Kentucky Derby jockey Rosie Napravnik competed in our Genesee Valley Hunt Races in 2001.

There were a few interesting Valley connections to this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Derby favorite and winner Orb is by Malibu Moon, who also sired Malibu Moonshine who stood at Greg and Sue Carlson’s farm in Avon and sired 32 foals while in the area, one of which is Gail McGuire’s Proof of the Stars yearling filly. Lots of good bloodlines throughout that pedigree.  It will be interesting to see what comes of them, and how Uncle Orb fares in the rest of the Triple Crown races.

Jockey Rosie Napravnik competed in our Genesee Valley Hunt Races early in her racing career, winning the 1-mile Junior Flat Race in 2001 at age 14. The only female jockey in this year’s Derby, she placed fifth with the first group over the finish, in a virtual tie with the two horses placed ahead of her and Mylute, more than five lengths ahead of the rest of the pack of 19 starters. The best previous finish in the Derby by a female jockey was a distinction she claimed in 2011 by placing ninth on Pants On Fire.

According to an April 17 article in the New York Times by Keith O’Brien, “The 113 pound New Jersey native isn’t just the most successful girl jockey on the horse-racing circuit today; she’s one of the best jockeys period.  Last year, she amassed more than $12.4 million in earnings, eighth best in North America.”

We regularly see many fine horses and riders at the GVH Race Meet the second Saturday in October who go on to distinguish themselves on the national and even international scene. It’s not too early to mark your calendars for fall.

Partridge places seventh

Here’s an update on Derek Partridge’s trip to the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association National Finals May 2 to 5, in Harrisburg, Pa. The reining division in which he competed started out with about 500 college students taking part across the country. Through the regional and semi-final competitions, this group was narrowed down to 26 riders competing in the reining finals.

Partridge ended up placing seventh in both the Individual Open Reining and AQHA Overall High Point Western Rider categories, competing against students from 20 states, including (forgive me, but I find this kind of minutia interesting) California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

It is worth mentioning that the overall high point award includes both the reining and western horsemanship divisions. Partridge did not compete in western horsemanship, so he earned points only for reining, while all but one of those placed ahead of him for High Point had scores for both reining and horsemanship. Not too shabby for a student from little ol’ Groveland and Alfred University.

Judges needed

Cross-country jump judges are needed for the Genesee Valley Riding and Driving Club Spring Novice Horse Trials on June 2. Here is an opportunity to spend a day in the country watching horses and riders of all ages and sizes cruise by, help out and have a great time! Start time is usually around 8 a.m. and runs until about 3 p.m. with lunch provided. It takes a lot of help out on the course to provide eager riders with a fair and fun ride. Being able to differentiate the front from the back end of a horse, and whether it actually goes over a fence with the rider on top is all that is required. Training provided. Contact Mary Sue Jack at msjack@rochester.rr.com or (585)533-1829.

Upcoming date

May 25: Tack Swap at Tractor Supply Store, 4377 Genesee Valley Plaza, Geneseo.

Sell or donate your unwanted tack from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the store. Reserve a free space by calling 243-2120 by May 24. The Livingston County 4-H will have a chicken barbecue fundraiser, various animal rescue groups will be on hand.

You can buy or donate used horsey things to support Rainbow Ridge Therapeutic Inc., Livingston County’s only program certified by Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, serving people of all ages with physical, emotional, or developmental concerns that can be improved through an association with horses. Sessions this year run June to August and August through October, with lessons on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. For more information contact Program Director Julie Burnett at 254-8125 or rrtjab@bluefrog.com

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Recently I wrote about inevitable involuntary dismounts and how to deal with them.  Now I’m going to write about one element that could be a factor in creating them.

A friend recently came into my office at work and presented his posterior to me, saying, “Let’s just get right to it.  Go ahead and kick me.”

The reason being that he had just bought another horse, this time at an auction — basic Quarter Horse, 5 years old, from somewhere out in the Midwest.

The next time I saw him, he looked a little ragged. “How’s the new horse working out?” I inquired.

“Oh, fine … now.”

It turns out that the first time he went to ride the creature, he tacked him up with his best saddle and proceeded to climb aboard. Whereupon he was treated to a bit of a Midwestern-style rodeo and pretty quickly put in his place, which was back on the ground.

As he considered the situation, he had a stroke of insight, for which I give him a great amount of credit. Maybe it was the saddle!

Switching to his other one, he tried again, with a much more satisfactory result.

Saddles come in all shapes and sizes, as do riders and horses. It’s one thing to get a saddle that fits you, and another to get one that fits your horse. When it comes to saddles, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all.

The saddle you love, that fits you perfectly, puts you exactly in the right position, and worked fine for your last horse, may not be the one that makes your new horse happy.

Not only that, but the saddle that fit your horse last fall may not fit it this spring, or later this summer.  As a horse grows, develops more muscle along its back, or gains or loses weight, the way its usual saddle fits changes.

If your horse is getting a little cranky, or putting in an unexplained buck here and there, maybe it’s trying to tell you something, rather than “just being bad,” as one rider complained to me at a show.

And it takes more than just a thicker saddle pad to put things right if a saddle is too wide, or pinches somewhere.

A sore back can also display itself in ways that may appear to be lameness.

So take a look at your saddle and how it sits on your horse’s back, especially with someone on the horse. It should not rock side to side or front to back.  It should not touch the horse’s spine or withers, or pinch it’s shoulder.

Have your instructor or a knowledgeable horseperson take a look to evaluate the fit. Professionals who can make adjustments regularly come to the area.  Take advantage of such opportunities when they arise.

And please let me know if you hear of one coming to the area so I can help spread the word, for the sake of everyone, but most especially the horses.

Coming Up

May 18: Cross Country Pace Clinic, McGuire Farm, Avon.

Gail McGuire has agreed to host a cross country pace clinic again this spring in preparation for the upcoming eventing season. She will measure and mark out her field and give riders the times that they should be at the different markers to get a feel for the appropriate pace for the different levels of cross country eventing. There will be some jumping options.

This clinic is free for GVRDC members and pony clubbers. Non-members may participate for a $15 fee. This is a self-guided activity and will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., weather dependent.  For more info or to register email carvermuxworthy@juno.com.

May 19: Irish Draught Horse Society of North America Hunter Pace at Batzing Farm in Caledonia.

This is the first scheduled local hunter pace of the season — great for starting the year off with a happy romp around the countryside with friends. All equines, riders and tack are welcome; helmets required. Four divisions: fast time, optimum time, junior optimum time and hilltoppers for teams of two to three riders.  Course is 5 to 7 miles over fair hunt country and may include water crossings, ditches and banks. New jumps for 2013.  All jumps are optional.

Fast time entries 9 to 10 a.m. All others 10 a.m. to noon. Followed by awards and refreshments. Special awards for Irish Draught Horses.

Entries $25 per horse/rider pair; $20 for IDHSNA members.

For more information contact Sarah Batzing at 303-1888 or via email to Sarah.batzingcole@gmail.com or Annie Morss at 704-0985 or email AnnMorss@msn.com.

May 25: Genesee Valley Pony Club Spring Event

The first local three-phase event of the season is at Wheeler Green on Nations Road, Geneseo. Intro, Beginner Novice, and Novice levels. Entries close May 15.

For more information and entry forms go to www.geneseevalley.ponyclub.org or contact Julia Hainsworth at 509-3108 or email hainsworthNY12@aol.com.

If you would like to volunteer contact Deanna Wohlschlegel at 355-8892, or just stop by that day and see what’s happening.

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April 15 is not only tax day, it also marks the legal end of being able to hunt with hounds. Maybe it has something to do with not wanting to tax wild game while their focus is distracted by thoughts of procreation. Therefore, the final meet of the season for the Roscommon Hounds was April 14 at the Avonola fixture on Pole Bridge Road in Avon.

Joint-master Karen Schmidt rewards some of “The Girls” for a job well done.

The season was a complete failure if measured in terms of catching bunnies, which are the quarry of choice for beagling. It was, however, a resounding success considering how well the small pack — in both number and stature (7 bitches under 12 inches in height at the shoulder) — generally showed drive, teamwork, and good voice.

The Avonola fixture, just northwest of the railroad underpass on Pole Bridge north of Triphammer Road, is by far the most physically challenging for all concerned, with hills and gullies of former pasture area succeeding to woodlands. Mud boots are always in order, though the marshy areas will do their best to suck them off. Steep hillsides guarantee a full dose of exercise. Still, the higher ground offers many opportunities for good views of the action, of which there was a great deal on the final outing.

The Girls found a great deal to spark their interest, although it was hard for them to hold a line, given the vagaries of scent. Their boisterous music resounded from the surrounding hills, making it hard at times to tell which direction they were headed, especially since they were not always in agreement.

The Field (those of us following the action) viewed several rabbits, which gave us the chance to see how well the hounds were able to sort out the puzzle. Only the Master is supposed to hunt the hounds, and only as is absolutely necessary. The real challenge is to stand back and let the hounds do their job, rather than trying to direct their every move.

The higher ground offers many opportunities for good views of the action, of which there was a great deal on the final outing.

It was a glorious final hunt, with a good deal of brisk, sunny, fresh air; action, and exercise, followed by a tea at hunt founder Dr. Joseph O’Dea’s former home — Roscommon, now owned by Eric and Martha Myer.

A year-end celebration dinner was the following Saturday at the Avon Inn, complete with live music by Blue Buick Special, with lead singer Roxanne Clark, who is not only the Livingston County Dog Control Officer, but a talented performer and regular member of the hunt field.

The Roscommon Hounds is a private pack with no subscription fees. All local residents and their guests are free to take part, as I mention in this column early in the season. Proceeds from the silent auction at the dinner go toward paying for veterinary care for the hounds. Although not in the accumulating phase of my life, I was thrilled to win a delightful little piece of scherenschnitte artwork depicting a child on a rocking horse — both delicate and expressive.

Joint-master Randy Kozlowski recognized those whose hard work and dedication help to assure the continuation of this often misunderstood sport. These include: whips Stirlin Harris, Pat Moran, Bobby Palkovic, Steve Strasser, Jim Watrous, and Don Yull, who ward off deer and other distractions before each meet, and keep hounds from going where they shouldn’t; hunt secretary Ann Jenson; Mothersfield farm manager Laura Woodruff, who helps with care of the hounds when needed; Beth Harris, who trims the hounds’ nails and performs other needed tasks with good cheer and willing spirit; Becky Fritz, who helps clean the kennels and find lost hounds; Bill Gamble, whose wonderful photos have brought in new devotees of both beagling and foxhunting; and Sheila Graves, for organizing the dinner. Sheila will be greatly missed as she and her husband Keith are relocating to Virginia.

Joint-master Karen Schmidt closed with a statement of appreciation for “all who come out and enjoy what we enjoy. It means a lot to us.”

It is always bittersweet to see the season end, as Sunday afternoons with this special group of people will now be superseded by riding or yard work.

Please make a note to give this unique sport a try when we start up again around the turn of the new year.

—–

Coming Up

• Sunday, May 19: Irish Draught Horse Society of North America Hunter Pace at Batzing Farm in Caledonia. This is the first scheduled local hunter pace of the season — great for starting the year off with a happy romp around the countryside with a few friends. All equines, riders and tack are welcome; helmets required. Four divisions: fast time, optimum time, junior optimum time and hilltoppers for teams of two to three riders. Course is 5 to 7 miles over fair hunt country, and may include water crossings, ditches, and banks. New jumps for 2013. Fast time entries 9 to 10 a.m. All others 10 a.m. to noon followed by awards and refreshments. Special awards for Irish Draught Horses. Entries $25 per horse/rider pair; $20 for IDHSNA members. For info. contact Sarah Batzing at 303-1888 or Sarah.batzingcole@gmail.com or Annie Morss at 704-0985 or AnnMorss@msn.com .

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I have a spring ritual that I have been practicing for over half a century now. It was instilled in me by my Horse Mother who nurtured and guided my horse addiction in countless ways.

This involves a policing of the roadsides in the early spring after the snow has melted but before things have started to grow up and hide potential hazards that might pose serious threats to your horse’s well-being.

I have come to think of it as my annual Survey of the Slovenly and Cultural Trends. Over the years I have catalogued observations based on the collection of detritus bestowed on my environs by those who consider the world outside their cars as a personal garbage dump. A subcategory would be those who are so careless as to not notice what may inadvertently escape from their vehicles.

The primary concern is beer bottles. One of the worst sounds a rider can hear is breaking glass as your horse strides along while heading out on or returning from a great ride. Not only can this result in an unfortunate injury, it can end your horse’s season, career, or even life.

An added factor is the fact that a bottle’s weight makes it easier to launch a greater distance as it is flung out the window, especially at speed. Therefore, it is not sufficient to merely police the shoulders and ditches along the roadsides.  You must range out a good 10 yards — the areas you would be inclined to think of as safe on your horse as you swish through longer grass in the coming months.

Other demons include wire, construction materials, and a truly amazing and unexpected assortment of threats. On the plus side, you can make a nickel or two on returnable bottles and cans, and do a bit of saving the earth by recycling part of what you collect.

In the process of my efforts, I have observed the rise and fall of fads and interests. One of the biggies for me has been smokeless tobacco. A decade or so ago I started finding tins of chaw, first just the straight stuff with manly names, then a variety of flavors and delivery models such as pillows. Yuck! Part of this trend included the transition to plastic containers.

These particular slovenly types are definitely a different demographic than anyone in my immediate, or even peripheral world.

This year, for the first time, there was nary a chewing tobacco container of any kind. What does this mean? Have their teeth rotted out and their systems poisoned to the point where they qualified for a Darwin Award? Or have they decided to stop playing around and just own up to the fact that their preferred method of nicotine intake is cigarettes, since there are still plenty of empty packs to be found among the litter?

Unique items this year include a ball about 2 feet in diameter, that my son’s dachshund took great delight in conquering. The entertainment value alone was worth all the bending and toting of the outing.

Another treasure was a still-inflated, though no longer light-hearted helium balloon with a celebratory #1 that probably ran off from some youngster with no awareness of how special the day was to its parents.

Among the ubiquitous beer cans was one that my son informed me was a genuine antiquity based on its outdated pop top, bottom seam, and lack of any returnable or recycling notations. All it said was Please Don’t Litter. (Please don’t call; it has already found an appreciative home.)

This year McDonalds is the hands-down winner as the fast-food restaurant of choice for undoubtedly overweight slobs.

Health-conscious litterers still buy milk for their kids, albeit mega-flavored, energy varieties, mostly chocolate of course. Actually, energy drinks of various stripes were almost as much in evidence as beer cans.

Let’s not overlook the various snack bags — Doritos, Lay’s potato chips, etc.

Overall, I must say that there has been a notable decrease in the overall amount of garbage I collected this year. I attribute this to some degree to a notable increase in what I see along Volunteer Road between my place and the Wegmans and Walmart plazas.

I made an effort for a couple of years to tackle that challenge, but the health benefits from my day job were taxed by the ensuing recovery period for my back.

In the I Gotta Vent section of a recent PennySaver there was a rant by someone about the amount of roadside litter. Why aren’t the prison or jail inmates out there picking it up?  Why aren’t the state and local highway department workers out there cleaning the sides of our roadways?  (His words, not mine!)

The operative word here is OUR.

Yes, there are definitely people in our world who are clueless, unaware, self-centered, arrogant, uneducated, or just plain slobs. We can rail against them, or make an effort to exert some small degree of control over a tiny portion of our world.

It feels good, you get some exercise, make a few nickels, wave at passing friends, serve as a role model to those who may give a passing thought the next time they go toss something out the window, and possibly spare your four-legged partner a hurtful surprise.

The post Trash patrol a rite of spring appeared first on Livingston County News.

This column applies to both riders and motorists. ’Tis the season for horses and riders to be out on the roads.

Motorists and others should be wary when encountering a horse and rider on the road. Courtesy and common sense go a long way toward safe travels.

The trails are too wet and muddy for riding. In fact, there is an unwritten understanding around here that the sloppy, wet, spring season is when the trails are considered to be off limits for those who care about their horses, neighbors, and the general well-being of anyone who enjoys getting to places one cannot go in a car. What is churned up during the slop season hardens in the months ahead into rough going for all concerned.

But after being cooped up in an indoor arena all winter, for those who are so fortunate to have access to one, or with the sound of peepers and warmer days giving rise to thoughts of getting back in the saddle, it is time to start putting some basic conditioning on your horse for the coming season.  After all, they are athletes, not mere vehicles that can have some air put in the tires and oil checked before starting where you left off before winter set in.

A British Horse Society video on YouTube (bhs.org.uk) puts forth a few ground rules targeted at motorists:

• Leave space between your car and any riders. (A frisky, frightened, or surprised horse could kick out.)
• Don’t rev your engine or honk your horn.
• Wait until you can pass slowly, leaving plenty of space.
• Don’t startle the horse.  (I have actually had people amusedly throw out fire crackers, apparently hoping for a bit of entertainment!)

Their closing line was, “It might not just be rules that get broken.”

What I found particularly troubling about the BHS video was that it showed two teenage or twenty-something girls riding side by side along a typically narrow British byway, with banks and hedgerows on either side confining them to the pavement.  I was truly amazed that the girls made no move to go single file briefly to allow more room for the car.

Many people do not realize that while pedestrians are supposed to walk against oncoming traffic, horses should be ridden with traffic, on the right side of the road.  However, this means cars come up in the horse’s blind spot, and these are prey animals instinctively inclined to flight.

The other option would be to have the pedestrian rules apply to horses — not much better from a prey animal standpoint. I have been riding on the right hand shoulder of the road and had a whole group of track team runners striding toward us on the same side of the road. My young horse crouched down in preparation for flight as he was about to be consumed by this phalanx of predators.

Uh … uh … where to go … what to do?

If traffic permits, you can change sides of the road temporarily. Smile and ask if they could please walk for a few steps and perhaps talk soothingly to the horse. Good luck.

Courtesy and common sense go both ways. A smile and a wave usually work a lot better than a scowl and an impolite gesture.

Happy mud season everyone!

In the news

The Democrat and Chronicle ran a great article April 6 telling about the history, renovations, and future of the Wadsworth Homestead, the mansion at the south end of Geneseo’s Main Street built by James and William Wadsoorth. Find it on the paper’s website by putting Wadsworth + Geneseo in the search section at the top right.

Coming Up

If you are an Internet viewer of events and happenings, the U.S. Equestrian Network website has great offerings coming up. These include live broadcasts of the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event sponsored by Land Rover April 25 to 28, and the Kentucky Reining Cup April 26 and 27. Find them at usefnetwork.com.

The post Use horse sense on the road appeared first on Livingston County News.

Derek Partridge, a junior at Alfred University, was recently named Athlete of the Week by his school based on his second-place finish in Open Reining at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Western Semi-Finals in Pomona, Calif., in late March, qualifying for the ISHA National Championships May 2 to 5 in Harrisburg, Pa.

Under the direction of his AU coach Harry Hurd, the secondary math education major has done quite well this year in ISHA competitions, already qualifying for the National Championships as American Quarter Horse Association High Point Rider for the IHSA Zone 2, Region 1. (Almost all of the horses competing in reining are AQHA registered.)

Keep in mind that riders draw for mounts provided by the host team or region at ISHA competitions, making this achievement even more noteworthy.

Congratulations to Derek and his proud parents! The 2010 Geneseo Central graduate is the son of Tim and Roberta Partridge of Groveland.

Interested in having your horse inspected?

It seems an ever-expanding number of horse breeds are appearing on the scene — Moriesian, Hispano Arabe, Irish Draught, Gypsy Vanner, Georgian Grande, and what have you.  That’s all well and good.  Different strokes for different folks, and it’s kinda fun to have something nobody else does.  Something unique, interesting, eye-catching.  A conversation piece, if you will.

Still, with so few comparative examples of whatever breed may be the equine du jour, how is one to know what attributes are distinguishing characteristics of that strain, and therefore desirable, and which are the result of inbreeding, flawed genetics, or just unfortunate outcomes of the always-risky uncertainties of trying to breed the ideal horse.

Rochester Trail Riders is hoping there will be enough interest to host a Federated Equine Inspection Tours (FEIT – www.equineinspections.com) inspection in this area.  The tentative date is Nov. 4 at Dream Valley View Ranch, Nunda.

Inspections are generally viewed as a good way to assess the quality of a horse’s breeding and producing offspring within a registry or breed type. Inspections also help to educate breeders and buyers about the type and quality they are aiming to produce or buy.

Some owners find inspections useful in terms of having their horse(s) professionally evaluated for conformation and potential for various disciplines.

Inspections are particularly useful as a marketing tool.  Buyers often find a horse with a good inspection score more appealing than a horse without one.  For breeders, it helps to establish the overall quality of their breeding programs, and often helps them to see where improvement is needed.

FEIT inspections are judged by highly-experienced, US Equestrian Federation-licensed Registered judges. Horses are presented in hand and at liberty where the quality of the horse’s conformation, walk, trot, and canter are evaluated, discussed and scored. Riding and driving tests are also available at some locations.

Horses are scored 40 percent on conformation and 60 percent on movement. For horses that qualify, first, second and third premiums are given, and ribbons and certificates are awarded. All horses scoring 7.7 or better will have their quality further acknowledged by also receiving an award of “High Merit.”

FEIT offers a choice of 3 different Suitability Standards and one breed standard that horses may be judged against, and more standards may be added in the future:

• Sporthorse Inspection Standard: traditional Olympic disciplines such as dressage, eventing and jumping.
• Park Inspection Standard: riding or driving horses with high knee action.
• Utility Inspection Standard: Western disciplines, hunters, driving.

In order to get on the FEIT calendar there must be enough interest shown to justify FEIT scheduling a judge to attend.  Rochester Trail Riders is therefore asking people to fill out and submit an online interest form. It is not a commitment form or registration, but merely an expression of interest.  The form is found at http://www.ipshr.com/FEIT_INSPECTION_Info_1.htm

A YouTube video of an inspection can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q9sovEuhW4

Can you believe it’s already time to start thinking of fall before we’re even through the mud season?

I hope the inspection works out, because I’m already looking forward to it!

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A couple years ago a friend asked my advice because her daughter was dead set on getting a horse. In fact, it was the ONLY thing her daughter was interested in. I think my friend was hoping that I would give her some arguments to discourage her, such as cost, the danger element, the helmet head hair style, dirty, smelly, time-consuming, and so on. If so, she came to the wrong person.

By all means, I told her, there is a lot to be said for having a teenage daughter’s time and energy consumed by a BFF who will keep her at the barn, rather than getting all caught up with boys, hair styles, painting her nails, and being “kewl.”

Thus began their family saga of finding a horse, convenient stable, trainer/instructor, and all the other aspects that go along with this addiction. As the young woman in question was not yet of driving age, it also required a parent to convey her to and from the barn, running errands or patiently waiting while she groomed, rode, cleaned tack and generally did all those ancillary chores associated with having a horse.

This year my friend decided that she might as well learn a bit more about what her daughter was doing, so she decided to take some riding lessons herself, despite her general terror at the prospect. As things went along, she told me that things were going well, and she was actually enjoying and looking forward to her lessons.

The other day when I saw her, she reported than she had made her first involuntary dismount. Seeing that she was not limping or visibly bruised, sported no crutches, slings, or casts, I asked how that had gone.

She shrugged that although surprised to find herself on the ground, she just got back on and continued with her lesson, although she was a wee bit sore the next day.

There is a belief and fear among non-riders and beginners that to fall off a horse is tantamount to a trip to the emergency room with life-threatening injuries. The truth is much closer to the old adage that you haven’t even begun to learn to ride until you’ve fallen off at least three times, and in order to become a true horseperson you have to have long ago lost count of the number of times you have parted company with your mount.

In the vast majority of instances, such an occurrence comes close to a non-event. One merely gets up off the ground, usually with a bit of mumbling and grumbling about the absurdity or indignity of having to go to the bother of remounting, or perhaps having to recover a beast that has taken advantage of its sudden freedom,

Another thing that surprised my friend was that as she was falling she had the presence of mind to tell herself to relax — and was actually able to do so.

When faced with the inevitable, here are a few tips that may save you from unfortunate consequences.

• First, it should go without saying, wear a helmet.
• Learn and regularly practice the emergency dismount so your muscle memory is well-established. This can come in handy in a variety of circumstances, not only when you’ve reached the point of no return. You might elect to part company voluntarily, and the emergency dismount helps you to land feet first. It can also change your horse’s mindset to stop whatever behavior has brought you to that point.
• Tuck your chin, keep your arms at your sides rather than putting an arm out to break your fall, and try to roll rather than going splat.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, so I’d love to hear any other tips readers may have to pass along. Success stories are also welcome. It would be nice to share some of the more uplifting or amusing ones with others.

Bottom line — head up, heels down, kick on, and when the inevitable falls occur, just swarm back aboard and continue with what you were trying to do.

Coming Up

March 19 was opening day for the Genesee Valley Riding and Driving Club Combined Test, scheduled May 5 at Lehman Farms. The combined test will consist of a dressage test followed by a jumping test.

Last year many were disappointed that they did not get in. This year entries will again be limited to 60 on a first-come (with completed entry) first-served basis. If there are more entries than can be accommodated, preference will be given to GVRDC members.

For more information and an entry blank go to www.gvrdc.org.

The post Lessons of the fall appeared first on Livingston County News.

There is no doubt that times are hard for many, including horse owners. Hay prices alone have risen to record levels, and that’s just for starters.

Fortunately, there are people who have the heart and drive to see a need and try to figure out what they can do to address it. Two such people are Tammy Lozipone and Pam Merrick of Wayne County, who saw a need for an equine food bank to help struggling horse owners whose resources are being challenged by rising prices.

I first became aware of their efforts through the Rochester Trail Riders where the call went out for people willing to adopt horses in need of homes.

I found that there were 20 Morgan horses that needed placement. Lozipone and Merrick literally stumbled upon the situation when they stopped in to see if the owner needed hay. What she found was a 70-year-old couple who were extremely appreciative of their concern and offer to help.

The owners had figured that part of their retirement plan would be to get a good stallion and a few quality broodmares which they would breed, and then sell three to four foals a year for the income. All of their foundation stock were registered Morgans.

NOTE: Don’t EVER expect to supplement, much less fund, your retirement by investing in horses! Sometimes things can get out of hand despite the best intentions.

What Lozipone found was 10 stallions, eight mares, and right yearling colts all turned out together. In addition, they were loaded with worms and not used to being handled to any degree.

Fortunately, the elderly couple was receptive to any help they could get in dealing with what had become an overwhelming situation. They agreed to put up 20 of the horses for adoption, and geld four of the remaining 6 that they could not bear to part with.

It is important to note that Tammy and Pam’s interest was not in becoming a horse rescue operation. All they wanted to do was help horses whose owners are challenged by rising feed costs. Nonetheless, they have become a conduit for information on ways to address some other aspects of what comes with having horses become beloved members of your family.

In keeping with her career in management, Lozipone got permission to adapt an adoption application form used by Begin Again Horse Rescue to screen anyone interested in taking in one or more of the horses to make sure they had the necessary experience, resources, and housing to provide for them. Anyone adopting a stallion is required to have it gelded, with follow-up procedures in place to make sure they comply.

Through their contacts in 4-H, Pony Club, Rochester Trail Riders, Facebook and Forever Morgans, the horses have all found their ways to appropriate homes or treatment as needed.

Many people saw a recent article in the Democrat and Chronicle about the sad situation at Rodney Farm in Scottsville. Lozipone and Merrick have been assisting in feeding those horses as well.

Some of the resources Lozipone and Merrick discovered in their quest to deal with this particular situation include:

• One Horse at a Time Inc., online at www.onehorseatatime.org: Founded in 2008, this organization offers financial support for emergency hay, feed and vet care. One of the assistance programs they are most proud of is their gelding grant program. OHAAT believes that one of the leading problems facing the equine population is overbreeding. Unlike most gelding programs available, OHAAT provides funds up front to help pay for gelding.
• Operation Gelding: This program is sponsored by the Unwanted Horse Coalition (www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org) and funded by a special grant from the American Association of Equine Practitioners. UHC also has other initiatives and resources to address rescue and retirement issues.
• The Equine Rescue League of Cooperstown (http://equinerescueleague.weebly.com): This group has taken three of the Morgan stallions to Cornell for medical care, and will then work with the horses to make them suitable for adoption.

I was amazed at the variety and extent of resources I found online in researching this article. Many of these groups and organizations have appeared just in the last few years. Many kinds of assistance are out there for horse owners who find themselves overextended. It is my hope that some of this information may help them in finding solutions.

Good Bye to Deb Koester

An obituary ran in last week’s paper about Deb Koester, but I wanted to further mark her passing by saying that she was a very special person whose connection with horses was remarkable.

Deb spent several years in this area and was actively involved in many local equestrian groups. She was a great believer in and hands-on practitioner of natural healing methods, using myotherapy, a form of massage, to treat horses and dogs, but her primary love was horses. Her quiet, upbeat personality was a joy to all who knew her.

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The winter months bring out the couch potato in many of us. Libby Llop of Caledonia has found another way to put in serious seat time waiting for spring to arrive.

This would involve flying to Colorado and then driving and riding more than 3,800 miles to compete two weekends in a row in endurance rides in Texas and California before returning to Fort Collins, Colo.

Llop has been an endurance rider for quite some time. She and her Arabian mare, Fly So Free, were recognized at this year’s American Endurance Ride Conference convention as a Decade Team for having completed at least one recognized 50-mile ride per year for 10 consecutive years.

About 10 years ago, Llop accompanied her husband, Dr. Quentin Llop, when he took part in a short course on embryo transplants at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Prior to the trip, Libby inquired in an online endurance riding group about anyone in that area that she might connect with to help pass the time while Quentin was in class.

Libby Llop of Caledonia is seen with a group of riders at Palodura Canyon in Texas.

Thus she came to meet Linda Fisher of Kenlyn Arabians in Aurora and Fort Collins. With more than 21,000 competition miles to her credit, Fisher’s primary interest nowadays is breeding quality endurance horses. The top market for her horses is, not surprisingly, Middle-Eastern sheiks with money to spare. Still, the preference of such buyers is for proven mounts with low wear and tear, but internationally-recognized competition mileage.

Fisher, in deference to her aging body that no longer tolerates so many hours in the saddle, invited Llop and another rider, Gayle Pena of Moreno Valley, Calif., to compete two of her horses each to enhance their credentials. Pena was last year’s AERC National Limited Distance Mileage Senior Champion on her 1/2 Arabian gelding GP BOLD FX+. Their mounts were all mares, two rising 7 year olds, and two rising 10 year olds.

Heading off with four horses in the trailer, along with feed and camping supplies for their adventure, the group spent their first night on the road in Kansas, then another near Oklahoma City, before arriving in eastern Texas for their first ride on Feb. 16. Llop and Pena completed the 50-mile ride together in a respectable 7 hours, 44 minutes, which placed them in the middle of the pack of 51 AERC entries. The top four came in together at an amazing 4:54! The next placed finishers came in almost an hour later, with the final pair clocking in at 9:39.

The group had planned on doing a bit of relaxing on their way to California, but ominous weather forecasts through the northern Arizona passes caused them to press quickly on to the Twenty Mule Team ride in the Mojave Desert near Death Valley, where they were entered Feb. 22 in the FEI 65-mile one-star (*) division with their second mounts.

Although temperatures for both rides were in the comfortable low 60s, the California ride was effected by winds measuring up to 57 mph that churned up an 80-foot plume of dust acriss the nearby dry lake bed and caused a 1-hour hold in the ride.

As they waited for the go-ahead, Llop said they joked about having to make sure someone held down your chair if you took a potty break, for fear it would be long gone upon your return.

In the final standings, Llop and Pena finished third and fourth respectively in their FEI division.

Looking ahead, Llop and her son Quentin Peter will take two horses to this year’s first AERC competition in the Northeast in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey on March 23, where they are entered in the 50- and 30-mile divisions, respectively. Libby will be on 16 year old Fly So Free, while Peter rides a rising 6 year old homebred Hispano-arabe (Arabian X Andalusian) gelding out of the same mare as his mother’s mount.

I look forward to sharing more news on their adventures.

Coming Up

• March 28: The Western New York Dressage Association will host its first Swap Night at Rush Creekside Inn, Route 15A, Rush from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Take your gently used, no longer needed, or new items from any equine discipline and turn them into cash. Shop for bargains, sell unwanted items, and network with friends.Tack shops, barn owners, riders and anyone with equine related items is welcome. Free admission. Tables are $10 and can be shared. Dinner available at adjacent restaurant. Contact Gail Stokoe for a table at gstokoe01@gmail.com or call 585-245-1724 for more information.

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I received notice the other day that the Energy & Environment Committee of the Erie County legislature had a hearing on Valentine’s Day regarding a proposed local law which would create an online animal abuse registry. The proposed law requires pet sellers to consult the registry prior to the sale of any animal.

The proposal authorizes the Erie County Sheriff’s Office to create any rules and regulations necessary to implement this law, and calls for the Sheriff’s Office to negotiate an agreement with the Erie County SPCA (or a similar agency) to establish and maintain the registry. The proposed law calls for the online registry to contain the following information about an animal abuse offender: name, residence address, birthdate, photo, and date of each conviction of an animal abuse crime.

This information will stay in the registry for five years following the offender’s conviction date. If this law is enacted, any person convicted of an animal abuse crime must register with the registry within 30 days after conviction, and pay an annual $50 fee for as long as he/she is required to be registered.

During the period an offender is listed in the registry, he/she is banned from possessing, adopting, owning, purchasing, or exercising control over any animal. The proposal also prohibits any pet seller or animal shelter from selling or transferring any animal to a listed offender. Prior to sale or exchange of an animal, animal shelters and pet sellers are required to check the registry to confirm that a potential pet owner is not listed. A “pet seller” is defined as “any individual, person, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity which offers animals for sale or is engaged in the sale, exchange or other transfer of ownership of animals.”

Any convicted offender who fails to register on the animal abuse registry is subject to a fine of up to $500 for each day past the 30-day period in which they are given to register. Any offender who purchases or otherwise acquires an animal faces a fine of up to $1,000. Any animal shelter or pet seller that sells or transfers an animal to a listed offender can be fined up to $1,000.

When I went online to see if I could find any information on the status of this proposed law, what I found was quite interesting. Suffolk County on Long Island has the distinction of being the first to pass such a law in 2010. Since then, not only have several other counties in the state followed suit, most recently Westchester County in December 2012, but the movement spans the country, from California, to Florida, to Wisconsin, among others.

It is easy to agree that no sentient being should suffer abuse, and that anyone who would do such things should suffer as well. The issue becomes cloudy when we try to define abuse, which comes in many forms ranging from neglect to intentionally inflicting physical harm.

It can also be a matter of opinion to a degree. With horses, water and shelter are all that is required. It doesn’t matter if the horse is up to its hocks in mud and manure. A frozen stream or pond where they can paw through the ice, and a thick stand of pines in a protected draw can be considered sufficient. After all, horses survived and evolved for millennia before they were domesticated.

The scary part is how the animal rights forces are growing and moving the conversation away from animal welfare. There is a vast difference.

One prominent article I came across was titled “Animal-Abuse Registries: What They Are and How They Work.” It was an interesting article published in VegNews Magazine. I’m willing to bet that they consider eating anything of animal origin to be abuse to some degree.

I guess the bottom line is enforcement, and placing the burden of responsibility so heavily on the seller, although you have to think they would want the best for any animal. There is no doubt that all this is complicated.

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The Rochester Trail Riders website www.rochestertrailriders.com is newly updated, and best of all it’s integrated with Facebook! The site has been revamped to offer area horse fanatics a place to get together in an online social environment. You’ll be able to add photos, topics, chat, add events and more.

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Western New York Equifest is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 17 at the Erie County Fairgrounds, Hamburg. The event, from the New York State Horse Council Western Chapter, includes presentations and demonstrations by expert clinicians and trainers. www.wnyequifest.com .

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