February 2010 Archives

 

Do you ever stare in awe at the sleek shiny horses, the glistening brass, perfect braids, and dazzling white marks at a CCI trot up?  Do you ever wonder how they get that way?  (LOTS of hard work is the correct answer!)  Each Sunday morning we will bring you a little insider info on how the big-time grooms manage an upper level event horse.  Feel free to email or comment with specific grooming questions if you have a topic in mind!

Previous entries:    Odds & Ends

What About Tack? Part I , Part II

Shining, Shimmering, Splendid

A Close Shave

                          Get those white legs white!

                          Hoofcare

 

This week's entry was inspired by my close call on Wednesday, in which a normally-placid, well-behaved yearling colt suddenly spun, reared, and Hi-Ho Silver'ed on top of me.  He grazed my skull, protected only by a ball cap; his hoof came down hard on the brim of the ball cap which smashed my nose.  Serious swelling, bruising, and two black eyes were the result, but the situation could have been so much worse.  I'm not sure how I avoided a concussion, or broken nose.  It was one of those things that happened in an instant, no time to react, and no way to prevent.  I was leading him in from his paddock, two hands on the lead rope, paying full attention to him, and yet it still happened.  Bruises will always remind you that these animals are big, do dumb things without warning, and they can hurt you.


Yeah yeah, we all know the standard safety rules when handling horses.  But, especially as we work with them daily, we tend to get a little too relaxed and careless at times.  You may get away with it 99 times, but it only takes once to do serious damage to you or your horse.  Silly little things, like leading with your hand on the halter instead of using a shank, or leaving your horse standing untied "just for a second" could save you a few extra minutes...or you could waste another 20 minutes chasing your loose horse around the property and praying he doesn't injure himself.  (Speaking of loose horses...always think about this possibility: keep the stable area neat, keep feed room doors shut securely, keep gates latched, and minimize the risk of danger even when the unexpected occurs.)

I'm not trying to be hypocritical here-- certainly, I've done dumb things.  And then I've suffered the consequences for it, too.  Which has taught me to play by the rules, unless I'm willing to take a very calculated risk in a special situation. 

There are countless ways to get hurt around horses; almost all my hospital-worthy injuries were not the result of a riding accident, but rather on the ground.  I've been stepped on, bitten, plowed into, head-butted, and kicked-- even while pulling out a newborn foal, he struck me with a slimy front hoof and sliced open my eyebrow, needing seven stitches.  And it's not that I'm careless or accident-prone; I've just worked with a whole lot of horses (many young ones) and they do dumb things.  But, as horse people, it's our responsibility to learn from these instances to improve our own safety. 

Being prey animals, we all know horses have a strong flight instinct and are prone to startle.  Most of the time, just the sound of your voice can alert them and prevent an overreaction; touching or rubbing them further desensitizes, and is especially helpful before you throw a blanket on or some other physical invasion of space.  I've learned the hard way to keep a hand on the knee or cannon while applying hoof dressing-- getting knocked in the forehead hurts!  Similarly, be careful when working on the horse's legs during fly season...stomps and belly-kicks can occur at any time.  Keeping a hand on the horse is a good rule to follow whenever you're working on him: it gives you early warning when the horse is about to move, and lets him know where you are.

Following the Pony Club Way, I prefer to use leather-crowned halters and tie with twine, in the classic quick-release knot.  Seeing a hard-tied horse struggle can be gut-wrenching.  Most of the time, it's better to deal with a loose horse than possibly a dead one.  I understand the argument for tying horses fast, so that they don't learn to break away...but it makes me uncomfortable and is not my method of choice.  If you have a difficult horse, Blocker Tie Rings are a godsend.  They allow the rope to slide with measured resistance, and go slack when the horse stands still (unlike a bungee, which keeps pulling).  Speaking of bungees, if you've ever seen a horse break one (and have it slap back in stringy pieces, creating more havoc), you probably won't use them anymore.  There is no one right way to tie a horse; but the better trained he is, the more successful you will be.  I hate leaving them unattended, especially when tied to the trailer at shows-- that is just begging for trouble.  And it seems like many of these unattended horses are left alone with a low-hanging haynet, asking the horse to get its foot caught.  If you must use a haynet, hang it HIGH!  And if you plan to leave your horse back at the trailer for a while, put him inside and secure him safely. 

When leading, insist that the horse stay at your shoulder.  Bad leading is a huge pet-peeve of mine (I warned you there were many!).  A horse that lags can be startled into jumping on top of you; a horse that drags is out of control.  Use whatever tools you need to enforce proper leading behavior: a dressage whip for laggers, possibly a chain for draggers.  I will "test" a horse by stopping suddenly while leading; I expect the horse to halt promptly.  If he doesn't, I shank him and make him back up several steps.  Relax, walk forward, and stop again.  If horse listens, praise.  If he dribbles forward, shank and back up again.  I may do halt transitions a hundred times on the way to the barn, whatever it takes to make the horse respect me.  I expect the horse to walk calmly on light contact, at whatever pace I choose.

Along the lines of respect, biting and kicking is absolutely never ever tolerated.  These crimes are classified as "threats against person" and are treated as a capital offense.  John Lyons advises to "kill for three seconds" after a horse attempts to bite.  What this means, is your reaction must be IMMEDIATE and effective-- go wild as a banshee, but only for three seconds (really, how much damage can you do with your bare hands in 3 sec? Avoiding the eyes, of course).  Hit, slap, punch, scream, growl, whatever you can muster in those three seconds.  More than likely the horse will be extremely surprised and (hopefully) a little scared of you.  Then go back to normal and pretend it never happened.  I don't particularly like being "physical" with a horse, but sometimes you have to back up your warnings with action to earn respect.  Life isn't all sugar cubes and horse cookies. 

Pay more attention to your horse, don't cut corners, and many accidents can be avoided.  "But Rowdy never does [insert behavior here]..." is not a valid excuse for neglecting safety protocol when you knew better.  Your horse is always looking out for himself; not always looking out for you.  It's your job to look out for both of you.  Awareness of your surroundings, a little preparation and good communication goes a long way.  Still, things will go wrong...they are horses, after all.  Which is why, at major three-days, it is quite common to see horses hand-grazing in Woof boots: a horse can knock himself doing a silly "I-feel-good" leap, and possibly cause a competition-threatening injury to a lower limb. As the saying goes, it's always better to be safe than sorry.      

Earlier this week a reader mentioned team chasing, noting it's similarities to Eventing.  Generally, cross-country officials at events attempt to keep a controlled number of horses on course at evenly spaced intervals to best avoid traffic jams.  Team chasing on the other hand, involves a group of competitors galloping across country practically nose to tail.  Some rules to team chasing are similar to Eventing: a rider fall results in elimination of that rider, three refusals at one fence equals elimination, all riders must wear helmets and safety vests, and an ambulance is always on the scene.

As we grow older and the value of mint condition models becomes apparent, they are delicately balanced out of reach or neatly sealed in the original package in an obscure box in the attic.  But when we're little, models attain the unreal achievements we imagine in infinite detail; the only limitations are those of your imagination.  

At the height of my model horse community overlord phase, I would turn horses out of the miniature eight-stall wooden barn into a comfortable enclosure in the mornings.  Some of the models were tacked up and sent out for a perilous ride amidst the curious house cats while others grazed and stood like stone staring off into the distant corners of the playroom.  At night, I would blanket each horse with his custom homemade blanket (stable colors of course), and tuck them into their stalls for the night.  There was a time that for every birthday or gift-giving holiday, I could expect to receive at least one model horse, each one treasured like an old friend.

Theodore O'Connor became a Breyer model on February 1, 2008.  Teddy was the Best Conditioned Horse at Rolex in 2007.  I can see why.  This model pony is ripped.

Now that I'm all grown up with annoying bills to pay, I can't afford to collect much of anything.  But I still admire the picturesque model horses released by the masters at Breyer.  Last November, Breyer signed on as an official sponsor of the 2010 World Equestrian Games.  Earlier this month Breyer released the official model horse of the Games, Esprit (pictured at the top of the page).  Sculpted by artist Kathleen Moody, Esprit symbolizes the "common spirit" of the horses competing in each of the eight disciplines.  Breyer will release several other WEG products this year in celebration of the "courage, athleticism, and beauty of the horse at its pinnacle of achievement" including an 8-piece Stablemate Set representing horses in each discipline.  According to the Breyer website, an interactive play area for children will be created at the WEG, "incorporating equine-themed activities using Breyer's realistic model horses" and pint-sized jumps for kids!

Bits About Breyer

In 1950, the Breyer Molding Company (before it was Breyer Animal Creations) received an order for a plastic horse to decorate a mantle clock.  Public interest inspired the company to continue creating these realistic models...minus the clock of course.

Men and boys are the fastest growing group of collectors of Breyer Farm Animals and Wildlife Animals.

All Breyer horses have an air hole somewhere so the model can "breathe."  Without this hole, trapped air can cause the model to warp over time.

All Breyer horses are hand painted.

# 57 Western Horse was the first Breyer horse.  So why isn't he # 1?

How Can Your Horse Become a Breyer Model?

Well, you've got a few different options.  You could own a horse that is the finest, ideal example of his breed and then get it noticed by people who can do something about it.  You could also own a top equine athlete in his particular discipline and then get it nominated by the USET to become a Breyer model.  If you think your horse could be a model or you might have a good idea for a product submission, please consult the FAQ page on Breyer's website for reasons why you might want to let the powers that be remain in charge of model selection.

If you happen to hang around Lexington after Champagne Run this summer, or you have a thing for model horses, be sure to check out BreyerFest, July 23-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park.

I collected all types of model horses; I wasn't limited to Breyer.  Did anyone else collect models or another type of equine paraphernalia? 

Compared to last Saturday, this weekend is a relative snooze.  There are two scoring races, the Sham Stakes (G3) and the Borderland Derby (entries unavailable at this time).  None of the really top Derby prospects are entered, but if you happen to have a dark horse in your stable, perhaps you can score some points.  The Thoroughbred Times has a nice Triple Crown section that details some of the best horses and where they may run next.  Keep this in mind for your power picks.   

If you haven't signed up yet, be sure to do so by Saturday at noon to earn points this weekend.  Still many more races to come!


EVENTING NATION League
Identification #  2211565550
Activation code: 976127638 
    

 

First off, let me say a big huge THANK YOU to all the EN readers who have already participated in our little census exercise.  It has been really interesting reading your comments, getting a true idea of who our "nation" really is, and what you like about the site.  Please keep commenting (positive or negative!), it really helps keep us motivated and focused on what to do next. 


I have spent a portion of this evening playing with Excel, and have a rough tabulation of Census Results as of 6pm EST.  I realize this is not a FULL reflection of our audience, but it's at least somewhere to start.  So, from the preliminary responses we have received...

Most popular location:  Kentucky (5).  (This does my big blue heart proud!)   I know we have TONS more readers from the east coast area, particularly VA (Feedjit does not lie), but until those readers respond we can't count them accurately.  Tied for second: Massachussets, Michigan, and North Carolina (4).  Also shout out to our 5 Canadians and 1 Australian checking in.

Average Age:  The average age is about 33 yrs.  Breaking this down further:  about 19% Young Rider audience (16-21), 35% age 22-30yrs, 25% 30-45yrs, 21% 45-60yrs.

Eventing Experience:  Averages out to about 12 years, but ranged from nearly none to over 40 years.  Quite a diverse group! 

Average Level:  Preliminary was the most frequent response, but here again was a wide range from intro to Advanced and CCI****. 

How long have you visited the site?  Many of you have been reading since the beginning, at Fair Hill 2009.  But there are lots of new readers, who have jumped on the bandwagon within the last few months (we did receive a huge spike in traffic in early January, I think most of you know why).  I hope we can keep growing, but more importantly maintain the quality and spontaneity that keeps people coming back for more.  Speaking of what you like...

Suggestions: a huge number of responders simply said "Keep up the good work!"  We appreciate your attention to our efforts, and we'll do our best to produce more of the same.  The Training Sessions clinic reports have also gained a great response...I admit, I love them too!  Also, there were many readers that requested lower-level rider profiles and inspirational stories-- this is a GREAT suggestion and I promise we will work on it soon.  We'll keep on going with the humor, funny videos, and grooming tips, and we'll try to expand our coverage for more West Coast and International views.  I loved everyone's ideas, and we will try to incorporate them as we can. 



Thanks again for your participation.  The number of comments we've received to this point has far exceeded our expectations.  I can't stress enough how much we appreciate your feedback, and getting to know you will help us better to provide the content you crave.  Please keep responding to any and all topics you like (or don't like); send us emails, photos, stories, suggestions to make the site better.  We're just everyday eventers running this site for fun, and we don't pretend to know what we're doing...we need your help sometimes!


If you haven't added your comments to the Census, it's never too late.  I expect many more responses in over the next few days, and I'll still be compiling the results. :)

If you have been watching the US Olympic coverage on NBC, chances are you have seen the 2010 Census commercials.  You know, the ads with catchy threats phrases like "we can't move forward until you mail it back" and "the FBI will come and find you in your sleep if you don't reply."  

Today was almost a very bad day. Well, actually it was a bad day anyway because a yearling colt reared up and struck me in the head, smashing my nose, which has now swollen twice its normal size.  (I'm typing this during 20-minute breaks between icings.)  But it was almost worse than that.
 

I almost lost The Precious, my phone.  It isn't a BlackBerry, it isn't an i-phone, it doesn't have a slide-out keyboard or a touchscreen.  It's a Samsung Rugby, and it is the BEST PHONE EVER.  It takes pictures, video, music, all that standard modern stuff.  It allows me to check my email and browse most websites.  Oh, and it makes phone calls, too!

The email and internet, though, is what I value most.  It spares me from boring moments throughout the day, like waiting for the vet/farrier.  It allows me to stay current on news and sports scores, even in far-reaching locales.  I can read and respond to emails instantly, which John appreciates (among others).  Suffice to say, I am addicted to it.  It's like phone crack.

So earlier today, I was hacking the Pony Horse.  He's a fat, furry QH that I use for beginner lessons and ponying other horses.  He's completely bombproof, exceedingly lazy, and at the moment, extremely fat.  With the slight break in weather, it's time for him to find his inner Richard Simmons (I think he ate him) and hit the hills.  As with all rides, I had my cell phone with me.  We were hacking ambling out in the back country, when my phone alerted me I had an email.  I whipped out the ol' phone, signed in to email only to find more spam to delete.  While the phone was out, I decided I may as well check EN and see what John had to say this morning.

Unfortunately, at this very moment, fat Pony Horse arrived at a tiny creek crossing.  No big deal, he's cool with water.  He also likes to drink it...and he ripped the reins down jostling My Precious from my desperate grasp.  Like a slow-motion cartoon, swiping at thin air, I helplessly watched my phone land face-up in 3" of muddy running water.  I vaulted off Fatty faster than a Pony Clubber at Games Rally, scooped up The Precious and sent a desperate survival prayer heavenward.  The previous Precious (an LG), suffered an untimely death drowning in a water bucket, so I knew the utter fatality of what I had witnessed. 

I quickly (with wet, cold fingers) rescued the phone, shook it off, and removed the battery.  To my extreme relief, the battery and internal pieces were dry.  I tried not to get my hopes up, yet.  I had a pair of soft, thin deerskin gloves in my pocket, which can be fashioned into a semi-effective chamois cloth.  The buttons leaked water, and there was no telling if it had seeped into the screen.  I cursed the thirsty Fatty (looking at me stupidly with water dribbling from his chin), shoved the Precious pieces into my pocket, remounted and continued the hack. 

A few hills later, I was too impatient to wait for home, and put the phone back together (Fatty on autopilot).  Crossed my fingers, held my breath, and turned it on... it worked!!  It had a little short-term memory damage (insisted a text was unread, despite my reading and responding to it six hours prior), but since then it has been back to its old Precious self.  I'm not usually big into product-endorsement, but this Rugby phone is truly a horse-person's dream item.  It is extremely well-sealed, around the edges and the battery, which must have spared it a near-certain liquid death.  I can also attest to its ability to withstand significant shock, as it has been dropped with regularity, including an unfortunate slip from the 20' hayloft onto the paved barn aisle.  Nary a scratch!  It isn't invincible, though...it probably would not survive the death of Nokia Phone 1 (stepped on by shod hoof) or Motorola Phone 2 (fell out while on the tractor mowing, shredded to tiny pieces).  But for day-to-day hazards, it has held up remarkably well.

What can we learn from this story?  Don't browse EN while riding!  Or, at least, not while riding through creeks.  See John, it's all your fault.
 

Lets jump right into coverage of today's training sessions, with Mark coaching only A&B listed riders.  

 

Dressage coach Oded Shimoni presided over the training sessions today here in Aiken.  Several riders who worked with Oded earlier this Spring told me that they were really impressed, and I saw what they meant today.  I have watched training sessions for years the US has a fantastic combination of discipline specific coaches in Oded and Katie, which I would not have said several years in the past.  

 

 It was a busy first weekend for Derby hopefuls, and some of our RTTR participants scored more points than a Totilas freestyle (while others flirted with Courageous Comet's average horse trial dressage score).  Complete race results show Todd Pletcher with the hat trick, so I hope you have him as one of your stable's trainers.  He has YET to win a Derby (I think he's stuck in the P-Duddy Rolex Funk pre-2008), but he always has a barnful of nice horses.  Here are the Top 10 EN League standings after Week 1:

 

PLACE          SCORE          STABLE

    1                  97               Bourbon Bliss Barn

    1                  97               Matis

    1                  97               HoosYourDaddy

    4                  80               Matis 3

    5                  63               Kelso's Kennel

    6                  59               Oakridge Farms

    7                  56               C-Horse

    8                  55               Vision of Roses  

    8                  55               Matis 2

   10                 54               Muddy Goggles Racing Stables 

 

Obviously this thing isn't rigged right--no way should I be in 8th place!  Just kidding.  Kudos  to "Muddy Goggles Racing Stables," that is an awesome name...honorable mention to "Bourbon Bliss Barn" as well.  Currently, 18 stables are signed up.  If you haven't joined yet, now's the time!  (I'm looking at YOU, John!)  Those at the bottom-end of the standings, don't panic yet-- there are still many more races to come, and many more horses to run.  I'm still working out ideas for prizes (other than your name up in lights here on The Hottest Eventing Site Ever), so stay tuned.  Good luck!   

 

EVENTING NATION League
Identification #  2211565550
Activation code: 976127638 

 

Some things in life are forever certain: death, taxes, disappointing dressage scores, and stupid people trying to sell horses.  Once again my Craigslist storage bin is full of the ridiculousness that you all crave.  Here you go, dear readers, enjoy the feeling of superiority while it lasts.

In this grand World Wide Web invented by Al Gore, there happens a unique, bizarre bazaar phenomenon of Craigslist.  Part eBay, part flea market, part redneck yard sale, Craigslist is a free-for-all classified site where good deals can be found in any category from cars to dishwashers to llamas.  It's like treasure hunting from your keyboard, and you never quite know what you'll find.  Craigslist frequently has a few equine-related listings; the quality and content of which may vary widely.  Thus, for your entertainment, we now bring you THE BEST OF CRAIGSLIST. 

 

Today's theme: Female horses under 4 years of age.

 

These are ACTUAL listings... you can't make this stuff up!

*paint filley quarter horse looks great* - $200 (oliver springs)

 

she is a 2yr old been turned out in paster fat and nice got to many to train she is big built and going to make a nice mare call anytime 865-661-6347 

• Obviously this guy isn't one to waste words.  Or commas, or periods.  In addition to "filley" (is that French?), "paster," and incorrect version of "too," he is hereby issued a level 3 citation from the Internet Grammar Police. 
  

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*TN Walker Philly (AL)

---

 

19 Month old TN Walker Philly ready for training. Sire Pushers Black Thunder 926497, dame Pushers Peachy Stride 19903340. This Philly has great potential in the show ring this year. Must see to appreciate. Asking 500.00 OBO, Phone 606-668-6286
or 859-771-6965 for further information 

• Tennessee Walkers from Philadelphia?  Are you sure?  There are some creative naming opportunities though, with the cross of Black Thunder and Peachy Stride.  Perhaps...It's Raining Peaches?    Surely you readers can suggest better....[comments!]
  

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Little Paint Philly - $500 (Casey county)

 

I HAVE A LITTLE PHILLY FOR SALE SHE WILL BE 2 YEARS OLD IN MAY, THE PHILLY'S MOM WAS A WALKING PONY, THE PONY'S DAD WAS A REGISTERED TWH PAINT. HER SIZE IS IN BETWEEN A HORSE AND PONY. SHE IS VERY GENTLE, I AM ASKING $500.00 FIRM, IF INTERESTED GIVE ME A CALL (606)787-7014 (SERIOUS CALLS ONLY PLEASE) THANKS

• Well, despite the broken Caps Lock key, I will give this poster credit for use of complete phrases, including commas and even periods.  Once again, we have a Philadelphian equid, most likely of the gaited variety.  (Nothing against the gaited lifestyle, how you walk is your business.)  I'm not really sure what comes between a horse and a pony though...?  Is there a mysterious portal between 14.2 and 14.3 that I've never discovered?
  

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Reduced Parelli started filly-Mia - $500 (Richmond)

 

Serious inquires only, no boot kickers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Parelli started horse for sale.  I do beleive Mia is a Left-Brain Introvert and at times shows a bit of an Extrovert side. If you don't know what this is I recomend you go to the parelli website and look up horsanality under horse training, it describes her perfectly. She is very confedent horse, during our training it only took her a few trys to confadently cross a teeter toter, cross huge tractor tires, cross platforms, over logs through tarps, she loads well in the trailer, ties well, loves to splash in water, don't know about baths because where she has been staying we have had to haul water in and out. She is to go to a great home ONLY, the right person will have a lot of horse exsp. and a lot of natural horse exsp. Her biggest prob right now, is unless you prov to her that you are going to be a better leader then her, she will try to be dominent. I will not lie to you, I will tell you every flaw she has, it is just so important that she go to a good home, I don't want her to be ruined with some idiot, she does great with natuaral, so I want her to stay with it, she is around 21 months and stands 14hands tall I will have aplication for reg to be sure.  I prefer to be contacted through e-mail at first, I have a 2 yr old son, and if you call I can't garentee that I will have time to talk then. We are moving to Fl in about 3 wks, and I have a 30 old gelding I have to take too, so can't afford to take both. Thank you for your interest, must be to a good home!

• Mama Mia.  My spell-check is lit up with red underlines all over this listing.  Internet Grammar Police has confiscated her keyboard.  Beyond that...I'm frankly scared.  Perhaps I need an expert in "horseanality" (that reads a little dirty, doesn't it?) to examine my own animal and determine why my horse will not complete a dog agility course.   Teeter-totters?  Really??  So that's what I've been missing...how 'bout no.  Keep your carrot stick to yourself, thanks.

Rocking Horse: Scores, Finally a great weekend of weather all around for eventing in the South.  In fact, I got a text complaining about the heat today at Rocking Horse.  Rocking Horse had 21 divisions of riders, with Lynne Partridge and El Cid winning intermediate rider, Will Faudree and Pawlow winning OI-A, Buck and All the Aces winning OI-B, and Hannah Burnett and St. Barths finishing 4th in that division.

 

Do you ever stare in awe at the sleek shiny horses, the glistening brass, perfect braids, and dazzling white marks at a CCI trot up?  Do you ever wonder how they get that way?  (LOTS of hard work is the correct answer!)  Each Sunday morning we will bring you a little insider info on how the big-time grooms manage an upper level event horse.  Feel free to email or comment with specific grooming questions if you have a topic in mind!

Previous entries:    What About Tack? Part I , Part II

Shining, Shimmering, Splendid

A Close Shave

Get those white legs white!

                          Hoofcare

 

I promise I will get to the "glamor" topics like braiding and tails, but I am waiting for a good opportunity to do them justice.  Those entries will feature extensive illustrations, photos, and perhaps video of various techniques; right now my horses are embarrassingly furry and not suitable for public viewing.  When the weather warms up and the horses are closer to competition I will produce the necessary media to accompany the topics.  Braiding, especially, is something that is best learned through observation and not rambling incoherent sentences with stick-figure drawings.


Today, we will explore a collection of random hints and tips that aren't easily classified, but make your life a little better in some way or another.

Things like diapers and baby wipes.  Huh?  Disposable diapers make excellent padding for wrapping a bruised or abscessed foot; the 30-lb (kid) size fits most horses' feet.  Keep several in the trailer for shows in case your horse loses a shoe, until the farrier can fix it.  Baby wipes are very handy for touch-up spot removal, especially when you don't have time (or it's too cold) to give a bath.  Continuing in the child-care theme, baby oil gel is an easier, less messy way to shine up faces or hooves.   

Tape: duct and electrical.  Like most horse people, duct tape is one of my most favorite versatile items ever created.  It's like The Force: it has a light side, and a dark side, and it holds the world together.  I have about four rolls of it any given time: one at large, one in the grooming box, one in the stud kit, one in the trailer, etc.  And it now comes in colors!  Use a small piece of white duct tape on the cheekpiece of your show halter instead of a bridle number.  Use it to tie up unattended children* or to tape your trailer dressing room door shut when the latch breaks half-way through a 10-hr drive. (*ed. note: EN does not condone the capture or detainment of children.  Unless they are posing a safety hazard.  Or really obnoxious.) 

Contrary to common belief, electrical tape was not created for electrical wiring...it exists solely for the obsessive-compulsive eventer to label everything she owns.  All brushes, hoofpicks, buckets, scrapers, boxes, hooks, racks, anything that can be claimed by a half-inch strip of colored tape is so afflicted.  Colored duct tape may also be used, but beware its sticky residue; also, while identifying color is handy, gobs of 2"-wide neon duct tape is a little gaudy.  Black electrical tape is also very useful in tack repair, for missing strap keepers in particular.  I like to double the tape back on itself, so that there is no stickiness exposed to the leather strap itself.  Electrical tape, of course, is standard cross-country equipment to secure velcro on galloping boots, and to tape all strap buckles for three-days.  Again, while I like color as much as anybody, please don't go overboard on the super-color boot taping.  A little is nice, a lot is ugly.

 
Twine.  It's always helpful to keep some string around, whether it's from hay bales or just a roll from the hardware store-- keep extra in your tack box, don't just rely on a bale of hay you brought.  Use it to hang buckets, stall guards, tack hooks, and random items (like tarps, when it pours down rain right into your tent stall). 

Scissors.  Another item of which you can't really have too many.  Even labeled (yay electrical tape!) scissors frequently grow legs and walk off with your neighbors, leaving you to open a bale of hay with a set of car keys (MacGyver would be proud).  Keep a pair in your groom box, tack trunk, and trailer.  And a separate very sharp set in your braiding box that is ONLY used for braiding, and lent solely to trusted associates with the proper password and secret handshake.

Permanent markers.  The more the merrier.  Pens don't always write vertically on stall cards, if they write at all.  Use the sharpie to write your number on your labeled halter, and to create extra bridle numbers.  Save your old bridle numbers.  Flip them over, write your new number on the backside, and you now have a spare for schooling.  Or in case you lose the real one. 

Extra shoes.  If you've done a three-day, you know this drill already.  Save your horse's shoes each time they are replaced, take them with you to shows in case your horse loses one on course.  It's much simpler (and less risky!) for the show farrier to tack on a shoe that already fits your horse, instead of making a whole new one.  Use duct tape to keep each set together, and use your sharpie to label them with the horse's name and the date.

Stud plugs.  I really like the white foam ones; they're easy to insert (just push them in), and easy to remove (use a pointy pick, or old horseshoe nail).  But why I really like them?  I haven't had to buy stud plugs for about four years.  They come in packages of 100, punched out of rectangular stencils.  The leftover stencils still contain a LOT of material-- if you are committed enough to cut out each little piece, you can make about 40 more plugs from the stencils.  My farrier uses the plugs for his clients, and gives me his leftover stencils (he even saves them for me, stacks of 3 or 4 a month).  Even if you aren't blessed with such a conscientious farrier, you can still easily get double-duty out of the foam plugs by snipping the leftover stencils.

A hammer.  It's one of those things you rarely use, but you're really glad when you have it.  A good Pony Clubber checks her stall at every away show, looking for dangerous nails or staples.  Use the hammer to remove eye-poking pointy things.  Also handy to break ice off your back trailer doors when they're frozen shut.  And can pound-down a raised nail clinch when necessary.  I keep mine in the stud box, so I always know where it is.

Electrical cord and power strip.  Useful for hanging fans in the summertime, while also allowing you to plug in a radio, charge your cell phone, the video camera, etc.  Speaking of fans, keep some bungee cords around for wind-device installment.  Like twine, bungees have 1000 uses.

Chains and double-end snaps.  I have four or five 20" lengths of smooth-link chain leftover from my Pony Club days, when we weren't allowed to hang our water buckets with twine.  You can buy it at any Wal-Mart or hardware store.  Twine can sometimes break under load of a full bucket, spilling water everywhere and soaking your nice clean $8-a-bag shavings.  The chains won't break, and thus are also useful for stall guards, or as a little extra security latching the stall door at night.  Double-end snaps--you know what to do with these...anything you want.  Always have extras, because inevitably your stable buddy will have forgotten them.  (and label them with your tape, so you hopefully get them back!)

Speaking of chains... always have a chain shank in your trailer.  I know, Muffin is always so sweet and would never need such a torturous leading device.  But properly used, a stud chain can be a great enhancement to your safety when necessary-- a snorting wild horse dragging you around the showgrounds is most unsightly, not to mention dangerous.  And I have seen a gentle lip chain work miracles getting a stubborn beast onto a trailer, calmly and peacefully.  Along those lines, always have an extra halter in the trailer.  Muffin may never pull back when tied, but maybe you need to catch the loose horse that (was) tied next to you.  Be prepared for any situation, and you (or your neighbors) will thank yourself later.


Do you have any other can't-live-without random items?   Let me know what I forgot in the comment section!

I took a quick trip from Aiken to Kentucky on Friday, and I am driving back to Aiken right now.  Actually, don't worry, I'm not writing and driving...this time.  In fact, I'm sitting in a Steak 'n Shake parking lot, since you asked.  I was going to ask Vis to write tonight's post, but she is busy cheering wearing blue face-paint and screaming at her TV, since the UK game is on right now.  As I don't have time for a full post, and because we are all about cultural diversity at EN, please enjoy my favorite music video.  Go cats.

Once again we step into Marty's Delorean and fire up the flux capacitor, this time with the date set to USCTA NEWS December 1990 (Editor, Fifi Coles).  Read, reminisce, and enjoy!
Once again, ALL CREDIT due towards the wonderful folks at USCTA who first produced this article.  Any errors or typos are probably due to my re-typing skills, and are not the fault of the original writer or editor.   



Stephen Bradley shed his up-and-coming event rider label and stepped squarely into the spotlight by winning the Radnor Hunt CCI* and National Intermediate Championships, October 11-14, in Malvern, PA.  Bradley, 28, and Sassy Reason, a promising nine-year-old Thoroughbred owned by Ann Mills of Atlanta, Georgia, bested a field of 50, including his long-time coach and mentor Bruce Davidson, who finished second aboard Mr. and Mrs. Elkins Wetherill's Regent Lion. 

 

Mills bought the 16.2 hand bay Thoroughbred off the track and competed him through the Preliminary level before giving the reins to Bradley last spring.  The new partnership found immediate success that culminated in a preliminary-level win at the Essex Three-Day Event in May, where Davidson and Regent Lion, ironically, finished second.  Bradley and Sassy Reason moved to the Intermediate level this Fall, finishing second at both the Pleasant Hollow and Loudon Horse Trials.

 

At Radnor, the pair's best dressage test to date left them lying second to Real Pip and Torrance Watkins.  But dressage played only a minor role in the year's Radnor, where cross-country shuffled the scoreboard and proved the pinnacle test of the weekend.

 

To upgrade the existing CCA course to one-star CCI standard, course designer Jimmy Wofford added several new questions, almost all of them technical in nature.  The Network Coffin (fence 19ABCD), and corner options at 13 and 14 claimed many victims, with slick footing and hot, humid weather conditions adding to the problems.  Perhaps the course's technical nature broke up the horse's rhythm, resulting in fatigue; perhaps the weather was just too hot; perhaps the deep going took its toll.  Whatever the cause, time faults were the order of the day and only nine horses jumped without penalties.  Yet the top finishers jumped around with apparent ease, albeit slowly, proving that in a Three-Day Event, generalizations about the courses and conditions can be shaken askew by one bold, feisty horse like Sassy Reason, who looked ready to run around again at the course's end.

 

Torrance and Real Pip retired at the coffin, while Stephen moved into the lead, but the next few placings showed dramatic changes from Friday's standings.  Bruce Davidson and Regent Lion, a 6-year-old half-brother to Pirate Lion, the Bronze Medal winner at Stockholm, rose to second after finishing 15^th in dressage, and Californian Valerie Williams and R.H. Davis Co. Handsome Reward moved to third after finishing 24^th in dressage.  In fourth place, after a strong cross-country round, was Dorothy Trapp and Molokai, who had been 37^th after dressage.

 

Sunday's demanding show jumping course tested the remaining competitors, with few clear rounds up to the top four.  Anything could still happen, and Molokai looked headed for a clean score before hitting a big oxer at the course's end.  Then Handsome Reward, Regent Lion, and Sassy Reason jumped three textbook clear rounds to the delight of the spectators and vast applause, with Sassy Reason looking particularly fit, keen, and happy.

 

Stephen's impressive win bodes well for the future, when his partnership with Sassy Reason will move on to greater challenges next spring.  Meantime, Regent Lion added prestige to his reserve finish by winning the Prix de Veterinaire trophy for the best conditioned horse.

 

Valerie Williams, 29, who trains and teaches out of her Deckerlynne Farm in Lincoln, CA, overcame many personal and competitive obstacles to finish behind Stephen Bradley and Bruce Davidson.  She and her partner of three years, the 9-year-old Thoroughbred R.H> Davis Co. Handsome Reward, have competed successfully on the west coast, earning Horse of the Year honors for Area VI in 1989 at the Intermediate level.  But their long trek to Radnor last year proved disappointing, as Handsome Reward tied up in the vet box and had to be withdrawn.  This year, Valerie traveled east six weeks before Radnor to train with Jimmy Wofford and Torrance Watkins.  Her perseverance paid off, as the pair posted the fastest cross-country time of the day, with 10.8 penalties.

 

 

PRELIMINARY

 

25-year-old John Williams of Honeoye Falls, NY found himself in the Radnor winner's enclosure for the second time as he accepted honors for Preliminary Division B.  He spent some time there two years ago when he won the CCA aboard Gold Rush.  This time his partner was an 8-year-old Thoroughbred, Bailey, in his first Three-Day Event, whom John purchased with the money he earned from selling Gold Rush two years before.

 

Ritch Temple designed a lovely straightforward and inviting Preliminary course for Radnor, but the humidity took its toll and time faults were considerable.  Not so for Bailey, however, who blasted around 25 seconds under the optimum time, clinching the first-place spot after finishing fourth in dressage.  A clear show jumping round on Sunday gave him the win over Josh Walther and Off the Cuff.

 

In Preliminary Division A, Mike Plumb and Abigail Lufkin's 7-year-old English-bred, Lighter Than Air, didn't give anyone a chance to catch them, holding their lead from dressage day through the weekend.  Plumb and Lighter Than Air had won a Preliminary division at Ledyard the weekend before Radnor, and had also placed second in the Eastern DeBroke National Preliminary Championships at Millbrook.

 

Heidi Stuart Vahue and her young Dutch Warmblood, Enskadey, finished right behind, just as they had at the Eastern DeBroke, where they finished third.  "I just can't seem to catch that Mike Plumb!" laughed Vahue, who deservedly seemed pleased with her mount's promising finish in his first Three-Day Event.

 

The Division C win by Kip Holloway of Manakin-Sabot, VA, ought to give every adult amateur event rider something to cheer about.  Formerly competing up to the Intermediate level, Holloway took time off from the sport to raise her young daughter, work her full-time job in the insurance industry, and support her husband in vet school  She bought Castleton as a completely unbroken three-year-old five years ago and has brought him to Preliminary level, returning to an active competition schedule this year.  Castleton finished ninth after dressage before Kip piloted him to a clear and fast cross-country round, leaving them in third; a clean stadium round gave them the win.  Holloway's grooms for the Event included her mother-in-law and her husband, while her two-year-old daughter lent valuable moral support throughout the weekend.

Rocking Horse, Paradise Farm: If scores don't show up, hit refresh.

We've talked a lot about insane sports this week, and I think the Puissance ranks high on that list, second to Eventing of course.  The purpose of Puissance is to successfully clear a wall of collapsible blocks, building it bigger and bigger every round, until either you or the wall come tumbling down.  I wonder if these horses escape from their pastures much.

Chapter 1

Countdown to 2010 FEI WEG, Kentucky, USA: 217 Days

Last week, we welcomed you to the world of fantasy racing with an introduction to Road to the Roses.  Thanks to all who have signed up and joined our Eventing Nation league.  Currently, 17 stables are entered, so it's shaping up to be a competitive division!  There's still plenty of time to sign up if you want to share in the fun.  And remember, you can create 3 different stables with one account, so you don't have to have all your eggs in one basket. 

This weekend (Saturday, 2/20) is the first scoring race day, and it's a big one.  It includes the Hutcheson Stakes, Fountain of Youth Stakes, El Camino Real Derby, Risen Star Stakes, and Turf Paradise Derby.  Be sure to check the entries and look for any of your horses-- remember to select them as "power picks" by 12:00pm Saturday to be eligible for double points.  

Good luck to all participants tomorrow!  If you haven't signed up yet, please do!  Join before noon tomorrow to get in on these first races.  But even if you miss out on tomorrow, there are still plenty of scoring opportunities left as we march toward May.  The final day to join is 4/24.

EVENTING NATION League
Identification #  2211565550
Activation code: 976127638


From the Thoroughbred Times here are some top contenders that are running tomorrow:

Aikenite, trained by Todd Pletcher, entered in the Fountain of Youth.
Buddy's Saint, trained by Bruce Levine, entered in the Fountain of Youth.
D'Funnybone, trained by Rick Dutrow, entered in the Hutcheson.
Discreetly Mine, trained by Todd Pletcher, entered in the Risen Star.
Drosselmeyer, trained by Bill Mott, entered in the Risen Star.
Eskendereya, trained by Todd Pletcher, entered in the Fountain of Youth.
Hotep, trained by Mark Frostad, entered in the Risen Star.
Jackson Bend, trained by Nick Zito, entered in the Fountain of Youth.
Ron the Geek, trained by Tom Amoss, in the Risen Star.
William's Kitten, trained by Michael Maker, entered in the Fountain of Youth.


Also to note: other good horses, like Conveyance, Dublin, and Pleasant Storm, are running in the re-scheduled Southwest Stakes (G3) on Saturday.  The race was postponed from Monday February 15, after the Oaklawn (Arkansas) track was frozen.  I'm sure many of us can relate to that...!  Since the race was originally planned before this weekend, it is not a RTTR scoring race.  However, keep an eye out on those horses as they will appear later on down the Derby trail.

Lentenor, Barbaro's 3-year-old brother, is also questionable for the Derby trail.  He ran in a grass allowance race yesterday, finishing second by a length.  Michael Matz is not sure when the horse will run next, but it is possible he will pop up in a later Derby prep.   

        Dressage tests: there's an app for that.

 

No doubt about it, Eventing Nation has the coolest readers.  For example, a couple of days ago, Holly Covey sent me this image that she designed as a possible bumper sticker for the site.  How cool is that?!?  

Showjumper Katie Prudent presided over today's festivities at Three Runs Plantation here in AIken, SC.  Katie commanded a strong presence in the ring, was clear in communicating with the riders and crowd (approx. 25 spectators), and the riders seemed to respond well.  I watched Jan (Waterfront and Inmidair), Phillip (Tru Luck and Woodburn), and Will Coleman (Twizzel).  Click here for the training list from November.  Overall impression of Katie's teaching: A+, taking a lesson with her definitely goes on my bucket list.

One of the things I have enjoyed most about developing Eventing Nation is watching how different members of the equestrian media have responded to our presence.  Some folks, such as EventingUSA, Samantha Clark of the HRN, the Chronicle Forums and now Fran Jurga have been extremely generous and have dramatically helped our growth, but other people have chosen to ignore us completely.  Understand that I don't have any ego in this respect; some people are just not comfortable with a site that covers eventing news in real time, or that does everything possible to get the fans involved, or that mixes humor with news, etc.  Of course, these are the same people who think newspapers will still be around in 20 years.

Tuesday USEA Planner:Full Gallop Farm March Intermediate H.T. (SC), Rocking Horse Spring H.T. (FL), Southern Pines H.T. (NC), MeadowCreek Park Spring H.T. (TX), (CA)

Nike and I have had a very busy couple of weeks since our last post. He has continued to get fitter and we are both working on our flatwork, which is really getting fun (hard to believe I'm saying this...) and he's really jumping great. 

The world's top event riders and their celebrity alternate identities... you be the judge!

 

                   
Phillip Dutton                                  vs.           Roger Federer (tennis)

Olympic Gold Medallist                                     Olympic Gold Medallist

Lost count of number of USEA                           Lost count of  number of consecutive weeks ranked ATP #1 
Leading Rider of the Year titles.   

____________________________________________________________________________________
 

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

                   

Andrew Nicholson                          vs.                  Bond. James Bond.

Rider in England                                                     Spy for England

Accomplished horseman                                         Accomplished womanizer

____________________________________________________________________________________

          

Darren                                      vs.                       Zoolander

Eventing superstar                                                Fashion supermodel

Lowballing on Valentines Day with Boyd: Not having the all-important Australian accent, I decided to stick to flowers.

Dick Francis, popular best-selling author of mostly crime/suspense novels, passed away on Sunday, February 14.  A former British steeplechase jockey, he wrote with a real inside knowledge of racing and horses, beautifully interwoven within the story's plot.  He published 42 novels; I think I've read at least half of them, and it's hard to name a favorite.  Tales ranged from insurance fraud, to kidnapping, to wine, to gold...but almost all of them related to horses or racing in some way.  The Francis books truly are a must-read for horse lovers-- entertaining, fun, will keep the pages turning, but won't bore you with dumbed-down horse scenes. 

I've re-read some of them five or six times.  I think it's time to read one again.  Here's to you, Mr. Francis.  You will be missed by many.

 

 

Do you ever stare in awe at the sleek shiny horses, the glistening brass, perfect braids, and dazzling white marks at a CCI trot up?  Do you ever wonder how they get that way?  (LOTS of hard work is the correct answer!)  Each Sunday morning we will bring you a little insider info on how the big-time grooms manage an upper level event horse.  Feel free to email or comment with specific grooming questions if you have a topic in mind!

Previous entries:    What About Tack? (Part I)

Shining, Shimmering, Splendid

A Close Shave

Get those white legs white!

                          Hoofcare

 

What About Tack? (Part II)

Now THAT'S a shiny browband!  Hugh Knows at Rolex
www.useventing.com photo

Alright, I apologize in advance for the slight lack of creativity in this edition of Jog-Up (hey, not everything about grooming is fun and glamor).  Saturday, my usual writing day, was a Holy Day here in the Bluegrass, and I became overrun with ceremonial celebrations as College Gameday came to Rupp Arena.  I'm still a little light-headed, hoarse, and sore-handed from the record-breaking pep rally that morning.  But, never fear, I'm here to fulfill your quest for grooming knowledge with a little bit more about tack management. 

When I was a working student, we were taught a specific way to clean tack; it's pretty simple, but very effective.  I've continued that method for years, daily, with excellent results: clean, supple leather that lasts a lifetime.

Cleaning materials: small bucket of water; dish soap; scrubby sponge; washcloth.  Conditioning supplies: glycerine (melted into a tupperware tub*); Lexol conditioner; sponge.

Add a squeeze of dish soap to your bucket of water, and use this to wipe your tack down with the scrubby sponge.  Take bridles completely apart, remove stirrup leathers and irons from saddles.  Put bits and stirrups in the bucket to soak.  Wipe the damp leather with the washcloth to remove dirt and sweat.  Use plenty of scrubbing to remove grease spots ("jockeys" as pony club calls them); pay attention to the underside of particularly sweaty areas, like browband corners, breastplate chestpieces, and saddle skirts.

The dish soapy water does a good job getting leather clean, but it can leave it a little bit dry.  Pour a small amount of Lexol conditioner into a tub of glycerine* (instead of wetting it with water) and apply to leather with a sponge.  Use a bit more Lexol on the underside of leather, where it will be well-absorbed.  In humid areas, where leather tends to get a bit sticky or gummy, use conditioner more sparingly.  The Lexol and glycerine is very safe, won't rot stitching, keeps leather soft, and helps a little bit to repel water.  Be careful around rubber items-- reins, especially.  Leather conditioners of any kind are the leading cause of sticky rein death. 

Personally, I stay away from beeswax-based leather products.  The leather may feel supple, but also sticky.  And the stickiness inevitably attracts dirt, making more work later to clean it all off.  If you MUST use a "balsam" gooey conditioner, use it on a slick new saddle so at least it gives you some extra grip!

And finally... polish your hardware.  I've tried various polishes, cremes, pastes, liquids, but my favorite is NevrDull hands down.  The soaked-wadding polish is easy to use, less messy, and a can of it seems to last forever.  A little piece goes a long way, though it does create black fingers.  Applying the polish is only the first step, however.  Next you must spend plenty of time buffing and rubbing the metal with a clean cloth.  The polish merely breaks down the accumulated crud; your elbow grease and a rag actually removes it.  Even the greenest, dingiest brass can still be restored to a bright shine if you're willing to put in the effort.  For shows, make sure ALL your brass is gleaming-- halters, lead ropes, and those evil chain shanks.  I've yet to discover a quick and easy way to shine chains, without spending hours rubbing link by link, ending up with numb black fingers.  But one dull item seems to detract from all your other metal pieces, so put in the time!

*So what is this tub of glycerine?  Well, it's a bar of regular glycerine saddle soap, melted into a pint-sized, lidded plastic container (any tupperware or ziploc bowl will do).  Use a microwave, on low power setting, to melt the glycerine.  It will mold to the container's shape, harden into a block, making for very easy storage. 

Procedure for the melting process:
-Break bar in half, place in container.  Covering with lid at this stage is optional.
-Place container in microwave, on low setting.  Heat for ten seconds at a time.
-Nothing will happen.  Heat for another ten seconds.
-Repeat above.  Take bowl out, swirl gently.  DO NOT POKE WITH FORK OR SPOON!
-Repeat above.  It's getting softer.  Resist the urge to stir it, it won't help.
-Keep going, another 10 seconds.  Remember, no spoons!
-It's probably starting to liquefy, DO NOT TOUCH IT.  It is sticky, will burn your fingers.  Ask me how I know this.
-Another 10 seconds, swirl the bowl to encourage the molten liquid to cover the remaining hard lumps.
-Keep going, 10 seconds at a time, until it is completely liquefied. 
-Allow to cool overnight.  With the lid on, if you think a cat may get into it.

Now, why all the fuss about ten seconds?  Why not just put it in for a minute and leave it alone?  You're welcome to try it; but don't call me when there's glycerine all over your microwave and you're scraping it out with a butterknife.  As the glycerine gets hot, it bubbles viciously and will overflow easily; a break every ten seconds allows it to settle.  DO NOT TOUCH THE BUBBLES; they will burn your skin, and it is impossible to "tame" them with any sort of implement.  Ignore them, they will go away.  Your first melting project may not look very pretty (usually lumpy, off-colored), but it works just the same.  After a month of use it will be sufficiently smooth anyway.


Have fun, happy tack cleaning!  I will continue to bask in the cold, snowy glory of basketball excellence, but I promise to return with an in-depth grooming topic next week.

Undoubtedly, Ocala, FL and Aiken, SC are the two premier US winter eventing training locations, but which is best?  I have been fortunate to spend two full winters in Ocala, and one in Aiken over the past few years, and this year I spent the first half of this winter in Ocala and am just beginning the second half in Aiken.  A few people have asked me the pros and cons of each city, so I thought I might compare them.

I only have enough computer battery for a very short post.  Aiken has gotten 4-6 inches, and, at least where our barn is, we have completely lost power.  I can only imagine what Pine Top is getting right now, because the idiots weather men predicted zero precipitation for us and 2-4 inches for them.  I have heard that the competition has been delayed and they are pushing the jumping back, but if it looks anything like what it does here they are really going to have trouble getting eventing in this weekend.  Scroll down for a link to the pine top homepage for more info as they post it.  Stay warm everyone, the horses look happy and I am bedding down under some horse blankets for the night.  Go eventing.

Pro-slaughter perspective, anti-slaughter perspective, recent victory for anti-slaughter

After an early morning and a long day at work, I packed up and got on the road to Poplar Place Farm in Hamilton, GA for the February HT last weekend.  One of the great traits about Eventers is they always make the most of a weekend with their horses and friends despite the conditions or outcome of a competition.  I had a great time catching up with friends, cheering on my favorite horses, dusting off the old camera and making use of my new one. 

Have you ever wanted your own racing stable?  Are you looking for a fun way to pass the time until the first Saturday in May?  The Road to the Roses is the official fantasy game of the Kentucky Derby.  We're creating our own "Eventing Nation" league, so come join us!  Winners may (or may not) receive EN prizes!

What is it?  How does it work?
Sign up to create your stable.  It's FREE!  (There is a paying option eligible for fancy Churchill Downs prizes, if you so choose).  Over 350 horses are nominated for the Triple Crown races; select 10 of them to be "yours."  Choose 2 jockeys and 2 trainers to complete your stable.  Farther down the Derby trail, there are two extra "supplemental drafts," which allow you to add 5 more horses to your stable.  Each week (almost every Saturday) leading up to the Derby, there are prep races.  You earn points based on how your stable performs in each race.  Each week, you select 5 horses from your stable ("Power" horses) to potentially earn *double* points.

I'm really not into "fantasy" sports, but this Derby thing is pretty cool.  It gives you a lot more rooting interest in the race itself, after following "your" horses all along the trail.  I first joined RTTR in 2007, the year of Street Sense, Hard Spun, and Curlin.  Since then, I've been hooked! 

I don't claim to be any kind of expert, but over the years I have learned a few tricks... 

1) Do some research.  Read Bloodhorse.com, Daily Racing Form, or Thoroughbred Times to get expert analysis.  Knowing who the "big horses are" is very helpful in selecting your stable.  While it's fun to choose horses based on their names or breeding, remember: of the 350 horses nominated, only about 50 will be competitive in graded stakes; only 20 will make it to the Derby.  Choose wisely! 

2)  Diversify.  When selecting the trainers, I tend to pick guys with many horses in training-- Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, etc.  That way, if ANY of their horses win a big race, you still get points...even if it's not in your stable. :)  Jockeys are similar-- pick ones that ride for the big trainers, or at big tracks (Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Belmont, etc).  You ONLY earn points if the Trainer or Jockey WINS, so keep that in mind. (Horses earn points for first, second, or third placings; point value increases by Stakes rating: G1>G2>G3.)

3) Put a little effort in each week.  Stay on top of your Power picks: you have to have your selections locked in by noon each scoring race day (usually Saturday).  Take a few minutes Friday to make sure your selected horses *are running* that day.  There are features on RTTR that allow you to view upcoming entries for races, so you know who's running when.  Also, read up on Bloodhorse or Thoroughbred Times to see how your horses ran, and what the trainer's future plans are for them.  I like to create a simple spreadsheet or mark on a calendar when my horses last ran, and tentatively mark when they're likely to run again (according to trainer).

4) Use the supplemental draft wisely.  It's broken into two parts-- you can add 3 horses, then 2 later; or skip the first part, and add 5 more later.  Use this draft to add horses you *wished* you'd picked the first time around... the ones that keep beating yours!  Remember, only the top 20 graded-stakes-money earners are eligible for the Derby; so no matter how great a horse is, if he doesn't have the $$ he won't get in the gate.



Sign up begins today.  The first scoring race is 2/20/10.  You can join at anytime between now and 4/24/10.  If you wait a little longer, you have a better idea of the best horses to select for your stable-- but you also miss out on scoring opportunities in the early races.  New this year, you are allowed to create 3 stables, allowing you to try different combinations for success.  Join us and have fun!

EVENTING NATION League
Identification #  2211565550
Activation code: 976127638 

This article was written by Mike Huber and originally appeared in the November/December 1997 issue of USCTA News.  The decision to move up a level should always be approached with safety and preparedness in mind...but sometimes it is hard to define "ready" or not.  Although it was published nearly 13 years ago, the advice from this article still rings true.

 

Photo by Hoof Pix Photography

 

Four Steps to Moving Up:

Mike Huber, past president of the USCTA, acclaimed USET international rider and coach, and member of the USET Selection Committee, agreed to share the criteria he uses to determine whether his students and their horses are ready to take the next step.  Mike has developed four points to take into consideration when making the decision:

 

1.  Determine whether the horse is suited to the competition at the next level.  Does he have the talent, brain, and ingredients necessary to handle the complexities to be faced at that level.  Ask a professional for an opinion of the horse's athletic ability.  There are people who do not ride with me who will call and ask for my opinion of a horse's ability both mentally and physically and I consider it part of the service I will offer to give them assistance.  We will check to see if the horse will cope with water, ditches, and combinations.  Some horses will reluctantly trot through a water splash, but will NOT jump down into it.  Some horses cannot handle a one stride triple combination with a couple of oxers in it.

Riders should not be disappointed if the horse that has given them a good start at novice is unable to move to the next level.  It is very likely that there will be several horses in a rider's eventing career, and they shouldn't let one horse slow them down or even determine how far they will go.  I often hear riders who find thier horses are unsuited for training level say that they will just stay at novice or do dressage.  If a rider really wants to move up and enjoy competition at the higher levels then he or she should consider another horse.  A horse that has been a good servant to them will be very happy to do the same for someone else.

Former USET Coach, Jack Le Goff, used to say that you don't go to college with your kindergarten teacher, and while he was referring to instructors, it does apply also to your horse.  The horse that teaches you the ropes at novice is not going to be the horse that takes you advanced.  In the same way that the advanced horse is not always the right horse for a novice rider.

 

2.  Winning a novice event is not an indicator that it's time to move up.  A lot of novice events are won in the dressage with horses just getting by on cross-country.

I hear people say they can't move up until they have won an event.  Roger Haller's Golden Griffin, who was a memeber of the USET Three-Day Event Team in the 1970s, although often well placed, never won an event until he reached the advanced level.

Some riders believe they should stay at each level a year before moving up.  However, a year can mean different things to different people.  Some riders can complete 14 novice events in one year, others just three or four.  The experience comes with the number of events, the amount of exposure both horse and rider have, arather than the length of time spent at one level.  This will of course vary depending upon the number of events available in your Area and your personal circumstances.

 

3.  The quality of the cross-country performance is most critical.  Was the clear round smooth and confident?  Did the rider come off the course feeling the jumps could have been bigger and more difficult today?  Or did the horse feel green?  Was he hesitant, crooked, or stuttering in front of fences?  Did he barely get through the water?  Do not be blinded by the "0"s on the scoreboard.  Realistically analyze your round.  This is when it is helpful to have your coach or a fellow rider watch your round and tell you if it looked smooth, controlled, and positive.

 

4.  Preparation is the vital key to moving up.  There is a significant difference between novice and training and not just the three inches in height.  Yes, you have to learn a new dressage test, but can you handle the triple combination?  Can you be effective or are you just hanging on as the horse goes through?  Some competitors never even get to the cross-country when show jumping comes first because they can't handle the more technical requirements.

You should be comfortably schooling training level courses at home.  Yes, your horse might be happy splashing through water but is he ready to jump down a drop into water, or handle the difficulty of a small coffin and other combinations.  There are schooling days and clinics which will give you an opportunity to jump some combinations on actual courses.  You will have professional help on the ground to advise you.

A professional knows what a horse has to face when he moves up a level.  Often amateurs don't know what they are going to be asked to do.  Read the rule book for the types of fences and specifications permitted at each level and then do your preparation so that you can tackle that level confidently and successfully.

 

USCTA News - Volume 26 - Issue 6 - November/December 1997

Edited by Jo Whitehouse

Today I am traveling from Ocala to Aiken, where I will do the remainder of my Spring training.  So the posts may be a little sporadic today, but please stick with us.  My next post will be from South Carolina. Go eventing.

Thanks to regular EN reader Yvonne Lucas of Red Moon Farm for sending this report in, and thank you for reading.

"In my area, we had 36" of snow on 2/6/2010, with drifts to 50". (In Eventer terms, that's Novice height, with drifts to above Advanced.)  

 

It's clear my 2WD 45hp tractor can't handle driving through anything much over about 6" of snow, at least not with ME driving! (I'm pretty good with equipment, but 36" of snow is been beyond my skills!) I keep getting it stuck!

 

I happened to meet someone, a complete stranger, at the feed store this AM who volunteered to come over and get my tractor unstuck from where I'd lodged it on Sunday trying to move some snow with the front bucket. Which he did! He then used it to scoop out a path to my barn so I could unload all the feed. *He* had no real problem doing that. *I* would probably have made a mess of it. That was humbling.  

 

A bit later, I got the same tractor stuck again trying to put out a roundbale. (Many bad words were "uttered".) I obviously lack certain skills in driving a 2wd tractor on the snow ;->! But I think you need to be born here to acquire them, and I'm handicapped by my California heritage. Perhaps if *I'd* been driving a tractor since I was old enough to reach the pedals.... Excuses, excuses.

 

My neighbor came to my rescue with his John Deere 120hp 4WD enclosed cab tractor (one of his many toys!), and towed me out of the HUGE (rolls eyes) 18" snowbank my *one* front tire was "mired" in, the one that had caused my rear tires to spin helplessly, both in forward and reverse. Sigh. He plowed me a path to drop the round bale over the fence, which I managed to do without getting stuck again! Yay! And waited around to make sure I could be "Mr. Balky" back up the little hill and back into the equipment shed, which I did. Yay!

 

I also shoveled walking paths, thawed the 100' hose, and dragged it here and there over 5' drifted snowbanks to fill the tanks for three fields (11 horses). During which I discovered that some horse had snapped off, at the stem, the drain plug deicer in one of their two water tanks, so I had to dump it and put in a regular plug, as I'm out of heaters. Sh*t-head. Sweet, innocent-faced sh*t-head -> Yes, I know who you are!

 

Oh, and then there was getting the sliding doors open to access to round bales in my hay barn. Another neighbor had cleared as much in front of the doors as possible on Sunday, just after the snow, but dummy me, I didn't immediately shovel away the rest of the snow around the doors and runners. So on sunny Sunday and Monday, all the snow melt from the roof had dripped down and re-frozen around the doors, and I had to break it up with a MATTOCK!! That'll teach me for spending the time shoveling off my back deck so it wouldn't collapse!

 

I'm learning a *whole* lot of lessons about dealing with a farm in heavy snow. Not things I would've known, being a California girl, or that living in Virginia for 10+ years had taught me yet. "Yay" for learning new things ;-> Yay, yay.

 

I learned:

• Getting a 4WD instead of a 2WD tractor is a worthwhile expense.
• Don't put sliding doors under the eaves of a roof - use roll-ups instead.
• A snow-blower is NOT a luxury item.
• Have a way to put chains or weight on the rear tires of your tractor.
• Shovel the snow while it's SOFT. Pay someone if you can't get to it yourself.

I hope everyone affected by the snow is OK, and I feel for those who lost power for extended periods. Usually that would be me, so I'm knocking on wood that my good luck will continue.

 

For those that don't know mw, and have read this far, I run a 28 acre, 11 horse facility all by my lonesome. It's peaceful in the good times, but overwhelming when things get tough.

 

Which I why I bless and treasure my neighbors and local folk: I'd be in a world of trouble without them."

We have been writing about the Patrik Kittel blue tongue feud from the very first days of the controversy.  Just to set the table, in our N&N post earlier today (if you have already read that just skip down to the ">"), we explained the recent developments whereby the FEI has banned Rollkur: A roundtable group of FEI officials has declared "any head and neck position achieved through aggressive force to be unacceptable" and "redefined hyperflexion/Rpllkur as flextion of the horse's neck achieved through aggressive force.  However, the FEI also said: "the technique known as Low, Deep, and Round, which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable."  Read the full FEI press release.  

While cleaning out the garage, I stumbled upon some older USCTA NEWS magazines.  (For our younger readers, "USCTA" stands for United States Combined Training Association, and is the original name of our USEA.)  I can get lost for hours in the old black-and-white pages, with pictures of horses long-forgotten and riders before their marriages (or divorces).  It is neat to look back on old events, some still running, others gone forever.  Most of all, it highlights the evolution of our sport... how it has changed, in fence building, course design, riding style, all the way down to fashion trends.  And this is just from "recent" times, most of my eclectic collection is from the 90s decade.  Today I will bring you an article from the February 1992 edition of USCTA News, reporting on the Pan American Championships.  I hope you enjoy this blast from the past as much as I did!

The following article was written by Fifi Coles.  It is published in its entirety; any grammatical mistakes or typos are entirely the result of my re-typing skills.  I have bolded rider/horse names for interest, and occasionally added comments. 


Photo caption: Pan Am Individual and Team Gold Medal winners Ruderpest and Nick Holmes-Smith--a picture of confidence--through the water complex.  Photo by Brant Gamma

While other disciplines of the Pan American Games were held in Cuba, the Three Day Event took place in Chatsworth, Georgia, fielding Teams from the U.S., Canada, Bermuda, Jamaica, and Mexico.  The Pan Ams were run as a CCI* [ed note: that's long format!!] which is comparable to Open Intermediate level.  This is to encourage up and coming upper level competitors from North, South, Central America and Canada, and give them much needed international Team experience.  As host country, the US was allowed not only four Team riders, but six Individuals, which gave ten of our young riders a first-rate taste of big time international competition.

The Canadians sailed through the event on a winning streak, sweeping both the Team and Individual competition, led by Nick Holmes-Smith, the Individual Gold medal winner.  Nick and the Canadian three-quarter-bred Ruderpest performed the best dressage test of a lifetime.  Their first place standing was particularly sweet as Ruderpest's warmup went from bad to worse, lasting almost three hours.

Riding their first string horses, the Canadian riders were given a final week long tune-up by former US Three-Day Event coach Jack Le Goff.  Some Canadians, including Nick Holmes-Smith, train with him intermittently, while the relatively inexperienced Susie Maloney, who finished the summer months under his tutelage, finished 12th as an Individual rider.

 The US Team, subject to the new objective point system selection process, found the four top placing competitors third, fifth, sixth, and seventh--riding as Individuals.  This relatively fair, yet somewhat fallible system, while giving a broader spectrum of riders a greater opportunity of competing on a US Team, can because of its criteria and lack of subjectivity, occasionally penalize the best horse/rider combinations.  Our Team strength was weakened when the powerhouse duo of Michael Godfrey and Shannon were sidelined after the mare went lame during the pre-Pan Am Training session with Lars Sederholm.

Bouckaert Farm, the outstanding site of the Pan American Championships was carved out of untouched North Georgia countryside several years ago by transplanted Belgian owner, competitor, and grand supporter of our sport, Carl Bouckaert.  Each year the facilities have expanded to include permanent stabling for 150 horses, improved warmup areas, and a top-notch cross-country course designed by Mark Phillips [ed note: not our Chef D'Equipe at this time].  Extraordinary is the elaborate sprinkler and drainage system, and miles of sodded galloping lanes orchestrated by organizer Ritch Temple.

Mark Phillips' big, galloping course was designed for bold horses and required accuracy for the fast options and narrow faced obstacles, which are now becoming one of his trademarks.  His brilliantly conceived course allowed the less-experienced horses safe, confidence-building rounds, while giving the more seasoned horses and riders a lesson in, as the British say, "kicking-on."  American riders can be inclined to take back, instead of riding forward. [ed note: has this changed in the last 15 yrs...??!]

Absent from the Pan American Championships were Chile, Brazil, and Argentina, for either financial reasons or the need for a two-star event to qualify for the upcoming Olympics.  Chile accomodated this requirement by hosting a two-star event for these countries.  Very much in evidence, however, were the Mexicans who were using North America for their qualifying competitions.  Much notice was made of the quality and boldness of their horses (all "homebreds" of the Army with one exception) as well as their improved style of riding.  Their dressage performances, though not yet competitive, reflected a more classic style as a result of their recent new dressage coach Belgian Patrick Borssen.  Their cross-country riding, though determined and brave, still lacks the benefits of a full competitive calendar.

The spirit that is ever present in our sport was exemplified by Paula Nesenkar.  After traveling from North Carolina when her horse Rocky Valley to ride in their first Three-Day event, Paula found she was unable to compete due to sudden lameness.  Not missing a beat while quickly putting aside her disappointment, she enthusiastically threw herself into volunteering, never stopping until the event was over.


Dressage as well as cross-country and show jumping was subject to unseasonably chilling temperatures (20-30 degrees), with driving winds.  Tack shops at the stabling area were depleted of winter blankets and even hoods in short order.  Horses on phases A and C wore quarter sheets, and competitors and spectators--expecting mild weather--layered themselves with every bit of clothing they brought with them.

The biting wind no doubt altered some dressage performances, as did the snapping and flapping of the international flags.  The Canadian Team at the end of the day was in the lead with Nick Holmes-Smith (Ruderpest) and Edie Tarves-Gourley (Socrates) in first and second place, followed by Bermuda, the USA, and the Mexican Teams. 

The same chilling weather for cross-country day proved more of a plus factor with most horses finishing in good order.  Instead of the usual cooling out, most horses had to be bundled up.  Mark Phillips' course brought the best horses home on top, and all others finished well with the exception of the first Mexican horse Acicante, and our Outback Red (John Williams) who had falls, the latter due to lack of condition.  Only two horses--Jamaica's Silver (Amanda Jayne Levy) and USA Hampton (Teresa Hover) were eliminated--Teresa because of failing to jump Fence #1--part of a combination, after a runout on the fast route double corner. 

Our Team started off with a bang as our most experienced rider Jane Sleeper and Take Over finished with a clear round.  Nineteen-year-old Josh Walther and Off the Cuff had a good go with the exception of a stop at the first of two bank combinations (Fence #5) caused by lack of impulsion in the brush V chute on the approach to the bank.

Hopes for our Team, however, were dashed when Hampton and Teresa Hover were eliminated, followed by Outback Red and John WIlliams' fall  I saw and exhausted Outback Red barely scramble over Fence #23 and heard John murmur, "Tired!" and knew he couldn't make it to the finish.

The Bermudians, led by seasoned international competitors Peter Gray on Anton, and M.J. Tumbridge on Bermuda's Option, turned in two excellent cross-country rounds, with Anton (perhaps because of warmblood breeding) incurring 7.6 time penalties.  With a stop for Watersmeet and Carol Ann Blackman (but still a 14th place finish after cross-country), Bermuda placed a close second behind the Canadian Team.

Our hats are off to the plucky Mexicans who finished all their horses despite a fall, and one or more stops per horse, but who nevertheless had their entire Team intact at the end of endurance.  They finished the Championships in third place.

Show-jumping day secured the Team Gold medal for the Canadians and the Individual Gold for Nick Holmes-Smith and Ruderpest, who had a one-rail leeway over Bermuda's Option and M.J. Tumbridge who held onto second place to win the Individual Silver.  The Bermuda Team went home with the Silver Team medals.


For the USA it was the Individual riders who shone and lit a pathway to future stardom.  Abigail Lufkin, well-tuned from her Radnor CCI** win on Lighter Than Air, excelled on the former Karen Stives' English-bred Flexible Flyer with whom she won the Individual Silver at the NAYRC Three-Day Event Championships in 1989.  A clear show jumpng round put them 2.8 penalties behind Bermuda's Option to win the Individual Bronze medal.

Individual rider Rebekah Smith (and her Quarter Horse Paws) did herself proud to take fifth place, as did Jill Walton (last year's DeBroke winner) with Fax in sixth slot, and Todd Trewin just behind with Sandscript for a seventh place finish.

The Scott Sisters--Mary and Georgia-- like to keep the Harry T. Peters Trophy in the family.  Last year the two sisters competed with each other with Georgia coming out on top.  This year the roles were reversed.  A clear round moved Mary Scott and Gasang into first place when Mara DePuy dropped a rail in show jumping to finish second.  Georgia Scott and Feinmaster placed 11th, but both sisters were delighted that the Peters Trophy was going home with them once again.

In Preliminary A, Bruce Davidson again distinguished himself by not only winning the division, but finishing also in fourth-- on Ralph and Flirtway-- both with their dressage scores.  Karen Lende with Enniskerry, and David O'Connor and Refuted Alimony were just behind in second and third slots.  Preliminary B winners Jeffrey Taylor and Breckinridge made a clear sweep of their division, followed by Pamela McLain and Co-Pilot.

After I made the decision to move to England, I asked everyone I knew who had been here what to expect. Along with many different pieces of advice I was given, the one thing everyone said was to be prepared for rain, rain, and more rain. Check, got it - I came prepared for rain. I got a new super duper never going to leak no matter what rain coat for Christmas. What I wasn't prepared for was snow! When I got here everyone said the snow must make me feel right at home. Not quite. I haven't spent a winter in Canada in about 5 years. Even though the snow put a bit of a damper on most people's activities here, there was no shortage of action here at Waren Farm. Even with 10 of us working in the yard, there is always something that needs to be done. This makes me feel at home much more than the snow, as it is true of any place I have ever been that involved horses. 

Here are some photos that readers have sent in from the blizzard that has much of the eastern US shut down.  From the reports I have heard, electricity has been off in many regions and the snow is very deep, but the horses are doing well and have a positive attitude despite the conditions, as always.  

 

Do you ever stare in awe at the sleek shiny horses, the glistening brass, perfect braids, and dazzling white marks at a CCI trot up?  Do you ever wonder how they get that way?  (LOTS of hard work is the correct answer!)  Each Sunday morning we will bring you a little insider info on how the big-time grooms manage an upper level event horse.  Feel free to email or comment with specific grooming questions if you have a topic in mind!

Previous entries: 

Shining, Shimmering, Splendid

A Close Shave

Get those white legs white!

                          Hoofcare

                          

 

What About Tack? (Part I)

Now THAT'S a shiny browband!  Hugh Knows at Rolex
www.useventing.com photo

 

So your horse looks beautiful: now make sure nothing detracts from that picture.  Your tack should be spotlessly clean-- the leather should glow and the metal should gleam.  Often, less is more in the tack department: unless you have a specific need for added equipment, don't use it!  It's just one more thing you have to clean at the end of the day. ;-)

For trot-ups, a plain caveson noseband and simple snaffle bit is traditional attire.  Some people prefer a newmarket shank instead of reins.  Flash nosebands, while not as "classic," are quite common...mostly because it's already on the dressage bridle, and why buy a plain noseband purely for jogs unless you do a lot of FEI events?  You see a few figure-8s in the jogs, but it's generally less-preferred; it is not flattering to many horses' heads, and it's a more purpose-oriented tool (whereas the flash noseband has become almost "standard" for everyday riding).  To be most correct, make sure your reins do not have rein stops-- there's no "rule" about it, but plain reins give a nice clean look.  I have a set of "dressage reins" without stops, and "jumping reins" with stops.  I use my dressage set for jogs. 

Browbands.  This is your opportunity for a little added style.  Brass clinchers were all the rage in the late 90s through the 00's...but plain browbands are starting to come back in popularity.  Beads and rhinestones have set the dressage world ablaze, but thankfully (!!!) most eventers tend to pass on the sparklies.  I personally love the classic look of a brass browband-- traditional clinchers, or a moderate variation (wider, thinner, round, square, etc) to suit the horse.  It is most appropriate for grays to wear silver-toned metal instead of brass.  I'm not sure who came up with that "rule," but I agree with it; something about yellow-toned brass and a white horse just doesn't look as good.  Whatever accessorized browband you choose, be sure that it is absolutely, positively, radiantly shiny.  Nothing looks worse than a grungy, dull brass clincher.  It just screams, "I don't care about my appearance!"  Get the metal polish and get to work; even the most hopelessly greenish brass can usually be restored to a bright finish.

This idea of gleaming metal also applies to every other buckle on your horse.  Brass buckles on your bridle?  Congrats, you have more polishing to do!  Brass on the breastplate?  Yup, that too!  Of course, stainless steel should also be cleaned and buffed, but requires far less maintenance than its brass counterpart-- keep this in mind when tack shopping.  That brass-buckled bridle looks so pretty in the store...but not so much when it's been sitting in the trailer and the buckles turned green.  Brass IS beautiful, but it comes with the responsibility of keeping it polished!  [As an aside: I was "raised" to believe that excessive brass usage on flashy horse faces is tacky.  If your horse has a loud face, a big wide blaze and lots of white, he probably doesn't need the added pizazz of brass buckles everywhere.  He has enough to look at without artificial enhancement.  True, it really doesn't make a lick of difference...but that's ye olde traditionalist in me.]

Ok, enough with metal.  90% of our tack is LEATHER, which requires its own dedicated care.  I know all you good little Pony Clubbers clean your tack after EVERY RIDE (right guys?), as this is the best way to keep it in great condition.  This is especially important in the summer time ("sweaty season") and if you ride multiple horses a day.  Hopefully, you clean your tack at least weekly, and give it a really throrough detailing before shows. 

Take bridles completely apart; check buckles and bit attachments for signs of wear.  Remove stirrup irons and leathers from saddles, check stitching for safety.  When I was a working student/groom/manager for an Upper Level Rider, we cleaned tack and took it apart EVERY DAY.  One Friday before a local event, I was exhausted-- it had been a very long schooling day, and I *really* did not feel like taking everything apart to clean and put it back together...just as I had done the day before...but I did again it anyway.  And THANK GOODNESS I DID: on one stirrup leather of her jumping saddle, the cross-bar of the buckle had cracked.  The leathers were nearly new; stitching was perfect, leather was beefy; they were perfectly safe (except for the broken buckle!) which was so close to being missed.  My rider was scheduled to go cross-country at 8am the next morning, and my diligence could have saved her life.  [Of course it is the rider's ultimate responsibility to check their tack...but often in the heat of the moment, rider trusts the grooms to have things in order, time is short you gotta get on and go.  So, grooms of the world: THEIR SAFETY RIDES ON YOU, don't forget that!!]  In short: details matter!

I apologize for this column's abrupt ending...I had spent the last hour writing an overview of how I clean tack daily and for the show ring, and the Blogging Editor just ate it.  Apparently the "auto-save" feature was not working properly.   So next week we will probably have more on tack cleaning and polishing methods. 

This winter has had some extraordinarily bad weather for many of our readers, culminating in a blizzard that is currently hitting the northeast and mid-atlantic US.  Click here for video of the storm.  At my home in Virginia, a few inches of snow per winter has been the norm over the last few years, and this winter has already seen several feet of snow.  One reader sent us the following description of the situation at her farm:

Anheuser Busch is the highest paying advertiser during the Super Bowl. Thanks to overwhelming support from horse fans on Facebook, the Budweiser Clydesdales are back in the commercial line-up for Super Bowl Sunday. I like to think Eventing Nation voters had much to do with it. Be sure to watch during the fourth quarter to see the newest commercial featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales. Or you could watch it early here.  This week on Video Saturday: four-legged football.

 

Cross-country with Heather Morris and Slate River: Heather Morris and Slate river hail from Texas and placed 11th at the FHI CCI***.  Before going out to the cross-country course, Heather's team brought a variety of very large bits to US Coach Mark Phillips for his selection.  But Mark asked Heather to show her transitions within the gallop using just a snaffle.  The horse generally ignored Heather and threw its head everywhere.  After a few transitions Mark called Heather in and hopped on slate river himself.

Signs of equine fatigue