Speakers - Demos for the Minnesota Horse Expo 2008

2008 MN Horse Expo Speakers/Demos II
Times and topics subject to change.
More topics and times to be added, so check back!

Larry Roth; Ph.D., PAS is a research scientist specializing in natural supplements to enhance the health of equine athletes. His work involves the use of beneficial bacteria, yeast, enzymes and prebiotics to enhance digestive and immune function. The interaction of soil, plant and animal health is also a major part of his work on increasing forage utilization. Based in Shakopee, MN USA, Dr. Roth has spoken on direct-fed microbials and forage utilization in 18 countries. He has Animal Nutrition degrees from the University of Wyoming (BS), Texas A&M University (MS) and the University of Nebraska (Ph.D.) and has worked in the animal nutrition industry for 19 years.

Equine Athletes Win With Forages
Horses are designed to be grazers and to utilize foragers. The heavy energy demands of equine athletes often lead to a dependence on energy from grain and starch, resulting in health challenges and poor performance. You can help your horse beat the starch addiction, utilize forages for health and winning performance.

Protein Nutrition for Equine Athletes
Protein nutrition of equine athletes affects their performance, joint health and whole body health. Rising protein costs requires trainers and competitors to re-examine protein nutrition of equine athletes for winning performance and health.

Leanna Drongeson
Desensitizing Your Horse

Synopsis
Leanna Drongeson, Certified Mounted Patrol Instructor and long time horse trainer, reveals her techniques for desensitizing horses to stimuli such as loud noises, moving objects and other surprises encountered on the trail, down the road, and during competition. The ultimate goal of desensitization is making a horse safe for all types of riding and competition. Leanna will demonstrate her desensitization methods in the arena using horses with varying skill levels. The focus will be on making the desensitization process safe and effective.

Biography
Leanna Drongeson is one of only three certified Mounted Patrol Instructors in the State of Minnesota. She selects and trains horses for two metro area law enforcement mounted patrol units. As an instructor for the Minnesota Mounted Shooters Association, she provides training for new cowboy mounted shooters clinics where horses first become exposed to the noise of gunfire.

Leanna also provides horse training for private clients. She has been a horse trainer for twenty one years and draws on this experience to produce safe family horses.

SAVVY HORSE SELECTION
Pam Whitfield Bio

Pam Whitfield, Ph.D., teaches English and equine science at Rochester Community and Technical College. She helped design RCTC’s equine science curriculum and serves on the program’s advisory board. Pam also serves on the board of directors for the American National Riding Commission, is an H.S.A. certified instructor and clinician, and has coached national-winning horse judging teams. She holds several judges cards and writes for horse magazines. Her articles have appeared in Practical Horseman, Equus, The Chronicle of the Horse, John Lyons’ Perfect Horse, and The Equine Journal.

Shopping for a horse is exciting but nerve wracking. Let’s take some of the guesswork out of it by discussing smart shopping strategies. I'll help you prioritize your needs, design a shopping checklist and learn about pre-purchase exams and paperwork. This session also covers bringing the new horse home, and will be useful to both experienced horse owners and first-timers.

Julie Christie is an instructor and the Program Leader for equine science at Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, MN. The RCTC equine science program is in its third year running and offers certificates and Associates degrees in riding/training, horse husbandry, and equine business practices.

Julie is from the east coast of Canada and has an extensive history working in the equine field; her experiences include working in equine research laboratories, training horses, teaching riding lessons, managing stables, grooming at the international level, and teaching academic courses in equine science. Julie has a Master’s degree in Equine Welfare from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown, PEI. Julie has also competed in equitation, hunters, jumpers, eventing, and combined training throughout Canada, the USA, and in Ireland.

Topic title: Equine Behavior and Welfare
Equine welfare is a complex science that encompasses the state of the animal’s physical and mental health. Welfare is closely tied to how the horse is managed and behavior. Behavioral indicators of welfare include the presence of abnormal behaviors such as cribbing or weaving. This 55 minute lecture will cover equine welfare markers, abnormal behaviors, and how management can influence welfare.

Solutions and Tools for a Healthy Horse Coat

Caring and maintaining a horse takes time and money. Taking time to work with a horse is an important part of getting the most out of a person’s investment whether it is preparing for a show or going for a trail ride. I will share some thoughts and ideas why grooming is not just for showing BUT an important part of communicating and building trust with a person’s horse.

There are three aspects of grooming that will be presented. They include:

Showing how the grooming process can help both the rider and the horse relax before beginning an activity. It helps both partners in the riding activity come to a common mental state.

Talking about selected tools that work best for grooming. Each tool will be demonstrated, showing how to get the most out the grooming device.

Summarizing of how to select different grooming aids and what to think about when looking at the ingredients they contain. Have you ever thought how the horse grooming process differs from human grooming?

Through participation in the presentation, a person will begin to have a deeper appreciation of how this type of quality time can strengthen their relationship with a horse, enhance the appearance of the horse, and enrich their riding experience. I invite people who are both new to riding horses as well as the experienced horse person to attend.

Dr. Tom Tweeten is a scientist with more than 40 years of experience in Analytical Chemistry. He has worked with industrial chemicals and human and animal nutrition to develop chemical testing procedures to insure product quality and integrity.

About twelve years ago Dr. Tweeten and a couple of young entrepreneurs began developing a line of horse care grooming products. Since Dr. Tweeten is a horse owner and show competitor, he has worked to create products that are healthy and beneficial for his horses, while achieving the aesthetic results he wants. Dr. Tweeten’s experiences enable him to focus on developing a way to properly prepare and groom a horse so that it is beneficial to the animal. Based on this presentation you will learn what you will want to include in your tack box to maintain a healthy appearance of your horse.

Friday Noon-1:00pm	Ramberg	Solutions & tools for a healthy horse coat
Saturday 1:00-2:00pm	DNR	Solutions & tools for a healthy horse coat
Sunday 11:00-Noon	DNR	Solutions & tools for a healthy horse coat

Jamie Coffy
United States Trotting Association
Outreach Administrator

New Harness Horse Owner Seminar
Friday and Saturday 1:00pm Cover-All Arena

An introduction to harness racing and the exciting and versatile Standardbred breed. Put yourself in the Winner’s Circle! The first step is attending a seminar being offered for those who would like to know what’s involved in owing a Standardbred racehorse. Experts, including current owners and trainers, will explain how to get involved in the sport of harness racing by becoming a horse owner. The topics to be covered include:

Costs of Ownership
Selecting a trainer
How to acquire a horse

Cordia Pearson

The A, B, C's of Saddle Fitting
The English and Western Riders Guide to understanding when tack fits and doesn't.

Cordia Pearson is one of eleven Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Fitters in the US. For thirty-five years, she bred and trained Morgan Horses and Class A training facility. Solving her student's tack problems rapidly became a full time profession. Her specialities are Dressage and Reining, but she loves working with all performance horses and especially Trail riders, because they care so much for their horses.

Cordia will present a simple, shape oriented system of saddle fitting that provides a clear, working understanding of when their saddle is a problem.

Friday 1:00-2:00pm	DNR
Saturday 9:00-10:00am	Ramberg
Sunday Noon-1:00pm	Ramberg

Minneapolis Police Mounted Patrol Demonstration

Have you ever seen the Mounted Police in action? Well, here's your chance! The Minneapolis Police Mounted Patrol will demonstrate how they chase, capture, search and handcuff a suspect without ever getting off their horse. These officers and their equine partners are truly amazing.

Friday 8:40-9:00am	Coliseum
Saturday 8:40-9:00am	Coliseum

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