Canada's Equine Guide 2018 - SAMPLE

CLEVER HANS

THE

THE STORY OF

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Canada’s Horse Industry At Your Fingertips

Equine Guide 2018 SPECIAL ANNUAL ISSUE OF CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

SPECIAL FEATURES

Horses in Edmonton The Public Treasure Called Whitemud

Latest Horse Industry Research FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

HOW TO g Horsekeepidins

Hunter Bra aids Jumper Br raids Dressage B p Tidy-Up Cli

Canada’s Horse Industry Builders THE STORIES OF

18 TRAILBLAZERS Extraordinary

THE 21

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COWBOY A Legacy Career

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Natural Disasters

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Find the Money

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CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS A SPECIAL ISSUE OF

SPEACIAL FEATURES 10 Research Roundup

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CONTENTS 10

The latest horse industry research from around the globe:

• A promising new gene therapy for treating tendon injuries • Research highlights the need for a new approach to laminitis • Factors affecting tapeworm infection • A survey of worm control in the United States • Therapeutic riding is not stressful for horses • Long-acting pain relief from shellfish poison • Horses prefer to approach submissive people • Effects of longer day length on pregnant mares

32 Horses for Everyone in Edmonton

INSIDE 8 Editor’s Desk 101,103,105-107 The Marketplace Your comprehensive source for products, services, breeds, stallions, and more.

108 The Story of Clever Hans 108 Index to Advertisers

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The public treasure called Whitemud is a landmark equestrian centre in Alberta with a fascinating 100-year history.

92 How To Horsekeeping

Step-by-step instructions on how to braid for hunter, jumper, and dressage, and how to do a tidy-up clip to improve the horse’s overall appearance.

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

92 CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

10 PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/TINA RENCELJ • 32 PHOTO COURTESY OF WELCA • 42 PHOTO: ROBIN DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHY • 92 PHOTO: SOUL TOUCH PHOTOGRAPHY

• Research targets equine herpesvirus

CONTENTS

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS A SPECIAL ISSUE OF

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20 HORSE INDUSTRY 20 Insurance Coverage for Natural Disasters

42 Canada’s Horse Industry Builders

26 How to Find the Money for Horse Sports

74 The Enduring Cowboy

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CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Natural disasters have devastated many parts of Canada in recent years.

What types of insurance coverage protect against these risks?

Finding the money for horse sports can be challenging, but with ingenuity, riders can discover funding in unusual places.

Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

The careers and stories of extraordinary Canadians who blazed uncharted territory and took our horse industry to new heights.

The 21st century working cowboy embraces new technology while keeping time-honoured traditions alive.

20 PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/DARK MOON PICTURES • 26 PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/GRIGORITA KO • 74 PHOTO: ISTOCK/JOHNRANDALLALVES

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H O R S E H E A LT H

Research Roundup Latest horse industry research from around the globe

Promising New Gene Therapy Tendon Treatment

By Mark Andrews

A new gene therapy shows promise for treating tendon injuries according to a report published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science. The authors claim the technique gives much faster healing than current methods and could significantly reduce relapse rates.

The use of gene therapy in two horses with naturally occurring injuries of the suspensory ligament or the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is described by Milomir Kovak of the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology, with Yaroslav A Litvin of the Kazan Federal University, and others.

Scientists at Kazan Federal University, Moscow State Academy, and The University of Nottingham collaborated in the work.

Two male dressage horses were the subjects of the study. One had desmitis of the lateral branch of the suspensory ligament; the other, tendinitis of the superficial flexor tendon.

The treatment involved introducing genes for two specific equine growth factors into the damaged tissue. Plasmid DNA (pDNA) was used to carry genes for equine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) 164 and

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). Both the genes were derived from horses, resulting in the biosynthesis of natural horse proteins in the treated animals.

The authors explain: “VEGF164 is a member of a large VEGF proteins family, which promotes proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. FGF2 stimulates proliferation of cells, regeneration of nervous, muscular, and connective tissue.”

The pDNA was injected directly into the affected structures under ultrasound guidance on one occasion.

Progress was monitored by clinical examination and ultrasound scans.

Two to three weeks after the treatment, the authors report that the horses could walk and trot. Within just two months they were back to full health, galloping and competing in dressage competitions.

“Advancing medicine,

relieving pain and restoring function were the main aims of this study,” says Professor Albert Rizvanov, who led the study and is based at Kazan Federal University.

“We have shown that these are possible, and within a much shorter time span than treatments available at the moment. In addition, we could use this type of therapy in other injuries and in many other situations ranging from fertility problems through to spinal cord injuries.”

“This pioneering study advances not only equine medicine but has real implications for how other species and humans are treated for lameness and other disorders in the

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

future,” says Dr. Catrin Rutland, Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Developmental Genetics at the University of Nottingham. “The horses returned to full health after their injuries and did not have any adverse side effects. This is a very exciting medical innovation.”

The authors conclude: “Since these preliminary case reports demonstrated improvement in clinical outcome and no adverse side effects, a larger clinical trial is ongoing to further study efficiency of direct gene therapy for the treatment of horse tendinitis and desmitis.”

Printed with permission of Mark Andrews, Equine Science Update.

H O R S E H E A LT H

Research Targets Equine Herpesvirus “If a mare is shedding, are there different levels in different places, are you better to swab a horse’s nose or to take a blood sample?” asks Lillie.

They will test the samples for presence of the virus or viral DNA levels, and also look at serology, which is the mare’s antibody level or immune response to the virus. Using this information, researchers can then determine how prevalent the virus is, the impact of vaccines on the

Horses carrying equine herpesvirus (EHV) may exhibit signs as minor as a runny nose and mild fever, but the virus is a major cause of neurological, respiratory, and reproductive disease, including abortions, in the equine industry.

Often, horses are infected early in life and EHV can remain in the body for life, reactivating at any time, but it’s not clear what causes this to happen. Something pushes it over the edge to disease manifestation, explains Dr. Brandon Lillie, a pathologist in the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College (OVC).

While vaccination is recommended to protect against EHV, the virus continues to occur in vaccinated herds. Affected horses may abort their foals, or foals may be born apparently healthy only to die a short time later.

Lillie and Dr. Luis Arroyo, a clinician and researcher in OVC’s Department of Clinical Studies, along with their research team, are trying to better understand how the virus exists in the horse population, uncover what triggers the virus to cause disease, and assess ways to maximize current EHV vaccination efficacy and minimize the virus’s effect on horses’ health. In particular, they are focusing on the abortive effect of the virus.

EHV can present in a number of ways, explains Arroyo. Horses may demonstrate neurological signs. They may have

difficulty walking; they may have difficulty urinating because the nerves to their bladder are inflamed; or they may exhibit milder symptoms like a runny nose or no symptoms at all.

A mare may not show clinical signs of the virus at all, but could lose a foal that is loaded with the virus, he adds.

Conversely, some mares may clearly be diseased, but their pregnancy isn’t compromised.

The cyclical nature of the virus is part of the challenge.

Farms may report no abortions for a couple of years, and then suddenly they have two or three.

The researchers began with a survey of Ontario horse farms to better understand the current state of the industry, looking at herd sizes, abortion rates, and prevalence of EHVrelated diseases.

Beginning in December 2016, they began sampling horses on farms across Ontario from Ottawa, to Windsor and Sudbury, to the Niagara Region.

The farms include large racing operations with dozens of mares to smaller farms with two, three, or six mares. Says Lillie, “We are focusing on the mares because that is the major way that foals get infected. We think that’s an important area to look at and understand.”

Horses on each farm will be sampled six times over twelve months, essentially covering the entire gestational cycle of horses.

Lillie and Arroyo are also examining the best way to sample for the virus, looking at nasal swabs, vaginal swabs, and blood samples.

suggests not all mares respond the same way to the virus or have the same antibody level patterns over the year.

The host, the pathogen, the farm’s management strategy, and the environment all contribute to the occurrence of disease, particularly when a virus is there all the time, adds Lillie.

Ultimately, the researchers hope to make some changes in how the disease is diagnosed and managed. “Maybe vaccine

PHOTO: CANSTOCK/PURPLEQUEUE

Researchers at the University of Guelph are searching for clues to better manage a virus that can cause late gestation abortion in mares.

By Karen Mantel, Equine Guelph

EHV can cause pregnant mares to abort their foals late in gestation, or the foal may be born in apparent good health but die a short time later. The research is focussing on the mares because they are the main source of EHV infection in foals.

virus, and the mare’s ability to mount an immune response.

On the farms being studied, there is also a fairly even split between those who vaccinate and those who don’t.

“Hopefully we’ll start to see some trends,” adds Lillie.

“Ultimately, when abortions occur, we can look back and see if the shedding pattern changed and if one type of sampling was a key indicator.”

Another area they will assess is how the antibody response pattern changes with horses throughout the year. Preliminary evidence

protocols need tweaking,” he says. “Maybe the current vaccination schedule isn’t the best as far as timing or maybe another one is needed in there, or perhaps the virus has evolved a bit.”

Funding for the study has come from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and a University of Guelph Catalyst Grant, as well as funding from Equine Guelph and the Zoetis Investment in Innovation Fund.

Printed with the kind permission of Equine Guelph.

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HORSE INDUSTRY

INSURANCE COVERAGE for

Natural Disasters

By Karen L. Weslowski Lawyer, Miller Thomson LLP Vancouver, BC

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

Types of Natural Disasters The insurance coverage available for natural disasters can vary. Not all natural disasters are treated the same way by insurance. Flooding is a good example, as not all sources of flooding are covered by insurance. Floods can result from heavy rainfall, overflowing lakes and rivers, sinkholes or plumbing failures.

Insurance policies generally exclude flood-related damage, except for that caused by damaged plumbing, pipes or home appliances.

Other types of natural disasters for which insurance coverage may be sought include mudslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, and earthquakes. If you live in

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

an area prone to a particular type of natural disaster, it is likely that coverage for those events will be excluded from your insurance coverage, although that coverage may be available for purchase at an additional premium.

Types of Insurance Coverage Available to Response to Natural Disasters Those in the equine community may have several types of insurance coverage available to respond to a natural disaster.

Homeowners’ Insurance Policy Typically, the first policy to respond to a natural disaster would be a homeowners’ insurance policy.

PHOTO: DREAMSTIME/ALEXEY STIOP

n recent years, many parts of Canada have been devastated by natural disasters, including forest fires, ice storms, and floods. These disasters have impacted the equine community by causing loss and damage to barns, fencing, pastures, feed supplies and livestock, among other things. Aside from the direct loss of property, there may also be consequential losses, such as loss of business income, resulting from the property loss. Insurance coverage may be available to respond to these losses but it must be secured in advance of the natural disaster. As such, it is helpful to know the types of insurance coverage available to ensure that you are wellprotected against risks.

PHOTO: DREAMSTIME/ALEXEY STIOP

Natural disasters or so-called “acts of God” are not automatically excluded from homeowners’ insurance coverage.

The coverage available depends upon the particular terms of your policy and often upon your geographic location.

The “Named Perils” or “All Risk” section of the policy will list the events covered by the policy, and usually include fire, lightening, windstorm, hail, explosion, smoke, ice or snow, and freezing of/or water escape from sprinklers, appliances, plumbing, air conditioning or heating systems. These listed perils could cover some natural disasters.

The homeowners’ insurance policy will have a section specifically listing the exclusions from coverage. These exclusions often include earthquakes, sinkholes, landslides, hurricanes, flooding, some types of water damage, sump-pump back up, and nuclear war. If you live in an area that is prone to forest fires, flooding or earthquakes, it is quite likely that specific peril (or perils) will be excluded from coverage.

The specific language of what is or is not covered by a homeowners’ insurance policy varies from insurer to insurer and by geographical region. You will need to carefully review your own policy to determine what is covered.

If a peril is excluded, coverage can often be obtained by way of an “endorsement” to the policy. For instance, earthquake coverage is normally excluded, but can be obtained as an endorsement. Obtaining this coverage can be very expensive and

require a high deductible, particularly if you live in an earthquake-prone area.

Commercial Property Insurance If you make a living from your equine activities, your homeowners’ insurance policy will likely not provide coverage for business-related losses because commercial activity is generally excluded from homeowners’ insurance coverage. A commercial property insurance policy will be required. This type of insurance policy is designed to protect the physical assets of a business against loss or damage from a broad range of causes, including natural disaster such as fire, hurricane, earthquakes, and water damage. Again, you will need to carefully review the specific language of your policy to determine if any of these perils is excluded.

Business Interruption Insurance For those in the equine business, a natural disaster can affect the ability to carry on business and earn income. Consider, for example, the impact of a fire damaging a barn and indoor riding area used for boarding and lessons. If the barn and indoor riding area cannot be used, the barn owner will lose boarding and lesson income.

Insurance is available to cover business losses arising from natural disasters. There are different types of polices for business loss. An “All Risk” policy provides coverage against any risk that is not specifically excluded, while a “Named Perils” policy provides coverage only for those perils specifically listed in the policy.

There are different types of business interruption coverage available. A “Limited Indemnity” policy pays only until the damage is repaired or the property is replaced. As soon as your business resumes, the policy stops paying, even if your business has not returned to the previous level of earnings. This type of policy tends to be less expensive but may not provide adequate coverage for business losses.

The other type of business interruption coverage available is an “Extended Indemnity” policy, which continues to

If the area you live in is prone to tornadoes, it is unlikely that coverage for this type of natural disaster will be included in your policy, but it may be available for purchase at an additional premium.

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HORSE INDUSTRY

HOW TO

Find the Money for C HORSE SPORTS

By Tania Millen

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

Finding the money for horse sport can be challenging, but with ingenuity, riders can discover funding in unusual places. ash with minimal strings attached is available through grants, bursaries, awards, and scholarships. Crowdfunding campaigns can raise funds online through public donations, brand ambassadors receive products at a discount, and sponsors provide free product to their riders. Although these funding sources won’t deliver the holy grail of fully sponsored horses, they can deliver hundreds of dollars in cash or product to riders —

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

significantly reducing costs — and signaling to other sponsors that a rider is worth attention.

But before searching for magical money trees, it’s worth considering how funding sources differ, as different sources may be more suitable for some riders than others.

Funding sources may be passive (apply and wait), or active (energize strangers for a cause), while benefits and expectations of funding types differ, too.

Award recipients may not be required to do anything other

Canadian three-day event rider, Holly Jacks-Smither, competes at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario, with the logo of sponsor Purina visible on her saddle pad.

PHOTO (HORSE): SHUTTERSTOCK/GRIGORITA KO

than have their photo taken when receiving a cheque, while crowdfunding campaign supporters usually expect public recognition. However, sponsoring businesses view sponsorship as a transaction, with riders expected to provide a return on investment. In the funding game, seemingly free money and products aren’t always genuinely free.

Grants, Awards, Bursaries and Scholarships An obvious place to look for cash is from grants, bursaries and awards. These rewards often have no strings attached, however, every application is different, so read the eligibility criteria carefully, then complete the application and provide any required documentation.

Sometimes awards are not given out due to lack of applications, so it’s always worth applying.

PHOTO: MACKENZIE CLARK

There’s nothing to lose and much-needed funds to gain.

So where do you find these awards? Start with your local, regional, provincial, and national equestrian organizations. For example, Horse Council BC provides travel assistance for athletes attending upper level competitions, while Ontario Horse Trials Association offers bursaries to youth and officials. Saskatchewan Hunter/ Jumper Association, Dressage Development Association, and Reining Horse Association all offer high performance grants.

Ontario Equestrian offers bursaries to junior members, while New Brunswick Equestrian Association provides bursaries to youth, plus rider subsidies and funds for coaches.

There are many other organizations that provide funding, too, and the internet is a great place to find them.

Some organizations prefer to fund groups of riders rather than individuals, but don’t let this be a deterrent, just figure out how the funds can benefit your group. For example, Horse Council BC provides grants to member clubs to help them organize an event.

These grants can be used to help defray overall clinic costs and hence reduce individual riders’ clinic fees.

Searching for funding beyond the horse industry can pay off, too. Riders are athletes, and national and international businesses and organizations may have athlete funding available for more competitive riders. For example, provincial ministries in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario offer funding to upper level riders.

Scholarships are another source of funding. Most scholarships require recipients to be students of an accredited

school, but some are linked to competitive performance instead, so read the award criteria carefully. For example, Vancouver Island Hunter Jumper Association offers scholarships to members in good standing; Horse Trials BC offers a scholarship to help members pursue further education; and Reining Canada offers youth scholarships. Horse Industry Association of Alberta provides a list of 14 organizations that offer scholarships for students pursuing equine-related postsecondary education; Manitoba’s Red River Exhibition Association offers a memorial equine scholarship; and Ontario Harness Horse Association offers college and university level entrance scholarships. 4-H Canada is another potential source of youth scholarships, while American Horse Publications has awards for

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Horses for Everyone in Edmonton

A Public Treasure called

WHITEMUD

By Tania Millen

It’s unusual for a horse facility to host public learn-to-ride programs, therapeutic riding programs, hunter-jumper shows and clinics, plus provide boarding services. Plunk that facility down on a historic site in the centre of a large Canadian city, surround it by three parks and multi-use trails for walkers, cyclists, cross-country skiers plus horses, and it’s hard to believe that such a magical place exists. But it does.

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

W

hitemud Equine Learning Centre Association (WELCA) is a not-for-profit organization which operates a horse facility in Edmonton that has been a landmark on Alberta’s equestrian scene since the 1950s.

Sheila Edmonds, a long-time volunteer and the unofficial historian at WELCA, explains. “In the living memory of Edmontonians, there have always been horses in the valley at Whitemud. The Keillor farm (where WELCA is located) is beautiful, visible, accessible proof that Edmonton preserves, protects, and enhances its precious river valley with unique programs so rare for a city. WELCA links urban and rural interests. It’s a place connecting us to our history and community today, just as it has for generations. The red barns, stone fences, log cabin, stone cottage, gracious old trees, treed hillsides, and horses are a big draw for Edmontonians and visitors alike.”

The land was initially developed 100 years ago when returning war veteran

WELCA received access to their new facility in July 2017. “We thought we’d died and gone to heaven,” says volunteer Jean Smith.

Dr. Keillor built a cabin on his land along the North Saskatchewan River. That cabin and Keillor’s farmland still exist today, along with a brand new purposebuilt $7.6 million horse facility. But the new facility is just part of the property’s fascinating 100-year history.

In 1918, World War I veteran Dr. Frederick Anton Keillor purchased 61 acres where WELCA now sits, and he built a cabin on the site from hand hewn lumber and river rock. By the late 1920s the farm and surrounding area had become a favourite recreation area for Edmontonians, and a ski club was operating nearby. Keillor subsequently donated land to the city for construction of a road and trail to allow better access to the ski club and river valley.

In the 1940s, the farm was in demand by developers, but philanthropicallyminded Keiller insisted the property remain parkland, turning down all private offers in the hopes of making a deal with the recalcitrant city. Edmonds

PHOTO COURTESY OF WELCA

PHOTO: KEN PIPER

The original cabin built by Dr. Keillor of local wood and river rock. Over the fireplace mantle, he placed a heart-shaped stone.

has researched the property’s history and says, “The City of Edmonton grew around Keillor’s farm. When oil was discovered, developers called him daily for nearly ten years to buy the farm.” She explains how Keillor said he was turning down a fortune to preserve the land for the people, and everything he built would last 90 years. People began to write about him, and how his choices to share, preserve, and protect his riverside farm made a difference in their lives.

In the 1950s, in an effort to pay hefty property taxes, Keillor unknowingly made a decision that now allows WELCA

to operate one of the few horse facilities that is located in the centre of a Canadian city. He leased the property to a trio of horsemen — Bill Collins, Cliff Ross, and Leo Lemieux. They created Leecoll Stables and in 1958 moved a World War II era airplane hangar onto the site to act as an indoor arena — the same indoor arena that WELCA operated until it was demolished in 2017!

Leecoll Stables is a legend in Edmonton. The stables were involved in Canada’s first indoor rodeo in 1958 and the Rodeo of Champions in 1974. Bill Collins was the first cowboy to receive

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33

CAREERS WITH HORSEPOWER

Canada’s Horse Industry

BUILDERS This article shares the careers and stories of extraordinary horse industry builders who blazed new trails and took Canada’s equine industry to new heights, while at the same time motivating and inspiring the next generation of equestrians.

Driving the growth and success of Canada’s horse industry are thousands of people who demonstrate an amazing level of skill, talent, dedication, diversity, and vision. This feature profiles just a few of these luminary individuals who have helped place Canada among the very best of the world’s equestrian nations.

Faith Berghuis

By Margaret Evans Faith Berghuis loved her Great Aunt Elsie, a very horsey person who lived at Franklands Farm in Brockville, Ontario, just down the road from the cottage where Faith’s family lived. Elsie Bedford-Jones and her daughter, Gwynneth, were active members of the Montreal Hunt, and Elsie was one of the first women to compete at Madison Square Gardens in New York. She lived on the shore of the St. Lawrence River, on an 80-acre farm that had been in the family since 1920 when Frank Jones purchased it from a descendant of the original Jones family that had come to Brockville just after the 1776 American Revolution. He gave the farm to his sister, Elsie, and she named it Franklands Farm after her brother.

One day in 1939, Auntie Elsie was coming to visit and four-yearold Faith had no idea then how much her aunt’s visit was going to decide the course of her life.

“She arrived in her car,” recalls

Berghuis. “She got out and opened the back door and out jumped a pony! It was tiny, just about nine hands. His name was Brucie and we had him at the cottage for the whole summer. He lived in a big doll’s house and I just couldn’t be separated from him. But he would go to my aunt’s farm in the winter. That’s how it all began.”

The seed was sown for a lifetime of horses, riding, and contributing to the equestrian industry by helping young, immensely talented riders with limited means to find and secure potential Olympic-level horses through the creation of syndicates.

Berghuis’ devotion to supporting equestrians led to her receiving the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Equine Canada (now Equestrian Canada), and given to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the industry. In addition, in 1995 she was the first to receive the Owners Award (for show jumping) presented by Equine Canada. And, in 2007, she received the Dressage Owner of the Year Award.

Her foundation in riding began with the Canadian Pony Club where she was one of the earliest members in the organization to attain A-level status.

“I was from Montreal. I started in Pony Club when I was about ten. Our district commissioner was Barbara Kemp. The club used a stable on top of Mount Royal in the middle of the cemetery. I rode with Barbara a lot and we would ride among the tombstones.

Many noted riders came out of Pony Club because of its very solid background.”

(L-R) Gwynneth Bedford-Jones and Faith Berghuis at Franklands Farm, welcoming Gina Smith and Dutch Treat home from the 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba, where they won team gold.

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FAITH BERGHUIS

Faith Berghuis at Franklands Farm.

Barbara Kemp was the legendary FEI dressage and three-day event judge, official, and competition organizer who built the 1976 Olympic three-day event cross-country course in Bromont, Quebec, the first woman in the history of the Olympics to do so. Berghuis went on to become district commissioner of the Leitchcroft Pony Club in Toronto, and was quick to recognize how many talented riders graduated from the organization. She was equally astute to realize that so many gifted riders were hampered in their development toward excellence, and in their opportunities to represent Canada at the international level due to a lack of resources.

Elsie Bedford-Jones died in 1956 and her daughter inherited Franklands Farm. She continued the family tradition of breeding and showing outstanding horses. But Berghuis, who would inherit the farm on her cousin’s passing in 2000, set up syndicates that offered opportunities for people to become involved with the acquisition and development of elite level horses.

The first such enterprise was the Big Ben syndicate known as Canadian Show Jumpers Unlimited Inc. established in 1983, which also included Warrior and Wotan. The next syndicate she organized was one that involved just her family and Ian Millar. Horse Futures Inc. brought in several prospects for Millar to develop, including Future Shock, Future Vision, El Futuro, and Future Folly.

As much as Berghuis supported show jumping through syndicate opportunities, she was also passionate about dressage. In the 1980s, Canadian dressage rider Gina Smith was training in Germany, and in 1988 Smith was named to the Canadian Olympic team with her horse Malte, and they won bronze at Seoul, Korea.

Meanwhile in Brockville, Ontario, horses were becoming too much for Gwynneth, now in her 80s. Berghuis discussed the problem with Ian Millar. She believed Gina Smith would be the perfect person to run the farm and set up a training business there, while she, Berghuis, would continue to form syndicates and partner in the acquisition of horses.

“Ian Millar and I went to Germany and we met with Gina,” she says. “Ian told her she was coming back to Canada! That was almost 30 years ago. She came back with Malte in 1990 and she is still with us. She is like family.”

Berghuis formed The Dressage Collection Inc. syndicate, and the first horse acquired was Faust, ridden by Smith at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of Canada’s tenth-placed team. Berghuis inherited the farm in 2000, and returned to breeding top quality horses, which had always been a Franklands’ tradition. She continued forming syndicates, acquiring for Smith the grey Dutch warmblood, Fledermaus.

The pair won the Swarovski Canadian League World Cup Final at the Royal Horse Show in 1999 and represented Canada at the World Cup Final in Holland in 2000. Currently another syndicate acquisition, Intrepid, is in training at the farm.

Faith Berghuis with her beloved first pony, circa 1938.

Today, Berghuis continues to see the pressure of costs limiting the scope of so many talented riders, and she worries about the future of the industry.

“It is beyond so many people’s means,” she says. “I feel sad about that situation. You see it in smaller communities like Brockville where so many people had fun. People have a hard time maintaining a horse, much less even going to horse

shows. Even the horse shows are disappearing. Is it just a small clique that is going to benefit? For the most part, only the wealthy can afford to be involved with horses. Activity with horses is vanishing at the grassroots. I worry for the future. It is not a sport anymore.

It is big business. I can help in a small way through the syndicates.”

And, indeed, she has.

1995. Faith Berghuis receiving the first ever Team Owner Award for Show Jumping presented by Ken Peterson with Bill Berghuis and Ian Millar.

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CAREERS WITH HORSEPOWER

Enduring PHOTO: ISTOCK/CG BALDAUF

The

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Cowboy

By Margaret Evans

If you watch a cowboy at work today, forget that it’s 2018, and skip back in time to catch a glimpse of a working cowboy in the 1870s, they would look surprisingly similar. They would be doing basically the same cattle management tasks, be dressed in similar clothing, have similar core skills, and be thriving with the same horsemanship abilities that have made cowboying an enduring career for centuries.

The origin of North America’s cattle industry and the need for mounted cowboys can be credited directly to the Spanish explorers.

Due mainly to rapid climate change, the horse, which evolved in North America and spread over several million years to Asia and Europe, vanished from this continent at the end of the last Ice Age some 11,000 years ago. Cattle, however,

were not native to North America. But the absence of these two species was to change with the arrival of explorer Christopher Columbus.

“In 1493, on Columbus’ second voyage to the Americas, Spanish horses representing Equus caballus were brought back to North The Boss of the Plains was the first cowboy hat designed specifically for cowboys by John B. Stetson.

The cowboy and his reliable, hard-working horse are as much a staple of the cattle industry today as they were 150 years ago.

PHOTO (ABOVE): ISTOCK/JOHNRANDALLALVES • PHOTO (BOSS OF THE PLAINS HAT): WIKIMEDIA/GOLDTRADER

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The practice of braiding a horse’s mane and tail has a functional history dating back many centuries. One of the earliest reasons for braiding the mane was to keep it from becoming tangled in riding or farming equipment, or in the weapons of mounted hunters and soldiers. In ancient folklore, it was thought that fairies would sneak into the stables at night to tie “elf knots” in the mane, using them as stirrups to mount and ride the horses. In a less enchanting story, thieves would mark a horse they intended to steal by tying knots in its mane.

Later on, braids were used to distinguish a horse of finer breeding or stature.

Today, braiding remains an effective way to keep hair from tangling. It is most popularly seen at horse shows, where the specific style will vary depending on the horse’s breed or discipline, or the owner’s personal preference. Braids add polish to the horse’s appearance and signify a well-cared-for animal.

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Canada’s Equine Guide 2018

PHOTO: ELLA DEGEA PHOTOGRAPHY

HOW TO HorseKeeping

HOW TO BRAID

By April Ray-Peterson

Braids can be the icing on the cake of a well turned-out horse. In any equestrian discipline, braids can signify the dedication it takes to work with horses and your respect for the sport and the judges — and in the words of George Morris, your respect for the horse.

Regardless of the type of braids you plan to do, start with a clean mane. While some might argue that it’s harder to braid squeaky-clean hair, no one wants to put hours of work into braiding only to have the end result spoiled with dander and dirt. If a clean mane is too hard to work with, there are spray products on the market that can help make it more manageable, or even just a sponge and water can do the trick.

Making sure the mane is the right length and thickness for the specific type of braid you plan to do — GEORGE MORRIS will help immensely, whether you’re going for short and tiny hunter braids, big fluffy dressage braids, or neat and tidy jumper braids. Lastly, a horse that will stand still and tolerate being pampered will help make your braiding job much easier and enjoyable for everyone involved.

“Braiding shows respect for the horse. It’s a horse sport, and the horses come first.”

CANADA’S HORSE INDUSTRY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

HOW TO

1

Hunter Braids Hunter braids should be uniform, short, and plentiful. Depending on the size of the horse and thickness of the mane, you want between 30 and 40 braids to accent the horse’s neck. To achieve this look, you will need a mane that is even in thickness and short, between four to five inches in length.

You will need:

• Wool/yarn to match the horse’s hair

3

(I used bright blue for visibility) ­— cut in lengths of about 24 inches. I wrap the wool around my arm and through my thumb to measure, then cut at the top 1 .

Mane comb • Hair clip to hold back hair (I use a • long plastic mane comb to divide and hold back the hair all-in-one) • Pull-through • Large plastic sewing needle • Scissors • Sponge and water or spray • Braiding kit to hold your tools 2 2a .

4

STEP 1

2a

made in the braid before they add the yarn, giving a consistent look to the finished job.

Once the yarn is laid across, make one pass of each of the three strands of the braid and then pull down the top section of the wool to join the section of hair with the bottom of the wool 4 and continue braiding almost to the end of the hair. Here you want to wrap the wool around the bottom of the braid, pinching the end with your fingers while knotting with your other hand to prevent the braid from coming undone 5 . Continue to braid the entire mane in this manner, making sure that each braid is the same size in both width and length 6 .

PHOTOS: SOUL TOUCH PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOS 1-6: DONALD PETERSON

5

6

Braid down

Start at the top of the mane and section off a small amount of hair. Your first braid is an important one as it sets the size for all the rest. Each braid should match in size and length; make sure each braid is tight and that you are pulling down close to the neck and not up away from it. This will ensure that your braids lay close to the crest of the neck and won’t stick up in an unsightly manner. Once you have braided down the section about two-thirds of the way, you want to add the wool by laying it perpendicular to the ground in the middle section of the braid 3 . Meticulous braiders will note how many crossovers they have

2

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