Ottawa, ON — Jump Canada is pleased to announce the members of the 2011 Jump Canada Talent Squad.  During the 2010 season, 13 Talent Squad qualifying competitions were held in the Eastern Division while 10 qualifying competitions comprised the Western Division.  The top five riders from each division form the 2011 Jump Canada Talent Squad.

Rider                          …

Who hasn’t begged for a pony for Christmas? My generation scrutinized the color plates of horse breeds in the H volume of our aged Encyclopedia Britannica. Some of us read Black Beauty a dozen times. We held Man from Snowy River film festivals at home. Kids today haunt websites like…

2011 Equine Canada Annual Convention Not to be Missed!

Ottawa, ON—The 2011 Equine Canada Annual Convention is set for January 24–31, 2011 at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa, ON.

For eight days, members of the equestrian community from across Canada will be able to participate in a selection of meetings, clinics, seminars, symposiums and forums tailored to the unique issues affecting…

Ottawa, ON—Dressage Canada is pleased to announce the rehiring of Robert Dover as Technical Coach/Advisor on an interim basis, for the period of January 1 — April 1, 2011.

Robert Dover’s prior contract with Dressage Canada expired October 15, 2010. During his tenure and under his guidance, the Canadian Dressage Team achieved its highest placing at a world championships (seventh at the…

Ottawa, ON—The Equine Canada Competitions and Officials Committees are pleased to announce the success of the Equine Canada Bronze Officials Subsidy Program in 2010.  Developed as a pilot in 2010, the Equine Canada Bronze Officials Subsidy Program awarded more than $6500 in funding to organizers of Equine Canada Bronze competitions.

Twenty two Bronze competitions in eight provinces representing the disciplines of hunter/jumper, endurance, driving,…

Ottawa, ON—Canadian Eventing Committee is pleased to announce the 2011 Canadian National Eventing Team and Talent Squad. The Canadian Eventing High Performance Committee approved the list which recognizes performance results achieved at 2, 3 and 4 star CCI competitions and CIC 3 star competitions to November 11, 2010. Riders are listed in alphabetical order.

SHORT LIST

The 2011 Short List is comprised of horse/rider combinations which have proven through their…

Dressage Canada Announces 2011 Short and Long Lists

Ottawa, Ontario—Dressage Canada is pleased to announce the 2011 Dressage Short and Long Lists. The horse/rider combinations were selected based on criteria that considered 2010 competition results.

The following horse/rider combinations have been identified as official members of the 2011

Dressage Canada Short List A

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I wanted to share this little glimpse into my life as Official show photographer because many people who have attended my Equine Photography Workshops have aspirations of one day  following my career path. And becoming a full time Equine Photographer.

A way of life I can wholeheartedly recommend if you love to work outdoors with horses and their…

I am currently looking to buy my horse a breastplate; one with elastic so that she can have freedom of movement over large fences. Here's the thing: I am on a budget (cannot spend more than $160.00) and I am leaning towards a 5-point breastplate or a regular elastic breastplate. What do you ridders out there prefer? As far as brands go, I've been told that Kieffer is a good brand, but I would have to wait 4-6 weeks to get it…

Le français suit l’anglais

December 14, 2010

Canada's Equine Code of Practice to be Updated by Diverse Committee of Stakeholders

Ottawa, ON—Equine Canada is pleased to announce the Equine Code Development Committee of 18 stakeholder representatives from eight provinces has been finalized and the next stage of revising the Code of Practice for Horses, last developed in 1998, can begin. Following the nationally recognized…

Le français suit l’anglais

December 13, 2010

Yann Candele Currently Top Canadian in World Cup Standings

Ottawa, ON—Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, closes out the 2010 season currently ranked as the top Canadian in the North American World Cup League standings.

In Toronto at the Royal Horse Show, Candele collected 10 points for his…

Para-Equestrian Canada Announces 2011 Election Results

Ottawa, ON—Para-Equestrian Canada is pleased to announce the 2011 election results for positions on the Canadian Para-Equestrian Committee (CPEC).

Jane James of Duncan, BC, and Isabel Reinertson of Salmon Arm, BC, both current CPEC members and were nominated by the general Para-Equestrian Canada membership and subsequently elected by acclamation for two-year-terms on the Committee.…

Margaret wrote:

I have just read your book and loved it. I’ve been ploughing through various horse training methods and ideas with some positive outcomes but not without feeling like a perfectionist, pushing up the pressure in getting the job done. I was left with a feeling of anxiety every time I went to work with a horse. I read “One with the Herd” which led me next to your book and related toit in…

Natural Horsemanship in the Grand Prix Ring – is there a link?

By Lindsey Forkun, www.LFEquestrian.com

Natural horsemanship is a training phenomenon that has been gaining popularity all over the world. Primarily it seems that mostly Western riders and pleasure riders are the ones to pick up this new technique, but what about the English and Jumper riders? What about in the Grand Prix Show Jumping…

While reading Gustav Steinbrecht's "The Gymnasium of the Horse" I was impressed that he did not seem to think that the "classical" dressage seat was suitable for riding all horses all the time. As a Forward Seat rider I was particularly impressed by Steinbrecht's "forward" seat (which he calls the "crotch seat") and how much it resembles the Forward Seat for Slow Equitation (as described in my blog…

I've dealt with a lot of spooky dressage horses, and I find that often shying gets worse because riders do one or all of the following things.



1. Hit or kick him to make him obedient.

2. Make him walk straight up to scary object and face it straight on.

3. Forget to go around your ring in both directions.

4. Force him to go close to the scary object.

5. Patting and soothing him while he’s shying.



Let's understand the nature of…

For this blog I’m going to try something a little different – I have invited my wife Sabine to take the floor – and be warned; this is going to be a pretty blatant pitch for the difference a female saddle  can make to your comfort and riding!

Hi – this is Sabine Schleese writing to you; this guest appearance is actually due to a conversation I have recently had with someone who just a while ago became a complete convert to what…

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the farm,

Only one horse was stirring, the brown one in the barn,

The only one to hang a stocking from his feed dish that night,

Hoping that Santa would come, and fill it just right.

The other horses were settled quietly in their stalls,

While their dreams were of horse treats, candy canes and riding halls,

And the cat in the hay barn and the dog on his mat,

Had just snuggled in for a long winter's…

“The threat of Christmas hung in the air…”

This is a stressful time of the year. Some of the stress is good stress; children’s programs at church, parties, presents, all kinds of cookies, and family dinners. Some of the stress is not so good; unreal expectations, emotional strain, expense, time pressures, and family dinners.

Humans like routines as much…