I have many older horses in the barn, all in the late twenties, and the most amazing one is “Do It Exact” (Zack). He is 25 years old this year and he still wants to work and play.

When I first met Zack, he was 4 years old and he was working at the race track. Though he showed great talent as a race horse, he would spook at the grandstands and dump the rider. I loved him from the moment I saw him move – and thought he would be great for a client of mine (Dedi). So, I loaded him in the trailer and took him to the vet.

During the vet check, the vet said that Zack was the “soundest” horse he had looked at in weeks. I was very happy and Zack also for he did not have to worrry about those scary grandstands any longer. He was coming home to Crystal Clear Farm.  If you are lucky enough to have a horse like Zack in your life time, consider yourself very blessed. Zack is an incredible athlete.

Zack and Dedi were inseparable through Dedi’s high school and college years…and then came time for Dedi to get busy with marriage and family duties. That’s when Cindi took over the Zack challenge.

Zack and Cindi have a great relationship. They spend many hours together…walking, grazing, grooming, riding and of course competing. Zack has a great life with Cindi and he loves the attention and care she gives him.

Zack and Cindi compete in eventing throughout Nor Cal and have gained quite a healthy reputation as the team to beat. They have been featured in SmartPak ads and their Nutrition Brochure. You can read more about Zack and Cindi on the SmartPak Blog.

You can follow Crystal Clear Farm on Facebook and read more about our hunter jumper barn at Sonoma Hunter Jumper Barn

Equine Athletes > Training - Nutrition - Passion

Zack Loves Eventing

Horses that have less hair generally need a blanket- but watch and make sure that even though the horse has less hair, he/she is not a hot body. Hot bodied horses warm up faster and generally don’t need a heavy blanket; a medium or light blanket will suffice.

Older horses need blankets, as their core heat is reduced with age. I don’t body clip older horses anymore, and if they must be clipped, I always double blanket. Always watch the older horses in the winter, as they are the ones who lose weight quicker and will require more nutritious food in comparison to younger horses.

Blanketing a baby is generally more trouble than its worth. Young horses will play with each others blankets, generally ending in a tear of the blanket, and possible a tangled baby. If babies can have access to an area to run and play they will keep their cores warm pretty easily. If you do blanket a young horse, watch for shoulder rubs; those happen pretty easily with all the playing a young horse will do.

Horses that are in a working program, or horse show through the winter need to be body clipped. Winter coats can cause a working horse many problems. They rarely dry which creates a perfect environment for fungus to grow. Also, hair becomes dried out by constant bathing of a long, dirty winter coat which makes horses itch.

Pasture horses do not need to be clipped, as this hair helps to keep them warm. Be sure to watch for rain rot or any other fungus that can occur in a constantly wet environment.

When I evaluate a sale horse for a client that is looking to buy, there are several things I key on.  I ask myself, “is this horse suitable for my clients needs”. The clients riding ability and goals must be taken into consideration. It has to be a good fit in order for a the horse / rider partnership to take place. If it looks like a good fit, then I look at the quality of gaits. Do I see a good walk?,  a good trot?,  a good canter? The horses jumping ability is very important, of course, but the quality of gait will contribute.  If the horse does not have good gaits, he is apt to not jump well and not be a suitable mount for my client.

So which gait is most important? My horse training experience tells me that it’s the canter, for the horse uses this gait to jump. Everybody loves a nice trot but the canter must be the most balanced for a good jump to occur. The canter is the one gait that changes the least with riding and training. When looking at a horse for sale, its always good to key in on the canter and remember the saying, “you get what you see”. This is so true and a good rule to abide by when evaluating a sale horse.

When you turn your horse out, watch which gait your horse naturally goes into. Its not the trot, they choose to canter. The trot is man made and can change with training. Good training can make a good trot, but the canter is the best indicator of the horses jumping ability.

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