March 2016 The Standardbred Connection

Celebrating the Versatile Standardbred

Award Winners from New Zealand to Maine

One Hot Pepper!

Trail Challenges Carrot or Stick?

The Standardbred Connection March 2016 Edition Taking a Gamble On Jose Jalapeno

by Amanda Preston

Page 3

New Zealand HOY Under Saddle Winners

Page 6

If Only I Could Influence People Like I Train Horses

by Nancy Furbee

Page 8

Racking Horse Breeders of America Association’s Speed Racking High Point Champion

Page 10

Mid-Atlantic Awards

Page 11

New England Award Winners

Page 12

Friends & Survivors

By Karen Holland

Page 14

Full Circle

Page 17

Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) Gaited Distance Award Winner

Page 17

National Standardbred Horse Show Awards

Page 19

My Jettaway West

by Michelle Aschim

Page 20

HOY New Zealand In-Hand Champions

Page 24

Trail Challenge

by Jane Lutz

Page 26

Cover Photo: Lella Montgomery and Double The Dragon, 2015 SPHO-NJ Three Gait Pleasure Horse Division Champion (photo by Vicki Wright) Questions, comments or story ideas? Contact Kathleen Haak at STBConnection@Gmail.com

Taking a Gamble On Jose Jalapeno

by Amanda Preston

F

ive years ago, in Canada, lived a different kind of woman. This woman loved a different kind of horse. A horse with heart and mind; a horse most others said was “useless” beyond racing.

“Jugheads” they were called. This woman knew better. She went looking for a young horse.

A horse with mind and heart who wanted to be something different. One day, a call came in that a 2-year-old colt was available. He was as black as the day was long, no white on him at all save a band of letters and numbers on his neck. The woman decided yes, she would go meet this young horse.

A tall, black colt stood with his nose in the back corner of his stall. “This is Jack, Vegas Black Jack. He won’t pace so he’s not going to race.” The man pulled the colt from his stall and put him in cross ties.

The woman stepped up to the horse to let him smell her hand. She pulled a treat from her pocket and offered it to the horse.

“He’s never had that fancy stuff,” said the man. ”Probably won’t know what to do with it.”

He had already learned “smile”; now she challenged him to learn to pick up his feet with a light tap from the whip. With praise and a treat for his effort, soon he was lifting his feet high with a flick of her hand in the air. A wooden box was brought in and Jose learned that “heaven” was on the top of that box; if he stood his front feet there, he would have no other demands made of him and he would be fed treats. It quickly became his favorite place.

The lessons got tougher from there. One day, the woman took his foot up with a rope and asked him to move backwards. This was difficult. It was hard to go anywhere in that position but down. Eventually, that’s exactly where Jose Jalapeno ended up, laying down on the ground. She praised him, petted him, gave him treats and told him how proud she was of him, because it was a really difficult lesson. After discovering what she wanted, he understood and trusted the woman to lay him down time and time again. He even learned to lay right out on his side in the most vulnerable position for a horse. She stayed with him. He was safe.

Soon after, Jose Jalapeno was put into a horse trailer and taken to different barns where people The horse took the treat. would watch him go through all of these behavShe handed him another, this time asking him iors with the woman. Sometimes the arenas were to reach for it, ever so slightly with his upper lip scary and he had to go through dark barns that – the beginning of a smile. He followed the treat made noise. Sometimes there was seating for and raised his upper lip. He was suspicious – this people that made a lot of noise that echoed. He was very different from what normally happened in stayed with the woman. She told him what she cross ties – but he was interested. Both ears were needed him to do and he took confidence from her direction. forward, both eyes alert.

The woman looked at the horse, then at the man.

“He doesn’t want to be a race horse.” The woman stated. “He wants to be a movie star!”

With that, an arrangement was made. “Jack” was sold to the woman for $400 and renamed “Jose Jalapeno”.

After a time, Jose Jalapeno was started under saddle. The woman was elated by how smart he was. He learned lateral movements immediately and did not have a spooky bone in his body. The woman had worked on training tricks with some young horses before, and thought this horse might be a quick learner.

A summer later, they ended up at a big outdoor facility. There were huge fancy trailers in the parking lot and 5 barns full of black horses that looked very much like him! Each horse had a person and they all dressed the same in red jackets and widebrimmed hats. “RCMP” was emblazoned on their blankets. They rode together in a big group with long spears with flags on the ends in one hand, reins in the other. It was a very impressive sight.

The woman took Jose Jalapeno into the chainedoff arena between two sets of risers where more than 1100 people sat! How exciting! A friend of the woman’s started speaking over a microphone.

She talked about this “Standardbred” horse and how he would not run right for racing but he was

hoses. It’s all very exciting. The woman comes to see him and takes care of him. She takes him out to ride in one of the big, open fields sometimes.

Other times they work inside the arena. Once in a while, several men in green camouflage will stand around and watch Jose Jalapeno perform his routine of tricks. They all come to pet him and give him treats when he’s done. These are favorite times.

Sometimes the woman brings her small human with her. Jose Jalapeno and the small human are one week apart in age. The small human will lead him into the barn. She will ride him sometimes although she is not yet brave. She loves to make him smile and stand on his box. He loves her attention so he does what she asks. One day, Jose Jalapeno will belong to the small human, when she is big enough to saddle his near 16.3 hh stature.

It is safe to say, he will continue to share his many gifts with anyone who is fortunate enough to meet him. He consistently hears the word “Standardbred” said with surprise. He doesn’t know why.

He just knows how to try, and try very hard. Jose very good at tricks. Jose reared high, he stood on knows that many of his brothers and sisters and his box, he laid down and the woman crawled all cousins have found new homes after the racetrack over him, he smiled and the crowd cheered. When after people have met him. Showing the world the woman waved at the crowd, Jose waived too. what special horses they are is what Jose JalapeThe crowd waved back! All of the people with the no and his woman try their best to do! black horses and red jackets thought Jose was Photo: Cam McGregor very impressive – they were right, of course!

The following summer, one of those riders with the wide-brimmed hats and red jackets came to borrow him. She took him to a different kind of place.

A field with lots of trucks, some horses, some trailers with all sorts of things on them. There was plenty of activity and colour. She saddled him up with the same RCMP mark on the saddle pad and rode him with another black horse and rider in red jacket through the streets of town in line with all of the trailers. He felt very proud.

Jose Jalapeno currently lives at a place where often very large helicopters fly low, or large, tracked vehicles, that make the ground rumble, drive by.

Across the road from his pasture, a building is often set on fire and big red trucks with loud sirens drive about and pour streams of water from their

New Zealand’s pre

Horse of the

Standardb Under

emier equestrian event

e Year Show

bred Winners r Saddle

Ridden Standardbred of the Year Bronze Jay ridden by Chanelle Dickie Runner Up Gotham Bromac with Claire Madden (right) HOY Photos provided by Christina Bird Photography

If Only I Could Influence People Like I Can

Train

H

ow many times have you wished that dealing with two-legged human beings was as easy as working with your four-legged equine companions?

How many times did you wonder how so many people issues crept into your perfectly planned horse world? How many times did you wish you could just walk away from a disagreement with a feisty 150-pound human to deal with an easy-to-handle 1,500-pound equine?

That many times? Sigh. Me, too!

Before you become too frustrated with your dream career in the horse industry, let’s see if we can give some thought to dealing with humans in a carefully crafted training program. In reality, relationships with horses and humans can be harmonious and rewarding. Let’s see if we can get our human-to-human interactions to the same end goal!

Approach with a carrot, not a whip When you meet new horses, you take a moment to size them up, right? By jumping right in, you risk a bite, a kick, some pinned ears, or a wary glance.

When you take a moment to assess the personality of the horse in front of you, you wisely start your relationship off on the right foot.

The same can be said for your relationships with your human-to-human interactions. Take a moment to sit and categorize your relationships. Do

Horses!

By Nancy Furbee you work with staff at your training farm? Do you have a local kid come in to muck out stalls? Are you on a board for an equine organization? Are you a member of your local riding/driving club? Do you go on group trail rides? Are you responsible for fund-raising for an equine rescue? Do you interact with other humans daily/weekly?

Answering yes to just one of these questions puts you in a leadership role, whether you want to admit it or not! Take a moment to think about your personality, your communication style, your relationships. Jot down a few notes on how you view yourself; then, jot down a few additional notes on how others see you. Be honest with this second part!

A great way to start taking your style seriously is by taking a personality assessment. Take an honest look at your core personality and what really makes you tick. Start by Googling some online personality assessments, like DiSC™, Myers Briggs™, Predictive Index™, and many others.

Find one that appeals to you, take the time to go through the assessment, and spend quality time with the results.

Personally, I am a fan of the DiSC™ personality assessment. It is simple: you will find you are either a D - Dominant, i – influence, S – Steadiness, or C – Conscientousness. Once you have your results, you will have a better understanding of why you SUCCEED in certain relationships and why you AVOID or DISLIKE other relationships.

To take this step to the next level, I encourage you to sit down with a trusted advisor. This person needs to be someone who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth. If you think about horse people, you can make the assumption that many of us have a strong dose of D – Dominant in our personalities.

After all, we are willing to get on top of, or right behind, a 1,500-plus-pound creature with a mind of its own! You may need to find an advisor outside of the horse world; perhaps a family member, a mentor, a coach, or a dear friend.

If you think about it, many horse people have STRONG personalities. In certain situations, this trait may significantly change the way they interact with other human beings. Let’s move on and talk about using the best human-oriented training aids.

Be clear with your aids – and provide feedback at all turns Now that you know that taking a step back to assess yourself and the human across the fenceline, let’s talk about using your quieter aids to encourage them to move forward.

When you are interacting with an equine, you know it is important to be very clear in the aids you use.

If inside-leg or outside-rein means one thing on a Tuesday, you don’t mix it up and make it mean something else on Wednesday, right? You know it is important to be clear and concise. Again, that 1,500-plus-pound equine has a mind of its own.

If you really want a physical fight, don’t you think you have the losing hand when it comes to sheer muscle?

Taking the time to learn how to build a community will help you move your agenda forward within your chosen profession. We all know you get more flies with honey – or horse manure! Take the time to figure out how you can best deliver honey to the human beings in your circle of influence – you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly you reap the benefits.

One quick tip – use the 90/10% rule: in every interaction, practice listening 90% of the time and talk only 10% of the time. If you hear yourself talking, stop and ask a leading question of the person standing across from you. Many of my coaching clients report that they are surprised at how powerful they have become by just shutting their mouths and listening.

Take strides to meet them in the middle Think about it. When dealing with humans in the horse world, you are often dealing with people as strong as you, as passionate as you, as opinionated as you, and as committed as you. If you choose to pick a fight, the two of you will find yourself in the middle of the ring struggling to be right. Have you ever stopped to consider there may not be a right side at all, merely two opinions or perspectives?

Taking an honest step backward to understand someone else’s opinions, motivations, history, and other unique characteristics can prove to be one of the best uses of your time. Though YOU may think the situation clearly requires ABC, taking a moment to listen to the XYZ side of things may help you slow down and calm down. Once you do Taking the time to be clear with your aids helps start to listen – I mean REALLY LISTEN – you may a horse understand exactly what you are asking. find that the two of you are really fighting the same The same is true with humans. If you take the fight. Take a breath, swallow your pride, and work time to learn about your personality type/style, towards consensus. you should then learn about your employees, your board members, your trainers, your funders, and If you go back to the idea of speaking with a trustother people you interact with in a leadership role. ed advisor (see earlier paragraph), you can ask You may need help performing this task and you for some real-time feedback. Your trusted advisor may need to invest in some education for you and can tell you how you handled a board meeting, your team; do know that this investment can come a funding request, a please-use-one-bag-of-sawback to you tenfold. dust-per-stall request, and other interactions. It is crucial to get feedback on your leadership style.

If the feedback leaves you wondering if you can

improve, do some Googling to find a coach – not a life coach, but a corporate/executive coach. You are in the horse business and you should afford yourself the support your counterparts get in other parts of the business world.

So many things to consider! I know it can seem daunting at times. But, I promise you this – every moment you spend thinking about your personality style, listening to others, giving clear direction, and meeting others in the middle, is a moment which will come back to you in many fresh and rewarding ways. Take the time to become the type of person you have always admired in your mentors and coaches – you won’t be disappointed!

Many thanks to Nancy Furbee, Leadership De- If you have questions for Nancy you can velopment and Executive Coach at Furbee and reach her at Nancy@FurbeeConsulting.com.

Associates for writing the second article in our series that focuses on helping equine groups use their resources effectively.

Photo: Nancy Furbee and Fat Daddy

Congratulations to Stroker’s Scooten Bay B who earned the 2015 Racking Horse Breeders of America Association’s Speed Racking High Point Championship.

The 2009 mare is owned by Kari Kirby She is a 2009 home grown Standardbred registered with the Racking Horse Breeders Association of America (RHBAA).

Overall High Point Horse Heavymetalthunder

Reserve Senior Green Horse JB

Green Horse Reserve Champion Double The Dragon

Jumper Division Winner Styled N Misty

In Harness Division Reserve Champion Big Bikkies

Green Horse Champion Valiant Legacy

Hunter Pace Award Winner Independent Act

Demo/Expo/Parade Division Reserve Champion Osborne’s Shy Cam Hunter Division Reserve Champion Slip N Slide

General Division Champion WV Mountain Momma

Dressage Champion Treacherous Cat

New England Standardbred Awards

2015 Winners Showmanship: Champion- Wendy Flowers

Trail: Champion – Sweet McGregor

In Hand: Champion – Bruizer’s Lil Star Reserve – Panzo Two

Jr. Exhibitor: Champion – Jenna Labarge

2-Gait: Champion – CC Bagaluck Reserve – Panzo two 3-Gait: Champion – Gone to Carolina Reserve – Bruizer’s Lil Star Equitation: Champion – Katie Flaherty Reserve – Wendy Flowers Driving: Champion – Panzo Two Reserve – CC Bagaluck Dressage/Training: Champion – Bruizer’s Lil Star’ Dressage/1st Level: Reserve – Gone to Carolina Run the Gamut: Champion – Gone to Carolina Reserve – Panzo Two

Sr. Exhibitor: Champion – Wendy Flowers Reserve – Katie Flaherty Green Horse: Champion – Simon Watson Reserve – DA’s Bad Boy War Horse: Champion – CC Bagaluck Reserve – DA’s Bad Boy Demo Horse: Champion – CC Bagaluck Reserve – Panzo Two Senior Horse: Champion – CC Bagaluck Reserve – Panzo Two Overall High Point Horse: Champion – CC Bagaluck Reserve- Panzo Two

Photos going clockwise: Kathleen Harvey and Bruizer’s Lil Star; Ann Pool and Sweet MacGregor; Katie Flaherty and CC Bagaluck; Wendy Flowers and Panzo Two; Jenna LeBarge and Simon Watson

Friends & Survivors

S

By Karen Holland

aturday, June 20, 2015 dawned rainy. In fact, it had been raining pretty steadily for three weeks. My friend, Robin and I were looking forward to meeting up with our friend BJ, who was coming up from Florida. Robin and I were going to meet her at a riding stable in southeastern Indiana. My friends and I have been riding for years and own our own horses. Robin and her Standardbred, Aussie, and me and my American Saddlebred, Charlie, trail ride together frequently. BJ has a Morgan, Ellie, that she trail rides as well.

We were actually excited about crossing something a little deeper and figured it couldn’t be too dangerous if a bunch of inexperienced riders could do it. Unfortunately, when we saw the river the first time we realized that this was something more than we anticipated. The water was moving so quickly that it made me dizzy and I had to look away so I wouldn’t fall off my horse. We were all relieved when we made it across.

We made it to the stable just when it stopped raining, signed our releases and got our horses. The first thing to do was to brave the first river crossing in order to get to the trails. The water was up to the horses bellies which was deeper than any water crossing any of us had ever done before. Our idea of crossing water was shallow creek crossings.

They were too dangerous. If three experienced riders had second thoughts, why were 35 inexperienced Girl Scouts doing riding these trails? The trails involved steep ravines and were dangerously uneven, rocky, muddy and slick. Some of the worst trails I’ve ever seen or ridden. There were several times where Robin, BJ and I stopped and looked

Our guide was a guy named Jerry, a very nice fellow but with very little riding experience. Jerry informed us as we were riding along that he went Robin had called several times over the week to out to the stable 3 or 4 weeks earlier and enjoyed confirm the riding conditions. That morning she himself so much that he told the owner that he was told the trails were a little muddy and the river would come out and repair things for ride time. So was fine and that there were 35 girl scouts riding Jerry showed up every weekend. The trails that that day. So we took the chance and drove to Indi- Jerry took us on were treacherous. At this point ana. After 3 hours of driving in the rain and detours we felt we were stuck. I’m not sure how my friends involving washed out roads and construction we felt but I quit enjoying our ride at this point. No one should have been riding those trails. finally made it to our destination.

at one another and shook our heads. At one point there was a particularly steep ravine where we decided it was much too treacherous and BJ actually said as much to our guide but Jerry and his horse just went ahead and our trusty steeds followed along. Robin, BJ and Jerry’s mounts calmly descended and ascended the ravine. My horse, Buddy decided to charge up the ravine. It was a horribly rough almost vertical ride up the side of that ravine and I was hitting the saddle hard with every stride. I consider myself a fairly good rider and I was surprised that I didn’t bite the mud during that ascent or blow out my back since I ride with a back brace because of a previous back surgery.

Further down the trail, Jerry’s horse got hung up in a vine and had to be cut out. When Jerry went to remount his horse, Big John took off and left him on foot. At that point Jerry decided that we needed to go back across the river so he could get another horse and then we could cross back over and finish our ride. Getting back to the river was a challenge in itself. Most of the trail bordered on the edge of various water channels and only had a narrow path along the edge. Those horses must have been half mule.

I was already in water up to my hips just four or five feet from the entrance, in the same place just a couple hours earlier that was only fetlock deep.

At this point, I decided it wasn’t a good idea to cross and I was going to turn my horse around and go back when Buddy lost his footing and started swimming. I had to trust my horse since he knew the river better than I and so I prepared myself for a swim. However, I didn’t realize I would be making that swim alone without my trusty steed.

Buddy knew there was a high place in the riverbed and went for it. He gathered himself and leaped Up to this point it had been rough ride but we had for the high spot, his body coming out of the water no idea what awaited us at the river. When we fi- to the middle of his belly. I gave him all the help nally made it back to the river we discovered it was I could but when he jumped out of the water the a different river than the one we crossed earlier. current swept him under. The only thing I could do We were at the same crossing we came across was let go and kick free as Buddy went totally unthe first time but it was much, much deeper and der and did not resurface for 300­-400 yards downmuch, much faster. Flooded and fast, none of us stream. At that time, I realized that I was on my wanted to cross the river. We were told it was the own in a swift current in deep water. Unknown to only way back to the barn and we had to cross it. me at this time during my struggles, Robin was unSince Jerry didn’t have a horse and couldn’t cross horsed too and was struggling for her life as well. it we had to do it without him. At this point we were all wondering why the owner of the stable hadn’t Without my horse I was frightened as I’m not a built a bridge across the river if it had a tenden- strong swimmer but fortunately, I’m the type of cy to flood which obviously it did because of the person who can adapt to a situation and started steepness of the banks. swimming. I swam on my back because I didn’t want to ingest any of that nasty, muddy brown waBJ decided to go first followed by me and then ter. I also started yelling for help. BJ had screamed Robin. BJ made it about half way across before when horse went down and since the barn was her horse lost his footing and she started strug- just over the hill it could easily be mistaken for joygling. She ended up getting dumped in a shallow- ous shouting. Therefore, I took to screaming for er area of the river and her horse struggled with help with every stroke I took. Robin was strangely the current before he ended up back on our side of silent. the river. While BJ was struggling with her problem

At one point during my struggle to make the bank, I looked back over my shoulder and it was still so very far away. It seemed so futile and it would have been so easy to give up but just as suddenly as I was dumped into the water my resolve surfaced and I remember telling myself that I was NOT going to die that day. I continued swimming. After what seemed like forever I made it to the bank which was at least eight feet vertically above me and after being pushed further downstream grabbing at grass and weeds until I could grab a tree root which I clung to with everything that I had left.

That’s when I realized that Robin was missing and started shouting for her. Eventually, to my relief she answered. She was just a bit further downstream.

During this whole ordeal our guide stood on the bank and watched it unfold before him. My friends and I can only feel blessed that we were given this large and brave, albeit inexperienced, rider as our guide. His inexperience as a rider is what in the end saved us because he didn’t have his own horse to cross the river with us. If he would have had his own horse he would have been swept away as well. Jerry eased himself into the cold river and by going hand over hand from tree root to tree root along the river bank he came to me. I was scared and shaking when he told me he was going to boost me up the side of the bank and then I was to climb up the side by the exposed tree roots.

I told him that I was too tired and couldn’t do it.

He said I had no choice as it was the only way I was going to get out. So I caught my breath, got a boost and climbed out among the tree roots and thistle bushes to safety. Then Jerry went along the river bank further down and did the same for Robin. Meanwhile across the river, BJ was being rescued by some teenage girls and taken to safety.

After my relief of seeing one of my dearest friends, Robin was safe we realized the ordeal wasn’t over yet. We still had to make it across the river to get to the barn. The teenage girls who were the normal guides for the stable were hollering across the river saying they were going to swim some horses across and bring us back. Thankfully, the horses were smarter than the girls and refused to cross the river. At this point I lost my patience and in more than a few choice words told them to get a

boat or call the fire department. The owner of the stable was mysteriously absent during all of this.

Eventually, it came down that there was another way around the river. We had to slog through flooded corn fields but were able to make it to a service road where a truck was waiting for us to take us back to the stable. A service road that was neglected to even be mentioned to our guide, who was as surprised as we were to hear about it.

We returned from our escapade to discover that they were no longer sending horses across the river and were keeping horses and riders on the trails on the same side as the stable. It does make me wonder, if they knew the river was flooded and were keeping riders on the safe side of the river.

Why wasn’t someone posted to look out for us and tell us to take a different route instead of trying to cross? The only one who knew of a second route around the river was the proprietor of the stable because the teenage girls were just as stunned at the news as we were.

Looking back, I don’t think any of us wanted to admit to the others that we weren’t enjoying this ride and wanted to be done with it. We spoke about it afterwards and we realized this as well as, none of us wanted to take the fun from the others away.

However, none of us were having fun. We felt that someone was watching over us when we were sent inexperienced but good hearted Jerry as a tour guide. None of the teenage girls would have been able to do what he did. We feel blessed. As it was we lost 2 cell phones and 3 cameras to the river and were grateful to come out with our lives.

U

nited States Trotting Association members with an online services account can now enroll horses in the Full Circle Program via their account.

There is no need to fill out or mail forms, enrollment can take place on any device that connects with online services.

Full Circle is the USTA’s free program to record the contact information for any person interested in being reached if an enrolled horse needs help in the future. The person need not be a former owner or trainer; they can have any connection or no direct connection to a horse.

By enrolling the horse in Full Circle, they agree to be contacted by the horse’s owner or someone who knows of the horse’s need for assistance.

There is no cost and no obligation to act in the event they are contacted.

To enroll a horse via USTA Online Services, log in to your online account; if you’re new to Online Services, click the “First time user” link at the bottom of the login box to create a new account.

Once you’ve enrolled horses in Full Circle, the Full Circle icon will appear next to the enrolled horse’s name in Pathway within two days to indicate the horse is enrolled in Full Circle.

Those who want to enroll a horse without using Online Services can download a paper form and mail it in to the USTA or fax it. For questions, e-mail fullcircle@ustrotting.com or call Ellen Harvey at 732.780.3700.

Congratulations to Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) Gaited Distance Program 2015 Champion Endurance Division

East Meets West and Patricia Clark

Once you’re logged in, click “Horse,” then “Full Circle.” Enter the horse’s name or registration number, then click the blue Search button.

When the screen returns detailed information on the horse you want to enroll, hit the “select” button to the right of the horse’s listing to confirm this is the correct horse.

To add additional horses, click the red “Add Horse” button to add to your Full Circle list. To complete the Full Circle enrollment process, click the blue Checkout button.

A receipt for the Full Circle enrollment will be e-mailed to you and you can check to see what horses you’ve enrolled in Full Circle at any time by going to your USTA My Account area and checking in the My Horses in the lower left, under Full Circle.

East Meets West tackles Bobcat Rock at Million Pines.

Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

2015 National Standardbred Horse Show High Point Awards The Niatross Memorial In Hand Award

Investor

Julie Allison

The Back On Track High Point Rookie Horse Award

Mighty Young Joe

Stacy Chiodo

The Hogan Equine LLC High Point Green Horse Award

Valiant Legacy

Rob Pennington

The Arden Homestead High Point Novice Horse Award

Seize The Day

Sandra Wiggins

The SBOA of NJ High Point Senior Horse Award

Heavymetalthunder

Laura Harbour

The Merrylegs Memorial High Point Hunter Award

Heavymetalthunder

Laura Harbour

The Valley Victoria Versatility Award

Heavymetalthunder

Laura Harbour

The SPHO-NJ High Point Junior Exhibitor Award

Molly Goldberg

The Taurmade Memorial Award

Treacherous Cat

Kelly Marshall

The Valley High Stable Outstanding Sportsmanship Award Kelly Marshall and Amanda Lee Keynton

My Jettaway West

by Michelle Aschim

I

was a horse crazy lady with no pony to call my own, up until about 2003. I rode whenever opportunity presented itself, which might be two to three times a year. It was at this time when my eldest daughter was invited with her cub pack to a leader’s farm to allow the cubs some horse experience. Dean and Lori McLean bred a few Standardbred mares to produce potential harness racers. They also owned Standardbreds for riding horses and here is exactly where my passion for the breed initiates. As a friendship grew between the McLean’s and me, they invited me to come ride with them. I was often loaned a large dark bay (she looked black to me) mare named Reta. She had her moments as mares do. She tested me, but I too am admittedly quite stubborn

(as I am told some women are), and rarely gave ground. As the McLeans work full time jobs and had a farm to keep on top of that, they had more horses than they could ride, and I was offered Reta to ride as often as I wished. I went out frequently through the summer of 2004. At this point I would consider my riding ability to be advanced green, but I could tack up a horse and not allow her to get the better of me should she decide she had other ideas.

After a year or so, I started to really yearn to have my own horse, with encouragement from Lori. The internet had not yet caught on and I had to rely on newspaper ads and postings at the UFA. Lori was gracious enough to accompany me to assure, first

of all that I didn’t buy the first horse I laid eyes on, but more importantly to assure I didn’t get a bad deal, but also to haul purchased horse as I didn’t own my own truck and trailer. We went around to a few listings on whatever dates we could arrange. I seemed to be favouring Paints and Quarter horses at this time. Eventually for $2,000 dollars, I purchased an incredible specimen of a horse, a QH gelding named “Oni”. I have since learned “Oni” is a Japanese word for demon. To be clear, this animal was a performance horse. He could turn on a dime and give you change. I admit that at the time, I was not sure exactly what I wanted out of a horse, but to make a long story short, Oni was too much for me. Three months later, and after having my confidence shaken by nearly putting me through a fence or two, Lori and my husband convinced me to call the seller to take him back.

He agreed, as he was in the business of buying and selling horses, preferring his sales were a good match. He asked me to look around to see if there was anything else I was interested in. Lori and I looked around, and we spotted this dark little mare. Lori said, “Ask about her – she looks like a Standardbred.”

due to a bowed tendon during training in her second year. I have never bred her, and I have only contemplated the thought a handful of times. Common sense has prevailed on all accounts.

For the first couple of years I had Jetta, it was mostly just building my skills as a rider, and learning to communicate my intentions to a 900+ lb animal. The first year we spent going on ditch rides, I learned what a pace under saddle felt like. What speed! What a thrill!!! Jetta always seemed to be rather pleased with herself every time we went for a spurt down the side of the highway. I had to keep an eye on her previously bowed left front.

Many of my rides were also in teaching Jetta to be a saddle horse. Her previous owners had given her some initial under saddle work and mountain riding, and she was a good mount in that regard.

However, I was also informed that she was ridden with blinkers. So when we encountered game birds in the ditches, I learned to have a glue seat when she pulled quick lateral movements. She had spook! She was also quite timid of rocks, bags and anything with shape. I decided to teach her that nothing was to be afraid of if I was with her, and over time, I removed her spook. Despite The seller visibly winced when we asked about her. her spook, she was amazing to ride, and quite “Are you sure you want to look at her?? That’s confident in the mountains. a Standardbred. I was going to ship her off with the others that aren’t sellable.” She was brought into the arena and turned loose. I recall losing my breath. She was beautiful. She reminded me of Reta…the same dark bay, but she had a star, and those white socks. She carried herself through the arena with her neck arched, tail high and full of spirit. The seller tacked her up, and showed she was ride-able, and Lori got on to test her; to assure I would be able to manage her. Then I got on her. I have never looked back. The QH had shaken my confidence somewhat, but I knew this was my horse. Now, I am not saying that Jetta and I have not had our share of disagreements, but I did know this was the horse capable to teaching me how to become a better equestrian.

A New Partnership I have owned Jetta for almost 11 years now. Jettaway West, freeze brand VW450, is 17 this year.

I joke that she is my “VW Jetta”. She never raced

As all good things come to an end, Lori and Dean eventually had to sell that farm, and I needed to relocate Jetta. We moved to a facility which also bred, raised and trained Standardbreds for racing. They even had a track. It was about this time when I became involved with the Performance Standardbreds, the pleasure Standardbred division of Alberta Standardbred Horse Association, and I met Kathy Sunberg. I do not recall specifically what event, but I know it has been a part of my life and activities for the past 9 years.

We moved again in 2008. The new farm was near Langdon (Canada) and had an indoor arena where they cattle penned! There was always something going on. Jetta and I were taught by the willing hands of Bernice Miller how to collect, which aided Jetta to canter around the cattle and to manoeuvre around barrels for the East Gate Gymkhanas. (Jetta still struggles with quick lead changes when pole pending). Despite Larry David’s less than positive opinion of Standardbreds in general, I believe he developed a soft spot for Jetta and the two other Standies he had on the property who all showed exceptional levels of willingness. My own horsemanship skills improved remarkably in the company of such varied opinions.

By this time, my youngest daughter had developed some horse skills herself, and acquiring a second Standardbred was a logical choice. With two horses we clocked around 100 riding hours each that sumer. That winter, we competed in the team penning and cattle sorting. We also participated in Stampede for booth duty. Jetta tried booth duty but was too excited to settle down in the barns; she was reminded of her training days at Stampede Park and wanted to race on the track. In the fall of 2009, the four of us also participated in the breed demo at Spruce Meadows.

Performance Standardbreds Under Kathy Sunberg’s guidance, Meghan and I learned some valuable techniques on retraining off the track Standardbreds to new careers.

Some of these techniques I use on Jetta. The lease ran out on the farm and they were unable to renew so I moved Jetta to her current home, just

East of Lyalta. My first year there, we enjoyed the incredible fall field rides with the coyotes, deer and birds. This past year has been our busiest ever since I reacquired a truck and a trailer. We travelled to the new Century Downs Racetrack and Casino to be a part of post parades. In August this year, Jetta and I participated in the first Pace under Saddle race in Alberta. It was something I have dreamed about ever since Jetta first paced for me. We placed dead last, as the speed was significantly faster than I thought it would be, but it was still incredible!

Jetta also had a busy year training and competing in gymkhanas. It paid off. We competed in four dates this past summer, and earned two high point awards. The Performance Standardbreds, who tracked points of their members competing in gymkhanas, awarded one. I felt very proud of my mare upon receiving this news. I cannot express the pride I felt upon receiving the news of the second high point award, from the gymkhana club that we competed with in the Jack Benny division.

This past spring, we attended an introductory Competitive Trail Rider event. It’s something I might still consider, as Jetta seems as eager as ever.

I have also taken her through homemade “cowboy challenges”. There are a couple of items I cannot convince her are completely safe (i.e. a cardboard box on a windy day defeats her sanity!).

The point I’m trying to make is that through the many barns I have stayed at, I have met many breeds and many people. We all believe our own horse is the best in the world. So I get to say that about my beautiful mare. Jetta is an amazing horse and Standardbreds in general are an amazing breed. Their willingness and versatility is unsurpassed by any other breed I’ve encountered. We do not intend to compete in the Pace under Saddle again, but Post Parades, Gymkhanas, Booth Duty at Stampede, maybe Competitive Trail, and if opportunity presents, we will cattle pen again. We might even try a parade or two. Watch for us – my VWJetta and me!

Photos provided by author.

New Zealand’s premi

Horse of the

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In-hand Standardbred of the Year - Change of Pace shown by Amanda Burton Runner up - Final Mission presented by Nigel Heron (right)

ier equestrian event

e Year Show

red Winners Hand

Best Presented Combination: Major Ouch, Claire Madden Junior Filly 5 years and under: Beautiful Dangerous, Nicole Givan Intermediate Gelding, 6-11 years: Change of Pace, Amanda Burton Senior Gelding: 12 years and over: Final Mission, Nigel Heron Best Movement: Santo, Mandy Hamilton Best Manners: Major Ouch, Claire Madden Showmanship: O’Sheas, Zoe Cobb

by Jane Lutz

A

re you looking to spice up your trail riding? Want to show off your solid trail buddy’s fantastic skills on the trail?

Then you may be interested in a growing new sport that has the goal of rewarding our trusted trail partners. The majority of off track Standardbreds and the Standardbred in general are noted for their sensible natures and desire to go “down the road”, which translates into solid trail mounts. These traits can easily transition into this new sport that falls under the general term of “Trail Horse Competitions”. This not your typical breed association trail class, but, depending upon the competition, can include a several mile trail with natural obstacles, to arenas full of obstacles from water hazards, to a “car wash”, bridges, and so much more. These competitions are not just a lot of fun, but can keep a horse fresh and stimulated by learning new obstacles. Your only limit is that of your imagination (or Pinterest).

One of the more popular layouts is the trail ride that incorporates natural obstacles. The average competition is an average of 6-8 miles of trails with 6 to 8 natural obstacles. The average ride has an assigned judge for each obstacle and you are encouraged to ride in a group, and when you come upon a judged obstacle, you take the challenge one at a time and when your group has finished, you leave as a group to the next obstacle. The judged trail part of the event is usually in the mornings, there are no minimum nor maximum times, there is usually a lunch included before awards and points are handed out. The obstacles are normally obstacles you would encounter on a typical trail ride such as crossing logs and streams, mounting and dismounting, mail boxes, gates, backing an L,

and more. Some organizations of these “competitive trail rides” offer divisions so that the advanced horse and rider can have more challenging obstacles such as mock gunfire, bicycles, a stuffed animal on a rope to mimic an animal crossing the trail, putting on a rain slicker, and more. These events are meant to be fun, and to build not just new skills with your horse, but to allow you to network with other riders.

The arena obstacles courses are becoming incredibly popular as you do not require miles of trails, riders can compete on more than one horse, and the logistics of needing so many judges. The obstacles are only limited by imagination and many of these obstacles are incredibly challenging. The arena obstacles courses normally have 8-16 obstacles with 2-4 judges. You ride alone in the arena course, and the obstacles can be more challenging and not as natural and inviting as seen on the trail. These obstacles can include gates, backing an L, a board on a barrel pin wheel, water hazards, tarps, and a lot of the dreaded “pool noodle” obstacles. Some of the more fun obstacles include a squirt gun to knock down ping pong balls, jumps, the horse picking up a dropped hat, and the horse moving a barrel with it’s chest.

The newest competitive trail horse competition is an “Extreme Cowboy” trail, which is based not only on judged criteria, but also speed. These are normally held in arenas and is based more on the ranch horse. These events have obstacles that can vary from sorting cows, bridges, dragging a tarp or heavy object, shooting balloons, rope a cow, tunnels, and more ranch type of obstacles.

These events are drawing nice and sometimes boisterous crowds as they cheer on the horse and rider.

The best part of these Trail Competitions is that you can start with the horse and tack you have in the barn, only the “Extreme Cowboy Races” require a Western saddle and Western attire, all other competitions the tack can be English, Endurance, Australian, or “treeless” saddles. The same goes with head gear, bits or bitless bridles and curb bits are not mandatory and you can ride in jeans or breeches.

The Standardbred is one of the best trail horse breeds, with their athletic ability, and calm dispositions, the Standardbred can excel at these challenging events. Just remember, no matter how you ride, be it for pleasure or for competitive reasons, you can never again say “Just a trail horse”.