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California Western Dressage Association presents

Schedule
Saturday
8AM
Check In
Continental Breakfast - Introductions
Saturday
9:15 AM
Mary Ann Simonds
Horse By Nature
From wild horse research to high performance sport horses, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how horses sense, think, feel, learn, and relate to each other with and without humans in their lives. Loosely following the book "A Horse by Nature”, the talk will explore various tips and tools for better assessing, communicating, educating and caring for your horse.
Saturday
10:15 AM
Dr. C. Mike Tomlinson, DVM
Equine Welfare and Social License to Operate – How all this affects you
Welfare and SLO are buzzwords we often hear these days, but what does it mean to you? How will you be affected? What can you do to do better?
Saturday
11:40 AM
Dr. Robert Bray, Equine Nutritionist
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leaky gut syndrome, a condition where the intestinal lining is compromised, is sometimes hard to detect and can manifest itself in behaviorial changes. Learn the causes, symptoms and treatments as well as preventive measures to manage and mitigate this conditions.
Saturday
12:40 PM
Attendee Lunch
Saturday
1:40 PM
Christa Lafayette, CEO, Etalon Equine Diagnostics
Designer Genes: Unpacking the Future of Horse Genetics
Join Christa as she breaks down the myths and truths behind horse genetics, taking a closer look at how today’s discoveries are shaping the future of the sport. We’ll dive into key topics like health testing, coat colors, and cloning, and discuss what they really mean for our horses and the industry.
Saturday
2:40 PM
Dr. Janet L. Jones, PhD.
Equine Planning and Forethought: Yes or No?
Did your knothead plan to pee in that feed bucket, or was it just a coincidence? The prefrontal cortex that allows us to strategize doesn’t even exist in the equine brain. We consider the implications of that fact and uncover the effects of our assumptions that horses think the way humans do.
Saturday
4:05 PM
TBD
Sunday
8 AM
Check In
Continental Breakfast - Introductions
Sunday
9:15 AM
Dr. Janet L. Jones, PhD.
The Power of Smell
The human brain is so committed to vision that we often forget it’s not the horse’s primary sense. New neuroscientific evidence suggests that the horse’s ability to detect, discriminate, and follow odors is similar to that of a bloodhound. Find out how it works and how much your horse knows about you just from using his nose!
Sunday
10:15 AM
Carla Bauchmueller
How To Shed Self-Doubt and Find More Joy In Riding
Self-doubt is one of the biggest obstacles to connecting with your horse, and it kills the enjoyment for horse and rider. In this interactive talk, you will learn proven methods to overcome self-doubt and reconnect with the pure joy of riding your horse.
Sunday
11:40 AM
Mary Ann Simonds
Equine & Interspecies Communication
Based on over 40 years of training animal communication specialists, veterinarians, trainers and other interspecies enthusiasts, this talk will dive into the specific techniques for deeper communication with horses (and other species). From simple body language and eye expressions to more subtle energy techniques participants will be interacting and having fun as well as learning skill they can practice.
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