A nice spot for a picnic lunch between divisions at The Fork. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld
In honor of “Oh Crap, It’s Monday,” I’d like to share my vote for “Save of the Day” at The Fork this weekend: A Training level horse and rider got the take off to a solid ascending oxer all wrong and the horse slithered over the top before stumbling several strides on the landing side. I thought for sure the rider would pop off but she did a very good job of staying centered and out of the way while the horse found its feet. Somehow, however, the horse put its front foot through the reins during the struggle, which is the ultimate “oh crap” moment. The rider calmly told the horse to whoa, and then quick as lightning unbuckled, untangled, and rebuckled the reins, then carried on as if nothing had happened to ultimately finish clear and inside the time. It was badass.
U.S. Weekend Action:
The Fork H.T. & CIC [Results]
CDCTA Spring I H.T. [Results]
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. [Results]
Spring Bay H.T. [Website]
Monday News and Notes:
Timing is everything. So much about horse riding and training is about good timing – timing your aids and timing your corrections. It’s easy to get it wrong and set yourself back. [Do you reward your horse for doing the wrong thing?]
Honoring a legend. Two years ago a colleague and I were walking back to the parking lot after a long day at Rolex. Spotting a magnificent grazing horse in a paddock we recognized Cigar and proceeded to take stealthy selfies with him from the fence line. The legendary racehorse will soon be honored with a statue at his grave site. [KHP to honor Cigar]
Blenheim horse trials welcomes dressage. The Blenheim Palace horse trials will include an amateur dressage championship at this year’s 25th anniversary horse trials. The competition will be open to eventers who have competed BE80, BE90, or BE100 in the same season. What a fun addition to an already excellent event! [New amateur championship at Blenheim]
Horses for all ages. One of the most endearing things about equestrian sports is that any aged rider can be active. Furthermore, equestrians often get better with age rather than peaking in their younger years. Charles Lopez, 54, is aiming for his first Kentucky Derby appearance after 36 years as a jockey. [Jockey closer than ever to Kentucky Derby]
Horses in history. Admit it, every time you watch a historical show, you’re really watching the horses. I know I can’t be the only one that notices when they reuse the same horse over and over or tack with modern buckles. But what about the real horses in history? How did they live? What did they eat? [Horses in Archaeology]
Monday Video: First and second place on course together at The Fork!
