MSEDA News

By Chelsea Smith, MBA // Smith Equine Media, LLC

Photo by Kristin Posner

The Midsouth Eventing & Dressage Association (MSEDA) welcomed International Dressage rider, trainer and coach Jeremy Steinberg for a two day dressage clinic held June 24-25, 2017 at Bellantrae Farm in Lexington, Ky.

Riding in the clinic was MSEDA Treasurer Cheryl Steele with her mare Melody. Steele was the recipient of the USEA Area 8 Volunteer Awards Grant for $250, which was used to further develop her partnership with Melody, a 10 year old, 17 hand Hanoverian mare.

“I was looking for my next event/sport horse after my previous horse Irish Whiskey, AKA Junior, needed to drop down a couple of levels.  He is now 21 years old. I found Melody three years ago through Julie McVey.  She does a lot of trail riding and knew I was looking. She raised and trained Melody since she was a baby,” said Steele.

Steele injured her shoulder in a fall two years ago and has been working to regain core strength and muscle tone.  With this in mind, Steele was eager to ride with Jeremy to see how her progress was developing.

At the beginning of their session, Steinberg worked with Steele to be steadier with her body and quieter with her hands.  After Steele trotted Melody around the arena a few times, Jeremy quickly instructed Steele to keep Melody going forward and to directly challenge her to keep the momentum going forward.

“The trot is a good challenge point to correct continuous, honest, energy output. With the trot there is no help—the body has to produce it. Challenge the trot and exploit the canter,” said Jeremy.

Once Steele asked Melody to transition from canter to trot, Steinberg asked her to keep the energy going and to be stricter with her cues.

As the lesson continued, Steinberg urged Steele to ignore when Melody gave her a wobble or a loss of connection and to instead keep pushing her forward.

“If you wiggle and wobble in the front and get too involved in that, that can shut down the engine to where the engine doesn’t output enough to give her the arc of roundness through the topline. NO slowing down. Don’t give into any discussion or any dialogue in the front end—keep pushing forward. Don’t accept anything other than, “Yes ma’am, you got it!” I would be very tough on her,” said Jeremy.

As they continued around the arena, Melody started to fall or lean into the turns.  Steinberg directed Steele to accelerate to help the mare correct her own balance. He explained his theory by comparing Melody to a car engine.

 “[With Melody] there needs to be a constant build up of RPM’s in her engine that give you more and more power right up into the steering wheel,” he said.

Cheryl is looking forward to continuing Jeremy’s exercises at home, "I have only been home about 2 days and already noticed a difference in the way Melody moves. She has been more accepting of my leg aids in going forward and quicker to respond." 

The invention of smartphones has made equestrians lives so much easier. From tracking health and vaccination records, miles logged, equine heart rates and local tack swaps (and not to mention just how easy it is to take snaps of your four-legged love!), it’s wonderful to have all equine info at your fingertips.

By Sarah E. Coleman

The vast majority of us are a little too connected to our phones, taking them with us everywhere we go and sleeping with them next to our beds at night. While some could see this connectivity as an issue, for obsessive horse owners (and really, isn’t that all of us?), this kind of knowledge at our fingertips is a fantastic way to help us feed our equine organization obsession.

With this in mind, here are some apps you might enjoy:

Hey NEIGHbor

                                  
Find and list horses, tack, livestock, barn supplies and more. Easy uploads and searching, you can filter to find local items or those within your budget. All posts are removed 30 days after they are listed, so you know you won’t get your heart set on something that sold in 2015.

EquiTempo
Keep your horse’s gaits as even as possible with EquiTempo, which allows you to figure out the beats per minute (BPM) of any gait. Then set the app for the desired speed and EquiTemp ticks like a metronome.

Horse Rider SOS
This app will alert your emergency contacts when you have parted ways with your steed and indicate your exact GPS location for rescue. Now if only finding your horse were this easy!

HorseNotes
Manage individual horse’s feed, health, repro records, performance and training, or view all of the horses in your barn. You can also record expense and income and pictures of everything from receipts to injuries.

Coach My Video
Coach My Video allows you to upload photos and videos, and annotate them with lines (frame-by-frame) to check your alignment. You can then email the photos or videos to anyone.

Hay Price Calculator
Created by Regents of the University of Minnesota, this app will calculate hay price per ton, helping you choose the most cost-effective bundle.

EquiSketch Dressage
Help memorize your dressage test (in large or small arenas) by creating each movement of your test and then using an animated horse to perform the test.

Healthy Horse
Estimate your horse’s body weight for feeding and medication dosages by entering your horse’s height, girth circumference, body length and neck.

SmartPak SmartBlanket App
Create customized recommendations for your horse’s apparel based on the local weather conditions with the SmartPak SmartBlanket app.

Horseware Turnout Guide
This app gathers weather forecasts for three upcoming days and then makes recommendations on which Horseware turnout is best for your horse.

Stable Secretary
This app will help you keep equine business records and health records organized and get reminders about future appointments and due dates. You can add your team members (farrier, vet, etc.) and everyone can view and add info about your horse. Billing is also simplified.

EquiList
Preloaded with a checklist of standard items you would need for a horse show, including vet documents, tack and rider equipment, this app is a must-have for those riders who constantly leave at least one necessary item at home! You can add items and check things off, as well.

Show Jumping Strides
This app allows you to estimate the number of strides between two fences in a line of stadium jumps. Simply enter the distance (in meters) between the fences in the “distance” box, the height of the fence (in meters), the prescriped meters per minutes and the type of fence (vertical, oxer, triple bar or water) and the app will estimate the number of strides between the two obstacles.

Volunteer opportunities for MSEDA members abound. Each month, we will feature an opportunity for members to obtain volunteer hours and help put on a successful, MSEDA-sanctioned show.

By Sarah E. Coleman

Park Equine Kentucky Classique Horse Trials

Date and Time: The Horse Trial will be held September 2 and 3, but a Friday dressage is in the talks with management because of our AWESOME riders supporting Area 8. We will let riders know ASAP if we're going to make the switch, says Mary Fike.

Event History: Kentucky Classique filled the date in the fall calendar when Mary Bayer and Stanley Wiggs discontinued doing the ever-popular Fall Ha’Penny Horse Trial.

Volunteer opportunities before the event:

• Stall cards
• Labeling dressage tests
• Setting up the office
• Setting Dressage
• Hanging banners
• Roping XC

We also can use volunteer to help set stadium, Mary noted. It’s usually on the Thursday of event week. If folks like to paint/stain, we can arrange to gift them a paintbrush and they can spend some glorious time out on XC and maybe befriend the park’s resident fox or catch sight of the newest owlets in the old Burr Oak tree.

Volunteer opportunities during the event:  

• Jump judges
• Scribes
• Score runners, etc.

It should be noted that if anyone is interested in volunteering, please email Lynn and let her know your availability, we can work around ride times, groom schedules, crying, freaking out and drinking, says show secretary Erin Murphy.

Volunteer opportunities after the event:

• Thank you notes to all officials.
• Creation of a press release, article about the event
• Take down SJ, dressage, XC flags and decorations, etc. 

What should volunteers know?

We all know that weather in September can be unpredictable, so make sure to come prepared. Jacket, rain pants, boots, bug spray, sun glasses, wine (jk, but no really).  We do provide lunch. I always bring my earbuds and music and a chair and boots, says Mary.

For more information or to sign up for a time, please email Lynn Davis at lynndavis@twc.com.

For only the second time in its history, the World Equestrian Games will be held on United States soil: This time in Tryon, N.C.

By Sarah E. Coleman

For those of us who lived in Kentucky in 2010, it’s easy to remember the hype that surrounded the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Game. The insistence that farms were going to be sold for well over their asking price, as well as the thought that the city would be overrun with out-of-town guests was perpetuated by every facet of Lexington commerce. In the horse world, many of equine enthusiasts were led to believe that we had to buy our tickets in discipline packages, the minute they went on sale, or we risked being shut out of the Games completely.

Those who survived WEG 2010 were privy to a lot of things that did not go as planned; thankfully those who didn’t call the Bluegrass home never noticed. And though the horse community seems pretty evenly split about whether or not they would welcome the Games back to Kentucky, there are some things each of us can be thankful for that was a direct result of the Games being held in Lexington: The Rolex Stadium, the increase in sport horse farms in the area and a massive increase in tourism that appreciates both our horses and our bourbon, just to name a few (we won’t mention that hole that’s slowly becoming something downtown, 8 years later….)

Here Comes the World

The World Equestrian Games 2018 are going to be held state side once again, this time in Tryon, N.C., at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Once can only imagine that that small town is in as much of a tizzy as Lexington was 14 months out, with massive infrastructure supplementation and rumors spinning around.

So, how prepared is Tryon for a horse show of this magnitude? Carly Weilminster, the Marketing, Advertising, and Media Relations Manager of ‎Equestrian Sport Productions and Tryon International Equestrian Center, answered some questions for MSEDA.

Carly said that the facility currently encompasses 1,600 acres in Polk County, N.C., while external facility amenities are located in Rutherford County (a big concern of holding WEG at Tryon is where people are going to stay!). The current George H. Morris Arena comfortably seats 6,000, while a larger stadium construction has begun and will seat between 20,000 to 25,000 spectators.

“There are currently 1,200 permanent stalls on-site, 12 riding arenas and a 12-acre state-of-the-art grass derby complex. The facility also already boasts an extensive cross-country course, which resides on the adjacent property, which was formerly an 18-hole golf course,” Carly said.

“There will be a significant amount of construction occurring over the next 15 months. Much of the equestrian and competition components that are necessary for the event are already in existence. The construction of the stadium, several on-site hotels, and the additions to the covered arena, which will be used for vaulting and reining, will take place throughout the year leading up to the event.”

How Do People Get There?

A major concern among the equestrian community is just how people will physically get to the competition grounds. The Tryon venue is situated between three major airports, which include: Greenville-Spartanburg Airport, Asheville Regional Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Each airport is between 45 minutes to an hour and a half away from the venue.

And where will they stay?

Carly notes that the Tryon venues “currently have a significant amount of on-site housing available for competitors and spectators for our national and international competitions hosted throughout the year. We are in the process of constructing additional on-site housing, which will include four hotels. The cities of Greenville, Asheville, and Charlotte are all within an hour’s drive from the venue, which will also support the generous number of spectators traveling to watch the Games. Forest City, Hendersonville, Rutherfordton and Spartanburg will also provide additional housing and lodging support.”

Test Events

According to FEI rules, test events in each discipline must take place at the venue prior to the Games. In Tryon, test events will begin in October of 2017 and continue through the spring of 2018, dependent on the discipline. Eventing will take place in October 2017 (the American Eventing Championships will be held there), while the driving test event will take place in the spring of 2018.

The endurance paths have not yet been established, but will run over the Tryon grounds as well as on adjacent property.

A Notch Above

“TIEC offers several on-site amenities that help to make it one of the most unique equestrian destinations in the world,” Carly says. Ten on-site restaurants are open during the competition season, with several open year-round, she notes, allowing competitors and spectators to dine and socialize on-site. “These include an iconic 50s themed diner, sushi, up-scale American grille cuisine, Italian, Mexican, pub food, ice-cream and sweets, and much more.”

If you’re wishing to do something non-horsey during your downtime, Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club is just five minutes down the road, with a beautifully designed 18-hole golf course and newly renovated pool and sports complex. The Cleghorn Gun Club, also just five minutes away, offers a spectacular clay shooting experience with certified instructors.

The Lodge on Lake Lure, also owned by Tryon Equestrian Partners, overlooks pristine Lake Lure, one of North Carolina’s hidden treasures.

“We have heard and understand the feedback regarding past FEI World Equestrian Games events and are proactively planning to make this event one of the most spectator and competitor friendly events that the sport has seen!” Carly said.

Securing Your Seat

The discipline schedules have been set, minus start and finish times, but the days of competition have already been announced and are available for viewing at www.tryon2018.com.

Tickets will go on sale in September. They will be available on a major ticket platform and specific package options will be available. A broad announcement marking the start of ticket sales will be released ahead of the platform launch.

For much more information on the facility and the Games, visit http://tryon.coth.com

Volunteer opportunities for MSEDA members abound. Each month, we will feature an opportunity for members to obtain volunteer hours and help put on a successful, MSEDA-sanctioned show.

By Sarah E. Coleman

Nancy F. Newton Memorial Dressage and Combined Test

Event History: Antebellum Farm began hosting a summer combined test in 1992; this is their 25th anniversary. This is the second year that the combined test will be held in honor of Nancy Newton, who passed in 2016. The profits from the event will go to an undetermined charity in her name.

Date and Time: July 23rd, 8 a.m. until the last test is finished, typically about 4:30 p.m.

Volunteer Opportunities:

• timers
  
• dressage stewards
  
• dressage scribes
  
• jump crew
  
• parking assistants
  
• stadium steward
  
• runners
  

Interested? Contact Dylan Newton 859-489-3375; antebefarm@aol.com. Lunch, snacks and drinks are provided to volunteers throughout the day.

Visit the Antebellum Farm website here. 

Many riders look at their riding time as their “gym time”—and for many of us, this is the time during the week that we raise our heart rates and really work up a sweat. However, if you ride only a few days a week or don’t really work hard enough to burn calories, there is still some calories to burn in order to stay fit to ride your horse well. 

By Sarah E. Coleman

MSEDA interviewed Megan Arszman, freelance writer and Communications Coordinator for the Indiana Horse Racing Commission, about rider health and fitness. Arszman believes that the main reason riders are reluctant to go to the gym is lack of time. Many horse people, even if they don’t ride every day, still make time to go to the farm and check on their horse if he isn’t kept at home. Additionally, Arszman also feels that riders believe the exercise they get at the farm is enough to keep them fit and healthy. While there’s no doubt that they burn calories while performing farm chores, it is not always enough to keep riders fit and healthy.

Many riders are not aware of how much being unfit affects their mount. “You have to have core strength in order to be an effective rider, no matter the discipline,” Arszman explains. “I've talked with many trainers in different disciplines and that is a very important part of the rider's body position. If you don’t have the strength and conditioning to hold yourself correctly in the saddle, you can put uneven weight on your horse or you might find yourself relying on the reins to keep your balance, which means pulling on his mouth.” 

“While farm work is a good workout, there are some things you need to work on at the gym or separately to help you stay healthy and ride better,” Arszman says. Addressing the time issue, Arszman notes that “You don't necessarily have to make the drive to the gym; you can build your own home gym with a few essential pieces.”

Gym Time Time Out

Arszman, a horsewoman herself, knows innately that there is simply not enough time in the day, especially to get to the gym. So what does she recommend for an overall body workout?  Body weight circuit training. “You can do a circuit of body weight exercises: air squats, push-ups and planks.”

If you’re really in a time crunch, Arszman loves the HIIT {High Intensity Interval Training) workouts. “You basically do a series of exercises, rotating between something high-intensity [e.g., sprints, mountain climbers, jump squats, jumping jacks, etc.] and other workouts.”

Arszman provides an example: 

Do each exercise at a high intensity for 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds

1. Mountain Climbers
   
2. Push-ups
   
3. Squats
   
4. Crunches
   
5. Burpees
   
6. Plank
   
7. Jump Squats
   
8. Tricep Dips
   
9. High Knees
   
10. Lunges
    

*Repeat 

You Are What You....Eat?

Prioritizing Fitness Goals

So, how can riders make fitness a priority? “Set small goals with deadlines and know that you have to work toward them,” Arszman says. “It has to be important to you in order for you to be dedicated. Even if you only have 20 minutes, that's 20 minutes to a healthier life. Wake up 30 minutes early with your workout clothes already set out so you literally roll out of bed and into your clothes and to the gym [or garage gym] before your mind is fully awake to know what you're doing.

Also, don't feel like you need to work out for 2 hours a day, every day--start off with 30 minutes three times a week and build up. Include your family in your goals and invite them to workout with you, or pick a buddy to help you stay accountable,” she says. 

Navicular syndrome has long been a catch-all term used on any heel pain in horses; even more elusive than a concrete diagnosis has been an effective form of controlling the pain associated with it.

By Sarah E. Coleman 

In the beginning of 2014, the equine community welcomed the approval of two new drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug administration: Tildren and OSPHOS. Though Tildren has long been used in human medicine, its release into the equine market is new.

Both of these drugs are bisphosphonates intended to control the signs of navicular syndrome, which is commonly the cause of front-end lameness in horses. Navicular syndrome is defined as chronic pain arising from the navicular bone and closely related structures (like the deep digital flexor tendon, suspensory ligaments of the navicular bone, etc.). This chronic heel pain includes pathological changes to the ligaments, bone, cartilage and tendons in that area. The exact cause is unknown.

Navicular syndrome can affect any breed of horse at any activity level; affected horses are typically between 4 and 15 years old. There is no one test that can confirm navicular syndrome; but hoof tests, X-rays, nerve blocks and other imaging modalities may be needed to determine if a horse has navicular disease. 

Treatment Options

The heat is coming on something fierce in Kentucky, and though summer is a great time to ride, horse owners must take care that they are not asking too much of their steeds in weather that is too hot and humid for them to effectively cool themselves. Summer heat can be dangerous for horses, resulting in dehydration, lethargy, and general malaise. Severe heat stress may cause diarrhea, or even colic. Following these 10 tips and using common sense will help keep you and your horse safe and comfortable during the hot days ahead.

Dr. Janet Johnston, an Emergency and Critical Care veterinarian at Penn Vet's New Bolton Center, offers the following tips as we approach the first days of summer:

1.  Choose cooler turnout times. If your horse has a stall, but is turned out for part of the day, provide turnout during the cooler hours. Overnight is ideal, but if that's not possible, then have the horse go outside as early as possible during the day.

2.  Provide shade. If your horse lives outdoors, or if it must be outside during the day, provide relief from the sun. A run-in shed is best. Trees are a source of shade, but as the sun moves, so will the shade.

3.  Move the air. Fans are a great way to help keep the air moving in the barn, but use them wisely. Your horse will benefit most if the fan is pulling the hot air out of the stall, not pushing air into the stall.

4.  Mist your horse. If you are fortunate enough to have a system to mist your horse, use it. As the moisture is absorbed from your horse's skin, it will take away some of the heat. Frequent mistings are far more effective than a single dousing with a hose.

5.  Provide fresh, cool water and an electrolyte source. Make sure your horse has plenty of fresh, cool water. A bucket hanging on a fence will get warm, and the water will no longer be appealing. Left long enough, the water will also become stagnant and unhealthy. If you are providing clean, cool water and your horse doesn't seem to be drinking, then encourage it by providing a salt block, or even by misting hay with salt water.

6.  Slow down the work. Don't think that because your horse has been working intensely at 1:00 pm every day that it can take the heat when the temperature tops 90 degrees. If you have to work your horse in the heat, lighten the work or spread it out over a couple of short sessions. This is especially important when the humidity is high, contributing to the poor quality of the air your horse is breathing.

7.  Stick to a schedule. Within the parameters of keeping your horse cool, try to stay as close as possible to a normal schedule. Too much change at one time can be an invitation to colic.

8.  Avoid sunburn. Horses, especially white horses, can suffer from sunburn. Even those with white socks and blazes, pink noses, or hairless patches from scarring can be susceptible. Using a fly scrim can help. In addition, applying sunblock such as zinc oxide, to small, particularly vulnerable areas can be effective.

9.  Clip horses with longer hair coats. Clipping is important, especially for horses with Cushings disease. While some coat can provide protection from the sun and insulation, a long, thick coat tends to hold heat and makes it difficult for the horse to cool down.

10. Know your horse and signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke can happen anytime your horse is exposed to excessive heat that his body cannot handle.

You should know your horse's normal temperature, heart and respiratory rates. To find the heart rate of a horse, simply find a pulse and count the beats for 15 seconds, then multiply that number by 4. Count the breaths per minute in a similar way.

Signs of heat stroke can include:

If you are concerned that your horse is suffering from heat stroke, call your veterinarian immediately and get your horse into a cooler environment.

Read more here. 

Volunteer opportunities for MSEDA members abound. Each month, we will feature an opportunity for members to obtain volunteer hours and help put on a successful, MSEDA-sanctioned show.

By Sarah E. Coleman

The Midsouth Pony Club Horse Trial, June 23-25

Event History: This horse trial is a fundraising event for the Midsouth Pony Club Region that supports their members at Championships, in certifications and in other educational opportunities.

Date and Time: June 23^rd: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; June 24^th: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and June 25^th: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Weeks leading up to event

Painting fences

 

Tuesday morning (June 20)

Setting Dressage Arenas

 

Thursday afternoon (June 22)

Setting Stadium (with Nori)

Office help

 

Friday (June 23)

Office Help

Dressage (8 a.m.-4 p.m.)

Scribe

Ring Steward

Scorer

 

Stadium (11 a.m.-6 p.m.)

Jump Crew

 

Saturday (June 24)

Office Help

Dressage (8 a.m – 4 p.m.)

Scribe

Bit Check

Scorer

 

Stadium (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Ring Steward

Jump Crew

 

XC (8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Jump Judge

 

Sunday (June 25)

Office Help

XC (8 a.m. – 3 p.m.)

Jump Judge

 

Stadium (8am-2pm)

Ring Steward

Jump Crew

Interested? Contact Erin Woodall:  gtowngrits@gmail.com, 502-316-3565 (call or text)

Tips for Volunteers: It’s never a bad idea to bring a chair, raincoat, sunscreen and a great attitude!

Every horse owner would like to amount of vet bills they incur, but sometimes that’s not an option. While no one would ever expect you to stitch your horse at home or diagnose his niggling lameness, there are some things that owners and riders can do at home in an attempt to prevent unnecessary vet calls.

By Sarah E. Coleman 

Dr. Heather Woodruff, co-owner of Foxwood Equine Sports Medicine with Dr. Holly Schmitt (Fox), grew up in Vermont riding hunters, jumpers, eventing and dressage. She graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and has been practicing in Lexington since 2009, when she moved here to complete a Sports Medicine Internship at Hagyard Equine Medical institute; she and Dr. Schmitt Fox opened Foxwood Equine in 2014.

Foxwood Equine focuses on sports medicine and acupuncture, also offering high-level lameness diagnostics and treatments to horses that are in elite levels of competition all over the United States. Dr. Woodruff is called in to treat horses for both acute lamenesses and also for preventative and therapeutic care. While there is no replacement for skilled veterinary care, there are a few at-home treatments Dr. Woodruff recommends to keep high-level athletes feeling their best. 

The Specifics for Keeping Horses Sound