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By Nancy Wesolek-Sterrett
Dressage Department Head, Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre

The majority of new students on campus each quarter have logged countless hours in the saddle. Successful on a horse or two or three back home, they are good riders who arrive confident in their ability and eager to make riding their career. The first few weeks can be difficult as the school horses challenge their existing skills and teach them several new ones.

Every horse tests a rider's skills in different ways. Our school horses are an eclectic assortment of sizes, shapes, temperaments, gaits,and training levels. Switching among these four-footed teachers tests a student's ability to apply their aids both correctly and consistently.

The riding tree we teach here takes students through sixlevels on their way to developing an independent seat: 1) relaxation, 2) balance, 3) following the horse's motion, 4) application of the aids, 5) co-ordination of the aids, and 6) influencing the horse. As riders progress, they often find that the skills they mastered at, say, the trot, still needwork at the canter. Or the skills mastered on a particular horse need more work when they ride a completely different type of horse.

Let me give you an example. One new student obviously had a nice seat. She knew how to relax, open her hips and allow them to swing with the horse's motion at the walk and trot. She may have mastered these skills on a calm, relaxed horse back home. Now she was mounted on a sensitive Thoroughbred mare with a tendency to speed up at the trot until she broke into a canter.

As the mare sped up, the girl lost her relaxation. Her body stiffened, her hip joints locked up, she tipped forward and lost her balance.When her hips locked, she was unable to follow the horse's motion. The mare's tension increased when the rider got behind the motion. Fear of the mare's speed knocked three riding basics out from under this rider. As a result, shelost her seat, her most important influencing aid.

The situation was not unsafe, so I decided to talk the rider through it. First, I asked her to sit back, consider her plumb line and rebalance over her horse. To help her relax her hips and get them moving again, I asked her to exaggerate her hip motion at the rising trot so she could start following the mare's motion and not fall behind it (which only makes the horse run faster).If the mare ran through the trot into the canter, I asked her to sit down but keep that swinging hip motion and just ride canter. I kept the rhythm for her by saying, "Swing, swing, swing," in time with the mare's canter strides. Then I helped her slow the horse into a better rhythm by slowing my repetition of "swing." 

When a horse runs through the trot into the canter, therider needs to remember that the horse is only cantering. Rather than panicking because she feels out of control, the rider just needs to ride the canter untilshe is following the horse's motion. Then she can start to apply her seat, leg,and rein aids to influence the horse to return to the trot. 

If the horse is in motion but the rider is not, the rider is likely to fall off.  If the rider is not 'with'the motion then she is opposing the motion. If a horse takes off faster than the rider would like, the rider has to take off faster, too, in order to maintain control with her seat. Otherwise, the rider loses relaxation, rhythm, balance, and, with them, the ability to influence the horse with the seat.

When a horse gets quick with me, I mentally tell myself, "Iasked for that." That allows my body to stay relaxed and automatically increase its swing into the extended trot or lengthened canter the horse offered. Since my seat continues following the horse's motion, I can still influence the horse with it. Now I can reverse the thought and say to myself, "Now I want to transition from the lengthened canter to a collected canter." And I am back incontrol of the situation. Riders need to prepare themselves mentally for these situations so that they do not allow any thought that conveys, "Something's going wrong." That kind of thinking tightens their muscles, throws their body into a defensive posture, opposes the horse's motion, and makes the situation worse. It is better to ride offensively rather than defensively. 

Another common seat issue that riders encounter as they change horses is the tendency to come off their inside seat bone when they apply their inside leg. Many novice riders grip to some degree with their inner thigh muscles. This pulls their leg up and pushes the seat bone off the saddle ever so slightly. They need to go back to the relaxation level of the riding tree to fix this.

To stay seated equally on both seat bones, riders must thinkof using their hamstrings to lengthen the leg and stretch out the hip flexor. Before a rider puts her leg against the horse's barrel, she should think ofrelaxing all of the joints and muscles as though she were stretching her leg under the curve of the horse's barrel. Any tension in the hips, knees or ankleswill prevent this lengthening. Gripping with the inner thigh muscles will pull the leg up.

Obviously, the size and shape of each individual horse and the length of the rider's legs will affect how easily a rider can 'wrap her leg' around a given horse's barrel. As riders sit on horses with various anatomical shapes, I ask them to try lifting their leg away from the horse's side from their hip. Then I ask them to roll their ankles and knees inward from their hip's ball and socket joint, grip the saddle tightly, then relax without allowing their knees and toes to roll back out. This helps them begin to isolate the outer thigh muscles that help them wrap their legs around the horse from the inner thigh muscles that will push their legs up if they grip with them.

Another challenge many riders face as they change horses is that they do not have a good sense of when they are 'centered' in the saddle. They sit to the left or right of center and that feels perfectly normal to them. This happens because we all have a strong and a weak side to our bodies. Whenwe sit on a horse, the stronger side tends to grip and draw up, pushing us overto our weaker side, which stretches and lengthens. It can also happen when a horse is crooked and, if that is the only horse the person rides, they will carry that position over to other horses because it feels 'centered' to them.

Unless an instructor sees this and points it out, the rider may be completely unaware of this off center position. Sometimes I have to pull a rider over physically to center her on her horse. This, of course, feels 'wrong' to her. However, she needs to ride through that awkwardness until being correctly centered over her horse feels normal to her. Riding multiple horses helps riders develop a proper feel for being centered on a horse.

Each horse tests a rider's skills in different ways. Working with an instructor can help them strengthen their riding skills in a safe environment. My job as an instructor is to match horses and riders in ways thatfirst build skills and confidence. Then, without over mounting or over facingriders, I mix things up so that they progress to horses and situations that are more challenging. Whenever a riding problem arises, I always refer back to the riding tree and take the rider back to the level where the problem originates. As riders work through problems on different horses, they begin developing a truly independent seat and take their riding to the next level.

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© 2011 Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre. Nancy Wesolek-Sterrett has earned numerous United States Dressage Federation horse awards including Bronze and Silver Medals on horses she has trained. She competes her horses at Training through FEI levels. As a Certified Riding Instructor she brings over 20 years of experience to her position as Head of the Dressage Department at Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre (147 Saddle Lane, Waverly, WV 26184; 800-679-2603; www.meredithmanor.edu), an ACCET accredited equestrian educational institution.  

 2/19/11 Results!
 Jacy Anzalone, 3rd Varsity Intermediate Fences
 Brenna Chandler, 1st JV Novice Flat, 3rd JV Novice Fences
 Emma Farina, 1st JV Novice Fences, 3rd JV Novice Flat
 Lisa Sankey, 1st JV Beg WTC
 Mary Ellen Osler, 3rd JV Beg WTC
 Veronica Green-Gott, 1st JV Beg WT
 Serena Mirchandani, 2nd JV Beg WT
 Middle School Team Champions!
 Jessica Lifschultz, 1st Future Novice Fences, 2nd Future Novice Flat
 Miranda Tollefston, 3rd Future Beg WTC
 Michela Farina, 1st Future Beg WTC, 1st Future Beg WT
 

 Congrats to all our 2011 qualifiers so far!

 High School Team, Middle School Team
Individuals: Bre, Andrea, Jacy, Emma, Veronica, Megan, Michela, Katie, Jess, Miranda and Sam!

During this time of year when mares are beginning to foal, many concerns are present regarding mare and foal health, and problems that may arise during the birth and rearing process.  One problem horse owners can be faced with is a mare’s rejection of her foal.  It is not known as to why a mare will reject her foal, but it can be seen in mares who are afraid of their foal, mares who will not permit their foal to suckle, and/or aggressive mares who attack their foal with or without suckling stimulation. 

Horses that can be at a risk for rejecting their foal are first time (primiparous) mares, Arabian mares, mares who have a history of rejecting two or more foals, and/or a mare who was separated early on from her foal.  Mares that are prone to rejecting their foals are more likely to avoid their foal, threaten, squeal, chase, bite, and/or kick versus normal behavior of defending their foal, licking, and nickering.  Speculations have been made that multiple humans present at the foal’s birth, the presence of other horses, and artificial insemination are more likely to lead to foal rejection; however, these are not proven to be specific causes.  Whatever the cause of the foal rejection, the main goal is to maintain the safety and health of the foal, improve maternal behavior in the dam, stimulate lactation in the dam (i.e. medications such as Domperidone), treat any possible medical causes for rejection (i.e. mastitis leading to pain and not allowing the foal to suckle or colic leading to abdominal pain and sensitivity), and keeping the horse handlers safe from an aggressive mare.

Foals that are rejected will require intense care regarding feeding as normally a foal will suckle several times per hour (2-3x/hour) in the first few weeks of life.  Foals should be fed at 25% of their body weight and gain approximately 1-2 lbs per day.  For example, an average 110 lb foal= 50 kg.  25% of a 50kg foal= 12.5 L which can be given at 1 L every 2 hours.  This can be a difficult task to perform due to the time consuming nature of feeding and preparing milk replacer.  This can lead to gastrointestinal distress in the foal, therefore the foal’s defecation, urination, and demeanor should be closely monitored.  The foal will normally defecate 2-3 times per day and urinate at least 1 time per hour.  Teaching the foal to suckle from a pan or small bucket is also a possibility and should be implemented as soon as possible.  Nurse mares can be used if available, which is ideal but not always a feasible option.  The most important component with initial feeding of a rejected foal, and any foal for that matter, is to ensure appropriate intake of colostrum.  Colostrum is the antibody rich milk that is first produced from the mare’s udder which provides a newborn foal with immune protection.  Your veterinarian should examine the foal at 12-24 hours of age at which point, a simple blood test can be performed to asses the antibody levels, otherwise known as IgG level.  If the levels are below 400 mg/dl, the foal will require a plasma transfusion.  Normal values are greater than 800 mg/dl.  A foal that has been rejected will likely be below the normal range and at risk for sepsis, and thus require medical treatment.

If the mare is not too aggressive, she can be restrained while the foal suckles.  Barriers can be placed between the mare and foal to decrease the risk of the mare kicking her foal (hay bales or shaving bales between the front and hind legs, 4x4 board or pole to hold the mare against a wall, etc).  If the mare’s head is tied, it should be tied with a quick release knot and loose enough that she may eat and drink freely, but not be able to turn around to bite her foal.  Some mares require sedation due to excessive aggression.  Acepromazine is a good choice as it is a tranquilizer and stimulates lactation.  It can be used alone or in combination with Xylazine if the mare requires more potent sedation. 

The most important components of managing a foal that has been rejected are to keep the foal and handlers safe, ensure appropriate nutrition and health of the foal, and ensure the health of the dam.  The mare should be examined fully by your veterinarian for any signs of health problems that may be contributing to rejection of her foal.  Establishing an appropriate management plan and ensuring the health of the foal and mare will help facilitate the process of dealing with a rejected foal. 

If you have any questions regarding foal rejection or foal health issues, please contact your veterinarian or any of the veterinarians at New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center.

Source: Current Therapy in Equine Medicine 6.  Robinson and Sprayberry,   Pp 116-118. 

Kate Britton, DVM

Jacqueline Bartol, DVM, DACVIM

DO YOU KNOW A SPECIAL HORSE?  THAT HORSE CAN BE THE MAIN CHARACTER IN A NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK  AS WELL AS RAISE MONEY FOR ANIMAL SHELTERS AND EQUINE RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS!

Animal shelters benefited greatly from author Kathy Brodsky’s two previous contests to find stars for her books Purrsnikitty and The Winner Is...

These contests raised almost $2,700 in total for animal shelters.  Now, she is searching for a horse for her upcoming book, A Horse Named Special.

With every three pictures you submit, you are asked to make a minimum $5.00 donation to the equine rescue organization or animal shelter of your choice.  You may submit as many photos as you like.  The contest runs from March 1 through March 31, 2011. These organizations need our help!

The winning horse will be chosen by a panel of judges. For more details and announcement of contest results, visit Brodsky’s website www.kathybrodsky.com.

Brodsky’s other books include: Moments in Our Lives ISBN 972580867; My Bent Tree ISBN 9780615160665; The Inside Story ISBN 9780615235059; Just Sniffing Around ISBN 9780578036205; Purrsnikitty ISBN 9780578050591; The Winner Is... ISBN 9780982852903; Stover ISBN 9780982852910.

Click on this link to view the video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KzTwHnoeT4

Please share this exciting contest with your horse-loving friends.              

Best of luck to you and your special horse!!

By Casey Sugarman, Equine Behaviorist

Every barn knows of at least one horse with a hang-up.  “She’s a great horse, all except for this one weird thing…”  “This horse is bullet proof as long as you don’t…”  “Ever since it happened, that’s just the way he is.” Whether it’s a scary object, a scary activity, or a weird reaction… these “fear triggers” can make otherwise good horses unsafe.

There’s no mistaking a horse with a phobia. The obvious sign is when the horse turns into an animal possessed, stops breathing, goes to ‘Mars’, stops thinking, becomes extremely unsafe, bolts, or all of the above.  Less obvious signs are when the horse is in a ‘frozen panic’.  While absolutely still, the horse’s eyes start moving sideways with a dra-a-ag to them… a dangerous explosion is about to occur.

If you wish you could help your horse become more rational, if you’ve tried the medications and herbal calmers, the sacking out and months of repeat exposure, and are still in the same boat, your story is quite common. 

Contrary to popular belief, even beliefs held by some behaviorists, phobia reversal in horses and other animals is not only possible, it is achievable, the process is predictable, and complete recovery is routine. But Equine Phobia Reversal Therapy is not an arena for recreational trainers. 

A Phobia is a fear that has become something like an addiction.  A phobia is an emotional abscess; it is analogous to a layered onion.   At the core is a rotten center, a buried unconscious memory of un-processed ultra-negative experience that handlers may or may not have witnessed.  Countless layers of evasive behaviors, excuses, and irrational beliefs surround the core, like the layers of the onion, to keep it hidden and walled off, in order to shield the brain from further trauma. 

Phobia Therapy is based in positive reinforcement but does NOT utilize standard clicker training, standard habituation protocols, cowboy schooling, natural horsemanship, nor any psychic/energy approaches.  Phobia Therapy rebuilds the horse’s experience through primal emotions, re-experiencing each layer of his memory and putting the horse in complete control of a new rational approach to the trigger. Equine Phobia Therapy also does NOT teach horses to tolerate; it teaches horses to seek out the once noxious stimulus. 

The work is done by employing the horse’s breathing, center of gravity, curiosity, personality...  In Equine Phobia Reversal Therapy, horses are not rewarded for doing a correct behavior, horses are rewarded for rationally taking charge of a situation, and then for sharing that authority with a handler. Horses who have gone through the therapy seem to say: “Go ahead, hit me with your best shot!”

Although each therapy is highly customized to each horse, learning curves go through multiple predictable stages of exponential improvement.  Also, the horse will carry the new skills to new homes, new owners, and new jobs. 

Horses who have multiple fears or phobias usually learn courage from phobia therapy, as they learn how to learn.  Horses get very excited about their newfound abilities to control and even seek to play with triggers that used to evoke terror.

Following are some beginner tips for helping a horse through a common stable fear.  But remember, your safety is always most important.  Kicking, biting, striking, and rearing horses should be rehabbed by professionals only.  Emotional recovery in dangerous horses should be directed by a professional phobia specialist to reduce risk of injury to people and animals. 

Trigger’s Trigger Trigger: Fear of a Spray Bottle

For tackling “fear of a spray bottle”, fill a pocket with quarter sized treats.  Bring the horse, on 10 foot lead into a large enclosed area with good footing, like a small paddock.  The lead is only there to keep you and the horse in somewhat close proximity, but the horse is to always be on a slack line.   Bring a reliable spray bottle, set to stream, filled with water.

Before you begin, you must promise the horse one very important thing: EVERY single time you hear the horse give a big exhale (ignore snorts), you will stop what you’re doing and give the horse three treats; exhaling is a jackpot.  Invite a friend to watch and listen for those exhales to remind you of your promise.

Start with one spritz aimed in the opposite direction from the horse’s head, so he can see and hear the bottle.  After each spray, give the horse one treat until the sound of the spray makes the horse’s ears perk up as if to say, “I heard the spray, here comes my treat!”  That’s your cue to start working the sprayer closer to the horse.  Every foot closer needs about 3 repetitions before you shorten the distance.  Give a treat every 3-5 spritz or so, but don’t spray the horse yet.    

The first aimed shot should be onto one hoof; the right front is usually the closest.  Spray the hoof wall and then the hair just above the hoof.  This is the part of the horse most experienced with weird sensation.  The horse will stomp the foot as if it’s being bitten by a fly.  This is great because the horse is dealing with the insult in a rational and purposeful manner. 

Now it’s time to upgrade our approval criteria: now, every time the horse stands very still that will earn him one spritz and one treat.   Now it’s time to start moving the spray with the same goal in mind.  The first time each torso and neck area feels the water, it should be in mist form.  The first time each leg and rump area feels the water, it should be in stream form; the reason is so that you can aim accurately from some distance and because these are the more insult-ready parts of the horse.  Your main job is to keep exhaling yourself and to “take 5”often, and start again when the horse is focused on you.

In finishing off the project, aim to be very inconsistent with the spraying, but always give the horse a chance to find the big exhale in between every dousing.  The horse’s exhales are what teach the horse’s brain that it’s all nothing to worry about.  If the horse cocks the leg you are spraying or if horse bends away from the bottle those are great signs.  This is the picture of a horse who is playing the part of the catcher behind home plate; kicking you or the spray bottle is the last thing on his mind.

By the end of this game, you should have a thoroughly wet horse, an empty pocket, and a buddy who can’t wait to play the spray bottle game again.  After the horse “sleeps on it” a few times, and forgets why she was ever afraid of that fun toy, he’ll be an old pro, and you can save those treats for some other game about some other spook.   

Casey Sugarman,  Phobia Specialist/ Behaviorist

Sugarman focuses on inter-species learning dynamics.  She was a senior veterinary biologist at New England Aquarium, Boston, and has been rehabbing dangerous horses for 18 years.   For help with behavior problems or brain-based instruction across New England,  email your story to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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