Cavalia comes to San Francisco November 16

Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse is a tribute to horses and a celebration of the relationship that they have developed with humans. This multimedia extravaganza, created by Cirque du Soleil co-founder Normand Latourelle, features more than 100 two- and four-legged artists, including beautiful horses of 10 breeds, riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and live musicians. This combination sets the mood in the majestic White Big Top, opening in San Francisco on November 16.

“Cavalia is a result of a 10-year quest to find a dramatic way to incorporate the power of horses and their mysterious beauty into a captivating multi-media experience. Cavalia honors the mystique of horses, their ability to connect uniquely with human beings and their extraordinary achievements across our history,” Mr. Latourelle says.

Delightful, thrilling and poignant, Cavaliaexplores humankind’s long relationship with the horse. Juxtaposed with the vibrancy of the production is a subtle thematic line that takes audiences through the evolution of horses and our interaction with them. Audiences discover an unbridled life in the wilderness, then early domestication, and ultimately a relationship with human beings based on freedom and mutual respect.

Cavalia’shorses are trained based on a philosophy of understanding the horse, rather than requiring the horse to understand the human beings around it. The tone of the show, embraced by the entire Company, is one of respect, kindness, patience, and trust. Audiences have found Cavaliaexhilarating in scope, yet touching in the compassion and mutual respect shown by both horse and human. Visit www.cavalia.net for more information and ticket purchase, and follow Cavalia at www.twitter.com/cavalia or www.facebook.com/cavalia.

Spotlight on Horse Breeds: The Fell Pony

The Fell pony is a living legend from Northern England. During the North American Ice Age, their ancestors migrated across a land bridge between Alaska and Asia and eventually inhabited many geographical areas. Some ponies would stay, while others moved on.

Eventually, some ponies reached Northern England. Here, they would live in valleys called Dales, drink from mountain lakes known as tarns, and cross upland moorlands covered with heather, bogs, and bracken. It was in Cumbria, where the hills are called fells, that the Fell pony made its home.

The pony's 2,000-year history was painted on the walls of caves, and their likeness formed in gold and silver. They were here when the Phoenicians mined for tin during the Bronze Age, and they were witness to the building of Hadrian's Wall, and the four centuries of occupation by the Romans along the northern frontier of their empire. When the Vikings controlled their homeland, the ponies pulled ploughs, harrows, and carts. During the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, the Cistercian Monks found them valuable as pack ponies and mounts.

The centuries that followed found the ponies on farms, packhorse trails, and trade routes. They pulled artillery carts during the war to end all wars, and sadly, were used as "Pit Ponies" in the coalmines and to transport heavy ore in large pack trains. On the farm, the ponies were used for ploughing fields, herding sheep, delivering mail, hunting, and taking families to church on Sunday. At the trotting races, the ponies' ground-covering trot became famous.

Twice, the ponies were near extinction, first during the reign of King Henry the VIII and again when the farms in England became mechanized.

The Fell Pony was first imported to the U.S. in 1934. It is listed as a "rare breed" here and as "endangered" in the United Kingdom. As of July 2010, their numbers have increased to 396 in North America, while there are fewer than 6,000 worldwide.

Fell Ponies are used in every discipline, especially for "Fell Walking" through the countryside. They also make wonderful mounts for therapeutic riding programs.

Through the efforts of a group of dedicated breeders in the 1950s and the Fell Pony Society (FPS), the breed faces a bright future. Visit the Fell Pony Society Website at www.fellponysociety.org.uk/ and the Fell Pony Society of North America at www.fpsna.org/breeders.

The Story of My Stallion Waterford

by Lynn McEnespy

All of us who are born with the “horse gene” get totally obsessed with these marvelous animals. Much to the dismay of many parents or spouses, this condition does not go away. The gene dictates that we require horses in order to sustain our lives—just as we require air and food.

I am a member of this very large group of horse-gene-carrying people. My personal dream has been to own a stallion that I could ride, show, and breed. This was a totally unrealistic expectation, but being realistic doesn’t come along with having the “horse gene.”

In 2005, I’d attended the Hanoverian Verband’s Breed Orientation Course and the German Masters Championship Show in Verden, Germany. If there is such a thing as horse overdose, this was it! There were top-quality horses and riders, a terrific trade show, and great food, wine, and coffee.

While in Germany, I met a young, professional trainer named Britta Johnston, and we hit it off as horse people tend to do. Britta was extremely knowledgeable about things like bloodlines and breeders. I just happened to mention to her that I was interested in finding a Grand Prix horse, preferably a stallion.

I headed home to California, and Britta and I kept in touch. In October she called to say the state stud at Celle, Germany had three dressage horses—each Hanoverians--that they were interested in selling. Britta said I simply had to come and try them out. Yeah, right, I hate flying! And Germany in October usually has rotten weather. Plus, I knew nothing about the three horses. But, then again, I did have that horse gene and also my dream of owning a stallion. So I asked Britta to go try the stallions out and give me a report—thinking to myself that the horses would all be totally unsuitable for a “mature” lady rider like me.

Several phone calls and e-mails later, Britta had convinced me that the horses would be sold quickly, and I would lose my only opportunity to ride top-notch horses like these. So I called Paula Lacy, my coach and S judge here in the US. I asked (bribed) Paula to come with me to Germany by offering her a friends-fly-free ticket. She agreed to go. Then I panicked, thinking, “What the hell am I doing?”

Britta picked Paula and me up at the airport in Germany, and we headed off to Celle. Driving in old European cities requires bravery, language and hand gestures. Maps look like someone dumped spaghetti on a piece of paper, and one-way streets aren’t well marked. I was infinitely grateful Britta was at the wheel and spoke German when we ended up tooling down a one-way street the wrong way--right into a police officer. At that point, I envisioned what the inside of a German jail would be like. We never did get the correct route to our hotel down, but fortunately, we had no accidents and no further encounters with policemen.

Britta had detailed assessments of the three stallions we were to look at the next morning. Each was s chestnut from the “W” line, meaning their names all begin with the letter, W. There was a huge, flashy Grand Prix level horse named White Star. And another named Welser, who’d scored a 10 on his canter. The third stallion was Britta’s favorite, a cute, smaller, “plain brown wrapper” stallion named Waterford, who had won his licensing and testing with very high scores.

After minimal sleep, no breakfast (I didn’t think that throwing-up while I was riding would make a good impression), we drove to Adelheidsdorf. This is where the State Stud has its training facility and most of the stallions are housed. We met Dr. Axel Brockman, the manager of the State Stud and a friend of Britta’s. We went to a large, indoor ring where all three shiny-and-braided stallions were being ridden by their impeccably-attired male trainers, who looked like gods on Superhorses.

And I was supposed to ride in front of these people? Sure, I was dressed up in my finest riding clothes, but I wanted nothing more than to just disappear. Right then, Britta turned to me and commanded that I pull on my boots, put on my helmet, and go get on a horse!

Waterford’s trainer dismounted and presented him to me. I climbed up into the saddle. Fortunately, there wasn’t a comedic mishap, like my foot slipping out of the stirrup. The “horse gene” came through for me, and I quickly became immersed in riding this wonderful animal—at least I was immersed enough not to hear if people were laughing at me. Waterford and I danced and floated around the arena, lost in our own little world.

Finally, Britta broke in and told me that Waterford had worked long enough. I then rode White Star, but I didn’t have the Grand-Prix level of skill he was used to, and he knew it--he sort of flipped me the hoof as I rode. And Welser may have scored perfectly on his canter, but he wasn’t as comfortable to ride as Waterford..

At our hotel that evening, I discussed the pros and cons of each horse with Britta and Paula. They humored me with a second glass of wine. They had no question about which horse suited me best. After the second (or maybe third) glass of wine, I decided I should ride Waterford for the remaining three days. During my rides, no one ever made fun of the goofy woman from California who wanted a stallion.

It was the end of my stay in Germany, and I had to make a decision. The “horse gene” came to my rescue again and told me to “go for it!”

Britta arranged for a pre-purchase exam with a vet in another town. I was amazed that during Waterford’s trip there, he had perfect behavior and didn’t require a stud chain. At the vet, I was certain something would show up to ruin my plans. But Waterford’s radiographs and exam were perfect!

Back at the State Stud, I made an offer to Dr. Brockman to buy Waterford. He actually took it! When my heart rate finally dropped down below 300, I shook hands with Dr. Brockman—Waterford was mine!

Britta agreed to keep Waterford over in Germany during the rest of the winter to keep his training up. In March of 2006, Waterford was flown to California, and everyone commented on his good nature and how easy he was to handle for a stallion. He stayed at U.C. Davis for a month-long quarantine, and I visited him numerous times, grooming him, leading him around, and introducing him to apples and carrots.

At my home in Northern CA, Waterford has adapted well to being the totally-spoiled king of the barn. He “talks” to everyone who comes in the barn; I’m sure it is horse speak for: “The carrots are over there.”

Sometimes, nothing succeeds like dumb luck, or maybe karma. Waterford is a very successful show horse and breeding stallion. The amazing part is he is happy to carry me, his horse-gene-carrying owner, around on his back and teach me the nuances of upper level dressage--for carrots and adoration, of course! Learn more about Waterford at www.eswaterford.com.