SCAD Equestrian Magazine Vol. 1

The Comeback Kids Horse of the Quarter: John Alumna: Kelly Difiglia

Fall 2016

The Inaugural Issue

Meet the

Staff

Alexandra Doucet Editorial Staff Equestrian 2018

Cady Voyer

Founder/ Editor Head Photographer Social Media Coordinator Equestrian/Photograhy 2017

Ally Bitgood

Editorial Staff Equestrian/Language and Cultural Studies 2019

Kieran

Assist Head C Equest 2

Cic

C Eques

n Paulsen

tant Editor Copy Editor trian/Writing 2017

cely Rhodin

Columnist strian/Art History 2018

MG Taylor

Copy Editor Industrial/Equestrian 2018

Nikki Cramer

Assistant Photographer Photography 2019

Hannah Claire Algood

Editorial Staff Preservation Design/Interior Design 2019

Jennie Rivera Copy Editor Consultant Creative Writing 2018

Editor’s Letter It is my greatest pleasure to finally introduce the SCAD Equestrian Magazine, the first equestrian publication by and for the SCAD community. The idea for the magazine was once just a hopeful thought, then just an article or two published weekly through SCAD District, and is now a full-fledged publication. This magazine is dedicated to the SCAD Equestrian experience. Our goal is to entertain and educate readers about the thriving SCAD equestrian community. We want to provide a chance to get to know and participate in this growing program, and to satisfy a creative avenue that has been missing from the university.

I give my biggest thanks to all of those who have helped me make this dream a reality.

Kieran Paulsen, my assistant editor, from the start helped me get together my ideas for the publication and was at my side whenever I needed help. He has been so incredibly valuable in all aspects, and I know I can always count on him to help guide me with every endeavor for this magazine. My staff, MG Taylor, Hannah Claire Algood and Alexandra Doucet, who have been as hardworking and enthusiastic as I have been in this project.

They contribute in more ways than just writing. The ideas and designs they have put forth have helped shaped what the magazine is now. They have been a better team than I could have ever hoped for. Giana Terranova, who has since graduated, for providing incredible photographs to set the standard of aesthetic and high quality imagery. Meghan French, for creating the face of the magazine by designing its logo. My newcomers, Ally Bitgood, Cicely Rhodin, Nikki Cramer, and Jennie Rivera, for believing in the magazine enough to join before it fully developed, as well as contributing in immense ways.

And lastly, a thanks to the SCAD Equestrian Team’s Head Coach Ashley Henry, SCAD Equestrian Director Eddie Federwisch, SCAD Equestrian Department Chair Kelly Theisen, and all those at District.

I hope every reader finds something to enjoy within these pages. I hope they are proud of the program that they are a part of, that they share with friends and families and allow for our magazine family to grow. I already see the future of this magazine forming, and it is exciting. There will be no shortage of content for readers to enjoy in upcoming issues, so I hope you’ll check back with us next quarter. Thank you to all who share in this magazine!

1 Equestrian Studies Q&A

11 Horse of the Quarter

3 Curriculum Changes

13 Beyond The Nine-to-Five

Seven common questions about the Major answered.

SCAD alumna Kelly Difiglia shares her post-grad experiences.

5 Victory at Home

15 Horses In Art

8 The Comeback Kids

17 Veterinary Files

SCAD Equestrian team wins two-day home show series.

Three stories of trial and triumph from the SCAD equestrian team.

Johann Georg de Hamilton’s “Cerbero.”

Pros and cons of laser surgery for horses.

Table Of Contents / Fall 2016

Equestrian program overhauled for upcoming academic year.

John’s journey from show horse to school horse.

Equestrian Studies Q&A Seven Common Questions About The Major, Answered

By Kieran Paulsen

E

questrian Studies has existed as a major at SCAD since 2009 and has approximately 60 students in the major and minor programs. Some members of the SCAD community seem confused as to what exactly the Equestrian Studies program demands and why it has a home at an art and design school. Equestrian Studies students understand some of the confusion, so here are the answers to some questions real Equestrian Studies students often get asked: What classes do you take?

Equestrian Studies students take classes that cover several specializations to ensure they’re prepared for varied careers. Introductory classes include Fundamentals of Horse Care, Principles and Theories of Training, and fundamental RIDE classes. Upperclassmen take classes like Principles of Equine Anatomy, Facility design, Competition design, Equine Business Management, Judging the Performance Horse, and a capstone seminar. Each lecture class focuses on developing a good foundation of horsemanship and exploring the specifics of different branches of the equine industry. Students complete projects that mimic what they would be required to do in the professional world and develop extensive portfolios.

What do you do in RIDE classes?

RIDE classes are one-credit courses that are basically hour-long riding lessons twice a week.

Each RIDE class focuses on a specific track like jumping, Dressage, or training horses. Students ride different SCAD horses to better develop comprehensive training philosophies and hone their riding skills.

Don’t the horses do all the work?

Not really, though we can certainly give them credit for being as much an athlete as the riders are. Riding is a sport. Equestrians are athletes as much as they are artists and professionals. Riding requires superb body control, sensitivity, proprioceptive intelligence, stamina, strength, and extensive training to develop all these skills. Riders must be able to communicate to their horse exactly what motions to perform, how much, when, in what direction, and for how long.

They administer aids, like squeezing with their calf or shifting their weight in the saddle, to direct the horse through movements. It takes a good rider to communicate clearly with their horse and a great one to produce the high caliber performances seen at international championships.

Why are you at an art school?

Because horseback riding is an art in its own way. It has roots in farm work and military service, but ever since the domestication of horses, riding has been acknowledged as something significant.

1

Horses were sacred to ancient cultures like the Huns and the Indigenous people of the Great Plains; they were instrumental in the advancement of modern society, and they remain an integral part of national identity, especially in countries like Germany and Ireland.

The Oxford Dictionary definition of art is, “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination to produce works appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Riding meets all those criteria.

The art of horseback riding is not just the performance of a Dressage test or a show jumping round — which are works appreciated for the beauty and emotional power — it’s also the bond created between horse and rider. Horses are not clay, or paint, or music. They cannot be forcibly manipulated into exactly what a rider wants, but they can be influenced and molded into a partner.

So, you’re on the equestrian team?

The equestrian team is separate from the major. While there are several Equestrian Studies majors who are on the team, not all of them are. It’s also not a requirement that students are Equestrian Studies majors to be on the team. Any major can try out, and there are divisions specifically for riders with little to no experience.

What are you doing with your degree?

There are countless opportunities for work in the equine industry. Jobs span everything from training riders, horses, or both, to working at an organization like the United States Equestrian Federation. There are also retail and design opportunities with big companies like Smartpak and Ariat or smaller boutiques like EQUIS. EQUIS partnered with SCAD for a Collaborative Learning Center project last year and the team included three Equestrian Studies students.

Riding is a conversation, a constant cooperation between horse and rider where signals fly between the two in milliseconds. Every movement, every breath, every thought has meaning and consequence. Achieving true harmony with a horse — a living, breathing, independently thinking animal ten times a rider’s size and strength — requires patience, intelligence, perceptiveness, and definitely creativity and imagination.

Above: An example of a final project for the Facility Design class.

Former student Giana Terranova also produced a website.

Left: Professor Kelly Theisen teaches a RIDE class.

2

Why are you studying horses?

Everyone is going to have a different answer to this question. Some Equestrian Studies students were born into the industry and want to continue the family business. Some grew up reading about horseback riding and want to pursue their dreams. Some have been riding for years and simply want to turn their passion into their career, as so many other SCAD students do. Regardless of specific circumstances or goals, all Equestrian Studies majors have a common motivation, a love for horses. The bond created between horse and rider is unlike anything else on earth. The equine industry is full of creative, motivated professionals who take pride in their work just as much as other artists do, so why wouldn’t students want to study horses?

Below: A project for the Principles of Equine Anatomy class. Students painted bones and muscles on horses. Photo Credit Rebekah Eubanks.

Bottom left: The Equestrian Studies program brings in experts like Kip Rosenthal to host clinics.

Bottom right: A riding lesson in the Shaw Pavilion, SCAD’s covered arena.

Photo Credit Nikki Cramer.

SCAD Equestrian Curriculum Changes Equestrian major requirements overhauled for the upcoming academic year.

By Alexandra Doucet

N

ew years always come with change – new classes, new students, and for the equestrian studies major this fall, new curriculum requirements. These reforms span the major requirements in both EQST and RIDE classes as well as changes to general education requirements. EQST classes are the heart of the major, held in a classroom, while RIDE classes are the directed electives conducted on horseback.

The last changes involve the general education requirements. Equestrian majors will no longer have to take 20th Century Art History, instead they may choose from an Art History elective or an English elective. Majors will also be able to take a second Business class, which was put in place because many Equestrian majors pursue the business facets of the equine industry.

First, the EQST classes which make up most of the major requirement, were revised. The changes occurred in the names of courses, which now better describe the content offered and covered in each of the academic courses. The program will merge Rules and Regulations and Course Design, into a Competition Design class (EQST 405). There will also be two Riding Instruction Techniques classes offered, which teach students the intricacies of coaching and riding instruction.

These new changes took place in the Fall of 2016 for incoming first-years as well as any major student who wanted to change catalogue years. Kelly Theisen, the chair of the Equestrian Studies department, spearheaded the reforms. She said: “The changes were important to better align the curriculum with industry standards and needs. We are excited about it because it will better prepare our students for careers and give them a better experience.”

RIDE courses are one credit hour classes where students ride in lessons taught by SCAD equestrian professors. These courses underwent a complete overhaul in their organization. Riders will take four fundamental classes (RIDE 101, 102, 201, and 202) and are then allowed to pick the remaining eight classes. The beginning classes are to solidify position and form, and the rest are for specification in certain equestrian disciplines. A class focused on the sport of three-day eventing is also being added to the existing list of choices. This is espeically exciting for students like Charlotte Collier, who grew up Eventing and are eager to see it incorporated into SCAD’s curriculum.

Students will also be allowed to repeat RIDE classes up to three times for credit, which will allow for further mastery of specific skills.

Photo Credit Nikki Cramer.

3

Victory At Home Equestrian Team Wins Two-Day Home Show Series

By Cady Voyer

O

n the weekend of November 5, the SCAD Equestrian Team hosted two shows of the IHSA fall show series. SCAD hosted 15 teams and 154 riders over the weekend. Of those riders, 21 competed for SCAD, and SCAD took home top scores both days.

On Saturday the team rode well enough to maintain a three-point lead over Central Florida, which earned them the Champion ribbon. Sunday was just as successful for the Bees, securing another champion title with a 10-point lead ahead of University of Northern Florida.

Riders Tatum Tatreau and Sarah Gordon scored High Point Rider and Reserve High Point Rider titles respectively on Sunday. Part of the team’s continued success is thanks to expert coaching from head Coach Ashley Henry and assistant coach Abbie Gibson, as well as the new members working hard. Firstyear riders Hannah Winslett, Molly Hoskins, Bean Haller-Hiser and Irina Hulse had their first chance to show for the team. They shared their experiences.

What was it like to show with the SCAD team for the first time?

Molly Hoskins: “Showing with the team for the first time let me see firsthand the high level of professionalism and dedication that every team member contributes, both on the ground and in the saddle. That atmosphere really motivated me.”

Hannah Winslett: “At the home show, I really enjoyed how everyone supported one another. The entire team was always around the ring supporting everyone who was showing. I was really nervous going into the show ring for the first time, especially after not schooling well earlier that week, but all the people I talked to were very encouraging and helped me feel more comfortable. I love being on the team! You come to the barn, which is such a beautiful facility, and there is this whole family that wants to help you succeed in class and in the ring. I haven’t been part of a team in a while so it feels great knowing that there are sixty people that want you to do well at SCAD.”

Irina Hulse: “It was such a great and inspiring experience. I got to watch everyone show, letting me learn even more about the show world. I loved the energy and the dedication Ashley put into putting on a show that we can be truly proud of. I loved it, and it was the cherry on the top for us to have won the weekend.”

Bean Haller-Hiser: “I was thrilled to be selected to represent the team and that same motivation kept me going, although I was insanely nervous on the first go. I also really felt the love and support from all my teammates and Ashley and Abbie which helped immensely in the end. Now I feel a whole lot more confident and I was glad that I contributed, even minutely, to the team win for the weekend.”

No contribution was minute during the weekend.

Every rider contributes immensely to the team points and standing at every show. No matter what division, every rider counts. With this in mind, the team recently worked hard to win with a 44 point score at University of North Florida, and is preparing next to compete at the Holiday Tournament of Champions on Dec. 3.

Rider Results for Saturday.

Rider Results for Sunday.

Sarah Gordon: 1st Open Over Fences, 3rd Open Flat Tatum Tatreau: 4th Open Over Fences, 1st Open Flat Madison Albano: 1st Intermediate Over Fences Hannah Winslett: 2nd Intermediate Over Fences Mariel Cooper: 1st Novice Over Fences Isabella Rand: 2nd Novice Over Fences Kelsey Maloney: 5th Intermediate Flat Kate Morrison: 1st Intermediate Flat Isabel Wild: 1st Novice Flat Olivia Patsavas: 2nd Novice Flat Grace Amerling: 1st Novice Flat Ryan Castelli: 2nd Advanced WTC Kieran Paulsen: 1st Advanced WTC Bean Halle-Hiser: 3rd Beginner

Sarah Gordon: 1st Open Over Fences, 1st Open Flat Tatum Tatreau: 1st Open Over Fences, 1st Open Flat Hannah Winslett: 2nd Intermediate Over Fences Caydee Dickensheets: 2nd Intermediate Over Fences Molly Hoskins: 1st Novice Over Fences Mariel Cooper: 1st Novice Over Fences Kate Morrison: 1st Intermediate Flat Kelsey Maloney: 5th Intermediate Flat Isabella Peek: 2nd Novice Flat Isabel Wild: 3rd Novice Flat Olivia Patsavas: 2nd Novice Flat Kieran Paulsen: 2nd Advanced WTC Irina Hulse: 1st Advanced WTC Bean Haller-Hiser: 1st Beginner WTC Alex Neumann: 3rd Walk/Trot Dana Rice: 1st Walk/Trot

WTC

Alex Neumann: 1st Walk/Trot Dana Rice: 1st Walk/Trot Previous: Dana Rice competing on Ragtime. Photo Credit Cady Voyer.

Next spread: SCAD Equestrian at the home show.

5

The Comeback Kids Three stories of trial and triumph from the SCAD Equestrian team

By Cady Voyer

Photo Credit Kate Morrison

E

veryone loves a good comeback story; the kind where the hero was once knocked down, but is able to rise again with the help of friends and hard work. Every sport comes with a chance for injury and since horseback riding is a particularly high-risk activity, getting hurt is common. Current SCAD equestrian team riders Tatum Tatreau, Olivia Patsavas, and Tess Mrozcka are all comeback kids, and have three parts to their stories: the fall, the recovery, and the lesson.

The Fall Tatum, a fourth-year Equestrian Studies major and equestrian team member, sustained a severe ligament injury that took well over a year and half to overcome. She was riding an inexperienced five-year-old that launched her out of the saddle. She landed flat on her feet with her left ankle turned in. “I heard all this cracking and popping and I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t even walk out of the ring,” said Tatum.

Olivia, a fourth-year Fashion major, was riding a former SCAD horse named Red at the time of her injury.

The horse had a reputation for being challenging, and threw her off the day before she was supposed to ride in her first Intercollegiate Horse Show Association competition. After the fall, Olivia did not know anything was seriously wrong. She got back on a different horse and finished the practice. Later, she went to go get ice for her hand, but ended up going to the hospital because it was broken in half.

Tess, a third-year Graphic Design major, was riding her own horse at a show. She’d chosen to ride despite having sprained her ankle earlier that day on a different horse. After clearing her rounds, her horse bucked and Tess landed on a jump, sustaining a serious concussion.

The Recovery Tatum had to get an x-ray to prove that her ankle was not broken, but an MRI showed that she ruptured her anterior talofibular ligament. “It connects the tibia to the fibula,” Tatum explained.

8

“Our first plan of action was physical therapy to see if we could get enough scar tissue to build up to hold it together.”

Tatum rode through the pain for a year and a half, and decided to have surgery when the physical therapy didn’t work.

She started her second round of physical therapy after being non-weight bearing for six weeks. Once she was cleared to walk on her foot, she hopped on a SCAD horse named Austin and rode for weeks without stirrups. Tatum started jumping a month after she was allowed to ride with stirrups again.

Being at an art school and breaking her dominant hand was extremely difficult for Olivia. A quarter is only three months, and Olivia’s right hand needed five months to recover. Olivia said, “When I got my cast off I had no muscle in my fingers and wrist. I wasn’t able to touch my thumb to the tips of my fingers.” She had to go through extensive physical therapy and practice before being able to fully make use of her hand. She also had to regain her confidence in the saddle. “Whenever the horse I was riding acted up I got really tense and nervous, which definitely made my horse nervous and uncomfortable and I would fall again. It took me a while to be confident in my riding.”

Tess had to go through both a mental and physical recovery as well. She was only out of riding for a month, but said it felt like eight. Once she could finally get back into the saddle, she was afraid of jumping fences higher than three feet. Tess explained, “I started really holding back on distances because if I left long my horse would start bucking and it scared me. I would pull out of a course if it was going poorly or if I just got overwhelmed.” Tess had a mixed range of emotions wondering if she would ever be able to trust her horse and get back to her normal self again. “I wouldn’t have gotten my confidence back if it wasn’t for my mom or my trainer at the time who really helped me by pushing my limits of comfort while also providing a shoulder to lean on,” said Tess.

“It’s important to deal with injuries when they first arise and not ignore what your body is trying to tell you.

We are athletes whether or not people think of us in that light, and we have to treat our bodies as such.”

Top: Tatum competing at a home show. Photo Credit Cady Voyer.

Above: Tess schooling at a home show. Photo Credit Cady Voyer.

9

The Lessons Like anyone who is denied something they love, Tatum had a hard time not being able to ride. Tatum was depressed and frustrated while on crutches, however, there was a silver lining to the whole experience.

Tatum said, “In the long run, it gave me an opportunity to experience the team in a different way. I had to learn how to be a team player without being able to ride and it was good for me to gain that perspective.”

Tatum went on to explain that although she had a bad fall and injury, she reminded herself that every great rider had suffered similarly. She said: “As riders it’s always really frustrating and annoying to be sidelined. But since we demand so much from every single body part when we ride it’s important to deal with injuries when they first arise and not ignore what your body is trying to tell you. We are athletes whether or not people think of us in that light, and we have to treat our bodies as such.”

Olivia didn’t fear being unable to ride, but the process of getting back into the saddle was still an inconvenience. “It was really frustrating because you don’t realize how dominant your one hand is until it’s wrapped up in a cast for almost half a year. Especially being in art school!” Said Olivia. “It was my first broken bone though so I definitely lost a lot of self confidence once I got back in the saddle. I’ve learned to just focus on my breathing and relaxing while riding, it not only keeps me calm and collected but keeps my horse calm and focused on what I am asking of them.”

Just as Tatum mentioned, Olivia continued to explain that physical fitness is important. “If you have and maintain strong legs and a strong core, your gripping abilities on a wild, bucking horse will be much better.”

She said that all riders should exercise and take care of themselves. “Take care of your body so that you’re able to stay on, and if you do hit the ground, which is inevitable, you’re less likely to break. And always wear a helmet. I’ve had plenty of falls where a helmet absolutely saved my life.”

Tess learned to trust herself, her horse, and others to help get her back to normal. “I think it’s important to learn from mistakes but then push them out of your memory so they don’t hold you back.” Now she can read her horse like a book and has not pulled off any jump or course. “I ride with more confidence, which is always key going into the ring. I just try to feel if my horse is up to par before going in the show ring and I keep myself mentally and physically in the best condition I can.” Tess stresses that it is important to know what you are fully capable of, and to never give up during any sort of recovery. “Never give up and throw the past injury or situation out the window because it will just hold you back, and make sure to turn to friends and your trainers.”

As with any sport, horseback riding comes with a certain level of risk, and all three of these riders know that. What makes a great athlete though, is the ability to push through the mishaps, falls and failures.

Because getting back up and proving to yourself that an injury won’t hold you back means that you’ll only become wiser and stronger.

Below: Olivia competing at a home show. Photo Credit Cady Voyer.

10

Column Horse of the Quarter: John

By Ally Bitgood

T

he Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center has been the hub of SCAD’s Equestrian program since 2005. Behind the ivy-wreathed pillars and whitewashed fences nearly 70 horses call the stables home. Wander down the left aisle of the original barn and you’ll meet a tall, bay gelding named John. He’ll probably be standing at the back of his stall, watching the world outside his open window with attentive ears and bright eyes.

John is one of the sweetest horses in the barn and he’s been getting lots of attention this quarter. He’s well loved between team members who ride him for lessons and members of the Equestrian Studies program. The love people have for John extends from everyday team lessons to ride classes like Dressage: Self-carriage. John is a naturally nervous horse and while his mentality impeded his performances in the show world he’s been a valuable addition to SCAD. “I’m always extraordinarily happy to come to the arena when I know John will be in class,” says Kelly Theisen, the department chairman of Equestrian Studies.

Equestrian Studies Professor Lauren Klehm adds that John struggled with ground pole exercises when he first arrived, partly because of his conformation. Horses are all built differently, just like humans, and the overall build of each horse is called conformation. John has a long neck that’s set high on his withers, a long back, and a large shoulder. Therefore, it’s difficult for him to use his body correctly. Add this to his anxiety, and most attempts to bring John over poles ended with him rushing and becoming stiff as his riders tried prevent him from leaping over all the poles.

John has improved greatly since coming to SCAD, despite his personal challenges. He’s more relaxed now than when he first arrived and has become more trusting of his riders. He’s more at ease while being ridden and more likely to allow his rider to guide him correctly through exercises. This also helps his riders gain confidence and learn from him as much as they learn from the human instructors. John teaches riders to be light in their hands and depend on their seat and leg to ask for proper connection.

Now, in Klehm’s ride classes, John is able to do advanced pole work. Some exercises encourage transitions (moving from one gait to another, or between tempos within a gait,) between the poles to help both horse and rider balance.

Above: John stands in the warm up ring at a SCAD home show. Photo Credit Giana Terranova

11

Amy Masterson is a student who competes in jumpers, but has she been riding John for Dressage: Rhythm and Acceptance. She says, “Riding John has been a lot of fun, and he’s taught me a lot about the refinement of Dressage. He’s a very sensitive horse but I feel that we work well together. I’m excited to finish out the quarter riding John and further my education in different disciplines.”

John’s sweet disposition and willingness to cooperate with attentive riders has made him an integral part of SCAD’s herd. It’s for these reasons that John is a favorite of the students and staff who interact with him every day.

“He’s taught me a lot about the refinement of Dressage. He’s a very sensitive horse but I feel that we work well together.”

Above: John in his stall. Photo Credit Cady Voyer.

Below: John and Kieran Paulsen at a Dressage show.

Beyond The Nine-To-Five With Kelly Difiglia Alumna Kelly Difiglia shares her post-grad experiences.

By Hannah-Claire Algood

M

any students are satisfied with finding a nine-to-five job that allows them to put their talents and passions to use after graduation.

However, Kelly Difiglia, a 2016 Graphic Design graduate and competitive member of SCAD’s equestrian team, has maintained her tendency to overachieve and pushes herself to do it all in her life after college.

Difiglia now works as Junior Art Director at Revolution Digital in New Jersey, where her projects are centered around branding, web design and social media for companies like Chapstick, NUK and, Dannon. The marketing agency did not have any listed job openings when Difiglia applied, but she landed her position by sending her extensive portfolio and letting her work speak for herself.

Difiglia’s responsibilities as a graphic designer fill only one segment of her day. She wakes up at 5 a.m. for a CrossFit class (thanks to the discipline she learned from four years of Coach Carter workouts.) Her professional day begins at 9 a.m. and involves meetings, brainstorming sessions and working on the steady stream of new projects coming her way.

As a student-artist-athlete, Difiglia was always enthusiastic and driven, and as a professional she is able to apply those same qualities when she collaborates with colleagues in the office. At 5 p.m. she is done and an hour later she is out at the barn enjoying an evening ride with her chestnut gelding Helo. It is often 9 p.m. before this alumna settles in for the evening, but Difiglia says she wouldn’t have it any other way.

13

With a schedule as packed as Difiglia’s, it’s no surprise that she says she values the time management skills she learned at SCAD. She juggled a demanding workload, athletic commitments, and a personal horse all four years of college, and now her life now is no different. (Well, New Jersey isn’t quite Savannah, and nobody can replace Coach Carter.)

While some of her colleagues are shocked by her schedule, Difiglia feels that, “Balancing my own horse and having a career is not that hard. Riding my horse is just like any other necessary life task…it is in my routine and never a burden.”

While other people hardly get any time outdoors, Difiglia is able to unwind on three-mile trail rides with her best equine companion and watch the sunset each night. When asked whether she and Helo had any competitive aspirations in their future, Difiglia responded casually. She and the gelding may seek out the points to qualify for Ariat Finals in coming years but for now they are content to enjoy riding away from the bustle of a career or show arena.

Although Difiglia is enjoying this new chapter of her life, she does miss her friends, teammates, and Gaston, a horse she donated to the SCAD Equestrian program. Her years at SCAD were some of the best and she recognizes that she may never get the opportunity to live with her best friends again.

Post-graduation, everyone scatters on their own paths and it’s difficult not being able to enjoy the highs and wait out the lows together. Despite the nostalgia, Difiglia says, “I am so happy where I am now. I have accomplished more that I thought I would upon graduating.”

“Balancing my own horse and having a career is not that hard.

Riding my horse is just like any other necessary life task…it is in my routine and never a burden.”

Photos provided by Kelly Difiglia and Nickki Cramer.

14

Column Horses In Art: De Hamilton’s “Cerbero.”

By Cicely Rhodin

Photo Credit: SCAD Digital Image Database

T

he Spanish Riding School of Vienna is the world’s oldest school for the equestrian arts. Its name evokes images of white Lipizzaner stallions performing as a full orchestra plays on, the music echoing off the stone walls of the Winter Riding School. However, that is not the image presented in Johann Georg de Hamilton’s “Cerbero,” which was painted in 1721.

White was the favored color of the royal family, so grey horses were selectively bred, but when the breed was first founded its members came in all colors, including Cerbero’s striking pinto. De Hamilton uses composition and form to portray Cerbero as a pinnacle of Classical horsemanship, even though his proportions are unrealistic.

De Hamilton depicts a Lipizzaner horse named Cerbero performing a capriole against a stormy pastoral background. The capriole, a movement which requires the horse to leap into the air and strike out with its hind legs, is highly traditional, but Cerbero’s coloring appears unusual. Cerbero is dark brown with a bolt of white slicing down his withers and along his crest.

Anyone familiar with the Lipizzaner breed knows the horses are almost always grey, but this is a modern phenomenon.

The Capriole demands a horse be perfectly balanced, otherwise it will not be able to hold itself up or kick out successfully. De Hamilton mimics that perfection and balance in his painting. He places Cerbero at the center of the canvas and adds a stone pillar on the left for more weight. Cerbero is captured at the climax of his capriole; he is parallel to the ground, his knees are tucked in, and his legs are even with each other. However, there are peculiarities in Cerbero’s conformation.

15

His legs are too skinny to realistically support his body, his head is small, and his hind legs are stretched unnaturally straight. (Horses have a tendon called the peronius tertius which makes Cerbero’s degree of straightness impossible.)

The most incredible part of the capriole is when the horse kicks out. It is difficult to depict this power and movement without sacrificing the linear quality in a painting. As a result, de Hamilton emphasized Cerbero’s hindquarters, which are large and well defined, to showcase his power.

Meanwhile, the shoulder and head taper off and exhibit more bone to highlight the characteristic Lipizzaner face.

Although he may not represent the most practically functional horse, as a horse frozen in time within a painting Cerbero serves to depict how powerful and well trained horses can be. Johann Georg de Hamilton’s work is a timeless depiction of a timeless art. His paintings have helped pass down the aesthetic and traditions of the Spanish Riding School, which has succeeded throughout history in upholding the classic way of riding and training.

Above: A horse performing a levade in the Winter Riding School. Photo Credit Spanish Riding School, Michael Rzepa.

Below: A horse performing the capriole. Photo Credit Spanish Riding School, Rene Van Bake.

Column Veterinary Files: Laser surgery

By Kieran Paulsen

General anesthesia poses several risks, and when the patient is a 1,000 pound horse, the risks are far greater than in humans. One equine clinic lists, “Injury during anesthetic induction or recovery, cardiopulmonary arrest and death during general anesthesia, postoperative colic, postoperative rhabdomyolysis and or nerve paralysis, surgical site wound infection, postoperative laminitis, infections of the respiratory tract, and severe bleeding or hernia formation,” as surgical risks.

Equine veterinarians are always looking for ways to be less invasive and more accurate when operating on horses, especially if the horse is a competition mount.

In recent years vets have developed strategies for working with high-tech, high precision tools that human doctors have been utilizing since the 1960s — lasers.

LASER is actually an acronym for Light Amplification

by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. A laser is basically a beam of highly concentrated light that operates on a certain wavelength and may be used to cut or vaporize tissue. Some equine vets have discovered ways to use CO2, neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG), and Diode lasers to perform surgery, which offer advantages such as: . Decreased risk of bleeding and swelling . Increased opportunity for procedures to be done under standing sedation . Increased accuracy . Decreased pain . Decreased risk of infection Each laser operates on a different wavelength, so they act differently and cannot all be used for the same procedures.

Co2 Lasers A Co2 laser gets absorbed by water in soft tissue, which causes the tissue to vaporize. It’s precise and has the ability to save surrounding tissues from the heat damage associated with a cautery. However, a Co2 laser cannot be transmitted through fiber optics, so its use is limited to what the surgeon can see superficially.

. Castration . Tumor removal . Proud flesh removal . Nerve resections Robert Flek, founder of the Rainland Farm Equine Clinic, said in an article on veterinarypracticenews. com: “Whether doing incisions, excisions, dissections or ablations, CO2 laser surgery is always non-contact; therefore it minimizes tissue trauma while providing a strong sterilizing effect by killing surface bacteria.”

Nd:YAG and Diode lasers A Diode laser is similar to the Nd:YAG laser. Instead of being absorbed by water in tissues, Diode and Nd:YAG lasers are absorbed by both melanin and hemoglobin. The Diode is smaller than the Nd:YAG, which makes it easier to work with, and both can be used endoscopically. According to the ACVS, These lasers may be used for procedures such as: . Epiglottic entrapment correction . Dorsal displacement of the soft palate correction . Ablation of endometrial cysts All three lasers seal and sterilize structures as they cut, which decreases the risk of bleeding and infection. They also offer greater opportunities for procedures to be done under limited anesthesia, which decreases the risk of horses reacting badly or not waking up after being put under. The drawbacks to laser surgery are that it requires highly specialized training and can cause significant damage to surrounding tissues if done incorrectly, especially if a Diode or Nd:YAG laser is used.

Anyone considering laser surgery should consult their vet and make sure to be properly informed about the risks associated with it.

According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Co2 lasers may be used for procedures such as: 17

Become Part of SCAD Equestrian Magazine Thank you for reading our first issue! Did you like what you read?

Do you want to write, design, photograph, or edit for us? Or just have an idea for a story you’d like to see?

SCAD Equestrian Magazine is looking for more staff members to fill writing, copy editing, photography, and visual design positions.

Applicants do not need to be an Equestrain Studies major or minor to be considered, but they should be willing to learn some basics if they have no equine experience.

We publish an issue every quarter and post indvidual articles on SCAD District whenever possible. Staff members accept as much or as little work as they can handle per quarter.

To apply, please send your name, year, and major along with a small sample of your work to:

18

Follow Us

@scadeqmag

@scadeqmag

@scadeqmag

<div>Icons made by <a href=”http://www.flaticon.com/authors/freepik” title=”Freepik”>Freepik</a> from <a href=”http://www.flaticon.com” title=”Flaticon”>www.flaticon.com</a> is licensed by <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/” title=”Creative Commons BY 3.0” target=”_blank”>CC 3.0 BY</a></div> <div>Icons made by <a href=”http://www.flaticon.com/authors/madebyoliver” title=”Madebyoliver”>Madebyoliver</a> from <a href=”http://www.flaticon.com” title=”Flaticon”>www.flaticon.com</a> is licensed by <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/” title=”Creative Commons BY 3.0” target=”_blank”>CC 3.0 BY</a></div>

19