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SPRING 2014
THE VOICE OF EQUINE ALBERTA
M E M B E R M AG A Z I N E
If you haven't
renewed your
membership, this
is your LAST issue!
In this issue
Winning image
Dressage Canada awards:
Julia Helland and Tess White
Lynda Tennessen wins
first national horse
stewardship award
Horse-related injuries
in Western Canada
and more!
www.albertaequestrian.com
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Inside
Spring 2014; Volume 6, Issue 1
Alberta Bits is the Alberta Equestrian Federation’s official member magazine. It serves the entire equestrian
community of horses and riders of all ages, interests and involvement, as the Voice of Equine Alberta.
Alberta Bits magazine is mailed four times a year (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter) to all current AEF members and is made available at the office and special events attended by the AEF.
Alberta Bits is distributed throughout Alberta with news and events on behalf of recreational, sport, breeds &
industry and educational sectors of the Alberta horse industry. Alberta Bits is distributed to approximately
16,000 members; 9,000 households and businesses; and at approximately 10 events and trade shows annually.
The Alberta Equestrian Federation has been incorporated since 1978.
Publications Mail Agreement — #40050297
Printed in Canada — ISSN 1918-7122
AEF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Les Oakes
Tara Gamble
Lewis Hand
Juliet Franke
Sabrina Oakes
Bill desBarres
Kippy Maitland-Smith
Dena Squarebriggs
Brian Irving
Trish Mrakawa
Alison Douglas
Elise Petitjean
Don Scott
President
Past President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Chair–Breeds and Industry
Chair–Education
Chair–Public Relations
Chair–Recreation (acting)
Chair–Sport
Individual
Individual
Individual (interim)
403-540-9859
780-945-7516
403-722-4690
403-843-6427
403-826-4661
888-303-1070
403-845-4864
403-760-0512
403-936-0221
403-938-6398
403-762-8570
587-798-0606
780-895-7660
lesoakes@gmail.com
tcgamble@xplornet.ca
lewhand@live.ca
frankedj@telusplanet.net
sabrinaoakes@gmail.com
lazydbar@telusplanet.net
cromdale@harewaves.net
dmsquare04@hotmail.com
lilpieceofheaven@hotmail.com
trish@willowgrovestables.com
thealicat@shaw.ca
elise_petitjean@hotmail.com
dscott@mscnet.ca
AEF STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sonia Dantu
execdir@albertaequestrian.com
403.253.4411 ext 4
MARKETING & EVENT COORDINATOR
Allison Blackmore
marketing@albertaequestrian.com
403.253.4411 ext 5
COMPETITIONS COORDINATOR
Sophie Beaufils
competitions@albertaequestrian.com
403.253.4411 ext 2
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR
Norma Cnudde
membership@albertaequestrian.com
403.253.4411 ext 1
COACHING ADMINISTRATOR
Erin Lundteigen
coaching@albertaequestrian.com
403.253.4411 ext 3
FINANCE, GENERAL INQUIRIES
Rita Bernard
info@albertaequestrian.com
403.253.4411 ext 6
OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, except holidays.
Managing Editor: Monika Smith
albertabits@albertaequestrian.com 403.242.6162
Publication Committee: Allison Blackmore, Sonia Dantu, Monika Smith, Dena Squarebriggs
2014 Magazine Deadlines
Article Deadline
Spring:
Summer:
Fall:
Winter:
January 7
April 15
August 1
October 15
Ad Booking
Jan 11
May 3
August 20
November 3
Ad files to AEF
Mailing Date
January 15
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August 27
November 10
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September 28
December 10
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Please contact marketing@albertaequestrian.com
All material is copyright 2014. Ideas and opinions expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the ideas or
opinions of the AEF. Alberta Bits reserves the right to accept, and/or edit material submitted for publication.
The AEF makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained therein, but assumes no
liability in cases of error or changing conditions. Any business relations or other activities undertaken as a
result of the information contained in Alberta Bits, or arising there from, is the responsibility of the parties
involved and not of the AEF. We welcome signed letters to the editor, but reserve the right to publish, edit for
grammar, taste and length. For reprint information, please contact execdir@albertaequestrian.com.
Magazine design by The Visions West Studio.
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Wow!
by Les Oakes, president
It’s your Alberta
by Monika Smith, managing editor, Alberta Bits
Silent auction benefiting LOTB
BMO AEF MasterCard: the winning image
Every purchase supports the AEF
Dressage Canada awards
Julia Helland and Tess Wise
The 32nd Horse Breeders and Owners Conference:
something for everyone
by Robyn Moore
How to start a club
by Sonia Dantu, AEF executive director
AEF online forums and classifieds
Nominated coaches for Equine Canada awards
by Erin Lundteigen, AEF coaching coordinator
Apply for an AEF scholarship
Mud Management and horses
Equine Guelph
Horse-related injuries in Western Canada
by Dr. Robert H. Mulloy
Lynda Tennessen wins first national
horse stewardship award
by Diane David, WELCA executive director
Wild Rose Competition:
Alhambra Stables
by Ulrika Wikner, owner and operator
Erna Marburg, Wild Rose volunteer
Club members feature
Delacour Agriculture Society & Community Club; Shortgrass Riding Club
Keeping your horse healthy with equine biosecurity
by Tara McFadden
Samantha Starratt at the 2013 FEI Children’s
International Classic Final
by Tonia Anderson
Greatness
by Scott Phillips
Shout out for 2013 NAJYR team medals
by Tara McFadden
Ask the insurance guy: Why is it so difficult?
by Mike King
Farm emergency plan
AEF member groups
Club and Business Members, as of January 23, 2014
ON THE COVER Two stallions from North Fork Gypsy Cobs, which has a herd
ALBERTA EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION
100, 251 Midpark Blvd SE Calgary, AB T2X 1S3
Toll Free: 1.877.463.6233
Phone: 403.253.4411
Fax: 403.252.5260
www.albertaequestrian.com
10%
of approximately 30 gypsies and owned by Cheryl and Dale Nygaard. On the
right is 13-year-old Clononeen Tumbleweed, imported from England. The
other stallion is four-year old North Fork Rorschach, a son of Tumbleweed.
His dam is Clononeen Priceless a North Fork mare, also imported from
England. This image of these horses will be featured on the BMO Alberta
Equestrian Federation MasterCard. Photo credit: North Fork Gypsy Cobs.
www.albertaequestrian.com
l-r Pete Fraser, president of Horse Industry Association of Alberta (HIAA) and Les Oakes, AEF president at the
32nd annual HIAA conference in Red Deer, January 10-12, 2014. They are jointly introducing Gary Carpenter,
who spoke on “Where is the horse industry going?” sponsored by the AEF. Photo credit: courtesy of the HIAA
by Les Oakes, AEF president
Wow!
This has been quite the winter all over Alberta. Record snowfalls plus
numerous days where the TransCanada Highway or the QE2 has been closed
because of snow, ice or lack of visibility. Yet I still see lots of horse trailers going
down the highway or pulling into stables and arenas around the province.
Recently, many of us were in Red Deer enjoying all the great speakers at the
annual Horse Owners and Breeders and Conference. If you have never been to
one of these conferences or even if you are a regular attendee you should set your
sights on attending next year. The speakers are fantastic, the facility is wonderful
and the people who attend are at the top of the horse game as ‘Knowledge is
Power’ and this event is the best in Alberta to gain that power.
Here at the AEF we are gearing up for our AGM, March 23. Our nomination’s
committee has been seeking high and low for candidates interested and passionate
in filling positions on our board of directors. To be fair, I fully understand that
everyone’s idea of a great time is not attending an AGM, but AGMs are an important aspect of every organization. Regardless of the sport or hobby or even vocation you are involved in, attendance at an AGM is usually reserved for those
diehards who enjoy the punishment of one more meeting. Seriously though, they
are important to the organization and it’s important for the AEF to meet and hear
from our members; we are after all the voice of equine Alberta and yours is critical! We would love to see you, get to know you, share our highlights and future
plans, answer your questions and have the opportunity to serve your needs better.
In addition to ‘just another meeting,’ the AEF will be holding a silent auction
at the AGM, as we do every year to help raise funds for our youth Live Outside the
Box program. We are seeking donations and are asking members to come out and
bid on some really great items such as a two-night stay at the Kananaskis Delta
Lodge and a photography photo session (includes print)! All proceeds go toward
Live Outside the Box, which is a program offered by the AEF, free of charge, to
youth members. This program encourages youth to spend more time outside
being active and less screen time! To donate, please contact marketing@albertaequestrian.com. To provide some insight into where your board and the AEF is
headed over the next few years, I would like to share what the board, staff and
4
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
hopefully a good part of the membership believe are important elements of
the AEF.
First of all aside from the obvious insurance, reasons to be a member of the
AEF: the AEF is your voice at the provincial government and even the federal government level and we need to stand strong on those issues that members tell us
they either want changed, such as GST on horse sales or feed, etc.
Why is it that the Canada Revenue Agency looks at the horse industry as a
hobby not a business? Who is there to remind the provincial and federal governments that we need more and better-maintained horse trails, additional funding for
youth programs, therapeutic riding and other programs that horse and humans
are involved in?
This year and moving into the future, we need a greater voice to make sure
other user groups, animal activists and the like do not push the horse owners of
Alberta to the back of the pack. To do this, we need a larger membership base.
The AEF’s membership referral program is in place to not only help us
achieve the goal of dramatically increasing the number of members in Alberta but
also to reward our present members by saving money off of their membership. All
it takes is for you to refer a brand new member! How strong could our voice
become if we all just brought one new member into the AEF in 2014?
As we enter the spring of 2014 and all the memories of a winter with record
snowfalls becomes a distant memory, I hope to see many of you this spring at
our AGM on March 23 in Red Deer and either on the trails or at the many horse
venues throughout the province. Take care and safe riding. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
Let a horse whisper in your ear and breathe on your heart.
You will never regret it. ~ Author Unknown
Les Oakes, AEF president
It’s your Alberta
by Monika Smith, managing editor of Alberta Bits
Western legend, BIll CollIns,
recently died (1924-2014). He was
known across North America and
around the world as a highly regarded
rider, trainer, coach, breeder, judge
and advocate, garnering many accolades and championship titles in calf
Symbol for the Chinese ‘Year
roping, cutting and other disciplines.
of the Horse.’ Image credit: Wikipedia
He tackled not just one sport but
crossed the English/Western line,
showing an imaginative solution to coaching his English students. He was the
Safeway Jumpers Sweepstakes winner at the 1966 Edmonton Rodeo after clearing
fences set over five feet in the jump-off. The confidence, talent and utter belief in
his ability and what must have been an incredible focus on winning, surely had a
huge impact on his students, if only to re-examine their own mental boxes and barriers to success.
For those who had the privilege and pleasure of taking part in his clinics,
competing or hearing him speak, he was always a gentleman and always showed an
incredible courtesy and politeness. Collins was one of a kind.
Alberta’s equestrian and veterinary community also lost the much loved and
respected Byrnne rothWell (1936-2014). Rothwell’s obvious respect and care
for everyone earned him friendship and love from many of his colleagues in both
the agricultural and veterinary professions. Those who were fortunate to call him
friend or mentor will always remember his calm and thoughtful approach.
Everyone listened because whether he was discussing medical matters or reciting
his own poetry, it was always worth listening to.
He graduated from Ontario Veterinary College in 1964, worked in private
practice then joined Agriculture Canada in 1987, retiring in 2000. Bill desBarres,
AEF chair of breeds and industry, states, “Byrnne was a wise and willing councillor
and friend of the animal agriculture industry. I and the Horse Welfare Alliance of
Canada will miss his wisdom and support.”
Did you know that 2014 is the ChInese yeAr of the horse? The Chinese
Zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao, is based on a twelve-year cycle, each year in that
cycle related to an animal sign. These animal signs are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit,
dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. It is calculated
according to Chinese lunar calendar, according to the online Travel China Guide at
www.travelchinaguide.com, the spirit of the horse is recognized to be the Chinese
people’s ethos–making unremitting efforts to improve themselves. It is energetic,
bright, warm-hearted, intelligent and able. Ancient people liked to designate an
able person as ‘Qianli Ma’, a horse that covers a thousand li a day (one li equals
500 m). Visit the Travel China Guide website for more information on the Year
of the Horse
A special thank you to tArA MCfAdden for her journalistic prowess.
McFadden revealed that she is the community engagement and development officer
with Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation and is serving her third term as town councilor in Cochrane. A big thank you to CAthArInA ClArke, photographer extraordinaire, for providing some much needed images and having her friends contribute
their own special photos to help local images to the mud management article. Visit
her website at: cvlphotography.com.
As with every issue, without the efforts of the many writers who provide
top-notch articles and gorgeous personal photos and the photographers who
unstintingly provide their best, the magazine
would be a much less interesting publication.
Thank you for contributing your work.
My hat is off to you. AB
Managing Editor, Alberta Bits
silent auction benefiting lotB
AEF is looking for donations for the silent auction to be held at our AGM,
March 23, 2014.
All monetary donations and proceeds from the silent auction will support
our popular youth Live Outside the Box program.
Send completed donation form (download from the website) to marketing@albertaequestrian.com or fax to (403) 252-5260 by March 19, 2014.
LIVE OUTSIDE THE BOX YOUTH PROGRAM
This creative program has stirred up a lot of interest and enthusiasm over
the years. AEF members from all over Alberta aged 7-15 are leaving the TV and
computer behind and getting out and spending more time with their horse. Not
surprisingly we receive a lot of support from parents too. Participants keep track
of how they are spending their time from April 1st until September 30 each year to
win great prizes. You don’t even have to own a horse to participate.
Thank you for your support! AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
New styles have arrived – be
sure to check the online store
for more styles and colors!
Purchase your Muck Boots™
through the Alberta Equestrian
Federation Online Store.
Your feet will thank you.
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
5
BMo Aef MasterCard:
the winning image
every purchase
supports the Aef
With all the great photographs that the AEF has been gathering and seeing
over the years, it made sense to have the membership participate in selecting
a great shot for the re-design of the BMO Alberta Equestrian Federation
MasterCard.
And, participate they did! With 30 photographs to chose from and an active
Facebook group responding with many ‘likes’, the winning image is going into
production for the new card, which is anticipated for release in the spring.
Four were selected as finalists and were posted online for a public vote to
decide the winner. “The announcement of the call for images as well as the call
for votes, was placed on our homepage, in several issues of our e-news and on
our Facebook account,” says Allison Blackmore, AEF marketing coordinator,
adding that this promotion has generated lots of interest in the BMO Alberta
Equestrian Federation MasterCard, which is fabulous, as use of the card translates
to financial support to the AEF.
As featured on the cover, Cheryl and Dale Nygaard, North Fork Gypsy Cobs
sent in a gorgeous image of two of their stallions, Clononeen Tumbleweed and
North Fork Rorschach. The breed is also known as Gypsy Vanners and both horses
are registered with the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society.
North Fork is a very active organization in promoting the breed and growth
and has locations in Saskatchewan, (Eyebrow and Regina), Alberta (Rocky
Mountain House) and is soon to be in British Columbia (Chase).
These handsome horses reflect many of the positive aspects of the AEF's
mandate: strength, joy and well cared for horses.
The AEF thanks all the participants in the photo contest for submitting truly
gorgeous and appealing photographs. AB
Does it really matter which credit card you use?
Yes, it really does matter which credit card you use, and here’s why.
When you use your BMO Alberta Equestrian Federation MasterCard to make
purchases, you are helping to support the equine industry in Alberta and earning
rewards for yourself.
Every time you use your BMO Alberta Equestrian Federation MasterCard to
make a purchase, a payment is made to the Alberta Equestrian Federation from
BMO Bank of Montreal at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Cardholders benefit too. There are many reward options available to customize the
card to best suit your needs
Just by using this card, you are helping to fund programming for all members from the young and the young at heart. Contributions received through this
program will support education, recreation, sport development, industry, health
and welfare. The Alberta Equestrian Federation programs make a significant difference in the lives of horses and riders across the province of Alberta ranging from
the beloved backyard pony to the high performance athlete.
Whether you’re looking for great value in a card or are interested in higher
levels of rewards, the BMO Alberta Equestrian Federation MasterCard offers
you both.
If you don’t have a BMO Alberta Equestrian Federation MasterCard yet, we
invite you to review the card features online at www.bmo.com/abef.
Or call 1-800-263-2263 to switch your BMO MasterCard to a BMO Alberta
Equestrian Federation MasterCard today. If you already have one, thank you for
your support. AB
The new 2014 Horse Savvy Annual
Planners are now available for
purchase!
Order this beautiful day planner
with your membership purchase
or renewal, through our online store
or stop by the office.
The planner opens with a full
12-month year at a glance 2014
calendar followed by weekly
spreads which includes beautiful
horse photos and inspiring quotes.
All AEF members are invited
2014
Annual General
Meeting
sunday, March 23, 2014
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Order your
2014
Horse Savvy
Planner today!
6
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
The planner also contains an Equine
Health Planning System including a
phone directory, vet/dental/farrier
information and record keeping,
show results and much more!
Marseille Room, Sheraton Red Deer
3310 - 50th Avenue · Red Deer, Alberta
(403) 346-2091
Special Room rate - $119 + tax
Reference: AEF Group rate
This is an AEF fundraising initiative
to support youth programs.
$30.00 includes GST, shipping &
handling.
Proceeds of the silent auction go to support
Live Outside the Box
www.albertaequestrian.com
dressage Canada awards
JULIA HELLAND
Each year, the Dressage Canada (DC) development committee provides one
senior and two junior dressage riders with a bursary of $2,500 to help encourage
the accomplishment of personal goals as they relate to the sport of dressage.
Julia Helland, Sundre, is one of the two 2013 junior recipients (21 years of
age or younger) of this award. The AEF congratulates her on her award and
achievements.
Helland is a 16-year-old high school student who plans to attend the
University of Alberta in order to study environmental sciences. Her love of horses
started at an early age, as she grew up on a farm with parents who shared her passion for horses. Helland joined the Canadian Pony Club at the age of seven, actively participating in shows and clinics. She decided to focus on the discipline of
dressage at the age of 12. In her first year of dressage competition, Helland
earned provincial and regional children’s championship titles. She has spent the
past three years competing at the EC gold level, where she has earned second level
open and junior champion titles. In 2012, Helland moved up to the FEI junior
level. Her goal is to represent Canada in international competition, including the
North American Junior and Young Riders Championships (NAJYRC), which she
hopes to attend within the next two years. She plans to use the bursary fund to
attend clinics and other educational events that will expand her knowledge
as a rider.
Julia Helland is pleased to receive this award:
“I really feel fortunate to have been selected as one of the DC Bursary
winners; there are many talented young riders in Canada. I love dressage
and would love to see even more junior riders involved in the sport, especially in Alberta! It is encouraging to have Dressage Canada supporting
youth through these bursaries, and I am very grateful for all the support
that I myself have received from my family, friends and community.
“I grew up on an acreage southwest of Sundre, Alberta. My parents
both ride horses so horses have always been part of my life from the start.
While my older brother and sister played hockey, riding horses became my
passion. I joined Pony Club at an early age and competed in jumping and
dressage but decided to concentrate on dressage when I was about 12
years old. I had a little grade mare, Mystique, which had apparently been a
“wildie” at one time. She turned
out to have some great dressage
DRESSAGE CANADA BURSARY PROGRAM
training and together we did really
well in my first year of recognized
The following criteria for selection is used:
competition. After that I was
• Future educational plans
hooked and dressage has been my
• Equestrian experience
passion ever since.
• Commitment and dedication to the
“After completing high school
sport of dressage
I would like to continue my dres• Goals pertaining to the equestrian
industry
sage training as well as further my
• Results at EC sanctioned bronze, silver,
education in university, studying
gold, or platinum competitions
environmental sciences. My
• Demonstrated financial need
ultimate goal is to compete
• Positive contributions to the sport
internationally as a junior and
of dressage
young rider, and continue up the
The senior and junior bursaries are
levels. The bursary will help me as
made possible through the Dressage Canada
I continue to take lessons, attend
levy program. A $7 levy is collected from each
clinics and travel to dressage
horse entered in an EC sanctioned bronze,
silver, gold or platinum competition. These
competitions.”
fees are forwarded to Equine Canada and
For more information on
used, in part, to fund the Dressage Canada
the Dressage Canada and its bursary
bursary program, which is to provide
and levy programs, please visit
monetary assistance.
www.equinecanada.ca/dressage.
Salishan, a 14-year-old Dutch warmblood mare, owned by Helland since late 2012 at the
Alberta Junior Young Rider Show in Red Deer, May 2013. Salishan is doing an extended
trot in a FEI junior class. Photo credit: R-Bac Photography
TESS WISE
Tess Wise and Rena. Photo credit: Kelly Wise
The AEF congratulates Tess White in her ongoing pursuit for excellence in
dressage and receiving a Lauren DiIanni Memorial Fund award.
“I have been riding dressage for seven years with Janet Adams at Carousel
Stables in Calgary and have owned my horse for five years,” says Tess Wise. “Rena
is a 14-year old thoroughbred/Hanoverian mare bred and started by a close
friend,” she continues. “Rena and I also like to jump and trail ride as I believe
the variety of work improves her dressage”.
Wise adds, “Janet and I worked very hard this past year to qualify for and
attend NAJYRC and I was very pleased to receive this award for my freestyle, which
was created by Karen Robinson. The freestyles are great fun to work on and
present because the audience and the horses really enjoy them.”
Dressage Canada works with the Lauren DiIanni Memorial Fund in their
quest to continue Lauren DiIanni’s vision. She was an exuberant and effective promoter of the sport of dressage who passed away suddenly in her fortieth year.
Three of Dilanni’s friends subsequently established a memorial fund for the purpose of developing interest in freestyle competition in Canada. Dilanni believed
that promoting freestyles, which are entertaining to watch, is a good way to attract
larger audiences and therefore sponsors to dressage competitions.
Riders receive $400 for three freestyles over 67 percent. Riders who are registered participants in the Dressage Canada rider awards program are be eligible
to apply. The fund is administered through the Community Foundation of Ottawa
under the direction of the board: Irene Greenberg, Joanna Crilly and Joan
Johnston. To find out more about Dressage Canada awards, please visit
www.equinecanada.ca/dressage. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
7
the 32nd annual horse
Breeders and owners
Conference: something for everyone
Pete Fraser, president of the Horse Industry of Alberta (HIAA), Trish Mrakawa, AEF sport chair, Gary Millar, HIAA director and Tara Gamble, past president of the AEF are members of the
panel addressing “Getting Youth Involved with Horses.” Photo credit: HIAA
by Robyn Moore
For the first weekend in many years, the mercury was in the positive range
for the annual Horse Breeders and Owners Conference (HBOC). Around 490
horse enthusiasts left their sunny farms to attend the 32nd annual HBOC in Red
Deer for the weekend of January 10-13 filled with fun and education. The exhibit
hall hosted over 50 booths sponsored by equine businesses and organizations.
The AEF was represented in the trade show all weekend in booths 34-35.
The weekend started off with the eighth annual Stable Owners’ seminar on
Friday afternoon and included four sessions specifically designed for stable owners. This seminar is presented by the Alberta Stables Initiative, which is run by a
partnership between Horse Industry Association of Alberta, Alberta Equestrian
Federation and Alberta Agriculture. Topics on taxation, attaining and retaining staff
and a panel on getting youth involved were presented to a crowd of over 100 people. The last session was a town hall meeting where the formation of a stables
association was discussed. AEF representative and chair of education, Kippy
Maitland-Smith, was on hand to help answer questions.
Friday night’s “Open Barn” welcome reception was hosted by Zoetis.
Delegates and the public were welcome to get their first look at the trade show
and treated to a spread of cheese and crackers and drinks. Early bird draw prizes
were distributed to the lucky winners and delegates entered additional bucket
draw prizes.
Saturday’s sessions began with Gary Carpenter, who spoke about where the
horse industry is going, sponsored by Alberta Equestrian Federation. AEF
President, Les Oaks, presented Gary Carpenter with his speaker pin. After the coffee break, which was sponsored by SciencePure Nutraceuticals, delegates had the
choice of attending a session on osteoarthritis given by Dr. Mike Scott, Dr. Nancy
Loving on starting and conditioning or Dr. Claudia Klein educating about reproduction and the problem mare. Thank you to breakout session sponsor Alberta
Veterinary Labs, who sponsored Dr. Scott’s session.
After the lunch break, Clay Maier shared his knowledge about driving horses,
Jochen Schleese spoke on saddle fit for male and female riders, and Dr. Katharina
Lohmann spoke on heaves.
Twenty minutes later, the fourth round of sessions began with Lauren
Barwick speaking about the pursuit of equine excellence, Dr. Stephen O’Grady,
who spoke to a standing room only crowd about barefoot vs. shoeing, and Dr. Lori
Warren presented on environmentally-friendly feeding. Thank you to breakout
session sponsor Canadian Horse Journals for sponsoring Lauren Barwick’s
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AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
session. Western Horse Review generously sponsored the last coffee break
of the afternoon.
The ‘News Hour’ is the last session of the day on Saturday, and offers information on current issues in the horse industry.
Dr. Kelsey Brandon from Claresholm Veterinary Services shared her experiences treating horses with Pigeon Fever in her area, Paul Ryneveld from Century
Casinos gave an update on the Balzac racetrack, Dr. Ron Clarke spoke about a
national biosecurity program and Dr. Larry Frischke from Zoetis updated delegates
on West Nile in the province.
Saturday night, sponsored by Horse Racing Alberta, offered live music by
local Lacombe singer/songstress Randi Boulton; a host wine bar and dessert; and
an equine sporting event, which brought laughter to all.
Dr. Nancy Loving took the stage again on Sunday morning and presented
on colic. Running concurrent to Dr. Loving’s session was Curt Pate on ranch
horsemanship and Dr. Stephen O’Grady educating about the equine hoof.
The sessions were followed by the final coffee break, sponsored by Horse
Publications Group. Clay Maier took the stage again and presented on long lining
benefits, Tammy Pate shared her experience with yoga and horsemanship and Dr.
Lori Warren returned to the stage to speak about how feed can modify behaviour.
The very important Alberta SPCA Fred Pearce Memorial Lecture, dedicated to
the welfare of the horse, was presented this year by Dr. Camie Heleski who spoke
on stereotypies such as weaving and cribbing. She offered many suggestions to
help understand and manage stereotypies as well as identifying areas for further
research.
The HIAA thanks everyone who attended and sponsored the event as well
as the 22 presenters who brought their expertise and experience to Red Deer,
Alberta.
For more information about the HIAA or if you would like to see a sampling
of the quality of information presented at the Horse Breeders and Owners
Conference, read through some of the past conference proceedings on the
website: www.albertahorseindustry.ca. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
Robyn Moore is the manager of Horse Industry Association of Alberta, the organization
that hosts the Horse Breeders and Owners Conference. She is a recreational rider who
owns two horses, a four-year-old Appaloosa and a 15-year-old quarter horse, and enjoys
team penning and sorting.
www.albertaequestrian.com
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
9
how to start a club!
by Sonia Dantu, AEF executive director
This question comes up regularly from members interested in creating a new
club or association.
The AEF is here to provide you with as much information as we can; we also
have many avenues available for members to connect with each other and to network.
Here are some basics on starting a club:
in the club on the right track. Make it inspirational.
8.
Keep moving forward. Have a good constitution/bylaws to help clarify what
you want to do and how. Help your officers know what they should do and
how to behave. There are books to guide you in these things–get one.
It really depends on how solid of a club you want to create and if you want
to create a set of bylaws etc. This is really up to the club. Will you incorporate?
Will you register with Alberta Registries? Will you be a registered charity? There
are excellent links here at Alberta Registries on types of organizations that can be
created www.servicealberta.ca/90.cfm these are all things you should talk about at
your meeting.
Finally, once you have created your club, become an AEF club member.
You will need to ensure you have club liability insurance and that is available, at
preferred rates, for AEF member clubs from Capri Insurance.
Make sure that all your members have AEF membership to ensure they are
also covered. For a copy of the form, you can download it from the website at
www.albertaequestrian.com. If you have more questions about the application,
please contact competitions@albertaequestrian.com.
There is a lot to consider and this might look like a lot of work, but you can
have a club with just a few members, or a lot, you just need a few committed volunteers to help. AB
1.
Decide what kind of a club it will be and think of a catchy name. The club
should have a topic and the people in your club should be gathering because
they share a common interest.
2.
Figure out where and when your club will meet. Talk about it with your other
club members first and see what will work for everyone. Will you be meeting
just once a month or twice a week? It’s important to have these details ironed
out so that your members don’t get confused. Make sure everyone can get to
the meetings easily. If they can’t come to every meeting, it’s okay!
3.
Begin recruiting members for your club. Most members will be among your
friends, but a few people you don’t know well should be allowed to join so
that it will become more popular. The AEF gives our members free access
to our online forums and free classified advertising that will help you
reach out to others. For more information on this please contact
marketing@albertaequestrian.com
4.
Have your first meeting and plan a proper agenda. Have some snacks and
refreshments available, maybe ask some members to bring something. Call
members to remind them of the first meeting, as it’s best for everyone to
attend.
Aef online forums
and classifieds
5.
Decide what (if any) officers your club will need. Club members should vote
on who the officers will be. This can happen at the first meeting or at a later
meeting. Typical officer roles include:
Individual, club and business members of the AEF are able to post both classified ads and events, comments or questions in our forum threads on our new
online Classifieds and Forum page on our website.
Needing horse transportation? Have a saddle or horse to sell? Looking for a
great place to trail ride, or wanting to get a ride group together? Visit our new
forum and classifieds and get connected to equine Alberta.
This is also a great opportunity to promote your business or service, find
volunteers for events, or just get the word out about club activities or find new
members.
Visit www.albertaequestrian.com/Forums and get connected. AB
•
leAder (president). This person should run the club, meetings, and
enforce the rules.
•
deputy leAder (vice president). This is the person who is in charge
when the leader cannot make it.
•
treAsurer. This person handles the club’s money, and keeps track
of dues for memberships, pays the bills for the club’s operations and
activities. He/she also keeps records of all debits and credits for
accounting purposes.
•
seCretAry. The secretary keeps minutes of every meeting and reads
them for correction or addition at each following meeting. He/she can
assist with the activities of the club, such as events that are hosted and
give a report of the event at meetings following these events.
•
hIstorIAn. This
person keeps a record of activities that the club hosts,
etc.
•
heAd of events. This person delegates club members to help in planning and organizing activities.
•
AdvertIsInG teAM.
They should be responsible for creating flyers, etc.
6.
Decide on a club symbol/logo, colors, etc. This should also be decided by
the club and voted on. Make club IDs. Make a template with your name, the
club’s name, the member’s rank (if they have one), contact info for the club,
club location and the time since they became a member.
7.
Create a motto/slogan. This step is optional, but it can help to keep everyone
10
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
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nominated coaches for equine Canada awards
by Erin Lundteigen, AEF coaching coordinator
Congratulations to all the coaches nominated for the 2013 EC/NCCP National
Coaching awards.
The AEF is pleased to announce that we once again received many outstanding nominations for coaches from across Alberta for the 2013 awards. The AEF
formed an awards committee that carefully considered and reviewed each nomination. The awards committee, headed by Erin Lundteigen, created a short list of
these nominees (one per category) and presented it to Equine Canada who will
determine the recipients of the national awards based on each province’s selection. The announcement will be made at the 2014 Equine Canada convention, in
Winnipeg MB.
The Alberta Equestrian Federation is proud to have so many deserving
coaches within our province and strongly believe that each of our coaches,
regardless if they were nominated, contribute to the growing success of equestrian
sport in Alberta.
The following coaches were nominated for 2013:
WESTERN NOMINATED COACHES
Johnston, Wendy
Racher, Raema
Ratcliffe, Ruth
Wieben, Lisa
Andrews, Sarah
Nelson, Wendy
Western/English
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Coach 2/ Coach 1
Coach 2
Coach 2
Coach 1
Instructor
High Performance Reining
ENGLISH NOMINATED COACHES
Gallant, Danielle
Yastrebova, Irina
Fortin, Simone
Mckay, Valerie
Adams, Janet
Hill, Lorraine
Rauhut, Susanne
Playdon, Kathy
Mrakawa, Trish
English
English
English
English
English
English
English
English
English
Instructor Jump
Coach 1
Coach 1
Coach 1
Coach 2 Dressage
Coach 2 Dressage
Coach 2
Coach 2 Jump
Coach 3 Jump
The AEF encourages the membership to consider coaches for 2014 awards
especially in the categories for instructor of beginner for Western and saddle seat
as well as para/therapeutic coach/instructor. There were nominations where
candidates did not meet the qualifications required. They are encouraged to apply
in 2014.
6.
7.
Coaches/teaches in a safe, fun and positive way
Maintains a safe and positive environment
AWARD CATEGORIES (FOR EACH DISCIPLINE APPLICABLE)
Para/Therapeutic Coach or Instructor
Instructor/Instructor of Beginners
Western
English
Saddle seat
Drive
Coach 1/Competition Coach English
Western
English
Coach 2/Coach specialist
Western disciplines
English disciplines
Coach 3/High Performance or above
One national award for each discipline in this context
For more information on the awards and coaching, please contact:
coaching@albertaequestrian.com. AB
Apply for an Aef scholarship
The AEF is pleased to announce that it will be offering scholarships in 2014
to students who are planning to continue their education at an accredited college
or university, in programs that are equine or equine-related.
The AEF supports higher education to help improve equestrians and their
horses’ lives, whether pursing careers in equine education, administration or
health.
We all benefit from students attending the many fine post secondary institutions in Alberta and across Canada that have equine programs. And we see our
well educated Albertans take leadership roles on behalf of horses and equine
activities in Alberta and beyond.
For more information, contact Sonia Dantu, executive director at
execdir@albertaequestrian.com or phone (403)253-4411 ext 4.
Look for the 2014 scholarship application on the AEF website. Application
deadline is Friday, April 25, 2014. AB
ABOUT THE AWARDS
The Equine Canada/NCCP national coaching awards recognize coaches and
instructors from all disciplines and contexts who exemplify the coaching and
teaching practices of the national coaching certification program. Nominees are
recognized for their contribution to the sport as a teacher and coach, whether
their students are active in competitive sport or are recreational sport participants. Equestrians are invited to nominate coaches and instructors in each category who they feel deserve recognition and meet the criteria below.
COACH AWARD QUALIFICATIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Current EC certified coach or instructor (any certificate or discipline)
Promotes the Learn to Ride or Learn to Drive program
Mentors others and promotes involvement in NCCP programs
Is knowledgeable and stays professionally updated with ongoing learning
Promotes and demonstrates good sportsmanship
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AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
11
12
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
www.albertaequestrian.com
Mud management and horses
Equine Guelph
Do you struggle with managing mud on your horse farm?
Some farms are more susceptible to muddy conditions than others. Mud is a
result of prolonged wet soil conditions, which is often dependent on soil type and
topography. After a rainstorm or spring snowmelt, clay soils drain more slowly
than sandy soils and are therefore more prone to muddy conditions. In addition,
they are more likely to occur in areas of low elevation because runoff water tends
to accumulate in these areas.
Mud is not only unsightly, it can create an unsafe environment for your
horse. Without solid footing, they are more likely to injure themselves slipping or
falling. Muddy conditions also harbour bacteria and fungus that can cause health
problems. The good news is, there are steps you can take as a horse owner to
reduce the amount of mud on your farm.
What can you do to reduce mud on your farm?
RESTRICTION
It is easier to avoid creating a muddy condition than it is to fix it. The first
and most important step to managing mud is to restrict horse access from the
wettest parts of your farm. This may mean reconfiguring paddock shapes to avoid
a wet area, abandoning a paddock all together or installing fencing to keep horses
out of the ponds, wetlands or streams. Horses tend to gather around wet areas.
The trampling of streamside vegetation causes bare soil and eventually mud. This
results in increased amount of nutrients and sediment being lost to the aquatic
ecosystem, which is harmful and may cause fish kills.
PASTURE MANAGEMENT– CREATE A SACRIFICE AREA
The best way to ensure mud-free pastures is to give them a rest, required
when the plants are dormant (i.e. in the winter) and during the growing season
when they have been heavily grazed. During the winter, horses should be restricted
to a sacrifice area such as a small paddock, corral or pen for the horse’s outdoor
living space. Often, horse owners turn their horses out to pasture too quickly in
the spring. This damages the pasture plants and delays their growth. Keep your
horses in the sacrifice area until the plants have six inches of new growth to
ensure top quality pasture for the remaining spring and summer months.
During the summer months when horses have access to the pastures, care
should be taken to not graze the pastures too short. Grazing should be limited to
approximately two inches so that the plants are able to quickly rejuvenate. If you
are fortunate to have the space for multiple pastures it is best to rotate the horses
between the pastures, moving them every five to six days. Each pasture should be
of sufficient size to provide each horse with one to two acres. During times of
extremely hot and dry weather the pastures may not grow very quickly. Even when
practicing rotational grazing, you may find that the pasture plants are slow to rejuvenate. It is recommended that horses be confined to the sacrifice area until the
pasture plants begin to grow and reach five to six inches. In early autumn when
nighttime temperatures begin to drop, plant growth slows dramatically. Taking
care not to overgraze pasture plants in the autumn allows them to go dormant in a
healthy state and quickly come out of dormancy in the spring.
MANURE MANAGEMENT
No matter how wet or dry your small paddocks or sacrifice areas are, it is
always best to remove the deposited manure from them to prevent mud. Ideally, it
is recommended that manure be removed at least once per week. Manure removal
may be required at a more frequent interval in high traffic areas such as around
water stations and gates. Removal of manure from paddocks or sacrifice areas not
only increases the visual appeal of your farm by preventing mud, but it also creates a healthier environment for your horses.
DIRECTING AND
CONTROLLING
INCOMING WATER
Soil and manure require water
in order to be transformed into mud.
By controlling the amount of water
Evensong and colt Believe of JMR Pintos
are in paddocks that have good drainage:
entering onto your paddocks/sacrifice
sand with crusher dust covering the
area you can control the amount of
surface. Photo credit: courtesy JMR Pinto
mud that is generated. The first step is
to divert any roof runoff water away. The installation of eavestroughs and downspouts on your barns and run-in shelters will reduce the amount of water entering
onto your paddocks/sacrifice area. If possible, downspouts should be directed
towards a low-lying area outside the paddock/sacrifice area. Roof runoff water is
clean and it should be discharged into a location where it will not become contaminated with manure or mud. Roof runoff water can also be captured by a rain
barrel and can be used for cleaning purposes; helping to conserve water.
If your paddock/sacrifice area is located in a low-lying area chances are you
have seen surface runoff water flowing onto it. If it is not possible to move this
area to a higher and drier location you may want to consider diverting the overland flowing water. This runoff can be diverted by creating a berm to direct water
away from the paddock/sacrifice area. Alternatively, a French drain can be constructed to reduce the amount of runoff. French drains are trenches that are dug
into the soil and backfilled with gravel. The runoff flows onto the gravel and percolates into the trench to flow towards an outlet. French drains can prevent overland flowing water from flowing onto the paddock/sacrifice area.
FOOTINGS
Even with proper paddock/pasture area mud management you may still find
that certain high traffic areas within the paddock experience muddy conditions at
certain times of the year. Special attention should be given to these areas. Mud
control in high-traffic areas such as food and water stations and gateways can be
improved by installing improved footings. Common footing materials used include
sand, gravel or wood chips. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Sand is very
comfortable for the horse, but horses should not be fed on it as if ingested can
contribute to sand colic. Gravel drains extremely well and provides a firm footing
but gravel that is larger than five eighth inch can be uncomfortable for horses to
stand on. Wood chips provide a very stable platform for your horse to stand and
walk on but because wood chips are an organic material they will decompose and
require periodic replacement. Footing
materials are most effective when they
are placed on top of landscape filter
fabric. The filter fabric prevents the
footing material from sinking down
into the soil, reducing the firmness of
the footing. Footing materials should
be placed at least six inches deep to
maximize footing stability. There are
also a number of commercially available soil stabilizing grid systems that
can be used in these high traffic areas.
For more information about
mud management and Equine Guelph
Spring Silk with her colt Bon Ami, JMR
Pinto, walking comfortably in a paddock
programs call (519) 824-4120, ext
designed for mud management in spite
54205, email: horses@uoguelph.ca or
of raining for three days . Photo credit: courtesy JMR Pinto
visit: www.equineguelph.ca. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
13
horse-related injuries in We
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Horseback riding is more
dangerous than motorcycle riding, skiing,
football and rugby.
The purpose of this study was to identify
the incidence and injury patterns, as well as
risk factors associated with severe equestrian
trauma.
METHODS: All patients with major equestrian injuries (injury severity score 12) admitted
between 1995 and 2005 were reviewed. A
46-question survey outlining potential rider,
animal and environmental risk factors was
administered.
RESULTS: Among 7941 trauma patients, 151
(2%) were injured on horseback (mean injury
severity score, 20; mortality rate, 7%).
Injuries included the chest (54%), head
(48%), abdomen (22%), and extremities
(17%). Forty-five percent required surgery.
Survey results (55%) indicated that riders
and horses were well trained, with a 47%
recidivism rate. Only 9% of patients wore helmets, however, 64% believed the accident
was preventable.
CONCLUSIONS: Chest trauma previously has
been underappreciated. This injury pattern
may be a result of significant rider experience.
Helmet and vest use will be targeted in future
injury prevention strategies. Equestrian activities, both recreational and work related, are a
fundamental component of life in Alberta.
Although the precise number of Canadian riders is unclear, more than 470,000 people are
employed exclusively within the equestrian
industry. Furthermore, Alberta possesses
more than 50% of the 854,032 horses in the
country and holds the largest rodeo in the
world.
Unfortunately, horseback riding is also a
significant contributor to major injury. The
hospital admission rate associated with
equestrian activity is .49/1000 hours
of riding.
© 2007 Excerpta Medica Inc. All rights reserved.
Considerable soul searching is going on in many sports regarding concussions, including changing rule
agree that riding is considered a high-risk activity. There are a number of studies on equine-related in
the world and this one gives us a good snapshot of Alberta. Dr. Robert H. Mulloy responded to my reque
important document to review and to ask readers about their experiences and what riding practices th
by Dr. Robert H. Mulloy
I was an active trauma surgeon in Calgary for twenty
years. Since the inception of the trauma program we have
collected basic statistics on our injured patients. Most of
the information related to the injuries sustained but we also
captured the “mechanism of injury.” This included “horse
related accidents”.
I grew up riding outside of Calgary. In 2009, I spent
the night at Foothills Hospital in the trauma unit with a
mild concussion. I recovered and I continue to ride horses.
My brother was kicked in the head at age three and
required surgery. He also did well but he did not continue
to ride.
The purpose of this paper was to explore the circumstances around events that cause serious injury. The
hospital records
lacked sufficient inforTable 1: Injury distribution
mation so we
Injury Number
(%)
approached the
Chest
81 (54)
Head
72 (48)
research and ethics
Abdomen
33 (22)
committee and were
Skull fractures
27 (18)
granted permission
Extremity fractures 25 (17)
to contact the surSpinal fractures
25 (17)
vivors of the equine
Pelvic fractures
23 (15)
accidents.
Spinal cord
10 (6)
Neck
2
(1)
We had permission to contact the families of those
who had died from their injuries (7%) but we elected to
leave this group out of the review.
The paper may be accessed at:
http://antimeria.com/blog/images/2009/07/Equestrian%20i
njuries.pdf. The charts are from the study.
I have some further reflections about this paper.
We accessed a poly-trauma
database to identify the injured. We
“I think that the re
knew that many horse-related accidents were missed. Only severely
of falls from horses a
injured patients were entered into
it is falls that genera
the database (ISS or “injury severity
would be interesting
score” over 12 would mandate that
(whether there was
they had multiple injures). We
or not). This could
excluded all patients with single
injuries even if they were quite
through ridi
severe (eg, fractured pelvis). Also,
we did not contact the medical
examiner so we would have missed
all riders that died prior to reaching the hospital. Almost
half of the patients that were identified by the database had
changed their contact information and we could not contact them for an interview. These factors must be taken into
consideration when looking at the results from the paper.
The people we were able to contact were very happy
to discuss the events.
Table 2: Rider characteristics
Mean riding experience, y (range)
Number of previous riding-related injuries (%)
Mean number of previous falls
Riding purpose (%)
Recreation
Work
Rodeo/sport
Western riding style (%)
Owned horse (%)
Ingested alcohol before riding (%)
Wore helmet (%)
Wore other protective gear (%)
Saddled own horse (%)
Inspected own tack (%)
Wore spurs (%)
Footwear (%)
Cowboy boots
English boots
Other (shoes)
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AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
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27
37
7
(0–70)
(47)
36
30
12
57
57
5
7
24
61
51
15
(46)
(38)
(15)
(92)
(73)
(6)
(9)
(31)
(78)
(65)
(19)
62
3
13
(79)
(4)
(17)
estern Canada
es of the game to reduce incidents. Statistics show and experts
njuries that have been compiled by various organizations around
est to write an update on the survey he was involved in. It is an
hey have changed to reduce risk. Monika Smith, editor
As you can see, many were very experienced equestrians and many had
experienced injuries prior to their admission to the trauma unit.
The typical injured rider in our surveyed population was male, 47 years of
age, 27 years of riding experience. This is similar to the rest of Canada where the
mean rider age is 44 years and 83% possess 10 or more years of riding experience.
The study respondents also usually owned the horse, were facile with saddling and tack, and rode for either recreation or work purposes.
Most wore some form on safety gear but did not wear a helmet.
Although most riders wore appropriate footwear (83%) and other protective
gear (56%) such as chaps and protective vests, the
minority (9%) wore helmets.
We found the circumstances leading to the injury
eal question is that
interesting.
and WHY. Generally,
Forty-seven (60%) patients were thrown from or fell
ate the injury and it
off a horse; 12 (16%) were crushed by a falling horse, 6
to explore this event
(8%) were kicked; 3 (4%) were stepped on and 10
s subsequent injury
(13%) were injured by a variety of other mechanisms.
d be approached
The respondents believed that the horse was
“spooked” in 27 (35%) cases; not fully trained for the
ing groups.”
rider’s input demands in 21 (27%) cases; had a bad temDr. Robert Malloy
perament in 12 (15%) scenarios or simply fell in 9
(12%) instances.
Equipment failure occurred in 6% of all injuries and rider inexperience was
offered as a cause in only 5% of cases.
From the statistics in the paper, a reader could conclude that the ‘three-yearold, one eyed horse we bought for our daughter’ was a perfectly safe choice.
I personally do not agree with this statement. The great weakness of this type
of study is the lack of a “denominator.” We knew that the rider sustained a severe
injury and we had an approximate idea of how much time they spent on horseback but this was not physically measured.
It is true that a naive rider lead around Lake Louise for two hours has a very
low lifetime risk of horse injury in contrast to somebody training colts every day.
However, the actual risk for each hour in the saddle may be the same.
We must also consider that the study did not capture the many hours that
thousands of riders spent in the saddle without accident or injury.
The final interesting aspect that the paper studied the nature of injuries sustained. We published this data to give the readership data so that they could plan
preventive strategies (if they chose). We were again surprised at the results.
Unlike previous literature, chest trauma was the most frequent injury in
our study group. Chest injuries were present in 54% of all patients, and included
rib and clavicle fractures, as well as pneumothoraces and hemothoraces.
The high incidence of chest injury made us question the limited use of
protective jackets in riding.
There were fewer head injuries than we had expected although all 10 deaths
were attributed to brain injury.
The paper was published in 2007. It was presented in Washington that year
and in Red Deer (Horse Breeders and Owners Conference) the following year. We
were blessed with many comments.
Most thought that our results
were wrong and the critics were too
good at riding to injure themselves.
Some were interested in taking
precautions with young or strange
horses (not really the conclusion of
the study) and a few saw the paper as
a route to riches (they were lawyers).
What are my personal reflections
since we did this work?
The horse is an important and
wonderful part of Western Canadian
history. Horse-related injury was a less
discussed aspect of our culture (the
freeman, rancher and horseman John
Ware died at the age of 62 when his
horse tripped in a gopher hole).
I would suspect that modern
horses do not work the same hours
that their forefathers (and mothers)
did. This might mean that they are less
predictable and more dangerous.
I try to expose the horses to
dogs so they will not be surprised if
they meet a strange hound. I also try
to bring a dog if riding in the bush.
They flush out birds and deer and the
horses become adjusted to lots of
noise. If I am riding on my own I
always carry a cell phone.
Safety attire has improved over
the years and helmet wear has been
accepted by increasing numbers of the
ridership. I think that this is good but
also suspect that many of the injuries
(including the head injuries) would
have occurred irrespective of the
attire of the rider.
This being said, I always wear
riding boots. We have a “kids’ horse”
and many children have had their first
ride on her but they are not allowed
to use the stirrups.
I (almost) always wear a
helmet. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
Table 3: Horse characteristics
Median age, y (range)
Breed (%)
Quarter horse
Arabian
Other
Mean training time, mo (range)
Riding frequency (%)
Daily
Weekly
Rarely
7
(1–18)
52
3
13
7.2
(67)
(17)
(17)
(0–60)
28
28
22
(36)
(36)
(28)
Table 4: Environment characteristics
Environment Number (%)
Outdoors
Surface
Dry dirt
Uncultivated land
Rocky
Other
Location
Open field
Enclosed pen
Trail/road
Season
Summer
Spring
Fall
Winter
Time of day
Afternoon
Evening
Morning
Sunny weather
69
(88)
30
29
10
9
(38)
(37)
(13)
(12)
35
24
19
(45)
(31)
(24)
43
15
14
6
(55)
(19)
(18)
(8)
41
19
19
68
(53)
(24)
(24)
(87)
Robert Mulloy is a clinical associate professor of surgery at the University of Calgary. His
practice is based between the South Health Campus and High River General Hospital. He
grew up riding outside of Calgary and he and family members continue to enjoy horseback
riding. Mulloy considers riding an important part of Alberta’s heritage.
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
15
Lynda and her horse, Frost, at WELCA. Frost is 33 and works in both WELCA and Little Bits programs. Photo credit: Shaughn Butts, Edmonton Journal
lynda tennessen wins first national horse stewardship award
by Diane David, WELCA executive director
Lynda Tennessen, WELCA herd & lessons man“Choosing the award winner was very difficult
The
Equine
Canada
Horse
Health
and
Welfare
Stewardship
ager, has won Equine Canada’s first-ever Horse
for our committee as all the candidates gave us
Award recognizes an individual who has on a single
Health and Welfare Stewardship Award. The award
great hope for the future of horse welfare in Canada,
occasion or multiple occasions demonstrated exceptional
recognizes an individual who has on a single occabut Lynda’s particular combination of hands-on care
compassion
for a horse at a grass-roots level.
sion or multiple occasions demonstrated exceptionand infectious stewardship clearly set an awardal compassion for a horse at a grass-roots level.
deserving example for all of us,” said John McNie,
As an organization dedicated to the horse and horse
In nominating Mrs. Tennessen, Valerie Wilson,
DVM & co-chair of Equine Canada health & welfare
industry, Equine Canada considers the health and welfare
a warmblood breeder and long-time supporter of
committee.
of the horse one of its highest priorities. Its mission is to
WELCA, said, “Results speak for themselves in
Lynda Tennessen has worked at the Whitemud
be the dedicated national voice for the horse, serving,
Lynda’s ability to extend the useful working life of
Equine
Learning Centre Association (WELCA) for
promoting and protecting their best interests. One of
horses well into their 30s. She has taken on horses
over 20 years as a riding instructor, therapeutic
its core values is recognizing this responsibility as an
with emotional or physical issues, nursed them
riding instructor and for the last six years, as
overarching goal and the recognition of horse welfare
back into useful lives and maintained them in a
as paramount.
manager of herd & programs. WELCA has seventy
healthy retirement.”
horses on site, 35 belong to the association and 35
This award is an integral part of Equine Canada’s new
“WELCA’s horses are specially trained for the
are privately boarded.
equine lifecycle management policy and program.
wheelchair lifts and quiet work necessary for the
WELCA is a non-profit community organization.
Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association,” contin“The policy and the program aim to develop a balanced,
It offers a variety of riding and non-riding programs
ues Wilson. “Lynda is very conscious of the number
dynamic horse population with maximum potential for
for people ages six to 65. Its programs benefit many
of hours a horse works and she ensures they
excellence in horse stewardship,” states Dr. John McNie,
Edmontonians including high-risk youth, aboriginal
receive at least one day off per week and a miniDVM and co-chair of EC’s horse health and welfare
youth, war veterans, the physically and mentally dismum of three weeks vacation during the year. This
committee. “These awards serve to advance the policy by
abled, and the elderly. Ninety-five percent of particicontributes to their mental health as well as their
recognizing excellence in individual and organizational
pants
do not own a horse; 35 percent have special
physical well being.”
stewardship.”
AB
needs.
In addition to hands-on horse care, Tennessen
sets an example for the 350 plus students who take
riding lessons at WELCA each year. People of all ages learn from Lynda about
Diane David’s 30 plus year career in communications and strategic planning led her to work
for the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre Association in 2007. She was already involved
horse care, herd health and end of life care. She has made an in-house video on
with WELCA as the parent of an avid riding student. She and her daughter now own Luke, a
safe horse handling for her students and staff to imitate.
percheron-fjord cross, who is learning to be a great lesson and therapeutic riding horse.
16
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
www.albertaequestrian.com
The Wild Rose competition program is supported by Capri Insurance
through the “Win Your Entry” and
“volunteer recognition” incentive programs.
The AEF congratulates the many
fine stables and training facilities in
Alberta that provide great facilities,
riding and driving opportunities, and
training and coaches to help improve
sport and/or recreational pursuits.
Contact the AEF if you would like to
hold a Wild Rose competition!
Wild Rose Competition:
Alhambra stables
by Ulrika Wikner, owner and operator
Alhambra Stables is owned and
operated by Ulrika Wikner. After
immigrating to Canada from Sweden
in 1995, Ulrika acquired Alhambra
Stables and transformed this former
private facility into a top class facility
that meets the needs of a diverse
group of riders from pleasure rider to
high-level eventers.
Alhambra Stables began in the
Aerial of Alhambra Stables with 135 acres along the Red Deer River located five minutes west of Red Deer College and on the southwest
border of Red Deer and offering field, paddock and indoor boarding. Photo credit: Ulrika Wikner
1960s as ‘Wolf Crossing’, owned and
operated by Robert and Joan Coates.
The Coates family operated the local
pony club for many years. In 1974 the
Coates were instrumental in initiating
an eventing challenge between the USA
and Canada that developed into the
modern NAJYRC.
Eventing remains Alhambra
Stables’ primary focus. It is one of five
Equine Canada approved competitive
eventing venues in the province of
Alberta. Since 1996 Alhambra Stables
Entry sign to the stable. Photo credit: Ulrika
has hosted 37 Equine Canada competWikner
itive horse trials.
Alhambra Stables offers diverse opportunities to its clientele.
As a boarding facility Alhambra has the capacity to accommodate approximately 40 horses, offering a range of options from indoor stabling to pasture
board. Boarders are able to enjoy the adjoining trail system that parallels the Red
Pony Club lesson at Alhambra. The facility was established in 1995 and has cross country
Deer River and connects to Heritage Ranch Park and the Trans Canada Trail syscourses up to preliminary level, indoor and outdoor sand ring, exercise track and a grass
ring for show jumping. Alhambra hosts several horse trials, clinics, camps and a schooltem. As well, the Red Deer Pony Club and the Adult Riding Club operate out of
ing show throughout the summer months. Photo credit: Ulrika Wikner
Alhambra Stables. All disciplines are welcomed at Alhambra.
Alhambra Stables prides itself on offering three Wild Rose competitions per
year. These shows are well attended by riders from the surrounding communities.
These grassroot competitions offer a low-pressure introduction for novice horses
and riders in the disciplines of hunter, jumper, dressage and eventing.
Alhambra Stables and Ulrika Wikner have focused on developing a facility
that encompasses a variety of options to support riding at all levels in Alberta. With
a three-pronged approach to the equestrian sport, Alhambra supports competitions, boarding and rider development. Alhambra hosts the Red Deer Pony Club
and supports a variety of other pony clubs throughout the province in developing
one of our most valuable resources, young riders.
Alhambra Stables is a privately owned and operated facility where the door is
always open and the coffee always on. When arriving at Alhambra, Charley, a
mixed breed dog, and George, a border collie greet you and will escort you directHigh-performance clinic with Leslie Law, an internationally recognized and respected
ly to Wikner. For more information please feel free to visit our web page at
clinician. Eventing remains Alhambra Stables’ primary focus. It is one of five Equine
www.alhambrastables.com or follow us on Facebook. AB
Canada approved competitive eventing venues in Alberta. Photo credit: Ulrika Wikner
www.albertaequestrian.com
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
17
erna Marburg, Wild rose volunteer
As part of the Wild Rose competition program, each show may submit to
the AEF, the name of an outstanding volunteer who receives an $50 gift card.
“My love of horses started before I even remember, by the time I was two I
was in the pasture climbing our old gray mare’s tail. My parents knew they were
in for trouble. In South Africa I rode whenever I could, I learned to jump and
participated in gymkhanas and eventing. When we came to Canada that was not
possible–we moved to Grimshaw, Alberta and I no longer had a stable of horses
to choose from or a coach readily available.
“When I moved to Edmonton I started riding at a local stable and met Jan
Vella Gregory. Her daughter, Jodi, was involved in Pony Club and was starting to
event. In those days, riders had to provide a volunteer at events; I happily did that
and so my love for Alberta Horse Trials was born. I have enjoyed watching the
sport grow and with it the riders. I have had the pleasure of watching riders like
Jodi, the Gagliones (children and mum), Becky Lee, Rebecca Stevens, Anne
Sophie Levesque and above all Sandra Donnelly grow up and become the amazing
people they have become.
“I have had the joy of wishing riders and their first event good luck and then
watch them win their division or comfort them when they have come off their
horse or made some silly mistake and then shine at a later date.
“It has been a joy watching this sport develop in Alberta, and I look forward
to another season of Horse Trials at Alhambra next summer.” AB
MeMBer referrAl CredIt
refer a neW Aef Member
and receive a $5.00 credit
toward your membership
fees. Conditions apply, visit
our website for more info.
www.albertaequestrian.com
Become an EC certified Instructor/Coach
Get started today!
All Equine Canada coaching programs are
nationally recognized programs developed
by discipline-specific coaching committees
comprised of the best equine professionals
around. The program allows for growth,
development and training opportunities
amongst those involved–and eventually
certification in one of either two streams:
instruction or coaching.
Aef trail supporter fund
The AEF Trail Supporter Fund, formerly known as Trail Supporter
Program, was created to preserve access to Alberta’s trails and to
give everybody the opportunity to enjoy our vast trail network and
camp with their horses.
Everyone who enjoys this freedom must do their part to ensure
that this access is continued. The AEF Trail Supporter Fund supports
the efforts of Alberta trail builders by making funds available to
support the development, maintenance and improvement of horse
friendly trails, campsites and staging areas throughout the
province. Many areas in southern Alberta sustained heavy damage
from the floods last summer and repairs are still needed.
Any contribution is gratefully accepted, however thank-you gifts
are available to those who wish to receive them, at the following
contribution levels: $35, a ‘Leave No Trace’ handy reference card;
$60, a ‘Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics–Horse Use’ booklet; and at
the $100 level, both the reference card and the booklet.
If you care about the future of equestrian access to Alberta’s
trails, please become a trail supporter. Contribute to the AEF Trail
Supporter Fund. Every dollar helps!
Visit www.albertaequestrian.com for details
Contact marketing@albertaequestrian. Or call 403-253-4411, ext 5
Instruction: This stream of certification
would refer to the non-competitive or
recreational context. Starting Beginners
and teaching those who enjoy their horses
outside the competitive ring would be what
an individual in this certification stream
would cater to. It would be ideal for those
who teach beginner riders, riding schools,
or day camps.
Coaching: This stream of certification
would apply to competitive contexts. This
would be for those individuals who work
with students who compete.
As a certified coach and instructor you are:
•
•
•
•
•
Professional and accountable
Trained in first-aid procedures
Have a personal commitment to give students the best you can
Teach and coach best practices
Are knowledgeable and have technical competence.
Certification is available in the following disciplines: English, Western,
Saddle Seat and Driving
For more information about becoming
an EC certified coach or instructor, go the
AEF website, or contact Erin Lundteigen,
coaching@albertaequestrian.com.
18
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
www.albertaequestrian.com
The new 24-stall covered barn. Photo credit:
delacour
shortgrass
Agricultural
riding Club
society &
by Lynn Sturgeon, treasurer
Community Club
The Shortgrass Riding Club has
Cathy Summerscales
by Cathy Summerscales, treasurer
If you have ever driven east from Calgary on Highway 564, you have probably
bounced over the railroad tracks and sped across the canal and never even noticed
Delacour! A busy community hall, a general store, an historic Girl Guide hall and a
couple of houses in the hamlet are the heart of the place, but most residents within
a couple mile radius of the railroad crossing consider themselves “Delacourians.”
As the railway moved west, Delacour was built around one of many prairie
grain elevators connecting the agricultural community to the railroad. Delacour
was incorporated as a hamlet in 1914 and named after a Mr. DeLacour who was a
foreman with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Sadly, our grain elevator has long
since been demolished, but there is an active community centered around the
Delacour Hall. The community club was incorporated by early residents in 1928
and the agricultural society followed fifty or so years later.
The community-owned hall is located on 10 acres of property, bordering the
canal. The hall is the hub of many community activities and is available to rent for
private functions such as weddings and other celebrations. Facilities include a
large commercial kitchen, gymnasium with stage and a pleasant lounge area on
the upper floor. An 18-hole golf course borders the south edge of the hamlet.
Current activities include basketball, Girl Guides, a parents and tots activities
group, monthly card nights, a fitness group, a social ladies group who support a
local women’s shelter, and many equine-related activities. We host an annual pancake breakfast in July to celebrate the Calgary Stampede and a fall turkey supper.
Both events are always well attended and supported by our community.
Two branches of the Canadian Pony Club, Delacour and Pegasus, ride on
separate evenings weekly during the summer. Riders and horses make good use of
the fenced sand rings and schooling-fences on the short cross-country course. The
two clubs hold a collaborative annual week of camp in the early summer with
guest instructors. It’s amazing to see the progress made by both riders and
equines in that week of concentrated horsemanship!
Horse-driving clinics have been part of the Agricultural Society programs over
the last two years and more are planned for spring 2014. For anyone who has in
interest in this fun activity, whether you already drive or would like to learn–watch
for information on our website as dates are confirmed.
A 24-stall covered barn built by
community volunteers in 2013 now
enhances the equestrian use of the
facility. We have plans for further
improvements starting in 2014, which
include upgrade of cross-country
Cathy Summerscales driving Tesa, her
jumps and an additional washroom
Welsh/quarter horse pony. Photo credit: Sue
MacIntosh
building close to the riding rings.
Delacour is a dynamic and growing community and we invite you to stop by
to check out our facilities and events. For more information, visit the website at
www.delacourhall.ca or email: communications@delacourhall.ca. AB
Pony Club members splashing in the water jump at camp. Photo credit: Cheri Anderson
Lynn Sturgeon and Tonka at a trail ride
in the Badlands near Patricia. Photo credit:
been in existence for over 40 years
Allison Gallup
and is a very family orientated. If you
are looking for someone to ride with you are sure to find a member whose interests are similar to yours. You and your horse will benefit from the opportunities to
be more active that are provided by the club. You can share your knowledge or
learn from the more experienced riders. The club offers to put on clinics occasionally involving a wide range of clinicians–from first aid to natural horsemanship, from hoof trimming to bomb proofing your horse. If you love horses and
horsemanship and want to enjoy the friendship and activities that the Shortgrass
Riding Club has to offer contact a member or email shortgrassriding@live.ca .
This club promotes the equestrian sport in southern Alberta. There are club
meetings every second Thursday of the month, “just for fun rides” every month
and horse events. Everyone is welcome to join the Shortgrass Riding Club for $32
per family or $16 for an individual per year.
Over the years the Shortgrass Riding Club has been involved with local 4H
and Pony Club members and their families. Youngsters who have participated in
these clubs have learned to become talented riders, have better confidence and
self-esteem, have learned to care for and respect the horses they are handling,
have met friends with similar interest and have had a wonderful time doing it.
There is nothing like a bunch of horse people getting together just to talk about
horses; their dreams, goals and ideas.
The Shortgrass Riding Club is hosting the Brooks Annual Open Horse Show
on July 26, 2014 with an 8:00 am starting time at the Silver Sage Community
Corral, a wonderful indoor facility located just south of Brooks. Throughout the
day there will be 49 classes, including showmanship, English, Western and trail
horse. This is an open event and everyone is welcome. The age groups are under
six, pee wee, junior, intermediate, seniors and a few fun events for all. A tack sale
table will be available for those wishing to sell used tack and equipment.
For more information such as the
prize list, entry form, post-entries and
the horse show rules etc. please go to
www.shortgrassridingclub.ca or call
Lynn Sturgeon at (403) 362-5439 or
email Cec Watson at cbwatson@telusplanet.net
Lesley Dewar and her warmblood Hope
The club is hosting a Cypress
at a club fun day, Silver Sage Arena. Photo
Hills, Saskatchewan trial ride this
credit: Lynn Sturgeon
coming August and plans to travel to
an equestrian camp west of Turner Valley for a few days in September. The scenery
in these areas is outstanding. The club will also be holding monthly Western style
dressage lessons for members, a few classes in the upcoming Brooks Annual
Horse Show and a clinic for this event in the fall. AB
Trail ride near Tiley. Cec and Bob Watson with their Morgans, Leslie Dewar with her highland pony. Photo credit: Allison Gallup
www.albertaequestrian.com
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
19
Biosecurity workshop.
Photo credit: Courtesy AEF
keeping your horse healthy
with equine biosecurity
by Tara McFadden
Like my children, keeping my horse healthy is important. Pratt is my
endurance and trail horse. I keep him out on pasture, make sure he gets good hay
and during the competitive season, I make sure he gets the extra feed as needed.
He gets dewormed on a schedule, the farrier comes out for regular trims and Pratt
gets vaccinated in the spring. I think I’m a good horse owner.
When a friend asked me if I wanted to attend a biosecurity workshop for
horses my first thought was that whatever that was, I didn’t need it. It sounded like
something high-end performance horses might need and involve scientists in plastic suits. Maybe useful for high-end hunter-jumpers or cutting horses but not my
trail horse.
My friend provided the formal definition of biosecurity “a strategy of disease
prevention– preventing introduction of disease and controlling and preventing
recycling of disease within a herd, region, facility or community.”
That definition didn’t really clear up why I needed to attend a workshop, so
she translated. Biosecurity is about
keeping your horses healthy.
Biosecurity practices are about taking
it beyond annual vaccines to prevent
diseases through management and
disinfection.
That made more sense. Strangles
had recently gone through a friend’s
barn and I’d seen how much work
had gone into treating the horses and
disinfecting the facility. The equine
herpes virus-1, known as EHV-1, hit
Alberta in 2011, primarily affected the
Tara McFadden’s horse, Pratt. Photo credit:
cutting horse world but also caused
Linda Vick
the cancellation of the RCMP mounted
ride. I remember the emerging panic that summer as horsey friends worked to
avoid the spread of the virus. Although the virus was managed and had a limited
impact locally, 13 horses died in the United States.
High-end horse or my trail horse, I don’t know any horse owner that can
easily handle a sick horse. It’s time and money to get the best result: your horse
healthy again.
So I went to the equine biosecurity workshop–surprise, surprise I found the
biosecurity information very valuable. The workshop was lead by a local veterinarian who provides the necessary information for everyone from recreational riders
to competitors and stable owners on how to limit, manage or prevent the spread
of equine disease.
I also learned that there was nothing profoundly complicated about biosecurity. It costs more to fix than to prevent.
20
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
Vaccines are
only part of the
solution. As with
my children, I try
to minimize the amount of bugs
they pick up with some simple rules–wash
your hands, don’t share drink bottles, if you’re sick stay away
from others. Equine biosecurity is about translating these simple practices to the
horse world–don’t share brushes or water buckets, minimize nose to nose contact and isolate sick horses are some of the basic concepts.
At the workshop we worked through the Equine Biosecurity Principles and
Best Practices handbook that was developed through a partnership of Alberta
Veterinary Medical Association and the AEF. The handbook explains biosecurity
concepts that help horse owners understand their risks and guides the creation of
a biosecurity plan that fits each horse owner’s unique situation. Whether that be
keeping your own horse, to running a boarding facility or managing an event.
As horse lovers we know that responsible care of our horses falls to us. And
managing our horses health and well being is as important as riding safely. Just as
the flu vaccines help to keep our human populations healthy, managing our horses’ disease risks and planning how to manage illness, benefits not only our own
horses, but also the entire equine community.
Together the workshops and the handbooks are providing education that will
change how horse owners avoid and manage equine diseases, not only for their
own horses but also for the horse community as a whole.
The AEF is offering updated equine biosecurity workshops in 2014 throughout the province and is currently planning the workshop locations. To book a
workshop in your community contact Jessica Sjogren (403) 892-0961 or email
jesssjo@hotmail.com or Mikki Shatosky at (403) 932-1877 email
design@declerq.ca.
The 2014 Equine Biosecurity Workshops are funded through a partnership
with Growing Forward II, AEF and the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association.
Biosecurity is protecting us, our animals, the farm community and the livestock
industry against disease causing agents. It is a strategy of disease prevention, preventing introduction of disease and controlling and preventing recycling of disease
within a herd, region, facility or community.
For more information visit www.albertaequestrian.com/biosecurity. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
Tara McFadden is a communicator, fundraiser and local politician who has been horse
crazy since buying her first horse at the age of 10 with pop bottle money. She spends her
horse time with an opinionated Appaloosa navigating competitive trail and endurance
competitions.
samantha starratt at the 2013 feI
Children’s International Classic final
by Tonia Anderson
Each year, 32 show jumping athletes 12 to 14 years of age qualify from
around the world for the FEI Children’s International Classic Final. The host country qualifies 16 athletes and 16 foreign athletes qualify for the event. Canada holds
two qualifiers (one in eastern Canada and one in western Canada) as part of the
selection process for the event. Athletes compete in two day, four-round qualifiers
with fences up to 1.20 m high and 1.30 m wide. The top scores qualify for the
final (a maximum of two athletes from each foreign country).
Samantha Starratt from Concorde Stables, with trainer Lynne Stephenson,
qualified for the final in Brasilia, Brazil by winning the western qualifier held
August 24-25, 2013 at Rocky Mountain Show Jumping (RMSJ) in Calgary with her
horse, Carpe Diem (2000 Dutch warmblood). Starratt has been riding with
Stephenson at Concorde Stables (in Cochrane) for the past four and a half years
where she has learned the horsemanship skills needed to reach her potential.
She and Carpe Diem had a very successful 2013 season including wins at
Spruce Meadow’s April Classic in 1.15 m and 1.20 m divisions, at RMSJ MidSummer Classics in the 1.20 m jumper derby and 1.30 m open divisions, and
a top five finish in the CET Prairie Regional Final (a competition for riders
up to 21 years old).
Starratt was the top Canadian qualifier and attended the FEI Children’s
International Classic Final in Brazil December 10-15th, 2013. She was accompanied by her parents, Tonia Anderson and Scott Starratt and trainers, Lynne
Stephenson (Concorde Stables) and Beda Wachter (Wachter Horses, Innisfail).
Each of the 16 host country riders provided two horses for the event. On the day
prior to the start of the competition, a draw was held to see which of their horses
the host country riders would compete on and the remaining horses were put
into the draw for the foreign riders. The riders had two 30-minute warm up
sessions with their horses, with a maximum of six jumps per session, before
the competition.
During the opening ceremonies, riders from each country were escorted by
Brazilian military regiment flag bearers and a song played from each country represented in the competition. The national anthems were not played out of respect
for the passing of Nelson Mandela since there were two riders participating from
South Africa. The trainer of each rider had the honor of raising their country’s flag
and then all the flags were put at half-mast for the day.
The field was very competitive with 21 of the 32 riders, including Starratt and
her 14-year-old bay mare Rupina Jmen, going clear in the warm-up competition.
Rupina Jmen is owned by Brazilian rider Leonardo Parzianello Nassif. The riders
were put into teams in addition to the individual competition with two host country
riders and two foreign riders per team. The teams were named after the local riding schools and riders from the local riding schools came out to cheer on their
team riders. The Brasilia Equestrian Federation (BEF) made it a community event
by holding local competitions throughout the week.
After a four-fault round in qualifying competition 1, Starratt needed a strong
showing in the qualifying competition 2 in order to qualify to the top 16 final. She
and Rupina went double clear placing fifth and was the top foreign rider of the day
giving her enough points to qualify for the top 16 final on Sunday. The host country Brazilian riders dominated both qualifying competitions taking eight of the top
10 spots both days. Starratt’s strong showing helped her team win the team gold
and they were presented with trophies during an award ceremony.
On the final day of competition, Starratt knocked one rail, and ended up
being the fastest of the four faulters. She placed eleventh out of 32 riders overall
and was the fourth best foreign rider.
Samantha says she is honored to
have the opportunity to represent
Canada in this event with the top riders her age and learned about the
lives of other riders from around the
Samantha Starratt riding Rupina Jmen.
Photo credit: Tonia Anderson
world. Most of the riders are now
friends on Facebook so they can stay
in touch and share their passion for horses often using Google translator to communicate in different languages.
Throughout the week, the riders, trainers, and families in many socializing
events including dining on local food, a musical ride performance by a Brazilian
military regiment, and a tour of the city. The FEI and BEF celebrated the athletes
and their supporters. Show jumping is embraced by the community in Brazil and
everyone attending felt part of their family.
Starratt attends The Edge School for Athletes in Springbank (near Calgary)
where she is able to have a strong academic focus with the flexibility in her schedule to attend show jump competitions and training events. Samantha is thankful
for the support of Jump Alberta who awarded her a $1000 travel bursary, shirt and
saddle pad for the event.
Starratt is already applying the learning from her experience to her riding at
home and knows the importance of riding the horse you are on and getting the
job done. Samantha’s next big goal is to attend the North America Young Riders
Competition and to continue to learn how to train young horses. AB
l-r Beda Wachter, Samantha Starratt and Lynne Stephenson. Photo credit: Tonia Anderson
www.albertaequestrian.com
Tonia Anderson is a sport performance and leadership coach living in Calgary. She grew up
riding horses on her family's ranch, and enjoys show jumping with her daughter. Anderson
can be contacted at toniaanderson@shaw.ca or her website http://toniaanderson.ca where
you will find her Jump to Success blog dedicated to equestrian performance.
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
21
Greatness
by Scott Phillips
evolutionary progression millennia
We’re generally very good at
ago if it did not have an instinctive
looking after our horses’ physical
desire to succeed.
needs. Physical needs are very easy
Try is a product of motivation,
for us to relate to, because we share
which for a horse can take one of two
many of them: we require food, we
instinctual forms:
visit the doctor and the dentist. What
we often overlook though, something
1. The herd instinct; the need to
underrated but so incredibly essential
feel safe and content–the human
to success, is attending to the mental
as a herd leader.
needs of a horse.
2. The flight instinct; the horse will
Spud is a sharp looking paint
be punished if he is wrong–the
horse I’ve had for several years now.
human as a predator.
He came to me as an untouched five
How do we capitalize on that?
year old. Many would have given up
working with him. What was required,
FREEDOM FROM FEAR
though, was a different approach to
In addition to a social structure,
training. This horse is exceptionally
companionship
and a full belly, a prey
sensitive, both physically and mentally.
animal
requires
freedom from fear.
Spud is a thinker, and becomes worPredators
are
masters
of creating fear.
ried quickly if he doesn’t immediately
Spud and Scott Phillips riding Ty in the Powderface Ridge, out of Little Elbow
A lion will create fear by its presence,
(Kananaskis). Phillips rode Ty up and Spud down, which was a new experience for Spud
understand what is being asked
which will cause the herd to scatter. A
and a mental training exercise to set up a situation for success. Needless to say, mounof him.
tain riding can build an athlete. Spud had been glued to Ty all the time, so the ride down,
human
can create fear in a horse,
This can be frustrating for a
with Ty beside made it mentally easier and changed the dynamics for a positive relationcausing his mind to scatter.
ship.
Ty
is
also
a
success
story,
coming
back
after
an
accident
in
which
he
broke
his
neck.
trainer because many conventional
Photo credit: Brenda Murdock
A horse that is not comfortable,
techniques are ineffective. Spud has
or is in a state of fear, is obvious to
caused me to re-think the overused
pick out. He’s twitchy. His eyes are
and often misunderstood adage, “Make the wrong things difficult and the right
wide, his head is up. Too often you’ll hear the rider say, “My horse is misbehavthings easy.” If I make something difficult for Spud, I will lose his mind. When his
ing,” or “My horse is being such a freak today!” Too often in these cases the
mind is gone, it is not possible for him to learn. Instead, I set up scenarios where
reaction of the rider is to step up the physical: restrain the horse. Pull harder;
he has the opportunity to choose the right thing, and then make the right thing
kick more.
awesome.
Consider this: The only thing a horse can do is be a horse.
Spud now has an air of confidence about him that he carries with him in the
The actions and responses of a horse are based on his degree of contentherd, or when he leaves the herd on his own–an action previously out of characment, external influences and his flight instinct. The term misbehaviour is a word
ter for him. The changes in his comfort level are a direct result working with his
that a human applies to a horse when the human does not, or chooses not to,
mind with a focus on positive reinforcement. A horse’s body will follow his mind.
understand why the horse is doing what it is. It is difficult for us to understand
By allowing your horse the opportunity, with your guidance, to make decihow a horse thinks because their mind is so different from ours. Applying human
sions, to try, and to take pride in accomplishment, you can make a positive and
psychology concepts is an attempt for us to explain a horse’s actions by personifylasting change in his life.
ing the horse. It doesn’t work.
YOUR HORSE IS AN ATHLETE.
No matter what discipline you ride, or equine activity you pursue, your horse
is an athlete. Athletes work on building muscle groups, muscle memory,
stamina, and precision movements.
They train so that motion and patterns
become easier and natural.
try (noun): An effort to accomplish something; an attempt.
A prey animal in flight mode. Photo credit:
Max Tchikhatchev
22
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
In order to succeed an athlete
requires try. We’ve all heard about a
horse having try, too. This is a given;
the animal would have departed from
It is generally accepted in today’s society that negative reinforcement should
not be employed as a teaching aid. Teachers no longer whack students with rulers
when they don’t get it.
If a horse tries and does not understand, it is our responsibility to analyze
what happened and try another way, which in almost every case means breaking
that thing into smaller pieces, finding success in each piece, and then putting the
pieces together.
We have the ability to show a horse a place where there is no fear. When the
horse is aware that the rider can create that place for him, he will seek it. He will
have try. To achieve this, we require time and patience. We need to understand
that when something is not working, it is because we’re asking too much, asking
incorrectly, confusing the horse, or causing the horse to be afraid of us and react
out of fear, which is their natural instinct.
Freedom from fear, however, is more of a goal than a motivator. If we
remove fear and create a place of contentment, we encourage a constructive
learning environment. So how can we motivate a horse?
www.albertaequestrian.com
TRAINING FOR GREATNESS
I mentioned that horses are athletes. They know what it feels like to succeed;
what it feels like to be right.
It is said that a horse can tell when you’re nervous. Their ability to detect
emotional state is a survival instinct. When one horse senses danger, the other
horses in the herd will pick up on it right away. If a horse can sense when you’re
nervous, he can sense your other emotional states as well. Use this ability to your
advantage.
Remember the old Kellogg’s mascot, Tony the Tiger? He says, with a big smile
and a thumbs up, ”I feel GRRRRREAT!” Imagine your horse feeling great. If you
honestly feel proud of your horse, proud of what he’s accomplished, I guarantee
you that he will pick up on that.
We need to let him revel in that moment: remove all pressure and let him be.
I’m not suggesting that you stop, get off and pet him. Instead, allow him to continue what you asked him to do without your involvement for a while. That is how he
knows he got it right. After that, praise him. Reward him for it. Make an effort to
feel that success with him. Through this constructive use of positive feedback, augmented with properly timed release and praise, a horse will learn to seek that
sweet spot–the place where he can carry himself without your assistance.
That feeling of mutual success and pride in accomplishment is what I call
greatness.
I’m not referring to winning a show here; this could be something as simple
as your horse first shifting his weight backwards when you’re teaching back-up.
It’s that moment when you want to shout out to the world, “YES! We did it!” This is
an addictive feeling, not only for you, but also for the horse.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Greatness paves the road to confidence. Confidence opens the door to further learning.
By striving for that feeling of greatness with my horse, and sharing it with
him, I’m guaranteed something: the horse will want to try for me. He will try for
me because he is seeking the mental reward he knows I can give him. And wow,
does that ever open up the door to learning and possibilities.
When you ride, train or compete with your horse, keep this in the back of
your mind: I will make the positive possible; I will strive for that feeling of greatness. You have accomplished your goal when the horse understands that you are
the most rewarding thing in his life. AB
Scott Phillips is a co-founder of Amazing Backcountry, and an executive director of
the Canadian Cowboy Challenge. When not riding his horses in the mountains he
manages Spudhorse, his equine software and marketing business. Contact Phillips
at spudhorse@gmail.com.
shout out for 2013 nAJyr team medals
by Tara McFadden
It’s never too late for a shout out.
And these young ladies are deserving of it.
In July, 2013, Canada was represented by 50 young riders at the Adequan FEI
North American Junior Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) in Lexington
Kentucky. Over 220 young athletes from Canada, the United States and Mexico
competed for team and individual
medals in dressage, eventing,
endurance, jumping and reining.
In reining, the team of Pearl
Aebly of Okotoks, Stephanie Thomson
of Fort McMurray, and Madison Steed
of Cochrane, brought home team gold
by scoring 631.5 points for their runs,
topping the USA score of 628.5.
Reining success continued with
an individual gold medal win for
Madison Steed and Jumpin Jac Trash winMadison Steed on Jumpin Jac Trash.
ning an individual gold medal. Photo credit:
Waltenberry
“It was great to come to NAJYRC in the
first place, so to get gold is totally
awesome. We will definitely be back.
It has been a fantastic experience,”
said Steed.
Canadian riders also earned
success in endurance, bringing home
individual and team silver medals.
Emma Webb of Flesherton, ONT
l-r Junior team members Hannah Steed,
brought home the individual silver
Maxine Whiteside, Haley Franc and Emily
Wilson. Gold medal young rider team
medal after a challenging 75-mile race
members Pearl Aebly, Stephanie
with a time of 7:29:40 on Vagas.
Thomson and Madison Steed. Photo credit
In the team championship,
courtesy of the reining team.
l-r Jessica Yavis and her horse Jahlad and Jaylene Janzen and Sakic after their team silver
win in Kentucky. Photo credit: Jaye Yavis
Webb’s impressive time was combined
with team mates times (Jessica Yavis of
Winfield and Jaylene Janzen of Devon)
for a team total of 25:45:42.
Of the silver medal win Yavis
said, “The feeling of accomplishment
that comes with this is second to none.
The win makes all the hours of training worth it and more.”
Thank you to all our young riders who put in those long hours and
represented Canada. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
Jessica Yavis and Jahlad. Photo credit:
Peter Vogelaar
Tara McFadden is a communicator, fundraiser and local politician who has been horse
crazy since buying her first horse at the age of 10 with pop bottle money. She spends her
horse time with an opinionated Appaloosa navigating competitive trail and endurance
competitions.
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
23
24
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
www.albertaequestrian.com
Ask the insurance guy
by Mike King
Why is it so difficult?
When it comes to picking the right place for your horse to be stabled, many
people are surprised to find out that facilities that board horses are not licensed
(yet) or governed by any regulatory body.
In our business, we do often get asked to help identify “good places” and the
following is a good checklist to consider before deciding where you want your
horse to live:
a) Are paddocks well drained (tiled) and free of debris or exposed culverts etc.?
you pay for does have some bearing on the decision you need to make. (Ask about
the breakdown of costs being billed each month. Better to find out before you
move in than at the end of the first month.)
And finally… what about insurance?
Liability insurance is an important requirement that every boarding stable
should have. Boarding stable operators should not have difficulty finding reasonably priced liability insurance with Capri Insurance.
a)
Does the facility have a Commercial General Liability insurance policy in
force that specifically covers the care, custody and control of non-owned
horses (your horse). Ask to see it.
b)
Does the facility mandate that you insure your horse? (We trust that you are
aware that you can acquire insurance on the life of your horse as one of the
many benefits of membership in AEF at very low cost. Call us at Capri if you
have ANY questions.)
Does the facility mandate that you maintain your membership in AEF?
b)
If there is a natural water source (creek etc.) is it fenced off to prevent horses from getting too close?
c)
Does the manager rotate paddocks to allow for natural re-growth of ground
cover? Are horses fed round bales instead?
d)
How many horses in a single paddock? Is it too crowded?
c)
e)
Does the manager leave the horses out all day/night or for X number of
hours each day? Does this schedule suit your horse or you?
f)
Is there a (heated) water source for horses available at all times in winter?
g)
Are the paddock fences safe and in good repair (one strand of wire with little flags is NOT safe)?
Choosing a stable for your horse is very important. Do your homework, ask
around for references, ensure you check for liability insurance, ask for a written
boarding contract, acquire life insurance for your horse and take the time to find
the right home for your horse. AB
h)
Is there a gate at the road?
Mike King is an equine insurance specialist with Capri Insurance Services Ltd. and is
responsible for the insurance programs that benefit the Alberta Equestrian Federation
and its members. Do you have a question on insurance? “Ask the Insurance Guy”…and
we will provide an answer in the next issue albertabits@albertaequestrian.com.
(I start with the “outside” because this is where most agree that horses
thrive. If the facility does not have adequate turn out or believes that these
naturally grazing animals will be their healthiest and happiest without lots of
time outside… move on.)
Once we have the outside taken care of, we turn to the indoor housing.
a)
Are the stalls big enough for my horse? It sounds basic but it can be an issue
if your horse is a 17.3 HH warmblood squeezed into an 8 X 8 stall.
b)
What is the bedding material used and how often is it replaced/mucked out?
c)
Do the stalls get wet if there is a big rain or in the spring after snow thaw?
d)
Is there an automatic water bowl or is water provided by bucket and if the
latter, how often are the horses watered?
e)
Is there a window in the stall and does it open?
f)
Is the window and lighting in the stall protected by adequate screening?
g)
Can the horse hang his head out into the aisle (not my favorite)?
h)
Are there any nails or other sharp edges sticking out ANYWHERE in the stall?
i)
Are the aisle ways wide enough and is the footing in the barn aisle safe?
Other considerations:
a)
Who is feeding and what is being fed?
b)
Can I/should I be supplementing?
c)
What is the experience of the manager and staff? When considering a boarding stable ensure the owners/operators have a high level of knowledge and
experience with horses as well as the ability to get along with people. A very
nice facility could have a less-than-great horse person in charge. If you cannot get references from current or past boarders/clients, move on.
d)
Does the business have a business license? Ask to see it.
e)
What about the facilities I can use? Footing, trails, rings, use of jumps, barrels etc. hours of operation, conflicts with lessons or other boarders.
f)
Is there access to veterinary services for routine and emergency care?
g)
Is there an emergency plan in place in the event of a natural disaster?
Price of the board does need to be considered. The adage of “you get what
farm emergency plan
by Alberta Farm Animal Care and Alberta Veterinary Medical Association
Include farm animals when making a family emergency plan.
Know the risks, make a plan and get a kit.
Those are the three main steps farmers and acreage owners
should take in developing an emergency preparedness plan. Brad
Andres, emergency program manager, Alberta Agriculture and Rural
Development, advises people to adopt the same mindset they’d take
with themselves and family. “Think about the risks that are in your area. If
you’re making a plan for the family and you’ve got animals, add the animals to
your plan. Get the pieces of an emergency kit or equipment that would allow you
to deal with your animals in the same fashion as you would with the family.”
Andres says the same plan should also apply to those boarding animals,
adding: “You have to look after the animals you’re responsible for and if you’re
feeding and watering them, then you are going to be responsible to do something
with them in times of emergency. If it’s nothing else than contacting the owners
and they’re going to come and do it, that plan works too.”
Information on emergency preparedness is readily available. Andres recommends anyone responsible for caring for farm animals obtain a short and simple
guide by going to the government of Canada website: www.getprepared.gc.ca and
in the search box type ‘animals’ to reach the guide. Or download a copy of the
“Get Prepared” brochure and farm/acreage plan from www.afac.ab.ca.
Animal welfare is everyone’s responsibility. If you have any questions or
concerns about the care of livestock, Alberta Farm Animal Care provides the
ALERT Line, a 24-hour resource and help line at 1-800-506-2273.
For information contact: Lorna Baird, executive director (403) 662-8050.
AFAC was formed by the livestock industry in 1993 and works to promote
responsible and humane farm animal care. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
25
Aef member organizations (as of January 23, 2014)
If you are interested in finding out more about one of these clubs or joining one, the
contacts are listed below.
BUSINESS MEMBERS AND MEMBERS PRIORITY PROGRAM
CLUB MEMBERS
CONTACT
Alberta 4-H Provincial Equine Advisory Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . Yvonne Yaremcio
Alberta Carriage Driving Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patty Carley
Alberta Dressage Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lorraine Hill
Alberta Equestrian Vaulting Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolyn Latimer
Alberta Friesian Horse Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annie Muilwijk
Alberta Horse Trials Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristine Haut
Alberta Morgan Horse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Delrose Burns
Alberta Mounted Shooters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna Osipow
Alberta Trail Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Scott
Alix Agricultural Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Cumberland
American Saddlebred Horse Association of Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . Raylene McWade
Banff Light Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruth Quinn
Bear Valley Rescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Bartley
Bezanson Agricultural Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erika Backmeyer
Black Diamond English Riding and Driving Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Glynis Barnes
Border Cowboys Mounted Shooters Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Fritsch
Calgary Arabian Horse Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Walker
Calgary Regional Appaloosa Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monique Plumb
Calgary Regional Trail Riders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry Favero
Calgary Western Riders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coreen Calvert
Canadian Registry of the Tennessee Walking Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dianne Little
Cleardale Riders Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandy Richardson
Clearwater Horse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connie Stevens
Cooking Lake Saddle Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Gilbert
Cottonwood Corrals Association (Jasper). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barb Gilmour
Delacour Agricultural Society & Community Club . . . . . . . . . . Cathy Summerscales
Didsbury Agricultural Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhonda Davison
Endurance Riders of Alberta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Darren Desiatnyk
Extreme Cowboy Alberta Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shaun Roen
Foothills Therapeutic Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dianne King
Friends of the Eastern Slopes Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Reinhart
Fun Country Riding Club of Strathmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angela Atkinson
Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Sadee
H.E.D.J.E. Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Krista Lund
Hastings Lake Pleasure Horse Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anita Bleackley
High Country Carriage Driving Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gaye McLennan
Horse Industry Association of Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robyn Moore
Journeys Therapeutic Riding Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Timmi Shorr
Jump Alberta Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristi Beunder
Lacombe Light Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Hill
Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marj Tomomitsu
Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linda Rault
Meadow Creek Vaulting Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeanine Van Der Sluijs
Millarville Polocrosse Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kayla Hicks
Miniatures in Motion Horse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wesley Yarbrough
Northern Trails Riding Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deana Harbidge
Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society of Calgary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lorrie Cooper
Over the Hill Trail Riders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fran Clark
Peace Area Riding For The Disabled Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Douglas
Peace Draft Horse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brenda Ricard
Peace Region Alberta Dressage Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Hoggan
Polocrosse Calgary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesley Plant
Prairie Dusters Drill Team Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michelle Fink
Quarter Horse Association of Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Gallant
Rainbow Equitation Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roxanne Proudfoot
Ranahan Polocrosse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cathy Robinson-Ladiges
Saddle Seat Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rachelle Reichert
Shortgrass Riding Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynn Sturgeon
Southern Alberta Trail Riders Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leanne White
Springbank Equestrian Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norma Ansloos
Springbank Pony Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lois Booy
Spruce View Gymkhana Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dawn Edmondson
Steele's Scouts Commemorative Troop Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Clarke
Stone Bridge Carriage Driving Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judith Orr-Bertelsen
Strathcona All-Breed Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wendy Zelt
Tennessee Walking Horse Association Of Western Canada . . . . . . Brent Bachman
Thompson Country Pony Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wendy Klaassen
Traildusters Horse Club of Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tina Haynes
Tri-Country Riding Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linda Black
Triple R Riding Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lori Hutchison
Valley Riders Saddle Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandy Richardson
Valleyview & Districts Agricultural Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JoAnn Clarke
Western Canadian Wagon Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gail Sissons
Wildrose Mounted Shooting Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gail Cook
26
AlbertaBits SPRING 2014
PHONE
403-742-8353
403-346-2146
403-328-3617
403-224-2618
403-885-0345
403-681-0815
403-885-4992
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780-895-7660
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403-887-2566
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403-358-8135
403-533-2338
587-896-2697
780-835-1280
780-903-3665
403-938-5069
403-420-5949
403-646-2800
403-201-5305
403-782-6472
403-328-2165
780-476-1233
403-556-6266
403-827-7306
403-845-6650
587-775-9063
403-254-4184
403-574-2197
780-538-3211
780-539-7031
780-552-4050
403-249-1831
780-933-7695
403-381-1040
780-975-7116
403-803-7351
780-717-8770
403-362-5439
403-553-4787
403-258-3691
403-289-9066
403-728-3074
403-933-7782
403-782-3282
780-922-3222
780-819-9841
403-845-4587
780-829-3628
403-843-6873
780-478-0773
780-685-3305
780-524-3473
780-675-2572
403-748-3928
Be sure to support our business members! Members highlighted in red, provide discounts
to AEF members
Alberta Label Specialists Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BFL Canada Risk and Insurance Services Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Birdsong Equine Therapies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BMO Bank of Montreal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Calgary Stampede. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canadian Natural Horsemanship Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capri Insurance Services Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Caprice Equestrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Certified Horsemanship Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chesla Farms and Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chinook Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creekside Equestrian Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Discovery Horsemanship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
East Acres Equestrian Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Equanimity Edge Equine Massage Therapy Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Equi-products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Equine Connection Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EquineLUX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foothills Horse Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grande Prairie Regional College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Greenbriar Stables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Healing Soles Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Heaven’s Gait Equine Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hidden Valley Bed & Bale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Higher Trails Equine Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
HJ Equine Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Horse Publications Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Horse Trekking Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
HorseSense HorseManShip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ironhill Equestrian Centre Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J. W. (Jim) Lawton Professional Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Julie’s Natural Hoofcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Just Passing Horse Transport & Bereavement Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lane Moore Hoof Care Courses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mane Reaction Equine First Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Martin Deerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Midnight’s Trail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Moonlight Stables Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Moose Hill Ranch Equestrian Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outpost at Warden Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pace Equine Nutrition Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prairie Coast Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prairie Sky Vaulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saddle Up Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shaw Insurance Agencies Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Strathcona Animal Bedding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Art of Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Tack Trunk Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The VisionsWest Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Welsh’s Saddlery & Western Wear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Willow Grove Stables Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
403-931-3204
1-800-668-5901
403-681-1342
416-927-4371
403-261-9159
780-354-3401
1-800-670-1877
403-203-1086
859-259-3399
780-942-4491
403-700-7880
403-556-6266
780-522-9706
403-990-9916
888-378-4632
403-256-3056
403-560-1153
514-937-1273
403-938-4525
780-835-6601
403-597-6268
780-953-1570
867-633-6482
403-510-8051
403-872-4676
905-727-0107
780-835-4629
403-348-5636
403-931-3268
403-933-3348
403-510-3571
403-680-4177
403-844-5438
403-923-1200
780-452-2790
403-581-3301
403-312-0442
403-242-9209
1-877-762-2767
780-718-8106
780-532-8402
403-969-0433
866-546-9922
1-866-980-9803
780-464-0485
780-721-9826
403-845-4020
403-242-6162
780-471-5333
403-938-6398
log your hours
The Alberta Ride and Drive program rewards members for logging the hours
they spend riding or driving. It is open to riders/drivers of all disciplines, including therapeutic, whether competing, schooling or simply having fun. Even those
who rent a horse are eligible to participate. There is no age restriction. A current
AEF membership and a $20 annual registration fee gets you enrolled. Then start
counting the hours of fun and relaxation riding/driving your horses.
You receive a pen and logbook to record riding or driving hours, with tearout slips to send in for rewards: milestone hour badges, mugs, key chains, halters
and jackets are just some of the prizes.
There are 12 milestones, from 25 to 2,000 hours. Visit the website and see
the Ride and Drive Achievement Wall at www.albertaequestrian.com/RecreationRide-Drive. For more information, please contact Allison Blackmore at marketing@albertaequestrian.com or (403)253-4411. AB
www.albertaequestrian.com
Are you covered?
“
On a sunny January morning, an AEF member
was riding her horse along a road near her farm.
concussion and ended up missing four weeks of
work as a result of her injuries.
Her AEF membership had her covered. She had
She was wearing an approved and properly-fitted
helmet. Traffic was light, but there had been a
fortunately purchased the Optional Accidental Death
& Dismemberment coverage, which includes limited
As a snowplow/sander rapidly approached, she
“
snowfall the night before.
fracture and dental benefits as well as the Optional
Weekly Accident Indemnity policy offered to AEF
did her best to get off the road and out of the way.
members. She was paid a ‘fracture benefit’ for her
But some gravel being spread by the truck flew up
and hit her horse. The horse spooked and she was
thrown off. She suffered a broken leg, a minor
injury and received payment for her time off work.
Accidents often happen in the blink of an eye.
Are YOU covered?
Aef members automatically receive $5,000,000 excess
personal liability and $30,000 Accidental, death and
dismemberment insurance that covers you 24/7, worldwide.
Call the AEF for your membership today, can you afford NOT to be covered?
Alberta Equestrian Federation
Phone: 403-253-4411 Toll Free: 1-877-463-6233
www.albertaequestrian.com
Capri Insurance is the official insurance provider for the Aef
www.albertaequestrian.com
Alberta
Equestrian
Federation
AlbertaBits SPRING 2011
27
©