ADA October Centerline 2022

T HE C ENTERLINE

Arizona Dressage Association

Rotational Falls

By Andre Ganc

Any rider with even a little riding experience can recall from memory their falls or near falls. Some may be funny, some may even be spectacular, and some are not. At a minimum, falling from a horse can be scary and painful, and at times a rider will sustain serious injury such as broken bones, lacerations and bruises. Most of the time riders suffer nothing serious, but unfortunately, there are times when a fall can be much worse.

One of the worst types of falls can cause severe damage. This fall is called a rotational fall. It is the kind of fall that causes serious injury to the rider and also to the horse- notably to the cervical part of the horse’s spine.

This type of accident happens most often when a horse trips on one of its front feet. Unable to regain its balance, the horse falls over its own chest throwing the rider forward in the process. The horse can then, depending on its speed, involuntarily tumble on the rider as it somersaults on to its back. The consequences of this type of fall can be tragic even with the use of proper safety equipment.

Any type or breed of horse, as well as any equestrian sport is subject to this type of accident. The horse can be well mannered, hot, in competition or on a trail ride. All it takes for such event to happen is a false step that triggers this rotational fall reaction.

In order to avoid a catastrophic event, we must first learn about our natural reactions, and then understand how they affect our interactions with the forces of physics involved. We must also accept that our natural reactions are counter intuitive and that we must re-condition our bodies to help us avoid a disastrous result.

In a rotational fall, the natural reaction of the rider, when they notice that the horse is about to go down, is usually to grab the reins and lean forward with the chest. The rider thinks that by pulling on

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 reins they will help to bring the horse back up. The problem with this is that at the moment the horse trips, its natural instinct as it hits its chest on the ground is to automatically push forward its chin which would prevent its body from tumbling over itself. It is also instinct for the horse to use its lower neck muscles to help bring the withers back up. If the rider blocks the horse’s natural instincts by holding onto the reins, the horse is blocked from forwarding its neck being limited physically by the reins, and is left with no choice but to put its nose behind the vertical and somersault. When it falls forward with its neck shortened, the chances of the horse re-establishing balance is compromised and the tumble is the mechanical consequence. The force of this chain reaction is also aggravated by the speed of the horse. In this same instance, the force the rider applies to the reins while in the forward body position, it will help project the body of the rider even more forward increasing the center of gravity of both rider and horse, and catapulting the rider off the horse. This puts the rider in an extremely vulnerable position in the path of the horse. The rotation of the fall will also cause physical damage to the horse as it will hyper-flex the horse’s poll and squeeze the base of its neck, which can cause severe lesions to this area as well as ligament tears and bone fractures.

In order to prevent a rotational fall we must look at two fundamental ideas, and unfortunately, they are completely unnatural for a rider.

1) When the horse loses its balance in the front, the rider must let go of the reins. This will free the horse to balance its head and neck and forward its chin. This way, if the horse hits the ground, the chin will prevent its body from tumbling over itself. We must condition ourselves not to attempt to balance the horse with the reins. This is usually impossible as we are conditioned otherwise, but it is the only way to prevent a rotational fall.

2) When the rider feels that a horse is losing its balance, the rider must try to lean back and wait for the horse to recover and rebalance itself. If a fall does happen the chin will hit the ground first and the rider will be behind the body of the horse and not in front. This un-natural reaction will give the horse the best chance to recover its balance, and re-establish itself.

The bottom line is that the best way to avoid a rotational fall is to do the opposite of what our bodies tell us to do. You must let go of the reins and lean back. This will help prevent a tragic outcome and it will also save lives. Rotational falls often result in grave injuries and sometimes are fatal.

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.

CAN A TRAILER BE THE ANSWER TO EASILY AND SAFELY TRANSPORTING MY WARMBLOOD?

There’s nothing quite as impressive as a warmblood horse performing at the top of its game. This athletic group of animals is very popular for disciplines like show jumping, dressage, combined driving, and eventing. These horses were created by crossbreeding stable cold blood horses with the more active hot blood horses. The result is a very versatile athlete with a good temperament. Because of the warmblood’s dominance in equestrian events, they are in high demand by owners.

Since warmbloods often exceed 17 hands, it’s important to find a horse trailer that is both functional and comfortable. Size is certainly an important consideration for all warmblood horse trailers. These horses need lots of space from floor to ceiling to stand comfortably. They also need enough space in their stall from front to back so they don’t feel cramped.

A cramped horse is an unhappy horse… and an unhappy horse doesn’t want to get back on a trailer. So, the more you can do to give your horse a comfy open space, the more likely they will want to load back on. Most trailer brands follow a ‘one-size-fits-all’ philosophy, but this only works well for horses that fall in the 15.2-15.3-hand range, and weigh around 1,100 lbs. The standard size trailer works well for these smaller horses, but not so much for the bigger breeds.

Working with a large horse that doesn’t want to load and unload a trailer can mean the difference between getting out and on the road and attending events - or literally staying at home. Owners have been known to endure a long ordeal of pulling, pushing, and begging to get their problematic horses into the trailer, or spending hours with a trainer, trying to get the horse used to it. Then there are others who are just downright cruel and use physical means, and harsh voices.

Maybe you’ve heard this expression from others, “Some horses are good at it [loading and unloading] and some just aren’t.” Well, that may be true, but here’s a thought – what if it’s not the horse?

Maybe it’s the trailer.

The right trailer can make all the difference when dealing with problem-loaders. And, when they’re warmbloods, the problem takes on an even greater proportion for a multitude of reasons.

The Traditional Horse Trailer

Most traditional slant-load horse trailers have a narrow doorway in the back through which both the horse and handler must pass. By nature, horses are claustrophobic animals, so the idea of passing through this narrow doorway is not an attractive idea. If something unexpected happens, there is a high risk for the handler to get pinned against the doorway of the trailer resulting in injury. There have been many examples of serious injuries to handlers due to the rear door. So, get rid of the narrow doorway!

But - you and your horse still need to get in and out of it. How does that work?

A New Paradigm

One solution to the rear loading problem is to incorporate a side loading door and a ramp. With this configuration, you can walk your horses on from the back door and then forwards off the side ramp. Or, if you want to haul in a reverse facing direction, you can load from the side ramp and then walk your horses off the back ramp for unloading. This system minimizes the stress that many horses feel when they are asked to back off a horse trailer - and keeps the handler safe too.

Another benefit of a side ramp is easy access to an individual horse in the case of an emergency. With a conventional slant load trailer, you are forced to off-load all the rear horses to reach the front horse.

By now you must be thinking, “That all sounds great, but does such a trailer exist?” Well, the answer is yes, it does.

The Solution

Double D Trailers has been manufacturing horse trailers since 1997 in the USA. They have no dealers and work directly with customers. Of course, a trailer cannot resolve every issue, but over the years, Double D Trailers has given the issue of loading and unloading problematic horses some serious thought.

After experiencing and hearing about so many loading and unloading problems with warmbloods, the designers at Double D Trailers got rid of the narrow rear doorway altogether. They created a storage compartment at the rear of the trailer that swings out like a second door, called the SafeTack This allows for a wide-open entry way for loading and unloading spanning the full width of the trailer.

This feature allows the handler more room to safely maneuver around their animal with less chance of being pinned against a wall. Furthermore, many owners appreciate the way it maximizes the floor space.

Double D Trailers’ patented SafeTack Reverse trailer design makes it easy to load your horses from the side ramp and door into a rear facing stall. The dividers are designed to open from both sides, so you can simply open the dividers and lead your animals straight off the rear door of the trailer without ever having to back up.

The SafeTack slant-load horse trailers also work well for owners who like to walk their large horses forwards off the trailer. Because of the wide-open design, it is convenient to turn your warmblood completely around so they can walk off the back of the trailer without ever needing to back up.

Should Warmbloods Ride Reverse-Facing?

Scientific studies have shown that horses traveling in the rear-facing direction are less likely to experience stress and fatigue. This orientation allows them to balance more naturally while the trailer is in motion.

They can brace with their strong rear legs when the rig is decelerating. In fact, horse owners with open stock trailers often observe their horses naturally standing in the rear-facing direction when they are left to move about freely.

Here’s What Customers Say

There’s nothing like social proof of a product, is there? Here are a few testimonials from owners of Double D Trailers. One horse owner from Ohio has six wonderful horses and she loves them with all her heart. But, when two of the animals consistently gave her trouble loading onto her old horse trailer, she knew it was time to make a change, and she bought a XX from Double D Trailers.

When asked how it was to load her warmbloods after the purchase, she said,

“It was…easy right from the get-go. What I thought I'd do is just put it where they could see it, in my backyard. Then for a couple of days I walked them out, opened it, and showed it to them.

I took one of the easy loaders and I just walked them through it, and we just walked in a circle.

Walked them on and walked them off, walked them on and walked them off, and gave them a treat and sent them out. I did that maybe three times and then I loaded them up.”

Can a Horse Trailer Change Your Life?

We're not saying that a trailer is the only answer to a problematic loader, but it just might be. The same owner went on to say,

“When I talked to Double D Trailers, I was just kind of getting some information. I was going to do it [buy a trailer] in a couple of years, save up a little money and splurge and get the one I wanted. But oh my gosh, it's the best money I've ever spent!

The horses - I'm not kidding - we can go anywhere! I can load them up and go anywhere. I can even load them by myself.

It's crazy. My life is totally different! My husband and I go trail riding now every weekend. There’s a place that's about five miles down the road from us that's just beautiful and I didn't go there for 10 years. I just couldn't get my horses off the back.

Now, we go every weekend. And sometimes on a nice day, we get off work a little early, we'll go for a ride after work.”

Some customers choose to install a camera system in their trailer so they can watch their animals while on the road. This can come in handy. Here is a recollection of an incident, where she told us,

“I have had no issues with them [her horses] while traveling. I have the camera system and when hauling, I watch them constantly. They both seem very happy and content.”

She shared the story of a time she was forced to take a turn faster than she would have liked. She glanced at her onboard camera and saw her horse - who was traveling in the rear-facing direction – react,

“[He] braced with his rear end and then pushed his head forward to counterbalance himself. He had plenty of room to self-correct and he was not worked-up at all when we arrived at our destination about 10-minutes later.”

When asked about her buying experience, she admitted that she had been nervous at first about her larger warmblood horses fitting in the trailer.

“I must have asked Double D three times, ‘Are you sure my big horses will fit?’ The design measurements seemed to make sense, but I still had concerns. However, they both have plenty of room. They have room to move sideways, and they can step backwards even on the slant.”

The entire width and height of a Double D Trailer can be customized to fit your larger warmblood horses.

“One of the things I really liked about configuring my trailer with Double D was that I could start with a basic model, and then go through the ‘a la carte’ options to see what I wanted.”

Conclusion

The right trailer can make all the difference when dealing with problem-loading horses. And, when they’re warmbloods, the problem takes on an even greater proportion due to their immense size. But a trailer from Double D Trailers might resolve many of the issues you have - no training, pleading, pushing, or begging required!

ARIZONA DRESSAGE ASSOCIATION October Board Meeting Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m.

Officer’s Reports:

1. Directors/Alternate Directors Present: Tania Radda, Cynthia Ganem, Susan Skripac, Nicole Zoet, Meike Zoet,.Kadriya Mussina-Sallus, Jarred Sallus

2. Directors/Alternate Directors Absent: Heather Lynch, Michell Combs, Allana Almgren, Kathy Smith.

3. Guests: None

4. Treasurers’ and Finance Report – January, Operating Account $ 27,260.24– Debit Account $ 4,331.52– Reserve Account $11,660.98 to reach our goal to cover catastrophic losses. – Pantano CD $11,732.61 – Cash $400.00.

5. Recognized Shows (1st VP) – Fall Fiesta and State Championships are scheduled for November 5th & 6th. Entries are now closed. Western Dressage and Schooling Show at Westworld are scheduled for October 29th at Westworld. Entries are still opened.

6. Schooling Shows (2nd VP) – The annual Members Only Schooling show took place at Westworld. The club still does not have a venue for more schooling shows in our area.

Standing Committee Reports:

7. Membership Committee – 257 2022 ADA/GMO Members, 33 new members in 2022-28 adults and 5 J/YR, 212 Members Renewed in 2022, 198 Adults, 14 J/YR- 12 returning Members, 11 adults 1 J/YR. 85 2021 ADA/GMO Members have not yet renewed for 2022. 80 adults and 5 J/YR

8. Communications Committee – Email with Calendar updates for the 2022/2023 Years was sent out. ADA will be hosting the Regionals next year at Westworld.

9. Education Committee – Bill Warren Clinic is scheduled. Riders schedule went out. There is low attendance for auditors for this clinic. We have 9 riders. Several are first time participants in this educational event.

10. Volunteer Committee – ADA is in desperate need of volunteers. This is an area the club could use more help. We need more help at the shows, as well as within our committees.

11. Vendor Committee – Michelle Scarzone is working with the vendors for the Fall Fiesta.

12. Awards Committee – Awards, neck ribbons, are on order for the championships. Farnam will donate prizes for the show and sponsor the Wash Rack.

New Business:

13. Nothing new to report.

CALL TO MEMBERS –

Members may be recognized by the Presiding Officer and may then address the Board regarding issues of concern to the Association. The Presiding Officer has the right to limit the amount of time that each Member has to address the Board. Announcement of Next Meeting – Next Meeting will take place in person. Venue TBA. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

In classical dressage the training scale has been developed to guide the training of the horse. Each block of the scale is interdependent and interwoven within all the levels of training. Each stage needs to be mastered by guiding the horse before moving onto the next. Once mastered, each lower block should frequently be revisited to assure they are genuine.

The overall progression of training can best be thought of as three phases:

First - the horse is encouraged to find its natural balance while carrying a rider. Through relaxation, the horse is allowed to find its natural rhythm and seek a light elastic connection with the rider through the reins.

Second – thrust from the hindquarters is developed and is reflected by impulsion and straightness.

Lastly - collection or the development of carrying weight on the hind quarters is developed resulting in a lightness of the forehand and self-carriage.

NAC of ADA

Board Members

2022 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AUGUST

26-28: TDC Road Runner Dressage Show I: Pima County Fairgrounds, Tucson, AZ

SEPTEMBER

17: ADA Members Only Schooling Show: WestWorld, Scottsdale

17: NAC Dressage Schooling Show: American Ranch, Prescott, AZ , Judge: Michell Combs

OCTOBER

15-16: Clinic with Bill Warren: WestWorld, Scottsdale

22-23: Amelia Newcomb Clinic: American Ranch, Prescott, Contact Susan Crampton 928-925-6043 for more info

26-27 Debbie McDonald Dressage Clinic: Carefree Farms. Accepting auditor registration. Contact michellcombs@hotmail.com for information.

29-30: Western Dressage Show: WestWorld, Scottsdale

NOVEMBER

5-6: AZ 2022 State Championships: WestWorld, Scottsdale, Judges:

19-20: Fall Festival I & II: Pima County Fairgrounds, Tucson, AZ. Judges:

26-27: New Tests Clinic: Sage Mountain Equestrian Center, Scottsdale AZ. Visit caradressage.com for more information

2023 Dates

April 15-16 ADA Spring Celebration: WestWorld

June 17-18 ADA Summer Heat: WestWorld

September 29 - October 1 USDF Regionals: WestWorld

November 4-5 ADA Fall Fiesta: WestWorld

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ARIZONA DRESSAGE ASSOCIATION

PO Box 31602

Phoenix, AZ 85046-1602