USDA Releases Second EHV-1 Situation Report

From The American Horse Council

USDA has released the second national EHV-1 situation report.  A summary of the updated information is as follows:

•    A total of 75 confirmed EHV-1 or EHM cases have been reported in 9 states (AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA)
•    Of the 75 confirmed EHV/EHM cases, 58 cases are horses that were at the Ogden, Utah event.
•    There are 11 horses associated with this incident that are dead or have been euthanized.
•    There are 15 newly identified premises with suspect or confirmed cases identified this reporting period.

You may view the complete USDA EHV-1 Situation Report that provides detailed information on the number of exposed, positive, dead, and euthanized horses on a state by state level here.  The AHC anticipates USDA releasing another national situation report at the end of next week. Please see the below links for additional information on EHV-1 transmission risks and disease mitigation strategies.

Continue reading USDA Releases Second EHV-1 Situation Report

Optical Illusion Makes Magic in USEA Preliminary Three-Day at the Virginia Horse Trials

Hope Nicyper-Meryman and Optical Illusion lead the victory gallop as winners of the Preliminary Three-Day. Leslie Mintz/USEA Photo

What could likely be the very last Classic Preliminary Level Event at the Virginia Horse Trials concluded today in Lexington, Virginia. Seven riders entered the SmartPak Equine/USEA Preliminary Three-Day Event, five started the competition, four completed all the phases of Endurance Day, but only one took home the blue ribbon.

Seventeen-year-old Hope Nicyper-Meryman traveled with her own ten-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Optical Illusion, from Pine Plains, New York to tackle the Preliminary Three-Day. Despite being the youngest competitor by nearly ten years, Hope proved she had what it took to win by adding no jumping penalties to her dressage score of 39.8.

“I competed in the Training Three-Day competition at GMHA about four years ago and absolutely loved it,” said Hope. “So when I was thinking about a goal for this year I looked at the calendar and decided that the Preliminary Three-Day would work well with my school schedule. I have been preparing since January, and it was all worth it as there is nothing like the feeling of doing steeplechase on a fast Thoroughbred.”

Continue reading Optical Illusion Makes Magic in USEA Preliminary Three-Day at the Virginia Horse Trials

Tragic Fire at Boyd Martin’s Barn at True Prospect Farm

Phantom Pursuit, owned and ridden by Abbie Golden, was one of the horses who was lost in the fire last night. Phantom is pictured above competing with Boyd at Rebecca Farm. Emily Daily/USEA Photo.

At 12:30am this morning, a barn fire of unknown cause tragically destroyed Boyd Martin’s barn at True Prospect Farm.  Eleven horses were in the barn at the time.  Lillian Heard, Caitlin Silliman, and Ryan Wood were able to evacuate five horses. Four horses are currently in treatment at The University of Pennsylvania – New Bolton Center; they are: Neville Bardos, Otis Barbotiere, Catch a Star, and Ambassador’s Rose. Lillian, Caitlin, and Ryan were treated and released from Jennersville Hospital.  Tragically, six horses perished in the fire.

We all wish to extend our deepest condolences to all those connected to Call Me Ollie, Charla, Ariel, Phantom Pursuit, Cagney Herself, and Summer Breeze.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Boyd and his team at this time.  All other horses have been relocated to area barns.  Further information on how you can help Boyd will be released shortly.

Tax Deductible Relief Fund | Boyd and Silva Martin’s Blog

Purchase Denny Emerson’s Book, How Good Riders Get Good, and 50% of the royalties between now and Christmas will be donated to Boyd and Silva.

United States Eventing Association | 525 Old Waterford Rd, NW | Leesburg | VA | 20176

Linda and Pat Parelli Invited to Join Xenophon Society during Successful European Tour

L-R: Linda Parelli, Pat Parelli, Anabel Balkenhol, and Klaus Balkenhol. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Schnell)

Ocala, FL (May 31, 2011) – Linda and Pat Parelli, the founders of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc., recently returned from a successful European tour where they demonstrated their training techniques in front of sold out crowds.  The couple also met with Olympic gold medalist and dressage coach, Klaus Balkenhol, who expressed his approval of the Parellis’ natural horsemanship training by bestowing upon them membership in the Xenophon Society. The society was founded to preserve and promote the classical principles of dressage, and the Parellis were thrilled with their induction as their training methods reflect the basic principles of classical training.

“Pat and I train with dressage Master Walter Zettl and Walter encouraged us to meet Klaus and his family while we were in Europe. We not only met them but I ended up going to their farm to show how our method helps with behavioral issues,” Linda said. “While we were still in Europe, Klaus made us members of the Xenophon Society which was a huge honor for us.”

The Xenophon Society is named for the famous Greek author of The Art of Horsemanship, an ancient manuscript that describes the proper care and treatment of the horse.  Many of the points made by Xenophon are still considered relevant to horse training today, and the Xenophon Society was founded to uphold these ideas of ethical and classical equestrianism.

Continue reading Linda and Pat Parelli Invited to Join Xenophon Society during Successful European Tour

Road to Pan American Games Runs through Raleigh’s Capital Dressage Classic

Raleigh, NC – Some of the dressage world’s best-known horse and rider teams will be wowing spectators at the 2011 CDI3*Y/J Capital Dressage Classic, June 3-5, 2011, at the Hunt Horse Complex in Raleigh, NC.  Among just a few of the world class riders who will be competing are Michael Barisone , Jim Koford, Susan Dutta, Lars Peterson, Karen Lipp, Shannon Dueck, Caroline Roffman, Tami Batts, Chris Hickey, Arlene Page and Julio Cesar Mendoza-Loor.

Scores will be updated and available on the web within minutes of each ride throughout the competition to give enthusiasts around the world a virtual front row seat.  Along with the 2011 Pan American Games qualifying classes, the show is an official qualifying competition for the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix Championship; Intermediaire I Championship; FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships; USEF “Brentina Cup” Championships; 2011 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program; and the 2011 USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship (sponsored by the Dutta Corp & PSI).

The 2011 CDI3*Y/J Capital Dressage Classic, hosted by the NC Dressage and Combined Training Association, will be managed for the first time by Regina Antonioli of California. As the chairman of the USDF Competition committee, Antonioli believes Raleigh’s Capital Dressage Classic is an essential part of the high-performance competition calendar.

Continue reading Road to Pan American Games Runs through Raleigh’s Capital Dressage Classic

Tucker Johnson Returns to the Dixon Oval to Claim the Devon Pleasure Carriage Drive Championship

Tucker Johnson at Devon (Photo courtesy of Alden Corrigan and Meg Wiederseim).

Devon, PA – One of the highlights of Memorial Day weekend is the Devon Pleasure Carriage Drive from St. David’s Church through the tree-lined neighborhoods along the 4-½ mile route to the Dixon Oval. The images of majestic animals pulling magnificently maintained coaches draw crowds of spectators and tailgaters alike, both at St. David’s and along the Pleasure Carriage Drive route to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.

The event begins with competitors assembling in one of St. David’s fields surrounded by throngs of tailgaters for the initial judging by division (Horses, Ponies, Light Commercial and Farmers) before they are permitted to begin their journey to the Dixon Oval. The judges are looking to see if the vehicle has the proper appointments, if the turnout is correct, if the right horses are hooked up to the right vehicle, and if people are dressed reasonably, but not necessarily in period outfits.

Once the competitors begin their drive, they are judged on their performance by road judges placed strategically along the route. The road judges watch the competitors working on the road, and look for obvious mistakes like failing to stop at a stop sign, if horses gallop up the hill and have a problem, go too fast down a hill, or if they are crowding another carriage and don’t use their whip correctly.

Continue reading Tucker Johnson Returns to the Dixon Oval to Claim the Devon Pleasure Carriage Drive Championship

In Memoriam: Bill Roycroft (AUS)

Lausanne (SUI), 31 May 2011 – Australian equestrian legend James George “Bill” Roycroft OBE passed away on Sunday 29 May at the age of 96.

Bill Roycroft was one of Australia’s greatest Olympians and one of only five Australians to have competed in five consecutive Olympic Games.

His Olympic début was in Rome in 1960 where he helped secure Australia’s first-ever equestrian medal – team gold in Eventing.

He went on to compete in three Summer Olympics with his sons. In Tokyo (1964) he competed with his eldest son Barry, in Mexico City (1968) he was joined by Wayne where they won bronze together and in Munich (1972) he competed with youngest son Clarke. In Montreal (1976) he secured bronze with Barry and Wayne, becoming Australia’s oldest Olympic medallist and competitor at 61 years and 31 days.

Bill Roycroft became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1969 for his service to sport, and was awarded an Order of Merit by the Australian Olympic Committee in 1978 for his outstanding achievement in sport.

Continue reading In Memoriam: Bill Roycroft (AUS)

Motivation from Moshi 64, by Jane Savoie

Patience. I hear it is a virtue. I think it’s a habit that can be developed.

Having patience with your horse is very important. He or she thinks differently than you do, so you have to be able to recognize when he tries to do what you’re asking, even if he didn’t quite get it. Rewarding the “try” is very important.

It’s also very important to recognize why you might be losing patience. Very often it’s because you’re afraid. Fear is very uncomfortable, so many people appear angry when they’re actually afraid. It’s a natural human coping mechanism. Recognizing this fact is very important, especially if you’re working with children and animals.

Do you have a temper? Are you sure it’s anger you’re feeling, and not fear or lack of control? If you suspect this might be true for you, or really don’t know why you get angry, it may be time to take a second look. Next time you feel your temper flare, stop and examine what’s going on. What caused this? What are you REALLY feeling? Could it be fear you’re covering up with a different emotion?

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 64, by Jane Savoie

NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #21, by Claire Dorotik

NO SECRET SO CLOSE is the story of a the most unthinkable betrayal humanly possible — at only 24 years old, Claire Dorotik’s father has been murdered, her mother arrested, and now, in a sinister twist of fate, Claire’s mother points the finger at Claire, accusing her of killing her own father. Battling the feelings of loss, abandonment, terror, and dissociation, and also learning about them, Claire struggles to stay in her master’s program for psychotherapy. However, when Claire’s brothers also betray her and side with her mother, Claire is left all alone to care for the 18 horses she and her mother owned. As the story unfolds, what is revealed is the horses’ amazing capacity for empathy in the face of human trauma, and the almost psychic ability to provide the author with what had been taken from her. Arising from these horrifying circumstances, the most unthinkable heroes — the horses — show Claire that life is still worth living.

Excerpt #21 from NO SECRET SO CLOSE:

My hand reached up to rub the round patch of white hairs in the middle of Nimo’s forehead.

“You’re free,” I whispered to him.

He looked at me intently, cocking both ears forward.

“That’s right, you’re free. Do you remember what you taught me? Well, back at ya pal.”

Continue reading NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #21, by Claire Dorotik

Equine Therapy: Know Your Horses, by Claire Dorotik

In the field of equine facilitated psychotherapy, there are many variables that can confound the process of attempting to work with horses in healing the ailments that people so often face. And while there are a multitude of resources on exercises to perform, or certifications to obtain, perhaps no one thing is as important as simply knowing the horse you are working with. I share this personal story, as an example.

“He’s a rogue, a runaway. He’d take off with the jocs at the track. No one could stop him, not even Alvarado.” I hung up the phone and wondered what I’d got myself into. Arriving at the barn that day, I pulled my new horse, all 17.2 hands of him out of his stall and proceeded to groom his massive frame. Even incredibly underweight, he was intimidating to say the least. As I curried over his back, he rolled his eye back at me, shaking his head up and down. I lifted the saddle onto his back and he shook more, sidestepping, and attempting to shy away. “Easy buddy, this isn’t the track anymore,” I reassured. But the truth was he had no idea who I was, or what I’d want from him.

I reached for my bridle just as the barn owner came around the corner. “So you’re gonna ride him today?”

“Well I hope to,” I answered, my voice quivering.

Continue reading Equine Therapy: Know Your Horses, by Claire Dorotik

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