Just as everyone has diverse taste in music, riders have different taste in pump-up music. Start Box Jams plays homage to the songs that give us the courage to tackle cross country. Do you have some favorite start box jams you’d like to share with EN? Email me at [email protected]
I can't even imagine the songs I'd need for this start box!
It’s a scientific fact that music has power. The right song can bring you out of a funk or take you back to a memory. Lyrics stay in the brain for decades. Ever notice you can usually sing along to a song you haven’t heard in years? Start Box Jams offers a way to channel that power and magic so that you can go forth like the conquering hero astride your valiant steed and slay the cross-country course.
Lacey Messick finally capitulated and sent in the start box jam for her mare, Second Hand Rose. Lacey says that Rosey is a bit of a sassy mare, and sassy mares need sassy jams! It doesn’t get much sassier than her pick: Pink’s “So What.”
Kayla wrote in to share a song that she’s grown more fond of since bringing along her green bean: Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold.” Kayla says her young horse, Mario, is still figuring out this whole eventing game. He’s yes, then he’s no, he’s whoa, then he’s go ….
Our final reader submission this week comes from Annie, who selected Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok.” Annie says she changes the lyrics when she sings along to “Leg-on, take a crop, didja get’cher grab strap, red on right, horse in flight, did I pack the Saddle-Tite?” Perfect.
Craig Barrett and Sandhills Brillaire at Adelaide last year. Photo by ESJ.
Great news from Australia! The Queensland International Three-Day Event has been selected by the Tourism and Events Queensland Regional Development Program to receive $10,000 in funding. The event moves in to its third year in 2014, and the money will be a significant boost to help keep it going. Jann Stuckey, the minister for tourism, major events, small business and commonwealth games, pointed out the positive impact that events can have on the local economy. I’m always excited when I see the local community embrace the equestrian community. [More From Warwick Daily News]
This great news for Australian eventing comes at a very opportune time, as Adelaide is busy preparing for Australia’s International 3 Day Event, which will be held next week. Adelaide is hands down, no questions asked, my favorite four-star. Sure, Burghley has all the grit and essential “Britishness” a four-star event should have, Pau’s facility is beautiful, Rolex is close to home (relatively speaking) and you could probably get the best beer at Luhmühlen. But the absolute absurdity of running cross country through the middle of Adelaide amuses me to no end.
Clearly I’m going to have to forsake sleep or quadruple my already obscene caffeine intake to juggle my event at Fresno County Horse Park and watching the live feed from Adelaide next weekend!
Kyle Carter bangs a tail. Photo by Lauren Romanelli.
I thought my transition to “full-blown eventer” was complete when full-seat breeches and a flipped brim on a skull cap started to look normal. Soon after, I recognized myself as still somewhat of an outsider due to my penchant for hundreds of tiny little braids instead of big ol’ buttons. While I may have figured out how to braid a mane acceptably, I’m still utter garbage when it comes to tails. Hunter tail braids are on a completely other level that I’m sure I’ll figure out after another 20 years of sporadic and disappointing practice.
However, there comes a point where you go all in. I can feel myself tip toeing toward another thin line between recovering hunter/jumper princess and eventer, and I may be ready to step across it. With one last event this season, I think I’m ready to pull and bang my mare’s tail. Well, not pull; I’ll probably clip it because I lack the patience to pull, and I still have occasional bouts of guilt when it comes to pulling a mane.
I’m not going to lie. I’m pretty apprehensive. My mother will probably disown me, as it’s critical in her book for any horse to have a nice full tail. Before I ended up with my mare, Jing, I was shopping around. My mom and I would send ads back and forth. When I found a gelding that might have been worth a peek, she started her list of reasons why I shouldn’t even bother looking at him the following: “His tail is wimpy. He would need at least two fakes to make it passable.”
I pointed out that from the video, his jump was a 10. Her retort: “Jump’s a ten, but tail is a ZERO. Keep looking.” I went and looked anyway; turned out he was a cribber on top of the pitiful tail, so I passed. Additionally, I do occasionally go to Morgan shows where big ol’ dragging-on-the-ground tails are the thing. Granted, you don’t see those sorts of tails in the few over fences classes, but you do see the same braided tails that I’m accustomed to from hunter/jumper land.
I know I can get away with a pulled tail in theory, but I’m always wary of style choices that make me stand out as an outsider. (With the exception of rust breeches. I will wear them whenever and wherever I can.) Still, I can see in my mind’s eye what should come off of Jing’s dock, and I think I’m ready to take the plunge. I figure that if I do it now as winter approaches, I’ll have a few months to either let my eyes adjust to it or to let it grow back out. Just don’t tell my mom, okay?
Team DF's resident Corgi, Dylan. From Dragonfire Farm's Instagram.
Dogs are an omnipresent part of equestrian culture. Most barns have at least one or two dogs, and they’re always there to great you with a loud “ROO-ROO-ROO” when you arrive. Even if you don’t consider yourself a dog person, it’s hard to turn away one of the barn dogs when they come seeking love. Great barn dogs come in all shapes and sizes, but one of the most iconic barn dog breeds is surely the Corgi.
Despite the small stature, Corgis are kind of a big deal; just ask any Corgi you meet. Queen Elizabeth is known to be a fan of the breed, having owned several over the years, and the internet is full of adorable Corgi pictures and memes. This popularity makes the news I have for you all the more shocking.
The British Kennel Club reports that only 241 Pembroke Welsh Corgis were registered in 2013. This means the breed is on the way to being placed on the Vulnerable Native Breeds list in the UK. The decline is thought to stem from a 2007 ban on tail docking, as some breeders have moved away from the breed. Pair this with a surge in popularity for other small dog breeds in the UK and you can see how something like this might have happened.
I asked Dragonfire’s resident Corgi, Dylan, for his thoughts on the matter. He promptly flopped over and insisted on belly rubs.
Buck Davidson and Petite Flower, winners of the CCI3* at Galway Downs. Photo by Angela Beal
Welcome to Monday, EN. Galway Downs is a wrap, and many happy competitors are on the way home. Buck Davidson and Petite Flower won the CCI3* by a very slim margin, with Jolie Wentworth and Good Knight taking second, and Elisabeth Haliday-Sharp third aboard HHS Cooley. I know that for many of us the event hangover is kicking in, and the week ahead looks like it’s going to be a long one. While I’m not suffering the direct effects of an event hangover myself, I’m starting to feel a cold coming on. The cure for whatever ails you is the same — lots of vitamin C, something warm to eat and plenty of time to peruse EN at your leisure. Take it easy this morning; this past weekend was one for the record books!
The analysis of the B sample from Clifton Promise will be available mid-November, according to an update posted on the Clifton Eventers Facebook page. “This timescale is a normal part of the legal process currently underway. You will appreciate that neither Jock nor Equestrian Sports New Zealand can make further comment at this stage.” [Clifton Eventers]
Roger, who you may remember from Sex and the City or Law & Order, is set to retire next year. Roger has worked in Central Park for 15 years. Regardless of your feelings about whether or not horse drawn carriages belong in NYC, this is a sweet story. Here’s to hoping Roger has a long and happy retirement! [NY Daily News]
Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson has vowed to fight the federal ruling that will allow horse slaughterhouses to reopen. The horse slaughter debate in the US is a very emotional one and hotly contested to boot. Much of the recent developments center around a lawsuit by the Humane Society and animal protection groups which contended that federal officials had failed to consider the environmental impact. The lawsuit was tossed by a US District Judge and at least one slaughterhouse is doing it’s best to be open for business today. [USA Today]
TheAll American Quarter Horse Congress is debating a change of venue. The AQHA’s premiere horse show is mulling over the possibility of leaving the Ohio Expo Center and moving to a new location. According to show officials, the 360-acre property is no longer sufficient for their competitor’s needs. The show is the largest single-breed competition and has been hosted at the same location since 1967. [The Columbus Dispatch]
Jockeys in the 8th race at Bathurst Racecourse in Australia received a surprise when the sprinklers came on. Sometimes you just gotta stay focused. The horses carried on, with Path To Freedom winning. Due to the sprinkler issue non-winning tickets were refunded. [Deadspin]
Horse slobber is apparently now sue-worthy in Australia. A protestor who was part of a demonstration claims that the horse stood on his foot and slobbered on him. Representatives of the Police Association call the lawsuit outrageous. I better lawyer up, my horse is a slobber machine. [Yahoo! News Australia]
I am an admitted curmudgeon because I honestly don’t like kids, but this is too cute not to share. Three year old Fenton Kirkland and his pony Toffee were winners of a class of thirty adults. Seriously, his outfit is awesome. I think we need to take a look at what UK parents are dressing their kids in for in-hand showing when we start thinking about jog outfits. [Express.co.uk]
Monday Video: Conan O’Brien was at Santa Anita a few weekends ago and helped out by calling a race. It was interesting to say the least.
Team DF cools out Caroline Dein's Lucid Opposition after a great run in the CCI*
Galway Downs comes to its conclusion today and it couldn’t be a more beautiful Sunday. Buck Davidson holds the overnight lead in the CCI*** aboard Petite Flower. Temperatures are expected to be around 68 degrees in Southern California today, which is what I call “absolutely perfect.” It is the exact temperature where it’s cool enough in the morning for me to wear a light jacket and nurse a big ol’ cup o’ Joe. By noon, I’ve shed the jacket and find myself perfectly content in a short-sleeve shirt. I do so love California weather. Best wishes for successful and safe rides for those competing today. For those of you shoveling snow, I’m sorry.
Sunday Video: No rest for the wicked-awesome, WFP tackles Indoor Eventing at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
ERS-Eventing.com provides riders with an interactive online portal that showcases product information, demonstrations, tutorials and reviews from fellow competitors and top international riders.
Without even realizing it, you learn a lot of unique skills and how to improvise tools at the barn. Most of the time these moments are serendipitous. We all become masters at duct tape and baling twine repairs. We learn to use hoof picks as hammers when adding name plates to new saddles. We are then able to turn around and use that same hoof pick as a screw-driver or for leverage to open a stubborn bucket of supplements.
Lunge whips become extensions of our arms when something is just out of our reach. We can transform a large twig into a crop in a pinch and demonstrate unequaled creativity when it comes to making spooky jumps out of various finds around the barn. Tetris Champions would quake in their boots upon seeing our efficiently-packed trailers pre-horse show.
Many skills come our way at the barn but the most useful skill I learned out of perceived necessity was how to break in to my own car. There is nothing more frustrating than being alone at the barn and discovering you’ve locked your keys in your car. The first time this happened I quickly realized that I never wanted to repeat the experience. Shortly afterward I sat down and figured out how to pop the locks on my own car. Learning how to break in seemed more logical to me at 17 years old than the reasonable course of action – leaving a spare car key in my tack trunk.
I only ever had to pop the locks on my car one other time after figuring out how, but I was happy to show Stephanie the technique the other weekend when she locked herself out of her truck. We spent about two hours with an unwound wire coat-hanger alternating between trying to pull the latch back and stabbing at the power-lock button.
We were determined to get it open on our own. It was possible. It was just within reach. We just had to keep trying. As I was digging through the tack-room for some additional tools, the farrier offered us some wedge pads to help us on our quest. Stephanie and I took turns being the spotter. We continued to make no progress.
After another thirty-minutes we threw our hands up in the air. We were defeated. After much gnashing of teeth, we called AAA. The operator told Stephanie that it would be about an hour before the tow-truck arrived, so we lounged about in the shade looking at horses on CANTER as well as photos of some of our old friends who still ride Hunters.
The tow-truck driver arrived right on time and within a few minutes had an “almost-got-it” moment that startled us all. Stephanie’s truck apparently has a fierce anti-theft system which set off the horn, re-locked the locks and almost made me pee myself in fright. Had we actually managed to get the lock while one of us was sitting on the roof, there probably would have been a fall. So much for me expecting knowledge I gained on a 1987 Chevy Blazer to still be valid on a 2013 Toyota. After two more almost-got-its the tow-truck driver was able to get Stephanie’s door open. There was much celebration.
Driving home I found myself swinging by the local hardware store to have a spare key for my car made. Much like horses, cars aren’t always the same. Things change. What worked on your first pony isn’t necessarily going to work on the fancy sport horse you own as an adult and sometimes you really do need to ask for help instead of fumbling along. You don’t always have to go about things like the hooligan you were as a teenager.
Now if I can just remember to actually put the spare key in my tack-trunk, I may just have learned something.
Go Team DF. Go Awesome Tow-Truck Driver Guy. Go Eventing.
Classic Twain DF wins the YEH 4 Year Old Championship at Galway Downs
It has been a very exciting start to the weekend at Galway Downs! Fresh off of his only other outing at Fresno County Horse Park, Classic Twain DF was piloted to first place by Jennifer McFall in the 4-Year-Old Championship. Sitting in fourth place after dressage, the pair tackled a course that Jen called both tough and fun with ease. Known as Jake around the barn, the chestnut gelding simply ate up the track.
There were several jumps on the 4-year-old course that would have been suitable for a Training course. Considering that Jake’s one prior outing was at Beginner Novice, I’d say he’s on track for superstardom. Judith McSwain’s Fleeceworks Royal finished second with Tamra Smith aboard. Erin Kellherhouse finished third on Jill Jaeger’s Santos.
In the 5-Year-Old YEH Championship, Sara Mittleider’s Code Name was crowned champion, with Sunsprite Syrius second and Ringwood Justice third. Sunsprite Syrius was ridden by Tamra Smith and Ringwood Justice by Derek di Grazia.
I’m not going to lie, I kind of want to buy a youngster now. Not only because I think the YEH program is excellent, but because that championship cooler is pretty fierce!
Would my companion be considered outside assistance?
One of the big adjustments for me at an event versus a hunter/jumper show is the way it sounds. At an event, you often know who rides with what trainer by their colors. At a hunter/jumper show, you can identify a person’s trainer by who’s yelling out instructions while they’re on course or in the hack.
The NorCal Medal Finals wrapped up a few weekends ago here in Sacramento, and Stephanie and I dropped in for a few minutes to watch because I needed a horse-show cheeseburger and to buy some hairnets. Yes, you read that right. I went to a hunter/jumper show to buy hairnets. They’re special hairnets. Don’t judge me.
Anyway, it’d been a while since I’d sat ringside and watched some rounds at a rated hunter/jumper show and an eternity since Stephanie had done the same, so after an initial once over at the tack trucks, we grabbed some chairs on the berm and watched a few rounds.
It was louder than I remembered it. We initially settled in to watch the work off for the NorCal Pony Medal Final. The kids in the work-off were being coached practically every stride of their rides. “LEG, LEG, LEG!” one trainer said as the kid cantered down the long approach to a single oxer. Another trainer alternated between yelling, “taller,” “contain the energy!” and “waitwithyerbody.”
It was really distracting. We watched the awards ceremony and then popped over to the jumper ring. Thankfully, the jumper ring was quieter, but still every few rides you’d have a trainer coaching a client every stride of the ride.
It was jarring, having been away from the rated hunter/jumper scene for a while now. I found myself trying to remember how much of that ring-side coaching actually benefited me. I really can’t remember any specific last-second shout outs from across the arena while I was on course that created the make-or-break bit of instruction that dramatically changed the outcome of my round, and I doubt that’s just the haze of years clouding my memory.
When I’m at an event cheering for Team DF riders on cross-country day, I can be obnoxiously loud, but I’m particularly careful just to make vague vocalizations of “woot” or “yeah!” This stems from a fear of being called on outside assistance. I remember at one of my first events, my friend Kali got a stern tongue lashing from a jump judge for yelling “GO RACHEL!” as Rachel went cantering by on approach to a log.
While the phrase was intended as one of enthusiasm and support, the jump judge must have assumed that “GO RACHEL!” was some sort of imperative command, as though Rachel had forgotten that forward movement was likely a key element in making it to and over the next jump.
In looking at it now, I’ve grown fond of the lack of ringside yelling. Now, I go in to the ring or out on the course with a plan, and I do my best to not have a total Onion-Burrito moment. I can focus on the moment and not wonder if I missed some bit of instruction on the wind. I have to do it on my own anyway.
When I’m done, it’s all about the post-trip analysis and getting ready for the next thing on my to-do list. I learn more and I feel like my trainer can actually watch me with a clearer mind instead of just calling out words that I can’t really hear and that ultimately won’t make much of a difference anyway.
Just as everyone has diverse taste in music, riders have different taste in pump-up music. Start Box Jams plays homage to the songs that give us the courage to tackle cross country. Do you have some favorite start box jams you’d like to share with EN? Email me at [email protected]
The start box!
Sometimes when I’m getting myself in the headspace to leave the start box or to tackle a particularly demanding exercise in a lesson, I remind myself that in my mind I am 17 and fearless. I was 17 in 1997, which seems as good a reason as any to share some awesome late-90s jams with you.
This song is pure alterna-pop garbage and I love it. Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life” is one of those songs that I am incapable of listening to without singing along. It also has a magical power of improving my mood, no matter what’s going on around me.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I listened to too much techno in the late 90s as well. The Chemical Brothers are still a guilty pleasure of mine, especially “Block Rockin’ Beats.”
When I say that I listened to a lot of techno, I mean that I listened to a lot of techno. I listened to The Prodigy’s “Firestarter” on a loop for probably close to a month straight. I would apologize to my parents for that, but it’s still an awesome song, and I’m really not sorry.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice at Pau. Hawley comes home to six rides at Galway. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Happy Monday, EN. While all eyes have been on Pau, the West Coast has been preparing for Galway! Team DF is taking a fleet of horses down and starts the trip south this morning. A few of our riders are moving up and there has been a serious excitement buzzing around the barn all week. I am sadly stuck working, so to torture myself, I took a peek at the entries. What I found amazed me. Hawley Bennett-Awad has something like six horses competing this weekend at Galway, and that’s after finishing 16th at Pau. Seriously, Wonder Woman is probably penning an email to Hawley asking for her secrets of endless energy.
What would you do if you had to face high levels of radiation to care for your horses? That’s the exact question that Tokue Hosokawa was faced with after the March 2011 Tsunami hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This is dedication. [The Guardian]
The Washington International Horse Show wrapped up this past week. Historically it’s been a great place for celebrity spotting as some noteable celebrities have children who ride, but surprisingly few sightings this year. [Washington Post]
Therapeutic riding programs do amazing work. It takes a very special horse to do therapy work and a large number of dedicated volunteers. It always puts a smile on my face to see therapeutic riding programs get some recognition in their local press. [Courier Post Online]
High scores and big money were being thrown about at the 2013 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing in Verden, Germany. Nineteen Hanoverian Stallions were given the premium designation and Danish Blue Hors Stud paid more than a million Euros for two stallions. I like that the stallions are secure enough in their masculinity that they can wear fancy Miss America style sashes and not freak out. [Euro Dressage]
There are times when I’m frustrated with people that I wish I could put them on a lunge line and make them run in circles for a bit, then tie them short to “the thinkin’ post” and let them sort out their issues on their own. Some folks from the Natural Horsemanship camp are pushing their brand of training as effective with human interaction as well. [My San Antonio]
In case you missed it, Carla over at HorseNation dives in to our collective psyche and explores why we all love the trainwreck more commonly known as Craigslist. Whether it’s schadenfreude or simple rubbernecking, we’re all guilty of it once in a while. [HorseNation.com]
I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm addicted to tack-swaps.
With Halloween fast approaching, that can mean only one thing–time for fall tack-swaps! Fall is the perfect time to clean out your tack room to make room for all of that new stuff you’ll pick up at the holidays (and at the tack-swap).
In all reality, tack-swaps are a loosely coordinated effort by horse-people to move items between tack-rooms. There is no significant “downsizing.” Even if you take things to a tack-swap as a seller, odds are you’ll come home with something new-to-you. Tack is like Energy. The law of conservation of tack states that the total amount of tack you have in your life can not change. It simply changes form, sometimes becoming “potential tack,” in the form of money or room for more tack. I love tack-swaps. I’ve been known to drive two hours for a tack-swap.
Two years ago, Kalli brought me in to the Tack-Swap Collaborative. Believe it or not, I wasn’t big on tack-swaps prior to my indoctrination. My first tack-swap experience was an eye opener and an addictive rush. One early spring afternoon, Kalli mentioned off-handedly that one of our area’s local tack-swaps was coming up and that a few folks from the barn were planning on going. I said I’d tag-along because I was in need of something (I think I may have been saddle shopping at the time?) and was completely caught off guard when she said that we’d be meeting at the tack-swap at horse-show o’clock. I gave her a skeptical look and said I’d be there by horse-show-thirty. She smiled a knowing smile and said that she’d save a spot in line for me.
The day of the tack-swap, I showed up at the site just before horse-show-thirty and was boggled by the sheer number of cars in the parking lot as well as the MASSIVE LINE forming outside the small red clubhouse. True to her word, Kalli had saved a spot for me and was going over the battle-plan. I took in the scene, overwhelmed by the number of people in line, while assignments were doled out. Rachel would go thru the breeches, Candice would check out hunt-coats and tall-boots, Kalli would hit up bits and I would simply try not to get overwhelmed or crushed by the growing mob. We all collectively agreed to keep an eye out for things like Tipperary vests, big yellow watches and other Very-Nice-Things. We would collect anything we found and meet in a corner of the clubhouse to see if anyone in our group wanted them.
I peered in the window at the riches that awaited. This was going to be intense. When the doors opened we were propelled in to the clubhouse by the wave of tack-swappers behind us.I was swept away from my friends rather quickly and into the whirling chaos of the tack-swap. Somehow we managed to meet-up and share what we’d found from our assigned “stations.” It was like Black-Friday inside of a tack room. At the end of the day, I emerged from the clubhouse with a Hawaiian-print stretchy hood, a pair of rust breeches and a new found addiction.
Fortunately, in the Sacramento area this addiction is easy to feed. We have a few significant tack-swaps a year–one of which is coming up very soon. The Collaborative is already in deep discussion to determine our numbers, strategy as well as preparing a master list of sizes and wants of Collaborative-members who aren’t able to attend.
Here’s to hoping that I’ll find that elusive trunk-of-rust-breeches.
Whatever he wants since he's sitting 1, 2 and 3 at Pau!
Bonjour, EN! Aujourd’hui est le dernier jour de Pau! I’m pretty amazed that I remembered how to spell “aujourd’hui,” but not nearly as amazed as I am at William Fox-Pitt’s relentless domination of Pau. WFP goes in to Stadium today sitting in ALL THREE top spots. Seriously, first, second and third. How do you even do something like that? Team USA has put in some spectacular rides, but it’s going to be a challenge to to catch WFP. Jenni and Kate will continue to bring you coverage from Pau. Bon Chance!
Daniel Clasing is currently scheduling clinics for the fall and winter. If you are interested in participating in or hosting a clinic with a skilled 4-star rider, you can email Daniel at [email protected] or call him at 410-456-6635. [Daniel Clasing Eventing]
Sunday Video: I have it on good authority that this was (not) WFP’s secret pre-Pau Training program. (Warning: one or two naughty words, if you have sensitive ears!)
ERS-Eventing.com provides riders with an interactive online portal that showcases product information, demonstrations, tutorials and reviews from fellow competitors and top international riders.
I should have taken a picture with the chocolate-milk colored suds.
Everyone loves the clean feeling of new socks. Thick and fluffy, straight out of the bag and on to your feet. Quite possibly the only thing more joyful than new socks is a brand new saddle pad. Or maybe new polo wraps. Or new coolers, new winter blankets, new quarter sheets… Whatever your equine-clothing vice is, you will eventually need to wash it. I struggle to stay on top of my own laundry, so admittedly my pony’s laundry doesn’t get done as frequently as I know it should. Ideally, we would all be able to wash horse-laundry everyday but there are some significant logistical concerns when it comes to laundry.
Access – Not every barn has a laundry room. If you are lucky enough to have one at your barn you may find yourself lulled in to the “I can do it later,” mind trap due to the theoretical ease of doing your pony laundry. Of course “later” either never comes or comes at the exact same time that it does for everyone at the barn.
Quantity – Horse laundry is often awkwardly shaped and a challenge to fit in to a the washer. Especially if you are a dedicated “single load” kind of person like I am. Anyone who has watched me cram five saddle pads, two 70″ stable sheets and a 3′ tall pile of polo wraps in to a front loading washer will tell you that determination and shoving can only go so far. Swearing helps, but even the use of the most potent and arcane magic words can’t reduce the size of a tangled polo wrap monster.
Detritus – horse laundry leaves behind its own strange bits of ephemera. Small wilted chunks of carrot, folded dressage tests, farrier receipts and horse hair are all things I have found in my washer or dryer after my barn clothes have been sent through. With pony laundry you’re going to end up with a LOT of horse hair in your washer and dryer. If you share your washing machine with other people, especially non-horsey people, this can become a prickly point very quickly.
There are no optimal solutions to the pony-laundry situation but there is an acceptable one, if you can pull it off: The Laundromat. The Laundromat typically has multiple over-sized washers to handle the sizable loads I often bring from the barn. Many are open 24 hours and can often provide some great people-watching entertainment.
The big catch when it comes to the laundromat is that it is incredibly easy to get yourself banned for life. I have been banned from a few different laundromats and shown the door upon arrival at others. Over the last few years I’ve fine tuned a system to prevent the embarrassment of being banned. I’m not going to say it’s flawless, but it’s been working for me for a while.
First, stake out the proposed location. See what times it tends to be busy, find out how many of the oversized washers they have and how many quarters they take. Determine if the laundromat has someone on-site at all times to oversee the facility, or if it’s a more laissez-faire sort of place. If you just show up with a big ol’ basket of stinky saddle pads you may run in to a stern-faced owner who casts you back out with the power of his dubious glare. Staking it out ahead of time will reduce the likelihood of this sort of occurrence.
Second, don’t show up in your barn-clothes. It may seem silly to stop at home to change between the barn and the laundromat, but in some areas your clothes can be a dead-give away as to what you’re about to wash. If you’re covered in barn grime, it’s going to be really obvious that washer spinning the chocolate-milk colored suds belongs to you. However, if you are dressed for the outside word it’s less likely that anyone will make a big deal out of it.
Third, go with friends. Sometimes the people watching isn’t so good and the laundromat gets boring. Meet some friends there who also need to do pony-laundry (power in numbers) and have a silly evening. Have someone pick up burritos from Chipotle and spend some time gossiping or filling out entry forms for your next event.
Finally and most importantly, be a good laundromat-user. Don’t bring in mud- or poo-caked winter blankets. Send winter blankets out to professional horse-laundry folks. When you wash saddle pads and polo-wraps rake out as much hair as you can before putting them in the wash. Even if you rake for hours know that you will leave behind horse hair and other bits of yuck in the washer and dryer. While we may be cool with it, the general population is not. Be sure to bring enough money to run an empty load in the washers you use and wipe out the dryers. By taking the extra time to do these things, you’ll prevent the dreaded appearance of “NO HORSE LAUNDRY” signs.
Fair Hill CCI2* winner Allie Blyskal and Sparrow's Nio. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Happy Monday, EN! If you missed the Fair Hill coverage this weekend, spoiler alert: Lots of smiles and triumphant fist pumping were on display. Allie Blyskal-Sacksen and Sparrow’s Nio took the top honors in the CCI2* while Jan Byyny aboard Inmidair put in a well ridden Stadium round to clinch the win in the CCI3*.
It’s a rare thing to find me thankful that it’s a Monday, but with how crazy these past few weekends have been, I’m welcoming Monday with open arms. I almost feel like going in to the office today will be a welcome slow-down. Of course, I won’t feel that way about 10 minutes after arriving and my mind will inevitably wander back to the barn and the planning of another great adventure, but we all think silly things from time to time, right?
You know how sometimes one bad kid spoils the game for everyone? Or how maybe your sibling did something naughty so mom and dad choose to punish ALL of you? Yeah, that’s what it looks like for Endurance right now. It may become a banned sport if the FEI can’t get a handle on the doping and horse welfare issues. Way to go Shiekh Mo. Way to go. [More From telegraph.co.uk]
Science will save the day, or so Jock Paget hopes. Paget’s backers have hired on a scientist to help determine what exactly may have happened. Frances Stead, founder of Clifton Eventers, stated that the FEI has yet to provide information relating to the concentration of reserpine found in the A sample which would potentially provide some insight in to how the drug got there. [More from horsetalk.co.nz]
A second horse has been found slaughtered in Loxahatchee, Fla. Animal Care and Control has yet to make an arrest in either case and has no indication as to why the horses were slaughtered. Authorities suspect it was either for personal consumption or black market sales. As much as I’d like to see the WEG’s return to the US, I think I might vote for Kentucky instead. [More from palmbeachpost.com]
Seriously, 3D printers are awesome. Check out these sweet titanium horse shoes made by a 3D printer. Lighter than aluminum and they’re purple! I’m going to overlook the fact that they cost about $600, because… well, science! [More from mashable.com]
In case you missed the news yesterday, Shannon Lilley has organized an online auction to benefit Amy Barrington. Tons of great items have been donated by various sponsors, including SmartPak, Bit of Britain, CWD, Professional’s Choice and others. All of the proceeds will go towards Amy’s recovery. [Details on EN] [Auction Items]
Farriers are very often under appreciated. When you find a good and reliable farrier, you do what you can to keep them happy. Coffee, donuts and a clean work-space can go a long way. From HorseNation- Five Things Your Farrier Wishes You Knew. [From HorseNation]
Finally, remember how I said that there ain’t no party like a West Coast Eventer Party? I might be wrong. This is not horse related at all, but too weird not to share. Apparently a French backpacker in Western Australia was arrested after her boyfriend was seen riding on the hood of their car dressed in a dinosaur costume, wearing a snorkel and smoking a cigarette. Sounds like my kind of party. [More from stuff.co.nz]
Monday Video: There’s a reason “pony” is a four letter word. Nothing does naughty like a pony.
A new-to-horses parent asked me yesterday if the show-season slows down as winter inches closer and closer. I couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity of the question. I shook my head and told her no, that there were still a few competitions left and that this weekend in particular happened to be quite busy with competitions all over the place. She screwed up her face and said “Weren’t there a bunch of shows last weekend and the weekend before? Don’t you guys ever sleep?” To which I responded, “That’s what the 10 minute box is for.”
Sunday Video: Some of the top contenders in this year’s Breeder’s Cup Classic ran together last year. Care to see who came out on top?
ERS-Eventing.com provides riders with an interactive online portal that showcases product information, demonstrations, tutorials and reviews from fellow competitors and top international riders.
Several weeks back, I set out to better myself as a rider and horsewoman by sitting down with some reading material. At present, I’ve got a long list that seems daunting, but once winter comes, I will undoubtedly mow through it like an escaped pony in the grain room.
Work has been an absolute mad house, but I finally found time to finish Denny Emerson’s “How Good Riders Get Good” a few days ago. I was especially interested in this book, as in addition to Denny’s eventing expertise, he also is quite knowledgeable about Morgans, another area that I’ve been known to dabble in every once in a while. The writing is straightforward and no-nonsense, which makes for a breezy and enjoyable read.
Denny does a great job of telling honest truths about the kinds of questions that a person needs to ask if he or she well and truly wants to make it to the top of the sport. I’ll be honest, though, I felt like I was well acquainted with a lot of these concepts already. I do catch Denny’s posts on Facebook from time to time, and many of the concepts from the book are echoed in Denny’s posts.
I also suspect that at least part of my “already acquainted with this” feeling stems from the distinct possibility that I’m not really the target audience at this point in my life, as I have no aspirations to make it to the big leagues or to be a professional. Even so, it did give me enough of a push to get back on track towars goals that I’ve set for myself. Who can’t use that every once in a while?
This is a book that I will absolutely be handing to any of the starry eyed kids I know when they begin to approach the point where they need to start having answers to the questions and life choices Denny discusses. I’m also contemplating if it would be a tactful thing to hand the book to a friend who has the utterly wrong horse for her goals, as Denny addresses the importance of having the right horse to meet your goals in as tactful of a manner as anyone ever could.
I was also pleasantly surprised that “How Good Riders Get Good” included a suggested reading list, which has helped me narrow down the options for the next book on my quest. Onward to the next book, assuming I can make a decision. As always, please leave the titles of your favorite horse books in the comments below.
Congratulations to Lizzie brown and Henton Attorney General for their win at Boekelo. As predicted Show Jumping was a huge shake-up, clear rounds were handsomely rewarded with major moves up the leaderboard. Peter Thomsen and Horseware’s Barny finished second, Mark Todd and Leonidas II third. I must confess that when I sat down to check the final results yesterday afternoon, I was thrilled to see Kenki Sato and Chippieh had finished fourth. I’ve been quite fond of the pair since the London Olympics. With Boekelo a wrap, we’re on to Pau! Allonz-y!
Kansas Horse Council and KSU College of Veterinary Medicine hosting their Second Annual Horse Care 101 Educational Seminar on November 9th, at KSU Veterinarian School. Registration is available online. [KHC Equine Clinic: Horse Care 101]
A horse in the Pasco area of Washington state with West Nile virus has been euthanized. The horse had not been vaccinated against WNV. This horse was Washington state’s second case this year. The previous case in Washington was in Yakima County. [Horse With WNV Euthanized]
The federal government’s shutdown has postponed the annual Chincoteague pony round-up. The ponies are rounded up twice yearly, with the focus of the fall roundup being to deworm the herd and to check for newborns. The roundup will be rescheduled, but it is unclear when that will be. [Roundup Postponed]
Bryce Newman scored the win in the CIC3* at Taupo over the weekend. This win puts Bryce in to an early lead in the ESNZ Eventing Super League aboard Bates Trademark. Dannie Lodder of Auckland finished second on Moochi. [More from Horsetalk.co.nz]
Are you a fan of Michael Jung’s Grafenstolz? I know I am! Grafenstolz has a three year old son named Future Gravitas who has just been licensed as a stallion. He carries more than 50% thoroughbred and anglo-arab blood. Plans are to have Future Gravitas available to British breeders next season. There is the possibility of him becoming available internationally as well, should there prove to be demand. [Future Gravitas Licensed by the Breeders Elite studbook]
From HorseNation – Say Cheese! 15 Horse Selfies. Everyone’s guilty of taking a selfie once in a while. A good selfie is like Dressage, hard to master and most of the time you just look ridiculous, but when it all comes together you feel like a boss. [HorseNation]
Monday Video: Lets get ready for Pau with some helmet cam action!
You can find just about anything on Craigslist. From couches to horse trailers, you can find it all as long as you’re willing to sift thru the ads. Occasionally you find some real gems. He might be a little green but this could be the horse to to take you all the way. More pictures at the link.
best horse ever. doesnt eat any food or crap on your lawn. has v8 motor built into his back with headers and 4 barrel carb. custom paint turns from green to purple. gets compliments all the time. comes with christmas outfit and halloween outfit. might trade for lexus es or corolla or avalon or prius. viewed in glen ellyn at my home at 355 woodstock ave. came from lattof chevrolet in arlington heights. part of horse festival several years back. would look great in speed shop or high performance shop. call steve cell to view at [redacted]. thanks.
Colleen Rutledge has been discharged from the hospital. Photo from Colleen Rutledge Eventing's Facebook page
Happy Sunday, EN! Colleen Rutledge, who fell at Morven Park, is recovering well after surgery and was discharged from the hospital over the weekend. She expects to be non-weight bearing for a number of weeks, but predicts that she’ll be back in the tack after the first of the year. Way to go Colleen!
Boekelo Update:
A full third of the field was eliminated during Cross Country, including overnight leaders Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon. Show Jumping should be interesting to watch as there is no way the arena will dry out before they get going today. It seriously looks like someone plopped an Event in the middle of Woodstock 94. (Seriously, do you remember how muddy that concert was?) Team USA sends two riders in to Show Jumping as unfortunately, Lauren Kieffer took a fall at fence 21.
Just as everyone has diverse taste in music, riders have different taste in pump-up music. Start-Box Jams plays homage to the songs that give us the courage to tackle cross country. Do you have some favorite start-box jams you’d like to share with EN? Email me at [email protected]
Sydney CCI3* 2012 Start Box, photo by John Lechner
This week has seemed to just drag on endlessly. I don’t know if it’s that I’ve been utterly unmotivated or that I’ve stumbled in to some sort of time warp, but the weekend seems impossibly far away. Earlier this morning, I found myself struggling to tear myself away from cozy dent I’d created on my couch and the soothing familiarity of The Price Is Right. I knew I had to take some serious action or I’d later be cursing myself for wasting the day. That’s when I peeked in to the mailbag and found some more jams to share with you.
Lisa Cheney wrote in to share Rodrigo y Gabriela’s Diablo Rojo. Rodrigo y Gabriela transform the typically soft tones of acoustic guitars in to an energetic and rich frenzy of sound. You may recognize some of their other work from the soundtracks for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and the Shrek prequel Puss In Boots. Diablo Rojo is a great track, especially if you’re about to go the box on a little red mare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUibjcu2L_s
Josh Hoos had a great suggestion as well, Linkin Park’s A Light That Never Comes. This track features Steve Aoki and touches on some themes that all eventers should find familiar. The road to success is not only what you do on course, but the journey that got you there.
For those of you looking to add something to your 550mpm playlist, Erin Kimmer shared Motörhead’s Ace Of Spades. She said her horse’s gallop rhythm matched the beat pretty well and it is a good song to help her check her pace!
Apparently, I have a lot of anxiety issues if there isn't any of this present at the back-gate.
At Woodside this past weekend I finally figured out what has always made the pre-Stadium back-gate experience feel so odd to me. For a long time I had thought it was the ride times that felt weird. In Hunter/Jumper land, there are no ride times. This means you can spend a long time waiting at the back-gate to go jump a handful of jumps. Sometimes you get stuck waiting for what feels like a decade because someone’s trainer is on the other side of the show grounds, in the other ring with some other client and it’s very rare that someone will go in to the ring without the trainer there to observe. In contrast, at the Events I’ve been to the back-gate is quite efficient and riders are generally on time. It isn’t overly crowded with people milling about in a perpetual state of waiting.
Stephanie and I had come to Woodside to cheer on Team DF and were lucky to arrive just a few minutes before Mia headed in to Stadium. She warmed up well and was called to the gate. As Mia trotted in to the ring a wave of guilt and anxiety hit me, like I’d failed to do something mission critical. I twirled my keys in my fingers to try and soothe the weird discomfort and watched as Mia put down a spectacular round – one that would have been at home in any Medal or Equitation class. As she came out of the ring, she was beaming. My anxiety passed before I was able to figure out what had sparked it.
Amanda’s trip came a short while later and as she headed in to the ring I noticed that same anxious-guilt come washing over me. She also laid down an incredible trip and left the ring all smiles. As we were walking back to our stalls I noticed another horse heading in to the ring, his mouth lined with a soft green foam. Some of the foam had blown back to land on his shoulder and his rider’s boot. I blinked at this a few times and it finally clicked in my mind what was throwing me off – the absence of “the ring-bucket.”
At a Hunter/Jumper show you’ll generally have a legion of friends, family members, grooms and barn-mates milling about at the back gate with rags, hoof polish, spare spurs, extra gloves, maybe a crop and a bottle of water. Before you head in to the ring, even if it’s for a Jumper round, your boots will get a once-over, your horse’s nose and mouth will be wiped clean and his hooves given another coat of Fiebing’s. This little ritual often happens without any request, an automatic process that is almost impossible to avoid and it is generally viewed as a high-crime to go in to the ring having skipped it.
Now, this is not to say that Eventers don’t care about appearances – because we most certainly do, helmet covers and cross country colors any one? It is more to highlight that the generally more time efficient process of posted-ride times eliminates a good portion of the stand-around-and-wait that leads to this obsessive ritual of last minute fiddling and primping.
Much like my feelings about hunter braids vs button braids, I suspect that it may take a while longer before I feel comfortable without a ring-bucket. I have to admit that I was rather thrilled when Stephanie’s Dressage test at Camelot came back with the comment ‘nice turn-out!’ as I’d been the one to braid Owen and I kind of maybe made a fuss and would not let her go in to the test without the boot-nose-hoof ritual. I love the ritual, it soothes me. It’s part of what puts me in the right frame of mind whether I’m the one heading in to the ring or there to support a friend.
Then again, hoof polish doesn’t make the trip – the planning and the preparation does. Besides, have you ever tried to get Fiebing’s out of white breeches?
I made an impulsive choice at Woodside. It was a risky decision made at the last minute that could have been a true triumph but ultimately ended in confusion and a lesson learned.
Whether you’re a competitor or simply at an event to support your barn mates, there’s so much going on that sometimes you just forget to eat. Sure you brought a bagel, fruit and some string cheese but you knew when you packed them that they’d just end up sitting in the cooler uneaten.
Just after 10AM, the wind shifts and the unmistakeable smell of greasy horse-show cheeseburger wafts through the air. It beckons like a siren who will not be denied. Before you even realize what’s happening, you find yourself floating in the direction of the food stand, ready to shell out $5, $8, $12, your first born child – whatever they want – for that piece of familiar comfort.
Seriously horse show cheeseburgers are such a thing that my husband appears to have some mathematical formula based on distance and cheeseburger availability that he uses to determine whether or not to come be bored at the horse show. He refers to one facility as “that place where I got that burger at like 8 in the morning!”
Anyway, on Saturday, I once again found myself floating in a most peculiar way through vendor alley towards the concession booth. The line was a few people deep – likely all lured by the same forces that drew me in. The idle time in the line did me in. I made the foolish mistake of looking over the menu even though I knew what I wanted. I could see people walking away cheeseburgers in hand, with more cooking on the grill.
Two lines caught my eye: “Burrito. Chicken or Beef with Lettuce, Sour Cream, Cheese and Salsa.” Without any understanding of the terrible decision I was about to make, I abandoned the original plan of sticking to the old standby, the timeless, classic horse show cheeseburger and went with a chicken burrito because, hey, why not, right? I remember turning to Stephanie and saying, “Hey, I think I’m going to get a burrito,” which was met with an ambivalent shrug. I ordered my burrito when my turn came, sans lettuce and sour cream.
As we waited our discussion turned to whether or not Stephanie needed the coat she’d tried on in the tack-truck moments before. My order came up quickly and we began wandering back to my Durango to grab some water. While we continued debating the merits of the coat, I discovered that my chicken burrito was actually more of an onion burrito. I mean technically, all of the components of the burrito I’d ordered were there -chopped onion and tomato probably count as a salsa – but it was in such a confusing ratio that I just kept eating it because it was so weird and I half expected it to change.
I think I ended up eating about a third of it before I gave up hope and pitched it. Stephanie and I stayed very busy through the rest of the day, but any time we hit a lull in the action my mind would wander back to the onion burrito. I babbled about the onion burrito so much that Stephanie and I ended up hitting Chipotle for dinner in order to get a “burrito-redo”.
In hindsight, I realized that I did the same thing with that burrito that I do in my riding on occasion. I did the food equivalent of going in to the ring with a plan, but abandoning it at the last second for no obvious reason. I basically drifted around the corner in to the line, jumped in horribly, then just let the rest of it happen and found myself dissatisfied with how it worked out. Maybe some day when I find myself tempted to stray from the plan I came up with on my course walk the memory of the onion burrito will help me stick to the plan.
