The Standardbred Connection d a
Promoting Pleasure Standardbreds
Inside the November Issue: Side Saddle Judge’s Viewpoint Speed Racking Civil War Standardbreds
The Standardbred a Connection
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November 2015 Edition
Setting the Standards Aside by Stacey Russic
Page 3
2015 National Standardbred Show
Page 6
Essential Elements by Jessica Axelsson
Page 8
Honoring A Hero by Jennifer Singleton
Page 12
2015 Ontario Standardbred Show Series
Page 16
NF Drumroll and Tara Hynes
Page 18
Finding the Gait to Success by Kathleen Haak
Page 19
2015 World Standardbred Show
Page 22
Trail Tails by Jane Lutz
Page 24
The Standardbred Connection is an online magazine dedicated to pleasure Standardbreds who are trotting, pacing or racking though the public eye. Have a story to share? Interested in advertising with us? Visit www.TheStandardbredConnection.com for information. Cover Image: Tribal Dynasty and Stacey Russic
Photo by Sinead Anderson
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s little kids we all chucked a leg over either bareback or in a normal saddle and pretended to ride ‘side saddle’, bouncing all over the shop and sometimes even toppling head over horse, but how many of you have actually pursued this old school art as a modern day discipline? Meet ‘Tribal Dynasty’ or Bailey as he is known to most. The Standardbred best known for his sideways way of going. Bailey is a 15hh, 14 year old gelding by River Khan. He had one trial in harness as a young trotter but alas was too slow to meet success. He passed through a few owners here and there before I purchased him in early 2012. We dabbled in a bit of everything trying to find something he really excelled in. It wasn’t till we started riding aside almost a year later that our journey really began. Riding side saddle had always been something that interested me and was somewhat of a dream of mine but I was sure it didn’t exist anymore, especially in Australia. Oh how I was wrong! I researched everything I could to try and find some existence of it in Australia and slowly the side saddle world unfolded.
Bailey and Stacey came away with Reserve Champion Ridden Standardbred, Reserve Champion Rider, First Rider 25 & Under, 2nd Ridden Male and 3rd Led Male 15.2hh & Under at the Seymour Ag Show. Photo credits: Sinead Anderson
Did you know that there are both English and Western sidesaddles? Charles Goodnight (of the Goodnight-Loving Trail fame) developed a sturdy Western saddle type for his wife in the 1870’s so she could accompany him on cattle drives. Regardless of the style, all ‘modern’ sidesaddles have a fixed pommel and leaping horn. Most sidesaddles have a regular girth, an overgirth that holds the flaps down, and most have either a back cinch or a balancing strap to hold the saddle down in the back and provide additional stability. easy as a normal astride saddle. The tree of the saddle must fit the horse and the length of saddle must fit the riders leg. Custom made is usually the way to go if you’ve got the money but you can get lucky and find something to fit second hand. Minor adjustments can be made with flocking/padding and shims but the closer fit the better and more comfortable ride for horse and human. I was fortunate enough that one of my side saddle friends had a saddle which wasn’t quite wide enough for her ponies but would possibly suit BaiBefore starting Bailey side saddle he wasn’t ex- ley, we gave it a try and lucky enough it was a actly the most educated horse. He could walk and better fit than the current one so off we went again! trot and had a half decent canter (on a good day) and was starting to work into a nice contact. From We compete in every discipline you could imagine the moment the side saddle went on he began to aside. While showing is our main discipline (both excel. The gaits improved and he gained the most Standardbred breed classes and open hunter beautiful uphill canter. It was like he’d done it all classes) we also love to dabble in a bit of dresbefore, possibly in a different lifetime!? Transition sage, show jumping, cross country and we have wise from astride to aside the only real difference recently joined a hunt club and done a few hunts. was teaching him that the whip I would now use There are next to no side saddle specific classdid not mean go faster but was now my right leg. es where I travel for shows so we compete in all of our classes side saddle against everyone else As time passed and Bailey’s education pro- who is riding astride. This can be a massive shock gressed, his body shape started to change (along to some and the reviews are generally mixed. with good pasture and feed of course) which Most people think it’s fantastic but there are those meant he no longer fit into his side saddle any- who think it’s somehow unfair. more. Unfortunately fitting a side saddle isn’t as I happened across a lovely lady who runs a leather business that had a side saddle she had just restored that didn’t fit any of her horses. She agreed to come out and fit the saddle to my horse and if we liked the way of going we could buy the saddle and if not well we could at least say we give it a go. Bailey certainly took to side saddle quicker than I expected (even quicker than myself!) and we soon realised we both had quite a knack for this sideways sport. Safe to say I ended up buying the saddle!
Bailey keeps excelling in the ring and has carried himself to some Champion and Reserve Champion Riddens and almost always carries me to a Champion or Reserve in my rider classes which are always the wins that make me the happiest. To be able to ride in a class of 10 or more people who have a leg on either side and prove that I can ride just as well (if not better) with two legs on the one side is just thrilling! In addition to the many show ribbons, Bailey and myself also won the Standardbred Pleasure and Performance Horse Association of Victorias State Novice Show Jumping Title this year. Our first trophy rug and, of course, it was done side saddle! We currently school around 90cm jumps at home and compete show jumping just under that. The outfit we wear when we compete is called a ‘habit’ which consists of a jacket and apron (skirt). It’s generally teamed with a vest, stock and top hat or bowler but due to association rules I must wear a helmet instead. Bailey wears his side saddle with a sheepskin half pad/numnah and a pelham or double bridle. Aside from competing, Bailey and myself have travelled around to local pony clubs giving side
Stacy and Bailey have joined the Yarra Glen & Lilydale Hunt Clubs for several outings. They also compete in cross-country events.
saddle demonstrations and lessons to their members, all of which are completely shocked when they realise Bailey is a Standardbred. The shock always turns to awe when they see me aboard. We’ve recently led out one of the biggest Harness Racing meets in Australia the ‘Breeders Crown Cup’ as a promotion for life after racing as well as giving a demonstration at a ‘Life After Racing Celebration.’ Cantering side saddle down the home straight of a racetrack with hundreds of people looking on is something I will never forget! My advice for anyone wanting to give this fantastic discipline a go is to contact your local side saddle association/organization and find a qualified instructor or someone with a saddle who would be willing to get you started and help you on your way. It’s certainly a sport I would suggest trying before buying as saddles aren’t cheap and I have known people to really dislike the aside way of riding. All the horses I have started and trained side saddle have been very willing and accepting, more so than their human counterparts at first! There’s no discipline to big or too small, too high level or low that can’t be done side saddle, but the best way to do it is on a Standardbred of course.
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Top Left: Gina Fagliarone and Grab Your Keys won the Fresh Off the Track Undersaddle class. Middle: Berto Adalina and Michelle MacDougall made a striking pair in the Fresh Off the Track classes. The mare was Reserve National In Hand Champion and Champion Mare In Hand. Bottom Left: WV Mountain Mama and Stephanie Jacobs won every speed class they entered and also placed in walk/jog pleasure classes.
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Top Right: Styled N Misty and Nicole Bursac won their JR Equitation classes as well as Puddle Jumpers 2’ Middle: HeavyMetalThunder and Laura Harbour loped their way to wins in Western Pleasure and then switched to win all three of their Dressage classes. Bottom Right: Barbara Matthews and Speedy Jesse rocked the Roadster division. Photos by Vicki Wright
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here are few “truths” on the topic of success in the show ring that are more important for the competitor to know than this - judges are honestly trying to see the best in every turnout that enters our ring! Most judges don’t begin a class by looking for the negative attributes of every turnout, they begin by looking for what is correct and pleasing to the eye. That being said it is also our job to keep our ring a safe and fair place to compete. As a side note competing is not training. There are indeed places to school your horse, such as schooling shows, or beginner classes, but overall competing is about showcasing the training and work you have already done, at home. From a judging perspective it is unfair to your horse and fellow competitors for you to compete an entry that is improperly conditioned or unprepared for the conditions of the show ring. A horse who is not ready to compete can become a distraction for everyone in the ring and in the worst case scenarios they can become a danger to others. The most basic and important thing for a judge is that the entries in any given class are properly fitted and correctly put to the carriage, display the willingness and manners to be a safe driving animal, are reasonably conditioned for their job and follow the requirements of the class. This is before a judge can take in the finer points of the turnout, such as way of going and the driver’s skill. A horse who is not properly put to, or in other words is not safely hooked to the carriage, poses a threat to not only itself and its driver but also all other entries in the ring and potentially even,
spectators. Driving is a wonderful sport and many animals have long and safe careers but without proper diligence it is easy for things to go wrong very quickly. The carriage should be the right size for the horse it is put too. In general the driver’s seat should be level or close to level (a slight angle tipping the driver back is ok, a driver’s seat tipping towards the horse is not correct), the end of the shafts should sit at or just slightly behind the point of the shoulder and the horse should have enough clearance behind his rump to move freely in all gaits without contacting the carriage. If the shafts are too long the horse could be stabbed by the shaft tip in turns and even worse, could potentially get the shaft tip stuck in the bit or bridle. If the shafts are too short there is a risk that they may fall out of the tugs. Gig and Marthon type shafts typically stop well short of the point of the shoulder and have a curve to them.
Left: A properly turned out Panzo Two competes at SPHO of Maine Endless Summer Horse Show. Photo by Robyn Cuffey Top Photo: 6yo gelding Gallymont Nugget and Tania Whiston Ball compete at a Combined Driving Event. Above: An example of how holdback straps attach to the shafts. Courtesy of the Carriage Assoc of America
To begin, in the pleasure class, the horse should be pleasant to drive! The horse’s manners are number one! They must do as their driver asks and do so willingly. This includes standing, backing and moving into the gaits when called. Don’t worry yourself with how quickly you can get into the working trot or how quickly you can get into the slow trot, it is more important that you ask and your horse responses quietly and willingly with in a few strides. Rushing a horse into a transition never makes a pretty picture! Horses who rush off in anticipation or who need excessive coaxing (too much whip, voice, etc.) will not do as well in pleasure as a horse who is ready and willing to do as the driver asks, when the driver asks. Manners are the first thing of importance in a pleasure class but the judge also considers the horse’s way of going. The way of going is very much dependent on the horse and his individual conformation but it is always ideal to see a horse who moves as well as he can for his build and level of training. This means that a horse who is green and just starting is perfectly ok to have his head slightly high
and not using himself as well as he will with more conditioning. Where as a horse who is in an open pleasure class should be steady in the drivers contact, using his back to engage his hind end and cover ground as much as his conformation will allow, and be relaxed in his way of going. Horses who have been taught proper manners and who have a naturally relaxed and forward way of going typically do very well in a pleasure class. Reinsmanship is a test of the driver’s skills and ability to give clear and concise signals to their horse. Reinsmanship is the carriage driving equivalent of an equitation class. In addition to the driver having upright and relax posture they must also be able to communicate with their horse subtly and effectively. Some reinsmanship classes will call for a pattern, often a figure 8 or some version of a test incorporating elements that would also be asked for on the rail, i.e. different trots, halt, rein back, etc. When a pattern is called for it is weighted more heavily than the rail work so it is important that a driver practices patterns and elements that may be included before the show. The driver should be positioned in such a way that he/she can have elastic and steady contact to the horses mouth, a driving whip should be carried (traditionally in the right hand) and the driver should have his or her arms bent allowing the movement of the horse to move their elbows slightly.
Super Reinsmanship Test #1 ADS Rulebook PD-225.4
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Rear Axle
The harness should be in good repair and well fitted to the horse. The breast collar should be above the point of shoulder, but below the windpipe. The breeching should be between the point of the buttocks and the stifle, generally not too high, as it could slip up under the horses tail and not too low, as it could knock the horses hind feet out from under him on downward transitions or down hill. Breeching fit is important; as this is the breaking mechanism used to insure the carriage does not run up the horse’s legs. If breeching is not used the turnout must have some other way for the vehicle to stop before running into the horse. Generally accepted alternatives include thimbles or wrap straps with properly positioned tug stops for lighted vehicles and a brake (although often in addition to breeching not as an alternative) for heavier vehicles. The driving bridle should fit snuggly to prevent it from falling off. A gullet strap is always an acceptable safety addition to a bridle. Once it is established that the horse, carriage and harness are safely put together the judge can actually begin to critique the class requirements. Let’s take a look at the class requirements for pleasure driving and reinsmanship.
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SCORE
An example of a super reinsmanship pattern as promoted by the American Driving Society. A round 20 meter circle is key to many reinsmanship patterns. Enter at Working Trot. At Marker 1, circle left 20 meters. Working Trot to Marker 2, circle right 20 meters.
Halt with the (rear) axle at Marker 2 for 5 seconds. Rein back 4 steps, walk forward until the rear axle is even with Marker 2.
Develop Slow Trot, continue to rail, track left to Marker 3 and continue Slow Trot on diagonal to Marker 4.
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At Marker 4, develop Working Walk, continue to the rail. Track right to Marker 5.
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At Marker 5, develop Strong Trot and continue on the rail to Marker 6.
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At Marker 6, Halt. Salute.
The whip is the driver’s aid that replaces the leg aid when riding. It is an important and useful tool that can help facilitate increased communication with the horse when used properly. The whip is the one aid that I find most often misused and under used by drivers. The whip can help the horse bend, keep the horse from falling out on a circle and also help direct the horse’s impulsion forward. It is essential to know how and when to use the whip in order to excel in reinsmanship. It is also key that the driver maintains steady elastic and following contact with the bit. The reins are essential in the communication with a driving horse and having quiet steady hands is crucial to having a good drive. In reinsmanship the driver is the key
element but not the only element. The horse still must perform the mandatory requirements of the class, and it is important that the driver practices frequently at home so the horse is tuned in and responsive to the aids. The best driver in the world cannot win a reinsmanship test if the horse isn’t trained in how to respond correctly. Together, with practice and good fundamentals every horse and driver can become proficient in the show ring! ***Jessica Axelsson is an ADS R Pleasure Driving Judge, USEF r Carriage Driving Judge and an ADS L Driven Dressage Judge. Jessica was the driving judge at the 2014 National SPHO Show. She is based in New Jersey at Single Tree Stable (www.singletreestable.com)
Driving References Between the Shafts: A Comprehensive Guide to Driving a Single Horse (DVD) with the British Driving Society Drive Smartly, Drive Safely – published by the Carriage Association of America Driving by Anne Norris and Caroline Douglas Driving a Harness Horse by Sallie Walrond Driving Do’s and Don’ts by Sallie Walrond Driving Questions Answered by Sallie Walrond Essential Guide to Carriage Driving by Robyn Cuffey and Jaye-Allison Winkel Guide to Driving Horses by Sallie Walrond Horse & Cart (DVD) with Robyn Cuffey Introduction to Driving by the British Driving Society Learning to Carriage Drive by Minta Winn Make the Most of Carriage Driving by Vivian & Richard Ellis and Joy Claxton Starting to Drive by Sallie Walrond The American Driving Society - www.americandrivingsociety.org Promotes the best interests of driving horses and ponies to carriages both competitively and for pleasure. Includes news, classifieds, competition guidelines and much more. Has a section on their website specificially for beginners. Carriage Association of America - www.CAAOnline.com Founded in 1960, they are the oldest and largest international organization devoted to the preservation and restoration of horse-drawn carriages and sleighs. Their website includes two virtual carriage tours, a driver proficency program, listings of carriage and carriage related supplies. They also have an online bookstore and video rental program. The British Driving Society - www.britishdrivingsociety.co.uk Whatever your interest - pleasure driving or competing, singles, pairs or multiples - The British Driving Society is here to help and encourage you. Our BDS Education Programme proudly offers a wide range of high-quality, nationally-recognised and accredited qualifications which are achievable and, above all, accessible to anyone no matter what type of horse, pony, donkey or mule you own.
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Honoring a Hero
embers of Burroughs’ Battery—a horse-drawn-artillery reenactment unit from eastern Tennessee—recently participated in an event that Steve Cameron called “one of the most gratifying acts” of his life. On September 27, the battery’s six-horse team and caisson conveyed the remains of Alexander Bonnyman to his final resting place.
and 5,000 Japanese personnel. For his valor, Lt. Bonnyman was posthumously presented the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Following the lengthy battle, thousands of corpses were buried quickly and with little or no records as to where they were buried. In 1946, about half of the U.S. remains were found and brought, but many remained. Despite the government’s efforts, Lt. Bonnyman’s remains were never found. His Bonnyman was born on May 2, 1910, and his fam- family was told that the remains were “lost at sea,” ily moved to Knoxville while he was still a baby. and this was inscribed on his tombstone, despite He grew up in eastern Tennessee and, as a young his father’s wishes that his son might be buried man, served briefly in the Army Air Corps. Despite next to him in their family plot. his age and an exemption from military service, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in order to serve Decades later, a private nonprofit organization during World War II. He participated in Battle of called History Flight entered the search to recover Tarawa in November 1943 and was killed leading many of the remains that the U.S. government had his men in an attempt to destroy an enemy forti- not already found. So far on Tarawa, History Flight fication that was the linchpin of the Japanese de- has found 120 sets of remains, including those of fense of the tiny and remote, yet strategic, island. Lt, Alexander Bonnyman and the thirty-five other The 76-hour battle claimed the lives of 1,100 U.S. marines he was buried with.
When this story was reported earlier this year, one of the members of Burroughs’ Battery read about it in the local newspaper, and the battery contacted the funeral home to offer their services to the Bonnyman family. Once the family accepted the offer of the caisson for the funeral procession, the planning began. The Marine Corps also became involved, and battery representatives had several meetings with them; the more planning went on, the larger the funeral became. In the end, the procession included the Marine honor guard, the Marine band, and several other personnel, all in all, eighty-eight marines, plus the battery’s caisson detachment of seven horses and eight men. During the funeral, everyone—horses and people—did an outstanding job. Steve Cameron said, “The horses seemed to know they were doing something special and really give their all. We were behind the procession commander, a Major General, the band, and the honor guard. Following us were the “pall bearers,” and the procession ended with the Medal of Honor flag. Part of the military honors Lt. Bonnyman received was a flyover: this was the only part I was worried about but the horses never batted an eye.” Burroughs’ Battery uses retired Standardbred racehorses adopted from the New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program (www.horseadoption.com) in Ohio. Cameron says that New Vocations has consistently chosen good horses for the battery. His list of requirements includes: gelding, seven to fifteen years old, 15- to 17-hands tall,
calm, willing, and bombproof. Cameron said, “I realize bombproof is an oxymoron [as these are artillery horses], but that is what we are aiming for. We need a horse that is willing to be fifteen yards from a cannon, facing it, while the cannon shoots!” The Standardbreds adopted into the battery are already used to being in harness and pulling. They have been handled every day, trimmed, shod, and trailered. And they are already used to crowds and noises. When a new horse is adopted into the battery, his next round of training involves getting used to cannon fire, battle reenactments, gunfire, and pulling as a team. The style of riding for horse-drawn artillery is postilion, where the driver rides the nearside (left) horse in the pair and directs his pair from his horse. The basis of pulling field artillery is the limber, which is a two-wheeled vehicle that the horses are put to. Attached to the limber, then, can be a cannon, a caisson, a battery wagon, or a traveling forge. All of these pieces of equipment make up the basic unit: a battery. A battery has four to six guns, plus a caisson for each gun, each pulled by a limber and four or six horses. Teams are arranged by their relative position from the limber: with six horses you would have a wheel team [pair] (closest to the limber), a swing team in the middle, and a lead team. Cameron reports, “Our horses have really taken well to being artillery horses, and they seem to like
to work together. We have had great success in training new horses. In these situations, the horses’ herd mentality helps, too, as the horses are close together, which they seem to find reassuring. Putting a new horse in with a trained, calm team also helps the new ones transition quickly.” Steve Cameron is owner of Trail Rock Ordnance—a company that makes reproduction Civil-War-era cannons, limbers, and caissons—and commander of Burroughs’ Battery, a horse-drawn field artillery unit portraying U.S. and CSA artillery during the Civil War. The battery has participated in three military caisson funerals and plans to offer this service to other veterans and enthusiasts as a means of supporting the battery’s rescued hors-
es. The battery is always looking for cannoneers and drivers, as well as other specialists: farriers, blacksmiths, harness-makers, artificers, etc., and people with big trucks who are willing to transport part of this “traveling circus” to events. Burroughs’ Battery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. To learn more about the battery, caisson funerals, or how to “adopt” an artillery horse, contact Steve at akm556@aol.com. Article by Jennifer Singleton Photos by Jeff Shiflett
Save the Date! Saturday, April 23, 2016 The Three Rivers Carriage Club will be hosting
Jessica Axelsson
for a carriage driving clinic in Eighty-Four, PA. Details at www.ThreeRiversCarriageClub.com
Abby, a solid chestnut, has been handled daily but due to her owner's health has not been worked extensively. Has been saddled a few times. She is a blank slate looking for a job. Abby retired after 29 starts as a pacer with a hoof injury in 2012 but is currently sound at the w/t/c with front shoes on. References required, good home a must as she will be sadly missed. Located in Delmont, PA. Papers will NOT go with her, Contact Lisa Fryman at (724) 420-6430
English Performance Walk/Trot Champion Kelly Bryczka / Bel Air Silver Champion Jackie Panko / Double A Victory English Performance Walk/Trot/Canter Champion Michelle Bohrer / Dominant Kemp Silver Champion Jaci Payne / Just Jate English In-Hand Champion Jackie Panko / Double A Victory Silver Champion Kelly Bryczka / Bel Air Over Fences Champion Hillary Lunn / Call to Dance Silver Champion Julia Clark / Chelemark Cam & Emma Christoforou / The Painted Pony (Tied) Equitation Over Fences Champion Emma Christoforou / The Painted Pony Silver Champion Hillary Lunn / Call to Dance Hunter Over Fences Champion Julia Clark / Chelemark Cam Silver Champion Breanna Houben / Blueridge Camotion Walk/Trot Dressage Champion Jaci Payne / Just Jate & Mary Mark / Mademoiselle Mystic (Tied)
Training Dressage Champion Michelle Bohrer / Dominant Kemp Silver Champion Jaci Payne/Just Jate Western Performance Walk/Jog Champion Debi O’Brien-Moran / Calamar Silver Champion Jennifer Graham / Iona Success Western Performance Walk/Jog/Lope Champion Michelle Bohrer / Just Jate Silver Champion Jaci Payne / Dominant Kemp Western In-Hand Champion Tia Biro / Fit for Action Silver Champion Jaci Payne / Dominant Kemp
Dylan Dawson
Photos by Bob Sutton
Western Games Champion Tracy Coomber / Hugo Silver Champion Bonnie Holland / Young Pointer N Western Dressage Champion Mary Mark / Mademoiselle Mystic Silver Champion Michelle Bohrer / Just Jate Trail Champion Debi O’Brien-Moran / Calamar Silver Champion Bonnie Holland / Young Pointer N Driving Champion Michelle Bohrer / Just Jate Silver Champion Debi O’Brien-Moran / Calamar Youth English Champion Alex Gallant / Double A Victory Silver Champion Emma Christoforou / The Painted Pony Youth Western Champion Emma Christoforou / The Painted Pony Silver Champion Taylor Penny / Little Rapids Adult High Point Champion Debi O’Brien-Moran / Calamar Silver Champion Tia Biro / Fit for Action Junior High Point Champion Hillary Lunn / Call to Dance Silver Champion Julia Clark / Chelemark Cam Youth High Point Champion Emma Christoforou / The Painted Pony Silver Champion Daniella Teixeira / Young Pointer N Rookie Rider & Horse of the Year Hillary Lunn / Call to Dance
Versatility Champion Just Jate Heart Of A Standardbred Christopher Mollica / Eight of Hearts : 2015 Open Western Horse Show Award Champion Hillary Lunn / Call To Dance 2015 Open Western Horse Show Award Champion Dillan Dawson / Tease N Flirt 2015 Open English Horse Show Award Champion Hillary Lunn / Call To Dance Reserve Champion Michelle Bohrer / Dominant Kemp 2015 Open Dressage Horse Show Award Champion Jaci Payne / Crimson Jiffy Reserve Champion Michelle Bohrer / Dominant Kemp 2015 Open Driving Horse Show Award Champion Michelle Bohrer / Just Jate 2015 Open Eventing Horse Show Award Champion Meaghan Prosia / Dream A Little Dream Standardbred Showcase Riding Club is a not-forprofit corporation whose mandate is to promote the Standardbred as a performance horse in english, western and driving disciplines.
Kelly Bryczka, Jaci Payne, Michelle Bohrer, Jackie Panko, Tia Biro from right to left
NF Drumroll and Tara Hynes at a Bucks Country (PA) Horse Trial. The pair won the High Score Dressage Award and placed 2nd overall in their division.
NF Drumroll, who races as a pacer, was in the winners circle at the Meadowlands last August and hopes to be there again in this November.
Photo Credits: Macee Morgan and Eva Evers
Finding the Gait to Success
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he talk of the 2015 World Show was the Speed Racking Standardbreds. The buzz has been building for several years as horses like She’s Bad Company, Guns and Roses, and Full Throttle have demonstrated speed, smoothness and control. One thing all these Standardbreds have in common? Scotty Horne
Scotty Horne and Full Throttle prepare for shows by riding the trails in Virginia. Full Throttle was Reserve Champion Speed Racker at the World Show with Semo Abe in the saddle.
just a little heavier on the front feet with a little longer toe while keeping the back feet trimmed short. The rolling hills of Virginia also help with the training, asking the horse to engage the hind end. Horne takes his time with his horses, believing Horne has recognized that most people want to that it takes a few years to get the muscle memory ride but aren’t trainers and thus he has made a that builds a really great set of gaits. business of taking young Standardbreds and creating racking horses out of them. To him the ideal As Horne works with young horses, it’s not all horse is a trail horse during the day, doing a good about getting in ride time but rather about putting running walk and then turning into a speed racking a solid base into play. All of Horne’s horses learn horse at night. to stand quietly for bridling and mounting. He ofRacking is a gait, a four-beat lateral movement that can reach 35 mph and can come naturally to many Standardbreds. Horne looks for a good trot in a horse, as he asks for more speed he finds the rack right before the horse tries to switch to the pace. To help the horse along he may put shoes
ten teaches his horses to park and believes if they can’t stand to be mounted then they will have further training issues down the line. Horne is also very willing to line drive his young horses. Allowing training to be ongoing without stressing their young backs with extensive ride time.
Guns and Roses, shown here winning at the World Standardbred Show with Scotty Horne, is the 2015 Speed Racking Association World Champion Speed Open shod, ladies with Sue Dunn in the saddle. Photos by Sherry Hilton
She’s Bad Company - 2014 Grand Champion in Speed Racking at the World Standardbred Show. She is keg shod, meaning she just has a basic shoe on.
3 Year Old Champion at Big Guns (11 Entries) Scotty Horne on Dirt Road Diva, Diva is ¾ Buckskin Standardbred out of the Standardbred, Betty’s Towner & off of a buckskin stallion named Big Jake, who is part Saddlebred from Virgina. Diva just turned three on the day of the race! Photo by Kari Kirby A horse with five years good racking experience can be a financial investment - $5,000-10,000 depending on show ring experience. A new market has recently opened up in Israel where gaited horses, with their smooth way of going, are gaining in popularity. In addition to the purchase price of the horse, shipping is a major consideration often adding another $10,000 to the import costs. For this type of financial consideration they are seeking a very specific look - small, fast and beautiful. Semo Abe, from Israel, recently visited the World Standardbred Show where he rode Full Throttle to a Reserve Championship. Abe visited Scotty Horne to learn more about the training of gaited horses as well as scouting Standardbreds that may fit their program in Israel. As gaited Standardbreds gain in popularity look to see more and more Scotty Horne trained horses throughout the world - both on the trail and in the show ring.
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Anna Parsons & Bella Americana were Gaited Dressage Champions and tied for High Point Youth Jess Morticelli and Bandit Stole The Coffee won the English Equitation 2-Gait Championship before taking on the jumping classes.
Semo Abe , from Israe horse Full Throttle to a ship in Spee
Photos by Trina Clouse
el, rode Scotty Horne’s a Reserve Championed Racking.
er and Sherry Hilton
C Me Shine brought home the In Hand Championship and was consistently in the ribbons in English, Western and Saddleseat.
Jet Liner walked Scarlett Faber to a win in Leadline before Dakota Brett rode him side saddle for the costume class.
TRAIL TALES: Jan Wolfin’s Shore to Shore Ride By Jane Lutz Exploring new trails with your equine partner and friends is what draws many people to trail riding. The Michigan Shore to Shore is an incredibly scenic trail that runs between Lake Michigan in the west and Lake Huron in the east. It boasts the longest, continuous trail in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The trail has some great features including campgrounds, with wells and “privies” every 18 to 25 miles. The camps tend to be scenic, near lakes and rivers. This trail originally opened in 1963 for horses and hikers only, no bicycles. The trail is around 220 miles east/west and the Michigan Trail Riders Association (MTRA), in conjuncture with local and state authorities, helps maintain the trail for hikers and horsemen. Jan Wolfin has racked up an amazing set of accomplishments, having done the Shore to Shore 50 times! Wolfin partnered with a Standardbred, Mr. T, to complete the fiftieth trip. Mr. T has been a safe and willing partner for Wolfin, racking up over 3,000 miles. Mr. T has faced traffic, bicycles, farm equipment and more with incredible good sense. He has also adapted to camping with little trouble. Wolfin got into Standardbreds after a bad spill left her unable to ride for almost three years. Her husband and a friend built her a trail cart so she could enjoy horses, and Wolfin wisely decided “since I didn’t know how to drive, I should be a horse that does.” Her first Standardbred was a 25-year-old mare who was an Amish horse for a number of years. Jan describes the mare as safe and sane with a solid work ethic
and athletic ability. Jan now spends her days with three Standardbreds. The hardest decision is “which horse and whether to ride or drive.” Jan gives credit to the Standardbred as a fantastic trail horse, as the horses have a smooth, ground-covering walk that just eats up the miles. Wolfin is the president of The Michigan Trail Riders Association (MTRA). The group holds organized rides along the Shore to Shore trail. The fall rides are described by Wolfin as “the best Michigan has to offer.” The rides are well organized with the point to point rider in mind. If you have a crew, your rig is moved to the next ride camp or if you are riding “solo”, the MTRA has a shuttle back to your horse at camp. The daily rides are around twenty-five miles a day with the ability to ride at your own speed. If you’re looking for beautiful trails consider riding or driving the Michigan Shore to Shore with your Standardbred. This ride is a great “three season” trail, with summer and fall riding among the most popular times to take part of this wonderful trail system.