Mini’s need peep-holes too! Photo by Jaclyn Burke.
Today is the first truly horrible day of winter. A full 24 hours of freezing rain just about kills my spirit in every way, and I will make a full argument that the worst part of winter isn’t the cold, or even the snow, but frozen rain. And mud. I live on the side of a hill, and while my horses learn extraordinary coordination in their turnout, the slip-sliding mud fest that happens is my least favorite thing. Also, WHY do they have to stand in one area and turn it into a pit?? Please stop.
No events this weekend! Have fun sleeping in!
News From Around the Globe:
The saying goes that the most talented horses have the biggest personalities, and Harbour Pilot is no exception. Retiring this year at the age of 19, Jacqueline Mars’s Irish Sport Horse gelding leaves the upper-level scene with one of the most decorated and lengthy careers in the sport, including in his credits ten CCI5*-L starts and the 2011 team gold and individual silver at the Pan American games. His partner in all of these endeavors has been Hannah Sue Hollberg, who took over the ride on “William” from David O’Connor in 2010. [Farewell to Harbour Pilot]
For keen-eyed fans of The Crown, there is a memorable scene through a recognizable water complex. Season 5 puts the focus on Prince Philip’s passion for Driving, which developed after the late Queen’s husband decided he was too old to play polo. In one scene, Prince Phillip takes a friend on a gallop through none other than the Burghley water complex, under the famous bridge. I’ll admit, I squealed aloud. [The Crown Celebrates Royal Horse History]
Podcast of the Day: US 2022 Performance in Review with EquiRatings
Show jumping: there is so much more to it than just setting out a set number of jumps in a ring. Professional course designers Marc Donovan and Chris Barnard broke down the fine details that come with show jumping course design during the Show Jumping Building Seminar which kicked off the 2022 USEA Convention in Savannah, Georgia. With an in-classroom session discussing rules, regulations, theory, and more, followed by a practical hands-on course building session held at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center where participants were able to put all of the morning’s education to work, this year’s Show Jumping Course Building Seminar was full of useful information for both eventing lovers and course design hopefuls alike. [USEA Show Jumping Seminar Tidbits]
The first thing many owners may worry about with respect to horses eating frosty/frozen grass is that it will cause colic due to the temperature. This really isn’t a concern. Whilst there is an increase in colic in cold weather, this is almost entirely due to impaction colic due to reduced water intake (horses drink less water in winter when the water is cold than if it’s warmed). By the time it is in the stomach, its at the same temperature as the rest of the body, and it still had a long way, both in time and distance, before it gets to the hindgut. So cold grass will not cause colic due to temperature. However, when the grass is stressed, for example, by cold, sugars made during the day remain in the blades (leaves), which means the sugar content is higher. This can be an issue for those managing laminitic prone horses and ponies. [Managing Frosty Grass Consumption]
