Sponsored Rider Spotlight - Gaylene Buff

Gaylene Buff was born into a ranching family and was raised in 9-Mile canyon, located in the South Eastern part of Utah.  She moved to British Columbia where she married her husband and has had two children.

Gaylene came onto the barrel racing and rodeo scene in the year 2007. At that time, she flirted with the idea of rodeoing full time, and in the year 2008 she decided to pursue her dream full time.

Some of her accomplishments are: Three time Canadian Finals Rodeo Qualifier, four time Calgary Stampede Qualifier and two time Rodeo Houston Qualifier.

Titles Won: 2011 Cowgirl Of The Year, 2009 Canadian Ladies Barrel Racing Champion, 2008 Canadian Rookie Of The Year, 2008 Calgary Wrangler Tour Finals Champion, 2009 & 2011 Canadian Prairie Circuit Champion.

Testimonial:

"RevitaVet is a huge tool in keeping all my horses running at the top of their game. Barrel Racing and Rodeoing is sport that demands a lot out of an equine athlete, not only in the competition, but with the many miles of hauling that is required. The RevitaVet system is quick and easy to use.  I can see the results immediately after use."

The Down and Dirty Sport of Cutting

A horse and cow are playing a game of cat and mouse. The horse spins and stops, ears flicking and listening, watching and matching each miniscule movement that the cow makes. The quickness of the horse and the degree of determination that it has for keeping the cow away from its herd is exciting and inspiring.
 The cat like equine crouches deep in the dirt, on its hocks, as if ready to spring; the rider, also highly focused, anticipates the movements of the horse as well as the cow in order to stay on board. This is the fast, exciting equine sport of Cutting.

Cutting traces its roots back to the days when cattle ranches in the American West had to sort, castrate and vaccinate their herds. Ranchers relied heavily on their mounts and “cowiness,” or the desire to work cattle, was a trait that was highly valued. After a time, ranches began to compete with their best mounts, showing off their quick moves and challenging each other for prize money.

 The first competition for this sport was held in 1898 in Haskell, Texas. In 1946 the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) was created to help promote and hold sanctioned shows. Today, NCHA approved shows give away 39 million dollars a year to top competitors. Cutting horses are bred by selectively choosing bloodlines of horses that have been proven to have “cow sense.” It is an inbred desire to chase or work cattle, brought about by carefully choosing horses that have already been shown to carry this trait. In an arena, the horse is asked to split a cow away from the rest of the herd. The cow, being a herd animal, attempts to return, and get past the horse. It is the horses’ job to keep the cow separated. It uses quick rollbacks, stops and quick jumps forward to accomplish this task. The horse is given points according to how well it anticipates the cow’s every move, and tracks it. The rider chooses cows that will show off the horse’s natural talents, and normally two or three cattle are used to do so. Two and half minutes are given to show the horse to its fullest potential. The shoulders of the horse must be parallel to the cow during the run, and rollbacks, sliding stops, and sharp darting quarter turns are just some of the fast maneuvers that the rider must be able to sit.

The American Quarter Horse is the most popular horse for this sport, although, any breed of horse can be used for this as long as it has a desire to work cattle. The down and dirty sport of Cutting is an exciting activity to watch as well as ride, and hundreds of sanctioned shows are held throughout the country every year.

Author: D.Overman

Event Rider Katie Ruppel Endorses RevitaVet!

Katie Ruppel on Sir Donovan at Fair Hill
Photo credit: Josh Walker

Katie Ruppel: Ocala, FL. Successful CCI3*/Advanced competitior, is an international level event rider and former Young Rider medalist and is prepping for Rolex Kentucky 4*.  Katie has a dynamic and enthusiastic teaching style that is effective with both children and adults. She works closely with Buck Davidson, who has a clear impact on her teaching. Katie has brought most of her upper level horses along from the ground up and specializes in starting the young event horse.  Her 2 upper level horses are Sir Donovan or “Donald” and Houdini or “Hewie”. Katie operates her own Yellow Rose Eventing, a teaching, training and sales business based out of Ocala, FL.

2012

-3rd Full Gallop OI (Houdini)

-12th Fork CIC3* (Sir Donovan)

-15th Red Hills CIC3* (Sir Donovan)

2011

-12th Galway CCI3* (Sir Donovan)

-3rd Richland Park Advanced (Sir Donovan) -3rd Poplar Place CIC3* (Sir Donovan) -4th Jersey Fresh CCI3* (Sir Donovan) -7th Ocala CCI2* (Houdini)

Other notable results..

-Area II high point award for Advanced (Sir Donovan), Preliminary and Intermediate levels (Houdini) -4th 2010 U-25 National Championship (Fair Hill CCI3*) (Sir Donovan) -3rd 2009 U-25 National Championship (Fair Hill CCI3) (Sir Donovan) -Bronze medalist 2008 NAYRC CCI2* (Kouros de Rouville) -2nd 2007 VA HT CCI1* Long Format (Rosetta Stone)

Website: www.yellowroseeventing.com

“RevitaVet has been an indispensable part of my health and maintanence program. In addition to treating horses with injuries, I have found it infinitely useful to heal the bumps and bruises that competition horses often have, such as heel grabs, boot rubs, sore feet and the infamous "scurf" we have here in the south. It has been exceptional for treating my Advanced horses' sore back while at FEI competition when medication is forbidden. My horses can't miss a day and our RevitaVet helps keep them feeling good and on schedule.” 

How Infrared Light Heals Hock Injuries

One of the most dreaded conversations an owner can have with his or her vet concerns problems with the hocks of their horse.  Hock issues can vary from mild to severe, but none the less, they always affect the comfort of our equine friends, and quite often the fluidity of their gaits.  This can mean constant expensive treatments or supplements, as in the case of older horses, or it can mean the end of an entire show career!

 Hock injections are expensive and only last for a certain period of time, and some injuries, such as a kick, can be the beginning of a much more serious problem.  

If your horse is suffering from discomfort because of hock issues, infrared light therapy may be the answer you have been looking for.  This type of therapy can accelerate healing and quickly reduce inflammation with just short daily treatments.  It is non-invasive and works with the body’s own healing abilities to achieve quick results.  Circulation is greatly improved as it stimulates the blood flow, thereby increasing oxygen and nutrients to the injured area. This in turn, creates rapid healing to the site. 

Horses that have these kinds of problems are often kept from moving a lot, and thus, the problem of stocking up is always an addition concern to an already difficult situation.  Stocking up is when the horse's legs become puffy due to lack of movement, and the all important circulation to the legs, has been compromised.  With the use of light therapy, stocking up is no longer a problem. Stimulating circulation also helps to diminish inflammation and promotes the flow of the lymphatic system. It helps to protect against permanently capped knees and hocks as well.  Infrared light also has a natural analgesic effect, helping to make horses with these painful injuries more comfortable with fewer medications.

But how exactly does light therapy increase circulation?  The infrared lights help to form or create new capillaries.  Waste products from the cells are whisked away, while nutrients and oxygen are delivered to the starving injured cells.  Replenishing collagen is also a benefit, and since it is an essential protein for replacing old or damaged tissue, less scar tissue will form at the site of the injury.  This is especially important for damage to the hock area, as movement is limited when large amounts of scar tissue develop.

Adensosine Triphosphate or ATP, is also increased by light stimulation.  It is the main supplier of energy to all of the cells in the body.  It also is responsible for the all important chemical reactions within the cell.  The ATP helps the cells acquire nutrients more quickly, as they rapidly carry away the waste.    

Another surprising advantage is that as infrared light helps to accelerate healing is it increases RNA and DNA synthesis which causes the damaged cells to be replaced more rapidly.  It also triggers acupuncture points that keep the flow of energy running through the affected area.

So if you want optimal results and you have an equine friend that suffers from hock problems, use light therapy to help heal the situation quickly, naturally and non-invasively.  

Author:  d. overman

The Exciting Sport of Barrel Racing

As the blur of horse and rider speed from barrel to barrel the onlookers hold their breath.  Cheers resound as the team crosses the finish line.  Competition is tough, as every second counts, and the adrenaline flows freely through everyone’s veins.  This is the exciting sport of Barrel Racing.

Barrel racing is a timed rodeo event.  The team of horse and rider must complete a pattern called a clover leaf which is created by running around three barrels set up at specific distances in an arena.  This means that there is a precise measured distance between the start line to the first barrel, the first barrel to the second barrel, and finally the second barrel to the third barrel.  The person whose horsemanship skills combined with the athleticism of his or her horse, completes the triangular pattern with the fastest time wins the event. 

The timer begins recording when the start line is crossed by the swift moving horse, and it ends when the barrel pattern has been completed and the horse and rider blaze across the finish line. 

The timer is either an electronic eye, which is used in professional events, with a laser system that electronically records the time, or a judge who has a flag letting the clocker know when to begin timing.  The last method is often used for non-pro events.  

In its inception, barrel racing began as an event for women, while the men rode bulls, broncs or roped.  It started as a figure eight pattern, and alternated from that to a cloverleaf until finally the cloverleaf pattern became the standard. 

The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) was started in 1948 by a group of Texas women.   It was originally called the GRA or Girl’s Rodeo association, but the name was changed in 1981.  Under the WPRA, women are allowed to compete in different types of rodeo events; however, barrel racing remains the favorite.  

Top Barrel Racers in the WPRA can make over $100,000.00 per year in competitions.  Regional and local jackpots are also available for those that want to navigate a fast moving horse around the barrels on a smaller scale.

In 2010, Sherry Cervi held the record for her 25 year career in barrel racing.  Her total earnings were $1,964,821.00.  Charmagne James comes in second with over a million dollars in earnings that she acquired over a ten year period.

Barrel Racing is a fast exciting sport, and it continues to grow in popularity year after year.   

So if high speed is part of the reason you love horses, barrel racing might just be your ticket to fun.

Author: D. Overman

The Fast Sport of Reining

Reining is a riding discipline that originated in the west when ranchers had to work with large herds of cattle.  Animals had to be moved from one area to another.  Sorting, branding and doctoring were other activities that had to be accomplished.  Cowboys had to be able to count on their equine partners; therefore, horses that were easy to work with, athletic and had a desire to work cattle became the most popular mounts.  Because cattle had to be sorted out of the herd, a horse had to be able to spin quickly, slide to a stop, and roll back across its hocks in order to change direction almost instantly.  The cowboy’s horse had to be able to do these things with the lightest of aids so that the rider could concentrate on the task at hand.  Soon ranchers were competing amongst themselves, and after a time, larger competitions began to take place.

Reining classes include different patterns which show the horses natural abilities to lope or canter in a small and large circle, changing pace readily and easily, just like a horse and rider would have to do when chasing a cow.  Flying lead changes, along with sliding stops, and rollbacks must be executed using the lightest of cues.  Surly behavior, on the part of the horse, causes a drop in the score during a competition.

The movements that the horse must execute are explained in more detail here.  They include eight to twelve actions: 

Circles:  Large circles are executed at a full gallop, slow small circles at a canter.  The transition from slow to fast must be done on the center line of the circle and must be almost indiscernible.  Flying lead changes are also executed on the center line, and the horse’s stride must not change.

Rundown:  A full gallop along the long side of the arena, approximately 20 feet away from the rail, must be demonstrated along with a sliding stop and a 180 degree turn called a rollback. 

Sliding Stop:  The horse gathers speed to a full gallop and then comes to a complete stop, sliding his hind feet while giving the appearance of sitting down.  His feet slide for up to 30 feet or more while the front feet continue to walk forward until the horse is totally stopped.  The horse should finish stopping while his or her body is still in a straight line.

Backup:  The horse is required to back on a straight line for at least 10 feet. 

Rollback:  The horse slides to a stop and then without hesitation rolls on the inside or outside hind leg performing a 180 degree turn, depending on the pattern.  The horse must then jump forward into the lope or canter.  The movement is a continuous fluid motion, and there can be no hesitation on the part of the horse.

Spins:  The horse stands in one spot, and while planting the inside hind leg, and then spins 360 degrees.  Four and a quarter turns in each direction are the maximum number allowed without penalty.  The pivot foot stays in this position moving only enough to allow the horse to complete the circle.

Pause:  At certain points throughout the routine, a horse will be asked to pause or “settle.”  Horses that show impatience or misbehave are penalized.

The fast sport of reining is as exciting to watch as it is to ride, and the fact that prize money is often given to the winners in National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) sanctioned shows, has made it a very popular sport.  

Author:  D. Overman