OCTOBER 2013
Dear Desert Mirage Readers... The October issue of Desert Mirage features the magnificent Arabian horses of Mr. John Blincoe. The beautiful Arabian stallion Marwan Al Magnifficoo appears on the cover and is discussed in the article. It has been an absolute pleasure working with John Blincoe, Rick Nab and writer J. L. Hardesty. Stay tuned for a follow-up feature in the February 2014 issue of Desert Mirage highlighting Marwan Al Magnifficoo and his offspring. Our sincere thanks and gratitude go out to Jean Paul Guerlain of France. A Champion Dressage rider himself, Jean Paul continues to contribute his bi-monthly column to Desert Mirage entitled ‘Riding in the Classical Way on Your Beautiful Arabian Horse’. Jean Paul is an extremely knowledgable horseman. He continues to share his vast knowledge of training the horse and rider with the readers of Desert Mirage. Don’t miss our regular departments, Arabian Horsewear - Dressed for Success, Equine Business and Equine Law. These articles offer valuable insight into the Arabian horse industry as a whole. Thank you to Julie I. Fershtman, Attorney-At-Law, Bob Valentine, Ph.D. and Nancy Harm for providing this fresh up-to-date practical information to our readers. Desert Mirage continues to grow globally. A special thank you is extended to all of the loyal subscribers and advertisers of this Arabian horse lifestyle publication. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please forward these items to: lauraj@desertmiragemagazine.com. Desert Mirage wishes all of the exhibitors at this year’s U.S. Arabian & Half-Arabian Nationals in Tulsa a very successful show! Sincerely, Laura J. Brodzik Owner/Publisher Desert Mirage LJB Publications LLC 001.248.866.8756
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G uerlain is a French perfume house, amongst the oldest in the world. The House of Guerlain was founded in 1828
when Pierre-Francois Pascal Guerlain opened his perfume store in Paris. Jean Paul Guerlain is fourth generation Geurlain and the last family master perfumer. Jean Paul currently works as a consultant for Guerlain and continues to travel the globe to develop new fragrances. Desert Mirage is extremely pleased and honored to feature a regular bi-monthly column written by Jean Paul Guerlain. In the past, in addition to his role as master perfumer for the House of Guerlain, Jean Paul also accumulated World Championships in Dressage and Carriage Driving. Jean Paul will be sharing his extreme talent for training and his love of horses with the readers of Desert Mirage. Following is Jean Paul Guerlain’s article VII for the October 2013 issue of Desert Mirage: Dear Friends of the Arabian Horse,
The exciting time has come to put your young horse in kindergarten class (longeing); the foundation is being built and as always, we want to keep a willing happy horse. So make no mistakes that can scare or damage the horse.
The young horse (best not to start longeing before three years of age) is more likely to hurt itself during training, such as the back hoof touching the front leg, etc. Be sure to always place leg protection on the young horse. The older horse has better balance and coordination; however, please continue the use of leg protection.
Longeing a horse correctly is a great art. On the longe, the trainer can see if the horse is moving with the right rhythm. Desert Mirage - October 2013
When the horse is moving to the left, the longe line should be kept in the left hand, at the height of the horses mouth and the whip in the right hand and visa versa moving to the right. The longe cavesson is placed over the snaffle bridle (make sure the bridle is soft/middle thickness) with a good fit so nothing is rubbing. The cavesson is used so as not to hurt the horse’s mouth and the half halts are felt more on the horses nose and not in the mouth (the most sensitive part). The longe, ideally seven meters in length, is attached to the middle ring of the cavesson. The snaffle reins will be twisted around each other and the throatlatch of the bridle opened and refastened to secure the reins. The saddle is securely on; make sure it is light and comfortable with a soft protective saddle blanket/ lambskin and the girth is protected with lambskin. After two weeks, let the stirrups down loose when you longe. The longeing circle should ideally be approximately 14 meters in diameter; it is not good for the articulation of the joints to turn on small circles! Initially, walk with the horse on the circle to show him the way and praise all the time. If the horse wants to move inwards from the circle, flip the longe line a little to make waves to show him to stay out on the circle. Use your voice with the same words each time…a soft voice for coming down from a trot to the walk (example—ugh,ugh), and a sharper voice from a walk to the trot and a trot to the gallop. Use your voice in accordance with the temperament of the horse; do not pull on the line, use your voice. Do not crack the whip,simply lift it up to signal the horse to move forward and lower the whip to slow down. Stay behind the head of the horse. The longe line should be kept taut and not twisted; do not get your horse’s legs or your own legs twisted in the line.
Work on the longe is the first step in obedience/confidence training. The horse should recognize our superiority in rank to him and respect us but never fear us; the trust/confidence is built for riding later. The work on the longe should be no
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more than 20 minutes in total (10 minutes to each side). Every second day only, when the horse stops on the longe (changing direction), you should walk towards the horse. The horse should not walk towards you. Always be calm. After a few weeks you can put a pole on the ground, walk the first times with the horse over it, he can then walk and trot over it himself building confidence and performing new tasks. The next week a cavaletti may be introduced, you will see when he is ready. For the show horse, as they start a little younger, running on a straight line is better for the joints rather than circles; however, again, do not over do it. After longing the horse, make sure the hoofs are re-looked at and that the skin is okay underneath the girth, etc. Perhaps he is hot under the saddle and requires a small shower and a wet
sponge in his face. Please check his mouth that the bridle has not rubbed. Now‌carrot time!
Important information: As this is the first time your horse has had a bridle in the mouth, make sure the dentist has checked the mouth and teeth as well as the overall health of the horse before you begin longeing. Enjoy your Arabian horse...is he enjoying you? JPG
If you have any questions or comments, please write to: vitalcell.km@bluewin.ch.
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Christina de Kragh Guerlain Preparing her Champion Arabian Stallion, Arnelle Acapulco, for Longeing
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Horse riding is a popular sport throughout the world both recreationally
and professionally. As with every sport, injuries develop; some minor others serious. Current literature shows head injuries are the most prevalent (24%) with upper extremity second (17%) and third lower extremity (15%) (1,2). Most injuries are related from direct falls from the horse (2). This article is not intended to educate or train riders on proper techniques but to discuss common injuries and recognition. For prevention and guidance on technique in riding and transitions, please refer to the master perfumer Jean Paul Guerlain (3,4) in Desert Mirage. Horse riding is a dangerous sport with horses weighing up to 500 kg, traveling as fast as 65 km/hr, and with the saddle roughly 2 m from the ground (5). Horse-related traumas are common in children and can cause severe injuries resulting in death and long-term disability (6). Interestingly, the most common population to get injured are women between the ages of 16-30 (2). Modern riding boots are usually knee high and made of leather. They are classically low heeled, even though historically the high heel is supposed to have been invented for riding boots to prevent the boot from slipping out of the stirrup (7). Most injuries occur when the foot is within the stirrup and undergoes trauma when the horse falls directly on the foot/ankle causing a crush injury. The second type of injury is when the foot is entrapped in the stirrup and the midfoot/ankle rotates. These traumatic events cause several types of fractures and ruptures which include, lisfranc fractures, dislocation, ankle injuries, and foot fractures.
ANKLE FRACTURES Ankle fractures are common injuries as they can occur due to the direct fall of a horse on a foot and also from stirrup entrapment. The concern with ankle fractures is they are not always this obvious (as we see in the photos on the following page) which require surgery. Some will develop ligament injuries and cause chronic dull ache and swelling. Those type of injuries that involve the syndesmotic ligament, which is attached between the tibia and fibula, require surgery to assist in healing. This injury over time will cause rapid degeneration of the ankle joint with progressive painful arthritis. A basic ankle sprain with the foot entrapped in the stirrup can cause cartlidge damage of the joint. Once again, ignoring symptoms like: locking, cracking, loss of instability, nor lack of improvement over time can develop into a chronic arthritic joint. But unlike the knee and hip, ankle replacements are still in the developmental stages with good outcomes for patients over 65 and with a sedentary lifestyle. Unfortunately, riders do not fit into this catogory and would be required to stop their sport to undergo a successful replacement. Typical Boot/Stirrup Appearance Photo One Page 19
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Nutcracker Fracture
Subtalar Joint Dislocation
Photo Five
Ankle Fracture Pre-Op
Ankle Fracture Post-Op
Photo Two
Photo Three
Photo Six
Some injuries involve just isolated metatarsal fracture. These injuries are very delayed in healing. Patients for the most part will choose to “walk it off” and believe to “give it time”. This attitude in my experience is seen mostly with male riders. We get to see them two to three months later as the injury never heals and requires surgery to address the non-union (non-healing bone). Unfortunately with this type of surgery it requires over three months to heal and the patient be non-weightbearing with the use of crutches. Pain, aching, swelling and tenderness is not usual four weeks after an equestrian related incident.
CRUSHING INJURIES These injuries are by far the most difficult to treat in the acute setting as many disasters can develop. Direct injuries of a horse hoof are painful and require immediate treatment. Photo four below illustrates the power and weight of an adult horse. This patient unfortunately was not wearing protective shoes and developed an open fracture requiring surgery to reconstruct his first and second toes. Luckily his toe was saved but he lost his nail and will have some loss of proprioception. These open type fractures require hospitalization, surgery within eight hours and require several surgeries for infection control and foot salvage.
Fifth Metatarsal Fracture Photo Seven
MIDFOOT FRACTURE Open Toe Fracture Photo Four
Patients, at times, present with fractures in multiple locations. The patient in photo five developed nutcracker fractures of the cuboid and associated other complex midfoot injuries. These types of injuries require a detailed examination with CT scan of the foot and ankle as missed fracture from conventional x-rays will be clear. Further, these injuries have a risk of a compartment syndrome which is an increase in internal pressure from swelling and bleeding. These are emergent cases and require emergency surgery to reduce risk of gangrene. This patient was taken to surgery within four hours and required screws and plates to repair her fracture. These injuries take 6-8 weeks to heal and frequently develop post traumatic arthritis. Most injuries are directly related to foot vs. stirrup entrapment. If a rider was thrown from his horse and the foot is caught in the stirrup, the rider is dragged by the horse. In this situation, the rider could not remove his foot from the stirrup during falling, and the outside branch of the stirrup created a fulcrum effect with longitudinal bending of the foot (7). This rider in photo six was thrown off his horse and suffered a dislocation of the subtalar joint and fracture of multiple bones. This patient required surgery to reduce his dislocation. Unfortunately these fracture/dislocations are painful and most are reduced in the Emergency Room by a skilled physician. Desert Mirage - October 2013
Since the time of Napoleon, the most foot injury recognized to be specific to equestrian injuries has been called the Lisfranc injury of the foot (7). Not only is this a devastating injury to have but can be challenging to repair as perfect anatomic re-alignment must be obtained each and every time. In the past, this trauma often resulted in an amputation of the forefoot at a specific level called the Lisfranc joint, after the French surgeon who first noticed the pattern of this injury. Today these injuries are reconstructed but most obtain post traumatic arthritis which often requires additional surgery. Today’s new adjunctive treatments help patients ambulate relatively pain free without need of a fusion of the midfoot joints. In conclusion, equestrian sport is often consistent with a trauma of the foot which is forced abduction of the forefoot. The two etiologies that lead to specific injuries are: falling from the horse and if the rider’s foot is hung up in the stirrup. The resulting injuries are frequently misjudged and underestimated with respect to their potential consequences for global foot function. If injured either acutely or chronically, a foot and ankle surgeon knowledgeable in equestrian related injuries is recommended that will perform a detailed comprehensive examination and who is also a skilled and experienced surgeon.
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Pre-Op & Post-Op Open Reduction Internal Fixation of the Lisfranc Joint Photo Eight
MICHIGANPODIATRY.COM Reference: 1. Waller, A. et al; Jockey injuries in the USA. JAMA, March 8, 2000 Vol 28, 10. Pages 1326-1328. 2. Hasler, R, et al; Protective and risk factors in amateur equestrians and description of injury patterns: A retrospective data analysis and a case - control survey. Journal of Trauma Management & Outcomes 2011, 5:4 3. Guerlain, J. (2013, August) Transitions. Desert Mirage. Page 12-13. 4. Guerlain J. (2012, October) World championship dressage rider & carriage driver. Desert Mirage, page 16-17. 5. Temes RT, et al; Head, face and neck trauma from large animal injury in New Mexico. J Trauma 43:492– 495, 1997. 6. Ghosh A, et al. Horse-related injuries in pediatric
patients. J Pediatr Surg 35:1766 –1770, 2000. 7. The Importance of Proper Shoe Gear and Safety Stirrups in the Prevention of Equestrian Foot Injuries; THE JOURNAL OF FOOT & ANKLE SURGERY Vol 46, 1, Jan/ Feb 2007. Pages 32-39. Dr. Darryl J. Martins DPM, FACFAS Board Certified Foot & Ankle Surgeon Dr. Martins is a Fellow of the American College of Foot &Ankle Surgeons practicing in Michigan. He specializes in trauma, reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, revisional surgery and arthroscopic procedures. For questions or comments, please email Dr. Martins at the following address: darryljmartins@michiganpodiatry.com
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Ermilio Custom Clothiers will design a jacket specific to your needs whether it’s printed with equestrian pattern or a custom plaid tweed, these coats are fabulous for the rider or everyday professional.
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Style Tips
As the leaves change and the horses get a little frisky,
it’s time to think about pumping in those pumpkin spice lattes and grabbing a chocolate colored tweed coat before rushing out the door. It’s time to slip on your favorite riding boots not only for the barn, but also for that Friday night date downtown. Shopping at many mainstream stores one will find many riding boot and equestrian inspired trends for this fall season, but remember to take a step into some of your local antiques, thrift stores, and tack shops for some vintage and equestrian inspiration. More than likely one will find some equestrian printed scarves, foxhunting riding coats, and maybe an old hat box for the mantle.
Choose Bold Colors
Once you find the inspiration for a new outfit or even a room in a home, stick to a color palette that will stay classic but draw the eye to the splash of bold color. Look for
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colors in the natural environment which could be from the stalls in the barn with chestnut or palomino colored horses, the four board fencing against the pasture underneath the oak trees, or even the brightly colored apples and carrots in the feed room.
Be Your Own Brand
Remember that dressing up in a fresh new look doesn’t mean it has to be a “designer” label to be fabulous. Some of the best outfits are those with an unknown label, or passed down from generations. Most importantly, the meaning behind the outfit creates conversation, confidence, and brings out emotion in the wearer. Pick and choose the best scarves to mix and match in your accessories or home décor. Covering a grandmother’s chair in an equestrian scarf can be a beautiful conversation topic around the fireplace.
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Style Tips
Featured above are the custom leather made-in-the-USA Der Dau equestrian fashion riding boots. Desert Mirage - October 2013
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Style Tips Boot it up!
Whether you are out to dinner or at the barn, wearing riding boots in the fall is a 100% absolute-must no matter what the occasion. Lace up, zip up, or slide on, you pick: but one thing is for sure- comfort matters! With many styles to choose from with heel height, calf width, from custom to off-the-rack, browns and blacks are most popular. Don’t be afraid to try a new color this fall—the hottest color we are craving is cordovan.
Accessorize With A Statement Piece
Create a statement with your look by showcasing a fabulous accessory like this braided handle leather handbag from Dressage Collection. Less is more when it comes to accessorizing, and the key concept is quality. Judge the quality of leather just as though it were being showcased on a top halter horse.
Love Your Leather
If you love the smell of it, you know it’s good (the leather that is)! Open up the tack trunk for some leather riding accessories that can make great bracelets such as spur straps. Douple wrap a spur strap as a bracelet to give that extra edgier equestrian look that no one else will be wearing on the street. It’s okay to mix silver and gold accents, especially when creating a more casual country look, and sticking to one metal can be a nuscense from time to time as we all know. Think of dressing up as tacking up: one piece at a time and all the pieces come together for a perfect ensemble at the end: seemingly classic and timeless.
Ashley Cline grew up riding and competing at the national level on the East Coast “AA” Hunter/Jumper show circuit. While attending Florida State University for her B.S. degree in Fashion Merchandising, she also competing on the Intercollegiate riding team. Ashley worked in several retail establishments such as Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, and Lillt Pulitzer from management to visual merchandising. While working at Lilly Pulitzer, Ashley completed her M.B.A. in entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University. Upon completing school in 2011, she founded EquestrianStylist.com to accomplish her goals in promoting equestrian style in mainstream fashion and the horse industry.
Featured above is the braided handle leather handbag from Dressage Collection.
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Operating a successful horse business is a challenging undertaking by any measure. Not only are the days long and the work hard, but the ever increasing cost in an unpredictable market only adds to the difficulty and risk.
One of the most important initial business decisions you will make is which horse business management system do you need to help you manage your business? And yes, you do need one! There is just too much at stake to try and manage your business using scraps of paper and or depend on your memory. You need a horse business management system that not only helps you manage your business and provides you with the accounting records you need for your taxes and your banker, but also helps you measure it by providing you with intelligent reports so you can make good business decisions. Unfortunately, there are many products advertised as horse business management that only keep records. By definition, recordkeeping records an activity or task. There is no mention of management in a recordkeeping definition. If you select a recordkeeping system you will need to purchase additional software or use Microsoft Excel to measure your business. You will also need to purchase accounting software to record your financial transactions. There are many advantages to using a business management system that cannot be achieved using a recordkeeping system. • A recordkeeping system does not connect your financials, horse care, business operations and customers. A management system makes those connections and enables you to track, manage and measure their interactions. • When using a recordkeeping system you incur the cost of additional software – and potentially the cost of additional staff. An accounting program alone can cost you more than $200. Accounting programs record your financial history which is recordkeeping not management. • A recordkeeping system requires as much time to set up as it does to set up a management system and a management system adds value that a recordkeeping system does not. • When using a recordkeeping system with other programs your valuable time is wasted having to enter the same information multiple times. Using multiple systems increases the risk of making entry mistakes or worse, losing information. • A recordkeeping system is no more than organized scraps of paper and does not provide the connection and interaction of information that is necessary to measure and manage your business. • Because a recordkeeping system doesn’t connect your financials, you are subjected to the ‘checkbook management’ trap. Running your business out of your checkbook is a path to going out of business – unless of course, you have an infinite source of money. You might have checks, but just having checks doesn’t tell you if you have the cash to meet your next payroll, and or make your next horse trailer payment, and or purchase the feed you will need in two weeks. There are some recordkeeping systems that include invoicing, but they are still missing the financial connection. Without the financial connection you cannot easily connect an invoice and the money you receive with your business’s financial demands. You are unable to easily manage and or analyze your income sources Page 27
for breakeven and/or ways to increase your profitability. You are unable to easily manage and or analyze your customer’s receivables and any past due amounts without additional expenditure of your valuable time - and time is money. The true cost of using a recordkeeping system instead of a management system is not in its purchase price, it is its cost of ownership. Believe it or not, your horse business management system has a lot do with your business’s degree of success or failure. Selecting a good horse business management system can assist you in making good business decisions. It does this by providing you with up-to-date information that is based on the connection and the interaction between your many business activities, tasks, income and expense. ‘If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it’ This isn’t just a nice cliché, it is a fact! The right horse business management system will enable you to set up your business so that it can be measured, thus allowing you to manage your finances, horse care, business operations and customers and their interactions without purchasing additional software or having to enter your information more than once. You will have the information you need in intelligent reports that will assist you in making good business decisions. Getting organized is easy. You don’t need a recordkeeping system to get organized, but you do need a management system to manage your business. A simple management example is tracking, managing and measuring your horses’ nutrition. You might be asking, why be concerned with tracking and managing my nutrition supplies? After all, I can go count my bales of hay and bags of grain – and you can, if you have nothing else to do with your valuable time. But, why not let your management system manage and track your nutrition supplies and alert you when you need to reorder while you do something to improve your business that your management system can’t do. Unfortunately, most people don’t associate their supplies with their cash flow or their supplies consumption cycle and shelf life. Having the ability to make sure you always have what you need, when you need it, but never too much, not only optimizes your use of cash, but ensures that your vaccines haven’t expired, or your feed hasn’t lost its nutritional value, or you have enough breeding supplies when you need them. Often, it is the feeding methodology, not the feed composition, which leads to digestive disorders in horses. Tracking, managing and measuring your horse’s nutrition should be taken very serious because digestive problems can result in a horse’s premature death. Far too often, you hear someone say they feed their horse a couple of flakes of hay two times a day and a coffee can of grain. Under some circumstances that might be adequate, but the probability of a digestive problem is far greater than if a horse’s nutrition is defined, measured and scheduled using a well thought out nutrition plan and a management system to help you execute it. The plan should be based on a horse’s weight and body score, its use and discipline, where it is in its life cycle, the nutrition value of its feed and how it is stabled and cared for. It is well worth the time you will invest. Using a management system you only have to do it once and maybe tweak it a few times to get it right. An investment in a good horse business management system and less than $75 in a good scale can help prevent a $5,000+ colic surgery.
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Horse Nutrition Plan and Management
Management System / Forage Management Illustration
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A horse’s nutrition is so important to its health and performance it should be considered part of a horse’s preventative care protocol. A good management system will provide the information you need and assist you in setting up, managing, tracking and communicating your horses’ daily nutrition and feeding schedule. However, underlying the success of any horse business and the management system you choose is your commitment to keep your system current and use the information it provides to assist you in making good business decisions. Believe me; you need a horse business management system! But, purchasing one if you do not have the ‘business discipline’ to keep it current and use it is a bad business decision, and probably not the fault of the management system!
To be successful in a horse business does not require a finance education, but it does require business discipline and an understanding of what your financials are telling you. This understanding will enable you to make better business decisions. A good Horse Business Management System will do the calculations for you and analyze and report the results with comments or suggestions. A good Horse Business Management System will save you valuable time you can then use to improve your business. I encourage you to investigate how equineGenie not only helps you manage and care for your horses and manage your business operations and support your customers, but helps you be financially successful. Bob Valentine, Ph.D. President GenieCo, Inc. Box 271924 Ft. Collins, CO 80527 1.888.678.4364 or 970.231.1455
bob@genieatwork.com
www.equinegenie.com Dr. Valentine taught Equine Business Management to graduating seniors in the Equine Science Department at Colorado State University. He has been involved in the horse business for too long. If you have any questions, you can reach Bob at bob@genieatwork.com, or call him at 1.888.678.4364 or 970.231.1455 (mobile).
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Carine Meunier is an autodidact artist. are painting on the horse’s skin and it gives
Born in Paris, she now lives in the Netherlands.
After an international commercial career, Carine decided to launch herself on a new adventure, one that she held within her heart since youth…to share her passion for horses and to communicate emotions and feelings by painting. It was at the time of an artist contest where Carine was awarded the public prize and after having lived through some exceptional personal experiences in her life, that she decided to seize the chance to share her passion and emotions with other people by using her artistic work. Carine states, “What a pleasure to be able to exchange with people the things that are so personal and yet so universal like passion, power, grace, sensitivity and tenderness. For me, painting horses means painting the beauty of the animal but also and more specifically, to paint a feeling and an attitude. I seek to give a spirit to my work. The horse communicates with us, it inspires us, it affects us and it touches us profoundly by offering an immense pallet of feelings to us.” The technique Carine uses to paint is her own; she created and developed her technique quite earlier in her career. She paints with acrylic on a special fabric using very small pencils and paintbrushes. It takes a long time to get the colors on; however, Carine likes the depth that this technique gives the artwork. She says, “It is almost as if you
a special, rich three dimensional effect. The rest of my technique is a secret! Every painting takes a lot of time and patience to achieve the final result. All of my paintings are exclusive as I never produce it twice.” Why does Carine paint? “The style of my paintings is figurative, you have to see the horse lives on the painting. It looks like the painting is real, alive and you have the impression that the horse is moving and coming to you. Regarding exhibits of my paintings, people always told me they had the feeling that the horses were coming out of the painting. Even some people began to cry because the spirit of the horse in the painting reached them--for different reasons but the communion was clearly made. I’m always glad to hear these type of comments because it is my goal to reach people and to cause emotions!” Carine paints horses that inspire her and she chooses one of several photographs to begin her stunning artwork. She also paints on enquiry if clients would like to have their own horse on canvas. She has painted some of the most well known Arabian horses in the world. The following pages are a display of Carine’s lovely Arabian horse artwork. For information on Carine Meunier’s existing artwork pieces or commissions, please contact her directly at: atelierpassion@online.nl.
atelierpassion.com
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Photo April Visel
G ina Dupree of Arabian Fancy Tack says, “I love designing oneof- a-kind halters and sets but also do a lot of show ring halters.
The trend lately for me has been back toward traditional and simpler designs. I like the simple bead patterns on basic colors of white, off white, and black with simple dark beads and gold or silver accents. These halters set off a wide variety of Arabian heads.” Gina has also created her own line of very narrow, very thin halters accented by traditional cowrie shells and ornate beads. Arabian Fancy also has quite a few of the new thin bitted halters, with and without beadwork, both in the US and in Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Gina says, “Recent trends for photos has been toward very ornate designs which I have long been known for. The traditional style metal breast pieces I do are hand soldered then hand sewn to a backing to make them super strong and durable. One very pretty look recently done by April Visel at Om El
Arabians was a simple bitted halter with a very ornate forehead and breast piece. This style suits the very exotic horses of Om El Arabians and made for a very eye-catching look.” Gina continues, “Another new design recently photographed by Nancy Pierce is a bold halter with larger beads but a simple custom-made chain noseband. It is a halter she owns and has used on many client horses for shoots; however, suits her own yearling colt to perfection as well.” Gina Dupree of Arabian Fancy does not follow the trend, she SETS the trend! Gina states, “My customers know they can come to me with an idea and I can make it happen for them or have no idea at all and still receive the prefect design for their horse.” Contact Arabian Fancy to make your own superstar shine in the show ring or to dress up your favorite backyard star for fun and photos. Email Gina at: arabianfancy@live.com or visit arabianfancy.com for more details.
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Arabian Fancy BEAUTIFUL TACK FOR THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL HORSES arabianfancy@live.com ARABIANFANCY.COM
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DesertDesert MirageMirage - August- 2012 February 2013 Desert Mirage - October 2013
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Every horse show has a judge.
But sometimes accidents at horse shows come before a judge in a court of law. Over the years, lawsuits have been filed against horse show management as well as the land owners, competitors, trainers, and horse owners arising from accidents occurring at the shows. Lawsuit Examples Here are examples of actual lawsuits involving horse shows: * Spectators near the arena. During a large outdoor horse show in Michigan, a horse broke free, ran loose through the grounds, and collided with a spectator. He sued show management, the owner of the loose horse, the trainer of the horse, and even the boarding stable from which the horse had been hauled that morning. In a case from Texas, a spectator at a barrel racing event was injured when flying debris, believed to be a rock that a competing horse kicked up, struck her in the eye. She sued the arena owner as well as show management. * Spectators on the show grounds. It does not take proximity to a horse to generate injuries, and sometimes litigation, at a horse show. Years ago, organizers of a three-day event competition in Kentucky were sued after a spectator slipped and fell in a spectator tent. In a case from Nebraska, a spectator was injured after being trampled by a horse that was cantering out of an arena exit gate. At the time, the spectator was returning to his seat on the bleachers, but approaching the bleachers required crossing the arena gate area, and no personnel monitored it to keep spectators away from the horses or to warn them. * Competitors. Injured competitors have sued. In a California case, a teenager died while competing in a three-day event and sued numerous parties. In a Wisconsin case from several years ago, a cutting horse competitor died after his horse lost its footing and fell over; the rider’s estate sued show management and others claiming, in part, that insufficient dirt had been placed on the cement arena floor. In a Louisiana lawsuit, two competitors exchanged greetings near the horse show arena gate, but a horse kicked one of the competitors. As a result, the injured competitor sued his fellow competitor and others. * Volunteers. During a demonstration at a popular stallion exposition in Michigan, a stallion suddenly attacked his handler and then ran loose through the show arena. Moments after, a volunteer entered the arena in an attempt to catch the horse, but the stallion attacked her. She sued the show management and the stallion owner. As these cases indicate, nearly every aspect of horse show management can generate a lawsuit.
sizes, color, and placement. Many states also require that the warning or other mandated language be included in contracts. Remember that these laws do not apply to all situations, and your compliance with these requirements does not assure that you will be lawsuitfree. Risk Management Horse show management can help reduce the risk of litigation. Here are some ideas: • Insurance. When it comes to liability insurance, horse owners and show management sometimes make risky assumptions. For example, a boarding stable that holds an occasional schooling show might assume that its existing liability insurance policy covers a show when, in fact, it does not. Avoid costly mistakes by discussing your activities with a knowledgeable insurance agent or attorney before the activity takes place. • Releases. Consider having all participants of legal age sign properly worded liability releases/waivers (where allowed by law). Consider even having spectators sign these documents, if possible. Remember that people who sign releases can, and sometimes do, file lawsuits. Also, liability releases are never a substitute for insurance. • Dogs. Establish and publish policies regarding dogs on the show grounds. Some shows require dogs to be leashed and attended at all times. Some shows forbid dogs. • Safety rules. Consider establishing written rules for people who stable horses on the show grounds. This article does not constitute legal advice. When questions arise based on specific situations, direct them to a knowledgeable attorney.
About the Author Julie Fershtman, one of the nation’s most experienced Equine Law practitioners, is a shareholder with Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC. An attorney and legal consultant for 27 years, she has successfully tried equine cases in four states and has drafted hundreds of equine industry contracts. She is a Fellow and officer of the American College of Equine Attorneys and has lectured at seminars in 28 states. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Business Litigation and Insurance Law. For more information, visit www.fershtmanlaw.com, www.equinelaw.net or www.equinelawblog.com.
The Legal Standard Lawsuits involving horse shows involve either legal theories of negligence or an applicable state equine activity liability act. Negligence The one who brings a case (called the “plaintiff”) would claim that the parties allegedly at fault (the “defendant”) failed to act as a reasonably prudent person would have under similar circumstances. In the lawsuit involving the cutting horse competitor, for example, his estate sued show management alleging that it negligently maintained merely a few inches of dirt over the arena’s cement floor which allegedly led to the horse slipping and falling in competition.
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Equine Liability Acts 46 states (as of August 2013) have some form of equine activity liability law. All of them differ. These laws have been applied to some accidents occurring at equine events and many require “equine activity sponsors” or “equine professionals” to post “warning” signs that contain certain language. Laws differ as to sign sizes, letter Page 53
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http://bhartphotos.smugmug.com/
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H
orse breeding is both an art and a science. As such, if the endeavor is to be meaningful, it must be founded in a gift, and developed through earnest study, relentless passion and determination. Born with the gifts of love for horses and strong natural instincts in all things related to them, John spent his youth and his young manhood gaining knowledge from the masters of horsemanship and the breeding arts. In the company of horses and horsemen he exercised his innate talents, while studying the techniques handed down from generation to generation by the world’s finest breeders of the world’s most magnificent horse–– the Arabian. Today, John continues his pursuit of wisdom, never assuming that his mission is complete. Always inquisitive and interested, always building and expanding on his God-given foundation, he continues to seek information from those who share his zeal and his hunger.
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Before continuing with the story, we should explain that John is a practical man in background and in action, whose business acumen makes possible the on-going pursuit of his passion for horses and horse breeding. An attorney and a successful past professional V.P. of investments in finance, business; and in the stock market, he utilizes the same skills in the world of trade that––since the 1960’s––have enabled him to attain exceptional achievement in the promotion and marketing of great horses. For John, a good education was essential. Beginning with courses in pre-veterinary medicine and business management at the University of the Pacific, he went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, followed by a Juris Doctorate from Humphreys School of Law, also receiving accolades from the Merrill Lynch School of Investments in Princeton, New Jersey and MFS Circle of Influence and Distinction. Now that we’ve established the basics of who John is, let’s take a look at where he came from and what he has done.
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MARWAN AL MAGNIFFICOO
Marwan Al Shaqab x Pacific Echo by Echo Magnifficoo
2006 Chestnut Stallion Owned by John Blincoe
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A Rough Start John was born with a hole in his heart––a life-threatening condition with a survival rate of 5% to 10%, at a time before any kind of open-heart surgery had been perfected, least of all such procedure involving a newborn. In those days, children with Johnny’s condition were referred to as “Blue Babies” because, in these little ones, blood pressure flow was perilously irregular, causing them to literally turn blue from lack of oxygen. When he was just 18 months old, he underwent by-pass surgery that would not mend the heart but would enable him live with the damage. And live, he did. From the age of 18 months to just under 18 years, John led an incredibly active life for a boy with a heart that just didn’t function as it was meant to. As a boy, he tried out for all kinds of sports, but too much exertion overtaxed his heart and caused migraines from irregular blood flow. As a result, the horses became even more important to John than they might otherwise have been.
gery that should have killed him strengthened his bond with the horses and reinforced his belief that a loving Creator had sent these noble animals to carry him across all the miles and the trials of life. The faith that has sustained him, and the determination born therein, has been the hallmark of John’s character ever since.
The Gaining of Wings and Conquering without Sword The second son of a west coast trucking magnate and his beautiful Greek wife, John was born in the ranch and farm country of central California, between the inland port city of Stockton and the area known as the Mother Lode, where gold and silver mining gave birth to a culture as tough and sturdy as the American dream.
This importance was proven beyond a doubt when he had his second open-heart surgery at the age of 17. For years, he had begged his doctor to try again. But the doctor kept putting him off, explaining that advances were being made every day and that the longer John waited, the greater the chance of successful repair. In his senior year of high school, wanting to enter college with a healthy heart, John convinced his parents and his doctors that he was ready.
As a precocious two-year-old, Johnny began begging for a horse. Beyond his familiarity with the ranch horses that worked and grazed on the river meadows that stretched out all around his home, from the western slope of the High Sierras toward the Pacific Ocean, was a deep yearning, for the wings he somehow knew he would gain on the back of a horse. By the grace of God, Johnny had a great-uncle from a few counties away who was crazy about him. On his frequent visits, the uncle (Peter), wanting to give him a gift, always asked what Johnny wanted most. “I want a walking horse,” was the boy’s unwavering response beginning as soon as he could put together a sentence.
The story of the danger and the drama that unfolded during that heroic procedure is far too long and frightening for this venue. Suffice it to say that John came very close to death and that, according to the doctors, had he––and his wounded heart––not been in such good condition as a result of his activities with the horses, he would surely not have lived through the unprecedented surgeries.
On his 3rd birthday, in early December, Uncle Peter arrived with a beautiful wooden rocking horse and Johnny dissolved in tears because he hadn’t been able to make anyone understand that he was saying “walking” horse, and this was nowhere near the gift he was hoping for. In a strange bit of childhood wisdom, little Johnny knew he needed a horse that “walked” so that he wouldn’t fall off.
John’s endurance all those years with an irreparably flawed heart was proof of his uncanny tenacity. His survival of a sur-
Needless to say, the story doesn’t end there. For Christmas a few weeks later, the loving uncle showed up on the Blincoe
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doorstep with a gray Arabian mare named *Nikole. In the noncoincidental way of fate, *Nikole was of noble, pure-Polish lineage, and the first in a long line of royally bred horses that would carry the little boy with the damaged heart through the challenges of his health to his dreams, and beyond. The first daughter of the important matriarch, *Chloe, (imported from Poland by General Patton for the U.S. Cavalry Remount Station) *Nikole was a maternal half sister to John Rogers’ great brood matron, Chloeyn. With *Nikole and the white stallion, Fertif (found by John’s father in a pasture full of Black Angus cattle near his trucking company office), Blincoe Arabians began. As it happened, *Nikole wasn’t quite the “walking horse” Johnny expected. She was a high-strung mare that routinely ran away with her little rider, challenging, toughening, and teaching the boy a great deal more than he might have learned at a slower pace. On the foundation of a small boy’s hope and hunger, a breeding dynasty that lives on today was established. Over a half-century later, everything that John is doing as a breeder and entrepreneur is connected to all that followed these beginnings.
The Young Rider A force to be reckoned with on the tough Pacific Slope circuit, John Blincoe––at a very young age––made a name for himself, and for the family breeding program. Throughout his stellar career as a junior rider, John often challenged and bested the professionals of his day, and earned championships too numerous to list competing all over the great Western States. Western pleasure was John’s specialty at the time and there were none better than the Blincoe-bred horses to spotlight the boy’s talent. John’s older brother, Jim, was also a talented rider and together the Blincoe boys consistently stood first and second, champion and reserve, up and down the west coast and throughout the Southwest, where Western was the most popular of all disciplines, the horses the most beautiful, and the riders most skilled. At the age of 16, John rode the great Blincoe bred mare, Fer-
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anaka++, to the coveted Scottsdale Western Pleasure Championship. And if that wasn’t enough to make history, the unbeatable team of John Blincoe and Feranaka retired the important San Joaquin County Fair Western Pleasure Championship Challenge Award by out-performing the greatest western horses of any breed for three years in a row. Each year, sweeping the competition for the Challenge Trophy that was meant to change hands annually for decades, Feranaka++ was the only Arabian in the all breed classes--wherein most of the competitors were Quarter Horses, most of the riders adult professionals, and all of the judges from the Quarter Horse judging pool. To say this was a rare accomplishment would be a gross understatement. Another breeding-related side trip: The superb show and breeding mare, Feranaka++ was by the Blincoe’s Ferseyn grandson, Fertif, out of Anak, a great-granddaughter of one of England’s and America’s most important taproot sires, Gulastra. Bred by WR Brown, Gulastra, was not far removed from the Arabian Desert and was noted for his purity of blood by The Pyramid Society, the Sheykh Obeyd Foundation, and Al Khamsa, Inc as a Straight Egyptian. Among Gulastra’s most important offspring was his daughter, Binni, dam of Habina++ (by Hallany Mistanny, also acknowledged by the aforementioned societies as a stallion of pure Egyptian heritage). Known as the Queen of Lasma, Habina++ was the dam of some of the greatest sons and daughters of the immortal *BASK++. Among these was La Basque+++/. Remember these names and lines, we’ll mention them again as connections to John’s present day breeding endeavors.
Besides Feranaka++, have there been other favorites? It’s important to note that John embraces the value in all of the various Arabian strains and bloodlines. Throughout his career as a breeder he has used and combined American Domestic lines with Arabians of Straight Egyptian, Russian, Spanish and Pure Polish lineage, beginning this practice long before it was popular, at a time, in fact, when such mingling of blood was, for the most part, considered unthinkable. The scope of his experience is too broad to include all of the important horses that John
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MARWAN AL MAGNIFFICOO
Unanimous Judges’Choice 2013 Arabian Horse Celebration Champion 6-8 Year Old Senior Stallion Show Reserve Champion Stallion
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WC CIAO MAGNIFFICAA
Marwan Al Magnifficoo x PWC Ciao Bella+/ (by Bey Shah son, Xceptshahn out of Ali Jamaal daughter JE Ali Selene)
2011 filly
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has known, owned or managed. For now we’ll list only a few of the greats that appear in the pedigrees he is using today. FAME VF+ ~ (by Bey Shah+ out of Raffoleta Rose) Once the owner of Raffoleta Rose, John sold the mare and afterwards agreed with the new buyers (Bob and Pat Radamacher) on breeding decisions. He was instrumental in the decision to breed Raffoleta Rose to Bey Shah+ and advised the handler Dick Adams in the presentation of the resulting foals. The outcome is legendary . . . and directly connected to John’s most recent acquisition of a stallion that promises to be as great and greater than his antecedents, Marwan Al Magnifficoo that is now creating his own Dynasty. FIRE ALERT++ (by *BASK++ out of Susecion) US and Canadian Top Ten Halter horse and Performance Stallion and sire of multi Champions including Canadian National English So Alert++. KABORR+++ (By *NABORR out of Bint Kholamah) Very
significantly, Kaborr+++ was the sire of Kajora, dam of Gazal Al Shaqab––who is the sire of Marwan Al Shaqab. It is also important to note that the mating of Kajora’s sire and dam was a result of John Blincoe’s breeding management at his American Farms. It was a unique merging of genetic excellence that would not have occurred had it not been for John’s foresight and his decision.
*CELADDINN John Blincoe in his capacity as an International Judge, awarded to *Celaddinn the Junior National Championionship of Sweden. Later, John returned to Sweden to purchase this first National Champion sired by *ALADDINN, that John could not get out of his mind. Through the son, John came to love and respect the father. And though not directly related, *Celaddinn is another important connection in the pedigree of Marwan Al Magnifficoo who traces to *ALADDINN through Triple Crown Winner and supreme sire, Echo Magnifficoo.
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A Breeder’s Education and His Philosophy On yesterday, today is built. And only upon a solid foundation can that which is constructed endure. Perhaps John understood this basic truth as it relates to horse breeding because he spent so much time studying the way their beauty, their minds and their conformation connected to their pedigrees. Or maybe this awareness was an effect of that earlier mentioned gift. Whatever the reason, as a boy and young man, John sought the wise counsel of the best-respected and most prominent Arabian horse breeders of the day. As a result of John’s sincere interest and dedication, he became a favorite “son” of the people who were most sincerely about the business of creating the foundation on which the World’s greatest Arabian horses still stand, today. Sadly, the names of most of these great breeders have been all but forgotten by modern enthusiasts who owe their predecessors virtually everything that the breed is today. In an effort to awaken memories and/or to make overdue introductions in others, we’ll share here a few of those all but forgotten names.
John Rogers: Importer of *Serafix and many other great hors-
es, primarily from England, was a breeder who favored powerful athletes of strong mind and constitution.
Daniel C. Gainey: Breeder of a dynasty based in the intense
combining of the blood of Skowronek, through his sons *Raffles and *Raseyn, Mr. Gainey favored exquisite Arabian type and the kind, tractable disposition of the breed.
Dr. Eugene LaCroix: Importer of the immortal *BASK++ and many other extremely significant horses from Poland. Dr. LaCroix favored horses that combined beauty with athletic ability and the hearts of their warrior ancestors. Today, John remains in the strongest agreement that each individual Arabian horse must contain both traits to be a great show and, more importantly, to be considered foundation bloodstock.
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Judith Forbis: Considered by many to be the pre-eminent scholar on the Egyptian Arabian, Mrs. Forbis and the Desert Ancestors of the Arabian Breed that is dedicated still to this day dedicated her life to purity and extreme beauty of the direct descendants of the original desert Arabians.
Throughout his life, John has traveled extensively, seeking the finest Arabian horses the world has to offer. A renowned international judge, a sought after consultant, and legal expert, he has imported and/or exported horses to and from every nation and continent in which the Arabian is revered.
Tom Chauncey and Deedie Wigley Chauncey: With Wayne Newton, purchased the great Polish *Naborr from Anne McCormick. Mr. Chauncey, like Dr. LaCroix, favored the combination of beauty and athleticism that was the hallmark of the Polish/Domestic cross Arabian. A businessman and entrepreneur, Mr. Chauncey was especially instrumental in these aspects of John’s endeavors. During the period when the Chauncey’s entrusted Kaborr++ to John Blincoe, the stallion made history by obtaining his four world championship achievements in a period of just five months.
Fast Forward to the 21st Century and the New Millennium
Through the knowledge and wisdom shared with John by these and other dedicated to the Arabian breed, John developed a philosophy that have enabled him to make his own long-term contributions to this breed.
Enter MARWAN Al MAGNIFICOO Through this stallion, more than one important legacy lives on.
The achievements of yesterday make way for the goals of today and tomorrow. Throughout his life, John’s horse interests and businesses always carried their own weight. When he moved from Northern California to Scottsdale in the 1970’s, ahead of the land rush that would soon follow, he was the rare individual who relied on no income source other than the horses which was a rarity at the time. His adventures in the land of sunshine––a place he had been drawn to since boyhood––began on a wing and prayer. He arrived in town with very little money and a handful of personally owned horses. On this a scanty foundation, he built multimillion dollar breeding and marketing programs, and produced many of the most successful auctions of the day that cumulatively garnered gross sales exceeding eight figures, and setting world record prices, many of which may still stand to this day.
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No matter the adventure or achievement of the day, the horses have always held first position in John’s heart. So, when the opportunity presented itself, he returned immediately to the theater of his passion. With a solid plan to create a breeding program based on the best of his past, he set about the business of buying and leasing a select herd of mares, along with a few fine young show horses to travel with him into the future.
Though life’s pathways may diverge, the important stretches most often join again, drawn by indelible connections that were forged along the way. This is especially true when the expedition is inspired by passion and purpose. For John Blincoe, the Arabian horse that can fly “without wings and conquer without sword” has always been, and will always be, the North Star on his life’s journey, the powerful elements that draw all of his roads to one convergence. The magnificent stallion, Marwan Al Magnifficoo, whose name is a title that announces his heritage, stands at the place where of all John’s pathways merge. M & M, as the stallion is affectionately called, represents all of the strains, the lines and the types of Arabian horses that have been essential teachers and beloved companions all along John’s way. When asked why he again committed himself to life with a breeding stallion, John said: “I was never, never, never going to
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FOREVER FLEURTATIOUS
Marwan Al Shaqab x Crysstal Echo (by Echo Magnifficoo out of a *Padron daughter)
2007 Bay Mare Owned by John Blincoe
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ALTIMA USA
*Rahere out of RA Khansuela, by Khadraj NA+++/ out of a daughter of FAME VF+
2012 Bay Filly Owned by John Blincoe
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own, lease or manage another stallion. I didn’t want that responsibility, or the commitment to one stallion––until I saw M & M. I tried for a week to talk myself out of buying this stallion. But I could not be dissuaded. I knew that he and I had to share this adventure, together. With no disrespect to all the extraordinary stallions I’ve had the honor to own, syndicate, lease, shown and/or manage (and they were some of the finest in the world) Marwan Al Magnifficoo is the best I have ever owned and shown. I feel so incredibly fortunate to have him in my life’s journey. I love this stallion. He sends chills up my spine; and he has foals that do the same. Both his colts and his fillies are spectacular! And it is not just me saying this. His sons and daughters are sought after, and are being purchased all over the world with the demand greater than the supply.” M & M’s show record is terrific. But far more importantly, at just seven years of age, he is taking his place among the legendary sires of the breed, giving champions in countries around the world. His winning offspring numbers and percentages of champions are remarkable, and steadily increasing. In an upcoming extension of this article, we’ll provide details and photos. “Marwan Al Magnifficoo is my ideal horse,” John told us. “In conformation, beauty, athleticism and supreme sire of unequivocal potency, he possesses it all. And then there’s his pedigree. He carries the blood––close up and powerful––of the horses that were most important in my steadfast original breeding pro-
gram . . . including such greats as Kaborr, Edjora, Fame VF+, Raffoleta Rose, Kajora, Kaborr++, *Aladdinn, *BASK++, Balajaka, Habina, and great desert bred individuals. So, we asked, does he remind you in particular of any of the great horses of your past? “Not really,” John says. “This stallion stands alone. He is a unique representative of his pedigree, the culmination of the finest traits from all the best in his heritage, a young horse already perpetuating his own legacy.” And what are John’s plans for M & M? “To cherish him; to select the finest mares––possessing the pedigrees of my specific breeding plan––that I can for him; and to produce––through him and these mares––the specific quality Arabians I’ve spent a lifetime loving and owning.” Still actively involved with international finance, John’s heart remains in the breeding of fine horses, creating living equine art, while enjoying his five dearly loved children, Steven, Tiffany, Christopher, Andi and Jonathan (who, at the age of 7, is following in dad’s footsteps, already winning blue ribbons in the show ring.) And so it is that this lifetime horseman journeys on in the direction of his dreams. © J. L. Hardesty, author of The Lost Legend Trilogy www.horselegend.com
Photo Barry Hart http://bhartphotos.smugmug.com/
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BELLA MAZIN
Bellagio RCA x Thee Lotus Mazin (by Thee Infidel out of a daughter of The Minstril)
2011 Straight Egyptian Grey Mare Owned by John Blincoe
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For Marwan Al Magnifficoo breeding information, please contact USARABIANS@AOL.COM
Photo Barry Hart http://bhartphotos.smugmug.com/
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Part 2: Individual weanling training procedures After Counter Conditioning and natural horsemanship training was accomplished, the filly, who was the older foal at about three months of age, was introduced to walking over the obstacles using clicker training. She had already been halter trained to walk and whoa. Her normal grain feeding was placed in a small plastic pail and she was first asked to be led up to, stop, and look at the plastic matt. This was done first at a couple feet away from the mat. She was clicked and given the opportunity to get a bite of grain from the pail. She proceeded towards the matt with clicks and reinforcements of grain for each step. With this procedure, she had no hesitation to step on the mat on which she had been previously been fed. In addition to the click followed by the reinforcement of grain (primary reinforcement), the foals were stroked and given verbal praise such “good girl”, “good boy”(secondary reinforcement). After the mat, the clicker procedure was continued with clicks and reinforcements for the next obstacle in line. There was not much hesitation in the line up with the exception of the foam cushion and the noodles. Putting one foot forward and then backing up with a reinforcement was considered a “bit” or “first step” of the behavior and a success. Others may call this step approach and retreat. Building on that, I then asked for two feet, and then the mid body, and finally the whole foal on the cushion or walking through the noodles. We finished each lesson with stepping up and then backing off the equipment tire. A click, reinforcement, praise and the words “All done” signaled the end of the lesson. The filly learned on the lead line so well in a few weeks and I was able to loop the lead rope over her neck and have her successfully “walk” and “whoa” over all the obstacles I pointed to at liberty. We never punish or get angry for hesitations at the learning stage or beyond. We continue to ask for and reinforce small improvements which are called successive approximations in psychological language. The activities are not frightening to the foal and they look forward to their lessons. It is important to deliver the click and reinforcement as soon as possible for the correct behavior. Delays of even two or three seconds can result in a failure of the connection being made between the behavior and reinforcement/ reward. All of the time during the filly’s lesson, the colt was in the arena eating his grain and observing everything that was going on. On his first obstacle lessons at about 2 months, I had intended to lead him around the perimeter of the obstacle trail and do the step by step breakdown I had done with the filly. However, the filly was still in the arena following her lesson and was hanging around us. I decided to give her the cue “Kamala, walk on mat” and pointed to it. I am always pointing and looking to the direction I want all my horses to go. She followed my instructions at liberty and the colt just followed her with me leading him on a loose lead line. I said “whoa” on the mat, clicked and gave them both a bit of grain
out of the pail. We proceeded to go through the obstacle course one at a time with a click and reinforcement of grain to both the filly at liberty and the colt being led with his first obstacle lesson. They both even stepped up onto the equipment tire at the end. The colt’s first lesson was beyond my expectations for him. I do not think this could have been possible (nor would I have even attempted it) without the colt observing the filly’s twice a day clicker lessons, reinforcement and praise. The colt really enjoyed being scratched and rubbed, so this reinforcement was also added to his grain, stroking, and verbal praise. One can get an idea of the animal’s reactions to new experiences by observing their body language and facial expressions. Use this as a guide for expectations and how far you may go. I kept the lessons short for ten minutes or less. The foals enjoyed the sessions and would come to the gate eager to start when they saw me approach. They still do so at age three. Later their weanling lessons expanded to include putting their noses on each object in the obstacle course at the cue “touch”, followed by a click and reinforcement. My next idea was to condition the foals to a “rider”. I attached a strip of Velcro to light weight bareback pads and to the bottom of three feet high plastic inflatable rabbits. The rabbits provided visual bulk but no more weight than a winter blanket to young foal’s top line. At first the foals viewed the inflatable rabbits while eating and were allowed to get used to wearing the bareback pad alone. The foals were taught to touch the inflatable rabbit all over with their nose and then they were rubbed with them. The rabbits were placed on the foals’ backs with no reaction and then attached with the Velcro. They were then led around in a circle and later asked to walk through the obstacle course without any negative reactions. As yearlings, the bare back pads were replaced with light weight synthetic pony saddles which a strip of Velcro was attached. The “rabbit riders” continued the lessons with no problems. I do not expect these yearlings to ever have a problem being “cinchy” since they have had these lessons since before two and three months of age. Clipping was another weanling clicker lesson. I did this with battery clippers in the arena while they were eating grain and by doing a small portion of clipping at time. The colt liked his rump rubbed, so that was the starting place for him. For the filly, it was her shoulders and neck. The face and feet were last. I also used clickers with bits of apples and carrots for reinforcement. I chose to do clipping education on a hot, lazy, no wind days when there was not a lot of other commotion going on, like gunshots, target practice, tractor driving neighbors, approaching storms or our neighbor’s small plane taking off or landing. Wahl has a new quieter clipper that plugs into a rechargeable battery held in a hip holster which I love and works ideal for this. It
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does not get hot or run out of power when things are going well and you need it to do a body clip or numerous horses. Avoid using clippers that get hot or the lesson will turn into a negative experience for you both. If I ever have a horse that is upset by a noisy clipper sound, I would desensitize with a battery vibrator and the small ear clipper before attempting to body clip. Since the colt was born in June, he did not need to be blanketed when first born. Desensitizing to the horseman string and grooming probably made this easy in the fall. The filly born in March was blanketed when she first arrived, so when fall came she was already trained for placing a folded blanket over her head and neck without fuss. We expect all of our horses to accept their blankets over their heads without the need to buckle and unbuckle. Training to pick up feet was accomplished by first rubbing the legs briefly with hands and then a horseman string going up and down all four. After that, touching the chestnut or hock accompanied by the cue “foot” resulted in the foal picking up a foot for a second or two. They were clicked and reinforced. Each time they were asked to hold their foot up for a slightly longer period. I actually own a nice pair of hoof nippers and file, so I have trimmed the foals’ feet since birth. Tapping and positioning the nippers and file (without any hoof removal) was accomplished first. When it came time for the first nip, I did it, put the foot down, clicked and reinforced. This was repeated for each cut. On later trims, I was able to do more and more cuts before putting the hoof down. By this time the foals were trained to tie with the Aussie Tie ring, so they were gradually weaned off the clicker and allowed to eat their grain while tied and I trimmed hooves. Worming was accomplished by training the horses to open their mouths with a tickle at the corner, clicking and reinforcing. That was followed by empty syringes that were filled with applesauce and a bit of honey or jam on the tip to give them a good taste and reason to open their mouth. Jam or honey was place on the tip of the actual worming syringe when it was time to administer it with success and the avoidance of a fight. I can worm many of my adult horses without a halter in the pasture because they have come to view the procedure a positive one. First shots for the foals were accomplished by dry runs ahead of time with an empty syringe, without a needle, tapping the injection area to desensitize followed by a click and reinforcement. For the first shots, I did have a helper hold the foal in a halter and lead line in a confined space, as I did not want to take a chance of movement and wasting the shots. We do not have an indoor arena, so much of our training slows down during December through March or until the ground thaws and snow melts. I did practice some natural horsemanship through the winter in the barn and also taught the foals a few tricks. Teaching the weanlings tricks has been a joint project with my trick horse Tarifa. The foals were place in adjacent stalls and watched Tarifa in the aisle demonstrate the smile on cue before I taught it to them. To teach the smile, I asked the yearlings to raise their head, pointed to their nose and tickled between the nostrils while saying “Smile”. When they parted their lips a small amount I clicked and gave them a small reinforcement. The behavior was shaped (by successive approximations waiting slightly longer to
click) to get smiles that were bigger and of longer duration. My horses are asked to smile often when they greet me, stand on a tire, complete a task or I part from them. The same procedure was used with Tarifa demonstrating playing a battery powered keyboard. After viewing his demonstration, the foals were in a stall with an open door blocked by a stall guard. I pointed to the keyboard, said the word “touch” that they already knew. One at a time, they each touched the keyboard. When touching their nose to the keyboard made a sound, they were clicked and reinforced. This procedure continued until they were playing several notes longer and longer until they were clicked and reinforced. After using the cue “touch” at the keyboard for trials of ten touching, I added the transfer cue “touch, play a tune.” After several repetitions I shortened it to “play a tune” which I then used only for the keyboard. The word “touch” will continue to be used when I want them to touch new objects. These foals have turned out to be very friendly. They always approach the fence to greet people, be petted and caught. They are cooperative to be haltered, led, and groomed. Anyone working with horses should remember there is always some danger involved in any horse training for both your horse and you. We all know that horses can cause serious injuries. Proper preparation and thinking through any activity can prevent problems that can take a long time to overcome. Any item that our horses pick up in their teeth is first wrapped in electrical tape or duct tape. Hula hoops are unfastened so that they will fall apart if needed. Velcro that is easily removed is a MUST for attaching props. We have not experienced a wreck in training babies and other horses by keeping this in mind. Picture in your mind the results you are looking for and keep a positive attitude. The term Self Fulfilling Prophecy is used in psychology to describe the phenomenon that we experience most often what our mind concentrates on, for better or worse! Use common sense and do not attempt any suggestions outside your experience and comfort level. While the examples in this article are young foals and horses, we have used the same techniques successfully with the adult horse. Information in this article is intended to demonstrate training methods and helpful tips that work for us. You must be responsible for using it safely. If you are not comfortable with your abilities or experience, seek advice or assistance from a professional horse trainer. The last piece of advice I have is to do your preparation homework and have fun! Please visit our website at: www.harmonyacresparadehorses.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarmonyAcresArabianParadeHorses Nancy Harm can also be reached at nharm@chartermi.net and by phone at 248.437.5672. The next installment is Part 3: Goals for training our yearlings About the author: Nancy Harm grew up on a Brown Swiss dairy farm with draft horses and a Welsh pony that was ridden western and also pulled a sleigh and buggy. She has a B.S. degree in Education from the University of New Hampshire, M.S. in Educational Psychology of Child Development from the University of Michigan, and an ED.S. Degree in Educational Psychology of Early Childhood from the University of Michigan. Recently retired from teaching Psychology at Schoolcraft College, Harm has applied her educational background to the way she raises and trains her Arabian horses.
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I
have been involved with horses for most of my life and with Arabians for over 30 years, so I feel confident in proposing my idea on what the lovers & guardians of this breed need to do to help increase the numbers of Arabian owners and enthusiasts. The simple answer is GELDINGS! I have seen more than a few incredible Arabian geldings in my lifetime and one comment I wish we could erase from our collective vocabulary is “Oh he’s so nice… too bad he’s a GELDING”! There is nothing wrong with geldings and we need a few more stallions to join those ranks. Herein lies the problem with the Arabian industry. We have way too many people who believe that every “nice” male horse should stay a stallion. To that I say POPPYCOCK! No less an authority than the late great Bazy Tankersley, an acknowledged pioneer and expert of the Arabian breed stated more than once…”If it’s a nice colt, it will make a GREAT gelding”! It is not by accident that breeds such as the Quarter Horse and Paint have so many numbers of registered owners and users of their breeds. There are many families, kids and novice owners who may be just starting out in horses and the availability of geldings as “starter” horses in those aforementioned breeds makes a great avenue to capture these new owners. I live in an area of Florida that is heavy in population of Quarter Horses and Paints. While we do have some well-known and great Arabian farms here in Florida, our numbers of regular, amateur or novice owners is nowhere near what it is for other breeds. As a riding instructor with over 30 years experience in using my own Arabians in my lesson program, I can speak to the reasons so many people, particularly families do not make the Arabian their first choice. I have heard these reasons even after their children have been riding my Arabians for 1-2 years in the lesson program and going to local shows and WINNING!. Even after reminding them that their children had been riding my Arabians for all those many safe hours of lessons, I have been told by parents that my horses were the “exception’ and not the rule. No matter that these same horses had been observed safely transporting riders in my Special Needs program over hours & hours of riding therapy. Even people who have had the benefit of seeing Arabians quietly go about their job, still had the misconception held by the majority of the general public, that these were the not the “norm” for the breed. Desert Mirage- -August October 2013 2013 Desert Mirage
The 3 main reasons I hear the most often from parents are: 1. Arabians are too expensive…we could never afford one! 2. Arabians are too “hot/spooky/crazy” 3. It’s hard to find geldings. As an industry, we can DO something about the perception of our horses…and keep all of these beginners from going down the road to another breed; however, everyone in the business of breeding Arabians has a duty to act in the best interests of the breed and promote to everyone! Very few Arabians are worth 6 figures (despite what many farms may dream of). Every Arabian who looks like it won’t be show material needs to be considered for other areas. If they have the temperament and training, the colt that may not be good enough for your barn’s fancy show string, could, as a gelding have a long happy life as some kid’s first horse. (This same thing could also be said for mares, as not all mares need to be breeding, but that’s a subject for another day.) I know successful breeders who price their stock with an eye toward AFFORDABILITY for the average buyer. One breeder I know puts a flat price on all of her young stock (from her multi Champion producing stallion) up to the age of yearlings. If she keeps a horse past that point they get re-evaluated as they grow a bit and see where they go from there. Some “ugly ducklings” have turned into swans as 2 and 3 year olds and she has seen happy owners who know she is not keeping her “best” horses for herself. She is never disappointed that there might be a good one that got away, because she has the knowledge that they are with an owner who thinks the world of that horse and she has REPEAT customers! Geldings can be and SHOULD be the cornerstone of any farm that is serious about getting new owners to look at OUR breed. Forget about the Arabian shows, let’s get them out and about at OPEN shows everywhere! Little shows, community shows, bridle club shows, any venue that allows us to show off the most beautiful, human friendly and versatile breed in the world. Those of us who are IN the breed already know about how great these horses are…we need to stop showing and selling to each other and make it our business to get more affordable horses out into the hands of the “newbies”. Let’s hear it for the beautiful, hard working Arabian gelding!
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