Better Horses Network - Vol 4, Number 7

With the birth of our Self Shine stud colt this week, Spring has officially arrived at the Rodina farm. After coming home late from a Purina event last week, I could almost bet our Lenas Wright On mare would have her foal before morning. When I went outside the next morning, there was our new red dun colt nursing. That is definitely the best way to have a foal!

By now most of you should have received your Spring Edition of Better Horses Network. We have a lot of great events coming up including many good trail rides. I am looking forward to our Spring Dream Ride this May 2,3,& 4th at the Flying W Ranch in the Flint Hills. We still have plenty of room and would love to have you join us. Also this June 7&8, we are holding our First Annual Old West Cowboy Days Ride at the Burkdoll Ranch near Bush City, Kansas. This will also prove out to be a great ride!

Make sure you join us on April 24th, Thursday night, at Bob Gurney’s barn near Oak Grove, Mo.. We are having a Horse Owner Workshop dedicated to the Trail Riders with host, Tom Seay and RFD TV’s Best Of America By Horseback Team. Information is inside this newsletter. It is going to be a real fun and educational evening.

Don’t forget to set aside the weekend of May 30, 31, & June 1 for the Brent Wright and Shawn Flarida Reining Clinic. On Friday night, May 30, we will have a special evening Horses Owner Workshop with Brent, Shawn, and area Dressage Professional, Rebecca Rigdon. Then on Saturday and Sunday we have two days of Reining Clinic with Brent and Shawn. Saturday night will be great with a Steak Fry and great entertainment. The rider participation is full but we have plenty of room for auditors. Don’t miss this one!

Have you checked out Purina’s new website, www.omoleneuniversity.com ? Wow! What a great educational and fun website. You can earn wearables and feed also on this website. Also, check out our Better Horses Radio website at www.betterhorsesradio.com and listen to our shows on archives.

Please keep in your prayers our son, Luke, who is a 2nd Ltnt in the Marines, along with all of our other men in women in the armed forces serving in Iraq and other foreign countries.

Let me know if I can be of a help in anyway and I look forward to seeing you down the trail.

April

Apr. 12 SUNFLOWER CLASSIC, Hillsdale Lake State Park, Hillsdale, KS. (AERC/OCER/MOTDRA sanctioned) 15 introductory/25/50/75 mile endurance rides. For more information, call Susan or Dan Keil (913) 856-3660 or (913) 233-098. To view detailed flyer on this event, Click Here.
Apr. 12 EASTERN KANSAS TIMED EVENTS CIRCUIT The group's primary focus is to provide timed events for youth of the area to compete at an affordable price closer to home. The first competition will be at Uniontown on April 12. Iola and Chanute are two other locations that the EKTEC (pronounced eck-tek) events will be held this year. Entries will close at 7 p.m. with the show to begin at 7:30. April and May circuit events will be on Saturday evenings. There will also be some events open to all ages. To view detailed flyer on this event, Click here. Entry Price sheet, Click here.
Apr. 12-14 LEE SMITH ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC, Selby Stables, Wichita, KS. If you are a person who dreams of developing the ability to handle horses with confidence and understanding in any situation, Arizona horsewoman Lee Smith can help you. Rider participation, $100 p/day; auditor, $35 p/day. Come for an extraordinary opportunity to change your life with horses! For more information, call Susan Selby (316) 259-7761 or e-mail selbystables@pixius.net.
Apr. 15 PURINA HORSE OWNER'S WORKSHOP, Rocky Ridge Clydesdales, Hwy. 131 (just north of I-70), Odessa, MO. Your Purina Dealer, STG of Higginsville and Oak Grove, MO, invites you to their Horse Owner's Workshop; complimentary dinner starting at 6:30 pm, followed by excellent horse nutrition program, presentation by Rocky Ridge Clydesdales plus 17 national open championship winner Bill Hinkebein covering conditioning and competing the competitive trail horse. RSVP by noon, April 14th. For more information, call STG at (816) 625-1018 or (660) 584-8111. To view/print detailed flyer, Click Here.
Apr. 19 DENNIS JEFFERS REINING HORSE CLINIC, Dusty Ridge Equestrian Center, Lawson, MO. Hosted by North Missouri Reining Club. Limited to 10 horses and riders - $50 to ride (or audit the clinic for $10 per person). You must RSVP to ride. To reserve a riding slot or for more information, call Jean Beauvais (816) 580-3761. Click Here to view detailed flyer.

May

May 2-4 PURINA MILLS DREAM RIDE IN THE FLINT HILLS, Flying W Ranch, Clements, KS. If you are interested in joining us for this great weekend, call Suzan Barnes at the Grand Central Hotel in Cottonwood Falls at (620) 273-6763. To view detailed flyer, Click Here.
May 28 - June 1 3^rd ANNUAL REGIONAL GATHERING TRAIL RIDE, Golden Hills Trail Rides & Resort, 19546 Golden Drive, Raymondville, MO. Presented by Cowboys for Christ and Southwest Missouri Christian Cowboys. Friday night at 7:30 pm-Cowboy Poetry. 8:00 pm-Concert featuring Branded. Saturday Night Service with Brother Ted Pressley, founder of CFC. Trail Rides, Arena Events, Auction, Seminars, Campfire singing and devotions and more! For reservations, contact Golden Hills (800) 874-1157. For more information, contact Matt Wagner (816) 238-7503 or Curtis Doennig (417) 844-1999. To view detailed flyer, Click Here.
May 30 PURINA HORSE OWNER'S WORKSHOP, Eby Ranch, Louisburg, KS. Shawn Flarida, Brent Wright and Rebecca Rigdon, high level Dressage Trainer and Exhibitor. For more information, e-mail Ernie Rodina at erodina@landolakes.com or call (785) 418-6047. (More details later)
May 31-June 1 PURINA MILLS BRENT WRIGHT & SHAWN FLARIDA REINING CLINIC; Eby Ranch, 30612 Metcalf Road, Louisburg, KS. $500/rider and $75/auditor (limited to 20 riders). To sign up, call Susan Bershauer at (913) 837-8253 or e-mail fvbreiners@hotmail.com. To view flyer with complete details on this clinic, Click Here.
May 31-June 1 RAY HUNT HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC, Rocking V Ranch, Topeka, KS. One of the country's top horsemen! Ride, $500/Audit $30 Daily. For more information, contact Nancy Krueger (785) 863-4140 or e-mail nancykrueger@truevine.net. To view detailed flyer, Click Here.

June

June 2-6 ANTELOPE CREEK HORSE COMPANY YOUTH CAMP. For more information, contact Cyndi Harris (620) 782-3392 or e-mail ntrlhigh@wheatstate.com.
June 7-8 l^st ANNUAL OLD WEST COWBOY DAYS TRAIL RIDE; Burkdoll Brothers Cattle Co., -- Bush City Ranch. For more information, contact Ernie Rodina (785) 418-6047 or e-mail ernest_rodina@purina-mills.com. To view detailed flyer, Click Here.
June 9-13 ANTELOPE CREEK HORSE COMPANY YOUTH CAMP. For more information, contact Cyndi Harris (620) 782-3392 or e-mail ntrlhigh@wheatstate.com.
June 11 CTR/NATRC CLINIC, Ava, MO, 9:00 am.. Hosted by Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association. Demonstrations and presentations in the morning, including how to prep a horse for a competitive trail ride. Short practice ride in the afternoon, giving participants a feel for an actual ride. Members and non-members of the MFTHBA are welcome, and any breed horse may be brought for the ride. If coming with a horse, a current Coggins is required. For costs, registration and more information, contact Dr. Gabby Moore, DVM at horsemor@fidnet.com.
June 16-20 ANTELOPE CREEK HORSE COMPANY YOUTH CAMP. For more information, contact Cyndi Harris (620) 782-3392 or e-mail ntrlhigh@wheatstate.com.

KBRA 2008 Schedule:

To view schedule for KBRA for 2008, Click Here.

D-N Productions - Summer Barrel Racing Jackpots (June-July-August):

To view schedule for the summer series of Barrel Racing Jackpots, Click Here.

Adequan^® i.m. diminishes or reverses degenerative joint disease
and improves joint function. Learn more about equine degenerative
joint disease. View the "Balanced joints. Sound Horse" educational
DVD at www.adequan.com -- or order a free copy of the DVD by
calling 800-974-9247.

_ CLICK HERE to learn more details

The Better Horses Radio Show

            Tune in to one of the stations airing our show:

                Saturday    9:00am - 10:00am         KMDO 1600 am - Fort Scott, KS
                Saturday    4:00pm - 5:00pm          KFRM   550 am - Clay Center/Salina/Wichita, KS
                Sunday      6:00am - 7:00am           KTPK   106.9 am - (Country Legends) Topeka, KS
                Sunday      6:30am - 7:30am           KFEQ   680 am - St. Joe, MO
                Sunday      9:00am - 10:00am         KDKD 95.3 fm - Clinton, MO
                Sunday      4:00pm - 5:00pm          KOFO  1220 am - Ottawa, KS
                Sunday      4:00pm - 5:00pm           KTJJ    98.5 fm - Farmington, MO

PLUS . . . we've gone cross-country with the Better Horses Network!
WOCA - Ocala, FL WLEG - Lexington, KY

LISTING EVENTS IN OUR NEWSLETTER -- If you are an organization or business who would like to list your event in our Calendar Section, click on the Event Listings box above for rates. Then contact Jo Ann Riggs at e-mail address listed with your request.

CLASSIFIED AD LISTING -- If you are interested in a Classified Ad listing, click on the Classified Ad box above. Rates and placement information is located directly below the box. Simply click on "please click here." Be sure to check our Classifieds each newsletter as ads are changing all the time.

NEW CATEGORY FOR WEBSITES -- Due to many requests for website listings, we have a new section in our Classified Ads called WEB LINKS. Check this section from time to time as we add website links that may be of interest to you. Enter our Classified Ads and click on Web Links, then click on the name listed and you will be taken directly to that party's website.

Our subscriber list has grown to over 8,600+ recipients -- almost entirely horse-owning households!
Our ad and event services are a great way to reach those people!

Breaking the Buddy System! By Ernie Rodina

Having 5 horses on 9 acres it is a challenge to break the “Buddy System” or otherwise referred as “herd bound” horses. This can be aggravating at horse shows, trail rides, or other types of equine events. What I try to do is always break routines with my horses, I change stalls, pens, pastures, and turnouts, whereas they have a hard time buddying up with the same horse all the time. I also have a pen that is somewhat isolated that I am always putting a different horse in. This seems to get them used to being by themselves.

When riding with my son, we always make it a point to take off riding in different directions to get them use to being able to go off by themselves As stated by a prominent trainer, it gets the horse trusting in the rider instead of the other horse.
Remember always change things up and always work on gaining trust with your horse.

Spring has sprung! Spring this special treat on your favorite horse . . .

Home On The Range Horse Cookies

1 cup oats (or barley)
1 cup cracked corn
1 cup bran (or wheat germ)
1 cup corn meal
2 cups molasses
1/3 cup apple juice (or water)
1 diced carrot
1 diced apple

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Mix first 5 ingredients and let stand for 20 minutes. Then mix in the rest. Pour the whole sticky mess into a pan and bake for
20-30 minutes. Consistency will be sticky, but your horse will love it!

This 'ol world is really changing as I never in my lifetime recall so many folks being lost and can't find their way without the help of a global positioning
(navigation) system (GPS). They get the system for their cell phones, cars, etc., not only to tell them and others where they're at, but also to tell them
where to go.
                                                                                                                      - Charley Green

To read a little more about Charley, Click Here.
To go to Charley's website, Click Here.

Remember, if you have a friend or neighbor who would enjoy receiving our twice-a-month Better Horses Network electronic newsletter . . . sign them up on the registration form provided on the Better Horses Network web-site.

When it comes to Equine Research, Purina Mills is the company that can say . .

“WE FEED OUR FEED TO OUR HORSES, BEFORE WE ASK YOU TO FEED IT TO YOURS!”

We at Better Horses Network would love to hear any questions, comments or suggestions you might have, and we are always looking for items to add to this publication. To contact us, please send an e-mail to Ernie.Rodina@agbusinessmail.net.

For placement of stallions in the Stallion Corral section, please contact Connie at the following e-mail address: Connie.Rodina@agbusinessmail.net. For Classified Ad placement, please send an e-mail to JoAnn at JoAnn.Riggs@agbusinessmail.net

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If you are not currently receiving our printed publication of Better Horses Network and would like to be on our mailing list, please send your check in the amount of $10.00 payable to Better Horses Network and mail to Better Horses Network, PO Box 722, Ottawa, KS 66067. OR . . . go to our website at BetterHorsesNetwork.com and click on "Registration Center." You will be guided through the easy process of paying for your subscription on-line through PayPal. Either way, you will be a subscriber and will receive five issues of our Better Horses Network magazine mailed directly to your home. ( If you don't want to receive it in the mail, you can always pick up a free copy at your local participating Purina Dealer or other distribution points, but your subscription will assure timely delivery directly to your home.)

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