April 2014 - Billings Saddle Club

Billings Saddle Club ~ Alkali Creek Road ~ PO BOX 385 Billings, Montana 59103 ~ 406-252-8272
APRIL
2014 BOARD MEMBERS
President
1st Vice President (Membership)
2nd Vice President (Horse Activities)
3rd Vice President (Social Activities)
Corresponding Secretary
Recording Secretary
Treasurer
3 Year Director
2 Year Director
1 Year Director
Stirrup Editor
Clubhouse Rentals
Past President
Jimmie Jimison
Sue Malmstrom
Racquel Kaelberer
Muri Cole
Sarah Swenson
Bev Grauman
Alexa Coolahan
Charlene Murphy
Jason Harkins
Lorie Nelson
Polly Olsen Namen
Muri Cole
Nancy Bjelland
850-9378
670-2488
600-7348
425-2859
545-7173
720-0006
373-6546
245-8450
670-8812
259-3699
698-0066
425-2859
860-8536
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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For Current Schedule Updates Visit Us on Facebook
Do you have any information that might interest other club members, such as classified ads, event
results, awards, member achievements, or upcoming events? If so, please contact Polly at 6339400 or [email protected] to place the information in your STIRRUP.
A message from your Horse Activities Chair, Racquel Kaelberer…….
2014 BSC ACTIVITIES CALENDAR
Horse Activities Chair: Racquel Kaelberer – (406) 600-7348 or [email protected] – Call for status of
event in case of bad weather. Check our Billings Saddle Club Facebook page for updates.
2014 O-MOK-SEE Schedule
April 27–noon LexCoolahan, KatheyAdams/KayLynnAllen/CandyChristoferson/BrynaFelche/BernieSwanson
May 18th – 10 am Pat Cole, Clint&JanetteAnderson/SaraSannes/MuriCole/Rachel&ChaseHolst/DeniseBacon/LoriNelson
June 6th – 7pm Connie/JimmieJimision, JoanLunder/CherylCathey/BevGrauman/Andrea&NelsPearson/BrendaCasey
June 13th – 7 pm Sue Schwend, KelleePierce/SadieChristoferson/Bernie&VinceSwanson/LewisWard/MelissaChristoferson/HaleySchwend
June 28th – 10 am RacquelKaelberer, Rob&KristenLunder/SueMalmstrom/RossMalmstrom/NancyBjelland/CharleneMurphy
June 29th – 10 am SueMalmstrom, Andy&SarahSwenson/MattKoplinFamily/MuriCole/NicoleThompson/NancyBjelland
July 11th – 7pm LorieNelson, JenniferCarmody/TanyaPunt/LexCoolahan/ShaneSchieck/GerelePelton/Dwayne&AmyVogle
National O-Mok-See – July 19-25, 2014 – Buffalo, Wyoming
August 1st – 7pm CharleneMurphy, RodLeafdale/DebbieMagilke/Mike&NikkiHofmann/Andy&SarahSwenson
August 22nd – 7pm DoreenMcKenney, CarolynGilstrap/Shane&SaritaStolt/Steve&CindySundheim/Jimme&ConnieJimison
State O-Mok-See - Aug. 29-31 at BSC !!
September 14th – Memorial O-Mok-See – BSC BOARD
“Howdy ~~ I hope you have found some time to find your horses after this past winter. Our first
O-Mok-See will be Sunday April 27 at noon. The committee is as follows: Lex Coolahan- Chair,
Kathey Adams, Kay Lynn Allen, Candy Christoferson, Bryna Felche, and Bernie Swanson.
The 2014 Horse Activity Calendar is attached: If the date you are scheduled does not work for you,
please look at the calendar and trade with someone else (this is your responsibility). I need to be
made aware of any changes to the calendar. I can be contacted at 406-600-7348 or
[email protected].
I appreciate all the volunteers and your willingness to help. You are FANTASTIC BSC
MEMBERS!!
Looking forward to seeing all your smiling faces
Cheers ~~ Racquel
WORK DAYS
4/9/14 – cleanup of clubhouse interior, etc.; 4/16/14 and 4/23/14 for outside projects including arena fence,
water line & spring maintenance, plus general repair and cleanup.
Please come and help!
We need you!
2014 Horse Activity Committees
04/27/14 O-Mok-See
Lex Coolahan- Chair
Kathey Adams
Kay Lynn Allen
Candy Christoferson
Bryna Felche
Bernie Swanson
05/18/14 O-Mok-See
Pat Cole - Chair
Clint & Janette Anderson
Sara Sannes
Muri Cole
Rachel & Chase Holst
Denise Bacon
Lori Nelson
06/06/14 O-Mok-See
Connie/JimmieJimison
Joan Lunder
Cheryl Cathey
Bev Gravman
Andrea & Nels Pearson
Brenda Casey
06/13/14 O-Mok-See
Sue Schwend - Chair
Kellee Pierce
Sadie Christoferson
Bernie & Vince Swanson
Lewis Ward
Melissa Christoferson
Haley Schwend
06/28/14 O-Mok-See
Racquel Kaelberer-Chair
Rob/Kristen Lunder
Sue Malmstrom
Ross Malmstrom
Nancy Bjelland
Charlene Murphy
06/29/14 O-Mok-See
Sue Malmstrom - Chair
Andy and Sarah Swenson
Matt Kopplin Family
Muri Cole
Nicole Thompson
Nancy Bjelland
07/11/14 O-Mok-See
Lorie Nelson - Chair
Jennifer Carmody
Tanya Punt
Lex Coolahan
Shane Schieck/
Gerele Pelton
Dwayne & Amy Vogle
08/01/14 O-Mok-See
Charlene Murphy-Chair
Rod Leafdale
Debbie Magilke
Mike and Nikki Hofmann
Andy & Sarah Swenson
08/22/14 O-Mok-See
Doreen McKenney- Chair
Carolyn Gilstrap
Shane & Sarita Stolt
Steve & Cindy Sundheim
Jimmie/Connie Jimison
09/14/14 O-Mok-See
BSC BOARD
05/18/14 Barrel Race
Doris Gillespie
Linda Crowder
Paula Harris
Brenda Kirkland
Polly Namen
Kristi Spring
TBD Barrel Race
Racquel Kaelberer
Eva Schaff Family
Rod & Phyllis Brosz
Shirlee & Tim Kaczmarek
TBD Barrel Race
Racquel Kaelberer
Eva Schaff Family
Diane Bomar
Linda Hegle
Shawn & Nikki Shelhamer
TBD Barrel Race
Racquel Kaelberer
Eva Schaff Family
Rod & Phyllis Brosz
Shawn & Molly Fossum
Arena Rental Dates:
YRS: Tuesdays 5/27-8/5
BBRS: 5/28, 6/4, 7/9
Pay It Forward: 6/14
Tryan Roping: 5/8-12
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS ~ we are glad to have you!!
New member: Carolyn Gilstrap sponsored by Shane and Starita Stolt.
New member application: Shae, Dusty, Hailey, Kane & Hayes Kautz
TIDBITS~~~
- The Board is also accepting bids to spray the spotted knap weed and goat heads. Please
contact a board member if you are interested.
- BSC needs a new webmaster. Please contact a board member if interested.
- We are in need of a newer refrigerator in the clubhouse, please donate if you’re able!
MEETING MINUTES
BSC BOARD MEETING 3-6-14
Members in attendance: Jimmie Jimison, Sue Malmstrom, Racquel Kaelberer, Lex Coolahan, Bev Grauman,
Nancy Bjelland, Lori Nelson
Meeting was called to order at 5:30pm 3/6/14
Secretary report: Minutes from last meeting were approved
Treasurer's report: $3840 in checking, $2573 in savings and $1564 in CDs . Deb McKay, DMV donated $200 in
memory of Dr. Vicki Bokum. This money will be used for the Ride for a Cause
Membership report: One new membership application was received- Carolyn Gilstrap.
Correspondence report: A letter as received from the NILE. A motion was made and passed to donate a free
membership to the Nile fundraiser again this year.
Horse Activities: We were awarded State Omoksee for Labor Day weekend. The state committee will come to
Billings April 26th to look over the facility. A motion was passed saying BSC will co-sponsor the June 14th "Pay it
Forward" barrel race again this year.
Social Activities: Nothing to report.
Clubhouse Rental: The first rental of 2014 is on March 8th for a wedding. The next rental will be sometime in
May.
Arena Rental: The arena rents for $200 plus a $50 light fee for night events and renters pay for water.
We have not heard back from Big Sky Gun runners. Racquel will call them. BBRS will rent 5/28, 6/4 and 7/9.
Young riders will rent on Tuesdays 5/27 through 8/5/14 except for 7/1/14. The "pay it forward" barrel race is 6/14
Old Business: Troy Namen was chosen to repair the roofs. Racquel will get current prices for weed spraying.
It was moved and passed to reimburse Alexa $300 for taxes and $16 for paying the Domain fee for our website.
We now have liability insurance that covers the facility for 365 days per year. A brand new vacuum was donated
to BSC. Thank you to the anonymous donor! We still need a new refrigerator.
New Business: Racquel and Nancy are working on concessions for the State Omoksee. Nancy will make sure
there is water for State. Racquel is working on awards for State.
Next meeting: will be at the Saddle Club on April 3rd at 5:30pm. There being no other business, the meeting
was adjourned at 6:30.
Respectfully - Bev Grauman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spring Ahead: Management strategies to get your horse ready for the new season
By: Dr. Lydia Gray
Houses get a spring cleaning, cars gets a spring tune-up . . . why shouldn’t horses receive the same extra attention when the
weather turns warm and their duties change? Make the most of the professionals available to you, and learn as much as you
can about your horse and his individual needs.
First, schedule a visit with your veterinarian. When you make the appointment, tell them you want a
complete physical examination with extra time for questions and perhaps even a nutritional consultation. If
you need a Coggins test, health certificate or any other tests or paperwork, be sure and mention that too.
Review with your veterinarian any problems that occurred over the winter or concerns about the upcoming
season. Between this discussion and your veterinarian’s physical exam findings, you should be able as a
team to develop a treatment or preventive maintenance program that is customized for your horse.
During this visit, maximize the "quality time" with your veterinarian by getting involved:
1. Learn how to body condition score and weight tape your horse properly
2. Determine if the type or amount of hay, grain and supplements you feed needs to change
3. Take a core sample of your hay and give it to your veterinarian for analysis
4. Inspect your horse’s skin, coat and hooves for poor quality or disease conditions
5. Discuss parasite control and submit a fecal sample
6. Learn what new diseases may be occurring in your area and request specific vaccinations
(such as equine herpesvirus – 1)
7. With your veterinarian, examine your horse’s mouth and develop a dental plan (have
your vet or an equine dentist float the teeth if necessary)
8. Explain your riding and showing plans for the season and ask your veterinarian’s opinion
on proper conditioning
9. Evaluate your horse’s risk for conditions like colic, laminitis and ulcers by sharing
turnout strategy: how much time will he been in a stall vs. turned out and will he have
access to pasture
10. Find out if your horse may benefit from electrolytes, antioxidants, joint supplements or
other products if you plan to travel or show
Other professionals you may need to schedule visits with include your farrier, equine dentist and
nutritionist. If you’re responsible for maintaining pastures, you may want to work with someone from a
university, county extension office or even feed dealer to prepare your pastures so they can support your
horse(s) activity and nutrition.
Finally, whether you compete or just ride for fun, work with your trainer (if you have one) to design a
training and conditioning program so that your horse is fit mentally and physically for his task. Incorporate
your veterinarian’s recommendations on proper conditioning, and remember that training is teaching your
horse skills and conditioning is improving his flexibility, muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness. You
need both programs to succeed and to keep your horse sound. In general, increase the intensity of your
horse’s work OR the length/time but not both at the same time. For example, if you have been walking your
horse for 30 minutes a day during the winter, either walk for 25 minutes and trot for 5 minutes OR walk for
45 minutes.
For detailed instructions on how to prepare your horse for a specific discipline, such as dressage, three-day
eventing or reining, read Conditioning Sport Horses by Dr. Hilary M. Clayton.
About Dr. Lydia Gray
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Article from www.thehorse.com
Spring Training: Getting Your Horse Ready to Ride
Photo: Photos.com
The flowers might not have started budding yet, but if you haven't started getting your mount ready for the
spring, you're already late. Steve Jones, associate professor and equine specialist for the University of Arkansas
Cooperative Extension Service said if you own a horse, you should start getting your animal ready by checking his
feet. "We need hoof care right off the bat," Jones said.
A carefully controlled exercise plan should be next on the agenda. A horse that has been turned out since fall will
not be as fit as he was last time he was ridden. How long it will take him to get back in shape will depend largely
on what kind of shape he was in when cold weather hit; a horse that was physically fit before taking a two- or
three-month break can return to good form much more quickly than one that wasn't. "The first thing I worry
about is injury," Jones said. "His tendons are not in shape, his bones are more brittle. The unique thing about a
horse is that when you exercise him, he actually has bone remodeling. The bone softens and then starts repairing
itself for that activity level. Tendons do the same thing. So it's important to do a long, slow exercise regimen, just
getting those feet and tendons and muscles back in shape."
About 20 minutes of exercise is ideal when starting out, Jones said. He recommended this time be spent in five
minutes of warm-up, eight to 10 minutes of slow trotting or cantering, and five minutes of cool-down.
When that phase is well underway, owners of performance horses should start adding workouts specific to the
types of activity those animals will be utilized for. "This is true for trail-riding horses, too," Jones said. "You may
have ridden him 14 miles before, but he's been on vacation and he's not up to that yet. You're risking injury if you
don't start slowly."
Next, check your tack and equipment. Make sure that nothing is dry-rotted and that everything you'll need is
present and in good shape--blankets should be clean; bridles, saddles, and other leather tack should be oiled.
It's a good idea to take stock of your horse's diet this time of year, too.
Jones said it might be necessary to add more calories and protein as the horse transitions from being on a
maintenance program to a performance regimen.
Cold weather might hold internal parasites at bay, but as soon as the grass starts to shoot up in the spring they
can return with a vengeance. It's a good idea to consult with your veterinarian for the plan that will allow you to
stay ahead of the specific parasites affecting your farm.
Nine Tips for Preparing Your Horse for Spring
This seasonal advice will help keep your horse safe and healthy as
warmer weather arrives.
By Edited Press Release | 6-Apr-10 www.thehorsechannel.com
Dr. Kristina Hiney, PhD, Equine Nutrition Advisor for
Omega Fields®, has prepared a series of Seasonal Tips
which can be of great help to the horse owner transitioning
their horses from one season to another.
The following is Dr. Hiney's advice for things you should do
during this winter-to-spring transition:

Schedule your spring check-up with your veterinarian in order to get your spring shots before mosquito
season. Many diseases in horses are transmitted by mosquitoes, including Eastern, Western and
Venezuelan encephalomyelitis, as well as West Nile disease. Read more about equine vaccination
guidelines >>

Have your horse’s Coggins test performed, especially if you plan to travel. Coggins tests are performed
annually in order to test for carriers of Equine Infectious Anemia. This is a disease which has no cure or
vaccine available and is also transmitted by mosquitoes. The only route of control available is to identify
carrier horses which may spread the disease to other horses via blood sucking insects.

Check all of your fences for winter damage. Freezing and thawing of the ground can cause posts to “heave”.
This may result in downed rails, loose mesh or high tensile fences no longer having high tension. Be sure to
re-stretch any fences that may have become loose as these are actually extremely dangerous. Horses may
tangle themselves quite easily in loose wires. Read more on fence maintenance >>

If you use electric fences, check your chargers. As the grass begins to grow, the temptation to leave the
fenced in area for greener pastures may intensify. Read more on electric fencing >>

Now is the time to clean and check your tack for wear, potential weak spots, rotting etc. before riding season
gets into full swing.

Before heading down the road, be sure to test your trailer’s lights, brakes, and floors. Certainly your wiring
may be damaged or corroded from snow and salt. You do not want to find out in mid-drive! Read more on
trailer safety >>

Avoid sudden turnout to lush, green pastures. Use a slow adaptation to grazing, introducing your horse a
few hours at a time. Be especially careful if your horse is an easy keeper, who tends to deposit fat along the
crest of his neck, abdomen and tailhead. He may be a horse with metabolic syndrome and thus be
susceptible to laminitis with exposure to spring grasses.

Consider building a sacrifice area or having a paddock for turnout. Not only can you use this to limit your
horse’s time on pasture, but also when it is wet and your horse’s hooves may tear up the sod in the pasture
while bucking and playing in the fresh spring air!

Begin your exercise program slowly! If you have not done much riding over the winter, your riding partner
will not be in shape. Remember what you feel like when hitting the gym after a long time away. Your horse
gets sore too! Read more on safe horse conditioning >>
THANK YOU 2013 BSC SPONSORS
Please remember to patronize these businesses & thank these folks for their generosity!
Al’s Bootery
Apex Tools (Greg Gillespie)
Dr. Vicki Bokum (in memoriam)
Doris Gillespie
Law Dog Hat
Lou Taubert’s
Sue Malmstrom
Bob & Jamie Popelka & Family
Towe, Ball, Mackey, Sommerfeld & Turner (Court Ball)
Big Sky Feeds
Knife River
Shirlee & Tim Kazcmarek
Gale Beebe
Nancy & Pete LaCounte
Town & Country Supply
Platinum Performance
Stockman Bank