billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Thursday, February 18, 2010
FEI Update
Text from the FEI website:
FEI ANNOUNCES COMPOSITION OF NEW WORKING GROUP
The composition of the FEI working group tasked with expanding current guidelines for Stewards to facilitate clear implementation of the policy on warm-up techniques following on from last week’s round-table conference on hyperflexion/Rollkur has been finalised today.
As announced after last week’s conference in Lausanne, the working group will be chaired by Dressage Committee Chair Frank Kemperman. Group members are Richard Davison (GBR), Rider/Trainer; John P. Roche (IRL), FEI Director Jumping/Stewarding; Jacques Van Daele (BEL), FEI Honorary Dressage Steward General/Judge; Wolfram Wittig (GER), Trainer; and Trond Asmyr (NOR), FEI Dressage Director/Judge. The working group will also draw on the expertise of a number of other specialists, including but not limited to the participants of the round-table conference*. The working group aims to have the guidelines completed by the end of March 2010.
The guidelines produced by the group will be communicated directly to Stewards and also to riders and trainers. The working group is expected to put forward further proposals for the education of Stewards to ensure that FEI rules are strictly adhered to and that the welfare of the horse is maintained at all times.
Guidelines for Stewards will incorporate the use of a range of sanctions, including verbal warnings and yellow cards for riders who transgress. Stewards will also be readvised to watch out for signs of distress in the horse, which may include but are not limited to obvious fatigue, profound or inappropriate sweating, persistent rough use of aids (i.e. bits, spurs or whip) and over-repetition of exercises.
The FEI Management is also currently studying a range of additional measures, including the use of closed circuit television for warm-up arenas at selected shows so that potential abuse accusations can be more readily identified and recorded.
The FEI will ensure that all findings produced by the working group are communicated on an ongoing basis.
* Participants in the Lausanne round-table conference on hyperflexion/Rollkur (9 February 2010) were:
HRH Princess Haya, FEI President
Alex McLin, FEI Secretary General
International Dressage Riders Club, Margit Otto-Crepin
International Dressage Trainers Club, Linda Keenan
Francois Mathy, International Jumping Riders Club
David Broome, jumping representative
Sjef Janssen, dressage representative
Jonathan Chapman, Event Riders Association
Graeme Cooke, FEI Veterinary Director
Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage
John Roche, FEI Director Jumping and stewarding
Catrin Norinder, FEI Director Eventing
Ian Williams, FEI Director Non-olympic sports
Carsten Couchouron, FEI Executive Director Commercial
Richard Johnson, FEI Director Communications
Jacques van Daele, FEI Honorary Steward General Dressage
John McEwen, FEI Veterinary Committee Chair
World Horse Welfare, Roly Owers and Tony Tyler
Ulf Helgstrand, President Danish NF
Dr Sue Dyson
Dr.Gerd Heuschmann
Professor René van Weeren
Frank Kemperman, FEI Dressage Committee Chair (by phone)
I personally feel the FEI's efforts to inform people on this are commendable. Richard Johnson posted this on the Blue Tongue Facebook page, which he didn't have to do, and I also feel the responses on the video to very specific concerns show the FEI as an organization are listening to what we have to say.
I realize many people are skeptical of the FEI's intentions to make meaningful change, but the first step is communication, and when they listen and respond specifically to concerns many of us have had in the past week, it is, in my opinion, a positive shift.
pre-spring training
Yesterday afternoon was warm if you only looked at the thermometer, but there was a cold wind blowing that made being out for any length of time a miserable prospect.
However, chores had to be done, so I went out and groomed Salina, who was lovely and soft and black on one side, and crusty orange on the other. She moved from spot to spot as I brushed, until we found a sunny place she liked, and then she stopped. This ended up being in the arena, and the donkeys were happy to do their donkey play on the soft, clean, non-muddy footing.
The geldings were in the back field, keeping an eye on us in between bites of hay.
I finished up Salina and then gave the donkeys a good brushing. Keil Bay and Cody came to the arena fence and hung their heads over so I could clean up their faces and heads. That's all they wanted, and when I tried to brush further down the necks, they stepped away.
The next chore involved doing the last of the mucking, and I was really not in the mood, as it was actually cooler in the barn than out in the sunshine.
So I found a distraction. The arena has been clear for months now. I like the dressage markers in place, and nothing else in there, and that's how it's been. But suddenly I decided we needed some variety, and I spent an hour setting up five jumps. This involved bringing standards out of corners, pulling poles from the sides, and rolling/securing barrels. All of which was prime entertainment for two young donkeys.
Rafer Johnson and Redford investigated and supervised every move I made. They enjoyed getting on either side of a jump and doing their donkey play over the pole in between. Redford made a very dramatic game out of spooking at the barrels, racing around and around them and then darting away as if they were coming at him. Rafer thought this ridiculous and didn't participate.
At some point they made their way to a jump and both went over it together, knocking the pole down in their haste. They both decided at the same instant that this meant RUN, and they galloped out of the arena like wild things, in search of Salina, who had done her walking and exited earlier.
I'd been so intent on watching donkeys I hadn't noticed there were now three geldings lined up at the arena gate, all wanting to come in and play.
So I let them in.
Of course the donkeys came running back. The horses checked out each jump. The pony went around and methodically knocked each pole to the ground with his nose, and then used his hooves to roll the poles away from the standards. He tried to climb on top of the barrel jump, but I think realized how silly he'd look if he ended up with front feet on one side, rears on the other.
Keil Bay checked each jump out, almost as if he were doing a safety inspection.
Cody became engaged in a play session with Redford. Rafer and I were cleaning out a corner of the arena that needed some attention while watching all the activity.
After an hour, I had moved on to mucking and my daughter came out. "Mom?" I heard her voice and then she was in the arena, galloping on two legs over the jumps. In a few more minutes, she had the pony in with her, and was offering an alfalfa pellet for each jump he took with her. So by the end of the afternoon, there was actually a little bit of pre-spring training going on.
It was fun seeing the pony trotting along with daughter, then breaking into a canter as they approached the jumps.
Hard to resist on a sunny but cold afternoon. I'm not sure if the furor over rollkur has me completely put out with dressage, but all I could think of yesterday afternoon was popping over the jumps on Keil Bay. And oddly, whether I should look for a jumping saddle! I'm sure it was spring fever, but the thought was there! :)
It looks like we're in for a string of very nice days: 52 degrees today, 57 tomorrow, 60 and 61 for the weekend. And NO RAIN! Perfect for getting a few out of work geldings back into the swing.
However, chores had to be done, so I went out and groomed Salina, who was lovely and soft and black on one side, and crusty orange on the other. She moved from spot to spot as I brushed, until we found a sunny place she liked, and then she stopped. This ended up being in the arena, and the donkeys were happy to do their donkey play on the soft, clean, non-muddy footing.
The geldings were in the back field, keeping an eye on us in between bites of hay.
I finished up Salina and then gave the donkeys a good brushing. Keil Bay and Cody came to the arena fence and hung their heads over so I could clean up their faces and heads. That's all they wanted, and when I tried to brush further down the necks, they stepped away.
The next chore involved doing the last of the mucking, and I was really not in the mood, as it was actually cooler in the barn than out in the sunshine.
So I found a distraction. The arena has been clear for months now. I like the dressage markers in place, and nothing else in there, and that's how it's been. But suddenly I decided we needed some variety, and I spent an hour setting up five jumps. This involved bringing standards out of corners, pulling poles from the sides, and rolling/securing barrels. All of which was prime entertainment for two young donkeys.
Rafer Johnson and Redford investigated and supervised every move I made. They enjoyed getting on either side of a jump and doing their donkey play over the pole in between. Redford made a very dramatic game out of spooking at the barrels, racing around and around them and then darting away as if they were coming at him. Rafer thought this ridiculous and didn't participate.
At some point they made their way to a jump and both went over it together, knocking the pole down in their haste. They both decided at the same instant that this meant RUN, and they galloped out of the arena like wild things, in search of Salina, who had done her walking and exited earlier.
I'd been so intent on watching donkeys I hadn't noticed there were now three geldings lined up at the arena gate, all wanting to come in and play.
So I let them in.
Of course the donkeys came running back. The horses checked out each jump. The pony went around and methodically knocked each pole to the ground with his nose, and then used his hooves to roll the poles away from the standards. He tried to climb on top of the barrel jump, but I think realized how silly he'd look if he ended up with front feet on one side, rears on the other.
Keil Bay checked each jump out, almost as if he were doing a safety inspection.
Cody became engaged in a play session with Redford. Rafer and I were cleaning out a corner of the arena that needed some attention while watching all the activity.
After an hour, I had moved on to mucking and my daughter came out. "Mom?" I heard her voice and then she was in the arena, galloping on two legs over the jumps. In a few more minutes, she had the pony in with her, and was offering an alfalfa pellet for each jump he took with her. So by the end of the afternoon, there was actually a little bit of pre-spring training going on.
It was fun seeing the pony trotting along with daughter, then breaking into a canter as they approached the jumps.
Hard to resist on a sunny but cold afternoon. I'm not sure if the furor over rollkur has me completely put out with dressage, but all I could think of yesterday afternoon was popping over the jumps on Keil Bay. And oddly, whether I should look for a jumping saddle! I'm sure it was spring fever, but the thought was there! :)
It looks like we're in for a string of very nice days: 52 degrees today, 57 tomorrow, 60 and 61 for the weekend. And NO RAIN! Perfect for getting a few out of work geldings back into the swing.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
translation of Cavallo's interview with Gerd Heuschmann about the FEI's Feb. 9th meeting
Project Horse has posted a translation of Gerd Heuschmann's interview with Cavallo about his impressions on the FEI meeting of February 9th.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
today feels like monday to me
Late Sunday evening my husband announced he didn't have to go to work yesterday because of President's Day, so when I woke up and he was here, it felt like another chunk of weekend had been grafted onto our week.
Even going into my office last night didn't do much to shift that notion. It feels like Monday today!
First off I have to apologize to yet another reader/commenter, jme. I am suddenly getting many spam comments for both this blog and mystic-lit, and when I moderate, for the first time ever, I am hitting "reject" regularly.
And then my dyslexic thing kicks in, and I reject a string of spam comments, read a wonderful one, and as my brain thinks "publish" my finger hits "reject."
There is no way to get those back!
I'm not sure where the spam is coming from. There are many Chinese ones, and then lots of fake "normal" ones that are anonymous and sort of sound like maybe they're genuine. But their very blandness gives them away.
I guess if I employed the word verification system I might make life easier for myself but I wanted commenting here to be effortless. If it gets to be too much, and I keep making mistakes in my moderating role, I'll add it in.
On another note, I realized I'd left out a sure sign of spring here on November Hill. Our beloved hay man is now out of his gorgeous, non-sprayed, organically grown hay. This affects us on a number of levels. His hay is easy to balance minerally. It's reasonably priced so we can throw hay to horses with wild abandon and not stress the bit of wastage we get from using the big round bales.
We get eggs and some meat and vegetables from our hay man, so when we're no longer going out there for hay, it puts a snag in grocery shopping. I've realized I don't want the store eggs any more. They look... fake. Fortunately this weekend the kids had a party to go to out near the hay man's farm, so we got our stash of beautiful eggs.
Meanwhile, I bought one small batch of timothy hay from the feed store last week. The horses have been scarfing it up - the one up side of having to change hay right now is that they are already craving something green, and a new hay seems to satisfy that a bit. But the feed store hay is not cheap, and while we could go get small loads each week and enjoy ease of transport and loading, it's a big hit to the budget.
We bought a slightly bigger load of timothy from our secondary hay supplier. Normally her prices are just slightly cheaper than the feed store but this year it's the same. But alas, this morning my husband informed me these bales are wrapped in wire, which I really don't like.
Fortunately, awhile back, I came upon a new hay source and although we didn't need it at the time, I wrote the info on a scrap of paper and tucked it away. Of course I forgot about it. But on Sunday I was cleaning off my desk for no real reason and there was the hay info. I called and the hay sounds like a nice mix of timothy and orchard, and it's significantly less expensive, so we can transition onto that as we use up this timothy.
Even going into my office last night didn't do much to shift that notion. It feels like Monday today!
First off I have to apologize to yet another reader/commenter, jme. I am suddenly getting many spam comments for both this blog and mystic-lit, and when I moderate, for the first time ever, I am hitting "reject" regularly.
And then my dyslexic thing kicks in, and I reject a string of spam comments, read a wonderful one, and as my brain thinks "publish" my finger hits "reject."
There is no way to get those back!
I'm not sure where the spam is coming from. There are many Chinese ones, and then lots of fake "normal" ones that are anonymous and sort of sound like maybe they're genuine. But their very blandness gives them away.
I guess if I employed the word verification system I might make life easier for myself but I wanted commenting here to be effortless. If it gets to be too much, and I keep making mistakes in my moderating role, I'll add it in.
On another note, I realized I'd left out a sure sign of spring here on November Hill. Our beloved hay man is now out of his gorgeous, non-sprayed, organically grown hay. This affects us on a number of levels. His hay is easy to balance minerally. It's reasonably priced so we can throw hay to horses with wild abandon and not stress the bit of wastage we get from using the big round bales.
We get eggs and some meat and vegetables from our hay man, so when we're no longer going out there for hay, it puts a snag in grocery shopping. I've realized I don't want the store eggs any more. They look... fake. Fortunately this weekend the kids had a party to go to out near the hay man's farm, so we got our stash of beautiful eggs.
Meanwhile, I bought one small batch of timothy hay from the feed store last week. The horses have been scarfing it up - the one up side of having to change hay right now is that they are already craving something green, and a new hay seems to satisfy that a bit. But the feed store hay is not cheap, and while we could go get small loads each week and enjoy ease of transport and loading, it's a big hit to the budget.
We bought a slightly bigger load of timothy from our secondary hay supplier. Normally her prices are just slightly cheaper than the feed store but this year it's the same. But alas, this morning my husband informed me these bales are wrapped in wire, which I really don't like.
Fortunately, awhile back, I came upon a new hay source and although we didn't need it at the time, I wrote the info on a scrap of paper and tucked it away. Of course I forgot about it. But on Sunday I was cleaning off my desk for no real reason and there was the hay info. I called and the hay sounds like a nice mix of timothy and orchard, and it's significantly less expensive, so we can transition onto that as we use up this timothy.
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