Monthly Archives for April 2012

USHJA Press Release Regarding Hunter Ring.

 If you have been trolling USHJA news recently, you will have noticed that the USHJA officials committee issued an interesting statement earlier this week. The statement was made regarding behavior in the hunter ring. The statement follows: 

“The USHJA Officials Committee is a strong advocate of allowing a horse to show expression, not to the point of it being a safety issue or significantly disrupting the round, but natural and enthusiastic about the job at hand.”

Shelby French, CEO of USHJA and R Hunter Judge applauds the Officials Committee for their stance on this topic. “This statement issued by the Officials Committee provides the guiding philosophy on how we should be evaluating horses in the show ring.”

                               

Now, if you’re like me, your initial reaction to this statement was pretty positive. If you’re a regular at the horse shows, it doesn’t take long to figure out that competitors in the hunter ring go to great lengths to ensure that they will have quiet rounds. Maybe this means an hour long lunging session on cool, foggy mornings at 5 a.m. (all non-horse people insert, “horse show people are insane” comment), maybe this means a long hack in the morning, and maybe this even means the use of drugs containing GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid). This amino acid has seen increasing popularity, particularly in the hunter ring. GABA is essentially the bodies first line of defense against stress. When an animal experiences over-stimulation, this inhibitory neurotransmitter is dumped into the system in an effort to calm the animal down and to prevent panic. 

Carolina Gold and other drugs have taken GABA, the bodies natural defense against stress, and attempted to use it to give the animal a competitive edge in the hunter ring. These drugs are thought to diffuse stress, resulting in a down-played flight response to stimuli, lower head carriage, etc. These drugs seem to only have moderate success. 

The USHJA released this statement partially in response to the recent controversies concerning Carolina Gold and other similar drugs. 

CEO Shelby French informed the Aiding and Abetting Amateur that: 

The statement of our Officials Committee was made because of the direction our sport has taken over the past few decades and their recognition that this needs to be adjusted so that the welfare of the horse is a priority. 

Also, while their statement is not in response to  the joint efforts of the racing industry and the sport horse world to bring the thoroughbred back into the hunter and jumper show ring, it is certainly in concert with those efforts, as the thoroughbred tends to be more expressive by nature.

It is certainly refreshing to see this kind of statement being released for the sake of the welfare of our animals. However, one must ask, “Are judges really ready to welcome this statement?” and “How much expression is too much expression?” 

Shelby French responds: 

Judging is subjective and each judge has their individual perspective, so quantifying what level of expression and enthusiasm is acceptable is just not possible. Certainly enthusiasm that is disruptive or unsafe is going to be penalized but the intention is to allow the horse to display natural expressiveness in its performance.  The Committee has been emphasizing this perspective during the Judge’s Clinics this year and it has been well received. 

Julie Winkle, USHJA Board of Directors Member, responds to the Aiding and Abetting Amateur by saying:

The majority of the judges already embrace this line of thinking, and I believe it’s largely a misconception among exhibitors and trainers that judges want to see lifeless robots in the hunter ring.
So we are hoping to clear this up by making the statement. Obviously we aren’t looking for crazy, dangerous runaways, but embrace alert, natural enthusiasm .
The bottom line is we are encouraging everyone( owners, riders, trainers, mothers) to become better horseman for the sake of our sport and our horses!!

I think this is all good news for the competitor and for the animal. If expression is truly going to be welcomed, and perhaps as Winkle suggests, already is welcomed, then we no longer have to go to the lengths (perhaps unethical lengths) to ensure dead-quite rounds. Essentially, if judges do not select for unethical behavior (meaning lifeless robots do not win blue ribbons) then drugs like Carolina Gold and other inhibitory neurotransmitters will become obsolete. 

         

        Photo: Rumba and John French, derby greats. Usef.org. 



Feed back welcomed! This is definitely an interesting topic. 


New Look!

With spring rolling in, The Aiding and Abetting Amateur decided it was time for a new and fresh look. 

Nothings changed, other than appearance. We hope you all dig it. 

Spring time is the best time for equestrians. We are looking forward to Rolex, the Derby, and all the other annual spring events! Get out there and ride. Soak up some long-awaited sunshine. 

And let us know what you think about the new look!

The Green Horse, Part 2.

While we might not be the group to dawn Chaco sandals, Nalgene bottles, or dreadlocks, we can still do our part to promote sustainability within out industry. 

Let’s talk about the potential for feed bags. While many just toss them into the trash, these sturdy bags can have many uses. A friend of mine, who manages a 20 horse barn suggested saving old feed bags and using them in the pace of trash bags. She claims that they are sturdier and can save you a few bucks a month as you will no longer need to purchase trash bags. 

This week I stumbled across this idea. Old feed bags can be transformed into useful tote bags. 

These can be purchased online at etsy.com, but I think surely someone out there is crafty enough to do this themselves. 

My friend had another suggestion for transforming a barn into a green, efficiency machine. She indicated that the clients in her barn are soda fans, and they will rip through several of them during their hours at the barn. She has started leaving a bucket next to the trash where she collects recyclables. At the end of the month, she takes all the recyclables to her local recycling center to collect a few bucks. She says this system works out well for both her and her clients. 

Simple tweaks can make a big difference. Keep considering how you can make your barn more efficient, both for the sake of the environment and your wallet. 

“We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do.” Barbara Ward



Keep reading, knowledge is power. 


Williemuffin GIVE AWAY!

Enter for your chance to win a sample of WillieMuffins, premium horse treats. Your horse is begging you! 

   

Rules are simple: 

Winners will be drawn from a hat. For first entry; reblog this post. For more entries: 

  • +1/ retweet corresponding tweet 
  • +1/ follow us on twitter 
  •  +2/ like us on facebook 
  • +1/ leave a funny, inspiring, or goofy comment on this post! 

Winners will be selected at random, Wednesday at midnight. 

May the odds be ever in your favor… 

Members of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Officials Committee have announced support for horses showing expression and enthusiasm in the hunter ring. According to the statement, “The USHJA Officials Committee is a strong advocate of allowing a horse to show expression, not to the point of it being a safety issue or significantly disrupting the round, but natural and enthusiastic about the job at hand.”

Happy Hunters

The Green Horse.

 In an effort to celebrate Earth Day, The Aiding and Abetting Amateur will be hosting a multiple part series of posts that promote efficiency and sustainability within your equestrian facility. Earth-loving equestrians unite to put ideas on paper (recycled paper, of course!) on how reduce the size our footprints and hoofprints on our planet. 

                                          

Because of the sheer volume of resources used in the daily operation of a barn, there is a tremendous amount of waste in the industry. By trying to replicate nature and meet the needs of the domesticated horse, we end up impacting our planet negatively. 

As all good environmentally conscious citizens, we should echo the coined phrase, “reduce, reuse, recycle.” 

Bedding is the first area that comes to mind when we think about waste within the barn. Traditional wood shavings are an agricultural good, meaning that their price and avalibility  fluctuate based on market conditions. Straw is often a better choice. Straw is an agricultural by-product, meaning, it has very few uses and people just want to get rid of it and whether or not there is demand for it, it will still be produced during the agricultural process. Straw, however, has drawbacks of its own. If you have ever bedded with it, you know what a pain it can be. This is an important decision for facilities to make. 

A quick, relatively cheap improvement we can all make is to place rubber stall mats in our stalls. These mats will increase efficiency as less bedding will be needed in the stall. These mats also help with moisture related problems in your horses feet (i.e. thrush). Essentially, stall mats rock. 

Volume is key here. The fewer shavings or other bedding products we use, the smaller our “hoofprint”. Even if we can only decrease the volume used by a tiny bit every week, think about what this translates to over a year-long period…. or a five year-long period. Not only are we decreasing our hoofprint, we are saving money! One way to decrease volume is obviously not to over-bed stalls. Deeply bedded stalls harbor lots of bacteria. Not only are they harder to pick out, they hold in more moisture. The general rule of thumb is to bed just enough to absorb moisture, but not so much that it stays wet for days. Also, its easier to bed less and strip more, meaning bed less and every 2 or 3 days take everything out of the stall. This promotes hoof health and results in less waste. 

Consider giving your horse more time outside. Grass is the best bedding, as often nature demonstrates more creativity than we could ever wish to have. Its good for his feet and his mind. Turn-out can save you money! Turn-out can decrease your hoofprint! 

Consider alternative bedding options. You might be surprised by what is out there. There are many creative solutions that help us reduce our impact on the planet while taking better care of our equine-partner. Being more self-aware of how much we use is the first step to making a positive change. Estimate the volume of shavings you use annually. It might shock you just how big your “hoofprint” really is… Think miniature horse sized, not our current Percheron-sized hoofprints. 

“The power of imagination makes us infinite.” John Muir

Keep reading, knowledge is power. 

Resources: 

http://terrasoftbedding.com/products/