May 21, 2013
Insight into WDAA Western Dressage Bitting Rules
Western Dressage Association® of America
The Western Dressage Association® of America (WDAA) has designed Western Dressage Rules to be utilized across various breeds that are either affiliated with or operate independently of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).
Bitting requirements differ across the breed shows and events that host more than just Western Dressage. In order to design a universally inclusive discipline across all breeds and encourage equestrians to explore Western Dressage; WDAA felt obliged to respect the differences in bitting requirements which were already being regulated at breed and USEF competitions. The WDAA Rules Task Force remains very focused on re-evaluating factors like bits on a regular basis. It is continuously making recommendations deeply rooted in the welfare of the horse. More info...
May 13, 2013
Heave, Ho! Experts Tell Us How to (Safely) Toss a Heavy Saddle onto a Tall Horse
by Amy Herdy
Accidentally clobbering your horse with a Western saddle as you attempt to swing it gracefully onto his back does not make for a happy horse, but what’s an upper-body-strength-challenged person to do?
That was my thought while reading the book The Difficult Horse: Understanding and solving riding, handling and behavioural problems, by Sarah Fisher & Karen Bush.
The section called “Saddling Issues” is what gave me pause: “Be gentle when putting on and taking off the saddle; avoid dropping it heavily on the horse’s back…Bear in mind that if the horse is tense due to concerns about the saddle you will be starting with a problem even before you mount.”
Does my horse have a saddling problem? No.
Do I? Oh, yes, and I’m fully aware that one leads to the other. More info...
May 12, 2013
Will Faudree and Andromaque Victorious in Jersey Fresh CIC3*
Jersey Fresh
Will Faudree and Andromaque led the CIC3* at Jersey Fresh from the first phase and sealed the deal today in the show jumping thanks to a double clear trip. Missy looked on point all weekend and ate up the cross country yesterday, coming home as the fastest of all horses in the CIC3* with just four time penalties. And the quick trip across the country didn't seem to tire her in the slightest, as she jumped very well today and looks in fantastic form for Saumur. Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda are also looking primed and ready for their upcoming trip across the pond and finished second in the CIC3* with a double clear show jumping round. Jennie and Ping are headed to Luhmuhlen CCI4* in about a month and had a super final preparation trip this weekend. More info...
May 12, 2013
Pony Hunt Teams, Devon Style!
Devon, PA
Holy Harry Potter on a pony, Batman! Pony hunt teams at Devon are like no other. There was a time when the pony hunt teams were as staid and sophisticated as the horse hunt teams. No more! It all began about 15 years ago, one team decided they would wear matching clothes, next came pom-poms in braids and ponies’ tails, the next year, a team dyed their ponies. After that, all bets were off and Devon’s pony hunt teams have become the stuff of legend!
While the ponies are still judged on how they go, it’s really all about the fun. The young equestrians spend weeks planning costumes for both pony and rider. Not only has Harry made an appearance, but so have super-heroes, bumble bees, jockeys, and just about every blockbuster movie and latest craze of the past 10 years. You name it; a pony hunt team has done it. Adding to the tongue-in-cheek spirit of the class, the riders hedge their bets. These savvy youngsters know that you can’t leave a thing like this up to chance and let’s just say that a well-timed offering to a judge here and there would not be out of place. Lucky judges have received everything from candy to a REALLY nice bottle of wine. More info...
May 8, 2013
Florida’s Global Dressage Festival Organizer Loses Court Case to Stop Local Government Control
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
WELLINGTON, Florida, May 6–Florida’s Global Dressage Festival organizer has been denied a temporary injunction to prevent the Wellington government from enforcing building codes that have limited use of the multimilllion dollar show grounds.
Florida Circuit Court Judge Jack S. Cox ruled after a day-long hearing in April that “clearly the Plaintiffs would suffer money damages, however that alone is insufficient,” and granted the Village of Wellington motion to dismiss the application.
“Plaintiffs failed to show how a temporary injunction will serve the public interest, since the only party that would benefit from the issuance of an injunction are the Plaintiffs and its customers,” the judge said.
The ruling means the Wellington government can maintain restriction on use of the dressage facility to only six months a year, from Nov. 1 to April 30, the period when five CDIs, including the only dressage Nations Cup outside western Europe as well as two World Cup events and a $120,000 (€92,000) CDI5* are staged.
The grounds were closed last Wednesday, May 1, thus preventing use of a covered arena in the hot and humid summer months unless changes are negotiated between the government and the organizer.
The plaintiffs were Far Niente Stables II, LLC and Polo Field One, LLC, two entities that own the grounds and are managed by Equestrian Sport Productions that operates the Global Dressage Festival an More info...
May 8, 2013
Tracy Fenney Goes 1-2 in Lone Star Round Up Grand Prix
Tyler, TX
Saturday was Tracy Fenney's day at theTyler Horse Park. The Flower Mound, Texas native took the top two spots at the $25,000 Lone Star Round Up Grand Prix. She had five entries in the Grand Prix field, a total of 21 horses, and finished in the money with each won. Leading the way were MTM Farm's MTM Centano and Derek Petersen's Leviticus. She finished first and second on those horses respectively.
With MTM Farm's MTM Southern Grace she was fourth, with MTM Farm's MTM Timon she placed sixth, and with Hays Investment Corps Yolo she finish 11th. The top tweleve horses in the class were awarded prize money.
For full Grand Prix results: More info...
May 8, 2013
McFarlane & Mr. Whoopy win the Grand Prix of Del Mar
Del Mar, CA
The highlight class of the 2013 Del mar National Horse Show’s Hunter/Jumper week was held Saturday night and it was Duncan McFarlane & Mr. Whoopy that came out on top. A field of 33 horses attempted the first round course of the $100,000 Grand Prix of Del Mar, but it was challenging one that caused a lot of rails down, a couple of on-course retirements, and plenty of time faults. Only four horses managed to go double clear over the course and set-up an intense jump-off.
New Zealand native McFarlane & Simone Coxe’s bay stallion Mr. Whoopy set the pace with a quick, clear round in 44.707s and couldn’t be caught. Eduardo Menezes & Calavada were close, clear in 44.707s, Jonathan Asselin & Showgirl had a rail down, and the final pair to ride, Rusty Stewart & Bristol, were clea, but at 46.377s weren’t fast enough. More info...
May 3, 2013
Good springtime reminder!
The green grass is upon us! Be careful when turning your horses out with the grass. Laminitis can come on quickly and have lifelong issues. Make sure if your horse hasn't been out on grass much this spring to gradually start turning them out a little at a time.
May 3, 2013
Become a Professional Riding Instructor
By Emily Esterson, Jenny Sullivan
If you love to teach riding, consider enrolling in the Certified Horsemanship Association instructor certification program.
Renowned trainer and clinician Julie Goodnight has been a CHA-certified instructor since 1995. She’s also editor of the CHA manuals.
If you’re looking for a riding instructor, you’d want to work with someone who has lots of horsemanship knowledge and experience. You’d choose an instructor with proven teaching skills who could relate his or her knowledge to you in a meaningful way. You’d expect this someone to be respectful and professional.
“Anyone can hang out a shingle and call himself or herself a riding instructor,” says Christy Landwehr, CEO of the Certified Horsemanship Association and a Master Level instructor herself. “I go to a stylist who has a certification to do my hair, so certainly I want at least the same level of expertise from someone who’s teaching me or my child how to ride a horse.”
Given this explanation, if you teach riding yourself, this certification process might be worth your time. More info...
May 2, 2013
Florida Show Seeks to Attract More Europeans to World Cup Events
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Oragnizers of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida are seeking to increase World Cup points for Europeans competing in North American events in an effort to raise standards and generate greater interest in the only annual global championships for dressage.
The proposal from Equestrian Sport Productions, organizers of the Global Dressage Festival, comes with an explosion of CDI events in Florida, including seven World Cup qualifiers on the calendar for Palm Beach provisionally approved for the 2013/2014 series.
The seven World Cup events proposed for Florida are more than half the total of 12 for all of the North American League next season. Two are planned for Saugerties, New York, one for Devon, Pennsylvania and two for California. None are planned for Canada for the second year in a row though with the U.S. is included in the NAL. More info...