March 2004 E-Newsletter

www.bobjeffreys.com

“We don’t break horses, we teach horses and riders to make breakthroughs!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bob’s World

I’d like to congratulate our drill team members for an excellent performance and for letting me join in on the last day. Thanks to Karen and Charlie Kolster for inviting all of us to their home afterwards for lunch. It was a great time. We’ll all be returning to Jeffcrest Ranch on April 1st, but we had a ball over at Redgate Farm this winter; thanks to Joann and Roger for all their help.

Spring is on the way and we’re booking horses for training, so if you are interested in having your horse come in, please call as soon as you can.

We’re introducing a new round pen designed for me with some very special features. We’ll have them available for sale by the middle of April. We’ve also redesigned our trail bridle setup and introduced the “Partnership Bridle” assembly as well. You can check them out at our new mini tack shop located in the office at the ranch. They will be put on our website in the very near future as well.

I can’t wait to see all of you again as warmth and sunshine returns to our little corner of the world.

Training Tip of the Month

Does your horse bump you with his head while you’re leading him, or walk into you when you stop, or just stands too close to you (invading your space)? If the answer to any of the above is “yes”, then try this. When you stop walking and he doesn’t, twirl the end of your lead rope in a circular motion increasing both the speed and intensity of the twirling until he steps back away from you. If you do this consistently, your horse will learn to stand or step back when you stop.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some thoughts from Suz

As I write I’m surrounded by horse lovers, clinicians, bright lights, vendors and lots of colorful exhibitors at the 1st annual Equine Event East in Chantilly, Virginia. Bob and I are here with 3 of our horses – Blackjac (Bob’s new quarter horse, aka Marshmellow nose), Lukka (my flashy Icelandic mare with a sense of humor), and a black Quarter Horse named Ace, who is the newest member of our horsey family. We’ll be presenting demos and lectures throughout this 3 day event and having a great time! Many of you enjoy attending expos to immerse yourselves in an exciting shopping and learning experience for horse lovers. It’s just as much fun behind the scenes from the time people and horses arrive, busily setting up stalls, booths and displays, to when the crowds arrive with their enthusiasm and energy, to the time spent with other clinicians, each helping the other by sharing experiences, lending horses to each other for demos, and more. I feel proud and honored to be a part of this profession!

What’s next? Bob and I will then go up to Columbus Ohio to present at Equine Affaire. We’re looking forward to seeing many of you there! Be sure to stop by our booth, C200 in the Celeste Center, and to check us out at these demonstrations!

Thursday 2:00-3:00 – Bricker Annex Demo Ring

Suzanne Sheppard “Dynamic Balance”; Tai Chi for Horsepeople.

Friday 1:00-2:00 – Cooper Arena

Susan Harris & Peggy Brown: Centered Riding® Part 1 – How the Rider’s mind affects the body and how both interact with the horse. Suzanne & Lukka represent gaited horses and riders.

Friday 5:30-6:00 – Rod’s Covered Paddock

Bob Jeffrey’s presents: Know No Boundaries- an Introduction to the Sport of Trail Riding with Suzanne, Blackjac, Lukka and Ace!

Page 2 – Bob Jeffreys March e-newsletter

Saturday 2:30-4:00 – Cooper Arena

Susan Harris & Peggy Brown – Centered Riding®-Part II: Working in Balance and Harmony with your horse. Suzanne and Lukka will again represent gaited teams.

Sunday 3:00-3:30 – Voinovich Arena

Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard: Overcoming Your Anxiety – exercises to build confidence in the novice or fearful rider.

Riding Tip of the Month

If you sometimes feel unstable in the saddle, you may be squeezing with your knees to stay on. Try to relax and lengthen your legs, draping them around your horse gently. When you loosen up like this, and “anchor” your tailbone, you’ll sit much deeper in the saddle, increasing your security and your comfort.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Debra Gray of Accord, NY. Her name was drawn by our sponsors, Nutrena Feed and Dominick & Michele Zigrossi of Heritage Feed & Supply, out of a pool of over 2,000 entries to win a ton of free feed! If you’d like to enter the 2004 feed drawing, you can sign up at our clinics or visit us at our booth at Equine Affaire Ohio. Congratulations Debra!

Shower Your Horse This Spring With Quality Partnership Time!

The Extended Foundation Clinic – Red Gate Farm – Bloomingburg, NY – April 3-6th

Ground Manners Clinic – Breezy Meadows Equestrian Facility – Saco, Maine – April 16-18th

Foundation Clinic – Level 1 – Halle Family Farm – Clarksburg, Maryland – April 23-25th

Foundation Clinic – Level 1 – Hunter Lane Stables – Richmond, Virginia – April 26-28th

Foundation Clinic – Level 1 – Dancing Dreams Farm – Rensselaerville, New York – May 14-16th

Or Try Our Partnership Spectacular-The Horsemanship Breakthrough Week- June 14-18th

A fun-filled, informative adult get-away focusing on horsemanship skills, ground manners, and Centered Riding®. Enjoy trail rides, group lessons, drill teams, private training consultations, and then relax with wine-tasting, a poolside barbeque, dinner & jazz…..

Treat yourself and your horse to this memory making experience! You won’t regret it!

Seeking a Better Understanding? Bob Jeffreys Trainer Education Program

This course is an intensive six-week cross-disciplinary program designed to benefit those who wish to train professionally or to profoundly deepen their equine knowledge, understanding and skills.

Pennsylvania – May 24-28th & May 31-June 4th – Level 1

or

New York – July 12-16 & July 19-23 – Level 1

New York – August 16-20 & August 23-27 – Level 2

New York – October 11-15 & October 18-22 – Level 3

Looking for more?....Select something from our schedule that’s attached or go to www.bobjeffreys.com!

**This e-newsletter is sent to subscribers only.

If you are receiving this in error, please reply and write “unsubscribe” in the subject line.

Thank you and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Page 3 – Bob Jeffreys March e-newsletter

Be Your Horse’s Advocate

By Bob Jeffreys

Most of you taking the time to read this article love horses. We would also like to think that people who own horses will take care of them in the best way they can.

We try to feed the best grain and/or hay depending on his requirements, work load, condition, etc. We keep his feet shod or trimmed regularly, and make sure his medical shots and vaccinations are up to date. We provide a barn stall or run in shelter for him in case of inclement weather, and try to give him enough time outside of our working, training or showing to be with other horses and just, well, horse around. Job’s done! Right? Well, maybe not completely.

Let’s say you board your horse at a facility other than your own. Are you sure your horse is getting his correct food rations and fed at least twice daily? Do you know if he’s turned out regularly? Is his stall, shed, or pasture mucked out at acceptable intervals? Even if you’re sure that your horse’s worming is up to date (because you do it yourself), are the other boarders horses being wormed regularly? You have the right to get answers to these questions.

What about your farrier? Is he or she nice to your horse while working with them, or are they abrupt, demanding or even punishing? Does he or she just drop the foot to the ground or do they place it back gently? If you have a younger horse, will your farrier try to work more slowly and more underneath the horse to help build confidence, or do they insist on holding that foot way out to the side to make it easier for themselves, but much more uncomfortable for your horse? Once again, you can ask for this type of consideration and most farriers or blacksmiths will accommodate you. If they don’t, find someone else.

I must advise here that it is your responsibility to train your horse to stand quietly for the farrier and to pick up his feet when asked. This is not the farrier’s job! The same principle applies to horses and vets. If the vet needs to treat a cut or a wound and starts to twitch your horse, you can ask him not to do so if you have trained your horse not to rear, kick or otherwise hurt him. Again, this is not the responsibility of the vet to teach your horse and he (the vet) has a right to stay safe when helping your horse.

The area of most concern for me is people who would otherwise treat their horses with the utmost love and kindness become frightened observers when a so called “horse trainer” treats their horse poorly in the name of training. I’m not saying that everything involved in horse training should be hugs and kisses. If a horse bites or kicks maliciously, or bucks or rears, they must be made to understand that these are undesirable behaviors. What I am talking about is the horse that is just about run to death in a round pen, or slapped silly because he won’t stand still for mounting, or who has his ear bent back and pinched to get the bit in his mouth, etc. When you see a “trainer” using any method that you don’t like or don’t understand, ask them why they are doing whatever it is they’re doing. If they won’t answer you or give you some cockamamie answer like “Because that’s the way it’s done!” or “Because I said so!”, then in effect they’re telling you that they have no idea why they’re doing it. You can expect a meaningful explanation of why and how a specific training technique is going to change a certain unwanted behavior.

You would certainly expect no less an explanation from your son’s or daughter’s teacher at school.

Remember - your horse can’t talk to you and tell you what’s happening in his life. You have a right and also an obligation to be his advocate, his partner and his best friend.

Page 4 – Bob Jeffreys March e-newsletter

A Note from our Sponsor – Nutrena

Remember……

Feed by weight not by volume

How much do you feed your horse? If your answer to this is by the scoop or coffee can continue reading below.

Horses will eat about 2% of their bodyweight per day on a dry matter basis. This will include hay, pasture and grain. So, if you have a 1000 lb horse that horse will eat about 20 pounds in a day on a dry matter basis. Remember coffee does not weigh the same amount as horse feed so a 1 lb coffee can does not hold 1 lb feed. Not all feeds weigh the same either. A scoop of pellets will weigh much more than the same size scoop of sweet feed. As well, not all pellets and sweet feeds weigh the same.

Knowing the weight of your horses ration can be helpful in many different situations. If you need to change feed for any reason knowing the weight can help you transfer a feeding program properly. If you switch feeds by volume you may actually end up feeding less or more than before resulting in underfeeding or overfeeding. If switching to a feed with a higher fat percentage to maintain your horses body condition more easily it is true that at some point you may be able to feed less grain (by weight). To avoid any unwanted changes in body condition consider feeding the same amount of new feed (by weight) as the old feed and then after a few weeks to a month you can adjust accordingly based on the changes in your horses body condition.

It is perfectly reasonable to feed with whatever container suits your needs. Coffee cans do work well. You are encouraged, however, to know how much a full container of each feed you use weighs. If you don’t have a kitchen scale consider bringing your feed to the supermarket and using the vegetable scale there.

If you have any questions about nutrition or Nutrena feeds

please visit our website at www.nutrenaworld.com or call 1866-265-4498

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard Partnership Training for Horse & Rider

March 25-28 – Bob and Suzanne @ Equine Affaire – Columbus, OH

April 3-6, –Extended Foundation Clinic – Bloomingburg, NY

April 16-18 –Ground Manners Clinic and Friday Night Show – Saco ME

April 23-25 –Foundation Clinic – Level 1 – Clarksburg, Maryland

April 26-28 –Foundation Clinic – Level 1 – Chesterfield, VA

May 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 – Bob and Suzanne host Susan Harris

for a Open Centered Riding® Clinic and a Centered Jumping® Clinic- Bloomingburg, NY

May 14-16, 2004 –Foundation Clinic – Level 1 - Rensselaerville, NY

May 24-28 & May 31-June 4 – Bob Jeffreys Midwest Trainer Education Program – Level 1 - Cambridge Springs, PA

May 29 & 30 –The Kids Clinic – Cambridge Springs, PA

June 11, 12 & 13 –Foundation Clinic – Level 1 – Guilford, VT

June 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18 – Horsemanship Breakthrough Week – Middletown, NY

Page 5 – Bob Jeffreys March e-newsletter

June 25, 26 & 27 – Tai Chi for Horsepeople with Suzanne Sheppard – Guilford, VT

July 12-16 & July 19-23 – Bob Jeffreys Trainer Education Program – Level 1-Jeffcrest Ranch, Middletown, NY

July 17 & 18 –Foundation Clinic – Level 1 – Bloomingburg, NY

July 30, 31 & Aug. 1 – The Gaited Horse Clinic – Delhi, NY with Bob, Suzanne & Gudmar Petursson

August 14 & 15 –Kids Clinic – Bloomingburg, NY

August 16-20 & August 23-27 – Bob Jeffreys Trainer Education Program – Level 2 – Jeffcrest Ranch, Middletown, NY

August 21 & 22 –Foundation Clinic – Level 2 – Bloomingburg, NY

October 11-15 & October 18-22 – Bob Jeffreys Trainer Education Program – Level 3 – Jeffcrest Ranch, Middletown, NY

October 16 & 17 –Advanced Clinic – Bloomingburg, NY

To schedule a clinic at your facility, please inquire about available dates!

www.bobjeffreys.com (845) 692-7478 bob@bobjeffreys.com

.