If your coming to the Morgan Grand Nationals be sure and check out the new entrances and exits for the OKC fair grounds.

In the interest of safety, the traffic patterns, entrances, and exits leading to the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds have changed. There are now only two entrances/exits open: Gate 5 on North May Avenue and Gate 6 on Reno. All other entrances and exits are closed and will remain closed.

Click here to access a map of the gates:
www.morgangrandnational.com/files/2009/Maps-GateAccess7-28.pdf.

Find you next Morgan Horse at MyHorseForSale.com

Should I but a young horse or an older horse? How old is to old? Today we will take a look at age in horse buying. Buying an older horse is important for new or young riders. The most common mistake made by new owners is to buy a horse that they  can grow up with. Horses are not puppies, and while cute and adorable while young they quickly grow up. Yearling horses can weigh as much as 800 lbs and adult horses weigh on average 1000 lbs. Yearling and two year old horses must be handled with by experienced individuals to make sure their training is done correctly and so they learn good manners on the ground and under saddle.

Benefits to older horses include  having been hauled, clipped, shown, or taken on rides outside their home environment. These horses have been shown strange new things and have had a chance to learn that these objects will not harm them in any way. Experience can make up what a horse lacks in formal training as well. Some horses have been hauled so many times and seen so many different things that this can weigh heavily in their favor even if they have not been formally trained.  If you are new to horses, save yourself a headache and buy a horse that is at least 5 – 10 years in age, preferably closer to 10. If you are content with having a horse to ride for a few years and then keep in a loving home no horse is to old, if you want a horse to ride for many years the 10 year mark is great, these animals will have around 15 years of riding left if well cared for.

Look for your next horse at myhorseforsale.com

email lydiaerhardt@myhorseforsale.com if you would like more information on buying a horse.

MOSCOW, Idaho— Autumn is just around the corner, which means the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) is accepting nominations for one of the most prestigious honors in the Appaloosa industry, the ApHC Hall of Fame and Racing Hall of Fame!

The ApHC seeks candidates that have made a positive impact on the Appaloosa industry. Each year one or more horses and persons may be inducted into the ApHC’s Hall of Fame by nominations received from members and voted on by the ApHC’s Board of Directors. Only one horse and one person may be inducted into the ApHC’s Racing Hall of Fame by nominations received by members and voted on by the Executive Race Committee.

Each inductee will be honored at the annual award banquet held during the 63^rd National Appaloosa Show & 2010 World Championship Appaloosa Youth Show in Jackson, Miss., June 21-July 3. An engraved plaque with a photograph and biography of each Hall of Fame inductee will be placed on permanent display at the Appaloosa Museum and Heritage Center. A duplicate will be awarded to the honoree, surviving kin or the horse’s owner.

Members can download a copy of the ApHC Hall of Fame nomination packet at www.appaloosa.com. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 31, 2009.

In 2008, Appaloosa Bambi E. and a pillar of the industry, Mr. Eddie Wood, were inducted into the ApHC Hall of Fame, while Perfect Union and Mr. Gilbert Keck were inducted into the ApHC Racing Hall of Fame. For complete list of Hall of Fame inductees, please visit www.appaloosa.com.

The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was established in 1938 with a mission of preserving, promoting and enhancing the Appaloosa breed. The ApHC has since registered more than 670,000 Appaloosas, which are known for their distinctive color, intelligence and even temperament. True to their reputation as an extremely versatile breed, Appaloosas can be found in nearly every discipline including racing, endurance riding and serving as reliable family horses. The international breed registry is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho, the heart of the Palouse region—the Appaloosa breed’s namesake and point of origin.

Find you next appaloosa at appaloosa.myhorseforsale.com.

Appaloosa

MOSCOW, Idaho— The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) is thrilled to host the 4^th Annual National Championship Endurance Ride Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio.

This exciting competition, which is exclusive to current ApHC members and ApHC-registered Appaloosas, consists of a 50-mile course that winds through the wilderness just outside of Cleveland, Ohio.

Find Your Next Appaloosa at appaloosa.myhorseforsale.com

ApHC members and their ApHC-registered Appaloosas must have completed 100 miles each in a combination of endurance and competitive riding through the ApHC Distance Program, including one 50-mile endurance ride. Riders and horses must be qualified by Sept. 18, 2009.

The 4^th Annual National Championship Endurance Ride is proudly sponsored by Nutrena, the official feed of the ApHC, and Schneiders Saddlery.

ApHC members are getting more bang for their buck as the 4^th Annual National Championship Endurance Ride is held in conjunction with the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) Cracked OAATS Crunch Endurance Ride. To ride for both organizations, participants must register with both the Cracked OAATS Crunch Endurance Ride organizers and the ApHC. For information regarding the Cracked OAATS Crunch Endurance Ride, please contact Ride Manager Cheryl Fenton at (740) 967-3709.

For more information about the National Championship Endurance Ride, please visit www.appaloosa.com and click “Trail & Distance”; call (208) 882-5578 ext. 221 or e-mail trailrides@appaloosa.com.

The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was established in 1938 with a mission of preserving, promoting and enhancing the Appaloosa breed. The ApHC has since registered more than 670,000 Appaloosas, which are known for their distinctive color, intelligence and even temperament. True to their reputation as an extremely versatile breed, Appaloosas can be found in nearly every discipline including racing, endurance riding and serving as reliable family horses. The international breed registry is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho, the heart of the Palouse region—the Appaloosa breed’s namesake and point of origin.

Buy, Sell or Promote your Appaloosa on the official ApHC classifieds.

MOSCOW, Idaho — Get ready for an exciting time in the saddle as Appaloosas from throughout the world gather at Will Rogers Memorial Center for the 2009 World Championship Appaloosa Show, Oct. 23-31, for nine days of heated competition. Admission is free for the entire event and promises to be an experience like no other!

For more than 40 years, the World Show has united the world’s most talented

Find Your Next Appaloosa

Appaloosas in the competitive arena. This year will continue that tradition as nearly one thousand Appaloosas and contestants showcase the Appaloosa’s bold color, athleticism, and versatility in a variety of classes, including reining, cutting, jumping, pleasure riding, trail, halter, games and more. Contestants will compete for trophies, prizes and cash awards as well as for the World’s Best Appaloosa, Nutrena® Iron Horse and Leading Breeder titles.

Must-see classes include Camas Prairie Stump Races, Heritage, Freestyle Reining

Milo and Friend

and the S.R. Gold Rope Race as well as classes and futurities offered by the Appaloosa Reining Horse Association (ApRHA), the Appaloosa Cutting Horse Association (ApCHA), the Appaloosa Games Horse Association (AGHA) and the Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association (ApPHA).

Classes begin daily at 7:30 a.m. with evening performances beginning at 6 p.m.

The action isn’t limited to the show ring—multiple events will be happening throughout the week including Cowboy Church, the World Appaloosa Sale, a Stallion Services Silent Auction, a Toys For Tots Benefit and the Best of the West Gift Expo—all of which are free admission!

Stayed tuned to www.appaloosa.com for the most up-to-date information!

The 2009 World Championship Appaloosa Show is proudly supported by Arena Werks, Cowboy Magic, Featherlite Trailers, Kathy’s Show Equipment, Larry Williams Photography, Leonard’s Farm House, Mark Shaffer Show Horses, Montana Silversmiths, Mustang Productions, MyHorseForSale.com, Nutrena, Royal Wire, Schneiders Saddlery, SmartPak Equine, S.R. Gold, Tioga Territory, Twin Cities Featherlite and many fine individuals and organizations.

The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was established in 1938 with a mission of preserving, promoting and enhancing the Appaloosa breed. The ApHC has since registered more than 670,000 Appaloosas, which are known for their distinctive color, intelligence and even temperament. True to their reputation as an extremely versatile breed, Appaloosas can be found in nearly every discipline including racing, endurance riding and serving as reliable family horses. The international breed registry is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho, the heart of the Palouse region—the Appaloosa breed’s namesake and point of origin.

Click here to find your next Appaloosa Horse.

“Rimfire brings the exciting world of barrel racing to life in a fun and delightful way! A great book for our youth and a valuable reminder that quitters never win and winners never quit.”  Martha Josey, AQHA, WPRA, NBHA World Champion, Olympic Medalist, Hall of Fame

Rimfire

The Morgan Horse series, twice winner of the prestigious ‘Children’s Choices’ award co-sponsored by The International Reading Association and The Children’s Book Council, and inspiration for the Breyer Animal Creations “Blackjack” model and book set, continues with Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse.  This series has been repeatedly praised for presenting real life situations where young adults struggle to make the right decisions.  Without being preachy, the Morgan Horse books teach youngsters about the consequences of their actions while entertaining them with an action packed story.  The sixth book in the series, Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse continues this successful strategy and takes readers into the fast-paced world of barrel racing.

Author Ellen F. Feld, whose books have won several national parenting awards in addition to the ‘Children’s Choices’ awards, is a regular writer for numerous horse magazines, both regional and national in scope.  Rimfire is her seventh book.  Famed equine artist Jeanne Mellin Herrick beautifully illustrates this book.  In addition to a detailed cover, Mrs. Herrick has created eight original drawings to accompany the text.

Rimfire is available for $9.95 through Baker & Taylor, Follett Library Resources, Amazon.com, The American Morgan Horse Association (phone 802-985-4944) and the publisher at www.willowbendpublishing.com.

Find Your next Morgan Horse or Barrel Horse on MyHorseForsale.com.