September 5, 2017

Preparing for a hurricane (specifically Irma): Equine edition

By Joscelyn Richards.

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Hurricane – a word that is synonymous with Florida – during my time living in FL (pretty much my whole life), I’ve encountered numerous hurricanes.

Just a year ago, Hurricane Hermine hit Tallahassee, which is where I currently live for college. I also keep my horse, Ariel, in this area. Even though the Hurricane was only a Cat. 1, Tallahassee suffered serious damage in some parts, and many were without power for over a week.

Roads were completely blocked after Hurricane Hermine in TLH. Photo Courtesy of Joscelyn Richards.

As Hurricane Irma, now a Cat. 5, looms in the Atlantic Ocean, I urge horse owners to start taking action sooner rather than later. While the direct path is still uncertain, a state of emergency has been declared by Governor Rick Scott for the entire state of Florida as of yesterday, Sept. 4, 2017. For the most recent hurricane advisory check the NOAA website here.

Hurricane Irma as of 8am Photo Credit; NOAA.

For those of us with equine partners, hurricanes are even more stressful. I have compiled a concise but thorough hurricane preparedness plan as a guide for equine owners in the event that a hurricane does hit.

(Important Disclaimer: This is just a guide, and The Legal Equestrian and its staff cannot be held liable for any action or inaction taken because of this guide.)

A barn in Redlands, Florida, after Hurricane Andrew Picture Credit: H.A.A.R.T. Foundation & John Ehmke Photography

Shelter

Finding a safe, hurricane-proof barn for your horse is a crucial thing to do. Or, you can evacuate your horse(s) from the hurricane, to higher ground, if needed. Most haulers won’t ship within 48 hours of a hurricane making landfall, so make preparations and arrangements as soon as you can. Check local equine Facebook groups, contact local officials, or even ask friends for references of places to which you can evacuate your horse. Here is a Google Doc containing some places or transportation companies for evacuation use. Remember if you plan to leave the area, too, one of the worst things you can do is leaving your pet(s) behind in your home.

Photo Credit: I.C.E. Products

Identification

In the event that the looming hurricane destroys the barn at which your horse is staying, your horse gets lose, or the area gets flooded, it is vital that your horses have proper identification on them. A lot of horse owners now have their horses microchipped now because of the new USEF rules. But, without proper tools, the microchip can’t be read by a rescuer. As an alternative, many equine owners will use luggage tags attached to the horses mane, halter, or even bridle, with the horse’s name, barn address, owner(‘s/s’) name with multiple phone numbers, vet information, and any other special requirements that the horse may have. As a FL resident that has to deal with hurricane threats often, I recently discovered I.C.E. horse products. The company makes mane and tail tags, halters, and clips. One note: Do not keep a Coggins test with your horse because there are some dishonest people out there who may try to steal your horse. As an alternative, make sure to keep all your horse’s/s’ identification papers such as bill of sale, Coggins, microchip information, pictures, etc. in a safe place.

Preparing your Barn for a hurricane

Even if your barn is hurricane-proof, there are still major hazards that could cause damage to your barn and severely injure your horses. As a precaution, store all outdoor items such as jumps and poles in a safe place, preferably indoors. Secure trailers, campers, and any other vehicles that could possibly be blown away. Make sure to remove items from the barn aisle, because they can easily turn into dangerous debris in the air. Additionally, flashlights should be available and should contain fresh batteries. Battery back-ups should be kept somewhere easily accessible yet safe, too. You should also have a battery-operated radio and turn off circuit breakers as to avoid a fire if there is a power surge. A good item to have is a generator. If you can get one to run electricity to your barn though, make sure you have plenty of fuel for it.

Preparing your horse(s) for a hurricane

As mentioned earlier try your absolute best to have your horse(s) in a hurricane-proof barn if you decide not to evacuate. Make sure you have up to a two-week supply of grain and hay for each horse in the barn. The food should be stored in a dry and safe place. The reason for two-weeks is because you really do not know exactly how bad the damage can be after the hurricane makes landfall and leaves. You don’t know how long it will be staying. As a result, you will be unsure where and when you can next get food either for yourself or your horse(s). Additionally, have between 12 and 20 gallons of drinking water per horse. The water should be stored away in the event that the water supply becomes undrinkable or cannot be retrieved safely/properly/at all due to power loss. Be on the lookout for water advisories after the hurricane for more exact details on if the water is safe, You should also make an emergency horse supply kit for each horse which includes all possible medication, ointments, and vet supplies that might be needed. Finally, put extra bedding in your horse(s’) stall so they will feel comfortable, and they can lay down if needed.

Hurricane Wilma in 2005, passing through my hometown Boca Raton. Photo Credit; NOAA.

During the hurricane

During the storm make sure the horses have hay and at least two (2) full water buckets (also known as 10 gallons) to drink from. This is because you do not know when you’ll be able to go to the barn next. DO NOT stay in the barn with the horses during the storm, as tempting as it may be. You, or someone else who wants to stay, could get severely injured or even killed. Nowadays, many barns have video surveillance. If your barn has this perk, you can monitor the horses that way. Also remember that horses have a natural survival instinct that will kick in, when necessary, so if you are the midst of worrying, the horses most likely know what to do and have done it.

After the hurricane has passed

After the hurricane has passed over the area there will most likely be downed trees and power lines. There will probably also be major flooding. Wait until you know that it is safe before going to the barn to check on the horses. (Side note: If you are a boarder, make sure to stay in contact with your barn manager/owner. The last thing they need is 20 worried horse owners/boarders showing up to the barn after a hurricane.) Also, if there is major flooding, do not drive through it as this is how most people end up dying after a natural disaster where major flooding is involved. When at the barn after the storm, be on the lookout for dangerous wild animals that might have sought refuge at the barn. Since it is Florida, we can include alligators as well as snakes. Avoid live electrical wires, and also avoid standing water. Make sure that all your horses (and others) are okay, check for and tend to any injuries, and assess if there are any immediate emergencies. You can and should also remove debris to clear a direct path to the barn from the road, if safe and possible.

In all the chaos of getting your horse ready for the hurricane, don’t forget to prepare yourself for the hurricane and take your own precautions as well! Remember price gouging is ILLEGAL, report it to your local authorities if you find any cases of this.

The best thing you can do is follow your own hurricane plan and stay safe.

Additional Resources for reference

http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu/PDFS/CHAP02/D02-12.PDF

http://www.floridahorse.com/hurricane/hurricane.html

http://extension.vetmed.ufl.edu/files/2011/10/Hurricane-planning-for-horse-farms.pdf

ps. We are doing a silent auction to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Harvey which hit the Houston area last week. The auction runs until September 12th at 11:59 p.m. Please go here to check out the amazing items we have to offer and to make your bid to benefit organizations working to help those in need. Fifty percent of the profits will be going to the Houston Food Bank, and the other 50 percent will be going to the ASPCA.

August 25, 2017

First Derby Finals? No problem! Geoffrey Hesslink brings home top honors

Photo Courtesy of The Chronicle of the Horse.

Photo Credit: The Chronicle of The Horse.

International Derby Finals were this past week. Tori Colvin took Champion honors on Cuba, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram, LLC, Geoffrey Hesslink was Reserve Champion, as well as Champion in Section B, on his mount, Cadoretto, and Amanda Steege came in third on Wendy Salomon’s Maitre D’. Coming in fourth was Taylor St Jacques on Heritage Farm’s Charisma.

We caught up with Geoffrey Hesslink to discuss his Reserve Championship placing in Section A and his Champion placing in Section B. (To read our previous interview with Geoffrey, click here).

When we last talked to Geoffrey, he was hopefully to have his own mount soon. He found that partner in Cadoretto, a 6 year old chestnut gelding with two white socks and a white blaze.

Geoffrey described Cadoretto, barn name “Cadbury,” as “on of the easiest young horses [he has] ever had the pleasure of working with.”

“On top of that he is the sweetest, most kind horse to deal with around the barn and in the stall. Some refer to him as the gentle giant. He will snuggle with you and lick you for hours, I absolutely adore him!”

Geoffrey had been competing in the hunters with Cadoretto, often taking home top honors. They won an International Derby at Old Salem Farm a few months ago, but Geoffrey was not expecting to go to Derby Finals. However, he said after purchasing Cadoretto and seeing his new horse’s talent, he changed his plans.

Geoffrey prepared for Finals by making sure his horse was ready. He said that knowing his horse was ready gave him peace of mind which allows him to stay calm and focused on his rides.

As for Cadbury, Geoffrey put in lots of practice which included setting up spooky or different looking jumps. They also practiced a lot of handy tracks in preparation for the handy round. Geoffrey credits his trainer, Andre Dignelli, for his preparation.

Derby Finals consists of two rounds, the Classic round and the Handy round. During the Classic round, fences are set at 3’6” to 4’ in height. There are four option fences set at a minimum height of 4’3” and no higher than 4’9”. Additionally, there is at least one of the following: An in and out, a bending line, a line with an unrelated distance, and a fence with a long approach. This year’s classic round consisted of 12 fences.

Photo Credit: Phelps Sports

Going into the Classic round, Geoffrey wanted a “smooth round with no major mistakes.” He said he wasn’t really trying to “go for it,” but just wanted to be mistake-free and ultimately, advanced to the second round.

After the Classic round, Geoffrey found himself sitting in fourth place overall.

“I was very excited to place fourth in the classic round. I went very early in the class and maintained a strong score to stay at the top which was a nice surprise,” he said.

Next came the Handy round. For the Handy round, there must be a minimum of 8 obstacles set at 3’6” to 4’ in height with high options of a minimum of 4’3” and a maximum of 4’9”. According to the official specifications from the USHJA, the handy course should simulate riding over hunt country. As such, a minimum of three of the following handy options should be included in the course: tight turn options, different tracks, clever options for jump approaches, pen type obstacles, hand galloping to a jump, trotting a lower obstacle not to exceed 3’, a walk fence not to exceed 12” in height. The Handy round at this year’s Finals had 12 obstacles with fence no. 7 being a trot fence.

“My plan for the handy round was similar to the classic round plan. I wanted to maintain a forward pace, have another smooth round with no errors and utilize the high options when appropriate,” Geoffrey said. “My goal was to complete the course feeling good about Cadoretto and my first [D]erby [F]inals experience.”

Photo Credit: The Chronicle of The Horse.

Geoffrey placed second in the Handy round with Tori Colvin placing first and Taylor St Jacques placing third.

Overall, Geoffrey felt both courses were “excellent and very well-designed.”

When asked if anything didn’t go as planned, Geoffrey said he originally was not planning on jumping all of the high options. However, he said once he got in the ring, his horse felt “amazing,” so he changed his plan and tackled all the high options successfully.

Overall, Geoffrey said he was very pleased with how the week went, and he was especially pleased with his horse. Although Cadbury is only 6 years old, he handled the prep for Finals and the large ring, including being under the lights, like a “true champion.”

“To take a 6-year-old horse to an event of that caliber and be that successful is so rewarding for me,” Geoffrey said.

Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Hesslink.

Geoffrey said it is hard to put into words how he feels about bringing home Reserve Champion for Section A and Champion for Section B at his very first Derby Finals. He said he is extremely grateful for the opportunity, is incredibly humbled, and has certainly set the bar high for years to come.

Geoffrey had a successful junior career and was a working student for many years for Heritage Farm. He said he feels that experience greatly helped him get to where he is today.

“Determination and hard work have been the biggest factors in getting me where I am today. If I have learned anything in this business it is that no one will hand you anything[,] and you have to work to be successful in and out of the show ring,” he said. “Being a working student when I was young taught me how to manage myself and my horses and gave me perspective on what it really takes to be successful in this sport. In addition to that I have had some terrific mentors along the way and I try to learn as much as I can from them.”

Geoffrey also said that he believes if an equestrian works hard, there is a way to make opportunities for oneself so that one can pursue the sport without the financial means that other equestrians may be fortunate enough to have.

Geoffrey + Andre Dignelli sharing a high five after one of Geoffrey’s rounds at Finals. Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Hesslink.

“It is not easy, but if you are passionate about the sport and willing to make sacrifices and work hard it is possible. Finding the right opportunity is very important,” he said. “I had complete support from my parents and family as well as great trainers.”

Currently, Cadbury is taking a small break before the fall. Geoffrey plans on attending some of the indoor shows, as well as the Hampton Classic, Gold Cup, and Capital Challenge. Finally, Geoffrey will be in Wellington for the winter circuit where he will continue competing in the professional hunter divisions and in hunter derbies. He also hopes to break into the jumper ring this year and become competitive in the U25 Grand Prix classes.

While Geoffrey has not made any concrete plans yet for his professional status, he said he does really enjoy riding, training, and showing all types of horses.

“Each horse, whether it is a client’s horse, my own horse[,] or a catch ride, provides challenges and opportunities to improve and learn. Each horse can teach me something as well as a rider and that makes every ride unique and special,” he said.

Geoffrey said he also enjoys teaching and helping other riders.

“It is really fun to see a rider make a connection with their horse and have success … I believe that as a professional in this sport we need to give to others and support other riders,” he said.

Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Hesslink.

As for next year, Geoffrey plans to continue to be competitive in the professional hunter divisions, the National and International Hunter Derbies, and the U25 Grand Prix classes.

Geoffrey certainly showed his talent as a junior rider with some big wins in the big equitation classes, and he is certainly proving to be a big contender in the professional hunter divisions.

To see Geoffrey’s rides at Derby Finals, as well as other individual rides and the full class, you can click here.

August 13, 2016

19 Stages of Competing in a Horse Show

By: Grace O’Brien

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Horse shows: we love them, and we hate them. There are so many ups and downs that we go through while showing. Despite everything that may go wrong during a horse show, one thing is for sure: we are hooked.

1. Weeks before the show you start doing as much research on your competition as possible.

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2. Getting to the show grounds the day before you show with your friends like…

3. But that night the reality sets in that you’re going to have to show in front of a judge…

4. The next morning you pull yourself together and walk into the show grounds like…

5. You try getting your horse to come near you for a pre-show pep talk but it doesn’t really work out.

6. You get your horse ready for the show ring and while you wish they looked like this:

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They actually look like this:

7. You head to the ring to warm up and see your friends and family cheering for you.

8. While you’re warming up you to try to be discrete about looking at your competition and it looks more like this:

9. Your warm up goes decently well, and you’re feeling kind of ready.

10. But then the nerves set in…

11. Your trainer gives you some words of encouragement and off you go!

12. You trot into the ring and pick up the canter but feel like this inside:

13. You give the course the best you got – or at least try to

14. The judge and the ring steward watch your ride like…

15. While your trainer is watching at the in-gate like:

16. Finally your division is over and everyone tries to get their horses to stand still in the lineup, but it ends up looking like this:

17. You’re sitting in the line up minding your own business when you hear your name called for first place:

18. You leave the lineup to take pictures, and as you wait for your victory gallop, you pause to take it all in – all of the hard work, sweat and most likely tears, has paid off.

19. After you take care of your horse and hug your trainer, you then go raid the horse show’s concession stand…

Followed by a nap on the closest tack trunk:

lineup

July 28, 2016

Up & Coming Riders: Maya Nayyar, winner of this year’s Hunterdon Cup

Maya Nayyar & Connaro. Photo Credit: Lauren Baker.

Maya Nayyar took home top honors in this year’s Hunterdon Cup at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series on July 11. She ended her first round ride on her horse Connaro on an 89 to put her in first place. Her handy round scored her a 90, keeping her in the top spot. She was called back to test, along with four other riders – Emma Kurtz, Taylor St. Jacques, and Grace Boston.

Maya switched with Kurtz, who was riding Clearway, for the work-off where they were asked to canter to the first jump, counter-canter a bending line, and then do a few rollbacks to a sitting trot before exiting the ring.

Maya has competed in the Hunterdon Cup three years in a row, and this was her first year taking home top honors. She competed on her main Medal and Maclay horse, Connaro, that she has had for about three years. She said she has developed a “strong relationship” with him over the period of time she has owned him.

“He has a great temperament, huge stride, and an excellent jump so he makes competing in big classes a lot of fun,” she said.

Maya, who trains with Stacia Madden and her team at Beacon Hill Show Stables, said that she didn’t really do anything special to prepare for the Hunterdon Cup. However, she did say just coming off two weeks of showing at Lake Placid was “helpful” for her and Connaro.

Maya said that the first and second courses she rode had long lines that “really allowed [her] to ride forward and show confidence. She also said that going into the test she had a feeling she was going to switch onto Clearway.

“Clearway and Connaro are similar in the way they go; they both have big, slow strides so I really focused on riding forward,” she said.

When asked if she ever expected to win a major equitation final, Maya had some great advice that every rider should aim for.

“My objective is to do my best in every show. Yes, I want to win the big classes but it is not realistic to assume on any particular day that I will win,” she said.

Currently, Connaro is on break until indoors. However, Maya will be taking her other two equitation horses, Fox Z and Narco V A, as well as one of her jumpers, to Kentucky. In the fall, she will be competing in the big equitation finals.

Photo Credit: Jumper Nation.

Like most equitation riders, Maya would like to transition more into the jumpers and hopes to do so by the end of this year. She also will be a freshman at Columbia University, and she plans on continuing to ride while in college.

All this competing takes a lot out of a rider, so we asked Maya how she unwinds from riding and competing.

“I adopted a puppy earlier this year [at] WEF so playing with him helps me unwind,” she said.

Finally, we asked Maya if she had any advice for young riders looking to compete in the Big Eq classes and be competitive in National classes like the Hunterdon Cup. She gave top compliments to her trainers throughout the years.

“I would not be the rider I am without the trainers at Beacon Hill and Mario Deslauriers, so my advice is to surround yourself with great trainers and people who can instill confidence in you.”

Maya’s first round performance can be found below.

June 21, 2016

What’s in your meat?

Infographic Courtesy of the ASPCA.

Every year about 130,000 American horses are shipped to Canada or Mexico to be slaughtered for human consumption. Horses are also slaughtered for human consumption in other countries, as horse meat is considered a delicacy there. While some areas, such as the European Union, have a specific regulatory system set in place to ensure that horses with dangerous, deadly substances in their body are not allowed to enter the food chain, other countries, like the United States, do not. This means that the horses being slaughtered in Canada and Mexico have dangerous, potentially lethal or terminal illness causing substances in them, like the ever famous Bute.

The ASPCA recently launched a new campaign, #NotWhatIOrdered, to bring awareness to this issue. Obviously, horse slaughter is a controversial subject, with some falling on the line of it being better than having abused and neglected horses overcrowding auctions and being set into the wild where they cannot fend for themselves; others believe horse slaughter is inhumane and that the consumption of horse meat is a complete taboo, akin to eating a cat or a dog.

According to the ASPCA,

Horses are routinely given chemicals toxic to humans, including anabolic steroids, stimulants and cobra venom. These drugs, over 50 of which are prohibited for use in food animals, can cause severe health problems like aplastic anemia, liver cancer and liver disease in humans.

Additionally, there are substances given to horses that can seep into a human’s skin

Infographic Courtesy of the ASPCA.

immediately upon contact and have an horrible outcome, such as hormonal treatments for broodmares that can cause abortions if the person the chemical comes in contact with is pregnant.

The ASPCA has put together a petition to help bolster support for the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, which, if passed, would ban the slaughter of American horses and outlaw the transport of horses to Canada and Mexico for that purpose.

If you feel strongly about the transportation of horses to Canada and Mexico for horse slaughter, you can sign the petition here.

And, if you want to bring more awareness to this issue, you can share this post on your social media pages or tweet the follow message: Tweet: Hungry enough to eat a horse? Help the @ASPCA keep horses off the dinner table. Sign the petition: http://ctt.ec/5sN7U+ #NotWhatIOrdered (Click to Tweet).