More Helmet Matters

(Courtney King update as of March 10 from Lendon Gray is: "Another day with 'no bad news is good news.' Courtney had an MRI and it shows no damage beyond what they already knew from the cat scan the day after the injury. We all breathed a little sigh of relief at this news.")

Ever since I got my friend's call and good advice to wear my helmet, I've been doing some pretty deep thinking concerning helmet use and our sport in general, along with some further research.

The CDC says that an estimated 30 million Americans ride horses each year, and that 92,763 ER visits were made in the US for injuries related to horseback riding. The greatest number of injuries occurred in the 25-44 year age group; injury rates were highest for 5-24 year olds, especially for females.

The CDC sums it up thusly: No horse is a safe horse; some are safer than others but the horse is a potentially lethal animal. Prevention of accidents and injuries is dependent upon using knowledge previously attained from studying horse activities. Because of the potential of severe of head injury, horseback riders should wear a properly secured hard shell helmet lined with expanded polystyrene or similar material. Helmet use has been endorsed by several medical and trade organizations, and national performance standards for helmets are available. To reduce injuries, riders should wear properly fitting heeled boots and nonskid gloves, avoid loose fitting clothing, regularly maintain and inspect equipment, replace worn parts, and use appropriately sized stirrups. Safety practices of riders may improve when they are trained by experienced instructors who emphasize safe riding techniques, and who themselves wear helmets while riding. In addition, riding safety may improve for riders who use appropriate techniques to stop, start, and turn a horse and to perform a rapid (emergency) dismount.
The One Rein Stop and Ceil's Emergency Dismount come to mind!

How often should helmets be replaced?
You should replace your helmet anytime you’re in an accident, whether the impact is severe or minor. Even if you don’t see any damage, the inside material of the helmet where impact occurred could have been compromised. In addition, experts recommend replacing your helmet every five years or sooner. Time takes its toll on the material properties of a helmet mainly because of small dings and bumps as well as the effects of temperature variations that occur over time, expanding and compressing the materials over and over again. Another reason to regularly exchange your helmet is the ongoing improvement in helmet technology, which sometimes is not obvious to the public. So although there is a range of issues that might make an earlier replacement necessary, 5 years is the maximum time Troxel recommends waiting before replacing a helmet. See the Troxel site for more safety info.

Courtney Update

Courtney King remains in a coma but in stable condition as of Monday morning March 8. See a letter from her husband Jason Dye on her website Courtney King Dressage.
On behalf of Courtney, a tearful and emotional Lendon Gray accepted the $25,000 grant that Courtney won from Carol Lavel yesterday at the Palm Beach Derby. You can read more on Robert Dover's site, Dressage Daily, or check Lendon Gray's facebook page.
Meanwhile, keep wearing your helmet.

More Sad News

I was sad to read this in my inbox this morning:

Dressage mare Blue Hors Matine, whose dressage freestyle at the 2006 WEG in Aachen became an internet video sensation, was euthanized January 25 after breaking a leg in a paddock accident, Blue Horse Stud Director Esben Moller said in a statement. The 13 year old Dutch mare was ridden by Andreas Helgstrand of Denmark. She retired from competition in 2009 following unsuccessful recuperation from a tendon injury at the Las Vegas World Cup in 2007. The YouTube video of her 2006 WEG freestyle has received nearly 10 million views.

Matine is one of my favorites. It's sad to feel our relationships with those we love can be so tenuous. Time spent with our loved ones-equine, canine, human- seems all the more precious.

See updates on Courtney King Dye on Robert Dover's website.

Wear Your Helmet

Delphi was standing in cross-ties being groomed when I got the call that Courtney King Dye had been hurt in a horse accident. My barn buddy and fellow equestrian called to tell me the news, but more than that, as my friend she urged me to wear my helmet every time I ride. Yes, I wear my helmet when I ride a new horse, or when I'm riding a green horse, or when jumping, or when away at unfamiliar surroundings. But I confess I have gotten into a complaisance with my own mare that I know and trust, and have been in the habit of wearing only a ball cap (for sun protection of all things). When my good friend heard the news about Courtney's skull fracture, she said she thought about me and wanted to insist, cajole, urge, beg or otherwise encourage me to wear my helmet consistently.
Point taken. I put my helmet on even as I was hanging up my phone, and wore it today on my trustworthy mare during our routine riding lesson. Ever after, I will continue to put my helmet on as part of my uniform; just as I wouldn't dream of riding without boots, breeches, and gloves, my helmet will now always be de rigueur.
Thank you, Ceil, again, for your sage and timely advice. With the rest of our dressage community, I am praying for a complete and strong recovery for Courtney.

In light of this accident, Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of helmet use for riders of all disciplines. Read more on Blitz's website.

Barn On The Bayou

We met this turtle on the trail ride that was Delphi's reward for schooling flying changes: the first one she changed late behind, and the second one she cantered-halted-cantered in new lead (with NO trot steps, but no walk steps either-- abrupt!) but was obedient and very good effort on her part.

The Elusive Flying Change

We schooled a flying change today in our lesson with Karen Brown. By "schooled" I mean attempted but never quite got there. A brisk, clear day, an incredibly fit, fresh horse, and the previous week off led to some explosive (though quite good at times) canter! We even had a couple runaway attempts, with a one rein stop so vigorous that it pulled the loose ring snaffle bit completely through Delphi's mouth and out the other side (not often seen in upper level dressage I know-- but there it was). Now that Jeff Moore has made me aware of my "armpit muscles," my arms are much more consistent and Delphi is much more relaxed. Yay for us!

Lateral Flexions and Engaging the Inside Hindleg

...is what we worked on today in our lesson with Karen Brown. When you ask for a lateral flexion (by bending too far to the inside with the inside rein and activating the haunches with the inside leg) it is important to remember to follow through by engaging the horse's inside hindleg. This causes the horse to bear more weight onto the hindquarter during the support phase of the stride which lowers the croup and lightens the forehand (from "Glossary of Judging Terms" USDF Directory).
We also snuck in one flying change today. The key in preparing for the flying change is to make sure the horse is very STRAIGHT (straightness is defined as improved alignment and balance, allowing the horse to engage both hind legs evenly, with improved lateral as well as longitudinal balance of the horse). An exercise that helped us prepare for flying change of lead today: Begin collected canter, say on the right lead. Turn down centerline at C and leg yield toward F. Again, turn down the next centerline at A, then (still in right lead canter) change the bend to the left while maintaining the aids for right lead canter and leg yield (think counter canter) toward M. Before the corner and M, and only when the horse is very straight (remember this means cantering with good alignment, balance, with the hindlegs engaged and good lateral and longitudinal balance), then ask for the flying change of lead by stepping into the "new" inside (left) stirrup and giving a bump with the rider's new outside (right) leg. Things will fall apart quickly if the horse is allowed to canter on the forehand or the rider becomes un-organized, so it is absolutely necessary (and extremely helpful!) that the horse remains Straight.

Janet Foy Seminar hosted by HDS

A special treat for me, I got to sit with Janet during lunch where she amused us all with tales of her first horse named "Snakes" and the subsequent Welsh pony and Appaloosa named "Chief" that got her started as a child in the world of horses.

There is much to digest from the Janet Foy seminar Saturday, February 13 at Rice University. Janet began with the Training Scale, which she said is the "basis for everything." She explained that dressage judges in the US have to ride to the level they judge, which is not so for many other countries including England and Australia. The goal of USDF is to make the US judges better. One way we as riders can help facilitate this is by filling out judge evaluation forms at shows (or from forms online) when we feel judging errors have been made. Janet emphasized that these evaluations are confidential and that this past year several judges have even lost their judge's license due to these evaluations. "Santa Clause" judges, who are too generous with their scores, have also received letters for example for giving 69 plus scores, but then the same rider is unable to make even the 55 required at the regionals. The FEI judges must have a conference when there is a greater than 5% difference in scores; Janet feels US judges could benefit by judging on panels and conferring with their peers. Additionally, US, Canada, and Mexico are the only countries that pay our judges. Sadly, the US lost our team placing when Courtney King-Dye was kicked out for illegal drug use (for the horse). The Olympic committee took away our $60,000 funding, with no entry to London until we medal at WEG which will be tough to do. We need to send a strong team to the Pan Am games in Mexico.


Continuing with the training scale:

• Rhythm: you have it or you don't; there are no degrees or good/bad. If pervasive unsoundness is present (the gait is irregular due to unsoundness) the horse should be eliminated to prevent serious damage. Walk or canter issues won't cause an elimination, but rather is a scoring issue. A new rule allows bute, but you cannot stack (using two or more different NSAIDs together). A regular gait should automatically start with a score of 6, then move up or down from there based on the essence of the movement, the basics, and any modifiers. Score=quality.
  
• Relaxation: an extra point is given for suppleness
• Connection: "lightness" means elevation and lightness in the horse's shoulders. Contact must be EVEN. "To lean on the bit" is the literal translation from the original German for contact.
• Impulsion: how the energy is going to be used.
• Straightness: the balance must be toward the hindquarter in 2nd level and above, but not at 1st level and below. At 2nd level collection is expected to come and go; there should be an "uphill tendency." For a correct turn on the haunches, you can be three feet off the rail and it is still not too big. Shoulder fore is the best way to keep the horse straight. Half pass and travers (haunches in) are the only movement where the shoulder is on the track. We desire mobility and the horse desires stability. Mobility leads to...
• Collection: balance to the hindquarter with lightness of the forehand.

An equation that Janet uses while judging is:
Gait(quality) + Basics + Essence +- Modifiers = Score
where an example of Essence of the movement for leg yield is the crossing of the legs; an example of Modifiers is if and how well you use the corners to prepare. The best horse with the best training wins.

The Gaits:
Walk: Janet explained that a good way to improve a lateral walk is by slowing the walk while in shoulder in. Uneven walk versus unlevel, where uneven talks about the length of the steps and unlevel talks about the height of the the steps.
Trot: For an incorrect or "passagey" trot, the best way to improve is to quicken the hindlegs.
Canter: Janet explained how Fresians can have a tendency to canter with the hindleg out behind, making it harder for them to do correct true flying changes.

Janet believes that too many judges give the horse a 4 or 5 in submission and the rider a 6 when it should be the other way around for a horse that tries and a rider that is not quite there.

Concerning the new national (USDF) tests for 2011:
Now there will be only three tests per level with a maximum of six minutes for any test, in the hopes that riders can show all three tests in the respective level at each show they attend.

Training level: Transitions will be all on circles to help the horse's balance.

First level: we can expect quite a bit of change, no more "canter hell" as Janet put it; rather the canter periods will be interspersed with trot and walk. The rider can choose to sit or rise the trot, and there will be leg yield zig zag pattern out of the corner to x then back to the corner. The requirement for the lengthening in 1st level will now be called "moderate" with no transition score for lengthened trot, only for the comeback transition from the canter lengthening.

Second level: still has simple changes, but not every second level test will have rein back and turn on the haunches. Rather, in test 1: shoulder in; in test 2: haunches in; in test 3: shoulder in to renvers. Second level will have more counter canter.

Third level: the trot requirement will remain much the same, with some more counter canter but not very much change in third level.

Fourth level: Happily, Janet said that 4th level will be "way easier!" Tests 2 and 3 have "working" canter pirouettes, no tempis, and three changes on the diagonal line "near" a respective marker and three changes every fourth stride in test 3 but no serpentine in test 3.

Janet seemed to get it that people would show at a level beyond which they are fully capable, such as at grand prix even if there is a hole somewhere such as the horse does not piaffe, passage, or have the one tempis but the person does not have the luxury of having four or five FEI horses in their life.

From the video segments:
"Stretchy circle:" The Essence of the movement is: Out plus Down plus Rider maintains a contact. The Modifiers would be the size of the circle, correct bend, and correct speed.

Half pass: Weight the side toward which the horse is moving. The horse should wait for the sideways aid, and the horse should move the shoulders first.

Travers (haunches in) now requires the horse to travel on FOUR tracks. Renver is also on four tracks.

Turn on the haunches: can be one meter in diameter.

Simple changes of canter: The essence is Canter, then Walk, then Canter, with no trot steps in between.

Medium trot: make clear transitions at the respective letters; make half steps in trot in the corner then go forward out of the corner at the end of the movement.

Shoulder in: Janet used the "gunslinger" analogy: When the shoulder comes in yoou should be able to shoot the horse's ear with each respective six gun in each hand. Sit into the stirrup in the direction the horse should move.

Rhythm is four beat, three beat, or two beat, where Tempo is fast versus slow. Tempo should actually slow in a lengthening to allow for more ground cover.

Some final titbits:
In Janet's opinion, Straightness and Suppleness are the "biggies" in the training scale. What is the most important body part in riding dressage? The BRAIN. We as riders should read the directives for each movement of each test we ride, and read the rule book. This is free (and important!) information. The horse/rider pendulum swings from the two extremes of extended gaits to collected gaits (canter pirouettes and piaffe) where extended gaits cover the most ground but get lower to the ground and collected gaits such as canter pirouettes and piaffe add the most height. The FEI rider should be able to ride everything in between with transitions from one end of the spectrum to the other. As work-a-day campaigners, we should be striving toward two or three steps toward extension, then two or three steps toward collection, and back again.

How Delphi passes the time when it's too wet to go out:

Maneuvering the Shoulders and Haunches