6/ SEPTEMBER 2011 THE RIDER Natural Horsemanship & Body Control Foundation Reining Training


inside rein to steer the horse where they should go. Not good. I’ve seen a lot of western riders being taught incorrectly to use an inside rein to steer their horse and of course, that’s not proper neck reining.


I remember when I was first taught to ride many years ago, I was always taught to ride along the rail. Back then, everyone western (I believe in english riding as well), was always taught western pleasure and to ride on the rail. Why is that?


Perhaps to get maximum linear footage for riding? Was it easier for the instructor to teach? Or the instructor assumed everyone was going to ride in a rail class someday? Who knows? It was probably all of that.


Get My Drift?


One of the common problems in steering I see with riders is defi- nitely most noticeable in circles - an exercise most riders does with their horse. Any figure that requires a curved or rounded line. Why is that? It’s also easiest to spot while loping, though you can still see it in the other gaits. So for example, while loping a circle for a period of time, a rider without realizing it, will drift towards the rail or wall - making an ever bigger circle. Some riders have a tough time keeping their horses on the correct circle. Again, it’s most noticeable while training for a proper circle maneu- ver in reining.


And what happens unfortu- nately if a rider doesn’t know how to remedy this, will ‘sneak’ an


I see horses often ridden close to the rail for most of their riding session. It’s tradition. Many riders still today are first taught how to ride staying close to the rail for comfort and then just get used to riding there. Or think that’s where they should be...


Rail Competition


Speaking of where they should be..., this makes sense for the ‘rail’ rid- ers in competition - in which case, it’s a very good thing! And so I’m not refer- ring to those riders. I’m talking about generally riding around an enclosed rid- ing area and most times being near the outside wall or rail for no specific rea- son.


Notice the horse leaning on the outside, right rein and the rider using an inside left rein to steer.


In The Beginning there was Rail Rid- ing


rail. So naturally they will gravitate towards the rail. The problem is that when riding not near the rail such as circles or other figures around the arena, the horse will lean on the rider’s outside leg and outside rein and drift back towards the rail - a very familiar and comfortable place to be. This is a problem. If riders don’t realize it, the horse just slowly moves back towards the rail and learns to lean. And then when it comes time to steer in circles, the horse is not responding as well as they should be to a request from the rider’s outside rein and/or leg. Often time’s riders don’t realize this. I’ve seen riders really struggle to get their horse to steer or turn properly. It’s important for the rider there- fore, to do exercises to keep the horse responding well to the outside rein and leg and to remember to not let your horse drift towards the wall.


Keep Off The Rail


Why am I mentioning this? Well... without realizing it, riders are teaching their horses to drift towards the wall.


Get My Drift... Get used to being ridden near the


New Case of Contagious Equine Metritis Reported in Arizona


Ottawa, ON — The World Organization for Ani- mal Health (OIE ) reports that a new case of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) was con- firmed in the United States (U.S.), on July 21, 2011.


The CEM case was detected in a four- year old stallion in Arizona and was identified during testing for semen export. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is still inves- tigating the source of the outbreak as of this date. CEM is a venereal disease of horses and has not been detected in Canada.


The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has legislated specific importation requirements which address the potential risk of CEM for equine semen, embryos, and live horses from every state in the U.S. into Canada. These requirements were put in place in 2009 to protect the Canadian herd following a U.S. outbreak at that time.


The CFIA has reported the import require- ments will remain in effect, with no additional restrictions required. The CFIA is in contact with the USDA and will be monitoring future devel- opments. Considering that this is a very recent notification and the investigation is ongoing, the CFIA has indicated that it is too early to deter- mine how this event will influence the mainte- nance of CEM-related import conditions in the long-term.


Equine Canada will continue to be in con- tact with the CFIA and post all updates regarding


CEM on the website at www.equinecanada.ca. To read more about importation conditions and other useful information, visit the February 2011 health alert on the Equine Canada website - http://bit.ly/nPyafR


About Equine Canada Health Alerts Equine Canada is recognized by the Gov- ernment of Canada, including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Food Inspec- tion Agency (CFIA), Industry Canada, and Sport Canada, as the national body overseeing interests related to horses, ponies, donkeys and mules, and owners, riders and drivers across Canada. Our national Health and Welfare Committee works with the CFIA, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), universities and colleges, provincial and international equestrian federa- tions, breed associations, and international regu- latory agencies to provide expertise, feedback and guidance on issues of equine health and wel- fare. Equine Canada regularly communicates on herd health and welfare issues through thewir nationally distributed Health Alerts, national bi- monthly magazine, electronic newsletters, web site and Facebook. You can sign up to receive Equine Canada news, including Health Alerts here - http://bit.ly/q0WbjB


About Equine Canada


For more information about Equine Canada, please visit www.equinecanada.ca.


Anyone who has had advice from me knows that I stress the ‘keep off the rail’. I can understand that beginner rid- ers may need the comfort of the rail when first starting but I encourage rid- ers to come off the rail as soon as they can. And using the rail or wall to start to teach western dressage maneuvers is good too. Again, coming off the rail as soon as the horse or rider is ready to advance. Rail riders could freshen up their horses by doing exercises off the rail.


So remember, if you don’t want


your horse to get into a bad habit of leaning on your outside rein and leg and then have problems steering, then don’t let you horse drift back towards the rail. Lope a few circles and you will see what I mean.


News: I’m excited to mention that I will be going for my Myler Bitting Sys- tem Technical Bit Clinician certifica- tion in October in Quebec. I will be writing more on the Myler Bitting Sys- tem for you in the coming articles.


Putting My Spin on Getting The Drift in Steering! @KISS Reiners


About the Author: Susan Dahl, proud- ly the newest member of Toklat’s Myler (Bit) Ride Team (www.toklat.com/myler), is a certified professional horse trainer, NCCP coaching theory certified, writer, com- petitor, clinician and owner/operator of Foundation Reining Training Centre, where she specializes in natural horse- manship & body control foundation reining training or Western Dressage for horse & rider. She has trained & won numerous ORHA, NRHA, & Reining Canada Top 10 awards. For more information on her very innova- tive & fun approach to training, clinics, lessons, or coaching, please visit her website www.reinersuehorsemanship.com or Reinersue@hotmail.com.


OEF Supports Ontario Junior and Young Rider Teams


The Ontario Equestrian Federation (OEF) is a proud supporter of the Ontario Junior and Young Rider Teams that competed at the 2011 North American Junior and Young Rider Cham- pionship (NAJYRC) this past July. The NAJYRC is a respected FEI event that offers a premier opportunity for young Ontario athletes to compete as provincial representatives, showcas- ing their equestrian abilities.


ON


Sable Geisler – Powassan, ON Liza Igochine – King City, ON Brook Pickering – Thornton, ON April Simmonds – Uxbridge, ON Christian Bennett – Sutton West, ON William Dow – Flesherton, ON


Jumping


Strict qualification criteria must be met in order to qualify for the NAJYRC and to have achieved this is in itself an accomplishment. The OEF appreciates that for many, attending this competition creates financial challenges and hardships. With this in mind, we are proud to have sponsored the entry fees for each of the fol- lowing Ontario riders:


Dressage


Jonah Freedman – Toronto, ON Noémie Gagnon-Bergeron – Kanata, ON Bronwyn Barlow Cash – Brantford, ON Alexandra Dvorak – Hillsburgh, ON Megan Lane – Collingwood, ON Kristen Sutton – Drumbo, ON Ashley Phipps – Nepean, ON Anneka Sutton – Drumbo, ON


Endurance


Lee Hutten – Chesterville, ON Emma Webb – Flesherton, ON


Eventing Haley Laframboise-Armstrong – Orangeville,


Sarah Bagworth – King City, ON Miranda Travers-Cavill – Claremont, ON Jake Krembil - Schomberg Jacqueline Steffens - Harriston


Reining


Darcy Wilson – Goodwood, ON Lane Wilson – Goodwood, ON Emily Wilson – Goodwood, ON Starr Boisvert – Chatsworth, ON Lyndsay Kloster - Mount Albert, ON


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