By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Robert Barnes has been shoeing horses for 38 years, 34 of which have been in the Santa Ynez Valley for his business, Black Iron Farrier. He comes from a long line of farriers; his father and grandfather were both horse shoers.

“I started out in high school going to Porterville Horse Shoeing School. Then I went to farrier school at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,” said Barnes. “I was in Los Alamos one day visiting a friend, David Fornier, when he said to me, ‘This is a horse shoer’s paradise.’ So, I decided the Valley was the place for me. 

“There were a lot more horses in the Valley back then. I did part of my internship at Flag is up Farms way back in 1991. I come from a long line of horseshoers. We’re called farriers now, but that’s the more modern term for it. I’ve had more broken bones being a farrier than I can count. But I love horses and enjoy doing what I do.”

Barnes is a very busy man who also holds clinics twice a year at Jeff and Joanne Lockwood’s Bella Cavalli Ranch and the Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Center, whose president is David Hunsicker.

“These clinics are for farriers, people who want to learn how to shoe horses correctly and learn corrective farrier science,” said Barnes. “You have horse shoers, and then you have farriers, and there’s a huge difference.” 

One of his favorite new projects is his affiliation with Growing Minds Farm Education, a newly established organization whose mission is to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive community through hands-on education in local agriculture for children in Santa Barbara County.

“One day, my friend Vickie Moeller Reid called me and asked me to join her team at Growing Minds Farm Education as I do a lot of multi-media stuff and farrier demonstrations,” said Barnes. “What I am doing is trying to teach children about horse anatomy and correct farrier work, trimming and shoeing and help kids learn about horses.”

Barnes laments on the decreasing number of horses in the Valley due to diminishing pastures and the economy.

“Keeping horses is expensive and many people who once could afford to own horses now find it impossible,” he said.“Also, grapes have taken over the horse culture; so, in my opinion, that’s what has also caused the demise of the horse culture in the Valley. The beautiful pastures that once had beautiful horses, have now become vineyards. 

Barnes said he wants to help reverse that trend.

“I want to bring some equine culture back to the Valley. The Santa Ynez Valley history is steeped in horses and we are just trying to bring it back to the forefront by teaching young ones about horses and their heritage,” he said. “They also teach kids about farming and where their food comes from — not the supermarket, but from the ground. 

“I think Growing Minds Farm Education is an excellent addition to our residents in the Santa Ynez Valley, both young and old alike and I want to support them in any way I can.”

Growing Minds Farm Education held a soft opening on Saturday, July 13, with a silent auction, food and beverages, and activities for those in attendance at Hacienda O’Holland Animal Care Sanctuary, a ranch in Solvang which has been rescuing animals since 2001. Started by Joni Cassidy-O’Holland and her husband, David Zatz, their focus was on rescue, adoption, and rehabilitation of domesticated companion and farm animals.

When O’Holland was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, running the sanctuary became too much for them to handle, sothey leased the land to Moeller Reid of Kia Ora Ranch who continued the work of rescuing horses and farm animals. They recently expanded the rescue work to include Growing Minds Farm Education, where individuals of all abilities are invited to cultivate their potential and thrive in a nurturing farm environment. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to fostering inclusive learning experiences for children and adults, including those with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

“We have relaunched and rebranded the Hacienda O’Holland Animal Care Foundation into a Farm Education Program,” stated Moeller Reid, the program director. “This program is committed to providing a welcoming environment where children of all abilities, including those diagnosed with ASD and other developmental disabilities, can thrive. Through our specially designed programs and activities, every child has the opportunity to learn and play in a farm setting that embraces diversity and celebrates individuality.

“At Growing Minds Farm Education, we believe in the transformative power of hands-on education in agriculture. Through specially designed programs and activities, participants of every ability level can engage in meaningful learning and play while surrounded by the beauty of our farm setting,” stated Moeller Reid. “Whether you’re planting seeds in our garden, caring for animals, or exploring nature trails, our goal is to create a welcoming space where everyone feels valued and empowered to grow. Visit our website to learn more about our programs, events, and how you can get involved in our mission of growing minds and nurturing diversity.”

It’s a program that Barnes wants to see, well, grow.

“I hope that Valley residents will embrace Growing Minds Farm Education and take part in their many programs,” said Barnes.

For more information on Growing Minds Farm Education, visit www.letsgrowminds.org, or email vreid@letsgrowminds.org. It is at 838 Ballard Canyon Road, Solvang.

For more information on Robert Barnes, visit www.blackironfarrier.com, info@blackironfarrier.com or call (805) 680-4452.

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By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Unspeakable cruelty has been perpetrated on animals down through the centuries to the present. Many people believe that animals are not sentient beings with individual thoughts, feelings, and personalities. It is their contention that animals can’t feel pain or become emotionally disturbed or that communication with each other, let alone humans, is very limited. Thankfully, science is becoming more aware of the fact that not only animals but plants really do have the capability of communication. We as humans just have to learn how to listen.

Santa Ynez Valley resident Tammy Golden is an animal intuitive healer, behavior consultant, and herbalist who works mostly with horses who have psychological, emotional, behavioral, and physical issues. She listens to them through what she calls a universal language: their body language combined with energy.

Golden’s job is her passion. She has always cared for animals on a deeper level, from rhinos to feral cats. Presently she works mostly with horses. 

“I’ve been handling animals since I was about 4 years old and naturally knew how to listen to them,” said Golden. “The first animal I rode as a child was a giant Galapagos tortoise. I rode around on his back, and I didn’t want to leave. It was just a wonderful experience.”

She moved on other animals a few years later.

“When I was about 8 years old, I started making money by training our neighbor’s dogs,” she explained. “Working with animals is something I can’t say no to. I can’t work in a store or on a computer; I need to be outside in nature, up close and personal with something furry, feathered, or scaled.”

After that, Golden got experience with cats.

“My first cat was feral. My neighbor was overloaded with kittens, and she said if I could catch the mother, I could keep her. That was all it took,” she said. “Interestingly, I was not interested in the kittens, I wanted the mother. I caught her, took her home and got her calmed down and socialized. Over the next few years, she actually taught me how to communicate with cats, learning cat language. I learned some things from other trainers, but for the most part, I’ve learned from listening to the animals themselves.”

As a youngster, Golden had a dream of becoming an animal trainer and when she grew up she went to work at a wildlife theme park in northern California but quickly discovered it wasn’t what she thought it would be.

“It was a terrible place for animals, and I quickly moved on, getting myself fired because I refused to beat a baby camel,” she said. “I am not a proponent of animal training colleges because they treat animals not as sentient beings but as things, and that’s not right.”

Returning to Santa Barbara, Golden has worked with local animal sanctuaries and with individuals who want to create a better relationship between themselves and their horse.

“Horses are the most in need of help, I find, because abuse is normalized and overlooked in the horse industry,” said Golden. “There is no protection for horses. Most people have traditions about handling horses that are often cruel, often without people realizing what they are doing is cruel, starting out wrong and escalating into something where the horse doesn’t trust people anymore.

“People think that punishment is a way to fix a problem. In reality they are causing the animal just to fear you. I’m trying to educate people that if they allow the horse to speak with his body, to say, ‘I don’t like something or I do like something’ and how to respond in a proper way that the horse can understand, the outcome is better for people and horses. You are setting up a conversation between you and your horse — not an ‘obey me or else’ attitude.”

Golden’s method is to create a friendly environment where the horse feels comfortable and secure enough to engage with her in a form of communication.

“While every situation is different, I can give one example of what it looks like when I work with a horse,” she said. “It’s actually more like play. I offer an invitation for the horse to engage. I take on the body language and demeanor of the herd matriarch, which is the most trusted and looked up to member of the herd, a very motherly figure. Horses understand and see the mother movements I am making and will respond in all kinds of ways that help me to know what’s going on inside of them. This is always done in an open environment without any kind of physical restraints or round pen to limit the movements of the horse. 

“There is never any need to show dominance or be the alpha as these ideas are foreign to horses. I seek to become the trusted friend that a horse can feel safe talking to. Meanwhile, I am always watching and listening to their body language and feeling their energy.”

Golden’s work with horses has inspired her to pursue another goal.

“I am hoping at some point to open a healing center for horses and other animals where people can come, in a quiet and natural environment and learn how to communicate with their animals, a place to heal animals that are in such bad shape that they can no longer be around humans,” she said.

Golden has four grown children: a son who is a local ferrier, a daughter in Washington who practices ancient Chinese medicine, a son who is a prison guard and another daughter who writes, illustrates, and animates comic books.

“My main goal is to change people’s perspectives about the other beings with whom we share this planet,” said Golden. “Communication is everything! If we can’t communicate with each other and our animals, how can we have harmony in this world.” 

To contact Golden, call (805) 245-4158.

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By Pamela Dozois

The Movement 2023 will be held for the sixth year on June 16-18. This annual event is held at the California Horse Center on Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang.

Since 2018, Monty Roberts and other leading experts have been coming together at The Movement event to demonstrate and share their latest discoveries. The Movement is inspired by a love for horses, the ambition to impact their lives as positively as they impact ours, and the belief that together we can drive positive change.

“A movement started in the horse industry when horse owners began to have a clearer vision of how horses affected humans in positive way,” said Debbie Roberts Loucks, who manages the event. “Inspired by how interchangeable the lessons from herd behavior were, I’ve watched trainers, teachers, mothers, and managers become better communicators, leaders, and influencers for good. This year’s presenters are each amazing in their industries and they all have a vision of a better world, inspired by incorporating horses in their own story. They come to share that vision and build on it with participants who will take home a life-changing plan. Leaders may inspire, but only when people choose to act does a vision become a movement.” 

This year’s event will feature the starting process of horses, groundwork, ridden work across disciplines, riding a mountain trail course, and working equitation. From holistic health and hoof consults, to bodywork for the horse and for the rider, it’s all about health, happiness, and horses. 

“This unique event helps you better understand problem solving using violence-free training methods,” said Loucks. “People come and spend time with like-minded people absorbing what non-violent communication can be and enjoy discussions with Monty and students from around the world.”

A wine and charcuterie evening will return and lunches are included on Roberts’ renowned farm. 

 “Horses have unprecedented healing power and they help us learn, lead, and live better,” said Loucks. “Those who make the journey experience outstanding humans and horses who change the world, one heart at a time.” 

Flag Is Up Farms is at 901 East Highway 246, Solvang.  

For more information, call (949) 632-1856 or email debbie@montyroberts.com.

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Contributing Writer

If necessity is the mother of invention, what, then, is the mother of re-invention? This is a question that Katja Elk — entertainment executive turned horse trainer turned life coach — is seeking to answer by integrating all three of these seemingly separate career paths into one.

Elk moved to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2001 to start over. Her flashy life in Los Angeles had crumbled into ruin. More than a decade of fast-paced, high-demand and high-adrenaline television and advertising work with Disney, Paramount and others had taken its toll on her health and stamina. She had ended up in a wheelchair, with no clear diagnosis.

It was clear that she was never going back to her former career, and no one was sure whether she would ever make it back into the saddle, either. She had been a life-long and very accomplished international dressage rider before, and during, her career in Los Angeles.

No one was sure except Elk. She knew that horses were the key to her health, her connection to what mattered most to her, and what gave her the most meaning in life. Horses and riding, moving home to Germany, and a career change eventually returned her to peak health.

Now, after starting over nearly 20 years ago as a professional horse trainer, she’s taken a step back toward the executive suite — only this time, as a coach who can help younger entertainment execs avoid the too-common crash and burn that she experienced.

A chance meeting and conversation with famed “Horse Whisperer” Monty Roberts at a clinic in Germany brought her back to California after her recovery, in 2001. Discovering the Santa Ynez Valley, she made the Central Coast her permanent home. It reminded her of the village she grew up riding in, near the Baltic Sea — full of friendly people and horses. She studied and then taught at Roberts’ Join-Up International Learning Center, swiftly became a certified instructor, then worked at the farm for several years.

But horse training and riding lessons were not fulfilling all of her aspirations. The work was rewarding, challenging and full of personal discoveries, but it was missing something.

“I was frequently hitting up against a wall in the area of interpersonal communication. The horse part was working great, but the human part was lacking a piece of the puzzle,” she said.

In 2014, Elk again pivoted her career to seek out that missing puzzle piece. This time, she focused intensely on the human aspect, studying under master life coach Martha Beck (of Oprah Winfrey fame), who was at the time located in Arroyo Grande.

Before long, she was helping to host life-coaching sessions at Beck’s ranch that included an equine element. Now a certified master life instructor, Elk focuses her work on “what we as humans can learn from horses about fear, loss of connection, and living a more peaceful life.”

For more information, go to www.windhorsecoaching.net.

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publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

The best use of social media can be to help someone who’s in trouble.

This is how the story started for founder C.C. Beaudette-Wellman of the Happy Endings Animal Sanctuary when she saw a post from a friend asking for donations for a family that had lost everything in the Camp Fire in November.

“A colleague of mine that I very much admire posted about a gal and her 4-year-old daughter lost their home in the Camp Fire and she was trying to get her horse transported back to Ohio, as she is starting over near her family,” Beaudette-Wellman said.

Paradise residents Katina Scalia and her 4-year-old daughter Adalynn lost all their possessions in the Camp Fire, except the clothes on their backs and their horse Miss Clyde.

She decided to put up $100 and ended up contacting the woman, Katina Scalia, to talk to her about the situation.

“She told me she was living at the fairgrounds in a trailer because her horse was so important to her she didn’t want to leave her until she got transported. She wasn’t materialistic and just told me that as long as her daughter and horse survived she was fine,” Beaudette-Wellman said.

Beaudette-Wellman has a soft spot for horses. She created Happy Endings Animal Sanctuary in 2007, primarily focusing on rehabilitating horses. Tucked away in Quail Valley east of Solvang, her 10-acre ranchette is home to a small brood of her four-legged babies.

She decided that Scalia’s attitude towards losing everything was so inspiring that she reached out to a few of her equine-inclined friends here in the Santa Ynez Valley to see if she could help Scalia a little more by purchasing a horse blanket for colder weather.

“People not only donated but stepped up and went beyond to help out a complete stranger,” she said. 

Beaudette-Wellman’s friend Buffy Oas donated clothing and other items and her daughter, Kathy Moore Parker, helped with shipping items to Ohio. Nicole Price and Back at the Ranch donated cowboy boots for the daughter and clothing. True Addiction in Solvang also donated several pairs of jeans to Scalia.

“Out of all the negativity there is lately, it’s refreshing to know that so many people still care about one another and are willing to help out. We have such a wonderful community,” Beaudette-Wellman said.

Another acquaintance heard of the situation and offered to transport the horse at very little cost because he was headed to the same area to visit family for the holidays.

Beaudette-Wellman says she has become good friends with Scalia, who has sent her gratitude to everyone who has helped her get her and her family back to Ohio.

 Happy Endings also had a great ending to their year as they were recently featured on AnimalZone, a show on Cox Cable Channel 4 launched in the spring of 2018.

AnimalZone has one mission, to help find homes for animals in shelters around Santa Barbara County. They also bring together experts in animal welfare to help expand viewers’ knowledge of nutrition, grooming, veterinary care, and other issues.

To see their episode log onto www.facebook.com/AnimalZone-2119201718109531/.

Happy Endings is always looking for volunteers with horse experience. Anyone interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at the organization, from fixing fences to brushing horses, is encouraged to contact her.

One of Beaudette-Wellman’s goals is to provide more service for local children in foster care and at risk. Inspired by the Horse Helpers Program by Barbara Perkins of American Charities Foundation, she hopes to inspire a local connection in the Santa Ynez Valley.

For more information, visit www.happyendingsanimalrescuesanctuary.org. To learn more about Beaudette-Wellman’s foundation, click on the “Donate” tab or visit the events page.

Keep up to date on social media with the handle @happyendingssanctuary on Instagram or @happyendingsanimalsanctuary on Facebook.

For more information, call 805-448-7138 or email happyendingssanctuary@gmail.com.

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publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

After just five riding lessons at the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, Jen Petersen said, she has already noticed a difference in her son’s movement and behavior.

Jayce was born prematurely, at just 23 weeks, in the car on the way to the hospital. He was given only a slim chance for survival, but after 155 days in the NICU at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, the Petersens brought their son home happy and healthy. Born at 1 pound, 1 ounce and 9 inches long, he is now 3 years old and thriving.

“Jayce’s hips have opened a bit more and he is already getting stronger. He gave me a thumbs up today and a smile, and that makes it worth it,” Petersen said at the program’s Riders Roundup show on Oct. 27.

The roundup was a showcase for the families and friends of riders who participate in the program. Students competed in an obstacle course of their choosing and all students were given participation trophies and a free barbecue lunch.

“This is really a day to celebrate our students and show off what they have learned to their friends and family,” said Robin Serritslev, executive director of the program.

Members of Lucky Clover 4-H brought a petting zoo of various farm animals, and the local National Charity League chapter set up games to play.

The Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program’s mission is to provide equine-assisted activities to children and adults with physical, cognitive, social, emotional or other challenges, regardless of their ability to pay. It serves more than 300 local people annually, including veterans, people with special needs, and at-risk youth.

For more information on the program, log onto www.syvtherapeuticriding.org or call 805-350-2229.

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The Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program will hold its annual Cowboy Ball on Saturday, Aug. 11 at Dr. Gary and Lisa Novatt’s Happy N Ranch in Buellton. The event proudly honors Sandy Collier, an inductee into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Monty Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award.

A winner of numerous national riding competitions, Sandy now travels the globe judging and teaching high performance riding clinics. For years, she has generously dedicated her time and skill to the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, giving clinics and exhibitions and donating proceeds to the Program. A lifelong sportswoman and seeker of outdoor adventure, she has served the SYV community in many capacities and is on the Board of the Therapeutic Riding Program.

The Cowboy Ball begins at 5:00 pm. Guests will be entertained by live music provided by Cary Park and his 4-Piece Country Band. Hors d’oeuvres and an elegant dinner will be catered by Chef Alfonso Curti of Trattoria Uliveto.

The Cowboy Ball is the major fundraiser for the only accredited therapeutic riding program in northern Santa Barbara County. Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding uses horses and equine activities as therapy for children and adults with physical, learning, social, behavioral and emotional challenges, regardless of their ability to pay. Some 70-100 students attend the program each week, including Patriot Riders, a free weekly riding program for veterans. Proceeds from the Cowboy Ball allow the nonprofit to provide scholarships to low-income special-needs students. The program treats all ages from very young riders to seniors diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Guests will be treated to a riding demonstration from students currently enrolled in the Therapeutic Riding Program.

Among many exciting items offered in the evening’s auction are a tour, picnic and tasting at Santa Ynez’s newest winery, The Brave and the Maiden, a week at a luxurious condo in Scottsdale, a stunning horse painting donated by Mia Dennee’s Interior design, jewelry, and dinners at many of the Valley’s finest restaurants. Six fabulous desserts will be auctioned, including a Swedish Princess Cake from Solvang Bakery, a decadent chocolate creation from Dolce Catering and Valley favorites from Baker’s Table, New Frontier and Olson’s Bakery. Additionally, a horse riding clinic has been donated by the evening’s honored guest, Hall of Famer Sandy Collier.

To residents of northern Santa Barbara County of all ages who are facing life challenges, the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic riding Program offers the unique and proven healing powers of horses.

Tickets for this cowboy chic event are $125 and include wine and beer, hors d’oeuvres and dinner. The Cowboy Ball event is an eagerly anticipated evening in the Santa Ynez Valley. For more information, please contact Robin Serritslev at robinserritslev@hotmail.com or (805)325-1544.

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By Robbie Kaye

Photo by Ted Petit Photography
Charlene Rossoll, a waitress at The Longhorn, is also an accomplished horsewoman who loves to compete in local cutting-horse events.

I go for walks early in the morning to photograph trees at sunrise, and lots of times I end up at The Longhorn in Santa Ynez. I don’t go inside the restaurant because I have my dog, Luna, with me.

Usually I’m the only one sitting on the porch enjoying coffee, looking out into our beautiful valley. Sometimes it is very cold but waitress Charlene Rossoll never hesitates to bring me a cup of hot coffee, even though I offer to come inside and get it myself.

If you’re a regular at the Longhorn, you know Charlene, always happy, vivacious and just “on it.” Maybe it’s because I’m from New York that I appreciate her quick wit and banter more than some, but she makes me smile every time I’m there.

I’ve overheard Charlene speaking about her horses with such passion that I was intrigued to learn more.  It was a fantastic new experience for me when I went to photograph her at the equestrian center in Santa Ynez. Charlene has lived in the valley for 20 years after moving from Santa Barbara and has worked at the Longhorn for four years.

What drew you to living in the valley?

I moved “over the hill” because of my love for horses. I was just learning how to ride a cutting horse and my new trainer, Tom Shelly, was here in Santa Ynez.

When did you get involved with horses?

I got involved with horses as a child. First it was a small local group, than it was about 15 years later when I had the opportunity to jump on a cutting horse. And then I was hooked. I’ve been riding most of my life.

Can you please describe cutting?

Cutting is a timed competition, where there is a herd of cattle. You have two herd helpers in the corner and two turn-back helpers in the front. You have 2.5 minutes to work at least three cows, showing the judge you have control. It’s one cow at a time. The score starts at a 70 and it can go up or go down. There is always “luck of the draw,” and having a great horse always helps. So marking a 74 or higher is a plus!

Can you share something about competing with horses?

My cutting career started in 2000. I had my first cutting horse, Golds Bossa Nova. She taught me everything. But shortly after I started showing I met my husband, Rex Rossoll, who was judging a cutting for Tom Shelly. So I’ve been competing on cutting horses for more than 20 years now. I’m considered a “non pro,” which means you have earned too much money to show as an amateur and/or you are married to a trainer.

Can you share something about your connection with horses?

My connection with horses, well … once it’s in your blood, it never leaves you! I’ve had plenty of good horses. And very thankful for my husband who has made me a Pacific Coast Champion in 2011, and a top 5 in the world, with the National Cutting Horse Association. Super fun every time you walk into the herd!

How do you balance all the elements in your life?

I’ve always had a “real job.” I was a truck broker in Santa Barbara for over 28 years, and having your own business makes it a little bit easier for me to jump in the truck and go!

What is your favorite thing to do in the valley?

First, always cutting, plus you know we have such great wines here.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Well, my favorite place is the Greek Islands. Santorini. I left my twin sister’s ashes there. It’s the most magical place in the world to me.

What is your favorite season?

I love the fall, here in Santa Ynez, the days are still warm and the nights you can feel a little chill.

What do you do for fun with your friends?

When I’m home my favorite thing to do is meet my girlfriends on Fridays. That’s our day to catch up and drink some wine and have dinner.

If someone wanted to get into showing horses, what would you recommend as a starting point?

Anyone who wants to ride a cutting horse really needs to know how to ride and have had some experience. I would say to them, come on over. Rex Rossoll is a great teacher. He gives lessons on all levels and even has a lesson horse for people who just want to learn how to cut.  Also he starts young horses and trains them for cutting competitions. He can be reached at Doublercutting@aol.com or 805-331-5978

Robbie Kaye is a photographer, artist and author of “Beauty and Wisdom.” She is working on a “Ladies of the Valley” documentary and several photo books. Follow her on Instagram, @ladiesofthevalley or @robbiekaye, or at www.robbiekaye.com

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UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

The Thomas Fire has exposed humans and animals to unhealthy air containing wildfire smoke and particulates. These particulates can build up in the respiratory system, causing a number of health problems including burning eyes, runny noses and illnesses such as bronchitis.

They can also aggravate heart and lung diseases such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and asthma.

Because little information is available to horse owners and even equine veterinarians on the effects on horses of breathing air laden with particulates, some suggestions are offered here to serve as a general guide.

What’s In Smoke?

Smoke is made up of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, soot, hydrocarbons and other organic substances, including nitrogen oxides and trace minerals.

The composition of smoke depends on what is burned. Different types of wood, vegetation, plastics, construction materials, and other combustibles all produce different compounds when burned. Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that is produced in the greatest quantity during the smoldering stages of a fire, can be fatal in high doses.

In general, particulate matter is the major pollutant of concern in wildfire smoke.

Particulate is a general term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. Particulates from smoke tend to be very small (less than one micron in diameter), which allows them to reach the deepest airways within the lung. Consequently, particulates in smoke are more of a health concern than the coarser particles that typically make up road dust.

How Smoke Affects Horses

The effects of smoke on horses are similar to effects on humans: irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, aggravation of conditions like heaves (recurrent airway obstruction), and reduced lung function.

High concentrations of particulates can cause persistent cough, increased nasal discharge, wheezing and increased physical effort in breathing. Particulates can also alter the immune system and reduce the ability of the lungs to remove foreign materials, such as pollen and bacteria, to which horses are normally exposed.

Protecting Horses from Air Pollution

n Limit exercise when smoke is visible. Having your horse do activities that increase the airflow in and out of the lungs can trigger bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the small airways).

n Provide plenty of fresh water close to where your horse eats. Horses drink most of their water within 2 hours of eating hay, so having water close to the feeder increases water consumption.

Water keeps the airways moist and facilitates clearance of inhaled particulate matter. This means the windpipe (trachea), large airways (bronchi), and small airways (bronchioles) can move the particulate material breathed in with the smoke. Dry airways make particulate matter stay in the lung and air passages.

n Limit dust exposure by feeding dust-free hay, or soak hay before feeding. This reduces the particles in the dust such as mold, fungi, pollens and bacteria that may be difficult to clear from the lungs.

n If your horse is coughing or having difficulty breathing, have your horse examined by a veterinarian.

A veterinarian can help determine the difference between a reactive airway from smoke and dust versus a bacterial infection and bronchitis or pneumonia. If your horse has a history of heaves or recurrent airway problems, there is a greater risk of secondary problems such as bacterial pneumonia.

n Give your horse ample time to recover from smoke-induced airway insult.

Airway damage resulting from wildfire smoke takes 4 to 6 weeks to heal. Therefore, plan on giving your horse 4 to 6 weeks off from the time when the air quality returns to normal. Attempting exercise may aggravate the condition, delay the healing process, and compromise your horse’s performance for many weeks or months.

n If your horse has primary or secondary problems with smoke-induced respiratory injury, you should contact your veterinarian.

Your vet can prescribe specific treatments such as intravenous fluids, bronchodilator drugs, nebulization, or other measures to facilitate hydration of the airway passages.

Your veterinarian may also recommend blood tests or other tests to determine whether a secondary bacterial infection has arisen and is contributing to the current respiratory problem.

For more information, log onto www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu.

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If you’ve lived in the valley long enough, chances are you’ve seen a horseback rider or two. You can often pick a horse person out of a crowd at El Rancho Market by the alfalfa hay sprinkled on their shoulders from feeding that morning or maybe by their jingling spurs.

But what is the story on the different fashions? Why do some horse people wear super-tight, high-waisted pants with tall black boots and others wear just jeans and boots with jangly spurs? Why do some of them have saddles with horns and others don’t? And what’s the deal with all the differently shaped cowboy hats?

While not exhaustive, here’s a beginner’s primer to distinguish the differences:

Western saddles are the ones with a horn. Horns simply seem like a handy thing to hang onto, but actually they were originally meant for roping and dallying cattle. Dallying means wrapping the rope several times around the horn to secure the rope once an animal has been caught.

Western riders don’t all rope, however. Western riding is actually extremely diverse: There are cutters, reiners, gymkhana, team penners, Western pleasure, competitive trail, mounted shooting, rodeo sports, Western dressage (a hybrid) and many more styles of riding.

Each style has developed its own modifications to Western saddles according to the function the saddle needs to perform, such as a thinner or thicker horn, higher cantle or pommel (the front and back of the saddle’s seat), and differently styled stirrups (the part you put your feet into).

Western saddles were developed, you guessed it, here in the West. Spanish Conquistadors during early colonialism brought their horses and equipment to the Americas and, over several centuries, horsemen here adapted their equipment and techniques to fit their own needs.  Buckaroo and vaquero styles, culture and equipment have been making a major comeback of late.

As for the hats: Some are better for slicking off rain, some stay on your head better in strong winds, some are extra wide-brimmed to keep the sun off.

Each hat style developed in a different region of the West, and they even carry their own cultural significance and message. The nuances could fill a book. Also: English riders in the valley often wear vaquero style or Western-inspired hats (but they usually wear helmets while mounted). Riding is extremely multicultural!

The English saddle, such as this one made by Juan Lara in Santa Ynez, doesn’t have a horn and is smaller than a Western saddle.

English saddles are the little slippery-looking ones without a horn that seem really unsecure and uncomfortable. In fact, they are actually very secure once you get the hang of them.

English riders do all kinds of sports: show jumping, polo, foxhunting, eventing, endurance, saddle seat, dressage, and many more, and each one of those sports has a customized type of English saddle with features adapted specifically for that sport, like knee rolls, thigh blocks, a deeper or shallower seat, or a shorter or longer flap.

Jumping, by the way, was modernized in Italy, but the English quickly adapted to the “forward seat” of riding and claimed credit, so that’s why there is no such thing as an Italian saddle (there are Italian saddle makers, though).

It’s the English riders of nearly all of the above disciplines who wear those tight-looking breeches and tall boots.

And finally, it’s rowelled spurs that make that well-known little jingle-jangle when a rider walks down the street. Now you know!

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