Good morning EN! On Monday several of the great names in our sports convened across the pond at Hartpury College to take part in the 2013 International Eventing Forum. Among the speakers were Mark Todd, David O’Connor, Eric Smiley, Mike Etherington-Smith, and Ian Woodhead. The Horse and Hound was on hand for the proceedings and posted nice recaps of the talks made by each. The links to their full coverage of the sessions are below:

H&H Editor Pippa Roome’s overall recap

David and Mike’s cross country tips

Ian Woodhead’s dressage tips

Mark Todd’s riding tips

This Week’s Event Preview:

Full Gallop (beginning tomorrow) [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Pine Top Farm [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Ocala Horse Properties [Website] [Times]

As we sadly reported earlier this week, Brian and Colleen Rutledge unexpectedly lost their eight-year-old son Connor on Sunday. Connor’s obituary has been posted online with information about services to celebrate his life. Brian has been posting further updates on Colleen’s Facebook page, where many have been leaving messages for the family. Everyone at EN is sending our deepest condolences to the Rutledge family, and will be keeping them in our thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks as they begin to move forward from this tragic loss. [Connor Rutledge]

Copper Meadows Eventing has been approved by the USEA to host an Advanced horse trials during its March 15-17 event. [USEA]

The Durham Region newspaper gave a nice shout-out to Canadian eventers in the area that were named to the country’s national training list. [Durham Region]

A rare Grevy Zebra colt was born last week at the Phoneix Zoo in Arizona. There are fewer than 2,500 Grevy Zebras left in the wild due to poaching, habitat loss, and competition from livestock. Only found in Kenya and Ethiopia, they are the largest species of zebra. The new colt will be named Pembe, Akili, or Bakari. Click for photos of the new addition. [Horsetalk]

Show jumper Laura Chapot is recovering from a broken collar bone and pelvis after a horse she was schooling in Wellington fell earlier this week. Still in the hospital, she will hopefully begin rehab soon. [COTH]

The equestrian world is making a pivot towards Asia: H&H reports that in 2012, 2,000 horses (mostly imported from France, Germany, Ireland, and Holland) entered China for use by riders and equestrian clubs. According to the publisher of China’s main equestrian magazine, Li Yanyang, the industry is growing by 15-20% a year. The Chinese have an affinity for western disciplines, especially barrel racing. However,  “because China has no culture of leisure riding and suffers from harsh winters, westernized activity is based round club-style resorts with multiple indoor schools.” [Horse and Hound]

Raw-material imported from Poland for use in Irish hamburgers has been found to be 75% horse meat. According to Ireland’s Agriculture Minister, none of the product entered the food chain before the horse meat was detected and production has been shut down since. [Horsetalk]

Today I leave you with a video I found through Horsetalk of a very talented Swedish horse who can play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” on a recorder with the help of a two-legged assistant. Thanks for reading, have a great Wednesday!

The Graduate shows off over an oxer exercise with rider Danielle Ditching

Good morning EN! The Ocala Training Sessions are underway this week at Meredyth South, the winter home of the O’Connor Event Team. Max Corcoran has been kind enough to write up reports about the happenings, and from the sound of things everyone is learning a lot under David’s watchful eye. The photo above comes courtesy of the USEF Eventing High Performance Facebook page, where photos and updates are being posted everyday. Make sure to check back later today for Max’s report from Day 3. [Day 1] [Day 2]

Your weekend preview:

Galway Downs [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Poplar Place [Website] [Ride Times]

Sporting Days [Website] [Ride Times]

On a somber note, everyone at EN is sending good thoughts and prayers to Colleen Rutledge and her family. Her son Connor is in the hospital and could use a lot of positive thoughts. Brian Rutledge is posting updates on Colleen’s Facebook page. [Colleen Rutledge Eventing]

In the latest installment of the horse DNA in hamburger drama, traces of horse DNA has been found in two Spanish burgers by a Spanish consumer group.  The group selected 20 random burgers from a supermarket and tested all of them, but only 2 contained the DNA. The group reported that the overall quality of the meat was “poor.” [Horsetalk]

Is your horse suffering from its yearly bout of rainrot and skin scuzz? The USEA has posted a refresher about the causes and treatments of skin disease written by Rachael Levine, DVM of Henderson Veterinary Associates. Check it out for helpful tips and reminders. [USEA]

Authorities have seized 100 horses from a property in North Dakota where 96 were found dead. According to authorities the owner is cooperating with them. Horsetalk quotes a local sheriff as saying, “My personal opinion is he just got in way, way over his head. He is cooperating with us, and he realizes that there is a problem.” [Horsetalk]

Today on HN, check out the The Rear End Awards: honoring the horse and horseman who most successfully “brought up the rear” in 2012. [Horse Nation]

Colorado State University has announced that Dr. Jerry Black will head the school’s Equine Reproduction Laboratory. “Multiple techniques used today in human and animal reproduction assistance were pioneered at the laboratory, including semen freezing and cooling, embryo transfer and other advanced reproductive procedures including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and advanced methods of semen and embryo preservation,” writes Horsetalk. [Horsetalk]

The American Competitive Trail Horse Association has announced a new partnership with Unwanted Horse Coalition, pledging to donate funds raised from competitive trail events to help unwanted horses around the country. [Horsetalk]

Leaving you with a word from our sponsor, Horse Quencher: make sure to check out the promotion they are offering, the last day to enter is January 31.

Buy a Horse Quencher variety pack, and we’ll send one with a Cheers! to your friend just in time for Valentine’s Day. Gotta a best horse friend? Someone who doesn’t mind dining across from your horse-snot-green-slime-themed t-shirt? Or a really great trainer or student that just did something extra awesome? Buy a variety pack of Horse Quencher and we will send another variety pack directly to your friend, with a note saying that you’re sending them a Cheers! because you appreciate them and their horses. This is just for Eventing Nation readers, it’s not on our website or Facebook, it’s good only by taking the following steps:

1. Go to http://horsequencher.com/store.asp.
2. Select single serving bag, one of each flavor.
3. Complete your purchase.
4. Email [email protected] with your name to verify purchase, and provide your friend’s name and mailing address.

Horse Quencher is the only 99%-proven 100%-guaranteed drink inducer for horses, effective for trailering, show grounds, weather changes, illness and more. And since hydration means everything for avoiding impaction colic and improving performance, there’s no better way to celebrate the most important friends of all… your horses.

As you might have read last week, the days of Rolex are over- at least when it comes to the FEI.  The federation has officially signed a deal with the Swiss watch maker Longines worth a nine-digit sum over the next 10 years.  This is the biggest partnership ever brokered by the FEI, and Longines will become the official timekeeper and watch of the federation. Horsetalk writes, “A key element of the partnership is a significant investment by Longines in the development – together with the FEI – of cutting-edge time-keeping and data-handling services…the development of these services will be for multimedia applications use, giant screens, scoreboards, and for broadcasters as part of the presentation of FEI events around the world.” Longines has been a supporter of equestrian sports for many years- read more about its sponsorships on the company website. [Horsetalk]

The newly-knighted Sir Mark Todd will compete at the New Zealand Horse of the Year show as a special guest of honor.  He will ride in the New Zealand Speed Championships, a timed show jumping trial. He will also give a speech at the Hall of Fame Gala Dinner on Saturday night of the show. [Hawke’s Bay News]

Live in Virginia? You can now get a Equine Interstate Event Permit in lieu of a 30-day travel certificate that allows you to transport your horse across state lines for six months without a renewal. Virginia has signed an agreement with 14 states that will recognize the permit as valid. [COTH]

The Eventing Radio Show has released its 231st episode, featuring Laine Ashker discussing how to survive the long winter months without losing the competitive [Eventing Radio]

Equine Canada has announced its new “One Vision” strategic plan that will be the organization’s guide until 2018. The overall goal of the program is to ensure that “Equine Canada will be widely recognized as a world-leading sport and equine federation committed to excellence, fair play and equine welfare; a model organization providing an inclusive environment where innovation, partnership and creativity flourish.” This strategic planning process began way back in 2011, and from the looks of things it was worth the wait. [Go Canada]

British thoroughbred Frankel has been rated the world’s best thoroughbred in recent history, achieving a rating of 140 after an undefeated 2012 season. This year he became the first horse to be officially a champion (or joint champion) at two, three and four years since 1977, when the ranking system was implemented. Frankel is now retired at age 4. [Horsetalk]

Area II’s January report was posted on the USEA Website. [US Eventing]

A new Irish TV channel is launching in February and will feature coverage of equestrian competitions across a variety of disciplines. Horse Racing Ireland and Horse Sport Ireland are both founding partners of the channel. [Horse and Hound]

Best of Blogs: Talking Horse discusses OTTB advice

Across the pond, the second leg of the 2013 British Eventing Baileys Jumping and Style indoor eventing series took place over the weekend. Combinations are judged on style and technique, and then the style mark is converted to penalty points and added to any cross country or jumping penalties for the final score. The video below is of a novice-level (US: prelim) round. Enjoy your Wednesday, thanks for reading!

http://youtu.be/IaFCg5vbXTc

Send your friends a treat courtesy of our generous sponsor, Horse Quencher:

Buy a Horse Quencher variety pack, and we’ll send one with a Cheers! to your friend. Gotta a best horse friend? Someone who doesn’t mind dining across from your horse-snot-green-slime-themed t-shirt? Or a really great trainer or student that just did something extra awesome? Buy a variety pack of Horse Quencher and we will send another variety pack directly to your friend, with a note saying that you’re sending them a Cheers! because you appreciate them and their horses. This is just for Eventing Nation readers, it’s not on our website or Facebook, it’s good only by taking the following steps:

1. Go to http://horsequencher.com/store.asp.
2. Select single serving bag, one of each flavor.
3. Complete your purchase.
4. Email [email protected] with your name to verify purchase, and provide your friend’s name and mailing address.

Horse Quencher is the only 99%-proven 100%-guaranteed drink inducer for horses, effective for trailering, show grounds, weather changes, illness and more. And since hydration means everything for avoiding impaction colic and improving performance, there’s no better way to celebrate the most important friends of all… your horses.

Good morning, EN! While the photo above has nothing to do with eventing, over on Horse Nation Wylie has put together an interesting post featuring unique face markings. Most of them belong to paints, but a there are a few greys and interesting stars in the mix (and even some sort of mixed zebra). Click to seem more. [Horse Nation]

Announcing the Thoroughbred Alliance Show Series

Regarding Horses reviews their favorite children’s horse book

Blue Clover Eventing writes a holiday hunting recap.

The British police launched a search after finding a riderless horse

Equine Disease Quarterly released its third quarter report for 2012

After 100 years, the equine grass sickness is still not understood

At the 2012 USEA Annual Convention, six top grooms and barn managers participated in a Q&A series that was filmed and turned into a six-episode miniseries. Below is one video posted on the US Eventing website on Friday. Check out USeventing.tv for more.

Hello EN, I am sad to report that the holidays are officially over as of today.  While this is sad news, I have some happier tidings that will help you shake off the post-holiday coma: the 2013 season officially kicks off this weekend at the Ocala Horse Properties Winter I HT. Buck Davidson is stealing the show with 11 entries, but other big names like Kyle Carter, John Holling, Andrea Leatherman, and Lesley Grant-Law are also present on the entry list.  The show starts on Saturday and will host competitors across the levels from Beginner Novice to Intermediate.  [Entry Status] [Website]

The Horse and Hound editors have posted a list of their top ten favorite blog entries of 2012. Below three favorites of mine are summarized- check out the link for a full list. [Horse and Hound]

1. Denman’s diary: exercising with hounds for the first time: Denman is an ex-racehorse that has been re-homed to begin a new life as fox hunter. In this entry, his owner Charlotte describes his first encounter with the hounds. “There were a few fly leaps here and there,” she wrote, but overall he handled the experience very well. [Denman’s diary]

2. Gaby Cooke’s blog: saying goodbye to Sir Roscoe leaves a huge hole: 21-year-old professional eventer Gaby Cooke was prepping for her second attempt at Badminton with her lovely Sir Roscoe when a tragic cross country accident resulted in Roscoe having to be put down. She wrote about the experience and showed wisdom beyond her years, saying, “It goes without saying how many tears have been shed, but at the same time I’m completely at peace about it. What happened at Belton was beyond anyone’s control or judgment, but he never suffered and I was with him the whole way through to say my final goodbyes and thank yous, which he thoroughly deserved.” [Gaby Cooke’s blog]

3. Olympic blog: we’re looking at a new world order in dressage: H&H dressage editor Alice Collins gives her opinion about the London dressage results, including why she believes Charlotte Dujardin won out over Adelinde Cornelissen even though the Dutch didn’t think she should have. Collins also disagrees with the opinion that this was something amazing, a once in a lifetime stroke of luck. “There was nothing incredible or unbelievable about what she achieved out there: Charlotte has earned her medals through sheer hard work and ultimate focus. It was fortune that brought together Britain’s best trainer, the world’s best horse and the ideal rider for that horse, but Charlotte made it happen.” [Olympic Blog]

Moving onto the rest of your links: Horsetalk takes a look at the history of horse sculpting and the frustrations artists face in attempting to depict the equine form. Horses are difficult to sculpt because of their top-heavy form, with large bodies balanced on thin legs. “As a result, the history of equine and equestrian statuary has largely been a history of technology and financing, particularly for statuary on a grand scale,” the article notes. [Horsetalk]

Firefighters in Britain used airbags to free a cast mare after she rolled into a depression in her stall and was unable to stand up. [Horsetalk]

Britain wants to tighten international shipping of competition horses between itself, Ireland, and France in an attempt to better control the spread of disease, but vets in the latter two countries have vetoed any change to a tripartite agreement that currently allows horses not destined for slaughter to be freely moved without quarantine time. Talks will continue in order to reach an agreement. [Horse and Hound]

That’s all for now EN, thanks for reading. Try to enjoy your first day back in the office post-holidays!

Good morning EN! I am currently writing to you using a mobile hotspot connection as an ice storm has knocked out the cable, internet, and power- so as you can imagine Christmas was a bit of a bust this year.  The south got quite a bit of snow yesterday making for one of the first White Christmases in a long time- even Texas got some snow!  I hope your holiday went more smoothly than mine, and that those of you who do not celebrate Christmas enjoyed your day off. The news is a bit light today since most of the world was shut down, but here are the links I have for you:

Baby elephants in Zambia are keeping warm in style wearing donated horse blankets. According to Horse and Hound, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation made a plea for donations earlier this year and received an overwhelming response. Apparently the favored style is one made by Horsewear Ireland that has a larger neck opening.  All blankets were donated to the Elephant Orphanage Project, which supports babies whose mothers were killed by ivory poachers (click for a photo). [Horse and Hound]

Paralympic rider Natasha Baker joined celerity chef Gordon Ramsay yesterday morning on his Christmas Cookalong Live.  She joined several other athletes at Ramsay’s home to participate in the show, during when Ramsay cooked an entire Christmas dinner live on air. [Horse and Hound]

World Horse Welfare has released a new Christmas video warning about the dire situation facing 6,000 horses across England and Wales.  The video highlight the problems that stem from abuse, poor management (like allowing “fly grazing”), and disease. The video also highlights the organization’s new Scottish facilities, which allows it to assist even more horses than before, as well as its international projects that assist horses around the world. Click to view the video (does show some cases of abuse and can be difficult to watch, but is also a great way to learn about the organization’s mission). [Horse and Hound]

Today on HN: Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses have traveled to Newtown, CT to help comfort the children who impacted by the December 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. An 8-year-old girl is also organizing a horse show to benefit the victims. [Horse Nation]

Best of Blogs: Tiana Coudray posted a short Christmas update

Thanks for reading EN, enjoy your Wednesday!

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite holiday decorations in the SmartPak Deck the Halls contest- Click to see all the entrants.

Good morning EN! The top news today deals once again with the new FEI qualifications: apparently us Americans aren’t the only ones confused about the new rules.  On December 6, representatives of the Event Riders Association from Brazil, New Zealand, and Britain met with FEI officials in order to get a better grasp on the new rules. According to Horsetalk, Athlete Categorisation and Minimum Eligibility Requirements were the key points of the discussion, which was intended to shed light on the motivations behind the new rules that will take effect on January 1. ERA President Francis Whittington said, “It was a really valuable discussion and was very much appreciated by the riders. We were really delighted at how receptive the FEI were to our comments and it shows how dedicated the Eventing Committee is to the future development of the sport.” [Horsetalk]

Speaking of rule changes, the FEI has announced a new drive to promote helmet use in advance of the rule requiring helmets to be worn at all times while mounted on show grounds. The Chronicle reports that as part of the campaign the FEI will be launching an email campaign to remind riders, federations, and various stakeholders about the importance of wearing helmets. [COTH]

Good news for British equestrians: UK Sport has announced it will provide £21.7 million in funding for equestrian sports after this year’s impressive showing at the London games. This funding places equestrian sports along side cycling, rowing, sailing, and gymnastics in terms of amount of money allotted. [Horsetalk]

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro set a new world grand prix record at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup with a score of 84.447% on Monday night. It was their first appearance since the Olympics, where they won the individual gold medal. Their score on Monday was better than their marks at the Olympics and beat the previous world record set by Edward Gal and Totilas at the European Championship at Windsor in 2009. Dujardin is still uncertain that she will be able to keep the ride on Valegro, and said she hopes a syndication agreement can be worked out should she find an investor willing to buy into the horse’s ownership. [Horse and Hound]

The British Young Breeders (BYB) has been awarded a gift by the Elise Pilkington’s Charitable Trust just in time for the  World Young Breeder Championships in July 2013. According to Horsetalk, “the Trust is supporting BYB to help educate young people in the importance of responsible breeding with a view to reducing welfare cases.” [Horsetalk]

After the the Heythrop Hunt was convicted and fined of unlawful hunting on December 17, a judge questioned the “staggering” amount of money the RSPCA spent in pursuing the case, which came to a total of £326,000. He commented that “members of the public may feel that RSPCA funds can be more usefully employed.” [Horse and Hound]

Firefighters in Florida rescued a 30-year-old horse who decided to take a midnight swim in a private pool last night. Luckily the horse was unhurt and apparently completely unalarmed at finding itself in a pool. The pictures of the rescue are worth a click. [Horsetalk]

Today on HN: a gift guide featuring stocking stuffers from Dubarry. [Horse Nation]

Century Club rider Liz Benney remembers her first horse show and talks about her partnership with her current mount, Minty. [COTH]

Horse and Hound’s editor posted a review of 2012. [Horse and Hound]

Best of Blogs: A gift guide from Kristin Schmolze

Thanks for reading EN, enjoy your Wednesday. Leaving you with a message from our generous sponsor, Horse Quencher: Don’t forget to use Horse Quencher to stave off impaction colic during cold snaps, and give your horses a special treat for Christmas by making it warm. They love it!

Good morning! Today we have good news from our friends over at The Chronicle, who reported yesterday that Karen O’Connor is on the right track after having surgery to stabilize two fractured vertebrae in late October. Lindsay Berreth reports that Karen went in for x-rays on Monday and the doctors informed her that her healing process was going well. There’s still no talk of riding, and Karen will go back to the doctor again in January for a 90-day evaluation. She hopes to be cleared for the saddle then and is staying in shape with thrice-weekly physical therapy sessions. Karen has moved down to her Ocala base and is still unsure of when she will be able to compete again. If you are interested in learning more about Karen’s recovery, make sure to check out the interview she gave to Samantha a couple of weeks ago. Everyone at EN is sending lots of karma and positive thought Karen’s way for continued improvement. [COTH]

The USEA Annual Convention officially begins today in Colorado Springs at the Broadmoor: check out the full schedule here and for those of you lucky enough to be in attendance, there is also a shopping guide the USEA has put together to guide you through the multitude of souvenir choices. John is in attendance so make sure to check back for updates!

The FEI has approved rule changes for eventing that will go into effect on January 1, 2013. Most of the changes have to do with qualifying for CIC and CCI events, with some levels now requiring more qualifying FEI scores than they did previously.  USEF Eventing Committee chair Malcolm Hook said that overall the committee is happy with the changes, but that they have requested that the FEI to allow them to delay implementation until 2014 in order to give the USEF more time to look over the new requirements. “While 2013 has no championships or Olympics in it, which is an ideal time to introduce something like this, it’s also something that is very different than what the riders have been used to and could cause some confusion,” Hook said. The FEI has not given the committee a decision yet. Keep checking back for a more detailed report on the proposed rule changes as the USEA annual meeting proceeds this weekend. [COTH]

The British Eventing Team was surprised to learn this week that British Eventing has requested a performance review after the team’s stellar performance at this year’s Olympics. British Eventing has stated that this is a normal business practice and that the review will look at teams from the pony level all the way to the senior team to identify areas that can be improved before the 2016 games in Rio. BE chief executive Mike Etherington-Smith told Horse and Hound that the review was agreed to before London games even happened, but that was apparently news to the riders. Tina Cook said her initial reaction was to be insulted and angry, adding that “they [BE] are looking into why we didn’t perform to the same standard as the dressage and the showjumpers — it’s not like we underperformed. Many of the team-mates performed their personal best.” Nicola Wilson echoed Cook’s sentiments about their performance, and Cook concluded by stating that she fully supports efforts to “up their game.” Mary King declined to comment. [Horse and Hound]

Horsetalk has not one but two articles today (one news report and one editorial) about the unknown dangers of phenylbutazone, also known as bute. A new study found that prolonged use of bute over 21 days led to “protein loss, lowered white blood cell counts, blood-flow changes in the right dorsal colon and changes in volatile fatty acid activity.” One of the authors of the study, Dr. Rebecca McConnico, said the average horse owner wouldn’t see overt outward signs of these changes, but they could be potentially problematic. “You wouldn’t see the horse at its best physically. These fluctuations could really affect a horse’s ability to perform.” [Horsetalk]

Following that report, Neil Clarkson wrote an editorial calling for more oversight of bute use in horses. He argues that bute is not safe for all horses, particularly those with ulcers, blood disorders, and congestive heart and kidney problems. He also points out that the “safe window” for dosage is actually relatively small, and it is easy to accidentally overdose without careful management. “Those few sachets of bute in your equine medicine chest may one day prove very useful,” he concludes,  “But always ask your vet first.” [Horsetalk]

Former top British eventer Amanda Stibbe has been awarded the 2012 Torch Trophy Trust Award, meant to “reward volunteers in sport and recreation and to recognize and support their endeavors.”  The award was presented to her on Monday by His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent in London. Stibbe currently serves as chairman of the Senior Selection Committee for the British Eventing Team. [British Eventing]

Horse and Hound reminds readers about the dangers of buying used tires for trucks and trailers. [Horse and Hound]

The Eventing Radio Show has announced an exciting development in its latest episode: PRO has taken over. PRO executive director Samantha Lendl talks about the future of the radio program, and PRO riders Sinead and Allison make guest appearances. [Eventing Radio Show]

There is no “Best of Blogs” today, but I leave you with an HN post that I guarantee will make you start trolling your local Craigslist for adorable miniature ponies. Have a great Wednesday and thanks for reading! [HorseNation]

From Horse Quencher: As seen in the Horse Quencher in-box from good friend Hawley Bennett-Awad: “Never before have my horses consistently drank water and have performed so well on a consistent basis, which I know is a direct reflection of using your superior product. Not only have my horses demonstrated improvement and increased durability since adding Horse Quencher, all of my clients who have made the transition are noticing great results as well. Whether it is an upper-level eventing star, a child’s pony, or a retired elder horse, I truly believe Horse Quencher can help every horse in the barn.”

This year's logo.

Good morning EN! I am sad to report that the time has come when there are no events this weekend to preview today: the winter doldrums are upon us. Luckily there is still one bright spot on the horizon, and it takes the shape of the 2012 USEA Annual Convention that begins exactly one week from today in Colorado Springs. As the USEA reminded us on its Facebook page yesterday, there is still time to register for the event and attend the annual meeting, awards banquet, and many education seminars. Mary King, this year’s keynote speaker, will address attendees on Saturday, and there are many more esteemed professionals leading educational seminars and roundtable discussions.  Check out the schedule and find registration information after the jump. [Schedule] [Registration]

If the weather is likely to keep you stuck inside this winter, you might be interested in a new online course offering by Canada’s Equine Guelph, the horse owners’ and care givers’ Center at the University of Guelph. The course will explore the evolutionary history of horses, their domestication, and the impact on the modern-day human-horse relationship. Beginning January 7 and running until March 31, the course will feature guest speakers that will lecture about the role of horses throughout evolution, world cultures, and the military. If this doesn’t pique your interest, Equine Guelph offers several other courses in areas like nutrition, Equine marketing and communications, functional anatomy, and behavior. [Horsetalk] [Equine Guelph]

The Brits are up in arms after the BCC released its shortlist for the 2012 Sports Personality of the Year and no equestrians made the cut. Many affiliated with the horse industry took to social media to express their dismay, but the lack of equine clout attracted notice in the mainstream media as well. The Director of BBC Sport Barbara Slater said, “It was very difficult to leave off Olympians and Paralympians of the caliber of Charlotte Dujardin and triple paralympic gold medalist Sophie Christiansen,” and mentioned that it would probably upset readers of her blog. The winner of the award will be announced on December 16. [Horse and Hound]

Rest in peace Don Burt, former president of the AQHA and member of the USEF Reining and High Performance Reining Committees. Burt was honored with a USEF Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, and was a member of the United States Equestrian Team Board of Trustees from 1999-2003. He served the equestrian world and the sport of reining for over 50 years. [USET Press Release]

Endurance riding is the newest equine discipline to come under scrutiny for doping. The FEI has investigated 15 cases of doping this year so far, with 8 of them involving endurance riders, of which 7 were from the United Arab Emirates. There are 10 more doping cases pending, nine of which involved endurance. Endurance has grown in the past few years to have the most events behind show jumping, and the FEI intends to ramp up their profile in endurance accordingly. [Horse and Hound]

Today on HN: Winter riding tips from SmartPak. [Horse Nation]

Horsetalk has done an interesting piece on the importance of maintaining a website as a professional horsemen. While websites can be considered an integral part of a marketing plan, the writers warn against thinking the site will do the work for you. “Don’t expect that your horse website will be parked on prime real estate on the side of the internet equivalent of State Highway 1,” they caution. The article goes on to provide a helpful guide to establishing your web presence, including advice on how to find a web designer and register a domain name. [Horsetalk]

Speaking of websites, the British Horse Society (a big time charity for those stuck on this side of the pond) has a snazzy new one. Check it out. [Horsetalk]

Equine sports psychologist Daniel Stewart has been writing a monthly Q&A with tips series for the USEA. This month’s question is about competition distractions and how to deal with them. Stewart writes that there are three kinds of distractions: internal, external, and unrelated, and the best method to deal with them is a form of desensitization called “simulation training.” Read more after the jump. [USEA]

Best of Blogs: Marcia Kulak writes a year-end wrap up and gives her thoughts on the future of our sport.

That’s all for now EN, thanks for reading and enjoy your Wednesday!

‘

Throwback photo via Lara Knight

Good morning EN! 2012 has been a banner year for the horse world: between the Olympics and Stephen Colbert declaring dressage the sport of the summer, I think horse sports probably got more mainstream media coverage this year than they have for the past three years combined. It should come as no surprise then business interests are looking to cash in on the rising equestrian popularity, particularly in Britain. Horse and Hound reported yesterday that there are two new international horse shows set to take place in London on next years FEI’s draft calendar.  One is a jumping competition organized by the Global Champions Tour and is scheduled in June at the Kensington Palace Gardens, and the other (which will include dressage as well as jumping) is organized by Horsepower Ltd. and scheduled for July at the Horse Guards Parade. The twist: Royal Parks has announced only one of the shows will take place, but has not announced which it will be yet. Either way, it looks like it will be a great summer for horses in the UK. [Horse and Hound]

Onto your weekend event preview:

River Glen Fall HT [Website] [Entry Status]

Ocala Horse Properties HT [Website] [Entry Status]

Ram Tap HT [Website]

Las Cruces HT [Website] [Entry Status]

William Fox-Pitt is headed down under to represent the HSBC as an ambassador at the four-star Australian International Three-Day Event from November 22-25. According to Horsetalk, Fox-Pitt will join several members of Australia’s Olympic team to teach masterclasses and hold course walks that will be open to the public. This year’s four star has fewer entries than others around the world, with only 18 combinations entered so far. The event will also host a CCI** which has a much larger number of entrants. Information and a full list of entries can be found on the AI3DE official website.  [Horsetalk]

Gold-medal winning British show jumper Ben Maher is recovering after being kicked in the head yesterday. Yesterday a horse Maher was riding fell and kicked him on the top of his head as it scrambled to get up. According to Maher he had to have his scalp glued together, but will be back in the saddle this weekend at the German Masters this weekend. Moral of the story: always wear your helmet. [Horse and Hound]

Racing superhorse Frankel has been awarded the Cartier Horse of the Year title for the second year in a row. Over the past three years, Frankel has been unbeaten in all of his 14 starts and has earned over £3 million.  He is estimated to be worth over £100 million as a stud prospect. According to Cartier’s racing consultant, Harry Herbert, “He is the most successful horse in the 22-year history of the Cartier Racing Awards and that is no surprise given his domination of so many races.” [Horsetalk]

A tragic barn fire killed 10 thoroughbreds in La Grange, KY on October 29. Firefighters arrived to already find the 6,700 square foot barn completely engulfed. A single goat survived the blaze. [COTH]

OTTB Power: ex-racehorse Arkansas won the $30,000 Duke Children’s Benefit Grand Prix. [COTH]

An outbreak of equine influenza in France has been traced to a shipment of Irish Connemara ponies that came into the country after a round of October sales. So far 19 cases have been confirmed with two deaths. [Horsetalk]

Today on HN: 18 horse with their heads in the clouds. [Horse Nation]

Best of blogs: Morag O’Hanlon, Selena’s mother, wraps up 2012.

Leaving you with last year’s AI3DE TV preview as a teaser for next week- thanks for reading EN, have a great Wednesday!

DPEquestrian survived Sandy, but not sure the same can be said about the road.

Good morning EN! Congratulations to those of you in the eastern part of the country on making it through the “storm of a generation.” I’m just happy to have an internet connection to report to you from, but others are not so lucky. The a majority of the US Pau contingent, including Colleen Rutledge, her groom Lara Chance, Buck’s groom, Shiraz, and Ballynoe Castle RM are stranded across the Atlantic. Due to fly into JFK, their flight was canceled because of the storm.  Brian Rutledge reports that they will be there until Saturday, when they will hopefully be able to hop a flight back across the pond.

Holly Covey was kind enough to compile a damage assessment from around the Area II region, and based on her report it sounds like many eventers made it though without devastating losses. She did mention that 10 ponies were rescued from flood waters in Sanford, VA, and need new homes. Contact  Lynn Matthews at 757-824-5212 if you are interested in helping. If you are looking for more general ways to donate to Sandy victims, The Huffington Post has put together a helpful guide of charities that are assisting storm victims. [Holly’s Sandy Report]

Your weekend event preview:

Galway Downs CCI/HT [Website] [Entries/Times]

Virginia Horse Trials/CCI [Website] [Times]

Rocking Horse Fall HT [Website] [Times]

Pine Hill [Website] [Times]

15-year-old Hailey Patno and her Appendix mare Syncotina won the T3D at the Colorado Horse Park last weekend, finishing on their dressage score. Hailey completed the T3D at Rebecca Farm in July and hopes to move up to preliminary and ride for Area IX at the NAYJRC next summer. Claire Jan and Artistic Flair finished in second place. [USEA]

Apparently that second place finish at Pau wasn’t quite good enough for Jock Paget: he’s off to Germany to train for three weeks with the man, myth, and legend himself, Michael Jung. [Stuff.co]

Does it really surprise you that nearly three months after the Olympics ended there is still athlete vs. FEI drama? It shouldn’t by now. Yvonne Losos de Muñiz, a dressage rider for the Dominican Republic and 2007 Pan American bronze medalist, took a complaint against the FEI for dismissing a protest and appeal she mounted earlier this year to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.  This month, the CAS ruled in favor of the FEI, saying it had grounds to dismiss her complaint and reject her appeal, but was highly critical of the organization for its actions that precipitated the original protest.  In an online statement posted on Eurodressage.com, Losos de Muñiz wrote that she will be quitting the sport after the way the FEI Dressage and Legal departments handled her protest and appeal. “The FEI legal team went to unacceptable extremes during the entire process by questioning the motives for my protest and appeal, diminishing my professional capabilities and dismissing my personal accomplishments in an all-out attempt to ensure that we lost the case,” she wrote. Click the link to read more about the situation and the full CAS decision, which was posted online after the ruling. [COTH]

HorseHub has added new content: check it out to find training videos from Mary King, Tim Stockdale, and Richard Davison. The app already features videos from the likes of Boyd Martin and Paul Tapner. Videos are between 8 and 10 minutes long and sell for a few dollars. [Horsetalk]

The first annual Global Dressage Forum North America will take place next year from Jan. 28-29 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach. This educational festival will immediately follow the CDI***** World Dressage Masters/Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CDI***, and will feature two days of clinics, lectures, and discussion panels. Riders and experts from around will be present to present their training philosophies and more. Check out the event website for more information. [COTH]

Ian “Captain Canada” Millar, the most successful show jumping competitor in Canadian history, will be inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame on November 4. Millar is also the only person from any sport to have ever competed in 10 Olympic Games. The great, late Hickstead will also be inducted next week. [COTH]

Does the thought of cross country make you quake in your boots? A new study suggests that hypnosis can improve a rider’s confidence- even in just one session. [Horse and Hound]

Attention history buffs: A new edition of Memories of the Shires, a collection of late Victorian and early Edwardian hunting reports written by Captain Otho Paget in the 1920s, has been released. It includes tales like that of the the 1890 Melton Mowbray Midnight Steeplechase, where Captain Paget was one of only four competitors to finish while wearing his nightshirt. [Horse and Hound]

Leaving you with the newest FLAIR Master Class Series video featuring Phillip Dutton- this time tackling the tough double corner. Thanks for reading EN, enjoy your Wednesday!