horse country 6-2012

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HORSE COUNTRYPublisher: L. HazelwoodSuite 203, 23-845 Dakota Street, Winnipeg, MB, R2M 5M3Phone toll free 1-866-886-2425. Local 204-256-7467.Fax 204-257-2467. www.horsecountry.ca.ISSN 1193-2163.Volume 28, Issue #6-2012: August 27, 2012. Published eight times a year: every six weeks, February/November. Print subscriptions: one year $29.50, two years $53.50, three years $72.50. Digital subscriptions one year $15, two years $25. All prices include taxes applicable to the province of delivery. Cover price $4.95. GST #86303-1456 For US mailed subscriptions add $18 - one year ($36 - two years) CDN, for Europe add $30 - one year ($60 - two years) CDN if airmail is required. Price includes mailing from Canada. An order form is printed at the back of the magazine. US and international subscribers can order a digital version at Canadian prices (no added mailing costs). Please go to www.horsecountry.ca and click on the digital subscription link. Order subscriptions from www.horsecountry.ca/subscribe, or Suite 203, 23-845 Dakota Street, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R2M 5M3. Phone 204-256-7467, toll-free 1-866-886-2425 or email [email protected]. Pay online, or by mailed cheque, Visa, Mastercard or Money Order. Publisher’s Mail Agreement #40753025. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Suite 203, 23-845 Dakota Street, Winnipeg, MB, R2M 5M3. Email: [email protected]. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the consent of the publisher, and copyright remains with Horse Country (Woodstock Media Services) unless expressly released. Horse Country assumes no responsibility for claims made in advertising copy and has the right to refuse any articles, stories, advertising copy or photos. It is the responsibility of the advertiser or author to obtain copyright releases for photographs used in advertising or supplied editorial, and to verify the authenticity of information supplied which forms the whole or part of editorial pieces. Manuscripts and pictures are welcomed; please state terms and enclose SASE for return if required. Writer’s Guidelines are posted on www.horsecountry.ca. Weacknowledgethefinancialsupportof the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

HORSE COUNTRY PRIVACY CODE:A subscription to Horse Country includes a free emailed newsletter which arrives no more than once every three weeks.Ifyoudonotwishtoreceivethise-letter,pleaseadvisein writing to the email or regular mail address above. We may occasionally make our database of addresses available to businesses which we feel have products which would be of interest to you. Please advise us if you do not wish to receive this information. Horse Country’s complete privacy code can be found at www.horsecountry.ca/privacy.

EDITORLinda Hazelwood1-866-886-2425 or 204-256-7467 (local) [email protected] EDITORIshbel Moore, [email protected] SALESAnita East, [email protected] - 204-275-1101OFFICE ADMINSTRATIONEldeen Stark, [email protected]@horsecountry.caLAYOUT & DESIGNThe Creative Crew. [email protected] CONTRIBUTIONS: Heather Arklie, Mike Branch, Jackie Crispin, Megan Gagnon, Dr. Cyndi Kasper, Stephanie Kwok, Dr. Kirstin MacDonald, Kiirsten May, Ishbel Moore, Lynn Nutuk, Liane Parker, Jan Stephens, Wendy Strong, Jeanine Walsh, Dr. Sue Wansbutter,

The View From Here

The happy guy on this issue’s cover is Kevin Glenister of Dryden, ON. KevinhaswrittenafewNaturalHorsemanshiparticlesforHorseCountryand is a big fan of the magazine.

Back in June, we were let into a secret: being on the cover of Horse Country was on Kevin’s bucket list. While the cover is always Editor’s Choice, this was a chance we couldn’t miss. Megan Gagnon – a friend of Kevin’s – was behind the birthday surprise and took the picture of Kevin at the annual Don Halladay clinic held in Edwin, MB. It was an easy task to do without Kevin suspecting anything as Kevin always enjoys being in frontofthecamerawithhishorses.Inthisphoto,hehadjustfinishedademonstrationforDon,andisshowingoffoneofhisfavorite“RoadtotheHorse” traditions with the use of his extraordinary training tools: two Ipods that create the loud crack of Australian stock whips. Kevin’s birthday is in August,so“HappyBirthday,Kevin!”

How soon summer slides into fall. We cannot complain about the beautiful weather we had, when even a thunderstorm came as a relief. Fall is the traditional time for horse sales, so in this issue we look at some of the details of buying a horse.

Have you ever wondered about the ins and outs of a pre-purchase examination on your new horse? Find out what happens on page 4. On page 28 we follow reader Kiirsten May through her search for her next-level horse. And we couldn’t resist it: the Last Word on page 54 gives you thedown-and-dirtyonsomeofthehorsedescriptionsyoumightfindina“horseforsale”adverts.IwillbecheckingthesecloselymyselfasIstartthe hunt for my next partner.

If you’re not looking for a riding horse you might like the smallest horse in the world, the Falabella, described on page 22.

If you like watching horses in action, you will have been glued to the Olympics. On page 32 we have comment on the riders and their horses. (To followthestormthatblewuparoundthedisqualificationofaCanadianshowjumper,pleaselookonourwebsite’s“BreakingNews”.)Onpage33we have an exclusive daily diary from Jan Stephens (Canada’s National TechnicalOfficer)whowasinvitedtoactasStewardattheOlympics.Happy Trails

Linda HazelwoodEditor and publisher

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Issue #7-2012 is published week commencing October 8, 2012.Deadlines: Business advertisers: space closes September 10; Material closing,Horses forSaleandClassified lineadverts:deadline September 17. Web adverts uploaded weekly.

issue #6 | 2012www.horsecountry.ca

The Round Up

In every issue

Check www.horsecountry.ca for Breaking News!

Cover Stories

48 Connections

5� What’s Happening?

5� Subscription form

Stallion Avenue is now at www.horsecountry.ca/stallion.htmlHorses For Sale are now a FacebookGroup “HorseCountryClassified”-personaladvertisingonly. *Items marked with an asterisk have supplementary reading

or archived articles at www.horsecountry.ca/archives.htm

Photo Competition

�4 Rules

44 This issue’s winners

Smile please! Dr Kirstin MacDonald carries out a pre-purchase exam.

�5 NAJYRC Endurance, Reining, Dressage

46 AQHA Youth World Cup

47 Interlake Riding Club

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*

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8 Elsie Priddy / Elodon Connemaras. The Connemara Pony in Saskatchewan.

�� A day at a clinic. With Mel Hyland

�6 Helping Hooves of Manitoba. Williamgets“inthepink”forcharity.

�8 Mike Branch Q & A. Collectionandverticalflexion.

�0 �� Questions: with Marnie Somers

�� The Falabella. The smallest horse in the world.

�6 Ory Brown’s view of rodeo life.�6 Take a kick at Equine Soccer. Yes,yourhorsecanplaytoo!

�8 River Ranch Equestrian Meet Lucero and Anna.

4� Dominique Barbier Clinic Learn from a French Classical Dressage Master

5� To mount a horse right. When right is wrong and wrong is right?

54 The Last Word: Horse Sales terminology translated.

4 The Pre-purchase exam. What to expect?

�8 Finding Mr. Right. Kiirsten May’s search for her new horse

London Olympics �0��

�� Events in the ring

�� Exclusive news from behind the scenes

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You’ve decided it’s time to take a step upward in your horse ownership. Your goal might be learning a new discipline, or going higher in your current endeavours. You may be searching for a stallion prospect. You may have made a list of the qualities your next horse needs, and searched diligentlytofindahorsethatmeetsthoseneeds.

Hmm. You’ve been introduced to Charlie. Is he the one? “Let’sdoapre-purchaseexamtoseeifhecancope.”Hey,waitaminute.That’snotthefirststep.Beforeyou

call the vet to make the appointment you should make other assessments of Charlie to see if he will suit. Does his training and temperament match your abilities? Meet him

Written by Linda Hazelwood, with files from Dr Sue Ashburner of Saskatoon.

Photos by Linda Hazelwood.

the pre-purchase examination

Buying a horse

afewtimes,catchhiminthefield,tackhimup,blanket/unblanket etc. Pick out his feet and groom him all over. Ridehimatdifferenttimesoftheday.Doeshebehavethesame whether his owner is there or not? Is it possible for you to take him on trial for a month? (But remember to have a proper short-term contract and pay for insurance cover in case anything happens to him.)

If you and Charlie click after all that, then you can make the call to the vet.

What’s the purpose?The aim of the pre-purchase exam is to thoroughly evaluate a horse’s physical status and help determine if he will be serviceable for the buyer. The vet will make a number of physical checks (depending on the proposed use of the horse, and your budget) to determine if there is any potential for future problems.

Smile please! The vet carries out a thorough tooth-to-tail examination.

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The vet will want to know what you propose to do with the horse, for instance, jump (and at what height), dressage (atwhatlevel),cutting,reining,driving,ranchhorseetc.Heor she may also ask about your own experience and riding skills, and where the horse will be kept if purchased.Youwill receivea thoroughwrittenreport including

x-rays, ultrasound and diagnostic images if the vet recommends and you approve the expenditure. The results can be useful if you need to sell the horse in the future. If there was an issue (for example, results of an old injury) at this exam but it was proven not to have changed over the years, it can reduce your future buyer’s concerns and provide baseline values for the future.

There is no pass or fail to this exam. The vet presents a report on the horse as it stands on that day, and it is up to the buyer to accept the horse in its present condition or not.

A pre-purchase exam can form the basis of an application for insurance cover.

Shortcomings of the examIt’sasnapshotintime,of“today”.Itisnotaguaranteeoffitness,soundness,performanceorfuturehealth.Neitheris it an estimation of the horse’s monetary value. Nor can

the examiner assess your chances of selling-on the horse in the future.Thereisfertilegroundforcommunicationerror,conflict

and legal action if the pre-purchase exam is improperly or inadequately done, if the buyer receives improper notes and recommendations, or there is a reliance on verbal communication or assumptions.Notethatwekeepmentioning“thebuyer”.Thevetmust

always represent the buyer. The vet must not do an exam for a seller as it could be seen as collusion to present the horse for sale in a certain light. The seller has no right to access the pre-purchase examination results; those belong to the buyer.

Notes to the buyerDo not be unrealistic in your expectations. There is no such thing as a perfect horse.

There is a misconception that buying a horse with a pre-purchase exam is risk-free (ie, that if something goes wrongthatsomeoneistoblame),thatthehorsewill“passor fail” the exam. The decision to purchase is still up to the buyer, not the vet carrying out the exam. Lots of vets don’t like to carry out pre-purchase examinations because of impossible buyer expectations.

The buyer should always be present during the examination: to make sure the correct horse is being presented;to see what the vet is seeing (worth a thousand words); to discuss ongoing concerns during the examination. (Many conditions are more easily understood if seen ratherthandescribedorwritten.)

If possible, the seller (or agent) should always be present during the examination: to answer direct questions about current and past medications, current or past injuries, lameness, vices, colic history, vaccinations etc.

The seller does not have the right to see results of a pre-purchase exam or x-rays unless the buyer gives permission.

The depth of the pre-purchase exam depends on the value of the horse, the buyer’s financial position, the ultimate use of the horse, and the expectations of the buyer. It will consist of four basic pages but as the buyer’s expectations increase, so does the depth of the exam and the size of the report. The cost can start around $300 and go up to $1,200 or more. The basic exam can take upwards of 2.5 hours.

The hoof tester can discover problems in the foot.

continued on page 6

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continued from page 5

If the buyer hands you an existing pre-purchase exam report,say“Thankyouverymuch”,thencontinuetohaveyour own evaluation carried out.

What is the vet looking for?Serviceability. He/she will evaluate the physical status of the horse and discover shortcomings. Decisions have to be made on whether existing problems are acceptable for the horse’s future function. The more strenuous and high calibreahorse’sfutureperformance,themoresignificantare the minor problems.Soundness. There is no such thing as a perfectly sound horse.“Sound”isablanketstatementimplyingnothingiswrong with the horse, or has no conditions which could lead to future problems.

What does the vet do in the pre-purchase exam?1. A distance exam, to thoroughly identify the horse and record conformation aspects.2. A standing physical exam. This will include taking

the temperature, pulse, respiration (possibly using a rebreathing bag). Also inspected are the eyes, ears, nose and mouth.3. A standing leg exam to discover bumps, swellings and scars, and check the tendons.4. A standing foot and hoof exam. Many vets prefer to see the horse without shoes.5. A moving musculoskeletal exam. The vet will ask you to move the horse on a hard surface to check footfall at the walk and the trot. The horse will then be lunged on hard and soft ground.6. Flexion tests. In turn, the horse’s legs will be held up towards thebody fora specificperiodof time then thehorsewillbewalkedofftoidentifywhetherunevennessoccurs in the footfall. Theinterpretationofflexiontestscanbeastickingpoint

asmanyhorseswillbe“off”inthefirst10-25feetafterthetestbutcanstillconsiderednormal.Apositiveflexiontestdoes not correlate to lameness, but if any issues last more thantenminutestheywillbeflagged.Manyhorsesmayfailtheflexiontestbutnotfailpre-purchaseexam.

Additional tests are dependent on budget and proposed use, and can include x-rays, ultrasound, endoscopy, blood testsforCoggins,drugsetc.Testsforspecificvirusescanbe included if there has been a recent epidemic.

For instance, x-rays could be used to examine areas that a horse was predisposed to injure in its previous career;areasinwhichspecificbreedsarepre-disposedtoproblems;areasthatneedtobe“normal”inthehorse’supcoming career; and areas that showed problems in a previous pre-purchase exam.

If a horse presents with some problems during the pre-

Flexion tests are carried out on all four limbs.

X-rays are optional.

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purchase exam there is always the option to re-examine in the near future. For instance, a normally sound horse may pull up lame the day of the exam because it was playing hardinthefieldandslippedonice.

Good luckRemember, the exam is not a pass or fail. It’s your responsibility to be present, ask questions of the vet, read the examination report and then decide to accept or reject the horse on the issues which present at the exam.

Dr. Sue Ashburner works in the Field Service section of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. Her main interests are in general equine practice, with special interests in dentistry and dermatology. [email protected]: thank you to Joey Barabash, outrider at the Assiniboia Downs for allowing us to use Dude, his 15 year-old Quarter Horse, as a model. Also to Dr. Kirstin MacDonald for demonstrating some of the processes of the pre-purchase examination, and Dr. Cyndia Kasper for helping to set up the demonstration. Also to Natasha Parent, exercise rider, for stepping in to help.Please note, when taking x-rays the vet and assistants will normally wear gloves along with the lead aprons but as this was just a demonstration, the machines were not switched on.Dr. Cyndi Kasper services Winnipeg and surrounding areas with a mobile veterinary service specialising in [email protected]

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Anyone who knows of the Connemara Pony in Saskatchewan probably also knows Elsie Priddy. It was a labour of love for her to introduce the breed to the province. She lives on a third generation mixed farm located 10 kilometres east of Saskatoon with her husband Don, who raises commercial Herefords.

Elsie Priddy

and

Elodon Connemaras

Elsie was born in Saskatoon and as a child, her only interest in dolls washavingthem“ride”herstuffedanimals. Elsie loved watching the horses on TV and in the movies. A trip to the grocery store meant one thing:achanceto“ridetherange”on the mechanical horse.

In the 60s her parents enrolled herinridinglessonsofferedbytheSaskatoon YWCA, and purchased a lovely Appaloosa gelding from the farm that hosted the lessons. Sadly he came down with navicular and hadtobeeuthanized-adifficultlesson for Elsie in the realities of horse ownership. Her next horse, an exceptional Appaloosa/TB gelding

By Jeanine Walsh in collaboration with Linda Hazelwood.

Century Hills Aedan Zodiac (Aedan) and Elsie Priddy

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continued on page 10

named Dr. Clarke was with her for 29 useful years and even taught Elsie’s daughter, Elan, to ride.

Elsie joined 4-H Light Horse and then Saskatoon Pony Club. The older riders at the Pony Club taught the younger ones. In the 70s, the Saskatoon Pony Club brought in great instructors such as Robin Hahn,DietrichvonHopffgartenand Hugh Graham. Though neither of Elsie’s parents came from a horse background, they became very involved in the Saskatchewan Appaloosa Horse Club and the Saskatoon Pony Club, serving terms on the Executive and enjoying the social aspect as well.

Elsie was introduced to Don Priddy by a 4-H friend at a wedding in the family from whom she had bought her Appaloosas. Don had grown up just down the road, bringing the milk cows in daily by horseback and working with his father’s chore team. A perfect match: Elsie and Don were soon married. In due course, Elsie became a 4-H Leader herself, and daughter Elan joinedPonyClub.Elsiesays,“Ifeltthere was a shortage of smaller, sensible mounts capable of jumping. When looking for a horse or pony for Elan, I researched many breeds and decided the Connemara Pony was just what I was looking for.” She discovered Doris Jacobi, a driving force in the growth of Connemaras in Alberta who provided her with a list of breeders. It wasn’t long before the whole family went on a holiday through Alberta, visiting as many breeders as possible. The next trip was with a horse trailer, returning with not only the colt and fillytheyinitiallyplannedtobuy,but two lovely geldings to train as well. Sadly the colt they purchased as a stallion prospect had a tragic accident but by good fortune and

word-of-mouth, they heard that Century Hills Farm in Ontario had a good colt for sale, so Elsie and Don went on a longer trip with the horsetrailer.Donsaid,“Wenevergo anywhere unless we are pulling ahorsetrailer!”Elsiewasexcitedto return not only with stallion prospect Century Hills Aedan Zodiac(Aedan),butalsoanewfilly,Glenn Erinn Emma. She threw a party to celebrate and introduce the Connemaras to some of the horse community.Elsiesaid,“Aedanmetmy

criteria. First and foremost I look for ponies that have sensible temperaments and good movement. Then I check for good, functional, sound conformation and Connemara type.” Aedan has been competing in both Hunter and Dressage shows, and in the 2011 Spruce Meadows BattleoftheBreedshecompetedforTeam Connemara in Compulsory Skills and Jeopardy Trail. He will be returning in 2012. At home, he worksoncattleround-ups.Asthebreedhasbecomebetter

known, owners have started bringing their mares to Aedan and he now has some very good diverse partbreds on the ground. For instance, he has been crossed with a TB/Paint twice, to provide hunter/dressage mounts, two Warmbloods to produce jumpers, a Morgan twice to produce a driving team, a TB to produce a hunter, an Andulusian/Quarter Horse and a Welsh as well as being used to produce purebreds.

For Elsie, Aedan’s greatest show achievement has been to allow her to continue to learn and progress in both Dressage and Hunting. Shesayswithalaugh,“Hehasthetemperament and ability to do high level dressage if I can learn. Aedan has the ability to jump much higher than I desire at my age, but has the

agility and temperament to give me theconfidencetoenjoythesport.Itry to take him at least once a week for a trail ride and he is a perfect gentleman whether we go out with a mare or a gelding. Other riders often forget he is a stallion. He knows to keep his stallion behavior ofstruttingforthemaresandglaringat the geldings to when he is free in his pasture. Of course true to pony nature, food and being scratched are very high priority in his mind.” Elsiecommented,“Don’tlet

the name ‘pony’ fool you. These gentle easy-keepers are sturdy enough for adults to ride.” The two geldingsconfirmedshehadmadea great choice of breed. She said, “Theywereincrediblyeasytotrain;willing, athletic and very people friendly,”adding,“peoplefamiliarwith the breed say that Connemaras arebornbroke!”

Rills Finnian (Finn) and Rills Carrick Fergus (Fergus) were shown in Hunter and Dressage in Saskatchewan, taken on trail rides andcattlepennings.Bothgeldingswere sold in Alberta. Ridden by Stacey Parker, Finn was one of two Albertaponiesthatqualifiedforthe large Pony Hunter Division at the Toronto Royal Fair and Fergus excelled in Eventing with Rebecca David. Rills Romany Lace was shown in Hunters, driven inCombinedDrivingandcattle-penned, before she produced three foalsincludingtwolovelyfilliesbyAedan that are still owned by Don and Elsie.

Glenn Erinn Emma also sold to a home in Alberta and Elsie described her as a fantastic driving pony as well as a ridden pony who gave them two geldings with exceptional temperaments.

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WhenElsiefirststartedshowingConnemaras in Saskatchewan very few people had heard of them but now most she meets are familiar with the breed, including the Western riders.

Connemaras are capable of any discipline.Elsiesaid,“IoncetookFergus in a working cow horse clinic and the clinician was impressed with his speed. Aedan did some reining training one winter and was developing a sliding stop but we decidedwe’dbetterquitifweweregoingtoconcentrateondressage!”Connemaras are an athletic yet sensible breed and most have a temperament which can be adjusted to the rider’s need. If the rider asks for quickness the pony will give it. If the rider doesn’t ask for it the pony will be as quiet as they want. And they come back down quickly after you’veaskedforextraeffort.

It takes a long time for a foal to grow to maturity and more time for training, although Connemaras in most cases are so sensible that theyarenotdifficulttohandle.Elsiewants to have adequate time to work with the ponies she has, so will not “massproduce”them.Sheplanstocontinue breeding and training one or two ponies a year and this spring was proud to see Aedan’s daughter ElodonMaeve’sfirstfoal–thefirstof the next generation.

Elodon Connemaras was officiallyformedin2003andElsiegave praise to her husband Don. ”He is a super supporter both psychologically and physically. He encourages me, provides hay, has built fences and great unchewable shelters from old grain bins and went on another vacation to bring

home a Connemara mare from Washington.”

Their daughter Elan is their expert on Connemara pedigrees and assists in handling, training and breeding. She is a professional graphic designer, and designed the Elodon website and advertising. Their son Logan just completed his Agribusiness Diploma at the University of Saskatchewan, and farms with them. He contributes his electronics and mechanical skills to the business but prefers the other kind of horsepower.

Elsie rides both English and Western, strongly believing good horsemanship is the same in every discipline. She trains the youngsters following the progressive skills of dressage, although using a Western saddlewhenfirststartingthem.AsanadultElsiehasattendedorriddenin clinics on colt starting, working cow horse, dressage and driving. She has taken Aedan in jumping clinics held by Manitoba’s Al Matheson twice a year for the past severalyears.Shesaid,“Youcannever stop learning about horses,

and I also take every opportunity to watch clinics.”

Elodon Connemaras kept the family hopping in 2012, hosting a new venture, the Priddy Farm Hunter Pace and Trail Ride Series. It’s a friendly game in which teams follow a marked trail with optional jumps. The time closest to the mystery pace wins. Teams also “countthefoxes”fordrawprizes.ElsieattendedherfirstManitoba

Royal Winter Fair in 2012. She commented,“Itwasfantastic,andmade me nostalgic for the days when the Saskatoon Spring Light Horse Show had a huge evening crowd of spectators watching exciting Grand Prix jumping, driving and costume classes. I hope it will be possible to have Connemaras included in the Breeds of the World display in the future, so that more people can appreciate theirspecialattributesandseewhytheir owners love them so.

www.elodon.cade.priddy@sasktel.net306-374-1703www.canadianconnemara.org

Century Hills Aedan Zodiac (Aedan) and Elsie Priddy, checking cattle.

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Clinic day

The early morning sounds of the barn: is it just another day?Welistentothehuffingoftheovernightstalledhorses

and then comes the crunch of tires in the yard, the bang-bang of the trailer doors and the hooves coming down the ramp. The horses are curious and wide-eyed as they take in the new surroundings. Their noses and ears investigate new smells and spaces.

The humans check out the space: Where’s the water? Get the hay. Where’s the bathroom? Where can I put my tack?

Settle the horse. Get coffee? Check the weekend’s schedule.

There is anticipation and excitement, tempered by nervousness. What will we learn? Can we meet what is asked of us?

It was no different at the Mel Hyland Clinic which took place at Murdoch Stables, Winnipeg, June �6 and �7.On thefirstmorningofanyclinic,peoplearenervousandMelHylandcommented,“Ineedtoknowwhateachindividual wants from the clinic but I don’t want to put people on the spot.” It’s human nature that in a group of people who don’t know each other, it’s often hard to speak upandbefrankaboutdifficultiesandskillgaps.Eachoftheriderswasatadifferentskilllevel,thehorses

haddifferentexperienceanditwasMel’sjobtobringthemtogethertolearn.Hecommented,“Iwon’tgeteveryoneup to the same stage here, but I will be able to instill the philosophy so they can keep working if they want, when they get home.”Headded,“Thegoodpartofbeing inaclinic is the

hands-on.” By the end of the weekend he had touched

base many times with each participant to help them create a willing communication with the horse, without pulling andkicking.Inhiswords,“Ihavetocreatetheknowledgeof how to use body energy and thought intention to get the result.”

Manitoba riders were introduced to Mel Hyland as the winning colt-starting trainer at Horse 3 in April, and he has had many clinics booked because people liked what they saw.

Hyland’s background is based on 20 years on the rodeo circuitandhesaid,“Ilearntalotfromthebuckinghorsesin terms of balance and feel. If you can ride one out of the chute and do the time with no injuries, the balance and feel are a given.” However, he always spent time with horses other than the broncs and became really serious about the horsemanship side of the business in the 80s. He refocused on the riding horses, starting colts and giving clinics. A good horseman directed him to the philosophy of Ray Hunt, in that the horse is never wrong, but Hyland had to assimilate his past experiences with the Hunt teachings. “RayHuntisaboutmakingyouthink,”hesaid.“Therearenomagicmoves,justthinkinghorsemanship,”

Text and photos by Linda Hazelwood.

Mel Hyland and his “borrowed” Second Chance rescue mare, Reba.

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headded.“Thehorsewilldowhathehasto,tosurvive,no pressure. It’s easy to overdo asking the horse to listen to therider.Thedifficulty for thosewhoonlyrideonehorse is to know when to stop. Get the result and shut up. Otherwise it’s picking.”

The hard part for people to understand is that the horse has tofigureoutwhat the riderwants,and thatwhenthe rider stops asking, the horse is rewarded. Hyland commented,“Inaclinictherearetimelimitsonwhatcanbe done and really the horse might need more time to get where it needs to be.” He prefers the three-day clinics for this reason.Themorningof thefirst

day Hyland worked on the mechanicals such as posture, but the riderhad to add the “feel”part.Horse sensedepends on feeling the movement, the change of seat, whether there is intent or not, and catching the feel of “nointention”.“Thefunthingistogetpeopletothatpartratherthan

they just get on for a ride,” he said.Hylandfindsit’safinelinebetweenbeingfirmwith

clinicattendees,andbeingtoughenoughtogetthe jobdone. The thinking rider needs to learn to read the horse, and what it’s all about. The horse wants to live an easy life, but the rider’s job is to provide respect and communication, set the boundaries of who’s the leader and who’s the follower, so that the horse doesn’t run over people

Arena workThegroupworkedonbasicposition,withfeetunderbutts,sittingonpinbones.Hylandsaid,“Ifyourfeetareforwardyou can’t push the horse forward with the body.” When riderswereworkingoncorners,hesaid,“Pickuptheleftreinandridethehorsefirmerwithyourseat.Keepthe

rein away from the horse’s neck. Look where you want to go. When you lift the inside (left) rein you also lift your shoulder. Don’t worry about the left rein when working on the right. Just drop it. Pick up the left rein, slide your hand down, when he gives, let it go. Look for the horse’s nose (this also changes your weight in the seat slightly). Don’t pull on the rein – pressure only. The hand should not cross over the pommel.”

Other things he suggested the riders think about: “Whereistheweightgoinginyourbodywhenyouaskhim

to do something? You should be moving with his feet, not ahead or behind.”

There was discussion about saddle position, and Hylandsaid,“Beforeyougo

anywheresitasfarforwardinthesaddleasyoucan.Sittingagainst the cantle pushes down on the horse’s back which could mean 350 lbs of pressure instead of 150 lbs, which makes it hard for him to operate. If you sit back, all you are doing is making him a pack horse plus you can’t get yourfeetandlegsunderyouandhewillbeunbalanced.“He quoted Ray Hunt who used to say, ‘I like to cuddle my horsewithmylegs.’Hylandrelatedthisto“Putyourjointstogetheranddon’tsitsloppy.Everyoneisbuiltdifferentlyso maybe it is harder for some people especially if you always ride the same horse and only once a week.”

Who’s in charge?Hyland worked with his borrowed horse for a while. Reba wasa“SecondLifeforBroodmares”rescuehorse,comingoff30daysbasictrainingatStAndrewsStable.Hylandwanted her to recognize that he was the one who decided where she should stop, not her. He worked her at the gate,

To be safe, the rider has to decide who’s running the

show.

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givinghera“workzone”anda“restzone”,alloffonereinand inside leg to keep circling when she stopped in the place of her choice rather than his. Moving her forward, he made thewrongthingdifficultandrewarded with a release when she chose the right thing.

He also worked at the mounting block to help a clinic participant. When Reba touched noses with the block, Hyland commented she’s not “smelling” it, she smells italready. She’s “sniffing fortexture”. The mounting block workcanbegood training forgettingonandoffonastump, a wall, a fence etc. To an outsider some of it may have looked boring, with Hyland working on one horse while the others watched. In reality, the onlookers could have picked up an essential lesson, which was one of timing, and when to stop. Of course, they couldn’t feel the horse under them and recognize the small gives, but

as a lesson in push and rest, disengage, ask again and keep asking, it was valuable. If Hyland had been riding

a seasoned horse they would not have had the chance to experience that.

He was continually suggesting, asking, promising, turning her ideas into work,

hisideasintorest,andtoldparticipants,“Rideforward,through your sternum.” He worked on moving Reba’s

hindquarters to move her closer and closer to the corral panelssohecouldslideoffherto sit on the top rail.“You can use the same

principle to teach a horse to stand near a mounting block or other rest place. Drive her away, disengage, if she misses the spot, drive again. The mounting block is the rest spot. You pick the place to stop and drop the pressure. He also demonstrated groundwork, adding,“Spintheropetosayget away from me. When you send energy to the shoulder, she moves away. When you send the energy to the hip she

Recognize the three speeds in each gait. You

need to know when the horse’s foot leaves

the ground. He can’t move the foot if he has

weight on it.

Mel demonstrates “Ride forward, through your sternum” to Cheryl Fryer and Michael Moore.

To praise the horse, rub on the butt, not the neck. It keeps the seat down and the horse is in better balance.

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movesforward.Takethepressureoffandsherests.”Hyland also discussed different clinicians and

suggested,“Auditarounduntilyoufindonewhosestyleyoulike,thatyouthinkthehorsewillbenefitfrom.”

Sound bites from the afternoon sessionBy the afternoon Mel had been able to evaluate the riders, so now it was time to work hard.

He introduced the concept of cadence and the sequence ofleftleg/rightleg/leftleg/rightleg.Hetaught,“Softlegs,sit deeper, dig in slow, all the weight in your seat and push with your sternum. Worry about one thing at a time. Move with the action on a loose rein, using the seat. Don’t think about his face, but his feet.”Riseandfallwiththeshoulderonthewall.“Turnyour

legsoff!”(ierelax).Hecoachedaparticipant,“Sitonyourpinbones,putall

Angela Weday signed up for the clinic as she wanted to be a better rider, and learn technique. She said, “I am finding out that there are steps to everything you ask of your horse. You have to ‘get’ step one before you can start on step two.”

Riding Cooper, Michael Moore competes in team penning and joined the clinic because of Mel Hyland’s background. He commented, “He has a different perspective to other trainers. I wasn’t sure what to expect because there was variable information on the web, not like some other trainers. I’m getting to be better; we worked on my seat position, legs on, off etc. Hyland’s not scared to make sure that you know NO-NO-NO! He’s firm but in a good way. He makes it difficult for the student to do it wrong.”

Jenelle Cancade-Whyte (with 11 year-old Quincy) saw Hyland at Horse3 and liked what she saw. She boards at Murdoch Stables and has no horse transport so it was an obvious choice to join this clinic. She likes learning new things so she also intends to attend other clinics to check the similarities and differences. She said, “The underlying philosophy is the same, working on how the horse moves, why he moves that way, getting in the horse’s way, getting out of it, but the approach is a little different.”

yourweightonyourbutt.There!Yousatdown!”Whenyoutakeyourlife“up”youtakehisuptoo.When

you take it down, he goes down too.

Teaching rhythm, timing, harmonies.Youwanttofeelthatyou’reattachingtothehorsewithhands, seat, body, mind. Keep your mind on it, your focus. If you’re on the trail looking at the bird in the tree you’re notattachedandhewilltakeoverbecauseyou’renotincharge.“Iwantthisstuff,Iwanttoridemyhorseinsuchaway

that nobody can see what I did to get him to do it.” This has to come from the gut. Hyland was suggesting mechanical postures, open hand/rein etc., but it’s the gut feel which willmakeyouthebetterrider.Topraisethehorse,rubonthebutt,nottheneck.Itkeeps

theseatdownandthehorseisinbetterbalance.Thehardestthingiswalkinginastraightline!Aimfor

theletterA:useyourcadenceandhewon’tswingbackand forth.

To graduate your performance be more conscious of what you’re doing and thinking. Prepare to the position for the transition. Feel, timing and balance. The alternative istogetyourstickandsay“gohere”,“gothere”.Makeitas comfortable as possible so he enjoys hanging out with us.

If you’re conscious of what you’re doing and be consistent the horse will know and follow through. We’re allbuiltdifferentlyasregardsbodystructuresotheresultsmaycomedifferently.

Working on down transitions from a lope to a jog. The downward are the hardest. Still have to get in our horse’s way,butinenoughtime(donotpullbut“holdhisface”).Collect your own emotions. Plan your seat change and thought change that you will no longer support the canter but want a trot or walk. Get organized. Prepare to do it, then do it. Jog a few steps, then ask for a canter again. A few steps then ask for the jog. (Always working away from the group as going towards is where the horse feels safest.)

The horse trainer can pick a time and keep working a horse until it’s time to stop but in a clinic there is always a time constraint which can create more problems. If the trainer is focused on a certain discipline, such as jumping, they can get so tied up in the event that it can get in the way of good horsemanship. Hyland teaches communication and effort,stayingwiththeactionofthehorse.Hisphilosophyis to help riders see the smaller change and lighter try, through consistency and persistence.

You can reach Mel Hyland at 780-837-1774

RIDER NOTES

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Helping Hooves Manitoba: Pinkin’ up for Manitoba in �0�� Horseback riders in Manitoba are joining together to raise money to help charities in the province.

In the name of Helping Hooves of Manitoba,ten horsesandridersshowedup-andPINKEDUP!- forthe Ste. Anne’s Canada Day Parade. The star of the event was William, a Gypsy Horse owned by Karl and Cora Hohenberg of Cyclone Gypsy Horses, La Broquerie, Mb. Inthenameofthecharity,Williamhadbeen“divided

into segments” and each segment had been available for sale to raise money for Helping Hooves of Manitoba. Sponsorscouldbuyasegment,andWilliamwas“pinked”in the donor’s name.

A unique concept, and one that raised more than $300 injustoneweek!Sponsorscouldbuyamane,atail,aleg.Even a kiss on the nose.

When William was all pinked up and took his place at the head of the Helping Hooves contingent at the parade, hecertainlyraisedtheattentionofthepeopleliningthestreets.

BackgroundIn 2011 the Helping Hooves group had joined up with an Alberta association, Wild Pink Yonder, to ride for three weeks around south-central Manitoba, challenging the townstheypassedthroughforthetitle“PinkestTowninManitoba”. Ste.Annewonthetitleof“PinkestTown”,and in total the towns and riders raised $35,000 for Cancer Care Manitoba.

In 2012 Helping Hooves Manitoba is focusing its fundraisingactivitiesonindividualtrailrides,fleamarkets,and fun days. This year net proceeds will be donated to Helping Hands For Manitobans With Breast Cancer.

The season wraps up with a Trail Ride and Fun Day at Birds Hill Park, Winnipeg on September 16.

For more information about the group, to join an event, donate, sponsor or volunteer, please call Pam Glover at 204-422-8076 or email [email protected]. TheFacebookpage is“HelpingHoovesSteppinUp

for Manitoba”. Website is www.helpinghoovesmanitoba.com.

William was “pinked” using non-toxic, washable, eco-friendly livestock spray mixed with water. A couple of baths and he will be back to

his normal black and white with no ill-effects. However, owner Cora Hohenberg says, “William loves to roll in mud and soak in the pond”, so

the eco-pink was quickly replaced with eco-mud.

Black Forest William is a 6 year-old Gypsy Cob owned by Karl and Cora Hohenberg of Cyclone Gypsy Horses, La Broquerie, MB. Some of William’s achievements include 2011 GCDHA Reserve Champion Stallion, and 2011 Rainy River Agricultural Society Grand Champion Draft.

Ten horses and riders turned out for the parade in Ste Anne, led by “Pink” William.

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Dear Mike

Q & A

Collection; vertical flexion.

Could you explain the process of achieving this?Q

A

Mike Branch

Vertical flexion is the beginning of collection.

Collection is a word very widely usedtoday,inmanydifferentridingdisciplines. It is a word that is very

oftenmisunderstood, andhard todefine.Many timespeople will not talk about collection in front of their peers, becausethereseemstobesuchawidedefinitionoftheword, and nobody wants to feel as if they are wrong.

I will take a few minutes today to try to give a basic synopsisoftheterm“collection”,adecentunderstandingof what it means, and help you to get started in the right direction.Simplyput,wecansaythatcollectionisverticalflexion

with forward impulsion from the hindquarters. However, trueasthisis,itisalittlemoreindepththanthat.Whileitistruethatverticalflexionmustbeobtained,andthatthehorse needs to drive forward from the hindquarters, the horse also needs to lift its belly and arch its back. This can alsobereferredtoasahorsethatis“inframe”.

How can we achieve this? Let’s talk about vertical flexion.Verticalflexionisachievedwhenthehorsebreaksat the poll. Some people call this a soft feel, on the bit, or driving up into the bridle. In essence the horse actually gives us a soft bend at the poll which is where the cervical vertebrae begin. This is cervical vertebrae one, and cervical vertebrae two, (the Atlas and the Axis if comparing to

humananatomy).Whenthehorsetrulyflexesatthispoint,his head will have a vertical shape to it. The horse will also feel soft and pliable in our hands.Howcanweachieveverticalflexion?Istartteaching

this the same as any other exercise with the horse: on the ground, with the horse in a rope halter. Let’s say I’m on the left-hand side of the horse. I will place my right hand on the horse’s neck and take hold of the halter knot under thechin(“fiador”knot).Ithenapplyasmallamountofpressure, and using a rotating motion of my hand allow the rope halter to massage the horse’s poll and bridge of the nose. I continue this massage until I feel the horse’s head suddenly drop into a vertical position. I have to be careful here not to confuse the horse into stepping backwards. If it does, I cannot release the halter until the horse stands still. As soon as the horse drops into a vertical position I must release any and all pressure on the halter. This is a good place to remind that pressure motivates the horse, and release of pressure teaches the horse. I will continue to do this exercise until the horse will break vertically as soon as I begin to massage. IliketoteachthisinthehalterfirstasIalwaystryto

save the horse’s mouth until it knows what it should do, or what I am asking it to do. Once this is accomplished we canmoveintothesnafflebitandhavethehorsegetusedto having someone on his back.

Please note the pictured horse is in a full bridle for high

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Mike Branch travels internationally, from the southern US, to Canada, and the UK to start horses, hold clinics, and give lectures and demos. Mike has appeared on television in the US as well as on BBC, TV and radio, all across the United Kingdom. Mike may be available for your next function. Enquire at [email protected] call 865-548-0112. www.mikebranch.us.If you have a question for Mike please email it to [email protected].

level Dressage, but shows what your horse should look like while walking andmaintaining“verticalflexion”.The snafflebit is a teaching tool,

and is not a leverage device. I like to useathree-piecesnafflebit.Thisbithas a bar connecting to each outside ring; the two bars are connected by a pieceofmetalcalleda“dogbone”,or“Frenchlink”.Iprefertonothavethebit tight in the horse’s mouth; I will feelfortheteethwithmyfingersandmake sure that the bit is only resting on the bars of the horse’s mouth. (The bar is the part of the horse’s mouth that has no teeth.) I may not even have a wrinkle showing in the corner of the horse’s mouth. By doing this the horse can feel the bit slide up the bars of the mouth before I ever make direct contact, thus giving the horse opportunity to make a decision for itself to break into a vertical position. Once I have made direct contact in the mouthIwillusea“direct”and“indirect”rein.Letmeexplain the“direct”and“indirect” rein.The

snafflebitisdesignedtobecontrolledbyuseofbothreins.Imagine that we are riding our horse counterclockwise (ie to the left). The direct rein is in our right hand, our left hand holds the indirect rein. We will hold a slight steady tension on our direct rein with only enough tension to prevent the horse’s head from turning too far to the left . We should only see the corner of the left eye, and not see the right eye at all. We will then pick up our indirect rein, our left hand in this case, and feel for the horse’s mouth. We will bring up an ever-so-slight amount of tension, holding our left hand slightly lower than the right hand (or direct rein slightly higher than the indirect rein). We will use our indirect rein to massage the bar of the left side of the horse’s mouth. As soon as you feel the horse give at the poll, or break vertically you must release pressure from the indirect rein immediately, followed quickly by the direct rein. This will teach the horse that it has done the correct thing by giving youverticalflexion.(Youwilllearnallthisterminologyasyou progress on your horsemanship journey.)

As you and your horse progress at this, you may ask thehorsetostayinverticalshapealittlelongereachtime

thatyouaskforverticalflexion,andthen begin to ask for the vertical at the walk. Once you get to the point of being able to pick up your reins and ask forverticalflexionandget it atany given time, you may move up to the trot. Once you can get a really soft feelatthetrotandverticalflexionatany given time, you may move up to the canter.

Once you advance to the canter, please be patient with your horse and allow your horse to become completely relaxed at the canter before youaskforverticalflexion.Thiscouldmean a lot of cantering on your part but believe me the prize is worth waiting for. Not only will you have a horse that is willing to break at the poll andgiveyouverticalflexion,butyouwill have a horse that is much more

soft and athletic, and the longevity of your horse will be greatly enhanced.Inthisarticlewehavelearnedaboutverticalflexion,the

beginning stage of collection. We have taught our horse verticalflexiononthegroundusingaropehalter.Wethenadvanced to the three-piecesnafflebit,andbackedourhorse. Once on our horses back, we began to teach vertical flexionviadirectreinandindirectreinthroughmassagingof the bars of the horse’s mouth. We discussed the necessity ofonceachievingverticalflexionthatweaskourhorsetostayflexedalittlelongereachtime,andmoveupfromthewalk to the trot, and eventually to the canter.

I hope that this article has given you a bit more understanding of the beginning stages – and I really want to repeat beginning stages – of collection, which is vertical flexion.

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We talk to people who are well-known in the industry to find out a little more about what makes them tick.

Our focus? Leaders of national associations, influencers of activity, and top-class competitors.

If there is anyone out there you would like to know a little bit more about, please email [email protected].

Name: Marnie SomersAge: Retired (“I like to fool people about how old I really am.”)Status: Live-in partner Wilf DavisLives: On an acreage near Carberry, MB. I’m a country girl and I fell in love with the west after moving here from Toronto.Occupations: Former President of the Canadian Quarter Horse Association (2001-2012); Former President of the Manitoba Quarter Horse Association (1995); Current Member of Board of Directors of MQHA (1975-present); Current Director at Large of the American Quarter Horse Association (1996-present); formerly ran Manitoban satellite office of, and currently does contract work for, North American Equine Ranchers Information Council; served 5 years on Board of Directors of Equine Canada; current CQHA representative on EC’s industry council; freelance writer for horse and cattle publications (1997-present); web designer and internet marketer (2007-present); owner, breeder, boarder and exhibitor of horses (1974-2011)

Marnie Somers was interviewed by Heather Arklie.

Growing up, who did you most admire?I really admired my parents, both of whom were stars in their own right. My mother, Norma Sluman, was a published book author and my father, Ken Sluman, was a football player for the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos.Theywerebothidolsbutfordifferentreasons.Ithink I got my creative genes from her and my interpersonal skills from him.

If you could go back and relive one day of your life, which one would it be and why?That’s a toughie. I can’t think of one that was a particular highlight. I’ve had my good days and bad days and I think it would be hard to pick just one.

Marnie Somers and Wilf Davis, on vacation.

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What would you do differently if you werestarting your career today?If I were starting over today, I would go on to university and get a degree. I wasn’t very studious as a teenager. I went to school for social reasons and didn’t pay enough attentiontomystudies.Ididgobacktoschoolfull-timefor 10 months in 2006/2007 to Brandon’s Assiniboine CommunityCollegetogetmywebdesigncertificate.It’squite an experience to go back to school when you’re of retirementage!

If you weren’t doing the work you are now, what do you think you might be doing?I’ve often thought I would have liked to pursue a career in law.Ithinkit’saveryinterestingfield.Beingalawyerissomewhere else I could have used my writing skills. I’m also the type of person to look at things objectively.

Who do you consider to be your mentor, or a person you admire?That’s easy—Wilf Davis. He has a lot of knowledge about the agricultural business and often teaches me about it. [He’sbeenacattlesalesconsultantformanyyearsandphotographscattleasasidebusiness.]Heisoftenmygo-to guy to run my writing pieces by. We also do business together, where our clients sometimes overlap. We have the ability to be together 24/7 and not get in each other’s way.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you ever received?It may sound corny, but to live by the golden rule—to treat other people the way I would like to be treated. It’s very important to respect other people because it also shows respect for yourself. We were not a religious family, but that was the guiding principle at home and I’ve tried to carry that through my adult life.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would you go?If I had to move, I’d like to live in Arizona. It’s such a wonderful western state and has many different microclimates, everything from the desert to the mountains. I’ve been there three times and am in a hurry to go back again when I get the opportunity. I’m not sure Iwouldenjoylivingwithrattlesnakes,though!

What was your most memorable competition or training success?In 1996, I showed two horses in the halter class of the AQHA Thanksgiving Classic, a 2 year-old gelding and aweanlingfilly.TheywerebothGrandChampions.I’venever had a double-header like that before. It was a rare treatforme!

What were the challenges you faced in your early working years?Most of the issues I’ve had working with horses has been related to lackofconfidence.Therewasa fear factorofbeinginjuredafewtimesandgettingbackintoit.Ididn’tgetmyfirsthorseuntilIwas30soitwasamatteroflearninghow the horses would act and react in certain situations.

What is your favourite event location or riding area?That would be the Westoba Agricultural Centre of Excellence, known as the ACE Arena. I was part of the team that worked very hard to get the facility upgraded. We lobbied the money-backers to have the Keystone Centre improvedandI’mveryproudofit.Whenyoucanfit550Percheronsunderoneroof,you’vegotaprettyamazingbuilding. The new barns, the new show ring and the new warm-up area are wonderful to have so close to where I live.

What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?Wilf was into curling a few years ago. He needed two men forhisnextgameandcouldn’tfindanysubstitutesonshortnotice. My sister Shirley was visiting from Montreal at the time. I suggested to her that we trick Wilf and tell him that wecouldfindhimtwosubs.HesaidOK.ThenShirleyandI dressed up like guys, complete with horn-rimmed glasses andtheattachedmustaches,andweshoweduptocurlforWilf’s team. I don’t recall if we won the game, but she and Ihadalotoffunthatnight!

What are your guilty pleasures?Reading. I’m an avid reader. I have an e-book reader and I spend far too much money downloading books. I have over 100 books on it after owning it for only one year. I probably go through a book a week. I’d much rather read than watch TV because I can learn more.

Krystal Pelepiuk, proud new owner of BNE Sharp Customer (Casey), formerly owned by Marnie Somers.

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If you love to have horses around but can’t manage the full-size variety, you may want to consider a Falabella: the smallest horse in the world.

The gestation period of the Falabella is anywhere between 320-340 days with a rare exception of 360 days. The tiny foals stand at 16-17” at the withers. Despite the small stature, it is common for a Falabella to live well past 40 years. All of this with Thoroughbred blood in the background, including the delicate constitution, they are considered as the original true miniature horses. Reportedly they have two fewer ribs and vertebrae than the normal horse or pony.

As a Falabella breeder of almost 20 years in Canada and a friend of Angelica Falabella, Wendy Strong of Strong’s Falabella Miniature Horses in Port Maitland, Ontario can tellyouthat,“Yes, thehorsesare thought tohavearibor two less, but it is not known for sure if this is true in every Falabella. The breed was developed using Arabs, Thoroughbreds, evendrafthorsesanda small spottedpony native to Argentina. The Arab is said to have a rib

FalabellaFalabellaThe Smallest Horse in the World.

by Ishbel Moore.Photos by Jackie Crispin.

or two less also, and this is probably where the Falabella got this trait.”

This breed is believed to have originated in Argentina, South America, in the mid- to late 19th century, when an Irishman named Patrick Newtall had the idea for a miniature horse and he spent years developing his ‘small’ herd. When his daughter married in 1879, Newtall passed his knowledge and dreams along to Juan Falabella, his son-in-law, on their Recrio de Roca Ranch near Buenos Aires. Juan infused this new breed with Shetland ponies, Arabians, Criollos, Hackneys, Appaloosas, and the small English Thoroughbreds, which they are said to resemble. The program continued through Juan’s descendents and his family remains the primary breeder, with locations in Argentina and South Carolina, USA.

Ideally, the horse-type body is slim, with small ears set wide, friendly and calm eyes, and small open nostrils. They are noted to have high withers, with a short, straight back


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and a slightly sloping croup. Flowing manes and tails are a definingcharacteristic,asaretheslenderlegswithawell-formed foot. The most predominant colors are black, bay, brown, gray and roan, but Appaloosa and pinto markings were the favourite colours of the Falabella family, so this is a reason they are common today.

Falabellas can come in a variety of heights, however the most desirable are the Class A sizes of under 28”-34”, with some sources citing they cannot exceed 30” at the withers.Referencesourcescommentthattheselittlehorsescan have some conformation issues surface in the very tiny ones. However, Wendy Strong is quick to point out that,“Falabellascomeinallsizes.Somehavedishheadslike theArabandsomehavea longerflat face like theThoroughbred. The breed has no height limit; it is strictly a bloodline registry. I personally like the taller ones as they make awesome driving horses.”

Although some horses mature at under 30”, with 28-34” being the popular size, others will grow to 40” because they have full size horse blood in their pedigrees. One short and stocky stallion was a favorite of the Falabella family. With the larger than life name of Napoleon, this stud matured at only 27”, weighed 100 lbs, and at the time of his death at 42 years-old, was claimed to be the oldest living horse in the world. Another highly revered stallion was named Menelek. He was sold to Lord and Lady Fisher of England, and was used to start the Falabella bloodline intheUK.AwineryinCaliforniaimportedthefirstpureFalabella stallion into the USA – a leopard appaloosa named Chianti.Strongsays,“Allofourbreedingstockwaspurchased

from theUSsincewewere…are thefirstbreedersofpure Falabellas in Canada. We currently own twelve and maintain a small breeding program producing two to three

foals per year. Many of our foals have been sold to people starting their own breeding herds in both Canada and the States. Some of our foals have been retained to participate in our local 4-H Miniature Horse Club where I am a Leader, teaching my members showmanship and harness driving. Ifindthebreedisveryintelligentandeasytotrain.”TheFMHARegistrationAssociationcertifiesthepurity

of the prestigious Falabella ancestry, and a pure Falabella is extremely rare, with only 900 registered with the FMHA. Most Falabella farms are found in Argentina but there dedicated breeders all over the world.

Strong always recommends that people looking for Falabellas make sure the horse is truly a pure Falabella. “Theproof,”shesays,“isintheFMHAregistrationpapers,since some breeders will try to sell a Falabella blend as a full blooded Falabella.” Pure Falabella horses are still relatively rare with approximately 2,000 in the world – around 100 of those in Canada – with the remaining numbers in the US and UK. Strong relates that she has had the opportunity to visit many Falabella farms in the US, and some in England and Ireland.Strongadds,“Theymakegreatfirsthorsesforchildren

because they are safe and many horse loving older adults like the breed because of their versatility. They require less feed, space and daily maintenance compared to that of a full size horse.”

While they can be trained to drive and show, they are not considered strong enough to ride, but can make ideal pets given their friendly and obedient nature. At very least a Falabella would provide an interesting topic of conversation, as well as being an ornamental and unique pet.

Falabella AF Emperador, a leopard appaloosa stallion born and raised at Angelica Falabella’s ranch in the US but now living at Northridge Falabellas in Harriston, ON.

Thanks to Wendy Strong of Strong’s Falabella Miniature Horses in Port Maitland, ON (www.stronghorses.com) and Jackie Crispin (www.northridgefalabellas.com) for their input.

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Photo Contest Rules.

Thank you once again to Don’s Photo for sponsoring our Grand Prize of $100. First place winners throughout the year will receive a prize from a selection of photography or horse products.This issue’s winners are on page 44.

1. Any Horse Country reader is eligible to enter except for professional photographers/media artists and employees of Horse Country and their families.2. Maximum of three entries per issue; one entry per email. 3.Eachprintphotomustbeidentifiedwithyourname,address,phonenumberandtitleevenif all photos are sent in the same envelope. Digital photo entries must contain all the required information in the entry email. 4. To qualify, the photo should portray a scene or an event including horses according to the contest category.5. Print entries must be maximum 8” x 10” unmounted; digital photo entries at least 4” x 5”, at least 1200 pixels x 1600 pixels (equivalent to 2.1 megapixel camera). If emailing using a proprietary “sharing”program,pleaseclick“keeporiginalsize”,not“email”.6. All entries become the property of Horse Country/Woodstock Media Services and will not be returned. Horse Country/Woodstock Media Services will have exclusive rights to use the photographs or videos for any purpose, including publishing the entry in print or electronic form in future issues or on the web, for product reviews, or for promotional purposes without further notice or compensation. PLEASE NOTE: Many entries have come in of people with their horses. If the person in the photoisnotobviouslyafamilymemberwewillaskforconfirmationthatheorsheisinagreementwith having their image published. ESPECIALLY where children are shown we will ask for their parents’ permission. Each issue of the magazine will award one winning photo and two runners-up.

The winning entry from each edition will be judged for the grand prize announced in the November 19, 2012 issue.Thephotofirstplaceineacheditionwillwinprize(s)tothevalueof$50.TheGrandprizewinner

will receive prizes to the value of $100.Prizes cannot be substituted.Deadlines for entries are: Issue 7-12, September 10; Issue 8-12 October 22.Please go to page 44 for this issue’s winners.

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Hi my name is Ory Brown and I am a grade 12 student , so this is my last year in High School Rodeo. I live near Lenore with my Mom, Dad, brothers Ace and Boe and sister Sky.WhenIwasjustalittleguymywholeliferevolvedarounda

horse. Any horse, big, small, cute, ugly, I didn’t care, I just wanted to be near a horse. Fortunately we were in PMU so a horse was not the problem. We did have a pony that I started riding at the ageof2andwasdoingabarrelpatternatage4.Thiswasokaybut not really what I was sure I was meant to do. With a lot of trialsondifferenthorseswefinallyfoundonethatIgotalongwith. I can’t say that I was much of a rider. To be truthful I was terrible. My Mom spent hours trying to teach me how to sit a horsewithoutfallingoffonesideortheother.Atabout6years-old, things were starting to click. I could actually make a couple oflapswithjustalittleproblem.MomandIworkedhardatthisriding thing almost every day and things did improve but not by leaps and bounds.

The summer I was to turn 8 my Mom had promised if I helped her paint the inside of the barn we could go to whatever horse sale I picked and she would buy me the colt I chose. Well he was a white and brown paint and I named him Apache. He was the best horse in the world and he was all mine.

Now the training started, which was not quite as easy as Ithoughtitwouldbe.TheyearsflewbyandwhenMomsaidshe could no longer teach me any more she set me up with my cousinShaneBrown.IthoughtMomwastough!Shanedidn’ttake excuses: when he told you to do something with a horse he really meant it. I spent a couple of years learning the art of horsemanship and how to team rope and calf rope. Shane not only became my mentor but also my best friend. The time I spent

with him was like being on a holiday. He made it all fun and interesting. As I approached the summer of Grade 8, Mom and Shane discussed whether I was ready to head down thetrail of high school rodeo.

About July that summer my older brother decided that he was going to rodeo with me. He didn’t ride much and never roped buthewasanaturalandbyAugustwewerereadyandofftothefirstrodeo.IwastiedownropingandmybrotherAceandI were team roping. This was the most nerve racking, exciting thing I had ever done.

After a few rodeos, Ace decided that doing just one event was not that much fun so onto the steer wrestling he went. I watched for a while and decided this was something that I needed try too. So now I compete in tie down, team roping and steer wrestling.MyMomdecidedafterthefirstrodeothatmysisterneeded

to be in a couple of events too. The day was just too long not to make good use of it. So barrels, poles, goat tying, breakaway, team roping and ribbon roping were added. Now, a day at the rodeo was complete. For the next three years life was perfect, practice 2, 3, or 4 times a week and rodeo on the weekends

In Grade 9, Ace and I made it to the Canadians in Team Roping and I made it in the Tie Down. The family loaded up and outtoB.C.wewent.Itwasaterrificexperience.Wealsomadeit to the Nationals but did not go. When Iwas inGrade10weonceagainqualified for the

Canadians and the Nationals in Team Roping, Steer Wrestling and Tie Down Roping. At the Canadians this time we knew what toexpectanddidalotbetter.Themostfunwasthepeopleyoumet and the friendships you carry around with you. During the

Horse Country was proud to offer a scholarship package to

Manitoba High School Rodeo Association riders for the 2012

season. The criterion was for students to use their creative

writing skills and write about rodeo. For example, to write

about the effort it takes to compete in MHSRA – the trials and

tribulations, etc.

The runner-up was Ory Brown with “Rodeo, The Ultimate

Rush”. Judges commented, “It was very interesting in that the

reader gets to follow the often difficult path of an aspiring and

successful rodeo champ. It’s a story of family, of learning and

growing, honesty and hard work.”

RODEO , THE ULTIMATE RUSH

by Ory Brown.

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summer we would have kids come out to our place and I would teachthemhowtoropeandhowtobeabetterhorseperson,howto get the most out of their horse by understanding the horse, and helping to guide the horse to the place they needed to get with them. Someone did this for me and I was only to glad to help as many others as I could.Mydaysattherodeowerefilledwithhelpingthenewrodeo

kids with their horses in the boxes and pushing their steers in the chute. After the rodeo was over there was always time to rope the dummy.

Grade 11 came along and I was cowboy of the year and Hi-point for the Manitoba High School Rodeo Association: my dream hadcometrue.IwasfinallyacowboyandofftotheNationalsI was going. They were held in Wyoming, and once again the family loaded up and away we went. I know now what stage fright is. The arenas were so big and everything was on the big screen. Nervous? I can’t even tell you. I was shaking so bad, I wasgladIdidn’tfalloffmyhorse.Whatathrillitwas!Tiedownroping and team roping at the Nationals and hazing, ya I had to learn how to do that too.

Nationals was not that kind to me but I left there at least with my dignity. I hadn’t made a fool of myself and I would be back. We were at the Canadians once again. The competition was tough, the horses were ready, the cowboys were all keen to

get started. As the time ticks the nerves started to let me know that they were right there with me. My family was always right beside me too, with good luck slaps and the loudest cheers you can imagine. I did not come out with any saddles but I did come out with a great feeling of accomplishment. I had once again made it to the Canadians, made some very respectable runs and had a lot of fun.

Grade 12 was the year I would rise above it all, except for the fact that I tore the ACL in my knee in September and was out fortheseason.SurgerycamealonginDecemberandIwasoffhorses until the middle of April. April rodeos started slow for me as I could only team rope. It wasn’t until the middle of May that I tried the tie down roping again; steer wrestling will not be happening this year. I am at least back in the saddle and doing whatIlove.MysisterstillrodeosandmylittlebrotherBoeisinthe rodeo world too.

Rodeo is an event that tests you every time you go out there; thereisnoneedforotherartificialhighsbecauseyougetthebestrush from the rodeo itself. Be your best and help anyone that you can to succeed; that is what it is all about. My family is always there to lend a hand and support me and my brothers and sister. I have learnt so much about sportsmanship and friendship in the rodeo world.

Thanks Rodeo: you are the greatest. Ory Brown

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ManitobajumpingcoachandclinicianAndrewCurrywassittingaboardmy 16-year-old American Saddlebred/Thoroughbred cross gelding, Handsome,onacold,dampeveninginNovember.Hiswordsconfirmedsomething I’d begun to suspect. After a nine-year partnership, it was time to consider a new home for my beloved four-legged friend.

Handsome had tolerated 10 months of lessons and a few schooling showsbeforefirmlydecidingthathehadnointerestinjumping.

It was time to start hunting for a new mount. The last time I shopped for a horse, I was 12. My parents and I scoured

classifiedadsanddroveout tomeetevery“kidsafe”horse listed insouthern Manitoba. As I’m sure many seasoned horsemen and women canattest,thephrase“kidsafe”hasmultipledefinitions.It’samiracleI

My experience buying a horse and tips for others

By Kiirsten May

Finding Mr. Right

(Left) Kiirsten after her second date with Moe; (Right) in the ribbons at her first show.

“If you want to get serious about hunters, you’re going to need a horse that’s willing to get serious with you.”

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didn’t die on one of these test rides. The second time around wasn’t any

easier. I was in a unique position in my riding career. While I’d spent thirteen years in the saddle, I’d only just begun learning about the exciting discipline of hunter/jumper. I needed a mount thatwasgoingtobuildmyconfidenceand give me an opportunity to advance in the sport. I was also on a limited budget. With the sale of Handsome and the generosity of one of my closest family members, I had $4,000 to spend on a new horse. While it seemed like a lot of money, I quickly learned that a trustworthy amateur hunter is a rare and valuable creature.

Finding and test riding horses is a thrilling and daunting experience. A contributor aptly described it last month on the popular e q u e s t r i a n r a n t b l o g , SnarkyRider.com: “Findingyourperfecthorseisgoing

tobea longanddifficultprocess. Itwill be like trying to decide if a man is the one you want to marry and spend the rest of your life with after only one date.”

Luckily, I had my coach by my side. Sheryl Feller, manager of BlueBear Farms in Sanford, Manitoba, knew my needs and my limitations. She helped menavigatethemarkettofindsomeappropriate suitors.Istartedmysearchonclassifiedad

websites, and I can’t say that horse-for-sale ads have become any more reliable over the years. For example, if someone says their show horse has been“outofthecompetitionringfora while,” it means the horse has been soured by an inexperienced rider and nolongerframes,bendsormovesoffthe leg.

Myfirstdatematchedthisexample.While this sweet bay Thoroughbred was cooperative and well-mannered on the ground, I didn’t even try him over a cross rail. After climbing on and spending twenty minutes at the walk, trot and canter, I couldn’t get hisnoseoffthearenawall.Iconfessedto Sheryl that I didn’t trust my ability to get him safely over an obstacle as I hadn’t yet been to stop him from counter-bending to look straight ahead.

Another phrase to watch out for inhorseclassifiedsis“keentojump.”

It actually means the horse gallops headlong at the fence and no amount of seat or pulley rein will stop him.

On my second date, I met a beautiful big Holsteiner sport horse with lots of ability. Unlike horse number one, his flatworkwasexceptional.Hisowneroriginally told me that he’d be a great partner to teach me in the ins and outs of the hunter ring. After watching her take him over a few low verticals, I realized his enthusiasm would have me packing my boots and helmet and takingupknittingas ahobbyinstead.

Sheryl coached me over a few cross rails and he ran us through the obstacle every time. I didn’t have the skill to package his energy.

When I was 12 years-old, my family ended up purchasing a mare that was never listed for sale. We told

“Finding your perfect horse is going to be a long and difficult process. It will be like trying to decide if a man is the one you

want to marry and spend the rest of your life with after only one

date.”

our friends and family in the equine community what we were looking for, and through word-of-mouth, the right horse came along.

Now, at age 25, this same method brought me to Mr. Right.

Another boarder at BlueBear Farms told me about an 11 year-old Thoroughbred gelding that would be coming up for sale in the spring. This boarder even had a video clip of this horse competing in 2’6” hunters at a schooling show that she and the horse’sownerattended.

The gelding belonged to Shelley Hallick, owner of Ascero Stables in Starbuck, Manitoba. I asked Sheryl about this horse one afternoon at BlueBear Farms, and she said, “Shelley’sinthearenarightnow for the jumping clinic. Why don’t you ask her.”

My third and final date took place at Shelley’s barn

on February 6. It was love at first sight. Mojito, fondly known as Moe, was an ex-racehorse with a friendly personality andagreat butt.Whatmore could you want in a man?

The moment I climbed aboard, I felt like I’d known Moe for years. I jumped a small course with him that night. He had a beautiful rhythmic canter and he was very honest to his fences. He made me feel secure, and I immediately trusted him to do his job. Moe had great conformation, a great temperament, solid training and experience in the show ring. I knew he was the horse for me.

Shelley was asking $5,000 for Moe, but after some negotiating, she agreed to sell him to me for $4,500 pending a prepurchase exam. As that was still

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beyond my budget, she also allowed metofinancetheremaining$500overfour monthly payments. Moe passed his soundness tests on February 23, and on March 11, we moved him to BlueBear Farms.

Moe is my perfect match and I couldn’t be happier with him. We’ve already accomplished some amazing together and I look forward to many more achievements.

Here are my top tips for other riders who are in the market for a horse:• Get your coach on your side. They know what you need in a mount and have to work with the horse your choose. An experienced coach can bring incredible insight to the process and detectredflagsinahorse’sconformation, behaviour and history before you even climb aboard. • Meet as many horses as you can. It’s hard to know what your money can get you. If you ride all the prospects in

yourpricerange,you’llhaveabettersense of a horse’s value and your own expectations.• B e r e a l i s t i c i n y o u r expectations. Figure out what quirks or qualities you can live with and what you can’t. Remember that when you take a horse for a test ride, he has no idea who you are and he doesn’t owe you a thing. Ask him lots of questions, but be patient and forgiving with his responses.• Take your time. It could take fourmonths tofind therighthorse,

or it could take a year. Between agent fees, vet checks and hauling, the costs associated with a buying a horse can quickly add u p . M a k e s u r e you’re investing in a reliable partner who will be a joy to work with and can help you achieve your goals.

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DressageThe initial round of the Team Dressage kicked off on August 2 and 3. Ashley Holzer came out as Canada’s top scoring rider, earning 71.809% aboard Breaking Dawn, a KWPN gelding she co-owns with P.J. Rizvi. The score earned her 20th position overall, and qualified her to move on to the next round of individual competition (which is comprised of the top seven teams, as well as the top 11 individuals not already included as team members).

Jacqueline Brooks rode D Niro (a Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Brookhaven Dressage Inc.) to a score of 68.526%, finishing in 41st position individually. Canada’s final member of the Dressage Team, David Marcus, was eliminated after his mount, Capital, spooked during a downpour of rain mid-performance and was unable to get back on course under the required maximum

of 20 seconds. Because all three scores are required to count toward team standings, unfortunately Canada was eliminated.

EventingThe Eventing portion was held over four days from July 28-31. Jessica Phoenix was Canada’s top finisher. Partnered with Exponential, her 14 year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, Phoenix completed her first-ever Olympics, earning 22nd place individually on a score of 79.20 penalty points.

Michele Mueller also completed the dressage and cross-country phases, but opted not to present her mount Amistad (a 13 year-old Thoroughbred/Belgian-cross gelding owned by Julie-Anna Pring) for inspectionbeforethefinalshowjumpingphase.

Unfortunately, fellow Canadian Eventing Olympic Team members Hawley Bennet-Awad of Langley, BC, Peter Barry of Dunham, QC, and Rebecca Howard of Salmon Arm, BC were eliminated in the cross-country phase, and unable to complete the competition. As a team, Canada finished 13th in the overall standings.

Hawley-Bennet underwent a crashing spill during the cross country phase which gave her a concussion and a back injury, plus a couple of days in hospital. Apparentlytheair-inflatedsafetyvestshewas wearing reduced the actual impact she could have incurred.

LONDON 20120

JumpingShow Jumping began August 4 with a round that counted as both a team and individualqualifier.EricLamazegotofftoanexcitingstart,puttinginaclearroundtotieforfirstplaceaboardDerlyChindeMuze, a 9 year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Ashland Stables and Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable.

Ian Millar made history, breaking a world record on day one of competition by officially making his 10th Olympic appearance. Competing aboard Star Power (an 11 year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Team Works), Millar hadoneraildownforfourfaults,puttinghim in a tie for 42nd position.

Riding George, a 10 year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Brian Gringas, Jill Henselwood incurred four jumping and one time fault for a total of five faults, putting her in a tie for 53rdposition.Thefinalmemberof theCanadianShow JumpingTeam,TiffanyFoster, made her Olympic debut aboard Victor, a 10 year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines Stable. The pair had two rails downforeightfaults,puttingtheminatiefor 60th place.

The second round of Show Jumping competition – which also counted toward both individual and team standings – followed on August 5. Unfortunately, Foster’s horse Victor was disqualified shortly before the competition started.

While there was no accusation of malpractice,Victorwasdeemedunfittocompete on the grounds of hypersensitivity due to a small cut on a forelimb above the hoof. Being short one team member, Canada had to compete knowing that all three scores would stand, as they wouldn’t have the advantage of being able to drop the lowest of four scores.

events in the ring

Jessica Phoenix and Exponential.

Ashley Holzer and Breaking Dawn.

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continued on page 34LONDON 20120

en

July �0, �0��At last I am getting excited at the prospect of acting as an FEI steward attheLondonOlympics!Myjourneyis just starting as I am ready to board the plane for London in a few hours, however, my real Olympic road started lastNovemberwhenIreceivedaletterinviting me to become involved.Of course, I said “Yes”, and

was immediately deluged with orders. Orders to send pictures for identification,details tobe checkedby theLondon “bobbies” as tomysafe character and worst of all, measurements for uniforms. The pre-accreditation arrived two weeks ago and gave us free rides on all buses, the tube and special Olympic transport.

Can you imagine two uniforms including shoes, hats, blazers for formalwearandafullcasualoutfitforworkinthe“backfield”.Theonlythingnot listed is a rain coat, and I imagine that will be a primary need.

I am taking pins to trade, a camera andnecessarylifetoolsbutlittleelse.Of course my hope is that the clothes we receive on arrival will get me through most of the work days. Wishmeluck!Therewillbethree

Canadians working at the show jumping venue, Kim Morrison from Calgary is on the jumper jury and Pat Chalmers from Quebec will be with me in the stewarding area. I look forward to reconnecting with many oftheEuropeanofficialsthatcametoKentucky for the World Equestrian Games (WEGS) in 2010.Iamatthegate!I”llletyouknow

about my digs in London tomorrow.

from behind the scenesAn exclusive daily diary from Jan Stephens, Canada’s

National Technical officer, who was invited to Steward at the Jumping events of the Games.

Jill Henselwood and George.

Henselwood was first to enter and had just one rail down for four faults, putting her in a tie for 47th position individually. Lamaze had a faultless jumping performance, but was slightly over the time allowed, incurring one time faultandfinishingtiedforthe13thspotindividually. Riding in the anchor position, Millar enjoyed a fault-free performance, moving him up the individual standings to tie for 17th position.

Canada ended the day in sixth position, qualifying to move on to the Team Final onAugust6,wheretheyfinishedinfifthplace overall.

Millar and 2008 Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze were the only two members of the Canadian Olympic Team for Show Jumping to advance to the Individual Final. The top 37 athletes from the original starting field of 75 qualified for Wednesday’s two-round Individual Final.

Lamaze, 44, of Schomberg, ON, incurred12faultsinthefirstroundoftheIndividual Final and did not advance to thesecondandfinalroundofcompetition.He tied for 29th position in the final individual standings.

July ��, �0��Traveling is always a challenge isn’t it? I left for my connecting Toronto/London flightbutWinnipegwaslateandTorontodidn’t happen. Once again silver linings andImetanofficialfromManitobafromTriathlon in the same position. We shared dinner before loading on a later London flight.Nextglitch– easyaccreditation,easy transit to Paddington Station. Oh, did Imentionmyluggageislost.Nomatter,itwillfindme,afterallitisAirCanada.Theglitch – they delivered me to the wrong hotel!Costme£25tofixthatmistakebutat least I wasn’t hauling my luggage!August �Exciting this morning. We have collected our uniforms complete with hemmed pants.Wehaveabriefingat10a.m.andseethe grooms’ living quarters in Davenport House. We will share lunches with them but dinners are on our own.

Most of the jumping horses are in. They canflattodayinrings1and5buttherecan be no overlap with Dressage who start competing tomorrow.Wehave thefirsthorse inspection for Jumpers tomorrow.

Looks like I start at 6:30 a.m. with a jump school in ring 1. Thinking of you in Winnipeg. Jan. PSWeatherisovercastbutpleasant!

August �Officiatingtodaywaslongbutfuntogetstarted with the jumping. All the horses went well but have you ever been in a situation where you suspect there are too manychiefs!Thatwasus today tryingto figure a “flow” from three separatewarm up arenas to the hold area which crosses a pedestrian path. It becomes an FEI steward’s job to yell “GATE” to have

Detailed results from the 2012 London Olympic Games can be found at www.london2012.com/equestrian. You can also check out “Breaking News” on www.horsecountry.ca to see the events as they unfolded, the press releases, discussions and re-released press releases from Equine Canada with amended positions on the DQ fury.

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four volunteers reverse the arms to let the horsesthrough!Greatfunifyouarethepersonyelling!

Tomorrow we start with the real competition. My shift is 6:30 a.m. on a training arena, then somewhere for the competition, then monitoring the gallop track until 8 p.m.

Dinner with a German steward tonight. Greatfun!Sheshowedmemanypicturesof dogs and horses. I responded with dogs, horsesandgrandchildren.Iwon!

Looking forward to more tomorrow.August �One of the best things about these London games is our accommodations. Right out of the park gates, manned by soldiers, sailors and green guys I can’t identify, are threepubsonthecorner! 1. The Rose and Thorn. I can vouch for theirfoodandtheirgreat“shandy”drinkbut across the street it is claimed they have upped the prices. 2. The Spread Eagle. Live jazz every night and the best sausage rolls on earth. 3. The posh pub on the other side. The Mitre Free House. Have to confess I haven’t been in there yet. I’ll let you know.Today was our first day working for the jump discipline as the jog was held following the last dressage ride of the day.

I started really early. The jumpers were allowedtoflatfrom6:30a.m.to9:30a.m.in my assigned ring 1. It was fun to see familiar faces. Don’t let the riders tell you theyarenotexcited.Theyare!Thenationsand the entourages that accompany the riders everywhere are highly visible and none more than our neighbors to the south!

We have 6 warm up or preparation areas with a lunging and a long hacking track up to ring 5 situated at the top of the hill. Cross country started up near #5 but thedayafterXCwasfinishedthewholecoursewasremoved!Becauseweare inthis precious heritage park great care is taken to protect all the greenery. The ringsare temporary,beautiful artificialfooting and it seems a shame to think it all disappears on August 10.

Last night was a steward debrief followedbya“mustdo”receptiontomeetthe grooms. I must say the grooms are all happy to be staying in the compound in Davenport House, no more than a two minute walk to stables.

First training competition for jumpers is tomorrow. This counts for naught but gets the horses in the big ring. I spent the middle of the day assigned to help dressage – escorting the dancers from their warm up to the arena. Fun really – lots of differentapproachesinthepreps.

Jumpers are ramping up now.August 4

I had the early shift in arena 2 with Charles from Qatar and Anna from Italy. We were all surprised when horses came out to school at 6:30 a.m. when the competition started at 10:30 a.m. We work fromaflowchartwhichshowshowthehorses should end up in the hold area prior to entering the competition arena. My hope is that it looked smooth. Reality is that we had times when we scrambled tofindthelistedhorsesastheyhadthechoiceofthreewarmupareas!

The competition went well but as 75 jumped and about 32 were clean, speculation is that tomorrow will be a mightier test.

Following a quick bite of brunch at 3:00 p.m. our team of three monitored the walk between the stables and arena 5. This walk is timed from leaving the stables, arriving at the“top”.Leavingthereandarrivingbackatstables.Wehavearadioatthebottom,on at the top and one roving midway. We finishthedaywithameetingat7:30p.m.and then bed. Can’t even think of stopping atthepubtonight.Wussy,tiredme!August 5First day of team competition and the barnsarequietly,fiercelyfocused.Thesehorses have great trust in their grooms, many of them hand walked miles and milestostretchandrelaxandfindabiteof grass after jumping yesterday. The grooms’ pockets are full of treats and mostlytheirhandsarefullofpats!

My shift started at 6:30 a.m. in warm up area3.Wehadlittlebusinessuntil8a.m.or so but in international teams of three it is time for networking and sharing.

Early in the morning I heard of the jury’s division regarding Victor. My heartbreaks forTiffany.This is timingand Murphy’s Law doing their worst on her behalf.

At the end of the competition Canada sits sixth. That, with no drop score, is digging deep from our veterans.

Socially – I had a great meal at an original tapis place with a nephew. First time out since arriving. The schedules seem easier now that a rhythm is established andtheegosaremoretempered!

Wish for good things on Monday.August 8Several times I started a review of the past fewdays.ThedevastationofTiffany’sDQand my inability to speak about it was tough.Thatbeinga“donedeal”theteamwas brilliant, and classy. In the back ring, which I began to call home, we looked up at the competition arena. It seemed miles in the air and the atmosphere in that arena was electric and exciting.

The riders by now have chosen a favorite or lucky warm up arena and we stewards know who will be coming and who might need hurrying along to meet the needs of live TV.

On our dark day, Tuesday, while the team dressage was busy riding, team 4, my team, walked the stables. Lucky us, we were in stables when the results were announced and we had to muster the three winning dressage teams. You want to herd cats?Easy!Tryherdinggrooms, riders,legs wrapped, tack on, hair done, gloves found, all while your radio is yelling 2 minutes ‘til medals. That I must say was asstressfulasanything“jumper”.Theylooked polished and professional on the Telly. We, on the other hand, needed a stiffdrink

The finals for jumping went well. I really wanted Ian to win but it wasn’t to be. Excited country reps standing around the venuestoldavery“orange”(Nederlands)story.TofinishourOlympicsthe21jumping

stewards from all over the world met for a farewell drink at a pub found by Ray Egarr fromNewZealand.Atthe“KingsArms”we saluted each other and toasted the team we became in a short 9 days.

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EnduranceCanadianEnduranceridersLeeHutten,EmmaWebbandJessicaYavis won the team gold medal at the 2012 Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships in the NAJYRC-CH 4* FEI Championship race held July 20, 2012.

In an incredible display of team unity, all three members crossed thefinishlinetogethertoearntophonoursinthefirsteverFEI4*120kmraceheldattheChampionships.HuttenofChesterville,ON, riding Parker AES, Dessia Miller’s 12 year-old Arabian gelding,finishedin7hours33secondsforfifthplaceindividually.In sixth place was Emma Webb of Flesherton, ON, and and Serloki, Janice Worthington’s 12 year-old Arabian gelding, in a time of 7 hours34seconds.JessicaYavisofWinfield,AB,ridingJahlad,a10year-old Arabian gelding owned by Jaye Yavis, rounded out the Canadians in a time of 7 hours 35 seconds.ThegoldmedalwinningCanadiansfinishedinatotaltime

of21:01:42,andtheyweretheonlyteamtofinishtheraceandbe awarded a medal.“Wecametothe2012NAJYRCwithanincredibleteamof

young ladies, and their performance was fantastic which resulted in a team gold,” said chef d’équipe Maura Leahy. Grooms were

North American Junior & Young Rider Championship

ColetteHutten,DessiaMiller,BobGielen,JanWorthington,JayeYavis, Rick Yavis, Eddie York, Savanah Wilson, Ashlee Miller, and Sharry Wilson. Team Veterinarian was Glenn Sinclair, Assistant Veterinarian was Deanna Spiker.

Reining:Junior Individual champions, Canada’s Haley Franc and Jacs Shy Boy produced the only chink in the otherwise impenetrable armour of the US Reining riders who swept gold and silver in the Young Rider Team event, Individual Young Rider gold and the Junior team title.

The Junior team from USA South East had the narrowest of wins over Canada, just 1.5 points separating the two sides, while bronze went to USA South Central. Team Canada consisted of 17 year-old Emily Birch (Sunup Dun It), Haley Franc (Jacs Shy Boy), Micaela Maharaj (Fancy Footprint) and Emily Wilson (Miss Cielo Chex).

DressageMonica Houweling gained silver in the Individual Championships with Rifradin, while fellow-Canadian, Alexandra Reed riding VIP, took the bronze with 70.000. In the Freestyle Houweling took her second silver and another Canadian, Mathilde Tetreault, stood on the bronze medal step of the podium. Canadian, Mariah Sutton, took Freestyle silver with Renoir while Individual championsUhlirandSjapoerfilledbronzemedalspot.

The Junior team title went to Canada/Quebec’s Frederique Bourgault (Pepin’s HG San Classic), Laurence Blais Tetreault (Pissarro), Naima Moreira Laliberte (Tolando) and Nicole Babich Morin(Foxfire)onascoreof200.642.Threeoftheteamwereenjoying their Championship debut, and 17 year-old Bourgault saidafterwards,“Ithinkwearespeechless!Winningthegoldislike a privilege for all the hard work we did”.

The North American Junior/Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC) are held annually under the rules of the Federation Equestre Internationale – the international governing body for equestrian sport. The 2012 competition hosts the Olympic disciplines of eventing, dressage and show jumping as well as FEI disciplines of reining, endurance and vaulting. Many of the world’s top event riders, including many Olympic gold medalists, began their careers at the NAJYRC.

(Left to right) Canadian Endurance riders Lee Hutten (Parker AES), Jessica Yavis (Jahlad), and Emma Webb (Serloki) won the team gold

medal at the 2012 Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships in the NAJYRC-CH 4* FEI Championship race.

Left: the Canadian contingent; Below: the prized Podium shot.

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If you are like me, you’re always on the lookout for new ways to have fun with your horse. When I saw a photo of two riders playing soccer on horseback with a giant ball, I knew I had to learn more about the sport. The smiles on their faces clearly expressed their delight as their horses competed for the ball with focus and energy.

With that image stuck in my mind, I did some research into equine soccer. Although the sport has been played for about 100 years, it is relatively new, especially when compared to the ancient team sport of polo (over 2000 years). Formal leagues have been competing in Europe since the 1980s, and a few have now started up in the USA. Equine soccer is an exciting game that can be played with two competing teams or on one’s own. During play, the rider encourages her horse to manipulate an oversized ball at a walk or trot, using only his shoulder, front legs and nose. This activity challenges the rider to communicate effectivelywithherhorsetocontrolhislateralmovement,gait, energy and, in competition, to also score goals.

Sound like fun? Want to try it? You can get started right away by reading the following tips, based on my workshops introducing other riders to equine soccer:

PreparationSet your horse up for success with the big ball by doing groundwork that introduces him to other things that roll, such as large horse toy balls or empty barrels. A familiarity with these types of objects makes the transition to the big ball easier. Touch your horse’s legs with them, roll them towards him and encourage him to push these objects witheitherhisnoseorfoot.Beattentiveandrewardasyounormallywouldforcourageandeffort.

EquipmentBesides a horse, all you need to play equine soccer is a large, enclosed space, such as an arena, and an equine soccerball.Theseoversizeballs,oftenadvertisedas“cageballs”, have a heavy-duty, burst-resistant vinyl bladder and a separate cover of sturdy fabric such as heavyweight nylon. They can be ordered online through playground equipment suppliers. I sourced 36” and 48” balls through a Canadian supplier for less than $100, including shipping.

Before you purchase a ball, determine the size you need for safe play. The diameter should not be less than the height of your horse’s breastbone. If the ball is too small, it could easily become trapped under his belly during play, creating a potentially explosive situation for the rider.Atfirstglance,youmightthinkthattheball’sbladder

lookstoosmalltoeverfillthecover.Restassured,itwill.My advice: let the bladder warm up to room temperature before trying to inflate it,bepatient, anduse the righttypeofpump–onedesignedforthe“highvolume,lowpressure”inflationofwatertubesandtowables.Whenthebladderisfullyinflated,thecoverwillbestretchedtaut.

A warning: unless you wish to repair your new ball verysoon,avoid lettingahorseplaywith it at liberty.An equine soccer ball can be damaged by a frisky horse jumpingrepeatedlyontopofit!

Take a K I C K at

Equine SOCCER

By Stephanie Kwok

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GroundworkBegin on the ground with short sessions of 5-10 minutes each. With your horse on a lead rope, walk up to thestationaryballandlethimsniffit.If he won’t approach the ball, have a helper gently roll it toward his front leg and work on building his comfort with this contact before trying to touch the other front leg or either of his back legs. Be patient, and reward forthesmallesteffort.

Once your horse will accept contact on all four legs, encourage his natural curiosity by gently making the ball roll away from the two of you, then follow it calmly together, and repeat. Your horse may surprise youwithhowsoonheofferstostartpushingitwithhisnose. Be alert to the motion and sounds of the ball – your horsemayspookinresponsetoareboundoffafenceorhis body. The number of sessions you need on the ground will depend upon your horse’s reaction and comfort with the ball.

If your horse appears to need more time with the ball to become comfortable, try these additional exercises:• bouncing the ball next to him and against him (hindquarters, too)• placing the ball onto his back• weaving the ball through cones• approaching a stationary ball at a trot• ground-driving with the ball• rolling the ball with a bit of force against the horse’s legs to simulate receiving a pass from another player.

Under SaddleOnce your horse accepts the ball’s motion and sounds, you can begin mounted exercises. At a walk, approach the ball onalinethatisslightlyoff-centre,sothatitwillbekickedforwards by the action of just one of his front legs. Follow the ball, encouraging him to continue making contact with hisleg.Afterafewkicks,walkoffintheoppositedirection.Repeat this exercise a few times, making sure to approach the ball from both sides, and end your session on a positive note. When you are ready for more of a challenge, weave the ball around cones or through a pair of goal markers. As your handling skills improve and your horse comes to “know”theball,practisepassingtheballtoanotherrider.This is one of the most challenging skills to master.

Play a GameWhilethesizeofteamsisflexible,agameof3-on-3(twofielders,onegoalie) ensures continuousactionwithallplayers involved. A game of 2-on-2, without goalies, also

works well. You’ll need an arena that is about 20m wide x 60mlongwithflat,dryfootingsothattheballrollseasily.Hollows or ruts cause the ball to become stuck. Mark outthegoalsusing“soft”objects,suchastrafficconesorplastic barrels, placed at least 4m apart; the smaller the goal area, the greater the challenge. Leave space behind the goal of about two horse-lengths.

Rules for an Informal game• Beginwiththeballinthemiddleofthearena;fieldersline up facing each other.• Whenateamscoresagoal,theirfieldersreturnbackacross the centre line; defenders take possession at their endandadvanceupthefield.• Goalies stay behind the centre line.• The team that kicks the ball out of bounds loses possession.• The ball should only be moved by horses, not riders.• Two periods of 10-15 minutes each with a 15-minute intermission is a good length for a game.• Avoid compressing the ball at the fence or between twohorses.Backoffandapproachfromanotherangle.• Walk or trot only, while in possession of the ball.• Sideline any horse displaying aggressive behaviour during play.

Learning to play equine soccer has some obvious trainingbenefits,anditmakesarefreshingchangefromyour usual routine. But I think what you’ll like best about thissportisthatthehorsesenjoyitasmuchaswedo!

Stephanie Kwok divides her time between her family, her passion for horses and her work as a freelance writer and editor. Born and raised on the prairies, she now lives in BC where she plays equine soccer with her young Arabian gelding, Merlyn. Get in touch with her through her website,www.fraserwood.com.

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Manitoba Hunter/Jumper and Dressage competitor Lucero Desrochers’ dreamhas come true! For years, Lucerorecognized the need for a Manitoban facility which will work with beginners interested in obtaining English or Western riding skills. In May 2012, Lucero became the manager of River Ranch Equestrian where the aspirations of many budding equestrians may be turned into reality.

Located on 80 acres just east of the ever growing town of Beausejour in the Eastman region of the province, River Ranch Equestrian is scenically located with the Brokenhead River running through the middle of the property. The facility has a 10 stall barn, an indoor riding arena, an outdoor riding ring. Spacious grass turnouts each have their own run-in shed and automatic waterer.

River Ranch Equestrian will be offeringavarietyofoptionssuitedto meet the needs of novices or those returning to the sport of riding. They can even assist you in starting your young prospect horses. A string of happyschoolhorsesofferasafeandenjoyable way to see if equestrian sports are in your blood.

Lucero has been working with horses for most of her life. Her father, Leo, who worked for International Aid Agencies, spent many years

River Ranch Equestrian opens its doors.

working in South America. As a result his family was able to enjoy a variety of experiences not available to many people. Lucero was born in Colombia and started riding in the Dominican Republic at 6 years-old. Her mother, Catherine Desrochers, was also an avid equestrian. In 1991, she was able to train with the Dominican Dressage team then preparing to compete in the Cuban Pan American Games. She eventually became a Judge and was very involved in the horse community in every country they happened to be living in.In1983theDesrochersfamilymovedbacktoOttawa.

Between 1983 and 1988, Lucero received further training in eventing with the LaFambroise family and with Ruth Koch for Dressage. During this time Lucero began her teaching career as an assistant instructor in Pony Club.

However they moved to Peru in 1988. Here Lucero trained with military coaches that preferred a strongGerman influence.At thispoint, Lucero was jumping 1.30m and performing Dressage tests equivalent to the current Canadian National Level 4. Lucero also represented Peru as a Junior Rider at many international competitions in South America. It was during

by Liane Parker.

continued on page 40Lucero in competition.

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this time in Peru that Lucero began training young and problem horses.

In 1991 the Desrochers family moved to Ecuador where they would live for the next 10 years. At this point, Lucero began competing more actively. At Dressage competitions, Lucero showed up to FEI level Intermediare 1 and had students up to and including Prix St George. She also competed in Show Jumping up to 1.50m with students working at 1.40m. She evenmanaged tofind time tocompete in her favorite sport, Eventing, taking in several 2 Star Events.

In 1998, Lucero owned a riding school with 32 mounts. Including students who trailered their horses in to the facility, it was not unheard of for her riding school to teach 75ridersinasingleday!

In order to represent Canada at international events a rider must first obtain approval from the national equestrian body, and in Lucero’s case she needed to send the Canadian Equestrian Federation (CEF) a taped video performance. After gaining approval, Lucero was able to represent Canada as a Junior Show Jumper at the

American International in Bogata, Columbia. She won several International championships as well as an FEI award for athletes.

Lucero and her daughter, Anna, have been back in Canada since 2001. After arriving in Winnipeg Lucero worked at a variety of stables and also maintained a number of independent riding students. In 2003, personal reasons required a move to the western provinces. Lucero did try a few other professions but always found herself

Above and opposite: Lucero’s daughter Anna, with her Connemara.


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drawn back to an equine career. Most recently, it was Kyle King – well known USA trainer/rider – who convinced Lucero to help him prepare a stallion for jumping competitions at Spruce Meadows.

In 2008, Lucero and Anna decided that Manitoba held more opportunity for family time so made this province their home. Anna has been

blessed with the same natural ability as her mother and has been seen with her beautiful gray Connemara mare at many local events. CurrentlyLucero(anEquineCanadacertifiedcoach)

is teaching both Hunter/Jumper and Dressage students and horses. She is also working with some young Arabs and Morgans as well as pleasure horses. She herself has

already won some championships in 2011 and 2012 (Open Training Level Dressage on Maureen Demkey’s amazing gelding, Endeavour).

Current students have been successful in both Hunter and Jumper, and in the Dressage ring to Prix St George levels. Lucero’sfirstactivityatRiverRanchEquestrianwastwo

week-long camps: one in July and one in August. Initially Lucero will be handling all the training duties but her long term goal is to develop young coaches as well as grooms. She has fellow competitors who are always looking for properly trained employees to help them while they are on the show circuit.

Her plan for the school is to provide a safe, reasonably priced environment for children and adult amateurs (such as people coming back to the sport after raising families), as well as just provide a place for kids to come and enjoy horses and friends. This lady who never seems to be out of energy also still plans to continue competing herself, training her show students, and perhaps dabbling a bit in breeding sport horses.

Email: [email protected], phone:1-204-770-6083

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ItallbeganalittleoverayearagowhenBrendaMcCann,ownerof B & E Acres in Carberry, MB, decided to take a trip with one of her good horse buddies to Alberta to audit a Dominique Barbier clinic.Littledidtheyknowthataweekendtripfortwohorsecrazy women would turn into a life changing moment in their never-endingquestforbecomingbetterhorsewomen!

After leaving the clinic in Alberta, Brenda knew she just had to learn more from this wonderful Master. On the drive home her wheelswerealreadyturningasto“HowcanIgetDominiquetocome to Manitoba and, furthermore, would he come to my place?” A year later, after a lot of hard work, the dream came true as B & EAcreshostedtheirfirstDominiqueBarbierclinicinJune.

Dominique Barbier is a world renowned French Classical Dressage Master who was born in France in 1950. He began his equine career at a Jesuit school in Poitiers and at 15 years-oldattendedCrabbettParkEquestrianCentreinWestSussex,England,wherehecertifiedasaBritishHorseSocietyAssistantInstructor (BHSAI). In 1972, Dominique returned to England to attendtherenownedTallandSchoolofEquitationinCirencesterunder the instruction of Mrs. Molly Siveright, FBHS, DBHS. For the next eight years, he sharpened his riding skills at a number of highly regarded facilities throughout Europe, following various disciplines, including showjumping, three-day eventing, dressage and steeplechasing. Dominique then based himself in Portugal for two years studying with the legendary Mestre Nuno Oliveira. Through his internship with Oliveira, Dominique’s riding skillswere enhancedbyperfectinghis “mental andphysicalattitude.”Thisexperiencewasadefiningmomentthat

inspiredDominique’sbeliefinkeepingahorse“lightandhappy,”knownas“labellelégèretéalaFrançaise.”

Since immigrating to the United States, Dominique’s teachingandpassion for the “ArtofDressage”has reachedmany thousands of people throughout the country, as well as North Africa, Europe, Asia and Brazil. Dominique shares his wealth of experience with equestrians via clinics, symposiums, videosandbooks suchas“Dressage for theNewAge”.Hisavant-garde philosophy, focusing on the importance of mental communication and the understanding of the horse’s nature has been practiced now for over 40 years.

Dominique’s foundation is entirely focused on the horse. Everythinghedoesistobetterthehorsewhichintheendwillallowforbothhorseandriderto“dance”togetherwithlightness,balance and harmony. Although Dominique’s background is founded on French Classical Dressage, he has experience in teaching all disciplines and his lessons can easily transfer into otherareas.EventhosefocusedonWesterndisciplinescanbenefitgreatly by Dominique’s teachings as they focus on equitation and can improve all riders of any discipline, not just dressage. OnThursdayJune7, theclinickickedoffwithanevening

lecture with Dominique, which was a great opportunity to learn more about his teachings and his beliefs as well as have him answerprobingquestionsfromattendees.Theclinicfeaturedfiveriderswithskilllevelsrangingfrom

beginner to advanced. In addition, there were horses of all levels and various breeds, including an Andalusian, a Paint, a Friesian, an Appaloosa and an Oldenburg.

Dominique Barbier:

Story by Heather Davis.Photos by Lynn Nutuk

Host and Owner of B & E Acres, Brenda McCann with her 4 year-old Andalusian Golosina and Master Dominique Barbier.

Dominique assisting beginner rider Heather

Davis with performing a shoulder-in with her mare.

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Riders in the clinic learned first-hand the proper use of lunging the horse to help develop balance and roundness. In addition to lunging, Dominique also includes “in-hand”workwhenever he rides and taught riders the techniques and correct implementation of doing“in-hand”workwithyour horse prior to riding.

Dominique is one of those rare clinicians who not only instructs the riders but also their horses, as each day he rodeeachoftheparticipant’shorses.Horsesattendingtheclinichad a dramatic and noticeable change each day, becoming lighter and lighter as the clinic progressed.

The highlight for many of the riders, both beginners and advanced, was when Dominique assisted them in performing aPiaffeontheirhorses.Riderswereblownawayandeveryonewasutterlyamazedtoseeallthedifferentlevelsofhorsesandridersdoingthesemaneuversandallbythesecondday!

A key feature of Dominique’s teachings is the simplicity. Really, it sounds too simple to be true. But in fact it is just that …simple!Heinformedparticipantshebelievesitistheegoofmanwhichhasmade ridingdifficultbyaddingcomplicatedmaneuvers, equipment, training aids and languages to make ourselvesfeelbetter.Wethinkinordertosucceedithastobedifficult.Wheninreality,itreallyjustneedstobesimpleandeasy!Thiswasclearlyillustratedthroughouttheclinicwiththevarious levels of riders and horses. Dominique taught riders all that is required is a few simple maneuvers and once you get themunderyourbeltyoucandoanything...includingaPiaffeandmuch,muchmore!

Dominique is an exquisite trainer and person in himself as not only does he actively insert himself into each lesson he

teaches, but he also engages the audience. He believes every clinician should be prepared to answer any question and have an explanation as to why they do things.

D o m i n i q u e t r u l y lights up a room and is someone whom you want to be with. One can relate it to when you see one of those clinicians who within minutes have the ability to have horses connect to them andasthephrasegoes“in

their pockets”. Dominique has this ability with horses and with people as well. People gravitate to him as he has a powerful positive energy, tons of patience and a warm inviting personality that makes you feel like you have known him for years. Attendeesenjoyedmanydifferentstoriesandlessonslearned

from Dominique throughout the weekend, some equine based and others of a more personal nature. One of the small lessons which was evident throughout the clinic was the power of smiling. Dominique always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye whether he was in the midst of teaching a student, telling a story or riding a horse. The smile is a powerful tool for not only communicating with our fellow humans but with our horses as well. Dominique was the essence of happiness and when in the presence of such a wonderful person and master horseman,onejustcan’thelpbutsmile!

Dominique will be coming back to B & E Acres again for another exclusive clinic October 19 – 21st. Riders who attended the June clinic have already signed up for another opportunity to learn from this fabulous Master. Dominique promised them that if they do their homework and practice what he has taught them, at the October clinic he will help with incorporating the double bridle into their riding. The October clinic will feature 8 spots for riders instead of 5 spots, so if you are interested in participating as a rider or auditor be sure to contact B & E Acres. Email Brenda at [email protected]

Clinic participants from left to right, Janette Reinson, Dominique Barbier, Janette McEntee, Sharmyn Hamilton, Brenda McCann and Heather Davis.

Clinic attendee Sharmyn Hamilton performing proper lunging technique with her Friesian gelding.

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�st place

Photo ContestFionaBugera’sentrycameinwithastoryattached.Whenyoureadthestoryyou’llunderstandwhywebenttherulesalittleandpickedtheseasourfirstplace.Fionawrote:I’veattachedfourpicturesforthephotocontest

andthereasonIattachedfourisbecausetheyareaprogressionof the ritual Sébastien, my 2 year-old son, has when he rides. (If I can only submit one, I suppose it would have to be the one of SébastiengivingJaffaathank-youkissonthenose).Wepracticenaturalhorsemanship andwedefinitely are

passing this on to our kids. Whenever Seb rides, there are a few thingshemustdo.Theseareallthingshestartedprettymuch

on his own or from what he’s seen us do.1. When riding, he needs his cowboy hat just like his dad and

is always smiling while on his horse.2.Afterhisride,healwaysleadsJaffatoanicepatchofgrass

for a bit of a feed afterwards.3.ThenafterunsaddlingandbeforeputtingJaffabackout

to pasture, he always has to give him a kiss on the nose to say thank you.

Jaffa is an 8 year-old Welsh cross quarter horse cross whatever else happened to be in the pasture that day and is just amagnificentfriendforSébastien.

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Photographer’s name: _________________________________________________________________ Age (if under 18) ___________

Address, postal code: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Email:___________________________________________________________ Phone number: _____________________________

Describe the photo, where it was taken and who is in it: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mail entries to: Horse Country, Suite 203, 23-845 Dakota Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2M 5M3or email as high-resolution attachments to [email protected]. Include the above information in the body of your email.

Contest category:“Horse friends”

When choosing the winners of our contest we willlookforphotosthat“capturethemoment”of horses with their friends. The friends can be other horses, animals, people.

While our criteria is based upon content, technical details such as focus, exposure, etc. will be judged and we reserve the right not to award a prize if photos do not meet publication standards. We cannot accept photo entries printed on a home printer. Photo entries should be a minimum 5” x 7”at300dpi.Ifyouthinkyou’ve“gotawinner”and are unsure of how to send it digitally at highresolution,itmaybeworthwhilegettingitprofessionally printed.

�nd placeCharna Humeny of Teulon, MB wins second place for her picture of their son, Logan, trying to feed two of their horses some of their hay.

Editor’s note: only one of the first place photos will go through to the grand final.

Photo contest entry form. Deadlne for the October competition is September 10.

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A major initiative of the Canadian Quarter Horse Association (CQHA)istoco-ordinateandfieldateamtorepresentCanadaat biennial American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Youth World Cup competitions. These competitions are educational, leadership-based events for youth members from around the world, culminating in showcasing skills learned in an atmosphere of friendly competition. Eachparticipating country is eligible to selectup tofive

competing riders, two alternate riders and three non-competing youth (leadership members). The host country provides a pool of horses of various ability levels, which are subsequently grouped into lots of five horses each. During the opening ceremonies, teams draw to determine their assigned group of fivehorses.TeamsthendesignateriderstocompeteinWesternHorsemanship, Western Pleasure, Western Riding, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, Showmanship, Trail; Reining; and Cuttingclasses.Pointsearnedbyplacinginthetoptenofeachclass are tabulated to determine the overall team placings. Two sets of medals are awarded to the top ten exhibitors in each class -– one per judge, per show day.

Team selection criteria are determined by each participating country, as is the method of funding team fees and travel expenses. Team Canada members are chosen from applications submitted to theCQHAYouthWorldCupCommitteebasedon selection criteria for each biennial event and is published on the CQHA’s website. Funding for Team Canada fees and travel expenses is cost-shared by AQHA/CQHA, provincial/regional QuarterHorseAssociations,CQHAaffiliatedisciplines,corporateand/or individual sponsors, and team members’ families.

The CQHA Board of Directors congratulates the entire 2012 youth team, coach and manager and their support groups both on siteandbackathomefortheircumulativeefforts.Youweregreatambassadors for Canada and we are very proud of all of you.

Back row (l to r): Della Cryderman, Stefanie Lepp, Brittany Ruecker, Amanda Daly, Haley Stradling, Laura Anne Berensci, Quinn Brandt,

Karen Westerback, Megan Daly, Carly Epp.Front row: Rianna Storey, Joannie Backes.

Photo courtesy of Jessie Godin

�0�� AQHA Youth World Cup Report

Team Canada Highlights:

• Canada was one of 15 countries who participated at the 2012 AQHA Youth World Cup, July 21-29, Kreuth, Germany.• Team Canada won four GOLD and two BRONZE individual medals.• Team Canada members won Championship buckles inCuttingandHuntSeatEquitation.• One Team Canada member won trophy spurs as the overall Reserve High Point Rider earning 58 points. • The Right Luke, donated by Chloe Shaw-Jackson, drawn by Team Canada and ridden by several team members, was the Reserve High Point Horse of YWC 2012 earning 51 overall points. • TeamCanadafinished in fourthplace,with98 totalpoints.TeamItalywasfirstwith144points;TeamGermanywas second with 134 points; Team New Zealand was third with110points;andTeamUSAwasfifthwith92points.

The2012TeamCanadafivecompeting ridersplacedasfollows: Joannie Backes, Carlsbad Springs, ON • Hunter Under Saddle – 5th in Show #1; 9th in Show #2 • Hunt Seat Equitation – 7th in Show #2

Quinn Brandt, Steinbach, MB• Western Horsemanship – 4th in Show #1;

Carly Epp, Caledon, ON • Western Pleasure – 10th in Show #1

Rianna Storey, Cambridge, ON • Showmanship – BRONZE MEDAL in Show #1 • Western Riding – 4th in Show #2 • Hunter Under Saddle – BRONZE MEDAL in Show #1; 5th in Show #2 • Hunt Seat Equitation – GOLD MEDAL in Show #1; and GOLD MEDAL in Show #2 = HSE Championship Trophy Buckle• Reserve Champion High Point Rider YWC 2012 earning 58 overall points (received set of trophy spurs)

Haley Stradling, Aldergrove, British Columbia• Cutting: GOLD MEDAL in Show #1, and GOLD MEDAL in Show #2 = Cutting Championship Trophy Buckle.

The 2012 Team Canada alternate riders were Amanda Daly, Pritchard, BC, and Stefanie Lepp, Rivers, MB.The 2012 Team Canada leadership members were Laura Anne Berensci, Paris, ON; Megan Daly, Pritchard, BC; and BrittanyRuecker,Balcarres,SK.The 2012 Team Canada Coach and Team Manager were Coach Della Cryderman, Murillo, ON, and Manager Karen Westerback, Thunder Bay, ON. For more photos and congratulatory Facebook postings, visit Team Canada’s FB

(Public Group) page www.facebook.com/#!/groups/194707480629380/Also CQHA’s own FB page http://www.facebook.com/#!/can.quarter.horse.assoc

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As part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations, the Interlake Riding Club held a fun show on

July 7. Some of the games sounded easy, but have you ever tried to bite a piece of licorice

hanging from a hockey stick?The “potato” stake race was difficult too, but a great time

was had by all.Photos by Linda Hazelwood. All the photos

from the show can be seen at www.horsecountry.ca/gallery.html

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Connections: the economical section for buyers and sellers.

Advantage Auto & Trailer SalesForallyourtrailerneeds!Featherlite, Bison, Titan, Interstate, Tarnel, Triton,Duralite.Specializinginaffordableliving-quarter horse trailers. Sales, leasing, rental&financing.FINANCING!0%downwithextendedtermsupto20years!Tollfree 1-888-571-8899, local 204-729-8989. 770 Highland Ave., on the TransCanada Highway, Brandon, MB. www.aats.ca. (1-13)

TRAILERS

10yo Paint Gelding. Approx 15.2hh. SorrelSabino.Trailhorse,usedtocattle,ranch born and raised. Contact Marsha Trinder (T W Ranch – Russell, MB) at 204-773-2711 or email [email protected]. More horses available for sale. Check websites: www.twranch.ca, www.twhorse.com; Fan Page www.facebook.com/twranch; Videos www.youtube.com/twranch.

10yo Tennessee Walking Horse gelding. Approx 15.2hh. Black roan sabino with star and two hind stockings. Trail horse,gaited,cattlefamiliar,ranchraised. Contact Marsha Trinder (T W Ranch – Russell, MB) at 204-773-2711 or email [email protected]. More horses available for sale. Check websites: www.twranch.ca, www.twhorse.com; Fan Page www.facebook.com/twranch; Videos www.youtube.com/twranch.

Kiefer Built Genesis 3-horse angle haul trailer with large dressing room and rear tack. Demo model. Will consider trades. (MB dealer #4143.) Darin Bouchard, Darin Bouchard Sales, Cypress River, MB. 204-526-7407. (6-12)

Reg � y.o. roan bay mare. Extremelypretty,wellminded.Bred for barrels, but has been working cattleforcuttinghorseshows.FormoreinformationcallRobertKrentz1-204-434-6132Asking $3,500.

Kobau Luck Be A Lady2009 AQHA Palomino Filly. Lucy is very well put together, very good conformation. Has had lots of groundwork. Easy to catch and lead, stands tied. Trailered multiple times. Good for the farrier, and to saddle and bridle. Not being ridden as rider was pregnant. Very curious mare, a quick learner. Never been unsound or lame. Asking$1,000opentoallseriousoffers.www.allbreedpedigree.comkobau+luck+be+a+ladyLindaBennett,[email protected]

HACKNEY PONY:Registered Hackney Pony Gelding 8 yrs old. Well broke to drive single/double, goodontrailsandintrafficandlovesattention.Uptodatewithshotsandfarrier.

For more info please call Fran at 204-886-2685 or cell (204) 886-7285.

FOR SALE: Buggy: very good condition and nice smooth ride. Has been used in show ring and also for trail rides. Can be pulled by horse or pony. For more info please call Fran at 204-886-2685 or cell 204-886-7285.

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CONNECTIONS SECTIONHorses For Sale valued over $750. Picture section. $48: Picture and 30 words text. Guaranteed 1/9th page entry.$24: 30 words text only. Guaranteed 1/18th page entry.Horses valued less than $750 will be placed in the line adverts as below:Line AdvertisingFREE: Subscribers’ personal line adverts, four times each year. Maximum 30 words per advert. Email to [email protected] or call 1-866-886-2425. 70c per word: Subscribers’ business line adverts.90c per word: All other personal and business.$11: Add a picture to any line category.Bonus web:Horses for sale, line ads and small box ads in the Connections section include at least ten weeks on horsecountry.ca.Email: Send write-up - no more than 30 words, and picture no smaller than 3” x 2” at 300 dpi - high resolution. Please do not sharpen or crop thefile.Picturesfromwebsites,videocamerasorsmartphonesarenotacceptable. Photographers proofs not accepted. Please send picture as an attachment,notinsertedintothebodyoftheemailorWorddocument.IfusingKodakShareorotheremailprogram,clickon“keeporiginalsize”,NOT“email”.Regular mail: Send photo and maximum 30-word write-up, with an SASE if you want your picture returned.Paid adverts will be uploaded to the web each weekend. For security, please phone credit card details, don’t email.Email: [email protected]: toll-free 1-866-886-2425, local 204-256-7467.Fax: 204-257-2467.Mail: Suite 203, 23-845 Dakota Street,Winnipeg, MB R2M 5M3Call for annual display rates in this section. Web and print packages available from $250.NB - Insertions not restricted to the current headings. We welcome new categories.PERSONAL ADVERTISERSLinda Hazelwood 204-256-7467 or 1-866-886-2425; [email protected] ADVERTISERSAnita East, 204-275-1101; [email protected].

All rates are prepaid. Add GST or HST as applicable in your home province. (No PST.)

RatesTACKFOR SALE: Brown Nylon Halter/Bridle Combo $20. NEW Justin Ladies Boots size 8.5W $40. NEW Burgundy Nylon Halter & Matching Lead $20. Professional’s Choice Wrangler Hood size L $45. Brown Fleece Western Pad $15. Horse size Black Rope Halter $6. 35” Rear Cinch (middle piece only) Dark Leather $20. NEW Concho’s w/Breast Cancer Logo $25. NEW Unique Ranch Headstall w/cow head conchos & buckles $45. NEW Brown Nylon Rear Cinch & Billets $20. 36” Neoprene Cinch like new $35. NEW 36” Neoprene Cinch w/Gel center $35.7”LooseRingSnaffleBit$20.6”HeavyEggbuttOvalSnaffleBit$20. 7” D Ring Copper Mouth Bit $25. NEW Purple Sidewinder Spurs $20. Email [email protected] 204-461-2035. (6-12)FOR SALE: Passier Grand Gilbert Dressage saddle. Medium tree, deep seat,17.5” and gusseted panels. Built in May 1998. 27.5cm. Also comes with a CanPro leather girth and stamped 28. Has been extremely well taken care of and is in excellent condition. No stirrups or leathers thoughcouldincludeforadditionalcost.Asking$1250.LindaBennett.www.Kobaufarms.com.204-437-4688.bennettls@live.com(6-12)FOR SALE: 17” Theo Sommer Dressage saddle. Excellent condition. comeswithmatchingleathergirth.17.5”flaps.Externalthighblocks.$1,000.LindaBennett.www.Kobaufarms.com.204-437-4688.bennettls@live.com(6-12)FOR SALE: 16” Martin Saddlery Saddle c/w FQHB Axis Tree Rear Cinch w/Hoof Pick & Holder Front Cinch. Breast Collar 5* Saddle Pad. Nylon or Original Martin Leather Latigo Cashel Stirrup Turners. $2,250 OBO. Will ship. [email protected]. 204-461-2035. (6-12)FOR SALE: Thorowgood English saddle in excellent condition, $275. English bridle only used a few times in excellent condition, $75. Ariat half chaps only worn once (men’s medium) in new condition, $75. 204-293-3485.(5-12)FOR SALE: Lightly used brown Western trail saddle, including cinch, bridle, bit and saddle blanket. $600 OBO. Peggy Archer 204-638-5541. [email protected]. (5-12)FOR SALE: Saddle Suit. Size 8. Navy. Includes jacket, pants, vest, two shirts, extra matching fabric. Excellent condition. Used one season on the Arabian show circuit. $90. Sally. 204-851-0406. (5-12)

FARRIERSNatural Hoof Care, Warren Boles, Erickson, MB. Phone 204-636-2153, Cell 204-740-0196. Email [email protected], www.bbquarterhorses.com.(5-12)

EQUINE THERAPYStart a career with horses at the Academy of Equine Assisted Learning, 306-763-0386, www.cartierequinelearningcenter.com. (8-12)

DRIVINGWANTED: Looking for a cart suitable for a pony. please email [email protected] or phone 807-543-3552. (4-12a)

A T T E N T I O N , , ,B U S I N E S S E S !

Do you want to reach the heart of Canadian horsepeople?

The CONNECTIONS section is an economical way to get your business or service noticed.

Call Anita at 204-725-1101 or Linda at 204-256-7467

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AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTRE FORAndis -- Dannyco/ForfexOster/Sunbeam -- Wahl

For clipper sales, service and blades.

204-832-3999202 Wallasey Street, Winnipeg, MB

www.mts.net/~edsharp [email protected]

Eddies Sharpening

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SEPTEMBER 21-23(Multipleevents!)Manitoba Horse Council Equestrian Challenge, Birds Hill Park. www.manitobahorsecouncil.ca.

SEPTEMBER 22-23Westman Dressage. Joan Johnston at Stonehill Farm. www.karsridingschoolcom. Lori 204-727-2922 or email [email protected].

SEPTEMBER 29CWHA. AliDale Farms, Steinbach. PAC and NAERIC approved. [email protected].

SEPTEMBER 29 - OCTOBER 5Brandon. Equanimity Edge Equine Massage Therapy Course. Sidonia McIntyre, RMT, CEMT. www.equinerehab.ca. 1-888-378-4632.

ALBERTAAUGUST 25-28Edmonton. Equanimity Edge Vertebral Realignment Course. www.equinerehab.ca. 1-888-378-4632.

SEPTEMBER 15-21Rocky Mt. House. Equanimity Edge Equine Massage Therapy Course. www.equinerehab.ca. 1-888-378-4632.

JANUARY 11, 20137th Annual Stable Owners’ Seminar. In conjunction with the 31st annual Horse Breeders & Owners Conference at the Sheraton Red Deer. Alberta Horse Federation..

BCSEPTEMBER 1-7 Langley. EquanimityEdge Equine Massage Therapy Course. www.equinerehab.ca. 1-888-378-4632.

SEPTEMBER 8-14Kamloops. Equanimity Edge Equine Massage Therapy Course. www.equinerehab.ca. 1-888-378-4632.

MANITOBAAUGUST 25Eriksdale Horse Show. Kelly & Ruby Stuart, [email protected]. 204- 739-2119 or Linda Wainwright [email protected] 204-739-2058.

AUGUST 25 MTRC50/25/15NinetteFairgrounds.

AUGUST 26Mounted Relay. Erin McNab 204-528-2671 [email protected]. Check website for updates. www.mbtrailridingclub.ca.

SEPTEMBER 8-9MRCHBA Futurity & Quarter Horse Show. ErynButterfield.204-792-6777.

SEPTEMBER 8-9Dressage Winnipeg Autumn Classic Bronze Competition. Manitoba Provincial Dressage Championships. Birds Hill Park. Show Secretary Cat Fouillard, 204-952-3314. email:[email protected]

SEPTEMBER 15 MTRC 50/25/15, Seasons Ranch, Sidney. Iris Oleksuk 204-272-6154. [email protected]. Check www.mbtrailridingclub.ca.

SEPTEMBER 15-16Helping Hooves. Fun Day and trail riding, MHC facility, Birds Hill Park. Pam Glover, 204-422-8076. [email protected].

SEPTEMBER 21-23Central Canada Slide N Spin and NRHA WesternCanadaAffiliateFinals.ACEArena, Keystone Centre. Brandon. [email protected].

What’s Happening?Send your show and clinic dates to [email protected] for free insertion. (Limited to date, association, event and contact details.) Other events and additional information can be inserted ataper-wordrate.Editor’sdecisionisfinal.Call for advertising rates for display insertions. 1-866-886-2425.

OCTOBER 5MQHA/AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse Show. ACE Arena, Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB.LarryClifford204-727-3661oremail:[email protected].

OCTOBER 6-8 MQHA Thanksgiving Classic Quarter Horse Shows. ACE Arena, Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB. Sun & Mon are split/combined anddoublejudged.LarryClifford204-727-3661 or email: [email protected].

OCTOBER 19Dressage Winnipeg Awards BanquetFt. Gibralter, Winnipeg.

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Sunday, September 23, 2012Eriksdale Arena, Eriksdale, MB

Viewing 11:00 a.m. Sale 1:00 p.m.$760 Added Yearling Futurity 12 noon

Catalogues available from Kelly or Ruby Stuart at204-739-2119 or email [email protected].

Or check out the catalogue on the town of Eriksdale website: www.eriksdale.com

Salehorses

halter-broke weanlings yearlings - some from the futurity

broodmares/saddlehorses

45 includes

OCTOBER 19-20(Tobeconfirmed).WheatCityStampede,ManitobaSuperhorse50/50Sale and Futurity. www.manitobasuperhorse.com.

OCTOBER 19

NAERIC Barrels of Cash Prospect Sale. OCTOBER 8-9 or 15-16Turtle Mt. 15/25/50 miles. Myna Cryderman 204-534-2390, [email protected]. Pot Luck Saturday.

OCTOBER 13-14Westman Dressage. Joan Johnston at Stonehill Farm. www.karsridingschoolcom. Lori 204-727-2922, email [email protected].

ONTARIOSEPTEMBER 15Atikokan Equine Trail Ride/Poker Derby at the Charleson Rec Area site. [email protected]. 807-929-1456

QUEBECSEPTEMBER 21-23Canadian Equestrian Championships, Bromont.

SASKATCHEWANSEPTEMBER 15-16Fall Classic & Prairie Harvest Arabian and Open Breed Shows. Moose Jaw. Prize list Jade 306-740-7240 or www.saskarab.com.

SEPTEMBER 22-28Saskatoon. Equanimity Edge Equine Massage Therapy Course. www.equinerehab.ca 1-888-378-4632.

NOVEMBER 19-24Canadian Western Agribition. www.agribition.com.

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Here’s the line-up of advertisers for this issue. When you contact any of these businesses, don’t forget to tell them, “We saw you in Horse Country!” (Even if you saw their advertising

in many other places too.)

HORSE COUNTRY - Publication Schedule 2012Issue Space Material Published# booking closing week of7-12 Sept 10 Sept 17 Oct 88-12 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 191-13 Dec 17 Dec 31 Jan 28/132-13 Feb 11 Feb 18 March 113-13 Mar 25 Apr 1 Apr 224-13 May 13 May 20 June 35-13 June 17 June 24 July 15

Advantage Trailer Sales .. 48BlueBear Farms .. 48Brahma Boot .. 55Buckeye Nutrition .. 31Canvasback Pet Supplies .. 45Connie Levesque .. 44CQHA .. 49Cream of the Crop .. 52Diamond K Fall Sale .. 51Diamond Shelters .. 56Dodge Ram .. 17DustOff .. 41Eco Nets .. 49Eddies Shapening .. 50Equiline Horse Feeds .. 40Equine Rehab .. 50Ferris Fencing .. 24Grunthal Auction Mart .. 51Happy Horseback Saddles .. 27Happy Trails Ranch & Feeds 7Integrated Bio Systems .. 7

Mounting a horse is actually very easy if it is done properly. A rider can only mount a horse from one side because a horse only likes to be mounted from one side. The left side is right and the right side is wrong. You’re right to be left and wrong to be right. If you mount from the front, you mount from the right, which is then the left because your right is its left, and the left the right, keeping in mind that the left is right and the right is wrong. Put your left to

Catch the excitementOctober 19 & 20, 2012 at the

Keystone Centre, Brandon, Manitobawww.manitobasuperhorse.com

For more informationcall Eryn Butterfield - 204-792-6777or Julie Bridgeman - 204-847-2112

FUTURITYFriday October 19, 8 a.m.

Saturday October 20, 8 a.m.Total prize money $19,680.00

Held in conjunction with the Manitoba Rodeo Finals and the Wheat City Stampede

SALE October 20 at 3:00 p.m.

Only foals sold at this sale are eligible to return as 2 year olds. Lot #1 will be a WILDCARD.

The high bidder for the “Wildcard” will have his/her choice of any weanling in the sale.

Guaranteed $10,000 first place money for the 2014 futurity.Foals offered in the 2012 sale are eligible to win this money.

Watch the website for the 2012 catalogue and new sale initiatives.

Platinum sponsors Hatfield Financial & Insurance

Services Inc. Feedrite “Feed to Win Program”

Gold SponsorsSWN Intl. - Flaxbed

Farrell Agencies Ltd.Vanguard Credit Union - Hamiota

Helstrom Performance HorsesWestgates Horse & Country Horse Country Magazine

Days InnMemory of Ken & Janie Bridgeman

Silver SponsorsWheat City Cowtown

Murray Chevrolet OldsRafter P Quarter Horse Ranch

K & R Stuart Quarter Horses

Bronze SponsorPhotography By Carolynn

your right and step so your right is to the wrong and now your right is opposite its left and left the right. To right right is to the left and to right is wrong is to the right, but backwards, the right is right and the left is wrong only when your right is on its wrong, and the left is on its right. Switching right to left and left to right is wrong. Right is wrong and left is right only from the front or else the left is right and the right is wrong. Got it?

To Mount AHorse Right

John Deere .. 11Kubota Dealer Locator .. 24Kubota .. 25Decks & Dormers .. 40Miracle Ranch Equipment .. 7MJ Quarter Horses .. 52Ocean Trailers .. 52One Insurance .. 39Parkland Ranch .. 44Penner Farm Services .. 50PineRidge Equine Park .. 52Poco-Razz Farm .. 47Prairies North magazine .. 30Riva’s Remedies .. 45Sea Blend .. 41Tack in the Box .. 47Top Spot Stables .. 48Westgates Horse & Country .. 50Wild West Farm & Garden .. 27WW Stables .. 50

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Horse Sales Terminology Translated

BIGTROT:can’tcanterwithinatwomilestraight-away.

NICELYSTARTED:lunges,butwedon’thaveenoughinsurancetoridehimyet.

TOPSHOWHORSE:wonareservechampion5yearsagoatashowwith unusuallylowentriesduetotornadowarnings.

HOMEBRED:knowsnothingdespitebeingraisedonthebackporch.

BIGBONED:goodthinghehasamaneandtail,orhe wouldbemistakenforacow.

NOVICES:especiallywhenhewearshismuzzle.

BOLD:runaway.

GOODMOVER:runaway.

ATHLETIC:runaway.

NEEDSINTERMEDIATERIDER:runaway.

SHOULDMATUREOVER16HANDS:currently14hands,damis14.2,sireis15.3hands,everyhorseinpedigreeback18generationsisunder16hands,but*this*horsewilldefyhisDNAandgrow.

WELLMANNERED:hasn’tsteppedon,runover,bit,orkickedanyoneforaweek.

PROFESSIONALLYTRAINED:hasn’tsteppedon,runover,bit,orkickedanyone foramonth.

RECENTLYVETTED:someoneelsefoundsomethingreallywrongwiththishorse.

TOGOODHOMEONLY:notreallyforsaleunlessyou 1)canpaytwicewhatheisworth 2)arewillingtosigna10pagelegaldocumenttoallow currentownertotuckhiminbeddy-byeeverynight.

EXCELLENTDISPOSITION:neverbeenoutofthestall.

CLIPS,HAULS,LOADS:clippityclopisthesoundhishooves makeashehaulsbuttacrosstheparkinglotwhenyoutrytoloadhim.

FORSALEDUETOLACKOFTIME:ridercannotaffordtospendanymoretimeinthehospital.

QUIET:dead(almost).

SPIRITED:psychotic.

WELLBRED:motherandfatherarealsobrotherandsister!

ANYVETCHECKWELCOME: please pay for us to find out what the heckiswrongwithhim!

SUITSEVENTING:nobrakes.

SUITSDRESSAGE:noaccelerator.

SUITSANYONE:exceptus,wehatehim!

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horse country 6-2012

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