Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2016 i Practical Horseman

One of the things I love about this month’s special dressage issue is learning the equine origins of three top dressage riders. In Laura Graves’ story, “Tuned-In: Self-Going Horse” (page 38), our cover model says that she and her sisters grew up riding bareback in their Vermont backyard, first on two ponies their mother traded for an old washer/dryer. At the time, Laura says she was more focused on grooming horses and cleaning tack for 4-H in-hand presentations than for riding lessons. Allison Brock grew up in Hawaii, where she jumped, rode dressage, participated in Pony Club, exercised polo ponies, dabbled with cattle and played tag on horseback. As she describes in her story, “No Shortcuts!” (page 46), when she turned 12, she had to start earning her own rides…

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. Phew! A few years ago, when I rented out my Virginia farm’s training facility and started freelancing, I thought I would have more spare time. Although I am busier than ever these days, I can’t really say I am successful; a man who is too busy to fish is not really a success. I finally got out for a nice day’s fishing recently, which gave me a moment to stop and think. I reflected that I am still saying the same things to my students that I have said for 50…

When Allison (“Ali”) Brock had to decide which sport to pursue professionally after high school—dressage or reining—she chose dressage partly, she says, because it’s so hard to master. “The sheer difficulty of it was very intriguing for me.” Over the next two decades, she saw every challenge as an opportunity for improvement. Ali grew up in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, and began riding at the age of 7. “I was lucky,” she says. “We had a group of very good professionals, both Western and English. I jumped, rode dressage, was very active in Pony Club, exercised polo ponies to make extra money and even messed around with cattle at one point. And we did a lot of kid things, like playing tag on horseback. I was also exposed…

Most people think of flexion in terms of a horse’s head and neck position, but flexion can affect his entire body and way of going. That’s because the neck is an extension of the spine, and it’s linked closely with the back in a finely tuned system of support. Bones: Like the rest of the bones that form the spinal column, the seven cervical (neck) vertebrae enclose and protect the spinal cord. Each bone is uniquely designed for its site and function. The atlas vertebra, first in line, is shaped to allow the horse to nod his head or turn it to the side to produce, respectively, direct flexion and lateral flexion at the poll. The axis vertebra, next up, is shaped to allow twisting or tilting of the head.…

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 subtle faults I see in most eventers that stem from schools in the Netherlands, Germany and England, where trainers emphasized knee grip because they thought it offered security, but the result is quite the contrary. When a rider grips with the knee, it acts as a pivot and the lower leg slips back and inadvertently acts as an active leg. The French school had it right by focusing on contact in the calf. This rider needs to relax…

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. Sue normally gets a lot of energy for her jumping lessons. She gets on her horse, checks her girth, steps into twopoint and looks intently around the ring, noticing the jump heights and imagining possible courses for the day. Sue’s barn mate Addison is very calm; at horse shows she loves to spend time with her friends and takes naps to pass the time. Her heart rate stays very low and she has to fire herself up to remember the details of…

When Ali Brock was 12, she got the ride on a two-year-old Arab/Quarter Horse mare named Sheba. “She was one of those love-of-your-life kind of horses—liver chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, four white socks and a blaze. I could do anything with her and we won some classes, showing primarily Western and Hunter Under Saddle.” Many years later, she learned that Sheba had been discovered starving on an outer island. “The people who had her just couldn’t afford to feed her.” Ali paid to rescue the mare and sent her to a former trainer in Oahu. “She’s 25 now and she’s fine. She packs around lots of kids. I just write out the board checks and see her once a year. I’m lucky somebody saw her before she starved…

Equine metabolic syndrome, a disease associated with a disorder of the endocrine system, often develops in middle-aged obese horses. It’s become a growing problem in the horse population, yet many questions remain unanswered. Simply defining the disease is a challenge because it can present in various ways, including through a collection of health issues, such as excess fat deposits, insulin resistance and a predisposition to laminitis. The disease may be genetically linked, and certain breeds—including Morgans, Arabians, Paso Finos and pony breeds—may be more prone than others. EMS is also linked to Cushing’s disease, another common endocrine disorder that affects older horses, as both can cause laminitis. A hormonal test is the best way to differentiate between the two. Interestingly, EMS is similar to human metabolic syndrome, which has been…

Q What has made you so successful in dressage? CBB I am incredibly persistent and I have a very strong sense of responsibility. Whether it is a project, a horse in training or the pursuit of judging, I will just stay with it. I also think honesty and integrity are the most important characteristics. I believe people can count on me to always tell them the truth. Whether it is about a horse in training, selling a horse or something they need to be kept confidential, people know they can trust me 100 percent. Q What important values did you learn growing up? CBB My parents set a good example by being very hard workers. My mom worked full time in an office and then taught typing one night a…

One critical ingredient in creating the self-going horse is for both of you to show up to work. From the time I put my foot in the stirrup, my horses know that they are working. I try to make their training sessions fun and rewarding, but I’m also clear that the work will get done. For example, if I’m riding a lazy horse, I don’t allow him to dillydally during walk breaks. I keep him marching along so he’s ready to get back to work the moment I pick up my reins again. To keep work fun for your horse, approach every challenge with an encouraging “Try this, it’s not that hard” attitude, rather than a more demanding “Do this, do this, do this” attitude. Give plenty of praise when…

Take Friends Riding, Win a Vacation Equestrians who introduce nonriders to horses in the month of September are eligible to enter a contest being conducted by Time to Ride, an initiative of the American Horse Council’s Marketing Alliance designed to promote equestrian sports and grow the equine industry. An all-inclusive, threenight stay at the Resort at Paws Up, a luxury dude ranch in Montana, awaits the winner of the Pledge to Take a Friend Riding sweepstakes. To enter, sign the pledge at www.timetoride.com/pledge from Sept. 1–30. To learn more about the initiative go to www.timetoride.com. “Frank loved his days as a rider and the success he achieved with Bill Steinkraus and George Morris,” said Mary Chapot. “He especially treasured the opportunity he had to train with Bert de Némethy. Although…

Revolutionary Noseband The hand-stitched European leather Tota Comfort Noseband has a unique design that relieves bridle pressure along the poll and facial nerves. The curvature of the cheekpieces eliminates the forward and downward pressure along the cheekbones found in traditional bridles, and this change in angle frees the sensitive area around the temporomandibular joint, where the browband, crownpiece, cheekpiece and throatlatch meet. This noseband is available in brown or black with silver buckles; sizes cob, horse or oversize; 3 or 4 cm width; $350; totacomfortsystem.com. Position-Developing Tool Made of 100 percent recycled materials, the Equicube is designed to strengthen your core, posture and balance. While riding, you grasp the cube, which weighs 4.2 pounds and measures 7- by-5-by-5 inches, by a handle on either side and hold it above your…