Cloning and Gene Banking

ViaGen, "The Cloning Company" can produce an exact genetic replica of my horse. Okay not MY horse, of course, but one's horse. Allie comes to mind: a 25 year old Hanoverian gelding with the patience and demeanor of a saint; Moorlands Totilas also comes to mind: how many horses earn in the 90th percentiles in Grand Prix dressage? (That would be a sum total of one: the Trakehner Totilas.)

So, for only $150,000 one can have an exact genetic clone produced of one's mare, stallion, or GELDING. Not sure if it's right for you now, or you just want to have a safety net to fall back on in case of accident or you geld a colt that later proves it could have been stallion material? For $1,500 you can gene bank your horse's DNA for storage for future cloning. But act now: only live tissue can be used so if your horse passes it's too late. Be aware: in my sport of Dressage there are no current restrictions about competing on clones; the Jockey Club flat refuses to register any clones and the AQHA racing industry is trying to fight the registration of clones for race track use.

Personally I see both sides: as a scientist it is definitely tampering with nature to throw out the possibility of desirable genetic mutations by making a heritable stamp of an existing animal (for example, Allie cribs: would his clone crib also?) and possibly stunting natural genetic progression for the improvement of modern horses. On the other hand, as an amateur horse owner, I certainly see the allure of reproducing an exact replica of a beloved animal that has proven itself in the barn aisle, competition arena, daily schooling, and maybe even the breeding shed.

Either way it is exciting to think about the possibilities of attaining the "perfect" horse, whether through the new hindsight of cloning or the traditional methods of humans trialing genetics over successive generations through selective breeding.

Where Are They Now from Viagen on Vimeo.

Topsider Spring Show Stills

Team Delphi bids a fond farewell to first level, and a warm hello to second and third level.

Topsider Dressage One Highlights

Delphi acquitted herself nicely this weekend and got her final first level medal-qualifying score. Judge Joan Darnell's comments were:

• For Karen in Second Level Test Three: "Nice pair- horse needs to better connect from behind so hind legs can step under and carry weight. Lateral movements need more suppleness and engagement."
• For me in Second Level Test One: "Attractive horse-" (At least she didn't say "Nice tail!") "Needs to improve uphill balance and engagement for improved collection and self carriage."
• For me in First Level Test One: "Attractive, willing horse. Try to develop more balance so horse isn't on forehand. Shows bend, but could have more energy at times."

Show Strategy

With our next recognized show less than a week away, show nerves have started creeping their way up my spine. Instead of trying to shrug them off or ignore them, I've decided to face them head on:

• Remember that I've stacked all the cards in my favor: while I may not ride the fanciest or most expensive horse, I ride a very nice mare that I love dearly and am proud to own. She has been consistently tutored by the best possible trainers, including Jeff Moore, Lurena Bell, and Karen Brown. Karen will be at the show to warm up Delphi and coach; I've done clinics when available; take a weekly lesson; Delphi is schooled and consistently ridden (wet saddle pad syndrome); I can honestly say I've done my due diligence.
  

• Rather than say "I'm not going to worry," I drew a bath, set a time limit, and said "Fine, go ahead and worry-- whatever your worst fears are-- dwell on them for this time period." After my time was up, I resolved to act on my chiefest fears, namely forgetting something important or leaving something undone or neglected. I made a list of everything to bring with me from house, grocery, and barn, and made a list of everything I must get done before the show date.

• Keep positively focused on our goal: we have every reason to expect that we will earn our final first level and initial second level scores toward our USDF bronze medal. And Delphi, piloted by Karen, is quite capable of qualifying for the second level open championship.
  

Dressage Frock

After a recent dinner party discussion about the creepiness of dis-embodied clothes hanging on the wall, I reluctantly post the following pictures of my new dressage frock that arrived in the mail today:
It is a supposedly "breathable" polyester, it fits well, and I'm glad I ordered black rather than gray since when in bright sunlight the black tends toward a charcoal color.

Product: ELT Dressage Frock

Review: This coat has a velvet collar and silver piping on the collar and pocket flaps. It has a tailored cut and comes in European sizes so I ordered a size 38, which is a size larger than I would normally wear. I purchased it from Smart Pak for $95. It comes in three color choices: black, navy, or gray.

Pros: Very economically priced off-the-rack coat, easy care and wrinkle resistant polyester. With the contrast piping and velvet collar, it really is a pretty coat. The fabric will hopefully be cooler than wool.

Cons: If it had one or even two extra buttons I think it would fit even more nicely than with its three buttons. It's polyester, and not even the best synthetic will ever look as nice as real wool. It remains to be seen how many thousand white horse hairs that velvet collar will attract!

Bottom line: for the price it can't be beat and it seems to fit very well, though I ordered a size larger after reading reviews on the Smart Pak website. For value and low maintenance (it came folded several times in a small box and virtually had no wrinkles) I recommend it.

How to Tie a Stock Tie

After much thought about reaching deep down and becoming the dressage rider, channeling my inner Edward Gal etceteras etceteras, I've decided to graduate from wearing a pre-tied stock tie and the hunt coat from my college days of riding hunter jumper to an actual dressage frock and a real stock tie. Which means I must learn to tie a real stock tie.

After researching the matter, here's what I've learned:
Traditional formal attire for foxhunting where the rider wears the traditional hunting shadbelly is also where our modern dressage costume has its roots. The shadbelly of course is considered very formal riding attire and is reserved for the most formal situations for foxhunting members, upper level dressage riders, or eventers. Nevertheless it is good for one to know the tradition.

The stock tie for traditional formal attire for foxhunting, then, must be all white (no piping or other decoration) and the pin must be plain gold (crystals or other fancy decorations are not traditional apointment). The usefulness of the stock tie is that is creates warmth around the neck while hunting out in the cold, and can be used in an emergency as a pressure bandage or even a sling.

The minimum size to work well is 67 inches but 70 inches is best (I ordered a "medium" or 70 inches). To properly tie a stock tie:

• Place the button hole of the stock tie onto the button on the front of your rat catcher shirt.
• Thread the end of the stock tie through the self loop or gap in the stock tie so that it lies flat around your neck. Put the stock tie as tight as is comfortable-- you don't want it to choke you but you want it fairly snug.
• Some stock ties have a longer side (some don't); if so start the square knot with the longer side on your right so the knot is tied right over left then left over right.
• Make a square knot by turning right over left like tying a pair of shoelaces; make it snug. Then tie left over right. You want the square knot to lie flat with a sleeve-like appearance. One side of the stock tie bite will be slightly shorter than the other.
• Take the extra bite end on each side (right side first) and flip it over toward your midline to create a little bit of puffiness, and create a V with the stock tie ends so the V is over the knot but the knot is visible between the V.
• Run your plain stock pin through both pieces that flap over and also run it through some of the threads of the knot so that it stays in place. Safety pin the bottom ends of the stock to your shirt so that it stays neatly tucked in.
  

This is the traditional method from William P. Wadsworth MFH of the Genesee Valley Hunt "Riding to Hounds in America" (long considered the gold standard of hunting etiquette).

Edward Gal and his elegant, if non-traditional, gray shadbelly (and his black Trakehner Moorlands Totilas):

The dressage frock I ordered is available in charcoal gray. I agonized over whether to order the gray one as I thought it would both help me in channeling my inner Edward as well as flatter myself it would look dapper with my gray horse. Alas, I humbly ordered the black one (though I admit it has a black velvet collar and silver piping AND I plan to use my crystal-decorated moose antlers pin with my stock tie) and will reserve my days of non-traditional coat color for when I am riding at the Olympic level. Until then we continue to learn.

Medium Canter

Rather than becoming nasty or impatient when she is in estrus, Delphi becomes extremely dull to the aids, even the more forceful ones such as whip and spur. Even her normally brilliant shoulder ins and 10 meter canter circles were dull and flat these last few spring days, coinciding with Delphi displaying all the classic symptoms of full "heat" (the estrus period is what we call "heat" or the period of physical symptoms displayed several days just before the mare ovulates in her overall 21 day estrous cycle [6 years of collegiate and graduate study brilliantly worked into a blog posting-- thank you Mom and Dad-- see: all your sacrifice to put me through college has paid off]).

To liven her up and get her thinking forward, we almost exclusively schooled medium canter to collected canter transitions today during our lesson with Karen. Delphi has a definite cue- the rider's legs come forward slightly and the rider's seat springs more horizontal and less vertical- for medium canter. Today I also backed up that cue with fluttering the whip so we developed an immediate giddyup response. After five strides of lengthened canter down the long side, I turned Delphi onto a 20 meter half circle and lengthened down the opposite long side, then developed an immediate come back response by bringing my legs back, firming my guts and bracing my back in a collected 10 meter circle. We repeated this a few times in each direction 'til we were getting legitimate canter lengthenings and returns to collection without me having to maul on the reins, but rather using my core, seat and legs to create the lengthening and collection.

Glamorous?

So normal people probably don't consider a truck and trailer something exciting. Back in 2007 when I got my CM Odyssey two horse bumper pull, I was quite proud, even enough to pose for photos! Having your own trailer is a real sense of freedom and since then I've been increasingly able to attend shows, away lessons, and clinics with much more frequency than would be possible if I were relying on a trainer or borrowing.
I dropped off the little trailer that could today at New West Truck and Trailer (6317 McKeever CR100, Manvel, TX 281-489-7920: a great father/son team I recommend wholeheartedly) for its annual maintenance/inspection/repair. Our little trailer is an important, if unglamorous, component of team Delphi and I mean to keep it safely going as long as possible.

Looking Ahead

Mailed in our entries yesterday for the March 27 Topsider show. Our goal at this show is to earn our final score in first level and our initial score in second level toward our USDF bronze medal.

11th Hour Breakthroughs

Delphi had her annual teeth float done yesterday by her veterinarian Dr. Michael Davis. Added to that, today was my fourth ride trying a new bit: a straight bar egg butt snaffle with natural rubber wrapped over the bar at each outside edge.

After the first 20 minutes of the lesson grinded by and I still had not managed to get my horse on the bit, I was beginning to feel frustrated. Karen, knowing that I've been working on raising Delphi's neck Jeff Moore style, noted that I am simply "posing" Delphi's neck and not really ever getting her back up or getting her through the aids. Karen asked me to abandon for the moment raising the neck and having only a tenuous on the bit connection and focus for the time on allowing Delphi to relax her neck by riding her deep and what would seem to me over-round or "behind the vertical."

My breakthrough moment finally arrived only after Karen got on Delphi for a show and tell session: Karen kept Delphi's neck lower and her frame rounder. When I got back on, it occurred to me that while my elbows are nicely down as they should be, my hands are too far up and far too busy. By keeping my elbows down and my wrists set in a straight line to the bit (to me it felt as though my elbows were straight though they certainly were not) with my hands low and quiet, I was able to keep Delphi's head lower and relaxed in a deeper, rounder frame (read reliably on the bit). To add more impulsion I simply spring quicker and higher, thus activating the back-as-sensory-organ thereby improving collection, suppleness, throughness, balance and self carriage: all prerequisites to second level.

The straight bar egg butt snaffle bit? Karen told me that while occasionally trying different bits can indeed be beneficial, for now go ahead and put the bit back in the ol' tack trunk and go back to riding in my reliable, if plain, loose ring snaffle.

Jeff Moore Clinic at Belle Terre

February 28 (my birthday!) found Delphi and me at Belle Terre again for two lessons with Jeff Moore. Some key points follow:

• In shoulder in to renver (such as in 2nd level test 3) the rider's sagital plane is at a 35 degree angle from the wall (we'll say we're in left shoulder in) left, with the horse's head turned a little left. When you turn the horse's head right, keep the rider's sagital plane exactly the same and this is now renver. You must release the left rein when you turn the horse's head right. Make the angle with the sagital plane left for "left shoulder in" then turn the horse's head right and GIVE the left rein, keeping the rider's same left angle with the sagital plane angled 35 degrees left. The rider's guts hold the horse at the left angle while her head is turned right. The rider's sagital plane stays the same in shoulder in and renver. The horse's body angle stays the same in shoulder in and renver.
  

From shoulder in, I give the left rein, keep my sagital plane the same, and will then turn Delphi's head right to begin renver:

• In canter, the rider's seat must reach back and each time the thigh and knee should slither back as well. To develop the horse's back as a sensory organ in the canter to trot transition: in canter give the reins until they're floppy and then trot with your body until the horse flows into trot. Also to cause the horse's back to be a sensory organ in the walk (or trot) to canter: give a floppy rein in walk (or trot) then ask the horse to canter. Jeff suggested doing this a couple times in each warm up. Later you can add contact to keep the horse round, soft, light, bent etc rather than using contact as a handbrake. We must re-develop the horse's back as a sensory organ.
  

In canter I work on active reach back and allowing my thigh and knee to slide back:

• For walk pirouette, put your outside seatbone back and across. That does two things in one: 1) it displaces the rider's weight to the inside and 2) it turns the rider's sagital plane to the outside. The strongest influence for getting the horse's legs to work right in walk pirouette is the sitting with your outside seatbone back and across. Then the inner rein can say "you could turn dear-- you're fine." If you put your right seatbone back and across that turns your entire upper body to the right. The outside hindleg must keep stepping to midline: cause this by putting your outside seatbone back and across.
  

Delphi's outside (left) hindleg stepping toward midline as a result of me putting my outside (left) seatbone back and across and turning my sagital plane left:
Delphi's outside (right) hindleg stepping toward midline as a result of me putting my outside (right) seatbone back and across and thus turning my sagital plane right: