Photo by Taylor Stoecklein

Day 1: Get into town Saturday, June 22 just in time for the Double Dollar Horse Sale, and find yourself a top prospect or a ProRodeo-caliber horse. Check into your room at the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino, then head up the mountains for a day at North Lake Tahoe. “We always play golf then hang out at Lake Tahoe and camp,” says World Champion Nick Sartain, who has the second-fastest time on one steer in the history of the BFI. At Lake Tahoe you’ll find golf, biking, hiking, water sports, beaches and fishing opportunities. You’re only limited by time. After a late lunch at Jason’s Landing and Beachside Grille in King’s Beach hop in the car and head back to Reno through Carson City. “Drive down through Washoe Valley and Carson Valley for beautiful old pristine ranching valleys,” Tallman says. “But be careful, if the speed limit is 55 and you’re going 56 you’re getting a ticket.” Do a little downtown sightseeing, and then head over to the rodeo grounds for the carnival and wiener dog races. The Reno Rodeo began in 1919 and in 1997 won the PRCA’s Award for Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year. “Reno Rodeo is one of the most progressive rodeos on the planet. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” announcer Bob Tallman says. “If you buy a ticket, you’re going to watch a very impressive grand entry, there are 52 girls that ride in every performance, then you’ll see a great rodeo, every world champion will be there at one point or another.” Grab some carnival food before heading to the arena. After the performance, head over to the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino for a chance to rub shoulders with the cowboys, pull the one-armed bandit or roll some dice if that’s your game. Of course, be sure to check local listings for headliner acts in and around town that might catch your fancy. Country music star Scotty McCreery will perform at 8 p.m. in the Silver Legacy’s Grande Exposition Hall, so catch the tail end of the concert after the rodeo performance.

Day 2: The next morning, grab some grub at Pegs Glorified Ham n Eggs. Then make your way to the rodeo grounds for the Kid’s Dummy Roping, a big hit with ProRodeo cowboys and their fans alike. You’ll catch Derrick Begay there signing autographs, and the competition is free for the kids. Winners receive trophy saddles sponsored by the BFI and Heel-O-Matic Training Systems. Then stick around town and take the kids to ride go-karts or play putt-putt golf. “I’ve got two kids, and our little girl is 4. We played a lot of putt-putt before the BFI last year,” says Jake Long, who holds the record for the fastest run in BFI history with header Coleman Proctor. “And we always go to the BFI Cowboy Auction and Dinner at the Silver Legacy. It’s got a great atmosphere with all of the ropers there and it’s fun to watch, too.” The doors for the free event in the Silver Legacy’s ballroom open at 5 p.m. with the auction starting at 6. Then, don’t miss the rodeo that night, and catch the Businessman Steer Decorating. Teams of two find a business to sponsor them, then one person holds the steer with a rope and the other ties a ribbon around the steer’s tail. It can get a bit wild! “Obviously my favorite thing is the prestige of just the whole week in Reno,” says Patrick Smith, who won the BFI in 2005 with Clay Tryan. “With the BFI and the Reno Rodeo, it’s just an awesome week to team rope for a living.”

Day 3: It’s BFI day in Reno. You’ve got a long day of great roping ahead of you, so you’ll need food. Hit Café Central in the Silvery Legacy to enjoy a chili cheese omelet bright and early. The restaurant is open 24 hours a day, which is key because you’ll want to get to the Reno Livestock Center Arena around 7 a.m. to get your seats. The Grand Entry starts at 7:45 so you can see all the ropers before the event gets underway. The action starts at 8 a.m., so spend your day watching the best ropers in the country compete for thousands and thousands of dollars in prize money and awards. If you need a break from the arena-action, take a stroll around the Double R Marketplace to see what some 150 vendors have to offer for everyone in the family. While you’re shopping, make your way to D Bar M Western Store, where all the ropers and their families like to shop for the latest and greatest. But don’t spend too much time out of the arena. “It’s just the most prestigious jackpot, and I’ve watched it since I was a kid,” says Riley Minor, who was second in the average in 2012. “I like the set up, because it’s not a 4-second roping. You’ve got to let the steer out a ways, and even if you draw one that really runs you’re still in it because it’s a six-header. If you’re horse can run, it’s a great jackpot.” After you watch the winners get their thousands in prize money and awards, head back to the Silver Legacy and enjoy steak and seafood at Sterling’s Seafood Steakhouse.

USEF National Combined Driving Single Pony Championship

Suzy Stafford

© PicsofYou.com

Stafford (Wilmington, Del.) and Wendy O'Brien's TTE Tea Time drove as the final competitors in the division and set the tone from the very start of the test. The Individual Silver medalist from the 2011 FEI World Driving Championships for Combined Ponies utilized her years of experience to produce a consistent and precise effort with the nine-year-old Morgan gelding.

Lying second are the 2012 USEF National Combined Driving Single Pony Champions, Paul Maye (Fairfield, Va.) and Harmony Sport Horses' Markus. The 12-year-old German Sport Pony stallion earned a score of 48.43.

USEF National Combined Driving Pair Pony Championship

Wendy O'Brien

© PicsofYou.com

O'Brien (Aiken, S.C.) drove her own Braakmoor Clowny Clark (a 15-year-old Welsh gelding) and Braakmoor Conan (a 14-year-old Welsh gelding) in the first phase as she looks to retain her National

Title from 2012. The pair of ponies demonstrated powerful and expressive gaits but a few bobbles cost them valuable marks.

Heading to the marathon in second place is Jennifer Matheson on a score of 49.39. Matheson (Aiken, S.C.) drove Katrina Becker's Bax and Danyloo in the first phase.

USEF National Combined Driving Pony Team Championship

Lisa Stroud

© PicsofYou.com

In the dressage, Stroud (West Grove, Pa.) drove her own Sir Patrick (a 14-year-old Connemara gelding), With Flair (a 14-year-old Welsh gelding), Kilkerin Edward (a 16-year-old Welsh gelding) and Mystic (a 13-year-old New Forest Pony gelding). The nine-time National Champion had a consistent test, highlighted by relaxed walk work. She will head out onto the marathon with a six-point lead.

In second place in the USEF National Combined Driving Pony Team Championship is Heather Schneider (Palm City, Fla.) who drove her own Rambo, Patrick, Cloud 9 and Jazz to a score of 56.64.

Competition continues for all divisions with the marathon on Saturday.

For Orders of Go and Results visit: http://drivingnews.us/results/results2013/SouthernPines/

To learn more about the Southern Pines CDE visit: http://southernpinescdedotcom.wordpress.com/

Follow the 2013 U.S. Driving Team here.

A scene from the film Tombstone (1993) recreates a visit to this same ranch by Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his “immortals.” Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) lays suffering from tuberculosis in an interior bedroom as Earp departs, taking one last look at his best friend from the doorway leading out to a porch. The actual house, I now see, has no porch. Otherwise, it’s exactly the same spread where the historic Doc rolled out of bed in 1882, coughing, to saddle up and ride. The imposing Charlton Heston aptly plays ranch owner Henry Hooker, who came from a line of Englishmen known for their courage and fierce belief in liberty. According to one descendent, the first Hooker immigrated to Connecticut in 1633 and was said to have “carried a gun in one hand and a Bible in the other; preaching on Sundays and fighting Indians on weekdays.” That’s basically what it took to build up Arizona’s first

permanent ranch.

Henry Hooker (1828–1907) was well known for his hospitality, and today, I enjoy my own dose of “Hooker hospitality” when the man’s great-great-great- grandson, Jesse Hooker Davis, greets me with a handshake in the driveway. Like most cowboys, he dislikes the limelight. His private ranch is not open to the public, but he graciously agreed to my visit thanks to an introduction by his friend Scott Baxter. Davis and Baxter collaborated on Baxter’s book about old Arizona ranching families, 100 Years, 100 Ranchers (Prisma Graphic Corp., 2012), and Davis appreciated my interest in his ranch’s history and ongoing legacy.

Though he spent his youth visiting the ranch of his ancestors, Davis grew up in San Diego. Now 39 years old, the burly former running back for Cornell University moved back here permanently in 2003. He had been working in the hotel/restaurant industry and was looking forward to the day he’d own a string of bungalows on a Mexican beach, but a visit to his ailing grandmother, Jacqueline “Rinki” Hooker, changed everything. The ranch was ailing, too, since she was basically living in Tucson. The livestock had been in the care of a foreman for years, and the 4,000-plus-square-foot hacienda, corrals, bunkhouses, carriage house, and barns on the 160-acre original homestead had sat mostly unoccupied.

Jesse Hooker Davis (foreground) branding a calf, Sierra Bonita Ranch.

“She was just trying to hold onto the ranch,” says Davis, who was inspired to take charge. As soon as we step toward the house, I begin to understand how the Sierra Bonita survived the terror waged by Apaches—it’s literally a fortress. Davis’ tour of the hacienda ends with a visit to the high-ceilinged room where Doc Holliday once lay. The makers of Tombstone made replicas of the exact adobe brick walls, headboard, and dresser when they filmed on location near Tucson. I can almost see the real Doc languishing, pale and sweaty, in this very bed, as he did in real life and vividly on screen.

“Can you sense the spirits of all who have been here?” I whisper to Davis. “I think they watch over me,” he nods. “Or, at least I ask them to watch over me. Other people have sensed them, too, but they don’t like it quite as much as I do.”

Davis raises American Quarter horses on the 45,000-acre Sierra Bonita and has kept Henry Hooker’s original Hereford cattle, whose bloodlines date back a century. He runs a commercial cow-calf operation and works horseback with the help of three hired men. Davis’ cows begin calving in November, and each season’s rainfall and market fluctuations dictate how many, and when, he sells. “I’m the last of the Mohicans,” says the single Davis about losing his grandmother and father a few years ago.

“It’s my turn to take care of the ranch.” It’s been a steep learning curve, but nine years after settling in, he’s as much a part of the place as the once majestic adobe brick corral. The ranch has been listed as a national historic landmark since 1964, and isn’t going anywhere thanks to Davis, who hopes to pass on the legend of the Sierra Bonita to a seventh generation.

Something was clearly wrong with Feelin’ My Oats. The 5-year-old Connemara/Welsh pony, called “Oats,” usually expressed a cheerful interest in everything, especially eating. But on the morning of September 21, 2010, the 13-hand buckskin gelding failed to come in for his grain.

“He was just standing there, real lethargic,” says his owner, Candi Hylton. Her husband, Bernard, put a halter on the pony and walked him in to the barn. Oats’ depressed demeanor suggested that he might be colicking, but he didn’t appear to be in significant pain. A quick check of his temperature revealed it was slightly elevated at 102 degrees. At first Hylton was only a little concerned about the pony, but she became alarmed when Oats stretched out to urinate---and produced a stream of dark, almost coffee-colored, urine.

Thinking quickly, she grabbed a bucket to take a sample. Then she phoned Appalachian Veterinary Services in Christiansburg, Virginia, where she also happened to have worked in the front office years earlier. The on-call veterinarian headed out right away.

Hylton and her husband had been scheduled to deliver Oats and a few other horses from their boarding and training farm to a show at the county fairgrounds that morning. Leaving the sick pony under the watchful eye of the morning barn help, she and Bernard left to deliver the other horses. She would wait anxiously for a call to her cell phone with an update.

The veterinarian who arrived, a recent graduate, immediately knew Oats was in serious trouble. Dark brown or black urine is a sign that the body is excreting debris from damaged cells. Something inside Oats’ body was breaking down and had been for some time. The veterinarian called the office and consulted with the practice owner, Kent Adams, DVM.

“I could tell it was serious from the sound of that first call,” Adams says. The veterinary team still wasn’t sure exactly what they were dealing with: In addition to the dark urine and fever, Oats was lethargic, his heart and respiratory rates were elevated, and his gums were a slightly “muddy” color, indicating that his cells might not be getting enough oxygen.

The veterinarian gave Oats a dose of Banamine to help control any pain he might be experiencing and “tubed” him because of his decreased gut sounds, scant feces on rectal palpation and loss of appetite. The hope was to address any gastrointestinal problems while he considered the diagnostic possibilities for the unusual set of clinical signs. To gather more clues, he pulled a blood sample and headed back to the office to analyze it.

The results of the blood test shocked everyone: Oats had a hematocrit (HCT) of only 14 percent. HCT is a measure of the percentage of red blood cells in the blood; the normal value is 31 to 53. A level of 14 percent is very serious and potentially life-threatening. The pony had so few red blood cells circulating in his bloodstream that his vital organs, and indeed all of his tissues, were slowly being starved of oxygen. The dark urine indicated that red blood cells, and possibly other tissues, were being destroyed inside his body. These signs, combined with Oats’ muddy gums and depressed behavior, plus a careful survey of his turnout paddock, all pointed toward one very serious diagnosis: red maple toxicosis.

Deadly leaves
Red maple toxicosis (poisoning) occurs when horses eat wilted leaves from Acer rubrum trees. Red maples, also called swamp maples or soft maples, are medium-sized trees with distinctly shaped three- to five-lobed green leaves with jagged edges, V-shaped notches between the lobes, bright red stems and silver-white undersides. The trees are native to the eastern United States, but they are planted all over the country. The leaves contain several toxins, most notably gallic acid, that can lead to the destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis). A horse who nibbles on a few fresh green leaves, which are mostly water, isn’t likely to get a toxic dose. But one to three pounds can be a fatal dose for an average adult horse, and half a pound can kill a small pony. As the moisture content of the leaves decreases, the levels of the toxic principle increases: It is generally thought that lush spring growth is less toxic than later summer or early fall leaves.

“It’s a common misconception that [red maple poisoning] happens most frequently in the mid- to late autumn, when leaves turn colors and fall from the trees,” says Adams. “But in reality, in late summer when pastures are short, downed branches are much more of a threat because of both the quantity and appeal of the green leaves. In fact, the majority of cases I see are in late summer following a thunderstorm, when a branch falls and the pastures are sparse. Horses go looking for something to chew on and find those leaves.”

The exact source of the toxicity in red maple leaves has not yet been pinned down, but the effects within the body are well documented: “The toxin attaches to hemoglobin in the red blood cells, rendering them incapable of transporting oxygen,” explains Adams. “Some of the cells rupture, releasing hemoglobin into the bloodstream. That stresses the kidneys by clogging up the blood-filtration system. Meanwhile, the liver and spleen are identifying nonfunctioning cells with damaged hemoglobin and removing them from circulation faster than they can be replaced by the bone marrow. The end result is a horse who is essentially suffocating, with extensive damage to vessel-rich organs that depend on oxygen, like the heart, lungs, brain and kidneys.”

Starved of oxygen, the organs begin to shut down, usually about 72 hours after the horse eats as little as a handful of leaves. Severe colic and laminitis from circulatory dysfunction are common complications. “The spleen can release its stores of red blood cells, but that’s only about 10 percent of the total volume, and those cells will quickly die or be destroyed just like the others,” says Adams.

There is no specific antidote or effective treatment for red maple poisoning, but supportive care, including intravenous fluids and possibly blood transfusions, may help a horse survive. Infusions of vitamin C may also help, if the problem is caught in its earliest stages. “So it comes down to, ‘Can the horse live long enough---can his kidneys and other organs remain functioning long enough---for the toxin to be used up and new blood to not be affected,’” says Adams. “Most of the time, the answer is ‘No, he can’t.’” About 70 percent of horses with red maple toxicity do not survive.

Adams relayed the grim diagnosis to Hylton, who immediately headed home from the fairgrounds, hoping Oats would still be alive when she got there. He was.

Although Oats displayed all of the classic signs of advanced red maple poisoning---and his HCT indicated that he’d eaten at least a couple of pounds of the leaves a day or more before his problem was discovered---his case was distinctly unusual in one way: “In the early stages, even before we see red urine from the hemolysis, the gut slows down, experiences marked irritation and colic sets in. It’s usually a fairly painful process,” says Adams. “So, by the time we identify what’s going on through blood work, the horse is usually in significant pain or refusing to stand.”

Oats was by no means perky, but he was still standing, drinking some and even eating small amounts of hay. Also, his gums were only slightly off in

color, not the deep brownish hue that can be more typical of the condition. Taken together, these signs suggested that he was in the early stages of toxicity or he had gotten only a relatively small dose of the toxin, contrary to his blood work.

“What was remarkable is that he wasn’t panicking and severely stressed,” says Adams. “He was clearly in some discomfort and in distress, but he was staying on his feet. He would start breathing heavily if he moved much, but if you let him stand there, he seemed to be coping very well.” This stoic nature was serving Oats well---when a horse with red maple toxicosis gets agitated and thrashes, he uses up his limited oxygen supplies that much faster and can make the situation worse.

Tough decisions
The Hyltons’ first course of action that day was to find the source of the red maple leaves Oats had eaten to protect the rest of their horses. Although the pony had been in a large pasture that morning, he’d spent the previous day in a sparse “diet” turnout area. “The maple tree was over the diet pen,” says Hylton. “And we’d had a rainstorm. Bernard found a small limb that had fallen off, and you could see where leaves were gone off of it. When Oats is in the diet pen he will literally eat anything that has a leaf.” Bernard removed the limb and searched the property for any others that may have come down.

Meanwhile, Hylton had a long discussion with Adams about treatment options. “The first thing you think of is transporting the horse to a clinic where you can do a blood transfusion,” says Adams. “But given how low his oxygen levels were, the stress of such a trip could very well have killed him.”

Adams also had doubts about the benefits a transfusion might ultimately have for the pony: “Blood transfusions in horses have limited utility because they have so many blood types---you can’t get an exact match. Plus, in cases of red maple poisoning, any blood you do put in is going to be destroyed by the same processes as long as the toxin is circulating. So you get maybe 24 hours of benefit.”

All in all, it seemed better to leave Oats where he was and keep stress to an absolute minimum. His blood results had shown that his kidneys, liver and other vital organs were still functioning, and if he didn’t move around much his respiratory rate was nearly normal. “He was a very sick horse---no doubt about it---but his body seemed to be handling the situation remarkably well at that point,” says Adams. “He seemed to be holding his own.”

The veterinarian was also reluctant to try giving Oats intravenous fluids for fear it could upset the pony’s fragile physiological balance. “You can expand their blood volume with intravenous fluid, which will lower the total [HCT] levels even further,” says Adams. “There’s always the urge to do something, but sometimes you need to step back and make sure what you do doesn’t create a bigger problem.”

After discussing all of these factors, Adams and Hylton arrived at what may seem like a startling treatment plan: They would try to control Oat’s pain and discomfort and not much else---at least for the moment. “This wasn’t a case of ‘Oh, it’s just a pony, let’s wait and see what happens,’” says Adams. “And it wasn’t a case of an owner deciding things weren’t bad enough yet to call a veterinarian. Far from it. There was intense discussion to understand all the nuances and risks before making some very difficult decisions.” Confident that Oats was comfortable and as stable as possible, Hylton remained close by to monitor the pony’s condition.

Hanging on, day by day
Oats’ condition was unchanged the next day. He remained lethargic and slightly feverish with brown urine, all indications that his blood was still under assault from the toxin. And yet he remained on his feet, eating and drinking normally. Hylton watched him nearly continuously for signs of colic or laminitis, but the pony seemed to be holding his own.

A veterinarian from the practice returned to check on Oats that morning, and on the third day, Adams himself came back out to the farm to draw another blood sample to check the gelding’s HCT level. An increase in the number would be a sign that he had turned a corner and that his blood was no longer being destroyed by the toxin or removed by the liver and spleen.

Using a portable unit to run the blood test on site, Adams had results in minutes---and they were shocking. Oats’ HCT had dropped even further, to an astonishing 9 percent. According to the textbooks, a horse with an HCT that low should be in severe distress---or dead. Yet, there stood Oats, very much alive.

Hylton and Adams had another long conversation. The risks associated with transport, transfusions or intravenous fluids were still present, perhaps even greater. And although Oats was undoubtedly getting sicker, he still didn’t seem to “need” the supportive treatments. He showed no outward signs that his condition had worsened. In fact, his urine appeared lighter in color that day, a sign that the destruction of his blood cells was diminishing.

“We decided to let things be,” Hylton says. Oats remained in his stall, kept as quiet as possible while his owner monitored his care: “I was taking his temperature and listening to his gut and heart and giving [the veterinarians] a call several times a day to let them know how he was.”

Receiving these regular reports helped support Adams’ decision to not intervene medically: “Candi is an incredibly knowledgeable and diligent horsewoman. I knew she’d notice any changes and report it immediately.”

But the day after his astonishingly low HCT, Oats began to perk up. He moved around in his stall, and his temperature and heart rate started to come down. After another day, Hylton took him for a short hand-walk outside his stall. He pulled her toward the grass and ate voraciously.

Seven days after the initial veterinary visit, Oats was rechecked and a third blood test performed. This time, the pony’s HCT was 31 percent, edging into the normal range. His liver and kidney functions were normal, and he showed no clinical signs of colic or laminitis. Oats’ body, it seemed, had powered through the worst of red maple toxicity and was well on the road to recovery.

“It’s really a remarkable case,” says Adams. “I wouldn’t have believed the recovery in light of the dramatic lab findings if I hadn’t seen it myself.”

A few weeks later Oats was turned out with the herd again, and several months later Hylton began riding him cautiously. Finally, one year after the day he was found in the field so lethargic and weak, the pony made the trip to the county fair. He has never shown any adverse effects from his ordeal.

Adams uses Oats’ story as a teaching tool in continuing-education seminars for veterinarians. “This case really highlights the complex issues you face when treating red maple poisoning and how understanding the pathology is crucial so you don’t inadvertently make the situation worse; in some cases intravenous fluids or whole blood transfusion might make things worse,” he says. “Plus, it’s nice to be able to present a case with such a good outcome. He really is a remarkable pony.”

This article first appeared in EQUUS issue #425.

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

Lifetime Achievement Award - Joe Fargis

Joe Fargis

USEF Archive/Tish Quirk

Joe Fargis of Middleburg, Virginia has been a leading figure in the sport of jumping for more than 40 years. Fargis' influence spans the entire scope of the sport as he has served as a competitor, trainer, administrator, and leader. For his undying support and incredible legacy, Fargis has been awarded the 2012 USEF Lifetime Achievement Awarded and will receive the Jimmy A. Williams Lifetime Achievement Trophy at the Pegasus Awards gala.

Fargis has a long list of accomplishments in the competition arena. He made his first of more than 30 FEI Nations Cup appearances in 1970 in Lucerne, Switzerland, beginning his legacy as a stalwart on U.S. teams. In 1975, Fargis helped the U.S. secure Team Gold at the Pan American Games in in Mexico City, Mexico. Nine years later at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Fargis won Team and Individual Gold with Touch of Class. The pair's epic performance set an Olympic record as they faulted only a single time throughout the competition (they jumped clear over 90 of 91 obstacles). Fargis furthered his legacy in the 20th century winning Team Silver at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul and representing the U.S. at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Stockholm in 1990. Additionally, he twice topped the North American East Coast League in qualifying for the FEI World Cup Final.

Fargis' legacy, however, is more than just as a competitor. His Sandron Farm is a renowned training facility that has helped shape the careers of many of the best horses and riders in the country. Fargis has also had a lasting effect on the administration of horse sport in the United States as a valued committee member of the American Horse Show Association (the predecessor to the USEF), United States Hunter Jumper Association, and United States Equestrian Team.

Junior Equestrian of the Year - Hunter Chancellor

Hunter Chancellor

Howard Schatzberg

At just 17-years-old Hunter Chancellor is already epitomizing the dedication, skill and sportsmanship that are required to reach the top of equestrian sport. As a junior at Mater Dei Catholic High School Chancellor, an Evansville, Indiana native, actively participates in American Saddlebred competitions while maintaining a 3.99 GPA. For her talent, integrity and contributions to the equestrian world, Chancellor will be awarded the Ruth O'Keefe Meredith Memorial Trophy as the 2012 Junior Equestrian of the Year.

Chancellor already boasts an extensive resume that includes 145 career wins and 26 World Championship titles. In 2012 she has earned victories at the National Horse Show Saddle Seat "Good Hands" Finals Championship, and the USEF Saddle Seat Medal Finals, a competition she won reserve honors at in 2010 and 2011. Chancellor is a National Honor Society member and is currently in Parys, South Africa competing as part of the U.S. team at the Saddle Seat World Cup.

Hunter is also an active participant in numerous extra-curricular and philanthropic endeavors. She is a member of the Mater Dei High School Cheer Team, Pep Club, Service Committee, and Prom Committee. Additionally, she spent time in 2012 as an intern for John Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Chancellor is also the founder of the non-profit organization Horses Against Hunger, an organization that has strived to get young riders, farms, and stables involved in the fight against hunger since 2011.

Pegasus Medal of Honor - Linda Zang

Linda Zhang

SusanJStickle.com

The Pegasus Medal of Honor was created as an annual award to recognize individuals who have exhibited outstanding service to horses and equestrian sport. These dedicated individuals have engaged the community in their passion for horses through their work in the industry. This year's winner, Linda Zang, has been inspiring and educating for more than 30 years.

Zang, of Davidsonville, Maryland, has been a prominent figure in the sport of dressage in the U.S. and Europe. As a competitor, she rode on U.S. teams at the 1978 World Championships, 1979 Pan American Games, and 1980 Alternate Olympic Games. As an official her influence has been far reaching. She has judged at numerous FEI World Cup Finals as well as at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and throughout the world. As a Technical Delegate, Zang officiated at the 1999 Pan American Games and the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. She has also paid great service to the sport in administrative roles as a former member of the USEF Board of Governors, USEF Hearing Committee, and FEI Dressage Committee. She currently serves as a member of the USEF Licensed Officials Committee and Ad Hoc CDI Committee. Zang is also a renowned trainer, having coached many prominent horses and riders across different disciplines.

For more information about the 2013 USEF Annual Meeting visit http://www.usef.org/convention/

Name withheld by request

Melissa Jackson

Courtesy, Lynn Wolpmann

Melissa Jackson
Answer: When watching other people ride take in the complete picture. Rein contact should be a product of power coming from the horse's hind legs. A training-level horse in proper contact will look much different from a Grand Prix horse in proper contact. The important concept, no matter the level, is that the horse is moving freely forward with an elastic connection.

Connecting a horse from "back-to-front" is the idea that energy starts in the hind legs, moves over the topline and is received by the rider's hands. The receiving hand cannot come too strong or be too giving. This completes the connection and allows the energy to continue to flow through the rider and back to the horse. This basic concept is a must in all your work, starting with the simplest of transitions through to collection--the ultimate.

From Training Level to Grand Prix, the rider must always activate the hind legs first. This is accomplished by the rider using her seat and legs asking the horse to move the hind legs forward and under the belly, then receiving that power in the hand. The rider must be mindful to never let the hand become stronger than the seat or to act with the hand first. It's helpful to think of it as a line of electricity. The "on" switch is the hind legs. If the hand comes too strong, it becomes the "off" switch and turns the power (hind legs) off. If the hand comes first (before the seat and legs), it will not allow you to turn the power switch on. Remember, the hand completes the circuit, so if it's too giving, you will have a break in the flow of energy and the connection will be lost. The power that is received and accepted in the hand depends on where you and your horse are in your training program.

Transitions are a great way to check the balance "back-to-front." For a balanced back-to-front, walk-trot transition, activate your seat, asking the horse to trot. You'll feel the horse respond easily to the leg aid by engaging his hind end, accepting your seat by lifting his back and continuing to step under his belly toward the hand into trot. The horse keeps his neck round but reaching (his nose can be slightly in front of the vertical line). He steps into your hand and takes the bit with a supple jaw. You then receive the energy in the reins, allowing it to flow through your body and back to the horse. The energy continues flowing, allowing you to feel as though there is a support behind your back and seat taking them, not pulling them, around the ring in trot. That support is the horse's power flowing and connected "back-to-front."

Conversely, if in the up transition you must kick every stride to keep the horse moving, the horse lifts his neck, braces away from the hand, grabs the bit or dives downward, these are all signs that he is using his front end first.

For the down transition to stay connected from back to front, you must always feel the hind legs' willingness to step to the bit while maintaining a consistent elastic feel in the rein. You must also have a good understanding of how to use your aids (seat, leg and hand) to capture/interrupt the motion in the moment the transition happens, without gripping with your seat or grabbing with your hand. Remember, the support that your horse has given you in your back and seat to push you around the ring in trot should also be maintained throughout the down transition and into the walk. At the moment you lose that forward feeling, your horse has just talked you into changing the balance to his front end. This does not mean you have a driving seat all the time. This power needs to come from the horse, not you. If you feel yourself pulling on the reins, you have allowed the hand to come stronger than the seat and shut the horse's hind end off. The most obvious sign you have lost the connection "back-to-front" is if it feels like you just slammed on your brakes to avoid a collision. Other signs that the down transition's balance is incorrect: if the horse jigs, hollows his back or throws his head.

August 19, 2012 -- The final day of competition at the FEI World Vaulting Championship in Le Mans, France,  proved to be an exciting one as the medal winners were determined in the Individual Female, Individual Male, Pas de Deux, and Team Championships. Megan Benjamin (Saratoga, Calif.) and Blake Dahlgren (Santa Clarita, Calif.) had another stellar Free Test, with their performance earning them the Bronze medal and an overall score of 8.407 in the Pas de Deux Championship. Vaulting on Jarl lunged by Lasse Kristensen, Benjamin and Dahlgren agreed, "We saved the best for last."

With this Bronze medal, Benjamin is the first vaulter in history to medal in the World Championships in three different divisions: Individual Female Gold in 2006, Team Silver in 2006, and now a Pas de Deux Bronze in 2012.

Commenting on her historic achievement, Benjamin said, "Medaling in all three events had never been a goal of mine, but it feels awesome to have accomplished it. One routine, one event, and one medal at a time, I guess!"

Finishing in a close fourth place in the Pas de Deux Championship were Devon Maitozo (Palmdale, Calif.) and Rosalind Ross (Venice, Calif.). They improved upon their performance from yesterday, earning a total score of 8.376 with Escetelli 2 and lunger Kurt Isensee.

In the Team Championship, the Woodside Vaulters of Woodside, Calif. finished in 5th place with an overall score of 7.801. Vaulting on Stanford lunged by Julie Divita, the team was Tessa Divita (Emerald Hills, Calif.), Kalyn Geisler (Redwood City, Calif.), Kathryn Jaggers (Portola Valley, Calif.), Siddartha Kreaden (Sunnyvale, Calif.), Samantha Matson (Los Gatos, Calif.), and Katherine Salisbury (Atherton, Calif.).

Gabe Aniello (Redwood City, Calif.) finished as the top U.S. vaulter in the Individual Male Championship in 10th place. Vaulting on Forrest Cump lunged by Agnes Forst, Aniello earned an overall score of 7.345. Kristian Roberts (Moss Beach, Calif.) earned an overall score of 6.915 with Forrest Cump and lunger Forst, putting him in 12th place in the final standings. In 13th place with Maxwell and lunger Anouk Dory, Patrick Stevens (Martinez, Calif.) finished his World Championship with an overall score of 6.256.

In the Individual Female Championship, Alicen Divita (Redwood City, Calif.) finished with an overall score of 7.793, putting her in 11th place. Vaulting on Pino del Rio lunged by Elke Schep-Lansing, Divita performed another solid Free Test to cap off her World Championship experience. With Anyway 54 and lunger Kristensen, Mary McCormick (Woodside, Calif.) finished in 15th place with an overall score of 7.674.

For results, click here: http://pole-europeen-du-cheval.com/2012/08/16/les-resultats-du-championnat-du-monde-de-voltige/

Follow the 2012 U.S. Vaulting Team here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2012Vaulting/

August 10, 2012 -- The Olympics are the pinnacle of sport. The London Games are the pinnacle of Olympics.

There never has been anything like these two weeks-plus of athletic excitement and beauty, staged so artfully in one of the world's greatest cities. The performances, the records broken, the unforgettable moments in the stadiums have been fabulous. But overshadowing all of that, the way a nation got behind them was inspiring.

The Olympics are supposed to be a time of good will; in ancient Greece, wars stopped during the Games, and I got that sense of harmony here.

Never once did I hear a cross comment, even when there was cause. People involved with the Games were unfailingly polite, helpful and caring when I encountered them. And when I say people involved with the Games, I don't just mean the legions of wonderful volunteer "Games Makers" or organizers. The British sense of pride in the Olympics was pervasive throughout the population. Everyone I met, whether a shopkeeper, a taxi driver or someone from whom I asked directions on the street (there were a lot of those) behaved as if they were playing a part in putting on the Games. And of course, they were. The only other Games I attended where I got a similar feeling of such community was the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but London carried it to new heights.

In terms of horse sport, this was the ultimate. I am speaking as a veteran of nine Olympics, six World Equestrian Games, five world championships and 20 World Cup finals. I've never seen anything like it. The showcase of Greenwich Park shone beyond words in its beauty and suitability to deliver on the world stage. And this was horse sport at its best, particularly in dressage, as scores continue to rise in reflection of both technical and artistic elegance.

The fact that billions of people watched the Games on TV or streaming video undoubtedly will help the popularity of horse sports, especially since the pictures that came across were for the most part so lovely.

Crowds in the stadium were amazing (© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)

There was, as I'm sure you know, great controversy over the use of Greenwich Park in the city, as opposed to, say, Windsor, the scene of other equestrian competitions not too far out of town. The neighbors of the oldest royal park (dating back to the 15th century) were miffed at not being able to use it the way they normally did, while environmentalists were concerned that flora and fauna would be harmed. (The rather tame squirrels, however, were thrilled about having thousands more people to feed them.)

Holding the equestrian disciplines in the city, though it may well have cost 10 times the 6 million British pounds (no exact figures are available) originally estimated to put them on was well worth the price in terms of access to the sports and their image. Of course, there are people worried about the cost of the Games, and those who said their businesses didn't get the promised boom as a result of having them, but that will always be the case with projects of this size.

Iconic show jumping fences with British flair included the ornate replica of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben (© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)

The shame of it is that the fantastic arena, raised above ground so as not to damage anything (but how did the grass like being deprived of sunlight for more than a year?) will be dismantled after the Paralympics conclude in September. The view of the Queen's House and beyond to the city skyline is unlikely ever to be rivaled. All beauty is fleeting, but it is sad to think this now will exist only in our photos and memories.

I've been going back over all that I told you during the Games, and the things on which I didn't comment, because postcards by definition can't involve endless reams of copy.

Here are some random thoughts:

The only downers at the Olympics as far as I could see were ticketing problems and the mascots.  I can't speak authoritatively about the tickets (all media members go in on special passes that remain around our necks for the duration) but I can voice my opinion about the nightmare-inducing mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville.

These "digital age" one-eyed mini-monsters with cab lights on their heads must have been the spawn of Izzy, otherwise known as Whatizit, the blue amorphous creature that was the mascot of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. While there was widespread criticism of Izzy, at least he had two eyes.

Why not choose something cuddly as your symbol, such as Pride the Lion, that was part of a subset of British team souvenirs and promotional items?

There understandably had been great concern about security in London. Surface-to-air missiles were installed at a number of sites (always best to be prepared for the worst) and there was a scandal about the lack of readiness shown by the security firm that had the contract for the Games.

In stepped the military to fill the breach, and they were great. The soldiers who checked us through X-ray and bag search every morning were unfailingly polite and efficient, as well as friendly. Their professional demeanor was many levels above the private security guards we encountered. And they were reasonable. Ticketholders were not allowed to bring in bottles of water any bigger than 100 milliliters. We could bring in larger bottles, as long as we were willing to take a swig from them in front of the soldiers. Why can't TSA learn from this? If someone refuses to drink their own water, you're probably on your way to nabbing a terrorist.

There must have been a curse on North America at these Games. The Canadians probably had it the worst, with only one rider from their eventing team finishing the competition, the elimination of a dressage rider when his horse balked in the arena (how often do you see that happen at this level?) and the elimination of one of their show jumpers for hypersensitivity because of a small cut on his coronary band. The hypersensitivity issue really must be revisited to make it fairer for both horse and rider. With no drop score, however, the three Canadian show jumpers still managed to finish fifth, one place ahead of the U.S. and four ahead of Mexico.

In general, the U.S. had a better time than Canada in terms of drama, but not much. None of the teams were anywhere near the medals, and the highest-placed U.S. rider across the disciplines was World Cup show jumping champ Rich Fellers, eighth on Flexible.

August 9, 2012--Fate struck one last cruel blow to the medal-less U.S. team today, as normally rock-solid Steffen Peters and his equally steady partner, Ravel, finished 17th, next-to-last, in the individual dressage competition. While most folks in the know, including Steffen, didn't expect him to medal, they felt assured he would be high in the standings—though likely not in fourth place, as he was in the 2008 Hong Kong Olympics.

But Ravel just wasn't in the mood today, and made several mistakes in his freestyle to music from the movie "Avatar," ending up with a score of 77.286 percent. Steffen felt the horse was "a bit distracted."

Unfortunately, it was the last time Ravel will compete before going into retirement.

"That's why it was so sad it didn't work out today," said a downcast Steffen.

"There's no way of sweet-talking this; it just wasn't a good freestyle. This is not the way I wanted to finish. There were some wonderful things in it, but you can't look past the mistakes. This one will leave a scar, for sure."

He would like to see Ravel, the most decorated dressage horse in U.S. history, have a big retirement party, where he could "hopefully ride the freestyle once more and do it a little bit better than here."

Putting it all in perspective, Steffen said, "I'll remember Ravel for his career and if you put it all together, then this was just a little glitch today, but certainly very sad it happened at the end of his career. But I still love him, and he's given us so much; just not quite today."

Steffen's appearance marked the end of the least-successful Olympics for U.S. equestrians since 1956, the last time they came home without any medals. There are plenty of questions to be asked and answered in that regard.

"We are going to have a long, hard, honest assessment of our programs and how they need to change to target medals in Rio (site of the 2016 Olympics)," said Jim Wolf, the U.S. Equestrian Federation's executive director of sport programs.

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro (© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)

"We have new coaching staff in at least two of the three disciplines and I am sure they have a lot of ideas about what we need to do to get back on the medal stand. I plan to have in-depth discussions with all of the stakeholders when we return from London to obtain the basis for a four-year high performance plan."

The freestyle, which again drew a capacity audience of 23,000 to Greenwich Park, was a new way to end the equestrian portion of the Olympics. In the old days, show jumping was always the last event in the main stadium. In more recent years, as equestrian facilities tended to be outside the host city limits, show jumping was still the last event for horse sports.

This was a refreshing change of pace for the Games program. Spectators got what they came for, more than just British gold and bronze, courtesy of stars Charlotte Dujardin with Valegro, who took top honors, and her teammate from the country's gold medal squad, Laura Bechtolsheimer, who rode to the bronze on the imposing Mistral Hojris. The silver medal was taken by the Netherlands' Adelinde Cornelissen on Parzival, who is ranked number one in the world. Each combination who entered the arena had something exciting to offer the appreciative crowd.

No matter who you were rooting for, the whole event was amazing. I recall the 1984 Olympics, and how we all were awed by Germany's Reiner Klimke with Ahlerich. Very few horses in those days had that kind of stature. Today's horses, however, are in a different league, with more finesse and style. Of course, they didn't do the freestyle in the Olympics then, and it has added a whole new dimension to the sport. Without the freestyle, it never would have reached the popularity it has achieved.

Silver medalist Adelinde Cornelissen on Parzival (© 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)

Charlotte rode to a perfectly choreographed melange of "The Great Escape," "Pomp and Circumstance," the James Bond theme, "Live and Let Die," an Olympic fanfare and the chimes of Big Ben, beautifully woven into the score. She earned 90.089 percent (just missing her British freestyle record of 90.65 percent) to 88.196 for Adelinde and 84.339 for Laura.

Understandably emotional, Charlotte kept wiping away tears with her white gloves (I felt like offering her a handkerchief) as she waited for the medal presentation.

"I just wanted to go out there today and enjoy it and not regret anything," she said. Although Valegro was tired, "he went out there and gave it his all," she said. Charlotte and her horse are quite a young combination. Valegro is 10 years old; she is only 26.

Her only major mishap, which she said was the result of "greenness and tiredness" came at the end of her performance, when Valegro had a mix-up about when he was supposed to canter and then do a piaffe pirouette.