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Sunday Links from Dubarry

By on Dec 17, 2011 11:45 pm -
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Good Morning Eventing Nation! I hope your plans for this morning follow along the lines of sleeping in, reading the newspaper, maybe scrambling an egg, and generally just enjoying a lazy Sunday morning. My plans unfortunately will not include any of those things, as I catch up on all the holiday shopping I have been putting off for the last month. Department stores are not one my most favorite places to spend the day, with their dizzying bright colors and decorations, over-attentive store clerks, Christmas music playing several volumes too loudly, and people hustling and bustling every which way. But I guess I better just bite the bullet and get into the holiday spirit. 

Unsurprisingly, there isn’t a great deal of news this morning, but here are a few links for you to peruse:
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation. Have a great Sunday!

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Neville’s Friday News from FLAIR

By on Dec 15, 2011 11:00 pm -

Good Morning Eventing Nation! Welcome to Friday! If you’re anything like me, you probably have no idea who you need to buy Christmas presents for, where you’re planning on buying them, and most importantly, what you are going to buy. I am terrible with gifts, I always think the occasion is farther off than it actually is (a procrastinator’s main excuse), so I never both to sit down, make lists, and figure out the gift logistics. I’m the person you see frantically running around the department stores December 23rd at 10 o’ clock at night, trying to buy those last couple gifts before the stores close. Once again this year, I am behind on getting most all of the gifts I need to buy, but I actually have got John’s present bought, wrapped, and dropped off at the post office. It’s a Care Bear, the pink one, and I think he’ll really like it. 

To start the morning off, I think a huge congratulations is owed to Boyd Martin and his team. If you didn’t already know, Neville Bardos has been nominated as USEF Horse of the Year. If it were up to me, Neville would be my pick for the award hands down. Coral Reef Via Volo (Beezie Madden) and Weltino’s Magic (Steffen Peters) are wonderful horses, but there’s something about coming within an inch of death, making a miraculous recovery, and finishing in a top placing at the World’s toughest Three Day Event within three months of the fire, that makes Neville seem like the obvious choice. But the choice is not up to me, Eventing Nation, it’s up to you. Let’s make it a point to take a few seconds out of our busy lives and vote for one of the most talented horses in our sport, and certainly the one with the biggest heart. [HOTY]
Since we are close to Christmas and all, I’m sure someone out there is looking for a new Dressage saddle. One of our readers sent an ad to Leslie at Sport Horse Nation asking if she wouldn’t mind posting the ad quickly as she needs to sell this saddle in order to pay for veterinary procedure that her horse really needs. We’d really like to help this girl out, so if you or anyone you know of is looking for a saddle, don’t hesitate to give her a call. [SHN]
And now onto the rest of the news…
It was just announced that the New Zealand Eventing Team will receive an extra $250,000 in government funding in addition to the $1 million already allocated to fund their quest to the 2012 Olympics. It really is a wonderful thing that the sport of Eventing is gaining so much recognition over there, we (both American and Canadian) are really going to have to watch out for this team next year. Clark Johnstone is just one name of many that have consistently been rising to the top ranks of the international scene. Gone are the days when the New Zealanders had to beg and borrow to fund a team trip, and sell their horses after the event to pay the rest of the debts. That was the case in the 1978 World Equestrian Games, but certainly won’t be in 2012. [Horsetalk]
Geoff Teall, hunter rider extraordinaire, wrote an excellent article for the Chronicle explaining his decision to downsize his business and refocus his attention on what’s truly important. I think so often with successful riders, new successes attract more attention, more business, and pretty soon, riders wanting a small, manageable operation find themselves at the center of a zoo with horses and students forming a line out the door. For someone like Geoff who is interested in other aspects of the sport, like judging, or holding a role as a governing official, downsizing his program is proving to be just the ticket. [COTH]
If you weren’t lucky enough to make the trip to Nashville for the USEA Convention last week, you can still download the audio files from some of the presentations to listen to at your leisure. The USEA always does such a great job of picking the right speakers and the right topics that makes for an educational, entertaining weekend. [Download here]
If you haven’t listened to this week’s Eventing Radio Show, you might want to download it to listen to as you do the dishes, or go for a walk, or run errands. Chris Stafford, along with co-host Bobby Costello really assembled a star studded guest list for this week’s show, including : John Nunn, Brian Sabo, Jon Holling, Max Corcoran, Karen O’Connor, and Jacqueline Mars, oh, and of course the coach himself, Mark Phillips. [Listen here]
This should come as little surprise to anyone that follows eventing in England, but Andrew Nicholson (although he’s a New Zealander) has topped the British Eventing Rider Rankings once again. Just to show the depth of horses Andrew has, as well as the type of rider he is, he finished 200 points in front of two other dominant forces in the sport, William Fox Pitt and Oli Townend. Maybe Andrew and William will open a bottle of bubbly together for their respective successes this year (cue laughter). [Wiltshire Times]
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation. Have a great Friday!

Welcome to Eventing: Let Me Be The One

By on Dec 15, 2011 1:00 pm -
‘Welcome to Eventing’ is a regular series here on Eventing Nation, and was the idea of one of our most loyal readers. The objective of the series is to chronicle the stories of either your first event, or the first event your horse competed at. We all know that Eventing is a game of experience, which usually translates into some comical recounting of those days before we had any idea what we were getting into by starting to event. If you’d like to submit the story of your first event, please send it along with a picture to [email protected]. We are running low on profiles, so please send yours in!
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Photo rights: D & G Photography
I bought Let Me Be the One (Fonzie) in January 2011 as a training project. I had broken out one other horse, a 14.2 hh arab, the year before and decided this time that I needed the next one to be one I wanted to keep around for a while as a replacement for my 22 year old partner, Sherlock, when it was time for him to retire.
 
When I picked Fonzie up, he had one ride under saddle. Through diligent work on my part and an amazing mind and willingness to learn, my 16.3 hh 4 year old baby competed at his very first recognized show at Beginner Novice at Fox River Valley Pony Club HT at the end of June. Dressage went well, we had one refusal cross country, but we were eliminate in show jumping. Fortunately, I learned a lot from that show— like when you are show jumping and run out at element B, you have to circle and take element A again…which came in handy at Otter Creek in September when we refused element B of a two stride again. So far, we have competed in 4 events with finishes in 2 of them.

Rider Profile: Bonnie Kibbie

By on Dec 13, 2011 3:02 pm -

If you’d like to submit an Eventing profile, follow this link for more information, fill out the form, and send it to [email protected].
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Name: Bonnie Kibbie

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Relationship to Eventing: amateur rider on hiatus, current vet student, and groom extraordinaire

Favorite Eventing moment/story?: Generally speaking, I love that moment when a horse crosses the finish line after a good cross country run.  They always look so pleased with themselves! I love seeing that “oh yeah, I am AWESOME” swagger in their step and knowing that we humans aren’t the only ones who are in it for the adrenaline rush. 

If you had to pick one reason why you love Eventing, what would it be?  I love the fact that eventing encourages true horsemanship.  To do the thing right, you can’t skate by on the work of your trainer or groom or anyone else; you have to put in the blood, sweat and tears and you really have to know and value your horse.
 
I know it says just one reason, but I have to say I also really love the people in this sport. What a terrific bunch! I have been lucky enough to meet some of the most wonderful people (most importantly- my husband, Jeff!) through the event world and I am always impressed by the genuine good character I see on display at the events I attend.   

Overall Goals in the sport:  At the moment my school schedule is so crazy that I’m happy just to sit on my horse once in a blue moon!  Eventually I’d love to do some work as an FEI vet and to compete my own horses at the lower levels again, but for now my goal in the sport is to help Jeff achieve his goals.  As an xc builder and designer, he’s on the road a lot (and by “a lot” I mean that he has spent, collectively, less than two weeks of 2011 at home- ick!) and he works incredibly hard to juggle the work and riding, especially now that his “freebie” project horse is running Intermediate.  Loki (named, appropriately, for the Norse god of Mischief) is just a phenomenal creature that tries his heart out.  Four years ago he was virtually unrideable (due mainly to some undiagnosed health issues and a serious ‘tude), but it has been amazing to watch him and Jeff progress together and right now their goal is to see how far they can go.  In the short term, they’ve got their sights set on the CIC** at Jersey Fresh this spring and the CCI** at Fair Hill this fall, and you can bet I’ll be right there with them… when I’m not in class, that is. And ok, I might be the one breathing into a paper bag as they leave the start box, but I’ll be there!  (Now that I’m stuck on the ground, I finally understand why my mother was such a train wreck at my events as a kid- it’s much easier to go out there and do it than to watch!) Keep your fingers crossed for my boys and check out our blog to see how things are going.

Biggest Role model: In the event world, there are so many riders and officials that I respect but one that always stands out to me is Sharon White.  She has the best outlook on life!  Every time I see her, she has a smile on her face and a kind word to share.  I don’t know her well, but I’ve immensely enjoyed the few lessons and other interactions I’ve had with her, and I am continually impressed by her horsemanship and overall great attitude. 

Link to blog or website, if applicable:  www.jeffkibbie.com, our blog is under the “News” section. Check it out! 

Sharon White’s Sunday Links from Dubarry

By on Dec 10, 2011 11:06 pm -
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Good Morning Eventing Nation! Well today is the final day of the USEA convention, I’m sure everyone had a great time but will be glad to be returning to normal life. There’s only a certain amount of time you can put a group of people who spend the majority of their days outdoors and thrive on activity, into a big hotel to sit through several days of lectures, and have them not get bored once the excitement of the hotel bar, pool, and meeting up with their pals wears off. Here’s to what sounds to have been a great USEA convention, and to the exciting season 2012 looks like it’s shaping up to be.

Congrats to Sharon White for winning the $30,000 Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant, congrats to Buck on sweeping the Rider of the Year, Horse of the Year, and Mare of the Year awards, congrats to Nina Ligon for winning the preliminary, intermediate, advanced, and overall young rider awards, congrats to Lindsey Taylor for winning the groom of the year award, and congrats to all of the many other award winners from the USEA Awards Dinner.

Anyway, here are the links for this Sunday morning: 
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, I’ll catch you next week.


[via ESJ]

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A View From The Beach presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Dec 10, 2011 8:50 am -

If you are on the East Coast, in the midst of rain, sleet, and snow we’ve been having this week, this ‘View From My Horse’ should be a very welcome view indeed! And for those of you currently on the west coast, hopefully it will serve as a reminder for just how lucky you are! Thanks to Karen Shull for submitting, and as always, thank you for reading. If you’d like to submit an ears photo, please send it along with a caption describing it to: [email protected].

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This photo was taken at Moss Landing beach in California. I was out for a gallop on my horse Paddy with Bea diGrazia and her horse Hector.
Doesn’t get much better than a sunset gallop on the beach 🙂
 

 

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As a quick note from our friends and sponsors at World Equestrian Brands: Does your horse love the decadently soft calfskin of his Vespucci bridle? He’s in luck, then, because that same lovely leather is available in the form of our Vespucci girths. The short girths are available in black as well as brown and oakbark to accommodate monoflap jumping saddles as well as dressage. The long girths come in brown or oakbark with a subtle centered D-ring and dark elastic to match the leather for a seamless and finished look. SRP $155 for short and $175 for long.

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Saturday Links from Tipperary

By on Dec 9, 2011 11:10 pm -
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Good Morning Eventing Nation! I could say I wish I was at the Convention in Nashville right now, but considering the amount (and length!) of posts John has cranked out over these past couple days in regards to the Convention, I’m pretty happy to sit this one out and let John’s fingers do all the cramping. It seems the big discussion of the day yesterday was the proposed reversal of the one-fall-and-out rule at Training level and below, which will be voted on by the USEF Eventing Technical Committee this morning. Stay tuned for that ruling and everything else coming your way from the Convention this morning, and don’t forget to enjoy your Saturday!

There are just a few quick links for you to peruse on this Saturday in December:
Courtesy of the USEA:

This is for you, John.

Have a great weekend, Eventing Nation! I’ll see you tomorrow!

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Rider Profile: Kristin Gallo

By on Dec 7, 2011 8:35 am -
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f you’d like to submit an Eventing profile, follow this link for more information, fill out the form, and send it to [email protected].


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Name: Kristen Gallo
 
Age: 19
 
Location: Collierville, TN
 
Relationship to Eventing: Competitor
 
Favorite Eventing moment/story?: The first time I went Training on my previous horse, Sonny Side Up (Sonny) is one of my favorite memories. Sonny is a very stocky, 15.2h Paint. He was maxed out at Training so that whole event was like our miniature Olympics. We worked so hard all Spring in preparation, and it was an event where everything just came together. We had one of our best dressage tests. We had one rail in show jumping, but the round was one of our best otherwise. It was a One-Day, and he was getting tired by the time we went Cross Country. He gave it his all, and we even made the time! There were some challenging questions, but I completely trusted him and knew he wouldn’t take a second look at anything. In the end, we ended up winning our division! 
 
I also had an amazing time on my current horse Tiamo at the 4-day O’Connor Clinic at Holly Hill Equestrian Center in May of this year. I rode with David, and I learned so much and gained a lot of confidence from it. I was in a group with solid Training riders, most had also competed at Prelim or were planning on moving up. Tiamo competed at Prelim before I got him, but we have only competed at Novice together. Before the clinic, I was nervous about holding everyone back, but I’m so glad I was in that group now! It pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I realized I was capable of more than I thought. Tiamo took care of me and was amazing the whole clinic!
 
If you had to pick one reason why you love Eventing, what would it be? I like the partnership between my horse and me and knowing him in and out. We’re a team, and I trust him and know he’s going to take care of me even when I mess up!
 
Overall Goals in the sport: Training 3-Day next fall, and then just see where I can go from there.
 
Biggest Role model: I have multiple ones! I rode with Bill Hoos when I lived in Tennessee, and I’ve been riding with Dorothy Crowell while I’m at college in Kentucky. The Hoos and the Crowells are all fantastic. Bill, Lori, Becca, and Josh Hoos and Dorothy and John Crowell are all great horsemen and horsewomen!
 
 

Welcome to Eventing: Alexandra and Mikey

By on Dec 3, 2011 1:52 pm -

This week’s Welcome to Eventing profile tells the story of a relationship between horse and rider seen so often in so many facets of the sport. How often do you walk by the warm up of the Beginner Novice division at a local event to see kindly old Cob or Draft cross adjusting it’s stride before a fence to take care of the amateur lady sitting on top of him, or an ex-Advanced campaigner softening his jump as not to jump loose his twelve year old pilot. It’s these kinds of horses that make the journey through Eventing so fun and rewarding for so many riders, and here’s the story of another one. Thanks to Alexandra for submitting her story, and as always, thank you for reading. If you’d like to submit the story of your first event, please send it to: [email protected].


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From Alexandra:

Hello Eventing Nation,

I wanted to tell my story of my very first 3-Phase with my horse Mikey Likes It, or just Mikey. It was at Apple Knoll Farm in Millis, MA. I had owned Mikey 2 years at that time and we were ready to compete at the Pre-elementary level.
 
Mikey is a 16 y/o Perch/TB cross who was owned by an eventer before me who had competed him at Beginner Novice level. He ended up as a “schoolie”  at the barn where my daughter and I took lessons. I began to take lessons on him and do weekly practice rides. We clicked and soon fell in love. It was the best way to find a partner in this journey. 
Lots of hard work, some misunderstandings and tons grace has been the consistent theme for us. I am 44 and the mother of 3, and I like to think he knows this. More than once he has picked up the slack for me when I wasn’t even aware that there was slack. He is a safe guy who tends to stay put when spooked. He has a great way of keeping me honest with my position and my intentions.

At this first event my dressage test was a little tense but he didn’t overreact to me holding him. I know he knew I was nervous and he pulled it out for me. Our Stadium was good, but because of my nerves I didn’t quite ride him forward enough asking him for proper balance. Even so he jumped well and we finished with no run outs or rails down. The XC was fantastic although our jumps were just small logs. My goal for this part of the 3-Phase was to control our speed and make it over all our jumps. Most of the course we just walked and then trotted over our fences. We accomplished our goals and ended up third.

At the end of the day I was over the moon with joy and gratitude. Joy for completing the event and the process leading up to it, and gratitude for the partnership and trust that Mikey and I had built to get us to that point.

We have done another event since then but none will ever be as special to me. He is an amazing horse who has taught me so much, and will continue to be my greatest instructor in this process called eventing.

Honeymoon Ride View, presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Dec 1, 2011 10:04 am -

This week’s ears photo is probably going to make you jealous, I know I am. A beach ride, in Jamaica, on a honeymoon, it sounds like something out of a movie! Thanks to Victoria (sorry!!) for submitting her photo, and as always, thank you for reading! If you’d like to submit your photograph of your honeymoon beach ride (or some other, more ‘daily’ experience) please send it to: [email protected].


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I took this picture on top of a beautiful gelding named Black Star in the beautiful country of Jamaica.  My best friends bought me and my husband a beach ride in Jamaica for our honeymoon.  It was always one of my dreams to ride a horse on a beach, and Jamaica was the best place for a beach ride!  The water was clear, blue and pristine, my horse was big and pretty and I was on a trip of a lifetime with my new husband! One check off my bucket list!  
 

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Thursday News from Devoucoux

By on Nov 30, 2011 11:53 pm -
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What’s on your bucket list?
Good Morning Eventing Nation! I hope your week back to work or school after the holiday break hasn’t been too overwhelming, I always felt that going back to school after a long holiday break was slightly less painful than going back to school after summer vacation, but just slightly. Hopefully this week hasn’t been too painful for you, but if it has, take comfort in knowing that you’ll be entertained (at least for the next couple minutes) with news stories that are sure to take your mind off the job.
 It sure is a busy morning for Eventing in December! I don’t even know where to begin, what with the stories of horse slaughter bans lifting, the competition for the 2018 WEG heating up, the conducting of scientific tests to determine whether horses like to jump, oh and then that story about the 80-year-old woman stealing a horse to fulfill her bucket list task of riding a horse. 
 In the spirit of positivity, I’ll start with the heavy hearted news before moving on to the lighthearted. In that case, I think the first order of business is yesterday’s breaking headlines about the lifting of the Domestic Horse Slaughter Prohibition. For the sake of clarity, it should be stated that that government funding ban (in place from 2007-2011) was a passive ban, meaning that rather than actively preventing horse slaughter through the use of ad campaigns and government resources, they simply did so by withholding funds required for inspections of slaughter-bound horses. That measure proved effective enough, because as it stands today, there are no slaughter houses operating in the United States with the objective of selling horse meat to buyers in Belgium, China, or Japan, to name but a few. This situation is a bit like driving your car with the handbrake half on, because although the Prohibition has been lifted, at this time, the appropriations bill does not allocate any money to pay for horse meat inspections. It seems there is legitimacy to both sides of the Horse Slaughter argument. On one hand, many people feel it is a crime to spend government money into something so brutal and inhumane as horse slaughter. On the other end of the spectrum are the individuals who feel that government regulation in slaughter houses in the United States is a benefit because horses intended for slaughter aren’t crossing national borders, and instead are being handled in a place with more humane regulations. I’m very interested to know, what is your take on this whole situation? The only thing everyone seems to agree on is that a real solution for handling the ever growing population of ‘unwanted’ horses has yet to be reached. For more information on the Prohibition Lifting: [COTH] [Lauren Gianni- For the Love of Horses.]
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has recently announced an aggressive $1 Million campaign for Laminitis research and studies surrounding the disease. The campaign has been launched in the hope that one day, we might find a cure, or at least a more effective treatment for what is thought by the majority of AAEP practitioners to be the most frustrating and devastating of diseases seen in horses. My first pony as a child contracted laminitis during her later years, I remember how painful an experience it was for me to see my pony in such obvious discomfort, which only worsened over time. It would be a huge step forward in the horse industry to see progress made in the treatment and prevention of this disease, and hopefully now with sufficient funds dedicated to it’s cause, we will begin to see just that. [The Horse]
Have you ever wondered whether your horse likes to jump? Well, EuroDressage certainly did, seeing as they initiated a study conducted at the Polish Academy of Science to determine whether horses did in fact, appreciate jumping exercise, or whether they prefer other pastimes such as belly dancing, antiquing, and painting. I don’t mean to make too much fun of the study, after all, being a good horseman demands constant attention to the question of whether or not our horses are happy. It’s just that the study was set up, a maze with two routes to food, one a longer, more circuitous route but without any obstacles, or a short direct route to the food with the only obstacle being a show jumping fence, to be so obviously skewed in the favor of horses disliking jumping. For horses, unlike dogs (and some people for that matter) food isn’t a huge motivator because they are programmed to eat all the time. Horses don’t experience the same endorphin rush as dogs do when eating hunted prey. Also, horses operate on terms of pressure, or rather, yielding to the amount placed on them. Almost all horses will, given the choice, take the path of least resistance. That being said, horses do some incredible, amazing things for their humans when asked, which makes us think our horse ‘likes’ jumping or ‘likes’ competing.  Using the human emotions of ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ to describe a horse’s feelings is kind of like using a crappy online translator to complete your french homework, it translates the gist but not every element involved. What are your thoughts? Do you think the study is valid or a hoax? Do you think horses like jumping? [EuroDressage]
It was just announced yesterday that Jacqueline Mars is this year’s recipient of the As You Like It Owner’s Award, which will be presented next weekend at the USEA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Ms. Mars, the longtime supporter of Karen and David O’Connor, has contributed to the sport of Eventing in almost too many ways to recount. Besides owning some of the most prominent equine stars on the American team at countless international championships, Ms. Mars is also the benefactor of the USET Foundation Competition and Training Grant (Which this year helped Sinead Halpin fund her wildly successful trip to Burghley). In addition, Ms. Mars has been ever so gracious in the use of her properties, both in Florida and Virginia, to host USEF training sessions. It’s wonderful to see the Owner’s Award presented to someone who has had such a vast and long spanning influence on our  sport and community. [USEA]
Don’t forget that as of today, the new US drug rule changes are in effect. We wrote in-depth about the revisions to the drug list a couple months ago, but just to refresh: The biggest change to the list is that now, only one of seven approved NSAID drugs can be present in the horse’s plasma or urine sample at the time of competition. Also, from today forward, anabolic steroids are considered a Forbidden Substances under the USEF Rules. To read the full extent of the drug rule changes, visit Horsetalk.
Get this: an eighty year old Russian woman, Agrafena Vasilyevna, apparently had always wanted to ride a horse, but never had the opportunity to. Being eighty years old and all, and with the item on her ‘bucket list’ still unchecked, the old woman took matters into her own hands. According to The Horse, “Vasilyevna reportedly took a horse belonging to her neighbor, Igor Vasilev, from his stable and hopped on, carrying out her life-long dream. Unfortunately, when she returned with the animal, the police were waiting to question her.” Although no charges were pressed, Ms. Vasilyevna said of the incident, “The cops told me off but it was worth it. I’ve fulfilled a dream I’ve had since childhood and I was running out of time. I’ve got a few more things on my list so people should stand by to be shocked.” She sounds like a woman best left to follow her own wishes, I personally wish her every success in completing the rest of her bucket list. [The Horse]
The race is on between eight countries to host the 2018 World Equestrian Games, but surprisingly, it was announced yesterday that Britain will not be one of them. According to Andrew Finding, chief executive of the British Equestrian Federation, “As much as we would like to host the 2018 WEG, it is just not viable in a financial sense. The French team running 2014 estimates a cost upwards of €58million (almost 78 million US dollars).  And with the domestic calendar already saturated with top-class horse sport, finding the date, location and resources makes it a rather impossible proposition.” Read the full story here. [Horse and Hound]
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation. Have a great day, I’ll see you soon.

Sunday Links from Dubarry

By on Nov 26, 2011 11:00 pm -

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A fundraiser hunter pace for Marlborough Horse Trials held on Saturday.  EN tipster Donna B reported a beautiful day and great times on the trail.

Good Morning Eventing Nation! I hope you’ve been having a great holiday weekend. It has certainly been one of the warmer Thanksgivings on record, so hopefully everyone can get out and enjoy the weather today on the last day of the Thanksgiving break. 

I apologize for not linking to the Pine Top Thanksgiving HT Live Scoring in my post yesterday, I guess I’ve gone into the off season mode a bit prematurely! I’m thankful I have a good boss who caught it and published a post later on yesterday morning. So anyway, here are the Pine Top Live Scores.

Now, here are your links:

Here’s a video from our great sponsor, FLAIR, featuring sponsored rider Eric Dierks as he discusses the importance of galloping fences in the first part of a cross country course. 
And finally, a little Christmas cheer to brighten your day: Santa Stole My Horse
 
John’s chinchillas, Pretty Baby, Destiny, and Candy Fantasy (can you tell he had a theme?)  are too busy tearing the upholstery out of sofas and hacking the EN website to learn any of these tricks, but my chinchilla, Killer, is getting quite good at backflips and 

Have a great rest of your holiday weekend, Eventing Nation. I will catch up with you soon!

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Saturday Morning Links from Tipperary

By on Nov 26, 2011 12:01 am -
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This is my last turkey picture of the year. I promise. 

Good Morning Eventing Nation and welcome to the weekend! I made a deal with myself a couple weeks ago that this year, to counter the holiday weight gain, I would work out every day while I was at home visiting for the week. Somehow I got the idea to try a Bikram yoga class (the kind where you stand on your head in a 105°F room) for the first time on Thanksgiving morning. Boy was that a bad decision. I’m actually pretty good at yoga when I practice it on a regular basis, but that class really did me in. Maybe it had something to do with the sauna-like temperature, or the fact that I’m a little out of shape, or maybe it was because I kept trying to beat the girl next to me (who was much better than me) at holding the hard poses, but when I left the class I had a nauseous feeling that stayed with me most of the day and definitely quashed my Thanksgiving appetite. Anyway, enough of my stories, I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving, and that you aren’t too tied down by visiting relatives or family obligations to go spend some time outside today and tomorrow visiting your horse(s). It’s supposed to be a beautiful weekend!

Now on to the links:
Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to start playing the Christmas Hanukkah songs:
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation! Have a great holiday weekend; enjoy the weather and enjoy your family, friends, and horses. I will catch you next week!

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Rider Profile: Louise Plaun

By on Nov 25, 2011 9:16 am -
If you’d like to submit an Eventing profile, follow this link for more information, fill out the form, and send it to [email protected].

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Name: Louise Plaun
 
Age: 47
 
Location: North of Copenhagen – Denmark (Scandinavia/Europe)
Relationship to Eventing: Rider CNC100 (previously CNC1*). Also a member of the Danish Eventing Committee + member of Organizing Committees at shows. Including the Nordic Baltic Eventing Championships which took place in Copenhagen in July 2011.
 
Favorite Eventing moment/story?:
Two particular moments come to mind. Sorry I just can’t choose one…
 
1. 3 years ago when I completed my first CNC1* on my lovely Irish Sportshorse mare, Crepello Touch. Though our dressage was  really (really!) bad she loved the rest of the job. I can still relive that particular XC ride in my mind – jump by jump. And this was 3 years ago. I sadly had to say good bye and send Crepello over the rainbow bridge a year later due to a bad case of arthritis in her neck. I still miss her!
 
2. 3 weeks ago when I completed a small beginners intro class (cnc80) with my youngster Hip Hop, a 5 year old Danish Warmblood mare. It was a personal comeback as I got injured and broke my pelvis when a horse fell on me in March. I then spend a couple of months in a wheelchair and another 4 months in rehab. 6 months after the accident I was finally allowed back in the saddle. This was September and five weeks later we set out for our first competition. No matter the result that day would be a victory for me.  The show was also the first show ever for Hip Hop. Little did I expect that she would be such a good girl and that we would end up bringing ribbons back home thanks to a great dressage score, just one pole down in the SJ and then a clear XC round. Woohoo… it’s great to be back.
 
If you had to pick one reason why you love Eventing, what would it be?
Eventing horses are happy horses. It’s the complete package for both horse and rider. Never boring and there’s always something to work on. It’s FUN. (Also, if I did not love eventing I would not be able to make much sense of what goes on at Eventing Nation, would I?)
 
Overall Goals in the sport:
To become the best rider I can be. To keep my horse happy and sound. To progress slowly and hopefully one day compete Hip Hop at a CIC2*.
 
Biggest Role model(s):
Rider: William Fox-Pitt. Balance extraordinaire.
Trainer: Sorrel Warwick (based in Britain). Sorrel has a wonderful eye, great sense of humor and in depth understanding of the biomechanics of both horse and rider. There is not a problem Sorrel can’t help you correct. And after 40 years in the business (yes, she rode at Badminton in the 60’ies) she still has a strong and genuine love for horses.
 

Welcome to Eventing: All about boys

By on Nov 23, 2011 12:32 pm -

This week’s Welcome to Eventing profile tells the story of a young newcomer to Eventing, and a male one at that! You don’t often hear of too many boys Eventing these days, so it’s nice to hear of a few coming up the pipe. Thanks to coach Danielle Ezell for submitting, and as always thank you for reading. If you’d like to submit the story of your first event, please send it along with a caption describing it to: [email protected]


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Will is ten years old and has been riding for a little over two years. He rides with Danielle Ezell/Ezell Eventing outside of Nashville, Tn. Will has done a few schooling shows and is preparing for his first season of recognized events in 2012. We hope to do the Starter division at Poplar Place in January.  As a part of this preparation, he participated in his first clinic this weekend, with Kyle Carter, at the beautiful Southern Promise Farm in College Grove, Tn.
He has been working diligently at home lessoning at least twice per week and any additional days off from school. He also helps school and exercise any additional horses possible during holidays and over summer break for extra riding time and experience.  We have really been working on the importance of producing and maintaining a quality canter for a more balanced ride and a better quality jump. Kyle really brought those points to light today in his clinic. Thank you to the kind people at Southern Promise Farm and to Kyle Carter for helping produce the next generation of young riders coming up through our great sport.  Will has a bright future and is one step closer to success in 2012 after this weekend.
Will pictured above with Kyle at the clinic. He is riding Arizona, on loan to Ezell Eventing from long time student/friend, Nicole, in Georgia.
 
~Danielle Ezell

View: Tribute to Stepp, presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Nov 23, 2011 8:58 am -

This week’s ears photo is a lovely photo with a very sad story behind it. If you stay in this sport long enough, at one time or another, you’ll probably be faced with a situation of losing your equine companion, like reader Suzanne Voll faced earlier this month. Many horses come and go in our lives, but it never makes it any easier saying goodbye to our friends. Thanks to Suzanne for sending in the photo and her story, and as always, thank you for reading.   If you’d like to submit an ears photo of your latest adventure, please send it along with a caption describing it to: [email protected].

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From Suzanne:

I wanted to send in a picture of my soul horse, Stepp. I don’t remember when I took this picture over the summer, but it was a lazy day and I hopped on bareback with just a halter to go for a quick walk in the fields. I think it was June. On Tuesday, November 8th there was a freak accident in his field and I had to make the decision to put my best friend to rest. At this point I don’t know where to go from here, but I’m thankful for the 9 years we had together and for everything he taught me, and so many kids and adults alike. He was the best representation of a horse there ever will be, and I’ll somehow have to go on without him. I wanted to share my favorite view of the world, one I’ll never have again. Thank you.

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Monday Morning News From Ecogold

By on Nov 21, 2011 1:21 am -
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I had a real talent for hand painting turkeys back in Kindergarten

Good Morning Eventing Nation! I hope it’s warmer where you are, because it sure isn’t where I am! Whenever I visit home (in the upper Midwest) during the winter, I’m always reminded of how glad I am to now be living in a warmer climate. It was snowing when I arrived home two nights ago, and when I borrowed my parents’ car to go and visit some friends that evening, I wasn’t out of the driveway five minutes before I found myself in a ditch after hitting a snow covered patch of ice. Maybe I don’t have the best driving record in the world, but the snow certainly wasn’t helping my case; I guess I had better stick to being driven around for the rest of this trip rather than combating the tundra myself! 

Anyway, moving on to the news of the morning:
The biggest news of the morning is the announcement of the 2012 A and B High Performance lists. Naming the High Performance list at this stage of the year is a necessary evil in the fact that it must be done for the purpose of holding winter training sessions, but knowing full well that there are a great many important elements that cannot even be anticipated at this time of the year. Like whether the horses coming out of a big fall three-day will return to fitness sound, or whether an injury that had its beginnings last season will emerge, putting a stop to any big spring plans. Another unforeseen element is how the riders on the list with new horses will meld as a partnership, something we still won’t know for quite a few months from now. And then there’s the variable that some rider, upon finding themselves completely omitted from any High Performance list, gets their ducks in a row and performs great at every test in the spring and ultimately ends up where someone from the original High Performance list should have been! There was at least one member of the 2008 Olympic Team who didn’t get added to any High Performance list, A or B, until just a couple of months before the Games. 
So the bottom line is that the Winter Training list is a rough draft. Results speak volumes more than lists, I once read somewhere a quote from Jack Le Goff, saying the most surefire way of securing a place on an international team is to “Never give the selectors a reason not to take you.” With all that said, making the High Performance list, whether A or B, is a huge accomplishment, all the riders listed should be proud. The fact that Sinead Halpin made an A List shared only by two veteran riders is a credit to her and the consistency of her performances, and also to the selectors for being fair in their selections, and making decisions based on current performance rather than past merit. And for Jan Bynny’s remarkable return to competition this year to be capped off by being named to the High Performance list is really something special. It’s also nice to see fresh names added to the B list, Marilyn Little- Meredith, Julian Stiiller, and Jolie Wentworth all coming to mind.
A List:
Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice 
Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carnville 
Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos 
Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere 
B List: 
Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot 
Jan Byyny and Inmidair 
Will Coleman and Twizzel 
Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister 
Buck Davidson and Absolute Liberty 
Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM 
Buck Davidson and The Apprentice 
Phillip Dutton and William Penn 
Phillip Dutton and Ben 
Will Faudree and Pawlow 
Will Faudree and Fernhill Gloster Rebel 
Becky Holder and Can’t Fire Me  
Shannon Lilley and Ballingowan Pizazz 
Marilyn Little-Meredith and RF Rovano Rex 
Boyd Martin and Ying Yang Yo  
Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen 
Karen O’Connor and Mr. Medicott 
Julian Stiller and Chapel Amble 
Jolie Wentworth and Good Knight 
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In some sad news, a race track in New Zealand has suffered significant damage after a fire broke out Saturday night, damaging the managerial sections of the track along with the 73 year old historic wooden grand stand. Then, less than 24 hours later, another fire began in a block of stabling at the race course. Thankfully, not a single horse was killed in the blaze, all the horses (and several goats) were rescued by a few trainers and stable hands around at that late hour, just before flames consumed the building. Arson is thought to be the cause of both fires, so strict security measures have been enacted until the person responsible is caught by authorities. Just the thought of a barn fire makes me queasy, but the thought of someone intentionally setting a fire in a place where animals are unable to escape is enough to make any horse person physically sick. Hopefully whoever is at fault will be caught soon and locked away for a long, long time. [NZ Herald]
A new method for identifying horses has been sweeping Europe over the past couple months, and is now making an entrance into the United States. The system is an iris scanner, cleverly named eyeD, and is one of the only completely non-invasive ways to identify horses. The system works by taking an infrared picture of the horse’s eye, and then assigning it to unique identification code. Evidently, the system has been tested to have 99.9% accuracy. What do you think about this one? Are we fans? Critics? Skeptics? [Horsetalk]
Ludger Beerbaum and Gotha won the fifth leg of the World Cup competition over the weekend, in Stuttgart, Germany. The German course designer, Crista Jung, tested the combinations from the first to the last,  eight top riders in the competition retired during the first round, and it was the smallest jump off division there has been this year. They might beg to differ with the statement Ludger gave in a press release at the end of the competition, saying “It was not too technical but it was quite big – Christa did a very good job.” For his win, Ludger received a Rolex watch and a Mercedes four wheel drive. That’s a pretty nice way to end the weekend. [Horsetalk]
Equine Canada is excited to announce the addition of two new national awards for 2011, Canadian-bred Horse of the Year and Breeder of the Year. From the Press Release: 
“The Canadian-bred Horse of the Year Award will be presented to the breeder or owner of a horse who has raised the profile of Canadian-bred horses with exceptional competition results. To be eligible, the horse must be foaled in Canada and registered with any of Equine Canada’s member breed associations. The award is also eligible to an outstanding sire whose offspring have accumulated national and international victories. The Breeder of the Year award will recognize a Canadian breeder for their contribution to the quality of Canadian-bred horses. Nominees must be members of an Equine Canada breed association.” The deadline to nominate for both these awards is December 16th, so start thinking about getting applications in! [Horse Canada]
If you only watch one video on Eventing Nation this year, it really should be this one. It is the story of a Australian champion Endurance rider, Meg Wade, who after an illustrious career including winning the world renowned 160 kilometer (100 mile) Tom Quilty Race a record four times, suffered a near fatal riding accident that left her severely impaired. But that didn’t stop her from riding in the Tom Quilty race once more, following months and months of tedious speech rehabilitation and painful physical therapy. Watch the video here. 
Alexandra Slusher, the Californian with the wonderful mare Last Call, has announced her relocation to Paris, Kentucky, starting in December. Read her blog here.
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation. Have a great day on what is hopefully your Thanksgiving holiday, but if you one of the unlucky ones to be at the office today, at least take comfort in knowing we’ll be around later today to distract you, once again, from all the things you would probably be better off doing. But I digress…

Friday Morning News from FLAIR

By on Nov 17, 2011 11:50 pm -

Good Morning Eventing Nation, and welcome to Friday! The Friday before Thanksgiving means that for many, that this is the last day before the week long vacation begins! I was listening to the radio the other day and Ryan Seacrest said (so it must be true) that it is an urban myth that suicide rates increase around the holidays, but that psychiatric admissions actually do increase by as much as ten percent around the holidays. Being an only child with twenty seven cousins on just one side of the family, the holidays are always a family overload for me, so I can see where that statistic is coming from. I’ll keep you updated as to whether I make it through Thanksgiving without admitting myself anywhere. 

Adelaide of course is this weekend, which ESJ will have a great many photographs along with some color commentary in his daily reports. The 2011 season is almost over, but not quite, there is still a handful of horse trials to go. This weekend, the events taking place are: 
The Ocala HT [Live Scores]

 Las Cruces HT [Live Scores]
 Ram Tap Horse Trials [Live Scores]
 Texas Rose Horse Park HT [Live Scores]
Adelaide [Live Scores]

Obviously the big news of the week is the purchase of Mr. Medicott for Karen O’Connor to ride. A high profile sale like this is big news for all the major Eventing nations (no pun intended), because it means that the United States is starting to build a formidable team for the London Games. There is no word yet on who will actually be buying the horse for Karen, but I imagine that news should emerge sometime over the weekend or into early next week. This horse oozes consistency, as John reported yesterday, In 31 career FEI starts, Mr. Medicott has an impressive 28 completions, 27 clear cross country rounds, 16 clean show jumping rounds, and 18 top ten finishes. Paired with the news that Phillip Dutton has purchased two new mounts in Australia, one for a student, and the other of which really looks to be a London contender, means this really is an exciting week for US Eventing. 
In more international Eventing news, it was just announced yesterday that Austria has submitted an application to host the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018. Austria will join the ranks of the seven other countries vying to host the next WEG: Australia, Canada, Hungary, Morocco, Russia, Sweden and the United States of America. My knowledge of Austria extends about as far as The Sound of Music movie, and my knowledge of the Austrian eventing scene is even less, but here’s to them for making a bid. I’d bet one of the coolest parts of representing your country internationally (especially over a decade or two) are all the different and diverse countries you get to experience. [Horsetalk]
Oh, before I forget, this is your reminder that the live blog with Francis Whittington and Clark Montgomery will take place at 6 pm tonight. John will be hosting, along with Samantha I believe. Live blogs, if nothing else, usually work out to be pretty entertaining, albeit somewhat  off topic discussions. Be there or be square. 
Bobby Lovgren, the head horse trainer in the much anticipated and soon-to-be-released blockbuster War Horse, gave an interview about his experience working with the movie. Lovgren is no stranger to big screen movies involving equines, he has worked in dozens of movies including Seabiscuit, The Legend of Zorro, Racing Stripes, and the 2011 rendition of Cowboys and Aliens. Lovgren said, “For the main hero, a horse called Joey, there were ten horses that played the character. There were another four horses that played Topthorn, Joey’s companion in his adult life, in different sequences in the film,” he continued. “Then, all the background horses; there was anywhere from 100 to 150 horses in the cavalry charges that we had going at one time.” Equine Hollywood, as I have now dubbed it, is a really fascinating industry. If you thought that makeup was just human stars in the film, you thought wrong. According to Lovgren, “We had a huge department just doing equine makeup,” when it came to taking healthy, well cared for horses and transforming them into War survivors, “It took a lot of makeup,” Lovgren said. “Brushing their hair backwards and putting a little shaving cream in it so the hair sticks up [was one of the many tricks we used.” He explained that outlining the horses’ ribs with darker makeup gives the impression the bones protrude from the animals’ sides, giving the look of a skinny horse. Go War Horse. [TheHorse]
In some more sad news for the Canadian equestrian community, following the death of Hickstead a couple weekends ago, comes the news of one of Canada’s most successful show jumpers, Monopoly, passed away yesterday at the age of 33. Paired with Beth Underhill, Monopoly dominated the sport throughout the ninties, with multiple Nations Cup and World Cup titles, along with performances at two Pan Ams, one World Equestrian Games, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He officially retired in 2001, and up until his death, had been living in retirement at Beth’s farm. He was truly a personality in the sport and will be missed by many. [Horsetalk]
I’m sure this will not come as a big surprise for many, but the FEI, specifically the nineteen person Bureau responsible for the majority of FEI decision making, is coming under fire after many national federations expressed their displeasure over the way the FEI is being governed. The FEI Constitutional Task Force, set up in April with the purpose of consulting the national federations about their feelings towards the FEI, was at the center of the discussion. Taskforce chairman, Akash Maharaj, told the parties gathered at the FEI General Assembly (which took place last weekend) that “Virtually every National Federation feels the FEI is ‘other people’ not ‘us’.” There were many other issues presented and discussed by the Task Force, ranging from the need for better facilitating of emerging equestrian nations in joining the FEI ranks, to the need for Continental organizations to bridge the gap between national federations and the FEI. The Bureau, of course, will take this suggestions under advisement in the coming weeks and decide which of these suggestions can and should be put into action. [Horse and Hound]
If you’re looking for a good read, check out this Chronicle article titled ‘Half-Halts And Transitions: Dressage Terms For Life Lessons.’ There’s a lot of truth in what author, Kathie Mautner, has to say. [COTH]
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation. Have a great Friday! 

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A View From Unionville, presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Nov 16, 2011 10:10 am -

This week’s view comes to us from Jessica Morthole, captured during a pleasant ride in the best of Pennsylvania hunt country. Thanks to Jessica for submitting, and thank you for reading. And remember, if you’d like to submit an ears photo of your latest fall adventure, please send it along with a caption describing it to: [email protected].

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From Jessica:

This is the view at the Upland School Paper Chase in Unionville, Pa. My husband and I had a lovely ride and this was the view heading back to the trailers. I was riding Letterman’s Humor, a sales horse owned by CANTER Mid Atlantic, who was on his first ever chase. He was amazing and led the way across several water crossing, thru a covered bridge and across the wide open fields. He is getting fit for hunt season and hopefully eventing in the spring. Unionville, Pa is one of the most gorgeous places you can ever hope to ride!

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Today’s view from your horse is brought to you as always by our friends and sponsors at World Equestrian Brands. It’s almost holiday shopping season and we are excited to introduce a great Christmas present from World Equestrian Brands.     

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The Equilibrium Therapy massage mitt fits like a glove and incorporates 2 massage motors for the ultimate massage for your horse. The battery is designed to deliver at least 6 ten minute massages at a high setting before needing to be recharged.  The Massage Mitt is very light weight and easy to use.  The mitt delivers a repercussion massage through a sequence of massage techniques from pulsing, stroking and vibrating.  The massage technology is exactly the same as the Equilibrium Massage Back Pad which clinical trials have shown to be highly effective.  The mitt is available for $150.  Click here to find a World Equestrian Brands retailer near you.  Best of all, it can be used on humans as well, so it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Thank you as always to World Equestrian Brands for their support of Eventing Nation.

Saturday Links from Tipperary

By on Nov 12, 2011 1:11 am -
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Good Morning Eventing Nation, and welcome to the weekend! Now that it’s off-season for some and is very close to being for others, It’d be nice to think that the time our equine companions are spending on vacation would free up time for ourselves to take a bit of a break too, although it doesn’t always seem to happen that way. Just coming back from a vacation myself, I found it amazing upon my return the difference in my attitude and perspective of daily life. Time off can seem like a waste of time when we have so much else to do, but I think in many circumstances, taking a break can make the things we have to do upon our return seem so much easier and more manageable. So no matter how many laundry lists of tasks you hope to accomplish this weekend, don’t forget to take at least a few hours to do absolutely nothing!

There are a few events taking place this weekend, they are:
 Pine Hill Fall H.T. (TX) [Ride Times PDF]
 Poplar Place Farm November H.T. (GA) [Live Scores]
 The Event at Kelly’s Ford (VA) [Website]
The links:
(Tiana Coudray is America’s favorite eventer)
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation, have a great weekend! Don’t forget to sleep in and rest up! 

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Friday Morning News from FLAIR

By on Nov 10, 2011 11:00 pm -

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Photo by Shawn Mcmillen

Good Morning Eventing Nation! Well the 2011 eventing season is certainly starting to feel like it’s on the way out, with the final international competition of the season concluding last weekend and number of competitions taking place each weekend on a steady decline, it won’t be long before it’s time to baste the turkey and hang the Christmas lights. I have to say I won’t be too disheartened to see the backside of 2011, maybe because this hasn’t quite been the year I’d hoped for, but also because there’s something so exciting and alluring about the prospect of a fresh start at the new year. What are your goals for this next year, Eventing Nation?


Anyway, now that you’ve had a dose of positivity this morning, let’s move on to the news:
The first order of business is the FLAIR November contest, with a chance to win ten FLAIR strips! All you have to do is answer three simple questions in the comment section of this page. To double your chances of winning you need to be proficient enough on Facebook to share the contest information in a wall post, and to triple your chances of winning, you need to ‘tweet’ the entry page and then write in the comment section that you tweeted.
Jessica Springsteen, daughter of Bruce of course, had a banner weekend at the National Horse Show in Kentucky, placing third in the $250,000 Alltech Grand Prix (behind Richard Spooner and  Nick Skelton) as well as taking home the prestigious Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider title. Jessica said of her ride, “My mare was fantastic. This was a very exciting night for me. To be on the same podium with these two great, veteran riders is a real honor. I couldn’t be happier.” Springsteen has been a rising star in the show jumping ranks for some time now, after graduating through the pony, junior, and equitation ranks, she is now becoming one of the fastest growing names in the international show jumping ranks. She certainly seems to have all the ingredients to become a true international star, It will be exciting to see what she accomplishes in the future. [Horsetalk]
Gill Watson, legendary British rider and trainer of the junior and young rider teams for over 30 years, has devised a new system to bridge the void she feels is present in the juniors move up from the one-star level to the two-and-three star levels. Her plan calls for not only for more in-depth instruction for juniors while in the saddle, but it also calls for further education in preparing and managing a horse in the lead up to a big three-day event. Gill said, “Generally riders go to a trainer to learn a specific riding skill and do not seek an overall view of what is needed at different levels of competition, so they often end up not being aware of all parts of a complex equestrian puzzle.” [Horse and Hound]
I know John wrote a post about the sad news of Dr. Mary Alice Brown’s death a couple days ago, but the USEA has done a great article with background to her life and accomplishments that is worth sharing. From reading these biographies of Mary Alice upon her death, it’s very evident that she was a prolific horsewoman and a tremendous contributor to the sport. She will be missed. [USEA]
Should texting while driving a carriage be considered the same offense as texting while driving a car (as it is in Montreal)? Well that is the question after several carriage drivers in Montreal have been fined for cell phones while driving a carriage. The drivers claim that texting while driving a horse shouldn’t be on the same plane with driving an automobile (with the reasoning that carriages travel at a much slower pace and that the horses can see where they are going. I admit to using my phone while on horseback far more frequently than I should, it is dangerous, although so tempting to use those long hacks to catch up on missed phone calls. What is your take on cell phone use while riding? (No big deal, avoid at all costs, etc) [Horse Network]
British Dressage star Laura Bechtolsheimer is the latest inductee into the British Horse Society’s Equestrian Hall of Fame. She will join the ranks of some of the greatest stars (both human and equine) there ever were in British horse sport, Jennie Loristen-Clarke, Milton, and Over To You, to name but a few. [Horsetalk]
This week’s Eventing Radio Episode is all about the amateurs, with guests Clare Stringer and Jeremy Lawton of Shearwater Insurance. Click here to tune in. 
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation. Have a great Friday, I’m on weekend duty while John is off visiting some friends, so I will see you all soon.

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Welcome to Eventing: Make Mom Proud

By on Nov 10, 2011 12:51 pm -
‘Welcome to Eventing’ is the newest of all the series here on Eventing Nation, and was the idea of one of our most loyal readers. The objective of the series is to chronicle the stories of either your first event, or the first event your horse competed at. We all know that Eventing is a game of experience, which usually translates into some comical recounting of those days before we had any idea what we were getting into by starting to event. If you’d like to submit the story of your first event, please send it along with a picture to [email protected]. We are running low on profiles, so please send yours in!
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I am so proud of my son and his new mare in their first season.  This is 18 yr old Stephen Hall and his 6 yr old Selle Francais Mare – Prospect’s Lillian.
How far we have come – at the first combined trial of the season, Lilly only did w/t at her first dressage test and Stephen decided not to do Stadium as he didn’t think she was ready.
That was April 2011 at Grandview. She did her first cross country schooling in June. 
Fast forward to October 2, 2011 – Grandview Fall Horse Trial – their third full event – Dressage score was 10% better than a month earlier 65% (52 penalities Canadian) a beautiful stadium round and her third clear cross country. 
Prior to the last fence, Lilly slipped and almost went down – Stephen almost came off but she righted and he stayed on but lost his right stirrup – the last jump – with no stirrup – the reason he was riding a bit to the left. 
In all three events she did this season she did not have a single refusal cross country. One run out stadium (rider error) and finished with a lot of confidence and skill to move up to pretraining next year. They have worked so hard and had a great first season. Thanks so much to our coaches Michele Mueller and Karin Davis.
 
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We welcome submissions from parents of eventers!  From the EN Census, we’ve learned there are lots of proud moms and dads who also read the site.  We would love to hear about the sport of eventing from the parents’ perspective.  If you have anything to share, please email it to [email protected].

View From My Horse: Bald Eagle. Presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Nov 10, 2011 10:54 am -

Undoubtably one of the best parts of our collective obsession with horses is the nature and wildlife we get to see and experience while with our horses. From early morning hacks in beautiful countryside, to just being outdoors for the majority of the day, horses allow us to view nature in a way many people don’t get a chance to. This week’s ears photo illustrates just that. Thanks to Julie Skaife for submitting, and as always, thank you for reading. And remember, if you’d like to submit an ears photo of your latest fall adventure, please send it along with a caption describing it to: [email protected].


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From Julie: 
Yesterday I was out walking on the trails at Fairhill with my friend, Chantal Cray. Chantal had just finished XC schooling on her horse Foster and I had just completed interval training on my Connemara x TB mare, Sassy (those are her little ears!). We decided to meet after our respective work outs so we could walk out, cool off and catch up. Lucky for us we came across this bald eagle eating a dead deer and he actually let us get quite close. We stood and watched for a while, in awe at his size and strength, tearing at the meat with his beak. Unfortunately the phone photo just doesn’t do this magnificent bird justice. I love riding the trails at Fairhill, there is always lots of wildlife to see. It is great to feel so close to nature!
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