Canadian Horse Journal - Central & Atlantic - April 2014 by Horse Community Journals Inc.

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PERSONAL CHEQUE

CONTENTS •

In This Issue

April 2014

HORSE HEALTH

TRAILERING & TRANSPORT

14 A Second Chance for Northstar

38 Reducing Transport Stress

Against all odds, a severely burned horse survives following a brutal attack

Minimizing stress in horses for safer, more comfortable trailering

RIDING & TRAINING

HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK

24 Developing a Stronger Riding Position

50 Prairie Dreaming

Exercises for the hunter seat equitation rider

Fulfilling the dream of riding across the Saskatchewan prairie

58 Pura Vida! Riding in Costa Rica

TACK & GEAR 32 Is Your Horse Left-Handed?

An exotic horseback adventure through rainforests and along sandy beaches

Understanding your horse’s natural asymmetry and its implications for saddle fit

page

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

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CONTENTS •

Departments

EquiNetwork

To Subscribe

73 Hitchin’ Post

Editorial

74 Horses for Sale

Letters and Tough Question Do you support Ontario breeders in their $65 million lawsuit against the OLG?

75 Classifieds

April 2014

76 Roundup

10 Hoofbeat 68 New & Noteworthy 70 Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association News 71 Ontario Equestrian Federation News

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69 Country Homes & Acreages

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EDITOR’S DESK

ON THE COVER “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” — Nelson Mandela

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Did you know that April is International Guitar Month? Neither did I until quite recently, when I happened to stumble across a website listing the many (and for the most part bizarre) holidays that occur during the month of April. Like most horse people, I seem to have a special talent (some of my friends and family like to call it a compulsion) for being able to take pretty much any subject matter in the world and relate it to horses. So, when I learned that the first week of April is Read a Road Map Week, my first thought was: “Sure, road trips are fun, but a vacation with horses would be even better.” If you also are of the opinion that the best type of getaway is one that involves travel companions of the equine variety, you’ll want to check out two articles in particular in this, our annual Holidays on Horseback issue. In Prairie Dreaming on page 50, you can read about one woman’s horse pack trip in southwest Saskatchewan, where she fulfilled her dream of riding across an endless tall-grass Canadian prairie. Or, if you’d rather picture yourself riding through rainforests, visiting volcanoes, and galloping along sandy beaches, check out On Horseback in Costa Rica on page 58. Next up this month is Stress Awareness Day on April 16. As a horse person, you are likely already familiar (probably more familiar than you would like) with strategies for coping with your own stress, but have you ever given much thought to how you can manage your horse’s anxiety levels in stressful situations? Between separation from herdmates, confinement in a small space, unfamiliar sounds and loud noises, poor air quality and unregulated temperatures, and struggling to maintain balance while standing in a moving vehicle, trailering definitely qualifies as a stressful situation for most horses. Learn how to eliminate or minimize some of the equine stressors associated with trailering to ensure a safer, more comfortable ride for your horse in Reducing Transport Stress on page 38. While many of the special days this month range from whimsical to downright zany (National Peanut Butter Day on April 2 and Blah, Blah, Blah Day on April 17, to name a couple), April is also recognized as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. It is difficult to imagine a more horrific act of animal cruelty than a horse being doused with an accelerant and then set on fire. It’s harder still to believe that this horse could survive such a brutal attack and the severe burn injuries that covered over 40 percent of his body. But Northstar did survive, thanks to his incredible will to live and the dedication of the veterinarians at Ohio State University. I hope that Northstar’s story, told in Against All Odds on page 14, inspires you to celebrate Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month this April in honour of the efforts of groups and individuals around the world to fight animal cruelty. In the words of German theologian, philosopher, and physician Albert Schweitzer, “Until he extends his circle of compassion to all living things, man himself will not find peace.” Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that, while I have enjoyed my time here more than I can say, this will be my last issue as assistant editor of Canadian Horse Journal. Although I am eagerly looking forward to whatever new adventures await me, it is hard for me to say goodbye to the wonderful co-workers, colleagues, and readers I have met over the past two-and-a-half years. The Canadian horse industry is comprised of truly remarkable individuals and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had to learn from and be inspired by so many of you. So, thank you and goodbye. I wish you and your horses all the best! — Jess Hallas-Kilcoyne

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

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Volume 14 • Number 6 EDITOR / PUBLISHER Kathy Smith ASSISTANT EDITOR Jess Hallas-Kilcoyne ACCOUNTS Chrissy Whetung MARKETING Janna Reimer ADVERTISING Ronnie Olsen • Emily Penn April Dawn Ray • Shantelle Roberts SUBSCRIPTIONS/DISTRIBUTION Mark Smith • Nathan Reimer PRODUCTION Elisa Crees CONTRIBUTORS Robin Duncan Photography • Clix Photography • Karen Robinson • Christina Handley • Jonathan Field • HCBC • OEF • Lindsay Grice • Cealy Tetley • CanTRA • Lindsay Day • Margaret Evans

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LETTERS

TOUGH QUESTION

Responses to our Tough Question from March 2014:

Do you support Ontario’s Standardbred breeders in their $65 million lawsuit against the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation?

Should horse-drawn carriages be banned in major cities?

PHOTO: INEKE HUIZING/FLICKR

Get your facts straight

Earlier this month, a group of Ontario standardbred breeders filed a lawsuit against the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) for $65 million over the termination of the Slots at Racetracks program (SARP). In a Notice of Action filed on March 10 in Guelph, Ontario, the 35 breeders allege that OLG and the Ontario government cancelled the program “without prior notice, consultation, or compensation.” Prior to the end of the slots program, the horse racing industry received 20 percent of the revenue from slot machines at the province’s racetracks, which in the program’s final year amounted to $345 million. Announced by the OLG and Ontario in March 2012, the cancellation of the program effective March 31, 2013, has had devastating consequences for Ontario breeders and professionals in related industries, resulting in loss of revenue and jobs. According to the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association, breeders “have tried for two years to get some form of fair compensation from the government of Ontario and OLG, but both have refused to compensate standardbred breeders for any of their losses, although they have paid over 80 million dollars in compensation to race track owners.” The OLG has not yet filed a statement of defence. According to the OLG, their modernization strategy, of which the termination of SARP is just one part, will result in savings of $1.3 billion per year for the Ontario government by 2017.

Readers: What are your thoughts about this controversial issue? Do you believe the OLG was within its rights to terminate the Slots at Racetracks program? Or do you agree with the lawsuit, which describes the cancellation of the slots program as being “arbitrary, capricious, irrational” and demonstrating “bad faith by the OLG and Ontario”? Do you support Ontario’s standardbred breeders in their $65 million lawsuit against the OLG? Please email your comments to news@horsejournals.com, or share them online at www.HORSEJournals.com/Ontario-breederslawsuit. We look forward to hearing from you! 8

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

I heard about the controversy in NYC on facebook. I was curious about what was going on, so I did some research on the subject. I was appalled to discover that there is no documented evidence of abuse. There are 144 pages of laws governing the care and maintenance of these horses. There has been only one citation for abuse in the last 20 years. A driver was working a horse that was sore due to thrush. There have been three horse deaths due to traffic in the last 30 years, two of them happening over 20 years ago. While any death is unfortunate, it is hardly grounds for banning the entire industry. There were 147 pedestrian deaths in NYC in 2013 alone. While the horses are in some traffic, their major routes are through Central Park. The carriages are light enough for a single person to pull them. The horses are on duty for nine hours a day, but they are hardly working the entire time. Much of the time, they are standing around waiting for a fare. They live in box stalls during the working part of their year, and they have a mandatory five week yearly vacation on a farm. They are not allowed to work in bad weather or very cold or hot temperatures. They are probably the most protected horses by law in the world. The exaggeration, halftruths, misinformation, and outright lies on the sites for banning the industry in New York are unbelievable. It’s purely propaganda. When I first started looking into this, I expected to see underweight horses, lame horses, horses with harness sores, horses with dull coats and over-long feet. I saw none of this. Instead I found sites saying how “cruel” it is to make horses walk up a ramp to their stalls and how the barns are “fire traps full of flammable hay” (the barns have sprinkler systems in them). It really is a shame what these activists are doing to people who are trying to make an honest living with valued and well-cared for horses. I do think all cities should monitor the carriages and make sure individuals are in fact, taking good care of their horses. But to ban a whole industry based on a media campaign when none of the laws protecting the horses have been broken — no way! — SandyLynnWallis, HORSEJournals.com Forum

Carriage horse industry an easy mark I think that the carriage horse industry has been made an easy mark by PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]. The [New York City] mayor probably knows nothing at all about horses and is looking for cheap political points. Former [NYC] Mayor Bloomberg is correct — a horse out of a job is a vulnerable horse. They get sold, given away, neglected; they lose their people and their

PHOTO: AYCAN YILDIZ/STOCK PHOTOS/PHOTOS.COM

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place in the world. Horses are not cheap to keep; when they have a job they have security. A horse with a job is not just livestock. They clearly have a different sense of themselves. My lesson horses want to work. They are quite put out when they can’t, and get sad and withdrawn when they get injured and have to be laid off. Personally, I’d like a nine-hour hour day and five weeks of paid vacation per year. Since I take care of horses, they expect me to be on call for them many more hours than that. — Sandi, HORSEJournals.com Forum

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Animal Activists on the NYC Carriage Lines I’ve had occasion to read an article titled “Bitter Taste of Animal Activism in the Big Apple,” which appears in the Spring 2014 issue of The Draft Horse Journal. This is a well written article — one I encourage others who enjoy a good horse to read. I was captivated by a photo taken of a New York animal activist carrying an enlarged poster streetside printed by a group calling themselves “Friends of Animals.” This poster, one of many, reads, “Step into the 21st Century. Get off their backs.” As evidenced by the sign this animal activist carries, the protester feels draft horses have no place in “modern life” and that horses should not be ridden or driven. As caption below the photo reads, “this is typical of those who advocate animal rights.” The writing is on the wall for everyone who rides, drives, races, jumps, bucks, pulls, employs horses. To quote Benjamin Franklin, when he signed America’s Declaration of Independence, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” — Bruce A. Roy, by email EDITOR’S NOTE: The article “Bitter Taste of Animal Activism in the Big Apple” is available at: www.drafthorsejournal.com – Current Spring 2014 link. April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

THE HOOFBEAT

Calgary’s Julia Tops Sponsored by Kingsland BY STARTING GATE COMMUNICATIONS Julia Tops of Calgary, Alberta, has become the first junior rider in North America to be sponsored by leading equestrian apparel company, Kingsland. Tops, 16, is a regular competitor in the junior divisions, training under Dick Carvin and Susie Schroer of Meadow Grove

PHOTO: FLYING HORSE

RIGHT: Julia Tops of Calgary, Alberta, riding VDL Groep Camara.

The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Over a Century of Agricultural Excellence and World Class Entertainment

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ROYAL MANITOBA WINTER FAIR

BY SHANTELLE ROBERTS

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Farm in Los Angeles, California. As the daughter of former Canadian Equestrian Team member Tani Zeidler and Dutch Olympic gold medalist Jan Tops, Tops comes by her love of show jumping sport honestly. “It is an honour to be part of such an incredible team; everyone is so thoughtful and welcoming,” said Tops who, despite her young age, regularly competes at such iconic venues as Spruce Meadows in Calgary, AB, and the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, as well as on the Global Champions Tour. As part of her initial two-year sponsorship, Tops will proudly wear Kingsland’s line of apparel and participate in photo shoots and various other promotional endeavours. “We are very excited to have such a promising young rider joining our team,” said Lin Kingsrød, founder of Kingsland. “Adding Julia has an important value to our brand, especially in the U.S. and Canada where we wish to mark a stronger presence.” Based in Norway, Kingsland offers a wide variety of choices, from formal riding attire to more casual clothing for street and every day barn wear. “I love Kingsland’s products because they combine equestrian apparel with normal street clothing like down jackets and fleeces; it’s an interesting mix of clothing,” said Tops. A First Class Honours student at Calgary’s Strathcona Tweedsmuir School, Tops is involved in the Model United Nations program which takes her to conferences around the world, and also volunteers at her local food bank. In addition, she combines charity work with her love of riding as a Rider Ambassador for JustWorld International. Tops is based at Zeidler Farm just south of Calgary in DeWinton, Alberta. www.zeidlerfarm.ca.

The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is in its 107th year and will be held this year from March 31 to April 5 at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba. Established in 1882, the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba was granted patronage by Queen Elizabeth II in 1970 and is now one of the largest agricultural events in Western Canada, providing agricultural education and awareness while showcasing world class sporting events and family entertainment. Equestrian performance classes are one of the largest attractions at the fair, and draw competitors from all over North America to compete in classes that include Grand Prix Show Jumping, Hackney Pony and Horse competitions, and Heavy Horse competitions. Barrel Racing and Mini Chuck Wagon Races will be new classes highlighted this year, adding some fast paced excitement to the roster of

events. A team of miniature horses from Sheho, Saskatchewan’s Hawreluik Racing Company, will navigate a smaller version of a chuckwagon course in a thrilling display of speed and skill. The Presidents’ Choice SuperDogs will be returning this year to represent canine talent with agility drills that will impress and entertain the audience. At the Learning Stage located in the agricultural awareness area, educational entertainment and interactive demonstrations will showcase cattle, sheep, swine and poultry. The Entertainment Stage will be featuring daily performances by Brandon based musician Amanda Stott and Ted Outerbridge, magician and illusionist. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair website: www.brandonfairs.com.

THE HOOFBEAT

Canadian Trainers Impressive at 2014 Road To The Horse BY SHANTELLE ROBERTS

PHOTO: LISA UHLIR

The 2014 Road to the Horse competition, held March 14–16, 2014 in Lexington, Kentucky, was an extraordinary display of horsemanship that thrilled and surprised spectators. The three day competition for the Colt Starting World Champion title requires the roster of chosen trainers to create a strong foundation with their selected three-yearold American Quarter Horse from 6666 Ranch and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Remuda. The distractions of the crowd and time constraints test the competitors’ expertise with a final obstacle course resulting in a winner being decided by the judging panel. The lineup of trainers included Dan Steers (Australia), Antoine Cloux (Switzerland) and Jonathan Field (Canada), with one Wild Card to be determined at the event. The Ram Trucks Wild Card Challenge preceded the main event, providing an amazing opportunity for selected trainers to compete for a spot in the following year’s Championships. The Wild Care trainers spend one year with their elected three-year-old colt from the AQHA Remuda out of 6666 Ranch and then demonstrate their skills at the next Road to

above: Ayden Uhlir and 14-year-old KWPN gelding, Sjapoer.

Nike Recognizes Equestrian Sport with Young Rider Sponsorship BY SHANTELLE ROBERTS

PHOTO: LISA UHLIR

It was a whirlwind of excitement that surrounded the young rising dressage star Ayden Uhlir with the announcement of her new endorsement deal with Nike. This partnership is the first of its kind in equestrian sport with the athletics mega brand that is said to be valued at $10.7 billion dollars. The 18-year-old who won gold medals at both the 2013 North American Young Riders Championships, and USEF Young Rider National Championships expressed her thoughts about her newest sponsor on her blog. “What it means for me is the support, opportunities, and recognition that the world’s premier athletic company can provide. It means access to mainstream media and sponsors. It means awareness and perhaps a growth in the fan base for equestrian sports.” This marks a major milestone in equestrian sport that Ayden is hoping will leave a lasting impression and create a catalyst for change in the industry that may lead to more mainstream exposure. “I want their experiences in our industry to show them the beauty, discipline, power and harmony of our human and equine competitors. In this generation of increasing recognition of niche sports, Nike focusing a lens on us could bring great change for us all!” The sponsorship will include promotional appearances, sporting the brand’s trademark swoosh, and performance bonuses for every major competition win. Ms. Uhlir currently resides in Rancho Santa Fe, California where she is taking a year off from her academic career to focus on dressage with her 14-year-old KWPN gelding, Sjapoer under coach Christine Taurig.

the Horse by executing a ridden pattern and obstacle course that will challenge the twelve months of training invested into their mount. This year, Canadian trainer Jim Anderson won his shot at the Championship title after showcasing his hard work with the 6666 Ranch Colt, Six Flo Buck. Anderson then stepped straight into the Championship round pen with the title in his sights. In an outstanding demonstration of horsemanship, and a close finish, Anderson went on to claim the 2014 Colt Starting World Champion prize which brought the audience to their feet. Fellow Canadian, talented trainer, and in house Canadian Horse Journal writer Jonathan Field, received the Jack Brainard Horsemanship Award for his exceptional display of horsemanship. For your chance to learn from Jonathan, reserve your tickets to the Jonathan Field and Friends International Horsemanship Education Conference taking place September 20-21, 2014, in Calgary, Alberta. Other esteemed clinicians will include Craig Johnson, George Morris, Nathan Day, Herb Williams and Bruce Logan. Visit www.jonathanfield.net for more information.

Brainard presents Jonathan Field with the Jack Brainard Horsesmanship Award.

PHOTO: ANGIE FIELD

below: Jack

April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

Notes from the Office

BY AYNSLEY CAIRNS

2014 BC Equine Education Summit A Smashing Success!

Among the headliners this year were the internationally recognized Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, who spoke on equine biomechanics and the difference between classical riding and modern riding. Dr. Heuschmann was a passionate, knowledgeable, and surprisingly humourous speaker! Without a doubt, Dr. Heuschmann had the most popular seminar during the whole Summit. He spent the time before and after his sessions speaking with the attendees and was more than happy to answer questions and sign books. Equine nutritionist Dr. Claire Thunes from California explained how it is critically important to achieve and maintain optimal health to ensure optimal performance. Dr. Thunes is uniquely trained in the nutritional management of both healthy animals and those with one or more diseases. Her professionalism and expertise are unrivaled, and during her presentation, she managed to explain the complex universe of equine nutrition in terms we could all understand. Dr. Thunes also managed to give us a unique insight into nutrition for our BC horses based on local forages and brands available in our province. Dr. Yves Rossier, a Professor of Equine Sports Medicine at the University of Montreal, Chair of the FEI Veterinary Committee, and an FEI veterinarian spoke about the use of pain medications in performance horses. In 12 12

www.HORSEJournals.com www.HORSEJournals.com •• April April2014 2014

particular, he focused on when pain medication is acceptable in sport, and when it becomes a concern of horse welfare or a fair play issue. Dr. Rossier discussed the ethics and current guidelines for sport. Dr. Tawni Silver hails from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and spoke about magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its power as a diagnostic tool for equine lameness. As MRI becomes more accessible to Western Canada’s horse industry, more equine veterinarians are sending their challenging lameness cases to referral centres like the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC) for diagnosis. Dr. Silver spoke about the VMC’s new standing MRI unit and its ability to produce high quality clinical images of the equine foot, pastern, fetlock, and carpus. Dr. Silver also presented some past cases where MRI images were used to identify soft tissue lesions and subtle tendon and ligament injuries that were undetectable with other medical imaging technologies. Jennifer Woods gave a lively and well received presentation on the topic of horse hauling and handling. Jennifer presented specifically on the purchasing of the appropriate truck and trailer rig, equipment maintenance, horse comfort, accident response, the dangers of hauling, and safety while hauling horses. Jennifer is truly an expert in her field as she managed to seamlessly educate us

on trailering, make us laugh, and get us to seriously revaluate the way we trailer our own horses. Dr. Steve Manning from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine was an absolutely invaluable presenter. He spoke about acupuncture for the horse and how it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Dr. Manning spoke about the history and theory of acupuncture as well as its clinical applications in the horse. He also emphasized the concept of evidence-based medicine and examined the scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness, or ineffectiveness, of equine acupuncture. PHOTO: CHRISTINA WEESE

Horse Council BC’s BC Equine Education Summit held at the Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond, BC on March 8 and 9, 2014, was a smashing success! Over 200 BC horse enthusiasts and industry professionals attended the event over the two days and got the rare opportunity to hear some of the world’s leading experts speak on a variety of important equine topics right in their own backyard.

Debra Garside provided an excellent Saturday afternoon presentation about her photography and experience with the horses of Sable Island. Not only did we get to see her amazing photos of the island throughout her presentation, but Debra also educated the audience on Sable Island and its unique horse population. As an added bonus, we all got to watch video footage from Sable Island and even got to see some of the shots Debra has taken of the Alberta wild horses. A great weekend was had by all! Horse Council BC looks forward to doing it again next year, and we hope to see you then. Thank you to all our sponsors for making this event so successful. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HCBC EXCEPT WHERE NOTED.

How to Reach Us HCBC office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. Office Address: 27336 Fraser Highway, Aldergrove, BC, V4W 3N5 • Phone: 604-856-4304 • Toll-free: 1-800-345-8055 • Fax: 604-856-4302 • Website: www.hcbc.ca Executive Director: administration@hcbc.ca Agriculture & Industry: industry@hcbc.ca Membership: membership@hcbc.ca Coaching & Education: coaching@hcbc.ca Marketing & Communications: communication@hcbc.ca

Recreation & Trails: recreation@hcbc.ca Competition: competition@hcbc.ca HCBC Forums: forums@hcbc.ca HCBC Bookstore: bookstore@hcbc.ca Finance & Grant Funding: finance@hcbc.ca Harassment Policy: harassment@hcbc.ca

2013

HCBC Awards Gala The Horse Council BC Awards Gala was held on March 8, 2014 to celebrate the athletes, coaches, horses, volunteers and all around amazing people who stood out in 2013. not only did they successfully complete their High Performance Coach certification with Equine Canada, 2 of only 3 coaches in Canada to have achieved this level, they had a fantastic year of showing with their students.

The HCBC Awards Gala took place during the 2014 BC Equine Education Summit and was enthusiastically supported by the conference attendees. Many of the Awards Gala guests came just to celebrate at the Awards Gala and to get a chance to meet and mingle with the nominees, speakers from the Summit earlier in the day, and other guests.

The Youth High School Recognition Achievement Award was presented to Emily Lim, Courtney Palleson, Natasha Grapes, Kathleen Penner, Lindsay Stuart, Roechelle Hrehorka, Rebecca Alves, and Natalie Alves.

The Horse Industry Professional of the Year went to Jack Polo, General Manager of the Maple Ridge Equi-Sports Centre. Jack is known and highly respected for his generosity and ‘can-do’ attitude. He is always willing to work with clubs and riders to make their experience at MREC the best it can be.

©STEVE CHARLES TOTEM PHOTOGRAPHICS

QMFM Radio Announcer, Crystal Darche, was the host for this year’s big Gala and was an absolute star. She was the perfect host for the evening, adding an element of humour and lightness to the whole event. The HCBC Awards Gala would not have been the same without her. Steve Charles from Totem Photographics was the photographer for the evening and everyone had a great time posing in front of the logo banner and the “paparazzi” to get their photos taken!

Athlete of the Year went to Brian Morton. Brian was named Top Canadian Rider at the Spruce Meadows Masters in 2014 along with successfully competing and winning in hunter jumper shows across North America.

Pam Arthur accepting the Sherman Olson Lifetime Achievement Award from HCBC founder Bill Archibald and HCBC President Orville Smith.

The Alf Fletcher Youth Sportsmanship Award was presented to five dedicated riders for their exemplary show of sportsmanship at competitions throughout the year. These riders were Winter Koyote, Sage Loeppky, Emily Winkel, Mackenzie Nelson, and Hannah Beaulieu.

The Best Competition of 2013 went to the Mountain Magic Endurance Ride CEI 1*. This was a full day of competition which included Limited Distance, Open 50 mile and FEI. Competitors came from all over British Columbia, including Vancouver Island. This ride increased the level of competition in B.C. and brought new enthusiasm for international competition to Endurance. The Bob James Volunteer of the Year Award went to Deb Oakman, an extraordinary volunteer with the Back Country Horsemen of BC, North Vancouver Island Chapter. Deb was pivotal in getting Vancouver Island’s first equine campsites built and in having a 40km trail designated to be protected for all recreational users.

Coach of the Year was awarded to Brent and Laura Balisky. They are a remarkable team of coaches from the Lower Mainland. In 2013,

The Horse of the Year Award – Non , Competitive went to How Bout Jose, New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society’s mascot. Jose was a favourite on the racetrack and is now a favourite at New Stride. He helps new volunteers get accustomed to working with horses and is the face of New Stride’s sponsorship program.

The Horse of the Year Award – Competitive went to the BC born and bred Warmblood, Lucky Boy. Lucky Boy is the mount of local rider Kaylie Martinoff and had a very successful competition career in 2013.

The newly named Sherman Olson Lifetime Achievement Award honours individuals who have made exceptional contributions to BC’s equestrian community. This year the Sherman Olson Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Pam Arthur. It is hard to find an avid equestrian in BC who does not mention Pam Arthur as one of their key influences and mentors as coach, official or trainer. The extensive list of her past students who have gone on to achieve successful coaching and riding careers is impressive and shows Pam’s positive committed influence. Canada’s Olympic Eventing Team Member, Hawley Bennett – Awad, had this to say; “Pam was instrumental in the success of taking ‘Hank’ from a pony club mount to a four star event horse. She is the best, most knowledgeable horse person I have ever been around, and is the best teacher I have ever seen teach.”

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners for the 2013 HCBC Awards! A big thank you to all of the sponsors and attendees.

Against All Odds A Second Chance for Northstar BY MARGARET EVANS above: Dr. Vikki Scott and Dr. Samuel Hurcombe with Northstar.

It was late August 2012. In Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Jessie Woodworth was eager to get home from work. She and her daughter, Loretta, had planned an evening ride. At home her husband, Bob, had checked the horses in their sixty acre pasture. Little Bit, their big Foundation Quarter Horse, was near the gate. But he could see no sign of their six-year-old Paint, Northstar. Assuming their daughter had already taken him out, he wasn’t too worried. But once home, Jessie knew Loretta didn’t have Northstar. And it wasn’t like him to be off on his own. They immediately went looking. Jessie called. Hearing the voice he’d known since birth, Northstar whinnied. She called again. Loretta followed his whinnies to a swampy area. He was lying down, clearly in distress.

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

“His hide was all dirty and there were scratches on it,” said Woodworth. “I thought an animal had got hold of him. He got up and tried to follow me. I kept encouraging him and we managed to get him into the holding area.” Very quickly the family realized their horse was in serious trouble. Northstar had been attacked, but not by an animal. To their horror, they realized that someone had entered the pasture, doused him in a flammable liquid and set him on fire. Panic-stricken, he had raced away and rolled furiously, crushing small trees to put the flames out, scratching and tearing himself in the process. There were first, second, and third degree burns over 40 percent of his body. The burns stretched from his neck, which had

PHOTO: COURTESY OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

HORSE HEALTH

PHOTO: JESSIE WOODWORTH

left: Northstar as a yearling. level was high, notably his first and second degree burns and that, at the very least, intravenous analgesia would be warranted. Because his neck was so damaged, I had to place an unusual type of catheter into his lateral thoracic vein on the side of his chest.” Northstar was given morphine for pain, an antiinflammatory, and a sedative. The wound was examined for severity, magnitude, and depth to assess what complications they were looking at in terms of long term survival. Skin, the largest organ on the body, is made up of multiple layers of tissue that define the outer epidermis (the interface barrier with the environment) and the underlying dermis (that connects skin to tissue). It protects muscles, bones, ligaments, and internal organs, helps to regulate temperature, and guards against

below, left: First and second degree burns down Northstar’s back. below, right: At day two in hospital, Northstar’s left side shows that significant debridement has been performed. The arrow indicates the exposed scapula.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

taken the brunt of the injury, across his shoulders where bone was exposed, and down his back. The police were called and in the next few frantic days, Jessie worked with her vet to deal with Northstar’s wounds, dousing him with water, spreading soothing aloe on damaged skin, and adding electrolytes donated by a local feed store to his water. But his skin became so tight he could hardly walk. The Woodworths knew he needed far more help than they could give. Ten days after the original incident, they transported him to Ohio State University’s renowned Galbreath Equine Center. “First was an assessment of his vital signs, respiratory effort, and establishment of IV access,” said Dr. Samuel Hurcombe, Assistant Professor in Equine Emergency and Critical Care. “We knew that his pain

April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

At Ohio State University’s renowned Galbreath Equine Center, equine surgeon Dr. Sanuel Hurcombe and human burn surgeon, Dr. Larry Jones, and their teams performed skin grafts to close Northstar’s wounds. Strips of graft skin were harvested from Northstar’s chest and belly, then put through a mesher to create tiny holes and expand the graft skin before applying it to the injured areas. As the graft took, the holes filled in with natural skin. One mesher surgery was done to cover the burned areas, along with numerous punch graft surgeries. 16

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

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“It was his attitude

right: Dr. Hurcombe tried several skin replacement strategies including punch grafts or pockets of skin taken from Northstar’s rump and planted in the neck and shoulder areas.

and will to live that

PHOTO: JESSIE WOODWORTH

ultimately got the team

above: As burned skin heals, it becomes severely itchy. Dr. Hurcombe with Northstar wearing a neck cradle to keep him from biting his sides.

pathogens and water loss. Nerve endings provide sensations of heat, cold, touch, pressure, and pain. A first degree burn damages the epidermis; a second degree burn damages both the epidermis and the dermis; a third degree burn destroys all layers of skin to expose the tissue. All burns are intensely painful. “There was debridement (dead skin removal) twice a day for the first two weeks,” said Hurcombe. “We cleansed his wounds to remove any pus (or) dead flesh, and promote a healthy healing bed of tissue. Debridement was both with bandage and gentle lavage, as well as surgically.” Hurcombe used a saline solution as well as solutions to treat infection. Given the magnitude of Northstar’s injury, the veterinary team had to basically create a body wrap for bandaging. That proved to be especially hard when it came to keeping skin grafts in place. Skin grafting involves slicing a piece of healthy skin from another area of the body with a tool called a dermatome. The harvested skin is placed on the cleaned, burned area with a bio-adhesive and kept in place with a snug bandage while it stabilizes. The donor site is dressed with a foam-type pad impregnated with silver which acts as an antibiotic, and then wrapped.

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

of people together to heal this horse.” – Dr. Hurcombe Hurcombe tried a host of different skin replacement strategies to close the wound and began with punch grafts by taking full skin thickness biopsies from the horse’s rump, creating little pockets in the burn wound, and “planting” them. They worked well over the shoulders and withers. But they were very small in a very large wound. So Hurcombe asked human burn surgeon Dr. Larry Jones, Associate Professor of Surgery and Clinical Director at Ohio State University’s Burn Center at the Wexner Medical Centre, for his help. “The wound was very clean, but I could see it needed a skin graft,” said Jones. “If we could do a mesher graft and expand it we would be able to cover a larger area with the graft. And it would get the wound closed a lot quicker than with punch grafts.” Several strips of graft skin were harvested from the chest and belly. They were 10 centimetres wide, 23 to 25 centimetres long and 2 to 3 millimetres thick, twice the thickness that would be taken for a human. Sufficient skin was left at the donor site so that it could quickly heal. The strips were put through a mesher that cut tiny holes and expanded it to cover four times the area. At that stage, Hurcombe said, it looked like chicken fencing. As the graft took, the holes filled in with natural skin growth. One mesher surgery was done to cover the burned area and several punch graft surgeries were done. But the complications of infection were everpresent. So was the challenge of dealing with severe itching, or pruritus, a tormenting side-effect as burned skin heals. “Anti-inflammatories and medications for neuropathic pain were given (with) good results,” said Hurcombe. “It was important to minimize self-trauma of his healing wound and skin grafts. We had to put him on a wire (connected to the ceiling) to stop him lying down and traumatizing himself,” said Hurcombe, and added that Northstar also wore a neck cradle that made it impossible for him to bite his sides. There was also the challenge of Northstar’s mental state. Burns are complex, deeply traumatic, long-term injuries. Having personally been burned by fire, I know that there is no pain like burn pain and with it comes fear, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, frustration, and depression. “Mental stimulation, acceptance of care (and) being hospitalized for so long were challenging for him,” said Hurcombe. “We made every effort to spend time with

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Burns are complex, deeply traumatic, long-term injuries. Northstar’s treatment has been unrelenting

PHOTO: JESSIE WOODWORTH

for 18 months.

above: Northstar’s left side at approximately one year post-injury.

him that was not always associated with a procedure, a needle etc. However, over time (several months), his attitude was harder to keep in good spirits. At that stage, I decided that pushing his treatment and grafting so hard was less important. He was stable, healing well, but I wanted his mental welfare to be better taken care of. After about four months, he went to a step-down facility that could take care of the day-to-day cleansing etc., but where he was able to see other healthy horses and not be in a hospital environment. He would come back for short periods of time for grafting and follow-up. Also, having frequent visits from the owner and other caregivers was so important. Getting outside, seeing the sunshine, making him feel like he was still a horse was our motivation.” Nutrition is a huge part of healing burned patients and to his benefit Northstar never lost his voracious appetite. “They need calories to heal,” said Jones. “Northstar was eating well and getting his nutrition. When he first came in and got over the deathly ill state, everyone was bringing him treats. He actually got fat.” Northstar’s treatment has been unrelenting for 18 months. Infection was a constant threat. Preventing him from lying down and rolling required endless management and he had to overcome bouts of pneumonia. But his will to live never failed as healing progressed through the stages, and the grafts settled. “Most are non-pigmented thin skin,” said Hurcombe. “There is some hair growing from the punch grafted areas where more of the dermal elements were included

in the graft. (But) there will be significant scar tissue. The purpose of grafting is to limit this and thereby limit problems with range of motion, etc.” The small sections of punch grafted skin were thicker when harvested and had more of the progenitor cells to support hair growth. How well the skin heals and thickens to become a permanent structure will determine whether Northstar can be ridden in the future with a perfectly fitted saddle and protective saddle pads. “This will be looked into once he is completely healed and the new tissue is more mature,” said Hurcombe. In addition to skin grafting, Northstar had cell therapy to promote skin growth. “We essentially harvested his own dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes,” he said. “We cultured them, then used his own plasma combined with bovine thrombin to make a ‘biological glue.’ (We) sprayed and injected the glue-cell mixture into the granulation bed.” Skin grafting and cell therapy have the same goal of regenerating skin. Hurcombe explained that grafting is like laying sod for immediate coverage and cell-based therapy is like planting seeds for growth and eventual coverage. This type of cell-based therapy had never been done in horses before, but given that the cells were Northstar’s own, they expected – and got – good results. “The cell therapy helped a lot,” said Jessie. “In combination with Ohio State and the vet we have now, he’s really come a long way.” Hurcombe agrees. “Northstar is truly an amazing horse, and despite having been viciously attacked by a human, he is still trusting. He has personality for sure, but, at the end of the day, it was his attitude and will to live that ultimately got the team of people together to heal this horse. Euthanasia was discussed right at the beginning and especially during the first month. Having never treated a case like this, we weren’t exactly sure

Despite the police investigation, no one has yet been arrested for the crime and it remains an open case. 20

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

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“Northstar is truly an amazing horse, and despite having been viciously attacked by a human, he is still trusting.” – Dr. Hurcombe that we could. From humane grounds, euthanasia was a real and valid option, but with endless emotional support (and financial backing), we at OSU were willing to do whatever we could to give this horse another chance at life as long as he was willing to fight.” The American Association of Equine Practitioners sets five criteria as guidelines to help make a humane decision about euthanasia. They are: 1 A horse should not have to endure continuous or

unmanageable pain from a condition that is chronic and incurable; 2 It should not undergo a medical or surgical condition

with a hopeless chance of survival; 3 It should not be kept alive if it has an unmanageable

condition that makes it a hazard to itself or its handlers; 4 It should not have to receive continuous analgesic

medication for pain relief for the rest of its life; 5 A horse should not have to endure a lifetime of

continuous individual box stall confinement for prevention of unmanageable pain or suffering. As dire as Northstar’s initial condition was, he did

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

below, left & right: Photos taken in February 2014 show the dark blotchy area over the withers and shoulder where the punch grafts are growing and expanding, and hair is growing.

not meet any of those criteria. The cost to save Northstar’s life ran into six figures and an anonymous donor stepped forward to pay expenses. Despite the police investigation, no one has yet been arrested for the crime and it remains an open case. For everyone whose lives have been touched by Northstar, they not only see an amazing horse but greater insights in themselves. “The day we did the first surgery I brought my whole team,” said Jones. “Dr. Hurcombe has quite a team, and it was really neat to see the two teams come together and recognize there were more similarities in their work than differences as they applied their knowledge in their respective fields. We all wanted this animal to do well. A lot of people cared for him.” None more than the Woodworths, who kept vigil in Pennsylvania and agonized over the intense cruelty inflicted on the horse they cherished and had raised from birth. But through the ordeal came new strengths. “You see how strong family bonds are and how many horse lovers there are out there,” said Jessie. It haunts her that perhaps two people were involved – one holding Northstar (he had no halter on) and another dousing him with the liquid. Yet beyond the terror triggered by strangers, Northstar never lost his trust in people and those who loved him. “He waited for us,” said Jessie softly, recalling that awful day. “He had willpower. My vet said to give him a chance, but we didn’t know what Ohio State would say. They don’t want to give false hope or struggle if a horse won’t make it. If I’d had to euthanize Northstar I would have done it.” Today Northstar enjoys life with other horses in a secured location in Pennsylvania. He is 90 per cent healed and is allowed to graze, even roll a little, and loves to be lunged. “He always had that look in his eye that said ‘I’m still here,’” said Jessie. “God kept him around. I don’t know the reason yet. I still have faith I’ll get on his back again someday.” b

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

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Correct position is the foundation of all effective riding and allows you to ride efficiently while expending the least amount of energy. Here, QMS alumni Danielle Fritz, DVM, demonstrates a strong hunter seat equitation position with a good lower leg.

Develop a Stronger Riding Position Exercises for the BY SARAH MELLINGS

hen riders take the time to build a good foundation with a correct position and basic training skills, they will end up reaching their training and riding goals faster than if they skip these steps in the beginning of their riding careers. A “correct” position is determined by the style or discipline of riding you participate in. I am going to give you some of my favorite rider strengthening exercises for developing a stronger hunter seat equitation position.

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Hunter Seat Equitation Rider

One of the great things about riding is that no matter how skilled you are, your position in the saddle can always be improved upon. Before you start doing exercises to strengthen your position, you first need to understand what a correct hunter seat equitation position is. So, first we will review the rider’s body, breaking it down into four sections: the leg, base of support, upper body, and hands and arms.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH MELLINGS

RIDING & TRAINING

left: Correct position is the foundation of all effective riding and allows you to ride efficiently while expending the least amount of energy. Here, QMS alumni Danielle Fritz, DVM, demonstrates a strong hunter seat equitation position with a good lower leg.

To check the length of your stirrups while mounted, take your foot out of your stirrup iron and let your leg relax down. For riding on the flat, your stirrup iron should hit slightly below your anklebone. Adjust your stirrup leathers in relation to your own body structure with the help of an experienced instructor’s eye. Place your stirrup iron on the ball of your foot with the outside branch of the iron touching your pinky toe and on a slight angle in. Let your toe slightly turn out so that the stirrup hangs perpendicular to your horse’s side, then push your heels down and in just behind the girth, and establish contact with your calf and inner knee bone. By relaxing your ankle and letting your weight “sink” into your heel, you are lowering your centre of gravity so that your leg is down and around your horse, making you more secure and tighter in the saddle.

Base of Support You should have contact with your horse evenly distributed between your calf, your inner knee bone, and your thigh. Your seat should be placed in the forward part of your saddle, close to the pommel. Since we are focusing on exercises at the walk, this is the perfect opportunity to feel your seat bones and relax your hips by letting your horse

PHOTO: CHRISTINE COELS

The Leg

move you. Creating a vertical line, your hips should remain directly over your heels. The security of your upper body is completely dependent upon your base and leg.

Upper Body You want to think about having a tall body by relaxing your shoulders, looking forward with your eyes, and opening your chest and rib area. Think about lifting your chest and stomach and pretend there is a string pulling you from the top of your helmet up into the sky. A well-positioned upper body should be a completely natural, yet elegant, tall carriage.

above: The basic position without irons. Keep your legs in position, and avoid the tendency to just let your legs hang there.

April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

PHOTO COURTESY OF TROXEL

Hands and Arms

above: Riding without stirrup irons is the best way to establish an independent base of support, and will teach your body to follow the horse’s movement with the small of your back instead of getting rigid and stiffening against your horse.

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Exercises at the Walk PHOTO: CHRISTINE COELS

right: Practicing your sitting trot without irons will help you develop a longer leg position. Once you pick up the sitting trot, your leg will naturally want to get shorter so you want to constantly think about stretching your leg down, long, and underneath your body.

Your goal is to have “elastic” arms while keeping a straight line from your elbow to the horse’s mouth. You want your elbows relaxed right at the place where your belt would be on your pants. A clinician I once rode with told me to think about holding a beach ball, and this worked really well to help with stiff arms. Hands should be placed just above and slightly in front of the withers about two to three inches apart, thumbs just inside of the vertical. Keep your fingers closed so that you can feel the palm of your hand with your fingertips, thumbs pressing down on the bite of the reins. Your arms and hands need to be strong enough to control your horse, but relaxed enough to allow him freedom. I like Centered Riding® founder Sally Swift’s visual of holding baby birds in your hands — you don’t hold your fingers so tight that you kill the birds, but also not so loose that the birds fly away. My students always like that one and it gets lots of laughs.

Two-point at the walk: When you are in your twopoint position, you lift your weight off the horse’s back and put it down into your heels and stirrup irons. Think of “crouching” in the saddle, always keeping your hands ahead of your shoulders. This is the position used for racing, galloping cross-country, and in hunter seat equitation. If you are new to this position, I would

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your body to follow the horse’s movement with the small of your back instead of getting rigid and stiffening against your horse. There are many different exercises that you can work on without your irons. Two-point without irons at the walk: This is definitely a strengthening exercise. Visualize that you have your irons, and get up into your two-point position. Hold the position as long as you can; as soon as you feel yourself slipping out of position, sit back into the seat and readjust, then get back up in your two-point position again. The first time you try this exercise, you will be amazed at how difficult it is, but keep trying to hold the position slightly longer every time. PHOTO: CHRISTINE COELS

Exercises at the Trot and Canter

above: Riding in two-point without stirrup irons at any gait is a great exercise for developing a stronger leg. Your legs should be in the same position that they would be in if you still had your irons.

advise you to bridge your reins and grab onto the mane to ensure you do not pull your horse in the mouth. I like to have riders do many different variations with this exercise, such as placing their reins in the outside hand and putting their inside hand on their hip, arm outstretched to the side, on the head, on the small of their back, etc. I also like the rider to hold the two-point position while making upward transitions to the trot and back down again to the halt, working on developing strength and balance. Standing in your irons: This exercise can be done at the halt, or, to make it a little more challenging, try it at the walk. Push both of your hands down onto your horse’s withers; this will ensure that if you lose your balance you will not grab your horse in the mouth. Stand up in your stirrup irons, driving your heel down and in just behind the girth, keeping your calf against your horse. Hold this position and then sink down into the front of your saddle, making every effort to keep that great leg position. This exercise will help to establish balance and correct leg position. Crossing your irons: Pull your buckle down from the stirrup bar about 18 inches before you cross the stirrup over the withers. Make sure that they are completely flat under the skirt or the lump will prevent you from placing your leg correctly. Hold your leg position just as you would if you had your stirrups. Keep your toes raised, your heels down, and do not allow yourself to let your leg just “hang there.” Whenever you fall out of position, come back to the walk, correct yourself, and then continue with the exercise. To correct yourself, grab onto the pommel of the saddle, relax and lower your thighs, drawing yourself closer to the pommel while holding your leg position. What generally tends to happen is that your knees and thighs will ride up, and that in turn forces your seat to the back of the saddle, which you want to prevent. Riding without stirrup irons is the best way to establish an independent base of support, and will teach

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

The posting trot: The trot has two beats, with the horse’s legs moving in diagonal pairs. Pick up your rising trot, checking that you are posting on the correct diagonal so that your horse is able to balance and support your weight, and making sure that your horse is in front of your leg and trotting at approximately eight miles per hour. Drop your outside iron and continue posting. This is a great exercise, since at one time or another we all lose a stirrup iron. You want to be able to continue with your ride without losing your position and security, and having to stop and look down to pick up your iron again. By practicing this exercise, you will gain the strength, balance, and confidence to continue your ride and maintain your position while you pick up your stirrup iron. Dropping your stirrup irons is also an acceptable equitation test for a judge to ask. As you are posting the trot, when you drop your outside stirrup iron and continue posting, visualize that you still have your iron, keeping even contact with your horse through your calf and inner knee, toe raised, and heel down. You want to stay over the centre of your horse, keeping your hands quiet and your eyes looking straight ahead. Two-point at the trot and canter: Bend your knees and lift your seat slightly out of the saddle. Pretend that your knees are giant springs, absorbing the motion of the trot. Close your hip angle about 30 degrees and drive your weight down into your leg, keeping your hip in line with your heels. Think about crouching in the saddle; both hands should be even and ahead of your shoulders, pushing down into the horse’s neck if you need to help support your upper body. EXERCISES: • Make transitions up to trot and down to walk and halt while holding your two-point position; • Ride a change of direction, holding your two-point; • Bridge your reins in your outside hand and, holding your two-point, put your inside hand on your hip, on your head, and outstretched to the side; • Canter and go up in your two-point and back to your three-point (sitting) position keeping your horse’s canter rhythm and pace the same as you go between both positions. Up for three, down for one: This is a great one for

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practicing rhythm, balance, and strength in the two-point position. Pick up your trot and then get up into your two-point position. Once you are feeling balanced, hold the twopoint for three beats and then very lightly, without falling back onto your seat and behind the motion, lightly touch the front of your seat to the saddle for one beat. When you first try this, count out loud — “one, two, three, sit, one, two, three, sit.” This will help you keep the rhythm and tell you right away if you are doing the exercise correctly. You can of course make up your own variations to this exercise, going up for as many beats as you like and then sitting for one. Once you are feeling stronger, go ahead and give this one a try without your irons!

aboe: Author Sarah Mellings with demonstration riders and QMS grade 12 students Juliet Westlake (left) and Elizabeth Graham (right).

Sitting trot and canter without irons: This works to develop a longer leg position. Before you head out to the rail, bring your leg out and away from the saddle, and then wrap it down and around your horse, keeping your toe raised and heel down. Once you pick up the sitting trot, your leg will naturally want to get shorter so you want to constantly think about stretching your leg down, long, and underneath your body. EXERCISES: • Sit the trot with one hand on the pommel

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• Press one arm to the middle of your back in the sitting trot, working on improving your posture; • Upward and downward transitions from sitting trot to canter, keeping that long leg position; • When you feel your position slipping, make a transition down to walk to reestablish your correct position and then continue with the exercise you were working on. Posting trot and two-point without irons: This works at developing a stronger leg. Your legs should be in the same position that they would be in if you still had your irons. Place your legs in the correct position at the walk, and then pick up your working trot, again checking that you are on the correct posting diagonal. EXERCISES: • Post the trot without your irons; when you feel yourself fall out of position, walk and correct; • Two-point position at the trot and at the canter, keeping that correct leg position; • To push past your comfort zone, when you

are beginning to feel uncomfortable, find a focal point and continue to ride without your irons until you get to it. These are just a few of many different exercises that you can practice with and without your irons — you just need to be creative. Remember that you should slowly introduce these exercises into your regular riding sessions for just a few minutes every

day. It takes time to build new muscle memory, so as much as you want to push your fitness level, you also need to take care not to overdo it and hurt yourself. By incorporating these exercises into your regular training program, you will become a more secure and therefore a more relaxed rider. Stay positive and good luck this season! b

Sarah Mellings is an Equine Canada (EC) competition coach who has been teaching and coaching at Queen Margaret’s School in Duncan, BC, on Vancouver Island since 2008. Sarah coaches an average of 50 riders a week in the ring, teaches the school’s “Train to Compete” grades 8 to 12 classroom classes, teaches the Equine Sciences 11 class, and is always mentoring and preparing riders for their EC Rider Level testing and Instructors certification. Originally from Kamloops, BC, Sarah has been very fortunate to ride with some very successful trainers over the years, and their influences have driven her to be disciplined in all aspects of horsemanship. Sarah is also available for clinics. Please email Sarah at sarah.mellings@qms.bc.ca for more information.

PHOTO: BRAWNS PHOTOGRAPHY

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Is Your Horse Left-Handed? Understanding the natural asymmetry of the horse and its implications for saddle fit.

A saddle that sits straight on the horse’s back will allow the rider to sit properly and in balance, making it easier for her to use the proper aids essential to dressage. 32

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

PHOTO: HORSEMEN/ISTOCK

BY JOCHEN SCHLEESE, CMS, EQUINE ERGONOMIST

id you know that up to 90 percent of the world’s population is righthanded? Approximately nine out of ten people are said to be right-handed, and of the 10 percent who are left-handed, males slightly outnumber females. Most horses, however, are left-handed (or at least what we refer to as dominant on the left-hand side), and it is usually very obvious. There are many theories as to what causes this predisposition. The German FN (the governing body of riding in Germany) even recognizes in its rule books that most horses are born with “a

natural asymmetry” and that it is “cerebral, or determined at birth.” It could be caused by the way the equine embryo grows in the mare’s womb. At least 70 percent of the thousands of horses we see each year are left-handed, while about 20 percent are right-handed, and the remaining 10 percent are relatively even. I am of the opinion that asymmetry occurs in part because of domestication, and due to the conditions in which we train and keep our horses (see photos a , b , and c on this page). There are various theories on the causes of asymmetry in horses, but I will

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From the measurements we have accumulated over the last 34 years from many different horses, we have determined that (a) about 70 percent are more strongly muscled on the left; (b) about 10 percent are evenly muscled; and (c) about 20 percent are larger on the right.

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This cross section shows a an even skeletal structure; and b a distinctly higher left shoulder blade, with a stronger humerus on the right.

above: When working with horses, most people have a natural preference for the left side. We tend to lead, tack up, and mount from the left, and some horses are so accustomed to this tendency that they become uneasy when approached from the right.

focus on the issues that arise as a result. Most of the horses I have analysed over the past 34 years were kept in stables or living on relatively flat pastureland, and most had more musculature on the left, over and behind the left shoulder, with a shoulder blade that was obviously higher and further back on the left (see images a and b on this page). In nature, the trend may be to more evenly muscled horses, but I have not dealt with enough wild horses to be able to comment on this with authority. When working with horses, humans seem to cultivate this affinity to the left – we mount from the left, lead on the left, saddle on the left – some horses are even distinctly uneasy when approached from the right. When two horses fight, they can be observed turning their left shoulder to the aggressor. Often it is easier to canter on a left lead. Have you experienced this? After the age of two, the development of the horse’s skeletal structure is pretty much complete. Correct

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

IMAGE COURTESY OF SCHLEESE

PHOTO: ROBIN DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHY

training may impact muscular development to help counteract natural asymmetry, but this inherent asymmetry must be taken into consideration when fitting a saddle properly. The saddle support area of the horse’s back begins immediately behind the shoulder blade at the base of the withers. The shape and position of the gullet plate in particular needs to accommodate any unevenness in the shoulder area. Its function cannot be substituted or eliminated by any amount of re-flocking, shimming, or orthotics. It is usually necessary to fit the gullet plate asymmetrically at the shoulder to accommodate the larger shoulder and to achieve the necessary support equally on both sides. Fitting a gullet plate in this manner will not result in a crooked saddle; logic dictates that you fit each shoulder as it should be fit. Anyone who has one foot that’s larger than the other will recognize this problem when searching for shoes that fit: do you buy a pair to fit the larger foot and use

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insoles [shims] for the smaller foot, or do you squish the larger foot into a smaller pair to accommodate the smaller foot? Logically, you would buy shoes to fit the larger foot, which is exactly why the gullet plate should be adjusted to fit the larger shoulder at the tree points. If this truism is ignored, and you put a saddle with an even gullet plate on a horse with a larger shoulder on the left or right, it will inevitably fall to one side as it will be pushed there by the more muscled shoulder. This is demonstrated in the photo of the rider from the back, a position commonly seen; even some of top riders when photographed from the back will demonstrate this phenomenon.

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCHLEESE

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above: This saddle has a number of problems. Besides having shifted to the right, its gullet is too narrow and the panels are compressed.

above: A symmetrical gullet plate may actually cause problems as it does not accommodate the natural unevenness of the horse. Below: : This gullet plate has been opened wider on the left (as seen from the front) to ensure there is sufficient room for the horse’s larger left shoulder. PHOTO COURTESY OF SCHLEESE

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If the left side is larger, farther down the horse’s back the saddle will actually put pressure on the left side of the spinal column, because it no longer lies in the proper position within the saddle support area, which keeps the spinal vertebrae clear of the panel. What happens to the rider? She will shift to the right as well, but will try to counteract this by shifting her weight to the left. There will be less support for her left seat bone because the saddle has shifted to the right, which causes her to collapse further at the hip. This extra pressure will cause the saddle to shift even more to the right. Does this sound familiar? A crooked rider will have difficulty using the proper aids, especially through the subtle muscle contractions and shifts in weight intrinsic to dressage. She may find increased difficulty with a right canter lead. Her back may start to ache, and her hips may throb. The horse will feel resistance, and the continued pressure of the saddle on the left side of the vertebral column will increase stress to the sacroiliac joint, which can cause a crooked pelvis for the horse and possibly lead to complete lameness in the right hind. This is not to say that saddles should be made crooked. Rather, the ability to adjust the gullet place asymmetrically is essential. To accommodate the horse’s conformation, adjustment should be possible not just in width, which is common for some of the saddles with interchangeable gullet plates, but also in angle and independently at both ends. Changes can then be further addressed when necessary as the horse’s degree of asymmetry changes over the course of its lifetime. Just like a blacksmith

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCHLEESE

above: This rider is trying to compensate for her saddle sliding over to the right due to the horse’s larger left shoulder. She is counteracting by shifting her weight to the left and collapsing her left hip. forms an iron to fit the hoof, a gullet plate should be formed to fit the horse, rather than being in a permanently fixed position. Once the gullet plate has been adjusted to accommodate any natural unevenness at the shoulder, the saddle should be sitting straight on the horse’s back when standing still and especially during movement. This allows the rider to sit properly and in balance, and keeps the pressure off the horse’s vertebrae. Rider exercises to strengthen your core will help you to sit straight and balanced in the saddle. But unless you take your horse’s conformation into consideration when fitting your saddle in the first place, your personal ability and strengths as a rider will always be compromised. Think about how much more successful you would be if you could actually use the saddle to help achieve your riding goals, rather than struggling against the saddle to maintain your position. b

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Jochen Schleese, Certified Master Saddler, Equine Ergonomist, is a leader in the concept of saddle fit, and teaches his Saddlefit 4 Life® philosophy worldwide. He is also the author of Suffering in Silence, The Saddle-Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses. www.schleese.com www.saddlefit4life.com April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

PHOTO: MANE FRAME PHOTOGRAPHY

TRAILER & TRANSPORT

Reducing

Transport Stress above: Our behaviour can directly influence the amount of stress our horse feels. Pay attention to what the horse is reacting to. Balking at the trailer’s entrance may simply be due to the horse’s eyes needing time to adjust to the light inside the trailer.

When things just don’t feel right, you may experience a hollow feeling in the pit of your stomach, or you might actually manifest physical symptoms such as gastric distress, perspiration, or muscle tremors. In humans and in horses, stress can create a multitude of psychological reactions ranging from mild anxiety to debilitating near panic and severe depression, and reduced immune response which can invite illness. Long term stress can produce ulcers, musculoskeletal disorders, heart irregularities, and create a host of psychological vices. Prolonged exposure to stress can negatively impact essential hormone production needed for digestion, metabolism, reproduction, and growth. Minimizing stress creates a healthier environment, reduces illness and fatigue, and helps maintain performance levels. In terms of our horses, reducing stress also protects our investment. Defining stress on behalf of our horses requires an understanding of the various types of stressors and their individual effects on the horse. In studying medical reports on this subject, I made a number of discoveries,

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

BY KEVAN GARECKI

not the least of which was that those who have conducted the myriad of tests to determine equine stressors discovered what experienced horse people already knew: horses react to stress in much the same way as humans, and suffer from similar effects. Every horse is claustrophobic, some just hide it better than others; many horses internalize their anxiety, making us believe that traveling is no big deal to them. The most commonly perceived stressor for horses in transit is, of course, the loading phase, but separation from herd-mates, unfamiliar sounds, elevated noise levels, disrupted schedules, changes of food and water, confinement and restraint all elicit stress responses in horses. Proper training of horses, creating a loading plan, using suitable vehicles, and proper driving and handling techniques are also easily controllable factors which combine to create a less stressful experience for our equine friends. Contrary to what many might believe, stress is frequently cumulative, meaning the more often a horse is exposed to the stressful situation, the harder it

left: Horses use their heads and necks for balance, and must be able to lower their heads to a point slightly lower than the height of their withers to expel dust and mucus from their airways.

PHOTO: MANE FRAME PHOTOGRAPHY

becomes for him to cope. While a confident horse will build on successful experiences and increase his selfassurance each time, a more nervous horse might simply regard each attempt as just another horrible thing the human does to him. Eventually the nervous horse can no longer deal with the stress and refuses in an initial attempt to control the situation. We frequently misinterpret this as recalcitrance and force the issue, thereby adding another brick to the wall we’ll hit each time; the cause and effect cycle spirals exponentially until the horse either develops a vice or becomes unmanageable. The predictable result is that the horse gets labelled as “bad,” and we ramp up the “training” accordingly. But by recognizing the individual stressors, we can help the horse overcome them and use that knowledge to make even greater strides toward building confidence, and ultimately, trust. It’s important to pay attention to what the horse is reacting to, and how. Balking at the entrance may simply be due to the horse’s eyes needing time to adjust to lower light inside the trailer. By not allowing this simple step we can raise the horse’s stress level, making the next stressor harder to take. The ideal transport environment for a horse is one which has a comfortable temperature, offers proper ventilation and footing, is free from excessive noise, and mimics as closely as possible the horse’s normal routine. Our behaviour can directly influence the stress our horses feel. If we calmly guide the horse, he will take his cue from us. If we are tense or impatient, he will feel our

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above: The horse should have a rest period at least equal to the length of the trip to recover from the stress and fatigue of travelling.

anxiety. While loading, if we present to the horse as anything less than a confident leader, he will be far less likely to follow. When in transit, our driving has a significant impact on the horse’s stress level. Poor driving techniques are a common stressor, and ultimately the reason many horses develop trailering issues. Hazardous conditions are equally as important to consider – rough roads, bad weather, delays, traffic and even the time of day can all combine to make the trip more difficult for the horse to bear. The effects of transport related stress can continue to affect the horse long after the trip is over, so it’s important to allow a horse to rest for a period at least equal to that of the trip itself on arrival. The longer the trip, the more “decompression time” is needed. The rest period allows the horse to recover from not only the stress of traveling, but to recuperate from the fatigue. The importance of this rest period cannot be overstated, as it impacts health and general well-being, performance, reproduction, growth, and the ability of the immune system to deal with infections and disease.

Air Quality and Thermal Stress There are several environmental factors to consider for the horse’s sake while in transit, such as temperature and air quality, the physical environment (flooring and bedding, lighting, suitability of the unit for the horses on board, and cleanliness), loading plan (pairing compatible horses together, or moving incompatible horses apart, and stall size) and even trip planning to 40

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

minimize stress from unfamiliar surroundings. Cleanliness of the trailer provides a healthier environment for the horses inside. Manure sheds bacteria, urine gives off toxic ammonia, and the dust emanating from dried manure can easily overwhelm the cleansing functions of a horse’s respiratory system. Air quality is always a major concern, yet frequently overlooked or misunderstood. Ventilation is important during transit, and seasonal conditions will dictate how we maintain an acceptable quality of air flow through the trailer. Roof vents should most commonly be open towards the rear of the unit; in this direction they act as exhaust points, allowing the air inside the trailer to escape. With side windows open, this creates a steady flow of air through the trailer while in motion. On extremely warm days, opening the roof vents to the front will reverse the flow of air to a degree and force more fresh air into the trailer, but doing so also causes turbulence inside, which can result in more debris and dust for the horses to inhale or become embedded in their eyes. Simply wetting down the bedding and misting the hay slightly will usually control the majority of airborne debris. I would like to address the all-too-common and potentially dangerous practice of leaving drop-down windows open while moving. Drop-down windows were designed to allow additional ventilation while the vehicle is parked and to allow head access to the horses, and should never be left in the fully open position when traveling. With the drop-down window open a horse cannot avoid the blast of incoming wind, which is at the

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PHOTO: MANE FRAME PHOTOGRAPHY

far right: The ideal transport environment for a horse has a comfortable temperature, offers proper ventilation and footing, is free from excessive noise, and mimics as closely as possible the horse’s normal routine. very least uncomfortable, but also increases the risk of injury from airborne debris. I have seen some rigs underway with both the drop down and window bars open, allowing the horses to poke their heads outside. This should never be done! Even a moderately sized insect can strike the eye, blinding the horse permanently. There have been many cases where passing trucks have struck horses with their mirrors, horses have spooked and tried to climb out the window, and some have been decapitated when the trailer passed an oncoming vehicle. Transport regulations share a constant throughout North America in that all livestock in transit must be held completely within the vehicle so that no part of the animal may protrude from it. Allowing horse’s head outside while moving is not only completely inconsiderate of the horse’s safety, it’s illegal. Thermal stress is simply that which the body experiences when temperatures rise or fall out of the normal range. Older and very young horses are most susceptible to thermal stress, as they frequently lack the ability to regulate their own body heat beyond minor changes. Temperature control is another topic that seems to cause some mystery for many folks; this is primarily through a simple misunderstanding of a horse’s physiology and metabolism. Horses are comfortable within a broader thermal range than humans (-1 to 20 degrees Celsius, or 30 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit), so what may feel cool to us is just right for Dobbin. The equine “thermostat” which controls a series of temperature regulating functions is quite remarkable. Tiny muscles just under the skin can alter the angle of hair follicles, allowing them to raise the hair shaft up to trap insulating air underneath, thereby minimizing heat loss. As the surrounding temperature rises, the hair shaft is laid flat against the skin to facilitate dispensing heat through the skin. Blanketing interrupts this function, and the horse can no longer adjust for temperature changes on his own. Metabolic changes can also be regulated to increase or decrease heat production when needed, provided the horse has sufficient forage and water to do so. Contrary to a popular myth, grain and other concentrated feeds do 42

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

not help a horse warm up; more heat is generated through the digestion of forage or roughage. If you want to help horsey stay warm, increasing his hay ration will stoke the furnace far better than grain. Horses can experience considerably higher and lower temperatures while in transit than we may think. There are many factors affecting the interior temperature of a horse trailer, including size, ventilation, number of horses on board and whether they are blanketed, ambient temperature, and humidity. The insulating qualities of the trailer itself are dependent on the materials used in its construction, such as bare metal walls or those lined with rubber matting, metal floors versus wood plank, and even the exterior colour can have a significant impact on interior temperature. These variants complicate things to the point that there is no single right answer for all situations. On longer trips, I may remove and/or replace blankets when the temperature dictates. With sufficient forage and water, a horse can deal with moderate cold more efficiently than excessive heat. Be mindful of weather changes and make adjustments in the ventilation, blanketing, and feed and water as necessary.

Confinement, Restraint and Novel Environments Even for the most experienced road warrior, all it may take is a ride in a different trailer or a trip with unfamiliar horses to set him up for a stressful experience. Aggressive horses can make even a relatively brief trip unpleasant for others through little more than threatening body language; very timid horses can feel threatened in the

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near right: Dropdown windows allow additional ventilation while the vehicle is parked and allow head access to the horses, but should never be left open when moving.

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presence of unknown horses. Tying horses in a situation like this exacerbates their fears and compounds the stress they feel. This is particularly true of horses unaccustomed to restraint. Experiences such as this can hamper future efforts, leaving us wondering why a perfectly quiet traveler suddenly refuses to load. Whenever someone calls me to help in situations like this, I try to get to the root of the issue. Refusal to load is seldom the problem, but more commonly a symptom of the true reason. Horses never forget, everything they encounter is recorded; so when a horse mysteriously balks at a common task, step back and look at what happened last time. It could be an event that seemed insignificant, but to the horse it may be enough to warrant the fight-orflight response. Confinement in itself is not frequently a cause for alarm to a horse, but it’s not always a safe option to transport loose unless the horse can be trusted not to try escaping or use the freedom to bother a neighbouring horse. I haul loose whenever possible and safe to do so. Horses need to lower their heads to a point equal to or slightly lower than the withers in order to expel contaminants from the airway. They

also use their heads and necks for balance, so a loose horse is significantly less stressed than one that is restrained. I may tie during loading and unloading, just to ensure everyone behaves, but once on the road I remove head ties and offer them as much freedom as possible. As most savvy horse people have learned, trying to restrain an upset horse usually heightens their anxiety, often making a bad situation even worse. The loading phase can be especially damaging for horses like this unless they are allowed to proceed at their own pace with respectful guidance. Rushing them in or using force to load them then slamming doors before they can escape sets the stage for an exceedingly stressful trip, as their fear is already piqued before the wheels ever start rolling. Patience, consistency and a calm demeanour are the best things we can offer our horses at any time, but they are pivotal when it comes to teaching; and we are teaching our horses every moment we are with them. They are also trying very diligently to teach us, so listen up! Novel environments elicit a number of reactions from horses, from the characteristic spooking or shying away to a cautious curiosity. Segregation or separation from herdmates can arguably be one of the most

stressful factors associated with transport. Keeping horses paired up on the road is not always feasible or practical, but I have used my own horses to accompany others that I knew could benefit from the company, and the difference is measurable! Whenever I catch hint of a horse who may react poorly to separation stress, I take a few precautions on his behalf – I try to unload him first, followed as quickly as possible by his traveling mate(s); I try not to leave him unattended for any length of time, as even our own presence can help soothe an anxious horse; if the stabling or holding area is some distance away from the point of unloading I will lead two horses together, so they can benefit from each other’s support. If necessary, I will enlist the help of another handler if I feel my safety or that of the horse may be compromised. I will also spend a few extra minutes with a stressed horse once he’s been put away, to monitor his behaviour and help ease his worry.

Case Studies Several transport studies have been conducted in recent years, the most notable of which have come from the University of California, Davis Campus, arguably one of the leading equine research institutions in North America. University of California,

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Davis’s studies in equine health and behaviour have consistently proven not only their dedication to equine wellness, but their innovative approaches to providing knowledge and viable solutions. With the aid of scientific data collection and assessment, the UC Davis researchers determined what some of us already knew: transport related stress is a very real concern which can and does have lasting and debilitating effects on our horses. What they added to that knowledge was the medical reasoning behind what we knew, and offered valuable tools with which to help our equine friends deal with transport more effectively. An illuminating study done in 2003 focused not only on transport stress but the recovery phase, and what it took for the horses to return to a measured baseline in terms of health and wellness. The study was conducted with 15 healthy horses participating in a 24-hour run through typical California summer conditions. The horses were transported in a professional horse van specially equipped to monitor each individual, and were assessed at each rest stop (every two hours). General health was measured by white blood count, temperature and body weights. The horses averaged a six percent loss of their normal body weight during the 24-hour period; the consensus was that this loss was due to dehydration through perspiration and interruption of their normal feed schedules. It is important to note that this weight was recovered within 24 hours of post transport rest, which echoes what caring, professional carriers have been preaching for many years – each day on the road should equal at least one day of complete rest upon arrival. By measuring heart rate and cortisol levels, researchers determined stress levels specific to each individual as they encountered the various phases of transport. Unsurprisingly, cortisol levels were seen to rise steadily throughout the 24 hour period, as the horses were continually exposed to the stress of traveling. What did come as a surprise was the length of time it took for the cortisol levels to return to normal; most of the horses had measured cortisol levels far above normal even after the 24-hour rest period subsequent to the trip. As cortisol production negatively affects the immune system, as well as reproductive and other vital functions, it is safe to assume that from a general health perspective horses subjected to lengthy trips may not be completely “out of the woods” until several days later. Professional carriers who have the chance to diligently observe their equine passengers after

transport have noted that issues such as pleuropneumonia (shipping fever) can manifest several days later. This delay is likely due to increased susceptibility to infection resulting from the compromised condition of the immune system. While shipping fever is not always life threatening, it can be extremely debilitating even for healthy horses, and most certainly counterproductive to performance horses. The UC Davis study included a specific sub-focus on tying in transit, the results of which were quite predictable. It was found that horses tied while in transit showed

much higher cortisol levels than those hauled loose; suggesting that they experienced considerably higher degrees of stress and were subsequently more prone to post-transport health issues. I have preached long and often about the evils of tying in transit; horses tied in transit cannot effectively clear their airways, which vastly increases the chances of respiratory infection and can invite shipping fever. Below are some simple measures to reduce the effects of transport stress. • A healthy horse has a better chance of enduring the stress of transport than one

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PHOTO: THE BIGGLES/STOCK PHOTOS/PHOTOS.COM

above: Pleuropneumonia or shipping fever can manifest several days after transport, due to increased susceptibility to infection resulting from the compromised condition of the immune system.

already compromised with disease or other health issues. • Don’t tie unless absolutely necessary; transport loose in box stalls whenever practical. • Free access to hay and water throughout the trip helps to reduce stress. Provide quality hay, free from mold and dust, and ensure water offered is clean and easily accessible to the horse. • Frequent stops allow the horse to rest tired muscles and can help reduce overall stress effects. Stops should be long enough to allow the horse to feel secure enough to posture for urinating and to afford time to take a drink. Don’t worry if he doesn’t drink at the first few stops; I don’t get worried about drinking until we’ve been on the road for eight hours or more. • Ventilation is important at all times, but critical in summer. Experiment with your own rig to determine how best to provide constant fresh air through the trailer while moving, and how to increase airflow at rest stops. Reduce airborne dust by wetting down the bedding or misting hay bags. It is inadvisable to travel with drop-down windows in the open position on angle-haul trailers. This can be extremely uncomfortable for the horses, and also expose them to increased risk of injury from flying debris. As previously stated, never travel with both drop-down windows and bars or screens open, allowing the horse to get head and neck out of the

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

trailer while moving. • Shipping fever seldom manifests immediately after transport; symptoms include depression, lethargy, lack of appetite or going off water and nasal discharge and coughing. If your horse develops any of these signs after a long trip, call the vet right away. • Special-needs horses may require additional considerations. Before travel, discuss any unique circumstances with a competent equine vet.

Anecdotal Case Studies The following is by no means scientific, but are a very few of the real-life events I have dealt with over the years of living with, handling, and transporting horses. I hope they will help increase understanding, and perhaps some small point might come in handy one day. The First Timer: One unseasonably chilly September evening I pulled into a small farm in northern BC. I had already decided to stay the night there after asking the owners if they had stalls available for the horses I had on board. As I entered the trailer I noted that a gelding I had in a box stall was shivering violently, but couldn’t be sure if it was from the cold or from nerves. I noted that he was also perspiring, which gave me a clue that he could be experiencing a colic episode. On checking his vitals and finding nothing out of the ordinary, I called my own vet down in Langley, BC, for an emergency consultation.

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below: Poor driving techniques, rough roads, bad weather, traffic and delays all combine to make the trip more difficult for the horses on board.

Quiet Please: After loading a warmblood filly, I watched her on the closed circuit TV system from the cab of the truck and noted her spinning incessantly. She had gotten herself worked into a frenzy as the truck began to move, so I stopped at the first safe place and stepped into the trailer with her. As I removed the hay bag, I noticed the divider to her stall made more noise than it should have, and on examining it found a broken bolt on one of the support brackets. Even though the divider was still solid, it rattled loudly enough to spook the horse. A few minutes later and the repair made, the horse settled considerably. This was a simple case of noise induced stress; horses’ hearing is acutely more sensitive than ours, allowing them to detect a footfall hundreds of meters away. Couple this with their claustrophobic nature and natural aversion to the unknown and a simple rattle was all it took to drive that gal out of her mind! This illustrates the need for diligence when pre-tripping our rigs, sometimes the littlest thing can cause an enormous reaction!

He agreed that this could be a stress related issue, and had me quietly move the horse into the barn, making sure his traveling buddy was close at hand. As these two had already buddied up, the company was important to keep the horse as calm as possible. I called back to where I picked up the horse to ask for some insight into his dilemma, and they admitted this was the first time he had ever been away from home (I wish they had shared that with me beforehand). With some grooming, lots of soothing words and just quiet time, the horse settled and even managed a nap later that night. I checked his vitals every hour or so throughout the night, with particular attention to gut sounds just to rule out colic, and he came to welcome the visits with a soft nicker. The key points in this episode were that the shipper failed to inform me that the horse had never been separated from his herd-mates before, and that a call was made to a competent vet at the earliest opportunity. Food was withheld until he calmed to reduce the risk of colic, and plenty of fresh water was made available. The farm owner even warmed a bucket for him! I blanketed him with a fleece cooler I keep in the trailer just for such eventualities, which helped dry him off, preventing him from getting chilled. Prompt action dealing with this situation prevented it from becoming far worse than it could have been.

Need for Speed: A friend of mine approached me once saying his normally quiet Quarter Horse had developed a mysterious aversion to trailering. I offered a number of suggestions, including inspecting the trailer for hazards, noting weather and road conditions as possible culprits, among other hints. It wasn’t until a few months later I had occasion to ride in his trailer for a short way to monitor an injured horse he had on board. What I experienced in there for those few moments spoke volumes – not only could I not stand unaided, but the horse nearly had to resort to hanging on by his teeth to stay upright! On stepping off that trailer, I saw to the horse we had on, then took my friend aside to offer my advice quietly and calmly… even though I was more rattled than the horse was. He completely disregarded my observation, telling me I was being too sensitive and exclaimed that just because I drove like an old woman didn’t mean everyone had to. His wife overheard my admonishment, and chimed in immediately saying that she had been after him for years to take it easier when driving with the horses.

PHOTO: MANE FRAME PHOTOGRAPHY

Our own demeanour sets the stage for everything we do with our horses, including our driving when trailering. We may understand how vitally important it is to make it through that amber light, or what a travesty it is to arrive at the show ten minutes late, but the horse does not. Nor does he understand anything but the struggle he endures in maintaining balance. It only takes one instance to create a problem, but it can take many more uneventful trips to help the horse get over a bad experience. Happy Trails and Safe Motoring! b

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Kevan Garecki has spent the majority of his life both around horses and directly involved in commercial transportation. He holds numerous driving certifications, has received the BC Safety Council’s 30-Year Safe Driving Award, and is the only teacher in BC for the nationally recognized Certified Livestock Transporters program. His book, Tow Like A Pro, focusses on transporting horses in the safest manner possible with the lowest degree of stress. Tow Like a Pro is available at many fine tack stores throughout BC and Alberta, and at www.maneframe.ca.

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Riding across endless tall-grass Canadian prairie in summer sunshine, possibly through a herd of bison, was a long-term dream that drew me like an arrow to Saskatchewan. But it took the misery of a snowy six-month-long northern winter in Terrace, BC, to turn the dream into reality.

’ve been doing horse pack trips in Western Canada every summer since 2010, and initially planned a pack trip through Grasslands National Park in southwest Saskatchewan. However, water is scarce in this region. And testing the horse-friendliness of re-introduced (loose) bison while riding a green-broke four-year-old thoroughbred-cross sounded unwise. Instead, I planned day-rides in the East and West Blocks of Grasslands National Park and the western portion of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, which included tying up at the hitching rail of Fort Walsh National Historic Site — the original homestead of the Northwest Mounted Police. In late May, I was off, driving east for two days with my gelding, Robbie, in the trailer and my dog on the front seat. I crossed both the Rocky Mountain Continental Divide, which separates rivers flowing west from those

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

flowing east, and the other continental divide which splits rivers flowing south to the Gulf of Mexico from rivers flowing north to Hudson’s Bay and the Arctic Ocean. We also chased a thunderstorm, travelled over 900 km in one day, scorched through pancake-flat Brooks, Alberta, got the requisite flat tire, and saw pronghorn antelope. Our destination was The Crossing Resort, a private horsefriendly camping operation located on the boundary of Grasslands National Park. Having settled in at The Crossing, our first day-ride was out the back field of the property, down the road and up onto 70 Mile Butte on the north side of the Frenchman River valley. Locals say that it’s named “70 Mile” either because you can see for 70 miles from the top of the butte, or because it’s located 70 miles west of the historic Northwest Mounted Police Wood Mountain Post.

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above: Robbie, the author’s four-year-old thoroughbred-cross gelding, enjoys a break in the East Block Badlands of Grasslands National Park. The area is the richest resource for dinosaur fossils in Canada. Either way, as the highest point around, it provides a great view and was important to First Nations and settlers of the region. This first ride was an eye-opener. Grasslands National Park is one of North America’s largest and least disturbed tracts of northern mixed-grass prairie, and Canada’s only national prairie park. It is a dark sky preserve (an area kept free of artificial light pollution to promote astronomy), and is known for its silence. Unlike better known national parks, there are sporadic visitors, minimal albeit sufficient visitor facilities, and only the sounds of the wind and native birds. The spring flowers were small but bright, and the soil was slick after rain due to its high

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above: At rest stop for lunch in the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Robbie munches grass in an area rich with history. The area was once part of the ancient Bearpaw Sea with dinosaurs and reptiles living along its shores. Long before European settlers came to the area, aboriginal groups called the Cypress Hills home.

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clay content. The weather typically included an early sun followed by thunderstorms in the afternoon and spectacular sunsets. There are over 12,000 ancient teepee rings within the park.The nearby village of Val Marie includes an informative Parks Canada visitor centre and a well-appointed bookstore/internet café operated by the Friends of Grasslands Society. The former brick schoolhouse, convent (now a country inn) and iconic wooden grain elevator buildings are still standing. Large ranches and farms dominate the area, which in the late 1800s was known as the endpoint for the Chisholm Trail, a cattle track from Texas. The following day, due to slick road conditions, I didn’t haul my horse into Belza Campground located down in the Frenchman River valley of the West Block. Belza is a horse-friendly campsite complete with opentop pipe stalls, water, a manure bin, port-apotty, and free-roaming bison. It’s also permissible to turn hobbled horses out with the bison. Belza Campground also provides access to three day-rides which head southwest through the Broken Hills, northeast through coulees to a tree (yes, one tree!), or west to 70 Mile Butte. None of these are trails, just suggested routes which require basic route-finding skills. Having checked out the West Block, I headed over to the East Block of the park for a day-ride. The Village of Wood Mountain serves the East Block of the park. However, as it’s 180 km between the East and West Blocks on a typical Saskatchewan “highway” — a rough two-lane paved strip with no shoulder — I didn’t have time to explore the Village or see the former Northwest Mounted Police post. The East Block is known for its badland topography, which is typical of southern

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above: Established in 1875 in the heart of the Cypress Hills, Fort Walsh was the most important fort for the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) during the early years in the West. The Fort was the headquarters of the NWMP from 1878 to 1882, and from 1942 to 1968 served as a remount ranch where horses were bred for the RCMP. The iconic image of the RCMP mounted on black horses was born at Fort Walsh, and many of the horses in the RCMP Musical Ride today trace their ancestry to horses raised at the Fort.

PHOTO: TANIA MILLEN

right:: A typical Northwest Mounted Police bedroom at Fort Walsh, complete with buffalo hide bed cover.

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Alberta, but unusual in Saskatchewan. My day-ride destination was Zahursky Point, which is named after the family that homesteaded there in 1912, and is an internationally-significant area of intense erosion. It’s one of the best locations in North America to see the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary — a time 65.5 million years ago when an asteroid struck earth and dinosaurs died out. The ride itself was easy — a 10 km route along the rim and down to the bottom of the dramatically eroded Rock Creek valley. Due to persistent overnight rain, there was high potential for quicksand in the valley bottom, so I stayed along the rim enjoying the views, sky, and silence. Before the afternoon thunderstorms hit, I ventured down the access road to the McGowan visitor centre and horse-friendly Rock Creek campground. This campground has similar amenities to Belza but without the bison. It’s also surrounded by a large, unfenced, grassy grazing area where horses may be turned out with hobbles. Additionally, there’s a 16 km out-and-return trail from Rock Creek campground, which crosses Rock Creek (at a marked crossing to avoid quicksand) then continues to a viewpoint. However, with more rain in the forecast, it was time to turn the trailer around and head west to Cypress Hills. The Cypress Hills are situated on the Alberta/ Saskatchewan boundary within Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. The highest point between the Atlantic Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, these hills are ecologically and culturally important, and have their own weather systems. The park is very horse-friendly, with a large equestrian campground on Battle Creek. However, to avoid driving the park’s rain-slick gravel roads, I opted to camp at Historic Reesor Ranch, which bounds the north side of the park. The ranch has been owned and operated by the Reesor family for over 100 years, and they provide excellent facilities for campers who choose to bring their own horse (and dog).

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April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

HOLIDAY WITH YOUR HORSE

PHOTO: TANIA MILLEN

Explore the beauty of the Ganaraska Forest from the comfort of our 1870s farmhouse. Enjoy a leisurely country breakfast on the veranda, then ride or drive directly on to miles of trails. Spacious box stalls and turnout for your horses, and country hospitality for you.

above: Robbie putting hoofprints on the highest point between the Atlantic Ocean and Rocky Mountains.

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My first day-ride was up to the tops of the hills to get my bearings. I felt very comfortable in the misty weather and lodgepole pine forest, and was thrilled to come across a portion of the Trans-Canada Trail, some wild clematis and rare orchids. The following day, under sunny skies, I rode southeast on a 30 km return trip to Fort Walsh National Historic Site. The route went up to the tops, down a single-track forested trail, along Battle Creek, past the equestrian campground and through deciduous forest to the Fort. The equestrian campsite on Battle Creek

was quite substantial, with pole corrals, an extensive number of tie stalls, a large group paddock, manure pit, and access to the creek for water. Camping amenities included picnic tables, outhouses, fire rings, and potable water. The site appeared well used and I chatted with several friendly riders before continuing on to the Fort. Riding up to the Fort felt like stepping back in time — a feeling enhanced by staff who greeted us in period costumes, and who were perfectly happy to have a horse in their midst. The welcoming atmosphere makes sense, as from 1878 to 1882 the fort was

below: Our first day-ride from The Crossing Resort, a private campground on the boundary of Grasslands National Park. They say you can see 70 miles down the Frenchman River valley from 70 Mile Butte.

2013

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PHOTO: TANIA MILLEN

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which is spectacular in different ways than the mountains of the west. the headquarters of the North West Mounted Police and from 1942 to 1968 it was used to breed horses for the RCMP. But the importance of the fort in Canadian history is its role in policing Canada’s western frontier: it was built due to the Cypress Hills massacre of 1873; it was where Canada’s Indian policy was implemented; and it was where the Lakota and Sitting Bull fled after the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana in June 1876, commonly referred to as Custer’s Last Stand. Considering this history, riding into the fort and tying up to the hitching rail certainly felt like the right way to visit. As expected, entry into the Fort wasn’t free, but the staff were impressed when I produced a National Parks pass rather than paying the entry fee. (The pass is designed to hang on a rear view mirror, but I wasn’t too sure where to hang it on my horse — his ear??) During a private tour by costumed staff, I garnered an appreciation of the challenges that the mounted police faced when they first formed. I then tried — unsuccessfully — to convince the costumed RCMP officer to hop on my horse to pose for photos; however, he happily posed on foot while having his pockets nosed for treats. The ride back through the hills to Reeser Ranch allowed time for reflection on the trip. Southwest Saskatchewan is an overlooked and unique part of Canada which is spectacular in different ways than the mountains of the west. It’s also surprisingly horse-friendly, and has a variety of operations that enthusiastically embrace horseback tourists. So although it’s a long way to drive, and surprisingly sunshine isn’t guaranteed, the big skies, storms, silence, prairie landscape, and many horse-friendly places that I didn’t have time to visit will draw me back again. b Tania Millen is an avid backcountry rider, sometimes writer, and occasional environmental consultant who may be found in Terrace, BC, when not out exploring with her horses.

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HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK

On Horseback in Costa Rica BY SHAWN HAMILTON, CliXphoto.com

osta Rica may be Spanish for rich coast, but after spending time there last November, I would also describe it as diverse. Riding through rainforests, visiting volcanoes, galloping down beaches, relaxing in hot springs, listening to strange nighttime noises, touring mangrove forests, eating breakfast in a tropical paradise… the list of rich and diverse experiences goes on. Fresh fruit hand-picked moments before eating, the famous Lizano salsa to enhance the Caribbean dishes, and the aroma of some of the world’s best coffees brewing are just some of the things that awaken the senses. All of this combined with the stunning views from the saddle of a sure-footed Criollo, and this trip merits a spot on my top ten list. From the moment we stepped off the plane in the San José airport we were catered to by representatives of Costa Rican Horse Adventures. From transport to tour guide, well trained horses to homemade local food, we were

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Ali and her three-year-old Criollo riding up from the beach.

PHOTO: CLIXPHOTO.COM

pampered all the way. The knowledge our tour guide gave us about this wonderfully lush country transformed us from tourists to feeling like locals. The pace of the trip was perfectly thought out and the scenery changed on a daily basis. Ali, my travelling companion, and I met the first of our riding group, Louise, an eventer from Britain, in the horse themed Hotel Rodeo restaurant during breakfast. We encountered the rest of the group, from France, Switzerland, Luxemburg, and Ohio, in the lobby where we awaited our transport to the ranch. Everyone sported

riding gear and it was obvious to me that we had a team of riding vacation junkies amongst us. “Perfect!” I thought to myself, “This should be good.” Our transportation arrived and our guide Hector, a round, jolly figure, jumped out to greet us, speaking perfect English. We loaded our gear in the small bus and began our adventure by stopping in the small town of Orotina for coffee and snacks. I was drawn to the glowing colours of the fresh fruit in the town’s market. A stand owner offered me a small red spikey fruit he calls mammon, similar to a lychee, and my taste buds came alive.

above: Riding on the ranch at la Ensenada, with Estelle in the foreground, Jane Winter behind, and Christophe in the lead.

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PHOTO: ALI DENURE

below: The author double riding with Stanley just before swimming off the horse in the river.

PHOTO: CLIXPHOTO.COM

right: Dawn gallops down the beach on El Negro behind the horse that Stanley is ponying.

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Arriving at Ranch Cienfuegos (“Cienfuegos” means 100 fires), we were served watermelon and lemonade before being introduced to our mounts. Stanley, our wrangler for this portion of the trip, showed off his Paso Fino cross performing a passage. The horses tied to the fence awaiting their riders were sporting decent trail saddles. I am presented with Rayo (Spanish for “lightning”), a chestnut Criollo. Ali is given an unnamed three-year-old Criollo grey — hers to name if she cares to take it on. After a brief orientation on how to stop and turn, Stanley led us straight into the woods where orchids and cacti grow as parasites on the trees. A small river crossing was deep with mud and we each took turns getting our horses across. Long vines that hung from the trees had taken root in the dirt below, and provided added support for the tree. A thick-kneed bird didn’t pay us too much attention as we passed. There were cows roaming on the property so gates needed to be opened and closed. During our four hour ride though the lush forest we passed many majestic Guanacaste trees, the national tree of Costa Rica. We arrived at Maravilla, a quaint hacienda, with fruit bearing trees, a pool in the back, and a hammock on the front porch. We dismounted and headed into the small house where lunch, a typical Caribbean meal of rice, beans, and pork, awaited. Our afternoon ride took us to a lookout area for sunset. Two red macaws flew by, howler monkeys peered out from the branches of a tree, and the lowering sun reflected off a rainbow above… there was something spectacular in every direction. After changing from our riding gear to our bathing suits, we grabbed drinks and cooled off in the pool. Some of the guests were staying in the Maravilla, but Ali and I, along with the French contingent, were whisked off to Cerro Lodge, situated on the edge of the Carara National Park. Arriving in the dark, we found our airconditioned rooms and dozed off to sleep. The morning light revealed the colourful gardens of a tropical paradise designed to lure birds. Breakfast in the open restaurant found us surrounded by their harmonic songs. When we arrived at Maravilla, Stanley was busy shoeing a horse. After mounting up, we headed down the road and stopped alongside a field of cantaloupe. Hector motioned to the men working in the field who gave a few samples to Stanley. Rayo tried to eat it from Stanley’s hand as he cut it up and passed me a piece. The flesh of the fruit was juicy and delicious, so pure. I was beginning to fall in love with this country and getting a sense of the “Rica” in Costa Rica. The sounds of the surf echoed as the blue water came into view. An uphill climb revealed the coast below. After carefully descending on the rocky and steep trail, we reached the flat black sand beach at low tide. The horses were anxious to go and we opened up into a full gallop. I hung on and enjoyed the ride! After we stopped for a drink in a small beach cantina, our Maravilla chef showed up with a picnic for us. When we returned, I was quick to put my horse away and change to my bathing suit to cool off in the pool with

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above: The howler monkeys that woke us at La Ensenada. The largest of the New World monkeys, they are named for their cacophonous cries which are often heard at dawn or dusk, and carry for up to five kilometres.

above: The Arenal volcano was Costa Rica’s most active volcano until 2010, and one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. Its last major eruption was in July, 1968, which killed 87 people and buried three small villages.

a glass of wine. The chicken and beef tacos served for dinner were accompanied by a famous local salsa they call Lizano. I couldn’t seem to get enough of it, and made a mental note to buy a large bottle of it to take home. The next day, after a side trip to a bridge crossing the Tárcoles River to spot crocodiles, we headed out for our ride. Stanley slashed thick grass with his machete to clear the trail leading to a wide river. Streaks of sunlight peeked through the trees as the current washed over the horses’ legs. I lifted my feet high to keep them dry. Stopping in the shade we dismounted to examine the tangled roots of a giant strangler fiscus tree. Stanley found the perfect place to take a nap in the cradling roots. There was some interesting fungus growing from

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

the tree and bats were spotted hanging in a crevice. Such abundance of life everywhere. Leading uphill from the river, the path was blocked by a fallen tree. Stanley dismounted and used his machete vigorously to chop us a trail. The overgrown marsh was laden with giant leaves and beautiful bird of paradise flowers in full bloom. I inhaled the scent of lime from the citronella leaves. A kingfisher swooped past as we headed through a bamboo forest near a pond laden with large lily pads. We rode through orange and mango orchards before returning to Maravilla for lunch. A siesta in the hammock was a necessity for some, while others simply chilled by the pool, sipping on cas juice made from the fruit of the guava tree in the yard. After a short sunset ride in the afternoon, we returned early to Cerro Lodge in order to get a good night’s sleep, before the 5am start of our bird watching session with local tour guide, Jean Jacques. Jean Jacques led us to an area within the park where we witnessed a pair of colourful macaws fighting, a yellow-breasted tropical kingbird, and a Caracara, which is a bird of prey of the falcon family. With his spotting scope, we were able to see these birds in close detail. After breakfast, we headed back to Maravilla to mount up for our last day’s ride in this area. We rode past Stanley’s small plantation where he took us on an agricultural tour, showing off his papayas, squash, oranges, beans, and luffas. Heading into the woods and down a very steep bank, we eventually arrived at a wide river bed where the

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above: Ready for lunch at Maravilla. L-R: Dawn (USA), Jane and William Winter (UK), British, Ali (Canada), Mireiile and Christophe (France), Estelle (France), Stephanie (Luxemburg), and Louise (England). left: Christophe on Amazonia leads the way out of the river and up the bank.

current appeared to be quite strong. We changed into our bathing suits, and each of us rode double with Stanley on his horse for a swim. Just as the horse got deep enough to start swimming, we slid off and were swept downstream by the cool, refreshing current. It was invigorating and fun — I couldn’t stop laughing until I got a mouthful of water. After drying off, we changed back into our riding apparel and rode to Ranch Cienfuegos, where it all began. The thirst-quenching guarapo, a lemonade made of sugar cane juice, lime, and cooked brown sugar, refreshed us. We said good-bye to Stanley and our Cienfuegos mounts, and hopped in the van to head to the famous Arenal volcano. It was dark when we arrived to our new hotel in Arenal, and we enjoyed the cool breeze as we walked to a local restaurant for dinner. Waking to the morning sounds of birds, I wandered outside to discover a gorgeous garden with a spectacular view of the volcano. We started the day with a five-star tour from Hector in a protected rainforest reserve called El Silencio. Within a short walk, we found spider monkeys, ferns that the dinosaurs would have eaten, a white hawk, a river turtle, brush monkeys, and an exotic tropical flower called Heliconia. Hector pointed out the eyelash viper Heliconia, aptly named after the bright yellow eyelash viper snake that is camouflaged by the flower as he awaits a hummingbird to collect the flower’s nectar. Hector also showed us the candlestick plant, which is pollinated by bats. Lunch was served in the nearby Paradise Hot Springs where we basked in the warm, soothing water. I sipped white wine poolside and

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right: Mireille on Grillo and Christophe on Amazonia ride past the bamboo trees in the forest with guide Hector close behind.

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listened to the cascading falls. On arrival at our destination, La Ensenada Lodge, the sky was glowing with reds and oranges as the sun fell below the horizon. Dinner was served in the outdoor thatched roof restaurant. Ali and I headed for our cabin and dozed off into a deep sleep… until both of us quickly snapped awake and looked at each other. “What was that?!” It was the deep cry of howler monkeys at four in the morning outside our window. We grabbed a flashlight and looked into the tree outside our room to see their huge silhouettes prowling in the branches. I returned to bed until dawn’s first light, then snuck out to grab a photo of them. Their calls were returned from a distance. The sounds of horses’ hooves making their way to the barn echoed in the cool morning air. After breakfast and an early morning swim in the pool, we met our new herd of horses. I am given a grey named Canello, the male version of canela (cinnamon). Ali is given a gorgeous buckskin. They are primarily Criollo Quarter Horse crosses and look very healthy. Our vaqueros, Alvin and Chollo, led the way through the cattle

fields (the ranch raises bulls for rodeo riding and meat). We stopped briefly at a small pond to watch a heron, a roseate spoonbill (spatula bird), and an anhinga (snakebird). The open fields were perfect for nice long canters. After lunch, we rode through the small town and met many of the locals. Children came up to pet the horses. Arriving at the lookout just in time for sunset, we dismounted to enjoy the view. Our long shadows followed us home. The next morning began with rides through green and golden teak forests. We spotted some spider monkeys on the way and passed a pond with two white ibisses (a medium-sized wading bird), a great egret, and a tiger heron with a fish in his mouth. We rode to the salt flats where salt was harvested. As we headed back to the ranch through town, we rode past the local clothing store, which had a mannequin out front sporting the latest fashion. Riding past a school, the kids’ soccer ball was kicked out of the field and landed in front of me. I rode Canello right up to the ball and he kicked it, to appreciative giggles from the schoolyard. After a few more canters in the

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www.ride-n-drive.com • info@ride-n-drive.com above: The author shoots a self-portrait in the tangled roots of a strangler ficus tree on the river ride from Maravilla. lush green fields with blue sky above, it was back to the ranch for lunch and an afternoon mangrove boat tour. From an open boat gliding silently through the mangroves, we spotted iguanas, ospreys with fish in their mouths, three types of crabs, a blue heron, and a white ibis among other creatures. The ride was winding down and we shared a few bottles of wine as Hector taught us some salsa moves. The next morning we rode to the local beach, tied up the horses and enjoyed a refreshing salt water swim. The weather had been spectacular for us the entire week. On the ride back, I stopped to buy some local ice cream from a man on a bicycle cart on the street. He handed me the cup of shaved ice, syrup, and condensed milk. It is quite the treat. After lunch, we said our goodbyes yet again and headed off to San José, where we stayed our final night before heading to the airport and going our separate ways. We have only skimmed the tip of the iceberg as far as seeing the whole country, yet I cannot believe everything we experienced; Around every corner there was something spectacular to look at, and fascinating to learn from our amazing guide, Hector. As our riding family parted and we went our separate ways, we knew it wasn’t good-bye, it was “Hasta la vista,” or until next time. And for the record, Ali named her horse Cashew. Wishing you all a Pura Vida! b For more information on Costa Rican Horse Adventures, visit: www.costaricanhorseadventures.com www.facebook.com/costaricanhorseadventures

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www.HORSEJournals.com April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

NEW & NOTEWORTHY PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZING BACKCOUNTRY

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next ride - it’s a great excuse to try out a new trail – then track your hides and finds in your Amazing Backcountry account. Amazing Backcountry started off as a geocaching based equine fundraiser for STARS Air Ambulance, and the site now has the ability to host multiple fundraisers that members can opt to participate in. Any horse-related, not-for-profit organization or group can set up an account on the Amazing Backcountry website and promote their cause. For more information, please visit www.amazingbackcountry.net, or email nicker@amazingbackcountry.net.

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www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

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TOTAL EQUINE

Judith Graile is the lead trainer and owner of Parkland Ranch School of Gentle & Natural Horsemanship and Guest Ranch outside of Inglis, Manitoba, where she relocated from Germany in 2007. Riding since she was 10, and training professionally for 15 years, Judith draws from her education under Monty Roberts and Jean- François Pignon, combined with mental integrity techniques developed during her career as a professional skydiver, to deliver a gentle and natural training experience that is distinctly her own. When she isn’t training horses, Judith is training apprentices and horse owners, teaching them to apply her techniques to improve communication and to become horse trainers themselves. Since she moved to Canada, Judith and Parkland Ranch are also active rescuers of horses (and the occasional dog), with fully half of her herd populated by rescued horses. In her spare time, Judith oversees the day-to-day operations of a working guest ranch which caters to guests from across North America and overseas, while maintaining the health and well-being of its many two and four-legged inhabitants. For more information about Judith and Parkland Ranch, please visit www.parkland-ranch.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PARKLAND RANCH

Get saddled up because there is a new game in town! Amazing Backcountry (online at www.amazingbackcountry. net) provides a wealth of online and real life activities for you and your horse, offering an “equine-flavoured” twist on the typical social network. Sign up for free and as a member, you can share stories about yourself and your horses; invite other riders to join your “Cavvy” or network of friends; join conversations in the Round Pen forum; chat online and send messages to other members; and browse entertaining and educational articles in the Library. The Trail Guide is the only online, user-updatable database capable of cataloguing information and photos of every riding trail, staging area, equine friendly campground and park in the world. After a trail ride, share photos and stories of your experience. Amazing Backcountry is also the first service providing equine-only geocaching, a fun pursuit in which riders hide and find caches - sealed containers that can contain a variety of items - along the trails they ride. Plan to hide and find caches on your

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Market your properties in Country Homes & Acreages. April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

CANADIAN THERAPEUTIC RIDING ASSOCIATION NEWS

Volunteers are THE BEST! National Volunteer Week – April 6-12, 2014 – is a time to recognize, celebrate and thank Canada’s 13.3 million volunteers. Wow! That’s a trillion volunteer hours. As a registered charity, CanTRA operates almost entirely on volunteers. Six of them (our Zone Chairs) provide the important

dual function of regional liaison and ambassador for CanTRA. They bring a CanTRA presence to every province of this far-flung land. While they deserve recognition in their own right, they represent thousands of other therapeutic riding volunteers who help CanTRA and all its member centres in every province.

Zone 1 (BC, YT)

Zone 2 (AB, NT)

SANDRA EVANS has been Zone 1 Chair since 2005. She is a CanTRA Coach and Examiner with over 35 years of experience with horses. Therapeutic riding combines her love for horses and teaching with the world of disabilities. She strives to help each individual reach their full potential. Sandra currently serves on the CanTRA board.

LINDA RAULT has been Zone 2 Chair for so many years that she cannot remember when she started. “I feel very fortunate to have met so many wonderful individuals and horses throughout the years,” she says. Linda is a CanTRA Instructor and currently the only CanTRA Coach and Examiner in Alberta.

Zone 3 (SK, MB, NU)

Zone 4 (ON)

CATHERINE SNEATH has been in the Zone 3 Chair position since 2007. She is also a CanTRA Instructor and Equine Canada Coach. Her therapeutic riding journey began in 2000 in Regina and, since retiring, she has continued to share her experience through mentoring trainee instructors and promoting CanTRA in her region.

NANCI PICKEN is Zone 4 Chair and CanTRA’s Education Coordinator for its instructor certification and centre accreditation programs. She is a CanTRA Instructor, Coach and Examiner, as well as an Equine Canada judge and steward. She is also a past CanTRA board member. She puts her life-long experience with horses to good use for CanTRA.

Zone 5 (QC)

Zone 6 (NB, NS, PE)

ELIANE TREMPE is fluently

SALLIE MURPHY has been Zone 6 Chair for 15 years and loves it, seeing those in her region as a large family. She says, “Our relative isolation means we have to rely on each other to make things happen, and we try to share the workload.” Sallie is a CanTRA Intermediate Instructor and runs a therapeutic riding centre in Halifax, NS.

bilingual, essential for Zone 5 Chair covering the province of Québec. She is a CanTRA Instructor, runs a therapeutic riding centre, and has served since 2005 on the CanTRA board. In 2009, she hosted the first CanTRA Conference to be held in Québec. “Therapeutic riding is not only a job for me, it’s a way of life,” she says.

For more information on CanTRA and its member centres, visit www.cantra.ca, or email ctra@golden.net 70

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

BY DAPHNE DAVEY

Please make a difference to a child or adult with a disability by donating to CanTRA at www.cantra.ca or www.CanadaHelps.org

ONTARIO EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION EQUINEWS BY MELISSA KOSOWAN

OEF Youth Bursary Recipients Get a Leg Up to Pursue Their Equestrian Goals The Ontario Equestrian Federation (OEF) is pleased to present seven juniors from across the province with $1000 through the OEF Youth Bursary program to help them reach their equestrian goals. “This is such a deserving group of young horse people, and we are thrilled to be able to help them with their equestrian endeavours,” says Dianne Graham, executive director of the OEF. “Supporting the next generation of riders is very important to us, and we’re confident these young riders are going to go on to do great things.” Each year, the OEF distributes a minimum of five $1000 bursaries to youth based on their involvement with horses, their future goals, as well as letters of recommendations from their coaches. Family resources and academic achievements are also considered. The bursaries can be used towards riding lessons, clinics, competition fees, continuing education, and other activities that will help them develop their skills. The 2014 OEF Youth Bursary recipients include:

Chelsea Dernederlanden

Charlotte Jones-Whitehead

Although she’s only 16 years old, Chelsea Dernederlanden has big goals to become the best rider she can be. The St. Catharines resident has been riding for the past decade and spent her early years helping out at barns to gain more experience and supplement the weekly riding lessons her parents provided her with. While working twice a week at an eventing stable, she completed her Learn to Ride levels 1-3 and plans to use her youth bursary money to complete more testing so she can apply for her English Instructor of Beginners certification. Chelsea currently works at a stable in exchange for a part-lease of one of their horses and hopes to show on the Trillium circuit this season – a goal the OEF Youth Bursary will help make possible. Chelsea strives to be a mentor for young riders at her stable, and has also demonstrated her compassion for horses by raising money for Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue, an equine charity.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OEF

Chelsea Dernederlanden

Rachel Pietracupa

event last summer, where they placed fifth. While Charlotte babysits and helps at the barn wherever possible, money for lessons is tight. The money she received through the OEF Youth Bursary will allow her to continue her lessons and work towards competing in a few events this year.

Charlotte Jones-Whitehead

Rachel Pietracupa

Toronto resident Charlotte Jones-Whitehead has been riding for four years and travels to a stable over an hour from her home twice a week for riding lessons. The 15-year-old aspiring eventer has been working hard for the past year with Montana, a Welsh Cob mare she rides at lessons. They have worked their way up from Pre-Entry and Entry-level short courses and finished their first full

At 17 years of age, Rachel Pietracupa already has a long list of achievements and an even longer list of goals. Although she only started riding about a year ago, Rachel is already planning on testing her skills with the Learn to Ride program and dreams of one day owning her own horse. Rachel’s love of horses is matched only by her love of helping others reach their own personal goals. In 2012, she began volunteering for

April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

ONTARIO EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION EQUINEWS BY MELISSA KOSOWAN

Heidi Sloan

the Equestrian Association for the Disabled (TEAD) and has since logged almost 400 hours cleaning, grooming, tacking up, side walking and leading horses. Rachel plans on using her bursary to become a CanTRA certified therapeutic riding instructor so she can make it her life’s work to put smiles on the faces of therapeutic riders.

Heidi Sloan started taking lessons nine years ago and hasn’t looked back. Since climbing in the saddle for the first time, the 16-year-old has dabbled in Western pleasure, gaming, dressage, eventing and currently rides hunter on a mare she part-leases. Working tirelessly to improve her skills, in the past year Heidi has progressed to jumping a 2’6” course and plans on using her youth bursary for riding lessons in order to continue to develop her skills. The Spencerville resident has never had the opportunity to participate in a clinic and hopes to change that this year thanks to the OEF Youth Bursary she received. She also has her eye on a new saddle to replace the well-worn model she’s currently making do with.

Xavier Sagan Borsato Sixteen-year-old Xavier Sagan Borsato of Brampton isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and help out around the barn. His introduction to horses started two years ago when he would accompany his mom when she went to ride a horse she part-boarded. While she rode, he would muck stalls, clean tack and do anything else that needed to be done. When he passed her “test” to see if he was willing to do the less glamorous jobs associated with horses, he graduated to riding. But it wasn’t until the elderly barn owner was badly injured in an accident that Xavier’s true colours shone. With no staff to keep the barn running, Xavier came out every day after school to help with chores. In return, he was given the opportunity to ride a horse named Crown. They have made great progress and have grown together as a team, but Xavier would like to take his riding to the next level. He plans to put his youth bursary towards more riding lessons with his coach and hopes to take Crown to horse shows off property.

Michaela Tribble For 17-year-old Michaela Tribble of Keswick, riding is her outlet, the barn is her sanctuary and her horse is her best friend. Michaela started riding about seven years ago and has competed at the Trillium level, but she always dreamed of owning her own horse. In August 2012, after saving up enough money, her dream came true when she bought Princess. When Michaela’s mom died last year, her life was turned upside down. The barn where she had spent so much time with her mother became her refuge. Determined to keep the dream alive, every cent she makes at her job goes towards paying for Princess. Receiving an OEF Youth Bursary will allow Michaela to start saving for her post-secondary education and she also plans on using some of the money for riding lessons to develop her skills.

Gabriela Varela

Heidi Sloan

Xavier Sagan Borsato

www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Michaela Tribble

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OEF

Gabriela Varela

Gabriela Varela has been riding for the past 10 years and spends every spare moment at the barn. The 16-yearold from Brampton has a long history of volunteering. For many years she assisted her stable with its summer camp program, including caring for the program’s horses, helping campers with chores and preparing for lessons. At the stable where she currently rides, she helps out with chores almost every weekend and is always willing to assist with whatever is needed. As a competitor, Gabriela shows sportsmanship and a genuine passion for the sport, and always puts her horse first. Gabriela plans to purchase a new riding helmet with her youth bursary funds and will use the remainder to continue taking riding lessons and perhaps attend a few horse shows, too.

For more information on the OEF or its Youth Bursary program, visit www.horse.on.ca.

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Deadline to place Photo Ads or Classified Ads in the May issue is April 15th. Index to Advertisers Abby Saddle Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Advantage Trailer Sales . . . . . . . . . . 43 AFAB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Alberta Carriage Supply . . . . . . . . . . 35 Alberta West Trailers . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Alchimist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Alfa Tec Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Allan Dale Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Amazing Backcountry Horse Riders Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Anchor D Guiding & Outfitting . . . 55 Annaharvey Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Bar None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Bar W Guest Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Buckeye Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Canadian Horse Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . .1, 74, Inside B/Cover Castle Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Cavalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 CF Fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Chestnut Equestrian Consulting . . 64 Chevy Silverado . . . . . . Inside F/Cover Chrysler - Dodge Ram . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Cloverdale Pharmasave . . . . . . . . . . 44 Country Homes & Acreages . . . . .69 Dubarry of Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Ecolicious Equestrian . . . . . . . . . . . 37 EcoNets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Equiade Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Equine Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Ferris Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 First Place Feeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Foothills Sharpening Service . . . . . 57 Fraser Ace Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Gray’s Auction Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Greenhawk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Hansma Cutting Horses . . . . . . . . . . 67 Herbs for Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 HiQual West. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Horse Council BC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Horse Store, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 HORSEJournals.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Integrated Bio Systems . . . . . . . . . . 41 Intercity Insurance Services. . . . . . . 53 John Deere - PrairieCoast . . . . . . . . 31 Jonathan Field Horsemanship. . . . . 64 Just Add Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Kastle Rock Gypsy Farm . . . . . . . . . . 55 Keepsake Gypsy Vanners . . . . . . . . . 59 Kendal Hills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Kiaora Stables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Kubota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Landucci, Ali - Sotheby’s Realty . . . 69 LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Lucasia Ranch Vacations . . . . . . . . . 51 Mane Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Muck Boots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Myristol Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Neogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Newbert Equine Services . . . . . . . . 36 OnceUponA Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Otter Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Paddock,The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Parkland Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Purica . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Outside B/Cover Queen Margaret’s School . . . . . . . . . 51 Rescue 100 Foundation . . . . . . . . . . 74 Ride N Drive Horse Supplies. . . . . . 67 Robertson Building Systems . . . . . . . .9 Robin Duncan Photography. . . . . . . 53 Robinson Buick GMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Schleese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Seablend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 ShockerHitches.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Stampede Tack & Western Wear . . 36 Star-Gro-Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Strathcona Bedding . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Tom Balding Bits and Spurs. . . . . . . 37 UFA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Vantage Trailer Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Vetoquinol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Victoria Saddlery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Wild Deuces Retreats & Outfitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Woodguard Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Wrayton Transport Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Zoetis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

April 2014 • Canadian Horse Journal

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Standardbred Breeders Suing Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation

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BY OHRIA In March 2012, then-finance minister Dwight Duncan announced the province was ending the slots-at-racetracks revenue-sharing program, which provided the horse racing industry with a 20 percent cut of slots money. The decision left horse breeders reeling and sent the price of yearlings falling. Premier Kathleen Wynne has since said she thinks the decision of her predecessor, Dalton McGuinty, was wrong. The Ontario Harness Horse Association briefly flirted with the idea of a lawsuit, but a law firm advised them against it. “From the racing side, we were slashed more than half of our race days and our purse money has been cut,” board director Peter Core said. “However, (the province has) kept racing going, so at the end of the day, how much compensation can you have versus the cost of the fight?” Core said he thinks the breeders have a good case. “It’s a three-to-five-year business plan that you make an investment for, and they were chopped off at the legs without warning to make adjustments to their business plan.” The statement of claim says in October 2011, both the OLG and the province, through the Ontario Racing Commission, represented to Standardbred horse breeders that the revenue-sharing program would continue on a long-term basis, despite the parties knowing otherwise. Only a few months later, OLG and the province announced the termination of the program. OLG has yet to file a statement of defence.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARABIAN HORSE ASSOCIATION OF EASTERN ONTARIO

PHOTO: INEKE HUIZING/FLICKR

Standardbred horse breeders across the province are suing the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., seeking $65 million in damages for the way the racetrack slots revenue-sharing program was cancelled. The notice of claim was filed in Guelph, Ontario, on Monday, March 10. Walter Parkinson, president of the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association, said the lawsuit is a result of how the Ontario government and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. have treated Standardbred breeders over the past two years. “A great deal of harm has been forced upon Standardbred breeders in the province, as well as their employees and their communities. Over the past two years, we as the Standardbred breeders have tried very hard to achieve some kind of fair compensation, but to this point and time, government has refused even though it paid over $80 million to racetrack owners,” he said. “It’s certainly not a step Standardbred breeders wanted to take, and we tried very hard to avoid it.”

Peter Cameron Honored with 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award BY SHANTELLE ROBERTS Acclaimed judge Peter Cameron was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Arabian Professional Amateur Horsemen’s Association annual banquet in Scottsdale Arizona on February 23, 2014. Cameron has been involved in equestrian sport for over 60 years as a highly respected judge and clinician. He has judged a total of 885 horse shows in his career at venues such as the Quarter Horse Congress, Quarter Horse World Show, Arabian Nationals and Spruce Meadows. This is the first time a judge or a Canadian has won the award, which resulted in Mr. Cameron being inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame. 76 www.HORSEJournals.com • April 2014

Peter Cameron receives the Lifetime Achievement Award at the at the Arabian Professional Amateur Horsemen’s Association annual banquet.

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Advertising that WORKS! CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL ... “We have received terrific feedback from advertising in the Canadian Horse Journal and will continue to include it in our marketing plan.”

Ali Landucci, Real Estate Agent, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, CHJ Advertiser

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E-NEWSLETTERS... “We are getting a good response. Orangeville is sold out, and we are about half way to filling the Ottawa clinic.” Higher Trails Equine Assisted Learning, E-newsletter Advertiser

Horse Community Journals Inc., publishers of

1-800-299-3799 or 250-655-8883 • sales@horsejournals.com • www.HORSEJournals.com

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