New York Horse: Spring 2016

NEW YORK HORSE STORIES. ADVICE. HORSEPLAY.

SPRING 2016

Ranch Horse

A new discipline cuts in front

Mary Jordan’s journey from NY to Paralympian Lessons on life and horses from a top college coach

The Competitive Edge $4.99

NYHorseMag.com

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WHO HAS IT. HOW TO GET IT. HOW TO KEEP IT.

THREE UNIVERSAL EQ STYLE IS STANDING TRY A SWEET RULES FOR + VERNON DOWNS SURGERY RIGHT RIDE AT SUGAR BETTER RIDING = 1 COOL COCKTAIL FOR YOUR HORSE? HILL STATE FOREST

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Canterbury Stables … W H E R E Y O U R J O U R N E Y I S O U R D E S T I N AT I O N

A premier riding and boarding experience … All amenities for you and your horse … Warm & welcoming Horses are your passion. We understand. At Canterbury Stables, we’re passionate about excellence. Set on 225 rolling acres in the heart of Cazenovia’s horse country, Canterbury offers the finest in hunter/jumper and dressage lessons in a family-friendly atmosphere. We are dedicated to providing quality lessons tailored to each rider’s age, level and goals, and the boarding, care and training of performance and pleasure horses.

Three competition-size hunter/jumper and dressage arenas • Dust-free footing • A modern 53-stall barn • Daily turnouts in ½-acre paddocks • Night checks • Farm-grown hay • Three-miles of scenic trails • An outstanding group of lesson horses • After-school program, educational and fun • Summer pony camp • Head trainer, USDF silver medalist Kimberley Dougherty

Canterbury Stables, 4786 Roberts Road, Cazenovia, NY • Online: www.canterburystablesny.com • Call: 315-440-2244

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features

25

The Competitive Edge

“I’m a firm believer that it’s the journey not the destination, and I’ve been to a lot of great destinations.”

– Olympic rider Anne Kursinski

27

Resolved

Passion, talent and determination forged a path for Paralympian Mary Jordan from upstate to the world stage.

32

Playing to Win

Cornell polo coach David Eldredge has more national championships than anyone.

New York Horse talked with him about riding, respect, responsibility and the art of the game.

39

Secrets Worth Stealing

Trainers and coaches answer the question: How do you get, and keep, the competitive edge?

44

Time Stands Still

In the work of Artful Horse painter Monica Acee, rich color and detail create timeless moments.

49

A Twist on Tradition

54

Speaking of the Old West

No, your eyes are not deceiving you – that was a cattle drive in the hills of Homer.

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PHOTO BY JESSICA BERMAN

Ranch horse competition, with roots in the Old West, gets a new hoofhold in the East.

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Showroom Open: Monday, Thursday & Friday 11 am–6 pm Saturday & Sunday 10 am-5 pm www.TheShowTrunk2.com • Follow us on Facebook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Guide 57 58 60 61 62

Riding Resolutions

What the young horse needs: A rider moving with them in rhythm and balance Expert Advice

It’s every rider’s responsibility to own the basics, and we have the inside track Inside Information

What does a dressage judge want? Perfect circles and an understanding competitor How-To

Protect your business from lawsuits by understanding liability House Calls

Consider standing surgery an option for what ails your horse

Departments

59

EQ Style

Have an equine-themed cocktail with the Entertaining Equestrian

On the Cover

Watercolor is the medium artist Monica Acee chooses to capture the essence of her equine subjects. In “The Red Rain Sheet,” our cover work, she freezes in fine detail a quiet moment beyond the show ring. Find more of Monica’s work in the Artful Horse, beginning on page 42, and read about her technique in the Spotlight on page eight. Portraits in watercolor by Monica Acee of Deansboro, online at monicaacee.com.

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6 9 10 12 14 16 18 19 20 22 64

Editor’s Note Thanks To Our Underwriters Leg Up

News, Notes and Conversation Starters Leg Up

Calendar Armchair Equestrian

Learn the art of liberty training and the language of your horse Guest Column

The lessons the barn taught to a college president Milestone

Reining marks a big anniversary, and CNYRHA is enjoying the ride Insight

Can your horse read your mind? Maybe First Person

A moment of bonding between horse and child is fleeting – and magical Off the Beaten Path

There’s a reason riders are sweet on the trails through Sugar Hill State Forest Parting Shot

EDITOR’S NOTE And the award for best performance by an unsupporting equine goes to …

I

t’s spring and that means awards season, and so it seems only right to honor some of the horses who have made us a perpetual nominee in the category of LongSuffering Equine Owner. They will never get the accolades they so richly deserve — unless you count the number of times they led us to consider trading them all for a flashy sports car (all of the horsepower, none of the manure).

So here’s to you Pebbles, the child-hating pony, who holds the world record for most kids crying at a birthday party. And to you Sugar, the ill-tempered Quarter Horse, who would have been more appropriately named after another condiment.

And to these, your co-conspirators in equine crime: Pride, the lock-picking lead mare who let herself out of her stall and then, in a very democratic fashion, let everyone else out of their stall, allowing us to open the barn door on more than one occasion and interrupt the geldings’ haytossing party. (Yes, I know, there are supposedly horse-proof locks. I owned them all and can tell you that when it came to Pride, the key word in that sentence is ‘supposedly.’)

Wispy, the retired hunter who eventually figured out that if he could clear a 3'6" fence in the show ring, a few extra inches need not stand between him, the much greener grass in the lower pasture, and the entertainment value of watching his owner run around with a lead rope and a bucket of grain. You get extra points Wispy for never having cleared a 4' fence with a rider on your back. Ever.

Sasha, the flat-footed Palomino slash Michael Phelps wannabe who swam laps in the farm pond and why not: She had hooves like hubcaps. She also had a trot like a pile driver.

And Snow White, who — it must be confessed — was actually an orphaned lamb that, lacking any sheep role models on the farm, grew up thinking she was a horse. She would stand nose-to-tail with the rest of the herd swatting flies and causing more than one person to nearly drive off the road and/or swear off alcohol.

Yes, here’s to you. You all have a special place in our hearts, having allowed us to win several hotly-contested games of equine owner one-upmanship. And to the rest of you, the ones who missed the awards cut by spooking at one too few dandelions or by failing to unlatch the bungee cord from the garbage can filled with grain, remember: It’s an honor just to be nominated.

Janis

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SPOTLIGHT

Monica Acee

H

er signature is in the details: The gleaming dapples on a dark coat.

The pricked ears and soft muzzles of horses welcoming a new pasture mate. The young hands fastening a cooler after a turn in the show ring.

Monica Acee works in the unforgiving medium of watercolor. From her studio in Deansboro, she creates portraits – both human and equine – that have graced the cover of the 2014 HITS Ocala official show program and the Hampton Classic Horse Show poster, and been displayed alongside the paintings of Andrew Wyeth and in the book The Best of Portrait Painting.

“After the Round,” the painting on page 44 that captures a postcompetition moment between a young woman and her horse, was the piece chosen for the HITS Ocala cover. That portrait uses Monica’s distinctive and time-consuming method of layering paint to add depth and luminosity while maintaining a contemporary feel.

“The translucent layers, slowly added, helped to convey the layers of personality of the horse and groom,” she says. “Having been a groom myself, I wanted to pay tribute to the bond that develops between the caretaker and her charge.”

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NEW YORK HORSE Editor & Publisher Janis Barth jbarth@nyhorsemag.com

UNDERWRITING SUPPORT

New York Horse is published in part with underwriting support from: Canterbury Stables; Cazenovia College and the New York State Center for Equine Business Development; Nye Auto Group; Blue Ocean Strategic Capital, LLC; New York State Fair; The Beattie Sanctuary; Madison County Tourism; Morrisville State College; New York Farm Bureau; Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association; Central New York Reining Horse Association; From The Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship and New York State Horse Council.

PRESENTATION

Art Director Darren Sanefski dasanefs@go.olemiss.edu

EDITORIAL

Contributing Editor Renée K. Gadoua editor@nyhorsemag.com Contributing Writers Becky Burmaster Emily Garavuso

Dr. William L. Fox Katie Navarra

Renee K. Gadoua Taylor Renner

Contributing Photographers Jessica Berman David Blatchley Lisa Cenis Tara Freeman Eva Linder Lindsay Yosay McCall Katie Navarra

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C L A S S ,

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A W A Y

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Leg Up

News, Notes and Conversation Starters NY NV MD CA

State with no Equine Inherent Risk Law

The big story: Equine inherent risk law goes back before state legislators

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County Farm Bureau member and equine care manager at Cazenovia College.

“New York makes it impossible for equine people to ‘keep the barn doors open’ to the public,” Gottlieb said, noting that without EIR, it is “too much of a risk for horse owners to reach out to the general public or the non-horse savvy people within our own communities … The State Fair is a time when we should be talking to the public about our horses and showcasing our businesses to the public, especially since horses are now part of the Pride of NY.” Jeannette Dietrich, Executive Vice President of the Horse Council, also pointed to the economic impact of the legislature’s failure to pass the inherent risk law.

“Boarding facilities are closing in (New York State) for many reasons, with one large part being the high costs of insurance coverage and litigation expenses that may not be so if EIR was in place” she said.

On a personal note, Dietrich added, she is concerned about what will happen to the next generation of equestrians. “What I mean by that,” she said, “is as we watch lesson barns and boarding facilities having to choose between increasing the rates charged or to close the barn doors due to being choked by the trickle-down effect of high costs of insurance and litigation here in New York, we are seeing less opportunity for (youths) to learn to ride and care for horses.”

New York is one of only four states – the others are California, Maryland and Nevada – without an equine inherent risk law.

Team USA won the second leg of the 2016 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ in Ocala, relying on anchor rider Beezie Madden to clinch it with a stellar round on rising star Breitling LS. The Americans were in control when they produced three clears to lead at the halfway stage. The lead began to diminish in the second round when the first three riders – McLain Ward, Lauren Hough and Todd Minikus – all had rails down. Their final tally of 24 faults meant that if Madden had three fences down, it would give Mexico the victory.

That never looked likely to happen. The 52-year-old double Olympic team gold medalist made the round look fairly elementary, bringing her 10-year-old stallion home with just a single time fault to clinch the victory.

“I was in a nice position because I could afford to have two rails down and win. As an anchor rider that’s the best position to be in,” Madden said.

“My horse jumped great in the first round, so I was confident he could do the same again. I wasn’t worried that things were falling apart for different people.”

Madden, of Cazenovia, sees a great future for Breitling: “We got him when he was seven. He is now starting to become quite dependable, and I couldn’t be more excited about him.”

FURUSIYYA FEI NATIONS CUP™ PHOTO

Albany lawmakers are once again considering a bill that would protect New York’s stables, camps and other recreational equine operations from being sued for unavoidable injuries suffered by riders.

The Equine Inherent Risk law would offer the same legal protection now provided to ski operators in the state. It would recognize that there are “inherent risks” associated with horseback riding, as there are with other sports, but would not limit lawsuits in cases involving negligence.

The EIR bill is sponsored in the State Senate by Patty Ritchie (R-Watertown) and in the Assembly by Bill Magee (D-Nelson), chairs of their respective agriculture committees. It has been endorsed by the New York State Horse Council and the New York State Farm Bureau.

Having Inherent Risk legislation in place will protect the equine industry, Stephen Ropel, president of the NYS Horse Council, said in a letter to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. “The industry is trying to grow, yet the most heard-about complaint by stable owners, therapeutic riding facilities and other small equine businesses is that the cost of insurance is too high … Rising insurance rates and the threat of legal suits prohibits small businesses from growing, new ones from starting and causes some to cease.”

Without the law, the State Fair will be forced to continue to put up “Do Not Enter” signs at the entrances to the horse barns, said Rebecca Gottlieb, Madison

Team USA, anchored by Beezie Madden, reigns supreme in Nations Cup leg

PHOTO BY ERIC D. STARKWEATHER

Speaking of Beezie, still time to win her saddle

Names in the News

Reminder: There’s still time to enter the raffle to benefit From The Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship and win a saddle Beezie Madden used winning her Olympic gold medal.

The drawing will take place at FTGU’s “Spring and Savor” fundraiser April 14 at Greenwood Winery in East Syracuse. You don’t have to be present to win. Tickets are $20 each, or six for $100 and are available through ftguhorses.org, at the Cazenovia Chamber of Commerce office and Jack’s Turf Goods in Vernon.

Jennifer Alfano hits $1M in lifetime hunter earnings PHOTO BY ANDREW RYBACK

Hamilton junior completing reign as state’s High School Rodeo Queen

Buffalo’s Jennifer Alfano has joined an elite group: She is one of only four hunter riders to hit the $1 million mark in professional earnings.

It’s another highlight in a career that includes induction into the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame and domination of the USHJA International Hunter Derby Program with three series titles.

“I had no idea because I never really kept track of it … but I think it’s really cool,” said Alfano, who is also marking a 25-year partnership with SBS Farms, Inc., of Buffalo. “It’s great that a hunter rider can do that.”

Her famous partner, Jersey Boy, also has bragging rights. The 13-yearold chestnut gelding – affectionately known as Lewis – stands atop the derby lifetime money-won leaderboard and is a three-time U.S. Equestrian Federation National Horse of the Year.

Kallie Jaquay of Hamilton is putting the finishing touches on her reign as Miss New York High School Rodeo, a year that included a trip to Wyoming to represent the state in the High School National Finals Rodeo.

Kallie and her horse, Andy, have been competing in barrel racing and pole bending in high school rodeo for three years. They finished the year in second place in the state in pole bending and sixth in barrel racing.

She was crowned queen at the High School Rodeo State Finals in Fonda, following a competition that included a written test on rodeo rules, an interview with three judges, riding a horsemanship pattern and modeling a Western-style gown. This year’s finals will be May 20-22.

Kallie’s duties include carrying the American flag at the beginning of each rodeo, acting as a sport ambassador, and helping to raise money for the NYS High School Rodeo Scholarship program. The junior at Hamilton Central School is the daughter of Heather and Kevin Jaquay.

Andrea Belton of Chittenango received the 2015 Member of the Year award from the Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association. Announcing the award, CNYDCTA President Arynn Agan said Belton was a “one-woman promotion team” for the association, whose “generous spirit inspires many people” to become involved.

Gabrielle Baker of Baldwinsville completed her last year as a junior rider in 2015, competing in the Maclay Regionals, USEF Jr. Medal Finals, PHA National Medal Finals placing fifth, and Marshall and Sterling Jr. Medal Finals placing fourth. She was captain of the Smoke Tree Farm IEA team, and currently attends Cazenovia College, majoring in Equine Business Management.

Jack Frohm was a 2015 inductee into the National Show Jumping Hall of Fame. Frohm, now 84, studied livestock farming at Cornell University before purchasing High View Farm in Mendon and going on to a successful show career as both a rider and trainer.

Jaclyn Kimmes, of White Sulphur Springs, is a North American Western Dressage year-end award winner for 2015. Kimmes finished as reserve champion in the Amateur Introductory Level of Western dressage.

Little Moe 5K will again benefit Central New York horse rescue The annual Little Moe 5K Walk/ Run to support horse rescue at the CNYSPCA will be May 7 at Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville. All proceeds go to support the SPCA equine programs in Central New York.

The race, organized by Skanda Equine, Cazenovia, is named after Modig (Little Moe), one of 14 Onondaga ponies rescued in February 2013 by the CNYSPCA. To volunteer at the Little Moe 5K, contact Skanda Equine at 315-8155056. Early registration – before April 7 – is $25.

NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 11

LEG UP: CALENDAR

MARCH 26 26 APRIL 2 3 8-10 9 10 27 30 MAY 28-29 29

Reining and Ranch Riding Clinic. Cazenovia College Equine Center. Cost is $20 to audit. More information: Jennifer Hoyt, 315-447-4166 or hoyttrain1@gmail.com.

Limestone Creek Hunt’s Learn to Foxhunt Clinic. Morrisville State College Rehab Center. Riders of any discipline able to walk, trot and canter with control are welcome. More information: limestonecreekhunt@yahoo.com.

Training for lesson volunteers. From the Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship, 1-3 p.m. at the farm, Webber Road, New Woodstock. Volunteers must be at least 14. More information: Diane Slowik, slowikdm54@hotmail.com.

Seminar with FEI trainer Carel Eijkenaar: Analysis of the conformation and of the quality of gaits for a dressage prospect. Voltra Farm, Rock Road, Verona. More information: voltrafarm@gmail.com.

Patrick King Horsemanship Clinic at Canterbury Stables, Roberts Road, Cazenovia. Auditors welcome. More information: canterburystablesny.com.

Quarterly meeting of the New York State Horse Council. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The SPOT restaurant, Binghamton.

Snow/rain date is April 16. More information: nyshc.org.

Jumping clinic with Barb Lindberg, Cazenovia College. Deer Hollow Farm, Cazenovia. For any level.

Sponsored by CNY Dressage & Combined Training Association. More information: cnydcta.org.

Syracuse Professional Horseman’s Association show. Toyota Coliseum, New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse. Show runs through May 1. More information: syracusepha.org.

Central New York Reining Horse Association Spring Slide, two-day show is April 30-May 1 at Morrisville State College. More information: cnyrha.com.

Olympic dressage judge Gary Rockwell returns to Canterbury Stables, Cazenovia. Auditors welcome. More information: canterburystablesny.com.

The Classic Series Horse Show series begins with a show at Smoke Tree Farm, Baldwinsville. Other shows in the series are: Bridle Path Manor, June 6, Syracuse; Canterbury Stables, July 31, Cazenovia; Coliseum Classic, August 11-14, state Fairgrounds, Syracuse; Heritage Stable, September 25, Skaneateles.

Looking Ahead

Larry Poulin Driving Clinic, sponsored by Cherry Valley Carriage Association. June 3-5, Logan’s Place Farm, Route 13, New Woodstock.

To submit events for the New York Horse calendar, send an email to: nyhorsemag@gmail.com.

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LEG UP: ROAD TRIP World-class competition makes the Lake Placid horse shows a summer classic

F

or lovers of big horses, big jumps and big mountains, there is nothing to compare with the Lake Placid horse shows, one of summer’s signature equine events.

The site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, Lake Placid is now home to two top-rated hunter-jumper shows, attracting world-class riders and horses to championship competition set in the shadow of Whiteface Mountain.

The Lake Placid Horse, now entering its 47th season, opens on June 28 and signals the start of the summer’s highcaliber competition. The highlight of the show is the $75,000 Devoucoux Grand Prix of Lake Placid, presented July 3 by Sea Shore Stables.

With only a brief break for Fourth of July festivities, the 47th annual I Love New York Horse Show runs July 5-10 and features the sport’s best, competing in four show rings.

Voted one of the nation’s Top 10 horse shows in 2014 by the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame, the Lake Placid shows feature more than 100 classes each week for all levels of competition – from young children on ponies, to grand prix competitors and Olympic medalists competing in the jumper ring.

The shows are USEF ‘AA’ rated for hunters and 6 rated for jumpers.

Add more than $500,000 in prize money and the Adirondack resort setting to complete the formula that makes these shows a favorite stop on the hunter-jumper circuit for both competitors and spectators.

Action begins at 8 a.m. each show day, with classes running until approximately 5 p.m. in all four rings.

____C N Y D & C T A____ Central New York Dressage & Combined Training Association

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MARCH: 18th - Morrisville Rehab Center Tour 2-4:30pm (RSVP) APRIL: 2nd - Tack Sale with Cantering for a Cure @ Pompey Firehouse 10th - Barb Lindberg Clinic @ Deer Hollow Farm- Cazenovia NY 30th - Show & Tell @ Logan’s Place Farm MAY: 15th - Informal Dressage Show - Tanglewood Riding Center JUNE: 5th- Spring Opener Dressage Show @ Tanglewood Riding Center 15th - Carol Kozlowski Clinic @ Deer Hollow Farm- Cazenovia 26th - Show & Tell @ Whisper Wind Equestrian Center JULY: 10th -Jumper & Dressage Show @ Marcellus Equestrian Center AUGUST: 7th - Dressage Schooling Show @ Tanglewood Riding Center SEPTEMBER: 11th - Fall Wrap-Up Dressage Show@ Tanglewood Riding Center NOVEMBER: 12th - Year-End Awards Banquet & Silent Auction Dinner @ Lincklaen House *Monthly Board meetings are the 2nd Monday @ Manlius Public Library*

For more information on our events please check our webpage www.cnydcta.org & Like us on Facebook

Admission to the showgrounds is $2 on weekdays and $5 on the weekend, with discounts for groups of 20 or more. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free. Admission is half price with a Price Chopper Advantage Card.

Outside the show ring, vendors offer equine apparel, tack and horse-care items as well as home furnishings, sportswear, fine jewelry and commemorative tees.

There’s also a behind-the-scenes tour of the show grounds, offering an insider’s look at the stalls and tack rooms that serve as home for the elite equine competitors. Join the 1 hour guided walking tour at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Whether you’re rooting for tomorrow’s champions on their ponies, the elegantly groomed hunters, or the explosive muscle and speed that powers the jumper arena, the venue is Lake Placid. For more information, go to: lakeplacidhorseshow.com.

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LEG UP: ARMCHAIR EQUESTRIAN

With liberty for all Learn the language of your horse and ‘become one with the herd’

T

rue liberty, says author and horseman Jonathan Field, is much more than simply removing equipment and stepping outside the pen or arena. It’s moving with your horse, it’s trust and communication.

“When you do liberty right, you become one with the herd,” Field writes. “And not only do you develop an amazing connection with your horse, but it’s one of the most fun things you will ever do.”

His book, “The Art of Liberty Training for Horses,” (Trafalgar Square

60-SECOND CLINIC “Horses read the body intention of everyone around them, constantly.

“If you are back and forth with no plan, you have no intent, and therefore will not become the leader.”

From Liberty Training

Books, hardcover, $34.95) offers readers step-by-step, progressive exercises to help them move from training their horses on line, to lessons loose in the round pen, to playing in wide open spaces. Hundreds of photographs also allow readers to learn by watching: They can see Field’s interactions with his horses, how his body language plays off theirs, and how to apply his methods at home with their own horses.

Developing communication skills and your relationship with your horse through liberty benefits all that you do together, Field writes, whether on the ground or in the saddle, whether competing or riding for pleasure. Says Field: Quick responses to subtle cues, clear aids, and a relaxed and attentive horse are the keys to liberty, and they are also objectives when you ride, drive, or interact with the horse on the ground around the barn. Liberty, therefore, teaches you to be an all-around better horseman or horsewoman.

“The horsemanship journey doesn’t end with liberty,” he writes. “It’s just the beginning of connection.”

Field was the subject of a documentary, Harmony with Horses. His home base is two training facilities in

British Columbia, but he spends about half the year on the road teaching at clinics, expos and seminars.

By breaking down the liberty method into manageable, progressive steps, trainers learn to have a better “feel,” to reward the horse sooner, and to time their aids to ensure they get the desired response. Plus, trainers discover how to approach each session from the individual horse’s perspective — an important key to getting a horse to act because he wants to, rather than because he has to.

A bonus is a set of quick-reference sheets designed to be taken to the barn to reinforce the lessons in the book. Its aim is no less than to change the way riders are around their horses, and the way horses are around their riders.

LEG UP: BITS AND PIECES HIGH FIVE: NUMBERS OF INTEREST THIS ISSUE New York Horse trotted through the stack of interesting information and news releases that come our way and gleaned these illuminating items of equine intelligence.

52%

Buy the pony! A Swedish study says babies exposed to farm animals reduce their risk of developing asthma by this amount.

$30M Value of the NYPD’s new headquarters for its 52-horse mounted unit on the ground floor of a luxury building in Manhattan.

14 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com

/3

2

The amount of people – out of nearly 11,000 responding to an American Horse Publications national survey – who said they view their horses as family members.

7.8

The percentage of respondents in the same national survey who said they viewed their horses as employees.

Two

The number of hitching rails for Amish horses installed in 2015 in the village of Cazenovia.

The local Amish community numbers about 20 families.

“Engaging the power of the horse to motivate, teach and heal …”

Tully Building Supply From Concept to Construction …

Put Your Dream in Our Hands

At our farm in New Woodstock, we use Equine–Assisted Therapy to rebuild lives From the Ground Up. Have fun with us: Volunteers receive Natural Horsemanship training and a lifechanging chance to help others. Join us April 2 for Volunteer Training.

We Build Excellence from the Ground Up

Support us: Save the date for our Spring and Savor event, April 14 at Greenwood Winery, East Syracuse. Buy a raffle ticket for the chance to win a Beezie Madden saddle.

Tully Building Supply, the choice for all your building needs since 1921. Thank you for your support and business!

Celebrate with us: Tina Turner, our gentle Norwegian Fjord horse, turns 30. Join our Open House celebration June 5 at the farm.

For information about volunteering or any of our events, go to: ftguhorses.org

Two locations to serve your needs TULLY BUILDING SUPPLY 24 Onondaga St., Tully 315-696-8984 ALPINE BUILDING SUPPLY 1600 US Rt. 38, Moravia 315-497-1221

From the Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship

Big enough to serve you. Small enough to care.

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LEG UP: GUEST COLUMN

Students who ride learn “the grace of trust and the gift of being trusted,” says SLU President William Fox.

PHOTO BY TARA FREEMAN/ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

What the barn teaches: Pace, patience and emotional intelligence “The horses on campus and the students who care for them exemplify the liberal arts philosophy”

By Dr. William L. Fox

T

he guide in Paris left the message to meet at the statue of Charlemagne by Notre Dame Cathedral. No matter what grand city, it is easy to find a marble king or a bronze general on horseback to mark the place of rendezvous.

We had earlier been in Normandy’s medieval city of Rouen to visit St. Lawrence students, a city

16 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com

known by a fixed Napoleon on a rearing horse. In London, where other St. Lawrence students attend class and theater, the Duke of Wellington rides again after Waterloo in three-dimensional stillness.

Closer to campus, a visit to the capital city of Ottawa usually begins at the War Memorial, a vivid freeze frame of 1915 that captures a scrum of exhausted combat soldiers, one of whom rides a draft horse, an eye-riveting animal with brute shoulders pulling a big gun on a muddy road.

When we come back to Canton, however, there remains a subtle sense of a living past. The North Country is still frisky as horse country. The “rush hour” on Main Street signals the familiar whir of passing cars (and pick-up trucks), but then there is the occasional clip-clop cadence as old as the rhythms of a Roman road. At home, I hear daily the Amish buggies on market errands. It makes me think of the pictures kept in our archives of college professors on horseback and the children of the farms who brought their trunks to campus by horse cart. … The fact is I never learned to ride, though

my mother, wife and daughter can be found in family albums sitting a horse confidently. I grew up in a city with more than two dozen equestrian statues, but now I live in a setting with more than two dozen active equestrians (almost all women) who manage a liberal arts education accompanied by an equal number of school horses owned by St. Lawrence.

My appreciation for St. Lawrence as an appropriate home for horses is not drawn materially from the great good our riding team has done for public awareness, though being national champions twice in the last three years merits more than a footnote mention. This proposition does not require wreaths and ribbons to clear the jump: The horses on campus and the students who care for them exemplify the liberal arts philosophy that so many of us are giving our lives to perpetuate.

When I visit the Elsa Gunnison Appleton Riding Arena, affectionately known as “the barn,” for a horse show or an impulse drop-in, I observe qualities that I wish every student at St. Lawrence will find in equivalent ways. I notice the constant atmosphere of patience and pace while walking the corridor of stalls. Its whispered air resembles the feeling of a library.

The French scholar Arlette Farge once wrote, “To feel the allure of the archives is to seek to extract additional meaning from fragmented phrases found there … an unplanned glimpse offered into an unexpected event.” The barn has the pull of an unfinished story at the pen’s nib, a first draft taking patience to trace and write down.

I have witnessed in my barn tours a way for students to be emotionally connected to an activity

Cazenovia | Hamilton

without being foolishly emotional. We expect the sciences to teach a cool detachment in front of the facts as presented; we also expect that literary texts will cause human feelings to stir in class, but without losing the capacity to analyze what things mean or matter. I marvel at the mature emotional intelligence being developed around the horses by an experience for students that shows the grace of trust and the gift of being trusted.

Years ago, I spent a day with a St. Lawrence alumnus at his workplace on a Hudson Valley farm.

A world-renowned breeder and trainer of Arabian horses, he took me into a round barn, and told me to stand quietly against the wall as he worked the paces and turns of a young horse. It was a truly sublime and beautiful moment to see this man and magnificent horse communicate so effectively in a language that approached something mystical.

It takes tremendous athletic balance and intellectual poise to ride a horse, a creature that is both extremely powerful and remarkably gentle.

While I couldn’t achieve that myself in exactly the same way, I can take its example and use it to explain a college’s purpose, in making clear how we want all our students to turn out, bringing gentleness out of power, equilibrium out of speed.

Socrates once had a student who wrote knowingly about horses. He maintained that in looking at a horse, the key is to pay attention to the feet. And in the liberal arts, too, the show is never the same as knowing the source.

Dr. William L. Fox is president of St. Lawrence University. This piece originally appeared in the university’s alumni magazine.

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LEG UP: MILESTONE Reining celebrates the Big 5-0, with CNYRHA a proud part of the sport’s growth

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t’s been 50 years of breathtaking spins, circles and sliding stops.

The National Reining Horse Association celebrates five decades of tremendous growth as it marks a golden Classic and Northeast Affiliate Regional anniversary in 2016. Sharing that pride in Championships, Oct. 20-23 at the Toyota their sport, the Central New York Reining Coliseum at the Fairgrounds.

Horse Association is planning a full season Talking about the explosion in of shows and clinics to showcase the talent, popularity – from its start in the American athleticism and training of horse and rider.

West, reining has grown to become a “CNYRHA is proud to be part of the medal sport at the World Equestrian exciting growth of the sport of reining,” Games – Hoyt talks about its inclusiveness. said Jennifer Hoyt of Hoyt’s Training “The appeal of the sport of reining in Manlius, a member of the NRHA is due in part to the scoring system Executive Committee and a director of used in judging, but also hugely to the the CNY affiliate. “We continually strive many levels of competition,” she says. to hold reining events that are not only “There truly is a place for everyone. The exciting but educational, welcoming, inclusion recently of the para-reining family oriented and just plain fun. classes is just one more great example of “This last year, we were so proud how reining is a sport for anyone with a to host the Northeast Regional Affiliate love of a great horse!”

Championships for NRHA here in NRHA started with less than 100 Syracuse,” Hoyt said. “We welcomed members at the first Futurity in 1966. over 300 horses and exhibitors to this It ended 2015 with more than 15,300 event -- many who had never been to members nationwide. The Association, beautiful Upstate New York before – and which is responsible for promoting the awarded over $64,000 in prize money. sport of reining and working to ensure We are looking forward to hosting the highest standards of competition, this event this year again in the newly also counted more than 1,700 renovated Coliseum.” professionals among its members.

CNYRHA has been a cornerstone of “NRHA is healthy, strong and the sport of reining since 2001. This year, growing like I never would have programs begin April 2, with a reining imagined,” said NRHA President Rick clinic taught by million-dollar rider Clark. “We have made several changes, Rocky Dare at Cazabu Farms, Cazenovia, and experienced some growing pains, and the Reining Horse Sports Foundation but the payoff has been tremendous.

Rookie Day on April 3 at the Cazenovia The 50th running of the Futurity was College equine center. outstanding, and I see a brighter future Shows start with the CNYRHA Spring for the NRHA as we run full steam ahead Slide, April 30-May 1 at Morrisville State to our Association’s 50th anniversary.”

College and the Ride and Slide June 3-5 at the state Fairgrounds in Syracuse.

Summer shows include the INTERESTED IN REINING? Summer Slide Jackpot July To learn more about the CNYRHA and its 24 in Kirkville and Summer programs, visit cnyrha.com Slidin’ By, August 13-14, also To find a reining professional and get started in the at Morrisville State. sport, go to nrha.com/findapro The capstone to the The NRHA is online at nrha.com show season, as Hoyt noted, is the CNYRHA Fall

LEG UP: INSIGHT

Horses can read human emotions The reaction to angry facial expressions ‘was particularly clear’

A

nyone who’s ever owned, ridden or loved a horse, has long suspected they can read human emotions.

Now, researchers say, it’s been proven true: Horses are in fact able to distinguish between positive and negative facial expressions.

Psychologists at the University of Sussex showed 28 horses happy and angry photographs of two unfamiliar male faces. When viewing the angry faces, the horses looked more with their left eye, a behavior associated with understanding negative stimuli.

Their heart rate also increased and they showed more stress-related behaviors.

“What’s really interesting about this research is that it shows that horses have the ability to read emotions across the species barrier,” said researcher Amy Smith.

“We have known for a long time that horses are a socially sophisticated species, but this is the first time we have seen that

they can distinguish between positive and negative human facial expressions.

“The reaction to the angry facial expressions was particularly clear,” Smith added. “There was a quicker increase in their heart rate, and the horses moved their heads to look at the angry faces with their left eye.”

Research shows that many species view negative events with their left eye.

That’s because information from the left eye is processed in the right hemisphere of the brain, which processes threatening stimuli. A tendency to view negative human facial expressions with the left eye has also been documented in dogs.

Smith noted that the horses had a stronger reaction to negative expressions than to the positive. This may be, she said, because it is more important for animals to recognize threats in their environment.

“There are several possible explanations for our findings,” said

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professor Karen McComb, the other lead researcher. “Horses may have adapted an ancestral ability for reading emotional cues … Alternatively, individual horses may have learned to interpret human expressions during their own lifetime.

“What’s interesting is that accurate assessment of a negative emotion is possible across the species barrier, despite the dramatic difference in facial (structure) between horses and humans.”

LEG UP: FIRST PERSON

Just a Dream and a Challenge

“She was putting all of her trust into him, and he was answering her silent questions”

time traveling from Cooperstown, NY to Boston, MA for appointments. By participating in the challenge, the farm decided to give free pony rides at their open house; gaining newcomers and hoping they become hooked on horses.

The moment Robin saw the horse she was going to ride, her eyes lit up and she smiled from ear to ear. She had been reading about horses her whole life so she knew to sit up tall, put her heels down and to look forward. One of her dreams came true that day, and Time to Ride had a part in that. But it is not just about the rider or the newcomer; it is also about the bond between rider and horse.

Editor’s note: MacKenzie Waro of Hartwick, NY, took honorable mention in Time to Ride’s writing contest with this piece, exploring the magic of a child bonding with a horse for the first time. Time to Ride is a program of the American Horse Council, designed to connect people with horses.

By MacKenzie Waro

T

he love of horses was bred into me; I had no choice but to love, ride and be owned by horses. Growing up, I took for granted what was out my back door. I never fully understood how lucky I was to go out, tack up and ride with the wind.

I grew up being able to take riding lessons with some of the best instructors, showing at the local shows and being able to own my own horse. It was not until this summer, when the farm opened its doors to the Time to Ride Challenge that it hit me: horses are magical. The farm hosted many Time to Ride events throughout the summer; but there is one day with one kid that will stay in my memory for time to come.

Robin is a local girl; her grandmother is friends with the family who owns the farm. Robin’s family does not have the financial means to take riding lessons as Robin is ill and spends a lot of

20 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com

I spent time watching the horse she rode with other, more able-bodied students. That horse spent time looking around and trying to eat grass that was on the outside of the riding arena. The moment Robin was in the saddle, the horse changed. It was as if he was listening to her, as if there was an unspoken language between the two. She was putting all of her trust into him, and he was answering her silent questions with little flicks of his ears and the softness of his eyes.

Before I could stop myself, there were tears streaming down my face. I have been following this young girl’s story, and knew the struggles that family has had to overcome. That horse took care of Robin that day. He never saw her wallet or her disease; he felt her love, excitement and compassion and in return gave her courage and the belief that dreams really do come true.

What other sport depends on a 1,200 pound teammate to keep you safe? What other sport makes you trust that 1,200 pound teammate not to hurt you? After Robin finished with her ride, she dismounted – still grinning – and asked when she could come back. When she leaned over and kissed the horse on the nose, the horse perked his ears forward and nuzzled into the kiss.

With tears on my cheeks and a smile on my face I walked over to my own mare. She stuck her head out as if to ask, ‘Are you OK? Why are you crying?’ and draped her head on my shoulder. I have been riding for 22 years, and it took a newcomer with a dream for me to see that horses are more than a teammate; they are our soul mates.

MacKenzie Waro has been riding for 22 years and is owned by a 9-year-old Quarter Horse, Dolly Holiday, who is showing first level dressage and is the Zemi Farm Vaulters vaulting horse.

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Off the Beaten Path Sugar Hill State Forest offers a sweet ride and a hidden gem – a spectacular view from a vintage fire tower

T

By Katie Navarra

Map area

22 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com

GOOGLE MAPS

he Sugar Hill State Forest lies in the southern heart of The view from the Finger Lakes, a wooded counterpoint to an area the landmark better known for its dark glacial waters. Here, trails Sugar Hill fire crisscross the hills separating Keuka and Seneca lakes tower is worth and wind past an historic fire tower, one of the last in the climb.

New York that is still accessible to the public.

Overview: Sugar Hill State Forest encompasses 12,000 acres, seven miles west of the village of Watkins Glen. The area was A second trailhead on the south side of the park, off first settled in 1802, but its value for farming was marginal Evergreen Hill Road, offers four tie stalls, an outhouse and a and its use as agricultural land ended in the early 1900s. New nearby stream, although the state Department of Environmental York started buying its first parcels in the 1930s and, with the Conservation cautions on its website that the water must be exception of the war years of 1943 and 1944, purchased more treated before drinking. land every year for about two decades, all for $4 per acre.

The campsites and tie stalls are available on a first-come, About the same time the state became interested in the area, first-served basis. If the tie stalls are filled, the DEC allows horses the nation entered the Great Depression and, in 1933, President to be tied to vehicles or to stakes firmly planted in the ground.

Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation The DEC does not permit horses to be tethered directly to a tree.

Corps. At Sugar Hill, the CCC provided work for unemployed Horses are also forbidden in the camping and picnic area. men who planted thousands of trees and erected the fire tower, Required papers: Horses must have a negative Coggins test. laying the foundation for the park as it is today.

Fee: None.

Trails: Riders can enjoy nearly 40 miles of looping trails Season: Late spring to early fall. along the Six Nations Trail System, which traverses the hills Don’t miss this: The 75-foot tall Sugar Hill Fire Tower was separating Keuka and Seneca lakes. built in 1941 by the CCC, and was used until the mid-1980s.

The canopy of trees is filled with birdsong and history, with The fire tower observation deck is closed, but the stairs to the many of the stands of trees dating back to the early days of the top landing are open for climbing, the DEC says, “at your own CCC. In 1935, a seeding of pin cherry, choke cherry, birch and risk.”

The reward for those who make the climb? On a clear day white ash was set. The next year, nearly 1,300 acres of red pine, you can see almost forever – a spectacular 15-mile vista in all Japanese larch, Norway spruce, black locust, and white pine directions. was planted – approximately 1.7 million trees. The camp closed Contact: DEC Region 8 offices in Bath oversee the Sugar Hill in October 1941, with the pending start of World War II. forest; phone 607-776-2165. For maps and other trail information, Watch for wildlife as you ride. Everything from black bears check out cnyhiking.com/SugarHillStateForest.htm. to wild turkeys find a home in the woods and grasslands of the Finger Lakes region.

Accommodations for horse and rider: Two Hiking trailheads welcome riders and offer camping areas Multiple Use (Horse Riding) with stalls. The main assembly area is near the Motorized Access Sugar Hill Sugar Hill Fire Tower, off Tower Road, on the park’s Snowmobiling State Forest north end. This area provides ample parking, water and flush toilets, handicapped-accessible mounting ramps and 16 tie stalls. For human guests, there’s a field for camping. Other amenities here include a picnic area, pavilion and rec building, along with something not seen at many other areas — an archery course.

PHOTO BY EDMUND RESSLER/CNYHIKING.COM

Editor’s Note: New York’s state parks, forests, wildlife preserves and private properties beckon riders of all abilities and interests.

Diverse terrain, from stone dust paths and rolling hills to rugged mountains and wilderness lakes, await you. Get out there and ride!

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The Competitive Edge

“Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.”

— T. Alan Armstrong NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 25

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Unbowed PASSION AND DETERMINATION LIFTED MARY JORDAN FROM ILLNESS TO INTERNATIONAL COMPETITON

BY RENﾃ右 K. GADOUA, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 27

28 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com

PHOTO BY LINDSAY Y. MCCALL

“I loved the partnership between me and the horse”

M

Houston in November. Next up are two competitions ary Jordan sat on her first horse at in Florida, then selection trials in Michigan in June.

4, competed in her first show at 12, A team of four paralympians will be chosen from and then defied the gods – when among about 16 eligible athletes. Jordan is a Grade multiple sclerosis and a botched IV para competitor, an athlete with the least severe spinal tap left her unable to stand – activity limitations. by riding onto the world stage.

The third member of her family to be diagnosed She was 36 and teaching therapeutic riding – her sister also has MS – Jordan devotes many of when she was diagnosed with MS. She thought her her off-horse hours to multiple sclerosis patients and equestrian days were over. Conventional wisdom families. “People need to know MS is not a death and her own family history said she was right. sentence,” she said in a telephone interview from Jordan’s father, a philosophy professor at Florida, where she was training. MS is a chronic, Hamilton College and an Episcopal minister, also autoimmune disease that affects the brain, spinal had MS. He was a quadriplegic; she never saw him cord and optic nerves. Symptoms differ widely for stand or walk. But with better treatment, an upbeat the more than 2.3 million people worldwide with attitude and an unwavering commitment to diet and exercise, Jordan remains active and horses remain at the center of her life.

“I was scared to death,” she said.

“When I was able to sit on a horse again, it was the one thing that made me feel like myself.”

In 2009, seven years after her diagnosis, Jordan resumed competing.

The horse-loving girl from the tiny New York village of Clinton traveled to Holland for training, then rode in the European Para-Equestrian Dressage Championship in Kristiansand, Norway.

She’s remained a world-class equestrian athlete, competing nationally and internationally in dressage and earning a spot on the U.S. Para-Equestrian Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

There, she closed out the competition with a moving freestyle test that earned a score of 66.00 and 15th place. Afterward she said, “I ride to be a living, breathing example of what someone with MS can do.”

Since then, she’s twice been an alternate on U.S. teams, for the 2012 Paralympics in London and the 2014 Mary and Rubicon, here and at left, are World Games in Normandy. Now she’s training to compete in the 2016 Paralympics. training and competing for a spot on Team USA in the September 2016 MS, but it can affect vision, balance, muscle control Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. She’s optimistic about and other basic body functions. her chances at going, “but anything can happen,” Its cause remains unknown, and Jordan she said. “I don’t take anything for granted.” participates in hereditary studies to support efforts She and Rubicon 75 – a 17.3 hand, “sweet, at earlier diagnosis and better treatments. loving” chestnut Oldenburg gelding that she calls “If you saw me, you wouldn’t think I had Ruby – have worked together since April 2014.

MS,” Jordan said. “Sometimes your brain says to Every horse feels different to the rider, she said, do something and there’s a delay in one of your like the difference between riding in a Ford or a extremities. Your coordination and timing can be a Lamborghini. Ruby, she said, “is a Lamborghini little bit off.” She adds: “It’s a condition you can live all the way. (Riding him) is an incredible sense of with and you can push forward in a positive way.” freedom and expression.”

Jordan’s son, Tristan, was 5 when she was The pair won a national championship in NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 29

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY JORDAN

diagnosed, and she says her riding is also a message for him. “Since I couldn’t tell him he would never get the disease, I decided I’d turn that around and show him what a person with MS can do. I was trying to show him he was going to be OK.” Jordan now lives in Wells, Maine, but maintains affection for Central New York’s friendly people and beautiful landscapes. She returned to Clinton in September, when she was inducted into the Kirkland Sports Hall of Fame. “I always go back to my roots,” she said. “I was shaped by those earliest experiences riding around the farm. That’s where my dreams were made.”

Her first memories of horses dates to those toddler years when her parents would put her on a little toy jumping horse in the yard, and she would play on it for hours. The first real horse she rode was Sean – her best friend’s uncle’s retired Standardbred.

“We rode with a saddle,” she said. “We rode him bareback. We rode him two at a time. We rode him with one facing backwards and one facing forward.

We rode him in the road and in the woods.”

After years of begging, she took a riding lesson

at age 12 at Sky Step Farm in Clinton (now White Fox Farm). Six weeks later, she was in her first show, where she placed seventh and eighth in

SECRET WORTH STEALING

Try this recipe for a happy horse: Cousin Mary’s bran mash

By Becky Burmaster “If you’re lucky enough to own a horse,” it is said, “then you’re lucky enough.” Cousin Mary was lucky enough, and my twin sister and I used to visit her at the stable in Clinton where she boarded her first show horse, Roanie.

A lot has changed since then but one

thing has not: Mary has always treated her horses to bran mash. If you want to spoil your equine, this is the ultimate recipe – tweaked over the years to satisfy all Mary’s show horses.

Indulge your horse no more than twice a week with this recipe and, if you own a horse 3 years old or under, make that only once a week. Or make it as an occasional treat to warm any horse’s soul

on a cold night. ”Growing up in Upstate New York and moving to Maine gives you lots of mileage in raw weather,” Mary wrote in her letter sharing the recipe. “Nothing makes me feel better than offering my horses a nice warm mash on a cold winter’s night.”

Here is Mary’s recipe. It makes enough to feed one, very happy horse.

Directions: Place the dry bran in your bucket, along with the chamomile or peppermint, carrots and apples. If you are using teabags, simply rip them open and pour the dried tea into your mix.

Put the whole flaxseed in a saucepan halffilled with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer to crack the seed coats of the flax.

Stir occasionally. You will know the mixture is ready when the consistency is gooey or jelly-like and the seeds look swollen.

If you are using beet pulp, put it in a bucket and cover with about a gallon of water. Let soak 2-4 hours, or overnight, until it swells.

Boil a tea kettle full of water.

When all the ingredients are ready, add

the flaxseed, barley and beet pulp to the bucket containing the bran. Pour boiling water to cover entire mixture (fill the bucket almost to the top). Stir. Place a towel over the bucket and let sit until warm.

Mary’s Mash You will need: 1 eight-quart plastic bucket 1 towel 2-3 pounds bran (should fill about half of your bucket) ¼ cup whole flaxseed (available from a health food store) 2 carrots, sliced like fingers to prevent choking 1 apple, sliced ½ cup dried chamomile OR 2 chamomile tea bags OR 2 peppermint teabags 1 scoop (approximately 30 grams) electrolytes Optional: ½ to 1 cup barley, soaked and cooked 1 cup beet pulp, soaked

30 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com

A couple of notes from Mary: I use the chamomile for a calming effect on a stressful stomach on a tired horse.

Peppermint will have the same benefit. For a stronger effect, boil the water with the loose tea, let it steep, and then pour it over the mixture. You can make it stronger with 3 teabags.

Sometimes I add peppermint candies for fun. Make sure you add them when the mixture is cooler or they will melt.

Serve to a deserving equine.

jumping. That same year, she got her first horse, Roanie, a retired show horse.

“They represented incredible freedom and beauty,” she said. “I identified with horses. I loved to compete.

I loved the partnership between me and the horse.”

It was also here, in Syracuse, an hour’s drive from her home, that Jordan first saw dressage, the sport that came to define her as an equestrian. “It feels like we’re dancing,” she said. “There’s a lot of power and expression in it. There’s a lot of softness and gentleness to it.”

Whether the road will carry her to Rio is still a question. But Jordan knows the answer to what lies beyond the distant curve: She plans to ride as long as possible. “Throughout my life people have asked, ‘When are you quitting riding?’ … I’m still here doing it. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t love it.”

MARY JORDAN: FIVE THINGS My secret weapon is: Determination.

The one thing I always look for in a horse: A smart horse with a great disposition who enjoys teamwork.

If my horse was human: He would speak German and be learning English.

I keep my competitive edge by: Always putting myself out there and being committed to learning, training and competing under all circumstances – and not being afraid to make mistakes, because I understand experience leads to success.

My best piece of advice to anyone who wants to ride better: Be committed to health and fitness on and off the horse and truly get to know your horse well. There is also no replacement for working without stirrups!

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PHOTOS BY DAVID BLATCHLEY

NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 33

T

he winningest coach in college sports settles in for a pizza bagel and an afternoon’s meander through a life defined by horses.

Cornell University Polo Coach David Eldredge began riding at age 3. He picked up his first mallet as a kid on his father’s dairy farm, captained the Cornell varsity team for three years, and forged from his passion for that “fast-moving sport with sticks” – think hockey on horseback – an unmatched collegiate dynasty. His varsity men’s and women’s teams have captured 13 national championships since he took the reins of Cornell polo in 1985. In 31 years, only twice have they finished with a losing record.

It’s been quite a journey, one that surprised even Eldredge, who graduated Cornell with a degree in agricultural engineering. Growing up, his brother was the animal person on the farm and he was the machinery person. But trading horsepower for horse power was the right choice for Eldredge, whose love for polo, his team and his horses, is as fierce as his competitive spirit.

New York Horse talked with him about riding, respect and the road ahead.

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“One of the things I try to do as a coach is teach accountability ...

That translates into the rest of life.”

NYH: You’ve been quoted as saying “accolades are nice, but that’s not what it’s all about for me.” What is it about?

NYH: So when you talk about your coaching philosophy, winning is the icing on the cake?

DE: I have always had the philosophy I

DE: I’m competitive. Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to do everything in my power to make my team successful and have them win … I love to win.

My expectation for what I’m going to produce as a team is that we are always going to vie for, if not win, the Regionals, and always be in the top echelon nationally. These expectations are handed down by the players. I don’t have to put it up on a chalkboard. The players understand: If I’m holding myself to that bar, then they strive to reach that standard.

One of the things that I try to do as a coach is teach accountability ...

That translates into the rest of life. If I can teach these kids to be accountable when they’re taking care of horses in the barn and responsible for what they do on the field, it goes with them out into the real world. That’s become less of an acknowledgement in this day and age; it’s always someone else’s fault. You have to be willing to stand up and take responsibility for what happens.

I try to make all of the students know

learned from my father: It’s a game. Don’t forget it’s a game. Remember that you have to have fun. That’s why we play games – to have fun.

If I can pass on my love and passion for polo to my players, that’s what’s in it for me. I want every student who comes through the door to have the same passion for the sport that I have. I have a competitive fire that burns very deeply. If I can make them competitive while they’re having fun, what’s the harm in that?

What I tell the team is: Give me the best that you have today. That’s all I ask of you. And every rider knows, some days that’s a lot and some days nothing is good.

A team president once told an alumni group, “Everybody always asks about how we feel about coach. I tell them … we just hate to lose for (David), because of everything he does for us.” In a nutshell, that’s my coaching philosophy. I will put out everything that I can, to give students every opportunity to be successful.

that their part on the team is important.

That’s a life lesson, too. And I try to instill a work ethic. It’s something I try to give these kids. That’s an added piece that’s not in the job description, but it’s an unwritten thing for coaches.

NYH: What’s your competitive edge?

What’s your best advice about how to get and keep that winning edge?

DE: To get the competitive edge, you have

to have a passion for what you’re doing, whether that’s a job or a sport. There are some students – I can even feel it in horses – they’re going to do what you ask of them and they’re going to be good. But they’re not going to be elite.

An elite athlete has a passion for the sport and what they’re doing. And that in itself leads to a competitive edge.

To maintain that edge: Never stop learning. Never think that you’ve reached the pinnacle. I’ve been playing polo since I was 9. I turn 57 this year. I still believe I can learn something every time I play, every time I watch a game. To maintain the competitive edge you’ve got to be willing to change. You’ve got to be willing to be creative, and that comes back to your passion for what you’re doing.

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NYH: It’s been said of you that you can pretty much fix any horse that comes into your barn. Take us through that process.

DE: First, you have to gain the trust of

the animal. That’s dealing with them on the ground. Once you gain their trust, then it’s a matter of them gaining respect – and the respect going both ways. The horse has to understand: When I ask you for something, I want you to do it.

Once you’re working from their back, then it’s a process of assessing, “OK, what’s happened to you?” And then it’s figuring out how far back I have to go to make it better. Do I have to go back to Ground Zero?

It’s replacing the bad habits and reminding them what the good habits are, and then rewarding them when they do it correctly. It’s connecting with the horse and working to understand what’s going on. You can’t treat

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them with a cookie cutter mentality.

They’re individuals, just like we’re individuals, and you have to treat them as individuals.

NYH: What has polo taught you?

DE: It has taught me to be humble. It has

taught me accountability. It has opened doors for me – too many to count. Polo has given me the opportunity in life to experience many more things than I probably ever imagined.

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have a job that is my hobby. What in life can be better than being paid for what you love? I’ve spent many an evening in that barn taking care of a sick horse. Am I tired the next day? Yes. But it’s not a chore, it’s not an effort.

I have three sets of children: My own, the kids on the team, and then I have 60 horses that are my children. I’m the voice for these horses. They can’t speak and say, “Dad, my ankle hurts,”

or “I don’t feel so well today.” I have to decipher and be their voice.

NYH: What else have horses taught you?

DE: Compassion.

Body language.

Humbleness – and that leads into respect. I respect everything that horses can do for me and everything that they can do to me. The moment you lose sight of what they can do to you, you lose their respect; and then you lose what they can do for you.

I show respect for all of these horses, for everything they do for me. And they show respect for me, for everything I do for them. When I turn the horses out in the summer, I go out there every day and they come up and check in ... You know, you can be a rider, but you can be far from a horseman. A horseman will know that feeling of having the horse come up to you in a field without any enticements.

A rider will never know that feeling.

“To get the competitive edge, you have to have a passion for what you’re doing ...To maintain that edge: Never stop learning.”

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NYH: Finish the sentence: Sportsmanship means …

DE: Being humble, being honest. Doing your sport for the right reasons, for the enjoyment of what you and your horse have been able to attain.

NYH: The one thing I always look for in a horse?

DE: Athleticism.

Conformation does not necessarily depict athleticism. It can have something to do with a horse’s athleticism, but it’s not the end all.

And attitude. I guess that’s the best

38 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com

way to phrase it; a willingness to work with me. The old wives’ tale is true: You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

NYH: The last word is yours.

DE: I wanted to make Cornell polo a program that, wherever you went, if someone said “Cornell polo” everyone knew: That’s a quality program. That’s where they want to be.

I’ve been here 31 years. There are still goals I have for the program, things I would like to see happen. When I lose that drive to want to achieve more, then I’ll know it’s time to retire.

What is your single best piece of advice about how to get — and keep — the competitive edge?

That’s the question New York Horse put to collegiate and interscholastic coaches in the region. Many took time out of their busy days to share their thoughts.

From remembering to breathe, to remembering it’s “not the Olympics,” here is what they had to say.

NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 39

Nicolle Madonna Cerio, head coach Le Moyne College IHSA Team and coach Team CNY EQ (IEA hunt seat) “A ‘competitive edge’ is something developed over time. Good practice becomes a decent performance. Great practice becomes a good performance.

Phenomenal practice becomes a great performance.

“Our riders are cultured to treat every time they get on a horse as an opportunity to not only become a better rider but become a better competitor. You cannot slack at home and expect to shine at shows. How well you ride at home is the best you can expect to ride at a show.

“Obviously there are many factors to a good performance, and the IHSA throws the curve ball of never knowing exactly what type of ride you are going to need to give. Riders need to pay attention to the horse under them – to keep feeling and reacting.

“By riding with these standards at home, it makes dealing with competition nerves that much easier: You go into the ring knowing you can complete the task at hand if you stick with the plan and keep reacting and riding the horse that you drew, not the horse that you want it to go like.”

Joanna Novakovic, head coach Cornell University IHSA hunt seat team “I believe the key to our competitive edge is preparation. The team works hard every practice to perfect their skills and to challenge themselves.

“By the time they get to the shows, what they’re asked to do seems easy compared to what they’ve been working on at home, which gives them confidence to go out there knowing they can win.”

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Ray Whelihan, coach SUNY Cobleskill IHSA hunt seat team “To pass on advice given to me many years ago, ‘Do the simple things very, very well.’ This means riding with correct form: heels down, back flat, eyes ahead, hands carried above and ahead of the withers, riding from leg to quiet hand.

Then focus on track, pace, balance and rhythm.

“Keep it simple and focus on what matters. Do not allow distractions or buy into systems that thrive on obtrusive riding and complexity.”

Kimberley Dougherty, head trainer Canterbury Stables, Cazenovia “‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,’ Ben Franklin said.

Prepare mentally with vision and physically with consistent practice.

“Learn from your mistakes and, most of all, enjoy the competition.”

Ann Fowler, head coach Cazenovia College Intercollegiate Dressage Association team

Sara Paddock, coach Emerald City Equestrian Team (IEA hunt seat) “Be positive! Remember when you are on an IEA team you compete as an individual as well as for your team.

“Don’t get down on yourself if you didn’t have your best ride. Learn something from it and cheer your team on.

Your positive attitude will show off your true horsemanship and sportsmanship.”

“Overprepare! You should be schooling a level higher than you’re competing, so you never feel overfaced, and you’re confident in your ability to ride the movements. If you’re a hunter/ jumper rider, you should be schooling higher fences at home. Know your test – forwards, backwards, and sideways – so you can concentrate on the horse and not be worrying about ‘what’s next?’

“And … don’t take it too seriously.

If you’re tense, the horse will certainly pick up on that and your ride will suffer.

I think visualizing the perfect ride is a wonderful tool. Our Cazenovia College head coach Amy Sherrick von Schiller is fond of saying ‘This is NOT the Olympics!’

Relax and enjoy the experience.

“I always stress to my riders to ‘Never stop riding.’ Even if you’re on a tough horse and you have a less than stellar movement, that’s just ONE movement and the nice thing about dressage is a bad moment won’t necessarily kill you for the rest of the test. If you can regain your composure and connection with the horse, you can still receive some good marks and when it’s super competitive … there can be very few points separating the winner from sixth place.

Keep calm and carry on!”

Adam D’Agostino, head coach Cazenovia College IHSA Western team

Tiffany Day, coach Morrisville State College IHSA Western team “When preparing for the event, I encourage my riders to practice like they are at the event and don’t just ride to ride. Develop a plan of how you will ride on the rail or through a pattern.

“Getting the horse to perform the desired gaits or maneuvers in a timely fashion is best achieved by knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and owning them. When you know what horse you have drawn, ask questions of his handler or horse supplier to know more about the individual and then be able to modify your approach based on that horse.

“During the event, if an error happens, let it go. Don’t let it defeat you but instead stay calm and be prepared to be more effective. Finish the ride you are on to the best of your ability. In your next ride or lesson, learn and grow from your mistakes becoming a better rider for it.”

“A competitive edge for a rider comes from two places: the rider’s preparation and their ‘heart’. At the center of my coaching philosophy is the idea that a well-prepared rider can handle anything in the show pen. Practice and study horsemanship as often as possible. A rider that truly loves their sport and works hard at it, is someone who will be successful, especially when they give it their all.

“A great tip I give to my riders is to video themselves riding periodically. This gives you a fantastic benchmark on your personal progress. I also feel it takes a team to build a great rider, whether it be a coach, trainer, parent or friend (and, of course, good horses).”

Jamie Epstein, head coach Syracuse University IHSA Western team Lisa Eklund, associate professor Morrisville State College equine department, coached IHSA hunt seat for 18 years “The most competitive riders are those who have a strong mental focus and who look at their mistakes and failures as opportunities to learn and improve. A successful rider looks inward for solutions to their problems and never points blame outward.

“A strong sense of self, and a mindful way of being, is important in order to attain this focus. Regular mindfulness practices such as meditation, breathing exercises, quiet reflection and visualization exercises can help a rider to become present, mindful, focused and find a sense of self-awareness. Find the mindfulness practice that works for you and make it a regular practice.”

“In regards to finding your competitive edge, one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received has been to ‘ride what you have.’ You know your horse better than anyone, and you know what they are capable of.

“In the reining world we say ‘Don’t try to make your 70 horse a 72 horse, because in the end you will end up with a 68 horse.’ Too often you see people get to a horse show, see the competition, and psych themselves out. They suddenly feel like they have to make their horse spin harder, stop bigger, and run faster in the two minutes before their run than what they have been practicing.

Two minutes before your run is not the time to change your game plan.

“Ride the way you planned to ride from the beginning. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to improve things, but take them home as goals to work on and have ready for the next show.”

Denise Van Patten, head coach Syracuse University Equestrian IHSA Team and coach Smoke Tree Equestrian Team (IEA hunt seat) “The best way to get the competitive edge is by watching the best professionals and top riders in your sport and try to learn and emulate them. Read as many good books as you can get your hands on and, finally, practice.

“To keep the competitive edge: You have to get in the show ring in order to test your homework. Then learn from your mistakes, and go back to the drawing board in areas that need improving.

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Diane Brandow, head trainer Spruce Valley Dressage, Cazenovia “Here are my keys to success: “1. The more I know, the more I realize I didn’t know. Every horse is a special case and there is no way any one person can know how to ride every horse to its best potential. I strive every day to learn something new with my riding. It might be something that works specifically with a horse I am riding or teaching; it might be something that does not work. Either way I leaned something. “…I cannot stress enough how important it is to your success to have a professional on your side. If you do not have someone who you can talk to openly about your riding and your horse, then it will be hard for you to get the most out of every lesson. Use these people! That is what they are here for.

“2. Be in a program and have a plan. From my experience, horses like consistency and they like having a job. I think it is confusing to them if they have five days off, then work hard two days then another six days off. Have a plan as to what your goals are as a rider.

I have several students who have no interest in showing but want to be good riders, others who want to show and work through the levels. Either way, you need to have a program for you and your horse.

“3. Don’t give up. Every rider has had great rides and the worst ride. We all go through it. Don’t give up. When things get hard, make sure you are making realistic goals for each ride. As a rider, it is our job to interpret the horse we have to ride that day and celebrate the small victories. As long as your ride ends better then it started, you had a successful day. “… We have all wanted to throw in the towel, but there is usually a way to work through situations if you are open to new ideas.”

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Stacy Lowe-Jonas, co-coach Elmira College equestrian team, IHSA hunt seat, and co-coach Foxmoor Farm IEA team As a competitor in the show ring, a show ring in which countless riders navigate the same course in the same show clothes, day in and day out over the course of a horseshow, it’s incredibly important to keep an edge over the competition, to separate yourself from the pack.

While riding and working on the farm and taking care of your horse is a workout all its own, it’s important to work hard outside of the confines of the farm. One can’t go to the barn and ride, then flop down on the couch and eat Twinkies and expect to yield positive results in the show ring. As a rider, one must be stronger, fitter, and better than the rest to stand out. It’s important to eat well, sleep well, and exercise, even if it’s going on a bike ride or running with your dog.

When you’re at home, a great way to pass time is to take care of your equipment. If you’re going to sit in front of the TV, show your saddle some love and condition it well. Take apart your bridle, clean each piece, and see how quickly (and correctly) you can put it back together.

Take the time to pull out the toothbrush and get polish in every crevice of your tall boots and buff them like crazy until you can see your face in them. Take the extra time to make sure your show shirt is just that much whiter, or get that one last wrinkle out of your show coat.

Make sure your equipment fits well and functions safely and properly.

These little but imperative things show your conscientiousness, and will reflect in your attitude and presence in the show ring.

Once you’re at the show, however, it’s just as important to know your competition. Watch a lot of rounds, pick out details, and even “judge” a few classes yourself and see how your results compare with those of the judge.

Knowing what riders and horses you will be competing against will help you to calibrate your own performance and step up to the plate (not that you shouldn’t step up to the plate regardless).

Ultimately, the competitive edge in the show ring comes down to putting in time, practice, and diligence. Surround yourself in the sport. As Olympic threeday eventer Michael Page always says, “The best in the world do the basics more, and do the basics the best.” If you’re in the ring by yourself, hop up in your two-point or drop your stirrups to hone your leg position and improve your balance. Work on your sitting trot and collection and extension to secure your seat and ask your horse to be more responsive to your aids.

You don’t always have to be schooling over four foot oxers, or working on a piaffe, or galloping full-out around a barrel pattern. The basics are the most important pieces to building your foundation, and ultimately a better, more secure position, that will in turn become a competitive edge.

And finally, a few words from legendary horseman George Morris “Ambition: it’s either in people or it isn’t. That’s the first quality of a good rider. Second is your emotion. What are you like on a bad day? … Next is selection of the horse. You can’t always say it’s your fault, because sometimes the horse doesn’t have the heart for the job. Buying horses is very tricky. It’s worse than marriage. It’s easier to get a divorce than get rid of a horse.”

Morris also suggested riders striving for higher levels of competition get technical advisors who can instruct as to showing schedule, strategy, what stock might be needed to achieve goals and barn organization.

“The basics are the cake. The flat work and the stable management is the cake. The competition is the icing.”

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Artful orse H The

Timeless: In the quiet moments, watercolorist Monica Acee finds richness and depth in her equine subjects

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“How much time is actually spent in the show ring? It’s only a small percentage of the time we spend with our horses, and the in-between time is what equestrian life is about to me.”

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REINING

THE ULTIMATE COMMUNICATION

BETWEEN HORSE AND RIDER

Get in touch & let us take you for a spin On Facebook & online at www.cnyrha.com

East

meets

West

The ideal ranch horse “should look like he is listening, paying attention and comfortable to ride”

BY KATIE NAVARRA

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anch horse, a discipline with roots in the Old West, is cutting in front in the East.

It took a while. Although ranch horse has been around for more than a decade, and is among the fastest-growing equine sports nationally, until recently, ranch horse competition in New York was limited. The Empire State Quarter Horse Association offered its first ranch horse classes in spring 2015.

Competition returned for the big fall show at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, to the delight of riders who say it shows off the traditional skills and native abilities of their horse.

From open circuits and breed shows to sanctioned American Ranch Horse Association (ARHA) events, ranch horse is designed for those riders looking for competitive events to showcase their horse’s natural, ground-covering gaits and versatility.

“I started investigating ranch horse classes and divisions when my western pleasure-bred mare was not fitting the mold of ‘low and slow,’ ” said Christina Thomas, owner of Quiet Quarters Ranch and an avid exhibitor from Campbell, in western New York.

Thomas and her horse were growing frustrated with showing, but the team was too competitive to leave the show pen altogether. “Not to naysay western pleasure, but it’s not a discipline built for every horse and rider, so I began looking for different venues,” she said.

Designed to simulate the activities of a horse working on the vast expanses of a ranch, these competitive events reward horses for forward, yet controlled, ground-covering gaits.

“Ranch horses don’t need that slow pleasure jog or lope. We want a horse that can cover the ground and love his work,” explained Lisa Fuller Sykes,

owner of Davidson Knoll Farm in Canandaigua, and Green Program Director for the New York State Reined Cow Horse Association.

“The horse should look like he is listening, paying attention and comfortable to ride,” added Mike Bednarek, an AQHA and Ranch Riding judge, who also shows and trains at his Bednarek Quarter Horses in Jamesville.

And as interest has grown, so have the opportunities available to competitors.

“Originally, it was tough to find local ranch horse shows, they just were not around yet. So I started my own ranch horse series,” said Thomas. “It was well attended and helped spread the good word of the upcoming events in our area.”

Competitors don’t need a fancy, silver-studded saddle, a sequined show outfit or a $20,000 horse.

What’s needed is a horse that can move off the rider’s leg and demonstrate true transitions and extensions of gait, outfitted in tack that is clean and in good working order.

“The difference in ranch horses is apparent.

The body cadence and facial expression proves the ranch horse is happy with their job description,” said Linda Delisle, an exhibitor and American Ranch Horse Association (ARHA) World Champion from Argyle.

Successful ranch horses don’t necessarily require specialized talent or professional training. According to most rule books, those that excel need to be able to express five true gaits: the walk, jog, extended trot, lope and extended lope/gallop.

“The ideal ranch horse reflects the nature of the discipline. If you were standing in front of a string of horses getting ready for a full day of hard work, your horse had better be a cowboy’s first pick,”

GIVE IT A TRY A Reining and Ranch Riding Clinic will be March 26 at the Cazenovia College Equine Center.

Reining – one session for beginners and one for advanced riders – will be taught by Tom and Jennifer Hoyt. They own Hoyts Training in Manlius and have both been ranked NRHA Top 10. Ranch riding will be taught by Mike Bednarek, shown here winning a ranch horse class in Syracuse. Mike is a ranch horse judge, trainer and competitor who owns Bednarek Quarter Horses in Jamesville.

PHOTO BY KATIE NAVARRA

Auditors are welcome. The cost is $20. For information contact Jennifer Hoyt at 315-447-4166, hoyttrain1@gmail.com.

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Thomas said. “Not because they are the prettiest or fastest, but because they are well-broke, eager to work and effortless to ride.”

Ranch horses are also expected to back readily, turn on the haunches, side-pass, change leads, and walk or trot over logs. These gaits and maneuvers should be natural and performed as if horse and rider were out checking a fence line or pushing cattle – not fast paced or fancy, like some of the same maneuvers would be done in a reining pattern.

“There are a lot of horses and riders that need training,” Bednarek said. “But one of the benefits about ranch events is that there is a lot you can do at home on your own and go win some money in competitive events in New York.”

The broad term Ranch Horse actually describes two different types of competitive experiences. One is a pointed, pattern class offered at breed shows.

The other is an all-day event that includes multiple pattern and cow classes.

At American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and American Paint Horse Association (APHA) shows, ranch horse pleasure is a pattern class that exhibitors perform individually. Exhibitors may be asked to ride one of four official patterns or to execute a pattern created by the judge that includes a combination of required maneuvers. Each pattern includes 12 or 13 maneuvers designed to demonstrate

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5.

Left lead ½ circle, lope to the center

4.

360 turn to the left

3.

Extend the jog.

At the top of the arena, stop

9.

Collect back to a lope around the top of the arena and back to center 10.

Break down to a jog

11.

Walk over poles

2.

Jog

6.

Change leads (simple or flying) 8.

Extended lope up the long side of the arena (right lead)

12.

Stop and back

7.

Right lead ½ circle

1.

Walk

Source: American Quarter Horse Association

PHOTO BY KATIE NAVARRA

Their cadence and expression shows a ranch horse is “happy with their job description,” says ARHA World Champion Linda Delisle.

RANCH PLEASURE PATTERN 1

a horse’s ability to move laterally and perform a slow trot, a fast trot, a slow lope and a fast lope.

“For people who want to show and earn points on their horse, but can’t -- or don’t – want to go as slow as the western pleasure ring requires, ranch pleasure is the perfect fit,” Bednarek said.

The pattern is judged similar to a reining pattern.

Exhibitors earn plus or minus points for each maneuver. “Judges can give you a plus for good, a +1 for very good and a +1 ½ for excellent,” he explained.

While AQHA shows have limited the ranch division to ranch pleasure, Bednarek predicts that ranch trail and ranch reining classes will soon be available, too. “These classes (ranch trail and ranch reining) are already offered in the Versatility Ranch Horse Shows, but not yet at the regular AQHA shows, but I fully expect we’ll be seeing those soon,” he said.

Local open shows and those sanctioned by the American Ranch Horse Association (ARHA) offer a wide range of pattern and cattle classes to showcase a stock horse’s versatility. From ranch horse conformation to cutting, working cow, ranch boxing, roping, ranch reining and more, the specific classes vary from show to show.

LEARN MORE Whether you’re looking for a ranch horse event to watch or participate in, you’ll find plenty of opportunities in 2016. To learn more about the sport or find ranch horse classes near you, check out these websites: American Ranch Horse Association, americanranchhorse.net Eastern Mountain Ranch Horse Association, emrha.com Empire State Quarter Horse Association, esqha.org New York State Reined Cow Horse Association, newyorkrcha.com New York State Quarter Horse Association, nysqha.com

For New York riders interested in watching or riding in a ranch horse class, the opportunities are endless. In addition to events held by local show organizers, the Eastern Mountain Ranch Horse Association, a regional charter for ARHA, holds multiple events each year. EMRHA includes members from New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

“Both associations (AQHA and ARHA) have a lot to offer,” said Delisle. “It just depends on which road you prefer to travel, or choose both.”

ADD COWS TO THE MIX AT THESE COMPETITIONS AND CLINICS The New York Reined Cow Horse Association – a National Reined Cow Horse Association Affiliate – is planning a double handful of events starting in late spring and extending into fall. Most shows this year will have a clinic or educational event attached, along with

new youth and rookie classes, and classes for high school rodeo riders. More information on all of these events is on the NY Reined Cow Horse Facebook page and website at newyorkrcha.com, or by contacting Lisa Sykes at lisasykes@yahoo.com.

n April 30

n May 1

n June 18-19

n July 9

n August 20-21

New York Reined Cow Horse Cow Pony Clinic at Rose Hill Ranch, 6066 Italy Valley Road, Naples, NY. Morning clinic with mock runs in the afternoon. All levels of riders welcome.

New York Reined Cow Horse Cow Pony Craze Show at Rose Hill Ranch, 6066 Italy Valley Road, Naples, NY.

New York Reined Cow Horse Association Sanctioned NRCHA Show at Cazenovia College Equine Center, Woodfield Road, Cazenovia, NY. Judge: Jay Quinlan.

New York Reined Cow Horse Cattle and Ranch Clinic at Quiet Quarters Ranch, 8848 County Road 4, Campbell, NY.

New York Reined Cow Horse Association Horse Show at Flying W Ranch, 685 Flying W Ranch Road, Kellettville, PA. Judge: Kenny Pugh.

More information: theflyingwranch. com.

n July 10 New York Reined Cow Horse Cattle and Ranch Blowout Show at Quiet Quarters Ranch, 8848 County Road 4, Campbell, NY.

n September 17-18 New York Reined Cow Horse Association Rein & Ranch Blowout Show & Clinics at Hoss’s Ridge, Freedom, NY.

n October 8-9 New York Reined Cow Horse Association Slidin’ & Cows Show at Cazenovia College Equine Center, Woodfield Road, Cazenovia, NY.

NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 53

HEAD ‘EM UP MOVE ‘EM OUT! U

nder a cloudless autumn sky, the cattle laze in the last of the warm days.

Their summer quarters, tucked into the hills above Lone Birch Stables, will soon be a snow-covered memory of greener pastures. It’s time to move down to the winter barn at CNY Beef, across Route 11, to the surprise of motorists who did not expect to be flagged to a halt by a steer parade and someone wearing a cowboy hat.

But that comes later.

The story begins some weeks before, when Joanne and Larry Jones decide to use horses, instead of four wheelers and a cattle trailer, to move the big boys off the hill. It’s an old-fashioned cattle drive — if you don’t count the GoPro camera strapped to one rider’s helmet, and the cell phones in the hands of several others. Oh, and pencil in relatively sedate Homer for the Wild West.

The riders pause in the long grass at the top of the hill, the metal gate swings

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wide, and with an echoing collective moo, the herd wheels toward the opening.

Kicking up a cloud of dust, the horses are off in semi-hot pursuit, having been warned by trail boss Larry that once the cows are out, “this is a walking event.”

All that’s missing is the grizzled cowhand shouting “Head ‘em up, move ‘em out!” over the thunder of beefy hooves.

Horses and riders fan out in the field, funneling the herd through the notch in the trees down the steep twist of a trail, into a holding pen. Set the flares, stop the traffic and it’s back to the 21st century for the last 100 yards to the beef barn.

There’s been at least one equinebovine faceoff – the equine won – and one horse who decided this was his

day to have an attack of agoraphobia.

But for the team of novice ranch hands, all riders from Lone Birch and Empire Performance Horses, they’ll count this day a double-barreled success. They saddled up, they rode out. They worked hard. And when someone asks them, “How was your day?” they’ll have a story worthy of any campfire.

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NYH MARKET

Phone: 315-655-4820 www.jgpetportraits.com

GUIDE THE

TIPS. EXPERT ADVICE. SECRETS WORTH STEALING

Riding Resolution: What the young horse needs Every horse has a natural crookedness, and the job of the rider, especially with a young horse, “is to equalize things,” says Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel.

“The stability in your body without tension is incredibly important,” she says, “because if you’re wobbly up there (the young horse) already has no balance and she can’t carry you.”

The top dressage rider and trainer also advises that because they are freshly working on their balance with a rider, “a lot of straight lines in the young horse is very important … When I start to trot on a young horse, I first do long lines and then I teach them to turn.”

Other advice to riders of young horses from her clinic at Canterbury Stables, Cazenovia: “… Everything is stable but the middle. The middle moves with the horse. That’s all the young horse needs: The two of you moving together in the same rhythm and tempo, the same rhythm and balance.

You’re the metronome up there … and this gives the young horse so much confidence.

“I think the most important thing in the very beginning is to try to get in harmony with the horse’s movement, so that they start to realize that the hand just gives (them) stability and contact. The rhythm and tempo is given through your body.

“If my hands do anything, I use the hands to help the horse to balance and align.”

NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 57

THE GUIDE: EXPERT ADVICE

Every rider’s responsibility: Own the basics It all comes back to rhythm, track and proper position

By Emily Garavuso Contributing Writer

T

his, says Marcia Kulak, is what every rider should expect from their equine partner: “The horse can do whatever he wants for 23 hours of the day. That 24th hour is yours.”

How to make the most of that hour was the fabric Kulak wove at a clinic by the Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association. A top three-day eventer and trainer based in Scotia, Kulak’s philosophy of riding begins with three universal principles that she says are the responsibility of every equestrian: • The first responsibility of the rider is to maintain the proper rhythm of the horse’s gait. In each gait, Kulak says, footfalls should be in a regular, repeated pattern.

• The rider’s second responsibility is the track – maintaining the course, the path, the direction of travel. There should be a plan from the moment the ride begins and it should be ridden accurately.

• The rider’s third responsibility is maintaining the proper position on the horse, or what Kulak referred to throughout the clinic at Marcellus Equestrian Center as “the position statement.” This is the posture in which riders carry themselves to let the horse know it’s time to work.

Digging deeper into the rider’s correct position, Kulak focused on the hands. The correct “Work Zone” is achieved, she said, when the rider’s hands are positioned no more than six inches apart. Hands positioned that wide, and no wider, close the room the horse has to sneak out. It creates a corridor, and the horse is ridden down that channel. Riding with hands in that position also helps to ground a rider’s elbows at their sides. A Kulak tip: The inside hand should always be even with, or in front of, the outside hand.

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Kulak returned often to one of the basics: “Thumbs up.” Every rider has heard ‘thumbs up’ a million times – from every instructor, from the very first lesson. Kulak took the refrain further, explaining how ‘thumbs up’ affects so much of the rider’s position. In keeping their thumbs up, she said, a rider puts their forearm into the proper alignment.

That allows every rider to use the elasticity of their wrist to give or to ask for flexion from the horse’s poll.

Thumbs up also allows every rider to open their shoulders. Shoulders should be level and pointed at 3 and 9 o’clock. Once the shoulders are open, the shoulder blades can be relaxed down and together on the back. All of that helps riders to engage their lower back, elongate the spine and engage the core which leads to suppleness.

Attention to the hands also pays benefits in proper alignment. Every horse and every rider is asymmetrical – crooked – in some way. Mirrors, a friend, or a video camera can be a great help, but when in doubt, Kulak says, just glance down for a moment and ask this: Are your hands even? Is there the same

Thumbs up, says Marcia Kulak, and the inside hand should be even, or in front of, the outside hand.

ONE MORE THING A horse who is breathing audibly is a relaxed and happy horse, Marcia Kulak teaches.

Horses that blow or snort are typically holding their breath as a result of tension or resistance. The earlier you can get a horse breathing in your ride, the better the ride will be.

angle to the bit on both sides? Is one hand higher or lower?

And one other basic to own in the quest to ride better, she says: Remember that the horse responds to pressure and release. When a horse gives what has been asked of him, and is rewarded with release, don’t throw it all away. Release the aid on the reins and keep the lower back engaged, Kulak says.

If the horse responds readily, test him and ask more quietly the next time.

Says Kulak: If you ask and they are dull you must ask louder immediately until you’ve gotten the desired response. Use as strong an aid as is needed to get the job done, but remember to be quiet in between. It is better, she says to have a horse that is very alert and responsive then to ride around saying “I guess that was enough of a response.”

Emily Garavuso is a member of the board of directors of the CNYD&CTA

THE GUIDE: EQSTYLE THE PACESETTER

Kayleigh Dining created The Pacesetter.

INGREDIENTS 1 oz. Pick Six Vodka 1 oz. Southern Comfort 3 oz. Cranberry Juice ½ oz. Lime Juice Splash of club soda DIRECTIONS Combine all ingredients except soda in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain over ice into a rocks glass. Top with a splash of soda. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Makes one cocktail

We’ll drink to that Vernon Downs has its own signature cocktail this racing season

T

he Kentucky Derby has the mint julep, the Preakness has the Black-Eyed Susan, and the Belmont has the Belmont Jewel.

Closer to home, the official cocktail of the Saratoga race track’s summer classic is the Travers Cooler.

Why, the railbirds at EQStyle wondered, should the Thoroughbreds have the corner on signature drinks?

It was a niche that demanded to be filled and, with help from our friends at Vernon Downs, we can taste victory.

Their new signature drink, we think, sets the standard for Standardbredinspired cocktails.

Drumroll, please: It’s called the Pacesetter, and it’s a tart and sweet invention that plays the smoothness of Southern Comfort off a crisp counterpoint of vodka, cranberry and lime.

Kayleigh Dining, catering manager at Vernon Downs and the creator of the Pacesetter, said she wanted a drink with a twist of racing tradition that would appeal to both men and women. She chose Pick Six Vodka for its name – pick six is a wager where bettors must pick

the winners of six consecutive races – and its racing-themed label.

“Whiskey is traditional for a track, and Southern Comfort pairs really well with lime,” Kayleigh added. “The cranberry sweetens it a little bit, and then the lime juice brings up the acidity.

It’s very refreshing.”

What does it go well with?

“Everything,” says Kayleigh, who nailed the recipe for The Pacesetter on her first try.

(It actually took longer to name the drink than to create it. More than 200 names were entered in Vernon Downs’ online name-the-cocktail contest. Four finalists were selected – the other choices were Hot to Trot, Last Call and Perfecta – and when the votes were counted, it was Pacesetter in the winner’s circle.)

The new signature cocktail is $6, and will be available at all of the bars at the track and casino. “It’s a great summertime drink,” says Bob Finster, food and beverage manager at Vernon Downs.

We happily sampled one (in the name of journalistic inquiry, of course) and decided that we agree with Bob. Therefore, this year the start of racing season – April 15 – will also be the unofficial start of summer.

The EQ Style verdict: The Pacesetter will make a great day at the track, or anywhere, a sure bet.

NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 59

THE GUIDE: INSIDE INFORMATION

The View from C Make a judge’s world go round: Ride a perfect circle and lay off the schooling in the show ring

S

o you thought that once high school was in the rear-view mirror, there would be no use for all of that high-end math? Well maybe algebra, trigonometry and calculus can fade in importance, but if you‘re planning to be a dressage rider, geometry is going to remain an essential tool.

“We’re looking for symmetry as you ride: the correct size of circles, straight lines – not egg-shaped, not wobbly. You have to do what the test asks you to do, and do it accurately,” says dressage judge Regina Cristo. “Many, many points are lost on tests for geometry … Straight lines are really hard. One of my favorite things to write (in the judge’s comments) is ‘wiggly.’”

Cristo, speaking on “The View from C” as part of the Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association’s educational series, offered two of her top tips for turning wiggly and oval into better scores: To improve circles, work on perfecting them on foot instead of in the saddle. Mark off a 20-meter circle with chalk in an arena and then walk it, “over and over,” until you know the shape, the size, and the feel of it by heart.

To put some starch in a straight line, take a tip from skaters.

Mark a point with your eyes, focus and then aim for it.

It’s all about the basics, Cristo explained: “If you don’t have them down, you can’t have success.” And success, she says, is what every judge wants for every competitor. “The judges are rooting for the rider, they want you to do well,” she says. “Set

ASK THE JUDGE What advice do you have for people getting back into riding and competition?

“It’s not easy to come back as an adult. It’s easy for kids, because they don’t get out of bed in the morning and say ‘ouch.’ Just find a good trainer, take it slow, prioritize what you want to do, set some goals and just do it.”

yourself up for success. Have a reasonable goal for how you will do. It’s a lot more fun when you’re successful.”

Other than bad geometry, Cristo says, the biggest mistake riders make is “looking down, not looking ahead.” Not surprisingly, a survey by HonestHorseRiding.com identified ‘looking down’ as the biggest bad habit riders would like to fix. Nearly one-fifth of those surveyed said it was the most important thing they wanted to change about their riding.

Cristo says judges also want riders to be more accepting of their horse’s errors. Schooling, she says, should be kept out of the show ring.

“Judges do not like to see very hard corrections in the ring.

Do it at home, school at home” she says. “When you get to the show, you and your horse should do the best you can with what you have. “… You can’t train your horse in the arena. You cannot fix a training issue in the show ring. You do the best you can and move on.”

Ultimately, Cristo says, that should be what it’s all about: Doing the best you can.

“Be prepared. Most people are nervous because they’re not prepared,” she says. “People are afraid of being embarrassed.

Don’t be. Be happy that you’re there. Do the best you can.”

“When you get to the show,” says judge Regina Cristo, “you and your horse should do the best you can with what you have.”

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THE GUIDE: HOW-TO

Protect your equine business from lawsuits

Every waiver should include a statement about the risks of horseback riding.

Understand liability and negligence and have every client sign a waiver

F

ine print – ugh.

It’s the piece of the horse business that nobody got into the business to think about. And for many it’s an area where they know little, use one-size-fits-all templates, or rely on advice from other – non-attorney – equine business acquaintances.

But understanding liability, negligence and legal responsibility is an important part of the riding lesson business. That’s true both for owners seeking to protect themselves in case of a claim, and for clients who are entitled to know where they stand legally in case of an accident.

The best place to start is with a written liability waiver signed by the client – or a parent if the student is under the age of 18 – before any instruction takes place. After a fall or a kick is too late, says Ray Whelihan, associate professor in the equine program at SUNY Cobleskill and head

coach of the hunt seat equestrian team.

He outlined four main categories where negligence is claimed in a ridinginstruction lawsuit. The first, and a common claim, is that the instructor was negligent because he or she failed to properly supervise the lesson and other activities. The next two involve the equine factor: The lesson horse possessed vicious or dangerous propensities – such

TWO MORE THINGS When a lawsuit is filed, Ray Whelihan explains, two types of damages may be sought.

Compensatory Damages: Returning injured party to whole, covers accident related expenses including hospital bills, loss of work, etc. May include compensation for future earnings in significant situations.

Punitive Damages: Very rare in the equine industry. Designed to punish businesses who have continued with unsafe practices.

as biting, kicking or bucking – or was unsuitable for the rider, for example too strong, or unprepared for a job that was part of the lesson, such as jumping. The final category includes problems with equipment or site defects, such as faulty tack, or poor arena footing.

Whelihan says liability waivers play an important role in client/instructor activities “when used correctly and for their actual purpose.” Three things to know, he says: Waivers do not release an instructor from negligent actions. Waivers do alert clients to the inherent nature of horses and the risks associated with that nature. Waivers do require clients to assume responsibility for their own actions.

Every waiver should be clearly labeled ‘Waiver of Liability’ and Whelihan says it should include several key elements: • A statement on when the client incurs risk and when the waiver is in effect, for example: “Upon entering the farm…”

• A risk statement: “I understand that horseback riding will expose me to above normal risk…” and a list of covered activities, such as riding lessons and boarding. The one used at Cobleskill, he says, simply states “all horse related activities.”

• A client’s own responsibility clause: “I agree I am responsible for my own safety.”

• A clause agreeing to hold the stables and its employees harmless: “except if caused by gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct.” Gross negligence, he explains, is an “act or omission in reckless disregard; continual abandonment of safety precautions.”

• An acknowledgement: “I have read this agreement before signing.”

• An authorization for emergency care of a minor: In that instance, a copy of the waiver should be kept in a readily available location in case a child has to receive medical attention and there’s a possibility that a parent may not be present.

Whelihan says owners and instructors should provide each client ample time to read the waiver before signing. Once completed, make a copy and keep the original in a locked file cabinet not located in the stable. Finally, he says, business owners and their staff should keep detailed notes on any occurrence.

NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 61

THE GUIDE: HOUSE CALLS

Standing surgery can reduce both risks and cost

Fortunately, an increasing number of veterinary surgical procedures, such as tie-backs, arthroscopy and even some colic surgeries, can now be performed on a patient that is sedated but conscious, and standing on its own four feet.

When appropriate, so-called “standing surgery” has a number of advantages over procedures performed under general anesthesia. There is less risk of injury during administration and recovery from the drugs. Sedation is less expensive than general anesthesia. Standing surgery tends to involve less blood loss, and the patient is likely to recover faster. All of these factors can make the owner of any horse more comfortable with the idea of surgery; they are especially important when the horse is very young or very old.

Dr. Norm G. Ducharme, DVM, a Professor of Surgery at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, has moved to standing surgery for a number of procedures at the Cornell Equine Hospital in Ithaca, and Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists (Editor’s note: This column is produced at Cornell’s College in Elmont. One example is standing tie-back surgery for horses of Veterinary Medicine with the help of college faculty) with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN, aka “roaring”).

RLN is a condition involving the nerves and muscles that n owner may decide against surgery for a horse for any control the movements of one or both arytenoid cartilages of number of reasons, including fear of doing more harm the larynx (“voice box”). Specifically, the cricoarytenoideus than good. Because of their sheer size and weight, dorsalis muscle, which causes the arytenoid cartilage to open large animals in general may experience breathing and close, ceases to function. Instead of opening during problems and other complications when recumbent (lying inspiration and closing during swallowing, the arytenoids down) and immobilized for a procedure. They may also remain in a somewhat neutral position. With the diameter experience a bad reaction to the anesthesia. In addition, even of its airway reduced by approximately 50 percent, the horse with assistance, horses sometimes struggle when recovering with RLN cannot breathe freely during exercise. The gold from anesthesia, either by attempting to get to their feet too standard treatment for “roaring” is the laryngeal tie-back soon afterwards or having some incoordination, which can (i.e. laryngoplasty), which is traditionally performed under lead to falls and injuries. general anesthesia.

Dr. Ducharme initially made the change to standing surgery because of the risks of general anesthesia. He continues using it for tieback surgery because, in many ways, it has proved superior to recumbent tie-back surgery. The most important advantage of standing tie-back is that the surgeon can more precisely position the paralyzed cartilage to maximize the opening while minimizing the risk of complications. A surgeon performing tie-back surgery has to decide where to affix the cartilage so that the horse can pass enough air and still avoid the risk of postoperative cough/ aspiration. It is difficult to Standing surgery tends to accurately assess where involve less blood loss, and the the cartilage is being fixed patient is likely to recover faster. during surgery if the horse is lying on its side because the

Procedures, including tiebacks and arthroscopy, shifting away from general anesthesia

A

PHOTO COURTESY OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY

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larynx is compressed sideways and obstructed by the tube that provides the general anesthesia. If the horse is standing, the surgeon can tell exactly where to work without other structures getting in the way.

“We also found that you can visualize the cricoarytenoidal joint just as well while the horse is standing,” Dr. Ducharme explains, so the surgery is actually easier to perform standing than the traditional procedure under general anesthesia.

The technical aspect of the procedure is also changing.

“When we tie two pieces of cartilage with a suture (i.e prosthesis) during this procedure, the suture(s) may cut through the cartilage,” Dr. Ducharme says. During the past couple of years, the use of a titanium button between the suture and the cartilage has been introduced, which provides a marked advantage for stability throughout the upper airway.

By eliminating the risks associated with general anesthesia, reducing costs and speeding recovery, standing surgery addresses many of the reservations owners have about subjecting a horse to surgery. General anesthesia still may be recommended for horses with excitable temperaments or in situations where more than one procedure is performed. But for most horses with treatable conditions, it can be a very feasible route to better performance and quality of life.

The Cornell University Equine Hospital, an affiliate of Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, offers state-of-the-art emergency care, diagnostic procedures, treatment, and hospitalization.

For consultations and appointments, call (607) 253-3100 (press 1 for emergencies) or email vet-hosp@cornell.edu.

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PARTING SHOT

PORTRAIT BY EVA LINDER OF A HORSE PAINTED BY SUNLIGHT IN MARIETTA

The road may bend out of sight sometimes, but I know what lies ahead: the faraway horses.”

— Buck Brannaman

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