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MAY/JUNE 2016
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48 30 How Secure Is Your Horse Farm?
40 Soft Tissue Damage and Hyperflexion
A close look at soft tissue damage caused by the rider.
48 The Psychology of George Morris
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The nightmare of horse theft and 18 ways to improve security at your stable.
The legendary horseman on people, horses, and his greatest mental challenge.
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52 Top 10 Signs of Poor Saddle Fit
64 Ride Better With a Pre-Ride Plan
58 Horsemanship with Jonathan Field
76 WeCover
How can you tell if your saddle fits correctly?
Is your horse the ultimate tourist? How to get and keep his attention.
Preparing yourself for a good ride may not be as difficult as you think.
A new light on horse barns and arenas.
30 Photo: Canstock/Tetyana | 48 Photo courtesy of April Clay | 58 Photo: Robin Duncan Photography
SPECIAL FEATURES
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MAY/JUNE 2016
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20 HORSE HEALTH
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10 Intestinal Parasites: The Inside Story
For as long as horses have been grazing the hillsides and meadows, the pest of parasite infestation has plagued them.
16 Conformation: Is Your Horse Built For His Job?
Function follows form. It’s the conformation or structure of a horse that ultimately determines its athletic function.
20 Biosecurity Basics
Good management practices can reduce the chance of infectious disease being carried onto the farm.
26 Breathe Easier in the Barn
What you can do to improve air quality and reduce the dust in your stable.
DEPARTMENTS 2 Celebration of Horses Photo Contest
8 Editorial 9 The Hoofbeat 68 News from Horse Council BC
72 Product Review • DryGuy
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83 Index to Advertisers 84 Roundup
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80 Canadian Therapeutic
If you’re lucky enough to own a horse, you’re lucky enough.
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70 Book Reviews
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EQUINETWORK
10 Photo: Thinkstock/Predrag1 | 16 Photo: Thinkstock/Zuzule | 20 Photo: iStock/Virgonira | 26 Photo: Thinkstock/GlobalP
b HORSE HEALTH
For as long as horses have been grazing the hillsides and meadows, the pest of parasite infestation has plagued them. Perennial as the grass, intestinal parasites find every possible opportunity to enter their horse host, and live out their life cycle.
Intestinal Parasites THE INSIDE STORY
Manure left in paddocks and pastures is the most common source of parasite larvae.
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PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/EDDIE
By Dr. Wendy Pearson, Ph.D. (Dr. of veterinary toxicology) t is reasonable to assume that every horse, no matter how carefully he is dewormed, will have a certain degree of parasite load. And in most cases, parasites do not cause clinical disease in horses. However, when parasite loads become too heavy, they can result in reduced feed utilization, reduced feed intake, and a low body condition score. And in some cases, parasites can contribute to incidence of colic in foals and older horses. To make your horse parasite-free cannot, and should not, be the goal of any deworming program. Endoparasites (parasites that live inside the horse) are a natural and clinically uninteresting phenomenon of horse management. Indeed, they are as normal as the bacteria and fungi that also populate the equine gastrointestinal tract. But most horse owners wouldn’t consider treating their horses with antibiotics every eight weeks
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/PREDRAG1
Foals should be dewormed against ascarids at two to three months of age, and again at six months. Foals usually develop immunity to ascarids by one year of age, and this parasite is not usually a problem in adult horses.
to get rid of the gastric bacteria, so why are we so compulsive about deworming our horses? I think the answer lies in the “icky” factor. We can see worms, and they’re kind of gross. And the thought of them wiggling around inside our horses kind of freaks us out. So as a result, we pump our horses full of dewormer – usually every eight weeks or so – and get a wonderful satisfied sense of retribution when close inspection of post-worming poop shows bot larvae and maybe some other long stringy white things that must be worms of some sort.
Anthelmintic Resistance Most horse owners have at one time or another heard of anthelmintic (antiparasitic drug) resistance. But what is often misunderstood is that the resistance to dewormers is achieved by the parasite, and not by the horse. Anthelmintic resistance is a very
dangerous occurrence, and one that is unfortunately propagated by our insistence on using frequent drug dewormers in the place of good management and hygiene. Currently we have just three classes of dewormers to use against the common parasites of horses – ivermectin, benzimidazoles, and pyrantel. And the effectiveness of these drugs is dwindling against our most common equine parasites, due primarily to rampant over-use. There has been some interest in herbal dewormers, but these should be used with extreme caution as none have been objectively evaluated in horse studies, and some like Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) can be very toxic and cause laminitis in horses. Some herbal dewormers with potential to be useful in horses are garlic (Allium sativum), wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and pumpkin fruit and seed (Cucurbita pepo).
Controlling Parasites Without Drugs
One of the best ways to control parasite infestations in horses is to be diligent about their environmental hygiene. Manure left on pastures is the single most common source of parasite larvae, and removing manure from paddocks at least twice per week can reduce your parasite load by more than 80 percent. On larger farms it may be more practical to rotate your grazing areas so horses are only left on a grazing site for two or three days before they are moved to a clean area. This can also be a very effective strategy for reducing worm-load. While the wheelbarrow–manure fork– muscle approach is fine for small farms, there are tools available for those managing manure on larger farms. A large implement called “paddock sweeper” will remove manure and pasture debris on a large scale, operating at a rate of ten acres MAY/JUNE 2016
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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HORSE HEALTH
Conformation
Photo: Thinkstock/Zuzule
By Lynne Gunville
WHAT JOB IS YOUR HORSE BUILT FOR?
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Function follows form, according to Dr. Trisha Dowling. It’s the conformation or structure of a horse that ultimately determines its athletic function. hips are ideal (PHOTO 3 ), it’s better to have less angulation that is equal than to have a mismatch between shoulders and hips. For example, a horse with more angulation at the hip than at the shoulder will have a longer stride behind than in front and won’t be able to get its front end out of the way. With such an imbalance, the horse will either not move out well, move on a diagonal (three tracks), or wing its hind feet out around its front feet just so the animal doesn’t step on itself (PHOTO 4 ). The shoulder angle is also notable since it usually matches the pastern angle – the part of the foot extending from the fetlock to the top of the hoof. An upright pastern angle results in poor shock absorption and a rough riding horse that’s prone to problems with navicular disease and other joint issues (PHOTO 5 ). A horse with calf knees has front legs that bend backwards at the carpal joints, which causes excess strain on the bones, ligaments, tendons, and joints. Calf knee is particularly serious in racehorses; as their muscles tire during a race, their legs bend even further backwards causing the little bones of the knee to be crushed by the force of impact — a condition known as chipped knees (PHOTO 5 ). Dowling points out that it’s
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“A Saddlebred horse might look pretty prancing in the show ring, but it won’t be able to outrun a Thoroughbred,” says Dowling, a board-certified specialist in veterinary pharmacology and large animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. “As veterinarians or competitors, we need to look at how a horse is built. That tells us a lot about how it will be able to do its job.” Dowling is an avid endurance rider and vaulting coach, and she uses her expertise in conformation to predict performance as well as predict the horse’s predisposition to injuries and lameness problems. When studying the conformation of a horse, Dowling begins by checking the animal for balance. A balanced horse can be divided into equal thirds consisting of the shoulders, barrel, and hindquarters (PHOTO 1 ). She studies the topline to determine whether the area between the withers and the point of croup is level, uphill, or downhill. Because of the weight of the head and neck, even well-balanced horses carry 60 percent of their weight on the front end, so it’s not surprising that lameness problems occur in the front legs. Horses with a downhill slope are even heavier on the front end (PHOTO 2 ). That conformational trait increases the risk of lameness and limits the potential in sports such as dressage or jumping where the horse needs to lift the front end. Another important consideration for Dowling is the angulation of the horse. While sloping shoulders and
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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BIOSECURITY for Horse Owners
>
By Alicia Skelding, Equine Guelph The term biosecurity refers to management practices that reduce the chance of infectious disease being carried onto a farm by animals or people, as well as the spread of infectious disease on farms. All infectious diseases of the horse result from interactions between the animal and its environment, and depend upon the animal’s ability to resist disease (immunity) and the infectious agent (bacteria, viruses, and parasites). These interactions provide opportunities for preventing or reducing infectious diseases.
Horses New Arrivals Infectious diseases are most commonly spread when a new horse that is carrying the disease arrives at a property. A veterinary examination of the horse is recommended prior to its arrival. Depending on where the horse originated from, the veterinarian may call for specific tests to be conducted to rule out infectious diseases. New horses should be isolated from resident horses for 30 days. The horse should be checked daily for signs of illness, including monitoring temperature and intake of food and water. Separate stable/yard equipment, buckets, grooming supplies, tack, etc., should be used for new horses and marked with red tape. The new horse should be handled last, morning and night, and the caregiver should wash their hands upon leaving the horse’s stall or paddock. 20
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Vaccination Vaccination can be a critical aspect of controlling infectious diseases because in many instances owners cannot prevent exposure. It is important to remember that vaccination cannot prevent disease. Vaccines perform best if the disease challenge is minimized. In some instances, vaccination does not provide protection against infection but merely decreases the severity of clinical disease. Vaccination serves to increase resistance against certain diseases in individual horses as well as in horse populations. A vaccination program is most effective when it is planned to meet the particular needs of a farm. Setting up a strategic vaccination program means: • Determining what diseases to vaccinate against; • Identifying which animals will most benefit from vaccination; and • Finding out when the animals will most need the protection that vaccines provide. Your veterinarian will provide guidelines for a vaccination program that suits your needs. Quarantine Quarantine, or completely separating the horse from contact with other horses, is a smart strategy for limiting the transmission of disease. A sick horse should be separated from his apparently healthy barn mates. A new arrival should
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/ATHURISTOCK
The manure on wheelbarrow and tractor tires is a potential source of infection and be tracked everywhere. PHOTO: CANSTOCK/INGRID DEELEN
be quarantined from resident horses. When setting up a quarantine facility, whether it is one stall or many, consider how you will best limit the spread of infection. • Limit the amount of shared airspace between quarantined horses and the general population, ideally by placing the isolation stalls in a separate building. • Limit movement of insects by screening doors and windows and using insecticidal sprays. • Equip the quarantine facility with separate feeding, mucking, and grooming equipment. • If possible, your quarantine barn should be downwind of your main barn.
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/GEORGE DOYLE
PHOTO: ISTOCK/VIRGONIRA
Before being introduced to other horses, the new arrival should be isolated for 30 days, and checked daily for signs of illness.
Ensure staff, boarders, and visitors to your barn understand and follow biosecurity practices.
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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Air Quality
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/TOMY2
In The Barn
Reducing the Risk of Respiratory Ailments Fresh Air is the Best Air
The most common source of dust and mould for horses is hay. As even good quality hay contains some dust and mould, feed from the floor and avoid throwing the hay over the stall door to help reduce airborne dust.
Horses are naturally designed to live outside. With shelter from the wind and elements and access to fresh water and good quality hay, most horses can live quite comfortably surrounded by their companions without a stable. This is not always a convenient option for their human counterparts. The life of a domestic horse requires consumption of hay and often grain to provide enough energy for the tasks we ask. The domestic horse is frequently stabled and ridden on sandy surfaces, which can introduce many dusts and moulds that increase the chances of respiratory ailments.
What can you do to improve air quality and reduce dust in your stable?
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/ANAKONDASP
Ventilation Fresh air without drafts will go a long way to minimizing a horse’s exposure to harmful environmental irritants. A combination of inlets (vents) and outlets (cupolas) help provide ventilation, especially once barn windows and doors are closed up to provide warmth in the winter. Mechanical ventilation is another consideration.
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Insulation Minimizes temperature fluctuations caused by warm days and cold nights. Proper insulation not only keeps the barn warm in the winter but when combined with good ventilation, a barn will avoid condensation problems which can make for cold, clammy and damp conditions. Bedding Choose high quality, absorbent bedding with low dust levels. If you can smell ammonia — your horse’s airways are at risk. Ammonia can also increase mucus production. More turnout time equals less urine in the stall. Daily, proper cleaning
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Larynx
The Equine Respiratory System
Nasal Passages
Trachea Lungs Bronchioles
A horse in a dusty environment is more prone to infection than a horse in a cleaner environment. A horse at rest taking 12 breaths per minute can inhale and exhale approximately 60 litres of air per minute. A top athlete can take over 150 breaths per minute moving over 2,250 litres of air through the lungs. Airborne dust, noxious gases and infectious agents can hinder or halt a horse’s athletic career. Air enters the nostrils where it is warmed and humidified before entering the trachea. Then air travels along an ever-increasing number of initially larger airways (bronchi) to small airways (bronchioles). Airways lined by cilia move mucus and particles up from the lungs. There are also mucus producing cells in the linings of airways. In a state of infection, mucus can become tenacious. Finally, a gas exchange occurs at the end of the journey in the alveolar sacs. A final defense barrier exists in the alveoli. Tiny inhaled particles are cleaned up by cells called macrophages, which engulf material ranging from tiny particles of dust to bacteria. However, a heavy burden of dust can decrease the ability of those cells to fight infectious agents such as bacteria. To maintain a healthy lung, minimize the pollutants it is exposed to.
Alveolar Sacs
Diaphragm
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/GLOBALP
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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How SECURE Is Your Horse Farm? THE NIGHTMARE OF HORSE THEFT
When thieves look at your barn and horses, they look for ways to get your horses or equipment out quickly and quietly.
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>>>>>>>>
The remains of her newly purchased 12-yearold CSI**** level show jumper Phedras de Blondel lay in a sea of blood. All that was left were his head, neck, and ribcage.
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/TETYANA
>>>>>
On October 25, 2015, the thieves, believed to be part of a criminal ring marketing illegal horsemeat, had entered the property, walked the horse out with a rope, and led him to the furthest paddock where they slaughtered him. The Stephens had just purchased Phedras and imported him from Germany; he had been out of quarantine for just two days. “They [investigators] feel it was a Cuban cutting because the butchers were trained in that style of cutting,” says Stephens. “We have a Cuban contingent here and obviously in Miami, which is very Cuban.” She says that the Latino culture believes horsemeat cures cancer and raises libido. And the criminals wrongly believe that horses coming through quarantine are drug free. They are disease-free as they are tested for dourine, glanders, equine infectious anemia, and equine
piroplasmosis. But a horse flying in from Europe may have been given some form of medication before the flight to calm him. Through their own black market links, the criminals could have been aware of Phedras’ travels to his new home. “We have been trying to put puzzle pieces together,” says Stephens. “Maybe in quarantine, someone mentioned something to a friend or someone was paid off to inform someone else about large, calm horses. The bill of lading is there to see and anyone can read it. Five horses were released that day, two mares, two stallions, and one gelding being Phedras.” Stephens, an accomplished Grand Prix show jumping rider, says that when Phedras arrived, she unloaded him herself and settled him in his stall. Looking back, she and her husband have theorized that the delivery truck had been followed
PHOTO: ©HIPPO FOTO/COUNET JULIEN
“Eleven people live on the farm,” says international Grand Prix rider Deborah Stephens, owner with course-designer husband Steve, of Centennial Equestrian Farm in Palmetto, Florida. “[One of them] came to tell me Phedras was missing. The horse was not in his stall. We looked for an hour and a half. There were no skid marks, not markings anywhere, and no other horses missing. I drove around. We have a paddock that’s hardly used and a corner was demolished. I’m thinking, the horse got out, panicked and went through the boards. Then a girl called. She was screaming, ‘He’s cut! He’s cut!’ I ran down thinking he was injured. But never could I have been prepared for what I saw.”
Phedras de Blondel shown in competition with his former rider, Christian Hermon, in 2009.
PHOTO: ©HIPPO ©HIPPO FOTO/COUNET FOTO/COUNET JULIEN JULIEN PHOTO:
>>
The grand prix show jumper, Phedras de Blondel, was newly-purchased by Debbie Stephens of Centennial Farm in Palmetto, Florida, and imported from Germany. The 12-year-old Selle Français gelding was just two days out of quarantine when he was found butchered in a remote pasture on the farm. It is speculated that the horse was targeted because of his size and gentle nature, and professionally butchered for meat to be sold on the black market.
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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TRAINING
Some riders will work a horse in the rollkur position for as long as an hour.
SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE
and the Rider By Sidonia McIntyre, RMT, CEMT, CCF Canadian National Equine Massage and VR Instructor
As riders begin to look forward to the coming year of competition, this article addresses excessive force on the horse’s head and neck by implementing the “rollkur” and the “long and low” in a held state for prolonged periods of time.
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The International Equestrian Federation (Fédération Equestre Internationale or FEI) made a formal statement regarding its viewpoint on the controversial training technique of rollkur or hyperflexion of the neck. This issue was debated at the FEI round-table conference at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Headquarters and the consensus of the group was that any head and neck position achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable. The FEI has redefined hyperflexion/ rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable. The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned. This article is not about blue tongues; excessive drooling; damage to the guttural sack, parotid glands, facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus, accessory and hypoglossal nerves; or psychological stress. There is a bevy of information available with just a click of the mouse. I am a soft tissue specialist with over 25 years of experience in the field and will stick to what I know best – damage to soft tissues. For years, there has been controversy regarding the working of horses in both the
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/JOYFULL
<
When the head is beyond the vertical line, the nuchal ligament tightens leading to excessive pressure at the insertion point (the withers). This lifts the back excessively, and decreases the elasticity and function of the nuchal and supraspinous ligaments. The horse’s body becomes stiffer, and muscles must now work harder to maintain the rider, which leads to excessive muscle soreness and tendon injuries.
Nuchal Ligament
rollkur and prolonged, sustained long and low. The most obvious question is: How do you get a horse to do that? The simple answer is: Force. No horse willingly or voluntarily leaves its head in either position for extended periods of time. Some trainers have used gradual pressure Lamina over time and the “as soon as he gets it right, of the then we release” method, which gives the horse Nuchal Ligament the ability to learn, decide, give in, then be released, and have been met with excellent results that take time to develop. Others have chosen to shorten this training by tying a horse’s head in the desired position using various points of the saddle for leverage, making it next to impossible to release for reward. It is continuous force that causes soft tissue damage as both the contracting and opposing muscles are forced to work in isometric contraction (the muscle length is unchanging in contraction) no matter what training method is employed. Naturally, the longer a muscle maintains a contraction, the more damage occurs. The second area of concern is the force-length relationship, which has proven that a muscle is able to maintain a force that is exerted upon it with maximum efficiency at an ideal length of its approximate resting point. If a muscle is stretched or shortened with load (the load being the horse’s head), then the efficiency of the muscle is compromised, and the muscle will be unable to maintain the load. The most important aspect of the force-length relationship is the resting length. Each breed has a
Supraspinous Ligament
53° 90° 128° 90°
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15° MAY/JUNE 2016
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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The Psychology of
George Morris
By April Clay M.Ed., Registered Psychologist
“Are you just going to sit there like a soup sandwich?” George Morris asks wryly. And so another clinic with the legendary horseman begins, an experience full of memorable quips, some of which are uncomfortable for riders to hear and make the audience squirm. At age 78, Morris still commands respect with ease, and even the auditors seem to sit up somewhat straighter in his presence. he coached the team that won the Team Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong and the team member who won the Individual Bronze Medal. Morris is president of the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame, and serves on the USEF National Jumper Committee and Planning Committee. And he is considered by most to be the founding father of hunt seat equitation. George Morris is, without a doubt, a taskmaster with the highest standards — disciplined, exacting, and purposeful in his approach — and these aspects of his psychology are obvious and on display. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Morris and ask him a few questions about his mental game.
The author with George Morris at his clinic in Blackfalds, Alberta, in November 2015.
L
ove him or not, you can’t argue with his impressive resume. In 1952 at age fourteen, Morris was the youngest rider to win both the American Horse Show Association (AHSA) Hunt Seat Equitation Medal Final and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Maclay Horsemanship Finals. Morris has represented the United States in international competition as
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both a coach and a rider. His team won the gold medal in the 1959 Pan American Games, and he won a team silver medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Students trained by Morris have won medals in several Olympic Games, and he has acted as chef d’equipe for numerous winning teams. Morris coached United States teams to individual and team silver medals at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, and
PHOTO COURTESY OF APRIL CLAY
Biggest Mental Challenge When asked about the psychological challenges of his riding career, George freely admits his biggest mental obstacle was nerves. “On my mother’s side of the family there was a tendency toward a nervous constitution. Some people are born with a nervous constitution and some are laid back, but I inherited the former. “Physical fear and mental fear are two different things. Physical fear is about getting hurt and mental fear is about making a mistake. I still have some physical fear, and as I get older [I have] more physical fear but I always had mental fear, that nervousness to make a mistake.” Morris said he did not have the resources and sport psychologists to help
back then. He simply had to figure it out on his own, to learn to cope. One of the most important things he learned was to face fear head on, and to practice being under pressure. “Do what you fear and hate the most. If I fear public speaking, I have to do public speaking. If I fear chipping in the show ring, doing a boo-boo in the show ring, I go in the show ring over and over. You conquer fear progressively, gradually, by getting a little out of your comfort zone. All my teachers were army teachers and they taught with pressure, sometimes almost unbearable pressure, and you were always out of your comfort zone. That hardens someone psychologically, it conditions someone psychologically that they can exist under pressure.” When asked if he overcame his nerves, Morris was very clear that nerves have never left him. “I have never overcome them, I have learned to live with them and to deal with them. Every time I give a clinic, every time I give a lecture, I am nervous. So I have learned to live with it by facing it.”
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I asked Morris whether he had a particular pre-ride routine when he was competing, or certain mental strategies he relied on. “First of all I cannot be distracted, distraction is not good. When people distract me I am quite rude. When I am under that pressure at a show, even a little show, I have to concentrate.” Like many riders, it seems Morris’ nerves may have in part been fueled by a strong desire to ride correctly. As we spoke, it was clear how important it is to him to generate a mental picture of the ride and then to practice it, to make it so familiar that it eases his fears. “The greatest combatant to stage fright is to concentrate on the positive. Exactly how you are going to ride that course, exactly how you are going to ride that under-saddle class. You concentrate on what you should do, and how you want it to go: Take a long five strides here, not too far right after triple, don’t over-ride triple.” George believes that visualizing the ride over and over distracts you from your fears. “The subconscious will help you,” he said of repeating your ride over and over in your mind. “You won’t go off course — you will probably ride it better because it is so grooved.” He likens it to how many top riders also walk their courses two or three times in preparation “because they want it in their subconscious that no matter what
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TOP
Signs of 10 Poor Saddle Fit
BY JOCHEN SCHLEESE, CMS, CSFT, CSE
Saddle fitting is a truly comprehensive art and science that involves getting the fit right for both parts of the equation – horse and rider. This article will focus on saddle fit for the horse. Here are ten signs of poor saddle fit resulting in issues that you should avoid if at all possible by having your saddle checked and adjusted regularly. Many of these issues are caused by a gullet plate that does not properly accommodate the angle and width of the shoulder and ends up pinching at the withers. The withers is where the stallion traditionally bites the mare during mating, which reflexively causes her to stand still, drop her
The gullet plate of the saddle should be positioned at the base of the withers on the trapezius muscle. If the gullet plate has not been adjusted to fit properly with two to three fingers’ width all around the front of the pommel (not just at the top), and the tree points have not been fitted to match the necessary width and angle of the shoulder blade, the horse will often exhibit resistant behaviour.
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back, and rotate her pelvis in preparation for mating. It actually causes the same instinctive reaction in geldings and is due to
PHOTO COURTESY OF SCHLEESE SADDLERY
pressure on a reflex point resulting
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in behaviour the rider really doesn’t want. The rider sits on top, urging the horse to move forward, when the horse’s instinct is to stand still. Often the rider mistakenly believes their horse is stubborn and reluctant to move forward.
2 >
Dip in front of withers
A gullet channel that is too narrow will impede expansion of the longissimus muscle, and hinder the horse’s ability to move freely.
4
Iliocostalis
Longissimus
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCHLEESE SADDLERY
Multifidus Muscles
5
2 Lameness in the front, if the
insertion of longissimus is pinched at the withers. The longissimus is the long back muscle, which we want to be smooth and supple in order to engage the back during movement. Again, if the insertion at the trapezius is impacted by a gullet that is too narrow, it will impact the ability of the horse to move freely and can cause lameness or tripping on the forehand. 3 Pinched withers causes twitching at the elbow. 1 Tightness of muscle at front edge
of shoulder blade.
This is generally caused by a gullet plate that pinches at the withers on the trapezius muscle, causing the horse to consciously contract the muscle to avoid the pain.
This is a simple muscular reflex and is not consciously controlled by the horse; it is a reaction to the pressure of the gullet at the withers. 4 Muscle atrophy (visible dip) at the withers.
Muscle atrophy can occur when an
unbalanced saddle puts too much pressure on a particular area. The horse tries to avoid the pressure, goes into “defensive mode” by contracting the particular muscle and surrounding muscles, and can even alter his gaits. Under the point of pressure where circulation is impacted (thus reducing nutrients and oxygen to the affected area) the muscle will decline or atrophy. 5 Hair loss, blisters, inability to move
the skin around in the saddle support area.
These issues often develop in the area of the withers, or along the spine where the gullet channel is too narrow for the horse’s back. Hair loss can result in white hair growing back. Fluid bumps can develop when the horse is ridden hollow and the transverse processes of the spine MAY/JUNE 2016
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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