US Equestrian Magazine by United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.

Official Magazine of the United States Eq

TOXIC PASTURE PLANTS Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Let These Take Root

PAST AND FUTURE GLORY A Nations Cup History

JORDAN ALLEN Working-Student Life, Diversity, and More

ation | Fall 2019

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CONTENTS FEATURES 72 JORDAN ALLEN

Rising hunter star on equestrian life

86 PASTURE POISONS

Look out for these toxic plants

94 JUMPING NATIONS CUP

Storied past, bright future

108 DENIM GETS R.E.A.L.

Ariat’s best riding jean

DEPARTMENTS 8 Partners 10 Sponsors 14 Marketing/Media 16 Letter from the President 18 Snapshot

20 USEF News

30 Seen & Heard 32 Learning Center Cover: Jordan Allen and Susan Stanley’s Rainier. Photo: Taylor Pence/ US Equestrian

40 Pro Tip Official Magazine of the United States Eq

ation | Fall 2019

44 Juniors’ Ring 50 My First

TOXIC PASTURE PLANTS Don’t Let These Take Root

PAST AND FUTURE GLORY A Nations Cup History

JORDAN ALLEN Working-Student Life, Diversity, and More

56 Hot Links 60 Trending 64 Horse Health 116 For the Record

4 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN, USET ARCHIVES, AIWOK/CREATIVE COMMONS

Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation

US EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE Volume LXXXIII, Fall Edition PUBLISHED BY The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. CHIEF MARKETING & CONTENT OFFICER Vicki Lowell | vlowell@usef.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Glenye Cain Oakford | goakford@usef.org CREATIVE DIRECTOR Candice McCown | cmccown@usef.org ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kim Russell | 859 225 6938 | krussell@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIP & SALES Layson Griffin | lgriffin@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL & VIDEO CONTENT Andrea Evans | aevans@usef.org ASSISTANT DESIGNER Kate Strom | kstrom@usef.org EDITORIAL STAFF Kathleen Landwehr, Jane Ohlert, Kim Russell, Ashley Swift CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Hope Ellis-Ashburn, Ainsley Jacobs, Nancy Jaffer Equestrian Magazine (ISSN 1548-873X) is published five times a year: Horse of the Year Special Edition, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, by the United States Equestrian Federation®, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511; Phone: (859) 258-2472; Fax: (859) 231-6662. (ISSN:1548-873X). NOTE: Effective Spring issue of 2018, Equestrian magazine will be published and provided electronically and only four editions will have printed copies and be provided by U.S. Mail. The Winter issue will only be provided electronically. The Horse of the Year issue will be mailed only to competing members as of the date of publication and the year immediately prior to the date of publication. USEF is not responsible for the opinions and statements expressed in signed articles and paid advertisements. These opinions are not necessarily the opinions of USEF and its staff. While the Federation makes every effort to avoid errors, we assume no liability to anyone for mistakes or omissions. It is the policy of the Federation to report factually and accurately in Equestrian and to encourage and to publish corrections whenever warranted. Kindly direct any comments or inquiries regarding corrections to Glenye Cain Oakford goakford@usef.org or by direct dial 859-225-6941. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to US Equestrian, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. Canadian Publications Agreement No. 40845627. For Canadian returns, mail to Canada Express, 7686 #21 Kimble Street Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5S1E9. (905) 672-8100. Reproduction of any article, in whole or part, by written permission only of the Editor. Equestrian: Publisher, United States Equestrian Federation®, Chief Executive Officer, William J. Moroney (859) 225-6912. Director of Advertising, Kim Russell (859) 225-6938. Copyright © 2018. Equestrian is the official publication of the United States Equestrian Federation, the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport in the USA, and is an official publication of USEF.

Published at 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, Ky 40511 USequestrian.org

#JointheJoy Follow us on social media @USequestrian 6 FALL ISSUE 2019

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The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.

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BRIEF SUMMARY: Prior to use please consult the product insert, a summary of which follows: CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. INDICATIONS: Adequan® i.m. is recommended for the intramuscular treatment of non-infectious degenerative and/or traumatic joint dysfunction and associated lameness of the carpal and hock joints in horses. CONTRAINDICATIONS: There are no known contraindications to the use of intramuscular Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan. WARNINGS: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption. Not for use in humans. Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children. PRECAUTIONS: The safe use of Adequan® i.m. in horses used for breeding purposes, during pregnancy, or in lactating mares has not been evaluated. For customer care, or to obtain product information, visit www.adequan.com. To report an adverse event please contact American Regent, Inc. at (800) 734-9236 or email pv@americanregent.com. Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.adequan.com. 1 Adequan® i.m. Package Insert, Rev 1/19. 2 Burba DJ, Collier MA, DeBault LE, Hanson-Painton O, Thompson HC, Holder CL: In vivo kinetic study on uptake and distribution of intramuscular tritium-labeled polysulfated glycosaminoglycan in equine body fluid compartments and articular cartilage in an osteochondral defect model. J Equine Vet Sci 1993; 13: 696-703. Adequan and the Horse Head design are registered trademarks of American Regent, Inc. © 2019, American Regent, Inc. PP-AI-US-0214 02/2019

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Victories and Challenges This summer has been a time of accomplishments and challenges for your Federation as we work to support our members and affiliates. Let me start with the accomplishments. Our teams gave stellar performances at the recent Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. The U.S. Eventing Team qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by earning a team gold medal, with Boyd Martin taking the individual gold medal and Lynn Symansky the individual silver medal. The U.S. Dressage Team earned a team silver, with Sarah Lockman taking the individual gold and Jennifer Baumert the individual bronze. And the U.S. Jumping Team earned a team bronze, with Beezie Madden earning an individual bronze after an exciting four-horse jumpoff. None of this success would be possible without the efforts of the horses, their owners, the athletes’ and horses’ support teams, and the USEF staff. Thank you for your tireless work to make the U.S. proud. On our home turf, U.S. riders excelled

16 FALL ISSUE 2019

at the Adequan® North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North at both Old Salem Farm in New York, and Rebecca Farm in Montana, bringing home many team and individual medals. But the event is even more valuable for the team experience and camaraderie it fosters in these young equestrians. Here’s how Kristin Hogan, the Area VI chef d’equipe for the NAYC eventing in Montana and a parent of equestrians herself, put it: “There’s no I in team, and you’re going out there for a greater reason and a greater end. When you stand up there on that podium with your teammates, you realize that every single person on that podium contributed to where you got. It’s so fun to see the kids experience that. And that’s something they take forward into their lives, beyond horses.” The USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm increased its entries by approximately 90 ponies this year and crowned numerous champions throughout the week in jumper, hunter, and equitation divisions. It was an exciting week watching these young riders as they follow the path to greater challenges and some of them to eventually representing our country in international competition. Your home team at USEF has been busy, as well, accomplishing three major goals to better serve our members. These included analyzing and reorganizing our laboratory function, building a new headquarters, and restructuring the licensed officials’ process. We recently completed our transaction with the University of Kentucky, culminating in the USEF becoming a client of the new UK Equine Regulatory Testing Laboratory. Under the guidance of Dr. Scott Stanley, a renowned expert in the field of equine toxicology, the new laboratory will expand on UK’s expertise in the areas of equine pharmacology and toxicology, provide additional research opportunities for equestrian sport, and create further independence in the equine drug testing process. By the time you read this letter, our staff will have moved into their new headquarters at the Kentucky Horse Park.

This new, state-of-the-art facility provides an open-concept design to improve workflow, collaboration, and customer service, all while providing substantial cost savings annually. The lobby will be a welcoming environment for our members, with a combination of workspace, historical displays, and information, as well as the ShopUSEF retail store. Our official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be on November 1 at the new headquarters. Despite all these accomplishments, there have been some challenges along the way. Safe Sport is a subject that creates a tremendous amount of emotion and, unfortunately, it is fueled by an equally tremendous amount of incorrect information appearing on social media. Included in this issue, three courageous young equestrians talk about bullying and highlight a new anti-bullying initiative, Rise Up and Ride On. Their experiences and actions further support the importance of protecting our members from all forms of abuse, not just sexual abuse. Ultimately, we all cannot lose sight of the greater goal to make our sport safe for kids to enjoy the joy of horse sports. Education is critical and we encourage you to read the information available through the USEF website and to contact the USEF or the U.S. Center for SafeSport if you have questions about any part of this program. If you need support as a survivor of abuse or as someone involved in the process, we encourage you to take advantage of USEF’s new mental health support benefit; you’ll find information about this new member benefit under Mental Health Aid on usef.org’s Safe Sport page. We hope you will visit our website and the wonderful educational opportunities in our Learning Center and on our Safe Sport webpage. We look forward to more international success and national championships and to supporting our members as together we spread the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.

Murray S. Kessler President

PHOTO: ISABEL J KUREK PHOTOGRAPHY

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18 FALL ISSUE 2019

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USEF NEWS

U.S. Teams Celebrate Medals at Lima 2019 Pan American Games The United States’ Eventing, Dressage, and Jumping Teams returned from the Lima 2019 Pan American Games in Peru with an enviable medal haul, including team and individual medals for all three teams. The U.S. Eventing Team—Boyd Martin on Tsetserleg, Doug Payne on Starr Witness, Tamie Smith on Mai Baum, and Lynn Symansky on RF Cool Play—secured team gold and qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with Martin and Symansky earning individual gold and silver, respectively. “I’m just honestly really pleased to be a part of this group,” said U.S. Eventing Team Chef d’Equipe Erik Duvander, adding, “If we can keep building on what we did here and keep that momentum, it will get us closer and closer. It’s about using every day we have before Tokyo to keep improving in the same manner that we’ve been working now.” In the dressage competition, the U.S. Dressage Team— Nora Batchelder and Faro SQF, Jennifer Baumert on Handsome, and Sarah Lockman on First Apple—brought home team silver on a highly competitive performance. Lockman and First Apple also remained undefeated in capturing individual gold, while teammate Baumert on Handsome took the individual bronze. “I’m really proud of the team and their performances over the last two days,” said U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald. “There is a lot to look forward to when you look at the direction of this program, and I believe the future is very bright. The more international and championship exposure we can give our athletes, the better we become as a team.”

The U.S. Jumping Team—Lucy Deslauriers on Hester, Alex Granato on Carlchen W, Eve Jobs on Venue d’Fees des Hazalles, and Beezie Madden on Breitling LS—rounded out the Pan Am Games’ equestrian competition with another podium finish, clinching both team bronze and an individual bronze for Madden and Breitling LS. “We came here for a medal, that’s what you always do in a championship, and we went away with a medal,” said U.S. Jumping Team Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “We were a little bit disappointed because we were in the fight for the gold until the end, and then the silver slipped away. What I’m most proud of is that all four of the riders were an essential part yesterday, putting us where we were, and today as well. Everybody participated in a group effort, and I’m very proud of that.” See photographs from the U.S. teams’ successful journey to Lima on pages 30 and 31.

MEDAL COUNT:

Eventing 2

Dressage

Jumping TOTAL

U.S. Eventing Team members (left to right) Tamie Smith, Doug Payne, Lynn Symansky, and Boyd Martin on the podium at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. 20 FALL ISSUE 2019

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USEF NEWS

USEF Announces Transition of Laboratory to the University of Kentucky

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

The United States Equestrian Federation and the University of Kentucky have entered into an agreement for the transition of the USEF Laboratory to UK. The new entity will be called the UK Equine Regulatory Testing Laboratory. The transition is effective July 10, 2019, and operations will proceed uninterrupted. Dr. Scott Stanley, a renowned expert in the field of equine toxicology who joined the University of Kentucky in September 2018, will lead the newly formed laboratory. This transaction follows the Letter of Intent signed by the USEF and UK in October of 2018. Since that time, both parties have been conducting their due diligence and negotiating the terms regarding the transfer of the USEF Laboratory. “Our senior leadership and Laboratory Task Force have done outstanding work in their analysis of this venture and presented a compelling recommendation to the Board of Directors,” said USEF President Murray Kessler. “I am pleased to say that the Board unanimously approved this transaction, and we look forward to the advances in testing that our new relationship with UK will bring to our members and their horses while, importantly, providing complete independence between the laboratory and the USEF regulatory process.” The new laboratory will expand on UK’s expertise in the areas of equine pharmacology and toxicology and will provide additional research opportunities for equestrian sport. This partnership is consistent with UK’s mission to serve Kentucky and the world with superior education, service, and transformative research. While the new laboratory will assume responsibility for sample testing, the USEF will continue to administer the sample collection process and results management. “This lab, under the direction of Dr. Stanley, will provide services to a diverse equine clientele,” said Nancy Cox, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “We appreciate the great work of the USEF and look forward to new advances developed through this relationship as we strive to serve the industry in all aspects of safety.”

22 FALL ISSUE 2019

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USEF NEWS

U.S. Center for SafeSport Youth Training Courses Available Now The U.S. Center for SafeSport Youth Athlete Training courses are now live! These valuable resources include courses for children of pre-school age, grades K-2, grades 3-5, middle school, and high school. The free online training is designed as an introduction for minor athletes and their parents or other caregivers and emphasizes the importance of positive, welcoming environments in sports, where misconduct like bullying or abuse is less likely to happen. It also details where to report abuse, should it occur. The website athletesafety.org hosts each course and requires that a parent/legal guardian create an account to provide consent for their child to access the training. Once an account is created, parents can choose which course is best for their child, based on their actual or developmental age. Each course takes less than 30 minutes to complete. While the youth training courses are not required, a fillable PDF certificate is available at the conclusion of each training, and parents are encouraged to write their child’s name on the printed certificate. SafeSport for Preschoolers The preschool course includes a fun cheer; emphasizes that sports should be an inclusive environment that prioritizes safety, respect, and fun over winning; and encourages starting an open conversation with children at an early age. This course will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. SafeSport for Grades K-2 The Grades K-2 course includes an animated video and game that focuses on having a positive attitude, keeping sport fun, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. The course concludes with resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. SafeSport for Grades 3-5 The Grades 3-5 course provides an interactive game to identify and speak up when behavior crosses the line and to recognize the difference between discipline and abuse. It also stresses the importance of being a good teammate and having a healthy sports environment focused on fun and safety. The course concludes with resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

The training emphasizes the importance of positive, welcoming environments in sports.

SafeSport for High School Athletes The high school course focuses on bullying and hazing prevention, supporting friends who have experienced abuse or inappropriate conduct, and resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport Designed for parents of athletes of all ages, this course explains the issues of misconduct in sport and helps parents ensure their children have a positive and safe sport experience.

24 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTO: ANDREA EVANS/US EQUESTRIAN

SafeSport for Middle School Athletes The middle school course focuses on bullying prevention, safe online behavior, responding to red flags, and resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

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USEF NEWS

Terri Dolan to Join USEF as Director of National Breeds and Non-FEI Disciplines Sport Department US Equestrian is pleased to announce that on September 16, 2019, Terri Dolan will be joining our team as Director of National Breeds and Non-FEI Disciplines Sport Department. Dolan will be bringing her extensive management experience from her 35-year career with the Marriott International Corporation to the position, as well as her knowledge of equestrian sport. “Terri’s corporate experience, coupled with her recent work as executive director of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and her participation in equestrian sport as an owner, rider, and competitor, make her an ideal candidate for this position,” stated US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney. “We are fortunate to find such a well-qualified candidate with a diverse skill set to lead the efforts of our National Breeds and Non-FEI Disciplines Sport Department.” Dolan’s hire completes the recent reorganization of the National Breeds and Non-FEI Disciplines Sport Department. Her duties primarily consist of oversight of the functions of the department, including providing mentorship and guidance to assist in the development of department managers, analysts, and coordinators; collaboration with our members and all Recognized Affiliates; U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup program oversight; collegiate and scholastic program management; and championship and event management and fulfillment. “I look forward to becoming a member of the USEF team and continuing to strengthen the relationship with our breeds and disciplines,” said Dolan. “My current role as executive director of the American Saddlebred Horse Association has given me an opportunity to work with the staff at USEF, where I have seen the desire to constantly raise the bar to bring value to their members. This aligns with my background of working with a company–Marriott International–whose primary goal was to ensure they learn from and listen to their associates and customers to create solutions and products that support the overall mission.”

US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney and Terri Dolan (center).

As part of our commitment to members and their wellbeing, US Equestrian is partnering with the McLaughlin Young Group to offer free, confidential counseling services for mental health first aid. US Equestrian members will now be able to access professional counseling services for emotional or other personal issues for up to three visits or sessions through a third-party licensed provider. All providers are state-licensed, with a graduate degree and five years of post-graduate clinical experience. These experienced professional clinicians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. Members can reach a counselor by calling 1-800-633-3353. This membership service is provided by McLaughlin Young, a specialist in providing services to non-profit organizations. 26 FALL ISSUE 2019

“Our members’ safety and wellbeing is of paramount importance to us, and we are pleased to offer this new mental health resource as a valuable benefit to US Equestrian members,” said US Equestrian Chief Executive Officer Bill Moroney. “Providing our members access to free, confidential, professional counseling demonstrates our long commitment to equestrian safety and welfare, both in the competition arena and beyond.” Learn more about the mental health first aid resource and the many other US Equestrian member benefits by visiting our Membership Benefits page on usef.org. Hover your cursor over Join USEF and click Membership Benefits in the menu that appears. To access the full list of membership benefits and all the US Equestrian MemberPerks, join US Equestrian today.

PHOTO: ANDREA EVANS/US EQUESTRIAN

US Equestrian Adds Member Benefit: Mental Health First Aid

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USEF NEWS

There’s no doubt that 20-year-old University of San Diego documentation that they are being trained to represent our student Sloan Elmassian is a serious athlete. A high-level country, they will be granted priority registration as a student jumping competitor, she devotes six or seven days a week athlete,” Elmassian said. The turning point, she said, came to her sport and her horse, driving 40 minutes each way to when US Equestrian President Murray Kessler sent a letter practice. Elmassian is an up-and-coming U.S. athlete who to the university, describing in detail the athleticism, trainhas competed at FEI competitions in the U.S., Great Britain, ing, competitive schedule, and more that an equestrian sport and Belgium. In the spring of 2019, she won the U25 Jumper requires. Classic during two different weeks at the Temecula Valley “While the training needs of equestrians differ from those of National Horse Show in Temecula, Calif. She recently turned a marathon runner or football athlete, they are most certainly professional, all while carrying a full load at USD, where she’s athletes,” Kessler said in the letter. “Symmetry, balance, agility, a junior majoring in law, crime, and justice studies. flexibility, strength, endurance, motor ability, nutrition, and So it understandably troubled her that her university would injury prevention are all physiological aspects an equestrian not officially recognize her as a collegiate athlete must address. … athlete—a recognition that also can bring “Equestrian athletes have an addipractical benefits, like priority registration tional challenge that other athletes do for classes. not, and that is they are working with “For the first five semesters—the first another living being, their horse. A two-and-a-half years—I was not able to successful equestrian athlete must be a register for classes at the same time as sports psychologist to the horse, as well as other collegiate athletes because I wasn’t the first responder when it comes to the classified or considered an athlete, because training and development of that horse. equestrian jumping was unrecognized Equestrian is not a sport that an athlete there as a collegiate sport,” Elmassian can ‘pick up and put down’; it requires explained. commitment and focus.” At the start of her sophomore year, The effort to get a school adminisElmassian decided to try to change that. tration to recognize equestrian sports Over the next several months, she put the is a familiar one for Elmassian, who case for equestrian sports’ recognition noted that her elementary and high to everyone she could find, from several schools also didn’t recognize the sport. directors in the university’s athletics Like many young equestrian athletes, Sloan Elmassian and Centurion, the U25 department all the way up to the top of Elmassian participated in US EquesJumper Classic winners at Temecula Valley the administration. trian’s Lettering Program. Through National Horse Show I. “Each time, my request was declined,” efforts like the Lettering Program and she said. “It’s a little blow to your confidence each time, because US Equestrian President Murray Kessler’s letter of support, it’s something you’re so passionately fighting for and hoping available here for use by equestrian students anywhere, US for, but, as a mentor of mine told me, ‘All things worth having Equestrian is committed to helping equestrians, whatever are worth fighting for.’ Just like with riding, when you fall their breed or discipline of choice, gain recognition as the down, you get right back up—quitting isn’t an option. athletes they are. “Basketball players have training in the morning, and then “I’d like to draw attention to the USD administration for they have classes afterwards, but why is it that equestrian show supporting my equestrian endeavors and recognizing me as jumping is considered less of a sport?” Elmassian continued. an athlete, both with their break in the policy to support me “There’s volleyball, basketball, baseball, soccer—but no one and with being flexible in meeting the needs of athletes,” ever talks about horseback riding. That’s not to put other Elmassian said. “The important outcome in all of this is a sports down, but our sport is important, too, and people need change in policy that breaks the barrier of athletic bias and to take notice.” provides a level playing field for collegiate equestrian athletes, The University of San Diego finally has. This spring, after as well as any other athlete in any other sport. Hopefully, other Elmassian presented her case to USD Vice-Provost Dr. Thomas universities will follow USD’s precedent and recognize that Herrinton, and almost eight months after she started her camequestrians are athletes just like anybody else. paign, USD revised its policy to include collegiate equestrians “I believe it speaks volumes about USEF and about their among its athletes. leadership in our sport to encourage young athletes to invest “In an unprecedented decision, he agreed moving forward in a higher education while simultaneously pursuing their that if any USD student can provide the university with proper passion and higher levels of the sport.” 28 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTO: EMMA MILLER/PHELPS MEDIA GROUP

Kessler to University of San Diego: “Yes, Equestrians are Athletes!”

SEEN AND HEARD

In & Around the Ring “I’m pretty much a self-trained equestrian. I have come up the levels just working hard, a lot of it just through sheer willpower. That’s how my whole equestrian life has been— training my horse myself and doing everything myself.” - Mikhail Proctor explaining his background after winning the Male Gold Individual Championship at the 2019 USEF/AVA Vaulting National Championships

and Elizabeth Sponseller (right), received the Groom’s Award for her care of Shorapur, Kevin Babington’s winning mount in the $100,000 Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix presented by Aon, at the Lake Placid Horse Show in Lake Placid, N.Y. Right: U.S. Eventing Team members Lynn Symansky (left) and Boyd Martin (center) share the individual podium with Carlos Perro (right) at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. 30 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTOS: © MARTY BAUMAN, SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO

Left: Petra Srnec (center), pictured with Marielle Babington (left)

Right: U.S. Dressage Team members (left to right) Nora Batchelder, Sarah Lockman, and Jennifer Baumert display their team silver medals at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Below: U.S. Jumping Team members (left to right) Beezie Madden, Alex Granato, Eve Jobs, and Lucy Deslauriers stand on the podium after receiving their team bronze medals at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

“I think the nerves have kind of left. Nine years on that ramp, I kind of have been able to just realize that it is any other round; it’s a big deal, but, at the end

of the day, it’s one round at one show and you have to ride what you have that day.” - Caroline Passarelli describing her thought process in her ninth and final appearance at the USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, where she piloted So Charming to the Small Green Hunter Pony National Championship title.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 31

LEARNING CENTER

The Science Behind Your Horse’s Feed

Equine nutrition has advanced a lot in the last 30 years, and that’s good news for your horse, says nutritional consultant Dr. Bill Vandergrift.

32 FALL ISSUE 2019

Feeding horses today isn’t just a matter of tossing every horse the same kind of grain and adjusting the amount based on each horse’s weight. Today, thanks to research and advances in equine nutrition, feed works in a more efficient and targeted way. That presents opportunities to pinpoint and address specific needs to maximize nutrition, performance, and health. So how are research and scientific advances contributing to what’s in your horse’s feed bag? We asked equine nutritionist Dr. Bill Vandergrift, Ph.D., to talk us through some of the science behind modern feeds and how current knowledge is reflected in the feed our horses consume. Vandergrift is the founder of the international equine consulting firm EquiVision, Inc., an independent consultant for Triple Crown Nutrition, and a Western horseman himself. His career as both an equine nutritionist and a horse trainer—including time as a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer—has made him acutely conscious of what the equine athlete needs to perform well. “When you combine those two things—science and training—that’s when

you learn the difference between theory and reality,” Vandergrift said. “It really increased my knowledge and my appetite to investigate further some of the issues that we commonly work with in equine athletes. “I can remember back in the mid-1980s, that’s when some of the first research came out talking about increasing fat levels in horse feeds. That was mainly for the purpose of increasing stamina in performance horses and, later, also for the benefit of horses that had problems like tying up due to polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM),” he said of science-based changes in equine nutrition. “Back then, if you had a horse feed that had five percent fat, my goodness, that was a high-fat feed. Today, that’s nothing. Look at how many products are on the market now that have eight, 10, 12, or 14 percent fat.” Although not all horses need high-fat diets, the move to fats instead of starches also benefited the growing population of horses with insulin resistance, for whom high-starch diets could cause serious problems, Vandergrift added.

PHOTO: PAULA DA SILVA/ARND.NL

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LEARNING CENTER “Today, there are also fat supplements and fat supplements using different sources,” he continued. “In the 1980s, when you talked about adding fat, you were talking about corn oil. Now we realize that’s not necessarily the oil source you want to use.” Why? Because now nutritionists know that corn oil has about 50 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. The wide gap in that ratio can be important, because omega-6 fatty acids can contribute to inflammation, while omega-3s can have anti-inflammatory effects. “That’s just one example of the knowledge gained over the last three decades,” said Vandergrift, “and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.” To illustrate the science baked into your horse’s feed today, Vandergrift dissected some key ingredients in Triple Crown’s EquiMix, the proprietary blend of nutrients found in all Triple Crown feeds, which he’s formulated for the company since 1992.

ButiPEARL™ Z EQ Promotes healthy gut lining This combination of butyric acid and zinc is designed to strengthen the gut lining, and it has a dash of peppermint essential oil to make it more palatable. “Butyric acid is a volatile fatty acid, which means it basically disperses in air and as soon as it hits the stomach or intestine, it gets absorbed into the body,” Vandergrift said. “And it has, shall we say, a less-than-desirable odor! Butyric acid has been used in recent years in the livestock industry, because it’s a major food source for intestinal cells. It keeps the intestinal epithelium healthy.” 34 FALL ISSUE 2019

“Research into the equine microbiome and specific probiotics already has affected nutrition knowledge a lot,” Dr. Bill Vandergrift says.

PHOTO: KIM RUSSELL

Lysolecithin Improves digestibility In today’s world of higher-fat horse feeds, lysolecithin helps a horse absorb those fats, and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, and E, more easily. “A horse in his natural environment is not going to consume a diet that’s 10 percent fat,” explained Vandergrift. “As such, horses don’t have a gall bladder, so they don’t store up bioacid or lecithin, two digestive juices that are critical for digestion and absorption of fat. Research has shown that the horse is very adaptable to high-fat diets, so they’re capable of digesting fat, but they use different mechanisms. “Including lysolecithin in EquiMix adds to the lecithin the horse is going to secrete on his own, thereby increasing the amount of fat that’s going to be digested and absorbed from the small intestine. In the horse, the rate of passage through the small intestine is pretty rapid, so you want the fat and starch in his diet to be digested and absorbed mostly from the small intestine. You don’t want it dumped into the large intestine, because there it can interfere with fermentation. So anything we can do to improve digestion and absorption of fat and starch from the small intestine is going to increase the overall utilization of the feed, not only from a digestibility standpoint, but also in terms of getting the components of the horse’s diet in a form that he can use better for performance.”

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36 FALL ISSUE 2019

Probiotics and Prebiotics Maintain the gut’s “good” bacteria “Research into the equine microbiome and specific probiotics already has affected nutrition knowledge a lot, and we’re only just scratching the surface,” Vandergrift said. “It’s so complex and there are so many interactions going on between the microbiome and the intestine and between the microbiome and the brain. We’ve already been able to incorporate what we’re learning.” For example, relatively recent research has shed light on how probiotics (live microorganisms, often bacteria and yeasts, intended to maintain the gut’s beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (food sources that encourage beneficial bacteria to grow) work together. “We now know that probiotics and prebiotics work synergistically, such that the response that you get by feeding both at the same time is so superior to either one by themselves that you have to ask why you’d bother feeding them separately.” EquiMix’s group of yeasts, prebiotics, and probiotics are based on that science. There’s significant evidence, Vandergrift said, that these can help the horse resist infection and the mycotoxins produced by mold or fungus in hay, for example. The probiotics in EquiMix include Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis PB6. “The reason we incorporate the Bacillus subtilis PB6 is that there’s lots of research published in refereed scientific journals that demonstrates that it interferes with Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile. Both of those can be big problems in stressed horses.” Meanwhile, the EquiMix prebiotic mannan oligosaccharide helps neutralize various forms of mycotoxins and can reduce the risk of harmful bacteria, like E. coli and Salmonella, attaching to a cell wall and/or being absorbed into the body due to leaky gut syndrome. “Research has demonstrated that the most effective way to re-establish beneficial anaerobic bacteria is with the use of prebiotics like mannan oligosaccharides, fructan oligosaccharides, and wheat bran, among others,” Vandergrift said.

PHOTO: KIM RUSSELL

Butyric acid also plays a role in preventing leaky gut syndrome, Vandergrift added. Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the gastrointestinal lining is damaged or the tight junctions between cells in the lining break down. The symptoms can include chronic diarrhea, manure with an unusual appearance or odor, a general dullness, a marked preference for hay instead of grain, lack of weight gain on a normal ration of feed, or a simple reduction in performance. ButiPEARL is a trademark of Kemin Industries, which developed this innovation to deliver butyric acid to horses. “They’ve encapsulated the butyric acid, and they’ve used a peppermint oil to mask the odor,” Vandergrift said. “And by encapsulating it, they’ve also made it slowrelease. Without encapsulating, because it’s a volatile fatty acid, it would never make it back into the intestines. “This is a new technology that’s just come into horse feeds in the last couple of years, and it’s really making a substantial difference for horses,” Vandergrift said.

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LEARNING CENTER we’re now using, zinc hydroxychloride, has been demonstrated through research to be more digestible and more available, and to interact less with other minerals in ways that could reduce the minerals’ availability. By providing these minerals in a form in which they’re less likely to interact with each other, we’re increasing the amount of the minerals that are absorbed into the body and delivered to the tissues that need them.” Micro minerals are needed only in small amounts, but their role is significant, Vandergrift said. “The reason we incorporate these in kelp meal is that we want to guarantee that the horse has enough to fulfill the biological functions,” he said. “Chromium, for example, plays a critical role in insulin sensitivity and in glucose utilization by muscles during exercise. So ensuring that you’ve got enough, even though it doesn’t take very much, is important.” Today’s feed certainly isn’t the same as your grandfather’s feed. And there’s good reason for that. The advances Vandergrift describes— and their practical application in your feed bag—offer more targeted nutrition, and that can influence more than your horse’s weight or coat. “With performance horses one of the major things that reduces their immune function as well as their performance level is intestinal dysfunction, and 70 percent of the horse’s immune system is found in the intestine,” Vandergrift said. “Everything we do is geared toward trying to maintain intestinal health, which in turn maintains proper immune function, which in turn maintains a healthy horse that can perform.”

PHOTO: ARND BRONKHORST/ARND.NL

“With performance horses one of the major things that reduces their immune function as well as their performance level is intestinal dysfunction, and 70 percent of the horse’s immune system is found in the intestine,” says Dr. Bill Vandergrift.

Minerals Maintain metabolism, strengthen tissues, and more The importance of minerals in a horse’s diet is well established, for everything from helping metabolize nutrients in the diet, maintaining connective tissue health, helping oxygen reach muscles, and more. EquiMix includes seven organic minerals (selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, and cobalt) and three micro minerals (boron, chromium, and vanadium). “One of the most interesting minerals in that group is selenium,” Vandergrift said. “For many years, the feed industry in general used an inorganic selenium source called sodium selenite. Now we have an organic selenium source; sometimes you’ll see it on a label as selenium yeast or selenomethionine. In the body, selenium has to be bonded or complexed with methionine in order to be biologically effective. “With organic selenium sources, we’re supplying the selenium in a form that the body can readily use, and that gives you two advantages. It increases the efficiency with which the body uses dietary selenium and it’s also less toxic than inorganic selenium, so it reduces any negative effects should your horse either accidentally or chronically—due to selenium levels he’s already getting in his forage—get into a scenario where he’s got excessive selenium intake. So it’s a much safer and more effective form of selenium.” Vandergrift added that the other minerals play important roles, too. “Zinc, for example, is a major component of hoof, hair, skin, and intestinal tissue,” he said. “The zinc source

38 FALL ISSUE 2019

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PRO TIP

Five Tips for Talking About Medications by Glenye Cain Oakford

Having a written agreement establishes agreed guidelines, which will serve everyone’s interests, Spy Coast Farms’ Lisa Lourie says.

40 FALL ISSUE 2019

At some point in its life, nearly every horse or pony will be treated with medication, whether for a bump or scrape, a case of colic, or any other common ailment that can afflict equines. Understanding medications and their appropriate use is key to good horse care, but those who compete also need to be aware of the rules covering drugs and medications in competition in order to avoid a positive drug test. Knowing and agreeing on treatment boundaries protects not only the horse or pony, but also the people who own, train, and manage the animal. The United States Equestrian Federation’s website offers a wealth of resources that can help you avoid equine drug violations, starting with the Drugs and Medications page at usef. org, located under the Compete tab on the home page. There you’ll find such crucial information as the 2019 USEF Guidelines for Drugs and Medications, drugs and medications FAQs, medication report forms, advice on good biosecurity best practices for horses at home and at competitions, and much more. The online Learning Center also has the videos “Best Practices: Five Steps to Avoid Equine Drug Violations” and “USEF Drug Rules Explained,” featuring Dr. Stephen Schumacher, chief administrator of the USEF’s Drugs and Medications Program, and USEF General Counsel and Senior Vice-President Sonja Keating. But avoiding equine drug violations isn’t only about knowing the rules, paying close attention to the Guidelines for Drugs and Medications, and maintaining an organized program. It’s also about good communication. “There are several different aspects to this,” said Lisa Lourie, the owner of Spy Coast Farms in Lexington, Ky., Wellington, Fla., and Tryon, N.C., which specializes in the breeding, development, rehabilitation, and fitness of top-class performance horses for the hunter jumper, dressage, jumping, and eventing disciplines. Lourie also serves on the USEF’s Breeders’ Committee. “There are the owner, the trainer, the barn manager and/or groom, and the veterinarian. All of these people interact with the horse, and those are all points where there might be a decision made to medicate a horse.” By discussing medication expectations up front, owners, trainers, and veterinarians can help establish transparency and clear protocols. Lourie shared five tips for starting a discussion

PHOTO: PAULA DA SILVA/ARND.NL

Open lines of communication between owner, trainer, and veterinarian can help prevent misunderstandings—and positive tests

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42 FALL ISSUE 2019

consequences can help trainers and owners define their common ground on this issue and make their mutual expectations clear. 5. Put it in writing. Having a written agreement establishes agreed guidelines, which will serve everyone’s interests. “I’m an advocate of having some kind of contract that owner, trainer, vet, and barn manager can sign that says, ‘We’re not going to use drugs inappropriately. We’re going to follow USEF rules,’” said Lourie. “There’s always stuff that can come up, like the horse got Bute eight days ago and it still tests slightly positive. That’s not the stuff I’m talking about. It’s more of a general policy statement within your barn.” Such an agreement can protect all parties, Lourie said, as well as establish clear expectations for how a horse or pony will be managed. Spy Coast Farms owner Lisa Lourie

PHOTO: LEXEY HALL

about drugs and medications to set clear expectations, establish mutual understanding and mutual accountability, and help prevent positive tests. “It’s important to take some steps to protect and inform all the people who are involved with a horse,” Lourie said. 1. Stay up to date on drugs and medications rules, and make sure other parties in contact with the horse—owner, trainer, vet, and barn manager—are also current on rules and regulations. “As an owner or a trainer, I’d want to know that my veterinarian is well-versed in the rules and regulations, which are multiple and changing,” said Lourie. The 2019 USEF Guidelines and Rules for Drugs and Medications brochure is easily accessible online at usef.org on the Drugs and Medications page. You’ll find it by hovering your cursor over the Compete tab on the home page, then clicking “Drugs & Medications” on the drop-down menu that appears. “It’s also good to establish formally that the owner is the final decision-maker, rather than the trainer or the barn manager, so if there’s ever any question, the vet should go back to the owner of the horse,” Lourie said. 2. Keep open lines of direct communication among owner, trainer, and vet about medication philosophies and expectations. And be clear about when and how the barn uses medications and what you’re comfortable with as an owner or trainer. Having this discussion up front also protects trainers and veterinarians by establishing guidelines for treatments and making clear each party’s general philosophy about drugs, something that can help prevent crossed wires, misunderstandings, and undue pressure later. “This is meant to protect all parties,” Lourie said. “We all have to know and be agreed on what the parameters are. “If I were a new client, for example, I’d want to know that my trainer would use Bute or Banamine for comfort measures if my horse were a little inflamed or something—of course, within the USEF parameters—but not to get him sound,” she added. “It’s a fine point, but that’s the line for my trainers and my vet and myself.” Another point worth discussing is how the owner would like to be informed about potential treatments. This helps establish a clear protocol and promote better communication in the interest of protecting all parties and the horse. 3. Discuss how the horse will be prepped for competition. Discuss competition preparations well in advance and make sure everyone is on the same page and in agreement about them. “What is the prep procedure? If you’re a client, ask explicitly,” Lourie said. If you’re a trainer, outline the plan early so that the owner is informed and on board. Being transparent about and aware of show preparations protects your interests, whether you’re a trainer or owner. Cover any injections, medications, supplements, feed, and/ or training the horse will have, and in what timeframe, leading up to a show. 4. Discuss the potential downsides of a positive test. It’s important for both owners and trainers to be aware of a positive test’s ramifications—not only for owner and trainer, but also for riders/drivers/vaulters, grooms, and even sponsors. Trainers and owners can be at risk of suspension, fines, and reputational damage. A frank conversation about those

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JUNIORS’ RING

Junior Equestrians

Take On Bullying

by Glenye Cain Oakford

The Rise Up and Ride On Project message board at the Arabian Horse Association’s Youth Nationals in July, where kids signed anti-bullying pledges.

44 FALL ISSUE 2019

Anika Jagemann, who lives in Frederick, Md., started riding at age four, after she spotted a business card with a horse picture on a message board and handed it to her mother. It advertised a local riding stable, and Anika started lessons soon afterwards. “It’s a beautiful thing when you see your child find their niche or their calling at such a young age,” mom Paula said. “I remember getting on the horse and just feeling so in sync with it,” Anika said of her earliest riding memories. “It was a calling for me to go there, and even if I wasn’t riding, I just wanted to go be with horses.” Anika, now 14, has enjoyed success in the hunter jumper ring. But as her confidence and skills in the saddle grew, when Anika reached age 11, her life outside the ring became deeply stressful due to bullying by a boy at her private

school. According to Paula, her daughter’s ordeal included both emotional bullying, such as personal insults and threats to kill Anika’s pony, and, eventually, physical bullying. “He hit her on the head with his metal lunch box, and he grabbed her hand so hard during tag he told her he wanted to break it so she couldn’t ride anymore,” Paula recalled, adding that the boy also threatened to kill Anika. “It went on for about five months, and probably even longer,” she continued. “The more intense period was from January to April of fourth grade. My husband and I wanted to pull her from the school, because we felt they weren’t taking any defensive action; everyone in charge seemed to be afraid of this boy and his parents. But Anika refused. She said she had to go because of a smaller girl, her best friend, who she felt couldn’t defend herself.”

PHOTO: ARABIAN HORSE ASSOCIATION

Horses and the equestrian community are helping bullying victims and pledging to stamp the problem out.

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Top: “Just the thought of winning gave me the urge to keep going. It was fun to compete,” said Anika Jagemann, who endured intense bullying as a fourth-grader. Bottom: Cole Reser (left) and Payne Harper (right) with one of the Rise Up and Ride On Project’s anti-bullying pledges.

46 FALL ISSUE 2019

Outside of school, Anika had just started competing on a leased pony mare, Secret Garden (Raspberry), with trainer Scotty Sherman of Hunting Horn Farm in Mt. Airy, Md. “If it weren’t for Raspberry and Scotty, I don’t know what we would have done,” Paula said. “She threw herself into riding as her self-directed therapy. She loved that pony more than anything, and it was her only outlet for her anxiety and pain.” “I just turned to the horses whenever I was sad, and on days I didn’t ride, I just kind of sat in my room and cried,” recalled Anika. “Riding was my therapy.” Ultimately, the Jagemanns did withdraw Anika from her school and sent her to public school instead. “I was so scared he would find out where I lived,” Anika said. “And I was scared he would try to hurt my horses. It did hurt my confidence. I think the horses knew that my confidence was low and knew that I was hurting, so I think they just tried to do their best. Every time I rode I’d kind of get my confidence again. “I was able to be competitive in my riding, and I feel like, even though the bullying situation hurt a lot, it brought me up a lot in riding and made me better,”

The Rise Up and Ride On Project Young Arabian riders Payne Harper and Cole Reser have launched a program they hope will help ensure that the horse community and equestrian sport always offer a safe haven for young equestrians. After witnessing bullying themselves among some fellow Arabian riders, the two boys decided they wanted to do something to combat the problem. The result is The Rise Up and Ride On Project, an anti-bullying campaign that Harper and Reser are taking national, starting with the 2019 Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show in Oklahoma City in July. Rise Up and Ride On had a booth at the show where young equestrians could sign an anti-bullying pledge and get a Rise Up and Ride On bracelet. So far, about 110 kids have signed Rise Up and Ride On’s anti-bullying pledges, and the campaign’s young founders expect that number to keep growing.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF PAULA JAGEMANN, ARABIAN HORSE ASSOCIATION

Horses Restore Confidence

she added. “Every day I would ride, and I’d put everything from the bullying situation aside. My mind just blanked out to everything except the ring and my riding, and my confidence was really high in the ring. Just the thought of winning gave me the urge to keep going. It was fun to compete.” Today, Anika rides both at Hunting Horn and with Melinda Cohen at Dream Catcher Farm in Frederick, where she owns two horses, Belle and Contar. “She still reflects on the bullying at her private school and vehemently defends others now that she is in public school,” said Paula, who credits the horses and horse trainers with helping Anika weather that intense period of bullying and fear. “It was the selfless love, the unconditional love she got in return, from the horses,” Paula said. “The horse never gets mad at you, the horse doesn’t make fun of you. The horses never did anything other than respond to Anika’s feelings. Her pony was always there for her, and it really became an outlet. It meant a lot to me, too, just watching Anika love on that horse and know that there is love in the world.” On her Instagram (@brown_in_ breeches), Anika now encourages other kids to share their experiences and the joy they find with horses.

Left: “Riding was my therapy,” said Anika Jagemann. Right: “I think it starts with the adults—it starts with the trainers and passes down to the kids,” said Rise Up and Ride On Project co-founder Cole Reser. More About Bullying US Equestrian’s Safe Sport policy prohibits bullying, harassment, hazing, and physical or emotional misconduct. For more information, including how these kinds of nonsexual misconduct are defined, see the Safe Sport policy on the Safe Sport page at usef. org. To report non-sexual misconduct like bullying, contact safesport@usef.org or email or call a representative of our Athlete Protection Team: Teresa Roper, Safe Sport Program Coordinator (859) 225-6915 troper@usef.org Sonja S. Keating, USEF General Counsel (859) 225-2045 skeating@usef.org Emily Pratt, Director of Regulation (859) 225-6956 epratt@usef.org 48 FALL ISSUE 2019

“I’ve personally known a couple of friends who left my region and even the breed because of bullying,” Harper said. “The stuff that happened with my friends got really bad last fall, and it was really bad on social media. I started talking to people at the Arabian Horse Association, showing them pictures of posts and texts that people had sent, and we decided we wanted to do something. “I’d also had stuff like this happen to me at school before I switched to homeschool, and so that was a big push for me to do this, too. Even if it hadn’t happened to me, though, I’d still have wanted to do this,” he continued. “This type of thing isn’t just with Arabs. It can be with any breed. If people are getting bullied like that in what they’re doing, they’re going to want to quit. Bullying shouldn’t make people leave or quit riding horses. That’s not right, and it hurts the future of the industry.” In addition to asking kids to sign anti-bullying pledges and distributing bracelets, Rise Up and Ride On also sells banners that barns can hang up at home or during shows to promote the campaign and good sportsmanship. “We want to build a whole community around anti-bullying,” Harper said. “We want to do whatever we can do to make things better in the industry and help people who might need help.” The role of the broader community is key, notes Reser. The Arabian Western pleasure rider explained that the culture of a particular region, zone, or club, can either encourage or discourage bullying behaviors. “In some regions, the people all really know each other and even hang out together to eat and things like that, so there’s no hard feelings

when anybody loses or gets beaten or is on a winning streak,” Reser explained. “In other regions, I believe everybody wants to win, and they get bummed when they don’t win. I think when they get beaten by another rider that they think isn’t as good as them, they take that personally and they turn it into hatred.” For the future, Harper and Reser hope to set up meetings among Rise Up and Ride On kids at horse shows and to arrange for mental health professionals to speak to the kids about strategies for stamping out bullying in their areas—something he’s seen first-hand as he’s moved from one region to another. “Rise Up and Ride On is a campaign, but we’re also a group,” Harper explained. “My cousin is a mental health professional and she helps kids with depression and bullying issues. She suggested that we look into putting a phone number or website, like a hotline, on the inside of the bracelets so that if it’s happening to people and they don’t want to say anything to people they know, like at a show, they can have someone to talk to.” Reser and Harper said they’ve been strongly supported by the Arabian Horse Association and trainers nationwide, something they feel can help the movement grow. “I think it starts with the adults—it starts with the trainers and passes down to the kids,” Reser said. “The atmosphere the adults set for their barn affects the riders’ personalities. So if the trainers, the clients, and other adults can make it more of a safe environment and influence the kids to be nice to each other, that sets a good example. I believe that helps a lot.”

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF PAULA JAGEMANN, ARABIAN HORSE ASSOCIATION

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MY FIRST

My First Horse by Ainsley Jacobs

Ainsley Jacobs and JJ Spot. 50 FALL ISSUE 2019

I purchased my wonderful American Paint Horse Association gelding, JJ Spot, in February of 2016 when I was 31. He was my first horse after a lifetime of riding and hoping for one of my own. It’s funny, but the first time I rode JJ, I didn’t really think anything of it. Or of him. It was a completely unremarkable ride. Then, a few months later, I rode him again and had the striking realization that “I need to learn to be a better rider, or this horse is going to kill me.” JJ had come to my former trainer as a “problem horse” and was definitely not easy. I knew that he was talented, though, and that he would be able to teach me a lot. So I put my nerves aside and gave him a shot. After a lifetime spent with school horses, I thought I was an okay rider, but JJ showed me I was fairly useless up there in the saddle. Half-halt what? Connection who? True teamwork where? Yeah, we had none of that. But JJ inspired me, and he helped me to improve dramatically in a fairly short amount of time, simply because I had to participate more and be more effective. I joke that the desire for self-preservation did amazingly good things for me! Now he’s mine, and I haven’t regretted a single second of it. I can only hope that he’s as happy with me being his person as I am with him being my horse. I love him with my whole heart, and he means everything to me. I know all horse moms say that, but this kid of mine is really special! JJ has this very quiet kind of humor about him. He’s not one of those in-your-pocket type of horses who is aggressively affectionate, but once you get to know him and can read his expressions, you realize that not only is he extremely intelligent, but he never shuts up! He’s always making subtle comments about things and “talking” to me. So many opinions! He’s also got quite a following for his “Will JJ Eat It?” video series—yes, he’s a garbage disposal and will eat just about anything, including chicken nuggets and spinach-andartichoke dip, and he even drinks pickle juice. He’s a weirdo, but he’s my weirdo, and I love him for it. He’s the absolute sweetest boy in the world, too, and has never once hurt me. JJ won’t even eat a treat unless it’s physically handed to him, and even then he will gently take it with his lips. No teeth, ever. He stands as solid as a rock when children are around him, he’s easy on beginners (he taught a 47-year-old who had never been on a horse how to event and

PHOTO: ERIK JACOBS/P.TEN MARKETING

Ainsley Jacobs’s first horse, JJ Spot, also took her to her first United States Eventing Association American Eventing Championships in August.

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MY FIRST

Overcoming Bad Luck JJ and I had been eventing together on a lease basis for two years before I bought him. We had just made the move up to Novice level, and I had so many plans for us once the purchase was official. Unfortunately, just five weeks after I signed the papers, JJ got caught up in a pasture accident and spent a year on stall rest, recovering from a collateral ligament injury. Several months later, I was hurt in a car accident and also was put on “stall rest” while I went through surgery and physical therapy of my own. Eventually, JJ and I both were cleared to get back to work, and we began our recovery together in the summer of 2017. It took some time for us both to rebuild the fitness we had lost, but we were able to attend a schooling show that fall to test the waters. I had been nervous, because I wasn’t sure if JJ would stay sound, but he cruised around a little Beginner Novice three-phase as a refresher and was as solid as a rock. I had the opportunity to take JJ to Ocala, Fla., in January of 2018, and, eager to make up for lost time, I jumped at the chance. While we were there, we competed in a horse trials at

Both Ainsley and JJ were on stall rest after Ainsley was injured in a car accident and JJ sustained a collateral ligament injury in a paddock accident.

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Rocking Horse—just for fun—and wound up finishing third in Beginner Novice, which meant we had unintentionally qualified for the United States Eventing Association Area III Championships—cool! Back home in Atlanta, JJ and I continued to work on getting back to where we had been before our injuries. When summer arrived, we cruised around the Area III Championship courses at Chattahoochee Hills in Fairburn, Ga., and, once again, finished third! I was thrilled with how well JJ was doing, and I knew that the placing had put us in the running for the AEC, but as it was in Colorado that year, I shrugged it off, knowing we wouldn’t make the haul. We completed another horse trials later that summer and finished second with an upgrade to first after the amateur placings had been revised, and I told myself we were done with Beginner Novice. It was time to get back to Novice! When it was announced that the 2019 USEA American Eventing Championships were to be hosted at the Kentucky Horse Park, only six hours from us, I made it my goal to qualify and go at Novice. We worked really hard: regular jump lessons, extra dressage lessons, clinics with top-level riders, etc. But five Novice level horse trials later, including the USEA Area III Championships again, we still hadn’t qualified. We had gotten the clear cross-country rounds done easily, but the placing requirements kept eluding us. I gave up. I decided it wasn’t meant to be, and I couldn’t keep throwing money at something that clearly wasn’t happening. I decided I would go as a vendor instead with my business, Ride Heels Down. Incredibly, two days after I decided to quit chasing my goal, one of my coach’s other students happened to check the qualified riders list and found my name. I thought it was a typo at

PHOTO: ERIK JACOBS/P.TEN MARKETING PHOTO

successfully carried her around her first three-phase event in early 2019!), and he hacks out bareback, by himself, in nothing more than a halter.

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MY FIRST

It’s About the Partnership I’ve spent my entire life riding, and I’ve tried many different disciplines. In eventing, I noticed that other riders whom I was actively competing against in the same class or same division were right there to help me succeed, too. I remember walking down to cross-country at one of my early events and another rider coming back up after her run saying, “Watch out for the footing on #5, it’s a little slippery,” and I thought it was the most amazingly generous thing. I was her competition, and yet she was helping me to do well and to stay safe. I have found that type of act of kindness is a regular occurrence in eventing! I knew in that moment that I had truly found my sport and my people. And I try to pay that forward by doing the same and cheering on others as much as I can, too. Eventing is hard, but, even more, it’s immensely fun and vastly rewarding when we choose to support each other. Prior to our accidents, I had been really focused on winning. The downtime taught me to focus more on JJ, because he deserves it for being such an incredible horse and wonderful partner, and now I put his health and happiness above all else. 54 FALL ISSUE 2019

All I want after an event is to come home with a safe, sound horse. Winning a ribbon is still nice, I won’t lie, but that’s no longer my main focus. JJ has taught me a lot about letting go of expectations—both in life and in riding. He’s shown me that when you make your peace with a situation, surrender to the universe, and just accept that what will be will be—while still working hard to stack the deck in your favor and take action to manifest the outcome you want, of course!—things seem to fall into place much easier. We’ve come a long way, and our injuries have taught me to enjoy the present and make the most of the time we have together, because tomorrow isn’t ever guaranteed. After waiting for so long to finally own my own horse, the thing I enjoy most is simply knowing that JJ has a forever home where he will be taken care of and that he will be safe and happy until he’s no longer here. (I do remind him regularly, though, that he has to live forever.) He deserves that, for everything he’s given me.

PHOTO: XPRESS FOTO

first and brushed it off, but she assured me we had qualified for the AEC after all—at Beginner Novice. I had forgotten that the qualification period extended to the previous summer and wasn’t aware that the “three clear crosscountry rounds” didn’t have to be at the same level. Turns out, after we had done well at Beginner Novice in 2018, a Novice horse trials in January of 2019 gave us our third clear cross-country round and completed the requirements for the 2019 AEC. Competing in the American Eventing Championships at the famous Kentucky Horse Park and getting to ride through the historic Head of the Lake and in the hallowed Rolex Arena was such an amazing experience. JJ did his job flawlessly, and we were able to finish on our dressage score, despite a little unexpected stress on cross country. I got mixed up at one point and almost missed our first water complex but was able to recover and stay on course, and I realized towards the end of our run that my watch hadn’t started, so I had no clue where we were on time, but guesstimated appropriately and we ran through the flags safely. We wound up 7th out of 34 in our Beginner Novice Amateur division (and 2nd of 14 in the Adult Team Challenge!) and I simply couldn’t be happier. I’m thoroughly exhausted, but my heart is full and I’m incredibly grateful to my coach, Lauren Turner, and my husband, Erik, for all their help and support in making the event such a success for me and JJ. So while I had been desperately chasing a qualifying dream at Novice for half of the year, it turns out we had already been qualified at Beginner Novice since January—and I had absolutely no idea whatsoever.

Ainsley Jacobs and JJ Spot competing in the American Eventing Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park.

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HOT LINKS

Joy On Tour US Equestrian’s Joy Tour brings ShopUSEF apparel and accessories, free fan memberships, meet-and-greets, and more to venues around the country. Get in on the fun this fall at these events: October 10-19 Pennsylvania National Horse Show Harrisburg, Pa. panational.org October 17-20 The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International Three-Day Event Elkton, Md. fairhillinternational.org October 22-27 Washington International Horse Show presented by Mars Equestrian Washington, D.C. wihs.org October 25-November 3 National Horse Show Lexington, Ky. nhs.org November 7-10 Equine Affaire West Springfield, Mass. equineaffaire.com November 7-10 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® Lexington, Ky. usdf.org/usdressagefinals/

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Members can find the latest rankings from international jumping competitions, in an array of U.S. national divisions, and for the Horse of the Year Grand Champion rankings on usef.org, courtesy of Rolex. Head to the home page and scroll down to the Results & Rankings section. Keep current with top international jumpers on the Rolex U.S. Show Jumping Ranking List. Click the Events of the Week column to the right of the rankings to access the most recent complete class results for the ranked athletes. Click the U.S. National Rankings tiles and access everything from American Performance Horse Rankings to Zones, including leading owners and breeders and more. Hit the Horse of the Year Grand Champion Rankings and you’ll go directly to that list. You can filter both the U.S. National Rankings and American Performance Horse Rankings by year and category, too. And get caught up on the point standings for the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals, which take place Sept. 19-21 (West) and Oct. 4-6 (East) this year. The standings show riders’ points and wins; click the rider’s name to see currentyear results. Visit the Safe Sport Hub US Equestrian’s Safe Sport page on usef.org offers a wealth of information and training. Take your SafeSport training, download the updated Safe Sport policy, access resources like a 24-hour helpline, get details on the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s response and resolution process, learn more about US Equestrian’s new Mental Health Aid membership benefit, find information about where and how to report misconduct, and much more. News You Can Use Members and non-members alike can stay in touch with US Equestrian news, get horse health topics, find info on USEF Network livestreams, and find out about new Learning Center videos every week in the Equestrian Weekly digital newsletter. Sign up for the free newsletter at usef.org. Hover your cursor over Network & News, then click Equestrian Weekly to sign up!

PHOTOS: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO, HOWARD SCHATZBERG, (INSET) OMAHA EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION

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HOT LINKS

COMING UP ON USEF NETWORK US Equestrian members can access USEF Network’s livestreams and on-demand coverage at usef.org/network. Check the site for the most up-to-date schedule. New York Morgan Regional Championship Show Sept. 11-14 Syracuse, N.Y. American Gold Cup presented by CaptiveOne Sept. 11-15 North Salem, N.Y. Paso Fino Horse Association Grand National Championship Show Sept. 16-21 Perry, Ga. Plantation Field International Horse Trials Sept. 19-22 Coatesville, Pa. Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search – West Sept. 20-21 San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Neue Schule Junior Jumper National Championships Oct. 10-12 Harrisburg, Pa.

Dressage at Devon Sept. 24-29 Devon, Pa.

Dover Saddlery/USEF Medal Final Oct. 13 Harrisburg, Pa.

Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America American National Show Sept. 25-29 Tulsa, Okla.

The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International Oct. 17-20 Fair Hill, Md.

Thoroughbred Makeover Finale presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America Oct. 5 Lexington, Ky. Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search – East Oct. 5-6 Gladstone, N.J. 58 FALL ISSUE 2019

National Horse Show Oct. 26-Nov. 3 Lexington, Ky. US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® Nov. 7-10 Lexington, Ky.

PHOTO: LARRY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY

Capital Challenge Horse Show Sept. 27-Oct. 6 Upper Marlboro, Md.

Washington International Horse Show presented by Mars Equestrian Oct. 22-27 Washington, D.C.

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USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 59

TRENDING

EQUUS Light & Form by Glenye Cain Oakford

Drew Doggett uses his fashion photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sensibility to show horses in a new light

Reign 60 FALL ISSUE 2019

Attention

Based in Charleston, S.C., Doggett got his start in fashion photography, and influences from that past ripple through his work today, even as his photography and filmmaking projects have taken him deep into nature’s domain. In recent years, he has photographed America’s national parks, members of Kenya’s Rendille and Samburu tribes in the desert, and the wild horses of France’s Camargue and Nova Scotia’s Sable Island. For his latest limited-edition fine art print series Equus: Light & Form, Doggett brought the horses into his studio. What inspired you to do this series and what did you want to impart with these photos? “I have always been inspired by horses and their natural combination of strength and beauty. While I have primarily photographed wild and semi-wild horses, I knew that at some point I would use my fashion photography background in my work. Unique equestrian communities have been a muse to me since 2012, when I traveled to Sable Island to document the wild horses there, so it felt like a natural extension of my art practice to use them as subjects in studio portraits. I wanted viewers to walk away with a deep appreciation for the qualities that make horses incomparable to any other animal on Earth, whether that be through showing the strength of their musculature or the grace of their stature. I called the limited-edition print series Equus: Light & Form because those two elements helped me make portraits of

these horses illuminating their incredible beauty and classic appeal.” What is the appeal of doing studio portraits of horses? What do you feel the studio aspect contributed to the series that portraits in a different setting would not have? “The studio aspect allowed me to control light and shadow in a way that I could not in any other setting. When I found an attribute of a horse that I wanted to highlight, I could delicately sculpt it with light so that I could draw the eye to something of my choosing. When you are out in the wild, you do not have these controls, and wh a t eve r nature hands you is

Nautilus I

TRENDING what you get. With such elite animals, it felt important to be able to work with what makes them so incredible. For example, I was able to change the lighting situation to suit each horse, because what worked for a dark coat may not work for a lighter coat. Having the ability to work with them as I would a model was key to the success of these images.” From a practical standpoint, how did you bring horse and studio together? What were some of the challenges? How did you resolve those challenges, and how did the horses handle it? “The only way to create this series was to build a studio in each barn, complete with interchangeable backdrops and lighting. This was a physically demanding challenge on its own, but it was also important to me that we did not get in the way of the barn’s operations, so we needed to work quickly. The horses, for the most part, were patient, and we had a wonderful team of support.” Can you describe any spontaneous moments, particularly related to something a horse did, that influenced or created any of the images? “I was surprised by how the most minute movements would totally and completely alter the feeling of the image. Whether it was the angle of the neck or the weight put on the feet, I found that I needed to be quick in capturing these images to document the subtle effects of the horses as they repositioned and shifted.”

EXPLORE MORE FROM DREW DOGGETT Web drewdoggett.com/collection/equus-light-and-form Instagram @drewdoggettphotography @sableislandhorses

Who are the horses and where do they come from? “These horses were photographed in Wellington, Fla., and come from all over the world. To create the images I had in mind, I knew I would need to find the most elite horses. Wellington in January was an ideal time to find the best of the best all in one place.” You’ve described these portraits as being taken “through a fashion-inspired lens”—can you describe how, to you, these portraits reflect a “fashion” sensibility? “Making a portrait is about finding something you want to highlight in your subject and creating an arrangement so that a specific aspect of their being is highlighted or revealed. For Equus, my goal was to draw attention to the characteristics that make these horses elite through using the devices that fashion photographers employ to highlight their models. This fashion sensibility relates back to attention to detail, composition, tone, texture, form, and use of light and shadow. It was invigorating to be able to apply this set of tools to these extraordinary horses to steer the eye to the curvature of a horse’s back or an immaculately braided mane or tail.”

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HORSE HEALTH

White Line Disease by Glenye Cain Oakford

Your best defense against white line disease may be your eyes and your ability to notice even small defects in the hoof that could serve as an open door to fungi and bacteria.

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White line disease is a fairly simple hoof ailment that is not terribly difficult to treat, provided it’s caught early. “White line disease is often a mixed fungal and bacterial infection, and, like thrush, it’s opportunistic,” said Dr. Bryan Fraley of Fraley Equine Podiatry at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. “It likes to capitalize on any little defect in the hoof wall that will give these organisms a chance to get up under the hoof wall. It grows in the non-pigmented horn. White line disease affects all non-sensitive layers of the foot. The fungus involved likes to digest away keratin, which is what makes hair and fingernails, but bacteria often are isolated with it, too. “White line disease starts at the bottom of the foot and goes up,” Fraley added. “It originates from hoof wall that was grown six months to a year ago and is now low in the foot, it slowly digests its way up. Again, it doesn’t affect sensitive tissue, just the hard keratin portion of the hoof.” That doesn’t mean that white line disease isn’t serious, though.

“White line disease and chronic laminitis can sometimes be confused with each other,” Fraley said. “The difference is where that cavity—a gas pocket—shows up on the X-ray. White line disease can also cause some rotation of the coffin bone, like laminitis, but it’s a little different type of rotation. Instead of the coffin bone pulling away from the laminae, it pulls away from the hoof capsule itself. So it isn’t involving sensitive tissue, but the integrity of the hoof wall is so weak that the deep flexor tendon can pull on that coffin bone and rotate it so that it looks like chronic laminitis.” White line disease is insidious, Fraley says, because a horse with it might not show any lameness until it reaches a critical point where the coffin bone is close to rotating. At that point, the hoof can lose sole depth. “Then they can be prone to bruising or abscesses,” Fraley said, “and that can cause lameness.” Farriers are often the first to spot white line disease, Fraley said. “They’ll notice a little cavity or void,” he explained. “Sometimes when

PHOTO: FRANK SORGE/ARND.NL

White line disease is a common hoof problem that can become serious if ignored. Dr. Bryan Fraley of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and Fraley Equine Podiatry covers recognizing, treating, and preventing white line disease.

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HORSE HEALTH

they’re driving nails, the nail will just sink into a hole, and that’s abnormal.” Another telltale sign: debris like straw, manure, or gravel packed up into the hoof wall, sometimes even an inch or two up in the wall. “Sometimes a horse will abscess, and that will migrate and blow out at the coronary band, and when we investigate that we see there’s a large cavity there,” Fraley said. “Or a veterinarian might take an X-ray to examine an abscess and lameness and see the cavity on that X-ray.” As with thrush, the key to treatment is noticing white line disease early, Fraley said. “Don’t ignore it,” Fraley cautions. “If you ignore it, it just slowly crawls up the hoof wall. You won’t see any signs until it’s pretty severe. It can start in any defect, like a crack that originates from the ground or a simple abscess, which can give the organisms access to get in there.” Luckily, when it’s caught in a timely manner, white line disease is easy

Left: Annual hoof X-rays give you a baseline and also can help you spot a problem like white line disease.

to treat. The organisms that cause it are not particularly hardy, and many cases can be treated successfully before they ever cause serious trouble like lameness. “If you just remove the affected hoof wall and expose the area to air, it can get better without topicals,” Fraley said. One ally in the fight against white line disease: natural hoof clays. “If there’s a cavity--maybe it isn’t even white line disease yet—after the farrier digs out any debris or anything under the hoof wall, we’ll pack those defects with these clays,” Fraley said. “Some have bioactive honey or other things in them, and we’ll often mix copper sulfate with these clays, because that’s a pretty powerful antifungal and antibacterial. That clay can stay there pretty much through the life of the shoeing cycle in any areas that we’re worried about. 66 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTOS: FRANK SORGE/ARND.NL (LEFT), COURTESY OF DR. BRYAN FRALEY (TOP)

Top: White line disease creates a cavity in the hoof wall, starting at ground level, and can cause some rotation of the coffin bone.

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“The main thing is to recognize any little cavity or defect in the hoof wall, clean it out, and expose it to air,” Fraley said of catching white line disease. “If we see a crack that seems to be collecting debris and packing debris up into the hoof wall, we’ll sometimes open them up, make the crack wide, and expose it to air. That way, mud and debris can’t stay in the crack. It looks worse to the owner, but it might be the best thing rather than ignoring the crack. You can treat white line disease topically and try to squirt things up in there, but until you expose it to air, it’s not going to go away.” Once the crack has been exposed to air and packed debris has been removed, your veterinarian or equine podiatrist might suggest soaking the affected hoof in a chlorine-based solution, like that used to combat thrush. Ultimately, your best defense against white line disease may be your eyes and your ability to notice even small defects in the hoof that could serve as an open door to fungi and bacteria. And, as with thrush, if your horse’s feet are sensitive when you pick them, call the vet to arrange an examination and possibly an X-ray. “I think annual or every-otheryear X-rays are a good idea anyway,” Fraley said. “It gives you a baseline, and you pick up some of these problems like white line disease if it’s crawling up the hoof. It’s a good thing for your farrier to have, as well.” Top: Farriers are often the first to spot white line disease, Fraley said. “They’ll notice a little cavity or void,” he explained. Bottom: “If you just remove the affected hoof wall and expose the area to air, it can get better without topicals,” said Fraley. 68 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTOS: PHOTOS: LESLIE POTTER (TOP), COURTESY OF DR. BRYAN FRALEY (BOTTOM)

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WITH

JORDAN ALLEN

BY NANCY JAFFER

72 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

The rising hunter equitation star talks about working student life, the art of catch-riding, competing on a budget, and her ideas for increasing diversity in horse sports.

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Jordan Allen schools Exelent at Ashland Farm in Lexington, Ky.

74 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

“Every time you sit on a horse, you should be learning something,” contends Jordan Allen, who makes the most of her time in the saddle as she balances school with devotion to riding. She has been busy enough maintaining her grades while competing in the hunters, jumpers, and equitation, but when she attends the University of South Carolina this fall, the 18-year-old is adding equestrian team competition to the mix. The West Bloomfield, Mich., resident is the daughter of Sherman Allen, an oral surgeon, and Rhonda Allen, a dentist. After graduating from Detroit Country Day School, Jordan took a gap year and focused on her riding with Ken and Emily Smith of Ashland Farm in Kentucky and Florida. As a working student, she would ride as many as 15 horses a day, but also was intent on learning about training and horse care. “I know what it takes to get every horse to the ring,” said Allen, who fell in love with riding instantly when she was given a lesson for her seventh birthday. After riding locally at Haverhill Farms, she went on to train at Huntington Ridge Farm with Kim Carey before moving to Ashland. While she has been a standout in the junior ranks, where she will wrap up that part of her career this fall in the equitation championships, Allen has gone on to impress in open competitions. Most notably, she rode Kind of Blue under the lights in the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Hunter Spectacular at the Winter Equestrian Festival in February, winding up third behind two of the biggest names in the business, Tori Colvin and Amanda Steege. And in July, she and Small Occasion captured the 2019 USEF Junior Hunter National Championships – West Coast’s Overall Grand Championship in the 3’6” section. During a break in her show schedule, Allen offered advice for other young riders during a question-and-answer session for US Equestrian. HOW DOES A RIDER KNOW WHEN TO GO FROM THEIR CURRENT TRAINING SITUATION TO A NEW ONE? “I did that recently and it was kind of hard for me. But when you’ve accomplished almost all you feel you could have accomplished and stop setting goals for yourself at a barn, it’s time to move on to the next step--especially if you feel you’re not being challenged. After I moved, I can’t think of the last time I had a lesson with stirrups!” WHAT QUALITIES ARE KEY WHEN SOMEONE IS LOOKING FOR A BARN WHERE THEY WILL TRAIN? “The most important thing is the horse care. It’s important that the horses are happy. It’s the first priority, even more so than the training. Talk to the people

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who ride there to find out more about whether this barn has what you’re looking for. Make sure you and the trainer have the same goals. The students should not be afraid to ask questions and further their knowledge. You’re all here for the common goal. If you’re trying to turn this into a career, every day is a lesson. “The trainer also has to set an example. Ken is the first person at the barn in the morning and the last person to leave. At Ashland, things are based on the ‘all hands on deck’ aspect. We all start at the same time in the morning. It’s very ‘for the team.’ Whenever anyone shows, we come watch if we can.”

ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TASKS FOR A WORKING STUDENT IS BALANCING SCHOOL AND THE JOB. HOW DID YOU HANDLE IT? “The main thing was time management. My parents are very adamant about school, so it’s never an option to do it halfway. I went to a small private school, so they were a little more lenient with my time. I would write a schedule and ride for most of the day. Some days I wouldn’t be able to go to dinner, because I would do school work until I went to bed. Grades were important to me. I was cum laude all four years. “When I was riding in Wellington at the Winter Equestrian Festival, at the beginning of the week I would talk to my teachers about my assignments and do a test early if I had to leave. I had a flight out every Wednesday night and did homework on the plane. In Florida, after riding on Thursday, I went to 76 FALL ISSUE 2019

“The most important thing is the horse care. It’s important that the horses are happy. It’s the first priority, even more so than the training.”

PHOTO: THESE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN THE GUTTER, BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS IN FEATURES TO CREATE LEGIBILITY

WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A WORKING STUDENT, AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO ASPIRES TO DO THAT? “It’s the greatest thing in the world. I’ve learned about the management side, even training the young horses. I spend time with the vet and the farrier. I make the feed every day. It’s important for a working student to take it all in. It’s a special opportunity. They don’t let just anyone be a working student. I’ve learned more about horse care in the last year than I can learn in any textbook. Kids need to understand that it’s not all about the riding. Some days I ride one horse, some days I ride 15. Remember, everything is a learning experience, and not always in the ring. Actually, I learn the same, if not more, when I ride less.”

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PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

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PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

Jordan Allen with Rainier, known as Lucas, at Ashland Farm in Lexington, Ky

my tutoring service, and my teachers were in touch with them. I would go back home on Sunday. “I’m glad I continued to go to my school. I made amazing relationships and went to the prom. It was hard, but you love the sport so much that it was worth it.” WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU BUY A HORSE FOR RESALE? “The first thing is always the brain. It’s so important, especially when looking at young horses. It’s also important that the horses are careful and have a big stride, especially at the level we show at, and it’s important to have an adjustable horse for equitation.” HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE CHALLENGE OF RIDING AGAINST TORI COLVIN, AMANDA STEEGE, AND OTHER BIG NAMES IN OPEN COMPETITION? “There absolutely is an intimidation factor, especially in the Hunter Spectacular and at Devon, to be in the show ring with Tori and Amanda. I’ve looked up to them; they’re my biggest idols. But it made it all the more exciting to be in the running with them. I couldn’t dream of something better than that. “My trainers would never put me in something I wasn’t ready for. You have to have a little bit of assurance in yourself. Not by any means cockiness, but a little confidence in this sport goes a long way. Walk into the ring with your shoulders a little higher and know you’re there for a reason.” LOOKING AHEAD TO THE TIME YOU WILL BE RIDING FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, HAVE YOU HAD ANY TEAM EXPERIENCE? “Never before. I can’t wait. The team aspect is so important to me. The sport is so individual, so I think it would be nice to do it differently this time.” AS A MEMBER OF YOUR COLLEGE TEAM, YOU’LL BE CATCHRIDING ON HORSES DRAWN BY LOT. YOU MUST HAVE DONE A LOT OF THAT, ESPECIALLY IN EQUITATION FINALS. ANY TIPS FOR OTHER RIDERS WHO ARE RIDING FOR THEIR SCHOOLS? “It’s important, when you get on a horse you don’t know, to first extend and collect your horse so you know your brakes—especially if you’re going right into jumping and don’t have a lot of time. When you only have a couple of jumps for the warm-up, see how your landing lead is, if the horse shifts, if he pulls you a little past the jump. It’s important to learn it in 30 seconds so you know your adjustability and how much you need your leg in the lines.” WHAT ABOUT SOME POINTERS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE THEIR OWN HORSES TO COMPETE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WHO RIDE BORROWED OR LEASED HORSES? “You can’t have your expectations too high. It’s important to keep your mind in check. If something goes wrong, you can’t beat yourself up. A lot of these kids we compete against, especially in equitation and the hunters, have ridden their horses for so long that they have an advantage. Just remember that mistakes do happen and that you don’t know the horse well.” WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT WHEN THINGS GO WRONG IN THE RING? “It’s important to understand that not every day is a good day. Especially with catch-riding, it’s a lot of pressure. As long as you try and your trainer knows you’re working hard, that goes a long way. Never blame the horse. What they do for us is amazing. I think the pressure we feel is the same for them. It’s important to know they’re trying their best for us most days. “It’s also important to surround yourself with people who understand. The first thing I do when I’ve had a bad round is dial up one of my friends or my mom or dad. We talk it out, get over it, and then it’s better.”

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80 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTOS: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

“I’ve learned about the management side, even training the young horses,” says Jordan Allen. “I spend time with the vet and the farrier. I make the feed every day. It’s important for a working student to take it all in.”

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 81

82 FALL ISSUE 2019

PHOTO: CGRAND PRIX PHOTOGRAPHY

EQUESTRIAN SPORT OFTEN IS PORTRAYED AS BEING THE PROVINCE OF PRIMARILY WHITE RIDERS. YOU ARE ONE OF A VERY FEW AFRICAN-AMERICANS INVOLVED AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL. DO YOU THINK THE SPORT IS GETTING BETTER IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY? “I do think it’s getting better and I wouldn’t even just say with AfricanAmericans, I would say with different cultures. The sport is more welcoming to diverse people. We have a very open environment. People may judge your horses, but not you. “Something that isn’t talked about enough but should be: plain and simple, this sport is expensive. But there are things that can be done to counter that. It’s important to know there are so many barns in the country that are not at the top level. They are a good, less-expensive place to start. I’d like to see a greater number of Emerging Athlete Programs at the lower levels, over 2’6” fences or even for kids who only know how to flat. It would be nice if they had to take full care of the horses. The most important thing would be that they wouldn’t have to have their own horse to participate. “Local riding schools need to take a bigger role. Many aren’t part of the showing picture, and they have potential. These barns should feel like they could take their students to shows. From age eight to 12, I started with unrecognized shows, then did C-circuit shows and learned as much as I did from the shows I go to now. I give that experience credit for why I do this today. Things were so different. You would show two days in a week, you wouldn’t braid, you would take care of your own horse, from feeding to mucking the stall. And you could do it on a budget. The USEF’s Competition Lite is another way to go. “As different as my first experience was, it is so much the same with the shows I do now. You always do this because you love the horses. I had one horse I rode in the jumpers, the hunters, and the equitation. Everyone has to work their way up. “Another way to give the sport greater reach for less money would involve having schools give physical education credits for riding. It’s sometimes hard for people to look at equestrian sport as a sport, but I think phys ed credits would be really helpful. “Kids should get involved with anything they can to raise money that will pay for their riding. There are so many little things you can make to sell: design socks, create hair bows for pony riders, or bake Rice Krispies treats and cookies. “With social media, kids think if they’re not doing it at the top level or winning at indoors or even at Devon, they’re not doing it, because that’s so much of what they see online. But we all do this because we love and care about the horses. No matter what level you ride at, it’s still important.”

Jordan Allen on Small Occasion, the mount with which she won the 2019 USEF Junior Hunter National Championships – West Coast’s Overall Grand Championship in the 3’6” section.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 83

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(Pasture plants) Are there toxic plants lurking in your pasture? Our experts will help you find out.

PHOTOS: HOPE ELLIS-ASHBURN

BY HOPE ELLIS-ASHBURN

86 FALL ISSUE 2019

JIMSONWEED (Datura stramonium)

According to Dr. G. Neil Rhodes, Ph.D., professor and extension specialist in weed management with University of Tennessee Extension, “Jimsonweed is a member of the nightshade family and is often found in barn lots.” The weed is found primarily in warmer climates and forms a bush from two to five feet tall. Its leafy stem can range from a yellowish green to a reddish purple in color. The stem forks off into branches, with each branch forming a leaf and a white or violet flower. The flat leaves have ragged edges. This plant has a bitter taste, and all parts of the plant—but especially

Fig. 2.

the leaves and seeds, which contain the alkaloids, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine—are poisonous. While the amount of toxins can vary from plant to plant, ingesting even small amounts can be deadly. The plant holds on to its toxicity even when dried and baled into hay. Fortunately, poisoning by jimsonweed is fairly rare. “Horses who have ingested jimsonweed are often restless and show incoordination,” said Dr. Bob Hillman, DVM, now retired from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, N.Y. “This progresses to convulsions and respiratory paralysis. As a derivative of

Fig. 1. atropine, an affected horse’s pupils will also be dilated. With limited exposure and early supportive treatment, recovery is possible.” Other commonly found members of the nightshade family toxic to horses include horse nettle and black nightshade. “Symptoms of exposure to these plants include depression, difficulty breathing, weakness, paralysis of rear legs with horses exhibiting a dog-sitting position, followed by convulsions and respiratory failure,” Hillman said.

JOHNSONGRASS

(Sorghum halepense) This perennial grows in dense clumps that can reach seven to eight feet in height. It is a coarse grass characterized by smooth leaves that have a white midvein—visible as a line running down the middle of the leaf. “Johnsongrass is a nitrate accumulator, and during periods of dry weather it may develop toxic levels of the substance,” said Rhodes. “Mature johnsongrass is usually fine, but young johnsongrass or johnsongrass that has been stressed by frost or other physical injury may lead to poisoning by the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin, which generates hydrocyanic acid leading to cyanide poisoning.” “I always recommend waiting until the plant is eighteen inches tall before grazing it,” said Hillman. Rhodes recommends removing animals from johnsongrass after a light frost, and animals should not return to grazing it until two weeks after a killing frost. “Poisoning from johnsongrass results in a rapid death of around 10 to 15 minutes,” Hillman said. “The blood of a poisoned animal can take in oxygen, but it can’t release it. An afflicted horse’s eyeballs and mucous membranes will be bright red. It will exhibit excessive salivation, difficulty breathing, incoordination, muscle tremors, and convulsions.”

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Fig. 3.

POISON HEMLOCK (Conium malculatum)

(Cicuta maculata) Poison hemlock ranges in height from three to 10 feet tall. Its stem is purple spotted and is hollow. Poison hemlock’s leaves are shaped like a triangle, and the plant sports flowers that are small and white and form clusters. It is found throughout the country. “Hemlocks are among the most poisonous plants known,” said Rhodes. “They are often found along roadsides and in pastures, particularly in low areas. Late in the spring, they can become too big to kill. Spraying the hemlocks will cause them to wilt and improve on their normally unpalatable taste. At this point, they are especially full of toxins.” “A strong odor prevents most horses from ingesting it, making cases of plant toxicity from it uncommon. All parts of the plant are poisonous, including the leaves, stems, and seeds, and it retains its toxicity when baled into hay,” advised Hillman. “Horses who have ingested poison hemlock

will show such symptoms as an increase in saliva, colic, muscle tremors, muscle ataxia, incoordination, and difficulty breathing. A lethal dose can kill a horse from respiratory failure in as little as two to three hours, but most cases involve ingesting the plant over a period of time before becoming symptomatic.” Slightly shorter than the poison hemlock, water hemlocks reach between three and seven feet in height. The leaves can reach a length of 15 inches, are alternately arranged, and have sharp teeth-like edges. Its flowers are white and grow in clusters in the spring or early summer. Its stem is hollow with purplish-green stripes. “Water hemlocks have shallow roots, the most toxic part of the plant. As little as eight ounces can be lethal to an adult horse,” explained Hillman. “Similar to the poison hemlock, symptoms of exposure include muscle tremors, convulsions, weakness, ataxia, a slow, weakened heartbeat, and labored breathing.”

BRACKEN FERN

(Pteridium aquilinum) These perennials are easily identifiable from other ferns, because they are the only ones with side branches. The bracken fern’s fronds are large and triangular. The plant changes colors from a bright green in spring to golden and then brown in the summer. “Bracken ferns can grow in wet or dry soil and often appear in the shade or in tree lines,” said Rhodes. “These ferns can be also be found in upland pastures and recently cleared ground,” added Hillman. Ferns must be ingested over a period of 30 days before horses will become symptomatic, and the plant remains toxic in hay, where it can cause symptoms if the hay consists of 20% or more of the plant. The fern contains an enzyme that destroys thiamine, creating a deficiency in the animal. Afflicted horses will often be emaciated. They demonstrate an incoordination of the hind limbs. If caught before the horse goes down, the poisoning can be treated by a veterinarian with thiamine, laxatives, and supportive care, and the animal may make a full recovery.

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Fig. 4.

PHOTOS: DJTANNG/CREATIVE COMMONS, DFERENCE/PIXABAY, JOSHUA MAYER/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, MATT LAVIN/ CREATIVE COMMONS, EUGENE ZELENKO/CREATIVE COMMONS, RON CLAUSEN/CREATIVE COMMONS

WATER HEMLOCK

LOCOWEED

(Astragalus or Oxytropis spp.) A very leafy plant, locoweed lies flat and covers approximately two feet in width. Its stems can measure a foot or more, with leaves varying in size. Locoweed plants also form pods. “Locoweed grows in the southwest. Once they’ve tasted it, horses can become drawn to it,” said Hillman. “While the entire plant and seed pod is poisonous, it can be ingested over a period of several weeks before horses begin showing symptoms.”

Clinical signs include a staggering gait, depression, circling, incoordination, and the unpredictable behavior from which the plant gets its name. Horses who have ingested the plant may fall down when being led or ridden and have poor vision. Horses may recover from poisoning from locoweed and may get over some of the symptoms but they are never again completely normal. Caution should always be used around these animals.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6. YELLOW STAR THISTLE

(Centaurea solstitialis) This plant grows to a height of between two and six feet tall, with leaves two to three inches long on the bottom and one-half to one-inch long on the top of its stem. It appears white with yellow blooms and has the typical sharp spines of a thistle. “The yellow star thistle grows in California and in areas of the southeast and southwest,” Hillman said. “It is an invasive species that can be found on roadsides and in pastures. The plant contains neurotoxins, causing brain damage through the destruction of brain tissues and pathways. It is

TANSY RAGWORT

only toxic to horses. Every part of the plant in every stage of growth is poisonous, and it remains toxic when dried and baled into hay. “Signs of poisoning include difficulty eating and drinking, but these symptoms do not typically appear until the animal has consumed a large amount of the plant over a 30 to 60-day period. Death typically occurs once the horse has become symptomatic by starvation and dehydration.”

(Senecio jacobaea) A tall, yellow, daisy-like plant, ragwort is common in the southwest in prairies, dry plains, and deserts where there is very little else to eat. It can also be found in hay. “All parts of the ragwort plant are poisonous,” said Hillman. “It is unpalatable, and horses who have eaten the plant may appear normal, as they must ingest it for three weeks or more before they show symptoms. The plant’s pyrrolizidine alkaloids cause necrosis of the liver, which will make the affected horse’s membranes appear yellow. “Over a period of time, horses who have eaten ragwort will appear depressed and have no appetite. This progresses to weakness, colic, and emaciation. These animals do not respond to pain and may chew on fences, dirt, etc. Both their heart rate and respiration will be elevated. They may also yawn, appear drowsy, and have a staggering gait known as the ‘sleepy staggers.’ These horses may also wander through fences and press their heads into barns and stalls. There is no available treatment for poisoning by this plant.”

Fig. 7.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 89

Fig. 8.

ST. JOHN’S WORT

(Hypericum perforatum) This branching plant typically grows from one to two-and-a-half feet tall. Its stems are round. The plant’s leaves are approximately one inch long with scattered black dots on the lower surface. The upper stems contain yellow flowers. The plant also will have seed capsules. It is typically found in mild climates. “St. John’s wort contains hyperkin, which causes photosensitization in horses,” Hillman explained. “Typically, white areas will become inflamed along with a sloughing off of the skin. In order for this to occur, horses must ingest the plant over a period of days, and they must be exposed to sunlight before symptoms will appear. The animal should be brought inside and away from the plant if the owner suspects poisoning, along with consulting with their veterinarian.”

(Festuca arundinacea) Tall fescue is a bunch grass that grows up to three to four feet in height, has glossy leaves, grows well in the spring, and develops a seed head in the summer. Even with offerings of endophytefree or a safer, genetically altered form of the fungus, endophyte-infected fescue is still common. Testing, by examining the fescue under a microscope, can reveal whether or not yours is infected. While the fungus is beneficial to the plant, it can have unwanted side effects when a horse consumes it. “Endophyte-infected fescue is primarily seen as problematic with pregnant mares,” said Dr. Luke Fallon, DVM, of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky. “Failure to pull these mares from the fescue a minimum

Fig. 10.

Fig. 9.

of two months prior to delivery can result in prolonged gestation, red bag presentation, dysmature foals, or excessively large foals, resulting in dystocia. Following delivery, there may be a lack of or a decrease in the mare’s milk production or the foal may have neonatal maladjustment syndrome. Affected mares can be treated with the drug domperidone to decrease the effects of fescue toxicity.”

RED CLOVER

(Trifolium pratense) Red clover is very common and can grow to heights of six to 20 inches with stems containing five petals. Its flower appears violet in color. “Red clovers themselves are not toxic,” explained Hillman. “However, a toxin known as Rhizoctonia leguminicola produces a fungus, slaframine, that causes excessive slobbering, which can be concerning to horse owners when they observe it. In addition, consuming the plant when it is young and lush may cause photosensitization, which will keep white areas of the horse irritated and potentially the sloughing off of tissue.” “Red clover can persist for years in hay and may still cause horses to be symptomatic whenever it is ingested,” Hagyard’s Fallon noted.

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PHOTOS: AIWOK/CREATIVE COMMONS, NEAL ASHBURN, BUENDIA22/CREATIVE COMMONS, DONVIPER/ ADOBESTOCK, WILLIAM WARBY/CREATIVE COMMONS, ALVES GASPAR/CREATIVE COMMONS

ENDOPHYTE-INFECTED TALL FESCUE

KNOTROOT FOXTAILS (Setaria parviflora) The native foxtail can be found, among other locations, in pastures and hay fields. Growing in late spring or early summer, the plant can reach heights exceeding three feet with leaves nearly a half-inch wide and up to 10 inches long that exhibit a hairy quality near the stem. The bristled seed head ranges from yellow to brown to purple. “While not technically toxic, the bristles have barbs that can penetrate a horse’s mouth regardless of whether the plant is encountered in the pasture or in hay,” Hillman said. “The bristles tend to work deep into the mouth, causing ulcers and requiring the horse owner or a veterinarian to remove them and treat the lesions w i t h hyd ro ge n peroxide.”

Fig. 11.

Horses can be susceptible to poisoning from more than just toxic weeds. A number of trees and ornamentals also can poison your horse. It’s always wise to remove them, just like toxic pasture plants, though horses who aren’t hungry will tend to avoid them. Some of the more common toxic trees and ornamentals can be found below.

TREES Red Maple: These trees occur across the country. Only wilted leaves and limbs, generally those downed by wind or pruning or stressed after a heavy frost, are toxic. As little as 1.5 to three pounds of wilted leaves can cause clinical signs, such as weakness and depression. Left untreated, they can lead to a quick death. Wild Cherry: These also occur nationwide, and their leaves, berries, and sometimes the bark, are their most toxic parts. Cherry trees produce lethal cyanide when wilted or stressed and, like the red maple, can cause death quickly.

A NOTE ABOUT RYE STRAW AND BUTTERCUPS

Although not directly related to toxic pasture plants, Fallon also advises caution with rye straw bedding. “I alert my clients to carefully examine rye straw they intend to use for bedding,” he said. “Of particular concern is ergot toxicity. Horses will eat the sweet-tasting straw and potentially ingest a fungus, similar to the endophyte fungus, that causes ergot alkaloids. These are toxic to horses. Some of the more common symptoms fall in line with those seen with endophyte-infected tall fescue. Examining the seed heads of the straw for black bodies can help to eliminate this concern.” Rhodes has received calls on the hairy and bulbous buttercups that can frequently appear in pastures. Although the plant can cause oral and gastrointestinal irritation, most animals will selectively graze around buttercups. Your local extension or natural resources conservationist can help you identify potential toxic plants in your pastures and develop a plan for effectively dealing with them.

TREES AND ORNAMENTALS CAN BE TOXIC, TOO

IF YOU SUSPECT PLANT POISONING

Hillman recommends that horse owners take the following steps if they suspect that their horse has ingested a poisonous plant: • Immediately remove the animal’s access to the plant. • Contact your veterinarian straight away. Remember that there is almost no treatment that an owner can give that is specific to plant poisoning. Your veterinarian will have knowledge as to whether or not the plant your horse ingested or was exposed to is toxic and will advise you on how to proceed. Their treatment may include administering charcoal and/or laxatives and advising you on supportive care. The good news is that it is possible for horses to recover from some forms of plant poisoning.

Black Walnut: Most common in the eastern region of the country. Death resulting from poisoning by black walnut is uncommon, but shavings made from black walnut trees for bedding can lead to laminitis. However, as a precautionary measure, it’s still wise to keep horses fenced away from these trees and, like the other trees mentioned, pick up any leaves and limbs that may blow into your horses’ pasture after a storm.

ORNAMENTALS Yew: Common throughout the country in landscapes but also budding up on farmland, once ingested the yew damages the heart muscle, leading to a swift death. It is extremely deadly with any exposure capable of killing. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Oleander: Found in warmer climates, this beautiful but deadly plant is toxic in all of its parts. As with the yew, ingesting oleander damages the heart muscle with even as little as a few leaves leading to death. If you’re uncertain, your local extension agent or natural resources conservationist can help you with identification.

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DOS AND DON’TS Dr. Neil Rhodes, Ph.D., Professor and Extension specialist in weed management with University of Tennessee Extension, offers the following dos and don’ts in avoiding poisonous plants:

DON’T Don’t let your horse get hungry. Even in situations where horses must be kept on dry lots, giving them hay can prevent the hunger that often leads horses to investigate potentially toxic, or less desirable, forages. Don’t let your pastures get overgrazed. Overgrazing helps toxic plants grow. Don’t immediately start with herbicides when attempting to eradicate poisonous plants. While herbicides are generally safe, toxic plants that are unpalatable to horses under normal circumstances can become more palatable when they’re stressed and begin to wilt after spraying.

DO Rotate and rest pastures to prevent overgrazing, which can allow poisonous plants to take hold and grow.

Visit with your neighbors and ask them not to toss plants pruned from their landscaping over into your horses’ pasture, particularly yew and oleander. Dig up poisonous plants as a first line of defense. Keep horses fenced out of any woods on your property. Many toxic plants flourish in the shady transition area leading into the woods and in the woods themselves.

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PHOTO: PAULA DA SILVA/ARND.NL

Check for downed limbs of wild cherry, red maple, and black walnut trees after a storm.

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF USET ARCHIVES, ANWAR ESQUIVEL

(Left to right) Legendary U.S. Jumping Team coach Bertalan de Nemethy with riders Robert Ridland, Dennis Murphy, Michael Matz, and Buddy Brown at the 1978 World Jumping Championships in Aachen.

As October’s Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup ™ Final in Barcelona, Spain, approaches, jumping athletes and coaches reflect on the history of the Nations Cup and its role in developing team talent BY NANCY JAFFER

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF USET ARCHIVES, TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

U.S. jumping chef d’equipe/technical adviser Robert Ridland remembers when the extraordinary importance of the Nations Cup first came home to him. In 1970, the 19-year-old college student went on his initial European tour with the U.S. jumping team, feeling rather proud of having won classes at the first two shows in Germany. He was driving the van to the next show in Lucerne, Switzerland, with his legendary teammates, including longtime team captain Billy Steinkraus, Frank Chapot, and Kathy Kusner. “Billy’s in the back and he said, ‘All right, ladies and gentlemen: Now we start!’ I’m thinking, what is he talking about? We started two weeks ago,” Ridland recalled. “But that was just practice; this was for real. I’ll never forget those few words. It was just like turning the switch.” The first shows were simply “strategic steps along the way to when it really counted, and when it really counted was when you had the Nations Cup.” As Ridland observed, “When the U.S. flag goes in, it’s really important, and it’s important that everyone associated with us in our effort knows that and lives up to those standards.” The Nations Cup format involves teams of four from each country participating who jump the same course twice, which usually makes for a lot of score-keeping, since only the best three scores count. (Occasionally, a country may field just three riders.) If there’s a tie at the end of two rounds, the winner is decided by a jump-off. Ridland will be at the helm in October for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona, Spain, after his squad made the cut via a series of qualifiers in North America. Those included the new U.S. venue at Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Fla., where the program also included Nations Cup formats for Children, Juniors, and Young Riders.

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Coach Robert Ridland and the NetJetsÂŽ U.S. Jumping Team during the Parade of Nations at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup USA at Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Fla., in February.

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Below: Carol Durand on Reno Kirk at the 1952 International Horse Show.

PHOTOS: SPORT AND GENERAL PHOTOGRAPHY, LIBBY LAW PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF USET ARCHIVES

Opposite: Norma Matthews on Country Boy (far left) and Carol Durand on Reno Kirk (far right) joined Arthur McCashin and Eager Beaver (center) on the 1950 North American Indoor Circuitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three-member civilian squad at Madison Square Garden.

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“Ride for Your Country—That Was the Most Important Thing” The Cup has come a long way since international jumping team competitions began in 1909, in London and San Sebastian, Spain. At that time, and for four decades thereafter, the classes were open only to military officers. A total of 21 Nations Cups were held before World War I at venues across Europe and in New York. In 1929, the Fédération Équestre Internationale began regulating the Cups and putting them on a calendar. After the U.S. Army disbanded the cavalry following World War II, the U.S. Equestrian Team was formed in 1950 to enable the country to train and field squads for international competition. The USET since has become the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, working on the funding side, while US Equestrian is in charge of the competition aspects. Women were part of the formerly all-male U.S. teams immediately, with Norma Matthews and Carol Durand leading the way, making up two-thirds of the first threemember civilian squad on the 1950 North American Indoor Circuit. Mary Mairs Chapot recalled the Nations Cups of the early 1960s when she joined the squad, which also included her husband-to-be, Frank Chapot. There weren’t many big-money classes then, unlike the calendar congestion we see today. Although Mary Chapot won North America’s first grand prix in Cleveland in 1965,

she was always aware of what had to take precedence. “The Nations Cup, you ride for your country—that was the most important thing. To me, that was a big ballgame. It’s special,” she recounted. “You’ve got three other teammates, your owners, everybody. There are a lot of pressures in a Nations Cup.” Now, however, “it’s more complicated than in the past,” noted Lizzy Chesson, US Equestrian’s Managing Director of Show Jumping. “There are far more opportunities to jump for big money. But when there are important events, our riders show up. Riding for the country and seeing your flag raised and hearing the national anthem makes everyone really proud. There’s an excitement for the team. It takes the team behind the team to make it work: the trainers, the grooms, and the owners.” With so many big classes on the docket today, the choices of where and when to ride can be hard. “What’s happened in the sport is there are a lot of options out there,” said McLain Ward, the anchor rider who clinched victory for the gold medal-winning NetJets® U.S. Jumping Team at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™. “But I certainly think for many riders, and particularly in countries like the United States and Germany that are perennial favorites, there’s still a lot of emphasis on the importance of the Nations Cup.”

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The Cup Today Since becoming the jumping coach in 2013, Ridland has guided the U.S. to silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and bronze at the 2014 WEG in Normandy, as well as the 2018 WEG gold in Tryon. He’s still looking for his first victory in the Nations Cup Finals, however. The concept of a Nations Cup Finals began in 1991 but ran only intermittently until it was established seven years ago in Barcelona. For decades, the North American Indoor Circuit hosted the Nations Cups on this continent. At first, that was the Pennsylvania National in Harrisburg and the National

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Lucy Deslauriers and Hester in the Palm Beach Masters Nations Cup at Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Fla., in February.

PHOTOS: NANCY JAFFER, TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN (OPPOSITE)

Horse Show in New York, as well as the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada. Later, the Washington International Horse Show replaced Harrisburg in the line-up, but the indoor Cups usually included only four international teams and eventually became too expensive to continue, with the cost of flying riders and horses over from Europe. By the start of the 21st century, the Cup had ended its run indoors and in the U.S., and moved outdoors to Wellington, Fla., in 2002. Since then, it also was held in Ocala, Fla. The Nations Cup qualifier came back to Wellington in February 2019 at the Jacobs family’s Deeridge Farm. Explaining why he wanted to bid for the Nations Cup Finals qualifier, which will be at Deeridge through 2021, Lou Jacobs emphasized how special it is to host a class showcasing national pride. “It’s not just another weekend,” he explained. Jacobs, who runs the five-star-rated Palm Beach Masters at his family estate with brother Charlie Jacobs and sister Katie Robinson, appreciates the importance of the Nations Cup that is his show’s highlight, and felt it was important that part of the venture involved bringing along the next generation of Nations Cup riders. Although the qualifier for the Finals was the main event on the spacious grass field, the nearby all-weather ring hosted Nations Cup-format competition for Children, Juniors, and Young Riders. Those classes are designed to acquaint rising stars with riding on a team. “One of the aims of our program is to create those opportunities and experiences so when they jump on a five-star team, they’re ready to go and it’s not the first time they’re there,” said US Equestrian’s Chesson. “It gives them a real edge of (knowing) what it means to be on a team. It’s a very different feeling, and it takes a little bit of time for them to get used to that.”

STEPPING STONES FOR YOUTHS US EQ U EST RI A N P RO G RA M S AR E H EL P I N G BU I L D FUT URE NATION S CU P T E A M STA RS

“US Equestrian is making so many more opportunities for us children to do these team competitions, which will really benefit us in the future,” said Mia Albelo, here on Cassandra Dreams at the Palm Beach Masters Team Competition at Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Fla.

From her own teenage experience, Anne Kursinski—now the U.S. assistant chef d’equipe—understands what it means for young people to be part of a Nations Cup team. She rode in her first Cup in 1976 at Spruce Meadows, Canada. “I was still in high school at the time, so to represent the country was the biggest thrill. It was something I had dreamed about,” she remembered. “Anyone could enter the grand prix, but to be named to the team was just the most exciting event.” At that time, she noted, not so many riders were going to Europe, and generally those who went were on an official tour and had been named to the squad before they left the U.S. Mary Chapot, who rode on the team in the early 1960s, mentioned that in those days, there weren’t people “breathing down your neck” for a spot on the team, as is the case today, because the U.S. lacked the depth it enjoys in this era. Once a team was named for Europe, it usually stayed in place for the whole tour. Things have changed dramatically on the show jumping scene as the world has grown smaller. “Now you compete against international people all the time—there’s more cross-over,” said Kursinski. When she started out, “There was a huge difference in the styles of riding and horses.” That’s no longer the case. As Kursinski observed, “It’s more global. Horses, riders, and even course designers are more back and forth than they used to be.” The Olympics were “always a childhood dream and a goal” for Kursinski, who was the alternate for the 1984 team and rode in the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Games, winning two team silver medals in the process. But the path to get there involved learning by experience at the highest level of the sport. She noted that after the trip to Spruce Meadows for her first team outing, “the next one was Rome. There was no practice anywhere.” Until the last 12 or 15 years, there were no U.S. Young Rider, Junior, or Children’s Nations Cups, though there was a developing riders program. With the advent of the Cups for younger U.S. riders, however, “I think we’re doing a far better job of creating those opportunities to have them prepared,” said Lizzy Chesson, US Equestrian’s Managing Director for Show Jumping. Young U.S. athletes are getting that vital “practice” in team classes tailored to their age group and ability. “There is no substitute for this type of experience,” noted Kursinski, who in June mentored (cont’d next page) USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 101

the winning U.S. squad in Hagen, Germany. The Young Rider competition there was especially important, because it was the test event for the new three-member team format scoring that will be used at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Kursinski is tuned in to the dreams of the kids, who often are thinking about the Olympics. “Maybe some don’t say it too much. That was for sure me growing up, because maybe it wouldn’t work,” Kursinski recalled. So that made it special to have the Young Rider, Junior, and Children’s Nations Cup at Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Fla., in February, when the senior team was riding in the Nations Cup qualifier for the October Barcelona final. “It was wonderful that we could do it there,” said Kursinski. “[It’s] the whole team spirit and national pride feeling. The first time they put the pinque coat on, they’re nervous. It’s a whole different feeling when you ride for your country in a real Nations Cup.” U.S. Youth Coach DiAnn Langer said at Deeridge, the Youth Teams walked the senior Nations Cup course, then sat together with their coaches to watch the class. Langer, who was part of the first all-female Nations Cup team at Spruce Meadows in 1978, has been very involved with bringing the youth to the top of the game. One of the first teams she took abroad, to Hagen, included Adrienne Sternlicht in her Young Rider days. She went on to be part of the gold medal team at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ and is one of many former youth riders who have had success in the senior ranks. “For the youth, being on these teams, their takeaway is far greater in terms of life itself than just being on a Nations Cup team,” said Langer. “It has an effect on you for the rest of your life. You understand that the team is more than just one person; there’s a collective responsibility to each other.” Tanner Korotkin, who was on the winning Junior team at Deeridge, noted, “Team competition takes a lot of teamwork, even though you’re in the ring alone. Although you have to focus on yourself, you want your teammates to do well so they can carry on to the next round and have a good score and do well. So it’s really about getting everything situated so you and your teammates know exactly what to do when they go in the ring.” Mia Albelo, a member of the Children’s team, reported, “This was one of the most amazing experiences in my riding career. There are not many team competitions, but US Equestrian is making so many more opportunities for us children to do these team competitions, which will really benefit us in the future, like at the Olympics and World Equestrian Games, when we hopefully get on those teams.” “It’s exciting that we have so much depth with young riders coming along,” Kursinski said, saluting the strategy of U.S. jumping chef d’equipe/technical adviser Robert Ridland. “With his vision of putting in these younger riders, even at big championships, it’s fantastic. He’s been very inclusive of young riders. In time, Beezie (Madden) and McLain (Ward) and those (others on senior teams) will retire and we have to be bringing along the next ones.” — Nancy Jaffer

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PHOTOS: NANCY JAFFER, ANWAR ESQUIVEL (OPPOSITE)

Below: Deeridge co-owner Lou Jacobs congratulates U.S. Youth Coach DiAnn Langer and the U.S. Junior Team of (left to right) Yasmin Rizvi, Mimi Gochman, Catalina Peralta, and Tanner Korotkin after the Palm Beach Masters Team Competition in February at Deeridge in Wellington, Fla.

ONE RIDER’S RISE IN N AT ION S CUP COM PE T IT IO N, “ YOU’RE N OT JUST RID IN G FOR YOURSE L F,” SAYS RISIN G STAR A L E X GRA N ATO

It was a long ride from his childhood experience in a Western saddle to representing the U.S. in FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ competition, but Alex Granato knew fairly early in life what he wanted to do with horses and pursued it. Growing up in Utah, where his father, Sam, ran a Salt Lake City deli, Granato rode Western in his first experience with horses because his mother, Ann, was taking Western lessons. But when he got English lessons for his ninth birthday, something really clicked and “that was that,” he recalled. Granato always had a fascination with equines. When he wasn’t riding, he revealed, “I would watch the Disney movies or cartoons with horses.” As he got older, his viewing preferences changed. “I’d watch all of the grand prix rounds I could, whenever they were televised,” he said, but added that jumping at that level himself “never really seemed within my grasp.” And then he found a way. “When I was 16, I heard about the North American Junior and Young Riders Championships [now the North American Youth Championships], which re-sparked my interest to do more with the sport,” Granato said. “That’s when I decided I really wanted to pursue it and see where it would take me.” His ambition to ride in the most important competition of them all was part of his motivation. “Growing up, it was always a sliver of a dream,” he said. Granato told himself, “You know, you could go to the Olympics in this sport.” But it couldn’t happen while competing on the “fun” circuit in Utah, where he won the Utah Hunter Jumper Association Medal Finals three times, so he needed to move. He decided to go to Colorado, where the competition was at a higher level. “It wasn’t easy,” Granato noted. “My parents were really supportive. They let me move out of state and do my high-school courses on line. They helped with what they could but couldn’t afford for me to have several horses and travel and do the circuit the way it really demands.” So Granato found his own way, becoming a professional after his senior year in high school to finance his interest. His first real grand prix horse, Mad Season, was “a bit of a project” he got through dealer David Hopper for $6,500.

Alex Granato and Carlchen W at the 2018 FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Mexico.

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PHOTO: ANWAR ESQUIVEL

Alex Granato and Carlchen W during the jog for the 2019 FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Mexico.

“It was going to teach me a lot or at least he wasn’t going to be an expensive failure,” said Granato, 36. “He was a bit of a rebel and had his own agenda. He took me from a low junior jumper class in Colorado all the way through the FEI North American Youth Championships, my first World Cup qualifier, and my first grand prix wins. He really helped not only educate me to start my career, but finance it through winnings.” In return, Granato named his business Mad Season LLC after the horse who did so much for him. He and his partner, Josh Dolan, who focuses on the hunters, are based out of Wellington, Fla., and Lexington, Ky. In late 2013, Granato was working with Page and Sarah Tredennick, riding Mullaghdrin Rado, an Irish sport horse. After he won a two-star class at the Longines Global Champions Tour’s Miami Beach show, he got a call from DiAnn Langer, the U.S. Youth Coach, who invited him to do a tour in Madrid and the Nations Cup in Lisbon. “That was my first international team experience,” said Granato, noting that pushed him toward an interest in doing more Nations Cups. Carlchen W, a son of Chacco-Blue that Granato started riding while working with the Tredennicks, was his mount for his first Cup with U.S. coach Robert Ridland in Xalapa, Mexico, in 2018. They were doubleclear and went on to the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona, where they delivered another clear round. Riding for the USA is very important to Granato. “You’re hearing your national anthem and know you’re not only doing well in a sport you love, but also getting to represent your country while you’re doing it,” said the rider, who is a partner in Carlchen. “That’s really special. To do it at this high a level and start thinking of the Pan Ams and the Olympics next year as at least closer to your grasp is really exciting, and it means a lot to be doing it with a special horse like this. “He has such a drive and understands his job in the sport. He goes to a show, gets in a new ring and he’s there to perform. He wants to do as well as I do.” Granato was named to the team for this year’s Pan American Games and, looking toward 2020, he hopes to ride in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Finals in Las Vegas and then make the short list for the Tokyo Olympics. He understands how much is at stake when he rides with the flag on his saddle pad. “You’re not just riding for yourself,” Granato explained. “You want to put your best foot forward, not only for yourself, but to back up your teammates and your country.” — Nancy Jaffer

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Ariat Denim Gets R.E.A.L.

Ariatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s R.E.A.L. line has got you covered with eye-catching details and fabric thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s built to last.

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARIAT

R.E.A.L. stands for Riding Evolved for the Authentic Lifestyle, and this denim line lives it, taking comfort from barn to bridle path to bistro.

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARIAT

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Ariat is well known for design magic that creates the thing every equestrian wants: durable, stylish clothing that’s up to the demands of equestrian life and not only survives a hard day at the barn, but also looks great doing it—and comes back ready to perform again tomorrow. That’s where Ariat’s R.E.A.L. jean comes in. Billed as “the best riding jean,” the R.E.A.L. jean doesn’t just stand at the intersection of performance and pretty—it owns it. “When we launched R.E.A.L. a few years ago, there was a space, especially in the Western market, for a really great-fitting jean that delivered on both the style and performance needs of the Western rider,” said Jennifer Shaw, vice-president of design and development for denim and a hunter/jumper rider herself. “When we thought of the ingredients that would make our riding jean awesome, the first thing we focused on was fit. The jean was designed, wear-tested, rejected, and designed and wear-tested again until we got it exactly right for girls who were actually sitting in the saddle.” Ariat’s famously rigorous equestrian wear-testers, and the company’s talented design team, had a string of must-haves for a jean that would be both stylish and saddle-friendly, whatever your discipline.

R.E.A.L. proves that practical can also be pretty, thanks to Ariat’s famous equestrian-based wear-testing and talented design team.

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PHOTO: THESE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN THE GUTTER, BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS IN FEATURES TO CREATE LEGIBILITY

“We really wanted the jean to hug but not be skin-tight,” Shaw said. “We wanted it to have great coverage at the back and a perfectly fitting waist that didn’t gap. And then we also wanted to make sure it fit as well when you were in the saddle as it fit when you were out of the saddle.” The results include a slightly higher rise in the back than in the front and an ingeniously cut waistband that helps prevent gapping. “We also added some darts for fit in the rear,” Shaw said, “and we did some really clever things with the seaming for a leg-lengthening look. We designed a no-chafe inseam so, when you ride, the leg doesn’t twist or chafe. We spent a lot of time concepting and perfecting the fit and features of the jean.” But fit was only part of the equation. To step up to the challenge of the equestrian lifestyle, the denim had to perform as well as its wearers—and last. “If the fabric doesn’t hold up to the durability and to the stretchand-recovery demands, if it doesn’t hold its shape, the fit doesn’t do you any good,” Shaw said. “So we spent a lot of time getting just the right fabric, as well.” The R.E.A.L. jean’s styling has an allAmerican flair with a touch of Western flavor, but Ariat’s equestrian-inspired attention to performance details will make you feel at home in any saddle. “The features of the fit apply to any discipline,” Shaw said. “As an English rider myself, I see it on a lot of people when I go to shows!”

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ARIAT

For this fall, look for some fashionable new tweaks, too, like Perfect Rise, a nod to a hot vintage trend. “There’s a very cool ’70s vintage heritage influence right now, and one of the biggest trends is that rises are getting higher,” Shaw noted. “So we have a new fit called the Perfect Rise, and it comes in several different leg openings. It’s a little bit higher in the front and the back, and it’s super-flattering. The Perfect Rise gives everybody a great look and fit with a higher rise, and the styling definitely reflects a 1970s-infused vibe.” That ’70s vibe is making news around more than the rise. The R.E.A.L. jean is also sporting some darker washes and other vintage touches, like a back-pocket design that harks back to Boho chic, said Shaw. Also on tap this fall, a larger assortment of Ariat products available in extended sizes, continuing a trend Ariat set in spring. “We’re really creating something for everyone and making sure our offering has a broad enough range to be appealing to a lot of different girls,” Shaw said. “Everybody wants to be beautiful and have their jeans fit like a dream and to stay looking great throughout the day, no matter where they are!”

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The R.E.A.L. line also spotlights the hot vintage trend with some styles that hark back to the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s. Get on trend with R.E.A.L. denimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy comfort and hot vintage details, without losing any of the high-performance durability your equestrian life demands.

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FOR THE RECORD

Hearing Committee Rulings and Administrative Penalties OFFICIAL NOTICES Contributed by the Regulation Department unless otherwise indicated. The following official notices are only intended to give penalty information for a given case and not to disclose the factual basis for each violation or penalty. The Hearing Committee decides each case based on the evidence presented at the hearing and takes into account many factors that may raise or lower a given penalty. For example, the Hearing Committee takes into account such things as whether the violation was intentional or unintentional, the nature of the violation, the credibility of witnesses, penalties in similar cases, past violations of Federation rules by a respondent, and many other mitigating factors. US Equestrian members can access and search the United States Equestrian Federation rulings and findings online at USequestrian.org. Hover over the Compete tab on the homepage. In the menu that appears, click Rulings & Findings under Rules & Regulations. HEARING COMMITTEE RULINGS Below are the official rulings reached by the Hearing Committee following hearings held in these matters and/or plea agreements made. This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc., Hearing Committee on April 9, 2019. The Committee Members present received and accepted a plea agreement tendered pursuant to Chapter 6, GR617, in connection with the Bill Russell Memorial Horse Show held on August 30-September 2, 2018, wherein BILL RUSSELL MEMORIAL HORSE SHOW and CHARLES RUSSELL, of Winston, Ga., violated JP150.10a of this Federation, in that as Competition Management, they failed to properly publish the Standard for the $25,000 Grand Prix. For this violation, it was determined that BILL RUSSELL MEMORIAL HORSE SHOW be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $750 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES This is official notice of the imposition of Administrative Penalties pursuant to Chapter 4, GR412, and/or Chapter 6, GR616, offered by the Federation and accepted by the following parties and approved by the Hearing Committee in lieu of hearings. DIEGO CASTRO of Anthony, Fla., violated Chapter 4, GR410, of this Federation, in connection with the Paso Fino Grand National Championship Horse Show held on September 17-22, 2018, in that he, as trainer, exhibited the horse HECHICERA DE LA ISABELA after it had been administered and/or contained in its body diclofenac in a plasma concentration exceeding the maximum permitted level. 116 FALL ISSUE 2019

For this violation, it was determined that DIEGO CASTRO be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by HECHICERA DE LA ISABELA at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. COURTNEY COOPER of Nottingham, Pa., violated Chapter 4, GR410-411, of this Federation, in connection with Pine Top Intermediate Horse Trials held on February 8-10, 2019, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse EXCEL STAR IF NEVER after it had been administered and/or contained in its body pramoxine. The facts and mitigating factors in this case supported the following penalty, even though it is below the suggested range for Category II Violations in the Drugs and Medications Penalty Guidelines. For this violation, it was determined that COURTNEY COOPER be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by EXCEL STAR IF NEVER at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. TREVOR MILLER and DANNY GERARDI of Somis, Calif., violated Chapter 7, GR702.1d and GR702.1f, and Chapter 8, GR835, GR839.4b, and GR839.4e, of this Federation, in connection with the U.S. National Arabian & Half Arabian Championship Horse Show held October 19-27, 2018, in that they were seen on surveillance videos and witnessed by exhibitors using aggressive training techniques while schooling the horse ZEE KATRINA. Additionally, both participated in manually poling the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legs on two different occasions.

For these violations of Federation Rules, it was determined that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, TREVOR MILLER and DANNY GERARDI shall both be found not in good standing, suspended from membership, and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for two months, and are both excluded from all competition grounds during Licensed Competitions for that period: (1) as exhibitors, participants, or spectators; (2) from participating in all Federation affairs and activities; (3) from holding or exercising office in the Federation or in any Licensed Competition; and (4) from attending, observing, or participating in any event, forum, meeting, program, clinic, task force, or committee of the Federation, sponsored by or conducted by the Federation, or held in connection with the Federation and any of its activities.Â The two-month suspension shall commence on October 1, 2019, and terminate at midnight on November 30, 2019. Any horse or horses, completely or in part owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation, or stable of theirs, or shown in their names or for their reputations (whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter), shall also be suspended pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1c, for the same time period. It was further directed that TREVOR MILLER and DANNY GERARDI shall each be fined $2,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. KALLIE SCHAFERS of Tarpon Springs, Fla., violated Chapter 4, GR410-411, of this Federation, in connection with CFHJA December Horse Show held on December 6-9, 2018, in that, she, as trainer, exhibited the horse FAIR FAX after it had

been administered and/or contained in its body acepromazine and 2-(1-hydroxyethyl) promazine sulfoxide (HEPS). For this violation, it was determined that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, KALLIE SCHAFERS be found not in good standing, suspended from membership, and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for two months, and is excluded from all competition grounds during Licensed Competitions for that period: (1) as an exhibitor, participant, or spectator; (2) from participating in all Federation affairs and activities; (3) from holding or exercising office in the Federation or in any Licensed Competition; and (4) from attending, observing, or participating in any event, forum, meeting, program, clinic, task force, or committee of the Federation, sponsored by or conducted by the Federation, or held in connection with the Federation and any of its activities. The two-month suspension shall commence on November 1, 2019, and terminate at midnight on December 31, 2019. Any horse or horses owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation, or stable of hers, or shown in her name or for her reputation (whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter), shall also be suspended, pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1c, for the same period. KALLIE SCHAFERS was also fined $3,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by FAIR FAX at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. XENA VIMERCATI of Temecula, Calif., violated Chapter 4, GR410, of this Federation, in connection with IFSHA Friesian World

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Q&A with Jordan Allen