The Latest that didn't make it into the newsletter:
Subject: BSEA newsletter addition
Jutta Schott is returning this coming weekend, June 5-6, to Sheila Ruble's indoor arena to give a two day clinic. The last clinic, in early May, was a great demonstration of the tremendous versatility of this instructor, as she moved effortlessly from a Prix St. Georges horse working on flying changes and suppleness to a second level horse struggling with shoulder in and overall balance to a young rider whose horse consistently gets over the bit. She worked with another teenager, a beginner rider, on a very new-to-dressage quarter horse and achieved some remarkable progress without ever resorting to gimmicks or techniques that someone could not remember and practice in a home setting.
Her demeanor remains informative, calm and pleasant with everyone and she has tremendous scope of knowledge. Because she so often works with horses that are not warmbloods, she has many rabbits to pull out of her hat in terms of experimenting to find what works best for each horse/rider combo. I have been to many, many clinics, both as a rider and an auditor, including some very big name people, and she remains at the top of the list for proficiency, professionalism, and affordability.
Incidentally, those of you who remember USDF certified instructor Nancy Chesney, who taught in both Sheridan and Cody a few years ago as a guest clinician, is taking lessons from Jutta at clinics Jutta is now giving near Castle Rock, CO.
Remember to limit your horses intake of grass during the next few weeks----spring grass is really hot, esp. now that the weather is warming up. Two to four hours a day, or less if the horse has a history of laminitis or a cresty neck. The grass is less potent during the night time hours than during the middle of the day, when the sugar content in the stems is at its highest.
Allowing horses to graze pastures down to a four inch stubble and then removing them to another area will encourage plant growth, limit soil compaction, and cut down on parasites. Parasites are most often found between the ground level and 2 inches up the plant stems, so grazing really short growth is more apt to cause infestation. The way horses' teeth are constructed, they are able to graze right down to the soil surface, which will destroy the growing points of the grass.
Because horses are very selective grazers, they can quickly change the species composition of a pasture, overusing certain plants and ignoring others altogether so that you wind up with more weeds and unpalatable grasses---thus the need for rotational grazing and resting.
Sheila Ruble,
BSEA newsletter editor
