ON THE COVER 3-DAY EVENT RIDER KARL SLEZAK PG 32
FEATURED: AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK INTO
THE 2015 LEGENDARY GEORGE MORRIS CLINIC NOVEMBER 2015 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1
proud
ly Canadian
CONTENTS November 2015
FEATURED THIS ISSUE
10
The 2015 George Morris Clinic DMF Productions & Danny Forbes
OTH DRESSAGE 26 From Junior to Grand Prix Megan Lane
OTH EVENTING 30 Making It Work — The Challenge and Rewards of 3 Day Eventing Karl Slezak
OTH EQUINE HEALTH 34 Little Known Qualities of Great Farriers Kaleigh Arbuckle
36
OTH RIDER HEALTH Pre Purchase Exams - A Waste of 40 Equifitness Sport Specific Money, or Peace of Mind? Conditioning for Riders
Dr Dieter Oberbichler
38
Equine Massage & Natural Horsemanship Hand in Hand Partnership Sidonia Mcintyre
OTH FEATURED RIDER 42 Diana (DD) Dionisio OTH | EQUINE HOROSCOPE 46 Problem Solving with Equine Astrology OTH LISTINGS 50 Horse Listings
ON THE COVER
Karl Slezak Photo by Demi Kalyn of DAK Photography
SPORT COUTURE
FALL/WINTER 2015 COLLECTION MADE FOR THE WAY YOU MOVE
ASMAREQUESTRIAN.COM
Not a subscriber? Don’t miss out on the the December issue or giveaways! Subscribe at ONTHEHORSE.COM Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.
EDITOR Samantha Fawcett SALES Tyler Saik DESIGN Navy Blue Stripes Paper Co. CONTRIBUTERS Scott Henderson Danny Forbes Samantha Megan Lane Marshall Karl Slezak Sidonia Mcyntire Kaleigh Arbuckle Diana D Dr. Dieter Oberbichler PUBLISHER Horseback Media Inc. Milton, Ontario, Canada www.onthehorse.com
PRESENTS THE NOVEMBER 2015 CONTEST WINNERS!
Outfit your horse Christina Conway for the year with Horseware Ireland! $250 GREENHAWK MYSTERY GIFT BOX Leah Vrieling
TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE, EMAIL US AT WINNERS@ONTHEHORSE.COM
4 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
“Best Overall” “…best performer overall… for the tough case not responding to other products… you get what you pay for.”
Georgia Hunt of Foxstone Stables
Beyond
Pain Relief visit www.RecoveryEQ.com or call toll free 1.866.334.2463
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NOVEMBER GIVE AWAY
EDITORS NOTE From this, the idea for ON THE HORSE Magazine was born and with the help of our valuable subscribers sharing us with friends, we have managed to bring to life a publication that we are very proud of. Being Ontario based, we will be able to tailor articles to our geographic region and demographics, promoting local riders and businesses – as well as expanding your knowledge of surrounding provinces, and inevitably the US.
Samantha with her mount “Tucker.” Photo credited Ashley Harris Photography
F
or those of you who know me closely, you know that I tend to leave everything to the last minute. So here I am, just hours before our first issue launches, finally sitting down to collect my thoughts and reflect on how this magazine has come together. Horses are not cheap. In fact, they can be astronomically expensive. But if you’re reading this, I’m certainly not telling you anything new. And if someone’s significant other just picked this up, and is asking questions about how much the horses actually cost – I apologize. My significant other knows (unfortunately) how expensive horses can be, and he became tired of the amount of money that was spent purchasing magazines each month that will inevitably end up sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust. 6 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
With just 5 weeks from inception to finished product, we weren’t able to include quite everything that we had planned for this issue. None the less we’ve packed it with a wide range of articles — providing something for everyone! Some of our regular sections will include articles for dressage, hunter/jumper, and event riders, horse health, rider health and fitness, as well as horse astrology! As the founding readers of ON THE HORSE Magazine, your contribution and input are extremely important in the development of this company and publication. We ask that after each issue, you take a moment and give us your unbiased thoughts on likes, dislikes or potential improvements. You can send those thoughts to ideas@onthehorse.com. Now before I get carried away, I would like to officially welcome you to ON THE HORSE Magazine.
Samantha
OTH EVENTS
November 2015 Events 1
LAURIER OUEA SHOW
7
A NIGHT AT THE RACES DINNER &
Highland Hills Quarter Horses
SILENT AUCTION Woodbine Racetrack
22
HUNTER 1 SHOW Iron Horse Equestrian Complex GUELPH /LAKEHEAD OUEA SHOW Old Orchard Farm
23
BIOSECURITY E-WORKSHOP Hosted by Equine Guelph
8 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
27 29
HUNTER OPEN SCHOOLING DAY Meadowlark North HUNTER OPEN SCHOOLING DAY Meadowlark North ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR OF BEGINNER AND COMPETITION COACH EVALUATION HUNTER 2 SHOW Iron Horse Equestrian Complex
TO HAVE YOUR EVENT FEATURED ON OUR CALENDAR, PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL TO EVENTS@ONTHEHORSE.COM.
The Royal Winter Fair November 6th – 15th , 2015 at Ricoh Coliseum
6
Greenhawk Canadian Show Jumping Championship Round 1 Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge Round 1
7
Greenhawk Canadian Show Jumping Championship Round 2 & Final Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge Final Round
8
Ontario Toyota Dealers Rodeo
9
Braeburn Farms $15,000 Hunter Derby
10
Knightwood Hunter Derby Jolera International Welcome International Show Jumping
11
Cavallo Equestrian Arts Longines FEI World Cup Grand Prix
12
Royal Invitational Dressage Cup Freestyle Cavallo Equestrian Arts Gambler’s Choice International Show Jumping
13
Cavallo Equestrian Arts Weston Canadian Open International Show Jumping
14
Cavallo Equestrian Arts The Big Ben Challenge International Show Jumping
“ 15
North American Sport Pony Star Search
When I bestride him, I soar. I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, KING HENRY V
OTH FEATURE
On the Horse Magazine P resents
THE 2015 GEORGE MORRIS
CLINIC
HOSTED BY WESLEY CLOVER PARKS Made possible by DMF Production Photo’s by Erika Christine Photography
OTH Q+A
THE LEGENDARY GEORGE MORRIS CLINIC brought to you by
At the age of 16 I lived in a tent on Jay Hayes’ property for a summer to take in and learn what the A Circuit in Canada is all about. From there I worked for Olympic level coach Jen Hamilton, which led me to a full time riding/training job in New York with David Hopper. It was at this time my career expanded within the equine industry. After a successful post secondary degree in Geographic Information Systems I returned to competing in Show Jumping via a world tour that took me from New Zealand to Ireland, England, and a few years in Holland while being coached by Emile Hendrix.
PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY I grew up in Nova Scotia which is a bit of a have-not province in the world of Show Jumping, which makes progression through the levels quite difficult. I followed a path that was shown to me by people I hold dear to this day, allowing me to compete as an international rider in many countries. 12 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
I returned to Canada under contract to a private stable and retired from competing full time. I also worked for CWD Sellier as the first sales representative in Canada. In attempt to increase sales while with CWD Sellier, I organized a clinic with George Morris. This clinic was so successful that I started DMF Productions and have since expanded into sports marketing, community marketing, and athlete development in other sports.
Founder & CEO of DMF Productions www.dmfpro.com
CAN YOU TELL US A “LITTLE KNOWN FACT” ABOUT YOURSELF? I love to cook, I am always trying new recipes and hope to one day master the BBQ. WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE OUR CANADIAN RIDERS HAVE ACCESS TO CLINICIANS WHO ARE COMPETING, OR HAVE COMPETED, AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF OUR SPORT? I have always been one for the “Outside Opinion” meaning they give a new perspective on what you are doing, and give a burst of confidence to the rider. It might be something the rider has heard before but explained in a different way and the rider has an OMG moment. WHAT ARE SOME BARRIERS YOU HAVE FACED IN ORGANIZING DMF PRODUCTION CLINICS? The largest barrier is finding quality facilities to host events such as this, they are few in Canada. I am always excited to hear of a new facility being built and there are a few out there I would love to use but the cost is too high. As well, currency issues are raising the cost of a clinic when the clinician comes from the US or Europe. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF ORGANIZING AND HOSTING DMF PRODUCTION CLINICS? I love dealing with the people, I aim to make each clinic, or I like to call them Events, an experience to remember. A rider once told me I was the facilitator of life changing experiences.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START UP DMF PRODUCTIONS? I have been the benefactor of knowledge from some of the greatest riders/trainers of this generation and know what that can do for you as a determined rider. This led me to
Anky Van Grunsven and Danny Forbes in May 2013.
see what would happen if very recognized names were teaching clinics what the response would be. WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG RIDER, DID YOU PARTAKE IN ANY RIDING CLINICS YOURSELF? I did take in what I could. Jen Hamilton is a great clinician and lived in Nova Scotia, where I started my career. However, I would always make sure to watch all clinics with riders like Jill Henselwood or Jay Hayes who would visit Nova Scotia to teach clinics.
WHEN AND HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR THE DMF PRODUCTIONS BUSINESS? I have always noticed there is a lack of outside clinicians and discovered this with my first George Morris clinic. The response was amazing for riders and auditors so I kept following up with Dressage and Show jumping clinicians I felt attracted a large crowd. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS FOR DMF PRODUCTIONS? I would really like to get into Horse Shows, I have a concept that I would like to bring to life next year, if possible. I feel there are way too many shows doing the same thing with no rider/horse development which makes it hard for riders and horses to progress into a more competitive level. NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 13
OTH FEATURE
On the Horse Magazine presents
2015 GEORGE MORRIS CLINIC
T
he first day of the clinic began as most important horse show days do in Ontario – unseasonably cold, and raining. But that did not do anything to damper my excitement over getting to see the legendary George Morris doing what he does best – ride, train, and insult people. All kidding aside, George is a master in every sense of the word. Watching him on horseback is truly seeing decades of horsemanship at its finest. No matter the horse, George got on and both technically and artistically piloted each horse around the ring through a variety of exercises. Although he is known to be hard on riders who dare to enroll themselves in one of his clinics (“How I get you sharper, people, is to insult you!” he quipped during one of the sessions) his clinics consistently strive to instill the idea that a rider can never be finished learning. Riding is a sport in which a rider can never know it all, and George’s clinics consistently strive to ingrain into riders that they don’t know it all, and they must be open to learning new things – or they can never strive to be great horsemen or horsewomen. Wesley Clover Parks did an excellent job of hosting the clinic! Despite the rain, the prop-
14 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
erty was clean, easy to navigate, and beautiful with rolling paddocks, cross country courses, and several riding rings set further down from the barn where they host ‘A’ circuit shows in the summer. I’m sure I speak for everyone in attendance when I say how thankful we were that the arena was heated, especially on Saturday morning when temperatures were near freezing. There were three separate groups during the three day clinic, each with eight riders. The first group was for riders capable of 1.0-1.10m, the second group 1.10-1.20m, and the third group was the 1.20m+ riders, known as the “Talent Squad”. If you are at all familiar with George Morris’ system of horsemanship, you may well know that he expects all riders to be dressed respectfully, with proper aids including a crop and spurs, mounted on horses that are impeccably groomed. He made note to some riders wearing “bling” that it detracts from the horse, and is not his scene. Having watched quite a few of Georges clinics myself, I noticed right away one rider in the first group of the clinic that seemed to have clearly missed
the memo – with brightly coloured equipment, and no crop or spurs. I expected an immediate reaction from George. Unbelievably, George made no comment to her attire – maybe he is softening in old age? But he did caution the riders that no whip, and no spurs meant a misunderstanding of putting the horse to the aids. He said “If you can’t touch your horse, you can’t control your destiny your horse controls your destiny.” The first day of the clinic started out with the above rider actually being told she could not attend the remaining days of the clinic after she tried to ask George if she could have the heights of the jumps lowered, or jump only part of the gymnastic exercise. He cut to the chase saying, “You won’t be back tomorrow - I don’t know who let you enter if you’re not up to this.” He made a good point that adjusting the jumps for 1 rider was simply not fair to the others who were prepared and ready. A little later in the day he threw dirt in another girl’s face as she wasn’t paying attention and had performed an exercise wrong. At dinner that evening, I spoke to a few auditors who have followed George over the last several decades to various clinics and their resounding consensus was that George seems to have really mellowed out over the years! Following the end of the first day of sessions, was a phenomenal dinner with Ian and George at the Brookstreet Hotel. The room was beautifully decorated, and the buffet was delicious! Besides the fact that I ate a Crème Brule that tasted like the best, most perfectly roasted marshmallow I have ever had, the highlight of the evening was listening to the two men reminisce about their outstanding performance careers, and how the sport has evolved over time. George told us how he was never the talent while growing up, he was always the tortoise, quietly and consistently working his way towards becoming the best he could be. He spoke of his long standing history with Can-
ada, having trained both Ian Millar as well as Mac Cone, who competed on both the United States and Canadian Equestrian Teams. Even though he was the Chef D’Equipe of the United States team at the time, he said he was just as happy that the Canadian Team won Gold at the 2012 Olympics in Hong Kong. George also told a story about how he did not originally want to take Ian on as a student in the beginning, because he thought that Ian was “too old” (only in his twenties!) and therefore would be too difficult to mold. But Jimmy Elder pressured him to coach Ian, and he eventually gave in. George was pleased when he realized that Ian is a true student of the sport, and always willing to learn, he later said the next day during the schooling session “People who are the best, are the best students.” What a blessing it is for us that this combination worked out so that we have such masterful horsemen, with such vast experience to learn from! Overall, attending the clinic was an amazing experience. I recommend attending as many clinics, hosted by as many riders as you can. Even if your styles may differ, or the clinician is from a different discipline entirely, there is always something new you can learn if you keep an open mind. One of the most memorable quotes from the weekend was when George said, “I don’t know enough about horses and this sport!” If a man with over 50 years of experience under his belt is still learning, I think it’s safe to say that all of us can stand to learn a thing or two (or much more) from him. One of the Talent Squad horses impeccably turned out for the clinic.
NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 15
Important Lessons from George Here are some of the important lessons George stressed over the course of the weekend!
ON PREPARATION AND HORSEMANSHIP
1. On the first day, George spoke to each group in the beginning about proper stirrup length. He explained to riders how stirrup length is based upon the activity you are performing; short stirrups for cross-country, long stirrups for flatting, short stirrups for racing, long stirrups for dressage. He told the riders that their stirrups for jumping should be 2 holes shorter than their flat length, “1 hole is not enough, 3 holes are overkill.” He cautioned riders to always keep their foot in the stirrup when adjusting the length for safety reasons. He also made note to several riders that using rubber hinged stirrups can compromise the support, and that stirrups should be heavy so they are easily retrieved.
George Addressing the riders.
2. The worst thing in the universe is drilling a horse. What cripples a horse is excessive fast riding, galloping and jumping. Coaches nowadays don’t teach people how to ride and train a horse - they teach people how to compete. George said that he doesn’t jump much, except with a horse who is a “chicken sh*t.” Good horsemen don’t jump a lot of jumps, and they don’t lunge much either as it is physically taxing on the horse. He said “if I have time to lunge for a half hour, then I have time to ride.” 3. Management and horse care comes before riding, and before selection. If you get a horse and put it in a bad stable, the horse is miserable. You need great vets and great blacksmiths too. Selection is an art itself – finding the best horse for the job in terms of “suitability”. There are important benefits to understanding dressage and how it relates to physical soundness, and mental soundness. The horse becomes more relaxed, more rideable, and enjoys his/her work more. 16 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
ON FLATWORK THE GERMAN SCALE OF TRAINING
THE GEORGE MORRIS SCALE OF TRAINING
COLLECTION (increased engagement, lightness of forehand & self carriage)
COLLECTION (increase engagement, lightness of forehand & self carriage)
STRAIGHTNESS (improved alignment & balance)
SUPPLENESS (relaxation & elasticity)
IMPULSION (increased energy & thrust)
CONTACT (acceptance of the bit through acceptance of the aids)
CONNECTION (acceptance of the bit through acceptance of the aids)
RHYTHM (pace & tempo)
RELAXATION (elasticity & suppleness)
STRAIGHTNESS (improved alignment and balance)
RYTHM (energy & tempo)
IMPULSION (increased energy & thrust)
1. Riding a horse is moment to moment, and very specific. Exercises are all designed to improve the basics – impulsion, straightness, rhythm, contact, suppleness, and collection. 2. Inside leg should always be the FIRST aid on your horse, followed closely by the outside rein. The outside leg is secondary. The horse should always be ridden leg to hand in order to maintain straightness. Bending a horse is simply riding the horse straight on a curve. The diagonal opposition of inside leg to outside rein creates balance, which leads to the ultimate goal of self-carriage. Resistances such as bucking, shying, bolting, spooking, etc. are caused by the horse not being ridden leg to hand. 3. The outside rein is the half halt rein, it regulates speed. The inside rein is for flexion, always look to give to the horse, but especially with the inside rein. 4. If your horse is reluctant to go forward, make sure you are not behind the motion. Lean forward and out of the saddle to allow your horse the ability to use his/her back, especially through tight turns. It isn’t just about getting higher out of the saddle, its leaning your upper body forward to be with the horse. The consequences of being behind the motion are getting left behind, catching the horse in the mouth, and coming down on his/her back. All which makes the horse reluctant to move forward. 5. He told riders to “sink - don’t sit” when going through a tight turn. In a short turn, you want the inside hind stepping under the horse, not skidding to the outside, as happened with one horse. Both hands should be slightly to the inside, and there should be little, if any, pull on the inside rein. 6. Work trot poles and canter poles to help teach rhythm. If the horse rushes, close your hands. If the horse hesitates, close your leg. NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 17
7. It is important to supple the horse both longitudinally and laterally. LONGITUDINAL SUPPLING Upward/downward Transitions
LATERAL SUPPLING (1 TRACK) Circles
LATERAL SUPPLING (2 TRACKS) Shoulder In
Lengthening
Serpentines
Haunches In
Half turns
Leg Yield/Half Pass
Collecting
8. Transitions both upwards and downwards should always be uphill, like an airplane. When riding downwards transitions, ensure you remain active with your inside leg to make sure the horse does not fall to the forehand. He told riders to keep their leg on, and raise their hands to encourage the horse to “sit” in the downward transitions.
George demonstrating how to correctly ride the horse inside leg to outside rein. The horse is stepping under himself, straight, supple, and relaxed!
9. Changing direction is a good exercise for bending and suppling, it also helps to control the horse’s shoulder and maintain impulsion. Schooling a horse on shoulder-in helps to straighten the horse out by making them light to the inside leg, and gets them working inside leg to outside rein.
ON JUMPING
1. Pace is the first factor of every jump. The line is the second factor, and distance is the third. Keep your pace in the short turns (balance and impulsion) – that is how you win classes. Once you get confident in a short turn – go forward to the jump. Don’t cut the corner when approaching a line - you can’t rush the first fence. It’s always the first fence of a line that counts, get the first fence, and the rest takes care of itself. 2. George loves to work trot fences, and told the riders to school this exercise with a slow tempo for best results. He used a false ground line to teach the horses to look at the top rail in order to promote carefulness. He warned riders to pay particular attention after a jump that they don’t sit down too quickly, or go against the horse as it will cause the horse to sit down on the fence too early in anticipation, and cause rails with the hind legs. 3. George told riders that they must practice different speeds when jumping, not just your comfort level. “Lengthening, shortening, and turning – what else is there in riding?” 4. It is important to use your eyes, and look up and ahead. This will help your aids work more automatically! Several of the exercises George had riders perform over the weekend reinforced keeping their eyes up and focused on where they were going next. At the end of the third day, George had riders jump over the liverpool remaining on a straight line, all while copying whatever he was doing at the other end. He would stick one arm out to the side then place it on his head, on his back, on his belly, and a combination of all of the above. He said to the riders, “If you learn a thing from me – eyes, if you learn nothing – eyes. Eyes give you timing.” As Gordon Wright said, “Most things on a horse start with eyes.” 18 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
5. When schooling or introducing a spooky jump, such as a liverpool, each individual horse will require a different aid of varying intensity. He had the first group of riders use an exercise in which they used their stick just behind their legs on approach to the liverpool, “This is how you educate a horse to a spooky jump” he told riders. For the second and third groups, George asked riders to decide whether their horse would need a cluck, kick, spur, or stick to jump over the liverpool, and to ride accordingly. He warned, “If the horse gets chicken, you have to over-ride to give him confidence – cluck, spur, stick!” 6. It is important to gymnasticize the horses by practicing adding and taking out strides. Note: You will not find “gymnasticize” in the dictionary, translated loosely, it means to supple AND strengthen the horse simultaneously, which can be very advantageous in Show Jumping!) George had riders practice lots of bending lines while both adding and taking out strides, he told them “These exercises help to educate the horse, and your riding to precision. To get a technique you have to exaggerate the technique, once you have it – you don’t need to exaggerate it.” 7. George had riders practice their automatic release technique in order to teach balance and a good forward hand. There are three places you give to the horse when jumping – coming out of the corner, when you see the spot, and on take-off. Riders were asked to soften their hands at the base of the jump and keeping one hand on either side of the neck, to follow the horse’s mouth over the jump. He told riders “Even if you don’t use this, be able to do it.” 8. George used another exercise with the automatic release in order to promote a calm, forward, and straight ride through the gymnastic line. He had the riders keep their eyes on his hands while he stood at the end of the line, and had them widen their hand, based on which hand he opened, in order to keep the horse straight through the line using an opening rein. 9. George told the more advanced riders to set up situations where horses will get rubs on rails. When schooling over the liverpool, he told riders to give to their horse at the base of the jump to encourage a rub, this will make the horse more careful and encourage self-carriage. One of the riders demonstrating an opening rein to maintain straightness
“
Straight From George’s Mouth We narrowed down the best quotes of the weekend for your entertainment!
1. “Young people are very helpless nowadays!”
11. “Wait means wait. It doesn’t mean tear their head off!”
2. “I love dressage, but I keep it in its place. If I had a wife, I’d keep her in her place.”
12. “Spur his heart! My spur would be in his heart!”
3. “You have to control your eyes, it’s like driving. I’m a bad driver because I’m always looking down at my phone!”
13. “I get up every day and say I don’t know much about this sport.”
4. “I don’t like wishy-washy, make a decision!”
14. “It takes concentration, discipline, and willpower to get better.” 15. “I hope you’re as good as your expression says.”
5. “Dysfunctional, I’ve learned to love this word through teaching clinic after clinic.” 6. “How I get you sharper people, is to insult you!”
17. “It’s so hippity to ride in a full seat!”
7. “You’re a control freak, I’ll talk to your dog and he will vouch for me.”
18. “Ride like I ride for three days, then you can go back to your way!”
8. “You do the stupidest things people, its worse when you think!”
19. “They constantly invent new tack because you’re suckers!”
9. “Go forward! Boy, you could just stop a freight train!”
20. “Get out of the saddle - you’re what we call a butt grabber!”
10. “Thoroughbreds didn’t have physical scope, but they had heart and soul.”
21. “You choke the horse - let him go to that jump!”
20 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
16. “Don’t run by a horse, that’s very stupid.”
22. “Your left stirrup is correct, your right one has a mind of its own - it’s quite irritating!” 23. “She has terrible stirrup irons – but they’re cool!” 24. “C’mon! You’re folding like a tent!”
“
25. “I see happy, smiling faces – that does not make me confident!”
These coaches don’t teach people how to ride and train a horse — they teach people how to compete.” 26. “Lengthening, shortening, and turning – what else is there in riding?” 27. “Tact, not rough, tact!” 28. “You’re too heavy - you need to get on a fitness program.”
32. “This horse has one problem, I don’t own him!” 33. “We forgive you because you’re blonde, we like blondes.” 34. “You’re young professionals, you don’t know much.” 35. “Lean forward when I teach you and let that poor horse use his back!” 36. “You don’t think, I think!” 37. “Geez, you people don’t ride too well.” 38. “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect!” 39. “Stop – you’re a bird brain!” 40. “You have to practice precision, it doesn’t just happen!” 41. “The worst thing in the universe is drilling a horse.” 42. “You people are quite dysfunctional.” 43. “People always say “he’s crazy, eccentric, anal,” – well, I did quite well. It worked for me.”
29. “Calm, forward, straight.”
44. “She is excellent over fences, but her horse told me she has little interest in dressage.”
30. “If I see a happy mouth bit, I know the horse does not have a happy mouth, and does not accept the hand.”
45. “I hate teaching. I like riding.”
31. “When I taught Ian, people went on about how they can’t see Ian do anything – that’s because the horse does the work.”
46. “I’m not catering to your sloppy ways people!” 47. “Where’s the bull whip? I’d like to flog her.” NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 21
Olympic Schooling Session with George Morris and The Millar Family
O
n Saturday October 10th, Danny Forbes of DMF Production managed to coordinate George Morris, The Millar Family, and three Grand Prix level mounts in the indoor arena of Wesley Clover Parks - at one time - for the featured Olympic Schooling Session. “Always bring a gun to a gun fight,” Ian joked at the beginning of the clinic after introducing the mounts, “If you’re going to do a lesson with George, you better have a good horse!” Ian rode Baranus, a 2003 Oldenburg gelding by Balou du Rouet. Jonathon brought Devos, a young gelding that is moving from the seven year old development classes into 1.40m. Ian took a moment to tell the auditors that Devos has an incredible 92% clear round record to date! Amy’s mount was an eight year old gelding named Furos, yet another impressive young mount that already has a Grand Prix win under his belt as a seven year old! The term good, doesn’t even scratch the surface when describing the horses team Millar brought to school with Morris. In front of a packed arena, riders and fans were given the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch how the first family of Canadian Show Jumping handled a lesson with George himself.
22 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
“Okay, we’re going to have a school.” George said as he instructed the Millar family to move up into the posting trot - which should always be the first trot in order to loosen up a horse’s back. The riders warmed up by working walk/ trot transitions, and George reminded them to use their inside leg preceding the downward transition to prevent the horse from falling to the forehand, or behind the leg. At the beginning of the flatwork session, Ian’s mount had a tendency to walk laterally (pace) and George instructed him to correct the gait by keeping his hands up and legs on. He also suggested that Ian work Baranus using shoulder fore, because this exercise will help to break up resistance as the horse is worked from leg to hand. The change was immediate as Baranus began to accept Ian’s legs and hands and keep a consistent, even walk!
Ian and Baranus working on the flat.
used this exercise to reinforce the importance of impulsion, rhythm, and straightness, while ensuring the horse remains light to the aids with the ultimate goal of creating self-carriage.
Amy and Furos demonstrating a supple, and elastic contact with a forward seat and correct leg.
“Feel both sides (of the horse). One side is convex and one is hollow,” George said to them, “You will feel this in your hand and leg. The objective is to make the horse hollow on both sides.” He instructed the Millars to work their horses on serpentines with frequent changes of direction, an exercise he loves because the combination of bending and straightness creates a more supple horse. Before moving on to the next exercise, Morris was sure to commend the Millar’s on the impeccable turnout and condition of both horses and riders. Once the horses seemed to be supple and using their backs, George had the riders move on to the sitting trot while alternating between shoulder in and shoulder out every ten steps. “Shoulder in and shoulder fore is the combatant to every resistance,” George said as he spoke of how important it is to keep rhythm, straightness, and impulsion with the inside leg. After a couple laps of the arena, George told the Millars to give their horses a break from the collected work by straightening out into the posting trot. George then instructed the Millars to perform figure eights over two sets of diagonal trot poles. He increased the difficulty of this relatively simple exercise by telling them to remain posting, and collect their mounts to a slow, active trot on the short side before coming across the diagonal over the trot poles. He
After working several walk/canter/walk transitions to ensure the horses were light to the aids, George had the Millars work half turns and leg yield back to the rail while remaining in a counter canter. The counter canter helps to develop balance and collection, and George warned against teaching flying changes without counter canter. Once they had counter cantered several strides, George told the riders to ask for the flying change by using their inside leg to outside hand to keep the horse straight, and to work this exercise in both directions. Furthermore in the canter, he also asked the riders to make frequent changes of direction while practicing lengthening and shortening in order to get the horses listening, and light off the aids. “I think this horse would be interesting for me.” George said as he eyed up Jonathon’s mount. To help Devos become lighter in the bridle, George worked several movements such as shoulder in, shoulder out, half pass, walk/canter transitions, and spiraling in and out on a circle. Always ensuring to use give and take, and ride leg to hand in order to elevate the front end and create an uphill feeling.
George riding Jonathon’s mount Devos.
NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 23
Ian and Baranus.
Next, George set his sights on Ian’s mount, Baranus. Once he was in the saddle, he began to work on getting Baranus to accept the three points of contact – leg, hand, and seat, in order to break up the resistance that was causing him to walk laterally. “The horse must have respect, not fear of the legs. He must not run through the hand either, he must come under through the legs. Lightness – is legs.” George said as he skillfully piloted Baranus around the arena through many of the same series of movements he used with Devos. Before handing over Ian’s mount, George said to the audience, “People who are the best, are the best students. Ian is revered not only for results, but for his methods.” It is very clear to see the pride that George has over Ian’s success with horses. Ian thanked him, and replied, “George gets on a horse and evaluates it. When you ride a horse every day, you become involved, and now – I can clearly see what I need to work on.” Next, Morris schooled the Millars over various jumping exercises that incorporated lateral schooling through the use of turns, and bending lines. George advised the audience to take note of Ian’s light, soft jumping seat, saying, “It does my heart good.” He was adamant that riders should always finish a course by schooling the horse, and that they must be obsessed with the use of inside leg to outside rein for better control of the horse, especially while jumping.
Ian and Baranus jumping through the gymnastic
A gymnastic line was the last exercise of the session – three strides to a triple bar oxer, two strides to a vertical, and one stride to a square oxer. As Ian came down the gymnastic line for the last time, George cried out: “Now, people, I can retire. You can’t get better than this. Generation after generation, I like soft riding and definite riding. The horse likes this type of riding too.”
Jonathon and Devos jumping through the gymnastic.
Amy and Furos jumping the gymnastic line.
George finished off the day by speaking to the audience about progressing as a rider, particularly to the level of Olympians like the Millar family. “First, you’re not too good. Then you get good. Then, in the stratosphere, there are people who are artists.” NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 25
OTH DRESSAGE
Megan with her mount Caravella. Photo courtesy of Stephen DiNallo Photography.
From Junior to Grand Prix Megan Lane’s Rise to the Top BY MEGAN L ANE
I
t was evident from a young age that horses would be a part of my life. Having a mother with a strong passion for them, it wasn’t a stretch of the imagination to assume they would play a role in my life as well. When I was only three-years-old, I was given a pony from a close family friend named Dr. Huw Llewellyn. Dr. Llewellyn was an equine surgeon who owned a small animal clinic and a large horse farm which offered several 3-day event horses, an advanced cross-country course and indoor arena. Less than two years went by before my family and Dr. Llewellyn recognized my natural talent while both jumping and flatting, riding retired eventers, as well as the 10 hh pony. Well trained ponies were in high demand, and they all agreed that buying cheap cast-off or green ponies to train, show and sell would make for a sustainable small business. More importantly, this opportunity would allow me further experience. During the years I spent under the close eye of my mom, I established a secure and effective seat, quiet hands and the ability to give the ponies both confidence and experience in different environments. Any
opportunity we could find for me to learn we took: from swimming at Wasaga Beach in the fall, to demonstrations at fairs and 3-day event competitions. Although we spent lots of time having fun and enjoying all of the exciting places, the discipline behind it all was not brushed aside. My mom would say, “There should always be a balance,” and to this day I instill this in all the work I do with my horses. With this in mind, I was able to achieve incredible results while beginning to establish myself as a dressage rider. With my ponies averaging only 13 hands, I won many provincial championships in Ontario as the youngest competitor, against other riders who were usually twice my age! It would be easy to think that success was what fueled me most, yet it was simply the love of horses and the outlet they provided me that kept me wanting to grow and improve. When I was nine, my mom and dad came across a beautiful ten acre property with a small shed and bungalow situated just ten minutes outside of Collingwood. Most of the trainers and riders in this area were predominantly involved in the jumping disciplines, but my calling was undoubtedly dressage. NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 27
With the lack of top dressage trainers in the area and the need to learn techniques properly from the beginning, my mom and I would pack the truck, load up the ponies and head to the GTA to attend clinics with top dressage trainers. What I valued the most from this was the opportunity to interpret the lessons on my own and in turn I gained the confidence to know I was capable of riding without constant coaching. After all, in competition a coach cannot tell you what to do during the test! As I started outgrowing ponies and moved into horses, the same theories applied to my riding. By attending clinics regularly, and spending time with trainers during school breaks, I continued learning new techniques and exercises to build up to more advanced movements. At this time, I was focusing particularly with a small rescue horse named Lucky whom my family had purchased for me when I was ten-years-old. When working with Lucky, I forget just how peculiar he was for a dressage horse—he had the figure of a heavy horse, but with very short legs. Despite his confirmation, he had an extremely trying personality and good paces.
My fascination with dressage grew because of Lucky. Dressage by French definition means “to train,” and with time, patience and correct practices, one can actually manipulate a horse to improve its gaits. Lucky did not start out as a fancy horse that could easily attain high scores in competition. That was until we became the highest qualified juniors in 2008 for the prestigious North American Junior Championships held in Denver, Colorado. We were up against school masters—horses that were trained by professionals for years’ prior at levels well beyond the junior level. Lucky and I finished in the top ten, and I was certainly pleased with this accomplishment! However, I admit I had a competitive streak and immediately began looking forward. My new goal was to win these championships. This new goal set me on a path in 2009 which led me to Caravella, or Capri, as we call her in the barn. Finding a future international Grand Prix dressage horse almost always includes a tremendous amount of costs such as travel expenses to Europe, vet inspections, commissions, plus a flight back and quarantine for the horse. Not to mention, the initial price tag of the horse
and the years of training it takes to prepare them makes this a serious undertaking.. Perhaps lucky is an understatement when I say I went with a friend to a small barn in Uxbridge, Ontario to look at hunter/ jumper sales prospects. We walked through the barn and into the arena where three or four horses were being worked. Right away a small beautiful dark bay mare caught my eye, but my first thought was that she looked too nice to be for sale. Minutes later I realized this was one of the horses my friend came to look at. Only a few minutes passed before I asked to sit on the bay and that was it—I knew right away I had to have her! I phoned my mom, first of all inform her where I was and what I was doing, and second to tell her I just found my next horse! She heard the enthusiasm in voice and later that evening brought Dr. Llewellyn to give us a second opinion. To my absolute shock and dismay, they didn’t like her; they thought she was too small and had a very “mare-ish” personality. It took some persuading on my part to get my mom to agree to purchase her, but that night we brought her home to our farm in Collingwood.
Only a couple weeks went by before Capri began showing obvious promise as a top dressage prospect. Fast forward to the summer of 2011, when we qualified for the North American Junior Championships and won individual gold and silver, as well as team silver! The following year in the more advanced Young Rider division, we took home three medals again. Our success continued through to the Grand Prix level where we won our first CDI class outside of Canada in Wellington, Florida in January 2014. That year, we competed for Canada at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France. We placed 37th overall with a 69.743%. In 2015, we represented Canada at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Ontario, winning team silver, and finishing with scores of 70.90% and 71.392%. The Olympics has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I always have this goal in mind during my daily training. I hope to continue competing with Capri, and my goal is to represent Canada next year for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro!
WWW.MEGANLANEDRESSAGE.COM
OTH EVENTING
Making it Work
The Challenges and Rewards of a Career in 3-Day Eventing BY K ARL SLEZAK
M
y name is Karl Slezak and I’m a ThreeDay Event rider based out of Caledon East, Ontario. I’ve spent my entire life training and competing horses, many of which have competed at the CCI*** or advanced level. I’ve had many great successes and of course, many trying times. Over the years I’ve become an accomplished rider within the North American Eventing community. I strive not only to produce confident, safe and competitive horses but also to mentor those whom I train and teach along the way. Like so many others, my career with horses started out at a local riding school. At the age of seven my parents attempted to keep me occupied and out of trouble by signing me up for a horseback riding camp. Instantly, I was hooked. One week of camp became two weeks of camp, two weeks became weekend lessons through the fall, fall lessons became year round lessons, lessons became a weekend job, then a full time summer job mucking stalls, teaching lessons, and guiding trail rides to pay for my own lessons. My parents were 30 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
keen for me to tackle as many new sports as I could, with the intent of helping me find a passion and lifelong hobby. However, as soon as I began riding, I knew it would not just be a hobby or a skill, but rather it would be my career. From an early age I focused on developing my riding skills and did so without a whole lot of financial support. When I was 16, I scrounged up enough pennies to buy my first horse and started in the sport of Eventing. I found a way to make this career work by training with many different coaches in exchange for barn work. Shortly after buying my first horse I began working part-time for Olympian Garry Roque. This is when I really began to learn the ropes of Eventing. Eventually I became a full time assistant trainer/ head groom. Garry introduced me to so many people (many of which have become clients, friends, and long-time supporters). This experience gave me a huge leg up in the sport including my first advanced horse:
Fernhill Dutch Design at Haygard Mid-South CCI*. Photo courtesy of Chuck Hewson.
“
I love this sport. I love the correctness of dressage, the intensity of crosscountry and the finesse of show jumping. Private Ryan. While Ryan was a constant challenge; mostly through his daily efforts to embed me into the ground like a lawn dart, I was able to produce him from the novice/ pre-training level up through the CCI*** level. In 2004, Private Ryan and I were short listed for the Canadian Equestrian Team for the first time and were set to compete at the summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Unfortunately, Ryan was injured and I wasn’t able to go as a competitor. However, I was still able to participate as a groom for Garry. It was by far one of the most memorable experiences of my life. During this time I also became well educated on the finer details of horse management and of course horse training. This eventually translated into future opportunities to source and produce top class event horses. In total, I have produced eleven horses up to the CCI*** level, and have shared many victories with these horses along the way. In the last ten years, my focus has been on these horses as well as the development of my training and coaching program. I work out of Pat Fitzgerald’s Wolf Run Farm in Caledon East where I have been able to establish a thriving business, along with a new group of sponsors and supporters. I am now joined by my fiancé Katlyn Hewson, and together we 32 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
have produced a strong team of riders at all levels. I regularly teach amateur dressage riders (who are also an amazing cheering squad at each event) as well as low-level jumper riders. Mostly though, I teach students who are striving to compete on the Ontario Eventing circuit and make their way through the levels. I have had several students ride at the North American Young Riders Championship and a few who have gone on to pursue a career as a professional rider/trainer themselves. I love this sport. I love the correctness of dressage, the intensity of cross-country and the finesse of show jumping. My training program emphasizes these points. When I teach in the ring or on the cross-country course I aim to teach my students how to be well-rounded, versatile riders. I always start with the basics and make sure that all of my students understand why I train the way I do. This is most notable during cross-country schooling where I insist that the horses understand each question or challenge that is presented to them. This means, walking up and down banks before galloping them, acclimatizing to water jumps and building confidence from the ground up. As an event team we keep up with the fitness demands of this sport with consistent emphasis on level appropriate trot sets, weekly gallops and of course down time for the horses. Fitness programs are tailored to the horse and rider and modified as necessary. I also teach outside of the ring to ensure that each of my students has a strong background in horse management. As a rider, it is extremely important to know how to properly care for your horse. Proper feeding, farrier work, and veterinary maintenance is essential for each and every one of our horses. I also emphasize the often forgotten aspects of maintaining show horses - icing after hard workouts, poulticing after horse shows,
noticing every little bump, and looking after any little scratch. Additionally, I insist on care of equipment making sure something like a dirty boot doesn’t cause a nasty rub after a six-minute cross- country course. All of these culminate in proper presentation and pride in your horse and competition turn out. Proper presentation is very important to us and we are recognized for it. The successful completion of CCI * and Haygard Mid-South Team Challenge marks the end of our 2015 Eventing season. Finally, after months of late nights and sunrise arrivals at the weekend events, I have a moment to sit and reflect on our season. I now get to appreciate our sport on a totally different scale. I realize how much our team has grown; the number of horses multiplying, the number of students increasing and new owners coming to watch as well as supporters joining in. I also appreciate our early season success with both Katlyn and I in contention for the Canadian Pan American Team and our continuing success throughout the season with multiple top placings at the 1, 2, and 3 star levels. On an even bigger scale, I appreciate all of the horses and rider combinations I teach, each of which have successfully met and exceeded their goals for the year. With the highs, come the lows, and this year we’ve had our fair share of those too. We’ve had some major and minor injuries for several of our competition horses and we’ve had horses that have had to retire too early with career ending disabilities. That being said, as every horse person knows, you have to focus on the moments of glory and not be beaten by the seemingly never-ending lows. Admittedly, I have often been consumed by a sense of failure in a sport that can be so humbling. As I get older and maybe a bit wiser I’ve started to appreciate every success, no matter how small. From having been in contention for a
spot on the Pan American team, to watching a student perfect a circle. From the thrill of competing for a top spot at a big international event with one of my own students, to having a student over come their fears of riding on a windy day. I recognize now that I am privileged to participate in these victories and will try not to be consumed by the rest!
Emily Thompson - Paddington, Karl Slezak - Fernhill Wishes, and Katlyn Hewson - Poker Run showing off their ribbons at Haygard Mid-South CCI*. Photo Credit: Chuck Hewson.
I will admit that without question, the life and career I’ve chosen is reminiscent of a roller coaster. Often daring, sometimes terrifying, but always worth the ride. I’m so thankful for the support of my family and friends who have made me laugh, helped me when I needed it, and given me a hard time when I deserved it. Thank you to all those students and supporters who have allowed me to share in their successes. With the lessons I’ve learned this season, I’m ready for the 2016 season to begin. I look forward to the inevitable challenges it will bring and am focused on tackling them with confidence and a smile. That is, of course what this sport is all about!
Karl Slezak is a short-listed member of the Canadian Eventing Team. He rides out of Wolf Run Farm in Caledon East, Ontario. For more information visit www. karlslezakeventing.com
NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 33
OTH EQUINE HEALTH
Little Known Qualities of Great Farriers BY KALEIGH ARBUCKLE 34 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
THE FARRIER AS AN ARTIST The farrier, though required to scientifically balance and shoe a horse, is an artist working with a living canvas. In order to create a balanced and beautiful foot, the farrier must understand movement, anatomy, break over, “air time”, and conformation. To be a successful farrier, practice and theory must work in harmony with one another. If the farrier has an open mind, a great relationship can develop between farrier, owner and veterinarian when problems arise. Farriers must acknowledge any limitations they may have in dealing with a hoof issue. It’s the experience of competent farriers and vets, working together through trial and error and past case studies that make lame horses sound, and prevent sound horses from going lame.
Horse shoeing is a rewarding profession as long as the farrier has compassion for, and is passionate about horses. After all, what would possess a human being to sacrifice his/her body through years of physical stress, and at the risk of injury, if not for his/her passion for horses? WHAT MAKES A GREAT FARRIER? Good farriers can trim or shoe a horse correctly and in an efficient manner. GREAT farriers not only shoe a horse correctly and efficiently, but with finesse in the way they go about the whole shoeing process: • They can “use their gut” to stay safe around dangerous horses. • They use their instincts to address a mysterious lameness. • They have many tools to pull from when shoeing gait imbalances. • They have a gentle touch when trimming foals or nervous horses. • They can keep peace with a fractious equine. THE FARRIER AS A HORSE RIDER Farriers with riding and training backgrounds have an advantage over non-riding farriers because they understand the terms used when a trainer or rider comes to them with a gait issue or when “something just isn’t right”. The “feel” used when riding a horse is developed over time, with many miles under saddle, and can be invaluable when trying to solve a soundness issue. The educated farrier can: • Tactfully assess the current state of training of a horse. • Identify any rider errors. • Suggest age appropriate strength building exercises for the horse. • Encourage use of longitudinal and lateral suppling under saddle on the lunge line, or in hand.
The benefits of farriers that actually ride are simple — they know what the owner wants, have felt it for themselves, know the heartache when an equine partner is not able to give its best, and have the same feeling of fulfillment when a problem is solved and goals are achieved. BE AWARE! Competent farriers are in demand everywhere there are horses. Be aware of farriers that have a “my way or the highway” approach to shoeing. Farriers who are willing to communicate with owners and veterinarians, enjoy the work involved, and are keen to put the horse first, have a bright future. They should be able to put a personal stamp on their work, and with the feel of an artist, produce a beautiful, functional, balanced hoof.
Kaleigh Arbuckle is a farrier, past Vice President of the Ontario Farrier’s Association, Equine Canada Coach 1, and horse trainer. She owns and operates a boarding and riding stable. Kaleigh loves starting young horses, riding Dressage, and has shown Western Performance for many years. Visit her at Glenwoodstables.com
NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 35
OTH EQUINE HEALTH
PRE-PURCHASE EXAMS A Waste of Money, or Peace of Mind?
Last year, I had my first experience with the home inspection process - we met with a home inspector, signed several waivers, and then handed over a cheque in return for a report on the structural condition of the house, and any potential for future problems. The purchase of our home was contingent on the report provided by this professional, at which point we weighed the pros and cons and decided whether or not it was a suitable home for us! I found it to be so straight forward and completely justifiable, unlike in the equine industry where pre-purchases are sometimes not even considered! A diligent vet check will help determine any potential problems with the health and soundness of the horse, and can help you avoid the purchase of a horse that may already be sick or injured, or simply not suitable for intended use. 36 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
There are many aspects to the exam, which can vary slightly with each sale based on how deep the seller would like to look. It always starts with the horse’s medical, management, and sport history disclosed by the seller. Next we move onto the clinical exam, where I assess the major functional systems (digestive, cardiac, vison, auditory, etc.). These assessments not only give me a look into the medical condition of the animal, but it also gives me a major impression on the temperament of the animal while performing routine practices, which of course is an incredibly important aspect of the sale. Next, we move onto the sport focused side of the exam, checking for current and potential soundness issues in the animal. The condition of each foot is assessed, picked up, and tested for sensitivity. This brings me to another comparison with everyday buying and selling have you ever tried to sell a car with worn, flat tires for a high price tag? Likely the answer is no! Often enough in the horse world, I end up doing pre-purchases on horses who are in desperate need of a good trim or shoeing job prior to my inspection! This is important as it can really affect how the horse moves!
Next, the joints are examined for swelling and range of motion, old injuries and scars are sought out, and overall conformation is considered for the buyer’s intended use. The horse is then put through lameness assessing tests from walking and jogging in hand, to lunging on the circle to see how the horse moves in each gait. And of course, we cannot forget about every aging vet’s favourite – the flexion tests! Once I have an idea on what the various assessments and tests are suggesting, it is time to check in with the buyers. Since there is neither the perfect assessment, nor the perfect horse, there is always something to talk about. At this point, it may be decided that something has come up that cannot be overlooked by the buyer. But if the client is still interested in the horse, we may press on with more intensive diagnostics procedures. X-rays can be taken to see the current state of any skeletal structure in the body, such as the feet or important joints. Blood work can be taken for hidden disease, genetic markers, or even for a drug screen. In the end it is up to the buyer to decide how deep they want to look, and with the help of the vet, to decipher the information provided to determine whether or not this is a suitable horse for purchase. There will always be a risk in the purchase of any horse, even with the most sophisticated of pre-purchase exams. Sadly, I do not keep a “Magic 8 Ball” in the vet truck to answer the toughest question of any pre-purchase exam: Should I buy this horse? Luckily, unlike a passed and certified home, a horse does not always need to be perfect to win a buyer’s heart.
Dr. Dieter Oberbichler (Dr.O) was born in Styria, but grew up in the Austrian mountains of Tyrol. Dr.O graduated from the University of Vienna in 1988, and was one of the first adopters of Ultrasound in Austria for reproduction and diagnostic purposes. An avid horseman, he has trained in Dressage, Show Jumping, and Eventing. When he gets time, he loves to fly planes and compete in triathlons! See more at www.oberbichler-equine.ca
NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 37
OTH HEALTH
Equine Massage & Natural Horsemanship HAND IN HAND PARTNERSHIP SIDONIA MCINTYRE R.M.T, C.E.M.T, C.C.A
Most people might not immediately think of natural horsemanship and equine massage therapy in the same sentence — much less in the same area of partnership — and yet, there is a beautiful simplicity in the interaction of the horse with the trainer and the horse with the massage therapist. In a word: trust.
In natural horsemanship, we ask the horse to accept a predator (that’s us – humans) as a leader, to give us trust despite the overwhelming natural instinct to flee. We use desensitizing techniques which include: rubbing, patting, lifting of the feet, bending of the head, asking for backing up, moving forward etc., in short, we ask the horse to yield to pressure and soften to our touch in a non- reactive relaxed manner. In massage therapy, we ask the horse to accept a predator’s claws (that our hands) to touch them all over and rather than to yield to our touch, we ask them to bend into our touch and accept the pressure of the various movements of massage. We also ask them to show us areas of pain, injury and discomfort, despite their natural instinct to hide injuries so that predators are not alerted to an easy meal and so that the rest of the herd does not distance themselves, leaving the injured horse alone to fend for itself. Both natural horsemanship and massage go against a horse’s natural instinctive reactions to the number one predator on the food chain - humans. Looking at this from the horse’s perspective as an animal of prey, perhaps it should give us pause when we ask for a response to yield or soften or bend into our touch and recognize the Herculean efforts horses make to accommodate humans.
38 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
Having clear communication with the horse during both training and massage aids in partnership, and is advantageous to both parties involved. The horse learns it role and placement with the human and the human learns valuable non-verbal skills that transcend well beyond the perimeters of the human-horse relationship. These skills can also be used in defining boundaries in a host of relationships!
How does the horse distinguish when we want them to yield and move away from our touch during training and establishing ‘space’ rather than relax and push into our touch during desensitizing and massage? In a word: intention. No matter if we are working with our horses in the round pen, the field or the stall, we use these components of both natural horsemanship and massage along with the intent of our actions. A therapist may ask the horse to yield the hind quarters to establish range of motion of the leg and hip, and in the next moment may begin massaging to locate and alleviate an area of tension. One intention asks the leg to move in a particular manner and a particular purpose whereas the other asks the horse to stand still and allow the touch to occur and to even present a ‘safe space’ for the horse and the tissues to relax and press into the pressure that is offered.
The next time you see a natural horsemanship trainer or a massage therapist working with a horse, take a moment to consider the communication, trust and intention that must be established for both of these professionals to do their jobs effectively, which will result in a better quality of life for the horse.
Sidonia McIntyre R.M.T, C.E.M.T, C.C.A Canadian National Equine Massage Therapy and Vertebral Realignment Instructor www.equinerehab.ca
This ‘safe space’ is offered in natural horsemanship as the one spot, typically in an arena or training pen, where the horse is to stand, relax, be attentive or doze while maintaining a respectful distance from the trainer. In massage, this space is also defined within a stall as the spot where the horse is to stand, but in addition to this, the ‘safe space’ expands to allow the horse to show the therapist an area of pain, tension, discomfort and injury while trusting that the ‘predator’ will not suddenly get hungry while the horse is at its most vulnerable. NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 39
OTH RIDER HEALTH
EQUIFITNESS TRAINING Sport Specific Conditioning for Riders
DOES THE FOLLOWING SOUND LIKE YOUR REGULAR TRAINING SESSIONS WITH YOUR COACH? •
You spend a large amount of time working on the same positions and maneuvers over and over again.
•
Your trainer routinely repeats commands that you understand, and you want to execute — but you’re unable to do so.
•
You’re not always able to use your core and limbs the way you know you should; consequently, you often ride below yours and your horse’s potential.
Scott Henderson
40 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
If this feels all too familiar, you’re not alone. A good friend of mine, Kathy Walters, approached me about working with some of her students who were encountering exactly these kinds of issues. Kathy was NOT interested in my knowledge of horses (I had literally none!); rather, she was interested in my 25 years of experience as a licensed physical therapist. I have extensive knowledge on Sports Specific Training and programming that would potentially help those experiencing the scenarios described above. That was more than three years ago. Since then I’ve studied Dressage and Event riders extensively in order to develop a Sport Specific Conditioning approach that can help improve riding performance AND safety, while improving the overall riding experience. As I was drawn into the equestrian world I noticed that significant time and resources went into the horses, but minimal time and resources went into the riders themselves. In any given month, the horse was given specialized food and supplements, was visited by the farrier, the chiropractor, and the saddle fitter. The rider had lessons with the trainer, and maybe purchased some clothing and riding gear. A small percentage of riders seemed to understand the importance of fitness and conditioning.
Equifitness client Madison — balanced and safe!
In the beginning I had minimal understanding of the equestrian world, but I soon learned how a breakdown in the connection between horse and rider often leads to poor performance and injury. The very second the rider climbs into the saddle, and makes contact with the horse, this unique communication begins. How the rider presents herself, with her body to the horse, dictates how the ride will proceed. I also grew to understand how all Equestrian sports demand a rider with a balanced body. Horses are intensely sensitive to unevenness in balance presented by rider. Riding a horse is not unlike a ballet in the saddle. The rider must have a supple body, flexible in their hips and legs, but also strong and solid in their core and upper body. As I was introduced to different riders, I was surprised by their history of injury. Riders recovering from all sorts of injuries were trying to train and ride through pain. As a physical therapist, my focus would be on the rider and not the horse. I developed the Equifitness program specifically to meet the needs of the rider in a way that prevents communication breakdown between rider and horse, that builds central nervous system capacity for balance, and that builds the right kind of rider strength.
Specifically, Equifitness focuses on three key areas that need to be addressed in the rider: 1. The rider’s body must be balanced so areas of tightness must be RELEASED. 2. Once the areas of tightness were released, the body must be RE-EDUCATED through retraining the central nervous system. 3. (Only after steps one and two), the body must be REBUILT.
All three areas are equally important and must be applied in this specific sequence in the rider’s fitness program. With an assessment from a professional that understands the demands of the equestrian sport and the human body, a clear plan to implement the Release, Re-Educate, and Rebuild program, and a commitment from the rider to change old habits — you could be well on your way to developing more effective communication with your horse. This improvement in communication will lead to better performance, increased safety, less chance of injury, and more enjoyment from riding!
Scott Henderson PT, is the founder of Equifitness. He has developed and utilized sports–specific programming since 2000, with a recent focus on equestrian competitors. For more information go to equifitnesstraining.com or contact us at info@equifitnesstraining.com. NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 41
OTH FEATURED RIDER
DD with both of her mounts together at Shenandoah Stables, Burlington, ON
DIANA (DD) DIONISIO Featured Rider
DD and Catou in the 1.30m CSI2*-W class in Europe.
NAME Diana (DD) Dionisio DOB July 10, 1990 HOMETOWN Oakville, Ontario BASED OUT OF Shenandoah Equestrian in Burlington, Ontario
FAVOURITE INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS? I plan to have the Shenandoah facility running strong. I see myself busy training clients and their horses, as well as jumping in the higher levels of Show Jumping. I probably will have my next young jumper, who I will bring along through the Canadian Jumper Development Series.
42 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
I
recently got back from what was supposed to be a six-month fun riding adventure which turned into a much longer (still fun), but very disciplined two year adventure. It began when I graduated from the University of Guelph-Humber and decided to pursue a plan I had for many years – to go overseas to purchase a horse, and then train to get a different perspective and learn different methods from what I was able to afford in Ontario. All the while brushing up on my Latvian language skills and being immersed in the culture (as my mother’s side of the family is from Latvia).
Derby Platz”ring at Schockemohle – used only for training horses, not for showing horses to clients.
“
I packed up my boots, breeches, and helmet, and flew over with no idea what to expect.
DD and Catou jumping in Estonia.
After training for several months on my new mount, Catou, I was seen by a rider of Stall Paul Schockemohle, who offered me to come to Germany to visit the stable to ride for the trainers. I packed up my boots, breeches, and helmet, and flew over with no idea what to expect. After the trainers watched me ride several different horses in one day, they offered me a riding position at the stable. They told me that they liked my style of riding, but as soon as I began working, they went on to change my whole style – no more basic circles and serpentines, and there was definitely no more riding in a half seat and being a fairy on top of the horse! I went on to ride between 8-12 horses a day, mostly 5-7 year old horses and also some older horses between 9-12 who were jumping in international Grand Prix classes already. My body was not used to this amount and style of riding. In the beginning I developed welts on my legs, and my knees became so swollen that I had to take a week off from work because I could barely climb on
the horses or bend my knees, let alone sit in the saddle and use my legs! However, it was all worth it and with time my body adjusted to this style of riding! The stable was mind blowing to me. There were more than 200 horses in training (all owned by one man – Paul Schockemohle) and yet everything was always perfectly organized. There were more than five outdoor rings and five indoor rings, so it was important to keep schedules strictly organized. Every night when we sat down for dinner the trainers had spreadsheets printed and left on the dinner tables detailing who needed to flat/jump which horses the following day, at what time, and where. In addition to all of the arenas there were multiple lunging arenas, hot walking machines, treadmills, a track (where I enjoyed taking my saucy mounts to relax outside of the arenas), heat lamps, and a water therapy area. There were on-site vets and farriers, a “tack shop” that was open every day, and more NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 43
Photo Courtesy of Kiril Cachovskij at Horsemarket, Lithuania.
than 15 lorries (big horse transport trucks). I don’t know of any other stable in the world that comes close to the size and amenities of this stable. The size alone of the yard was unbelievable, and seeing it run so smoothly each day proves why the stable has continued success year after year in competitions and in their sales of horses.
went, the people in the stables worked as a team – and everyone knew that to achieve great success there needed to be cohesion, more than just an at-work relationship. The grooms and riders very often went to dinners, festivals, or outings together, and I think that as a result they worked more effectively as a team in the stable together.
Aside from the physical aspect of riding, one thing that immediately stuck out to me was how relaxed everybody was, whether at home or at horse shows. It was an amazing atmosphere to be in, to every day feel completely relaxed. I felt that in Europe, everywhere I
Being overseas was an eye opening experience for me. I learned how to properly prepare, manage, and maintain horses of a higher caliber in terms of both training and health combined. It was interesting to learn that they truly “keep it simple” – and this was
LUKE
BORN April 28, 2005 BREED Hanoverian (CSH) (Rio Grande x Argus) HEIGHT 17.2hh LOVES Giving kisses
44 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
HATES Moving fast FUNNIEST QUIRK He always sticks his tongue out (even on the coldest winter days!) If he were in high school, he would most definitely be someone’s high school sweetheart!
Luke and DD in the Canadian Hunter Derby class at Angelstone. Photo Credit Celine Jaisaree.
a new concept to me, since I was always one to go overboard in all aspects of care for the horse. I learned how a little goes a long way and now I am able to mesh the two very different styles together to create a more balanced approach to the care and training of show horses. I loved everything about being in Europe, but I knew that one day, I would probably want to come home. For this reason, when I was offered a job to train and coach for Shenandoah Equestrian, a new stable in Burlington, I took the opportunity to come home because I feel it will be a great adventure.
CATOU
BORN May 21, 2007 BREED Holsteiner (Casall x Acord II) HEIGHT 16.2hh LOVES Horse Shows
We are developing a successful, knowledgeable, and fun show team to compete on the Trillium/A Circuits, and a lesson program to offer to those who don’t have their own horses. The Lanigan family has been working extremely hard to make the stable a top facility, and thanks to our extremely knowledgeable and caring stable manager, Vicky Day, we are on our way to great things!
To be our featured rider in OTH, send us an email letting us know a little bit about your riding experience at riders@othmagazine.com.
HATES When you watch him eat FUNNIEST QUIRK He won’t pee on the trailer unless you shake hay under his stomach! If she were in high school, he would most definitely be a jock!
OTH HOROSCOPE
PROBLEM SOLVING WITH EQUINE ASTROLOGY
“
Some people say they don’t “believe” in astrology. Well, it’s not a matter of belief. There’s nothing to believe here, it’s simply a set of correlations based on observation. “My horse just won’t cooperate”, said Jack: “I feel like he’s trying to fight me all the time. He flopped down on a bench, frustrated, “I feel like we’re just not communicating. Is there anything I can do?” “Sure”, I said: “What’s its birth date?” Armed with that data, it was easy to see that his horse was a Scorpio, and that Jack was always going to lose a battle of the wills. Scorpio is the most powerful sign in the Zodiac, and this horse will interpret attempts to control as a fight. While all horses are looking for their leader, they are looking for strength 46 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
with respect. Any attempts to muscle or force will meet with a rebuttal especially with the Scorpio horse. Lead from your heart, give them clear direction, empower them, and they’ll give it right back. Try to control them, and they’ll try to control you. To maximize the potential of the Scorpio horse, show it what to do, then let it get on with it. Back off on the control inputs and you’ll experience an almost telepathic sense of cooperation, once they grasp what’s expected of them. These horses are strong and built for endurance. They will outlast you every time! Within just a few weeks, Jack’s gelding was like a different horse: the more Jack empowered him, the more he gave back. The energy of the fight gave way to the energy of performance. Just like people, horses come into this world with the DNA of their own equine family, and then develop according to how they’re nurtured and trained. But, as you all know, they have their personalities too, and much of that has a basis in what I call their “ASTRO-DNA”. Sometimes, confounding horse behavior can be simply explained by doing their astrological chart. Once you get a clear picture of what
your horse needs and the methods he/she will best respond to, you can be a lot better prepared at knowing what kind of relationship works best for their innate personality. It’s a lot quicker to figure this out based on their chart than by the kind of trial and error that can introduce unpleasant experiences and often worsen bad habits. Just as astrological compatibility readings are important to many peoples’ interpersonal relationships, knowing how your personalities intertwine can help both you and your equine partner reach new heights of communication and performance. The chart shows how they learn, whether they do best with verbal commands or receive with mental pictures or if they do better with touch. It tells us what makes them feel safe and comfortable. Some need to be in a pasture and some like the protection of a stall. How do they relate? Are they loners or do they need a buddy? Some will not like change and others need variety. Are they an Endurance horse or will they wear out quickly? Are they good for show or will they freak out with a crowd? There is so much to be learned from looking at the chart. I love to get a newborn’s chart because it saves so much trial and error. I can tell what their mission is and also body parts that may be sensitive and need to be watched carefully. The information is extremely valuable and I have so much feedback to confirm so.
As a lifelong horsewoman, and published author of an astrology book “Understanding Children through Astrology”, I’ve found the insights provided by the chart to be immensely helpful to many horse owners, and perhaps even more importantly to their horses. When you start to understand the horse, it’s so much easier to adjust your approach to maximize their natural inclinations. Some people say they don’t “believe” in astrology. Well, it’s not a matter of belief. There’s nothing to believe here, it’s simply a set of correlations based on observation. In fact, I became an astrologer after setting out to disprove it, and finding instead that it was incredibly useful and insightful. Finding out just how relevant it was to horse/human interaction was a thrill, as it brought two of my greatest passions together! In my future columns, I’ll talk about the different signs as they relate to horses and their behavior, how you can harness their strengths, understand their weaknesses, and improve your relationship. In the meantime, here are some brief characteristics for each Sun sign.
To find out more about how to get your own horse’s chart done and your compatibility with it, go to equineastrology.com or email samantha@equiserene.com.
OTH HOROSCOPE
The Twelve HORSE PERSONALITIES THE ARIES HORSE March 21 – April 20 “I Am”
THE CANCER HORSE June 21 – July 20 “I Feel”
The Aries horse is a leader, and headstrong. So give it its head, and explore together at the front of group. Attempting to force it to the back of the line will end up in a battle. Lots of energy and is not comfortable with confinement.
These are the protectors of those around them – whether that’s the herd, or you. They also need to feel safe in their environment. Give them a great little place of their own to call home. Nuture them with love and they will nuture you back.
THE TAURUS HORSE April 21 – May 20 “I Have”
THE LEO HORSE July 20 – August 20 “I Will”
We can call this horse our rock. It is solid, stable and trustworthy. It can be stubborn, but easily bribed with sweets and scratches. It might seem a little slow to catch on at times and not happy with change. Status quo – stready as she goes.
This is the horse who likes to strut its stuff! Bring out the camera, put it in front of a crowd, definitively applaud it, and its performance will improve. Great show horses, they love a parade and will appreciate wearing showy gear.
THE GEMINI HORSE May 21 – June 20 “I Think” These horses can be the smartest in the herd. They are quick, agile and versatile. They need to be kept busy or boredom quickly leads to bad habits. Give them lots of variety and teach them something new as often as you can. 48 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
THE VIRGO HORSE August 21 – September 20 “I Analyze” These horses are generally a little high strung, may have fine lines, and a very sensitive digestive system. Watch their diet carefully, and keep a look out for ulcers. Good at learning detailed routines, and most really enjoy grooming.
THE LIBRA HORSE September 21 – October 20 “I Balance”
THE CAPRICORN HORSE December 21 – January 20 “I Use”
These horses generally get along with everyone, horse or human. They are not usually the fighters in the group because they prefer peace and harmony. They definitely are not happy when they are alone. They also like to look good!
This is another sound, consistent, reliable type. Not flashy, but you can count on them. They like to have a job, and love to be shown respect. They can have long periods of disciplined activities, and don’t mind being alone.
THE SCORPIO HORSE October 21 – November 20 “I Create” This one may give you a run for your money if you choose to try and overpower it. Best approach is mutual respect, mutual contribution, compassion and consideration. Empower them and they will empower you. THE SAGITTARIUS HORSE November 21 – December 20 “I Perceive” Keep these guys in a pasture, as stalls will drive them crazy unless there is an open door at all times. Freedom and adventure are what makes them happy. Routines or ring confinement will dull their spirit.
THE AQUARIUS HORSE January 21 – February 20 “I Know” This is another “Don’t confine me!” character. Independence is its keyword, and walking a different path is its way. To teach this one you will need to use innovative and unusual methods. Put your thinking cap on! THE PISCES HORSE February 21 – March 20 “I Believe” Horses born under this sign are the most sensitive and make great healers. They seem to read us easily with their keen intuitive abilities. Not the kind of horse you want to shout at or use harsh training methods. Kindness will get you everything you want.
To find out more about how to get your own horse’s chart done and your compatibility with it, go to equineastrology.com or email samantha@equiserene.com.
NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 49
OTH LISTINGS
HORSE LISTINGS HUNTER + JUMPER CABARNET
Canadian (Warmblood) SA LE | $29,000c a d | H U N T ER SEX Male HEIGHT 15.2 hh BORN June 21, 2011 COLOUR Grey Bernie combines some of the best modern breeding through her sire line Cabardino with a classic Oldenburg dam Celine by Continue. Started under saddle in July 2015. She is naturally balanced in all three gaits, lovely lead changes come naturally with change of bend and she carries a lovely rythmic pace up to and after a 2 foot fence. She has no idea she’s not 17 hands and has an easy 12 foot stride that will win ribbons in the hunter ring. JOHANNE DIETRICH | 519-404-7727 | JOHANNE@DIETRICH.CA
CHARDONAY Canadian Sport Horse (Warmblood) SA LE | $29,000C A D | J U N IOR/A M AT EU R J UMPER SEX Mare HEIGHT 16.1 hh BORN 2005 COLOUR Bay Takes you to jump, experience up to 1.30, winning the Foxrun equicup GP at 1.25m on Toronto A-circuit. Present rider is named champion on several occasions in Montreal A-circuit highlighting champion in Saugerties NY, all at 1.10m. hendrikshorses.ca FRANK HENDRIKS | 613-219-4976 | FRANKHENDRIKS75@HOTMAIL.COM
ENZO AK A DOUBLE ENTENTE Canadian Sport Horse Warmblood SALE | $29,000cad | JUNIOR/AMATEUR JUMPER SEX Gelding HEIGHT 15.2 hh BORN 2008 COLOUR Bay “Enzo” has up to 1.10m experience in the jumper ring, auto lead changes and the best temperament for an amateur. No spook, decent ground manners and a great personality makes this the horse you want. FRANK HENDRIKS | 613-219-4976 | FRANKHENDRIKS75@HOTMAIL.COM 50 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
COCONUT BAY
Canadian Sport Horse SA LE | $30,000 c a d | H U N T ER SEX Mare HEIGHT 16.2 hh BORN January 1, 2008 COLOUR Bay Lovely hunter prospect by Cabardino out of a Rio Grande mare. Shown on the line. Very good mover, good change, jump. Will make into fancy 3’ hunter. www.parklanestables.ca KIM MERVYN | 416-899-4021 | MERVYN@GMAIL.COM
DRESSAGE DARK VELVET
CSH SA LE | $59,900c a d | DR ESSAGE SEX Mare HEIGHT 17 hh BORN July 15, 2005 COLOUR Black Velvet is training Third Level and above. Was 2014 Ontario Champion at Second level. Spectacular mover. www.CentaurBreedingFarm.com SHIRLEY GUERTIN | 613 835-2237 | INFO@CENTAURRIDINGSCHOOL.COM
DASAHI
CSH SA LE | $3 4,900c a d | DR ESSAGE SEX Gelding HEIGHT 16.3 hh BORN November 4, 2006 COLOUR Bay Dasahi is training Third Level Dressage. Was Champion across Canada in 2014 for the National Cadora Awards at Second level. Sweet horse, great personality, always been sound. www.CentaurBreedingFarm.com SHIRLEY GUERTIN | 613 835-2237 | INFO@CENTAURRIDINGSCHOOL.COM
DIAMANDA
CSH SA LE | $ 4 4,900c a d | DR ESSAGE SEX Mare HEIGHT 17 hh BORN July 15, 2005 COLOUR Black Dressage-star in the making: 2015 Canadian Champion at Training level, earning high scores from International judges – 9 for free walk, 8.5 for paces, 10 for centerline halt. Competed FEI 4-year old classes, all scores above 70. Looks like dynamite, but an easy ride. www.CentaurBreedingFarm.com SHIRLEY GUERTIN | 613 835-2237 | INFO@CENTAURRIDINGSCHOOL.COM
NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 51
PROSPECTS BIRDSONG ak a oz z y Oldenburg SA LE | $15,000c a d | H U N T ER/J UMPER , DR ESSAGE , E V EN TER , PROSPECT SEX Gelding HEIGHT 15.2 hh BORN June 9, 2013 COLOUR Bay, Blaze Flashy gelding by Banderas with great movement & huge jump sure to be noticed in the ring. Solid groundwork & manners since birth, UTD vet & farrier. Registered GOV Video available. CHARLOTTE ELLIOTT | 519-429-3116 | RYERSEGLENFARM@HOTMAIL.COM
BODACIOUS
ak a bo Canadian Sport Horse SA LE | $1 2 , 500c a d | H U N T ER/J UMPER , DR ESSAGE , E V EN T ER , PROSPECT SEX Mare HEIGHT 15 hh BORN May 6, 2014 COLOUR Bay, Large Stripe Super cute gelding by Banderas with fancy movement sure to be noticed in the ring. Solid groundwork & manners since birth, UTD vet & farrier. Registered CSHA Video available. CHARLOTTE ELLIOTT | 519-429-3116 | RYERSEGLENFARM@HOTMAIL.COM
DUSTY
Warmblood x TB SA LE | $5, 500c a d | H U N T ER/J UMPER , DR ESSAGE , E V EN T ER , PROSPECT SEX Colt HEIGHT 16.2 hh BORN June 2015 COLOUR Grey Purchase your next show horse at a fraction on the cost. This is a foal bred for the sport of your choice, whether it is eventing, hunter, or jumper. Should have great movement and jumping scope. Sire is Prometheus, an up and coming young jumper by the Stallion Portland L. The dam is a TB who has proven that she can produce great WB crosses. He is very friendly and curious with a nice laid back attitude. Loves his scratches. JOHANNE DIETRICH | 519-404-7727 | JOHANNE@DIETRICH.CA
COCONUT BAY
Canadian Sport Horse SA LE | $30,000c a d | H U N T ER SEX Mare HEIGHT 16.2 hh BORN January 1, 2008 COLOUR Bay Lovely hunter prospect by Cabardino out of a Rio Grande mare. Shown on the line. Very good mover, good change, jump. Will make into fancy 3’ hunter. www.parklanestables.ca KIM MERVYN | 416-899-4021 | MERVYN@GMAIL.COM 52 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER ‘15
PLEASURE + ALL AROUND GALENA Hanoverian SA LE | $12 ,000c a d | A LL A ROU N D SEX Mare HEIGHT 16.3 hh BORN April 10, 2000 COLOUR Chestnut 15yr old, Hanoverian mare. Has lateral work. LOVES to jump! Breed approvals with Holsteiner, Westphalian and CSHA, Easy ride, very willing and a great work ethic. www.southgreyhanoverians.webs.com SUZANNE HESS | 519-835-3784 | SGH@LIVE.CA
BREAKTHROUGH ak a louie Canadian Sport Horse SA LE | $15,000c a d | H U N T ER/J UMPER , DR ESSAGE , E V EN T ER , PROSPECT SEX Gelding HEIGHT 16 hh BORN May 9, 2015 COLOUR Bay, Bald Face Stunning gelding by Banderas with exceptional movement sure to be noticed in the ring. Solid groundwork & manners since birth, UTD vet & farrier. Registered CSHA Video available CHARLOTTE ELLIOTT | 519-429-3116 | RYERSEGLENFARM@HOTMAIL.COM
STONEHEDGE ONY X
ak a sno op y Registered Section B Welsh SA LE | $8,000c a d | DR ESSAGE , H U N T ER /J UMPER OR E V EN T ING PROPECT SEX Gelding HEIGHT 13 hh BORN May 3, 2005 COLOUR Black Puppy dog personality, safe for a child. Very patient, willing and kind. Perfect for a young rider wanting to learn dressage basics: haunches in, shoulder in, leg yield and half pass. Videos available on request. JULIE GAUTHIER | 705-533-2016 |
705-427-526 | GAUTHIERJ1923 @GMAIL.COM
EVENTER HOTT TOPIC AK A BRANDY Dutch Warmblood Cross SA LE | $15,000c a d | E V EN T ER SEX Mare HEIGHT 16.1 hh BORN 2005 COLOUR Bay Brandy is successfully competing at training level. Recently placing 8th at the OHTA Championships. Very athletic, loves her job, clips, ties, trailers, no vices. ASHLEY | 905-716-6585 | ASH.HENSMAN@OUTLOOK.COM NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 53
SF
Your Complete SourCe for equine SolutionS
SystemFence.com FENCING
|
STALLS
|
EQUIPMENT
|
TACK STORE
|
FARRIER
14321 5th Line Nassagaweya Rockwood ON
|
REHAB
|
RENTALS
519-856-9959 1-800-842-6503 sales@systemfence.com