STRIDE Dressage of Ocala, FL

06/30/2025

USDF PM members! Last day to vote is today June 30!

06/26/2025

Western riders! Important!

: Total Saddle Fit recalls Shoulder Relief Saddle Cinches due to fall and injury hazards. The cinch can come apart and cause the saddle to fall off, posing fall and injury hazards to the rider. Get a free replacement. CONTACT: email [email protected] or at www.totalsaddlefit.com/recall

This recall only includes cinches sold prior to August 2021, which can be identified by a Shoulder Relief Cinch with a round buckle and no center elastic on the cinch.

More: https://cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Total-Saddle-Fit-Recalls-Western-Saddle-Cinches-Due-to-Fall-and-Injury-Hazards

06/24/2025

Don’t scrape your horses!

Sweat Scraping Horses During Cool-Down: Why the Myth Persists and What Science Says

For generations, horse owners and many professionals have followed the traditional practice of sweat scraping — using a rubber or metal tool to remove excess sweat or water from a horse's coat after exercise. One of the most enduring beliefs tied to this practice is that you must sweat scrape to help your horse cool down properly, especially after hosing them off in hot weather. But is this actually true?

Let’s take a closer look at the origins of this belief, what modern science says, and whether sweat scraping is still necessary.

The Origin of the Myth
The myth likely stems from a time before we understood thermoregulation in horses. It was commonly believed that leaving water or sweat on a horse would trap heat and slow cooling. Sweat scraping became routine, especially in barns without good airflow or with heavy-coated horses that took longer to dry.

The logic seemed sound: remove moisture quickly to speed up cooling and prevent chills or overheating. Over time, this practice turned into a widely accepted rule — even though equine science has since moved on. I actually remember having to do it for my BHS exam.

What Really Happens When You Hose Off a Hot Horse
When a hot horse is sprayed with cool water, the water absorbs body heat and then carries it away as it runs off or evaporates. This is the primary method by which water cools the horse — not by being scraped off immediately.

Key point: The cooling effect comes from the transfer of heat from the horse to the water, not from how fast you dry the horse.

In fact, studies (including those conducted by the University of Queensland and other equine researchers) have found that continuously applying cool water over the horse’s body is the most effective method of reducing core temperature — especially during hot and humid weather. This technique is used in endurance riding, racing, and eventing, where managing a horse’s temperature is critical.

Should You Still Sweat Scrape?

The short answer: Not necessarily — and certainly not to help cooling.

Here’s when you might still want to sweat scrape:

• To remove excess water after hosing if it’s cool out and you want to avoid your horse staying soaked.

• To prevent water from pooling under tack or rugs.

• To help speed up drying if your horse is going back into a stall or needs to be groomed quickly.

But if your goal is cooling the horse, especially in hot conditions, scraping is not required and may actually interfere with the cooling process if it interrupts cold water application.

The Takeaway: Let Go of the Myth
Despite decades of tradition, the idea that you must sweat scrape a horse to help them cool down is outdated. Cooling a horse effectively is about keeping cold water flowing over their body, not about drying them quickly.

In fact, many top equine veterinarians now recommend leaving cold water on — and reapplying it repeatedly — during a cool-down after heavy exercise, especially in summer.

So the next time someone says, “You have to sweat scrape to help them cool down,” you can confidently — and kindly — explain that it’s no longer supported by science.

In Summary:

✅ Cold water helps cool the horse by absorbing heat.

✅ Reapplying water is more effective than scraping it off.

❌ Sweat scraping is not necessary for cooling.

✅ Scrape only if you want to speed drying or reduce discomfort ( for example some horses dont like the feel of dripping water, but most shake and have a roll afterwards ).

It's time to move beyond tradition — your horse will thank you for it.

Ft baby Moomin after his first bath 🤎

06/18/2025

Mark your calendars! Wednesday, July 9th, 2025, at 8 PM ET, we will sit down with author Anne Gribbons and talk about her book Collective Remarks. Her insight, experiences, and wit really shine in this collection of her articles written over 20 years for The Chronicle Of The Horse.

Register to attend here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H2-0FUdeR2exlvnYB8mgZg #/registration

USDF members, if you have any questions for Anne, email them to: [email protected]

If you would like to learn more about the USDF Book Club, you can find out more here: https://www.usdf.org/education/book-club.asp

06/18/2025

Interesting exercise!

Training Tip Tuesday. Zig zag leg yield + Figure 8. Leg yielding is an excellent precursor to lateral movements - while some will call it the first lateral movement - where the horse is moving from the inside leg to the outside rein and stepping underneath the body. This is an excellent exercise for encouraging the horse to step under the center of gravity, compress the hock and send the body sideways. It engages the inside hindleg thus increasing the carrying capacity, as well. When done correctly, this will increase impulsion, balance, coordination and suppleness. The figure 8 helps to improve suppleness and prepare the horse for the leg yield back to the rail by putting the horse onto the new outside rein.

In the leg yield, it is important not to bend the horse's body. Rather the horse should have a slight flexion opposite the direction of travel. Essentially, the horse's body should remain parallel to the rail. The rider should use the outside aids to prevent the horse from falling through the outside shoulder. It is also important that the rider maintain the rhythm of the gait, as the horse may become slightly stuck, especially when they are first learning to go forward and sideways. In this instance, it may be helpful to think about riding a step or 2 forward for every one step sideways.

Often riders find going away from the rail more difficult than going toward the rail. This is an excellent test of whether the horse is truly on the aids. If needed, you might try starting on the quarter line to begin the leg yield toward centerline to help prevent the horse from becoming stuck on the rail. Once the horse understands the exercise and what is being asked, then begin on the rail and proceed as shown.

06/11/2025

The ABCs of preparing for the show season.

Wednesday Wisdom... When prepare for the competitive season, remember your ABC's.

Accuracy - The movements are not a means to an end. Rather they prepare the horse for the work to come. Riding accurate geometry in your test not only prepares the horse for the next movement or level, but it also demonstrates the quality of the training to date.

Basics - The horse's test is only as good as his/her foundational training. If the horse is struggling with the basics, the more advanced parts of the test will also be a struggle. The Training Pyramid and the purpose statement on the test provide valuable insights into which aspects of the horse's training are a priority at that level and each level builds on the previous levels. So, it is imperative that the horse and rider have a good understanding of what is expected and that they learn to execute those directives properly in order to be successful.

Collective Marks - If you read the collective marks, it gives a pretty clear picture of what the judge is looking for in the horse and rider. The Gaits, Impulsion, Submission, Rider's Position & Seat and Rider's Correct and Effective Use of the Aids - essentially, does the horse move as it should and does the rider support the horse adequately and correctly. If the horse and rider are working correctly in regards to the collective marks, the scores for the individual movements of the test should score well also, so long as the rider rides an accurate test.

You DO NOT need a big, fancy horse to do well in dressage... You do need to be diligent in your training in order to optimize the natural ability of your horse. Not every horse will make it to Grand Prix. But good, quality dressage training will improve your horse's mind and body, so that he or she becomes a willing and happy partner.

06/11/2025

Training Tip Tuesday. Shoulder ins with a figure 8. This challenging little exercise really tests the rider's ability to be accurate. As always, the shoulder in really helps the horse to bend around the inside leg and increase the carrying capacity of the inside hind, while improve the shoulder mobility of the inside front leg.

When ridden correctly, the horse will be properly connected to the outside rein. The use of the Figure 8 in the middle helps the rider to prepare the horse for the new shoulder in because the bend of the horse should remain the same when riding the volte and the shoulder in. The rider can add the volte in the corner prior to beginning the shoulder in if needed to help prepare the horse for the appropriate bend to initiate the shoulder in.

Be careful not to allow the horse to deviate from the line of travel or merely fall through the outside shoulder. Remember, your head and shoulders should be in alignment with the horse's head and shoulders - otherwise you may cause the horse to become unbalanced. The inside rein does not bring the shoulders off the track. If you overuse the inside rein in this exercise, you will block the inside hind leg, cause the horse to fall through the outside shoulder and create tension in the neck and back.

If you want to add variety and see the result of the inside hindleg engagement, you can also add a lengthening down the long side. This will help you to see how the shoulder in helps increase the horse's impulsion and carrying capacity. You may also find that the horse lifts the shoulders more willingly in this lengthening because of the engagement created in the shoulder in.

For those with horses that are not quite doing shoulder in yet, you might thinking about riding a 10 meter volte in the corner and riding a little shoulder fore out of the volte. You will ride a full 10 meter of the rail and the continue the 10 meter on to the centerline. Think that you are going to continue the circle back to the rail, but instead apply the inside leg and outside rein to encourage the horse to travel down the centerline for a few strides. Then straighten the horse and begin the figure 8 sequence at X before trying a few steps of shoulder fore in the new direction.

06/02/2025

Registration

06/02/2025

Super education.

Half-halts, adjusting stride length, and the counter-canter. Hilda Gurney will take you through all this & more in Part 3 of the Sequential Schooling of the Dressage Horse.

USDF members can access this, as well as so many additional resources, by logging into the website & browsing the USDF Education Library: https://www.usdf.org/education/university/kb/

05/29/2025

Important reminder!

If you're in Florida and keep horses, you’ve probably already heard: cases of pigeon fever and strangles are on the rise this spring. But before you spiral into a group chat meltdown or start reaching for the hazmat suits, read this.

First of all, this is not a fear-mongering article. It’s a reality check, a toolkit, and a voice reminding you that yes, this stuff is real, but no, panic is not the answer.

Pigeon fever is caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and usually shows up as painful abscesses on the chest, belly, or hindquarters. It spreads through flies, pus, and contaminated surfaces. Most cases are external and fully recoverable. Internal abscesses are rare but more serious, with a mortality rate of up to 40 percent if untreated. In external cases, mortality is low when managed correctly.

Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi, looks dramatic: fever, nasal discharge, swollen lymph nodes under the jaw, but the actual mortality rate is under 1 percent. Most horses recover fully. It’s contagious, yes, but almost never fatal. Complications can happen, but they are the exception, not the rule.

So…what do we do?

We breathe. We don’t assume every snotty nose is a crisis. We start showing up for our horses with small, consistent habits that actually prevent the spread of disease. Biosecurity isn’t just for big barns or show horses. It’s basic horse care. The best time to make it part of your routine was a year ago. The second-best time? Right now. Whether you're starting from scratch or doubling down, this is your moment to get it right.

Don’t share water buckets. Don’t use the same grooming tools on every horse. Don’t skip quarantine when a new horse arrives: 14 to 21 days really does matter. Wash your hands between horses. Disinfect your thermometers. Keep fly control tight: fans, sprays, and clean stalls are not optional. If you’re not already taking and tracking temperatures twice a day, start.

If you travel from barn to barn, like farriers, massage therapists, vets, bodyworkers, or trainers, this is the time to get your biosecurity together. Disinfect tools between barns. Change clothes if you've worked around a sick horse. Wash your hands or use sanitizer between clients. If you think you’ve been exposed, speak up. Your professionalism is in your transparency.

Barn managers, now is a good time to ask: are my service providers doing their part? If you don’t know, ask. Any true professional will welcome the question and be ready with an answer. If someone gets defensive or offended that you asked about basic hygiene and barn safety, they’re probably not someone you need in your program long-term.

If a horse at your barn shows symptoms, isolate them immediately. Call your vet. Disinfect everything they touch: cross ties, pitchforks, halters, your hands. Don’t assume it’s nothing, and definitely don’t assume you can “keep it quiet.”

Florida’s climate is a breeding ground for this kind of bacteria. This isn’t going to be a one-time issue, but it doesn’t have to become your barn’s worst nightmare, either. You are not helpless. You are not at the mercy of fate. The horses need us to act early, not just react loudly. Most outbreaks are completely preventable, but only if we all stop panicking and start doing the little things that actually protect them.