Elite Equestrian magazine May June 2020 issue by Elite Equestrian LLC

ELITE

EQUESTRIAN Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

TRAILERS

Slant VS Straight

Â®

LIVE OAK INTERNATIONAL Review

TRAVEL

With Your Horse

DENTAL Exams

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com Volume 20 Issue 3 Complimentary

FULL SERVICE FOR ALL MAKES & MODELS

2020 4 Star 6 Horse Head to Head The Ultimite in a Head to Head

• • • • •

Converts to 4, 5 or 6 horse Converts into 3 box stalls Fully insulated roof Dressing room Large windows for max air flow

• • • • •

Saddle racks, bridle hooks Hydralic Jack Side ramp Rear ramp Extra tall and extra wide

Drop by or call and let us tell you the 4 Star Diﬀerence! www.coas�ocoas�railer.com

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

ELITE

Contents

EQUESTRIAN

May/June 2020

Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

Fashion • Home • Art 18 MUST HAVES

For you, your horse and farm

Equine Health 42 DENTAL EXAMS

Teeth and Behavior

20 STYLISH SPRING Hunt coats and more

44 EQUINE Asthma

22 PERFECT LOOK

46 STALL Grazer

Show Shirt

Training, Tack & Showing

24 EXCEPTIONALLY EQUESTRIAN Home Stuff & More

28 EQUINE ART

Helmut Koller

30 HORSES, ART & HEALING Candace Platz DVM

32 ANIMAL ART Jerilyn Weber 34 HIS & HERS

Gunnar Ostergaard

36 Art & Antiques with Dr. Lori Garden Repurposing & more

Travel

64 HORSES ON THE GO

39 EXCEPTIONALLY EQUESTRIAN Great Things For Your Horse

48 FITTNESS

More 38 GREAT BOOKS

50 BIT SENSE

40 SUPER HITCHES

54 WESTERN DRESSAGE

66 TRAILERS

75 TACK BOX

In The Saddle Human, Horse, Heart Tack & Attire BRIDLES Which Is Right For Your Horse

62 BARGAIN SADDLES

Is there such a thing?

68 LIVE OAK INTERNATIONAL Event Review

70 VERMONT SUMMER FESTIVAL Preview

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

By PullRite

Slant VS Straight Your source for services & great retail finds!

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

ELITE

Main Ofﬁce, Ocala, Florida: 352-304-8938 www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com info@EliteEquestrian.us

EQUESTRIAN

PUBLISHER Bill Vander Brink Bill@EliteEquestrian.us

Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

Published since 2008 Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. Ralph Waldo Emerson

For Media Kit including Print & Social Media Packages email: info@EliteEquestrian.us View current and all previous issues on our web site: www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

ELITE EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE is ranked

7 out of 15 WORLDWIDE Equine Magazines To Watch In 2020 According To Feedspot blog

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Noelle Vander Brink Art & Antiques Editor: Dr. Lori Verderame Equine Art Editor: Jeanne Chisholm Fashion Editor: LA Sokolowski Legal Editor: Avery S. Chapman,Esquire Saddle Specialist Editor: Jochen Schleese CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Don Blazer Dr. Kathleen Ivester Lindsay Brock Lisa Lazarus Thomas Cooper, CFP Kim Miller Dr. Laurent Covetil Lynn Palm Emily Daily Tom Scheve Alessandra Deerinck GRAPHICS Fran Sherman

ELITE

EQUESTRIAN Celebrating The Equestrian Lifestyle

TRAILERS

Slant VS Straight

On the cover... Pull Right

ADVERTISING Advertising Sales, N.E.Region: Kathy Dress 610-420-9964 kathy@dressmedia.us Advertising Sales, S.E. Region Karen Eagle 352-812-1142 Advertising Sales, National: Diane Holt 713-408-8114 diane@eliteequestrian.us CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jump Media Andrew Ryback Photography

LIVE OAK INTERNATIONAL Review

TRAVEL

With Your Horse

DENTAL Exams

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com Volume 20 Issue 3 Complimentary

Copyright © 2020 Elite Equestrian is a registered trademark owned by Elite Equestrian LLC. No article, photo, or part of this publication may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission of the publisher. Management reserves the right to approve or refuse any advertiser or contribution for any reason. EE does not endorse any product or advertiser and is not responsible for accuracy of info/opinions provided by advertisers or article content. Photographs are submitted by writers of each article who assume responsibility for usage approval.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

$100 DISCOUNT

OFF ALL BREEDINGS PURCHASED IN MAY

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

MUST haves

Tack FABULOUS French

For home, farm, your horse, and pets.

Farm

Fine used French saddles bought, sold and consigned. Free shipping and 7 day trail. See our ad page 35. 914-621-6814 www.olddominionsaddlery.com info@olddominionsaddlery.com

3 In 1 Feeder

Like Having a Pasture in your Stall! Sits at ground level for comfortable, natural feeding. Holds enough hay so horse is never without feed, slowing feed intake See our ad on back cover. www.StallGrazer.com

COOL Consignments You never know what unique items you’ll ﬁnd at Good Apple Equine Consignment. Perfect time to ﬁnd a ”new” saddle for spring show season. Stop by and see what treasure is waiting for you. We have everything from saddles to books ... all equine related. www.GoodAppleEquine.com (352) 789-6544 See our ad on page 74

Make an Entrance Make a statement at your farm entrance with a beautiful and affordable customized farm sign. Free sign proofs, fast turnaround and free shipping! See our ad pg 47 800-640-8180

SADDLER’S TLC

Saddler’s TLC removes the dirt and grime from the leather’s pores, then replaces the natural oils in one, fast, easy step: wipe it on – wipe it off and the job is done! SADDLER’S TLC contains no petroleum by-products and will not leave any build-up in stitches or seams. Frequent use of SADDLER’S TLC will keep your valuable leather clean, soft, supple and resistant to water and stains for years to come. www.jmsaddler.com See our ad page 49

Build your sign today at www.EZSignsOnline.com

Reel EASY This “one of a kind” reel makes deployment and retrieval of 1.5” or 2” irrigation hose a very quick and simple process!! BigSprinkler.com See our ad pg 29

EYE Protection Clever CLEAN-UP!

Manage manure, reduce parasite risk. Vacuum bulk shavings,dump into stalls. Vacuum leaves too! Two sizes. Call 813-390-6730 www.pasturevacuums.com See our ad page 53 18

Revolutionary products are used by 17 University Vet Hospitals, including UC Davis! eVysor provides 100% UV protection from harmful Rays, Sand, Wind, Twigs, Insects while Trail Riding, Jumping, Eventing, Polo and Racing. Used with a variety of Medical Eye conditions. Offered in mirrored Blue, Orange, Clear and Dark tints. See our ad on page 25 www.ProtectivePetSolutions.com

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Health

Fashion & More

Calm and Focus StressLess™ Hot Horse Supplement is the #1 all-natural hot horse formula developed by a veterinarian, that helps promote calmness and focus in horses experiencing stress related to training, showing, racing, or travel. StressLess™ is non-herbal, all natural, and show safe. HotHorseSupplement.com See our ad pg 2

Custom Boots Deniro Boots, recognized for our custom dressage boots. We ship all over the USA. See our ad pg 75

SUCCESSFUL SOURCE

Source supplements help your horse to thrive! www.4source.com 800 232-2365 See our ad pg 45

Equi-Taping™ Intro Kit Everything you need to start Equi-Taping™. How-to Tape Guide, Teﬂoncoated scissors, Equi-Tape cleaning towel, 2 rolls Classic tape, and special discounts included. Pairs well with the Online Intro Course. www.Equi-Tape.com See our ad pg 47

Terrific Tool

See our ad pg 49

Super Supplements

Fabulous Fashion Bullet Blues “Modern Femme” high-waist ﬂared-leg jeans made in America https://bulletbluesca.com

Hand Crafted Herbal Supplement. Immunall for optimal health; Muscle and JointImproves suppliness; Ty-4Up- Muscular freedom. Stress reduction. 916-203-1821 immunall-us.com See our ad page 17

FEEDING On The Road Best On-The-Go Hay Feeding System! The safest and most durable hay bag for a happy, healthy horse! Reduces risk of ulcers & vices. 25 different styles and sizes. www.NibbleNet.com 772-463-8493 See our ad page 33

OUTDOOR Fun!

“Play ball” or tug or fetch-and-retrieve with AuburnLeathercrafters’ Cotton and Leather Tug Toys. Available at ﬁne retailers and CollarsandMore.com www.auburndirect.com See our ad pg 25

Please tell our advertisers you saw their ad in Elite Equestrian! EE www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Forecast Is For A tylish Spring

The

Come rain or shine, this spring/summer, Bri�sh equestrian fashion brand, Equetech will keep you looking stylish in and out of the saddle with these new addi�ons!

Sat(in) Style The Equetech Ameilia Sleeveless Polo is a gorgeous sleeveless performance polo featuring a beautiful feminine ruffled satin collar, decorated with striking rhinestones gems. Designed to look just as good with jeans or your favourite pair of breeches at those training clinics. An elegant fit which is guaranteed to make you feel fabulous in and out of the saddle! Other features include a quarter zip at neck, scooped back hem and self-fabric bound sleeve openings. XS – XXL Colours: Grey & Peacock RRP: £28.95

Show Time!

The Equetech Studham Deluxe Tweed Range is styled in an Equetech exclusive pure new wool tweed cloth created for show riders who want to be noticed for all the right reasons. The Equetech Studham Deluxe Tweed Riding Jacket is an exquisitely tailored jacket featuring the gorgeous navy and powder blue over check on its beautiful biscuit backdrop. A flattering cut and hue make this jacket fit for a champion RRP: £159.95 Sizes: 32” - 48.”

April Showers

Flattering Support

Say ‘Hi’

For riders who want to love their curves, the new Equetech Alpine Breeches are a high-waisted breeches, designed to give a flattering outline across thighs, tums, bums and hips. The careful seam placement and hidden support help lift and shape with a focus on freedom of movement and comfort a priority. The perfect leisure or competition legwear for all seasons. RRP: £91.95 Sizes: 24 - 34

The Equetech Hack-A-Mac comes in both junior and ladies sizing and is a feather lightweight water repellent jacket which easily packs away neatly into its own chest pocket with clip to attach to your saddle or belt loops, when not in use. Designer details include inset stretch mesh panels to the underside of the sleeves, for complete ventilation and movement. Beat those sudden showers while while riding,undertaking yard duties, walking the dog or even riding your bike! Prices start at £36.75 For Junior Sizes. Ladies: RRP: £47.95 XS – XXL

www.equetech.com 20

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Pretty PERFECT A competition shirt with a pretty feminine feel? Look no further than these beautiful new additions from British equestrian fashion brand, Equetech. The Equetech Elena Competition Shirt is a stunning competition shirt with a keyhole back detail, unique integrated collar, with an embellished front zip placket and contour sleeves. Styled in a lightweight technical stretch fabric, which wicks away moisture from the body, the shirt also features a scooped back hem to accommodate low waistbands. Perfect for all disciplines during the summer months! RRP: ÂŁ34.95 Sizes: 8 - 18 The Equetech Lace Show Shirt is a beautiful, breathable, wicking, quick-drying fancy show shirt featuring a pretty lace detail over shoulder panels for both ventilation and style! Incorporating 5% spandex, this shirt is designed to give the rider complete freedom of movement in and out of the saddle. This new addition features a concealed front button placket and a petite button-down collar.

EQUINE Fashion

Combining fashion with technical fabrics and an understanding of the stylish equestrianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, each Equetech garment is lovingly designed by riders for riders.

Equetech - Celebrating Over 25 Years In British Equestrian Design. www.equetech.com 22

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

SHOW SEASON

Chic

For stunning show ring fashion, Equiline offers a fabulous selection of hunt coats and shadbellies! The selection includes conservative looks and for riders who like their sparkle, there are many options with tasteful bling and colors. Stretchable, waterproof fabrics are available as well. For unsurpassed selection, stunning looks and reliable top notch quality, Equiline has what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for. Equiline has a showroom in Wellington, or for a list of retail locations, please email, or visit our web site.

EquilineAmerica.com info@Equilineamerica.com

EE www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Exceptionally EQUESTRIAN HOST Horsey Style!

Horse Head cu�ng board by Des-Ori Horse, Small (shown) measures 14 x 12” $125. EquilineAmerica.com info@Equilineamerica.com

Warmer weather brings new opportunities for entertaining and enjoying time outdoors. Show your equestrian style with these great ﬁnds!

Chic Scoop Dis�nguish your dinner party with the wonderful Arthur Court Equestrian Ice Cream Scoop. Handcra�ed from beau�ful cast aluminum, this chic ice cream scoop celebrates the allure of horses while providing premium func�onality.

www.TackShackOcala.com

Marble-lous

MUCK Chore Boots The Best

Rubber Work Boot for Around the Farm: For long days in the ﬁelds, in the barn or at the dairy, Muck Boots deliver hardworking technology and muckproof comfort and trac�on in any condi�on.

EQUINE Lifestyle

Muck’s iconic Chore boot has expanded its footprint with addi�onal features and colors. Rugged and built to perform, the Chore boot is a favorite for people working on the farm. Waterproof construc�on keeps feet dry throughout the day. New men’s colors include Bark and Mossy Oak Bo�omland Camo, both with blaze orange lining ($150). For women, Muck has added a new berry color to the Chore Mid. ($135) In keeping with the interior trend of embracing natural materials and clean, aesthe�cally pleasing lines, this beau�ful natural Marble Doorstop with metal an�que-ﬁnish ring combines func�on with fabulous.

www.muckbootcompany.com

An object of desire or prac�cal doorstop, you decide. RRP: £20 www.ladida-andover.com

Follow us on facebook.com/EliteEquestrian/ and Instagram: EliteEquestrianMagazine Read any issue on our web site for free at www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com Please tell our adver�sers you saw them in Elite Equestrian magazine! Ask about featuring your product in Excep�onally Equestrian at info@EliteEquestrian.us 24

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Exceptional Equestrian is now located at Horse Country Trading Co. in Kimberden, Ocala FL @EXEQatHorseCountryTradingCo

Public Welcome!

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Exceptionally EQUESTRIAN GIFTS To

It’s always the right time to pamper yourself! We’ve found these great products for you and your home!

FABULOUS Finishing Touch

Gallop Away With

For the discerning equestrian, gi�s and interiors emporium, La Di Da Interiors, have some gorgeous ‘horsey bits’ that you need in your life right now.

A Daily Reminder Always deba�ng with your family or partner who your horse loves the best? Now, you have the proof! Enjoy a cuppa with a good spoonful of smug and sugar! RRP: £15

A SIGN Of Things To Come The perfect sign for the yard at home. You know how much you worry when you’re away from the yard, so alongside the call and text messages, you have another reminder for everyone. RRP: £9.95

Style

Stirrups With These gorgeous S�rrup Bookends are precisely what your bookshelf or mantlepiece needs for understated equestrian style. RRP: £55

Our 100% Italian made silk scarves are for the stylish, established woman who has everything but wants something that makes them look and feel amazing. Our seasonless scarves add a pop of color to the face and a ﬁnishing touch to your ensemble. From our Floral Seas collec�on, choose from our various ﬂoral designs. Each scarf is 35 square, lightweight silk twill. And, introducing our new line of “Dogs”. These 21-inch square neckerchiefs are not only whimsical but chic! Our goal is to make women feel beau�ful in works of wearable art.

www.ladida-andover.com

Visit us at: www.diﬁorenewyork.com Please contact us for ques�ons at 917-345-3379 andrea@diﬁorenyc.com

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Helmut Koller American Contemporary

EQUINE Art

Helmut Koller is an Austrian artist based in Palm Beach, Florida. As a professional photographer, he spent his early career capturing important ďŹ gures of the opera and ballet and contributing to fashion magazines. Koller abandoned photography for painting in 1988 and yet the style that he has now established does not depart too far from his roots as a photographer. Koller has an extensive body of work of photorealistic paintings depicting animals. This realism is hindered by a striking alteration to the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fur. Rather than what we predict the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colors to be, Koller paints them in saturated, synthetic hues. This ranging color application to various species from the animal kingdom has been designated the title Kollerism.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Wellington Place 13532 Fountain View Boulevard Wellington FL 33414, USA

845-505-1147 â&#x20AC;¢ 561-557-3747 www.ChisholmGallery.com EE www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Horses, Art and Healing: The Colorful World of Candace Platz, DVM with L.A. Sokolowski, equinista

andace Platz, DVM, has a way of being many things to many individuals. To her equine patients, she has been a caring and compassionate veterinarian who also holds a degree in non-dual healing, a Kabbalah-based modality where everything, including the mind/body relationship, is connected. in her careers �� national rank�� Prix dressage ��

To her horse, Fynn, she is the Grand Prix �� Prix centerlines (so far) and into the his��

EQUINE Lifestyle

�� Narwhal�� Dandi�� 30

�� internationally. �� www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

�� Narwhal, is a �� Discover more about this artful equestrian at www.candaceplatzart.com.

For Now and Ever A most unusual gift of love

The Poem Reads:

“There is no moment of my life when you are not a part of me; You hold my heart; you guide my soul; And if my will be done, And all I long for could come true, with perfect joy I would choose to share eternity with you.” Dear Reader: The drawing you see above is called Now and Forever. It is completely composed of dots and ink. After writing the poem, I with a quill pen and placed thousands of these dots, one at a time, to create this gift in honor of my youngest brother and his wife. Now, I have decided to offer The Promise to those who share and value it’s sentiment. Each litho is numbered and signed by hand and precisely captures the detail of the drawing. As a wedding or anniversary gift, or simply as a standard for your own home, I believe you will ﬁnd it most appropriate. Measuring 14” x 16”, it is available either fully-framed in a subtle copper tone with hand-cut double mats of pewter and rust at $145* or in the mats alone at $105*. Please add $18.95 for insured shipping and packing. Your satisfaction is completely guaranteed. My best wishes are with you.

Sextonart Inc • P.O. Box 581 • Rutherford CA 94573 • 415.989.1630 • www.RobertSexton.com All major credit cards are welcome. Please call between 10 am and 5pm Paciﬁc Standard time, 7 days a week. Checks are also accepted, please include phone number. * CA residents please include 8% sales tax www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

��

Raised in California, Jerilyn WeberÕs closest childhood friend lived on a 300-acre ranch. She fondly recalls riding bareback together-their steadfast Quarter Horses loping along scenic bluffs and expertly weaving through beautiful river trails. It was an idyllic time for Weber, an avid animal lover.

�

She dreamed of painting professionally but other career opportunities and the birth of her two daughters, Ashley and Laura set her on a different path. When the girls started English Riding lessons in their middle school years, Weber joined them.

Learning to ride formally was a lot more involving than her carefree days on the ranch, ÒBut I knew if I didnÕt try, I wouldnÕt be able to fully appreciate what my daughters were learning,Ó Jerilyn says, ÒAnd it gave us a wonderful activity to share together.Ó Meanwhile, art was never she dabbled with painting horses and dogs as a hobby and

enjoyed various art classes. Then two events set her on a new professional career path. She received great praise from distant relatives for an oil painting she had created of her lesson horse and she was introduced to pastels. Weber displayed her work at veterinary offices, horse and dog shows. Soon she began receiving calls for commissions. Today Jerilyn lives in New Jersey and is an active member of the New Jersey Equine ArtistsÕ Association. She has received numerous awards for her work including a Best in Show in the 2017 Pastel Society of New Jersey Members' Exhibition for her painting "Feeling His Oats.Ó Several of her dog paintings have received First Place awards in the New York Dog Fanciers Contemporary Dog Art Competitions. ÒI especially love painting horses. As a child, drawing a horse was a way of having a horse of my own. As an adult, I appreciate their amazing beauty. I love the way the roundness of their muscles contrasts with the linearity of their bone structure. I love the softness of their chests. Most of all I love the features of their head Ð their nostrils, their ears, and of course, their lovely, expressive eyes. When I am painting a horse, I try to imagine how it feels to stroke their coat, to feel their warmth, and to smell their particular scent. ÓJerilyn finds her long-awaited career very gratifying. She enjoys bringing a beloved animal to life in pastels for his or her owner and to know the client is happy with the work. � To learn more about JerilynÕs art visit www.jerilynweber.com To contact her directly email jerilynweber@comcast.net

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

& GUNNAR ØSTERGAARD: Get Up and GO

HIS

HERS

With LA Sokolowski, equinista Photos provided by Gunnar Ostergaard

As a teenager, Danish horseman Gunnar Østergaard knew his passion was destined to be his profession. He apprenticed with Karl Diel in Germany (coincidentally at the same time as Herbert Rehbein) and after returning to Denmark at age 23, earned the attention of Gunnar Andersen, who provided the horses and chances to learn more, gain experience, and train up to Grand Prix level. In 1975, he was named National Danish Professional Champion and a year later, came to the United States, where his reputation and clientele grew to include schooling Olympic show jumping and three-day riders in dressage. In 1977, F. Eugene Dixon invited him to train his daughter, Ellin, so Gunnar and his wife Birgit moved to Dixon’s 500-acre Erdenheim (German for “home on earth”) Farm, launching a long, successful relationship that included a 1981 USDF Grand Prix national championship for the Dixon mantelpiece. Gunnar has trained dozens of Grand Prix horses and riders, won multiple national championships and Grand Prix titles at Devon and USET Festival of Champions, and served for two decades on the USET Planning and Selection Committee. Today, he and Birgit divide time between homes in Denmark, Tryon, NC, and Chester, VT. Gunnar modestly calls English his second language, but we’d say his undisputed fluency is in horsemanship. HERS: What do you remember about your first horse or pony? HIS: My first horse was Johnny, a spooky Danish Knabstrupper that my father liked to parade around town on Sundays. One day Johnny couldn’t decide if he was more scared of the railroad cars or the harbor – they wound up three feet away from getting soaked!

EQUINE Lifestyle

HERS: What do you like best in a horse? In a person? HIS: I love a happy horse with a good work ethic, and honesty and kindness in a person.

HERS: What book would you like to time to read? HIS: I keep going back to a 600-page book about 300,000 Danish emigrants that settled in the United States between 1850 and 1920. There are so many stories about the hard lives they faced and many did not even survive the trip below deck on overcrowded boats. HERS: Last streaming series you binge-watched? HIS: I don’t watch much TV, mostly news and politics. HERS: Is there a job in your past never included on your résumé?

HIS: I never had to send an résumé. Only signatures to US emigration – when I was getting my green card in 1976 -about how dressage trainers were needed in this country. I’m a citizen now! HERS: What was your first paying job? HIS: I was delivering newspapers when I was 13. That did not last long. Then helping my father in his trucking business. HERS: If you worked outside the horse world what would you be doing? HIS: It would have been something with farming or forestry. HERS: What is your favorite quote? HIS: “Give a man a fish and he has food for a day. Teach a man how to fish and he has food for a lifetime.” (Confucius) HERS: Describe yourself in one word? HIS: Reflected in the first two letters of my name: GO. HERS: Is there anything you feel is true that almost nobody agrees with you about? HIS: Not sure. I believe many people agree that, the harder and better you work, the luckier you get. HERS: An instance where you faced and solved a difficult problem? HIS: I constantly face problems, in my own countless lessons! But I feel privileged that, by always trying my best, I am almost always able to make an improvement if not find a solution. HERS: Where do you see horse sport headed in this new decade? HIS: It will grow and expand. As life gets more techdriven, people will come back to working with the world’s most beautiful creature and so, I hope, training dressage horses will never get “computerized.”

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

LOVE YOUR HORSE?

LOVE YOUR SADDLE! Shop for a ﬁne used sadde that ﬁts! Free shipping and a 7 day trial! Buy • Sell • Consign

WWW.OLDDOMINIONSADDLERY.COM 914-621-6814

Antares • Butet • CWD • Delgrange • Devoucoux • Voltaire www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Repurpose Antiques for the

GARDEN

Art & An�ques by Dr. Lori by Dr. Lori Verderame When it comes to collectibles, it is always wise to know what you’ve got and know what it’s worth. Some objects like planters, mugs, cups, and vases can be very valuable but some are just collectible and cheap too. So, once you have an accurate appraisal of your antique and find out if it is trash or treasure, you might want to consider new ways to use and enjoy it. Repurposing is so popular that many folks are looking at some aging objects in a whole new way. Before you send that inexpensive vintage piece out to the curb, consider transforming it into doing double duty in your garden.

From broken brass saxophones to chipped German beer steins, anything can hold a plant, vegetable, or ﬂower. Think about creating a colorful display in your garden by using value-less antique ceramics or even typewriters or suitcases as planters and garden dividers.

EQUINE Lifestyle

EverybodyGardens.com Editor, Doug Oster says “Anything can be a container as long as it has drainage.” So don’t fret over that chipped beyond repair vintage ceramic tea pot or rusty ﬁling cabinet. Paint it brightly and add some plant life to it.

Instead, make these old objects into a cute flower pot. Drill a hole for drainage and line them up with other repurposed pottery pieces on a patio stone wall or suspended on your porch near your hanging wind chimes. You can even secure each vintage coffee mug or teapot by their handles by sticking the handle in between the slat space of your picket fence. Old metal desks, chairs, even beds can be transformed into flower or vegetable gardens by replacing seats, drawers or mattresses with plants or flowers.

Chipped, cracked or broken items can have new life as hosts in your garden. Try it as Spring comes alive in your neck of the woods and use your antique, vintage or simply aging objects around the house as the focus of this year’s new garden project.

��

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Spring Flowers in Art & Antiques

Floral forms have long had a prominent place in the fine arts and antiques. The art historical symbolism of flowers from asters to zinnias has intrigued collectors since the Renaissance period. ��

The Italian master, Sandro Botticelli sprinkled one hundred and forty-one different floral varieties beneath the feet of his famous Neo-Platonic figures in the tempera painting on panel from circa 1470-80s. The figures in the painting, which hangs in Florence Italy’s famous Uffizi Gallery, include Venus the Roman goddess of love and gardens, Cupid, Mercury, Flora among others and was intended for the master bedroom suite of the Medici Palace. Flowers in art and antiques offer varied symbolism…love, fidelity, prosperity to name a few. For instance, a rose’s association with pure love comes from the Bible’s description of the Virgin Mary as a “rose without thorns”. The carnation featured in one of Rembrandt van Rijn’s most famous portraits--the portrait of Jan Six with a Pink—speaks to the hope for fidelity or loyalty in a new marriage. When it comes to signs of prosperity, the welldocumented tulipomania which took place in the Netherlands during the 1600s resulted in a new group of collectors from the upper and middle classes as well as a host of new hybrid types of tulips like the bearded tulip and the broken or striped tulip for gardeners. It follows that tulips would become a visual symbol of prosperity. The popular tulip and other floral still lifes of the Dutch Baroque age were highly sought after by art collectors and in today’s active art market, Dutch floral still lifes by the masters such as Willem Heda, Rachel Rauysch or Cornelius de Heem are quite expensive. Hidden meanings are typical when flowers are highlighted in art and antiques. For example, flowers with sitters in paintings suggest their current situation. The appearance of a sprig of rosemary or a forget-me-not clued the viewer into the fact that the sitter shown in a painting was deceased. White flowers meant purity while red flowers referenced passion. When it comes to antiques, like artwork, flowers have made their mark, too. In the early 1800s, the seeds of a new nation had been planted in America. Decorative arts featured straight lines and geometric elements that reflected a revival of classicism known as the American Federal style. Classical forms and its emphasis on formality did not discount the appearance of flower forms. Buds appeared on Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and Sheraton furniture in the form of recessed rosettes, ancathus leaf sprays, and meandering garlands. From straight carved wooden legs known as spade legs to floral decorated drawer pulls, furniture embellishments were found in the form of leafy scrolls, daisies, roses, mums, and other garden life. Some flowers in art and antiques speak volumes about a particular time period and contemporary taste. This Spring as you consider your plantings and yardwork, remember various floral symbols also had a big impact on the history of artwork.

Visit us on our website: www.ocalafmc.com

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

rses

ximum length hey are more s experience culation, so ll constantly s on the d, inﬂamed, moved l system is

the leg on e horse’s tural for the old the limb o the ground.

here in the

Rider’s Pain-Free Back Book

Two Tewksbury Authors Win

Winnie Literary Awards

Overcome Chronic Soreness, Injury and Aging, and Stay in the Saddle for Years to Come By James Warson, MD

Novelist Andie Andrews (Eisenberg) and animal book author, Loren SpiottaDiMare, both of Tewksbury, NJ, received Winnie Awards in the 2019 seventh annual EQUUS Film & Arts Festival – Literary Division. The Festival is the leading showcase for domestic and international equestrian content including feature films, shorts, documentaries, music videos, commercials, training, educational materials, and art and literature. The prestigious equine film and arts event was held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Andrews’ poignant novel, Ephemeral received a first-place award in the Equine Fiction (Western) category. She also received a Winnie for her rom-com screenplay, Spring Fling. Spiotta-DiMare’s picture book, Sergeant Reckless: Hero War Horse received a first-place award in the Children’s Historical category. Spiotta-DiMare was a Board Member of the Tewksbury Trail Association for 10 years. She’s also the former Chair and a current member of the Tewksbury Equestrian Committee. “When a member of the Committee told me about Andie I couldn’t wait to meet her and read her novel,” Spiotta-DiMare says. “We’re both Western riders and hit it off right away. I loved Ephemeral. Andie is such a gifted author. She truly understands horses and I was literally laughing out loud reading some of her passages. That we both received Winnie Awards is so special.” Spiotta-DiMare has been writing nonfiction animal books for adults and children for many years. She’s had 20 books published to date. Several new titles are underway. The author’s work has been recognized by the Dog Writers Association of America, USA Book News, Humane Society of the United States, and the Doris Day Animal Foundation.

In Ephemeral, jaded romance writer Clarissa takes up riding lessons as research for her new novel. In the saddle, she ﬁnds relief from her troubled marriage and her darkest secrets in the company of horses who offer an intoxicating sense of freedom and daring. One part romance novel, one part literary ﬁction, one part love-affair-withhorses, Ephemeral is told from the viewpoint of a quirky, old cow horse who not only invites you into his world, but also shares his sensible and soulful outlook on human hearts and the meaning of true horsemanship.

sponsible for joints as

Spiotta-DiMare’s children’s book, Sergeant Reckless: Hero War Horse is the true story of an amazing pack horse who served with the Marines during the Korean War. Her job was to carry ammunition up steep, rugged terrain to the Recoilless Riﬂe ﬁring station and then bring wounded Marines back down to safety. For her valiant efforts, Reckless was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and a United Nations Service Medal. She retired with the rank of Staff Sergeant.

the right, bring the leg

To order autographed copies of Ephemeral, contact Andrews at andieandrewsauthor.com. To order Sergeant Reckless, contact Spio�a-DiMare at author@LorensReadingRoom.com. Both books are also available through Amazon. 38

Dr. James Warson—a neurosurgeon and lifelong horseman—says that over 90 percent of the population seeks help for back pain at one point or another during the course of life. If you’re a horseperson, back pain is of particular concern since everything you do on and around horses demands a supple, strong, healthy back: riding itself, grooming, tacking up, stacking hay bales, even pushing a wheelbarrow. This book provides all the practical information needed to understand the diagnosis, treatment, and pain management related to a rider’s back problems, whether they are inherited, or caused by riding, trauma, illness, posture, pregnancy, or aging. Dr. Warson breaks down the physics of movement and explains how combining two separate bodies—human and horse—creates additional sources of potential back strain and injury. Traditional and alternative treatments are discussed, and Dr. Warson includes step-by-step instructions for a do-it-yourself physical therapy plan that will not only help those already dealing with back pain, but more importantly, promises to improve rider ﬂexibility and strength, preventing the onset of a problem. This new paperback edition features updates throughout, including a special section on riding after hip and knee replacement surgery. 192 pages | 132 color photos | $24.95 Trafalgar Square Books @ www.HorseandRiderBooks.com

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Exceptionally EQUESTRIAN FOILING Flies

Protecting our beloved horses and safe guarding their health is a primary concern for every horse owner. These products offer terriﬁc solutions to common needs.

Perfect PROTECTION

When It Comes To Fly Protec�on, Don’t Wing It Silver Whinnys® are safe on an equine owner’s wallet. The cost of a set of 4 socks cost less than one visit by your veterinarian to treat derma��s brought on by fly allergies. Hoof trims and shoe sets last longer. Protec�on by Silver Whinnys is worth many “pounds” of cure. They are fly protec�on that go far beyond anything a mesh fly wrap can offer.

Flies transmit disease primarily because they feed on waste, decaying ma�er, and feces whose bacteria then s�cks to its mouth, footpads and hair like tendrils. Compound this with the fact that flies defecate roughly every four to five minutes and -- because they have no teeth -- take nourishment in liquid form, spewing vomitus or spi�le laden with bacteria on solid food and le�ing it dissolve before ea�ng, and the result is a perfect delivery system for infec�on. It’s enough to never let you look at flies the same way again, and more importantly, you don’t want to look at them spi�ng and worse on your horse’s legs. Is it any wonder why equine legs begin to look ravaged before summer has barely begun? Silver Whinnys are cool, breathable protec�on that offers a clean environment around the leg. Silver inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungi, and mold in the socks. For those needing to keep the flies and dirt off open sores a hygienic environment around the leg is important. The safe res�ng level of compression helps them stay in place on the legs and because the compression is light, they cannot hurt a horse even if your horse manages to push them all the way down. Order Silver Whinnys Now! 1-850-907-5724 E: info@soxforhorses.com h�ps:/soxforhorses.com

These revolu�onary products are used by 17 University Vet Hospitals, including UC Davis!

eVysor provides 100% UV protec�on from harmful Rays, Sand, Wind, Twigs, Insects while Trail Riding, Jumping, Even�ng, Polo and Racing. They are also great for use with a variety of Medical Eye condi�ons. They are available in mirrored Blue, Orange, Clear and Dark �nts. www.Protec�vePetSolu�ons.com See our ad on page 25

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Annual Dental Exams Help Keep Horses On Their

Best Behavior

Identify Important Behavioral Signs With The Zoetis Equine Dental Wellness Survey By Jeﬀ Hall, DVM, Senior Equine Technical Services Veterinarian, Zoe�s

Could dental pain be the culprit for your horse’s behavioral problems? A recent study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science established a link between common equine behavior problems and abscessed cheek teeth. Periapical infections or abscessed cheek teeth are common in horses1 and will usually induce pain that is displayed in your horse’s behavior. According to the research, half of the cases of periapical infections were diagnosed during routine dental examinations, indicating that horse owners were unaware of the association between undesirable behavioral patterns of their horses and dental pain.

Behavioral Problems Linked to Tooth Pain

Common behavioral signs associated with cheek teeth abscesses fall into three main categories. Some signs include:

Eating and Drinking

• Eating slowly or taking frequent pauses while eating hay • Turning his head while eating or dropping hay or grain from his mouth • Dipping hay in water or avoiding drinking cold water

Bit-Related

• Evading the bit • Headshaking, lolling tongue or opening his mouth when ridden and/or driven with a bit • Rein contact worse on one side of the mouth • Resistance to bridling

Zoetis is committed to educating horse owners about the importance of annual dental examinations and care by an equine veterinarian. Behavioral signs caused by dental abnormalities are crucial to identify. Recognizing these potential behavioral changes can help with earlier diagnosis, treatment and improved health and wellness for your horse. If your horse is expressing any of these behavioral signs, work with your equine veterinarian to conduct an oral and dental examination. Annual oral and dental examinations is a recommended baseline of care of your horse. Depending on your horse’s age, level of performance and overall condition of the teeth, additional examinations throughout the year may be needed.

Schedule dental examinations to ensure your horse’s health, wellness and behavior are all in check.

General

• Withdrawn, intense stare, aggressive behavior or self-harm to his head • Avoiding social interaction with other horses and people • Bad-smelling breath • Poor performance, such as a decline in athletic ability

EQUINE Health

Take the Zoetis Equine Dental Wellness Survey To help you identify behavioral signs associated with dental abnormalities in your horse, Zoetis created an equine dental wellness survey. This short survey will help you recognize many of the eating, drinking, bit-related and general behavioral signs that your horse may be displaying due to a tooth abscess. Visit our web site, right to ﬁnd the survey. 42

About Zoetis� �� www.zoetisus.com. E

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Equine Asthma: New Term for Old Problem May is National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month By Drs. Kathleen Ivester and Laurent Coue�l, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.

For nearly as long as horses have been domesticated, the relationship between barn confinement and respiratory disease in the horse has been recognized. This relationship is intuitive, especially when we consider that deep in the lung, where the blood takes up oxygen, the barrier between the outside air and the horse’s circulation is as thin as a couple of cells. Will Coleman and TKS Cooley

EQUINE Health

The surface area of this gas-exchange region of the lung has on average a surface area of 2,500 square meters (26,900 square feet), equal to nearly half a football field. The response of the lung’s immune system to inhaled air results in a number of diseases in both humans and horses. Many of the occupational respiratory diseases in humans are associated with agriculture due to exposures to organic dusts. Dusts in agricultural settings, including the horse barn, are rich in substances such as endotoxin and fungi that can drive inflammation. Depending on when the conversation took place, horse owners consulting their veterinarians will have heard many terms applied to this problem: broken wind, heaves, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), bronchiolitis, small airway disease, recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), inflammatory airway disease (IAD), and most recently, equine asthma. Along the way, distinctions have been drawn between those horses that develop difficulty breathing at rest (heaves, RAO, severe equine asthma) and those that do not (IAD, mild equine asthma). While potentially leading to confusion for the horse owner, the changing terminology actually reflects improvements in veterinary knowledge. While the term COPD was applied to reflect the obstruction or blocked airflow that can occur in severe cases, this term was discarded due to the differences with the human disease. In humans, COPD is mainly a consequence of cigarette smoke and is characterized by structural changes within the lung that are absent in the horse. While the terms ‘recurrent airway obstruction’ and ‘inflammatory airway disease’ are descriptively accurate, they are not necessarily terms that immediately help the horse owner to understand the disease process.

A More Relatable Term Due to its many similarities with the human disease, the term ‘equine asthma’ has most recently been adopted. 44

Like human asthma, equine asthma is triggered by inhalation of dusts that contain allergens and other irritants, and like human asthma, the cough and difficulty breathing can be reversed in the short-term by medications, often delivered by inhalers, or in the long-term by removal from the offending dusts. Also similar to asthma in humans, the response of the horse’s airway to inhaled dusts can vary widely. In some highly susceptible horses, inhalation of even small amounts of dust in the barn environment or airborne allergens (e.g. pollen, molds) at pasture can cause severe inflammation and difficulty breathing due to the accumulation of mucus and narrowing of the airways. There is no known cure for these ‘severely asthmatic’ horses, and they require special management for the duration of their life span. In other horses, the inflammation is milder, with occasional coughing and decreased performance. Respiratory problems in these ‘mildly asthmatic’ horses often become apparent only when the horse is asked to perform athletically and may resolve over time. Those horses with mild asthma do not necessarily go on to become severely asthmatic. While susceptibility varies widely, any horse (or person) exposed to enough dust will develop inflammation in the airway. In the case of stabled horses, dust exposure is mostly due to hay. Those horses with severe asthma often require that hay be completely removed from the diet and that the horses be removed from confinement to the barn altogether. In the milder cases, decreasing the dust released from hay by soaking or steaming may improve airway health. As soaking has a number of draw backs, high temperature steaming is becoming the preferred method to reduce exposure to the dust from hay. At Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine we use a Haygain hay steamer which, has been shown to reduce respirable dust by 98%.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Better Breathing Three horsemen explain why steamed hay is best defense against main causes of equine asthma. By Kim F Miller The well-documented fact that over 80% of active sport horses have some degree of respiratory problem makes more sense when you visualize the actual size of the horse’s lungs. As Drs. Kathleen Ivester and Laurent Couetil, of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, explain in their article on equine asthma, the super-thin lining of a horse’s lungs would occupy half a football field if it could be spread out on a flat surface. The bloodstream takes up oxygen through this lining. The bigger the surface area, the better when it comes to quantity of air available. But bigger also means more area subject to microscopic irritants that cause inflammation: the root cause of equine asthma. Unfortunately, the horse’s top nutrition source -- hay -- is the top source of these irritants -- along with stall bedding. Haygain high-temperature hay steaming has become to go-to treatment for drastically reducing these irritants commonly found in even high-quality hay. Dressage rider and veterinarian Wren Burnley, DVM; Olympic eventer Will Coleman; and World Equestrian Games show jumper Rowan Willis are among many owners who consider hay steaming essential to preventing and managing asthma and allergy-related respiratory problems. Wren Burnley, DVM -- Equine veterinarian & Grand Prix dressage rider. Kentucky-based veterinarian Wren Burnley, DVM, understands the science behind steamed hay’s benefits, but personal evidence is really all she needed. She has asthma herself and is also a Grand Prix dressage competitor, so she understands all too well the impact of compromised respiratory function on an athlete. “I cannot stick my nose into a regular bale of hay, but I can with a bale that’s come out of the steamer,” she explains. She recommends hay steaming for clients in her veterinary practice and it’s a must for her own horses and those in her husband’s dressage training business. That’s especially true for horses of peak competition age: typically 10 and older. “When you look at their respiratory tracts, you see they already have a start on scarring and the tissue has lost some of its elasticity,” Dr. Burnley explains. This is normal in healthy horses performing at their peak. With even the earliest scarring and loss of elasticity, microscopic bits of dust, mold, fungi and bacteria can trigger inflammation in the airway and lungs, compromising comfort and performance. Hay steaming’s ability to reduce these irritants has myriad prevention and management benefits, she concludes.

Rowan Willis and Blue Movie

Will Coleman, Olympic and World Equestrian Games U.S. eventer TKS Cooley is one of Will’s top young horses, already going strong at the 4* level. He also has a mild case of Inﬂammatory Airway Disease, a condition on the Equine Asthma Spectrum. “I could tell on a few occasions that he was not getting enough air to do whatever the work or conditioning we were doing,” Will explains. Since putting him on steamed hay, “We’ve noticed overall improvements and a much better quality to his breathing.” All of Will’s horses get steamed hay. “At the level at which we compete, success is the result of all the little things you do adding up to give you the results you want. Steamed hay is one of those little things that can make a big difference.” Rowan Willis, World Equestrian Games show jumper for Australia. Rowan’s 14-year-old mare Blue Movie presents a classic example of how stealth respiratory issues can be when it comes to symptoms. This is the mare that leapt onto the world stage by winning round-one of the World Equestrian Games show jumping in 2018. Her symptoms, nasal discharge and an occasional cough early into an exercise session, were so mild and sporadic they hadn’t caused worry. “Her minor respiratory issues didn’t stop her from jumping around, but she certainly wasn’t able to do it to the best of her abilities,” says Rowan. Blue Movie has been on steamed hay for a year now, during which time her consistent success helped Rowan become the #1 ranked rider in Australia with a top chance for the Tokyo Olympics. Rowan counts steamed hay as critical to her ascent. He notes that nasal discharge has gone from regular to a rarity, and Blue Movie’s occasional cough early in exercise sessions is gone. “Nowadays, the competition is so tough at the top, you need every little advantage you can get to beat the McLains and Beezies.” That’s McLain Ward and Beezie Madden, U.S. Olympic jumping veterans who are also steamed hay believers. Equine asthma is an equal opportunity disease: it affects elite athletes and backyard buddies alike. Haygain has helped them all lead comfortable, productive lives no matter their careers.

�� EE �� www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

SYNEPHRINE THE DANGER HIDING in your TEFF HAY! Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about the serious risks that Teff Hay has caused riders recently because it has been contaminated with synephrine. What can be done about it? By Lisa Lazarus If you are involved in any capacity in horse sport, you are most certainly aware of the Equine Prohibited Substances List (EPSL) and could probably name many of its forbidden substances. Naturally, stakeholders expect that this list will be limited to those substances which are harmful to horses and/or performance-enhancing. Most would also expect the listed substances to be synthetic and never present in a horse’s natural environment, especially in hay. But this is exactly what happened in the case of synephrine even though it could not have been anticipated by the FEI, EPSL Group members or any of its stakeholder groups.

hood for it to be ingested for reasons unrelated to improving sports performance. This provides the FEI with a greater deal of ﬂexibility when dealing with AAFs involving synephrine. For example, the FEI are not obliged to impose provisional suspensions on Riders when their horses test positive for synephrine, although they can if they deem it appropriate. The FEI has used this discretion and has generally chosen not to suspend riders whose horses test positive for Synpehrine, which has been a welcome response for those riders impacted.

Nine years on from its inclusion in the ﬁrst ever EPSL, the number of Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) reported for synephrine has soared. But this is not a sign of a doping epidemic within equine sport. Instead, these AAFs have been linked to the consumption of Teff grass hay – a plant which naturally contains synephrine in some parts of the world. As such, it would seem that a solution must be forthcoming to address this issue and protect innocent individuals from provisional suspensions, disqualiﬁcation of results, and accusations of cheating.

If synephrine was a proven stimulant and/or health hazard for horses, and its natural presence within a horse’s environment was rare, then I am sure there would be no debate as to its inclusion within the EPSL. However, a growing amount of research is starting to emerge showing this is not the case. If such research can be expanded, the FEI may be persuaded to remove it from the EPSL.

WHAT IS SYNEPHRINE?

Synephrine is a compound found naturally within certain plants, including the Common rush and the leaves of citrus trees. It is part of a group of chemicals termed “alkaloids” – compounds which are used by plants to defend themselves against predators and often used by humans for their medicinal properties.

EQUINE Health

Although the effects of synephrine have never been studied in horses, research in humans indicates that it has weak “adrenergic” properties (meaning it stimulates adrenaline release and thus increases heart rate and blood pressure). As such, the FEI has presumed synephrine can act as a stimulant in horses and included it on the EPSL as a Banned Substance. More specifically, synephrine is classified as a “Specified Substance” within the Banned Substances, meaning that the FEI accepts there is a likeli46

HOW DO WE SOLVE THE SYNEPHRINE CRISIS?

One thing everyone is agreed upon is that we cannot stop all equestrian sports in Mexico, South Africa and any other country determined to be affected by synephrine. Instead, the most sensible approach is to make a compelling case to remove synephrine from the EPSL altogether. Such a change would be in the best interests of stables and riders, by allowing healthy horses to legitimately compete whilst protecting individual’s reputations from the damage associated with an AAF. In addition, there is a strong argument that these changes are in the best interests of the FEI as the current synephrine caseload is a drain on resources and removing it would allow the FEI to focus more time on genuine doping concerns. But until that happens, do not feed your horse Teff Hay if it is competing in FEI competition! At a minimum, be sure to withdraw your horse from Teff Hay several days before competing in order to be safe and not sorry. ��

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Stall Grazer Horse Feeders-

FEEDING HORSES the way NATURE Intended Why Buy Stall Grazer Horse Feeders? Stall Grazer Horse Feeders provide a natural alterna�ve for feeding your horses! It’s like having a pasture in your stall. As horse owners and competitive rider’s we transplanted horses from their natural environment into barns, box stalls and pens with little consideration of how the horse is designed to eat. In nature or on a pasture, horses will eat for approximately 17 hours each day slowly ingesting forage with the head down and the teeth aligned the way nature intended. Our Stall Grazer family of 3 in 1 horse feeder’s sit at ground level allowing your horses to eat comfortably with their head down and hold enough hay that your horse is never without feed, slowing the feed intake down dramatically. This slow consumption allows the horse to digest their feed properly and reduces production of acid on an empty stomach.

Please visit our web site for more information at www.stallgrazer.com or call 1-833-Grazers

Stall Grazer Horse Feeders are used by more Equine Professionals, Veterinary Universities and Professional Horse Trainers than any other horse feeder in the world!

See our ad on the back cover.

10% OFF SALE

VIEW UPDATED WEBSITE TODAY

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

FITTNESS

In The Saddle

Story and Photo By Karin Matey

One day I was riding my horse Hannover in my dressage ring, when a woman walked by in her exercise attire and called to me that she wished that her exercise was as easy as mine just sitting on the horse and not even breaking into a sweat. I thought to myself that it was quite a compliment to hear someone say exactly how the art of riding is supposed appear to those watching. Riding should look effortless. Little did the woman know that I was in constant communication with my horse, whispering aids, and squeezing with my legs, hands and seat. Nor did she know my own exercise routine. It is just as important for the rider to keep fit as it is for the horse.

W TRAINING & Showing

��

Help your horse by improving your balance and fitness. ��

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

TRAINING

BIT Sense

TACK

Story By Alessandra Deerinck, Human Horse Sensing and Darren Stoner

TRAINING & Showing

In order to interact with horses, people have trained them for many purposes, but it is important to keep in mind that equines do not just limit their perception to what we want to be our instruction to them. Whether we want it or not horses perceive every part of our behavior, and anything that happens at the same time in the surrounding area. Learning to be aware of this fact, and to manage the whole scope of our behavior can let us have a more detailed and effective communication with the horse, especially when we are talking about a critical subject as bits. During an interaction between individuals, the position relative to each other determines which senses are involved in perceiving communication. The relationship between human and horse happens through a communication between two individuals of different species. Horses do not understand spoken language, unless they were trained for some specific spoken cue. Sight and hearing are the prevalent channels of perception from a distance, touch and taste become possible when we are close, and smell can be involved in in both situations. Riding implies a position where the horse cannot see the rider, but perceives his communication mainly by the sense of touch. The horse feels a rider’s whole body sitting on his back. The rider is also holding the reins that are attached to the bit, which gives the possibility for a contact that can be very refined in directing the horse’s head. Bits have been around for about 5000 years. The material of the first bits was vines, wood, or even bone, then about 3000 years ago metal became the material of choice, and later in our age plastic entered the scene too. Throughout time bits have been shaped in many different ways aimed to influence their efficacy, and for the same purpose different tack has been developed to go with bits, like for example nose bands, or under-chin straps. Horses have a space between their teeth that can look like it is made for the bit, nonetheless as a consequence of the practice of using bits, there are even medical maintenance routines that have been developed to create the appropriate “seat” for the bit. It is achieved by extracting or filing teeth, which alters the structure of the tooth, and can expose sensitive dental tissue. In using the bit as a communication tool, we definitely want to stay in a cooperative relationship with the horse, instead of entering a competitive interaction, where we could lose our ability to manage the horse’s direction or speed of motion, and inflict him pain. In both cases the sense perception will be altered, not properly carrying our request, and the horse would not look forward to continuing the relationship with us. In light of what pain does when introduced in the relationship between human and horse, let’s consider in detail the contact with the horse’s head and the bit. The mouth is where the bit seats, touching the bars, the teeth, lips, tongue, palate and cheeks. In the realm of perception, the mouth is one of the most sensitive spots, where touch is coupled with the sense of taste. Just because of the presence of a bit in their mouth, horses may resort to orient their 50

head in unnatural postures, to escape the discomfort, and by doing so they can end up putting strain on other sites of their body, or even cause postural lameness. Some of the most evident causes of instances where horses show discomfort from the presence of the bit in their mouth are tight nose bands (to keep the horse from opening his mouth), or the pressure that is inflicted on the poll where the bridle sits, caused by the tension of the bridle itself. This has been a practice for a long time, aimed to regulate the length of the bridle, to make the bit cause wrinkles on the side of the lips to “keep” the contact, disregarding the fact that teeth have sharp surfaces that can cause ulceration if touching the oral mucosal surfaces under the wrinkles. ‘For the purpose of augmenting the efficiency of the bit, in addition to the “wrinkle rule”, metal and plastic have been shaped in many ways to purposefully put pressure on different sites of the mouth and the head. Taking a different perspective can give us the chance to actually benefit the horse, instead of inflicting pain. In fact, if we want to keep using bits, they could be purposefully shaped not to cause pain, and also be handled in a detailed manner to best convey our communication.’

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

conversation is one sided. The horses are communicating, but as riders, are we able to hear and understand their response?

The Perfect Bit is designed to be the perfect bit…clear communication and signals between the horse and rider. One-line Sensing: Training the horse to respond to the pressure, but also to the release In Human Horse Sensing, when starting a horse under saddle, we go through One-Line Sensing, a phase of working through movement on the ground, with one lunging line connected to the central ring on an English halter. Initially there is no bit involved, but we introduce it by having it on the horse while feeding him. Eating is an activity that has a natural purpose, and will induce the horse to chew on the bit, instead of trying to get it out of the mouth.

What makes a bit perfect?

by Darren Stoner

A bit that gives clear signals and doesn’t create confusion and allows the horse to perform to its potential. After many years of being a horse trainer and using bits that seemed to create more problems than they solved, I began working on The Perfect Bit. The Perfect Bit has a patented ball joint connection between the mouthpiece and the cheek. This allows the mouthpiece to rotate independently between the roof of the horse’s mouth and the tongue. If your horse puts its head up or down, the mouthpiece will ﬂoat between the roof of the mouth and the tongue, not creating a “nutcracker” type action that often occurs with the majority of all other bits. In addition, The Perfect Bit has a double bent mouthpiece so that the mouthpiece is comfortable and contoured to the horse’s tongue and gives more range of motion to the rider’s hands. Whether you are using a d-ring, pelham or curb bit, the ball joint connection allows independence from the mouthpiece to the cheek. This makes the communication to our horse to be clear. For example, if we ask the horse to turn or stop, it is NOT the same signal. With bits that do not have this independence, when the mouthpiece and cheek are solid, the signal that is communicated to the horse is very confusing because it feels the same—turn or stop! The Perfect Bit is made from high quality stainless steel, which will not rust or bind in the ball joint housing. However, the center joints of the bit are sweet iron, which will give the horse a familiar taste. We also added a copper weld overlay to help kick off salivation in the horse’s mouth. Most important, we also guarantee the ball joint connection to not pinch the horse’s lips. If riders could talk to the best bit expert of all time, would they? Of course! Well, the best bit expert of all time is your horse! Are you listening? Obviously, since the horse and rider are different species. We cannot speak the same language, but we must communicate. The problem with most riders is that their

The purpose of One-Line Sensing is to train the horse in a halter to respond to the pressure and to the release of contact, in a manner that will have continuity between the interaction on the ground and the one during riding. One-Line Sensing is also a good way for the rider to learn how to manage the contact with the horse by pressure and by release, instead of just relying on using pressure. This technique bridges the communication from the ground to the one in the saddle by connecting the perception through sight to the one by touch. While working on the ground the horse can see us managing the space, and with the lunge line we are also allowing him to learn the contact with our hand through touch, which is what he will experience when we will be holding the reins in the saddle. The way we manage space is by using body motion, and a lunge whip as an extension of our arm to reach the space close to the horse (without touching him), but far from us. It is important not to scare the horse, which we achieve by how we direct the whip motion. The whip range of motion covers a certain space, and is never aimed against the horse. We always apply the question/response rule to the interaction, by observing the consequence of our action and acknowledging the horse’s response, which needs to be cooperative. If the horse does not cooperate, our communication was not properly formulated, and we need to change the way we “ask”, without punishing. Using One Line Sensing the horse learns to turn right or left, by being held with the one line from either side, because he follows the line when we release, and respect it when we hold it. We use only one line instead of the classical methods that use two long reins because we want to teach the horse to follow the contact while he is not trapped between the long reins. Even the sides of the arena can make a horse feel like being trapped, so we stay away from it and instead rely on being very reﬁned in handling the contact and its direction.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Continued...

When the horse is ridden, the light contact developed with One-Line Sensing transfers into the one we have by the reins, keeping the horse from experiencing getting “boxed in” by side reins, learning to resist to them, and ﬁxing the head position to not feel pain in the mouth. Horses that undergo this kind of training are able to show self-carriage and straightness at the very beginning of their experience under saddle. The horse that during ground work can respond to light aids, and be in self carriage, will be also be light on the bit and not stress his bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles when ridden. �� E

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

• Servicing All Saddle Brands • On Site Flockings • Cold Press Tree Adjustments • Hot Press Tree Adjustments • Saddle Fit Assessments • Saddle Sales Specialist For:

Ann Sanders Located in Ocala Serving Central and Northern Florida 518-231-0695 ann@mysaddlefitter.com

Managing Manure The Easy Way!

• Reduce time spent cleaning pastures or paddocks • Reduce risk of parasites • Easily towed behind a golf cart, lawn tractor or utility vehicle • Vacuum your bulk shavingsCLEANIN and dump them into G NTwo Sizes:G the stalls • Save money, shavings Paddock Vac and labor! $2,990 • 101 uses for your Maxi Vac Pasture Vac! $3,990 Plus Plus FREE FREE SHIPPING! SHIPPING!

ALLEE SSA

Prestige, Albion, MacRider, more!

PASTURE PASTURE VACUUMS VACUUMS

PR S SP RII

My Saddle Fitter

Learn more here: www.pasturevacuums.com Tel: (813) 390 - 6730 Email: Juliana95@yahoo.com

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Western Dressage: Tack & Rider Attire Story and Photos By Lynn Palm

So you want to get involved in Western Dressage, but aren’t sure if you have the proper tack and attire. Not to worry! You’ll be glad to know you don’t need special tack, equipment or rider attire in order to show in this new discipline

Your Western saddle, headstall and reins may be used. Riders can perform the tests in either a �� book, or in a standard western bit �� According to the Western Dressage Association of America’s (WDAA) website (www. westerndressageassociation.org), “the WDAA will request �� request changes which will require, at the lowest test �� between the cavesson and the horse’s nose.” Rider attire should be “conservative and workman-like.” �� starched long-sleeve shirt and choker scarf tie, tied with a square knot and the same color chaps as your pants, and western boots.

TRAINING & Showing

Don’t be concerned if your tack is basic. When it comes to Western Dressage, judges are seeking conservative �� Navajo blanket under the saddle, a breast collar if your �� curb bit, curb chain or leather strap, and western split or romal reins. Keep in mind that a Western Dressage horse is expected to work with lighter contact than the traditional dressage horse. Balance, cadence and carriage are still important, but judges will evaluate horses based on the conformation and movement found in today’s Western horses. Horses are asked to walk, jog and lope instead of walk, trot and canter.

As stated on the WDAA website: “It is not the goal of Western Dressage to create western horses that compete in open dressage but to create better western horses and riders through the use and principles of dressage. �� opment of the skills and abilities of both the horse and �� the correctness of the horse’s (and rider’s) schooling.” Here are the areas judges will be looking at closely: • Gaits: Does the horse move freely and with regularity? • Impulsion: Does the horse show willing forward movement with roundness and elasticity? • Submission: �� acceptance of the bit? Does the horse show harmony with rider and overall lightness of movement? • Rider’s position and seat: Does the rider have correct position and is he/she able to be effective with the aids? We would love to have you come ride with us. We love to share our dressage backgrounds and knowledge �� tion near you. For more information on these training materials and more, as well as clinics, please visit www.lynnpalm.com or call us at 800-503-2824.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

EQUESTRIAN SURFACES Specializing In All Your Equestrian Surface Needs

• Design • Construction • Maintenance • Renovation • Irrigation • Drags & Groomers Field Specialties provides personalized solutions for each individual surface. Family owned company for 30 years Utilizing laser grading systems for precision Contact David Frey 440.339.6049 davidfieldspecialties@gmail.com

Equine Hospital 24/7 Emergency Care

Our large animal doctors are also available Mon-Fri for routine on-site or in hospital calls.

215-536-2726

2250 N. Old Bethlehem Pike, Quakertown, PA 18951

www.quakertownvetclinic.com www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

GREENER

Pastures

BG Ocala Ranch Owner Bobby Genovese looks with optimism on the future of Ocala while the putting finishing touches on his ranch’s most ambitious renovation ever.

Never before in my life�me has the world experienced a more significant crisis than the one we are facing now — especially with this scale and breadth. As I write this, thousands of people have died — a number that, sadly, grows higher each day — as doctors a�empt to treat the sick and dying while scien�sts race to find a cure. I want to give personal thanks to those doctors and nurses, caregivers and first responders — people working on the front lines and pu�ng their lives at risk every day to help others — and scien�sts and researchers working around the clock to find a cure. All of their efforts cannot be celebrated enough. I urge everyone to support their local community in any way they can.

I am also moved by the many acts of altruism and generosity shown by our colleagues and neighbors throughout every sector of the economy. When people unite in a common cause, great things can happen — reminding me of the power that we each possess to affect great change. On the business front, companies both large and small, have closed their doors to stem the �de of this worldwide pandemic. Hardly an industry has been le� untouched. The need to persevere through these difficult days has never been greater — to persevere with the knowledge that we will emerge stronger than before. Within our BG Capital Group family of companies we are working hard to support team members by diversifying posi�ons to preserve as many jobs as possible un�l the all-clear has sounded. At our BG Ocala Ranch we’ve moved steadily forward with our most ambi�ous renova�on ever, giving new life to our Great House, guest co�ages, Farm House and equestrian facili�es. We’re excited to welcome the next genera�on of guests and look forward to a terrific season. 56

Our designers and engineers have taken inspira�on from the neighboring World Equestrian Center that is slated to be fully open next year. An unprecedented milestone for Ocala, this 1,000 acre, indoor/outdoor, world-class equestrian sports venue will be the United State’s largest and feature state of the art ameni�es that can accommodate numerous disciplines within the equine Industry. When complete it will represent an unparalleled economic boost for the region. But, as bright a future as this signals, we are living through one of the most trying �mes in modern history that is compelling us to face this challenge with intelligence, compassion and faith. And un�l the end of this pandemic we must con�nue to support one another, stay strong and safe, and never lose hope. That, I believe, is our greatest strength.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Obviously there are many considerations... When looking at the popular variations of bridles available on the market. For all of the different designs, remember that nosebands which are too restrictive can cause the horse to focus on the tension and pressure in and on his head, limiting the ability to focus and respond with proper muscle movement in the rest of his body. The horse’s biology does not change from discipline to discipline in riding, even though the ‘head-restraining devices’ do – all of which are designed to control and communicate to the horse what the rider wants. The horse will learn what to do to relieve pressure and discomfort, which can have further ramiﬁcations at the distal end of the body as he attempts to avoid pain. Give the horse the freedom to communicate using its mouth – comfort will result in a quiet, relaxed jaw and mouth.

COMBINATION Bridle or SNAFFLE WITH A FLASH NOSEBAND (rolled reins, throatlatch, cheekpieces, and noseband)

This commonly used type has an additional ﬂash to assist in keeping the horse’s mouth shut (and the tongue in). The noseband should be buckled high enough to avoid interfering with the (generally) snafﬂe bit. (above)

ENGLISH Bridle or SNAFFLE Bridle

TRAINING & Showing

SWEDISH Bridle or SNAFFLE WITH A FLASH NOSEBAND

Extra padding under the noseband buckle makes this more comfortable than the English style bridle. Other than that, it is very similar to the combination bridle, with the extra ﬂash. Care must be taken that the anatomy of the head allows enough room to buckle both the noseband and the ﬂash properly. Horses with relatively smaller heads do well with this type. This bridle is often buckled too tightly, given the false sense of ‘comfort’ the extra padding at the noseband provides.

The noseband on this bridle should lie 1-2 ﬁngers below the zygomatic arch. It is popular for thoroughbreds, who prefer more freedom in their mouths. If your horse likes to put his tongue over the bit, this is not a style for you. Using a rolled noseband puts more pressure on the nose as well.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

HANOVERIAN or DROP-NOSEBAND Bridle

The noseband lies about 4 ﬁngers above the nostrils past the bit. This style used to be much more popular, but it is not a pretty looking bridle. It relays the pressure from the reins directly from the lower jaw onto the nose. It does prevent horses from putting their tongues over the bit. Some riders still prefer to use this as it has less leather and buckles, which lowers the risk of impacting sensitive nerves and acupuncture points.

MEXICAN, GRACKLE or FIGURE 8 Bridle

lassical

Training

Rene Gasser

of Gala of the Royal Horses, is accep�ng a limited number of horses for training in Dressage in Ocala, Florida. Limited spaces are available for riding students as well.

Loose snafﬂe rings and the ability to breathe without hindrance are two of the main attractions of this bridle. It is easily recognizable, having crossing leather straps over the nose with a leather rosette in the centre. The upper piece crosses the zygomatic arch. The only pressure point is in the centre from the rosette piece. It has only recently been allowed for use in dressage rings. The only danger is if it is buckled too tightly and thus pushes the bit up into the corners of the lips.

Rene will bring out the best in your horse! Training for 3rd Level and above. Full board is included with training package. More...

www.galaoftheroyalhorses.com 321-402-1472

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

HANOVERIAN or DROP-NOSEBAND Bridle

HACKAMORE This bitless option puts pressure on the nose through a lever action at the sides of the noseband. Although probably effective for a while, the horse soon gets accustomed to the pressure on the nose and becomes less responsive over time. It’s a good alternative for interim use if a horse has an injury in the mouth, but there is almost no substitute for the necessary additional aid of an outside rein in the higher classes.

MICKLEM Bridle The noseband lies about 4 ﬁngers above the nostrils past the bit. This style used to be much more popular, but it is not a pretty looking bridle. It relays the pressure from the reins directly from the lower jaw onto the nose. It does prevent horses from putting their tongues over the bit. Some riders still prefer to use this as it has less leather and buckles, which lowers the risk of impacting sensitive nerves and acupuncture points.

This option has an extra strap attaching the bit to the bridle. It is extremely comfortable for the horse, and supports the ‘chewing’ motion.

MEXICAN, GRACKLE or FIGURE 8 Bridle Loose snafﬂe rings and the ability to breathe without hindrance are two of the main attractions of this bridle. It is easily recognizable, having crossing leather straps over the nose with a leather rosette in the centre. The upper piece crosses the zygomatic arch. The only pressure point is in the centre from the rosette piece. It has only recently been allowed for use in dressage rings. The only danger is if it is buckled too tightly and thus pushes the bit up into the corners of the lips.

I found this excellent checklist regarding the use of nosebands for you to consider: • Educate yourself on the nerves, functions, and anatomy of the horse’s head. • How sensitive is your horse? Highly sensitive horses do best with no nosebands or loose ones. • Determine the best type to ﬁt your horse’s nose shape and head conformation. • Your horse still needs to have full physiological movement: yawn, swallow and lick its lips. • Use padding judiciously – most bridles are already made to provide full comfort and extra padding can increase the pressure. • LISTEN to your horse. Tension creates tension; restriction creates restriction.

Jochen Schleese, German Certified Master Saddler and Saddle Ergonomist, teaches saddle fit principles to protect horse and rider from long-term damage caused by ill-fi�ing saddles. www.saddlefit4life.com 702-370-1199 info@saddlefit4life.com www.saddlesforwomen.com

EE 60

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Bargain Saddle? A Horse, Of Course By Don Blazer

Did you pay too much for your saddle? Or did you get a bargain? Only you can answer; but maybe you don’t want to know. Ignorance is bliss so they say, and in this instance, it may be best to simply enjoy a state of blissfulness. What might be more important than having gotten a bargain or having paid too much in the past, is how best to shop for your next saddle.

Today’s “using” saddles can be priced from several hundred dollars to more than $8,500…and specialty or antique saddles can easily range into the tens of thousands. The keys to a perfect saddle purchase are: value, fit, fit and fit. Value is paying a fair price for the saddle, and a fair price can be defined as “exchanged worth.” You are going to give so many dollars and you want the saddle to be an “equal exchange” for those dollars. So it’s a matter of perception…if dollars don’t mean much…then the number of dollars you pay doesn’t mean much. On the other hand, if dollars mean something, you better be getting your money’s worth. When you decide to buy a saddle you are saying, “I want this particular desire fulfilled.” You need to be pretty well focused on what that desire is, and what can fulfill it. No wishy-washy idea will do.

Know the kind of saddle you want! To help you identify and fulfill your desire, three things are mandatory: fit, fit and fit. The saddle must fit you! English or western, jumping or cutting, pleasure or gaming, you must be comfortable in the saddle at all times, all the time. A saddle that makes you think about it when you are riding is overpriced at any price. When you are riding, your saddle should be so comfortable that you never think about it. No matter the price, you’ve paid too much if the saddle doesn’t fit your horse. If you are buying a ready-made saddle, you must have the opportunity to “try it—on your horse—before you buy it.” If you

can’t do that, the saddle is no bargain. (If the saddle is being shipped from a far away maker, then you should have the right to return it if it doesn’t fit the horse…be reasonable…you don’t need to ride the horse more than a few minutes to determine fit.) If the saddle is custom built, the saddle maker will want measurement of your horse in order to determine the proper tree, skirt lengths, gullet, etc. Finally, the price must fit your budget. It doesn’t matter if you can spend $1 million on a saddle—set a budget so you’ll get a saddle that satisfies your definition of “value.” Here are a couple of “save dollars” shopping tips: if you are ordering a custom built saddle, tell the saddle maker the highest amount you’ll pay, and then let him design to fit the budget. Saddle makers can be very creative and stay within the budget… see the design, then decide. If the design doesn’t thrill you, shop another saddle maker. Buying a used saddle that fits, fits and fits, plus is eye-appealing to you is often a better value than getting a new saddle. When it comes to silver, more is less. If you are buying custom only have “sterling” silver used; silver plate and other imitations fade fast and are dollars wasted. You can get what you want at a price you are willing to pay, and it will be a bargain if it fits, fits and fits.

If it doesn’t fit three ways, you’ve paid too much! ��

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Travel Tips for Show Season By Emily Daily, Jump Media With show season gearing up, riders around the country are busy planning their schedules. Deciding which competitions to attend isn’t the only thing on their minds. Traveling to shows can be mentally and physically taxing on horses, so riders are always looking for ways to make their horses more comfortable while they are on the road and settling into the show grounds. Horses can face a myriad of problems while traveling with gut health issues, such as ulcers or weight loss, being some of the most prominent. Horses Traveling Traveling and showing can be stressful for horses. by Laura Gillikin © Laura Gillikin

“It’s stressful

what we do with horses, going from place to place. I’ll do anything I can to help them,” says Julie Curtin, a hunter rider and trainer based out of New Vintage Farm in Woodstock, Georgia. The best way to keep the stress of traveling to a minimum for your horse is to be well prepared for your trip and also give him the health support he needs.

Preparation is Key

There are many things you can do to prepare for a trip, most of which you can check off your list weeks in advance. One vital step is completing all of your horse’s necessary paperwork. Although a negative Coggins test is fairly standard, every state usually has its own health requirements as well. Check the current requirements in each state you plan to drive through. Most also require proof of vaccinations and a health certiﬁcate. Chat with your vet to ﬁnd out everything you will need, and make sure you leave plenty of time for Coggins test results to come back before your anticipated departure date.

TRAINING & Showing

Have an updated, well stocked, travel veterinary kit Also, plan to update your travel veterinary kit before your trip and ensure it is well-stocked. Inspect expiration dates and toss out any old medicine. Double check that you have all the essentials you will need in any type of emergency situation. Before you pull out of the barn driveway with your horse, be sure that your towing vehicle and trailer are safe and road-worthy for the trip ahead. Check the inspection dates on both, as well as turn signal and brake lights and other basic necessities. You might even consider taking your vehicle to your mechanic for a tune-up. Make sure you have working spare tires for both the truck and trailer—and all of the tools (and knowledge!) needed to safely change one, if needed. It can also be helpful to have a membership to a roadside assistance company that caters to equestrians, such as U.S. Rider. 64

It can be a good idea to have a list of places where you can stable your horse overnight, if necessary. You can ﬁnd people willing to put up a horse for the night as well as horse-friendly bed and breakfast establishments at www. horsemotel.com and www.horsetrip.com. Be sure to read the detailed descriptions, ratings, and comments to see which facility might be a good ﬁt.

Comfort Counts If you have a long trip ahead of you, plan for multiple rest stops. This will keep you mentally fresh and also give you plenty of opportunities to check on your horse. Help keep him hydrated by offering clean, fresh water at least every four hours throughout your journey. You can also help reduce the amount of dust, molds, and other allergens ﬂoating in the air by wetting the hay your horse will be eating in transit and also using the most dustfree bedding possible. Make sure his head is tied loose enough so that he can cough and expel anything in his airway. Crack open trailer windows to give the area plenty of ventilation as well. Also, be sure to safely stow any loose buckets or equipment in the trailer. When traveling and showing, a number of factors can also increase your horse’s risk for colic or other gastric issues, such as ulcers. These include sudden variations in routine, lack of turnout or limited grazing time, changes in hay or grain, and dehydration. Fortunately, there are numerous ways you can help your horse cope with these common stresses. Along with appropriate management strategies, a daily gastric health supplement can be beneﬁcial. One option many top professionals rely on to keep their horses’ stomach issues at bay and help them stay on top of their game is Ulceraser®, an all-natural, show-safe supplement created by Equine Elixirs. “My horses live on the road competing most of the year, and Equine Elixirs has really made a difference in their comfort and performance,” says Kristen Vanderveen, an international show jumping rider. “The Ulceraser® keeps all my horses feeling comfortable and relaxed. Little things make a big difference in our sport and this adjustment to our nutritional program has made that big difference.”

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili International show jumper Kristen Vanderveen by Jump Media © Jump Media

Equine Elixirs’ Ulceraser® can help horses combat common gastric health issues, such as ulcers, colic, and weight loss. © Giana Terranova Photography

It’s not uncommon for horses to shed pounds during times of stress, but the palatable, forage-based Ulceraser® can help combat unwanted weight loss and keep horses looking and feeling their best. “They maintain their weight really well, even when we’re on the road,” explains Curtin, who often has to ship a long way for indoors and other shows from her farm in Georgia. “Our horses keep their weight through it all, and they always want to eat. A lot of times, when their stomachs bother them, they don’t want to eat, which can lead to weight loss and stress. But with Ulceraser®, their appetite stays good and their coats are shiny. “I want to keep them happy and keep their gut happy, which results in a happy horse,” she adds. “That’s what we’re all trying to achieve–a nice, happy horse that enjoys its job. There are so many things to consider when traveling with your horse, but you’ll ﬁnd it much easier to keep him healthy, safe, and at his peak with the right program and adequate planning. Learn more about Equine Elixirs at www.equineelixirs.com. E E www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

SAFETY IN DESIGN STRAIGHT LOAD VS SLANT By Tom Scheve

Horses evolved over 45 to 55 million years ago from a small multi-toed creature, Eohippus, into the large, single-toed animals of today. They existed on the open plains, conditioned to fight or flee. Why on earth would they want to climb into a box on wheels? The answer is “they don’t,” and yet they do, and much of the reason has to do with the trailer design. �� about which horse trailer designs work best for t �� have come from friends, trainers, vets, and the �� resources of information, since much of the advice is conjectured rather than researched. But all horse �� when it comes to towing horses; they want them to travel safely.

Horse trailer designs can be broken down into two basic designs: straight load trailers and slant load trailers. The �� load trailer, the stalls are diagonal between the sidewalls of the trailer (horses stand at an angle). A few incongruous �� rear-facing trailers and reverse slant loads, but they still fall into the category of straight loads and slant loads.

�� touting that horses traveled much better standing at an angle, using all sorts of outlandish reasons. Below are a few ��ing slant style trailers.

STRAIGHT LOAD

“When horses walk onto an open trailer, they tend to stand at a slant, telling us that they prefer to travel standing at a diagonal.” �� look out the window.

EQUINE Lifestyle

SLANT LOAD

“With the dividers swung against the wall, horses are more willing to enter the large open space.” ��

SLANT LOAD DESIGN �� the market, and why. It was introduced to the quarter horse market in the late seventies, early eighties, with ��er, thus making the loaded trailer lighter. Since trucks back then could only tow about one third the weight of what they can now, a shorter, lighter trailer was a �� slant load design had its limitations, and either no one

“When someone is standing facing me, it’s easy to push them off balance.�� off balance.” �� four legs. What those looking at slant load designs need to know is that ��

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

102”

90”

Wheel wells inside the stalls

102”

90”

Wheel/Fenders outside the stalls

Since the length of a slant load stall is from one sidewall to the other, needed length can’t be added to accommodate larger horses, and larger horses need adequate head �� their heads and necks also allows them to cough out any ��

�� trailer. Horses standing front to back can easily brace with both front legs and rear legs, allowing them �� makes balance even easier. Horses standing vertical ��

Also, �� at a diagonal throw weight on their front foreleg and onto �� and off-balance, and it could likely fall under a divider.

�� straight load design is that any horse in a two, three, ��

�� horse,��. Many two horse slant loads and all three and four-horse trailers do �� road, this is a real safety issue, not only for the handler/owner but for others out on the road if a horse gets loose.

�� quote a slant stall length using the diagonal distance, meaning they measure from far corner to far corner. �� eleven-foot diagonal on a standard slant load gives ��

STRAIGHT LOAD DESIGN Straight load trailers were the main design before slant loads came along. At that time, straight load trailers lacked size, width and had various faulty designs, such as mangers. Most straight load trailers were only 5 feet wide, with a standard interior height of 6’8” to 7’, making slant load trailers look �� designs today easily solve the limitations commonly found in the slant load design. �� Since DOT length restrictions �� is more than enough to accommodate two horses, side by ��

Tack

11’

8 ½’

Tack

Widening a diagonal stall is the only way to add additional stall length, which gives horses more distance from corner to corner. But widening the stall adds �� a shorter trailer. �� the bulkhead wall.

EE www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

2020

Chester Weber

Ocala Mayor, Kent Guinn and Chester Weber pose with one of the magniďŹ cent Budweiser Clydesdales. Young Living Essential Oils Percherons Georgina Bloomberg on Tulara Colmine

Raymond Helmuth

EQUINE Lifestyle

Rowan Willis on Diablo VII

Adrienne Sternlicht on Cristalline 68

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Phillip Odden

$10,000 Waldron Private Wealth won by Chloe Reid on Souper Shuttle Jennifer Keeler and Amazing Grace

Mary Phelps

Andre Thieme on Cellisto Gerben Steenbeck

Jennifer Gates on Capital Colnardo

EE www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

A Perfect Weekend

at the

Vermont Summer Festival Story By Lindsay Brock The Vermont Summer Festival, nestled just south of the Green Mountain National Forest in the hills of East Dorset, VT, welcomes accomplished riders from all corners of the world for six weeks of show jumping, hunter, and equitation competition each summer. This year, the beloved event returns from June 30 through August 9, to offer both a family-friendly horse show environment, and the ideal spot for any weekend getaway. The views are unbeatable, the afterhours options are endless, and the food is second-to-none. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our guide to the perfect equine-inspired weekend at the Vermont Summer Festival.

Cassie Orpen and Cadilac FS Z competing at the Vermont Summer Festival. By Jump Media

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Competition spans all ages and levels at the Vermont Summer Festival. Leadline by Jump Media

Kevin McCarthy and Catch A Star HSS on their way to one of two grand prix victories in 2019. By Andrew Ryback Photography

Dine…(or Shop!) Foodies will delight in all that the Vermont Summer Festival has to offer the pallet. And, you don’t have to go far. The Mane Event food truck, owned by Carrie and Peter Stark, is the gathering place for hungry horse show visitors and offers something for everyone. From scrumptious salads on the go to seaside-inspired lobster rolls, there’s no getting tired of this horse show food.

Don’t Miss the Ringside Action The Vermont Summer Festival hosts many of North America’s top hunter and show jumping competitors during its six-week run. Highlighted by a weekly $30,000 Grand Prix, and $5,000 Hunter Derby, the competition is ﬁerce, but there’s no need to scour the order of go to ﬁnd the rider you’re rooting for. We’ve done the research for you! Keep an eye on these four competitors this season.

Dining while in the Manchester area for the Vermont Summer Festival is an experience all its own with restaurants spanning the gamut of food options. Whether it’s a gourmet wiener schnitzel or a traditional Mexican burrito you crave, it’s a food-lover’s paradise.

Kevin McCarthy Hailing from Ireland, but now based in Cazenovia, NY, Kevin McCarthy took the 2019 Vermont Summer Festival by storm. Following the conclusion of the ﬁnal grand prix, McCarthy masterfully clinched a $5,000 bonus as winner of the World Equestrian Center (WEC) Leading Open Jumper Awards.

If you’re dining out, don’t miss these three rider favorites: Depot 62 Bistro & Café Try classic wood-ﬁred pizza and Mediterranean fare before browsing an incredible selection of one-of-a-kind home furnishings for sale.

TRAINING & Showing

The Silver Fork Be sure to make a reservation for this hidden gem! The chef’s fresh, international-inspired menu is well worth the wait. Chantecleer Restaurant Just a two-mile drive south of the horse show, Chantecleer is a star of the local dining scene, Chantecleer is located in a remodeled dairy barn and offers ﬁne American cuisine with European sophistication. Aside from extensive dining options, Manchester’s biggest claim to fame is the Manchester Designer Outlets (MDO), which is considered a shopping getaway for locals and visitors alike. Located in the heart of Manchester, the stores included within MDO offer boutique shopping opportunities from more than 40 brands, including iconic names like Armani, Brooks Brothers, Theory, and Vineyard Vines. This summer marks the 15th consecutive year that MDO has played a pivotal role in the Vermont Summer Festival as a valued supporter and sponsor of the $10,000 Open Welcome Stake Series throughout the season. 72

McCarthy consistently topped the leaderboard all summer, notably winning four out of the six Manchester Designer Outlets Open Welcome Stakes classes and capturing two grand prix victories. This year, watch for McCarthy paired and his top horse, Catch A Star HSS, a nine-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare (Sheraton x Amulet). Cassandra Orpen Cassandra “Cassie” Orpen is a native of Westport, CT, and trains for the Fairfield County Hunt Club where she also got her start in the saddle. A successful competitor in both the hunter and jumper rings at the Vermont Summer Festival, Cassie has collected many top finishes in the grand prix ranks as well as in the weekly $5,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby, presented by Eastern Hay. After welcoming her second child this spring, Cassie is primed to collect more wins this summer. Morgan Ward Morgan Ward is a young professional working out of her family’s Willow Brook Farm based in Whitehouse, NJ, and a familiar face in the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby winner circle. After first sitting atop a horse at age two, she was in the show ring just two short years later.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

In 2019, Ward went two-for-two during the first two weeks of the season, winning both NEHJA Hunter Derbies. The first came for her partner of two years, Cypress, a 12-yearold Dutch Warmblood gelding by Quidam de Revel. The following week’s blue ribbon was earned by catch ride Carpedi, a seven-year-old Holsteiner gelding. Morgan has her sights set on even more hunter glory this summer. Amy Momrow Amy Momrow grew up riding under the tutelage of trainers Monty Kelly and his mother, Sandy, of Stepping Stone Farm based near Albany, NY. Amy has become an integral part of the Stepping Stone Farm team, now serving as a fellow trainer. Amy made a name for herself in the grand prix ring with top placings at prestigious horse shows spanning from Florida to Vermont. However, Amy also demonstrates impressive versatility by excelling in the hunter ring. In 2019, she and her equine partner, G. Eleven, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, won two NEHJA Hunter Derbies. Stay The Night In Dorset A short drive west from the Vermont Summer Festival, the town of Dorset is home to a trio of classic Vermont establishments. The Dorset Inn, named “The Best of the Oldest” by Yankee Magazine, has thrived for two centuries. “For more than 220 years, The Dorset Inn has offered traditional New England hospitality with gracious lodging, gourmet dining, fine wine, and great spirits, which are all trademarks of a quintessential Vermont experience,” said Lauren Bryant, owner of the Dorset Inn. “All of us at the Dorset Inn and its sister properties love food and enjoy sharing it within warm and inviting properties.” One of the Dorset Inn’s sister properties is Dorset Rising. Located a few short steps from the Inn, it’s the perfect quick stop for a morning coffee and pastry before heading to the horse show. Rounding out the trio of offerings from the Dorset Inn, Barrows House is a can’t-miss for a weekend getaway. Have a seat on the iconic front porch or by the cozy backyard fire before enjoying dinner in the restaurant or out on the patio.

One of North America’s most cherished horse shows, the Vermont Summer Festival is so much more than a six-week show. Even though a weekend may not be enough, use this guide to get the most of your Vermont Summer Festival experience. Want to find out more about the Vermont Summer Festival?

Visit www.vt-summerfestival.com, or find it on Facebook and Instagram. Right, top to bottom: The historic Dorset Inn, located a short drive from the Vermont Summer Festival grounds. Photo courtesy of Dorset Inn Morgan Ward and Carpedi, pictured with owner Teddy Demetriou, after winning the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby, presented by Eastern Hay. By Andrew Ryback Photography Manchester Designer Outlets, The ever-popular Manchester Designer Outlets. Photo courtesy of MDO

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Tack Box Business Showcase PROFESSIONAL HORSEMAN PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICE At Equine Express, we transport your horses from coast-to-coast with 98% Customer Satisfaction, Quality Equipment and Top Industry Personnel that provide professional care. One Call Does It All! 800-545-9098 www.EquineExpress.com Serving the industry since 1986

WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED EQUINE APPRAISAL? • Pre-purchase or sale evaluation • Bankruptcy • Insurance Policies • Estate Planning • Divorce

• Settlements • I.R.S.- Tax Donations • Tax Audit • Lending Institution (collateral) • Litigation Expert Witness

The Leading Equine Appraisal Service Worldwide Since 1980

www.equineappraiser.net Christine Rolando,Certiﬁed Senior Equine Appraiser

Call 845-494-6257 For Free Consultation

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Just $125 per issue or $594 for the year (6 issues), or...BEST VALUE... Prepay $500 for the year... it’s like getting one issue FREE!

Algae control for Water Troughs Save Water And Time!

Founder?

��

• Stops the pain quickly • Painless application • Realigns the hoof wall to the coffin bone • Works with or without shoeing • Easy to apply

855-44CINCH www.hoofcinch.com

Equine Identification & Safety Products

Identiﬁcation Bands & Collars Reﬂective Bands & Collars First Aid Kits • Trailer Decals & More!

www.EquestriSafe.com (877) 600-1375

PLEASE TELL OUR ADVERTISERS YOU SAW THEM IN ELITE EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE! Visit our web site to read hundreds of articles on a variety of topics and read any issue of ELITE EQUESTRIAN FOR FREE! All ads and information hyper-link.

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

CUSTOM PATCHES

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Tack Box Business Showcase

Please tell our advertisers you saw their ad in Elite Equestrian!

www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com

Just $125 per issue or $594 for the year (6 issues), or...BEST VALUE... Prepay $500 for the year... itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like getting one issue FREE!

Elite Equestrian magazine May June 2020 issue

Articles inside

Travel

VERMONT SUMMER FESTIVAL Preview

BRIDLES Which Is Right For Your Horse

WESTERN DRESSAGE Tack Attire

STALL Grazer

FITTNESS In The Saddle

EQUINE ART Helmut Koller

Training, Tack & Showing

More

DENTAL EXAMS Teeth and Behavior

Fashion • Home • Art

ANIMAL ART Jerilyn Weber