RIP Al Kaufman

Star, Al Kaufman and me (I was 13) in Springfield, Ill.

Al Kaufman and his wife, Leah, are probably the most influential people in my life (not including my parents, duh.)

Al died Monday evening. (Leah died when I was in high school.)

How do you pay tribute to people who affected you so deeply? Who gave me the foundation for my riding career?

Kaufman Stables was the place where my riding career was born. I had took a handful of lessons at another facility a few times before, but my mother discovered that the Kaufman's were closer to our house so she started taking me there. And we didn't leave for 10 years. I started riding when I was 7 years old. I was painfully shy, timid and my feelings were easily hurt. As I entered middle school and junior high, the barn was the only place where I had friends. It was where I felt needed and appreciated. I know we were all bullied in middle school, but I took it hard. The Kaufmans gave me the confidence and reassurance that probably saved me in more ways than one. They made me feel like I was good at something.

It was my first job - bringing lesson horses in, helping kids tack up, cleaning tack. When Leah was teaching lessons, I would often here her shout "Kaaarrrreeeen!" and I would scamper to the arena.

"Karen, get on this horse," she would say. It was usually a school horse pulling a typical prank - dragging its rider to the center, or refusing to canter. I would get on, whack the horse on the ass with the crop and get the job done. She made me feel so proud of myself.

Her summer camps (or "Clinic" as we called it) sticks out as some of the best times of my life. One summer I was riding a somewhat rank Arab named Stormy. I can't remember what the problem was, but Leah approached me with a crop. Every ounce of me did not want to take that crop, but I took it anyway. Stormy took off. I'm not sure if he was bucking, or if I lost my balance, but I slid off the side and landed smack on my face and left arm.

I laid still for a minute and then stood back up. I tasted blood and dirt. I swore my arm was broken. Mrs. K walked over to me and gave me a hug.

Then she said, "Spit out that dirt. Spit on the ground."

Having been raised properly by my parents, I was a little taken aback by this statement. Proper girls do not spit!

But I did it anyway. A few times. It felt good.

"Good, now get back on," she said to me.

I don't remember the rest of that ride but after about 10 minutes she said I could dismount and go take a shower. My arm was only sprained but when I saw myself in the mirror I was horrified! All of the skin on my left cheek had been scraped off. Boy did I sport an awesome scab after that!

One day Mr. K approached my parents. "When are you ganna get that girl a horse?" he said.

... and we all know what THAT has turned into. :)

I didn't start taking lessons from Al until I got my first show horse, Star. The next summer my sister and I shared a saddlebred, Queen. (You can read about them in my "Horses of my Life" series in my sidebar)

Mr. K pins a blue ribbon on Queen. My sister is riding.

Those summers bring a smile to my face always. I am still friends with everyone and all of us still own or lease a horse to this day (except for my sister). In fact Sampson's owner is Lauren, who that summer showed a Saddlebred named Frank. The day she and I rode together was the first time we had ridden together in more than a decade. But it was just like old times.

Lauren, Lisa (my sis), Me, Kim, Jason

Mr. K was just one of those good ol' horsemen who never missed a moment to teach me something. I have yet to meet another man like him. He had this dry sense of humor that I really didn't appreciate until I was older. He had a distinct whistle that the horses KNEW and they would instantly perk up. Sometimes I still say "Yeahboy!" in my head when I am watching a fancy horse. He would always say that.

Years after we left Kaufman's, I saw Mr. K at a horse show. He had a rider in a Morgan hunter pleasure class. My sister was also riding Sparkle in that class. I saw him while I was warming up Sparkle for my sister.

"Hey Mr. K!" I said, waving at him. He recognized me instantly and walked over.

"I should have put a razor blade under your saddle pad," he said in his dry voice.

I was beaming. I knew it was a compliment. It meant he knew there was no chance he was going to beat my horse.

I wonder if he knew just how much he and his wife influenced so many people? No, we were not a top show barn when I was there (they had past their prime many years before), but they gave so many people a solid, honest foundation. My next trainer, Jim Lowry, a very VERY successful trainer also started out at Kaufmans.

I never thanked them for what they did for me, but I hope they know.

***

Edited to add his obit:

Alfred “Al” Jacob Kaufman, age 83, of Westfield, Indiana died Monday, January 16, 2012 at his residence. Born September 10, 1928 in Wheeling, West Virginia, he was the son of Alfred and Magdaline (Blake) Kaufman.

He was the owner and operator of Kaufman Stables in Westfield, the second oldest and largest riding facility in Indiana that he and his wife, Leah, began in 1970. Prior to owning the stables he was a salesman for 3M Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in Ohio and later in Greenwood. He was known to be one of the top horse trainers in our country and was a charter member of the United Professional Horse Association, a member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and the American Quarterhorse Association. He was a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Carmel.

He is survived by one daughter, Michelle (Mike) Velez, of Nashville; two sons, J.B. Kaufman, of Martinsville and Greg (Peggy) Kaufman, of Nashville, his friend and companion, Michelle Bruduseo; eight grandchildren, Melissa Kaufman, Chris Velez, Nicole Hacker, Jackie Cleary, Jake Kaufman, A.J. Kaufman, Chris Kaufman and David Kaufman, nine great-grandchildren, one niece and nephew, and his favorite horse, Johnny Cash.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Leah (Churchill) Kaufman, one daughter, Kitty Lou Kaufman, one brother, Jack Kaufman and one nephew, Kenneth Kaufman.

Respecting Al’s wishes, private funeral services will be held Friday, January 20 at the Bond-Mitchell Funeral Home in Nashville. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.

The family suggests to those who wish that memorial contributions be given to Morning Dove Therapeutic Riding Academy of Zionsville through their website: www.morningdovetrc.org.

The One Fall Rule

Oliver Townsend survived this brutal fall at Rolex. So did the horse.

From the USEF Rules For Eventing:

EV141 Cross-Country Scoring.
b. Falls -
(1) First fall of competitor Elimination
(2) First fall of horse Mandatory retirement

EV142 Cross-Country—Definitions of Faults
4. FALLS.
a. A competitor is considered to have fallen when he is separated from his horse in
such a way as to necessitate remounting or vaulting into the saddle.
b. A horse is considered to have fallen when at the same time both its shoulder and
quarters have touched either the ground or the obstacle and the ground.
c. A fall will always be penalized when it occurs between the elements of an obstacle
composed of several elements (A B C).

Uh oh.

SO the hot topic in the eventing community these days is the one-fall rule. The USEF Board of Directors voted not to approve the proposed rule change - which would have allowed riders to continue after the first fall as long as they maintained control of their horse and did not require medical attention.

I see both sides of the argument. Yes, there are times when you have a silly pop-off, land on your feet and could easily carry on. Yes, by remounting it is a valuable learning experience. 

But there is this grey area. What if you have what appears to be a simple fall. Rider maintains control of their horse, and appears to be fine. What if they have a concussion? Sometimes symptoms do not appear right away. What if there was a REASON for the fall - did the horse stop because he is in pain? Are horse and rider overfaced? (in which case letting them continue may put them in more danger).

unplanned dismount

Here is my opinion. I have to agree with keeping the one-fall rule. I know that if WHEN I fall off out on cross country (for the love of all things holy I hope I do not fall off in the dressage ring), I have no doubt I would bow out. Even if it is a silly fall. There's probably a reason for it, and a USEF event is not the place to work out my issues. It is a horse show. The point is to stay on your horse. If you fall off, too bad. Time to go home, fix it and try again another day. Or try at a schooling show. Work things out there. That is just my personal opinion. That's why we have schooling shows and non-rated horse trials. Although, even at those I think you should listen to people's advice if they feel you should be done for the day. I know I sound a little harsh. Even while I was in saddleseat land, if someone fell off during a class - they were allowed to remount and continue the class. MANY times still placing high in the class! I'm sorry, but you FELL OFF. I just don't see how that ranks you above other competitors who mastered the most basic skill of riding that day. They stayed on!

Correct me I'm wrong but, I BELIEVE you can fall off on cross country in between jumps and you can remount and continue. (For instance if your horse bucks you off). This seems silly to me. A fall is a fall.

Thoughts?

So You Want to be an Eventer: Part 3 (The horse)

Here are links to other parts of my "So You Want to be An Eventer" series:
Part 1: Fear
Part 2: Equipment

***

As I am sure many readers have already done, I spent much of last weekend watching the George Morris Horsemastership Clinics from the comfort of my couch. I drooled over Kent Farrington who is just delicious. McClain Ward is also handsome. Plus they are amazing teachers. I enjoyed watching the kids, too, who were professional, well-turned out, and damn good riders.

McClain and Sapphire. *swoon*

Katie Prudent's talk was a fantastic guide on how to select a show jumper, but I think that these qualities can be used in the selection of just about any horse.

How do you select an eventing horse?

Or how do you know if the horse you already have will make a decent eventer?

I am going to use this horse ...

Not an international show jumper.

... as a guide.

So Katie says there are 5 qualities she looks for when horse shopping.

1. Carefullness.
This quality comes in 3 degrees: freaky careful, normal careful and careful-enough.
Freaky careful: This is a horse who will do anything not to touch the jump (twist his body, etc.). This type of horse typically requires a rider who rides accurate and straight. Spooky horses tend to be more careful.
Normal Careful: A horse that in general has clear rounds. A horse perhaps for a professional or experienced AA or junior.
Careful enough: A horse that can pack around an AA or junior and will average clear rounds. This horse can have a bad fence and still continue on to the next one and jump better.

Which category does Hampton fall in?


Careful enough.


Do I think he can be trained to be more careful? Maybe a little. But it's not in his nature to be freaky careful. He just isn't bothered by hitting poles or spooky fences. He has never gotten rattled while jumping and I just can't see him putting in THAT much effort not to touch a fence. Do I think he can pack around an AA around a novice course someday? Absolutely. But let's face it, he is not Neville Bardos (an example of freaky careful) or Hickstead.

Sapphire = freaky careful

2. Bravery
Yes, as young horses you may have a spook or a stop. But does that horse come back around, study the jump and go over the next time? But as training progresses, you want a horse that is brave and confident - especially for eventing. Test your horse's bravery by putting a coat or blanket across the top rail of a jump.

Do I think Hampton is brave? Yes. Part of it is that he trusts me quite a bit. I think more schooling will let him develop more confidence and bravery over fences. Eventually he will be able to save my ass when I mess up.

Neville = brave or insane?

3. Scope
This is the horse's ability to jump high and wide fences. Do they study the jump? Do they clear jumps with ease? I find that scopey horses often have an excellent bascule (shape) over the fences, too.

I think Hampton has enough scope for the levels I want to show at. (So, uh, not Grand Prix or 4* events). Again, look at Hickstead, Neville or Sapphire if you want to see exceptional scope.

Hickstead = scope

4. Good brain
"The ability accept training," Katie said. Usually horses with a good brain also have heart - the desire to work for you.

This is Hampton's strongest quality. He is wonderful to train, kind, well-behaved and has a consistent attitude. He is sensitive to his rider.

5. Rideability.
What kind of mouth does the horse have? Is he easy to turn? Quick off your leg? Can you adjust his stride? This is the least important quality because you can train most horses to be more ridable. But you should keep this in mind if looking for a horse for a specific client (a small woman vs. a larger man for instance). A small woman probably isn't going to enjoy riding a strong, rank 17.2 horse. (Except if you are Margie Engle)

Hampton is super ridable and has been since the very first time I sat on his back. Ok, so we couldn't steer well at first but he has been willing to go along with the program from Day 1. He has developed a wonderful tempo, a soft but communicating mouth, adjustable strides (we are working on that at the canter still) and he can be handy when he wants to be. :)


... There is actually a 6th quality: Soundness and confirmation that a student brought up. You have to trust what you feel in this case, and trust your vet. I got the impression that confirmation can be a crapshoot. Some horses are able to deal with certain flaws and be quite successful. Others with perfect confirmation can't jump their way out of a wet paper bag.

I agree 100% with Katie. I don't look at pedigree. I look at the horse I have.

Anyone have any qualities to add?

Also, Mr. Farrington:

Cute boy on a horse!

The Fresh Prince

Let it be known that I am NOT ... I repeat NOT complaining about the weather. And it's January. In Indiana.

This photo was taken on Saturday. All weekend it has been a comfortable 45-50 degrees. The arena footing has been great and we have fit in 3 rides in a row. Holla.

Saturday: Um, so Saturday Hampton, like many of the horses these days, had a wild feather up his ass. There must be something in the air because I am getting multiple reports of horses who are normally mellow having bucking fits, spooking and acting like morons. Thankfully, I managed to have a super ride with only one scoot/leap/head toss movement. I thought he might buck but I yanked his head up in time. Otherwise, he is about as forward as Hampton gets without being a squirrel. We worked on lateral work (leg yield, shoulder-in, haunches in and some ranvers), forward and back and some turn on the haunches. I didn't canter because I was scared I would be bucked off. I decided to end the session on a really good note and not push my luck. I do not consider myself a chicken - I consider that smart riding! :)

Sunday: Hampton was back to his normal, mellow self. But we still had a super ride. More of the usual lateral work plus some cantering. Leg yielding at the canter away from and back to the rail. This has become much more easy for Hampton lately. We also worked on cantering on straight lines - forward and back around the ring. After my lesson with LAZ, I realized that we need to canter more on straight lines. He is old enough to do that now and it is a definite hole in our training. We also worked on some half steps (they are getting there, still need more implusion) and ended the day with a relaxing trail ride with Lilly, JJ and their humans. Hampton cracks me up when he instantly switches over to trail poneh. His neck gets long, ears go to the side. He has a nice walk in the arena but heading away from the farm he is easily outpaced by Lilly, a 14.3 Walker and JJ, a 14.2 Quarter Horse. Yet my 17.1 TB cross always ALWAYS lags behind. *sigh*

Hey camera lady you got treats?

Monday: I decided at first not to do lateral work since we had done so much the 2 rides before. But as the ride went on, I realized he really does need it or he becomes "ping-pongy" and unsteady in the bridle. The leg yields and shoulder in are really good for him and I have a much better connection afterwards. We also worked on canter-walk transitions. They are getting better. He comes above the bit a little but I am not too worried about that as long as his big butt is under him. We worked a lot on forward and back at the trot and some serpentines. I had wanted to run through First-1 but forgot my book with the test.

He is otherwise sound and happy. His feet are in remarkably good shape especially since he has been standing in a swamp for more than a month. I've been debating giving him his "bib" trace clip but I think I may wait another month just in case it decides to get super cold.

I see that CAF has added a second week of Event Camp ... I am so, so tempted. I don't know how I would afford it but .. where there's a will, there's a way. Right?

Naked man on a stallion

Does anyone else subscribe to Warmbloods Today?

I was reading the newest issue this morning and BLAM-O:

At least he's wearing a helmet?

On the saddle hunt (lets all groan together in 3 ... 2.... 1)

>>> Sorry for my rambling last post. Might have still been a bit hungover. And sometimes that is how my brain works. Might explain my anxiety issues. haha. <<<


I am looking forward to this weekend as it's supposed to be in the 40s and sunny. This forecast = riding! I hope the arenas will be thawed. My plan is to do 1 day of "work", 1 day of stretching and 1 day to hack and trail ride.


Below is a short video of part of our jumping lesson at CAF. (Thanks Amy!) As you can see, Hamps is in a downhill phase of his growth and training right now. Jumping through the grid really helped, but it's something I should probably work on at home. I have not been pushing him to be uphill so far because of his age and because I prefer to let him lower his neck and raise his back. But it's probably time I start to ask for his poll to be a bit higher. Also, it really shocks me how SLOW he is going. To me, it felt like we were going at a nice clip. But watching this video, I see that he needs to have WAY quicker feet - especially for jumping.


(Also, you will hear LAZ comment on how Hampton is really tuned in to my anxiety. You will see me nodding my head in 100% agreement. This was the first time she has ever taught us or really seen us in action. Love her!)


Also ... *sigh* ... yes I'm going to say it. I want a new jumping saddle. I currently have a collegiate close contact, and it's a perfectly good saddle. But as you can see in the video, it puts me in a chair seat. It is difficult for me to find my balance in the saddle and give proper weight aids. I also tend to jam my heels down in this saddle (a bad habit I have broken when in my dressage saddle).


But overall, I was pretty happy that I kept my shoulders (mostly) back over the jumps.


Any other comments/critiques welcome. I have more videos I still need to overanalyze take notes on and then I will post them too. :)

News, notes, "goals"

Sadly I did not get my New Year's Day ride in. 1) Because I was hungover and 2) It was snowing horizonally. Hampton didn't seem too disappointed.

We have otherwise been rather "unplugged" the last couple of weeks.

I did ride when Sampson's owner come up from Missouri to ride him. Sampson was very well behaved and she seemed to really enjoy him. She comes from a saddleseat background so I think I may have totally confused her when I was giving her pointers. Also, she was amazed that Sampson would stop when she merely tightened her core. :) I love teaching people dressage and watching their faces light up.

I rode Hampton, who was fine but the arena footing was crap so I never really got the push I wanted.

Sampson hopped on the trailer this morning to head back home.

Hampton and Sampton

I'm debating whether or not to take in another training horse. Probably not.

Hampton is losing weight again and it makes me furious. I could board him at a place with an indoor for the amount of extra money I am spending on feed and alfalfa cubes. The roundbales they munch on all day have very little nutritional value. It works fine for the air ferns, but not for horses like Hamps or the TBs. It is so frustrating. I am going to up his cubes first, then the grain. It hasn't even been that cold, and he's been wearing a blanket. Going to start him back on UGuard just in case, too.

As for 2012 goals ... I'm not really making any. I HOPE to attend the adult dressage camp at FHF in the spring. From there, I really want to attend a USDF show at Lamplight, a couple of CAF shows (and do starter and BN combined tests) ... and perhaps a clinic or 2. I decided not to attend event camp at CAF. I just can't see how that can happen money wise. But hopefully I can make it down to CAF for lessons a few times this year. :)

No idea what will happen with my job. For the time being I plan to stick around here and see what happens. I think I am going to go back to school so I need to get the ball rolling on that.

Also, my best friend is moving away and that makes me sad. I will be hauling her horse (to friggin KANSAS) for her, so major roadtrip in the works. The last major roadtrip I went on was to California. We drove 30 hours straight through.

I lost my mind and sang Miley Cirus for 2 hours straight.