An exceptional youth

By Diane Palm

Have you ever met a young person and immediately knew they had something special in their character? That quality is apparent when anyone first meets and then gets to know Jon Royle. Jon is the eldest son of Mike and Susan Royle of Central City, Neb. When he arrived into their little family 19 years ago, little did anyone realize the adventure that was ahead for all.

Jon Royle

At ten years old, Jon found that cowboy hat which fit his head just right and then desired all the things that it represented. Even today you will see him wearing his hat along with boots, Wranglers and even his spurs. The statement is this, “I love horses and cattle.” When he joined the Nebraska Merrick County 4-H program in 2003, his first project was a bucket calf. There is nothing much more enjoyable than to see a young enthusiastic boy showing his 4-H calf at the county fair. Through the years, Jon has continued to show cattle, even tackling Showmanship seriously. With the help of his parents and their herd stock, each season they walked through the cows with calves looking for that special calf project or they went on the hunt for an outside heifer.

Jon demonstrates leadership within his 4-H group, the Trail Blazers, by helping the younger members and newcomers to learn the art of working your project. He has brought home all the colors of ribbons teaching him something in each award. The whole county fair experience has given him memories to last a lifetime. By far the biggest take-away from being a Nebraska 4-H youth are the life lessons taught and experienced along the way. The big smile that spreads across Jon’s face no matter the result is a testimony to the character that lies within.

Finding another way to develop his ability with cattle and horses, Jon joined Nebraska High School Rodeo in 2010. He rides bucking horses and bulls. There is more than an 8-second thrill no matter what the clock says! When he is sporting his brightly-designed bull riding chaps, you know he is serious about the ride. Joining the high school rodeo circuit toward the end of his high school years was no stumbling for him. Again, his talent, friendly personality and big smile have earned him respect and friends from across the spectrum. Most summer weekends you can pretty much know where you will find Jon. He’ll be flying out of a chute riding a bronc or bull hoping to stay on before that 8-second horn blows.

Jon is a great asset to the family cow-calf operation. He has a keen eye to spot trouble and the ability to know how to respond. Whether it is helping a cow deliver her calf, treating a sick calf, working cattle through the chute, using the branding iron, or moving cattle to pasture, Jon is able to shoulder the load responsibly for his parents. Mike has tapped in on the artistic ability of his son in the shop, even teaching him how to build a forge. Jon likes pounding and working with steel and metal. He has made his own bull riding spurs as well as delicate items like a necklace. When he isn’t in demand at his parent’s operation, many neighbors know they can hire him for a wide range of working jobs. He loves doing those cattle drives with his horse, Freckles. And he can even lend a helping hand in laying out irrigation pipe, doing a neighbor’s chores or putting those first rides on a young colt.

Central City youth Jon Royle / Photo by Diane Palm

This coming fall, Jon will start college at Chadron State majoring in Range and Ranch Management. He applied for and received many scholarships to continue his education at the college level. Most of Jon’s grammar and high school years were spent in the home school setting with his parents. That schooling avenue affords a wide range of opportunities that reach beyond the textbooks. He has been involved with other home schooled youth giving him a place to demonstrate his leadership and character.

Jon’s ultimate goal is to manage and then possibly own and operate a ranch upon college completion. He will have many offings within his course of study to send him in that direction. He is more than ready to tackle those challenges that are just ahead for him. If you were to spend some time visiting with this young man, you certainly would learn that even with all the opportunities that are just down the road for him, his first consideration will always be what the Lord has planned for his life. Jon’s big smile will always give way to respectful conversation. He learned the lesson of minding your “P’s” and “Q’s” well. When asked what his guiding word or words might be, he needs little time to tell you this, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.

Jon knows that if you were to gain the whole world and lose your soul, what would any of it be for? And in that, his big smile and delightful character win every time, no matter the circumstances that life will challenge him with.

We wish him huge success in the coming years and the whole of his life.

Engaging Education, Equine Style: Horse fair for beginners

By Irene Graves

Ever been to a horse fair? Today’s horse fairs had their origins in medieval Europe. Stallions were owned by the aristocracy. One day each year the stallions were displayed. The peasants chose the stallions to breed to their mares. As with all events, the vendors and the educators came too. When the stallions became privately owned, the horse fairs became major educational events.

Dr. Tresa Roster, Windcrest Veterinary Clinic, gave them an "inside view" of the horse's mouth.

The 3rd through 6th graders from Sanborn Central and Woonsocket Schools attended a horse fair for beginners. The educational event was held May 4, 2011, at the Sanborn County 4-H grounds in Forestburg, S.D. The children were given a taste of what it is like to own and take care of a horse. The children were divided into seven groups and rotated through the learning stations. The children came to see the horses and left with expanded knowledge of where and how horses fit into our society.

Parelli Natural Horsemanship Instructors Farrah Green, 3 Star Certified Parelli Instructor, Level 5 Parelli Student and Erin McCord, Level 3 Parelli Student, Assistant Instructor instructed the children on how to handle a horse. They began by explaining to the children they were not horse trainers, but people trainers. The children were taught how to ask a horse to move sideways, forward and back.

Devonne Hansen, saddle restorer and owner of Hansen Saddle Shop, volunteered to speak to the children about tack. She demonstrated how saddles and bridles should fit. The discussion led to how the saddle changed over time, then to why the way people rode changed.

Dr. Tresa Roster, Windcrest Veterinary Clinic, gave them an “inside view” of the horse’s mouth. Dr. Roster brought her two models, Lucky and Tango. She explained the basics of horse dental care. The children got to remove the teeth from the jaw.

Dr. Dave Schultz, from the Sandcreek Veterinary Clinic, talked about vaccination. Dr Schultz showed the children the locations on the horse’s body to administer a vaccination. He explained what kinds and when to give the vaccinations. The children listened tentatively as he compared the effect of West Nile Virus on humans and horses.

John Madison, South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension service educator, talked about horse nutrition. He brought feed samples for the children to feel and explained how the horse’s body used the feed. The children were intrigued with the fact that horses eat some of the same foods they do.

Cheryl Schmiedt, 4-H volunteer, was in charge of the Breed Row. Here the children saw live horses from the 38″ mini horse to a 64″ tall Thoroughbred. A geography lesson developed as she explained the horses’ physical traits and “where in the world” the horse came from.

From left to right: show coordinator Irene Graves, speakers: Devonne Hansen, Farrah Green, Erin McCord, Dr. Tresa Roster, John Madison, Dr. Dave Schultz, Della Amdahl and Cheryl Schmiedt and Snickers.

Energy accumulated from listening at the educational stations was used up as the children pretended to be horses by running full scale barrel racing and pole bending patterns in the 4-H arena. After this exhausting exercise, the Sanborn County 4-H Leaders Association provided juice and cookies.

In the evening, the public was invited to visit the Horse Fair for Beginners. The families visited the educational stations, vendors, concession stand and the grand finale. At 7:00 pm, the Parelli Natural Horsemanship Demonstration featured an awe-inspiring demonstration. Farrah and Erin demonstrated educational methods that provide the foundation of horsemanship skills essential to all breeds and disciplines.

The event was coordinated by Irene Graves, South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service educator, and Della Amdahl, 4-H leader.

Sanborn County Warren Pals and Gals 4-H Club, Sanborn County 4-H Leaders Association and the South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service sponsored the event.

By Roy Cole

Ranch Horse competitions are a relatively new equestrian sport. Of course, informally, cowboys have always been competitive about who had the best horse. A cowboy’s pride and self worth is all connected to being known as a good stockman and how well others value his horse. Every job a cowboy does is dependent upon how well his horse performs.

Left to Right: Candice Thompson, Dylan Ruppert, Samantha Mousel, Roy Cole.

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture started its Ranch Horse Team in 2008 and initially aligned itself with the American Stock Horse Association for three main reasons:
1    Part of the ASHA mission statement: “to help people ride a better horse.”
2    ASHA’s commitment to education.
3    The 3 skill levels to compete in for college students, and 5 levels for individuals.
Utilizing classroom material obtained through ASHA, horse training clinics before ASHA shows, and competing in the collegiate division enables us to teach the students at NCTA to be better riders with better horses, and to develop their own training philosophies. Self confidence is enhanced by having skill levels to compete in, from the beginning rider to the professional.

ASHA Ranch Horse shows are based on 4 separately scored classes that facilitate ASHA’s desire to help people move away from the recent trend of specialized horses to a more versatile all-around horse. These classes are intended to showcase a horse’s natural way of moving and performing maneuvers just as the horse would perform them on the ranch every day:
1    Ranch Riding is a patterned hybrid pleasure class with maneuvers.
2    Trail is just common sense obstacles found in everyday ranching. A class in a natural setting would be the ideal.
3    Reining is to show that a horse can be willingly guided while performing several skilled maneuvers.
4    Working Cow Horse is simply taking all the maneuvers and skills needed in the preceding classes and combining them to show the horse’s ability to work a cow along with his natural “cow sense.” Scores from all 4 classes are combined into an All Around score that truly shows the horse’s versatility.

The ASHA Collegiate division has 14 schools listed, but more are joining every day. NCTA hasn’t had any National Champions yet; however, they have had some top ten finishers despite the fact they are competing against 4-year colleges.

Ranch Horse Team is an actual academic class at NCTA with lecture and lab portions. We also have an “adult” or non-traditional portion to Ranch Horse Team that is fairly popular. We call Ranch Horse class a horse training class, not a cow chasing class. It is easy to teach a horse to run fast and chase a cow, but it is hard to teach a horse to chase a cow while being under control and keep the cow under control all at the same time. We actually use cattle very little in our class due to the expense and limited access to fresh cattle.

The students work on the maneuvers needed to make a good cow horse. These fundamentals consist of supplying the head and neck, controlling the shoulders, controlling the hip, controlling the ribs, and stopping. NCTA has provided us with the Everett Stencel Livestock Teaching Center indoor arena, which is one of the best indoor arenas in the country to use for practice, with a mechanical cow. Between equine and other animal classroom activities, various team practices, weekend clinics and shows, NCTA keeps the facility booked nearly 100% of the time.

We train on five basic fundamentals in every class, then combine these five basic fundaments into all the maneuvers needed to show in all four events. The mechanical cow is able to be programmed at a speed to match the ability of the horse, so that a “wild” cow doesn’t overwhelm the horse and teach it bad habits while it is just learning. The mechanical cow helps the horses learn fundamentals at a slow speed, so they can work up to “tie your hat on with a stampede string,” high speed. It also helps with “adrenaline pumping,” runs down the fence, kicks dirt in your face, turns at full speed, and makes hard sliding stops!

The biggest challenge to our program is trying to keep sponsors lined up so the students can afford to compete. The students pay their own expenses to haul and show their horses. The long distance shows can run from $400 to $600 per show. The team welcomes sponsors and is willing to advertise for those sponsors.

NCTA also sponsors some nationally known clinicians at the college as well as local guest instructors in all equestrian disciplines. They are open to outside riders as well as NCTA students. Most clinics have special reduced rates for the students. Just a couple of the clinicians associated with the Ranch Horse Team are Les Vogt Horsemanship clinics and Sherman Tegtmeirer Reining clinics.

Les Vogt is a NRCHA/NRHA trainer and has 15 world championships to his name.
His next clinic will be October 7, 8 & 9. Les’ clinics are horsemanship clinics. His clinics will help performance at any level and any discipline. He tries to help participants better control their horse so they can enjoy riding it no matter what they want to do with it. His clinics are limited to 10-12 riders. Clinics fill quickly, so contact the college at (308) 367-5293 for more information. Spectators will also be able to watch or “audit” Les’ clinic for a fee.

Sherm is an NRHA trainer and renowned Non-Pro coach. His clinics are advertised as reining clinics, but they are horsemanship clinics. Whether one is just a beginning rider or an advanced reiner, Sherm can help one be able to train a horse more successfully to get more enjoyment from their riding time. Sherm’s next clinic will be June 18 for a tuneup just before the Nebraska State 4-H Horse Show. In the fall Sherm will have a clinic October 15. His clinics are limited in size. To sign up for a clinic or for more information call NCTA at (308) 367-5293.

Ranch Horse tuneup for the State 4-H Horse Show is June 25 at NCTA. Call (308) 367-5293 for more information.

For information on registering for classes and academic programs go to www.ncta.unl.edu or call toll free (800) 328-7847 or (308) 367-4124.

Nebraska 4-H Profile

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

For many, a passion for horses starts at a very young age. For Amanda Shields of McCook, Nebraska, it started at only ten days old when she went on her first ride. Since then she has enjoyed riding horses, whether it be for the joy of it or to help the upcoming horse riders in her 4-H organization.

Amanda Shields / Photo by Amanda's uncle, Nathan Zachman

With the start of this show season, Shields will be starting her tenth year in 4-H. She will be graduating from McCook High school in May. There, she has been an active FFA member with an officer post for the past three years.
Shields owns one of her family’s eight horses. One of these horses, now five years old, was trained as a two-year-old by Shields for 4-H classes.

Shields is very dedicated and a hard worker. She does all the training of her horses on her own. She stated, “Å I feel they are mine, I am going to show how talented I am as a rider and I am going to do all the work.”  When she encounters a problem or issue she turns to her employer, who also trains and shows horses in the NRCHA, for advice and guidance. He helps her see and understand what she is doing wrong in her training and possible ways of how to fix it.

Shields participates in the Horse Circuit that the 4-H puts on and in the State 4-H Horse Show. Outside of 4-H she shows in the NRCHA. Her horse, Whoie, is a reiner but has become very good, allowing her to be used for other classes such as Showmanship, Western Horsemanship and Trail. She does barrels and poles with Whoie occasionally, as warm up exercises. Shields recently showed in a jackpot put on by the NRCHA and won her class. She has also won many classes at the local county horse show and placed sixth at the State Horse Show in the Cow Work category.

Amanda Shields

Shields treats her horses right in order to earn their trust. She commented, “If you treat them right they can be a very nice animal.” She feels that the hardest part of working with horses is when either she or her horse is having a bad day. “I can get very frustrated with her, sometimes when I know she can do better. I know not to get mad at her; therefore, I just stay calm,” Shields said, when discussing a bad day.

Being very passionate about what she does and knowing how much a good relationship with a horse can be, Shields helps her younger local 4-H’ers with whatever they need. She has learned quite a bit from her horse in the past four years. She stated she is very proud of her and is glad she is able to let younger 4-H’ers ride her when they need help understanding something in regards to riding.

Many have stated Shields to be “a young talented rider,” whom they enjoy watching show. Being at a prime age, there is still much ahead for Shields. Her understanding, interest, care and passion for horses are a reassurance we will see much more from her and her work with them.

Management of the Western Performance Horse
Â
By Caitlin Daro, DVM

The term “western performance horse” means something different to almost everyone. It can be anything from a superstar barrel horse to a ten-year-old’s 4-H horse: the well-being of each one is equally important to the owner. Many injuries and problems can affect a horse’s performance, but there are also various diagnostics, treatments, and preventative measures that can be taken to keep your western performance horse healthy.

Common Problems

Joint problems commonly affect performance horses. Cartilage erosion, meniscal tears, arthritis and bone chips can cause lameness, diminished performance, or even behavioral issues. Synovitis, or inflammation of the lining of the joint, may be the first sign of trouble in the performance horse. Synovitis is often associated with repetitive injury, and causes increased fluid and pressure within the joint, leading to a pain response. When determining the cause of lameness in the performance horse, the age of the horse can often be a good indicator of what problems might be likely. For instance, OCD (osteochondritis dissecans) is most common in young horses, while OA (osteoarthritis) is most commonly seen in older horses.

Joint pain can be a contributing factor to back pain. Horses with lumbar pain often have an underlying joint problem that has contributed to the development of sore muscles or chiropractic abnormalities. Back pain can also be the primary problem. This often occurs with an ill-fitting saddle or an unbalanced rider. Ovarian cysts or tumors in mares can manifest as lumbar back pain or sensitivity as well.

Muscular issues also affect performance horses. Quarter horses and other breeds can be affected by HYPP (hyperkalemic periodic paralysis), PSSM (polysaccharide storage myopathy), and GBED (glycogen branching enzyme deficiency). These disorders cause problems including muscle fasciculations (tremors), pain, stiffness, cramping, or even a high neonatal mortality rate in the case of GBED. Exertional rhabdomyolysis, also known as tying up, can affect performance horses. Signs include muscle cramping and stiffness, reluctance to move, sweating, increased heart or respiratory rate, and pain.
This syndrome is often seen in unfit horses who have been asked to perform beyond their ability. These muscle syndromes can be diagnosed using bloodwork to check for muscle-specific enzymes such as creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), genetic testing or muscle biopsy.

The phrase “no hoof, no horse” most definitely applies to the performance horse. Without a foot to stand on, so to speak, all the stellar bloodlines and years of training are for naught. In my opinion, the most important aspects of hoof care are proper nutrition and regular visits to a trusted farrier. In most cases, a laterally balanced hoof with a proper hoof-pastern axis will do more for a horse’s potential performance than any new trend in shoeing. The next big thing is not always more effective than the tried and true.

Diagnostic Options

It is important to have your horse examined by a veterinarian if any of these symptoms arise, as some problems can be less harmful if treated early. Your veterinarian will most likely perform a thorough physical exam, followed by a lameness exam. Once the lameness has been isolated to a specific region, another diagnostic modality may be used to determine the cause. Radiographs are still taken on film in some cases, but computed radiography (CR) and digital radiography (DR) now give equine practitioners more options for reading radiographs, and more flexibility for taking radiographs in the field. Both CR and DR radiographs are read on a computer, and the images can be manipulated to give the doctor a more diagnostic image. Radiographs are useful for detecting problems in the bone or joints, but cannot give much information about the soft tissue, such as muscle, tendons, and ligaments. Ultrasound can be used to examine the tendons and ligaments for tears or strains. At a referral hospital, additional modalities such as MRI, CT scanning, or nuclear scintigraphy may be available to provide the veterinarian with further information about the cause of lameness.

See the rest of the story in the May 2011 issue of Saddle Up Nebraska. Subscribe for only $15 a year by clicking the following link: http://goo.gl/2EgNz

Nebraska 4-H Profile

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Kaleb Popp of Curtis, Neb., has been a 4-H member for 13 years. His passion for horses and the joy he gets from working with them has led him to learn, grow, and have fun in many years.
Popp graduated from Medicine Valley High School in Curtis in 2010.

Kaleb Popp

The Frontier County Fair was the place to find Popp. There he competed in every event. In 2010 he won Grand Champion in the Working Horse event.

In high school he was an active member of the football team, FFA, FCCLA, and ran track. Outside of 4-H he rides simply for the pleasure and helps locals move bulls and cattle. He is currently a student at Central Community College in Hastings, Neb., majoring in Machine Tool and Die.

The Popp family owns 15-20 horses at any given time. While none of these are Popp’s own horses, he still works with them and enjoys their company very much. Most of the horse training is done by Popp’s father, with some additional help from Popp whenever he has a chance.

Popp got into showing horses through his father and sister. Growing up around them helped him learn that it takes great patience to work with horses. He felt the hardest part of working with horses are those days when they just aren’t in the mood to do anything you ask and decide it’s time to start bucking. Popp mentioned how rewarding it is for him when after working with a horse, it does what it was asked to do.

Hard work, dedication, and consistency have been major key points in Popp’s work with horses. His plans at the moment are to focus on school and put horses on hold. With a start to his horse career quite similar to that of Mark Wray, roping cattle and showing, with a bit of luck, we might just see Popp turn out to be a well-known horse trainer or avid horse exhibitor.

Nebraska 4-H Profile

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Twelve years can bring about a lot of change, growth, and experience for a 4-H member in the horse industry. For Katelyn Sughroue of Bartley, Neb., it has brought her a very long way from showing horses to her Rodeo Queen title in Furnas County.

Katelyn Sughroue / Photo by Peter Hammer

Sughroue is currently a senior at Southwest Public High School. There at Southwest, she participates in speech, track, golf, cross country, and FFA. Her plans include attending college at Colby, Kans., or Curtis, Neb., majoring in Agribusiness. She is also interested in becoming an Animal Geneticist. In the distant future, she plans on returning to the general Bartley area and having a farm, where she’d like to raise cattle and a few horses. Another goal and dream of hers is to ride in the NFR in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Katelyn Sughroue / Photo by Peter Hammer

Sughroue participates in 4-H Barrel Racing, Poles, Trail, Western Pleasure, Halter, and Showmanship. She owns three of her own horses: Bunny, who is a Quarter Horse/Persian; Fancy who is a Quarter Horse; and Coon, who is a Quarter Horse/Morgan. She has never had a trainer ride her horses, but she is very grateful for the help she has had while training her horses from many people, including Jeanie Mueller, Joe Teter, and Darla Ruppert.

Most of the shows Sughroue attends are about 45 minutes away in McCook, Neb. She has been quite successful in her work with horses, earning her quite a few wins. In 2009 she placed 2nd at the NBHA Nebraska State Youth 4D and qualified for the World Championships in Georgia. The next year, she was the NBHA Nebraska State Youth 4D Champion, qualified for World Championships, won Youth 2D District 06 NBHA, and won Open 4D district 06 NBHA. She has also been nominated for 2010 4-H’er of the year and has been treasurer of Rocketeers 4-H club for the past 4 years.

Katelyn Sughroue / Photo by Peter Hammer

Sughroue loves the fact that while teaching horses you can also learn from them. “The way that they know so much and can truly sense your feelings, really amazes me,” she said. “I also love how they have as many different personalities as people do.” When she first started asking her parents to allow her to have a horse, they replied, “We’ve got a four wheeler, ain’t that enough fun for you?”

It all started the summer of her eighth grade year, when she and a friend, Skyler McConville, went out for a ride. It was her first time horse riding. They took a six mile ride that day which was “a lot for a first timer.” Her hard work and dedication have brought her a long way. With the horses at her side, and the friends and family that support her, many more great wins and fun times are yet to come.

Nebraska 4-H Profile: Brandon Essink

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Working with horses started off quite early for Brandon Essink of Syracuse, Neb. He was around horses since a very young age and soon took to loving them and enjoying working with them. His parents, Dennis and Gina Essink, were both in 4-H and had horses when he was born. He started showing in leadline classes at the age of two on their Morgan mare, Miss Prairie Queen. At the age of five, he was showing walk-trot on a four year old gelding, RG Bayou Blue Larrue, or “Blue” for short. By the age of six he was driving Blue on his own and his love for horses has continued to grow ever since.

Brandon Essink / Photo by Howard Schatzberg

Essink graduated from Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School in Syracuse. While in high school, he was in the Syracuse FFA Chapter in which he held a chapter office for three years. This past fall, he received his FFA American Degree. He was also a member and held several offices in the Better BA-Cs, 4-H club, and the Missouri Valley Morgan Horse Youth club. He was also the National Director of the American Morgan Horse Youth Association and was a member of the Nebraska State 4-H Horse council. He is currently a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in Agribusiness (banking and
finance) with a minor in animal science. He is a member of the UNL equestrian team.

For the past 12 years, Essink has been a member of 4-H. He showed horses in Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, English Pleasure, English Equitation, Reining, Poles, Barrels, trail, halter and showmanship. Outside of 4-H he also drove and competed in other running events. The Essink family owns 18 Morgans and two Quarter Horses. Essink himself owns one gelding, RG Falcon Prince, a Morgan given to him by his grandparents, Harvey and Myrna Grunden. He also owns a Quarter Horse mare, Splash Bar Supreme.

Brandon Essink / Photo by Howard Schatzberg

Essink has had quite a bit of success in the horse world. He was the Reserve Champion English Equitation rider at the state 4-H horse show one year. He was also on the Otoe County judging team that qualified to represent the state at the World Champion Quarter Horse Show in Ohio. That year he also placed 3rd individually at the state judging contest. He also won Reserve Grand National Morgan Parade Horse Champion in Oklahoma City. Along with all these honorable wins, he has also been in the top ten many times at the Morgan Grand National in Western, Saddle Seat, English Pleasure, Equitation and Driving. Almost every year he qualified for the finals in Barrels and Poles at the state 4-h show.

With his parents having grown up in 4-H when it meant learning to do it for yourself, Essink does most of the training of his horse himself.  He does not hire a trainer to train his horses. As soon as he was old enough to take over, his parents expected him to do his own training with their help and a few occasional lessons. He stated, “It is expensive to have a trainer and that is why it is so much fun to do the work yourself and still be able to compete with those that spend a ton of money for dead broke horses and full-time trainers. I have ridden a lot of different horses and complained the whole time. But I now realize that made me a better rider.”

The Essinks try to attend anywhere from 13 to 15 shows a year, traveling throughout Nebraska and into Kansas and Oklahoma. Essink mentioned his favorite part about working with horses is the amazing feeling of satisfaction after going to a show and beating out a horse that has been professionally trained and he has done all of his own training.

Brandon Essink

He plans to graduate from UNL in 2013 and become an agricultural lender in a rural bank. He is ready for a new challenge with horses and would like to get into cutting. He also would like to get into showing a Morgan in Roadster classes. This consists of a speed horse under harness. The faster they can trot the better.   He also plans to continue to show in local Open shows, Morgan shows, and continue to compete at the Grand National and World Morgan shows.

Essink said if he doesn’t do too well at a show he tries not to let it get to him too much. Instead, he goes home and, as he put it, will “bust my rear” to get better, in hopes that at the next show it might be he who comes out at the top. “Winners train, losers complain,” is the quote he said he likes to live by.

Horses can do great things when trained and worked with. It takes time, dedication and, as Brandon Essink has demonstrated, does not always take a lot of money. Whether a persons’ passion for horses starts off early or later on in life, this passion can lead to great success, happiness and way of life many enjoy.

The judge’s perspective

By Joey Hiesterman

In thirteen years of judging open and 4-H horseshows, it seems the same comments appear over and over again on my Showmanship and Horsemanship/ Equitation score sheets. There are several common mistakes that many exhibitors make. Here are some tips for a successful performance in challenging pattern classes that will hopefully help you avoid some of these common mistakes and will help improve your scores.

First, as with a lot of things in life, first impressions are important. When you first enter the ring, be ready to go. Don’t be afraid to volunteer to go first. This shows the judge that you have done your homework, and you are confident in your abilities. When you do enter the ring, the fancy outfits and tack are not as important as simply looking “put together.” I like to tell exhibitors to approach it as if it were a job interview. That means shirts tucked in smoothly, and hair pulled back into a neat ponytail or bun. Gentlemen, this means you, too, although I personally would prefer to see you clean cut. I want to be able to see your bright, smiling faces. The bleached out, low-rise jeans that are so popular with our young people these days have no place in the show ring. They simply are not flattering and do not present the appearance that we expect in western events. Belt ends that flop while you walk or run and jewelry that dangles have no place in a class where their movement accentuates your movement. Remember, we are looking for a smooth, polished performance in these classes.

Second, waiting until the night before or the day of a show to decide you are going to try your hand at Showmanship or Horsemanship/Equitation is not going to cut it. These are classes which require a lot of practice and preparation at home. Your level of preparation becomes evident as you work through a pattern. Study, study, study those patterns! Nothing else matters if the pattern is not executed exactly as it is written. Something as simple as adding or omitting a maneuver or being on the wrong side of any one marker will immediately drop your score to a zero. Pay attention to details such as which side of each cone you should be on and which gait you should be in. Be accurate in spin/pivot counts and number of steps, when the pattern specifically calls for them.

Joey Hiesterman, Bellwood, Neb, grew up competing in 4-H, Little Britches rodeos, and high school rodeos in Nebraska and surrounding states. She has a B.S. in Agriculture from Kansas State University with a major in animal science. She was a member of the 1994 KSU Horse Judging Team and served as the Assistant Coach in 1996. She has been judging open and 4-H Horseshows in Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri since graduating in 1997. In addition, she has coached 4-H horse judging teams and done general horsemanship/showmanship clinics in eastern Nebraska.

See more pointers in the March 2011 issue of Saddle Up Nebraska. Click the following link to subscribe for only $15 for 12 monthly issues!: http://goo.gl/FlbLD

Nebraska 4-H Profile: Annie Cleveland

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Western Nebraska is home to many great attractions, such as Lake McConaughy, the Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Chadron State College. In the middle of all these is the western Nebraska town of Keystone, home to Annie Cleveland, a Nebraska 4-H member with a great passion for horses.

Cleveland has been in 4-H four years. She is currently a sixth grade student at Ogallala Middle School. She is involved in club volleyball, basketball and junior high rodeo. She loves spending extra time with her family and friends.

Cleveland’s family lives on some acreage in Keystone and owns between 25-30 horses. All of the horses are American Quarter Horses except for her brother’s horse. He has a true mustang that they got from a reservation.

Annie Cleveland / Photo by Deb Cleveland

In 4-H shows, Cleveland participates in halter, western pleasure, horsemanship, barrels, poles, and trail. Most of the training for the horses is done by Cleveland and her family. Recently, they sent one horse for training for rodeo events. Cleveland’s father has over thirty years of experience working with horses, training and breaking them for others and himself.

With her father always having been around horses and her mother formerly being very active in the rodeoing community, Cleveland was destined to live with her passion for horses. Her mother helps her with her goat tying and her father coaches her for barrels.

In 2008 she won the Keith County Fair’s Horse Show in the halter class. In 2008 she also won Grand Champion Gelding with her 5-year-old American Quarter Horse named Cajun. In 2010 Cajun suffered a stifle injury, causing Cleveland to have to use two of her other horses, Gator and Mose.

Horsemanship at the Keith Co. Fair, 2009, Annie is riding Cajun. / Photo by Deb Cleveland

Cleveland said she loves working with horses so much simply because of how much fun it is. She stated, “It is my favorite thing in the world to do!” She is one of the few people in her school that lives on a ranch and gets to work with horses. To the surprise of many, Cleveland would rather spend time at a vet clinic than going shopping. Regardless, she does love shopping “dearly.”

In the future, she would like to be either a veterinarian or physical therapist. Lately, she said she is leaning more towards the veterinarian path. She said she is very fortunate in that she is very good friends with her local vet, Dr. Ron Moorhead. This has allowed her to spend time in the clinic, observe many activities and procedures, which she has enjoyed and learned from very much.

Annie Cleveland at the Broken Bow Jr. High Rodeo, October 2010, goat tying on her horse. / Photo by Deb Cleveland

Being involved in junior high rodeo, Cleveland participates in barrels, poles, goat tying and ribbon roping. Her ribbon roping partner is her brother, Brody Cleveland. Throughout the summer many friends and family members join the Clevelands in their arena to rope, socialize, and practice 4-H. Cleveland said she thanks Julie Glinn, Keystone 4-H leader, for making her 4-H year very successful and fun. She also is very thankful to her parents, who help her make her dreams come true.

Cleveland’s hard work and dedication are a prime example of a 4-H member’s passion for agriculture, success and, most of all, horses.

Annie Cleveland and a frield at the Curtis, Junior High Rodeo, October 2010. / Photo by Deb Cleveland