United States Eventing Association

Jennifer & Earl McFall from Area VI have had a memorable year with Jennifer completing the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event and Earl producing the West Coast Future Event Horse Champion. Their 11 year old daughter Taylor has also made the news after raising money in different ways to buy her own pony. This podcast is also available for download as a free subscription from the iTunes store to your Smartphone Podcast App.

The USEA would like to extend condolences to the McFall family, who recently lost a promising young horse and Young Event Horse Champion, Classic Twain DF, in a freak pasture accident.

Chris Stafford: This is the United States Eventing Association's official podcast. Hello, and welcome to the program. I'm Chris Stafford. On the show this week, Jennifer and Taylor McFall from Area 6, tell us why this year has been special for them. First, we have a training tip from Emily Beshear.

Emily Beshear: Well, this is one that I go back to quite a lot with different horses and different riders. It's a jumping exercise to work on helping both the horse and the rider to learn a proper, compact canter. Log jumping is something that we use quite a lot gymnastically, but also out in the cross country field. It's something that can help the horse's ability, both in the show jumping ring to produce a rounder, more correct jump, and then also on cross country so that we have variety in the types of canters that we need for the different approaches to the fences.

What it basically is, to set it up, I feel that there are two main areas that go wrong when we're thinking of doing this. One of the areas is that, a horse loses it's straightness. When you think of the canter, it's very easy for them to start drifting, or getting crooked. The other main area that we always have to address, is that a horse can easily drop behind the leg. Whenever we're thinking of collecting the canter, or creating a more compact canter to jump, we need to make sure that the horse stays pushing, and stays with enough power. What I have set up in the ring, are two narrow oxers. By narrow, I mean, the face is anywhere from 4 feet wide to 6 feet wide, just depending on what you have available. They're set 48 feet apart.

That would be a normal three stride distance. What I like to do is, to start with the very small, so that it's, essentially, no more than a Cavaletti type exercise, so maybe 2 feet high, but still enough width to the oxer, that the horse has to push across it, so maybe 2 1/2 feet wide, something like that, depending on the level of the horse. The exercise is actually to come through off both leads, but to be able to produce four strides in between the two narrow oxers. When I work on this at home, I don't use it as an exercise where you jump and bold and try to shorten. I use it as an exercise to try to maintain the same quality of canter all the way through, so I would approach in a canter that's more compact than my normal show jumping canter, and see what it is that I need to change, in order for the horse to comfortably fit four strides in between the two narrow oxers.

Then, once that's happening, that might take several attempts, but, once that's happening, then I'll make the jumps slightly larger, slightly taller, slightly wider, and continue to work through the exercise. In the end, once it's comfortable, then you can set the oxers back to a height that you would be normally competing at, and come with your more forward show jumping canter. I think you'd feel fine that, it's really done a lot to produce the correct, round, powerful canter needed for the show jumping, because then the horse will do it easily in three strides without getting flat and without getting crooked. The narrow oxers really help, because it helps to focus the horse. Again, because they're oxers, the horse has to continue pushing, even when they're small jumps. It's a really useful exercise. It's something you can set up anywhere. I hope it helps people out.

Chris Stafford: Our thanks to Emily. We will be featuring regular training tips on this podcast from riders around the country. Jennifer and Earl McPhall have a reputation on the west coast for producing young event horses. Jennifer made a dream come true this year, by riding in the Rolex Kentucky three day event. Their daughter, Taylor, has also been making news this year. Jennifer joins me now. Welcome back to the program.

Jennifer McFall: Oh, thank you so much for having me again. It's a pleasure.

Chris Stafford: Well, it's been a bumpy year for you, and lots to talk about. We want to, obviously, talk to Taylor, a little bit later on, about her buying her own pony, because she's famous already for that. Let's start with the year that you've had, not just with the young horses, but let's go back to Rolex of this year. Finishing there was a big deal for you, wasn't it?

Jennifer McFall: Oh, truly. Truly. It was a big dream come true. I've always been involved in eventing, my entire life, but more as a hobby. The majority of my work was with the Morgan show horses, and having High Times just gave me the opportunity to chase that dream. I did my first two star of my career on him, and first three star, and now my first four star.

Chris Stafford: What were your expectations going into that competition this year, Jennifer?

Jennifer McFall: I just wanted to, honestly, just live the experience. Wasn't sure, even just a few years ago, if I would ever get to have the opportunity to do it, so, just being there and fully realizing the scope of what I was doing, was probably my main goal, and finishing, which we did. Really thrilling experience.

Chris Stafford: Then, you went back to the west coast and won the Intermediate, didn't you? The OI, over there, with him.

Jennifer McFall: Yeah, he did. He's a young horse. He's just 10, this year. He is a horse full of heart and really tries for me, and now, I think he's starting to understand the job, too. I think next year's going to be big for him.

Chris Stafford: What will you do with him next year?

Jennifer McFall: My plans aren't totally solidified, but I just want to do what's right for him and his career. I'd like to do Rolex again, if that's possible. Just continue to grow with him, and do as much as we can together.

Chris Stafford: Tell us about the other horses that you're competing with. Classic Twain DF, you went to Galway Downs with him, didn't you?

Jennifer McPhal: Yes, yes. He's my five year old, full thoroughbred. I think he's really special. He gives me the same kind of feeling that High Times does over a fence. You know that they'll make the right choice, and jump every fence well for you, no matter how you get there. It's a very confidence building jump, and she's pretty impressive.

Chris Stafford: How many horses do you have and work at the showing, or will be coming back out next season, Jennifer?

Jennifer McFall: I just have the two for myself. I'm really trying to concentrate on doing the best I can with those two. Of course, our farm, we have several young horses that we're bringing along and are between Earl and I, my husband. We kind of split those up willy nilly, so I don't know which one I'll be getting to show, but we have several nice young ones to come along, too.

Chris Stafford: You're very involved, as we know, with the future eventers program, and produced the champion at Galway Downs this year. Did very well with the yearling too.

Jennifer McFall: Yes, yes. That was really exciting. It was a beautiful show. I have to compliment Robert Kellerhouse on putting on a beautiful show. The judges were, I think, impressed with the quality that was on the west coast. A lot of breeders came out to show their nice, young horses. I was really proud of how well everyone did.

Chris Stafford: Tell us about the horses that you had there, the yearling and the three year old. What's their background and breeding?

Jennifer McFall: Our three year old, Let's Go DF, is a Holsteiner gelding. His sire is Linaro. His dam is a mare called Zani D, who is actually Holsteiner thoroughbred cross. One of our young riders is competing her at the preliminary level. He's just a big, impressive, stretchy, and loose moving, and quiet horse. He's kind of the full package. He's very handsome, very athletic, and very easy going. It's kind of funny, Earl was riding him around at the show prior to the SCH, and a lot of people stopped and asked him, "Oh, what division are you taking this new horse in?"

Earl's like, "Well, he's actually only 3, so he's not competing here under saddle." He's just so willing and beautiful, he looks a lot more mature. Our yearling, Simple Dreams DF, is a filly by Dragonfire Kiran, our Morganstein, and out of an Irish sport horse mare called, Highland Empress, who is [inaudible 09:39] and out of a Cavalier Royale mare. A really interesting breeding cross there, but it produced a filly that's just really keen, really confident, a real purposeful mover, and understands her job immediately, and likes to perform.

Chris Stafford: She really showed off in front of the two year olds as well, didn't she, by finishing third in the overall championship?

Jennifer McFall: She really did. You know, she just handled herself with such class, was very confident and relaxed in her movement. I think she showed how well she understands her job, because she just performed loosely, and quietly, and was very forward in her movements, and stood incredibly well, and really showed herself as a model citizen.

Chris Stafford: How many then are you breeding at this time, then, because you, obviously, have got a very successful system going there, Jennifer, with your husband, Earl, bringing on these young horses.

Jennifer McFall: Well, we try to limit it. I think Earl tries to limit me, actually. We try to keep it to 2 to 4 a year personally. Any more than that, and I think we get a little overwhelmed with producing them, because we really do like to be hands on each year. As a yearling, two year old, we put a lot of work into them. They certainly get their time to go out and live as babies in the field, as well, but we do like to put the base on them, so that they're easy to train as 3 year olds, and easy for their new owner, when we sell them on as 3, 4, 5 year olds. We put a lot of work into them, so we try to limit how many we really have.

Chris Stafford: You also have, and your daughter Taylor, something of an entrepreneur. She has your business skills already, doesn't she, having saved up money for her first pony, her Connemara pony.

Jennifer McFall: Oh, she does. I think she's aggressive, like her father, and maybe like me in her passion. I have to credit her grandfather, my dad, in the skills of saving money. That's maybe not my forte.

Chris Stafford: She successfully did do that, having at least a pony from Leslie Lee. We want to talk to her in a moment, if we can, because obviously, you, as a parent must have been very proud, thinking, "well, OK. She's really got the hang of this going forward, if she's coming into the family business."

Jennifer McFall: Absolutely. I am extremely proud, and just so overwhelmed by how wonderful everyone has been, supporting this idea, and it makes me feel great, raising my daughter in the eventing community. I think you couldn't find a better childhood.

Chris Stafford: Perfect way to start and get into the sport. Now, Kilberry Prince, the pony she now owns. How did it first come into your lives, Jennifer?

Jennifer McFall: Interestingly enough, by accident. He came here as a recommendation for our riding academy, a pony to use in the school. He proved to be a little too difficult for that, and we were using Taylor as our guinea pig to see exactly what kind of kid would need to be riding this pony, and the rest is kind of history. She ended up falling in love.

Chris Stafford: Well, let's talk to Taylor now, and see how she feels about being the owner of this new pony.

Taylor McFall: Hi.

Chris Stafford: Hi, Taylor. Well, congratulations. That was quite an interesting effort on your part, to raise all that money to buy your pony. Did you really think you could do it?

Taylor McFall: I mean, part of me really wanted it to happen. Since I'm doing this, I might as well just say that it's going to happen. The back up plan was, that if I wasn't going to raise all of the money, I would donate it to a fund that gives grants to young riders to ride at high level shows. But, I actually did get Prince, so that's really amazing.

Chris Stafford: What made you think that you could raise enough money to buy your pony?

Taylor McFall: Well, the reason why I started was, because mom and dad were having a little bit of a tough time, because none of the young horses were ready to sell yet. It had been a while since we sold our last horse. We didn't really have any extra money laying around, to just buy a pony out of nowhere. So, I had to ... I had some ideas, and I went around asking people for ideas how to make money, and I got enough good ideas, that I thought, "Maybe, I could go this."

Chris Stafford: So, tell us, how you raised that money.

Taylor McFall: With lots of hard work. I cleaned trucks. I baked pony puffs from 8:00 in the morning to about 9:00 at night. I made lots of posters. I draw a lot of pictures. I went around cleaning lots of tack, and by doing so, by doing that, I think the sponsors really liked it, and they helped me out a lot.

Chris Stafford: How long did it take you to raise the money you needed then, Taylor, from the time you started til the time you actually became the owner?

Taylor McFall: The main thing that we started at was Tribeca Farms, in July. Then, we kept doing it until November Galway. That was our last show. That was a pretty long time, it felt like, for me.

Chris Stafford: That was a lot of work to put into it, so, obviously, it was a pony that you fell in love with, and it was all worthwhile.

Why did you fall in love with him so much?

Taylor McFall: Well, mainly, because, even though he was stubborn when I first got him, I noticed that all the other owners were really impressed, because he liked me a lot more that he liked anyone else. With other people, he was just crazy with. With me, he really started to fix himself, and he got really nice. I mean, he became so quiet, when he used to spook at every little thing. He became more ... He listens to me more, and he didn't just do his own thing, like he used to do. Now, on cross country, he doesn't run crazy, willy nilly, as fast as he can. Now, he paces himself, and we have come close to winning lots of optimum time awards.

Chris Stafford: What's he like in the barn? What sort of character is he?

Taylor McFall: Well, he can't stay in the stall, because he gets too fresh. That's one of the things that we've learned with him. He has many little quirks that we need to remember about him. He can't stay in the barn, so he stays out in the pasture, but he's really sweet. He is a little bit too sweet with the mares that he stays with, pushing them around a little bit. I need to sneak in lots of extra food.

Chris Stafford: What's he like then to groom and to tack up? Is he well behaved?

Taylor McFall: He's really well behaved, and I think he actually like's getting groomed and having ribbons in his mane, and getting braided and everything. Being tacked up, the only thing that he's bad about is, when he puffs his belly, and then you have to tighten it every time before I get on.

Chris Stafford: Once you get on and get out there with him, does he really listen to you? Have you got the partnership that you want with him, or is it sill a work in progress?

Taylor McFall: We're starting a little bit in work of progress with small things. It's kind of hard now. A lot harder than he used to with other owners, and he ... The main place where he's really calm and listens the most, is when we're on our chaps, because usually there, all we do is just walk him out and he feels happy there, so sometimes I train him a little bit out there, like, without him knowing. He just gets more relaxed and he's a lot easier to work with.

Chris Stafford: Then, what about the competition itself? Once he's done his dressage, then he's gone jumping, gone cross country, is he the sort of pony that know when he does well? Does he get full of himself?

Taylor McFall: He kind of does. I mean, he expects treats after every single wide, like, even just lessons at a show, he's like, "OK, I know I did good. Where are the treats? The funny thing is I made so many Pony Puffs that he only bought one bad this whole time, so I only had to feed him Pony Puffs treats that were not made by me.

Chris Stafford: He's not spoiled, is he, Taylor?

Taylor McFall: He's pretty spoiled. I mean, I give him pocket fulls of grain every day.

Chris Stafford: I think he's got the right home there, hasn't he? He's got a pretty good life going on with you, now?

Taylor McFall: He does. He's super happy. I think he just likes me more. I think we have a really special connection.

Chris Stafford: I think you must have. What's the plans for him for next year? Is he having a bit of a holiday now, and then you'll come out next year?

Taylor McFall: The only thing I really do during winter with my ponies, is my parents have a little mini show for our academy kids. We call it the "Jingle Ball show". We have little jumps with Christmas decorations and some small dressage tests and little equitation classes and walk/trot and leadline, and me and Prince are trying to go for best decorated pony again this year.

Chris Stafford: Again, so you won before did you?

Taylor McFall: Yeah, I won the best decorated pony last year, because I braided tinsel and ornaments into his mane and tail and gave him red and green polo wraps.

Chris Stafford: What do your friends think about this, the relationship you have with your pony, and doing all the chores that you did to raise the money to buy him.

Taylor McFall: Well, I don't think my younger friends that are younger that me, really understand how hard work it is, but they're definitely happy for me, and the plan for next year is I'm going to go to the three day novice at Tribeca Farms, and then I'm going to ... The plan is that I will, next year, I will move up to training with him.

Chris Stafford: What do you want to do when you grow up and leave school? Do you know what you want to do after that?

Taylor McFall: The plan is, but I want to be just like mom and dad, like eventing and training and having my own breeding program, and having really nice horses and getting to ride at all these different shows. Even though it might be hard work, I think that's what I want to do.

Chris Stafford: What would you say to all those other little girls that are listening then, Taylor, who envy you for having done what you've done, and bought your own pony?

Taylor McFall: Well, I would say to them, don't wait in the shade, just be themselves, and if they really want something, they should work hard for it, and usually, people will help you. If they don't, you just have to work really hard.

Chris Stafford: Well, that's very good advice, Taylor. Thank you very much for that, and thank you for coming on the program. I wish you the very best of luck with him, and I hope you have a great season next year. Good luck.

Taylor McFall: Thank you for having me.

Chris Stafford: A reminder that these podcasts are available for download to your smartphone podcast apps, and if you know of anyone who is hearing impaired, they can find the full transcript of the podcasts on the website at useventing.com. Until the next time, enjoy your eventing.