DESERT MIRAGE - February 2014

Desert Mirage -February 2014

FEBRUARY 2014

Dear Desert Mirage Readers...

The time has come for Desert Mirage to begin a new chapter in the continuous evolvement of the magazine. Arabian horse ‘people’ are intelligent, adventurous and enjoy an amazing array of fine destinations as well as appreciate the Arabian horse lifestyle in its entirety.

Desert Mirage launched a completely redesigned website at the beginning of 2014 to ensure that the subscribers, advertis-ers and readers of the magazine may continue to keep in step with the Arabian horse lifestyle. Desert Mirage now has an app for iPad users on the Apple Newsstand under Arabian Horse Magazine. There is no cost to view the magazine from your iPad. Desert Mirage also continues its convenient digital viewing location directly from the magazine website at DesertMirageMagazine.com. The current issue is active as well as all archived editions.

Contained in this February 2014 issue are a few new departments that have been added to continue the Arabian horse lifestyle flow throughout the publication. The magazine remains true to the purebred Arabian horse.

There is a very special mare on the cover of the February 2014 issue and she is also featured in an exceptional article written by Arlene Magid on the interior pages. *Pianissima (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Pianosa), the lovely Arabian mare bred by Janów Podlaski Stud in Poland, completely graces the pages of Desert Mirage. The beautiful *Pianissima is loved by people all around the globe. I had the opportunity to see *Pianissima in Paris at the 2013 World Arabian Championship Show. She is absolutely breathtaking! When *Pianissima entered the ring in Paris, the people rose to their feet and ap-plauded her. This was truly a memory I shall always cherish. She floated around the ring in her true feminine style display-ing her absolute athleticism. Her beauty and grace are unparalleled by any other Arabian mare I have had the pleasure to see. As Arlene Magid so eloquently entitled her article in this issue, “*Pianissima: The One & Only”, I can say without question that she is absolutely the most beautiful mare in the world!

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank our daughter, Lauren, for taking such amazing photos of *Pianissima for the magazine feature. Our daughter will be studying photography/teaching in Chicago in the Fall. Lauren displayed her professionalism while photographing this beautiful mare as well as the Championship classes along with numerous other photographers from around the globe. The magazine would also like to thank Anette Mattson for her generous contribution of beautiful photos of *Pianissima to this month’s feature article.

Please enjoy the editorials and beautiful photographs in the February issue of Desert Mirage. As always, it is our sincere commitment at Desert Mirage to provide quality material that matches the intellect of our readers.

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please forward these items to: [email protected].

Desert Mirage wishes all of the owners, breeders and exhibitors at this year’s Scottsdale Show a very successful venue!

Sincerely,

Laura J. BrodzikOwner/PublisherDesert [email protected] Publications LLC001.248.866.8756

Desert Mirage - February 2014

It’s 7:00AM on a Monday morning in the dead of winter. You slap the alarm clock snooze button down only to remember that it’s one of the biggest weeks of the year. Launching out of bed, you realize this is what you have been preparing for every day, week and month this year. But, the dreaded moment of what to pack, and what to wear comes to your mind and you… freeze.

Welcome to 2014, a brand new year. Get pumped up to shock your Facebook newsfeed with a more stylish you. Remember this: no matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and never give up. Whether you are competing, heading out on a hot date, jetting off to a business meeting, or heading to go clean out the barn, it’s the year to get moving and dedicated. As much as we need our rest, we know that an object in motion stays in motion. Keep it going and get motivated this year to not only look your best, but also to be the best (in all you do). In fact, studies show that physical appearance correlates to job performance. Below are a few style tips that will enhance your appearance this season and create a better you.

1) Dress for your body type. The ever-so-common New Year’s resolution is always to lose that extra 5-10 pounds that was gained the previous year, right? But, before you get to your ‘ideal weight’ the best way to hide the extra winter weight is to accen-tuate your best features and minimize other areas. Whether you are a pear, square or hourglass shape, choose your outfits meticu-lously. Accentuate your best features with flattering fabrics, ac-cessories, and prints. For pear shaped figures for example, wear dark denim or clean tailored lines on the bottom. Direct more attention to the top of your body with a patterned top. If you have a square shape, synch the waist with a leather belt and exaggerate

your curves. Break out the ruffles and flirty frilled tops or dresses to add femininity to your figure. For hourglass figure, dress to flatter your curves and not hide them.

2) Favor Fringe. From handbags, boots, and belts, fringe is dan-gling from the many seams in many different lengths. From short to long, choose your length to fit your preferred look.

3) Flaunt Florals. From Victorian inspired to Hawaiian, major designers like Marc Jacobs and Christian Dior have shown some flower power on the fashion runways for Spring 2014. Adapt your personal favorite floral prints and colors into your look this season.

4) Cover up in a cape. New designer Taylor Ellsworth created the new brand Ellsworth and Ivey from her grandmother’s inspi-ration by creating luxurious capes made from 100% Alpaca wool. Made in the heart of New York City’s Garment District, these capes are a classic staple in any lady’s wardrobe. Not to mention, the subtle leather trim detail is simply stunning.

5) Be Confident. Keep in mind that the best outfit is the one that makes you feel the best. When you feel your best, you do the best. As my daddy always told me before I entered the show ring, “Remember: Think Blue!”

As 2014 is off to a fabulous start, look forward and step outside the box with your goals and personal style. Show off your per-sonality through your style and make a lasting impression. This may just be the year where you step ahead, create a more fabu-lous you, and never look back.

Written by Ashley Cline

Five Style Tips for the NewYear



EquestrianStylist.com

Desert Mirage -February 2014

If you are a horse breeder there is no greater joy than witnessing the birth of a foal and hearing that first little nicker. It does not matter how many years you have been breeding horses or how many foals you have seen born, it never gets old! Your emotions can range from abso-lute euphoria to utter disappointment. Your emotions to a great extent are influenced by decisions you made a year prior to the foal’s birth. Contributing to your emotion is generally a large amount of expense and considerable risk associated with any breeding decision. Hence, considerable thought should not only be utilized in the selection of a stallion, but also to the total cost of breeding. Far too many times the ancillary cost exceeds the stallion’s breeding fee.

In understanding and budgeting the total cost to breed you should con-sider the following at a minimum.

• The mares reproductive health• The mares conception probability• Your plans for the resulting foal based on its gender• The marketability of a foal based on its gender• The stallion owner’s contract provisions• The stallion owner’s business reputation• The stallion’s breeding fee• The stallion’s semen fees (Live Cover, AI or Frozen)• The stallion’s conception record (semen quality)• Your veterinarian’s cost• Your veterinarian’s pregnancy success record• The projected cost associated with your plans for the resulting foal

Each consideration is supported by a substantial amount of detail. We have all heard the expression; “The devil is in the details.” When it comes to breeding, the expression should be modified to be: “The risk is in the detail.” The information you need should be easily obtained from a professionally managed reproduction facility and veterinarian service. A ‘Red Flag’ should go up for any information that cannot be obtained or doesn’t meet your minimum criteria. Your decision process should include evaluating every ‘Red Flag’ and its potential impact on both the risk and the total cost associated with your eventual decision. You are probably paying a lot of money - a lot being relative to your own financial risk threshold. You as the customer have every right to receive value for which you are paying. Your financial risk analysis

cannot be accurately concluded without the information you require to make a responsible decision.

A real horse business management system (not just a record keeping system) will enable you and the reproduction facility and or veterinar-ian service to easily measure and manage a stallion’s production and breeding successes and or a mare’s estrous cycle and pregnancy suc-cesses. A management system makes it easy to obtain the information needed to make an informed decision with little to no additional ex-pense. The system should automatically provide the professional docu-mentation needed for financial purposes and a stallion’s or mare’s cur-rent and historical reproductive performance.

There is nothing more unsettling then to receive a semen shipment with a hand written note that has little information. Not only is it unprofes-sional, it is easy to assume (fair or not) that the information does not accurately represent the semen’s parameters or quality. No one doubts that standing a stallion is expensive - very expensive. There are adver-tising and promotional costs, capital investment, and operating expense to name a few. Nevertheless, if you stand a stallion you have the obliga-tion to deliver a good product at a fair price. The mare owner is invest-ing a lot of money to breed to your stallion.

The mare owner also has an equal responsibility to the stallion owner. The mare owner has an obligation to make sure their mare is ready to breed. Ready to breed includes the mare’s conditioning and age, hav-ing her preventative care up to date, and making sure she is in good reproductive health. All of which should be part of the ongoing care and management of a breeding mare. Using a horse business management system with the applicable reminders will enable you to easily measure and manage your mare’s reproductive health making sure nothing falls through the cracks. A mare owner cannot complain about a stallion’s inability to get their mare in foal if their mare is not ready to breed.

Your veterinarian also plays an important role in your breeding deci-sion. As in any profession there are good and there are not so good reproduction veterinarians. The same discipline and care should be taken when considering your choice for a reproduction veterinarian. The veterinarian cost to breed a mare can easily exceed several hundred dollars. If a pregnancy doesn’t result from the first try you could be looking at a considerable veterinarian expense.



The cost of a horse business management system is insignificant when you consider the breeding cost and risk you are trying to justify. Once purchased, a horse business management system assists you in manag-

ing all aspects of your horse business year after year. It will not only provide you with management assistance, but will help you control and reduce the cost of operating your entire horse business.

Horse Business Management - Mare Reproduction

Horse Business Management - Stallion Reproduction

Entering your Income financial transactions is the enjoyable part of maintaining your business management system. A good management system will provide the opportunity to account for your income by the services and or products or different departments within your business. This provides you to opportunity to track and measure how and where your business makes or loses you money. Before your enter your in-formation you need to ask yourself a few questions; (1) what income account or accounts apply, (3) is the income the result of a customer

invoice and if it is what line items are being paid, (3) what business account do you want to deposit the income into, and (4) do you want to distribute the income between more than one account. The following example illustrates the ‘waterfall’ consequence of income as it flows through your management system and the additional information it provides that cannot be obtained from a recordkeeping system that is disconnected from your accounting system.

Receive Money – Financial Transaction ‘Waterfall’ Illustration

Your business’s financial transactions have an influence on every busi-ness decision you will make. Your understanding of your financial transactions ‘waterfall’ consequences can help you with the following business decisions in your horse business:

• Setting the pricing of your services or products• Making your business more competitive• Determining the market segments in which you will compete• When to have business promotions and at what cost• Are there services or products you should eliminate• How fast and at what speed you should grow your business• When you can afford to add additional capacity• How does your breakeven change when you add additional services or products• Where you can reduce expenses without reducing your customer care• What services or products make your business the most profit

This lists just a few examples. I am sure you can think of many more that are relevant to your horse business. The take away is every busi-ness starts with some kind of financial transaction and if you under-stand the ‘waterfall’ consequence of a financial transaction your will be far ahead of the majority of your peers.

Uunderlying the success of any horse business and the management system you chose is your commitment to keep your system current and use the information it provides to assist you in making good business decisions. Believe me; you need a horse business management system! But, purchasing one if you do not have the ‘business discipline’ to keep it current and use it is a bad business decision, and probably not the management system’s fault!

Desert Mirage -February 2014Page 69

Underlying the success of any horse business and the management sys-tem you chose is your commitment to keep your system current and use the information it provides to assist you in making good business decisions. Believe me; you need a horse business management system! But, purchasing one if you do not have the ‘business discipline’ to keep it current and use it is a bad business decision, and probably not the management system’s fault!

To be successful in a horse business does not require a finance educa-tion, but it does require business discipline and an understanding of what your financials are telling you. This understanding will enable you to make better business decisions. A good Horse Business Man-agement System will do the calculations for you and analyze and re-port the results with comments or suggestions. A good Horse Business Management System will save you valuable time you can then use to improve your business. I encourage you to investigate how equineG-enie not only helps you manage and care for your horses and manage your business operations and support your customers, but helps you be financially successful.

Bob Valentine, Ph.D.PresidentGenieCo, Inc.Box 271924Ft. Collins, CO 80527970.682.2645 or [email protected]

Dr. Valentine taught Equine Business Management to graduating se-niors in the Equine Science Department at Colorado State University. He has been involved in the horse business for too long. If you have any questions, you can reach Bob at [email protected], or call him at 970.682.2645 or 970.231.1455 (mobile).


Desert Mirage -February 2014 Page 69

Horse owners, stable managers, and trainers often have insured horses in their care. What people sometimes forget is that in-sured horses are the subject of a contract that requires special attention and action, such as notifying the insurer if the horse becomes injured or ill. Representing an insurance company, this author recently won an equine insurance lawsuit in Illinois where the court denied the horse owner any benefits under an equine in-surance policy because he waited too long before notifying his insurance company that his horse had become seriously lame.

This article briefly discusses the case and concludes with some examples of how you can avoid disputes with your insurer. The Insurance CaseThe case, decided in 2013, involved a hunter/jumper mare that was insured under a policy of equine mortality insurance. The mare sustained an injury while under a lease arrangement, but 15 days passed before anybody notified the insurer. After that, the horse’s condition worsened to the point where the owner’s veterinarian recommended euthanasia. The owner had the horse euthanized and then submitted a claim for insurance benefits.

In response to the claim, the insurer denied coverage. It believed that the owner, among other things, failed to satisfy a condition in the policy that required the owner to give the insurer “immedi-ate notice” of the horse’s illness, injury, or lameness. The horse owner, arguing in favor of coverage, suggested that he should be excused from the policy’s “immediate notice” requirement because his horse was under a lease and he was unaware of the lameness problem. Rejecting that argument, however, the Court cited language in the policy that the notice condition applied “whether you have personal knowledge of such circumstances or events or such knowledge is confined to your family mem-bers, representatives, agents, veterinarians, employees, bailees, co-owners or other persons who have care, custody or control of [the insured horse] at any time.” As a result, the court dismissed the case. It found that the owner’s 15-day delay before notifying the insurer of the horse’s lameness was not “immediate” notice as the policy required, and the horse owner could not recover under the policy.

Avoiding Disputes Equine mortality insurance policies typically require “immedi-ate” or “prompt” notice of an insured horse’s injury, lameness, or illness. Failing to comply with this requirement brings the risk that the insurer will deny the claim. Here are a few suggestions for avoiding disputes:

1. Read Your PolicySince notice requirements can vary from company to company, read your equine insurance policy carefully so that you know when the insurer expects notice of your horse’s illness, lameness, or injury, and to whom notice should be directed.

2. Direct Your Notice to The Correct Person or NumberYour insurance policy, or information attached to it, will provide the name and phone number of the person or company that your insurer designates to receive notice. The agent who sold you the

policy, you might be surprised to learn, may not be the right one to call. Giving notice to the wrong person could potentially be treated as giving no notice at all.

3. Keep - and Share - Your Insurer’s Notice Contact Infor-mation Insurers often send, along with their insurance policies, handy cards that provide the designated (800) number to call to notify the insurer that the insured horse is not well. Keep the informa-tion in your purse or wallet and share the information with others who are caring for your horse.

4. Encourage Your Clients to Share and Update Insurance InformationIf an insured horse’s condition takes a turn for the worse, horse trainers and boarding stable management might need to contact the insurer on the owner’s behalf. With that in mind, equine busi-nesses can keep the (800) number of their customers’ horses in a few places such as the horse’s stall, the barn office, cell phone, truck, and trailer. Encourage your clients to provide the most updated information. Include it, for example, in the boarding contract and on stall cards.

This article does not constitute legal advice. Where questions arise based on specific situations, consult with a knowledgeable attorney.

About the Author

Julie Fershtman, one of the nation’s most experienced Equine Law practitioners, is a shareholder with Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC. An attorney and legal consultant for more than 27 years, she has successfully tried equine cases in four states and has drafted hundreds of contracts. She is a Fellow and Officer of the American College of Equine Attorneys and has lectured in 28 states. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Business Litigation and Insurance Law. For more information, please visit www.fershtmanlaw.com, www.equinelaw.net, or www.equinelawblog.com. And please “LIKE” our Facebook Page: “Foster Swift: Equine Law.”


Written by Arlene Magid

*Gazal Al Shaqab x Pianosa PARIS 2013

*PIANISSIMA

*Pianissima’s Show Record2004 Spring Show Junior Gold Champion Mare, Bialka (Poland)2004 Spring Show Best in Show, Bialka (Poland)2004 Junior Champion Mare, Falborek (Poland)2004 Best in Show, Falborek (Poland)2004 Polish National Junior Gold Champion Mare, Janów Pod-laski (Poland)2004 Polish National Best in Show, Janów Podlaski (Poland)2004 All Nations Cup Junior Champion Mare, Aachen (Ger-many)2004 European Junior Champion Mare, Moorsele (Belgium)2004 World Junior Champion Mare, Paris (France)2006 Scottsdale Arabian Show First Place 3 Year Old Mare, Scottsdale, AZ (USA)

2006 U.S. National Junior Champion Mare, Louisville, KY (USA)2008 Al Khalediah Arabian Horse Festival Senior Champion Mare, Tebrak/Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)2008 Polish National Senior Gold Champion Mare, Janów Pod-laski (Poland)2008 Polish National Best in Show, Janów Podlaski (Poland)2008 All Nations Cup Senior Champion Mare, Aachen (Germany)2008 European Senior Champion Mare, Moorsele (Belgium)2008 World Senior Champion Mare, Paris (France)2012 DIAHC (Dubai International)Senior Gold Champion Mare, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)2012 WAHO Trophy winner (Polish edition)2013 World Platinum Champion Mare, Paris (France)

January 13, 2003 was a historic day for the Arabian horse, for a bay filly was born at the Janów Podlaski Stud in Poland who would become one of the world’s most celebrated and admired mares. Her show record is unique, her beauty unparalleled, and her admirers come from all over the globe.

*Pianissima’s creation was not without controversy. She was the first foal born from the lease of her sire, World Champi-on and U.S. Reserve National Champion Stallion *Gazal Al Shaqab, to Poland. *Gazal Al Shaqab’s lease was controversial as some felt that Janów was moving away from the breeding of the traditional Polish lines by using him, since his sire Anaza El Farid was Straight Egyptian and his dam Kajora combined Russian and American lines with a Polish tail female. Jeffrey Wintersteen, a noted breeder, writer and consultant who works with Pride of Poland, recalls: “I was admittedly a little skeptical about the use of *Gazal Al Shaqab at Janów Podlaski. Director Trela was looking for the outcross to re-invigorate the stud, in hopes of finding the lightning in a bottle that Michałów found with Monogramm. I remember when Jan (Director Trela’s son) led *Pianissima into the ring for her debut at Polish Nation-als in 2004. It was an unbelievable moment, and any doubts I had about *Gazal vanished, it was an inspired choice. I rushed back to the stalls at the break to just be close to this bay filly. The grooms were smiling, their faces bursting with pride. This wasn’t just a great filly, it was THE filly. In retrospect, it could not have come at a better time, a great granddaughter of the late Director Krzysztalowicz’s beloved Pilarka from Poland’s oldest stud. It was a magical time.”

*Pianissima’s dam was from one of Poland’s most cherished families. Jeff Wallace, a longtime breeder who imported U.S. National Champion Mare *Zagrobla on lease from Poland, says, “*Pianissima truly represents the ‘Power of Pilarka’. It is no accident that *Pianissima is from the Pilarka dam line and if you look at each mare from *Pilarka forward you can see *Pianissima coming. For today’s show ring *Gazal Al Shaqab was the perfect conduit to pull her from that mare line.” Marek Trela, the director of Janów Podlawski Stud, explains about the strength of this female family. “The mother of *Pianissima was my favorite, Pianosa. I had great expectations but her first foal was even more than I could ever expect. *Pianissima was a very special foal and from very beginning it was obvious, that we have a unique horse. Pianosa was a bay *Eukaliptus daugh-

ter with his long neck, beautiful head and great charisma. Her mother, grey Pinia by *Probat, was for me one of the most im-portant broodmares and probably the best daughter of *Probat in Janów. Pinia was out of great *Pilarka and she was very feminine but strong mare with beautiful head, and spectacular movement. But above everything, Pinia and Pianosa were sort of a bridge between *Pilarka and *Pianissima - two very differ-ent mares. One was a big grey and the other a delicate bay, but one thing was similar - both were unique! Maybe for people who has known *Pilarka is easier to understand why *Pianis-sima could appear like she is. Both *Pilarka and *Pianissima captured not only judges but also the audience at all shows. Both were extreme and I am very sure they both knew this fact!”

Scott Benjamin of Benjamin Equine Consulting has worked with the Polish State Studs for many years and has an encyclo-pedic knowledge of Polish bloodlines as well as personal knowl-edge of many of the great horses bred in Poland. He provides us with a history of the dam line that created *Pianissima. “*Pia-nissima is proof positive that the secret to success in breeding is tried-and–tested quality dam lines. The “P” family from which she hails is one of the most successful and esteemed families in the Polish breeding program, tracing back to the Tersk-bred import Piewica (Priboj x Wlodarka by Ofir), whose dam Kewa and paternal sire Piolun were Soviet confiscates from Poland at the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Imported at three years of age, Piewica produced her first foal at five, leaving twelve foals in Poland before her export to France at age 19. Five of her Polish-bred daughters went on to be reputable producers, including her two most famous daughters Pentoda and *Pier-zga. Polish National Reserve Champion Pentoda (by *Bandos) is the source of several international superstars including U.S. National Champion Mare *Penicylina and the reigning Scott-sdale Supreme Champion, Arabian Breeders World Cup Gold Champion and United States National Champion Stallion *Po-grom. *Pierzga (by Negatiw) proved the bountiful source of exceptional athleticism, producing racing super sire *Pierrot (Czort), Oaks winner Pieczec (by Palas) – in turn the dam of twice World & European Champion Piruet (by *Probat), and the unforgettable Pilarka (also by Palas), World Champion, Eu-ropean Champion & British National Supreme Champion. Still considered the ultimate Arabian mare by many who knew and adored her, Pilarka left her indelible mark of quality on her five Polish-bred daughters. Two would in turn continue her legacy


of excellence: Polish National Champion Pipi (Banat), the all-time leading Polish-bred dam of National Champions, and the Polish National class-winner Pinia (by *Probat). Pinia in turn produced one of the best *Eukaliptus daughters ever bred in Poland: the long-necked, ultra-feminine, high trotting Pianosa, who achieved the titles of Polish Spring Show Junior Champion and Best in Show and Polish National Reserve Champion mare before her untimely death at age ten. Her first effort as a brood-mare was *Pianissima, in which she combined all the very best of her esteemed dam line while recalling the ethereal beauty and aristocratic quality of *Pilarka.”

*Pianissima’s triumphant march through the show rings of Eu-rope, North America and the Middle East began when she was just a yearling, when she was named Champion and Best In Show at three shows in Poland, including the Polish Nationals. In her next showings, she achieved what no yearling had ever done before--a sweep of all of the major title shows of Europe, the Nations Cup, European Championships and World Cham-pionship, at all of which she was named Champion Filly, thus winning the European Triple Crown.

In 2005 *Pianissima was leased by the Pride of Poland Partners to the United States, in a deal brokered by Jeff Sloan of Aria

Arabians and trainer Greg Gallún, who would show her. Sloan recalls, “It would be the highest price ever paid for the lease of a mare in history, and so the deal was risky, but it was for the great *Pianissima, and Greg Gallún and I, along with George Zbyszewski’s help, got it done.” As it turned out, the risk was minimal--*Pianissima was as successful in American shows in 2006 as she had been in European ones in 2004. She won the very competitive three year old filly class at Scottsdale and was subsequently named U.S. National Champion Junior Mare.

*Pianissima then turned to her next important task--mother-hood. Thanks to the miracle of embryo transfer she has pro-duced seven registered offspring through 2012. Her daughters include EVG Pissandra (by *Pershahn El Jamaal), Nismat Al-bidayer (by Ames Charisma), AJ Penelope (by *El Nabila B), Pia PASB (by *Ganges), and Pianata by Eden C. Pia PASB and Pianata are now at Janów Podlawski, EVG Pissandra is in the U.S.A. and Nismat Albidayer and AJ Penelope now reside in the Middle East. *Pianissima has two sons thus far-PA Encore by Enzo (who sadly broke a leg and could not be saved after siring his first offspring) and the yearling Prometeusz by *FA El Shawan. *Pianissima’s foals are so highly sought after that at the 2009 Pride Of Poland sale a breeding right for her next foal sold for $214,237.41!


*Pianissima at Age 10, Named World Platinum Champion Mare in Paris in December 2013

*Pianissima at Gallún Farms in the USA in 2010- Stunningly Beautiful Even in a Barn Halter


*PIANISSIMAParis World Arabian

Championship Show 2013

In 2008, *Pianissima’s show tour included Saudi Arabia, the Polish Nationals, and the major title shows of Europe, and she became the only mare in breed history to win the European “Tri-ple Crown”(Nations Cup, European Championships and World Championships) both as a filly and as an adult mare. Both Euro-pean Triple Crown wins were also unanimous, a record that will be very difficult to supersede. In 2012 *Pianissima was shown once, in Dubai, where she won another gold championship.

*Pianissima’s lengthy show career was made possible by her calm temperament outside the show ring. Director Marek Trela says : ” Showing Pianissima was always huge stress for me, but not for her. Imagine her stable in Dubai show, which was an exhibition hall 100 meters by 100 meters, empty, with only two portable boxes right in the middle. One box was for Penny and the other for her food and equipment. I don’t know any other horse who can stay calm in such a stable, but she did not care at all. She woke up only for the show time – tail up and after the championships she had her carrots and enjoyed her peaceful stall.“

At the 2012 Polish Nationals, a retirement ceremony was held for *Pianissima during which her World Arabian Horse Orga-nization award was presented to her and she was led around the outdoor ring one last time by each of the handlers who had shown her. It was promised that this was her last public presen-tation…until Director Marek Trela of Janów had a change of

heart. “Yes I promised her - no competition anymore, but which horse deserves more a Platinum Title than her??? Truth to be told - I was not sure if I made a good decision to show her in Paris until the moment she appeared in the ring. Judges and an audience were so grateful to see her and she did the show like never before. The reaction of all the people at the showgrounds was the best proof that an idea to present her once again was good and the Platinum Cup award deserves a horse like *Pia-nissima and *Pianissima deserves Platinum Cup like any other horse.” *Pianissima is the first mare to be awarded the Platinum Cup title at the World Championship show.

Noted Swedish equine photographer, journalist and Arabi-an horse breeder Anette Mattsson has observed *Pianissima throughout her triumphant show career both in Europe and the United States. She has kindly given permission for us to use photos of *Pianissima and her dam in this article. She says of her: “*Pianissima is the horse that every breeder is dreaming of but no one ever thought could be for real. Her pedigree is filled with great, beautiful horses including the spectacular mares Ka-jora and Pilarka and the cross of *Gazal Al Shaqab x Pianosa simply brought all the great features in her pedigree into one perfect horse and that was *Pianissima. I love the way that she “owns” the world and she simply knows that she is the undispu-table queen no matter if it is out in pasture at Janów Podlaski or if it is in the show ring. It is a treat every time I see her and she loves people and the attention she gets. “


*Pianissima displays the Winning Form that Earned her her First National Title, 2008 Polish National Champion Filly


*Pianissima Trots her Way into the Hearts of the Spectators at the 2008 Polish National Show




From Great Mares Come Great Daughters -2004 Polish Reserve National Champion Mare Pianosa (*Eukaliptus x Pinia)



Anette continues: “One moment I will carry with me forever is when she entered the ring in Paris in December 2013 with a great trot and the audience went wild. The queen was back and it was pure magic! It was like she was above all the other horses at the show and no horse could be more fitting for a prize like the Platinum Championship. *Pianissima is truly a once in a lifetime horse!”

Director Trela concludes our story: “Now *Pianissima’s show career is completed, but when she competed, my stress was big-ger and bigger with every next show. Knowing her value I also

knew that eventual loss will be only my owned responsibility. Horse like her cannot lose and if she loses it’s my mistake and nobody’s else. Fortunately she won everything and now I can sleep well!”

The Arabian community will in the future hopefully enjoy the competition of *Pianissima’s offspring and further descendants that will carry on “The Power of Pilarka”. Our thanks to every-one who was interviewed for this story and especially to Anette Mattsson for the wonderful photos.


Standing with *Pianissima from left,Pawel Kozikowski, Joanna Wojtecka, Marek Trela, Anna Stefaniuk &

Izabella Pawelec-Zawadzka

If EA Cygnus+// could tell you about himself, he’d boast. He’d start by telling you that he is the only Arabian to earn a USDF JR/Young Rider Grand Prix Horse of the Year Award. He would remind you he is only the second horse in the country to earn a USDF Horse Performance Certificate at every level of dressage and that he is in the top 50 horses of all time for number of USDF Grand Prix tests completed in his career (72). He would go on about his four national championships and five reserve national cham-pionships, and how he taught a horse-crazy teenager from North Dakota how to ride, mak-ing it sound like he planned it all.

And then I would gently step in, as I often do with Cygnus, and tell the real story.

THE ROAD TO CYGNUS

That tale begins before Cygnus and I met. Growing up riding my mom’s old jumper, Ibn Bee Zahr, and my Half-Arab pony, Merry-legs+//, gave me the skills and courage I would need to handle the journey that was ahead with Cygnus. One taught me to be assertive and keep my heels down while the other taught di-plomacy and the art of getting a horse on the bit. I rode Merrylegs in the last USDF Young Rider Clinic that Conrad Schumacher instructed, where I began to understand what real dressage meant. It was also the event that made me real-ize I needed a schoolmaster.

At the age of 15, when I saw an ad for a grey Grand Prix Arabian gelding named Cygnus, I immediately knew he was the horse I was look-ing for, but actually getting him was another matter. Bringing him from Louisiana to our farm in North Dakota involved a 3,4oo mile trip and some creative financing. We maxed out a low-interest credit card, refinanced the family pickup and trailer and Cygnus’ owner agreed to take payments over the course of a year. My end of the bargain was to work our training horses for free through high school.

BUILDING A GRAND PRIX PARTNERSHIP

Cygnus and I meshed right away, but he was not a quiet or tolerant schoolmaster. He wants to call the shots and requires a completely focused ride. In those early days, Cygnus regularly test-ed my ability to stay aboard, especially with his penchant for recreational shying, but we pushed

through to a great first summer together as I learned his rules. We were able to get most of the scores for my USDF Silver Medal and we were Reserve National Champion Fourth Level at the Canadian Nationals.

The next season I started showing him in the FEI small tour (Prix St. George and Inter-mediare I), finishing my silver medal and the I-1 scores for my gold. During a double show weekend, I decided to change our final ride to Grand Prix to see if we could pull it off. Adding piaffe, passage, one tempis and zig-zag canter half-pass was quite a challenge. Our first time to ride it was in the show ring! While our test was far from perfect, it was an exhilarating con-fidence-builder.

With conscientious work and me listening care-fully to my horse, we made consistent progress. Later that summer, we got one of the scores for my gold medal at Grand Prix and five “almosts” between 58 and 59.7. Those were painful. At this point, we were ready for Conrad Schum-acher to help us form a real Grand Prix partner-ship.

MAXIMUM EFFORT

Our next challenge was getting a crafty Cygnus to work as hard in the show ring as he would schooling. The same horse that could perform 41 flawless one-tempi changes in training might choose to quit at four in competition if I let my guard down for even a moment. To encourage him to put in maximum effort more consistently, I focused on keeping him through to my hand with the power on. We went out to the fields to school the hard work, like piaffe, passage and pirouettes. Asking for these move-ments on a hill increased the difficulty, making the ring work seem easier. It also helped to only ask for a few steps of piaffe at a time, give him a sugar and praise him, gradually asking for more steps. I became his personal cheerleader. With two more seasons of training we were able to complete my gold medal and Cygnus’ Grand Prix Horse Performance Certificate. The most amazing award was winning the USDF Jr/Young Rider Grand Prix Horse of the Year in 2008.

Another element of our training that improved his overall performance was adding freestyle into the mix. Cygnus loves working to music -- the bigger and louder, the better -- so his


Aladdin-themed Kur came to life. With this, his regular Grand Prix ex-ecution improved and he gradually became more expressive in his per-formance. I still had to work for everything I got, but he was seeing me as a better leader.

That season we decided to compete in the FEI freestyle at the 2009 Sport Horse Nationals in Kentucky. Torrential rains, nearby construction and flapping ringside tarps got the better of Cygnus in the Grand Prix where he bolted across the ring, but he pulled off a National Championship at Intermediare 2. On the final evening, just as the music started for our freestyle, he reared. The audience loved it, thinking it was planned but I was sure surprised! Cygnus went on to give a fire-breathing performance and was named National Champion. I was so proud; he had given me everything he had. GOING AFTER DRESSAGE’S “ROYAL FLUSH”

By 2010 Cygnus was a more finished, reliable Grand Prix horse and I was a better rider. Now a new challenge seemed within our grasp. Cygnus had earned seven of the possible nine USDF Horse Performance Certifi-cates during his career. For each level, the horse must achieve 10 scores above 60 percent. With two more certificates, we could sweep all nine levels. Although achieving these 90 qualifying scores is an achievement so rare it could be called dressage’s “royal flush,” I believed for Cygnus it was possible. In 2011 we went back after those missing Intermediare I and II scores.

The start of 2012 was scary with Cygnus’ Equine Metabolic Syndrome and Cushings Disease flaring up causing a slight laminitis episode. We got him through it and continued on for the last score, which he got early in the season. Cygnus was now the first Arabian and the second horse of any breed to achieve all nine USDF Horse Performance Certificates!

We were also able to complete the scores needed for my USDF Musical Freestyle Gold Bar and at 22, Cygnus performed his first Grand Prix Special test, earning a 64 percent! Then it was back to Grand Prix for the Sport Horse Nationals. There we missed our goal of a national champi-onship by .6 percent with a jig step at the walk and 17 one tempis instead of the required 15. It was a hard pill to swallow but Cygnus was sound, fit and excited about life, so the most important things were in place.

THE FUTURE 1/13

While it would be tempting to view success with Cygnus as a string of

accomplishments, my own view is that success is the everyday journey with him and the privilege of working the important details of the up-per level dressage horse. Looking at 2013, those details will be in focus. There is room for improvement in things such as more engagement of his right hind leg and suppleness through his ribs to make his half passes bigger. I am so lucky to have a horse that can and still wants to work at 23. I am still learning from him, but now he’s learning from me, too. We are aiming for a season at Grand Prix and Sport Horse Nationals, but it’s all up to Cygnus.

Our Final Chapter Final Test 1/14

Cygnus started 2013 as he always did, my White Charger that ruled our kingdom but 2013 was to be his final season. He accompanied us to Cheyenne, WY for his Grand Prix tests. It went well the first day with a definite glitch the second. Something that those not close to Cygnus might not know was that Cygnus was extremely sway backed and had been almost his entire life. Only through the magic of a very unique hand crafted saddle was he able to be ridden. His saddle of 18 years cracked in half during his test! The saddle was rocketed back to Canada to be re-manufactured and Cygnus and I went bareback for over a month. During this time I felt lucky to not fly off of him as he never felt a need to make any ride easy.

We ended up passing on the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals. He was ready, as was the saddle, but the reality was there were not the funds for the show. Instead we went to an open USDF show in Minnesota. That test was to be special in all ways. It was his 75th Grand Prix test, it was one of his best tests ever and he did it in his snaffle. We were one and Cygnus was happy.

He left us December 10th, 2013 at 4:00 AM. He was healthy & full of life until slight colic symptoms showed in the evening. By 12:00 AM the surgical team was assembled and at 4:00 the inoperable tumor that had invaded his small intestine left us with no decision but the most dif-ficult one. Cygnus’ time with me was over. He went out at the top of his game –no retirement.

Beginning

It is hard to think of my life without my best friend and partner. Now it is just me. I trust in the knowledge Cygnus gifted to me and the legacy he left me. I will begin again and stay true to our path.


DRESSED FOR SUCCESS - LJH HALTERS


Owned by Hayley ShawFrom a young age Hayley Shaw, owner of LJH Halters, has always admired the Ara-bian horse breed above oth-ers. “Their beauty and grace struck a cord with me and I’ve never fallen out of love with them. One of the things I loved was how they were dressed in their Arabian attire, parad-ing around with their tails in the air. I couldn’t help myself and during 2012 I began sourc-ing materials from around the world to design traditional style halters and breast collars. From there I have branched out

into bitted halters, PVC and ca-ble halters,” Hayley says.

LJH Halters’ clientele base is mainly in Australia; however, has branched out to include the U.S. and NZ. All of the LJH designs may be found on the website with more designs be-ing added regularly. LJH also creates unique designs to suit your requirements.

[email protected]://www.facebook.com/ljhhalters

Desert Mirage - december 2013 Page 58 Desert Mirage - February 2014

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Article & Photos by Myriam Dat of France

THE SALON DU CHEVAL OF EL JADIDA IN MOROCCO

The sixth edition of the fair of the horse of El Jadida in Morocco was held from October 2nd through the 6th, 2013. The show was held in Mazagan, a beautiful old Portuguese town surrounded by ramparts with picturesque charm located an hour and a half South of Casablanca placed under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohamed VI.

The association of the honor of the horse, which emerged in 2008 as the leadership of his Majesty King Mohamed VI and was recognized as a pub-lic utility in 2010, continues to innovate and to establish itself as a flagship event on the Moroccan calendar.

The El Jadida show has become eessential at the national level by allowing the entire country an equestrian tradition to exchange their Arabian horse passion with competitions between differing pure Arabian blood. Breeding to the international quality of the finest Arabian horses and infrastructure of the show allows this fair to climb the ranks of prestigious events that contribute to the promotion of this magnificent animal: the Arabian horse.

This year, first International to the purebred Arabian was held a contest of model and gaits. This was organized by the Association of the Salon

du Cheval with veterinary surgeon El Habib Abdul, Commissioner of the Salon, the Royal Association Marocaine de Pur Sang Arabic with veteri-narian Dr. Lahsen Fdail, horse breeders, in collaboration with the Society for Encouragement of the Horse (S.O.R.E.C) with Mr. Omar Skali and the World Arabian Horse Organization (WAHO). All have contributed to the success of this great competition by offering and contributing their time and energy.

All the public, farmers and enthusiasts have enjoyed the event during the two consecutive days of the qualifying classes, which included many countries present, followed by the Championships.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, numerous awards were distributed to congratulate the champions under the expert eyes of the judges, the vigilance of the technical director, Doctor Mohammed MACHMOUM, as well as the Disciplinary Committee recognized by the ECAHO.

The show contained a beautiful quality of horses with superb services of all of the handlers. The 2014 El Jadida Show in Morocco promises to be a must-see event for Arabian horse owners, breeders, trainers and promoters of the breed worldwide.


Part 4: GOALS FOR TRAINING OUR TWO YEAR OLDS

• Review all the yearling ground training• Round Pen training at the trot and canter• Round Pen changing direction and speed • Learn to carry a regular adult synthetic saddle with the famil-

iar bunny rider• Learn to carry extra weight consisting of small tires tied to-

gether with a rope and looped over the saddle horn.• Continue exposure to Parade Obstacles to touch with nose at

liberty• Mounting lesson and first ride• Continue review of tricks for “smile” every day at feeding

time• Review soccer and pushing the huge ball on several occasions

during the summer play sessions• Review Trailer Loading

For the two-year old training season, the horses continued with obstacle training review where they were asked to walk over various surfaces and touch new objects in the obstacle course in which the items position was constantly changed. The two-year olds had been able to do this at liberty since they were weanlings, so this task posed no problems or excitement. This lesson was often accompanied by playing Spook Less sound effect CDs rep-resenting fireworks, gunshots, sirens, dogs barking, crowds shout-ing, clapping, and sixty more sounds that horses may be exposed to in parades. The purpose of this exercise is to create horses safe and comfortable in parade environments that may consist of over a million spectators and all kinds of commotion. Last year in America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade we followed a Ford Mo-tor Car Float shooting large amounts of metallic confetti above our heads all along the three-mile parade route in Detroit. Some confetti even got caught in our horses’ manes and our costumes! Our horses did not pay any attention to this. They have bravely handled other scary parade scenes such as: floats behind them that twist and shoot out smoke and streamers, walking though paths of bubbles, positioned behind or in front of fire trucks and bands, or cages with lions or circus animals. We also ride in lighted cos-tumes confidently because of the training we do beforehand. As veterans of over 500 parades, I like to think I have seen nearly everything, and believe that the training we do at home definitely prepares our horses to enjoy the parades and keep us safe.

While the two-year olds were introduced to the round pen as yearlings, this season they were asked for more frequent turns to change direction and to do so at speeds faster than a walk due to their increased maturity.

The synthetic pony saddles were replaced with adult saddles. They became accustomed to carrying additional weight by adding two small tires tied together with a rope and placed over the saddle horn.

Additional impression of “bulk” was added as the horse learned to carry inflatable animal riders larger than the three-foot bunny riders from their weanling and yearling years. One was a huge octopus which posed no problem of them shying away from. Mounting Lesson: This was the most important new lesson for this season. The first mounting lesson consisted of sacking out the saddle by tapping the stirrups, seat, and other areas with my hand from a light touch to more strenuous slaps. Instead of a bridle, the horses practice this exercise in a Parelli Hackamore which consists of the rope natural halter which has a long lead line tied to form a rope loop reins and mercate tail. The horses were cued to perform some vertical and lateral flexing exercises, turning, and backing. The horses already knew how to do these exercises well which were started as weanlings. Next, after turning the horse’s nose down and in towards the stirrup, I placed a toe into the stirrup for a few seconds only and took it right out again. The idea is to be over and done with the first exposure before the horse has the time to react. This is a point to reinforce (reward) the horse that has stood fairly quiet with a stroke and praise such as “Good, Kamala”. With clicker training one would give a click followed by a small treat such as a slice of carrot, very small bit of apple, or half a grape. It is important that the horse stand still while a foot is in the stirrup. Continue to mount alternating from each side leaving the foot in the stirrup for increasing longer amounts of time. Reinforce after each time. I use my horses’ names constantly when working with them. They all know their names and come to be haltered from the pasture in the order that I call their specific name.

Next, I stepped up into the stirrup for a few seconds with legs close together and standing straight, but not placing my right leg over the horse yet. This was continued several times for a few seconds longer each time. I reinforced after each time. (If at any point a horse appears agitated, raises their head up, or attempts to walk off, I would go back to the ground work which gets the horse’s mind back to the new task and cooperation.) These steps of putting the toe in and then stepping up but not mounting may take only a half dozen repeats with some horses or an hour or more with others. The horse should stand quietly before the next step. When all signs appear “go” I stepped into the stirrup, threw my leg over the saddle, sat for about two seconds and then dismounted. The idea is to get this step done before the horse has time to react. This mounting can then be repeated over and over for an increas-ing length of time spent in the saddle. The next step is ask for a few steps forward. For my horses, they were used to the verbal kiss cue and a slight turn of the head to walk forward. While I used a clicker and food reinforcements to teach these new concepts, it is not necessary, but a simple pat, stroke, or praise is certainly in order for a job well done after each mount and dismount. It is im-portant to realize that you are not locked into having to have food with you forever when you reinforce for correct behavior. I find it speeds the learning process and once the learning has taken place the food is gradually reduced.

The whole idea behind breaking down the mounting into so many small or baby steps is to accomplish each step with success and lit-tle or no resistance. You have already dismounted before the horse had had time to resist and buck or rear. When cowboys in the early west did not have our knowledge, they thought the “rodeo” was a necessary step in “breaking a horse to ride”. Using these methods, I have horses that have never reared or bucked with a rider. They may do it playing in the field, but not when under saddle and that is what I am looking for. For me “training a horse under saddle” is smarter, safer and better.

At this point at the end of their second year of age, the young horses were vet checked and it was determined their knees had not matured enough for a human doing extended riding. They con-tinued a few mounting lessons through the fall and given a break for the winter. We have no pressing time schedules for them to be ridden at the walk trot, and canter. We allow our horses to mature at their own rates. We are still riding our sound parade horses into their late twenties without the need for chiropractors or arthritis medications.

Anyone working with horses should remember there is always some danger involved in any horse training for both your horse and you. We all know that horses can cause serious injuries. Prop-er preparation and thinking through any activity can prevent prob-lems that can take a long time to overcome. Any item that our

horses pick up in their teeth is first wrapped in electrical tape or duct tape. Hula hoops are unfastened so that they will fall apart if needed. Velcro that is easily removed is a staple for attaching props. We have not experienced a wreck in training babies and other horses by keeping this in mind. Use common sense and do not attempt any suggestions outside your experience and comfort level.

This information is intended to demonstrate training methods and helpful tips that work for us. You must be responsible for using it safely. If you are not comfortable with your abilities or experi-ence, seek advice or assistance from a professional horse trainer. The last piece of advice I have is to do your preparation homework and have fun!

About the author: Nancy Harm grew up on a Brown Swiss dairy farm with draft horses and a Welsh pony that was ridden western and also pulled a sleigh and buggy. She has a B.S. degree in Edu-cation from the University of New Hampshire, M.S. in Educational Psychology of Child Development from the University of Michi-gan, and an ED.S. Degree in Educational Psychology of Early Childhood from the University of Michigan. Recently retired from teaching Psychology at Schoolcraft College, Harm has applied her educational background to the way she raises and trains her Arabian horses.

HARMONYACRESPARADEHORSES.COM


DESERT MIRAGE - February 2014

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