Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2015 i Practical Horseman

Watching George Morris and other instructors at his annual five-day training sessions in Florida, I’ve found one of the most educational aspects has been seeing different clinicians’ styles. When Anne Kursinski demonstrated her approach to flatwork, for example, George said that her system of asking a horse to come from behind and stretch into the bridle was slightly different than his, which has its origin in French teachings. Over the years, George has explained to the session’s riders and auditors that while the basics of riding are the same and riders need a strong foundation in them, there are differences among the world’s top trainers and competitors. As horsepeople, it’s important to study the different systems, understand the theories behind them and incorporate the ones that work for us and…

Q I just started eventing my Percheron/Andalusian-cross. He has a big head and wears a 6-inch eggbutt Happy Mouth bit. It comes in his size and he responds well to it in the arena, but I have had multiple people tell me to “bit up” for cross country and other open-field activities. He usually listens pretty well, but as his confidence grows on the cross-country course, his attention lessens. Slowly I am starting to notice him zone out between fences and it’s difficult to catch his attention after long gallops. I have tried full-cheeks and other similar bits, but with his large mouth they don’t seem to fit right on the exterior. What bit should I use and what can I do as a rider to keep his attention without…

In the Sierra Madre of central-western Mexico, about a two-hour drive south of Guadalajara, the Pueblo Mágico—Magical Village—of Tapalpa is a beautiful place to both saddle up and step back in time. You may see riders in high boots walking or riding through the cobblestone streets of this scenic town, which dates to the 1600s and features pretty white colonial buildings with red tile roofs. Pueblo Mágico is a designation conferred by the Mexican government in recognition of a place’s significant cultural, historical and natural wonders. Indeed, they are abundant here. Old stone walls, farms, wildflowers and forests of pine and oak dot the lovely rolling countryside. Just outside of town there is an area that has long held special significance for the locals. It is called El Valle de…

As I headed south to Harrisburg last October, I knew I had five hours on the road to think about the five minutes I would spend in the ring with Louie, my 4-year-old Standardbred traveling companion. Our destination: the 2014 Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Our event: the Equine Comeback Challenge—a competition designed to showcase the talents of rescue horses awaiting adoption. For 90 days, I had worked with Louie, a gelding who had been seized in a cruelty case in 2013. He was far from the emaciated creature he had been when he arrived at Lollypop Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester, New York. Willing and intelligent, he had given his all as I started him under saddle and then taught him skills to demonstrate his versatility. At the…

Thousands of miles from their facility in Thedinghausen, the horses have similar accommodations at a nearly 14-acre equestrian center in Wellington, Florida, where the Beerbaums will spend three months competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Supporters Kristy and Jim Clark, who own some of Meredith’s top horses such as Fibonacci, Atlanta, Tequila de Lile and Comanche, bought the facility, now named Artemis Farm, early last year. Located near the entrance of Grand Prix Village and an easy walk to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the spacious18-stall Mediterranean-style barn with living quarters is surrounded by manicured lawns and palm trees and large pastures and smaller paddocks. The stable’s high wood-paneled ceilings provide a perfect climate for the horses even in the summer. The human inhabitants occupy an owner’s apartment, a…

I held parties for my purebred Arabian gelding’s 30th and 35th birthday, inviting people who were special to us at different times in our lives. I served carrot cake and showed photos of our more than two decades together. I also formally presented him to his friends and made special photographs. An article I wrote about the party for his 30th birthday appeared in an Arabian horse magazine. Many people who read it reached out to me with stories about their own geriatric but still very special equine partners. One person owned a half-sibling of my beloved gelding and remembered meeting him when he was a yearling. It was the beginning of what became a long and treasured conversation about our two horses and their similarities. Two years ago, I…

The perfect position, like a unicorn, is a myth. Instead of worrying about finding it, I want you to concentrate on having the right position right now. Your position should do more than keep you attached to your horse. It should keep you in balance and harmony with him at all times. Because your position is such an important part of your riding, I have written several columns about it over the years, including a detailed discussion of your lower-leg position. In simplistic terms, when we talk about your lower leg, keep your stirrup leather vertical and your lower-leg position will never let you down. (If you want to see what I mean, look at the graphic on my “Vertical Is Absolute” column at www.PracticalHorsemanMag.com. Since that column talked exclusively…

WATCH event riders from the Preliminary level to CIC*** go head-to-head at the Red Hills International Horse Trials, Mar. 6–8, in Tallahassee, FL. A traditional three-day event format will be followed: dressage on Friday, cross country on Saturday and show jumping and awards on Sunday; www.rhht.org. SPRING forward an hour at 2 a.m. Mar. 8 (except Arizona and Hawaii) as Daylight Saving Time begins. Mark the event by changing the batteries in the smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors of your home and barn. Ride in sunshine later into the evening. BASK in warm weather and sun during the final marquee events of the HITS Thermal and HITS Ocala series: the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, Mar. 15, in Thermal, CA, and the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix, Mar. 23, in…

Born in 1969 to film director Richard Michaels and actress Kristina Hansen, Meredith Michaels fell in love with horses at an early age. At 7, she started riding at the Foxfield Riding School near Los Angeles, California, and later trained under top hunter, jumper and equitation trainer Karen Healey. While she had a successful career as a Junior rider, she began studying politics at Princeton University in New Jersey in the late 1980s. But horses were always in her life and she continued to show on the A-Circuit, winning her first grand prix on the stallion Quick Star in 1989 in Wellington, Florida, under the tutelage of George Morris. Although Meredith wasn’t planning on a riding career, she realized that to be successful in the competition arena, she needed to…

Spring officially arrives March 20, and the waning days of winter are the perfect time for cleaning and organizing. Here’s a simple eight-step plan for getting your barn, trailer and more in order before you launch into a full schedule of warm-weather equestrian activities. Step 1. Tackle the feed room. Empty all bins, move trash cans outside and sweep the whole room. Keep an eye out for rodent nests. They usually indicate that a feed bin has been compromised. Check yours as you clean them to verify that they are still rodent-proof; replace any that are damaged. Wash all bowls, scoops, containers and buckets. Use the hose and some dish soap in the wash rack to make this chore quick and easy. Discard supplements that are beyond their expiration date.…

A Welcome Surprise Each Heart to Horse Box contains a secret assortment of new products for you and your horse. Plus, 25 percent of the net proceeds are donated to community rescues. Order a single box or set up a subscription for automatic shipment each month. Contents of recent boxes included leather halters, treats from Mrs. Pastures and apparel from Mountain Horse and SSG Gloves. $34.99 per shipment; www.horse.com. Ride Longer, More Efficiently CEP Progressive + riding socks utilize compression technology to improve circulation in the legs, support muscles and reduce muscle strain when you’re in the saddle. The supportive, antibacterial fabric manages heat and moisture. Padding at the ankle and Achilles tendon helps to prevent injury and boot pinching. Sizes based on calf circumference: 9½–20 inches; men’s: black/gray; women’s:…

With its 7,600 residents, the small village of Thedinghausen dates back to 1150. But except for some old stones, not much is left from this period. Nevertheless, today’s Thedinghausen, a mixture of quaint homes with exposed wood framing and modern, new buildings, has retained its coziness. This feeling also characterizes the equestrian facility of Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and her husband, Markus Beerbaum. The 25-acre farm is located just outside the village, nestled in an expanse of fields. In the spring, an avenue of trees and rhododendron bushes turns the brick driveway into a sea of purple flowers. The drive leads to the barn. It’s whitewashed brick façade is set off by chocolate-brown timbers and roof with a welcoming old wooden door. Just past the barn is the family’s thatched-roof home, complete…