Catching Up with Winners of the Inaugural Blue Ridge Mountain H.T.
https://ift.tt/2LYVWhE By all accounts last weekend’s Blue Ridge Mountain H.T. at Tryon International Equestrian Center was a success, with 150 entries from Beginner Novice through Advanced contesting the inaugural event. In addition to the world class venue’s usual amenities — super footing, beautiful stabling, a big-time atmosphere — all the levels were invited to 2018 WEG cross country venue, the White Oak Course, which featured seven tracks designed by Captain Mark Phillips and built by ETB Equine Construction. Earlier this week we shared a quick results recap; today we follow up with interviews with the winners of the Advanced, Intermediate and Prelim divisions. ADVANCED In the Advanced, Doug Payne piloted Quantum Leap to the win on a final score of 40.6. Allison Springer and Sapphire Blue B, a 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Heritage Fortunus x Lucy Blue) owned by Katie Lichten, finished second on 51.7, while Ema Klugman and Bendigo, a 2002 Trakehner gelding owned by Jeni Klugman, took third on 52.4. Doug’s ride, Quantum, made his Advanced level debut earlier this year at Pine Top and has since tackled a handful of CCI4*-S events. “He is an eight-year-old and still greenish to the level for sure — he has probably five events under his belt at this point,” Payne said of the 2011 Zweibrucker gelding (Quite Capitol x Report to Sloopy), co-owned with his wife, Jessica Payne and Susan Drillock. The pair was third after dressage on 28.6, then turned in a fault-free show jumping round and the fastest cross country round of the day. Doug picked up 12 time, but nobody got closer to beating the clock and it was enough to move them into the lead. Of his cross country strategy, Doug explained, “I wasn’t looking to going crazy fast, but he’s a very efficient and good galloping horse, so he just covers the ground so well. I’m very, very lucky to have such a talented and willing horse to go with. He goes in a rubber snaffle, and you barely have to touch him.” Doug commended the course design to accommodate multiple courses on one footprint. “Initially I was thinking [the course] might get real busy, but there is enough space here that it’s quite good,” Doug said. “The course was wonderful. I think the footing couldn’t have been any better. It was a good, flowing course, and I think the whole competition has been excellent.” After turning in a clear show jumping round with 0.4 time on Saturday night under the lights in Tryon Stadium, Allison and Sapphire Blue B were still leading on their dressage score of 27.7. They picked up 23.6 time cross country to ultimately finish second. “He is my student Katie Lichten’s horse,” Springer said. “We call him Steve in the barn — he’s a unicorn. He’s young, and was definitely spooky in there but he jumped great. He’s a talented young horse, and I feel really honored to be able to ride him for Katie.” INTERMEDIATE The cross country clock made all the difference in the Intermediate division as well, with Lucienne Elms and her own Mistralou posting the fastest round to move from 8th after dressage into the top spot on 46.4. Second place went to Annie Goodwin and Mettraise, owned by Jeanne Sylvester, on a score of 52.5, while John Michael Durr finishing just behind in third on 52.6 with Becky Brown’s Tilikum. “It was a fantastic course design; Mark Phillips is ever the master,” Lucienne said. “[The course] rode really well, there were plenty of questions, with all combinations rewarding to just keep a forward rhythm, too.” Although Lucienne just started competing again after sustaining injuries in late 2018, her determination to be competitive hasn’t wavered. “I wanted a strong result,” she said. “Mistralou is not green, so I intended to set out for the time. He is a full-blood horse and always a pleasure to finish on [since] he just keeps galloping, so I was confident I would be competitive providing the time wasn’t easy to attain.” Lucienne hopes to return Mistralou to 4*-L competition later this year and looks forward to returning to TIEC in 2020: “TIEC really is a world-class venue: the cross country venue has the best ground you could ask for, the show jumping gives great mileage to the horses prepping for an international run, as the main arena really creates an educational atmosphere for both horse and rider requiring the exposure, and the footing for dressage is immaculate with plenty of space to work in.” Kimberly Durr (née Steinbuch) and PDQ Leigh, owned by Jil Walton, led the pack Saturday after scoring a 29.3 to lead the dressage phase and producing a fault-free show jumping round. They dropped to 4th after collected 24.4 time faults cross country. “He’s very new to me — I’ve had him for just over two and a half weeks,” Kimmy admitted. “I’m very excited about him and looking forward to a very good partnership.” Kimmy shared that the course set by course designer Chris Barnard was her first show jumping round “under the lights,” and only her second show jumping round with PDQ Leigh. “It was a little back-and-forth and a little discussionary, but he knows his job is just to leave all of the rails in the cups,” she said. Kimmy is not used to riding a horse of PDQ Leigh’s size and said that it could be a challenging dynamic on cross country: “He’s definitely over 17 hands, so it’s very different for me to have a horse his size to try and ride around, but he’s pretty straightforward and he knows his job.” Kimmy and her husband, John Michael Durr, operate out of Shelby, North Carolina, which allows them to compete at TIEC as often as they wish, she said. “We’re here two to three weeks a month, so we basically live here. We do all the jumpers and hunters here, and then we do eventing on the weekends. It’s nice to be centrally located.” OPEN PRELIMINARY John Michael Durr maintained his lead from the first day of competition in the Open Preliminary division to win it all, earning a final score of 29.1 aboard Casofino, owned by Madigan Murphy. Ema Klugman and Jeni Klugman’s Bronte Beach Z came in a close second after finishing with a final score of 30.0, while Doug Payne and Stephen Blauner’s Baymax finished in third with a final score of 34.40. “The course rode really well,” John Michael said. “Mark [Phillips] did an amazing job; even though there were a lot of courses it felt like the horses were never confused about where they were going. It was really well done. There were several different tracks, and he nailed it.” He explained that he has been working on giving Casofino “consistent miles and education” before turning the reins back over to his adult-amateur owner, who is also Durr’s student. “He’s a really exciting young horse. He just needed a little making up to win with his adult amateur,” he said. “This was the first time he had been in a ring like this under the lights. His heart was going a million miles a minute and he saw every kid rolling down the grass, but he focused on the jumps and did his job.” He concluded, “Every part of what Tryon does makes you feel special — it doesn’t matter whether you’re there for a national horse trials, a B-rated Hunter/Jumper show, or the 5* week. Tryon gives you that championship feeling all the time, so when my students do go to the championships or go to Young Riders or something like that, they don’t fall apart, because they’re used to being in a big atmosphere.” Congrats to all the event’s winners! Advanced A: Doug Payne and Quantum Leap (40.6) For full results from the Blue Ridge Mountain Horse Trials at TIEC, click here. Steedread News via Eventing Nation https://ift.tt/2YdaaQV September 18, 2019 at 02:23PM
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Preventing Laminitis: A Year Round Threat
https://ift.tt/2O8yiSh Article provided by Haygain. The science-backed horse health company manufactures Haygain Hay Steamers and ComfortStall Orthopedic Sealed Flooring and distributes the Flexineb Portable Equine Nebulizer. For more information, visit www.haygain.us. Despite a long-standing belief that laminitis is a spring-time disease, a recent study identified that there is no ‘safe’ season: laminitis remains a threat regardless of the time of year. The same study also revealed that 1 in 10 horses/ponies develop laminitis every year. When to Worry? As horse owners, we must remain cautious and not reduce preventive measures when the perceived spring ‘high-risk’ period is over. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of recognizing subtle signs of potentially life-threatening episodes. This is supported by 2017 study published in the BEVA Equine Veterinary Journal which revealed 45% of owners did not suspect laminitis was the problem prior to veterinary diagnosis, making it critical to recognize the more subtle signs. In addition, research by Rossdales Veterinary Hospital and the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket warned that commonly cited clinical signs, such as the classic ‘laminitis stance’ and divergent growth rings, were found in less than half of the active laminitis cases in their study. What To Look For? Evidence suggests there is a period where laminitis is present and causing changes to the hooves, but lameness is not yet apparent. Picking up these early signs of laminitis before there is any pain associated with the condition would allow horse owners to adjust their management strategies and their veterinarian to treat the underlying disease to help prevent a painful episode of laminitis. The signs of laminitis can be broadly grouped into two groups: signs associated with hoof changes, and signs associated with hoof pain. Signs associated with hoof changes:
Signs associated with hoof pain:
If you suspect laminitis: Call your veterinarian immediately! While you wait for the veterinarian, remove your horse from pasture, provide soft footing for them to stand on and make sure they have water and hay within reach. Prevention: Prevention is better than cure … especially when there is no cure! Feeding remains key to reduce the risk of laminitis. Modern grass varieties are generally productive grasses, too rich for horses, especially those susceptible to laminitis which is closely linked to obesity. Access to grass should be restricted, but they still need plenty of fiber to avoid other problems such as gastric ulcers and colic. While most cases of laminitis have an underlying hormonal cause, their diet certainly contributes, usually in the form of excess sugar (a.k.a.: water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and starch, the main sources of which are grass and cereals. If too much sugar and starch is consumed at one time, it overloads the small intestine and accumulates in the hind gut instead. The digestion of the sugar and starch by the hind gut bacteria produces stronger acids than would be produced by fiber digestion (the hind gut’s usual job). This results in acidosis causing bacteria to die and release toxins which can enter the bloodstream via the leaky gut wall caused by the acidity. This is thought to trigger a series of reactions that result in damaging enzymes. These enzymes destroy the bond between the pedal bone and the hoof capsule which ultimately can result in pedal bone rotation and euthanasia is then about the only option. Alternatives to Grass Consider supplementing at least part pasture with hay. This can be fed outside on a dirt area so the horse still gets to spend time outside as well as in the stable. The recommended sugar level of hay for those at risk of laminitis is 10% sugar, so it’s best to choose a lower grade hay and get it tested to determine its nutrient content. It’s not always possible to find a suitable hay and you can’t tell just by looking at it, hence the importance of having it tested. Most feed companies offer this service as do independent nutritionists. Soaking or Steaming? It’s common practice to soak hay for horses with laminitis. While this is effective for leaching sugars – and most other nutrients – from the hay, it has many drawbacks. Soaking increases the bacterial content, reducing the hygienic quality; it produces an environmental pollutant (the brown yucky water left in the bucket); and results in an unpalatable, soggy hay that can sour in summer temperatures and freeze in the winter. It’s also a huge hassle! High-temperature hay steaming is also an option. Haygain’s patented method improves the hygienic quality of hay by killing bacteria, mold and fungal spores as well as reducing airborne respirable dust by up to 99%. Another benefit of steaming over soaking is that it retains hay’s nutrients, except for a variable loss in WSC that are crucial to laminitis prevention. The amount of WSC reduction by steaming varies based on the type of hay, and time and location of harvest. Once you’ve had your hay tested and you know the starting WSC content, you may find you only need to reduce the sugar by a small amount. The recommended overall content is 10% or 100g WSC/kg dry matter (DM), so a single hay steaming is typically sufficient to reach that level if the original WSC content is only slightly higher. The benefit of this steam-only scenario is maintaining the hay’s nutrients, including protein and minerals, while reducing the WSC to safe levels. However, if your hay has a high sugar content, then you will need to leach more WSC and it’s best to use a combination of soaking and steaming. This means you will have the benefit of the clean steamed hay but with the nutritional value leached out more by the soaking phase. Research has labelled the gold standard treatment as a 9-hour soak followed by a 50-minute steam cycle. In the study, soaking plus steaming reduced the WSC contents of all hays down to the recommended level of 100g WSC/kg DM (Harris et al., 2017) for fat horses and those pre-disposed to laminitis. The steaming after soaking further reduced the WSC content and killed any bacteria that had multiplied during the soaking process, thus improving the hygienic quality of the hay. Be aware of the risks of laminitis to horses and ponies at all times, manage their weight and diet with it in mind. Be vigilant of any signs of hoof changes and hoof pain no matter how subtle and seek veterinary advise as soon as you suspect laminitis. Author Becky James, BSc, MSc, was instrumental in developing Haygain’s patented high temperature steaming while studying at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, England. She joined Haygain in 2008 and is now the company’s Director, Technical Sales. Steedread News via Eventing Nation https://ift.tt/2YdaaQV September 18, 2019 at 11:52AM
Welsh Ponies and Cobs Return to Tulsa for WPCSA American National Show
https://ift.tt/2mntDQR Lexington, Ky. – The Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America (WPCSA) is set to host the country’s top Welsh Ponies and Cobs in the highly anticipated American National Show from September 25-29, 2019, in Tulsa, Okla. This annual competition is... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 24, 2019 at 09:32AM
US Equestrian Board of Directors Seeks Nominations for Independent Director Seat
https://ift.tt/2kWQvq1 Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian’s Nominating Committee has opened the election period for the Independent Director role on the US Equestrian Board of Directors. Nominations for the role will be accepted as of September 17 and will close on... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 23, 2019 at 06:21PM Nominations for 2019 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award and Pegasus Medal of Honor Due October 119/23/2019
Nominations for 2019 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award and Pegasus Medal of Honor Due October 11
https://ift.tt/2l3BDWD Lexington, Ky - Nominations are now being accepted for the USEF Lifetime Achievement Award and Pegasus Medal of Honor with the submission deadline quickly approaching. Any current US Equestrian (USEF) member interested in submitting a nomination to US... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 23, 2019 at 10:16AM
Emma Catherine Reichow Tops the Field in the 2019 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West
https://ift.tt/2OcCFMl San Juan Capistrano, Calif . – Emma Catherine Reichow (Menlo Park, Calif.) takes home the win in the 2019 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West aboard Campitello 5. In a testament to her talent and ability,... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 22, 2019 at 12:04PM
US Equestrian Names Talented Jumping Team Lineups for Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Final and FEI Youth Nations Cup™ Final
https://ift.tt/2If63hh Lexington, Ky. – U.S. Equestrian is pleased to announce the list of athletes who will represent the NetJets® U.S. Jumping Team at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final CSIO, hosted from October 3-6, at Real Club de Polo Barcelona, in... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 20, 2019 at 03:41PM National Show Horse Finals Showcases Best of National Show Horse and Arabian Breeds in Illinois9/20/2019
National Show Horse Finals Showcases Best of National Show Horse and Arabian Breeds in Illinois
https://ift.tt/2V6heOl Springfield, Ill. – The National Show Horse Finals saw a gathering of the most impressive National Show Horses in the U.S. as riders and owners vied for top honors. With 200 National Show Horses and Arabian horses showing over the course of the... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 20, 2019 at 09:36AM
US Equestrian Announces 2019 Land Rover Eventing Grant Recipients
https://ift.tt/34QbcpH Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Land Rover/USEF Competition Grants for the remainder of the 2019 season. The following athletes will receive funding for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ The Netherlands... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 19, 2019 at 07:27PM
U.S. Endurance Team Secures a Strong Sixth-Place Finish in FEI Endurance World Championships for Young Riders & Juniors
https://ift.tt/2M1ptXY The U.S. Endurance Team had a great finish in the FEI Endurance World Championships for Young Riders & Juniors on Wednesday, September 18. The prestigious 120-kilometer competition was held at the San Rossore Racecourse in Pisa, Italy, during the... News via US Equestrian News Feed https://ift.tt/32yJsDT September 19, 2019 at 12:23PM |
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