Tuesday News and Notes from Cavalor

"Lemme at them Easter goodies!" Photo courtesy of Jessica Gressett.

It’s time to hike up our breeches and wipe the chocolate bunny remains off our faces – for many of us, the days after a holiday are for renewing our exercise vows and maybe posting without stirrups for a couple of extra minutes. For those who get their kicks from looking at embarrassing photos of four-legged friends on social media, be sure to check out 7 Reader-Submitted Easter Horses on Horse Nation.

No matter how you celebrate spring, we hope that there are extra carrots for your horses involved! Go Eventing.

Events Opening Today: Mystic Valley Hunt Club H.T. (CT, A-1), Virginia Horse CIC2*, CCI1* & Horse Trials (VA, A-2), Flora Lea Spring H.T. (NJ, A-2), Paradise Farm HT (SC, A-3), Roebke’s Run 3-Day Event (MN, A-4), Feather Creek Farm H.T. (OK, A-5), The Spring Event at Woodside (CA, A-6), May-Daze at the Park H.T. (KY, A-8), Coconino Spring H.T. and Dressage Show (AZ, A-10)

Events Closing Today: University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (NH, A-1), Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (VA, A-2), Fresno County Horse Park H.T. (CA, A-6)

News and Notes: 

Ride with Bonnie Mosser in Ontario: Twisted Pine Farms is hosting a three-day training clinic with Bonnie Mosser on May 1-3. Friday will be for private sessions with Bonnie, and small group sessions will be held on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, contact Dana Balfour at [email protected].

Fatal disease Glanders found at Texas border: The Texas Animal Health Commission has reported that the contagious and fatal disease Glanders (Burkholderia mallei) has been discovered in a stray Mexican donkey after being caught at the border by a USDA mounted quarantine enforcement inspector. Here’s what you need to know about the disease, including its history as a biological weapon during World Wars I and II: [Horse Nation]

Best of the Blogs: Theo is a 22-year-old blogger and professional car detailer whose blog is subtitled “#ProjectTrophyHusband.” He also happens to be married to an equestrian. Read his treatise on tips for dating an equestrian, and share it with your significant other. Or, if you are the significant other who is dating a rider, kudos to you for reading EN and brushing up on your eventing news! [TheLegendOfTheo: 7 Tips on Dating an Equestrian]

Illinois police seek horse-shooter: A resident of Woodford County, Illinois found her horse fatally shot in its pasture on April 1st, and authorities are on the lookout for information leading to the identification of the shooter. The bullet was located in the horse’s neck using a portable X-ray machine, and the horse’s owner reported that the shooter may have driven away from the scene in a gray car. [The Horse: Illinois Horse Shooter Sought]

Don’t reward your horse’s unwanted behaviors: As a Psychology major in college, I was fascinated and driven by theories of learning and behavior that I could apply to horse training. One of my personal pet peeves is watching a well-meaning horse handler reassure and dote upon their nervous horse in the midst of its meltdown; instead, I suggest waiting to pet the horse during a quiet moment, thus positively reinforcing its relaxed behavior rather than its anxious behaviors. Trainer Neil Davies examines the phenomenon of accidentally teaching our horses to repeat undesirable behavior, and how to correctly train the horse for desirable actions instead. [Horsetalk: Do you reward your horse for doing the wrong thing?]