Maintaining Basics and Balance with Scott Hofstetter
By Sally Kay
In the mid 1970s, a devoted mother took her horse loving eight-year old son to Madison Square Garden to watch the National Horse Show, considered by many to be the pinnacle of horse shows. The opportunity to witness this show first hand was not only special; this particular day was also the boy's birthday, which made it all the more so. Growing up in nearby Albany, this little boy, his Mom and brother took riding lessons together which was a fun family experience. Cost and distance, however, soon redirected their path of saddle seat toward one of hunt seat at Misty Hills. The little boy continued to ride, and his talent as well as his passion for the sport grew. Years went by and the little boy grew into one of the country's leading junior riders with a sense of style and grace which landed him again within the Garden's arena; however, this time, he was a competitor rather than a spectator. On November 8, 1986, Scott Hofstetter rode to win the ASPCA Maclay, the Super Bowl of Equitation Finals and wow, what a birthday present!
Recently I had the opportunity to talk with Scott as he had just completed judging the Harmon Classics and conducting a clinic in Tryon and was on his way to judge the USET Young Rider's Talent Search Finals (West Coast) in Burbank, California….needless to say, he is constantly on the move. Considering himself as an overachiever, Scott admits that he really didn't have a preference when it came to jumping versus flat work as far as equitation goes. "The biggest overall challenge of equitation is making it look easy," offered Scott. "I had the tendency to be stiff at times, and it's far more difficult to be smooth and look effortless when riding." He spent considerable time working on the flat without his stirrups. "I believe I had really good basics…a solid foundation. The time I spent working without my irons contributed to a strong lower leg." In addition to winning the Maclay, some of Scott's more memorable accomplishments include the Leading Rider at Devon on a horse named, "Chesapeake," and winning a Grand Prix on a horse named, "Karat."
We all realize that horse shows have changed tremendously since the mid' 80's. Not only have they grown in popularity at various levels, many require a vast amount of facilities in which to host the multitude of divisions/entries. "The biggest difference in the medals today is the absence of the Thoroughbred horse," asserted Scott. "Warmbloods and/or 'equitation horses' dominate these classes. When I was a junior rider, we had one horse and competed in both the hunters and the equitation divisions on this horse. In fact, some classes specifically we were given two sets of scores on our rounds…one was judged from the hunter aspect and the other equitation. Riders 20 years ago seemed to be more stylish." Generally speaking, Scott believes that today's junior riders are not as attentive to their style of riding. For instance, they may ride their hunters one way; their equitation horses another way and their jumpers yet another. Frankly, he believes that today's upper level medal final courses are designed such that they command a jumper caliber of horse to successfully maneuver through.
The number of equitation divisions has also mushroomed over the years…no matter one's age or whether he/she rides a horse or a pony, there's a barrage of classes that one can work toward qualifying for respective year-end finals. Scott admits that he's not a particularly big fan of this format. "I believe these classes make for very long days as well as being difficult on the horses and the riders. Being involved with it personally, I know the early hours horses begin preparation. There's a sense of dilution and lack of importance evolving with the variety of medals offered. It's difficult to remember who won what with so many."
Teaching clinics, however, is a craft that remains near and dear to Scott's heart. With about fifteen years experience now, he believes it's important for the participants to learn in a positive environment and to have a good time. "I enjoy helping people and believe there are no winners and no losers." Typically there is less travel time involved with a clinic as opposed to a horse show, it is more cost effective and you are able to adhere more strictly to a schedule. "Within a two-hour time frame, it can be difficult to assess and work with a variety of riders, horses and respective skill sets," stated Scott. "It's important to challenge yet not over face them, particularly when there are both strong and weak riders within a group. The main goal is for everyone to learn something new and to progress."
Scott, Harold Chopping and Danny Robertshaw are each slated to speak during the upcoming Hunter/Jumper Symposium hosted by Sweetbriar College. This event is designed to share with area trainers basic exercises for their students to focus on. Scott's area will focus on equitation, Danny's on hunters and Harold's on Jumpers. Additionally, there will be a roundtable discussion for both trainers and riders to exchange dialogue. Scott enjoys opportunities to share his knowledge with others and appreciates the knowledge that he gains in return. When I asked him to name some individuals who have made the greatest impression on him, he paused a moment and replied, "Carol Harris of Bobett Farms in Ocala…she truly understands horses and has been a good mentor to me although I've met a lot of neat people who are involved with this sport."
Experiencing success early on in one's show can be tough affirms Scott. He believes the initial reality check can be difficult to swallow, yet it's important to accept the fact that some years are harder than others. Scott's additional experience as a judge and a clinician helps him keep balance with his riding. He emphasizes the importance of having different goals and angles to focus on. "You can be on the top one moment and the very bottom the next…it's important to keep relationships in tact…never know when someone might be able to help you out and vice versa."
In closing, Scott emphasizes that mental preparation is equally as important as physical when competing in equitation. "The goal is to enhance your assets or strengths and hide/camouflage your weaknesses as much as possible. For instance, you know that you have a killer sitting trot, then you leverage that and make it look easy and like you're having a good time." Focusing on basics and maintaining a balanced perspective ensure a healthy outlook in the horse business.
Back to the Top
Insurance Insights with Martha Hall
By Sally Kay
Not only do we live in an increasingly litigious society, heightened economic volatility requires us to make more decisions out of necessity rather than choice. What can we do to more effectively manage risks during these times of uncertainty? Insurance, whether it's for you, your family, your business or your horse is one important aspect of risk management. Based on your profession, business, and/or the value of your horses, there are a variety of factors you need to assess in making informed business decisions.
In my own quest to learn more about the insurance business, Martha Hall, VP of EMO Insurance was gracious enough to share her insights on numerous industry trends and information that are beneficial to those involved in the equestrian world.
EMO was originally a bloodstock agency, EMO Enterprises, which was owned by Ernest M. Oare of Warrenton, Va. One of the divisions of EMO was the insurance division for the syndicated Thoroughbred horses. Martha joined the company in 1983 as a performance/show horse specialist. In 1989, Oare sold the business to E. Sue Bopp, another partner and Martha. This newly acquired venture became known as The EMO Agency, Inc. and is currently owned by three partners: E.Sue Bopp, President, Martha Hall, V.P. and Michael Moran, V.P. from California. Martha's combined tenure with EMO's business evolution is now 25 years. "As the prices of hunters and jumpers began to increase in the 1980's, I saw the need for an insurance agency that brokered with top A companies," she offered. "In those days equine insurance agents represented one insurer and did not offer clients the flexibility of 'shopping' their particular risks based on their individual needs."
While people may understand the significance of obtaining insurance for themselves and/or their businesses, there are mixed perspectives on determining whether or not to insure their horses/ponies. Martha indicated that when prices grew for the average show horse to such proportion that it made sense for even the most well funded individuals to cover their risks, it became apparent to the majority to insure their investments. This theory also applies to horse owner liability, and of course one's business. "The litigious society we live in today lends itself to the need of even a private homeowner to carry his/her own insurance protection on his/her horses, as most homeowner policies exclude this type of liability," asserted Martha. As for a commercial horse business, insurance is imperative for the owner(s) and operator(s). When clients question the amount for which the animal should be insured she asks them to consider the amount of the value they cannot comfortably afford to lose if choosing to insure less than the purchase price. Homebreds or young horses, however, that become more valuable based on their show records need to be consistently monitored and reviewed to ensure that their minimum value amount does not become such that owner is not comfortable in losing. In other words, make sure your horse's insured value is proportionate to its actual value which should increase with experience and show records.
"The property and casualty market from which equine insurance, liability and farm properties are underwritten is the 'hardest' I have seen in my 25 year career," commented Martha. She explained that the severity of the market is based on the insurance companies restricting the amount of risk they want to acquire as other areas of the property and casualty insurance industry have been devastated by the recent natural disasters and 9/11…each of which has had an enormous impact on the business. "I do not foresee the market softening any time soon. We all know these are dark economic times for fiduciary institutions, banks which supplement the insurance industry, real estate and the stock market which fund the insurers' investments."
When Martha initially sold insurance for a hunter/jumper, it was 5.5% versus 3.6, 3.7 or 3.4 (for ponies) and 3% for dressage horses. Major medical or surgical endorsements were not available either. However, she indicates the numbers do not lie, and once the medical coverages were made available, the bottom line on mortality losses decreased so dramatically that it offset the claims paid on the medical/surgical insurance which raised the bottom line for the carrier. Theses types of occurrences account for the lower rate on mortality coverage today even though sale prices are higher than ever. As for sales prices and the horse business in general, Martha considers looking at all the winter circuits today. "There used to be only Arizona and Florida, and I remember living in Texas and trying to decide which way to go as we were in the middle of the country. Today, there is still Arizona, HITS Thermal, Jacksonville, Gulfport, HITS Ocala and WEF….each of them experiencing more entries each year." Another trend significantly impacting the sales prices of horses is the growing popularity of European horses. "The warmblood factor is probably the single biggest reason for increased sale prices either due to importation and/or the growing breeding business in the U.S."
You may wonder if there's insurance that covers your horse/pony if something changes such that it's no longer able to perform in its intended job…and the answer is yes. It's called loss of use insurance, which is a permanent disability endorsement written in conjunction with a mortality policy. It does not compensate for a horse/pony that might be laid up for a lengthy time, but rather one that has been determined by at least two vets to be permanently impaired for jumping or dressage. Martha indicated that she recommends this type of insurance only in cases of investor groups in an owner partnership on a very expensive horse. This type of policy would cover a percentage of the investment should it be injured; however, there are numerous caveats involved.
Insurance fraud in the horse business has been sensationalized over the years, i.e. novels, movies for both small and big screens, etc.; however, more times than not these types of scams are unsuccessful and the violators are prosecuted. Martha emphasized the fact that the publicity and humiliation of the people involved with these scandals has resulted in the fact that horsemen/women effectively "police" their own kind. The very last thing anyone wants to be accused of is killing a horse for money. In no way is anyone discounting the fact that there are not cheats and people who neglect their animals, but reputable companies stay as far away from any suspicious individuals as possible. "The horse world is tiny, and people with bad reputations have probably earned them," commented Martha. "When underwriting a risk on an animal, we look at what is a 'moral risk.' The financial stability of the insured, the reputation and level of care given to the animal by the trainer or owner, etc., and the propensity for it living is directly related to the moral risk factor."
Unfortunately, liability insurance for "hack" stables and public riding schools is prohibitive thus contributing to their extinction. According to Martha, most riding schools limit the ages of students and require signed witnessed releases in order to comply with respective state liability laws. "Most of the states now have what is called a zero equine liability law," stated Martha. "It limits the amount of damages paid, if any, against a trainer or boarding operation; however, the insured must comply with certain criteria, i.e. hold harmless releases, posted signage warning of inherent dangers of horses, etc."
Understanding the various facets of insurance may seem initially overwhelming, but it is important to make good business decisions that are beneficial both short-term and long term. While we all know that the only constant in our lives is change, gathering accurate and credible information from insurance professionals will enable you to more effectively minimize your risks and maximize your predictability.
Back to the Top
Shows | Results | Photos | Links | Rules & Regs | Points | Highfields
Facilities | Members | Products | Our Mission | Contact PSJ | PSJ Home
