The Plaid Horse April 2023 - The Wellness Issue

TAKE COLLEGE COURSES ONLINE with

Professor Piper Klemm, Ph.D.

THREE COURSES

Business and Bias in the Equestrian Industry

Grit, Toughness, and Contemporary Equestrian Coaching

English Riding: History, Culture, and Industry Evolution

ONE 6-WEEK SESSION

June 26 - August 5, 2023

Limited registration

HERE’S WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING...

“And I can at the very least speak for myself that I am loving every book, article, lecture, podcast and more that we’re engaging with, and it’s really providing depth to my equestrian experiences and helping me make some great connections. I’m so glad I decided to take these three courses this summer.”

Accountability at All Ages

How Quinn Haven Stables in Maryland is starting their young riders right

I,

Athlete Pledge

, an athlete on the Quinn Haven Stables show team, hereby solemnly swear to the following:

• I will always put my horse or pony rst—above myself and my desire to win.

• I will encourage my teammates and fellow competitors to always be their best.

• I will always respect the decision of the judge and steward.

• I will be respectful to show management and spectators.

• I will be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

• I will encourage good sportsmanship by my teammates, coaches, spectators, and family.

sportsmanship, and more. Read

AT QUINN HAVEN STABLES in Friendship, MD, if you’re going to ride, you’re going to do it thoughtfully and with accountability. And it’s not just for the kids, either. Parents, just like their little riders, sign a pledge at Quinn Haven promising to promote good horsemanship, sportsmanship, and more. Read on for the pledge that each rider and parent signs at the Maryland stable—and consider implementing something similar at yours!

• I will take responsibility for my actions.

As a competitor, I acknowledge that being a good horse person and good sport is more important than any ribbon. I will remember that riding is a privilege and a learning experience. It does not matter if I win or lose; what counts the most is how I conduct myself and that I compete in the spirit of the camaraderie with my teammates, competitors, and most importantly, my horse or pony.

Signature

Date

Parent Athlete Pledge

I, , a parent of an athlete on the Quinn Haven Stables show team, hereby solemnly swear to the following:

• I will support my child in putting the needs of their horse or pony above themselves and their desire to win.

• I will allow this sport to be my child’s by giving them the time to process their performance, encourage them always, and celebrate their growth.

• I will encourage good sportsmanship by my child, their teammates, coaches, spectators, and my family.

• I will be a proper role model for all athletes and spectators alike.

• I will always respect the decisions of the judge and steward.

• I will be respectful to show management and spectators.

• I will give the coaches the time they need at the ring to focus on my child and their teammates.

• I will take responsibility for my actions.

As a parent, I acknowledge that I am a role model. I will remember that athletics at all levels are a privilege and a learning experience. Winning is not the most important part of sports but the life lessons we learn and the relationships that are forged along the way are; most importantly, the one between rider and their horse or pony.

APRIL 13–16, 2023

COLUMBUS, OH, Ohio Expo Center

• An Unparalleled Educational Program.

• The Largest Horse-Related Trade Show in North America.

• The “Marketplace” featuring quality consignments for horse & rider.

• The Fantasia (sponsored by Absorbine) — Equine Affaire’s signature musical celebration of the horse on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

• Breed Pavilion, Horse & Farm Exhibits, Horses for Sale and Demonstrations Enjoy meeting horses of all shapes, sizes, breeds, colors, and disciplines!

• Equine Fundamentals Forum — Educational presentations, exhibits, and activities for new riders and horse owners, young & old.

• The Versatile Horse & Rider Competition — A fast-paced timed and judged race through an obstacle course with $5,500 at stake!

• Adoption Affaire — Find and adopt your next horse at the Adoption Affaire, affiliated with the Right Horse Initiative!

• International Liberty Horse Association (ILHA) Freestyle Invitational (sponsored by EspanaSilk) — Select liberty trainers and horses of a variety of breeds and backgrounds will display their talents in a two-part invitational competition.

• A Horse for Heroes — Equine-assisted activities and therapies designed to benefit veterans, active-duty, and first responders, as well as their families.

• NEW! Ohio State 4-H Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest — Teams compete to demonstrate their knowledge of equine science and trivia.

• Youth Activities and a fun and educational College and Career Fair!

Featured Clinicians

Guy McLean (General Training & Horsemanship)

Julie Goodnight (General Training & Horsemanship)

Jonathan Field (General Training & Horsemanship)

Jason Irwin (General Training & Horsemanship)

Brad Barkemeyer (Reined Cow Horse and Roping)

Nona Garson (Hunter/Jumper)

Bryan Penquite (Reining)

JJ Tate (Dressage)

Rita Timpanaro (Hunter/Jumper)

Bronwyn Irwin (Pole Bending)

Sterling Graburn (Driving)

Carl Bledsoe (Easy Gaited Horses)

Suzanne Galdun (Biomechanics)

Carrie Brandt and Laura Benson (Resonant Riding)

Ali Kermeen (Working Equitation)

Jerry Paulsen (Equine Assisted Activities)

Wendy Murdoch (Horsemanship and SureFoot®)

DIamond D Cowgirls (Drill Teams)

…and many more to be announced!

Proud sponsors of this Equine Affaire:

EQL BY KERRITS

Embroidered EQ Stripe Top Stallion Necklace In Motion Jeans

Science + Love. Helping Horses Thrive.

Our Purina PhD Nutritionists tackle problems using science. And our love of horses keeps us at it until we get it right. Even with our most established feeds, we keep innovating. Even when it takes years of research, we don’t stop until it’s right. We’re dedicated to the scientific method, but it can’t capture the feeling of seeing a horse reach their full potential. It takes science and love to help your horse live their best life.

Learn more at the Equine Vet Resource Center: EquineVetNutrition.com

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

PIPER KLEMM, PH.D.

Managing Editor

RENNIE DYBALL

Art Direction

L/BAILEY DESIGN

Online Editor

LAUREN MAULDIN, MFA

Advertising

CLARE CIANCIO

NANCY HALVEY

LIZ D. HANCOX

DAWN KIRLIN

Subscriptions & Plaidcast Manager

CIRA PACE MALTA

Plaidcast Production & Media Manager

VICTORIA SHEEHAN

CONTACT & CONNECT WITH THE PLAID HORSE

WEB: theplaidhorse.com

CALL: 541-905-0192

EMAIL: piper@theplaidhorse.com

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/theplaidhorsemag

TWITTER: @PlaidHorseMag twitter.com/PlaidHorseMag

INSTAGRAM: @theplaidhorsemag instagram.com/theplaidhorsemag

PINTEREST: pinterest.com/theplaidhorse

ISSUU: issuu.com/theplaidhorsemag

SUBSCRIPTIONS: subscriptions@theplaidhorse.com

PHOTO: SARA SHIER PHOTOGRAPHY

The Plaid Horse has been published since 2003. This is Piper Klemm’s 81st issue as Publisher since 2014.

Read about Jacquie Cheikha on p. 60

PHOTOS

Highway to Horse Show

I RECENTLY HEARD a startling statistic while driving—less than one-third of eligible people under age 21 have their driver’s license.

I quickly went through denial, anger, confusion, and landed on considering the impact of such a stat.

A lack of young, licensed drivers is going to make our industry even more di cult. We have so much coming down

the pipeline stacked against us collectively. So many issues to face in the next few decades are not limited to lack of horsemanship. It’s about designing an industry model in which people are willing to do the labor that horses require. There’s the issue of land conservation and suburban sprawl. A troubling lack of inclusivity And a lack of public education that threatens horse ownership entirely.

At the USHJA International Hunter Derby at Desert Horse Park in 2023

EQUESTRIAN CENTER

JOIN US AT THE BARN!

• Founded in 1869, Stoneleigh-Burnham School (SBS) is a boarding and day school for girls in Grades 7-12 and Postgraduate (PG).

• Located in historic Greenfield, Massachusetts, SBS has been a member of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) since its official inception in 2002.

• T he School boasts five National Titles featuring Middle School and Upper School IEA teams that compete within the largest zone in the country.

SCHEDULE AN IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL VISIT AT SBSCHOOL.ORG/ VISIT

• SBS is the first and only secondary school equestrian facility in the United States to achieve prestigious certification as a British Horse Society-approved Livery Yard, Riding School, and Facility and offers the esteemed British Horse Society (BHS) Certification Program which is recognized in 35 countries worldwide.

• Offering 7-day boarding, 5-day boarding, and day enrollment options, we invite you to explore SBS!

So, the fact that most of the farms in this country cannot be accessed by any form of public transportation or method other than driving make this statistic… scary. It’s hard to welcome people to our sport when they can’t get to the barn.

But thinking beyond the practical, I appreciate how much my treks across large swaths of North American have brought me incredible solace in my life. The time to consider and be alone has been invaluable to my mental health. Independence, confidence, and their related mental health advantages are so sorely needed in the upcoming generation.

There is something about time that you cannot be doing anything else other than focusing on the open road—admiring landscapes, seasons, and the passage of time. Seeing barns fall down, new barns built, flooding, dry prairies, snow, leaves, and the sweet tall grasses of late summer. The way Harrisburg marks the change of seasons. When you are stuck in your own mind and have to live with yourself, your mistakes, your triumphs, and when you have the time to be grateful for all the people and horses that surround your dreams.

I have found that the people I connect with the most are also road warriors. Going from horse show to

horse show, undaunted by hours in the car or trailer, the miles clocking by are unable to be hurried. The road is such a challenge. Whether you are bored, tired, hungry, impatient, or whatever, the road doesn’t care. You make mistakes. You don’t refuel at opportune times. Something goes really wrong. Things need to be handled. It’s all awful. But you handle it, you learn to handle it, and you make it to your destination. You gain the confidence that you might handle the next thing that goes wrong. You see the good in people all over this great country and make small talk with folks. We all have so much in common.

I think of the times I pushed my limits. Like working all day at Lamplight in 2014 and driving all night to the (short lived) Gennesee Derby, chasing for months every single Derby Kelley Farmer did. It was a bizarre hunt in my car through the country in what seems like a different world from this decade and I learned so much. The time I was at EAP Finals all day in Ohio and then wrote my cover story in a Panera and drove straight through to Miami. The times I decided to drive home Sunday night instead of Monday morning. The swerves from deer, hitting ice patches, and that time I determined that below -20 degrees

you chap your bare hands getting a coffee from the McDonald’s drive through. The calls that came through my headset that broke my heart, seemed like the end of the world, or things I really just couldn’t deal with.

I think about this as my familiar 3 a.m. alarm goes off on a recent Sunday morning so that I can be in the car by 3:30 to drive 90 minutes from Salina to Wichita, Kansas to catch a flight. The comforting feelings of a dark highway contrasted with the feelings of piloting an unfamiliar rental car and wishing I had a coat. An hour and a half—a short drive by any metric—was all I needed to consider my trip, thaw out with the heat blasting, evaluate my performance, and plan what I can do better. It let me accomplish something by 5 a.m., arriving on time to move onto the next stages of my day. I listen to music, play through podcasts, and contemplate. I never give myself time to contemplate. The road seems to force it. I can’t be asleep or taking notes. I just simply have to be in the moment entirely with myself.

There is rarely a time I can be in the car for over an hour without really getting lost in the beauty of this country and thinking on a larger scale than myself. Passing through

I never give myself time to contemplate. The road seems to force it. I can’t be asleep or taking notes. I just simply have to be in the moment entirely with myself.

Ready to put the car in drive

farms and landscapes and zones of people who live differently than I do in all manners, over bridges, curved through rock faces, and seeing the spring melt rushing down as waterfalls all around me.

In addition to all the things we need to teach and inspire the next generation, if you can, offer to help teach someone to drive. Practice driving with them to help them with that same confidence we bring to a jump-off. It is so essential for young people to have the confidence of autonomy, the ability to trek and build their lives and businesses in the form they want, to be able to pursue so many kinds of work and opportunities. And most importantly, it’s how they’re going to get to the barn.

We all have a responsibility to help the next generation take the best care of the horses that we can. This life is not for the faint of heart and the people who leave our ranks for a more normal lifestyle will always be a high number. We serve our horses by making the barn as accessible as possible and retaining the most committed and interested people to care for them. Let the driveways around the farm serve yet another learning purpose.

In the words of Maren Morris from the song “My Church”:

Piper Klemm, Ph.D.

TPH PUBLISHER

Follow me on Instagram at @piperklemm

When this wonderful world gets heavy

And I need to nd my escape

I just keep the wheels rolling, radio scrolling

‘Til my sins wash away

Piper in March 2023 at the Horse World Expo in Harrisburg, PA; and at Equifest of Kansas in Salina, KS

Welcome Classic

April 12-16

Spring Classic

April 19-23

Rose In May

May 25-28

Pumpkins & Ponies

October 12-15

Fall Classic

November 1-5

Oak Tree Classic

November 8-12

Turkey Trot & Jump

November 16-19

READ MORE ON…

Articles updated daily!

DO YOU KNOW ANY HORSES AFRAID OF WOMEN?

T he P laid H

The conclusions of the study, “reveal that horses can effectively cross-modally categorize women and men. Specifically, that suggests that horses may generalize their experiences with one person to other people in the same category (i.e. women or men). Horses remember previous interactions with humans and act consequently in future interactions.”

VICTORIA COLVIN AND EL PRIMERO came out on top during Week 9 of the Wellington Equestrian Festival (WEF) with a winning ride in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by Barnwalkers on Saturday at WEF 9.

Four panels of judges put forward scores for each entry that were then averaged into one overall tally for the first round and another overall score for the handy phase. Shooting straight to the top in round one, KATHERINE MERCER AND GOLDHILLS AS YOU LIKE IT paired a highscore of 92 with an 81-point score in the handy round to take the top spot on a final overall score of 173.

I would definitely put it up there with the Ronnie Mutch trophy at Devon and winning the Hampton Classic Equitation Championship last year. I have a special appreciation for this class though because the last time I did it, I was a lot younger and a lot greener. This class was my enemy, so my last junior year, I was pulling out all the stops. I’m really excited it went so well.” —AVERY GLYNN, 18

New rule disallows hand walking prior to USHJA International Hunter Derby competition.

AND... We Asked Artificial Intelligence About Horse Riding, Training, and Breeding

Recognize this rider showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival?

PHOTO: SPORTFOT(BOTTOM)

IN THE COMMENTS...

Talk to us! We love hearing what you think

Loved the Haven S interview. Keep up the good work!!

EPISODE 326: Havens Schatt

I loved how candid Havens was! loved this one!

GOING GLOBAL WITH EQUICONCIERGE

How Alexandra Afzal is changing the game in international equestrian competition

WORDS: APRIL BILODEAU

MOST SHOW JUMPERS competing in the United States have a checklist of goals for their career. Their first 1.20m class, their first Grand Prix, and for the very lucky ones, competing internationally.

California native Alexandra Afzal is working on making that dream more accessible for all by providing a concierge service that supports riders with a desire to compete abroad.

Afzal began her riding career at the age of four and started showing in the pony hunters at eight. Once she turned 15, she moved off the ponies and began riding in the jumpers and junior hunters. Upon wrapping up her junior years, she found herself focusing on the jumpers.

PHOTO: MOISES BASALLOTE FOTOGRAFIA

gives you a different perspective on the industry.

I want to give everyone that opportunity.”

Afzal and her horse Gandhi at the Sunshine Tour

During the early years of her show jumping career, Afzal rode with Rachel and Je Fields at Sandhaven Farm in Woodside, CA.

“Riding with Rachel and Je was the most important time during my career,” Afzal tells The Plaid Horse.

That is, until she moved to Europe.

GOING INTERNATIONAL

In 2016, Afzal moved to Ireland with the help of a fellow Californian, Lauren Kardel, to pursue her international career. She intended to live abroad for three months...nearly seven years later, she’s still there. “I moved to Europe because I didn’t feel like starting a desk job,” says Afzal with a laugh. “Going abroad was my way of doing something di erent.”

Her goal was to go to every competition on her list, even if it was just to watch, attempting to learn everything she could along the way.

“I wanted the whole industry package,” says Afzal. “I wanted to learn the riding, the training, the showing—everything, inside and out.”

In the simplest terms, Afzal became a “yes woman” and took every opportunity

that came her way.

While in Ireland, Afzal began spending more time in the saddle for her trainers, riding up to eight horses a day in addition to her own horses. She learned about the pony business in Europe and started interfacing with clients more.

A er two years in Ireland, she made the decision to move to the mainland, moving to Germany then nally settling in the Netherlands.

When she moved to Germany she started thinking about her place in the business. With all her knowledge of di erent areas of the equine industry, she wanted to nd her niche.

While Afzal took the time to discover what that niche was, people kept telling her she needed to be the go-to person for American riders looking to travel and ride in Europe since she had already made the move and arranged everything herself.

From those conversations, EquiConcierge was born.

THE RIDER’S TRAVEL AGENT

EquiConcierge is a full service equine travel management company that handles all aspects of the international riding

experience. From arranging horse transportation to Europe, nding housing, organizing the appropriate paperwork for international eligibility, and more, Afzal and EquiConcierge are available to help.

“I was thrown into the deep end when I moved to Europe and had to gure out how to live internationally,” says Afzal. “Europe is intimidating. I created EquiConcierge to gure out a way to make it easier for riders and support the people who want to come over and do the same thing that I did.”

Afzal adds that she began her services working with an Irish trainer and his American student.

“I help with nding a stable to rent, hiring grooms, leasing apartments, getting a car, furniture, anything you can think of, as well as what you may not think of,” says Afzal. “Beyond the basics, I put together their show entries, ights, and hotels. People can come for a week, a month, a year...whatever they’d like. They can show or work or just experience whatever part of the industry that want to learn about.”

A CUSTOM EXPERIENCE

Afzal’s goal is to make riders comfortable

PHOTOS, FROM LEFT: MACKENZIE CLARK; CLICPHOTO

with coming to Europe to compete, and encourages everyone to get the experience.

“Coming abroad really gives you a di erent perspective on the industry,” says Afzal. “I want to give everyone that opportunity.”

While the nancial end may be a concern for some, Afzal o ers the ability to create an experience for everyone’s budget. When meeting with every potential client, Afzal asks a series of questions to put together a custom package for each person.

“First, are you bringing your horse or do you want to lease?” asks Afzal. From there, she wants to hear each person’s goals so she can create the perfect experience.

“I want to know everyone’s preferences, down to whether they want an apartment in the city or the country,” she adds. “We can really tailor the experience to each person.”

CHECKING ALL THE BOXES

Afzal is excited to grow EquiConcierge and meet a need that exists in the market to really educate and help riders reach their goals of competing internationally.

“There are so many things that people may forget to do when considering their international riding career,” says Afzal, who adds that the paperwork was a di cult part of the process for her. “Riders need recommendation letters from trainers, there are several forms and guidelines to follow, things I had no idea about when I decided to make the move.”

Afzal wants to be that resource to make sure riders check all the boxes when making the trip overseas.

Since her arrival in Europe, she has worked to meet, network, and befriend as many people as possible so she may pass her connections down to her clients.

Riders interested in starting a show jumping career abroad can find more information about EquiConcierge and Afzal on the company’s Instagram page, @equiconcierge.

“Europe is intimidating. I created EquiConcierge to figure out a way to make it easier for riders and support the people who want to come over and do the same thing that I did.”

—ALEXANDRA AFZAL

NYC AMENITIES COMING TO SAUGERTIES

Horse show exhibitors will get a taste of Manhattan luxury during their summer in the Hudson Valley

In addition to the new Diamond Mills Hotel (far right) in downtown Saugerties, former HITS CEO Tom Struzzieri has also partnered with former Waldorf-Astoria Executive Chef John Doherty (pictured near right on right) to reopen the associated tavern as BLACKBARN Hudson Valley

WORDS: APRIL BILODEAU

LIFE ON THE ROAD as an equestrian means long days filled with hard work, quick meals, and minimal downtime. While horse shows across the country continue to add more to the show grounds to appeal to their audiences, former HITS CEO Tom Struzzieri is focusing on life outside of the show grounds.

“When things changed at HITS, I had to make the decision to either step away from

horses or focus on the experience of the exhibitors,” Struzzieri tells The Plaid Horse.

The decision was easy.

A Saugerties resident of over 25 years, Struzzieri saw an opportunity to better the experience for those who spend their summers in the small New York town.

“Fifteen years ago, clients of the horse show came to me and complained that there weren’t

any hotels in the area with room service,” says Struzzieri.

With that information, he built Diamond Mills, the well known hotel and restaurant close to downtown Saugerties. With a goal to optimize the experience of exhibitors, Struzzieri’s team built the 30-room hotel, complete with a tavern and a 400-person ballroom for events.

While people love Diamond Mills and the modern feel it brought to Saugerties, Struzzeri and his team are striving to do more.

FROM THE BARN TO THE BARN

As of April 1, 2023, The Tavern at Diamond Mills has reopened as BLACKBARN Hudson Valley, a spin on the renowned New York City restaurant BLACKBARN.

The renovation of the restaurant will take place over a six-week period and will consist of new menus and staff. Former Waldorf-Astoria Executive Chef and partner with Struzzieri, John Doherty, will take the lead on cultivating a unique menu for all to enjoy.

“Community is such an important part of the horse show,” says Struzzieri. “Dinner time is a time to connect with your horse show family.”

With the addition of BLACKBARN and its outstanding reputation for exceptional cuisine, Struzzieri is hoping to bring more visitors to Saugerties from Manhattan.

“People love BLACKBARN,” says Struzzieri. “It’s going to be a good fit for Saugerties and the horse show community.”

HOTEL ROOMS AND BEYOND

In addition to the improvements of the restaurant, just outside of the main Diamond Mills property, Struzzieri has

converted multiple homes surrounding the area and turned them into additional overnight accomodations. This provides more availability for exhibitors to enjoy the amenities the hotel has to offer while also being in closer proximity to the horse show grounds.

Struzzieri and his team are also working on adding a spa to one of the properties on the river. The Spa will include 12 treatment rooms and will be tied into the hotel. Hotel guests will be able to take a boat ride down from the hotel to the spa. Construction at the spa is expected to be complete Fall 2023.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Each improvement taking place in Saugerties is geared towards enhancing the experience for the horse show customers.

“We want to treat the customers well

and give them something to do in the beautiful Hudson Valley,” says Struzzieri.

Struzzieri acknowledges that the socialization aspect of being an exhibitor of the horse show is so important and is working to provide something for everyone.

While improvements at the horse show are taking place with Traub Capital Group’s recent acquisition of HITS, Struzzieri recognizes that his projects will further enhance the experience for all.

“The new owners of HITS are also tied into the experience,” says Struzzieri. “I think what we’re both doing will really work well for the consumer.”

MORE TO COME

Struzzieri is continuing to look beyond the projects he has currently in the works to continue adding more opportunities for those visiting the area during the horse show.

“I think I’ve learned enough about what the client expects to know what they’re looking for,” says Struzzieri. “I think we’re able to combine all that to create an enjoyable experience for everyone.”

PHOTOS: ESI PHOTOGRAPHY (STRUZZIERI); NICOLE WREN

“Community is such an important part of the horse show. Dinner time is a time to connect with your horse show family.”

—TOM STRUZZIERI, FORMER HITS CEO

ABOVE: Offerings from the new BLACKBARN Hudson Valley restaurant

LEFT: Former HITS CEO Tom Struzzieri

PraisetheofMonth

PRESENTED BY

Traci & Carleton Brooks combine the best traditions of classical horsemanship with the most current methods of care and training of modern sporthorses. Having watched their program and judged their horses for decades, their approach brings out the best in each individual horse and rider. They nurture and support that extra special quality that defines the highest caliber performance horses and riders. I’m especially excited that their insights will now be available to private farm owners as well as larger training barns. Good news!

— Connie Tramm Hunt, USEF “R” judge

‘‘Fix Me Up So I Can Ride Today

ShowMD’s

A GOOD FRIEND from the barn called me in tears. Her horse had slipped in turnout. The vet examined the injury and determined it was a high suspensory injury that would take 8-12 months to heal. The vet recommended stall rest, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment, laser, Shock Wave, and hand walking.

The words tumbled out through her tears. I did my best to just listen and let her vent. From my own experience dealing with suspensory injuries, I know how long they take to resolve. Recovery has its ups and downs, and the constant agony of waiting for the next ultrasound visit. Fortunately for my friend, she had another horse who was starting to compete in the young jumpers.

Two weeks later, the same friend arrived at my medical trailer at the horse show—one riding boot on and one boot off. Her right ankle was wrapped in ice. She had fallen off her bike and said to me, “My class starts in an hour. Fix me up so I can ride today!”

I examined her ankle. It was pretty swollen and starting to bruise already.

I was concerned about the movement in her ankle and suggested we X-ray. She hobbled over to the machine and we got some quick x-rays, which miraculously showed no broken bones. However, the swelling, inability to walk, and my examination findings indicated a very bad sprain.

“Great!” she replied “Nothing is broken! Help me get my boot on so I can ride.”

With a grade 3 ankle sprain, she was definitely not riding that day, and would possibly need surgery.

“But I need to ride,” she countered.

This was the same woman who had called me two weeks prior, saying her horse needed 12 months of rehab. And that she was willing to give her horse every therapy and as much time as he needed.

Dr. Barb Blasko explains why riders need to treat their own injury recovery like that of their horses

BARB BLASKO, MD

Dr. Barb Blasko is a BoardCertified Emergency Medicine Physician with 22 years of experience working in multiple Emergency Departments throughout the United States. An amateur rider and avid entrepreneur, Dr. Blasko combined her passions and founded ShowMD to improve the lives of equestrian athletes. Dr. Blasko’s medical expertise includes specialty in clinical strategy, Emergency Medicine, telemedicine and biomedical informatics.

With her own horses, she actively competes in USEF show jumping competitions and is personally and professionally active in west coast hunter jumper communities.

For more information on Dr. Blasko and ShowMD, visit showmd.org

What her ankle needed was immediate ice, elevation, and compression. She was on stall rest. Fortunately, sprains tend to heal in 6 to 8 weeks, not a year. My friend accepted that an air cast, ankle brace, and crutches were in her future. I recommended PRP, ultrasound, and ice—all commonly used in the treatment of athlete ligament injuries. These “fix me ASAP” exclamations are something I frequently hear from riders. They are willing to treat their equine partners as athletes that need proper treatment and downtime, but they don’t extend themselves the same grace.

We need to ditch the “competition at all cost” mindset for equestrian athletes. You can swap out a horse if one has an injury, but not your own ankles.

When our horses jog off, we put them back in the stall for treatment and recovery. We understand the importance of catching even small injuries early, before they become something career-ending.

One of my missions as a physician and equestrian is to encourage riders to take their own health as seriously as they take that of their horses. Your own injuries deserve the same thoughtful consideration. Give yourself the appropriate time and treatments to heal so a small sprain doesn’t become something catastrophic.

PHOTOS: ADAM HILL; COURTESY BARB BLASKO (HEADSHOT)

“These ‘fix me ASAP’ exclamations are something I frequently hear from riders. They are willing to treat their equine partners as athletes that need proper treatment and downtime, but they don’t extend themselves the same grace.”

—DR. BARB BLASKO, MD, ShowMD FOUNDER

PHOTOS: COURTESY EQUINE ELIXIRS

“Healthy stomach, great weight, lean muscles, shiny coats… Ulceraser does it all.”

—McLAIN WARD, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST

THE CASE FOR ULCERASER

Two of Equine Elixirs’ most recent gastric case studies highlight the effects of Ulceraser plus Equine Elixirs’ sea buckthorn extract

WHEN IT COMES TO Ulceraser, the proof is in the pudding—or in this case, the pyloris.

In the rst case study, a 12-yearold gelding had persistent glandular and pyloric ulcers with brin, edema, and petechiae (blood spots) as seen via gastroscopy for 3 months. Despite using antibiotics and several traditional gastroprotective therapies, there remained a large, persistent area of ulceration with yellow brin

SPOTLIGHT

and petechiae in the pylorus that showed no improvement.

Six weeks after starting Ulceraser (2 scoops am/pm) and sea buckthorn extract (1 scoop am/pm), gastroscopy revealed 95% resolution of the pyloric ulceration, the most substantial improvement seen even after three months of previously receiving antibiotics and other gastroprotective therapies, which were discontinued. Since September 2021, this horse has been maintained successfully

on Ulceraser (1 scoop am/pm) and sea buckthorn extract (1 scoop daily) without any recurrence of ulcers.

In the second case study, a 7-yearold mare with decreased jumping performance was scoped and her pyloris showed two areas of moderate pyloric ulceration characterized by a fibrinosuppurative coating and petechiae. After six weeks of receiving Ulceraser (2 scoops am/pm) and sea buckthorn extract (1 scoop am/pm), gastroscopy

CASE STUDY 1

revealed the fibrin and petechiae had resolved completely. This horse has been maintained on Ulceraser and sea buckthorn extract since December 2021 without any recurrence of ulcers.

BEFORE

CASE STUDY 2

BEFORE

WHAT THE

OLYMPIANS ARE

SAYING “Healthy stomach, great weight, lean muscles, shiny coats…Ulceraser does it all,” says Olympic Gold Medalist, McLain Ward. Olympic show jumper Shane Sweetnam says: “We rely on Ulceraser because it makes a noticeable difference in our horses’ health.”

Ulceraser’s all-natural, horse show-safe, forage-based blend really does do it all:

• Glutamine builds and strengthens GI mucosa, which is especially important for horses receiving NSAIDs, which are known to erode this barrier causing ulcers and leaky gut

• Helps buffer pH throughout the GI tract

• Encourages digestion in the foregut where it belongs, helping to stabilize healthy hindgut microflora

• Nitric oxide increases circulation and helps heal lesions

• Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and support a lustrous, shiny coat, mane and tail

• Helps maintain weight and topline

• Helps clear sand and debris from the gut

6 WEEKS AFTER ULCERASER® + SEA BUCKTHORN EXTRACT

6 WEEKS AFTER ULCERASER ® + SEA BUCKTHORN EXTRACT

Sea buckthorn is high in antioxidants, phytosterols, and contains the highest Omega-7 content of any natural source. Research shows that sea buckthorn targets the mucosal membranes and has both preventative and curative e ects against glandular and pyloric ulceration.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE HINDGUT

With their characteristic dedication to research and innovation, Equine Elixirs introduced their probiotic/prebiotic and mycotoxin binder, Symbiotic, at the end of 2022. Symbiotic supports optimum digestive function and immune health by helping maintain a healthy bacterial population throughout the GI tract and is beneficial for horses who have difficulty maintaining weight, are susceptible to hindgut issues or loose manure, and those at risk for gastric upset due to stress, traveling, training, or changes in their diet or environment.

There are several things that distinguish Symbiotic from other probiotics. Most live probiotics require refrigeration and die during processing and packaging, long before reaching your horse. Symbiotic, however, contains Saccharomyces Boulardii, a live microorganism that does not require refrigeration and can withstand

GI stresses to colonize the hindgut. Together with TruEquine™ Yeast Culture, this combination of live probiotics and prebiotics helps beneficial bacteria flourish, supports a tight intestinal lining and serves as a mycotoxin binder that filters out toxins that could be absorbed into the bloodstream via “leaky gut.”

WHAT THE PROS ARE SAYING

Top hunter rider and trainer John French (for whom Ulceraser has been a staple for years) says, “Symbiotic has been a great addition to our program, particularly in the summer when we are traveling more with our horses. When things like hay or grass quality change on the road, we don’t notice gastric changes with our horses. Symbiotic has a lot to do with that.”

Jacob Pope and Nick Pongracz of Team Rakowsky say they like how Symbiotic compliments their use of Ulceraser by enhancing nutrient absorption: “Symbiotic helps our horses build the necessary topline and muscle to support jumping in proper form so they can go fast and clear.”

About Equine Elixirs

Equine Elixirs formulates, manufactures, and distributes an innovative line of FEI and USEF safe equine supplements made for winning, naturally.

To learn more about Equine Elixirs and the science behind the products, visit equineelixirs.com and follow @equineelixirs on Instagram/Facebook.

“We rely on Ulceraser because it makes a noticeable difference in our horses’ health.”

—SHANE SWEETNAM, OLYMPIC SHOW JUMPER

The Art of Horsemanship

• World-class equestrian center

• Exceptional equestrian studies program

• National championship team

Your future is bright at SCAD.

To learn more about SCAD equestrian or explore other award-winning programs, visit scad.edu or email admission@scad.edu.

There is so much variation in what an equestrian looks like.”

Inclusivity MATTERS

EACH MONTH, THE PLAID HORSE IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE READERS TO EQUESTRIAN BRANDS THAT VALUE INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY IN THEIR PRODUCTS AND THEIR ADVERTISING

—MILESTONE EQUESTRIAN’S SHELBY DENNIS

INCLUSIVITY MATTERS

FREERIDE EQUESTRIAN

Why does inclusivity matter to your brand?

Free Ride Equestrian is committed to providing riding apparel for all body types, allowing each rider to feel and ride their best. We find it most important that each rider, no matter their size, is able to enjoy the stretch and functionality that each of our collections offer.

When people think of Free Ride Equestrian, we want them to think of a brand that reaches all ages and body types.

In what areas do you provide inclusive sizing and what sets you apart?

Free Ride Equestrian offers three main collections, each offer sizing in XXS-XXL or 14+. Our materials are created to stretch and move with the rider, all while looking tailored and stylish. Our collections offer each rider, no matter their size, the options of a pull-on legging, hybrid breech, or a breech with zipper and hook closer. Gone are the days of over-stretchy tights and cotton leggings! Free Ride Equestrian offers sleek athletic materials that will hold the beautiful curves of each body type. We also offer tops that

range in sizes up through size XXL with the same great stretch we love in the breeches, allowing riders to create a full outfit that they feel confident in!

What’s next for your brand? With each growing year of our business, we will continue to strive to reach each size range. We will continue to add more size options including petite and tall lengths. Our mesh bottom breeches work great for riders that need a petite length as they are super comfortable to fold up at the bottom. We are proud of the inclusivity our brand offers and will continue to show that through sizing availability and promoting content with full figured models. We love being able to see our full-figured customers walk out of the dressing room or send us pictures with happy hearts, knowing they have found a brand they can count on to make quality items that allow them to feel beautiful and strive to ride their best!

At Free Ride

LEARN MORE shopfre.com

Equestrian, we hope that everyone, no matter their size, age, or body type will be able to feel comfortable in their own skin.”

INCLUSIVITY MATTERS

KERRITS &EQL

Why does inclusivity matter to your brand?

At Kerrits, inclusivity matters because we care about strengthening the future of our sport. We want to increase the accessibility of horseback riding so more people can experience the joy of horses in their lives. That means we welcome and celebrate riders of all ages, sizes, colors, backgrounds, and ability levels.

Inclusivity has been a pillar of our brand since the beginning. Over 30 years ago, founder Kerri Kent developed an innovative pair of riding tights built to fit, flatter, and perform. To this day, we strive to design clothes that boost confidence in and out of the saddle and work as hard as the horsewomen who wear them. And we sell them at attainable price points because we know our customers make sacrifices so they can afford to ride, and having well-designed, high-performance riding apparel doesn’t need to be one of them.

What sets Kerrits apart?

As a diverse group of women riders ourselves, we feel uniquely qualified to address the apparel needs of women who ride.

Our “fit models” are Kerrits employees, and they range across the entire size spectrum. They

wear-test new styles in and out of the saddle every season to ensure they fit and function. It is the Kerrits standard to carry every woman’s style we make in sizes XS through 2X. This goes for everything from everyday riding tights to our show coats and breeches, along with our lifestyle apparel brand, EQL by Kerrits.

We also offer options to address other fit challenges. Our bootcut breech styles come in Regular and Tall lengths, and we’re very proud to say we recently launched a Petite line for riders 5’4” and under that is available in our full XS–2X size range. We heard from many customers that Petites were nearly impossible to find in equestrian apparel, so we spent over a year developing this line to be properly proportioned and flattering for shorter riders. This season, we also added relaxed-fit styles to give customers the option to choose the clothing that makes them feel the most comfortable and confident.

How do you plan to continue expanding your brand/advertising/messaging to include more equestrians of all sizes?

One of our goals for 2023 is to make Kerrits the most inclusive and welcoming brand in the

equestrian apparel industry. We strive to feature diversity of riders across age, size, race, and ability level in our marketing, from website and emails to social media and advertising. Inclusivity is top of mind in every marketing decision, whether we’re choosing riders and models for photo shoots or finding brand ambassadors on social media. We have set aside dedicated resources, both time and money, toward being able to capture the images and video assets we need to showcase diversity and allow more people to picture themselves as equestrians.

Through our Kerrits Cares program and our EQL by Kerrits donation partners, we also continue to support other organizations that make our sport more accessible. We have partnered with several organizations including Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship, Saddle Up and Read, and Detroit Horse Power to provide resources so more people can enjoy our sport.

Kerrits offers equestrian apparel in sizes XS-2X, with select Petite, Tall, and relaxed-fit styles to enhance comfort and performance.

PHOTOS, FROM LEFT: IVAN LASSO, ELIZABETH BAUMGARTNER, KRISTIN LEE

Inclusivity has been a pillar of our brand since the beginning … we welcome and celebrate riders of all ages, sizes, colors, backgrounds, and ability levels.”

MILESTONE EQUESTRIAN

Why does inclusivity matter to your brand?

Inclusivity matters to my brand because growing up in the horse world, I noticed a major lack of representation and often felt on the fringes of horsemanship due to my lack of ability to afford certain brands and fit in with the rest of the show world. I’m biracial—my father is Black—and despite being very white-passing myself, my hair made me stand out in a crowd as I have textured curly hair. Even the simple fact of me having different hair from so many of my peers made me feel alienated. My natural hair was much quicker to be viewed as messy, unkempt or unprofessional. Because of this, I learned to assimilate by frying and straightening my hair on a near constant basis despite the fact that it didn’t make me feel happy or good about myself.

I genuinely cannot remember a single time I ever saw any model with textured hair, or a model of color for that matter, in equestrian magazines or brands for the entirety of my childhood. Until social media blew up, I literally did not know there were other biracial riders and riders of color to the extent that there are in the industry because I never heard about them.

If I’d grown up and seen models who looked like me or my family members, it could’ve provided me

comfort and confidence in being my authentic self and learning to love my natural hair, my culture, and who I was, instead of indirectly being taught to hide it and be ashamed of it.

I am incredibly privileged compared to a lot of the horse world and even still, I experienced situations that made me feel othered in this industry. I know that equestrians of color, plus-sized equestrians, disabled equestrians, and LGBTQ equestrians experience a lot of this in our industry and in starting my own brand, I wanted put more of an effort into providing representation and support of minority groups of people who are often made to feel invisible or unwelcome in our industry. Everyone deserves to feel good in their own body and to show up as their authentic self. They deserve to see models that look like them and to have their presence in the industry known instead of hidden.

I hope to increase inclusivity in the sport and allow for people to feel more comfortable in their own bodies through my brand and my social media because I don’t want anyone to grow up feeling unheard and unrepresented. There’s room for all of us in this industry and we all deserve equal recognition, support, and access.

In what ways is your brand inclusive?

Our clothing sizes in most of our apparel are offered in sizes XS to 4XL. I’ve also tried to do most of our apparel patterns to be compatible for unisex sizing if you size up, as clothing really doesn’t have a gender and no one should feel obligated to have to choose between a binary when selecting clothes. They are just clothes—inanimate objects that you place on your very animated and dynamic body to give them life.

I have also started doing equestrian ball caps with satin lining to protect curly and textured hair. I never realized just how much damage unlined hats could do to my hair until recently, and I know that a lot of equestrians of color struggle with damage to their natural hair because of how our hats and helmets are lined. The satin lining is much gentler on textured hair and doesn’t result in the same amount of frizz and breakage as unlined hats can.

With pricing, I also try to be inclusive by keeping prices affordable, offering frequent discounts and sales and trying to offer a wide range of clothes to serve for the empowerment and comfort of people of all types. Many of our apparel options are also made from recycled fabrics.

A CHAT WITH SHELBY DENNIS OF MILESTONE EQUESTRIAN

How do you plan to continue incorporating inclusivity and diversity in your brand?

I hope to continue to expand my brand so I can offer more products and diversify sizing even more. I think that it would be beneficial to start to offer sizes in Short/Tall and Slender/Curvy cuts to further allow people to select the perfect sizing for them as there is so much variation in what an equestrian looks like. I think offering sizes like this would open the door for people to get a “semi-custom” fit without the same price tag. So, this is my goal as we continue to expand and funds allow.

Additionally, I hope to start offering bursaries, scholarships, and more sponsorships to riders. I think that accessibility is a huge hurdle in the horse world that is so difficult to overcome and I don’t believe that a rider’s lack of financial privilege should deprive them of access the horse world. There are so many amazing horse people we are likely missing out on due to their inability to enter the sport in the first place, or even if they do, the inability to stay in it or get platformed and seen in the way they need to.

My hope is also that if I start being what I hope to see in the industry, other brands will look at what’s being done and be inspired to do the same. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our equestrian community could offer meaningful opportunities and inclusivity to enrich our sport?

My hope is also that if I start being what I hope to see in the industry, other brands will look at what’s being done and be inspired to do the same.”

—MILESTONE EQUESTRIAN’S SHELBY DENNIS

LEARN MORE shopmilestoneeq.com

US Equestrian Leading Pony Owner 2022

TIPS FOR RIDING SUCCESS: BE A WORKER

Workers show up. They are ready to learn from the moment they get to the barn. We all get distracted, but a worker is the one who puts in the extra time. They pick up, and help around the farm with whatever is needed. When they ride, they ride with a plan. They do transitions, and figures and have a goal. They ride without stirrups, without reins. They put in days of long, boring fitness rides because it is the right thing for the horses. They do the hard things, because it makes them stronger and better.

PHOTOS © ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY, SHAWN M c MILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY, SARA SHIER PHOTOGRAPHY, COPPER ARROW PHOTOGRAPHY

young riders

horses, the better

ChallengeAccepted

HOW JACQUIE CHEIKHA PERSEVERES

THROUGH DISABILITY TO EXCEL AT THE SPORT SHE LOVES

WORDS: PIPER KLEMM PHOTOS: SARA SHIER PHOTOGRAPHY

Jacquie Cheikha (photographed in Thermal, CA, in March) has a rare form of cerebral palsy

CLOSE YOUR eyes and think about how hard it is to ride a horse. Then think about how hard it is to jump 1.30 m. Think about how tight those turns are and how fast those combinations come up. Think about what it takes to win a jump-o . And then consider doing all of that when you can only maintain balance and posture with one leg. You’re always aware that you could get jumped loose or turned o . That you struggle to walk

and have to rely on information on your coursewalk from others (unless maybe your brother is there to give you a piggyback ride to show you around the rollbacks).

And then imagine that you can’t get enough of riding. That your dreams stretch all the way to the Olympics. Your parents don’t panic every time you cry out in pain; you tell them you want to be there and they listen. Your trainer doesn’t hold you back or play it safe when you want to go fast.

That rider you imagined is Jacquie Cheikha.

Cheikha, 17, was born with an extremely rare form of cerebral palsy—a chronic condition with no cure—that affects her left leg. She also has a Cavovarus foot, a deformity that affects that same leg as well as the arch of her foot. She has spent most of her life in physical therapy and struggles to walk. But she excels on horseback.

“Jacquie started spending time at the barn in her stroller while her older sister rode,” her mother Kim tells The Plaid

Horse of Jacquie’s babyhood in the barn. “Anytime a horse would come near the stroller, she would reach for the horse’s head with her little hands and legs and pull them into her stroller, which is really unusual for a baby. Their heads were practically as big as she was! There was never any fear; she gravitated toward every horse.”

She began riding in leadline and then walk-trot lessons, and while she was challenged by learning to ride with a rare condition, it didn’t damper her excitement to learn. Moving up to Short Stirrup Hunters and Equitation, trainer David Bustillos taught her the basics on the well known show pony Dunkin Donuts. Without motor control of her left leg, Cheikha couldn’t push her heel down, wrap her left leg around the pony, or get weight in her stirrup. While she was able to have some success in the hunter classes, she was not able to be competitive in equitation classes.

“At first David tried to train my position at home and we tried everything

Cheikha warming up her horse Quinarita on the Desert Circuit

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

JACQUIE CHEIKHA &

QUINARITA

1.30 M JR JUMPERS

• Winner, Med Jr/Am, Del Mar Seaside Tour 1, January 2023

• Champion, Med Jr/Am, Temecula Valley National, October 2022

• Champion, Med Jr/Am Jumper, International Jumping Fest September 2022

• Winner, $2,000 Dover Saddlery NAL Jr/Am Classic, Blenheim Fall Tournament, September 2022

• Winner, $1,000 Biozyme Jr/ Am Power/Speed, Split Rock Paso Robles, September 2022

• Champion, Jr/Am Jumpers, Blenheim, August 2022

• Winner, $2,000 Dover Saddlery NAL Jr/Am Classic, Blenheim Summer Festival, July 2022

to keep my leg down and from swinging,” says Cheikha. “But ultimately, forcing the position to angles that didn’t feel natural caused me too much pain.” With a generous application of sticky spray, she kept showing in the 2’3” green rider hunters and equitation, learning her craft.

As Cheikha grew she was constantly trying to train her legs to grow correctly. “I couldn’t run or do anything with a lot of walking, and there was always muscle stretching and the pain that came with that.”

However, watching her brothers moving into the jumpers looked like too much fun to resist. Small for her age, it was hard to keep a pony well schooled enough to avoid taking advantage of her left leg. A horse seemed too strong and daunting to the adults around her. They were moving slowly and methodically to find the correct next mount when Jacquie fell in love with a new partner. He was a 6-year-old off-track Thoroughbred.

“We were in between horses and he was very quiet and just green, so David put me on him for a lesson,” says Cheikha. “He didn’t know how to pick up the right lead and didn’t know a lot, but he tried so hard, even from that first lesson.” She spent the next few lessons begging for him. Soon they were showing in the 0.70 m jumpers and struggling to slow down after jump-off rounds, especially on the left lead.

From this experience, Cheikha learned a lot about what she could ride. “Lazy horses are never an option for me because I can’t get one off my left leg very well by myself. Not being able to turn my foot out, it is always a big training test to get them to listen and keep them listening on course.” Using inside spurs and carrying her stick in her left hand, Cheikha needs horses very attuned to her hands and her reins to turn. She also learned to not be shy about grabbing mane or a martingale strap or anything she needed to hold herself up around the turns or rebalance after a jump.

“Not being able to turn my foot out, it is always a big training test to get them to listen and keep them listening on course.”

—JACQUIE CHEIKHA

Cheikha and her trainer David Bustillos of Durango Farms (left) at the Desert International Horse Park, where she showed her Mexican-bred warmblood mare Quinarita

A NEW CHALLENGE

Everything changed for Cheikha when she was 13. After the horse she was riding bucked in a left turn, Cheikha fell hard. She landed on her ankle, which buckled, rolled, and fractured her fibula. Through many doctors and tests, they found she had broken her growth plate and tore her tendon. This triggered excruciating nerve pain. It took a while to get the diagnosis, and in the meantime, she was aggravating her nerve pain, making every step she took feel like she was breaking her foot all over again.

But it didn’t keep her off a horse. Cheikha continued to ride without a stirrup, tack walking in her cast. Spending time completely away from horses simply was not an option. During the process of obtaining a diagnosis, her pain would move around, so finally a doctor injected novocaine to start blocking individual nerves, not unlike diagnosing a horse. Finally, after many attempts, one nerve was injected and it turned out to be the right one. The nerve stopped firing and she was able to run for the first time in her life. This freedom was temporary, as the novacaine wore off, but knowing the exact nerve helped assist with treatments, optimal orthotics, and future options for relief.

During this time, Cheikha became more aware of her differences from other riders. With knees that point straight ahead and feet that turn in, Cheikha’s hips sit unevenly, causing back pain. At horse shows, she was unable to traverse the uneven footing, walk in the schooling ring, or walk or her course in the show ring. Cheikha knew that she had to come to terms with having a lifelong disability, and figuring out how she would adapt.

But it was impossible to ignore feeling different at the horse shows. “People would tell me that people felt bad for me and I wasn’t actually a good rider. That’s all I have ever wanted to be, so it really hurt,” says Cheikha. She was battling depression and anxiety inside, alongside all the struggles she faced on the outside. People started to make comments to her parents and trainer as if they were doing something wrong.

But everyone on Cheikha’s team rallied to make adaptations. Bustillos was the first to tell her to stop walking her courses. Mimicking a horse’s longer stride on course walks was causing much of the pain, so they decided to

“I’ve ridden many of Jacquie’s horses and they are challenging for anyone to ride. It is very impressive the way she has adapted to ride very fast and strong horses.”

—KAITLIN CAMPBELL, GRAND PRIX RIDER

save her strength for the show ring. Bustillos walked the courses instead, and explained every step to her back in the golf cart. He drove her around the ring to visualize any tricky spots. Everything became about saving Jacquie’s leg for the show ring.

When Bustillos couldn’t make it to the ring in time, Cheikha’s brother Jaden would walk the course and give her his notes. Sometimes he carried her piggyback around the coursewalk and around all the tight turns so she could visualize herself riding it. She kept improving, often warming up without her left stirrup, and always needing to be carried off her horse after a ride. Stewards would ask if something was wrong or needed to be reported.

THE WINNING MINDSET

Jacquie started going to biofeedback therapy and learning to compartmentalize her pain. Her riding soared and she started moving up through the ranks quickly. She realized her mental game in managing nerves and pain was crucial to achieving her goals.

“I’ve ridden many of Jacquie’s horses and they are challenging for anyone to ride. It is very impressive the way she has adapted to ride very fast and strong horses,” says Grand Prix rider Kaitlin Campbell.

While she’s persevering through so much already, Cheikha has set a high bar for the future—she wants to go to the Olympics. She wants to compete

with the best of the best of all riders. She believes in her grit and ability to fight her way to the top of the sport, no matter what she has to face or how much pain is required to reach that goal. She wants to be a role model for all riders and help people conquer their roadblocks. She wants people to know how much their words can hurt or help a situation. She wants to be the future of our sport.

“People will ask me if I magically woke up without CP or the limp or pain, how I would feel? And I think I would be disappointed because it’s so much a part of me,” says Cheikha. “I’m proud of who I am and proud of what I have put in to accomplish.”

Cheikha struggles to get a horse to move off her left leg due to her limitations, so she works hard in training to teach the horse to be responsive to her hands

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT JACQUIE

DAVID BUSTILLOS, JACQUIE’S TRAINER: I watch horses for months or even years to select them for Jacquie—they have to be so specific and it is a lot of responsibility for them. They have to be willing and love to jump and strongly take her to the jump. She does everything she can and I need them to be strong themselves; they can’t be horses who need leg or stick or encouragement to do their jobs.”

“Some people question if she should be riding with all the pain, but if any of my students have that fight in them, who am I to take it away?”

—DAVID BUSTILLOS, TRAINER

FADI CHEIKHA, JACQUIE’S FATHER: Jacquie’s courage is different. I grew up in Lebanon throughout the war and I’ve never seen anything like it. She has a love affair with those horses and her determination surpasses any pain. She has no fear of the horses, the jumps, or the pain that is coming. She rides because she loves it. Nothing else exists to her. With all my kids, I have tried to instill that dreaming big isn’t big enough. Jacquie dreams bigger than big.”

“There was never any fear; she gravitated towards every horse.”

—KIM CHEIKHA, JACQUIE’S MOTHER

YETI & THE MARINE

How a mustang headed for slaughter bonded with a wounded veteran— and may help many more

WORDS: ELIZABETH JANOSKI PHOTOS: CRISTIN KEIMIG

CRISTIN KEIMIG was searching for a mustang, but the first of the horses milling about in a Texas kill pen that caught her eye was a 20-yearold quarter horse mare. The undernourished mare—who would eventually be named Stella— was carrying a foal, and a little thirteen-year-old mustang mare was by her side, having bonded closely to Stella for protection from larger horses that didn’t allow her to eat.

“We’ll take her too,” Cristin said quickly. Her journey with mustangs had begun by sending both mares to quarantine for thirty days.

Near the end of the quarantine period, when Cristin visited Stella and the little mare she named Bindi, a white gelding caught her eye. Cristin was told that the gelding had been through quarantine. The owner refused to take him when it was realized he was not a quarter horse but a twelve-year-old mustang who had been captured two years previously in the Modoc (California) National Forest.

Jordan gave Yeti the time and space the mustang needed to learn to trust him

LOWER LEFT: Stella dotes on Cristin’s granddaughter

During the intervening two years, the horse had acquired a BLM freeze brand, three different ranch brands, and an attitude that endeared him to no one. He was now out of opportunities and headed for slaughter. Cristin studied the gelding for a long moment, deeply moved.

She knew someone else with an attitude.

“We’ll bring him home too,” she said. And she named the gelding Yeti.

Gelded very late at ten years old, Yeti continued to exhibit stallion behaviors and was difficult, to say the least. Upon arrival at the small Missouri farm Cristin and her husband had established, Yeti immediately headed to the far end of the pasture and stayed there, except to come in for a feed.

Though no longer in competition for food, Bindi continued to stay close to Stella. Wild horses “are always going to stay mentally frozen where they

were when they were captured because they’ve been taken away from their natal bands and had no chance to mature,” Cristin tells The Plaid Horse.

Bindi was a blessing to Stella. The aged mare had been starved prior to being rescued, and her premature foal did not survive. While Stella didn’t have a foal, there was a daughter figure at her flank. Cristin and her family were heartbroken over the loss of Stella’s foal. Still, soon, there was a joy to be found in the relationship developing between the mistrustful Yeti and Cristin’s son, Jordan, an infantry Marine veteran who had been badly injured and awarded a disability discharge.

Jordan continued to fight back against his injuries, but he experienced a major setback when helping his parents clear a brush pile left by the previous owners of their farm. Jordan suffered 2nd degree burn injuries on his face, neck, and one arm, totaling 25% of his body when an old gas can, buried unseen in the debris, exploded. After being released from the Burn ICU, Jordan’s days were filled with nothing but pain and physical therapy.

Until he began to visit Yeti’s paddock.

“Yeti is still the hyper-observant wild stallion even though he is gelded,” Cristin says. “He immediately noticed that Jordan had a burn compression bandage on his arm.” Cristin was amazed to see Yeti approach with what looked like curious concern. Jordan remained calm, believing Yeti was no threat to him. He began to spend two to three hours a day hanging around the paddock, getting Yeti accustomed to his presence and his voice. Yeti slowly began to trust again as the days passed, and he opened to Jordan. They have bonded to the point where Yeti rushes to the fence when he hears Jordan’s truck coming. Jordan can easily groom and handle him, and they are working through the major issues Yeti has with being saddled.

For Cristin, being able to ride Yeti was never the end goal, though she hopes he might be willing to carry a pack. More importantly, she says, “There is a lot of parallel healing happening

between Yeti and Jordan. Yeti is a warrior too. He understands what Jordan has been through. Jordan saw beyond Yeti’s exterior, and Yeti felt Jordan’s need for connection and healing. The bond was instant and lasting. Yeti is now registered in Jordan’s name. He is officially Jordan’s horse, but that was established long before they ever met.”

Cristin is familiar with the politics behind the management of wild horses and with the debate over bailing horses from kill pens. “You do become part of the problem when you take from kill pens because it inflates the prices and pads the kill buyer’s pockets,” she says. However, she did pull Stella, Bindi, and Yeti, and she has contributed to bailing

when the fundraiser was someone she could trust. “There are so many like Bindi out there,” she says. “I have to go with my heart, with what I can sleep with at night, and with what I can afford.”

Cristin is hoping that her horses will help to heal other veterans. As an RN with 28 years of experience in quality improvement/outcomes-based performance improvement programs, Cristin wants to establish an equine program for veterans with PTSD in her area. Meanwhile, she has welcomed two other veterans to The Red Farmhouse to spend time with Stella and Bindi.

“They will be coming out just to enjoy this space for now,” she says, adding that she hopes a program will grow into more with their guidance. Equineassisted therapy programs (EAP) for post-traumatic stress disorder have become an increasingly recognized treatment for veterans who often resist traditional therapeutic programs.

You can learn more about EAP therapy programs across the United States at https://pathintl.org/find-a-program/

ABOVE: Cristin and Bindi on their first ride BELOW: Many patient hours of companionship built a bridge of trust between Yeti and Jordan

“There is a lot of parallel healing happening between Yeti and Jordan. Yeti is a warrior too. He understands what Jordan has been through ... The bond was instant and lasting.”

—CRISTIN KEIMIG

THE FIRST KENTUCKY DERBY:

Thirteen Black Jockeys, One Shady Owner, and the Little Red Horse That

Wasn’t Supposed to Win

By Mark Shrager

Reprinted with permission from Eclipse Press

TO SAY THAT ARISTIDES BEGAN his two-year-old season inauspiciously would have been understating the matter.

The consensus was that the son of the imported English stallion Leamington and the Lexington mare Sarong was an exceptionally well-bred colt, and also a fine-looking one, a bright red chestnut with a prominent star in the center of his forehead. “Not a large horse,” wrote racing executive and historian Walter S. Vosburgh in 1922, but “exquisitely moulded [sic].”

But then, every winning racehorse looks exquisite. The crucial issue is the one that has attached to every goodlooking and well-bred thoroughbred since people began using horses for sport: Can it run? Fortunately, after a handful of losses, the little red colt figured things out. Yes, Aristides could run. Again quoting Vosburgh, “Aristides improved with age.”

He also improved with distance. He would conclude his career with just one win in seven races of less than a mile, but eight in fourteen at eight furlongs or further, with a real possibility that some of the losses might have become wins under different circumstances. It is known that owner H. Price McGrath, who viewed races as contests to be won by the thoroughbreds in his stable—unless he could realize more profit by wagering on another horse— occasionally directed Aristides’ jockeys to lose purposely with the colt.

McGrath’s trainer, Ansel Williamson, surely recognized that Aristides would improve as he raced longer distances, and during the early months of the 1874 season would have advised McGrath to enter his two-yearold colt in sprints strictly as training runs. It was Williamson, after all, who watched Aristides work out daily at McGrathiana, and could observe his strengths and weaknesses firsthand. After decades as a trainer, working for men who wagered assertively on their thoroughbreds, Williamson knew only too well that McGrath would have treasured closely held insider knowledge. And with his vast store of experience and expertise, Williamson was an ideal conduit for the information McGrath craved.

Aristides was ready to race in early May, a time when distance races for two-year-olds were nearly nonexistent. Williamson must surely have recommended that McGrath keep his wallet in his pocket until the distances increased, and perhaps McGrath even paid attention. Williamson’s wisdom on the issue became clearer as the early racing season progressed, and Aristides gained conditioning while absorbing a string of defeats.

The little red colt was sent postward for the first time on May 12, 1874, in the second of just two races on that day’s card at the Lexington Association track. While in retrospect the future Kentucky Derby winner’s initial start was an event of historic importance, Aristides’ performance in the four-furlong dash was not the sort that would have left the crowd buzzing in awe as they exited the premises at the close of the abbreviated afternoon. If they were buzzing about anything, in fact, it would have been the day’s other race.

In the day’s first contest, future Hall of Famer Tom Bowling, another member of the powerful McGrath stable, had faced a single opponent, a runner called Jean Valjean in honor of the protagonist of author Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, and had run his

BOOK EXCERPT

overmatched rival into the ground with a 1:41 opening mile, a brazen display of speed that was at the time the fastest eight furlongs ever recorded.

Tom Bowling, offered as the 1-to-5 favorite if one could locate a bookmaker willing to accept the wager, went on to complete the mile and-a-half in a record-setting 2:34, winning by what was estimated to be “at least three seconds”—fifteen lengths or more—but Tom Bowling’s speedy circuit of the Lexington oval was not yet complete.

Strictly to satisfy their curiosity as to just how fast Tom Bowling was, McGrath and Williamson had received the judges’ permission to continue Tom Bowling at racing speed for an additional half-mile and receive an unofficial clocking. The colt flashed past the two-mile mark in 3:27, which would have qualified as another world’s record if the sport’s rules allowed multiple records from a single run. In 1877, Ten Broeck would be

credited as the two-mile record holder with a time of 3:27, from a flying start, at Louisville, a faster track than the one at Lexington. Tom Bowling’s torrid sixteenfurlong run would have been a tough act to follow for a collection of unknown two-year-olds racing a half-mile in the day’s next race.

The crowd had sent Aristides postward as the betting favorite in his first effort, but back-to-back wins were denied the orange and green McGrathiana silks when a chestnut filly called Leona swept instantly to a two-length lead that she held throughout, completing the halfmile in :49, said by some to be the fastest time ever recorded for the distance (the Lexington course was obviously playing fast that day). Aristides finished second, about two lengths behind in the field of nine colts and fillies, earning his owner a check for $50.

Although the fact that Aristides was the wagering favorite suggests that

McGrath had some involvement in the public betting pools, it is impossible to know to what extent he had backed his colt, for there is no record of the wagering on the race, and McGrath, choosing (as would any professional gambler) not to divulge such privileged information, was not saying.

But one can only imagine that McGrath finished the Lexington meeting a happier and wealthier man. On Monday, May 11, his three-yearold Aaron Pennington had won the Phoenix Hotel Stakes and his mare Jury had taken the second race of the two-race program. On May 12, Tom Bowling had run Jean Valjean into the ground. Jury had come back to win the second race on May 13, and another McGrath runner, Lucy Jackson, had carried McGrathiana’s colors to a victory over hurdles in the first race on May 14. Aaron Pennington returned to the races on May 16 and could manage only

a third-place finish, but by this time, McGrath should have been awash in freshly earned currency.

The purse money won in these efforts was anything but incidental, but for McGrath the game was about winning wagers, and here was a nearly perfect weekend, one in which almost every McGrathiana entrant sent postward enhanced the owner’s bankroll. And although McGrath’s chestnut twoyear-old Leamington colt had run only second, McGrath and Williamson had sent him out with almost no expectation of victory. Aristides had shown ability,

which was all that could be asked of a first-time starter competing under unpromising conditions.

Following the colt’s hopeful first effort, Aristides and the other members of the McGrath string—among them superstar Tom Bowling and Aristides’ fellow two-year-olds Calvin and Chesapeake—journeyed to New York’s racing showplace, Jerome Park, for the upcoming race meeting. The group reached the elegant racetrack on May 23—and McGrath and Williamson were, if the press was to be believed, thrust immediately into a crisis.

“Aristides,” newspapers reported, “injured himself on the way to the Park by backing against and kicking the wagon, by which his hocks [the portion of the hind legs that readers would probably describe as the knees] were injured very badly, and it may retire him from the turf for some time.”

This proved to be an exaggeration, perhaps even one that McGrath or Williamson fed to the press—who else would have bothered?—in the hopes of improving Aristides’ odds when he next raced. Whatever the source of the incorrect report, however, on a brilliantly sunny June 13, 1874, just over two weeks following his alleged injury, Aristides was one of fifteen runners lined up for the inaugural running of the Juvenile Stakes, an event that would remain a fixture on the New York racing calendar until 1984, when the first edition of Breeders’ Cup brought about a number of changes to the stakes schedule.

designed tool to move heavy rubber

The large teeth on the trigger provide

grip on even the wettest of mats. Best yet, it self adjusts to fit all styles and sizes!

But then, every winning racehorse looks exquisite. The crucial issue is the one that has attached to every good-looking and well-bred thoroughbred since people began using horses for sport: Can it run?

From The Plaid Horse managing editor Rennie Dyball, a picture book that encourages kids to accept and celebrate ALL bodies …

Rennie is the co-author of Show Strides with Piper Klemm, competes in the adult amateur hunter and equitation divisions, and is a passionate believer that all bodies are good bodies.

$17 HOUR

A RANGE OF

BY THE NUMBERS: JUMPER STARS

The following riders have crossed $10,000,000 of prize money as of this issue printing

$10 MILLION+ EARNERS

LIFETIME MONEY EARNED JUMPER STANDINGS

SOURCE: USHJA index

McLain Ward $48 MILLION

Kent Farrington $24 MILLION

Beezie Madden $22 MILLION

Margie Engle $21 MILLION

Kristen Vanderveen $17 MILLION

Shane Sweetnam $17 MILLION

Aaron Vale $17 MILLION

Todd Minikus $17 MILLION

Laura Chapot $16 MILLION

Sharn Wordley $15 MILLION

SUPERSTAR

Aaron Vale’s $17,000,000 in winnings are likely much higher due to the number of Grand Prix classes he won at World Equestrian Center before it was a sanctioned venue. In March 2023, he won the $100,000 CaptiveOne Advisors Grand Prix at WEC Ocala with Prescott.

Tracy Fenney $14 MILLION

Daniel Bluman

$13 MILLION

Richie Moloney $12 MILLION

Andy Kocher* $12 MILLION

Laura Kraut $12 MILLION

Charlie Jayne $11 MILLION

Nayel Nassar $11 MILLION

Paul O’Shea $11 MILLION

Lauren Hough $10 MILLION

* Currently on 10-year suspension

PHOTOS: ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY (VALE);

“I believe we can change our sport. I believe that we can be a part of something absolutely unbelievable if we all work together... I think you have to envision what you want the sport to be. And I think that we all have that capability to change things and make little adjustments that eventually turn the sport into what we’d like to see it be down the road.”

—GEORGY MASKREY-SEGESMAN, Whitethorne LLC

The Flying Horse Book Release Party

MANHATTAN SADDLERY, NEW YORK, NY MARCH 15, 2023

IT WAS A NIGHT OF horses in the city for author Sarah Maslin Nir, who signed copies of her new book The Flying Horse at New York City’s only tack shop, Manhattan Saddlery. The event featured a therapy pony named Frisbee from the Bronx Equestrian Center and benefitted GallopNYC, a non-profit providing therapeutic horsemanship programs for people with developmental, emotional, social and physical disabilities, along with mounted and ground-based opportunities for veterans.

PHOTO GALLERY

1 Sarah Maslin Nir and Frisbee • 2 GallopNYC executive director Marcos Stafne, board president Saul Reischer, and former executive director James Wilson • 3 Maslin Nir and Command Sergeant Major Sa’eed Mustafa • 4 Ally Boxer, Rebecca Enslow, Netta-Lee Lax, and Leah Epstein • 5 Dante Asher and Frisbee • 6 Maslin Nir and The Plaid Horse managing editor Rennie Dyball

PHOTOS: SARAH SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos by Carmen Elisa Franco

If You Could Choose...

If you could choose any professional to ride your horse and compete up the levels, who would you choose and why? Here are some highlights from our adult amateur community discussion on Facebook…

Meredith-Michaels Beerbaum in showjumping. She is such a strong and strategic yet gentle rider, and her rideability and control between the fences is what sets her apart. It’s also important to note that she’s big on horsemanship which I think sometimes gets lost in the craziness of GP.

—CELESTE VIVIAN

John French was the fi rst one that came to mind for me! He’s produced some lovely hunters and makes it look so easy.

—KRISTINA EVANS

Would love to see Tori Colvin on my Hunter. Every horse just seems happy when she rides them and she has such a lovely way of getting the best out of every horse she’s on.

—JENNIFER ELLIS FORLIZZI

I’d like to see Skylar Wireman on my jumper mare…

—KIM ROSSI HAHN

My trainer Sarah Barge for both hunters and jumpers—not only is Sarah an incredible rider/trainer, she puts the horse’s experience first always!

—DEB BANNON

Definitely Peter Wylde in just about any horse sport—his feel, empathy for the horse and complete package skills on and off the horse cannot be beat!

—LILLI BIEDERMANN

PHOTO: ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY (WIREMAN

Our PLAID HORSE ADULT AMATEUR LOUNGE on Facebook is 8,000 members strong. Come join us!

For dressage, I love Stephen R. Hayes. Eventing, I have to say Boyd Martin, although Pippa Funnel was my favorite as a child and still holds a special place in my heart!

—NICHOLE REBELO

Candice King. Her empathy is incredible she really focuses on getting into horse’s brain and figuring out what makes horse tick and then do best.

—KRISTIN DARBEE

McLain Ward, easy! I am obsessed with mares and I think he has such a way with harnessing their opinionated nature using kindness and teamwork. He also acknowledges how grateful he is for horses, and to me that is #1!

—MAGGIE CARTY

NICK HANESS. ANY DIVISION AT ANY TIME!

—KRISTIN REDIEHS-SALAZAR

Elisa Wallace (because of her experience with Mustangs and her ability to give sensitive horses confidence) or Margie Engle because she is my childhood idol and she is short like me and could ride my pony. She had a quiet yet confident way about her riding.

—CATHERINE BROWN REUS

McLain Ward… he is the best example of how equitation is critical and rides his 1.6 m like a Maclay course.

—HAYLEY S. KOLAR

How Do Course Designers Prepare for Their Assignments?

Renowned course designer Alan Lohman shares how he sets courses at home—and at the biggest shows in the country

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED what fuels a course designer’s creativity? Where do they get their ideas for the wide array of hunter, jumper, and equitation courses that they design at any given show throughout the year? Do they experiment with innovative jump materials ahead of time? Do they mimic ring dimensions at home to see how different paths will be perceived by riders and horses at the show?

For course designer Alan Lohman, a large outdoor ring plus an indoor arena serve as his “laboratory” right at his own farm. With a clientele of hunter and equitation riders of all levels at Lohman Stables in Poolesville, MD, Lohman can give future course elements a “test drive” with horse and rider combinations at home before he presents them to exhibitors at the shows where he serves as course designer.

What might seem like similar rings at different show venues across the country is actually an optical illusion, Lohman tells The Plaid Horse. There is no “one size fits all course” that designers can rinse and repeat from week to week.

Factors such as ring shape, slope, and size; class specifications; horse and rider education level; footing material used; and, oh yes–the weather–all bear a lot of weight in a course designer’s plans.

DOING HIS HOMEWORK

“It’s nice to be able to come up with course tracks and design elements from my experience of training riders and horses of varying levels,” says Lohman. “My outdoor

ring at home is large enough that I can manipulate its dimensions to see how tracks will ride in some of the smaller rings I have to work with at shows.”

Having designed courses at many of the top show facilities in the country (among them: Devon, The Hampton Classic, Harrisburg, Washington International, and USHJA International Derby Finals), Lohman is familiar with the dynamics and nuances that almost any ring can present. But that doesn’t dampen his enthusiasm for always wanting to try out new and different course components each year at any given horse show.

“I am very lucky to live in an area where I have access to many types of jump-building material,” he says. At derby finals or a major equitation final, “I can play around at home with materials to see how the ideas I conjure up in my head will look aesthetically,” says Lohman.

“Sometimes my ideas work out, and sometimes they don’t. But it’s nice to know what won’t work before I get my heart set on making it happen at the show.” For major events, Lohman is able to work with show management ahead

of time to know what materials will be available for him to use in the ring. Sometimes, he will work with an assistant course designer or an individual who aids in ring décor.

Lohman adds, “My experience as a course designer over the years, as well as my experience riding and training, have helped me set appropriate courses for different classes and shows.”

HOW DOES THE HORSE SEE THE JUMPS?

Knowing how horses perceive different types of jump material and where horses might anticipate challenges in the ring, helps Lohman design very exhibitor and horse-friendly courses—something he’s well known for doing.

“Horses tend to jump solid, sturdy objects well – such as walls, logs, and straw bales. Horses like the fuzzy,

green rails because they appear more substantial than typical jump rails,” says Lohman. “On the other hand, delicate jumps such as split rail jumps or airy jumps don’t tend to bring out a pretty jump from a horse.”

Lohman also notes that jump color plays an important part in where an obstacle is placed in a ring. “A white vertical heading towards a white wall of an indoor will cause challenges for horses,” says Lohman. “I try to make sure there’s plenty of color contrast when possible.”

PREPARING FOR THE SHOW RING AT HOME

“It’s always a good idea to practice different tracks with simple ground poles. You can accomplish a lot without putting wear and tear on your horse,” says Lohman.

As for jump elements, he adds, “With access to a Michael’s craft store or Home Depot, you can create pretty much any type of jump or decoration for your home ring that you might see in the show ring.”

“A course designer who is out to set traps or tricks for riders and horses is not a true horseman. I want to bring out the best in horses and riders,” says Lohman. “I also want exhibitors to feel that I set fair courses for the questions that class specifications require me to ask.”

THE EXPERT

ALAN LOHMAN

Alan Lohman started his hunter/jumper business Lohman Stables Inc., in 2004, in an effort to help riders and horses of all ages to excel in the show ring. Lohman graduated from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) with a business degree. After riding as a junior with Carolyn Krome and Ken Krome at Persimmon Tree Farm in Westminster, MD, Lohman became their assistant trainer, preparing him to start his own training, showing and sales business. Lohman has his “R” judging card in Hunters and Equitation, and is among the top course designers in the country. He has qualified numerous horses, ponies and riders for USEF Pony Finals, USHJA Junior Hunter Finals, Devon, Pennsylvania National, Washington International, and The National Horse Show, as well as many local and national medal finals.

PHOTOS: COURTESY ALAN LOHMAN; SHAWN MCMILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY

“Horses tend to jump solid, sturdy objects well–such as walls, logs and straw bales.”

—ALAN LOHMAN

DEVON HORSE SHOW COMING

ISSUE

DEADLINE: APRIL 28, 2023

“Physical attributes can help your riding, but they are not necessary…Even if you are not the ‘ideal’ body type, take heart. In my experience, good equitation is never impossible.”

—GEOFF TEALL

It Happens!

NICOLE MOTES

I was showing a young horse in Florida and she finally took a deep breath on course. Then, as I was coming to the outside line, a huge tree branch snapped and fell behind her. She spooked and ran—understandable. I circled back to the jump and there was a large bird sitting on the standard. Then it flew alongside us for the rest of the course!

It was a string of bad luck that kept getting worse. A squirrel ran out from a jump while we jumped it in that round, too. It was like all of nature ganged up on us!

Luckily, the horse doesn’t have a fear of birds in the show ring today. I’m not sure I can say the same.”

CATIE STASZAK

In 2019, I spent nine straight weeks on the road working in four different countries, from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, and Switzerland. When I returned home to Castlewood Farm, there were at least a halfdozen horses I didn’t know.

Susan Tuccinardi and Alan Korotkin were at the show, and a note was left for me that I could ride Magic. I had never met Magic, but I understood that he was a tall dark bay gelding that had just returned to the barn off a lease. I located a horse that met the description, tacked him up and had a lovely ride. I brought him back to the barn, and the veterinarian arrived, looking for another new horse named Kelli. ‘There he is,’ she said, pointing to the horse I had just ridden. Oh no. ‘Are you certain this is Kelli?’ I asked. Unfortunately, her answer was yes.

So, I proceeded to ride Magic again—this time, the real Magic. I was the brunt of barn jokes for the next week.”

PHOTOS: SHAWN McMILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY; ANNE GITTINS PHOTOGRAPHY

Hear more It Happens moments on the #Plaidcast at theplaidhorse.com/listen

We all make mistakes. But horse people, as a group, aren’t always the best at handling them. So TPH reached out to some top riders to share their own show ring bloopers to prove, once and for all, that mistakes really do happen to the best of us!

KIRSTIE DOBBS

As a working amateur rider who lives in Massachusetts—but whose barn is in Indiana—time in the ring with my horse is very precious. This past summer, I was showing at the Traverse City Horse Show. I rarely get to see my parents, so they made the six-hour drive to watch!

The horse I was showing was semi-retired at the time, and she only showed in one class the entire horse show—the National Derby. My mare was beautifully turned out, thanks to our amazing grooms Jose and Will Castillo. We have been showing together for about six years in the jumpers, equitation, and hunters and we absolutely love each other.

I remember galloping to the last jump and feeling a sense of joy and accomplishment as we came into our finishing circle…but there was no score. And why did my trainer have a pained look on her face? Turns out that in my excitement to head into the ring, I completely forgot the first jump of the course and confidently headed straight to jump two.

The judges were kind enough to let me finish without saying a word. About 20 horses had gone ahead of me, and I had watched plenty of rounds. There was no excuse, just brutal acceptance of the fact that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it happens.”

JESSI LOHMAN

Addison is the ‘family horse’ for my husband Alan and myself. In 2022, Washington started off great for Addison, winning the High Performance Conformation Stake with Alan, and I got a third over fences in the Older 3’6” Amateurs and a good hack prize.

The second day for the Amateurs started with the handy. Things were going just fine, then I pop chipped into the two-stride right in front of the judges so badly that I had to circle out. I was mortified.

I typically ride with Chris Wynne, but he wasn’t able to be there that day, so he handed training duties over to Jack Towell. Poor Jack. We warmed up well for the Stake class, but I still wasn’t really speaking. As we walked down the ramp, I just nodded my head respectively as Jack would ask me questions or give instruction. And then Addison and I walked in the ring and had our best trip to date, resulting in another third. Jack breathed a gigantic sign of relief and was still whooping and clapping as we walked out of the ring.

So, Washington will go down as an 87-40-88 for me. But as my father has always said, ‘Horse showing is all about peaks and valleys.’ Those were extreme peaks and valleys at Washington last year!”

THE SPORT HORSE PROBLEM SOLVER:

WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN’T, AND HOW TO MAKE IT ALL BETTER

By Eric Smiley, FBHS

Reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books

INTRODUCTION Finding a Place to Start

When I teach, people seldom say to me, “I have a lovely trot, can you help me make it better?” The focus is usually on their problems: “Why does my horse knock rails?” “Why is my horse’s neck so short?” “Why can’t I score higher than a ‘6’ on my canter?” And on it goes.

The unfortunate fact is, solutions are not easy to come by. Why? In part, because everything having to do with horses and riding is so complex. Problems cannot be viewed in isolation—they are by nature inter-related, and thus, it’s sometimes difficult to know where to start.

Some problems have physical origins. In order to develop a keen sense of what is “normal” and “abnormal” behavior from our horses (so we can pinpoint when injury or a conformational flaw may be in play), we must cultivate the crucial skills of looking at and watching our horses (the topic I cover in chapter 1).

More frequent, however—and sometimes trickier to solve—are problems originating from errors in training. In many of the cases I encounter in my teaching and training, the baggage that follows a horse on his journey through life isn’t his fault through his breeding or nature; it is actually something he picked up along the way in his training. Often, these little problems that occupy much of our time have been there for a while and were never identified or resolved when a young horse was being started. Of course, sometimes we create our own problems, rather than inheriting them from others.

Either way, this book focuses on how to diagnose and address these types of training problems. But before we get into the business of solutions, I want to talk a little bit more about where problems come from and why they are often so difficult to fix. In my experience, it comes down to a lack of understanding—on the rider’s part, the horse’s, the coach’s, or all of the above.

THE GROWING DIVIDE BETWEEN HORSES AND HUMANS

The advent of the technological age has totally changed our lives. It has changed everything about us: the way we live, the way we think, how we interact with people and expect people to interact with us. There is nothing we do today that isn’t affected by technology. And this includes when we go and visit our horse.

Because our way of thinking and

doing has been so changed, it has become harder for us to understand horses and adapt ourselves to their way of receiving information and learning tasks. The gulf between us and them has been growing as technology has become more a part of our lives. This trend, coupled with the education system, has made people more dependent on being fed information than finding it out for themselves.

At the push of a button, we have easy access to information, but this can fool us into the belief that we know more than we do. Our perceived knowledge is way above our actual knowledge—we are instant experts. As a result, we have become less curious.

Yet the horse remains the same, largely unchanged by the evolution of the human species.

We have invented many methods of explanation to try and bridge the gap between horse and rider, including books, videos, articles, clinics, lessons, and technological gizmos. Each of these is used in an effort to make things more clear and to improve our understanding of what we should be doing to make our riding experience more rewarding. But if we don’t grasp how learning happens, how to use these sources, and how the overall picture should look, we will never succeed in fixing what is wrong.

WHEN TRAINING GOES WRONG: THE PROBLEM OF OVERFACING

The development of the mind and body, either human or equine, to

perform at its optimum goes through many stages before it reaches its peak. Along the way, it encounters mental and physical barriers, which must be overcome if it is to be the best it can be. Some of these challenges improve the resolve to succeed, while others leave scars that impede progress or even threaten the realization of the ultimate goal. How do we keep our horses and our partnership with them on the right track?

Education should be an enlightening experience full of understanding, but the success of all forms of education depends on adhering to a progressive system: one step at a time, layer upon layer of information, you build a solid foundation, progress to the next level, and so on. This applies to both physical and psychological challenges, especially in the early years of development. To move from one stage to the next requires a confidence in where you are and a belief that where you are going is within your capabilities. Without this solid base, progress is uncertain. This is true of humans in their education but is even more true of horses whose education is guided by humans.

How often have we heard of parents entering their children for a competition that is above their level with reasoning such as, “It’ll be good for them,” “They will see what the standard is,” “It will show them what to work on” ... only for the child to be knocked out at the first metaphoric hurdle and come home deflated.

On the way home the parent then says, “Don’t worry, it’ll be better next time.”

But the chances are that it won’t be. A marker of failure and for failure has been put in place and that is very difficult to overcome.

Draw the same analogy with a young horse. Move him up in level to gain experience, only to find that

“The most critical years are between four and five and then again when a horse is seven. At seven there is a temptation to think of them as mature and adult. But that would be foolish.”

he knocks fences or has run outs. The marker of failure has been laid down. Or he tries so hard to please and jumps clear, but the next time out he remembers the experience as being unpleasant and performs badly. Now that marker of failure has had a confirmation. Bad news.

This is what’s known as overfacing, a term that is defined as: to intimidate, especially by presenting too great a task or obstacle. Although the word is typically associated with asking a horse to jump something beyond his ability, it can be equally useful when applied to other aspects of training, including groundwork and riding on the flat. It’s crucial, in fact, that we embrace this broader understanding so we don’t become architects of our own problems by pushing a horse too far, too fast. For just one example of the perils of overfacing, consider Thoroughbreds that begin a racing career at age two—those that go on to retire sound in mind and body are in the minority.

Horses are generous animals, constantly curious, and willing to take an interest in most things that are asked of them. Very few are disingenuous, which makes them good students. The key is to stimulate their interest, understand their limitations, and be cautious not to take advantage of their desire to please. In stimulating their interest we must set achievable goals. This is how we create a pathway to learning: with clear, well-planned steps, direction, and plentiful rewards as we go. With interest and achievement much can be done.

These are the fundamentals of Progressive Training.

A YEAR-BY-YEAR BREAKDOWN

Ultimately, the goal of any horse’s journey should be for longevity, in his sport or just in his life as a nice riding horse. Horses that are still competing at the highest level when they are well into their teens tend to have been brought up the correct way.

In simple terms:

• A four- to five-year-old is starting.

• A six- to seven-year-old is learning the mechanics and skills of his trade.

• An eight- to nine-year-old is developing and improving these skills.

• A ten- to fourteen-year-old is in his prime.

• Fifteen years old plus is bonus time.

The most critical years are between four and five and then again when a horse is seven. At seven there is a temptation to think of them as mature and adult. But that would be foolish. This time of life is fragile, as horses are beginning to show what they can do (their potential) but are not yet secure, either physically or mentally. To make a mistake in either physical or mental development can leave scars they may never recover from. However, using this time to consolidate experience, skill, and confidence at the appropriate level will allow horses to learn to believe in themselves and the future.

To purchase your copy of The Sport Horse Problem Solver, visit horseandriderbooks.com/store/thesport-horse-problem-solver.html

of myself, my wife, Elizabeth, and our welcome to Winding Way Farm, Dimples Horse Treats.

Winding Way Farm, horses are our passion. Elizabeth and I come from very different equine backgrounds, we both have enjoyed a love of horses childhood. A love that we now enjoy sharing children. Elizabeth is an accomplished horseman years of show experience with Saddlebreds. myself, I was more of a backyard cowboy until I breeding, training and racing thoroughbred now enjoy breeding Friesian horses together, has horses without treats? Not us!

sampling other horse treats, we decided to create a with healthy ingredients, like ground flax supplement that has anti-inflammatory and promotes overall health), beet pulp, and whole grain. In fact, each Dimple treat teaspoon of ground flaxseed. even better is the irresistible aroma and soft texture that allows medication to be hidden in shape without the horse ever being aware! eliminates the guesswork in administering most medicine. It’s so easy anyone can do it!

perfected the recipe, we began sharing our treats with trainers, veterinarians and horse friends with the challenge to find the one horse resist the great taste and smell of Dimples. received very favorable feedback and decided to treats available to all horse lovers in a reusable pail (about 60 treats).

feel good using Dimples Horse Treats as a aid in giving medication or just a special equine friend will love!

order or leave a comment, visit our website Dimpleshorsetreats.com, or call me at (859) 240-9747.

SHOW STRIDES BOOK 5

PACKER PRESSURE

“CAMERON? Like the Cameron? The barn favorite who wins everything and everyone loves?”

“Yup,” said Tally, laughing at her friend’s wideeyed expression.

“Tally, this is huge!” said Mac, wrapping her friend up in a hug. Mac’s pony, Joey, nudged the girls with his nose, eager to get in on the celebration.

“I know,” said Tally, bending down to unwrap one of Joey’s polos alongside her friend.

“I’ve never ridden a horse this experienced. It’s going to be weird!”

“It’s going to be awesome,” Mac corrected her. Mackenzie (Mac)

Bennett was Tally’s best friend at the barn. At this point, probably her best friend, period. Mac had arrived about a year ago with Joey, a.k.a. Smoke Hill Jet Set, her partner in the Medium Pony Hunter division. When the girls first met, Tally knew next to nothing about the A circuit, having ridden only in the lesson program and at the barn’s in-house schooling shows. Now, Tally had competed several times at rated shows off the property, spectated at Devon and Pony Finals, and spent many sleepovers with Mac watching live streams and replays of the biggest shows in the country. There was nothing she loved more than immersing herself in the world of horses and showing.

“How was your lesson?” Tally asked.

“Great. Really great, actually,” Mac said, rubbing her chestnut pony’s neck. Joey licked Mac’s hand, in case a treat should materialize there. “But Ryan said he wanted to meet with me and my parents tonight, so I’m not sure what that’s about. How was your lesson?”

“It was good, I rode Obie and then I got on Toots because he was being extra spooky for his rider. I wish I’d known it was my last ride on Obie, though…Ryan has a kid who’s going to lease him. I wish I could have explained to him what’s happening. Or something…” Tally paused. “That sounds stupid right?”

Mac shook her head no, her expression serious.

“I’m so excited for Cam, but it’s still a little hard to move on. Remember when I cried in the porta-potties after I saw Goose at a show?” Goose was a green small pony that Tally helped bring along for Ryan. He got sold over the summer and it wasn’t easy seeing him with his new owner at a show back in September.

“Aw, Tal, that’s what makes you so good at this, though. You really love them,” said Mac.

Order your copy at theplaidhorse.com/books or on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)

“And they love you, too.”

“I hope so,” Tally said with a sigh. “And it’s great for Obie to have a person of his own. Ryan told me it’s one of his newer students who’s going to show in the Long Stirrup.”

A gust of wind whipped down the aisle. Joey raised his head on the cross ties and Mac jogged for the doorway.

“Hold on, everybody!” she called to the horses before sliding the big, heavy door closed. The mood on the aisle calmed down within seconds.

Mac disappeared into the tack room and Tally slipped into Cam’s stall. He was already wearing his blanket for the night but she couldn’t

resist a quick goodbye.

“Hi, sweet boy,” she said. Cam turned to face her. His eyes were big and soft. Tally could feel his kindness, just looking at him.

“I can’t believe I get to ride you for a month. Might even be two,” she said, stroking the horse’s neck. Cam wasn’t super tall—probably 15.3 hands or so, Tally guessed—but he was big through his body. She’d seen him around the barn, of course, but she had very little idea of what he’d be like to ride.

Down the aisle, both Tally and Cam heard the unmistakable swish of grain being dropped into a bucket. It was dinner time. Cam turned away from

Tally and stuck his nose in the feed bucket in the far corner of his stall.

“Well, it’s not there yet, buddy,” Tally said laughing. “Are you reminding us where your dinner should go?”

Cam faced her again. Something about his expression, those huge, soft eyes, filled Tally with affection. She didn’t even know this horse yet, but she already felt a fondness for him. Cam nickered and turned his head toward the sound of the feeding crew, heading in his direction.

“Have a good dinner, Cam,” Tally said, giving him one more pat before heading home.

THE PLAID HORSE QUESTIONNAIRE WITH Si a atchf

As a horsewoman, I am most proud of being able to keep a barn full of horses and ponies happy and healthy for so many years. Needless to say, I didn’t achieve that alone. I had great help most of the time and it’s been a team effort.

• I think the biggest misconception about our sport is how many different disciplines there are. I’ve had people ask me more than once if a pony won its race at the show. It can be hard to explain how multi-faceted our sport is to an outsider.

• My favorite part of working ponies was the relationships I formed with the ponies in my care.

• Something I would say ten times a day was “Has anyone seen my phone?”

• My favorite horse book is Equus by Robert Vavra. It’s an incredibly beautiful book of photos of horses taken with beautiful backgrounds.

• My favorite non-horse book is currently the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley.

• The most difficult part of life with horses was how little time there was to do much outside the horse world. I’ve missed many family occasions and vacations, especially in the early part of my working life. But it was usually my choice, I hated to leave the animals!

My favorite part about being a barn manager was the satisfaction at the end of each day when everything was done and the only sound in the barn was the happy sound of munching.

• The most overlooked part of horsemanship can be how big a role a good groom can play in a horse’s life and career. It’s getting better now with a lot more recognition of grooms, especially at the top level, but a good groom at any level is your horse’s best friend and knows if something is wrong before anyone else. • One of the most important tasks in maintaining the well-being of horses and ponies is routine, and then within that, making allowances for individual needs.

• One thing that I did daily for each horse or pony, no matter what, is give them a treat and a pat on the neck.

PHOTOS: RUTHANN SMITH (TOP LEFT: COURTESY SIOBHAN LATCHFORD

Recently retired Barn Manager for Robin Greenwood, GCPonies

FROM LEFT: Latchford at the Washington International in the mid-1990s with Jetsetter and Espresso; Latchford with Etch-a-Sketch; Latchford with donkey Patrick

WOMEN IN OUR SPORT ARE fierce competitors and

On my days off you would find me running, and catching up on housework and laundry! • The key to time management is organization, closely followed by the ability to prioritize. You can’t always do everything every day so you have to have a grasp of what’s important and what can wait. • My favorite part of retirement is going for long walks without time constraints. • If I didn’t work with horses, I don’t know what I would have done! There was never really anything else I wanted to do. • One of the best pony names I’ve ever heard is Teddy Ruxpin.

• My absolute favorite horse show is Jump for the Children Charity Horse Show in Raleigh to benefit Duke Children’s hospital. Apart from being our local venue, the hospitality is great and Joan Petty, who manages the show, makes everyone on the grounds feel welcome. • My motto is “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” • My favorite horse show memory is Jetsetter being champion in the small ponies at Harrisburg with Georgina Bloomberg in 1993. And Centerfield (Bernie) winning the Pony Medal finals in Kentucky with Ada Catherine Hayes in 2017. Both ponies and kids were (and still are) huge favorites of mine! • What I miss most about working with ponies is the day-to-day interaction with the ponies. They have always been my friends and I miss that on a daily basis. And my donkey Patrick!

often have an edge with nervous or tricky horses.

This is a great exercise to help prepare any rider for the show ring. It can be a very mental challenge for riders, and successfully navigating this exercise often gives just the right confidence boost before showing.

2 flower boxes, coops, or roll-tops

This is one of my favorite exercises to help prep riders for the show ring. Two single obstacles without standards—whether it be an 18-inch flower box or 3-foot roll-tops—on the short side of the arena is harder than anything most riders will see in competition. So if you’re able to tackle this bounce with success and confidence, you know that you’re capable of anything.

I also like this exercise because it’s not very difficult for the horse, meaning that you can practice it quite a bit without worrying about undue stress on your horse’s legs. This is more of a mental challenge for riders than anything else. It’s absolutely perfect for riders who tend to get a little anxious and need to feel like they’ve accomplished something.

JUSTINE JARVIS OF HIGHGARDEN FARM IN FREDERICK, MD

Try to set this up along the short side of your arena. Leave enough room between the obstacles and the rail that you can come off the rail in a rollback turn toward the jump. Keep in mind that the closer you stay to the rail, the harder your turn will be.

You can use most any filler for this exercise, whether it’s flower boxes or coops or rolltops. The key is to not use standards.

While this exercise helps teach riders how to ride through a corner and keep their horse straight between their aids, more than anything else it teaches riders to “nerve up” and just do it. And while most riders strive for perfection, I encourage my students to allow themselves to make a mistake—as long as they learn from it on the other side of the mistake.

While it’s nice to have an instructor on the ground, I want my riders to be able to think for themselves and self-critique their own riding. So if you’re working on your own, give yourself a moment after each time through the bounce to ask yourself: What went well? What could have been better? And how could you make it better?

A lifelong horsewoman, Justine has been competing up and down the East Coast for over 30 years, including trips to Devon, Capital Challenge, Harrisburg, and Washington International Horse Show. With experience in the hunters, jumpers, and equitation rings, Justine’s program is well-rounded with students of all ages and levels. While based in Maryland, her team travels extensively and her students have picked up top finishes to earn them trips to Gittings Finals, MHSA Thoroughbred Invitational, Hunter Prix Finals, Devon, and Washington International Horse Show.

Before you even head to your first jump, make sure your horse is listening and turning well. Maybe include some smaller circles and figure eights in your warmup. And remember to keep your expectations in line with your horse’s abilities. My expectations from a green four-year-old are quite different than those from a seasoned campaigner.

If you’ve never done a bounce, you wouldn’t want to start with this exercise. Instead, introduce your horse to bounces in a more traditional format with ground poles and standards, and gradually build it up. Make sure your horse knows what a bounce is before you present him with this “weird” bounce.

Once you are warmed up, start making your plan for your bounces. Remember that successful jumping rounds come from riding straight to your jumps out of good turns at a good pace. Sounds simple, right? But sometimes the simplest things can be the hardest.

When you’ve warmed up and have your plan, simply go directly to your bounces off a wide turn, and then off a short turn. With only two small jumps, there aren’t a lot of steps.

You can play with the distance between the jumps depending on your horse. When you need help slowing your horse down, shorten the distance and teach him the rhythm of the exercise before widening the distance again.

If your horse is ducking to the inside as you come through the turn, it’s likely you’re using too much inside rein and not enough inside leg. If your horse is running to the outside, it’s likely you’re tipping in and not using your outside aids effectively. As I said already, it’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you work to understand why they happened and fix them.

When you want to make this exercise harder, simply make the jumps bigger or narrower. I typically start with obstacles that are 8 feet wide, but you can challenge yourself by using more narrow jumps.

Give yourself a pat on the back when you’ve completed this successfully. If you can turn across the ring and ride into this exercise, you’ll find anything at a horse show easy!

Rizzo McKelvy boasts an extensive career in competitive equestrian sports with a focus on eventing. She has been lucky to ride with a number of accomplished instructors and believes that this has helped develop her into a well-rounded horsewoman. When McKelvy is not on horseback, she manages her own public relations, event planning, and business development service with a team of professional consultants. She and her husband reside in the Washington, DC, area.

Grid Pro Quo is available from Trafalgar Square Books HorseandRiderBooks.com

PHOTO: TARA KATHERINE PHOTOGRAPHY

Margaret

SUMMER HORSE SHOWS ARE

RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

HORSE SHOWS

Select Champions

GARDNERTOWN FARM SCHOOLING SHOW

Gardnertown, NY

MARCH 4, 2023

Pre-Child/Adult Hunter

Kokomo & Julia Diefenbach

Mini Stirrup

Pumpkin & Emmeline Peterson

Beginner Rider

Toasted Marshmallow & Kira Begle

Pre-Children’s/Adult

Equitation

Rocky Road & Avery Rogowski

LUCK O THE IRISH SEASON

OPENER

Georgia International Horse Park Conyers, GA

MARCH 4-5, 2023

Green Hunter First Mate Finn & Ashley Peters

0.80 m Jumper

Cairo & Allison Howard

0.70 m Beginner Jumper Perfekt & Madilyn Holcombe

0.65 m Beginner Jumper Silver Skye & Sallie Sledd

FLYING FOX STABLES SPRING SHOW

National Equestrian Center

Lake St. Louis, MO

MARCH 4-5, 2023

Children’s Hunter

Batman VDL & Eloise Lurk

18" Jumpers

Hummingbird’s Sheeza

Easy Dream & Madison Diebold

Low Ch/Adult Jumper

Reigning in Paradise & Emily Beat

Open Hunter 2'0"

Fenway Sneak a Peak & Stephanie Prince

GREAT SOUTHWEST EQUESTRIAN CENTER WINTER SERIES 4

Katy, TX

FEBRUARY 22-26, 2023

Performance Hunter 3'6"

RVF Titus & Bill McMorris

Green hunter 3'6"/3'9"

MTM Campedu & Kelly Lorek

Amateur Owner Hunter

MTM One Time & Erin Arnold

Large Junior Hunter

MTM Crossed My Mind & Logan Jacobson

For more than 100 years, Garrison Forest School riders have been learning selfconfidence, improving their skills, having fun and making friends through our nationally recognized equestrian programs.

a school horse, it’s my job to teach people how to ride.”

great pride in giving riding lessons, moves to a new barn that’s full of he begins to doubt himself and his world—all while his rider is doing story of self-acceptance and friendages, Good Boy, Eddie captures the we form with animals, and what about ourselves along the way.

GOOD BOY, EDDIE

By Rennie Dyball

Preorder your copy at theplaidhorse.com/books

CHAPTER 1: NEW BARN

Up, FLOP. Up, FLOP. Up, FLOP.

“That’s it, you’re starting to get it: Up, down. Up, down. Up, down. That’s how you post the trot,” says the instructor. “But try to sit more lightly on Eddie and not come crashing down like a sack of potatoes, okay?”

I’m teaching my first lesson at New Barn and things are going pretty well. I am a school horse, and it’s my job to teach people how to ride. The instructor, Melissa (she’s the person who teaches the lesson with me), is standing in the middle of the ring while I trot around her in a big circle. The way my rider flops down in my saddle doesn’t hurt, it’s just a little uncomfortable. But I can tell that she’s new to riding, so it’s fine with me. We go around and around the ring. There are walls on every side to keep the wind out. Wooden beams crisscross the high ceiling and I think I can see some birds’ nests tucked up in the corners. Before I came here to this New Barn, I taught lots of riding lessons at a place much bigger than this one. I was one of about fifteen school horses back at the Old Barn. I had so many riders I

DYBALL EDDIE DYBALL

RENNIE

Good Boy, Good

Boy,

eventually lost count! I really liked it back at Old Barn and I’m not sure why I had to leave, especially because I thought I was good at my job.

My new rider—Melissa keeps saying “Kennedy,” so I suppose that’s her name—was very nice to me in my stall when we were getting ready for the lesson, chatting the whole time. She smelled like soap and flowers. I don’t know exactly what she was talking about, but she had a lot to say. And I was happy to listen.

You might be surprised to know that horses understand about seven to ten spoken words. I call them spoken words, rather than English words, because the people I know speak more than one language. I personally know nine words. But the really great thing is that I don’t need a whole lot of words to communicate with people because I can interpret so many emotions. I get body language, too, and I always know kindness when I feel it. Basically, I understand much more than people think.

The specifics vary from horse to horse, but I personally understand all the following words when they are said aloud by people:

entirety. I love a good boy, Eddie. We walk a lap around the ring before Kennedy steers me to the center. Melissa pats my head. Gallagher, one of the horses who gets turned out in the paddock with me, is also in the ring now. His lesson is about to start. We give each other a look, like a changing of the guard.

It’s his turn now to take care of his rider. I love what I do, but I’m still a bit relieved when the lesson is done. It’s hard work to keep a rider safe. Also, the end of the lesson means I get a nice brushing, and sometimes a carrot.

gripping the saddle with both hands as she allows her body to slink down to the ground. When her feet hit the dirt, she stumbles back a few steps as she regains her balance. I may not be very big for a horse, but it’s a long way down when you’re not very big for a person.

Kennedy gives me a big pat on my neck. It was a good first lesson. Melissa leads me out of the ring, and we walk outside on the way back to my stall. An evening breeze rustles the leaves on the trees all around us. I watch as a few of them float lazily to the ground.

I think I’m going to like this place.

When you take the words that Melissa just said to Kennedy, for example, all I really got out of that was trot. So, I kept trotting. Melissa’s voice also sounded kind and encouraging, which are good signs that I should continue what I’m doing; that I’m helping my rider learn.

As I walk past Gallagher, I wish him good luck. Horses don’t communicate out loud the way people do, but I can hear what other horses are telling me, and they can hear what I tell them, especially once we get to know each other. People don’t pick up on this, of

I also know the meaning of two sounds that aren’t technically words. I know that the clucking sound—when people suck down tight on their tongue and then release it—means to move forward. If I’m already moving forward, then the “cluck” means to go faster. (I’ve come to learn that people can mean more than one thing based on a single sound. It gets a little confusing.) I also know the sound of someone shaking my grain in a feed bucket, which means it’s time to come into the barn to eat.

ALL of us know that sound, even from two paddocks away.

I feel pressure as my rider pulls on the reins, drawing the metal bit back into the corners of my mouth. I slow from a trot to a walk before I even hear Melissa say whoa.

“Good boy, Eddie,” she says with a laugh. Now that, I understood in its

course. If they did, we’d all understand each other with a whole lot less fuss! Horses do “speak” to each other from time to time, but mostly it’s just listening and feeling. If you ask me, I think people could probably benefit from less talking and more feeling.

Horses use our bodies, too, to show what we are thinking. People can usually decipher our body language, if they’re paying attention. Pinned ears means we’re angry, and ears perked forward means we’re concentrating on something. One or both ears cocked gently back means we’re listening.

It all seems much easier than the way people communicate.

Kennedy takes her feet out of the stirrups and swings one leg over the back of my saddle. Melissa is taking her through the steps of dismounting. Next, Kennedy slides down my left side,

Rennie Dyball is the co-author of the Show Strides novel series and managing editor for The Plaid Horse magazine. Rennie grew up riding school horses and now shows on the A circuit in the adult hunter and equitation divisions. She hopes that Eddie will remind readers of all the “schoolies” they’ve known and loved. Learn more about Rennie at renniedyball.com.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE PLAID HORSE AND RENNIE DYBALL

I can interpret so many emotions. I get body language, too, and I always know kindness when I feel it. Basically, I understand much more than people think.