Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2017 i Practical Horseman

As I read U.S. dressage Olympian Lisa Wilcox’s profile this month, one section in particular caught my attention. Returning to the United States after many years in Europe, Lisa discovered that a common problem was horses being ridden from front to back rather than back to front (page 30). This was partly because their riders weren’t remembering to give in the half-halt. If a half-halt doesn’t work, you give and then “come with a little stricter half-halt,” Lisa says. “But is has to be an impulse. If you hold until you feel a give, they will never give.” These comments were similar to those of USEF “R” dressage judge Karen Adams, also in this month’s issue (page 46). When judging, she says she often sees a misunderstanding of how to…

An equestrian mental-skills coach and A-circuit competitor, Tonya Johnston has a master’s degree in sport psychology. Her book, Inside Your Ride: Mental Skills for Being Happy and Successful with Your Horse, is available in paperback or e-book editions. For more info on Tonya’s work, go to www.Tonya Johnston.com. Have you ever been to a barn where you could tell everyone was on the same team? You could sense the camaraderie, good vibes and togetherness throughout the facility? When it exists it’s accompanied by an energy that gets people working together in a positive way. You hear riders saying “Beautiful job!” to each other in a lesson, inviting each other to hack out on Sunday, coming together to get the barn shipshape for a clinician and heading off to a horse…

Because osteoarthritis widely varies in how quickly it progresses and the level of pain it produces, a positive diagnosis may mark a different future, depending on the horse. In the case of early-onset osteoarthritis that is progressing slowly, a horse may easily continue his career supported by appropriate joint management. In more acute cases, a horse may need to reduce his workload or compete at a lower level. For older horses, transitioning into retirement may be the best solution. Much of it depends on what the horse’s job is and his level of use. “Let them tell you what they can do. If they are happy working and are comfortable and sound with some maintenance, keep them working. If you can’t keep them comfortable and sound, it may be time…

QRecently, my 15-year-old gelding has become very attached to another gelding on the farm. He’s not behaving dangerously (yet) when taken away from his buddy, but he neighs and seems generally very anxious when alone. I’m worried he’s stressed and that his anxiety will escalate with time. How do I help him overcome his attachment? CAMIE HELESKI, PhD AThis behavior is natural, though challenging, to deal with. In the wild, horses benefit from having strong bonds with one another. Although this can make life more difficult for horse owners, I still strongly recommend providing horses plenty of turnout in the company of others, rather than denying them this natural social connection. Domesticated horses seem to develop the worst separation anxiety when they live together in pairs for long periods of…

Adjustable and Ready To Go The fully adjustable Salinero Dressage Saddle by Ovation® features the XCH™ gullet-plate system, which allows modification of the tree width. The saddle comes with the medium-wide plate installed, but other gullet sizes can be ordered. The AMS® wool-flocked panels include a neoprene layer to help absorb impact and distribute pressure evenly. The leather saddle also has Velcro® repositionable knee rolls. Available in seat sizes 16½–18 inch es; gullet plates: narrow–3x wide; $2,100; www.ovationriding.com. Silicone Breeches for a Secure Grip Instead of using leather like a traditional full-seat breech, the Isabella Full Grip Breeches from Romfh feature a silicone print for a secure grip in the saddle without bulk. The curve-fit cut is smaller at the waist but fuller through the seat and thighs for optimum…

George H. Morris is the former chef d’équipe of the U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Team. He serves on the USEF National Jumper Committee and Planning Committee, is an adviser to the USEF High- Performance Show Jumping Committee and is president of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. 1 Our first rider needs to fix some basic problems with her leg and release. Regarding her leg, she is standing on the ball of her foot, which pushes her toes down, causing her heel to go up. This makes her seat go up so she is jumping ahead. She needs to shorten her stirrup leather a half or entire hole and work in two-point on the flat at walk, trot and canter and over crossrails, driving weight into her heel. This…

1. Make a video sign-up list: Create a schedule where riders can organize and commit to videoing each other’s rides. Trading with your friends creates community, reinforces that you all have unique and personal goals and establishes an environment for growth and learning. 2. Set a norm for positive reflection first: Create a goal where each rider says at least one positive comment immediately after another rider completes an exercise/test/course. Holding each other accountable in a friendly way will boost your trust, connectivity and good feelings about one another (as well as encourage the use of excellent mental skills!). 3. Organize fun events: You can all wear blue on Saturdays, bring potluck brunch snacks on the first Sunday of each month or organize a barn movie night to watch a…

Radiographs are a normal part of a prepurchase exam, and the parts of a horse’s anatomy you decide to X-ray may depend on his history and intended future use. For instance, you’re likely to look at the front feet and knees of an off-the-track Thoroughbred you hope to event. Alternatively, you may look at the hocks and stifles of a horse who has been jumping for some years if you’re hoping to continue competing him. Radiographs can reveal any number of things, but you shouldn’t get bogged down in one single inconsistency on an X-ray. You have to look at the whole horse. “I try to take the X-rays as one piece of the entire exam,” Dr. Loftin says. “If he’s out showing and winning and is sound on my…

Based at Fox Covert Farm, in Upperville, Virginia, Jim Wofford competed in three Olympics and two World Championships and won the U.S. National Championship five times. He is also a highly respected coach. For more on Jim, go to www.jimwofford.blogspot.com. In last month’s column, I introduced you to several people who guided and shaped my early career, just as your mentors steer your riding progress. My narrative stopped at a point when I had moved to Denver, where I could get lessons from eventing expert Bill Bilwin. It was in Denver that I had my first exposure to another man who would become a life-long mentor—Bertalan de Némethy. After my father’s death in 1955, Bert was named to succeed him as the U.S. Equestrian Team show-jumping coach, and by the…

The best way to learn a new language is to immerse yourself completely in the culture. That’s exactly how Lisa Wilcox pursued her classical dressage education. Over the past 25 years, she has followed her dreams from Colorado to California, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and, finally, back to America. After holding some of the most coveted training jobs in Europe, she’s now passing her hard-earned knowledge on to as many horses and riders as possible in the U.S. Seeking Wisdom from The Masters Lisa and her six brothers and sisters learned to ride Western from their father, an Air Force captain. She remembers, “He was always telling us to ‘Sit up straight! Shoulders back!’ We walked around like I’m riding around now.” Lisa was involved in Pony Club and then eventing,…

QI’ve just started competing in Training Level dressage. In almost all of my tests, the judge comments that my circles are either too small or egg-shaped. Do you have any tricks for making round, correctly-sized circles? AOn my first day of training in Europe with Olympian Gyula Dallos, he got out of his chair to show me on foot a true 20-meter circle. I was competing at Intermediaire I at the time. Talk about embarrassing! I learned that day that riding correctly shaped circles is harder than most people realize. It takes a great deal of focus. HAVE A QUESTION? Email it to Practical Horseman@aimmedia.com or mail to 178 Thomas Johnson Rd, Unit 204L, Frederick, Maryland 21702. One of the best strategies is to choose four points on the circle.…