Castle Leslie

With just a week available, I had to make the most out of every day. After spending a day recovering from jetlag and catching up with friends, it was off to Castle Leslie in County Monaghan. Located on the border of Northern Ireland, this was a perfect couple of days of horse-themed luxury.

I rented a car for the week, and while I adjusted pretty quickly to driving on the left-hand side of the road and shifting gears with my left hand, train service is available for anyone who doesn’t want the added stress of navigating the country roads by car.

The castle has an illustrious family history, and offers several options for accommodations. If you really want to make a splash, you can stay in the castle proper, or if you’d prefer more peace and quiet, the Old Stable Mews are located far out back on the property.

Most people interested in riding will be content to stay in The Lodge, which is connected to the stables and features the upscale Snaffles restaurant, drinks at Connor’s Pub, and a spa for relaxing after time in the saddle.

I arranged the trip to Castle Leslie through Unicorn Trails Horse Riding Holidays Worldwide, and the reservation process was easy and well managed. Every detail of the trip was smoothly planned in advance, and checking in at The Lodge was an easy process. The accommodations were well equipped and exceedingly comfortable. It was a huge highlight that the small balcony overlooked the stable yard.

My kids were heading back to school that week, but airfare from New Jersey to Ireland drops significantly in September: my flight was about $400, compared to over $1,000 in August.

My non-horsey husband agreed to deal with the back-to-school week so I could enjoy an adventure with my old friend, George Barry, who I’ve known since we were teenagers, when he and his sister and my brother competed in the International Tetrathlon exchange through Pony Club back in the late 1990s.

We’d traveled together before, and he’s a competent rider, and since riding is a high-risk sport—and so is driving a car in Ireland—I felt a little safer traveling with a companion.

Cross-Country Jumping

After settling in, we stretched our legs with a wander around the grounds and the castle. That evening we enjoyed an elegant six-course dinner at Snaffles. The food was delicious, featuring mainly locally sourced, fresh ingredients, and the service was impeccable. After dinner, we wandered out the door to the stables and admired the facilities and horses before retiring for the evening.

The full Irish breakfast the next morning was equally as impressive as dinner, if not more so. There was also an impressive array of fresh fruit, pastries and other breakfast items that left me wishing my appetite was larger. But with our horses waiting, I reined in my appetite. After changing into boots and breeches, we headed out to the stables.

The horses were fit and well cared for, and the borrowed helmets and cross-country vests were in good condition and up to the latest safety standards. I rode a gorgeous big gray mare named Blueberry, while George was on a stout gelding named Arnie. I’m 5’11”, and Blueberry took up my leg nicely. There were horses of all shapes and sizes, for riders of all shapes, sizes and levels of experience. A questionnaire in advance made sure that we met our ideal match.

Our instructor, Steven Carty, performed a brief assessment before we set off across the countryside. Steven was lovely and we chatted about the horses, the lifestyle working at the stables, and the history of the estate. If we’d had another night, I would have enjoyed sitting down with him for a pint at Connor’s Pub.

The jumps were on the small side, but since we were both out of practice, it was perfect. The cross-country course is extensive, but since we only had one day, we kept things simple, and the horses clearly knew the drill.

Next, we made our way to the corner of the lake, where we could jump in and out from a small bank or down a series of steps. Splashing through the lake with the castle in the background felt like a scene from a fairytale.

A walk in the woods that afternoon left me wishing we had more time to explore the estate. It was a peaceful way to wrap up our short visit, as the grounds and gardens are just as beautiful as the buildings.

The Wild Atlantic Way

I would have happily spent a week at the castle living the life of luxury, but our next stop would bring plenty of fun adventures. (In fact, if I were to do the trip again, I’d arrange to head to the castle after the beach).

A couple hours’ drive west to County Mayo brought us to the small coastal town of Westport, a scenic village set on the calm, clear waters of Clew Bay. The bay is home to a number of tiny islands—“one for every day of the year”—and set in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, the mountain where Saint Patrick is said to have driven the snakes from Ireland.

This segment of the trip was organized by Ireland Equestrian Tours and operated by Go Trekking Ireland. Laura Lamb of Ireland Equestrian Tours sent a number of brochures over with information about the various options, and the Wild Atlantic Way seemed a good fit for a bit of adventure and beach riding after our cross-country schooling up in County Monaghan.

We stayed at George’s uncle John’s house on the way, and got an early start to Westport so that we could be out riding early, before the tide came in. We met the proprietor of the Westport Woods Hotel, Michael Lennon, who took us to his stables to select our horses for a beach ride. I chose a tall, athletic and solidly built chestnut hunter type named Coady, while George rode a gray named Naymar.

Beach Ride to Remember

We followed the horsebox to a spot where we unloaded and mounted up. Four of us set off across the bay. Our guide, Joanne Mason, was on a smaller cob who was fairly submerged in some of the deeper water crossings, so I was glad to be on a long-legged sport horse!

Eventually we ended up on Bertra Strand, where we had a good gallop on the beach and then rode out on a grassy headland overlooking a couple of large islands. After clattering over a stony section, we came to another beach where we rode out in the waves, before crossing back over to Bertra Strand for another good gallop in the shadow of Croagh Patrick. By the time we wrapped up our antics, the tide had come in, so we picked our way around the bay and back to the horsebox.

After riding, we stopped at a local pub for a truly Irish experience: drinking a pint in front of a peat fire. While harvesting peat is banned in much of the country, some locals are still allowed to harvest a limited amount using ancient methods, and the particular smoky atmosphere in the pub evoked a bygone era.

At Michael’s suggestion, we spent the afternoon at Ballinrobe Races, about 45 minutes south. It was the final meet of the season and there was a good crowd out for the racing. This was a fun way to see another aspect of the Irish horse industry and enjoy the excitement of placing a few small bets. I braved the bookies and bet a couple of Euros on two winning horses, bringing home around 40 Euros and a slightly inflated sense of my ability to judge a winning horse.

That evening, we settled on the Westway Pub in downtown Westport for a bite to eat. The food was fresh and simple and the atmosphere smart but casual. I’d hoped to stop in to listen to the traditional music at another pub up the street, but with another day of riding planned, opted for an early bedtime instead.

Surfing Beach

The next morning the horses were hauled to Carrownisky Strand, a popular surfing beach a half-hour or so down the road. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and a little surreal unloading the horses in a sandy parking area populated mainly by surfers and families taking their kids to the beach for the day.

We made a bit of a spectacle, galloping on the wide, sandy beach, which is the home to an annual horse race. The horses were eager to go and we were all too happy to oblige, with sea spray splashing in our grinning faces.

To cool the horses out, we hacked to the nearby Bunlahinch Clapper Footbridge, the largest complete clapper bridge in Ireland, at 50 meters long. Its 37 arches are constructed in a primitive style, each made of flat limestone slabs, and likely dates to the 1840s.

On the way back, we walked past cow pastures and bogs where sheep were grazing on the verdant grass, later taking another lively canter down the beach. The horses were very fit and had plenty in the tank to give another good run.

Mountain Ride

The original plan was to do the mountain ride the following day, but with stormy weather in the forecast, I opted to join a group going out that afternoon. After a short rest at the hotel, I headed back to the stables with Michael and an American woman and her daughter who had just arrived on holiday. (George had taken an unplanned dismount into the saltwater on our beach ride and wasn’t keen to go on a three-hour ride in soaking wet clothing, so he stayed behind and had a stroll around the town).

I was on Coady once again, and we rode directly from the stables and enjoyed a long, leisurely hack to the base of the mountain. Other than an easy canter up a long gravel track, this ride maintained a leisurely pace and was a good opportunity to take in views of the peat bog, the mountain, and sweeping views of Clew Bay, following narrow lanes winding over hills and through little valleys past cottages and farms.

That evening, we walked from the hotel to the Quay for dinner at the Towers Pub, a little more upscale than the previous evening’s location. Following Joanne’s recommendation, we followed dinner with pink gin cocktails garnished with strawberries at the Coast Hotel across the street. It was charming and refreshing and a nice accompaniment to the live music featured that evening.

All too soon, it was time to head to the airport, return the trusty rental car and fly home.

◆ Amber’s Packing Tips and List for an Irish Riding Holiday

This article about a horseback riding holiday in Ireland appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post A Horseback Riding Holiday in Ireland appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Irish weather is fickle, and you can never go wrong with layers. High performance fabric and wool will keep you warm and dry, and a lightweight, breathable raincoat is a must.

To save space in my already heavy suitcase, I didn’t bring a helmet. It worked out fine, but if you really want to protect your head, it might be worth leaving something else home.

A pair of breeches in technical fabric and a couple of sun shirts were my smartest packing move. They dried quickly and were good for several rides

I opted for paddock boots and half chaps instead of tall boots; they take up less room in a suitcase and paddock boots paired with jeans look smart for an outing like the races or even dinner out.

Bring along light sweater. In addition to being warm, it looks nice and can be dressed up or down, paired with the aforementioned jeans and paddock boots.

I took a nice dress and sandals for dinner at the castle. This was the only time I got really dressed up, and I’m glad I did, because photos with the castle just looked so much better with a classy outfit.

The pool at the West Woods hotel is a proper lap pool, and you’ll need a swim cap (required) and goggles.

After long hours in the saddle, George developed a couple of painful rubs on his calves. Luckily I’d packed a couple of Telfa dressings for such occasions and that got him back in the saddle and pain-free.

Advil (enough said).

Finally, don’t overpack. If you’re cold, buy touristy sweatshirt or a nice hand-knit wool sweater as a souvenir. There are lots of shops selling souvenirs and handmade traditional goods, so leave a little extra space in your suitcase.

The post Amber’s Packing Tips for an Irish Riding Holiday appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

It’s a typical lunchtime at Windurra. A group of riders stands around the kitchen eating sandwiches while Olympic eventer Boyd Martin leans against the kitchen sink discussing the new George Morris stadium at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina. His wife, Grand Prix dressage rider Silva Martin, always elegant and stylish, even several months pregnant, sits at the kitchen island next to George Morris himself, discussing classical equitation and how it applies to both dressage and hunt seat riders.

Windurra is a hub of equestrian activity. It is located in Coatesville, Pa., not far from where Boyd and Silva first started their business out of Phillip Dutton’s True Prospect Farm in West Grove after relocating from Australia in 2008.

The driveway is flanked by trees planted in remembrance of the six horses that perished in the barn fire at True Prospect on Memorial Day weekend in 2011, each one marked with a plaque. As you crest the hill, the farm spreads out with Silva’s tidy dressage stable on the left, all polished brass and well-tended flowerbeds, while the more workmanlike shed row stabling for the event horses is on the right.

“From the very beginning of our relationship, Silva and I realized that we had to be quite separate with our operations if we were going to last,” says Boyd. “Luckily with the farm we purchased, we have a big driveway dividing the farm in two. We have different staff and different hours, separate turnout, and really the only time we meet during our working day is in the arenas.”

Silva agrees. “The only way it works for me is if we don’t work together so much. Our businesses are very separate: there’s a fence in the middle and we have separate staff. We help each other but we don’t work together. I’m German and he’s Australian; I’m tidy and he’s messy. We obviously discuss the important aspects of our horses and businesses, but don’t actually talk about work much when we’re done working at the end of the day.”

Part of this division of labor comes from the differing lifestyle in their respective disciplines, dressage and eventing. “The event horses need to be turned out for longer periods of time and the horses are forever doing something different: fitness, dressage, jumping and so on,” explains Boyd. “The day to day training of the horses is very different, and different things have more importance. The dressage barn has fancy potted plants and the head collars[halters] and lead ropes are tied in a special way, while over at the eventing barn we’re a lot more practical.”

A Day in the Life

On a daily basis, employees, working students and clients go about their business, schooling horses, discussing training strategies, and catching up with other riders. Eventers haul in to school the extensive cross-country course, which includes everything you need from a first-time school to an Olympic prep session.

After lunch, up at the dressage arena, which is flanked by blooming red roses, FEI dressage horses piaffe past as Silva schools Boyd’s Pan-American Games team horse, Pancho Villa, while a group of young dressage horses does trot sets up a hill on the cross-country course.

Eventer Caitlin Silliman started working for Silva in 2008, and then switched to working for Boyd one year later. “I’d imagine a day here is pretty similar to most barns,” says Caitlin. “We have three rotations of turnouts. We get to the farm to feed and bring in the nighttime horses and turn the morning horses out. Boyd and Silva get on right away and start riding around 7 or 7:15. Sometimes they’ll teach a lesson first thing, but usually they start riding right away. I’m on my first horse between 8 and 9 after helping Boyd get on his first horse, turning some horses out and mucking out a stall or two.”

All of the horses work six days a week, and every horse on the farm does some sort of fitness work every day, whether it’s a 40-minute walk or a 20-minute jog.

“We are very fortunate that the caliber of training on the flat at our farm is much higher than at many eventing barns,” Boyd acknowledges. “It’s been a huge advantage for me and the other event riders at our farm to have an expert in dressage keeping an eye on us day to day. On top of that Silva schools a lot of the event horses and gets them ready for big events.”

This works both ways. If a young dressage horse needs breaking or a wild one needs calming down, one of the event crew is quick to throw a jump saddle on and get the horse cantering through the water jump in the cross-country field. “Silva’s dressage horses do trot sets up the hills and a lot of hacking on the roads,” adds Boyd. “There are parts of Silva’s program that are similar to ours. I think our event horses tend to do a lot more flatwork because it’s a high priority at our farm.”

There is a dedicated support team working at Windurra, from riders and working students to grooms and farm workers. “The personalities at our farm can be quite entertaining,” Boyd laughs. “Your standard-issue dressage person is more uptight, while the eventers are more laid-back and enjoy life. The eventing guys seem to loosen up the stiff dressage girls, while the dressage riders class up the eventers. I run the eventing side very much how I learned to train horses in Australia, while Silva’s from the German system and it’s really chalk and cheese; it’s quite remarkable how different the details are.”

All of the riders work hard to stay fit. Caitlin and some of the other employees do CrossFit on a regular basis. Boyd has been injured a number of times, including a broken leg, torn tendon and a broken arm, and he has done a lot of physio for rehab. Even though he hasn’t been injured recently, he goes to his therapist once or twice a week and they stretch him out and do core work.

Silva, who recovered from a severe head injury in 2014 when a horse tripped while schooling at home, (she says her Charles Owen helmet saved her life), works out with personal trainer Linda Brown a couple times a week. Linda’s husband is a jockey, so she knows how to help riders build strength and stretch sore muscles.

Baby on Board

The couple is currently expecting their first child. Due in September, as of mid-July Silva is still riding every day, opting for the quieter dressage and event horses and not sitting on the young or wild ones.

“Especially in the past year where I was out with an injury and now with the pregnancy, Boyd has been helping me a lot with the young horses and the ones that are not quite safe,” says Silva. “My balance has been bad ever since I hit my head, but I’m OK on the horses; there aren’t any major changes there. I’m not doing sitting trot anymore, so my horses’ canter, piaffe and passage are getting really good! I’ve also been tired for so long from the healing of the brain, I’m not sure if my energy levels changed very much. I’m feeling much better now though. I’ve been teaching quite a lot because I can sit in the shade and talk with a headset, so I’m probably teaching more than usual.”

To announce Silva’s pregnancy, Boyd posted an ultrasound photo on Facebook, along with a list of names including “Neville Martin” (after his beloved four-star event horse Neville Bardos) and “Spartan Martin,” a joke that quickly lost him any rights to naming his future son, according to Silva. So how will these different personalities handle the shared responsibilities of parenthood?

“I had it in my mind that we could leave the little guy in the tack room and have the working students look after him, but I think Silva wants a well-trained nanny to keep things in order,” jokes Boyd with a wink. “I’m sure our lifestyle will change dramatically once our child is here, but I don’t think it will change our professional performance.”

[Editor’s Note: Boyd and Silva welcomed Nox Christoph on September 23, 2015.]

Boyd Martin and past four-star horse, Remington XXV, at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

Team Work

Boyd and Silva agree that the main key to success is getting really good horses into the program and keeping them coming up the levels. “We’ve learned very quickly that to get the really good horses, you have to have an unbelievable support structure,” says Boyd. “It’s something we’re always working hard at, and trying to get new people involved in dressage and eventing.”

Being based in the equestrian meccas of Unionville, Pa., and Aiken, S.C., means they are surrounded by horse people from all walks of life: Grand Prix show jumpers, fox hunters, four-star eventers, carriage drivers, steeplechasers.

Longtime supporter Gloria Callen, who is involved in organizing the Millbrook Horse Trials near her home in New York, explains why she and her husband Craig were inspired to get involved in Boyd and Silva’s program. “Once I started to understand their program, I felt like I couldn’t support one without the other,” she explained. “They make supporters feel like part of their lives, and they’re very genuine about it. They are very cooperative but there are also clear-cut lines of responsibility.”

Of course, little “Spartan Martin” is a hot topic with Boyd and Silva’s support team. He is going to be a well-socialized baby, with so many of Boyd and Silva’s supporters spending time at the farm and at competitions. “We’re so happy for the family, and it goes back to that feeling of being connected to them,” says Callen.

This article originally appeared in the October 2015 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Few things compare to the thrill of galloping around a cross-country course on a well-schooled horse. Introducing your horse to the challenges of cross-country in a safe and confidence-building way will guarantee that you’ll both have fun in the future, rather than fighting fears. Once your horse is comfortable jumping straightforward obstacles, you’ll want to introduce him to the three types of fences that set cross-country jumping apart: ditches, banks and water.

At his Windurra Farm in Cochranville, Pa., eventer Boyd Martin, a member of the 2014 World Equestrian Games team, has an extensive cross-country schooling course. It includes everything from tiny logs to a Rolex Kentucky-type water complex so he can school inexperienced youngsters right up through four-star champions.

Get Started in the Arena

“Before I even consider cross-country schooling my young horses, there are a number of things I want to achieve in their training,” says Martin. “It’s pointless going cross-country schooling with a horse that doesn’t have any jumping experience under his belt.”

Start out in the arena so your horse can learn the fundamentals of jumping. Martin feels that it’s always best to start your horse’s jumping education in a ring with good footing and straightforward jumps, so you can give him an understanding of getting from one side of a jump to the other in an organized fashion.

“A foxhunter will learn to jump out in the field, and so will a steeplechaser, but for an eventer I think it’s smart to get started in the arena since we have to do the show jumping in there too,” says Martin.

He likes to give the horse a couple months to learn the basics before trotting and cantering banks, but says there’s no set rule for how much experience is necessary.

“Look for a feeling of confidence, where he’s almost bored jumping at home, before you start [with cross-country],” says Martin. “If things are scary or not established in the ring, chances are it’s probably only going to get worse when you go cross-country schooling.”

The horse should also be capable of riding outside of the arena through the countryside without jumping before you start schooling cross-country fences. “Trail riding, flatwork in a field, a hack in the woods—all of this will help your horse understand the idea of going out in the open before he faces fences on uneven terrain,” says Martin. He and his wife spend a lot of time foxhunting every November and December after the competition season in the Northeast wraps up before heading to their winter base in Aiken, S.C.

Small, Simple Obstacles

Before you run out and start jumping any old cross-country jump at random, Martin says your introductory jump selection is critical. They key to a successful beginning is keeping things tremendously easy so that the horse builds confidence one step at a time.

“These introductory jumps have to be [a size] that the horse can walk over,” he says. “The bank needs to be an up-bank, because it is less daunting for the horse to step up a bank. The ditch can’t be super-wide; it should be something he can step over or hop from a standstill. Then the horse can potentially come up to the edge of the ditch, stop and look at it, and then step over rather than turning and re-presenting to the jump. If you turn away from any obstacle too many times, the horse gets the idea he can turn around before he re-tries something. The dimensions should be such that he can dance around a bit and then step over without being re-presented.”

Rider Position

The simplest advice Martin gives people for adjusting their position in cross-country versus show jumping is that things basically stay the same, except you should lengthen your reins about 2 inches, which allows your position to come just slightly behind the motion without pulling on the horse’s mouth. Then if he stumbles or hesitates, it allows your body to come back into the saddle more easily and be in a slightly defensive position.

Setting Goals

For less experienced horses and riders, Boyd notes that it’s important to be schooling above the level you plan to compete at to ensure a confident outing.

“There’s no specific timeline I use, but the first couple of cross-country schools will be a real learning process for your horse,” says Martin. “I’d let him see a few different schooling courses before I take him to his first event. You’ll get a different feeling from your horse, and the courses will have a completely different look when you get to an event because of all of the activity on the grounds as well as the flags and decorations on the jumps.”

Photo: Smudge 9000 via Flickr.com/Creative Commons

Cross-Country Obstacle No. 1: Banks

Martin finds banks one of the easier types of jumps for young horses to understand, so he recommends starting with them. “My mentor, Phillip Dutton, always taught me you’re better teaching a horse that is new to banks to go up rather than down them,” he says. “In my experience, I also find horses are more encouraged about going up something than jumping down. You can go up a small bank from a walk, and the walk is a good place to start because the horse’s adrenaline levels are low, he’s thinking slowly, and he reads the question better. For the rider, it’s also easier to stay with the horse at the walk; there’s less chance of the horse scooting out from under you.”

Martin suggests finding a bank complex with a ramp leading up to the top of the bank as another good place to start. Walk up and down the ramp first, then hop up the bank and walk down the ramp quietly and calmly. Finally, walk up the ramp and drop down the bank, keeping the horse relaxed and the situation low-pressure, rather than demanding that your horse be brave and jump off the bank right away.

“When you’re walking off a bank, the horse should learn to ‘dribble off’ the edge, or step down and land close to the base of the fence rather than leaping out into space, which often results in an uncomfortable, back-footed landing that is also hard to sit,” says Martin. “When the horse knows he can just sort of slither off a little bank, it’ll come in handy later. When you’re going into a sunken road or a big pit, you really don’t want your horse to leap off the bank because you need room to negotiate the next part of the combination.”

Photo: Amelia White via flickr.com/Creative Commons

Cross-Country Obstacle No. 2: Water

When you look at the surface of a body of water—whether it’s a puddle, a swimming pool or a lake—it’s impossible to tell its depth. From a young horse’s point of view, when he sees a water jump, his concern is whether it’s 2 inches deep or 20 feet deep. They need to learn that every time they enter water, it’s only a couple inches deep. It’s especially important when you school a young horse that you stick to a reliable schooling jump that has a consistent depth of water and reliably safe, consistent footing.
With a young horse, it’s always helpful if you can pair up with a more experienced horse. Watching his friend jump various obstacles with ease creates a lot of self confidence in both the horse and the rider that it can be done.

“Walking and trotting through the water will introduce the horse slowly,” says Martin. “If you can find different entry points to go in and out of the water, it helps horses build confidence about going from dry ground into the water. Once they’re in the water, they’re usually quite happy. Let them paw and splash around and have fun with it—but obviously if they look like they want to roll, give them a good cluck and keep their head up!”

Cross-Country Obstacle No. 3: Ditches

Ditches are similar to water in that the horse has to get an idea of what it is he’s supposed to do. The smaller the ditch, the easier it is for the horse to learn he can just hop from one side to the other.

“Some horses find this easy, while some find it a bit traumatic,” says Martin. “If the horse starts out nervous, he might just jump the ditch and find it’s a piece of cake, so a lot of repetition is key, sticking to narrow, shallow ditches to build confidence. ‘Shallow’ is the key so if the horse steps into the ditch he can easily step out, not sink up to his hock and get scared or feel trapped.”

Ditches require a different approach from banks and water when starting out. You can let your horse look at the ditch without presenting it by walking him parallel to it in both directions so he can look at it with each eye. Once he does this calmly, you’re ready to present him to it and pop over it.

“I’d approach the ditch for the first time in a trot,” says Martin. “If you’re good with your leg, a well-timed cluck or spur can nudge the horse over if he hesitates at the last moment. Then each time you come again, use less driving aid so the horse is really jumping it on his own.”

Your position can be back behind the motion with a bit longer rein so you don’t catch the horse in the mouth. If anything goes wrong, you’re likely to fall forward, so sitting back in a defensive position will help avoid that. It’s OK to be left behind over the ditch, since the horse is jumping across it rather than over it.

Creating Confidence

You may be tempted to try increasingly difficult challenges, like jumping a log into the water, but Martin cautions that it’s better to take things slowly with your young horse. “You’re always better off leaving a cross-country school thinking, ‘I could have done a bit more,’ rather than, ‘Gee, I wish I hadn’t tried that last jump because it was too much and did more harm than good,’” says Martin.

“Stick to jumps that are almost too easy, because that creates confidence. Even if you have to drive a ways to the nearest schooling course, or pay a fee every time you school, it’s worth it in the long run to do a few separate schooling sessions that feel easy, rather than one school where you try to jump every jump on the course and shatter the horse’s confidence.”

Expanding your young horse’s repertoire to include ditches, banks and water will make schooling cross-country a lot more fun and exciting. All of these obstacles are essential to master before your horse’s first event. Just make sure to take your time, keep the fences small, and keep the schooling positive so that your horse stays confident. Mastering these first small steps can lead to much bigger things in your horse’s future.

Lifelong horsewoman AMBER HEINTZBERGER is a freelance writer and photographer whose work has appeared internationally. Her latest book is Modern Eventing with Phillip Dutton, and she is co-author of the 2008 American Horse Publications book of the year Beyond the Track.

This article originally appeared in the November 2014 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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The lure of Ireland and its horses draws visitors from around the globe every year for pony trekking, fox hunting, cross-country schooling, and gallops along the sandy beaches. It also attracts breeders, horse enthusiasts and world-class competitors looking for the combination of toughness and athleticism for which Ireland’s horses have become famous.

There are many types of horses in Ireland, from hardy ponies to the fastest Irish Thoroughbred racehorses. Two particularly popular breeds are the Irish Draught and Irish Sport Horse. What is the difference, and where did these breeds come from?

The Irish Draught

The Irish Draught is a sturdy breed that developed from native bog ponies and Irish Hobbies (an extinct breed used as war mounts), which were later crossed with the larger Spanish horses brought over by the Normans in the late 12th century.

The abbreviation “ID” denotes a purebred Irish Draught horse, while “RID” refers to the registered horses that have been inspected and approved.

The purebred RID is a sturdy, big-boned horse and should have a commanding presence. Although people often think of enormous Clydesdales when they hear the term “draft,” there are not many similarities between the horses pulling the Budweiser wagon and the smaller and more refined—though strong-boned—Irish Draught. This horse is the original multi-tasker: he could plow the fields during the week, go out hunting on Saturday, then pull the family’s wagon to church on Sunday.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations currently considers the Irish Draught horse an endangered breed as a result of its declining population size. Conservation measures include improving its genetic diversity.

What is an Irish Sport Horse?

When it comes to Irish Sport Horses, there are a few distinctions. Recognized in the U.S. as the “Irish Draught Sport Horse” to indicate its lineage, this is a cross between the Irish Draught and a Thoroughbred. Traditionally, the mare is an Irish Draught and the stallion is a Thoroughbred; “substance on the bottom and quality on top” is the accepted guideline, meaning the mares are considered important for adding substance to the resulting foal.

These horses have the strength of the Irish Draught and the athleticism of the Thoroughbred, making them tough, sound athletes with good temperaments.

The Irish Draught Horse Society of North America (IDHSNA) requires that an Irish Draught Sport Horse has at least ? Irish Draught in its pedigree.

In America, inspections are held annually for mares age 2 and up and colts age 3 and up. Paperwork goes out to members with registered foals as they come of age.

“Inspecting is a way to keep the breed true to type with the traditional qualities: athleticism, soundness, durability, and sensibility are the main qualities we look for in the Irish Draught, the foundation horse, which when crossed with a Thoroughbred or warmblood creates the sport horse,” says Ann Morss, Northeast regional chair of the IDHSNA. “When you cross again with a Thoroughbred or warmblood, you get the ¾-bred, which is basically the ideal sport horse. The ? RID still imparts the qualities mentioned above, but with more speed to run and jump all day.”

In Ireland, it’s not a requirement to have Irish Draught in the pedigree of an Irish Sport Horse. The national governing body of competition, Horse Sport Ireland, maintains the stud book for all Irish horses, holds inspections, and approves various warmbloods, Thoroughbreds and more. As long as a horse is born in Ireland from a Horse Sport Ireland-approved sire and dam, it can be called an Irish Sport Horse. This is partly due to a shortage of purebred Irish Draught mares.

“When tractors were first introduced, a lot of the good mares were shipped off to the slaughterhouses,” says Rachael Cox, communications director of the IDHSNA. “Then I suppose common sense prevailed, as without these wonderful, traditional, true-to-type mares, the half-bred hunt horse—which was famous for crossing any country safely—would be lost.”

Historically, part of this shortage is also due to a great number of sturdy and reliable Irish horses that were shipped off to fight in the King’s Infantry during the World Wars, which also explains the dominance of the color gray in the Irish horses of today.

Because dark horses were easier to keep clean, the military wanted only the dark-colored horses, which kept maintenance to a minimum.

Type and Conformation

The Irish Draught Sport Horse

“Irish Draught Sport Horses excel in eventing, hunters, show jumping, fox hunting and dressage—they’ll do everything,” says Morss. “They’re known for having a good temperament and they’re very smart. They’re very surefooted and really show you what horses can do when you let them.”

Some better-known Irish Sport Horses include the show jumper Cruising; 2000 individual Olympic gold medal-winning eventer Custom Made, ridden by David O’Connor; 2008 individual Olympic silver medal-winning eventer McKinlaigh, ridden by Gina Miles; and 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event winner Connaught, ridden by Phillip Dutton.

The Irish Draught Horse

Lighter than its name implies, the Irish Draught Horse is smooth in its movement without an exaggerated gait. It has sound conformation, good stamina and quality jumping skills. The breed is also known for its calm temperament, willingness, intelligence and common sense.

The IDHSNA recommends at least 9 inches of bone, measured as the circumference of the cannon bone below the knee. Horses range from around 15.1 to 16.3 hands, and are strong but not coarsely built. Their movement is forward and free, not ponderous.

Cox has always been involved in Irish horses. Her favorite trait of the Irish horses is that they are honest as well as athletic.

“To the untrained eye, Irish Draught Horses don’t look like they’d be that comfortable, but they are very smooth,” she says. “There have been two schools of thought over the past 20 years or so; one wants a fairly heavy horse, while the general consensus is that a finer horse is better for riding, so we’ve lost some of the heavier-boned horses.”

As a breeder, Cox is worried about losing the strength of the Irish Draught in modern Irish Sport Horses. “The Irish Draught is an endangered breed now, and the gene pool is getting smaller,” she says. “Some of them are lighter-boned horses. If the mares keep getting lighter and you breed to a Thoroughbred stallion, you may as well just buy a Thoroughbred.”

Another change is a switch to the original “substance underneath and quality on top” breeding philosophy. “Traditionally, the Irish Sport Horse is out of an Irish Draught mare by a Thoroughbred stallion, but because of the dwindling numbers of purebred mares, they’ve been using the reverse,” says Cox.

She adds that versatility is the most desirable attribute of Irish horses. “Some half-bred horses have made it to the highest levels of eventing; of all the horses that competed at Badminton this year, which is one of the toughest four-star events in the world, a huge number had ? Irish [Draught] blood. It gives them steadiness and honesty. An Irish horse will look after you and be kind to you. They are great horses.”

Liked this article? Here are others you’ll enjoy:

◆ Celebrate the Native Equines of Ireland
◆ Charmed, I’m Sure

This article originally appeared in the November 2014 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The Irish Draught and Irish Sport Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Capturing a beautiful picture of a horse and rider is a gratifying experience, and as the quality of digital cameras improves and the price point for high-end equipment lowers, more people are taking good photos all the time. While you may dream of turning a hobby into a career, becoming a pro can be more challenging than it appears from the sidelines.

There are a few talented photographers who make their living selling photos of horses. Still, many people diversify in order to make a living, becoming “jacks-of-all-trades” and adding skills like writing, web design, videography and more to their repertoires. Some photographers sell directly to riders, some use their images for editorial or sell them to news agencies, equestrian equipment companies for advertising, or they may be employed by a specific brand.

Getting Started in the Business

Florida-based equine photographer Sue Stickle specializes in dressage and is the official show photographer for competitions like the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla. and has photographed multiple Olympic and World Equestrian Games competitions.

Stickle, who grew up in Maplewood, NJ and is now calls Florida home, says that she is totally self-taught. She started out photographing landscapes, but enjoyed the challenge of capturing horses at the optimum moment.

“I learned as I went,” she says. “I did a lot of my own studying through magazines and books. I don’t want to age myself, but there was no Internet when I was learning the ropes. It’s just something I’ve always been into, and I’d have people come up to us at shows and ask me to take their picture, and that’s when I thought I could make a business out of it.”

While she did not apprentice with another professional, Stickle says Susan Sexton and Terri Miller are two photographers that she has always looked up to. “Charlie Mann and Amy Dragoo are very creative and I love their work too,” she says.

Shannon Brinkman comes from an artistic background, and says she studied photography, art, and fine art to achieve her BFA in Graphic Design. In addition to horses she authored a book of photographs about Preservation Hall in New Orleans (LSU Press, 2011) from which 65 of her images are currently on display at the Mint Museum in New Orleans. Brinkman shoots primarily three-day eventing but as the official photographer for the US Equestrian Federation she covers all equestrian disciplines.

“I was lucky to grow up with film,” says Brinkman. “You had to get it right the first time, there weren’t second chances, so it developed your eye in a way that digital can’t. It helps you size up the whole image, not just the subject, rather fast.”

Brinkman says she is always trying to improve. “Even today I’m looking at my old pictures, my new pictures and other people’s pictures. I’m always on the hunt. I never stay still!”

Shoot What You Know

Stickle advises equestrians to stick to the sport they know. “I like dressage a lot, so I think that helps you shoot it better. I can go and shoot show jumping, for example, but being as I’ve never done it, I don’t understand it as fully as someone who’s ridden jumper courses. It gives you better perspective when you’ve ridden it yourself.”

Brinkman grew up riding, and her mom Jean and sister Erin still breed, train and ride horses in Florida. “They help critique my work so I can figure out the best pictures; I’ve also sat with Sue Stickle to better my dressage pictures, and at the last show I asked (Olympic dressage judge) Marilyn Payne to critique some photos. I keep on trying to better myself and it’s a heck of a lot of work.”

Challenges of the Internet Age

With every other parent/friend/boyfriend toting a digital camera these days, business is tough for show photographers. And since digital images can often be copied and shared online, it makes even tougher for photographers to make a living when consumers ignore copyright and don’t pay for images.

“A lot of times when people grab a photo and post it on Facebook they don’t realize it’s not allowed,” says Stickle. “Most of the time I contact them, tell them they can’t do it, and then we work something out. By and large it’s pretty innocent. Of course there are also people who try to grab a photo and get away with it.”

She advises, “If you find an image you like, call the photographer and ask if you can use it or if there’s a charge; sometimes it’s no problem, but some photographers might take you right to court! We try to give clients the benefit of the doubt when it comes to that.”

Financially, Brinkman pointed out that even though she has established a name for herself, it is still a struggle to make ends meet. “I have to diversify so much and I’ve been doing this for years. I still live in a shotgun shack in New Orleans; it doesn’t matter how famous you are, you have to keep working on it every day.”

If you aspire to be a professional photographer, Stickle recommends taking classes, or even trying to apprentice with a show photographer. “There’s a lot more to the business than what you see at shows,” she says. “Our days are filled with editing images, fulfilling orders and requests, not to mention buying and maintaining the equipment.”

Charlie Mann and Sue Stickle work in the rain at a horse show in Gladstone, N.J. Photo: Jonna Koelhoffer

And let’s not forget that professional photographic equipment doesn’t come cheap. “At this point I’ve probably got upwards of $50,000 in camera equipment,” she says. “I didn’t start out with top of the line equipment, but as my knowledge and bank account grew it improved. There are plenty of “pro-sumer” quality cameras for a lot less money, I just don’t recommend using an iPhone!”

It’s Not Always Glamorous

Stickle also cautions that becoming a pro equine photographer is not the job for everyone. “We’ve been at shows in pouring rain from the time we arrived until we left, the expensive camera covers were soaked through down to the lenses – it’s not all fun and games,” she says. “Young Riders in July is always around 105 degrees on the ground. We can’t pick and choose when we want to arrive – we have to be there from the time it starts to the time it ends. It’s not as easy and certainly nowhere near as glamorous as people may think! Covering the Olympics and WEG are great, but you spend a lot of time on a bus to and from the venue.”

She summarizes, “Be prepared for hard work and a lot of it! There are easier jobs out there, but we wouldn’t be able to do it and be successful if we didn’t love it. I think that’s the bottom line.”

Liked this article? Here’s more info on equine photography.


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Chiropractic is a popular treatment for equine athletes, but if you have never tried it before, choosing a reputable equine practitioner may be difficult.  To make things more complicated, you have two options to choose from: a veterinarian or a lay chiropractor, which includes both licensed human chiropractors and strictly equine chiropractors.

Jeff Moore of Joseph, Ore., specializes in integrated bodywork for horses, including massage and chiropractic. His approach views the entire patient–including its physical, mental and emotional environment–as an intricate network of interconnected energies that contribute to the health of the horse. He offers some tips for choosing a practitioner that is right for you and your horse.

Unfortunately, finding an equine chiropractor is not as simple as picking up the phone book or Googling “Equine Chiropractic.” Moore explains that an existing comprehensive database of equine chiropractors isn’t available. The American Veterinary Chiropractic Association certifies existing vets to do chiropractic after an eight-week course, but there is no licensing body specifically for equine chiropractors. “That is a problem because there can be some very dangerous people posing as chiropractors,” Moore warns, adding, “but because of word of mouth, they don’t usually last.”

He recommends talking to a range of different horse people in and out of your circle of friends, making sure to include people who are experienced horsemen and competitors.

“Word of mouth is a good way to go if you know who to ask,” Moore says. “Knowledgeable, sensible horsemen are a good source. The problem comes from people who don’t really understand their horses to begin with, who get taken in by slick-talking practitioners who aren’t really that effective.”

Having the opportunity to ask a potential chiropractor a couple of questions and deciding if he or she would be the right person to work on your horse would be nice, but Moore cautions you must be sure you understand chiropractic well enough to evaluate the answers, since they usually aren’t cut and dried.

He does, however, offer a few suggestions: “The first question would be, ‘Do you use sedation?’ “ Moore says this is a red flag. “It is impossible to get any feedback from a horse that is sedated and very easy to cause more damage from over-adjusting. The second question would be to have the practitioner explain what he does. If he talks about ‘popping them back in’ or ‘getting them back in line’ and he doesn’t work with muscle tension and mental tension, I would be wary.” Moore also suggests asking if the chiropractor checks saddle fit and how the shoeing affects the horse, and whether he or she considers the rider’s chiropractic and bodywork issues, noting, “The answers to just those questions could fill a book.”

According to Moore, there are a couple of things to consider where the individual horse is concerned, so once you find someone you like and have your horse treated, pay attention to the results. “Does the horse move better, more freely and with less pain? Also, the reaction of the horse to the session is important to the long term effectiveness of the treatment,” Moore says. “If the horse stays tense or becomes more tense as the treatment goes on, that particular practitioner is not giving the maximum benefit to the horse.”

For more information about Equine Chiropractor Jeff Moore, visit his website at www.equinerehab.com.

The post Finding an Equine Chiropractor appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Owning a horse is supposed to be fun. But misunderstanding equine-related legal issues can cause horse owners hassle and heartache, not to mention a lot of expense. Educating yourself about these legalities helps ensure that your involvement with horses remains a pleasurable experience.

Julie Fershtman is an equine law practitioner in Farmington Hills, Mich. A frequent author and speaker, she has written more than185 published articles and has authored two books on legal topics related to horses. She has been riding for decades and lives on a small horse farm in the city. Krysia Carmel Nelson is an attorney in Charlottesville, Va., who also specializes in equine law. She grew up competing in hunters and jumpers and rode for Olympian–turned-racehorse-trainer Michael Matz during law school, and is a member of the Farmington Hunt Club.

Whether you keep your horse at home or at a boarding stable, ride for pleasure or competitively, these two horse enthusiasts and legal professionals share some hard-earned knowledge that might help you avoid the most common legal mistakes horse owners make.

Equine Law: The Basics

Know the requirements of the equine-activity liability act that apply to you.

You have probably noticed signs posted at barns or around public riding trails warning that riding is a dangerous sport and is performed at one’s own risk, or something to that effect.

“As of October 2007, 46 states had some form of an equine-activity liability act,” says Fershtman. “All of them differ and most of them require that certain warnings or other language is included in contracts that equine professionals and/or equine activity sponsors use in their activities. (“Equine activity sponsor” means an individual, group or club, operating for profit or not for profit, which sponsors, organizes, or provides for equine activities.) Many of the acts also require signs to be posted [on property where equestrian activity occurs]. Under the laws of some states, those who fail to comply with these requirements lose the benefit of the statute if a claim is made against them.”

Nelson points out that equine liability laws are not “zero” liability or “total immunity” laws. “Everyone needs to understand that you still need to have insurance. These laws don’t prevent you from getting sued,” she notes.

Secure proper liability insurance for your equine business activities.

Many equine professionals wrongly assume that their homeowner’s liability insurance protects them if something goes wrong in their business activities. Fershtman says that people sometimes learn this the hard way after a lawsuit is brought against them and their insurance company refuses to provide a legal defense.

“Equine professionals [who are] running businesses need business insurance such as commercial general liability insurance or equine professional liability insurance depending on their operations,” she says.

Amateur riders should also consider insurance in some cases, and finding the right policy is best achieved with professional guidance. “It’s funny how horse people will talk about a great horse being ‘your insurance policy’–they’ll buy the horse, but then they don’t buy the right insurance,” Nelson explains. “They’ll spend their savings on purchasing the horse, but then not insure that investment against death, injury or illness (in insurance-speak, Mortality, Loss of Use, or Major Medical). They may not even think about getting insurance in case the horse hurts someone or gets loose and runs into the road causing a car accident (liability insurance). They may not have health insurance to cover themselves in case they get hurt. And most people don’t even think about whether they should consider disability insurance in case they get hurt in a riding accident and are laid up and unable to work for a considerable period of time.”

What kind of insurance to buy can be the subject of an entire article, but the most important thing is to find an insurance agent you trust, and then communicate everything that you are doing with your horse, and have him or her explain all the different kinds of insurance you might need. If you can’t find an insurance agent to spell it out for you, an attorney can do the explaining part-but you’ll still have to find an insurance agent to sell you the right policies.

“I’ve had people come to me wanting to set up a commercial boarding and lesson barn, and then abandon the project after they price out the insurance they would need,” Nelson says. “It’s true that insurance is expensive, but having no insurance or not enough will be more expensive in the long run.”

Many aspects of dealing with horses are completely unpredictable and uncontrollable. As Nelson points out, “You can buy a lovely horse from someone at your barn, and the next day it puts a foot wrong stepping out of its stall and breaks a leg. There’s no legal remedy to pursue. Most of the calls I get involve problems where the caller would be in a much better position if she or he had gotten the right kind of insurance and/or had a good written contract.”

Get It In Writing.

Probably the most important point to consider for people involved with horses is to get everything in writing. Traditionally, for example, a horse sale could be guaranteed with a handshake, but in today’s world that is simply not good enough. And even when you get it in writing, it is important to pay attention to contract details to ensure that you’re protected.

“It continually amazes me that so few people in the equine industry use contracts,” Fershtman says. “Years ago, I handled a sales lawsuit involving a $400,000 horse that was sold on a handshake. I am now handling a lawsuit where a boarded horse died, but the stable owned by a highly successful businessman used no contracts.”

Fershtman points out that of the many calls her office receives, about 80 percent come from people who encountered serious problems with verbal contracts. “With verbal contract disputes, one guarantee is certain: They are rarely resolved quickly, easily or cheaply. They create a shouting match because the two parties of the transaction never agree on the contract’s terms, or even whether a contract existed!”

In contrast, a written contract offers solid proof of an agreement and can prevent disputes altogether or can help narrow the grounds of a dispute, if one should occur. The initial investment in a good written contract, especially one drafted by an experienced lawyer, often proves well worth the money.

“The importance of a properly written contract is that it accurately reflects the intentions and understanding of the parties, and is easily enforceable in the event one side doesn’t fulfill their obligations,” Nelson says. “You’d be amazed at how many people think they don’t need a lawyer to draft a contract. If you aren’t a lawyer, you are not really in any position to look at a form you’ve found on the Internet and understand its legal implications.”

Buying, selling and leasing horses are not just things that professionals do; everyday horses owners conduct these transactions, too, and usually lack the experience of a professional. Even though you might not be selling a $100,000 competition horse, it pays to protect your interests.

“If someone calls me and says, ‘I’m going to sell my horse, and this is the installment payment plan that the buyer has proposed,’ I’ll start asking questions like, ‘What happens if the buyer misses a payment?’ ‘Where is the horse going to live until it’s paid for?’ ‘What if the horse goes lame or dies before it’s paid for?’ ‘Who’s paying what commissions to the trainers involved?’ Usually these are things no one has thought of,” Nelson explains. “But they are all things that can be discussed and worked out, and then incorporated into a contract. And then if something goes wrong along the way, either side can look at the contract and be reminded of what is supposed to happen next.”

She adds, “In an installment purchase situation, sellers always seem surprised to learn that installment payments are not automatically forfeited if the sale doesn’t go through. They think it works just like with cars–miss a payment, the car is repossessed. Well, the reason it works that way with cars is because when you finance a car, you sign this big long contract that lets the finance company do that. It’s not something that’s just ‘the law’ and equally applicable to horses. You need a contract to accomplish that.”

Use Proper Liability Releases

Releases of liability (also called “waivers”) are probably the most misunderstood documents in the horse industry. In the many states that enforce liability releases, the courts demand that the releases be properly worded and signed. Fershtman shares a few problems with releases that she has encountered from actual cases in her law practice and lessons to be learned from them:

• Accept No Excuses. The best release form is worthless if it is unsigned. Make sure everyone who is riding or handling horses on your property fills out and signs a release form.
• Remember Who Can Sign Them. In the case of a minor, a parent or legal guardian must sign the release form; a minor’s signature on the liability release is usually not legally binding.
• Guard Important Contracts Under Lock and Key, If Necessary. No matter how much you trust boarders and employees, certain legal documents should be safeguarded for your legal protection.
• Fill In The Blanks. Fershtman suggests that form releases found in books and sold in stores are, at best, a starting point. Why? “One case on which I worked makes the point. In the case, a [boarding] stable merely photocopied and used a one-size-fits-all equine release from a form book. The form stated, in part: “In exchange for the privilege of riding horses at XYZ Farm, I agree to release and hold harmless __________________.” Unfortunately, nobody bothered to fill in the second blank, leaving the release empty as to who was released from liability!”

Know When to Seek Legal Counsel

People in the horse industry can be self-reliant to a fault. Horses take a lot of work and expense, and to make ends meet many horse people care for, raise, train and show their own horses; some even administer their own medications and shots. Fershtman points out that, these people often carry their self-reliance into legal matters, and she gets involved once the trouble becomes apparent. Seeking legal counsel from the get-go can avoid trouble later on.

“Simple contracts, such as a bill of sale, usually can be done without a lawyer,” Fershtman advises. “But the more complex contracts, such as releases of liability, installment sale contracts and leases, might vary greatly with the laws of each state. These types of contracts really deserve the attention of an experienced, knowledgeable lawyer. The lawyer can draft the contract or could be hired to review a contract and offer his or her opinion. Lawsuits, I believe, are best handled by lawyers, unless the matter is in small claims court.”

On the other hand, in some cases a lawyer is not the appropriate person to call. Nelson says she often gets calls from people who think they have “an equine law emergency.” “In my book,” she says, “there is no such thing.”

She recalls a particularly dramatic story about a woman who was both panicked and misguided. “I’ll never forget the woman who called me in tears to say she needed me to write her a note, right away, so that she could move her horse to a different barn. When she went to pick up her horse, the barn owner was standing in front of the horse’s stall with a shotgun, the stall was padlocked and the barn owner shot at her trailer as she drove away. I told her, ‘Ma’am, a note from a lawyer won’t keep you from getting shot. You need the sheriff.’ Then she asked if I would go with her. I declined. I told her I figured if the guy was willing to shoot at her, he’d be willing to shoot at me, too.”

Nelson says that probably more than half of the advice she gives out is not legal expertise, but plain old common sense. “But I think that’s why my law license says ‘attorney and counselor at law,’” she says. “If someone calls and I don’t think they need my services, I’ll tell them so.”

Further Reading
Be Smart When Horse Shopping
Equine Economics: Love Him? Then Lease Him!
Equestrian Related Liabilities

The post Horses and the Law appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Often misinformation is accepted as truth simply because it has been around a long time. In this article we address a few of the most common misconceptions about hoof care, and ask top experts to explain the truth behind the myths.

Myth: White hooves are softer and have more problems than black feet.
The color of the hoof is influenced by the color of the skin above it, so if a horse has white markings directly above the hoof, the hoof itself may carry the same pigmentation. Many people believe that hooves with black walls are stronger than hooves with white walls.

Master Farrier John Burt owns and operates the JDC School of Basic Farrier Science near Texarkana, Ark. He is a member of and tester for the Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association (BWFA) and a 2001 inductee to the BWFA Hall of Fame.
John says, “There is no quality difference on the same horse, no scientific data to sustain any difference. The white and the black hoof are both designed the same structurally; the texture and quality of the hoof is the same.”

One of the foremost experts in his field, Doug Butler, Ph.D., of LaPorte, Colo., is the author of The Principles of Horseshoeing, one of the most widely used texts on horseshoeing in the world. He also has 30 years of teaching experience and acts as a consultant and lecturer on horseshoeing. In 1976 while doing research at Cornell University, he conducted a study on white versus black hooves by taking squares of hoof material and crushing them in a compressor.

“There was no difference between black and white,” he agrees. “The main difference was in moisture content: The softer hooves fell apart easier.” He notes that genetics also play a role in hoof strength. “Some Paint Horses have extremely brittle white hooves and others don’t. Appaloosas seem to have extremely strong feet, no matter what color; genetic propensity seems to be more important than the color of the hoof.”

Myth: All horses need hoof supplements added to their feed.
The reason we add supplements is because there is something missing from the horse’s feed. Whether your horse needs a nutritional supplement depends on what you are feeding him; if his diet is nutritionally balanced, supplementation is probably not necessary. And just like people, some horses can thrive on a basic diet, while others struggle to maintain good condition with every expensive feed and supplement known to man.

Some “complete feeds” already include nutrients such as biotin, which is important to all connective tissue, and methionine, an amino acid essential for strong hooves. There are endless numbers of products on the market that claim they will help your horse’s hoof quality; often the best way of finding a supplement that helps an individual is by trying them out and finding one that works.

Doug Butler comments, “There are a few very good supplements on the market, and then there are a lot that are not well researched. I have counted more than 25 products on the market, but the problem is that every animal responds differently.”

Talk to your veterinarian about determining what supplements your horse might need. Having your hay and pasture analyzed will help you make an educated decision. However, hoof supplements won’t be a miracle cure for horses in poor condition.

According to John Burt bad feet are often caused by nutrition problems and obesity. “On obese horses the hoof often stops growing because it’s so stressed from carrying so much weight, especially the front feet. I’ve done two horses this year where the wall just was not growing. I got one to drop 250 pounds, and the feet improved.”

Other factors that can contribute to poor hoof quality include genetics or undesirable living conditions, such as wet, mucky ground.

Myth: Horses get thrush from standing on wet ground.
Thrush is an infection of the frog and sole of horses. Wet conditions alone will not result in thrush, since bacteria and fungi must be present, but dirty conditions such as stalls not mucked out regularly are certainly a cause of this nasty condition.
Affected feet will have a very offensive odor and will produce a black discharge around the frog. Lameness will result if the condition is allowed to progress far enough to affect the sensitive structure of the foot.

Proper cleaning and trimming of the feet along with proper stable sanitation will help decrease the chance of infection. If you notice that your horse’s feet smell bad and/or have a discharge, cleaning and disinfecting them with a copper sulfate product or iodine solution can treat the problem. A regular trimming schedule with your farrier also helps prevent and control thrush.

Myth: Hot fitting the shoe hurts the horse.
Hot shoeing, including hot fitting, refers to the act of forging/fabricating a shoe, and allows the farrier to custom make and fit the shoe to the horse. Hot fitting involves applying a hot shoe to the horse’s hoof, burning the hoof where the shoe is applied and seating the shoe to the hoof.

“Those in favor of hot shoeing say that a well-placed hot set shoe seals the hoof tubules and allows the farrier to see where there is a high or low spot in the foot,” explains Bill Reed, a farrier from Columbus, N.C., who shoes horses in the Carolinas and Florida. “Some will argue that burning the foot injures the foot or dries it out, but this is false because there are no nerve endings there. Does it hurt when you trim your fingernails?”

Myth: Oil products help seal in moisture.
There are as many products at the tack and feed stores to keep horses’ hooves in good condition as there are anti-aging creams on the beauty aisle at the local pharmacy. One thing to note is that some products are oil-based and claim to add moisture to the hoof, while others are called sealants and claim to lock moisture in—or out—of the hoof.

Sean Reichle,product manager for Farnam Horse Division, explains, “Oil based conditioners, when used correctly, nourish and moisturize the hoof, which may become dried out because of environment or management conditions. Just like different people’s fingernails require different treatments to keep them in top condition, it is important to assess a horse’s hooves periodically.”

Bill Reed is not a big fan of oily hoof dressings, but offers advice on how he thinks they should be used. “Dressing should be applied to the coronary band only,” he says. “Then it can be absorbed and moisturize the new hoof growth. But I only apply sealant to the rest of the wall. If you slather dressing all over the hoof, it softens the foot and then in a climate such as Florida, for instance, where the soil is sandy and hot, the feet dry out. If the hoof is constantly wet and then dry it constricts and contracts, and the shoes loosen quicker.”

Sean Reichle advises, “In some situations, the use of an oil-based conditioner around the coronary band and sole of the hoof, and a sealant on the hoof wall and nail holes, may be an appropriate hoof care program.”

Sean recommends different products for different scenarios. “A horse that spends most of his time out in the field and is only groomed occasionally might benefit from a formula that includes pine tar because it may require less frequent application in harsh conditions and is a bit messy,” he explains. “For a horse that is kept primarily in the barn and groomed frequently, a product with a lighter formula that is applied more often would be a better choice.”

Whether you use hoof dressing or not, attentive hoof care is a paramount concern. “The best advice is, if the horse is being used then you should clean the feet every day,” John Burt says.

According to Doug Butler, the best “hoof conditioner” is the water that the horse drinks and stays hydrated with.

Regardless of the hoof care product you use, follow the manufacturers instructions for application.

Myth: A piece of gravel can work its way up from the bottom of the hoof through the coronary band.
A “gravel” is a condition where an abscess, instead of coming out through the bottom of the foot, works its way upward beneath the hoof wall and breaks out at the soft tissue of the coronary band, where the infection drains out. It is not, however, literally a piece of gravel working its way up the hoof.

“I find that ‘gravel’ is a regional term for describing an abscess,” Bill Reed says. “The farther north you go, they say that a horse ‘graveled’ rather than ‘abscessed.’ ”
According to John Burt, “Gravitational force and the way that the foot is constructed make it questionable that an actual piece of gravel can travel up there. Look at the structure of the foot and figure out the gravitational force: It pushes down. When an abscess is created, the pressure is pushing it up the foot.”

He reasons, “If you did find a piece of gravel in an abscess, it was driven in from the bottom, and then the abscess itself pushed it up through the coronary band.”

Myth: Factory shoes have four nails holes on each side, so each hole should be utilized.
Shoes can be nailed on with as many nails as necessary to secure the shoe to the hoof. Sometimes two per side are sufficient on a smaller foot or a nail pattern that takes advantage of the stronger points of the hoof wall, bypassing the weaker section. Clips can also be used to hold a shoe on.

“The nail holes in keg shoes are there as options, not to be filled up,” Bill Reed says. “Some shoes have eight or 10 holes—aluminum shoes have 12. I did one horse last year that someone else had shod with 11 nails in one shoe. That was incredible! I think three nails were clinched together. That’s just overkill.”

Hooves constantly grow and change, and sometimes parts of the hoof are healthier than others. Nails must be driven into solid healthy wall, or they will not provide a secure hold. On improperly cared for hooves, the hoof wall may be in such poor condition that a farrier can’t nail a shoe on or may only be able to place a couple of nails on each side. The hoof grows very slowly, about a 1/4 inch per month, requiring from six to nine months to grow out completely. Because the hoof grows so slowly, it is preferable to prevent damage, rather than to try and repair damage once it has occurred.

Myth: Barefoot horses need farrier attention less often than shod horses.
Some experts suggest pulling a horse’s shoes for half of the year to let the hooves “recover” from shoeing, including letting the nail holes grow out. If the conditions are right, the farrier will have a better hoof to work with when the horse starts wearing shoes again.

“This is a good idea if you’re not riding the horse and the footing is good,” Doug Butler says. “Out here in Colorado our pasture has a lot of crushed granite so that wouldn’t really work because the horse’s feet would wear down too much.”

For horses doing a lot of work, removing the shoes may be impractical. When wear exceeds growth, then shoes are necessary for a sound horse. Also, corrective horseshoes can be helpful for horses with specific soundness problems. Shoes can also provide extra traction in slippery conditions, especially when they are drilled and tapped so that studs can be used.

If you do remove the horse’s shoes, don’t just turn him out for six months and forget about him. R.T. Goodrich, who has a four-shoer practice in Petaluma, Calif., explains, “Horses in a corral or pasture need regular hoof care at six- to eight-week intervals, shod or not. Uneven wear affects the horse’s entire body, not just the feet.”

Consider your horse’s lifestyle and take into consideration the above factors. Then consult your farrier to decide what is best for your horse. 

Amber Heintzberger is an active rider who enjoys eventing.

* This article was featured in Horse Illustrated – April 2006. Subscribe today!  

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