NOVEMBER /DECEMBER 2018 × VOLUME 1 ISSUE 8
ON THE COVE R
THE ROYAL REVIEW
with Jump Media
PG. 26
PROBLEM SOLVING WITH EQUINE ASTROLOGY PG. 10 LINDSEY PARTRIDGE: CONFIDENCE BUILDING - PART 3 PG. 38 PC BEN R ADVANYI
Live a Beautifully Branded Equestrian Lifestyleâ„¢ www.saucypiaffe.com
EQUES TRIAN ONTARIO
CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2018
EO FEATURE 26 The Royal Review Jump Media EO ARTICLES 10 Problem Solving With Equine Astrology Samantha Marshall 14 Taking Care of Your Investment SaddleFit4Life® 38 Confidence Building Part III Lindsey Partridge EO PRODUC TS 8 Five more reasons to love equus integral Equus Integral 12 Outerwear That Has You Winter Ready Noble Outfitters Ltd
18 Easy Set-Up and Cleaning for Stalls with Hygreen Pellet Bedding Hygreen 22 Mega-Flx® + HA: The Equine Sore Muscle & Joint Solution™ Spectra Equine 24 The Nibble Net & The Tack N Go! Professional Edge Equine 48 Immune Pet & Recovery EQ Purica EO SERVICES 20 Getting your Fencing Ready for Winter with System Equine. System Equine
COVER Mclain Ward on HH Gigi’s Girl, claiming the $205,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ presented by GroupBy at The 2018 Royal Winter Fair. Photo credit to Ben Radvanyi
BUTET SADDLES CANADA ALAN LE LOUEDEC alan.lelouedec@butet.fr (1) 519 215 1474 www.butet.fr
“Every time a horse lets you up onto its back, its giving you it’s life, everytime.” - MATTHEW WOODRING STOVER
EDITOR
CONTRIBUTORS
PUBLISHER
Samantha Fawcett
Saddlefit4life
Horseback Media Inc.
SALES
Tyler Saik tyler@equestrianontario.com
Lindsey Partridge
Milton, Ontario, Canada
Samantha Marshall
equestrianontario.com
Jump Media
647-862-9183
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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 LIABILIT Y TO ANY PART Y FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE, OR DISRUPTION CAUSED BY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS, WHETHER SUCH ERRORS OR OMISSIONS RESULT FROM NEGLIGENCE, ACCIDENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.
PG. 26
LINDSEY PARTRIDGE: TACKLING CONFIDENCE , PART 2 PG. 36 THE SCIENCE OF LUBRISYN PG. 14
EO PRODUCTS
WHO ARE WE?
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).
6 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
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
9 9 9 9 9 9
Saddle fit to horse conformation human and equine anatomy and biomechanics Preventing long term back damage from ill-fitting tack Promoting correct riding position with good fit Optimal comfort and performance Selecting saddles for rider and horse with state-of-the-art diagnostic tools On-site saddle fit evaluations Saddle service options
Equine professionals must work together as part of the Circle of Influence for optimum performance and health for horse and rider. www.schleese.com
Fit is Everything.
EO PRODUCTS
5 MORE REASONS TO LOVE EQUUS INTEGRAL EQUUS INTEGRAL HAS ADDED 5 NEW LINES TO IT’S ALREADY DECORATED LINE UP. EQUIFIT EquiFit is an American company which designs and manufactures products for top riders and horses throughout the world. From the T-Boot Series to the D-Teq Boot line, the T-Sport Wraps to the GelCompression Therapy line, EquiFit continues to raise expectations by pairing innovative designs with highly advanced materials. KASK Based in Italy, KASK specializes in the developing, designing, and manufacturing of safety helmets of the highest quality. KASK’s perfectly ergonomic helmets are developed to fit the needs of world’s top athletes, and ensure the wearer unparalleled comfort even in the most rigorous circumstances. KINGSLAND Kingsland is a Norwegian company which has grown to become one of the world’s largest manufacturers of equestrian wear and horse gear. With a reputation for its subtle blend of classic equestrian fashion and contemporary design, this brand is musthave in any collection. MANDTIS Innovation at its best, Mandtis offers a superior line of interchangeable spur sets and quality studs. Made in France using magnetic technology and cutting-edge materials, spur sets are available for each discipline. OGILVY Proudly Canadian, Ogilvy specializes in quality saddle pads. Ogilvy products are designed and produced to ensure maximum comfort and equilibrium for both horse and rider.
EQUUSINTEGRAL.COM
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EO HOROSCOPE
PROBLEM SOLVING
“
WITH EQUINE ASTROLOGY
Some people say they don’t “believe” in astrology. Well, it’s not a matter of belief. There’s nothing to believe here, it’s simply a set of correlations based on observation. “My horse just won’t cooperate”, said Jack: “I feel like he’s trying to fight me all the time. He flopped down on a bench, frustrated, “I feel like we’re just not communicating. Is there anything I can do?” “Sure”, I said: “What’s its birth date?” Armed with that data, it was easy to see that his horse was a Scorpio, and that Jack was always going to lose a battle of the wills. Scorpio is the most powerful sign in the Zodiac, and this horse will interpret attempts to control as a fight. While all horses are looking for their leader, they are looking for strength with respect. Any attempts to muscle or force will meet with a rebuttal especially with the Scorpio horse. Lead from your heart, give them clear direction, empower them, and they’ll give it right back. 10 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
Try to control them, and they’ll try to control you. To maximize the potential of the Scorpio horse, show it what to do, then let it get on with it. Back off on the control inputs and you’ll experience an almost telepathic sense of cooperation, once they grasp what’s expected of them. These horses are strong and built for endurance. They will outlast you every time! Within just a few weeks, Jack’s gelding was like a different horse: the more Jack empowered him, the more he gave back. The energy of the fight gave way to the energy of performance. Just like people, horses come into this world with the DNA of their own equine family, and then develop according to how they’re nurtured and trained. But, as you all know, they have their personalities too, and much of that has a basis in what I call their “ASTRO-DNA”. Sometimes, confounding horse behavior can be simply explained by doing their astrological chart. Once you get a clear picture of what your horse needs and the methods he/she will best respond to, you can be a lot better prepared at knowing what kind of relationship works best for their innate personality. It’s a lot quicker to figure this out based on their chart than by the kind of trial and error that
can introduce unpleasant experiences and often worsen bad habits. Just as astrological compatibility readings are important to many peoples’ interpersonal relationships, knowing how your personalities intertwine can help both you and your equine partner reach new heights of communication and performance. The chart shows how they learn, whether they do best with verbal commands or receiving mental pictures, or if they do better with touch. It tells us what makes them feel safe and comfortable. Some need to be in a pasture and some like the protection of a stall. How do they relate? Are they loners or do they need a buddy? Some will not like change and others need variety. Are they an Endurance horse or will they wear out quickly? Are they good for show or will they freak out with a crowd? There is so much to be learned from looking at the chart. I love to get a newborn’s chart because it saves so much trial and error. I can tell what their mission is and also body parts that may be sensitive and need to be watched carefully. The information is extremely valuable and I have so much feedback to confirm so.
“Understanding Children through Astrology”, I’ve found the insights provided by the chart to be immensely helpful to many horse owners, and perhaps even more importantly to their horses. When you start to understand the horse, it’s so much easier to adjust your approach to maximize their natural inclinations. Some people say they don’t “believe” in astrology. Well, it’s not a matter of belief. There’s nothing to believe here, it’s simply a set of correlations based on observation. In fact, I became an astrologer after setting out to disprove it, and finding instead that it was incredibly useful and insightful. Finding out just how relevant it was to horse/human interaction was a thrill, as it brought two of my greatest passions together! In my future columns, I’ll talk about the different signs as they relate to horses and their behavior, how you can harness their strengths, understand their weaknesses, and improve your relationship. In the meantime, here are some brief characteristics for each Sun sign.
To find out more about how to get your own horse’s chart done and your compatibility
As a lifelong horsewoman, and published author of an astrology book
with it, go to equineastrology.com or email samantha@equiserene.com.
Noble Outfitters Canada Ltd. | www.Noble-Canada.ca | info@nobleoutfitters.ca | 1.800.663.4446
EO SERVICES
THE PROPER CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR (NEW) SADDLE AND ACCESSORIES
TAKING CARE OF YOUR INVESTMENT! BY JOCHEN SCHLEESE, CMS, CSFT, CSE www.saddlesforwomen.com ©2018 SADDLEFIT 4 LIFE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
M
aintenance refers not only to the obvious visual upkeep of repairing stitches, replacing billets, and addressing fit issues. It also refers to how you take care of the material (usually leather) in your saddle, bridle, halter, girth, and leathers. With the prices of these tack items nowadays, you are making an investment in the health, comfort and wellbeing of your horse – and helping your own ability to ride when you purchase a saddle and all of the necessary accoutrements in this sport.
WITH THE PRICES OF THESE TACK ITEMS NOWADAYS, YOU ARE MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE HEALTH, COMFORT AND WELLBEING OF YOUR HORSE!
(I heard a very à propos joke on this the other day: How do you become a millionaire by riding? Easy…you start off by being a billionaire!) No one will deny that anything to do with horses is an expensive past time! To better understand how your leather should be cared for, it helps to first know how it is made!
THE TANNING PROCESS
Leather is essentially just dead skin that has been treated or “tanned”, and skin is made of 70-80% water. Even after the skin has been tanned into leather, moisture content of about 25% is retained. In the past, leather was tanned over a 6 MONTH period and was more durable. But, nowadays the tanning process takes only about 6 WEEKS. Historically, the tanning process was called “vegetable tanning” using cedar oil, alum, or tannin (derived from oak or fir trees) as the tanning agent. After the mid-1800s, chromium (chemical) tanning became more popular, as it was deemed more efficient and more effective. Either process permanently alters the protein structure of the skin, making it more durable and less susceptible to decomposition from bacterial attack. In some countries, urine was (is) used to tan leather – leaving the end product with a very distinctive and unpleasant odor! Tanning takes about six weeks, but an alternative to tanning is simply drying the hide – which results in rawhide. Leather is an incredibly versatile and natural product – it can be made into incredibly soft, delicate material used for gloves and other outerwear; it can also be made into impenetrable armour. The waste from tanneries can be extremely detrimental to the environment (especially in third-world countries with little environmental protection policies!), but they have largely disappeared from the North American landscape over the last decades, which can account partially in the increased cost of products made from leather, since most leather is now available only from overseas – Europe, Asia, or South America. www.saddlesforwomen.com
PROPER USE OF SOAP AND WATER
One of the greatest misconceptions has been with the correct use of saddle soaps. Saddle soaps are basically exactly what their names imply: soaps, and as such are to be used for cleansing only. In fact, soap - which tends towards the basic pH range, and sweat - which has a more acidic pH, are the two greatest enemies of leather if they are not removed. The reason that saddle soap is used is to rid the leather of accumulated sweat and grime which, if left on, will result in the leather becoming brittle and cracking. It is important to keep your saddle clean so that it doesn’t irritate your horse’s hide. Sometimes people don’t take the soap off the saddle once they clean it – and that is simply wrong. Those soaps containing glycerines or built-in moisturizers are beneficial only in that they serve to remove somewhat less of the natural lubricants of the leather during washing. But think of yourselves - after you wash your hair you rinse out the shampoo when it has done its job, and after you wash your hands, you rinse off the soap. More often than not, either a conditioner or a hand lotion is applied to return some of the moisture to the skin that the soap has removed, and even your hair gets a conditioner. Although, it really has nothing to do with skin – it’s simply an acknowledgement of the fact that you need to return moisture after using soap! Soap will eat away at the tan of leather. Today’s leathers will be quickly destroyed by soap that has been left on because there are more chemicals in the soaps we use today that further damage the leather. Every time you wash or clean your saddle, you need to rinse the leather off and then apply your moisturizer. Cowhide is much like our skin, except that it cannot replenish its moisture content itself and needs you to do it. RESTORING SUPPLENESS TO YOUR LEATHER
After the soap has been rinsed off (even those soaps containing glycerine) the leather should have some sort of moisturizer applied to it to return some of the natural lubricants, since it is no longer a “living” system, able to replenish itself. We highly recommend a leather cream without any cleaning ingredients (soaps) which can effectively be used on all leather items you may have. Leather oil can be used as a one-time application over the entire saddle or other tack if you wish to darken the original colour. On the saddle it should 16 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
only be used thereafter on the panel as a lubricant, since the wool will soak up any excess. Used on the seat, it will soak through and onto the laminated and glued layers of the tree, possibly resulting in the eventual breakage of the tree, should you have an English spring tree. Even with saddles built on other trees, we don’t recommend you apply oil more often. As a rule, oil should not be used anywhere the leather comes into contact with your person (breeches, gloves) as it tends to discolour these materials. In addition, oil on the flaps leads to such a softening of the leather as to make them too flexible to fulfil their purpose. Make sure you use products that are meant for leather. Olive oil belongs in salads and baby oil belongs on babies - not on leather! Ideally, saddles and tack should be cleaned after every use. At the least, they should be given a quick cleaning (wipe over) after each use, with a thorough cleaning once a week. If you are going to store your saddle or tack over a longer period of time, keep it in a place preferably at room temperature, but never cooler than 5 degrees Celsius, and at a humidity of 30-40% to retain the suppleness of the leather. Do not worry if it appears mildewy when you take it out - this is merely an indication that the leather is still alive, and still has enough moisture content to be attractive to mildew! Giving it a good wash and applying a leather moisturizer will soon restore the original looks. As with anything, taking proper care of your leather goods will greatly enhance their appearance and lifespan. This is true no matter what brand of saddle or accessories you are using. Nowadays, saddles are definitely considered investments, with many owners purchasing insurance on them due to the high cost of replacement. With the proper ‘tune ups’ your saddle should last 15-20 years (for a good quality, adjustable saddle that fits the rider and can be re-fitted to the horse as necessary). And remember that paying attention to regular saddle fit adjustments is just as important – if not more – to the comfort and performance of the horse!
Jochen Schleese is a Certified Master Saddler, Saddle Ergonomist and former German Event Rider. In 1990. he founded Schleese Saddlery Service - the Female Saddle Specialist. Jochen’s lifelong study of equine development, the bio-mechanics of horse and rider and the effects of ill-fitting saddles, led him to establish Saddlefit 4 LifeÒ in 2006, the global network of equine professionals dedicated to protecting horse and rider from long term damage. Author of ‘Suffering in Silence - The Saddle Fit Link to Physical and Psychological trauma in Horses’, Jochen holds certification courses for equine professionals throughout Europe and North America. www.saddlesforwomen.com | www.saddlefit4life.com NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 17
EO PRODUCTS
EASY SET-UP AND CLEANING FOR STALLS WITH HYGREEN PELLET BEDDING
H
ygreen Pellet Bedding is quick and easy to use, both during set-up and ongoing daily mucking! When starting with an empty stall, it is advisable to first soak the pellets so they may expand and breakdown quickly – providing your horse with a comfortable “mattress” of bedding that will be low dust, highly absorbent, and easy to sift! Depending on the size of your stall and depth preference, you may choose to begin by soaking between 3-4 bags of pellets. For an average 10x12 box stall, 3 bags of pellets will provide you with approximately 2-3 inches of bedding (swept 1/4 back from the front of the stall). For regular maintenance of the stall, some people prefer adding dry pellets (works well for very wet horses) or soaked pellets (good for horses that tend to be very clean). When cleaning the stall, the bedding is very easy to sift through to ensure you are removing only manure and soiled bedding. Wet bedding clumps together so it is easy to find and remove! Not only will you find you cut down the time it takes to clean stalls by using Hygreen pellet bedding, but you will
18 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
also notice a decrease in both the cost of bedding supplies and the size of your manure pile! The set-up process is very simple, as detailed below! STEP 1 Begin with your desired amount of bags, for this demonstration in a 10x12 box stall, we used 2 bags of pellets. Cut open the bags with a cross, as shown below.
STEP 2 Open the flaps that have been cut, and pour in 20 quarts/18 liters of water per bag.
STEP 4 Empty out the bags of pellets, and spread across the floor of the stall. As you can see here, the 2 bags of pellets provided approximately 2 inches of bedding. For deeper bedding, simply add more bags!
STEP 3 Let pellets soak for about 10-15 minutes to fully absorb water.
CONTACT HYGREEN TO ORDER YOUR FIRST SHIPMENT OF PELLET BEDDING TODAY! 519.923.2278
EO SERVICES
GETTING YOUR FENCING READY FOR WINTER WITH SYSTEM EQUINE SYSTEM EQUINE systemequine.com
It’s that time of the year again. You’ve thought about getting your horse ready for winter with blankets, snow pads, and the like, but have you thought about preparing your fencing for winter? No matter the type of fencing you own, there are a few things you will need to keep on top of to ensure your fence is in top condition to weather our harsh winter. Being proactive is your best bet, that way you’ll be able to catch any repairs that may need to be done before it’s too cold or before significant damage can happen. When you go out to inspect your fence, make sure to clear any trees or branches that are hanging too low, or ones that are prone to break off in a storm and fall on top of it. Clearing away excess leaves that have fallen will help keep moisture away from fence boards and posts. KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING ADVICE FOR SPECIFIC FENCE TYPES: First, if you have an Electric fence, do a perimeter check of the fence to ensure the integrity of the line, keeping on the lookout for any faults. Check the braiding to see if there are any frays in the line. Check that your energizer is working efficiently by using a voltmeter and checking to see if your lines are shorting out (if you hear any crackling then you have a short). Lastly, ensure 20 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
the ground rods are still connected to the energizer (it’s a good idea to have a double ground). Next, if you have a High impact Flex or coated wire fence, know that they can constrict in cold weather, so you’ll want to release some of the tension off your fence lines, which will reduce the stress on your corner and end posts. Check all brackets, end buckles, and end tighteners to ensure they’re still attached and that no screws or nails are sticking out. Wait until spring for any painting. Lastly, if you have a Wood fence, check to ensure your posts are structurally sound, check each board to see if any are loose or damaged, and check for signs of rot (caved-in boards, loose and wobbly boards, sagging gates). By taking the time each year to carefully prepare your fencing for the winter you’ll help avoid any costly surprises that may arise on the coldest of days. If you decide you need your fencing replaced, give us a call at System Equine and we can help guide you through the process and come out and give you a free estimate (within one hour of Rockwood or Drumbo).
Your equine solutions partner since 1987
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EXERCISERS
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 22 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘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?!
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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
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High purity, clinically studied MSM
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High purity, pharmaceutical grade HA
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High purity selenium
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100% bioavailable vitamin E
“Spectra products are a big part of our program... quality products that work. We feed Mega-Flx +HA to all of our horses on a daily basis.” Mark Hennig Thoroughbred Trainer, Long Island, New York Trainer of over 1,000 winners and purses of more than $70 million with over 100 Graded Stakes wins.
© 2018 Spectra Animal Health • 800-527-0375 • www.SpectraEquine.com In Canada, contact Wecan Sales at 905-563-0808
THE NIBBLENET ®
The Original NibbleNet NOT SOLD IN CATALOGS Healthy and Safe Slow-Feeding System These are excellent for horses and feed related health issues like laminitis and obesity. Perfect for horses that don’t have a lot of turn out time like show and race horses. Ideal for travelling and trailering. The quality of construction and heavy duty outdoor materials make THE NIBBLENET ® far superior to similar bags on the market. We are so confident in the quality of this hay bag that we offer a limited warranty against defects in materials or workmanship.
“Horses are designed to eat constantly and they produce stomach acid constantly. Because hay and saliva together are alkaline, they counteract the stomach acid. Horses are most content when they can nibble almost all the time.” NIBBLENET.CA
NEW SHOP ! E ONLIN
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THE TACK-N-GO® Portable Folding Saddle
The TACK- N - GO portable folding saddle rack is the professional’s choice for keeping saddles and equipment handy in any location. The ultimate accessory for the arena, barn, round pen, trailer, stall area, or horse show. This simple, heavy- duty, folding saddle rack will stand up to hard use and heavy saddles anywhere you use it! For work or play, the uniquely durable design will hold both English and Western saddles with a convenient hanging hook that keeps bridles, halters, and leads in an easy to see, easy to reach location. Set up is swift and easy with the option of portable hanging brackets for panels, fences, or stalls, or use the heavy wood screws provided for permanent wall mounting. The TACK-N-GO folds down in seconds, making it ideal for travel!
The TACK-N-GO portable saddle rack is powder coated for lasting durability, and is available in Black or Pink! For more information, or to purchase your very own TACK-N-GO portable folding saddle rack, please contact Professional Edge Equine! TACKNGO.CA
DGEEQUINE.COM
EO FEATURE
THE ROYAL
Review
Highlights of the 96th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair provided by JUMP MEDIA Photos by Ben Radvanyi
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND
NICOLE WALKER OPENS ROYAL HORSE SHOW WITH A WIN Nicole Walker of Aurora, ON, opened the Royal Horse Show with a win in the first phase of the $125,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championship held Friday, November 2, as part of the 96th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
NICOLE WALKER RIDING FALCO VAN SPIEVELD TO A WIN IN THE $25,000 CANADIAN SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIP – PHASE ONE, PRESENTED BY LOTHLORIEN.
Speed was the name of the game in Friday night’s $25,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championship, Round 1, presented by Lothlorien. As the final competitor to tackle Irish course designer Alan Wade’s speed track, Walker laid down the winning round, jumping clear in a time of 64.37 seconds with her partner of three years, Falco van Spieveld, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. In a sport where men and women compete as equals, it was another young female athlete, Ali Ramsay, 26, who finished runner-up. Riding Casino, a 10-year-old Oldenburg owned by Ramsay and Angelstone Farms, the Victoria, BC, native also left all the rails in place and crossed the timers in 66.47 seconds. Keean White, 35, of Rockwood, ON, and Leilani left two poles on the ground but their incredibly fast
26 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
time of 59.04 seconds held up for third place despite having an eight-second time penalty added for an adjusted total of 67.04 seconds. It was a family affair as 12-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion Ian Millar, 71, of Perth, ON, took fourth place with a time of 70.23 seconds riding Calvin Klein for Brookstreet Stables. While the defending Canadian Champion, Amy Millar, 41, also of Perth, ON, placed fifth with a time of 70.63 seconds riding her 2016 Rio Olympic mount, Heros. LAUREN KEIFFER MAKES ROYAL HORSE SHOW DEBUT Opening night of the Royal Horse Show also featured the $20,000 Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge. Making her Royal Horse Show debut, the Olympic, World Championships, and Pan American Games veteran Lauren Kieffer of Middleburg, VA, rode Glendening Avis, a 13-year-old buckskin Canadian Sport Horse mare owned by Callie Evans, to victory in the opening phase of competition with a clear round in a time of 90.03 seconds over the course designed by Mark Phillips.
U.S. OLYMPIAN LAUREN KIEFFER MADE HER ROYAL HORSE SHOW DEBUT A WINNING ONE, CLAIMING VICTORY IN THE OPENING PHASE OF THE $20,000 HORSEWARE INDOOR EVENTING CHALLENGE.
Finishing second was Toronto’s own Brandon McMechan riding Oscar’s Wild to a clear round in a time of 92.78 seconds to hold off third-placed Kendal Lehari of Uxbridge, ON, who was also clear riding Totally Frank in a time of 94.30 seconds.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD
“…HE’S SUCH A SPECIAL BOY. I’M GLAD HE COULD HAVE A TITLE TO HIS NAME.” SAID NICOLE WALKER OF FALCO VAN SPIEVELD AFTER WINNING THE $125,000 CANADIAN SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIP.
NICOLE WALKER CLAIMS CANADIAN SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE Having claimed victory in Friday’s $25,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championship – Round One, presented by Lothlorien, Walker held the lead coming into Saturday night’s tworound competition. The defending Canadian Champions, Amy Millar, 41, of Perth, ON, and Heros piled on the pressure by opening Saturday night’s competition with a clear round while Walker incurred four faults. NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 27
When the top six in the standings went through to the all-deciding final, Walker kept her cool to deliver another clear jumping round, picking up one time fault over the course set by Ireland’s Alan Wade to bring her total score to five faults. When Millar and Heros faulted the second time out, their final score of 7.13 penalty points left them in second place, handing Walker her first Canadian Show Jumping Championship title riding Falco van Spieveld, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. Canadian Olympian Beth Underhill of Schomberg, ON, delivered a clear round riding Count Me In to finish in third position while 12-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion Ian Millar, 71, of Perth, ON, took fourth place riding Calvin Klein for Brookstreet Stables. Olympic team silver medalist Mac Cone of King City, ON, guided Zaia di san Giovanni to fifth for owner Mark Samuel’s Chadburn Holdings Inc. while Hyde Moffatt of Brantford, ON, also made the cut for the top six riding Granturo. LAUREN KIEFFER ROCKS $20,000 HORSEWARE INDOOR EVENTING CHALLENGE The popular $20,000 Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge rocked the house on Saturday night as competitors tackled a mix of delicate show jumping fences and challenging cross-country obstacles set by course designer Mark Phillips. Lauren Kieffer of Middleburg, VA, made her Royal Horse Show a winning one, riding Glendening Avis, a 13-year-old buckskin Canadian Sport Horse mare owned by Callie Evans, to victory.
U.S. OLYMPIAN LAUREN KIEFFER DOMINATED THE $20,000 HORSEWARE INDOOR EVENTING CHALLENGE.
“I’m thrilled. The mare is just incredible; she tries her guts out,” said Kieffer, who was riding a borrowed mount that she rode for the first time on Friday. “It’s very rare that you hop on something and sync together so quickly. It was so much fun to do this on her, and I felt so in sync with her.
“Brandon and Kendal certainly put the pressure on; I was hoping for a little bit more breathing room!” joked Kieffer following her indoor eventing debut. “The format is fun; it’s energetic. If it gets one person to leave here and go Google ‘eventing’ and get into it, then it did its purpose.” Finishing second was Toronto’s own Brandon McMechan riding Oscar’s Wild to a clear round in a time of 92.78 seconds to hold off third-placed Kendal Lehari of Uxbridge, ON, who was also clear riding Totally Frank in a time of 94.30 seconds. 28 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
KILBY BRUNNER DEFOREST CROWNED MARBILL HILL FARM ROYAL PONY JUMPER FINAL WINNER Toronto, Ontario - Kilby Brunner Deforest of Hillsburgh, ON, claimed a victory in the $5,000 MarBill Hill Farm Royal Pony Jumper Final to take the division championship riding Beaverwood’s Halo on Sunday, November 3, at the 96th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON. The top spots were decided in a two-horse jump-off duel between 14-year-old Brunner Deforest and Tatum Horan of Oakville, ON. Horan, riding Royal, led off and was clear over the course, designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade, to post the time to beat at 29.50 seconds. Brunner Deforest returned second and handily took over the lead by nearly two seconds with a time of 27.88 seconds.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH
Grace Stevenson of Lakeside, NB, piloted Ever So Clever, owned by Foshay South Eventing, to third by posting the fastest four-fault round over the original course, while Eva Marquis of Caledon, ON, settled for fourth riding Red On A Roll for owner Mark Marquis. Maya Chahine of Oakville, ON, rounded out the top five with I Love Lucy, owned by Julie Taddeo. After also winning the stake class earlier in the day, Brunner Deforest was presented with Royal All-Canadian Pony Jumper Championship title, presented by MarBill Hill Farm. “This is my fifth time competing in the pony jumpers at The Royal, and it’s exciting to be here!” said Brunner Deforest, who was reserve champion in pony jumper competition at The Royal in both 2016 and 2017. “She is very fast and really good in the turns,” continued Brunner Deforest of her 14-year-old mare owned by Kristen Brunner. “She’s very confident and handled the noise and the [Coca-Cola Coliseum] very well. I love coming here and competing over a few days in front of a big crowd.”
KILBY BRUNNER DEFOREST RODE BEAVERWOOD’S HALO TO WIN IN THE $5,000 MARBILL HILL FARM ROYAL PONY JUMPER FINAL.
ISABELLE LAPIERRE AND CARRERA S CLAIM $15,000 BRAEBURN FARMS HUNTER DERBY VICTORY Isabelle Lapierre of Lévis, QC, rode away with the win in the $15,000 Braeburn Farms Hunter Derby, presented by Rosemary Phelan – Braeburn Farms, at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON. When Lapierre and Carrera S, an eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Johannie Légaré, entered the Coca-Cola Coliseum as the final of 20 entries to contest the Rob NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 29
Carey designed track, Erynn Ballard and Enchanted held the lead with an overall score of 100, including handy and high option bonus points. Lapierre and Carrera S not only bested Ballard’s score, they did so by a sizeable margin, earning a base score of 95 and a grand total score of 113. With Lapierre clinching the win, Ballard of Tottenham, ON, and Enchanted, owned by Christel Weller, took second, while third place with a score of 99 went to Kristjan Good of Campbellville, ON, riding Stakkato Grande W for owner Augustin Walch.
ISABELLE LAPIERRE AND CARRERA S WON THE $15,000 BRAEBURN FARMS HUNTER DERBY.
QUEBEC’S ISABELLE LAPIERRE CAPTURES $25,000 KNIGHTWOOD HUNTER DERBY VICTORY The win marked the pair’s second major hunter derby victory of the Royal Horse Show as they also topped Sunday’s $15,000 Braeburn Farms Hunter Derby. With riders contesting Tuesday night’s hunter derby finale in reverse order of their standings in Sunday’s class, Lapierre and Carrera S, an eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding ISABELLE LAPIERRE, PICTURED ABOARD CARRERA S, IS PRESENTED owned by Johannie Légaré, were the WITH THE LORNA JEAN GUTHRIE TROPHY FOLLOWING HER WIN IN final entry to navigate the course THE $25,000 KNIGHTWOOD HUNTER DERBY BY MARGARET “MUFFIE” GUTHRIE AND JEFF BRANDMAIER AND THEIR DAUGHTER, LIZA JEAN. designed by Rob Carey in the CocaCola Coliseum. Judges Kitty Barker and Rob Bielefeld awarded Lapierre an overall score of 109, including a base score of 93 coupled with handy and high option bonus points, to place the pair at the top of the leaderboard. For the win, Lapierre was awarded the Paddy Ann Burns Trophy. “With my first horse, I did one less stride everywhere,” said Lapierre, referring to her additional entry in the class, Excellent Balou. “With Carrera S, I added a stride everywhere. That’s why I like the derbies: it’s not just about the numbers, it’s about the way that your horse goes. He was very relaxed, and he jumped super. I think he gave 100 percent.” TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH
As the highest scoring pair in both the Braeburn Farms Hunter Derby and the Knightwood Hunter Derby, Lapierre and Carrera S were presented with the Lorna Jean Guthrie Challenge Trophy as the Canadian Hunter Derby Champion. “Maybe the best thing is to retire from doing hunter derbies!” joked Lapierre of winning Canada’s highest hunter derby honour. “To win, it’s like a dream.”
30 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
Finishing second in Tuesday night’s class with an overall score of 107 were Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, ON, and Enchanted, owned by Christel Weller. Not far behind with a score of 103 was Kristjan Good of Campbellville, ON, riding Chantilly Lace for owner Shannon Walter, while Ballard also picked up fourth place with a score of 96 aboard ‘Round Midnight, owned by Knightwood Stables.
U.S. OLYMPIAN ADRIENNE LYLE, PICTURED RIDING RIBOT, MADE HER ROYAL HORSE SHOW DEBUT A WINNING ONE BY CLAIMING VICTORY IN THE DRESSAGE DERBY.
DRESSAGE DAZZLES AT THE ROYAL HORSE SHOW Featuring an all-star cast in the Dressage Derby, four riders faced off in a knock-out style competition on Tuesday night. Esther Mortimer of Guatemala faced off against U.S. Olympian Adrienne Lyle while Tom Dvorak of Hillsburg, ON, challenged fellow Canadian Dressage Team veteran, Jaimey Irwin of Stouffville, ON. All four riders were competing with borrowed horses and had five minutes to familiarize themselves prior to riding a Prix St. Georges test. Lyle won her knock-out round, as did Dvorak, to advance to the final. Riding yet another unfamiliar mount, Dvorak went first, earning a score of 66.912% from the panel of highly-respected judges. In her Royal Horse Show debut, Lyle used her skill and was awarded a score of 69.559% to be crowned the Royal Dressage Derby Champion.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH
CATHERINE TYREE OF THE UNITED STATES RIDING BOKAI OPENED THE ROYAL HORSE SHOW’S INTERNATIONAL SHOW JUMPING DIVISION WITH A WIN IN THE $36,000 MCKEE FAMILY INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE.
USA’S CATHERINE TYREE OPENS ROYAL HORSE SHOW INTERNATIONAL DIVISION WITH WIN Catherine Tyree of Chicago, IL, opened the international show jumping division with a victory in the $36,000 McKee Family International Challenge on Wednesday, November 7, at the CSI4*-W Royal Horse Show. Home riders from Canada were joined by athletes representing Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, and the United States for Wednesday’s power and speed event set by 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) course designer Alan Wade of Ireland. U.S. riders went one-two when Tyree riding Bokai successfully completed the ‘power’ NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 31
phase of the track before clearing the speed portion in 29.89 seconds, less than a second faster than runner-up McLain Ward on Contagious, owned by Beechwood Stables, LLC who stopped the clock at 29.97. Israel’s Daniel Bluman led off the class and finished third on a time of 31.01 seconds riding Bacara d’Archonfosse, owned in partnership with Kim Douglas and Alexa Schwitzer. Amanda Derbyshire of Great Britain piloted Lady Maria BH to fourth in 31.28 seconds for owner Gochman Sport Horse, LLC, while Australian rider Rowan Willis rounded out the top five riding Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve, owned by Samantha Buirs, in 31.47 seconds. JAPAN’S KAREN POLLE WINS $36,000 JOLERA INTERNATIONAL JUMPER WELCOME Karen Polle concluded Wednesday night’s competition at the Royal Horse Show with a win in the $36,000 Jolera International Jumper Welcome riding Little Lord 90. Polle, 26, and the 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding entered the JAPAN’S KAREN POLLE RODE LITTLE LORD 90 TO THE WIN IN THE $36,000 JOLERA INTERNATIONAL JUMPER WELCOME. Coca-Cola Coliseum as the 15th of 20 entries invited to navigate the Alan Wade designed speed track, and, despite a slight stumble after the fourth fence, they flew straight to the top of the leaderboard with a time of 57.45 seconds. “I was very surprised when I looked up and saw that I was in first,” said Polle, who has had Little Lord 90 for the last year and a half. “I added a stride to fence three, and I almost fell off after fence four when he tripped! After that though, my round got really nice and smooth, and he felt great. He’s definitely a very quick horse, and he’s very game. “Obviously we’re off to a good start, and I hope the rest of the week goes well too,” continued Polle, who is making her Royal Horse Show debut this week. “I’ve heard amazing things about this show, so I always really wanted to come. I’m just so excited to be here.” Only fractions of a second separated all three of the top finishers, with another newcomer to the Royal Horse Show, Australia’s Rowan Willis, tripping the timers in 57.64 seconds riding Shark to take second, and Devin Ryan of the United States riding Cooper to the third-place finish in a time of 57.76 seconds.
32 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8TH
DANIEL BLUMAN WINS FOR ISRAEL AT ROYAL HORSE SHOW Israel’s Daniel Bluman won the $85,000 GroupBy “Big Ben” Challenge on Thursday night, November 8, at the CSI4*-W Royal Horse Show, held as part of the 96th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
Twenty-two of the world’s top show jumping athletes entered the CocaCola Coliseum in the hopes of scoring victory in the $85,000 GroupBy DANIEL BLUMAN HAD THE CROWD CHEERING AS HE WON THE $85,000 GROUPBY “BIG BEN” CHALLENGE RIDING LADRIANO Z. “Big Ben” Challenge, a sentimental favourite at the Royal Horse Show named for Ian Millar’s former mount. Eleven mastered the track set by 2018 World Championship course designer, Alan Wade of Ireland, to advance to the jump-off. In the tie-breaker, Bluman saved the best for last, cruising to a clear round in a time of 32.34 seconds riding Ladriano Z, a 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Alexa Schwitzer and Blue Star Investments. As the final challenger, Bluman knew the victory was his, and celebrated along with the packed house. Devin Ryan, who recently helped the United States become World Champions, rode his top mount, Eddie Blue, to a clear round in a time of 32.53 seconds to finish runner-up. Catherine Tyree of the United States took third place with a clear round in a time of 33.32 seconds riding Bokai while Australia’s Rowan Willis and Blue Movie were fourth after crossing the timers in 34.52 seconds. Canadian Olympian Beth Underhill of Schomberg, ON, set the pace as the first to go in the jump-off, delivering a fantastic clear in 35.26 seconds aboard Count Me In, owned by Sandy Lupton, to round out the top five. CAPTAIN BRIAN COURNANE CAPTURES $36,000 BRICKENDEN TROPHY VICTORY From a starting field of 19 entries representing eight different countries, nine combinations advanced to the jump-off over Wade’s course. The leading time continued to get progressively faster throughout the jump-off, with the final entry of Cournane and Penelope Cruz, his 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, stopping the clock in 28.69 seconds to take the win. “I’m so honoured to be here,” said Cournane, who is competing at The Royal for the first time. “It’s a wonderful show, and I’ve heard so many great things about it. I was first IRELAND’S CAPTAIN BRIAN COURNANE RODE PENELOPE CRUZ TO A VICTORY IN THE $36,000 BRICKENDEN TROPHY.
reserve on the invited riders’ list for a couple of weeks; I was really hoping I’d get in and, at the end, I did!” While Cournane is new to the Royal Horse Show, he’s very familiar with this year’s Royal Horse Show course designer. “It’s very funny; when I was a kid doing hunter trials in Ireland, I was 16 or 17, and Alan was building the courses back then,” said Cournane, 36. “Now we’re at The Royal, and he’s building! It’s incredible.” With less than a second separating the top four finishers, second place with a time of 29.09 seconds went to Canada’s Keean White aboard Tahiorn while third place was awarded to Daniel Bluman of Israel with a time of 29.18 seconds riding Colestina H. Rounding out the top four with a time of 29.58 seconds was Kent Farrington, the defending champion of the Royal Horse Show’s marquee event, the $205,000 Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Toronto, riding Daddy Cool. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH
TWO-TIME OLYMPIC TEAM GOLD MEDALIST MCLAIN WARD OF THE UNITED STATES RACED TO VICTORY IN THE $50,000 WESTON CANADIAN OPEN.
WARD WINS WESTON CANADIAN OPEN AT ROYAL HORSE SHOW The premise was simple; leave all the jumps in place over the course designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade and do it in the fastest time. Six riders left all the rails up, with Ward accomplishing the feat in a time of 62.71 seconds. His mount was Tradition de la Roque, an 11-year-old black Frenchbred mare owned by Kessler Show Stables.
Canada’s own Keean White of Rockwood, ON, gave it his best effort riding Leilani, an eight-year-old grey Oldenburg mare owned by Lisa Marie Gauthier and Angelstone Farm. With a time of 63.49 seconds, White finished as the runnerup. Capt. Brian Cournane riding Penelope Cruz and Conor Swail aboard GK Coco Chanel took third and fourth places for Ireland respectively with times of 64.11 and 64.70 seconds. Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire was fifth with a clear round in a time of 68.17 riding Roulette BH while 2017 Canadian Champion Amy Millar of Perth, ON, posted the only other clear round of the night to finish sixth with Heros. Ward, 43, estimates that this is his 23rd or 24th time competing at the Royal Horse Show. 34 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
“I love it here,” said Ward, who was a member of the gold medal team at the recent World Championships. “I think this is one of the great events in our sport throughout the world. The atmosphere, the way that they have been able to hold on to so many traditional aspects of the event; I think it’s a phenomenal evening. It’s one of the few places where I come to watch something other than show jumping. “The Royal is something that is very special to me,” continued Ward. “The environment here is brilliant. This is a crowd that really understands the sport and appreciates the animals. It still has great ties to agriculture. People make an effort to dress up and make it an important evening. I think it creates an environment that is electric and special to be a part of.” MCLAIN WARD TRIUMPHANT IN $205,000 LONGINES FEI JUMPING WORLD CUP™ TORONTO Ward topped a 21-horse starting field over tracks set by 2018 World Championship course designer, Alan Wade of Ireland, to claim the ninth Royal Horse Show World Cup title of his career. As the final challenger in the jump-off, Ward saved the best for last, executing a brilliant round to stop the clock at 32.42 seconds riding HH Gigi’s Girl. Ward’s U.S. gold medal teammate at the recent World Championships, Devin Ryan, posted a time of 33.88 seconds with his World Championship partner, Eddie Blue, to finish runner-up.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH
“It was nice to have the last spot in the order,” said Ward, who was presented with the Hickstead Trophy, given in memory of Eric Lamaze’s legendary 2008 Olympic gold medal partner, and a Longines timepiece for his win. “I know Devin and his horse are quick because he has beat me a few times. Sometimes you get lucky. “This was a gymnastics test, which is what courses are now at the highest level,” continued Ward of Wade’s track, one that HH Gigi’s Girl, a 10-yearold Dutch Warmblood mare (Vingino x Celano) owned by Double H Farm, conquered with style. “The mare performed beautifully the whole second part of this year and is really putting things together, and it’s a great way for her to finish her season. She has always been a spectacular jumper and I feel she has a really exciting future.” Ali Ramsay of Victoria, BC, posted the first clear round of the evening riding her 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Hermelien vd Hooghoeve, and opened the jump-off by again jumping clear in a time of 34.62 seconds for third place. Great Britian’s Amanda Derbyshire also posted a double-clear performance in a time of 35.20 seconds to finish fourth riding Roulette BH for owner Gochman Sport Horse LLC, while New Zealand’s Sharn Wordley rounded out the jump-off field in fifth place after having a rail down over the short course aboard Barnetta, owned by Sky Group. NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 35
“THE MARE PERFORMED BEAUTIFULLY THE WHOLE SECOND PART OF THIS YEAR AND IS REALLY PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER, AND IT’S A GREAT WAY FOR HER TO FINISH HER SEASON. SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SPECTACULAR JUMPER AND I FEEL SHE HAS A REALLY EXCITING FUTURE.” – MCLAIN WARD TALKING ABOUT HH GIGI’S GIRL
MCLAIN WARD AND HH GIGI’S GIRL CLAIMED A STUNNING VICTORY IN THE $205,000 LONGINES FEI JUMPING WORLD CUP™ TORONTO PRESENTED BY GROUPBY.
2018 ROYAL WINTER FAIR
Champions
SMALL PONY HUNTER C – Ava Campbell / Wray Acres Amythest R – Danielle Sayer / Tyrone
ADULT AMATEUR 36+ C – Shannon Robinson / Case Closed R – Kendel Bielby / Heavenly
MEDIUM PONY HUNTER C – Livia Martin / Golden Ticket R – Kailey Kaiser / Kiss Me Kate
COMBINED WORKING HUNTER C – Erynn Ballard / ‘Round Midnight R – Kristjan Good / Diamo Blue
LARGE PONY HUNTER C – Estella Willis / Hand In My Pocket R – Ella Davison / Northwind Crispin
JUNIOR/AMATEUR JUMPER C – Jordan MacPherson / Fiestamunde R – Susan Horn / Egano Van Het Slogenhof
CHILDREN’S HUNTER C – Kaylah Carruthers / Giorgio R – Emma Cassell / Cosmopolitan JUNIOR WORKING HUNTER C – Madison McMullen / Cassini Boy R – Lauren Esdale / QVF Noemi AMATEUR OWNER C – Margaret (Muffie) Guthrie / Damiro Van Ter Notelaere R – Olivia Irving / Davenport ADULT AMATEUR 18-35 C – Vimy Henderson / Emir R – Jordan Riley / Carrick
For more of the latest in show jumping news, head over to jumpmediallc.com
U25 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP C – Julia Madigan / Farfelu du Printemps R – Brennan McCullagh / WKM Xenia JUNIOR JUMPER C – Charlotte McLaughline / Bronan C – Coraline Thibault / Nature des Pierres C –Olivia Stephenson / Chaccana PONY JUMPER C – Kilby Brunner Deforest / Beaverwood’s Halo R – Grace Stevenson / Ever So Clever
EO ARTICLES
CONFIDENCE BUILDING PART 3
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONFIDENCE BY LINDSEY PARTRIDGE
2016 TB MAKEOVER CHAMPION TRIVIA TIME AND LINDSEY DOING A DEMO AT TRYON EQUESTRIAN CENTER IN NORTH CAROLINA. CREDIT: CAROLINE ROCHE
Confidence building is a big topic – there are many pieces to think about. First, lets take a quick recap of the first two articles! RECAP In the first article we learned about having a calm connection with our horse and establishing a “green” state. Meaning the horse is calm, alert, and is ready to learn. In part two we learned about creating a “yes horse” and establishing a pattern where the horse is willing and excited to say yes. These are two very key pieces that set you up for success when you head into this next set of exercises. Now we start to expose horses to different things that may trigger fear responses in different horses. If you do not have a relationship with your horse based on trust, calmness, togetherness, willingness, or motivation, it is going to make confidence-building very difficult. You 38 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
can make the experience a lot more enjoyable and easier by following the steps outlined in the first two articles before starting this set. TYPES OF CONFIDENCE Time to dig in on this article’s focus, which is the different types of confidences and how we can start exposing our horses to different things. We want to remember that there are many different types of confidence and that just because your horse is really brave in one type, your horse could still be a chicken in another type. For example, your horse might be very brave going across bridges and pools, but if snow slides off of the roof of the arena they might get scared because that is a different type of confidence. First off, we have to recognize the
different types of confidences that we can build in our horses. Once we know different tasks for each type of confidence we can begin training our horse in a way that sets them up for success rather than overwhelming them. Horses get overwhelmed when we assume they will be okay with one thing just because they did another okay. Here is a list of some of the different types of confidence in horses: • Herd confidence, which means their comfort level around other horses. For example a horse passing you while riding or another horse getting close to you. • Auditory confidence, which means comfort level with noises. • Smell confidence, which has to do with your horse being comfortable with different types of smells. For example fire versus different smells of other animals. • Moving objects, which could include dragging obstacles or a rolling plastic bag going through the arena. • Other animals, which is comfort level with other types of animals whether it be deer that you see in the forest or cows that you see in a barnyard. • Stationary objects, which has to do with scary looking things that do not move and could be something like a mailbox. • Squeeze confidences, which involves your horse going into tight spaces which includes trailer loading, going between trees on a trail ride, or going through Gates.
• Lighting, which has to do with shadows or light that can have an effect on a horse’s ability to see depth or judge what an object really is. Some horses have low confidence level with this and it could be related to poor eyesight. • Environment confidence which has to do with confidence in new environments or new places. COMBINING TYPES Some tasks that we ask our horse to handle involve more than one type of confidence. These things make it much more difficult because they are combining more than one type of confidence. Examples include: • Going through a metal gate because you may have a squeeze and auditory confidence if there is a metal chain clanking up against the gate. • A trailer is another good example because there is the squeeze, followed by smells potentially of other horses or other animals that have been in the trailer, followed by the noise of stepping into the trailer, also the moving aspect of confidence because the trailer may rock underneath them, plus there may be shadows. • Competing at a festival or fair deals with an environment confidence, along with auditory confidence (the crowd and noise), both moving and stationary objects (rides and objects that look scary), smells (other animals and the different types of food being made), and seeing other animals at the fair is another type of confidence. NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 39
horse is confident with and where your horse lacks confident, we want to figure out little tasks that we can use to build up their success.
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NOW WHAT? When you think about the different tasks that you ask your horse to do, think about the ones that are challenging or easy for them, try to figure out which types of confidence your horse is successful and in which types of confidence your horse struggles with. A lot of people consider tarps to be scary objects for horses. The reason why a tarp is more scary than walking over a bridge is because a tarp can both be scary looking and a moving object. It can have an auditory factor because it can crinkle and make noise, it can also be something that has lighting challenges because it can create shadows depending on how it is positioned. If you’re asking your horse to walk over a tarp there’s another type of confidence being challenged which is your horses ability to go over something, as well as your horses ability to handle different textures. Handling different textures may be a reason why your horse might find it difficult to go from a paved road to a gravel road or from a barn aisle to a rubber mat. Now that you understand there are many different types of confidence and you’ve taken the time to think about what your 40 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
RELATE TO YOUR HORSE Let’s think about yourself, can you relate to the different types of confidence and think of an area where you lack confidence? For example, I am scared of spiders. As well as a bunch of different types of creepy crawly bugs. If you were to assume that I would be brave with bugs just because I have a passion for horses and can be around big animals you would be wrong. I can’t handle the creepy crawly small ones! If you were to handle the situation by throwing me in a room full of spiders (in psychology that is called flooding), I would probably freak the heck out. Even though I may eventually realize that I’m not going to die and I might settle down, my trust in the person that locked me in the room would be severely damaged. I would forever be skeptical of them and I would question their motives. Even if I survive that particular scenario, in the future I may have huge anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder related to seeing spiders because of my experience of being locked in the room with the spiders that I fear so much. So let’s translate this back to your horse. Have you ever seen a horse scared of getting on a trailer, and then the horse finally gets on and the first thing the handler does is lock the horse inside? Can you relate to how that horse must be feeling? And how they may have huge mistrust for that handler the next time?
It certainly depends on why the horse was not getting on the trailer; if the horse was simply saying I do not want to get on the trailer that is different from the horse saying I am scared of the trailer. The four reasons why a horse says no is a whole topic in itself and there are four different ways to respond to a horse depending on the reason why they say no. (If you are interested to learn more about that there is a free video series that you can find on my website with a free video on this topic.) Another example would be when somebody is trying to get their horse to cross a tarp or a bridge. I see it happen all the time that the person tries to stop the horse on the bridge or on the tarp. Sometimes this works okay if the horse is not truly panicked by the situation, but if the horse is really upset and you do this you run the risk of making it much worse. It is much better to just allow your horse to cross the object and when they are more relaxed ask them to try stopping on it. When I am working with my horses, I want the horse to think of me as the answer to their problems and the source of comfort for them when they are worried. Because if my horse is looking to me when times get tough or they get scared then I know when we go to competitions or when we are going to try something new we are much safer and a lot more likely to have success. With that type of partnership in mind, if I think about the qualities that I want in a teacher for myself to build confidence I can realize that it is not so different for horses. Horses have a lot of the same
emotions as people do. They experience pain, joy, fear, playfulness, and many other emotions. So although horses and humans are different it can be helpful to think of yourself in the situation to better understand how your horse is going to react and what they need to be successful. If we take the example of me with my fear of spiders. If instead my teacher would take me to the room of spiders and leave the door open and allow me the time to look inside but retreat to safety if I needed to. I would build trust with that person. Now I’m not saying to become a pushover and not challenge me to conquer my fear. But what I’m saying is to be respectful of the fact that my fear is very real. Just because you are not scared of spiders does not make my fear any less valid. If my teacher would reward me when I try to conquer my fear when I’m legitimately trying my best then I would be encouraged to try harder. Not only would I be motivated more to try to succeed, but I would do it more confidently. The whole experience would be way less stressful on me, and after I conquer the situation I would have so much more trust and respect for my teacher. If you think about it, the best teachers in life are the ones that challenge you out of your comfort zone and are able to teach you something new. So as a teacher for your horse you are not trying to never “rock the boat” so to speak, or push them into a threshold. Instead you NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 41
want to find the areas where they lack confidence and encourage them to grow their confidence by asking them to try and realizing that they can – but without pushing them into a truly panicked state.
accident with her horse that is now blind. The series of events seems pretty innocent, but it was probably very avoidable. Note that I’m not picking on these people at all, I’m just trying to share a real life example for you so you can see the importance of why this matters. This horse was good at trailer loading, but what happened was when they arrived at the new destination and were unloading the horse. They made a mistake and somebody opened the butt bar before undoing the tie to the horse’s halter at the front.
BOWDRIE AND LINDSEY AT THE 2017 TB MAKEOVER.
AVOIDING THE PANIC STATE Trust and confidence is best built through gaining patience and understanding. If I know that you understand and respect my fear for spiders - that you will not make fun of me or torment me by throwing a spider on me, then it is easier for me to trust you. Even if I know that you want to work on my fear of spiders, if I know that you will not push me into a panic state I will be able to stay in a thinking frame of mind around you. With horses it is so important that we stay in a calm and thinking frame of mind because if we push a horse into fight or flight then it can be really dangerous because they are such strong animals. Not to mention that if you push your horse into a panic state several times, then you are going to create an automatic response to become an extremely fearful and panicky horse. REAL LIFE EXAMPLE I just recently had a conversation with somebody that had a horrible trailer 42 | EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO NOVEMBER ‘18
If you didn’t already know this, putting down the butt bar before undoing the halter tie in a trailer is a big No-No! Often when horses start to back up and then they feel the pressure of the halter inside the trailer they will pop their head up. Because they are in a trailer they often hit their head off of the trailer and they really scare themselves. They often go shooting backwards and break the trailer tie. This leaves the horse feeling very panicked. Now if this happens to you, it’s not the end of the world. But it is important to not leave this on such a negative awful experience for your horse. Take the time to reload your horse back onto the trailer offer them some positive reinforcement and make it a better experience so they can breathe and rid themselves of the negative energy. Unfortunately, in this example there was nothing done about the negative experience. They counted the blessing that the horse was not injured and carried on with whatever they were doing. The
next time they loaded the horse on the trailer it took a little while but eventually they got the horse on and they quickly shut the door behind it. (This is another big No-No. Now we’ve got a horse that had a bad experience, a legitimate excuse to get upset, followed by being scared and now locked into the trailer). Let’s put this into the same example of me with the room full of spiders. It would be the equivalent of me being locked in the room full of spiders and getting bitten by a spider and having a painful and scary experience. Followed by the next time being locked into the spider room. It is completely reasonable that I would be terrified that I’m going to get bitten again. The entire time in the room I would be fretting about getting bitten because that was my most recent experience. So essentially, this horse is trapped inside this box while they are driving to the destination. There is no relief, there is no comfort, there is no reward, there is just internal panic. You can imagine how upsetting the horse is when they get off the trailer. Even though they get off the trailer safely they still remember the horrible anxiety that they felt inside the trailer and they probably leave thinking “Oh my gosh, I’m so thankful that I survived this time. But that felt awful and I never want to do it again.” So the next time they go to load the horse on the trailer it is even worse. The horse is taking forever to load and is starting to rear up and be very fear stricken, to the point that the horse flips over, falls on its head, and is now blind. It is such a sad and unfortunate incident,
and I know these people love their horse dearly and did not mean for this to happen at all. I myself have had incidences in the past where I have accidentally hurt an animal because I just didn’t know better. The only thing that I felt comfort in was to say sorry and thank the animal for teaching me to be a better human so in the future I would not do that again. So, I am in no means picking on those individuals for what happened, but am instead saying let’s learn from the situation and see how that could have been prevented. When you look at this example can you imagine yourself in the same situation and realize why the horse became so panic-stricken? Can you see how a horse that originally was really good for loading became so traumatized that they ended up injuring themselves to the point of blindness? Here are a couple tips that I’m going to give you to help set you on a path of success with your horse when it comes to building confidence. TIPS 1. Recognize which type of confidence you are working on. If you realize that you are working on a task that involves more than one type of confidence, and during the process you realize that it is too much for your horse or your horse is getting panicked, be prepared to break that object or task into separate pieces. So for example with trailer loading if your horse is finding that too difficult there are a few ways that NOVEMBER ‘18 EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO | 43
2.
3.
you can break that into different steps. For example you can set up a shoot to practice walking your horse in between 2 barrels, or a narrow stall or something like that that is a smaller space but that doesn’t involve the auditory, or moving aspects. Recognize when your horse is going into the red zone and be careful not to push your horse into the fightor-flight, number 10 on the energy scale. We talked about this in the last article on confidence-building. It is helpful to push your horse out of the comfort zone a little bit, but the goal is to avoid the panic red zone. If you are consistently panicking your horse, you are going to terrify them and create a lot of anxiety and potentially posttraumatic stress disorder. Be patient with your horse and always repeat a task until your horse is relaxed with the task. The idea is not to leave your horse thinking that they survived the task, but instead to have your horse thinking that they conquered it.
Now it’s time to get creative about thinking of some smaller steps within each type of confidence to build your horse up successfully. I’m going to give you a couple examples from common types of confidences where horses struggle.
EXERCISES TO TRY: Auditory Confidence can be challenging for a lot of different horses. This is the ability to handle different types of noises. One simple option is to use the radio. However, your horse can get used to one type of music so I recommend playing different songs throughout your sessions switching from heavy metal, to country, to classical, to pop music. This will expose your horse to many different types of sound and pitches. This can actually be something that you can use to help soothe your horse if they are scared of a noisy arena from wind or snow falling off the roof. Sometimes if you play the radio and you have already conditioned your horse to be comfortable to the radio they can actually find it comforting. You can progress to having a friend go on the outside of the arena and tap the wall with something to create noise. Your friend can start with a soft tap noise and if your horse doesn’t react you can reward them, and then increase the rhythm or the intensity of the top to make it more challenging. Environment Confidence is the ability of your horse to be in new places. You can start by going to places where they can still see their comfort zone. For example, if your horse is scared of leaving the barn but you want to go on a trail ride you can first start by practicing leaving the barn but still keeping it in sight and returning to the barn. Then you practice leaving and going just out of sight of the barn, but then turning around and coming back to where they can see it again, and turning around and leaving again. You continue to progress this as your horse gets more
comfortable until you can completely leave the barn and it is out of sight and out of mind. This is less traumatizing than forcing your horse to leave. Warning: it is usually a very bad idea to lead your horse far away from the barn and then get on your horse to complete the ride. This is a bad idea because they are so incredibly anxious that they can be dangerous, or when they realize where the barn is again they might actually bolt towards home. Even though it can take more time in the beginning, it is much safer to progressively and safely build up your horses trust and confidence. Moving Objects Confidence One of the easy ways to work on this confidence is by having a friend walk around the arena constantly waving a flag around or kicking a ball or some other type of moving object. Have them not focused on you at all but just simply walk around the arena randomly moving the object around. It is best if they are not to rhythmic but instead if they are sporadic with how they move the object around. As your horse gains confidence and realizes that the moving object is not going to bother them, they can then handle bigger movements or bigger objects. So for example in the beginning you might do gentle swirls with the flag and as they get comfortable you progressed to being able to flap the flag around really big and instead of walking
around the arena slowly doing a little bit of running around and working up the confidence level. Remember the goal is to start with something that’s going to challenge your horse’s confidence a little bit but not throw them into a panic zone. Sometimes it happens where we accidentally put our horse into a panic situation. If that happens try to lessen the stimulus a little bit so your horse can regain a thinking frame of mind but don’t stop altogether if you can help it. This is because we want to help the horse get back to a relaxation state with whatever it was that scared them, otherwise they will be extremely scared the next time they experience it. As long as you leave the situation better than what it was, it should be able to be better the next time you start with it. Addressing the different types of confidence is really key to creating a really confident horse that can handle many different types of distractions. The more you do with your horse in the different types of confidence the better they will be able to handle surprises. And ultimately the safer they will be to be around. But perhaps the most rewarding part is that when something upsets your horse in the future they will learn to look to you for direction rather than wanting to run away.
Lindsey Partridge is the founder of Harmony Horsemanship, Freestyle Judge, Level 2 Centered Riding
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lindsey Partridge is the founder of Harmony Horsemanship, Freestyle films. Learn more at www.HarmonyHorsemanship.ca or www.LindseyPartridge.com Judge, Level 2 Centered Riding Instructor, Three-time Champion of The Thoroughbred Makeover, and horse trainer for several feature films.
Instructor, Three-time Champion of The Thoroughbred Makeover, and horse trainer for several feature
Learn more at www.HarmonyHorsemanship.ca or www.LindseyPartridge.com
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EQUESTRIAN ONTARIO’S
CONFORMATION & ANATOMY
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ACROSS 1. A conformation fault in which the hocks point towards each other. 6. Conformation ____. 8. Horse’s tail. 10. Conformation fault where a horse has an overbite. ______ mouthed. 11. How many bones in a horses body? 17. When a horses back curves upward, it is called _______. 18. When the toes or feet turn inward, ______ toed. 20. Injury to this ligament may cause the pasterns to appear dropped.
DOWN 2. The joint in a hind limb above the pastern. 3. If a horse is built down hill, they tend to be “_____ high”.
4. A horse that has little to no identifiable wither, “______ withered”. 5. When a horse’s ribs are hanging flat instead of curving, “____ -sided”. 6. This relates a horse’s body structure to their ability to perform an intended job, 3 words. 7. The muscular area between the stifle and hock. 8. This tendon attaches to muscle above the knee/ hock and runs down the back of the leg into the back of the coffin bone inside the hoof. (abbv.) 9. Topline of the neck. 12. Part of the body you use to determine height. 13. You might not find one of these on the back of every horse’s fetlock. 14. Conformation fault where a horse has an underbite. ______ mouthed. 15. Horse feet. 16. Unusually small eyes. ___ eyes. 19. When a horse’s back is hollow, it may also be called ____ backed.
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