Bhm issue 12 sampler

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ISSUE 12 SEPT/OCT 2013

THE LUSITANO

Educational articles by - Manolo Mendez and Barrie Stratton | Tips by Top riders/trainers. | Royal Alter Real Stud$9.95NZD £6.95

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In this issue we are featuring the illustrious Lusitano and we have some great articles

and amazing photos taken by Cátia Castro, starting off with the beautiful image on our front cover. Cátia has done a wonderful job in portraying the Lusitano and we want to thank her for her unwavering support and dedication. We have many stories covering the Lusitano throughout the years inside and hope you will enjoy this issue as much as we have in putting it together.

Last month we launched our new web page as we wanted to dedicate a page for each Baroque

breed with our major aim for it to be a place to find out news and events on your favourite breed. We are very open to feedback and if you have any news you want to share please contact us as we would love to hear from you. We also have a forum so all Baroque people can have their say so please don’t be shy come and have a chat and sure we will all learn together.

As so many readers have been contacting us wanting to get hold of the issues they missed out on we now have all of the magazines available online. With every subscription to the print version you will get an annual

online access free. Of course, we realise that in today’s times many people are happy with just the online version so we have annual subscription to this which also give access from Issue 1 to the current magazine.

This being our 12th edition of the magazine signifies two years of bringing to you our stories and photos of these stunning horses. We would like to thank all our readers for their constant praise and support and we look forward to many more to come.

E d i t o r s N o t E

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12 The Lustiano By Cátia Castro

32 Ponte Lima Horse Fair By António Mendonça

40 Introduction to Pirouett’s by Manolo Mendez with Caroline Larrouilh

48 Ali Baba’s Journey with Jody Hartstone

54 Tips by Top Riders/Trainers

58 The How and Why of Spanish Walk with Barrie Stratton

64 Review - The Balanced Horse by Sylvia Loch, review by Robert Smith QC

70 To the Heart of a Mustang by Kathryn Barrett

74 Photographers Profile of Gosia Makosa

80 The Atler Real Stud By Catia Castro

84 Web Sites and Business with Peter Spinda

86 The International Festival of the Lusitano By Cátia Castro

92 The Lusitano and Traditional Portuguese Costume and Tack By Cátia Castro

98 Sitting the Friesian Trot By Natalia Evertsz

102 Horse Care

108 Feeding the Baroque Horse By Mariette van den Berg

111 Horses of Interest By Joan Sankey

113 Riz’s Rant

w h a t s i n s i d e

Danielle SkermanEditor in Chief

ISSUE 12 SEPT/OCT 2013

THE LUSITANO

Educational articles by - Manolo Mendez and Barrie Stratton | Tips by Top riders/trainers. | Royal Alter Real Stud$9.95NZD £6.95

$8.95 AUD €7.95

Beauty, Strength Power&Beauty, Strength Power

On the Cover: “Coronel” from the Alter Real Stud - Portugal. Photo by Cátia Castro


09

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Article by Cátia Castro

THE

Beautiful manes, round neck, gentle eyes, courageous heart, elegant gaits, all this and much more have

made kings, emperors, painters, and people all over the world to fall in love by this noble breed that many called the “sons of the wind”

ORIGINS:

ANCIeNT TIMeS

Ridden for about 5,000 years, the Lusitano is the oldest saddle horse in the world. This breed reaches the 21st century with the same splendour it had 2,000 years ago, when ancient Greeks and Romans recognized the Lusitano as the best riding horse.

Today, many people look to the Lusitano for sport and leisure purposes. They are used also in crossbreeding to improve other breeds because of their rare qualities of character and genetics.

The Lusitanos’ were highly prized mounts due to their bravery and great temperament in handling such challenges, and they were greatly sought-after war horses. Often r ridden by kings and emperors as they paraded into their cities claiming victories, they thus have been immortalized in the most famous paintings throughout history.

Recently the owner of the historic Casa Cadaval Stud, Teresa Schönborn-Wiesentheid, informed us that not so long ago a 5,000-year old Lusitano

tooth was found and was genetically compared with a tooth from the present Casa Cadaval Stud horses. The results came back and they matched—that is to say, genetically the Lusitano has changed very little over the centuries. Their blood is as noble with history of purpose, pride and honour today as it was thousands of years ago.

SeLeCTION

Originally bred as a hunting and fighting horse, the Lusitano was and is still bred as a versatile horse, with docile temperament, agility and courage. These traits enable this breed to compete in almost every modern equestrian discipline.

In the last centuries, the Lusitano was used and trained in the equestrian arts and in bullfighting. Due to the breed’s early years and use in bullfighting, it has marked a major step in its evolution, thus providing some of the most important characteristics they are known for today.

Being selected to perform in the bullfighting arena allowed this breed to differentiate itself from others due to the horses’ great mental resistance to stress, as well as their physical ability and great elasticity. This selection for bullfighting shaped the Lusitano breed with the ability to perform complex exercises with great resistance to stress, but also with courage, tenacity and willingness to please the rider with spirit of sacrifice.

The Lusitano has a great ability to “rassemblé” or collect, which explains


‘Oxidado” photo by Cátia Castro


PONTE LIMA

Fernando Pessoa, the most famous Portuguese poet of the Twentieth Century, once said

“God wants, the man dreams, and the work takes shape.”

That was what happened with the horse fair at Ponte de Lima. This is all about the dream of a man, Filipe Pimenta, in love with the horses since he was a young boy. His father gave him his first horse, a Garrano, when he was 10 years old (it was the happiest day of his life, he said).

Filipe Pimenta is a man from the city of Ponte de Lima, Portugal. He has dedicated his entire life to his passion for horses.

In 2001 he had the opportunity of creating his own riding center in Ponte de Lima, with the purpose of providing horse-related tourist activities. The dream of creating a prestigious international horse fair came in 2007 with the support of the Ponte de Lima Mayor Eng. Daniel Campelo, a man of vision who saw the importance of this type of fair as a touristic, economic and cultural

promotion of the beautiful green Portuguese Minho region, located in the northwestern corner of the country.

Since the beginning, the versatile Lusitano horse has been the star of this unique horse fair, competing in multiple types of events. Soon the Ponte de Lima horse fair became, along with the Golegã horse fair and the International festival of breeders, one of the 3 most important horse fairs of Portugal.

Ponte de Lima is the oldest village in Portugal, recognized in 1125 as a village by the Countess D. Teresa de Leão, mother of D. Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal. Located near the city of Guimarães (where Portugal was born) and beautifully situated near the Lima River and the old Roman bridge the horse fair facilities were constructed. The facilities are used in national and international competitions.

Horse Fair 2013

Article & Photos by AnTónio MenDonçAwww.ACMenDonCA.neT


The population of this traditional region, with a special love for the horse in general and for the Lusitano in particular, welcomes this event with open arms, and participate enthusiastically during the already customary pilgrimage (“romaria” in Portuguese) that takes place every year with a huge participation by riders and carriages

This year, again due to the rising success of previous years’ fairs, the Seventh Annual Ponte de Lima Horse Fair was held from the 27th to the 30th of June. The four-day event boasted more than 400 horses and 70 Lusitanos from both native and foreign breeders, with an estimated

100,000 visitors. (We can’t forget that Portugal is a small country with only 10,000,000 inhabitants).

Ponte de Lima was founded in the Fourth Century BC, and there has been a bridge across the river Lima ever since. It is considered the oldest village in Portugal. The current bridge was finished in the 14th Century and was the only safe passage through the Lima River till the end of the Middle Ages. Pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, Spain had to cross the river here. It was the bridge that promoted the importance of the village of Ponte de Lima through the ages.


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specialist in in-hand and classical equitation & writer caroline larrouilh

M A n o L o

MEndEZ

Close up view of a travers on 3 not 4 tracks. Clint’s shoulders are on the track. His hindquarters are slightly to the inside of the arena. The outside hind foot (wall side) is aiming to step in the track of the inside fore hoof.

by MAnoLo MenDez

A correctly executed pirouette is a thing of beauty, a perfect storm of collection, impulsion, suppleness, strength and balance. At canter, it is one of the most physically demanding movement we can ask of our horse. It is a test of a trainer’s ability to develop self-

carriage and a horse that is completely attentive and responsive to the aids. A horse filled with power and expression, yet focused and tension free.

before we ask our horse for the more difficult canter pirouette, training logic and progression dictates that we first teach him the walk pirouette, beginning with the 1/4, then 1/2, 3/4 and then full pirouette.

A good pirouette is light, fluid and harmonious, it requires suppleness, strength and balance

The FEI directions for the walking pirouette are almost the same as for the canter pirouette. According to article 413 of the FEI Guideline for Dressage event “The pirouette (half-pirouette) is a turn of three hundred and sixty (360) degrees (hundred and eighty -180- degrees) executed on (2) tracks, with a radius equal to the length of the horse and the forehand moving around the haunches.”

For our horse to meet the objectives of this definition, there are several conditions that must be in place.

First however, it is important to understand what a pirouette is, besides being a movement in a test. Pirouettes are a part of the lateral work family along with shoulder fore, shoulder-in, shoulder-in out, half-pass, travers and renvers.

These are all movements that when used knowingly can allow the rider to develop, enhance or rehabilitate his horse physically: Supple,

Photos by KATHRyN BARRETT


Manolo is using the corner to position Clint for the travers. He uses the travers as a preparatory exercise for pirouettes.

41Manolo Mendez was the first Head Rider, and one of six founding members of the Royal Andalusian

School of Equestrian Art. Based in Jerez, Spain, the school is one of the four classical schools which also include the Cadre Noir in Saumur, the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art in Lisbon. A master horseman with over forty years of experience spanning classical dressage, doma vaquera and jumping, Manolo is dedicated to a soft, sympathetic and thorough training method which prepares horses physically and psychologically for each stage of training from training to Grand Prix and Haute Ecole.


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BRINGIT ON!

makes his first entrance into the public arena

New Zealand Grand Prix rider Jody Hartstone continues her story

of the purchase and importation of her first-ever Lusitano stallion.

By Jody Hartstone

49


The ‘hOw’ aNd ‘why’

of Spanish WALkcalm, confident and connected

This arTicle in The 3cs series follows The previous discussion on “improving The paces.” i will now proceed To describe why i find The spanish walk To be a useful exercise To incorporaTe in The schooling of some horses and how iT relaTes To The previous Topic.

The 3 C’s of D r essage

Photos of KC by Jessica La Pia, of Leo by Anna Melton

“Mozart” doing the Spanish Walk

A simple formula used to school and assess horses, as well as coach riders.

By Barrie Stratton

barrie stratton: Full-time international dressage coach and trainer. national ‘a’ level Dressage Judge, Judge educator and mentor


recognising a well-execuTed spanish walk

The specific Spanish Walk which I find useful in the schooling of a horse comes from a very well-engaged and collected walk, at the same time displaying a high degree of self-carriage. From this engagement and collection comes a Spanish walk which is finely balanced, allowing the horse to maintain a well-defined four-beat walk while lifting a front leg to a level close to, or above the horizontal. The lifting of each front leg is done swiftly and energetically, with the knee almost straightened when at full height. Then as the horse is moving forwards in the very collected walk, the raised leg seeks to return gently to the ground, while the horse continues to maintain a positive forward desire. The leg is lowered so elegantly and gently, that the placement of the hoof on the ground is inaudible. The rider’s hands have an extremely light connection

why Teach The spanish walk?The necessity of a horse being trainable was highlighted in Article Two of this series. The importance of the horse having a good work ethic was also discussed. In some cases, we may well hit a stumbling block with a particular part of the horse’s schooling which, although being a willing pupil with a good work ethic, clearly lacks the physical athleticism to allow it to adequately develop certain paces and movements. These horses should often be left to perform only what is natural to them and avoid unnecessary stress in their lives. In some cases a skilled rider may help those horses realise hidden potential by using exercises which may help it to grasp a concept, leading the horse to performing a pace or movement competently, that was previously quite removed from the horse’s natural way of going. This would have been the case whether being ridden, or at liberty in a paddock. Spanish Walk can be such an exercise.

If a horse lacks elastic suspension in its trot, the Spanish Walk may often be a stepping-stone that can lead to the introduction or enhancement of that desirable quality. This can, in turn, lead to horses displaying a far more expressive passage, often demonstrating considerable amplitude. Globally, in the last 7 years, more than one horse has been schooled using this method, and then proceeding to win or place in major International dressage competitions.

I also find that a well-performed Spanish Walk helps a horse to improve the ”focus on its work” (see Article Two), as well as enhancing the way the horse uses its back and further develops its balance.

59

Above shows the beginning of a Spanish Walk step. Note the clearly defined correct footfall sequence of the walk pace being preserved.

Above shows showing the front leg lifting higher

you can now sees the commencement of the decent of the leg

showing extension of the leg during decent

to the horse’s mouth. The rider’s pelvic region gives the control and their torso the strength in their communication. (See “Harmony with the Horse,” Article Two.) The horse executes these delicately executed steps of the Spanish Walk via their very well-engaged back, connecting the hindquarters to the forehand. This gives the horse its balance and the finesse of the movement. The walk continues to flow seamlessly as the other front leg commences its energetic lift. Performed in this precise manner, the Spanish Walk is a useful exercise in the horse’s schooling, and is far from being categorised as a “trick.”

prioriTise Thehorse’s needs

Before introducing the Spanish Walk to a horse, a solid foundation in its schooling, incorporating the 3Cs of dressage, needs to be already in place. The horse should display well-defined walk, trot and canter paces, and should have acquired a balanced way of going with rhythmical paces, suppleness, looseness and good self-carriage. The horse’s training level would give a clear indication that the six elements of the Training Scale have been a basis of any prior schooling. As previously defined in Article One of this series, those elements are rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection. Prior to introducing the Spanish Walk, I usually have most of the horses already performing shoulder-in, half-passes at trot and canter, walk and canter pirouettes, flying changes and a good variation in walk, trot and canter paces. So before commencing Spanish Walk, the horse already has a considerable level of understanding and sophistication in relation to what constitutes being a dressage horse.


“The Aids by Feel not Force”

Sylvia Loch with Queijada

displaying correct application of

the outside leg and the outside

rein as an indirect rein aid

review by Robert Smith QC..................................................................


The equestrian book market sees new publications virtually every month of the year. Among them there is always a spate of attractive sounding titles being offered to a prospective world wide audience. Most riders want and need to improve all the time and

good books of this type are in demand. This remains true not only for the novice rider but also for those riding and competing at the higher levels. One of the things which many novices do not realise is that not only those at elementary level but advanced riders in the equestrian world, in whatever equestrian discipline they practice, need, despite their expertise, good teachers and trainers. This is true of any discipline but particularly so with the art of riding. All riders also need a firm grounding in academic equitation, particularly in the field of dressage and classical riding. How therefore does any rider choose from the many publications entering the market, some of which are of little real value and some of which are, frankly, second rate?

A valuable starting point is to assess the record of the author. With Sylvia Loch her record speaks for itself. When I look at the shelves of my equestrian library, displaying as they do the fruits of hundreds of years of accumulated wisdom, they include books written by a number of notable modern masters of classical riding but it needs to be said that the modern masters are few. The art of classical riding was devised and refined to a state of perfection well before our time. However, we cannot constantly look back and the modern masters have much still to teach us in how to understand and to apply the guidance of centuries, grounded as it is in the long history of academic equitation. Thus there remains a need for good teachers and riders to pass on their own accumulated wisdom to all of us. Sylvia Loch is one of these.

One can begin by asking which current teacher, horsewoman and author has been invited to write either a foreword or an introduction to the work of three of the modern masters of equitation as well as publish-ing foundation works of equestrian literature herself? Sylvia Loch is unique in this regard. on my shelves sit the works of Alois Podhajsky, who was the Director of the Spanish Riding School for nearly a quarter of a cen-tury [The Complete Training of Horse and Rider]; Charles de Kunffy, the international judge, all round horseman and teacher of the equestrian arts [The ethics and Passion of Dressage]; and Philippe Karl, a former ecuyer in the Cadre Noir de Saumur [Long Reining - The Saumur Method]. Sylvia Loch has written the foreword or introduction to each of these modern classical works which in turn form only a small proportion of the writings of these outstanding men. She has also written, among many of her publications, two very fine books which i consider to be among the foundation works devoted to classical riding and to the horses that gave the world the ability to develop and refine the art. These are, “Dres-sage - The Art of Classical Riding” which was first published in 1990 with a foreword by Brigadier Kurt Albrecht and “The Royal Horse of Europe.” The former provides an authoritative guide to the history of the develop-ment and refinement of classical riding and the latter is the most detailed and authoritative text relating to the Iberian horse that has been written by any author from outside the Iberian Peninsular.

Sylvia Loch has one outstanding ability as a teacher and as a writer. She writes for all levels but in doing so she has developed the ability to give clear guidance for the elementary student which the advanced rider will also find valuable and, in turn, she writes about advanced work in a way which any elementary student will understand and follow. This is a skill which is not easily developed but she has brought this skill, with her new book ‘The Balanced Horse’, to a state of perfection. I have sometimes heard publishers or riders say that a particular work might be unsuitable for a particular rider because it was “too elementary” or “too advanced.” When equestrian guidance is published it can never be “too elementary” or “too advanced” if it remains, nevertheless, well written and authorata-tive. All riders know that when we take up the reins on mounting and ask for the horse to walk forward we are engaging in something that may be considered by some to be “elementary.” On the contrary, the walk was correctly described by Jean-Claude Racinet as the “mother gait” in prefer-ence to the trot. I note that Sylvia Loch also adopts this terminology in the context of the walk. Even the most advanced rider strives to achieve perfection at the walk. The rider should never minimise the importance


Written by KATHRyN BARRETT

HeARToFAMuSTAnG.woRDPReSS.CoM

Last issue i introduced you to my wiLd mustang aries. Here is part two of His story.

Most people who work with wild horses will tell you, once you get your hands on them, the rest goes very

quickly. in the weeks that followed our first touch, i had to repeat the same routine each time. I’d stand in front of Aries and hold my hand out at about my chest-level, palm facing him. He’d lower his head until his forehead was at the height of my hand, and I’d close the distance and rest my hand on his head. Once he was better with this, I began to rub more of his head.

Aries was very protective of his nose. Every time I would run my hand down the front of his face, he

would curl his nose away from my hand and turn so that I could no longer touch him. He refused to let me touch his nostrils at all. The chin was fine, but not the nostrils. During the long months of not being able to touch him, I’d examined his face and body very closely. I noticed a pattern of scars around his muzzle, including one big chunk missing from the right upper lip. Had he gotten into a fight with another stallion? Had a predator grabbed him? Whatever the case, his nose was off limits.

I spent a lot of time hand-walking. We would explore all over the ranch, walk up and down the roads, and walk

through the horse playground with bridges and tires and logs. I did as much with him in-hand as I could. Showed him tarps and kiddy pools, ground poles and mounting blocks.

To the heart of a musTang

WW

W.M

AR

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LEW

ISPH

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GR

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hEartofamustaNg.wordprEss.com


Aries taught me to never go into the arena with a plan. If I said, “Today

I am going to get the saddle on him,” Aries would invariably show me seven other areas that we needed to address first. if i went in with a rigid plan for the day, I’d be dismissing all the information Aries was giving me. I learned to just go in and start and see where the work took us. The day I taught Aries to trailer load, he hopped in quite quickly, so the session was over within 20 minutes. I decided to try putting a bareback pad on with a girth for the first time. The day was going very well; why not try? And Aries wore that bareback pad with pride. So in one day, with no plan, I taught Aries to load in a trailer and wear a girth for the first time.

It took six months to touch Aries and just two short months after that, he wore

his first full saddle. He didn’t protest; he just wore it. And two short months after first putting a saddle on him, on Christmas Eve 2011, i sat on him for the first time. Many people told me, “you’re going too fast.” But I’d stand on the mounting block and have this feeling of, “oh, just get on already.” it felt like it was coming from Aries. I started out being lunged by Lena, and over time I moved to riding by myself. I started Aries out in a halter. I didn’t want to complicate his learning by using a bit. For the first month or so, i rode Aries in the round pen. We worked on walk, trot, turns, and halt. He readily went forward without a whole lot of asking. Just some clicking and a little leg. I stayed away from the canter because, even at this stage, I could not get Aries to canter when I was lunging or on the ground in the round pen , so asking for it under saddle was not a good idea. Cantering was very scary for Aries. I think, in the wild, horses only canter to evade danger or defend the herd. For whatever reason, Aries did not like cantering. He would run wildly in the trot and then burst into a panicked, unbalanced canter for a few strides before returning to an erratic trot. Since i couldn’t find a way to help him, i just didn’t ask him for it for the time being.

Once Aries became reliable in the round pen, we graduated

to the outdoor arena, which was a little larger than a dressage court. Aries never once offered to bolt or buck. I could tell he was a bit unsure, but he seemed to enjoy riding, so he accepted pretty much everything I was teaching him. A couple of months after I started riding, I introduced Aries to a bit. I didn’t plan on riding with it, but wanted him to get used to it. He was understandably confused about the metal thing going into his mouth, but he took it easily. I used a sweet iron bit so that it tasted better than straight metal. Although Aries was still protective about his nose,

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he would let me put the bit in his mouth, so long as my hand stayed on his chin. Aries was quite easy off the leg and rein. it was clear to me he enjoyed being ridden. He seemed to enjoy the learning and figuring out what i was asking for.

Three months after first getting on Aries, i moved him to a 400+-acre ranch, and we

went on lots of trail rides. He really enjoyed getting out and exploring. He never spooked at trees or birds like many domestic horses. He knew there was nothing to fear.

Another important lesson Aries taught me was that it’s my job to protect my horse.

Not that I wasn’t protective before, but with Aries I had to be very careful who I let handle him. He is sensitive and responsive. He reads every signal a person gives off and will react if he thinks he should. And there are also people he doesn’t like. Over time, there have been a few people who I have had to tell not to approach him because he didn’t like them. I felt bad, but Aries was very clear. Ears back, body tense. “I don’t like that person.” If I were to let them take him anyway, that would be breaking his trust in me. it’s our job as horse owners to protect our horses and keep their trust by listening to them.

Wild horses are what I like to call “pure horse.” They don’t have a whole lot of

human-created baggage. Once you earn their trust, they will follow you through fire. but to say they are a “clean slate” is not accurate. Wild horses in America are rounded up by helicopter and driven at a dead run across miles of rugged, rocky terrain. Then they are run into pens and separated from their family bands. They are packed into trailers and hauled to holding facilities where they are


GosiaMAkosa

BH: How long have you been photographing horses and what got you started?

GM: I have been photographing horses since 2005. I started with an analogue camera, and at that time I had to develop plates and photos by myself. At that time I was at university and I was studying painting. I was allowed to use the

university’s darkroom for developing my plates.

After my studies, i switched to a reflex camera (my first was a nikon D50) mainly because i could develop photos at my house, and it was less time-consuming than analogue photography.

GMEquine Art & Photography



The

The Portuguese National Stud was founded in 1748 by King João V, with the purpose of improving the national breed and creating an equestrian academy that would meet the highest standards of royalty.

Stud

Article & Photos by CáTIA CASTROWWW.CMCEQuINEPHOTO.COM

RealAlter


The lands for this stud farm were chosen to be in the village of Alter do Chão, due to its quality pastures and good water. After 250 years, the Alter Real Stud has become the oldest stud farm in the world to remain in the same place, keeping the character and quality of the Alter Real Lusitano, and preserving its vast environmental heritage and architectonic facilities. This Stud stands the highest importance for the Lusitano breed.

The Portuguese government has consolidated both its national stud farms—Alter Real Stud and Coudelaria Nacional Stud—together under single management.

we can enjoy the magnificent Alter Real Stud facilities not only as visitors, but as guests, and have our holidays in the “Casa de Campo,” a house that serves as a cozy hotel inside the stud.

Real81


Pure Breed hoRse2013

The 25Th InternatIonal FestIval

of the Lusitano

Article & Photos by CáTIA CASTROWWW.CMCEQuINEPHOTO.COM


Pure Breed hoRse

The International Festival of the Lusitano horse, the most important event dedicated to the Lusitano breed, was held

from 20 to 23 June, in the facilities of Quinta da Marinha in Cascais, Portugal.

This admission- free festival was a meeting point for national and international

breeders, Lusitano associations, riders and experts coming from all over the world.

The weather was warm and sunny, and set the tone for the 25th year of this important festival for the Lusitano in Portugal. Crowds were excellent, even though the Cascais and Estoril beaches were appealingly close. The Lusitano fans visited the festival and enjoyed this 3 days of a Lusitano display.

The APSL, the Portuguese Association of the Lusitano Pure Breed, is the organizer of this festival and counted among sponsorship partners, and for the first time baroque Horse Magazine (bHM) sponsored all first prizes of the Models and Gaits competition with a half-year subscription of our magazine. We were happy to be part of this international festival of such a beautiful baroque breed.

Many national and international breeders and owners have participated with their horses in the Model and Gaits competitions—these are the major competitions of the festival. Classes of fillies, mares, foals, stallions, offspring of stallions, offspring of mares, ridden mares’ class, all were evaluated under the watchful eye of the APSL judges. At the end, all first prize winners competed for the champion stallion and mare. And finally, the top prize, the Champion of Champions title of the International Festival of the Lusitano Pure Breed, was presented.

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Maria Moura Caetano and Miguel Ralão


The Portuguese traditional costume, saddlery, bridles and reins, braiding: all of this enhances the natural elegance of the Lusitano.

In this article we would like to lightly approach some of the Portuguese equestrian tradition, because the all costume thematics would be a book: indeed it forms the book “The Portuguese Riding Costume” from Lina and João Gorjão Clara, which is the basis for

some of this article.

THe SeTTING:

Óbidos is a village in Portugal that is known for its medieval architecture. it was founded in the year of 1195. The narrow streets are full of colour, joy and “ginjinha de óbidos” the typical cherry drink in chocolate cups. The view is magnificent: traditional tiles, stone walks, centenarian catholic churches, the castle outline in a grand extension…and it made the perfect setting for the two Portuguese riders to show us the traditional costume and tack on two beautiful Lusitanos. We had the honour of photographing Ana batista, a famous Portuguese bullfighter, and Ricardo Moura Tavares with the Lusitano Embuçado.

THe PORTuGueSe TRAJe:

We are going to focus on the Portuguese costume in use today. It dates from the year 1890. we found in a document archive a photo of the Portuguese queen, D. Amélia de orleães e bragança, wearing this kind of costume. The costume or “traje” was worn for hunting and riding. The jacket and breeches of the men hint at earlier baroque roots, being a cultured dress of the year of 1690. The basic structures of the loose jacket and pants were altered to better suit the functions of riding. Fabric colours are more used in the women’s traje, but in general due to cultural reasons, the colours of the traje are a darker color, characteristic of the 19h century.

Article and photos by Cátia Castro

THE


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G&S Horserug Pty Ltd 465 Hume Hwy Craigieburn VIC 3064 | Australian Distributor for Horseware Ireland | [email protected] www.horserug.com.au (03) 9832 0800

ownership of a horse is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. Many people can jump into ownership with or without proper consideration or understanding as to what might be involved. I have always said a horse can be as expensive or inexpensive as you like, all

depending on what you want to do with it.

People have horses for many reasons, whether it is a family tradi-tion, high-level sporting aspirations, or simply because you love them. Whatever your reason, it’s a commitment you make to care for a living creature.

An equine companion always requires a commitment level, and the same basics are required from big to small or pleasure to performance: food, water, heath and care of your horse.

i always say that something is easy once you know how; it’s just that learning part that can feel rather challenging. However challenging learning can be, the fulfilment of knowledge and skill can be rather satisfying and pleasurable.

Over the next few issues of Baroque Horse International Magazine, we are going to continue to look into different aspects of health, nutrition and care of our horses. We’ll look at grooming, alternative therapies, nutrition, training and general horse care and wellness. We will also take a look at new products available and what they can do for your equine mate.

Technology is constantly evolving, and ideas are changing or being re-evaluated as to what is the right way to care for your horse. Today it is becoming even more prevalent that people want to do more for their horses to ensure they are healthy and can enjoy a quality of life on many different levels.

if there is something that you want to learn more about or just don’t quite fully understand, please send us an email at [email protected] and we can look into it for you in upcoming issues. a

Ask what you can do for youR horse, not just what your horse can do for you

HorSE






AKA QualityPO Box 202

Belmont, Vic 3216AUSTRALIAwww.akaquality.com.au

[email protected]


As far as training is concerned, for centuries there have been horsemen who have recognized that some behaviors and/or responses are “hardwired” into horses. Hardwired, in this case, is being used to describe an automatic response, not the result of a cognitive decision. Most have accepted the belief that there are, indeed, certain behaviors hardwired into all animals. .

Why is it that one can put the horse in a position that he would normally take if he were in a calm, relaxed or submissive state and it will induce a calm, relaxed or submissive attitude in the horse?

Allen Pogue, an exceptional horse trainer and mentor of mine, believes very strongly in teaching a horse to perform an “obeisance” (circus bow) as a preliminary exercise for every horse as part of his “Imagine A Horse” training system. He believes this posture helps to create a calm and willing attitude in the horse. His philosophy is consistent with other trainers, both past and present, who also believe that by lowering the horse’s head, you will create a submissive or relaxed attitude in the horse. (“Submission” describes agreeing to be agreeable—NOT being dominated).

Around my farm, I call it the “Theory of Reverse Inevitability” which assumes that many physiological as well as psychological and emotional conditions can be induced or relieved by simulating the symptoms. I believe many common problems people have with their horses are simply manifestations of anxiety and/or stress.

In the past couple of decades, a movement to study equine natural behavior as well as herd interaction has become very popular, and many horses have benefited from these studies. by the same token, if you study horses in their natural environments, certain physical actions and postural patterns become apparent as well.

While horses will spend time napping, sunning, mutual grooming, and

interacting in the form of play while reinforcing or changing the pecking order in the herd, almost 80 percent of their day is spent grazing…usually walking slowly with their heads down and chewing. When something does catch their attention that may be cause for concern, they will raise their heads and stop chewing—even if there is food in their mouths. They raise their heads, allowing them to use their binocular field of vision to get a better look and help them determine whether to continue grazing or to flee.

During this time, the horse’s central nervous system (CnS) has been sending messages stimulating arousal and energy generation while inhibiting digestion. Inhibition of digestion will manifest itself through the slowdown in production of saliva and digestive fluids, starting the process of glycogenolysis. Horses store excess glucose by polymerizing it to form glycogen. During glycogenolysis, the body breaks this glycogen back down into glucose when it determines energy is needed for flight.

But when the horse is chewing, the horse is relaxed, which is why chewing, and likely the posture assumed with it (i.e., head lowered, swallowing and muscles relaxed), is key to overall relaxation and the emotional, physical and psychological well-being of a horse.

This is why the use of food rewards during training can be used not only as a form of positive reinforcement, but also to initiate relaxation. when a horse becomes nervous or is approaching the flight response, his decisions will be based upon subconscious or instinctual response rather than a conscious or evaluative decision. The food triggers the chewing response, and since the horse only chews when it feels safe, the CNS responds by initiating the act of relaxation.

Go out and try it on your own horse. Stimulate him in some way and then stick your finger in the side of his mouth (where there are no teeth) and tickle his tongue. Instantly he will not only begin to chew and lower his head, but also you will likely notice his entire body relaxing.

Those educated in the use of jaw flexions, made famous by Francois

Riz’s RantA s t A b l e l i f e

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www.piafferevealed.com

Riz’s Rant

A calm, balanced horse is a joy to be around, and I contend that some basic training principles—as well as proper horsekeeping techniques—can lead to a happy, healthy and willing partner. ulcers, colic, weaving, cribbing, and pacing, as well as many behavioral problems in horses, are all symptoms of an unbalanced equine lifestyle caused by the way we train and keep our horses.

AKA QualityPO Box 202

Belmont, Vic 3216AUSTRALIAwww.akaquality.com.au

[email protected]


EQUITANA RIVERINA PAVILION BOOTH #407

baucher, also have reported that a flexion of the jaw can be used not only to relax a horse, but also as a test to check if the horse is relaxed.

Jean-Claude Racinet, a staunch proponent of the flexions, explained that a true flexion of the jaw is not just a champing of the bit, but it “involves a whole, very specific process which starts with the opening of the mouth, continues with an up-and-down movement of the tongue under the bits (which makes them jingle as if the horse were swallowing his saliva) and ends with the shutting of the mouth.”

This action stimulates the nerves and muscles that are the same ones used grazing. So, if you feel your horse starting to tense up, you can activate the chewing reflex via a treat or even use a baucher-styled flexion of the jaw. An autonomous system within the horse then signals the CNS that the horse is eating, and the CNS assumes that if he is chewing, then he must be relaxed. This triggers the physiological and neurological responses associated with relaxation, thereby relaxing the horse.

Another student of Equine Behavior, JP Giacomini, has noted that he can calm an excited breeding stallion down by moving his top lip in a circular side-to-side motion. Again, this is likely due to the same principle, as a horse will use his top lip in a similar manner when grazing.

However, nothing works just one way. if it is possible to relax a horse by simulating grazing, or by inducing a calm state through assuming postural positions he would naturally take in a calm or submissive frame of mind, then it is not a stretch to believe it is equally possible to induce the opposite response.

I doubt anyone will argue against the fact that horses in stalls are far more likely to suffer colic than horses kept in a pasture or natural setting.

It is also far less likely for a horse kept in a pasture ornatural setting to develop physical problems such as ulcers, cribbing, weaving, or pacing. Additionally, horses kept in a more natural environment are less likely to be “hot,” nervous or jumpy than they would be if kept in a stall.

This has often been attributed to the feeding of grain or the fact that horses in stalls don’t get enough exercise. These factors no doubt contribute to those behaviors, but many horses kept in a stall setting generally do not eat hay throughout the day, even if hay is always available.

Another factor involved in this horsekeeping issue is that wet grass weighs many times more than dry grass. A horse grazing at pasture will have to consume, and therefore chew, much more to take in its body requirements and satisfy natural cravings with wet grass than with dry hay. Conversely, horses kept stalled will spend the majority of their days with their heads up looking out of their stalls and not chewing—a posture very similar to the position that a horse will take when sensing danger! The postural change and lack of chewing triggers a horse flight response even if the horse does not cognitively perceive a threat. The messages being sent to the CNS by receptors are that the body has assumed a posture of stress oranxiety and is not chewing.

In their natural environment this “stress/anxiety position” is only assumed for short intervals, and their systems are not equipped to deal with extended periods of anxiety/stress.

In humans, extended periods of stress can manifest themselves in physiological, emotional and psychological traits. Restlessness, shaking, developing tics, blinking of the eyes, depression, mood swings, irritability, anxiousness, impatience, hostility or violence, development of ulcers, digestive problems, and so much more can ensue. Horses react much the same as humans in their response to stress.

In the wild, the horse is able to balance himself by burning off any excess energy created, and then to relax even further by returning to grazing. This is not the case when confined to small spaces like a stall, thereby triggering the stress responses that lead to many of the behaviors for which people seek help.

A look back in history shows that the more advanced our civilization becomes, the less we live as nature designed, and not always for the best. This is true for our four-legged friends as well. It usually means that an animal that spent centuries grazing in herds on open plains is kept more and more frequently in a box stall.

More often than not, turnout is either unavailable or very limited, and it is rare for stallions to be able to romp and play with other horses.

we try to justify this to ourselves by building pretty barns, making sure the bedding is clean, and providing the best feed we can, but all of that doesn’t change the fact that the equine digestive system, as well as the equine emotional system, were designed around walking, grazing and living as part of a group.

yes, some horses, like people, are able to adapt to stress better than others, but the reality is that the more you can help your horses live a more natural life, the better off they will be.

Ideally, horses should be kept in large pastures to graze throughout the day, living in herds with other horses, although the reality is many of us cannot provide this for our horses.

Here are some other suggested alternatives:

• even though you may not be able to provide turnout all day, offer as much turnout as possible

• Try to make sure stall walls are low enough that horses can see out without straining

• offer feed in smaller, but more frequent portions

• Keep hay in front of them at all times

• offer stall toys that encourage licking and chewing

These suggestions for training and keeping your horses are merely suggestions. I want to be very clear. I am not a veterinarian. i have no Ph.D. in equine Studies. i am just a guy who likes to spend as much time as he can learning from and observing horses. In my experience, most of the time a little common sense, compassion and patience will get you further than peer-reviewed studies. Horses will tell you all you need to know if you listen to what they have to teach you. a

Riz’s RantA s t A b l e l i f e


EQUITANA RIVERINA PAVILION BOOTH #407


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Bhm issue 12 sampler