One of the most popular seminars at the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention is always the Training Solutions For Top Event Riders and this year was no different with the extensive panel speaking to a packed room. The session is informal with audience members asking questions and the members of the panel taking turns answering.

Panel: Karen O’Connor, Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton, Leslie Law, Clayton Fredericks, Buck Davidson, Lynn Symansky, Hannah Sue Burnett, Shannon Lilley.

Q: What creative items do you guys use that may be successful training wise?

KO: Huge success with a leather bit for dressage. Really soft in their month.

BM: Avoid using strong bits, rare to compete through prelim with anything but a snaffle

PD: Standing martingale – can’t compete in them but it is good training habit wise.

LL: Can’t get away from the correct training. Stay away from draw reins – you need to be a very good rider to ride in draw reins and if you are a very good rider why are you using side reins? I try to stay away from gadgets?

CF: The lunging bungy – elasticated bungy (neck stretcher in America). Much better than side reins because it allows the rider to stretch equally to the contact and then gives back. I have had a lot of success with removing the nose bands and have your horse submit to you more naturally. Still underestimated how important it is to look at the inside of your horse’s mouth when you choose your bits.

BD: Never jump at home without a snaffle. Take stuff away e.g the stirrups from the saddle, take away the reins in an enclosed situation.

SL: I also use leather bits – really helps the horse’s yield to the contact. I try to take the gadgets away because there is not substitute for good training.

HB: I love breastplates – it terrifies me when I see horses jumping without a breastplate.

LS: I do a lot of work riders with riders on the lunge – take the stirrups and reins away.

Q: Any ideas on how to get a horse not to grind their teeth?

KO: I have had luck with putting a tiny bit of dirt in the horse’s mouth right before you go into the ring.

BM: Gum bits

Q: What’s the progression for a young horse on what you do and what you ask for on each day?

PD: I like to establish that when you are on the horse they are listening to you all the time. Your horse always needs to be going forward all the time from your aid. As you get more education you add roundness, softness, etc. Sending a young horse to an experienced person is much better than sending then to an inexperienced person.

BD: For me it is bit like a kid who is never told no until it is too late. They need to go forward, straight all the time but I have a goal each day and once I achieve that goal I finish for the ride.

CF: The horse no matter the level needs to be in front of your leg and submissive to the contact. When you kick them to go they go and as you progress it becomes more fine-tuned. Gradually as you reinforce those ideas you can eventually be dancing with the horse. Cross-country ultimately comes down to is the horse in front of the leg? If the rider asks it to go forward to jump it goes.

LL: If you identify the training scales you are never going to go wrong. It is important to listen to your horse – a 4-year-old might only have 15 minutes in them.

KO: If we asked eachother on how to hack a horse out – they would be marching, overtracking, working at the walk. The go walk hack with a purpose.

Q: Any tips on how to deal with a horse who is very nervous in warm-up?

SL: I find if you can do as much desensitization at home as possible it helps. If you can ride with lots of horses in the ring at home and get them tons of distraction. There is nothing that replaces going off of the property as much as possible – they grow up so much more.

HB: Break it down, start with one-on-one, start slowly, then do two horses then three horses. Be really patient until they are comfortable. Taking them into a big warm-up and just having them deal with it

Q: What do you think is important in a young horse: conformation vs heart vs talent?

BM: It needs to have the ability to gallop for 11 minutes and jump about 35 big jumps. Pretty good jumping ability. Pretty good in the dressage as well. I don’t nit-pick too much conformationally. I go for more rangy horses with 60-70% TB.

PD: I would rather get a horse with a really good horse that is easy to train. There is nothing more frustrating than having a very talented that is hard to train.

LL: I am looking for 60% TB so you have got that gallop and the stamina at the top level. Good technique and scope over a fence. Good walk, good canter. If they have everything else I will forgive a poor trot. Temperament is huge. As well as heart. Difficult to see in 40 minutes though.

CF: The biggest mistake that lower level riders make is going for a 4-star winner rather than isolating the level you want to compete. You are much better with a good attitude who wants to help you out. When I am looking for a 4-star horse I am looking for what these guys are, but quite often they surprise you with what they can to. Breed them with good attitudes.

KO: Make sure that you and the horse are a good match with personality. Bucket horse. You bring one bucket of feed out to 5 horses. Identify the attitudes of the horses and find the one that matches your personality.

Q: The differences in the qualities in the ones that you buy in this country vs. abroad?

BM: If you go to Europe (Ireland/England/France/Holland) there are thousands of horses breeding sport horses and in America we don’t have those people. They are all trying to breed horses for the Olympics within a few hours of themselves. We just don’t have that band of breeders chasing the perfect event horse.

SL: I agree with Boyd, if you go abroad you have the opportunity to ride a lot of horses in a day and just being able to get the numbers is pretty huge and that in of itself makes it worth it.

CF: We call that tire-kicking, Shannon!

Q: If you could pick one horse of any of the other riders on the panel which would you pick and why?

HB: Neville Bardos b/c my horse is pretty similar and I think I would enjoy that type of xc machine

LL: I would have to go with Inmidair – it is a very fantastic jumper, and I think she has done a fantastic job producing that horse. It could definitely medal.

CF: I’ll ride anything! If anyone wants to give me one I’ll take it.

Q: I have a horse that is very polite and obedient but he is very short-gaited and doesn’t want to reach all the way to the bridle?

BD: To me to get a horse to take the contact – I do a lot of transitions, forward and back, you have to get them to go forward first.

CF: I like the horses really light in the contact and providing that they aren’t getting behind the contact and as long as they are obedient.

Q: How have your horse’s fitness plans evolved from the long format to the short format for the upper level competition.

LL: A fit horse is a fit horse, I haven’t really changed that much. Coming from the UK there is an awful lot of steeplechasing back there and the different distances get same the fit the same where. I start with long slow cantering and then when I have a base on the horse I sprint them on a hill. William Fox-Pitt told me about doing one 12 minute canter to get the conditioned to going that length of time even if it isn’t at competition speed. I work to the conditions I am cantering on – not very scientific.

CF: The horses need to have a greater intensity of fitness now at the higher levels. It is about the amount of jumps you are doing in a minute – the galloping between the jumps is even faster so you need to have them fitter. More sprinting now then we may have done in the past.

BD: Once a horse is fit you need to know when the horse is fit. I do a lot of trotting and a lot less galloping and the longer slow gallops similar to Leslie. The training has stayed the same, but the riding has gotten better.

Q: How much down time do you give your horses?

LS: I think it depends on the horse – after a big 3-day I like to give them about a month. Then start back walking and into full work.

Q: What is your favorite exercise to teach a horse to be more brave jumping?

BD: I think it is important for a horse to know that it just can’t stop. With a young horse on xc I always approach jumps that they would be able to bunny hop over –they need to get the understanding they land it is okay.

CF: It is really important as a rider that you are fit and learn to balance so you use your legs and hands independently so that you don’t interfere with the horse and make them stop.

Q: How often do you jump your upper level horses at bigger heights?

HB: I think it depends on the horse, I have one who hardly ever jumps the height and another who is just moving up the level so needs to jump more.

Q: For the average rider who needs to have some brakes that is not responding to the snaffle on xc are their other suggestions you have?

BD: The first thing that comes into your mind is that it needs to come down to training – no quick gadget to solve the problem. Plenty of transitions, expand the levels between speeds, if your horse doesn’t slow down it means you haven’t trained it properly.

LL: When you are producing horses it is extremely important to train it on the cross-country. Teach them to be settled, go in a rhythm, and not fall. If you have got a strong horse in the upper levels the time becomes quite difficult to make. It is better to have something in your horse’s mouth that he respects than mauling on him all day long in a snaffle. It really does become a trial and error situation in a competition situation.

SL: Why is the horse running? If you thought you bought an appropriate horse why is it strong now? If you don’t have an independent hand or leg they might be running away from you. The lighter feel you have the better.

CF: Having just come from Australia where I must have talked over a hundred riders in the last few weeks, this is a problem that I addressed often. Nine out of 10 we saw it with the correction of the rider’s position. I spend time looking in the horse’s mouth and finding something that is suitable for the construction of the mouth.

BM: Put a fence into the hay shed.

Q: I train at a farm and I have inherited a few problem horses and they aren’t young but they are very inconsistent and spooky. How do you train them?

BD: Take the horse back a few steps, start in a confined and area and work up from there as I go. You have to understand when it just isn’t right you have to cut your ties and realize that there is another horse out there.

Q: What are some strategies for teaching a warmblood to gallop?

LL: I gallop them with another horse just like with the racing, hunting, teach them to compete a little bit.

Q: When do you step in with an amateur and tell them to throw in the towel with the wrong horse?

BM: I think you can improve a horse but not change them. If you are an amateur rider you are better off cutting a mis-behaving loose. Upgrade! It’s like a relationship if your partner beats you or something you are better off getting rid of the guy – there are other blokes in the country.

LS: If the personality isn’t right – it isn’t a failure to sell them on.

Q: What are somethings you can do health-wise that can help an amateur’s horse?

SL: Good horsemanship. Be in a program where you learn good horsemanship and appreciate it. If you aren’t in a program try and educate yourself and go out and be proactive.

CF: It isn’t just about training actually; in our yard we have very close relationships with the vet, farrier, chiropractor, physio, acupuncturists. It isn’t because we are superstitious we see marked results with everything we do.

Q: What are some of your favorite exercises to keep your horses sharp in the indoor in the winter?

LL: I have never stayed in an indoor school for five months!

BD: I do a lot of things in the indoors especially in the clinic that changes the horse’s thinking like turning right off the long side rather than always going left. Jumps into walls – things that make you put your leg on your horse and get them in front of your left.

CF: Leave your horse with your wife and go to sunnier climates.

Q: What can you do to get the most out of the riders to keep up with these horses?

LL: Obviously we ride a lot of horses in the day we are quite riding fit, but prior to Athens Olympics I got a bit more serious. Ran on a machine, went to a heat chamber. I find for riding the most important thing is aerobic fitness.

CF: Before Hong Kong we did a lot of running up the hill. Rider is a core strength so anything you do on an exercise ball helps.

Article source useventing.com

Can I Learn How to Ride Dressage from Online Videos?

By Shannon Dueck

I have often been asked this question, my opinion is both “Yes” and “No”. Full disclosure here:: I do have training videos on one of the popular websites, so that must mean I think they can be useful.
Here are some of my reasons for saying “Yes”:

Theoretical knowledge of horsemanship in general and dressage training in particular is crucial to being successful as a rider and trainer (and yes, you are training your horse every time you sit in that saddle, even if you are not getting paid). You really do need to know the hows and whys of what you are trying to accomplish when you are riding. Without the theoretical background, even the most gifted rider will go round and round in circles (get it?) and never progress. And, the theory of dressage is never completely mastered, so we can all continue to improve our knowledge forever. While books are truly treasure troves of theory, good videos of great trainers who are teaching students or riding and talking while doing so can clarify much of the written word for us.

Many of us are visual learners, myself included. That means that no matter how much we read about it, discuss it, question it and spout the theory ad nauseam, we really don’t get it until we see it done a number of times. I remember as a working student spending many extra hours watching top trainers ride and train. For some reason I could see the half halt and feel it in my body when they were riding. Eventually I could reproduce that half halt myself on a horse – the “Eureka” moment. I finally knew what all the books were talking about. I sure know the moment I felt myself affect the horse’s hindlegs and put them where I wanted them. This was directly related to how many times I had watched great riders do the same thing. I completely believe that we can learn from watching good riding and training, and this learning can sometimes almost bypass the conscious brain and just go straight into our subconscious. (Warning: I also believe we can subconsciously learn bad riding from watching bad riding, so turn away from the train wrecks please!) This is reason number two for a resounding “Yes”.

Reason three is that we have a limited number of horses to ride every day. I ride and teach all day, but that doesn’t mean I am exposed to all different kinds of horses and situations. We can learn from different trainers on different horses; every one has unique challenges in their training process. If you only ride one horse a day, watching applicable video can vastly increase your understanding of how to deal with your own unique challenges.

Reason one for “No” is the same as reason three for “Yes”. It can be confusing to learn from too many trainers, and for that reason I think most students should limit their exposure somewhat to trainers who have similar training methods as your current trainer. Otherwise you can find yourself questioning more, and not progressing. This is fine if your quest is just knowledge for the sake of knowledge (not a bad quest), but it’s not so great for progressing in the actual sport of riding dressage well.

Lastly, if you want to learn how to ride, there is no substitute for riding. Lots of riding. All the theoretical learning, all the questioning, all the discussions, answers and watching will never do for you what hours in the saddle will. You must have the knowledge and understanding of what you are trying to accomplish, but in the end you must develop feel in your body and subconscious. This takes hours in the saddle, being aware of what you are doing, trying to feel your horse and then using your body more effectively to affect your horse in the right ways. In this way, your conscious knowledge turns into unconscious skill.

International Grand Prix trainer and competitor Shannon Dueck is a Pan Am Games Individual Silver Medalist, and has competed at both WEG and the World Cup Final. She has trained with Bert Rutten of the Netherlands, Kathy Connelly, Lars Peterson, Hubertus Schmidt, Robert Dover, and most recently, Wolfram Wittig while in Germany this past summer.

Source dueckdressage.com

Show Jumping: 2011 Aachen Nations Cup News

The 2011 Nations Cup Show Jumping competitions in Aachen, Netherlands – has the Netherlands winning Leg 5 of 8 of the FEI Nations Cup.

FEI NATIONS CUP
The FEI Nations Cup is a five-star competition in which official teams representing nations compare their merit. At each event the teams gain points according to their placing. At the end of the 2011 season the team with the highest points wins the FEI Nations Cup and the two teams with the lowest points will be relegated to the FEI Nations Cup Promotional League. The highest placed team from the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Promotional League Final and the highest placed Team on the FEI European Nations Cup Promotional League standings immediately prior to the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Promotional League Final will join the FEI Nations Cup Top League for 2012.

In July and August, Rotterdam will be the Equestrian Capital of Europe hosting two top equestrian events: the FEI European Dressage Championships and CHIO Rotterdam. To create a more equestrian feel, 25 life-sized models of real horses will be located around the city centre of Rotterdam. The horses will be painted and decorated by local artists and students and will be used for several activities this summer. The organizing committee for the EC and the Rotterdam City Government strongly believe this initiative connects equestrian sports, art and culture.

“At least for a short period Rotterdam will be the Equestrian Capital of Europe,” says Frans Lavooij, president of the Organizing Committee. “The FEI EC Dressage directly followed by the 63rd edition of the CHIO Rotterdam will bring the whole equestrian world to Rotterdam. This is a nice way to profile these major events in our City linking sports, art and culture.”

About FEI European Dressage Championships 2011

From August 17th until 21st 2011, the FEI European Dressage Championships take place. It will be an important competition as this is a Pre-Olympic year and the championships qualify for London 2012. The Dutch have lead the international dressage for many years now and will strongly defend their European title on their home turf. Competition will be intense as 21 countries have applied.

On Wednesday and Thursday there are the Grand Prix Team Championships, Saturday the Grand Prix Special and on Sunday the Grand Prix Freestyle. Saturday night the Equestrian Gala programme is going to be spectacular, a ‘must’ for everybody who likes dressage.

The event will be the perfect opportunity for exposing equestrian sports, particularly dressage. The Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS), City of Rotterdam, Rotterdam Topsport and the CHIO Rotterdam are the organizers of the FEI European Dressage Championships 2011 supported by the main sponsor Rabobank.

Source dressagedaily.com

Recently reported by horsechannel.com, Equine Canada has announced a helmet rule, requiring Dressage Helmets be used by all riders at the Fourth Level and lower.

In response to increased safety concerns in the dressage community, Canada’s governing body of equestrian sport has announced a new rule mandating helmets for some dressage competitors.

Equine Canada announced the new rule in March and it will take effect on May 1, 2011. Under the rule, all riders competing at Fourth Level or below must wear ASTM/SEI or British Standards Institution (BSI) certified protective headgear while mounted at a recognized show. The rule also mandates helmets for any non-competing riders on the showgrounds as well as riders on non-competing horses. This would affect horses or riders schooling on the grounds of a show where they are not competing.

Equine Canada’s rule follows a similar rule change from the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) that took effect earlier this year. Under the USEF’s rule, all riders are required to wear ASTM/SEI certified helmets while mounted with an exception for riders 18 and older competing only in FEI tests, Prix St. Georges and above.

The specific rule changes where posted by EquineCanada.ca recently.

As of May 1st, 2011, the following rule regarding safety headgear will be adopted by Dressage Canada: E4.0 Safety Headgear

1. ASTM/SEI or BSI approved headgear must be worn by all riders showing Fourth Level and below, regardless of age, when mounted on the showgrounds at EC Bronze, Silver and Gold competitions.

2. ASTM/SEI or BSI approved headgear must be worn by all non-competing riders mounted on any competing horse at EC Bronze, Silver and Gold competitions.

3. All riders of any age while on non-competing horses must wear protective headgear at all times while mounted on the competition grounds.

4. The penalty for contravening 4.0.1 is elimination.

5. Non-competing riders who contravene 4.0.2 and/or 4.0.3 will be instructed to dismount until wearing an ASTM/SEI or BSI approved helmet.

David Blake and Catapult Reach New Heights at the Dressage Affaire in Del Mar California.

Dressage Trainer and rider David Blake reached a recent milestone with Catapult the 2006 Markel USEF 6 Year-Old National Champion with a successful debut in the Grand Prix in 2011. Catapult the eleven-year-old Holsteiner by Cantor, which Blake owns and has trained since he broke him at 2 years old, was one of six horses Blake competed at the Dressage Affaire in Del Mar, California. Together with his wife Andrea, the couple own and operate David Blake Dressage in Arroyo Del Mar. “Winning the 2006 Markel USEF 6 Year-Old National Championships Catapult marked a huge turning point for my career and business. All of a sudden, people knew my name.” Thanks to his mentor, trainer and friend Steffen Peters, Blake was given another opportunity.

It was in 2006 that Blake began working with Steffen Peters which ultimately led to an invitation to work and train in with Steffen and Shannon. “Now, Steffen & Shannon Peters took a chance on me by inviting me to train and work at Arroyo Del Mar. This was an incredible move for my business and my career.” Together with his wife Andrea Blake they manage a full barn of exciting dressage stock including his two FEI Pan American hopefuls, Lord Albert and Falsterbo who will be doing their next CDI at the Del Mar National the end of April. And now in their first season in Grand Prix competition, Blake and Catapult scored a 66% in Indio on their first outing, won the Open Grand Prix at Mid-Winter Dressage in Burbank and then again in Del Mar at The Dressage Affaire with a 68.93%.

Source dressagedaily.com

Recently reported by dressagedaily.com, Dressage Trainer/Rider A. Whit Watkins is on a mission.

Anna Whitfield Watkins “Whit” came to Florida on a mission; to ride and compete with the best, then head back to her training base Germany with Hubertus Schmidt and her two FEI mounts and do the same on foreign soil. So far so good as she focuses on the Grand Prix with her KWPN mount Oublette (by Amulet) where she is gained international experience and exposure finishing second in the Grand Prix Special at the IHS Palm Beach Dressage Derby to Swedish Dressage Champion Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven. Watkins continued to gain ground at the Wellington Classic Dressage II with a win in the Intermediaire 2 at 66.579, and a fourth place finish in only her second Grand Prix with a 65.532.

For the hardworking dedicated trainer from Ft. Davis, Texas, Watkins knows what it takes to achieve her dream: to represent her country by being the best that she can be. Guiding Watkins through her work in Florida, US Dressage Team veteran Shelley Francis is impressed. “Whit continues to make definite improvement in the energy and engagement of her horse. She is a serious and dedicated rider, and a delight to coach.”

Since the tragic accident involving Dressage Star Courtney King-Dye, her fellow teammates such as Dressage Olympian Debbie McDonald and others have taken to wearing helmets during Dressage practice and competition.

Recently reported by hdressagedaily.com, Dressage rider Debbie McDonald experienced a bad fall earlier in the year, and credits King-Dye for her fast recovery.

Dressage Olympian Debbie McDonald took a nasty fall earlier this year and credits her recovery to fellow teammate Courtney King Dye. “After Courtney’s accident I wore the helmet in honor of her as a soldier would do for his fallen brother.” Debbie told dressagedaily. “I said from that day that I would never get on a horse without one nor would I teach anyone without one. There is never a day that I don’t think of my Teammate and friend Courtney.” Earlier this year, McDonald had a nasty fall from a young horse. “I went head first and flew about 30 in air before landing. They say that I never even got my hands out in front of me. My helmet had the base of the footing on it and the whole shell shifted.”

While a CAT scan found no bleeding and no apparent fractures, within a week McDonald who had a fusion 20 years ago noticed her neck was not right. An MRI showed that she had a few herniated discs pressing on my spinal cord and nerves. “To be honest there are so many spurs and damage that I am afraid my riding days are over.” Debbie revealed. “They will start doing injections into the disc to help relieve pressure soon.

The concussion has been difficult and it is the mental part that I am having problems with, teaching and not riding is not what I had planned for in my retirement. I do believe that things would have ended up differently if it were not for the helmet I was wearing. I have Courtney to thank for that. Yes, my life is going to change and I have a lot to think about but I am truly lucky to be here. I only hope that Courtney knows how many stories like mine have happened and because of her we will be alright. Courtney, we all love you and can’t wait to see you out there once again!

Debbie is not the first rider to start wearing a helmet due to King-Dye’s fall, as we have previously written in Grand Prix Dressage Rider To Wear Helmet – many Dressage riders have taken to wearing helmets during competition since the tragic accident.

You can learn more about Courtney King-Dye’s accident by reading: King-Dye’s Recovery Unknown After Terrible Fall

Hello everyone!

By tomorrow evening, Guilliani, my mother and I will be at the Gayla Driving Center in Lexington, Kentucky preparing to ride with Dutch Superstar Edward Gal. Early this season, Kelly Gage from Engage Clinics contacted my mother and I to see if we were interested in riding in this prestigious event. Unfortunately, my mothers horse was injured preventing her from taking advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity, so it would just be me and Guilliani attending. If you would have told me a few years ago that I would be chosen to ride with the top dressage rider in the world, I would never have believe it. This is such a honor to be able to ride in front of such an amazing competitor. Edward Gal needs no introduction to riders who follow the international dressage scene. He was wildly successful on the KWPN stallion Lingh and now holds every record imaginable on his newest sensation Totlias. This stunning young stallion is simply mind blowing to watch. Edward manages to get absolutely every ounce of brilliance and expression out of Totilas, while remaining relaxed and giving a look of ease that I never thought possible. Totilas is an extraordinary animal, but I dont think any of it would be possible without Edwards talent as a rider, trainer and competitor.

So after knowing all of this, the next few days feel a little nerve wracking to me to say the least! Tomorrow we will arrive at the Gayla Driving Center. I have never been to this venue, but I hear it is beautiful and bosts a 100′ by 200′ indoor arena with stadium seating. Hopefully, I will have time to lightly school Guilliani in the indoor tomorrow evening to get him comfortable in his new surroundings. Friday afternoon, all of the riders will be able to school in the indoor in preperation for Saturdays event. Our ride times have been posted and can be found on Truly Dancing Dressage’s FB Fanpage. Guilliani and I go at 11am. I am really looking forward to hearing Edwards thoughts and opinions on myself and my horse. One of the great things about taking advantage of a good clinic, is that before and after your ride, you can watch your fellow riders school their own horses. The more you watch…the more you learn. I think this will be an awesome learning experience for everyone attending.

I will give an update on how my first schooling session went… hopefully with pictures. The clinic will be recorded and photographed as well, so as soon as the media becomes available to me, I will post it on this blog. Pray for good weather, safe rides and a lot of fun!

Everything seems to be a bit more difficult in the cold weather. From the mud and lack of sun to the often treacherous driving conditions, just getting out to the barn can be quite a task. This year we are lucky enough to have a winter that is slow to start, but do not fear, the cold weather and snow are just around the corner.

This is a great time to start thinking about the different ways that you can keep your horse as comfortable as possible during the next few months. If you are planning on keeping your horse fit and working throughout the winter months, it is probably a good idea to consider body clipping and blanketing. This is a great way to speed up the cooling down and drying period after your work out. Making sure that your horse is dry before returning him to his stall for the evening is extremely important. Even a little bit of dampness can cause your horse to become sick or even colic in extreme temperatures. It is good idea to have a routine for cooling your horse down after a work session. When the temperature dips below 30 degrees, I like to cover my horses back with a medium weight wool or polar fleece quarter sheet for the last 15 minutes of the ride. Covering their backs as you start the cooling down phase of your ride will help to slowly bring the core temperature back to normal as your horses pulse is slowly reduced. Once in the cross ties, I remove the quarter sheet and place a full size cooler over his back. As I remove the saddle, I pull the cooler over the withers and neck to fully cover my horses topline. After the saddle is put away and I put my jacket back on, I start towel drying my horses head and legs with a large dry towel. *Now is a good time to do your “post-ride” stretches before your horses muscles loose their suppleness.