ADA Centerline May 2023

T HE C ENTERLINE

Feeling The Heat

By Elisabeth Martinec

It’s that time of year here in Arizona where we go from complaining about it being too cold to really complaining about it being too hot. Once we all get used to the fact that we just have to endure another summer, we start obsessing about helping our four-legged friends survive the heat as well. Overheating is a serious concern for humans and horses so it’s important to know the signs of heat stress and how to prevent it.

Overheating can result from a number of things beyond the most obvious – hot weather. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, high humidity and poor barn or trailer ventilation are just a few of the other culprits. Heat stress can also occur when these things are combined with excessive work or if you are transporting a horse under these conditions. Horses that are obese are also at higher risk for overheating as are foals and elderly horses.

It is important to recognize the signs of heat stress and heat stroke to that proper treatment can be given early on. Heat stress can quickly turn into heat stroke which can result in the horse collapsing, have convulsions and even going into a coma.

Signs of heat stress:

• Rapid breathing and heart rate

• Sluggishness or stumbling

• Increased body temperature (normal temperature is 98-101 degrees F)

• Signs of dehydration (pale tacky mucous membranes, dry feces, sunken eyes)

• Profuse sweating or a complete lack of sweat (anhidrosis)

• Muscle weakness

ADA Board

President: Tania Radda 480.235.7654 t.radda@azdressage.org

1st VP: Kathy Smith ksmith@azdressage.org

2nd VP: Amy Burnett

Secretary: Nicole Zoet-Oostermyer ozranch3@aol.com

Treasurer & Trustee of Records: Cynthia Ganem cganem@azdressage.org

Maeike Zoet mzoet@yahoo.com

Michell Combs

Susan Skripac

Alanna Almgren

Heather Lynch

Kadriya Musina-Sallus

Jarred Sallus

Committees

Awards: Maeike Zoet-Javins m-zoet@yahoo.com

Centerline Editor: Beth Martinec centerline@azdressage.org

Webmaster: Sue Leutwyler webmaster@azdressage.org

Education: Pam Polydoros

Finance: Cynthia Ganem

Fundraising: Kay Lorenzen

Futurity: Susan Skripac

Juniors/Young Riders: Heather Lynch

Membership: Michell Combs

Scholarship: Ann Damiano a.damiano@azdressage.org

Recognized Shows: Kathy Smith

Scores Compilation: Sue Leutwyler

Vendors: Michelle Scarzone

ADA Board Attorney: Wendy Riddell w.riddell@azdressage.org

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The Centerline is the official monthly newsletter of the Arizona Dressage Association (ADA), a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. Material in the newsletter may not be reproduced, with the exception of forms, without the written consent and credit of the editor and/or author. The Centerline welcomes your articles, barn news, artwork, and especially, your photographs. Submissions, news, and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADA. Acceptance does not constitute an endorsement. Accuracy of materials submitted is the sole responsibility of the author. The Editor reserves the right to accept, reject and edit submitted material. The deadline for submission is the 20th of the month. Email: centerline@azdressage.org

Region 5 May Update:

Summer is here and shows are full swing, as are many educational programs, clinics and fun horse activities. I hope many of you were able to join at the World Cup in Omaha. It was an incredible show and some amazing horses and riders. I’m very much looking forward to returning to Omaha for the 2023 USDF Convention November 29 – December 2nd. The town had great restaurants, lots of fun things to do and the Convention will have some fantastic educational events, along with informative meetings and the annual Awards Banquet.

Our USDF Executive Board Spring meetings have also just concluded as they were held during the World Cup and it’s wonderful to see all the programs coming forward from our various committees. There are some interesting rule changes coming forward for consideration that we spent a lot of time discussing, so please take the time to consider them and provide your feedback to both USDF and USEF.

The deadline for Participating Member Delegate nominations was April 15. Our region will have 5 PM delegates for the 2023 USDF Convention. Elections will be held very soon! Our Group Member Organizations need to start the process of appointing or electing who they are going to be sending to the convention as GM delegates.

As of May 1st, our potential candidates for the 2023 FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships August 8-13 in Traverse City, Michigan will be finalized. As I write this, we have 8 riders who have declared (3 Juniors and 5 Young Riders). If you would like to contribute or help with their fundraising efforts, please contact Joan Clay, our Region 5 Jr/YR FEI coordinator at jnclay@comcast.net or 970-420-0877. This competition is a reasonable distance for us to travel by trailer, which makes things much more feasible, but we still need your help in order to be able to. If you’re a rider, PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO TURN IN YOUR DECLARATIONS!

We are excited to announce that the 2024 Great American USDF Region 5 Championships will be coming back to the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado September 19-22. It will have been 5 years since Colorado will have hosted the Regionals. It’s fantastic to have Arizona as our host for 2023 and get our rotation for the Regional Championships back on track!

I hope everyone stays healthy and happy.

If you have news you’d like to share, please let me know, we’re try to get it out and about for you.

Happy Spring!

Till next month!

Heather Petersen Region 5 Director

Join NAC of ADA:

Saturday

June 3, Schooling Show with L Judge, Krista Peek

Classical and Western Dressage

Date: Saturday June 3, 2023

Venue: American Ranch Equestrian Center, 9100 N Callahan Rd, Prescott, AZ 86305

Opening Date: May 5, 2023

Closing Date: May 26, 2023

Entry Form and All Information may be found at: nacofada.com

Mail Entry Form, Release Forms and check payable to NAC of ADA, to: Susan Crampton, 1904 Sarafina Drive, Prescott, AZ, 86301

Any Questions contact: susancrampton1@gmail.com, 928-925-6043

Our Friends at WDAAZ are generously providing a High Point Prize at the end of the show day for a Western Dressage Rider. (It is Beautiful)

$25,000 Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders

Debbie McDonald, through her compassionate and effective training methods, has had a significant and positive impact on dressage training across the United States. To honor her role in the success of U.S. dressage as a trainer, competitor, and coach, the Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders was established to recognize Debbie’s unique contributions to the sport of dressage while enhancing the skill and effectiveness of the dressage community.

Goals of the Fund include:

• Providing funding for high-level training to horse and rider pairs who show potential to succeed at FEI Levels, and who may not otherwise have the opportunity for the training.

• Growing the legacy of compassionate and effective dressage training embodied by Debbie McDonald. Riders of any age, who meet the requirements below, are welcome to apply.

Applicant Criteria:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.

• The horse and rider must be training and/or competing at Prix St. Georges or higher, including the Under 25 (U25) Division.

• Must have a plan of how to expand dressage knowledge and skill in their region by sharing what is learned from this training.

• Must be a demonstrated team player through volunteer work, donating resources, hosting educational events to help their dressage community, etc.

Grants should be used to support the development of the horse/rider pair, including high-level training and competition opportunities that might not otherwise be available to them.

Grant Amount:

At this time, one $25,000 grant will be available each year to a qualified applicant chosen by an independent selection committee comprised of dressage professionals who have had international success.

Additional Information:

Funding can be used for training and competition, but cannot be used only for competition. Funding cannot be used for vet and/or farrier expenses, living expenses, or the purchase of a horse or equipment. An individual can only receive one $25,000 grant from The Dressage Foundation each year.

The committee reserves the right to not award a grant in any given year if they determine that no candidate has met the criteria. Funds would then be held until the following year. The applications and discussions of the selection committee are confidential, and their decisions are final.

If the grant recipient is unable to attend the program specified in his/her application, The Dressage Foundation must be notified as soon as possible. Approval for a change in the use of funds is at the discretion of The Dressage Foundation and the grant selection committee.

The online application form and all required documents must be submitted to The Dressage Foundation on or before June 15th of each year. A final decision will typically be announced by July 30th.

The grant must be used for training and events that fall after the application deadline of June 15th and within 2 years of that date. For more information visit https://www.dressagefoundation.org/grants-and-programs/apply/high_performance_dressage/ debbie-mcdonald-fund.html

Wallace G was judged as Region 5 Champion 4th level Open and 4th level Freestyle Open. Additionally he was named Region 5 Reserve Champion Prix St Georges Open.

Continued from page 1

Signs of heat stroke:

• A body temperature above 105° F. At this temperature, blood supply to the muscles beings to shut down, and then to the intestines and kidneys, and finally the brain and heart.

• High respiratory and heart rate persists.

• Refusal to work or eat.

• Collapse, convulsions, coma

Cooling them down:

There are a few strategies that can be used to cool down a horse. Heat can cause tremendous stress on horses, so properly cooling them down will keep them healthier and help you avoid a potential lethal situation.

1. Reduce your ride time: It’s summertime in Arizona so you may need to adjust your riding time or reduce your ride time to not overheat your horse. Riding very early in the morning, or later at night to avoid the worst of the heat is crucial.

2. Use a fan: Provide a fan in your horse’s stall and place one in the grooming area. The cool air passing over their body speeds up cooling after a workout. A fan or misting system in the stall can help them maintain a cooler body temperature throughout the day.

3. Provide shade and change your turnout schedule: Shade is a must. Horses should be provided with a way to stay out of the sun and turnout without shade during the day should be kept at a minimum. Nighttime turnout is also a good option for avoiding the sun.

4. Provide water: Access to unlimited, clean water is a given. Allowing your horse to drink cool water can instantly cool them down.

5. Administer electrolytes: Giving your horse electrolytes will help replace salt and minerals lost through sweating. Electrolytes also encourage horses to drink more water. If you need to get your horse electrolytes quickly, a paste is the most effective method.

Should you hose down your horse in hot weather?

There is a lot of controversy and rumor circulating about hosing off your horse in hot weather. You may have heard that you shouldn’t cold hose your horse in hot weather, but this is a myth. Research shows that hosing with cold water does cool them down if the water temperature is cooler than their body. You must also scrape off the warm water to aid the cooling process. The body loses heat in a process of evaporative cooling and conduction. The cold water allows heat from the muscles and skin to move into the water. Once you scrape the warm water off, you are continuing this cooling process. In fact, the colder the water, the more heat loss occurs!

Continuous, cold hosing and scraping off the hot water is the most effective way to reduce body temperature. Focus on areas with the largest amount of blood vessels like the head, neck and back. Repeat the hosing and scraping process until the horse is cool.

2023 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

JANUARY

13-14: CARA Champagne I & II

FEBRUARY

MARCH

12-13: TDC March Madness: Pima Country Fairgrounds, Tucson

APRIL

14: ADA Western Dressage in The Desert: WestWorld, Scottsdale

15-16: ADA Spring Celebration: WestWorld, Scottsdale

MAY

JUNE

3: NAC of ADA Show, American Ranch, Prescott

9-11: Roadrunner I: Pima Country Fairgrounds, Tucson

17-18: ADA Summer Heat: WestWorld, Scottsdale

JULY

29: NAC of ADA Show, Venue TBD, Prescott

AUGUST

18-19: Roadrunner II: Pima County Fairgrounds, Tucson

SEPTEMBER

9: ADA Schooling Show

16: NAC of ADA Show, American Ranch, Prescott

29 - October 1: ADA Oktoberfest & USEF/USDF Regional Championships: WestWorld, Scottsdale

OCTOBER

14: ADA Schooling Show

NOVEMBER

4-5: ADA Fall Fiesta: WestWorld

11: ADA Schooling Show

18-19: TDC Fall Festival I/II & AZ State Championships, Pima County Fairgrounds, Tucson

DECEMBER

2: ADA Schooling Show

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ARIZONA DRESSAGE ASSOCIATION

PO Box 31602

Phoenix, AZ 85046-1602