| Hot Horses |
May 27, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
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A couple weeks ago a friend called and told me I should come down to Riverside in Southern California for some "really hot horses." Larry isn't really a horseperson -- he's a bike guy -- but he knows what a good horse looks like and has turned me on to a couple really good prospects! Anyway, decided to take a trip down and see what he thought a "really hot horse" looked like!
Larry is CHIEF Larry Fidler. He's a fireman. Chief of the Speedway Volunteer Fire Department (which should have given me a hint right there). He and his crew are trained firemen working motor sporting events. They put out the fires. Save people in accidents and do the tasks of getting people out of dangerous places while most of us stand and watch. They are strictly volunteers who foot all the bills to put fuel in their trucks, buy equipment, run training sessions, wax and polish equipment while holding down 40-hour a week paying jobs. For their firemen services they don't get paid except through donations and a few hire-ons at racetracks for demolition derbys, drag and circle track races.
Larry's ideas of "hot horses" turned out to have four wheels instead of hooves! But I know the 4-wheel high octane, flame snorting steeds some guys drove up and down Riverside's Main Street during the Annual Show & Go cost as much or more than my 4-legged, hooves on the ground type steed because some of them told me how much money they have in their steel steeds. Just let me say that I'll probably never again complain about the price of a bale of hay compared to a gallon of their fuel which has to be 'specially' purchased.
All of us feel passionate about our horses and what we do. But every once in awhile we should break out of our mold, wander into some other world and find out how passionate other folks are about their 'steeds.' Even though these folks have wheels on the ground, they still speak of their cars with admiration, love and even with a tear in the eye as one guy told me the history behind his 1942 pickup.
Along with the restored cars were some motorcycles and a few bikes. Which got my attention because of bikes and horses on trails. Even the bikers had stories behind their wheels and even though they didn't ride trails, they were as passion for their bikes as I am about my horses. Only thing different about the bikes is that once restored, they just have to be polished and waxed. Unlike steel steeds and our horses, bikes don't eat, drip oil on garage floors or leave 'piles' in stalls!
One of the fun thing I got to do was drive the support truck which hauls extra equipment that fire trucks can't carry in the parade. Even got to turn on the red lights so they flashed and the yellow lights spun in circles. It's amazing where you can go, get through and park when you have a vehicle with red and yellow lights on the top! (But I don't think Nic, my horse, would like a red light on his head.)
If you ever get a call to go see some "hot horses" or anything else, take the time to go! You will come away with a definite impression and realization that it is just as dedicated to as our horses are to us. That even applies to bikes......
Here's a couple pictures of my 'adventure'. The fire blowing steed was my favorite and what I would classify as a really 'hot horse'. The other is me, looking 'official' in my loaned-to-me-yellow fire jacket!!
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| Stop by and say Howdy! |
May 20, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
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If you're in the Sacramento, California, area June 6-8, be sure to stop by and say 'howdy'!!! The Western States Horse Expo is that weekend and it will be their 10th year. And my 10th year talking about "Horsecamping."
HorsExpo is held at the CalExpo Fair Grounds off Exposition Way and includes EVERY building, nook and nitch that can be found! It's grown into the 'Nation's Finest Horse Expo' and with over 700 vendors, acres of trailers, trucks and Expo Horse Sale -- if you can't find a horse, trailer or tack there it probably isn't made!!
Daily at 1 p.m. I'll be down at the Trail Symposium in the olive grove talking about camping. I'll set up my trailer, put up highlines, build a 'pretend' fire (in some past years the temperature has been up in the 100's so a 'pretend' fire was all one needed), set out California Certified Weed Free Feeds and in general get to talk about my favorite subject. Only problem I have is that the one hour usually isn't enough time and I tend to be rather long winded when it comes to camping and trail riding. Start each day with how to get your horse ready to camp, what's needed, where to go, the new environmental regulations but no matter how fast I talk, never manage to get it all in. Which is why everyday is different in content!
It's really quite an honor for me to be there. This year's clinicians include Chris Cox, Jonathan Field from Canada, Richard Shrake, Charles Wilhelm, Donna Snyder Smith and more.....quite a few more. (Go to website www.horsexpo.com for a complete schedule.)
I've meet a lot of people, made a lot of friends at HorsExpo. Have folks come up to me and say "I was at your first presentation!" Never thought that first year I'd be there for 9 more years!! How time flies when you're having fun.
But the best part of being at HorsExpo or at any of the expos I go to is when people come up to me at the 'camp' or in Two Horse vendor booth and tell me, "I went camping for the first time. It was great. Wish I would have started years ago!" Other folks tell me, "You're right. I don't have to give up trail riding and camping just because I'm getting older" or "had a knee or hip replaced!" Those are the folks who will carry on the camping tradition and riding trails long after I've passed through that 'gate' and found my long gone trail horses -- Sig, Bud, Flint, Sam.
So be sure to stop by and talk. If you'd like some Expo Bucks which are good for a $2 discount off daily or three-day tickets, send me your name and address and will send you a few. For you and your friends. You can e-mail me at horsecamping@comcast.net or call (510) 657-5239. Only requirement -- you gotta stop and say 'howdy'.
Stay safe.......
Bonnie
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| Just a Few Comments.... |
May 12, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
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Over the last few weeks, I've gotten lots of e-mails from folks. Some of you have just said how much you like blogs. Others have asked questions or made a comment. And even if I haven't gotten back to you yet, I've read every one and do try to answer them.
For the folks who have made comments -- appreciate it!! They've all been good. I may not agree with all of them, but they're your opinions and I appreciate the fact that you share 'em with me!
For those that have asked me questions, well, I'm taking the easy way out -- I'm going to answer some of them here. But please, keep e-mailing.....it's just with spring and summer I have a heck of a problem sitting here at this computer typing when trails are calling my name and Nic wants to go camping!!
Water -- it's the most important item you're going to take with you. So plan for it. Even if just going for a short trail ride, put a 5-gallon water can in rig. You might not need it for your horse but you may need it for a hot towing vehicle.
How do I haul water -- have 4 5-gallon cans, 4 2-1/2 gallon cans that go into towing vehicle. In trailer, a 50-gallon plastic drum that used to have baking soda in it. If one of those cans gets a 'sour' smell from having water in it to long. Dump it out, rinse and then put about a cup of baking soda in it. Let it sit a couple days. Slosh around, pour out, let it dry and smell it. It should have a fresh, clean smell. If it still smells 'sour,' repeat the baking soda again but add 2 cups of baking soda this time. Remember, water weighs 8 pounds a gallon for plan weight distribution accordingly.
Loading -- heaviest horse on the left side of trailer in a straight load. In other words, heaviest horse should be behind driver. In a slant load, heaviest horse in the front compartment.
Open windows -- I NEVER, NEVER open the windows on the head side of horses. Even though they have screens on windows, NEVER open them. Horses have big eyes and even with screens on windows, particles of dirt can blow into the horse's eyes.
Unloading -- depends on the highway. On a nice, smooth, straight freeway will haul up to 4 hours before stopping and unloading. If the road is narrow, rough with a lot of curves, will stop about every 2 hours. Haul no longer than 6 hours in a day and always unload at night.
Time -- I'm never in a hurry to get anywhere!! It's a vacation. Not a road race although there have been times when I have to make time. On those trips, will unload every 3 hours, walk horses 30 minutes, clean trailer, refill hay nets (every other stop), water, load up and go.
Bedding -- nope, I don't put bedding in trailer. Straw can get slippery when wet. If using shavings, use pine. Some horses are allergic to cedar and pine is considered "environmentally safe."
Leg wraps -- I don't wrap legs either. No boots. No leg wraps.
Hay -- always keep feed in front of horses. Let 'em eat.
Water -- every time I stop I offer water to horses. It will take about 10-15 minutes for a horse to decide to drink. He has to look at everything around him first. So I always offer water when they come out of trailer, after walking them a few minutes and again before loading. If they don't want water, pour a small can of apple juice into water pail. That will help 'em 'decide' to drink.
Stay safe......
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