December 16, 2010 – Dear Homes for Horses Coalition Member and Interested Equine Rescues:
It is hard to believe that the Homes for Horses Coalition is preparing to host its 5th annual national conference in Orlando, Florida! We are sure that this upcoming event will continue to build on the solid foundation you and so many others have helped establish, making the Homes for Horses Coalition the leading horse advocacy coalition in the country.
The Homes for Horses Coalition is unique when it comes to equine advocacy groups. It is made up of actual horse owners who are involved in all aspects of the horse industry and equine rescues and sanctuaries community caring for and finding good homes for America’s horses. While there are a few other so-called horse coalitions who talk about horse welfare, none bring the actual hands-on involvement, experience and commitment that make the Homes for Horses Coalition (HHC) one of a kind! With your continued involvement, we look forward to building on these accomplishments and making a more substantial difference for the horses in 2011!
The American Quarter Horse Journal, December 3, 2010 – Veterinary medical professionals and horsemen gathered at the American Quarter Horse Association’s annual racing conference on November 18 in New Orleans to consider the use – and misuse – of drugs and medications in racehorses. Topics included laboratory testing and procedures, out-of-competition and pre-race examinations, therapeutic and illegal medications, joint injections, acceptable threshold levels and withdrawal time, zero-tolerance policies, public education and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.
Once the panelists and attendees started talking, the discussion focused primarily – indeed, almost exclusively – on clenbuterol.
Approved for veterinary use in horses with allergic respiratory disease and for medical use in humans with asthma, clenbuterol acts as a bronchodilator. The problem, however, is how the drug is being misused – both in horses and humans: While it is not an anabolic steroid, clenbuterol has some of the same effects, increasing muscle mass and enhancing performance.
Chester Weber, who recently helped his team win the Silver Medal in Combined Driving at the 2010 WEG, spoke and gave a demonstration at Lakes of Oak City Equestrian Center in Lake City, Florida. (Photo courtesy of Susanna Dicks)
Lake City, FL (November 11, 2010) – Combined Driver Chester Weber is passionate about driving and never misses an opportunity to share his passion for the sport. As the reigning eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, Weber spoke recently at the CHA Conference at the Oaks of Lake City, home of the O’Connor Signature Equestrian Center in Lake City, Florida.
“While at the Oaks of Lake City Equestrian Center I had the chance to introduce the sport of combined driving to everyone attending the conference,” Weber said. “It was an intimate group, so in addition to demonstrating different aspects of combined driving, I was also able to field questions from individuals.”
Weber is fresh off his third time competing in the World Equestrian Games. Weber, along with U.S. Combined Driving teammates James Fairclough and Tucker Johnson, won the team silver medal at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. Weber won the cones phase of the Combined Driving event with an almost record-setting time to help the U.S. Team clinch the silver medal.
Jacksonville, Fla. – September 22, 2010 – North Florida Dressage Association (NFDA) will be holding a variety of events in Jacksonville, Fla. during the upcoming 2010 Adequan/USDF National Convention and Symposium. From Wednesday through Sunday, Dec. 1-5, equestrian activities will be held at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Riverfront, 223 E. Coastline Drive and the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, 13611 Normandy Blvd. Many events are free and open to the public. Registration and cost is required for some activities and classes. Visit www.DressageontheFirstCoast.com and www.usdf.org/convention.
According to Mary O’Brien, event spokesperson, the activities begin on Wednesday and continue through Sunday at the hotel and the equestrian center with classroom instruction on a variety of topics including the 2011 tests for horse and rider competitions and training methods, health and nutrition information, and tips and trends in dressage, to name a few. Riding events will include Dressage on the First Coast, a USEF and USDF recognized dressage show and the USDF/Adequan Symposium designed to instruct riders about the new 2011 USEF dressage tests and how best to perform them in the show ring.
The Women’s Horse Industry Association is pleased to announce that PJ Cooksey will speak during the luncheon on Wednesday, September 22, 2010. The luncheon is part of the WHIA’s conference being held September 22-23, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel. The theme of the event is “Marketing and Managing Your Horse Industry Business” and is open to members and non-members of the association.
“Cooksey is one of the most entertaining public speakers in the industry and we are very excited that she was able to take time out of her schedule to talk with us. Her credentials are stellar and her personality is something special,” states Executive Director, Catherine Masters.
Cooksey started off as a groom at Waterford Park in West Virginia in 1978 and a short time later, became an assistant trainer of a 30 horse stable. Then the bug to become a jockey hit her. On August 20, 1979, she won in her first race aboard Turf Advisor, quickly becoming the track’s leading jockey, both male and female. Her phenomenal career has provided her with many awards and records.
A variety pack this week from a Kathleen’s Wild Ride update to HaHaHorses to Sports Massage Therapist Jamie Cohen about why CROSS TRAINING is so important for muscle health in ALL horses. Listen in…
The Women’s Horse Industry Association is pleased to announce that The Black Stallion Literacy Foundation will participate at the 2nd Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky September 22-23, 2010.
The Black Stallion Literacy Foundation program is available for children in the lower elementary grades and the upper elementary grades. Books are given to children to keep forever; in the lower elementary program, usually first grade, they are given Little Black a Pony and Little Black Goes to the Circus. After receiving their first book, the children are taken to a farm and learn how to care for a horse. They meet the characters in the book and then read to a horse!
Upper elementary students, usually fourth and fifth graders, are given the hardback book, The Black Stallion. Schools, a copy of the movie, The Black Stallion, and a complete curriculum that teachers truly admire and utilize. As a reward for reading their book, these children are treated to an amazing equestrian show, the Black Stallion Show featuring performers from Arabian Nights, from Kissimmee, Florida. The show is the professional horse show that encourages children to read, brings the book to life and encourages children to read more of the books by Walter Farley.
We take a look at what’s ahead at the Kentucky Horse Horse Park this week with the final test events, and catch up with two of our spotlight athletes: canadian eventer and new mother Jessie Phoenix, (aaah!) and The English Vaulting Squad. Listen in…
2010 Radio Show Episode 87 – Previewing the Final Three Test Events:
News:The FEI Bureau has given it’s unanimous approval to new Stewards’ guidelines on warm-up techniques produced by the Working Group formed after the round table conference held in Lausanne, Switzerland in February. These new guidelines will be implemented on 15th May this year.
News: Eight time national Champion four in hand driver Chester Weber has an artist in his team. Rolex W, is the latest equine celebrity to paint a “Moneigh” in aid of the ReRun Charity, and his artwork will be displayed here in Lexington during the three day event that bears his name.
News: At their recent Annual Convention, the American Vaulting Association (AVA) presented Lifetime Achievement Awards, the highest award of the AVA, to Jeffrey Ashton Moore and Jan F. Garrod, whose efforts over the past 40 years have been instrumental to the recognition, growth and continued high standards of the sport of equestrian vaulting. At the same event, the Annual Trainer of the Year award was presented to Patti Skipton of Warm Beach Vaulters in Washington.
FEI Round Table Conference Participants on Rollkur/Hyperflexion - 9Feb2010 (click for larger image)
Lausanne (SUI), 9 February 2010 – Following constructive debate at the FEI round-table conference at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne today (9 February), the consensus of the group was that any head and neck position achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable. The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable.
The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned. The FEI will establish a working group, headed by Dressage Committee Chair Frank Kemperman, to expand the current guidelines for stewards to facilitate the implementation of this policy. The group agreed that no changes are required to the current FEI Rules.
The FEI Management is currently studying a range of additional measures, including the use of closed circuit television for warm-up arenas at selected shows.
The group also emphasised that the main responsibility for the welfare of the horse rests with the rider.
The FEI President HRH Princess Haya accepted a petition of 41,000 signatories against Rollkur presented by Dr Gerd Heuschman.
The participants in the FEI round-table conference were:
HRH Princess Haya, FEI President
Alex McLin, FEI Secretary General
Margit Otto-Crépin, International Dressage Riders Club Representative
Linda Keenan, International Dressage Trainers Club Representative
Sjef Janssen, Dressage Representative
Frank Kemperman, Chairman, FEI Dressage Committee (by conference call)
François Mathy, International Jumping Riders Club Representative
David Broome, Jumping Representative
Jonathan Chapman, Eventing Representative
Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Representative
Tony Tyler, World Horse Welfare Representative
Ulf Helgstrand, President, Danish Equestrian Federation
John McEwen, Chairman, FEI Veterinary Committee
Dr Sue Dyson, Veterinary Representative Dr Gerd Heuschman, Veterinary Representative
Prof. René van Weeren, Veterinary Representative
Jacques van Daele, FEI Honorary Steward General Dressage
Graeme Cooke, FEI Veterinary Director
Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage
John Roche, FEI Director Jumping and Stewarding
Catrin Norinder, FEI Director Eventing
Carsten Couchouron, FEI Executive Director Commercial
Richard Johnson, FEI Communications Director
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations. Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines – Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms. It is also the only sport which involves two athletes – horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.
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