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Sunday, September 05 2021 / Published in Sidelines Feature

Eventing With Boyd Martin

What would you look for in an OTTB? I’m considering one for low-level eventing and would like to know your thoughts on what’s desirable. — Angel, via Facebook

For the first half of my career, I became somewhat of an expert at trying to pick a Thoroughbred that had changed careers and had potential for eventing. After much trial and error, I came up with some criteria that would put the laws of probability on your side.

A big thing is evaluating the character of the horse. Obviously, it’s easier to train a quiet, clear-thinking, relaxed horse. A lot of Thoroughbreds who have just finished racing are pretty fiery and hot. Some will settle down once they’re away from the track, but some stay fresh and frantic forever. If there’s a way to get a feel for whether it’s a calmer horse, it makes life so much easier.

Next, I look for the type. Sadly, in American racing there is a lot of 2-year-old sprinting, for which breeders tend to produce a somewhat smaller, shorter, more downhill horse. These types of horses are hard to convert to eventing. If you can, find yourself a big, uphill, strong-boned-type Thoroughbred with a better trot and more of a championship look once they change to their new career.

Third, conformation is important. Obviously, we want a horse to last another 12 to 15 years; if we can evaluate the horse’s legs and feet, correct-shaped feet with good angles leads to a sounder horse later. A horse that has fairly straight action with its legs will also stay sounder longer.

Fourth is trying to evaluate the horse’s natural talent. You want swing in the trot, a balanced canter and a good walk. It’s hard in the early days to evaluate the jump, so all I’m looking for is the horse’s natural jump. You want the horse’s natural instinct to be to ping upwards. Over time, you can improve the technique through training, but usually a horse’s natural scope and power is his total scope and power — that’s a hard thing to build into the horse as time goes on.

There are always exceptions to the rules. Some horses’ jump will change over time; some will stay hot, some will quiet down; or a horse with crooked legs might stay sound forever. It’s hard to find a perfect horse and I would recommend that you forgive one or two dings if you really like the animal. 

My horse tosses his head and breaks from trot to canter, fighting the bit, on the approach to a jump, when heading toward home. He gets very strong and rushes. He’s not attached to a buddy or sour about leaving his pasture, he generally loves to work. Any advice? — Caitlin, via Facebook

First things first, you have to really work hard at getting your horse in a correct frame. This can take thousands of hours, months of training on the flat getting the horse accepting the bridle, moving off your leg and working soft through his back. Start with a rail on the ground and maintain this softness and even connection before, during and after the pole on the ground. As time goes on, change that pole to a little jump, still insisting on correctness before, over and after the jump. It’s very simple; some people will go to gadgets and fancy bits, bridles and draw reins, but there is no replacement for fundamental training. Your horse is not a robot where you pull this lever and push that button; it takes hours and hours to develop the correct basics, and eventually you’ll get there.

Do you have any tips for keeping a green or anxious horse calm in a new environment, like at a show? —  Adrianne, via Facebook

The first thing I’d advise is repetition. Some horses get more nervous than others, but the more you can expose your animal to different environments and new experiences, the better. Everyone is excited by a new experience and the more you do it the less exciting it becomes. The first step is to get them going really well at home, then off your property, to another farm down the road, to schooling shows and so on. The more we do this and school them, eventually they’ll take a breath and go in the same manner that they go at home. Obviously there are different techniques like pre-riding, lunging, calming supplements and so on, but the most basic thing is repetition until it becomes no big deal to go somewhere new.

Eventing photo:

Boyd advises taking green or anxious horses to new environments and expose them to new experiences before they are ready to compete. 

Photo by Ruby Tevis

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Tagged under: boyd-martin, eventing, ottb

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It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

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Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
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An outstanding Pedigree- Chacco Blue and Diamant de Semilly
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You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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