January 2024

It’s pretty obvious that I LOVE horses. But you might not know that I am also quite the book worm. For the first time on this blog I am combining two of my favorite hobbies in the form of this horse book review. 

I had the opportunity recently to read Horses Adored and Men Endured, an uplifting memoir by Susan Friedland. I received this book as a Christmas gift, and excitedly began reading it. Susan Friedland is the author of one of my favorite equestrian blogs Saddle Seeks Horse so I was really looking forward to this book. 

What it’s About 

The tagline of Horses Adored and Men Endured is: A Memoir of Falling and Getting Back Up. I think this fits the story perfectly. In this book, Susan shares the ups and downs of both horse ownership and the journey to finding Mr. Right. She tells of hilarious and not-so-funny dates and of her journey as a horse owner, trials and joys included. One minute I was reading about a riding accident that resulted in a nose job, and the next minute a date gone terribly wrong, I mean police involvement, food poisoning, pie-in-the-face wrong.  

After anticipating this book, I am happy to say I was very pleased and really enjoyed Susan’s memoir. Her writing style feels more like a conversation. Her story is honest, relatable, real, and will make you smile, laugh, and contemplate your own story. 

Susan’s journey was filled with examples of her persistence, patience, and strength to not give up making this more than just an enjoying reading, but also a great reminder of perseverance. It’s hard to wait. Wait for the right horse, the right job, and the right guy. But waiting is just part of life, it’s what we do during the waiting that we get to choose. I was inspired by how Susan openly shares her struggles and triumphs through the periods of waiting in her life. I hope if you read Horses Adored and Men Endured you will also be encouraged by Susan’s adventures. 

I would recommend this book to any girl who is head over heels for horses. That being said, being an aspiring equestrian or horse owner is not required for this delightful read. I think even non-horse people could find joy in Susan’s memoir.

More About the Author 

Susan Friedland is the author of the award winning, and one of my favorite, equestrian blogs Saddle Seeks Horse and the author of two other books written for equestrians, both of which are on my to-read list. On her blog she shares about her OTTB Knight, her equestrian travels, product reviews, and much more! 

Tails & trails,

Reese

Fall is finally in full swing in the Ozarks. The days are cooling off and the leaves are starting to fall. Three weekends ago however, that was not the case. On September 30th, the day of the Annual Sorghum Stomp, it was hot and the leaves were still securely on the trees. Despite the heat, I am glad to report that this years Sorghum Stomp was a fun event resulting in twice as much sorghum as last year.

Sorghum Stomps are not a common event anymore, and in my experience many people have not heard of sorghum. The sorghum I am referring to is a syrup very similar to molasses made from the juices of a sorghum stalk. These stalks are similar to sugar cane. Now here is were horses came in; the stalks are harvested, stripped of their leaves, and than put through a press. This press is usually drawn by a horse or mule. The juice that the press squeezes from the sorghum stalk is than boiled until it thickens into sorghum. This sweet, planty tasting syrup is used in cookies, barbeque sauce, on biscuits or pancakes, in peanut brittle, and many other ways.

A Sorghum Stomp is when the process described above is done in an event-like setting (Disclaimer: This definition was formed from my understanding of a Sorghum Stomp and is not an official or exclusive definition in any way.) Friends and neighbors gather together to help strip the stalks and press the sorghum. The annual event I attend even has a potluck in the evening and folk dancing.

Here you can see the the stalks being put into the horse-drawn press.

This was my third time attending, and the second time I brought my Clydesdale Yukon to pull the sorghum press. Friends of mine grow the sorghum and own the press which is a part of their family history (the press is from the 1800’s and is still being used today!). Yukon and I have participated in lots of events including weddings, parades, field trips, and of course the Sorghum Stomp! I enjoy being able to share my hardworking horse with others, and I look forward to more adventures with her.

The Annual Sorghum Stomp is a fall event I look forward to every year. Let me know in the comments if you have ever attended a Sorghum Stomp or tell me what fall events or activities you & your horse look forward to?

Another fall activity I enjoy is trail riding: check out my post about The Benefits of Trail Riding!

Tails & trails,

Reese

Happy New Year! On this blog it’s my tradition to start the new year with a recap of my equestrian highlights from the past 365 days. To be honest my 2023 was not as horse filled as previous years (college takes a lot of my time & energy these days.) However I was still able to enjoy several horse filled adventures.

For the beginning months of 2023, I got to enjoy an extra equine on the farm. My cousin boarded her sweet Missouri Fox Trotter mare, Mocha, on my family’s farm. Mocha fit right in with my herd and was a welcome addition. When she moved to her knew home with my cousin it inspired me to write a blog post about caring for and preventing loneliness when you have only one equine on your property (like my cousin & Mocha). You can read that post here.

Throughout 2023 I was able to enjoy many carriage rides & trail rides with Yukon. I am blessed to work with this beautiful and hard working girl through my family’s wedding venue, Pine Meadows Venue. We did carriage rides for several weddings, some parties, and a 2nd grade field trip. We were even able to give a carriage ride as a Christmas gift to a sweet older couple.

My equestrian ride in Uganda, Africa.

One highlight of 2023 was my mission trip to Uganda, Africa. The missionary couple I stayed with knew I loved horses so they arranged a horse safari ride. This part of Africa was not home to safari animals, but I was able to ride along the beautiful Nile River. On this horse ride I got to ride English for the first time. Living in Southern Missouri I ride western whereas Uganda was colonized by the British so they ride according to the English style. I really enjoyed trying an English saddle for the first time. It felt less secure, but I would be willing to try it again and to learn more about the English riding style.

The biggest highlight from the fall was being able to participant in this year’s Annual Sorghum Stomp. Yukon and I were invited to help press sorghum; You can read about this unique and Ozarkian adventure in this post.

Overall, 2023 holds many great horse centered memories for me. As we start 2024, I am excited for what adventures lay ahead. How about you? Did you have any equestrian adventures last year? Let me know in the comments.

Tails & trails,

Reese

If you’re like me, then you probably have looked out into your horse pasture, pleased to see your grazing equines, your gaze only to be met by the body of blue in your field. You give it a questioning look and wonder,“Is it okay for my horses to be around that stagnant body of water?” 

I have had the same doubts and questions about horses & ponds for a long time. I mean, don’t horses in the wild drink from ponds? So it must be safe for my horse too? Well buckle up, cause this post is about to explore if horses and ponds really do mix!

Chestnut walking through a shallow pond!

Pond water as drinking water? 

Most often the reason we put our horses near a pond is for a constant water source. But should horses really drink pond water? According to Horse Canada Magazine, horses can generally tell when a water source isn’t safe to drink. But because of runoff and the fact that ponds are stagnant water sources, if a pond is your horse’s sole water source it might be a good idea to routinely test the water. Equisearch also brings up the fact that a “pond will be the watering site for more than just your horses.” From other horses to wildlife, your horse probably isn’t the only animal drinking from the pond. *My dogs enjoy drinking and swimming in our pond, as do the occasional geese that fly in!* These animals not only leave behind their droppings and urine, but can carry a range of  diseases into the pond. Certain types of algae and algae blooms can also be toxic to horses. These issues would not be as big of a deal in streams and flowing water, but can be a problem in the motionless water of the pond. Blue- green algae or toxic algae blooms disguised as pretty flowers can be dangerous for the horse to ingest and can result in sudden death. When considering if horses should have pond access, we should also consider the environment. 

Preserving the Pond Environment 

Ponds add visual beauty to the landscape and, when filled with fish, can add some fun to a peaceful day. So it’s important that when considering whether to place your horse in a pond field, that you ask if that would be best for the environment of the pond? Consistent traffic in and out of the pond can erode pond banks and track manure and dirt into the pond. Horse manure is a great fertilizer, but does its job too great for ponds. It creates excess nutrients that feed plant and algae growth. Other aquatic plants can be added to the pond to help use up the extra nutrients, however; according to the Michigan State University website, that “if the pond is being fertilized constantly from the horses, these measures will not help.” In other words, excess algae is what comes with allowing horses to enter the pond; a pond should either be managed as a drinking hole or a pond for pleasure, combining both will not work out. 

Three of my horses enjoying their temporary stay in our pond field.

So My Horses Shouldn’t Have Access to a Pond? 

Not necessarily, but precautions should be taken when allowing your horse to drink from a stagnant pool of water. Frequent water testing or a runoff into a watering tank can be used as an alternative. Overall, it is better to not give your horse long term pond access. The pond should be fenced off, preventing contamination, erosion, and  excess algae growth. *Due to some referencing taken place on the farm, four of my horses are enjoying a short stay in a field with pond access. My horses have been allowed pond excess before and no problems have arisen. When I do keep my horses in a pond field, it’s normally a relatively short stay.*

Do your horses have pond excess? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

Tails & Trails, 

Reese

Shopping for horse tack (or anything really) can be a super fun occasion to look forward to, but it can also be a loathsome and time consuming experience. I always get excited about purchasing new horse related products! Nevertheless finding good quality products and brands can be a challenge. Which is why I’m so excited to share this review of one of the most recent products I’ve purchased for my equines! 

I found out about Hot Headstalls, a small business since 2016, on Instagram. I instantly wanted to purchase their tack! The colors were so vivid, the patterns so fun, and the tack looked very user friendly and versatile! So when a big sale came along, I made sure to support this small business by ordering a headstall and a matching cinch strap set. For purchasing I also received a free saddle pouch! I love supporting fellow equestrians and small business owners, however; one downside I see to buying from small businesses is having to pay the shipping at checkout, maybe my Amazon prime spoils me a little too much! Yet this doesn’t seem too big an issue in light of the wonderful products I received from Hot Headstalls! 

My order arrived quickly, neatly packed, and marked with a Hot Headstalls informational card. The products arrived in tip-top shape. They truly were as vivid and fun looking as the pictures on Instagram made them out to be! When a nice day finally rolled around in the Ozarks, my little sister & I decided to give the new tack a try! 

Fastening the cinch straps and headstall to Phoenix’s saddle & bit was fairly easy and problem-less. It resulted in one chipped nail and a beautifully decked out horse! The blue color goes great with Phoenix as I hope it would! The straps were versatile and very well made. The buckles on the head stall were also very sturdy! 

I fastened the serape saddle pouch to the saddle and was delighted by how well thought out the little pouch was!!! It didn’t bounce at all as I trotted about and the pocket was plenty big enough for my large phone! It was very accessible being attached to the saddle horn. Overall I was very pleased with everything I received from Hot Headstalls and would definitely order again! 

If you’re looking for new & affordable horse tack, be sure to stop by hotheadstalls.com and check out all the numerous colors and patterns available. Hot Headstalls also makes halters, breast collars, bell boots, tail bags, and many more products! Basic colors as well as tons of fun patterns, including sunflower, cactus, cheetah, cowhide, galaxy, and many more, are available and can even be combined or custom ordered! 

• My little sister Quinn riding Phoenix with his new tack!

*I am loving being apart of this equestrian community! I would love to hear about any horsey brands you’ve come across recently or any trusted products you couldn’t live without!*

Tails & trails,

Reese

Being only the second month of the new year, your New Years Resolutions are probably still fresh in your mind. When committing to these goals, did you give a time frame of completion? Goals are often accompanied with a completion date in mind; losing 10 pounds in five weeks or not eating sugar for a month. Before I began training the Haflingers, I too had set a “completion date.” I had laid out my training schedule with little wiggle room, wanting them to be fully trained by a certain date.

That date has passed and my pretty equines still haven’t pulled a carriage! Many people interpret this as failure or accuse me of not having worked hard enough. But a real horse person knows that when it comes to horses, nothing ever truly goes as planned! While some might condemn my “inability” to have had my horses trained already, I view it as a good thing. For in teaching these horses, I have let them teach me. And my ponies just aren’t ready to pull the carriage yet. They get closer with every training session. And I realize now that the schedule I had first created was for the training of one horse not two! 

Proof that horses have personality! ?

Despite the obvious, when you train a team of horses to drive, you’re training two horses. Obvious right! Easy right! Not exactly. I am a newbie horse trainer, but I have done enough to know that training one horse is, well, easier than training two. Here’s why, I am not just training two horses individually, where each horse can progress at their own pace and be at different skill levels. I am training a team of horses, two horses. Who have to work together, move together, turn together. Not only go the same pace, but be on the same level. And this is where it can get challenging. Horses are individuals. They learn at different paces, and have their own likes and dislikes. In training my team of Haflingers, I see this in every session. And it’s why I love my horses, love their own personalities and quirks. But it also presents a challenge when I need two horses on the same level of training moving in sync not only with each other, but with me as their driver. Team driving is teamwork. While one horse can pull a carriage, one horse can’t pull a carriage meant to be pulled by two.

Team driving is not impossible; it just takes a lot of work and practice. Which is why I have been working with Rosemary & Jasmine on ground driving for a long time now. Before hitching them to the carriage, they need to be able to flawlessly ground drive. While ground driving them, I am behind them and give them the same cues I would if I was driving them from a carriage. The idea is to get them so accustomed to ground driving that when they finally do pull the carriage they won’t abandon their training in fear. For horses noises, like those of carriage wheels behind them, can be quite scary. I try to constantly be introducing Rosemary & Jasmine to new sights and sounds, but I want them to have a firm foundation in their training so that when scary situations do arise, my Haflingers will trust and respond to their training. 

My little sister & helper, Quinn, holding the driving lines while I get a quick pic of the jockey stick in use!

One of the “tools” I am using to encourage Rosemary & Jasmine to move in sync is the jockey stick. Made custom by a fellow horse enthusiastic, this wooden “tube” with clips on each end helps keep the horses apart and in line. One horse can not go too far in front of the other nor can one drag too far behind. For now, their training takes place in the round pen. This small circular space keeps the horses contained and helps guide their turns. My little sister Quinn helps me train these girls each week and I am so thankful for her help!

More Horsey Posts: Training the Haflinger’s- Making Progress

In other words, I ditched the prepared schedule and am going one training session at a time, progressing when my horses are ready to, not when my paper calendar tells me too! That’s not to say that I don’t have a time frame or end date in mind, it’s just that I am giving my horses and I the wiggle room necessary to be the best trained driving team we can be!

Tails & Trails,

Reese