ON THE HORSE November/December 2016

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE VOLUME 1 ISSUE 8

MAGAZINE

FREE

OTH Feature

THE 2016 LEGENDARY GEORGE MORRIS CLINIC

BRANDS YOU TRUST for the horses you protect.

®GASTROGARD, EQVALAN, PANOMEC, LEGEND, RECOMBITEK, IMRAB, and MARQUIS are registered trademarks, and ™POTOMAVAC and the Horse Head logo are trademarks, of Merial Limited. ©2015 Merial Canada Inc. All rights reserved. EQ-15-8204-JA (E) XCE241089.

FEATURED THIS ISSUE

CONTENTS 16 November/December 2016

OTH FEATURED RIDER 10 Hillary Lunn OTH EDITORS REVIEW 12 The Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Turnout Horseware 14

Biotic 8, Gastra-Fx, And Gastra-Fx Ultra Omega Alpha

Protect Your Horse’s Largest Organ with Vetcur’s Cur1 Spray

44

Looking For That Perfect Gift This Holiday Season?

Noble Equestrian

46

The Benefits of Slow Feeding Hay with the Original NIBBLENET®

52

Mad Barntm

58

SeeHorse Wearable Device

54

The Aging Horse and How Recovery® EQ Can Help

An in depth review of the clinic, brought to you by DMF Productions at Caledon Equestrian Park.

Samantha Fawcett

OTH GIFT GUIDE 40 Cabellaro Fly Bonnet, Holiday Enjoy Yums, Gramma’s Little Helper, Equicube, The Pup & Pony Tag Co., Seehorse OTH RETAIL & SERVICES 38 McKee-Pownall, Equine Services 56

OTH PRODUCTS 34 Butet’s Practice Saddle 36

2016 George Morris Clinic

Waivers, The Misunderstood Risk Management Tool BFL Canada

OTH VET 50 Keeping Your Horse’s Joints Healthy Part II Dr. Dieter Oberbichler OTH DRESSAGE 60 Lessons Re-learned, The Pitfall of Wanting to be Nice Karen Rohlf OTH EQUINE HOROSCOPES 64 The Sagittarius Horse 66 The Twelve Horse Personalities Samantha Marshall OTH PUZZLES 68 Crossword Samantha Fawcett

ON THE COVER

George Morris addressing auditors at the clinic.

Photo by Ian Woodley

OLIVER A WHITE PH OTO G R A PH Y

Call me today for a free quote on a winter photo shoot.

416 . 8 8 4 . 24 3 4

W W W.O L I V E R A PH O T O.CO M

“

Whenever you ride a horse, you are either schooling or unschooling. Most of the time, until you’re an expert, you’re unschooling the horse.

- GEORGE MORRIS

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

EDITOR Samantha Fawcett SALES Tyler Saik tyler@onthehorse.com | 289-270-0906

DESIGN Navy Blue Stripes Paper Co. CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Dieter Oberbichler Samantha Marshall Hillary Lunn Karen Rohlf PUBLISHER Horseback Media Inc. Milton, Ontario, Canada www.onthehorse.com

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE! ONLINE TODAY. ONTHEHORSE.COM

ONTHEHORSEMAG

4 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

ONTHEHORSEMAG

ONTHEHORSEMAG

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EDITOR’S NOTE since there was a brand new group of horses and riders for George to pick apart and put back together again! I know you’ll love this summary of George’s clinic and that you will not only refresh your knowledge – but learn a thing or two! I know I certainly did!

Samantha with her mount “Rocky”

T

his issue of ON THE HORSE Magazine marks our one year anniversary! Wow! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was sitting down writing my very first letter from the editor, just hours from print. And here I am, one year later, writing it at the very last minute again! I suppose some things never change! ;) Last year, our very first cover story featured the George Morris Clinic hosted by DMF Productions at Wesley Clover Parks. So, when given the opportunity again to cover the George Morris Clinic hosted by DMF Productions at Caledon Equestrian Park, we thought it would be a very fitting feature for our one year anniversary, especially since this time, the magazine will be in print! Even though George’s teaching and preaching of basics and fundamentals did not change over the span of a year, it was very interesting to see how different the two clinics were

6 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

Now, I would like to take a moment to thank our readers for their incredible support over the last twelve months. Your constructive criticism and words of support and encouragement have helped to guide us in making each issue better than the last!

We have so many new and exciting things planned for the remainder of 2016 and for 2017, which will help us to promote and support the Ontario Equestrian industry, as well as give back to our community and readers!

For starters, we have a HUGE line up of giveaways for the month of December! Make sure you are following us on social media for updates on how to enter, and to keep track of the lucky winners! Good luck!

I hope everyone enjoys their upcoming holidays, and is safe with their loved ones, both two legged and four legged!

Merry Christmas! See you next year!

Samantha

WHERE DOES THE

ATHLETE

END

AND THE

BREECH

BEGIN?

W W W . S T R U C K A P P A R E L . C O M

“

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom. — SHARON RALLS LEMON

UPCOMING EVENTS December 2016 2-3

• Hunter Schooling Day Meadowlark North

9

• Laurien Van Der Meer Clinic Mussennist Dressage

3-4

• Dressage Schooling Show/Clinic w/ Esther Mortimer Effingham Stables

10

• Jim & Andrea Anderson Liberty Clinic Drury Horse Park

4

• Hunter Schooling Show Meadowlark North • Mark Hayes Clinic Ancaster Fairgrounds • Hyde Moffat Clinic Ridgewood Farm • Hunter 2 Schooling Show Iron Horse Equestrian

10 - 11

• Hyde Moffat Clinic Sprucehaven Farm

11

• Jumper Schooling Show Iron Horse Equestrian

12

• Cara Whitam Dressage Clinic Jessop Dressage

January 2017 6-7

• Hunter Schooling Day Meadowlark North

8

• Hunter Schooling Show Meadowlark North • Hunter 1 Schooling Show Iron Horse Equestrian

13 - 14

• Jumper Schooling Day Meadowlark North

15

• Hunter 2 Schooling Show Iron Horse Equestrian 22

• Jumper Schooling Show Iron Horse Equestrian • Dressage Test Riding Clinic Dreamcrest • Peter Gisborn Clinic Ancaster Fairgrounds $150/2 hour group session. For additional info or to sign up: elizabeth.rous@hotmail.com

• Jumper Schooling Show Meadowlark North

February 2017 4-5

• Chris Delia Clinic $250/weekend, 2 hour group lessons each day. For more info or to sign up: elizabeth.rous@hotmail.com

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT FEATURED ON OUR CALENDAR, PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL TO EVENTS@ONTHEHORSE.COM.

OTH FEATURED RIDER

Photos by Louise Innes Lunn

HILLARY LUNN November/December Featured Rider

DATE OF BIRTH December 7, 1999

HOMETOWN

series). Sadly, the Heffernan family decided a couple of years later to sell the farm. Ginger sat in a field for a while and was put up for sale.

Peterborough, Ontario

BASED OUT OF Omemee, Ontario

FAVOURITE INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE “Never stop believing.”

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS? Hopefully still riding competitively -maybe working out of a bigger, more well-known barn.

C

all to Dance aka “Ginger” was born on a Standardbred racing farm in Lakefield, Ontario. She raced for about a year before a girl named Jamie Heffernan, the daughter of the farm owner, told her father Terry that she wanted to keep Ginger as her own horse and re-train her under saddle.

Seeing how much she loved Ginger, Terry agreed that Jamie could have her.

Jamie worked with Ginger for a couple of year, teaching her the basics of being under saddle and started her over fences. She even took her out to a couple of shows (one of the best series for Standardbreds is the Standardbred Show

10 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

That’s where I came in. I saw Ginger’s ad and instantly fell in love. We had been looking for my first horse, and Ginger was the first horse that we went out to try. The second I got on her I knew she was the horse. Now I’m not going to say Ginger was ‘bad’ on that test ride but she certainly knew that I was someone new and being typical Ginger, she decided to throw in some sass! But being a 13 year old girl at the time that REALLY wanted her first horse, I loved every second of it. So Ginger came home a week later!

After a few months in training, it was clear that both Ginger and I weren’t cut out to be Hunters. So we made the switch and became Jumpers instead. The 2013 show season had its ups and downs. Ginger and I had to figure each other out. I learned quickly that although people say horses are colour blind, Ginger did NOT like the colour red. I also learned just how hard the ground really was. But Ginger soon learned that I was going to get right back on every time I came off.

2014 was a much better season for us. We went to a lot of different shows and came home with ribbons every time. People slowly started to recognize us as the “Girl that rode the sassy Standardbred”. We even went down to the World Standardbred Show in Ohio and came home with great results!

For the 2015 show season we moved up heights in the Jumpers and started getting more technical. Ginger loved every second of it and it was soon clear that she had even more jump in her than we had originally thought. We were also one of the 2015 Go and Play Stables ambassadors and went with the Go and Play team to be the post parade pony at Woodbine Racetrack! We also went down to the World Standardbred Show once again and did even better than the previous year! We came back overall Standardbred jumper champions and overall high point youth rider! That winter was full of constant training and lessons to get even better for the 2016 show season. And it truly did get better.

We showed on the Central East Trillium circuit this year in the 0.9m Jumpers and qualified for Championships. We even ended that series 3rd overall for the Central East circuit for our height! Our last show of the season was once again the World Standardbred Show in Ohio.

The level of competition for horses down there had definitely gone up so we weren’t sure what to expect when we got down there. But Ginger, being her typical self, was incredible!

We finished the 3 day show with 5 overall World Champion titles (Hunter, Jumper, Gaming, Western Pleasure, and Western Horsemanship), 1 overall World Reserve Champion title (English Equitation), and overall high point youth AND overall High point Standardbred for the whole show! We plan on going back down again next year with Ginger and another one of our Standardbreds, and I would definitely encourage anyone else who has a Standardbred to come down as well!

I’m beyond proud of everything Ginger and I have accomplished and I’m really excited to see what both our futures hold!

CALL TO DANCE aka ginger BIRTHDATE April 3, 2005

HATES Water and green apples.

PEDIGREE Standardbred

IF HE/SHE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL,

HEIGHT 14.3hh

HE/SHE WOULD BE The biggest

LOVES Jumping.

diva around.

Photo by Hillary Lunn

OTH REVIEW

EDITOR’S REVIEW ON THE HORSE’S SAMANTHA FAWCETT PROVIDES HANDS-ON PRODUCT REVIEWS THE AMIGO BRAVO 12 PLUS TURNOUT Horseware’s best-selling turnout blanket!

The Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Turnout comes with a detachable hood, and the available weights are 0g, 250g (Medium), and 400g (Heavy).

This is a very durable blanket, made of a 1200D polyester outer lining that is waterproof, breathable, and strong! Meanwhile, the inner polyester lining will help keep your horses coat shiny! Typical of the Amigo line, this blanket has a classic cut with front leg arches, double front closures, hood and liner loops, cross surcingles, and a tail strap! It hugs my horses in all the right places, and allows him full freedom to play in the field with his buddies, whatever the weather!

This blanket is also fully compatible with the Horseware Liner System so you can layer your horse as needed! The ability to layer your horse based on current weather is so important in our harsh Canadian climate! I love having the option to easily increase or reduce the lining on one blanket as temperatures fluctuate in the fall and spring. Being able to add or remove a hood as needed also helps to make sure you are ready to dress your horse everyday, despite the ever-changing weather!

Tucker standing proudly in the cross ties dressed to kill in his Amigo 12 Plus!

12 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

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OTH REVIEW

EDITOR’S REVIEW ON THE HORSE’S SAMANTHA FAWCETT PROVIDES HANDS-ON PRODUCT REVIEWS BIOTIC 8, GASTRA-FX, AND GASTRA-FX ULTRA

T

his year, my horse Tucker dipped his toes in the water competing on the A Circuit in the Jumper Ring at Caledon Equestrian Park. I noticed at his first show in August, that he didn’t want to eat his mints when he got to Palgrave, which is concerning because Tucker LOVES his mints and will suck on them until it’s time for another! Overall, his appetite didn’t seem to be the same, he seemed a little lethargic, behind the leg, and unfocused. He was back to his normal self by the next morning, but I couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that he would benefit from some digestive supplements for the next show.

Fast forward to the end of September, when I took Tucker to Palgrave again, this time planning for a full week of showing Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, shipping an hour each way, each day. Wednesday went good and he jumped a clear round. But still, he didn’t want to eat his mints, and only picked at his hay. I spoke with Patti Hanco from Omega Alpha that week, and picked up Biotic 8, Gastra-FX, and a few tubes of Gastra-FX Ultra on Thursday night. I rushed 14 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

to the barn to give Tucker a dose of the Biotic 8 and Gastra-FX that night! On Friday morning, I gave him another dose of each, as well as a tube of Gastra-FX Ultra before loading on the trailer. When we got to the show, Tucker was very interested in mints and seemed much perkier! He jumped a clear round that day to earn his first ribbon!

Tucker got better and better each day; more focused in the ring and jumping with better form and rideability as the weekend progressed. He finished just outside of the ribbons with clear rounds on Saturday and Sunday, and I could not have been happier with how he performed! I would recommend these digestive supplements to anyone whose horse seems to be even just a touch “off” when in new/stressful environments like horse shows! For those who travel, Biotic 8 is now available in single serving packages so you don’t have to take the entire container with you! These supplements are now a staple in Tucker’s daily diet to help ensure his digestive health is always at its strongest!

OTH FEATURE

On the Horse Magazine presents AN IN DEPTH REVIEW OF THE

2016 GEORGE MORRIS CLINIC Photos taken by Olivera White Photography and Ian Woodley HOSTED BY DMF PRODUCTIONS AT CALEDON EQUESTRIAN PARK WRITTEN BY SAMANTHA FAWCETT

George Morris spends his time travelling the world, teaching clinics to those who are brave enough to subject themselves to his eccentric teaching style. So here is a big thank you to DMF Productions for bringing George to the Caledon Equestrian Park, as well as to the riders who signed up to be picked on by George Morris so that we could all learn and be reminded of the basic fundamentals and traditions that have withstood the test of time, and brought our Equestrian teams to the top of the sport year after year!

There are 4 parts to the rider: 1. Legs from the knee down 2. Base of support (all parts touching the saddle) 3. Upper body (chest, shoulders, neck) 4. Arms and hands If all 4 parts are correct, there will be equilibrium and the balance will be correct.

George riding masterfully without stirrups on day 1 of the clinic at age 78 years of age!

George checking tack on one of the horses in the clinic.

SAFETY/TACK “Safety, efficient function, and of course I like aesthetics.”

At the tack checks on the first day, George had all standing martingales removed. He said to riders, “Only use standing martingales for safety reasons, if a horse bucks and plays and throws his head. As a directive to my clinic, I don’t want standing martingales.” He only wanted running martingales to be used, and they all were adjusted to be at least as high as the withers in order to prevent excessive pressure on the bars of the horse’s mouths.

Stirrup irons were to be plain, stainless steel.

George frequently chastised riders who had “tacky” stirrup irons, whether they were rubber hinged or made of light aluminum/plastic. He also had all ear plugs removed, and noted “Ear plugs should only be used in competition, they are not for use in training.”

George does not like rubber jointed stirrup irons!

POSITION “A masterful position is detail.”

First teach position, and then teach function.

“If you don’t have interest in position, if you don’t have control of your position, you will never have control of your horse. You must be able to control your position so that you can control the horse. Once you have control of your position, there is a chance you have control of your horse.”

Stirrup length and position was very important to George over the course of the weekend, and he frequently reminded riders about the stirrup length, and especially the positioning. For the stirrup positioning, only ¼ of the rider’s foot shoulder be in the stirrup, rightangled to the girth with the outside branch touching the little toe. Make sure to keep heels down, the knee relaxed, and allow contact of the lower calf. Adjust your stirrup length according to the activity you are performing – approximately 2 holes longer for flatwork, and 2 holes shorter for jumping. Adjust your stirrups in front of your thigh with your feet in the stirrups for safety. Don’t school horses on the flat with stirrups too short, and don’t jump horses with stirrups too long.

George often reminded riders to get up out of their saddle and into galloping position, as shown here.

Being a strong advocate for the forward riding system, George frequently reminded riders to stay up off the horse’s backs when galloping and jumping. The galloping position (second position) is used for galloping a horse on straight lines and very large curves. The horse should not change when moving into a light seat, and should circle nicely. The upper body should be forward in a galloping position, but take care to not get too far out of the saddle.

Even in dressage (first position), the upper body should be a little more forward to be in balance with the horse.

FLATWORK

Inside Leg to Outside Hand.

The first thing you do is walk your horse to the rail between your inside leg and the wall of the ring (INSIDE LEG TO OUTSIDE REIN).

Control the hind quarter with your inside leg.

Straightness is the basis of collection. When you have opposition, you have balance and straightness. Everything is instigated on a horse with your inside leg; starting, stopping, turning. Start, stop, turn. The aids on the inside of the bend take precedence. Legs precede hands; hands are equally important, but your leg precedes your hands.

George working one riders horse correctly on the bit

Working on the bit.

You don’t make a horse round with your hands or martingales, or the work of the devil – draw reins. Draw reins cause horses to break at the third vertebrae instead of at the poll, this is not good for the horse. Instead, you push the 20 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

horse’s head down; push the horse to the contact with your legs. Always leg to hand! “Not low hands hoping and praying the horse will be round. Even at a high level, most people hand ride.” The horse’s neck is a reflection of the hind leg of the horse. Never let a horse learn to get higher than your hands. If a horse over flexes, raise the poll.

“The poll should always be the highest point.

The current fashion is the horse is breaking in their neck (3rd vertebrae).” The poll should always be above the withers, unless the horse is working long and low.

“Bad hands butcher a horse’s mouth. Very few people will ever achieve educated hands. You won’t achieve educated hands with draw reins or auxiliary reins. The fashion today is flexion, flexion, flexion. When you produce it (flexion) too early with gimmicks, you pay the price of over-flexion.” When over-flexed, the horse is on their forehand. The poll must be the highest point so the horse is not “rubber necking”.

George used a lunge whip on the ground to varying degrees in order to reinforce the rider’s driving aids.

Driving aids “Firstly people, the horse has to go forward and listen to driving aids. Leg, cluck, spur, whip – that is the progression of intensity of driving aids.” A stick will teach a horse to respond to leg. Legs act by closing to apply pressure. When the horse responds, they become passive. “I don’t teach every stride tapping – trust me, that gets the horse dead to the leg.

If a horse doesn’t respond to your leg, that is why we have spurs/whip! If leg is not enough, and the spur/whip is too strong – what do I do?

Cluck! You must change the intensity of the driving aids for each specific horse!”

Transitions Transitions work to get the horse backwards, forwards, and uphill. Downward transitions are important because they educate the horse to the aids and teach the horse to go backwards.

Stop and back a horse up very often to get the horse light in the mouth. “I use lots of downward transitions to get them light in my hand.

When you stop him, get his head up. Don’t let the horse lean on your hands. When the horse halts, relax your aids. Sink into the saddle for downward transitions, legs are resistant, stretch up in the spine, close your hands. Your hands work like squeezing a lemon. NEVER saw the mouth. Sink, stretch, leg on, close and raise hands.” The horse should sit and come up in the withers through their transitions. “Legs participate in the downward transitions; they are not to be forgotten.”

Repetition Repetition is details, use repetition to get habits. To make habits, you’ve got to concentrate.

Repetition will get a horse soft. You look, you think, and the horse does it.

Erynn Ballard walking her horse during warm-up.

Walking Horses should be restless when they walk, marching along.

Turning For a very green horse, the first aid in turning is the leading hand. For a more advanced horse, the outside neck rein turns the

horse to keep him straight with an opening inside rein. There should be no backwards effect on the reins, instead a sideways pressure with both hands to the inside. The neck rein pushes the weight into the opposite shoulder.

Turn on the Forehand Working on moving the horse’s haunches, keep inside leg on, outside leg back – do not pull on the reins. Moving the horse’s haunches is a good prep for canter, counter canter, and flying changes.

Walk/Trot Transitions Schooling walk/trot transitions help to develop rhythm, it is a simple transition that gives you control of the horse. As you take your horse back, keep your inside leg on. As you ask him to go forward, inside leg is the dominant aid. If you ask the horse to trot and he doesn’t promptly go to the trot, apply the stick. Keep the horse straight in transitions, there should be no bulging from the horse. “Trot/halt transitions will teach you a great deal about the horse’s balance.”

Trot Work Over Poles This teaches both the rider and the horse rhythm. Regulate your pace with your hands, if the horse rushes, close your hands. The horse should neither hesitate nor rush the poles. Incorporate cavaletti work into your flat work regularly. “Ingrid Klimke and Charlotte Dujardin are big on cavaletti incorporated into dressage.”

Half Turns (At a Trot) The half turn is a good exercise to get the horse lighter to your legs and coming under with their hind legs. Schooling half turns precedes movements such as haunches in and half pass. During half turns, change the diagonal and bend, but not the rhythm of the horse.

Always touch the saddle to change your diagonal, don’t stand up in the stirrups.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 21

One of the riders schooling her horse using Shoulder Fore/Shoulder In.

Schooling the Canter The inside leg at the girth asks the horse to canter. The outside leg placed slightly behind the girth signals the haunches for the lead. The outside rein keeps the horse straight. “Forget about your inside hand because you overdo the bend.” Sit the canter, it should be slow by definition – otherwise it is a gallop. Keep the forehand slightly to the inside, almost shoulder fore. Don’t post into the canter or trot in, you should always walk a horse into the canter.

Schooling At the Gallop First we teach at a walk, then trot, then canter, then gallop. Don’t forget to school at the gallop. It is more difficult because their blood gets up. By the time we get to the gallop, they don’t listen. A horse must be as light in a fast gallop as they are at the walk/trot. Your horse has to be beautifully schooled at the gallop.

Rein Back When asking the horse to rein back, always keep the legs back a little bit. The horse must go promptly forward out of the rein back, he should not be allowed to get “stuck.”

Collection If the horse breaks, keep an active inside leg on. Riding circles will naturally invite collection, slowing them down but keeping the same rhythm. Impulsion has very little to do with speed. Always periodically interrupt collection by going forward and straight.

Leg Yielding Leg Yielding is the first stage of haunches in/out, half pass. Leg yielding further schools the horse and further puts the horse to the bit. It facilitates the harder things such as flying changes.

Shoulder Fore/Shoulder In All horses are crooked, especially in the canter - schooling shoulder fore keeps the horse straight. Put both of your hands a little to the inside. Keep a very slight angle and very little bend with an active inside leg. Keep your hands up, no low hands. Keep the horse’s hind quarters on the track. The inside hind leg footprint should fall between the two front feet.

Counter Canter Frequent counter canter/walk transitions will help to develop the counter canter. Don’t just counter canter. When you counter canter, be slightly off the wall so the horse does not strike into the wall.

For discipline, stop your horse in the corner. This gets the horse softer to the outside rein.

Schooling the Halt For discipline, stop in the corner. This gets the horse softer to the outside rein. Don’t stop the horse by pulling, let the corner stop that horse.

Stop the horse for 6 seconds, teach the horse to wait for you.

Flying Changes Do not pull on the inside rein to get the flying change, or to fix cross cantering. You fix it with inside leg. Inside leg is the first aid for a flying change, with the outside leg back. It’s called a change of legs, not just for the horse, but for us. It’s so easy to get a flying change if you are straight and understand leg aids. Most hunter/ NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 23

jumpers get light in the croup for flying changes. To prevent this let the horse go forward in the moment of change.

Longitudinal Schooling vs. Lateral Schooling Longitudinal schooling works the horse back and forth, up and down through transitions both upwards and downwards, collection, and extension. Lateral schooling works circles, half turns, shoulder-in, haunches-in, etc. “Gymnasticizing a horse is not just cavaletti, straightness, or gridwork – it is everything.”

JUMPING “Jumping a horse is not just the jumping. It is the rideability (flatwork) of the horse, it is 50/50. Discipline is the most important part of jumping – get that horse rideable.”

George schooling a rider’s horse over fences.

A Tip From George on Jumping in Clinics “I see people that enter clinics that aren’t prepared. Horses that have not jumped a variety of jumps. Stopping, ducking, bucking, these horses are not prepared. Enter the session you are confident in, don’t get in over your head.”

An excellent jumping position demonstrated by one of the riders in the clinic.

Jumping Position Faults There are three possible faults when jumping: ducking, jumping ahead, or dropping back in the air. Never punish your horse over a jump by sitting back on him.

Following the Horse’s Motion There are three possibilities when riding a horse: with the movement, ahead of the movement, or behind the movement. You should never be ahead of the movement! The Dutch and Germans prefer to ride behind the motion.

George’s preference is both with and behind (softer and stronger). There are lots of benefits to with, but sometimes we have to be behind when necessary. However, he does not like always behind the motion because it is harder on the horse.

People that advocate behind the movement are behind the vertical, and that is not correct.

Judges should mark that down in position. “If you are behind the horse, you are carrying the horse.” Self-carriage is the holy grail – that is the North American philosophy.

When George rides a course, the first two fences he trusts the horse and is in a light forward seat. If he trusts the horse, he jumps the whole course forward. If he does not trust the horse, he sits for the last jumps. “Once a horse is educated, I don’t have to get so far behind the motion.”

Distance “There is no such thing as a bad distance.

Whatever you get to, you make that distance work. You don’t give up. Good riders don’t always get to a good distance, but they work it out, they fight for it. Don’t question it, don’t hesitate. Over it, under it, or through it, there is no other option.”

“Distance people, is simple!” A trick to sense the distance is to soften in the turn and let the

24 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

horse come out of the turn. Watch the top rail and measure the jump. There are two options: go with the distance (long), or against the distance (short). You have to actively look for the distance. Watch the highest point of the fence - you have to be active on the offense when jumping. You have to think about distance and acquire a sense of distance. You need to make a decisive decision.

“People, you have to let a horse come out of the turn so you can lengthen to it easily, or shorten. If you box the horse up, you will not be able to adjust to the fence. We miss if the horse doesn’t follow us out of the turn.”

Erynn Ballard educating her horse over a “spooky” liver pool.

Lines Make adjustments in the first strides of the line, not in the last few strides, so you can soften at the second fence.

Bending Lines While working a bending line that could be ridden as either 7 or 8 strides, George advised: “If I have a nice 1st fence, I would do 7.

If I had a miss to the first fence, I would steady for 8. That is judgement. If the 1st fence is sufficient – 7 strides. This is exercising judgement and eye.”

Jumping on a Figure of 8 This exercise gives the opportunity for flying changes. “If I have an acute problem, if I anticipate a problem, I will put the stick to the hand it will need to reinforce the leg of.” Shifting the stick to the outside hand can help to reinforce your outside leg in the change. If the horse is quick, raise your hands and take a half halt.

This is a good exercise to get the habit of how to school a horse for the flying change. This is also a great suppling exercise when schooling riders and horses - gymnastic exercises are not always grids!

Jumping Spooky Fences Trot back and forth over the spooky jump, lay a stick on him on take-off. Back and forth, this is how we educate a horse. Practice this skill by trotting into a jump and applying a stick at the base. With every aid, you have timing and intensity. When using a stick before a jump – it is used on take-off. This use of the stick will help to educate a green horse over a spooky fence.

One of the riders schooling their horse over a triple bar.

Importance of the 1st fence Whether a triple, double, or line – it is all about the first fence. The first fence sets up for what follows. Don’t take this for granted. Don’t get complacent with this. If the first fence is short, you must ride forward for the next, if the 1st fence is long, you must hold back.

Rubbing/Hitting Fences “Lots of horses will hit this jump because it is square and airy, it is a good fence to improve a horse’s jump. If they just tap it, just rub it – it gets the horse’s front end sharp. I’m very happy they are tapping it.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 25

Automatic Release with Gridwork Gridwork is great for practicing jumping out of hand (automatic release). As you soften your hand, lower your hand to follow the horse’s mouth over the jump. After the grid, bring your

hands back to position. It has to be habit to follow the horse’s mouth as the horse drops his head and neck. Make sure the reins are not too short when jumping so the horse is able to use himself in the air.

Trouble Shooting Problems •

If the horse bulges or spooks, the first aid is the inside leg, and the second is the outside rein.

•

If your horse bulges in, open your outside rein. Inside rein is less important and is replaced by the inside leg.

•

Keep contact with the horse’s mouth when it is playing with the bit and shaking it’s head. It must learn acceptance of the contact.

•

If the horse cross canters, put it on a big circle and persist inside leg to outside rein. If still no change, put the whip to your outside hand to reinforce your outside leg.

•

One horse was particularly stubborn about jumping a liver pool and was rearing and spinning. George told the rider to first lengthen the reins and go forward, then to go and jump other fences and use a stick at the base. He had the rider go back and forth over the liverGeorge assisting this rider in getting her horse to go forward and stop rearing. pool, using a lunge whip to urge the horse on from the ground. Unfortunately the difficulty continued over into the next day, and George commented: “Once a horse senses he is stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally, once he realizes his strength, you are at a disadvantage.”

•

If a horse ducks out of a jump, correct him with a sharp turn.

•

If a horse bucks, get his head up. Prevent the buck by keeping their head up. Correct the buck by going forward.

•

If a horse fights an aid, don’t get rid of it. The horse must learn to accept the aids.

•

Most horses, when their blood gets up, they cut corners and fall in. Circle the horse between jumps to collect the horse and get it back under control for schooling purposes.

•

If your stirrups slip too much, it is probably because you sit down in the saddle too much and take weight out of your heel.

“

You have to practice what is difficult.

You have to practice what is uncomfortable.

“

I did not have aptitude, but I worked at it. I concentrated and worked at it, and was sharper than my friends.

Concentration and work ethic.

“

Straight From George’s Mouth We narrowed down the best quotes of the weekend for your entertainment!

1. “Canada has less people, but equal success on the Olympic stage. That’s because you’re workers! I’m very proud of Canada.”

7.

“What’s important people – is the horse listens to your inside leg.”

8. “I need a good legger-upper – NOT iffy.”

9. “You must have stirrup leathers that are long enough for your instructors!”

10. “Where are my hands? UP! Where is the horse’s head? DOWN! Don’t try to pull his head down, you PUSH the head down.”

2. “I can teach you what I was taught, I can’t teach you what you were taught.”

3. “ Riders like Ian, Mac, Eric, Tiffany – they get out of the horse’s way, they let the horse do his job.”

4. “When you set a ring, you want it to look relatively empty, you don’t want it cluttered, and you want the ring balanced.”

5. “Charlotte and Carl are real horse people before they’re winners.”

6. “Disperse and go to separate areas of the ring. Don’t be sheep.”

11. “Your ankle should bend – not your stirrup iron.”

12. “For a traditionalist’s eye, these stirrups are tacky, tacky, tacky, tacky, tacky, tacky, tacky! It’s called bling, I DETEST bling!”

13. “No babies here. Babies are out. Either the baby goes out, or I go out. I don’t want to hear babies (crying), it’s very distracting!”

14. “You get everything, people, from that inside leg to outside rein! Replace that excessive inside rein with inside leg!”

15. “Drive him, urge him, lay a stick on him!”

30 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

16. “BAAAHHHHH. This girl looks at the jump. I don’t want bleating sheep. I want the wolf that ate the bleating sheep!”

17. “Very attractive horse – he’s just spoiled.”

18. “Get up out of your saddle people in order to put weight in your heels. What’s important to get those heels down is to get out of the saddle.”

19. “Teachers – don’t worry about people sitting down. You have to worry about them getting up when they gallop the horse.”

20. “It’s not faster, faster, faster people. It is slower, ride stronger.”

21. “I want YOU to go faster because you hate to go faster. She’s what we call a controller.”

22. “Lots of things that are older are still the best. These fancy irons are not better. If they were better, I would buy them.”

23. “Position precedes function, function and form go together. Function invented form, but form precedes function.”

25. “Sink into the saddle – don’t sit!”

26. “You’re a sweet girl, you’re not a bad rider, but you’re kind of what I would call an unmade bed.”

27. “I sometimes sit down now because I’m very, very old.”

28. “Don’t smirk my dear, you don’t ride well, how can you smirk?”

29. “I want perfectly steady hands.”

30. “That’s what I call an insidious disease – opening your hand. Keep your hands CLOSED.” 31. “You’re too dramatic – you have to be quieter!”

32. “Patience, patience, is called equestrian tact.”

33. “My horses, those suckers, they stop – they don’t drag me all over.”

34. “You have to practice what is difficult.

You have to practice what is uncomfortable.”

24. “This group is sharp jumping. Not dressage too much, but they are sharp jumping. They are very accurate.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 31

35. “What is simple about the sport, is it is always the same aids even on different horses.”

36. “German horses are very talented, but they are very, very difficult.”

37. “The secret to jumping a horse is waiting and following the horse.”

38. “I might immigrate here finally to Canada, I like teaching you people.”

39. “Pull the horse up in the corner. That’s what your children should do, face the wall for a couple hours.”

40. “You’re what we call a butt grabber. Get out of the saddle!”

41. “When you school horses you have to be meticulous and detailed.”

42. “I want pace to the base, not pace to the outer limits!”

43. “The best rapping is when the horse does the rapping and raps himself.”

44. “Contact is straight, definite, steady, and supple.”

45. “Seat makes your aids stronger, but does not replace these aids to produce impulsion.”

46. “Trainers are not studying horsemanship.

In my country, they are fat and heavy.”

47. “The horse does not trust the bit to take it and be round. The horse will be hollow and stiff using exotic bits. It is impossible with the exotic bits to be round.”

48. “I want a horse thinking forward with a desire to go forward. At all costs, I want forward thinking.”

49. “If you insist on draw reins, short martingales, chambons, the resistances will intensify.”

50. “Whenever you ride a horse, you are either schooling or unschooling. Most of the time, until you’re an expert, you’re unschooling the horse.”

51. “If I see a happy mouth, I know it is not a happy horse.”

52. “We want the horse to be submissive like your husbands and boyfriends are.”

53. “A fresh, playful, good natured horse is very good in competition.”

54. “Have you seen me once in this clinic see saw? If I thought it was a good idea, I would do it.”

55. “It is like talking to the deaf, talking to you is like talking to the deaf.”

56. “I say seat 1/100 times, I say leg 99/100 times.”

57. “Oxer to oxer, they can’t build that anymore. *Meow* They can’t build triple, oxer, vertical because they got soft.”

58. “Stick! Stick! Stick! Ah, that’s what I want! A reaction!”

59. “I don’t like Pelham effects because they overflex the horse.”

60. “I did not have aptitude, but I worked at it. I concentrated and worked at it, and was sharper than my friends. Concentration and work ethic.”

62. “Never lose calm, never exhibit temper.

Calm, forward, straight.”

63. “Do you have to go to the Dr.? No? Then shut up and go again!”

61. “When I stop talking, you stop talking.”

“

“Firstly people, the horse has to go forward and listen to driving aids.

Leg, cluck, spur, whip – that is the progression of intensity of driving aids.

OTH PRODUCTS

BUTET’S PRACTICE SADDLE It has been a great honour for Butet to have an ambassador such as George Morris for so many years. Both Butet and George share the same ideal of a job well done; perfection!

T

he Butet saddles are well known all around the world for their high quality of craftsmanship, their comfort, and for their performance at high level competition.

Our saddles have been made in Saumur, France, for over 30 years. From the very beginning, we vowed to use only the best leather and the most precise hand-made workmanship.

While moving forward towards more innovative ways, we always keep in sight our philosophy of classical riding.

Our offering and promise to the equestrian community has been to provide them with custom saddles made especially for the receiving rider and equine partner pair. We take pride in respecting the need and expectations of both clients; human and horse!

Six years ago, we introduced the Practice Saddle. The main characteristic of the product is the absence of any flap, allowing for a close feel and a natural balance. Not surprisingly, George was particularly interested and inquisitive about the new product!

The Practice Saddle is a complete pedagogic (teaching) tool which allows riders from all levels to work on their position and their balance both safely and comfortably. It is the only 34 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

saddle available on the market that allows you to do so without loosing the sensation and feel from the horse under you. Horses are particularly at ease wearing the equipment as it has zero restriction for the shoulders, and is extremely lightweight.

We are delighted to have George’s endorsement towards the product as he strongly believes in the benefit of it in all learning environments!

Be like George and give the Practice Saddle a try! You can contact our Canadian distributor to set-up an appointment, or to request more information.

Butet Saddles Canada (alan.lelouedec@butet.fr) will be happy to organise trial sessions for individuals or groups. The trial of the Practice saddle does not require a minimum riding level!

BUTET SADDLES CANADA ALAN LE LOUEDEC alan.lelouedec@butet.fr 203 940 3460 www.butet.fr

OTH PRODUCTS

PROTECT YOUR HORSE’S LARGEST ORGAN with VetCur’s Cur1 Spray

T

he largest organ of a horse is their skin, which provides a protective barrier against the environment. Therefore, protection and care is of vital importance for your horse’s quality of life!

Cur1 is a complete product for skin care that can be used as an intensive therapy for specific issues, or every day as preventative protection. Cur1 can be used from ear to hoof in order to obtain a shiny coat and healthy skin, hair, and hooves!

Uses for Cur1 Spray for horses; • Can be applied topically to the infected area for reduction of inflammation and infection for Mud Fever, Rain Rot, and Sweet Itch. (Note: chronic injury of the skin weakens the immune system and natural microorganisms are able to invade the tissue. To strengthen the immune system, it is useful to supplement the feed with a combination of DiVet and ImVet - 15ml of each for horses, and 7.5ml for ponies.)

• Can be used for hoof problems such as hoof rot, dry or weak hooves, thrush, and white line disease.

• Can be used topically for yeast infections, fur mites, and mange.

• Can be used topically for sarcoids and melanomas ( To help strengthen the immune system it is also useful to supplement the feed with 10 Good Reasons, Nut Power and The Red - 30ml each in the morning and The Green - 30ml in the evening. Ponies would be 15ml of each.) * Can be used under the blanket throughout the winter to help maintain a shiny, healthy coat, and to prevent blanket rubs!

Since Cur1 for horses consists of both vegetable and essential oils in an aqueous solution, the product will split into two phases when idle. To activate Cur1, the bottle needs to be shaken thoroughly before use, thus creating an emulsion. This emulsion increases the surface area of the essential oils which allows the product to spray evenly and more efficiently on the horse’s large surface area! Due to its disinfectant essential oil agents, Cur1 also has a disinfectant effect on the skin surface and helps to provide an invisible shield against natural skin tormentors. All while nurturing your horse’s skin and hooves!

CONTACT US TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW VETCUR CAN HELP YOUR BEST FRIEND, AND LET THE HEALING BEGIN… 36 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

OTH SERVICES

McKee-Pownall EQUINE SERVICES

In order to ensure the best year round care for our patients McKee-Pownall Equine Services is pleased to announce that we will be in Wellington, Florida during the Winter Equestrian Festival to serve our clients and other Canadian equestrians again this winter. We will be providing 24/7 coverage during WEF from January to April to ensure our patients receive the excellent veterinary care they are accustomed to.

Dr. Kathryn Surasky will be leading the McKee-Pownall team in Wellington and will be joined by Dr. Meghan Waller and Dr. Andrea Dubé-Collum.

Dr. Surasky is a 2007 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. After vet school Kathryn completed an internship in Wisconsin before joining the McKee-Pownall team in 2008. She continues to maintain a strong interest in lameness and sport horse medicine and is certified in VSMT. Dr. Waller graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College and completed an internship at an elite Sporthorse practice in Connecticut. Upon completion of her internship she worked at an equine practice in Southwestern Ontario prior to joining the McKeePownall team. Dr. Waller has a strong interest in lameness and sport horse medicine and is certified in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture.

Dr. Andrea Dubé-Collum is a 2007 graduate of Atlantic Veterinary College in P.E.I. After interning at New England Equine, she remained as an associate for 4 ½ years, working both in the hospital and on the road. From there, she returned briefly to the Maritimes where she enjoyed the company of cows and draft horses.

Subsequently, Andrea moved to New York and practiced at Mid-Hudson Veterinary Practice in Carmel before joining the MPES team in 2015.

38 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

Equine Services Equine Veterinarians

Serving You & Your Equine Partner • 24/7 Emergency Care • Farm Visits • Lameness Exams • Pre-Purchase Exams • Dentistry • MRI • Acupuncture and Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy Campbellville/Caledon (866) 856-3260 Newmarket (855) 898-0370

info@mpequine.com • www.mpequine.com

OTH GIFT GUIDE

GIFT GUIDE Last minute gift ideas for your equestrian friends!

Photo by Dustin Rabin

CABELLARO FLY BONNET The only hard part about ordering a custom fly bonnet from Cabellaro is choosing from their extensive selection of colours and customization options! Cabellaro bonnets are 100% Canadian handmade with mercerized cotton for both longevity and economy.

Prices start at $50/$55/$60 for ponies/horses/oversize, and include a base colour in any style (square, round, V), unlimited number of trim rows, custom stretch ears, and scallops if you please! If you would like to further customize your bonnet, you can upgrade to additional colours of trim, piping, rhinestones, pearls, crystals, embroidery, and logos! Contact Cabellaro Fly Bonnets today to order the perfect Christmas present for the Equestrian in your life! $50 starting price | cabellaro.com

HOLIDAY ENJOY YUMS A Little bit of “JOY” in every bag!

Enjoy Yums are a tasty treat that you can feel good about feeding your horse every day! Inspired and developed by Veterinarians with your horse’s health and well-being in mind, Enjoy Yums are made with only human grade ingredients, contain no sugar, and are sweetened with fruits and veggies! They are safe for all animals to eat, and loved by picky eaters!

Available at Bahr’s Saddlery and other fine tack and feed stores in Canada. Distributed in Canada by Canpro Horse Equipment Ltd. $11.95 prices may vary | canpro-horseequipment.com

OTH GIFT GUIDE

GRAMMA’S LITTLE HELPER Working around horses and riding is very physically demanding, causing a variety of aches and pains that we Equestrians know all too well! Gramma’s Little Helper is the perfect Christmas gift for barn staff, farm owners, trainers, friends, or even yourself!! Their aromatherapy wraps are 100% all natural, and help to treat your source of pain using both heat and healing herbs. They can also be put in the freezer and used cold for minor bumps, bruises, swelling, etc. The packs form fit to your body, and have a very long life span of 2-3 years, or approximately 1000 heatings! Available in assorted colours and patterns! Order the perfect Equestrian Christmas gift now. $10 starting price | grammaslittlehelper.myshopify.com

EQUICUBE Treat a friend to something that will benefit both rider AND horse this Christmas!

There is nothing more important to your horse than how you communicate through your aids, especially your seat, when you ride. The Equicube is a unique tool developed for riders that helps them to identify and strengthen the correct muscles for balance and core stabilization! You will instantly become aware of your posture and balance so that you can begin to create muscle memory for more effective riding!

Your horse will thank you! $79.00 usd | equicube.net

42 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

THE PUP & PONY TAG CO. Rustic Glam – that is the style of The Pup & Pony Tag Co! Tags and jewelry are hand stamped for a rustic feel, and the crystal and bling is obviously the glam! If you are looking for custom collars, browbands, pet tags, charms, and jewelry with an equestrian feel for the horse lover on your list, then look no further! All products are handcrafted with love, and are designed with safety in mind for both you and your horses/pets! Everything we make can be completely customized to match your wants and needs! Contact us today in order to find the perfect handmade gift for the horse/animal lover in your life! $15 starting price | pupandponytagco.com

SEEHORSE Want to give the gift of “seeing” your horse in a different way this year? SeeHorse is a revolutionary equine monitoring device that allows you to have an in depth look and analysis of your horse’s health, fitness and well-being.

When worn on a horse, SeeHorse measures and scans vital signs and movement in real time, and records and logs historical data, all of which can be viewed through the SeeHorse app on a smart phone or tablet. Seeing isn’t believing.. it’s knowing.

SeeHorse let’s you know! seehorse.ca

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 43

OTH PRODUCTS

LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON? Heres a few gift ideas from Noble Outfitters™ !

The Signature Collection Bags are as durable as they are stylish where elegance and class come together. Featuring high-end touches anyone will appreciate, including Havana brown full grain leather handles and brass hardware. The collection includes the classically built Boot Bag, made to keep your boots in great shape during storage and transport. The Duffle Bag and Garment Bag are the perfect bags for traveling across the country or to your local show. These specially designed bags provide ample storage to keep your competition clothing in impeccable condition. Purchase of any of these bags comes with a Bonus customizable brass name plate and free Travel Kit.

The Premier Fleece Jacket keeps you warm without the bulk. Soft microfiber stretch fleece allows for freedom of movement, while keeping its stylish fit.

Detailed with soft, lined front hand warmer pockets, that are a particularly nice nesting place for your hands on a brisk day. Designed with a dropped back hem to keep away any cold drafts on the back and a smooth exterior sleek finish to complete a stylish look. Wear with your choice of any Noble Outfitters vest, for an optimum layering system or just a great look.

The Noble Outfitters Helmet Bag is made to keep your helmet show ready! This fully padded 600-denier durable water resistant canvas bag, includes multiple internal pockets for additional organization, a flip out mirror and a zippered venting system option for great air flow.

This bag is the perfect gift this season. Plus, you get to personalize your bag with a FREE Discipline Patch that comes with your purchase as a mail-in rebate.

Find a dealer near you at www.BigD.ca 44 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

OTH PRODUCTS

The Benefits of Slow Feeding Hay with

The Original NIBBLENET ® “Horses are most content when they can nibble almost all the time.”

A

horse’s relatively small stomach and digestive system are designed to be continuously eating; “grazing” small bites of grass between 18-20 hours a day. When feeding horses a few flakes of hay at a time in their stall, they will eat large mouthfuls at a time, and many are finished their “daily recommended intake” within only a couple of hours.

I’m sure we all know a “hoover” that can consume this amount in just minutes!

Slow feeding is not just for the “hoovers” and those who get fat on air - it has a multitude of benefits for all horses, and is recommended by many veterinarians. A horse’s digestive system is designed to secrete stomach acid on a continuous basis, this means that when they are spending long hours between meals on an empty stomach, they are more susceptible to ulcers and other digestive issues. Slow feeding can help to eliminate these issues by ensuring the horse constantly has food in their stomach!

Slow feeding can also help eliminate stall vices caused by boredom as the horse will spend more time eating and chewing their forage.

Don’t forget the added benefit of time and mon-

ey saved mucking stalls that no longer have hay trampled into the bedding!

The Original NIBBLENET® is easy to fill and extremely safe and durable! The NIBBLENET® can also be used to soak hay as the bottom is woven with netting to allow water to drain. The back fabric is a 22 ounce heavy duty vinyl, made to be outside in the harsh Canadian elements. It has superior tear, puncture, and abrasion resistance. It has excellent UV and weather protection and is rated to -40 degrees. The heavy duty poly 1” webbing grid is commercially glued and stitched for the ultimate strength, openings are available in 1.25”/1.50”/2” sized squares depending on how aggressive of an eater your horse is, and how slowly you want them to eat!

There are two main sizes the NIBBLENET® is available in. We think The NIBBLENET® Standard is the perfect size, and it can hold 15-18 pounds of hay. The NIBBLENET® Picnic holds 1-3 pounds of hay and is great for ponies! Available in Black, Blue, Green, and Red! There are many other styles available, contact us to find what you are looking for!

To order, please contact Professional Edge Equine 519-652-2789 | info@professionaledgeequine.com | www.nibblenet.ca 46 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

THE NIBBLENET ®

The Original NibbleNet NOT SOL D IN CATA LOGS Healthy and Safe Slow-Feeding System These are excellent for horses and feed related health issues like laminitis and obesity. Perfect for horses that don’t have a lot of turn out time like show and race horses. Ideal for travelling and trailering. The quality of construction and heavy duty outdoor materials make THE NIBBLENET ® far superior to similar bags on the market. We are so confident in the quality of this hay bag that we offer a limited warranty against defects in materials or workmanship.

“Horses are designed to eat constantly and they produce stomach acid constantly. Because hay and saliva together are alkaline, they counteract the stomach acid. Horses are most content when they can nibble almost all the time.”

NIBBLENET.CA

OTH VET

KEEPING YOUR HORSE’S JOINTS HEALTHY PART II of III

BY DR. DIETER OBERBICHLER, DVM www.oberbichler-equine.ca BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE… Last time I explained basic joint anatomy and function, as well as why in my opinion, taking care of your horse’s joints is so important. If you are in it for the long run, see it as an investment in your horse’s future.

Without break to rest and recover, training fatigue and overtraining can lead to reduced performance and an increased risk of injury.

SO HOW CAN YOU BEST KEEP YOUR HORSE’S JOINTS HEALTHY? I finished Part 1 with the importance of properly warming up the horse before any high speed or high impact exercise is started. This is probably one of the most important factors – and that is why I will mention it again.

The ligaments, tendons, and joints need to be “prepared” for exercise. The cartilage inside the joint needs to absorb water in order to achieve its maximum elastic and lubricating properties, this process takes about 15-20 minutes.

SO BACK TO MY TAG LINE “BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE…”!

This Sunday morning infomercial quote is used repeatedly when it comes to selling stuff to people that they don’t truly need! What has that got to do with my horse? We are going to talk about joint supplements next, that’s why.

The Supplement and Nutraceutical industry is a rapidly growing multi-million-dollar business in the human, canine, and equine world. It is predicted to be worth more than 250 billion dollars by 2018 for the human market alone.

This industry is full of pretty labels, and promises of “clinically proven” efficacy. The term “nutraceutical” implies that there is a similarity to a “pharmaceutical”, but there is NOT.

Provide your horse with the best possible foot care and shoeing to ensure your horse has a “balanced foot”. Schedule shoeing at regular intervals as instructed by your vet/farrier, typically every 4-6 weeks.

In contrast to the pharmaceutical market, where a substance or drug is tested and must follow a process of approval and clinical trials to be sold to the public - none of this is necessary in the world of supplements.

Footing is also a major factor to consider. Many horses don’t really get a break after the busy summer show season. With frozen ground or footing, there is a diminished shock absorption that puts increased stress on the joint cartilage and subchondral bone.

Furthermore, all pharmaceuticals must follow a stringent quality control program to make sure that you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, the nutraceutical market is highly unregulated, and manufacturers are free to put any claims on their labels. There is no accountabil-

50 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

ity regarding the actual content of active ingredients or quality control. So, buyer beware! It does not hurt to be critical, carefully read labels, compare ingredients, and look for some background information about the company.

Look for labels that say “GMP”, which stands for “good manufacturing practice”. It is a self-

imposed industry quality control standard.

Having said all that - supplements have their place as part of your horse’s nutrition, and there are several active ingredients with enough research behind them to justify their use.

THE MOST COMMON INGREDIENTS USED IN JOINT SUPPLEMENTS ARE: SUBSTANCE

RESEARCHED FOR EQUINES

DAILY DOSE

Glucosamine

Yes

5.4g - 18g

MSM

Yes

9g - 10mg

Chondroitin Sulfate

Yes

1.8g - 6g

Ginger Devil’s Claw

Some (Mostly Human) Some

2.8g - 5g

Yucca

No

100mg - 10g

Hyaluronic Acid

Yes

20mg - 300mg

ASU

Yes

1g - 6g

Omega-3

Yes

7.5g - 19g

Cetyl Myristate

Yes

5g - 7.5g

Part of the research done on joint supplements must be considered quite “weak”, that means, some studies showed only marginal improvements in tested parameters, or the test parameters did not really simulate real life situations.

One study from 2009 by Gupta et.al considered the effect of Glucosamine and Chondroitin compared to a form of type-II collagen, and found that the collagen supplement was actually more beneficial. On the other hand, Forsyth and his group of researchers showed that a combined glucosamine, chondroitin supplement increased stride length in veteran horses after 8 weeks.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is widely used either in the joint or as systemic IV injections, and we have solid evidence that it is beneficial in the fight against osteoarthritis. However, studies performed on the efficacy of HA fed orally tend to be indecisive. For example, one study con-

cluded that 100mg per day for 30 days had beneficial effects. While another study conducted at the University of Barcelona, published in 2009, did not find any significance after 60 days of feeding 250 mg HA. These results suggest that, while feeding HA will do no harm to your horse, it just might not be that effective, especially when looking at the costs of some supplements.

I do recommend oral joint supplements frequently because I think they have a place in maintaining joint health and function, but I also tell owners it is not a treatment per se, it is a support tool. The individual response to certain products may vary, and many of these supplements need to be given long term in order to see any benefits.

SO, WHAT IS MY BOTTOM LINE? Be critical; do your homework; don’t believe in the “cure all”, and talk to your vet about it!

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 51

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MAD BARN™

N

utrition is the cornerstone to equine health, well-being, and optimal performance. A single nutrient in deficit or excess can lead to reduced performance and possibly disease. To complicate the issue further, the digestive system and symbiotic microflora (microbiome) must be kept in optimal balance to ensure the assimilation of nutrients occurs and proper immune function is maintained. The microbiome consists of the trillions of cells co-inhabiting your horse’s body and gut and they are integral to your horse’s health and well-being. In fact, the microbiome influences genetic expression, immune function, brain development, mental health, memory, and the risk of numerous chronic and acute diseases, to name but a few.

Confinement in stalls, lack of grazing time or inadequate forage access, grain based diets, training, trailering can all stress the equine digestive system and microbiome leading to minor digestive upsets, ulcers and even colic.

The myriad of influence the microbiome has on the horse highlights the importance of nourishing it as well as the horse. Mad Barn’s expertise in gut health will ensure your horses digestive system stays in optimal condition.

Proven solutions for proven results.

Minerals and vitamins are crucial to your horse’s health; they are involved in virtually every metabolic process. They are critically important to the ultimate health and performance of your horse.

The hay you feed does contain many of the minerals required by the horse, but certainly not all of them and often not in the correct balance or 52 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

sufficient quantity. The process of curing and storing hay destroys most the vitamins that were present in the fresh standing forage, therefore, it is necessary to supplement these.

At Mad Barn we specialize in nutrition and in particular meeting your horse’s mineral and vitamin needs. Based on an extensive forage library, a mineral and vitamin product was developed to balance most feeding situations.

Omneity – Equine Mineral and Vitamin, available in granular or pellet, contains all the minerals and vitamins required to balance most feeding situations. It contains: an array of antioxidants to neutralize free radicals caused by exercise, stress and inflammation; biotin levels that have been clinically proven to improve hoof quality; 100% organic trace minerals for superior bioavailability and less interference with other dietary components and improved enzyme function; a complex of digestive enzymes that improve prececal digestion of starch, protein and minerals; specific strain of live yeast that has been shown to improve hindgut pH and reduce the incidence of digestive upset and increase nutrient absorption.

All this without added sugars or fillers!

If the Omneity formulation does not adequately balance your equine companion’s needs, we are here to help. Mad Barn offers complete custom formulation of mineral and vitamin solutions for your individual feeding situation.

Whether you have one horse or one hundred, we can accommodate your individual needs.

Contact us at www.madbarn.com

VISCERAL+

CLINICALLY PROVEN FORMULA FOR GASTRIC ULCERS

Health and wellness start in the gut and Visceral+ maintains gut health, improves condition and health and is competition safe!

BEFORE

AFTER Endoscopic evaluation of Standardbred before treatment with Visceral+ and again after 60 days of 80 grams per day of Visceral+.

madbarn.com

OTH PRODUCTS

The Aging Horse and How Recovery® EQ Can Help 15% of the North American horse population has surpassed the age of 20 years. Many of these horses are still actively employed in sporting events and breeding. Today, it’s not uncommon for horses and ponies to live well into their late 20s and even 30s!

In general, the first year of a horse’s life is equal to 10 human years. Following this, each horse year is equal to two human years. Thus an 8 to 10 year old horse is like a 30-year-old person; a 20-year-old horse is like a 50-year-old person, and a 30-year-old horse is like a 70-year-old person.

Genetic factors, lifestyle and previous trauma are all contributors in the rate and extent that a horse ages. Understanding the changes taking place in their horse’s body and how best to deal with them will help owners ensure their horses continue to enjoy life well into old age. Whether or not a horse remains active and productive in its latter years is dependent to a large degree on its lifestyle and management.

The average horse will begin to show signs of aging by 16-18 years of age. The aging process affects each horse differently and is influenced by the previously mentioned factors and conditions.

SIGNS OF AGING IN HORSES INCLUDE: • Deepening hollows over the eyes • Sway back posture • Drooping of the lower lip • Rough, dry, dull hair coat • Greying hair around the eyes and muzzle • Pot belly

• • • • •

Diminishment of muscle tone Reduced appetite Elongation of incisor teeth Low sloping pasterns due to reduced strength in ligaments and tendons Stiffness of movement

An aging horse may also experience changes in vision, dental problems, musculoskeletal changes, cardiovascular changes, gastrointestinal changes, as well as urinary/kidney changes.

HOW CAN RECOVERY EQ HELP? Recovery®EQ with Nutricol®, is an elite proprietary performance and wellness supplement for horses that enhances quality of life. Recovery®EQ improves healing by increasing circulation of nutrients to affected cells and extracellular structures, halting tissue damage and decreasing inflammation. It may be used on its own or in combination with prescribed medications.

Ask your veterinarian how Recovery®EQ can help your horse. www.recoveryeq.com 54 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

Beyond

Pain Relief

“Best Overall” “…best performer overall… for the tough case not responding to other products… you get what you pay for.”

“It is so important to me that my horses are happy and healthy.

I have trusted Purica’s Recovery EQ for many years to keep my horses moving freely!”

– Jonathan Field

Horsemanship, Inspired by Horses®

To find out more about RECOVERY, visit www.RecoveryEQ.com or call toll free 1.866.334.2463 PHOTO OF JONATHAN FIELD BY ROBIN DUNCAN

OTH SERVICES

WAIVERS

THE MISUNDERSTOOD RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL BFL CANADA AT THIS TIME OF YEAR WE MOVE INTO THE SEASON WHERE EQUESTRIANS START THINKING ABOUT THE OFFICE WORK THEY MAY HAVE NEGLECTED THROUGH THE BUSY SUMMER RIDING SEASON! FOR EQUESTRIAN CLUBS, COACHES AND FACILITY OWNERS, WAIVERS ARE AMONG ONE OF THE MANY ITEMS OF CONCERN TO ADDRESS. DO ALL RIDERS AND PARTICIPANTS NEED TO SIGN A WAIVER? WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN MY WAIVER? While your insurance broker is here to guide you through the risk management process it is important to understand that your lawyer is your best resource for legal advice. From a risk management perspective there are two important things to understand about waivers that are commonly misconceived. Waivers are not meaningless! The intent of a waiver is to be able to provide documented proof that a participant has acknowledged the risk associated with that activity, for example climbing on the back of a 1200lb animal. A signed waiver can be used as supporting documentation in a Court of Law to help prove that the participant knew that there was risk of injury.

The second item that is important to understand is that waivers do not prevent someone from pursuing legal action against you. It is commonly misconceived that if someone has signed a waiver, insurance is not necessary. You cannot sign yourself out of your own negligence. If someone is injured and feels that you are responsible for their injuries, they have right to pursue legal action against you. This however does not mean that the waiver can’t be used to help defend you in providing evidence that the participant understood the danger involved in the activity.

Finally it is recommended that you have your clients sign updated waivers each year. The key to a good waiver is to consult a legal professional to ensure it adequately covers the scope of your activities whether you are boarding, coaching, running horse shows or riding camps as legal counsel might have slightly different recommendations for each activity.

EQUINE@BFLCANADA.CA | 1 800 668 5901 56 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

WE INSURE MORE THAN JUST HORSES! BFL CANADA offers outstanding products for: • Farms • Farriers

• Coaches • Grooms

• Clubs • Veterinarians

• Horse trailers • Competitions

Follow our Facebook page at BFL CANADA Equine equine@bflcanada.ca | 1 800 668-5901

 bflcanada.ca

BFL CANADA is a registered trade-mark of First Lion Holdings Inc. used under license by its subsidiaries, which include BFL CANADA Risk and Insurance Inc., Financial Services Firm, BFL CANADA Risk and Insurance Services Inc., BFL CANADA Insurance Services Inc. and BFL CANADA Consulting Services Inc.

OTH PRODUCTS

SEEHORSE WEARABLE DEVICE WHY EVERY BARN NEEDS AT LEAST ONE! The SeeHorse device is capable of monitoring your horse’s temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, movement, and activity levels. The device even has the ability to remotely set alerts for minimum/maximum values for temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and distance travelled; as well as vital sign and foaling alerts! With so many potential uses and applications, every barn needs at least one device! Here are just a few examples of how you can use a SeeHorse device for your horse!

MONITORING HORSES THAT ARE ILL Every barn owner has experienced staying up all night to monitor a sick horse, taking temperatures and other vital signs. Temperature is often the first indicator of illness or infection, and not every horse is tolerant of having their temperature taken frequently when they are not feeling well. The SeeHorse device makes it possible to continuously measure a horse’s temperature non-invasively by monitoring the horse’s radiant heat, even while they are moving. The device is also able to continuously monitor heart rate and respiratory rates which can again be very useful in the case of an illness such as colic.

TAKE THE GUESSING OUT OF BLANKETING Do you ever wish you could just ask your horse if they are too warm, or too cold? This may come as an interesting use for a wearable monitor, but using a SeeHorse device under a horse’s rug can let you know just that. Since

the device works off the temperature of the horse’s radiant body heat, the device and app work together and alert you when your horse starts to overheat.

MONITORING BROODMARES DURING FOALING SEASON Anyone who has been involved with breeding knows all too well the countless all-nighters spent sleeping in the barn or watching cameras just waiting for the mare to decide it’s finally time to foal. With a SeeHorse device, you can set a foaling alarm that will notify the care team when the horse has a downward trend in temperature, and then goes down and on its side. This means you might just be able to get a little bit of shut eye while waiting for your precious delivery!

For more information on potential uses and applications for the SeeHorse wearable device, contact us at info@seehorse.ca or seehorse.ca.

OTH DRESSAGE

Karen and Natilla.

LESSONS RE-LEARNED The Pitfall of Wanting to be Nice K AREN ROHLF cre ator of dres s age n at ur a l ly

60 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

MAINTAINING SELF-AWARENESS These truths are not new to me. I know these things ... And if I had perfect self-awareness, I would get them right 100% of the time. Yet, I have learned that it is most difficult to keep self-awareness of this with my own personal horses. I can fall into the same common trap that I see with my students: • Making special agreements with my horses • Little boundaries get crossed because ‘it’s cute’ or ‘it’s harmless’ • ‘I don’t feel like working on that today’, or • ‘It doesn’t really matter”

After teaching and training other people so much, sometimes I just want to go out and ride ... not always train. But oh, Karen, Karen, Karen ... Don’t you remember that you are always training? Sigh.

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION The analogy that the foundation of your horse is like the foundation of a house is true, but only to a point.

Yes, the better you build your foundation the first time, the better everything is that you build on top of it.

Yes, if your foundation is crooked, or there is a piece missing, everything you build on top of it will be trying to fall apart and bracing will be ‘required’.

But the analogy falls apart in that with the foundation for a house, chances are that unless you live over a sinkhole, or a fault line, once you build the foundation correctly and strongly, it will stay there. However, with horses, things are constantly evolving. Every day is a new day.

WHAT IS ‘BEING NICE’?

Since I am a person more inclined to not want to ruffle feathers, or argue, I sometimes find myself wanting to go out and just have a ‘nice easy time with my horse’. But I have learned that saying these words can be predictors of a ride that ends up as exactly the opposite. I have also learned that sometimes in my effort to ‘be nice’ (what on earth does that mean to a horse?!), I end up not being as particular about things, especially on the ground. However “Movement is not necessarily progress”, and I realized that just being or moving around with my horse, without being particular, was actually making things worse.

I am pretty darn particular about some things, but not so much with some other things with

my own horses. In many moments I was merely moving around with my horses ... And my horses learned exactly what I taught them.

I was creating horses who were responsive sometimes, but not at other times. This was not my intention, but it was the result of my patterns with them.

Because everything is connected, relaxing my standard on the ground taught my horses they could ignore me at times. And so, the rides that I wanted to be ‘nice and easy’ sometimes ended up being negotiations for leadership, or confusion.

This is the classic problem of the horseman who wants to be ‘nice’.

I have seen this dynamic very frequently. ‘Nice’ people often sacrifice effectiveness and end up being not so nice because of it. The horse is left desensitized or anxious and confused; and the human loses confidence. Probably, the next day is worse, and the cycle continues.

Or maybe the person knows they don’t want to leave things not working, but they have to get frustrated and ‘angry’ before they finally get effective. Then they feel bad. They brew and stew all night, re-winding the tape in their head, obsessing over how they could have done it differently. Then the next day, the horse is better and part of them is happy, but secretly they still feel bad because they don’t want it to work that way. They don’t want the horse to be better the next day if they lost their cool the day before.

In reality, what happened is the human was not so clear and didn’t get the result they really wanted. Then finally they get clear, and even though it was out of frustration, the horse thinks: “FINALLY... Now I know what you want, why didn’t you just tell me that in the first place?!’” Yes, folks, this happens to me, too.

What is really going on here? Is the answer then to get angry? Definitely not! The answer NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 61

is to have the confidence, the inner strength of intention, the matter-of-fact attitude of clarity and leadership, every day, without going through frustration and loss of patience.

CONSISTENCY Nothing is nicer than the consistency of clear communication, from the beginning.

The successful, productive way to have a ‘nice easy’ time with your horse is to keep your standard high, but ask for easy things. Taking it easy does not mean accepting that they only do a small degree of what you are asking. Taking it easy means they give you 100% of what you are asking, but you choose to only ask for something small. When the easy things get easier, the more difficult things get easier too.

A RECIPE FOR HAVING A NICE TIME WITH YOUR HORSE: • Know what you are expecting of the horse.

• Learn/understand the exercise.

• Become clear on the visualization of the outcome you want.

• Be aware of your body-language / com-

•

munication.

Practice with focus so you and your horse gain the mental and physical coordination.

UNDERSTAND THE EXERCISE In observing students, I found the first step where things often went off during lessons/ clinics was in the understanding of the exercise. There were widely varying methods of paying attention to learning the exercise. If you don’t already know the exercise it is worth it to STOP - LISTEN - and POSITION yourself where you can hear what is being said and see what is being done!

Ask questions before attempting it. Take a moment to observe it being done before attempting. This is where you also need to form a picture in your mind about what success will look like. You need to find a picture of the final version and what the steps and stages along the way will look like. If you are sure about this you will be more confident to correct when you are heading away from your goal and you will be more confident to praise and reward when you are taking even a small step towards your goal.

Karen and Hot Shot.

You will have a better chance of being clear, and so a better chance of being ‘nice’!

EVERY MOMENT COUNTS Have a vision of clear, consistent leadership in all the moments - even the seemingly unimportant moments.

• The moments just walking from here to there.

• The moments where I didn’t feel like training, when I just wanted to be there with my horse.

So the lesson I re-learned for the millionth time is that to be with horses in the way I want to be with horses, I always need to be like a horse in that I am always aware of the dynamic of the herd. It is the constant affirming of who gets to eat first and who gets to move whose feet that keeps the dynamic of the herd healthy and normal day to day. Including this herd of two: Me and my horse.

Every now and then refresh your picture of leadership for your horse and realize where your communication is slipping. Be clear, firm, fair and consistent. Be aware of your timing because the moment you need to act is NOW and it slips away quickly. When you get clarity, understanding and effort it will feel nice, and I think your horse will agree!

The challenge is to remember that every moment with your horse can be that important. It may not be a matter of life and death for you and your familiar quiet horse, but in a way, maybe it is. A life with a partner, in the presence of a great leader vs. a life with confusion and nagging seems like a pretty important choice to make, and we need to make it every day, in every moment.

Not all movement is progress. But in all movement there is an opportunity for progress, and if you’re not progressing, you’re going backwards. The nicest thing you can do for your horse is to be clear and consistent!

REGISTER AT DRESSAGE.ONTHEHORSE.COM

Karen Rohlf, creator of Dressage Naturally, is an internationally recognized clinician who is changing the equestrian educational paradigm. Karen is well known for her student-empowering approach to teaching and her ability to connect with a wide range of horses. She believes in getting to the heart of our mental, emotional, and physical partnership with our horses by bringing together the best of the worlds of dressage and partnership-based training. For more

I also had the opportunity to observe a friend and foundational specialist: Glenn Stewart (www.thehorseranch.com) with some abandoned horses. He was generous enough to help out a local horse rescue that had a few horses that couldn’t be caught and they needed to be relocated. To observe his leadership and communication with these horses was incredibly inspiring. They went from shaking and running in fear - to being caught, haltered, trimmed, and loaded quietly on a trailer. Every moment counted and it literally saved these horse’s lives.

information on Dressage Naturally and online virtual courses, please visit www.dressagenaturally.net Karen and Hot Shot!

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 63

OTH HOROSCOPE

PERSONALITY PROFILE FOR THE SAGITTARIUS HORSE (November 23 – December 21)

Susan had no sooner taken the first sip of her morning coffee when the phone rang: “Hi, this is George from the barn. I thought I’d better let you know that your horse Mac is on the loose again! He’s like Houdini, that boy!”

George had changed the type of bolt on Mac’s stall door for the third time - and Mac had still figured out how to open it again.

“He’s running around the property visiting with everyone he can find,” George said: “Can you come and catch him? I don’t know how we are going to keep him confined to a stall”.

Susan slipped on her jacket, grabbed her coffee and headed off down to the barn, thinking they were quite lucky he was fenced into their property because he would rather be off discovering the whole wide world if he could.

She knew exactly how this was going to go.

The last time he’d gotten out, he’d teased her for almost an hour, letting her think he was going to let Susan halter him - until she got within a few feet, at which point he’d spin and trot farther up the hill. It was all part of the freedom game, he’d eventually let her halter him and head back to the barn, but not before he’d 64 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

squeezed out every last drop of fun from the adventure.

Have you ever known of a situation and a horse like this? Well, if you have, you probably were looking at a Sagittarius Sun sign horse born November 23rd through December 21st.

They are notorious for figuring out how to get free from any kind of small confinement. Their motto is similar to New Hampshire’s: “Live Free or Die”.

Sagittarius horses are warm, friendly, gregarious, and just need to be busy. Sagittarius is a fire sign, and is mutable: meaning their energy is here, there and everywhere, and with plenty to spare.

“

Sagittarius is a fire sign, and is mutable: meaning their energy is here, there and everywhere, and with plenty to spare.

They are the adventurers, the explorers, the pioneers. You must give them plenty of space in a large pasture and be sure to take them on frequent long trail rides in new places. They get bored easily and want life to be filled with new and exciting activities all the time. It keeps their lively minds engaged. If you can’t (or don’t want to) provide that, then you are better off giving or selling the horse to someone who will, otherwise neither they, nor you, will be happy.

These Sagittarius horses are not escaping to cause trouble, they just can’t help themselves. It’s the way they are. They’re smart and playful. Getting loose is half the fun. If you do manage to find a lock they can’t open, they can become very depressed if left confined. They’re the first offenders when it comes to turning boredom into bad habits like cribbing, chewing wood, pawing, weaving, tail rubbing or some other undesirable action. By the way, if your Sagittarius horse is getting loose frequently, it’s a clear indication that you’re not riding them enough.

With that thought in mind you can also figure out that the disciplined training required for show riding will not bring them joy either. Maybe show jumping if the patterns are changed often enough, but even then it won’t be different enough to hold their interest for long. Your best bet is the trail. They make fantastic trail horses because they are fearless and spirited. You’re not going to catch them hurrying back to the barn, like other more home-body horses. They hunger for exploring new horizons. Sagittarius horses also travel well - once they know getting into the trailer means they will see new territory they will happily trot in.

Sagittarius horses stay young-looking and healthy well into their senior years. However, forcing them into confinement and boredom with limited amounts of freedom and fun can bring on problems with the hips, flanks and stifles since these are the areas of the body ruled by Sagittarius sign.

It should be clear by now that if you are the adventurous type yourself, and plan to get out often finding new places to explore, this is your horse. However, if this is not the case, it is time to start looking for a horse whose temperament is suited for whatever it is that you plan to do and find a new and appropriate home for the “Mac” in your life.

To find out more about how to get your own horse’s chart done and your compatibility with it, go to equineastrology.com or email samantha@equiserene.com.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 65

OTH HOROSCOPE

The Twelve HORSE PERSONALITIES THE ARIES HORSE March 21 – April 20 “I Am”

THE CANCER HORSE June 21 – July 20 “I Feel”

The Aries horse is a leader, and headstrong.

So give it its head, and explore together at the front of group. Attempting to force it to the back of the line will end up in a battle.

Lots of energy and is not comfortable with confinement.

These are the protectors of those around them – whether that’s the herd, or you. They also need to feel safe in their environment. Give them a great little place of their own to call home. Nuture them with love and they will nuture you back.

THE TAURUS HORSE April 21 – May 20 “I Have”

THE LEO HORSE July 20 – August 20 “I Will”

We can call this horse our rock. It is solid, stable and trustworthy. It can be stubborn, but easily bribed with sweets and scratches. It might seem a little slow to catch on at times and not happy with change. Status quo – stready as she goes.

This is the horse who likes to strut its stuff!

Bring out the camera, put it in front of a crowd, definitively applaud it, and its performance will improve. Great show horses, they love a parade and will appreciate wearing showy gear.

THE GEMINI HORSE May 21 – June 20 “I Think” These horses can be the smartest in the herd.

They are quick, agile and versatile. They need to be kept busy or boredom quickly leads to bad habits. Give them lots of variety and teach them something new as often as you can.

66 | ON THE HORSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16

THE VIRGO HORSE August 21 – September 20 “I Analyze” These horses are generally a little high strung, may have fine lines, and a very sensitive digestive system. Watch their diet carefully, and keep a look out for ulcers. Good at learning detailed routines, and most really enjoy grooming.

THE LIBRA HORSE September 21 – October 20 “I Balance”

THE CAPRICORN HORSE December 21 – January 20 “I Use”

These horses generally get along with everyone, horse or human. They are not usually the fighters in the group because they prefer peace and harmony. They definitely are not happy when they are alone. They also like to look good!

This is another sound, consistent, reliable type. Not flashy, but you can count on them.

They like to have a job, and love to be shown respect. They can have long periods of disciplined activities, and don’t mind being alone.

THE SCORPIO HORSE October 21 – November 20 “I Create” This one may give you a run for your money if you choose to try and overpower it. Best approach is mutual respect, mutual contribution, compassion and consideration. Empower them and they will empower you.

THE SAGITTARIUS HORSE November 21 – December 20 “I Perceive” Keep these guys in a pasture, as stalls will drive them crazy unless there is an open door at all times. Freedom and adventure are what makes them happy. Routines or ring confinement will dull their spirit.

THE AQUARIUS HORSE January 21 – February 20 “I Know” This is another “Don’t confine me!” character.

Independence is its keyword, and walking a different path is its way. To teach this one you will need to use innovative and unusual methods. Put your thinking cap on!

THE PISCES HORSE February 21 – March 20 “I Believe” Horses born under this sign are the most sensitive and make great healers. They seem to read us easily with their keen intuitive abilities. Not the kind of horse you want to shout at or use harsh training methods. Kindness will get you everything you want.

To find out more about how to get your own horse’s chart done and your compatibility with it, go to equineastrology.com or email samantha@equiserene.com.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ‘16 ON THE HORSE | 67

OTH PUZZLES

ON THE HORSE Crossword DESIGNED BY SAMANTHA FAWCETT

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ACROSS 1. A series of poles or very low jumps used to train horses.

5. Two jumps placed with no stride in between 6. Long muscles of the horse’s back 7. Hay bag used for slow feeding: Nibble _____ 8. In this issue, editor Samantha wrote a review on this Horseware blanket brand!

10. Stick used to encourage the horse while riding 14. Rider of 16 down 15. Type of hay bale 17. Short form for having a vet look at a horse for sale 18. Where the 2016 Olympics were held 19. You may hear these on a sleigh horse 21. Very traditional style of bedding 22. Type of wood shaving/pellet bedding

DOWN 2. Horse who won individual gold in dressage Rio 2016 3. Multiple flying changes in a row 4. This rider won the FEI Longines World Cup class at The Royal for the 4th year in a row!

5. Riders hope to develop this between themselves and their horses.

6. Word used to describe an unsound horse 9. Poles and fences set at a specified distance apart in a line to help improve a horse’s agility and ability to judge distances.

11. Movement performed in dressage when a horse pivots around on it’s hind legs 12. Smaller then a horse 13. Intact male horse 16. This horse won the 2016 Greenhawk Canadian Show Jumping Championship at The Royal!

17. Movement performed in dressage when a horse trots on the spot 20. A meal horses might be fed to supplement grass/hay

*Some exceptions will apply. Exceptions include Charles Owen, GPA, Passier saddles, Blundstone, Horseware, Tailored Sportsman, Albion, Used Saddles, Custom Orders, Repairs, Embroidery, Engraving, and Clearance items. Discounts are not applicable to previously purchased items.

NOVEMBER ‘15 ON THE HORSE | 69

BRUNO DELGRANGE & ERIC LAMAZE, ONE STEP CLOSER TO PERFECT RIDING*

MODÈLE ATHÉNA

* U N PA S D E P L U S V E R S U N E É Q U I TAT I O N PA R FA I T E .

JACQUES FERLAND 514.912.7976 jacques@delgrangesaddles.com

WENDY GOOD 416.574.8709 wendy@delgrangesaddles.com