Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2016 i Practical Horseman

At the 2016 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in April, I interviewed Olympic gold medalist Phillip Dutton after the first horse inspection. We chatted about his three horses, and then I asked whether he was concerned about the weather. Forecasters had (accurately) predicted rain for most of the competition and particularly bad storms during Saturday’s cross-country. In his low-key way, Phillip said, “There’s not much I can do about it, so I’ll just take it a day at a time and prepare the horses as best I can.” He finished the event in fourth, fifth and 13th places. I recalled Phillip’s response after reading Mental Skills Coach Tonya Johnston’s column this month (page 18). In it, she talks about removing factors from your focus that you have no control over, such…

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.TonyaJohnston.com. You have probably run across the magazine Real Simple at the very least in the checkout line at the grocery store. It’s full of organizational tips, streamlining life hacks and creative ideas to help you de-stress and declutter your life. It capitalizes on a truth that I think many of us subscribe to: the more straightforward, the better. This month we are creating an opportunity for you to do a similar de-cluttering on the overall focus you bring to your riding. How? By…

7 Things to Do in July WATCH elite show jumpers compete for top prizes at the Spruce Meadows North American Tournament, July 6–10, in Calgary, Canada. The event features a CSI***** along with family-oriented activities including pony rides, face painting and more; www.sprucemeadows.com. SEE Olympic contenders at the Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan®, July 8–10, in The Plains, VA. The competition— which includes the first FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ CICO*** to be held in the United States—will be the final outing for the U.S. Eventing Team before it heads to Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Games; www.greatmeadowinternational.com. RECOGNIZE your hardworking farrier’s efforts July 10–16 during the 18th Annual National Farriers Week. Until July 1 the American Farriers Journal is collecting photos and videos of horse shoers…

Breeches for the Fashionista Intrepid International’s 2KGrey breeches are designed to withstand hours in the saddle and double as fun, modern jeans with unique stitching and embellishments great for a night out on the town. The leg length of the pants allows them to be worn with boots, heels or flats. There are nine different back-pocket designs, two on white jeans and seven on dark denim. All options are stain resistant and machine washable and made of a cotton-poly-Lycra blend. Available in knee patch or full seat; sizes 24–32, some styles also available in sizes 34–38; $126–$199; www.2KGrey.com. Impact-Protection Pad The flexible and lightweight Invictus Necesse Basic Pad is a shock-absorbing pad made of three high-tech layers. The top is a nonslip, breathable and durable performance fabric, the mid-layer is…

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 has a very good leg position with her heel down, ankle flexed, toes out the right amount for her conformation and the stirrup leather at a right angle to the girth. My initial impression of her base of support and upper body is that she was “caught.” This is an expression that you don’t hear any more, and it’s more of a feeling than something you can see. It’s in the same category as dropping back in the air…

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. Now that eventing in the Olympics is run at the threestar level, you go to a four-star event to see the best cross-country riders in the world—and on the North American continent, that means the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Each year, Rolex provides a unique chance to watch the best of the best in action. This year, Germany’s Michael Jung (aka “The Terminator”) left no doubt as to who is the best of the best as he became the second rider in Rolex history to win Rolex in successive years…

Remarkable 54, an off-the-track Thoroughbred I’ve been training for four months, runs and jumps alongside me around the Kentucky Horse Park arena. There is no halter or bridle to connect us. The crowd claps and whoops, and Remarkable kicks out and runs away from me. His adrenaline is flowing. He sees the banners and flags and tosses his head. As he tears around the ring he thinks: “Where am I going?” Then, “Oh yeah,” he says to himself. “There is Tik. I want to go to him. That is a good place.” When he turns, he looks at me with both eyes. The world shrinks around us. There is just a long, narrow tunnel leading from his eyes to my body. I lean back and invite him toward me. He…

*“Now we find ourselves back at the barn, many years later, doing everything possible to nuture our dreams. Why? Because we love the horses.” I began taking hunter/jumper lessons twice a week at a nearby barn, Huntington Ridge Farm in Holly, Michigan, about a year ago after an 18-month break from riding. One of the reasons I chose this barn—outside of its beautiful facilities and high-quality lesson horses—was the number of adults who rode there. Over the months, I’ve gotten to know many of these adult riders and have noticed a recurring theme. In between comments on the weather, the quirky habits of the lesson horses and preferred brands of saddles and half-chaps, we ask ourselves the same question during every grooming session—“Why are we still doing this?” The question…