Hoofbeats

COCHISE DRESSAGE AND EVENTING ASSOCIATION

Mar/Apr 2013

Nice Braids
Even uppe r-le vel e vent riders have occasional issues with the dressage phase, leading to some humorous comments from judge s. Photo by S ara Liese r While som e horses might relish the dressage phase of an event, ma ny others do not a fact that's well docume nted by Chronicle staff phot ographers at major three-days every year. Chronicle bullet in b oard posters rece ntly shared their favorite comme nts from judges on that topic. Several riders ref lected on receiv ing "nice braids" or "nice ta il" as the sole comme nt, and there were a few who'd received "tactfu lly ridde n" after particular ly harried tests. Here are some of our other favorite c omme nts... On my old Thoroughbred, who had quite the disdain f or dressage, I had several interest ing comm ents, u sually expressing sympathy. I think my favor ite was in Florida, after he had attempted to run off w ith me for the entire test. The judge wrote, "In the horse's defense, it is qu ite diff icult to go cross -cou ntry in a 20 by 40 ring. Have fun tomorr ow!" Martha Welsh, Tullah oma, Te nn. I was riding A Fine R omance's older brother, Bob a big, athletic guy with a huge sense of humor. My only hope doing the test was that 1. I wouldn't get bucked off, and 2. He w ould n't jump out. Bob was pretty good only a few unscheduled capr io les. I stayed on, a nd we stayed in the ring. The judge, who was one of the wond erful P olish ex-cava lry off icers we were lucky to have back then, wrote, "Exubera nt canter depart" to describe one of the caprioles. Later, the judge came up to me, patted my leg, and said, "This is a WONDERFUL horse, but he is veeerrrrrrryyyy bad." I smiled and thanked him. That described Bob perfect ly. Ga il Parker Rogers, Brantford, Ontario "No extra points f or tem pi changes at this level." See ma Sonad, Chadds Ford, Pa., once received for a novice -

level test
I think [my favorite c omme nt] was "Ge ometry was n't your strong suit in school, was it?" H ow did she know? Em ily Brant, Lew istoe n, Mont. My m ost mem orable [comm ent] was certainly "I fear f or your safety!" The hors e is now qu ite happy to be my whip horse but clearly had no a ppr eciation f or the finer points of dressage. Kathy Vie le, Aike n, S.C. I had an off-track Thoroughbred at his first show. This was way back when novice was the unrecogniz e d level! W ell, it was less than a great test. He did a canter pirouette at the first halt. We passaged for our free walk, piaf fed at our final halt, and I don't know how ma ny fly ing changes we did during the test itself in the canter work. Judges comme nt: "Either skip the lower lev els and go straight to Grand Prix or give him tw o martinis before y ou enter the ring again!" Peggy Friau f, Fort Worth, Texas Cont. on pg. 3

G y m k h an a
Saturday March 9 Saturday April13 Saturday May 11 Saturday Septe mbe r 14 Saturday Octobe r 12 Saturday Novembe r 9 Saturday De cembe r 14 For information contact John Hobson: Phone: 520 720 -8156 Email: John@ csgymkhana.com Web: www.csgymkhana.com Face book: www.facebook.com/cs gymkhana

Congratulations to Cindy Normandeau and her horse Da sh Of Pepper for their 2012 Year End Reserve Champion win with the Tucson Dre ssage Club. They competed at three TDC recognized schooling shows, finishing with a 62.8% at First Level.

MON DAY NIG H T BARREL RACES

Monday nights March 4th - March 25th Barrel races are held at the Rockin' JP Ranch TO starting at 6 pm JACKPOT starting at 7 pm Co me on out folks, we're fund raising for the To mbstone FFA Club

You may have notic ed th at we tryin g out a f ew new colu mns in the CD&EA newslet ter, i e. "Bi g N ews", "Th e Tack Room", "W anted" and "Did You Know". W e'd li ke "Bi g N ews" to b e an ything fro m comp etition awards /placin gs to exp ect ed foalin gs. Th e "For Sale" colu mn has changed to th e "Th e Tack Roo m" and will b e for those of you that h av e cl ean ed out your t ack r ooms and want to sell us able items you no longer need, and the "Did You Know" will b e for informativ e tidbits. "W ant ed" wil l be fo r it ems that individu als are lookin g to purchase. Th e newsletter is only as good as th e information in i t. In order to make this a useful tool, please submit informat ion that you deem h elpful to oth ers. If you don't see a part icular colu mn in an issue it was du e to having no informat ion to includ e in it. W e need your input!

Nice Braids

cont. from pg 1

"If your horse had longer legs, le nghtenings wou ld be easier." Duh. Sorry the 15.1-hand Quarter Horse didn't have long legs. Cyndi Kurth, Orange City, Fla. I really liked the "Energetic y oungster with good pote ntion" comme nt I got with my quirky 20+-year -old gelding once. Heather Way, Eva nsville, W isc. I got my [very excited] mare inside the ring, but I think we half -cant ered, halfbolted the entire test. Judge to me : "I don't actually k now how to score that test." Me to judge: "Just put m e last." Sure enough, I finished double -clear w ith a dressage score of 71. Deb W., New York

Article written by Lisa S lade, The Chronicle of the Horse,

www.chronofh orse .com/article /nice -braids

CD&EA Officers and Committees

P resident: C harlotte Borghardt V ice P resident: Terri Renw ick S ecretary : Treasurer: N ew sletter: C arissa H ernandez Debra Maffia M embership: Webmaster: G eorge Weav er A imee A rnold Awards C hair: A imee A rnold S how O rganizer: C indy N omandeau C linic O rganizer: P ia S zy pko C ommunity O ut Reach: Katherine C alkins Benson Terri Renw ick S ierra V ista teckelhof@eart hlink.net ty renw ick@gmail.com v acant v acant w eazelme@gmail.com d.czzow itz@gmail.com www .cdandea.com/about.us.html southbra nch.ada@gmail.com in near f uture ! southbra nch.ada@gmail.com normandeau@cis -broadba nd.com piasz@y ahoo.com www .w ickedgoodhorsemanship.com ty renw ick@gmail.com

Thank You for a Job Well Done!

A Letter to Carolyn and George
Our current Secreta ry, and Pas t President, Ca rol yn Wea ver, has decided to resign from Cochise Dressage & Eventi ng Association to focus on an exci ting new endea vor as a CANTER ins tructor. We thank Ca rol yn for her dedica tion to the Cochise Dressage and Eventing Association. We ha ve a s tronger and bi gger club due to her ha rd work and diligence. Ca rol yn continued wi th li ttle help to put on shows and protect the cl ubs assets for many yea rs . She has alwa ys been one to lend a helping hand or to take the bull by the horns, so to speak and push through. Now as is Ca rol yn's cus tom, she is reaching to the communi ty once a gain, to help others . We wish Ca rol yn the bes t of luck as a CANTER Ins tructor. We woul d be remiss if we forgot to thank George for all of his countless hours and dedi ca tion to the CD&EA. George served as our web page edi tor and was alwa ys there to lend a helping hand. Thank You!

Meet the Members

Eileen Swiers Riding since 1998 (15 years) Main Equine Interests: Trail Riding, Dressage, Yoga, Local Art, and Reading
Gene Autr ey on television and w anted to be part of that w orld of good guys and horses. When I w as five, after much pester ing, my mother arranged for me to take riding lessons. Soon I w as insisting that she buy a horse. At the time, she did not drive so that w as not an option. The stable w here I rode tr ansported the kids to lessons. After a couple of years and no horse of my ow n in sight I stopped taking lessons and moved on to other inter ests. I grew up in Denver, CO. During the early 1990's, due to health issues, I mov ed to Alpine, TX. Alpine is a small tow n in w est Texas surrounded by ranches. There I dropped back into the horse w orld. Even though I w as horseless I joined the local riding c lub, helped at show s and made friends. Ev entually, I found a nice 15- year-old half-Arab mar e, Shami. She w as solid and gener ous w ith her inexper ienc ed rider. But that w asn't enough. I decided I should hav e my ow n baby horse to start. I bred Shami and she prod uced my current horse, Ruby. Ruby and I ride trails, have gone to cattle clinics and now w e are w orking at dressage. Shami retired to a ranch near the Rio Gr ande. During 2000 I moved to Tucson for a job. Since most of the w ork took me to Fort Huachuca, I moved to Whetstone, w here I live now . I retired three years ago and, as you might expect, have more time to pursue horse related interests. I am looking forw ard to w orking w ith the club. I joined CD&EA this year.

Sharon Olthof Riding since 2000 (13 years) Main Equine Interests: Gymkhanas, Team Penning, Dressage, Showing, Trail Riding
I w as born in Mesa, AZ and my family moved to this area in 1986. Except for a short time living in Idaho, I grew up here. I alw ays w anted a horse, so Mom told me to start saving for one. I w as 5 yrs old w hen I started saving my pennies and w as finally able to buy a horse w hen I w as 18 yrs old. That w as 13 years ago. I still have him. He is a Quarter Horse Cross gelding named Tornado, 21 yrs old now . I have learned a lot about horses and riding since I have had him. Before that, I w ould ride w henever I could, w hich w asn't very often. And I read every book I could about horses to prepare for one. My tw o sisters got horses about a y ear after I did. So w e had a total of three. I did mostly trail riding and a few Gymkhanas to start w ith. I have follow ed trainers like John Lyons and Clinton Anderson to help w ith my horsemanship s kills. A friend of mine got me started w ith Dressage. I originally started taking lessons to impr ove my overall r iding. It also helped my Gy mkhanas and c attle w ork because my horse w as mor e supple and had strengthened his back and hindquarters. I still take Dr essage lessons once a w eek. I started show ing in Dressage about 7 years ago. I also show English Pleasure, English Equitaion, Wester n Pleasure, Western Horsemanship, Trail Class, Show manship, Halter. I started doing the English/Wester n show s to help Tornado relax in the arena. He w ould get very hyper going into the arena bec ause he alw ays wanted to run a Gy mkhana patter n. I continue to compete in Gy mkhanas and do Team Penning and Ranch Sorting. I also enjoy trail r iding and participating in the Palominos' par ades. I take lessons once a w eek w orking cattle. We lost the tw o horses my sisters had, one in 2006 and one in 2010, and now have 2 others. A 14 yr old Arabian mare and I have a 10 yr old register ed Quarter Horse gelding named Z ippy. He is cutting horse bloodlines, so does w ell in the cattle w ork. He is also turning into a v ery nice Englis h hor se. The Dressage training has r eally helped him w ork better. I had an opportunity to meet Clinton Anderson at a c linic in Buckeye, AZ in 2008. I also met John Lyons at an expo in Queen Creek, AZ in 2011.

Cont. on pg. 5

Meet the Members

Sharon Olthof continued from pg. 4.
I enjoy spending time w ith my horses. It is a w ay for me to relax. I like doing the local show s because there isn't any pressure, w e are just out ther e to have fun. With all the different things I do w ith my horses, some months I have an event almost ev ery w eekend. I also have a 2 yr old Ger man Shepherd that I show in Rally and Obedience. He has ear ned his Rally Novice Title in AKC and Level 1 Rally Title in A PDT. He also has earned his CGC ( Canine Good Citiz ens). We are currently w orking tow ard Rally Advanced Title and Beginner Novice Obedience Title.

Cindy Normandeau Riding since 1993 (20 years) Main Equine Interests: Eventing, Dressage, Breeder, Trail Riding, Trainer
I have spent the past tw enty years doing the tw o things I have loved the best; raising my boys and being w ith horses. I have alw ays loved horses as evidenced by my non-horsey Mom, one of my first w ords w as ho-hee. I grew up in Ver mont. After years of doing summer horse c amps and pestering friends to let me ride and be ar ound their horses, my folks let me get a horse of my ow n. I w as twelve years old. Duke, a Morgan X gelding, w as suitable mount for me. I had him at home and he w as totally my responsibility. Most of my riding w as done alone. I explore d the old logging roads and bac k roads that criss -crossed the hills of central Vt. It w asnt uncommon for me to pack a knap sack w ith a lunch and head out for the day. Along the w ay Id find s pots to build s mall jumps from logs and brush. I w ould envision w e w ere at some far off competition. Duke w as my best friend. For tw o summers in a row , as a teenager, I participated in Green Mountain Horse Associations Pony Club camp. The first year w e w ere eliminated at the ditch. The second year, Duke did the ditch! We w erent in th e ribbons but this w as a real personal victory for me, I w as so proud of him! To get to the GMHA a c ouple of friends w ould meet me at my house-the closest one to the GMHA , it w as about a five mile ride. With great excitement w e w ould ride the back roads to South Woodstock. It w as a real horse culture exper ienc e once w e arrived. Vans w ith very fancy and fit horses from NY C and all up and dow n the eastern sea board w ere arriving. Walter Cr onkites daughter w as there and elite equestr ians like Tad Coffin helped instruct. Fast forw ard a dozen or so years, husband Andy and I have tw o young sons and I believe a horse is what w ill make our family complete. We ar e living in New Brunsw ick, Canada. Enter Joe, an appaloosa gelding . He moves to Arizona w ith us w hen w e move. Loren and Brian compete in open show s and in 4- H and because of the CD&EA they are able to experience eventing and dressage loc ally. This lead to many great adventures for them ( and me as show -mom) schooling w ith James Atkinson and Manuela Propfe, and show ing in California, Flagstaff, Las Cruces, N.M., St Johns and of course at Grass Ridge in Sonoita. Because of the horses , son Loren has pursued his passion and has just recently been accepted into vet school. Son Brian is an accomplished tr immer and s hoer and horseman, and is pursuing a degr ee in agric ultur al engineering. For me, I look forw ard to many more years serving the horse community w ith horse friendly boarding at Hig h Desert Stables. I also hope to have the opportunity to pr oduce more w onderful Wels h Cob babies.

YEARLY AD PRICES

THE TACK ROOM

For Sale: 17 1/2 inch Niedersu ss, Symphony Dressage saddle for sale- $700 Carolyn Weaver 520-227-9927

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All ads must b e rec eiv ed by th e 10th of th e month. Your ad will run in each of the remainin g issues for the current y ear. Please c all Carissa H ernand ez at 249-0960 or email h er at weazel me@gmai l.com. Ad s et up is avail abl e for a no minal fee.

All Flakes Of Hay Are Not Considered Equal

I w as called out to farm to rev iew a horse that had started to lo se w eight. The ow ner explai ned to me that the ho rse ha d bee n diagnosed w ith ulcers, so her v et recommended alfalfa hay . S he purchased some ni ce q uality second cutti ng, and had the tes t result s w hich show ed the hay to be exceptional q uality , and containin g 1M cal (10 00 calo ries ) per po und. Thus, she could not fig ure ou t w here the hole in the feedin g prog ram w as that w as causing the horse to lose w eight. In rev iew, her horses diet w as calculated at 21.5 M cal per day , based on his w ork schedule and bo dy condition sco re: 4 flakes of timothy hay per day 4 pounds of g rain per day S ince the horse weighed in at 1000 pounds, w e chose to go w ith 2% of his body w eight per day in forage, or 20 pounds. The old hay had tested at 800 calories per pound. We balanced t he diet w ith 4 pounds of g rain at 1430 calories per pound, or 1.43 M cal.

F orage = 16 M cal G rain = 5.7 M cal Total = 21 .7 M cal The ow ner explained that she w as feeding the same amoun t of hay as before, and since it w as such good q uality , it had to be a grain prob lem.

When w e calculated his o ld diet, ea ch flake of hay av eraged 5 pounds each. That w as how w e determined 4 flakes w ould reach the 2% or 20 pound feed rate. I asked if she had w eighed the new hay , and she admitted she had not done so y et. To her surprise, w hen w e w eighed sev eral flakes, they all av eraged 3 pounds per flake. When I show ed her the math, the proble m w as obv ious: 1 F lake timothy hay 5lb@ x 4 flakes per day = 20 pounds per day x 800 calories = 16M cal (16,000 calo ries ) 1 F lake Alfalfa hay 3lb@ x 4 flakes per day = 12 pounds per day x 1000 calories = 12M cal (1 2,000 calories) With t hat simp le chan ge in hay , she had cu t her horses calo ric intake by 4,000 calo ries pe r day ov er the past month. A rm ed w ith this new information, adding more flakes of hay to the daily ration put the horse ri ght back on t rack.

A rticle compliments of The H orse F eed Blog, A uthor G ay le, R. http://w ww .horsefeedblog.com/2 012/0 8/all -flakes-of-hay -are-notcreated-eq ual/

The Prescott Dressage Desparados Say "Hello"

We will be hosting 3 Schooling Shows this year and offer a multitude of classe s including Western Dre ssage. We are a fun club that although we take our riding seriously we don't ourselves. If any of your club would like to have some fun please check u s out on our Website : www.dre ssagedesperado s.com Besides the common tests, we will have a Lead Line Class, Dre ssage Seat Equitation, Sport Horse In -Hand- Foals, Sport Horse In-Hand- Yearlings and new this year is We ste rn Dre ssage. We too know what it is like to struggle to put on shows for our members and provide a great learning experience. Looking forward to see you there! Debbie Lindley Vice President Dre ssage De sperado s

May 5 Sept 8 Oct 6

Flying B Ranch Flying B Ranch Flying B Ranch

Judge: Missy Gilliland Judge: Julie Sodowsky Judge: Nathalie Eikel-Baughman

Jim Wofford: What We Mean When

We Say

Back to Basics

While seated, maintain a slight forward arch in the smal l of your back. There are good reason s for this. First, it is the natural shape of the human spine. In addition, it allows you to have the maximum range of motion possible in your waist. Sitting in this position at the halt is easy. The difficult part is m aintaining a correct position while your horse is moving. I can take a person who has never ridden, buy her thousands of dollars worth of boots and breeches and put her on a horse at the halt. By adjusting her limbs, I can photograph her exactly in the sha pe we are discu ssing. Howeve r, the moment the horse move s, that person will dissolve into terrified gripping and pulling. We can learn to follow our horses motion only by ceaseless practice, and the best way to practice maintaining the correct dressage po sition in motion is on the longe line with no reins or stirrups. Get Started I am going to suggest exercise s to help you develop a deeper, more balanced three-point position. By moving your arms while keeping your legs still or applying your legs while your arms remain quiet, you will increase the independence of your position. Before you begin, make sure the horse you use i s suitable hes quiet, preferably with three good paces. You also need an experienced person holding the longe line. Tack up your horse with a snaffle bridle and elastic side reins. For safety rea son s, practice the following exercises in an enclosed area only. Wear an ASTM -approved helmet but no spurs. A safety vest is optional, as is an air vest. (If youre wearing an air ve st, ma ke su re the lanyard will allow your full range of motion during these exercise s; otherwise, you might accidentally cause the vest to inflate with interesting results.) Some of my more-advanced exercises will test your balance and the security of your three -point position. If your coach or friend holding the longe line su spects that you are even slightly dislodged, he or she should bring the horse to the walk or the halt until you regain your balance. Start each of these exe rcise s by holding the pommel with your outside hand and putting your inside arm behind your waist a s shown in the photo on the facing page. You can maintain this position while engaged in leg exercises; however, if you are engaged in your upper-body exercise s, you will have to release the pommel and perform the exercise without using your hands for security. In between exercises or if you feel insecure in the saddle, grasp the pommel to pull yourself forward into the deepest point of the saddle and hold yourself in the correct position. While holding the pommel, allow your legs to hang as straight as possible and let your toes point down. (When you regain your stirrups, have the feeling that the stirrups pu sh your toes up, rather than Cont. on pg.9

Start out each of these exercises, as Alyssa Peterson is here on Cest La Vie (owned by Laura Vello), by holding the pommel with your outside hand and putting your inside arm behind y our waist. Use the pommel to pull yourself forward into the deepest point of the saddle and to hold yourself in the correct position. Allow your legs to hang as straight as possible and let y our toes point down. Jim Wofford

I mentioned last month that we need to go back to basics, and I wasnt kidding. Over the next several months, I intend to review the fundamental mechanics of each of the three positions used by eventers (dre ssage, show jumping and cross country) and to provide exercises to improve each. The result of sound basics in each of the disciplines is better communication with your horse, which leads to improved performance. Practicing your basics i s hard work, but it is absorbing and intriguing and it pays off in better results Show-jumper Bill Steinkrau s, the first U.S. Olympic individual gold medalist, says the riders position is a stable platform from which the skilled rider can apply his aids with the precision of a surgeon. This is especially true of our dressage position, where we begin our return to basics. At the halt, you should sit in the saddle on three points: the two seat bones and the pubic bone. If you are aligned correctly, an imaginary vertical line will pass from your ear through the point of your shoulder, your hip an d your heel. In The Gymnasium of the Horse , Gu stav Steinbrecht says your upper body will form a right angle with the horses back. This explains why upper-level dressage riders appear to sit with their shoulders behind their hips: Their horse s are collected, which causes a lowering of the croup. While the relationship between your position and your horses back should not change, your horse may change the relationship between his back and the ground.

'Back to Basics'

Cont. from pg. 8

push your heels down past the stirrup.) At first, you will have to resort to holding the pommel quite often when you work on a longe line without reins or stirrup s; u se the pommel rather than grip with your legs. Your ability to maintain your position without either holding the pommel or gripping with your legs will improve with practice. You want to develop as deep a position as possible, and any grip with your knees or thighs will cause your position to become shallower rather than deeper. As your position improves, you will need less and less contact with the pommel until finally you have a dressage position that is truly independent of your horses motion, one you can maintain without reins or stirrups. After you have briefly warmed up your horse, you can begin the following exercises at the halt, walk, trot or canter, depending on your horse, your fitness, the stability of your position and your confidence. Take great care that when you move one part of your body, you keep the other parts quiet. This is ea sier to say than to do, but it is an essential skill if your aids are to be precise. Once you progress to doing the exercise s in m otion, practice them for a few minutes in one direction, halt, change your horses side reins for wo rk on the other hand and repeat the exercise. Reprinted from EquiSearch Magazine, Article written by Yvonne Barteau To read the entire article please go to http://www.equisearch.com/horse s_riding_training/english /dressage/lateralwalk_080207/

Wanted Pair of Easy Boots, size 1 , (or sim ilar brand ) for trail riding Please call: Eileen at 520-508-0494 or email e ileen swie rs@g mail.com

CD & EA Meeting
(For those of you that would like to join us for dinner meet us at 5:30pm)

28 March 6:30pm

Ricardo's Restaurant
7146 S Hwy 90 Heref ord, AZ 85635 (520) 378-3220 Meetings will be held at Ricardo's Restaurant on the last Thursday of each month

I know, I know..... Dressage, Eve nting, Englis h, Wes te rn.... But hey guys, I'm not sure they a re going to unde rs tand THIS in the ring!

TIP * The first time you wash your breeches, add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the wash cycle. This will help set the dye in the leather.

The History of Eventing

In Germany , this equestrian sport is still called the "Militaire," under which name it was f irst introduced at the Oly mpic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1912. The tests of this newly organi zed equ estrian competition were patterned af ter the training and testing of military chargers precision, elegance, and obedie nce on the parade groun d; stamina, v ersatility and courage on marches and in battle; cross -country jumping ability and endura nce in trav eling great distances ov er diff icult terrain and f ormidable obstacles in the relay ing of important dispatches; and jumping ability in the arena to prov e the horse's f itness to remain in serv ice. Spread ov er consecutiv e day s, it was a complete test f or the Army horse, and in f act only Army off icers on active duty were allowed to compete in the f irst Olympic Three-Day Ev ent, and they had to be mounted on military chargers. At the Paris Oly mpics of 1924, the f ormat of the competition as it is known today in the classic, or long, f ormat was established a Dressage Test on the f irst day; an Endurance Test on the second day , including a short Roads and Tracks (Phase A), f ollowed immediately by a Steeplechase (Phase B), which in turn was f ollowed immediately by a long R oads and Tracks (Phase C). A compulsory halt (10 minutes today ) was instituted after Phase C f or a v eterinary examination, after which the competitor began Phase D, the Cross -Country . In Paris there was an additional Ph ase E on the second day, a 1 1/4 mile runin on the f lat after the Cross-Country , but today this phase is no longer include d. The third and f inal day was the show jumping test. As of 1924, the Three-Day Ev ent was open to civ ilians, but noncommissioned Army officers were not allowe d to take part in Oly mpic competition until 1956, and women riders not until 1964.

Because the competition took place ov er three day s, the English coined the descriptiv e term "Three-Day Ev ent," and the sport of Ev enting became f irmly entrenched in the equestrian activ ities of Great Britain. The Americans adopted the English terminolo gy and dev eloped a general term, "combined training," f or this activ ity that is a combination of disciplines and training methods in the dev elopment of a usable riding horse. The sport has v arious lev els of prof iciency, and modif ications hav e been made at the lower lev els to enable ev en the nov ice horse and rider with a basic background of sound horsemanship and jumping ability to participate. "Horse Trials" present the core of the Three-Day Ev ent Dressage, Cross-Country and Show Jumping usually taking place ov er one or two days. The Oly mpic Three-Day Ev ent and the World Three-Day Ev ent Championships, howev er, require the most adv anced abilities of horse and rider and prese nt these in a showcase of international team and indiv idual representativ es competing f or their home country 's honor and prestige, as well as indiv idual achiev ement. It is the French, with their musical and literal language, who hav e prov ided the term that is most apropos of the essence of the sport today . Known as the Concours Complet d'Equitation, or "complete equestrian competition," this in f act is what the Three -Day Ev ent is: a comprehensiv e test of all-around horsemanship of the rider and ability of the horse. The Fdratio n Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international equestrian f ederation that gov erns the sport, has laid down exact rules that must be f ollowed at all international ev ents and states that the object of the competition is to "show the rider's spirit, boldness, and perf ect knowledge of his horse's paces and their use across country , and to show the condition, handiness, courage, jumping ability , stamina, and speed of the well trained horse." In 2005, a new f ormat was introduced into the sport. Known as the "without Steeplechase" f ormat, or the short f ormat, only the Cross-Country Test is held on the second competition day. Today all FEI championships are held in the short f ormat, although at the One Star lev el (the f irst lev el of international competition), the long f ormat continues to be used to test the proper dev elopment and training of the Ev ent horse. Compliments of Rolex Kentucky Three Day Ev ent More articles of interest can be f ound at www.rk3de.org/ev enting_history .

Mike Goss - mgossequestrian@ya hoo.com Rachel High - dressageunlimited@gmail.com 520-668-3990 Julie Lieken - www .j ulieleiken.com J6 Katherine Calkins - www.wickedgoodhorsemanship.com Laura and Lauren Norma ndue - L&Ldressage.org Cindy Normandue- 520-366-5581 Shelley Rosenberg - w ww .myhorsesmyhealers.com Kathleen Zins - 520-364-5837

How to Correct a Lateral Walk

Lean how to diagnose a nd treat a lateral wa lk by establishing a correct connection.
This horse shows a normal, correct walk. Photo by A.K. Crane
A lateral wa lk is not a clear f our-beat walk. It is a pace in which the le gs mov e on the same side in unison. Unf ortunately, it is sometimes the best walks that are most in jeopardy . For example, a horse with a v ery scopey natural walk may run the risk of dev eloping a lateral or pace-l ike tendency , especially as y ou start to collect it. So, many people hav e been told to leav e the walk alone f or f ear of making it worse. But there comes a time when the walk needs training. If y ou hav en't been methodical about making sure that the connection and ahea d-of -the-leg requi rements, which we re trained in the trot and canter, also apply to the walk, then that is the f irst issue that will need to be addressed. Y ou need a connection in the walk that is ev en and accepted. The horse n eeds to go to e ither rei n f rom either inside leg, a nd y ou should hav e suff icient neck control, including being able to walk the horse on the bit with the poll at the highest point, in lef t or right f lexion. If that sounds hard then y ou are starting to get the point. Establishing a good connection is hard, and it needs to be dev eloped correctly and methodically to maintain a f eel that is comf ortable f or both horse an d ride r. If the connection is not honest and accepted in the walk, it probably needs improv ing in all three gaits. The wa lk is just the hardest place in which to hide any connection or rhythm issues. When we start to work on the connection in the walk, a common problem is the ho rse gets tight in his topline and b ack. For example, when y ou pick up the reins, the horse starts to back off f rom the connection or br eaks into a jog. This of ten causes the rider to h old o n to the co nnection in a r estraining way , which prompts the horse to b ack off ev en more. Add any unev enness of rein or leg pressure and now y our horse is not only behind the inf luence of leg and rein but he is also crooked. These are the things that can lead y our horse toward his f irst lateral steps. Here's another scenario. The horse may f latten his back, push his withers d own ( which will back his shoulders i nto y ou) and ref use to accept or go to the connection. This causes the hind

f eet to be slow in l eav ing the ground, an other cause of the lateral wa lk. In short, most lateral walks stem f rom improper connection coupled with a horse who is either crooked or behi nd the leg. This of ten happens with h orses who h av e a loose walk with lots of scope. Horses with short, tight backs, may also be predisposed to some lateral tendencies. Riders of ten pay a great deal of attention to these f actors in the trot and the canter and then l et them slide away in the walk -especially when the walk starts to look questionable. The rules of connection, f lexion, throughness and ahea d-of -the-leg don't stop when riding the walk. Th ey are, in f act, most v ital, and it is my belief that many piaff e irregularities can be traced back to connection problems that show up in the walk. But what ha ppens when y ou address these connecting issues and the horse starts to get worse instead of immediately better? When things do not immediately proceed as anticipated, some riders wi ll baby the horse in the connection o r become v ague about the expected answers. Th is leads the horse deep er into his problems because h e needs step-by -step guidance f rom the rider with expectations that are continually def ined and ref ined. For example, y ou pick up the re ins and y our horse backs off or takes a couple of shuffled steps. Y ou worry that y ou are making things wo rse an d giv e up y our connection a nd y our le g ai ds. Y our horse, in turn, learns that he does not hav e to step through to the rein. Now wh at? It is up to y ou to hav e a clear v iew of the desired outcome in y our mind and then f ormulate a plan that will lead y ou to that place. All of the old masters suggest that y ou ride shoulder-in to correct walk problems. Why ? Because the horse has a conn ection in shoul der-in, he has f lexion, and he has to be in f ront of the leg. These a re the q ualities that y ou need to ride the walk well. The thre e qualities of throughness: connection, f lexion and in-f ront-of -the-leg. If y ou neglect these issues in the walk, they will ev entually catch up with y ou. Reprinted f rom EquiSearch, Author is Yv onne Barteau http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding _training/eng lish/dress age/lateral walk_080 207/

did you know?

1. Nev er come into the barn and say , "I hav e one hour to ride and then I hav e to get home." Always come with a plan, nev er a timetable. 2. If a horse had too much bend in his neck during the shoulder-in, try this correction: As y ou come around the corner, let him think he is going onto the diagonal but ask him t o do shoulder-in do wn the long side instead. First try it on the track and use the wall. Next try it on the second track. 3. To improv e, ask y ourself, "What am I doing in my body ?" Y ou hav e to hav e control ov er y our own body to ride well. 4. The more y ou step into y our inside stirrup, the more y ou are in the horse's center of grav ity . 5. To make a horse's trot longer and bigger, driv e f orward into a more constant connection. This will make the rib cage looser. 6. See how y our horse is reacting. Feel how he is f eeling. Get a feel f or when y our horse is tired. Y ou de-motiv ate a horse to work hard when he is tired. Know y our horse's personality. All horses are different so the trainer must hav e a f eel f or all types. 7. With f oundation work, y ou create a happy mind in y our horse that allows y ou to do the hard stuff later on. 8. The rider's seat, in general, is straight f or collected trot, a bit back for the passage and a tad f orward and lighter f or the piaff e. None of these are extreme changes. 9. Hoy os emphasized that if a horse f idgets with his head, don't react or pull. Stay quiet. If the horse tosses his head a bit, he's say ing that his muscles are sore. But he's got to get through the work that day . So keep y our hands low and ask f or more bend to stretch the soreness out of his muscles. Nev er lose the rhythm. Keep y our inside leg deeper to stay in a driv ing position. Keep the hands quiet and constant.
This article is excer pted fr om an articl e appearing i n the August 2003 iss ue of Dressag e T oday

C ochise Dr essage and Eventing A ssociation M inutes of Meeting 24 Jan 2013 M eeting began at 6:45- app roximately 16 people in attendance O pening statements by C harlotte Borghardt / readin g of past minu tes by Terri Renw ick

Minutes from 5 Dec meeting- correction suggested by Eileen to add Out Reach committee to minutes. Moved and seconded. Passed Renewed members- Kri s Wells and Rachel Matthews Presidents report-none Secretary report-nothing to report Treasurer' s report- Balance $1,968.34 Commi ttee repor ts : Show - J-6 Equestrian Center for 5 May show-co st $10. Moved and seconded, passed. Terri moved that this show b e TDC recognized and club pay the TDC fee. Moved, seconded and passed. Discu ssion of Rockin JP for October 5 @ $200. Moved and passed. Next there wa s discu ssion about jumping show and footing of the arena. Discu ssion tabled. New sletter-Carissa will use UPS card for newsletter. At 4 pieces of paper + postage= $1.50 per newslet ter. Discu ssion of advertising. Non-member full page ad for one year to $20, half page $10. 1 year=6 issue s.Moved to accept, seconded and passed. Memberships - Carolyn Weaver propo sed membership cards and club info cards for members to give out to intereste d person s. She will obtain through Vistaprint. Moved to accept, seconded and passed. Aw ards - Terri Renwick showed the items she purcha sed at the Area X annual meeting and silent auction for Area X Young Rider benefit. Total cost of purchase $75. Items will be used as prize s for show or endo of year award. Moved and seconded to reimburse Terri. Passed. Clinics - Terri discussed upcoming clinics in Area X with Becky Holder, Jim Graham, and Jean Moyer. A local clinician Bruce Norton also wa s proposed. No furth er discussion or decision. Unfi nished business - con stitution and by-laws still in draft. Meeting location for future- Windemere-$25;Ricardos; SSVEC; Country Hou se. Email to be sent out when meeting location established for 28 Feb. Safety of Cross country course by B rian Normandeau- not done. New business - how will club get new members; how to obtain donations from local stores for prize s; look into tax exempt statu s of club; provide separate listing of members for each member to include phone numbers; Terri commented that the big topic at the Area X meeting was Volunteerism and the great need for it . Without volunteers dre ssage shows and cross country events would never happen. 8 pm- Terri moved that meeting adjorn-Seconded and passed. In attendance; Christy Oltoff, Sharon Oltoff, Kris Wells, Pia Szypko, Charlotte Borghardt, Filip Szypko(gue st), John Szypko, Terri Renwick, John Renwick, Ca rolyn Weaver, Eileen Swiers, Carissa Hernandez, Lisa Schulze, Brian Normandeau, Cindy Normandeau, and Aimee Arnold. >

MARCH
March 16, N BHA Barrel R ac e, Southern Arizona Equestrian C enter, Hacienda del Sol Equitati on, Inc., Or acl e. C ontact J amie at 520-4887640 or email at haci endadels ol@ mac.c om March 16, Wor king Equitati on Clinic, Southern Ariz ona Equestrian Center, Haci enda del Sol Eq uitation, Inc., Or acle. Contact J amie at 520- 488-7640 or email at haci endadelsol @ mac .com March 17, Southern Arizona Equestrian C enter Gymkhana Series, Hacienda del Sol Equitati on, Inc., Or acl e. C ontact J amie at 520-4887640 or email at haci endadels ol@ mac.c om March 23 and M arch 24, Grass Ri dge Sc hooling F undrais er, Marc h 23 Open Dress age Sc hooli ng Day, M arch 24, XC Jumping R ound, Grass Ridge, Sonoita. C ontact Lis a Br unner, 520-906-1914, onawhi m@ dakotac om.net March 23 and M arch 24, Ranc h Sorti ng Saddl e Series, Southern Arizona Equestri an Center, H aci enda del Sol Equi tation, Inc ., Oracl e. Contac t J amie at 520-488- 7640 or email at haciendadels ol@ mac.c om. March 24, C are Free F ar ms, Dr ess age Sc hooling D ays , Phoeni x. Contac t l aur a.borghes ani @gmail.c om March 30 and M arch 31, Arizona Dress age Ass ociation, USEF/U SDF Spring C elebrati on H orses how. Wes tWorld, Sc ottsdal e. F or more infor mati on contact az.dress age@cox.net

APRIL cont.
April 21, C are Fr ee Far ms , Dres sag e Schooli ng Days, Phoeni x. Contac t l aur a.borghes ani @gmail.c om

MAY
May 4, Gymkhana, H uachuc a Saddl e Cl ub, 1st Buc kle Series - Time onl y's 9 am to 11 am. Regul ar events will begin at 11 a.m., Wr en Arena, F ort H uac hc ua. C ontac t eileen@s wranc h.net May 4, T ucs on Dr ess age Cl ub, R ec ogniz ed Sc hooling Show, Cons titution Show Stabl es, T ucs on. See tuc sondr ess agecl ub.org for more i nformati on May 4, C ontinued Ed, Pi ma Communi ty C ollege, H ERD, AN 126, Equine-Facilitated Ps yc hotherapy & Learni ng. Loc ation, Ranc ho Amado, N E Tucs on. See pi ma.ed/c ontinuinged for more infor mation May 5 Dr ess age D es par ados, Sc hooli ng Show, Pr escott Az, www. dress agedesperados.c om C ontact D ebbi e Lindley May 6, H uachuc a Saddle Cl ub, Western/Englis h C ombi ned Show, Wren Ar ena, Fort Huac huc a, registration 7am. C ontact eileen@s wranc h.net May 12, Dressag e and Western Dr ess age Test Ridi ng Clinic Seri es at Dressag e in the Des ert, St Davi d. F or mor e infor mation g o to dress agei nthedesert.c om or contact Colleen@dr ess ageinthedes ert.com May 18 through M ay 19, C harl es de Kunffy Symposium, Pi ma C ounty Fairgrounds , C ontac t Mi ke Goss at mgoss equestri an@ yahoo.c om or see tucs ondres sag eclub.org for more infor mation

APRIL
April 3 to April 24, Conti nued Ed, Pi ma C ommunity C olleg e, H ERD, AN 101 H orse 101. Loc ation, Darci e Litwic ki Equi ne Ser vices , Vail. See pima.ed/c ontinuing ed for more infor mation April 6, Gymkhana, H uachuc a Saddl e Cl ub, 1st Buc kle Series - Time onl y 9 am to 11 am. Reg ular events begin at 11 a.m., Wr en Arena, F ort Huac hc ua. C ontac t eileen@s wranc h.net for more infor mation April 6, C ontinued Ed, Pi ma Communi ty C ollege, HER D, AN 127, Horse Acupressur e, Loc ati on, PCC , Tucson. See pima.ed/c ontinuing ed for more infor mation April 7th, High D es ert Stables Show Series, Western Dr ess age, Innd Hand Suitability , Intro Level to 2 Level Dr ess age. J ac kpot for High Scor e, normandeau@cis-br oadband.com , or c all 520-366- 5581 April 7, Dr ess age and Western Dress age Tes t Ridi ng Clinic Series at Dressag e in the Des ert, St Davi d. F or mor e infor mation g o to dress agei nthedesert.c om or contact Colleen@dr ess ageinthedes ert.com April 13, Tucs on Dressag e Club, Recogniz ed Schooling Show, Doubletake Equestri an, Tucs on. See tucs ondres sageclub.org for more infor mati on April 13, Arizona Dressag e Ass oci ation sc hooling s how. Dal e Cr eek Equestrian Village, Litchfield Par k. For more infor mation c ontact az.dress age@c ox.net April 13 and April 14, U SEF /USEA R ec ogniz ed Di vision:T,N ,BN USEF Endors ed/U SEA Rec ogniz ed Di visions:P, USEA R ec ognized Test:Pr eCom, St. J ohns. See us eventi ng.c om for more i nformati on April 20 thr ough April 21, Har monizi ng with your H orse, Hilda Gur ney, Clinician, U SDF event, C entral Ariz ona Ri ding Academy, San Tan Valley. C ontact Kather yn R oberts on, adultcli nics@ us df.org April 20, H uac huca Saddl e Club, Wes ter n/English C ombined Show, Wren Ar ena, Fort Huac huc a. Registr ati on 7am. Show starts at 9am. Contac t eileen@s wranc h.net

JUNE
June 1, Gymkhana, Huac huc a Saddle Club, 1st Buc kl e Seri es - Ti me onl y's 9 am to 11 am. Regul ar events will begin at 11 a.m., Wr en Arena, F ort H uac hc ua. C ontac t eileen@s wranc h.net for mor e infor mati on June 8, T ucs on Dres sage Club, Rec ogniz ed Schooli ng Show, St. Georg, Sonoita. See tucs ondr ess ageclub.org for mor e i nfor mati on June 15, H uachuc a Saddle Cl ub, Western/Englis h C ombi ned Show, Wren Ar ena, Fort Huac huc a, registration 7am. Show starts at 9am, contac t eileen@s wranc h.net for more i nformati on.

JULY
Jul y 6, Gymkhana, H uachuc a Saddle Cl ub, 2nd Buc kle Series - Time onl y's 3pm to 5pm. R egular events will begin at 5pm., Wren Ar ena, Fort H uachc ua. C ontact eileen@s wranc h.net for more infor mation Jul y 13 and J ul y 14, C oconino Summer I, U SEF /USEA R ec ogniz ed Divisi on:T,N,BN, U SEF Endors ed/U SEA Rec ogniz ed Di visions: IP,P USEA Rec ogniz ed Test:CT-I,CT-P,Intro. Fl agstaff. See useventi ng.com for mor e infor mati on Jul y 18 through J ul y 20, C oc oni no Clas sic 3-day event, U SEF /USEA Recog nized Di visi on:T,T 3D,N ,BN , USEF Endorsed/U SEA Recog nized Divisi ons :IP,P, USEA R ec ogniz ed Tes t:CT-A,CT-I,CT-P,CT-T,CTBN,5YO,N 3D,Pr e-Comp,YEH- 4yo. Fl agstaff. See useventing.com for more i nformati on Jul y 18 through Augus t 22, U SEA D emo Event, USEF/U SEA Recog nized Di visi on:PT USEF Endors ed/USEA R ecog nized Di visi ons:CCI2,IUSEA R ec ognized Test:CT-A,CT-T,2YO,3YO,4YO,5YO,YEAR . C atalina. See useventi ng.com for mor e infor mati on

AUGUST
August 3, Gymkhana, H uachuc a Saddle Cl ub, 2nd Buc kle Series Time onl y's 3pm to 5pm. R egul ar events will begin at 5pm., Wr en Arena, F ort H uac hc ua. C ontac t eileen@s wranc h.net for mor e infor mati on August 5- August 20, USEA Xentr y Demo Event, USEF /USEAR ec ogniz ed Di vision:T,TR,N,NH ,BN, USEF Endors ed/U SEA Rec ogniz ed Di visions:CC I2,P. Flagstaff. See useventi ng.com for mor e infor mati on August 17, H uachuc a Saddl e Cl ub, Wes ter n/English Combined Show, Wren Ar ena, Fort Huac huc a, registration 7am. Show starts at 9am, contac t eileen@s wranc h.net for more i nformati on August 17, Ariz ona Dr ess age As soci ati on, U SDF/USEF, Mountai n Air, Recog nized Show, C oc oni no County Fairgrounds (F ort Tuthill), Flagstaff. For more infor mation s ee azdr ess age.org August 18, Ariz ona Dr ess age As soci ati on, U SDF/USEF, Dres sage in the Pi nes, R ec ogniz ed Show, Coc onino C ounty F airgrounds (Fort Tuthill), Fl agstaff. F or mor e infor mati on see az dress age.org

NOV EM BER
November 2, Gymkhana, H uac huca Saddl e Club, 2nd Buc kl e Seri es Time onl y's 9 am to 11 am. R egular events will begi n at 11 a.m., Wren Arena, F ort H uac hc ua. C ontac t eileen@s wranc h.net for mor e infor mati on November 2 and N ovember 3, Arizona Dressag e Ass oci ation, USEF /USDF rec ogniz ed horse s how, State C hampions hips and Fall Fiestal, WestWorld, Sc otts dale. F or mor e i nformati on s ee azdr ess ag.org

NOVEMBER cont.
November 16, and November 17, Tucs on Dressag e Club, T ucs on F all Festi val I & II, Pi ma C ounty Fairgrounds. F or more i nformati on s ee tucs ondr ess ageclub.org

DECEM BER
December 10, Arizona Dress age Ass ociation, U SEF/U SDF H oliday Dressag e F esti val, R ec ogniz ed Show, Dal e Creek Equestri an Villag e, Litc hfiel d Par k. See az dres sage.org for more i nfor mation.

SEPT EM BER
September 7, T ucs on Dr ess age Cl ub, R ec ogniz ed Sc hooling Show, St. Georg, Sonoita. See tucs ondr ess ageclub.org for mor e i nfor mati on September 8 Dr ess age D es par ados, Sc hooli ng Show, Pr escott Az, www. dres sagedes per ados.c om Contact Debbi e Lindley September 21 to September 22, Coconino H .T., USEF/U SEA Recog nized Di visi on:T,N ,BN USEF Endors ed/USEA R ecog nized Di visi ons:P, U SEA Rec ogniz ed Test:Pr e-Comp, Fl agstaff. See useventi ng.com for mor e infor mation September 28, Tuc son Dr essag e Cl ub, Recog nized Schooling Show, Cons titution Show Stabl es, T ucs on. See tuc sondr ess agecl ub.org for more i nformati on

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PLEASE C ONTACT TH E EVENT OR GAN IZER TO C ONFIRM

THE INF ORM ATION BEF ORE ATT ENDIN G THE EVENT

. **

OCT OBER
October, 5, H uac huc a Saddl e Cl ub, Wes ter n/English Combined Show, Wren Ar ena, Fort Huac huc a, registration 7am. Show starts at 9am, contac t eileen@s wranc h.net

A rea X Me et ing, A R Coordi nator: Je nnif er Mill er Area X has 74 Adult Riders members, which is 45 percent of the adult membership. Unf ortunately, the lack of numbers resulted in no participants at the ATC, and there were no internal team competitions. I believ e the AR program has helped transcend the sepa ration that can occur betwe en bar ns and trainers. We are not a v ery big group, but most are delighted to be inv olv ed as adults in a sport we all aspire to. We hav e dev eloped a good social gathering of AR at each of our ev ents through our Happy Hours. The educational clinics with Mike Hube r, Daniel Stewart, and Becky Holder hav e been well attende d by participants and auditors. Many thanks to our Area X AR sponsored Happy Hours that giv e an opportunity to gather adults f or a quick social moment during ev ery competition.

October 6 Dress age D es par ados , Schooli ng Show, Pr esc ott Az, www. dress agedesperados.c om C ontact D ebbi e Lindley October 12 and Oc tober 13, Grass Ri dge H.T., USEF/U SEA Recog nized Di visi on:T,N ,BN USEF Endors ed/USEA R ecog nized Di visi ons:P, U SEA Rec ogniz ed Test:Pr e-Comp, Sonoita. See us eventing.c om for more i nformati on October 19, Gymkhana, Huac huca Saddle Club, 2nd Buc kl e Seri es Time onl y's 9 am to 11 am. R egular events will begi n at 11 a.m., Wren Arena, F ort H uac hc ua. C ontac t eileen@s wranc h.net for mor e infor mati on October 27, Tucs on Dressag e Club, Recogniz ed Schooling Sh ow, M2 Spor thorses. See tucs ondr ess ageclub.org for mor e i nfor mati on