The Magical World of Dancing Horses

A look at the horses that bring magic to the performing arts world

by Angel S. Gnau

Imagine the most beautiful, exotic horses you have ever seen, literally dancing before your eyes. The artistry, the pageantry, the fantasy…it must be a dream.

No. It’s “The Magical World of Dancing Horses!”

Known as the “Master of the Dance,” Dianne Olds Rossi is one of the foremost trainers in the highest level of dressage or high school training, “Haute Ecole,” in the United States. Dianne is the owner and producer of “The Magical World of Dancing Horses,” a unique traveling equine entertainment show that has been in existence since 1979.

I remember the first time I saw the “Magical World of Dancing Horses.” It was in Burbank, California during the “Hot August Nights” dressage show in the 1980s. The lights were dimmed in the indoor arena; the music to Star Wars boomed over the loudspeakers. Out of the misty darkness, a majestic black Friesian stallion pranced into the spotlight, his long, shining mane and tail flowing, with Darth Vader (Dianne) in the saddle. It was the most incredible, dramatic show using horses that I had ever seen...

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Equine Seniors in Service

Learn how the senior horses of BHTRC are selected for their second career
by Angel S. Gnau, photos courtesy BHTRC

Bright Horizon Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Siletz, Oregon, proves that senior horses still have much to offer in their later years. In a program that uses horses to assist in physical and emotional therapy, a senior horse’s wealth of experience can be his greatest asset.
Each horse is carefully screened and evaluated for soundness, temperament, age, and smoothness of gaits. The horse’s soothing rhythm, strength, warmth, and three-dimensional movement pattern provide healthy exercise for the rider.

Meet the Equine Therapists
Currently, there are five horses in the Bright Horizon program, four of which are seniors who had previous careers before becoming therapeutic riding horses:

Abbey is a 21-year-old, 14.3 hand red dun Quarter Horse mare. She had a very successful show career as a western pleasure and trail horse. Abbey is ideal for beginner riders and emerging independent riders because she is patient and sweet.

Buzzy is a 21-year-old, 15 hand overo Paint Horse gelding. Buzzy led many different lives, from competitive rodeo horse to mountain trail riding horse to 4-H show and gaming horse for a young girl. Because of his diverse background and training he is wonderful with new riders and emerging independent riders.

Delight is a 21-year-old, 14.3 hand palomino Quarter Horse mare. Delight carried her former young rider to many blue ribbons in western and English classes both in 4-H and open shows. Delight is a talented horse and is currently used for vaulting and dressage. Because of Delight’s movement and base of support, she is ideal for young riders.

Jake is a 17-year-old, 15 hand chestnut Quarter Horse gelding. Jake’s former career as an Oregon Governor’s Mounted Guard Horse was quite exciting; because of all of his special training, he is very patient and quiet with riders. He is confident and enjoys being ridden by emerging independent riders. The class clown of the barn, he loves his daily carrots.

Seniors at Work
Polly Cohen, the executive director of Bright Horizon, was kind enough to give us a little more information about the therapeutic riding program at BHTRC:

NWHS: What do you look for in a prospective therapy horse?

PC: I look for horses with show experience because that horse has seen a lot, been trailered, clipped, bathed and they generally have good ground manners. Size wise, 14 to 15.2 hands is best. Each horse has a different base of support, some riders can’t straddle a broader horse, so we look for a narrow base of support. Each horse has a different type of movement; some horses give a front motion, side-to-side or rotational. I get on the horse and get a feel of how they move and what this will offer to a rider. For instance, if we have a rider with Down Syndrome, and we put them on a Thoroughbred with a big swinging walk, that would put them to sleep. If we put them on a stocky Quarter Horse type with a more jarring gait, this would encourage the rider’s muscles to pay attention and would actually be a better ride for them and much more interactive in the class.

Every horse that comes into the program goes on a 30-60-day trial. We let them settle in the first week; the second and third week we ride them, put them through the paces, getting them adapted to toys, being led and having them handle the sidewalkers, leader and a rider. We want to see how they handle emerging independent riders. Are they comfortable with beginner riders? Some of our riders may have weak trunks, so they may sit off to the side. We want to see how the horse handles an hour-long class with the rider not perfectly sitting in alignment. If all goes well, we accept them into the program after the trial period. Quarter Horse type horses seem to work out the best because of their size and varying base of support.

NWHS: What exercises are performed by the riders and how do the horses help in this process?

PC: Delight and Abbey are great for nervous novice riders who have never been on a horse. They are extremely patient babysitters and confidence builders. They tend to adapt themselves to each rider. Things that the rider may have issues with are confidence and self-esteem. The riders start brushing the horse, interacting with the volunteers, and we try to make that consistent and have them ride the same horse every week so they can develop that relationship.

They learn strength, balance, posture and sitting up tall in the saddle, which is difficult. Horse’s movements mimic our own movement. For wheelchair-bound or people with limited mobility, when they get on the horse their hips are moving in the same direction, so when they get off they stand a little taller, and can even let go of the walker a little longer.

NWHS: What do you see for the future of Bright Horizon?

PC: I guess the future of Bright Horizon is to get a wheelchair ramp and electric lift so that we can open our doors to everybody. Right now we are limited to people who can walk at least a few steps on their own, as we do not have a wheelchair accessible ramp. We want to expand to local organizations like DHS, Shangri-La, County Mental Health and the school districts and develop those partnerships. The current facility is leased; eventually, being able to own our own facility would be wonderful. We are also becoming an accredited NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) center.

About the Author

Angel Gnau is a certified equine appraiser and consultant who manages her Pacific Equine Appraisal in the Portland, Oregon area. She appraises all breeds and disciplines and is available nationwide. Her background comes from more than 30 years in the horse industry as a trainer and consultant. She is also a freelance writer specializing in horse-related articles. Contact Angel at (800) 484-9538 x 4344, (503) 684-2097, or angel.gnau@verizon.net.

Don't Miss the Benefit!
Hearts for Horses Valentine’s Day Benefit Dinner and Auction will be held on February 14th, 2009 at the Bright Horizon Therapeutic Riding Center. They are hoping to raise enough money to get their wheelchair-accessible ramp, electric lift and new footing for the arena. Come out for a night of fun and donate to a great cause! Check the website at www.brighthorizon.org for more information.

Boarding Your Horse

Save money and time with sound boarding decisions
by Angel S. Gnau

In these times of high feed and fuel costs, horse owners may find themselves rethinking their boarding situation. If you keep your horses at home, you are at least one step ahead, but if you do board your horses, there is hope!

Consider finding a boarding stable closer to your home to save on gas and time if your current stable is more than a few miles from you. Maybe you can save money on boarding costs if you do some of the work yourself, like cleaning your own stall. Some boarding stables offer flexible options for feeding, cleaning and turnout. Perhaps you can barter for part of your board by trading work or services, giving lessons, cleaning, feeding, babysitting or even house-sitting when the owners are away.

A Change for the Better
If you are considering switching stables, what should you be looking for? The obvious criteria are location, cost and goals, not necessarily in that order, but you don’t want to give up quality care for a lower cost. To get started, make a list of what is most important to you. Don’t forget to add a list of questions to ask the barn owner or manager.

A few key things to look for once you arrive at a boarding facility:

First impressions
Are the stables and grounds clean and organized? Are the horses happy and healthy? Do the workers seem content? Do the horse owners? Upon closer inspection, is the entire facility in good repair and free of missing boards, protruding nails, wires or objects lying around? Is there a fly control system? Is there good drainage for wash stalls and around the barn? Are the stalls or paddocks roomy enough for your horse to be comfortable and lie down? Are stall floors level or are there holes and dips?

· Feeding
Ask what type of feed is provided: alfalfa, grass, timothy or oat hay, or a combination. The type of hay offered will depend on your area and what is readily available. Don’t be afraid to ask to see the feed supply to check for good quality. Do they feed cubes or pellets instead of hay? Will they feed grain or supplements that you provide? Are salt licks offered? What times are the horses fed, and are they fed twice a day, three times a day, or some other schedule? In the wild, horses graze all day long, eating smaller amounts. Today’s horses often live in stables and rely on cut hay, generally consuming more feed at one time. Eating too much rich food per meal can cause colic or laminitis if not monitored carefully.

· Cleaning
What is the stall cleaning schedule? Is it provided or are the horse owners responsible for their own cleaning? (Here is one of those barter points mentioned earlier.) How often are the paddocks cleaned? What type of bedding is used? This might be important if your horse has allergies or a tendency to eat the bedding. Do the floors have rubber mats or deep enough bedding to prevent sores? A clean, well-bedded stall is important to your horse’s health as well as keeping the facility smelling good. Are the caretakers respectful of the horse while cleaning?

· Horse care and turnout
Does the facility offer turnout or pasture time? Are they willing to groom your horse (expect added fees) if you are unable to provide care during an illness or absence? Are worming and basic health care provided, or is it up to the individual owner to provide these services? In a herd situation, are the horses all wormed and immunized at the same time?

· Record keeping
Does the barn manager keep records on each horse, including special needs, vet, dental, and farrier care and general information about the horse? Is anyone but the owner of the horse allowed access in your absence? Attention to monthly billing and details concerning each individual horse is a good indication of the commitment of the stable owner and ultimately, the care your horse will receive.

· Riding interests
You will probably feel more comfortable at a barn where other riders share similar riding styles and interests to yours. If pleasure and trail riding is your thing, look for facilities that have trails adjacent to or within a short distance of the barn. You may not want to board at a big show barn if you are only interested in pleasure riding. If you are a hunter or jumper show rider, you will want to find a barn that caters to English riding and has jumps available. Make sure you will be able to use the jumps, and that they are not just for the trainer to use.

· Hours of operation and safety
Inquire about the hours of operation and security. What is their policy on guests and flexibility concerning open hours? It may just be a matter of notifying the barn manager in advance if you plan to have visitors or if someone will be coming in to care for your horse if you are ill or otherwise indisposed. Are signs posted concerning smoking and safety? Are there posted rules and regulations on the property? Are the rules too strict and confining or too lenient?

· Boarding contract
Ask if there is a boarding contract and if you can have one to take home and read. Having an agreement helps establish what is expected of the boarder and barn owner, helping to avoid any misunderstandings. It also shows a measure of professionalism and commitment to the running of a horse boarding operation.

Take the time to research each facility thoroughly. Get to know the owners, managers and workers. After all, you are entrusting your best friend to their care. You want to be sure to make the right decision for you and your horse.


Angel Gnau is a certified equine appraiser and consultant, managing her business, “Pacific Equine Appraisal & Consultation” in Portland, Oregon. Angel appraises all breeds and disciplines, offering expert witness testimony in the equine field and consultation in all equine matters. She is available nationwide. Her background comes from more than 30 years in the horse industry as a professional trainer and consultant. She is also a freelance writer of horse-related articles. Contact Angel at (503) 684-2097, (800) 484-9538 x 4344, or by email at: angel.gnau@verizon.net.

Carriage Horses, Past and Present

Carriage Horses, Past and Present
by Angel S. Gnau

A look at the most important part of a horse-drawn vehicle: the horse

The horse has always been an integral part of history. Soon after man tamed horses to use as beasts of burden and invented the wheel, the carriage was developed. The word carriage comes from the old northern French word cariage, meaning “to carry,” and can be used to refer to any number of two- and four-wheeled designs. It was also used for railway cars, and later, for automobiles.

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Safe Crossings

by Angel S. Gnau

Learn to ride safely across the water—or stay on the "safe" side of the stream

Trail riding inevitably means crossing water, whether it is a little creek or a large river. Of course, it depends where you live, but most of us will eventually find some water that needs to be crossed.

When I was 14, my friends and I were out for a summer ride and found a small pond in the long grass of the Hansen Dam area in southern California. We had a blast! My horse, Copper, was hesitant at first, but once he became accustomed to the water he would splash into the little pond with exuberance. One time he turned and ran in so fast he tripped just as he hit the water and his head was completely submerged for a second. I was riding a headless horse! We all laughed so hard we almost fell off our horses.

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