AHS 12th Edition

2015 FEI

Rolex from local

WORLD CUP ELISA WALLACE WESTERN DRESSAGE and much more!

Learning from the LEGEND...

GEORGE MORRIS

Penny Morse Editor For everyone that wondered if Atlanta Horse Connections would appear again, well, here we are! There have been some significant changes over the last few months. Katya Manjossova has found it

Atlanta Horse Connections magazine is now a part of City Horse Connections an equestrian network bringing equine world together, one city at the time ...

necessary to step aside and concentrate on her other interests. She will still add to the magazine from time to time, but as for now she is no longer a permanent member of the team. We wish her every success with HKM Georgia. Look for the bus! We sadly lost our friend and columnist Dee McMaster. Her passing was sudden and unexpected, leaving her family devastated, and a huge gap here at Atlanta Horse Connections. We hope to find a writer, soon, with similar wit and knowledge, so we may attempt to fill the space overhead, but we hope you will still continue to enjoy our articles and continue to support our advertisers who believed in us during these

Heidi Caldwell Creative Director Atlanta Horse Connections welcomes Heidi Caldwell. She is a freelance art director with over twenty years of design and advertising experience. A

CA

LO

difficult times. Thank you for your support.

CITY HORSE CONNECTIONS LE

QUE

S T RIA N

W NET

KS

she left. The layout has also been changed slightly changed to modify our

OR

...more locations are coming - get connected...

For more information or to request a media kit Please contact Penny Morse designonpenny@yahoo.com 770.316.8655

lifelong horse owner, she rides dressage and competes her warmbloods in

/atlantahorseconnections

Region III.

All articles and pictures are owned and copyrighted by City Horse Connections, a subsidiary of JJP Group, Penelope Morse and Heidi Caldwell.

Reproduction of copyrighted material, without prior permission of the copyright owner, is illegal according to 17 U.S.C. Reproductions of copyright materials apply not only to traditional works such as books, photographs, drawings, etc., but also digital media such as music, movies and software. Š2015

8 what’s INSIDE 4

HUNTER JUMPER Learning from the Legend, George Morris

HUNTER JUMPER

13 20 22

24 26 36

Back to Basics with Harrison Ford

DRESSAGE

FEI World Cup 2015 Meet Laura Graves Who is Your Trainer?

EVENTING

46

INTERNATIONAL

Taken for a Ride in Greece, Part III

WELLNESS

The Monensin Outcome Horses Healing Humans

Stepping Up with Clayton Fredericks The Lainey Ashker Experience In Memory of Dee McMaster

28 ©2015 Liz Crawley Photography

38 40

EVENTING Rolex with Elisa Wallace

©2015 Liz Crawley Photography

48 50

WESTERN

Western Dressage

ART S & ENTERTAINMENT Who Says Reds Aren’t for Summer?

ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

But let’s imagine a scenario where we present the same 1.10 meter ‘stadium’ course to an eventing horse rider team that is showing at preliminary and a hunter jumper pair who competes in the junior medals and equitation classes. Let’s imagine that each pair puts in an okay effort – a few mistakes are made, but they complete the course without any, “Oh, dear Jesus, I need to close my eyes” moments.

What mistakes do we think the junior hunter rider might have made? I imagine there might be a tight or long distance.

Maybe a chip at a single oxer, perhaps a couple of time faults, but they would maintain a nice rhythm, have no rails down, execute the proper strides for related distances, and a smattering of polite applause would follow their closing circle.

when all else fails,

go back to BASICS

HUNTER JUMPER

Harrison Ford

4

Last issue I wrote about the biases we all harbor regarding each others’ riding disciplines. All horse people have a generalized view of the various facets of our sport and some negative stereotypes emerge as a part of that. I talked in detail about these biases particularly how they affect the hunter/jumper and eventing realms. Both are loyal to their chosen endeavors and often quick to negate or diminish the pursuits of the other. It is my belief that we can not only learn a great deal from each other but also work together to aid each other in becoming better riders and horsemen in general. As a hunter jumper professional, I’ve been known to make a joke or two at the expense of my eventer friends, but I won’t hesitate to admit that I have a great appreciation and respect for the commitment and work ethic that they demonstrate day in and day out. The typical weekend warrior hunter rider might take one or two weekly lessons and show up 30 minutes prior to her class on show day – enough time to put on her helmet and boots and give her perfectly prepped mount a treat before heading to the show ring. The weekend warrior eventer has most likely hauled her own horse to the show, bathed, clipped, fed, picked the stall, cleaned the tack, downed a couple of red bulls and jogged the cross country course by 6am.

Hunter jumper riders tend to have well seasoned over qualified mounts if they are showing over fences of 3 ft. or higher. For junior riders the level of prior experience one’s horse has, typically skyrockets when the fences are 3’6” +. It’s not uncommon for grand prix veterans to introduce riders to the equitation and junior jumper divisions. As trainers we see the value of a horse that can accelerate the student’s learning curve and provide positive confidence boosting experiences. Well schooled horses enable a less educated rider to experience a well executed lead change, balanced canter, organized approach to a jump, quality jumping effort etc. so that the rider not only has an intellectual understanding of what needs to take place, but can learn the essential feel that is necessary to find good distances and safely negotiate complex and technical courses.

Of course the safety factor is huge. A schoolmaster that

How would we imagine the eventing pairs round? A bold gallop that attacks the course, and several jumps taken at a leave out distance. Lead changes? Maybe. Refusals? Definitely not! But in spite of a rail or two on the ground we’d hear a roar of applause over the gutsy pair’s quick time on the scoreboard.

The eventing riders who I have had experience teaching, have all been mounted on horses that were either very green or had been purchased by these riders as green prospects ‘project horses’ often thoroughbreds off the track. Most of them live for the adrenaline rush of cross country and have bold forward horses that seem to truly enjoy galloping over jumps in the open. Likewise most of them have been struggling to turn in clear rounds in their stadium phases. I attribute a lot of this to the fast pace at which it seems all event riders wish to climb the levels of their discipline. They take lessons and school cross country and attend clinics trying to soak up all the information they can to navigate the next height up and go a little faster. How many times have I heard, ‘I can’t wait to run prelim’ or, ‘I really want to do a 1 star this season’. Many of these riders are eager to move up after just a few competitions at a given level even if they performed terribly in dressage or had 20+ faults in stadium. Do these riders really feel that they and their mounts are not being challenged enough?

Or are they just thinking ‘well my horse is game. He wasn’t even slowing down. He can jump bigger.’

In my opinion the majority of these riders are not ready to move up as fast as they think they

ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

knows its job is much less likely to put a rider in a dicey situation on course and often has enough experience to ‘bail out’ so to speak, a rider that may have made some poor choices on course.

HUNTER JUMPER 5

ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

The Goal:Practice this exercise at small heights so the horse can learn: • Rhythm • Track • Jumping Style • Self Adjustment

can. They and their horses have not demonstrated mastery that comes with consistent performance at a comfortable level until it becomes routine and second nature. This is dangerous and we have seen the consequences that one wrong decision or over confident move can make on cross country. It is my hope that one day the eventing governing bodies will develop a qualification scale of standard skills that must be demonstrated before allowing riders to enter more and more difficult levels of competition. I encourage my students, who event, to practice simple exercises over small jumps at home. I encourage them to take a less aggressive competitive approach to their training sessions and focus on the finer points of balance, pace and track that can be achieved, and strengthened through repetition of fundamentals. As they say PERFECT practice makes perfect. It can be just as difficult to execute a simple gymnastic perfectly 3 times in a row as it is to clear a 5’ triple bar once – perhaps even more difficult, because one demonstrates the ability to consistently reproduce the desired result and the other can be done with just a little guts and luck.

HUNTER JUMPER

Exercise #1

6

Place a simple vertical set 2’6” to 3’0” (with ground rails on each side). Place a rail on the ground (step rail) in front of the vertical approx. 24-27ft. away. Approach the step rail at a medium paced canter with as straight a track as possible. Canter over the step and allow your horse to take one stride between it and the jump, and then jump the vertical. By practicing and repeating this exercise, the horse can earn self adjustment by teaching itself to reach the jumping that one stride. You as the rider will learn patience by learning to maintain the same rhythm to the step rail, so the one stride between it and the vertical, does not seem rushed or quick.

The rider can also learn to work on their position, by concentrating on sitting very still and holding their posture in the one stride prior to the jump and then by not over exaggerating their 2 point or jumping position in the air, while they jump the vertical.

Practice this exercise so the rider can learn: • The ability to set a consistent rhythm • The ability to maintain and choose straight track • The ability to keep correct posture and position before, and in the air, and after the jump • The ability to enable the horse, not inhibit the horse to help find the step rails and then allow the jump to happen without forcing anything

Some common mistakes you may encounter: Meeting the step rail incorrectly. This can prevent the horse from making the appropriate one stride between the step rail and the vertical. If this occurs more than once, the rider should set the vertical down to a cross rail and continue to practice until the step rail can be met consistently and the one stride performed with ease.

The horse is unable to complete only one stride between the step rail and the vertical, and performs 1 ½ or 2 strides instead. If this occurs, adjust the step rail by rolling it towards the vertical in 2 feet increments, until the horse is capable of fitting in only one stride.

This may take a few practice runs until you find the horse’s sweet spot, allowing for a comfortable and easy stride to occur with a relaxed and smooth jumping horse, on approach, through the exercise and as they canter away.

Save the Date!

Georgia Dressage

&

Combined Training Association

is honored to

be hosting its first CDI*** dressage show in 2016. You are invited to join us for all the excitement!

April 8-10, 2016

Greater Atlanta Dressage Southern I/II CDI3*/U25/Y/J (Competition ID: 661/328930)

Georgia International Horse Park Conyers, Georgia What’s a CDI?

CDI stands for Concours de Dressage International which means international

caliber dressage competition with FEI rules and regulations in place.

www.GDCTA.org

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

It was a warm spring day in Senoia, Georgia. A large group of riders and sport advocates gathered together to experience firsthand, the teaching of the legendary rider and trainer – George Morris. The clinic was hosted at the area’s premier facility – Willow Dell Equestrian Center, under management of Maureen Forman. Morris was teaching at the venue to instill the foundation of good horsemanship in the riders and auditors.

Learning from HUNTER JUMPER

Katya Manjossova

8

the

Legend

George Morris does not need an introduction to our sport. After retiring as Chef d’Equipe for the United States Show Jumping Team, Morris set his sights on developing the future of the sport, by conducting clinics around the world.

He focuses on helping riders develop correct form and function. Morris, often referred to as the founding father of hunt seat equitation, is revered around the world for his technique and style. Over the course of his career, Morris has been highly successful as a rider, coach, clinician, author and judge.

It was a busy clinic, and to accommodate a large turnout, riders were divided into groups by skills and abilities. He began with the basic foundation of flat work, introducing the riders to his established flat work regimen, and emphasized dressage skills as the way to achieve correctness. “Without correct flat work, you cannot be successful in jumping.”

After the warming up, the group continued to jumping.

The riders changed to their jumping stirrups, while Morris discussed body position over the jumps. Position is not for

The starting fence was a cross rail, as this is the height where you resolve your issues. Students patiently waited in line, as Morris watched and commented on each individual student, stressing impulsion, rhythm, body position and crest release. Morris mentions the importance of the two-point position. He said riding in two-point develops a strong lower body. He stresses that “here in America, we have style”.

riders to jump a combination of 4 jumps along the diagonal of the arena. Placing himself not far away from the ending jump, he asked the riders to ride the combination without looking down or being distracted by the horse. “I don’t care what your horse does, I don’t care what your horse does,” he repeated twice. “Keep your eyes up all the time and watch where you are going. Stop your horse right in front of me, not on the left, not on the right, in front of me.” He assigned people from the audience to come out to the arena and become judges by standing next to each jump. They had to watch every rider riding the combination and report back what each rider did over each jump.

“Here in America, we have style.”

The master of perfection always explains to the riders, the importance of each exercise. In another session, George asked

– GM

The mid day break for lunch was a great time to introduce myself and ask George a couple of questions for the magazine. But I didn’t count on getting my questions answered right then. Better at 5 o’clock George said - while looking at one point in front of him - “I have to focus on the riders right now,” he added. The lunch was wonderful and Maureen was a perfect hostess. She served a traditional southern cuisine, with drinks, desert in a cozy environment. The atmosphere was friendly and tranquil, with slight anticipation from the riders about to experience their ride with George Morris!

HUNTER JUMPER

During one exercise George demonstrated the right and wrong way to sit in the saddle. Leaning slightly backwards and rocking in the saddle at the canter, he asked the audience what was wrong with his seat. Not waiting for their answer, he explained that riding too far back in the saddle is incorrect and causes pain to the horse’s back. He corrected his position to slightly forward to demonstrate a better unison between rider and horse.

ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

cosmetic purposes, but it puts you in a place where you can best influence the horse. “Sit down and straight, but not backward.

Keep a light seat. Do not over-exaggerate.”

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

Traditional southern style lunch was served in a beautiful, but cozy environment.

HUNTER JUMPER

My turn with “The Boss” allowed some of his friendlier side to come out!

10

When 5 o’clock came, I was called to talk with the ‘boss’.

I knew George was tired from long day teaching, so instead of interviewing him I just decided to report on the clinic and what I observed during the day. I introduced myself and showed George the magazine. He flipped through the pages and said that it was a great idea to have a local network connecting local riders.

When I started to talk, he immediately asked me if I was Russian, I said, “yes, and how do you know?” The friendlier side of George came out and he told me that he spent quite sometime in Moscow. He said he gave clinics

ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

He practices what he preaches... “Keep your eyes up all the time and watch where you are going.” – GM

and making sure that his visitor would not suspect that he was a foreigner. The unknown visitor left in confusion, and George was happy that he had outsmarted the intruder. The next day George was told that it was one of the apartment supervisors who wanted to offer him a cup of tea!

George just smiled back at me… and I was very pleased to see a warm and funny side of George Morris. Thank you for a great time and a great story. I hope you don’t mind me to telling it to our readers.

HUNTER JUMPER

there in a club called “Bitsa” – ironically enough the same place where I trained during my youth. He was very charming, telling me the story of how during one of the visits to Moscow, during soviet times, he was staying in an apartment provided by his host. It was back when the USA and the old Soviet Union were not so friendly.

George was instructed not to come in contact with anyone. He was told that it was very dangerous and that his luggage could get stolen. Around 11pm one evening, someone knocked at the door of his apartment. A concerned George opened the door and started to act like he was mute. He made whistling noises, pointing to his neck trying to explain to his visitor that he could not speak

11

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

2015 fEI

WorLD CuP Heidi Caldwell

and the seemingly impossible technical challenges of the jumping course (designed by anthony D’ambrosio). the arena itself was indeed small for both disciplines. i have never seen, in an Fei competition in the united states, where there was simply no room for a warm up lap around the arena for the dressage. after a quick circle or two, riders had to enter at a within the arena itself.

Jumpers were also crammed for space with almost impossible lines and many riders have spoken out about that specifically since. the crowd was packed tight, the seats were high and steep. there was a lot of noise and electricity in the air. this was not just a horse show, it was a completely entertaining experience. before

DRESSAGE

we aLL KNow what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. but in this case, i am happy to tell all (well, mostly all) of an amazing trip to the 2015 Fei world Cup. Las Vegas was the ideal backdrop for such a prestigious event, evident by the 73,895 spectators who attended both the reem acra Fei world Cup™ Dressage Final and the Longines Fei world Cup™ Jumping Final. the mix of the two disciplines was seamless and many people who attended enjoyed seeing both platforms. even if you were a diehard jumping devotee, one certainly could not deny the beauty and technique of a 94% ride in the Grand Prix Freestyle dressage.

Likewise, dressage queens were amazed and equally impressed by the massive fences (1.60 meters with spreads up to 1.70 meters, )

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

DRESSAGE

World class shopping was as big a draw as the competition itself.

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

Atlantan Sandy Osborn with judge Stephen Clarke.

Atlantan Julie Ballard Haralson took advantage of the shopping at the LeFash booth.

be adorned with jewels. Seems like even the jumpers are starting to cave in to this a little bit too. The fabrics of jackets, shirts and breeches are all technical and lightweight and are available now in just about every price level which has been long overdue. And colors? Well, anything seems possible. Note to dressage riders – the hot colors were deep plum and teal. The trend for jumpers is bright - vivid red, french blue, khaki and greens galore. The helmets (many also full of bling) are so amazingly comfortable, they are a far cry from even the best just a few short years ago.

The shopping was of course, world class. All around the perimeter of the arena were vendors with everything you could imagine and a “Gift Fair” room with over 100 vendors that was every equine shoppers delight. This was the good stuff, my friends! The items we don’t get to see much of unless we are in Europe or shopping on their websites. From custom boots and crops adorned with jewels, I soon learned that if there is a smooth surface it can (and should)

Not every session was serious competition. Friday dressage ticket holders were treated to some variety with a Pas de Deux challenge, as the dressage riders and horses performed in pairs to music in elaborate costumes. David Blake and Shannon Peters brought Gotham City to the main arena dressed as Batman & Poison Ivy while riding Ikaros and Weltino’s Magic. Next to go was Mette Rosencrantz on Marron and Anna Dahlberg on Rico with their

DRESSAGE

and after the events, the crowd was treated to cirque de soleil performances, intense pyrotechnics and light shows, dancers, singers, impersonators (guess who?), exhibitions and much more.

It was entertaining to say the least, I even spotted a couple of fellow Atlantan’s sharing a smooch on the huge, jumbo-tron kisscam! Sandy Osborn, a Covington-based trainer and judge, was scribing for judge Stephen Clarke for both dressage finals. A very good view from the press center (and their many TV monitors) allowed me to see that so many familiar Atlanta faces.

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

Wild, Wild West performance dressed as a cowboy and Indian, complete with guns, enormous five-gallon hat and feathered headdress. The final combination was Charlotte Bredahl-Baker, dressed as Olivia Newton-John, riding Chanel and Jan Ebeling on Darling who dressed as a pretty convincing John Travolta. They and their equine counterparts danced to the well-known songs from Grease. It was a “judged” event and they earned the loudest cheers from the crowd, (as well as the most points from judges Linda Zang, Stephen Clarke, and Hans-Christian Matthiesen), which sealed their win. Stephen Clarke was in Simon Cowell mode all day however, not giving much praise and pretty much telling it like it was, saying comments like, “It was ALMOST good.” If you’ve ever ridden under him as I have, you know he probably wasn’t joking at all in his comments, but the crowd sure thought his bluntness was funny.

One of the most touching moments of the event had to be the honoring of Parry Thomas, one of the men after whom the Thomas & Mack Center is named. 94 year-old Parry, is well

known as the initial developer of Las Vegas into becoming the entertainment and gambling mecca that it is identified for today.

Parry and his wife Peggy have been long-time horse owners and ambassadors of dressage. They owned the 2003 FEI World Cup™ Dressage Champion Brentina, who was ridden by U.S. Olympic rider Debbie McDonald. Many of you may remember Brentina’s retirement at the Thomas & Mack Center during an unforgettable ceremony held at the 2009 FEI World Cup™ Finals. In an strangely similar event, another special retirement ceremony was held this year for Parry’s other dressage horse, the international sensation

Over the top Vegas influence was apparent even in the extra performances, from Batman to Grease, to showgirls and Elvis!

Wizard. Adrienne Lyle and Wizard represented the U.S. at the 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Caen, France. Debbie McDonald, was in attendance as she is who trained Adrienne and Wizard. Ending

DRESSAGE

View from the press box as the riders began to walk the final course.

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

Flexible and Fellers were tied for first but finished up second behind Geurdat.

Beezie Madden aboard Simon had a clean first round and had just one late rail in the second, finishing 4th.

that day was a unique four horse-and-rider Quadrille performance.

Geunter Seidel dressed as Elvis while riding Zamorin, and his ‘Las Vegas showgirls’ were Michelle Reilly on Umeeko, Sarah Christy on Xirope and Elizabeth Ball on Orion.

A bit of history and information about the World Cup Jumping Finals...

The impossibly tight arena, proximity of the crowds and the challenging lines made this course one that only 6 of 49 had clear.

Four rounds over three days, in an impossibly tight indoor arena with exuberant crowds - this is what international showjumping is about. It should be hard, these are the best in the world. Of fortynine rounds, only six were without fault. The final day began as a tie between USA’s Rich Fellers aboard the famous, crowd-favorite Flexible and Swiss rider Steve Guerdat on the fiery Selle Francais mare Albfuehren’s Paille. After Guerdat’s clean and blazingly fast round, Fellers and Flexible had two late rails and Guerdat took over the lead and eventually earned the final title of Champion.

He has come close to winning the title the last three years, but has fallen short each time, this time the fourth time was a charm. He

DRESSAGE

It began in 1979, and is an annual international showdown among the world’s best show jumping horses and riders. In the 36 Finals held through 2014, Germany (10) and the United States (9) have emerged with the most titles, having won the championship nineteen times between the two of them. It has been held in the United States before in Baltimore (1980), Tampa (1989), Del Mar, CA (1992) and Las Vegas (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009). The Dressage Finals were added to the event in 1986. The United States has won this championship only twice - in 2003 (Debbie McDonald with Brentina) and 2009 (Steffen Peters with Ravel).

The Final has been held in two cities in the U.S. – Los Angeles (1995) and Las Vegas (2005, 2007, 2009).

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

DRESSAGE

entered the ring with zero penalties so he had a bit of breathing room for mistakes (one surprising rail at 5A and a pretty ugly crash at the final). Not how one really wants to win, but it was enough to do the job! This impressive mare really tries her heart out for him and he has only been partnered with her for a little over a year now.

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Penelope Leprevost of France rode the bay ten-year-old Belgian stallion Vagabond de la Pomme. The pair finished with just nine penalty points, for very close second place. Anglo-European-bred wonder mare Molly Malone V, a stunning grey, was the mount for nineteen-year-old Bertram Allen. After Thursday, this teen led the pack! He finished with just nine penalty points overall as well, but a slightly slower time than Penelope and earned third place. Another crowd favorite, veteran American Beezie Madden masterfully rode the KWPN gelding Simon to a clean first round

and had just one late rail in round two to finish with ten penalty points and fourth place.

On to the Dressage...

The Grand Prix did not disappoint and was a wonderful show of precision and determination. No real surprises here as Charlotte and Valegro won by a wide margin. The rest of the pack were so close it really could have been anyone’s game. Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain and Valegro finished first with 85.414%, followed

by Edward Gal of the Netherlands with Glock’s Undercover N.O.P. earning a 79.057% and Steffen Peters of USA along with Legolas 92 earned a 76.843%.

The real fun in dressage begins when the music starts.. The freestyle was easily the most anticipated event for dressage

Steffen Peters put in a spectacular ride on Legolas and earned a 80.35 but sadly was eliminated after a trace amount of blood was found on his side after exiting the arena. In a press conference after the performance U.S. Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover stated, “The horse was absolutely 100 percent fine when he went to the arena. Sadly he did have a tiny bit of red on one side [when he came out], and the rules are the rules. Steffen is a great sportsman, understands that completely, and was his usual amazing self when he totally went with the ruling. Certainly he loves his horses like all of us, and the last thing that he would ever want is to in any way harm any animal, so certainly it’s just one of those things that sometimes happens,” Dover continued. His elimination put Laura Graves into his position in the Finals.

A relative new-comer to the international scene, U.S. rider Laura Graves, a 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ veteran, earned fourth place aboard her own 13 year-old gelding Verdades, in her first-ever FEI World Cup™ Final with a score of 79.125%.

They unexpectedly moved up a spot in the final placings as fellow teammate for USA Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 were eliminated due to a small amount of blood found on the horse’s side after the completion of their test, which is a cause for elimination according to FEI rules. In the press conference, Laura was happy and so appreciative of her horse, his abilities and their fans and sponsors. “I couldn’t be more pleased with him,” said Graves.

“This is my first trip to Las Vegas and it feels very surreal!”

The 2016 FEI World Cup will be held in Sweden and it will return the US in 2017 in Omaha, Nebraska. Get ready, Omaha, you have huge shoes to fill.

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devotees and actually drew more attendance than the jumping final. The top 18 of the world’s best horses and riders competed in the FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle, which concluded the competition of the 2015 Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final. 10,920 spectators filled the stadium to witness Saturday’s Final. No surprise to anyone in the know, last year’s winner, Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain and her wonder horse Valegro successfully defended their title. The crowd was mesmerized by the flawless and beautiful performance they were witnessing. If the judges would have announced the first 100% ever given, I would have believed it. Alas, a score a 94.196% was awarded to clinch her win. Just barely off her previous world record score from last year. Her music was easily recognizable and a crowd favorite, from the movie,“How to Train Your Dragon.”

In a press conference, Charlotte was beaming. “I had a really good ride and it’s an incredible feeling!” said Dujardin. “Having a horse like Valegro is just amazing. He goes into that arena to perform - all I have to do is steer,” she said laughingly. “I wasn’t sure how he would cope with all those people, but I think he loved the American crowd!” When asked about how she coped with the pressure knowing she was defending her title, Dujardin commented, “I don’t think of the pressure because then I wouldn’t enjoy it. I would get nervous and worry about it. So I just go in there to do my best and that’s all that I can do.”

Edward Gal (Former World Champion 2010) of the Netherlands, earned second place aboard Glock’s Undercover N.O.P. after a stunning performance, scoring 84.696%. This is Gal’s ninth FEI

World Cup™ Final appearance, and his third aboard the 14 yearold gelding Glock’s Undercover, whom Gal competed at the 2012 London Olympic Games. In the press conference he was in great spirits. “I had a great ride and I’m really happy with how my horse went today,” said Gal. “He was more relaxed today than Thursday so I could ride him a bit more.”

Last to go in the competition, Germany’s Jessica von BredowWerndl knew she had to go for it with such top scores being posted and she did not disappoint. The 14 year-old stallion Unee BB earned a score of 80.464% and took third place. This is the pair’s second trip to the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals, having placed seventh at last year’s Finals in Lyon, France. In the press conference, Jessica seemed thrilled with her horse and her experience overall. “Unee BB always tries to do his very best, and he likes to show off a little because he’s a stallion,” said von Bredow-Werndl. “I’m really happy with his performance today.”

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If the board would have shown the first 100% ever given, I would have believed it.

But a 94.196% was good enough...

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meet

Laura Graves

Seemingly out of nowhere, this Team USA rider is everywhere – the cover girl for several horse and dressage publications, the face for several prestigious sponsors and now a role model for many aspiring young riders.

Laura Graves, one of two riders representing the USA in the Dressage World Cup Finals, was kind enough to take time in between her Grand Prix and Freestyle rides, to sit down and talk with me about her horse, her competition experience at the World Cup and her goals.

I know you acquired Verdades (Diddy) as a foal in Holland.

What qualities first attracted you to Verdades to make the decision to purchase him?

My mother saw him on a videotape initially. The one thing she still says about him was that he always had a very clear sense of where his feet were going. He moved with accuracy.

He was very sure-footed. He wasn’t going to be pushed over by anybody but he wasn’t pushy. He was extremely powerful. He always had a look in his eyes, that was not wild, you never saw the white around his eyes, but it was always on fire. He still has that exact look about him today – when he runs around the paddock, he looks just like he did on that videotape as a foal with his tail in the air!

DRESSAGE

What are his favorite treats?

His favorite treats? Ha! He will eat anything, he will eat people food. He would probably eat dog food! He is so easy to feed. But his favorite, he definitely knows the word “cookie”. He also knows the word sugar, also known as “shug-shug”. He will hear it and just fling his head around and stop whatever he is doing in the arena for it.

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Horses always have their favorite moves they love to show off, so in the freestyle, what do you think is his favorite movement to execute for you?

I think his favorite part of freestyle - the place he feels really confident - is doing the extended canter into that left

Heidi Caldwell

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pirouette. The left pirouette is a real strength of his, and it can be dramatic when its done properly. It usually feels very, very easy on him. He is quite easy to collect in that movement, and it’s fun. To just fly down the centerline like that is a heck of a lot of fun!

Is this experience similar to WEG? I’d say there are very little similarities. Obviously its similar in the fact that its an extremely high level of competition. I’m glad that Edward Gal was able to make it here on this horse that was not able to attend WEG. That was kind of a disappointment. Even though, yes, maybe I ranked one higher because he wasn’t there but you want the best competition possible when presenting yourself. So that’s exciting to have him and Charlotte and Steffen to compete against. So competition is similar. As far as venue and environment goes, the stadium at WEG was massive. You walked in and our dressage arena looked tiny, the stadium was that big. This is indoor and so much smaller. So it’s just a different feel, and it’s awesome to be in the United States. In WEG when you were riding, you were just looking around for that one American flag. This is a totally different atmosphere. The majority of the people are rooting for the USA! What are your plans to prepare for the Pan Ams? I will be based at Debbie McDonald’s’s farm in Idaho. We are actually hauling there with Wizard and Adrienne Lyle, who is a good friend of mine too, after this competition and will be based there until hopefully we are named to the team.

Is Diddy a good traveler?

He was excellent here, he has become a pretty great traveler. It’s a nice flight domestically, it really is. Rather than be in a container as they do internationally, they walk right onto the plane and then build a stall around the horse that goes up to their chest, so they can see the other horses, which they really like. Jumpers have done this forever and now the dressage horse are as well.

Do you ride in the plane with him?

I do, yes. I was with him the whole time from Palm Beach here.

What are you expecting in the Pan Ams? I absolutely want us to win. It’s a team event. Which even though the World Cup feels like a team event, (and USET and USEF supports us entirely here as a team, which is an amazing feeling), but it’s technically not one. The Pan Am’s is a full team event. We have an amazing US team, so we probably will have two small tour and two big two tour horses, it’s mixed. And yes, we will bring home that team gold! We have to qualify for Rio!

Since this interview, Laura and Verdades have gone on to compete successfully in the Pan Am Games held in Toronto, Canada this past July. The American team came to Toronto with the hopes of securing their Olympic seat in Rio and were represented by Steffen Peters and Laura Graves on the bringing home team Gold! Canada won the silver and Brazil took the bronze. See you in Rio, Laura and GO TEAM USA!

DRESSAGE

big tour and Sabine Schut-Kery and Kimberly Herslow on the small tour. Team USA did not disappoint,

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who is your

Trainer?

DRESSAGE

You may have an instructor or coach who helps you on the ground or you may attend clinics as an auditor, or rider, to help you on your journey, but in your horses opinion, if you are it’s most frequent rider, then your horse would consider you, the trainer. With this awareness comes the inevitable responsibilities that go with that title. What goals do you have for your training project? How are you going to achieve them? If there are training, or misunderstanding type road blocks in the way, can you overcome them? Your aim should always be to be able to identify and then solve the connection, balance and obedience issues that will lead you and your horse towards your short and long term goals. Another trainer responsibility, one that should not be taken lightly, is to monitor and keep track of your horses overall condition, fitness and soundness.

The most and the least experienced among us all need help from time to time. Quality help varies from an educated pair of eyes on the ground to a top rider willing to get on your horse and explain things to him and then you in a detailed fashion. When searching for the help you need a few factors should always be considered.

• What are your short and long term goals?

• How often will you need help?

• What training and or riding problems have you already identified?

Yvonne Barteau

The more precise you are when scouting, about realistically stating where your current level is, and what you want to achieve with your horse, the better the chance is for whomever you choose, to actually help you.

Horses need consistency in order to really progress and that is one thing many people struggle with. I am lucky because I always try to live where I work and so often I can apply as much time as I need to any given project and often choose not to take a day off just to have that extra session. If you really want to make progress or achieve a certain goal you will need to find time to work your horse or have him worked five to six days a week.

That being said, all work does not need to be drilling test maneuvers. A stretching/gymnastics day, an aerobics day, a hack out day can all contribute to both your horse’s fitness and his mental well being, so consider many options when designing a training program to suit your needs and goals.

When all is said and done it REALLY is about the journey and the process you and your horse share together. Take time with your horse, time to find good help when you need it and time to enjoy the incremental improvements as they come along.

Happy Riding!

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Having a trainer can be a great thing. Being the trainer can be even better.

One thing I would like to share with anyone who rides frequently that might help them in their journey is to consider this. If you are the primary rider of your horse, then you – are also the trainer of that horse.

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As a coach I am often asked by my students, “Are we ready to upgrade to the next level?�

My answer? When you are winning at the level you are at!

StEPPINg

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Clayton Fredericks

whiLe this MaY be a very simplistic answer I find this gives my students a clear aim. what we are really looking for in our performance in order to upgrade to the next level is proficiency in all phases and demonstrating the skills and control at the higher level. every rider when asking the question on should they upgrade needs to look critically at their current level of performance and make the judgement on these factors

3. Cross-Country Can my horse jump Cross Country obstacles at the required speed safely and in control? have we schooled all potential obstacles and combinations that could be present at the next level? Can my horse comfortably gallop the required distance for the next level?

Confidence is critical for this phase and both horse and rider need to be happy and relaxed in their current performance.

1. Dressage Can my horse perform the required movements for the next level in a soft, relaxed and obedient manner?

as riders we need to keep reminding ourselves the question is not whether we are qualified for the next level but whether we are ready for the next level. Not all horses and riders are destined for the top and as long as riders and owners take responsibility for their decisions in competing at the appropriate we can continue to promote a safe future for our sport.

2. show-Jumping Can my horse comfortably and smoothly jump the required height and width for the next level?

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uP

CLINICS AND COACHING WITH CLAYTON FREDERICKS Clayton’s career highlights

FREDERICKS Equestrian International fredericksequestrian.com lisa@fredericksequestrian.com Lisa – 352-895-2144 clayton@fredericksequestrian.com Clayton – 352-299-3213

VECTORBUTTONS.COM VECTORBUTTONS.COM

IMPORTED QUALITY HORSES Book to try your dream horse today.

• FEI World Cup Champion 2005, 2008 • Individual silver and team bronze World Equestrian Games, Aachen (2006) • Winner Lexington Kentucky CCI4* (2007) • Team silver medal Hong Kong Olympic Games (2008) Clayton’s international coaching experience extends across all levels of the sport around the world. He regularly travels to teach in Germany, Australia, Hong

Kong, Canada and around the US. Many of his pupils have gone on to compete at the CCI 4* level.

You can book individual or group training sessions with him at his top-notch facility in Ocala, FL. If you can’t make it to Florida, you can host a clinic at your facility. Give riders in your area the chance to train with one of the world’s top riders. He is happy to teach all levels of riders in any discipline.

CONNECTING RIDERS WITH EXCEPTIONAL HORSES Results are the proof For over 15 years Clayton Fredericks and Eckart Siewert have been the source of numerous top horses and had the pleasure of watching them ride to victory, time and time again all over the world.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or an amateur seeking a quality mount, we have access to an abundance of European horses/ We can source one specifically for you, like we have for many clients, including the following:

• Leopin (Micheal Jung’s 4* Winner) • FBW Chico (Alex Hua Tian of China’s First Olympic Mount) • Bendigo (Winner 3*, Placed 4*, Clayton’s 2012 Olympic mount) • Catchascatchcan (Sarah Kozumplik Murphy) • RF Smoke on the Water (Marilyn Little’s “Superstar Event horse”) • Bentley’s Best (Jessica Phoenix’s winning CCI1* horse and rising star) • Chatwin (Frankie Thieriot) • and the list goes on....

We welcome the opportunity to work with you.

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2015-02-11 1:53 PM

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Bill Harris 770.461.4315 25

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the LAINEY Penny Morse

experiencE

EVENTING

Lainey Ashker’s first clinic in Georgia, was hosted

by Montclair Stables, owned by Nicky Buckingham, and the second day was at Chatt Hills. She is known for her love of social media, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and being a successful Eventer and Dressage rider. No one knew what to expect from Lainey the clinician. When you first see her, you cannot help but notice the warm smile, perfect makeup, and incredible eyebrows, but more than that, she is genuinely pleased to meet you. She is delightfully well-mannered, complimentary to everyone and very warm.

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ASHKER

This young lady is not afraid of hard work. She rides 9 horses every morning and teaches in the afternoon, with a total of 30 students. She was invited to compete in the three phase event in Wellington, riding her own horse Anthony Patch, coming in third with their original score of 29.1. There have been low moments and wonderful moments, and the focus and determination are

obvious but there is humility in her that brings everything into perspective.

There are certain types of clinicians. The ones that are awesome riders, but cannot understand why you do not have the same instincts they do. The great teacher, that is so popular, that the groups are too big for you to really gain very much, and the ones that are more interested in your respect for them, than respecting you paid a sizeable amount of money, for help with your riding. Then there are the clinicians who have been where you are, understand where you are and have the tools to ‘fix the problem’. Lainey Ashker, thankfully is such a clinician.

After a couple of minutes, it is easy to tell she has been well-trained by Buck Davidson.

I can truly say, Lainey is in a league of her own, and I hope she never changes. After a couple of minutes, it is easy to tell she has been well trained by Buck Davidson and has paid attention to his thoughts and methods over the years. However she has been able to develop her own way of teaching so that the rider can learn to understand and feel what is required. She sees the problem, addresses it, talks the rider through it, and when it is taken care of, they move on. There is no special treatment for any individual, everyone is expected to work hard, try their best and she has a way of getting more than your best out of you. Lainey is energetic, knowledgeable, and approachable, answering questions in a way that makes sense.

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Stadium on the Saturday was interesting for riders and onlookers, from Beginner Novice to Preliminary. It was intense but fun, difficult but not stressful. Every horse and rider became successful.

Cross Country on the Sunday was incredible. She talked each rider over every jump, pushing them just past their comfort level so they could enjoy and feel the confidence they had been lacking. She did take one horse on the ride of his life. The rider was getting tired and the horse was being his normal difficult self, so Lainey got on, turned him and went off into the distance to explain the facts of life. He continues to respect the new rules!

The writers we have are some of the best riders and instructors, in their individual discipline, and Lainey is right up there with them. We enjoyed watching, and the students enjoyed their instruction. Some of the participants competed the following weekend at Pine Top and the results were outstanding. I am looking forward to her return in the future and hope to see even more riders enjoy the Lainey Asker Experience.

From stadium to xc, every horse and rider had a great experience.

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All photos courtesy of Liz Crawley Photography ©2015

a look back at ROLEX with

ELISA WALLACE

EVENTING

While Georgian Elisa Wallace prepares for Blenheim Palace Horse Trials, in Woodstock, England in September from the 17th to 20th, let’s look back at her memorable moments at Rolex this spring with her mount, Simply Priceless.

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EVENTING 36

Dee and her granddaughter, Dakota

ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

Penny Morse

in memory of

DEE McMASTER It has been a tough year for losing those we knew either personally or just admired on the screen. They say it always happens in threes, but this year it seems like it just has been a continuous group of threes. June 9th we lost Dee McMaster, from Citra, Florida. She had contributed to Atlanta Horse Connections andand had planned to become a regular columnist.

Dee was found lying on her bed, still clothed from the day before like she had come

She had just gone to sleep peacefully but never woke up. Dee had so much she wanted to do, and I am sure she argued that fiercely when she entered heaven!

Dee had an incredible eye for evaluating a horse and could spot lameness and recommend a course of action before most could even see which leg was the problem. She was striving to breed the perfect horse for her daughter Melissa to compete at Rolex. She helped people she had never met face to face, rescue horse in bad situations, and was never afraid to give her opinion, whether you liked it or not. She loved her family. She never gave up on her son Jeremy, who against all odds, grew to be an awesome young man with two degrees and an opportunity to go to Law School. She believed in her daughter Melissa, and her talent to become the best eventer she could be, and for her to compete at Rolex. She loved her granddaughter Dakota, more than life itself.

a course of action before most people had settled on which leg was hurt. Dee knew

gone to sleep peacefully and not awakened. I was Dee’s friend. I am proud of that. Dee was a passionate person who was not afraid to ruffle feathers or cause a commotion if what she was doing was the right thing, for her family, for the horses, or for someone else. Dee was besotted with horses from her early days. Jumpers and eventing trained, Dee learned other disciplines through the work of her daughter Melissa. Dee had an eye for evaluating a horse that I wish I had. She could spot lameness and recommend what a great horse should look like and was striving to breed that perfect horse to the top of her capabilities. She was generous with her horses and her time. She sold me the “horse of a lifetime” for a couple thousand dollars. With work, this Flagmount horse has now won Pin Oak Grand Champion and USEF Zone 7 finals. I could have never received a better gift. But like many of us in the horse business, Dee constantly hustled, begged and borrowed to keep her mission to get her daughter, Melissa, the best horses and the best opportunity to one day ride at Rolex. There was never enough money. It is a tough, unkind business especially to those of us that do not have the financial backing or resources of the big trainers.

Dee is gone now. I can’t believe it. She has left behind her legacy of some great horses, an insightful work of writing in her blog and her passion which will live on through her husband Bill, daughter, Melissa, her son, Jeremy and her granddaughter, Dakota.

Although I knew Dee via FB for a long time, and loved her antics, humor and straight forward manner of addressing people and situations, My close friendship really started with Dee when she helped me get one of my old eventers back from a bad situation where I had entrusted the horse to someone I trusted, but that really did the horse wrong. I had moved from the area where he was, and she was still there. She helped me rehome him to a trusted friend and we never looked back. A true and trusted friend, she would help anyone with anything, even if she had never met you in person. I still look to her FB for her posts, even now, and am a little heartbroken when I remember she is gone. I do really miss her and the affection I felt for her will never fade with time.

EVENTING

Dee believed in our publication, and in the idea we could bring disciplines together, and all have some fun! We will miss her, and will continue our friendship with her family so that we can always have a part of her with us! Dee was survived by her husband Bill Cekan, daughter Melissa, son Jeremy and granddaughter Dakota.

in to rest. Her family found her like that the next morning. It appeared that she had just

– Cindy Brown Davis

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Carolyn Haward, FEI International Show Jumping Judge, Greece

taken for a

RIDE in GREECE PART THREE

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

On Stewarding...

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My first experience on duty in the collecting ring was during the annual CSIO 4* International Jumping Competition held in October at the Equestrian centre in Athens. I was still a candidate national judge and all judges in Greece are also stewards. Therefore I was fairly anxious to do my job efficiently. A beautiful sunny day had dawned, azure skies and not a cloud to behold in the sky.

The weather can be wonderful at the beginning of October, warm but without the oppressive heat of mid-summer. The temperatures are still in the eighties and it is often hotter than on a summer’s day in July in England, my country of origin. Greece. I might add, seems in recent years to only have two seasons; one day it’s cold and windy and then the next it’s warm and sunny; early summer come to stay.

The same happens at the end of the summer. You can be

swimming in the sea, lapping up the still-hot sun one day and the following day the temperature drops suddenly and the woollies come out.

Rising early that day, I looked out of my bedroom window and, seeing perfect conditions, decided to put on my little white linen jacket over a thin blouse. Trousers are always de rigueur to go over the boots needed for walking on the deep, often wet, sand. Getting up at the crack of dawn on competition days has become second nature. Officials have to be at the show ground one hour before the start of the first class.

A couple of hours later I took up my position in the final collecting ring. The first warm-up and exercise area is closer to the stables and on a higher level. My responsibility this day was in the smaller, lower sand area, about 400 yards

in my nervous state, i had not noticed the gathering clouds and was taken by surprise. what with a clipboard and starting list in my left hand, and a walkie-talkie and pen in my right hand, an umbrella would have been impossible for me to hold even if i had one. as i stood there, more worried about identifying the riders and getting them into the arena on time, i was getting considerably wet. I could not see the identification numbers on the horses, never large enough to see from a distance at the best of times. some riders put the number on the saddlecloth, some on the left, some on the right. others clip it onto the cheek strap on the bridle, but you never know on which side. still others attach it to the martingale at the front of the horse’s chest. and there is the latest fashion where competitors have great fun sticking the number onto one of the stirrups..... “there’s nothing against it in the rulebook,” they proudly declare. is it only europeans who are

“212 here. i can’t see 55. oh, there it is,”i muttered to myself.

“Can i see your number, please?” i asked a rider who had a cover over her horse.

“Carolyn, it’s me, Marina. Don’t you recognise me?’’ “oh, i’m sorry, Marina. i am trying to identify the riders by their horse numbers. I never thought of looking at their faces!”

My panic was mounting as a rider asked me how many to go before his turn. i looked down at my clipboard and, aghast, i saw that my papers were sodden and the pen was impossible to use on them. i improvised. each competitor, as he went in, was literally scratched out with my nail, a little piece of paper coming away each time. My hair by then was hanging in rats tails around my face but i was beyond caring about personal details like that. in addition, the sleeves of my white linen jacket were slowly and inexorably creeping up my arms as the material shrank in awe of the rain! The length, far from covering my bottom, was now almost waist high and swiftly morphing into a bolero.

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away and at the entrance to the main arena. at most, six horses can warm up in this area, which is surrounded by eucalyptus trees but is so small it can hold only one practice jump, usually an oxer which can be changed. the steward on duty here has to operate the bar at the entrance to the arena, make sure the competitors enter promptly in the correct order and, at the same time, keep an eye on the obstacle so that no-one breaks a rule. Chicanery in the collecting ring can be prevented merely by the presence of a steward who knows his job. on this day, we had live television coverage, so promptness is of the essence. however, i was greener than a young horse. Just at the moment the class was starting and the speaker announced the name of the first rider, the weather broke.

the shower, along with my anxiety, passed and the event turned out to be a great success, at least from the riders and spectators point of view. i, on the other hand, had to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening fending off the strange looks i was getting.

My appearance must have been a little eccentric, to say the least: scruffy hair, streaked mascara and a white crumpled bolero over a long-sleeved blouse. There I was, trying to look like an official for the rest of the day and trying to conserve a modicum of decorum and some authority as i stood over the obstacles in the big collecting ring.

“there’s nothing against it in the rulebook,” they proudly declare. Is it only Europeans who are so contrary or do they do this in the uSA as well?

so concentrated was i on searching for the numbers and checking them on my list that i didn’t even look up at the faces of the riders.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

so contrary or do they do this in the usa as well? on top of all this, the damp weather had caused many riders to put waterproof blankets over their horses and those pesky numbers were totally obscured from view! Not only that but some competitors were coming down to this tiny final ring straight from the stables, without properly warming up their horses. they wanted to spend longer here, in the partial shelter of the trees, with the result that the area was fast becoming overcrowded. Geeezz!!

On reflection, I am glad to say things have only got better since that rather traumatic first time and i have enjoyed stewarding on many occasions since then. i have met riders from so many different countries and the feeling that i can help them gives me great satisfaction. You can practise your foreign languages, meet interesting and famous people and when, occasionally, somebody thanks me at the end of the day for my help, it all feels worthwhile, even if i did have to throw away that white jacket, the one that witnessed my inauguration into international stewarding.

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the MONENSIN OUTCOME Penny Morse

To cut a long story short, the vets involved from several state of the art facilities in Georgia, Florida and Alabama were at a loss at what to what to do, as they did not have enough information to make an educated diagnosis and offer a cure. There was talk of legal action, but basically the only thing anyone could do was sit and wait. Eight months later, the situation is no longer news worthy and horses are either back at work, or retired due to the ‘what if ’ possibility.

had talked to various feed reps to change his feed a few months prior but never asked what he switched to. When Andrew told me that he had been feeding ADM Feeds and that he had sent feed samples off to be tested, there was still that little part of me that thought, “It’s over there, not US, this wouldn’t happen to US.” Then the results came back and the whole world shifted off its axis.

I remember seeing the initial reports about the horses eating feed laced with monensin. I read the articles, sort of understood what was going on, was horrified that something like that could happen, and felt sorrow for the owners of the horses affected. But it was “out there”, distant, not anyone I knew and seemingly not something that would happen to me, but to those other poor souls. Then I got the call that changed everything. I was your typical owner - I knew that my horse (Tatendrang, aka “Tate”) was being fed, and I knew he was being well cared for, but I had no clue what he was being fed. I knew that Andrew

We had entered 3 Horse Trials - The first and second Rocking Horse and Red Hills, hoping to move up to Advanced at the second Rocking Horse and run in the 2* at Red Hills. We scratched our first Horse Trial of the season as we were right in the middle of the initial testing and it wasn’t looking good, but we were hopeful that this was a temporary setback and we would be able to catch up with our season and just be off by a show or two. The week prior to the second Rocking Horse the stress test/ EKG reports came back and the recommendation was that Tate was grounded for 6 months. His was better news than some of

WELLNESS

Anissa Cottongim was one of the owners affected. This is her story. I hope someone will read this, and understand just what a roller coaster ride it was, and how no one should have to go through such an ordeal.

Tate and I have always had a close bond. He was born in my lap (literally) and I kissed him good night every night of his life till he was 3 1/2 years old and went to Canada. He is more than “just a horse”. My immediate thoughts were that I had failed him, that quickly changed to anger, and then to fear. The emotional roller coaster began. After the results came back for the feed, our next step was to test the horses’ blood. There was still a little bit of hope and denial that Tate would be affected - how could it? He was fit, we had our season planned, he was about to run his first Advanced for crying out loud!!! Then the troponin levels came back and while Tate’s weren’t as “bad” as some of the other horses’, the results did show damage. Again with the devastating numbness, grief, anger and this time, terror. I had nightmares for weeks wondering if my beloved horse, who I loved so much, was going to be able to compete ever again, if he was going to even LIVE. There were also the practical matters to consider. Tate is a breeding stallion with a fairly busy book. Would he be able to fulfill his breeding obligations?

Before this incident completely vanishes into the archives, only to be looked at again if a similar situation arises, let us take a final look at the repercussions. There was a great deal of money spent on testing and monitoring these horses, just to be told, you will have to wait and see. There were owners beside themselves with worry. There were caretakers wondering if they could have done anything different and would this affect their reputation. There was an extreme amount of stress for all concerned, except for the Feed Company as far as we can tell. When there is no one ready to take responsibility for an obvious serious mistake in procedure, one must question their integrity.

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Towards the end of 2014 we heard tales of horses eating contaminated feed and slowly dying. The stories peaked during January and February of this year when owners in Georgia, Alabama and Florida were all found to have fed the same feed and the horses were not doing well.

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the other horses so this was a blessing, but still devastating.

Andrew’s barn is also small and we owners and riders are all friends so we were all grieving for the horses that were grounded longer, or had more symptoms. For three months it felt that we couldn’t breathe and we started to rejoice at any good news that we would get no matter how small. I didn’t have a good night’s sleep until sometime in April when the troponin levels started to have better results.

WELLNESS

For three months it felt that we couldn’t breathe and we started to rejoice at any good news that we would get no matter how small.

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We took Tate to Rocking Horse II the week after the stress test/ EKG and completed the dressage and stadium jump phases (scratched before cross country). Watching him winning the dressage phase and being in second after the SJ (he’d knocked

one rail) I was both proud of him and also devastated and had a weight on my chest knowing that he wasn’t going to do the one phase that he loves so much. Watching Tate run XC is terrifying for me as an owner, but I also can tell that he LIVES to run XC. It is his happy place. After SJ at Rocking Horse we went to load up and go home and he refused to get on the trailer. He’s never done that before and it was because he knew we were “missing” a phase. He was telling us that we’d forgotten the run and jump part. It broke my heart putting him on that trailer.

Flash forward to May/June when he had his follow up testing and was cleared. That weight that had been on my chest the whole time finally lifted. We made plans for him to run at Chatt Hills over the 4th of July weekend and kept it under wraps so that we wouldn’t “jinx” ourselves. The minute Tate got to Chatt he KNEW what he was there for. Andrew said that he was pretty happy schooling the night before dressage and he just

This is a nightmare that I would not wish on my worst enemy.

Not only from the emotional turmoil, but also from the financial aspect. Each troponin test was around $100 (and we have had

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hoped he could contain himself in the white box. There wasn’t a dry eye from anyone at the barns or at home when he completed XC on Saturday. That was the best night’s sleep in more than six months.

several), he had 2 EKGs at Peterson and Smith as well as a stress test (over $1000), and that is in addition to routine fees for office calls, farm calls, testing the feed, etc. Insurance doesn’t pay for any of the testing or vet fees - they aren’t covered. It has been hard.

My parents are retired military and I’m a Social Services Worker - so we aren’t rich LOL. We just sucked it up and cut other corners (so I didn’t get to show my mare this year and I sold a horse for less than what I could have made to help pay for his vet fees). We have had no help or even acknowledgement from the feed company - not even an “I’m sorry.” But the support from the eventing community has been TREMENDOUS! I am overwhelmed with the well wishes that we have received over the past several months. I just can’t thank everyone enough - knowing that there were people thinking and praying for us made all of this slightly easier. There have been some that have read the rhetoric from the feed companies that have publicly stated they thought we were making this up - for those I say, I wish I was making it up.

The minute Tate got to Chatt, he KNEW what he was there for... There wasn’t a dry eye from anyone at the barns or at home when he completed XC on Saturday.

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!

N I A G A OW R G E W HERE

WELCOME

Dr. Jason McLendon, DVM Dr. Matthew Reynolds, DVM Dr. Libby Reidy, DVM

Dr. Libby Reidy!

608 Hwy. 29, Newnan, GA 30263

JULIE COCHRAN

DRESSAGE

USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist

USDF certified instructor training through fourth level USDF “L� graduate (with distinction)

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Southern Crescent Equine is growing once again! We will soon have a new full-service equine clinic and we are excited to share this with you, but for now, we are still under construction. And while lots of changes are on the horizon, know that we are committed to serving the horse community with the same excellent service and care.

juliecochrandressage@gmail.com

678.343.5455

Gainesville, GA

southerncrescentequine.com

770.252.6860

Get your new C4 Belt from Joanne Morse 770.316.8655 joannemorse1@yahoo.com

Farm 1371

FEI Training • Starting Young Horses • Consignment Packages • Lesson Horses Available

HOME OF

Cahuilla Dressage MADISON, GEORGIA

CONTACT ANNE MARGARET MEYERS FOR MORE INFORMATION 508.735.9120 OR ANNEMARGARETMEYERS@GMAIL.COM

WWW.CAHUILLADRESSAGE.NET

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horses

HEALING HUMANS

Sara Tradewell COTA/L, PATH-Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

WELLNESS

A Guide to Equine-Assisted Services

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After reading my last two articles, one on the difference between Therapeutic Riding and Hippotherapy and one on the desired qualities of a therapy horse, readers may be curious to learn about the various ways horses are used to help people. Readers may also be interested in getting involved in local therapeutic programs. The following is a brief description of current associations, and a list of local affiliates.

PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, formerly known as NARHA) Formed in 1969 as a means to organize and standardize the varied services utilizing horses to benefit individuals with disabilities, PATH serves as a governing body of sorts, standardizing EquineAssisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) at its member centers.

PATH instructor certification is an intensive process involving supervised group teaching hours, the completion of online tests, and finally a workshop and certification that includes practical testing of the instructor-in-training’s teaching and riding abilities.

The riding test is the equivalent of a USDF Training Level dressage test. Riding instructors-in-training must demonstrate competent and correct riding at the walk, trot, and canter (or

AHA Inc. (American Hippotherapy Association, Inc.) The mission of AHA, Inc. is “To promote excellence in the field of equine-assisted therapies.” AHA Inc. offers individual memberships for laypersons, as well as professional memberships for Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapists, along with PT and OT Assistants, who wish to educate themselves in hippotherapy and its best practices. AHA Inc. offers a variety of educational workshops for therapy providers. Hippotherapy is subject to PATH standards when conducted at a PATH member center. (Source: www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org.)

Veterans’ Services PATH has partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) to provide services to injured military personnel/WWP alumni who express an interest in equine-assisted activities and therapies.

Veterans may independently participate in EAAT at any PATH facility offering what is commonly called a “Horses for Heroes” program, or, if injured in the military post 9/11/01, as part of the WWP. Veterans who qualify for Physical, Occupational, or Speech therapies may participate in hippotherapy. (Sources: www.pathintl. org; www.woundedwarriorproject.org.)

EAGALA (Equine-Assisted Growth and Learning Association) EAGALA provides training and certification in EFP (EquineFacilitated Psychotherapy) and EAL (Equine-Assisted Learning).

Under the EAGALA model, EFP and EAL sessions are conducted by an EAGALA-certified mental health specialist (MH) and an equine specialist (ES). Riding is not part of these sessions; instead, clients interact with the horse from the ground and participate in activities relevant to their needs. EFP and EAL sessions may take place at a PATH member center, and will thus be conducted under PATH standards as well as adhering to the EAGALA model. (Sources: www.eagala.org; www.pathintl.org.)

Volunteering

Atlanta Area Programs: Atlanta Horses for Heroes www.atlantahorsesforheroes.org, Sandy Springs, GA BEATS, Inc. www.beats-inc.org, Canton, GA Big Stride Therapy www.bigstridetherapy.com, Johns Creek, GA and Canton, GA Calvin Center www.calvincenter.org/Equestrian/HOME, Hampton, GA Chastain Horse Park www.chastainhorsepark.org, Atlanta, GA Creative Therapy, Inc. www.creativetherapyinc.com, Canton, GA C2 It, LLC www.circlec2it.com, Snellville, GA Green Acres Equestrian Center, LLC www.greenacresonline/hippotherapy, Woodstock, GA McKenna Farms Therapy Services www.mckennafarmstherapy.org, Dallas, GA River Run Equestrian at Huntcliff www.riverrunride.com, Sandy Springs, GA Special Equestrians of Georgia www.specialequestriansofgeorgia.org, Milton, GA STRIDE Ahead www.strideahead.org, Decatur, GA

WELLNESS

The single best way to learn about any equine-assisted program is to volunteer! Volunteers are essential to the success of EAAT clients, and are a valued part of the team. Required commitments

for volunteers vary, but can be as little as one hour whenever you are available to sign up. Busy EAAT providers will generally have weekday, evening, and weekend volunteer slots to fill. Volunteers are initially trained in horse grooming, tacking, leading, and sidewalking, and then gain additional experience over time. Prior horse experience is usually unnecessary, but always a bonus. Many PATH instructors, hippotherapy providers, and EFP/EAL providers start as volunteers and later earn the required certifications to conduct their own EAAT sessions. Volunteering may be considered a lowpressure “entry level” to EAAT and its many intangible benefits and rewards, most of which are priceless in nature. When a nonverbal child speaks his first word, or when an adult with a brain injury steers her horse independently for the first time, many volunteers are incurably “hooked…” and their journey in the world of EAAT begins.

ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

jog/lope for western), with attention paid to trot diagonals and canter leads. PATH offers three levels of instructor certification: Registered, Advanced, and Master. PATH also offers certification in therapeutic driving, interactive vaulting, and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL). (Source: www.pathintl.org)

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

WESTERN

WESTERN

Cheryl Freda Pritchard

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dressage

People ask me all the time, ‘What should someone look for in a trainer for Western Dressage?’ There are several parts to this answer. First, I would strongly recommend that you make sure they have attended a Certified Train the Trainer Session hosted by Western Dressage Association of America. In these sessions, the Trainer will learn in depth knowledge of exactly what Western Dressage is and is not. They will also learn the methods of training the horse and rider and what the judges are looking for and what the judges will penalize. Also in these training sessions, the trainers get to work with other trainers from all around the nation to discuss training and teaching methods. Also, look to see if that trainer has actually ridden in a Western Dressage show. This will help you to determine if they practice what

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they preach (so to speak). Also, by attending the session, they are taking a vested interest in learning their discipline to help their clients succeed.

Another way to determine the trainer that is best for you is to audit a clinic they are teaching or even a lesson. If they have horses that you can ride for a lesson that are trained in Western Dressage, that is a great way to determine if you like the sport.

Some trainers will offer video lessons. This will allow you to see if your horse and you are suitable for Western Dressage. While you can always learn something from a trainer, make sure that you try several so that you can determine the person who matches your goals and also your personality and the discipline you want to ride.

People also ask, ‘What level of classes should I enter?’ This is an easy answer. If you are working on Walk and Jog and Lope at home, then you need to enter the Walk Jog or ‘Introductory’ level.

If you have the lope very easily, then you can enter the ‘Basic’ level. When you try a new discipline for the first time, make sure that you are 100%

comfortable with all of the movements in that level, or enter classes in the level below what you are training. Remember, show nerves can get the best of anyone.

While you are looking at your riding season, please try Western Dressage, you may find that it helps you and your horse in other disciplines. Until next time – It’s about the Journey!

Simply Dun Farm

WESTERN

2730 Bethel Road NE Conyers, GA 30012 404.583.6066 www.thehorsebusiness.com cheryl@thehorsebusiness.com

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ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS

Tatiana Valentine

who says

ART S & ENTERTAINMENT

rEDS aren’t for SummEr?

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oF Course suMMer is definitely time for White and Rosé wine, but don’t forget about your reds. Definitely, if you’re sitting at the pool or on the porch, enjoy a glass of refreshing Vouvray (sauvion Vouvray $12), but when you’ve just grilled up a rack of ribs smothered in your favorite sweet and spicy barbecue sauce, you need something a little more substantial. this month at the shop we are featuring some amazing australian wines from schild estate, barrossa Valley. and for those grill lovers, you must pair the 2013 schild estate barossa Valley shiraz ($18) with your next masterpiece. this signature grape of australia provides just enough pepper, fruit and tannin to match with your hearty dish. this shiraz boosts a 14.5% abv which gives a nice mouthful of flavor and plenty of fat cutting tannins to drink with your nice juicy steak. For those that like to grill lighter fair, try a nice California Pinot Noir belcrème De Lys ($12.99) to pair with grilled veggies, chicken or salmon. this wine has silky tannins with bright strawberry flavors and a smooth caramel finish, perfect with lighter dishes or on its own.

A little about me… a lover of all things wine and now dabbling in the world of craft beers thanks to my husband…You can find me at Cherie Armand Wine & Beer located in Villa rica Ga. Family owned and operated

since 2010. i pride myself on hand selecting every bottle of wine on the shelf and personally getting to know all of our wine club members. Feel free to email me with any wine questions you may have or if I can help you find something you’re looking for. tatiana@cheriearmand.com Follow us on instagram: Cheriearmand