30/ NOVEMBER 2023 THE RIDER


The Science of how Horses Think & Learn Alignment. In riding and in life!


gait. Horses jump in poor form or even refuse due to a crooked approach to the fence. When your horse isn’t straight, lead changes hop and canter strides lose their flow as if there’s a kink in the hose. When our lives get out


By Lindsay Grice. Equestrian Canada coach, horse show judge and specialist in equine behaviour.


A medley of horse per-


formance issues stem from the same source – lack of straight- ness.


Anyone driving a truck


and trailer will tell you that in stopping or backing, you’d bet- ter have the rig straight. An un- noticed misalignment can magnify into a mess. The same is true with horses. When your horse has his


head, neck, shoulders and hips aligned with his line of travel, he’s straight. So, curved path or straight, no body part should drift off the track. Picture your horse’s nose on the line with front and back feet straddling that line. When your horse’s nose


tips to the outside, his shoulder drops to the inside. If his haunches fishtail toward the in- gate, he’ll swap leads or break


We offer our condo-


lences to the family and friends of Nicole Duplessis (Deschaillons-sur-Saint- Laurent, Qc), who passed away on October 14 at the age of 73. A well-known member of the Canadian equestrian community and the federation equestrian du


of alignment, we lose sight of our priorities. We get side- tracked from our goals and sometimes our values. We might spend more money than we intended on tack and show clothes, when we know they won’t necessarily put us in the ribbons. Or we might spend our energy chasing those rib- bons at the expense of family relationships. Committees, ca- reer, fashion and Facebook can worm their ways out of their proper place in line. We feel like life is happening to us in- stead of the fruit of thoughtful choices, stride by stride. The off-season is a great


time to realign our riding goals with our other commitments and values in this “season” of our lives. You have to decide what


your highest priorities are and have the courage – pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically – to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside. The enemy of the “best” is often the “good.” Stephen Covey I instruct you in the way


of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. Proverbs 4:11, The Bible.


Québec and outgoing presi- dent of Cheval Québec, she was a pioneer in the creation of the competition dressage circuit on the South Shore of Montreal. As part of her role the


federation in Ms Duplessis has begun the integration of different equestrian disci-


Alignment is the key to cleanly crossing obstacles, jump poles and jumps.


About Lindsay Grice.


“Is it me or my horse?” Horse show judge, coach, trainer and specialist in equine behavior, Lindsay Grice helps riders solve their “horse puzzles”,


and learning for horse associations, courses for University of Guelph and therapeutic riding facilities. Lindsay judges multiple disciplines and breeds, holding judging certifications with • AQHA • Equestrian Canada • Extreme Cowboy • Ontario Working Equitation • OE provincial Hunter/Jumper • OE provincial dressage She loves to share her own insights and stories learned from 25 years as a competitor and horse trainer.


sharing keys from the science and research of how horses think and learn. She loves to help riders prepare for competition and just enjoy the process of riding, not just the results! Lindsay enjoys teaching clinics and travelling to Ontario farms as a freelance coach. She’s taught the science of equine behavior


Curved path or straight, your horse is aligned when his nose is on the line with front and back feet straddling it.


“Why do horses do what they do?” Lindsay says, “In the horse world, our traditions and the evidence sometimes collide. I love to communicate the WHYs behind the HOWs of riding. “Equitation Science” – it makes life better for horses when we speak in a language they understand!”


Obituary: Nicole Duplessis


plines (tackling, dressage, full competition and jump- ing) into the sector commit- tees to give them more visibility. CE awarded him the MH Lessard award in 2008 (Volunteer of the Year in Dressage). In addition to being


very involved in organizing


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competitions, she has en- sured that equestrian sports are regulated and supervised by the provincial body to allow athletes to practice healthy and safe sport. Ms. Duplessis has facil-


itated the development of the Development of Excel- lence Support Program to highlight athletes in all Olympic equestrian disci- plines. She also created the Rendez-vous des Kürs event, an event that encour- ages the public to discover dressage and appreciate its elegance. She has also made


sure that dressage competi- tions in Quebec offer quali- fying events for the North American Junior and Young Riders Championships to promote the development of discipline and help young athletes reach the highest level. Among other things, she helped five young ath- letes to select and represent Canada at the Pan American Games in Santiago. She was considered a


heroine by many, including Quebec’s collective eques- trian community, as well as a dedicated horsewoman, mentor and friend. She will be sorely missed by the equestrian community.


Cheval Quebec Obituary: Harry Davis


October 15, 2023 It is with profound


sadness that the family of Harry Davis announce his sudden passing at


the


Chatham-Kent Health Al- liance on Sunday October 15th, 2023, in his 62nd year. Cherished son of the late Harry and Alice Davis. Beloved husband and best friend of Jennifer, and beloved son-in-law of Judi Aitken, both of Chatham. Loving brother of Janet Kohler, and Darlene Mid- dlemiss. He will be fondly remembered by his niece Toni Stranges, and great nephew Jeffrey, and sister- in-law and brother-in-law Vicki Jones and her husband Matthew, and their children Maegan and Gavin Jones. He is survived by many aunts and uncles. Harry will be remembered by his many friends at Fort Erie & Woodbine Racetrack, where he worked as a blacksmith. Arrangements entrusted to


the Alexander & Houle Fu- neral Home, 245 Wellington St. West, Chatham, 519- 352-2710. Cremation to take place with a Celebra- tion of Life to be held at a later date. Friends planning an expression of remem- brance are asked to consider Ontario Heart & Stroke Foundation,


Diabetes


Canada, or Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue, Haldimand. On-line condo- lences may be left at www.alexanderandhoulefu- neralhome.ca


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