Innehållsförteckning för April 2017 från Practical Horseman

My 8-year-old daughter is learning to pick out my horse’s feet. The challenge is that he is 21 years old and when he first picks up his hoof, he tucks it up into his body. Then he takes a few seconds to let it relax back to where she can work on it. My daughter doesn’t understand that he’s stiff and just needs a little time to get comfortable. In other words, she needs to listen to what he’s telling her. Reading this issue, I was reminded of the importance of listening to our horses many times. The most obvious story is in grand prix jumper rider Lauren Tisbo’s profile (page 28). “I guess some people might say I go to extremes,” she says about her willingness to try unusual…

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. When I mentioned to a friend that lately I was out of sorts, he said something about the “Ides of March.” When I looked up the Ides, Google told me that it is March 15, best remembered for a seer’s unheeded warning to Julius Caesar before his assassination (at least according to Shakespeare). But there was a second definition: It’s “a seasonal tendency of saddle-tramp columnists to rant about various topics.” “Ah,” I thought, “that’s why I have been unsettled lately. I need a good rant.” The competitive season has…

USEF Reveals New Vision As it celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, the U.S. Equestrian Federation has been reborn. Its public persona got a new logo and rebranding as U.S. Equestrian. There’s also a fresh mission and a revitalized approach, which was unveiled in January at the organization’s annual meeting in Lexington, Kentucky. Speaking before 300 members, new President Murray Kessler revealed the long-awaited 157-page strategic plan that is setting the federation— also known in the past as USA Equestrian and the American Horse Shows Association—on an energetic and multifaceted course. “The organization had become somewhat insular and dysfunctional,” Kessler explained. That signaled the need for an approach geared toward growing the membership and bringing “the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.” Build a Fan Base…

Machine-Washable Half Chaps The leather-like Griptek™ Half Chaps from Kerrits are made of stretchy Griptek™ fabric, which conforms to your leg after one ride and offers a no-slip grip. The chaps are lightweight, machine-washable and have a full zipper with stretch elastic panel. Sizes from small to extra-large; regular or tall; black; $89; www.kerrits.com. Ergonomic Grazing Muzzle The lightweight, ergonomically designed Harmany Muzzle is customizable, molding to each horse’s individual head shape. It is non-toxic and made from a thermal, medical-grade plastic. DuPont™ Kevlar® fibers help prevent wear. The muzzle is easy to clean and can be molded using a hair dryer, heat gun or the steam from boiling water; instructions are included in the package. The muzzle comes in four sizes: mini ($68.99), pony ($83.99), horse ($89.99) and draft…

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 This is a good rider with an exemplary leg, a seat that has been thrust out of the saddle just the right amount and a workmanlike crest release. He has a relaxed position and looks as if he can ride—not just appear soft and beautiful. A tiny detail to fix is his stirrup position. The iron is not at a right angle to the girth so the outside branch isn’t forward enough. He should twist the iron so the outside branch…

The equine stifle is similar, anatomically and physiologically, to the human knee but a bit more complex and generally more stable. Both joints use cruciate and patella ligaments, along with other stabilizing structures, to connect the bony framework that make up the joint: the tibia, fibula, femur and patella (knee cap). Horses, however, have much bigger quadriceps, the large muscles above the knee that make up the thigh, and three patella ligaments compared to only one in humans. These extra ligaments factor into the unique biomechanics that allow the horse to “lock” his knee cap and achieve a deep resting state while standing up, which was an important evolutionary advantage for a prey animal. Even so, the stifle is susceptible to arthritis, resulting from a slow process of wear and…

Fans Select Equine Award Winners Mighty Nice, who won an individual bronze medal in eventing at the Rio Olympics with rider Phillip Dutton, was named International Horse of the Year and Catch Me, a champion hunter at several top shows in 2016, received the title National Horse of the Year during the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Horse of the Year Awards Gala, held Jan. 14 in Lexington, Kentucky. The two horses earned their honors via a voting process that was open to the public through the month of January Together with Dutton, Mighty Nice (also known as Happy) placed fourth in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover CCI**** and The Fork CIC***. A 2004 ISH gelding (Ard Ohio x Sarazen/ Unknown), he is owned by the HnD Group.…

Whether judging a model class, evaluating a prospect for a client or sizing up the yearlings at home, I first stand back and look for an overall impression of balance and symmetry. My ideal horse “fits” in a square box. By that, I mean he is defined by matching and equal parts, both front to back and side to side. This allows for athletic ability, soundness, trainability and longevity in the job. A horse who fits in a box will have a body made up of one-third shoulder, one-third back and one-third hindquarters. I like to see the withers and point of croup at the same level. The horse’s stance, from point of shoulder to buttock, should equal the distance from the height of the withers to the ground I…

In a sport where riders are known for experimenting with all kinds of tack, 32-year-old grand prix jumper Lauren Tisbo still manages to surprise crowds when she enters the show ring. Two of her horses compete in a racehorse exercise saddle and one shows in a bridle with no headstall, often described as an Indian or war bridle. “I’m a firm believer that you’re going to get the most out of a happy horse,” she explains. “I guess some people might say I go to extremes.” Standing sixth in the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping North American Eastern Sub- League at press time with one qualifier left, Lauren agrees with the common wisdom that elite-level horses are invariably quirky. “Part of the fun of the sport is figuring out those…

□ FOLLOW  Practical Horseman’s coverage of your favorite competitors from the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League as they take on riders and horses from around the globe during the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Omaha, NE, March 29–April 2; www.feitv.org. □ LEARN from industry experts, including Nicholas Fyffe, Holly Hudspeth, Matt McLaughlin and John Pearce, at Equine Affaire, April 6–9, in Columbus, OH. In addition to a variety of clinics, there’s a trade show and breed exhibits plus Fantasia, a musical celebration of the horse (additional ticket required); www.equineaffaire.com. □ EXPERIENCE the excitement of the National Collegiate □Equestrian Association National Championship, April 13–15, in Waco, TX. Twelve top teams from across the United States— including defending champion Auburn University—will compete for the title;…

Pasquel Brothers Earn Top Spots Mexico’s Francisco Pasquel finished first and his brother Patricio Pasquel second in the $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Guadalajara CSI****-W in late January in Mexico. Four horseand- rider pairs from a field of 28 advanced to the jump-off. Riding the 10-year-old gelding Naranjo, Francisco had the only double-clear round, which put him ahead of Patricio, who clocked a faster time but had one rail “Going clear as fast as I could was my strategy,” Francisco said. “My horse was a little nervous and shifted a little to the right, so I didn’t push him. I knew my brother was going to catch me on the time, but lucky for me, he had a rail. I had a nice time and a little bit of…