Good morning, Eventing Nation! Today begins the first day of the last 3-day of the spring season, Bromont! Two divisions will begin Dressage tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. promptly, and we have both Samantha and Jenni on the scene covering every possible angle, and ...]]>

Lizzie Snow and Coal Creek at jogs yesterday (photo by Jenni Autry)

Good morning, Eventing Nation! Today begins the first day of the last 3-day of the spring season, Bromont! Two divisions will begin Dressage tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. promptly, and we have both Samantha and Jenni on the scene covering every possible angle, and wearing out their fingers with picture taking and typing frantically in between riders. If you happen to be up there and see them wandering around, buy them a coffee or a beer and thank them for their hard work!

Bromont Links:

[Website] [Schedule] [Live Scores] [CCI3* Preview]

Events This Weekend:

Genesee Valley Riding Club Spring Horse Trials: [Website] [Ride Times]

Aspen Farms HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

Derbyshire Farms HT: [Website/Ride Times]

Will Faudree has had an excellent spring, starting his season by quietly winning both the Pine Top Advanced and Southern Pines Advanced with Andromaque, finishing in the top three almost every time out with Pawlow to culminate in a nice 6th place finish with Ernie at Rolex, ...]]>

Will Faudree and Pawlow at Rolex this spring

Will Faudree has had an excellent spring, starting his season by quietly winning both the Pine Top Advanced and Southern Pines Advanced with Andromaque, finishing in the top three almost every time out with Pawlow to culminate in a nice 6th place finish with Ernie at Rolex, placing second at the Jersey Fresh CCI2* with Riesling de Bussy, and then topping it all off by leading the U.S. at Saumur CCI3* with a 5th place finish on Andromaque. Not too shabby, eh?

No doubt due to his recent stellar performances and his ability to represent the U.S. well overseas, Will has been nominated for the United States Olympic Committee's Male Athlete of the Month Award for May. The USOC supports U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes on and off the field of play through programming such as direct athlete funding, health insurance, tuition grants, media and marketing opportunities, career services and performance-based monetary rewards. In addition, the Olympic Training Center facilities provide athletes with performance services, including sports medicine; strength and conditioning; psychology, physiology and nutrition assistance; and performance technology.

There are lots of deserving candidates, but only one can win, so let's make it Will! Votes can be cast through Thursday June 6th, 2pm EST. Get voting!

[VOTE HERE]

Now that the weather has finally turned into disgusting, hot, humid, bug-filled summer days, I've been doing a lot of hacking. I probably do more hacking than most people in general, as I have access to over 2,000 acres of paths and coops and gates ...]]>

A field of nose-length grass to gallop through? Yes, please.

Now that the weather has finally turned into disgusting, hot, humid, bug-filled summer days, I've been doing a lot of hacking. I probably do more hacking than most people in general, as I have access to over 2,000 acres of paths and coops and gates courtesy of some very nice neighbors and an attentive hunt club. However, for the past month, Nyls and I have rediscovered our inner kids, and we have been enjoying a relaxed mini-vacation. Nyls positively hates actual vacation, because that means the other horses are obviously getting more attention than he is, and he just won't stand for it. So, we compromise and spend a month after every season roaming the countryside with the hackamore (more like snackamore) firmly in place.

While not everybody can access the great outdoors as easily as I can, I truly believe in the importance of down time. The benefits for both horse and rider extend to the mental and physical realms equally, and really can't be replaced by anything else. As horse people, the idea of a "vacation" is just that: a word in quotations. Vacations are for normal people, for people with 9-5 jobs and dental insurance. However, in our world, it is all too easy to get burnt out, competing every single weekend, driving up and down and all around, and waking up earlier than the birds every morning.

Sometimes I wonder about the benefits of our ever-expanding calendar of events. Each year, the events start earlier, and they end later. This is wonderful for us as competitors, and also terrible for the temptation of over-competing our horses. I believe firmly in two separate seasons: spring and fall. It's a shame when our sport becomes one of point chasing where horses are required to compete year-round, only to finish the fall season and go south to begin getting a head start on the January competitions of next year. What happened to the old habit of turning your horse out in the back forty for a month in the winter? Don't get me wrong, I understand the "precious horse" mentality as much as anybody, but there has to be a middle ground where we give them a chance to breathe after competing for a few months.

So, where do you stand, Eventing Nation? Do you believe in self prescribed vacations for horse and rider? Or do you think that the new short format has changed the way we can compete our horses year-round?

(Please enjoy this short gif of how Nyls likes to "vacation", click upper left corner for sound)

Horse Nation has done it again....and found the next viral video for horse people. This time, it's an absurd exercise routine called "Prancercizing". This is real life, folks.

From HN:

Prancercise, “a springy, rhythmic way of moving forward, similar to a horse’s gait,” was invented in 1989 but never ...]]> Click here to view the embedded video.

Horse Nation has done it again....and found the next viral video for horse people. This time, it's an absurd exercise routine called "Prancercizing". This is real life, folks.

From HN:

Prancercise, “a springy, rhythmic way of moving forward, similar to a horse’s gait,” was invented in 1989 but never caught on–until NOW.

I’ll leave the introduction to Miami New Times blogger Ciara LaVelle, who explains, “Prancercise LLC, which is a real company selling Joanna Rohrback’s idea of imitating a horse to achieve your perfect bikini body, started publishing videos to YouTube five months ago. They feature Rohrback herself, outfitted for her workout in a tailored salmon jacket, white pants, pearls, and full makeup. She straps on her ankle weights, just like real horses do.”

Now, the fitness trend is sweeping the web.

Happy Thursday Eventing Nation! Today, I will spend all day outside riding about 8 horses, and the forecast says...average temperatures of 95. This translates to several things: drinking so much water that I physically cannot fit any more in my belly, looking like a tomato with a helmet for at least six hours straight, participating ...]]>

Happy Thursday Eventing Nation! Today, I will spend all day outside riding about 8 horses, and the forecast says...average temperatures of 95. This translates to several things: drinking so much water that I physically cannot fit any more in my belly, looking like a tomato with a helmet for at least six hours straight, participating in the wrong kind of wet t-shirt contest, and collapsing on my kitchen floor at 7pm with my dog panting beside me. Ah, the glamorous life of a horse girl!

Events This Weekend:

IEA Horse Trials, Classic Training & Novice 3-Day Event  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

The Colorado Horse Park T3D, CCI* & Horse Trials   [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

GMHA June Horse Trials  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Poplar Place Farm June HT  [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Waredaca HT  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club HT  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Carriage House Farm CT  [Website]

News From Around the Globe:

We totally forgot to send an EN reporter to the Balkan Eventing Championships! Bulgaria’s Miroslav Iliev claimed individual gold at the FEI Balkan Eventing Championships 2013 at Sighisoara, Romania last weekend with a stand-out performance on his horse Lazuren. Fellow Bulgarian Ivan Dobrev took silver, while Romanian Viorel Bubau took the bronze. There were a total of eight riders from three countries competing, although there were no team medals awarded as only Turkey and Bulgaria could field a full team. The championship is run at the CCI1* level. [Balkan Eventing Championships]

Researchers at the University of Kentucky just completed a study on how working with horses beneficially effects emotional growth in humans. 10 horses and 11 nurses from a nearby hospital were used in the study, with the nurses tested on their emotional intelligence prior to beginning work with the horses, and then six months afterwards. The tests showed that all nurses who participated showed an increase in all four major emotional intelligence competency areas, although they do concede that the sample group was too small to draw any real conclusions. We know better, though. [Horses Make You Better at Emotional Intelligence]

China has a new variation on the bird flu that has already infected 130 people, and now they are warning us that it could mutate and infect horses. H7N9 flu has killed 37 people so far, and is a Grade III severe outbreak, and likely to evolve into a Grade IV (very severe) soon. The flu currently can live inside birds, humans and pigs for years and could very likely mutate to survive in horses. [Bird Flu, Possibly Horse Flu in China]

The Stand'N'Store Step Stool (say that five times fast) is probably one of the most essential products in any barn. Seriously, how can you get any better than something that helps you organize your stuff, carry your grooming tools, and mount your horse, all while looking tidy and nice? A must have for both shows and around home: getcha'self one. [SmartPak Awesome Step Stool]

Veterinarian Clayton McCook describes the scene upon entering Celestial Acres moments after the tornado.

Best of Blogs: Jessica Morthole describes her first ride on her OTTB for the Retired Racehorse Project

Every time I go to a competition, I am wowed by the fabulous horses and skilled riders that I watched compete at varied levels all weekend. No matter how my horses behaved, or how I rode, I always have something or someone to look up ...]]>

Kristin Carpenter & Khaleesi, finishing 2nd in Novice at VAHT

Every time I go to a competition, I am wowed by the fabulous horses and skilled riders that I watched compete at varied levels all weekend. No matter how my horses behaved, or how I rode, I always have something or someone to look up to, even if it's just a show jumping round from a friend who has a young horse, or watching a professional through a tricky combination on cross country. Usually I'm wondering how they scored ten points better than me in dressage, or kept all the rails up on that baby horse with legs every which way!

When watching the competition, it's so easy in our sport to get stuck thinking, "Oh, that horse is so much fancier than mine," or "Well, that's a professional rider and I just can't compare with that!". I'm not here to tell you that the winning ride isn't because their horse is a better mover, or it isn't based in some way on that rider's physical skill level. Of course Eventing is in part influenced by these matters, but laying the blame wholly at the feet of competence is a false way of thinking. You have to obtain a level of physical skill to play the game well, but you will succeed more if you are confident in your choices and yourself.

After a rather lackluster competition myself this weekend, I found that I was sulking a bit, and dwelling on the poor riding that I exhibited, much to the chagrin of my poor horse. In these times, I allow myself to indulge for a certain period, and then I actively seek some source of renewed faith. Enter, Dr. Bob Rotella. Haven't heard of the man? He's a genius. He's actually the best sports psychologist in the game of Golf, which strangely enough shares a lot of factors with Eventing. Both games are played on a one-shot basis, with no do-overs and drastic consequences for small mistakes. Each game is highly mental, in addition to being physical in sometimes a very subtle way. Dr. Bob writes amazing books, and you should certainly spend some time exploring them, namely "Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect".  However, for today's purposes, I have compiled a list of ways to sharpen your game for the next show, and improve you confidence as well as your competence. The list is adapted for Eventing, but inspired by Dr. Bob.

1) Believe you can win. When I started Eventing, at the tender age of 12, I didn't even remotely know what I was doing. I had a lovely tolerant coach who was at an age where she was happy to have a constant shadow following her every move and gratefully cleaning tack in exchange for lessons. I didn't get the whole "dressage" thing, so I watched her lessons. What was she doing that I wasn't?  How was that movement happening? While you may not have the skill set of that professional rider today, who's to say you won't achieve it in the near future? Believe in that future, and you're just that much closer to it. We all put our pants on one leg at a time, and once upon a time William Fox Pitt didn't know how to get a horse on the bit either.

2) Don't be seduced by results. How many times have we seen riders go into show jumping on the last day with the lead and choke? It happens all the time. No matter what your placement is, despite your dressage score, your plan should remain unchanged. Of course, we all get excited about the "what-ifs" when we find ourself in a top position, but if you're one of these people, just don't go looking for your score. Ride your horse how you need to ride it for that course, for that day, and figure out your score number later. That isn't to say that I suggest riding casually and throwing away points, I just don't condone recklessness in the sight of a possible blue ribbon.

3) Sulking won't get you anywhere. Didn't win the dressage? Boo hoo. Eventing is nothing if not a long game, and unless you're competing against Michael Jung (or Jock Paget), there's probably still hope for you yet. Wallowing in your self-pity or dwelling on small mis-haps is certainly not going to up your game, and it will probably just make you feel worse. Sulking helps you stay distracted from the next phase, or the next jump on course, and that's just simply not acceptable.

4) Have a routine to lean on. Ever watch the riders in the warmup for Rolex and wonder, "How do they look so calm and composed?!" Trust me, some of them have more than butterflies in their stomachs. The key to succeeding in pressure situations like these is a lot of things, but having a focused plan and routine before the act is important. Know the amount of time it takes you to get ready, so you don't ever feel rushed. Know how much warm-up you need, and where you're supposed to go. If you follow the same physical and mental routine before every round, it helps to manage your nerves.

5) Find somebody who believes in you. The greatest thing any rider can hear before they go into the start box is "I know you can do this, you've got it!" Find that person. Don't surround yourself with Negative Nancy and Sour Susan. Find a coach who sees you doing great things in the future that you yourself can't quite envision yet. Believing in yourself is important, but having somebody who you respect and trust believe in your is equally integral to your success.

Thank goodness it's Friday, and more importantly, thank goodness the weather forecast has rain coming (never thought I'd say that!) because I can't stand another day of this heat! For the past week I've thought about the possibilities of heat stroke by 10 am each day, only to ...]]>

Lucy Eddins, beloved dressage and eventing judge from Virginia

Thank goodness it's Friday, and more importantly, thank goodness the weather forecast has rain coming (never thought I'd say that!) because I can't stand another day of this heat! For the past week I've thought about the possibilities of heat stroke by 10 am each day, only to realize that I have to stay out in the burning hot sun for at least 8 more hours. Bring me a cool streak!

Lucy Eddins, who was a wonderful force in the Eventing and Dressage world, and judge for many years, passed away in April of this year. At the Virginia Horse Trials this weekend, there will be a memorial service for Lucy and all that she contributed to our sport on Saturday, May 25th, 6:15pm in the Wiley Arena, at the Virginia Horse Center. All competitors are welcome, please come to honor a great dressage judge and wonderful person.

Events This Weekend:

Mystic Valley Hunt Club H.T. [Website] [Ride Times]

Virginia Horse CIC2*, CCI1* & H.T. [Website]  [Ride Times]

Flora Lea Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Paradise Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Corona del Sol Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

The Spring Event at Woodside [Website] [Entry Status & Ride Times]

May-Daze at the Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status & Ride Times]

The Event at Galisteo [Website] [Entry Status]

Saumur Links:

[Website] [Entry List, Ride Times & Results] [Cross-country maps]

News:

As we all know by now, both Hannah & Marilyn did the US proud yesterday, and stand in 2nd and 5th place, respectively at Saumur CCI3*. Hannah is our reigning Fair Hill CCI3* champion, so we know she can pull it off in all three phases with the amazing William. Tomorrow we look forward to Will Faudree & Andromaque, as well as Buck Davidson & The Apprentice. [Burnett & Little Take Top Five]

The leader of Dubai has done what I've been wanting for years: he made the use of steroids on racehorses a criminal offense. Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has ordered a decree to criminalize the use of steroids on race horses following a doping scandal involving his horses in England. He says he has "directed that a decree be issued making, with immediate effect, the import, sale, purchase or use of anabolic steroids in horse sports a criminal offense under the UAE penal laws." [Go Dubai!]

The Retired Racehorse Training Project announced today its selection of the 26 horse trainers who will participate in the RRTP Thoroughbred Makeover.Each trainer will chronicle online the training of a Thoroughbred that has raced but had no training for a second career. All will appear at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland on the first weekend of October to show what the horses have learned. The list includes a LOT of eventers, like Erin Sylvester, Lara Borson Knight and Allie Knowles. [RRTP Thoroughbred Makeover]

In more terrible news of the twister, a new aerial photo shows its precise path through two horse farms, claiming the lives of over 100 horses. The photograph shows the majority of the 106 acres on which the popular attraction, the Orr Family Farm, and the adjoining horse training business, Celestial Acres, once stood. While four ponies survived at the Orr Family Farm and thirty four horses survived at Celestial Acres, the real horse death toll is still unknown. [Tornado Picture]

SmartPak product of the day is....EVERTHING! Memorial Day Sale!!! Nothing like a little holiday weekend sale to make you finally break down and buy that one thing you've been trying to justify for months now. Go ahead, give yourself a treat. [SmartPak Memorial Day Sale!]

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Do you want to win a day with Phillip Dutton?

Click here to view the embedded video.