I don't think much of a man who isn't wiser today than he was yesterday.

~ Abraham Lincoln

Organization is key to operation management, or should we say successful management. A hard copy of the papers must always be accessible, whether showing, selling or breeding. Whether you have 5 sets of papers you need to track or 5,000, you can organize your horse papers like the pros.

Numbered Binder System
By using the binder system, horses are broken down into numbered binders - first by year, then by gender and finally put in alphabetical order. By using plastic sheet covers with margin holes, horses papers are kept completely intact and protected within the binders.

Make a binder for each year
One binder is used for a specific year. The size of the binder will be determined by the number of horse papers filed within that year.

Separate it by gender
Separate the binder into three sections with tabbed inserts labeled “Stallions”, “Mares”, and “Geldings”.

Alphabetize papers within sections
Papers are put into the gender sections in alphabetical order.

Number your binders
If your system starts with 1990 and goes through 2004, you should have 14 binders - one binder for each year. The 1990 binder will be Binder #1 and the 2004 binder will be Binder #14. Binders can easily be stored in order in a bookshelf for easy access.

Ex: Moonberry LuLu, 2002 Mare
Within the bookshelf, pull the 2002 binder (#12), flip to the “Mares” section, then sort to the “M”s.

Filing Cabinet System
In the filing cabinet system, horses are separated by gender, then categorized by year, and then put into alphabetical order.

Depending on the number of mares, stallions and gelding you have will determine the amount of space you will need in your filing cabinet. Whether you have one filing cabinet for each gender, or all genders share one drawer, the first step is to designate an area for “Mares”, one for “Stallions”, and one for “Geldings”. For this article, we will separate each into its own drawer.

Label your drawers
Label one drawer for “Mares”, one for “Stallions” and one for “Gelding”.

Divide drawer into years
Within each drawer, insert hanging folders and label each with a year. Begin with the year of the oldest set of horse papers you possess and end with youngest set.

Create individual folders for each horse
Once you have separated the drawer into years with hanging folders, make a manilla folder for each horse. Label it with the horse’s name and insert the horse papers into the folder. Put the manilla folders in order alphabetically within the hanging year folders.

Ex: Wildfire Bill, 1999 Gelding
Open the “Geldings” drawer, go to the 1999 section, find the “W”s, and locate the folder labeled “Wildfire Bill”.

Location Designation
Once papers are designated to a specific location, it is important to keep your system working through continued organization.

Write on the papers where they belong
Write the exact location of where the papers should return if moved.

Keep a log of paper locations.
It is also handy to have a log of all horse names with original paper location recorded for quick reference.

Examples
Binder system:
For the example mare, Moonberry LuLu, write on her papers “Binder #12 – Mares”.
For the log, “Moonberry LuLu: Binder #12 – Mares”.

Filing Cabinet System:
For the example gelding, Wildfire Bill, write on his papers “Geldings Drawer – 1999”.
For the log, “Wildfire Bill: Geldings Drawer – 1999”.

By designating and recording the appropriate location, putting papers back in the correct location if ever removed for any reason, will be foolproof.

Alternative Location Binder
Whether the numbered binder system or the filing cabinet system is right for your operation, there are times when original papers will have a temporary alternative location.

Copy originals
When papers will be kept temporarily in another location, keep a copy of originals in the permanent location and write on the copy where the original is located. This situation would apply to a horse that is taken to breed competitions where the original papers are required to enter the contestant.

Keep an alternative location binder
In the above case of the competing horse, keep a “Show” binder. Put all your actively competing horses’ papers in the show binder that you can take with you to the competitions (or whatever the case may be), but be sure to have written the permanent location on the original papers, and make a copy to store in the permanent location stating where the original is located.

Investing the time to make yourself an organization system will more than pay for itself in the long-run. There are several combinations of ways you can use the above information to tailor a system that is just right for your operation. Once the system is in place you will save time locating papers and feel satisfied in putting them back where they actually belong.

I think it’s safe to say that the cowboy filing system is not, and never will be a thing of beauty. For Cap, the 24-hour on-call vet, head windmill mechanic, range boss, and just-about-everything-else supervisor at the Barlett River Ranch, filing is something designed simply to waste time.

“I know it was just in here the other day,” Cap mumbeled as he rifled through a stack of papers on his cluttered desk.

“Well, I don’t know how you could find anything on that desk, it looks like last year’s bird nest,” said his longtime sidekick and partner in crime, Ely.

Cap just looked at him with one of those looks over the top of his glasses, already on the end of his nose.

“Let me tell you somethin’ right now,” he said matter-of-fact. “I’ve been usin’ this same organization system since I been here and it ain’t never failed me yet. Just look at all the horses we got registered last year - and all without a hitch.”

Now the papers really started to jumble together as Cap went through the same stack of assorted paperwork for the third time.

“We’d never have gotten that done if the folks at the horse association hadn’t taken pity on you. I think they finally got tired of dealin’ with you and just gave up. Heck, I don’t blame ‘em,” offered Ely.

“Well how about the cattle then?” Cap shot back. “I been keepin’ track of almost 200 or so head of cattle all in this little tally book here for 20 years! I can tell you what calf the ole high-horned, crazy cow had last year and what color he was, just for your information. Matter of fact, she’s in that far back pasture right now. Heck, I could probably drive right to her.”

“I’d like to see that for sure!” Ely exclaimed. We shipped her to the sale barn when we worked that pasture two years ago ‘cuz she didn’t have no calf.” And it was at this point that Ely was pushing the limit, which just brought a smile to his heart.

“I knew that, Ely. I was just testin’ you, and congratulations, you passed. I had it right here in my Palm Pilot,” Cap said as held up a dirty palmed, beat-up old hand and beamed a big smile.

“Yeah, I guess you did, didn’t you,” said Ely

Lisa,
It is wonderful that your little girl is loving horses! There is no greater combination that kids and horses. Children often outgrow their first horse fairly quickly, especially after they are able to build their confidence. The most important thing to remember when looking for that next horse is to let her continue to have fun. Get something that will keep on taking care of her while she enjoys herself. You can always get something with a little more get-up-and-go, but be careful. Her confidence when she is up there is vital and directly related to how well she will continue to like it. Let her decide where she wants to compete before buying something already trained in a specific area. In the long run, it may save you money. Thanks for your interest in putting her with the right horse. Good luck finding the new one! It will be a wonderful investment for your daughter's future.

Best Regards,
The RanchForeman Team

Tim,
It's too bad we can't just keep them all, but since we can't, finding your market may pose a challenge. There are many different options to get the word out in this day and age. Information distribution is greater than it has ever been. If you are interested in posting classifieds, research circulation for publications and decide what would give you the most bang for your buck. Web sites that post horse classifieds are a dime a dozen, so with some good research, you can get your horse posted for literally the entire world to see. Putting fliers up at the local feed store is still, believe it or not, very effective. And last but certainly not least, the classic and most reliable form of advertisement - word of mouth. Let people know that you have some nice horses that need a good home. Call people in the industry with more contacts than you and let them know what you have to offer. As time goes on, you will build a reputation that will hopefully carry you through the industry.

One last thing. Don't be afraid to sell the good ones. I know it's hard to do, but it only takes one or two and the industry will be looking for you. Then the last thing on your mind will be having too many. Good Luck.

Best Regards,
The RanchForeman Team

Time for a Custom Saddle

After years of waiting to have “your” saddle made, the time has come. You
have probably ridden many saddles, and have taken ideas from each about
what you want, or don’t want, in your next saddle. Those ideas about what
you want are a great start, but then what? There are several factors to
consider when picking the right saddle and saddlemaker.

Custom saddle vs. handmade saddle explained.
Many people in the horse industry misunderstand that there are differences
between a custom saddle and a handmade saddle. Both are nice ways to get a
new saddle. A custom saddle is almost always handmade, but a handmade
saddle isn’t always custom.

A handmade saddle is just that – hand made. The stitching is done with
the maker behind the machine. Tooling is completed by the artist’s hands.
There is no machine stamping or assembly line work when putting the
saddle pieces together. Typically, you will have just a few questions to
answer for the maker, and most can be answered over the telephone. The
maker may even have a saddle in stock that he can ship to you that day
that meets your specifications.

Now, with a custom job, you go to the saddlemaker, and after a lengthy
discussion and many choices, he will have a list of all your preferences
from tree style to the tooling you want on your saddle skirts to the type
of conchos you want on your stirrups. You may sit in several different
trees to decide what feels the best to you. You might look through
several swatches of tooling examples and handpick your conchos. You’ll
decide on the seat as well as the oil color for the finished saddle. You
can expect to visit with the maker several times throughout the process.
This saddle will be one-of-a-kind, and made just for you.

Who should make your custom saddle?
This is by far the most important question to answer. Do your homework.
Talk to people who have custom saddles and find out from them what they
like and dislike about the saddle they had made. Recommendations mean a
lot, so use other people’s experiences to help you make your decision.
Did they get their saddle on time? Was it exactly what they ordered? How
has it held up through the years? There are a lot of saddlemakers out
there. Do everything you can to find out about their work.

Certain saddlemakers are more popular within a specific area of the
industry. Make sure that the reining saddle you are ordering from your
maker isn’t the first reiner he has made.

What is your main aptitude in the industry?
By answering this question, you, along with the saddlemaker, will have an
idea about the style of tree to put in your saddle. The type of tree has
a large affect on how you sit in the saddle and how you communicate with
your horse. In choosing a custom saddle, the saddlemaker should have you
sit in several trees to find out what fits you the best.

How much frill do you need?
When you know what you are going to be doing with the saddle, this
question is easy to answer. It is a personal preference, but you need to
be very clear when asked this question. If you are having your dream show
saddle made, you may want to spice up the tooling and add some silver. On
the other hand, if this is a work saddle, cutting down the frill will
certainly save money.

Tooling: Look at various styles of tooling and get an idea of what you
prefer. There are various coverage amounts and tooling styles from simple
basket stamp to intricate floral tooling and combinations of both. Be
sure the saddlemaker can make the pattern you choose.

Seat: There are basically two offering for your seat – rough-out and
slick-out. Your options in the rough-out seat are limited to color, and
are typically less expensive. The rough-out hides can be “sanded” for a
nice smooth fee. Slick-out seats tend to be more ornate and give more
options for types of hide along with color. Exotic skin seats, such as
ostrich or alligator, have become popular in the last few years.

Silver: If you are thinking about silver trim, many different options are
available here too. You can choose from a number of combinations of
conchos, corner plates, cantle plates, swell covers, horn covers, bead
work, and much more. Levels of quality of the silver determine the
prices. You can expect to pay more for solid sterling silver versus
silver plates pieces. There is a large selection of ready-made trim to go
on a saddle, or you could consider having a silversmith custom-make
conchos and/or corner plates, etc. with a brand or initials.

Stirrups: Stirrups are another extra that can add to, or subtract from
your overall package price. Leather-covered stirrups made to match the
tooling on your saddle are generally what you can expect with a custom
job. For something simpler, rawhide stirrups can offer a more rustic
look. Adding metal or aluminum stirrups in place of custom stirrups could
be a means to cut down cost. Wooden stirrups are also available and have
become quite popular over the last few years. Silver can be added to many
of the styles to add pizzazz.

Take your time.
The key to being happy with your custom job is to take your time and make
sure of what you want. No matter how long you have waited and how bad you
want it “now”, slow down. This will no doubt be an investment, so make
sure you will be getting exactly what you want – what you want now, and
what you will still want in five years.

References:
Old Cowboy Saddles and Spurs - Identifying the Craftsmen Who Made Them.
By Graham Price.
www.bobscustomsaddles.com
www.lesonsaddles.com
www.saddletree.com
www.sawtoothsaddle.com/toolingpatterns.html
www.nettlesstirrups.com

RanchForeman Equine Management Software assists equine professionals manage records regarding breeding, training, boarding and accounting. Professionals throughout the equine industry, whether they need software for American Quarter Horses or Kentucky Thoroughbreds, can use our horse management software to track health records, manage pedigrees, record feed schedules and record cleaning schedules.