• March 31, 2016
• By Jennie Carleton

Anna Jane White-Mullin jumping the last jump at 1971 Maclay Finals. Photo by Budd.

There are great riders and great horses, but there’s a certain magic that happens when just the right combination is paired together. Anna Jane White-Mullin and her Thoroughbred horse, “Rivet,” are an excellent example of such a partnership. Their story is one of hard work, horsemanship, and the heart of a thoroughbred.

While most of the top junior riders competing in the equitation classes today have mounts specifically dedicated for that purpose, that was not the case decades ago. Riders often had one horse to show, and that horse would typically perform “double duty,” ridden in both the hunter and equitation classes, and sometimes in the jumpers as well. Rivet was no exception. Anna White-Mullin was kind enough to share her story with me so that I might share it with others. The following is her account of how she and Rivet came to be:

Anna & Rivet Riding Without Stirrups at Ox Ridge in 1971.

“We bought Rivet from the well-respected Hungarian horseman, Gabor Foltenyi, who was running a barn in Michigan at the time.  He was working to develop trust between himself and Rivet, who had been physically abused by a young male rider. Gabor’s stated philosophy was, ‘You get more from a horse by winning his confidence and allowing him to enjoy the sport, and then keeping him, at all times, under gentle but complete control.’  I watched Gabor quietly tack up the horse with flowing, gentle movements that made me realize he was trying to gain the horse’s trust.  Gabor was famous for his ability to develop a horse through flatwork, and this really showed when I tried out Rivet.  He was a beautiful mover and the most supple horse I’ve ever ridden, so we were pleased to be able to buy him.  We were told that he was suspicious of almost everything and had to be dealt with quietly to get the best from him; but it was still a surprise at the first horse show when my father went into the stall to feed him and Rivet sat down on his haunches in the corner, looking wide-eyed and panicked.

 

“Later that day, he had to be measured before we could compete in the junior division, and the steward said he measured as a Large Junior Hunter.  I tacked him up and showed in my first hunter class at the Ox Ridge Horse Show and was lucky enough to win it.  Afterwards, my coach, George Morris, said, ‘How did this horse get measured as a large?  He couldn’t be a large!’  So we had Rivet measured again, and he came up as a small.  I was then faced with the decision of whether to keep my points for the win in the Large Jr. Division and show as a large for the rest of the year, or to forfeit those points and show in the Small Jr. Division thereafter.  I decided to keep the points and continued to show him as a Large Jr. Hunter for the rest of my time with him.  After he was sold to Bradley Caine at Winter Place Farm in Maryland, he was measured again and shown as a Small Junior Hunter thereafter.

Anna & Rivet, 1971 Maclay Finals’ Presentation at the National Horse Show.

“Rivet turned out to be an interesting horse to show. He was easily spooked, so I had to longe him or give him a controlled gallop on the show grounds to work him down enough to score well in the early classes. He served as both my Equitation horse and Junior Hunter, and he usually came through for both.

“In 1971, he was the Large Junior Hunter Champion at the National Horse Show and carried me to a win in the ASPCA Maclay Finals that same year.  He also crossed into the realm of jumpers when competing over U.S.E.T. courses (now known as the U.S.E.F. Show Jumping Talent Search) and took me to a gold medal for 20 wins. Rivet was a wonderful partner, and I’m grateful to George Morris for finding him.  He searched a long time for not only the right horse, but also one that was affordable.  I feel so lucky to have had the opportunities afforded me by this multi-talented horse who overcame his fear and distrust to become a true champion.” 

Anna with her trainer, Ronnie Mutch, after winning the Maclay Final

“Rivet” on the cover of “The Chronicle Of The Horse,” Aug. 20, 1971

Article by: Jennie Carleton

Jennie is highly involved in the horse show community. As one of the founding members of the USHJA Wheeler Museum Committee, established to highlight and educate the membership and the public on the history of the Hunter/Jumper Sport, she has assisted in the formation and promotion of every exhibit. Having pursued an education in journalism, among other fields, Carleton has authored a number of articles and press releases for various equestrian publications and considers writing and horses her two greatest passions. Carleton also established and continues to manage several Facebook Groups dedicated to the history of the hunter/jumper sport and its preservation. This includes the USHJA Wheeler Museum Group, which was the brainchild of Carleton and her close friend and committee co-chair, Bill Rube. In 2015, Carleton began working for the National Horse Show as a social media coordinator, and she hopes to soon be assisting the USET Foundation as they prepare for the 2016 Olympic games.

The two most important factors in a relationship with any horse are trust and consistency.   Especially when a rider is approaching an obstacle to be jumped, the horse needs to feel that the rider is trustworthy—that is, the rider is presenting the horse at a reasonable take-off spot from which it can safely clear the fence.  If the horse knows from experience that the rider can be trusted, it will usually make every effort to obey, without being hindered by fear and anxiety.  If, however, the horse has found the rider’s judgement to be unreliable in the past, it will nervously try to figure out the situation and protect itself, sometimes chipping in or even stopping at the fence.

Trust is developed when the rider is consistent in his approach to the horse.  If you think about your relationships with other people, who do you trust?  Would it be the person who was supposed to pick you at the airport, but forgot?  Would it be the person who owed you money, but never paid?  Of course not! The people we trust are the ones who consistently come through for us, time and time again.  People are not perfect and can make honest mistakes; but you have to realize that for every mistake, even an honest one, you’ll have to work very hard to regain the trust of the person—or horse—affected by it.

To be a “benevolent rider,” your full attention has to be on your horse every minute you’re on its back. Your legs and hands should be giving the animal guidance and support so that it can relax into a relationship with you.  Without clear guidance, the horse is left guessing about what is coming next, and this causes a certain level of anxiety that is increasingly heightened as speed and obstacles come into play.  If you want compliance from your horse, prove to the animal you are trustworthy.  You build this trust by being reasonable in your demands, accurate with your aids, and constantly thinking ahead so that you can guide the horse calmly and securely through even the most difficult courses.

Ida and A.O. White, Jr.

The horse-show season is in full swing, and many parents are struggling with how to be helpful to their children involved in competitive sport during their formative years.  Having had a great deal of assistance from my parents and eventually reaching the pinnacle of my ambitions as a junior rider, I believe I have some insight on the do’s and don’ts of parental involvement.  First, my parents always made it clear to me that they were my support system, so that I could have the best chance of reaching the goals I had set for myself.  I saw other parents having ambitions for their children that were unrealistic, including expecting children that did not show an extraordinary ability or work ethic to have ambitions to reach the top of the sport.  Lots of kids just want to ride and show for the sake of being with their horses and enjoying the exciting atmosphere of the show ring.  They enjoy giving their horse a bath more than working thirty minutes each day without stirrups—i.e., their enjoyment comes from love of the animal, rather than competitive ambition.  As a parent, you have to size up the abilities and interests of your child and not expect him or her to have ambition just because you do.  It is the rare child that has a consistent competitive hunger, and even rarer is the child that has both the drive and ability to win.  A person’s physical build, mental acuity, coordination, and ability to “get along with a horse” all come into play.

The goal as a parent should be to see where your child fits in the whole scheme of things and dedicate yourself to the best interests of the child.  This includes being honest with yourself about the resources you can provide.  Buying a horse, tack, and riding clothes; paying for board, shoeing, and vet bills; and paying for lessons and horse shows can be a great expense that drains the family budget.  In my case, my mother was a stay-at-home mom of three, and my father a self-made man, who owned an engineering firm.  When he could see the cost of riding activities climbing as I reached the last few years of my junior career, he learned several languages so that he could work worldwide to afford the horse activities without jeopardizing the overall financial picture for our family.  I was fully dedicated to the sport, so he stepped up in an extraordinary way to help me.  At the same time, a friend of mine had an enthusiastic father who went greatly into debt and probably ended up in bankruptcy.  His emotions outweighed his common sense and, in the end, the entire family paid for it.  Making sure you are reasonable about finances is one of the best ways you can support a competitive child.  As a junior, I braided my horse’s mane and tail, even for the largest indoor shows.  Until I reached age 18, my family usually took the horse in our trailer, rather than paying a shipper; and I did the grooming, bathing, etc.   Doing these things helps a person become an all-around competent horseman and can defray a lot of expenses.  With both parent and child working together to make ends meet to accomplish a goal, a lasting bond can be formed.

Finally, support your children by supporting their coaches.  My parents put me with the best coaches available in the area, then encouraged me to listen to and respect them.  When things went wrong, for instance, my mother might say, “I’m sure if you keep trying to do what he’s saying, things will get better.”  She never took the stance that the coach was wrong and shouldn’t be picking on her little darling.  Parents who are always mad at somebody—the coach, the judge, other riders, etc.—are not helping, but instead are raising the child to be full of excuses.  One of the most important avenues to achieving success is having a realistic view of where you stand in relation to your competition.  If the child is convinced that “the coach is crazy,” “the judge robbed me,” and “I really should have gotten a ribbon instead of her,” there is little incentive for improvement.  One of the best ways to learn is to observe other people who are great in the sport and see what they are doing that makes them better than you.  First, you have to realize that they are better than you!

My parents helped in every way:

• holding horses in the hot sun and freezing cold at horse shows
• driving to feed the horse in the early morning at a show so that I could have a little extra time to get dressed and eat breakfast
• going thousands of miles through unfamiliar towns with a trailer in tow to reach a new showground
• never putting pressure on me to win, but encouraging me to always do the best that I could in any situation

My parents, A.O. and Ida White, passed away many years ago.  I still think about all they did for me and remember them with the greatest love and respect.  It isn’t because they spent a lot of money on me, but because they helped me do what I was trying so hard to do.  That is what your child really wants.

To be an excellent rider, you must combine an academic and athletic approach to the sport.  It is one thing to know the distance between two fences, but it is quite another to feel whether the horse is covering that distance in even strides.

The most beautiful rounds are the ones in which the horse seems to naturally meet each take-off spot, with the strides between the fences appearing to be even.  To accomplish this, you must feel whether your horse is covering the ground in normal 12-foot strides, or is covering the ground in shorter or longer strides than the norm.  The ability to feel the length of the horse’s stride comes with practice, although some people pick up this concept easily, while others struggle all their lives to attain a “feel for the horse.”   (This ability is related to the ability to see the proper take-off spot—that is, to know what adjustment must be made on the approach to the fence to place the horse’s front feet at the correct place for take-off.)

For each horse that you ride, you need to find the pace and frame that results in a 12-foot stride on course, for this is the standard upon which all courses are constructed.  A short-strided horse will need greater pace and/or a longer frame to meet the norm, while a long-strided horse will need less pace and/or a shorter frame.  You can determine the adjustment you’ll need by negotiating a line of fences set 60 feet apart, which should be ridden in four strides for a horse. (Pony strides vary according to the size of the pony.)

Approach the fences at the pace that you believe puts the horse on a 12-foot stride, then see how the distance works out between the fences.  Of course, you’ll need a decent take-off spot to the first fence to be able to gauge the length of the horse’s stride between the fences, for if you’re too deep to the first fence, you’ll have to hustle down the line to make up for the impulsion lost at the beginning of the line.  If you concentrate on feeling the length of the horse’s stride and knowing where you are in the line—that is, knowing if you’re going between the fences in the correct four, even strides, or are adding, deleting, or travelling down the line in strides of varying lengths—then you’ll soon know what a 12-foot strides feels like on that particular horse.  Knowing this, try to replicate the feel of an even 12-foot stride every time during the beginning circle on course.

From the beginning of the course until the end, the horse’s strides should look even, with the rider making only small adjustments to compensate for any changes in the lengths of the lines (for instance in equitation or jumper courses, where the lines are sometimes set on shorter or longer distances than the 12-foot norm) or for changes in the terrain that affect the horse’s length of stride (for example, sloping terrain that makes it harder for the horse to travel uphill or easier for the horse to travel downhill, deep footing that makes it harder to make the distances, or slippery footing that throws a “wild card” into the mix!)

As with everything you do on a horse, once you get a feel for what is correct, make an effort to memorize that feel.  It is the ability to replicate your feel of a particular horse that will enable you to have round after round of beautiful trips on that horse.

A horse usually “jigs” at the walk when it does not fully accept the rider’s leg. You need to do a lot of relaxing work at the walk, such as riding on trails or in a field, making sure that you don’t take your legs off the horse’s sides for even a moment. If you will concentrate on keeping a light, but steady, feel with your legs, then your horse will learn to expect the constancy of the legs and will even crave it, much like a child craves the comfort of its “security blanket.”

When you are working in the ring, try to keep your horse moving from one bending movement to the next, rather than just going around and around the arena. When working on a bend, you have more control of the horse’s hind legs, particularly the inside hind leg, which is controlled by your inside leg—that is, your leg that is toward the inside of the bend. Movements such as circles, serpentines, half-turns, etc. will slow the horse down a little and tend to make it stay in the four-beat rhythm of the walk, rather than break to the two-beat trot. In addition, using suppling movements, such as the shoulder-in, will help slow your horse and make its footfalls more precise. To learn of additional lateral movements that can be useful in solving this problem, view the sample chapter of my book, The Complete Guide to Hunter Seat Training, Showing, and Judging, at http://annamullin.com/lateral-exercises-at-the-walk-and-trot.

Finally, half-halts can be beneficial, as long as you keep your legs on all the time, rather than taking them off if the horse breaks gait from the walk to the trot. To learn how to do the half-halt properly, read “How to Perform at Half-halt” in the Horse Articles section of this site.  You can go directly there by clicking on http://annamullin.com/how-to-perform-a-half-halt.

For those of you who don’t already know, there is a wonderful online resource at  http://www.equestriancoach.com/ , created by well-respected horseman, Bernie Traurig.  The site provides video instruction by Traurig and many other fine riders, including John French, Rodrigo Pessoa, Denny Emerson, Will Simpson, Peter Pletcher, Zazou Hoffman, and Missy Clark, to name a few.   The monthly fee is $29.99 or you can get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying an annual fee of $299.99.  Videos can be purchased separately for $8.99 each.  This site is an extraordinary opportunity for riders and coaches to get important training and showing information from “the best of the best,” and I hope that many of you will seize this opportunity.

To show Bernie Traurig’s achievements in a worldwide perspective, I’m including his biographical information below:

Bernie is one of the few riders in the world to successfully compete on an international level in three disciplines—Show Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing.   As a Junior, Bernie won both the American Horse Shows Association Medal Finals and The American Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Maclay Finals. He was a member of the United States Three Day Event team for three years and was second in the trials for the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Bernie has ridden many National Working Hunter Champions. Some of the more famous include “Gozzi,” “Royal Blue,” “Riot Free,” and “Circuit Breaker,” In the Dressage Sport, he was the winner of 15 Grand Prix’s and Grand Prix Special classes. He was short listed for the 1986 World Championship trials and the 1988 Olympic Games.  He is the winner of 48 Show Jumping Grand Prix’s. Bernie represented the United States Equestrian Show Jumping Team several times, including the 1982 World Championships in Dublin, Ireland.  He competed in six World Cup Finals, finishing fifth in Del Mar, California, in 1992 as the highest placing American rider, and eighth in Dortmund Germany in 1990. He was the winner of the US League qualifying for the World Cup Finals three times.

It is wise to teach your horse to land on a certain lead after each fence that is last in a line of fences and over any other fence that immediately precedes a turn. By landing on the correct lead, the rider avoids the flying change of lead altogether, which makes the round smoother, gives the rider more time to think about the upcoming fence, and avoids any penalties that might be incurred by a poor lead change.

It is best to teach the horse to land on a desired lead by working over a single fence placed in the middle of an imagined figure-eight pattern. The fence should be in an open area so that the horse can jump the fence and circle to either the left or right without running into anything.

First, you can work only one side of the pattern–for example, jump the fence on a circle to the right several times, giving the horse the aids to land on the right lead:

• right indirect rein
• left leg in behind-the-girth position

These are the same aids as those used for the right lead canter depart. There are two additional aids that you can also use to help the horse understand what lead you want:

• the rider’s eyes looking slightly toward the direction of the desired lead
• both of the rider’s hands shifted slightly toward the direction of the desired lead, so that the outside hand acts as a mild neck rein and the inside hand acts as a mild leading rein.

Once the horse responds correctly to the aids by landing on the right lead a few times, give the animal a break as a reward and let what it has learned “sink in.” Then, try jumping the same fence and asking the horse to land on the left lead.

• left indirect rein
• right leg in behind-the-girth position

Also, remember to:

• look slightly toward the left
• shift both of your hands slightly toward the left

When the horse has got the hang of it, you can work a figure-eight pattern over the fence, first landing on the right lead, then landing on the left lead, etc. Be sure to apply your aids subtly, for you’ll be penalized if the judge sees you slinging your upper body around in the air or yanking on your horse’s mouth to get the lead. The aids should be subtle, with most of the work being done by your lower leg, rather than your upper body or hands.

As many of you know, I’ve recently been caring for an elderly friend, who was “at death’s door” about two weeks ago, but who has made a miraculous recovery. I was thinking about the various aspects of her care, and it brought to mind how the success of any endeavor—whether it involves a human or a horse—has to do with vigilance. It is the constant attention to all aspects that can make a critical difference:

Planning–You need to know what your goal is and consistently work toward it. This involves a broad plan that is broken down into logical steps. If circumstances cause the plan to change, you have to quickly orient yourself to the new situation.

Care–This encompasses proper nutrition, everyday attention to cleanliness, the correct approach to wound care, etc.  Whether it be horse or human you are working with, it is important to be as well-informed as possible. This involves getting advice from experts and doing some research on your own. Where the issue of care is involved, you must be very observant, monitoring even the smallest changes that indicate progress or a relapse.

Finances–Every decision must be made with a realistic view of the available financing. You always want to be thinking ahead to what things may cost and how you can have the needed amount of money available when the time comes.

Compassion–As the saying goes, “No one cares what you know until they know that you care.” You can have the most beautiful barn, the finest tack, and the most expensive horses in the world, but you won’t get far in this sport unless you can communicate your compassion to the horse. Once the horse knows from your quiet guidance that it can trust you, it will willingly give you all that it has to offer in performance.

Having noted these things, let me say that the life or death of my friend was in God’s hands, not mine; but I can honestly say that I did all that I could to help her, and now a woman who was on a respirator with a feeding tube down her throat two weeks ago is riding a stationary bike in physical therapy. Whether caring for a horse or a human, vigilance can make all the difference in success or failure.

The three most important considerations when leasing a horse are:

1) finding a horse with a good temperament
2) choosing an animal whose capabilities are compatible with your immediate goals
3) having a veterinarian check the horse thoroughly for soundness problems

I put temperament at the top of the list because a horse with a good attitude makes for safe and fun riding. The capabilities of the horse may not be up to your goals in years to come, but in a lease situation, it is fine if the animal is only suitable for your immediate goals. You can always lease another horse if your abilities surpass the current one. Soundness is also crucial, for a lame horse will waste your time and money.

The specific lease arrangements vary according to the worth of the horse. For example, if you are leasing a fairly old horse, then the owner my only require that you pay for insurance for the animal and absorb all of the fees attached to the upkeep of the horse, such as board, shoeing, and vet bills. If the horse is younger than ten years old or is a horse with a winning record, you’ll probably have to pay a lease fee as well, especially if you’ll be showing in recognized horse shows or events. A typical lease fee for the span of a year is 1/3 the value of the horse; but in cases of exceptionally successful horses—such as those that have performed well in hunter seat equitation finals—the lease fee can be thousands of dollars per day.

If you’ll be showing in classes sanctioned by the United States Equestrian Federation, you’ll need to register the lease with the USEF. The following information appears on the USEF website regarding lease registration:

“The lease registration fee of $60 must be submitted to the USEF office with a copy of the lease agreement signed by lessee and lessor. USEF does not accept agent signatures for the purposes of registering a lease. If a written lease agreement is not available, the USEF Lease Registration form must be completed, signed by lessee and lessor, and submitted with the lease registration fee. The lease agreement or registration form must indicate a start date and end date of the lease period. For competition purposes, the lease registration is effective the date that the proper fee and form (with required signatures) are received in the USEF office. Once the lease is registered with USEF, the horse/pony must be entered under the ownership of the lessee. We do not get involved in the terms of the lease. USEF must have written confirmation by both parties if a lease is extended or if the lease is terminated prior to the expiration date. Lessor or lessee must renew the USEF Annual Recording by November 30th. If the lease is extended beyond the previously submitted end date, written notification must be received in the USEF office within 30 days of its original expiration. If the notification is not received within 30 days, the lease must be registered again as stated above (with signed agreement and fee). (GR1108)”

Note: The reference to GR1108 is the current number of the rule that covers leases in the USEF Rule Book. However, the rule numbers change often, for as new rules are added, the number of every rule that follows in that section is affected.