Hello again everybody! So, I am assuming that as Thanksgiving
has finally come the kids are getting even more excited about Christmas. Maybe
you have already gotten your Christmas Tree up and decorated and its starting to “look a lot like Christmas” around your house. If you have some “horse crazy”
kids at your house they may be thinking even harder on how you are going to fit
that horse or pony under that tree. Well I have been thinking extra hard on my
idea for all the kids to come out to my barn and ride and visit all of the
horses, hopefully help all of you parents out. I’m thinking that I am going to
call this event “Christmas Horse Ride& Picnic.”

So far my plan is, that Friday, December 21, 2012; I am going to invite all the horse crazy kids I can think of to come out to my barn for a day filled with
horses. I’m going to have the day start at 9:00 A.M. and we will start with  introducing the kids to all the horses and showing them how much work it is to feed and take care of a horse daily. Then we will start taking turns getting to ride on my four gentle horses that have packed kids around for years. After
everyone gets a chance to ride we will go to the hay barn for a picnic in the
“loft”, I will ask that all the kids bring a lunch with them please. After we
are finished with lunch everyone will be able to tell all the horses’ goodbye
and all of you parents can come pick them up between 1:00 and 2:00 P.M. I really hope all of you parents will consider sending your horse crazy kid out for my “Christmas Horse Ride & Picnic” I know I will enjoy it and I truly believe
your kids will too!!

As everyone knows, the holidays are a wonderful time of year, but, as we also all know they can be very stressful! With all the hassles of shopping, traveling, figuring out what everyone wants, and having to say no to the one’s you love because what is on their Christmas list you just can’t afford right now. So when Dr. Carstensen presented my Technical Writing class with this “Help for the Holiday Blues” project, it got me to thinking about what every little girl or boy wants for Christmas at some point in time. Well you know me, the first thing that popped to my head was, a horse! I mean how many of us asked for a pony for Christmas at one time or another? I still ask for them even though I already have too many! But, I also know how expensive it is to keep a horse and having the space for one just isn’t an option for every parent no matter how bad they want to get their kids a pony or a horse. Most parents end up having to “skip the pony” this year and hope that their kids grow out of this phase quickly.

          So, the “Holiday Blues” found, I started trying to come up with a solution for parents this year so they wouldn’t exactly have to say “No” to their kids this Christmas when they asked for a pony. I got to thinking; I have so many horses that I could share them with the kids for a day! I could set up a day before Christmas so that any horse crazy kid could come out to my barn and see all the horses. They could pet them, learn about them, learn how to take care of them, and even ride them if they wanted to! I’m sure my horses, especially Xena, Glory, Doc, and Banner, would be glad to have someone else besides me ride them for a change and be glad for all the extra attention! Now I know it’s not a horse of their very own, but I think they would have fun and enjoy being able to ride a horse. It might even cure their “Holiday Blues”, as well as their parent’s. Now parents, I know what you are thinking, “if my kid rides a horse he or she is going to really want one!” I’ll admit this is very possible, but I promise to show them how much work it is to keep a horse and take care of a horse and they might never ask for one again! It is a 50/50 chance, what can I say? I hope all you parents will consider my “cure for the Holiday Blues” and bring your horse crazy kids out to ride for the day!

    As most horse people have experienced, the Western Horseman magazine is one of the most informative, popular, and oldest magazine in the horse world today.  The Western Horseman magazine began in 1936 and its history tells the story of the horse’s history in North America. The principle of this magazine was to defend the many formations of breed associations and registries, to record the horse’s history, and to circulate information about the care, breeding, and many different uses of horses over the years.

    When Founding Editor and Publisher, Paul Albert, began the Western Horseman magazine most people must have thought he was crazy, but like me, he must have loved horses to a maddening degree. "At the time he started this magazine the horse was on a downfall, automobiles and machines had taken over a horse’s place in most people’s everyday lives, and most horse’s values had dropped. Many of them met their fate at the slaughterhouse for dog food. Paul, his wife, Worth, and a secretary and friend named Dorothy Smith wanted to bring the horse back to the heart of the people. They set out to show people the usefulness of horses on the farm and ranch, as well as, the joyful recreation these wonderful animals could provide."

    The Western Horseman has seen a lot of history made in the horse world and has helped it along greatly. After only five years of being published, the magazine had seen four brand new horse organizations formed: the Palamino Horse Association, the American Quarter Horse Association, the Appaloosa Horse Club, and the Albino Horse Club. These clubs are just a few of many clubs/associations that support, register, and form competitions for the different breeds and types of horses that inhabit the world.  It is especially amazing what these clubs alone have done for the horse in North America. 

    On a monthly basis, Western Horseman publishes an article about some form of horse training. They get their information from some of the best trainers in North America such as, Mike Kensey of Belton, South Carolina. Kensey has published a book about his trail methods and training philosophy, and has also competed in Competitive Trail - Open Division and has made a name for himself training well- mannered cooperative horses. Mike is available for behavioral and trail clinics, presentations, and book signings. His reputation is based on his perceptive horsemanship, straight forward speaking style of "no games, no gimmicks" rather than the common slippery marketing. Kensey is just one of many trainers that Western Horseman retrieves information from and publishes for its many  readers.

    Western Horseman also does write ups on many different kind of events that are constantly taking place in the horse world. One of the events that came out in the September 2012 issue was the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth this year. Western Horseman’s assistant editor, Kate Bradley, a graduate from Texas A&M University who grew up in Texas competing in many different events while riding and showing American Quarter Horses, interviewed some of the horse people that attended and competed in Fort Worth with their mustangs. She also included the time of the finals and places to purchase tickets so that anyone interested could attend.

    As you can see Western Horseman magazine has been a constant companion to the horse person as well as the horse throughout the years. It keeps its readers up to date on just about everything going on in the horse world and supports the associations that help keep these great animals in our hearts. I know I will always be a subscriber to Western Horseman and if you are as crazy about horses as I am, I know you will love it too!