Canadian Horse Journal - SAMPLE - WEST - Autumn/Winter 2023

THE IMPACT OF Air Quality & Pollution ON YOUR HORSE’S LUNGS

By Dr. Janet Beeler-Marfisi

There’s nothing like hearing a horse cough to set people scurrying around the barn to identify the culprit. After all, that cough could mean choke, or suggest that a respiratory virus has found its way into the barn. It could also indicate equine asthma. Yes, even those “everyday coughs” that we sometimes dismiss as “summer cough” or “hay cough” are a wake-up call to the potential for severe equine asthma.

Formerly known as heaves, broken wind, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), this respiratory condition is now called severe equine asthma (sEA). These names reflect how our scientific and medical understanding of this debilitating disease has changed over the years. We now consider heaves to be most comparable to severe asthma in people.

But what if your horse only coughs

during or after exercise? This type of cough can mean that the horse has upper airway irritation (throat and windpipe) or lower airway inflammation (lungs) meaning inflammatory airway disease (IAD) — which is now known as mild-to-moderate equine asthma (mEA). This airway disease is similar to childhood asthma, including that it can go away on its own. The disease causes reduced athletic performance, and a proper diagnosis by a veterinarian is important because there are different subtypes of mEA which benefit from specific medical therapies. In some cases, mEA progresses to sEA.

The Relationship Between Equine Asthma and Air Quality

Equine asthma has a lot to do with air quality. Poor air quality, or air pollution, includes barn dusts — the allergens and molds in hay and the bacteria in tiny

particles of manure — as well as arena dusts and ammonia from urine. Also, gas and diesel-powered equipment contribute to air pollution for both people and horses, resulting from equipment being driven through the barn, a truck left idling by a stall window, or the smog from even a small city drifting nearly invisibly over the surrounding farmland. Forest fire smoke is another serious contributor to air pollution.

Smog causes the lung inflammation associated with mEA. Therefore, it is also likely that air pollution from engines and forest fires will trigger asthma attacks in horses with sEA. Smog and smoke contain many harmful particulates and gasses, but very importantly they also contain fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 (referring to the diameter of the particle being 2.5 microns). That level is roughly 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Because it is so small, this fine particulate is inhaled

deeply into the lungs where it crosses over into the blood stream. So, not only does PM2.5 cause lung disease, it also causes inflammation elsewhere in the body including the heart. Worldwide, even short-term exposure is associated with an increased risk of premature death from heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

In horses, we know that PM2.5 causes mEA. As such, it’s logical that smog and forest fire smoke exposure should cause exacerbation of equine asthma, but we don’t know about heart disease or risk of premature death.

Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, and Treatments

Equine asthma manifests with a spectrum of symptoms that vary in severity and degree of debilitation they cause. Just like in people with asthma, the airways of horses with mEA and sEA

Dr. Beeler-Marfisi listening to the lungs with a rebreathing bag briefly placed over horse’s nose.

PHOTO: ISTOCK/RICHARD A LOCK

PHOTO: ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE

It All Hinges On The

JOINTS

Equine athletic potential and subsequent performance, success, and longevity hinge on healthy joints. Joints are essentially where two or more bones meet, yet they allow the body to perform complicated functions. Some allow for movement, influencing range of motion, stride length, and overall comfort.

There are three different types of joints:

• Cartilaginous joints are those in which the bones are connected by cartilage, a firm but flexible tissue made up of specialized cells called chondrocytes. They permit a limited amount of movement and include pelvic joints and joints in the vertebral column.

• Fibrous joints do not move and there are comparably few of them in the body. Examples include the places where the bones of the skull come together.

• Synovial joints enable the most movement, transfer weight (load) between bones, and are the most common joints in a horse’s body. They are filled with fluid encased in a membrane and sur-

rounded by a joint capsule. They include ball and socket joints, hinge joints, and gliding joints. Examples of synovial joints are hocks and stifles.

Since synovial joints are the most common and allow for the most movement, they are the primary type for consideration when it comes to joint health. A synovial joint can be thought of as an organ made up of different types of tissues. Articular cartilage is present at the ends of the bones, cushioning them and acting to distribute loads and minimize friction during movement. It is composed of an organized arrangement of collagen, water, and proteoglycans, which are chains of sugar units called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Soft tissues, such as tendons and ligaments, stabilize the joint’s range of motion.

Cartilage is not well-equipped to heal itself, so it is important to think about preservation beginning at an early age to maximize soundness and performance longevity. Unfortunately, all it takes for cartilage to begin to degrade is an excessive amount of inflammation, which is

By Amy Young, UC Davis Center for Equine Health

often brought on by repetitive “wear and tear.” Since the articular cartilage does not have its own natural blood or nerve supplies, evidence of joint injury is not immediately apparent; therefore, joint problems are not always obvious when they start. Joint disease and injury, especially in performance horses, commonly lead to expensive, often time-consuming diagnostics, treatments and therapies, loss of training time, decreased performance, and even loss of use of the horse.

Osteoarthritis (OA), formerly known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common joint problem in horses, accounting for more than 60 percent of equine lameness. The term “arthritis” refers to joint inflammation, and there are many types and causes in horses. Osteoarthritis can occur in any synovial joint. It is a degeneration of the cartilage that can be precipitated by factors including repetitive trauma, historical fractures or other injuries, and/or poor conformation that can increase stress on joints. High-speed training is also a risk factor. Osteoarthritis gets progressively worse with age, but can

affect horses of any age and breed, with males and females equally affected. A variety of treatment options are available, but there is no single standard treatment or known cure for OA. Since there are so many factors involved, the prognosis for affected horses is extremely variable depending on the severity of the disease, single or multiple joint involvement, whether high or low motion joints are involved, historical and intended horse use (see table), as well as clinical signs of OA and how long they have been present.

The physiological processes related to joint disease are extremely complex, making treatment challenging. The multifactorial nature of the disease complicates research and many aspects remain elusive, even in humans where it has been more extensively studied.

Ideally, joint health should be prioritized early to avoid or minimize joint injury and disease. Management considerations, including specialized trimming and shoeing, nutrition, and appropriate exercise programs are important elements in the equation. b

DISCIPLINE

Joint(s) associated with the highest levels of stress

FETLOCKHOCKPASTERNSTIFLEKNEE

ArabianYESYESYesYES showhorse

ArabianYESYESYES racing

BarrelYESYESYES racing

CuttingYESYES

DraftYESYESYES horses

DressageYESYESYESYES

DrivingYESYESYESYES

EnduranceYESYES

EventingYESYESYES

GaitedYESYESYES horse

Hunter/JumperYESYESYESYES

PleasureYESYESYESYES riding

PoloYESYESYES

PoniesYESYESYES

QuarterYESYESYESYES Horseracing

ReinedYESYESYESYES cowhorse

RopingYES

StandardbredYESYESYES (Trotter)racing

ThoroughbredYESYES racing

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/TAYLON

PHOTO: ISTOCK/WIRESTOCK

Evaluating Lameness Using New Technology

By Tania Millen

Keeping horses sound is one of the most difficult and important aspects of horse sport. Given that horses have an uncanny ability to injure themselves, at some point every rider or horse owner will need their veterinarian to conduct a lameness evaluation.

Assessing the nature and severity of lameness includes discussing the horse’s history, palpating the horse’s musculoskeletal system, checking hooves, and observing the horse at walk and trot before flexing joints and deciding whether to freeze or block nerves in the legs, take x-rays, perform ultrasound or complete

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Now, new technology — Equinosis Q with Lameness Locator® — can help veterinarians confirm their hunches. It’s a game changer for correctly diagnosing injuries and developing treatment plans, potentially saving horse owners hundreds of dollars. However, the horse isn’t just hooked up to

a machine which spits out a diagnosis of “the horse is lame on the left front due to an arthritic knee,” for example. Far from it. Interpretation is needed and for that reason, the system is sold only to licenced registered veterinarians and not every equine veterinarian has one.

Dr. Connie Fancy, who owns and operates Fancy Veterinary Services in Claresholm, Alberta has been conducting lameness evaluations in performance horses for 28 years. She invested in the technology and describes how she uses it as part of lameness evaluations. She also explains that every lameness evaluation starts with a general overview.

PHOTO: ISTOCK/ASYA POZNIAK

1 Hands on the horse

“Looking at and feeling the horse are the most important parts of any lameness assessment,” says Dr. Fancy. “I always start with that because you can feel and see irregularities and asymmetries. The horse will tell you if there are areas that are painful. Even if it’s a joint or bone that’s sore, the muscle over top will be tense.”

After observing and palpating the horse, it’s time to move on.

2 Assess the hooves

“Ninety percent of lameness either starts in the feet or becomes a problem in the feet,” says Dr. Fancy. “So, I look at the angles of the pastern, the balance side-toside, and how the hoof is trimmed or shod. I often see differences in hoof balance or abnormal growth due to lameness and that suggests an issue in that leg or maybe a secondary issue.”

Every hoof is also checked with hoof testers to determine whether there’s pain in the feet.

3 Observe the walk

“Walking in a relaxed fashion on a serpentine pattern tells me a lot about whether the horse is bearing weight symmetrically or whether it’s dragging one foot or more than one foot,” says Dr. Fancy. The horse must walk quietly so that its pain isn’t masked by adrenalin.

4 Attach Equinosis Q with Lameness Locator®

After these three basic assessments, the Lameness Locator® is attached to the horse. A cuff is wrapped around the right front pastern, a poll covering is placed beneath the halter crown piece, and a small unit is clipped to the horse’s hair over the sacroiliac joint. These three sensors relay information to a computer program via Bluetooth® so no wires are needed. However, a stationary horse doesn’t exhibit many signs of lameness, so the horse is trotted in straight lines in-hand on asphalt to allow the technology to ascertain readings. After that, Dr. Fancy continues with her lameness evaluation while the Lameness Locator® collects data.

“I pay very little attention to it until the very end of the assessment,” says Dr. Fancy. “I just continue watching the horse.”

How does it work? When a horse feels pain, it places less weight on the correlative leg. The system collects data and generates reports from head and pelvic height measurements, which

indicate symmetry differences between how the horse bears weight on each leg. The system also compares how the leg joints are used when each hoof lands (impact), moves though a stride (midstance), and leaves the ground (push off). By comparing this data with typical patterns horses display when they have pain in front or hind legs, the system can pinpoint primary, secondary, and compensatory lamenesses, plus distinguish between soft tissue and joint or regional lamenesses.

Although it sounds like magic, for decades horses have been wired up to computers while galloping on treadmills or trotting down long lines of pressuremeasuring plates. What’s new is the

wireless package coupled with highly evolved software, which uses up-to-date knowledge about equine biomechanics to provide precise data quickly.

Prior to purchasing the technology, Dr. Fancy had to complete a two-week online training course with tested modules.

“I was surprised how extensive the training was,” says Dr. Fancy. “It started with the basics of lameness evaluation, and then got into the physics of the data, data analysis, how the machine works, and how to distinguish different lamenesses.

“I thought it would only be useful for tricky two-legged lameness or mild lameness where it’s difficult to see whether the horse is more sound after being nerve blocked,” says Dr. Fancy. “But

The Equinosis Q with Lameness Locator® is a veterinary diagnostic system used to objectively measure the horse’s movement. It assists the veterinarian during lameness evaluations, prepurchase assessments, and can identify subtle changes before they become larger problems.

Inertial Sensors capture precise movements of the head, pelvis, right front leg, and rider* transmitting 200 data points per second.

Bluetooth® Technology allows long range, real-time connectivity

*Rider Module Option

PELVIS

RIDER*

A Lifestyle Guide for Better Hooves

By Jec A. Ballou

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/ANAKINDASP

In a surprising number of cases, unhealthy hooves are not due to heritable weakness but instead to avoidable lifestyle factors. As hard as it is to admit, our daily horsekeeping decisions are sometimes the cause of our horses’ sore feet. The primary factors that have weakened modern horses’ feet include lack of movement, ground surfaces, diet and supplements, and practices related to weaning and early development.

Sore feet compromise more than just quality and soundness of movement. They create a big decline in activity all around, which in turn negatively impacts numerous systems that depend on daily exercise — digestion, bone density, immunity, blood circulation, and more. When a horse has sore feet, owners often find themselves in a chain reaction of these impacts. And the solution is not always a matter of finding the best farrier, vet, or trainer.

Lack of Movement

Strong, resilient feet depend on movement, lots of it. Through the gentle concussive forces of moving across terrain for hours each day, hooves maintain their thick tough walls and soles, strong cartilage, dense digital cushions, and large frogs. Like much of the horse’s physiology, hooves adapt, thrive, and depend on ample daily movement. When tissues are not stimulated and positively stressed, they weaken.

Every step a horse takes helps shape and toughen the outer and inner hoof structures. Sufficient exercise goes beyond daily training sessions. It means finding ways to distribute small doses of movement throughout the day. Stimulating tissues repeatedly during a 24-hour period creates better health than exercising the horse hard for one hour and then leaving him to stand in a small pen the remaining 23 hours. Extra exercise might come in the form of creative paddock designs that require travel to food, water, and socializing, or might include a hot-walker or extra training sessions. The goal is to minimize sedentary time. Creating stronger hooves often involves asking ourselves: How can I add more movement to this horse’s day?

Ground Surfaces

On the topic of exercise, we also must consider what kinds of surface the horse lives and trains on. Horses that train mostly in arenas and are kept in sandy paddocks or stalls with shavings are at risk of weaker feet. Loose soft footing of this type does not offer the stimulative effect of pressure and release that firmer ground gives the foot. When the horse’s whole life, both training and resting, is spent on soft footing, he lacks a major contributor to healthy digital cushions, thicker soles, and proper hoof concavity.

An ideal scenario includes access to both soft and firm ground,

The hooves of horses that live in sandy paddocks and train mainly in arenas with soft footing do not benefit from the stimulation of pressure and release that firmer ground provides.

PHOTO: ISTOCK/PURPLE QUEUE

New Canadian Farrier Program Offers Journeyman Credentials

By Tania Millen

Canada’s farriers can now become Approved Journeyman Farriers of Canada (AJFC) through the Association of Farrier Trainers of Canada (AFTC). This means horse owners can now hire farriers that have Canadian journeyman credentials.

“The advantage to having a farrier that is AJFC certified is horse owners know what they’re getting,” says Krissy Thesen, one of the founding members of the AFTC. “You’re getting a farrier who is committed to helping your horse, is educated, has spent time and money improving their skills, and has been evaluated by some of the best farriers in the world. They’ve received feedback on their work and have not stagnated.”

Farriery is one of the oldest trades known to civilization. The Citizens and Farriers of London were incorporated in

England in 1356, and farriery is now regulated in the UK. But in Canada, there’s no regulation. Anyone can call themselves a farrier, regardless of the schooling and skills they may or may not have.

“It’s incredibly frustrating for horse owners when someone says they’re certified, but you don’t know if that certification is from a weekend course or what,” says Thesen.

The AFTC journeyman program was initiated in response to the farrier trade in Canada potentially becoming regulated and the need for a Canadian testing

and certification system.

“We’re not forcing farriers to become credentialed,” says Thesen. “Regulation isn’t our goal. Education and accountability is.”

“We’re helping create new, competent farriers,” says Russell Floyd, a farrier in Prince George, BC, AFTC examiner, Canadian farrier team member, and President of the Western Canadian Farriers Association.

The journeyman program requires farriers to pass three levels of examinations. Each level has five parts, including a portfolio showing the farrier’s recent work; a written exam requiring 80 percent to pass; an oral exam which includes discussions with a veterinarian; and two practical exams which involve shoeing horses.

CertificationDesignations

CJF

American Farriers Association

Certified Journeyman Farrier

AJFC

Approved Journeyman Farrier of Canada through the Association of Farrier Trainers of Canada

DipWCF

Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, UK certification

Kai Cunningham, recent graduate of the Olds College Farrier program, shaping a shoe for a forging portion of the Level 1 exam.

Stephanie Wetten shaping a shoe to match a pattern for one of the forging portions of the Level 1 exam.

PHOTOS: MADELINE KWAN

Ilearned the fundamentals of equitation to the repetitive tune of Heads up! Heels down! while trotting around and around the riding school arena. I acquired the hows of riding in those early years, but my whys were typically answered with tradition: That’s just the way it’s done. Thinking back, if I’d grasped the reasoning behind the technical skills of riding, I’d have been more motivated to persevere in those drills without stirrups!

The essentials of correct rider position cross all disciplines — Western, Hunter Seat, or Dressage. Why is the classic riding position worth perfecting? There’s logic behind every essential.

1 Stability is matter of safety.

A secure position in the saddle anchors the rider for jumping, spinning, or stopping. Simply put, if your horse spooks east, a strong position keeps you from going west.

2 Your horse will thank you for going easy on his back.

Though horses must adapt to the unpredictability of a novice rider’s weight shifts, a rider who “makes it look easy” moves less in the saddle, which is less distracting and annoying to their horse.

Researchers now have technology to read all pressures, bumps, and shifts a horse actually feels while being ridden.

Dr. Hilary Clayton, researcher in equine and rider biomechanics, says the amount of force we apply to a horse’s back depends on how we ride and what gait we’re riding. Dr. Clayton says that any weight on an equine back can cause hollowing, but you can

The Hows & Whys of a Winning Riding Position

reduce these risks by not overloading the horse, riding with a soft balanced seat, and sitting closer to the front of the saddle.

3 The judge will reward a strong, balanced seat.

Aside from a low equitation score, an unbalanced seat leads to “weightier” deductions on the judge’s card. Out-of-sync riding affects your horse’s performance. Horses don’t score as well when riders are left behind over jumps or left behind in reining spins. Flying changes don’t look smooth when the rider is flying around in the saddle. In short, rider floppiness detracts from a harmonious partnership in a rail or flat class.

In equitation classes, the judge will assess rider posture, position, and effectiveness. Some riders just try too hard — confusing posing with poise. A rigid or overarched back can’t follow the horse’s movement and absorb shock. There’s a balance between strength and stiffness.

A strong yet supple position is a stable foundation from which to communicate with precision to your equine partner. With less motion in the saddle, your legs and reins can deliver just the right timing and intensity of aids. Having seen the technology used in equitation science to quantify signals from rider to horse, I’m more intentional than ever of the signals I convey as I ride.

Independent movement of your trunk, arms, and legs helps you stay in harmony with the motion of the horse as you communicate. With elasticity in your hip, elbow, and knee joints, you’ll avoid surprising your horse with abrupt aids or balancing on his mouth for stability.

Equitation Head to Toe

English, Western and Dressage riders share most of the equitation essentials with minor variations between riding styles.

Eyes and Head

Chin up! Eyes up! was the second verse of my riding instructor’s Heads up! Heels down! tune. Yet, I was never quite clear — Where’s up? In the air? At my horse’s ears?

I tell my students: Where you look is where you’ll go. It’s futile to look down at the pylon you don’t want to run over, or the fence post you don’t want your horse to drift into. Instead, locate a destination

Suppleness in the all joints — shoulders, elbows, wrists, and knuckles — allows your arm to follow the movement of your horse’s neck in the walk and canter.

It’s futile to look down at the pylon you don’t want to run over or the fence post you don’t want your horse to drift into.

4 A secure seat keeps a lid on mixed messages sent to your horse.

FromRidingStudenttoProfessionalEquestrian

Many youth dream of becoming horse industry professionals — training horses, coaching riders, managing a stable or riding professionally at top level. Significant barriers stymie those attempting to pursue success, regardless of their talent and enthusiasm. There’s no streamlined path to follow that develops the needed horsemanship, business knowledge, training, and coaching skills required of professional riders, barn managers, and coaches. Hence, up-and-comers often gain experience by becoming working students —

exchanging everyday hard work for riding lessons, mentoring, and industry networking. But dangers lurk. Navigating non-contractual agreements where long hours of physical labour are exchanged for riding opportunities, showing, horse board, accommodation, and other perks is challenging for young adults who may not know their potential employers.

We asked five riders who are familiar with working student gigs in Canada to share their thoughts on how to leap the student-professional gap. Here’s what they said.

By Tania Millen

Maddy Scott, Eventing

At age 27, Scott is a member of Canada’s high performance three-dayeventing team and a newly-minted professional based in Florida.

“I’ve been teaching and doing everything completely on my own for about six months,” says Scott.

She worked for Kyle Carter, a Canadian Equestrian Team three-day event rider for the previous five years — starting as a working student and making her way up to barn manager, assistant trainer, and head groom. Prior to working for Carter, Scott was a working student for a three-day-event rider in her home province of British Columbia (BC) for about seven years, spent six months in New Zealand with a top rider, and groomed for Canadian young riders while working her way up

Maddy Scott riding Crosby’s Gold.

PHOTO: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

the competition levels. An early mentor advised Scott, “You’re never going to get anywhere staying in your hometown and working with local people. You have to go and work for the best riders.”

“Kyle taught me so much about barn management and how to schedule your days, weeks, and months; your overall goals and short-term goals,” says Scott. “He has minute by minute daily scheduling which — when you have client horses and sales horses, teaching and riding your own horses, keeping competition horses in shape, and taking your own lessons — is really the only way to do it if you want to be successful, have good financials, and compete with the best riders and trainers.”

“I’ve met incredible people through Carter and have worked hard to put my name out there. It’s paying off.”

Lexi Pratt, Dressage

Pratt grew up in Kamloops, BC and began starting young horses and training complicated horses in her teens.

“I got to the point where I needed more tools in my toolbox,” says Pratt. “I’m really ambitious and willing to work hard so I started taking working student positions. After a couple of experiences, I burned out and fell out of love with the sport and the industry. Then five years ago, I took a working student position with a highperformance dressage coach and she really brought back my love and drive to continue.

“She pushed me to go and see more of the horse world,” says Pratt, who subsequently moved to Ontario and developed her riding up to Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) levels in another working student position.

“Every day I pinched myself and thought Is this my life? I’m living my absolute dream,” she says.

Most recently, Pratt began an assistant trainer job for a Canadian Olympic dressage rider, continuing her journey toward professional status. She’s now age 25 and spent eight years in working student positions.

Miah Willard, Jumpers

Willard is age 18 and recently started her first working student position at a jumper barn in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

“I want to get into professional training,” says Willard. “So, I found a working student position to get experience training horses and how to run a business.”

She does basic barn chores, rides two to five horses per day, has regular

Lexi Pratt believes that finding the right mentor is key to being a successful working student. “The challenge is finding somebody that values you as much as you value them.”

Maddy Scott with Crosby’s Gold. “Being a successful rider isn’t just about having the best coaches and a perfect fitness program; it’s about horsemanship and how horses are managed in the barns,” says Scott.

PHOTO: MADDY SCOTT COLLECTION

PHOTO: TANNA L’ESPERANCE

By Tania Millen

Canada’s highest-ranked show jumper, Tiffany Foster, taught a symposium on July 10, 2023, at Rocky Mountain Show Jumping in De Winton, Alberta. The event was organized by the Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Sport Horse Association (CSHA) as part of their Countdown to a Century symposium series, which began in 2022 with John and Beezie Madden presenting The Madden

Method. CSHA turns 100 in 2026.

“We’re trying to showcase our sport horses and breeding in Canada,” says Lisa Murphy, President of the CSHA Alberta Chapter. The organization defines “sport horses” as being horses capable of competing in dressage, hunter, jumper, or eventing. “I think it’s really special that this breed association and stud book has been around for almost a century. That’s

longer than some European registries and I think it needs to be recognized.”

Strong Foundations

Foster had just finished a couple of successful weeks at Spruce Meadows in Calgary.

“I’m at an exciting stage right now,” says Foster. “I have my established string of horses that are pretty good at five-star

“Show jumping is a sport of millimetres. You can’t wing it.”

— Tiffany Foster

grand prix level just about anywhere in the world. And then I have a group of nineyear-olds that are ready to take that next step. It’s a bit like ‘lines’ in hockey. I’ve got three lines of horses right now, so I’m in good shape.”

Foster is based in Langley, BC in the summer so she can attend North American shows. Her list of accomplishments includes being a Canadian Equestrian Team (CET) member at the 2012 and 2016

Olympic Games, 2014 World Equestrian Games, 2015 Pan American Games, and 2022 Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Championships where she placed 12th individually.

“If everything goes to plan and these horses continue to progress like they are, I will have a group [of horses] that will be competitive at the best shows in the world,” says Foster.

Foster doesn’t teach clinics very often

but felt it was important to contribute to the CSHA initiative.

“It feels like there’s a disconnect between high performance show jumping and everybody else,” says Foster. “When riders are over in Europe, most people don’t get to see top Canadian riders. So, we’re trying to do a bit more in Canada and give back to the show jumping community.

“Nowadays, the jumper world is extremely sophisticated,” she says. “Gone are the days when you could go out there and hope for the best. The courses are very connected.

“These really technical tracks can be as complicated as you want to make them,” she explains. “The more data that you can process during your round, the better your course is going to go. So, you have to train your brain to be able to think about a lot of things at once. All of that takes practice. It’s like any other sport — you’ve got to do reps.”

Foster is ranked 49th on the Longines FEI Individual Rider Ranking list and when asked about the dearth of women ranked in the top 50, here’s what she shared.

“If you look at the top 10 riders in the world right now, their average age is over 40. Some of the best in the world are in their fifties. That’s a testament to how long it takes to get good at this sport. It’s a really long game compared to the athletic window in other sports. I think that shows

PHOTOS: KIMBERLIE PHOTOGRAPHY

The rider’s job is to clearly communicate what we want the horse to do. Foster urged riders to think about the little things they can do to create a successful course.

Foster believes young horses must be educated in a positive manner and given a chance to understand the exercise. She says any pushback from the horse is always the rider’s fault.

Dashing Through The Snow

At Canada’s Cutter Rallies

When Canada becomes a winter wonderland shrouded with snow, many riders hang up their boots or disappear into indoor arenas. For teamsters in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec, winter means hitching their horses to wagons, cutters, and bobsleighs to drive the trails at fundraising rallies.

“Cutter rallies are a winter tradition that run on word of mouth,” writes Patty Carley, a director of the Alberta Carriage Driving Association (ACDA) Chinook Chapter. “They’re mostly organized and advertised by individual horse clubs.”

Cutters are the open horse-drawn sleighs of yesteryear, and cutter rallies are held in rural communities from January to March. They resemble summer poker rides or Ski-Doo and ATV rallies where participants buy a hand of

By Tania Millen

cards, pick up additional cards at checkpoints along the trail, and the rider with the best poker hand is the winner.

But drivers in Quebec pursue a different kind of fun. They hitch their horses to sleighs and race through an obstacle course one at a time. The driver with the fastest time wins the derby.

“Derbies are a bit like the cross-country part of combined driving mixed with the dressage part,” says Louis Desrochers whose father Mathieu helps organize

> Derby Warwick, in Warwick, Quebec every February.

Both rallies and derbies pay homage to a longstanding Canadian winter tradition of “dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh,” plus draw communities together during an isolating time of year.

Sleighing Through History

Prior to Canadian confederation in 1867, horses were paramount to those eking out a living in what is now Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes. They pulled sleds for francophone habitants who were clearing land, delivering winter firewood, or taking products to market. Horse-drawn sleighs provided taxi service between communities and allowed middle-class Canadians to travel more

Louis Desrochers driving with Albert Desrochers navigating in the Derby Sainte-Clotilde, Quebec.

Driver Louis Desrochers and his team of Haflingers competing in the Derby Sainte-Clotilde, Quebec.

A small but mighty mini in the Derby Sainte-Clotilde.

PHOTOS: JULIE PELLETIER