US Equestrian Magazine

Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation | Summer 2018

HOT SUMMER GIFTS Our Show-Season Shopping Guide

KEEPING HIS COOL

Maximize Your Horse’s Hot-Weather Performance

COMEBACK KIDS The Healing Power of Horses and Ponies

Tired of riding through cold long winters? Join me and the rest of the international equestrian community in Wellington, Florida this winter!

Consistently, for over 20 years, equestrian Matt Johnson has been one of Wellington’s top-producing real estate agents, representing some of the community’s finest estates and equestrian properties. At the global firm of Engel & Völkers, he is ranked among the Top 1% of Advisors worldwide and last year attended their Top 10 Agent Summit in stunning Paris, France. Johnson is one of only 129 Private Office Advisors worldwide with the firm, a designation bestowed upon select agents for their consistent high sales performance and who exemplify the brand’s ideals. Through this valuable & exclusive network Johnson can rest assured that his client’s transactions abroad will be handled by another skilled professional.

Coastal Luxury Properties

Each Franchise Independently Owned & Operated

Matt Johnson

Homes & Equestrian Properties - Sales & Rentals 561-313-4367 | MattSells.com ©2018 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act. Brochure by Photo Graphic Press (954) 816-3148.

TRUSTED BY THE BEST

CHARLES ANCONA N E W

Y O R K

CUSTOM FIT & DESIGN

Photos: SusanJStickle.com, Taylor Pence

Lamplight Equestrian Center

Wayne, IL August 21-26, 2018 Featuring the USEF Grand Prix & Intermediaire I National Championships USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ National Championship presented by Dressage Today

USEF Young Rider & Junior National Championships USEF Pony Rider & Children National Championships Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse National Championships USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals

CONTENTS FEATURES 68 COMEBACK KIDS

Horses inspired these riders to conquer setbacks

84 TICK ALERT Keeping yourself and your horse safe

98 SUMMER GIFT GUIDE Your show-season shopping list

68

108 ARIAT’S INNOVATION

DEPARTMENTS 8 Partners 10 Sponsors 14 Marketing/Media 16 Letter from

the President 18 Snapshot

84

20 USEF News

98

32 Seen & Heard 34 Learning Center Cover: Maddie Jordan credits ponies for helping her go from a hospital bed to a 2017 Pony Finals championship.

Photo: Lydia Bell

40 Pro Tip Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation | Summer 2018

47 Juniors’ Ring 50 My First

HOT SUMMER GIFTS Our Show-Season Shopping Guide

55 Hot Links

KEEPING HIS COOL

Maximize Your Horse’s Hot-Weather Performance

58 Trending COMEBACK KIDS The Healing Power of Horses and Ponies

63 Horse Health 118 For the Record

4 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE) HOWARD SCHATZBERG, CHRIS LOFTY, FEREEXREIN/SARA KERENS

Technology, realworld testing make the difference

Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation

US EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE Volume LXXXII, Summer Edition PUBLISHED BY The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. CHIEF MARKETING & CONTENT OFFICER Vicki Lowell | vlowell@usef.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Glenye Cain Oakford | goakford@usef.org CREATIVE DIRECTOR Candice McCown | cmccown@usef.org ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kim Russell | 859 225 6938 | krussell@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIP & SALES Lauren Carlisle | lcarlisle@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL & VIDEO CONTENT Andrea Evans | aevans@usef.org ASSISTANT DESIGNER Kate Strom | kstrom@usef.org EDITORIAL STAFF Kathleen Landwehr, Julian McPeak, Jane Ohlert, Dana Rossmeier, Kim Russell, Ashley Swift CONTRIBUTING WRITER Fran Jurga Equestrian Magazine (ISSN 1548-873X) is published five times a year: Horse of the Year Special Edition, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, by the United States Equestrian Federation®, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511; Phone: (859) 258-2472; Fax: (859) 231-6662. (ISSN:1548-873X). NOTE: Effective Spring issue of 2018, Equestrian magazine will be published and provided electronically and only four editions will have printed copies and be provided by U.S. Mail. The Winter issue will only be provided electronically. The Horse of the Year issue will be mailed only to competing members as of the date of publication and the year immediately prior to the date of publication. USEF is not responsible for the opinions and statements expressed in signed articles and paid advertisements. These opinions are not necessarily the opinions of USEF and its staff. While the Federation makes every effort to avoid errors, we assume no liability to anyone for mistakes or omissions. It is the policy of the Federation to report factually and accurately in Equestrian and to encourage and to publish corrections whenever warranted. Kindly direct any comments or inquiries regarding corrections to Glenye Cain Oakford goakford@usef.org or by direct dial 859-225-6941. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to US Equestrian, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. Canadian Publications Agreement No. 40845627. For Canadian returns, mail to Canada Express, 7686 #21 Kimble Street Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5S1E9. (905) 672-8100. Reproduction of any article, in whole or part, by written permission only of the Editor. Equestrian: Publisher, United States Equestrian Federation®, Chief Executive Officer, William J. Moroney (859) 225-6912. Director of Advertising, Kim Russell (859) 225-6938.

Copyright © 2018. Equestrian is the official publication of the United States Equestrian Federation, the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport in the USA, and is an official publication of USEF.

Published at 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, Ky 40511 USequestrian.org

#JointheJoy Follow us on social media @USequestrian 6 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PARTNERS Proud partners of US Equestrian

Official Timepiece rolex.com

Official Joint Therapy Title Sponsor of the North American Youth Championships Title Sponsor of the Open Reining Championship adequan.com

Official Blanket of the U.S. High Performance Teams horseware.com

Title Sponsor of the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team and National Championships deloitte.com

Title Sponsor of the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Program platinumperformance.com

Gold Level Sponsor of the Learning Center smartpakequine.com

8 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Title Sponsor of the U.S. Show Jumping Team netjets.com

Official Vehicle Title Sponsor of the U.S. Eventing Team landrover.com

Title Sponsor of the U.S. Dressage Team Official Equine Air Transportation Provider timdutta.com

Official Footwear & Apparel ariat.com

Title Sponsor of the USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final doversaddlery.com

Title Sponsor of the USEF/USDF Emerging Athlete Program discoverdressage.com

To learn more, visit netjets.com or call a Private Aviation Concierge at 1-877-JET-8308.

NetJets is a Berkshire Hathaway company. Aircraft are managed and operated by NetJets Aviation, Inc. NetJets is a registered service mark. Š2018 NetJets IP, LLC. All rights reserved.

SPONSORS Proud sponsors of US Equestrian

Official Saddlepad

Official Liniment absorbine.com

Toklat.com

Official Cold Therapy Products icehorse.net

Official Sponsor deere.com

Official Performance Horse Boot and Leg Wear equifit.net

Official Footing Supplier premierequestrian.com

Official Helmet Supplier Official Safety Partner charlesowen.com

Official Horse Transportation salleehorsevans.com

Official Credit Card Supplier usbank.com

Official Automobile Rental Agency hertz.com

Official Sponsor mirimichigreen.com

Presenting Sponsor of the USEF Pony Finals collectinggaitsfarm.com

Official Awards Blanket buildyourownblanket.com

Official Ribbon Supplier hodgesbadge.com

Official Equine Feeder & Waterer and Official Horse Stallplate nelsonmfg.com

The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.

10 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Official Therapy Plate

theraplate.com

Spring / Summer

2018

irideonridingwear.com

COLLECTION

www.toklat.com

SPONSORS Proud sponsors of US Equestrian

Title Sponsor of the USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships horseinsurance.com

Official Feed of the U.S. Eventing, U.S. Show Jumping, & U.S. Dressage Teams triplecrownfeed.com

Official Supplier pulsevet.com

Official Sponsor Title Sponsor of the Junior Jumper National Championship nsbitsusa.com

Title Sponsor of the USEF Pony Medal Championship marshallsterling.com

Official Tutoring Service upperechelonacademy.com

Official Equine Veterinary Service Provider hagyard.com

Official Equine Pharmacy hagyardpharmacy.com

Official MemberPerk choicehotels.com

Presenting Sponsor of USEF Young Adult “Brentina Cup� Dressage Championship Sponsor of George Morris Horsemastership Clinic aimmedia.com/equine-network

Official MemberPerk ridewithequo.com

Official Sponsor Official MemberPerk geico.com

Official Horsebox

Official Fly Control Products

stadiumhorsebox.com

absorbine.com

Official Barn Management Software barnmanager.com

Official Arena Designer and Builder esifooting.com

CHARLES ANCONA N E W

Y O R K

Official Tailcoat Supplier charlesancona.com

Official MemberPerk goodyear.com

The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.

12 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

STAYS COLDER. ACTS FASTER. WORKS LONGER.

MARKETING/MEDIA Proud partnerships of US Equestrian

Official Media ridetv.com

Official Marketing equineaffaire.com

Official Media eqliving.com

heels down MAGAZINE

Official Media & Education equusmagazine.com

Official Media sidelinesnews.com

Official Media & Education practicalhorsemanmag.com

Official Media & Education horseandrider.com

Official Media nfstyle.com

Official Media puissanceamerica.com

Official Media heelsdownmag.com

Official Media & Education dressagetoday.com

Official Media noellefloyd.com

The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.

14 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE

IN THE DARK ABOUT COLIC

SmartPak’s Colic Resource Center will light the way for you to help reduce your horse’s colic risk.

COLIC RESOURCE CENTER

KNOWLEDGE IS {HORSE} POWER

V I S I T T H E C O L I C R E S O U R C E C E N T E R AT S M A R T PA K . C O M / C O L I C

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Fellow Members, I am proud to tell you that, at its mid-year meeting, the US Equestrian Board of Directors approved a resolution directing our General Counsel to develop a rule that will make Safe Sport training mandatory for all trainers, effective December 2019. This proposed rule will take USEF’s already strong Safe Sport program to the next level. The Safe Sport Task Force will be working with our General Counsel to define the scope of this expansion and an implementation plan for full compliance. There is nothing more important than this initiative to keep our children safe so that they can enjoy the great joys of equestrian sport. In the meantime, take advantage of the resources available to you now. I encourage you to voluntarily take the Safe Sport training now.

You don’t need to wait for it to become mandatory. Safe Sport training is free for all US Equestrian members and can be taken online in about 60-90 minutes on the USEF website.

We are also very pleased to announce the rebranding of the event formerly known as the NAJYRC to the Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North. We have heard from our members that these types of championship events need to look and feel more important and we have listened. All our championship events will go through a transformation as we create stellar and memorable experiences for our horse and human athletes, who challenge each other on the field of play to be a crowned a champion and, again, experience the joy of equestrian sport.

Talent and inspiration from the joy of equestrian sports come from across our country and from all levels of our sport. In this issue, we share the awe-inspiring stories of three athletes who have overcome incredible odds because of the emotional and physical support of their horses.

Madeline Jordan, who was told she’d never ride again after being struck by a pickup truck one Halloween, came back to win the Medium Green Pony Hunter Championship at the 2017 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm. Connor Farley, US Equestrian’s Junior Equestrian of the Year, returned from a broken vertebra to train and show his beloved Morgan horses in top-class competition.

Our 2017 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award winner, Tabitha Bell, who has a form of muscular dystrophy, hasn’t let the condition or multiple surgeries keep her from riding and competing her Arabian horses.

For all three of these young equestrians, horses have been fundamental to their mental, emotional, and even physical strength. Tabitha Bell summed it all up for us by saying, “At the end of the day, it’s the friendship and the companionship that you have with your horses that makes it all worthwhile.” Now that is the joy of horse sports.

As you head out on the road this summer to enjoy our USEF competitions, US Equestrian’s partners and sponsors offer a wide variety of products and services to make your experience memorable. From Ariat’s use of innovative design and technology in product development, to towing expert Bob Burns from Jaguar Land Rover North America educating you about everything from hitches to brakes to high technology, to our Learning Center educational videos, US Equestrian is assisting you in reaching your goals.

I wish you a successful and safe summer. And I hope you are as excited as I am about the upcoming FEI World Equestrian Games September 11-23, to be held here in the United States at the Tryon International Equestrian Center.

Bringing you the joy of horse sports,

Murray S. Kessler 16 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PHOTO: ISABEL J KUREK PHOTOGRAPHY

Celebrating and Protecting Our Youth

SPURRED BY INNOVATION Celebrating 25 years of high-performance comfort and style in everything we make

FEATURING:

Tri Factor ¼ Zip Top Tri Factor Breech Vortex Boot ARIAT.COM

©2018 Ariat® is a registered trademark of Ariat International, Inc. All rights reserved.

Proud Sponsor

SNAPSHOT

CAMRYN ORTELLI

PHOTO: ANDREA EVANS/US EQUESTRIAN

made her first rated show a winning one with her Welsh-cross Orchard Hills Firefly at the Devon Horse Show in Devon, Pa.

18 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

my Horse This is

Jessica Springsteen is a sponsored endorsee and actual client

™

Cynar Va Saugerties $1 Million Grand Prix CSI5* Champion

“I love working with horses, and I can’t imagine not having them in my life—especially Cynar. He’s definitely the most talented horse I’ve ever had. He’s so cool-headed, even, focused.

You always know what you are going to get from him. He gives me confidence. You have to have the right horse at the right time, and you have to be performing really well. Cynar definitely has the ability. He’s a true championship horse.”

Jessica Springsteen | Platinum Client since 2017 International Showjumper

This is

my Platinum

Jessica supplements Cynar with Platinum PAKs containing: PLATINUM PERFORMANCE® CJ The Equine Omega-3 Wellness & Performance Formula + Complete Joint

PLATINUM ELECTROLYTE To Support Hydration

PLATINUM GASTRIC SUPPORT® Helps Maintain Equine Stomach and Hindgut Health

PLATINUM RECOVER® High Performance Muscle Support Formula for Horses

VITAMIN E A Natural Antioxidant for Horses

1-800-553-2400 PlatinumPerformance.com

TO FIND THE RIGHT PLATINUM PERFORMANCE® FORMULAS, CALL OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE, OR SPEAK WITH YOUR EQUINE VETERINARIAN. © 2018 PLATINUM PERFORMANCE, INC.

USEF NEWS

NAJYRC Rebranded, Improved as Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships Presented by Gotham North whether they decide to pursue a career in riding, so it is imperative that we invest and commit to its and their success.”

A special USEF task force, including representatives from Equestrian Canada, the Mexican Equestrian Federation, and the relevant USEF affiliates, spearheaded the rebranding in a collective effort to revitalize these championships and increase youth equestrian sport participation. Some of the improvements beyond the rebranding include: For the first time, prize money will be awarded by the organizing committee in the jumping divisions, including $50,000 in the Junior Jumping Championship and $75,000 in the Young Rider Jumping Championship.

For the first time in years, the USEF Network will live stream all competitions. FEITV will also live stream competition. A broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.

For the first time, Hippodata will provide live scoring for dressage and jumping.

Numerous educational events also will give competitors the opportunity to learn from some of equestrian sports’ greatest stars about the skills necessary to pursue a career in competitive riding. Enhanced social media will allow followers to connect with the NAYC, too, via @FEINAYC and #FEINAYC on Facebook and Twitter.

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

The FEI North American Children’s, Junior, and Young Rider Championships take on a new name this year as the Adequan/ FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North, but the changes don’t stop there. The NAYC also will include numerous improvements, including live streaming for all events and prize money in the jumping divisions.

The NAYC for Eventing will take place July 18-22 in conjunction with The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Mont., an existing CCI3*, CCI2*, CCI1*, and CIC3* competition. The NAYC for Jumping and Dressage will take place Aug. 1-5 as a stand-alone event at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y. “Youth development is a major strategic priority for the FEI and for USEF,” said US Equestrian President Murray Kessler. “We are dedicated to working with our host sites and sponsors on making the 2018 ‘North Americans’ the best Youth Championships ever. This is an important championship, and we are excited about many new changes being implemented this year.

“These championships are a necessity to the growth of equestrian sport and the development of our youth athletes. For most, this is their first time competing in a championship. This event gives them an early sense of what it is like to represent their country and compete as part of a team. It also may influence

20 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

There is

NO GENERIC ADEQUAN

®

The ONLY FDA approved equine PSGAG for the intramuscular treatment of non-infectious degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the carpal and hock joints proven to: • DIMINISH the destructive processes of degenerative joint disease • REVERSE the processes which result in the loss of cartilage components • IMPROVE overall joint function and associated lameness Available for order! For more information about equine joint health and treatment with Adequan® i.m., please visit www.adequan.com.

INDICATIONS For the intramuscular treatment of non-infectious degenerative and/or traumatic joint dysfunction and associated lameness of the carpal and hock joints in horses.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

There are no known contraindications to the use of intramuscular Adequan® i.m. brand Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan in horses.

Studies have not been conducted to establish safety in breeding horses. WARNING: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption. Not for use in humans. Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children. CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.adequan.com.

Adequan® and the Horse Head design are registered trademarks of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. © Luitpold Animal Health, division of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2016. AHD227 Iss. 4/2016

USEF NEWS

US Equestrian Celebrates Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Headquarters

US Equestrian executives joined officials from the Kentucky Horse Park, Commerce Lexington, and Kentucky’s Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet to break ground for US Equestrian’s new headquarters on May 11.

The new, two-story headquarters will replace the office space US Equestrian currently leases at the Kentucky Horse Park from the USA Equestrian Trust, Inc. That lease ends in 2019. The new building is expected to generate cost-savings to US Equestrian that will be used to enhance and develop the organization’s programs and initiatives for over 100,000 members. The new headquarters will allow US Equestrian to remain in close proximity to many US Equestrian affiliates and licensed competitions.

The new building, designed by integrity/Architecture and constructed by D.W. Wilburn, will house approximately 140 employees and be completed in the fall of 2019. The two-story headquarters will have an open concept design to improve workflow and a large lobby with Olympic memorabilia and other sport- and breed-related information, along with a ShopUSEF retail store.

“On behalf of US Equestrian, my sincere appreciation goes to the leadership of the Kentucky Horse Park and Commission and the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” US Equestrian chief 22 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

executive officer Bill Moroney said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “From the very first discussion, everyone has embraced our vision and worked with us to keep US Equestrian here at the Kentucky Horse Park.”

Also speaking at the ceremony were Laura Prewitt, Kentucky Horse Park executive director; Regina Stivers, interim secretary of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet; and Bob Quick, president and CEO, Commerce Lexington. The speakers shared their enthusiasm with media and guests about the new US Equestrian headquarters remaining at the Kentucky Horse Park and in Lexington, Ky., the city considered to be the horse capital of the world.

“We are thrilled that US Equestrian will continue to call the Kentucky Horse Park their home. As the National Governing Body for equestrian sport in the United States, it is especially fitting that US Equestrian continues to be part of the Kentucky Horse Park family here in Lexington, Ky., the horse capital of the world,” said Prewitt.

As the National Governing Body of equestrian sport, US Equestrian will have signage displaying the USOC Member Organization marks, which include the Olympic rings. Signage will be placed on the front of the building as well as near the Kentucky Horse Park main entrance on Iron Works Pike.

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

Joining US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney (third from left) at the groundbreaking were (left to right) Bob Quick, president and CEO of Commerce Lexington; Tandy Patrick, chair of the Kentucky Horse Park Commission; Regina Stivers, interim secretary of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet; and Laura Prewitt, the Kentucky Horse Park’s executive director.

OSPHOS® (clodronate injection) Bisphosphonate For use in horses only.

Brief Summary (For Full Prescribing Information, see package insert) CAUTION: Federal (USA) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

DESCRIPTION: Clodronate disodium is a non-amino, chlorocontaining bisphosphonate. Chemically, clodronate disodium is (dichloromethylene) diphosphonic acid disodium salt and is manufactured from the tetrahydrate form.

INDICATION: For the control of clinical signs associated with navicular syndrome in horses.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Horses with hypersensitivity to clodronate disodium should not receive OSPHOS. WARNINGS: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption.

HUMAN WARNINGS: Not for human use. Keep this and all drugs out of the reach of children. Consult a physician in case of accidental human exposure.

PRECAUTIONS: As a class, bisphosphonates may be associated with gastrointestinal and renal toxicity. Sensitivity to drug associated adverse reactions varies with the individual patient.

Renal and gastrointestinal adverse reactions may be associated with plasma concentrations of the drug. Bisphosphonates are excreted by the kidney; therefore, conditions causing renal impairment may increase plasma bisphosphonate concentrations resulting in an increased risk for adverse reactions. Concurrent administration of other potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be approached with caution and renal function should be monitored. Use of bisphosphonates in patients with conditions or diseases affecting renal function is not recommended.

Administration of bisphosphonates has been associated with abdominal pain (colic), discomfort, and agitation in horses.

Clinical signs usually occur shortly after drug administration and may be associated with alterations in intestinal motility. In horses treated with OSPHOS these clinical signs usually began within 2 hours of treatment. Horses should be monitored for at least 2 hours following administration of OSPHOS.

Easily Administered

via intramuscular injection

OSPHOS

®

controls the clinical signs associated with Navicular Syndrome

Well Tolerated* in clinical trials

Proven Efficacy*

at 6 months post treatment

No Reconstitution Required Learn more online

www.dechra-us.com www.osphos.com

As with all drugs, side effects may occur. In field studies, the most common side effects reported were signs of discomfort or nervousness, colic, and/or pawing. OSPHOS should not be used in pregnant or lactating mares, or mares intended for breeding. Use of OSPHOS in patients with conditions affecting renal function or mineral or electrolyte homeostasis is not recommended. Refer to the prescribing information for complete details or visit www.dechra-us.com or call 866.933.2472.

CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of licensed veterinarian. * Freedom of Information Summary, Original New Animal Drug Application, NADA 141-427, for OSPHOS. April 28, 2014.

Dechra Veterinary Products US and the Dechra D logo are registered trademarks of Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC. © 2018 Dechra Ltd.

Bisphosphonates affect plasma concentrations of some minerals and electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, immediately post-treatment, with effects lasting up to several hours. Caution should be used when administering bisphosphonates to horses with conditions affecting mineral or electrolyte homeostasis (e.g. hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, hypocalcemia, etc.).

The safe use of OSPHOS has not been evaluated in horses less than 4 years of age. The effect of bisphosphonates on the skeleton of growing horses has not been studied; however, bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclast activity which impacts bone turnover and may affect bone growth.

Bisphosphonates should not be used in pregnant or lactating mares, or mares intended for breeding. The safe use of OSPHOS has not been evaluated in breeding horses or pregnant or lactating mares. Bisphosphonates are incorporated into the bone matrix, from where they are gradually released over periods of months to years. The extent of bisphosphonate incorporation into adult bone, and hence, the amount available for release back into the systemic circulation, is directly related to the total dose and duration of bisphosphonate use. Bisphosphonates have been shown to cause fetal developmental abnormalities in laboratory animals. The uptake of bisphosphonates into fetal bone may be greater than into maternal bone creating a possible risk for skeletal or other abnormalities in the fetus. Many drugs, including bisphosphonates, may be excreted in milk and may be absorbed by nursing animals.

Increased bone fragility has been observed in animals treated with bisphosphonates at high doses or for long periods of time.

Bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption and decrease bone turnover which may lead to an inability to repair micro damage within the bone. In humans, atypical femur fractures have been reported in patients on long term bisphosphonate therapy; however, a causal relationship has not been established.

ADVERSE REACTIONS: The most common adverse reactions reported in the field study were clinical signs of discomfort or nervousness, colic and/or pawing. Other signs reported were lip licking, yawning, head shaking, injection site swelling, and hives/pruritus.

Distributed by: Dechra Veterinary Products 7015 College Boulevard, Suite 525 Overland Park, KS 66211 866-933-2472 © 2018 Dechra Ltd. OSPHOS is a registered trademark of Dechra Ltd. All rights reserved.

NADA 141-427, Approved by FDA

USEF NEWS

Land Rover Private Offer

Now Available to US Equestrian Members Land Rover is pleased to extend a Private Offer to members of the United States Equestrian Federation. As a US Equestrian member, you can now enjoy exclusive offers on the purchase or lease of new Land Rover models. Current members can visit JLRprivateoffer.com to verify membership and receive more information about your Private Offer.

Land Rover has been an esteemed partner of the United States Equestrian Federation for eight years.

As title sponsor of the Kentucky Three-Day Event, the

U.S. Eventing Team, and the U.S. Eventing Grants program, their support has aided the United States eventing community immensely throughout duration of the partnership. The Private Offer to US Equestrian members is just another way that Land Rover seeks to provide value and support to the entire equestrian audience.

For more detailed information on how to redeem the Land Rover Private Offer, and to view the wide array of other US Equestrian MemberPerks, visit USequestrian.org/join-usef/memberperks.

US Equestrian has announced a new partnership with custom tailcoat maker Charles Ancona, who will provide custom tailcoats to the U.S. dressage and eventing teams as the Official Tailcoat Supplier of US Equestrian. Charles Ancona also joins US Equestrian as a multi-year sponsor of the U.S. Dressage National Championships and the “Regular Pony Hunter – Large Division presented by Charles Ancona” at the USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm.

“Charles Ancona’s excellence in design and craftsmanship is world-renowned, and US Equestrian is proud to collaborate with Ancona to provide custom tailcoats for The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team and the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team,” said US Equestrian CEO 24 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Bill Moroney. “With Charles Ancona by our side, the teams will be equipped with the best of the best as they represent the United States at the highest level of competition across the world.”

“I am honored and excited for this unique opportunity to work with the best riders in the world,” said Ancona. “The challenge to contribute to enhancing their performance and presence on the world stage is one that I look forward to with great enthusiasm.”

Charles Ancona is a U.S. based designer/manufacturer of apparel in New York City, specialized in performance stretch fabrics and custom design/fit.

Charles Ancona is known for his innovative designs and creative features unique to the equestrian world.

PHOTO: NEILSON BARNARD FOR JAGUAR LAND ROVER

Charles Ancona Named Official Tailcoat Supplier

ULTRASHIELD® EX INSECTICIDE & REPELLENT

ULTRASHIELD® FLY MASK Offering unparalleled protection, comfort, and durability.

Our most advanced protection designed for the most challenging conditions.

• Features high-tech performance fabrics • Breathable and moisture wicking • Keeps horses cool, dry, and comfortable • Blocks 80% of harmful UV rays

• Kills and repels biting and nuisance flies, mosquitoes, ticks, and gnats • Sun, sweat, water, and rain-resistant formula • Contains multiple sunscreens and coat conditioners

©2018 W. F. Young, Inc.

The Horse World’s Most Trusted Name® absorbine.com

USEF NEWS

The Hilton West Palm Beach

It’s not too early to make your plans to attend US Equestrian’s 2019 Annual Meeting, which, after 15 years, is relocating to be closer to members. The meeting, panels, and workshops will take place Jan. 8-12 at the Hilton West Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Fla. Registration opens June 1.

The meeting kicks off with an exciting and informative General Session on Tuesday, January 8, from 2 p.m.-6 p.m., and you’ll want to stick around for cocktails and appetizers poolside that evening as we celebrate the start of Annual Meeting.

As well as the Pegasus Awards dinner on Thursday, Jan. 10, and the Horse of the Year Awards dinner on Saturday, Jan. 12, the meeting also will feature a number of educational, networking, and social opportunities.

Your registration fee includes entrance to the Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening and breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Saturday.

US Equestrian has secured a group rate of $189 plus tax. For reservations, please call (561) 561-6000 or 1 (800) HILTONS and reference Group Code ZEQF. The cut-off date to receive this special rate is Saturday, December 15. Make your reservations today!

26 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF HILTON WEST PALM BEACH PHOTOS: (INSET) (ABOVE), ADAM BRENNAN-PICTURESBYAB.COM (BELOW) TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

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USEF NEWS

US Equestrian Mourns Harry Chapman, Legacy Owner in Equestrian Sport

It is with great sadness that US Equestrian learned of the passing of Harry Chapman (Wilsonville, Ore.) in June.

Survived by his wife and beloved partner Mollie Chapman, he passed away at the age of 82 from complications from a stroke. His legacy in horse ownership is well established, with horses such as Flexible, McGuinness, Reno, Zlano, Amos, and others. Chapman’s dedication to horsemanship was equaled only by his love for equestrian sport and the people to whom he entrusted his horses.

From a young age, Chapman learned from legendary horsemen and women in his native state of Oregon. Western riding was his earliest experience with horses, riding with the great Lee WarHarry and Mollie Chapman with then USEF president Chrystine Tauber (far left) in 2013 ren. There, he gained his first show at the Horse of the Year Awards, where Flexible was named 2012 USEF International experience and the equestrian knowlHorse of the Year. edge that would set the stage for his lifelong involvement with horse sports. Saddle seat was “My wife and I had a business in Southern California, a Chapman’s next venture, but he didn’t stop there. His first show jumping business,” said Fellers. “We were working seven trainer in the jumper realm was Jerry Pearson, and Chapman days a week, all day long, and having fun doing what we loved. would later credit Johnny Johnson, Jerry Smith, Claudia Harry contacted us about potentially moving back up to Oregon Cojarcan, and Joan Karen Curtin with advancing his skills and training at his private stable and riding his show jumpers.” and love for the sport of jumping.

The move proved fortuitous.

However, Chapman’s legacy in the equestrian industry In looking for another show jumper to add to the Chapis perhaps best exemplified by his willingness to share his mans’ string, Fellers began looking for horses overseas and greatest horses with professional horsemen and women who found Flexible, who went on to the 2012 London Olympic were capable of helping those horses achieve the pinnacle of Games and was later named the 2012 USEF International their capabilities. Chapman, an avid driver, at various times Horse of the Year. also owned American Saddlebreds and roadsters, including “We found a very interesting horse in Holland, a Dutch roadster horses Diamond Hustler, Jesse James, Posseman, horse,” Fellers recalled. “And we found Flexible in Ireland as and Lil Town Flirt, and roadster ponies Sheriff Andy, Rowdy a six-year-old. I liked both of the horses, and this was typical Yank, and Top Choice.

Harry—I had video of the horses and video of my trials on the The Chapmans put their horses and ponies in the hands of two horses. I told him I liked both of them. They were different professional riders and drivers who led them to victory. They types, but I told him both were talented and had really bright did the same in the show jumping world, loving the experience futures. Harry said, ‘Why don’t we just get both of them?’ I and feeling honored to offer their horses, with confidence, laughed, because I didn’t know we were looking for two horses. to athletes and riders who saw talent and promise in them.

So we bought them both. The Dutch horse was a big, beautiful, The Chapmans enjoyed a long relationship with Olympian attractive horse with a long, round neck and beautiful head.

Rich Fellers and his family, a partnership that was sealed with Flexible was this little pony-sized Irish stallion. He didn’t look a handshake in 1989 and kept family priorities and the care of like much of anything when we got him back to the U.S., but the horses at the forefront. he obviously ended up being the more talented of the two. That 28 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PHOTO: PAM SPAULDING

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was typical Harry and Mollie. They were just so trusting and so supportive. Whatever I felt was a good thing, they were always there 100%, backing me up.”

In 2012, Flexible, at just 16 hands and ridden by a tall Fellers, came into his own at age 16. Flexible and Fellers would go on to take the title of the FEI World Cup Finals™ that year, as well as represent the U.S. at the London Games.

Chapman often described the sight of the dynamic duo as “a big kid on a pony.”

CHAPMAN'S HORSES INCLUDED 2012 USEF INTERNATIONAL HORSE OF THE YEAR FLEXIBLE. Once asked to recall watching Flexible jump in his first attempt at the FEI World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2008, Chapman remarked, “I looked in the ring and I couldn’t even see the footing, there were so many jumps in the ring and they were so big. I thought ‘Nobody

can jump those!’ But Flexible did. He’s never stopped surprising us. Every time I think something is maybe over his head, he just steps up and away he goes, and he makes it look pretty easy.”

“He was super to work for because he was so positive and sympathetic to tough times and a bad show or a bad class,” said Fellers. “He was upset and disappointed when things wouldn’t go well, but I always got the feeling he was more just disappointed to see and know of my disappointment.”

In addition to accepting Flexible’s International Horse of the Year Award in January 2013, the Chapmans also received the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s Mrs. A. C. Randolph Owners Legacy Award in 2015 for the lasting impression they had made on the sport.

That impression has continued into a new generation through their granddaughter, Jessica Petro, and her equestrian ventures. “[Harry] was quite a character,” reminisced Fellers. “But he had a long, fun life.”

PHOTO: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO

Rich Fellers on Flexible at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

30 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

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SEEN AND HEARD

“ Top: Beezie Madden and Breitling LS, winners of the 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Paris, France.

Below: Chandra Nielson and Century Hill’s Kieron at the American Connemara Pony Society’s breed demonstration at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington, Ky., in April.

32 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

He is definitely more connected than he has ever been, which allows me to ask for more. With more work and work on getting him stronger, he is going to be even better in a few years.”

- Jennifer “Nifty” Hamilton on her horse Makari Design after they defended their USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship title at Southern Pines CDE in Raeford, N.C.

PHOTOS: ASHLEY SWIFT, SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO, ANDY ILLES, ANDREA EVANS/US EQUESTRIAN

In & Around the Ring

Left: Evelyn Olehowski made a friend at the Meet the Morgan event hosted by the Maine Morgan Horse Club and Pineland Farms Equestrian Center in New Gloucester, Maine, in March.

Right: Parker Daley performs on Duke Wilhelm with longeur Carolyn Bland at Garrods Spring Classic in Saratoga, Calif.

Below: Laura Graves and Verdades, second-place finishers in the 2018 FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Paris, France.

“ I am absolutely ecstatic with her – she is such an amazing little mare. I came out and had a bit of a chip on my shoulder from last year and just wanted to prove that we could attack the course. She was happy to do it.

”

- Land Rover/USEF Eventing Grant recipient Lauren Kieffer on her ninth-place finish with Veronica in the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI4* in Badminton, England

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 33

LEARNING CENTER

Helping Your Horse Cope with Heat

by Kathleen Landwehr

Horses are large, muscular animals that produce excessive amounts of heat when exercising: it’s been calculated that an endurance horse competing in a 50-mile race at ambient temperature will generate enough heat to melt a 150-pound block of ice and bring it to a boil. Whatever the breed or discipline, it’s critical that horses get rid of that heat, and exercising in hot conditions presents an even greater challenge for both horse and rider. Horses have a high body weight and low surface area, and this unfortunate ratio makes it hard for them to dissipate the large amount of heat generated by their muscular activity.

That makes it all the more important to know how to cool your horse properly.

There are three main ways horses can get rid of heat: Evaporative cooling. Exercising horses produce sweat and that heated fluid evaporates from the skin surface dissipating heat. Horses can produce from 1 to 4 gallons of sweat during strenuous work in hot weather.

Conduction. Heat is moved from one surface (the horse’s skin) to another surface (water applied to the skin). If done correctly, this can be an invaluable method of heat loss in the horse.

Respiration. This is a significant source of heat loss in humans and dogs, but it accounts for only a small amount of heat reduction in horses.

While sweating is one of the primary methods for horses to cool themselves, it can also be problematic because of the barrier 34 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

it can create on the skin. “In humid weather, where evaporation is greatly slowed, sweat accumulates on the skin surface,” Marcella explained. “This fluid layer is quickly heated to body temperature, and if it is not removed and it cannot evaporate, then it effectively coats the horse, making it very difficult for the horse to cool down.”

Cooling in Humid or Dry Heat Since horses can struggle with heat loss, it’s imperative that equestrians know how to cool a horse properly in hot conditions.

“Spray/wipe, scrape, repeat,” urges Marcella.

You need a bucket of cold water, a sponge (or cold water from a hose), and a sweat scraper. Repeatedly spray or sponge the cold water on—the best areas to target are the neck, chest, inner legs, belly, and groin—and scrape it off almost immediately. Marcella said it’s even better if you can do that in front of a fan to incorporate evaporative heat loss, too.

Pouring buckets of water or spraying a horse without scraping that water off will not result in effective cooling, Marcella said. Scraping the water off is crucial. Putting a cold wet towel on the horse’s neck or back is frequently done, but it reduces any chance of evaporative cooling, because it blocks airflow to the skin.

Across the country, hot conditions can vary by being dry or humid, and both conditions affect horses differently. Marcella

PHOTO: BECKY PEARMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Dr. Ken Marcella at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 Endurance Test Event in April.

It’s summer show season! How can you maximize your horse’s performance in the heat? We asked Dr. Ken Marcella—a member of the USEF Endurance Veterinary Advisory Group, a Fédération Équestre Internationale 4*-rated official endurance veterinarian, and owner of KLM Equine in Canton, Ga.—for his tips. Check out the US Equestrian Learning Center online at USequestrian.org/learn for more tips on post-competition care, the endurance discipline, and much more.

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noted that it is harder to sweat in dry climates so, even if it is easier to use evaporative cooling in dry air, horses in arid locations have more difficulty efficiently regulating heat by that method. “There is much less sweat on the horse, so we often have to do a lot more with fans and getting air movement to be able to generate cooling,” he explained.

While producing sweat is much easier in humid climates, it’s a challenge for sweat on the skin to evaporate because of the air’s high moisture content. Generating airflow helps with evaporative cooling.

“I tell people to keep their horses in the shade, don’t set your trailers up so that you are blocking airflow, use fans, and generate as much air movement as possible,” Marcella said.

If your horse will be working in hot, humid conditions this summer, be on the lookout for signs that he is overheating.

Marcella said a horse is potentially in trouble if he has dry, tacky skin; rapid heart and/or respiratory rate; and muscle weakness or lack of coordination. Hydration is also critical, and equestrians should monitor their horse’s gums.

“If your horse is healthy, you will get a wet, saliva-covered finger if you run your thumb across your horse’s upper gum under the lip,” Marcella said. “If the gums feel dry, tacky, and warm with no saliva present, then you may have a dehydration/ heat stress issue and your horse may need attention.”

36 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Maximizing Performance in the Heat Good horse management can go a long way to ensuring your horse is performing at his best in hot conditions.

Know Your Horse’s Heart Rate. Marcella recommends knowing your horse’s heart rate at rest and work and noted that a stethoscope is a great, inexpensive tool. To take your horse’s heart rate, place the stethoscope on the horse’s left girth under the elbow and up next to the chest. Count the beats you hear (one lub-dub sound is considered one beat) in 15 seconds and multiply by four to get beats per minute.

Marcella noted that a normal resting heart rate for horses is 36-42 beats per minute. For endurance, the heart rate of exercising horses must generally come down to 64 beats per minute when the horses enter the veterinary check/rest period of the competition. A fit horse that is working should attain a heart rate of 64 beats per minute within 15 minutes or less from the end of exercise. “If your horse has finished exercising and after 10-15 minutes his heart rate is still in the 70s or 80s, then he is unfit, dehydrated, experiencing some degree of pain or discomfort, or overheated and needs immediate attention.”

Use Electrolytes. Sweating causes a horse to lose not just water, but sodium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium, as well, all of which are required for intestinal function, proper muscle contraction, and nearly all activities in the body. “Ensuring

PHOT0: BECKY PEARMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Take a tip from the endurance community: research your horse’s individual physiology and know his normal heart rate at rest and work.

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LEARNING CENTER normal electrolyte levels should be done at home prior to arriving at a competition,” Marcella said. Horses should receive enough electrolytes in the days leading up to an event that they have a reservoir of necessary fluid and ions in their gut that will sustain them during transport and initial competition, he noted.

Research Your Horse’s Physiology. “Everyone’s physiology is different, and that is really the biggest take-home lesson,” Marcella said. “Learn how your particular horse responds to travel stress, training, competition, and different weather conditions, and then figure out what you can do to optimize his performance.”

Marcella and his clients take blood samples at home to develop a baseline for their horses. Then they work with on-site veterinarians to take pre-competition and post-competition samples. “This detailed approach may tell us to feed additional potassium, to increase or decrease protein content, to add fat to the diet, to reduce calcium levels, to train harder or train longer,” he said. “Any number of things may be uncovered which may allow us to do a better job getting that particular horse ready to compete and perform to his fullest potential.”

Visit USequestrian.org/learn for more than 60 videos and a vast library of additional information about horse care, training techniques, US Equestrian’s 29 affiliated breeds and disciplines, and more. Looking for more tips on cooling and conditioning your horse or more information about endurance? Be sure to check these out: •

Five-Step Post-Competition Care with professional groom Lee McKeever

•

Endurance with Valerie Kanavy

•

Three Cross-Training Exercises for Eventing Horses with Kim Severson

•

Basic Horse Anatomy with Dr. Liz Barrett

PHOTO: USEF PHOTO

Sponging water on and then scraping it off immediately aids evaporation, which is important in cooling a horse.

Find Out More Online in the Learning Center

38 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PRO TIP

There are many factors to consider when choosing a vehicle that will tow your trailer and horse. We went straight to towing expert Bob Burns—with Land Rover Experiences for Jaguar Land Rover North America—whose job includes hauling huge loads to events around the country—to get up to speed on tow weight, wheel base, brakes, helpful technology, and more.

“Look at the whole towing package: from the front bumper of whatever you’re towing with to the taillights of your trailer,” Burns said. “Is the engine up to the load you’re going to haul, and is it going to tow it happily? By that I mean that it’s not to the floor just to get it up the little hill by your house. Because an engine is like a horse: if you push it too hard, something’s going to give.”

To identify the optimum tow vehicle for your needs, Burns offered 10 top tips: 1. Do Your Homework.

In the search for a safe, able tow vehicle, the first step is research, Burns advised. Learn as much as you can about your own trailer—and don’t forget to consider how much your trailer will weigh not only with your horse in it, but also anything else you might be carrying, such as tack trunks, hay or straw bales, etc. “I’m amazed by how many people don’t know the weight of their trailer,” Burns said. “You can’t start the math without that number. If you have a big, four-horse trailer, that’s going to clear your list of potential tow vehicles off pretty fast—there’s a short list of vehicles that will tow that.”

40 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Get familiar with the general towing capacities of a range of vehicles and the context around them, too.

“We always say with towing that the numbers are recommendations,” Burns said. “Can you exceed them? Yes, but you’d better really know your game if you’re going to do that.

Exceeding the capacity slightly to go two miles to the vet is a lot different from doing it on a seven-hour trip.”

Burns suggests that you start with vehicle manufacturers, who can provide a wealth of information. But remember that there’s no official set tow capacity ratings from, say, the Department of Transportation, Burns said. “These are ballpark figures,” he explained, “but they are a kind of guardrail, and they should include a factor of safety. So if it says 10,000 pounds towing capacity, it’s probably good to 12,000 or so before it disintegrates.

The number isn’t exact, and towing capacity also changes with a number of variables. If it’s made to drive 55 miles an hour and you’re doing 90, the number changes, so if a vehicle was made to tow 14,000 pounds under normal conditions but you’re flying, your trailer better be lighter than that.

“In general, though, I think most people are towing under what their vehicles can handle,” he added. “We see that with our vehicles. People think, ‘Hey, that’s a luxury vehicle,’ but it’s also a workhorse that can tow a lot, in the 7,000- to 8,000-pound range. More and more, people are looking for vehicles that can do everything, so it needs to be able to tow and to be comfortable when they’re not towing. We do work hard on towing, because in most of the world Land Rover is seen as a workhorse, but we also aren’t shy about the luxuries.”

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LAND ROVER

Choosing a Tow Vehicle

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PRO TIP 2. Consider Your Hauling Needs.

“Are you going to the farm two miles down the road every day or are you going to be driving across a couple of states?”

Burns said. If you expect to be mainly a short-haul driver, don’t forget to consider potential emergency needs, too: how far away is the your local veterinary hospital, for example, and is the road hilly or winding between your farm or area competition site and the clinic? Are you going to be hauling Percherons or Shetland ponies? Factor in all of these variables.

It’s important to think about more than just the engine’s power, too. “Is the cooling system up to the work?” Burns asked.

“And where do you live? Are you in Arizona, where you’re going to be in some heat?”

Whatever your needs are, Burns noted, be prepared to pay for the quality and power to do the job. Bigger vehicles might be more inconvenient or costly, but they are built to work harder and last longer, Burns said.

3. Look at the Wheel Base.

“The rule of thumb for towing: the longer the wheel base, the more stability you’re going to get,” Burns explained, adding that the wheel base is the distance between a vehicle’s front and rear axles. “If you’re in a situation where the trailer is trying to take over and starts to shake, a short vehicle is affected by that really quickly. A longer vehicle responds differently; it slows everything down, and that’s helpful. A vehicle might have the horsepower to do the job, but it might not have the stability to make it easy.”

and commuter vehicles, workhorse braking power has faded.

“They’ve gotten more comfortable, but they struggle a little bit on towing and more so on braking,” Burns said. “I have halfton and three-quarter-ton trucks, and I don’t like towing with a half-ton, because the brakes just don’t do it if you’re towing something bigger than a two-horse bumper-pull trailer.”

Trailer brakes help the tow vehicle last longer and provide another level of control and safety.

7. Explore the Technology.

“Vehicles have gotten so smart that there’s a lot of technology that gets you out of trouble when you might not even have known you were in trouble,” Burns said. For example, innovations like dynamic stability control, a smart braking system, can provide things like sway control and skid prevention.

There are also a number of technology features designed for convenience, like reversing cameras and Land Rover’s Tow Assist, which simplify the process of backing up with a trailer.

Land Rover is also exploring technology like the Transparent Trailer and Cargo Sense systems. Transparent Trailer uses combined imaging to create a composite picture of the road behind your trailer; that image, along with the image of a trailer’s outline, are projected onto an electronic “rear-view mirror,” which is helpful when you’re backing up or changing lanes with a trailer. Cargo Sense uses mat pressure sensors and an in-trailer camera to help drivers monitor the trailer’s interior.

4. Check the Hitch.

Whether the vehicle already has a hitch or you’re adding one, make sure the hitch is rated for what you’re pulling, Burns said. “There are different levels of hitch, and it’s important to learn the difference in classes,” Burns said. “And learn about the parts that go with them, like the way the draw bar goes in.”

To learn about that, Burns suggests stopping in your local U-Haul center.

“There’s some really great hands-on experience at a place like that,” he said. “That’s what they do all day long: hitches.

It’s a great place to get some homework done.”

Also note whether the vehicle is wired for both brakes and lighting. “And can it handle LED lights?” Burns said. “Most of the new trailers are LED.” If not, find out what the process for installing these things entails—and whether it’s a bigger headache than you want to deal with.

5. Don’t Be Afraid of Automatic Transmission.

“There used to be a fear that automatic transmissions can’t handle towing, but they’re better than ever,” Burns said. “If you look at everything from bulldozers to 18-wheelers, they’re pretty much all automatic now.”

6. Get Plenty of Stopping Power.

Hauling a horse isn’t just about going; it’s also about stopping.

Your vehicle might be able to pull your trailer, but can it stop it if you have to brake hard in an emergency?

“The more brakes, the better,” Burns said. He added that as some pickup trucks have become more popular suburban

“Look at the whole towing package: from the front bumper of whatever you’re towing with to the taillights of your trailer,” Burns said.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 43

PRO TIP But understand technology’s limits, too, Burns cautions. “Anti-lock braking systems will make sure you can steer and it makes sure wheels don’t lock up, but it doesn’t shorten your stopping distance,” Burns said by way of example. “Technology is not 100-percent bulletproof and can’t totally replace good driving.”

8. Consider Trailer Brakes.

“Trailer brakes are a lifesaver and a vehiclesaver,” Burns said. “ABS is smart, but if that trailer starts wagging its tail a little bit, those trailer brakes can straighten it out. There’s a learning curve with them and with everything, but they’re an option that’s good to have, and they’re worth it.”

There are a number of options for trailer brakes, including surge, electric, and hydraulic.

“What you want depends on your trailer,” Burns said. “For a lightweight, two-horse trailer, a surge brake is probably pretty good. But the electric ones are more tunable. The surge brakes react to your driving and are just a little jerkier.”

9. Maintain Your Trailer.

Proper trailer maintenance is always a key to safe towing. “I see a lot of horse trailers that sit for a long time,” Burns said. “So go over your

44 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

entire trailer before you ever hook it up to a tow vehicle. Make sure the tires are good and the tire pressure is right. Are the chains rusty?

Because they can be a lifesaver if something goes wrong. Is the hitch good? Are all your pieces there and is everything tight—because there’s a lot of vibration and movement when you tow that can self-destruct pieces. Ignoring trailer maintenance can cause problems no matter how good your tow vehicle.”

10. Remember: You Are Part of the Safety Equipment.

A lot of safety technology has been inspired by drivers who are inexperienced with towing.

You can become part of your vehicle’s safety system by gaining towing experience and by rigorously employing safe-driving techniques.

“Trailers are a multiplier,” Burns said, noting that stopping distances increase when you’re hauling, and so does the room you’ll need to do everything from turning in traffic to leaving enough room for overhead clearance.

“You’ll have to create that 365-degree bubble around both truck and trailer. When you have 40 feet of truck and trailer behind you, there’s a lot going on, especially if you have precious cargo like a horse moving around inside.”

“More and more, people are looking for vehicles that can do everything, so it needs to be able to tow and to be comfortable when they’re not towing,” Burns said.

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JUNIORS’ RING

From First Lesson to Equestrian Scholarships

PHOTOS: (LEFT TO RIGHT) TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN, PRETTY PIXELS PHOTOGRAPHY

Check out these great resources for juniors and young riders at USequestrian.org

Devoted to dressage? Crazy about roadsters? Wild about Welsh ponies? Whatever your equestrian passion or experience level, US Equestrian and its affiliates have great opportunities for young riders, drivers, and vaulters, from Arabians to Western dressage.

Your First Stop: USequestrian.org Stop by our Youth Programs page at USequestrian.org/start-riding/youth-programs for links to a huge library of resources, including trainer certification programs, US Equestrian’s lettering program, college scholarships, youth grants, interscholastic and intercollegiate resources, and more.

Just Getting Started?

Locate a trainer certified through the Certified Horsemanship Association, the United States Dressage Federation Instructor/ Trainer Program, the United States Eventing Association Instructors’ Certification

Program, the United States Hunter Jumper Association Trainer Certification Program, or the American Riding Instructors Association.

Wondering what to expect from a first riding lesson? Get the skinny in our online Learning Center’s Getting Started section. Head over to USequestrian.org/learn to find videos like “Your First Riding Lesson” and “Your First Horse Show,” as well as “Getting to Know a New Horse” and “Basic Horse Anatomy.”

US Equestrian offers a lot of ways for youth to make the most of their equestrian experience.

Get ready for your first lesson at USequestrian.org

Explore Opportunities US Equestrian’s affiliate and alliance organizations offer a wealth of opportunities and programs for young equestrians, including special awards and challenges, horsemastership programs and educational opportunities, grants, and scholarships. Start exploring breed- and discipline-specific youth programs at USequestrian.org/start-riding/ youth-programs.

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JUNIORS’ RING

Get Your Letter Yes, you can letter in equestrian sport, even if you don’t compete! US Equestrian’s lettering program is open to students in grades five through 12. Log and document at least 100 hours of equestrian activities between June 1 and May 31 of your application year—including riding lessons, trail riding, competition, and more—and you’re eligible for emblems and pins to honor your achievement. Learn more at USequestrian.org/ start-riding/youth-programs/lettering or email lettering@usef.org.

Yes, you can letter in equestrian!

Pleasure riders and serious competitors in grades five to 12 are eligible for the US Equestrian lettering program.

US Equestrian’s many affiliate organizations offer a range of youth programs, from educational seminars to grants and scholarships.

For the Parents Our Youth Programs page, located under Start Riding on the USequestrian.org home page, also offers a handy resource for parents: “Making Youth Sports Affordable: A Playbook for Parents.” You can also learn more about US Equestrian’s Safe Sport policy and how the USEF protects participants in horse sports by clicking the Safe Sport link in the menu on the USequestrian. org home page and by visiting the online Learning Center (USequestrian.org/ learn) for such videos as “Concussions and Helmet Safety” and “US Equestrian: Protecting Horse Welfare.”

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PHOTOS: (LEFT TO RIGHT) CHERYL PRILL, KIM RUSSELL

Find a College Your equestrian career doesn’t have to end when you go to college.

Use the USEF Equestrian College Search tool online to find colleges that match your academic and equestrian goals. The College Search lets you filter by student population, school location, academic interests, and equestrian programs to help you narrow down your search. School profile pages tell you more about individual colleges and universities.

Start looking to your academic and equestrian future by visiting USequestrian.org/start-riding/youth-programs/intercollegiate/college-search.

MY FIRST

My First Show

“My favorite part was the trot, because I like going fast,” Eliza Ashby said of her class with CHCan You Hear Me Now. 50 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Riding saddle seat has been a mother-daughter activity for Eliza Ashby and her mom, Dr. Leslie Ann Asbury, for the last several years. Now they’re showing together in the discipline aboard American Saddlebreds.

On May 12, Eliza launched her show career when she trotted into the ring aboard CHCan You Hear Me Now for a walk/trot class at the Kentucky American Saddlebred Pleasure Horse Association’s May Classic Horse Show in Shelbyville, Ky., picking up the red ribbon for second place. The previous day, Asbury—who began showing last year—won the Novice Rider Show Pleasure class aboard Undulata’s Corleone ERB, the first horse she’s ever owned.

Both Eliza and her mom take lessons at Blue Willow Farm in Versailles, Ky., where they work with Bob Hughes, Julie Kaufman, and Andrea Steponaitis.

“I’m so proud of her,” Asbury said of her daughter. “I thought, ‘She looks so tiny on that big horse!’ I marvel that she’s not afraid, and she gets him to trot around right where she wants him to go. She looked like a little adult. It’s a great joy that this is something we can do together. We spend every Friday afternoon and Saturday morning together. I hope that as Eliza gets older, this is something we can always participate in and enjoy together.”

Asbury confessed that she was nervous for Eliza’s debut, but Eliza herself was too busy for butterflies.

PHOTOS: JANE JACOBS PHOTO, AVIS GIRDLER PHOTO (OPPOSITE TOP), MORGAN KING PHOTO (OPPOSITE BELOW)

Eight-year-old Eliza Ashby, who donned show attire for the first time for her debut in a walk/trot class in May, is discovering the show ring alongside her mother.

“They told me a lot of things to do, like keep my hands up, and I was worried I wouldn’t remember,” recalled Eliza, who has been taking lessons since age four. “I wasn’t nervous about if I was going to win or not, I just wanted to have a good ride. It was my first time, and I didn’t care about winning or losing.

My favorite part was the trot, because I like going fast.”

Asked what she hopes her daughter gains from showing, Asbury said, “I hope she understands the giant amount of hard work that goes into getting a horse ready for any competition, not just from the work that she has to put in, but also from the groom, her trainer, and the people that work at the barn. Horses are a ton of responsibility. And I hope she develops a healthy appreciation for competition and sportsmanship and being gracious, both in victory and in loss.”

Asbury grew up in a nonequestrian family in the small northern Kentucky town of

Augusta, where she took saddle seat lessons.

While in college, she took a summer job at a saddle seat facility. But even though she continued taking occasional lessons throughout her university and medical school years in Louisville, she never competed.

“I always knew I wanted to do that someday and have a horse of my own, but medical school came along, and then residency came along,” said Asbury, who now lives and practices in Lexington, Ky. A little over a year ago, she took the plunge into horse ownership and bought a three-year-old named Undulata’s Corleone ERB. “Vinny” wasn’t just for her; Asbury also hopes someday he’ll be a show mount for Eliza.

“We were looking for a horse that I could enjoy and that I could get ready for Eliza to show in a few years—if I can bring myself to give him away! I’m getting pretty attached to him!” Asbury said of Vinny, now five. “I rode him a little bit last year, but I was more ready for him this year. He’s the sweetest boy and doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, but he’s still kind of a teenage kid. The better rider you are, the more game he is, but he’s also good-headed enough to know what kind of person is handling him, I think.

He’s made me more patient. I thought I’d just get on him and pick up riding where I left off 20 years ago, but it doesn’t happen that way!”

Mom Leslie Asbury on her new—and first—horse, Undulata’s Corleone ERB, at the Kentucky Spring Premier Horse Show, where she picked up her first blue ribbon in the Open Exhibitor Three-Gaited Show Pleasure class.

Below: Eliza Ashby and CH Can You Hear Me Now, the horse her family currently leases for her.

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MY FIRST

“I wasn’t nervous about if I was going to win or not, I just wanted to have a good ride,” said Eliza Ashby, who finished second in her walk/trot class on CHCan You Hear Me Now.

52 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

In the meantime, Eliza’s parents are leasing CHCan You Hear Me Now, known around the barn as Fritz, for her. The 16-year-old gelding has quickly become a good friend who can help his young charge learn the ropes in the show ring.

“He went a bit slower and was a little more cooperative at the show than he is at home, because he knew people were watching him,” Eliza said. “He’s very smart. I liked that there were a lot of people watching and that Fritz was easier there.”

“I think the vast majority of American Saddlebreds are spirited, yet kind and gentle, and they want to please their owners and riders,” said Asbury. “Older, more seasoned ones are especially wonderful for children in that they can be safe but still provide a challenging ride. They are receptive and smart and seem to have a sixth sense with regard to their rider. My horse, for example, is much more game now that he knows I’m capable of staying with him.”

Asbury made her own show-ring debut in 2017 at the Rock Creek Horse Show in St. Matthews, Ky. “I was scared as hell, to be honest!” she recalled. “There were so many horses in my class! My ears were ringing, my mouth was dry, and I was just like, ‘Oh, please let me get through this class without my horse being dismissed for bad behavior!’

We didn’t place in the show because he fell out of the left canter lead.

“We regrouped over the winter, and my first show this year was at the Spring Premier at the Kentucky Horse Park,” she continued. “We won that class. My horse was more mature, and I knew how to get him to perform better. I just wanted to get through the class and be able to canter both directions and have a good ride. So when they called my name I was somewhat surprised. I didn’t know what my number was, and then when they said, ‘Undulata’s Corleone,’ I thought, ‘Oh! That’s me!’ It was great fun, and my parents were there.”

Now Asbury is having fun watching her own daughter develop a bond with horses and the equestrian community—a bond that, as in Eliza’s case, will likely last a lifetime.

“She loves it so much,” Asbury said of her daughter’s growing connection to riding. “It’s her thing.”

Discipline.

Dedication.

Passion.

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Get Linked Up with US Equestrian Champion Coverage at USEF Network Stay tuned to USEF Network for all the action from the Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North, formerly known as the NAJYRC. Catch eventing from Rebecca Farm July 18-22 and dressage and jumping from Old Salem Farm Aug. 1-5.

Come back for a full dose of pony power at USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm Aug. 7-12, as more than 600 ponies and their young riders compete at the Kentucky Horse Park. This national championship event is the most celebrated competition of its kind in the United States with 11 national championships on the line. Visit USequestrian/ network to watch!

Joy on Tour US Equestrian’s Joy Tour brings the celebration of horse sports to venues around the country. Come visit our booth for ShopUSEF gear, meet-and-greets, autograph signings, and more! This summer you can find us at: July 18-22 Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North - Eventing Rebecca Farm, Kalispell, Mont.

July 28 Hats Off Day, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Ky. July 30-31 USEF Junior Hunter National Championship East Coast, HITS on the Hudson, Saugerties, N.Y. July 31-Aug. 5 Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North - Jumping & Dressage, Old Salem Farm, North Salem, N.Y.

PHOTOS: (TOP TO BOTTOM) ©ESI PHOTOGRAPHY, OMAHA EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION

Aug. 6-12 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Ky. Aug. 21-26 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, Lamplight Equestrian Center, Wayne, Ill. Sept. 11-23 FEI World Equestrian Games, Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, N.C. Hot off the Press Keep up with the USEF Network schedule, new Learning Center video releases, veterinary info, USEF News, and other hot topics with our Equestrian Weekly digital newsletter. Sign up today at USequestrian.org/tune-in/equestrian-weekly.

It’s free!

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 55

DISCOVER THE

Photo: Wm. Joe Simonds

at USequestrian.org

Bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.

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HOT LINKS

COMING UP THIS FALL ON USEF NETWORK US Equestrian members can access live streams and on-demand coverage on USEF

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

Network. To catch all the action, visit USequestrian.org/network.

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TRENDING

Tracey Currey of PonyTail Bows shares her secrets to the perfect show bow.

58 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Girls’ show bows blossom like bright summer flowers at the USEF Pony Finals presented

by Collecting Gaits Farm. Like the young equestrians who wear them and the ponies they ride, these colorful hair accessories are full of individual personality—and that’s what makes them special, says Tracey Currey, whose PonyTail Bows has been contributing to showring style for the 13-and-under set since 2013.

Top trends this year? “A lot of floral colors: oranges, some yellows, blues, greens,” said Currey. “We just launched a 15- to 17-set summer collection. Texture-on-texture and color-oncolor are part of those lines. Some of it is pretty bold and some of it is more neutral but blends colors that no one would have thought to put together, and they work so well. One of our bows is a beautiful almost Hermès orange, with blues, pinks, and greens, with hunter green on the top.

“We always try to have some that are classic, very traditional, preppy styles—watermelon colors and things like that,” Currey added. “We like to have that little bit of classic going on along with some fun bows that aren’t for the finals classes or things like that. These are the bows that kids might not want to wear at Pony Finals but are fun, like a pepperoni pizza bow and a French fry bow.”

It takes PonyTail Bows about 30 feet of ribbon to produce a handmade set of six ribbon pairs, which express a young rider’s personal style, be it preppy, glittery, whimsical, or straight-up classic.

“It’s very important to us to innovate and style bows so that, first and foremost, they’re respectful to the judges and trainers, but they also give the riders lots of fun,” said Currey. “We’re always thinking about what pairs well classically with riders’ jackets,

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PONYTAIL BOWS

The Bows of Summer

with navy, gray, and black. But then riding jacket producers today also have so much fun piping, and that’s the fun part. So much of my inspiration comes from people saying to me, ‘Tracey, we have a riding jacket with these three colors. Can you design something with those colors?’”

The creative spirit is good, but beware: bows must not obscure a rider’s back number.

If you’re worried about three-inch ribbon tails straying onto a number, consider a “shorty bow” without tails.

“In 2015, the Rule Book was updated and now states that if a bow covers a number, the rider can either be not judged or eliminated,” Currey said. “We like to create pieces where the children aren’t going to be wearing bling when they go in for their Pony Medal class, like one of our bows that has a lot of pinks and glitter in it. So much of our feedback

is that the bows should be something that blends with the outfit, not something that takes away from it or is a distraction.”

And the bows have to be as tough as the girls who wear them, too. For durability, Currey favors grosgrain.

“We think about beauty and design and color and fashion, but we always keep in mind who’s wearing the bows,” Currey said.

“These are kids who are bopping around on a pony and throwing the bows in their tack trunks or putting them in a bag and going off to school. I want that bow, when I see it six months from now, to look the same as it did when it left here.

“You can run them over with your vehicle.

You can swim with them. You can put them in a washing machine. I guarantee our riders that from ride one to 100, you can count on our bows to stay consistent.”

Customized show bows aren’t just a pretty trend among pony competitors—they also have to be as tough as the young ladies who wear them, says PonyTail Bows founder Tracey Currey.

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TRENDING

From timelessly preppy to dazzlingly metallic, show bows should reflect a girl’s personality without distracting the judge’s eye.

“We like to have that little bit of classic going on along with some fun,” says Tracey Currey, here with Papillon Z.

Be a Show Bow Pro Use the shoulder blade as your guide.

“If the bow attaches to the hair at shoulder blade length and you’re using the right length tail as we do in our line, you are 100 percent assured that the number will not be covered,” said Currey.

If a braid is so long that a three-inch tail bow still obscures the number, fold it up by a few inches and reband it to make it shorter.

“Keep in mind who is putting on the bow,” said Currey. “Ninety percent of the time, it’s a parent, and most parents don’t have experience putting on bows. We source the best French barrettes that we can find, which is helpful because you can weave it through the braid in three seconds and snap it shut. We do offer hair elastic, but most of our buyers prefer the French barrette.”

Spritz the hair with water before braiding. “That helps you catch the flyaway hairs while you’re braiding,” Currey explained.

Put the helmet on before you braid. “Helmet headaches happen when you braid first and then put the helmet on,” said Currey. “That can create too much of a bump under the helmet. Braid under the helmet.”

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF PONYTAIL BOWS

Go with barrettes instead of elastic.

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HORSE HEALTH

Hoof Appraisal: Questions Every Buyer Should Ask

by Fran Jurga

PHOTO: J. P. DURETZ PHOTO

Taking a close look at a prospect’s hooves and shoes before you buy can help prevent post-purchase heartbreak and expense.

People don’t buy horses because they fall in love with a set of handsome hooves. However, many people have reluctantly walked away from buying a horse because the hooves were diseased or damaged, or because expensive shoeing was required. Will you wish that you had walked away on the first day, before going to the expense of a pre-purchase report that says bluntly what you already know in the back of your mind? “Nice horse, but high-maintenance hooves.”

Can this horse take you where you want to go on those hooves? Do you have a veterinary and farrier team who will keep him going? Can you afford the risk of time lost from training and showing, as well as higher shoeing costs? Questions like these are important to ask at the beginning of the inspection process.

Here are 10 things to consider: 1. One of your first questions for the seller should be, is he shod? If so, when was he last shod? If he’s not shod, are shoes required in the division or discipline you’re planning for this horse? To check the USEF Rule Book, visit USequestrian.org. Hover your cursor over Compete, then click on Rules & Regulations and scroll down for the Rule Book tile.

2. If the horse is shod, does his current shoeing conform with USEF rules for your specific division?

3. If the horse is shod, did he compete successfully in that type of shoe?

4. What is the horse’s normal shoeing schedule? The norm is six to eight weeks, but some horses need to be shod more frequently, especially older campaigners or horses recovering from injuries like a crack. A three-week interval will add considerably to maintenance costs over the course of a year.

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HORSE HEALTH

1.

Left: This horse’s coronary band shows evidence of a past abscess.

Right: A hairline that isn’t level may indicate an imbalance in the hoof that can lead to problems.

being snatched away? Are the shoes wearing down equally or more on one side? Do you see (or smell) thrush? How thick (or thin) is the hoof wall? Does he mind the hoof pick? Is the frog thick and triangular and does it point to the center of the toe? Is the hairline smooth from toe to heel? Do the walls feel smooth or are they ridged with rings or scarred from cracks? Do you feel heat in the wall or a pulse at the back of the pastern? Are the pasterns scarred?

6. Use your phone. Make sure your farrier knows you are horse-shopping and that you might try to contact him or her. If your farrier can be reached and doesn’t mind, text photos (your farrier might charge for a consult). If you can, review videos and photos of the horse and its hooves with your farrier before you make a decision and before you book a pre-purchase exam, if possible.

You might save some money, in the end.

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PHOTOS: FRAN JURGA, (OPPOSITE) MICHAEL WILDENSTEIN

If you plan to test-ride the horse, ask if a shod horse has all its shoes on, before you go.

Many potential buyers arrive to test-ride a horse only to find the horse has lost a shoe or, if barefoot, is too tender-footed to jump.

2. How does the horse stand? From the side, are his front hooves under the leg or are they in back of or in front of vertical?

3. If the horse wears protective pads, glue-ons, or other special shoes, or has hoof cracks, did the horse compete shod that way? Ask to have bell or quarter boots removed so you can see the backs of the pasterns and hairlines. Nicks on the lower limbs and heel bulbs may indicate an interference problem, a horse that steps on himself before a fence, or a horse that scrambles in the trailer or van. An uneven hairline warns of medial-lateral imbalance; in the heel quarter, a raised hairline might precede a quarter crack.

4. Do not believe it when your trainer or sister or best friend says, “Don’t worry, your farrier can fix anything.” Your farrier at home may or may not be up to the challenge of either duplicating an exotic shoeing job or finding an affordable alternative.

5. Bring a hoof pick. When the horse is safely tied or held, walk around the horse and pick up each of its feet. Is it relaxed? Does the horse willingly lift its feet? When you lift a foot, does his head go up or do the ears go back? Can you hold each foot in the air without it

Five Red Flags to Avoid or Investigate 1.

Deep sulcus thrush. Yes, it is common in show horses, but perhaps because it is so difficult to treat successfully.

A split between the heel bulbs at the back of the foot is the big warning sign; often the foot can move as if the bulbs were independent. The damage to underlying tissue of the sensitive frog is invisible, but the horse probably feels it. Diligent care, cleaning, and medication are needed, along with careful shoeing or barefoot rehabilitation to ensure good hoof balance so the foot can heal.

2. Pastern dermatitis. The horse may not be lame at all. It might be a mild case caused by longer turnout in a wet season. However, it may also be a sign of a chronic condition that can escalate. Look for inflamed, reddish skin and scabs. Some white-legged horses have photodermatitis inflammation and scabs in the sun. “Mud rash” is more common, but it is sometimes a chronic condition in show horses, especially those with white stockings. It might require ongoing veterinary care and cause lameness or rubbing under leg boots or wraps, and it can affect how often you bathe and tend to legs.

3. Neurectomy. Some sellers will openly discuss a horse’s neurectomy surgery. Neurectomy is not a cure for lameness; it is the severing of the nerve that transmits pain from the pain site. Some horses compete reliably after neurectomy, others develop complications or the nerve re-grows. For many horses, this surgery is a last resort, perhaps to move him along to a new owner. Your veterinarian should investigate a “nerved” horse thoroughly and discuss the advisability of the horse for your needs.

4. Laminitis. The dreaded disease affects horses of all breeds and ages. In the simplest cases, look for obvious and

divergent growth rings that form ridges on the hoof wall.

They will be closer together at the toe, farther apart at the heel. The heel will grow faster than the toe, so it may look jammed in the heel; the hairline may slope up instead of down or level. White hooves may display wall bruising, abscess scars, and a stretched white line that is only visible if the horse is barefoot. Some of these signs can be early indicators of mild laminitis that may not cause lameness; some may be seen in horses that have recovered from laminitis in the past. Your veterinarian will pick up on these signs during the pre-purchase exam.

5. Reinforced hoof walls, patched quarter cracks, drainage tracts, and glue-on or exotic imported shoes or glued heels. Many horses compete successfully with hoof repair materials in place to strengthen or stabilize weak hoof walls. Remember, the hoof beneath repair work is, or was, weak or damaged. Even if the horse has a stellar recent show record, the success of the repair is contingent on diligent and highly skilled maintenance from a farrier who has been trained to use those materials and who knows the horse. Your farrier may not be as well trained or may prefer to use different materials. Results may vary. Investigate the condition that warranted the use of adhesives and ask about the prognosis for the horse’s future soundness without reinforcement or in normal open shoes or barefoot. Know the cost of the current repair and how often it needs to be re-done. Some shoes need to be special-ordered; both costs and shipping can be expensive. Consult both your veterinarian and your farrier for their opinions of this horse’s suitability for your planned use, your budget, and your team’s skills.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 65

HORSE HEALTH

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O s d i k When times were at their toughest, horses and the equestrian community helped these three young riders get back in the saddle.

The healing power of horses is well known to those of us who spend time with them. Stressed out or feeling blue? A visit to the barn can often lift spirits and restore emotional—and even physical—balance and strength. For the three equestrians we’re about to meet—Madeline Jordan, Tabitha Bell, and Connor Farley—the challenges were more than just a run-of-the-mill bad day; they were prolonged physical struggles due to injury or illness. Despite setbacks, all three have returned not just to riding, but to competition. They and their parents point to the same bright thread in these remarkable comeback stories: the partnership with horses and the support of the equestrian community around them has brought these resilient young riders physical benefits, a sense of purpose, and immense joy—and helped them overcome uncommon obstacles with grace and optimism.

“It’s not about shows and ribbons and roses,” said Amy Farley, the mother of young Morgan rider Connor Farley. “It’s about what your kid gets out of it. It changes your child when they have those relationships.”

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PHOTO: LYDIA BELL

BY GLENYE CAIN OAKFORD

“ I think I appreciate it more,” Madeline Jordan said of riding and showing after she recovered from being struck by a truck.

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JO RDAN

Madeline Jordan doesn’t remember being hit by the white pickup truck. But it’s a moment her parents, Grady and Monica Jordan, will never forget.

It was Halloween night in 2015, and the family had joined what Monica called “a walking block-party” of friends, carrying flashlights and wearing fluorescent necklaces, to go trick-or-treating. Maddie was dressed up as Bill Belichick, the Super Bowl-winning coach of her beloved New England Patriots football team. Maddie and a friend had just left one house and were crossing Argyle Lane, a small and usually quiet offshoot from a tree-covered street, in their hometown of Tallahassee, Fla., when a truck sped into the lane.

“My recollection is that I heard a scream and a horn blow, which we later determined was the driver of the truck that was pulling our hay wagon,” recalled Grady, the Public Information Officer and a lieutenant in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. “People were yelling, ‘Slow down!’

I saw headlights that were pretty much on top of us. And then I saw a shadow and heard a thud, so I knew something had been hit. It all happened very, very quickly, probably within a second.”

That second was life-changing for Maddie, now 14, and her parents. Maddie’s left femur was broken, she had torn the meniscus in her right knee, and she’d sustained a brain injury.

Earlier that month, Maddie had been competing her small Welsh pony, Ben— whose show name was Playtime—and pointing for every young hunt-seat rider’s dream destination: USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm. The

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weeklong event draws more than 600 ponies to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., each August and serves as the national championship for pony hunters, pony jumpers, and Pony Medal riders. But then came Halloween.

“It all just stopped,” said Maddie. “A car came out of nowhere, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground.”

In the fear and pain of that night, the Jordans’ immediate thoughts were about Maddie’s health, not whether she would ride again. But when the subject of their daughter’s equestrian career came up within a day of her arrival at the hospital, a neurosurgeon bluntly told them not to expect her to ride again.

But Maddie did ride again. And two years later—after surgeries, intensive physical therapy, and a lot of hard work— Maddie and a Welsh pony cross named Shamrock trotted out of the show ring at Pony Finals as Medium Green Pony Hunter Champions. It was a comeback worthy of a Spielberg movie. As Jordan later told her hometown newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat, “It’s a pretty big deal when you go from not walking to winning Pony Finals.”

Horses and ponies played a starring role in that comeback, both for Maddie and her family.

“I knew it was going to be a while, but I knew I wanted to come back and show and keep going,” Maddie recalled. In the end, with the encouragement of her orthopedic surgeon and the blessing of her parents, that’s exactly what Maddie did.

From the start, fellow equestrians and farm owners like Bibby Farmer Hill in

Ocala, Fla., pitched in to care for the Jordans’ horses, including Maddie’s small pony Playtime, in the weeks that Maddie was in the hospital. “They took the pressure off of us, and all we had to do was worry about Maddie,” Monica said. “And as soon as she got released, she wanted to see that small pony. Someone would hold the pony so that she could wheel herself onto the porch and pet him.”

“When I couldn’t ride and do what I loved, it meant a lot that I could just pet my horses,” said Maddie. “I could just be normal.”

Once out of the hospital, Maddie progressed, thanks in part to her physical therapy sessions. “She went from a wheelchair to a walker to a crutch to an unassisted walk but with a very lame gait,” said Monica. “She was not sound at all; she was head-bobbing lame. You have to understand, she was learning how to walk again.”

But by January Maddie was back in the show ring with Playtime at HITS Ocala, where she resumed her show career with a win in the model class despite being lame herself as she jogged alongside the gelding. She went on to win three of the four classes she entered there. “I remember riding around with my friends and thinking, ‘I remember why I love this so much,’” Maddie said.

Pony Finals remained a goal, although Maddie missed going in 2016 because she had surgery to remove the steel rod surgeons had implanted to help repair her broken femur. Her family bought Shamrock shortly before that surgery, and, once Maddie recovered from the operation,

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE JORDAN FAMILY

“THE HORSE BROUGHT US ALL BACK TO NORMAL”

“When I couldn’t ride and do what I loved, it meant a lot that I could just pet my horses,” recalled Maddie Jordan, shown here with her small Welsh pony Playtime.

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Two years after a truck hit her on Halloween night, Maddie Jordan piloted Shamrock to the Medium Green Championship at the 2017 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm.

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PHOTOS: SHAWN MCMILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Monica said, “She never looked back. Every horse show on that pony, they were champion and reserve. There was just something about her and that pony.”

“He was just a very special pony,” Maddie said. “In the summer I could go out there, jump on, and ride him with his halter on, bareback— walk, trot, and canter him around. He was just that kind of pony.”

“The Pony Finals win was such a great experience for our family for a few reasons,” Monica explained. “Madeline was not a kid with a string of ponies. She had one pony that she absolutely loved, fed, groomed, and did all the care at home. … I truly believe that the love of the animal coupled with her hard work was what aligned the stars for us in August 2017.

“Madeline overcame a horrific event that could have put all of our lives on a different track,” she added. “But because of her love of horses and some amazing surgeons, she had a drive to overcome obstacles that we could never imagine. She simply just wanted to be in their presence, even if she never sat on one again.

It was the horse that brought us all back to a normal existence.”

Her comeback experience has changed her, Maddie feels. “I think I have a different mentality now,” she said. “Before, if I got a seventh, I’d be disappointed, like, ‘Oh, my gosh, seventh.’

But now I’m like, ‘Hey, I got to ride my horse, I got to go to a show and jump around and have fun!’ I think I appreciate it more.”

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IMA Rockin Popstar.

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PHOTO: KELLE KING PHOTOGRAPHY

“It’s the friendship and the companionship that you have with your horses that makes it all worthwhile,” says Tabitha Bell, here with her half-Arabian mare

TA BITH A

B EL L

“HE WAS THE MAIN REASON I KEPT GOING”

Tabitha Bell began riding when she was about four, after watching older sister Hannah take lessons. By age eight, she was showing her Arabian gelding, QR Irish Kouream, whom she competed in walk/trot hunter pleasure and hunter equitation classes. But two years later, in 2010, she was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy.

“All of my symptoms point to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which is in the realm of muscular dystrophy,” said Tabitha, now an 18-year-old senior at The Waterford School in Sandy, Utah. The diagnosis explained a mysterious range of symptoms: inability to run, fatigue, muscle weakness, and a tendency to fall frequently, among others. It meant a series of surgeries throughout much of her youth, but there was never any question that Tabitha would continue riding.

Her horses, starting with Irish, brought her confidence and freedom, and she derived physical and emotional benefits from them.

“She had a lot of time out of school and a lot of surgeries, and kids get busy and kids forget,” observed Tabitha’s mother, Jennifer. “It became very isolating. But there was always the barn, and there was always Irish, in particular. He was always there. There was this acceptance from the animal. There were some wonderful trainers who would bring Irish to the shows where Hannah was riding. Irish went along just to be Tabby’s friend. She was always really big at supporting the barn.

In the down moments, it always helped

having her horse around her, and he also became the motion she didn’t have.”

“He was amazing,” Tabitha said of Irish, now retired. “He definitely took care of me. He was the main reason I kept going, even when I had a lot of surgeries in my seventh-grade year.”

By that point, Tabitha was training with Jon Ramsay at Stachowski Farm.

“I had three surgeries in one year, including spinal fusion and some ankle fusion, and that was kind of a difficult time,” she said. “So if I had a difficult doctor’s appointment or something, we’d call Jon up and go to the barn. He’d have Irish saddled and ready for me to ride. Or if I was in a wheelchair I’d just go out and feed Irish carrots.

“I rode Irish six weeks to the day after the spinal surgery,” she continued. “My doctor said, ‘Well, I guess it’s less harmful than with some of my patients, because at least you’re trying to get out of your wheelchair.’

I think that’s one thing my horses have really helped me do: keep walking and keep motivated. Going to physical therapy five days a week gets a little challenging and overwhelming and discouraging, because I don’t see a lot of the benefits immediately.

My horses have definitely kept me focused on my main goal, because when I go out and ride I see the improvement that I’ve made.

I can take pictures back to my physical therapist and say, ‘These are the muscles I think I need to work on.’

My physical therapists really try to get me back to riding and be as strong as I possibly can.”

Riding also boosted her confidence out of the saddle, Tabitha said. “Especially in elementary and middle school, I was kind of the weird girl who walked with a limp and was out of school a lot,” she said. “Riding helped me see that there are people out there who will accept me.”

“When we would go to a show, for the 20 minutes or so that she was out there, she could be like the other kids,” Jennifer recalled. “The disability wasn’t visible.

Horses and the horse community gave her the encouragement to keep conquering. It showed her that there were good moments in life, because she could feel that rush of wind, feel that nuzzle, stroke that beautiful animal. It gave her something she could be really proud of. And it became a community. The support from the equestrian community as they watched her grow up has been astonishing.”

Tabitha rides with a custom saddle from Arabian Saddle Company whose features include a higher back for added security, and she also received permission from the USEF to show with magnetic stirrups.

“I can’t feel my feet, so I couldn’t tell if my feet were out of the stirrups or not,” Tabitha explained. “So I’d fall off a lot. The magnetized stirrups made it a lot safer.”

After winning regional titles and multiple top-10 honors in the hunt division, Tabitha moved to Western pleasure, where she earned national championships as a junior with her half-Arabian mare IMA Rockin Popstar, known as Stella, and her purebred Arabian gelding WR

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AMazing Tradition, whose barn name is Wesley. In January, she received the 2017 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award for outstanding youth achievement, and she’s still setting challenges for herself.

“What I love about Western is that it’s so technical,” she said.

“You have to think about every single movement the horse is making. One misstep, and the judge will spot it and mark you down. So it’s been a huge learning experience and has made me really grow as a rider. I have to keep thinking.”

Most recently, she’s been trying Western sidesaddle on Stella, with the help of trainers Joe and Michele Reser at Setting Sun Stables in Wakarusa, Ind. “The easy part is that it’s so worthwhile, finding the acceptance of the horse and learning that they can move with the horse and feel its power,” mom Jennifer said. “It becomes a freedom for them,

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE) HANNAH BELL, MIKE FERRARA, JEFF JANSON PHOTOGRAPHY

QR Irish Kouream kept Tabitha Bell company—and she gave him plenty of love—at horse shows with her barnmates.

a freedom of motion. As far as being a parent and being afraid, that’s harder. We have come up with adaptations like the magnetized stirrups. The new equipment that’s been designed for therapeutic riding increases those riders’ safety, too. The growth of those programs and now shows that allow these kids to show and experience this has also helped a great deal. When you live with a challenged child, you have to learn to push your own parental fears back so that your child can choose to live their life as they want to.

“We’ve had to select appropriate disciplines, accommodate some equipment, and constantly get creative to make it work,” she added. “And that has been worth it. I’d encourage all parents to do that.”

Tabitha agrees: the horses have been well worth it.

“I love showing them, but at the same time I love just being around them, because at the end of the day it’s the friendship and the companionship that you have with your horses that makes it all worthwhile,” Tabitha said.

(Left to right) Trainer Joe Reser, Jennifer Bell, and Michelle Reser congratulate Tabitha Bell on WR AMazing Tradition+ after their Western Pleasure win at the 2017 Canadian Nationals.

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CO N NOR

FARL EY

From the earliest days of Connor Farley’s life with horses, the Morgan has been special to him. His relationship with the breed began when he was about five and met Aquila’s Stardust. “She had been in a trailer accident on the highway,” Connor, now 19, recalled. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but she was the only one who made it out alive, and it traumatized her. My mom was looking at horses and they said, ‘If you can get her out, you can have her.’ I wandered into her stall, and the mare followed me out and onto the trailer. She went on to teach me how to ride. I learned everything from her: how to ride and how to show.”

Aquila’s Stardust, who spent the rest of her days with the Farley family, also took Connor from his family’s farm in Waverly, W. Va., to Oklahoma City for the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show and helped launch his competitive career. In the decade since then, Farley—who is US Equestrian’s 2017 Junior Equestrian of the Year—has collected 27 national and world championship titles in Western dressage, Western pleasure equitation, and showmanship classes. Farley also has worked to develop young horses for the walk/jog and junior exhibitor divisions, using sale proceeds to fund his studies at Ohio University.

There’s not much that could keep Connor away from horses—not even the broken back he sustained on his family’s farm in February of 2017, when he an unruly mare threw him and he landed sitting down on the ground.

“I thought, ‘Oh, it’s muscle pain. I’ll be fine in a couple of days,’” Connor recalled.

“I had no idea.”

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He went about his business for three days before finally going to the emergency room, and even when he did, he thought the visit would be a waste of time. “I was actually standing up when the doctor came in after they took the X-rays, and he said, ‘Lie down and don’t move,’” Connor said. “I thought, ‘Uh-oh, this isn’t good.’”

Unbeknownst to Connor, the impact had broken the L1 vertebra in his lumbar spine, the lower back. “It was a burst fracture, so the two wings of the vertebra broke into five pieces, and it compressed the spine halfway,” Connor said. “The shards were actually pretty close to the spinal cord.”

The accident came at a bad time: Connor had just started training a promising three-year-old named I’m Stewart Little.

Connor had bought the young Morgan as a long yearling, and the pair had a deep connection.

“The Morgan is a horse that, once they have trust in you, they will walk through fire for you,” said Connor’s mother, Amy, who grew up with horses and taught saddle seat and hunt seat lessons during Connor’s childhood. “I’m Stewart Little was really pivotal to Connor’s recovery.

He has a bond with that horse that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. The day Connor got hurt, he could see Connor and saw that he got hurt. He started to colic, full sweat in the middle of February when it was 20 degrees outside. He wasn’t even in the arena, but he was freaking out that his kid got hurt.”

At first, the outlook for Connor’s riding career looked grim. Doctors in West Virginia and at the Cleveland Clinic suggested spinal fusion. “They wanted to put a

rod in my back, and at that point they said I’d be done with riding,” Connor recalled.

Coping with his injury and the search for a treatment that would allow him to keep riding required patience and perseverance—two things Connor says he developed in spades from training the champion Morgan gelding RBF Russian Roulette.

“RBF Russian Roulette taught me one thing in particular and kind of paved my personality today,” Connor explained.

“If you were nervous or had any kind of emotion, he would pick up on that and copy it. So he taught me to be very calm, very relaxed, and that’s made me a calm person today. I used to have really bad test anxiety, but, nowadays, it’s hard to stress me out.”

RBF Russian Roulette contributed to Connor’s recovery in a more material way, too. Connor and his family credit fellow equestrian Lisa DeNuzzo—who had bought RBF Russian Roulette from Farley after he broke and trained the gelding—with finding the solution that would keep him in the saddle. She put him in touch with doctors at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, who had a lot of experience with injuries like Connor’s.

“The doctor there said, ‘This happens a lot to Olympic gymnasts. I can get you back to where you were,’” Connor remembered.

In May, just three months after breaking his back, he competed on foot in a showmanship class while wearing a back brace under his show coat. His entrant was RBF Ramblin Man, a half-brother to RBF Russian Roulette. In October, Connor rode into the ring, this time at the Grand National and World Championship Show in Oklahoma City.

PHOTO: ANDY ILLES

“THEY’RE MY BEST FRIENDS”

“He has a bond with that horse that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen,” Connor Farley’s mother Amy said of Connor’s connection to I’m Stewart Little.

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PHOTOS: HOWARD SCHATZBERG, (OPPOSITE) ANDY ILLES

Conner Farley credits RBF Russian Roulette with teaching him the patience he needed to recover from his back injury.

“There were two reasons I went out to the barn every day,” Connor said. “One was to work; I just needed to get out. But what really drove me out there was I’m Stewart Little. When I got hurt, we had to throw him out in a field. But I could stand on our deck and he’d be three or four acres away, and if I called his name he’d come running across just to say hi. He was depending on me to make a recovery so I could train him to have a job. I knew I had to heal up so I could get back on this horse. When I did get back on him, he remembered every detail of what we had worked on six months before.

“They’re my best friends,” Connor said of his Morgans.

“That’s what it comes down to. Horses can really teach you how passion can drive you forward. If I hadn’t had them, I would probably have had a rod in my back and I’d probably still be down, because I’d have had no motivation to get better or to go to New York to find the right people to fix me.”

That experience has changed Connor’s perspective, says his mother, and it speaks to the benefits all kids can receive through a life with horses.

“When you’re recovering from an injury, you can be defeated or you can see it as a learning experience,” said Amy. “I think that’s what horses give kids. And then there’s the people side of it, the family that comes with the horse community and rallies around you when you’re in crisis. They’re the most amazing people I’ve ever met.

“Horses have raised my kid. My kid has patience and tenacity and looks at things completely differently from other kids,” Amy added. “Something will go wrong, and he’ll say, ‘Oh! What did I do to make that happen?’ Horses give them introspection.

They look into themselves and say, ‘It’s not someone else’s fault.

It’s my fault. What did I do to get here so I learn from it and don’t end up here again?’ That’s a wonderful life skill, and I don’t know how you learn that other than by horses humbling you. You learn how to pick up those bootstraps and fix things and not take it so personally.

“His focus has changed. Here’s a kid who has won and won and won, and this year his only goal is to get I’m Stewart Little into the ring. It’s the reason he recovered: he’s just excited about showing that horse and to do it against big trainers. It’s not about the ribbon. It’s about being able to do what he wanted to do while he was on the sidelines. You find the joy.”

“They’re my best friends,” Connor Farley says of horses like I’m Stewart Little (left), who was pivotal to the equestrian’s recovery from a broken back, “That’s what it comes down to.”

“Horses can really teach you how passion can drive you forward,” says Connor Farley, shown below on RBF Russian Roulette.

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JOIN THE

Photo: Waltenberry

at USequestrian.org

Bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.

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#JoinTheJoy

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84 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PHOTO: COURTESY OF AAEP

Whether you compete or take to the trails, it’s important to be vigilant against ticks in the warm months when they are active.

BY GLENYE CAIN OAKFORD

Tick-related disease cases have doubled since 2004, and both horses and humans are vulnerable to infection. Do you know what precautions to take against ticks, both for your horses’ health and your own?

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PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK/LJUBOMIR TRIGUBISHYN

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued some sobering statistics about tick-borne infections in humans. The CDC study found that, between 2004 and 2016, human disease cases from ticks doubled. The CDC noted that case numbers are likely underreported, meaning that actual disease rate are probably significantly higher.

For Lyme disease alone—which accounted for 82% of the study’s reported disease cases—the CDC estimated that about 300,000 Americans contract the disease each year, but only about 35,000 diagnoses are reported annually.

Meanwhile, reported cases of other tick-borne human diseases like anaplasmosis and piroplasmosis (or babesiosis) also rose. And seven new tick-borne germs that can affect humans also have emerged in the U.S., according to the study.

Equestrians have another reason to be concerned about ticks and the rise of tick-borne diseases: our equine partners are at risk, too. Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and a form of piroplasmosis also can affect horses, and ticks implicated in human disease are also vectors for tick-related diseases in horses. So it’s important to take precautions that will help protect both you and your horse—and to call medical or veterinary doctors immediately if you suspect a tick-borne disease in a human or a horse.

“These aren’t benign diseases,” said Dr. Rana Bozorgmanesh of the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. “They’re each a little different, but they can have serious ramifications.”

PHOTO: PHYSYK-FOTOLIA/ADOBESTOCK

EARLIER THIS YEAR,

Keeping pastures mowed and free of brush can help prevent tick exposure for you and your horse.

So can performing regular checks for ticks when your horse comes in from the paddock or field.

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LYME DISEASE

Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by blacklegged (or deer) ticks, might have accounted for most of the CDC study’s reported disease cases between 2004 and 2016, but it remains a frustrating mystery for practitioners of both equine and human medicine. One major reason: in both equine and humans cases, testing can be imperfect and the symptoms can be variable, vague, and frustrating to diagnose.

“There’s no classic clinical sign that points definitely to Lyme disease,” Bozorgmanesh said. In horses, the disease’s symptoms can cover a lot of territory: a lameness that shifts from one leg to another or appears in multiple limbs, low-grade fever, muscle wasting, muscles that are sore to the touch, weight loss, swollen joints, a stiff gait, uveitis, and even sensitivity to sound. Many of these symptoms also occur with other diseases, which also complicates Lyme diagnosis. Particularly in areas where Lyme is not seen to be prevalent, Bozorgmanesh said, horses will show symptoms of lameness or slight neurological symptoms and are only tested for Lyme after testing negative for (or being unsuccessfully treated for) other disorders.

There are several diagnostic tools available, including the Western blot test, considered by many to be the most comprehensive test. A result from the Western blot test typically takes several days; for a quicker turnaround of just a single day, Bozorgmanesh said, there is the relatively new Equine Lyme Multiplex Assay developed by Cornell University’s Animal Health Diagnostic Center, which can detect antibodies produced at different stages of infection. The multiplex assay has been hailed by proponents for its ability to differentiate between early and chronic infection and because it measures not only the presence of antibodies, but also their quantity. And it can help distinguish between horses that have been infected and those that have been vaccinated.

“You don’t always know what symptoms are relevant and what aren’t, and there are 100 different symptoms.”

You can vaccinate your horse or pony for Lyme disease. While there is no licensed Lyme disease vaccine specifically for horses yet, some veterinarians have used canine vaccines on horses, especially in areas where Lyme disease is endemic, like much of the Northeast. But, as with so much else about Lyme, the research so far has produced mixed results that haven’t shed much light on canine vaccines’ actual value in preventing Lyme infection in horses.

“It’s difficult to know for sure whether it’s useful, but I think the fact that people are using it may mean that it’s successful,” Bozorgmanesh said. “In areas where Lyme is very prevalent, I 88 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PHOTO: ©THE BOOK LLC

- Erin Walker, equestrian

“Be your own advocate for your own health,” said Erin Walker, who advises people to perform regular checks for ticks after trips outside.

think they are seeing some success with it. But it also will affect testing for the disease.”

Frustrated owners might be tempted simply to treat a horse’s symptoms for Lyme, but Bozorgmanesh cautions against that.

“All antibiotics have the potential to cause gastrointestinal upset, so you can get antibioticinduced diarrhea. They can also mess up the horse’s microbiome and potentially kill off good bacteria. So they’re not completely harmless.

Plus, we have the problem of antibiotic resistance. I personally feel that antibiotics can get overused, so I’d prefer to not treat a horse unless I’m convinced the antibiotics are going to help it.”

Even if a horse responds well to treatment with doxycycline, minocycline, and/

or oxytetracycline—the most common course of treatment, typically for up to 60 days—it doesn’t necessarily prove definitively that Lyme was the original culprit. These antibiotics are often successful against other tick diseases, and tetracycline drugs also have an anti-inflammatory effect.

“You might just be causing a decrease in inflammation and seeing improvement because of that,” explained Bozorgmanesh.

In the often mystifying world of Lyme disease, one thing seems clear, both in veterinary and human medicine: we need more research.

“We don’t know for sure what horses with Lyme disease really have,” said Bozorgmanesh. “We need to do more research into clinical signs and exposure versus infection. We’ve definitely improved the testing, but it’s not perfect, and so that needs to be improved, as well.”

News that tick-borne diseases like Lyme are on the rise (and underreported) came as no surprise to show jumper Erin Walker, who owns Dynomite Ranch with her husband, professional golfer Jimmy Walker. In 2017, Jimmy—who was the Professional Golfers’ Association champion in 2016— announced that he had Lyme disease. Later that year, Erin also was diagnosed with Lyme.

“Jimmy and I never saw a tick,” said Walker, who is based in Boerne, Texas, although her horses divide their year between Virginia and Florida. “Jimmy never saw a bite or a rash, but he does know when his symptoms started. I did get bitten by something in late August. I never saw what bit me, but it wasn’t a mosquito.”

Walker found three bites, each about the size of a half-dollar, on her torso and shoulder blade. She doesn’t know whether that is how she got infected or whether her husband transmitted the disease to her. Human-to-human Lyme transmission hasn’t yet been proven by research, but it is something that some Lyme specialists USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 89

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regular doxycycline double-dose for double the amount of time, so we did 40 days each,” she said, adding that they now are on a “pulsed” tetracycline treatment and have responded well.

“That’s two weeks on, two weeks off, two weeks on again. You do that until you’re symptomfree,” she said.

Today, Walker is an advocate of Lyme awareness who says she wants to help people find innovative treatments backed by science and practitioners who “think outside the box but not too far outside the box,” she said. Walker supports organizations such as the Global Lyme Alliance (globallymealliance.org), which provides education and resources for those affected by Lyme.

PHOTO: ANDRIANO_CZ /ADOBESTOCK

have theorized. In any event, Erin Walker began showing symptoms of illness about a month after she discovered the mysterious bites.

“I’ve had vertigo on and off for a number of years, but it got really intensified all year last year,” she said. “In October, flying home from a trip, I got a headache, and it lasted for two months. I would wake up with it and go to sleep with it, and Advil, Tylenol—nothing would touch it. I’ve never been a headache-sufferer, so that really stood out to me.

I also had an overall fatigued feeling, an all-day, whole-body fatigue. When I would work out, my muscles wouldn’t function, and even posting at the trot or cantering when I was working two or three horses, my muscles would get really fatigued. That was strange for me, because I’ve been an athlete my whole life.

“You don’t always know what symptoms are relevant and what aren’t, and there are 100 different symptoms. They call it the Great Imitator, because it can imitate other diseases, like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s. That makes it hard to diagnose.”

Another challenge, Walker said, is finding reliable information about Lyme and doctors who are familiar with it. “In Texas, if you go to somebody with that kind of bite, they’ll prescribe you some sort of topical steroid and send you on your way,” she said. “A lot of doctors think we don’t have Lyme in Texas, but Lyme is in every state in the country except Hawaii. I feel like there aren’t enough people in every single state to diagnose this correctly.”

Walker and her husband ultimately both tested positive for Lyme; Erin’s results came in last December after she bought a highly Lyme-sensitive test from a private lab and insisted that her doctor run it.

“The biggest thing is finding a doctor that believes Lyme is real,” said Walker, who recommends that Lyme sufferers seek out doctors who are Lyme specialists. “Hopefully, that will be easier now that the CDC has come out with this study that shows that it’s a real problem now. We were lucky because we had people on our side from the start. My husband’s sports psychologist had had Lyme, and her husband is a fairly prominent infectious disease doctor in the Washington, D.C., area. Without them, we never would have gotten tested.”

Both Jimmy and Erin Walker are still undergoing treatment. “We both started with the

REMOVING A TICK If you find a tick on your horse or yourself, do not crush it, pull it, or twist it, which might remove the tick but leave its mouth parts embedded in the skin.

On horses, you can apply a spray-on or wipe-on product that can kill the tick and cause it to drop off. On a person or a horse, you can remove the tick by using fine-tipped tweezers and following these steps from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 1. Using the tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.

2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. If the mouth parts separate from the tick’s body and remain embedded, remove them with clean tweezers.

3. After removal, thoroughly clean the area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

4. Do not crush or handle the tick with your hands. Kill it by putting it in alcohol, flushing it down the toilet, wrapping it tightly in tape, or putting it in a sealed container.

You can have also have the tick identified and tested for disease. Place it in rubbing alcohol in a sealed container, and then work with your veterinarian to submit the tick and the necessary accompanying paperwork to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

Use tweezers to remove a tick. Never twist or crush the tick as you gently pull upward on it.

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ANAPLASMOSIS

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Check for ticks after you have been in a pasture or field and after trail riding through wooded or brushy areas.

PHOTO: PIOTR /ADOBESTOCK

Anaplasmosis can affect both horses and humans and is carried by the deer tick, or blacklegged tick, as well as the Western blacklegged tick. Although its range is narrower and reported cases rare as compared to Lyme disease, anaplasmosis appears to be on the increase. It was first reported in horses in Northern California in the 1960s, but since then U.S. equine diagnoses have come in from states including Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington state, and Wisconsin.

“Clinical signs can be mild and transient or they can be more serious,” said Bozorgmanesh, who noted that she has seen cases in California hospitalized with severe disease. “Symptoms might include a high fever; decreased appetite; swelling or edema of the legs; or petechiae, which are pinpoint hemorrhages of the mucous membranes. Some horses are weak and ataxic, so they’re kind of wobbly on their legs. But some horses will just have mild signs.”

Anaplasmosis can be transient and selflimiting. “It can just come and go, so sometimes a horse can be infected and you’ll never know about it,” Bozorgmanesh said.

For horses that do need treatment, anaplasmosis typically does respond well to oxytetracycline, doxycycline, or minocycline, Bozorgmanesh said.

“In my experience, once you start treatment, you’ll see a huge difference within 48 hours,” she said.

“The horse will look like a new horse.”

In people, anaplasmosis—or human granulocytic anaplasmosis—causes symptoms that typically include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, nausea or abdominal pain, cough, or confusion, according to the CDC. There is rarely a rash associated with the disease.

As in horses, the infection in humans typically responds quickly to prompt treatment with doxycycline, which can also prevent complications if it’s administered early in the disease’s progression, and for that reason the CDC recommends starting treatment as soon as you suspect anaplasmosis infection in a person, even before you receive laboratory results confirming the diagnosis.

PIROPLASMOSIS (BABESIOSIS)

If you’re primarily a trail rider or don’t regularly participate in international events in countries affected by equine piroplasmosis, this isn’t a disease that should keep you up at night worrying. Equine piroplasmosis is not considered endemic in the United States, although isolated cases have been reported, including in Florida in 2008, in Texas, where an outbreak occurred in 2009-2010, and in Tennessee and Wyoming in 2016.

Horses can acquire the disease from the bite of an infected tick or through shared used of contaminated equipment, such as needles, syringes, tattoo equipment, or surgical and dental instruments.

A number of ticks, including the American dog tick, are potential equine piroplasmosis vectors. And, as is often the case with tick-borne diseases, an infected horse’s symptoms can vary widely.

“The symptoms can be mild,” said Bozorgmanesh. “They might have a decreased appetite or be a little weak or they might sometimes have labored breathing or yellow mucous membranes. Sometimes they’ll have a fever, and sometimes they’ll have edema, as well. Sometimes it can be fatal—it can go to the extreme with anemia or bad edema in body parts, and they can die from it.”

A positive test in a horse has serious ramifications, even if he shows no symptoms. Horses testing positive in the U.S. must

either be exported from the country, euthanized, quarantined for life, or put into a USDA treatment-research program (from which they can become eligible for release once they pass certain criteria, including testing negative for the disease).

Equine piroplasmosis isn’t endemic here, but U.S. authorities understandably take it very seriously and apply stringent precautions during international events like the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon. Those precautions include • testing all horses for piroplasmosis before they ship to the venue; • identifying positive horses that arrive with equine piroplasmosis waivers from the United States Department of Agriculture with “a visible, unique color identification”; • stabling any positive horses on the USDA waiver together in a dedicated facility away from horses who tested negative for the disease; and • inspecting them for ticks any time they enter the stable.

The human version, babesiosis, is caused by a similar microscopic parasite to the one that causes piroplasmosis; like Lyme disease, it’s spread by blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks. According to the CDC, it mainly occurs in the Northeast or upper Midwest, and, while it can occur without showing any symptoms, it also can cause symptoms similar to flu, including body aches, chills, fatigue, nausea.

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A CALL FOR VIGILANCE

“There definitely are other tick diseases out there,” said Bozorgmanesh. “There are some tick-borne diseases that have been identified in humans that people are investigating to see whether or not they can infect domestic animals. And there certainly are some tickborne diseases out there that we don’t know about that are emerging. And now ticks are invading areas that previously might have been too cold for them or where the weather might not previously have allowed them to thrive. Now we’re seeing cases of particular tickborne diseases in areas that hadn’t had them before, and, with warmer winters, you’re also going to have tick activity longer in the year. So in places that have ticks, warmer winters will mean tick season starts earlier and ends later.”

Lyme disease is a good example of the creep of tickborne disease: cases have expanded westward in recent

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years, according to the CDC study. It’s important to be vigilant, says Walker.

“Stay covered up,” she said. “You can spray your shoes and clothing with permethrin spray, which lasts for about six washings and keeps the ticks off your clothes. Wear DEET if you’re going to a wooded area, and, if you’re in an area that’s known to have Lyme, make sure to wear bug spray every time you go out.

And do checks every single day, between your fingers and toes, in your arm pits, and behind your ears. Rinse off as soon as you get home. If you’ve been walking in the grass, take a lint roller and roll your legs and arms to pick up ticks before they’re able to embed.

“And if you test negative for Lyme, don’t just take the first opinion,” she added. “Be your own advocate for your own health, and, if you don’t like the answer you’re given, keep looking.”

PHOTO: KATHRIN HEMKENDREIS/ADOBESTOCK, TICK IMAGES COURTESY OF CDC

Ticks and the diseases they carry have implications for both human and horse health.

PREVENTING TICK BITES BLACKLEGGED TICK The blacklegged, or deer, tick can carry Lyme, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis.

This tick is widely distributed throughout the Northeast and upper Midwest.

AMERICAN DOG TICK The American dog tick is a potential vector for equine piroplasmosis (the cayenne tick has also been implicated), but the disease is not considered endemic in the United States.

WESTERN

BLACKLEGGED TICK Found along the Pacific coast, and particularly in Northern California, the Western blacklegged tick transmits Lyme disease and anaplasmosis.

Scientists warn that the ticks that carry Lyme, anaplasmosis, and other diseases affecting horses and humans appear to be expanding their geographical ranges as temperatures grow warmer and more hospitable in more locations. That’s bad news, but taking sensible precautions can help prevent tick bites, both in horses and equestrians.

REDUCE LIKELY EXPOSURE AREAS. At the barn, “try to keep your pasture mowed and try to eliminate or fence off brushy or bushy areas so your horse can’t gain access to it and the ticks can’t get access to your horse,” advises Dr. Rana Bozorgmanesh of the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

At home, reduce leaf litter, tall grass, and brush, and mow the lawn frequently. If your yard borders an area of tall grass or woods, a 3’-wide area of wood chips or gravel can discourage ticks from making the trip to your yard. And employ practices to discourage deer, raccoons, rodents, and other hosts for ticks from visiting or making a home near your house.

APPLY PERMETHRIN. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends treating your clothing and boots with products that contain 0.5% permethrin, which can remain effective even after laundering. “There are wipe-on or spray-on products that contain permethrin or cypermethrin that will give your horse some amount of protection, so if you know you’re going to be taking your horse through woods or through brush, you can try those,” Bozorgmanesh said. “But often you would need to reapply them if you are going to be out for a long while.”

WEAR INSECT REPELLENTS. The Environmental Protection Agency provides resources about safe products containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthanediol, or 2-undecanone. That can be found at epa. gov/insect-repellents. Follow instructions and heed CDC warnings not to use insect repellent on babies younger than two months old and not to use oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children under age three.

CHECK YOURSELF AND YOUR HORSE FOR TICKS REGULARLY. On your horse, don’t forget to check the mane, tail, forelock, girth, up and down and between front and hind legs, belly, and behind and inside the ears. On yourself, be sure to check under the arms, inside and around ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, in hair, between legs, and around the waist. Also check your clothing and equipment like backpacks, as well as pets.

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Do Summer in Style

From in-gate to out on the town, our gift guide combines style and substance.

It’s show time!

Get ready for blue-ribbon rides, ringside chats, and lazy days at the barn with our summertime gift guide. From boots to bridles and beyond, we’ve got you and your horse covered with looks so cool they’re hot.

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Ringside Style Show your equestrian style at the show and around town with the Ariat backpack. The ultimate backpack is designed to keep you stylish and organized.

Includes helmet sling, crop holder, laptop/tablet sleeve, cell phone access and charger pockets, insulated bottle pocket, hot/cold pack, spur ring, organizer pocket panels, and wet/dirty clothes pocket. $125. shopusef.com

Good Manners Wall Street Greetings Horseshoe thank you cards are designed with kids in mind. This flat card is perfect for notes to trainers or teachers. $20.50 per pack of 12 cards, and 15% of your card purchase goes to support US Equestrian. wallstreetgreetings.com/usequestrian

New Boots for Your Horse Equifit D-Teq Front and Hind Boots and ImpacTeq™ Liners offer the most effective protection on the market today. D-Teq Boots offer an anatomically molded outer shell, virtually unbreakable shock absorber, three 1.25″-wide straps to eliminate pressure points, and a secure fit and classic styling. ImpacTeq Liners transform from soft to rigid upon impact, mold to the leg for a custom fit, and offer breathable and cool benefits, while promoting circulation. $229 for front and $215 for hind. equifit.net

Comfy Gloves Because it wouldn’t be show season without new gloves. SSG Digital gloves provide the ultimate in feel, grip, breathability, and durability. $36.95. ssgridinggloves.com

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Designer Duffel The Pierson Duffel and Kate Ring Backpack from Maelort help you travel in style. It’s the perfect lightweight duffel bag, designed for travel with tall boots. The integrated lower compartment stores equestrian tall boots but also keeps them separated from the main duffel compartment.

It pairs perfectly with the Kate Ring Backpack. Both are made from waterproof technical nylon. Duffel $310 and Backpack $210. maelort.com

From Office to Over Fences The Elite Bodysuit from Free x Rein is the perfect crossover blouse to wear to the office and the ultimate equestrian show shirt for the hunter or jumper ring.

Incredibly soft and flattering, this bodysuit will make for a more elegant look at work or at the show. Adapted for equestrian sport, the snap closure is designed so it will not interfere with your seat when riding. $200. freexrein.com

Keeping Your Cool Stand out from the crowd with the Horseware Rambo Fashion Cooler, which is perfect for use in the stable, while travelling, or at a show! It is a classic-cut cooler, featuring decorative neck detailing and the Horseware logo. It has a smooth, knitted polyester outer to repel shavings with a brushed soft inner to absorb sweat and moisture. It also features a secure single front closure, cross surcingles, and a fillet string. Available in navy with red and white in sizes 66” – 87”. $78. horseware.com

On the Buckle Add some color to your riding outfits with a belt from Ellany Equestrian. The D-ring belts are made with sturdy cotton webbing and finished off with stainless steel hardware. The elastic belts are made with high-quality elastic and stainless steel or brass hardware. With so many color and monogram options, it’s hard to have just one! From $25-$38. ellanyequestrian.com

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Pretty Polo The Ronner Sailor Polo Dress is an iconic style in a dress version, perfected. The Performance PiquĂŠ Polo revamps the timeless silhouette with a performance fabric in iconic prints and sharp tailoring. Crisp and classic, it is engineered with UV- protected fibers, so it is lightweight, dry, soft and extra breathable. Dress it up with loafers or down with sneakers. $280. ronnerdesign.com

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Wrapped in Style Air conditioner on high? The Ronner Beach Horses Shawl will keep you cozy and adds an equestrian touch to any outfit. It’s 100% acrylic, 50 x 148 cm. $100. ronnerdesign.com

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Take Note The View Halloo Equestrian Competition Journal is the perfect place to track all of the important details of an equestrian’s life. This soft but durable leather-bound journal contains sections to organize all aspects of competition, including horse information and care, equipment logs, training notes, travel itineraries, competition results, favorite memories, goals, and gratitude.

Available in classic black with silver foil or saddle brown with gold foil embossing. From $74.95. view-halloo.com

Perfect Pouch Cahartt’s Women’s Small Essentials Pouch is a slim bag to fit only the essentials.

Carry as a cross-body bag, around your waist, or as a pouch. Perfect for keeping your phone and other necessities close by. $24.99. carhartt.com

Classic Coveralls The Carhartt Women’s Smithville Coverall is the best way to keep your show clothes clean while doing your barn chores. Built with stretch and stain-fighting fabric, an adjustable waist, and plenty of pockets, they’ve got you covered at the barn and at shows. $119.99. carhartt.com

Just Right Jods Lucky Jods are a comfortable, mid-rise jod pant. They sit just below the navel in the front with a slight rise in the back for extra coverage. Lucky Jods come in black, navy, and chocolate brown ladies’ sizes 24-38. Regular and long, $159.95. Denim, $169.95. Black Lucky Stripes, $179. hartmeyer.com

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Safety and Sparkle Charles Owen presents its first fully ventilated sparkly helmet, uniting high performance technology with dazzling shine: the eLumenAyr. With 10 ventilation slots and a removable Coolmax® headband, this low-profile helmet is designed to keep riders cool while providing a deep fit, secured by the six-point GRpx® harness. Sparkly mesh over gloss paint complements both micro suede and leather-look options in black and navy. Micro suede, $525; leather-look, $578. charlesowen.com

Fancy and Functional The Dover Saddlery Premier Hunter Bridle is raised, padded, and fancy-stitched. It also has an integrated padded crown, slightly rounded stainless steel buckles, and the noseband adjusts on both sides. $299.95. doversaddlery.com

Chic Show Shirt The Dover Liberty Long-Sleeve Show Shirt is lightweight and moisture-wicking, with mesh panels under the arms. The shirt offers a slim cut with contoured hem, pearlized snaps on the cuff, and stock tie loop for multidiscipline use. Collar and cuffs are lined with a pretty Liberty of London™ fabric. $89.95. doversaddlery.com

Stay Protected The AyrPS unites a detachable, inflatable AirShell gilet with the lightweight AirMesh2 body protector. Together they offer the most highly ventilated double-layer protection in Airowear’s line. With a breathable mesh covering and a wide range of gender-specific sizes, the AyrPS fits comfortably and moves with the rider’s body. Available in black with silver in more than 140 sizes for men, women, teenagers, and children of all shapes and sizes. $827. airowear.com

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Show Ready The Ariat Platinum Show Coat is available in black or navy. The Platinum show coat is fully lined with a double vent. An “Athlete Pick,” it’s also machine washable. $499.95. ariat.com

Kick Up Your Heels The Quickdraw Legacy Boot from Ariat is a legend in the making. Crafted from bold, contrasting leathers with unique detailing, the ATS® footbed provides cushioned support for superior comfort and stability. $189.95. ariat.com

Luxurious Performance Ariat’s Divino® boots are made in Italy with Italian calf leathers. Classic design elements combined with premium materials lend this top-of-the-line boot an undeniable elegance. Ariat’s signature ATS® Luxe Technology combines performance with luxury: rich leather and fine detailing are married to comfort, stability, and breathability.

Hidden performance features include elastic laces to reduce instep pressure and a mobility curve behind the knee for optimum comfort in the riding position. Additional features include a full-length elasticized panel for a superb fit, a Spanish topline with an elegant cuff design, and rider-tested traction zones for optimum grip in the stirrup. $950. ariat.com

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 105

SHARE THE

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Plus, a portion of every eligible net purchase made with the US Equestrian Federation Visa SignatureÂŽ Card helps fund US Equestrian Team development and protect horse welfare.

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Learn more at usbank.com/USEFCard There are two different US Equestrian Federation Visa cards: the US Equestrian Federation Signature Visa card and the US Equestrian Federation Select Rewards Visa card. You will first be considered for the Signature card. If you do not qualify for the Signature card, you will be considered for the Select Rewards card. These cards have different terms as set forth at usbank.com/USEFTerms. The Select Rewards card may not offer the same Signature benefits.

We may change APRs, fees and other Account terms in the future based on your experience with U.S. Bank National Association and its affiliates as provided under the Cardmember Agreement and applicable law.

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Please refer to the Rewards Program Rules you receive when you become a cardmember for additional information.

1. Subject to credit approval. Please wait 6-8 weeks for account to be credited after qualifying purchase is made. 2. Net purchases are purchases minus credits and returns. 3. Cash back is in the form of a statement credit.

The creditor and issuer of the Visa Card is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Š 2018 U.S. Bank

BY GLENYE CAIN OAKFORD

“We’re building things for people who are going to be in these boots and clothes all day,” says Ariat director of Western footwear Austin Condit (far right), a rancher and roper.

108 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

PHOTO: DAVID STOECKLEIN COURTESY OF PLATINUM PERMORMANCE®

LIFE WITH HORSES INSPIRES NEW TECHNOLOGY AT ARIAT, WHERE EQUESTRIANS ARE PART OF THE PROCESS FROM DESIGN TO TESTING. USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 109

Cooling, compression, and shock-reduction technologies all feature strongly in Ariat products from boot heel to top.

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PHOTO: ARIAT

IF pulling on a new pair of Ariat boots or breeches makes you feel like they were designed just for you, you’re right. The company’s drive to innovate comes very much from equestrians’ real-life experiences and needs, say Ariat’s director of Western footwear Austin Condit and Jenni Smith, product manager for English accessories and apparel. And Condit and Smith understand those needs well, because they’re equestrians themselves.

“There’s a lot of innovation happening in other sports, particularly running, cycling, and outdoor winter sports, and we keep an eye on that and think about how it can be translated into the equestrian space,” said Smith, an endurance rider. Combine that with a deep and detailed understanding of what equestrians need, and you’ve got a winning formula for the customer.

“Ariat’s foundation is built on comfort, and during my time here my focus has been to build on that foundation and pair new technology with designs that are specific for true cowboys and equestrians,” said Condit, who grew up working on his grandparents’ cattle ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley and now trains horses and competes in team roping. “Now we’re marrying comfort with a lot of technologies so they can work together in one product that can produce all-day comfort, while still staying true to our roots in terms of style. But everything is built on that strong foundation.”

The real test, of course, is the demanding equestrian lifestyle.

“We’re building things for people who are going to be in these boots and clothes all day, either working on the ranch or in an English barn,” Condit said.

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PHOTO: ARIAT

112 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

Whether you’re competing, ranching, or trail riding during the summer, keeping cool is a priority. For the feet, Ariat offers a quite literally cool solution: VentTEK™.

The idea for VentTEK came about one day when Condit was at a cattle branding. “One of the things you hear is, ‘Man, my feet are hot,’” Condit said. “You hear that from any cowboy, especially on a 90-degree day. It was a hot day, and we were working about 200 head, and one of my buddies complained about his feet being hot, so that got my mind rolling to try to come up with a solution. I also run, and running shoes are ventilated, so why not cowboy boots?”

The cowboy boot’s job requirements added special challenges, though. “You can’t do it on the foot, because you’re in too much moisture and dirt at a ranch,” Condit explained. “So the top is the best place for it. People sometimes say, ‘But don’t your jeans cover it?’ But it’s amazing how when you ride or even walk, you get so much more air flow than you think you do underneath your jeans and up your pant leg.

“Anything you can do to make the foot cooler is good, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Condit said. “No one has taken that kind of ventilated application and put it in a cowboy boot before we did it.”

Ariat pairs the VentTEK design with another innovation in footwear design to help solve another problem familiar to horse people: sweaty feet in the summertime. Just how much your feet sweat when you work on a hot summer day is pretty shocking: some estimates say each foot can sweat as much as a pint a day! That generates both discomfort and odor, which Ariat tackles with X-Static® on the insole. X-Static is an odor-fighting, antimicrobial technology that permanently bonds metallic silver to a textile fiber’s surface.

English boots like the Divino also boast a good support system for the feet, thanks to Ariat’s ATS Luxe™ technology, which includes

a gel-cushioned footbed with a heel stabilizer, as well as a lightweight, ergonomic forked shank that promotes stability—all useful for adding comfort and preventing fatigue after a long day in and out of the saddle.

Cooling technology can be a full-body experience, and there’s plenty to love about fabric innovations in that regard, says English apparel product manager Smith, who points to the new Tri Factor Breech as a good example of how far textiles have come to help you keep your cool.

“I think the thing that’s most interesting to people is the cooling capability,” said Smith.

“The fabric has been treated with IceFil®, which is a cooling technology that can lower body temperature up to five degrees.”

Today’s technical fabrics mean more than superior cooling.

“There are two things, in particular, that really stand out about the Tri Factor Breech’s fabric,” Smith said of the breeches, which feature a mid-weight stretch knit, an elastic V panel in the back waistband for superior stretch, and slimming Core Control Technology®. “One is the fabrication: it’s very technical fabric that our team sourced. And the second thing is the design that maximizes the fabric’s performance from a fit and support standpoint.

“The most immediate thing people notice about the compression fabric is that it allows you to look good,” Smith added, “but I think a lot of riders also really appreciate that more compressive feel, from a support standpoint.”

Down the road, compression fabrics are likely to become even more useful to the athlete, says Smith.

“You’re now starting to see interest in zoned compression, so you’ll have, for example, a running tight that’s designed to provide more compression over muscles that need it during the athletic endeavor,” explained Smith. “That’s something we’re interested in.”

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“You have to make a product that’s truly innovative, but the traditional consumer who has bought cowboy boots for 20 years still has to be comfortable buying that product,” says Ariat’s Austin Condit.

Previous: The new Tri Factor Breech and Divino boot both incorporate new technologies that Ariat has designed or embraced for equestrian use.

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PHOTO: ARIAT

Reducing the weight of equestrian wear can add comfort, too, especially in boot design.

That’s the idea behind Bantamweight™ technology. The lightweight Bantamweight outsole was also designed to be durable, as well as oil- and slip-resistance—a nod toward the many places your boots might take you in the course of an equestrian day, from stirrup to barn aisle to wash rack to muddy field.

“When you wear your boots all day, and especially if you’ve got spurs on like ours, which are usually made of sweet iron or heavy-duty steel, it all weighs a lot,” Western footwear director Condit said.

“Around the barn, at least for a team roper, you’re probably on your feet about 80% of the time,” he said. “If you’re working with horses, you’re saddling them, tying them up, washing them—it’s amazing how much time you’re walking, standing, or jumping in and out of a truck. That lighter-weight boot becomes a huge benefit.”

Everyday concussion from all that walking and working takes a toll.

“You can feel it in your ankles, your knees, and your lower back,” Condit said. The Bantamweight outsole provides a bit more cushion than a typical sole does, but Ariat takes that up a couple of notches with a specific shock-reduction technology called Shock Shield™.

“The question for us was how to give our everyday rider, who’s riding in the more durable rubber-compound Duratread™, the shock-absorption you get from crepe,” he continued.

“Through a lot of brainstorming and development, we landed on putting a pad in the heel.

That’s Shock Shield: all the benefits of crepe in the heel part, which is where you initially get shock, from heel strike in every step you take.”

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PHOTO: LYNNE GLAZER

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Ariat’s wear-testers put technology like Shock Shield to serious testing, and not just in the barn. “For work-boot testing we have guys that pour concrete and asphalt, and we have riders of all disciplines,” Condit said. “We put everybody through a 120-day wear-test on all the concepts. What we heard from all of the wear-testers is that they didn’t want to give them back.

They’d put them on the first time and would say, ‘Oh, my God, this is like wearing tennis shoes!’”

“Being an equestrian isn’t just about being in the saddle,” Smith noted. “It’s also about being in the yard, working around your horse all day, being in the sun, the wind, and the rain. We have a lot of weather-related issues that we also accommodate in our technology to help our consumers be as comfortable as possible in all the time they spend outdoors to pursue their sport.

What’s interesting is that we might be testing a particular product, and inevitably the feedback we get from our wear-testers doesn’t only lead to adjustments in that product—it always makes us think about new product directions that would be good to go in. Horse people are opinionated and know their stuff, and they’re always happy to tell us what does and doesn’t work!

“Because we’re Ariat and technology and performance are in our DNA, we want to go at it from the assurance that something will work because we know the science behind it and that horse people have tested it in the real world,” said Smith. “That’s the kind of thing we challenge ourselves with.”

“There’s a lot of innovation happening in other sports … and we keep an eye on that and think about how it can be translated into the equestrian space,” says endurance rider Jenni Smith, Ariat’s product manager for English accessories and apparel.

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FOR THE RECORD

Hearing Committee Rulings and Administrative Penalties OFFICIAL NOTICES Contributed by the Regulation Department unless otherwise indicated. The following official notices are only intended to give penalty information for a given case and not to disclose the factual basis for each violation or penalty. The Hearing Committee decides each case based on the evidence presented at the hearing and takes into account many factors that may raise or lower a given penalty. For example, the Hearing Committee takes into account such things as whether the violation was intentional or unintentional, the nature of the violation, the credibility of witnesses, penalties in similar cases, past violations of Federation rules by a respondent, and many other mitigating factors.

US Equestrian members can access and search the United States Equestrian Federation Suspension List online at USequestrian.org. Hover over the Compete tab on the homepage. In the menu that appears, click Suspension List under Rules & Regulations.

H E A R I N G CO M M I T T E E RULINGS Below are the official rulings reached by the Hearing Committee following hearings held in these matters and/or plea agreements made.

This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc., Hearing Committee on December 4, 2017.

JEAN KRAUS of Fulton, MO; STAN MOREY of Edmond, OK; and the AHA 2017 YOUTH NATIONAL SHOW COMMISSION of Aurora, CO , violated Chapter 1, GR109 and GR118; Chapter 7, GR701, GR702, and GR705; Chapter 10, GR1032, GR1033, and GR1034; and Chapter 12, GR1217, of this Federation, in connection with the Arabian & Half-Arabian Youth National Championship Horse Show held on July 22-29, 2017, in that on or about Friday, July 28, 2017, during class 2147 (HA/AA English Pleasure JTR), they arranged for or caused the judges’ results to be changed after the class was pinned and the results were posted.

For these violations of the rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that JEAN KRAUS, STAN MOREY, and the AHA 2017 YOUTH NATIONAL SHOW COMMISSION shall be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and that the AHA 2017 YOUTH NATIONAL SHOW COMMISSION shall be fined $2,500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

It was further directed that for these violations the Respondent(s) shall cause the 118 SUMMER ISSUE 2018

original scorings and placings to be officially reinstated for all purposes within this Association and the Federation, and shall re-distribute all prizes, ribbons, and trophies for class 2147 (HA/AA English Pleasure JTR 14-18 Champ.) to reflect the original placings of the Exhibitors.

This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc., Hearing Committee on February 8, 2018.

The Committee Members present received and accepted a plea agreement tendered pursuant to Chapter 6, GR617, in connection with the Vermont Summer Special Horse Show held July 7-11, 2010; the HITS On The Hudson V Horse Show held July 27-31, 2011; and the New York & Pony Horse Show held August 2-6, 2017, wherein TRACY JAMES-PEDERSEN, of Delanson, NY, violated Chapter 9, GR913.3, of this Federation, in that she was reported three times for making non-negotiable payments toward entry fees. For this violation it was determined that TRACY JAMES-PEDERSEN be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES This is official notice of the imposition of Administrative Penalties pursuant to Chapter 4, GR412, and/or Chapter 6, GR616, offered by the Federation and accepted by the following parties, and approved by the Hearing Committee in lieu of hearings.

BROOKE BAKER of Conroe, TX, violated Chapter 4, GR410, of this Federation, in connection with the Chattahoochee Hills HT held on July 1-2, 2017, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse, MUCH ADO II, after it had been administered and/ or contained in its body dexamethasone in a plasma concentration exceeding the maximum permitted level.

For this violation it was determined that BROOKE BAKER be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $750 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by MUCH ADO II at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

DENIZE BORGES of Sunol, CA, violated Chapter 4, GR410, of this Federation, in connection with Menlo Charity Horse Show held on August 8-13, 2017, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse, UCELLO, after it had been administered and/or contained in its body flunixin and phenylbutazone.

For this violation it was determined that DENIZE BORGES be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by UCELLO at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

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