For a change: BTB features cute guys

Eventers of course! Check out the unbridled cuteness at the RK3DE...



I saw Tim Lips warming up on the first day. My first thought was, "What is he, 12???" He's really 22 or 23, but even in this video below he could pass for 15 or 16...


I guess they're talking about something related to the Horse Park, I wasn't really listening...

Cat talk: A diversion from horses

This was posted on the Cats Who Twitter blog, and I found the second video on Youtube. Too funny!

Original video:



Video response (translation):

Email message from Gallop Saddlery...

Delta Airlines can kiss my green spring grass -- I received this message this afternoon:

Hi Stacey,

Thanks for signing up for Gallops Saddlery's email list at our booth at Rolex! You won the drawing for a pair of FREE FITS breeches!

We are delighted that a pair of our All Season FITS breeches will be enjoyed in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Please let us know what size and color you would like of the FITS All Season Full Seat Breeches that regularly retail for $219.95.

Here is the link to our web site where you can browse the colors and size options: www.gallopssaddlery.com

Colors include Navy, Black, Earth, Espresso and Sahara (not white). Sizes range from XS to XL. Just reply to this email and I will see that you receive your free pair as soon as possible.

Thanks again for visiting Gallops -- and happy riding!


Claire

Another Rolex tragedy: My luggage...

More than a few tears were shed at the Delta ticket counter this morning. I brought my big suitcase to Rolex to accommodate the trade fair promo items, samples, and purchases. I paid my $15 luggage fee, but when they weighed my luggage it was 59 lbs, nine over the limit. I nodded politely when the agent told me this. "Okay, what is the fee?"

"That comes to $90," she replied. Seeing my shock, she said, "You can remove some of your items to bring the weight down."

Stunned, and feeling the pressure of my approaching flight time, I knelt down and opened my bag. In front of a crowd of onlookers, I searched through my loot to find I could carry on -- not the Corta-Flx samples (liquid), and not the cool toolkit I got from the Practical Horseman booth (dangerous). Certainly not my paisley rubber boots. Can I throw away 9 lbs of clothing? No. Do I want strangers watching me riffle through my stuff? No. Do I want to pay $90 to transport $30 worth of stuff? No.

The kindness of strangers
A stranger behind me (who incidentally had a suitcase bigger, and probably heavier, than mine) rose to my defense. In a voice filled with righteous inignation, he told the agent that this amounted to extortion for the privilege of keeping our items. His anger helped to defuse my own hard feelings. Let him go to bat for me. It didn't change the outcome but it calmed me down.

I gave up, and paid the fee. What is the basis for that fee, I wonder, now that fuel prices are down?

Into the red for April...
$90!!!! Well, actually $110 since I'd already been charged for the base rate -- think this is an overcharge and I've emailed Delta. Damn. That negates ALL of my great deals and free supplement samples. I'd planned to regale you with tales of great sales, and the FITS breeches and top I got for less than 1/2 price. Instead I'm whining about airlines, along with oh, about a BILLION other people.

At any rate, the breeches and top ARE really cool, and a size smaller than usual. :-)

Fair warning: A Kingpin video and final thoughts on Rolex

This is an "extra" posting (second this evening) and what is likely to be my closing Rolex post.

Warning! READ BELOW before you watch the video...

Tonight I searched Youtube for Rolex 2009 footage, since the cross country phase is a different experience depending on where you stand. I came upon a video from equestrianmom3 that includes footage of Kingpin at fence 10 -- from some distance, and partially obscured. When I heard of the tragedy of Kingpin and Mike Winters, I tried to imagine what happened, and how. I'm the type of person that wants to analyze what occurred. At any rate, this video has answered some of my questions about what happened.

A brief description of the footage...
The video below is not particularly graphic or close up. There is enough distance from the subject that it's possible to watch it, but it's close enough to be somewhat informative. You get a glimpse of what is happening during the approach. Kingpin looks labored, slipping sideways, and out of balance on this downhill approach. MW is struggling, trying to keep his head up, to pull him up or balance him, or some combination of these things. He is sitting far back, hands up, and there is obviously something wrong 7-8 strides out. My personal sense is that had they not been on a downhill slope MW might have been able to avoid jumping, but he could not control the momentum. An eventer might be able to better interpret his position/aids, but he is clearly trying hard to fix whatever is happening. Right before the fence he appears to use his stick, but it is only after the point of no return, when Kingpin is gathering himself up to leave the ground. Kingpin does jump the fence, and he lands on his front feet before falling down. The fall itself is largely obscured. The video should dispel any claims that the fence, or the fall alone, caused the injury. Whether you choose to watch it or to avoid it, it starts at 10 seconds and ends at about 17 seconds.



This is one of the times it is good to have a low visibility blog with a readership that will hopefully understand the intent of my posting a link to this footage from equestrianmom3. Personally I'm glad it's out there. Being a video, un-enhanced or embellished, it is what truly happened on Saturday, and it's a part of the sport.

Showjumping and People Watching

Well, like I said, the grandstand seats are not up close and personal, but I did my best, capturing 23 year old Ashley Adams and her horse Vaunted. One of the ladies I met at Rolex this year is familiar with her -- she is reportedly a hard worker who has brought her OTTB horse to the four star level herself (with guidance from top trainers in eventing like Kim Severson and Bonnie Mosser). She did a great job every day of this event and she far exceeded Jimmy Wofford's hope that she could produce a "steady, clear round." At her first four star, she was just out of the money at 21st place! Here is her show jumping phase...




One of the highlights, which I wish I'd captured, was young rider Madeline Blackman's clear show jumping round. It was an achievement for a rookie to make it to the show jumping phase, and she was second to last in standings--but she went clear in show jumping! Her elation was visible from the cheapest seats in the house, and she actually seemed to forget where the exit gate was. Bless her and Congrats.


I also did some people watching and put together a little montage, but Youtube MESSED IT UP. Well, not really, but I used their pause annotation feature w/o realizing that it pauses the music. Sort of ruins the effect. Next time I'll use iMovie or something else. Here it is anyway...

Rolex 2009 Cross Country: Some impressions

Well, I was hoping this year would be casualty free. Unfortunately, Mike Winter lost his partner Kingpin in a tragedy that no one could have predicted. While I did not witness the fall at fence 10, I'm told that Kingpin was behaving erratically a few strides before the first fence, and he apparently fell on the descent from the last element of the combination. Early reports indicate he may have had a heart or pulmonary problem. It would seem that Kingpin's death was not the result of dangerous riding or jumps, but that is meager comfort to his rider and owners. My heart goes out to them. Mike Winters was not badly injured but he withdrew Wonderful Will from the competition.

Some scenes from Rolex 09
I took a lot of footage, but for now I'll just post a few of my favorites. Here is Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia at the duck pond...

Tara Ziegler's Buckingham Place is described as "a tricky ride," and I'm so glad she finished the cross country phase. She has been one of my "sentimental favorites." Here we see here negotiate the squirrel combination...

Best in Trade Show award! Equipment of Culture Mosaics

Okay, Day 2 of Rolex dressage is now over. In addition to watching selected rides, Behind the Bit "staff" have worked tirelessly visiting each and every trade fair booth. It's time to bestow the Best In Trade Show award. Shaky and sometimes blurry video footage of the winner and two runners up are below.

The BTB BITS winner is Equipment of Culture Ceramic Tiles and Mosaics of Ocala, FL. The runners up are Fabbri riding boots and Pittard Gloves.

The Equipment of Culture mosaics and tiles are unbelievable -- hand made and hand painted by artisans who trained in Europe. The wall painting sized mosaics are truly works of art, running about $4500. And while the Web site highlights Baroque horses, the trade show features some stunning dressage horse mosaics.

Many of the mosaics on display can be custom made to buyer specifications -- e.g., the artists can render a likeness of an individual horse. The big selling point of this booth is that anyone can enjoy/appreciate the fine work of the high-end pieces but those of us of modest means can take home one of the smaller, affordable works reminiscent of the grand pieces. Smaller tiles, and t-shirts, are under $30. The video does not really capture the loveliness of these tiles/mosaics -- go to their Web site!

WINNER:

Equipment of Culture Ceramic Tiles and Mosaics
Richard Moss of Morriston FL
Web: www.eofc.com Email: rm@eofc.com

RUNNERS UP
Pittards Leather Gloves in chocolate brown and butter soft pink leather($74)
Fabbri Riding Boots with bling (made to order, $1200ish)

The rest of the day..
I saw The Good Witch's dressage ride and watched a ton of warmups. Below are some more scenes from Friday--Bruce Davidson doing an extended trot and not caring about equitation; Bettina Hoy emulating Anky; $338 breeches; $39 rubber boots; and a Nubian goat on a leash.

Live from Rolex, day 1: Dressage short takes

This morning I woke up at 3:50am to make my 6:03am flight. You'd think after landing in Lexington at 10:30am, the first thing I'd want would be a nap. Well, yes. That's what I wanted. But when I drove into the parking lot of the one-star hotel in the exurbs of Lexington, my chances of restful sleep seemed dim.

It is a dump. The manager claims that I have not pre-paid, which I'm certain I did, through Priceline, but my paperwork doesn't indicate that. As of now I've paid for this room twice. But no matter, I'll straighten that out shortly.

My standards for clean are not the same as my mother's but even I raised an eyebrow at the lobby. If the check-in counter was crumb-laden and sticky, what hope is there for my room? And the clientele seemed, well, a bit sketchy. So I got my keys, took my luggage into the room, removed all valuables from said luggage, locked it in the trunk, and headed for Rolex!

What I learned today...

Even if you buy a grandstand ticket to watch dressage -- which I didn't do this year -- you're still awfully far away. This footage of Jan Bynny, taken an elbow away from the event security checkpoint, closer than many of the cheap seats...

I mean, really, can you see anything? The view from my window seat on my flight would be about as intimate.


My recommendation? The warmup ring!
Watch the warmups -- it's intimate, instructive(you can sometimes hear the coach give advice) and you get to see the support team in action. Here are some short takes from the warmup area today:

Bettina Hoy (Germany) and Ringwood Cockatoo
Jimmy Wofford says "if you watch only one dressage test this week, this is the one." Looking at those gaits, and that nice flying change, I can see why. Interestingly, he's an Irish Sport Horse.





Ashley Adams and Vaunted, I think
You can just catch a little bit of the coach's advice in the video.





Corrine Ashton and Dobbin
Fourteen year old Dobbin is apparently the uber-eventer, horse of the year and all that. Jimmy Wofford writes, "He jumps around the Horse Park as if someone had shown him the course map the night before." I'm sure Corrine is no slouch. Don't you wish more modern thoroughbreds moved like this?



A smidget of trot, just to give you a gander -- nice suspension!



What else, what next?
Oh, oh, forgot to mention, a young man of 23 who looks to be about 12, Tim Lips from the Netherlands, smoked the competition this afternoon. He has been training with Anky van Grunsven of late, and it shows, with a dressage score of 42. I saw him interviewed and his team's reaction when his scores were finalized. In the warmup ring of course!

The rest of tonight I'm going to read up on Keeneland -- would love to see a morning workout before heading over to the event, if they work out on Fridays. I want to watch Buckingham Palace, Wonderful Will, and The Good Witch. All thoroughbreds -- shocker, huh?

A Pre-Rolex shopper's high

Well, if the fact that I'm going to Rolex doesn't make you green with envy, my new shoes will send you over the edge. Why would I buy anything BEFORE Rolex, when I'll be spending time at that huge equestrian trade fair? Because I need rubber boots/galoshes for the trip. But high boots just aren't that comfortable for walking. What to do?


Enter Sperry Docksiders, remember those? The traditional docksiders were quite the thing when I was in high school in Indiana. But Sperry has apparently come a long way since my preppy-wannabe youth.

Meet the post-modern, polymer-based Dock siders: rubber,yes, but with fuzzy-soft-fabric-lined paisley footwear! The weather is forecasting clear skies, so while I may not need waterproof shoes, these are so comfy I'm wearing them as I dart around campus today in the wind and rain. Although no one has said anything about them, I feel certain I'm the envy of my colleagues.



I ordered them online, and they fit perfectly, which as far as I'm concerned is proof that God really does love me. And now my credit card is all warmed up for the weekend.

What a save! Determination at Rolex

In the last two years I've cried (well, gotten all teared up) at least once during the cross country rides at Rolex. And not at the falls, but at moments like these...



Like the video of Ink that I posted a few days ago, you can really see the determination and courage of the horses and riders. The horse, Arthur, wanted to get to the next fence, his rider wasn't directing him there. What a good boy!

A Rolex commercial that's scarier than Head of the Lake

Someone on the COTH bulletin board captured and shared this priceless Rolex Three Day commercial. Presumably it's airing in Lexington only. COTH reviewers have pronounced it to be awful and cheesy -- they're right. The studio musicians who arranged/sang the "theme song" must have sat at the feet of Bill Murray (remember his lounge lizard skit?). Warning: you won't be able to get the song out of your head. This is not a good thing.

For comparison, the Rolex commercial, which if nothing else proves that money really CAN buy you some class...

Riley meets saddle!

On Friday we put a saddle on Riley. Bob was there to videotape, but he missed the first minute or so. As it happens, you didn't miss anything. Riley took it all in stride (so to speak), and we had to "make" him canter so that he could get used to the feeling of cantering under saddle.

Watching him I can't help but think he's not quite right from the abscess, or perhaps the saddle is really inhibiting his movement. He just looks a bit flat to me. Can't put my finger on it...

And here is the desensitization session.




Well, that was my trainer's jumping saddle -- so light, so small! Sunday I put my 18" heavier dressage saddle on Riley. That got a bit more reaction, but it lasted only a few seconds. He kept turning and walking toward me, with a look that said "Can we be done with this?" If I was ever nervous about backing him (and riding him) I'm over it. My goal is to be on his back by July.

Madeline Blackman, youngest rider at Rolex?

From Ringoes NJ, Madeline Blackman is from a horsie family and she is on the USEF developing rider list for 2009. At 18, she and Bonner Carpenter are the two young riders at Rolex this year. Blackman will be there with her Irish horse Gordonstown, but I can't resist posting this picture of another horse she is campaigning, a palomino thoroughbred/Connemara mare, 15.1, 10 years old.

photo above from J. Walker Photography

A dressage shot of this pair.

Here is her Rolex horse, Gordonstown (From the US Eventing Blog)

Dressage in eventing: It's different, isn't it?

For years many dressage enthusiasts (myself included) have watched chubby, pampered horses strut around the arena. They're born and bred to piaffe, they do their job well, and we at the sidelines watch those fabulous gaits in awe. I absolutely love it. But...

If you're heading for Rolex, get ready for a different kind of dressage. It's the dressage of hyper-fit predominantly thoroughbred blooded horses and their adrenalin junky riders. These pairs squeeze dressage training in with jumping. Is it as pretty as what Edward Gal and Isabel Werth do? Well, frankly no. But it is at least as interesting to see horses that are not bred solely for dressage, who work HARD for a living, and whose temperament is more suited to extreme sports than dressage. Take a look at this video of Polly Stockton and Tanglewood, and especially note the extedended trot work. What's with the left hind? Becky Holder's Courageous Comet gives a spectacular dressage performance, but when you watch him from behind it's hard to imagine those creaky back legs can do cross-country. These are working horses, for sure.

Rolex: get psyched and a featured rider

Am I totally psyched about Rolex? YOU BET. Here is one of the riders this year who I enjoyed watching last year. Jennifer Wooten-Defoe, riding her 15.2 hand Irish Thoroughbred, The Good Witch. The picture is from the Rolex Web site.

Read featured rider info...

Equine head trauma Part 1: Some facts

A friend of mine called me a few days ago. When she went out to the barn, she found her horse had a huge horizontal bump across his forehead between his eyes. She thinks he cracked his head on the top of his dutch door. He had a lot of nasal discharge but was otherwise okay, it seemed. I know and like this horse, so I spent an evening doing research on traumatic head injuries in horses. I'm not sure that there are 'fun facts' about head trauma, but there are certainly some fascinating facts...

Facts about the horse's head...

• The skull acts as a crumple zone to protect the brain.
• The head is a vascular area, which is good and bad. Good, because blood promotes healing, but bad because heads will bleed a lot when injured.
• Heads are not commonly injured, thank goodness. When there is a head injury, the most common occurrence is a horse rearing and falling backward. Unfortunately, this type of injury frequently involves brain injury/damage.
  
• In head injuries, bleeding in the nose/ears is common.
• The occipital bone (back of skull/top of neck) is the most commonly fractured area, usually the result of a flipping over injury.
• Generally horses who sustain a skull fracture do not fracture just one area. Any force sufficient to fracture one area will typically travel across the surface and fracture other areas too.
  
• Hits to the head which don’t cause bone fractures can result in a bony lump, a callus. It forms 4-6 weeks after the injury between the bones of the skull and is seen most commonly across the forehead between the eyes.
• The facial nerves are just under the skin, with one major nerve on each cheek and over the back of the jaw. Any damage to the cheek area may cause nerve damage. "Chances for recovery from facial paralysis are poorest if the nerve is damaged high, such as where it leaves the brain. " (Thoroughbred Times)
• Young horses may be more susceptible to fracture of the basilar bones because "the suture between the basisphenoid and basioccipital bones remains open until 2 to 5 years of age." (Veterinary News)
• Serious brain injury can occur w/o a fracture.
  

Part II will focus on symptoms/assessment and diagnosis of head trauma.


References

Head injuries in horses: from minor to life threatening from the Thoroughbred Times

Helping horses survive traumatic head injury from Veterinary News

It's spring, and thoughts turn to ATVs and horses

Now that spring is here, and we can contemplate riding outside, why not introduce a hot topic? I'm talking about all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs.

I hate them.

At the last three places I boarded, all more rural than suburban, we periodically had ATV riders on private property without permission, careening around. The noise terrified the horses and more than once a member of the herd came in lame. One morning while I was working I heard the ATVs and saw the horses I'd just turned out gallopping frantically around their field. I ran out to the ATV riders, wondering what I was going to do when I got there. They gave me the finger and drove off.

Why Why Why?
How ironic is it that people like me who want to get away to quiet rural areas -- parks, trails, and even private property -- have to contend with idiots who come to the same place but bring the noise and pollution of the city. It baffles and angers me. If you want to raise hell and a cloud of dust leaving torn earth behind you, go to a landfill! Leave what little is left of the natural world to people who appreciate it.

A few resources on the subject (biased, but true)

Newspaper article on ATVs and horses:

clipped from www2.timesreview.com

News-Review photo by Barbaraellen Koch Horses grazing in the pasture at Mil-Ridge Farm, about 50 yards from the dirt track that ATV riders and dirt bikers had been using in Calverton. Several horse owners have testified that the engine noises were spooking the animals.

Bob Kozakiewicz, the attorney for F1, said opponents of the project have not produced one study showing that noise is harmful to horses.

From the ATV Connection Web site...

clipped from www.atvconnection.com

Why an ATV Over a Horse?
_______________________________

Fuel: The
horse eats grass the ATV eats gas. Both pollute the air. A horse 24 hours a
day and an ATV only when the motor is running. The horse pollutes the ground
with urine and poop, the ATV doesn't do either, but some claim it pollutes the
air.

Care: You take care of a horse the whole time
it is breathing. That means feeding and watering, cleaning the feet, doctoring
cuts, brushing it out before and after use, and making sure that it doesn't get
tangled up in a lead or picket rope. To care for the ATV you kick the tires,
check the oil and pour gas in it when needed.

Noise: One of the biggest complaints I hear
about ATVs is the noise they make when running. I agree they make noise.

However, horses aren't innocent either. They make a lot noise when traveling.
Shoes hitting rocks, saddle leather squeaking, snaps clanking, nostrils blowing,
and the most irritable of all, whinnying.

From an ATV forum...

clipped from www.exriders.com

quote:

---

ahhh you gotta love horses...Last one that was on a trail around here, I just held it wide ****in open. Mind you guys I do have that TC shorty....Ya that horse was goin crazy Maybe if ya scare enough of them they will realize that horses and atv's do not mix

---

By the same token, no horse owner should ever get mad at you for spooking their
horse. They're on open land, on a public trail, and there are bound to be ATV
riders around. If their horse gets spooked by loud exhaust, then they shouldn't
be around them. It's not reasonable to expect everybody else in the world to
change their riding styles or areas simply because their horse is easily
spooked. If I can't stand loud noises, I wouldn't go to a gun range or a truck
pull. If your horse can't stand loud noises, don't bring them on an ATV
trail.

Equestrians, hikers angry about off road vehicles from the Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)


Northeast Washington counties look to all-terrain vehicles for economic boost from Oregonlive.com
Quote from this article: "These were remote, quiet trails people could hike and ride horses on," Petersen said. "Now they're opened up to motorized vehicles that have a lot of trouble staying on trails."

Wilderness areas face more than just mountain bike threat from Wildernesspolitics.blogspot.com
"Any user can contribute to the traffic jam, but the off-highway vehicles do damage disproportionate to their numbers. In addition to loud engines, they have soft tires and deep treads that bite more deeply than a foot or a hoof. When they go off-trail, consequences often follow: erosion, destruction of fragile desert soils or historical artifacts, and disturbance of wildlife habitats...Riders and hikers pay little heed to “No Trespassing” signs on property that abuts popular federal lands. The hikers are not hard to identify and prosecute, but the all-terrain-vehicle riders can be. A Colorado man, Joe Jepson, ordered two riders off his land last year. One ran him down, breaking his leg. The riders were never identified."


All Terrain Vehicle Safety: How to handle encounters with all-terrain vehicles while you're on the trail with your horse. From Equisearch.

ATVs and horses on shared use trails from Ride-NewYork.com

Invasion of the ATVs from Country Connection Magazine

Riders throttle safety legislation from Oregonlive.com
For decades, the $5 billion-a-year ATV industry has advocated strict state laws on riding. But neither the ATV companies nor their trade group showed up in Salem this winter to support the safety bills, even though three of the measures were cribbed from the industry's "model legislation. The ATV industry has fought regulation in Washington, D.C., for years by saying it's a job for the states. But state ATV safety laws are a messy patchwork. A dozen states have no rules whatsoever. Others require helmets and training or set age limits, but the laws are rife with exceptions when riding on private lands or when a young rider is supervised by an adult."

Off-road rage climbs as trails get more crowded from the Washington Post

Kelly of Housewives of New York City: TMI?

My least favorite housewife reveals a bit more about her interest in, and experience with, horses. Are you as underwhelmed as I am?

To be fair, my perspective is colored by Kelly's showdown with Bethenny (daughter of the famous racehorse trainer Bobby Frankel) on the series. Bethenny is the coolest of the housewives, but alas that's not saying all that much.

More cowboys and dressage...

This one was fun too...


#365 Dressage and Natural Horsemanship from Chris Connolly on Vimeo.

Riley's hoof: An update

If you read my previous posts, you may have caught a reference to Riley's hoof abscess -- a mystery abscess. Riley was 3 legged lame on March 5, and over the course of weeks he progressively improved to his current state of "totally sound by all appearances." The mystery was, the abscess never seemed to pop. Well, the farrier was out recently and when he trimmed Riley, look what we found...

Riley's hoof from .

Since then I've been trying different methods of keeping the foot clean. The farrier gave me a product for dairy cows for mastitis, and I'm borrowing different boots/socks to see what works best. Hopefully it'll grow out quickly!

Thoroughbred toughness: Ink's story

I ran across this video on the blog Equus Ink the other day. Ink is blogger Keri's horse, a thoroughbred. She found footage of him in this Hollywood Park race. He won, but it's how he won that makes this beautifully edited video so special.

In her blog Keri expresses a thought that I have often had about Harvey. She writes, "I don't know if I was the best person to get Ink. I wish I knew more for his sake. But I do know that I was drawn to him for a reason, he was sent to me for a reason."
Judging from her blog, and this video, I can't imagine a better person for Ink than her.

Rolex change o' plans and 10 reasons to go to Rolex 09

The restaurant we picked initially won't reserve a place for large parties, so we're going with Ramsey's Diner on 496 E. High Street in Lexington. Still at 7pm Saturday. Email me at behindthebit dot gmail dot com if you can come and haven't already signed up.

And for those of you not going to Rolex....
Why the h*ll not???? Did you know Mr. Big and Julia Steinberg will be there again? Mr. Big is now 20 years old. Talk about thoroughbred toughness. There are at least 10 reasons to not miss it, in no particular order:

1. Shopping. Specifically, a trade fair that rivals anything I've ever seen, and it's not all super-expensive stuff! On Sunday, everything is marked down, too.
2. Course walks. You can go on a formal course walk with the big names like Jimmy Wofford or Karen O'Connor, but you can also trail along with more informally scheduled walks with the lesser knowns. My first year I went on a course walk with the youngest competitor.
3. Cross country. It is just amazing to be so close to the horses and riders as the navigate the course on Saturday. Your heart pounds as they thunder toward you, and as they pass you can hear them breathing and see their expressions. The determination on the faces of horse and rider just blew me away. And I haven't even mentioned the course and the jumps. It is just way cool.
4. Food. Well, not really. But there is a beer/wine tent and a salad bar.
5. Free samples. I practically paid for my daily meals by picking up samples every day from Cortaflx -- enough for a month.
6. Raffles and prizes. Did I mention I won a Stubben bridle? There are also raffles for barn ATVs, saddles, supplements, gift baskets, gift certificates, you name it.
7. Show jumping. It's not, frankly, as polished as what you see in national or international show jumping competitions. The horses and riders are tired, and pushing themselves, and you really don't know what's going to happen, which makes it all the more exciting.
8. Dressage. Lots of the horses are thoroughbreds, and you get a chance to see thoroughbreds competing against each other in dressage. Lots of Irish horses too.
9. Parking and tickets. Free, and cheap, and easy. It's a short walk from the lot to the show grounds.
10. People watching. Rich people in rich-people tents, people camping out, die-hard horse people, local folks just enjoying the sights, young, old, dressed up, dressed down, you name it! Oh, and great demonstrations from mounted police, pony clubbers, etc.
11. Okay, eleven. Bus trips to local sights and of course, the Horse Park itself.
    
    If you can't go this year, maybe this is a good time to make plans for next year? At any rate, I'll try to capture some highlights on video.

X-ray eyes, but no crystal ball

I've always considered pre-purchase exams, and radiographs, to be a necessary evil. But how useful are x-rays in predicting future performance? What do findings really mean?

Riley's pix
I admit to a personal interest in this. Pictured left is an x-ray of Riley's left foot, which is rather upright compared to his right. Look at the enlarged area -- there is an upturned tip called a ski tip, indicative of bone remodelling due to concussive forces. One vet told me that they're finding ski tips (and other things) more and more often in young warmbloods. Why?

• because digital x-rays reveal so much more than traditional x-rays
• because so many more young horses are having x-rays as part of the pre-purchase exam

I'm told the ski tip is considered an incidental finding, in other words "not to worry." When I pressed for more information, my vet suggested putting on shoes when he goes under saddle, then said "stop worrying and have fun with your horse!" I guess I'll just take every precaution to reduce stress to the front feet.

The vets at Atlanta Equine have a statement on their web site on radiographs. They don't necessarily recommend them in prepurchase exams, and cited only four instances where they advise getting x-rays:

• When the resale value of the animal is important
• If there is inflammation in a high motion joint
• If OCD or DOD is suspected
• When a baseline set of x-rays is desired

So make me feel better and tell me about your horses' crappy x-rays, especially if your horse is an elite athlete! What are your experiences?

The Irish horse: What are the sport horse types?

Most of us can conjure up an image of the Irish horse -- an animal of good bone, athletic, noble, honest, and of course, a jumper. There are a lot of terms thrown around -- Irish hunter, Irish draught, Irish sport horse, Irish thoroughbred, you name it. Interestingly, Ireland's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has approved a new registry, the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland -- so now there's an Irish warmblood. But that's another story.

Horses of sport from Ireland

The Irish Draught horse. This horse was origially used in farming, but transformed and adapted through breeding program changes to be a riding horse and competition horse. The name Irish Draught is a bit of a misnomer, because the modern Irish Draught is a far cry from its heavy, feathered ancestors. Their claim to fame is jumping, and their movement is smooth and free, without exaggeration, and not heavy nor ponderous.

Irish Draught sport horse. This is "a classification used by the Irish Draught Horse Societies of Canada and North America for horses of combined Irish Draught and other blood, usually but not necessarily Thoroughbred." (from the Irish draught horse society FAQ)

Irish Sport Horse. At one time, crosses between Irish Draught/Thoroughbred crosses were called half-breds or Irish hunters. When the term "sport horse" came into common use in the mid-1980's, the terms were replaced by Irish Sport Horse. Currently, Irish Sport Horse is also used for any horses that are registered on the Irish Horse Register , the government-maintained registry in Ireland. These horses do not necessarily have any Irish Draught or Thoroughbred blood, though most do.

Irish warmblood. This is a brand-spankin' new registry. Read about it at http://www.irish-warmblood.com/

What I love about Irish horses -- from what I've read and seen -- is the emphasis on function over extravagance and good character. While they're bred primarily for jumping, some of them look like they could be used in dressage. Anyone know of any Irish horses making their mark in the dressage ring?

RESOURCES

Irish Draught Horse: A horse for all seasons

Irish Draught Horse Society of North America

Irish Draught: The argument for conservation

Irish Draught Horse Society

Irish Draught resource guide

New warmblood horse studbook for Ireland from Horsetalk.co.nz

Row looms over launch of warmblood register

What is an Irish sport horse exactly? from UK's Horse and Hound

Irish sport horse coop from Farmer's Journal


The Irish Draught Horse: A History
by Mary McGrath, Joan C. Griffith Collins Press

Irish sport horse association of America

Mental toughness in horses: Mind over matter?

The relativity of soundness by Anne Gribbons (from the March 6 2009 issue of Chronicle of the Horse) should be required reading for horsemen and women. Gribbons read the tribute to Graf George written by his veterinarian, Paul McClellan, and apparently she was inspired by the article about this gifted horse. I'm sure most of you are familiar with Graf George, a big gray Hanoverian by Graphit out of a thoroughbred mare. His brilliance in the dressage ring took him, and his rider Gunter Seidel, to the Olympics twice for two bronze medals. If you have never seen Graf George take a look at his 1998 WEG performance. I love his floppy ears.

Horses with "issues"
Dr. McClellan observed that Graf George was a horse with many bumps and dings, yet his great heart overcame physical limitations. Gribbons reflects on this point and offers her views on the role of heart and character in the sport horse. Gribbons shares the story of her thoroughbred Tappan Zee. Tappan was an tough old ex-racehorse with two bowed tendons that she trained to Grand Prix. When he died from a broken pelvis, Gribbons writes that "I was too young and inexperienced then to know what a rare, brave and generous animal I was losing." As thoroughbred owner I find it especially nice that someone who has such a high profile in dressage chose to recognize a thoroughbred. In my book, thoroughbreds set the standard for mental toughness.

The flesh may be weak, but what does the spirit say?
Gribbons questions the predictive value of the standard veterinary diagnostic tools. Pre-purchase exams and radiographs don't tell the whole story, she says, and a clean vetting is no guarantee your horse will be sound. Over the years she has run across her share of horses who have no physical problems but also no motivation. "No radiographs will protect you against that kind of horse, because they are allergic to effort and have work avoidance down to an art form," she writes. Pre-purchase exams are often misused. A cautionary note from the vet can send a skittish buyer running, and the navicular bone pictures have killed many sales in her experience. With great frustration she has watched the horses with "bad x-rays" go on to compete successfully year after year.

Final thoughts
Well, the Gribbons article has inspired me, not only to reflect on the greatness of Graf George, but to learn more about the use of vettings and x-rays in predicting a horse's future in sports. In an upcoming entry I hope to write about it. But for now, I hope you'll go back to the first paragraph and watch the video of the magnificent Graf George.

Barn drama: Burning bridges, bad!

Confuscious say: The flaming bridge you leave behind could burn you in the butt.

Changing service providers?
Have you ever decided to change doctors, auto mechanics, or cellphone providers? In the "real" world there's a certain civility observed when one changes service providers. After all, one has one's reasons, right? Business is business.

Not so in the horse world!
Trainers: It's slightly less stressful to change your religion or dissolve a marriage than it is to switch trainers. I once boarded in a barn with three trainers, and there was constant paranoia about "poaching" of clients. One boarder confided that she was afraid she would get in trouble for being too friendly with anyone outside her trainer's circle of trust.

Barn managers/boarding barns: Changing boarding barns is THE WORST. Usually there is a month's notice, and for that time period you're dependent on the good will you've created with the manager. It is often quite uneventful, but not always. Read any horse bulletin board to find out how ugly the last few weeks can be when bridges are burned or burning. It seems no one can resist the classic fingerpointing and parting shots.

Farriers: Actually farriers probably don't sweat losing individual clients that much. But most of us worry anyway. I recently changed farriers, for reasons that could be called logistical. Still, I agonized about "rocking the boat" and dreaded calling my farrier to explain I was going to go elsewhere for services. It was tough -- I had to consider that if I regretted my decision he might not take me back as a client.

If you burn bridges, there is often some sort of awful karmic payback. Fire your farrier in a rage, and he will be the horseshoer on call at the horse show when your daughter's horse loses a shoe just before her equitation class.

Practical advice
I admit I like to read the barn drama horror stories on COTH -- as posters often remark, "pop some popcorn, sit down, and start reading." But when you're experiencing the drama it's a whole 'nuther matter. There are ways to minimize tension among the various parties. Here are a few ideas, mostly advice I've heard on bulletin boards, that may help...

• Say it in person, and follow up in writing if tying up loose ends gets complicated. Don't break the news via email, voicemail, or a note.
• Be cordial/civil and express appreciation if the situation warrants.
• No Internet rants (added 4/6 per a commenter's suggestion).
  
• No airing of grievances or passive agressive behavior.
  
• Sometimes folks -- barn owners, trainers, or their clients -- might try to provoke you. What to do? As my husband's brother in law says, "Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut."

STILL tempted to adopt a scorched earth policy when you depart? Think about all the times you'll run into your former trainer at shows; how your former barn manager will be at horse council meetings; and you'll run into your equine dentist in the express checkout at the grocery; and most importantly, when gossip circulates, it'll just look like a big nasty mess that reflects badly on all parties. Better to take the high road, don't you think?

Documentary: Horse racing accidents

More about jockey injuries than horses -- but worth watching. After reading the first comment, I should include the warning that it's not a happy video and there is footage of multiple accidents...

Horse Racing Accident Film - The most amazing home videos are here

Cowboys are my weakness

Well, I love dressage, but watching reining and dressage side-by-side makes me feel torn. Dressage looks a tad stuffy, doesn't it, compared to the suede-clad cowboy. Also I get kind of a David/Goliath vibe.

Cowboys are my weakness :-).

And I guess if Anky van Grunsven can appreciate it, so can I!

Cheap and fun are tough to beat

Indigo at home with the cats

When I was at Horseman's Outlet in March I noticed this little impulse item at the checkout.

It's a mood ring.

With horses galloping across.

What am I, twelve?

Yes, I bought it, and I've worn it daily. I love watching it change colors when the weather is chilly. The colors are nice, from amber to green to indigo.

Did I mention it matches my new clogs?

Weird amber at work

It's a small world after all -- dammit

In the horse world, gossip spreads to the far reaches of a community -- even the remotest barns -- with alarming speed, if not accuracy. I'm not very connected to the local horse community, yet even I get juicy morsels of gossip about people I barely know, from people who barely know them.

Gossip hits home
As someone who doesn't show, doesn't train, doesn't clinic, who pretty much hangs around the barn, you'd think I could just bask in anonymity. Yet a friend of mine heard some scoop about me the other day as she lunched with some other horsewomen. Me! A slow news day, for sure.

The gossip itself is kind of irrelevant -- mostly conjecture about why I keep Harv and Riley at different barns. Of course it's inaccurate and unflattering, as most gossip is. Amusingly someone said I was "raising Riley as a stallion prospect." Neat trick for a gelding, don't you think? My friend's response was to spew coffee and exclaim, "Stallion prospect? The horse HAS NO SPERM!" Bless her.

On the positive side, they did speak warmly of Harvey and asked after him as if he was an elder statesman or beloved mascot. Harvey, it seems, has reached that enviable place where one is above gossip ;-). May we all get there someday!