Maple Mountain Miniatures Star News
Conformation and Movement in Miniature
Selecting a horse for driving:
Choose a horse that suits the type of driving you want to do. If you want to drive in shows you will need a more refined, upheaded, fancy trotting horse. If you want to partake in CDE’s you will need a sturdier, less fancy but longer strided horse that moves easily and won’t break down with the harder work. Pleasure horses move with higher knee and hock action than the longer strided, easier moving Country Pleasure horse. While both types should be on the bit when driving the Pleasure horse is expected to show more collection or compressed energy.
Conformation plays a big part in the ability of a horse to drive. While a horse with excellent conformation may excel in halter it does not necessarily mean that he will make an excellent driving horse but good conformation usually does help a horse to move better. It is almost impossible to find a perfect horse but as long as you recognize your own horses faults you can help him to develop, with exercise, into a decent driving horse.
Being both a farrier and a driving enthusiast the first thing I look at is the feet. Seen from the side the angle of the hoof should match that of the fetlock. With Minis we don’t need to worry about shoes as we aren’t allowed to use them when showing and it is hard to find them to fit. This means that we can have an excellent natural foot on our horses and don’t have to worry about shoes interfering with action. The Miniature breed tends to lean towards club foot or a too steep hoof angle partly due to heredity and quite often due to poor trimming. This means poor shock absorption and can lead to arthritic problems or strain to the extensor tendon that runs down the front of the leg or concussion. The other extreme is the long toe and underrun heel from overgrowth and neglect or trimming as with certain show horse breeds. A long toe puts excessive strain on the flexor tendon that runs down the back of the leg and can lead to navicular disease or inflammation of the coffin bone. Look for a good balanced foot centered on the leg.
It is important that the legs be straight and of heavy enough bone to do the job they are suited for yet not so heavy they cause your horse to move heavily. Overly long or upright pasterns will give a longer stride but break down easier. Too short will not allow for shock absorption and give a shorter stride. Calf or bench knees should be avoided as they will strain the tendons. The angle of the hock in the back leg is important as the back end is where the motor is. If the hock is too open the horse won’t be able to get his back legs under his body easily and if it is too angled, or sicklehocked, it will be weak and break down easily. Look for a hock that is large with a correct angle and close to the ground for strength.
The shoulder should be a 90 degree angle between the shoulder blade and the humerus to allow for free movement. A horses shoulders don’t actually connect to the rest of his skeleton with bone, only tendons and ligaments, which makes for better shock absorption as they are not constantly jarring bone against bone. A large, well muscled shoulder will make it easier for a horse to pull as we expect them to carry the weight of the carriage on those shoulders. A good broad chest and easy moving elbows all contribute to this.
The horses neck and how it attaches to the rest of the body is of great importance in a driving horse. The neck needs to tie in high enough to allow for the breastcollar to rest above the point of the shoulder still allowing for clearance of the windpipe. A neck that is too long will make it difficult to get his weight on the back end which is where we want it for driving. A neck that is too short won’t help the horse balance himself and they will tend to get heavy on the bit as they will lean forward attempting to balance. A horse that is ewe necked will need a lot of work to get him relaxing and stretching his neck out and down. A clean throatlatch is necessary to allow for bending at the poll. The head does not necessarily have to be pretty (just an added bonus if it is) but it needs to tie into the neck at a nice open angle. A horse with a 90 degree angle will tend to come behind the bit easily. The problem most often seen with Minis is the too short, too thick neck that ties in too low.
When driving our goal is to get the weight off the front end and onto the back opening up the shoulder to move the buggy forward while the stronger back end pushes it ahead. In order for a horse to be able to do this he needs a strong back and hip. When you look at the horse they should appear to be built slightly uphill with the withers a bit higher than the highest point of the croup. If the back is too long that puts the join of the hip too far back which makes the back weak and will be difficult for the horse to get his back legs under him. Those tabletop croups that the halter horses are being bred for, unless they are good and deep, also make it difficult for collection. A nice rounded croup without excessive slope to the tail is what to look for in a driving horse.
Selecting a harness:
I definitely prefer a leather harness. Although they are a lot more work to keep clean and supple I feel they are the kindest to the horses – less likely to chafe or rub. I like leather lines because they are easy on your hands and have more feel to them. That being said I also own a nylon harness and a biothane harness that are quick and easy to clean and much less expensive to buy than leather. The biggest drawback with either is that they are not as comfortable for the horse but they can be padded. Biothane is the better of the two.
If you buy secondhand make sure you carefully check the harness over for wear particularly in the most likely to wear parts such as the end of the lines that attach to the bit, the cheek pieces that fold around the bit, the ends of the traces and the tug wraps. These can be repaired if the leather in the rest of the harness is still supple and good. Also check that the stitching is still good – not rotten or coming apart.
Couple things to look for in a harness are wires in the blinder stays so that you can shape your blinders to fit your horse and keep them away from his eyes, a finer type of leather or strap good used as that suits Minis better, a saddle with a tree to keep the saddle off his back, keepers used to keep the parts together and neat, a crouper that buckles on and is soft and rounded and made with good quality soft leather, a breast collar made with rounded edges that dips in front to accommodate the windpipe as Minis tend to tie in low and not have much room for a breastcollar, buckles made of good quality solid brass or nickel with sturdy pins, good quality even stitching or sturdy joins as for a biothane.
Minis are good candidates to use a neck collar as it rests on the whole of the shoulder rather than on the points of the shoulder and doesn’t restrict the neck like a breast collar can but you have to be really careful to get the proper size or you will cause him pain. A collar that is too big will press on his withers and slide around chafing the horse. A collar that is too small will not rest on the shoulders and will choke off his air. A Mini that loses weight once you get him driving is going to need a new collar or even in the winter with his thicker hair coat and more weight will need a different collar. Properly fitted, a breastcollar is a lot more forgiving that way and, for the average person, is the right choice.
Selecting a vehicle:
For a beginner driver and/or a green horse a two wheel cart is the only way to go. Four wheel carts are a lot easier to tip over and a lot harder to handle. Wait till you have a little experience under your belt before you decide to attempt driving one. Although a four wheel cart is easier for a horse to pull as the weight of the cart is not on him it is not as safe a choice as a two wheel cart. Being the shorter of the two there is a lot less leverage necessary for the horse to help hold the cart up on a slope so it won’t roll over as easily.
Unless you have a lot of experience with carts or have someone with experience that can help you shop I would advise you to buy a new cart rather than a used or antique one. There can be problems that might be overlooked when you buy and could make using the vehicle dangerous. When looking for a cart you need to find one that is the right size for your horse. Have someone sit in the seat and when the shafts are level or slightly raised at the front there should be about 5 pounds of weight on the shafts. Measure the height of the shafts at the point where they would sit in the tugs and at the singletree. This measurement can be changed by putting larger or smaller wheels on the vehicle. Measure the length and width of the shafts as well. The shafts should be long enough that the horse can stand approximately one foot in front of the singletree and the shaft tips will reach the point of his shoulder. The shafts need to be wide enough that the horse will have room to bend through his body on a curve without hitting the shafts - about half again as wide as his butt. You don’t want the shafts too wide either or it will be difficult to do up the tugs, it will pull up on the horse's belly, and they might catch on things when you are driving. The singletree should have enough swing in it to allow the horse to lengthen the outside trace on a turn or else the breastcollar will limit his shoulder movement preventing a good bend through his body and injuring his shoulders.
There are wooden carts, metal carts and combinations of the two. Wheels can be wire, wood or solid metal with solid or pneumatic tires. The wire wheels bend and twist relatively easily causing a flat so if you like trails or CDE’s, I would recommend you go with the solid wooden or metal wheels. For road work or the show ring wire wheels with pneumatic tires are fine.
Selecting a driving whip:
The whip is a very important piece of equipment when driving. It is one of your main ways of communicating to your horse what it is you want him to do – kind of takes the place of your leg when riding. Driving whips should be balanced to be held upright and be as light as possible. Dressage whips, riding crops and lunge whips are balanced to be held downwards which will get very tiring if you try to use them for driving. A riding crop is too short and a lunge whip is too long. Your whip needs to have a shaft that is long enough to touch the saddle on the horses back or side without having to reach. The lash should not hang past the horses shoulder when held upright or it could get tangled in the harness. For a single Miniature a whip of approximately 45” shaft and 6” to 20” lash is appropriate. Pairs whips have a shorter shaft and a longer lash than a single whip to make it easier to handle and not get tangled up yet still reach the saddle. You should select a whip that is comfortable in your hand when also holding the reins or lines and not too heavy or slippery or it will get tiring holding it. Whips come in a range of prices and materials to suit every budget and some of the very inexpensive ones will work just fine, you don’t necessarily have to pay a fortune to get a decent whip but you can! I prefer the whips that have a bow in them with a thong and then the lash as they are softer on the horse than a straight shaft with very short lash with which you can’t help but hit the horse with the shaft when using the whip. You can be more precise with your instructions to the horse if there is a bow.
Selecting A Trainer:
There are plenty of good horse trainers out there and plenty of bad ones too. You do not need to use a miniature horse trainer necessarily. If they can train horses, they can train your mini. You will be providing the cart and harness to be used so it isn’t a problem that they won’t have the equipment although you do want to make them aware that it is a Mini you want to be trained. You also don’t have to have them show your horse for you. They can be used merely to get your horse ready for you to drive. You can find a horse trainer in the trade publications of various breeds as well as the many horse trader, classified ad type publications. If choosing a trainer from a publication, ask for references and follow them up. If possible go to see horses that have been trained by that trainer. Ask around – friends and fellow horse people are always happy to let you know if they are particularly happy or unhappy with any trainer they have used. Once you select a trainer go to speak with him/her. Make sure that you are comfortable with them. Just because someone else is happy with them does not necessarily mean you will be. If possible see them working with a horse. Are they gentle but firm? Do they seem to really love working with horses or is it just a job to them? Check out their training facilities. It doesn’t need to be a show place but it should be a safe environment. Do they have a training pen to work in? Are the other horses on the site healthy, happy and well fed? If you are looking for a Miniature show trainer ask for their prior showing experience and results. Expect to pay a minimum of $300.00 per month, and they should be able to get your Mini started to a cart in one month unless he is a particularly difficult horse or has problems created by someone without the knowledge that has tried to train their horse themself. If you are a green driver you should look at further training for both the horse and yourself. It will be money well spent and considerably cheaper than buying all the necessary equipment yourself.
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CROSSING THE LINE
There is a terrific show just across the border, lots of points and lots of fun! But how do you get there? Someone wants to buy your horse but they live in another country? Just what is involved with crossing the American/Canadian border with a horse? It’s a lot easier than you think! And the cost of crossing the border can easily be less expensive than traveling any great distance in your own country with the price of fuel these days.
First you should ensure that your registration papers identify your horse correctly such as if he has been gelded recently his papers need to indicate this (which you will need to do for a sanctioned show anyway) or if there is a change in markings or color. Both
Every horse, whether for sale or show, crossing the border from the United States into Canada or vice versa, needs only present proper documentation or paperwork, which includes a Coggins test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), and a federally endorsed health certificate, to the port of entry officials to be allowed to cross without seeing the federal vet as long as it has been in the country of export for at least the past 60 days (although a horse that is entering permanently may be required to be inspected). Horses that are entering on a temporary basis may enter at any port. If the horse is entering on a permanent basis they should only cross at ports with federal veterinary services available. The only difference between the paperwork for a sale or for showing purposes is the check box marked permanent or temporary export and the need for a proper bill of sale in the case of sale. If the purpose of exportation is for sale you will want to cover who is responsible for the minor extra costs in your sales contract.
There are no duties or taxes assessed for either
In the case of a sold horse a proper bill of sale will also be required to be presented to the port officials. This bill of sale should contain the name and address of the seller as well as the name and address of the buyer; the date of sale; a description of the horse - age, weight, color and height; and price paid for the horse.
There is no quarantine period required for horses entering into or out of the
Make at least 2 copies of each of your papers for the border officials to keep and retain the original documents yourself although the port authorities will need to see them so be sure to carry them with you.
If you are traveling with a sale horse contact the port of entry for business hours when a veterinarian will be on duty to perform the inspection if it should be required. After hours inspections are subject to additional service charges. When nearing the port of entry, contact the federal veterinarian and give an estimated time of arrival, especially if you will be arriving after hours. They are not always on location and may need to be called in or you may be required to wait until he will arrive on duty. Stop at the
A Coggins or EIA test is simple to arrange and is good for 6 months to a year depending on your location. The test must have been drawn within the last 180 days for crossing the border. If you time it right the one test will be valid for the entire show season and they are required at most large shows anyway. Call your local vet and he will come to your farm and draw a blood sample and fill out the form which includes a description and drawing of your horse. Be sure that he fills it out entirely and does the drawings accurately as indicated on the form. Incomplete or incorrect forms may be rejected by your federal vet. Fees vary from state to state or province to province, check with your vet for costs.
Foals less than 6 months old and at the foot of a mare that was EIA tested prior to foaling do not need to be tested, as long as the mare's test has not expired. Should the foal be at foot when the mare is tested, the foal must be tested for EIA regardless of its age. The mare's health certificate must indicate if the EIA test was performed prior to the birth of the foal. Any foal at the side of a mare is required to have their own health certificate that identifies the foal as belonging to the mare.
An international health certificate for export of horses from the United States to Canada for both temporary and permanent reasons, form #VS17-145 for individual horses or form #VS17-140 for multiple horses such as in a consignment, may also be obtained from your local vet who will come out and inspect your horse prior to filling out the form. You need only to inform him that it is an international health certificate you require rather than a state certificate. International health certificates must be endorsed by a USDA vet in the States and you must allow time for them to be delivered to the vet and returned to you.
Canadian health certificate form HA1964 is used for individual horses permanently or temporarily entering the
Health certificates are valid for 30 days from the date of inspection. It is wise to leave this till the last possible moment to be sure that the certificate will be valid till you return from your show but must be done far enough ahead of time to allow for its return to you before you leave for your show. Again, fees vary from place to place and you should check with your state or federal vet as to the costs involved in transporting and endorsing the papers. A list of names and contact information for
International health certificates state that the horse being imported has been in the exporting country for 60 days immediately preceding importation; has been inspected and found to be free of contagious diseases and, insofar as can be determined, has not been exposed to any contagious diseases during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation; has not been vaccinated with a live or attenuated or inactivated vaccine during the 14 days immediately preceding exportation; has not been on a premises, or on an adjoining premises, where a serious contagious disease exists or has existed in the previous 60 days (check with your federal vet as the list of contagious diseases in question varies from country to country as well as state to state or province to province); has been inspected and found to be free of ectoparasites; if exporting out of the continent, has not been in a country where CEM (contagious equine metritis) exists, or had any contact with a horse from such a country, for the 12 months immediately preceding exportation. If the horse has not been in the exporting country for at least the 60 days immediately previous to exporting, you will need a federally endorsed health certificate from each country that they have been in.
If a Canadian horse has been in the
So, now you know how simple it is. Grab that coggins and health cert, head to that terrific show that is so close to home and have a great time!
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SHOWMANSHIP
Showmanship is a class that is judged entirely on the exhibitor. The conformation of the horse is not taken into consideration. The horse is merely a prop used by the exhibitor to show his ability to safely and properly exhibit or present a horse in the show ring. Everything you do in showmanship pertains to safely handling a horse. You show to the judge. If, as in our sanctioned shows, there is more than one judge, the judges may tell you which one of them is the presiding judge or the one you are showing to. If they don’t tell you or you are uncertain of which one is the presiding judge don’t be afraid to ask. You will be working a certain pattern. Each club that you show under will have a list of patterns they use. They can be found in the club’s rule book. You must practice these patterns at home if you want to be successful in showmanship. The pattern selected by show management will always be posted at least a couple hours before your class. Make sure you get a good look at it and know which one it is. Each aspect of your performance is rated and assigned a certain amount of points. The following is the assigned point system of the AMHR which the MHCO follows for its club shows.
Appearance of Exhibitor: 10 points
You must wear a hat, boots, long sleeve shirt, pants and gloves. These are all required items and have more to do with safety when working with a horse than anything. A hat keeps the sun out of your eyes preventing you from being blinded and perhaps injured because you couldn’t see that bolting horse or root sticking up. Although black is a popular colour, because most people look good in black, you can wear any colour. In the summer, when it is incredibly hot out in that show ring, I suggest you think about this. Hats come in felt and straw. Straw is traditional for summer use and felt is meant for the cooler spring or fall temperatures. Cowboy hats are also popular for showmanship as it is mostly thought of as a Western discipline. This is just not so! There is showmanship in every breed and the style changes from breed to breed. As Miniatures come in every shape and style you can wear whatever suits you and your horse best and you are most comfortable in as long as your entire outfit coordinates. Large floppy hats are never suitable for showing in any class with horses. They are dangerous as the wind can catch the brim and lift the hat off your head perhaps causing an accident. Avoid them as, even if nothing happens, you will be marked down for it. Your hat, whatever style, should be clean, well shaped and fit well.
Boots, preferably leather, protect your feet better than any other type of footwear. Your boots should match your hat colour and should be shiny clean. I suggest you keep boot polish in your tack box and give your boots a quick once over before entering the ring.
Long sleeves and long pants will protect you should you be dragged by a horse. Again, although black is a popular colour you can wear any colour. They should be pressed, clean and fit well. No loose sloppy clothing. It doesn’t look neat and tidy and isn’t safe around horses.
Gloves will prevent possible rope burn if a lead shank should get pulled through your hand and will give you a better grip. They should either match your outfit or your hat and boots.
A jacket or vest is optional, as are ties, but they do give a finished look to your outfit.
Be sure that your hair does not obstruct the judge’s view of your back number. Long hair should be neatly put up in a pony tail, braids or bun of some sort.
Your back number should be securely pinned to your back using two pins to be sure that it hangs straight and squarely. Halter number hanger clips don’t work well in showmanship. The judge should not have to tilt his head to figure out what your number is.
Appearance of Horse: 40 points
Although conformation doesn’t come into it, as it is a horse that you are presenting, it is important that horse looks as if he could step into the show ring and win. This starts well before the day of, or day before, the show.
Conditioning: 15 points Conditioning includes feeding and exercise to make sure your horse is in the best condition he can be. His coat and skin should be healthy, his eyes clear, his feet in good condition, and his attitude alert.
Grooming: 15 points The horse should be immaculately clean, the whites white and the colours shiny. Be sure to comb out that mane and tail and polish those hooves till they shine. Give them a quick wipe just before entering the show ring.
Trimming: 5 points You don’t have to completely body clip, although it is popular with Minis, but you should remove fetlock feathers, muzzle hair, long guard hairs around the eyes, hair inside the ears and clip a bridlepath. Make your horse look as neat and tidy as possible.
Tack: 5 points You can use either Western or Arabian style show halters as long as they are clean, well fitting, safe and secure. The side rings on the halter should sit in the little hollow where the cheek meets the jaw. Your lead shank should not be overly long or overly short, again a safety consideration. An overly long lead shank becomes a tripping hazard and an overly short one won’t give you enough leeway to get a safe distance from your horse or help prevent a loose horse should he jerk it out of your hand. A stop on the end of the lead shank can also help prevent a runaway. This can be as simple as a knot tied in the end of it. Flat or rolled leather shanks are preferable in the show ring although biothane is also an appropriate material, nylon is not really a safe choice for a lead at any time and cotton is just too casual for the show ring. The chain on the lead shank needs to be the correct length for your horse. It shouldn’t fit too tightly but shouldn’t be hanging loose and sloppy either. You don’t want to be holding on to the chain part as this isn’t safe and could be quite painful if the horse jerks away from you. With an Arabian style halter the excess can be taken up by a chain keeper. This also helps prevent the chain from slipping off as well. With a Western halter the chain can be passed through the cheek rings, under his chin and clipped to the ring just below the ear on the far side to take up any excess. A little tape wrapped around the clips trigger will prevent the clip from opening and turning your horse loose. Your right hand securely holds the lead shank just below the part where the chain attaches and allows you to easily guide the horse. The long end, or bight, is folded up and held in the left hand. Don’t allow it to drop to the ground.
Showing the Horse in the Ring: 50 points
Leading: 15 points Leading includes following your pattern. Start to show before you enter the ring, you never know when that judge is looking. Let the very first sight of you be an impressionable one. Enter the ring in a counterclockwise direction walking on the horses left side at a comfortable distance from your horse. Don’t be so close you could get stepped on or so far away you won’t have control should he act up. The horse should lead easily with you at his shoulder. Walk confidently with your shoulders square and your chin up, watch where you are going. Don’t slouch and look at the ground. Keep one eye on the judge and one eye on your horse at all times when you are in the ring. Stand facing your horse but any time the judge looks at you he should meet your eye. Line up side by side facing the judge. Be careful to leave plenty of room between you and the horse that entered in front of you. Again this is a safety consideration. If you give yourself only a reasonable amount of space and the next horse that enters crowds you then you have nowhere to go. If either your horse, or the horse beside you, acts up someone could get hurt. While you are standing in the lineup, either kick a mark in the dirt, or choose a landmark such as a dandelion or stone, to mark your spot. You will use this later to return to the exact place you left from.
Posing: 15 points Stop your horse a comfortable distance from the judge. You don’t want to crowd him or her and make them feel like they need to step back from you but you don’t want them to feel like they have to shout to speak to you either. Greet the judge politely. Stand on the horses left side facing the horse but in a position where you can always see the judge. Not all judges will cue you to set up your horse so just go ahead and set up if they don’t tell you to. Use your halter only to set the horse up squarely with his legs straight under him. Do not touch the horse with any part of your body while in the ring. We show on the half system which means that you will always be in a position where you are facing the judge. As he moves around your horse you will turn your body to face him while your feet remain pointing towards your horse. As he crosses to the other side of your horse you will cross over to always keep the horse between you and the judge so that he will always have an unobstructed view of the animal you are exhibiting. This prepares you for showing at halter, after all, that is what showmanship is all about. The judge needs to be able to see your horse and doesn’t want to look at your back.
Poise, Alertness and Merit: 20 points Look crisp and professional but not stiff. Be confidant and proud. Look as if you know what you are doing and that you are presenting the very best horse in the ring. Show the horse from the moment you walk from your trailer to the show ring and until you leave the ring. Don’t ever allow yourself to become bored or distracted no matter how long the class lasts. Don’t let your horse fall asleep either! Keep your eye on the judge and follow his or her directions quickly and crisply.
NOW GO OUT AND WIN!
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