When at the NFR do you keep your horses at the Thomas and Mack or do you keep them off the grounds?
I never like to keep my horses in little stalls so I keep them off site.

How do you mentally get ready for the July 4th rush? Cowboy Christmas can log a lot of miles, how do you prepare for that?
When we leave for Reno (third week of June), I plan to be gone until at least the first week of August when we go back to our circuit for Dodge City. I spend several weeks trying to get stuff caught up at the house, and I make a list of stuff to do and things to pack.  There always seems to be more that I can get done before I leave.  Once we get on the road, it’s just business. You take it one day, one run, at a time.

When you are off the road and have a break how much time off do you give your horses, or do you continue to ride daily?
I like to give them a break for a couple of days, but I keep them in shape. They need to have a couple weeks off from competition every so often, with two horses that’s much easier for me to do. I try to keep them fresh, but in top shape.

Of all of the horses you owned is their one you share or shared a special bond with that isn’t like any of the other relationships you have had with your horses?
Twister, my palomino that I rode growing up, and Amigo have very similar personalities. Both of them are/were tough, competitive, and the boss hoss. They each have a piece of my heart, but Goose is growing on me, too. When you spend as much time as we do with our horses on the road, you develop that special bond that you are talking about.

Who helps you up and down the road, lets give a shout out to your sponsors!
My husband, Marty, makes it possible for me to go. He encourages me and helps me with my horses, and my truck and trailer. My son Brodie is my biggest fan and encourager. Thanks to Cowboy Rigs, Total Health Enhancement, EquiPride,  Professionals’ Choice and Rodeo Promotions have supported me through both the good and down times. Each of these companies are made up of wonderful people who have been great to me. I would also like to thank all those lift me up in prayer and cheer me on. The rest of my family shouldn’t be left out either, Mom, Dad, my brothers and their families, and Jean and Leonard Poppino, the best mother- and father-in-law in the world.

Discover your God-given talents, give your dream to God, work hard, trust Him, and never, never give up.

OTRR would like to give  HUGE THANK YOU to Tana for being a contributor to our website! Thanks again Tana and Good luck On The Rodeo Road!

Be sure and check back for Rodeo Updates from Tana Poppino!

Be sure and check out Part One and Two

Tana what rodeo experience means the most to you?
There are many wonderful memories, but winning Calgary stands out. Outrunning three world and Canadian champions in front of thousands of fans was like a dream. When they handed me the $100K check, it was almost surreal, but the cheers of the crowd were real! On the inside, I heard a still, small voice say, “I can bless you more exceedingly abundantly more than you can imagine.”  Wow, what a day!

When you first arrive at a rodeo and unload your horses what is the first thing you do mentally to prepare?
I go check out the arena and the barrel pattern.

What product is a must have when hauling your horses? Do you use magnetic blankets, poultice, soft ride boots? What is your go to product when loading your horses?
I use whatever necessary to keep my guys feeling good—magnetic blankets, boots, ice machine, soft-ride boots for concrete, Doc Antle’s rub concoction, electro-magnetic blanket, etc. Amigo and Goose get EquiPride every day to make sure they get the nutrition they need. I don’t leave home without my NutraWound, cause you never know when you might need it.  My trailer has an air ride system on it from Cowboy Rigs, I think that’s a big part of the reason Amigo has lasted so long.

Do you have a beginning and end to each season, or does it all just roll together for you? Is there ever a moment where you say “I am not going this year”?
Odessa starts each year, and the NFR should end each year!
I’ve not ever had that thought, but everything depends on how my horses are feeling.

Give us one funny experience that happened at a rodeo that you still laugh about today?
The first time I went to Reno, I found out that we had to go downtown and park in a casino parking lot instead of staying at the rodeo grounds.  At 6 am, there was a knock on my door, and when I cracked it; Jeanne (Anderson) was standing in the parking lot with clothes, tack and feed piled all around her and she had the most apologetic look on her face, when she asked if she could pleeease put her stuff in my trailer.  Behind her in the parking lot, there was a homeless man with all his stuff piled around him, too. It struck me so funny that I just shut the door and started laughing. Mom asked me who it was, and I said it was just a homeless person.  Her ride had just dumped her out and left her.  We still laugh about it. That’s how our partnership started.

Do you still get nervous before each rodeo? What is your routine before you run down the alley?
Nerves or adrenaline, whatever you call it, yeah. That’s the thrill of competing—putting all your hard work on the line and letting it all hang out.

My warmup routine differs with each horse. Right before the barrel race though I do follow the same routine: I get off, clean their feet, check their Professional’s Choice boots, check the bridle/tie-down, tighten my saddle, put my rubber bands on, then I try to take a deep breath, relax, think through my run one more time, then I relax and keep my horse relaxed. When the girl in front of my goes, I start making my way to the alley, so I’m ready when called.

Some girls perfer to haul with hauling partners and some perfer to haul alone? Which do you like? If you prefer to haul wtih partners, who do you enjoy hauling with?
Economics dictate hauling with someone. Jeanne Anderson and I have traveled together for several years, much longer than any of the team roping teams have roped together! Brenda Mays (and Brandie Halls) usually joins us for a couple of weeks in the summer. My mom goes with me when I have to travel by myself, usually in the spring and fall when she’s off work. She says that she is a professional passenger, but, of course, she is so much more to me!

What is one of the most frustrating aspects of rodeo?
1. Keeping your horse healthy and sound. 2. Keeping your truck and trailer sound and running down the road.

Biggest highlights so far this year?
Winning Guymon on Amigo.  In 2008, we did surgery to take a chip out of his ankle (that had been there a while), and because of the damage, they didn’t give me a very bright prognosis.  He is healthier now and feels better at 15 than he ever has; and topping the field of 160+ racers at Guymon confirmed that. (Last year I broke my ankle so he didn’t really have a chance to show what he could do.)

How do you stay fit out on the road, do you have a workout regimen? Do you try and eat healthy?
I don’t workout, I should. I do try to stretch. We walk so much that I figure that’s good enough. I am trying to eat healthier, and take vitamins. As I get older, I realize how important that really is.

How do you keep your horses conditioned when you are hauling up and down the road? do you have a particular schedule that you live by? Do you try to get in a long trot session every day? What is your routine?
The one thing that is consistent on the road is inconsistency. Some days we run at 7 am, other times in the afternoon, or could be late at night, so I have no set routine. If we aren’t running hard, I try to ride for about an hour including 15 minutes of long trotting and at least 15 minutes of loping.  If we are running every day, I will try to find somewhere to turn my horses out and just let them be horses and graze or whatever they want. My routine includes thorough examination of each horse, and then I work on whatever is sore or just basic maintenance.

What is the scariest thing that has happend to you while our hauling?
Several years ago when my son was young, I thought I lost him at Ft. Smith. He was supposed to meet me at a certain place as soon as the barrel race was over, and he misunderstood and waited somewhere else. I was terrified that the rodeo would end before I found him.

What is ONE safety measure that you recommend all ladies follow when out on the road?
Always be aware of your surroundings, and trust your gut. It’s usually God trying to warn you.

Favorite place to stop and eat when hauling?
Taco Bell for fast food, Applebee’s or Texas Roadhouse for a sit-down meal.

What rodeo do you look forward to all year?
Houston, because “Camp Houston” offers us such a great place to hang out and relax for several days. The Hospitality Committee is awesome. They make us feel at home. We have great Bible studies at night in the Cowboy Bistro tent, and let’s not forget, the great food provided by Ted and Linda Weisse.  It’s kind of the unofficial end of the winter run.

Please stay tuned for more to come from Tana Poppino!

Brooke Lane and A Royal Dash

Brooke Lane was nice enough to talk to OTRR about her experience at a Lynn Mckenzie Barrel Racing Clinic. This is Part II, if you missed Part I please click here.

Was there anything you were nervous or concerned about going in to this clinic?

The main thing that I was concerned about was forgetting something! :)  My main focus was just to learn a lot, and to improve our time.  Also, Lynn brought all kinds of bits to try as well as her saddles if you wanted to try them on your horses.  Lots of people tried her bits, and everyone that I talked to that tried her saddle really liked it.  Since I just bought a new saddle a couple years ago, I didn’t want to be tempted to buy another one

After the clinic was over, what did you go home with? What was the one most significant thing that you learned?

I took a lot of notes during Lynn’s demonstrations, so that I could remember everything in a couple months.  Lynn and Murray are both very down to earth people, and have such positive attitudes.  Lynn’s story is very inspiring because she was a regular school teacher working, and riding horses as a hobby when Magnolia Missile came into her life.  She had a regular job, husband, and family when she started to pursue the NFR, and I think most of us can relate to that.   

The most significant thing that I learned was that straighter is faster, and smoother is faster.  Lynn and Murray have really done their research.  They count strides, and have figured out exactly how much time each extra stride is costing you.  A short stride and a long stride take the same amount of time, but the long stride covers more ground so a long stride is faster.  She said that barrel racing is won in the turn.   

Their approach is different, but it makes sense and it’s been proven.  Lynn and Murray said that their approach is all about trying to make it easier for the horse.  Our horses aren’t made to peel the paint off barrels.  They want to give them room to get around the barrel, and keep the forward momentum going.  I think I will really focus more on positioning my horse, and lining him up for success.  I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I have the foundation to keep working on it.  The McKenzie’s also gave each of us a sheet with the dimensions of the cones and barrels on it so that we can set the teardrop up in our own arena for practice.   

Would you recommend a Lynn Mckenzie Clinic to barrel racers?

I would defiantly recommend a Lynn McKenzie clinic to barrel racers.  Come with an open mind, and you will learn tons.  It will probably be different than what you’ve been taught, but I really believe that it does work.  Both Lynn and Murray are very knowledgeable about horses and barrel racing.  They have such a positive outlook, and really care for horses.    

Okay, on a scale of 1 to 10 and 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, how much fun did you have?????

I had a 10 :)  A weekend of meeting new people, learning, spending time with my horse, and barrel racing…does it get better??

Brooke, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. We wish you the best of luck this summer!!

Brooke Lane and A Royal Dash

One of OTRR’s fans Brooke Lane recently attened a Lynn Mckenzie Barrel Racing Clinic. Brooke agreed to report back to OTRR on what she learned and the experiences she had. …………

Your Name:  Brooke Lane

Your Horses Name:  A Royal Dash

How long you have been barrel racing:  2 years competing

Where do you currently live:  Bucyrus, Ohio (middle of no where )

Event:  Lynn McKenzie Barrel Racing Clinic

Dates: April 23-25th

Location:  Newbury, OH – Blue Lakes Farm

How many Participants:  23

What inspired you to go to a Lynn Mckenzie Clinic?

I was inspired to attend a Lynn Mckenzie clinic because she has a good reputation for being a good barrel racer, and she made the NFR twice.  I saw her speak at the Equine Affair last year about pole bending, and wanted to know more about her techniques in barrel racing.  I also asked opinions on BHW from people who had been to her clinics before, and got only positive feedback. 

Going into the clinic what kind of instruction where you looking for with you horse? Any things specific you wanted to work on? 

Before the clinic, I came up with 3 goals that I wanted to achieve over the weekend. 

1. LEARN. 
2. Improve my time at that arena. (I went to a race there the weekend before to gauge where I was at)
3. Build the confidence to add speed.

And yes, I accomplished all three, even though I’m still working on #3.  I know that the confidence will come with good preparation and experience though.

Was this your first barrel racing clinic?

 This was not my first barrel racing clinic.  I went to an Ed Wright clinic two years ago and a Jackie Jatzlau clinic last year.  Each clinic I’ve been to has taught a different style.  They all teach different hand movements, but they all emphasized forward movement in the turn.  I think it’s interesting to learn each professional’s style, and how they became successful.  I’ve been able to take different pieces from each clinic, and apply them to my own barrel racing.     

What was the “routine” of this clinic? Was it 2 days? Did you watch videos? Briefly walk us through the clinic…

 Yes, the clinic was two days.  I arrived Friday night after a two and a half hour drive.  I settled Dash in, and then we did a meet and greet with Lynn and her husband Murray.  She said that her personal goal was never to make the NFR (even though she did…twice), but that she’s still working to achieve her personal goal.  Her goal is to ride a lot of different horses, and to ride them well.  She really emphasized that good riders will always ride good horses because they make the horses good.

 Saturday morning, we started with a jackpot at 9am.  Murray videotaped our runs.  After our runs, we cooled our horses out, and met back in the arena.  Lynn then gave a demonstration on Good Hands and Body Language on horseback.  After the demonstration, we were split into two groups.  Group 1 went to the video room to watch this mornings runs, and Group 2 got back on their horses, and headed back to the arena. 

A couple years ago, Lynn worked with Tanner Time in which four different sets of timers are set up throughout the arena.  The whole idea is that they time which part of your run you’re losing speed on.  Through this system and their research, they’ve found that the fastest way around the barrel is a teardrop shape.  The pocket should actually be on the backside of the barrel, NOT beside it.  The idea is based behind the fact that straighter is faster, so you want straight lines to the barrels.  She had a series of cones and tires set up around the barrels to make a path for us to go through.  We walked the pattern, and discussed the approach to each barrel.  She also showed us that when you shift your weight to the outside in the turn, you actually give your horse more power.  We then walked and trotted through the pattern around the cones and tires practicing our hand movement, shifting our weight, and setting him up for the next barrel.  Her hand movement is completely different than what I had been taught, so that was really difficult for me to grasp.  You don’t rotate your hand so that the backside of your hand is up, and pull out.  You rotate so that your fingers are up, and then pull back to your belt buckle.  She talked about always keep your hands inside this invisible box around your saddle.

After about two hours in the arena, we put our horses up, and then headed for the video run to watch our runs from this morning.  Murray analyzed the tapes with us.  We watched them all at regular speed, and the backed up and analyzed them in-depth in slow mo.  It was really neat to be able to SEE what you were actually doing.  I was also able to learn from watching everyone else’s run as well.  We then had another demonstration on equipment, and horse care.  She went over a horse in the clinic, and pointed out to us what she looks for to see if the horse is hurting or sore.  After the demonstrations, we saddled up for a $2 jackpot.  Most of the runs were actually worse than the morning jackpot. 

 Sunday morning began with cowboy church.  This was optional, and only about 15 of us actually came to it.  Most of the time was spent with Lynn telling us her story.  She has a very inspirational story, and one that most people can relate to.  I thought it was worthwhile.

 After church, my group went to the video room to watch our runs from last night’s jackpot.  After analyzing them all, Murray asked if there was anyone in the room that was happy with last night’s run.  None of us raised our hands.  He said that usually if you have a bad run Saturday night, you do much better Sunday night. 

 We then headed to the arena, where we worked on loping through the pattern through the cones and tires.  We first started by loping through one at a time a couple times, and then each person got to lope through three times in a row without stopping.  She also said in the beginning of the clinic that if you felt your horse needed a break from the pattern because he was getting too hot, then to feel free to take one.  After pattern work, Lynn gave one more demonstration on The Mental Game, and How To Play.  We all then saddled back up for a final jackpot with $5 entry fee.  I dropped .2 sec off my original time, and know that I have room to improve.  After the runs, we all met back up for some final thoughts before leaving. ………………………

Stay tuned! More from Brooke tomorrow!!!!!

The winner of the T.H.E Calming Cookies is…………Amy Wahl!!! Thanks so much for everybody’s comments! We will do another giveaway soon!

Dodge National Circuit Finals News: Tammy Bruso Brings DCNFR Back to Southeastern Circuit after 17 years!

(photo credit)

Pocatello, Idaho-It may well go down as one of the most exciting WPRA barrel races in Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo history. With one arena record already in the books posted by Wilderness Circuit Champion Sue Smith on opening night, the barrel racers heated things up even more on Saturday night.

With the DNCFR Championship on the line, Tammy Bruso and her 10-year old mare, Sweet Red Bug, proved that consistency wins titles.

Bruso, the Southeastern Circuit champion, had a relatively quiet DNCFR until the final run. She posted runs of 14.96 seconds and 14.97 in the first two rounds. In any normal year, these times would have been winning rounds but in the torrid conditions of 2010, Bruso collected a split of fourth and fifth in the second go and fourth in the average.

With all times erased for Saturday night, eight ladies took their shot at being one of the four who would come back to run for the championship. With nothing to lose, the times were again in record territory….(read more)

What is one thing you continue to say to horse owners, one thing that you wish you could get them to understand?

That the little things like stretching your horse on a regular basis can make the difference to how your horse performs. It may take time for you to do but it helps the horse to be his best. In the end, you will benefit. My practices do not eliminate the needs for vets but I believe it will help both you and the horse to perform at your best

Do you do clinics?

I have done some. But I find that at clinics I miss the one on one interaction. I like the people to understand what we are trying to do. I find that is easier to accomplish when it is not so formal. however, that is not to say I will not do more, I just need to keep the class small.

How do you feel about magnetic blankets?

I am big believer in magnetic therapy. I have some great PULSATING equipment that makes my work so much easier.

Do you feel that some magnetic blankets stand apart from others or that they are all pretty much the same?

 There is a lot of different types of magnetic blankets. I use PULSATING magnetic blankets & equipment. The blankets I use get a deeper penetration in the muscles and help so much quicker. However, there are also static magnetic blankets. These are the ones that most people see at shows. They have the little dots all over them. Like everything else we encounter, there are different trains of thought about what is good and bad. Everyone has their own specific opinion. That does not make either me or that other person more right or more wrong. It is just what I have seen to work for me. What I may believe works, others may not. And the same visa versa. But what I do know is that I believe in everything I use without question.

Do you feel that horse owners over supplement or medicate (joint supplements and injections) their horses?

 I see it so much. People get in fads. Someone says they need to feed this or that, so they do so. I believe you need to help your horse. And just because some ONE else’s horse needs it, does not mean YOUR’S does.

What do you feel is most important in a feeding program?

 I think we have gotten away from the basics of feed. Keep it natural and you will help the horse be a horse.

In the years that you have been in the equine industry, what is one thing that you have seen that has changed in the industry for the bad? And for the good?

I think we have gotten away from basic horsemanship. The simple things that have done for years. Just because its new, does not mean it’s the best for the horse. Perhaps, it’s just gotten too industrialized. I am not sure the quality of the equipment is quite what it used to be. And, there are a few too many invented quick fixes out there. But towards the good. The industry has really grown. The Industry has caught the public eye and more interest has been generated. 

Okay, last question. Where can people get in touch with you if they would like to talk to you about working on their horses?

 Thank you for allowing me to inform people of some of the things I believe in. Anyone wanting to talk to me about the horses can get hold of me on my personal cell… (360) 420- 7614. Or they can call my wife (618) 660-7266. She handles the store and website. You can also pose any questions you have through our website… www.BrandenburgEquineTherapy.com Again..thank you, Troy.

OTRR would like to thank Troy for taking the time to do this interview!!! Thanks so much Troy!! Click the logo below to see Troy’s website and learn more about the products he stands behind and his techniques:

I understand that you are not only a positive influence on the horse but on the rider as well, tell us how you help the rider state of mind positive at a competition?

Positive thinking is a MUST for competing. If you think your horse is going to do something wrong, most times he will. You must believe that you can ride and your horse will perform to best of his ability. It’s not about winning all the time, It’s doing the best that YOU can. There is always some positive in everything you do. You can take that concept and build on it.

 What is the most challenging part of your job?

Dealing with the people. I have found people tend to want the quick fix . They don’t want to or have the time to do the little things to help the horse. Moreover, I find the constant traveling can wear on me. At one time, it was nothing for me to do 3 states a week. I am slowing down a little. But I am lucky. I love my job. And at the end of the day, I would not change a thing. It is all worth it.

Tell us a little bit about Muscle Manipulation?

Muscle manipulation is a phrase I coined to describe how I work on a horse. I would like to think that my work has evolved since I first started but I know I still have long way to go. I believe that a lot of problems start with the stomach. Horses tend to internalize everything. How many times have you known your horse is sore and yet he still performs? This causes stress. I use a form of reike to release the stomach then I use the acupressure points to release the muscles. Then I use pulsating magnetic therapy to get a further release of the muscles and to stimulate more blood flow. After this, I use a range of stretches that I also teach to the client so that he/she can continue the process of keeping the horse performing better.

What is one reoccurring problem that you continue to see in your business? Are the horses not in good enough shape? Not flexible enough? Etc.

I work on a lot of different horses. Again I think we tend to be in too much of a hurry. Simple stretches make HUGE difference to the horse. I don’t think we understand how important the warm up and COOL down are. Professional Athletes stretch both before and after a competition. A Horse is a professional athlete and this step should not be skipped. The other thing I see is there tends to be a lot of issues with proper shoeing. Here again, we are all in too much of a hurry. Your farrier should not be in a rush when he is shoeing your horse. If your horse is not shod right, sooner or later you will have muscle problems.

When working on horses that compete in different events, what different problems do you see? For Example what problems do you see in a barrel horse and how do they differ in a team roping horse?

A Barrel horse tends to have a shoulder problem that correlates to which barrel they run as first i.e. right shoulder if they run to the right and left shoulder if they run to the left. They run so hard and fast to first & then they have to turn. I don’t think they hit that degree of exertion again until they head towards home.

 Heading horses will get sore behind their left shoulder and over their right hip. They lead away with their left shoulder. The Shoulder will take the weight of the steer while the rope will be sitting across the right hip bearing some of weight and movement of the cow.

 Healing horses will be sore over their loins and withers. They have to stop very hard and hold the steer. As this happens there will be a lot of force where the rope is dallied to the front of saddle causing pressure on withers.

 Bulldoggers will be right side. This easy to think about, when the guys are getting down for the steer they will have a lot of weight on the side of the saddle.

Stay tuned…….more to come with Troy! In the meantime, click his logo to visit his website.

Troy Brandenburg

Thank you so much for sitting down with OTRR and taking the time to answer some questions, first tell us a little bit about you. Where are you from?

 I grew up in Queensland Australia. My family worked on the land. My dad was also a horseman. He was both a trainer & a jockey as well as all-round hand at rodeos. I started riding race horses when I was 14. I was a champion jockey by the time I was 16. I rode over a 1000 winners during my career. The Constraints of the life style were taking their toll so I went rodeoing, which lead me to where I am today.

Please tell us how you got in to equine body work? How did you get started?

 Even though I was able to win a rookie team roping title, I found that I needed to get a job. I was rodeoing when I saw a man do some muscle work on a horse. I thought that was very interesting and liked the difference I saw in the horse after the session. There is a lot of chiropractic work in Australia but this was first time I had seen some one work on muscles. I thought it might be a good way to help my horse and pay some entry fees at the rodeos. So, I took some classes . I found this to be everything I wanted to do. I was watching anyone who worked on a horse and read a lot of books. I don’t know how many horses I did for free just to work out what I could do to help the horse. I was very lucky to be able to travel to the USA and Europe both watching & learning how people work on horses. This became my life – Do what I can to help the horse to do its best for us. I found that sometimes we miss the simple things with horses. When that happens BIGGER problems evolve. You have to find out the cause of the problem. If you DONT, the problem will come back. Some times that is not easy; but with a little COMMON SENSE, it’s amazing what we can find.

Please tell our fans about your work and about Brandenburg Equine Therapy

Brandenburg equine therapy is everything I believe in. I know that this sounds redundant but it is what I believe. I found that sometimes we miss the simple things with horses. When that happens BIGGER problems evolve. You have to find out the cause of the problem. If you DONT, the problem will come back. Some times that not easy but with a little COMMON SENSE it’s amazing what we can find. It’s about doing what I can to help the horse, to educate the owner about some of the little things that they can do to keep their horse competing, & most importantly keeping the horse healthy for a longer time. Any horse that we compete on will get sore. If they don’t, they are not trying. But horses will keep trying until the day they blow up . But if we would just use a little common horse sense, more than likely we could see the problems as they start to happen.

BRANDENBURG EQUINE Therapy is made up in two parts. The first part is the work I do on the horses .

 The second part is a range of products that I believe in. I have sales & rentals of therapeutic equipment, soft ride boots, and a herb store that will be on my web site in the next week. It is about helping you help your horse. From years of trial and error, I have found that the most expensive does not equate to the best. This assortment of products that I have come up with, I have seen work. We are always available. Our phone is always on. If you have any questions, just call. We are open minded and even if it is not something we are currently carrying, we are willing to hear your thoughts & questions. We want to continue to learn and there is not a better way for us to do so, than to have you continually push us. After all, it is about what is best for your horse.

I read in the December 2007 issue of Barrel Horse News that you said a horse will give you a sign when something is “off” or not right. What signs can an owner/rider look for?

 Keep it SIMPLE. Listen to you horse. Pay attention to the way he looks, eats, & moves. Look at the most obvious things. It is not always the big disasters we make them out to be. If you are saddling the horse and they lay their ears back..moving around, this is a sign. More times than not, I find its simply a dirty saddle pad that causes the back to get sore. I am not a big fan of some of the new saddle pads. Likewise, I feel the same about the cinch. I am not a fan of neoprene. I believe that the ole simple wool felt pad with a Navajo blanket is the way to go. Watch the way your horse walks. Your horses muscles & stride should be uniform on both sides. If your horse has a sudden change in his behavior then something must be going on.

Stay tuned………………much more to come with Troy. In the meantime click on his logo and visit his website!