BRAVE HORSE

            September 2016

Welcome to the Extreme Cowboy Association   

We are excited about 2016 and the many fun filled and exciting Extreme Cowboy Racing events that are on the schedule. 

The formation of EXCA has been an thrilling and challenging adventure! Many people have worked tirelessly to create an association that you will be proud to tell your friends about.
 

This is the latest issue of your monthly newsletter, The Brave Horse.
 

You will receive it each month electronically around the middle of the month.  The Brave Horse will be full of interesting stories, EXCA event results, point standings, human interest stories about EXCA members and Tips and Tales from our founder, Craig Cameron.  We encourage you to communicate your suggestions for stories and ideas that will make The Brave Horse fun, better and more informative.  The Brave Horse: the best newsletter in the equine world.

Please forward your ideas and suggestions to Frank Turben at webmaster@extremecowboyassociation.com

The Trials of Judging

Anyone who has ever shown a horse in any discipline other than speed events has had their horse or their performance evaluated by a living, breathing human, or by a group of so called "Judges." Being a Judge is not an easy thing to do and not all people have the makeup to be a Judge. Regardless of how much money or how many World Championships you have won, it takes a special individual to be able to enforce the rules, evaluate the performance, and add in a tiny bit of personal preference to come up with a winner!

Being a Judge can be a very trying thing to say the least; you are usually isolated from the contestants and you will NEVER make everyone happy! You should be thick skinned to be able to place the horses as you see fit and take the criticism from the contestants that may not agree with your decisions. If a Judge will always approach a show with the attitude that the contestants are there to please him and that he is not there to please the contestants, it will make things easier in the end.

Judging is not a perfect science and never will be as long as the human opinion is involved, but if we can continue to educate ourselves as Judges, keep up with the ever-changing equine world, and know there is always room for improvement, we can be confident we are doing our best to choose the correct winner!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ENTRIES ARE OPEN

Get your entries in to the 2016 EXCA World Championship, if you are qualified:

Online Entry Form

Are you Qualified?

Trophy Buckle for top earning Mustang & Rider Team!

Reminder to those who compete with Mustangs - please be sure to submit your application for the Top Point Earner custom buckle award no later than September 30th! The top year-end EXCA point earning Mustang/Rider Team will be awarded a custom buckle courtesy of the Mustang Heritage Foundation. The winner must be present for the awards presentation at the 2016 EXCA World Championship.
Read more here. 

Simple Weaning Tips

There are two general methods of weaning foals: gradual and abrupt. As with most things horse-related, you will have a hard time finding two people who do things exactly the same way. I prefer the abrupt method, which simply means separating the mare and the foal all at once. You may prefer a more gradual approach, such as fence-line weaning or keeping the mare and foal apart for longer periods of time each day for several weeks.

Regardless of the method you choose, however, there are some simple things you can do to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible for you, the mare and the foal, with the focus being on the health and well-being of the animals you have invested so much time, energy and money in. The following suggestions are based on an abrupt weaning, but can easily be adapted to a gradual weaning method.

When to wean. Foals can be weaned as early as 4 months old, with most people choosing to wean in the 4 to 6 month range. There are several reason for doing this. They include the ability to begin working with the foal individually as part of its early training, making sure the health of the mare is not compromised by nursing too long, or getting the mare back into show or work condition. Regardless of the reason, you should make sure that the foal you are preparing to wean is healthy, eating forage well, is in good body condition and showing some independence from its dam.

Prior to weaning. Before you separate the foal and mare, the foal should receive appropriate vaccinations and worming. By the time the foal has reached weaning age, it needs to begin to develop its own immunity to diseases, hence the need for vaccinations. In addition, most foals will have been exposed to parasites, so will require worming. The other reason to do this at least a few weeks prior to weaning is so you are not compounding the stress of weaning with the physiological and psychological stress that can come with such treatments. Weaning by itself is stressful enough. You will want to eliminate as many other stress factors as possible during the weaning period. Always consult your veterinarian for appropriate vaccination and worming treatments.

Weaning time. When you are ready to wean the foal, make sure the area it is being kept in is safe and free from dangers. A foal can be quite nervous when away from the mare for the first few days, so make sure all your fencing, gates and other possible hazards are taken care of beforehand. I believe it is always best to take the mare away from the foal, not vice-versa. This insures that the foal stays in familiar surroundings - another stress removed. It is also best, when using the abrupt method, to make sure the mare is out of sight and hearing distance of the weanling. As many of us have experienced, if the two can see or even hear each other, the process can be longer and more stressful (and noisier!) for everybody involved. Lastly, I like to keep a dry mare, a young filly, or even an older gelding with my broodmares and foals. This way, even if I only have one foal to wean, it will have a companion to stay with once mom is gone. Of everything I have done over the years when it comes to weaning, I think this has been the most helpful. This year I have only one foal to wean, and she is already good friends with a two-year-old filly who will stay in the paddock with her when I take the mare away in a few weeks.

As mentioned above, there is no "one way" to wean. If you are new to weaning, ask a trusted friend, trainer or veterinarian for advice and help. Don't get too worried. Lay out a plan and follow it. As it relates to weaning, remember that reducing the stress on the foal should be the focus of everything you do. By following a plan and focusing on the health and safety of the foal, weaning can be a relatively easy process that, within just a few weeks, will leave you with a happy and independent weanling ready for its first important steps in handling and training.

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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SPONSORS

The EXCA office is seeking businesses, organizations, and people who may be interested in sponsorship opportunities for our 2016 World's Show in Hamilton, TX! If you or someone you know may be interested, please have them email turben@extremecowboyassociation.com. Any sponsorship ideas, leads, or introductions are greatly appreciated!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for volunteers at the 2016 EXCA World Championship in Hamilton, Texas.  Here are some of the areas where you can help: Arena Setup, Gate, Banners, Computer Data Entry, Music, or Other.  Please submit this form and we will contact you. 

World Qualifying Clarification

Past Overall World Champions
Contestants who have been the OVERALL WORLD CHAMPION are automatically qualified for the 2016 World Championship. The Overall World Champion has the highest score combined all 3 stages. For example, Runt Rageth in 2014 or Teala Canton in 2015.
The Overall World Champion is the only rider who automatically qualifies for successive World Championships.

THANK YOU

Thank you to our newsletter contributors - we love featuring local clubs, so please continue sending in your stories, articles and pictures to turben@extremecowboyassociation.com. 

              This Newsletter Provided  by the Extreme Cowboy Association for it's members.

EXCA
PO Box 50
Bluff Dale TX
76433