NEW YORK HORSE STORIES. ADVICE. HORSEPLAY.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Features
Up, Up and Away
It’s been a decade-plus at the top of show jumping for Beezie Madden and McLain Ward, a sport where ‘to stay competitive, you’ve got to have passion’
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Three Artists, Three Visions
Portraits in White
In fine clay, Emma Tate sculpts the beauty and power of the horse – and the occasional rascally pony
US Eventing Association President Carol Kozlowski on life, horses and the future of her sport
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In pastel and colored pencil, Sue Ziegler captures “each freckle and hair whorl” of her equine subjects
From stable to street, equestrian couture is elegant, refined and haute to trot
The Artful Horse
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Red, White and Black & Blue
The 61st Attica Rodeo, through the lens of photographer Michael Davis, is a starspangled day of nerve, grit and power
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Drawing on Experience
A Conversation With …
EQ Style
PHOTO FEI/MARTIN DOKOUPIL
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The Show Trunk II Join us for our 7th Anniversary and Gala Open House Dec 1 & 2
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Equestrian style for your ride. Fashion for your life! Shop our New On-Line Store at: theshowtrunk2.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Departments
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Jump Start
Words to ride by from Annie Oakley Collected Thoughts
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Off the Beaten Path
Ramble through Minnewaska State Park Preserve, one of the ‘Last Great Places’
Here’s to the horse of a (third) lifetime Thanks To Our Underwriters Calendar
Hibernate? Whoa there. Kick off the comforter and take in a clinic and the last of the shows. Roadtrip, meanwhile, is off to have an Equine Affaire.
The Guide 63-69
60-Second Clinic Edition
Felicitas, Lisa, Michelle, Robin, Isabelle, Tom and Courtney. Give us a minute and
we’ll give you a nutshell of wisdom from masters in every discipline
Leg Up
News, Notes and Conversation Starters In Depth: Hero With Hooves
A gentle giant is elected to the equine Hall of Fame EQ Medicine
Cornell’s herd of Icelandic horses may revolutionize wound care for humans Armchair Equestrian
Horses are simply stunning athletes. The remarkable images in The Sporting Horse are proof – and we have a copy to give away EQ Business
Unplug and keep time thieves at bay Parting Shot
Advice from a legend on how to become one
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On the Cover
Artist Emma Tate worked in fine white clay finished with a silky glaze to create “Sancerre,” our cover image. “This piece is named after an incredibly talented, Dutch black stallion,” Tate said. “He was truly elegant but, most of all, an absolute pleasure to work around.” Photographer Reka Jakabffy set the piece against a pale blue background to capture its icy majesty. Read more about Emma starting on page 34.
JUMP START
PORTRAIT FROM THE EMPIRE ARABIAN HORSE SHOW IN SYRACUSE/SCOTT THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY
“Aim at a high mark and you’ll hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second time. Maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect.” — Annie Oakley
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NEW YORK HORSE®
COLLECTED THOUGHTS
The horses of a lifetime
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pend any time at all in the equestrian world and the words “horse of a lifetime” will quickly become familiar. This spring, after years of saying I would never own a horse again, Finn entered my life. He’s an old soul: a kind, intelligent and forgiving Quarter Horse gelding who is 15.1 hands on a good day and if he is standing on his toes.
Is he the horse of a lifetime? No. He is the horse of a third lifetime. (The fourth would have been if my 8-year-old self had managed to convince my parents we could keep a horse behind the couch in our New York City apartment.) And for me at least, I have come to understand that looking at any horse as the horse of a lifetime is looking at them, and yourself, through a flawed mirror. The horse of my first lifetime – the first non-imaginary horse I owned – was a mare ridden bitless and bareback through the fields. The second was a Thoroughbred who could jump anything he was aimed at, but never saw a shadow that wasn’t worth spooking at. A few decades, a shattered wrist and a fractured L2 vertebra later, and there is Finn, the horse of my third lifetime. To expand on those sages The Rolling Stones: You can’t always get what you want – which is to be 30 years younger and unbroken. But sometimes, you get what you need – a safe and sane partner who tries his hardest every day. When I look in the mirror, our image is true.
Janis
NEW YORK HORSE MAGAZINE
Honored as one of the nation’s top magazines 2018
Web: NYHorseMag.com
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Owners Janis Barth Peter Barth Editor Janis Barth editor@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; Blue Ocean Strategic Capital, LLC; Cornell University Hospital for Animals; New York State Fair; Morrisville State College; Sundman Stables; New York Farm Bureau; Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association; Central New York Reining Horse Association and New York State Horse Council.
PRESENTATION Art Director Darren Sanefski dasanefs@go.olemiss.edu
EDITORIAL Contributing Editors Barbara Lindberg Renee Gadoua Contributing Writers Doug Emerson Lynn Coakley Katie Navarra LA Pomeroy Melissa Osgood Contributing Photographers Taylor Renner Jessica Berman Deb Herman Scott Thomas Arnd Bronkhorst Reka Jakabffy Tina Woodward Michael Davis Tony Parkes
ADVERTISING To inquire about advertising Email: advertising@nyhorsemag.com Phone: 315-378-2800
New York Horse magazine is published by: Tremont8 Media, LLC Cazenovia, NY 13035 All rights reserved. ISSN 2375-8058. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. All material submitted to the magazine becomes the property of Tremont8 Media. Submitted material may be excerpted or edited for length and content and may be published or used in any format or medium, including online or in other print publications. New York Horse is a registered trademark of Tremont8 Media, LLC. To subscribe: Write to New York Horse, P.O. Box 556, Cazenovia, NY 13035. Subscriptions are $10/ year. Please include your name and address and a check or money order for the full amount. For gift subscriptions, include the name and address of each recipient and we will send a card in your name.
Email: nyhorsemag@gmail.com
New York Horse is a proud member of Farm Bureau and New York State Horse Council
A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR NEW YORK HORSE UNDERWRITERS
Canterbury Stables W O R L D
NEW YORK STATE CENTER FOR EQUINE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
C L A S S ,
M I N U T E S
A W A Y
Address: 4786 Roberts Road, Cazenovia Phone: 315-440-2244 • Email: info@canterburystablesny.com
One Strong Voice for the Future of Horses Join today at: www. nyshc.org
Promoting the sport of Reining through shows, clinics and educational seminars
New York Horse is proud to be a media partner with HITS Look for us at HITS’ premier hunter/jumper venue in Saugerties, home to the $1 Million Grand Prix FEI CSI-5*, and the new Indoor Championship at the Exposition Center in Syracuse.
LEG UP: CALENDAR BLANKET SEASON SAMPLER (DON’T HIBERNATE YET!)
OCTOBER 18-21 24-28
CNY Reining Horse Association Fall Classic and Northeast Breeders Trust Futurity at the NYS Fairgrounds Expo Center, Syracuse. More information at cnyrha.net
Inaugural HITS Indoor Championship, hunter and equitation classes for junior and amateur riders, fence heights from 2' to 3'6". NYS Fairgrounds Expo Center, Syracuse. More information at hitsshows.com
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Mounted police style obstacle clinic hosted by the CNY Horse Club and Lone Birch Stables and taught by River House Farm’s Barbara Bordanaro. At the stables, 5668 Route 11, Homer Clinic with Olympic medalist William Fox-Pitt at Exmoor Eventing, 8983 Oakland Road, Nunda. Both XC and Stadium jumping. More information at exmooreventing.com
Horsemanship clinic with the legend, George Morris, at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, 950 Amherst Street, Buffalo. Auditors welcome. More information at thebtrc.org/ programs/instructional-clinics
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Clinic with six-time Olympian and USEA Hall of Famer Michael Page at If Only Farm, 450 Wood Road, Freeville. More information at ifonlyfarm.com
“Developing your feel: The seat,” a clinic with dressage trainer Michelle LaBarre at Voltra Farm, 6000 Rock Road, Verona. More information: voltrafarm.com
DECEMBER
Lift a glass this month to legendary racehorse Zippy Chippy, who devoured junk food, went 0-100, and turned losing into a fine art including a second-place finish to a minor league ballplayer in a 40-yard dash. Zippy retired in December 2004 and is now a happy pensioner at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center. Can’t decide on an appropriate toasting beverage? Make it a beer – Zippy’s choice to wash down a bag of Doritos.
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Celebrate the National Day of the Horse! Established by Congress in 2004, this is one government proclamation everyone can support. We say it’s an excellent reason to give your favorite equine a pat on the neck and an extra apple (or two).
To submit events for the New York Horse Calendar, in print and online, send an email to: nyhorsemag@gmail.com.
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LEG UP: ROAD TRIP For education, entertainment and acres of shopping, don’t miss Equine Affaire
E
quine Affaire is a dream come true for anyone who’s ever fantasized about spending four days surrounded by everything to do with horses. For New York Horse that is literally everyone we know. This year’s edition – Nov. 8-11 at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA – is once again the ultimate horse-lover’s experience,
offering hundreds of seminars and demos with the world’s leading trainers and clinicians; horsethemed shopping with more than 450 vendors in five buildings; and Fantasia, the nightly musical celebration of the horse. New this year, the American Horse Council’s
Time to Ride program will offer visitors a free first lesson, or even a gentle reintroduction into the world of riding, from local instructors and seasoned horses. And don’t miss the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s most beautiful horses by visiting the Breed Pavilion, a returning favorite. For more information – including a full schedule of demos – to purchase tickets and enroll in clinics, visit equineaffaire.com.
Leg Up
News, Notes and Conversation Starters A happy ending for a good horse and an aspiring rider What began as tragedy became a happy ending when Messina, the ARK at JFK’s equine ambassador, was matched with aspiring equestrian Catherine Kwasnik of Queens. Catherine, a 15-year-old student, has been training and competing with Messina for a little over a year. The two met in spring 2017, when the ARK was looking for a new home for Messina. The horse had been part of the ARK family since 2016 when owner Susan Bruns took a job managing the Export Barn. When Susan died suddenly from an aortic aneurysm, staff at the ARK – the world’s first privatelyowned animal reception terminal and quarantine – went to work. They knew they had to find a good home for Messina.
That turned out to be Blue Ribbon Farm, a dressage training facility in Calverton, a community near ARK’s home at New York’s Kennedy Airport. Kwasnik was chosen to train and compete with Messina through a sponsorship by the ARK. This January, the two will head off to Wellington, Florida, to train and compete in the Dressage4Kids Winter Intensive Training Program – one of the most prestigious and intense equestrian programs in the country. The program is for riders dedicated to becoming the very best equestrian athlete and includes a rigorous fitness routine, lectures and day-to-day duties including feeding and grooming their horses and cleaning the stable.
Win this: A gift certificate for Roeckl riding gloves
New tick species a concern for humans, horses There’s a new tick in town, and it has a taste for livestock, including horses. The new species is Haemaphysalis longicornis, commonly known as the “longhorned tick,” and it was recently discovered in multiple locations in Westchester County. The state Department. of Agriculture and Markets has issued an alert and cautions owners to check their animals, particularly cattle, sheep and horses. This tick not native to the US, but is common in Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia, where it has also infected humans.
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SUNY Morrisville has top horse at annual yearling sale Seven Spankings, bred and consigned by Morrisville College Equine, was the top-selling horse at the college’s annual sale of yearling trotters and pacers. The colt topped the sale at $50,000, and is headed to Purple Haze Stables, Fairport. In all, 60 yearlings grossed $808,500, for an average sale price of $13,475. The annual event, which features Standardbreds sold on consignment by the college, is organized and run by SUNY Morrisville Equine Department faculty, staff and students. Profits support the school’s equine programs.
We have a $50 gift certificate for a pair of riding gloves to give away, thanks to our friends at Roeckl Sports. Roeckl is one of the leading glove manufacturers in the equestrian market – their motto is “Preserving what is tried and tested. Improving what is good!” – and the certificate can be redeemed at a shop or online. To enter, send an email to jbarth@ nyhorsemag.com with “gloves” in the subject line. Include your name and address so we know where to mail the gift card. We’ll pick a winner at random from the entries we receive.
CNY rider and horse inducted into Dressage Foundation’s Century Club
New York Names in the News
Patricia Barlow of Jamesville was inducted into The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club, which recognizes dressage riders and horses whose combined ages total 100 years or more. Barlow is 79 years old and her horse, Wind Gap Rosebay Willow, is 22. Barlow and Willow were inducted in September as part of the Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association’s “Show and Tell” at Kirkville Stables.
Skaneateles teen brings back FEI Challenge Cup gold The US Jumping Youth Team, including Madison Goetzmann of Skaneateles, ended their FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth Finals experience on a high note, winning the Young Rider Challenge Cup. The team did not make the cut for the Nations Cup championship but came back with four clear rounds to take the Challenge gold at the inaugural youth competition this September in Belgium. Goetzmann, 18, rode her own Prestigious, an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding.
Claire Flynn of Sullivan County will represent the New York State Quarter Horse Association in the queen’s contest at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. The All-American Congress Queen exemplifies intelligence and horsemanship and will represent the AQHA and the horse industry as a whole. Terry Finley, founder and CEO of West Point Thoroughbreds, and philanthropist Wanda Polisseni, were honored by Equine Advocates for their work. Finley, who lives in Saratoga Springs and is on the board of the NY Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, came to the rescue of horses stranded in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Polisseni was the largest contributor to Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program’s Purple Haze Center. Danica Rix-Wayne, a volunteer at Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue in Dover Plains, is one of five national Equus Foundation Champions recognized for her service on behalf of horse welfare. Amelia von Korff, Port Washington, a member of WildwoodGoldcoast Interscholastic Equestrian Association team, has been named to the IEA Youth Board. The Humane Society of Rochester, aka Lollypop Farm, received $1,000 for a video entered in the fifth annual ASPCA Help a Horse Day contest. Rothchild, McLain Ward’s legendary partner and Pan American Games gold medalist, retired at the American Gold Cup at Old Salem Farm in North Salem.
For 50 years one strong voice For the Future of Recreation For the Future of Business For the Future of Horses The New York State Horse Council Join today at: www.nyshc.org
LEG UP: IN DEPTH
A Hero with Hooves EquiCenter’s ‘gentle giant’ Inducted into the Horse Stars Hall of Fame (Editor’s note: The online Horse Stars Hall of Fame was established in 2013 by the EQUUS Foundation and US Equestrian to celebrate extraordinary equine athletes and horses whose gifts lie in their inspirational impact on people. Twelve were inducted this year, including this beloved therapy horse.)
By Lynn Coakley
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Lynn Coakley is President of the EQUUS Foundation
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF EQUICENTER, INC.
ayne is a big horse with an even bigger heart. His kindness, resilience and gift for healing those with even the greatest challenges have endeared him to all at the EquiCenter in Honeoye Falls. Rayne, a Percheron/Quarter Horse cross, lived his younger years as a fox hunter and now is called upon when an especially calm, quiet horse is needed. He was the first horse involved in EquiCenter’s Heroes and Horses Program for military veterans and has stood honor guard at the funeral of a beloved rider. “Rayne has given me something nobody and nothing else has been able to,” said Colleen B., one of the veterans helped by the center’s therapeutic riding. “Despite my PTSD, I am fully present with him. I have gained a sense of trust with Rayne. I can laugh and feel happiness while on this gentle giant’s back. He accepts me as I am and helps me fight harder to be in a good space. “My balance has improved in all areas of my life. My life is so much better since Rayne has been in it.” Every day this kind, equine soul offers himself to help others. His calm steadiness invites even the most wary of participants to build trust and confidence. Whatever their disability, whether physical, emotional or intellectual, he meets each individual where they are on that day and helps them move forward. “Rayne is empathic in a way I have never seen before. He knows when someone is hurting, and he goes to them to comfort with his calm and loving presence. I have seen it time and again and I am always amazed,” said Stacy Friedlander, EquiCenter Co-Founder and a PATH – Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship – certified Instructor. Rayne knows what humans need and never fails to provide it. One day, Rayne suddenly stopped during a lesson and refused to move. Within a minute, the rider had a seizure. Rayne has a special ability to detect seizure activity before it is apparent to any of his humans. This rare talent enables him to prepare staff and volunteers to be ready to deal with the situation. Rayne’s remarkable empathy was evident yet another day when one of his riders, who suffers from a traumatic brain injury, had a bad headache and decided at the last minute that she didn’t want to ride. She was seated in her wheelchair and Rayne simply stood there, with his head against her, so she could stroke him. They stayed that way for some time until she was ready to leave. Rayne has participated in all of EquiCenter’s various equine assisted programs since 2006, and has had a profound impact on hundreds of participants in his long career. “I have known horses since childhood and am 73 now,” Ruth Myers, an EquiCenter volunteer said. “I have never met one with Rayne’s kindness, empathy or generosity of spirit. He is our Horse Star and now he will be yours.”
EQ MEDICINE
PHOTO CREDIT: PHOTOS BY JESSICA BERMAN/ESSENCE OF EQUINE
Equine stem cells rein in bacteria Research at Cornell may someday change wound care for humans By Melissa Osgood
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esearchers at Cornell University are exploring the use of stem cells to treat skin wounds in horses, and the techniques they are using may eventually translate to human patients. Rebecca Harman and a team of scientists at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine are finding that factors secreted by adult stem cells – also known as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) – are able to fight bacteria commonly found in wounds. Bacteria often complicate the treatment of chronic skin wounds in humans, driving a need for new therapies that would reduce these dangerous microorganisms. Although previous research has explored the therapeutic value of MSC in wound healing, few studies looked at the potential for stem cells to inhibit bacterial growth. Harman and her colleagues are examining the antibacterial properties of secreted factors in equine MSC – such as antimicrobial peptides – to develop therapies for horses and to serve as a model for human studies. “This equine skin wound healing model offers a readily translatable example for MSC therapies in
humans,” said Harman, a research support specialist at the Baker Institute for Animal Health. “Although mice are smaller and less expensive model organisms, the horse is more physiologically relevant when it comes to human skin wound healing.” The research team will soon partner with Bettina Wagner, chair of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine, to begin live testing on her equine herd. Every summer, Wagner’s Icelandic horses naturally develop skin wounds as part of an allergic reaction. The wounds will be treated with the secreted factors of MSC and the lab will monitor bacteria levels over time to see if there are differences between treated and untreated wounds. “What we learn from the Icelandic herd about the wound-healing properties of MSC secreted factors could reasonably be tested in human medicine,” said Harman. MSC are already commonly used as a biologic therapy for equine joint and tendon injuries. Practitioners isolate MSC from bone marrow and inject them at injury sites. However, bone marrow extraction is an invasive technique, and injection-site complications – such as immune responses against the MSC –
may reduce the efficacy of the therapy. Harman’s work sidesteps these issues by isolating MSC from blood rather than bone marrow, making the collection of MSC less invasive. In addition, she is applying the factors secreted by MSC to the wounds, rather than the cells themselves, which reduces the chance of the horse’s body generating an immune response. MSC provide a range of benefits that extend beyond those of conventional antibiotics. Their secreted antimicrobial peptides can directly inhibit the growth of bacteria in skin wounds, while other secreted factors fight bacteria indirectly by attracting resident immune cells that are primed to clear pathogens. By further experimenting with different delivery methods, the lab’s research may make things easier on the practitioner as well. The antimicrobial peptide molecules secreted by MSC have proven to be fairly stable, and can maintain their activity through a variety of conditions such as extended freezing or being dried into a powder. This enables long-term storage options that are more efficient for practitioners than having to isolate MSC and collect secreted factors every time a wound needs to be treated. NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 17
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Sheer cliffs, crystal lakes and unbroken wildland define this ‘Last Great Place’
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he rocky heart of the Shawangunk Mountain ridge rises more than 2,000 feet, a dramatic soaring landscape of glacial-carved lakes, dense hardwood forests and deep fissures and fractures underpinned by quartz. Along this escarpment, near the Ulster County hamlet of Kerhonkson, lies the Minnewaska State Park Preserve, more than 23,000 acres of wildland sheltering natural wonders and a rare equestrian trove: 35 miles of vintage carriage roads, open to ride and drive. The old roads lead to many scenic overlooks but take note: Some of the trails interlacing the park, while breathtaking, are not for the faint of heart, with sheer cliffs, open vistas and chest-clutching drops. Feeling bold? Try the Hamilton Point Carriage Road, which follows the northern rim of Palmaghatt, an immense V-shaped ravine whose side walls are a double row of vertical cliffs. The 3.7mile road is described as one of the most scenic routes between Minnewaska and Awosting lakes. But there are gentler sides to the
preserve. Here, ancient streams incised sheer cliffs and emerged as waterfalls. Among the most beautiful is also among the most accessible: Awosting Falls is about a quarter-mile walk east of the parking lot near the park entrance. View it from horseback along the 1.3-mile Awosting Falls Carriage Road. In all, there are 13 carriage roads ranging in length from 0.7 to 7.4 miles, most winding around Minnewaska and Awosting, the two centerpiece lakes. Once the playground of the well-heeled, Minnewaska today counts its riches in the preservation of New York’s natural treasures. Tread carefully and add nothing but hoofprints to this ancient history. Be aware: Carriage roads, overlooks and footpaths throughout the park are adjacent to cliffs and steep descents. The Palisades Interstate Parks Commission, the preserve’s governor, warns: “Exercise extreme caution in all areas. Stay away from cliff edges.”
Field notes: The Nature Conservancy has designated the entire Shawangunk ridge, including Minnewaska, as one of the “Last Great Places.” Part of a migratory corridor, its unfragmented woodland supports many forest-dwelling bird species. Also of note: Minnewaska and Awosting are glacially carved sky lakes – pristine, unusually clear aquamarine lakes fed only from rain water. While you’re in the neighborhood:
We swear we’re not making this up. Kerhonkson is home to the world’s largest garden gnome. Find it – along with ice cream, blueberries and miniature golf at Kelder’s Farm & U-Pick, 5755 Route 209. As one visitor on TripAdvisor noted: “It’s large, and it’s a gnome.” And really, what more need be said? Keep an eye out for: All along the trails and cliff edges look for a globally rare forest of dwarf pitch pines. These crooked little evergreens are uniquely adapted to survive and thrive from forest fires. Nerd alert, history edition: In the late 1800s, the ‘gunks were a retreat for the wealthy, who stayed in luxurious hotels. The Mohonk Mountain House, a Victorian castle resort built in 1869, is still in operation. Fees: A horseback riding day permit is $5; a seasonal permit is $20. Vehicle use fee is $10 a day. Required papers: A current negative Coggins certificate is required, as is an equestrian permit. Download one here: parks.ny.gov/parks/attachments/ Minnewaska2018EquestrianPermit Application.pdf
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Awosting Falls beckons visitors
AMERICA’S HORSE SPORT &
NORTHEAST BREEDERS TRUST FUTURITY
Oct. 18-21 at the new Exposition Center in Syracuse Catch the action and see why reining is the ultimate communication between horse & rider! Ready for the ride of your life? Get in touch with a reining pro and let us take you for a spin! Online at www.cnyrha.net Follow us on Facebook
Serving the Agricultural Community with Pride • Equine Feeds, Nutrena, Purina and Triple Crown • Winter clothing, Rocky, Muck & Georgia Boots • All types of Dairy and Farm Feeds available In Our Garden Center & Gift Shop • Full line of Greeting Cards
• Garden Flags & Fairy Garden Supplies • Bird Seed & Feeders
• House plants and Gifts
• ❤ Your Hometown with our New Mugs
Delivery Service Available ( 3 1 5 ) 8 5 2 - 3 3 1 6 • 6 D e w e y A v e n u e , D e R u y t e r , N . Y. 1 3 0 5 2 • D e R u y t e r C o o p . c o m •
THE ARMCHAIR EQUESTRIAN
The Sporting Horse: athleticism, speed, agility and endurance
“W
e form a relationship with our horses that we don’t share with any other animal,” the opening paragraphs of The Sporting Horse remind. “The dog may be man’s best friend, but the horse is our equal ... The horse has hunted for us, fought for us, won us international sporting glory – and all because it is happy to do so.” Horses, in short, are simply stunning athletes; defining grace, strength and speed in a way that – for us as riders – no other being can match. The Sporting Horse ($40 hardcover, White Lion publishing) is a celebration of those athletic abilities, capturing the
breathtaking moments when horse and rider master the intricate movements of dressage; gallop tirelessly cross-country; spin and slide; or soar over fences. It is a unique partnership, nowhere more evident today than in the sporting arena. At its heart, it can be summed in a very few words, as Sporting Horse author Nicola Jane Swinney does in the show jumping section: “We ask the horse to jump; the horse asks us how high.” Devoting a section of the book to each of the four key sporting characteristics – athleticism, speed, agility and endurance – Swinney, a former editor of Horse & Hound, explores how centuries of breeding and training
WIN THIS We have a copy of The Sporting Horse: In Pursuit of Equine Excellence to give away as a special gift to one of our readers. To enter, send an email with your name and address to nyhorsemag@gmail.com. Put “Sporting” in the subject line. We’ll take entries until Jan. 1, and then pick a winner at random from the emails we receive. Good luck!
have developed and refined the horse’s natural abilities. On every page, take time to enjoy looking through the lens of Bob Langrish, one of the world’s leading equestrian photographers, who brings Swinney’s words to life in hundreds of dazzling images. From dressage to polo, snow sports to carriage driving, steeple chasing to barrel racing. The Sporting Horse reveals in word and photograph how horse and rider work as one to achieve sporting excellence.
BITS AND PIECES HIGH FIVE: NUMBERS OF INTEREST THIS ISSUE New York Horse took a spin through the stacks of research, news releases and other nuggets of information that come our way and gleaned these items of equine intelligence.
64.9
The percent of respondents in the American Horse Publications 2018 survey who classified their horse as a family member
$100K The amount paid at auction in New York for a replica of the iconic Woodlawn Vase won by Native Dancer in 1953, for finishing first in the Preakness
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$600K The price paid for a Pioneer of the Nile colt at the August Fasig-Tipton sale in Saratoga, a record for a New York-bred.
20% Approximately how many accidents resulting in head injury happen while the rider is on the ground
11
The number of times Zone 2 (NY, NJ, PA) has won the USHJA Young Rider Show Jumping Team Championship
Full Service Training and Boarding
Marcellus, NY open year-round Join us in Aiken, SC from January-April
Airy barns with heated tack rooms 30 acres of lush, fenced pasture for tailored turnout 80’x160 indoor arena with Tru-stride dust-free footing 120’x120’ outdoor arena with Tru-stride footing 20 matted stalls with heated water buckets Five acre cross-country field with ditches, water jump, and bank complex Eventing, dressage and jumping trainer on site Access to miles of trails for all disciplines Melanie Mullens, Trainer 484.753.5075 | Chacea Sundman, Owner 315.382.2790
PROFITABLE HORSEMAN
The unplugged entrepreneur Build an invisible fence to keep time bandits away By Doug Emerson
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he demands on your attention from phone calls, e-mail, text messages and social media increase with each passing year. While rapid communication technology is a wonderful tool, too much communication interruption ruins focus. Trying to ride, teach students and train horses with a barrage of communication distractions, is like reciting the alphabet backwards while riding a unicycle. While a few people have the ability to multi-task with some proficiency, most of us don’t. The capacity to do two or more things well simultaneously is scarce in the DNA pool. How do you limit interruptions in your day to improve focus and productivity? Try going to the dogs. We have an invisible fence (underground fencing) for our dogs. I’m sure you’ve heard of invisible fences, but you haven’t seen one, have you? You can see the components which are wire and transmitters, but it is impossible to see the finished product. What you can see is the result of our invisible fence, which is the constant confinement of our dogs in the areas we have chosen for them. They respect the invisible fence even when the barn cat taunts them just outside its boundary. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have your own personal “invisible fence” to turn on and off whenever you needed to protect your time with horses and scheduled clients? Your invisible fence would allow you to get more done in less time without offending the time bandits in your life. Your invisible fence doesn’t mean you’re inaccessible; rather, your message is that you aren’t always accessible.
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How do you create your own invisible fence? • Let voice mail answer the phone (and cell phone) for an hour or two. If the message is urgent, it will get to you. Disrupting your activity to accommodate a ringing phone costs you more time than you think when you consider the time for the call, in addition to getting back on track with the project at hand. • Get out of the mainstream in your workplace to work on your business. Retreat to a conference room, back office or back barn and shut the door. • Leave the barn for a few hours and go to the library, the park, a coffee shop or someplace else that’s peaceful and accommodating. Take a cell phone, laptop or yellow pad and you will likely find you can get a lot done off the premises. • Establish a practice of an early start to your work day. Get to your barn a half hour or more before the rest of the group. Let the early birds know that you aren’t available at the start of the morning before the workday bell rings. • Get into the habit of saying “No” immediately to people who want you to do things that don’t make sense either to your business plan or your personal plan. “No” is a simple switch that will turn your invisible fence on to protect your boundaries. Take a moment and think of other ways to create a private invisible fence to protect others from intruding on your personal backyard. You’ll be a much better instructor and horse business person when you can maintain focus and productivity. Doug Emerson, the Profitable Horseman, consults, writes and speaks about the business half of the horse business. He publishes a free electronic newsletter about making money with horses. Visit www.ProfitableHorseman.com to subscribe.
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True Grit
At the Attica Rodeo, boots are spurred, chaps are fringed and the livestock guilty of reckless endangerment PHOTO GALLERY BY MICHAEL DAVIS The sun flickers and flames and fades into evening, bathing the Attica Rodeo grounds in a bronzed light that’s more old masters than old west. Star-spangled pennants flutter. Vendors hawk hamburgers, and deepfried everything, and tees screen-printed with Attica Rodeo You’re in for one heck of a ride In the bleachers, fans rise for the rodeo queen, the flag and the national anthem, then settle in to cheer for the barrel racers and steer wrestlers and await the inevitable airborne cowboy. For if the official colors of the Attica Rodeo are red, white and blue, the unofficial colors are red, white and black and blue. See, here’s the difference between rodeo and other pursuits that involve bovines and equines: In this show ring, the livestock are likely to be homicidal. Rodeo may have started out as an extension of every day cowboy life – riding and roping and tying – but with every pitch and yaw, every diving buck, spin and dropkick, that image fades further in the rearview mirror. Rodeo broncs are a different breed of horse, a classification with no formal registry and a single qualification: On a scale of one to 10, with one being a rocking horse and 10 being the spawn of a buzz saw and Satan, they are an 11. Rodeo bulls, worse yet, are 2,000 pounds of quick-twitch muscle wired to dispose of human riders by jackhammering them into the ground or, if it’s a very good day, launching them skyward like a bottle rocket. Rhythm, balance and rosined hand tucked into grip rope be damned. It’s been this way for 61 years. For four days in August, this small town – known otherwise as the home of the deadliest prison riot in US history – becomes the boots and spurs version of an old-fashioned revival meeting. Stomp. Clap. Praise the lord that you are not the human projectile hitting the dirt. Repeat. The first year, there was a fence but no bleachers; seating was on the hood of your car or, in the back rows, the roof. The food stand was a leaky shed. Bathrooms weren’t. But there were Brahma bulls that could jump a 6-foot fence standing still, and bucking horses bought by the original four founders for $75 to $100 each, and a grand plan to put the west in Western New York. Come early. Grab a seat. You’re in for one heck of a ride.
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“It’s the ropes and the reins, and the joy and the pain. And they call the thing rodeo. — Garth Brooks
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“Sometimes I think life is just a rodeo, the trick is to ride and make it to the bell. — John Fogerty
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Becoming One
“I think every artist is inspired by what they are passionate about,” Emma Tate says, “and for me that’s horses.” By Janis Barth Take the gravel path west from the parking lot at the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, cross the lawn in front of the glittery mosaic Fall of Disco Mickey, and follow a narrow trail through a thicket of trees pinned with silver badges, each bearing a single verb. (Drool! Snap!) Walk a bit further and there it is, where the woods open into a small clearing: a life-sized white horse surging from the ground. Two hands reach out through an opening in his chest, one holding a beating heart. An elbow belonging to one of the hands pushes against the left side of the horse’s neck. Look closely, and the shadow of a human face emerges from the other side. Emma Tate sculpted the horse in terra cotta with a fine white glaze. It’s the second sculpture she ever made and, when she sees it now, the distance of years has not weathered its beauty or the message the horse carries. Many people, she knows, believe the hands are wrenching the horse’s heart from his body. But in truth, this sculpture is a love story: The hands are offering their human heart to the horse. “It’s about becoming one – the rider and the horse becoming one,” Tate says, running her hand over the clay spikes of the mane. “It looks very morbid, like she’s ripping his heart out, but it’s really very emotional. “... A horse is just a part of you after a while. This is about the horse and rider giving their trust to one another.” The horse is Figaro, the horse of her childhood, the one whose name she still carries on a brass tag on her keyring. She grew up in Cazenovia, where her mother taught dressage and her father was a farrier. Figaro, she says, was an “amazing horse,” a big bay Dutch Warmblood who carried her in the years after Pony Club to the Junior Championship and the Young Rider regional dressage team. He wasn’t the easiest horse to ride or the fanciest, she recalls with a smile. “But I learned how to ride him at each stage of his life,” Tate says, and he returned the favor, a faithful four-legged soul with whom she shared that moment only riders understand – of becoming “one mind, one energy, one fluid motion.” In college though, she turned in other directions, studying exercise science and competing on the track team in pole vaulting. She took some art classes, but never tried her hand at sculpture until her senior year. Her first piece, Tate says, “was a
life-size portrait of myself singing.” The second was the horse, and they have continued to be her muse and inspiration. She moved to the Netherlands after college to continue her dressage training and created, in Amsterdam, a home and an art studio. Family and New York summers draw her back to Cazenovia. Horses have been the constant. And so, among her current works, there is Story Hour – a bust with a distinctly mischievous air – named after the “sassy, hot-headed but extremely reliable pony” who came into Tate’s life when she was 9 and the pony was 24. And there is a worn riding boot sculpted in fine white clay, a mare hand-painted in blue vines and a miniature herd of mustangs. A pair of sculptures were sold at the World Equestrian Games this September to benefit Brooke, the international charity, which acts on behalf of working horses and donkeys. “I think every artist is inspired by what they are passionate about, and for me that’s horses,” Tate says. “The art is my way of keeping myself close to them, even when I can’t ride or own a horse right now.” She sculpts her pieces whole. Once the sculpture is finished and firmed, she slices it into pieces, hollows out each piece and puts it all back together. This part, Tate has said, is always the most interesting to her “because more often than not it turns out differently than imagined.” Some sculptures are smoothed. Others, the slices remain a striking artistic element, almost as if the figure is bandaged or about to unspool. “People have different ideas: Is it a puzzle? Is it a mummy? And it’s a way to start a conversation about the piece,” Tate says. “Now I always have a slice in something.” It is a way, too, of looking at life and art: A whole divided, creating something new, beautiful and unique but always connected to its beginning. Becoming One, the name that Tate gave to that first sculpture of horse and human heart, is among those moorings. In seven years outside, small pieces have chipped from the edges, and patches of glaze have flaked away to reveal the red terracotta beneath. On this late summer day, the skies are low, and the clouds are about to deliver a promised rain. Turning back at the edge of lawn to the little grove of hardwoods, the sculpture glows white beneath the sheltering leaves. Past perfect.
ONLINE GALLERY Each piece by Emma Tate is handmade and one of a kind. Her artwork is available for purchase at emmatateceramics.com and she does ship to the United States from her studio in Amsterdam.
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PORTRAITS IN WHITE There are stories behind each of the pieces Emma Tate sculpts. Sancerre (at left) is our cover boy, an elegant Dutch stallion. Below, fine details give each sculpture – spoiler alert, they’re usually horses – one of a kind character. Opposite page, clockwise from top: Story Hour is named after Tate’s “sassy … but extremely reliable” childhood pony. Becoming One, a sculpture of Tate’s horse Figaro, lives at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park in Cazenovia. Look closely to see a face emerging from the horse’s neck. About Worn Boot, Tate observes that an old riding boot “tells many stories.” PHOTOGRAPHY BY REKA JAKABFFY, ELISE GHERLAN AND NEW YORK HORSE STAFF
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Fine Hand
“Horses are so incredibly majestic exactly as they are,” Sue Ziegler says. “I just strive to capture that.” By Katie Navarra Sue Ziegler’s childhood was filled with horses. She participated in 4-H and was surrounded by Thoroughbreds in her hometown near Saratoga. Her great-uncle was a part owner of a few horses and her dad, continuing the family tradition, took her to the track and passed on his love of racing. Like many an equine-loving kid, Ziegler was grown up before she realized her dream of owning a horse – a Tennessee Walker named Mister that she could ride without a saddle or bridle – who would lead her to her life’s calling as an artist. At first, though, all she knew was they shared the strong bond every rider hopes for: “We were so connected it was like he could tell what I was thinking.” He was a character, she remembers, always curious and always into something: “One of my favorite photos of him shows him feeding a tumbleweed to the neighbor’s goat through the fence.” Watching Mister grazing, and the other horses that eventually joined him, simply wasn’t enough. Ziegler wanted to fill the walls of her home with images of her horses. She began taking photos and then saw an artist who was creating custom drawings in an impressionistic style. “I wasn’t able to afford her work, but was inspired to attempt drawing,” she said. In two short years – 100 percent inspired by horses – she went from simple sketches that looked as if they were torn from a grade schooler’s notebook to worldclass, award-winning pieces in pencil and pastel. “I couldn’t even draw stick figures until I was in my 50s,” she said. Ziegler began taking classes and downloading how-to-draw books on her Kindle. To her surprise, she discovered that the impressionistic artwork she enjoyed viewing was far different from the realistic or even hyper-realistic style she prefers to create. No element is too small. “It’s important to me that I capture each freckle and hair whorl, and the texture of every vein and muscle,” she said. Because of her interest in fine detail, graphite was the best fit for her artwork. She added colored pencils and practiced non-stop. Within a year, Ziegler had created more than 100 drawings. Then, the amount of pressure required to create with pencil caused an old hand injury to flare up. She was forced to stop drawing for a few months and, during this break, she discovered pastels, which require less hand pressure but were also good for fine detail. She was hooked.
“Horses are so incredibly majestic exactly as they are,” she said. “I just strive to capture that, drawing a person’s attention to their power and expressive beauty.” Her Upstate roots – Ziegler now calls California home – and the love for the track that her father shared, shows up in the many Thoroughbred-themed pieces she has produced, some of which are on display at the Spa Fine Art Gallery in Saratoga Springs. There is Songbird, who in one of Ziegler’s works, looks back over her shoulder at the iconic spires of the Saratoga track. And American Pharoah, who is breezing a morning run in one piece and giving challengers his top-dog alpha stallion stare in another. And there is Nyquist, a portrait of the 2016 Kentucky Derby winner, which Ziegler admits is a drawing that stands out among the rest. The portrait won a Special Merit award in the Light, Space & Time competition, which drew more than 900 entries from 24 countries. “I felt for the first time I was really able to capture the realism I had been hoping to achieve,” she said. One of her early pieces, Sunlight, featuring a pony chomping hay, was a winner in Colored Pencil magazine’s annual international art competition in 2015, and the piece went on to be featured in the publication’s 2016 calendar. Mister, the horse that ignited the spark that turned into a passion, is featured in countless drawings. On My Drawing Board, captures both the inspiration he provided and the love she had for this horse. “We lost him to colic a few years ago, but he lives on in these pieces,” she said. Although horses and dogs are her favorite subjects, she’s dabbled in nature and abstract subjects, as well as working on commission – an avenue that opened through Hags with Nags, a Facebook page that she joined after buying her first horse. “This wonderful group of women is not just my go-to place for all of my new owner, horse-related questions but continues to be proudly supportive of my growth as an artist,” she said. Her horses, and the unique qualities of each horse she draws, bring her so much joy, Ziegler said, and she hopes it brings joy to others as well. “One of the best compliments I’ve received is when I had a photographer tell me that my art felt more real than her photograph. That for me is success,” she said. “My inner child is having a blast.”
ONLINE To view Sue’s artwork and to learn more about her work, visit szieglerart.com or the website of the Spa Fine Art Gallery in Saratoga Springs at spa-fine-art.com.
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Nyquist captures the intelligence and spirit of the 2016 Kentucky Derby winner NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 39
REALITY SERIES Artist Sue Ziegler works in pastels to capture every detail of her equine subjects, from muscle to hair whorl. In On My Drawing Board (above) Sue Ziegler created a tribute to Mister, her first horse and the original inspiration for her artwork. Songbird (at left) captures the champion mare, who was twice an Eclipse Award winner. American Pharoah, Morning Run (opposite page) is a portrait of the Triple Crown winner at the peak of his power.
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RING MASTERS By LA Sokolowski
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eezie Madden and McClain Ward have been teammates and competitors since Athens 2004, when the United States claimed Olympic gold in show jumping for the first time in 20 years. Four years later, they stood atop the podium again in Beijing. And then, in 2016, Olympic silver in Rio. For nearly a decade-and-a-half, Madden and Ward have been show jumping elite, the lords of the ring. The abridged version looks like this: She took home the FEI World Cup in 2013. He hoisted it in 2017. She won it again in 2018, one of only five female athletes to have taken the title in the Cup’s 40-year history. He put an exclamation point on this summer, leading the US to an historic first team gold medal at the World Equestrian Games. “To stay competitive, you’ve got to have passion,” said Madden, whose home base is Cazenovia. “You’ve got to love the horses and love competing.” “I appreciate the wins, I appreciate the horses, and I appreciate the good parts,” said Ward after winning this year’s Hampton Classic. “But I try to focus on
the goals ahead.” Case in point: Ward, who calls Brewster home, had been to 17 World Cup finals before capturing the prize. “I was told as a young man that the moments in the trenches you remember more than the podium. The work is underneath,” he said of the victory, then added in a conversation with Phelps Sports: “I’ve been a fighter, a digger and a grinder my whole career. I try never to give up. I try to keep working at it … I am so grateful not only for the horses I have had over the years, but for the people behind me” Madden, too, credits her horses and her team and urges the top riders of tomorrow to hone not only their horsemanship but their people skills. “It’s not only about finding a great horse. You have to find it at the right time in its career and manage it the right way,” she said, giving thanks to long-time patron Abigail Wexner. “I built relationships with owners and sponsors through teaching. Riding is important, but you have to learn to teach and to bring horses and riders up through the levels. It’s not just about riding.”
Well maybe a little. “Everybody teaches me,” Madden said, remembering childhood pony Little Bow Peep. “We were showing in a non-pony class. He jumped fine, but I fell off twice. You learn to climb on and go on.” Words to ride by: Believe in yourself. Believe in your horse. Believe in the magic of good riding and good friends. NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 43
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PHOTOS BY NEW YORK HORSE STAFF; ARND BRONKHORST/FEI; TAYLOR RENNER/PHELPS MEDIA GROUP
Authentic, (top) who twice won Olympic gold with Beezie Madden, is now happily retired at the Madden farm in Cazenovia. With him are buddies Simon (right) – World Cup champion and 2013 USEF Horse of the Year – and McLain Ward’s former jumper, Carlos Z (bottom), soaring at the 2016 American Gold Cup. “He does whatever he wants,” Madden says. “He’s in our front field so when you drive in, he’s there to say ‘hello’. He’s the highlight of every kids’ tour. He’ll snack on anything and just loves the attention.”
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“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. Better riding is about practice and concentration. I ride every day. Maybe a Monday off.” — Beezie Madden
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McLain Ward piloted Clinta to a clear round, in the fastest time of the day, to win the gold medal for the US at the World Equestrian Games
“Without the horse, none of this would be possible … We owe them our lives. They give us so much and they ask for only basic kindness in return.” — McLain Ward
TONY PARKES/FEI
FIELD NOTES
Eavesdrop Horsemasters ON THE
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PHOTO BY TINA WOODWARD
t’s a cool Florida morning and 12 of the nation’s top young riders are learning from one of the best: four-time Olympian Beezie Madden, who sets them off to warm up at the walk. “Get the horse in front of your leg and a little active … encourage them to lengthen,” says Madden, whose lesson in gymnastics is part of a USEF George Morris Horsemastership training session. And right on cue – because what better time to humble your teammate – more than one topof-the-line equine decides they are not paying any attention to their rider’s efforts to get them to simply walk at something resembling a reasonable pace. For that, Madden has a remedy, which every rider knows but doesn’t always practice: the progression of aids. Eavesdrop on her lesson and ride better …
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“When you ask her to go forward, if she doesn’t give you a response from a little spur, I’d give her a jab with the spur, and if that doesn’t work, a little stick. Because what you don’t want to do is end up with your spur constantly in the horse’s side. Because that’s actually going to make the horse duller to your spur. “It’s a little like having somebody lean on you or poke you. Pretty soon if they just stay there, you’re not even going to notice it. So you want to make them a little attentive to the spur. There’s got to be a little respect for the spur. “You, at the same time, have to be diligent in your training of that. If you ask for a little bit with the spur and they don’t give you anything – even at the walk, even when you’re cooling out, even when you’re talking with your friends – if they don’t give you a little reaction to the spur, you’ve got to jab them a little. “It’s not fair to the horse to sometimes train that and sometimes not train that. So you just have to make it a habit when you’re walking – any time – be conscious of when you use your leg, because really, the horse should just go from pressure from the calf, they shouldn’t even need the spur. “But if they’re not attentive to that, it’s a progression of aids: the calf, spur, a little jab with the spur and, if that doesn’t work, a little stick. And sometimes what I like to do is train the horse – if you need a horse to get a real forward reaction, like at the water or maybe they’re a little sticky in the combination – and you want to school them to the cluck, always give a little cluck and then the stick. So pretty soon they’ll learn just the cluck means they’re going to get a stick, and they get very reactive to just the cluck. “… You’ve got to ask and take the leg away. Ask and take the leg away. Every time you ask, there’s got to be a reaction. If not, you go to a little stronger spur, stronger stick ... When you get a reaction, take the leg away. Don’t just hold it in their side.”
Over the river and through t h e w oods US Eventing President Caro l Ko zlowski on rtance of resiliency
winning, losing and the impo
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nited States Eventing Association President Carol Kozlowski was the only horse-crazy person in a non-horsey family. When she was 12, a generous neighbor lent her a horse, so she could join the local Pony Club. She grew up and still lives in Avon, in the heart of Western New York hunt country, a sport that goes hand-in-hand with eventing. Her home base is her busy teaching and training farm, Mothersfield. Early in her career she trained with Olympians Karen O’Connor, Jessica Ransehousen and Anne Kursinski. In her 20s, she was short-listed for the Pan-Am Games and long-listed for the Olympics in eventing, which tests horse and rider in a triathlon of dressage, cross-country and show jumping. New York Horse caught up with Kozlowski to talk about life, horses and enjoying the ride:
What is the most memorable win you’ve had?
Choosing a favorite win is like naming a favorite child. I’ve been lucky enough to have several horses that gave 110 percent. But at an event at Fair Hill, Maryland, in the mid-90s I shipped Hideaway’s Erin Go Bragh down with a thoroughbred mare, Fancy Free, in a two-horse trailer. They both won their Intermediate divisions, having two of the fastest times on cross- country. There was a young Australian rider in “Go
Bragh’s” division who finished second to us – (two-time Olympic gold medalist) Phillip Dutton. I have to remind Phillip of that singular moment at times ... and we both have a laugh. What was the most disappointing event you’ve had?
Our sport is renowned for the highs and the lows. I had a really good intermediate horse competing at the American Eventing Championships in the late 1990s held in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Nordic Sparrow Hawk, a 17hand Connemara/Thoroughbred cross, won the dressage phase of the event. The night before our cross-country run I received a phone call from my doctor telling me I had to stop riding because I had mono and could get hurt. That was a long drive home with both the thrill of leading the dressage and having to scratch from the cross-country. There was a second at another American Eventing Championship competition, this time in Georgia. I had earned a very good dressage score with Mr. Snuffleuffgus, a horse that was imported from Australia. Our score put us close to the lead. Our cross-country phase was going well. We were fast, and I knew our time would be competitive — until the second to last jump. At the water jump, he refused, and we were eliminated. Later the veterinarian discovered that he was in the throes of Lyme disease.
SAVE THE DATE USEA President Carol Kozlowski will be the guest speaker at Central New York Dressage & Combined Training Association’s year-end banquet, which includes annual awards and a fabulous silent auction. The event is Nov. 17 at the Lincklaen House, 79 Albany St., Cazenovia. For more information go to: cnydcta.org.
How do you overcome a disappointment like that?
It’s important to remember that sometimes you can do everything right and something bad can still happen. Resiliency is key. I always try to analyze what went well, what could have gone better and where the big holes are in my program, whether a competition has gone well or not as I had hoped it would. What advice do you have to offer those working up the ranks of the discipline?
You have to be willing to work harder than your competitors. A good work ethic will take you far in this sport. Moving up in the horse world isn’t based on what you have, but on what you have to offer. Your reputation, a good recommendation, those are the most valuable resources you have to offer –
Riding, says Carol Kozlowski, is “a conversation. You have to insist.”
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Kozlowski’s favorite horse was the Connemara stallion Hideaway’s Erin Go Bragh. About him, she said: “We never expected much from him and he became a superstar.” NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 51
above and beyond any talent you may have – or you think you have! For our younger readers who are thinking about their options: As a professional horseman, did you go to college?
Yes. It took me six years to finish a degree, but it was worth it. It gives you a broader view … I completed two years at Lake Erie College in Ohio and finished at SUNY Geneseo with a degree in sociology and minor in biology. At that time the professors didn’t grant flexibility on assignment submissions and I had to take off extended periods of time for training. Which horse has been your favorite and why?
The Connemara stallion Hideaway’s Erin Go Bragh. We never expected much from him and he became a superstar. At 15 hands he was smaller than most jumpers, making him the ultimate underdog. He had multiple wins at the preliminary and intermediate levels. We won at the Ledyard Three-Day Event in 1992 and the 1995 AHSA Zone 2 Advanced Championships. Even though he never won at the advanced level, he was always in the ribbons. Then Stirlin Harris directed a movie about “The Little Horse That Could.” (Carol was featured in the 1996 documentary about her long partnership with Erin Go Bragh.) We traveled to Equine Affaire,
Equifest and Breyerfest. It was an unexpected journey and we had such a special connection.
I didn’t get back on after falling off was when I physically couldn’t.
Has there ever been a time when you fell off and didn’t want to get back on, or got back on and were afraid?
I tell people it’s not a matter of falling off, but when it will happen. It’s part of our sport. I’ve made a point not to get on horses that I thought were risky. That’s not to say I’m timid; it’s just that I don’t ride horses that I think will try to hurt me.
Yes. I grew up in a little different culture where it wasn’t quite so focused on the possibility of injury. The only time
How did you get past it?
What’s it like serving as president of USEA?
FIELD NOTES: FIVE THINGS Getting a horse to do what you want is a dialogue, and other advice from a clinic by Carol Kozlowski:
1
“Horses will ignore you as long as they can. As the rider, you must keep closing doors until they go through the door you want. It’s a conversation. You have to insist. … I never get on a horse without spurs unless I’m breaking them, and I have to kick the snot out of them.”
2
“Keep your reins as close together as the bit is wide. You’re going to ride them down that channel, that corridor. With your hands close together, it’s easy for the horse to understand where you want them to go. When the reins are wide, they think it’s OK to go off the road into the ditch.”
3
“Stop looking at your horse and start looking in the direction you want him to go. You need to put your turn signal on, and you do that by looking at the jump or the turn. You know how infuriating it is to be behind someone who never puts on their turn signal? Don’t be that driver to your horse.”
4
“We all see riders who are technically incorrect. They’re bad riders. But – their horses are happy and loose. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The more I learn, the more I realize what I don’t know. So I’ve learned to let it go and let my horse be happy and relaxed.”
5
“Be patient. I’m a big fan of letting horses figure out what they want to do with their feet.”
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The whole experience has been illuminating. Serving as president has given me an in-depth understanding of USEA’s relationship with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). I’m doing more travel than I’ve ever done before to be at major events and gatherings across the country. It’s been rewarding to listen to our members and learn about their needs and passion for the sport. What are the biggest challenges the sport faces?
Eventing is a military based sport. Since the cavalry is no longer with us, our board and the entire association is working hard to stay true to the sport’s roots and maintain an attraction to members. We are trying to do the best we can for members to honor our legacy while remaining relevant by adapting to a changing culture.
Haute EQ STYLE
to Trot ‘Despite changing trends … classical and traditional are never wrong’ By LA Sokolowski
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e’re horse people. We’ve set the standard when it comes to functional elegance. And we take our riding – and riding inspired – apparel from stable to street. “Classic, neat and tidy is the equestrian style. A V-neck sweater over a collared top and under a well-fitting vest, with a pair of knee-patch breeches, is the way to go,” says Stacy Lowe-Jonas of The Show Trunk II in Dryden. “Despite changing trends, equestrian fashion is deeply rooted in tradition. Classical and traditional are never wrong.” It’s a hallmark look for designer Ralph Lauren, but then there’s always been give-and-take between fashion houses and English style. Says Jonas: “You can find equestrian-inspired pieces from many designers, like vintage knee patches on pants, riding-style fashion boots, bit accents on bags and shoes, etc.” “Ralph Lauren has always been the harbinger of the equestrian fashion space,” agrees Jenni Smith, English accessories and product apparel manager for Ariat International. She’s proud of how an equestrian performance brand like Ariat has successfully bridged the gap into lifestyle: “Ralph Lauren and Hermés are couture brands that serve as touchstones for Ariat and for designing apparel for active equestrians.” 56 NEW YORK HORSE NYHorseMag.com
At The Show Trunk II, Jonas says, they look for “a great blend of fashion and equestrian-minded clothing,” choosing elegant pieces that don’t fall out of fashion. Outfitting IEA and IHSA equitation riders, she says, “we stick with fitted classic and conservative shirts. We carry white, long sleeve and snap collar and save fun prints and colors for the inside of a collar or cuffs, which can be hidden when buttoned.” Those pieces can double for streetwear, and Jonas says so can breeches like RJ Classics Gulf style: “The vintage tan knee patch offers a beautiful contrast to the vibrant fabric and they can pair with flats or boat shoes when not riding. Our favorite colors are cabernet, marine and olive.” Every season has its color trends and English style is taking a cue from English gardens: Rose and rose tones, from blush to cabernet, are blooming. “We are definitely seeing shades of rose trending into Spring 2019,” says Smith. Rose violet features in their Capistrano jacket and vest, Tolt full zip, and Sunstopper quarter-zip shirts. And you needn’t be Braveheart to go mad for plaid. It’s here to stay and offers a smooth segue from street to stable for men and women. “Our plaid driving cap has a vintage vibe that looks great on men or women,” says Cecilia Frittelli,
STABLE TO STREET Equestrian pieces define classic elegance (clockwise from top right): 1. Pair a crisp stock shirt and blazer for timeless style. 2. A vintage accessory adds a one-of-a-kind touch. 3. The SZ belt by Penny Ploughman, designed for side-zip breeches, also makes a statement with jeans. 4. Lace up a paddock-inspired boot from Penny Luck for comfort and style. 5. Rose tones, like this Capistrano vest from Ariat, are trending into Spring 2019. 6. The Show Trunk II in Dryden says: Pop on a v-neck, turn back the cuffs and collar to show a shirt’s hidden pattern and add flats to RJ Classics Gulf breeches to go from barn to brunch.
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PHOTO BY MICHAEL DAVIS
of Frittelli & Lockwood Textiles in Saratoga Springs. Their handwoven fabrics range from bold plaids to intricate tweeds. “We have tailored (vests) for men and women that riders love and look right at home with jodhpurs or khakis,” she says. It’s “a great look for all ages,” and in tweed or plaid, they’re popular with both men and women. “Riders are always interested in wool plaid hunt coats,” adds Ariat’s Smith. “While the ‘Hunting Stewart’ is a clear historical choice, we see riders choosing more conservative patterns for the ring. Modern trends are less focused on a family name and more on a preference for colors and patterns.” Nowhere is the fashionable divide between riders greater than in breeches: Hip-hugger or higher waist? On the street, skinny jeans are giving ground to trouser cuts, and inside the arena, riders are getting more choice in determining where they want their belt to ride. “We’ve landed in an in-between place that consumers are reacting positively to,” says Smith. “Newer breeches … are designed with what we call mid-rise, which is flattering and comfortable.” It’s not just where you wear your breeches but how you belt them. Front zip? Side zip? There’s a belt for that and if you think there’s nothing new in design, think again. Albany leather crafter and saddle repairer Penny Ploughman patented her SZ English riding belt, designed for use with side-zip breeches. “I was tired of plain belts with cheap hardware and synthetic materials,” says Ploughman, whose handcrafted work incorporates bits, hoof picks or harness equipment. “As soon as I opened my first tack catalog the ideas started pouring out of how to repurpose horse and driving hardware.” Ploughman sees a trend for two-tone accessories, whether it’s a leather cuff or small purse to go over the shoulder or attach to a belt. “Equestrian accessories have become part of daily life for riders and those who appreciate the style, grace, athleticism and energy such accessories emit.” Wrap-around leather cuffs are a hot look at one-of-a-kind luxury designer, Eleanor Stone NYC, which takes antique and vintage pieces and reimagines them into modern bracelets. Its Equestrian Collection combines luxury with passion for the bond between people and their horses. “The line evolved organically,” says co-owner Nancy Parmet Cook. It all started with an old horseshoe found while antiquing. “We’ve found many stunning pieces in our travels, from Victorian horseshoes with precious stones, to fabulous glass bridle rosettes from the 1800s. The equestrian motif is perfectly aligned with our sensibilities and is a natural fit for our collection.” She adds: “Right now, we’re loving our ‘Luck Be
A Lady’ cuff with a Victorian 14-karat brushed gold horseshoe and nail heads. The cuff embodies horses, heritage and luck, and we think that’s a trifecta!” Speaking of which, entrepreneur and polo enthusiast Brian Munoz, founder of Penny Luck men’s shoes, puts a lucky penny into every sole. “The penny is the American symbol of luck and our brand’s inspiration,” he says. Choose to customize a shoe and share that luck: 100% of the customization charge goes to the Purple Heart Foundation to make a difference in the lives of US veterans battling PTSD. Their popular Toe Cap Boot, with style that takes a nod from classic paddock boots, also reflects the two-tone trend in accessories. Munoz calls it, “the perfect combination of classic and casual for the everyday man.” So go forth and nail stable-to-street equestrian chic from head to hoof. “A lot of riders go from showing to hanging out ringside or going to dinner,” Jonas notes. “We outfit
them in a V-neck or quarter-zip sweater to go over a show shirt with the collar open. Most riders change into comfortable shoes to go with their breeches, so we love pairing a cute top from Hunt Club with RJ Classics breeches, boat shoes, and a draped cardigan from Noble Outfitters for an effortlessly casual look.” “I love how a look can capture the heritage of the sport – of which I am a proud participant – yet incorporate modern fit and fashion,” says Smith, whose go-to ensemble for men or women includes skinny jeans or denim breeches, a crisp white button-down shirt, tweed blazer, and Ariat’s tall Alora boots, with braiding and other equestrian touches. At Penny Luck, Munoz recommends the timeless Chukka boot to wear with everything. “Our favorite way is with colored denim and a button-down shirt, with matching belt. The dressy casual look is always a fashion win.” The hunt is on for this season’s style statements. Tally-ho!
START WITH A SHOW COAT
Equestrian-inspired accessories reign supreme to give a classic piece personal flair
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“Cock your hat — angles are attitudes.” — Frank Sinatra
HATS OFF TO THE FINISHING TOUCH “Equine events give us a reason and permission to wear a hat,” says New Yorkbased Smithfer Hoertz, of Smithfer Millinery. “Trending shapes include classic fedoras with a simple trim and plain edge,” Hoertz says. “I also see the boater sneaking in – it’s easy to wear and can be worn off the face slightly and pushed back, which is a refreshing silhouette to fedoras worn more forward, with attitude. There’s also a strong beret presence. I prefer them closer fitting to the head and simply trimmed.” Not a ‘hat person,’ you say? Pshaw, she says. “People always say they’re not hat people, but when I help them properly place a hat on their head, it can make all the difference and change the way they feel about hats.”
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In post-war America, equestrian style became a hard habit to break
I
t was May 1947. World War II was over, the first baby boomers were turning 1, and on the cover of Life magazine the news of the day was riding clothes – jodhpurs buttoned to the knee and tall boots modeled by a leggy blonde whose perfectly coiffed hair had clearly never seen the inside of a helmet. In the fashion section, the magazine breathlessly reported that equestrian style was enjoying “a healthy sales boom as riding becomes more popular.” Western meant two-tone shirts, a bright silk tie and showy boots, Life noted, while “formal Eastern riding” required “a multitude of proper accessories” including vest, stock and “aluminum-lined derby hat (in case of spills).” No less an authority than Emily Post – the New York socialite who wrote the book on etiquette – was brought in to explain the rules of engagement. A riding habit, said Post, “no matter what the fashion happens to be, is the counterpart of an officer’s uniform; it is not worn to make the wearer look pretty!” Nevertheless, Life continued with barely disguised amazement, “riding is fast becoming one of women’s favorite sports. Riding schools report record enrollments, 10 new dude ranches are opening this year and riding togs of all kinds are in the midst of a sales boom.” Well sure, maybe they could understand the attraction of Western riding, where the clothes were “easy-going, attractive and inexpensive.” But as for those English-style riders, Life was clearly bemused: “In the East, costume rules are considerably more stringent. Everyday riders … often ignore them, but for those who follow the conventions there is one habit for hunting, another for saddle riding (formal), a third for hacking (just plain riding). For such fashion-conscious riders, a correct Eastern outfit costs at least $300.” Hold your snort: $300 in 1947 had the same buying power as $3,440 in 2018, no small amount considering the average American salary hovered around $3,000. And remember what that investment bought: Breeches with no spandex, boots with no back zip – Two hooks to pull on! A willing partner to pull off! – and moisture-wicking fabrics were still 50 years away. Helmet hair, then as now, provided free of charge. NYHorseMag.com NEW YORK HORSE 61
GUIDE THE
TIPS. EXPERT ADVICE. SECRETS WORTH STEALING
60-Second Clinic Edition
S
Wisdom in a New York Minute
ome lessons take a dissertation; some, considerably less. When master equestrian Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel says, “Harmony is not a coincidence,” that’s all that needs to be said. In those five words, she has summed up a life devoted to the equestrian arts: To ride well – as one with the horse – requires patience, education and dedication. It is not acquired in a thunderbolt. It is accrued in days and years; in worn-out boots, battles with gravity, and enough horse treats to prompt serious thoughts about investing in a sugar cube factory. So it is, in this issue of The Guide, that our intrepid band of auditors searched among the many pearls harvested at the season’s clinics to glean a handful of the most telling. We looked for the words that were most universal, that applied to everyone regardless of discipline. Because in the end, whether we ride or drive, canter or lope, go around barrels or over fences, our goal is the same: Better horsemanship.
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“You can have all the passion and talent in the world, but if you don’t have the grit and perseverance to get through the tough times, you’re not going to be successful. “Be happy with what you have now, what you have to work with, rather than wishing you had the fanciest tack, the fanciest horse … Find that seed of grit in you and grow it.” — Lisa Eklund, the Mindful Equestrian, speaking to the CNY Dressage & Combined Training Association
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“The grand problem in riding is that we try to look like photographs. The problem with photos is that neither the horse nor rider are moving. “We all want harmony. We all find beauty in that harmonious movement between horse and rider ... The issue more often is that we are not moving quite enough.” — Michelle LaBarre, dressage trainer, clinic at Voltra Farm, Verona
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“Horses need a lot of manners. They need to join the Marines. “Every little disobedience says either you win or (the horse) wins ... They don’t get to say, ‘I’m done.’ You set the pace and they stay at that pace, at the speed you’ve established, until you tell them otherwise. “You have to be like the nun out in the schoolyard with the ruler. You have to be very direct, very clear. Horses are very literal. They want to hear something from you that they can understand.” — Robin Graves, clinician, trainer and competitor on two US Combined Driving teams, from a clinic by the Cherry Valley Carriage Association
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“Riding is movement. A rider needs to move with the horse in such a way that it looks natural and effortless. “A correctly balanced seat enables the rider to communicate with the horse using nearly invisible aids ... When you shift your weight correctly, the horse, by reflex, will follow, because he feels balanced and safe. Your shoulders have to be square to the direction you’re going. “… Remember: You can put new experiences on top of the old ones, but the horse never forgets.”
— Isabelle von Neumann-Cosel, dressage rider and trainer, from a clinic at Canterbury Stables, Cazenovia
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“People ride the transition and then they stop riding. Your job is to ride the whole thing. … Don’t try. Do it. “Keep riding, keep riding, keep riding. It’s a conversation.” – Courtney King Dye, Olympian and World Cup competitor, USDF National Education Initiative hosted by CNYDCTA.
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“The one thing I try to instill in all my riders is you’ve got to have confidence. Where you have to be real careful about confidence is that you can’t get cocky. Do your preparation. “There’s no way to train horses without riding them. To get the results, you’ve got to put in the time.”
— Tom Hoyt, National Reining Horse Association reserve world champion, Hoyt’s Training, Manlius
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NYH MARKET
PARTING SHOT
— Calamity Jane
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PHOTO OF BARREL RACER KELLI JO STEIN OF WHEATLAND BY DEB HERMAN/DIGITALS BY DEB
“I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one.”