MEETING AGENDA AMERICAN HANOVERIAN SOCIETY 2007 ...

MEETING AGENDA
AMERICAN HANOVERIAN SOCIETY
2007 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Riverwalk Hyatt Regency, Jacksonville, FL
January 26, 27 & 28, 2007
Welcome to the 2006 Annual Membership Meeting
featuring a
Young Horse Training Symposium with USEF Coach Scott Hassler.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Time Function Location
8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. AHS Board of Directors (closed) Room 4158
4:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. AHS Mare & Stallion Committee Meeting (closed) Ambassador
Suite 1850
Friday, January 26, 2007
Time Function Location
8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. AHS Board of Directors meeting (closed) Suite 4108
12:30-1:30 p.m. Registration Table Open Foyer, River
Terrace 2
1:30-2:30 p.m. “Feeding for Healthy Growth & Development of the Hanoverian Horse“ River Terrace 2
Don Kapper, Director of Nutrition and Technical Services, Progressive Nutrition LLC
Developmental orthopedic disease (DOD) is every breeder’s dreaded diagnosis: Its resolution can be
costly, it can kill a sale, and it can interfere with performance. Is there a nutritional component? Don
Kapper, one of the world’s leading equine nutritionists, will share the newest research and findings in
management and nutrition to reduce the incidence of nutrition-related Developmental Orthopedic Disease.
He will identify the signs of developmental trouble and offer the nutritional solutions that have shown the
most promise. Nutrition is the science of prevention, and Mr. Kapper will offer management tools that
cover prenatal and lactation needs and discuss the nutrient needs of weanlings through yearlings to assure
that nutrition is not the limiting factor on breeding farms.
Don Kapper, a graduate of The Ohio State University, helped develop the first comprehensive computer
program to balance equine feed rations in 1983. He has conducted seminars throughout the world and
has assisted such prominent U.S. breeding operations as Iron Spring Farm and Hilltop Farm with their
nutrition programs. Among his professional memberships: the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society
and the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists. He wrote the chapter “Applied Nutrition” in
Equine Internal Medicine, 2nd Edition, a veterinary textbook by Dr. Stephen Reed published in 2004. Mr.
Kapper was the exclusive equine nutritionist for the North American Stallion Performance Tests in 1998,

2002, and 2004 and will serve as the stallions’ nutritionist again in 2007. He and his wife breed and raise
Hanoverians at their farm in Beach City, Ohio.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Continued
Time Function Location
2:30-3:30 p.m. “Managing Angular Limb & Flexural Deformities in Foals” River Terrace 2
Dr. Elizabeth M. Santschi, DVM, ACVS
Having a foal born with and/or develop an angular limb or flexural deformity can compromise its
marketability and performance potential. Dr. Liz Santschi, a board certified surgeon at The Ohio State
University, will address angular limb and flexural deformities in foals and offer the latest research and
strategies for successful resolution. She’ll use slides to illustrate problems and will identify situations
breeders can manage as well as advise when it’s crucial to seek veterinary help.
A graduate of the University of Illinois, Dr. Liz Santschi has focused on clinical practice, clinical research
and post-DVM continuing education. She completed her residency and was a staff surgeon at Peterson &
Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, Florida, before attaining her board certification in equine surgery in 1992.
She has a long-standing interest in the problems of the periparturient mare and foal and has spoken at
many international and domestic conferences on related topics. Most recently Dr. Santschi focused her
reseach on juvenile equine orthopedics, including infection, conformation and other injuries. She has
published more than 50 scientific articles and has served on the Board of Directors of the American
Association of Equine Practitioners.
3:30-3:45 p.m. 15 minute break
3:45-4:45 p.m. “Are You Raising a Stallion Prospect?” River Terrace 2
Susanne Hassler, Breeding Manager Hilltop Farm, Inc.
Gerd Zuther, AHS Mare & Stallion Committee
Your foal is named the top colt at his inspection and it is suggested he is may be a stallion prospect. So
now what? There are a number of factors to consider besides conformation, movement and pedigree:
what’s the best environment for raising stallions, when are the ideal times to evaluate growing prospects,
does your colt have the temperament to remain a stallion and do you have the ability to properly prepare
him for life as a stallion? What should his early education entail and how do you prepare him for licensing?
Susanne Hassler, breeding manager at Hilltop Farm, successful competitor on the Hanoverian stallion
Royal Prince, and manager of stallion prospect and 2006 Reserve Grand Champion at Dressage at Devon,
Selten HW, will offer advice. Hassler will be joined by Gerd Zuther, a member of the AHS Mare & Stallion
Committee and the former director of the U.S. 100-Day Stallion Performance Test, who will offer the
perspective of an inspection team member. He will address what the team is looking for and what owners
can do to help their stallion make the best showing. Zuther will also share his experience on preparing a
stallion for licensing.
Susanne Hassler garnered the distinction of being the highest placing American ever in the World
Breeding Championships when she finished fourth with the Hanoverian stallion Royal Prince in the Five-
Year-Old Division in Verden, Germany, in 2004. Later in the year the pair became the U.S. National FEI
Five-Year-Old Champions. Susanne has been the breeding manager at Hilltop Farm since 1992 and is
responsible for generating the foundation of Hilltop Farm’s customer service based breeding program. In
1993 she helped develop Hilltop’s International Frozen Semen Program, offering U.S. breeders access to
European stallions with a live foal guarantee.
Gerd Zuther trained under such German masters as Boldt, Schultheiss and Brinkmann before coming to
the United States. His position as the assistant training leader of a stallion performance testing station in
Germany prepared him directing the 100 Day Stallion Performance Test at November Hill Farm, a premier
breeding and training operation that Zuther developed and managed from 1979 until 1995. Currently
stationed at Peak Rock Farm in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, he trains a number of dressage horses

and serves as a breeding consultant, clinician, and sport horse breeding judge as well as a member of the
AHS Mare & Stallion Committee.
4:45-5:30 p.m. “Open Q&A with USEF Coach Scott Hassler” River Terrace 2
Scott Hassler is among a select few Americans who can be considered an expert breeder, rider, trainer
and competitor. He has had the good fortune to travel the world and study with the best including
dressage legend Herbert Rehbein. He has been the Training Director at Hilltop Farm since its inception,
and in 2006 he was selected as the United States Equestrian Federation Young Dressage Horse national
coach. Scott has graciously offered to answer any and all of your questions regarding breeding, evaluating
young stock, training, marketing sport horses…you name it, here’s your chance to ask it.
6:30-8:00 p.m. Riverside Welcome Reception (Cash Bar & Hors d'oeuvres) River Terrace 3
8:00 p.m. Evening Out on your own at Riverwalk or venture 45 minutes south to historic St. Augustine
Saturday, January 27, 2007
"An Interactive Evaluation of the Performance Potential of Young Dressage Horses
and Strategies for Successful Training”
A Symposium with USEF Coach and fellow Hanoverian breeder Scott Hassler
With each group of horses, we’ll assess gaits, identify strengths and develop plans for areas that need improvement. Scott will discuss
how to choose appropriate work, addressing when to push on and when to back off. For breeders, he will relate breeding to
performance by measuring conformation versus the horse’s actual performance ability. He’ll also discuss performance options breeders
have for their young stock and offer advice for choosing the appropriate venue to showcase young prospects. The FEI Young Horse
division is the fastest growing area of competition in the USEF and a very visible outlet to show off young horses, but it is not a suitable
performance venue for all young dressage horses. Scott will explain why. Of interest to riders and trainers: we’ll score the gaits of the
participating horses, work on exercises to improve the gaits and then re-evaluate. He’ll also help riders and trainers by discussing how
to critique young horses for a fair evaluation of their performance ability, how to determine where they are best suited in sport and how to
find the performance strategy that best suits the young horse.
Schedule of Events
**Please note transportation and symposium start times are tentative until final selection of horses is made. Bus
transportation is only available to those enrolled in the entire weekend’s activities.
Time Function Location
7:00- 8:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet for all attendees River Terrace 2
8:15 a.m. Bus Transportation from Hyatt to Jacksonville Equestrian Center
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Young Horse Training Symposium Jacksonville Eq. Center
with USEF Coach Scott Hassler
5:00 p.m. Bus Transportation from Jacksonville Equestrian Center to Hyatt
7:00-8:00 p.m. Cocktail Hour (Cash Bar) River Terrace 3
8:00-11:00 p.m. Awards Banquet
Catered Dinner & Silent Auction (Cash Bar) River Terrace 3

Schedule of Events
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Time Function Location
7:30-8:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet for all attendees River Terrace 2
8:30-9:30 a.m. Open Committee Meetings River Terrace 2
Mare & Stallion Committee
Jumper Program Committee
By Laws Committee
Awards Committee
9:30-10:30 a.m. “The International Development of the Hanoverian Breed” River Terrace 2
Dr. Werner Schade, Hanoverian Breeding Manager, VhW, Verden, Germany
Dr. Werner Schade succeeded Dr. Jochen Wilkens as the managing director and breeding director of the
German Hanoverian Verband (VhW) in April 2006. He is an agrarian engineer who earned his doctorate
from the Gottingen University where he completed his thesis on “Development of an Insemination Program
for the Hanoverian Breed.” After attaining his doctorate, he was the project manager for Equitana in
Essen, the most important equine exhibition in the world. Dr. Schade worked as an assistant of the
general management before assuming the Verband’s top leadership spot.
10:30-10:45 a.m. 15 minute break River Terrace 2
10:45-12:00 p.m. General Membership Meeting River Terrace 2
12:00 Noon Closing of 2007 Annual Meeting River Terrace 2
Doug Leatherdale, AHS President