A new venue for an equestrian competition is always exciting, especially when it’s ideal. A location doesn’t get any better than Moorland Farm in the heart of picturesque Far Hills, New Jersey, where the revival of the Mars Essex Horse Trials is set for June 24-25.
The beautiful green expanse of Moorland Farm. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Essex was an eventing fixture in the Somerset Hills for 30 years, started at Elliot and Jean Haller’s Hoopstick Farm by their son, Roger Haller (who went on to design the courses for the 1978 world championships and the 1996 Olympics). As Essex continued growing, moved it moved from Lamington Road in Bedminster to a more spacious setting at Hamilton Farm, the U.S. Equestrian Team headquarters a few miles away in Gladstone, where it was sponsored by M&M Mars.
After much of Hamilton Farm became a golf course, there wasn’t enough space to run Essex anymore, and its last edition was 1998. But the 2015 Gladstone Gathering at the USET Foundation, a party that aimed to revitalize equestrian competition in the area, achieved its goal by bringing together people with vision who could make things happen.
Roger Haller, who died last year, would be thrilled that the event he and his parents founded has been revived. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
And the most impressive thing that happened is Essex. Among the names you’ll recognize who will be competing there are Jennie Brannigan, Missy Ransehousen, Heather Gillette, Clarissa Wilmerding and Justine Dutton, among others.
Marilyn Payne, head of the ground jury at the Rio Olympics last year, will be taking part as will her daughter, Holly Payne Caravella. Those who follow dressage have seen trainer Lauren Chumley ride, but she has another life as an eventer with the Morgan, Avatar’s Jazzman, who also has shown successfully at Dressage at Devon.
You know the name Moorland because it’s where the Far Hills Steeplechase Races are held every October. A former estate, it has deep-rooted turf that is more than a century old, all irrigated and beautifully maintained by the race association.
A course has been laid out and built by Morgan Rowsell, a Long Valley resident with extensive experience who is co-chair of the Essex organizing committee with Ralph Jones. Morgan is the one who constructed the fences at the Horse Park of New Jersey for the Jersey Fresh International and additional competitions at that facility in Monmouth County, as well as at Rocking Horse, Seneca Valley and others on the East Coast.
Morgan and Ralph gave me a tour of the property. Here’s a video:
The Moorland floorplan includes routes for Beginner Novice, Novice, Training and Preliminary levels, with two separate sections in each division. Expect to see higher levels competing in the future as this event continues to develop.
Holly Payne Caravella competing at the 2016 Essex Preview event. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Everything is laid out so that tailgaters at the top of the hill can have a birds-eye view of the action, while those down below at the Hoopstick Club (named as a homage to the Hallers’ farm) will be close to the show jumping area and the water obstacle that is at the heart of the course.
Morgan has made good use of the racetrack where the steeplechase horses run in the autumn, incorporating it into overall use of the property, which also will host a vendor village and a car show.
Horses appreciate natural footing, if it’s good, and the painstaking maintenance at Moorland assures that. The routes have a flow, rather than twisting in on themselves as is the case at some events. Morgan put it this way: “Horses feel like they’re going somewhere.”
A handsome old barn at Moorland will be replicated in a fence on the cross-country course. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The cross-country starts at the first bend of the racetrack, and then competitors will circumnavigate the track. Morgan cited the commitment of the race meeting to insure the footing is ideal.
Guy Torsilieri, chairman of Far Hills Race Meeting Association and a past chairman of the Essex Horse Trials stepped up to help make the revitalized event happen.
The kidney-shaped water complex promises to be spectacular. It’s in a wide-open area, with a view unhindered by trees, a plus for spectators and lower- evel horses as well, so they know what’s next and won’t be surprised. It’s 10 strides across and about eight strides wide.
It’s more of a challenge for the horses competing at a higher level, who will have a log on the lip of the water that they clear on their way in.
The preliminary level course is a little less than two miles, at 2,800 meters, which should have an optimum time around 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The other divisions have shorter courses, down to 2,000 meters for beginner novice.
Although to the untrained eye much of the course seems flat, it actually has “a soft roll to it, and a significant amount of terrain,” Morgan said. Riders need to be careful in how they expend their horses’ energy, or they’ll be left with time penalties and a tired mount.
The show jumping course also has a little bit of terrain because it’s on the grass, not the all-weather footing that is practically ubiquitous these days.
“We’re doing it old school,” said Morgan. The show jumping course designer will be Chris Barnard (Plantation Field, Heart of the Carolinas), who will be using fences that have sponsor logos. Presenting sponsors include Open Road Auto Group, Peapack-Gladstone Bank, RWJ Barnabas Health and Running ‘S’ Equine Veterinary Services.
The Preliminary show jumping will be going on at the same time as an early evening Saturday cocktail party at the Hoopstick Club. After all, Essex always had a social aspect as well as a being an important sporting event.
The Essex Horse Trials trophy was gathering dust for nearly two decades until it was decided to revive the popular event and get this bronze out in the spotlight again. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
At the other end of the scale, the area reserved for dressage will be “quiet and out of the way,” enabling horses and riders to do their best in that segment.
Essex is a boon not only for the sport, but also for the Somerset Hills.
“This whole area was thick with horses for a long time and it’s taken a hiatus,” said Morgan.
“We’re going to launch this beautiful horse trials and hopefully other disciplines will follow suit.”
Tickets are a bargain at $10 in advance (covering both days) with children 14 and under free. Tickets are $20 at the gate, so go to www.essexhorsetrials.org to order the $10 tickets and get more information on the event.
Essex benefits LifeCamp in Pottersville. It offers an enriching summer day camp experience for 300 Newark area youths between the ages of six and 13 daily during six weeks in the summer.
The mission of LifeCamp Inc. is to empower youth to succeed and excel by developing life skills, character and leadership through a program outside of an urban environment.
Can you imagine taking a sample of feed every time you open a new bag, keeping it in a baggie marked with the date the feed bag was opened and the lot numbers? Oh, and writing all the information in a log book, including where and when the feed was purchased. How about testing the supplements you give your horse, to see if they show evidence of substances that are prohibited in competition?
That’s now the routine at the barns where horses are being trained by Adrienne Lyle and her mentor, Debbie McDonald. Adrienne and one of her mounts, Horizon, were suspended from competition by the FEI (international equestrian federation) after a drug test taken at a Feb. 10 show revealed a trace of ractopamine.
Adrienne Lyle was all smiles after Horizon won the national Intermediaire I championship following a long battle to make it to the Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The substance, forbidden by the FEI, was not named on the ingredient list of Cargill’s Progressive Nutrition® Soothing Pink™, a gastric nutritional supplement administered to Horizon, but it was in there. The same thing happened to Young Rider Kaitlin Blythe and her mount, Don Principe. The only link between Adrienne and Kaitlin was the fact that they were using Soothing Pink.
The suspensions of Adrienne and Kaitlin were lifted after Cargill admitted responsibility for the presence of ractopamine and took the supplement off the market, but the FEI still insisted on its policy of suspending the horses for two months—even though they were not harmed and the substance had cleared their systems within five days.
It took intrepid lawyer Sam Silver bringing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to get the horses’ suspension lifted so Adrienne and Kaitlin could take Horizon and Don Principe to last weekend’s Dutta Corp. U.S. dressage national championships in Gladstone.
It was worth the trouble. Each won the national title in their divisions; the Intermediaire I and Brentina Cup respectively.
Fighting the FEI is expensive, and the total bill hasn’t been tallied. The case has yet to be fully adjudicated by CAS, which will require a trip to Switzerland, according to Horizon’s owner, Betsy Juliano. What the FEI will do subsequently is uncertain.
Why shouldn’t the whole matter have been dropped once Cargill took responsibility?
A statement from the FEI said it is “not challenging the suspensions at CAS, but only defending its paramount interests; to safeguard the welfare of our equine athletes and the level playing field.” The FEI deferred further comment “until the final CAS decision is received.”
Betsy noted, “It’s not as if we disregarded an ingredient on the label.” She added that the horses have been tested before on the same regimen with no negative results.
Betsy stated that the U.S. Equestrian Federation has been a strong support, going to CAS on the horses’ behalf. If not for that, she said, Adrienne and Kaitlin would not have been able to compete in Gladstone after a long and thorough preparation of their horses.
“There was a real discouraging period of time after the FEI refused to lift the horses’ suspensions after all this time preparing the horses, the effort and the heart that goes into it. And then to have her not be able to go down centerline here was really sad to me,” she said, recalling her emotions about Horizon’s situation before the situation was resolved.
The USEF’s help sends “a positive message to the membership, especially the membership who competes, that our federation is fair and will stand behind us when it is necessary,” said Betsy. She had an unusual advantage in this instance, because her company is involved in providing legal services.
As she noted, “by lucky happenstance, this situation falls smack into my line of work. The method of proceeding through a situation like this is something that is every day for me.”
Betsy also praised Cargill and said she will still use their products. “I now know that if I get in trouble,” she said, Cargill will step up. “This company raced to our aid,” she pointed out.
The situation was a learning experience for all involved, but Adrienne—whom I’ve known and respected since 2005, when she started as a working student with Debbie—has a reputation for being aboveboard and meticulous.
“I’m always so paranoid. That’s the irony in all this,” Adrienne said wryly, referring to all the precautions she takes.
“The CDI horses (those in international competition) have their own grain room and only one person is allowed to make their grain.”
The situation affected her preparation with her horses, causing her to miss an important show at the Tryon, N.C., International Equestrian Center.
It “would have been key, especially for the stallion (Salvino) who’s only done one CDI. We applied for a wild card, and luckily they gave us a wild card,” said Adrienne, who was reserve in the Grand Prix championship with Salvino, noted the suspension didn’t affect training for Gladstone.
“We kept training as if we were going to come here,” she said.
Kaitlin, whom I did not know before meeting her at Gladstone, said, “The biggest thing for me is how vulnerable we all are without really knowing that we are. We all consult the best vets and nutritionists and you think you’re dotting all your I’s and crossing all your T’s; it came as such a surprise to us.”
Brentina Cup champion Kaitlin Blythe with Debbie McDonald, Betsy Juliano and Debbie McDonald. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
She noted it was lucky the horses weren’t harmed by the ractopamine, noting that in other instances around the country, there are horses that have been sickened or died after consuming contaminated feed.
Like Adrienne, she’s keeping a log and going through the baggie procedure.
“It’s been an educational experience,” said Kaitlin. “It’s going to be a bit of an eye opener for everyone as to what can happen when you think nothing can happen.”
We’ve seen this before. For instance, New Zealand eventer Jock Paget lost his 2013 Burghley 4-star title when his winning mount tested positive for the tranquilizer reserpine, determined to have been in a supplement. He was suspended for months, until it was found that he was not to blame.
Show jumper Margie Engle lost the 1999 American Invitational title when reserpine turned up in a supplement she used that had been guaranteed to test clean.
As Steve Schumacher, director of the USEF’s equine drugs and medication program warns, “Caution is urged if one is using so-called herbal or natural products, since plants are commonly the source for pharmacologically potent, forbidden substances such as cocaine, reserpine, and marijuana.”
Forget the rain. Things are looking brighter for the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event, which has had its ups and downs over the years. So give the dedicated workers and organizers applause for their efforts at the 15th renewal last weekend at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown.
“They really stepped up this year and put a lot of work into the cross-country,” said U.S. Equestrian Federation Director of Sport Will Connell.
Despite that torrential downpour and chilly temperatures on cross-country day, riders were complimentary of the event, and the hardy tailgaters who came out equipped with umbrellas, tents and lots of hot coffee appreciated seeing the way athletes handled the considerable challenge.
This photo of a soaked Ashley McVaugh and Latino H gives a good idea of what it was like competing on cross-country in a rainstorm at Jersey Fresh. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Unlike last year, when competitors weren’t happy with the CCI cross-country courses (which are longer than CIC courses), there was universal praise for routes laid out by the new designer, Mark Phillips, who had the advantage of being able to use more land than was available in 2016. That made the layouts more flowing than they had been in the past.
The featured Jersey Shore water complex surrounded by tailgaters was completely re-designed to have a more user-friendly island than it did in the past, making it suitable for combined driving as well as eventing.
Californian Tamie Smith, who rode Dempsey in the CIC 3-star as a prep for the upcoming CCI 3-star in Bromont, Quebec, noted, “You can tell how hard they are trying to make it so much better and they’re listening to the competitors and making changes. It’s a testament to the organizers and people involved.”
She also cited Mark’s work, saying, “I think it has made all the difference, having him be a part of Jersey Fresh. He’s done a remarkable job. The courses were just enough to have some problems, but not overly tricky.
“Mark’s one of the best course designers in the world and he did such a phenomenal job with the terrain and the design,” commented Tamie, noting Jersey is an ideal spot for a green 3-star horse like hers to have a run.
The footing for cross-country has been considered a strong point of the venue in Monmouth County, where much of the soil has a natural sand element, and it held up well enough with concerted attention from a dedicated grounds crew. Mark did note, however, that by mid-afternoon when the Saturday competition wrapped up, the ground couldn’t have taken too many more hooves. But a less-forgiving surface would have deteriorated long before that.
Dr. Brendan Furlong, whose B.W. Furlong & Associates veterinary practice was the presenting sponsor, naturally would have preferred sunshine but noted, “under the circumstances, it was as good as it could possibly could be. We got very positive feedback on the course. I think it’s the most positive feedback we’ve had in many years.”
He added, “From the effort that the grounds crew went to, to keep it as safe as possible, and also from the design of the course from Mark’s perspective, it was a huge coup, making that happen. We came out of it with a good positive feeling this year and hopefully we can carry on with that.”
Debbie Adams, a founder of the event who is no longer associated with the organization, said she was “really impressed with Mark Phillips and what he did to make a nice galloping course, because then the horses get encouraged. Once they had a question, it was something they could easily see and understand. It wasn’t a blind approach and it made sense to them.
“It’s a struggle for any competition to keep going and make ends meet and keep everybody happy, and they’ve had some rough patches. But when they pulled it out (on cross-country) and made it right for the riders and horses, that’s a big statement for them.”
Debbie, whose DA Duras was ridden to first place in the CIC 2-star by Lauren Kieffer observed, “It’s almost better than if they had run in the sunshine. The competitors know what they put out, and it worked.”
Phillip Dutton, the 2016 Olympic individual bronze eventing medalist, is a Jersey Fresh regular. He won the featured CCI 3-star with Mr. Candyman, and said he’d come back next year.
“It sounds very simple, but if you’ve got a good cross-country course, everyone usually goes home happy. I thought, considering the conditions and the amount of rain, the course rode really well. I think it was a good education for horses and riders, and that’s basically what it’s about.”
Will Connell noted that “people need to learn to ride in the rain as well as in the sun. I was pleased. There were a lot of riders who would have come away having learned a lot about how to ride in difficult conditions.”
Marilyn Little, who won the CIC 3-star on RF Scandalous, considered it a good opportunity to practice for what she may encounter at the Luhmuhlen, Germany, 4-star, which is her next stop with the mare.
Marilyn Little was glad for a chance to practice riding RF Scandalous in rainy conditions at Jersey Fresh. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“I have a lot more confidence going into Germany, where it can also pour,” Marilyn said.
Buck Davidson had been critical about the CCI courses in 2016, even wondering whether Jersey Fresh should offer CCIs, but he liked what happened this year.
“I think it’s better. They’ve definitely opened it up with that front field (the extra land) a bit.”
He would, however, like to see some of the jumps changed.
“They’re a little boxy and not as horse friendly,” said Buck, who is in favor of more permanent fences, rather than those that are movable.
“The big oxer in the CIC over the ditch was a great jump, it makes the horses really get up in the air. Some of these corners are so vertical they just kind of push against them a little bit and the horses don’t seem to respect them as well.”
He was pleased to see improvements, however.
“It’s all small steps,” he said.
“Hopefully, they’re going to get these arenas better. Spend some money and get some good footing. Make this place awesome There’s so much potential here.”
Jennie Brannigan had her game face and her raincoat on as she finished her trip in the CIC 3-star on Cool as Ice. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Rob Burk, CEO of the U.S. Eventing Association, was impressed with what he saw at Jersey Fresh.
“I think this was an amazing weekend. The staff, the volunteers and organizers went over and above to make sure this was a safe and great experience. I think it will only build from this going forward.”
He commented, “I think a lot of good things have come out of this. We’ve already got some ideas on what can be done at the Horse Park to continue to improve the facilities, to improve the arenas, to bring them up to the point to where this continues and grows into one of the premier events in the country.”
Footing in the arenas is a key issue, and an effort by those connected with the horse park to raise money for a new surface in the grand prix ring hasn’t gotten very far. Rob said the USEA can help.
“I think we’ve already been connecting a lot of the right people with the leadership,” said Rob.
He noted that Jersey Fresh has “a pivotal date. There is a reason why people in the sport care about what happens here.”
The 50th anniversary of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association is being celebrated this weekend at its national championship show in Kentucky. IHSA, begun by Robert Cacchione at New Jersey’s Fairleigh Dickinson University, has grown to involve 10,000 riders at 400 colleges and inspired start-ups of similar, smaller groups outside the hunt seat and western disciplines, such as dressage and saddle-seat.
But one that has followed the IHSA template and taken off big time is the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, which Cacchione sees as a feeder organization for IHSA. Myron Leff, a founder of IEA with Roxane Durant, Wayne Ackerer, Timothy Boone and Ollie Griffith, considers Cacchione the “grandfather” of IEA, which is 15 years old and, he advises, the largest youth equestrian association in the country.
Of Cacchione, Leff commented, “He gave us permission to mimic IHSA.” IEA has an amazing 13,500 participants in hunt seat and western. It obviously was an idea whose time had come.
Camaraderie is a big part of the IEA experience.
For kids who don’t have their own horses, or can’t afford the expense or time of doing the big horse shows, IEA offers a route for riding.
There are middle school and high school teams across the U.S. involved with the IEA format, open to riders in grades six through high school. Riders pick school horses by lot at various competition venues, so no one has an advantage and catch-riding skills are a must.
Teams can be formed by schools or barns. There are 55 IEA teams in New Jersey, and the response has been so impressive that the Zone 2 team, which was New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, is having a spin-off. The new Zone 11 will involve New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with approximately 1,411 riders.
IEA does more than offer participants a team experience. It also gives many students who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to compete the opportunity to ride, learn and show. That rang a bell with Kathryn Colao of Summit, whose sons had outlets in Little League and Pop Warner football.
Similarly, IEA gave her daughter, Liz, a way to be involved with a sport she loves, without having to own a horse.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Kathryn.
“It’s very equitable. People draw from the same pool of horses, so no one is showing up with their $250,000 horse and special trainer.” She pointed out that it’s not a one-off show here and there; rather, it’s a process that goes on through the season as a team builds its strength and riders seek to qualify through zone and regional competitions for the nationals, held last month at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va.
When her friends asked what IEA was, Kathryn replied, “It’s not Springsteen’s daughter or Bloomberg’s daughter in Florida with their horses. It’s a lot more accessible than that. It’s a really good opportunity.”
The most successful effort at nationals by Jerseyans involved Liz and her friend Olivia Hennessy of Basking Ridge, both members of the True Heart Stables team organized by trainer Torri Siegel Dragos, who is moving her operation that includes 12 school horses from Hunterdon County to Bedminster this month.
Liz, a 15-year-old sophomore at Summit High, took the title in the Junior Varsity Beginner on the Flat category, while Olivia, a 15-year-old freshman at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung was runner-up.
“It was a very big proud moment for sure,” said Torri.
Champion Liz Colao and reserve champ Olivia Hennessy with trainer Torri Dragos.
“It makes me feel a lot more accomplished and that I was better than I ever thought I was,” said Liz, who was nine when she began riding at Union County’s Watchung Stables. And being there with Olivia, “made it a lot more fun and meaningful,” she commented.
Assessing the overall impact of the program, Liz said, “IEA really connected me with the people at my barn.”
“It got me to respect everything we do. It’s hard to ride new horses every single show. It taught me how to ride all different types of horses.”
Like many of the IEA participants, she plans to ride with IHSA when she goes to college.
Liz Colao
Olivia’s mother, Tracy Hennessy, said, “I love the team concept, the camaraderie among the girls. We’ve been very impressed.” Discussing the way her daughter finished at nationals, she observed, “I was floored. It was totally unexpected, but we were beyond thrilled. She just wanted to make the first cut so when she ended up getting reserve champion, we were really amazed and proud.”
Olivia, who began riding at Shannon Hill Stables in Basking Ridge, said it was “such a good feeling” when only she and Liz were left in the lineup to be pinned.
“I would have been so happy getting a ribbon at nationals; I never would have thought of getting reserve champion. Knowing I can get on a random horse that I’ve never ridden before, show and then place well and get to regionals, zones and nationals has done wonders for my confidence,” Olivia reflected.
Like Liz, she would like to ride with IHSA when she goes to college; that might even be a deciding factor.
“I just love to ride,” she said.
Olivia Hennessy
Torri grew up at her family’s Snowbird Farm in Long Valley, where “it was always a bunch of girls and we had so much going on all the time. When I started my own operation, things got so small. I was used to being really busy. But I had kids, and I had to be home by 3 p.m. to meet the bus, so there was no chance of me having any juniors (riders) because they all want to ride after school.”
As a result, her business primarily involved teaching adults. Then three years ago, with more freedom as her own children got more independent, she heard about IEA. She needed three kids to start a team and recruited them.
“It was fun. We had a good time, but I didn’t have any idea what I was doing,” said Torri, who now has 21 girls on her team.
By the second year, however, “We got a little serious. We made it to nationals. Some of the girls were better than others, but it really comes down to the luck of the draw. You draw a good horse, there’s a much better chance.”
Her middle school team made it through last year; this year, it was individuals, rather than a team, that got to nationals under Torri’s direction.
“It’s a chance to get into a stadium. It’s a chance to go back to my Snowbird roots; most of those kids rode school horses. It’s very familiar, and for me, it’s a good niche,” said Torri.
Asked about Liz and Olivia’s performances, Torri said, “We prepared, we did so many extra practices. They just nailed it.”
But it was tense waiting for the results.
“Until they pin the class, you never know,” she commented, saying the awards were announced one by one, from the lowest to the highest.
“When they called third place, and it wasn’t either one of my girls, we have a video of them hugging when they knew it was the two of them at the end. I was crying. It was a beautiful thing. If you have one good rider, you feel like you get lucky. But when you have two and make it all the way after working so hard…for me, it was very rewarding. And it was on live feed so everybody at home could see it. We started getting texts right away.”
Torri described IEA as a grassroots program, “because it’s teaching kids how to ride, how to get on any horse and be a competitor. I love being a part of it and being able to share the show world with kids who in other circumstances might not be able to get in the show ring.”
No New Jersey teams qualified for nationals, but three other individual riders from New Jersey also took part in the show.
Katherine Titus was fifth in Varsity Open over 2-6 fences Individual. She also was seventh in the Varsity Open Championship Class. She rides with Atlantic Cape Equestrians in Woodbine.
From The Ridge in Lebanon, Amanda Tom placed eighth in varsity intermediate over 2-foot fences and Taylor Pruitt of the Southern New Jersey team participated as well.
What type of footing should you put in your ring? The number of options is positively confusing—do you want an artificial surface? And if you choose that, will it include bits of rubber, fiber or wax? How about something more natural, such as sand? How should the surface be cared for and watered?
A look at the front hooves of a horse landing from a show jump shows the amount of pressure that comes to bear on them. (Photo copyright 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
It’s an incredibly complex subject, but I thought the man with the definitive answers to those questions would be Dr. Jeffrey Thomason from the University of Guelph in Ontario. After all, he is an expert on equine hoof anatomy and mechanics, while the subject of footing (the effects of surfaces) also is a big part of his game.
So when he was one of the keynote speakers earlier this spring at the Rutgers Equine Science Center’s vastly informative two-day “Horses” symposium in Piscataway, I took the opportunity to get his thoughts on the subject. As his bio for the Rutgers program noted about his work, “the effects on limb loading of factors such as surface properties is key to improving equine performance, while reducing the high frequency of limb injuries.” And who doesn’t want to do that?
He was most generous with his time, but the bottom line is that I got no sure-fire footing recipe. Apparently, there isn’t one.
“It’s not a single-answer question,” he told me.
Dr. Karyn Malinowksi of the Rutgers Equine Science Center and Dr. Jeffrey Thomason of the University of Guelph. (Photo copyright 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
“The jury is still out, there’s no two ways about it,” the professor commented, pointing out, “It depends on the discipline.”
I did, however, receive a lot of information.
In his talk, he noted that risk factors related to the mechanics of motion involve not only the composition of the surface on which the horse is moving, but a number of other factors as well, including whether the activity is strenuous and/or repetitive, and shoeing status—is the horse barefoot or wearing shoes; if it’s the latter, do they have grips or caulks? There are discipline-specific injuries that include (to mention just a few) hock and suspensory problems in jumping and dressage, knee and pelvis problems in thoroughbred racing and navicular in jumping and general use.
Each stage of the hoof’s movement has different kinds of loading. The initial impact is shock. Then you’ve got the slip-and-slide, which is horizontal loading, and the weight of the force, which is vertical loading. Every type of load interacts with a different property of the surface. The first impact involves how much energy the hoof and leg have to absorb, depending on the hardness or softness of the surface. The amount of slide is controlled by the grip and we don’t yet know, he said, what an appropriate amount of slide involves.
In terms of what causes injury—do we want the foot to come to a halt? Definitely no, but then other than reining, we don’t want foot to slide out too much. Sponginess of the surface is important in the weight-bearing phase, because it will increase the amount of force on the leg.
The next step is linking the mechanics to the type of injury you might see, he said. Impact involves hock issues, slip and slide is probably deleterious to tendons; mid-stance, when the leg is vertical, puts 2 ½ times body weight on one leg, so “every tissue in the leg is wronged at that point.”
“Given you’ve got this partitioning out of different types of loading and interaction with different properties at different stages of the stance, every surface has a different combination. One that’s really good for cushioning the landing may actually increase the peak loading, and vice versa,” he pointed out.
Therefore, he added, we shouldn’t be looking at a single property of surfaces. Rather, we must look at them all in combination.
“That makes it complicated. That’s why we don’t have answers. It’s only 10 years into these kinds of studies.”
He also pointed out that among the risk factors for injury, “surface composition is nowhere near the top of the list.” More pertinent are the type and intensity of activity, how strenuous and repetitive it is and whether the animal is conditioned for the competition properly, which leads back to training methods.
Dressage horses do many different type of movements that require the optimum in footing. (Photo copyright 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
Meanwhile, each type of artificial footing comes with its own set of problems. They’re all different, depending on how they’re constructed and who put them together.
Designers are experimenting with varying mixtures of the components, the percentage of rubber vs fiber, types of fiber, types of sand, he said. Clay with its little binding particles is another component. He said it’s a low percentage, 10 percent or less.
More questions: What kind of sand do you use, what’s the moisture content? How often do you water during an event? Water fed from underneath will superhydrate and then the water becomes part of the equation, not just the moisture in the surface, but the water itself has a hydraulic effect.
Water can give more of a cushion, he said, explaining, “Think of a waterbed, it has different properties than a regular mattress.” Systems that can do that are not inexpensive to put in and maintain, however.
He observed, “designers know what they’re doing and know the principles on which they design, but very few actually test forces” (to verify that their design does work).
Understandably, he won’t endorse any particular type of footing, or footing formula.
“We do not have enough information to state that definitively,” he said.
“A 100 percent perfect answer? The reality is not yet, (but) we should be able to get quite a bit closer than we are today. We’re answering basic questions but finding more questions every time we do. The rate of progress is increasing. What we’ll understand in 10 years is five times what we learned in the last 10 years.”
He mentioned it would be useful to check out the racing surfaces testing laboratory (www.racingsurfaces.org). It produces white papers on surfaces and how they’re tested. Although they are focused on racing, not showing, Thomason said, “The principles are the same; the outcomes are different, depending on the need.”
And certainly, you need a different surface for different disciplines. “One size doesn’t fit all,” said Thomason, who envisions the possibility of some kind of meter behind the harrow with a machine, that has a needle the driver can see, showing that the harrowing is appropriate for a certain discipline, as long as the needle is between the green lines. He said there’s no reason that couldn’t be done for all surface types, “so during the daily maintenance, you could recondition the surface to be appropriate for the use.”
So what should you do about your arena? He advises, “Find yourself somebody who’s reputable, because the good designers are good, they can get you the best product you can get for your needs.” Tell them about those, then get them to explain to you what they are doing.
“Interview a couple of them and see the different messages you get. Then make a decision on your best judgment.”
Added Thomason: “Realize that next time you want to put a surface in, your conversation will be very different, because there will be new information.” Rather than trial and error at work, “we should be progressing more toward knowing how the design will affect the horse. That has been the parameter that is missing.”
Remember, surface properties are just one of many risk factors. The intensity of the workload, speed, repetitions, that’s the biggest risk factor for injury, he said. That’s got the direct effect on the mechanics and loading of the leg.
“It’s loaded very differently in each of the different disciplines. Dressage is sufficiently different from show jumping that I think at some point they will have to be different surfaces.
“If you condition it for one discipline you’re going to injure horses in the other. If we know that is going to happen then it’s some kind of negligence. It becomes an ethical issue. We’re not there, but I predict we’ll get to that point where we have enough knowledge and say this surface isn’t good for this discipline.”
On the other hand, there definitely is some leeway. “If you condition a horse to work on different surfaces when they’re training then, they will be able to accept a variety of surfaces for competition too. (It’s like cross-training).
Riders of show jumpers who spend most of 12 weeks on a state-of-the-art artificial surface at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., often will try occasionally to take them to shows held on turf during that period, to give their horses a break. While there are many pluses to grass, it can’t take heavy use and weather can wreak havoc on it.
Thomason emphasized that research into surfaces needs more sponsorship. At least 10 different groups around the world are capable of handling it, Thomason said; they just need the funding..
“We’ve gone beyond experience and observation. We’ve got scientific measurement and it’s changing the name of the game.”
The CP National Horse Show, where the ASPCA Maclay at 3-6 has been the industry standard for generations, just scrapped plans to use the Maclay name for a new 3-3 equitation competition.
The ASPCA Maclay stands alone at the CP National Horse Show. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
In my column of last week, linked here, past Maclay winners polled were outraged that the name of their class was to be used for a less-demanding test. Confusion also was guaranteed by staging a 3-3 class, whose title included the word Maclay, a week before the ASPCA Maclay itself would be held at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena .
“We have taken into consideration the many comments that were received and have since removed the ‘Maclay’ designation from the title of the class,” said Geoff Teall, chairman of the National’s equitation committee.
CP National Horse Show President Mason Phelps had explained originally when questioned about the new class, “We think it has a lot more punch using the word Maclay in there, versus not. We want to keep it all sort of in the spirit of what we do.”
But there was just too much pushback for that reasoning to survive.
The new class has been renamed the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship in honor of the USHJA Foundation. The class, which will be held in the Alltech Arena on October 28-29, before the 2017 CP National Horse Show gets under way, will be a stand-alone under USEF rules.
There will be only one Maclay trophy at the CP National Horse Show. (Photo copyright 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
“It’s a long title, but I think it’s great. I really like that name because it makes it really important and it’s its own entity now, instead of something that is less than a big, important event,” said 1977 ASPCA Maclay winner Francie Steinwedell Carvin, one of many who had protested using the Maclay name for another class.
“I think they’re smart and I think a lot of people are a lot happier, including me,” she said when commenting about the change.
“The goal of the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship is to offer a stepping stone to riders who aspire to compete in the ASPCA Maclay National Championships,” Geoff noted.
This also takes pressure off riders who aren’t ready for the difficulties of the Maclay to try an alternative and a more gradual approach that can educate them for a shot at the Maclay down the road.
As Geoff pointed out, “The fact that it is National Horse Show and is going to be in that ring gives it enough cachet that people will willingly give up” the idea of competing at 3-6 if they’re not really prepared.”
“We are certain that the addition of this class will allow more riders an opportunity to compete and prepare for the major ASPCA Maclay National Championship,” commented Geoff.
Geoff Teall, head of the CP National Horse Show’s Equitation Committee. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
He added, “The creation of the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship solidifies the National Horse Show Association’s commitment to elevating competitive hunter and equitation competition. We chose to host the class in honor of the USHJA Foundation because the organization’s goals of supporting riders in competition, especially juniors, aligns perfectly with our goals in the creation of the NHS 3’3″ Equitation Championship.”
For the first year of the class, riders don’t need to be a member of the National Horse Show Association and will not need to qualify. Qualifying for the championship at the 2018 show will begin Sept. 1.
However, those wishing to take part in the inaugural class must be under 18 and have not competed over the 3-6 fences in the ASPCA Maclay Finals, US Equestrian Federation Medal Finals, U.S. Equestrian Federation Talent Search, the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Classic Finals, the Jump Canada Medal Finals or the North American Equitation Championship.
While riders eligible for the 3-3 championship may participate in the Maclay regionals, they may not show in both the ASPCA Maclay Finals and the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship in the same competition year.
Horse-related organizations in Great Britain are collaborating on a free digital resource to support equestrians navigating environmental… Read more… →
