MAY 2018 × VOLUME 1 ISSUE 5
COVER FEATURE:
COMPETING IN THE THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER PG. 34 THE BE FIT RIDE STRONG LIFESTYLE PG. 22 SPORTS MEDICINE FOR EVERY HORSE PG.44
®
# R U G S F O R L I F E
BUTET SADDLES CANADA ALAN LE LOUEDEC alan.lelouedec@butet.fr (1) 519 215 1474 www.butet.fr
EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO
CONTENTS MAY 2018
EO FEATURE 34 Competing in the Thoroughbread Makeover Lindsey Partridge EO EVENTS 10 May/June 2018 EO ARTICLES 16 The Nine Points of Saddle Fit Part 1 of 3 Saddlefit4life 22 The Be Fit Ride Strong Lifestyle Victoria Clarke and Nicole Hutzel 42 Sports Medicine For Every Horse Dr. Anatasha Plummer EO PRODUCTS 12 Lacwood Premium Horse Bedding Pellets 14 MEGA-FLX®+HA Editors Review Spectra Equine & Samantha Fawcett 20 Professional Grooming the Galloping Goop way Stonehedge Farm Canada
28 Seabuck 7 & The Original NibbleNet Professional Edge Equine 30 Performance Head to Toe Noble Canada 32 Who are we? Schleese Saddlery Service LTD 38 Product Listings 48 Immune Pet & Recovery EQ Purica 26 BIO-BITE & BIO-FLAX Great Lakes Aggra EO SERVICES 18 Bakers Celebrates 100 Years in Business! Bakers Saddlery 26 Greenhawk’s Outlet Locations Greenhawk Equestrian Sport 46 Getting Your Fencing Ready for Spring System Fencing
COVER Lindsey Partridge and her 2017 Makeover Thoroughbred, Here Comes Adri, famous for her “Horse in the hotel” video!
Canada’s Equestrian University-Preparatory Boarding School for Girls
r a o S at QMS
Vancouver Island BC, Canada
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR GRADES 6-12 Integrated Riding Program On-Campus Lessons, Horse Boarding & Leasing Visual & Performing Arts • Athletics Outdoor Education
www.qms.bc.ca
admissions@qms.bc.ca | 250 746-4185
“Horse shows come and go, trophies collect dust, ribbons get tossed to the side, but the memories are never forgotten, and the friendships are never replaced.” - UNKNOWN
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR
Saddlefit4life®
Samantha Fawcett SALES
Tyler Saik tyler@equestrianontario.com
PUBLISHER
Horseback Media Inc.
Milton, Ontario, Canada Be Fit Ride Strong Lindsey Partridge equestrianontario.com Dr. Anatasha Plummer
289-270-0906
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APRIL 2018 × VOLUME 1 ISSUE 5
COVER FEATURE:
COMPETING IN THE THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER PG. 34 THE BE FIT RIDE STRONG LIFESTYLE PG. 22 SPORTS MEDICE FOR EVERY HORSE PG.44
ALTHOUGH THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION WAS CORRECT AT PRESS TIME, THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER DO NOT ASSUME AND HEREBY DISCLAIM ANY LIABILITY TO ANY PARTY FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE, OR DISRUPTION CAUSED BY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS, WHETHER SUCH ERRORS OR OMISSIONS RESULT FROM NEGLIGENCE, ACCIDENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
As I sit here writing this, it is currently snowing/freezing rain outside in the middle of April. I certainly hope that the weather improves soon for those of us looking forward to riding outside and horse showing! I know that both my horses and I are tired of being cooped up indoors! To help make up for this seemingly never-ending winter, we have put together a collection of articles on a variety of topics for you to enjoy in this issue!
horses, but for horses of all disciplines and levels! Springtime is typically when many horses are due for their vaccines, so take the time to make an appointment with your vet for a yearly physical to determine how your horse is doing, and ways you can keep him or her happy and able to perform their jobs not just for this summer/show season, but for life!
Health and fitness is an important aspect to any sport, especially horse back riding. Unfortunately, owners and riders tend to spend so much time worrying about their horse’s fitness and supplements, that they rarely spend any time taking care of themselves! I was so happy to find a pair of ladies local to Ontario, Victoria Clarke and Our cover model, Lindsey Partridge, Nicole Hutzel, who have created has written a wonderfully in depth “Be Fit Ride Strong”! Be Fit Ride article about preparing horses for Strong is a program for riders of all the Thoroughbred Makeover! I disciplines that targets all areas of myself am a lover of Thoroughbreds; health; including physical, mental, they are athletes through and and nutritional! Find out more through, with hearts of gold. Select about how you can become the the right horse for the job you want best version of yourself, and in turn them to perform, train them with improve your relationship with kindness and good horsemanship, your horse by checking out their let them learn how to shine, and program! they will become the smartest, boldest, athletic partner you could As always, there is something for find! everyone in this issue! So grab a seat and enjoy! Dr. Anatasha Plummer, an associate veterinarian at Oberbichler Equine Services, has written a wonderful article about Sports Medicine for not only high level competition
Samantha
6 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
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“I am truly excited and impressed with the results I and my clients have experienced with the introduction of Sea Buck to the feeding program. From foals, to horses in training/ competition, I have seen significant results to the overall health of these horses – they look better, feel better and perform better. There is a ton of research behind this product so perhaps I should not be so surprised with the results I am seeing.” Vet – Kentucky
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EVENT LISTINGS FOR MAY SCHOOLING SHOWS MAY 12 South East Equestrian Development Series Hunter/ Jumper MAY 19
Vector Summer Series Competition
MAY 20 Jumper/Grasshopper Show @ Hamilton Hunt Club MAY 21 Meadowlark North Hunter/ Jumper MAY 26 South East Equestrian Development Series Hunter/ Jumper DRESSAGE MAY 27 Conestoga Cadora Show @ CEC TRILLIUM HUNTER/JUMPER MAY 4-6 Joker’s Hill #5 (CE) MAY 4-6 Highland Green Stables (SW) MAY 5-6 Mane Event #1 (SE) MAY 11-13 Fox Run Stables (CW) MAY 12-13 MAY 25-27
Fiddler’s Green at the Parks #1 (EOTC) Meadowlark North (CW)
MAY 25-27 Rushmount (GB) MAY 26-27 Gaelic Glen (EOTC) MAY 26-27 Endless Journey Farm #1 (SE) MAY 26-27 HSE Stables #1 (SW) 10 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
“A” CIRCUIT MAY 8-13 Caledon Equestrian Park MAY 15-20 Caledon Equestrian Park MAY 22-27 Caledon Equestrian Park EVENTS/HORSE TRIALS MAY 12 Twisted Pine CT & XC School (SOCTA) MAY 20 Twisted Pine HT 1 (SOCTA) MAY 20 Glen Oro Horse Trials (OHTA) MAY 27 Grandview Spring Horse Trials (OHTA) CLINICS/MISC MAY 5 Hands on Carriage Driving Clinic @ Bryn Gwyntog Farm (Simcoe, ON) MAY 18 Dinner and Jousting Fundraiser for TEAD (The Equestrian Association for the Disabled) @ Ancaster Fairgrounds MAY 27 ORCHA Show in Richmond
EVENT LISTINGS FOR JUNE SCHOOLING SHOWS JUN 2 Vector Summer Series Competition JUN 3 Challenge Series @ Parish Ridge JUN 3 Shoreline Schooling Series @ Hollow Hills Equestrian JUN 3 Jumper/Grasshopper Show @ Hamilton Hunt Club JUN 3 Teen Ranch Hunter/Jumper Show JUN 10
Hunter Show @ Hamilton Hunt Club
JUN 16 CEC Hunter/Jumper JUN 17 Challenge Series @ Parish Ridge JUN 23 South East Equestrian Development Series Hunter/ Jumper JUN 24 Shoreline Schooling Series @ Parkeridge Stables JUN 24 Teen Ranch Hunter/Jumper Show DRESSAGE JUN 24 Cadora Show @ CEC TRILLIUM HUNTER/JUMPER JUN 1-3 Joker’s Hill #5 (CE) JUN 1-2 Trevella Stables (NE) JUN 2-3 Wesley Clover Park #1 (EOTC) JUN 2-3 Mane Event #2 (SE) JUN 8-10 Waymark Farms (CW) JUN 9-10
Westar Farm #1 (EOTC)
JUN 9-10 HSE Stables #2 (SW) JUN 9-10 Essa Agriplex #1 (GB) JUN 15-17 Eastwood Equestrian #1 (NE)
JUN 16-17 Stratford-Fox Run at the Parks #1 (EOTC) JUN 16-17 Mane Event #3 (SE) JUN 16-17 Zone Classic @ Essa Agriplex (GB) JUN 16-17 Eden Ridge #1 (SW) JUN 22-24 Pickering Horse Centre (CE) JUN 22-24 Twinholm (CW) JUN 23-24 Eden Ridge #2 (SW) JUN 29-JUL 1 Eastwood Equestrian #2 (NE) JUN 30-JUL 1 Essa Agriplex #2 (GB) “A” CIRCUIT JUN 6-10 Angelstone Tournaments JUN 13-17 Angelstone Tournaments JUN 20-24 Wesley Clover Parks Ottawa JUN 27-JUL 1 Caledon Equestrian Park EVENTS/HORSE TRIALS JUN 2 Cherrylane Horse Trials (OHTA) JUN 3 Twisted Pine HT 1 (SOCTA) JUN 10 Glen Oro Horse Trials (OHTA) JUN 10 Grandview Spring Horse Trials (OHTA) JUN 16-17 Caledon Horse Trials (OHTA) JUN 24 Wits End Horse Trials (OHTA) CLINICS/MISC JUN 16-17 Clicker Training Clinic with Shawna Karrasch JUN 16 Vector Charity Show and Dinner JUN 23 ORCHA Reining and Cattle Clinic w/ Jess Cofell + Craig Black JUN 24 ORCHA Show in Richmond
EO PRODUCTS
LACWOOD PREMIUM HORSE BEDDING PELLETS ARE YOU TIRED OF THROWING MONEY INTO A WHEELBARROW AND ROLLING IT RIGHT OUT THE BARN DOOR AND INTO THE MANURE PILE? If you aren’t using the best bedding material available for your horse(s), you are probably wasting time, effort, and bedding material, which sums up to a lot of needless expense and waste! For the owners of Northern Legacy Horse Farm in Whitefish, Ontario, Katriina Ruotsalo and Craig Fielding, the switch from wood shavings to LacWood’s premium pellets for their 49 horses over a year ago means no going back. “For us and our staff, we’re all in with pellet bedding,” said Craig. “There are savings in the staff’s labour time daily, and compared to shavings, we’re sifting and carting out anywhere from 25% to 50% less bedding material to the manure pile. And with pellet bedding there’s no need to strip the stalls every week. Instead, we just refresh the stall by adding a bag of pellets to maintain bedding depth as needed. Stalls are stripped anywhere from once every month to two months, depending on the individual horse. The fine pellet and manure mixture also breaks down faster and is more readily compostable than coarse wood shavings.” LacWood premium quality pellets are made from pure, northern Pine and Spruce wood fibres, and stand hands above all other bedding materials. Bedding pellets are light in colour, highly
absorbent, inedible, and low in dust. Pellets absorb up to THREE times their own weight in moisture, and are NINE times more absorbent than shavings! Besides clumping and holding urine in a small patch, they wick away moisture from manure, and in both cases make it easy to sift off ONLY the waste and soiled bedding, without throwing away unsoiled bedding at the same time. You will see up to 50% savings by switching to pellet bedding due to the reduction in bedding product required to provide your horse with a clean, comfortable stall. Animal health is paramount. Our premium quality softwood pellets are made from clean, quality wood co-products left over from the milling of quality lumber, derived from the timber harvested in sustainably managed forests. There is no reclaimed, salvaged, or chemically treated wood from building or construction sites that could be contaminated with toxins that will sicken your horse. Neither are they made with wood fibres from black walnut, which can cause laminitis; cedar, which can be an allergen; or oak, which can be overly acidic and result in hoof heating. The natural and organic, inedible, low-dust pellets are made from finely ground shavings and sawdust that are compressed under extreme pressure and heat, and bound together only by lignin, a natural element found in all wood fibres.
As an added bonus, regardless of the size of the barn, you will smell the intoxicatingly fresh scent of Pine when entering the barn, as opposed to the sharp odor of ammonia. Pellet bedding creates a healthier and more comfortable environment for both horses to live in and staff to work in! Getting Started with LacWood’s Horse Bedding Pellets Your initial exposure to pellet bedding will be the ease of handling. Pellets are sold in 40 lb. bags, with 50-75 bags stacked and tightly wrapped in a weatherproof shroud on a skid. Weatherproof bulk totes of up to 2,600 lbs are also available. In both cases, they will take up to a third or more less space than shavings bales, leaving room for feed, equipment, or whatever your heart desires! With some extra protection from the elements, the skids can also be safely stored outdoors if storage is limited. When it comes to actual use, there are different preferences to getting started, but the recommended method is to soften and fluff the pellet bedding by first applying moisture. A rule of thumb is that a 40 lb. bag of pellets, with moisture added, will result in a depth of one inch of fluffy bedding when spread in a 12X12 foot stall. A depth of four inches (4 bags) is the recommended minimum, but some horse owners prefer more. Stalls with rubberized flooring or comfort mattress add to the shockabsorbency of the bedding, and may further reduce the amount required for each horse.
Starting with a bare stall you can dump and evenly spread four bags of pellets, apply a fine spray of water from a hose, and wait 10-15 minutes during which time the pellets will start to break down and fluff. Then, give them a light raking. Alternatively, lay four bags on the stall floor, cut a diagonal corner to corner in each bag and add a gallon of fresh water to each bag. Watch while the pellets expand and break down after 15 minutes. Then, dump the bags out, spread, and level. In addition to the enhanced qualities and benefits of pellets over all other bedding choices, the bottom line will be cost. There are definite cost savings in maintenance time, labour, wasted bedding material, and trips to and maintenance of the manure pile. Vet bills to treat respiratory issues from dusty bedding, or other ailments caused by bedding comprised of nonacceptable materials, are eliminated. How much a horse owner might save in costs with pellets over shavings will certainly vary, contingent upon a number of factors, with the bottom line being the cost per bag at the barn door. A quicker, easier clean-up using LacWood pellet bedding not only reduces your workload and costs, but also increases the amount of quality time you have available to spend with your horse!
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT LACWOOD PRODUCTS, OR TO PURCHASE PELLETS, VISIT LACWOOD.CA
EO PRODUCTS
EDITOR’S REVIEW
MEGA-FLX® +HA – THE EQUINE SORE MUSCLE & JOINT SOLUTION™ ABOUT MEGA-FLX® +HA ®
Mega-Flx +HA is a uniquely patented formula that contains a balanced ratio of Vitamin E, MSM, Keratin, Amino Acids, Selenium and HA. The proprietary functional antioxidant, FLX4®, is designed to promote: • Greater Joint Resilience - supplies the key building blocks for joint repair and remodeling of tissue by providing the nutrients cells use to rebuild vital joint tissue. •
Reduced Inflammation – suppresses the inflammatory mediators associated with degradation of the joint, thus reducing pain.
•
Improved Mobility – increased glutathione production reduces the damage in joints caused by free radicals, suppressing the inflammatory response, which results in increased mobility.
•
Protection of the Joint – unlike most antioxidants that require one molecule of antioxidant to be sacrificed for every free radical, one molecule can take care of millions of free radicals.
® While some nutrients in Mega-Flx +HA are there to provide short-term results, FLX4® is all about long term joint health. In a double blind controlled study, 100% of horses receiving FLX4® showed significant joint and lameness 14 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
improvement at 60-90 days. FLX4® does not mask joint soreness – it works to actually repair the joint and create a healthy environment to reduce the potential for future injury! I first heard about Mega-Flx® +HA when one of my horses was coming off of about 6 weeks of stall rest for a bruised foot. He had been started back in light work, but the footing outside was still too icy and hard to turn him out yet. As a result of being cooped up in his stall and lack of fitness, I found him to be starting off stiff, and lacking impulsion. He has Shivers, and it typically bothers him most when he is cooped up in his stall for long periods of time. His back and hind quarters get tight and sore due to the muscle spasms that result from picking up his back feet when standing on the spot, or turning without forward motion. Within a couple days of taking ® Mega-Flx +HA, he was noticeably less stiff when starting out, and seemed like he was more comfortable and stronger! He was also less sore upon palpation of his back and hindquarters. I look forward to seeing the benefits of this product continue to support my horses as show season begins! GUARANTEED RESULTS IN 7 DAYS, OR YOUR MONEY BACK! NOW, HOW MANY JOINT AND MUSCLE SUPPLEMENTS CAN OFFER THAT?!
THE SORE MUSCLE & JOINT SOLUTION
™
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Dual Action Formula: Joint & Muscle
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Unique patented formula
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Proprietary FLX4 brand Functional Antioxidant
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Superior average lameness improvement
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Non-allergenic – no marine derived materials
•
High purity, clinically studied MSM
•
High purity, pharmaceutical grade HA
•
High purity selenium
•
100% bioavailable vitamin E
“We put our entire stable, both young and older horses, on Mega-Flx+HA. As a result, we’ve seen improvements with horses on the farm and at the track.” Ernie Retamoza, Jr. Thoroughbred Trainer & Farm Manager, Courtlandt Farm, Ocala Florida
© 2018 Spectra Animal Health • 800-527-0375 • www.SpectraEquine.com In Canada, contact Wecan Sales at 905-563-0808
EO ARTICLE
PART 1 OF 3
THE NINE POINTS OF SADDLE FIT
BY JOCHEN SCHLEESE, CMS, CSFT, CSE ©2018 SADDLEFIT 4 LIFE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
As we head into spring, it’s time to put our thoughts into ensuring that all of our tack and equipment will work for the upcoming training months, and for the shows we intend to compete in. Especially if your horse has been ‘laid off’ for the winter months you will need to ensure that the saddle is fitted properly to allow him comfort and freedom to muscle up again when
A QUICK DIAGNOSTIC CAN BE DONE USING OUR 9 POINTS OF SADDLE FIT EVALUATION you begin training in earnest. While it can take four weeks for a muscle to build up with consistent training, it takes only one week for the muscle to regain its original shape (which is negative development). Thus, even if you have given your horse just a week off from training, you will find that your saddle may not fit the way it did and the way it should, so that you should have a diagnostic evaluation done and the saddle adjusted by a certified fitter before you begin training again. A quick diagnostic can be done using our 9 points of saddle fit evaluation (with videos available to show you how at our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/mjpschleese) 16 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
1 SADDLE BALANCE
A saddle too high in the pommel and too low in the cantle causes pressure on the horse’s back. It will be very difficult for your horse to engage his back because too much of your weight is on his last 2 floating ribs. If your saddle is too low in the front it will pinch into the horse’s shoulder – which is very restrictive for your horse. If your saddle is too high in the back so your leg goes forward and you fall into a chair seat to balance which can strain the discs in your lower back. With correct balance the rider will be able to use the 4 curves in her back as natural ‘shock absorbers’, and she will be positioned comfortably.
THIS DRESSAGE SADDLE SHOWS WHERE THE CENTER OF BALANCE IS.
2 WITHER CLEARANCE
The saddle should have 2-3 fingers clearance on the top and around the side of the withers. The saddle must have an opening (clearance) on the sides of his withers to accommodate the shoulder rotation upwards and backwards during movement.
A horse whose saddle pinches his withers may be reluctant to go forward. Other more extreme signs of insufficient wither clearance are patches of white hairs (not scattered individual white hairs) or sores on the top or on one or both sides of the withers.
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE WITHERS AND THE SIDES OF THE WITHERS SHOULD BE 2-3 FINGERS ALL AROUND.
3 CHANNEL/GULLET WIDTH
A saddle with a channel or gullet that is too narrow can cause permanent damage to your horse’s back (but also, if it’s too wide that’s not great either). There is no such thing as “one size fits all” where the channel or gullet of your horse’s saddle is concerned. Instead, the width of each horse’s spine will determine how wide his saddle’s gullet must be. It is very important that the width of the gullet be the same throughout the entire length of the saddle. It is only infrequently that we find a saddle that is too wide through the gullet for a particular horse. But such a saddle will have inadequate weight-bearing surface, may start to strip muscle away from the top of the ribs, and the back of the tree may actually rest on the spine.
THIS SADDLE HAS A WIDE GULLET CHANNEL WITH GOOD DISTRIBUTION OF THE RIDER’S WEIGHT ON THE HORSE’S SADDLE SUPPORT AREA.
EO SERVICES
BAKER’S CELEBRATES 100 YEARS IN BUSINESS!! GORMLEY, ON – Baker’s Saddlery, on Woodbine Avenue just north of Elgin Mills Road, is where Toronto-area horse people get their retail therapy. The unobtrusive shop, cheerfully crammed to the rafters with saddles, leather goods, apparel, and virtually everything an English rider desires, is tucked in behind a white frame house. It’s still going strong under the management of owner Carmen Griscti, and his daughter, Jessie.
six years, Carmen Griscti, to take over the business, for a buy-in of $10,000. Since this day, Baker’s Saddlery has remained strong in the face of numerous adversities such as a devastating fire in December 1984, in which nearly everything was lost and little could be salvaged. In 1986, when the lease on the store’s original location was up, they relocated to their current home on Woodbine Avenue.
In 2018, Baker’s is celebrating an anniversary few other tack shops can match in 2018: 100 years in business!
“It was the middle of nowhere at the time,” Griscti recalls. “It was scary, coming up here. But sometimes life forces you to make changes, and it The Baker family, originally from Pennsylvania, was granted farmland on ends up being the best thing you could Langstaff Road, between Bathurst and have done.” Dufferin, in the 1700s. Descendent Isaac Baker, perhaps due to frail health, One thing that has never changed is the name. “Renaming it would have was unable to do the hard labour of been a disservice to Isaac,” Griscti says. working the land, so he apprenticed “We dropped the ‘harness’, but it will with Mennonite craftsmen to learn always be Baker’s.” the harness-making trade instead. Isaac Baker built his shop, piece by Baker’s Saddlery will be celebrating piece, with recycled lumber as he its centennial with a sale on May 24 could afford to buy it. to 27th! Come celebrate with us and enjoy prices as they were in 1918, BBQ, He opened Baker’s Harness in 1918, specializing in harnesses and assorted Music, Raffle and so much more! strap goods, all made with impeccable [This article was jam packed with too hand stitching. Isaac Baker was in his 80s in 1980 when he approached his apprentice of 18 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
much incredible history to print in one magazine! Read more about Baker’s journey throughout the years online!]
MAY ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 19
EO PRODUCTS
PROFESSIONAL GROOMING
THE GALLOPING GOOP WAY! THE BEST PART IS THEY SMELL GREAT AND REQUIRE NO SCRUBBING! It is hard to believe that spring is finally here (especially with the long stretch of winter), and we can take our equine friends from being a dirty, muddy, greasy mess to beautifully soft, clean, and free of stains in a very short amount of time with Galloping Goop! Galloping Goop products are specially formulated to remove those tough soils and stubborn stains from your horses coat, mane, and tail without stripping the hair of its natural oils. They are enriched with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to nourish the coat, hair, and skin in order to leave your best friend with silky, soft, super shiny, clean hair and healthy skin.
STEP 1 DEGREASER - The Degreaser is the professional’s choice for deep down spot cleaning. Used on a dry coat and left on for about 10-15 minutes before washing out. Removes stains easily and without stripping the natural oils from the coat, mane, and tail. STEP 2 SHAMPOO – Galloping Goop Shampoo is perfect to use after the Degreaser as it is specially formulated to remove dirt build-up and debris from the coat, mane, and tail. STEP 3 CONDITIONER – Galloping Goop Conditioner is the perfect end to your horse’s spa treatment, and will deeply condition and moisturize your horse leaving behind a healthy, shiny, soft coat, mane and tail.
GO FROM THIS TO THAT WITH EASE! THANKS TO GALLOPING GOOP DEGREASER, SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER! FOR BEST RESULTS USE ALL THREE PRODUCTS TOGETHER!
All products are biodegradable and non-toxic. Recommended for all horse breeds, ages, and colours; can also be used on puppies, kittens, dogs, cats, cows, sheep, rabbits, goats and chickens!
GALLOPING GOOP has raised the bar when it comes to
removing tough stains, dirt and grease. With low foaming action it does not strip the coat’s natural oils and is enriched with natural Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to nourish the hair and skin in less time. If you have a white or grey horse — no more scrubbing out the nasty stains — they will sparkle!
GALLOPINGGOOP.CA A Stonehedgefarm Canada Product
EO ARTICLES
THE BE FIT RIDE STRONG LIFESTYLE CREATED BY VICTORIA CLARKE AND NICOLE HUTZEL PHOTO CREDITS TO HUTZEL CLARKE PHOTOGRAPHY
ABOUT US In order to become the best caregivers and riders for our equine companions, we knew that we needed to improve our own health and fitness, as well as work on our inner dialogue. We work closely with Breanne Kallonen, who holds her degree in Naturopathy and is our Health and Wellness coach. We began to focus more on our physical fitness, nutrition, and mindset, leading us back to school to become Certified Holistic Nutrition & Health Coaches, which we are currently in the process of completing. We have worked through the struggles, muscle aches, and setbacks. We were determined to become fit, not only to satisfy ourselves, but also to enhance our relationship with our horses... and so that’s what we did! Through our newfound commitment to healthy eating, regular exercise, and natural anxiety reduction, we not only improved our relationship with our horses and became better riders, but 22 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
we became better versions of ourselves in every aspect of our lives, and now we want to share our lifestyle with you!
NICOLE HUTZEL (LEFT) AND VICTORIA CLARKE (RIGHT) OUT FOR A RIDE ON THEIR HORSES!
ABOUT THE PROGRAM Be Fit Ride Strong is currently in the process of putting together programs geared specifically to each rider’s discipline and level of riding, as well as their level of fitness. We will provide a comprehensive program and step-bystep plan to help motivate you to TAKE ACTION!
OUR PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE: • Everything you need to do as an equestrian to be a healthy and fit
you to see better results on the outside, and feel better on the inside, too! Proper nutrition will:
rider. •
How to identify self-sabotaging thoughts, limiting beliefs, and overcome anxiety, whether you compete or ride for pleasure.
•
Everything from proper nutrition to positive mindset, physical fitness, and injury prevention.
•
Effective HIIT exercises that build core strength, cardiovascular endurance, and lean muscle mass.
• • • •
Improve your well being Reduce high blood pressure Increase your energy level Improve your ability to recover from illness/injury, and much more!
Carbohydrates The body generates energy from carbs rapidly. Carbs provide the fuel that helps the body perform at a high level. Protein Protein is essential in repairing muscle. It will also help ensure you don’t become deficient in essential amino acids. Fats Fats are a major source of energy during long intense workouts or competition. Integrating healthy fats, such as omega 3 and 6, into your diet is key.
NUTRITION Nutrition, weight management, and your inner dialogue are all critical pieces to ensure your success! Equestrian athletes and recreational riders need to focus more on having a balanced exercise program that is supported by proper nutrition. If you can relate to this, then the Be Fit Ride Strong Lifestyle is for you! Your daily food choices make a big impact on your health. Nothing tastes as good, as being fit feels! Focusing on what you put into your body will allow
PRE-COMPETITION MEAL A pre-competition meal should provide your body with the nutrients and energy it needs to perform at a high level, avoid dehydration, and prevent cramping. Your meal should include foods high in carbs such as bread, rice, pasta or potatoes to name a few. It must absolutely be low in fat and protein as these types of foods take many hours to digest and can irritate your stomach during competition. You should consume your meal roughly three hours prior to your competition, giving your body enough
EO ARTICLES
time to digest, letting the carbs fuel your body and provide the necessary energy it needs. It is also recommended that you consume a small snack thirty minutes prior to your event.
order to provide energy. Absolutely no caffeine should be consumed before or during your ride.
Of course a pre-competition meal is important but, if you want to truly succeed as an athlete, you must train and nourish yourself accordingly all year long. POST-COMPETITION What you eat after a strenuous workout or competition is just as important as your pre-competition meal. You must replenish expended nutrients and electrolytes in order to repair muscle and re-energize your body. Combine a meal of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats, as well fruits and vegetables. It would be most beneficial to eat within 45 minutes after your workout or event for ultimate results. Phil Zullo of Zullo Health and Fitness is our coach, and we strongly recommend his services. He helps with injury rehabilitation, injury prevention, strength and conditioning programs, as well as meal planning! STAYING HYDRATED Proper hydration is of the utmost importance when training and competing. Good hydration means the proper amount of water before, during, and after exercise, as well as at an event or competition. Continue to take small amounts of water throughout the day. Water helps regulate body temperature and transport carbs and nutrients in 24 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
MINDSET IS EVERYTHING The right mindset is key when it comes to long-term weight loss. Not only will this lifestyle help you lose weight, but we will also show you how to have fun doing it. Whenever you feel that something is holding you back, the moment that you become aware of it, it will immediately lose its power over you. Mindset plays a very special role in our fitness program, as we, Nicole and Victoria, have first hand experiences of how struggling with our mindsets impacted our riding. Be Fit Ride Strong offers effective mindfulness-based skills to deal with emotions such as anxiety and apprehension. In simple terms, mindfulness is being aware, and living in the moment. It will enable all riders regardless of level, to deal better with stress and remain calm and focused. We work with affirmations and gratitude journals. Breathing is essential. You must remember to breathe!
We look forward to elaborating more in the next issue by providing you with helpful tips and hints and even some exercises!
Get started today - come visit us on Facebook for our daily updates and become a part of the Be Fit Ride Strong community! Please see our terms of service located on our website.
PROFESSIONAL SHOW JUMPER, HUGH GRAHAM, IS AN AVID SUPPORTER OF HEALTH AND FITNESS FOR EQUESTRIAN ATHLETES!
FITNESS Most equestrians know that their core strength is essential to support good posture. This leads to better balance and stability, whether you are riding or working around the barn. In fact, most sports depend on stable core muscles! We are excited to be launching our youth fitness program because we truly believe that eating well and exercising often when you are a teenager will help you stay in good health later on in life.
For more information please visit www.befitridestrong.com That’s all for now, As always, Be Fit & Ride Strong! Nicole and Victoria
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EO SERVICES
GREENHAWK’S OUTLET LOCATIONS! One of Greenhawk’s best kept secrets in Ontario has to be the unique consignment areas in our Beamsville and Gormley locations! These Outlet spaces contain treasures that are difficult to find in a regular retail store. The Outlets offer an easy to use venue for all our clients who are looking to downsize their equestrian wardrobe or previously loved equipment in a friendly, fuss-free environment. Over the past several years, the Greenhawk Outlet Loft & Annex have been part of the tack shop destination for many of our loyal clients who love to just come in, browse, and see what is
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new this week. Because we never know what items will be dropped off for consignment from week to week, the Outlets are forever changing! From side saddles to high end Western saddles, entry level pony saddles, or slightly used show jackets, we see it all! Sometimes the stories that come with the items to be sold break our hearts; from a retiring knowledgeable horse couple to a young girl moving to college, we hear all of our clients’ life stories as they drop off their gently used items at our locations and we discuss the financial value of their once so cherished items together!
One other very interesting aspect of the Outlets is that we host a huge amount of clearance items that originated from several other Greenhawk locations from seasons ago. We regroup these one of a kind items, value price them to move and display them in our Outlet spaces. These items are very interesting because at this point, they do not come in a collection anymore but individually, one size small in this color, one extra-large in that color… You never know what you will find in the clearance section of the Outlets, but at the end of the day, we know you will love the prices on these items as most are priced at a fraction of the regular retail price. As you will discover, the Outlets are a treasure chest. Our customers get transported into a new dimension and spend hours looking through everything. One comment that we receive on a regular basis is that they love how organized, clean, and tidy all of these
items are. For us, it does not matter if the items are used, on clearance, or new - we treat them all with the same care throughout the whole store! We really hope that your curiosity will bring you to our “homey” Beamsville store and our huge, 12,000 sq. ft. Gormley store to check out the Outlets at Greenhawk, and that your experience will bring you back over and over again.
Greenhawk Beamsville 905-563-1601 4839 King Street E. Beamsville, ON
Greenhawk Gormley 905-888-4666 5 Gormley Industrial Ave. Gormley, ON
MAY ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 29
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PERFORMANCE HEAD-TO-TOE FROM NOBLE OUTFITTERS
Lightweight, breathable, and protected from the sun. This is the focus of our spring performance collection. You will be comfortable during an all-day ride in either one of these flattering tops. The Lil’ Lover Tank offers a fashionable cut with keyhole ventilation at the back of the neck and a stylish dropped hem. If you are looking for a bit more coverage, opt for the Karleigh Short Sleeve V-Neck. The stretch back mesh panel will keep you cool & comfortable when your riding you’re hardest.
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Add some color to your tight collection! Our Printed Balance Riding Tights are made from innovative Never Fade fabric with booty boost technology. These tights are flattering and comfortable, in and out of the saddle. Added features include: hidden pocket inside back waist, secure stash pocket at front thigh, and silicone grip at the knee.
“I have enough socks & boots.” Said no one ever. The newest colors of Printed Over-the-Calf Peddies & 6” MUDS have hit store shelves! Choose from over 25 colorful and fun prints in our Peddies collection. The unique ultra-thin calf and padded ankle protection allow for increased breathability and protection from boot pinching. Have you tried the world’s most comfortable & 100% waterproof boots yet? Let our 6” MUDS become your go-to boot. From city to barn and back, your feet will stay dry and supported all day long. Available in 10 print/color options – you might just have to buy two!
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SCHLEESE SADDLERY SERVICE LTD • Over 150,000 saddle fit evaluations since 1986! • Numerous industry, manufacturing, export and business awards; profiled in Wall Street Journal, Discovery Channel, educational articles written for 35+ equestrian publications! • Largest North American manufacturer of English saddles, specializing in saddle fit to horse and rider – especially women! Author “9 Points of Saddle Fit” and “80 Point Diagnostic Saddle Fit Evaluation” • Provide education, on-site service, and saddle adjustments worldwide by Certified Saddle Fit Technicians and Saddle Ergonomists following Saddlefit4Life® philosophy. • 3 year apprenticeship program in saddlery and training through Saddlefit 4 Life® in Equine and Saddle Ergonomics. • Innovative saddle patents and patents pending. • Author of best-selling “Suffering in Silence: The Saddle Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses” (Trafalgar 2013, 2015, 2017) and “The Silent Killer: Saddle Fit for Just a Moment in Time?” (WuWei 2012/ Kosmos 2016).
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE? Certified Master Saddler Jochen Schleese and our trained team of craftsmen and technicians share commitment to highest standards of quality and education to enable riders to make informed decisions. Popular speaker at veterinary schools, instructors’ associations, symposiums, and equine trade fairs. Saddlefit 4 Life® curriculum will soon be elective at Guelph’s Equine Sciences degree program. SADDLEFIT 4 LIFE® COMMITTED TO EDUCATION, PROVIDING ALL RIDERS CURRENT, ACCURATE INFORMATION IN: 9
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Equine professionals must work together as part of the Circle of Influence for optimum performance and health for horse and rider. www.schleese.com
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EO ARTICLE
COMPETING IN THE THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER BY LINDSEY PARTRIDGE 2015 & 2016 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion of Trail, and 2016 Freestyle Champion. Toronto Star named “Canada’s Horse Whisperer”
The $100,000 Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover is a competition that has gained interest internationally. It makes sense that it would – there are so many appealing things about this competition for competitors, trainers, breeders, spectators, vendors, and riders looking to buy a horse. It’s a brilliant combination of competition, education, inspiration, networking, and shopping all at the heart of horse country at Kentucky Horse Park. If you haven’t been to the Thoroughbred Makeover, definitely add it to your calendar for October! The competition requires trainers to apply with a horse that has not had more than 15 retraining rides (non racing rides) 11 months before the competition in October annually. That means you need a recently retired racehorse. I’ve competed for three years, two of which my junior student Franny Galvin-Hynes also competed. 34 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
Together we have shown 8 horses across 3 disciplines with the placings of: • Four 1sts (Trail in 2015, 2016, 2017, Freestyle 2016) • Three 2nds (Trail 2015, Trail and Freestyle 2017) • Four 3rds (Freestyle 2015, Trail and Field Hunter 2016, Trail 2017),one 5th (Trail 2015) • One 6th (Field Hunter 2017) • One 10th (Freestyle 2015) • One 14th (2017 - Franny’s first time competing in Field Hunter) as well as two Top Junior Awards • Both the Canter and Turning For Home Adoption Awards for Top Horses in 2017 • One overall title of America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred (2015) If you do the math, that’s 11 out of 15 placings in the top 3, and 14 out of 15 placings in the top 10. PS – all of the horses we competed with were purchased sight unseen without any trials, test rides, or handling ourselves. We simply looked for soundness/health and then purchased.
Some of the horses we took on were rejected or unwanted by others. For example ‘You Gotta Be Kidding’ was a 3yr old gelding that “kicks and needs a lip chain” that was given to us, and he finished 5th in Trail with Franny. Bowdrie was purchased in an auction where no one else bid on him, and he finished 2nd in Trail and Freestyle in 2017. Trivia Time was taken on trial and returned back to the training barn, he finished 1st in Freestyle and Trail in 2016 with me. I share this because I want you to know that Thoroughbreds in general are awesome – you don’t need to find the “diamond in the rough” – they are all diamonds. But what does it take to retrain off the track Thoroughbreds with this level of success? What is it like?
SACRIFICES
Retraining an off the track Thoroughbred for the Makeover competition consumes a lot of you – time, money, and ego. I also work as a public health nurse, run our equestrian facility Partridge Horse Hill, and teach Harmony Horsemanship so my schedule is already tight before adding in time for the Makeover.
TIME
I end up prioritizing my Makeover horses over pretty much everything else, including my other horses. Usually I have enough time after work to train three horses, so that typically ends up being my two Makeover horses and one other. As a result, my other horses get a bit neglected for training and play time. Off the track Thoroughbreds are extreme athletes that have learned their job very well in most cases. Their body has been conditioned to carry light weight and run fast. It takes time for their body to adjust to different demands and adapt to different conditions. Often their backs and haunches need conditioning exercises to make them strong enough to start training in a new discipline. Their minds also need time to adjust and learn a completely different style of work. It’s similar to being a speed skater your whole life, and then one day you are expected to be a good figure skater. They are athletic and powerful, but they aren’t used to using the muscles, thought patterns, or balance required for jumping, navigating obstacles, heading cattle, or other demands from other disciplines. For my horses, I start with ‘Calm Connection’ exercises from the Harmony Training Continuum. Once they feel calm in my presence then I start ‘Create a Yes Horse’ exercises from the continuum. This conditions the horses to be confident learners so they can say ‘yes’ to my requests. Once they start saying ‘yes’ and trying
new things I can start to figure out what they have a talent for. It can take months before I have a sense of what a horse will be naturally best suited for – some horses are really awkward at jumping at first, but once they figure out their feet they are brave, bold, and actually love it! Others are really imbalanced and awkward, but after doing the conditioning exercises are beautiful movers. Some are big chickens, but after doing the confidence exercises within ‘Create a Yes Horse’ become Trail superstars.
EGO
When restarting a horse, you are starting back at the beginning. It means the horse needs to build trust in you and learn a new job. When we first start competing, the most important thing for me is that they learn to be relaxed, slow down, and think. That way when we get to the Makeover I have calm thinking horses, not anxious or hot headed ones.
It’s best to be patient and get the horse’s mind and physical health set up for success before making assumptions as to what they will be best suited for, which just takes time and lots of patience. MONEY
No big surprise here. There is a great saying about the horse industry that if you want to become a millionaire you need to start as a billionaire. The whole retraining process does cost a lot of money. Purchasing a horse for $1000-2000 is doable, but the upkeep of the horses and all of the experiences they need really adds up.
This means when I am at ‘sacrifice shows’ I will definitely lose a lot. It really means I have to put my ego aside. For example, at Trivia Time’s first Extreme Cowboy Race preparing for the 2016 Makeover, we had to walk by some cows on our way to the ring. The cows totally freaked her out and she was so tense and nervous in the show ring.
Even though I have my own farm, when I factor in the cost of hay, grain, Even though the Extreme Cowboy supplements, farrier expenses, etc. I Race is supposed to be a fast obstacle figure it costs me about $4500/year course, and the crowd was expecting to keep a horse well. Then there are great things as they announced the extra costs for the experiences – “Lindsey Partridge the 2016 Can Am taking the horses to clinics, shows, Champion aboard a Thoroughbred, and schoolings so they can have this one is going to be fast folks,” I exposure to new things before getting walked the entire course (maybe a to the Makeover. little bit of trot) as I tried to relax my horse and breathe. It definitely makes
me feel awkward when the crowd is expecting greatness, and I don’t even come close to meet their expectation. It’s important that I remember I am not trying to win the competition, I’m just trying to win my horse’s mind and heart. I sacrifice those beginning shows and it pays off; by the end of the season I was competing Trivia Time with no bridle in extreme cowboy. Having sacrifice shows I think is one of the biggest reasons why my horses do so well at the Makeover – by the time they get to Kentucky they really know how to slow down, think, and trust. They really aren’t affected by much else around them. COMPETING AT KENTUCKY HORSE PARK
Competing at the Kentucky Horse Park was definitely a dream come true for me - I had visited the park as a young girl and always thought it was such a beautiful place. I remember riding in the 2015 makeover, just exploring the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park. I thought to myself, “Wow, this is an incredible experience, I am so lucky.” I didn’t know how well I had placed, and yet I already thought it was an experience of a lifetime. To be among so many talented people and horses, part of an event that is changing the way we think about retired racehorses, and where the junior and amateur rider competes side by side against the Olympian, it truly is an honor.
IT’S WORTH IT
There is definitely a lot involved to retraining an off the track Thoroughbred, but the results are absolutely worth it. Thoroughbreds really are very smart, hardworking, athletic, and versatile horses. My 2015 champion has gone on to be a jumper champion, a summer camp superstar, and movie star (she is in the movies Autumn Stables and Unbridled, and is the horse in the Grey Cup commercial for the CFL by TSN Sports). WHAT AM I DOING FOR 2018?
One of my horses, Point Load (Wally), is competing with Franny this year along with Franny’s horse, Wasted. I will be going down to support her but I am taking a break from competing this year – I am putting my focus back into Trivia Time and plan to try some brideless jumpers (if I’m allowed) and extreme cowboy with her. You can also look for me judging the Freestyle at the Thoroughbred Expo in Florida between many clinics and other events happening this year. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRAINING METHODS I USE, CHECK OUT HARMONYHORSEMANSHIP.CA AND YOU’LL FIND LOTS OF INFORMATION, VIDEOS, AND OPTIONS.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR ONLINE LINDSEYPARTRIDGE.COM
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PRODUCT GUIDE
S.E EQUESTRIAN CUSTOM RIBBONS FOR SHOWS AND AWARDS
RETAIL: PRICING STARTS AT $1.50/RIBBON. Sara Edwards, Owner/Operator of S.E. Equestrian has been part of the Equestrian world since the age of eight. Hosting Schooling Shows has given her a good understanding of the importance of good quality and great service, which she offers to each and every customer. Sara takes pride in her ribbons and has many different styles and colours to offer with prices starting at $1.50/ribbon. Her customers rave about her and keep coming back for more. View her ribbons on www.seequestrian.ca or find SE Equestrian on Facebook. EMAIL SARA@SEEQUESTRIAN.CA FOR HER PRICE LIST.
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DRAPER EQUINE THERAPY® PERFECT POLO WRAPS If you use polos on a regular basis, you know how important it is that you have a pair of polos that wrap and conform to your horse’s legs perfectly without having to worry about them slipping or causing irritation. Draper’s Perfect Polo Wraps offer the perfect combination of Celliant® technology and the tried and true Saratoga Bandage. Saratoga Bandages have a firm controlled stretch that offers more support to the lower leg than any other product of its type. Celliant® is a proprietary fiber loaded with a potent mix of thermo-reactive minerals. It recycles and converts radiant body heat into infrared energy, which gives the body a measurable boost! For a perfect wrap every time, grab yourself a pair (or two) of Draper’s Perfect Polo Wraps! For more information on Draper Equine Therapy Products, visit drapertherapies.com. TO PURCHASE DRAPER PRODUCTS, CONTACT HANNAH @ CADENCE THERAPY. WWW.CADENCETHERAPY.CA
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GLA Bio-Flax is a premium whole flaxseed or cold milled flaxseed, without preservatives or additives. Bio-Flax is made of #1 Canada “Select” flaxseed, providing a rich plant source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids, lignans, and other essential nutrients, as well as soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Benefits of feeding flaxseed to your horse includes: reduced inflammation which may help horses with joint stiffness or arthritis, improved digestion, improved skin, hair, coat, hoof, and body condition. Flax can be fed to horses of all ages and breeds, and the low simple sugar and starch levels in flax seed are safe for horses with insulin resistant issues.
EQUINE H.A PURICA
RETAIL: $40.95 (330G), $109.95 (990G) Purica’s Equine H.A provides the body with 300mg of Hyaluronic Acid and 7000mg of Vitamin C in each dose. Hyaluronic Acid is a substance that is naturally present in the human and animal body, and it acts as a natural lubricating compound for joint and skin health. HA is especially beneficial as horses age or if they are under a heavy work load/prone to injury. Vitamin C is well known for it’s immune benefits, but did you know it is essential in the production of collagen? It is a necessary nutrient for the development, maintenance, and healing of connective tissue throughout the whole body. PURCHASE AT A PURICA RETAILER NEAREST YOU! MAY ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 39
NOBLE OUTFITTERS
MUDS® STAY COOL WOMEN’S HIGH RETAIL: $129.95 If you’re looking for an all weather boot that will stand up to long hours at the barn or at a horse show, then you will love Noble Outfitters MUDS® Stay Cool rubber boots! They are 100% waterproof for protection during mud season, and yet still breathable with moisture wicking properties for comfort on hot summer days! The boots have a shockabsorbing, anti-microbial insole that helps to both fight odors and provide a custom, comfortable fit for long hours on your feet! The boot is made of ozone resistant industrial grade rubber that provides high durability, even mucking out stalls! NOBLEOUTFITTERS.CA
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VICTORIA LONG SLEEVE PULL ON SHOW SHIRT RETAIL: $89.95 Show jackets are hot enough to wear in the middle of the summer as it is; you need to pair it with a show shirt that provides breathability, comfort, and style! The Victoria Show Shirt by Noble Outfitters helps to keep you as cool as possible underneath your show jacket, and as stylish as possible while lounging ringside. Featuring moisture wicking Opti-dry technology and mesh ventilation panels that run down the arms and across the back to keep you cool and dry! A pop of colour on the collar and cuffs helps to perfect your ringside look! NOBLEOUTFITTERS.CA
NOBLE OUTFITTERS
LINDSEY PERFORMANCE SHIRT RETAIL: $89.95 Equestrians often spend a lot of time out in the sun, and it can easily slip your mind on a busy day at the barn to make sure you reapply your sunscreen. This can result in terrible farmers tans, and dangerous sunburns! The Lindsey Performance shirt combats sunburns and farmers tans with a lightweight, breathable, UPF 50+ sun protective material featuring Opti-Dry technology. The power stretch underarm panel provides ventilation and freedom of movement so you can work and ride comfortably in the sun! NOBLEOUTFITTERS.CA
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The Pinnacle Jacket by Noble Outfitters is a must have for cold mornings at the barn and/or horse shows! Functional enough to wear in the barn, and stylish enough to wear in the show ring over top of your shirt or jacket on cold, rainy days! The Pinnacle Jacket is 100% waterproof and breathable to keep you dry and comfortable both in and out of the saddle. There is also an internal zip secure pocket with media cord access for your phone, and a 2 way front zipper to allow for better fit and comfort while in the saddle! To purchase any one of these must have products, visit nobleoutfitters.com or a retailer that carries Noble Outfitters products nearest you! NOBLEOUTFITTERS.CA
EO ARTICLES
SPORTS MEDICINE FOR EVERY HORSE AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO MAXIMIZING YOUR HORSE BY: DR. ANATASHA PLUMMER. DR. ANATASHA PLUMMER, PICTURED HERE RIDING HER CANADIAN WARMBLOOD MARE, DEZI, AT THE WELLINGTON WATERLOO HUNT CLUB HUNTER PACE LAST FALL, 2017.
When most people think about equine sports medicine, images of Olympic showjumpers, four-star eventers, or elite racehorses often come to mind. While it is true that upper-level horses in all disciplines benefit from the integrative and proactive approach of sports medicine, what is important to realize is that all horses will profit from using the same basic approach. Sports medicine is about working with your veterinarian and the rest of your horse’s care team to develop a plan that will best help your equine athlete excel at their job, whether that is as a trail horse, a lesson pony, an imported dressage prospect, or anything in between! So what does that entail? In many ways, sports medicine is more about improving soundness rather than just treating lameness. It is nearly impossible to find an upper level athlete in any discipline
WE LIKE TO START BY GOING BACK-TO-BASICS that is 100% sound and has no previous injuries or significant wear and tear. The key to success lies in how these athletes and their hard-working bodies are being managed. This is true of human athletes as much as it is for our equine athletes! When doing a performance evaluation, we like to start by going back-to-basics and getting a big-picture overview of your horse’s situation. The main pillars of equine management apply for every horse regardless of their job, so by critically examining these areas and
making a proactive plan for each, you can maximize your horse’s potential and help prevent issues before they start! For each aspect, you will see that there is a methodical way we approach it: • What is the history and current status? • What specific considerations are there for your horse? • What is the plan to ensure that this aspect of your horse’s care is being optimized for their needs? HISTORY: • What is your horse’s age, breed, and athletic history? • What previous lameness or performance issues has he dealt with? • What is your goal for this horse? Is this a reasonable goal for this horse, or does it need to be adjusted? First thing’s first. Who is your horse and what is his life story? While there are always exceptions and miraculous rags-to-riches or medical marvel stories, matching the horse you have with the job you want them to do can make things much easier and less frustrating for everyone involved. A small, stocky Quarter Horse with more upright hocks is going to have to work harder in the dressage or jumper ring than a leggy, floaty warmblood, but might be able to work cattle or navigate trails with ease. Don’t be afraid to have a candid discussion with your trainer and veterinarian about your horse and your goals. It may be that one or the other MAY ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 43
EO ARTICLES
needs to be changed. If you have your sights set on jumping 1.20m, there is little sense spending a ton of time, money, and energy trying to get there on a horse that may struggle at 1.10m but thrive with someone else after a career change. VETERINARY CARE: • What is your horse’s current veterinary status? • What are the specific veterinary considerations for your horse? • What is your plan with your veterinarian to tackle any concerns you have, and ensure any underlying medical or soundness issues are being addressed?
HAVING A FULL WELLNESS EXAMINATION AND SOUNDNESS ASSESSMENT PERFORMED ANNUALLY IS BENEFICIAL FOR EVERY HORSE. Having a full wellness examination and soundness assessment performed annually is beneficial for every horse. Preventive care such as vaccinations, dental floats, fecal flotation and 44 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
deworming should be discussed with your vet to determine what is needed to keep your horse at his best. Subtle
ANY SOUNDNESS ISSUES THAT ARE FOUND CAN BE ADDRESSED NOW, AND A MAINTENANCE PLAN DEVELOPED things like a new heart murmur or increased joint effusion in the hocks may not be causing obvious problems now, but may need to be addressed before they get worse, or at least monitored and considered in the other parts of your horse’s management. Any soundness issues that are found can be addressed now, and a maintenance plan developed, so that the focus can be on keeping your horse as comfortable and well-conditioned as possible, rather than waiting until his hock arthritis becomes such an issue that he begins stopping at fences and gets cranky and sore from compensating with his stifles and back. Use this meeting with your veterinarian to address other important aspects of your horse’s health including nutrition, saddle fit, and farrier care. These areas are easily overlooked but can be equally important to ensuring athletic potential. A horse whose ration isn’t fully balanced can be an adequate weight, but deficient in critical nutrients such as selenium, vitamin E, or even protein. Perhaps your horse did amazingly barefoot on the soft spring ground, but would benefit from
adding front shoes or using hoof boots on the harder, rockier summer ground. TRAINING: • What is your horse’s current workload and training regimen? • What are the specific training considerations for your horse and discipline? • What is an achievable and appropriate training and conditioning program for your goals? Just as you would not expect to be able to run a marathon after going on a few short jogs a week for a couple of months, we can’t expect a horse to go to a week-long horse show, or on an all-day trail ride, or jump 1.20 m without proper training and conditioning. On the other end of the spectrum, a dressage horse that is schooled in upper level movements for over an hour every day is at increased risk of burnout and repetitive stress injuries. The results of both scenarios are surprisingly similar. At best, it will likely end with frustration, exhaustion, and soreness, and at worst, it could end in a catastrophic injury to horse or rider that may be career or even life-ending. Working with your veterinarian and a reputable coach to develop a targeted training and conditioning plan is arguably the most crucial component of maximizing your horse’s athletic potential. Weak top-lines and hind-ends can be built up, speed and endurance can be improved, and bodies and minds
challenged and strengthened in a methodical way where each step paves the way for the next one. There are excellent books and online resources for those without easy access to a trainer or coach that will still enable you to create a tailored plan with detailed steps along the way!
ONE-SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
By now, you have probably noticed a theme. Sports medicine is not onesize-fits-all. Sports medicine is about working with your veterinarian to figure out what works best for you, your horse, and your goals. There is no magic formula for success, but by going back to basics and using an integrative approach that looks at all major aspects of your horse’s care and management, you may just be amazed at the results!
OBERBICHLER-EQUINE.CA
Dr. Anatasha Plummer (Dr.Tasha) graduated from UC Davis in 2015, and completed her internship at OVC 2016-2017. Dr. Tasha began work as an associate veterinarian with Oberbichler Equestrian Services in November 2017.
EO SERVICES
GETTING YOUR FENCING READY FOR SPRING It’s finally time to get back outside after the long winter and see what it’s done to our properties. Proper inspection is critical after prolonged periods of snow, ice, rain, and cold. Fencing needs to be
PROPER INSPECTION IS CRITICAL AFTER PROLONGED PERIODS OF SNOW, ICE, RAIN, AND COLD. completely looked over and maintenance completed before turning your horses out into fields that may not have been used all winter. THINGS TO LOOK FOR: •
Cut down fallen trees and branches leaning on fencing and repair fence
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Remove and repair protruding nails, fallen boards, and boards with severe cracking forming spears
• Wiggle posts to ensure they have not broken or rotted over the winter •
Tighten all loose wire
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Ensure all single strand wire, paige wire, or 2x4 mesh is stapled correctly and any missing staples are replaced
46 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO MAY ‘18
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Check that all gate hinge bolts are tight and re-level gates as required
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Push down any posts that have risen over the winter—the best time to do this is when the ground is as wet as possible; this will help the posts go down easier—and use a loader bucket for best results
Special attention is required for the maintenance of electric fencing. For safety reasons you must ensure that the fence is fully operational before turnout. •
Use an Electric Fence Tester to test the line often—you should have over 4,000 volts on the line
•
If you hear a snap or crackle on the fence line then you have a short, which will need to be repaired or the connector tightened
•
Ensure ground rods are still connected to the energizer
Having confidence in the condition of your fencing before fully turning out your horses will help ensure that they are safe and content in their paddocks. If your fencing requires any major repairs, give the experts at System Fencing a call and they can help guide you through the repairs or come out and give you a free estimate (within one hour of Rockwood or Drumbo).
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