Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2015 i Practical Horseman

He’s taught me lessons like how to meet a horse in the middle, and how when you believe in a horse, he does his best for you. Sure, you have to give in a little bit to his quirky personality, but he tries for me. I’d much rather have a horse that does it their own way, but gives you what he has, than a horse that is super talented, but always finds a way to knock a jump down. He’s straight, and aside from the ring, I just really like him. He’s probably the last horse I’ll ride in the championships that my dad trained, so he’s special to me in that way, too. Olympic Gold Medalist, Show Jumping Platinum Performance® Client since 2003…

I’ve owned a hot, sensitive Thoroughbred/warmblood-cross mare for 8 years. Doing flatwork is like riding a ticking time bomb because she can handle only so much. I always incorporate serpentines into my flatwork because it keeps her brain busy and helps her stay soft and relaxed. I am a show jumper but have done eventing and once worked with a great dressage trainer who taught me to give with my hand by scratching my mare’s neck as I released my contact. My mare enjoys the reward, and plus it helps keep her supple and relaxed. One thing you’ll never see me do is stay on the rail. Instead, I’ll ride serpentines and circles or weave around jumps. Ashley Pollock, Arizona I love serpentines. I feel most riders just go around…

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. I have been watching the changes in our international equestrian disciplines for a long time now and, as usual, I have some opinions. Not every change is good, not every change is necessary, but every change to the rules has an effect on the sport as a whole and on the horses we use to participate in that sport. Here are some cases in point. First Example: The Olympics Go Pro Look what happened during the 1980s, when the International Olympic Committee professionalized the Olympic Games. Before this, riders were…

When you’ve ridden bareback in front of thousands of clapping, cheering, whistling spectators on a formerly wild Mustang with only 120 days of training and just a rope to hold onto, the butterflies you battle while competing at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event seem easier to tamp down. That’s how upper-level eventing rider and Mustang ambassador Elisa Wallace explained the feeling of going into the electric Rolex stadium on the final day of the competition last April. After jumping clear on cross country in the pouring rain the day before, Elisa found a top-10 finish at her first four-star event within her grasp. It was the culmination of a long journey, one that began when her father and fellow upper-level event rider, Rick Wallace, first placed her on a horse’s…

Though many know Melanie Smith Taylor as the winner of the 1982 World Cup Final and a show-jumping team gold medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she also is an advocate for horsemanship that “encompasses every aspect in the relationship between horse and human.” She believes in ground work exercises as “the best way to learn and develop your horsemanship skills while laying a solid foundation for all future interactions with your horse.” She studied this training perspective under renowned horsemen Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman at her and her late husband Lee’s Wildwood Farm in Germantown, Tennessee, where they primarily bred and raised Thoroughbreds for polo. In her new book, Riding with Life: Lessons from the Horse, Melanie encourages riders, no matter their level or discipline, to forge…

Bling for the Show Ring With Charles Owen’s JR8 Sparkly Helmet, you can have the peace of mind offered by a certified ASTM/SEI helmet and show off your inner fashionista. A silver or black shiny center strip complements the black or navy weather-resistant microsuede side panels. The low-profile helmet features an adjustable nylon harness. Black with black sparkles, black with silver sparkles, navy with midnight shine or navy with silver sparkles; 63/8–7½, also available in Round Fit: 67/8–7¼; $222; www.charlesowen.com. Discreet Back Protection Now available in a dark brown, the Ultra ThinLine Half Pad is designed for minimal bulk but maximum protection against equine back soreness. Used over a cotton pad, the half pad fits under the weight-bearing surface of the saddle, molding to the horse’s shape. The contoured design…

Ihave an odd confession, especially for a person in her 40s: I love equitation. This has not always been the case. When I was in my teens, I hated it. I started competing in the equitation divisions when I was about 14 and wasn’t very good. I much preferred riding in jumper classes where I could just go fast or hunter courses where I didn’t have to worry about my position. Or so I thought. The other thing I really disliked about equitation was that the horse had to be in a frame. Early on, my idea of getting horses round was to pull in their heads, which they didn’t much like. But after I aged out of the junior equitation classes, I started to figure out that equitation matters…

At a recent U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Town Hall meeting, President Bill Moroney led a discussion about the path for the young generation of riders. Citing the lack of opportunities for juniors who did not have huge backing, we discussed options for undiscovered riders and programs to help them achieve what sometimes appear to be unattainable goals. Of course, we talked about the organization’s Emerging Athletes Program and the successes of its graduates. Many have heard about the meteoric experience of Jacob Pope, 2011 EAP Champion, who went on to win both the U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals–East and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. Stephen Foran, 2012 EAP champion, is now competing in Europe, showing top young horses for legendary horseman and trainer Henk Nooren of the…

Becoming a good rider takes much more than physical ability. You must also have emotional and mental focus coupled with drive, determination and an ongoing willingness to learn from wise mentors who will stimulate your curiosity and desire. Of the many talented riders around the world, those I respect the most are also superior horsemen. Consummate students of the horse, they have the passion and discipline not only to ride well but also to properly care for and manage their horses, keeping their well-being at the center of everything they do. The Essentials As I travel throughout the world, I’m amazed by the large number of horses and riders who haven’t had opportunities to learn the basic principles and skills of horsemanship. Working with a horse without attention to these…

When jumping, do you • turn your foot out too much? • lose foot contact with the stirrup? • have difficulty keeping your thigh on? • roll to the outside of your foot? This exercise will teach you that a heel eversion is all that is necessary to correct these issues. A slight eversion of the heel places the rider’s weight to the inside edge on the stirrup without turning the foot out. Slightly weighting the inside edge of your foot secures your leg, keeps your leg close to the horse and widens the area at the back of your hip while allowing your heel to sink down. Exercise: On The Ground Sit on a flat surface with both feet on the ground. Make sure one foot is flat on…

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Trusting Your Instincts I just finished reading “Try It, You’ll Like It,” Jim Wofford’s article in the May 2015 issue, and it couldn’t have come at a better time! I currently take lessons with two different instructors with two totally different backgrounds. One is Parelli/Natural Horsemanship-based and the other is traditional dressagebased. Both are wonderful instructors and have recently started helping me with my horse’s tendency to brace against the leg and bridle. Both have given me totally opposite things to try, stating that what I was previously doing, which was what the other instructor told me to do, was wrong. Both ways kind of worked and, at the same time, kind of didn’t. I was starting to get confused and frustrated until I thought to myself, “Hey, you know…

When asked about her riding accomplishments, 17-year-old Kelli Cruciotti recalls her journey with fondness, from the ponies that helped teach her as a small child to the horses who have carried her to many top placings this year, including wins at the $100,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon and the $25,000 Artisan Farms 25 and Under Grand Prix Series at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Of her surprise Devon win, she says, “Winning any class at this level is exciting, but to win a class as prestigious as this is a dream come true.” Exuding quiet confidence, Kelli credits three things for giving her the solid foundation and preparation necessary for her recent transition to the more difficult and challenging grand prix courses: Her mother Cindy’s training program at their Serenity…