Table of contents for Fall 2020 in Practical Horseman

On a freezing December day in 2013, we [the Horse Protection Association of Florida, Inc.] received a call from a young woman who found a horse dumped on her rural road. When we arrived to pick him up, we discovered a pitifully emaciated sorrel gelding covered in rain rot scabs, picking at whatever feed he could find in the sand. The gelding had a lip tattoo and we learned he was a Thoroughbred with a handful of race starts. His registered name was Howie Do; we dubbed him Handsome Howie. We started Howie on ranitidine for ulcers right away and turned him out into a large grassy pasture with another recent arrival. He had a pasture block of alfalfa to graze on around the clock and also received six small…

The horsehuman relationship is unlike any other. Horses can be our friends, our legs, our confidantes, our partners-in-crime, our teachers and our healers. They have an amazing ability to rehabilitate the human body and soul. The following stories were submitted to Hope in the Saddle as nominations for the Therapy Horse of the Year award. Thease four finalists exemplify the inspiring power of the horse-human bond. (Stories have been lightly edited for length and clarity.) PRINCESS XELLIE Princess Xellie—Xellie for short—is a truly magical pony princess. As any good princess should be, Xellie is patient, smart and capable, and shows genuine affection for her friends. A diminutive 10.2 hands high, this small-but-mighty princess is an amazing therapy pony. Xellie is wonderful with all her riders but is legendary here for…

In the featured photo, Elisa Müller is riding her 7-year-old Zangersheide stallion Alpha Armani in Brazil. She is working with him at Training Level. How exciting it is to get pictures from all over the world—especially in these times, when suddenly travel is so restricted. It is wonderful to know the love for horses and dressage is shared globally by a big community. From the picture, I will guess that Elisa is stretching her horse in rising trot. My first impression of this picture is of mutual trust and concentration. Elisa is riding her stallion in an open arena with no fence in sight. She is trotting him with hardly any contact on the reins and she might actually even be holding the reins only in one hand. The horse…

Riding outside of the arena can help motivate a lazier horse to find more desire to go forward on his own, as it can help a hotter horse to blow off some steam. For example, I might use hills to help a fiery stallion stay balanced in his extensions and to learn to carry himself since the incline will keep him from taking over. The gradients in the fields allow him to keep pushing without falling on his forehand on the inclines, and encourage him to lower his croup and take more weight behind when he goes downhill, both of which produce a horse who is stronger and more balanced. Trot and Canter Riding uphill encourages the horse to step with his hind legs toward his center of gravity and…

Four-star eventer William “Randy” Ward says his skin color sets him apart in the equestrian realm, but it does not set him back. That happens when he leaves the barn or the show grounds to go about his business in the wider world. And that’s a reality with which his mostly white friends in the mostly white equestrian milieu have no experience. He doesn’t talk about it often, but the reality is 24/7. “The horse world is a little unique because it’s made up of a bunch of tight-knit, family-oriented people,” says Ward, whose WRW III Equestrian business is based in Ocala, Florida. “So, I think it’s hard for people in the riding world to relate to the Black Lives Matter movement.” Ward’s perspective is shared by that of other…

One of the most important things you can do to improve your riding is address stiffness in your body. It’s the root of many rider problems. If your back is overarched and stiff, you can sit on the saddle, but not “in” it—your body won’t move fluidly with your horse’s motion. Even worse, your hollow back will drive your seat bones down into your horse’s back, causing him to raise his head, hollow and stop pushing off his hind legs. Similarly, stiff hands and arms can’t follow the horse’s mouth smoothly or apply aids in an effective manner. If your elbows are locked, for example, you’ll unconsciously tug on the bit every time you post. If your horse is wearing a non-jointed bit, he’ll feel these tugs on his tongue…

Bonnie Mosser shares pointers on how to gallop “fly fences” comfortably out of stride. Cross-country “fly fences” can either be the easiest cross-country jumps or the most dangerous. They are fences that a horse will jump seamlessly from his galloping stride. Fly fences are at all levels of eventing. They are usually set on even terrain—the takeoff and landing are at the same level—but they can also be set on slight uphill or downhill terrain with a clear approach. The types of obstacles considered fly fences usually have these elements in common: • Good ground line (this could include a rail, flowers, straw, brush or a ditch)• Ramped or sloping face, not vertical• Some width from the ground line to back rail Usually, the first two to three fences on…

Go to PracticalHorsemanMag.com to watch a video of this rider. 1 First impression: This is a pleasant-looking picture of an effective, strong rider with a good basic position and a happy horse. Leg: The only part that spoils the picture is that the rider’s heel has drawn up, making a quite possibly good leg look not as classic as it could be. Her weight needs to stay more in her heels in the air. If she’s trying to use her leg, she can do it more effectively with her heels down and her toes turned out a little. The raised heel position has drawn up her knee, too. If she stretched her heel down, her knee would be lower in the saddle. Hip angle: Fixing her leg would allow this rider’s hip…

While much of the city of Wellington, Florida, is still cloaked in the darkness of the early morning, a tall man on a bike glides along Pierson Road, eventually rolling into the gravel driveway of Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex. In a few hours, the facility will be abuzz with dressage horses, hunter ponies, riders and grooms moving in all directions. But for now, capitalizing on the last few silent hours of the morning, the man slides his feet into his cognac-colored tall boots, grabs his helmet and gloves and heads out to the arena with his first of many rides of the day. Grand Prix dressage rider Jan Brons doesn’t try to attract attention to himself, but if you’re someone with an educated eye, you’ll find that your gaze…

Clipping some or all of your horse’s long winter coat will save hours of time cooling him off after rides. It will simplify daily grooming and create a neat, tidy appearance. It also will mean, of course, that you’ll need to blanket him both indoors and outside on cold days and nights. Many people trace clip or partially body clip (leaving the hair long on the legs and face) to train over the winter and go to clinics, but if you’re competing during the colder months of the year and really want to impress the judges, consider giving your horse a full-body clip. Most horses tolerate the process of body clipping well so long as you’re careful to keep the clipper temperature from getting too hot, maintain a steady, comfortable…

Q What is the best way to help my horse recover after a challenging training session or competition? A There are steps a rider can take both before and after exercise to help his or her horse recover from an intense training session. For example, consistent training in the lead up to competition and the approach to the warm-up will positively influence recovery. Dietary strategies like choice of feed and supplements can have a big effect on recovery. And, supportive therapies can be implemented after training to optimize a horse’s recovery. Proper Conditioning. The steps to optimal recovery for a horse actually begin well before the training session itself. For example, make sure that your horse has been properly conditioned for the level at which he is training and competing.…