none of these abolished EIPH entirely. In their recent research project, titled “Does the ET (endothelin) receptor antagonist TBC11251 reduce pulmonary hypertension and EIPH (exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage) in the exercising horse?” the team studied endothelin, a powerful compound found in the body that has the capacity to close off or constrict blood vessels. Endothelin is the most powerful blood vessel constrictor known. In the lungs of horses, there is a receptor that binds endothelin, which might constrict the pulmonary blood vessels during exercise and make it harder for the heart to pump blood through the lungs. This raises the pressure and helps to rupture the fragile blood-gas barrier leading to EIPH. In this research, we asked the question whether, by blocking the effect of endothelin, it would be possible to lower pulmonary artery pressure and either reduce or prevent EIPH. EIPH was measured after maximal speed runs on a high -peed treadmill under placebo and blockade conditions. However, in the horses examined so far the response has been variable. No horses were prevented from bleeding entirely by blocking endothelin receptors. “But it was a really neat idea,” Poole said. “We now know a lot more about the control of blood flow in the horse during exercise, but we still cannot prevent EIPH.” The team is continuing research on lung damage. “We’ve studied this problem for close to 20 years here,” Erickson said. “We’re making some real progress in understanding (and solving) the problem.” For more information on lung damage research or how you can help equine research projects through AQHF, click here. Cowboys and Holsters In February during the NCHA World Finals in Amarillo, AQHA life member Dale Hensley stopped by the AQHA booth and regaled a couple of Journal staffers with several of his poems during a cattle change. Here’s one, with his kind permission: The early West was really wild, TheHorse.com reports that a flurry of interest arose this week on an Internet message board started by individuals who think their sick horses’ fatal diseases are linked. As a result, veterinarians are cautioning horse owners not to jump to conclusions in diagnosing their own animals or linking past cases with the alleged disease, because at this time, no disease claims have been substantiated. Stephanie L. Church writes that “since March 2, horse owners have been posting to a bulletin board about a disease, named “Whisper syndrome” after the deceased horse of John Holland of Shawsville, Virginia. That horse died after a rapid onset of clinical signs that included lack of appetite, neurologic signs and colitis. He posted information about his horse’s clinical signs on the message board, and many horse owners have responded, suggesting their horses might have had the same problem. “Holland said he and his veterinarian, ‘both feel that this needs to be understood, but we also want to make it clear that this is far from being an epidemic. There are just a number of compelling cases scattered all over the East. Most have occurred in the last 60 days.’” Phillip Sponenberg, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of pathology and genetics in Virginia Tech’s Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology in Blacksburg, Virginia, performed the autopsy on Whisper’s body. He said the results were inconclusive. The information on the message board has included claims of disease in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. However, top veterinarians from these areas told The Horse that they have not seen anything unusual or suspicious that aligns with the concerns expressed on the message board. Church writes that “Tracy A. Bell, D.V.M., of Bell Veterinary Services in Lexington, Virginia, initially showed an interest in the clinical signs described on the message board because she treated two unusual cases that included some neurologic signs in the past three weeks. Both mares were on the same farm, but Bell says that what they had does not appear to be infectious. One mare died, and the other is recovering. “’The animals were down and unable to get up on their own,’ she said. ‘The differences between the two cases were the times they showed neurologic signs and the bloodwork was different.’ “One mare showed neurologic signs immediately; the other had neurologic signs 24 hours after she became clinically ill. No diagnosis has been reached yet, but Bell says botulism test results will be received next week. “On the claim that many horses are being affected by the identical problem, ‘Mr. Holland sent me 26 of them (descriptions of cases),’ said Bell. ‘I looked at those 26 and found maybe eight that shared similarities. The unfortunate scenario is that those eight were not totally worked up, so there’s no way to know definitively how much alike they were.’ Veterinarians advise horse owners to exercise caution in self-diagnosing cases. “There might potentially have been some sort of environmental situation that’s allowed something to proliferate, whether it’s a bacteria like clostridia or this coliform bacteria (which was cultured from her client’s horse that died),” Bell told Church. “This is obviously not something that is spreading from horse-to-horse. And I don’t think that it’s to the degree of people think it is.” Thach Winslow, D.V.M., the veterinarian who treated Holland’s horse, released a statement on Monday. "I cannot emphasize enough that if there is any more to be learned it will be through careful scientific evaluation of cases. Retrospective cases without necropsies (autopsies) will be of little to no use. The veterinary community is informed and horse owners should direct their cases and information through the proper channels. If you are a horse owner and are concerned about a case in the past or present, please consult your veterinarian. He/she will have the resources to evaluate and filter the information. If there is indeed a new or different syndrome emerging, it will become apparent through veterinary communication and interaction of such cases directly, and on the professional list serves. "Open communication with your veterinarian as well as early identification and treatment of any illness or disorder is always sound animal husbandry. Additionally, these same practices are the cornerstone for discovery and problem solving in the veterinary profession. Time and diligent, organized cooperation are the keys to finding any new answers which may be out there." Babbitt Ranches Named 2005 Best Remuda Babbitt Ranches is the 2005 AQHA Best Remuda Award winner. The ranch, which is near Flagstaff, Arizona, is one of the largest and most historic in the state. Babbitt Ranches is owned by the Babbitt family and managed by Bill Cordasco, president, and Vic Howell, ranch manager. The 704,000-acre ranch has 8,000 head of cattle. They own more than 140 horses including 60 mares, six stallions and 80 geldings. The mares and stallions are used mainly for their breeding program, and the geldings are used for ranch work. The ranch was established in 1886 by five brothers from Cincinnati, Ohio. The brothers left Ohio with the intention of purchasing a cattle ranch in New Mexico, but they decided to settle in Arizona where quality grassland was more economical. Within a month, they had begun to purchase land and had a herd of cattle brought from Kansas. In recognition of their hometown, Cincinnati, the brothers adopted the CO Bar as their brand. The goals of the Babbitt Ranches’ remuda program are to produce the best Quarter Horses possible that will get the job done on the ranch and be competitive in rodeos and other competitions. The ranch also wants to produce high-quality horses with affordable opportunities for buyers to purchase the ranch’s colts and fillies. All the horses raised at the ranch are registered American Quarter Horses. Babbitt Ranches will officially be presented with the award in November at the Working Ranch Cowboys Association Word Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas. The ranch will receive a Lisa Perry bronze entitled “The Reumuda.” The Best Remuda Award is presented each year by the American Quarter Horse Association and Bayer Animal Health to honor the contributions that ranch horses have made to the heritage of the American Quarter Horse. The award began in 1992 and has recognized several outstanding ranches for their efforts in raising American Quarter Horses. The term remuda means a group of working horses bred by the ranch specifically to work and pen cattle. Any ranch that has five or more American Quarter Horse mares used to produce horses for ranch work and is a member of AQHA is eligible for this award. For more information about the Best Remuda award or to obtain an application, click here. Compounded Medications Guidelines Released The Drug Compounding Task Force of the American Association of Equine Practitioners has released guidelines regarding the responsible use of compounded medications by veterinarians.
His registered name was “I Two Step Two,” but to thousands of people who fell in love with him, he became known as “Seabiscuit,” after the movie in which he starred. The Thoroughbred was euthanized Monday at the Kentucky Horse Park after battling a rare type of tumor for several months. “This is a sad day for all of us at the park,” said John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “This horse was not only very popular with our visitors, but was greatly loved by everyone who worked with him. I Two Step Two was a kind, gentle animal who gladly received thousands of visitors and never lost his patience. The only good thing about this is that we will continue to see him every time the movie is shown. We also have the comfort and satisfaction of knowing that he had an excellent, happy life at the park. We only wish had lived another 20 years.” His role as Seabiscuit helped to rekindle America’s love for horse racing. He not only helped to tell this wonderful story, but left his own legacy as well. Lulu Davis, Kentucky Horse Park Foundation board member commented, “The park was such a natural home for a Hollywood star such as I Two Step Two. His spirit and enthusiasm were unmistakable.” Surgery had been performed on I Two Step Two in December at Hagyard-Davidson McGee to remove a tumor from his nasal cavity. This type of tumor is rare in horses. Unfortunately, he did not respond to treatment and the tumor regenerated. After having consulted with several equine veterinarians and a human oncologist, the decision was made to euthanize the horse. Like other horses who died in retirement at the park, I Two Step Two was buried in one of the park’s cemeteries. The film had four categories of equine actors needed to portray Seabiscuit in different scenes. I Two Step Two was cast as the “blow by” Seabiscuit because he could turn on speed and blow by the other horses pulling into the lead. He was featured in the “Seabiscuit” festivities at the Louisville, Kentucky, premiere of the movie on July 19, 2003, and was auctioned off at the charity fund-raiser that evening. Proceeds from the purchase of I Two Step Two benefited the Race for Education Foundation. Since that time, he was featured in the daily Parade of Breeds presentation held in the park’s Breeds Barn. Racing Great John Henry Turns 30 John Henry, once Thoroughbred racing’s all-time leading money winner, will turn 30 tomorrow, and the Kentucky Horse Park is planning a birthday celebration for the horse. Among those who plan to attend are one of the gelding’s jockeys, Chris McCarron, and one of his former owners, John Callaway. The celebration will begin at 1 p.m. EST at the Horse Park’s Hall of Champions. John Henry was an average runner in his early years before developing into racing’s most successful older horse. He won four Grade I races and Horse of the Year honors in 1984 as a 9-year-old. From 1980 through 1984, he won seven Eclipse awards. In 83 career starts, John Henry won 39 times, finished second 15 times and took third nine times. When he retired in 1985, he had earned more than $6.59 million, a record that since has been eclipsed. He was inducted into the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in 1990. John Henry has lived at the Kentucky Horse Park since 1985. Two of his stablemates are two-time world champion racing American Quarter Horse Tailor Fit and Thoroughbred Cigar, the current holder of the title of North American racing’s leading career money winner. MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2005More bad news today. Gas prices are climbing higher and it doesn’t appear there is an end in sight. CNN this morning reported that gas prices across the nation shot up nearly 7 cents in the past two weeks. I know in Amarillo, we’ve seen them go from $1.79 to $1.99 in two weeks. Triggering the higher prices is the continued rising cost of crude oil, which is nearing $55 per barrel, and oil companies switching to their reformulated summer gasoline supplies, which are required by law during warmer months. Gas prices likely will stay high in the coming months as more people hit the road in the spring and summer for vacations and weekend trips. And now with the weekend show season gearing up, you might be wondering how you’ll afford to trailer your horse even to the small regional show near your home. Here are some tips to help you get the maximum fuel efficiency for your buck from the July 2004 issue of the Journal:
Try Out a Quarter Horse in Tennessee Probably most everyone who reads QTalk owns and/or regularly rides a Quarter Horse. But if you don’t and will be near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on March 19, you might want to “test ride” a Quarter Horse. The second Tennessee Quarter Horse Association Test Ride is from 1-3 p.m. at the Tennessee Volunteer Horse Fair at Miller Coliseum. This event provides a opportunity to individuals and their children who might have always wanted to ride a Quarter Horse but never got the opportunity. Besides offering a brief riding lesson given by competent professionals, test rides provide a means of showcasing local horses, trainers and instructors to prospective customers and clients. Sessions will be geared to the abilities of the riders involved, and a handler will always be with the horse. The test ride will take place in a spacious, covered arena. Each horse will have an assigned handler who moves with the horse to provide individual attention to the rider assigned to the horse. Usually, horses will be available in both western and English hunt-seat saddles. Riders will walk and do some slow trotting, steer their horses through circles and figure eights and probably maneuver through some simple trail obstacles. To top off the day, each rider will have his or her picture taken and receive a mounted copy of it that will include the name of the horse he or she rode. There is no charge for the ride. A parent or guardian must be present in order for children younger than 18 to participate. Permission to ride given through friends or other relatives is not sufficient. For more information, e-mail TQHARide04@aol.com, or visit www.TQHA.org. What Hand do you Ride With? Found this bit of advice from AQHA Professional Horseman Brandice Wall of Queen Creek, Arizona, interesting. Posted on the Reiner2Reiner form, Wall offered this bit of advice on which hand to use when riding: “I make all my kids ride left-handed. I teach it not just because every world champion I have ever watched rides left handed, but also because you never know when you would need to open a gait, rope a calf or just swing a rope to get a colt exposed to it. I learned it from my mom who learned it from her dad (who trained Grand Prix jumpers, but rode with his left hand any time he rode one handed). “It is tradition, and some judges prefer it. So just like a color-coordinated outfit, if it can help you win even by half a point, why not!” Oh, in western pleasure, they want the (rein) tails on the same side as the hand you are riding with. This is another judge preference that seems to carry through to reining. (Reiners have a rule, though, that you can adjust your reins during any stop in the pattern. This for me is often moving my tails back to the left.)
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