Canadian Horse Journal - SAMPLE - Summer 2018 by Horse Community Journals Inc.

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HEALTH

The abnormal stance of a pony with laminitis.

Laminitis

in Horses with EMS and Cushing's Disorder By Dr. Jaini Clougher, President, ECIR Group Inc. Equine laminitis has been with us for a long, long time. Fortunately, in the last 10 to 20 years there have been great strides in understanding the causes of this terrible condition. Laminitis is now regarded as a syndrome that occurs secondary to something else, rather than a discreet disease all in itself. This has allowed much more focused research and effort in treating the cause rather than treating just the symptoms that occur in the hoof. It doesn’t matter how great the trim is, or what shoes are used, or how deep the bedding. If initiating causes such as EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome — see Equine Metabolic Syndrome & Equine Cushing’s Disease, Early Summer 2018 issue) or PPID (Cushing’s disorder) are not addressed, the laminitis and the pain will continue. In its broadest sense, laminitis is the failure of the connections between the hoof capsule and the coffin bone, accompanied by the death of some of the cells responsible for 10

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these connections. The weakening and distortion of the laminae, abnormalities in circulation, and loss of support inside the hoof can lead to severe pain. It is estimated that 80 percent of all laminitis cases are due to endocrine dysfunction, specifically excess insulin in the blood. This can occur in Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and Cushing’s disorder (PPID). Uncommon contributors to EMS and subsequent hyperinsulinemia are iron overload and ovarian abnormalities in some mares. Despite the “-itis” suffix — which is used to indicate inflammation — inflammation inside the hoof is minimal in endocrine laminitis. There may be some inflammation later on in severe cases due to blood and serum pooling as the laminar connections continue to tear. There is strain and oxidative stress in the muscles of a laminitic horse as they tense muscles, shift, and have abnormal stances in an attempt to get comfortable;

< In chronic laminitis, the laminae connections stretch, separate and break down, allowing the pedal/coffin bone and hoof capsule to rotate or sink in relation to each other.

PHOTO: CANSTOCK/DECHOGAN

PHOTOS (ABOVE & FACING PAGE): ISTOCK/GROOMEE

An estimated 80 percent of all laminitis cases are due to endocrine dysfunction, specifically excess insulin in the blood. Horses with EMS should never be grazed, and if inappropriate diet is a cause of laminitis, it should be addressed immediately.

however, endocrine laminitis itself is not an inflammatory event. This accounts for the observation that anti-inflammatories, such as phenylbutazone (Bute), have only a partial effect on the pain of laminitis. Anti-inflammatories can address the inflammation in the muscles, and provide some central pain relief via the brain, but the events in the hoof go unchecked. Please note that in the case of the severe laminitis secondary to septicemia, such as retained placenta or severe colic, there is body-wide inflammation, and antiinflammatories are entirely appropriate.

Causes of Laminitis Septicemia, toxins, and weight-bearing laminitis are less frequent than endocrine disorders, but still very important and just as devastating. HYPERINSULINEMIA (HIGH BLOOD INSULIN LEVELS): This can

be due to EMS; Cushingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease (PPID); mare ovarian abnormalities; or associated with iron overload. These endocrinopathic disorders are thought to cause about 80 percent of laminitis cases. LYME DISEASE: Tough to say where this fits in with regard to insulin vs infectious disease, but Lyme can cause severe laminitis or ongoing, low-grade laminitis. SEPTICEMIA: This can be due to colic from a feed-room breakin (hind-gut bacteria are overwhelmed and die, releasing endotoxins); surgery; retained placenta; or some severe infectious diseases, such as strangles. These horses are clearly very ill, with fever, inappetence, pain, and often diarrhea. SOME TOXINS: Black walnut shavings in contact with the horse or sweet alyssum in the hay can cause laminitis (mechanism unknown). SUMMER 2018

CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

HEALTH

Therapeutic Shoeing Same Horse, New Shoes! If you’re lucky, you and your horse see your farrier once every six weeks or so, and these visits involve a simple trim or standard shoeing. If your horse has always been sound and performed well, it is likely that regular, routine care by a qualified farrier is more than sufficient to keep his feet in tip-top shape. However, when lameness issues or poor performance are hindering your horse in his ability to remain comfortable and efficient in his work, more advanced farriery may be indicated to help get him back on track. Modern farriery is a fascinating blend of science, craftsmanship, and tradition. As a trade, it has evolved from a necessary service to working animals, to a highly technical craft and instrumental part of equine sports medicine. When treating a lameness case, a team of professionals including the farrier, veterinarian, and trainer, must collaborate and then work together with the owner to design and execute the best treatment plan for the horse. The treatment modalities available for lameness are numerous, but at the foundation of any rehabilitation plan should be proper foot balance and maintenance. In most cases, this can be achieved with a wellbalanced trim and standard shoeing, but certain lameness conditions can benefit greatly from therapeutic shoeing. These specialized shoes are used to minimize forces on injured areas, thereby decreasing pain and, in some cases, allow for healing to occur. 18

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By Steve Chiasson, DVM, CVMA

Prior to any therapeutic shoeing program, it is essential to achieve an accurate diagnosis of the problem. This is where your veterinarian should get involved. In order to determine the cause of lameness, veterinarians perform a full lameness examination, which often includes diagnostic anesthesia (nerve blocking) and medical imaging. Radiography and ultrasonography are imaging modalities that can be performed right on farm, and are sufficient for diagnosing most sports medicine injuries involving bone or soft tissues. More complicated cases may require advanced imaging at a referral facility in order to get a complete picture of the problem at hand. Once the cause of the horse’s lameness has been diagnosed, a treatment plan can be established. This can be as minimal as rest and slow rehabilitation, as extensive as surgery, or a wide spectrum of non-surgical therapies in between. But when it comes to addressing the horse’s feet, a discussion between the veterinarian and the farrier is invaluable. Together, the horse’s healthcare team can develop a trimming and shoeing plan to give the horse the best possible chance to return to soundness.

Principles of Therapeutic Shoeing

Historically, horses were shod to reduce the surface wear on their hooves and to protect the feet from contact with hard ground when being used for pulling or riding. The shoeing of horses allowed them to be used for longer periods of time and

PHOTO (FACING PAGE): SHUTTERSTOCK/MARIAIT • PHOTO (RIGHT): ISTOCK/URBANCOW

Prior to any therapeutic shoeing program, your veterinarian should perform a full lameness examination to determine the exact cause of lameness.

over more varied footing than would otherwise be possible. Today, the need to shoe a horse will depend on his natural foot quality, the climate and footing to which he is exposed, and his workload. When selecting a type of shoe, the horse’s discipline must be taken into account. For instance, racing Thoroughbreds require racing plates, reiners are often shod in sliders for the show season, and show jumpers competing on grass may benefit from studs for improved grip. With all of this in mind, your farrier will select the best type of shoe for your horse’s situation. Should a horse require more a more specialized shoeing program in order to address a specific lameness or conformational fault, the above factors may be considered in addition to the problem at hand. When it comes to designing therapeutic shoes, the sky is the limit! There are endless ways to modify horse shoes to achieve the goal of balancing the foot and protecting an injury. All one needs is a skilled farrier and a forge. Before proceeding, however, it is important that a specific goal be set, so that the reason for therapeutic shoeing is understood. For instance, the goal may be to protect an acutely injured area, provide support for a chronic lameness issue, or correct an imbalance that has developed as a result of faulty conformation or previously incorrect hoof care. Therapeutic shoes work by placing more stress on certain areas of the foot and limb, thereby relieving stress on areas requiring more protection. In general, wider areas of the shoe

are subject to higher ground force, and therefore the areas of the horse’s foot that are covered by these parts of the shoe will bear more of the load. Here is a brief overview of two common types of therapeutic shoes. There are many, many other types of modifications and shoe styles that may be suitable for your horse. These two styles have great benefits when used for treating specific conditions. As discussed, speak with your veterinarian and farrier about the needs your horse may have.

ROLLER MOTION SHOE What It Does Horses that have a properly balanced, well-trimmed foot and are free from other conformational or lameness related problems will have a natural, smooth stride with a properly timed “breakover” at the toe of each foot. You will see this term used a lot when discussing trimming and shoeing. Understanding exactly what this means is important to grasping how this type of shoe may help your horse. Breakover is simply defined as the time between a horse’s heels leaving the ground and when the toe leaves the ground. During this period the foot rotates around the tip of the toe (or shoe) that is still in contact with the ground. Several crucial factors affect this phase of the stride. Firstly, the deep digital flexor (DDF) tendon is under maximal SUMMER 2018

CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

HEALTH

When Things Go WRONG

A guide to supporting our horses and ourselves through injury and physical trauma.

By Alexa Linton, Equine Sports Therapist

If you’ve been involved with horses for even a little while, you know the following statements to be true: Horses hurt themselves. Riders hurt themselves. Horses hurt riders. And riders can hurt horses. In fact, it is rare to meet a horse or a horse person who hasn’t injured themselves somewhere along the line. Some horses are comically accidentprone, with a cringeworthy track record for hurting themselves. If you own one of these horses you know exactly what I mean, and probably have a tack trunk packed to the brim with bandages, Bute, and a variety of wound cleansers. Since many of our horses have had homes and injuries before we met them, it can be hard to know exactly

to at least one event involving horses that caused us to experience physical trauma of some kind. We can be left with scars, pain, lowered mobility, and for some of us, fear. If an injury or trauma is purely physical with no emotional charge, the recovery tends to be simpler and speedier. When a trauma is more complex with emotional components such as fear, grief, or anger, and involves an emotional connection like the one we have to our horses, it can often have a more long-term and farreaching impact. This is why it’s important to understand how more complex trauma works, and how it can bridge the body, mind, and emotions in both humans and horses.

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what has occurred when we see their obvious scars or marks. We find ourselves trying to solve a mystery and asking questions like these: Why does my horse react when I touch this exact part of his leg? Why is he so weird about me touching his face or ears? How did he get that big scar? Then there is the human side of trauma related to horses. I have rarely met a horse lover who has not experienced some sort of traumatic incident related to horses. Personally, I can think back to the time I fell onto a jump; the hundreds of times I’ve been stepped on; the time I was stepped on and then dragged down by the road by my middle finger (that cast was a funny one). I’m sure each of us can think back

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Thankfully for most of us and our horses, many of these things heal up with time and attention, although injuries may leave us with scars, bruises, discomfort, or lowered mobility. This is good news for those of us who have accident-prone horses. But when time does not heal all wounds, what can we do to support ourselves and our horses through injury and trauma?

PHOTO (FACING PAGE): ISTOCK/DENNY35463

Scars and Adhesions

If every scar created issues for our horses weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be in trouble! I find new scars on my mare every week because she lives out on pasture with a herd. If you have an accident-prone horse this will sound familiar. But every now and then a scar will

have wide-reaching and long-term consequences, such as reduced mobility, discomfort, and restricted circulation. In osteopathic thinking, this type of scar is a top priority because it creates a false fulcrum or anchor of adhered scar tissue, which can pull on the tissues in harmful ways that force the body into compensatory patterns. With this type of scar, some sort of body work with a practitioner specializing in the breakdown of scar tissue is strongly recommended. To avoid nasty, poorly healing scars, be sure to get a veterinarian out as soon as possible if stitches or treatment are required.

Bone Misalignments, Bruises or Breaks

The body is a miracle, able to recover from pretty much anything. However, with trauma at the level of the bone there is a good chance

Some horses tend to be accidentprone, and hurt themselves on a regular basis.

Almost every horse person has had a traumatic experience related to horses. Recovery is faster if the trauma is physical only, but when the experience has emotional components such as fear, anger, or grief the impact can be long-term.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/PIRITA

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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

Footing the Arena

Time was, people dumped sand or hog fuel in a contained area, spread it out, and an arena was made. Today, the roll-out arena is long gone. Riding arenas are now construction projects based on sound engineering, state-of-the-art materials set down in critical layers, and building protocols, all with the horse’s safety and soundness uppermost in mind. “Years ago, the options for footing were limited in what was available on the marketplace,” says Cynthia Brewster-Keating with GGT™ Footing, the equestrian division of Polysols Inc. “Over time, more clients have become educated on using textile additives as they last longer and support 28

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the horse on the sand better than previous products such as rubber, wood chips, and stone dust, which is very abrasive to the hoof. Rubber tends to be dusty and decomposes, and run-off of the product can be an environmental issue. Wood chips are dusty and do not last very long.”

Today, riding disciplines are extremely diverse from hunter/jumper, dressage, and gymkhana games to reining, cutting, roping, barrel racing, and team penning, as well as equitation and horsemanship. To say we are discipline-centric is an understatement. Yet in so many barns and riding facilities, arenas are expected

By Margaret Evans

to provide optimum conditions for grip, cushioning, and safety for the horse and rider regardless of the relentless day-to-day use, not to mention weekend schooling shows and clinics. Add to that the assault that arenas receive from extreme weather and a changing climate — rain, snow, ice, heat, and drought — and it is no wonder that surfaces are constantly under threat of breakdown. Getting ahead of the curve comes down to understanding how the surface changes with use, and how maintenance is

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/CHRISVANLENNEPPHOTO

change with use and maintenance. With this knowledge, the properties of a surface of a given arena can be customized with different maintenance techniques to meet the varying expectations of the different disciplines. For example, a surface used for dressage needs to be stable; a surface used for jumping needs to be stable for the take-off but needs to allow the hoof to slide on landing; and for Western reining the surface needs to allow a considerable amount of slide. It is difficult for a single arena to accommodate all these differences, but it is possible by correctly preparing the surface for each discipline.” Tranquille has been with the Animal Health Trust since 2005 and recent research has included working with a team at the Swedish University of Agricultural Science in Uppsala, focusing on evaluating the effects of arena surfaces and training

a rubber additive can drastically increase cushion and energy return and even reduce packing in older or high traffic arenas.” Understanding all the subtle influences of a surface on a horse’s limb health comes down to understanding equine biomechanics and how horses move, not only from one gait to another but also during turning, circling, sliding, and the shock impact of jumping. The critical issue of arena surfaces, horses’ performances, and mitigation of the threat of lameness has been under scrutiny for well over a decade. In 2007-2008, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) began a project financed by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), World Horse Welfare, and the Swedish Foundation for Equine Research, aimed at evaluating equestrian arenas and their surfaces from the perspective of improved welfare and orthopaedic

Footing depth and composition varies greatly among disciplines, and it is important to understand how surface properties affect the horse.

Research has shown a correlation between track surfaces and injury and death statistics of Thoroughbred racehorses, with horses on turf suffering fewer fatal injuries than their counterparts on dirt surfaces.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/PROMAM

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/ROLF DANNENBURG

< critical to mitigating all the stresses placed upon it. “Arena surfaces are a major investment and it is crucial to understand how the surface properties will affect the horse,” says Carolyne Tranquille, equine orthopaedic research assistant with Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Suffolk, UK. “Different materials can provide similar surface properties (firmness, grip, cushioning, and responsiveness) and it is essential to understand how surface properties can

intensity on the orthopaedic health of horses. “Equestrians are now more aware and knowledgeable of the affect and direct impact footing can have on your horse and on the riders,” says Alysha Sauve, sales and marketing manager, ReitenRight Equestrian Inc., in Delta, British Columbia. “We are also more cognizant of what our footing is comprised of and if there is a risk of any airborne toxins that could affect both horses and riders.” Sauve says that, to best protect your horse’s legs from shock impact, you want to ensure your footing improves the cushion and energy return efficiently. “Some types of additives and/or sands can begin to pack over time leading to a sticky or harder riding surface,” says Sauve. “Riders, trainers, and veterinarians have seen the impact on how some footing can increase the risk of soft tissue damage. Fibre additives can be wonderful for binding a shifting/loose footing, while

SUMMER 2018

CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

TRAINING

What Are

Corrective Exercises

PHOTO: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY

for Horses?

By Jec A. Ballou It is a simple enough goal: The more time a horse spends in the correct alignment and balance, the more firmly good habits form. But putting this into practice during our daily training is often not as straightforward as it seems. Much of the time, we set about performing the right exercises, but find ourselves not getting any closer to changing our horsesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; poor postural habits. For better or worse, horses always get stronger somewhere when we ride them; our challenge is to ensure that strength is going to the areas that 38

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facilitate change and progress. For instance, when a rider spends ten minutes trying to help a stiff horse bend his body on a circle but only achieves good results for two or three of those minutes, the horse has spent the remaining time adding strength to those areas in his body we are trying to change. This ratio works against our goals. When the horse spends more time getting stronger in ways we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want rather than in the ways we do want, progress becomes elusive. How, then, do we ensure that our

horses move more frequently in optimal patterns of muscle recruitment? Corrective exercises can significantly reduce the time spent using less-thanideal muscle patterns. These deceptively simple maneuvers guide the horse, without mental or physical resistance, through the versions of bodily alignments we wish to make habitual. The ratio of time spent moving correctly and efficiently then shifts in our favour. To draw on human analogy, you can think of them as the exercises a physical

therapist would have you perform in order to use your body optimally in all aspects of your life. I call this prehab, because it prevents the need for rehab. Once you are using your body optimally within each exercise, the results soon carry over to your overall movement and mechanics. By working through a toolbox of exercises to establish good range of motion in joints, resolve muscle imbalances, and improve recruitment of core muscles, you create a new operating code for the neuromuscular system. I recommend using three to five corrective exercises during each training session, preferably in the beginning before the horse is warmed up. This is an optimal time to prime up his neurosensory and neuro-motor systems, which govern his larger muscle recruitment. Corrective exercises work for several reasons, but here are the primary ones: • Reduce the percentage of time spent in unhelpful movement patterns, so that good habits become more the norm. • Increase range of motion in joints, which in turn creates reflexive

“releases” and looseness through the horse system-wide. • Recruit postural muscles, often referred to as core muscles. This recruitment allows the limbs to move more freely, resulting in engagement. • Develop new postural habits with minimal confusion, tension, or anxiety in the horse. What counts as a corrective exercise? Pretty much any exercise that necessitates finely controlled motor skills and organizes the body in specific

////////////////////////////////// Corrective exercises are little movements with big results.

//////////////////////////////////

PHOTO: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY

Corrective exercises help the horse to move correctly and to use optimal muscle patterns more frequently.

SUMMER SUMMER 2018 2018

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Grooming AT THE

TOP

By Tania Millen

Behind the Scenes With Three Unsung Heroes Top notch grooms are crucial to the success of upper level riders, doing everything from providing day-to-day care for hundred thousand dollar horse-flesh, to ensuring riders are on time for their horse show classes. Rarely in the limelight, grooms are the essential but unsung heroes of horse sport — the behind-the-scenes pit crew that make the magic happen for well-known riders. But who are these magicians that care for horses that fly overseas on jets, while ensuring that every piece of equipment needed for a barn full of world-class animals makes it to a show? And what do they actually do every day? Better yet, why do they do it at all? 46

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Kelsey McDonell works for Canadian show jumper Brian Morton, looking after the feeding, veterinary program, farriers, horse show scheduling, logistics, and day-to-day care of 16 horses. When the horses are at home, McDonell says, “I usually work six days a week, sometimes seven, approximately six to eight hours a day. In the morning, I make sure the schedule is up-to-date, all the staff know the plan for the day, and I check on any horses that have issues.”

PHOTOS: KELSEY MCDONELL COLLECTION PHOTO: ISTOCK/CATNAP72

Kelsey McDonell, who grooms for show jumper Brian Morton, says Spitfire is her favourite horse. Her most memorable experience so far was when the pair won the Purica Recovery EQ World Cup Qualifier at Thunderbird Show Park in 2014.

She continues, “When we’re on the road, the schedule is different and days are much longer. We usually start at 5 am with feeding, unwrapping, and hand walking. Then the horses get hacked in the morning before they show. Our day usually finishes around 5 pm, but we always do a night check around 9 pm. “I really enjoy grooming. I’m always keen to bath horses, roll wraps, clean tack, clean stalls, and do all the hand walking. It’s very important to know your horses — know how much they’re

drinking, what their legs look like, what’s normal and what’s not normal. “My most memorable experience so far was grooming for Brian when he and Spitfire won the Purica Recovery EQ World Cup Qualifier at Thunderbird in 2014. Spitfire’s my favourite horse and had a lot of issues, so I was always trying to keep him in top form. It was the perfect day and everything fell into place.” But McDonell says it’s definitely not all roses. “I really dislike the ‘hurry up and wait’ aspect of horse shows. Things

don’t always run on time and I would much rather be busy all day. Teardown day is also not my favourite. It can be chaotic. Horses are still showing but you have to pack everything up and be ready to load the horse trailer.” However, long-time grooms like McDonell genuinely enjoy their jobs. “My favourite part of my job is seeing people reach their goals. Whether it’s winning the grand prix or a young horse successfully jumping around their first course at a show, I really enjoy SUMMER 2018

CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

THE

GENTLE GIANT

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SUMMER 2018

PHOTO COURTESY OF DELVIN SZUMUTKU

Clydesdale Creeks Conroy, a Szumutku foal currently in training to be part of the Budweiser eight-horse hitch.

Celebrating the

Clydesdale

Clydesdales hitches are impressive in the show ring thanks to their beauty, style, and movement, accentuated by the flowing feathers covering their lower legs.

PHOTO: ISTOCK/GANNET77

By Margaret Evans Delvin Szumutku was stressed. It was 1983 and he was living on the family farm in Saskatchewan where they grew grain and had been breeding Clydesdale horses since the 1960s. But his father was sick and in urgent need of heart surgery. He had been ordered by his doctors not to lift even so much as a suitcase, a tough call for a farmer. But despite his condition, he badly wanted to show six of their Clydesdales at the Yorkton Harvest Show that was just a day away. From Delvin’s perspective, that wasn’t happening. But he agreed with his dad that he would take one horse, their stallion Boulder Bluffs Maxwell. Far from being ready, Maxwell hadn’t even been groomed and his mane, tail, and feathers were all dirty and knotted. With no prep time, Delvin loaded Maxwell and drove all evening to the show grounds, pulling in at midnight. He had ten hours to get his horse show-ready. “I was walking him through the grounds to a stall and there were two old Clyde guys staring at Maxwell,” recalls Delvin. “One muttered, ‘Why would they bring something like that here?’” Undaunted and determined to make his father proud, Delvin scrubbed his horse all night, washed, trimmed, and thinned the mane and tail, and washed the feathers until they were pure white. At 10 am, as ready as possible, he was in the show ring. He was ecstatic when Maxwell won the supreme champion award. Leading him out, the two old Clyde guys stared at him, speechless. Delvin looked straight at them with an irrepressible, cheeky grin. “That’s why I brought him here!” SUMMER 2018

CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

Stan Carruthers, 78, is a lifelong champion of the Clydesdale breed, and brings the illustrious history of Clydesdales in Eastern Ontario to life through his photos and stories.

THE CLYDESDALE CHAMPION OF CARP

Stan Carruthers

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAN CARRUTHERS

By EC/Caroline Soble

Stan's love of horses came from his father, Gordon Carruthers Sr.

orn in 1940, Stan Carruthers of Carp, Ontario, was predestined to work with Clydesdales. “My grandfather was a stallioneer in Carp, and he used to have Percherons,” explains Stan. “In 1922, he sold his Percheron and bought a Clydesdale stallion. That’s how the love affair began.” As a young man, while Stan would put together the occasional draft team to show and sell with his father, he wasn’t able to work with horses full-time. “For the first five or six years, all we ever thought of was war,” says Stan. “School was secondary to me for a long time. They weren’t teaching me what I wanted to learn. The horse industry was all I’d ever lived or dreamed, but there was no teacher for that other than my dad.”

Stan started in the horse business with a pair of champion Standardbred siblings, Minor Joe (pictured) and Minor Helen, before making the move to Clydesdales.

In 1959, after a stint in the dairy industry, Stan began the transition to horses as his primary business. He purchased a pair of Standardbred siblings, Minor Joe and Minor Helen, who would become champions in the show ring as well as on the racetrack. “There were all kinds of Standardbreds in the Carp area at one time; it was a big industry on a local level,” commented Stan. “Minor Joe was tough and intelligent, and he would go as far and as fast as he had to go to win.” SUMMER 2018

CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL

PHOTO COURTESY OF GORDON CARRUTHERS

Hank is the newest addition to the Carruthers’ current herd, and another foal is on the way.

In 1975, Stan founded the Eastern Regional Clydesdale Association. He is pictured driving with his son, Gordon Carruthers (right).

It wasn’t until the 1970s that Stan would make the switch to breed and show Clydesdales exclusively. “The draft industry was kind of punky in the 1950-60s, but everything flew after 1972,” says Stan. “A friend of mine, Cyril Greene, wanted to get into the Clydesdale business. So, he bought a bunch of horses and asked me if I’d drive them for him. I said yes, but I have to take my dad wherever I’ll go.” In addition to his driving, Stan was actively involved in the Carp community and sat on the board of the Carp Fair. “I went on the fair board in the centennial year, 1967, and it was quite big at the time,” says Stan. “All the draft breeds showed together — Percheron, Clydesdale and Belgian — and there was favouritism from the judges. We had enough entries — 12 or 15 hitches in the ring with more guys getting in all the time — that I organized the Eastern Regional Clydesdale Association. Ontario had a club, but they were too far away and there are a lot of breeders in Western Quebec. So, I organized in ‘75, had the first Clydesdale show in ‘76, and in ‘77 I split the Percherons and Belgians into their own organizations.” Shortly after founding the Eastern Regional Clydesdale Association, Stan decided to breed his own line of Clydesdales. The search for a good foundation mare led him to Truro, Nova Scotia over Christmas break of 1980, where he purchased 70

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eight mares and a yearling stallion. One of the mares, Elmview’s Pioneer Betsy (Betsy), would become the matriarch of a long line of Clydesdale champions. Her second foal, Lady Di, became somewhat of a local celebrity in Carp, with 31 championships to her name and several local commercial appearances. “She was a natural,” says Stan of Lady Di. “When she was in the show ring, the judge couldn’t take his eyes off her.” Inspired by the success of the Carp Fair and with a robust herd of award-winning horses to call his own, Stan turned his eyes to a bigger prize: The World Clydesdale Horse Show and Trade. “Around 1992, the Americans were trying to have a World Show but couldn’t get enough investors,” says Stan. “It didn’t look like this show was going to happen, so I asked the Americans if they would come to Canada if I could do a world show. They said yes, so I left immediately before they could give it a second thought.” For seven years, Stan campaigned across Canada and the globe to put together a world-class event. He attracted support from politicians and investors with a business plan that estimated a $35,000 contribution to the Ottawa economy. To attract exhibitors and attendees, Stan set up booths at local fairs, and traveled to Scotland and England to advertise at Highland Shows. When the show finally arrived on August 25-29, 1999, the fruits of Stan’s labour were evident. With almost 400 horses in attendance at the Carp fairgrounds — including six from the Clydesdale’s birthplace, Scotland — The 1999 World Clydesdale Horse Show and Trade was, at the time, the largest Clydesdale show and competition in the world. Thousands of attendees paid the $10 entrance fee to the event. In addition to standard line and hitch classes, as well as an international auction, the eclectic event program included Clydesdale barrel racing, a medieval jousting simulation, and a craft marketplace. “The memories of that were unbelievable,” says Stan of the show. “It was hot — I’ve never seen that many dirty feet and

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Canadian Horse Journal Wins at 2018 Equine Media Awards BY HORSE JOURNALS MEDIA Canadian Horse Journal and its veteran freelance writer, Margaret Evans, were recognized for editorial excellence during the American Horse Publications 2018 Equine Media Awards at The Hunt for Excellence Conference held in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The results of the AHP Equine Media Awards competition for material published in 2017 were announced on June 16.

Ghosts of the Coal Mines: Pit Ponies and Horses

by Margaret Evans was awarded first place in the Feature Single Article category from among 19 entries in our circulation class. This feature article was originally published in Canada’s Equine Guide 2017, a special annual edition of Canadian Horse Journal. “This is a gripping, fascinating and excruciating tale of a little-known exploitation of horses,” commented the judge. “The writer has taken an array of information and produced a startling report on a sad history. This well-researched piece should give every horse lover pause. It conveys a story that not many people knew and thus deserves special notice.” “I just saw the results posted on the AHP Facebook page and am so beyond excited to see CHJ being recognized for the amazing content created for our readers. The comments on the Pit Ponies article are so fantastic and just make me even more proud to work for the magazine.” — April Ray-Peterson, Sales and Social Media Manager. “Unbelievable! But I had a good feeling about the pit pony story; it was so unique and I can’t remember reading about pit ponies and horses any time in the past,” commented writer Margaret Evans. “Thank you SO much for choosing this topic and giving it to me. I am so proud of all of us. The story was gripping but the layout and selection of photos made it so powerful.” Held annually since 1974, the AHP Awards contest offers members an opportunity to be recognized for excellence in a variety of equine media categories. This year’s competition attracted 823 entries from 108 members, an increase of 40 entries and 3 participants from last year.

Read the winning article at www.HORSEJournals.com About Canadian Horse Journal: Canadian Horse Journal is Canada’s leading magazine for all breeds and disciplines, published six times per year by Horse Community Journals Inc. Our publishing network includes the industry-leading website www.HORSEJournals.com, The Hoofbeat e-newsletter, and a huge Social Media following. For more information visit: www.HORSEJournals.com

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