APRIL 2023 THE RIDER /29


8 Things You Need To Know If You Want To Ride Horses


By Kathy Farrokhzad. You might have liked


horses all your life. Or you might have


had an awakening not too long ago that is urging you to explore horseback riding for the first time. You can’t tear your


eyes away from the sight of glowing coats and rippling


muscles. You get excited every


time you drive by horses in a field.


Contrary to your


friends, you even like the smell of a barn! And now, you know


you are ready to take the first steps on the long road of becoming an equestrian. You’ve booked riding les-


Equine Asthma and Macrophage Responses


Guelph, ON Feb 23, 2023 - What happens if the quarter- back of the immune system goes rogue? In a study set to begin


in June 2023, Ontario Vet- erinary College researcher, Dr. Janet Beeler-Marfisi, will


be looking studies on at


macrophage responses to the agents that cause asthma in horses. While


equine asthma have been ongoing for over 40 years, we still don’t know why some horses are more prone to develop heaves when ex- posed to the same environ- mental factors as horses that do not get heaves. Much focus has been placed on re- searching


lymphocytes


(white blood cells that help the body fight viruses) but Beeler’s study will be look- ing at macrophage re- sponses, because they are the cells that “call the shots”. “When the horse


breathes in some dust, it’s a macrophage that tells the horse’s immune system whether it’s something they can safely ignore or some- thing that they should re- spond to,” says Beeler. “To me, it makes sense to study the cells that call the shots, rather than those being told what to do (lymphocytes).” The culprits of asthma


come in the forms that are plentiful around the barn. From the endotoxins found in manure to the dust found in the hay they eat. Beeler says, “Even good quality hay will have some fungal spores or mold spores in it and that has a role to play in the development or heaves in horses that are susceptible to it.”


Beeler’s study aims to


find out if macrophages, the quarter backs of the horse’s immune system, are behav- ing like they should when these challenges to the horse’s respiratory system are encountered. Communi- cations


from the


macrophage’s nucleus (the computer or brain of the


Story by: Jackie Bellamy- Zions


Visit www.lindsaygriceridingcoach.com


cell) are sent through mes- senger RNA which tells the rest of the cell (or factory) to make proteins (the product) – pro-inflammatory or anti- inflammatory proteins, for instance. This research seeks to reveal whether macrophages of heaves horses are the true culprit in the development of heaves. Dr. Beeler


said


100,000 of 700,000 of horses in Canada are pre- dicted to suffer from asthma and she followed with sage preventative advice: 1. Purchase the best quality hay you can afford 2. Steaming or soaking hay reduces the dusts that cause asthma 3. Wet down the aisles be- fore sweeping the barn and avoid sweeping dust into horse stalls 4. Keep barns well venti- lated – especially when the tendency is to close every- thing up for warmth Funding for this proj-


ect has been provided by Equine Guelph. Equine Guelph sup-


ports a number of high- quality projects at


the


University of Guelph, by virtue of funding provided largely by the racing indus- try (Standardbred, Thor- oughbred and Quarter horse organizations): the Horse Improvement Pro- gram from the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, and the E.P. Taylor Foundation, started by veterinarians in the Thoroughbred industry, and now maintained in trust by the University and Equine Guelph. For more preventative


tips on equine asthma, check out Equine Guelph’s information sheet, Defend against Dust, and watch for the next online offerings of Respiratory Health on The- HorsePortal.ca and the 12- week


offering of


Management of the Equine Environment.


sons at a local barn and you are convinced that you are ready to tackle the learning curve that lays ahead. Be- fore you begin, here are nine tips to smooth the way into your new adventures!


1. Be prepared to be a be- ginner - for a long time! Once you step into


that stirrup for the first time, forget all about instant grat- ification. Instead, get all pumped up for the accom- plishment of doing some- thing over the long term. Don’t worry if your


fingers fumble when putting on the bridle. Have no worry when the horse gives you a knowing look out of the corner of his eye: “This one is a beginner!” Just take the plunge into new feels, new learning curves and new coordination. It’s all about the joys (and chal- lenges) of being on the path.


2. Every horse has some- thing to teach you. If you ride at a riding


school and have had the chance to ride many horses over the course of a few years, you will truly under- stand that there is something to be learned from every horse you ride. If you part-board or


lease a horse, you can have the opportunity to work with one horse over the long term. You might develop a deeper


relationship and


maybe even know each other so well that you can read each other’s minds. But always be appreciative of the chance to ride new horses because they will add to your depth of experience


and repertoire of “language” you need to ride effectively.


3. Find an excellent men- tor.


Your mentor might or


might not be your instructor. However, this person will be critical to the success of your first years as a horse rider. She will be the one who can listen to your ques- tions and concerns and give you the answers you need for your situation. She will guide you in your decisions and help you find the solu- tions that are necessary for your development - even if you are not aware of them at the time. Find someone you can trust.


4. Surround yourself with great professionals and horse friends. It is true that you are


the sum of the influences around you. So search for people you admire and look up to. Find the ones who you would like to emulate. Then, be around them and learn from them at every op- portunity. Get to know the pro-


fessionals in your area - from nutrition, to health care, to training - it is essen- tial for you to be surrounded by kind, compassionate peo- ple who always put the horse first when they make decisions.


5. Although the initial learning seems quick and easy, don’t despair once your learning curve seems to slow down. At some point, your


riding skills will plateau and try as you might, new learn- ing becomes frustrating and difficult. Be ready for that time period and be willing to keep trudging through - until you reach your next se- ries of leaps and bounds. However, the plateaus will always reappear just before the next real learning curve; they are just a fact of life.


6. Be ready to be physical in a way you’ve never ex- perienced before. Riding is like no other


sport because of the pres- ence of the horse. Rubbing your belly


and chewing gum is an easy task compared to riding! In order to truly move with the horse, you have to learn to coordinate body parts you never knew you had, and then also stay on top of a moving 1,000 pound ani- mal! But have no fear - it will all come together in the long run.


7. Watch, read, study, do. It goes without saying


that there is much learning to be done off the horse’s back. Read books to study what the movements should be like. Watch videos of professionals and even am- ateurs (especially now that videos are so easily accessi- ble on the Internet). Go to clinics and watch how other riders develop under the eye of an experienced clinician.


Then take your own lessons, ride at clinics and shows or video yourself. Use every available means to solicit feedback. Then study some


more!


8. Listen to your horse. Although it sounds a


little far-fetched, it is indeed possible to “hear” your horse if you understand their routines, structures and communications. If life is good, your horse will show you his pleasure by becom- ing more rideable. He will be calm but at the same time responsive to you. He will improve his ground man- ners, develop consistency under saddle, and work with you toward a better partner- ship.


If, on the other hand,


he becomes less receptive, more difficult to handle, and lose overall condition, you will know this is not the path you want to be on. Just listen and then make deci- sions according to the feed- back.


Well, there you have


it! Hopefully, these tips will help you as you progress from newbie to old-timer! Bio: Kathy Farrokhzad is an EC coach and author of the Horse Listening book collection, Goal Setting For The Equestrian: A Personal Workbook, and the creator of the Practice Sessions on- line program. If you liked what you read here, check out her blog at HorseListen- ing.com for many more arti- cles about horses, riding and life in general!


Getting ready for show season? Show judging.


• Certified EC and AQHA L1 judge. • Provincial dressage and hunter/ jumper judge • Western events, obstacle events and multiple breeds.


• Open shows and fairs


Clinics and lessons. Need a fresh perspective? Freelance coaching at Ontario farms. For competitive or just-for-fun riders.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56