Thursday Reader from Devoucoux

Hello it’s Thursday, Eventing Nation. This one marks a good long time since I’ve spent a Thursday at home, and I’m pretty excited about it. After running the Advanced at The Fork, I returned to Virginia to find that the “spring” season had gone directly from freezing winter into summer, and I was welcomed home to 90 degrees and burning hot during the day. I have now gathered approximately five different tan lines (none of which reach below my tank top line) and may or may not have gotten a teensy bit of heat stroke today. What in the world, where did spring go?? I wanted at least a few weeks of 60-70 degrees! As a prize for my horse’s good behavior over the weekend and in celebration of the ridiculously hot weather, I spent all yesterday hacking around and playing in multiple rivers with him, belly deep in cold water that he could snorkel his face in.

Events This Weekend:

Ocala Horse Properties CCI* & CCI2*: [Website] [Live Scores]

Twin Rivers Spring Three Day & HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

FENCE HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

Plantation Field HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

Pine Hill Spring HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

St Johns HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

News From Around the Globe:

Hugh Thomas is hailing this year’s Badminton list of entrants as “best ever”. We know that Michael Jung will be making his Badminton debut, and anything other than a win will be a disappointment for him. However, he’s got World #1 Andrew Nicholson as well as WFP and loads of other top riders ready to challenge him the whole way. Do you think riders with more experience around the grounds will get the better of Ze Terminator? [Badminton Entries Best Ever]

TIP will be celebrating all the wonderful OTTB’s at Rolex this year. “It is always a thrill to watch so many beautifully trained ex-racehorses competing at the Rolex Kentucky three-day event,” Steuart Pittman, president of the Retired Racehorse Training Project, said. “This opportunity to learn from the riders how they select and train these animals is exactly what the equestrian public needs to remind us of the quality these horses offer. It is also very gratifying to have The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program and leaders of the racing industry on hand to honor the riders for what they have done with their Thoroughbreds.” [TIP Celebrates Thoroughbreds @ Rolex]

Rolex celebrates 35 years in 2013. [35 Years of Amazing Kentucky Eventing]

Summer weather coming means you need to get your fecal egg counts. A recent study shows that less than 3% of horse owners are properly testing their horses for parasites, and a fecal egg count is the best possible way to do that! Seriously, I religiously check my horses twice a year and always check new ones, and I’ve had my big horse on a ZERO count for years now. The best time to check is when the weather is warm, so get on it! [Fecal Egg Counts: Good Idea]

Going to Rolex and hoping to walk the course? Jim Wofford has you covered with a free coursewalk on Friday for anybody and everybody. He’ll help you understand how course designer Derek di Grazia has created certain questions to test both horse and rider throughout the course. Don’t forget your sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes, a CCI4* course is a long one! [Jim Wofford Coursewalk @ Rolex]

Wonderful Event & Dressage judge Lucy Eddins passed away last week. Lucy was from my home town of Charlottesville and will be missed sorely in the horse community. There will be a memorial service at the Virginia Horse Trials later in May, and it was her wish that any memorial contributions be made to the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA. [Lucy’s Obituary]

SmartPak Product of the day goes out in memory of my lucky riding crop, who died this weekend at The Fork after being slammed in top of my tack trunk and broken in two. While I can never replace it’s 10+ years of steady and faithful service, I did find a suitable replacement. It’s the right weight, the right length, and it’s not too flashy. You can change it to suit you specifically, and add a little flair with your cross country colors if you like. The perfect crop is indeed a tricky find! [Super Sweet Jockey Whips from SmartPak]

 

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