MSEDA News

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

Date and Time: Tuesday, October 17 through  Sunday, October 22. 

Tuesday – In-barn inspections for the CCI* and three-day competitors
Wednesday - Jogs for the CCI* and three-day competitors (this is always something fun to watch if you are in the Lexington area in the afternoon!) 
Thursday - Dressage CCI*
Friday - Dressage three-day and OP competitors, XC CCI*, SJ OP
Saturday - Second Jog CCI*, XC three-day and OP riders, Dressage for the rest of the HT's, and CCI* show jumping
Sunday - Second Jog three-day competitors, XC ON and OBN, and SJ for three-day riders and OT

As you can tell, it takes an absolute village to run this event on schedule! 

Event History: The oldest team eventing competition in the United States, the MidSouth Three-Day Event and Team Challenge will feature multiple divisions recognized by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). The showcase division is the Hagyard MidSouth CCI*, which has been designated as the USEF National One-Star Three-Day Event Championships and will run in the traditional long format, which includes both the roads and tracks and steeplechase phases.

 While participants in the Hagyard/Midsouth CCI* face the most demanding courses, the hallmark competitions of the show are the team events, which are offered at the novice, training and preliminary levels. Over 400 riders will compete at the Hagyard MidSouth Three-Day Event and Team Challenge. Most of these riders will be part of a four-member team. Scores of all team members will be combined and prizes awarded to high-scoring teams. Individual awards are also given.

The MidSouth Eventing and Dressage Association (MSEDA) and the Michigan Combined Training Association conceived of the event began more than 20 years ago as a friendly competition among teams from regional combined training associations. With just a handful of entries, volunteers organized the event from beginning to end. Eventually, MSEDA took full control of the show and it has become a substantial fundraiser.

The show has become a highlight of fall eventing schedules. Riders from all 50 states and 10 countries have tested their competitive mettle at the MidSouth Three-Day Event and Team Challenge; we look forward to welcoming competitors back this October!

Volunteer opportunities before the event:
Stall cards will be placed on Monday morning, and with over 500 stalls, we can definitely use an extra hand or two. Dressage rings need to be set by Wednesday, and the jog lanes need to be decorated. 

Volunteer Opportunities during the event:
We can use hands everywhere, please please please volunteer! Lynn Davis is our wonderful volunteer coordinator; she can be reached at lynndavis@twc.com. She can put anyone to work, riders (yes, we can work around your ride times), husbands, boyfriends, parents, kids, etc. This is a great way to get the people in your life involved. 

Volunteer opportunities at the conclusion of the event:
Cross-country jumps need to be stripped and put away, dressage rings need to be put up and organized, we always love seeing how awesome our event was on different outlets. Thank you notes are always a great add. 

Who should a potential volunteer contact to either learn more or sign up? 
Please contact Lynn Davis, lynndavis@twc.com. She is a superstar and needs all the help we can get. We have over 500 riders at this event, and we have lots of moving parts. Please pitch in and do your part. 

What should volunteers know? 
It's October in Kentucky. It could very easily be 90 degrees or it can snow, so please dress appropriately: boots, rain clothes, extra layers, etc. We will provide all volunteers with snacks and lunch. 

Please, please: If you volunteer, please honor your commitment. We are counting on you to be at your assigned post. 

MSEDA had a strong representation at the 2017 Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover, with members competing in eventing, field hunter and dressage.

By Sarah E. Coleman 

Over 500 horses headed to the Bluegrass to compete in the Retired Racehorse Project’s $100,000 Thoroughbred Makeover, which took place Oct. 5-8 at the Kentucky Horse Park. Designed to increase the demand for off-track Thoroughbreds, the competition highlights horses in second careers (some that seem more unusual for retired racehorses) and showcases the versatility of the breed.

Horses at the Makeover could be entered in one or two of 10 disciplines: barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, freestyle, polo, show hunter, show jumper and working ranch.

Each horse that competed in the Makeover was required to have the following:

Two MSEDA members had horses competing at the Makeover: Mandy (Alexander) Weissmann and Jeannine Buhse. 

Mandy Weissmann and Mister Mardi Gras

Mandy competed her gelding, Mister Mardi Gras, in both Field Hunter and Eventing disciplines. Mister Mardi Gras is by Belong to Me and out of Miss Marta, and was bred by Lothebach Stables. “Krewe” as he is affectionately named, earned over $1 million -- $1,194,027 to be exact -- in 58 starts with 11 wins.  Trained by Chris Block, Krewe’s last race was on Sept. 3, 2016, at Arlington Park.

Leading the Field Hunters after the first day of competition, Mandy was asked to go on a mock hunt with Krewe, complete with hounds in the steeplechase infield, then asked to jump a  cross-country course individually; the course included crossing water, and opening and closing a gate. The individual test also included a hand gallop to a halt. Mandy truly went for it, opening Krewe up into a full gallop (the first since she had gotten him) and then coming to a (tough!) halt at the judge’s stand.

Mandy ended up reserve out of 31 entries in the Field Hunter division and 67^th out of 97 entries in Eventing. Krewe was also the winningest former racehorse of all entries at the 2017 Makeover.  

Jeannine Marie Buhse and Rockport Jewel

Rockport Jewell is a 2010 Iowa-bred mare who raced 30 times, mostly at Prairie Meadows in Iowa. She raced for four years, earning $74,039, with her last start in August of 2015. Pulled from a kill pen in February of 2016, the mare’s bad luck continued, with a bout of bad colic, an infection in her IV and then multiple hoof abscesses that prevented her from getting any real training before Jeannine went to see her in September.

For some reason, Jeannine connected with the mare, bringing her home to Louisville to be a trail partner—the Makeover was not even on her radar! But the trails would have to wait as Jewell’s bad luck continued—her entire sole came off from a very bad sub-solar abscess. With time, rehab, patience, phenomenal vets and farriers, and TLC, the mare went sound and she and Jeannine deepened their bond.

Learning that the mare was still eligible for the 2017 Makeover, Jeannine thought she would aim her for the Competitive Trail division, but Jewell (now named “Good Juju”) really enjoyed jumping, so Jeannine entered her in the Eventing and Dressage divisions. They completed in Eventing (and were tied for the highest score in cross-country) and finished solidly in the middle of the pack in Dressage.

More MSEDA Members in the Makeover

Three additional MSEDA members competed at the Makeover:
Nick Larkin rode Loves Not Fair (known as Lebron) in the Eventing portion of the Makeover for a fantastic fourth-place finish. The Makeover was Lebron’s first show (!!) and he earned the highest score on cross-country out of the 90-plus Thoroughbreds competing. (Did you notice that BOTH the tied high scores on XC were MSEDA members?!).

Ali Wilaby finished with a WIN in Dressage and a second-place finish in Eventing on the 2012 gelding Chapter Two. Chapter Two is by More Than Ready and was bred in Kentucky by My Meadowview LLC. His last race was at Turfway Park, and he had 15 lifetime starts with $71,952 in earnings. We will hear more from Ali in an upcoming MSEDA issue.

Whitney Morris brought two horses to this year’s Makeover: Bad Boy Rocket whom she showed in Dressage and Flying Candy Ride, whom she showed in Eventing. Rocket is a 2012 model by Mineshaft who was bred by Glencrest Farm LLC and Kempton Bloodstock LLC. He sold at auction for $475,000 and went on to win $19,640 in two starts. His last start was at Remington Park. Flying Candy Ride is by Candy Ride and was bred by Martin Wygod and Herman Sarkowsky. He made 16 starts, winning $23,946 and he last raced at Turfway park.

Whitney finished 24^th in dressage with Bad Boy Rocket.

Congrats to Mandy, Jeannine and all MSEDA members on their stellar performances at the 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover!

Interested in competing in the Makeover in 2018? Learn more here: www.retiredracehorseproject.org

Looking for a way to make your competition partner return to the ring faster after an injury or for a way to keep your old campaigner more comfortable? Magna Wave PEMF therapy may be the perfect solution for both equines. 

By Sarah E. Coleman

Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field Therapy (PEMF), also commonly called Magna Wave, is relatively new on the equine scene. Magna Wave is one company that manufacturers PEMF machines, and is one of the most common on the market.

“PEMF works on a cellular level to energize ions with increased oxygenation,” explains Emma Lyster of Lyster Equine Therapy in Paris, Ky., “This also pushes out toxins as the cell walls are made more permeable. It makes a significant increase of circulation to help get the blood moving and to reduce clumping of red blood cells, which causes inflammation and bruising.”

What Horses Benefit from Magna Wave?

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

Date and time: September 29-October 1 at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Event history: Jump Start Horse Trials is the only annual fundraiser for Keeneland Pony Club.

 Volunteer opportunities before the event: 

Volunteer opportunities during the event:

What should volunteers know?
Volunteers should wear appropriate footwear for working outside (not flipflops!) and bring raingear. Jump Start will provide lunch and snacks, and drinks all day, as well as a T-shirt.

For more information or to sign up for a volunteer time, please contact Jennifer Madden or Sally Lockhart.

It can be disconcerting when your normally sure-footed steed begins to trip or when your no-nonsense Steady Eddie starts to spook at things that wouldn’t normally faze him. So what’s the deal? Is it the weather change? Is he being lazy? Maybe … but maybe not: Vision loss may be to blame.

By Sarah E. Coleman 

Photo by Audrey C. McLellan

Vision loss is not a death knell for horses or their competitive careers. While some loss may be dramatic, many times the loss of equine eyesight is gradual and over time; often the horse can adapt to his new vision and still be ridden.

There are many causes of vision loss in horses, including chronic uveitis, permanent damage from EPM and other diseases, acute viruses, injury, cancer and more. No matter the cause, the ways you can make your horse more comfortable are the same.

Testing Your Horse's Vision

We’ve all seen it: Horses that eat hot dogs or prefer soda or sweet tea over water. But are these things REALLY safe for your equine to be snacking on? Like in human diets, the answer is: Everything in moderation.

By Sarah E. Coleman

While some horses are snobby about just what they’ll eat (only apples with no brown spots!) and others will eat just about anything (slimy carrots? No problem!), there are certain foods that should never be offered to equines—and there are some more-unusual ones you may just have to try!

Safety First

Many fruits and veggies are safe for horses eat, but some are definitely not safe for them to snack on. It’s important to note that if your horse is chubby, insulin resistant or has other metabolic issues that you should refrain from giving him anything high in sugar, including fruits and veggies with a high sugar content.

Though a little snack of bread is OK for most horses, it’s important to remember that some prepared foods can be toxic to horses. Chocolate is one example; though an occasional chocolate chip cookie is harmless, a steady diet of chocolate treats can be hard on a horse’s health. Caffeine can also be toxic in large quantities, in the form of drinks or treats.

So what can you feed your steed to reward him for a job well done?

For Those Horses With Metabolic Issues….

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