The Hitch Rail
Spring 2017
.
SYVCH TEAM Message
What a great start to the 2017 Season!! Our
show staff has returned and is ready to
bring you fun, professional run events. A lot
of effort goes into making these shows
successful, please take a moment to thank
our workers as you pass by. Without them,
we would be a hot mess!
Our first show brought in many new
competitors and boy…did they bring the
talent and energy! With many new faces
in the crowd it was fun to watch the
SYVCH competitors embrace them and
welcome them to our series. We hope
to have everyone return and compete to
win our incredible yearend awards, day
prizes, or come to enjoy the camaraderie of the SYVCH
participants. Invite your friends and other horse enthusiast to join you on show day!
Let’s make this the SYVCH’s best year yet! See you in the show pen!
The SYVEA and SYVCH Team would like to offer our SINCERE AND SPECIAL THANK YOU to all the committees, volunteers,
sponsors AND everyone else who helps make these series possible.
Without your participation we could not bring you one of the best show series in Valley!
SYVCH COW HORSE SPECTACULAR & SUMMER GAMES
JM Livestock
Ellen
Levine
Celia Westbury
The Cow Horse Spectacular & Winter Games was
such a blast we are doing it one more time! We have
additional money added in the Spectacular and four
fun events where you can challenge yourself and
become the Ultimate Cow Horse Champion!!
The Ultimate Cow Horse events this year are:
Cow Dotting, Pogo Pony Run Down, the Ever-Famous
Pony Express, and Cow Horse Jousting.
July 1- 2, 2017
May the odds
be
EVER IN YOUR FAVOR
SYVEA WESTERN AND RANCH HORSE SHOWS
All over the Central Coast, riders and
their horses are crossing bridges, hopping
over logs and loping circles in preparation
for the SYVEA ranch horse show that was
help on Sunday, April 30th. We had a great
day! Ranch horse skills are also essential
for trail riding, gathering cattle in rough
country and many other disciplines
requiring “broke” horses.
SYVEA shows reward winning
riders with high point show buckles in
each division (green, amateur and open,)
as well as beautiful ribbons, artisan
designed coffee cups, vases and wine.
Eric Wagner is the trail class judge and Tina Robinson will place winners in halter, pleasure and
versatility classes. Award winning photographer, Jenny Coxon will be on hand to cover the event.
First time riders and beginning horses are encouraged to try showing in the Novice/Green trail
class. Entry level participants experience riding a course with obstacles designed for a green trail
horse. Family and friends cheer on contestants and the efforts of beginners are especially
appreciated.
Breakfast and lunch will be available at the show grounds. Admission is free and the entry
fees for contestants is $15 per class.
SYVEA ranch shows are supported by an active group of enthusiastic riders, professional
trainers and equestrians who are committed to providing a showcase that challenges riders and
horses to do their best. Sponsors donate the fabulous trophy buckles awarded at each show for high
point and at the end of the series for
champion, reserve champion and special
awards in each division.
Information on the classes offered,
entry blanks, versatility class patterns
and show rules are available at the
SYVEA.org website. Show secretary,
Carolyn Russell is accepting entries.
Additional information is available from
Sharon Kline,
[email protected].
The One Thing That Your Tack Room Shouldn’t Be Without
Check this out! I have been following Dr. Ramey’s blog for several years and find his blog enjoyable and
informative. You can find him on Facebook and at the website below. Follow him today!
Dr. Ramey’s blog is for horse people who want to be excellent caretakers for their horses and savvy consumers who
drive honest industry practices. DoctorRamey.com is a “neutral ground” where readers can find opinions and
information outside of salesmen (and prescribers), advertisements, and sponsored publications. With reliable,
scientific information, Dr. Ramey hopes to help empower horse owners to make good decisions, so that they can
hold the equine industry to high ethical standards.
Dr. Ramey is a graduate of the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine. For 31 years, his clinical
practice in Southern California has specialized in the care and treatment of sport and pleasure horses
(www.RameyEquine.com). His clients particularly value his no-nonsense approach – focused on providing services
instead of selling products – his compassion for horses, and his ethical approach to the practice of veterinary
medicine.
Bleach. Short article, right?
Wait, there’s more! Let’s talk about some of the wonderful ways that you can use bleach around your horse. Bleach
fits three wonderful criteria for something that you want to have in your tack room because it’s:
1.
Cheap
2.
Very effective
3.
Useful for lots of things
How much stuff like that do you have (heck, anywhere)?
First, an introduction. Sodium hypochlorite. You know it well. It’s bleach. Common household bleach is a solution
of sodium hypochlorite, so, chemically speaking, it’s made up of sodium, chlorine (sodium and chlorine make common table salt), and
oxygen. There are actually several kinds of bleach, but we’re talking about the bleach that you can buy, well, just about
everywhere. Common household bleach is 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, and the rest is water. You can buy more concentrated bleach –
up to 8.25% sodium hypochlorite, but so that we’re all on the same page, let’s talk about the less concentrated stuff.
QUICK HISTORY LESSON: Modern household bleach comes to use as the result of several scientists from the 18th century. A
Swedish chemist named Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered chlorine, and a Frenchman, Claude Berthollet, realized that chlorine could
bleach fabrics. He made the first bleach solution, and he named it after a quarter in Paris where it was made, Javel. Another
Frenchman, Antoine Germain Labarraque, discovered that hypocholorites were disinfecting agents. The United States was not much
doing science at the time, being involved in a spat with Great Britain over independence or something. Regardless, bleach has been
with us for a long time.
Bleach works for one reason. It is extremely reactive with other molecules. It doesn’t kill microorganisms, such as bacteria, in the
way that biologic agents such as antibiotics do. Bleach is more straightforward. It just reacts with the bugs (especially their proteins)
and destroys them. In some cases, bleach messes up the cell membrane of bacteria, resulting in the bacteria sort of popping, like a
balloon. Bleach kills just about everything in comes in contact with.
Which is why you need it in your tack room. So, here’s a list of great things that you can do with bleach around your horse.
TWO QUICK SAFETY NOTES: 1. Always make sure you handle bleach carefully. Even though you can buy it everywhere, and it has
many uses, bleach is not benign stuff. Don’t get it in your eyes, because it can mess up your cornea (the covering of your
eye). Undiluted, it can irritate your skin. And don’t get it on your colored clothes unless you like white spots on them. 2. Don’t mix
bleach and ammonia. Nasty chemical reaction.
1.
To treat your horse’s hoof. Bleach is a super treatment for thrush, or as a general disinfectant for the bottom of the hoof. Dilute
it in water first – say, 1 cup of bleach to a gallon of water. Clean the horse’s hoof out well, and then slosh on some bleach.
QUICK TIP ON HOOF CLEANING: Get a wire brush. You can get them at a hardware store, or one of those big home improvement
chains. They come in assorted sizes, down to about the size of a tooth brush. Spend a little extra time after you use a hoof pick and
use the wire brush to remove loose dirt, debris, and even shedding sole and frog. Great hoof hygiene. Then bleach.
2. To rinse down the stall. Want to disinfect your horse’s stall? Moving into a new stall at a boarding facility? Worried that there’s
some bug running through your horse’s barn, and you want to clean up the area. Use bleach! Use a cup of bleach in a gallon of water,
and put it in a garden sprayer. Rinse down the stall, and you’ll kill lots of bugs.
QUICK TIP ON STALL DISINFECTION: Get the loose debris out of the stall, area, barn, etc., out first. Bleach is great stuff, but it’s not
magic. A light spray of dilute bleach won’t soak through the straw or shavings on the floor, and won’t penetrate layers of dust, dirt, or
manure. Use a bit of elbow grease, before you start spraying.
3. To treat your horse’s skin and coat. Yep, bleach. Dilute bleach solution is a wonderful way to treat common skin infections, such
as rain rot, scratches, or even fungal infections, like ringworm. Give your horse a good, thorough bath with a disinfectant shampoo
(there are lots), let the soap stay on for a few minutes, then rinse him clean and scrape off the excess water. Add – you guessed it – a
cup of bleach to a gallon of water, and spray or sponge him down. Let the bleach dry on him – it will work even better! Check with
your veterinarian, of course, before starting any treatment on your horse.
QUICK TIP(S) ON TREATING SKIN INFECTIONS: 1) Wear protective gloves. Some horse skin infections, such as ringworm, can infect
your skin, too, 2) You can use the garden sprayer that you bought to disinfect the stall, to spray down your horse, too (always
economical, right)!
4. Disinfecting boots, bits, bridles. brushes, tools, blankets, etc. Yep, a cup of bleach to a gallon of water makes a great dip for the
bottom of your boots, your bits, your brushes, your hoof picks, and pretty much anything else you want to disinfect.
QUICK TIP ON DISINFECTANT DIPS. Make it up fresh. There are few things more disgusting than a tub of dirty disinfectant
water. Like I said, bleach is good, but it’s not magic.
5. Wound treatment. “What?” you say. “Not wounds, too!”
Yep, wounds, too.
Dakin’s solution has been used to treat wounds since World War 1 (seriously). An English chemist, Henry Drysdale Dakin (you can see
where the solution got it’s name, I hope), and a French surgeon, Alexis Carrel (who knew that the French were so integral to bleach?)
were looking for an ideal wound antiseptic that didn’t lose their potency in blood, and didn’t kill cells. Their solution? The
solution! They treated wounds by periodically flooding the surface of wounds with the stuff.
QUICK TIP(S) ON WOUND TREATMENT SOLUTION: 1) You can use distilled water so you don’t have to boil water all the time. This
also makes it easier if you can’t cook. 2) You shouldn’t store Dakin’s solution for more than a few days, because, like all bleach
solutions, it tends to break down) When you do store it for a few days, keep it out of the heat, and in the dark.
ASIDE: Vetricyn®, an over-the-counter wound treatment, is pretty much just dilute bleach. I’ll let you do the math, if you want to try
to treat your horse with a dilute bleach solution. You can buy a cheap bottle of bleach and make a whole lot of a very dilute bleach
solution, or pay a whole lot of money for a very little bleach solution.
6. Purifying the water. You do know that you can add bleach to water to kill stuff in the water, right? Well known emergency
treatment – it’s used to purify water around the world, in emergency situations, and where sanitation is sketchy. Doesn’t take much –
you just need 1 teaspoon of bleach for every 5 gallons of water, and you’ve got something that’s safe to drink, and bacteria free. It’ll
help control scum in the water tank, too.
QUICK TIP ON WATER PURIFICATION: Just like stalls, and hooves, it helps to have things relatively clean before you try to disinfect
them. Don’t add bleach to a mud puddle and expect it to do miracles. If you’re trying to disinfect muddy water, let the mud settle to
the bottom, take the water off the top, and THEN add bleach.
BONUS USE OF BLEACH: Take the stains out of your pants. This one’s for you, dressage crowd. Bleach, of course, is a whitening
agent. It’s a whitening agent because it breaks the chemical bonds of the colored parts of molecules, so that it either has no color, or
it can’t reflect color that you can see (that is, color in the visible light spectrum). So, follow the manufacturer’s directions, and don’t
forget to bleach before your next pirouette!
ONE LAST THING. More is not necessarily better. Dilute bleach is a better at killing germs than is bleach that’s straight out of the
bottle.
OH, AND ONE FINAL NOTE FOR YOU CHEMOPHOBES! Don’t worry, dilute bleach solutions are really safe, and don’t pose any threat
to the environment. Liquid bleach starts as salt water, and, when it breaks down, it turns back into salt water. If you’re scared of
most chemicals, this is not one that you should worry about.
Cheap, safe, and effective. What else do you want for your horse. Get some bleach!
Santa Ynez Valley Cow Horse 2018
I was asked several times this past weekend at our show
and I thought it best to let everyone know…Yes, this is the
last show season at the SYVEA that I will be the lead
person in charge of the cow horse series. The last eight
years have flown by! I never thought we’d look back on
so much success, good times and laughter. My family and
I made a commitment to organize and execute great horse
shows in the Valley until Shea went to college and that
time has come. In the fall Shea will attend Cal Poly and
with that it be time for us to move onto other ventures.
When I first took on the reining series at the Santa Ynez
Equestrian Center, it was on the premise that I would
continue to work to ensure my daughter and our friends
had a place to show locally in the sport we all love. Yes,
the long hours, challenging situations and never-ending
rulebooks were tough at times, but always overshadowed
by the smiles and gratitude of our competitors. Over the
years, I have met the most incredible people, had a lot of
fun and made friendships that will last far beyond the
horse show season. Words cannot express the energy and
joy each one of you has brought to our series. It is the love
and comradery of the participants that make the series great and it would be nothing without each of you.
In addition, I cannot say enough about our sponsors! Year after year they trusted that we would represent them
and follow through on our promises and for that I will be forever grateful. For without the loyalty and generous
support from our sponsors we would have never gotten to where we are today.
I am delighted to announce that there is a group willing to take the lead and carry on with this amazing series that
we have created and our traditions. Lisa Lyons and Tammy Evans have been involved with the cattle piece for our
shows for the past couple of years. Both ladies have past successes with coordinating large events and the series
will be in good hands! The Equestrian
Center is looking at options for the series
and I hope they find this crew the perfect
fit to continue the Santa Ynez Cow Horse
series for many years to come.
In the meantime, we have two show dates
on the calendar for 2017 and we plan to
have nothing but fun, laughter and fierce
competition!
See you in the show pen!
~Sherry
Fellow Nobodies - Courtney Overstreet
I almost didn't ride tonight.
I have worked 40 hours this week and it's only
Wednesday. I'm exhausted. I have a million things I
need to get done before the weekend and my brain
and my body are tired.
Sometimes, I need to force myself to ride my horse.
Sometimes, after a long day at work, I just want to
come home and go to sleep. But I force myself to
ride because of something my favorite horse trainer
once said: your dreams don't work unless you do.
I am not a rich person. I work two jobs. I don't have a
big fancy barn or a big fancy trailer. I have a pasture
with a lean-to and an ugly blue bumper pull. All of my
tack was bought used. There have been times that I
skip going grocery shopping because my bill at the
feed store was too much.
There is a reason behind the madness, though. The
passion, and the need to succeed drives me. I know
there are so many like me in the horse industry. The
nobodies. The people who work their butts off to have what they have, only to be made to feel insignificant when
someone at a horse show parks their huge living quarters trailer next to your rusty little bumper pull. We all have
one thing in common, whether you have a $30,000 horse or a $1500 horse. We all share a passion for this lifestyle.
Every big name rider started out just like you and me - a nobody. If you want to make it in the horse industry you
have to be willing to work hard, because there are a LOT of nobodies who want to be somebodies. You are going
to spend a lot of time riding after dark. You are going to have nights where you have to force yourself to ride.
You're going to have some bad rides. There will be days your horse works for you like an NFR champion, and then
there will be days that you crash and burn and knock every barrel over. Take every mistake and learn from it.
Acknowledge your insecurities and work on them until they're not there anymore. Know that as equestrians, we
will NEVER stop learning.
There are going to be people who will not support you. They won't understand the "horse thing." They'll see it as a
waste of time and a money pit. I will tell you right now, do not let those people bother you or bring you down.
There are millions of people out there just like you that DO understand.
So, fellow nobodies out there, keep at it. Never let anyone make you feel unworthy. Load your horse up in that ugly
little bumper pull, head to the show, and own it. Keep busting your butt, because it will pay off in the long run. You
will be tired, but it will be worth it. Work so hard that the people who once doubted you become your biggest fans.
And most importantly, NEVER stop dreaming. Never stop striving for greatness. There is no dream unattainable, but
you have to be willing to do what it takes to get there.
It will not be easy. But it will be worth it.
I almost didn't ride tonight...
But I'm so glad I did.
Sponsor Spotlight – All American Trailers North
All American Trailers North owner Aaron Schwarzwalter has been Selling and servicing horse trailers in the Santa
Ynez Valley for over thirty years. Aaron has been in the horse trailer business for over sixty years and opened his
first trailer lot in the Santa Ynez valley in 1984 called Santa Ynez Valley Trailers. Selling his company and briefly
retiring in the early 2000’s Aaron’s love for the horse trailer business and the Valley prompted him into once again
getting back into the trailer business and All American Trailers North was born.
All American Trailers North is Located two miles north of Buellton right off HI way 101 is on the same piece of
ground that was home to the original Santa Ynez Valley Trailers in 1984. Over the past 30 years All American
Trailers North has watched as the landscape of the Valley has shifted and changed over time but one thing stays
the same and that is that this valley is and always will be a horse community. An avid cutter Aaron always has his
hand on the pulse of the equine community and can help his customers get the trailer they are looking for or the
service that their existing trailer needs.
All American Trailers North’s service department is run by Fernando Robles who has been with Aaron and AATN for
over thirty years. Fernando and his top-flight team of Miguel and Marco will take care of all your service needs. All
American Trailers North takes pride in keeping the valley horse community safe and sound on the road.
All American Trailers North is proud to be a part of the Santa Ynez Valley Cow Horse Series again this year and we
look forward to the great show season.
Aaron Schwarzwalter & Tony Branquinho
All American Trailers North -- 2201-H North Hwy. 101, Buellton, CA
Call 877-688 -1999
Visit us at: www.allamericantrailersnorth.com
Like Us On Facebook @ All American Trailers North
Lupe Esquivel – This is my Story…
I was born and raised in
Santa Maria, California and
have lived here my whole
life. I keep myself busy
working as a licensed
contractor, a hay farmer and
have the ranch manager for
Dana’s in Nipomo for the last
eighteen years.
I love showing at Santa Ynez! We
are like a family! When you have
a bad
day, as we all do ...friends walk up, hand
you a beer and walk away! One thing I
must add about Santa Ynez cow horse
shows, is there are no clicks...it is a
unique environment. I think we all
compete against ourselves to do better
than we did the last show and cheer one
another on as well.
Back when I was a young boy growing
up in the strawberry fields, I always knew I wanted to ride
horses. One summer I remember my grandfather bought a
unbroke pony and brought him home. I remember getting bucked
off that pony so many times, and every time my grandfather said
get up and get back on! And, I did ...that's when I knew when I
grew up I would have horses. I still remember the day when I went
from being a cowboy to becoming a horseman. Dozer was not
wanting to spin and I said if you don't want to…I will make you!
That was not the best plan and it wasn't pretty. The next day I had
a lesson with Jimmy. I walked up with my head down, feeling so
bad; and doubting my abilities. Jimmy looks over and sees the spur
marks on Dozer’s side and looks back at me and said, “Now do you
feel like dumb ass?” I had to agree. He later explained that we
have all have been there. He added, “Well it might take 6 months to
get him back where he was at before you cowboyed up and beat
him up, but let’s work on it together.” From that day on if I have a
problem I stop, call the trainer and go see what is going on and fix
it! Most the time I have found it is something small and easily
corrected, but left to me; like many of us it becomes a major
problem!
God has blessed me with an awesome horse to show that not only
has taken me to the winner circle but taught me so much. It's
priceless! I must say it's like living a dream!
Ready for a taste?
Visit Cinque Stelle’s tasting room now
located on the main street of downtown Los
Olivos. Our new location provides both indoor
tasting space as well as backyard seating for
wine tasting.
Enjoy a glass of your favorite varietal in
our beautiful backyard, indulge in a flight of
current releases, and relax in the fabulous new
shabby chic setting. As the summer approaches,
the large backyard will become an ideal space for
festive events - with a small stage for live music
and sufficient with room for catering.
In addition to fine wine, the Cinque Stelle
tasting room has a boutique graced with women’s
accessories and savory food items. You won’t be
able to resist shopping as you browse the fine
selection of jewelry and gifts while sipping on a
glass of wine.
The Cinque Stelle tasting room is located at 2982
Grand Avenue, Los Olivos 805.686.4101
www.cinquestellewinery.com
A Big Heartfelt Thank you to all of our sponsors!
Without their support none of this would be possible. Please let our sponsors know that you really appreciate
their support by patronizing their establishments or saying thank you as they pass by.
A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about
themselves — strong, powerful, beautiful — and it
has the capability of giving us escape from our
mundane existence.
~ Pam Brown
Member Spotlight – Daniel Sanchez
No one is going to argue that a guy who
spends his entire day in the saddle, training
cow horses, doctoring calves, breaking colts
and fixing fence is not a “real” cowboy.
Daniel Sanchez inarguably earns the title.
He puts in an honest day’s work doing what
he loves for little money and he wouldn’t
have it any other way. He’s not tied to a
computer desk or trapped by some “glass
ceiling.” He is hard-working, honest and
proud. He still makes deals with a
handshake and he respects others. He
stands up for what he believes in and he
protects those he loves. We had the
pleasure of getting to know Danny over the
past year and his story is that of a true
cowboy and a great young man.
Danny grew up in the small town of San
Juan Bautista. San Juan Bautista is known for its beautiful Mission and very little else. He was raised on a large horse ranch where his
father worked as a stall cleaner and ranch hand. His father worked on this ranch for twenty plus years and this is where Danny’s love
for horses began. It is also where he found his second family as the ranch was Wright’s Quarter Horses.
When Danny was a six grader in middle school he started helping around the ranch cleaning
Champion Titles
stalls and saddling horses for his dad and Justin. As he entered high school they let him help
them start colts and this was the beginning to all that talent that can be seen in the show pen.
2016 NSHA classic Derby
When Danny turned 17, he was a senior in high school and he knew it was time to go and
Classic Level 1 Champion
chase his dreams. With $400 in his pocket, he packed his clothes and moved out. He went to
work for a reining horse trainer named Gabe Davide. He quickly found himself working for
Limited Open Derby Champion
two additional people exercising their horses, and working at the Boot Barn on the weekends
just to make ends meet. All his hard work began to pay off and he was able to buy himself a
2016 NSHA Derby
truck. After two and a half years, Danny knew it was time for him to return to what he loved,
Level 1 Champion
the cow horse. He packed up everything he owned and took off for Hanford, California and
Limited Open Champion
began working for NRCHA professional, Jake Gorrel. After eleven short months, he once again
found himself with $400 to his name and back on the road going home. His mom asked him if
2016 NRCHA Derby
this was really what
he wanted to do, and Level 1 Reserve Champion
he answered, “Yes. It
isn’t about the
NRCHA Celebration of Champions
money, money
Top Ten in the Limited Open Bridle
wasn't what I am
Limited Open Reserve Champion
after, but the
knowledge I can get
2017 NRCHA Stallion Stakes
and how great I can
Limited Open Bridle Champion
make a horse.”. One
Open Bridle Reserve Champion
thing his father
always said, “Don't
Limited Open Reserve Champion
let the world's doors
lock you in and there
will always be one ready to open". This saying is one that
Danny lives by.
Danny will tell you today, the right door opened the day he
decided to move to Santa Maria and work for Justin Wright.
After a year in a half working for Justin Wright he has accomplished many goals and won several titles. The best decision he ever
made was to go to work for Justin Wright. He is and will be forever grateful for the incredible knowledge and opportunities afforded
to him by Justin and Wright Performance Horses.