April/May 2013

Page 1

THE

a r a b i a n SPORT HORSE APRIL/MAY 2013

Comandr-N-Chief+// With Stacey Burdick-Taul


2

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

www.faeriecourtfarm.com


THE

a r a b i a n

SPORT HORSE

a r a b i a n SPORT HORSE

an

entice design llc publication

entice-design.com

Publisher Cassandra Ingles

CONTENTS 10 Always so basic From Dressage for the Not-So-Perfect Horse by Janet Foy

22 warren park stud by Dick Warren

32 lorraine prowse Q&A with AHA High Point Adult Amateur

Editor Peggy Ingles Advertising (410) 823-5579

39 Magic DOmino AHS by Arlene Magid

48 converting comandr-n-chief The Journey From Main Ring to Dressage

54 Top HA/AA Sires & dams Website TheArabianSportHorse.com

Of the 2012 Sport Horse Nationals

66 Success with cygnus The Building of a Winning Partnership - by Mimi Stanley

Email

info@thearabiansporthorse.com

72 Dressage ANd the western horse The Base for Equestrian Disciplines - by Sue Kolstad

Submissions & Story Ideas Welcomed!

76 taylor bowman’s big year AHA High Point Youth of the Year

Copyright 2013 All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

Please see our contributors’ bios on our website at thearabiansporthorse.com/features

4

Saddle Fitting

46

From Setback to Comeback

8

Back to Basics

52

It’s Never Too Late

15

Profiles in Courage

64

Dressage with Linda Zang

18

Reading Reflections

70

Trailer Tire TLC

30

Love and Loss

79

Conformation Clinic

36

Biomechanics

86

Bits and Pieces

44

Turn Back the Clock

94

Service Listings


4

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine have to make some compromises, and forward balance saddles, upswept panels and swept-back (rearward-slanting) cantles are often good choices. The “forward balance” saddles (along the lines of which many saddles in the EU are made) are built so that the rider’s weight is carried and concentrated further forward, closer to the horse’s center of gravity. While this isn’t a theory to which I usually ad-

Saddle Fitting

By Kitt Hazelton

Short back. Well-sprung rib cage. Laid back shoulder. Wellmuscled top line. Deep, well-angled hip. Powerful movement. All of these phrases describe the wonderful and desirable characteristics of the Arab sport horse. And it’s these characteristics that can make saddle fitting such a challenge with these horses. That short back can make it hard to find a saddle with a seat large enough for a bigger or taller rider. That powerful movement and well-angled hip can send the saddle shooting forward onto that wonderful, laid-back shoulder.

That well-sprung rib cage and

strongly muscled top line can make saddle perch like Stan Laurel’s bowler. While these saddle fitting issues can present a real challenge, here’s the good news: with some patience and tenacity – and help from a knowledgeable saddle fitter – finding the right saddle isn’t as tough as you might think. Let’s take a look at these issues, and their saddle fitting solutions. SHORT, WELL-MUSCLED BACK A short back is typical of many Arabs, and space for a saddle is often limited. This isn’t problematic if the rider is petite and only needs a 16.5” or 17” saddle … but if you’re a taller or larger rider and need a 17.5” or 18” seat, you may start to run out of “useable” back. Ideally, you want the rider’s weight to be spread over as large a bearing surface as possible without impinging on the rear of the scapula or extending rearward past the 18th thoracic vertebra (“T18”). With short backs and larger seat sizes, you often

keep the rider’s weight on the correct side of T18. These saddles often have thinner, upswept panels and swept-back cantles, like the Amerigo Alto dressage pictured below:

Photo courtesy Equestrian Imports

and the Arabian Sport Horse

here, it can be a huge help with short-backed horses, as it will

Saddles made in the UK can be had with those same options. Many can also be made with a more forward flap in conjunction to the upswept panel and swept-back cantle, to allow for more space for the rider without increasing seat size. This flap option is available on saddles of all disciplines, and is especially helpful in jump saddles. This Black Country Tex Eventer is a cross-country saddle with a very forward flap, a swept-back cantle and an upswept panel. It maximizes seat size for the rider while keeping the weight-bearing area of the panels minimal.


April/May 2013 This Black Country Quantum also has the more forward flap and upswept panel. Though the cantle is more upright than that

In my experience, many Arabs are very broad across the withers – shaped more like a dome tent or Quonset hut:

of the previous saddle, it still offers more room for the rider than a straighter flap and more upright cantle would.

Now, as to the “well-muscled” issue. The shape of the saddle tree must agree with the shape of your horse’s back. A standard saddle tree is shaped a bit like an inverted “V” or peak roof in the area of the gullet / pommel arch: This back shape requires a saddle with a hoop (or dome, or freedom head) tree, which has more breadth across the top of the pommel arch:

That shape works well for a horse with a more “roofy” back, as with the one below:

The broader pommel arch allows the saddle to “sit down” on the broader withers, and helps eliminate problems with lateral slip. It will sit lower than a standard-tree saddle; rather than an arbitrary 2 or 3 fingers’ clearance over the withers, we talk of hoop trees having “adequate” clearance. Sometimes that’s only a finger or so, but as long as the saddle sits in correct balance and at no time makes contact with the withers or spine, it’s fine. Hoop tree saddles often have a wider channel between the panels, to allow for adequate clearance of the lateral aspect of the spine, and usually feature laterally flatter panels to accommodate that wellsprung rib cage … which we’ll investigate next.

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The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine The fix for this issue is a point front and swing rear billet. This WELL-SPRUNG RIB CAGE As well as panels that are pretty flat from side-to-side, a wellsprung rib cage often requires a modified billet configuration. A

configuration will allow the front billet to hang straight down in line with the girth groove, and the rear swing billet will self-adjust and line up with the girth groove as well.

common conformation feature with a broad rib cage is a small, forward girth spot – the flat area on the bottom of the barrel behind the forelegs where the girth will lie:

Many saddles feature center-hung billets, which, when the

This can help keep the saddle back in the proper position, and

saddle is properly positioned, can cause them to fall behind the

keep the shoulder free. I know some people who say that their

natural girth spot if your horse has a short, forward spot:

horse won’t tolerate a point billet, but I usually find that in those cases, the rider may be over-tightening the girth, or the tree points may be too long. LAID BACK SHOULDER Now, that comment about the length of your tree point is especially germane here. Some saddles have short tree points, and some have long; you can find the end of the tree point on your saddle by locating the point pocket, which is a U-shaped pocket on the sweat flap, just in front of and below the stirrup bar:

This can result in the saddle scooting forward onto the shoulder when it’s girthed up:

The further down the sweat flap the end of the point pocket is located, the longer the tree point. In the photo below, the tree


April/May 2013 points of the saddle are quite long - about 8” down from the nail head, which is just above the top of the panels:

DEEP, WELL-ANGLED HIP; POWERFUL MOVEMENT Let’s take a look at this horse, who is a lovely sport horse type:

He shows all of the characteristics we’ve been talking about here. (And interestingly, he’s the same horse as in the photo Long tree points can be a big help when you have a horse

showing the girth spot … just two years more mature.) He’s built

with a big wither, as they help increase the weight-bearing surface

quite level front-to-back, with a well-defined, moderate wither, a

down the front of the tree. Most Arabs, however, don’t have the

bit of an upslope from his back to his hip, and an angle in the rear

wither height that requires a long point. In fact, a long tree point

that pretty much guarantees a lot of push from behind. That com-

can be a problematic feature on low/lower withers with laid-back

bination make it easy for the saddle to be slid forward into the

shoulders. When you have a horse with that conformation, the

shoulders, especially if the rear panel is too long and/or too deep.

rear edge of the scapula rotates back quite far – sometimes a full

This is another situation where a moderately thin (and, if the rider

hand - when the foreleg reaches ahead. The rear edge of the scap-

is large, an upswept) rear panel can be a help; too much depth in

ula should slip under the flap and panels of the saddle without

the rear panel will make the saddle sit cantle-high even if the tree

coming into contact with the tree point. With longer tree points,

width were correct. His present saddle fits him very well:

the scapula can actually make contact with the tree point when it rotates back, which can result in a shortened, choppy stride and an understandable unwillingness to move forward. If your horse has a lower wither and a laid-back shoulder, a shorter point (like the one below, which measures 5” down from the nail head) is often preferable. With a shorter point, the scapula will rotate below the end of the point rather than running into it.

Even when you find the right saddle for your horse, you need to be proactive about maintaining the fit. You need to expect changes in the musculature of the back as your horse progresses in training; this is particularly true of young horses (as you can see above). Also, if your saddle is wool-flocked, the flocking will need to be adjusted from time to time; most fitters recommend at least once a year. If your horse goes in and out of condition

Continued on page 90

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The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Back to Basics Series

Strengthen Your Base

A Series by Ashley Wren

Many people get so involved in train-

the stirrup irons upsetting him by rubbing

position for jumping. Keep your eyes look-

ing their horse that they forget about their

his sides. With more experienced horses,

ing in front of you; riders typically tend to

own equitation. Not only do we want our

I will simply drop the stirrups so the horse

start looking down more while in the two-

horses to be fit and well trained but also

will get used to them on their side. I use

point position.

we, as riders, want to be a strong, effec-

this method as yet another way to help to

To take riding without stirrups to the

tive, and well-balanced rider. There are

bombproof the horse. Remember to use

next level, lengthen your legs wrapping

many exercises that you can utilize in your

your whole leg, and do not pinch with your

them around the barrel of the horse and

program that can help you to become an

knees. You will not get the benefit of riding

point your toes towards the horses oppo-

overall better rider or that even profes-

without stirrups if you cheat by pinching

site front foot. This exercise will cause you

sional riders can find beneficial. I am going

with your knees or throwing your body up

to sit deeply in the saddle, so remember

to share a few of my favorites that you can

while posting.

to let your hips move with the horse so

do on your own and that can especially

Be sure to keep your legs in your disci-

that the ride will be smoother. When you

pline’s normal position and ride in all the

perform this exercise, it will help you to

First and foremost, you must utilize

horse’s different gaits. While posting the

improve your upper leg strength, seat, and

the dreaded riding without stirrups. I

trot, remember not to simply throw your

will correctly work your entire leg evenly.

stress the importance of this exercise for

body up in the air - control your post. Post-

Your thighs will be especially sore after

everyone. Even as a professional riding at

ing correctly at the trot is more important

this exercise at first if you are not used to

least 5 horses or more on a daily basis, I

than attaining height; allow the momen-

riding with your leg in a longer position or

still force myself to regularly ride without

tum of the horse’s gait to help you. You

using your entire leg equally.

stirrups. Riding without stirrups improves

should also ride in two-point without your

Some riders are blessed with the abil-

your balance, seat, and your overall posi-

stirrups, and again remember height is not

ity to really stretch down in their heels -

tion by strengthening your legs.

as important as correct position. A two-

others are not so blessed. For those with-

When riding without stirrups, you

point position, or half-seat, is when only 2

out that flexibility, I have an exercise that

have a few choices on how to ride with-

of your 3 contact points are on the saddle,

will really help a rider sink into the heels

out them - simply dropping them, cross-

with 3 points being each leg and your seat.

for a strong base and more stable leg. In-

ing them over the saddle, or removing the

Your seat should be off the saddle with

stead of holding your stirrup in its regular

stirrups and leathers from the saddle. With

your hip angle slightly closed so your up-

position on the ball of the foot, place the

a young green horse, I will cross the stir-

per body is forward but chest is still per-

stirrup where your heel enters it from the

rups over the front of the saddle to avoid

pendicular to the ground. This is the basic

front back, so the stirrup is resting under

help equitation riders in the show ring.


April/May 2013

your heel. This exercise forces a rider to

balance. Remove the leathers and stir-

“see-saw stirrups.” The idea is to stay even

push down into their heels, or they will

rups from the saddle and then proceed

throughout your body and to equally use

lose the stirrup. You will be at first thrown

to open the leather up and attach them to

both sides. You might be surprised at what

slightly off balance; and it will feel un-

each other. Make a loop with the leathers,

you find out about how even or uneven

comfortable, but stick with it. If you have

and the stirrups will rest on the buckles

you are as a rider.

a problem with your heels creeping up es-

once attached. Then, you place the stirrup

Remember not to be hard on yourself

pecially over fences, this exercise will help

leathers back on the saddle with a stirrup

if you have difficulty with any of these ex-

you with that. However, I do not recom-

hanging on either side - one leather will

ercises; the more you practice them, the

mend doing this exercise while jumping.

go in front of the pommel of the saddle

easier they will get. Don’t push yourself

The final exercise is what I call the

and one in the seat. You will need help

too hard but do extend slightly past your

“see-saw stirrups.” I recommend that the

adjusting the length to better suit you af-

comfort level. Expect to be sore after each

rider be at least an intermediate with a

ter you place your feet back into the stir-

of these exercises especially when you

seasoned horse before trying this exercise

rups. Once you are situated, proceed with

first start implementing them into your

because it is difficult. I learned this exer-

flatwork. (Advanced riders can jump with

training program. A stronger more bal-

cise from Greg Best and love it. It is great

this exercise, but I suggest not doing this

anced rider makes training and riding the

for a rider who is not sitting evenly in the

alone for safety purposes.) If you brace

horse easier, and your horse will be hap-

saddle. I will help keep you from leaning

harder on one side it causes the other side

pier to work.

to one side and will improve your overall

to raise up, which is why I call them the

About Ashley Ashley began riding at age 2 and

a 160 acre 54 stall facility in Billings, MT.

showing on the national circuit at age 6 on

Since becoming a professional trainer, she

the east coast. During her junior career she

is a certified equine appraiser, certified

had the opportunity to work with some of

hunt seat and jumper trainer, a Montana

the Southeast best hunter jumper trainers.

Hunter Jumper Association board mem-

During college Ashley competed in IHSA

ber, and USEF “L” judge. Ashley specialty is

and also coached various teams. Ashley

starting and training hunter jumpers, and

became a professional in 2008, she owns

also likes working with difficult horses.

and trains at Rimrock Equestrian Center

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The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Without correct rhythm of the walk, trot, and canter, you are not riding dressage in the classical sense.

Always So Basic Excerpted from Dressage for the Not-So-Perfect Horse by Janet Foy and reprinted by permission from Trafalgar Square Books

Have you ever felt that perhaps you

necessary degree of collection and exten-

dents, “What is the first element on the

will never succeed in dressage because

sion for that level. I’ll talk more later about

Training Scale?” They would all yell, “For-

you don’t have the “perfect” horse, the

how to determine whether your horse is

ward!” I am happy to say that with better

one with huge, floating gaits and seeming-

ready to compete at a given level. (Hint:

education now in the United States, this

ly perfect lateral and longitudinal supple-

Read the test directives! They contain im-

doesn’t happen very often anymore! There

ness? Have you struggled through a test

portant information.)

are many variations of the Classical Train-

in which you felt as if your horse suddenly “forgot” all the training you’d done? Have

ing Pyramid out there; some are more emThe Horse’s Training Pyramid

you ever wondered how to make better

it simple.

use of the judge’s comments on your test sheets once you got back home? Without the ability to ride your horse

For now, let’s start with the Classical Training Pyramid, also known as the Classical Training Scale. This

using the correct basics, you will undoubtedly find yourself frustrated with your pro-

pyramid originated in Germany and has long been the basis

gress—no matter what horse you ride and

of classical dressage train-

train. This chapter is the most important of

ing in Europe and else-

all, the one without which none of the fol-

where. It is also the basis

lowing chapters matters.

of good judging. It is

Many riders misunderstand the degree

interesting that for a

of balance and gymnastic training neces-

long time when I

sary to perform the movements at each

would do clin-

dressage level—with harmony and ease.

ics, I would

For example, just because your horse

ask

does flying changes, it doesn’t mean he is

s t u -

a Third Level horse: he may not have the

bellished than others. I am going to keep

the

I like to think of dressage as a finished jigsaw puzzle. The six steps of the Classical Training Pyramid are all pieces of the puzzle. The steps in the pyramid are the first pieces you should look for in training. The “basics” are like the “edge” pieces of the puzzle—you

should

find them first. With experience, you will

know

that

the

b l u e p i e ces


April/May 2013

11

Here I am riding the fiveyear-old Holsteiner mare Marburg in working trot, showing good contact and stretch to the bit during a First Level Test.

are the sky and go on top

The loin is the part of the

and the green pieces are

horse that is in charge

the grass and go on the bottom. Once the

Suppleness

of the elasticity and is often called the

edges are in place, you can start to fill in

In my opinion, this is one of the most

“bridge” that carries the energy forward.

the rest. You will never finish the puzzle

important parts of the Classical Training

The neck muscles must also be supple,

and see the “big picture” unless you have

Pyramid. As a judge, I have never writ-

carrying the energy through both sides of

correct basics.

ten on someone’s test that the horse had

the neck to the contact on the mouth.

too much suppleness. But what does this Rhythm

piece of the jigsaw puzzle really mean?

The rider is then able to use the reins to “receive” the energy the horse’s hind

This is the basis of dressage. Without

Horses do not volunteer suppleness;

legs have created. This is what is meant by

correct rhythm of the walk, trot, and can-

the rider must ask for it. Suppleness really

“throughness.” (For more on this, see Im-

ter, you are not riding dressage in the clas-

is the section that discusses how a horse

pulsion below.)

sical sense. Take a look at the sidebar on

carries energy through the topline. Dres-

Think of your horse’s muscles as a

p. 12 with the definitions and diagrams re-

sage riders are very picky about develop-

two-lane freeway. When the highway is

garding rhythm from the USEF Rule Book.

ing the horse’s topline correctly. Without a

free of accidents or road blocks, the cars

When a judge looks at a horse, the

strong and well-muscled topline, the horse

will travel smoothly from Point A to Point

rhythm of the gaits is the first priority. The

cannot achieve the collection needed for

B. The horse’s topline is like these lanes of

quality is the second. Any horse can have

the upper-level movements. This muscle

traffic. When the rider is able to correctly

his natural gaits improved with dressage.

development—a bit like a weightlifter’s

influence the topline, energy from the

I will discuss this throughout the book.

(whereas event horses have muscles more

hind legs flows smoothly over the back.

If you cannot afford a horse with an “ex-

like a long-distance runner’s)—also pro-

When there is tension or a lack of contact

pensive trot,” then your training becomes

tects the legs from stress and damage.

or straightness, energy has too many de-

even more important. And, if you do buy a

Think of the hind legs as the power

top quality horse and your training is in-

source. The power and energy comes up

Your goal is to develop an open free-

correct, you can ruin your horse’s natural

from the hind legs over the croup. The loin

way, which allows energy to come over

quality.

must then take the energy over the back.

the horse’s back, through the neck to the

tours.


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The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine bit. When you have this correct, supple

used in the direction of the bend—in oth-

connection — or “thoroughness” — then

er words, it should not touch the neck. An

I believe you should “have” 2 to 5

you have control of the horse’s impulsion

indirect rein of opposition (where the in-

pounds in your hands. Some horses are

and balance.

side hand goes to the rider’s opposite hip)

lighter, some heavier, due to their breed-

is rarely used in dressage because it holds

ing and/or conformation. This weight is

the horse’s shoulders out, and as you will

fluid and like an elastic band attached to

read later, this is opposite of what you are

the bit. The rider should be able to follow

trying to achieve.

the movement of the topline when nec-

Contact When your highway is open with traffic flowing smoothly, the next step is for

ness.”

you to develop a supple contact with both

How much weight should you have

essary. (The horse moves his topline the

reins. This piece of the puzzle requires the

in your reins? Many riders mistake light-

most in the free walk, not much in the trot,

horse to stretch evenly into both reins.

ness on the reins as an indicator that the

and a little in the canter.)

This is important because I see too many

horse is light on the forehand. This is not

These last two puzzle pieces—supple-

riders throwing away the inside rein while

correct. Many horses are heavier in the

ness and contact—make up quite a lot of

always holding onto the outside rein.

contact and yet very light in the shoulders.

the submission score in a dressage test’s

The reins must work together as a

The term “lightness” should really be used

Collective Marks.

team. The inside rein is in charge of lateral

only to describe the balance of the horse

suppleness. It positions the head and neck

and elevation of his shoulders. I prefer to

to the inside and also acts as a turning aid.

use the term “suppleness” or “elasticity”

In my opinion, it is dangerous to add

This rein is almost 100 percent of the time

in the contact rather than the word “light-

too much impulsion before you have sub-

Impulsion

USEF Rule Book forward almost synchronously, the walk has a lateral rhythm. This irregularity is a serious deterioration of the gait.

The trot is a gait in two-beat rhythm with four phases (the numbers in circles indicate the beat). The walk is a gait in four-beat rhythm with eight phases (the numbers in circles indicate the beat).

TROT 1 The trot is a two-beat gait of alternate diagonal legs (left fore

WALK

and right hind leg and vice versa) separated by a moment of sus-

1 The walk is a marching gait in a regular and well-marked, four-

pension.

time beat with equal intervals between each beat. This regularity combined with full relaxation must be maintained throughout all

2 The trot should show free, active, and regular steps.

walk movements. 3 The quality of the trot is judged by general impression, i.e. the 2 When the foreleg and the hind leg on the same side swing

regularity and elasticity of the steps, the cadence and impulsion


April/May 2013

13

mission. The more impulsion you have, the more submission you need. Impulsion is not speed. The horse should not be running so fast that he gets out of balance. Impulsion requires suspension in the gaits, which is why the walk does not have impulsion. If you do not have suppleness and an elastic contact, the horse will not have impulsion. When the horse is supple and going with an elastic contact, then the impulsion puzzle allows the horse to “lift” his back and stomach muscles, which creates a “circle of energy.” This circle, which starts with the hind legs (the horse’s engine), travels over the loins and through the neck to the elastic contact, then allows the horse to arch his back and lift the abdominal muscles. The energy will thus flow back to the

Gwen Blake riding a well-balanced working canter aboard Winsome during a First Level Test.

in both collection and extension. This quality originates from a

for example, the footfall is as follows: left hind, left diagonal (si-

supple back and well-engaged hindquarters, and by the ability to

multaneously left fore and right hind), right fore, followed by a

maintain the same rhythm and natural balance with all variations

moment of suspension with all four feet in the air before the next

of the trot.

stride begins.

2 The canter, always with light, cadenced, and regular strides, should be moved into without hesitation.

3 The quality of the canter is judged by the general impression, i.e. the regularity and lightness of the steps and the uphill tendency and cadence originating from the acceptance of the bridle with a supple poll and in the engagement of the hindquarters with an active hock action—and by the ability of maintaining the same rhythm and a natural balance, even after a transition from one canter to another. The horse should always remain straight on straight lines and correctly bent on curved lines. The canter is a gait in three-beat rhythm with six phases. CANTER 1 The canter is a three-beat gait where, in canter to the right,


14

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine hind legs. When this circle is complete, the

travel. Every other movement requires the

rider will feel she has a horse that moves

haunches to be on the

more on his own in self-carriage. When a horse is “rigid” in his back or neck, speed is the result, not impulsion.

Straightness Straightness is another totally misunderstood area of dressage. As mentioned,

Only in piaffe, passage, one-tempi flying changes, and rein-back can the horse

line of travel. Most movements have

be like an “l” —a lower case “L.” In these

the horse’s shoulders slightly displaced to

movements the horse is carrying weight

the inside because the horse is wider be-

on both hind legs equally and must be

hind than in front.

absolutely straight or he will lose his bal-

I like to think of the horse as a threecar, choo-choo train. I imagine one hinge in front of the saddle and one behind it.

ance. The word “straightness” means the lateral suppleness of the horse—the ability

the Classical Training Pyramid (Scale)

Think of this train going around a

to conform to the line of travel—whereas

originated in Germany. German has many

curve. It is like the horse on a circle. The

the suppleness portion of the Classical

one-word “horse” terms. Some of these

horse can be a “C” (or a “c” when the circle

Training Pyramid refers to the longitudinal

one-word terms actually take several sen-

is smaller), and on a straight line his body

suppleness.

tences in English to completely define

should be like a parenthesis—that is, in

them. A German friend of mine asked me

shoulder-fore or position-left—or right.

to help him with judging in English. He

(Eventually, when you work on lateral sup-

Collection is the last piece of the

would give me one word in German, and

pleness of the poll, the poll must still stay

horse’s pyramid, and if you have correct-

I would give him three sentences. He said,

a part of the neck train car.)

ly applied all of the pieces of the puzzle,

“Oh, it is hard to judge in English.”

Collection

If the horse does not follow the line of

you will begin to see the big picture. Col-

I like to think of straightness as the line

travel, the train will derail, and when he is

lection is relative to the horse’s level of

of travel. Only in travers (haunches-in) and

crooked, you will not have the ability to go

dressage training. At Second Level, we are

half-pass is the forehand on the line of

to the next piece of the puzzle.

just developing collection, and we like to see an “uphill” tendency, meaning it may

Caryn Bujnowski and Preston showing a good collected canter with uphill balance and good basics.

come and go. At the Grand Prix Level, the utmost self-carriage and collection should be maintained. If you are having issues with balance in regard to any level of collection, you must go down the “food chain” and discover the hole in your training. Perhaps your horse is not straight—that is, he is not following the line of travel and the haunches are falling in as the shoulders fall out. Perhaps he is still laterally lacking suppleness, not accepting contact with the bit, or tight over the back? Any of these issues will need to be addressed right away. Do not move on and start working on movements. Discover the missing piece of your puzzle and then address the big picture!

Continued on page 90


April/May 2013

Profiles in Courage

Confidence Clinics

Mean Confidence Building

By Karin Foley Photos by Wanda Coleman Subject: Lillian Moore, Nashville, NC.

who with Steffan Peters aboard won double gold at the 2011 Pam

Disciplines: Dressage and Reining

Am Games. Magic, as he is affectionately known, was started slowly

Horses: JMA Just a Tremour (Shockwave x A Rare Brandy) Purebred

by Shannon Peters and brought along with professional care to be-

Arabian

come the FEI star he is today.

Scentsational Z (Cologne x The April Dawn) National Show Horse

Most owners don’t have such an option. The average horse

A Big Enterprize (A Grand Prize x La Petite Quincy) Quarter Horse

owner is competing and often training their horses themselves.

Specialty: Helping Serious students gain the confidence to move up

Success or failure is related to ring time or discipline based train-

through the levels.

ing. But there is something more that makes some horse and rider teams stand out from the rest. The difference is something often

One of the real pleasures about the sport horse disciplines is

called grit, brio, boldness, bravery, moxey; in a word CONFIDENCE.

the number of amateurs competing. Without the amateur riders

You can ride that same course of jumps a hundred times with-

most events could not exist. It takes a huge number of amateur en-

out fault and then in an instant suffer a crushing fall. What is it that

tries at the lower levels to finance the advanced level entries. For

allows a rider to nail it each and every time including on a windy

every single Grand Prix entry there are an inversely proportional

day with a tractor backfiring? CONFIDENCE! Years ago at a horse

number of entry-level jumpers. The same goes for dressage, event-

show, I remember watching a horse hang his front legs on the side

ing, and hunter jumper. So I never underestimate the importance

rails of the arena with a rider on his back. The rider sat there as if

of the amateur competitor.

unconcerned, waiting for the horse to free himself, which he did.

Some horse owners can have their horses brought along by

The whole time I was watching this unfold I was coming unglued.

pros. This is more common at the upper levels. Jan Hlavacek owns

Confidence seems a simple concept and yet can be a nerve-

the crowd-pleasing Westphalen dressage gelding Weltino’s Magic

wracking journey. Back in 2006, I rode a kind horse in a dressage lesson and then together we took a casual stroll through a baby cross-country course without issue. On our way back to the barn, something happened that I was unprepared for and my saint of a horse went vertical without warning. The result was a shattered helmet but an intact head, six hours of surgery to reattach my right hand, and a newly acquired sense of terror on horseback. Years ago the Olympian Darren Chiacchia had an accident on a horse that resulted in Traumatic Brain Injury. The folklore is that Robert Dover started Darren back riding by walking him on the lunge line for days on end and the rest is, as they say, history. Darren is back eventing at the upper levels with a group of horses that inspire envy and some of those horses are a challenge. Darren had not lost any of his talent or ability he had “only” briefly lost some of his confidence. For those of us who cannot ring up Robert Dover when our confidence takes a beating, the road back to confidence can be quite terrifying. Most discipline-based trainers are not equipped to deal

15


16

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

has produced some very nice Half Arab foals. She is also fun to ride. She is by the jumper Weltstern. My friend Carolyn Miller from with fear issues of any magnitude. Challenges such as these call for an expert. In the years following my vertical catastrophe, I resumed dressage lessons with the amazing Kayla DeArmes, a student of Conrad Schumacher in Virginia. Thanks to Kayla, I can now isolate just about every centimeter of tissue in my behind. I can also stick to the saddle through most anything. A year with Kayla had given me the technical proficiency to stay in the saddle and direct my horse. That did impart some confidence. Still, something was missing. A jiggy pony, a little too much wind, an ill-mannered horse approaching in the hunt field, a tractor trailer in the background and inside I was positively unglued. I began to seriously doubt my future with horses. A couple of years ago, my friend Sue had started hosting clinics with a former mounted police officer, Lillian Moore, in Nashville, NC. The pictures from the clinics looked fun but to my cynical eye not all that serious. I was visiting in Virginia on a weekend that Sue was hosting a “Confidence Clinic” with Lillian and I was recruited as a replacement for a last minute cancellation. So on a borrowed horse and a bunch of mismatched borrowed tack, including a dressage saddle that was a torture device, I went to the clinic and horse riding life as I knew it changed. Lillian’s work focuses on the horse, which is different than most discipline based learning. All of the focus is on the horse and what works for the horse; what makes the horse feel comfortable and confident. Lilian’s clinics are akin to learning to become the head pack dog in a pack of sledding dogs. The horse is the pack. The rider is the head pack dog. Confidence work is leadership training. Lillian’s work is NOT another Natural Horsemanship derivative. I should admit here that I am not a huge fan of all things “natural.” After all, bee stings are natural and I am violently allergic to bee stings. Confidence building is not so much a method as a state of mind. Learning to become a head pack dog with your horse means having a “can do” attitude. It means being the leader. I have an amazing Oldenburg mare named Wunderblitz who

Greenstone Farm owned Weltstern for many years and he passed away last year on her farm at almost thirty years old. Long ago Carolyn told me that Weltstern kids take their cue from the rider. That meant even though Wunderblitz has beaten two dressage trainers who refused to get on her back because of her “temperament,” that I had to adopt a “can do” attitude with her if I was ever going to be able to ride her. In other words, Carolyn made it simple, if I worry, Wunderblitz worries, and so I cannot worry. It worked. It was years after the Wunderblitz experience that I started working with Lillian. My bravado with Wunderblitz had to be rallied for each and every encounter with the mare who’s into space launching trot early on left me in a sweat. Two years after I was the fill in rider for my first Lillian clinic, Wunderblitz now can be ridden from the field bareback with a halter. The only thing that has changed is that since the confidence work with Lillian, I believe I can do it and I do not hesitate. Wunderblitz requires LEADERSHIP. Leadership requires confidence. Something I learned about in Lillian’s “Confidence Clinics”. A “Confidence Clinic” with Lillian does not seem hard on the surface. The uninitiated could watch and think it was cute how those whirly birds go flying around or how horses walk across a teeter-totter. The clinics are done with groups of riders. There is a lot of lining up and trotting down the side of the arena and across diagonals which is designed to get riders comfortable with the idea of timing, distance and space…in many ways similar to jumping strides and dressage transition work. There are riders at all levels of ability and yet they all manage to get the striding and timing down by the end of the day. It is about anticipating; thinking ahead while preparing your horse for what is to come. Obstacles such as beach balls rolling at you and your horse or flaming arches become secondary to the work at hand. Therein lies the key to the whole exercise. Obstacles, distractions and challenges are just that - secondary to the work at hand. Once you get your mind around that truth the confidence just soars! The confidence building work Lillian does in her clinics translates easily to most any discipline. I hunt and do dressage and


April/May 2013 apply it all whether I am out in the hunt field or riding a dressage

They also raise English Labrador Retrievers to be PTSD service dogs, therapy

test. I have stopped worrying about the boogieman in the corner. I

dogs for autistic children, and great family dogs.

do pay attention to my horse’s state of mind but I do not fret over it as I once did. I anticipate it and deal with it.

17

Karin spent most of her years with horses living in or around Middleburg and Charlottesville, Virginia. For a decade she managed High Road Farm, a

Whether you are wanting to feel safe hacking out on your

long term care facility for special needs horses and ran an after school horse-

horse, ride a mid level dressage test, take on a stadium jumping

manship program for at risk teenage girls. She is a trustee of the John Henry

course, aspire to event at the advanced level or just want to have

Tiffany Trust an organization that supports the dignified retirement of work-

fun on your horse, confidence building translates. Denny Emerson

ing horses. She is an advisor to Borrowed Freedom Equine Assisted Therapy;

recently said that he wonders why so many riders are afraid to

an equine farm based program for special needs children.

cross train their horses and yet will spend hours and hours work-

Karin has studied riding and horsemanship with many wonderful instruc-

ing on one simple thing that might be made easier if the horse

tors including Sally O’Connor , Thomas Ritter, and Conrad Schumacher . She

had some cross training. A nervous or unfit horse ridden by a less

attributes her sticking seat to a year of lunge line lessons with the fabulous

than confident rider is never going to excel. It seems to me that

Kayla DeArmis, a student of Conrad Schumacher’s and the encouragement of

Confidence Clinics and the techniques gained are the perfect way

her long term friend, Sue Fanelli.

to cross train. And besides, it is really, really fun!

Karin’s interests include sport horse breeding, the biomechanics of riding

Lillian Moore is based out of Nashville, North Carolina and frequently travels to South Carolina and Virginia.

and unusual horse adventures. Karin also enjoys writing about courageous horses and their riders and individual experiences with great teachers. If you have a unique story contact Karin at karinfoley@rocketmail.com.

•••

Karin Foley has written for numerous equine

publications including The Blood Horse, Middleburg Today, Equus Magazine, and Modern Arabian Horse. She currently lives in the Finger Lakes region of New York with her husband Willis. Together, they breed Arab and Welsh bred sport ponies for adult dressage, eventing, and foxhunting riders.

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Call 760 485 5287 email: phihundred@aol.com


18

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

READING REFLECTIONS A Series by Dawn Jones-Low Books have always been important to me. As a child, I spent countless hours reading at home and at the public library. Growing up in the suburbs in a non-horsey family, books were also my main entryway to the world of horses and provided fuel for my dreams. Several decades into adulthood, books are still a treasure to me as they continue to inspire and inform all areas of my life –including riding and horsemanship. This column gives me an opportunity to use some of those books as a springboard for sharing ideas and inspiration with readers.

While there is no substitute for real

base that we apply to the practice of good

and well-being, and assist with rehabilita-

life experience handling, training, and

horsemanship. In recent years, interest in

tion after injury.

riding horses -- books and other media

equine biomechanics has grown among

“Through

can broaden and deepen the knowledge

riders and trainers so a plethora of books

analysis, riders will learn to understand

on the subject are available. Equine bio-

the horse’s physical requirements for the

mechanics combines physics with anato-

movements he has to perform. It will high-

my and physiology to explore and explain

light the horse’s limitations when perform-

how horses move – as well as examining

ing certain movements, and will thus teach

how the rider and horse influence each

the rider to make requests in such a man-

other. The field of equine biomechanics

ner that the horse does not lose balance

includes study of the functional anatomy

in his attempt to comply. Knowledge of

of the horse, gait analysis, postural analy-

biomechanics determines which actions

sis, the effects of various conditioning

will improve both the horse’s and rider’s

regimens on the horse’s body, and a va-

performance but, most importantly, it dis-

riety of other sub-fields. Principles from

tinguishes fact from misconception about

equine biomechanics can be applied to

equine movement.” (Karen Blignault)

improve performance, support soundness

equine

biomechanical

Writings about functional conforma-


April/May 2013

tion like the three small volumes of Dr.

19

–often without attribution, but are best ap-

can benefit horses.

Deb Bennett Ph.D.’s Principles of Confor-

Dr. Nancy Nicholson, Ph.D. created an

preciated in the context of the accompany-

mation Analysis and Susan E. Harris’ Horse

intriguing book, Biomechanical Riding: a

ing material in the book. There is plenty of

Gaits, Balance, and Movement touch on ba-

Rider’s Atlas, which is based on years of re-

material to be explored by novices, but the

sic aspects of biomechanics so can serve

search complemented by her expertise as

atlas also contains layers of detail for those

as gateway. Susan Harris and Peggy Brown

dressage rider to the highest levels. The

who are advanced riders and for those who

pioneered the technique of painting inter-

atlas is chock full of detailed analyses of

enjoy highly technical analysis. (See exam-

nal structures on horses bodies at clinics

gaits and movements both at liberty and

ple here: http://bit.ly/170HTNU and http://

and produced a video series Anatomy in

when ridden. The section on the rider’s

bit.ly/103t1tW) Although this atlas is built

Motion: the Visible Horse and Anatomy in

seat provides a comprehensive look at

on a strong foundation of science, it is not a

Recently, Gil-

how the rider is a critically important el-

dry technical manual. The writer’s humane

lian Higgins, an equine massage therapist

ement in the partnership with the horse.

attitude towards the horse shines through

and 3-day event rider, has expanded on

This atlas stands out partly for the amaz-

and is backed up by reasoning rooted in

that “inside out” painting technique and

ing illustrations produced from complex

the biomechanical analyses.

published several books (and videos) that

computer modeling. “These Atlas IMAGES

For those who prefer highly technical

offer insights into equine anatomy, physi-

ARE NOT DRAWINGS …. Instead, images

writing, the world renowned Dr. Hilary M.

ology, and biomechanics. How Your Horse

are printouts of computer models of horse

Clayton BVMS Ph.D. MRCVS has written

Moves: a unique visual guide to improving

and rider checked against frames from

The Dynamic Horse: a Biomechanical Guide

performance focuses on the musculo-skel-

digital video recordings of gaits.

Some

to Equine and Performance which focuses

etal function. Horse Anatomy for Perfor-

gait dynamics are also derived from those

on the physics and physiology of equine

mance: a practical guide to training, riding,

records. Atlas images also incorporate an-

movement. As a Grand Prix dressage rider,

and horse care goes into more detail and

atomical information from veterinary and

Dr. Clayton also has an appreciation for the

includes more organ systems (cardiovas-

medical sources.

Differences between

practical applications of biomechanics and

cular, neurological, connective tissue, etc.).

model output and drawings are crucial

has published Activate Your Horse’s Core:

Higgins spiral bound book, Pilates and

because drawings, no matter how talented

Unmounted Exercises for Dynamic Mobil-

Stretching: an Exercise Index for Horse Own-

the artist, show what is imagined or ex-

ity, Strength, and Balance with Narelle C.

ers is an example applying biomechanical

pected to happen.” (Ch.1-6) These images

Stubbs who has advanced degrees in ani-

principles to practical applications that

are commonly circulated on the internet

mal physical therapy. A DVD is included

Motion II: the Visible Rider.


20

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine to assist in teaching the exercises. The

Karin Blignault’s Equine Biomechanics

In refreshing my memory of this se-

horse used to illustrate the exercises is Dr.

for Riders: the Key to Balanced Riding com-

lection of books, I was struck by how the

Clayton’s Arabian FEI dressage horse, MSU

bines clear descriptions of a comprehen-

authors’ academic interests in the science

Magic J+//.

sive range of biomechanical concepts with

of the biomechanics of riding was interwo-

An appreciation for biomechanics and

practical guidelines for riding and training

ven with a deep caring for the well-being

their application to sympathetic athletic

as well as criteria for judges to utilize. The

of the horse. Each of these books differs in

development of the horse is not new. The

modular organization of the book facili-

focus and scope of the rather broad field

Rider Forms the Horse: Function and Devel-

tates careful consideration of the material.

of equine biomechanics, but all provide

opment of the Riding Horse by Udo Burger

The author includes many simple exercis-

educational opportunities to readers who

and Otto Zietzschmann was first published

es that the reader can perform to gain an

want to utilize biomechanical principles

in 1939 and reprinted in the late 1980s.

understanding of various biomechanical

to foster balance, harmony, and efficiency

This book presents an excellent overview

principles. Attention is given to recogniz-

of gaits and movement with their equine

of muscle function and is largely focused

ing and correcting performance and train-

partners. A wealth of interesting reading

on developing the young horse. Sections

ing problems. The photos and drawings

awaits those who want to explore equine

describing key biomechanical principles

throughout the book are well chosen to

biomechanics.

are followed by practical pointers for

illustrate the information. Her experience

training and conditioning and reflections

as an FEI level dressage rider and as a rid-

on fostering and maintaining mental and

ing instructor contributes to the clarity of

physical harmony with the horse. The con-

the presentation of the material in a man-

cerns expressed are shared by many con-

ner that is aimed at helping riders, trainers,

temporary horsemen and women.

and judges.

About Dawn Dawn has been interested sport

in

the

disciplines

since the late 1980’s. She rode on the IHSA team in hunter equitation on the flat in college, has dabbled in low level eventing, and then fell in love with riding according to classical dressage principals. In 1998, Dawn sold her talented young Warmblood and bought her first Arabian after discovering the athleticism and delightful temperaments of the Arabian horse. After studying the history of the Arabian in the sport horse world, Dawn started Faerie Court Farm on 40 acres in Addison County Vermont where she is breeding and raising Arabian sport horses from CMK bloodlines with the help of her husband, Thom, who is perhaps the best horse husband in the world.


Preserve Your

April/May 2013

21

Winning Moments

Bob Tarr Photography • Cincinnati, Ohio • (513) 851-8529 • www.BobTarr.com • Bob@BobTarr.com


22

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Warren Park Stud 50 Years and Counting...

Excerpted from “It Only Took 50 Years” by Dick Warren, a manuscript he plans to publish one day. Photos courtesy of Warren Park Stud

S

andy and Dick Warren have spent fifty years quietly breeding Arabian horses based on an ideal Sandy steadfastly held in her mind’s eye. The key to her success was preserving certain characteristics: ath-

letic ability, good conformation, good disposition and her breeding stock’s ability to pass on these traits. They are known throughout the world for their unique Arabians. Sandy Thomas Warren was born on July 6, 1939, in Carmel. She was the first born to Don and Barbara Thomas and lived in San Francisco. Don’s parents, Ivan and Elsie Thomas lived in Carmel Valley. Over the next several years there were occasional visits to

Aulani

the “folks” and in 1947, on a little ride in the country they passed

thought he was the most beautiful horse she had ever seen. A

Rancho Carmelo, owned by KD Mathiot. In the front was a sign

proven athlete with quite correct conformation, Mathiot would in

with a picture of a man on a horse that announced that purebred

later years let Sandy ride him.

Arabian horses were bred there.

Aulani often was used in parades, one of his parade outfits

From her earliest memories Sandy was fascinated with horses

was an almost solid silver saddle with a drape behind the saddle,

and the family stopped to see them. Inside a 12 foot high pad-

also almost solid silver. Combined it weighed over two hundred

dock made of closely spaced boards was a chestnut horse. Sandy

pounds. Another parade costume was a lovely charro design. In

was smitten. That stallion was Aulani (Rifnas x Follyat) and Sandy

the ranch house there was a trophy case, at least eight feet tall,


April/May 2013

Sandy Warren and Aulrab (Aulani x Rabna)

to breed the grade mares that the owner used for his guests to ride. However, he bred a number of outside Arabian mares and produced fifteen purebred foals. Sandy and her family, now with her sister Donna, moved back to California in 1953 and eventually settled in Lafayette. When she was 14 she talked her folks into letting her have a horse and she bought Bonnie, a retired TB racehorse. In 1955 she bred the mare to Aulani and the next year got Bona-Sheba. On Sandy’s return from Alaska she had resumed her visits to Rancho Carmelo and occasionally led rides mounted on Aulani. To this day she thinks he was one of the most comfortable and elegant horses she has ever ridden. At the jog, he had such spring and lightness with each step, with no bounce to the rider. He was light and very well mannered in the bit. The year after we met in 1957, Sandy and I went in my Jaguar to Carmel Valley so she could show me where her grandparents had lived and also to show me Rancho Carmelo, which by then had nearly fallen to ruin. The owner was in very bad health and filled with huge trophies that Aulani had won.

the little work needed around the place was in the hands of some

For the next few years until her family moved to Anchorage,

old cowboys. On that day, we passed a corral adjacent to the road

Sandy spent the summers with her grandparents and made fre-

in which a mare and chestnut foal were standing at the fence. We

quent trips to the ranch. She learned that Aulani was used mostly

both wished later that we had stopped to take a picture because

23


24

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine that young colt was Aurab (Aulani x Rabna). We were married in 1960 and bought our first house, where we had our two children. Five years later we moved and in early 1973 Sandy met Diane McIntyre who was trying to buy a mare in Northern California from breeder Ralph Oakley. Ralph favored Abu Farwa lines and this mare, Alarieha, was by Galahas out of the Abu Farwa daughter Riehaba. Sandy has since told me that Oakley sold Alarieha cheaply to McIntyre because she had a partial glass eye. Sandy and Diane picked up the mare in our truck and old horse trailer and Diane kept the mare near her home in Walnut Creek. Alarieha just radiated class and style. She was a mare of outstanding quality who had brilliant natural floating action which she passed onto her offspring. Rifnas (sire of Aulani)

Sandy always carried a picture of Aulani in her mind as her ideal. She didn’t know where he came from and had never heard of Crabbet Park Stud, let alone Kellogg Arabian Horse Ranch. She had bought a Fadjur gelding because he was pretty and trained but he was very uncomfortable, the opposite of Aulani. At that time, she hadn’t learned about conformation, but she found that she was attracted to horses that looked like Aulani. She focused on good-looking “Arabian” type heads and long graceful necks but had no idea about what pedigrees meant. If she saw a pedigree, she looked for the names of horses that appeared in Aulani’s background. In the summer of 1973, Sandy and I went to a horse show in Stockton. I was looking at the program (I frankly had no idea what I was looking at) and spotted a stallion whose entry looked

Follyat (dam of Aulani)

something like this: AURAB (Aulani x Rabna). Sandy approached the owner and introduced herself, saying that she used to visit Rancho Carmelo and knew Aulani and Rabna, had pictures of them plus the other Arabians that were there and asked if she would be interested to see them. Grace Baker nearly fell over herself with that news. We found out that Aurab had been isolated at the rapidly declining guest ranch for his first fourteen years. To date, he had sired only one purebred, the now famous Ben Rabba. Of note, Aurab won the Park Horse class that day and Grace told us that he was going be at the Cow Palace in the next couple of weeks. There he won the Pacific Coast Formal Driving Championship with Jeff Wonnell. That was his last competition and he went home to breed mares. Grace made history with Aurab in just a few years and she became Sandy’s friend and mentor.

Sandy & Rabna (dam of Aurab)

We were not alone in our admiration of Aurab. “Perhaps Aurab


April/May 2013 of Evenston Wy. Included was the Aulani daughter Naulana out of Jinn, a Nasik daughter. The Echols knew that Sandy was interested in Aulani breeding because of her half-Arab filly and asked her if she wanted to buy the mare. There was no question about it and she agreed to take her. Poor Naulana had been starved and was in such bad shape that she was loaded into the trailer last so that if she died she could be easily disposed of. Despite her condition, she arrived in November 1973, and Sandy nursed her back to health. As soon as Naulana was healthy enough, she was sent to Aurab. It was then that Sandy met Carol Mulder, who taught her about the history of the Kellogg Arabians. About Naulana, Carol said,

Aurab

“Naulana is absolutely gorgeous! She has captured my fancy more than any mare I have seen for years! She is so beautiful she just takes your breath away as she walks towards you. Then when you see the rest of her, the impression only grows. She just radiates class, quality, style and Arabian breed character.” Naulana’s foal, Aurik, was born in April 1975, and he went on

Aurab was a phenomenon. I consider him to have been, overall, the best Arabian stallion I have seen; I carry his images in my mind as a gauge by which to compare all others. I sometimes feel that, for me, he may have been the apex of his breed,” Carol Woodbridge Mulder, Arabian historian and author of Imported Foundation

Aurab

Stock of North American Arabian Breeders, was quoted as saying. 
When seeing Aurab for the first time just one month shy of his 20th birthday, 
Lady Anne Lytton, daughter of Lady Wentworth, and granddaughter of the Blunts 
said of Aurab, “the most nearly perfect Arab that she had ever seen, and that 
he epitomized the horse Crabbet Stud had tried to breed for nearly 100 years.” Time flies when you’re having fun and it wasn’t long before we moved to our Martinez place with an acre and a half. There we met Brent and Kathy Echols who were preparing to receive a herd of Arabians from a dispersal sale in Wyoming. They would arrange to auction them and were being sold by Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Cole

Naulana & Aurik

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26

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine to sire 22 foals. He had excellent conformation and a gentle dis-

spring Shawzi was born.

position. His athletic ability was unsurpassed and our daughter

When you look at Miidj’s pedigree you will see an excellent

Debbie rode him in a number of local shows. Two of his fillies have

example of chance, luck and fate coming into play, and like Alar-

played important roles in our life’s story; Shawzina born February

ieha, Miidj was a cull. An examination of her pedigree will show

1988, and Aur Serafina born April 1992. Through a series of unfor-

her to be almost 100% Crabbet with just a touch of Spencer Bor-

tunate circumstances within a few years, these were Aurik’s only

den and WR Brown for good measure. The same can be said for

surviving offspring when he died in 1997.

Alarieha except that WR Brown and Homer Davenport made their

Now comes a part of the story that, when I began to look at

contributions. Of course, at the time Sandy could not have known how significant these mares would be. For the next several years no breeding was done. We were in the process of starting a new job and moving to our present place in Sanger. And, of course, when we got set up there, things really started to rock ‘n’ roll. Sandy explains to me that she had an inner voice, a need, an unexplainable direction that guided her in her acquisitions and breeding decisions. She called it her “gut feeling.” That is another thing that Sandy can do - like a chess master who can plan ahead five or six moves, Sandy can visualize the results of future breeding, although it can take years to achieve that dream. I have to say that there were times that concerned me when she culled horses. If she knew they wouldn’t work in the program she sold them cheap. However, the good horses brought us a good

Aurik pedigrees and reflect how things worked out, I’m amazed at Sandy’s luck – with some chance and fate thrown in.

price and fortunately there were more good horses than culls. One of her earlier experiments was with older mares that had breeding problems. She had acquired Naulana and Miidj and each

So it was, that in a way that she can’t quite remember; maybe

had given her foals. Then she was given Rahla, another Aulani

word of mouth or an ad, she was directed to a ranch in Vacaville

daughter. The thing that tickled me was that Naulana’s number

where Lee and Joyce Moody, owners of the stallion Pepe (Gabilan

was 7716 and Rahla’s was 7717. It seemed quite amazing to have

x Pepita by *Latif) had a mare for sale. The time was late fall or

two Aulani offspring considering he had had so few purebred

early winter and there had been a lot of rain. In a very muddy pad-

foals. But try as hard as she could, Rahla could not get pregnant.

dock were a number of mares milling around almost knee-deep in

Sometime later, Dick Skinner, who worked with the Hearst horses,

muck. Miidj (Fernas x Shethar by Ghazi) was among them.

offered Sandy a Ziyadi daughter out of Aulani’s dam Follyat but

In a separate stall and small paddock was Pepe. His fore legs

again, she was unsuccessful in getting her pregnant. Later, a mare

were ravaged. A few years earlier he had been in an accident

dropped into her lap as if she had fallen from heaven that had a

where the rotten floorboards in the trailer he was in gave way and

major influence on one special person as well as us. But, that story

he was dragged for some distance before it was discovered. He

in a little bit.

could walk and he could breed mares and he had bred Miidj in the spring of 1974.

Sandy kept in contact with Diane McIntyre, offering to lease Alarieha. At the same time, Patience Prine was looking for a mare

Although the mare was dirty, Sandy could tell that Miidj had

to breed to Aurab to replace a mare that she had lost. So it hap-

a shape that reminded her of Aulani. Her head left a bit to be de-

pened that in 1974, Patience leased Alerieha and took her to Au-

sired but the rest of her looked pretty good. A deal was struck and

rab. The next year Hi Voltage+/ was born. A very successful show

Sandy bought her for $800. We brought her home and the next

horse with over a dozen championships won; he also sired 42 off-


April/May 2013 spring; eleven of them purebred Arabians.

Sandy subscribed to Arabian Horse World and in an issue that

Alarieha’s blood is found in most of our stock, especially in

Aulrab 4 hours old

Hi Voltage+/ the most brilliant moving of our horses. Alarieha was extremely light and airy in her movement; she appeared to hardly touch the ground when moving. She had extreme hock and knee action, with great length of stride. She always gave these traits to her foals. Alarieha was so very kind and gentle in nature and she was an excellent mother and has passed this down to her daughters. In 1975, Sandy bred Alarieha to Aurab and in 1976, Aurieha

Aulrab at 2 months old came out in the late 1970s, she saw an ad for Lewisfield Magic+/ who was standing at stud on the east coast. That old eyeball of hers saw a very good horse. Later she was happy to see that he had been relocated to New Mexico. “Ah ha,” says she, “He’s getting closer.” In early 1979 she saw an ad placed by Otto Hackel in Bakersfield announcing that Lewey was “back in California.” Aurieha was bred to him that same year and in 1980, Aura Magic was born.

Alarieha

She produced 10 foals, two of which are notable; Aur Emerald and Aur Silver Myst.

was born. At this point in time Alarieha was living with us and she

Lewisfield Magic+/ was also bred to Alarieha and on Friday,

was again taken to Aurab in 1978. On Friday, July 13,1979, Aulrab

March 13, 1981, she gave us Magic Alarieha. Again, Friday the thir-

presented himself. Since then, Sandy has not considered Friday

teenth has not proven to be unlucky as she is the dam of Aulrab’s

the thirteenth to be unlucky . “Aulrab was born out in the field at 5

most famous son, Aul Magic+/.

pm on a 109 degree day. He was so big and well-balanced,” recalls Sandy. “Such a sweet, curious, loving boy.”

Also in 1980, Ken and Laura West bought Ibn Awad++/ (Awad x El Sikada). Remarkably, Ibn Awad++/ would 30 years later be-

27


28

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Lewisfield Magic+/

Ibn Awad++/

GF Silver Mystery ern California asking if she could bring her Tennessee Walking Horse mare to Aulrab. “Well, of course, bring her up.” The mare and owner, Georgia Cheer, arrived the next weekend. She told us that she worked for a publisher of dog and cat breed magazines doing the layout and designing the ads and writing the editorials and so forth. She left her mare and then came about every other weekend to visit. I guess a place in Minkler beats LA anytime.

Magic Alarieha

About two months into our boarding agreement with GF Silver

come one of the most influential stallions in the advancement of

Mystery’s owners, they told us that they were going to send the

our breeding program.

mare back because they realized they couldn’t afford to keep her.

East of us, on Hwy. 180 is a foot hill community called Squaw

Sandy knew that this was a great mare and knew that she needed

Valley where many of the residents have set up small ranches. In

to have her. We had no way to buy her so Sandy hammered out

early 1981, a couple from Squaw Valley called on us to inquire if

a deal with Georgia to buy the mare and we would take care of

we could temporarily board a horse they had just bought while

her. So, in August 1982, she and Georgia bought the *Silver Vanity

they were setting up a place to keep her on their five acre place.

daughter. Like the other two mares that had come her way, Mys-

We agreed to do it and they brought a lovely gray mare, GF Silver

tery was almost totally Crabbet with some Ali Pasha Sherif blood

Mystery (* Silver Vanity x Miss Mystery by Ga’zi), whom they had

contributed by Spencer Borden. Mystery gave us Aur Vanity (ex-

bought from the dispersal sale of Earnest Golden’s Golden For-

ported to Australia), Aur So Vain (dam of top foals), Aur Mystic, and

tune Arabian Ranch. Sandy’s good eyes saw a very good mare.

Aur Mystique (and his first son, Mystic Aulrab, exported to South

At about this same time, Sandy got a call from a gal in South-

Africa), in addition to a stallion for Georgia, CR Silver Monarch.


April/May 2013 It has been said that a young stallion’s first foal may not be

tional animal.

as good as those that would come later. That really didn’t make much sense to Sandy since genes are genes even if the little fella

Next issue will continue the story of Sandy Warren and Warren Park

doesn’t quite know what he’s supposed to do the first time. A stal-

Stud.

lion like Aulrab was a genetic powerhouse and his first colt, Aur Vanity, out of GF Silver Mystery and born in 1982, was an excep-

Sandy & Aulrab Aulrab

29


30

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

R

ecently one of my older mares passed away after battling a chronic infection. The day before Kim and Mark Thomason lost their legendary Crabbet stallion *Magic Domino AHS +++//. A few days before that, I received word that an An-

glo named Skylark that I exported to the UK had died in a freak pasture accident. It got me thinking about death and loss; about how we all view the death of a beloved horse. Early in our friendship, my friend Carrie said, “How hard death is to take depends what you believe.” I had said those exact words so many times over the years that it rang true. What do we believe happens when our beloved horses die? My Judeo-Christian tradition allows me to think that the spirit lives on; as if somehow the spirit leaps out of the beloved’s body and into the air. The day my old girl, Gem, passed away there was a blizzard on our New York farm. The snow had been dropping for days. The ground was frozen. A dark sad feeling hung over the place waiting for the sun to break the gloomy spell. My niece, Abby tried to make it easier by doing the chores so I would not have to walk past Gem. It was a great kindness on Abby’s part. Yet it was not necessary. In my heart I believed the spirit of Gem was no longer there. Gem had been sick for a long time. I miss Gem. But my heart is not broken. How we experience death has as much to do with what we believe as our early experiences. If you grow up on a farm you experience the cycle of life much more than city folks do. Foals are born and the old horses pass on. Some leave us in their teens and some make it into their thirties. Some do not survive birth and sometimes for no apparent reason and without warning a young and healthy one dies suddenly. No matter how many times I experience it, it is never simple. About a year and a half ago I lost my old guy Sammie. He was, as we say my “love of your life horse.” Sammie had never been a simple horse. He was large, complicated and challenging. He had opinions. He was the opposite of easy going. From the first moment I saw him and for the fourteen years after I loved Sammie with all my heart. In retrospect, during the months proceeding his death Sammie had not quite been himself. He suddenly required copious amounts of food to maintain his weight. He was all at once agreeable to what-

ever I suggested.

Sammie who had always been a larger than life

character suddenly appeared meek in his seventeen hand frame. He had never made friends easily. Yet, there Sammie was in the middle of

Life with H

Of Love

By Karin foley

the herd. I should have known something was up. The heart sees what the heart wants to see. I missed the signs. It was early fall and there was still plenty of grass for Sammie to enjoy. On the particular day I found him he was lying down as if he’d gone to sleep. At first I thought he was asleep. Every horse owner has had that experience where their horse is sprawled out in the field. In the split second before there is a flick of the tail or shake of the head we think the worst. For the thirty- five seconds that it took me to get to


April/May 2013

one loss rips us to the core and another, while sad, allows us to go on as we were. Losing Sammie changed me. I was broken from the loss of him. I had arrived at that place called three degrees below pain. I stayed there for a full year. Our farm is narrow and deep. It goes uphill as you walk towards the back. It is perfect for jogging my labs. So every day at least one of the labs comes along as I check on the horses. My favorite lab is a chocolate female named, Robin. Which, by the way is odd since, I prefer a black lab. Robin has just celebrated her first birthday. She is beautiful and sweet and has an ethereal quality. She is what you would call an old soul. A few months ago Robin and I were doing our horse rounds. We decided to sit down and take a break. It was not long before my thoughts turned to Sammie. Tears soon followed and just as quickly I distinctly heard Sammie say, “Why are you crying? I am right here.” I look down and saw Robin laying there with her head in my lap and I was at once healed. My grandmother, Grace Edna as she was known, used to say that ”trying to understand death is to try to make sense of the unsensible.” Given that like many of the women in my family Grace Edna insisted on

Horses:

e and Loss

an orderly universe it was a significant concession on her part to admit that not everything could be explained. I have added her words to a brief list of mantras that over the years have become a great source of comfort during tough times. Friends come into our lives. Friends leave. New friends are born and old ones die and we are never quite the same for it. At some point I heeded Grace Edna’s sage advice and stopped trying to make sense of the unsensible. The spirits of *Magic Domino AHS +++//, Gem, Skylark, Sammie and all the other magical horses that have passed on in

Sammie I watched for a sign. Then I knew. Sammie had not struggled. He had simply laid down and closed his eyes. Then he was gone. Upon hearing of Sammie’s passing my old friend Diana commented, “What a way for Sammie to go surrounded by his friends. ” There was no sickness, no tough decisions, and no what ifs? For every single day for the year after I found Sammie I grieved. I held onto that grief as I had once held onto him. I cannot explain why

this lifetime live on through their children and their children’s children and in the hearts of us who loved them. Sitting here with Robin at my feet I am comforted by the knowledge that their spirits simply live on.

31


32

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

L orraine P rowse Q & A with AHA High Point Adult Amateur


April/May 2013

Lorraine Prowse is a 28 year old resident of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada who had a hugely successful 2012. She was named AHA High Point Adult Amateur and her Arabian gelding Sur Teddy’s Magna was 2nd place AHA High Point Horse. At Canadian Nationals, this pair earned National Championships in Regular Working Hunter, Working Hunter AAOTR, Hunter Hack and Training Level Dressage ATR; Reserve Championships in Working Hunter ATR, Training Level Dressage ATR and Sport Horse Under Saddle; and Top Ten titles in Training Level Dressage, First Level Dressage and Sport Horse Under Saddle ATR.

33


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

34

One month later, they were in Idaho

How long have you been riding Arabians?

him. He has been a constant in my life for

where they earned 8 National titles at

I started riding Arabians in 1997. I

so long now that I can’t imagine him not

Sport Horse Nationals: National Champion-

started taking lessons at a local hunter

in it. I also really enjoy being able to com-

ships in Working Hunter AAOTR, Training

jumper barn and among the many horses

pete with him in several different divisions

Level Dressage AAOTR, First Level Dressage

I road was a 20 something year old half

including Sport Horse In Hand and Under

AAOTR, Hunter Hack ATR and Hunter Hack

Arabian, she helped teach me to jump.

Saddle, Dressage and Working Hunter.

AAOTR. They were also Top Ten winners in

Christmas of 1997, my parents surprised

Training Level Dressage ATR, Sport Horse

me by walking a 3 year old Arabian geld-

Who have your instructors been during

Under Saddle ATR and Working Hunter ATR.

ing named Surphin Boy up to our front

your career?

Lorraine showed three of her other

door and I have been riding Arabians

Susan Fyfe from Keno Hills was my first

horses to National titles in 2012: Purebred

and half Arabians exclusively ever since.

instructor after I got Surphin Boy. I rode

Jayded Moon+ National Champion Trail AOTR and Top Ten Open Trail; DA Missy El-

with her from 1997 until 2010. What horses do you currently own?

Since then, I have been riding with

liot+ - Top Ten Hunter Pleasure AAOTR 18-

Sur Teddy’s Magna++/ , a 16 year old

Debbie Storey from Top Line Training. Deb-

39 and Footloose II to a Top Ten in Yearling

Arabian gelding (Surokhan x HM Magna)

bie trains DA Missy Elliot and Jayded Moon.

Sport Horse Colts/Geldings. Lorraine and her late Arabian gelding, Surphin Boy+// earned 10 Canadian National Jumper Championships. They also represented the Arabian breed in the Battle

Jayded Moon +, an 11 year old Arabian gelding (Surokhan x Jayda) DA Missy Elliot+, a 9 year old HalfArabian mare (Triften x Bey Diva) Footloose II, 2 year old Arabian/

of the Breeds at Spruce Meadows for several

Trakehner gelding (Windfall x RM Bey

years in 4 of the 5 events: Compulsory Skills

Firemist)

(dressage), Jeopardy Jumping, Trail and Barrels. The only event that he did not compete in was the Obstacle Driving.

I have also been taking dressage lessons with Chris Collins since 2010 and am lucky enough to get pointers from Cheryl and Allan Ehrlick when we are at the same shows (usually only Scottsdale, Canadian Nationals and Sport Horse Nationals). Who has had the greatest influence on

Who is your favorite and why?

your riding?

Sur Teddy’s Magna (Teddy) is my fa-

I learned a lot from Susan Fyfe dur-

vorite. I started working with him when he

ing my time riding with her. As a partici-

was 3 years old (he will be 16 this year)

pant in her tournament program, which

and is currently working toward her Pat-

and completed all of his training; I was

matches young horses and riders together,

ent and Trademark Agent designations.

the first to ride him, jump him and show

I learned a lot about working with and

Surphin Boy , 10-time National Champion Jumper, at Canadian Nationals (left) and competing in Battle of the Breeds (below)

Christinsa Weese Photo

Don Stine Photo

Lorraine has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta


April/May 2013 training different horses. In fact, it was

What is your proudest accomplishment?

ern Canadian Breeders. If things go well,

in this program that I was first matched

I have been incredibly fortunate to

there is also the possibility that I will

with Teddy. From all the information and

own several successful show horses, how-

make take my first trip to US Nationals.

experience I obtained from Susan, I have

ever my proudest accomplishment is Ted-

taken what I found useful and it has cre-

dy. When I first started working with Teddy

What has riding/training Arabian horses

ated the basis of my training and condi-

I did not know how to train a horse, did

taught you?

tioning program for my horses at home.

not understand collection and had no ex-

Riding and training horses has made

perience starting a horse. As a youngster,

me more confident and has taught me

Teddy was sometimes difficult to work

patience and perseverance. By work-

What do you like/dislike about Arabians? The majority of the Arabians I have

with but I think a huge part of that was that

ing with horses I have learned how

worked with are very intelligent and easy

neither of us had any experience. He was

to work towards a goal and become

to work with. They try hard and have great

always quick to let me know if he thought

much

work ethics.

I was doing something wrong but he did

aren’t going quite the way I had hoped.

more

adaptable

when

things

Their tendency to be on the small

teach me very quickly that trying to suck

side is something that I dislike about

his head into place was not going to work

them. Being 5’10” tends to limit which

and was not collection. My proudest ac-

Regardless of what the future holds for

horses I can ride without looking silly.

complishment was the day that Teddy and

me, I know that horses will always be a part

I figured things out and really began work-

of my life. In 5 years I hope to be show-

ing as a team. I can’t remember exactly

ing my homebred Half Arabian/Trakehner

Of the classes I normally compete

when that happened, but I do remember

gelding, Footloose II, in the Sport Horse

in, working hunter is my favorite. How-

the feeling and the huge smile on my face.

and Hunter/Jumper divisions. Other than

What is your favorite discipline?

ever, my all-time favorite discipline is jumper although I have not competed in

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

that, I haven’t really thought that far in What are your horse plans for 2013?

advance. At some point in time I think it

the division since Surphin Boy passed

The focus for this year will be on Ca-

would be a lot of fun to ride some upper

away in 2007. I am hoping that it is a

nadian Nationals. I will also have the op-

level dressage tests and that is definitely a

division that Footloose (Ren) will en-

portunity to compete at 2 regional level

goal for the future.

joy competing in, but that won’t be for a

shows which are being hosted in my

while since he will only be 2 this year.

area (R17 off-site hunter/jumper and R6 off-site sport horse) as well as West-

DA Missy Elliott and Lorraine with their Top Ten from Canadian Nationals (below) and Jayded Moon+, 2012 Canadian National

Amanda Ubell Photo

Champion Trail AOTR (right)

Jeff Janson Photo

35


36

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Biomechanics

Ride With Your Mind Uses the Psychology of Learning A Series by Lisa May Photos by Sharon Larkin

Forty years ago Mary Wanless set out

destination. Most of us need fundamen-

to think for themselves and find their own

to discover what makes someone ‘talent-

tals - the G, H, I of how. No matter how dili-

way within large frameworks. But before

ed’. Now with six books, multiple DVDs,

gently our effort, working on X without the

RWYM, I’d never had a riding instructor ask

and clinics worldwide, her “Ride With Your

earlier letters in place does not produce

me what I was feeling or noticing, and how

Mind”TM (RWYM) method of rider coach-

the alphabet. RWYM starts by helping peo-

I might experiment to alter my results!

ing explains how the talented rider’s body

ple examine their own awareness of pro-

shapes the horse’s athletic use of his body.

prioception (where they are in space). As

Her pioneering work has seeped into that

riders discover what they are doing now,

of many others who refer to rider biome-

we then help them alter it through strate-

chanics. Wanless’ strategies can be under-

gies that work for their own bodies. Having

stood most clearly from the source.

clarified where rider and horse are now we

Where do riders find help learning

assist them with how to take the next most

what talented equestrians can do? We

accessible step - the next letter in the al-

typically seek out those having competi-

phabet.

tive success. Yet, research has shown that

RWYM is different from other instruc-

naturally-able performers are less likely to

tion methods since it is a coaching strategy

know how they do a skill than people who

that recognizes how different people learn.

have had to map the territory while strug-

We utilize learning theory to communicate

gling to master that skill. Much of a natural

through three senses - hearing, sight and

performer’s skill is unconscious. It’s hard

kinesthetics (touch/movement) - to learn-

to explain something you haven’t had to

ers whose brains may utilize one approach

think about! It is also hard to transfer a

more easily than another. Many riders are

In a wonderful Teacher Training exer-

skill to someone whose body doesn’t do

experiential/kinesthetic (feeling) learners

cise, Mary Wanless asks coaches to, “Imag-

the same things yours does.

who, as children, found themselves bored

ine strawberry as I keep repeating straw-

It’s hard for a naturally-able athlete

by the memorization and regurgitation of

berry”. The result is a cornucopia of jam,

to assess how most of us differ from them.

the verbal/visual classroom. In college, I

berries, pie, fresh, on toast, in cereal, on

They do X, and Z happens. They tell us to

had known hands-on /experiential immer-

cheesecake, in jars, picking them, a giant

do X, and Z isn’t on the horizon. Traditional

sion: educators ask questions that help

one, little ones, the Beatles song, the print-

teaching uses conventions of language

students reflect on and define their direc-

ed word, fruit stand signs, photographs,

that relate to where we are going - the

tion - affirming and encouraging students

the smell, the taste - evoked differently in


April/May 2013 25 trainees minds. It’s a graphic demon-

lutions for that horse and rider pair.

ment. Find out more about these strate-

stration that reveals how words evoke dif-

Mary Wanless tells the story of her

gies for using the brain to communicate

ferent images for different people. Rapid

success as a non-player coaching a skilled

with horses through behavioral science

change can be made in the control that

tennis athlete during her Applied Coach-

and biomechanics!

the brain/nervous system has of the body

ing course. When encouraged to analyze

information at www.Mary-Wanless.com in-

when riders name their own feeling or pic-

her own movements and given feedback

cluding coaches worldwide - with five in

ture words. Their own trigger words evoke

and support by a coach, the athlete can

the USA at www.RideWithYourMindUSA.

change in their own brain and their own

find her way! In daily life we rarely expe-

com.

body much more precisely than any words

rience communication styles that coach

others can explain to them.

rather than directing. It is ever so seduc-

Lisa May is an accredited RWYM coach

RWYM systematically employs verbal,

tive to tell people what to do, rather than

working with Wanless since 1997. Also a

visual and kinesthetic contrast to guide the

guide them to identify their own route

Professional Association of Therapeutic

rider. The human nervous system learns

toward changed perceptions and actions.

Horsemanship International instructor, she

by contrast. Through understanding their

I see an answer. I want to take the rider

travels for clinics from her home in Mary-

‘normal reality’, we use contrast and exag-

there by my shortcut. Yet my shortcut di-

land www.IdylwildFarm.com.

geration to help riders find the difference

rectives don’t equal the shortcut the rider

from ‘normal’ that is needed. In coach-

can define on her own map with the help of a coach. The RWYM method is a route that supports people learning independently in collaboration with the horse. RWYM acknowledges the psychology of motivation. Coaches supportively place the responsibility and power for change, in the lap of the rider. Olympian Kyra Kyrklund wrote in Dressage with Kyra, “You can never teach anyone else to ride if they do not actively take part in the learning process”. Only the rider can define her personal map. The way each individual organizes her body in the saddle determines how she influences her horse. Our horses mirror us. Wanless’ strategies include tools of

ing we guide and encourage the rider to

mental awareness and body control that

concentrate, examine, and compare what

underpin good riding. From the unique

their body is doing and how the horse is

starting point of each rider’s body RWYM’s

responding, so that they can identify their

coaching methods enable riders to map

own path - their own body’s “map” toward

the territory they themselves have to cross

a riding objective. A coach recognizes that

to arrive at good riding.

she may not see all that is occurring. Only

As athletes on horseback we can use

with the feedback of rider and horse may

our own anatomy to communicate to the

the three of them discover the specific so-

horse a streamlined framework for move-

There’s a wealth of

37


Magic Do

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

*

Sherry Stewart with Magic Domino AHS in British Columbia

Jo-Ann Campone Photo

38


omino

April/May 2013

AHS

By Arlene Magid

(excerpted from original, published in Crabbet Arabian World)

*Magic Domino AHS+++// stood alone among pure Crabbet stallions in North America. He was the first Arabian stallion to be ap-

proved by the Canadian Sport Horse Registry. No other straight Crabbet stallion in North America has as extensive a show record (his honors include 4 U.S. Top Ten titles in sport horse halter, a U.S. National win in dressage, 10 regional dressage and sport horse show hack titles, and 5 regional titles in sport horse in hand and numerous wins in open dressage competing against all breeds). *Magic Domino AHS+++// has sired 28 get who have been successful in the show ring, earning regional and/or National titles, including National Championships in hunter hack, dressage, sport horse show hack, sport horse under saddle and sport horse halter and top ten titles in hunt pleasure and hunter over fences. His remarkable record as a show horse and sire is only part of his story, as his superb temperament has won the hearts of his owners and many fans. A great champion with a great heart! *Magic Domino AHS+++//’s heritage

to 1962 British Reserve Senior Champion

stallion ever to be granted Premium Stal-

is filled with horses which have produced

Male Manto. Ludo was a fine sire. His son

lion status by the Arab Horse Society. He

National Champions in both in hand and

El Santo was British Junior Champion Male

completed his performance tests against

ridden competition in Britain and else-

in 1970. His son Ludrex sired Donax, sire

older stallions rated a Grade II. The gru-

where. His sire Ludomino is the only

of the British National Champions Zircon

eling test included show jumping over

Arabian ever to win the Supreme Ridden

Karisma, Zircon Nazeer (a National Cham-

doubles, a cross-country course, a dres-

Championship at the Royal Windsor Show,

pion sire himself) and Rishenda.

sage test, loose schooling over jumps, a

which is awarded to the overall champion

Ludo daughters were wonderful pro-

vet exam and an inspection by the Presi-

at the show and must be won against all

ducers. His daughter Ludoet is the dam

dent of the Arab Horse Society. Hamsfah

breeds in ridden competition. Ludomino is

of 1986 British National Champion Sen-

is a 3/4 blood sister to 1984 Canadian Top

also the sire of the Gadebrook Stud mare

ior Female Bint Ludoet, Another daughter,

Ten Stallion *Shatir AHS as they are both

Zaharina, whose daughter Zaha is a noted

Indian Snowflake, produced multiple Na-

by the same sire and Hamsfah’s maternal

endurance competitor.

tional Champion Haroun and Nimet, dam

granddam is a full sister to *Shatir AHS’s

Ludomino is a 3/4 brother to Indian

of British National Champion Junior Male

dam. Hamsfah is also a 3/4 blood sister to

Snowflake, dam of multiple British Na-

Nasib and 1981 British Supreme Champi-

Sherifah, a full sister to *Shatir AHS. Sheri-

tional Champion Haroun and granddam of

on Female Najat. Ludo’s sire is the very in-

fah is the dam of the superb performance

British National Champions Nasib and Na-

fluential Blue Domino, who sired National

stallion Al Mesdam. He was the 2000 UK

jat. *Magic Domino AHS+++// is similarly

winners in Britain and in North America. 14

International Ridden Champion (Arabian

bred to Haroun as both are grandsons of

of his get are British National Champions,

competition), 2001 Champion Ridden

Ludo and of Hanif. Ludomino is by Ludo,

*Magic Domino AHS+++//’s distaff

Stallion at the Horse of the Year Show

named Supreme Riding Horse at the Royal

side is as distinguished as his sire side. His

(HOYS) against all breeds, and 2002 Brit-

International show and winner of the Win-

dam Hamsfah also produced the outstand-

ish Reserve National Champion Ridden

ston Churchill Cup. Ludo is a full brother to

ing athlete Hachim, who was a successful

Stallion in all Arabian competition.

1965 British Reserve Supreme Champion

racehorse in the U.K. prior to his export to

Hamsfah is out of Marufah, a daughter

Female Lilac Domino and a 3/4 brother

Abu Dhabi. At age 4, he was the youngest

of the multiple British National Champion

39


40

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine Manto. Marufah is a paternal sister to 1973

Carol Carpenter (owner of Ludomino, sire

an Arabian stallion who could be taken se-

British Supreme Champion Female Azara

of *Magic Domino AHS+++//) and Geof-

riously as an open sport horse. With the

and to British Reserve National Champion

frey Plaister, who bred Hamsfah the dam

interest in warmbloods as performance

Geldings Mantardi and Mansar. Marufah’s

of *Magic Domino AHS+++//’. She was

horses, it seemed that anything with Ara-

sire Manto is a 3/4 brother to twice British

sired by Hanif, the *Silver Vanity son bred

bian blood was not taken seriously in the

Supreme Champion Male El Meluk.

at Crabbet and aquired by Geoffrey when

performance ring. What I wanted to do was

Magic Domino was bred by Anne

it dispersed in 1972,” Anne comments.

to find a larger than average Arabian stal-

Brown of England’s Gadebrook Stud. Anne

Anne’s extensive experience and knowl-

lion and promote him to the sport horse

is an internationally respected breeder

edge of conformation enabled her to hit a

aficionados.

of Arabian athletes who have excelled in

home run with *Magic Domino AHS+++//,

“My search took two years. I had been

dressage, endurance riding and racing. She

who was one of the first foals she bred

sent a copy of Arab Horse Society News by

has bred and/or owned some of the very

in her straight Crabbet program, and his

a British breeder because of the article in

finest British bred Arabians. Her stallion

dam’s first foal for her.

it about Ferishal (there was a trophy at the

Croix De Guerre (Sky Crusader x Someone

*Magic Domino AHS+++// earned his

British Nationals awarded in his memory,

Special) represented Britain at the World

first in hand triumph as a 3 year old. Not

hence the article), and in the back of that

Endurance Championships in Rome in

only did judge Dianne Whittome put him

issue I found an advertisement featuring

2003 and achieved 8th place with the Brit-

first in his class, she also awarded him

*Magic Domino+++//. He was just two

ish team, the very first time he represent-

Youngstock Champion against the other

years old.”

ed his country internationally. Gadebrook

fillies, colts and geldings, and then Re-

Anne received the unexpected inquiry

was founded in 1969, breeding palominos

serve Champion of the show against all of

about *Magic Domino+++// - Sherry was

and Anglo-Arabs, but Anne became seri-

the other class winners! *Magic Domino

prepared to buy him sight unseen, but

ously interested in Crabbet bloodlines in

AHS+++// had begun his winning show

Anne insisted that she come to inspect

1986.

career in style.

him as it was such an important purchase.

Anne states she was fortunate in her

Sherry Stewart is a lifelong horsewom-

Sherry loved Domino on sight and knew

mentors in Crabbet breeding. “I was lucky

an whose grandmother, Margaret Trethew-

that he was the horse she had been look-

enough to be guided at the outset by

ey of Coniagas Ranches in Maple Ridge,

ing for, and so the deal was done.

Jo-Ann Campone Photo

British Columbia, was one of the early

Brenda Driedeger worked with him as a

breeders of Arabian horses in Canada.

five-year-old year and solidified his train-

She imported the Crabbet bred mare

ing, readying him for his British Columbia

*Rishafieh (originally imported to Amer-

Sport Horse competition. Her dressage

ica by Roger Selby) and her son Ferishal

background was invaluable in gaining two

en-utero to Canada.

of his most important honors, becoming a

Sherry recalls: “When I was learn-

Trakehner approved stallion and also win-

ing to ride, my grandmother’s stable of

ning high point show hack at the British

Arabians and Half-Arabians was slowly

Columbia Sport Horse Show against all

winding down. These accomplished

breeds. This title was a provincial champi-

show horses were the ones I rode grow-

onship for all of British Columbia.

ing up, and I began to show as I became

*Magic Domino AHS’s 1996 Canadian

more capable. Later, when I had mar-

Trakehner inspection notes read: “As an

ried and returned to my grandmother’s

Arabian he is one of the best in this coun-

ranch, I wanted to rekindle the Arabian

try in the classic Arabian type. We evaluate

presence there and decided to purchase

Arabians for their use or value in Trakeh-


April/May 2013 ner breeding. Remarkable in his powerful

horse at the inspection. Two years later

people I shipped Domino semen to, they

movement, especially in canter, good stal-

they informed me that he would need to

were huge fans and they have been able

lion expression and type. His withers and

pass his performance testing to be accept-

to see my dream to completion. Domino

croup show the typical Crabbet conforma-

ed permanently into the Canadian Sport

had such a great home with them. It has

tion He has very good nerves and was very

Horse Registry. This was a new ruling and

taken his breeder, Anne Brown, myself and

well handled. We were given the privilege

came as a surprise to the owners of a num-

the Thomasons to bring this horse to his

of seeing him under saddle in medium

ber of young stallions.

full potential.”

dressage; very convincing.”

“When I sold Domino to the States I

Kim’s involvement with *Magic Domi-

“We also showed him in two all Ara-

hoped that Kim would achieve his per-

no AHS+++// happened because Dr Lynn

bian shows where he did quite well but I

formance qualification so he would have

Artress, who owned Crabbet Arabians,

really wanted him to shine was at the Brit-

permanent status. She did this with his

worked with her husband Mark. Dr Artress

ish Columbia Sport Horse Show, because

competition in dressage so he is now a

was the final owner of the great Crabbet

by beating all of the best warmblood stock

permanent Canadian Sport Horse Bronze

stallion *Silver Vanity. When he found out

that were competing in our province he

Approved Stallion,” explains Sherry. Sher-

that the Thomasons had an Arabian stal-

made his mark and a name for himself,“

ry had reluctantly decided to sell *Magic

lion but no mares, he offered them mares

Sherry comments. “His win there increased

Domino AHS as she knew he could achieve

from his own herd. Eventually they bought

demand for his stud services, and we were

far more with the right owner in the U.S.A.

two mares from him, the Oran and *Sil-

helped by Dr Juan Semper, the renowned

“Many Canadians take their top sport

ver Vanity granddaughter AF Orans De-

AI expert who helped us make Domino’s

horses to the U.S.A. to compete but with

light who is double Oran, and AF Touchof

semen available worldwide. I still have 30

a young family and my obligations on the

Vanity, a granddaughter of *Silver Vanity

straws of his frozen semen.”

ranch that was not feasible, and I felt if he

whose sire is a grandson of Indian Magic.

Unfortunately many of his Canadian

got into the right hands he would fulfill

Thus Kim had two mares whose pedigrees

born progeny were not registered because

his potential in dressage and as a breed-

contained the same great stallions as

they were bred by people who wanted

ing stallion. I set the stage for Domino’s

*Magic Domino AHS+++//.

performance horses and had no plans to

success-he did the rest, “ says Sherry.

show at Arabian shows so their breed-

“Mark and Kim Thomason were the first

ers felt there was no need for Arabian or half-Arabian registration. Another important distinction *Magic Domino AHS+++// achieved in Sherry’s ownership was his Canadian Sport Horse Phase One Approved Stallion. “When he was three years old I presented him to the Canadian Sport Horse Association and he was accepted with a very strong showing. The inspections for entry into this registry are very stringent. Stallions must be at least 16 hands tall, have 8 inch or larger cannon bones, possess a good temperament and exhibit conformation that enable the horse to be ‘built to last.’ He was the highest scoring

Jo-Ann Campone Photo

Kim recalls: “We really liked what we saw in the Crabbet breeding and decided

41


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine to look for a high percentage stallion to

ized that his pictures do not do him jus-

competition, including five U.S. National

breed to AF Touchof Vanity. I had seen an

tice. I was blown away! He was absolutely

titles in sport horse halter and dressage.

ad for Domino in Canadian Arabian News

beautiful. Besides the obvious things that

He earned his Bronze Premium Status with

and just couldn’t get him off my mind, so

took my breath away when I first saw him,

the Canadian Sport Horse Registry with

we contacted Sherry Stewart to get semen

his eyes made me feel I could see into his

his accomplishments in dressage. He has

shipped to us. Vanitys Magic AD was born

soul. There was an instant connection be-

been recognized by the USDF in their All

in March 1996. She was one of the easiest

tween the two of us.”

Breed awards for Arabians in dressage. He

foals I had ever dealt with, quick to learn

Mark had actually bought the horse

was chosen as the Eastern Crabbet Ara-

before they left Canada, hoping to make

bian Horse Association Horse of the Year

Kim’s first meeting with *Magic Dom-

him a surprise gift to Kim, but there were

in 2006, and in 2004 he was chosen by

ino AHS+++// was auspicious. “We had

issues with his transportation to the U.S. so

the Arabian Horse Owners Foundation as

gone on a skiing holiday to British Co-

Mark had to tell Kim what was happening.

a “Living Legend” and invited to attend

lumbia in January 2000,” she says, “and

As it turned out, the transporter brought

the Arabian Horse Celebration in Denver,

we were near where Domino lived, so I

*Magic Domino AHS+++// to one of their

Colorado.

asked Sherry if I could see him in person.

locations in Lexington, Kentucky and Kim

What makes all his achievements even

Sherry was thinking about leasing him and

couldn’t wait three more days for his de-

more impressive was that they have been

wanted to know if I would be interested,

livery to Tennessee so she drove to Ken-

accomplished with Kim as his amateur rid-

which of course I was. Unbeknownst to

tucky herself and brought him home in

er, not working with a trainer. She says of

me, my husband Mark had already talked

April 2000.

him: “Domino has been a wonderful teach-

and also very beautiful.

to Sherry about buying Domino. Sherry

With Kim, *Magic Domino AHS +++//

er. We have had to learn things to get here

made arrangements to take Domino to a

had an exceptional show career both in

rather than having someone who knows

farm nearby with an indoor riding arena.

hand and under saddle as a dressage

what they are doing teach one of us first.

When I saw him for the first time, I real-

horse, both in open and in all Arabian

He gets the idea quicker than I do and then

BobTarr.com Photo

42

Photo Courtesy of Mark Thomason


April/May 2013 gently requires I learn to do it right. He has

ring accomplishments. He has 61 regis-

Champion Third Level Dressage and U.S.

always been a kind teacher.”

tered get, 28 of whom have show records

National Champion Third Level Dressage

Perhaps Kim’s most treasured memory

in Arabian competition (and as Sherry

• Magic Enchantress AD++++// U.S. Top

is of *Magic Domino AHS+++//’s Living

Stewart explained, there are likely a num-

Ten Half-Arabian Sport Horse Jackpot Filly,

Legend presentation in 2004. It enabled

ber of unpapered offspring excelling in

Sport Horse Mare in Hand, Sport Horse

her to meet his breeder, Anne Brown, who

the open show world as well).

Mare in Hand ATH and Sport Horse Show

also helped Kim get him to Colorado. “Ac-

• Dominique++ U.S. Top Ten Half-Arabian

Hack

cording to the program, Arabian Horse

Hunter JTR and Hunt Pleasure JOTR 14-17

• Magic Schonmadchen AD U.S. Reserve

Owners Foundation ‘Living Legends’ have

• Watch Me UF+// 12 National titles in

National Champion Half-Arabian Sport

been selected for their contributions to

dressage, sport horse under saddle, hunter

Horse Jackpot Filly

the Arabian horse in America. They may

and sport horse show hack including U.S.

• Magic Delight AD U.S. Top Ten Sport

be stallions, geldings, or mares. They are

Reserve National Champion Half-Arabian

Horse Jackpot Filly

recognized for their importance in many

Sport Horse Show Hack

• Irresistible Magic U.S. Top Ten Half-Arabi-

fields of Arabian endeavour,” Kim explains.

• Angels Legacy+++// 7 National titles

an Sport Horse Jackpot Filly

“The award is made only once every 25

including Half-Arabian Sport Horse Mare

• Magic Silk AD U.S. Top Ten Sport Horse

years and Domino’s nomination was a

In Hand, Sport Horse Show Hack and U.S.

Jackpot Filly

complete surprise to us. We did not know

Reserve National Champion Half-Arabian

Owners of *Magic Domino AHS+++//

anything about it until we were notified of

Second Level Dressage (note: she is an

get report they have superb tempera-

the wonderful honor. Only 10 horses had

Anglo-Arabian)

ments and great natural talent.

been selected from over 650,000 regis-

• KF Almaz++// 15 National titles including

tered purebred Arabians. ”

Canadian National Champion Half-Arabian

away suddenly in January at 24.

*Magic Domino AHS+++//’s achieve-

Sport Horse Show Hack and Sport Horse

Afterword by Kim Thomason

ments in the breeding barn equal his show

Under Saddle, Canadian Reserve National

Domino was a surprise gift from my

husband Mark. He had no way of know-

hibits. He was always a good ambassador

Riding Domino whether it be at home

ing the love affair that was started from

for the Arabian breed, for Crabbet Arabi-

or at a show was wonderful. Domino al-

the moment I first looked into Domino’s

ans, and for our farm no matter where we

ways took care of me. He taught me so

eyes. As a little girl I had always dreamed

went or where we stopped.

much, more than I ever taught him. Dom-

Sadly, Magic Domino AHS+++// passed

of owning a very special horse, that dream

He was always willing to let someone

ino always tried to do what you asked of

came true the moment Domino came into

give him a pat on the neck or feel his soft

him even when we were learning some-

my life. He was 12 years old and I was no

muzzle. Domino was always very gentle

thing new. He learned it faster than I did

longer a little girl when we started our

with kids, especially small children. He

much of the time and then would require

lives together, but when I was with Dom-

won many a leery child over by gently tak-

me to do it correctly, but if I was not, he

ino it was “Magic” and I was still that little

ing a treat from their small hands. Domino

would politely let me know.

girl.

gave many special rides to those that met

Domino will always be an incredible

I remember going to Lexington, KY to

him. He was quite the poser for pictures

pick Domino up just so I could get him

too. He has pictures taken by visitors, at

One day we will meet again in heaven

home 3 days earlier than the transport

the KY horse park and shows, all over the

when we cross over the rainbow bridge

company could get him to Cookeville, TN.

world.

together, until then, in my heart, Magic

wonderful part of my life.

This started our traveling time together.

Domino gave me the chance to do

We traveled from Denver, CO, to Ocala FL,

things I never even dreamed of. He made

being my friend. Love, Kim

to Lexington VA and KY, to Conyers GA, all

me look better than I am. I literally think

P.S. I miss the daily shoulder and back rubs.

through Tennessee, and places between.

Domino just took me along for the ride

We went to shows, clinics, lessons, and ex-

and “What a ride it WAS!”

Domino you will always be. Thank you for

43


44

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

TURN BACK THE CLOCK

HRH Radjur by Kat D. Walden Photo Courtesy Creeky Routson

H.R.H. Radjur (“His Royal Highness”), a 16 hh palomino gelding by “The Fabulous Fadjur” out of a grade cremello mare called Nellie, spent his whole life as the backyard horse of owner-trainer Creeky Routson of Walnut Creek, California. He was foaled in February, 1963, and died at age 25 in 1988. A respected dressage instructor, trainer and “S” judge, Creeky continues to pass on the lessons that she and Radjur learned together. Until Creeky retired Radjur from competition to give freestyle exhibitions, which he enjoyed more than doing tests, the gelding was one of the top ten dressage horses on the West Coast. In the 1970’s there were no dressage classes at all-Arabian shows, so Radjur was shown only in all-breed competition. Up until 1975, he had won over 100 trophies and 20 rosettes given by the California Dressage Society for scores higher than 60%. He won the Western

and participated in a number of Monte Foreman clinics with him.

American Dressage Championship in Pebble Beach, California, for

Because he only tolerated cattle to please Creeky, she shifted to

Second Level, and in 1975, for Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges.

jumping and eventing. The change suited Radjur, and they won

The photo at right shows the pair at Pebble Beach. After 1976, in

the Training Division at a Concord-Mt. Diablo event, where Charles

Intermediare, Creeky said he continued to win all his classes as

DeKunffy saw them perform.

long as she took him to dressage shows.

showed great dressage potential, so for the next five years, Creeky

DeKunffy believed the gelding

Although Radjur was capable of performing most of the

and Radjur progressed under his sometimes forceful tutelage.

Grand Prix level movements, he showed them off only in exhi-

They received additional instruction from Olympic judge Colonel

bitions. There Creeky could ask for movements in an order that

Gustav Nyblaeus.

suited Radjur’s temperament and abilities better than the contem-

Working with some of the best instructors available in their

porary formal dressage tests in use by the United States Dressage

fields helped Creeky to make the most of Radjur’s natural abili-

Federation (USDF) at that time. Radjur was always a bit eccentric,

ties and gave her the riding and training foundations upon which

and as he grew older, Creeky catered to him enough to keep him

she based her livelihood. Although Creeky moved on to breed Ha-

a happy performer. The pair gave exhibitions at Jack Tone Ranch

noverian horses and to train and compete several other horses to

Horse Management Clinics—home of his famous sire--at the Ara-

FEI levels, Radjur remained her cherished first dressage horse and

bian Horse Fair in Reno, Nevada, and at all-Arabian horse shows.

buddy of her teenage years for the rest of his life. She eventually

At one Diablo Arabian Horse Association (DAHA) show

purchased a purebred Arabian gelding to be her trail horse, giving

where Radjur and Creeky gave a lunch-time dressage exhibition,

him up to her oldest son when he wanted to ride and show him in

she also entered him in several classes just for fun. With Creeky

dressage. Currently (2013) she has a young Anglo-Arabian geld-

he won the Stock horse class and a Western Pleasure class, and he

ing just starting his dressage career.

took third in a second Western Pleasure class with a different rider,

dressage at horse trials and events, and she has earned the right to

winning High Point Half-Arabian of the show!

judge dressage at the highest levels, but she is also willing to teach

This accomplishment is not as unusual as it seems on first read, because Creeky started Radjur’s show career as a stock horse

Creeky still enjoys judging

riders who aspire not to show but only to being the best partner to their horses that they can be.


April/May 2013

McCool Photography

45


46

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

From Setback

by Donna Sa

Photos by Den

T

he 2011 show year was starting off to be great for my

it should be. He also had

Half Arabian gelding Show Biz Shah (Ultra Bey x Faith)

scratches all over his legs

or as we call him, Busy, and me. We were training hard

from thrashing around. Ini-

and doing very well at all the qualifying shows for SHN. I

tially, the outlook was bad.

knew this was the year we were going to bring home of those

The vet even told my hus-

gorgeous Arabian trophies! What happened there was some-

band that Busy would not

thing I couldn’t have imagined.

make it through the night from the extreme amount of stress he was under. Busy was given some shots for the pain and swelling while we discussed what we should do with him. After a while, the vets agreed that he was not going to be able to get onto a trailer to make it to Rood and Riddle. So we padded his stall with extra shavings and the very kind Horse Park staff added slits so Busy could easily see his friends on both sides of his

Earlier on our fateful day, I had an amazing ride warm-

stall.

ing up over fences with Busy. I could not wait to get into the

Once the vet told us

show ring the next day. I untacked him, freshened his water

there was nothing else we

and hay, and left with my mom, sister and husband to grab some lunch. We had just ordered our drinks when we got the call. Busy was totally suspended from the top of his stall by his left front hoof. We ran out of the restaurant and made it to the stall just as Busy had finally fallen free. According to our stall neighbors he had reared to look over the stall to see his friend next door and got his hoof caught between the top metal and the top tongue-and-grove wood board. There was about a 4-inch gap. He thrashed around for about 20 minutes until his hind legs kicked out the boards below. Then for about 5 more minutes he was totally suspended until the boards gave way and he came down hard. He ended up cast in the corner of this stall but allowed the vets and other helpers to get him up safely. When I got to his stall he was standing, but you could see his shoulder had dropped a good 12 inches from where


k to Comeback

April/May 2013

aldarriaga

nise Stenstrum

could do, we walked to a

while I let him finish the entire bottle. He even got the

vendor to grab some lunch

strength to lift his head a little after he drank it all. By this

and come back to watch

time, mom had called the vet back at Rood and Riddle and

over Busy. We were only

he was on his way. We decided Busy had to make it to their

gone for 10 minutes, but

facility one way or another. In a little while, we got him up

when we came back, Busy

and loaded on the trailer. When we got to Rood and Riddle,

was laid out in his stall and

Busy was attended by 9 vets, not vet techs, actual vets. He

I couldn’t see him breath-

was placed in a padded stall and given DMSO intravenous-

ing.

I instantly ran into

ly. Busy ended up staying the whole week of SHN at Rood

the stall, sat down, and

and Riddle because his enzyme levels were constantly on

cradled his head in my lap.

the rise from the amount of damage to his shoulder. He had

I thought for sure I had lost

nearly torn the entire muscle in half. Once his week was

him. Then I thought, well

over, he remained in Lexington, KY for a month at a friend’s

maybe he is just exhausted

farm where he stayed on stall rest with a few trips to hand

and dehydrated.

graze each day.

I asked

my mom to grab me a bot-

Once we finally got him home, he was secluded in our

tle of his favorite drink, red

one-acre paddock for three months.

Gatorade.

couldn’t ride him at all. After 3 months, I could start walking

I squeezed the liquid

During that time I

him bareback, and we very slowly progressed from there.

into his mouth and a few

In June 2012, Busy was ready to show again at the Blue

seconds later he started

Ridge Show in Lexington, VA where we competed in just two

slurping!

Sport Horse Under Saddle classes as well as the Champion-

I noticed his

breathing start up again

ships where he won Champion in both!

and he even opened his

This year, we were finally able to get back into the dres-

eyes and looked at me

sage ring. All of the second half of 2012, I worked with Busy on stretching and getting him to loosen up again. If he hadn’t have been injured at SHN 2011, we would have been ready for First Level, but I decided to hold him back one more season in Training Level so I wouldn’t but any extra strain on him shoulder. As it turned out, Busy really didn’t need to be held back because we placed first in both dressage tests at the Heritage Arabian Classic on March 15. To top it all off, he carried me with my 22 week old growing baby in my belly! He has taken such good care of me and my growing baby girl during every single ride since I became pregnant. I cannot wait to give Sport Horse Nationals another shot with my strong boy, Show Biz Shah, and my 2 month old baby girl and husband there to support us.

47


48

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Converting Comandr-N-Chief+//

A journey of a thousand miles starts

showing at the upper levels in dressage?

him, and always did fairly well. After a few

with a single step. For Stacey Burdick-Taul,

Back in 2001, Stacey’s current horse

years had passed, Stacey was ready to try

it has been a journey of true enlighten-

had required a long-term layoff, so she

something more challenging with Chief.

ment when it comes to riding. Her current

asked her friend Duane Esser if he had any

She had dabbled a bit with her previous

upper-level dressage partner is the pure-

horses she could ride just for fun while

horse in dressage and had even taken a

bred Comandr-N-Chief+//, a 1996 geld-

hers was recovering. Duane knew Chief

few lessons in 2004.

ing sired by Rio de Janeiro and out of The

was just hanging out at his owner’s not

One day on a whim, Stacey took Chief

Chief Justice daughter Shilo Liberation.

doing much and suggested Stacey should

to a dressage clinic, at which Eugene

Stacey started out as a teenager riding

lease him. She took him home and liked

Abello was the instructor. “I told him that

Western Pleasure and saddle seat. She

him so much that within a month she de-

Chief was my hunter pleasure horse, but I

then worked her way into showing Hunter

cided to buy him.

thought I would look into buying a dres-

Pleasure very successfully. How, you may

They started out showing in Hunter

sage horse next year. Eugene has always

ask, did she get to where she is today -

Pleasure, for which Duane had trained

laughed about that, he told me that day


April/May 2013

that Chief WAS my dressage horse,” re-

in Chief an amazing work ethic and focus.

trot. Having never ridden an experienced

counts Stacey.

But, being a rail horse trained to always

dressage horse made it difficult for her to

From that day through 2005, Stacey

pick up the inside lead made it tough to

develop the proper feel, nevertheless she

and Chief took monthly dressage lessons

convince Chief it was okay to counter

persevered and conquered it.

together, which proved more than a bit

canter and do flying lead changes. Stacey

When asked what she considers her

challenging as neither had any experi-

laughs, “Chief was sure he was breaking a

greatest accomplishment thus far, Stacey

ence to speak of in dressage. They set out

major rule. He emotionally struggled with

responds, “Dressage is beginning to make

to learn together, not always the easiest

that for a long time.”

true sense to me! There are a lot of wins

way in which to do it. “I wanted to do all of

Another long discussion was getting

the training on my own, just depending on

Chief to stretch his body out and like it

been my ultimate goal.

coaching to guide me,” says Stacey.

there. His previous training had required

classic, soft dressage has been. I sat out of

Their journey was not without difficul-

quite the opposite. As for Stacey, her big-

show seasons from time to time because I

ties. Stacey credits Duane with imparting

gest challenge was properly sitting the

could feel that I needed to step away from

that mean so much, but a ribbon has never Understanding

49


50

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine what I was working on and re-address the basics. Chief and I have 13 national titles, which is something I never thought I would accomplish in my showing career! But, the goal of understanding and working my way up the levels classically has actually become a riding addiction for me.” After a year off in 2012 due to a surgery for Stacey, strengthening and getting into the ring at I-1 is the first order of business for 2013. This talented pair is ultimately aiming for the Grand Prix level to be competitive at both Arabian and open dressage shows. They have spent the past year in training with Susan Posner, a local open dressage trainer, strengthening their basics in order to perfect tempi changes. “We’ve gone back to revamp our knowledge of the canter before we can move on,” says Stacey. “My goal is to add Intermediare 2 this year. I will show I-1 and may need to start back at some Prix St. Georges, but really want to move on and force ourselves to meet those one tempis head on and figure them out this year!” With determination like that, there is little doubt of their success!

BobTarr.com Photo


April/May 2013

Step by Step with Stacey and Chief October 2004

al classes with Chief, and was the top scoring purebred. I was Top

Took our first dressage lesson

10 in both Third and Fourth Levels and Reserve Nat’l Champion in

February 2005

PSG. This was the only time Chief has been shown in dressage by

Went to Florida for a week to take lessons and get started. We

anyone other than myself.

never showed training level, began at first level.

2010

April 2005

Intermediare was proving to be a very large leap for Chief and I,

Began taking monthly lessons, a Saturday and Sunday each month.

so I decided to again sit the show season out and concentrate on

Show season was first and second level.

schooling. Flying lead changes and full pirouettes were TOUGH

September 2005

to learn. To date we are always working on improving our tempis.

Showed at our first SHN, 4 classes and received 3 top 10’s.

2011

I would take lessons April through October or November and be

Returned to showing, continued PSG and added I-1. Had some

on my own until the next spring. Did this from 2005 through 2011,

back soreness issues we had to work out over the 2010 winter, so

training primarily with Eugene Abello, but would meet his partner

we did not start showing until the end of June at Region 14. We

Brian MacMahon at larger shows.

only entered 3 shows that year, including SHN, so we only had 4

2006 Season

attempts showing I-1 before SHN. 3 months was not quite long

Showed Second and Third Level. Marilyn Mell hauled Chief out to

enough of a show season to truly feel prepared for SHN. We had

Idaho for me. 2006 SHN we were Reserve Nat’l Champ SHUS ATR;

some back soreness show up for a couple days at SHN, made it a

National Champion Second Level ATR; Top 10 in Second Level

tough show and the rides were a little disappointing, but were still

AAOTR

happy with our effort. By the time you get to Intermediare and

2007 Season

Grand Prix, there are no longer amateur classes so my only option

Third and Fourth Level. This year we had a great regionals, but

is to show with the professionals. We were: Top 10 in Intermediare

were having problems with sitting on our hind end and collecting

1; Top Ten in Open PSG and Reserve Nat’l Champion in Amateur

without holding each other up - struggling a lot with self carriage.

PSG

Had a lot of problems at SHN, scratched the majority of our class-

I felt as though some of the back soreness was stemming from

es. Began hauling down to Huntsville, Alabama for 2-3 weekends

our continued struggle with not enough softness. We would be

during a show season to ride with Brian.

“locked” in his neck. I wanted to find someone local to work with,

2008

to help me at shows. Needed to step back to my basics again and

Decided to take the year off of any competition and concentrate

improve what has been my biggest struggle: honest self-carriage

on training and working more on our basics. Worked on improving

and softness while maintaining my connection. Started riding

our collection and self carriage

with Susan Posner, now take a lesson every two weeks with her.

2009

2012

Showed Fourth Level and PSG. The only Arabian show we went

February I had a personal medical emergency that prohibited me

to this year was SHN- We had to head to strictly open shows for

from riding for 3 months after I had been off riding for 2 months

these levels. I asked Brian if he would be willing to show Chief in

prior. Since I am the only one that rides my horses, Chief and I both

the open Fourth Level and open PSG at SHN. The really neat thing

got out of shape very quickly. My core muscles were very weak, so

to me was realizing that Brian was able to show my horse success-

I decided to begin at training level and work my way up the levels

fully when I was the one that did the training. Brian had sat on

over several months as we became strong. Gave me a great op-

Chief for 15 minutes in June, and rode him about 30 minutes the

portunity to go back and confirm or correct every movement. That

day before SHN started, and told me Chief felt correct and he felt

was a great teaching tool for Chief and I to really try and finesse so

good about trying to show him. Brian was third in both his nation-

many thought processes together.

51


52

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

It’s Never Too Late

It’s Never Too Late How Sarah Asby had a dream, amended it, then made it happen Sarah and Imnaha showing in dressage Sarah Asby always had a dream. She

burg registry.

As luck would have it, right around the

was the owner of a nice Arabian Sport

When she was ready, Immy’s dressage

same time, Ahna and Scott Bowman had

Horse mare and she wanted to breed a

training began. At some point though,

moved their sport horse barn from Scott-

horse that she could eventually ride to a

things weren’t going so well with her train-

sdale, AZ to Oregon, and had much expe-

National Championship, preferably in dres-

ing, and her progress became very slow.

rience showing and training Arabian and

sage. Sarah was taking lessons at a local

Sarah was eager to be riding her, but that

Half Arabian hunter/jumper and dressage

dressage barn in Oregon where they hap-

wasn’t working out as planned. Her trainers

horses. Sarah and the Bowmans became

pened to own and stand a very successful

found her difficult and things just weren’t

acquainted through their club, Arabians

grey Oldenburg stallion named Ideal. (Ide-

clicking. It was getting frustrating for Sarah,

In Motion, and Sarah decided to move her

al is the son of the influential French Anglo-

who was forced to ride other horses or not

horse and give the Bowmans an opportu-

Arabian Inschallah, who has also achieved

show at all. By the time Immy was 6, Sarah

nity to train her young mare.

fame as a Breyer horse.)

had been on her only a couple of times.

From the beginning it was clear to Ahna

At the time, Sarah could not afford the

“It was hard at first to change my plans

that Immy had abundant athletic ability,

stud fee, but arranged to work it off feed-

for her from dressage to hunter/jumper but

she just wasn’t happy with her job. To cross

ing at the barn. She threw feed and hay for

it became clear early on when we tried to

train her a little, she was started over some

two and a half years, “My friends were very

show her in dressage classes she just did

fences. She loved jumping so much that it

impressed with my bicep development,”

not like the work. At the Scottsdale show

became her reward for tolerating the flat-

laughs Sarah.

she ran out of the dressage ring during a

work. Sarah wasn’t sure what to make of

class when we passed the gate at A which

the whole thing; she had her heart set on

had been left open,” Sarah recalls.

dressage and hadn’t jumped a horse over

She was eventually rewarded with a very spunky filly she called ‘Imnaha,’ after a river in Oregon. Sarah raised “Immy” from

It was then that Sarah decided it was

birth, and from there, set out to accomplish

time for a change of plan, as no one was

the dream.

getting any younger! Sarah had endured

“The hardest thing for me about going

a jump in about 50 years! You see, at this point Sarah was 69 years old.

The filly started out with a bang, scor-

a lot of criticism from her friends and ac-

over fences was overcoming the negative

ing a premium foal rating at the Oldenburg

quaintances regarding the wisdom of this

thoughts that ran through my mind of be-

Inspection. Because her dam Alu Minchah

project and investment as a whole. She was

ing too old,” says Sarah. “Many of my well-

(Khalief x Gazmariah) was in the Oldenburg

told by many of her horse peers that her

meaning friends warned me not to get hurt.

Main mare book, Immy was eligible to be

breeding choice had been a waste of time

Having an honest horse like Imnaha has

approved and branded by the ISR Olden-

and money.

made the transition easier.”


April/May 2013

Imnaha and her dam at the Oldenburg Inspection. Photo by Scarlett

Sarah and Imnaha after winning their Reserve National Champion Showing great courage, Sarah agreed

Immy’s 2011 season began with Scotts-

to let Ahna take Immy in the direction she

dale as her first big show and second rated

thought she should go, and they would

show of her career. She never looked back.

“The highlight so far was definitely Na-

Champion. It was an amazing reward for their challenging journey together.

work the rest out later, such as Sarah reac-

By 2012, she and Sarah had begun to come

tionals - winning a Reserve Championship

quainting herself with jumping. In the in-

together and things started to get exciting.

on her in the AAOTR Hunter Hack class.

terim, Taylor, Ahna and Scott’s daughter and

The mare had become so dependable, that

Equally as rewarding was my son, Nate,

a very talented junior rider, was looking for

Sarah was able to take lessons on her, and

showing her to a Top 10 finish in the ATH

a Half Arab to compete in Hunter/Jumper

they were jumping! Once again, Sarah’s

Sport Horse In Hand class. He has helped

as her own Half Arab, Lady Loria++++//,

friends told her she was nuts to be jumping

me raise the horse and they work well as a

had been retired from jumping to pursue

horses at age 70, never mind trying to go to

team. He has mild cerebral palsy but long

upper level dressage.

Sport Horse Nationals to compete against

legs and is able to run her on the triangle

the best of the best. Sarah was undeterred

to show off her wonderful suspended trot,”

– she had heard it all before.

says Sarah proudly.

Taylor and Immy were a perfect fit. Sarah took lessons on her older, dependable dressage horse while Taylor and Immy

So far that year, Immy had racked up

Imnaha ended up a tied winner for AB-

racked up some experience and show mile-

an amazing amount of wins, including mul-

HJA High Point Hunter/Jumper horse of the

age. Sarah knew she would have to work

tiple Regional Championships, as well as

show. Imnaha was also ridden by Taylor to

hard as Immy was not just any horse – she

Canadian National and Reserve Champion-

several other Championships and Reserves

had a huge stride and a big jump. Therefore,

ships with Taylor. Sarah had also ridden her

at Sport Horse Nationals. These wins with

Sarah resigned herself to suffering through

to a Regional win, and had mastered a small

Imnaha also played a large role in Taylor’s

working without stirrups and anything else

course at a show early in the year.

AHA High Point Youth Award win this year,

asked of her in lessons in order to succeed.

It was time for Sport Horse Nation-

which she won by the largest margin ever.

She was determined to ride and show her

als. As well as her horse was doing, Sarah

Imnaha also finished the year as an AHA Top

horse and do it well, even at age 70.

was nervous. She was slated to ride in the

Ten High Point Horse out of 2,291 horses.

No one could have predicted how tal-

Well,

Sarah is now 71 and Immy is 8. They are

ented Immy turned out to be. To quote

that’s not a cream puff division with Alexis

currently working together to get ready for

Ahna, “She was so balanced and sensitive

Doughty in it and several other competitive

jumping courses for the coming show sea-

to the bend and aids, she had what I would

folks and their horses. She had had to learn

son. Taylor and Immy are currently showing

consider an ‘automatic’ lead change in two

this entire discipline all over again with a

in the 3’6”-3’9” jumpers at open shows and

weeks. Her scope was amazing, and to call

somewhat green horse underneath her.

doing quite well.

Half Arabian Hunter Hack AAOTR.

her brave would be an understatement. I

In the end, the dream was meant to

Fortunately, sometimes time does not

wish every horse was this easy and pleas-

be. Sarah got through it without having a

run out on a determined woman and her

ant to train.”

heart attack, and also won Reserve National

dream.

53


54

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Interestingly, the two partbreds that won the most have French origins.

Top HA/AA Sires & Dams

OF THE 2012 SPORT HORSE NATIONALS By Peggy Ingles & Arlene Magid

The top ranking sires and dams of Half

tion sire for Oldenburgs and sired several

Virginia Tech. He himself was a FEI dres-

and Anglo Arabians at Sport Horse Nation-

Olympic dressage medal winners. Ideal

sage competitor despite his pedigree of

als in 2012 are a diverse mix of breeds and

was imported from Germany and became

jumping and eventing bloodlines. Baladin

bloodlines.

the top sire of premium ISR/Oldenburg

d’Oc was approved by the American Hano-

Interestingly, the two partbreds that

foals in the U.S. and is approved GOV, ISR/

verian Society, Selle Francais NA, and ISR/

won the most have French origins. Im-

OLD NA, Selle Francais and RPSI. One of his

Oldenburg NA.

naha+//, earned two National Champion-

daughters is the highest scoring ISR/OLD

ships in Working Hunter ATR and Hunter

NA mare ever recorded.

Hack ATR; three Reserve Championships

Anglo

Arabian

Oh Say Valay, dam of Church Creek, was entered into the Oldenburg NA Main

mare

Church

Mare Book in 2006. Sired by Oh Say (by

in Green Working Hunter, Hunter Hack and

Creek++++// earned 3 National Champi-

Hoist the Flag), a horse that jockey Bill

Hunter Hack ATR and three Top Tens in

onships - Working Hunter AAOTR, Hunter

Shoemaker said was a better horse than

Sport Horse Under Saddle Open and ATR

Hack and Hunter Hack AAOTR; two Reserve

his 1982 Preakness mount, he earned

and Sport Horse In Hand Mares ATH.

Championships in Hunter Hack ATR and

$78,000 and had sired earners of over

Imnaha+// is by the Oldenburg Ideal

Sport Horse In Hand Mares ATH and two

$16 million at his death in 2002. Her dam,

, whose sire was the influential French

Top Tens in Working Hunter ATR and Sport

Spoonavalay was by the popular stallion

Anglo Arabian Inschallah. Inschallah was

Horse In Hand Mares. Her sire is the French

Carnivalay, who sired durable runners that

highly prized by the Germans as a founda-

Anglo import Baladin d’Oc who stood at

earned over $2 million a year from 1996


April/May 2013 through 2001, including 38 stakes win-

pleasure driving including U.S. National

ners. He also has a reputation as a sire of

Champion Mare *Wizja. His get have pro-

Plezar+ sired C J One For The Mon-

great steeplechasers.

duced National Champions in halter, west-

ey+//, winner of three National Champi-

The Friesian stallion Darktanion sired

ern pleasure, country pleasure, country

onships in Sport Horse Show Hack Open

Dark Prankster+++//, the top winning

pleasure driving, English sidesaddle, na-

and ATR and Sport Horse Under Saddle

dressage horse at SHN, earning 3 National

tive costume, sport horse carriage driving,

ATR; and four Top Ten titles in Second

Championships in Fourth Level, PSG Open

hunt pleasure, and dressage.

Vezanka’s

Level Dressage Open, ATR and AAOTR and

and ATR; Reserve Champion in Sport Horse

sire *Veza is out of a full sister to 2 Polish

Sport Horse Under Saddle Open. Pure Pol-

Show Hack ATR and Top Tens in Sport

National Champions. Vezanka’s dam *Su-

ish Plezar+ is a Canadian Top Ten Native

Horse Show Hack Open and Fourth Level

zanka comes from one of Poland’s most

Costume winner and a regional champion

Dressage ATR. Darktanion was sired by

successful racing dam lines, that of Triple

in pleasure driving. His sire Gondar also

Jildert 299 and out of a Ster mare. He was

Crown winner *Sabellina. Czapranka’s dam

sired the supremely versatile Go Royal

awarded 2nd Premium and High Merit at

Czapral is also an *El Paso grandget, giv-

Comandar+//, a multiple National Cham-

his inspection. His offspring have earned

ing Czapranka two lines to him. Czapral’s

pion Working Cow Horse as well as a Na-

bronze in the AWS; and Reserve National

paternal granddam Czatanoga is the dam

tional Champion in hunt pleasure and a

Champion Sport Horse, 1st Premium, High

of U.S. Reserve National Champion Stallion

Top Ten winner in show hack. Gondar is by

Merit and Ster at FEIT/FHH inspections.

*Czeremosz and her maternal granddam

U.S. Reserve National Champion Park and

Darktanion earned a High Point Champi-

*Mimikra is a full sister to U.S. National

National winner sire *Zbrucz out of Na-

onship in the Tri-State Dressage Society in

Champion Park *Meczet.

tional winner producer *Gontyna. Plezar+

2008.

55

pleasure.

Czapranka’s purebred son, Czentinel

is a maternal brother to Top Ten Country

Dark Prankster’s dam, Czapranka, is

(by A Sentry), is an accomplished endur-

Pleasure and Native Costume Phlite+/ and

a pure Polish mare. All four of her grand-

ance horse having recorded 2710 AERC

to Primroza, dam of 3 National winners,

parents were imported to the USA. Her

miles. Her Half-Arabian offspring by Dark-

2 of them National Champions. Plezar+’s

sire Vezanka is a grandson of US National

tanion include MDA Darby +/, a 4-time

dam Patraza is by Negatraz, sire of 34 Na-

Champion Stallion *El Paso, sire of Na-

US National Top Ten Hunt Pleasure; MDA

tional winners including Monogramm, a

tional Champions in halter, reining and

Cinco De Mayo, a Regional Top 5 in hunt

World and National Champion sire whose

Ideal imported Oldenburg. (Inschallah{AA} x Pamela {Old}), sired Imnaha+//


56

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

1

2

1 4 4

2

6

7

7


April/May 2013

3 3

1

Khemberry Bey V+//, a Huckle-

berry Bey son with multiple National Championships himself, sired DM Khem Latte+//. Ed Moore Photo

2

Plezar+, an Arabian by Gondar,

sired CJ One For The Money+//. Rob Hess Photo

5

5

3

Knight Invader, sire of two SHN

winners: Elexxus Knight+/ and Spirit Of The Knight+/. Courtesy Tammy Mendonca

4

Feuertanzer, a Trakehner sired by

Martini *Pg*E*, sired two SHN winners: Jazzy Cadence+ and Mondavi F++++//.

5

Alu Minchah (Khalief x Ghaz-

mariah) is the top mare of SHN, with having produced both Imnaha+// and Arosenthyme MA++++//. Photo by Scarlett

6

Darktanion, Friesian, is the sire of

top ranked dressage winner Dark Prankster+++//. Photo by Gail Finger

7

Scimitar, an imported Hanoverian

by Silvio, is the sire of LJS Sublime+/. Photo Ursula Ferrier

8

Cabalito, an imported Hanoverian

by Cordoba, sired SC Cirrus Wind++++//.

8

Photo courtesy White Hedge Farm

57


58

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine get have excelled in sport horse competi-

Champions in halter and performance.He

ian Rosenthal is the sire of Arosenthyme

tion.

also traces to the National Champion sires

MA+++// who earned two National Cham-

Bamby, Indraff, Skorage and Fadjur.

pionships in Training Level Dressage Jun-

His dam is a Hackney, Hallmandale Lady Bretta, who has also produced full

Al Jassur Laddin is out of Somkinda-

ior Horse and Sport Horse In Hand Mares,

siblings with National and Regional wins

wonderful, a maternal sister to twice Top

Reserve Champion in Training Level Dres-

in Hunter Pleasure, Sport Horse, Country

Ten Halter and four times Top Ten Hunt

sage and Top Tens in Sport Horse Under

English Pleasure and Dressage.

Pleasure DA Twilight Zone+/. Somkinda-

Saddle Junior Horse and Sport Horse In

Al Jassur Laddin, an Arabian, sired the

wonderful is a granddaughter of multiple

Hand Mares ATH. Rosenthal has sired over

Anglo Arabian One More Round ++++//,

National Champion Stallion and Western

90% Premium Oldenburg foals and two

who was National Champion in Working

Pleasure Khemosabi++++//, sire of 110

Special Premium foals out of only a few

Hunter, Reserve Champion in Working

National winners. Her dam, National win-

in the US. One of those is the Half-Arabian

Hunter AAOTR and ATR; and Top Ten in

ner producer Fiezona, is a granddaughter

RosEbony (x Bey Ebony Rose) who went

Sport Horse Under Saddle Open and ATR,

of U.S. Top Ten Stallion Gamuzon and U.S.

on to achieve Verband Premium Mare

SHIH Open and ATH.

National Champion Park *Oran Van Crab-

status. Half-Arabian son Raayder (x Afire-

bet.

light) earned a National Top Ten in the

Al Jassur Laddin has two regional championships as a sport horse stallion

One More Round’s dam is a Thorough-

Yearling Sport Horse Colt/Gelding In Hand.

in hand (He was gelded at age 6!). He has

bred named Winifred, who had raced 24

Rosenthals Minuet+ (x Ambres Blue Angel)

three lines to U.S. Reserve National Cham-

times and later was a very successful show

is a National and Regional winner in Sport

pion Stallion Fadjur. His sire Al Irhad Lad-

hunter. She was sired by Priority, a Grade 2

Mares In Hand.

din+ is a regional champion in western

stakes placed winner of $173,000 sired by

Rosenthal is ranked #3 in the 2012

pleasure and a multiple regional cham-

Native Royalty. Winifred’s dam, Regency

USEF Leading Hunter Sires and has previ-

pion in trail. (He was gelded at age 13).

Doll, was by Ardent John, a stakes placed

ously been ranked #1 in Dressage Breed-

Al Irhad Laddin+ is a grandson of U.S. Na-

earner of over $130,000, who traces back

ing Sires. Rumors (x WB) was USDF Horse

tional Champion Stallion *Aladdinn and

to Man O’War.

of the Year and won the Fillies of 2004

is linebred to *Naborr, sire of National

The

imported

black

Hanover-

with a score of 85.5% giving her the highest score in the open classes at Dressage at Devon earning the Breeders Award ´Born in the USA.’ Rosenthal’s sire is Rubinstein I, an accomplished dressage performer, he had 40 wins at Grand Prix level, was a member of the 1996 Olympic team, sired 89 state premium mares and 66 approved stallions. Khemberry Bey V+// is the sire of DM Khem Latte+//, who won National Championships in First Level Dressage and Sport Horse Under Saddle; a Reserve Champion in Sport Horse Under Saddle ATH and two Top Ten titles in Training Level Dressage AAOTR and First Level Dressage AAOTR. Khemberry Bey V+// has 21 National titles in english sidesaddle and show hack

Rosenthal

an imported Hanoverian by Rubinstein I, sire of Arosenthyme MA+++//


April/May 2013 with multiple National Championships in

Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech

show hack. He is also the sire of multiple National Champion Dressage DM Vivid Khemistry+/. He is by U.S. Reserve National Champion Futurity Colt and English Pleasure Huckleberry Bey++, sire of 104 National winners. Khemberry Bey V+// is out of Khemadera, also dam of Khemberry Bey V+//’s full sister, multiple National Champion Mare and National Champion producer Keepsake V and full brother Huck Finn, sire of a National Champion in dressage. Khemadera was from the first foal crop of

Baladin D’OC

multiple National Champion Stallion and

an imported French Anglo Arabian, (Flox x Forteresse), is the sire of

Western Pleasure Khemosabi++++//, for

Church Creek++++//

many years the breed’s leading living sire

under saddle. Scimitar successfully com-

Badi, founder of one of the leading fam-

of champions.

pleted his 100-day Stallion Performance

ily of sires in Egyptian Arabians and sire

Test at Rancho Murieta with an overall

of National Champions in halter and per-

score of 111.55, ranked 6th overall with

formance. BA Aprils Folly also has a line to

very high rideability scores. Scimitar also

the Egyptian import *Ghalii on her sire’s

competed up to Fourth Level Dressage.

side, he sired a National Champion in hal-

DM Khem Latte’s dam is an unpapered Hanoverian mare, Finessa. Scimitar is the sire of LJS Sublime+/ who was National Champion in First Level Dressage AAOTR, Reserve National Cham-

He has sired 3 licensed sons, one is

ter and was the grandsire of National win-

pion in First Level ATR, and received four

an FEI dressage horse ridden by Olympian

ners in several performance disciplines.

Top Tens in Training Level Junior Horse,

Bent Jensen. He has a son competing with

BA Aprils Folly has two lines to National

Training Level ATR and AAOTR and Sport

Anne Kursinski in jumpers in addition to

Champion sire Zab, who was bred by Hen-

Horse In Hand Geldings ATH.

an Advanced event horse. One of his sons

ry Babson, on her sire side.

Scimitar is an imported Elite Hanover-

was high score at Dressage at Devon win-

BA Aprils Folly is out of WJ Double Dal,

ian stallion, registered with the ISR/OLD

ning the Breeders Award ´Born in the USA´

a double granddaughter of the straight

NA, American Hanoverian Society and RPSI.

Grand Champion. A Scimitar daughter, Sas-

Egyptian Dalul, who was a U.S. National

Scimitar is the only son of the very popular

safras, was given the highest performance

Champion Futurity Colt, U.S. and Canadian

German Oldenburg sire Silvio (by Sandro)

test score by the American Hanoverian So-

Top Ten Stallion, and a National Champion

who stood in the U.S. Silvio produced 13

ciety and thus became a winner of the Dr.

sire. Dalul get have produced National

licensed stallions and 17 States Premium

Walter Hartwig Prize for best North Ameri-

winners in dressage and trail and National

mares who went on to show in jumping

can-bred Young Horse in 2009.

Champions in show hack and halter. In tail

careers. Scimitar’s mother Carballina is a

LJS Sublime’s dam is BA Aprils Folly,

female BA Aprils Folly traces to Serela, a

States Premium daughter of the legendary

one of the few Arabian mares in Book I of

full sister to Top Ten Stallion and National

Holsteiner stallion Calypso II.

the RPSI. She has produced all Premium

winner sire Muszkateer. Serela is by the

As a yearling, Scimitar was Champion

foals including two Gold Premium. BA

Crabbet import *Serafix out of the Polish

Colt and Reserve Champion young horse

Aprils Folly is a predominantly Egyptian

import *Muszkatela.

at Dressage at Devon. As a 4 year old, he

mare. She traces in sire line to US Reserve

Feuertanzer sired two SHN winners in

won the stallion class and placed second

National Champion Futurity Colt Shaikh Al

2012: Jazzy Cadence+ who earned 3 Top

59


60

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine ny. Cabalito is one of

ing Timed Obstacle and four Top Ten titles

the few licensed sons

in Carriage Pleasure Driving Working, Car-

of the very elegant and

riage Pleasure Driving Turnout, Carriage

popular

Pleasure Driving Reinsmanship and Car-

Hanoverian

State Stallion Cordoba, the sire of FEI dressage

champion in pleasure driving and country

Cup). Cordoba placed

pleasure driving. Afriendly Fire is by U.S.

fourth in his stallion

Top Ten Park Afire Bey V, the breed’s all

performance test. Due

time leading sire of champions. Afriendly

to his outstanding dres-

Fire is out of National Champion English

sage qualities, he be-

Pleasure and Informal Combination Flare

came a member of the

Bask, a daughter of National Champion

famous Celle Chestnut

sire Bask Flame. Afriendly Fire is also the

(Afire Bey V x Flare Bask) is a regional driving

Quadrille as a 6-year old.

sire of several other National winners in-

champion and sire of Shezaffirecracker+//

He has been standing at

cluding 2012 Canadian National Cham-

Celle since 1993. Cabalito’s

pion Country Pleasure AATR 40 & Over

Ten titles in First Level Dressage Open,

dam Bianca also produced Wolkenglanz.

Born of Fire W sport horses and National

AAOTR and ATR; and Mondavi F++++// (x

Cabalito was a successful show hunter

Champion Sport Horse Carriage Driving

MRR Suite Dreams) Winner of a National

and jumper before retiring to the breeding

Fire Opal++++//, who is a Half Arabian.

Championship in Third Level Dressage, a

shed.

A Friendly Fire

Worley

Afriendly Fire is a multiple regional

(World

Photo by Stuart Vesty

star

riage Pleasure Driving Obstacles.

Her dam is Foxy Style, a Saddlebred

Reserve Champion in Sport Horse In Hand

SC Cirrus Wind’s dam is Dessert Wind,

sired by Foxs Legacy out of a Flight Time

Geldings ATH and a Top Ten in Fourth Lev-

whose sire, Hu-Warwind, is linebred to Na-

daughter. Both dam and sire trace to

el Dressage.

tional Champion sire Ferzon, with 2 of his

6-time World Grand Champion 5-Gaited

Feuertanzer was a Premium Trakehner,

lines to him coming through U.S. National

Wing Commander. Foxy Style has pro-

although his performance test was never

Champion Stallion and English Pleasure

duced 3 full siblings that have regional

completed due to an injury. Sired by Mar-

Raffon++. Dessert Wind’s dam Athena

wins in dressage, halter, hunter pleasure

tini *Pg*E*, a multiple USDF HOY Champi-

Royale is a daughter of the Polish import

and carriage driving.

on Grand Prix Dressage stallion who stood

*Piechur, a U.S. Top Ten Stallion, European

Taliesen is the sire of WCS Ring O

1st or 2nd on the USDF Leading Sire list

Champion Stallion and National Champion

Fyre+//, winner of two National Champi-

for 8 straight years.

sire. Athena Royale’s dam Royal Tesa is by

onships in Carriage Pleasure Driving Ob-

Cabalito is the sire of SC Cirrus

Canadian National Champion Native Cos-

stacles and Timed Obstacles; and three

Wind++++// who earned a National Cham-

tume and U.S. Top Ten English Pleasure

Top Ten titles in Carriage Pleasure Driv-

pionship in SHIH Geldings, two Reserve

Royal Grand. Royal Tesa is a granddaugh-

ing Turnout, Drive & Ride and Gambler’s

Championships in Second Level Dressage

ter of the all time leading Crabbet sire of

Choice.

ATR and AAOTR, and two Top Tens in Sport

champions *Serafix and of U.S. Top Five

Horse In Hand Geldings ATH and Sport

Cutting *Centaur, a Polish import.

Horse Under Saddle ATR.

Taliesen is an American Saddlebred sired by Sultan’s Santana, a World Grand

Arabian A Friendly Fire is the sire of

Champion Fine Harness Horse who sold

Cabalito is an imported Elite Hano-

Shezaffirecracker+//, who earned a Na-

for over $1 million in 1982 and was one

verian, approved GOV, who passed his

tional Championship in Carriage Pleas-

of the highest ranked sires of the breed.

11-month State Stallion Performance test

ure Driving Gamblers Choice, a Reserve

Taliesen’s dam Captive Moment was a full

and final 100 day test while still in Germa-

Championship in Carriage Pleasure Driv-

sister to a World Grand Champion. Talies-


April/May 2013 en himself had 8 wins with two Champion-

AAOTR; and Sport Horse Under Saddle. His

National winners in halter and english

ships in driving.

other offspring is Spirit Of The Knightt+/ (x

pleasure. Khalief is also a full brother to

His dam is Justishamba, who has pro-

Desertt Passion), who won three Top Tens

National Champion sire Sher Khan. Khalief

duced 3 champions from 4 registered

in First Level Dressage Open and AAOTR

is by Negatraz, sire of145 champions &

offspring. She is a daughter of The Chief

and Training Level Dressage Open.

34 National winners & 52 National win-

Justice+//, a U.S. and Canadian Top Ten

Knight invader’s sire, Warn 335, was a

ner producers, the most famous of which,

Stallion, Canadian Top Ten English Pleas-

First Premium stallion known for his pow-

Monogramm, has sired World and National

ure and US Top Ten Informal Combination.

erful gaits. Warn’s dam Mefrou was the

Champions. Khalief is out of Bajalee, a

The Chief Justice++/ sired National Cham-

dam of many champion Friesians. Knight

daughter of Canadian National Champion

pions in multiple performance divisions

Invader’s dam was sired by Sir Lancelot

Stallion, U.S. Top Ten Cutting and Reining

and his daughters are noted broodmares.

who appeared in the movie “Lady Hawke.”

and National Champion sire *Bajram. Alu

26 have produced National winners in-

Knight Invader never competed but

Minchah’s dam Gazmariah is by halter

cluding such National Champions as Justa-

is trained for exhibitions featuring high

and English pleasure champion Gazarr++,

fire DGL (english pleasure), PS Afire Chief

school dressage maneuvers. His Half-Ara-

sire of 10 National winners in halter, hunt

(park), and Rumina Afire (country pleas-

bian get have earned 20 National Cham-

pleasure, english pleasure and western

ure). Justishamba’s dam Miss Tishamba

pionships and Reserve Championships, 57

pleasure. Gazmariah is a granddaughter of

also produced multiple regional champion

National Top Tens and over 200 Regional

Gazon, sire of U.S. National Champion Stal-

country pleasure General Jackson+/. She

titles in Hunter, Show Hack, Sport Horse,

lion and English Pleasure Raffon++, and of

is a daughter of U.S. National Champion

Dressage, Driving and Costume.

the straight Egyptian Disaan, grandsire of

Pleasure Driving and National winner sire

Top dam for the SHN is the purebred

Hillcrests Tishamba++, whose sire Tisaan

Alu Minchah, who is in the Oldenburg Main

was the first Scottsdale Champion Stallion.

Mare Book in addition to holding Regional

Arabian Chainti produced two winners

Miss Tishamba’s dam is Hillcrests Imaraza,

Championships in Sport Horse In Hand.

at SHN: Lady Loria++++// (by Hanoverian

a paternal sister to U.S. National Champion

Her two offspring at SHN were Imnaha and

Lanthan) and BSH Vintage Isabella++ (by

Mares Lallegra and Imarfa++.

Arosenthyme MA+++//, both discussed

Selle Francais Pascal Depau). Chainti is

above.

by the straight Spanish stallion TA Esca-

Knight Invader is a Friesian who sired

many National winners in halter and performance.,

two winners at SHN; Elexxus Knight+/ (x

Alu Minchah combines Polish and

landoso, a son of multiple halter cham-

Black Lexxii) who won six Top Ten titles

American lines. Her sire Khalief is a full

pion SR Rico, maternal grandsire of 2012

in Sport Horse Show Hack Open and ATR;

brother to multiple National Champion

U.S. Top Ten Training Level Dressage ATR

Second Level Dressage Open, ATR and

Pleasure Driving Khazzan+/, a sire of

Xenya. SR Rico is a paternal brother to

Arabian mare Chainti (TA Escalandoso x Fadney Ms Chablis) is the dam of two SHN winners: Lady Loria++++// and BSH Vintage Isabella

Arabian mare BA Aprils Folly, the dam of LJS Sublime+/ Photo courtesy Lazy J Sporthorses

Finessa is a Hanoverian and dam of DM Khem Latte+//

61


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

62

Pascion S, dam of U.S. National Cham-

National Champion Hunter Hack ATR and

who is linebred to *Raseyn through US

pion Sport Horse Jackpot Colt, Reserve

Top Ten Green Working Hunter and Hunter

Top Ten Mare Ferneyna and U.S. Reserve

National Champion Hunter Hack Junior

Hack JTR Yo+/. TA Escalandoso is a mater-

National Champion Stallion and National

Horse, and Top Ten Training Level Dres-

nal grandson of *Barich De Washoe, 28

Champion sire Saneyn++. She traces in

sage Junior Horse, Training Level Dressage

National winners, 92 champions and 40

sire line to U.S Reserve National Champion

AOTR, Hunter Hack AOTR and Green Work-

producers of National winners.

Stallion Fadjur, one of the breed’s most in-

ing Hunter Czantiago++/ and U.S. Reserve

Chainti is out of Fadney Ms Chablis,

fluential sires.

Additional Sires of two or more Half/Anglo Arabian winners: Winterprinz (Warkant/Weltmeyer/Sender) - Hanoverian

Watermark – National Champion Training Level Dressage, Reserve National Champion Training Level Dressage

Junior Horse, Top Ten Sport Horse In Hand Geldings

Whata Tiny Dancer – Top Ten Sport Horse In Hand Mares

Titan – American Warmblood

Shineontitansilver – Top Ten Training Level Dressage AAO, Top Ten Training Level Dressage ATR

Titans IO - Top Ten Training Level Dressage Open & Top Ten Training Level Dressage ATR

Casini+/ - National Champion 2nd Level Dressage, Top Ten 3rd Level Dressage

Prince Sawda (Veneto x Princess Edna {NATAF]) - Arabian

Sawdas Lady Pasha – Top Ten 1st Level Dressage

Sawdas Nelita+/ - Top Ten Sport Horse Show Hack, Top Ten 1ST Level Dressage Open, Top Ten Sport Horse Under Saddle

MHR Nobility (*Elimar x Har Nahra) - Arabian

Ability – Reserve National Champion Jumpers, Top Ten Speed Jumpers

Winsomes April Fool++++//– Top Ten Green Working Hunter, Top Ten Hunter Hack, Top Ten Sport Horse In Hand Mares

Open & Top Ten Sport Horse In Hand Mares ATH

KB Omega Fahim++++// (Amir Fahim x Amyrah Adhemah) - Arabian

KB Khalila Fahim+++/ - Top Ten 2nd Level Dressage

KB Jull Fahim+// - National Champion Intermediaire 2 Dressage , Top Ten Grand Prix Dressage

Additional Dam of two or more Half/Anglo Arabian winners: Solnika (Soldat x Chica) – Arabian

MJ Dot Com+ by MJ Fusion (CWB) - Top Ten Sport Horse In Hand Geldings Open& ATH

MJ Erika by Whirlwind II (DWB) - National Champion 2 YO Sport Horse In Hand Fillies


April/May 2013

63

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The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

64

Dressage with Linda Zang By Helen Donnell Photo Courtesy Eventing Nation

Helen was a dressage demo rider with her Arabian Stattok at the

ly productive. Linda noted that Stat was bulging his outside shoul-

USEA Instructor Certification Program National Symposium with in-

der very slightly. She asked me to do one step of leg yield off the

structor Linda Zang in February and shares her experience here.

rail (towards the leading leg) which worked like magic. Stat’s back came up and his canter became more jumpy. Instant change from

The theme for the dressage portion of the Instructor Certifica-

a 6 to an 8. I’ve since been playing with this in our dressage work

tion Program was how to get from scores of 6 & 7 to 8 & 9. Linda

at home, and am seeing a consistent improvement in Stat’s canter

Zang emphasized repeatedly, at all levels, that the quality of the

and counter-canter (works there too). It’s very subtle - themore I

gait is the ceiling - the score for a particular movement cannot be

do this, the more I find that I only need the thought of leg yield to

higher than the quality of gait during the movement. So the key

achieve greater straightness.

to raising test scores is to raise the quality of the gaits. This pre-

Another oft-repeated theme of the morning wass that the

supposes that the horse has “3 good gaits” and that there are no

inside aids bend, the outside aids straighten. Linda feels North

major/serious gaps or problems in the basic training. The horses

American dressage riders and judges place too much emphasis

selected to demon-

on bending, and

strate all consis-

not

tently score in the

straightness, espe-

mid 30’s or better

cially in the lower

at their level (equal

levels. We should

to 65%+ in regular

be

dressage).

first, then bending,

I was in the first

rider

group

enough

on

straightening

not the other way around.

of the day, which

The other place

sadly meant a lot of

she

standing and walk-

American dressage

ing

Linda

(not just the US,

laid her foundation

Canada was well

with the audience.

represented in the

She was pleased

clinic) going off on

with

horse,

a dressage tangent

Stattok’s, walk and

is the extreme em-

trot, but noted that

phasis on having

while

my

sees

North

he was tight and not through enough in canter to score above a 6

lower level horses “stretch down.” European riders, in contrast,

or 7. The other horse in our group was less balanced in trot, and

emphasize riding the younger horse in an uphill balance, and only

was used to illustrate exercises for improving that gait. Most of

stretching down as far as the horse can go without losing that up-

the change was in the rider, who tended to collapse to the inside

hill balance. Riding ‘down’ puts the horse heavy on the forehand,

and let the horse rush forward in a flat/on the forehand frame.

making it that much harder to learn upper level movements and

Our canter work was short due to the time constraint, but high-

Continued on page 91


Mobile Horse Supply

April/May 2013

65

MOBILE HORSE SUPPLY Unique/Creative •• York, SC www.mobilehorsesupply.com

Bob Haarmans

Your personal shopper for the dressage enthusiast, is happy to add the work of yet another local artisan, Sue Kolstad, to our collection of unique gifts. Sue does beautifully hand painted in porcelain glassware in many styles that make great gifts and prizes. Her work has been used at several CDI’s as prizes, with great response. Personalized work is also available upon request. At MHS, we also create custom coats, browbands, matching ties and many other items that you will not find elsewhere. We also carry a full line of tack and clothing that have been tested and approved by local trainers. Please visit our website and soon-to-be online store. Sue’s work will also be available for sale online. We also embroider several of her designs on clothing. We also carry a full line of quality tack and supplies and specialize in the hard-to-find and special order items. If we don’t have it, we will do our best to find or make it! Happy Riding! mobilehrs@aol.com


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

The building of a winning partnership between a girl and her horse

Success with Cygnus By Mimi stanley

If EA Cygnus+// could tell you about himself, he’d boast. He’d start by telling you that he is the only Arabian to earn a USDF JR/Young Rider Grand Prix Horse of the Year Award. He would remind you he is only the second horse in the country to earn a USDF Horse Performance Certificate at every level of dressage and that he is in the top 50 horses of all time for number of USDF Grand Prix tests completed in his career (72). He would go on about his four national championships and five reserve national championships, and how he taught a horse-crazy teenager from North Dakota how to ride, making it sound like he planned it all.

And then I would gently step in, as I often do with Cygnus, and tell the real story.

Don Stine Photo

66


67

Don Stine

April/May 2013


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Cygnus and I meshed right away, but he was not a quiet or tolerant schoolmaster. Mimi with PR Merrylegs and Cygnus

BobTarr.com Photo

68

THE ROAD TO CYGNUS

mile trip and some creative financing. We maxed out a low-inter-

That tale begins before Cygnus and I met. Growing up riding my

est credit card, refinanced the family pickup and trailer and Cyg-

mom’s old jumper, Ibn Bee Zahr, and my Half-Arab pony, Merry-

nus’ owner agreed to take payments over the course of a year. My

legs+//, gave me the skills and courage I would need to handle

end of the bargain was to work our training horses for free through

the journey that was ahead with Cygnus. One taught me to be as-

high school.

sertive and keep my heels down while the other taught diplomacy

BUILDING A GRAND PRIX PARTNERSHIP

and the art of getting a horse on the bit. I rode Merrylegs in the

Cygnus and I meshed right away, but he was not a quiet or tol-

last USDF Young Rider Clinic that Conrad Schumacher instructed,

erant schoolmaster. He wants to call the shots and requires a com-

where I began to understand what real dressage meant. It was

pletely focused ride. In those early days, Cygnus regularly tested

also the event that made me realize I needed a schoolmaster. At

my ability to stay aboard, especially with his penchant for rec-

the age of 15, when I saw an ad for a grey Grand Prix Arabian geld-

reational shying, but we pushed through to a great first summer

ing named Cygnus, I immediately knew he was the horse I was

together as I learned his rules. We were able to get most of the

looking for, but actually getting him was another matter. Bringing

scores for my USDF Silver Medal and we were Reserve National

him from Louisiana to our farm in North Dakota involved a 3,4oo

Champion Fourth Level at the Canadian Nationals.


April/May 2013 The next season I started showing him in the FEI small tour

ing for more steps. I became his personal cheerleader. With two

(Prix St. George and Intermediare I), finishing my silver medal and

more seasons of training we were able to complete my gold medal

the I-1 scores for my gold. During a double show weekend, I de-

and Cygnus’ Grand Prix Horse Performance Certificate. The most

cided to change our final ride to Grand Prix to see if we could

amazing award was winning the USDF Jr/Young Rider Grand Prix

pull it off. Adding piaffe, passage, one tempis and zig-zag canter

Horse of the Year in 2008.

half-pass was quite a chal-

Another element of our train-

lenge. Our first time to ride

ing that improved his overall per-

it was in the ring! While

formance was adding freestyle

our test was far from per-

into the mix. Cygnus loves working

fect, it was an exhilarating

to music -- the bigger and louder,

confidence-builder.

the better -- so his Aladdin-themed

conscientious

Kur came to life. With this, his regu-

work and me listening

lar Grand Prix execution improved

carefully to my horse, we

and he gradually became more exDon Stine

With

made consistent progress. Later that summer, we got one of the scores for my gold medal at Grand Prix

pressive in his performance. I still had to work for everything I got, but he was seeing me as a better leader.

and five “almosts” be-

That season we decided to

tween 58 and 59.7. Those were painful. At this point, we were

compete in the FEI freestyle at the 2009 Sport Horse Nationals

ready for Conrad Schumacher to help us form a real Grand Prix

in Kentucky. Torrential rains, nearby construction and flapping

partnership.

ringside tarps got the better of Cygnus in the Grand Prix where

MAXIMUM EFFORT

he bolted across the ring, but he pulled off a National Champion-

Our next challenge was getting a crafty Cygnus to work as

ship at Intermediare 2. On the final evening, just as the music

hard in the show ring as he would schooling. The same horse that

started for our freestyle, he reared. The audience loved it, think-

could perform 41 flaw-

ing it was planned but I was sure

less one-tempi changes in

surprised! Cygnus went on to give

training might choose to

a fire-breathing performance and

quit at four in competition

was named National Champion. I

if I let my guard down for

was so proud; he had given me ev-

even a moment. To encour-

erything he had.

age him to put in maximum

PURSUING DRESSAGE’S

effort more consistently,

FLUSH”

“ROYAL

I focused on keeping him

By 2010 Cygnus was a more

through to my hand with

finished reliable Grand Prix horse

the power on. We went out

& I a better rider and we had nu-

to the fields to school the

merous great rides at Grand Prix.

hard work, like piaffe, passage and pirouettes. Ask-

Don Stine

That year he was National Champion Sport Horse Show Hack where

ing for these movements on a hill increased the difficulty, making

he put in a “mostly” stellar performance. I say mostly because at

the ring work seem easier. It also helped to only ask for a few steps

the hand gallop he struck at a loose strap on his bridle & almost

of piaffe at a time, give him a sugar and praise him, gradually ask-

Continued on page 91

69


70

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Trailer Tire TLC by Dave McAdoo, Tobruk Trailers A flat tire is no fun. A flat tire on a loaded horse trailer can be a catastrophe. Here are a few tips you can follow to minimize trailer tire issues in your travels. Do my trailer tires need replacing? It’s difficult to tell by just looking at most tires whether or not it’s time to replace them. The tread will almost never wear out, we simply don’t pull a trailer enough miles to worry about it. What we should worry about is dry rot which is a factor of the age. Visual inspection for any small cracks, bumps or bulges in the sidewall can indicate a problem starting to happen. You can help delay dry rot by storing the trailer on a concrete pad, gravel, or even on boards to keep the tires off the ground. Sunlight and the ultraviolet rays are also the enemy. Tire covers are inexpensive and can help to keep the sun off the tires. How can I tell how old my tires are? If you bought the trailer used you need to determine the age of your tires. Every tire manufactured has a Department of Transportation series of numbers on the sidewall; these numbers indicate use, strength, size and other information. The number begins with DOT and then includes numbers and maybe letters. Example: DOT U2LLLMLR5107.

The DOT number may not always be visible from the outside of the tire. It may be on the inside so you’ll have to crawl under the trailer with a flashlight. The most important numbers in this series are the last four digits a they indicate the week and year of manufacture. In the above example, the tire was made in the 51st week of 2007 and therefore probably needs replacing. Anything over 5 years old is going to be suspect. Sometimes, you’ll get a brand new trailer with tires that have been stored in a warehouse for a while. If they’ve been stored in a dry, dark place that’s okay. Manufacturers buy tires in large quantities and keep them until needed so don’t panic if your brand new trailer has tires that are six months or even 12 months old/ What do I use for replacement tires? Most trailer manufacturers recommend and use ‘ST’ or Special Trailer tires. They have stiffer sidewalls than ‘LT’ or Light Truck tires and are better equipped to handle the weight. Never use ‘P’ or Passenger tires for a horse trailer. Trailer tires may be bias or radials, but keep in mind that although radials will cost more, they generally have better high speed durability and should last longer under heavy loads. Always check the air pressure and maintain the pressure to the tire manufacturer’s guidelines that will be printed on the sidewall of the tire. Load range ‘C’ tires are usually 65 lbs., load range ‘E’ are usually 80 lbs. and ‘G’ range tires are 120 lbs. of pressure. Proper tire pressure will go a long way towards extending the life of your tires. Be sure and check the spare too.


April/May 2013

Eastern Arabian Horse Show

71

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Lynn Kaufman

• Great Prizes! Neck Ribbons, Garlands, Trophies, Coolers

www.eastcoastShow.com


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Dressage

The Base for Equestrian Disciplines A Series By Sue Kolstad

The Western Horse Life would not be as we know it without the horse’s intricate role in our history.

Don Stine

72

developed the western horse in a relative-

do today in nearly every discipline goes

ly short period of history.

back to the cavalry. One of my greatest

It is because of our need for various jobs

In this series of articles, I will be ex-

teachers, Mykola Pawlenko, who rode in

that we have created and developed so

plaining how dressage is the basis for

the cavalry in World War II used to tell me

many different breeds and diversities in

training in disciplines other than the one

there is nothing new today which wasn’t

our equine partners. The need for conti-

which carries the title of “Dressage.” I

discovered by the great masters. As I look

nuity in our ability to progress within the

have trained and competed in the disci-

into the history of Dressage, I realize more

boundaries set by the horse’s faculties

plines which I’m writing about and have

and more just how true those words are. I

has been the base for a common set of

used dressage to build on and improve

intend to show you in this article the many

training rules which govern all horsemen

the quality of training every type of horse.

similarities in the foundation for western

worldwide. Our history with the horse

I love to study the history of man’s journey

which parallel dressage in a fundamental

dates back over twenty five hundred years

together with the horse on our earth and

way.

throughout Europe, and so it is with great

as I research the subject I find it fascinat-

Xenophon, a Greek Warrior and Com-

pride that the America’s have created and

ing to learn about how much of what we

mander, is credited with leaving us the


April/May 2013 first surviving treatises of horsemanship in

tion stock for the quarter horse of today.

400 B.C. His work is the foundation from

The cow horse was developed to maneu-

Today’s western horse comes in all

which all classical principles of riding are

ver from the cowboy’s seat and legs, free-

shapes, sizes, colors and breeds, as long

built upon, and the reasons will soon be-

ing his hands for work on the range. It was

as the horse is somewhat compact and

come clear. One of the traditional battle

also necessary for the horse to engage

able to balance itself easily. The sport

movements in those days was a very fast

and come under easily with the haunches

of western riding has blossomed in the

impulsive gallop down the career where

in order to be balanced enough to per-

twentieth century with a remarkable vari-

the horse had to be brought back sharply

form with lightness and agility. All of these

ety of events which make vastly different

on his hocks and turned immediately in

qualities were requirements for the ideal

demands on the horse and rider – reining,

either direction. (Does this sound like a

Greek war horse which is the base for the

cutting, working cow horse, western pleas-

reining pattern?) The first priority was to-

ideal western performance horse of today.

ure, western riding, trail, barrel racing,

tal maneuverability. The riders hands were

The horse has been man’s partner

pole bending, to name some of the most

occupied with shield and sword, so the

throughout history. The need for a war

popular ones. Although western style rid-

desired result was an easily balanced war-

horse coupled with the need for a serv-

ing carries a label which separates it from

horse, trusting and obedient. (How about a

ant required a mastery of the horse. We no

“English” style which was brought here

cowboy roping a steer?)The type of horse

longer require the use of the horse for war

from Europe, the same basic principles

Xenophon preferred to execute these ma-

or work purposes in today’s world so the

of training and horsemanship apply to all

neuvers was primarily the Iberian, Span-

horse has become our partner and friend

horses and horsemen. After looking back

ish, or Barb.

in sport. The challenge of matching others,

into the history of man’s partnership with

The horse was extinct on the American

excelling in skill, dexterity in the saddle, is

the horse it is easy to understand how

continent when Columbus arrived in 1493

the basis of the inexhaustible number of

the principles of dressage apply to man

with thirty horses. The first horses to come

equestrian sports in today’s world. Where

and horse working together as partners to

to America were primarily Spanish horses

ever there is a horse and a man, there will

perform in harmony. A correct posture or

in the sixteenth century and it is from

be competition to suit the needs of their

seat, good balance, timing, subtle aids or

these horses combined with the English

immediate surroundings.

“cues”, soft hands and the ability to coor-

clearly resembles that of Xenophon.

Thoroughbred that the American Quarter

The western saddle is unique to the

Horse was created. In my first article about

cowboys of the American West. It was de-

the Arabian Sport Horse, I mentioned how

signed specifically for roping cattle on the

These are essential elements for riding

the Thoroughbred family tree comes from

range with the horn primarily for wrapping

both western and in the sport of dressage.

the descendents of the Arabian horse.

the rope around and the base being large

Although western has taken a different

Janus, a grandson of the Godolphin Arabi-

enough to distribute the weight evenly

an, is credited as being one of the founda-

over the horse’s back. It is with great pride

tion sires crossed with the Spanish horse

that we can brag that western saddles and

to create the Quarter horse. The Spanish

western horses have influenced Europe

horses which were brought to the Ameri-

and are being exported to Europe at an

cas by the Spanish Conquistadors after

accelerated rate in the last 15 years. The

being set free, turned into the American

Great American West fills our country with

Mustang over time. They discovered these

our own history of the horse and we have

horses had innate “cow” in them which

created an entirely unique style of riding

goes back to their heritage of having been

and competitions which have its founda-

bred to fight bulls over the centuries in

tion from the mastery of the California

Spain, and thus they became the founda-

Vaquero, whose style and horsemanship

dinate it all results in bringing the horse to the rider’s disposal.

Xenophon, forefather of dressage

73


74

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine path, the basics come from the same ori-

western dressage is becoming popular

gins. Many of the move-

at many breed shows and it looks like it

ments resemble one an-

is taking off. The first time I was asked to

other, for instance a spin

judge it, my response was enthusiastic as

is a form of a pirouette,

long as I could remain true to my stand-

a side pass is similar to

ard of requiring a pure three beat canter.

a leg yield or half pass,

I was delighted to discover that was part

and head set resem-

of the directives for the lope in western

bles the curved neck

dressage.

and arched back when

Many times riders come into dressage

a dressage horse is on

from a western pleasure back ground.

the bit. The western

When I re train a western horse for dres-

shows offer freestyles

sage I can count on it understanding how

which are judged very

to give to the bit and reach forward and

much the same as the

down. I have to teach it to go more forward

freestyles in dressage

and come up to the contact rather than

and many times western

back away from it. One of the biggest dif-

riders have paired with

ferences between western and dressage is

dressage riders to give

the first and most fundamental principle

exhibitions at competi-

from the training scale used in dressage,

tions to demonstrate the similarities. Now

“rhythm,” which means purity of gaits. A

About Sue Sue Kolstad is an S rated Dressage

sage.

Judge, a recipient of all three USDF med-

Her love for the horse has led her in

als, Bronze, Silver and Gold. She has been

many directions and she has enjoyed

active in Dressage for over 30 years. Her

horses in multiple disciplines into which

resume includes a teaching degree in edu-

she has incorporated her background of

cation, Riding Instructor Certification from

dressage. Sue has evented through pre-

UW River Falls Wi., Vi Hopkins Symposium

lim, competed in combined driving, hunt-

for Riding Instructors, participation in all

ers, jumpers, endurance races, as well as

educational potions of the USDF Instruc-

showing sport horses, including stallion

tor Certification program.

presentations. She has imported many

Sue has trained and competed many

horses from Europe which have gone on

horses through FEI levels including three

to produce champions in the US. Many of

at Grand Prix. Her background includes

her students have won medals and cham-

training extensively with a European Mas-

pionships through all the levels up to GP.

ter for several years as well as continuing

Sue is devoted to education and the clas-

to train and clinic as often as possible with

sical development of the sport of Dres-

top clinicians and respected professionals

sage, which consumes her life. Not many

both in the US and abroad. She is an avid

people can say, “I love what I do and I do

reader and student of the history of dres-

what I love”


April/May 2013 dressage horse is required to have a four

of training rules worldwide in dressage,

of the earth”. Long is the road which the

beat walk, a two beat trot, and a three beat

horses would stay sounder longer across

horse has travelled with us throughout our

canter. The western pleasure horse has

the board. History shows us where the

history. What remains of the past today

been slowed down to a point where many

western horse finds its origins, and now

are the things which we will use as build-

times the purity of the gait is compro-

that dressage is working its way into the

ing blocks for the future. Classical princi-

mised. Lack of forward energy and expres-

western world, the future is yet to be told.

ples have stood the test of time and hope-

sion of gaits is one of the biggest differ-

I hope this article has helped to en-

fully will continue to do so for the future

ences between a western pleasure horse

lighten the readers as to how dressage

and a basic training level dressage horse.

is the foundation for all good riding and

The basic principles of gymnasticising

when applied correctly enhances the

the horse to build strength and develop

performance in every arena. The sport of

correct muscles from dressage can eas-

Dressage takes these principles to another

ily be applied to any horse and enhances

level and has developed into a separate

the physique and longevity of the horse’s

field of competition in today’s world, but

body. The reason many dressage horses

the inherent principles of dressage apply

are competing well into their twenties is

as the basic foundation of training for all

because of the foundation of using train-

horses. A line from a famous poem in the

ing methods to build and strengthen the

ancient Koran reads:”Thou shalt find hap-

animal as an athlete. If more trainers and

piness all over the earth and thou shalt be

judging standards would adopt the train-

favored above all other creatures, for to

ing scale which is the established “bible”

thee shall accrue the love of the master

of the horse in sport.

75


76

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Taylor Bowman’s

T

aylor Bowman didn’t set out to win the AHA High

Taylor also found it challenging to

Point Youth of the Year Award in 2012, but she

keep up with school and still put

did and in unprecedented fashion!

in enough time with the horses. As

2012 didn’t seem a likely year to try for it;

a freshman dealing with her first year

there were only 5 Arabian shows on the Bowman Sport Horses’

in high school, she knew she had to keep her

schedule, 1 regular local show, 1 Regional and pre-show, and Ca-

grades up. She has always had her eye on

nadian Nationals and Sport Horse Nationals. What she did have

a full or partial scholarship to a top univer-

going for her were some very nice, but challenging horses to ride.

sity with a good equestrian team, so grades were

They included BSH Vintage Isabella, a 4-year-old Arab/Selle Fran-

going to be a factor. Just in case she hadn’t given herself enough to

cais mare bred by her family in her first year of showing under

do, she was also on her high school equestrian team competing in

saddle. Next was the 9-year-old half sister to Isabella, Lady Loria

three 4-day meets during the year. (She ended up earning her let-

++++// whom Taylor had already had much success with, but was

ter for 2012 and was a gold medal winner in Equitation over fences

now retired from jumping to concentrate on dressage. That left the

and Dressage in Oregon High School Equestrian Team - OHSET -

8-year-old stallion Annapolis ++// and the 8-year-old mare Imnaha

competition)

always

+// owned by Sarah Asby as her purebred and half Arab hunters.

Right after the Region 4 Championships in June, it became

They were both only in their second year of showing over fences

clear that even with only 2 shows left on the year for her, she was

and still pretty green.

competitive for the Year End Award. Since these were both Nation-

To some that might have seemed like a big load, but Taylor was

al shows, there were a lot of points up for grabs. Up to this point

very excited and up to the challenge of riding these different hors-

she was having an amazing run; competing in over 30 classes at

es in all the different disciplines. Sometimes the hardest part was

Region 4 Championships and pre-show. The majority were earned

just getting all the tack and wardrobe changes done at the shows!

while never doing worse than a Top 5, and spanning almost every sport horse discipline, including Hunter/Jumper, SHIH, SHUS, Dressage, and Equitation. From there, she never looked back. She went to Canada with 3 of the 4 horses; Imnaha +//, Annapolis ++//, and Lady Loria ++++//. When she left for home, she had won 9 National Championships and 5 Reserves. Some of those Championships were in very competitive classes, such as Hunt Seat Equitation NTJ 14-17 and Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle, as well as many hunter and jumper classes. It seemed clear she was on a roll and pulling way ahead in the points. Taylor got really excited about the possibility of winning the High Point Youth Year End award and being able to put that on her resume for college applications. Sport Horse Nationals was next, and that show netted her 3 National Championships and 7

Don Stine Photo

Reserves including one very sentimental win in the Half Arab SHUS Junior Horse (Reserve Champion) on the 4 year old Half Arab mare

Taylor and Imnaha +//

BSH Vintage Isabella bred by her parents, Scott and Ahna Bowman


Jeff Janson Photo

April/May 2013 77


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine and out of their mare Chainti. She also had another big win on Izzy’s half sister Lady Loria+++//, (also out of Chainti) winning the First Level Dressage ATR. Taylor and Lady Loria+++// also rode to the USDF All Breeds Youth Championship Training Level, and the USDF Reserve Championship First Level, as well as being Reserve Champion Training and First Levels at Oregon Dressage Society Championships. In the end, there was much to be proud of. Her year as a 14-year-old junior was very successful. She ended up winning the AHA High Point Youth Award by 532 points with a total score of 905.5; the widest margin ever. She had managed to get through yet another year of tolerating her mother as her trainer, and she had forged some great new relationships with some amazing horses. She now also had some good stuff for that college resume! As of last week, Taylor and Imnaha have parlayed their winning

Cyndie Planck Photo

78

ways into success in the open Hunter/Jumper world winning the Reserve Championship in the Children’s .95 Meter Jumper class at the Spring Hunter Jumper Opener in Oregon at Mt Hood. She’s very excited to be showing off what our Arabs can do, and looking forward to another great year.

Taylor and Lady Loria++++//


April/May 2013

Conformation Clinic With Elaine Kerrigan, Judy Hedreen, and Peter Mileo almost to the point of being back at the knee. The straightness extends through the pastern, which may not provide enough shock absorption. The back is long enough and connects to a good hindquarter. The angles from hip to buttock to stifle form a nearly perfect equilateral triangle. The hip connects to a good gaskin. The hock is low enough but could have more breadth, giving greater strength to the joint when doing upper level movements.

Peter Mileo:

Purebred #1

Nice head and neck which is attached nicely to shoulder. Good shoulder angle. I’d like to see a bit more forearm or less cannon

Elaine Kerrigan:

on the front legs though this opinion might change if I saw him in

Very attractive head set nicely on a well-shaped neck, though a

person. Hard to say. Front pasterns look a bit upright. Short back,

little thicker than ideal at the throatlatch. Neck blends very well

loin could be a bit stronger, hind end looks well angled and of suf-

into the withers and shoulders with a good slope and long hu-

ficient length compared to the rest of his body but it is not very

morous, giving this horse a conformation that should be able to

deep and doesn’t tie into the gaskin. Well let down hocks. This

produce lift and reach of the forehand. Good saddle position as

horse looks like he would make a nice balanced athlete.

a result of the withers being set well into the back and the forward position of the forelegs. The loin could be stronger and show better development. The hindquarter and gaskin muscling could show better development. This is needed to produce the carrying power to balance the lovely forehand. Adequate bone with fairly correct leg conformation with hocks set in a sturdy low position.

Judy Hedreen: In assessing this horse for an open sport horse, we see attractive gray with a harmonious top line. A pretty head with a big eye and

Purebred #2

a well-set neck that is long enough, especially if considering a dressage career. The horse is a little thick in the throat latch which

Elaine Kerrigan:

might effect its’ ability to come onto the bit. There is a pronounced

Sweet expression on this horse, but am unable to comment on

wither that could extend a little farther into the back to ensure

the placement of the head on the neck. Neck does appear to be

a secure saddle fit. The shoulder has a good slope but could be

more developed on the underline than the topline, especially at

longer which would produce a better angle with the humerus, al-

the withers and shoulders. Shoulder angle is steep and the with-

lowing more freedom of movement. The front legs present more

ers could lay further into the back. As the withers appear to be

serious issues. In this picture, the horse appears very straight,

placed almost directly above the forelegs, this compromises sad-

79


80

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine dle position. Loin is a bit long and the hip is showing a steep an-

and the pasterns in the rear look soft. Especially the right rear,

gle. Showing some hindquarter and gaskin muscle development.

which is doing most of the rear weight bearing. If the loin was

Adequate bone, though hock angle appears more open than ideal.

stronger and shorter this horse’s balance would change and be

Pasterns are a bit long. The pose of this photo makes for a difficult

more positive than it is. Hind end adequate in length and ties in

evaluation.

to the gaskin well. I don’t think this horse is going to be the most athletic horse due to the loin and straight back legs.

Judy Hedreen: Not a traditional conformation picture; it is difficult to reliably judge this horses’ sport horse potential. She has an attractive head with an intelligent and soft look. The neck appears to be of good length, but is rather straight on top. The wither is well defined and extends into the back. The shoulder is long but quite straight and with a shorter humerus, the reach of the front legs will be limited. The front legs have good bone with a nice relationship between upper leg and cannon. Unlike horse number one, which had straight pasterns, this horse’s pasterns, front and rear, have

Purebred #3

too much angle. While long, angled pasterns will give a smooth ride, it is a weakness in structure that predisposes a horse to injury

Elaine Kerrigan:

from too much stress on tendons and ligaments. In this photo,

Pleasing head set on a neck of good length and shape. Neck ties

the horse appears to have a long loin with the lumbosacral joint

smoothly into the withers and shoulder, however the shoulder an-

behind the point of hip. With this and the over-angulation of the

gle is steeper than ideal. Withers could tie further into the back

hind leg, the horse may not have the ability to adequately come

for a nice saddle position, however saddle position is helped by

from behind to lift the front end.

the forward placement of the forelegs. Nicely developed loin and hindquarter muscling, which makes me think of a good training

Peter Mileo:

and riding program. Good bone showing a sturdy

Pleasing face, head and ears. Neck is hard to judge with this photo

conformation for sport horse activities.

but it appears to lack shape and looks planky. Shoulder looks to be a tad more upright than ideal. Humerus looks of good length

Judy Hedreen:

setting the horse up for a good stride in front. Nice flat knees

This horse has a pleasing look and overall harmony for a sport

and good front pastern angles. Longer loin than ideal and not a

horse type. The pretty head connects well with the neck. The poll

smooth coupling. The rear legs appear to be straight in the hock,

could be longer, and the throatlatch is clean. The neck is a good length for dressage or jumping and connects well with the with-

Submit Your Horse Would you like to enter your horse into our free Conformation Clinic?

er. The wither should be more pronounced, which may develop with age and muscling. Lack of a good wither makes saddle fitting more difficult. The shoulder appears rather straight and the humerus could be longer for more freedom of movement. The front leg looks quite good with enough bone and good pastern length

Please email your submission to: info@thearabiansporthorse.com Subject: Conformation Clinic Submissions will be featured at our discretion. Photo credit must be provided.

and angle. The back and loin look of good length and strong. From the photo angle, it is difficult to tell about the lumbosacral joint and length from hip to point of buttock. However, the hindquarter looks to have good angles and extends down to a well-structured hind leg with good angles.


April/May 2013 Peter Mileo:

pronounced withers for a secure saddle fit. The withers may gain

Interesting to compare this horse to Purebred #2. This looks like

height with development and muscling. The back is of good length

horse number 2 with a better loin and hind legs. Same straight-

with a good loin. The croup could be longer and have less angle.

er shoulder but the neck is better shaped and set better on the

The hindquarter is well developed with a good gaskin, hock and

shoulder and out of the wither. The knees are not as flat as Pure-

bone. The angles of the hindquarter suggest the horse is some-

bred #2 but both have short cannons and good pastern angles.

what sickle hocked. The overall appearance is attractive, and with

Tighter loin gives this horse better balance. Better angles in the

maturing she should make a fine riding horse.

hind legs and also has a hind end that ties in to the gaskin well. I believe this horse would be more athletic than Purebred #2.

Peter Mileo: Pretty head, neck looks a bit short and thick but well shaped. Straight shoulder, flat knees, short cannons, upright pasterns matching the shoulder angle or lack of. Butt high with a weak loin and what appears to be a poor coupling. Hind end angles are not good. The length from point of hip to point of buttock looks quite a bit longer than point of buttock to stifle. I would guess this horse has a short stride behind and have trouble tracking up under itself. I’d like to see better angles in the hock as they aren’t straight but

Half-Arabian #1

not well angled either.

Half-Arabian #2 Elaine Kerrigan: Pleasing head, though a bit long, set on a shorter than ideal neck. Neck show a good shape, but is rather thick at the thoatlatch. Neck does tie smoothly into the shoulders, however the shoulder angle could be more sloped. Withers tie well into the back and foreleg placement is adequate for a fairly good saddle position. Loin appears adequate in development though the excessive hind leg length from stifle to hock has placed the hindquarters higher than the forehand. This is often a difficult conformation to overcome. Would like to see more overall muscle development and I wonder if this is a youngster in the gawky two

Elaine Kerrigan:

year old range, as being shown in a bridle.

Attractive head, with a bored expression, placed on a well shaped neck that ties smoothly into the shoulders and withers. Adequate

Judy Hedreen:

angle to the shoulder and withers are placed well into the back,

Very pretty, feminine head with a big eye on this nicely colored

along with forward enough positioned forelegs, making a fairly

grey. As a two year old, the filly looks to be in a growing stage,

good saddle position. Nicely developed loin and hindquarter cou-

higher behind giving an overall downhill appearance. Therefore,

pling and muscling showing correct and beneficial training and

some of the comments today may not apply to this filly when she

riding. This is important since the hocks are set a bit high creat-

is mature. The neck is well shaped and long enough, although

ing a taller hindquarter than forehand. Plenty of good bone for a

set a little low and is fairly thick for the size of the horse. This,

sturdy athlete.

coupled with steep shoulder and shorter front leg, may cause the horse to travel on its’ forehand. The front leg is quite straight

Judy Hedreen:

and needs more bone to match the body. I would like to see more

This two year old is an attractive and harmonious sport horse type,

81


82

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine which at this stage of development looks like a promising hunter.

Judy Hedreen:

A nice well-shaped head is connected to the neck with a clean

This horse has a pleasant expression with a soft eye, although it

throat latch. The neck is long enough sitting on the shoulder well.

lacks overall harmony. The throat latch is clean and the poll long

While the shoulder could be longer, it has a nice slope and joins

enough. The neck is a little long and set lower on the shoulder

a long humerus creating a very good angle. This should allow for

than desirable. This may make it difficult for the horse carry itself

freedom of the shoulder and a long reach. The front legs are set

in balance. The wither is pronounced and could extend farther

well under the shoulder, with good bone, length and angles. The

into the back. The back drops off moving into a weak loin. The

wither needs greater height and definition for a good saddle po-

lumbosacral joint is behind the point of the hips, which can result

sition. The back is long enough with a strong loin flowing into a

in a lack of muscle development and strength involving the back

well-developed hindquarter. The hip-buttock-stifle angle is more

and hindquarter. The croup could be longer and be less steep.

open than the last horse which should give a longer stride. The

This back connection and hindquarter may lead to unsoundness

gaskin and hock are broad and well-shaped. Overall, a promising

and back pain during a dressage or jumping career. While this

prospect, whose expression asks, ‘can I quit posing now?’

horse is not a competition sport horse type, it may well be a good and trusty companion giving hours of pleasure.

Peter Mileo: If this horse were a bit lower in the hind end or taller at the wither

Peter Mileo:

he would be a very nicely balanced horse. Basically if his forearm

Let’s start with the positives. His legs are well let down. Cannons

were a couple of inches longer he would also have a better shoul-

in front look short and the hocks are set low. Legs look plumb,

der angle and not look downhill. Other than that small feature

knees are flat and pasterns have good angles. The neck is of good

he would be the best of the 6 horses in my opinion. His legs are

length and shape but set low. His head looks pleasant with a low

well let down with short cannons and low set hocks. The legs are

set eye. His shoulder is a tad straight, not terrible, his back is OK

nice and plumb. His shoulder is of an acceptable angle and his

but his loin is weak and it appears his Lumbar/Sacral joint is too

humerus is of good length. In spite of the fact he is a bit butt high

far back from his point of hip which would mean among other

he is probably a good athlete.

things that he is not going to handle weight well. He will also have trouble tracking up under himself in my opinion. His hind end has

Half-Arabian #3

good angles but lacks length and depth. What really throws him out of balance is the fact that his center circle is longer than his front or back circle. If his loin was shorter and stronger he would be pretty well balanced.

Elaine Kerrigan: A plain head, with a pleasant expression. Neck attaches low to very prominent withers and shoulder is steep in angle. Care must be taken to make sure of a well fitting saddle. Coupling of loin to hindquarters lacks sufficient muscling. Hind leg joint angles, especially stifles and hocks, are very open and could be cause for difficulties to develop the strength for long tern sport horse activities.


April/May 2013

About Elaine

About Judy

About Peter

1970 saw the beginning of Kerrigan

Judy has been breeding sport horses

Peter Mileo has been breeding Arabian

Bloodstock, with the goal of producing

since 1981. She is the breeder of Far Star

horses since 1990. He started with Fad-

Arabian sport horses. With that I pursued

that represented the USEF and American

jur line horses and evolved toward CMK

dressage, endurance and a little jumping.

Hanoverian Society (AHS) in the 2003

horses. After several conversations with

With a special interest in the bio-mechan-

World Championships for Young Jumpers

Sandy Warren of Warren Park Stud hoping

ics of horses and riders, I also have an

in Belgium, ridden by Laura Kraut; Ani-

to breed a mare to Aulrab he discovered

extended education as a large animal vet-

mation, winner at Spruce Meadows and

a coming 2 year old colt by the name of

erinary technician and as a graduate of the

Champion at Indio; Agincourt, winner at

Magic Aulrab and purchased him. After

USDF judges learner program. KB Omega

Spruce Meadows and Champion at Indio

a short show career they started riding

Fahim++++// is a stallion of my second

under Hap Hansen; and USDF Horses of

endurance where Peter feels he learned

generation. He has achieved 4 USDF Na-

the Year Ghita and Coco Chanel.

about what makes a good horse. “Regard-

tional Champion awards at FEI level dres-

Judy was a USEF ‘R’ dressage/sport

less of bloodline or even breed a horse

sage, and 4 AHA Sport Horse National

horse breeding judge for 14 years, a mem-

needs to have balance, well let down legs

Champion awards at FEI level dressage. He

ber of the USDF Sport Horse Committee

and solid legs and feet.” Peter has studied

has offspring that have also attained USDF

for 10 years, and is a current member of

many videos of horses under saddle and

and AHA Sport Horse National Champion-

the USHJA Breeder’s Committee. In 2007,

at liberty from Arabs, Warmbloods and the

ship awards. KB Omega Fahim++++// has

Judy was appointed as a judge to the Han-

great Standardbred mare Monimaker. This

been inspected and approved for breed-

overian Mare and Stallion Committee.

has given him a well rounded knowledge

ing purebred Shagya-Arabians.

Rosa Noir

2012 Black Hanoverian/Arabian Filly (Rosenthal x Belle Noir by NV Beau Bey)

83

of what a good athlete is and why.

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84

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

Bazy Tankersley: Farewell

T

he highly respected Arabian

tworth of the famous Crabbet Stud in the

mick, who published the Chicago Tribune,

breeder Ruth “Bazy” McCor-

late 1950s, Mrs. Tankersley imported the

named her as head of the Washington

mick Tankersley died February

largest single consignment of Arabians

Times-Herald. It was a short-lived position,

ever made from England.

due to her uncle’s meddling, but it was

5, 2013, at her home in Tucson, AZ at the age of 91. Mrs. Tankersley was the foremost Arabian horse breeder in the US, with having bred over 2,800 horses.

there she met her second husband, Garvin Of the Arabian temperament, she has

“Tank” Tankersley.

been quoted: “Disposition is undoubtedly inherited. I have a rule here, that I have to

From her first marriage Mrs. Tanker-

Her website contains this welcome

be able to walk in the stall of any stallion

sley had two children, Kristie Miller, a bi-

message, which offers the reader insight

and put on a stable halter with no chain

ographer and author of “Ellen and Edith:

into this amazing woman. “I’m Bazy Tank-

and lead that stallion out without any

Woodrow Wilson’s First Ladies,” and Mark

ersley and during this magical journey

problem. If not, he is a gelding. I don’t care

Miller, who owns Arabian Nights, an Arabi-

of over 65 years, I’ve owned about 2,500

how good he is – because I think there is no

an horse dinner theater in Kissimmee, Fla.

Arabian horses. As a child I secretly dedi-

excuse for an Arabian not to have a superb

She and Tank had one daughter, Tiffany,

cated myself to the preservation of the

disposition.”

born in 1970 who died in 2012.

amazing

qualities

of

the Arabian horse and

Mrs.

Tankersley

hope to keep improv-

also had a passion for

ing the breed, making

education. She started

it ever more beautiful,

two schools in the East

with better dispositions

and founded the St.

and endowed with even

Gregory College Prepa-

greater athletic ability.”

ratory School in Tucson in 1980.

Mrs.

Tankersley

bought her first Arabian

In 2001, Mrs. Tank-

at age 19. She began

ersley

donated

her

her world-renowned Arabian breeding

In an interview, she also said she had

85-acre property at 4101 N. Bear Canyon

program in 1941 when she and her first

strict rules regarding the management of

Road to the University of Arizona, who

husband, Peter Miller Jr., moved to Arizona.

her broodmares. “If a mare doesn’t pro-

will continue to use it as a working ranch.

It started as a 40-acre horse she named Al-

duce better than herself, I don’t keep her.

Over the next two years, her son Mark will

Marah, which translates to “a verdant gar-

If she does, I still want to sell her when she

be moving the herd to Florida to maintain

den oasis.” In 1949, she moved the farm to

is around 12, to keep her better daughters,

Mrs. Tankersley’s vision with the help of

Maryland, and then permanently returned

and let her go do some good for somebody

her longtime manager, Jerry Hamilton.

to Arizona in 1975.

else.” She is survived by her two children,

With the specific goal of breeding an

Regarding her philosophy, she said in

athletic horse with a gentle disposition,

an interview just last August, “The best

she searched the world for breeding stock.

husbandry practice is to let Arabians live

Her foundation stallion, whom she said

with minimum stall time and a maximum

Two books have been written about

“fulfilled my dreams and defined my men-

amount of time enjoying the company of

Mrs. Tankersley and Al-Marah Arabians:

tal image of the ideal Arabian horse,” was

other horses.”

“.. And ride away singing,” by Mary-Jane

Indraff, the first son of Raffles. Indraff sired

Her father was US Senator Medill Mc-

254 purebred Arabian foals, and had more

Cormick and her mother, Ruth Hanna Mc-

than 2,700 grandget.

Cormick, was an Illinois congresswoman; both were in the newspaper industry.

After the death of Britain’s Lady Wen-

In 1949, her uncle, Robert R. McCor-

two stepchildren, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Parkinson, and “A field of Arabians,” by Suzanne and Jake Page.


2004 Arabian April/May 2013Stallion 85

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86

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

BITS and pieces

AWS INSPECTION AWARDS Windy Creek Arabians is pleased to announce the results of the American Warmblood Society’s National Inspection awards. Two of

ISR/OLDENBURG NA INSPECTION From Prairie Rose Training Center and the Stanley Family of Bismarck , ND:

their 2012 colts were named winners in the Weanling colts class.

We now own 3 horses that have been approved by the ISR Old-

Purebred colt WCA Hy Voltage (Hy Wynds x CD Mariachi), pictured

enburg registry! Our Arabian mare PR Sun Kyst (The Midnight Sun

above, was the gold medal winner with a score of 83.35%. Half-

x PR Brandywine), her 2012 filly PR Conkystadora above), and our

Arabian colt Hy Pryced Diamond (Hy Wynds x Ole Lady in Dia-

2011 filly PR Conradina (below), attended the most recent ISR-Old-

monds) was the silver medal winner with a score of 79.35%. The

enburg NA Inspection in MN and all qualified.

class is not divided by breed so all horses compete equally.

PR Conradina and PR Conkystadora are both sired by Hilltop

To date WCA Hy Voltage and his sire Hy Wynds remain the only

Farm’s Hanoverian stallion Contucci, the 2009 USEF Dressage Sire

two Arabians to attain Supreme status (score of 80% or above)

of the Year. The fillies are now branded Oldenburg and double-

with the AWS. Additionally, Anglo-Arabian colt Hy Class Affair (Hy

registered Oldenburg and Half-Arabian. (Photos by Ashley Blegen)

Wynds x Celebrity Affair), pictured below, attended a RPSI inspection where he was scored as a Silver Premium foal. WCA is very pleased with Hy Wynds first foal crop and looks forward to their success in the future.


April/May 2013

87

Photo by Lizzie Hall

BITS and pieces (continued)

EVENTING NEWS

At Galway Downs International, the 18-year-old homebred Anglo Arabian Oz Poof of Purchase (Sidi of Magic x Regalbatim), pictured

The 2013 Eventing season has given us a few Arabian-bred horses to cheer for!

above, ridden by Katherine Groesbeck, held the lead at their first Advanced after dressage and cross country, but dropped to 4th af-

Canadian Olympian Jessica Phoenix has been competing the UK-

ter a stop in stadium. Poof is the oldest of 3 full siblings includ-

bred Half-Arabian Erodium (Emilion {DWB} x Calamintha by Dhruv)

ing Oz The Tin Man that Katherine rode to victory in the CIC2* at

for owner Vanessa Fenwick. At Poplar Place, they were 2nd in Ad-

Galway last March.

vanced, 14th in the CIC*** at Red Hills and 12th in Advanced at Pine Top.

Entries have closed for Rolex KY 3-Day Event and there is at least one Arabian-bred entered.

Halimey Go is an Anglo-Arabian sired Trakehner stallion (29.91%

Houston is sired by Thoroughbred Reputed Testamony and out of

Arabian) ridden by Michael Pollard and owned by the Halimey

a 3rd generation Anglo-Arabian, Amnesty, from Ann McKay’s amaz-

Go Syndicate, placed 1st at Rocking Horse in Preliminary, a 1st at

ing breeding program. Her sire was the Anglo Quartermaster (Yan-

Ocala Winter Horse Trials in Training and a 14th in Preliminary at

kee Lad {TB} x Jane Morganroth {AA}) and her dam the Anglo Quest

Poplar Place. He is sired by Askar AA, who competed in the 1996

(Gadd John Dee {AA} x ReRegret {TB}).

Olympics in Atlanta. Riesling De Buissy, a French-bred Anglo-Arabian (27.18%) ridden by Will Faudree and owned by Sterling Silver Stable, won Inter-

Houston is owned and ridden by Daniel Clasing of White Hall, MD who grew up riding Ann’s homebred Arabians. We wish them the best of luck!

mediate at Pine Top Advanced after a 2nd in Preliminary at Pine Top Winter. Last weekend at Southern Pines they finished 8th in Intermediate. His sire is Oberon du Moulin, a winning Grand Prix jumper, and his dam is O Vive. Lauren Kieffer’s Anglo-Arabian Vermiculus (Serazim x Wake Me Gently) earned a 5th in his first Preliminary at Rocking Horse after a 4th and 6th in Training in February. The last event for March in Florida was Rocking Horse HT, where Photo by WNCPhoto.com

both Halimey Go and Vermiculus went head to head in Open Preliminary. They were tied for second place after dressage with a 26.5, both went double clear in stadium and they were tied for first! Cross country usually separates ties, but they both went double clear again! Halimey got the win as he was 3 seconds closer to the optimum time.

Riesling De Buissy


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

88

BITS and pieces (continued)

Jeff Janson Photo

GRAND PRIX JUMPER

CROSSEN ARABIANS NEWS

There’s an Anglo Arabian on the California jumper circuit that is

Crossen Arabians originated with the purchase of their main herd

making quite a name for himself on the world stage. Misti Cassar

of Arabian horses at an auction in Hillsdale, N.Y. in 1986. Since

and Poeme d’Amour started competing in Grand Prix jumping com-

then, the Arabian breeders have branched out to breeding not

petitions in 2012 and surprised everyone by winning or placing in

only purebreds but additionally, half-Arabians, and Warmbloods.

the money each time.

The Crossens primarily breed Sport horse type individuals for dres-

Imported by Misti in 2009, Poeme is a 16.1 hand 10-year-old gray gelding sired by Ryan d’Anzex out of Jacinthe Du Maury by Fol Avril and bred by Cendrine Dutrait of Elevage De Buissy in Limousin, France.

sage, hunter/jumper, and also a few western mounts to add to the mix. Last year Tom Crossen, Jr. showed four horses in both the Sport horse and western pleasure divisions at the Reg. 16 Championship

Misty showed him lightly the first few years she owned him due

Arabian Horse Show. Highlights of his winnings are: Champion-

to knee replacement surgery. Their first Grand Prix together was

ships in both First and Second Level Dressage-ATR with CA Gari-

the $30,000 Pebble Beach in July, where they finished 10th. Next

mond+/. CA Dezarae-another Crossen bred horse won a Reserve

came a win in the $30,000 LA International Welcome Stake and a

Championship in Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle, Junior horse

third place in the $50,000 LA International Grand Prix in Septem-

and Top Five in Arabian Western Pleasure-Junior horse. Tom also

ber.

competed on CA Charisa, another Crossen bred horse, in the Ara-

October continued the winning trend with a 3rd in the $35,000

bian Western Pleasure Select Rider ATR class and won the Champi-

Sacramento International Welcome Grand Prix and two wins in the

onship. Khoncise, who started his show career in western pleasure,

$30,000 National Preview Grands Prix the same week.

was re-trained by Tom to the dressage discipline. Khoncise won a

Starting back up at the HITS Desert Circuit in January, Misti and

Top Five in what was his first year competing in that division.

“Mister” garnered a fifth place in the $33,000 HITS Desert Classic

In the open circuit, Tom showed a two year old Hanoverian fil-

GP and an 8th in March in the $15,000 Level 8 Jumpers in which

ly, Rhyana, at three different USDF Breed Shows and won three

the fences are 4’9”.

Championship Fillies in hand classes with her. Additionally, Rhyana

With big plans to compete overseas in the World Cup and World

went on to win the Reserve Championship in the Adequan/USDF

Equestrian Games and ownership syndication a possibility, the sky

Dressage Sport Horse Breeding for two year old fillies. This was

is the limit!

up against all breeds that competed throughout the country. Tom

We will have more on this outstanding Anglo Arabian in our next issue, including an in-depth interview with his breeder and owner.

also showed Ripley CA to a 3rd place in the Yearling division. Both horses were also bred by Crossen Arabians, LLC.


April/May 2013

89


The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

90

Saddle Fitting Continued from page 7 seasonally, it’s a good idea to have the fit checked more frequently. And if you notice a change in the balance of the saddle, or if your horse develops issues with saddling or performance that have been trouble-free in the past, please call your fitter ASAP. While it may not be your saddle, it’s an easy thing to rule out, or correct. Remember that saddle fitting is an ongoing

Always So Basic

process, and the more vigilant you are, the

com). She’s also a dedicated martial artist (Koro

happier your horse (and you) will be.

Ken Karatedo, 3rd degree brown belt), avid gardener, amateur photographer and prolific writ-

••• Kitt Hazelton is a lifelong horsewoman. S he’s

er. Y ou can follow her adventures in saddle fitting at www.saddlefitter.blogspot.com.

worked as a dressage trainer and instructor in Los Angeles, CA and southern VT, and has been fitting saddles since 1998. She’s an Associate Member of the Society of Master Saddlers (North American chapter) and sells, fits and repairs saddles at her Panther Run Saddlery (www.pantherrunssaddlery.

This is where you must take away im-

the rail in shoulder-in, you are taking the

pulsion in order to gain submission. Once

horse’s line of sight away from the spooky

you have mounted, walk around the arena

objects. This also gives you more control

As I work through the following chap-

both ways again. No doubt the horse will

with your inside leg for the line of travel.

ters, I’ll be looking at specific issues as

spook at something. Quietly halt and allow

The horse needs to think your aids are

they relate to the Classical Training Pyra-

the horse to look. Pat and encourage him

more interesting than anything he might

mid.

rather than punish him. You will feel the

see outside of the arena. When he is busy

“brain return to the body.” Often he will

thinking about your requests, he is not fo-

audibly breathe. At this point you are able

cused on spooking.

Continued from page 14

Problem 6: My horse is “spooky.” This horse will spend an entire lesson

to influence the horse again. Put your leg

If you have a place where the horse

spooking and trying to get out of work if

on and encourage a step or two forward. It

still spooks, quietly walk past that point,

you let him. Take a lot of time warming

may take a while in order to get past the

reward him, and then trot on. Eventually

up this one! If you are in a hurry, don’t

“ghost.” But he must go past on your line

you will be able to trot by that spot. Al-

ride. Time is your best friend. Before you

of travel, even if it takes 10 minutes with

lowing the horse to spin and twirl with you

mount, walk the horse around the full are-

two steps of walk and halts in between.

kicking and spanking will only increase the

na in both directions. This will give you an

When you have gone around the arena

idea prior to mounting where the horse is

both directions at walk, start on a circle at

Repeat the same circle exercise the

going to spook.

either end—or perhaps in the middle of

other direction. Don’t forget the horse usu-

You can try kicking and spanking the

the arena. Pick the place where the horse

ally spooks more on his stiff, long side than

horse each time he spooks, but in my

has the most confidence. Using your later-

on his supple, short side. Just because the

opinion you will get nowhere. The horse

al bending, work to get the horse stretch-

left eyeball thought all was okay, doesn’t

will just be more afraid of the object or

ing longitudinally over the back as well.

mean the right eyeball feels the same way!

area in question, and you will teach him to

By using the inside bend you will help get

Repeat the circle exercise at canter.

fight rather than work. Then the behavior

the horse more obedient to the inside leg.

You will note after a month, the horse

becomes learned and a way for the horse

Once your circle is relaxed and obedient,

will still be looking but will allow you now

to avoid work altogether. This reaction can

start making it a bit larger at each end.

to keep the line of travel. You may not al-

be dangerous for the rider, too.

Slowly work the circle until the horse is

ways have the same degree of impulsion,

quietly going around the entire arena.

but this, in time, will get better too.

This horse must learn that the line of

frequency of the naughty behavior.

travel is sacred. When you can keep the

Using a shoulder-in will help im-

In a dressage test, now you can keep

horse on the line of travel, you will win. It

mensely as horses usually do not spook

the mistakes to one movement only,

doesn’t matter right now what gait you are

about something in the interior of the

whereas before, this bad behavior influ-

in.

arena, and by taking his vision away from

enced several marks.


April/May 2013

Dressage with Linda Zang

I was able to watch two of the three

completion letter, then ride traverse. Ev-

later groups, after settling Stat in a tape

ery horse showed a better quality of gait in

pen at the trailer. For the other riders, lots

half pass, trot and canter, when ridden this

frame. Stretching the neck down should

of small changes produced big improve-

way, though a few riders had a ‘walk and

be done without lowering the raised with-

ments. Riders displayed over and over the

chew gum’ problem on the first attempt.

er.

value of having eyes on the ground, even

I’ve played with this a little bit at home,

Linda noted that Arabs, Friesians, and

for an Olympic gold medalist (I think she

and am finding it challenging but help-

other horses with a high neckset often

told Leslie Law to put his left hand down a

ful. Challenging because the rider must

get ‘stuck’ at the base of the neck, and

dozen times in 20 minutes!)

be better organized and prepared sooner

Continued from page 64

that this must be overcome before correct

The other big piece for me was the

so as to identify the correct diagonal line

progress is possible. She was pleased that

discussion of how to ride half pass. Again,

to put the horse on, and then keep the

Stat is “unstuck.” It was a nice validation,

this was a contrast of the practice/teach-

horse’s neck and shoulders on that line.

because I spent the first two years of

ing/judging in NA vs Europe. We tend to

Happily my regular dressage trainer

Stat’s dressage work overcoming that

emphasize keeping the body parallel to

has been working quite a bit with Linda

very problem. Credit goes to my regu-

the long side, with the neck moved to the

this winter. I was much looking forward

lar dressage coach Stacy Parvey-Larsson

inside of the chest and quarters wrapped

to resuming regular lessons in March, but

for persisting until we made that break-

around the inside leg. Training in Europe

with the EHV outbreak that plan is on hold.

through. I look back at prior horses and

introduced Linda to the idea of riding half

So I’ll watch the clinic video and get eyes

trainers and realize that was a key piece

pass as a traverse on a diagonal line. Put

on the ground to watch me and see what

missing which limited our ability to do up-

the neck and shoulders of the horse onto

we can do with Linda Zang’s insights.

per level work correctly.

a diagonal line from the start letter to the

Success with Cygnus

through it & continued on for our last

of the upper level dressage horse. Look-

score. It came at his first show of the sea-

ing at 2013, those details will be in focus.

took the bridle off his head! Cygnus had a

son. Cygnus was now the first Arabian and

There is room for improvement in things

blast & loves his victory lap.

the second horse of any breed to achieve

such as more engagement of his right hind

this distinction.

We were also able to

leg and suppleness through his ribs to

our grasp. He had 7 of the levels needed

complete the scores needed for my USDF

make his half passes bigger. I am so lucky

to complete his USDF Horse Performance

Musical Freestyle Gold Bar & Cygnus at 22

to have a horse that can and still wants to

Certificate at all 9 levels of dressage. For

did his first Grand Prix Special test. He got

work at 23. I am still learning from him,

each level the horse must achieve 10

a 64 percent! Then it was back to Grand

but now he’s learning from me, too. We

scores above 60 percent from 4 different

Prix aiming at Sport Horse Nationals.

are aiming for a season at Grand Prix and

judges in a minimum of 4 different com-

There we missed our goal by .6 percent

Sport Horse Nationals, but it’s all up to

petitions and include 4 scores of the high-

with a jig step at the walk & 17 instead of

Cygnus.

est test of that level. Our goal required at

15 one tempis. It was a hard pill to swal-

least 90 qualifying scores. Although it’s

low but Cygnus was sound, fit & excited

an achievement so rare it could be called

about life so the most important things

dressage’s “royal flush” I believed for Cyg-

were in place.

Continued from page 69

A new challenge now seemed within

nus it was possible. In 2011 we went back after those missing Intermediate I and II scores.

THE FUTURE While it would be tempting to view

The start of 2012 was scary with Cyg-

success with Cygnus as a string of accom-

nus’ Equine Metabolic Syndrome and

plishments, my own view is that success

Cushings Disease intensifying resulting

is the everyday journey with him and the

in a slight laminitis episode. We got him

privilege of working the important details

91


Eira HRN (*Ecaho x S S Heiress)

Spring I

(M

Colt (*Romany R x Cymply P

Filly (Audacious PS x Breathless V)

Saint Sebastian (Saint Sandro x Haely Mercedes)


Is Here!

Colt Masada Mazal x Nile Roze+)

Mirabella Bey (Mirage V++++// x Kholela Bey+++//)

River Tailsman Precious)

Saint Sandro’s Silhouette (Saint Sandro x Shes All Girltalk)

Colt (*Doran SBFAR x JAS Silver Eyes)


94

The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine

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April/May 2013

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