US Equestrian Magazine

Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation | Fall 2017

POWER AND GRACE Baroque Breeds: From War Horses to Sport Horses

GET THE RIGHT BIT Three Things to Consider

HORSES IN THE CITY Urban Shows Bring Horses and Joy to the City

In USEF News:

BRINGING THE JOY

US Equestrian Grants Help Grow Horse Sports

LIZZY TRABAND

Horses Always Come First for 2016 Jr. Equestrian of the Year

Wellington, Florida • MattJohnson.evusa.com

Natures Point - 10 Acre equestrian estate with direct bridle path access & within true hacking distance to WEF. 5 bedroom, 7 bathroom pool home with top quality detail & finishes. 14 stall center-aisle stable with 3 staff apartments, 10 grass paddocks, round pen, sand riding arena and grass grand prix field.

Offered at $11,900,000

Palm Beach Point - 4 bedroom, 4 bath pool home in a prime cul-de-sac location. Just a short hack to WEF. Situated on 5 acres with 8 stall barn, 1 bedroom, 1 bath staff apartment, riding arena and 7 paddocks.

Offered at $5,300,000

White Fences - 4 bedroom equestrian estate with beautifully landscaped pool & patio area. 12 Stall courtyard style barn, with groom’s apartment. Oversized riding arena with mirrors, 3 acre grass riding field, 8 large grass paddocks, hot-walker and round pen. There is also a 1Br/1Bth guest house with 1 car garage.

Offered at $2,400,000 Matt Johnson • Phone +1 561-313-4367 • Fax +1 561-791-2221 www.mattjohnson.evusa.com • Wellington, Florida • Matt.Johnson@evusa.com

©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Carr Sollak Realty, LLC licensee of Engel & Voelkers Florida Residential, LLC. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

12180 South Shore Blvd, Suite 102 | Wellington, FL 33414

Abby Jones

ajones@equestriansir.com 561.436.4097

bbjones@equestriansir.com riAn Jones 513.604.0202

Palm Beach Polo | WellingTon, Florida | $2,385,000 desiGner-decorated in 2015 | 4 Bedrooms | 4.5 Bathrooms | 3-car GaraGe | travertine Floors | livinG room With FirePlace

Saddle Trail Park | $4,450,000 Palm Beach Polo | WellingTon, Florida | $575,000

Se as on

Re

nt al

3Br | 3 Ba | Granite counter toPs & stainless steel aPPliances | oPen Floor Plan | very l arGe BacK yard With GolF course vieWs

Saddle Trail | WellingTon, Florida | $355,000 / SeaSon 14 stalls, 5 PaddocKs | 2-Br manaGer’s aPartment | GGt 200’x100 arena | lunGinG Pad | covered treadmill station | WalKinG distance to WeF

loxahaTchee, Florida | $4,000,000 total 80 acres | 5 imProved acres | less than 10 miles From the Winter eQuestrian Festival | home situated on Pond

4 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Florida Kitchen | 2-car GaraGe | 2/2 livinG Quarters | 8-stall center isle Barn | 225’ x 114’ sand ridinG arena | 4 Fenced PaddocKs | WalKerBoy horse WalKer | amPle ParKinG | tacK & Feed rooms | lush l andscaPinG | Fly control

Abby Jones 561.436.4097 ajones@equestriansir.com

800 EAST HIGH STREET, LEXINGTON, KY 40502

BGSIR.com Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

St. George Farm

635 Iron Works Pike Lexington, KY 40511 St. George Farm is a magnificent 94 acre estate bordered by Elkhorn Creek and the famous Elmendorf Farm. The Greek Revival-style manor house, originally built in the 1830’s, has been beautifully renovated. The property boasts 2 beautiful barns with 18 stalls each. Superior location: 6 miles to the Kentucky Horse Park, 7 miles to downtown Lexington, and 12 miles to Keeneland.

801 Hawkins Cummins Road | Paris, KY Traditional Kentucky manor home boasts over 9000 sq ft of finished living space and a 4000 sq ft unfinished basement. Grand first floor master suite with fireplace and walk-in closets. Gourmet kitchen has top-of-the-line appliances and granite counters. 137 acres offers blank canvas to build horse property of your dreams!

1060 Griffin Gate Drive Adorable townhouse with tons of upgrades including all new flooring in the kitchen, living room, dining area & laundry room. Owners are installing a new fireplace, new window coverings, and just installed a new water heater.

The screened patio has been converted into a cozy sunroom that overlooks the golf course. The kitchen features granite countertops and all-new stainless steel appliances. Griffin Gate is a remarkable gated golf community with a fantastic pool, clubhouse, and workout facility.

Contents FEATURES 68 LIZZY TRABAND A heart for horsemanship

80 POWER AND GRACE Baroque breeds offer athleticism and majesty

88 GET THE RIGHT BIT Three principles to follow when bit shopping

64

100 HORSES IN THE CITY Urban shows bring horses and joy to the city

DEPARTMENTS 8 Partners 10 Sponsors 14 Media/Marketing 16 Letter from

the President 20 Snapshot 22 USEF News

84

34 Seen & Heard 36 Learning Center Cover: Lizzy Traband: show jumper, trainer, trick rider, and all-around horsewoman Photo: Erin O’Neill

42 Pro Tip 46 Juniors’ Ring 54 My First 56 Hot Links 60 Trending 64 Horse Health 114 For the Record

4 FALL ISSUE 2017

PHOTOS: ERIN O’NEILL (TOP), BIANCA MCCARTY

76

Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation

US EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE Volume LXXXI, 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 | DESIGNER Candice McCown | cmccown@usef.org ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kim Russell | 859 225 6938 | krussell@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIP & SALES Lauren Carlisle | lcarlisle@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL & VIDEO CONTENT Andrea Evans | aevans@usef.org ASSISTANT DESIGNER Kate Strom | kstrom@usef.org EDITORIAL STAFF Mark Coley, Andrea Evans, Kathleen Landwehr, Dana Rossmeier CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sarah Coleman

US Equestrian Magazine (ISSN 1548-873X) is published five times a year: Horse of the Year Special Edition, Spring/Spectator’s Guide, Winter, Fall, 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 Issue 1 of 2015, Equestrian Magazine will be published and provided electronically and only four editions will have a limited number of printed copies. Only the Horse of the Year Special Edition will provided in the U.S. Mail.

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 Vicki Lowell vlowell@usef.org or by direct dial 859-225-2024. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 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 © 2017. US 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 Ironworks Parkway, Lexington, Ky 40511 USequestrian.org

#JoinTheJoy Follow us on social media @USequestrian 6 FALL ISSUE 2017

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8 FALL ISSUE 2017

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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.

10 FALL ISSUE 2017

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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.

12 FALL ISSUE 2017

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14 FALL ISSUE 2017

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Letter from the President Securing a Strong Future

Equestrian is a unique sport because we share it with the horses that we love. They are our trusted partners and we are their trusted guardians. The safety and welfare of horses must always be our highest priority. The power of our equestrian community and the deep desire to support the well-being of our equine partners was clearly demonstrated in the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Through the generosity and compassion of our membership, friends and family, the USEF Equine Disaster Relief fund raised over $500,000 to help those in need. I would like to personally thank all who contributed. I would also like to acknowledge our own Kent Farrington, the #1 Show Jumping Rider in the World, who donated $71,000 in prize money from his first-place finish in the Central Park Horse Show Grand Prix to victims of the hurricane in his home state, Florida. That’s true leadership.

Likewise, the USEF Board of Directors, volunteers, and staff leadership have been incredibly busy during the last six months shaping the new direction and focus of US Equestrian with a keen eye on protecting horse and human welfare. During this time, the Board of Directors has made a number of very important decisions that have helped secure our collective future.

Those decisions will help us fulfill our mission “To provide access to and increase participation in Equestrian Sports at all levels by ensuring fairness, safety, and enjoyment.”

16 FALL ISSUE 2017

The integrity of our sport is dependent on our meeting this responsibility and providing an environment where horse and human can work in unison to achieve our goals. Protecting athletes from physical, verbal, and cyber abuse is an important responsibility of US Equestrian and, to facilitate this effort, the Board of Directors recently launched SafeSport initiatives and adopted the mandatory USOC requirements of the U.S. Center for SafeSport. There is an entire area of our website dedicated to SafeSport that contains resources to assist athletes, coaches, and parents.

Another area under the human safety and welfare initiative is concussion awareness and prevention. US Equestrian has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide athletes, coaches, and parents with valuable information for the prevention and detection of concussion.

These materials and a very informative video, featuring neurosurgeon and equestrian Dr. Lola Chambless, can be found on our website and in our Learning Center. Regardless of your level of participation and the breed or discipline in which you compete, head trauma is a very important subject, and we will continue to update and disseminate education on concussion to our members.

As stated earlier, horse safety and welfare is a priority. Competition footing, whether in the competition rings, schooling and exercise areas, or longeing areas, has been a major topic of discussion this year. Our new Compliance Department has been created to ensure that competition show grounds are meeting the safety and quality standards included in the USEF Rulebook.

Admittedly, this department has been a bit slower in getting staffed and out in the field than I would like, but they are making a meaningful difference pushing competition organizers to do their part in creating a safe and enjoyable environment for exhibitors.

Our Clean Sport initiatives go hand-in-hand with protecting the safety and welfare of our horses. Earlier this year, the drugs and medication penalty guidelines approved by the Board of Directors were implemented. This was a project several years in the making and answers many of our members’ requests for consistency and clarity. Recently, new penalty guidelines for violations of our welfare and abuse rules were approved by the Board and were implemented on September 1. Additional communications shortly followed to clear up some confusion on the guidelines. These tougher guidelines were necessary to address the very few in our sport who violate our rules and risk the reputation, integrity, and viability of our sport, endanger our children, and endanger the magnificent animals we love and rely

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE

Dear Fellow Members,

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Letter from the President Securing a Strong Future (cont.)

on. To not address these issues would have been irresponsible and would undermine the legitimacy of our sport.

The most recent Board of Directors decisions are designed to fix the organization’s business model. This includes putting USEF Network behind the member wall on the website, creating a new Fan Membership, reinvesting back in member services at all levels, and raising membership dues for the first time in almost 15 years. These moves were not done without significant analysis and feedback from our members on what is important to them. The increase is necessary to break an unsustainable cycle in which USEF member services and benefits were constantly being cut or weakened in order to offset expenses that were growing faster than revenues as inflation outpaced revenue growth. As a result, USEF cut support positions, cut the insurance program, cut publishing the Rulebook, cut the quality and quantity of USEF Network programming, froze staff salaries for years resulting in high employee turnover, cut publishing the magazine, cut development programs, and cut grassroots programs, all in the name of a balanced budget. This is the path of a weak organization with a self-fulfilling prophecy of sustained decline. The muchneeded membership increase provides the resources to reverse all of this and give our members, at all levels, the service and programs that they deserve and that our sport deserves. And while I am very sensitive that a $25 increase in membership to $80 is significant, it is necessary in order for the USEF to meet our members’ expectations and is in line or less than the other equine organizations in the United States.

With an organization that is fairer, safer, and has a stronger financial future, the Board of Directors, your CEO Bill Moroney and I, and the entire US Equestrian team are focused on building a bright future and “Bringing the Joy of Horse Sports to as Many People as Possible” through the following initiatives: •

• •

•

New Website and Learning Center – complete with over 50 educational videos already available and free for members; Build-out of the Compliance Department to ensure quality standards are maintained at horse shows; Increasing access to competitions at the affiliate level through the reinvigoration of Grassroots Competitions including Competition Lite, web service support grants and the creation of a Grassroots Competition Advisory Panel, charged with developing grassroots programs and support mechanisms for 2018; Updating and, where needed, developing policy and procedure to guide the administration of the sport and organization;

18 FALL ISSUE 2017

•

Strengthening of Young Rider and Athlete Development programs, including a major upgrade to the annual multi-discipline championships; • Expanded member benefits and discounts; • Republishing and mailing of US Equestrian magazine to the membership; • Reprinting the USEF Rulebook for Officials in 2018; • Expanded programming for the USEF Network, which remains free for members; • Providing free Fan Memberships to thousands of members of our education partners, including scholastic organizations and the Pony Club, with more to come; and • R e i ns tatement o f a Nation al Show Ju mp i ng Championship.

I encourage you to visit the US Equestrian website and review the Strategic Plan approved by the Board of Directors in June of 2016. We are one year into its implementation, and while a lot of change has been happening to achieve our goals, there is much more to be accomplished. We are seeing positive results in several areas, including increases in communications, membership, sponsorship, USEF Network programming, awareness of US Equestrian and equestrian sport, Affiliate and member feedback and, fortunately, a decrease in doping violations.

US Equestrian is changing because our members asked us to change. Change is easy when it does not directly affect each of us but becomes much harder when it does. However, by doing a lot of hard work today, together we can move forward with innovation and preserve the future of our sport. We are on the right track and our collective future is bright.

I am amazed and grateful for the robust engagement and feedback we are receiving from our Affiliates and members, which are really helping to guide and shape the decisions made by the Board of Directors and on a daily basis. And I am especially grateful to those members who selflessly donated to help the victims of the three hurricanes.

Thank you for all of your support during this time of great change. I assure you the change is worth it.

Murray S. Kessler

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SNAPSHOT

SAM FLARIDA and Footwork Revolution, team silver medalists with the Platinum Performance U.S. Junior Team, perform a sliding stop at the 2017 SVAG FEI World Reining Championships for Juniors & Young Riders

PHOTO: ANDREA BONAGA

in Givrins, Switzerland on August 11.

20 FALL ISSUE 2017

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USEF NEWS

USEF Grants Helping Grow Equestrian Sports

US Equestrian’s mission—to bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible—extends into the equestrian community in a number of ways, including grants that help fund a wide range of affiliate programs.

And that’s making a difference, say US Equestrian’s affiliate organizations.

“It really helps us to have support from US Equestrian,” said Linda Haines, chair of the American Connemara Pony Society’s Junior Scholarship Committee, which has applied USEF grants toward a scholarship fund that has sent young equestrians and their Connemara ponies to horsemanship camps and clinics with well-known trainers in a variety of disciplines. “We don’t have a big treasury, and we appreciate being able to make these scholarships available and worthwhile for these kids.”

The ACPS program, now in its fourth year, has funded about 50 junior equestrians overall—a sizeable number for an organization with a membership that totals 300.

“Now all of a sudden, we’ve got kids that are interested in participating in what has largely been an adults’ organization,” said Haines. “That’s been very positive.

“A lot of them wouldn’t be able to do that kind of thing without that support,” she added. “If you’re 16 or 17 and you get a $100 scholarship, you’re pretty excited. And if you get a $200 one, that’s really great.”

The opportunities those scholarships provide can be educational and inspirational for a young equestrian, and they also help promote the Connemara in a variety of disciplines to other camp and clinic attendees.

“That can turn out to be a big deal for an organization,” said Haines.

The International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association has boosted its membership and youth involvement by putting some of its grant money toward free youth IALHA memberships and last year offered

22 FALL ISSUE 2017

US Equestrian grants have helped support a wide range of young equestrians in a multitude of breeds and disciplines, including Western dressage.

PHOTO: BLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY/COURTESY OF WDAA

Funds support affiliates’ breed promotion, youth education, and more

®

USEF NEWS

US EQUESTRIAN GRANTS ARE SUPPORTING AFFILIATES’ EFFORTS TO BRING YOUTH TO HORSE SPORTS youth members a free Western, dressage, or allpurpose saddle pad with the IALHA logo. “Our youth membership in 2016 went from 24 to 42,” said IALHA president Janita Smith. “And we asked them to use their saddle pads in shows, out trail riding, wherever they took their horses.

We used another portion of the grant money for show grants, because we want the youth out there showing. We wound up having four applicants— two went to regionals and two went to nationals.

“We definitely got kids out there doing something, whether they were trail riding or showing.

And it let the kids know that the association is here and we’re doing something for them.”

US Equestrian grants also have helped raise Western dressage’s profile as a discipline. “We really want to get youth involved,” explained Bradie Chapman, the equestrian team coach at Ohio University Southern and chair of the Western Dressage Association of America’s Youth Committee. “It’s kind of new, and a lot of kids don’t know exactly what it is. But the kids at my school love it, and it’s something a lot of horses can do.”

US Equestrian funds helped support a multicollege invitational Western dressage show hosted twice by Ohio University Southern last year.

“Some of those riders were showing in Western dressage for the first time,” Chapman said. “With the grant we were able to make copies of the rules and the tests and put that all together in a binder.

We gave one to each participant that came in that day. We also did a seminar and lunch with another coach who also judges, to help educate them about the sport.”

The invitational shows also invited 4-H clubs and several high-school teams to compete and featured a small career fair.

“We ended up with nine teams with four riders apiece over both shows,” Chapman said. “That was as many as we could handle, because we were providing most of the horses. Without the US Equestrian funding, we wouldn’t have been able to provide the binders as an educational

24 FALL ISSUE 2017

piece; it would have just been a horse show. …

I’ve even had other college coaches find out that we did that and ask me to send one to them.”

The International Friesian Show Horse Association restricted its scholarship fund grants to clinics, encouraging young equestrians to try different disciplines and expand their vision.

“This year, we’re offering four grants of $500 so someone could really take advantage of something with it,” said IFSHA director Sandy Jacob.

“By encouraging them to take horses places and experience new things, we encourage them to explore outside their own barn so they’re not just taking their usual lessons but also may be learning someone else’s method. We’re seeing that the youth who are taking advantage of this really are trying new things outside their normal divisions. Maybe they normally ride saddle seat and then they’ll show up riding Western to try something different. We had one young woman who used her funds to try dressage for the first time and loved it. That also helps us show how versatile our breed is.”

Finding a sport to click with helps keep people involved in equestrian sport for the long term, and the vast majority of those lifelong participants will be at the grassroots.

“Most aren’t going to be elite equestrians,” said Jacob. “Most of our youth come from families where mom and dad work, and they have one or two Friesians for the whole family. Being able to win a scholarship or educational grant is truly encouraging.

“For a small association like IFSHA, it is a very important grant to receive,” Jacob added.

“I think it’s definitely helping the grassroots,” said IALHA president Smith, who recalled her own path into horse sports. “Back in 1998, I took this filly to a little local show and got hooked on showing the breed. Here I am 19 years later! So I feel that if you can get someone there and make them comfortable once or twice, they’ll usually keep coming back.”

W E K NO W A T HING OR T W O

ABOUT GUTS Probiotics. They’re good for the gut and the immune system, and therefore good for the overall health of your horse. University studies* found that in order for probiotics to be effective for horses, they must be given at a daily rate of 1 billion CFU of an individual strain. Triple Crown ® doesn’t just meet this effective rate, they surpass it, and they’re the only feed that does so. In fact, Triple Crown feeds have 100 times more guaranteed probiotics than any national brand. Maybe now is a good time to take a closer look at the nutrients in your feed.

For more information, call or visit: 800.451.9916 | triplecrownfeed.com/compare

THERE’S NUTRITION BEHIND THE CROWN *University of Kentucky, 2015. Ohio State University, 2015.

USEF NEWS

Supported by donations of funds and supplies, veterinarians have mobilized in hurricane-affected areas to provide care for horses of all breeds.

Equestrians, businesses, and charities spring to action to support horses in need Responding to the devastation left by recent hurricanes, equestrians have poured contributions into the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund, which is providing aid relief for affected horses.

One week after the Category 4 Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund already had raised over $400,000 in donations, grants, and pledges, with 100% of those funds slated to boost relief efforts by the Houston SPCA, Texas A&M University, the Texas Equine Veterinary Association (TEVA), and other equine rescue organizations.

Developed in 2005 during the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund (USequestrian.org/donate) helps ensure horses’ safety and well-being during trying times. Since its inception, the fund has received more than $800,000 in donations to aid horses across all breeds in disaster-related situations. All money donated to the fund goes directly to benefit horses.

26 FALL ISSUE 2017

In a sign of how rapidly and strongly equestrians mobilize to help each other, the fund received $50,000 within 24 hours of the USEF’s call for support on Aug. 28. The fund also has received a donation from US Equestrian partner Ariat for $10,000, as well as a pledge from the equine charity Brooke USA for a dollar-for-dollar match on the next $25,000 donated. The goal was to reach $200,000.

“The outpouring from the equine community has been unbelievable,” says Sara Green, TEVA’s executive director. “There was immediate response from people across the country, even while the storm was still going on, to provide supplies. There is a long road ahead, but all of the support will make a huge difference.”

“USEF is overwhelmed by the response,” says USEF CEO Bill Moroney. “We are thankful for those who have stepped forward and not just given monetary donations, but also for those organizations and individuals who are in affected areas, in the trenches, aiding one another and helping in the recovery. We are proud to be a small part of the relief efforts and could not have done even that without the support of those who are giving in so many ways.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DR. NICK MOORE

USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund Raises Over $500,000 for Hurricane-Affected Horses

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USEF NEWS

How You Can Help Even after floodwaters recede, there will be a need for ongoing support and aid for horses in areas affected by hurricanes.

Given how difficult it can be to ship items into devastated areas, aid organizations and officials prefer financial donations.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation has launched a website at foundation.aaep.org/harvey that details a variety of ways to contribute to hurricane relief, a list of needed supplies currently being collected in central Kentucky, and more details.

Above: Equestrians have pulled together to donate funds and supplies, like these collected in Lexington, Ky., to support horses in Texas after Hurricane Harvey.

Below: Veterinarians mobilized quickly to support horses in affected areas.

28 FALL ISSUE 2017

PHOTOS: TAYLOR PENCE (TOP), COURTESY OF DR. NICK MOORE (BOTTOM)

Contribute to USEF’s Equine Disaster Relief Fund. Founded in 2005 after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the fund has raised more than $800,000 in total. Donations help horses and ponies of any breed, as well as donkeys and mules, who are victims of disasters such as hurricanes, fires, floods, blizzards, and tornadoes. US Equestrian holds donations in a dedicated account and disburses funds only on the authorization of US Equestrian’s chief executive officer. These funds support local emergency response teams, veterinary hospitals, humane centers, and other organizations directly involved in helping horses affected by natural disasters.

Donate online at USequestrian.org/donate, by phone at (859) 258-2472, or by mail to USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, Ky., 40511.

“Shock wave has various applications. We aren’t just using it for soft tissue injuries. We’re also using it for stiff backs and necks when we don’t want to go to something more invasive or aggressive.”

– Meghan Waller, BSc, DVM, cVMA “ Event horses are the triathletes of the equestrian sport. As such, they get sore in a variety of places. Shockwave therapy is a very useful modality for healing the various inflammatory conditions that I diagnose in the equine athletes that I treat.

Through the use of shockwave therapy, I can support these athletes and keep them at the top of their sport.”

–Susan Johns, DVM US Eventing Team Veterinarian

“My experience with focused shock wave healing for thoracolumbar discomfort has demonstrated a significant improvement after just one treatment.”

–Kent Allen, DVM National Head Veterinarian for the Federation Equestrian Internationale (FEI) for the United States

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Go to PulseVet.com to find a vet who offers PulseVet’s shock wave therapy using our vet locator!

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USEF NEWS

Registration Open for Annual Meeting Jan. 17-20 meeting features moderated forums, a new night for the Pegasus Awards, and more

30 FALL ISSUE 2017

Among the 2018 Annual Meeting highlights are: •

The Pegasus Awards dinner takes place on Thursday, Jan. 18. This iconic event honors some of the great men and women of equestrian sport, including the Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Equestrian of the Year, and Junior Equestrian of the Year. Tickets are $100 per person.

•

The Horse of the Year Awards dinner on Friday, Jan. 19.

Tickets are $100 per person.

•

The Welcome Reception on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the Barrel House Distilling Co.

•

Moderated forums on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

•

The General Session on Thursday, Jan. 18.

•

The 2018 US Equestrian Annual Meeting app. Search iTunes or Google Play for “Crowd Compass Attendee Hub” and enter “2018 US Equestrian” as the event name. Get updated schedules, speakers’ bios, sponsor links, local maps, and more. Compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

Looking for things to do while you’re in Lexington for the meeting? Check out visitlex.com for the best places to eat, shop, play, and experience the best of the Bluegrass. We look forward to seeing you!

PHOTO: ADAM BRENNAN/PICTURESBYAB.COM

Registration is now open for the 2018 US Equestrian Annual Meeting, which will take place at the Hyatt Regency Lexington in Lexington, Ky., on Jan. 17-20, 2018. It’s easy to view the meeting schedule and register online at USequestrian. org/annual-meeting.

Advance registration is $100 and must be received by Dec. 15, 2017, to qualify for the discounted rate; after Dec. 15, attendees must register on site. On-site registration ($125) will open on Jan. 16, 2018, at 11 a.m. at the Lexington Center.

US Equestrian has secured a group rate of $153 plus tax for attendees, who can make room reservations at the discounted price by calling the Hyatt Regency Lexington (888) 421-1442 by Dec. 22, 2017, and asking for the “USEF Annual Meeting rate.” Attendees also can register online at our personalized reservation link, https://resweb.passkey.com/go/usef18.

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USEF NEWS

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has launched a 24-hour victim services helpline, which will be operated in partnership with the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.

The SafeSport Helpline will provide crisis intervention, referrals, and emotional support specifically designed for athletes, staff, and other sport participants affected by sexual assault.

Through this anonymous and secure service, highly trained specialists will provide live, confidential, one-on-one support by phone or online chat. A mobile application is also available for iOS and Android users.

Phone: 866-200-0796 Online chat: hotline.rainn.org/safesport Website: safesporthelpline.org “RAINN has operated the National Sexual Assault Hotline for over 20 years, helping more than 2.5 million survivors over the phone and through our online hotline,” said Scott Berkowitz, president and CEO of RAINN. “It’s vital for survivors to have a place to seek help, regardless

32 FALL ISSUE 2017

of where they are in their recovery. The anonymity and confidentiality of SafeSport will provide survivors who may not otherwise seek help with a place to talk and receive the support they need.”

“The Center is excited to partner with RAINN, a respected organization that champions individuals’ well-being and shares the Center’s core values,” said Shellie Pfohl, CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport. “The 24-hour helpline is an extension of SafeSport and provides athletes and sport participants with an additional support network that is both safe and confidential.”

In addition to providing victim support services, the Center investigates and resolves allegations of sexual misconduct for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movement’s 47 member national governing bodies. To report suspected misconduct within one of these organizations, individuals are encouraged to contact the Center by phone or submit an online report form.

PHOTO: ANDREA EVANS

U.S. Center for SafeSport Launches Victim Services Helpline

OSPHOS® (clodronate injection) Bisphosphonate For use in horses only.

Brief Summary (For Full Prescribing Information, see package insert) CAUTION: Federal (USA) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

DESCRIPTION: Clodronate disodium is a non-amino, chlorocontaining bisphosphonate. Chemically, clodronate disodium is (dichloromethylene) diphosphonic acid disodium salt and is manufactured from the tetrahydrate form.

INDICATION: For the control of clinical signs associated with navicular syndrome in horses.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Horses with hypersensitivity to clodronate disodium should not receive OSPHOS. WARNINGS: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption.

HUMAN WARNINGS: Not for human use. Keep this and all drugs out of the reach of children. Consult a physician in case of accidental human exposure.

PRECAUTIONS: As a class, bisphosphonates may be associated with gastrointestinal and renal toxicity. Sensitivity to drug associated adverse reactions varies with the individual patient.

Renal and gastrointestinal adverse reactions may be associated with plasma concentrations of the drug. Bisphosphonates are excreted by the kidney; therefore, conditions causing renal impairment may increase plasma bisphosphonate concentrations resulting in an increased risk for adverse reactions. Concurrent administration of other potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be approached with caution and renal function should be monitored. Use of bisphosphonates in patients with conditions or diseases affecting renal function is not recommended.

Administration of bisphosphonates has been associated with abdominal pain (colic), discomfort, and agitation in horses.

Clinical signs usually occur shortly after drug administration and may be associated with alterations in intestinal motility. In horses treated with OSPHOS these clinical signs usually began within 2 hours of treatment. Horses should be monitored for at least 2 hours following administration of OSPHOS.

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As with all drugs, side effects may occur. In field studies, the most common side effects reported were signs of discomfort or nervousness, colic, and/or pawing. OSPHOS should not be used in pregnant or lactating mares, or mares intended for breeding. Use of OSPHOS in patients with conditions affecting renal function or mineral or electrolyte homeostasis is not recommended. Refer to the prescribing information for complete details or visit www.dechra-us.com or call 866.933.2472.

CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of licensed veterinarian. * Freedom of Information Summary, Original New Animal Drug Application, NADA 141-427, for OSPHOS. April 28, 2014.

Dechra Veterinary Products US and the Dechra D logo are registered trademarks of Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC. © 2017 Dechra Ltd.

Bisphosphonates affect plasma concentrations of some minerals and electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, immediately post-treatment, with effects lasting up to several hours. Caution should be used when administering bisphosphonates to horses with conditions affecting mineral or electrolyte homeostasis (e.g. hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, hypocalcemia, etc.).

The safe use of OSPHOS has not been evaluated in horses less than 4 years of age. The effect of bisphosphonates on the skeleton of growing horses has not been studied; however, bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclast activity which impacts bone turnover and may affect bone growth.

Bisphosphonates should not be used in pregnant or lactating mares, or mares intended for breeding. The safe use of OSPHOS has not been evaluated in breeding horses or pregnant or lactating mares. Bisphosphonates are incorporated into the bone matrix, from where they are gradually released over periods of months to years. The extent of bisphosphonate incorporation into adult bone, and hence, the amount available for release back into the systemic circulation, is directly related to the total dose and duration of bisphosphonate use. Bisphosphonates have been shown to cause fetal developmental abnormalities in laboratory animals. The uptake of bisphosphonates into fetal bone may be greater than into maternal bone creating a possible risk for skeletal or other abnormalities in the fetus. Many drugs, including bisphosphonates, may be excreted in milk and may be absorbed by nursing animals.

Increased bone fragility has been observed in animals treated with bisphosphonates at high doses or for long periods of time.

Bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption and decrease bone turnover which may lead to an inability to repair micro damage within the bone. In humans, atypical femur fractures have been reported in patients on long term bisphosphonate therapy; however, a causal relationship has not been established.

ADVERSE REACTIONS: The most common adverse reactions reported in the field study were clinical signs of discomfort or nervousness, colic and/or pawing. Other signs reported were lip licking, yawning, head shaking, injection site swelling, and hives/pruritus.

Distributed by: Dechra Veterinary Products 7015 College Boulevard, Suite 525 Overland Park, KS 66211 866-933-2472 © 2017 Dechra Ltd. OSPHOS is a registered trademark of Dechra Ltd. All rights reserved.

NADA 141-427, Approved by FDA

SEEN & HEARD

In & Around the Ring “Sometimes we learn more about ourselves in defeat than in victory.

I leave inspired by the horsemanship, class, and maturity of this group of juniors and young riders. The future of reining is in very capable hands!

It was an honor to be here with the fine people that make up the USEF family.”

- Reining chef d’equipe Jett Petska about the sportsmanship displayed by the Platinum Performance U.S. Teams during the highs and lows at the 2017 SVAG FEI World Reining Championships for Juniors & Young Riders in Givrins, Switzerland

Above: Ali DeGray is all smiles after winning the Hackney Pony World’s Grand Championship with Heartland High Tech at the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky.

34 FALL ISSUE 2017

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) HOWARD SCHATZBERG, TAYLOR PENCE, ©BARNY THIEROLF, SHAWN MCMILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Below: USEF Pony Jumper National Championship individual gold medalist Tabitha Okitsu (Zone 10) and Spoot de la Jourlais pose with individual silver medalist Avery Kim (Zone 10) and Joel after the awards ceremony at 2017 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

“It’s the Wimbledon of our sport, there is no question. It is one of the most prestigious places to compete. The top riders are all saying, ‘We are bringing our A game here, we are bringing our best horses.’”

-Robert Ridland, chef d’equipe of the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team, on the 2017 World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen in Aachen, Germany

Left: William Zuschlag (Area III) celebrates winning the USEA North American Young Rider Eventing Championship CICOY2* individual gold medal with RF Southern Command at the 2017 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Mont.

Below: Bridget Kiernan and Janie Salisbury perform to “Singin’ in the Rain” with Diva 506 and longueur Carolyn Bland on their way to earning the pas de deux bronze medal at the 2017 FEI World Vaulting Championships for Juniors in Ebreichsdorf, Austria.

“He was fabulous. ... I couldn’t have asked for any more. … He’s an amazing animal, and I’m so grateful to have him. Thank you to everyone who helped me to get here.”

- Chase Shipka on Zigal after winning the USDF Young Rider Dressage Freestyle Championship at the 2017 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 35

LEARNING CENTER

An Insider’s Look at the Sport of Endurance

by Andrea Evans

Next September, Tryon International Equestrian Center plays host to the FEI World Equestrian Games™, the world championships for eight international disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale. Those eight disciplines are show jumping, dressage, eventing, reining, vaulting, para-dressage, combined driving, and endurance.

In our newest US Equestrian Learning Center video, we interviewed the United States’ two-time World Endurance Champion Valerie Kanavy to discuss the sport and to give our members who might not be as familiar with it a first-hand look. The video was filmed at the FITS Endurance Ride in Williston, Fla., in the Goethe State Forest in March 2017.

The distances of endurance races vary, ranging from 25 miles to 100 miles at the top of the sport. The welfare of the horse is paramount. The horses are examined by veterinarians several times throughout the competition: before the race, every 15-20 miles during the competition, and at the finish. A vet examination of the horse in endurance is extensive. Horses are checked for hydration, pulse, rate of heart rate recovery, soundness, and any bumps or bruises. Should any of those things not meet a strict set of welfare criteria set forth by USEF and/or the FEI if it is an international race, the horses either are not allowed to start or are removed from the race.

In order to periodically check the horses every 15-20 miles throughout the race, the course is broken up into “loops,” each marked with different colored trail markers.

The loops allow for both the veterinary inspections and mandatory rest periods of up to one hour to ensure the safety and welfare of the horses and riders. On course, there are frequent watering areas where horses can drink and riders use sponges to cool the horses down. The winner of an endurance race isn’t necessarily the combination that crosses the finish line first but the combination that both finishes the race and passes the final veterinary inspection first. It is a thrilling sport that tests the fitness and stamina of both horse and rider. Further precautions are taken to ensure the safety and welfare of the horses by ensuring mandatory rest periods between races, depending on the length of the race. To visually immerse yourself in in the sport of endurance, watch the US Equestrian Learning Center video featuring Valerie Kanavy by visiting USequestrian.org/learn.

Want more? Log in to your US Equestrian account at USequestrian.org or join now to explore the Learning Center’s 40-plus videos and supplemental materials.

36 FALL ISSUE 2017

Opposite: Champion endurance athlete Valerie Kanavy hosts our new Learning Center video.

Below: Endurance horses undergo veterinary examinations several times throughout the course of a competition.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 37

LEARNING CENTER

When snowflakes fly, many horse owners’ thoughts turn to blankets. And with horse clothing choices ranging from summer scrims to heavyweight blankets with attached neck covers for deepest midwinter, it’s no wonder they often find themselves wondering which blanket best suits their horses and the weather conditions.

Not all horses need blanketing (or “rugging”), according to experts, because a full winter coat is well designed to protect the horse from the cold.

“That coat gets heavy in the winter for a reason, and it stands on end and acts as a layer of insulation when it gets cold to keep the body warm,” said Dr. Rhonda Rathgeber, the director of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute’s Sport Horse Program.

“I don’t think any of them need blanketing if it’s dry outside and there’s no wind,” Rathgeber said of unclipped horses with a full winter coat. “But horses that are clipped do need to be blanketed probably anywhere from 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below.”

38 FALL ISSUE 2017

When to Blanket?

A good rule of thumb for blanketing unclipped horses is consider three factors: wind, wet, and cold. If any two of those conditions exist, it’s as well to toss on some sort of blanket, although unclipped horses who are healthy and fairly young will not normally need heavy blanketing.

Be sure to keep water- and windproof blankets on hand, too, for those inclement conditions.

Age and general health are also factors in determining when to blanket.

“Older horses have a harder time staying warm, and thinner horses do, as well,” Rathgeber said.

“Horses that are recovering from illness also have a hard time trying to keep warm while using their energy to try to heal or get over their ailment at the same time. Those are all horses that, even if they’re not clipped, don’t fit the normal mold of blanketing only when it’s windy and cold.”

Horses that have been kept under lights, either for breeding purposes or to keep their coats shinier and thinner, also will need extra consideration if they move to colder climes.

When choosing blankets, look for something durable, waterproof, and breathable, Horseware’s experts advise.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HORSEWARE

Blanketing Basics

LEARNING CENTER

See Also...

The Learning Center US Equestrian members can read top eventing groom Emma

CONSIDER THREE FACTORS: WIND, WET, AND COLD.

Ford’s blanketing advice and watch pro groom Shannon O’Hatnick share her bodyclipping techniques. Log in at USequestrian.org to visit the Learning Center now or join at USequestrian.org.

Blanketing Apps The Horseware Turnout App Type in details about your horse’s age, breed, and condition, and whether he’s clipped or not. The app gathers data from weather forecasts for the coming three days and then recommends which Horseware turnouts will suit the conditions and your horse.

The SmartPak Blanketing App Promises to “answer the question on every horse owner’s mind this winter: ‘Should I put on the medium or the heavy blanket tonight?’” Fill in information about your horses and the app provides customized blanketing recommendations tailored to your horse and taking local weather into consideration.

Both apps are available in Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

40 FALL ISSUE 2017

Denier, Fill, and Waterproofing If your horse does need blanketing, look for something strong, waterproof, and breathable, advises Horseware’s Caoimhe Derham, who spent five years in the company’s research and development department before becoming their category planner.

“A turnout rug’s job is to protect the horse from wet and allow the skin to breathe,” Derham said. “The main things to look for are the strength of the fabric, to help prevent nicks and tears in your rug from daily use. You should also look for a rug that has a high waterproofness and breathability rating. All Horseware rugs are waterproofed to 3000 mm and breathable to 3000 g.”

Two terms to be familiar with about blankets are denier and fill. Here’s a rule of thumb: the higher the denier, the sturdier the fabric. Fill, also known as polyfill, is the batting inside the blanket. The fill weight indicates how heavy or warm the blanket is: lightweight blankets generally are around 100 grams to 200 grams, medium weights are often around 200 grams, and heavyweights can be 350 grams or more.

Today’s turnout blankets have come a long way from the old canvas sheet of yesteryear, thanks in part to improvements in fabric strength, coatings that aid waterproofing and breathability.

“Our Rambo and Rhino range use the Aquatrans coating for the outer, with a hydrophilic coating on the inner,” said Derham. “Hydrophilics take up the sweat to push it out through the hydrophobic outer, which makes it waterproof. This technology allows us to give a waterproof guarantee on your Rambo rug for three years.”

Liner systems also add convenience by allowing for different weights of blanket under a single outer layer. And if they’re machine-washable like Horseware’s, they can also help keep your horse’s skin healthy, notes Derham. Regularly clean your horse’s liner or the skin-facing side of his blanket—whether by fully washing or sponging with a cleaning agent like Horseware’s Hypocare—to prevent bacteriafriendly dirt from building up.

Keep Up With Repairs “Make sure that your blankets are in good order before you use them,” Hagyard’s Rathgeber said. When you put them on your horse, double-check that all closures are correctly snapped and secured. “Make sure the straps hook securely,” Rathgeber said. “We do see injuries every year from horses who got wrapped up in their blankets somehow because they weren’t secured properly. Most of the newer blankets have really good clips and they stay. But when clips get older and bent and out of whack, it’s time to get in touch with one of the blanket-repair places out there.”

Send your blankets for cleaning and repairs well before you need them, then store them in a clean, secure place—like a clean plastic box or trunk—until you need them again.

Transportation Company of the USEF

PRO TIP

Whether your style is Western or English, you’re going to need some good, long-lasting boots. We asked two pros at Ariat for their advice on sizing and caring for boots.

A quality footbed should provide support and cushioning, Ariat’s experts say.

42 FALL ISSUE 2017

Ready for a new pair of boots?

Looking to extend your current boots’ life? Ariat can help with that! Lance Mullinax, Ariat’s fit and test wear coordinator, and Holly Andrews-Kramer, senior director for product management for Ariat’s English line, have some tips for getting the best fit, spotting quality, and keeping your boots in service. For more care tips, check out Ariat’s YouTube channel for How to Clean Cowboy Boots and the English-oriented How to Clean Riding Boots.

What are the signs of good-quality versus poor-quality boots?

Mullinax: “Look at the stitching. Are the stitches uneven or loose? Do they seem tight or wobbly? Are they centered correctly or do they look sloppy? Poorly stitched boots aren’t worth the price, whatever you’re paying for them, while well-stitched boots are a work of art.

“A good pair of boots will feature fullgrain leather. You can tell by examining the surface; it will feel like real leather and have a depth of color that cheaper, ‘corrected-grain’ leather doesn’t have.

Cheaper grades will crease, scuff, and tear because they’re not durable, plus they’ve

usually been coated by synthetic chemicals. Cheaper leathers also don’t breathe well, so your feet won’t be as comfortable.

“What are the soles made of? Quality boots should have soles made of heavy, durable materials. Likewise, the inner soles should be sufficiently padded and designed for long-term comfort and wear.

“Check the heels. Are they secure, or do they seem wobbly? Wobbly heels won’t last; they’ll break and can cause accidents.

“Finally, consider the embellishments.

If the boots are studded, are the studs tight and secure or do they seem loose?

Are they messy-looking, or do they have a pleasing, appealing pattern that’s uniform on both boots? Look out for crooked, uneven patterns and missing studs.”

Andrews-Kramer: “Leather is one of the biggest ‘tells’ of a boot’s quality.

One should look out for visible flaws, excessive graininess, and a high-quality lining material. Other important factors include the uniformity and quality of the stitching, outsole compound (does it have tread?), and zipper quality (is it YKK, a quality zipper brand?). The footbed can also help determine the quality of a boot.

A quality footbed should provide support and cushioning.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARIAT

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INDICATIONS For the intramuscular treatment of non-infectious degenerative and/or traumatic joint dysfunction and associated lameness of the carpal and hock joints in horses.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

There are no known contraindications to the use of intramuscular Adequan® i.m. brand Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan in horses.

Studies have not been conducted to establish safety in breeding horses. WARNING: 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. CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.adequan.com.

Adequan® and the Horse Head design are registered trademarks of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. © Luitpold Animal Health, division of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2016. AHD227 Iss. 4/2016

PRO TIP

Use boot trees when storing tall boots like the Ariat Vortex (shown).

What is the best way to measure yourself for boots?

Mu l l i n a x : “ The mo s t proven way to measure your feet is by using the Brannock Device. That is the device available in all shoe stores that looks like a ruler for your feet. Stand upright, feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Step into the device, and wherever your longest toe lands is the suggested size in length. Width measurement 44 FALL ISSUE 2017

can be a little more tricky. To measure your width, slide the width bar firmly to the edge of the foot. Locate the shoe size on the movable width bar and view the width measurement indicated by the properly determined shoe size. If the shoe size falls between widths, choose a wider width for a thick foot, a narrower width for a thin foot.

“On the boot, there will be a width measurement. For men,

this will appear as a D or EE, and for women it will be a B or C. D and B are regular width, while EE and C are wide. You may occasionally run into variations from this rule, and if you have any questions about it, we always recommend asking a sales associate. For the best results, men and women should use the device specified for their gender.”

Andrews-Kramer: “With tall boots, you have to account

What care tips would you suggest to get the longest life out of a pair of boots?

Mullinax: “To keep your boots looking their best, you should clean, condition, and polish them regularly. Use a damp cloth to remove any dirt or mud from the boot, and then rub a leather conditioner into the boots with a dry cloth or sponge. The best method for this is to rub the conditioner in using small circles. You can then apply polish and even use a brush to remove any scuff marks from the boot. If your boots ever become saturated, you should remove the insoles and allow them to dry. Never leave your boots in direct sunlight, as this can cause the leather to crack.”

Andrews-Kramer: “Make sure to clean your boots after each wear with a damp cloth or high-quality leather cleaner and conditioner. Brush the zipper to help keep it clean and easy to use. Use a good-quality polish, and after cleaning, buff your boots using a boot brush to keep them looking shiny.

Always use boot trees on tall boots to maintain the structure of the boot.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARIAT

for the calf size and length in addition to foot size. To get these measurements, the person should sit with their legs at a 90-degree angle, barefoot, with pants on that resemble breeches. Measure the largest part of the calf on each leg, and take down each measurement. You will use the larger of the two measurements when selecting your size from a size chart. After that, for each leg, measure from the back of the knee (don’t be afraid to put some pressure on the back of the knee to get an accurate measurement) to the ground, also using the largest measurement.”

JUNIORS’ RING

Many colleges offer both academic and equestrian opportunities.

Our College Search can help you find one that’s right for you.

The Savannah College of Art and Design’s Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center, home of the university’s equestrian team.

46 FALL ISSUE 2017

Going to college doesn’t need to stop your equestrian career, thanks to the many collegiate equine and equestrian programs available around the country—even if you’re not taking your horse to school with you.

To find one that suits you, start with US Equestrian’s College Search (and find more information about intercollegiate programs) under the Start Riding tab on US Equestrian.org.

There are equine studies and equestrian programs for a wide variety of disciplines and breeds. The University of Vermont, for example, has a historic Morgan horse program, while others—like the University of Kentucky, William Woods University in Missouri, and more—offer competitive equestrian teams for Western, English, and saddle seat sports.

If you’re interested in the military, West Point is among those institutions with both Western and hunt seat teams.

Collegiate riding isn’t only for those wanting to pursue an equestrian profession. It also promotes physical activity, introduces some to horses and horse sports for the first time, and improves student life overall.

“Having an equestrian team at SCAD has enriched many students’ lives by providing a positive environment dedicated to exploring discipline and perfection,” said Eddie Federwisch, the equestrian program director at the Savannah

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SCAD

When the College Search Includes Horses

JUNIORS’ RING

Stanford University’s iconic Red Barn dates from the Victorian era, when the property was Governor Leland Stanford’s Standardbred breeding farm.

Today it’s the headquarters for the university’s Western, hunt seat, and dressage teams.

48 FALL ISSUE 2017

COLLEGE LIFE HACKS •

Make riding a priority.

After scheduling your class time, block out your riding time as far in advance as you can. Once it’s a regular spot on the calendar, it’s more likely to stay there!

•

Learn time-management skills.

“It’s all about how well you’re able to schedule yourself,” said Meredith Denny. “Be as organized as you possibly can. Life is always going to be about how well you can manage your time. Those skills we learned at SCAD have helped me feel like I can do a lot more in a day than I thought I could.”

•

Take advantage of opportunities.

If your school offers riding lessons as a physical education credit, jump on it: that’s extra riding time. Public transport available near the barn?

Use it: you can study on the way to and from riding. To get more barn time and earn extra cash, explore part-time work at the barn.

PHOTO: DAMIAN MARHEFKA

College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. “Students on the equestrian team are constantly prepared to learn, emphasizing their education and expanding their knowledge in and out of the competition arena.”

Having an equestrian program can also be a significant draw for a student, regardless of their planned majors or career paths.

“A lot of students from the U.S. and around the world are attracted to University of Kentucky because they love horses,” said Mick Peterson, the Ag Equine Programs director at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. UK’s equine programs range from equine studies and management to pre-veterinary studies, and riding teams include specialized dressage and eventing, polo, rodeo, and saddle seat teams.

“UK Ag Equine Programs represent Kentucky’s flagship university with a worldwide community of people who care about horses. In Kentucky, a huge number of doctors, lawyers, engineers, and entrepreneurs all share a love of horses. No matter what you do in Kentucky, horses can be a part of your life.”

“I wanted somewhere that had an equestrian studies program,” said Meredith Denny, a graphic design major at SCAD, whose equestrian team has won more national championships in the last decade than any other collegiate team in the country; its Ronald C. Waranch Center houses both SCAD-owned and student-owned horses. Denny, a hunter jumper athlete before college, continued her riding career on SCAD’s equestrian team. SCAD’s equestrian program was a factor in her choosing to apply there.

“I wasn’t totally sure if that was what I’d end up majoring in, but I knew I wanted it as an option. As soon as I found SCAD, that was the only school I applied to.”

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JUNIORS’ RING

SCAD’s Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center near the Savannah, Ga., campus.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SCAD

Equine studies programs and equestrian activities are a draw for many students, even those who aren’t planning a professional career with horses. Students who participate on intercollegiate equestrian teams not only continue their equestrian sport, they also gain valuable lessons in leadership and teamwork.

“One of the coolest things about intercollegiate riding is that it’s team-based, whereas before college that had never been something that was part of my equestrian experience,” explained recent Stanford University graduate Maria Filsinger Interrante, who captained Stanford’s dressage squad and was president of the school’s equestrian team overall as an undergraduate. She also recently won a prestigious Lemelson-MIT Prize for her work in helping develop a drug to kill multi-drug resistant bacteria.

“Being a team member really teaches you to think outside of yourself and work for the collective benefit rather than for your own benefit,” said Interrante, who is now working toward a joint M.D. and Ph.D. in Stanford’s Medical Scientist Training Program. “As far as leadership, this is something that’s been incredibly useful in all aspects of life, but especially in science. You should work to understand what motivates people and what they’re in it for, so you can work to help make their personal incentives align with the incentives of the team.

“That’s been an incredibly useful leadership tool,” she added.

Stanford’s riding program is based at an on-campus equestrian facility that’s a five-minute bike ride from Interrante’s residence. That convenience made riding easier when she came to college as a freshman, she said.

50 FALL ISSUE 2017

DISCOVER THE

Photo: Wm. Joe Simonds

at USequestrian.org

Bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.

Become a member today.

#DiscoverTheJoy

“Stanford has immense pride in our historic Red Barn and the equestrian programs offered through the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation,” Stanford athletics director Bernard Muir said. “Hundreds of students also take part in our physical education horsemanship classes, leadership programs, and collaborations with many departments on campus, such as quarterly plein air painting classes offered through the art department.

“The inclusion of a world-class equestrian facility on campus is a draw for prospective students who wish to continue their athletic and academic pursuits at the highest level,” Muir added, pointing out that Stanford’s grads include such riders as show jumper Lucy Davis ’15, who won team silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and dressage athlete Chase Hickok ’12, who won the Grand Prix Open Championship at the 2016 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®.

Peer and faculty support also help students combine their academic and equestrian lives, says Denny, who notes that campus advisors can help students hone good time-management skills.

“There were also a few other graphic design majors on the equestrian team,” Denny said, “and if we were going to a horse show on the bus together we’d sit close to each other and help each other out with projects and get feedback from each other. That really helped me to complete those projects and feel like I was totally capable of getting everything done that I needed to.”

Collegiate riding programs also often give first-time equestrians the opportunity to try horse sports.

“We had a lot of people who joined the team as walk-trot riders and had never ridden before,” Denny said of SCAD’s team. “We were always encouraged to bring people we knew who were interested in riding but never had tried it. The new walk-trot and walk-trot-canter riders would have extra riding time on the weekends to increase their skill level so they could go to a horse show, and they were really valuable to the team. That was really cool to see, the encouragement of new riders and competitors.”

YES, YOU CAN LETTER IN EQUESTRIAN! Even if your junior-high or high-school athletic program doesn’t have an equestrian team, you can still earn your varsity letter in horse sports, thanks to US Equestrian’s Athlete Lettering Program. The program recognizes and honors equestrians in grades five to 12 for their dedication to equestrian sports. To be eligible, a student must •

Be a US Equestrian member (fan or competing)

•

Log 100 hours of equestrian activity

•

Compete at three competitions of any type or level

•

Submit proof of enrollment in school

The program counts a broad range of equestrian activities toward the 100 hours requirement, including lessons, riding, driving, vaulting, longeing, hacking, trail riding, ground training, time riding at competitions, and more.

Students receive an achievement certificate, a free letterman patch, and a lapel pin for each year that they complete the program’s requirements. Athlete Lettering Program members also can access branded program merchandise through ShopUSEF.com.

Parents and students alike have enthusiastically supported the Athlete Lettering Program, which can also be helpful during the college application process. “Colleges definitely want to see that kids participated in a ‘serious’ or dedicated activity during their high-school years,” Valerie Swanson, the mother of California hunter/jumper athlete Caitlin Swanson, told US Equestrian. “With riding, it can be hard to show the level of commitment—i.e., that they did more than just dabble in an occasional trail ride. This provides a concrete way to present riding as a serious sport equivalent to more traditional sports like soccer or tennis. Thank you for having this program!”

“Your program inspired my daughter to strive harder in her sport of choice,” Shaun Marie Hickey wrote of daughter Kirsten, who will attend Oregon State University this fall. “Her peers never took her sport seriously until she was awarded a varsity letter from her high school (freshman to senior) due to your program. Kirsten is now moving up to compete in the intercollegiate dressage arena, and I believe you played a big part in that, as well.”

To learn more about the US Equestrian Athlete Lettering Program, visit USequestrian.org/start-riding/youth-programs/lettering.

To learn more about our affiliates’ youth programs, visit USequestrian.org/start-riding/youth-programs/resources.

Lettering Program members also can access branded program merchandise, like this fly bonnet and sweatshirt.

52 FALL ISSUE 2017

PHOTO: KIM RUSSELL

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My First Heart Horse Party Time, a onetime kill-pen rescue, took young rider Jordan Gibbs to her first USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm

by Glenye Oakford

54 FALL ISSUE 2017

Jordan Gibbs and her pony Party Time caught spectators’ attention when they debuted together at the 2017 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, thanks in large part to Party Time’s flashy looks. The 15-year-old chestnut pony’s liberal splashes of white and his blue eyes made him a striking companion for his nine-year-old rider. But he’s more than that.

He’s also Jordan’s best friend.

Gibbs came from Colorado Springs, Colo., along with her brother Dominic, 13, who rode in the large regular pony division. Jordan rode Party Time in the small regular pony hunter division. After finishing 88th in the model, or in-hand, class, Gibbs and Party Time leaped up to 42nd position after a stellar under-saddle performance, finally placing 74th overall out of 122 entries after their jumping round.

“I was very nervous, but once my mom or my trainer or anyone who supports me helped calm me down, I was quite excited,” Jordan said. “They said I should think about the good things and they had me breathe, and that helped me a lot, because I was getting choked up on my thoughts that things could go wrong.”

“From a mom’s perspective, it was educational, lots of fun, and very exhausting!” said mom Erin. “It’s a family affair for us. Jordan’s older brother rides, and I ride. We cheer for each other, and we are at the barn together in the wee hours of the morning and the late hours of the night. We know the joyous ups and the heartbreaking downs. After all the work, preparation, and dreaming about Pony Finals, to have it all come down to

PHOTOS: TAYLOR PENCE

MY FIRST

“Over fences he’s just so comfy and flow-y, he just makes it fun to jump,” Jordan Gibbs says of Party Time. The pair competed in their first USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm in August.

10 fences—it’s a life lesson to always keep going forward. No matter what happens, you can fix mistakes and do better the next day or the next round. Just because you end up in a certain place after one phase, that isn’t necessarily where you’re going to be at the end.

“It wasn’t perfect, but Jordan came out of the ring every time and picked out the best of her experience in each class,” Erin added. “She’d say, ‘Did you see that lead change?’ or ‘Did you see him perk his ears up when we went by the judge?’ or ‘Did you see his extended trot?’ For me, the most special thing was the true joy she had showing off her pony.”

Jordan and Party Time have shared a lot of joy since they first met in April 2016.

The Gibbses first leased Party Time from Tim and Sue Herrick after Erin and coach Karen Catov-Goodell saw the pony in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Herricks had gotten him from Arizona horseman Ira Schulman, who found the pony languishing in a pen for horses that had been bought for slaughter.

Party Time and Jordan showed successfully together in 2016 and bonded so closely that Jordan became distressed as the end of the lease neared.

“It seemed that more and more each day, a part of Jordan’s heart became attached to Party Time,” Erin recalled. “It was clear that it wouldn’t just crush her heart if we didn’t find a way to make Party hers—it would change her life. He’s given her that first feeling of true love.”

The Gibbses bought Party Time but kept it a secret from Jordan until the Colorado Fall Classic horse show last September. When the show announcer called Jordan and Party Time as winners of the Children’s Pony Hunter Under Saddle class, he corrected himself when he named the pony’s owner, saying there had been “a last-minute change of ownership” and Party Time now belonged to Jordan.

“I hugged him so tightly around his neck and was sobbing tears of joy,” Jordan remembered.

The trip to Pony Finals was a bonus, but mom Erin says life with Party Time is its own reward for Jordan.

“In May, I lost my horse of a lifetime,” Erin said. “He was 20, and I’d had him since he was two. You Betcha was a champion in every sense. He did everything I could ever imagine doing and more than anyone ever expected he’d do. We evented through preliminary, we did sheriff’s posse and state fair parades, we did jumpers and equitation, we camped out one weekend and the next he’d be at an A show. I leased him out a few times—he was the type that always gave 100% to his rider, and he taught so many to ride with confidence. He truly did everything.

“I knew how Jordan felt,” she said.

“It’s not fancy that matters. It’s the chemistry and the love and the lessons they teach that matter.”

“He’s given her that first feeling of true love,” mom Erin Gibbs said of Party Time and her daughter Jordan, 9.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 55

HOT LINKS

US Equestrian Links You Up Register for Annual Meeting Weigh in on issues that matter to you, get inspiration and expert knowledge from our speakers, and gather to celebrate equestrian achievement at US Equestrian’s Annual Meeting. It takes place Jan. 17-20 in Lexington, Ky. Register online today at USequestrian.org/annual-meeting. Advance registration is $100 until Dec. 15, 2017; after that date, attendees must register on site ($125) starting Jan. 16, 2018. For details on hotel reservations, the event schedule, the Annual Meeting app, and more, check out USequestrian.org/annual-meeting.

#JoinTheJoy

Get Useful News and Tips Our free Equestrian Weekly digital newsletter delivers expert advice, USEF News, and more to your inbox. Access up-to-date horse health tips from top veterinarians, practical how-tos from industry experts, specials in Shop USEF, links to Learning Center videos, and much more every week in our Equestrian Weekly digital newsletter. It’s free! Sign up now at USequestrian.org/tune-in/equestrian-weekly.

56 FALL ISSUE 2017

PHOTOS (FROM TOP): ADAM BRENNAN/PICTURESBYAB.COM, TAMARA TORTI

JoinTheJoy @USequestrian Use #JoinTheJoy when you follow US Equestrian on Instagram and Twitter for a chance to be featured in our Equestrian Weekly newsletter. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat to go behind the scenes, meet U.S. athletes and horses, and discover the joy of horse sports!

Alanna Flax-Clark and her Lusitano, Reál Erbeo.

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58 FALL ISSUE 2017

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TRENDING

Equine-inspired art is popping up on everything from ancient Greek vases to modern graffiti.

Horses have inspired artists for millennia, and this season you’ve got a range of opportunities to sample the delicious fruits of their labor.

Whether you’re classically inclined or you get your mojo from the modern, you’ll find something to love in one of the numerous exhibitions taking place this fall and into next year. Here are some to put on your calendar.

Sporting masters, including Munnings, are on display this fall at the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The Horse in Ancient Greek Art Sept. 9, 2017-Jan. 14, 2018 National Sporting Library & Museum Middleburg, Virginia nationalsporting.org The National Sporting Library & Museum in charming Middleburg, Va., has drawn an extraordinary array of Greek vases, sculptures, and coins from private collections and museum collections—including those of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Tampa Museum of Art—to mount their remarkable exhibition. The pieces depict horses in myth and equestrian sport. They also illustrate the animals’ role as symbols of wealth and status in ancient Greek society.

60 FALL ISSUE 2017

Of special interest: the related presentation on Horsemanship in Ancient Greece (Oct. 26), in which art historian Carol C. Mattusch compares modern riding, tack, and philosophy with that of the ancient Greeks.

Open Juried Exhibition American Academy of Equine Art Sept. 15-Oct. 27, 2017 Aiken Center for the Arts Aiken, South Carolina aaea.net The non-profit American Academy of Equine Art brings its fall show to Aiken, S.C., a historic winter quarters for equestrians, for the first time this year. Featuring paintings, drawings, and sculptures, this exhibition showcases an array of artists equally moved by the horse—and inspired to a range of different interpretations and styles, all centered on the horse. That’s true to the AAEA’s mission: “to nurture, advise, educate, and promote those artists interested in the classical representation of the equine subject.”

Hungry for more? Check out the AAEA’s gallery of past exhibitions at aaea.net/pastexhibitions.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL RACING MUSEUM

Horses in Art

Photo: Š Elena Lusenti

Bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.

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TRENDING

A Sporting Summer June 16-Dec. 31, 2017 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Saratoga Springs, New York racingmuseum.org/collection-gallery/ sporting-summer

Saratoga is a haven for racing swells in August, but if you’re in town at a quieter time to enjoy Saratoga’s rich history, quaint shops, and fall foliage, you’ll still be able to catch a last taste of summer in this exhibition of British and North American sporting art. On display in the National Museum of Racing’s von Stade Gallery are works spanning a century of sporting art, including Alfred Munnings, Benjamin Marshall, Franklin B. Voss, and Edward Troye. While you’re there, step back in time and trace the origins of the American Thoroughbred in the museum’s Colonial, Pre-Civil War, and Post-Civil War Galleries.

Dubai International Horse Fair March 15-17, 2018 Dubai World Trade Centre Dubai, United Arab Emirates dihf.ae

62 FALL ISSUE 2017

This terracotta horse-head amphora, circa 580-570 BCE, is one of many evocative objects in the National Sporting Library & Museum’s exhibition “The Horse in Ancient Greek Art” this fall.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CLAUDIA PFEIFFER

If you’re feeling intrepid this spring, shake off winter’s chill with a quick trip to the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai International Horse Fair. The three days are packed with action, including everything from a Spanish dressage demonstration, the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship, an Arabian horse auction, and traditional dancing. But art lovers will gravitate to the Equestrian Art Gallery, featuring works by local and international artists from Europe, South Africa, Kyrgyzstan, among other places. The gallery promises styles from sculpture to sketch to graffiti, and aficionados of the region’s beloved Arabian horses, in particular, are sure to find plenty to fall for.

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Four Tips

to Help Prevent

Gastric Ulcers

by Glenye Oakford

64 FALL ISSUE 2017

Has your horse’s behavior changed? Are his eating habits different? Does he seem mildly colicky after meals? Gastric ulcers could be the culprit. As many as 80% of active sport horses might have gastric ulcers at one time or another, says Dr. Nathan Slovis, a board-certified internal medicine veterinarian and the director of the McGee Medical Center at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky. He has a strong interest in gastrointestinal disorders in the horse and is currently doing research on alternative natural therapies to aid in the healing of equine gastric ulcers, including a recent study available online at hagyard.com/ Gastric-Ulceration-Study.html.

“That doesn’t mean they’re all going to be bothered by it,” Slovis said, “but there are some in which it can be significant. Even broodmares out in a pasture can have them, though at a lower rate.”

How serious are ulcers? Their effects can range from mild discomfort to serious intestinal impaction. Severe ulcers also can result in bleeding and, on rare occasions, gastric perforations, as they can in humans.

Gastric ulcer symptoms can vary, says Slovis.

Symptoms can include: • Eating less aggressively than they have in the past • Weight loss • Chronic mild colic signs after eating, such as kicking at the belly 20-25 minutes after eating • Behavioral changes, such as becoming unusually resistant to the aids or showing an uncharacteristic lack of impulsion during riding • Aggression • Frequently stretching out as if to urinate

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE

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A gastroscope can definitively diagnose gastric ulcers. While many owners who suspect their horses have gastric ulcers forego a gastroscope and simply treat the symptoms, Slovis notes that, if they’re wrong about the horse having ulcers, a stomach scope is cheaper than repeatedly dosing the horse with medicine that isn’t actually tackling the problem.

Needless to say, it’s best to do what you can to avoid the problem of ulcers in the first place. Regular turnout on grass can help, but busy competition horses might not have the luxury of regular pasture access. There are still steps you can take to help prevent ulcers, says Slovis.

1. Avoid twice-a-day bulk feeding.

“It’s a common thing: you give them grain and hay in the morning and more grain and hay at night,” Slovis said.

“Instead, try to give small amounts of food more often. If you have a sport horse who spends a lot of time in his stall at a show, maybe feed him a little in the morning, a little at lunchtime, a little in the early afternoon, and again in the evening. Spread out the concentrates; don’t just give one or two feedings. And do the same thing with hay; they can nibble that 24 hours a day. If your horse is a pig and eats all his hay at once, you can buy a special hay net with smaller holes.” The idea, Slovis says, is to spread out your horse’s food intake to make it as natural as possible.

2. Be careful about your grains.

Giving your horse excessive amounts of cereal grains in one feeding, instead of spreading them out in small quantities, can be harsh on a horse’s stomach, Slovis cautions.

3. Feed some alfalfa.

“Alfalfa helps with saliva secretion, and it also has calcium,” explained Slovis.

“The calcium and saliva act as buffers against some of the acid in the stomach.

You don’t need to feed a ton of it. Just a half a flake or a pound or two after a grain

66 FALL ISSUE 2017

diet can make a difference. The amount really depends on your horse. If your horse has metabolic problems, you don’t want to give too much because you don’t want him to get the sugars and starches in there. But a pound or two twice a day can help get the saliva going and get some calcium in there.”

Omeprazole also is the standard treatment for ulcers. If you’re treating a horse with GastroGard, Slovis recommends giving it to the horse on an empty stomach.

“Research has shown in animals that if you give GastroGard on a full stomach, you might not get the increase in pH that you want because the stomach doesn’t absorb it as well on a full stom4. Go for a walk. ach,” he said.

Hand-walking or hand-grazing can When considering treatments it’s help a horse relax, especially if he is always important to consult your vetspending more time than usual in his erinarian, who also might recommend stall while at a show. Another trick to and prescribe alternatives or combinakeep a horse relaxed and happy in his tions of treatments. stall: get him a toy. Relaxation and stressIf your horse has ulcers, look for improvereduction are important, because anxiety ment after a week of daily treatment, Slovis can contribute to gastric ulcers in horses, advises. “At least a small improvement just as they do in humans. should occur within a week,” he said.

Younger horses can be somewhat And remember: horses who have more susceptible to developing ulcers, had ulcers once can be predisposed to especially during the breaking and getting them again—so always keep a training period, close eye on your horse for Slovis says. But signs of behavioral or eating older horses, changes that might signal Want horse health particularly ones their return. articles, practical tips, that travel a lot, Not all ulcers heal on a and equestrian news are confined for standard treatment, Slovis delivered to your inbox longer p eriods, notes.

“Be patient,” he said. every week? Sign up o r wh o s e d i e t s “A lot of horses respond for the Equestrian are more inconsisfavorably to omeprazole (the Weekly newsletter tent can also be at FDA-approved formulation, at USequestrian.org/ increased risk for not the compounded vertune-in/equestriangastric ulcers, as sions), but some won’t, and weekly. It’s free! can horses underthen you and your veterinargoing treatment ian might want to think about with non-steroisome alternative therapies or dal anti-inflammatories like bute and less conventional treatments.” banamine. Empty stomachs also can Time off and pasture turnout also can cause problems: if a horse has to fast help, Slovis said. “Anxiety can be a big or is ill and doesn’t want to eat, he can factor in this, and sometimes just givdevelop ulcers in the stomach after 24 ing the horse time off can help them get to 48 hours without eating. straightened out,” he said.

“Any kind of situation that can involve As always, seek your veterinarian’s stress, like trailering or stabling away advice if you suspect your horse might from home, can contribute to them,” have ulcers or for strategies to help your explained Slovis. horse avoid them.

Dosing with an omeprazole prodFor more information about gastric ulcers uct like GastroGard® before shipping and their treatment, visit Hagyard.com and long distances can help, Slovis said.

HagyardPharmacy.com.

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PHOTO: PETER PHAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“You have to learn everything with the thought in the back of your mind that the horses will always come first,” says Lizzy Traband. “They’ll always come before the business.”

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For Lizzy Traband, US Equestrian’s 2016 Junior Equestrian of the Year, the detours in her riding life have been well worth it.

PHOTO: ADAM BRENNAN/PICTURESBYAB.COM

BY ELIZABETH PUTFARK

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Lizzy Traband (left), US Equestrian’s 2016 Junior Equestrian of the Year, collects her award from two-time Olympic team gold medalist Beezie Madden at US Equestrian’s 2017 annual meeting in Lexington, Ky.

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FALLING FOR HORSES Lizzy learned to ride on an Amish-­bred pony named Scooter, finding her balance the hard way—by losing it again and again.

“Riding when I was younger wasn’t the easiest of things,” Lizzy admitted with a laugh. “Scooter would buck you off if you tried to trot. I fell off all the time. I would ride for a week or two, then I wouldn’t ride at all for a couple weeks. I was very lucky, though, that my mom never pushed me.”

Lizzy’s mom grew up in Harford County, Maryland, where she foxhunted, worked, and competed for various owners and trainers, including the legendary Sylvia Hector.

In the summer, she would throw her saddle in the car and go from farm to farm to ride.

She taught Lizzy’s father, Mark Traband, to ride when the two of them met.

Together, they’ve been breeding and developing hunter/jumper prospects at their farm since before Lizzy was born.

But Mark and Annette didn’t push their daughter into the family discipline, although Lizzy did eventually try it on her second pony, a Pony of the Americas named Toby who formerly had pulled a cart.

But Toby was young, green, and prone to stopping, while Lizzy was still struggling to navigate courses one-­handed. At shows, they stood out in less-­than-­positive ways—ways that made Lizzy more comfortable in the barn aisle than the arena.

“Early on, Lizzy just liked to hang out with the horses, and Mark and I just kind of rolled with it,” Annette said. “She tried the hunter pony thing, but it was a struggle.

She used to go through a lot of frustration. I always kind of felt like it was going to be something we could work through. But I also knew we were going to have to do it on our own terms and in the meantime just focus on enjoying the horses.”

With her parents’ encouragement, Lizzy and Toby continued to bond outside of the arena, even as he dumped her frequently inside of it. In the fields, Lizzy learned to ride him bridleless and bareback, free from the inconvenience of navigating with one hand.

Lizzy says her pony Toby, shown with her in 2009, taught her that “when we help others to realize their potential, we come to realize our own potential.”

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PHOTO: COURTESY LIZZY TRABAND

A snapshot of Lizzy Traband’s life today looks like a young hunter/jumper rider’s dream come true.

At 19, Lizzy oversees the stable management of all the horses at her family’s Carousel Farm, LLC, in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania. She’s also the primary rider and trainer for all of her mounts and for the Traband family-owned and -bred horses.

She’s landed in the top 10 at the USEF Junior Hunter National Championships and in the High Junior Jumper classes multiple years running, often on horses she started or reschooled and brought along herself. She’s had her own horsemanship brand, Taiji Horsemanship, since age 11, and she’s currently in the beta phase of launching EPN Global, which uses the latest technology to provide stable management and horse marketing tools for equestrian professionals—a system that she and her mom Annette designed themselves. And she’s riding for Pennsylvania State University’s equestrian team, too.

Lizzy seems poised to take the professional hunter/jumper world by storm. But zoom out a little, and it’s clear that’s never been her primary goal, and it still isn’t.

Lizzy, who was born without a left forearm, has taken more than a few detours from the well-­beaten path to showing success, detours she doesn’t regret. Because without them, she might not have become the horsewoman she is today. For her, the horses have always come first.

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF LIZZY TRABAND

DREAMS AND DETOURS It wasn’t until Lizzy saw a performance by Tommie Turvey— a leading professional stuntman and trainer for television and movies—in his show “Tommie Turvey’s “Night of Amazing Horses” that she thought perhaps Toby would be better suited for trick training and riding. Before long, she was doing stunts and performing daring hippodrome riding, in which a rider stands atop her galloping mount.

“I fell in love with trick riding—the vaulting and the hippodrome riding, especially,” Lizzy said. “I thought it was so much fun.”

Lizzy and Toby learned from Turvey himself. Soon after the lessons began, she and Toby joined his crew at the “Night of Amazing Horses,” performing choreographed tricks and routines in front of crowds that numbered in the thousands.

“The bridleless, liberty, and trick riding experience taught me how to really be a balanced rider and read my horses,” Lizzy said. “Another thing I learned with performing was how to go in, get it done, and deal with the pressure, and that gave me a lot of confidence. A lot of things can go wrong in a performance, because you’re performing in front of a crowd and you’ve got the bright lights and the cameras and the spotlight and the loud music. The energy level is high and the pressure is on to deliver the performance. You just have to get it done!”

Using the confidence and skills she gained through trick riding, Lizzy developed Taiji Horsemanship—a five-­step horsemanship program for young riders—in 2009. The next year, she performed at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Lexington, Ky., in front of perhaps her most educated, if not her biggest, crowd yet.

But that moment in the spotlight was overshadowed by a quieter one that happened at WEG after her demonstration was over.

“With our credentials, we got to get into all the events. Watching the show jumping, I remember sitting there and going, ‘I have to do this!’ I’m pretty sure my mom thought I was nuts,” Lizzy said with a laugh.

During her time as a stunt rider, Lizzy had continued training in hunters with Annette and Annette’s close friend, Elizabeth Solter, a top American hunter rider and U.S. competitor at the 1996 World Cup Final for show jumping. She also helped start, break, and ride horses from her parents’ breeding program, but her show experience was limited to competing a few family homebreds locally and in the International Hunter Futurities.

The jumper ring, however, was uncharted territory.

“Bridleless, liberty, and trick riding taught me how to really be a balanced rider and read my horses,” says Lizzy, shown here during one of the demonstrations she performed in her youth.

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“This sport is just way too much work and way too much money and way too many hours not to love the horses at the end of the day,” Lizzy says.

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PHOTO: ROSE POWERS PHOTO

In 2011, Lizzy received the inaugural USHJA Making a Dream Grant to spend time in Wellington, Fla., at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Over the next three winters, she worked both with Solter and with National Show Hunter Hall of Famer Louise Serio, who had watched Lizzy’s trick-­riding performance at the 2010 WEG and helped create the grant in part with Lizzy in mind. She also sought assistance from Olympic show jumping gold medalist Joe Fargis.

But Lizzy’s detours weren’t over yet. Preparing for her third winter in Wellington, just as she thought she was making progress in the show jumping ring, George Morris—the legendary trainer and former chef d’equipe for the U.S. Show Jumping Team—advised her that to be a top show jumping rider, you needed to know dressage.

“I was riding in a clinic with him that fall, and he said, ‘If you can go and get an education in dressage, you need to go do it,’” Lizzy said. “And I was like, ‘Oh, God!’ I wasn’t really into doing advanced flatwork and definitely wasn’t into dressage, but, you know, if George Morris tells you to do something, you’re going to go and do it!”

Despite her initial reluctance, Lizzy quickly developed a taste for the sport.

She spent the following season in Wellington training several hours a day in classical dressage, riding borrowed horses under the direction of Swedish World Cup dressage rider Helene Bergstrom. After Wellington, she continued to train with Wesley Dunham in classical dressage. In 2014, riding Bergstrom’s Dutch Warmblood gelding Ucari, she rode to a score in the 70s in the FEI junior individual test (under three international judges) as a mainstream competitor. She also finished third overall in the Grade IV division of the 2014 USEF Para-­Equestrian Dressage National Championship and Selection Trial for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Para-­Equestrian Dressage Team.

“I must say, that was one of the best educations I could ever have gotten,” Lizzy said. “I learned so much. It gave me a lot more of the fundamentals that I needed, which I then transferred over to riding jumpers.”

While riding dressage, Lizzy also realized that some of the connection and straightness she needed in the jumpers simply couldn’t happen without a left hand. By constantly having to tip her left shoulder to soften the rein with her little arm, her body over time would break down. So she and her family began working with a physician to design a prosthetic arm.

But finding the right fit turned out to be much more challenging than she’d hoped.

“It was an absolute disaster!” Lizzy said. “I remember that to try it out, I went to Joe [Fargis]’s for a weekend like we normally do and he had a little vertical set up in the middle of the ring. I could not for the life of me get to that vertical off a right hand turn. The first prosthetic had no rigidity, so I could not ride the outside of my horse when turning right. I remember him saying, ‘Lizzy, I think you need to go home and just figure this out.’ I was so embarrassed!”

Ever an innovator, Lizzy didn’t rest until she found the right prosthetic. Three months and many changes later, she entered the arena with two hands equally on the reins for the first time in her life, thanks to a prosthetic that allows her to hold her left rein in the same way as the right. The hook that serves as a hand attaches to a rein that is customized with pockets, and she can open and close the hook through a cord that stretches behind her back and attaches to a strap that fits around her right shoulder. She puts rubber bands on the hook to keep it from falling off the rein during a long release over a jump, when the safety sometimes opens the hook at inopportune times. Even now, the prosthetic continues to be a work in progress.

Together with horses from her parents’ farm—many of whom she trained herself—and numerous borrowed horses, Lizzy soared to the top of junior leaderboards

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in hunters and jumpers in 2015. In 2016, she earned the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year award, presented to her by show jumping icon Beezie Madden.

Now in her sophomore year at Penn State, Lizzy still competes regularly, often through the school’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association equestrian team, which she says has given her another refreshing new take on equestrian competition.

“It’s a totally different mentality, which has been amazing,” Lizzy said. “When you’re on the main circuit, everyone is competing against each other to do as well as they possibly can. When you’re on a team, you want everyone on your team to do as well as they possibly can.”

THE ROAD AHEAD Riding out her years of junior eligibility, Lizzy began to reflect more and more on the struggles facing equestrian professionals, struggles she’d witnessed in her years working in and around the horse industry.

She hopes to make her living through riding one day and to represent the United States as a show jumper at the Olympics, but her goals come with an important caveat.

“I have one fear,” Lizzy explained. “I never want to be in a situation where I have to put my horses’ health and their care in jeopardy in order to make a living. I never want to be in a position where I have to sell a horse into a bad situation because I have to pay my bills at the end of the day. I want to make sure that whatever career path I take, I will be able to provide my horses and the horses I care for with the best life possible.”

To that end, Lizzy and her mom have spent the past three years developing the Equestrian Pro Network, an integrated technology program designed to tackle some of the burdens facing equestrian professionals via two platforms: stable management and marketing.

“It’s an absolutely massive and terrifying project,” Lizzy admitted with a laugh. “A pretty big motive behind the project is that I would really like to have another source of income within the sport that’s outside of owners and buyers and having clients. But I also want to help others within the industry.

“The goal of the management platform is to give riders, trainers, and grooms more time at the barn and less time at the computer doing billing, paperwork, scheduling, and all that jazz that we know can take massive amounts of time,” she continued. “The goal for the marketing platform is to get horses

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and riders and owners better connected in order to get every horse into the best possible job and home.”

Another component of EPN allows for promotion of and donations to equestrian charities.

In addition to her riding, Lizzy hopes that her major classes in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship will push her closer to a career, both as an equestrian professional and as a business owner. But she’s cautious about that, too. Because even with a head for business, she has a heart for horsemanship.

And following her heart, even when it seemed to lead her off course, has gotten her to where she is today.

“I think there’s doing business, and then there’s doing business with animals; that changes everything,” Lizzy said. “I think my classes definitely help, but you have to learn everything with the thought in the back of your mind that the horses will always come first—they’ll always come before the business. I think that’s something that’s very challenging for some people, and I hope it’s never challenging for me.

“Because, honestly,” she added, “this sport is just way too much work and way too much money and way too many hours not to love the horses at the end of the day.”

Lizzy’s Top Training Tips

1.

2.

PHOTOS: PHELPS MEDIA GROUP FOR DEVON FALL CLASSIC, ERIN O’NEILL

3.

4.

5.

HORSES COME FIRST, ALWAYS. There are no exceptions. The horses’ well-being and what is truly best for them comes first and foremost.

If we collectively followed this as a community, we would be a huge step closer to solving some of our biggest concerns in the horse industry.

KEEP IT SIMPLE AND PREDICTABLE. Horses thrive in a predictable environment. The goal is it get to a point with your horses where they will do anything you ask them to do. This can be accomplished through fear or trust, with trust being the more deserving, lasting, and rewarding road. Horses are flight animals, and gaining their trust comes from enormous amounts of patience, time, and consistency.

DO EVERYTHING WITH A PURPOSE. BUT BE PATIENT—AND MORE PATIENT! Recognize the reason or purpose behind what you are doing each day. Allow this purpose to drive you in the right direction, and stay on top of your goal. You cannot conquer a mountain in a few steps. Be patient and work a few steps closer to the top each day.

BUILD UP AND BREAK IT DOWN. A building without a foundation will never last. Do not skip steps; it will come back to bite you. When something goes wrong or you make a mistake, you have to be able to take a few steps back. Riding is the art of developing tons of small skills independently, then putting them together to form different skills.

This goes for horses and riders.

BE OPEN-MINDED AND NEVER STOP LEARNING. Don’t be afraid to sit back, listen, and watch. There are many approaches to training and developing horses and riders. Some will fit your style and program, and some will not. Often, what is appropriate at one point in time is no longer appropriate later. If you never sit back, listen, and learn, you will never progress as a rider, horseman, or trainer.

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eguiling aroque

BY KATHLEEN LANDWEHR AND GLENYE OAKFORD

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PHOTO: BIANCA MCCARTY

Baroque breeds like the Andalusian, Friesian, Lusitano, and Paso Fino are some of the equestrian world’s oldest. But they’re not just ancient history, and their popularity is enduring— and growing.

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Andalusians and Lusitanos,

PHOTO: BIANCA MCCARTY

shown here in a national festival in GolegĂŁ, Portugal, combine a power and responsiveness that their devotees compare to driving a sports car.

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Centuries ago, they were war horses prized by military horsemen from the ancient Greeks to the conquistadors to medieval European knights. Today’s Friesians, Paso Finos, Andalusians, and Lusitanos are engaged in more peaceful pursuits, and they remain hugely popular among equestrians for a wide variety of activities, both inside the show ring and out of it. And while they’re known by many for their romantic good looks, exotic histories, and eye-catching style, their owners say these breeds offer much more than a pretty face.

Iberian Jewels: The Andalusian & Lusitano

The Andalusian was developed in the Iberian Peninsula as a war horse and used in hand-to-hand combat, requiring it to be agile and brave. Over time, the breed transitioned into a bull-fighting and riding horse.

The histories of the Andalusian and Lusitano breeds are closely entwined. In the 1960s, the Spanish and Portuguese registries split, resulting in the Spanish horses registered as Pura Raza Española (or PRE) and Portuguese horses registered as Puro Sangue Lusitano (PSL). In the U.S., the International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association registers both breeds as purebred Andalusian, though their registration papers indicate the specific bloodlines of the horses; an (S), (P), or (S/P) at the end of a horse’s registration number indicates pure Spanish/Andalusian bloodlines, pure Portuguese/ Lusitano bloodlines, or a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese bloodlines, respectively. The IALHA also registers Half-Andalusians, which must have one IALHA-registered purebred parent.

“With both the Portuguese and the Spanish bloodlines, the thing that has stayed dominant in them is their athletic ability and the ability to

work off of the rear end,” said Francine Dismukes of Luling, Texas, who has been involved with Andalusians and Lusitanos for nearly 30 years as a breeder, competitor, judge, owner, and trainer. “Without any effort at all, you can get a canter, side-pass, or half-pass, because these horses are so athletic. That’s one of their really beautiful qualities.”

In addition to their agility and bravery, they have a kind disposition and what Dismukes calls the “hair factor,” since they possess copious amounts of mane and tail.

“They are kind of like eating a candy bar: once you have one you just cannot stand to not have another one,” Dismukes said when asked what drew her to the breed. “They are so people-oriented.

“One of the unique characteristics, to me, is that both Lusitanos and Andalusians can be totally pumped up and, with just a little schooling, can learn to just take a deep breath and chill out,” she continued. “It’s almost an instantaneous thing.

Having trained most other breeds, I can really appreciate that. They are so soft to ride and so flexible, it feels like you are driving a sports car. They can go from zero to wide open in three strides.”

Dismukes has shown her horses in just about every division listed in the Rule Book for Andalusians and Lusitanos, from Western pleasure to working equitation to traditional carriage driving. “Even though the Andalusian was bred as a riding horse, they still make tremendous driving horses,” said Dismukes. “They have such a powerful rear end that they can really put it to work as a driving horse.”

Given their brave yet kind nature and impressive athleticism, it is no surprise that these breeds with age-old bloodlines have a devoted following.

earn More About Andalusians and Lusitanos On the Web International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association ialha.org In the Show Ring The IALHA National Championship Show October 10 -15, 2017 Great Southwest Equestrian Center Katy, Texas

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On the Web Paso Fino Horse Association pfha.org

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In the Show Ring PFHA Grand National Championship Show September 18-23, 2017 Georgia National Fairgrounds Perry, Georgia

PHOTOS: STUNNING STEEDS, CHERI PRILL

Learn More About Paso Finos

Left to right: Rick and Janice Meyer show the gray Paso Fino stallion Royal Oak Ricochet.

“It is effortless for them,” trainer and owner Lauri Pistolis, shown here on Donatello de Fantasia, says of the Paso Fino’s naturally lateral, fourbeat gait.

The Fine Walk: The Paso Fino

The Paso Fino came to the Americas more than 500 years ago when Spanish conquistadors imported Andalusians, Spanish Barbs, and smooth-gaited Spanish Jennets. Bred for their stamina, smooth gait, and beauty, Los Caballos de Paso Fino–the horses with the fine walk– served as the foundation stock for conquistadors’ remount stations. Selective breeding by those who colonized the Caribbean and Latin America produced the Paso Fino, which initially flourished in Puerto Rico and Colombia, and, later, in other Latin American countries.

Today, there are about 60,000 Paso Finos registered in the United States, according to the Paso Fino Horse Association. The Paso Fino has a gait unique to the breed that is natural and exhibited at birth. It is an evenly spaced, four-beat lateral gait with a rapid, unbroken rhythm. The Paso Fino gait is performed at three forward speeds and with varying degrees of collection: classic fino (very slow speed and full collection), paso corto (moderate speed and moderate to full collection), and paso largo (fastest form of the gait and minimal to moderate collection).

The Paso Fino is capable of executing other gaits that are natural to horses, except the trot.

“They are a little sensitive—a little more sensitive than most breeds,” explained Lauri Pistolis of Lancaster, S.C., a Paso Fino breeder, competitor, judge, owner, and trainer who has been involved with the breed for nearly 30 years. “When you go to pat a horse, you know how

some people just pat them? That would startle a Paso Fino.

They would much rather that you would rub them.

“Their gait is undeniably their biggest attribute for sure, but they are super-affectionate and super-athletic,” she added. “They naturally have that gait and can go for days on end without effort; it is just effortless for them.”

Pistolis’s introduction to the Paso Fino breed is a prime example of its versatility. She grew up barrel racing, and her horse-trainer father acquainted her with the breed in 1988. Shortly after, Pistolis got her first Paso Fino and taught him how to barrel race. The Paso Fino is also used in events such as team penning and cowboy mounted shooting, just to name a few. The breed is typically shown in breed-specific fino, performance, or pleasure classes, highlighting their fine step, animated movement, and pleasurable way of going, respectively.

“I love everything about this horse. I’m so partial it is not even funny,” Pistolis said with a laugh. “I love the energy that they have. They have got what we call brio, the energy we breed for. I love that! That has got to be my favorite part.

If any other breed had that much brio, that much energy, you would think something was going to go wrong, but with these guys, they are solid citizens.”

That sensitive but affectionate nature, paired with its fantastic, one-of-a-kind gait, have made the breed quite popular and earned it the title of “the smoothest riding horse in the world” among its supporters.

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Friesians have a bold, dramatic look, but they are equally famous for their gentle natures and ability at a great range of sports.

Romance and Majesty: The Friesian

The purebred Friesian originated in Friesland, a province in the Netherlands. It’s believed that the modern Friesian’s ancestors were highly prized as war horses during the Middle Ages partly because of their size and body type, which allowed them to easily carry a knight in full armor into battle.

The breed later became widely popular in Europe as a carriage horse. There is some documentation that the Friesian horse first came to North America by way of the Dutch colony New Amsterdam (now New York) in 1625 and perhaps was responsible for influencing a number of breeds developed in what would eventually become the United States. But it seems that the Friesian horse ceased to exist in the colonies by 1664.

It wasn’t until 1974 that the purebred Friesian would be reintroduced to North America as a modern show horse, pleasure mount, and parade and exhibition horse. Today the breed competes in virtually every discipline. Still a favorite for carriage driving because of its beauty and powerful trot, the Friesian has found its way into both combined and pleasure driving. The breed also has made its presence felt in the dressage world in recent years. Saddle seat, hunter seat, and Western riders have all found the Friesian a good match in their respective classes.

The Friesian is most recognized by its upright, noble carriage; dramatic black coat; long, thick mane, tail, and forelock; and the trademark feathers on its lower legs. Although the breed’s conformation resembles that of a light draft horse, the Friesian is remarkably nimble and graceful for its size and carries itself with distinctive animation and elegance.

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Learn More About Friesians On the Web International Friesian Show Horse Association friesianshowhorse.com In the Show Ring IFSHA World and Grand National Championship Horse Show October 4-8, 2017 Champions Center Expo Springfield, Ohio

PHOTOS: BIANCA MCCARTY, MYSTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY

“They are the ultimate athlete, with a lot of power and a lot of desire to please,” trainer Bruce Griffin of Griffin Sport Horses says of Friesians.

Ranging in height from 15.1 to 17.3 hands and possessing a powerfully built body with dense bone, the Friesian horse is known for its brisk, high-stepping trot.

“They are a big, romantic, majestic horse,” said Bruce Griffin of Griffin Sport Horses in Gretna, Va., who grew up with Arabians and Tennessee Walking Horses but has been working with Friesians since the mid-’90s. He’s also the president of the International Friesian Show Horse Association. “For me, they’re a big, Labrador retriever type of horse that just wants to be your friend and work as hard as they possibly can for you. They have a gentle nature and are easy to be around. They’re big, powerful horses, but they’re teddy-bear gentle.

“And they are so athletic,” added Griffin, who has ridden or competed accomplished Western, dressage, hunt seat, show jumping, saddle seat, halter, trail riding and trail classes, and in every driving discipline. “You can do

different disciplines with them. You might find one that has a high head to ride saddle seat or one that likes to do a Western jog. You might find one that wants to go over jumps.

And some like to drive. Their versatility is endless. I think that’s because of the wisdom people had in breeding these horses. They are the ultimate athlete, with a lot of power and a lot of desire to please.”

Like the other baroque breeds, the Friesian has enjoyed a boost in popularity, says Griffin.

“When I first started with them back in 1996, there were probably under 1,000 Friesians here,” he said. “There are over 20,000 now.

Their majesty is part of their appeal to people, and they’re still a little bit rare. If you’re interested in getting one, spend time with them.

Let them get to know you, and the right one will find you. You’ll find a partner that you can enjoy a relationship with for the rest of your life.”

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THE RIGHT BIT

Today’s horseman has hundreds of choices, from snaffle to S-shank curb. We’ve got three guiding principles to help you find the best bit for your horse.

STORY BY GLENYE OAKFORD

Your equestrian discipline, your horse’s conformation and temperament, and your sport’s rules all play into bit selection.

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF NEUE SCHULE

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LESLIE POTTER

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF KEVIN MONTAGUE,

its have been around almost as long as horsemanship has; some scholars have reported evidence that ancient horsemen were using bits as far back as 3000 B.C. Much about ancient bit design still looks familiar to the modern eye, even as succeeding centuries have brought innovation in design and metallurgy. One constant: equestrians’ endless experimentation with bits and their eternal quest to find the perfect device for each particular horse.

Today, humans looking for bits for their equine partners are confronted with hundreds of possibilities and combinations, from the simple snaffle to the bradoon and curb, from the Western S-shank curb to the butterfly. Your equestrian discipline, your horse’s conformation and temperament, and your sport’s rules all play into bit selection.

Whatever your discipline or sporting goal, there are some common philosophies, bitting experts say. One is that less often is more.

“You don’t want to put a lot of hardware in a horse’s mouth if he doesn’t need it,” said The Winner’s Circle Horse Supply’s Chuck Hutchinson, a former trainer of American Saddlebreds and Morgans.

“Keep it simple!” agreed Francie Newsom, a United States Equestrian Federation steward, former trainer, and Western bitting expert. “Part of it is trial and error, but first do an analysis of the conformation of the horse’s mouth. Make sure they don’t have any teeth issues, no wolf teeth that are a problem, no old scarring or pieces of tongue missing. You want to see how thick and fleshy the bars of the horse’s mouth are. Are they bony or fleshy? It’s amazing how different they can be, and some of that has to do with breed, too.”

Before bit shopping, Newsom advised, make sure you really need a bit change.

“First of all, think about why you’ve decided you need a new bit for that horse,” she said. “What kind of issues are you having? Make sure there’s nothing that needs veterinary attention, like a tooth issue or a conformational problem in the mouth. Then look at the conformation of that horse—not just of his mouth, but also his neck, the poll area, how the head is set on the neck, and how the neck is set on the withers.

What type of angle are you asking that horse to give you? And can he actually give you that angle, given his conformation?

“It seems that often people think, ‘If I just get a more severe bit, I can get control of my horse,’ when what they really need to

Opposite: Basic bit design remained largely unchanged for centuries. This bronze Etruscan bit (circa 800-700 B.C.) at Indiana University’s Eskenazi Museum of Art shows many of the fundamental features modern equestrians still see in today’s bits.

Above: Your bit should be one “that’s comfortable, hangs nicely, and allows the horse to have his head in a comfortable position,” says Western bit expert Francie Newsom.

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Get the Right Fit How do you measure your horse’s mouth for a bit? There are measuring devices on the market, says Mette Larsen, president of Neue Schule USA, the distributor for Neue Schule bits in the United States and Canada. “There’s a stick you can put in a horse’s mouth and then shorten up to see how wide the mouth is,” she explained. “But what often happens is that people get a little bit tight with that and push the lips in, and then the measurement isn’t necessarily accurate.”

A homemade alternative: a piece of soft string. Place it in your horse’s mouth and then mark or tie a knot where the string emerges from each side of the horse’s mouth. Be careful to leave a little extra space, though, and not to tie the knot in a way that presses the horse’s lips in—which would result in a too-small measurement.

PHOTO: BIANCA MCCARTY

do is to go back and do the basic training again,” Newsom added.

“Start off with the basics: make sure you have whoa, make sure you have a horse that’s soft in the mouth and can flex before you even think about putting a harsher bit in.”

If you compete, pay close attention to the bit rules for your discipline and division. And know how your bit measures up to the rules, literally.

In Western equestrian sports, for example, “the overall measurement of a shank is from the bridle attachment to the point of pull on the rein, not to the bottom of the shank,” said Newsom, “and the maximum in just about every division is 8.5”. But there again, know your rules. There is also a minimum and a maximum allowable thickness to a mouthpiece that is specified in the rules for each division.”

Although a proper fit can vary from discipline to discipline, there are some rules of thumb you can follow.

“Once you have an idea that, say, your horse needs a five-inch bit, put a five-inch bit in there and see how it sits,” advises Neue Schule’s Larsen. “If it’s a loose-ring, you want an eighth of an inch on either side, and if it’s a fixed-cheek, you want it against the lips but not squeezing the lips.”

For equestrians who drive, Jack Alvarez of Driving Essentials has a tip for checking bit fit. “If you can get the tip of your index finger between the horse’s lips and the cheekpiece of the driving bit, then it’s the right size,” Alvarez said. “If you can get a whole finger in between on both sides, then it’s too big. If you can’t get the tip of your finger in that space, then it’s too small.”

“THE PERMUTATIONS ARE ALMOST ENDLESS.” ‒ Jack Alvarez on driving bits

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF NEUE SCHULE, SHANE SHIFLET PHOTO

A properly fitting Neue Schule D-ring bit. “If it’s a loose-ring bit, you want an eighth of an inch on either side, and if it’s a fixed-cheek, you want it against the lips but not squeezing the lips,” says Neue Schule’s Mette Larsen.

Morgans, American Saddlebreds, Arabians, and Friesians that wear double bridles for saddle seat disciplines require fitting two bits: the snaffle (or bradoon), with which the rider raises a horse’s head and guides him, and the curb, which a rider uses to set the horse’s head position. The two bits should be slightly different widths, says Hutchinson.

“The bradoon bit should be a half-inch wider than your curb bit,” Hutchinson said. “That’s a common mistake people make: they buy a 4.5” curb bit, and so they think they want a 4.5” snaffle, when they really need a 5” snaffle. To be comfortable in a horse’s mouth and not to pinch, it needs to be a little wider than the curb. The curb bit should be about a half-inch below it, so they don’t interfere with each other.”

Know Your Metals Recent decades have also seen new mouthpiece materials and alloys emerge, like Neue Schule’s Salox Gold.

“We wanted something strong enough for a horse but soft enough to feel good,” explained Larsen. “If you feel our metal, it has a soft warmness to it that actually feels like you might want to put it in your mouth, and that’s what we were looking for. It also has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal out there, so it becomes the temperature of your horse’s mouth quicker than any other bit would.”

And, Larsen added, “We’re not leaching any of the metal ions out of the metal and into the horse’s mouth.

We felt that that leaching was not something that was going to benefit the horse.”

Finding the right mouthpiece shape and metal for your horse is often a matter of trial and error.

“Every horse is completely different, and there’s really no way to accurately suggest a bit for a horse without seeing the horse and seeing it drive,” said Driving Essentials’ Alvarez. “Beyond that, it’s really just guessing. If only they could talk, it would make it so much easier!

“The basic driving mouthpiece starts with a straight bar, a mullen, or an arch that gives a little more tongue room than a straight bar does. Normally, mouthpieces are stainless steel, but if the horse doesn’t go well in something like that, you can look at brass, bronze, copper—one of those materials that might promote salivation and might make the horse a little rounder. But not all horses react positively to that, so there is trial and error involved.

“Most of those might also have at least a trace of nickel in them,” Alvarez added. “Aurigan [a

patented alloy] has no nickel in it. That doesn’t necessarily make any difference, but we have had a few customers whose horses are allergic to nickel.”

Another option is cold-rolled steel, or “sweet iron,” which will rust and thereby cause salivation, too. “But if they do rust and color the foam in your horse’s mouth, that can be construed as blood in certain lighting, so you have to watch that,” cautions steward Newsom.

Whatever bit you try, “you should be trying to achieve a horse that’s comfortable in his mouth and is able to carry the bit quietly,” Newsom said. “Some mouthing of the bit is fine, if they’re comfortable with it. It needs to be a bit that’s comfortable, that hangs nicely, and allows the horse to have his head in a comfortable position.”

Remember: It’s Not Just About the Bit Whatever your equestrian discipline, the mouthpiece is only one of several important things to consider about bits. Cheekpieces, browband size, shank length—in various disciplines, each of these

On a saddle seat bridle, the bradoon (or snaffle) should be a half-inch wider than the curb, says Chuck Hutchinson of The Winner’s Circle Horse Supply.

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PHOTO: PICSOFYOU.COM

In driving, “you have just the bit, the whip, and the voice,” said Jack Alvarez of Driving Essentials. “The function of the bit is really to be the brakes.”

can play important roles in how a particular bit acts on a horse’s mouth. So keep the big picture in mind, experts say.

“If you’re driving pair, driving single, driving a coach, driving a gig—all of those things determine what kind of cheekpiece you might buy for your bit,” Alvarez explained. “The mouthpiece is going to be determined by what the horse goes best in. But any mouth can be put on any cheek, so the permutations are almost endless.

“When you’re not on the horse but are three or four feet behind the horse, you lose leg and seat as aids. You have just the bit, the whip, and the voice. The function of the bit is really to be the brakes, which is the effect produced by the curb chain and the poll pressure. That’s produced when you pull back on, say, a Liverpool cheekpiece and the eyelets that are attached to the bridle move forward and downward, rotating around the mouthpiece and putting pressure on the poll.”

The amount of pressure you need helps determine not only the cheekpiece, but also

where you put your reins on that cheekpiece to produce more or less poll pressure. And there are other choices, too, like whether the cheekpieces swivel or are fixed to the mouthpiece.

And don’t forget: the person holding the reins effectively is part of the bitting, too. Consider the operator’s hands before settling on a bit that might be too harsh or too complicated in strong or inexperienced hands, for example.

Whatever bit you finally choose, the goal is universal.

“We’re all trying to make the horse perform to his ultimate, to his best performance,” Hutchinson said.

“Bitting is a science, and it’s quite fascinating,” said Newsom. “There are so many wonderful resources available online and in print about bits and bitting. There are also many wonderful equestrians who love sharing their knowledge and experiences. There’s no excuse for being ignorant anymore. You need to learn before you shop and take all that you learn into consideration. Your horse will thank you!”

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The Liverpool driving bit allows for a variety of rein settings, illustrated here, for maximal adjustability.

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Increasingly, research, data, and technology are influencing bit design, says Neue Schule USA president Mette Larsen.

“For about 2,000 years, nothing changed,” said Larsen. “Thirty years ago, when I started training, I used the same bit on every single horse. You found what you liked, and that’s what you used, more or less. But now that we have more research and data, we’re starting to see that things we were taught aren’t always true, as far as how bits work or what pressure they add to the horse’s mouth or poll when you pick up contact.”

Some of Neue Schule’s research has upended conventional wisdom, Larsen said.

“Once we were taught that the Baucher, for example, creates poll pressure,” she said. “Actually, when you put pressure sensors in and you pick up the contact, it actually decreases poll pressure rather than increasing it.

“We’ve taken every bit we make, and every combination of how you would attach a curb strap or one or two reins, and we’ve looked at how it affects poll pressure when you pick up contact. We’ve created a document that shows you what that poll pressure is, from -1 to 4.

So, for example, with a loose-ring you might have a +1 in poll pressure, where if you tested one of our new ‘turtle’ bits, you’d have a zero or a minus-1 poll pressure when you pick up contact.”

Neue Schule currently is testing an app that could help you put some of this technology to use yourself, via reins with sensors that gather information in 30-second clips as you ride.

After riding, you can get an immediate score of your ride, then review this information later at home on your computer.

“The information gathered will calculate consistency, uneven pressure, and heaviness in contact, in addition to other calculations,” explained Larsen. “The potential for this app as a training tool, as well as in bit selection, is exciting. Just from a bitting-selection perspective, you could use this app to evaluate how both the horse and rider relate to different bits, and which bitting combination creates the most stability and even contact between horse and rider. It will be one more aid we can use to help find the best bit for our horse.”

PHOTO: DRIVING ESSENTIALS

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Urban Horsepower

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Urban horse shows present huge logistical challenges, but the joy and wonder they inspire are priceless.

PHOTOS: ©ALDEN CORRIGAN MEDIA

STORY BY GLENYE OAKFORD

“People walk up from the metro, look into these tents and see horses walking down the sidewalk, and they’re in awe,” Washington International Horse Show manager David Distler says.

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The New York skyline dramatically frames the Rolex Central Park Horse Show’s main ring during an Arabian class.

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PHOTO: HOWARD SCHATZBERG

H

orses were once a prominent feature of urban life. They pulled private carriages, public trams, and fire wagons, and they delivered everything from ice to beer barrels to mail. Today, they are a rarity in major American cities, confined mainly to mounted police patrols and carriage services that often cater to tourists. But thanks to urban horse shows like the US Equestrian Heritage Competition Washington International Horse Show, the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, the International Omaha, and the Longines Masters Series, horses return each year to the heart of several American cities, bringing joy and magic with them.

The effect can be spectacular, especially for those urban dwellers who have had no other contact with horses or equestrian sport. Organizers

say that’s what makes “downtown” horse shows so special and worthwhile.

“The neat thing about the urbanization of a horse show is that people who don’t get to see a horse every day get exposure to them,” said Mike West, CEO of the Omaha Equestrian Foundation, which organizes the International Omaha at the CenturyLink Center Omaha and hosted the 2017 FEI World Cup™ Finals earlier this year. “When people see a horse in a place where college basketball is played, the look on their faces is amazing.”

Urban horse shows have a long history, dating back to the horse’s heyday on city streets.

The CP National Horse Show, the nation’s oldest continually held horse show and also a US Equestrian Heritage Competition, was a fixture on New York City’s sporting and social calendar

from its founding in 1883 until 2001, its final year at Madison Square Garden (today it takes place in a more bucolic setting, the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.).

What does it take to bring horses back to the cityscape? A lot. The logistics are impressive, often involving turning indoor basketball courts or ice rinks into riding rings with safe footing, as well as building temporary stalls and viewing areas.

It takes about 150 truckloads of arena footing, equipment, bedding, and more to transform the Wollman Rink in New York’s Central Park into an Arabian, dressage, and show jumping venue for the five-day Rolex Central Park Horse Show each fall, says Michael Stone of Equestrian Sport Productions.

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PHOTOS: ©ALDEN CORRIGAN MEDIA, OMAHA EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION

concrete to enable drainage, and then we put a layer of fabric,” Stone explained. “We put the footing on top of that. In total, it’s about a foot deep.”

And that’s just for the footing, which is stored off site and accounts for about 60 truckloads by itself.

“It’s all about the logistics of getting everything in and out, because shows that are done in cities tend not to be done in complexes that are designed for horses,” Stone said. “So everything has to be brought in, and everything has to be taken away again.”

The Central Park Show includes two arenas—a show ring and a warm-up ring, as well as a 60-stall secure stabling complex.

“Most builds like that would take two weeks, and we do it in five days,” said Stone.

Central Park, with its lack of parking, limited access for trucks, and restricted hours—Stone can only make deliveries between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.—make it one of the equestrian world’s more daunting venues. By contrast, CenturyLink Center Omaha is spacious, says West.

“Our dock area is huge, and we have great access into the building, which has high and wide entrances that make it easy to get dump trucks in and out,” West explained. “We can have the stabling, vendor area, and the competition on the same level. For us, the challenges aren’t quite what they are for other North American urban venues.”

But these major shows in downtown Omaha, the Big Apple, or the nation’s capital do share a lot of the same logistical issues, including a tight timetable. Because metropolitan venues host many other events, from pro sports to concerts to conventions, horse show producers have a narrow window to get in, get out, and clean up.

“There’s a hockey game every year on the Saturday night before we move in,” explained David Distler, who manages the Washington International show at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. “Once the hockey game is over, they get rid of the ice. The ice in a hockey arena is only about an inch thick, so they turn off the freezers under the floor, and as the ice melts, they push the ice out through a big chute at the end of the arena.”

Distler’s crews will begin at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning after that last hockey game, and by 5 a.m. the following morning, the WIHS’s 1,200 tons of sand-and-fiber footing will be in place, ready for leveling. Before they install the footing, Distler’s crews must extend the hockey rink’s area, making it longer; put up the show ring’s walls; install scoreboards; and bring in and store numerous

Schoolchildren get a closer look at horses in town for the Washington International Horse Show in 2016.

Bottom: Fans at International Omaha interact with horses in an educational zone, including a Gallery of Breeds, at the CenturyLink Center Omaha.

“We need to do a good job of presenting our sport in a fan-friendly way so people can learn and appreciate how great equestrian sports actually are,” says Omaha Equestrian Foundation CEO Mike West.

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The urban horse show has a grand tradition in the United States, dating back to a time when the horse was a more common feature of urban life.

The National Horse Show, founded in 1883 in New York City, honored this equestrian history with a coaching parade in 1927 photographed by Ira Haas.

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF OMAHA EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION (TOP), NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM, MIDDLEBURG, VA., HARRY WORCESTER SMITH ARCHIVE (BOTTOM)

Transformation complete: the CenturyLink Center Omaha (above), home to the Creighton University men’s basketball team, also hosts the annual International Omaha show and this year held the FEI World Cup Finals™.

items, including jumps, security fencing, shavings, plants, trophies, and more. “We can’t do those deliveries once the footing is in,” Distler said.

To make the schedule, building in and breaking down the horse show must run like clockwork. That, say organizers, can be the most challenging part of putting on an urban show, and it requires meticulous, often year-long planning.

“It’s almost like the domino effect: you have to get A done before you do B before you do C,” said Distler, who also handled production of the National Horse Show in one of its years at Madison Square Garden in New York City—one of a number of sites the show occupied when it was an urban competition. “If B gets messed up, then C and D will also be messed up, as well. That’s the hardest part, making sure that everything goes exactly according to schedule, both moving in and moving out.

“The big difference between the Washington and National Horse Show venues was that, at the Garden, everything was

inside the building, including the stabling,” said Distler. “Once you were inside the building, everything went easily. It was just getting everything in and out.

At the Verizon Center in D.C., we have to shut down three streets, put up tents and stalls in the streets, and to do all that you’re constantly working with different people in the city who come by and check on permits and things like that.

“The hardest part [for the National Horse Show] at Madison Square Garden was that you were on the fifth floor, including the horses, so everything had to go up one way, all up the same little ramp,” continued Distler. “For the horses, we laid down cocoa matting and the stalls were backstage.

“Each place has its own unique challenges, but it’s enjoyable,” he added. “The most important thing is to have good people, and I’m a firm believer in hiring good people and letting them do their jobs.”

In venues with limited space, like Washington International and the National Horse Show, equine arrivals and

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departures also must be carefully coordinated, as the horses don’t stay on the grounds for the entire show.

Washington International uses the Prince George’s Equestrian Center as a staging area, and horses ship from there to the show on a strict schedule, with up to 20 tractor-trailer loads of horses shipping in and out on the show’s busiest day. There’s a similar arrangement for Central Park, says Stone.

“All the horses have to be in by 6 a.m., so we stable them in Gladstone (N.J.) and bring them in starting at 4 a.m.,” he said. “They bring them in, unload them, load the horses that were competing the night before, and away they go.”

“We have to bring everything in: every piece of dirt, every VIP table, every stall, every mat for every stall,” said Omaha Equestrian Foundation’s West, adding that the build-in time for International Omaha is about two days and three hours. “Major buildings like this are expensive to rent, and good ones stay busy.”

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What goes in must come out, and the exit after an urban show is equally choreographed and fast.

“We’re out in 24 hours,” West said. “We have about 100 volunteers who help with move-in and move-out, and we hire 10-15 temporary workers. The building also has a group of workers who work on these events.

It’s a lean business.”

But for all the logistical complexities of bringing horse sports into the city, the joy that comes with them makes it all worthwhile. An urban horse show also presents an educational opportunity, says West.

“We have a 20,000-square-foot educational expo along with the show,” West said. “We bring busloads of kids in for that; for the World Cup Finals, we bused in over 3,000 kids. The kids in the urban areas don’t have the opportunity to touch horses. We have a Gallery of Breeds with very kid-friendly horses from eight or nine different breeds, from ponies to very large horses, so the kids can actually touch a horse and see the differences between the breeds.”

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF OMAHA EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION (TOP), HOWARD SCHATZBERG

For the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, Stone’s team builds a temporary, secure stabling complex with 60 stalls.

Opposite: Urban horse shows can overcome limited stabling by running shuttles for equine athletes, bringing horses in from a staging area to compete.

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PHOTO: MEG BANKS

Horses aren’t just for kids, of course, and even jaded commuters can be transfixed by the unexpected appearance of equine athletes in the middle of the city.

“I’m out on the street a lot, and I’ll see people walking by just staring,” said Distler. “I hand out tickets on the street, telling people, ‘Come by, bring the family, and see the show.’ People say, ‘There are horses in there?’ They’re amazed. The metro is right below the Verizon Center, and so people walk up from the metro, look into these tents and see horses walking down the sidewalk, and they’re in awe. It’s a great horse show, and it’s an important horse show, so when you’re done, the majority of the people are happy, and you know you’ve put on a good horse show, that’s very satisfying. To me, the most important thing is that you want people to come, have a great time, and want to come back.”

The hope is that city-dwellers who might not otherwise encounter horses or equestrian sport will become fans and even participants.

“The reaction of the kids, especially, when they see horses and can actually go up and pet them, is unbelievable,” said Stone. “Last year, Charlotte Dujardin came with Valegro, and she allowed the public to come and touch him. It was the most unbelievable experience, with hundreds of people and kids. By giving people who don’t get the opportunity too often to get close to a horse and realize that they’re powerful and exciting animals, but they’re also very gentle in their own way—it just creates fans and a bond, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

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Giving people the chance to be near and touch a horse can help them become lifelong fans of equestrian sport. Here, visitors to the 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show gather around dressage star Valegro.

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One Year Until FEI World Equestrian Games™ Comes to North Carolina, USA

With more than 500,000 people expected to attend the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG), the 12-day spectacle of equestrian champions is one of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar and will be the largest equestrian event in North Carolina’s history. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, October 16, 2017. Competition action at WEG 2018 runs from September 12 through September 23, 2018, with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for September 11.

A variety of ticketing types and prices will be offered, such as an All Games Pass for each week of competition or both weeks, an All Session Day Pass, All Session Discipline Pass, as well as individual event tickets, and opening and closing ceremonies. Ticket prices vary, but include an inexpensive Day Pass that gives attendees access to event grounds and expo only. A complete list of ticketing options will be available online at www.tryon2018.com or www.Ticketmaster.com.

Accommodations for the 2018 WEG are being managed by Connections 112 FALL ISSUE 2017

Housing, a full-service sourcing, housing and event management company.

Held every four years alternating with the Olympic Games, the FEI World Equestrian GamesT™ combines the world championships for jumping, dressage and para-dressage, eventing, driving, reining, vaulting and endurance into one massive 12-day event.

Prior to winning the bid to host WEG 2018, Polk County, North Carolina, dwelt as a hidden gem, tucked away in the bucolic Blue Ridge Foothills, bordering South Carolina. Surrounded by bold mountains and scenic foothills, the area is conveniently located within an hour of top cities including Asheville and Charlotte in North Carolina and Greenville in South Carolina. The rural community now joins the league of iconic destinations around the world - like Normandy, Stockholm, Rome and Aachen - to host equestrian sport’s most distinguished championships.

For more information about tickets and accommodations, visit www.tryon2018.com.

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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 the United States Equestrian Federation Suspension List online, which is searchable by name, at USequestrian.org: hover over the Compete tab on the homepage. In the menu that appears, click Suspension List under Rules & Regulations. To read complete Hearing Committee and Administrative Penalty rulings online, hover over the Compete tab and under Rules & Regulations, click Rulings & Findings. Hearing Committee rulings and Administrative Penalty rulings also are searchable by name.

For information on US Equestrian’s Equine Drugs and Medications Program, best practices, and how to avoid drug violations, visit our online Learning Center.

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 19, 2017.

DIONE CLARK of Clayton, NC, violated Chapter 9, GR913.3 of this Federation, in connection with the HITS- On- The Husdon VIII Horse Show held on September 8-11, 2010; the HITS-On-The-Hudson IV Horse Show held on July 20-24, 2011; and the Blowing Rock Charity II Horse Show held on August 3-7, 2016, in that she was reported three times for making nonnegotiable payments toward entry fees.

The Hearing Committee noted that Ms. Clark did not attend the hearing but that by the date of the hearing she had paid off all of the amounts due to the licensed competitions and to the Federation. Ms. Clark did submit a written statement explaining the circumstances that lead to the Charge.

Accordingly, for this violation of the rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that DIONE CLARK be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and was also fined $500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. Hearing Committee on April 19, 2017.

KAREN HIPPNER of Lakewood, NJ, violated Chapter 7, GR703.1b; GR703.1c; GR703.1f of this Federation, in connection 114 FALL ISSUE 2017

with the Horse Park of New Jersey Horse Trials II held on July 30-31, 2016, in that she was on Competition grounds and competed while suspended, thereby failing to obey a penalty imposed by the Federation.

The Hearing Committee noted that Ms. Hippner did not attend the hearing, did not challenge the allegations and as of the date of the hearing she had not paid the amounts due in connection with her initial suspension. The Hearing Committee had concerns that because Ms. Hippner has not resolved her indebtedness to a Licensed Competition and the Federation, that she does not appear to be taking her responsibilities seriously and was content to violate Federation rules. Accordingly, the Hearing Committee members present ruled unanimously that for this violation of the rules, that KAREN HIPPNER be fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

The Hearing Committee further directed that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f KAREN HIPPNER be found not in good standing, suspended from membership and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for one month, 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 one month suspension shall commence on July 1, 2017 and terminate at midnight on July 31, 2017. However, should Ms. Hippner not resolve her automatic suspension prior to the one month suspension set forth above, her one month suspension shall run in full from the date upon which her automatic suspension is lifted.

Any horse or horses, completely or in part 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 time period.

Furthermore, the Hearing Committee directed that KAREN HIPPNER must return for redistribution all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by her at said competition and must pay a $300 fee to the competition in connection with this penalty pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. Hearing Committee on April 19, 2017.

GREG SCOTT of Parker, CO, violated Chapter 7, GR702.1d, of this Federation, in connection with the F.A.S.H. Spring Horse Show held on May 5-8, 2016, in that he used inappropriate language and over worked a horse, which was showing signs of fatigue and distress.

In determining the proper penalty for the violation, the evidence in this case demonstrated that Mr. Scott admitted to losing

his temper and swearing at the horse when it was noncompliant.

The Steward examined the horse and reportedly found no evidence of abuse. Therefore, the Hearing Committee determined that Mr. Scott violated GR702.1d by his use of frustrated profanity in the presence of numerous onlookers, coupled with his visually disturbing attempts to correct the horse’s behavior when it was in obvious distress. Rather than leaving the ring immediately, Mr. Scott let his frustration get the better of him and he continued to work his horse under circumstances that created the impression of abuse to onlookers. Accordingly, the Hearing Committee unanimously ruled that the following penalties are appropriate for the violation.

For this violation of the rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, GREG SCOTT 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 May 1, 2018, and terminate at midnight on June 30, 2018. Any horse or horses,

completely or in part owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation or stable of his, or shown in his name or for his 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 time period.

The Hearing Committee further directed that GREG SCOTT be fined $2,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. Hearing Committee on April 20, 2017.

BRADLEY PETTITT of Ravenna, OH, violated Chapter 7, GR702.1d of this Federation, in connection with the U.S. National Arabian & Half-Arabian National Championship Horse Show held October 21-29, 2016, in that he acted in an unsportsmanlike manner when he failed to follow the directive of the Steward to exit the arena while it was closed for cleaning and when Mr. Pettitt did finally exit the arena he caused the horse he was driving to collide with an unoccupied truck, causing damage to the truck.

BeforeVA.0717.USEFPAK.pdf reaching its deci-1 sion, the Hearing Committee

considered the evidence and live testimony presented at the hearing. The Hearing Committee was not convinced that Mr. Pettitt knowingly and intentionally drove his horse into the maintenance truck. Rather the evidence appeared to show that the horse was to some degree out of control and resisting the left hand turn to the gate and the truck was otherwise squarely in its path. The Hearing Committee unanimously found that Mr. Pettitt violated GR702.1d by failing to leave the ring when requested by the Steward. Accordingly, the Hearing Committee determined that the following penalty is appropriate.

For this violation of the rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that BRADLEY PETTITT be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and was also fined $2,000 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.

7/21/17

12:03 PM

ARABIAN HORSE ASSOCIATION of Aurora, CO, violated Chapter 10, GR1004.1 of this Federation, in connection with the U.S. National Arabian & Half-Arabian National Championship held on October 21-29, 2016, in that as Competition Management, they allowed Joel Brainard to officiate as the Reining Judge without a license or a Guest Judge Card.

For this violation, it was determined that ARABIAN HORSE ASSOCIATION be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

DEBORAH BIANCO of Far Hills, NJ, violated HU103.6 of this Federation, in connection with the ESP Holiday Circuit Finale Horse Show held January 4-8, 2017; the WEF 3 Horse Show held January 25-29, 2017; the WEF 4 Horse Show held February 1-5, 2017; the WEF 6 Horse Show held February 15-19, 2017; the WEF 9 Horse Show held March 8-12, 2017; the WEF 10 Horse Show held March 15-19, 2017; the WEF 11 Horse Show held March 22-26, 2017; the WEF 12 Horse Show held March 29-April 2, 2017; and the Garden State Horse Show held May 3-7, 2017, in that her horse, CROMWELL, competed in the Green Hunter Section. However, according to Federation records,

CROMWELL competed over fences of 3’ or higher in Hunter or Hunter/Jumper Seat Equitation classes at USEF Licensed Competitions during the 2015 and 2016 competition years, thus the horse was not eligible for the Green Hunter Division in 2017.

For this violation, it was determined that DEBORAH BIANCO be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and must return for redistribution all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won

by CROMWELL, in the Green Hunter Sections, at the above named competitions and must pay a $300 fee to each competition in connection with this penalty pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

COURTNEY BOYD of Wellington, FL, violated Chapter 4, GR410 of this Federation, in connection with the WEF 12 Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC Horse Show held on March 29-April 2, 2017, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse, CASTINO 6, after it had been administered and/or contained in its body dexamethasone in a plasma concentration exceeding the maximum permitted level.

For this violation it was determined that COURTNEY BOYD be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $750 pursuant

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FOR THE RECORD 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 CASTINO 6 at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

ANNE BYERS of Grants Pass, OR, and OREGON HORSE CENTER of Eugene, OR, violated Chapter 10, GR1034.4 of this Federation, in connection with the Rally In The Valley Part One Horse Show held March 23-26, 2017; Arabian Fall Classic Horse Show held September 30 – October 2, 2016; Rally In The Valley Horse Show held March 24-27, 2016; and Arabian Fall Classic Horse Show held September 25-27, 2015, in that Anne Byers officiated as Steward for four consecutive competitions run by the same management.

For this violation, it was determined that ANNE BYERS and OREGON HORSE CENTER each be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and each be fined $500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

CRISTIN CHASTAIN of Lawrenceburg, KY, violated Chapter 4, GR410-411 of this Federation, in connection with the Ocala Winter Classic Horse Show held on February 7-12, 2017, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse BRIGHTSIDE after it had been administered and/or contained in its body hydroxyzine and cetirizine. The facts and mitigating factors in this case supported the following penalty even though it is below the suggested range for Category II Violations outlined in the Drugs and Medications Penalty Guidelines.

For this violation it was determined that CRISTIN CHASTAIN 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 BRIGHTSIDE at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

ELIZABETH CUNNIFFE of South Salem, NY, violated Chapter 4, GR410 of this Federation, in connection with National Horse Show held on November 1-6, 2016, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse, SET TO MUSIC, after it had been administered and/or contained in its body flunixin in a plasma concentration exceeding the maximum permitted level.

For this violation it was determined that ELIZABETH CUNNIFFE be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $750 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and 116 FALL ISSUE 2017

monies, if any, won by SET TO MUSIC at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

HEATHER FOUNTAIN of Tucson, AZ, violated Chapter 8, GR802.1 of this Federation, in connection with the Sahuaro Classic Hunter/Jumper Horse Show held February 22-26, 2017, in that she mounted her horse in the stabling area following a class, without her helmet on, and she fell off after the horse spooked.

Before reaching a decision, the Hearing Committee noted that this was Ms. Fountain’s first year of membership with the Federation and first licensed competition.

They noted that in her excitement of how well she performed she jumped on her horse for a picture without realizing she had removed her helmet. Accordingly, on the basis of the information provided, the Federation issued the following penalty.

For this violation, it was determined that HEATHER FOUNTAIN be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $750 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

IANA GONZALEZ of Wellington, FL, violated Chapter 4, GR410-411 of this Federation, in connection with the Wellington Classic Autumn Dressage Horse Show held on October 22-23, 2016, in that, she, as trainer, exhibited the horse LORD CHUBBY after it had been administered 2-(1-hydroxyethyl) promazine sulfoxide.

For this violation it was determined that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, IANA GONZALEZ 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 October 1, 2017 and terminate at midnight on November 30, 2017. 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.

IANA GONZALEZ was also fined $3,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for these violations of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by LORD CHUBBY at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

RODOLFO GUZZO of Scottsdale, AZ, violated AR105.3 of this Federation, in connection with the U.S. National Arabian & Half-Arabian National Championship Horse Show held on October 21-29, 2016, in that, he, as trainer, exhibited the horse ARABELLA ORA after it had been administered and/or contained on its body gingerol.

For this violation it was determined that RODOLFO GUZZO be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $2,500 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 ARABELLA ORA at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

HUNTER FARMS of Princeton, NJ, violated Chapter 12, GR1211.4 and JP105.5 of this Federation, in connection with the $5,000 Children’s/Adult Nations Cup Team and Individual Competitions held at the Princeton Show Jumping

August Horse Show held August 24-28, 2016, in that HUNTER FARMS, as Competition Management, allowed an exhibitor to receive a clean score without jumping the course, following her witnessing the collapse of the horse competing while she was on deck. Furthermore, Hunter Farms then made changes to the schedule and class specifications of the Nations Cup which negatively impacted several exhibitors and affected the overall scores of both the team and individual results.

For this violation, it was determined that HUNTER FARMS be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

HAILEY MCLAUGHLIN, of Knoxville, TN, violated Chapter 13, GR1306.4d and GR1306.4i, of this Federation, in connection with the Majestic Farm April Adventures I Horse Show held April 8-9, 2017, in that she maintained amateur status and competed in amateurrestricted classes; however, she was receiving sponsorships.

For these violations of Federation Rules, it was determined that HAILEY MCLAUGHLIN be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

It was further directed that HAILEY MCLAUGHLIN must return for redistribution all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies,

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if any, won by her at said competition and must pay a $300 fee to the competition in connection with this penalty pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 7, GR703.1g. Furthermore, HAILEY MCLAUGHLIN shall forfeit her amateur status until such time she becomes qualified to reapply for amateur status under Chapter 13, GR1306.

JENNIFER MOSKAL of Loxahatchee, FL, violated Chapter 4, GR410-411 of this Federation, in connection with the Wellington Classic Autumn Dressage Horse Show held on October 22-23, 2016, in that, she, as trainer, exhibited the horse DON WYATSON IF after it had been administered gabapentin.

For this violation it was determined that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, JENNIFER MOSKAL 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 October 1, 2017 and terminate at midnight on November 30, 2017. 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.

JENNIFER MOSKAL was fined $2,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for these violations of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by DON WYATSON IF at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

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118 FALL ISSUE 2017

ERIN PEABODY of Winchester, VA, violated Chapter 9, GR901.4 of this Federation, in connection with the Dressage at Lexington Horse Show held July 15-17, 2016; the CDCTA Dressage at Glenwood Park Horse Show held August 20-21, 2016; the PVDA at Loch Moy Farm Horse Show held September 3, 2016;

the Potomac Valley Dressage at Loch Moy 2 Horse Show held September 4, 2016; the VADA/ NOVA Autumn I Horse Show held September 10-11, 2016; the GAIG/ USDF Region 1 Championships Horse Show held September 15-18, 2016; the Dressage at Devon Horse Show held September 27October 2, 2016; the 34th Annual CBLM Championships & Virginia Dressage Horse Show held October 13-16, 2016; and the NCDCTA Harvest Moon Dressage Horse Show held October 13- 16, 2016, in that after purchasing the horse, DRAGONHEART 18, she continued to compete the horse under the previous owner’s name.

For this violation, it was determined that ERIN PEABODY be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $250 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that ERIN PEABODY submit to the Federation the USEF Transfer of Ownership for the horse, DRAGONHEART 18.

JIMMY TORANO of Wellington, FL, violated Chapter 4, GR410-411 of this Federation, in connection with the Ocala Championship Horse Show held on March 21-26, 2017, in that he, as trainer, exhibited the horse CAREWICZ after it had been administered and/or contained in its body meloxicam.

For this violation of the rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that JIMMY TORANO be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by CAREWICZ at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

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