Before first coming to Miner Institute in 1998, Viking was a champion in the show ring. He held 13 world and national titles and was one

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1 The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute December 2011 Stable Sheet In This Issue: To Geld or Not to Geld?; Summer Horse Camp 2 Responsible Horse Ownership Seminar New Miner Morgan Owners; Free Move Night at Miner Note From the President of NYSHC Training Mythunderstandings: Choosing Bits Annual Equine Reproduction Workshop Featured Miner Morgan: UVM Valkyrie 8 A LEGACY PASSES If there was a horse that truly garnered respect in Miner Institute s horse barn, it was Legacy s Viking (Superb Creation x Trophy s Irish Lady). He had a prominent spot the first stall to the right as you enter the barn from the main ramp by the Farm Office. Viking spent 13 years in that stall; he sired countless babies while he was on lease at Miner and was a teacher to dozens of summer students in semen collection and breeding management. Born in 1977, Viking was put to rest Sept. 26, 2011; he was 34. Before first coming to Miner Institute in 1998, Viking was a champion in the show ring. He held 13 world and national titles and was one Legacy s Viking (Superb Creation x Trophy s Irish Lady) See LEGACY, Page 3 THE AGE-OLD QUESTION: TO BLANKET OR NOT? Reasons commonly used as a justification for blanketing: to keep the hair short so as to not get as sweaty when worked in the winter or if the horse is body clipped; to keep them slick and looking good for marketing purposes; and more often than not, because he looked cold. Most horses, if allowed, will grow a sufficient haircoat to keep them warm through the long months of winter. Using lights to mimic longer days or putting layers on early in the hair-growing season can keep coats looking good, but if they don t have a real winter coat, they ll need the extra insulation from a blanket. The hard part is getting the amount of insulation and fit just right; this takes extra attention to the horse s daily management. While everyone with a horse in cold climates has heard the he s better off going natural argument and might even actually believe it, old habits of blanketing die hard! I ll even admit that I m one of them See BLANKETS, Page 5 The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December

2 TO GELD OR NOT TO GELD? Is that even the correct question to be asking? Or should the question be, Why should I keep him as a stallion? Does your colt have rare and fantastic blood lines? Does he have amazing conformation and temperament? Do you have the facilities to keep a stallion and to keep him, you and the other animals in your barn safe? Do you have the time, motivation, and finances to train a stallion? Are you going to show him and promote him properly so you can breed him? Now of course everyone wants a proud, beautiful Black Stallion, but the fact of the matter is there really are not that many stallions with such fantastic genetics that make it worth it. The real dilemma here is that sometimes keeping a colt intact is more detrimental to his long-term welfare than the shortlived discomfort of castration. In general, geldings are easier to handle and have a much more even temper than their counter parts, due to the fact that they don t have all that testosterone coursing through their bodies. Castration tends to reduce aggressive behavior, not to mention a more focused mind for training. So you decided to geld, when is a good time? No time is the wrong time, however if you do castrate before they hit puberty, as a general rule of thumb, you will have less sexual behaviors and habits to deal with in the long run. If you geld your colt when it s a little cold, ground is frozen and the bugs are HD Irondale gone, you are less likely to run into infections and cleanliness issues, so no time like the present to git r done. What if you still are undecided or have decided to keep your little man intact? It is now time to be considering where he will be living and starting to manage his behavior now so he can learn what is appropriate and what is not as he reaches puberty. Some stallions are just plain unmanageable and some are quiet as geldings, so like anything else, it depends on the individual horse s behavior. If you have a young colt that you are leaving intact out running around with fillies or mares, separate them NOW! The last thing you and the equine industry needs is more accidental and unwanted foals prevention is the best medicine. Currently in the horse barn at Miner we are debating this very thing with our 2011 colt HD Irondale (UVM Jubilant x Sugarlane Dominique) aka Ferrous. He has a well-respected pedigree, good conformation and breed type, and an overall nice temperament. Lately, however, he has been prone to the occasional surges of testosterone leading to a few boyish behaviors. We do have the facilities at Miner to keep Ferrous intact, with appropriate stabling, turn out with young geldings, knowledge in stallion handling and a breeding program. So far, he has been a fairly good boy, so this decision has been put on hold for the time being to allow Ferrous to grow up a little more to see what potential he holds, but should his behavior become not-somuch-fun. Whether you decide to keep your colt as a stallion or to geld him is up to you. Making sure you make a well informed and educated decision is the most important thing. Make sure you have the proper facilities, time, money, energy and knowledge to keep a stallion if that is your decision. If you re unsure, ask for an honest opinion from someone in the industry whom you respect. What is best for this horse? Let s not forget that it is his life we are making the decisions for. We all think our baby s the best, but don t let barn-blindness interfere with the horse s welfare. Cassi Lukas, Equine Intern lukas@whminer.com SUMMER HORSE CAMP AT MINER FOR GROWN UPS! Details are still in the works for the firstever overnight horse camp at Miner, but this is to get your ears up for future notices or to contact me to get on the firstcome-first served list! On June 28-30, 2012 we re offering a program of three full days at Miner, plus two evenings, to improve your horse skills. Already booked for a clinic day is Dr. Stephen Mackenzie, SUNY Cobleskill professor and author of The Fundamentals of Free Lungeing and Equine Safety. We ll discuss equine behavior and learning and then head to the round pen for folks to get a lesson or two with the Miner Morgan herd. There will be other discussions and demonstrations with experts on veterinary topics, yoga for the rider and plenty of time to get hands-on with the horses and Miner staff practicing ground work, equipment fit and positive handling skills. Guaranteed to be a great time, you ll be sent home energized and equipped with a whole new set of tools for your toolbox! Stay tuned Karen Lassell, lassell@whminer.com The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December

3 LEGACY, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 of very few stallions so accomplished in both Park Saddle and Park Harness. He came to Miner for stallion station services through recommendation from a previous stallion owner-client. That first year, following a bring-the-house-down performance of retired champions at the Morgan Grand National, 30 mare owners were booked for Viking s stud service. In 2000, Miner Institute took over the lease on him. His owner, Dr. Lisa Kennedy, lives in western Massachusetts. She adored the horse, Katie Ballard said of Dr. Kennedy. She was confident we d take good care of him. In a letter to Karen Lassell after Viking s death Dr. Kennedy wrote, Thank you for all of the love and care that you and your staff have provided for Viking for all of these many years. So many years in fact that one could say that he was truly more your horse than mine. But beyond the borders of ownership, Viking made a lasting impact on the equine program at Miner Institute and specifically, the breeding program. There are 81 registered offspring of Viking s listed with the American Morgan Horse Association 39 mares, 15 stallions, and 27 geldings. We currently have 11 Viking offspring registered with the HD prefix; another foal is due in Viking s biggest contribution both Karen and Katie agree was his use as a teaching stallion. Viking provided us with a horse that never put students in danger, but also didn t give them a sense of false confidence, Katie said. He could be strong, bold, and loud. He could be a handful, but was never dangerous, Karen added. Viking was really the perfect horse to teach students, Katie said. She added that he made students who thought they wanted to go into breeding think twice about it, but others loved the challenge of that work and are working on farms with breeding stock regularly. Viking certainly had a large personality, Katie and Karen agreed. He thought a lot of himself, Katie said. He was pretty sure he was right all the time, Karen added. Size-wise, Viking was an average horse, but he was a huge horse in his own mind, and felt like a big horse when you handled him. Viking really loved to be the center of attention. And, although it sounds odd, he loved Doritos the nacho cheese flavored corn chips. He came to Miner Institute with a bag of them, Karen remembered. Karen says there s definitely a presence missing in the horse barn without Viking and he has left some big shoes to fill. In the days and weeks since Viking s death the outpouring of love and sympathy from former students, interns and people who knew him, has been tremendous, she said adding that it s nice that he s not uncomfortable anymore. Viking certainly led a very long, happy life, and we are fortunate and forever grateful for his time with us at Miner. Rachel Dutil dutil@whminer.com SAVE THE DATE: EQUIDAY - MARCH 17, 2012 Our annual free seminar on equine topics is scheduled for Saturday, March 17, Always a variety of subjects to interest and inform all sorts of horse enthusiasts! Details to follow soon, but put Miner Institute s EquiDay down in ink on your calendar. RESPONSIBLE HORSE OWNERSHIP IN A TOUGH ECONOMIC CLIMATE Rutgers Equine Science Center announces 2012 Horse Management Seminar topic NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. Responsible Horse Ownership in a Tough Economic Climate is the over-arching theme of the upcoming Horse Management Seminar hosted by the Rutgers Equine Science Center and Rutgers Cooperative Extension. The seminar, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 will feature presentations by several equine industry experts. These past few years have been extremely tough on everyone s wallet, but horse and equine business owners have been hit especially hard since horses are often considered a luxury, says Dr. Carey Williams, extension equine specialist and Associate Director of Extension for the Equine Science Center. Our goal in presenting this workshop is to provide tools and tips to keep our horses happy and healthy, and our equine businesses successful and profitable, without breaking the bank. Williams has assembled presenters who are recognized as experts in their field to offer perspectives and personal insight. In addition to the educational presentations, the seminar will feature informational displays, networking opportunities with industry companies and area organizations, and ample time for one-on-one discussions with the day s presenters. Complete program, registration information, and seminar brochure are posted on the Equine Science Center website at esc.rutgers.edu. For more information, contact Laura Gladney at , gladney@aesop.rutgers.edu, or Dr. Carey Williams at , cwilliams@aesop.rutgers.edu. The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December

4 HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO NEW MINER MORGAN OWNERS! Merry Christmas to the following people and congratulations on your recent purchase of a Miner Morgan!: Patrick and Lydia Pennock of Craftsbury, VT and Raine HD Kildare (Legacys Viking x UVM Valkyrie) Casey Fleming of Providence, RI and Newt HD Galway (Tedwin Titlist x Salute s Black Twist) Heather and Axel Starck of Whitby, Ontario and Calvin HD Troy (Legacys Viking x HD Massena) Linda and Jeff Corey of Fairfax, VT and Fuzz HD Constable (Call to Order x Trija Priscilapepper) We re excited and honored to have these owners of Heart s Delight bred horses be come a part of our family. Three mares are expecting foals in 2012, HD Massena is bred back to the late Legacys Viking, UVM Valkyrie is bred to Equinox Challenge and Sugarlane Dominique is bred back to UVM Jubilant. Plan a visit to the farm in June to meet the new babies and maybe even your next horse! Wellstarted young stock is always available for purchase. HD Constable with 2011 student trainer Siobhan Foley. HD Galway with his new owner, Casey Fleming. HD Troy with 2011 student trainer Jessica Katzenberger. HD Kildare and 2011 student trainer Kim Farnum. FREE MOVIE NIGHT AT MINER! Join us Friday, Feb. 3, 2012 for a free movie at Miner. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for pre-film socializing and the movie will start at 7 p.m. (it is about 1 ½ hours long) There will be light refreshments provided. See the award-winning documentary on the big screen in the company of friends. Everyone says that even non-horse people love this movie, so bring one along! This film, BUCK, was created to move people to make changes in how they deal with horses and life s challenges. Buck Brannaman is a true cowboy who has overcome tremendous personal odds. This film intends to inspire, motivate and teach through principles of respect, partnership and trust rather than anger, fear and intimidation. BUCK, a richly textured and visually stunning film, follows Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach to horses. A real-life horse-whisperer, he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment. A truly American story about an unsung hero, BUCK is about an ordinary man who has made an extraordinary life despite tremendous odds. (Rated PG) The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December

5 BLANKETS, Continued from Page 1 Most of the horses at Miner live outside for the winter. They have sheds, automatic waterers, lots of hay, a salt block, and daily ration-balancer grain. They re given time to adapt to outside life and generally don t see the clippers until spring. They are fed twice per day when on rationed-out hay; ~2.5% of body weight per day of hay split into a.m. and p.m. feedings, with the bigger meal at night to keep the belly-fire burning while the sun is down. If the temperature is going to stay in the teens or less for long periods of time or if the wind is unrelenting (or over the holidays to make chores go a little faster), we ll put out round bales in feeders to allow for free-choice feeding. Even doing all of the things that blanketing experts tell us to do, I still can t let the shivering horse stay that way, so we have a few blankets for the usual suspects that appear to get cold first. That said, after reading an article by Dr. Hilary Clayton in the United States Dressage Federation s newsletter from May of 2009, I ll be paying even closer attention to how those blankets fit and when they are used. Dr. Clayton has a keen interest in researching things that are crucial in a performance horse s life such as bit fit and function, exercise physiology, saddle fit and so much more. How do blankets come into play for her? The article s purpose was to show with pressure-gauging equipment just how hard on a horse s back an ill-fitting blanket can be. While blanket manufacturing has improved greatly over the years, her study showed that even blankets that look OK can be very detrimental to the horse s withers and are as bad as a poorly fitted saddle. No wonder some horses come back to work in the spring and seem extra fresh! It could be that their withers are sore from a winter s worth of blanketing. She looked at three different styles of blankets: the straight cut, the cutback withers, and a v-free insert. Using a force-measuring system, blankets were placed on the horses and either they stood still or went for a walk. The V-Free type blanket put the least amount of pressure on the withers overall, the cutback put pressure at the back of the withers, and the straight cut had the worst(which is what Miner owns as well as lots of North Country owners as it is a very popular style). It was even worse on upright-shouldered horses. I m not headed out to the barn to throw blankets away, but I will pay even closer attention to the fit of the blankets and will feel over the withers more frequently when they are wearing them. I ll also try to give more thought when choosing to blanket or not whether I m blanketing a horse that truly needs it or if I m just cold! Karen Lassell lassell@whminer.com NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF NYSHC Your support is extremely important to the success of the NYSHC. These funds are utilized to continue our work in the state on your behalf. We are offering Equisure $1,000, Excess Equine Personal Liability Insurance through Saddle Partners of America. To provide this benefit we are raising the dues to $55 per general membership and insurance is included for one adult and all children in a household under 18. A Family membership is $75 and insurance is included for two adults and all children under 18. If you have questions about the NYSHC insurance through Equisure/Saddle partners of American contact: Diane Lesure: diane@equisure-inc. com We will mail a copy of your insurance coverage directly to your home or business. You can also view a document covering FAQ s on the website. The membership calendar year begins January 1st, please mail the membership application and your check as soon as possible to get maximum coverage for If you would like to also be a member of one of the chapters listed, kindly remember to note that on the form. Forty percent of the NYSHC portion of your dues will be rebated to the chapter of your choice for their operational expenses. This centralized process is facilitating more economical insurance for the entire organization and other benefits. Group, business, and educational membership dollar amounts are the same as last year and we have apportioned the dues according to the quantity of membership or employees. Our board, through conversations, indicated that equine groups and businesses would like to help us further through increasing their support. Visit and Like us on Facebook for more information. The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December

6 TRAINING MYTHUNDERSTANDINGS: CHOOSING BITS By: Ron Meredith, President, Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre Bits are one of the most Mythunderstood pieces of horse equipment man has ever invented. The things that people think they re supposed to do with a bit in a horse s mouth are unbelievable. All too often, the human take on the situation is that a horse is a big animal, therefore the pressures needed to control it must be big and strong. That s a myth. A rocket engine is controlled by tiny bits of information being fed one at a time by a computer. Each of those bits is either a zero or a one. The bits flow in a pattern called a program that the rocket understands. Same thing with a horse. All it needs are tiny bits of information fed to it with the right timing to get with the program. There are very few surfaces where the bit can apply pressure. So it takes some pretty complex applications of pressure to those few points to create complex communication. The bit must be shaped in such a way and fit properly within the mouth so horse is able to understand what the communication is. Therefore a bit must be both directional and horse logical. It must not cause any injury which will result in temporary numbness. The area in the horse s mouth where a bit communicates our pressures most effectively to the horse is called the bars. These gaps between the front teeth and the back teeth on either side of the jaw consist of tissue-covered, pressuresensitive cartilage. Between the bars, the bit lays across and presses against the horse s tongue. Depending on its shape and adjustment, a bit can also put pressure on the horse s lips and on the roof of its mouth. Pressures on the lips are the least effective because the lips are an unstable surface and easily injured. The first thing to look at on any device you put in the horse s mouth is its contact area the size of the area that actually touches the horse and transmits pressure or feel. When trainers talk about pounds of pressure on a bit, they are really talking about pounds per square inch of pressure over this contact area. The thinner the bit, the less contact area it has and the greater the pounds per square inch of pressure. The thicker the bit, the greater the contact area and the lower the pounds per square inch of pressure. Put another way, the thinner the bit, the more noticeable any pressure on the bars will be. With a thicker bit, the same amount of rein pressure will be less noticeable. So the effective size of the mouthpiece is the first thing to look at because it will determine how noticeable the pressure you apply will be. Rough bit surfaces such as twists reduce the area where pressure is felt much like rough tread reduces a tire s surface area where it meets the road. The second thing to look at is whether the mouthpiece is straight or whether it is shaped so it relieves the pressure on the tongue. If the bit is straight, the horse s tongue absorbs some of the pressure and the horse will feel less pressure on the bars. The bars are the only places in the mouth we can use to communicate an understandable directional pressure. If the mouthpiece is hinged or grooved so it relieves pressure on the tongue, the bit is more noticeable on the bars of the mouth and gives more directional guidance. A tongue groove and a port are not the same thing. A tongue groove is a shallow, raised indentation in the center of the mouthpiece only high enough to relieve tongue pressure. It allows the bit s pressures to be felt on the bars. A port is a raised groove or attached spoon so tall that it puts pressure on the roof of the mouth when the shanks of the bit are rotated by pulling on the reins. If you could park a little boat in it, it s a port. The third thing to look at is whether the bit has leverage. The way to measure leverage is to compare the distance from the mouthpiece to where the reins attach to the distance from the mouthpiece to the curb chain (or strap). Most curb bits have a 3:1 leverage ratio. That means if you put 10 pounds of pull on the reins, the horse will feel 30 pounds of pressure squeezing his mouth. Leverage decreases the amount of time it takes for the horse to feel bit pressure. If you have a bit with 3:1 leverage, the horse feels 10 pounds of pressure three times faster than he would if you applied 10 pounds of pressure with a non-leverage bit like a snaffle. To make this kind of bit pressure understandable and horse logical you would have to soften the pressure to reward the horse three times as quickly as you would with a non-leverage bit. Because of this exaggerated pressure and release, curb bits impede true feel and understanding between you and your horse. Curbs are also non-directional. Their pressure is felt as a clamping between the horse s chin and the bars of his mouth, and therefore can convey minimal direction to the horse. If you use a chain, the pressure is more noticeable underneath the chin. If you use a thick leather strap, the pressure is more noticeable on the bars of the mouth. In most cases, curb bits are used as a signaling device rather than as a training device to help the horse learn to shape himself correctly. See BITS, Page 7 The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December

7 BITS, Continued from Page 6 One of the biggest mistakes everybody makes is picturing the bit by itself. The bit is only part of the overall corridor of aids you use to create the shapes you want the horse to take. You do not want the bit to be louder than your legs or seat. You don t need a big bit to get the horse s attention and you don t need a big bit to get the horse stopped. You just need to know how to use a bit to make it understandable and directional to the horse. Whenever you see a horse fighting the bit, he has lost feeling for the rest of the aids. It is just like two people who speak different languages raising their voices louder and louder in an effort to be understood. Rhythm, relaxation and repetition are the cornerstones of good training. Visit nyshc.org or whminer.org to download a membership form Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission Instructor and trainer Ron Meredith has refined his horse logical methods for communicating with equines over 40 years as a horse professional. He is President of Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre (147 Saddle Lane, Waverly, WV 26184; ; www. meredithmanor.edu), an ACCET accredited equine career college. ANNUAL EQUINE REPRODUCTION WORKSHOP The UVM Morgan Horse Farm in Weybridge, Vt., the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute of Chazy, NY, and the Middlebury Large Animal Clinic of Middlebury, Vt. will host the annual Reproduction Workshop again this spring. While the date is still being finalized, it should be on your radar if you re interested in breeding horses. There will be a mixture of discussions, demonstrations and hands-on practice covering a range of breeding topics from managing the uses of lights, hormones, and ultrasound in your breeding program, anatomy and physiology of the mare and stallion, embryo transfer, artificial insemination and foaling/neonatal care. Whether you re looking for a refresher course as a farm manager or want to be able to make educated decisions about breeding your favorite mare, this is a great opportunity. Call the UVM Morgan Horse Farm at , Monday-Friday, or uvm.morgans@uvm.edu for further information and to get on the notification list as soon as details are squared away. The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December

8 The William H. Miner Agriculutural Research Institute 1034 Miner Farm Road P.O. Box 90 Chazy, NY Change Service Requested Non-Profit Organization U.S.POSTAGE PAID Chazy, N.Y Permit No. 8 FEATURED MINER MORGAN: UVM VALKYRIE Ky with HD Clayton (Tedwin Titlist). Ky with HD Mexico (Legacy s Viking). Like Heart s Delight Morgan UVM Valkyrie (UVM Promise x UVM Kara). While Ky isn t owned by Miner, she s been Horses on here long enough and been a broodmare on lease for so many years that she deserved some props! Generously on lease to us from Patti Waring of East Syracuse, NY, Ky s 3-year-old Facebook! filly by Viking (HD Kildare) was one of our sale horses late this year. After a successful show career as an English Pleasure and Pleasure driving horse, Ky came to Miner. Our fingers are crossed for a healthy foal in 2012 by Equinox Challenge, a stallion service donated by East of Equinox Farm in Manchester, VT OFFICE FAX The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet December