Innehållsförteckning för November 2016 från Practical Horseman

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Small Gems

The other day I was walking on a trail with my horse and remembered part of Jim Wofford’s column this month (page 16). In it he speaks about studying your horse’s gaits and then matching your movement to his. At the walk, he says that, in part, you “should have the feeling that as your horse reaches forward with his left shoulder, your right leg closes to ensure impulsion and regularity.” I’ve read about the timing of the aids and have discussed it in lessons but don’t always consciously think of it when riding. So on my trail ride, I revisited it. In short order, my horse was marching forward and even broke into trot. (Jim did say that all of the motions he discussed were subtle.) This was just…

2 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Repose in Motion

But she’s just sitting there.” Have you heard someone say that recently? When people watch a good rider, that’s usually one of their first comments. I laugh to myself every time I hear it because it is so far from the truth. The rider under observation is moving all the time. It is just that her movements are so subtle we can’t see them. Good riders may appear to sit still, but they actually are moving—in the same direction and at the same speed as their horse. It takes hard work to look as if you are doing nothing while you ride, yet every good rider has this ability. I thought it would be worthwhile to study it and hopefully learn to imitate this stillness—this quality of repose in the…

9 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

The RIO REBOUND

In the run-up to South America’s first-ever Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, equestrian leaders within Team USA were determined not to let history repeat itself. After the crushing disappointment of the 2012 London Olympics, where the United States failed to medal in any equestrian discipline, all three sports returned to their respective drawing boards to put stronger plans in place. And what a difference four years make. By the time the United States arrived in Rio last August, it was with a full contingent of teams mounted on a depth of internationalcaliber horses who were ready to take on the world. By medaling in eventing, dressage and jumping, the U.S. team proved that it had recovered from the failure of London. While the gold medal remained elusive, U.S.…

14 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

UNDERSTANDING ULCERS

Your horse used to scour his feed bucket clean at every meal, but now he picks at his grain. He’s dropped a little weight, too. He acts resentful when you tack him up and he’s sluggish when you ride. What’s his problem? While any number of issues could cause those worrisome signs, stomach ulcers are high on the list. Stomach (gastric) ulcers are surprisingly common in horses and they’ve been linked to everything from poor performance to colic. But a better understanding of how and why horses get ulcers has brought advances in treating and managing the problem. In this article, Frank Andrews, DVM, MS, DAVIM, helps bring you up to date. A leading equine-ulcer researcher, Dr. Andrews is a professor and director of the Equine Health Studies Program at…

14 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Trailer Training Can Impact Transportation Risk

At one time or another, most horse owners have experienced difficulty loading their horses into a trailer. But did you know that common occurrence could increase the risk that your horse will incur injuries or other health problems during transport? Researchers from Australia’s University of Sydney and Charles Sturt University surveyed horse owners about their horses’ loading and traveling behavior, health problems and trailer-loading training methods. The team was led by Barbara Padalino and included Evelyn Hall, Peter Knight, Pietro Celi, Leo Jeffcott, Gary Muscatello and Sharanne Raidal. The survey was completed by nearly 800 respondents who trailered their horses at least once per month over a two-year period. Participants provided information on approximately 15,000 horses and 300,000 individual transport events. They represented a variety of equine interests with nearly…

4 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Four Stirrups That May Need Shortening

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 rider’s leg has swung back and is not stable, jeopardizing her security—if the horse stops, she could fall off. In this position, her leg is also unintentionally telling the horse to speed up. This is possibly happening because her stirrup is too long—the angle behind her knee looks too open. I suggest she shorten it a hole for jumping. Her stirrup iron is correctly angled forward, but her foot is too far home in the iron. She needs to move it…

7 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Retraining a Thoroughbred— No Shortcuts

Johnny Manziel—aka Johnny Football—was the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, the Manning Award and the Davey O’Brien Notable Quarterback Award in 2012. A quarterback, he led Texas A&M to victory in the 2013 Cotton Bowl and went pro in the first round of the NFL draft. A year earlier, in 2011, a bay colt with three white socks and a star was born in Texas. The owners called him Johnny Football. It wasn’t long before the horse had his own Facebook page and fans. He made his career debut for native Texan Bill Casner at Saratoga Race Course. Johnny Football, the colt, didn’t find success as a racehorse, but last March Dr. Reed Zimmer, of Phoenix, Arizona, and I agreed to be co-owners and train Johnny for the…

6 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Tackling the ‘Hunter Puissance

Imagine this: You canter into the stadium under the bright lights in front of more than 1,000 cheering spectators and attempt to navigate a tricky handyhunter course of 11 fences, ranging in height from 3-foot to 4-foot-9, plus an imposing final wall. For even the most experienced professional rider it’s a big night, a big deal and a big challenge. But for Kristy Herrera, the winner of this year’s United States Hunter Jumper Association International Hunter Derby Championship at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, the challenge was especially daunting. Her mount, Helen Lenahan’s Miss Lucy, was a catch-ride whom Kristy had been riding for only two weeks. An experienced horse, Miss Lucy had been a winning staple on the derby circuit with rider and trainer Jennifer Alfano in the…

15 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

12 HORSEY GIFTS FOR EVERY BUDGET

Want to get a head start on your holiday shopping? Here’s the ultimate guide for finding unique equestrian-themed gift ideas for everyone on your list. It’s just about time to pack up your horse’s fly sheets and start digging his winter blankets out of storage. There’s no doubt about it, winter is just around the corner and holiday season is nearly upon us. So grab a pumpkin spice latte, cuddle up with your favorite cozy blanket and check out some gifts we’ve selected for the fellow horse lovers in your life. Whether you want to spend $10 or $200, we’ve rounded up some options in every price range. Ring in the Holidays Welcome guests to your home or barn with a festive Horse-Head Wreath handmade in the United States. A…

6 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

A Broken Jaw Creates an Unexpected Opportunity

Standing at the in-gate for our first 3-foot jumper course, YouMightBeARedneck (Rory) turns his head to my right foot and I scratch his big blaze. Then as I ask him to trot in and canter to the first fence, everyone stops to watch. Rory was in a serious trailer accident in April, which left him with a displaced fractured upper jaw and unable to wear a bridle. After the surgery to repair and stabilize the fracture, I decided to try riding my green, 5-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred without a bridle, and it has been a success. We now are showing in local eventing, jumper and dressage competitions with just a simple neck rope. It certainly catches people’s attention. After the surgery, Rory lost significant weight and I struggled to put it…

4 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Choose the Best Older Sporthorse

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…

5 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Pre-Ride Routines 101

At the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 a snowboarder by the name of Kate Hansen caught people’s attention with her pre-race dances. Wearing headphones and warm-up sweats, listening to a special Beyoncé playlist, she danced her way into her own personal performance zone. She radiated freedom, excitement and happiness to such an extent that it pumped you up even as you watched from your couch. It was tremendously inspiring to see someone so committed to her process and her knowledge of self. If you’re anything like me, those behind-the-scenes glimpses of athletes fascinate you. What happens before “go time”? How do they prepare for the biggest moments of their careers? Within any sport, you have probably seen an amazing variety of activities in preparation routines: athletes talking to themselves, doing…

6 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Setting a New Standard

With the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association International Hunter Derby program heading into its eighth year, course designer Bobby Murphy wanted to shake things up a little bit. “There has always been a saying in this industry that the hunters don’t jump that big,” Bobby said, referencing the aggressive high options and the daunting 5-foot-1½-inch wall in this year’s championship handy round. “But there needs to be a time when the hunters are challenged. The wall was a big jump. And that jump is the moment that the hunters proved their equality with the jumpers.” In addition, Bobby and co-designer Danny Moore set a new derby standard for creativity by including 10 unique, custom-built sand sculptures as part of the fence design. “I saw the idea in 2010 for the World…

2 min

Practical Horseman|November 2016

Practical Tips & Talk

5 Things to Do in November ATTEND the 2016 PATH International Conference and Annual Meeting, Nov. 2–5, in Williamsburg, VA. Highlights include educational sessions, discussion forums and an awards banquet to recognize the accomplishments of those in the equine-assisted activities and therapies industry; www.pathintl.org. CHECK OUT top eventers on the West Coast during the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, Nov. 3–6, in Temecula, CA. The competition includes national levels as well as FEI divisions from CCI* through CCI***; www.galwaydowns.com. CHEER ON young equitation riders as they compete in the ASPCA Maclay Finals, Nov. 5, in Lexington, KY. The competition is a highlight of the National Horse Show, which runs from Nov. 1–6. Visit earlier in the week to see top hunters and jumpers compete for big prize money; www.nhs.org. ENJOY…

7 min