The print., October 31, 1979, Page 3, Image 3

rse spurs quest
for new course
/Although still “in the infant stages,” a new course offering
in horsemanship is very real, according to Chuck Hudson,
athletic director.
The wellspring of an “English” horsemanship course, in
addition to the non-credit “Western Riding” class already of­
fered at the College through Horsemanship West, came
from the donation of a horse named “Silent Partner” by the
president of Pioneer Savings and Loan, Ward Cook.
It’s not just any horse. Silent Partner, a 12-year-old
gelding jumper currently housed at Horsemanship West,
has won hunter and jumper competitions in equestrian
shows throughout the west coast. Cook said he wants the
horse to keep jumping and keep winning ribbons. .But the
main reason for the donation was to further interest in hor­
semanship at the College.
“The horse has to stay in condition. I know he could help
riders further their careers in equestrian, and even help
people to learn how to ride English. That would do as much
good to the horse as the people riding him,” he said.
While horsemanship classes have been offered at the
College for the past 10 to 11 years, “there hasn’t been a lot
of student interest,” said Hudson, who’s in charge of fhe
horse curriculum, a division of P.E. and athletics. “That’s
one of the reasons why it’s been offered as a nori-credit
class. Most of the people who take the class simply want to
learn how to ride Western.”
An English-riding class would offer a somewhat different
blend of riding expertise.
Holly Roessner, assistant trainer at the Lake Oswego
Hunt Club, has been riding English “ever since I could
¡ remember,” she said. One activity of English riding that stirs
the most common romantic vision is the fox hunt, currently
■ termed “drag hunt.” “They don’t use foxes anymore,” she
I said, “instead, they make a trail by way of a scented bag the
i dogs follow.”
L The dogs can sometimes lose the scent. But Hoessner
k said the artificial bag doesn’t diminish the excitement of a fox
I hunt. “The feeling is still very exhillerating. The horse is
jumping obstacles at top speed. Sometimes, they do get off
r the track to follow a deer in the deep woods. While this isn’t
desirable in competition, it can be very fun. Fox hunting is
both elating and tiresome at the same time,” she commen­
ted.
The class of “hunt seat” pertains to the style of riding and
[ jumping, “and how the rider performs on the horse. There
are also equitations in grooming and in general, how the
rider and the horse look together,” she said.
i “Dressage,” probably the most poetic classification of
English equitation, is somewhat synonymous with the floor
exercises of a gymnast, Roessner said. “Here, the horse is
expected to go through special patterns of movements. Not
only is the exactitude of the pattern judged, but the style and
grace of the horse and rider together. Generally, you could
f call it the "overall harmony’ between horse and rider.”
Roessner continued that Dressage is probably the most
basic classification of English rider because “it teaches
balance, and allows the horse to become more responsive to
¡ the aids of the rider, his commands and reign movements.”
English riding can be learned separately from Western
; riding, according to Roessner. Additionally, “you can teach
> a Western horse to ride English,” Roessner said. In high
I scale competition, judges prefer a thoroughbred horse over
j- a purebred Western horse, she added.
Jeannie Scoggin, junior rider for Richard Shrake, trainer­
owner of Horsemanship West, and two-time national
champion in junior riding, talked about the economics of
English riding. “While the top-notch junior horses are about
the same cost in both English and Western riding, on the
lower levels, the Western horses will run in the price range
of from $12,000 to $15,000, where English horses can cost
up to $25,000 and more.”
English riding has been termed the “elite class” of riding.
English riding has made it all the way to the Olympic level of
competition, whereas Western riding has the world cup
status, according to Stoggin.
Scoggin and Roessner agree that a different type of fear is
felt in large-scale Western and English riding. Scoggin said,
“The risks are different in Western riding. You’re involved
with cattle, and the events like roping are more fast-paced.”
Roessner added, “English riding involves solid obstacles to
overcome. The horse and rider have to have a lot of con-
fidence in each other’s abilities.”
Confidence is a quality in large supply with Silent Partner,
according to Ward Cook. “The horse loves to jump. He can
make the rider look very good.”
A coat as white and soft as down, and the form of an old
pro, the 16 hand-high gelding has most assuredly raised the
eyebrows of both Shrake and other trainers at Horseman­
ship West. But according to Bill Anton, development direc­
tor at the College, who accepted the gift horse, “Students
here have to start telling people they are interested to get the
class off the ground.” From Ward Cook’s perspective, Silent
Partner wouldn’t mind getting off the ground with CCC
students,either.
Jenny Huck, assistant
trainer
under
owner
Richard Shrake tests her
courage. Atop ‘Silent Par­
tner’, the white gelding
jumper donated to the
college in late September.
After trying out the gifthor­
se Jenny said, “Boy, he sure
loves to jump!”
Story by Kelly Laughlin
Photos by Duffy Coffman
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