ESDCTA MAGAZINE
COLLECTIVE REMARKS
WWW.ESDCTA.ORG February 2019
Cover Photo: ESDCTA Equestrian of the Year: Sophia Wayner taken by Susan J Stickle Photography : https://www.suestickle.com/
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Another Great Day of Learning
What Do All of Those Acronyms Mean?
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Horse Treats
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Centered Riding: Some Practical Applications in Riding and Training
25 2019 USDF Dressage Tests 27
News from Outside the Ring
The Amateur Dilemma
Announcement: Renew Your Membership A new competition year began in November. You probably have already renewed your memberships to US Equestrian, USDF, and USEA. It’s also time to renew your ESDCTA membership. Please go to: www.ESDCTA.org. It’s easy and can be done online. If you are not a member at the time you show, those scores will not count towards year-end awards or for qualifying for Championships. We are always looking for people to help with shows. Not only will you receive volunteer hours for year-end awards, but we feed you and provide gas money. It’s also great way to learn more about what you can do to help yourself when it’s your turn enter the ring. Plus, you’ll meet a whole new crew of horsey friends! We need volunteers for both dressage and eventing shows throughout the year. Please contact dressage@esdcta.com (dressage) or janmpel@msn.com (eventing) for more information. No experience necessary. 2
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President’s Message We are well into winter at this point. Thankfully, February brings us the Awards Luncheon, where we can get out of the cold, socialize, and celebrate our love of horses and sport together. Here is a link to the Luncheon Reservation form. As of this writing, I do not have the results of our volunteer hours survey. It closes on February 1, and I am writing in mid-January. What I can tell you is that we have heard from 95 members so far, and the board thanks you for your input into finding a solution. We will be providing you the results next month. To help you get ready for show season, we are co-sponsoring with LVDA a new dressage test fix-a-test/you be the judge clinic at the Horse Park of New Jersey on March 9, with Marilyn Payne. Take note L Grads, this is also a CE event. On April 6 & 7, there is the ESDCTA Lilo Fore Training Symposium organized by Kem Barbosa and Willette Brown. You may purchase tickets online or by mail. All information and links are at https://www.esdcta.org/lilo-fore-symposium/ . Demo Rider applications are due March 1. This is a USDF University and CE recognized event. Looking forward to celebrating with you at the Awards Luncheon! Stay warm and safe,
Heidi Lemack President
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Board of Trustees OFFICERS 609 306-8221
President
Heidi Lemack
president@esdcta.org
Vice President
Holly Cornell
vicepresident@esdcta.org
Secretary
Ruth McCormick
secretary@esdcta.org
Treasurer
Betty Audduci 260 Betty Lane Gilbert, Pa 18331
treasurer@esdcta
Dressage at Large
Eliza Banks
MAL@esdcta.org
Eventing at Large
Miina Rafinski
MAL@esdcta.org
Dressage Competitions
Dr. Lisa Toaldo
dressage@esdcta.org
Eventing Competitions
Janice Pellegrino
eventing@esdcta.org
Marketing
Erin Gale
marketing@esdcta.org
Membership
Tamara Purdy
membership@esdcta.org
Finance
Gary Maholic
finance@esdcta.org
Education
Victoria Shilton
education@esdcta.org
Youth
Jill Kuc
youth@esdcta.org
570.977.1406
Ellen Brindle-Clark
youth@esdcta.org
609.351.1054
Executive Board
NJEAB Representative
Could this be you?
Awards
Debra Tomajko
awards@esdcta.org
Calendars/Activities
Could this be you?
esdcta.org
Grants
Debra Tomajko
grants@esdcta.org
Equipment
Wilma Pfeffer
dressage@esdcta.org
Newsletter
Meredith Rogers
newsletter@esdcta.org
Nominating
Susan Lax
chivalryhillfarm@aol.com
Omnibus
Lynette McMoran
Show Results
Jean Goetz
201.874.0373
215.489.1557
OFF BOARD COMMITTEE CHAIRS
609.466.4178 732.449.5322
results@esdcta.org
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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’re working on 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 e-mail: lindalbbf@gmail.com
WHAT’S YOUR TALENT?? Let us know what you would like to help us with in 2019. 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 HOURS FOR EACH STORY!
MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS For membership questions including updating physical or e-mail addresses please contact: Tamara Purdy membership@esdcta.org
2019 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 266 Betty Lane Gilbert, PA 18331 Email: treasurer@esdcta.org
OPEN BOARD POSITIONS • Eventing at Large • Calendar
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What Do All of Those Acronyms Mean? By, Nina Engelhardt
USDF, USEF, USET, FEI….these acronyms are familiar to most of us. We know that they are equestrian-related governing organizations and that they have a lot to do with national and international competition. A closer look into their histories and development over the years reveals the significant impact these organizations have on our relationship with horses, deepening our connection from an educational, competitive, humanitarian, and ethical perspective. We may not realize it, but these institutions have united the equestrian community and ensured its longevity while working toward the humane treatment of competition horses around the world. We’ve put together a brief summary of the USDF, USEF, USET, and FEI organizations that will help you tell them apart and also see how they are related.
USDF The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is the national membership federation for dressage. It is committed to the promotion of dressage in the United States. In 1973, 81 pioneers of dressage founded the USDF. This was a significant event, as prior to 1973, interest in and the “voice” of dressage was not uniformly represented. An emphasis on education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of the sport were and remain, the association’s core mission. Once the charter was finalized, things moved quickly. 1981 saw the first United States Dressage Championships. The following year, the All-Breeds Program was established. In 1989, the “L” (learner) Education program for judge training was developed. One year later, the USDF Junion/Young Rider Regional Team Championships were established. The Hall of Fame was created in 1996; in 2006, the USDF National Education Center was built at the Kentucky Horse Park, in Lexington. The first equestrain world championship to be held outside of Europe took place in Lexington, KY in 2010, and it drew thousands of visitors. And, in 2013, The US Dressage Finals, the first national dresssage championship for Training level through Grand Prix since the early 1980s, was held at the Kentucky Horse Park. See www.usdf.org for more information, as well as the September 2018 issue of Collective Remarks.
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USEF United States Equestrian (formerly United States Equestrian Federation or USEF), located in Lexington, KY, was founded by one man--Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt was an American millionaire and an avid equestrian. His daughter, Gloria Vanderbilt, is the well-known fashion designer. In 1917, “R.C.” invited to his New York City mansion equestrians representing 50 horse shows in the North, South, East, and Western US in an effort to foster “clean competition and fair play in the show ring.” It was christened the Association of American Horse Shows. It has changed names at least three times before its final appellation “United States Equestrian”, though it is still commonly referred to as USEF. United States Equestrian is the national governing body for most equestrian sports in the US. Competition governed by USEF includes dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, hunt seat equitation, hunter, jumper, para-equestrian, reining, roadster (driving), saddle seat, vaulting (gymnastics on horseback), and western riding. It keeps track of yearly points accumulated at individual horse shows throughout the year and gives awards based on these points at the end of the year. USEF also governs 13 breed shows across the US. An important milestone for competitors was reached in 1970, when the organization developed the Equine Drugs and Medications Program. The program utilizes vets and technicians around the country to collect blood and urine samples from horses competing at USEF and FEI events, delivering on the organization’s mission of providing and maintaining a safe and level playing field for its athletes. By 1976, a rule was established to test all horses for reserpine, the tranquilizer used illicitly to sedate show and sale horses. Eventers may remember the scandal that hit the equestrian world in In October 2013, when the Olympic bronze medal winner Jonathan (Jock) Paget was suspended from national and international competitions after his horse Clifton Promise tested positive for reserpine (he was cleared in August 2014 and allowed to return immediately to competition). USEF provides a forum to report horse cruelty and neglect, enforcing a range of penalties, and hosts an Equine Disease Control Call Center. The Federation has raised millions of dollars toward the protection and welfare of horses in natural disasters, such as the wildfires in California and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. More information can be found at www.usef.org.
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USET In 2003, USA Equestrian, as it was then called, merged with the United States Equestrian Team (USET), to form one united organization, the United States Equestrian Federation, or USEF. USET was founded in 1950 at the Coates estate in Morristown, NJ. The USET Foundation trains, selects, and funds our United States Equestrian Team from its headquarters in Gladstone, NJ. It supports the competition, training, coaching, travel, and educational needs of America’s elite and developing International High Performance horses and athletes. USET maintains a full medal history for Americans at Olympics (dating back to 1912, when the USA Eventing Team won bronze in Stockholm). Remember, however, that equestrian competition was one of the first Olympic events. “Horsesport” was introduced to the Ancient Olympic Games in 680 BC and the Games ran every four years without fail until 393 AD. USET also governs the Pan American Games, World Equestrian Games, and discipline-specific (e.g., dressage, eventing, etc.) World Championships. You can read profiles of high-performance equestrians (with separate profiles and videos of the horses!) on the USET website. A calendar of international competitions is maintained on the website and is updated weekly. Last year, at the World Equestrian Games in North Carolina, The USA Equestrian Team qualified to participate in the 2020 summer Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo, Japan. It’s worth reminding ourselves that the equestrian disciplines and the equestrian component of Modern Pentathlon are the only Olympic events that involve two athletes--humans and horses--and that the horse is considered as much an athlete as the rider. It is also one of very few sports where women and men compete on equal terms all the way up to the Olympic level. See www.uset.org if you want to learn more.
FEI Speaking of the Olympics, the 1924 Olympics were the first at which equestrian competitions were held under the authority of the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), which is the international governing body for equestrian sports. FEI works 8
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alongside the national federations, such as USDF and USET (and 132 others!), to develop and promote the sport, ensuring the structures and rules in place foster fair and inclusive competition. In May 1921, delegates from 10 national equestrian organizations met in Lausanne, Switzerland to discuss the formation of an international federation. Today, the FEI is the world governing body for eight equestrian disciplines: Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting, Reining, and Para-Equestrian. The founding members are France, USA, Sweden, Japan, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Italy. The FEI logo is two intertwined hearts, representing the unique bond between horse and human. Several FEI-sponsored programs deserve special mention: FEI Sustainability Program, FEI Sports Forum and FEI Solidarity. FEI provides tools to event organizers, their sponsors, and partners to implement sustainability initiatives that reduce negative environmental impact. A Sustainability Handbook contains 150 different ways to help reduce the negative environmental impact of the events, from waste management to offsetting carbon emissions to reducing overall paper usage and employing electric and bicycle-powered transport wherever possible. Since 2012, the Sports Forum has brought together individuals and organizations from the international equestrian community to discuss, debate and plan the future of equestrian sport. It is unique in that it is open to the public, and offers an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. In the past, the Forum has focused on youth competitors, athlete welfare, including concussion recognition, and risk factors and bone injuries in endurance riding and eventing. It is an opportunity for the FEI to hear the perspectives of different stakeholders. The aim of the FEI Solidarity Program is to provide the National Federations with the tools to develop equestrian sport in their own country in a sustainable, structured, progressive, and professional manner. A comprehensive curriculum includes modules on governance and administration, athlete and coach training, a module on values, including horse welfare (groomer and farrier training), and retraining of race horses, and a social inclusion module covering therapeutic riding/para-equestrian competition, and development of school programs and summer camps. More can be found at www.fei.org.
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Horse Treats By, Meredith Rogers
Stuck inside due to the weather? Play some Sudoku! Here’s a twist on the standard game. Instead of the numbers 0-9, each box/row/column must have the letters that make up the words: HORSE PLAY. Good luck!
See Solution on Page 28
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2019 ESDCTA Annual Awards Luncheon Celebrating our Year End Award Winners' Accomplishments for the 2018 Competition Year Sunday February 24, 2019 Copper Hill Country Club Ringoes, NJ 2PM - 6PM Click HERE for the Registration Form. Please return by February 13th 2019. Additional information about the luncheon can be found HERE We are in need of items for our Silent Auction table! Proceeds from the auction go towards ESDCTA Education Grants. Please reach out to Debra Tomajko if you are interested in donating!
For any questions please contact Debra Tomajko, Awards chair debratomajko@gmail.com
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Clinics with Laura Graves, Boyd Martin and Carl Hester Victoria Shilton ESCDTA Education Chair
Now that I have your attention, are there educational programs you would like to see ESDCTA present? Have you attended any of the great educational offerings the ESDCTA has presented over the last two years? All our programs have been well attended and have gotten excellent reviews. We would like to have more offerings to choose from for eventers, dressage riders, and the general horse owner. However, to do so we need members on the Education Committee. It is not a huge commitment of time. You need to be able to take part in a conference call meeting once monthly and be willing to participate in organizing and presenting educational events. The time commitment is lessened the more people we have helping. If you are interested in being on the Education Committee or want to learn more about it, please reach out to me at education@esdcta.org.
THE EDGAR HOTZ MEMORIAL JUDGES ROUNDTABLE WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 16, 2018, IN THE LIBRARY OF THE USET HEADQUARTERS IN GLADSTONE, NJ. ONCE AGAIN IT IS USDF CONTINUING EDUCATION APPROVED AND WILL COUNT TOWARDS 'L' GRADUATES' YEARLY CE REQUIREMENTS. OPEN TO ALL LISENCED DRESSAGE AND EVENTING JUDGES, 'L' PROGRAM GRADUATES AND CANDIDATES, AND EVENTING JUDGES IN TRAINING. REVIEW THE NEW DRESSAGE TESTS WITH MARILYN PAYNE AND A PANEL OF 'S' JUDGES. WE OFFER THIS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO OUR LOCAL JUDGES FREE OF CHARGE AND ASK ONLY FOR A CONTRIBUTION TO THE POT-LUCK LUNCH. FOR INFORMATION OR TO BE ADDED TO THE CONTACT LIST PLEASE CONTACT JAKE STAPEL AT jastapel14@embarqmail.com.
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The Amateur Dilemma By, Meredith Rogers
A previous trainer once told me that if I wanted a pet, I should get a dog and stop thinking of horses as companion animals. I was barely beyond childhood when she said this and unable to get a dog because of my housing situation. I so desperately wanted a dog, let alone a horse, so this sentiment did not sit well with me, but I accepted it because she was the expert. When I was finally in a position to purchase a horse (although I still couldn’t get that dog), I was still with that trainer, so I bought the horse she said would suit my riding goals best. It didn’t really matter his personality. Luckily, we meshed well, and I got my pet while still being able to carry out my competition agenda. My trainer was never the wiser that I considered my horse my surrogate dog. Fast forward a (very) number of years and several horses later (all pet-worthy), and at her recommendation, I purchased a beautiful new steed that held the promise of being a great dressage athlete. I didn’t like him from the moment I met him, but my trainer told me he was all that and a box of chocolates, so home he came. It was evident from the first week that the feeling was mutual. This was one horse who was never going to be my pet, but her words rang through my head every day at the barn as he and I tried to at least accept each other for the sake of my riding goals (horses don’t have goals other than maybe eat more grass). It didn’t Happy Pair
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work. In the meantime, that particular trainer moved away and I arrived at the barn of my current trainer, who ran things very differently in a good way. My old trainer was very controlling in every aspect of horse care and riding. My new trainer’s approach was to teach us our lessons and then send us on our way to practice and figure things out. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I didn’t want to sacrifice a close relationship for competition accolades. I ended up practically giving that horse away to a family who adored him and who he loved equally, and started the search for the dream of my youth. In stepped PJ. Although the journey to dressage stardom has not been as direct as I wanted, I look forward to spending time with PJ, even if we aren’t practicing our shoulder-in. He’s my pet and he knows it. I’m living the dream, even if others look down at my off-breed struggling to move up the levels. Of course, I think part of it was luck, because it’s difficult to discern personality (which is different from temperament) when you can only try out a horse once or twice before having to make a decision to purchase. As amateurs, we have the luxury of being able to be choosy regarding which equines share our world. Our trainers, to a great extent, have to ride whatever is given to them, whether they like the horse or not (“like” meaning different things to different people). The morale of the story is, it doesn’t matter if you are looking for a pet or a high-caliber partner in sport, ride the horse that makes you (and not your trainer, best friend, spouse, or the woman who owns the horse two stalls away) happy. Sell the horse you don’t get along with and try again. Life is too short. P.S. I eventually got the dog (and a cat).
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Another Great Day of Learning By Paige Zimmerman
On January 12, international rider, coach, and trainer Felicitas Von Neumann-Cosel again visited us at Travelda Farm in Quakertown PA, for a clinic and I rode Buddy. Due to a snow storm south of us in Maryland, Felicitas wasn’t able to stay for Sunday this time, but still I am very grateful for my time with her. I always learn so much when I ride with her and by watching as many other rides as I possibly can. This clinic, although short, was no exception. I left with my homework, and I hope she can come back again sooner rather than later. One of the big themes for all of the riders was straightness in the horse’s shoulders. If the horse is not straight in the shoulders, their neck will not be able to release and flex properly, and as a result they will not be able to carry themselves. Even with all of the very different horses and riders that participated in the clinic, this was true throughout. Felicitas said to ride the shoulders as if the horse is a shark and the fin stays right in the middle of the withers. The fin has to be in the middle of your two hands. It cannot slip to one side or the other. It cannot be crooked or angled. This is a wonderful analogy. I am a visual learner and having a mental image like this will carry through for me in all my riding on any horse. Felicitas told me to keep my hands slightly above or even on the withers if need be in schooling. She said I can use an indirect rein on either side to get the horse to yield in the base of his neck. She helped me to create a curve throughout the entire neck rather than just making the face tilt while the neck stayed stiff. Buddy’s neck is very long and quite thick for a thoroughbred, and this technique really helped me to feel him yield and bend while also staying straight and flexed. In my regular lesson with my coach Olivia Steidle the next day, I thought of this, and achieved a better bend throughout Buddy’s entire body. Felicitas also focused a lot on my position. She reminded me to stay upright in my upper body by using the imagery of a wall behind my back. She told me not to “lean against the wall” or “lean behind the wall”. This helped keep my seat in the saddle. She
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worked on this with the other riders too. She explained that leaning back, even the tiniest bit, causes the horse to go on the forehand in varying degrees. She also focused on ways I can keep my legs relaxed and maintain my balance in the trot. Sometimes I put myself into a pose and forget to follow the horse’s movement and then I am not truly influencing the horse. In the seated trot, Felicitas reminded me to “bicycle” or “pedal” with my seat and legs to keep myself loose but secure while moving with the horse. In the rising trot, she reminded me to stay upright over my hips, spring forward off of the stirrups, and not linger in the saddle too long in the downward step so that the horse is encouraged to be actively forward and light. She also told me that “your arms are your frame,” which helped me to stay more stable and secure in my core. While posting and sitting, I was reminded to rotate my body in the direction that we are moving. This encourages bend to the inside. It also helps me personally to loosen my shoulders and hips and to engage my core. During all of this, the inside leg works in the rhythm of the trot to keep the horse going and encourage the bend. In the canter, Felicitas broke down all the aids, which I found very helpful. From both the walk and the trot they are the same as follows: inside leg goes down and on, inside hip engages and pushes to the outside rein, the outside aids initiate the canter, and the outside leg stays back and down to keep the canter going. She reminded me to keep my outside leg back while in the canter to keep the jump and to push down through my heels softly and in a rhythm to make the canter bouncier. However, a “bouncy” canter means that it has more jump and it’s not faster. This really helped me to engage and collect Buddy’s canter. In my regular lesson with Olivia the next day, Buddy and I did some of our best canter work as a result of the instruction from Felicitas. Along with conveying wisdom and insights to improve our riding, Felicitas also provided us with some helpful tools for training on the ground to encourage the horse to work willingly. For example, she told us to always keep a light contact on the longe line, especially when longing a young horse, so that the horse cannot dive in or turn and kick. If the line becomes slack, the horse can turn his head to the outside and kick towards the inside of the circle and that’s very dangerous, not to mention a bad habit. Felicitas also gave some great suggestions about using a whip as a training tool. She said I should use it lightly during times when Buddy is being good, so that he does not become more tense with it. It should be an encouraging tap. This clinic helped me to further develop my knowledge as a rider and I have already started making improvements. Though it was a shorter clinic than usual, I certainly have a lot to think about, work on, and try to master. A big thank you to Olivia Steidle for organizing it and to Felicitas for your insight, as always! I look forward to next time! 16
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Centered Riding: Some Practical Applications in Riding and Training By Susan Harris and Betty Adduci
Most riders today have heard of Sally Swift and her Centered Riding method; many have read her best-selling book, Centered Riding, seen the videos or articles, and some may even have ridden with her in the past. Many remember Sally Swift for her use of mental images, and her emphasis on skeletal alignment (“riding your bones”), and how the rider’s brain and body work together. Susan: “Before I encountered Sally Swift’s work, I had been riding, teaching, and taking lessons for years, and I had a pretty good idea of what a rider should be doing. Centered Riding helped me answer the question, “How do I get my body, my horse, or my student’s body to actually do that?” Centered Riding is about body awareness, and how the rider’s body and brain connect to the horse. Some of the most important things riders and trainers can achieve through Centered Riding are seen in the horse: improved balance, freedom of movement, and better clarity and harmony between horse and rider. In this article we’d like to give you some practical exercises to help you achieve those qualities. Betty: From a young age, I was always interested on how a horse’s emotions and movement reacted to a rider’s or handler’s approach. I realized that patience and letting the horse absorb for a moment what was being asked of him would return positive feedback, as opposed to pushing for an immediate reaction (unhappy rider & confused horse!) I adopted a rule that I would not let my horse fail and would move up the training levels at his pace. Before this could happen, I had to make sure I was patient and aware of his needs to work towards better communication for a compatible partnership. I was amazed at how “Centered Riding” helped me become an understanding partner for my horse. A balanced seat, riding with feel, and communicating with clear intent helps work towards smoother forward movement and rhythm for both rider and horse. I appreciate what Centered Riding has done for me (with an open mind, feel) and to trust the partnership with my horse. Betty Adduci riding Max
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Sally Swift’s “Comparable Parts” Exercise All humans have unconscious habits; the horse feels what we’re doing (even if we’re unaware of it), and reacts accordingly. Horses respond to what they feel in their riders, both physically and emotionally. In fact, the horse will reflect what he feels in the rider’s body in the same part of his own body. Humans and horses have the same basic anatomy, although we are two-legged vertical creatures and the horse is a horizontal quadruped. Sally Swift suggested that as we ride we should check in with various parts of the horse: “How are your hind legs moving today? How are you using your back? How does your neck and poll feel? Are you leaning on one shoulder? Are you holding tension in your jaw?” If you find something that’s stiff, crooked or unbalanced, send your attention to the same part of your own body and breathe, balance, or release tension there—often you may find that you have a little tension or imbalance in the same spot as your horse. As that part of the rider’s body improves, the horse also releases, rebalances and improves in the same place. Horses can have their own body issues too, but it’s better riding to check ourselves first, to make sure we aren’t blocking movement or unconsciously causing the problem. The principle is, if you want a quality such as energy, balance, freedom of movement, thoroughness, etc., in your horse, you first have to have this in yourself, even in the specific part you’re addressing, and share it with your horse. For example, a crooked rider can never make a straight horse! This also applies to emotions and energy; if you want calmness, rhythm, thoroughness, or impulsion in your horse, you need the same qualities in you.
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Freedom of Movement: the “Following Seat” In this exercise, you’ll need a helper to lead your horse at a walk, so that you can safely close your eyes and concentrate on “pure feel.” Allow the horse to walk with freedom to raise or lower his head; lay the reins down or hold them at the buckle, and take time to get used to riding with your eyes closed. As your horse walks, notice how he moves your seat: can you feel the forward & backward motion? Up and down? Left and right? Thinking of just one seat bone at a time, can you find a circular motion (down the back, forward and up the front)? Notice that the circles in the seat bones are alternating—this may feel like pedaling a bicycle, but this bicycle pedals backwards! The movement comes from your horse’s hind legs, through his back. Can you feel the motion travel up your spine, all the way to your head? In what other parts of your body does the horse create motion? If you have your helper lead your horse in a large serpentine, compare the movement on the inside and outside of the turn—you may feel a smaller circle on the inside as the inside hind leg lifts and carries, and the outside circle may feel larger or longer because the outside hind leg has to reach farther. As you explore and accept the movement created by the horse in various parts of your body, you may notice that your horse’s stride opens, his hind legs engage, his back lifts and moves freely under you, and your leader may have to walk with big steps to keep up with him! If you are stiff, tight, or hollow in your back or holding with tight muscles in any part of your body, the motion cannot go through your body; often this is because part of your body is slightly out of balance. When that tension is released, you can feel the difference in your body and in your horse’s freedom of movement. Sally Swift used this as a foundation exercise for riders at all levels, from beginners to Olympians. Susan: “When I apprenticed with Sally Swift, I got to lead Lendon Grey’s Olympic horse during this exercise—Sally said she’d never seen anyone else get so much out of the exercise so quickly!” Leading the Rider with Eyes Closed
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Centering: Internal Balance Control The rider’s center is the center of balance, center of movement, and an important control center for the body. When you “center yourself,” you adjust your internal balance instead of making big movements with your outer muscles. Being centered also refers to feeling calm, focused, and aware of yourself and your horse. To center yourself at the halt, sit in the center of your saddle on your seat bones, with a balanced pelvis (hip bones over seat bones, neither tipping forward nor backward.) Place one hand on your lower abdomen and the other hand behind your lower back. As you exhale, imagine that you can send your center downward and backward, deeper in your pelvis and closer to the inside of your spine, while your outer body remains tall and balanced. You may feel as if something inside you drops down and your seat sinks deeper into the saddle, as if you’re “in” the horse, not up on top of him. Your body doesn’t tip or tilt forward or backward, nor should your back round or hollow— the change in balance is internal, subtle but clear. In riding, dropping your center deepens your seat and makes you ride from deep inside your center; it can be an effective half-halt. Horses should respond by rebalancing their weight back over their hindquarters, improving the balance of the gait. If you center yourself with relaxation, it can help calm and stabilize a quick or excited horse; if you feel as if your center is energized, it can ask for greater impulsion. This can help your horse respond to subtle changes within your body for transitions and halts, instead of over-using the reins. It also helps the horse’s balance during and after the transition. Betty: I had a hot-tempered Trakehner mare who came to me very much on the forehand, leaning on the bit, rushing, and “motorcycling” through the corners. Going back to basics, patience, and centering myself made a difference for both of us. When I rode with my center deep in my body and calm, this helped my horse slow down, balance and engage. Breathing and centering helped me become calmer and quieter. As the mare got her balance, she relaxed and became quiet and less likely to run off; I could sit her trot and not lean against her. By breathing and centering, we were able to rebalance, remain relaxed, and travel in harmony.
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Turning From the Center: “Standing Up” In turns, circles, lateral work, and work on curved tracks, we want the horse to “stand up,” keeping his body in the vertical instead of leaning, counter-bending, or tilting sideways. This requires bending, correct alignment, and greater engagement of the inside hind leg. Free horses often naturally lean into turns and even break into a turn shoulder-first, especially at speed, so lateral balance under a rider is a learned skill. We can make this easier by turning from the center; this helps the horse keep his balance in the center of his body, instead of falling in or outward. Turning from the center means rotating your body slightly in the direction of the turn, around a vertical axis. The slight rotation helps coordinate your inside and outside seat bones, legs, and reins, along with your eyes. It keeps you from tilting, tipping or over-weighting one seat bone, and allows you to use your core muscles effectively. If you keep your weight equal on both seat bones you’re less likely to over-weight one seat bone, lean or tilt; you’ll feel a difference between the two seat bones as you turn. It works better to make small, brief rotations in rhythm with the gait, rather than cranking your body too far and holding the twist. You should feel your horse “stand up” through the turn; many horses will turn easily with little or no help from the reins as they feel the change in the rotation of your body. This can also help keep the balance and bend in lateral work.
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Breathing as an Aid Everybody breathes, but much of the time we aren’t conscious of our breathing. When we’re stressed, tense, frustrated, or working hard, we tend to breathe high and tight in the upper chest and less evenly. Good athletic breathing uses the diaphragm, a large mushroom-shaped muscle that rests beneath the lungs, with the root of the diaphragm attached to the inside of the lower spine. The fibers of the root of the diaphragm join those of the psoas muscles, the deepest muscles of your core, so breathing can activate the core and affect your posture and balance. Breathing well also oxygenates your brain (so you can remember your test or course!) and your body, staving off muscle fatigue. Horses respond to the changes they feel in your breathing—they’re very aware of whether we breathe, gasp, hold our breath, or breathe irregularly, and they can learn to respond to breathing as an aid. It’s easy to forget about breathing when riding or schooling, so breathing as an aid is a good way of using breathing as part of your riding in a positive way. One of the best ways to breathe is “breathing down,” or exhaling deeply so that it feels as if the air flows down into your seat; this releases and widens your seat and upper legs, allowing you to sink down into the horse. This helps your centering; it’s also effective in rebalancing, halts, downward transitions, and to calm a tense horse. To teach your horse “breathing halts,” start at a walk on long reins. Breathe down into your seat, then immediately say “Whoa,” pick up your reins, and halt. As soon as his front feet stop, release the reins and reward with a pat; allow him to walk on. With a few repetitions, he’ll begin to halt as he feels you exhale, before you use your reins. This progresses into smoother downward transitions from all gaits, and also as a way of calming a horse. For horses that need more energy, attention, or impulsion, use the “power breath.” This is a powerful exhale (not the long relaxed exhale as for calming or a smooth halt.) You should feel it reverberate in your diaphragm and lower belly; this engages your core and puts power into your seat and legs. A power breath, combined with your other aids, can awaken a lazy horse or inspire a horse to greater impulsion or extension. You can also use a breath to prepare for a transition or movement. Susan: “My horse had a difficult time learning haunches-in; we’d both anticipate the difficulty, tense up, and lose rhythm, balance, and focus. I found that if I prepared and positioned him for the haunches-in and then exhaled to signal the beginning of the 22
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movement, we could begin the movement more easily. This also helps in canter departs, especially with horses that tend to anticipate.” Breathing can also influence rhythm and tempo. No one can breathe as fast as a horse’s footfalls—instead, try counting with the rhythm of the gait (for example, breathing “In, 2, 3, 4 –Out, 2, 3, 4,” or any other numbers that work for you.) You can also hum, chant, speak in a sing-song voice, or even sing along with the gait. This regulates your breathing and helps you use your aids in rhythm and keep your horse “on the beat.” And horses like the music!
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These are a few of the Centered Riding techniques that we can use to improve the horse’s rhythm, balance, responsiveness, and gait qualities. We hope you find them useful and fun! You can find more information on Centered Riding at www.centeredriding.org, or at Susan Harris’ website at www.anatomyinmotion.com. About the Authors Susan Harris is an international clinician and the author of Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement (Revised), the U.S. Pony Club Manuals, and Grooming to Win. She apprenticed with Sally Swift in 1989 and is certified as a Level IV Centered Riding Clinician, teaching Open and Instructor Update clinics and Instructor Certification Courses in Centered Riding®, and clinics in Anatomy in Motion™ and horse and rider biomechanics around the world. You can contact her at her website at www.anatomyinmotion.com. Betty Adduci is a long-time dressage and hunter seat rider, with an interest in horse rescue and retraining. She is certified as a Level I Centered Riding Instructor, and has a small stable in Gilbert, PA. She is currently working on dressage fundamentals with an Arabian mare, Lily, and Maserati, an OTTB gelding. You can contact Betty at bettyadduci@yahoo.com.
Susan Harris Showing Rider’s Bones in a Clinic 24
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The
LVDA & ESCDTA Jointly Present
2019 USDF Dressage Tests
Fix-a-Test with USDF “S”Judge: Marilyn Payne This is a USDF University Program and is approved for Continuing Education for L Graduates
The Horse Park of New Jersey - Indoor Arena 626 Route 524, Allentown, NJ 08501
Saturday March 9, 2019
Opens: January 25, 2019
Closes: February 27, 2019
Entries for riders are accepted on a First Come, First Served basis
Are you interested in making sure you understand the changes that were made to the 2019 Dressage Tests? Don’t miss out on this opportunity to have an “S” judge tell you what you’re missing or where you need improvement!
Riders Entry Fee: A Copy of a Negative Coggins test (dated within 12 months of event) and a copy of the EHV-1 proof of vaccination (dated within 6 months of event) MUST be emailed to: lvdapa@lvda.org prior to the event or presented at the registration table in order to ride. LVDA / ESDCTA / HPNJ / USPC Members: $45
ESDCTA Members can use Volunteer Bucks towards Riders Fee (up to $20)
Non-Members: $65
Auditors Fee: “You be The Judge” auditor interaction opportunity. This will be very
interactive for the auditors: Marilyn will introduce the basics and purpose of each level and explain what they are looking for before teaching the riders. Auditors will have a test packet along with numbered cards to share their scoring with others. Scores will be discussed.
LVDA / ESDCTA / HPNJ / USPC Members: $25
ESDCTA Members can use Volunteer Bucks towards Auditors Fee (up to $10)
Non-Members: $45 Walk-ins welcome: Members - $30 at door Non-members- $50 at door
2019 Fix-a-Test Online Entry Form education@esdcta.org
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DRESSAGE TRAINING SYMPOSIUM WITH LILO FORE HOSTED BY ESDCTA April 6 and 7th 2019 Horse Park of New Jersey, Allentown Nj Join us at the Horse Park of NJ, April 6th and 7th for Dressage Training ABOUT OUR CLINICIAN: Symposium with Lilo Fore. This seminar is a wonderful opportunity Lilo Fore is a for all dressage riders, trainers and FEI 5 Star judges to be exposed to top quality Dressage training at a cost-effective price. Judge (Ret), US Equestrian We will be seeking top quality demo “S” Judge, riders for the seminar. Interested “R” Dressage riders will be asked to send in videos Sport Horse for consideration. Additional Judge, USDF information will follow. certification Attendee Pricing
ESDCTA, Horse Park of NJ & Pony Club Members - $100 for both days Non-Members - $150 for both days ESDCTA, Horse Park of NJ & Pony Club Members - $50 for 1 day
instructor/examiner, and trainer of numerous Grand Prix horses. She is an accomplished competitor and former USET short listed rider
Non-Members - $75 for 1 day Lunch is included for preregistered attendees. Walk-ins can purchase lunch. For more information, please contact Kem Barbosa kembarbosa@aol.com PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE HORSE PARK OF NJ AND ESDCTA
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News from Outside the Ring If Your Horse Is Dreaming of a Vacation in England… I’m sure you heard of Brexit. It’s the name given to the impending withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Before the EU was formed in 1993, it was much more difficult for individual countries and their populations to do business with each other. After the establishment of the EU, people from each member country could freely travel, work, and share commerce with people from other countries, much like here where people from NJ can just walk over the state boarder to PA to have some pizza. The citizens of the UK decided they were tired of people from other countries just coming and going and decided to leave the EU. So, what does this have to do with horses? As citizens of the EU, horse owners in the UK could just drive through the Chunnel to France and show all across Europe without a lot of paperwork. After Brexit takes effect, if they want to leave or enter the UK, they’ll need additional equine travel documents, health certificates, and authorizations. Brexit has tax implications on horse and equipment sales, and cross-registering horses in European and UK studbooks will be complicated. For us, if you’re planning a horse buying trip across the pond, plan on concentrating your shopping either in England or the European mainland, but not both. Also expect the prices of imported tack to change due to new tariffs. Brexit is due to happen on March 29, 2019. Salmonella Outbreak Affects Horse Travel in the US Three horses died (5 total infected) from a salmonella outbreak at the Miami Animal Import Center in Florida, prompting the closure of the facility for disinfecting. The closure is due to last through March. No horse can enter the United States without being quarantined, and the only other East Coast import center is in New York. Of course, this happened during the height of the Florida horse season when horses from all over the world converge for about 4 months of high-caliber sport.
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BUSINESS MEMBERS Blue Bridle Insurance Agency
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Jersey Palms Farm
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The Black Pony 1 Canterbury Lane Lebanon NJ 08833 908 507 8929 redroan1202@yahoo.com www.blackponytackshop.com
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136 Springfield Meeting House Road Jobstown NJ 08041 732-208-2760 StacieSaddles@comcast.net Stacies Saddles
WWW.ESDCTA.ORG February 2019 COLLECTIVE REMARKS
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