Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2017 i Practical Horseman

We have stories covering four disciplines this month: jumpers, eventers, dressage and hunters. At first glance, they seem specific to their own sports. But if you spend more time with them, you realize that several underlying themes connect them: your horse needs to understand what you want, you need to give clear aids and he has to react to them immediately. French Olympian Eric Navet and up-and-coming grand prix rider Karl Cook share a philosophy that everything they do is about the horse and rider understanding each other (page 26). On course, for instance, the horse has to “understand that if Eric moves his body this way, a certain thing has to happen,” says Karl. Eric goes on to explain that the understanding, built through communication, has to be instantaneous.…

International stars catch my attention, but I have as much fun watching partnerships. When you are 10 years old, you pair up with a 6-year-old mare and 10 years later you jump a clear round at Rolex—that’s a partnership. Madeline Backus and P.S. Arianna (“Ari”), shown here at Fence 13B, the Teton Rails, are having more fun than the law should allow. There is good technique here, drive and determination for sure, but most of all, just pure joy as they gallop effortlessly over big fences. They completed the weekend in 20th place at their first four-star.…

Derek di Grazia understands the effect of terrain on a horse’s balance. The Trout Pond, fence 7A, had an uphill approach to a 4-foot-7 brush. It is hard to see from this angle, but the brush blocked the water behind the fence from the horse’s vision until the last stride. Just as your horse reacted to the water, the terrain fell away slightly. It wasn’t precipitous, but it was enough to affect your horse’s balance if you were counting strides mechanically instead of supporting him. You can tell that Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude (“Forty”) are not having fun right now. Fortunately for this pair, Derek had already planned for this eventuality by building the fence out of brush rather than solid timber. Experience is what you get right after…

Fulfilling 26-year-old Karl Cook’s international goals is priority one for the Pomponio Ranch program. Since Karl and Eric Navet teamed up, buying young horses and bringing them along in their own way has produced the most compatible partners. Bringing homebreds along is the next goal, both as prospective grand prix partners for Karl and as sales horses for various levels of the American market. Karl’s mother, Signe Ostby, a rider herself and longtime sport supporter and advocate, launched Pomponio Ranch Stallions in 2011 and it’s now home to six stallions and a small band of high-quality mares. Located on 2,700 acres in a remote area near Northern California’s Half Moon Bay, Pomponio Ranch also raises Angus and Akaushi cattle and Heritage pigs plus Alpaca sheep for another of Signe’s passions:…

Five-time British Olympian Carl Hester revealed no secrets to success as he explained his approach to training horses during his first public clinic appearance in the United States. Dressage fundamentals rooted in the German Training Scale—rhythm, relaxation, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection—were the basis of every individual session he gave to 13 horse and rider pairs, whether it was two riders on 4-year-olds or his friend and fellow 1992 Barcelona Olympian Charlotte Bredahl-Baker on her nearly Grand Prix mount Hamilton. The April clinic drew close to 3,000 equestrians to the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego, California, home to many famous horse shows. Carl was the headliner of the West Coast Dressage Convention, organized by Vancouver special-event planner Scott Hayes Productions. The youngest British rider to compete in the Olympics,…

The Horse Side Vet Guide® is a mobile app developed by Dr. Douglas Thal, his staff, a veterinary advisory board and other professionals to help educate horse owners and provide “horse-side” assistance when all is not well. Dr. Thal describes it as an observationbased tool—you input what you notice (your observation), and the app delivers information on potential causes as well as the best next steps you can take. For instance, if you input “kicking at belly,” one result that shows up is “abdominal pain (colic).” If you click that option, you’ll get an overview of colic, advice on what to do and insights on what your veterinarian might do. The app currently includes 700 observations and thousands of short articles related to observations, diagnoses, treatments and more. Dr. Thal…

□ WATCH world-class show jumpers compete for prizes at the Spruce Meadows North American CSI*****, July 5–9, in Calgary, Canada. Also enjoy plenty of family-friendly activities, including pony rides, face painting, shopping and more; www.sprucemeadows.com. □ FOLLOW top eventers as they make their way around the crosscountry course at the second annual Great Meadow International, July 7–9, in The Plains, Virginia. Great Meadow hosts the only FEI Nations Cup™ CICO*** in North America and is awaiting a decision on its bid to hold a four-star in the fall of 2019; www.greatmeadowinternational.com. □ SHOW how much you appreciate your hardworking horseshoer during National Farriers Week, July 9–15. As part of the 19th annual celebration, the American Farriers Journal is featuring those who have made a difference in its Farriers Spotlight. Submit…

Hall of Fame Honors Four For their contributions to and influence on the sport, three equestrians and one equine star were set to be inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame June 1 at press time at the Devon Horse Show in Pennsylvania. They include: ■ Anne Kursinski. An Olympic medalist whose career spans more than 30 years, Kursinski is an all-time leading rider in U.S. show-jumping history. She competed in three Olympic Games, winning team silver medals in 1988 and 1996. She won individual and team gold medals at the 1983 Pan American Games and represented the U.S. at two FEI World Equestrian Games™. She also rode on 47 Nations Cup teams and participated in 10 FEI World Cup™ Finals. In 1988 and 1992, Kursinski was named Horsewoman…

Trendy Socks Breathable and comfortable, the Block Stripe Sock Pack from Dublin contains three pairs of cotton socks. Each set features socks with three different designs: solid colored, a block-stripe pattern and a horse pattern. Available in blue or mint; one size; $19.99; www.dublinclothing.com. Contoured Bridle The Atlas Snaffle Bridle from G. Passier & Sohn features an anatomically formed headstall contoured around the horse’s ears to help relieve pressure. The bridle also has a lined cavesson with flash strap and a curved browband embellished with Strass crystals. Choose from a variety of interchangeable nosebands: flash, dropped or figure-eight with patent-leather trim, white lining or white lining and patentleather trim. Available with stainless-steel or brass fittings; black or havana leather; cob, full or oversize; $385; www.passier.com. Keep Flies at Bay The…

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, very good position, and it starts with her leg, which is a rider’s foundation and gives her security. This rider’s correct stirrup length is reflected by the angle behind her knee, which is 100 to 110 degrees. The position of her foot is a little old-fashioned with her instep against the inside branch of the iron and her toes out about 45 degrees, the maximum a rider wants. That foot position is not wrong, but a…

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 Here’s an obvious fun fact: Riding your horse often includes a lot of time watching other people ride their horses. This can be a bonus because if you are like many athletes, you may consider yourself to be a visual learner. You remember things you see, you gain understanding by watching someone capable perform and you appreciate demonstrations because they build your belief in what is possible. Make no mistake about it, observation has almost unlimited potential to aid the development of both…

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 jimwoffordblogspot.com The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event marketing slogan— “The best weekend all year”—rang true this spring as record-breaking crowds watched record-breaking performances at the Kentucky Horse Park. Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. has sponsored this event since 1981, and it is a sign of success and growth in the sport that larger dressage audiences showed up for both days of dressage this year despite cold rain and high wind. The KHP is used to big competitions, and Rolex, aided by nearly 2,000 volunteers, runs smoothly. The Ground Jury did a good job of…

The 2006 World champion, Zara Tindall (née Phillips), is as streaky a rider as I have ever seen. When she is on form, as she has been this year, you’d better look out because she is going for it. She and her Olympic veteran, High Kingdom (“Trevor”), are obviously jumping at a high rate of speed. Zara is an all-around horsewoman and is comfortable galloping with shorter stirrups than most riders. This gives her upper body unusual stability and allows her to sit behind the motion without sitting down. Her weight is just inside the turn and she is using both reins to turn, not just pulling on the inside rein. We see her turning quickly after Fence 4C, the Mighty Moguls, ready to waste no time in galloping away…

I have a soft spot in my heart for riders who go forward to narrow cross-country fences, which explains why I am so fond of Canada’s Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High (“Woody”), who finished 11th this year. This photo shows her straightness, but doesn’t really show you the extremely narrow front of Fence 18A, the Land Rover Landing. A 4-foot-7 obstacle that is higher than it is wide is like jumping a knife blade—with the sharp end toward you. Done correctly, you keep your horse straight in the approach with your legs, not your hands. The horse world is a funny place—take John and Judy Rumble, who own Woody. John has been a friend since the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, when he and my brother were on the Canadian…

Eric Navet’s soft hand, fluid body position and lack of interference with his horses epitomize a classic, quiet riding style. On course, “The horse should forget me,” the French champion jumper rider explains. But it’s more like a partnership found in a long marriage, where the spouses know each other so well they don’t need words or actions to understand what’s expected. Eric’s method for attaining that kind of relationship with his horses is old-fashioned and rooted in flatwork. He’s a thirdgeneration horseman, who grew up riding for his father Alain Navet’s breeding program in Normandy, France. It was the family’s livelihood, which meant the potential in every horse had to be found and developed. “We had no choice but to try to make every single horse better,” explains Eric,…

1. Take a picture of the course map beforehand so that you have it for reference. Decide in advance the approach of your courtesy circle or track: What lead will you choose (if there is an option) and where will you pick up the canter? At what point will you have established your pace? You can plan all this in advance. 2. When you walk the handy course, walk the most technically difficult track first, an easier track second and then the easiest track of all. You need to study all three. When it is your turn to ride, you want to be ready to pick one of these three options based on how aggressive you want to be in the handy round. Which track you pick—and how much risk…

Having answers to the following six questions well before a colic crisis arrives will help you make a fast decision when you need to. Where will you go? Not every equine veterinarian has surgical facilities. Talk with your vet to see if he/she does or can refer you to one or more qualified area hospitals that are equipped to handle colic surgery. How will your horse get there? If you don’t have your own trailer or ready access to one, know how you’ll transport your horse to the hospital. Prepare now by asking your vet or local equine hospitals for recommendations of emergency transport companies. Dr. Shannon Murray suggests finding at least two options and keeping those phone numbers handy. How will you pay? If you have equine insurance, make…

I live in a really humid climate and my tack sometimes gets moldy in the summertime. What’s the best way to remove and prevent mold without overdrying the leather? LYNN THOMPSON AMold thrives in damp, warm conditions. Unfortunately, once it starts to grow on leather, it’s difficult to kill. Even if it looks as if you have removed all of it, the leather is often more prone to getting moldy again. Mold can also discolor leather, leaving unsightly dark patches. The best course of action is prevention. In an ideal world, we’d all have climatecontrolled (heated and air-conditioned) tack rooms, which would reduce the risk of mold significantly. But not everybody has that luxury—including me! If your tack-storage area is more open to the elements, take extra measures to protect…