ESDCTA MAGAZINE
COLLECTIVE REMARKS
WWW.ESDCTA.ORG September 2021
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Table of Contents 11
Horse Treats
President’s Message
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News from Outside the Ring
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The Amateur Dilemma
Patience in the Name of the Game with Young (All) Horses
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ESDCTA Dressage Rules and Award Requirements
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ESDCTA Grants
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An Open Letter to All My Trainers – Thank you!
COLLECTIVE REMARKS
While it’s back to school time for kids, maybe it’s time to get back to school for us and our horses too. Now that the heat and humidity of summer is largely behind us, riding will become much more enjoyable again. You’re never too old to learn something new, and as we all know, learning with horses is a continual, never-ending lifetime process. Both the USDF and USEA have many educational videos and articles for your endless enjoyment and learning experience, so take advantage of the many opportunities out there. Last fall I bought a young horse, now 7, that is providing me with an infinite set of challenges and the opportunity to jump on that never-ending training and learning process. I knew when I bought him that I wanted a project, and his greenness would give me new learning experiences, as well as test my patience at times. But I’m thoroughly enjoying taking it slowly, and occasionally looking back to last November when I bought him and reveling in the progress we’ve made in the last 9 months. There is a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing you’ve helped educate your horse, as well as yourself. I hope everyone has a wonderful autumnal equinox, your horses stay happy and healthy, and you make great leaps in your training and learning.
President
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Board of Trustees OFFICERS
Phone only before 9 p.m. please
President
Holly Cornell
president@esdcta.org
732.208.8715
Vice President
Ellen Brindle-Clark
vicepresident@esdcta.org
609.351.1054
Secretary
Ruth McCormick
secretary@esdcta.org
201.240.4505
Treasurer
Betty Adduci
treasurer@esdcta
610.564.9169
3340 Curley Ct, Mullins SC 29574 Executive Board Dressage at Large
Jena Rondinelli
datlargeMAL@esdcta.org
732.814.1117
Eventing at Large
Jennifer Duelfer
eatlargeMAL@esdcta.org
732.598.3077
Dressage Competitions
Dr. Lisa Toaldo
dressage@esdcta.org
201.874.0373
Eventing Competitions
Janice Pellegrino
eventing@esdcta.org
Marketing
Erin Gale
marketing@esdcta.org
Membership
Vacant
membership@esdcta.org
Membership
Heidi Lemack
membership@esdcta.org
609.306.8221
Finance
Gary Maholic
finance@esdcta.org
215.489.1557
Education
Victoria Shilton
education@esdcta.org
6093511054
Youth
Stephanie Warner
youth@esdcta.org
NJEAB Representative
Carolyn Montgomery
crunner141@comcast.net
Awards
Becky Kuc
awards@esdcta.org
Calendars/Activities
Mia Zimmerman
activities@esdcta.org
Grants
Holly Cornell
grants@esdcta.org
Equipment
Wilma Pfeffer
dressage@esdcta.org
OFF BOARD COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Newsletter
Meredith Rogers
newsletter@esdcta.org
Vacant
nominations@esdcta.org
Omnibus
Mia Zimmerman
calendar@esdcta.org
Show Results
Lori Kelly
results@esdcta.org
Nominating
Become a friend of the ESDCTA on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @ESDCTA 4
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CROSS COUNTRY... News Across Our Region COMMUNITY NEWS
Milestone
If you’re reading this, you are probably a member of ESDCTA, but I’m sure you know of someone who rides dressage or events who is not a member. You know all about the wonderful things offered like educational programs, clinics with big name trainers, horse shows, year-end awards, and not least, that sense of being part of a community of likeminded people. The more members ESDCTA has, the better the programs we can offer. Our membership numbers are also important considerations when state and local governments decide on legislature that affects us (like open space), and we advocate for our sports (We helped get better footing at the HPNJ). Please reach out to your equestrian buddies and tell them about all of the benefits of membership and have them sign up. The more the merrier!
Please Contact Linda Marciante if you know any ESDCTA members who have achieved any Milestones. Success at a show, regional/national/international award, new horse, or anything else you want to celebrate.
WHAT’S YOUR TALENT?? Let us know what you would like to help us with in 2021. All skills and interests wanted. Have an idea? We want to hear about it. Remember, this club is what YOU make it. Contact president@esdcta.org if you are interested.
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Have a great article that you would like to share? Please send article to: Meredith Rogers: newsletter@esdcta.org All submissions are due by the 15th of the month. Due to space considerations, the editor reserves the right to edit submitted articles. If necessary, articles will be edited and returned for your review. AND YOU GET VOLUNTEER HOUR FOR EACH STORY!
e-mail: lindalbbf@gmail.com
MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS For membership questions including updating physical or e-mail addresses please contact: Heidi Lemack membership@esdcta.org
2021 ADVERTISING RATES
MEMBER NON-MEMBER FULL PAGE $100 $130 HALF PAGE $65 $85 QUARTER PAGE $40 $60 BUSINESS CARD $20 $30 CARD FOR 3 MONTHS $45 $65 CLASSIFIEDS $10 $15 Deadline: 15th of prior month Email: newsletter@esdcta.org Please have electronic ads in Adobe PDF or .jpg format
You will receive an invoice for ad via email. Send Payment to: Betty Adduci 3340 Curley Ct, Mullins, SC 29574 Email: treasurer@esdcta.org
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The Amateur Dilemma By, Meredith Rogers
You know that saying about the best laid plans…I always plan to keep my horses forever, dreaming about training them up the levels all the way to Grand Prix and then after all of those years, finding someone who will lease them and learn from them. Well…it sort of worked with PJ. We got to second level, not Grand Prix. After buying Leo, I was able to find PJ a lease. I was grateful for her financial support and she did love him and definitely learned from him, but she wasn’t as present as I was hoping. That left me with two horses to take care of, which was just too much with a full time job and the rest of life. I was feeling guilty all the time because on some days I rushed through brushing Leo to be able to do something with PJ, and on other days I couldn’t do anything with PJ and his sad eyes when I took his brother out of his stall and just threw him a treat was just too much. Yes, I’m anthropomorphizing, but you get the point. I always knew the lease wouldn’t last forever, and this summer we agreed to end it for a variety of reasons. She was great and gave me plenty of notice, but I still panicked. I could not afford two horses, especially at the board rate at my current show barn. However, since I knew this day would come, I had been thinking about the next chapter in PJ’s life for a while. Selling him was not an option because he had given me so much I owed him a safe and happy rest of his life. One choice was total retirement, but I didn’t think he was there yet and the logistics of him being somewhere else wouldn’t help anything. My trainer was very helpful and arranged for a trainer-friend of hers to consider him for one or more of her students. That was definitely a good option and she was ready to take him. But, I had also reached out to a few therapeutic riding programs. I think I’ve always considered therapy horse to be his ideal job, and have subconsciously worked with him since I got him with that in mind. Things like reaching under his belly, wiggling in the saddle, and hugging him, etc. I had just thought he was too big at 16.3 hh. Turns out, these programs teach a lot of adults and need bigger horses. I found a great program that came out, tried PJ and loved him. I brought him down there last month and breathed a sigh of relief. I was sad and nervous to leave him there because he has never lived anywhere else or with anyone else taking care of him. I didn’t want him to feel abandoned. Be I knew he was in the perfect place. They are kind people who know what they are doing. The program is amazing – I got to watch a lesson and it was obvious how the horses helped the kids.
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Of course, he is in training and could flunk out. He’s never seen wheelchairs or people who don’t move the way the rest of us move, and who may be loud. They throw balls back and forth from the ground to the riders, and use flags and other props. It’s a lot for a horse, even Saint PJ, to take in. If it doesn’t work out, I get him back, which is both comforting and scary. As for my schedule, I can now give Leo my full attention when I’m at the barn, and the rest of life has become a bit easier. Fingers crossed… I was surprised that there were so many of these programs around. If you or someone you know could benefit from therapeutic riding, check out one of these programs, or considering donating. • Compassionate Friends (where PJ went): Home (www.cftrc.org) • Kaleidoscope: KaleidoScope Therapeutic Riding Program (https://kaleidoscope-tr.com/) • Unicorn: Unicorn Therapeutic Riding (https://unicornriding.com/) • HorseSense: Therapeutic riding | HorseSense Therapeutic Center | United States (https://www.horsesensenj.com/) • Pegasus: Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy | Therapeutic Riding in Philadelphia for people with Disabilities (https://www.pegasusridingacademy.com/) • Special Equestrians: Home » Special Equestrians http://www.specialequestrians.org/ • And others…
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Patience in the Name of the Game with Young (All) Horses By Paige Zimmerman
Throughout the summer and over the past years, I’ve been lucky enough to watch my trainer Olivia Steidle work with young and developing horses in her program. There are two that I’d like to talk about: Flying Colors aka “Muppet”, who is now 7, and For Amour, who turned 4 earlier this year. Both horses are owned by Brenda Curnin, who also owns Ducati (the horse that I have had the pleasure of working with the past few years). I have enjoyed seeing the process that Olivia uses to work with the young horses and hope that one day (many, many years in the future) I will be capable enough to develop young horses myself. I was Olivia’s working student when Muppet came to the barn as a gangly 4 year old and it has been fun to see her go from Training level to 3rd/4th level. I enjoyed watching the consistent development of the horse in a way that didn’t seem rushed or forced, as she took a while to fully mature. They aren’t machines and sometimes they take a little while longer than you’d expect to fully develop strength, especially for showing. Lately, just over the last few weeks, Muppet is working on a higher level of pushing power and uphill engagement. She is starting to develop the idea for passage and her shoulders have become even freer, which has also in turn improved the quality of her flying changes. These are all concepts that we’ve just started working on with Ducati too: asking for more power and uphill push while maintaining a proper length of neck to reach out for the bridle. Seeing Olivia work through the same concepts while training Muppet is helping me figure out the new concepts for myself (“watch and learn” works!). Since these concepts and levels of power are so new to both Muppet and Ducati, bringing all that into the show ring will take time and require confidence. Nothing is immediate; patience 8
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is the name of the game. I feel I have a new appreciation for that from watching Muppet grow and trying to apply the concepts Olivia teaches Muppet to my own riding. Over the past year, Olivia has also been working with Amour (the 4-year-old), as well. Since she’s so young, she has already grown a lot and still has a while to go. She is very willing and sweet with great ground manners. She is just green in figuring out how to stretch out and find the contact while balancing herself with a rider on her back. Her gaits, especially the canter, are very big, so she will need more time and maturity than an average-moving horse in order to find her balance. But these are all normal baby horse hurdles, and I learn a lot from watching Olivia work through them patiently using tools such as long-lining and the round pen in addition to riding. I can’t wait to continue watching her develop, and I know that all the patient work and focus on proper basics will set her up for success in the future.
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ESDCTA Dressage Rules and Award Requirements We are well on our way through another successful show season. With that comes the next typical thought, year-end award submissions and what awards you qualify for! There are a few big rules within the year-end awards that often seem missed, as well as some standard “rules for Dressage,” which ESDCTA follows based upon the USEF Rules for Dressage Competitions. Below are the most common questions regarding the rules both in competitions and for year-end awards. As always, please reach out to awards@esdcta.org for any awards-based clarifications. Horses may not be entered in classes differing by more than one level at any one show. The number of classes entered must comply with USEF rule limiting the total number of classes in which a horse may be ridden per day. Currently if competing 4th level or below, a horse may enter a maximum of 3 classes per day and at FEI a maximum of 2 classes per day. Dressage Seat Equitation, Quadrille, and Pas de Deux classes are excluded from the maximum limit of rides per day. These are all subject to the horse, not the horse/rider pairing. For example, if a horse is competing at Intro with one rider, and a second rider also wishes to enter, that rider can do intro or training level, but would not be eligible to compete in first level or above if the horse is competing in intro that same day. If a horse is entered in classes differing more than one level, or in more than the limit of tests per day, those rides not following the requirements will be ridden “Hors de Concours” (HC) and will not count toward awards. For your first year-end award, a minimum of 6 of the 8 required volunteer hours must come from an ESDCTA organized show or activity. Hours can be transferred and there is no current limit to the number of hours someone may receive from someone else. If you cannot obtain the required ESDCTA organized hours, ESDCTA offers a buy-in program at $10/hour. Starter Rider awards are for riders who have not shown above Training Level Test 1. The day a person competes over Training Level Test 1, they are no longer a starter rider and only tests ridden prior to that day can be considered for starter rider awards. Starter horse awards are for horses in their first year showing the level applied for by a junior or amateur rider. If they have shown at a higher level or have shown at the same level a previous year, they are not a starter. A horse is not considered a starter horse at the given level the day they compete at the next level higher and only tests prior to that day can be considered for the initial level. Judge Requirements: USDF L judges and USEA r event judges can judge through second level at schooling shows only and have the scores count for year-end awards. USEA R, S, and international event judges can judge through 3rd level only at schooling shows. USEF r judges may judge through 2nd level at recognized shows, and 4th level at schooling shows. USEF R judges can judge through 4th level at recognized shows and through Grand Prix at schooling shows. USEF S judges may judge through Grand Prix at both recognized and schooling shows. If you compete a level outside of the judge requirements for a given judge, your test will be considered HC and will not count toward year-end awards. 10
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Horse Treats By, Meredith Rogers
What’s in a name? Here’s the story behind some horse’s sometimes strange names. Fancy: Reba McEntire named her horse what she did because a woman told that that it was the ugliest horse she ever saw, and Ms. McEntire wanted to make the horse feel better about herself. Cocaine: Owned by the famous movie stuntman Charles “Chuck” (aka “Bad Chuck” Roberson (1919-1988). He named the horse what he did because he had so much energy, “like a shot in the arm.” Mr. Roberson rode the horse as a stunt double for John Wayne in the movie, Chisum. Nosupeforyou: This 1998 racehorse was (obviously) named by a Seinfeld fan. He had 68 starts, earning $244,036 on the track. His last race was 2007. Potoooooooo: Another racehorse, this time from the 18th century. His owner asked the stable boy to write the horse’s name (Potatoes) on his stall door, but the kid misunderstood and wrote “Pot” followed by 8 “o’s”. The owner liked the name and registered him by it. 5 Minutes to Midnight: This rodeo bronc from the 1920s actually started out with the name Tumbling Mustard, which didn’t make much sense because he was black. His owner had another black horse, appropriately named, Midnight. Both were great buckers and people got them confused. When asked if Tumbling Mustard was Midnight, his owner would answer, “No, but he’s close to it,” and the horse was eventually renamed – get it? He wasn’t Midnight, but he was close to it. Both 5 Minutes to Midnight and Midnight were inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.
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News from Outside the Ring Crazy Weather Not Good for Horses There’s nothing like watching wild horses run across the plains, but in Hines, Oregon, like many places out west, there’s a severe drought that is threatening the lives of the wild horses that live there. Only three watering holes in the area still hold water, but it’s not enough to support the herd. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is going to conduct an emergency helicopter gather of about 220 wild horses to control the population. The land in which they live is supposed to home only 32 to 64 horses, but there are currently 427 – too many. Horses taken in by this latest round-up will be transported to BLM’s Off-Range Wild Horse and Burro Corrals in Hines, Oregon, where they will be prepared for adoption or sale. If you’re interested in having a symbol of the wild west join your family, check out https://go.usa.gov/xF68q for more information. Therapy Horses Come in All Sizes When you think of one of those therapy horses that visits hospitals and nursing homes, usually a mini or small pony comes to mind, but in the Detroit, Michigan area, a Clydesdale is playing that role. Chamberlin Pony Rides & Mobile Petting Zoo (Mobile Petting Zoo in Detroit, MI (chamberlinponyrides.com) brings their 13-year-old Clydesdale mare, Renee (aka Neigh-Neigh) to local nursing homes, where she brings joy to all she meets. Her latest trip was to the Village of East Harbor Senior Living Community in Chesterfield, Michigan. She even went indoors! Residents left their rooms to visit Neigh-Neigh and even those in the memory care section became excited by her presence. Both horse and humans enjoyed the visit immensely.
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ESDCTA Grants One of the many benefits of membership is the availability of ESDCTA Grants. The Grants committee has recently overhauled the grants requirements, and below is a summary of the changes for 2021: General rules for Education and Dom Perignon Grants: • Grants can be used for: clinics, lessons with an upper-level trainer you don’t usually train with, annual conventions, summer camp, regional or national competitions. Not to be used for clothing, tack, regular lessons, or horse-only training • Only one grant per person per calendar year Education Grant: • Each grant is $250, available to all members in good standing – Youth, Amateurs, Professionals • 8 hours volunteer time are required: 4 hours needs to be earned by the applicant, 4 hours can be gifted (may use left-over hours from previous year). Preference will be given to applicants who have more ESDCTA volunteer hours • Following the activity the grant was used for, you will need to write an article for the newsletter about the experience (help is available from the Newsletter Editor) • Assist in obtaining items for the Silent Auction and assist with the Awards Banquet Lazelle Knocke Dom Perignon Grant (Adults only): • No changes for 2021 LYDF (Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival) Grant, held at Hits-On-The-Hudson showgrounds in Saugerties, NY: • Two grants of $250 each, available for either Dressage or Eventing Youth only • One score of 55% or more for dressage riders, or one score of 45% or lower for event riders, from an ‘L’ judge or higher • 8 hours volunteer time are required:4 hours needs to be earned by the applicant; 4 hours can be gifted (preference will be given to applicants who have more ESDCTA volunteer hours) • Following the Festival, you will need to write an article for the newsletter about the experience (help is available from the Newsletter Editor) • Assist in obtaining items for the Silent Auction and assist with the Awards Banquet Application Process: • Applications completed and submitted to the Grants committee by the end of the month will be reviewed by the Grants Committee for completeness, and then considered at the next monthly Board meeting. • Grants will be awarded based on a first-come, first-served basis during the competi tion year, assuming all requirements are met. • Funds will be distributed once the activity is complete and the article for the Newslet ter has been submitted. • Click here to see all the details and application: https://www.esdcta.org/home/grants/
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An Open Letter to All My Trainers – Thank you! By, Shari Lawrence
I began my journey in the world of dressage in 2015 with Merlin, my rockstar senior OTTB. At the time, I had extreme show anxiety and the hunter warm-up rings were incredibly overwhelming. I still gave it a try, but I was unable to mentally handle navigating so many riders in the warm-up in addition to so many riders in the competition ring. Dressage warm-up rings are still nerve wracking. However, at least in the sandbox, I am alone. I am currently showing first and second level with Rossi, my eleven-year-old Hungarian Warmblood gelding. He is schooling third level at home with my trainer. This winter will be dedicated to refining our second level movements while teaching him flying changes before going out in the spring at third level. Honestly, it still amazes me that I am able to even say that. Earning my USDF Bronze medal was always a far-off dream that is now becoming a reality. I find myself reflecting recently on how far I have come to reach this point. Near the end of my college riding career, I had a severe fall during a trail ride with my equine science club members. I was thrown into a solid wooden post, and the ER doctor said that the only reason I hadn’t broken my back was because I had frozen my hydration pack the night before. The ice was still solid enough that it absorbed the impact of the blow. I suffered a concussion that day as well as a hard blow to my confidence in regards to riding. It took me several years and three amazing trainers to get me back to the point I am at today. Deborah Ash, Willie Horzepa, and Stephanie Burgess all played major roles in rebuilding my riding career. Deb mended the shattered pieces of my confidence with kind words, soft encouragement, and her trustworthy schoolmaster gelding. She was patient with me while gently pushing me out of my comfort zone each lesson. Deb made me remember why I loved riding and that everyone gets scared. The important thing was being willing to come back and try again another day. 14
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After Deb rekindled my desire to ride, I moved on to Willie to learn more about the various English disciplines and figure out which one I wanted to pursue. She pushed me out of my comfort zone by having me ride different horses--both Western and English--during my lessons. Leasing her awesome chestnut gelding, Mazie, was a turning point for me. He was safe, fun, and a blast to ride. We would go out solo to wander the property, and he was the reason that I decided that I did actually want to keep moving forward. I wanted to ride, maybe compete, and have a horse of my own. I was at school when Mazie found his new home, so I never got to thank him for being exactly what I needed at the time. After I adopted Merlin, we dabbled in all disciplines before landing in dressage. It was sheer luck that I was in the right place at the right time when the opportunity to own Rossi was given to me. He needed intensive rehab from a chip removal in his left front and a neuroma removal in his left hind. He has been the most difficult horse to deal with while also being the most rewarding horse I have ever ridden. Stephanie has helped us reach my goals and surpass them. She is loud, passionate, and a great teacher. She has pushed me and encouraged me to get better, do better, ride better. She has made me stay on and push through when I needed to, and she has let me get off and taken over when I needed to. Even when it’s scary, when I’m 110% positive Rossi is going to launch me in the air, when I’m just so frustrated with how ridiculous he is sometimes -- she is always there to reassure me with her favorite quote, “He’s just kidding.” At our last lesson for the summer, I ran through the 2.3 canter work and it was actually fun. It wasn’t scary at all, and it made me realize just how far I have come thanks to the combined efforts of all my trainers. I was actually laughing while cantering in my lesson yesterday, and what a great feeling that is after the trials I’ve faced. So thank you--to all of you--for everything.
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BUSINESS MEMBERS Jersey Palms Farm
Rhythm and Blues Stables
177 S. Stump Tavern Road Jackson NJ, 08527 609.213.5745 KWLYNX@comcast.net www.jerseypalmsfarm.com
108 Old York Rd. Hamilton, NJ 08620 609 306-8221 RBLStables@aol.com www.rhythmandbluesstables.com
Anjelhart Equestrian Center
Irish Manor Stables
38 Millers Mill Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 609.758.7676 lacavacreations@aol.com www.Anjelhart.com
718 Sergeantsville RoadStockton, NJ 08559 908.237.1281 info@irishmanorstables.com www.irishmanorstables.com
Good Times Farm
Heart’s Journey Stable
278 Jackson Mills Road, Freehold, NJ 07728 732.409.2882 gtts@optonline.net www.GoodTimeFarm.com
425 Kromer Road Wind Gap, PA 18091 610.863.6616 mmorehouse@epix.net www.heartsjourneystables.com
Equisential Equine LLC 111 Snyder Ave Bellmar NJ 08031 717.649.4799 bryner.2@gmail.com
EVENT CALENDAR ESDCTA’s Calendar contains the complete and up to date list of ESDCTA’s registered shows. It also contains other activities that ESDCTA feels are important to our community. Click the link to view The Event Calendar
https://www.esdcta.org/home/omni-calendar/ 18
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