The new Ph.D. column covers a wide variety of topics important to the senior horse

owner, such as weight maintenance and proper body condition, , health concerns, and seasonal considerations for aging horses. In addition, live chats on the forum allow senior horse owners to ask Dr. Young questions and receive real-time answers.

“Today's horses are living longer lives, and proper nutrition plays a critical role. I’m excited to help other senior horse owners like myself in this role,” said Dr. Young.

Dr. Young has more than 40 years of experience in the horse industry as a rider, trainer and riding instructor. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and holds a doctorate in equine nutrition and exercise physiology from Texas A&M University. In her role as Manager of Equine Nutritional Services with Purina Animal Nutrition, Dr. Young develops and maintains horse feed formulas and standards and provides technical support to customers, sales representatives, dealers and veterinarians.

“We are excited to feature Dr. Young’s considerable expertise on the Purina^® Senior Horse Resource Center,” said Equine Network Group Publisher Dave Andrick. “Senior horses are a special part of the equine world, and we’re fortunate to be able to provide wonderful educational resources for the people who care for these horses in their golden years.”

Launched in 2011, the Purina^® Senior Horse Resource Center on EquiSearch.com is the online hub for senior horse owners. Rich with information about all aspects of senior horse care, the Resource Center is home to articles, videos, photo galleries and forums.

Visit the Purina^® Senior Horse Resource Center at ActiveStill.com.

About The Equine Network
The Equine Network provides, creates, and distributes relevant content and services to passionate horse enthusiasts while connecting them to each other and the marketplace. The Equine Network is the publisher of award-winning magazines: Horse&Rider, EQUUS, Dressage Today, The Trail Rider, Spin To Win Rodeo, American Cowboy, Practical Horseman, and Horse Journal. The Equine Network also publishes a proprietary line of books and DVDs for sale through its store, HorseBooksEtc.com. The Equine Network provides emergency roadside assistance to equestrians through its recent acquisition of USRider, and is home to several websites including: EquiSearch.com, Equine.com, MyHorseDaily.com, DiscoverHorses.com, AmericanCowboy.com, and Horse-Journal.com.
http://www.aimmedia.com/en.html

About Purina Animal Nutrition
Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (www.purinamills.com) is a national organization serving producers, animal owners and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers and other large retailers throughout the United States. With an uncompromising commitment to animal excellence, Purina Animal Nutrition conducts industry-leading R&D initiatives that create and sustain North America's most valued portfolio of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Species served by Purina Animal Nutrition include both large animals — cattle, horses and swine —and small pets, including hamsters, gerbils and rabbits. Headquartered in Gray Summit, Mo., Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc.

An additional horse (Wellington area and no identified direct or indirect connection to the Ocala show grounds) has been tested and found to be EHV-1 (wild strain) positive. There

have been no neurologic symptoms associated with this animal.

All horses on the HITS Showgrounds, Ocala are under quarantine. Additionally, horses believed to have

had increased opportunity of exposure or other risk have been traced to 11 different farms/training facilities. Quarantines have been put in place and the animals are being monitored for evidence of illness.

The Florida Department of Agriculture has posted a detailed report regarding this situation and is updating the report regularly. These updates include links to additional resources and are available at: www.freshfromflorida.com/ai/pdf/EHVWebsiteUpdate.pdf

Please check this source regularly for the most current and reliable information regarding the status of the disease.

The equestrian community is being advised of the importance of horsemen implementing good biosecurity protocols that should be routine when attending competitions or visiting other venues where horses of different origin and disease status are congregating. If planning to travel to such venues, make certain you contact the venue prior to travel to understand what biosecurity measures have been imposed. Additionally, it is advised that you consult with your veterinarian in evaluating your horse's current vaccination and immunity status and to review or develop an individual biosecurity plan. The California Department of Food & Agriculture has published a bio-security tool kit at this link: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_biosecurity.html. Dr. Stephen Schumacher, Chief Administrator for the USEF Drugs & Medication Program describes this as a "good comprehensive resource compiled from a number of sources."

Need help finding your favorite H&R article from 2012? This complete list of 2012 articles should help.

Al Dunning’s How’s My Riding?
"Sitting Pretty,” Practice Pen, Jan., pg. 32
“Hard-Working Pair,” Practice Pen, Feb., pg. 32
“Trail-Course Prep,” Practice Pen, March, pg. 32
“Al Says, ‘Relax’” Practice Pen, May, pg. 46
“Small-Fry Horsemanship,” Practice Pen, June, pg. 28
“Rail Work,” Practice Pen, July, pg. 38
“Fence Work,” Practice Pen, Sept., pg. 40
“Reining Prep,” Practice Pen, Oct., pg. 40
“Schooling Session,” Practice Pen, Nov., pg. 34
"Sit Up in the Saddle," Practice Pen, Dec., pg. 34

Barns, Property Maintenance
“Melt Ice Safely,” Your Horse, Your Life, Jan., pg. 18
Stable Gear: “Stall Fronts,” Jan., pg. 64
“Savvy Storage,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 20
“Spring-Clean Your Barn,” Your Horse, Your Life, March, pg. 20
“Messy Job Made Easy,” Your Horse, Your Life, March, pg. 20
Special Advertising Section: “Barn & Ranch Makeover,” March, pg. 57
Stable Gear: “Barn Carts and Caddies,” April, pg. 78
“Nip It in the Mud,” May, pg. 80
“How to Handle a Hay Shortage,” June, pg. 56
“Three-Pronged Fly Control,” Your Horse, Your Life, June, pg. 30
“Small Size, Big Benefits,” Your Horse, Your Life, June, pg. 28
“Tack Theft—Now What?” July, pg. 68
Stable Gear: “Barn Fly Control,” July, pg. 78
“Winter-Prep Steps to Take Now,” Your Horse, Your Life, Sept., pg. 26
“Easier Hay Soaking,” Your Horse, Your Life, Oct., pg. 24
Stable Gear: “Winter Water Options,” Oct., pg. 70
“While You Wait,” Your Horse, Your Life, Nov., pg. 20

Behavior
“Sore Back; Foal Eats Manure,” Whole Horse Q&A, March, pg. 14
“Hematoma; Saddling Woes,” Whole Horse Q&A, April, pg. 14
“Rearing to Go—In A Bad Way,” Problem Solvers, June, pg. 88
“Club Foot; Sometimes Spooky,” Whole Horse Q&A, July, pg. 20
“Trailering Fears; Bowed Tendon,” Whole Horse Q&A, Aug., pg. 12
“Pasture Predator?” Your Horse, Your Life, Aug., pg. 19
“Clinician On Call,” Aug., pg. 43
“Keeping Kelly,” Aug., pg. 62
“Trailering Fears; Bowed Tendon,” Whole Horse Q&A, Aug., pg. 12
“Popped Splint; Trail Fears,” Whole Horse Q&A, Sept., pg. 14
“Barn Sour; Shoe Boil,” Whole Horse Q&A, Oct., pg. 15
“Eye Discharge; Pulling Back,” Whole Horse Q&A, Nov., pg. 12

Bob Avila’s Winning Insights
“Breeding Time Machine,” Practice Pen, Jan., pg. 30
“How Not to Lose,” Practice Pen, Feb., pg. 30
“Don’t Skip the Basics,” Practice Pen, March, pg. 30
“Tire Kickers,” Practice Pen, April, pg. 33
“Industry Update,” Practice Pen, May, pg. 38
“Horse Divorce,” Practice Pen, June, pg. 45
“What You Need to Succeed,” Practice Pen, July, pg. 36
“Know When to Quit,” Practice Pen, Aug., pg. 32
“Neck-Reining: Part 1: Introduce the Concept,” Practice Pen, Sept., pg. 34
“Neck-Reining: Part 2: Introduce the Curb Bit,” Practice Pen, Oct., pg. 32
“Neck-Reining: Part 3: The Romal Advantage,” Practice Pen, Nov., pg. 28
"Rules of Engagement," Practice Pen, Dec. pg. 26

Breed, Show Associations
“Did You Know? Surprising Facts About 10 Breeds,” Jan., pg. 50
“Once More, for the Memories,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
“New National AQHA Championship for YOU!” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
“Important USEF Drug-Rule Changes,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
Gallop Poll: “If Wishes Were Reiners,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
Have You Tried: “Entry-Level Reining,” Practice Pen, Feb., pg. 38
“New Show Options for All Breeds,” Your Horse, Your Life, March, pg. 18
“Happy Birthday, APHA!” Your Horse, Your Life, April, pg. 18
“PtHA, AQHA Innovations,” Your Horse, Your Life, May, pg. 20
“Inudstry Update,” Practice Pen, May, pg. 38
Have You Tried: “Saddle-Log Programs,” Practice Pen, May, pg. 48
“Save Big at AQHA Novice Championships,” Your Horse, Your Life, pg. 24
“Painted ‘n Pretty,” Your Horse, Your Life, pg. 24
“Genetic Test for Appaloosas Now Available,” Your Horse, Your Life, June, pg. 26
“Arabians Slide to Paychecks,” Your Horse, Your Life, July, pg. 24
“AQHA Video Delux,” Your Horse, Your Life, Sept., pg. 20
“Find a Trainer, Help a Youth,” Your Horse, Your Life, Sept., pg. 20
“Philanthropy at Pinto World,” Your Horse, Your Life, Oct., pg. 22
“Numbers Up at Quarter Horse Shows,” Your Horse, Your Life, Nov., pg. 18
“ACTHA Rides Benefit Service Members,” Your Horse, Your Life, Nov., pg. 18
"Not Too Common: Grullas," Your Horse, Your Life, Dec., pg. 16

Farmland, forests, and open space are being developed into residential and commercial developments at a rate of 6,000 acres per day, according to the USDA. We need 36 million acres of land just to feed the 9-plus million horses in the United States.

Equestrians are losing trail access on public lands. Liability concerns are limiting your ability to ride on others’ private land.

Once the land is gone, we can’t get it back. Where will your grandchildren ride, drive, compete, race, raise foals, and grow hay?

Preserving Our Future
The Equine Land Conservation Resource is devoted to saving land for horses. Its mission is to advance the conservation of land for horse-related activity.

By educating horsepeople, and encouraging partnerships with conservationists and other user groups at the local level, the ELCR is mobilizing thousands of equestrians to work for land access and protection in their communities. Without such concerted efforts, the horse world as we know it is at great risk.

The ELCR offers information and resources on the following topics:

• Land conservation.
• Community land-use planning.
• Trail access, connectivity, and shared use.
• Equine economic development.
• Land/trail stewardship-management practices.
• Liability issues.

Click here for specific information on each of these topics.

Equestrian Partners
The ELCR’s Equestrian Partners program is a membership program for equine and conservation organizations. The 120-member organizations representing more than 1 million equestrians are actively working on equine land conservation in their communities.

Click here to learn more about the ELCR’s Equestrian Partners.

Get Involved

Here are six ways you can get involved.

• Begin or join a local effort to conserve land for horses in your community. Contact the ELCR to find a member group in your area or find out how to start one.

• 

  Photo by William J. Erickson

  Ask your equine organization to become a member of our Equestrian Partners program. Volunteer to serve as the Land Conservation Chair or Coordinator, and be the liaison with the ELCR.

• Make plans to conserve your own farm.
• Join a trail-stewardship crew.
• Participate in your community’s land-use planning and zoning process. Provide input to your community’s periodic update of its Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Encourage the inclusion of horse-friendly provisions in your local or state transportation and recreation plans.
• Support the ELCR’s efforts to raise awareness of the issue, and provide information and guidance to individuals and organizations to conserve horse lands in your community.

It’s time for us to hold our ground! For more information on what to do in your community, visit www.elcr.org.

Lillie Keenan and C Coast Z jumped an ivy-covered curved wall next to the farm entrance gate, cantered through a narrow opening to a brown stone wall set next to a barn, over a hay wagon, then to a blown-down tree. She galloped to the next field, past a pond and boat, across a creek, over a hedge lane and exited the farm over an iron gate.

While it might sound like she was out foxhunting across grand open landscape, Lillie was actually on her way to winning the 2011 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals, presented by Dietrich Equine Insurance, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, August 20. Course designers Patrick Rodes and Bobby Murphy transformed the Sheila C. Johnson Arena into a barnyard during the final rounds, constructing a farm entrance, lane, barn, fields, hedges, gates—and even brought a fox and hounds (at least wood cutouts of them).

Under the bright arena lights and in front of the crowd of nearly 1,000 enthusiastic spectators, the 14-year-old from New York, New York, outrode seasoned professionals to take top honors. The original starting list of 58 top horse-and-rider combinations from across North America even included one of Lillie’s trainers from Heritage Farm, Patricia Griffith.

This was Lillie’s second year competing in the Finals on the 11-year-old gray Zangersheide gelding. The former grand-prix jumper was originally purchased as an equitation horse before he became a hunter. “I was definitely surprised. I didn’t think it was likely that a Junior could win,” said Lillie. “I knew I was going to have to give it my all. My horse was ready, but I needed to make it clear to him that I was ready, too, and that I needed him to shine at that moment.”

Coming into the top 12, Lillie said, “Scott Stewart was ahead of me, so I knew I needed to take some risks.” Scott had won the previous two rounds on another former grand-prix jumper, Carlos-Boy, a 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding. Unfortunately, when it came to the final round, the second of the day, Carlos-Boy became overly excited when he thought he was heading into a jumpoff, earning a score that dropped them to fifth in the final standings.

Eight judges in four teams of two scored each horse-and-rider pair. Riders ­received an extra point per judging team for each high fence option that was taken (up to 16 points). Each pair could also award up to 10 “handy” points for each rider based on the difficulty of the track, turns, and so on. Scores from the final handy round were added to the scores from the classic round, and the total decided the outcome.

Of her plan for riding the handy course, Lillie explained that most of the longer lines walked pretty open. “Going in, I thought I would just have to ride off my eye and trust that what I saw would end up being the right distance. As it turned out, the lines got a lot easier. It was a challenge to have them walk long and go in and suddenly [ride shorter], but I think that’s a place where you need to know you can trust your horse, trust your eye and just ride what you feel.”

Judge Julie Winkel said of Lillie’s ride, “She rode to win. The horse was consistent and beautiful, and you could see the teamwork. It looked like they had been together a long time.” Overall, the judges agreed that it was Lillie’s great hand gallop and collection to Fence 6 that locked in her win.

Here is a fence-by-fence breakdown of the course, as planned by the two designers, along with Lillie’s thoughts on how she rode each obstacle.

Fence 1: Curved Ivy Wall
Height: Just over 3-foot-6

Construction: Curved wall covered with ivy and flanked by two pillars. Wall had breakaway caps and a brush ground line.

Course Designer Notes: The horses cantered into the arena and rode directly to the first fence. “The curved wall zooms the horse in,” explained Bobby. “It’s still a little bit spooky because they have to go between those pillars, which are over ten feet tall and four feet wide.”

Lillie: Going into the ring, I was clear with my plan. On C Coast Z, I have a habit of not guiding him enough to the first fence, so I almost overcompensated and overprotected it. I think he was a little bit surprised, like, “Oh it’s dark, and there’s lights and lots of people are screaming and this is a funny-looking fence,” so I may have overreacted just a hair.

It didn’t look so much like a fence; it looked more like a decoration. It was a little shadowy and the light was hitting it a little funny, so I had to tell him, “This is the first fence, we have to get going.”
The first fence was easy, so it was fine. He landed left, and then I knew I had to get going if I really wanted it.

Fence 2: Kentucky Horse Park Foundation Wall
Height: 3-foot-9

Construction: A solid, brown stone wall, composed of three tiered boxes. It was set perpendicular to a prefabricated barn that had a saddle rack constructed from recycled arena fence boards, an old wheelbarrow with feed and other items that would be seen in a barnyard.

Course Designer Notes: “With it being busy in front of the barn, we didn’t want to make anything too complicated,” said Bobby. “It was fifteen feet wide, so horses could hit it at different angles to be handy from fence one to two. A lot of them jumped it at a pretty good angle, so they were almost jumping into the corner of the barn.”

Lillie: Riding toward the second fence, I had to guide him a little bit through the gap [between the farm lane and two angled gray walls used in the top 25 classic course]. I was afraid he was going to swap off if he looked too much to the right at the gray walls. I jumped fence 2 at quite a [left-to-right] slice, and I made sure I allowed him to land and finish his jump and then turn.

October 21, 2012 -- Autumn at its best, on Saturday and today, offered the perfect setting for sporting drama at the Dansko Fair Hill International, where the backdrop of gorgeous foliage set the stage for fabulous eventing. We won't talk about Friday, when the rain didn't improve the dressage conditions and caused worries about what the footing would be like on cross-country.

But an hour's delay in the start yesterday helped dry the ground, which provided less in the way of surface problems than one might have thought. New fences on the cross-country really made things interesting. Most eyecatching was the Keyhole, with horses jumping through a picture frame obstacle, and one of the most interesting was the following fence, the Open Corners, so narrow that nearly everyone knocked over a flag there.

Happily, there were no major accidents. Only one horse fell, Jessica Phoenix's Erodium in the 2-star, and just one rider, Will Faudree, took a tumble. He went off of DHI Colour Candy at the first water in the 3-star, getting quite a dunking, and did not start on his second mount, Pawlow.

The hills at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area always make cross-country more of a test than is obvious by just looking at the fences, but the show jumping layouts by Sally Ike also played a big role in the outcome of the 2-star fall national championship.

Connor Husain, winner of the 2-star, on Piece of Hope

© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer

I met Connor Husain, a 19-year-old sophomore at George Mason University in Virginia, at the Jersey Fresh 3-star last spring. He is quite impressive, both in demeanor and athletic ability, and it was obvious to me that he would go on to great things. But although he won gold at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships during the summer, neither he nor I thought he would wind up winning his 2-star division here on the Swedish bred Piece of Hope.

Tied for fifth after dressage with Jennie Brannigan on Indie, he moved up to second with 0.8 time penalties on cross-country, while she rose to first place with one of only four double-clear rounds over the route laid out by Derek di Grazia, who also designs the cross-country at the Rolex Kentucky 4-star.

Never betraying the pressure he faced in the huge show jumping arena, Connor turned in a neat trip that did the job and put him in the position to claim the trophy if Jennie faltered, which she did. Indie dropped a rail at the fourth fence on the course. That attractive Dutchbred was one of only two horses in the top 10 to have jumping faults, but Jennie hadn't been counting on a clear go, since he's still rather inexperienced. So as that rail fell, Connor became the winner.

It felt "so surreal," he said.

"It's just amazing to have everything come together for one weekend," he noted, after finishing with a respectable 44.7 penalties.

We had chatted following the cross-country, and you can tell from the conversation that to him, just riding at Fair Hill for the first time and being competitive would have been enough.

Listen: Connor Husain

Connor always wears a pink ribbon on the lapel of his jacket because his mother, Leslie, is a breast cancer survivor. Leslie and his whole family were there to watch Connor, who is not only their star, but could be on the brink of becoming a star for his country, too.

Clayton Fredericks, who rides for Australia, rode Pigrela Des Cabanes to second place in the 2-star

© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer

Let's look at the people in the standings behind Connor in the extremely strong 2-star division. Second went to Olympic medalist Clayton Fredericks of Australia, who has just moved to the U.S.; like 10 days ago. He rode Pigrela Des Cabanes (46.4), whose owner hopes to compete the horse for her native South Africa in the 2014 World Equestrian Games. Jennie was third (47.9), Doug Payne fourth on the up-and-coming Crown Talisman (48.9) and two-time Fair Hill winner Boyd Martin, of whom you may have heard, was fifth with Master Frisky (49.7).

Another young gun, 26-year-old Hannah Sue Burnett, led from start to finish on her dressage score of 43 penalties in the 3-star with Harbour Pilot. Hannah has found her perfect niche at Fair Hill; she won the 2-star and 3-star here with St. Barths in 2009 and 2010. Last year, she earned team gold and individual silver in the Pan Am Games with Harbour Pilot, who was homebred by owner Jacqueline Mars.

"William," as he is known, is out of Shannon, a mare campaigned by Karen O'Connor. William got his early training from Karen's husband, David, who said the horse was very difficult (he liked to rear in his younger days). David trains Hannah at home in Virginia, and he'll likely be training her in his new role as U.S. eventing coach, too.

Marilyn Little aboard RF Smoke on the Water, second in the 3-star, at one of the new cross-country fences, the Keyhole

© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer

Marilyn Little, whose first international eventing outing was here a year ago, finished second with the gorgeous gray RF Smoke on the Water (love that perfect name), who had 52.4 penalties (Hannah could have had several rails down and still won) and fourth on RF Demeter (56.6).

It hasn't been an easy year for Marilyn. She came close but missed out on the Olympic team. She's getting a divorce, and on the morning of show jumping, Smoke was held at the final horse inspection and prodded by the veterinarian, as Marilyn waited for another chance to trot him in front of the ground jury. She got it and they gave her the nod, but she told me she hadn't planned on such an eventful morning.

Marilyn, who had a rail with Smoke, was the only one of the top six to score any penalties in the show jumping, but she had room to spare in order to keep the number 2 placing she earned in dressage.

Phillip Dutton was third in the 3-star with the very experienced Fernhill Eagle (53.2). He said he has a "love/hate relationship" with Eagle who is "a little bit of a cranky horse," but noted, "he's pretty proud of himself today."

I caught up with David to talk about the prospects for America to regain its international standing after a disappointing (that's an understatement) Olympics. With well-mounted riders such as Connor, Hannah and Marilyn, ready to be honed for international stardom, perhaps his new job won't be as tough as some think. First, I was interested in his impression of Connor Husain.

Listen: David O'Connor

Veering off the subject, I asked David how Karen is doing after an operation to insert a rod in her back. She broke two vertebrae in a fall recently, but he believes she'll be fine riding because the rod is high up and won't interfere with her ability to bend.

U.S. Equestrian Federation President David O’Connor and show jumping course designer Sally Ike present the national 3-star championship trophy and cooler to Hannah Sue Burnett on Harbour Pilot

© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer

Clayton, who has won Rolex Kentucky, is starting a business in Ocala, Fla. He has been based in England for years, where his wife, Lucinda, will keep a stable going. His achievement in the 2-star was quite something, considering the horse just got here and spent two days in quarantine. He also was supposed to ride another of his mounts, Walterstown Don, in the three-star, but the quarantine situation wasn't helpful and the horse tied up when he got him here. Rather than pushing and possibly regretting it, Clayton decided to let Don rest up. I think you'll be seeing him at Rolex Kentucky.

We talked about his move and his reaction to living in America, although that may have been a bit premature on my part.

Listen: Clayton Fredericks

With former Australians Boyd and Phillip now riding with the American flag on their saddlepads, I wondered if Clayton had thought about becoming a citizen too (they could have their own team of "former Australians.) But it doesn't appear likely.

"It's not anything I've really thought about...never say never, but I don't think so," Clayton said.

If you haven't been to Fair Hill, you really should come. It's relaxed, beautiful and the crab bisque (so Maryland!) isn't bad either. Just walking the cross-country course will give you a good workout, with all those hills. The former du Pont estate is nothing but scenic, a perfect setting for the final three-day of the season in the East.

I'm switching gears now, heading for the Washington International horse show. Look for my postcard next Sunday night.

Until then,

Heather Sansom is the author of rider fitness ebooks Complete Core Workout for Riders, and a regular columnist in several equestrian publications including Dressage Today. Equifitt.com offers personalized coaching through clinics and convenient online coaching available anywhere. Clinics available include fitness, yoga and fitness, and sport-psychology and fitness. You can get a free subscription to monthly rider fit tips, or download the ebooks at Equifitt.com.

"A self-going horse is only possible when the rider is quiet." --Reiner Klimke

I was recently reviewing some old Reiner Klimke videos. When he said this sentence it jumped right out at me: What an excellent way to summarize so much.

In last month's piece we discussed how to get more flexibility along your spine in order to be able to follow the wave of the horse's motion in your back. Quietness as a rider is often misinterpreted as stillness--absolute lack of motion. Now that we have tools like YouTube, we have many more opportunities to watch top-level riders and they do indeed look motionless much of the time.

Apparent motionlessness is achieved in your back by the ability to absorb and carry the motion of the horse up through every joint between every vertebra in your spine, and not by stiffness or rigidity. Flexibility and softness in your back is critical if you do not want to block this wave of energy from your horse. Flexibility and softness become suppleness when they are combined with adequate strength for you to support your body in alignment. On its own, flexibility results in either a floppy body or a physically 'busy' one that is too pushed here and there. We want to follow the motion of the horse, but always with the ability to also lead.

When we watch high-level riders and they appear to our eye as motionless, it is common mimic that in our own riding. However, as with many aspects of correct riding, there is an outside and an inside. For example, on the outside, a rider who's size is well matched to their horse will carry their hands slightly above and slightly ahead of the pommel with nice bend in their elbow to achieve that straight line from elbow to bit.

However, when a rider who's proportion to their horse does not work out so neatly sees this and tries to put their hands in that exact spot in relation to the pommel, they may end up with long arms and locked elbows. They have achieved the outer guideline, but not the functional requirement for riding which is to have soft elbows and a nice line from elbow to bit.

The functional requirement is based on biomechanics. If the rider is short on a long horse, or long on a short horse, their posture when functionally correct, will not match the visual expectation for hand position. The same would apply for a rider with a structural limitation such as different limb length. A rider with different physical leg lengths may be tempted to ride with one stirrup shorter to achieve visual symmetry, at great cost to their seat position due to very different femur and hip angles. The important aspect for the horse is not the leg length, but balance and straightness in the seat bones. The seat bones are the base for a rider. The way your middle, shoulders and head stack on top of your seat bones in a balanced way is what the late Sally Swift referred to as the "building blocks" in her famous book Centered Riding.

"You can't have control over your horse's balance until you have control over your own balance. To be balanced.you need to be sitting equally on both seat bones and strong in your middle section so that your horse can't displace you." --Kyra Kyrklund, Dressage Today article "Smaller Steps for Greater Balance"

Turning flexibility into real quietness requires two more components: strength in your core, and balance. This month, we look at balance because the strength you need depends on your balance. For example, if you are not well balanced (you shift to the side, tip forward, lean your shoulders back, or your feet creep forward), you will find yourself trying to use strength to fight your own body in order to achieve alignment or apply aids. The result of the biomechanical argument going on in your body will be tension. Tension blocks motion.

Flexibility and softness in your spine are only a part of the equation for quiet riding. Your back will not stay supple if your body is tilted forward or backward and not correctly vertical. Try standing on your feet, tipping forward as far as you can and holding the position without stepping forward for as long as you can. Observe the strain beginning to build up in your back. If you rock forward in the saddle, your back muscles and facial tissue will tighten up to support you.

Imagine riding a rocky gorge trail directly through the heart of Washington, D.C., or perhaps riding northward on the Potomac River’s famed C&O Canal, or to the south on gentle colonial-era tidewater trails boasting historic mansions.

Ready to go? Here’s a listing of organized rides, trail-riding destinations, and overnight-stabling facilities in the D.C. area. (For a feature article on urban trails, see “Build a Bridle Path,” The Trail Rider, September/October 2012.)

Organized Rides
This fall, there are three organized trail rides near D.C. offered by Maryland’s Trail Riders of Today. (To sign up for the rides, you must join TROT for $20; go to www.trot-md.org.) All levels of trail riders participate. Call ahead to reserve a spot.

Cedarville State Park, Brandywine, Maryland
Date: September 15, 2012.
Description: This ride covers 20 miles of mostly flat earthen trails, bridges, and concludes with a picnic. Sodas and water are provided; bring lunch and chairs. There’s a $4 park-entry fee for out-of-state riders. Horse camping is offered at the park. Ride starts at 11:00 a.m.
Contact: (703) 599-8355; artmanju@yahoo.com.

Agricultural History Farm, Derwood, Maryland
Date: October 6, 2012.
Description: See this national farm treasure in its fall colors. You’ll find mowed grassy paths, forest trails, streams, and bridges. Hot cocoa, sodas, water, and pumpkin bread are provided; bring your own sandwiches and water for your horse. Ride starts at 10:00 a.m.
Contact: (240) 393-1217; lapado2000@gmail.com.

Manassas Battlefield Fall Color Ride and Blessing of the Horses
Date: October 27, 2012.
Description: Civil War enthusiasts will enjoy this fall ride at the famed Virginia battlefield. The National Park Service charges $3 per adult entering the park. Once inside the park, go to the Groveton Rd. horse-trailer parking area. Details to be announced by the event host, Battlefield Equestrian Society.
Contact: (703) 361-1339, ext. 0; www.battlefieldequestriansociety.org. 

Anacostia Park, College Park, Maryland
Date: November 24, 2012.
Description: Anacostia is Washington, D.C.’s less-famous river. This is a favorite TROT ride and closes out the club’s season. Spacious trails close to downtown D.C. stretch from the University of Maryland campus to the town of Bladensburg, where British troops defeated the Americans during the War of 1812. Expect to encounter cyclists, fishermen, some asphalt, and a scenic view of historic Lincoln Cemetery. Water and granola bars provided. Ride starts at 10:00 a.m.
Contact: (301) 937-0014.

Trail-Riding Destinations
Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C.
Description: This wooded park was established in 1890, and bridle paths are required by law. Administered by the National Park Service, it’s in the middle of downtown D.C. Park your trailer at the park’s nature center, check in, grab a map, and ride from dawn to dusk. Counting the nine cross trails, there’s 12 miles of riding. Some trails are shared with hikers and bikers. Bring water for your horse. Note that grazing is discouraged. No fees.
Contact: (202) 895-6070; www.nps.gov/rocr/.

C&O Canal National Historic Park, Potomac, Maryland
Description: Running from D.C. to Ohio, this historic canal on the Potomac, with its dramatic series of locks, is now operated as a trail by the National Park Service. The trail is open to riders at the Swains Point Lock just north of D.C. It runs for 80 miles to Offett St. in Cumberland, Maryland. This parking lot is 16.6 miles from the trailhead in downtown Washington. Before arriving, call the park rangers at the Great Falls Tavern Visitors Center (number below). They can direct you to Swains Point Lock, where you can park your rig. No fees.
Contact: (301) 767-3714; www.nps.gov/choh/.

Rosaryville State Park, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Description: Rosaryville State Park is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Its 10-mile riding trail includes Mount Airy, the famous plantation home and stables of Colonial Maryland’s Proprietor, Charles Calvert, Third Lord Baltimore. Mount Airy was frequented by George Washington. The park is used for annual horse competitions, but generally is open to visiting riders. Expect several steep climbs and descents, cyclists, and bird watchers. Call ahead. No fees.
Contact: (301) 856-9656; www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/rosaryville.asp.

Pohick Bay Regional Park, Lorton, Virginia
Description: Pohick Bay Regional Park, managed by the North Virginia Regional Park Authority, offers a myriad of interconnecting trails and bridle paths. This region, called Mason Neck, is a tributary of the Potomac River, and lies south of D.C. You can ride alone on your own horse (contact the park office for maps), or sign up for a guided riding tour at Tamarack Stables for a small fee. Horses for your additional guests can be provided. You won’t get to ride at Mount Vernon, but local riding trails include Gunston Hall, the plantation home of George Mason, chief architect of the U.S. Constitution. Stabling for visiting horses is available at Tamarack.
Contact: (703) 339-6104; www.nvrpa.org/park/pohick_bay/.

Cedarville State Park, Brandywine, Maryland
Description: With 20 miles of trails on 3,500 acres, Cedarville State Park is a local favorite for Washington D.C. trail riders. A pond, streams, and bridges dot the trail; however it lies inland from D.C.’s Potomac River. This park is a principal horse-camping destination in the region. The primitive campground with bathhouse features a loop trail and is a great launching spot for your tours of other D.C.-area trails. The park is open from April through the end of October; the trail is open year-round. Daily-use fee is $4 for out-of-state visitors.
Contact: (301) 888-1410; www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/cedarville.asp.

Anacostia Tributary Trail System, College Park and Bladensburg, Maryland
Description: Ten miles of interlinking trails, managed by the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation, are open to riders. These trails, close to downtown D.C., include War of 1812 historic sites. Expect street crossings and sharing the trail with urban users. This spacious, self-guided trail is comfortable for mid- to advanced-level riders. The best starting point and primary parking area for horsemen is behind the Herbert Wells Ice Rink Park. Secondary parking is at the Bladensburg Dueling Grounds community riding ring at the Prince George’s County’s Acredale Park in College Park. No fees.
Contact: (301) 699-2255 or (301) 277-3717; www.pgparks.com/your_parks/trail.htm.

Underground Railroad & Natural Trail, Sandy Spring, Maryland
Description: Located at the Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, the trail offers two miles of natural footing. You’ll see sites special to the story of African Americans who sought freedom before the Civil War. Prior to arrival, contact park employees for availability and guidance
Contact: (301) 650-4373; www.montgomeryparks.org.

Manassas Battlefield Trail, Manassas, Virginia
Description: Civil War buffs love this trail, which is located in Manassas National Battlefield Park. Horse-friendly, self-guided rides start at the designated horse park on battlefield grounds’ Groveton Rd. Trails sensitive to heavy rains. Fee is $3 per adult for a three-day pass. Call Jim Burgess for information.
Contact: (703) 361-1339, ext. 0; www.nps.gov/mana/. 

Overnight Stabling
At this time, visiting riders who prefer boarding their horses to campsites will find there’s a short list of available stables and backyard horse owners who rent stalls for vacationing horses. In fact, there are none in D.C. city limits. However, services are growing, along with an interest in touring area trails. The following stables in nearby Maryland and Virginia have expressed interest in providing stalls, when available.
Domino Acres B&B
Description: You’ll find stabling for two horses and room for two riders just 15 miles from D.C. Enjoy farm fresh eggs at breakfast.
Contact: (727) 542-8697; equus1000@hotmail.com.

Pleasant Prospect Farm
Description: Fall means foxhunting in the D.C. area, and no farm in the region participates more completely than Pleasant Prospect in Brookfield, Maryland. Watch as weekly hunts gather at the farm. Daily boarders are accepted at this excellent facility. More distant from D.C. than the other facilities, it does adjoin trails on a river called the Patuxent.
Contact: (443) 375-6448; info@pleasantprospectfarm.com; www.pleasantprospectfarm.com.

Tamarack Stables
Description: On the Virginia side of the Potomac lays the beautiful Tamarack stables in Lorton, with its own access to miles of trails.
Contact: Jerry Majewski, (703) 339-5160; www.ridetamarack.com.

Prince George’s Equestrian Center
Description: This is the Capitol’s Horse Hotel. You’ll find daily boarding on Pennsylvania Ave. in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, 12 miles outside of D.C. This is also one of the East’s finest horse-show facilities. Call for availability, and bring your own feed /bedding. (There’s a feed store nearby.).
Contact: (301) 952-7900; www.showplacearena.com.

David A. Turner, a member of Trail Riders of Today, is a lifelong horseman and Washington, D.C., speechwriter. He and his partner, Randy G. Crawford, live in Maryland’s Broad Creek Historic District on a five-acre horse farm, where they keep their Tennessee Walking Horse and board horses for area trail riders.

August 6, 2012 -- No U.S. rider was able to produce a fault-free round in today's team show jumping final, where the fences were big and the challenges were many. As a result, the medal that seemed a tantalizing possibility went elsewhere, and hopes now have to focus on Wednesday's individual final.

McLain Ward on Antares and Rich Fellers on Flexible move forward into that round after having two knockdowns apiece this afternoon over the imposing route cleverly designed by Bob Ellis.

This afternoon's action was another in a series of disappointments at these Games for U.S. supporters, who were let down by the eventers last week. The show jumpers had always seemed the most likely American medal winners in the three Olympic disciplines, but things just didn't go their way.

While Beezie Madden was the best of the squad today, she had one fence down with Via Volo. Still, that was a great improvement on her first appearance last weekend in the imposing arena with its towering grandstands. She and the mare didn't even make it around the course then.

Although the U.S. was trying for its third consecutive Olympic gold with half of both the 2004 and 2008 teams, McLain and Beezie, neither was aboard the horses they had depended on in the other Games. Both Sapphire and Authentic are retired. Each rider now has a relationship of about two years with their new horses, good enough to develop an understanding, but not the type of bond McLain and Beezie had with their other mounts.

Aboard Cylana, Reed Kessler ended her run as the youngest U.S. rider ever to compete in an Olympic equestrian competition (© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)

Reed Kessler, at 18 very much the rookie of the group, was chipper throughout the Games. Considering her inexperience, she held her own, but today was her worst round with Cylana, as they accumulated 12 penalties.

"She rode very well," said George Morris, the technical advisor/chef d'equipe, otherwise known as the coach.

"She showed her greenness when the fences got bigger and bigger and the pressure got bigger and bigger. She showed a little passivity, which you'd expect. But there was a very admirable performance."

We'll all be seeing a lot more of Reed on future teams.

Rich, who replaced Beezie as the anchor after her mishap on Saturday, hasn't had a rail down in the first round of a grand prix since March. But the World Cup finals winner came to the end of his lucky streak today. Think of the pressure these competitors are under, and how tired their horses must be after three straight days of challenging jumping tests before you criticize their performances.

Great Britain’s Nick Skelton helped win a gold medal for his team with Big Star and is the favorite for the individual gold (© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)

Not many people picked the Brits to win their first show jumping gold since 1952, but I had a feeling about it. I told you a few days ago (I feel like repeating the story) that I went up to Great Britain's point man, Nick Skelton, in Florida last winter and told him I could see the Brits winning all three team golds here. He was, shall we say, skeptical. The eventing squad came close, taking silver; the dressage team is on the brink of taking the gold tomorrow and the jumping is now history.

British fans have been incredibly supportive (and incredibly loud). When Peter Charles, of all people, clinched the win, they went wild, screaming, stomping and waving their flags. I was sitting in the stands at that point and felt as if I were in the middle of a big party to which I hadn't been invited.

I say Peters Charles "of all people" because he had, how do I put this politely, the worst record on the team since they first cantered into the ring on Saturday.

There were only five double-clears in today's main round; two belonged to the Brits and two to the Dutch.  So it was no surprise when they had to jump off for the gold after being tied on 8 penalties each.

Nick on Big Star and Ben Maher on Tripple X (love that name) both were fault-free again in the jump-off, while Scott Brash had a rail with Hello Sanctos. The Dutch had one clear, one 8-faulter and one 4-faulter.

Riding Vindicat, Peter Charles got himself Vindicated. There was no way he was going to fail, "being at home in front of the most fabulous crowd you could ever imagine."

He put in a super clear round and barely landed off the last fence before he was raising his arm in triumph. The Brits had zero penalties with the drop score; the Dutch didn't bother to send their last rider and wound up with 12 penalties.

The Brits went crazy with their flags when their team won (© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)