I had to work yesterday, so shots like these were the only way I got to experience Black Friday Madness! Nice Boots Nikki!
Photo from Nikki Ayers' Facebook Page
This weekend will certainly be a weekend for riding-tights rather than breeches. If I even make it out to the barn, that is. We’re supposed to get a massive amount of rain which may well cause some flooded road ways and downed trees in my neck of the woods. Fortunately, should that be the case I have an amazing mountain of leftovers that must be tended to and a bunch of online wish-list making to take care of. Do you think my husband would prefer a printed list or an email?
Build a turkey, win a Tipperary T2 Helmet! In the latest of our wacky contests, we’re asking you to build a turkey from random stuff (wheelbarrows, jumps, hay, grooming tools, saddle pads) found around the barn, and send us a picture to win a Tipperary T2 Helmet. If your creation wins, so do you!! You have a week. GO! [Build A Turkey, Win a Helmet]
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Photo from Mara Whitten's Facebook page
It was certainly one of those weekends where I feel like I need to go to work to recover from it. I stayed out far too late last night at Tack Warehouse’s annual barn party for Team Dragonfire. Fortunately this week is a short week with the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and the inevitable food coma that comes with it. I’m already day dreaming about plates heaped with turkey, mashed potatoes and copious amounts of gravy. I’m also wondering exactly when I’m going to slip up like I do every year and call gravy “groovy.” I’m betting it’ll happen after the second glass of wine.
Central American and Caribbean Games (MEX) CCI1* [Results]
Monday News and Notes:
Thirty-two horses were killed in a barn fire in Illinois this weekend. The fire broke out late Saturday night. Fifteen of the horses were owned by Amber Bauman, who was at an awards banquet when her son noticed the fire. Five horses were able to be saved. [More from abc7chicago.com]
A Vermont man has been convicted of animal cruelty after officials found dead and emaciated horses on his property in March. He now faces up to a year in prison and a $1000 fine on each of the 17 convictions. [More from burlingtonfreepress.com]
Pennsylvania horse racing has a lot riding on Governor Elect Tom Wolf. The three racing associations in the state gave $3 billion dollars to Wolf during the final portion of his campaign in hopes that they may avoid having their funds tapped. [More from triblive.com]
A 24-year-old Utah man was crushed while herding cows earlier this month when his horse collapsed and rolled on top of him. The weight of the horse collapsed his lungs and left him with a serious brain injury that he ultimately succumbed to over the weekend. His family is seeking donations to help his wife with medical, funeral and living expenses. [More from standard.net]
Have you ever wondered what goes in to the management of the wild pony herds in South Carolina? The wild ponies have been on Little Horse island since the 1950s. They have survived in the face of limited food sources, inbreeding and encroaching development. [More from islandpacket.com]
Thea Cross of Nebraska is attempting to raise $10,000 to help a horse with a prosthetic leg. The OTTB suffered an accident in 2012 when her leg was caught in a culvert which sliced through her bone at the fetlock joint. Medical attention was provided and the hoof ultimately amputated. The horse had a prosthetic boot fitted at that time, but it no longer fits well. [More from siouxcityjournal.com]
Old friends back together again! Photo from Lauren Sutkus' Facebook page
For a time, I taught riding lessons at a barn that was very much oriented towards beginners. While I was there, I made a lot of friends. Most of the riders who were there when I was have moved on to other barns or, in the case of many of the teenagers, have gone on to college. I still see a few of them at events from time to time but mostly keep up with their lives via Facebook. I’ve had some excellent smiles this past week as many of them have come home for Thanksgiving. Seeing smiling faces with horses they’ve clearly missed during the school year has made me nearly as happy as they are.
Happy weekend, EN! Dana wrote in to let us know about some excitement happening at the Jumping Branch Schooling Horse Trials in Aiken. Organized by property-owner Julie Zapapas, JBF is really a fall destination event for much of the community, offering divisions from Tadpole up through Preliminary. The welcome mat has already been rolled out for the expected 140 competitors tomorrow, and the weather (with apologies to our friends in Buffalo) looks to be just perfect with sunshine and an expected high of about 60F.
Marta Tabatabai aboard her own Court Jester, one of the few double clears in Senior Training at FCHP this past weekend. Photo from Marta's Facebook
All I have to say is WOW. What an interesting weekend. I normally associate the last event of the season with plenty of double clears, some happy move ups, and the occasional first show out for some young kids or newer competitors. Training level and below at Fresno County Horse Park this weekend was described with a number of colorful terms by a number of people.
I overheard one mom remark to another: “There usually isn’t this much … carnage.” At my hotel, I had a conversation with one parent and her daughter who was competing Beginner Novice. The three riders who set out before her daughter on Saturday all had stops or fell on cross country. I’m wondering if it’s just end of season exhaustion or the afternoon light that was to blame; the courses weren’t that different from last month’s. Wild times.
World Horse Welfare and British charity Retraining of Racehorses are banding together to evaluate a pilot program that would allow the charity to retrain race horses at WHW’s Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Center. The intent is to hopefully develop the program further and expand out to four other facilities. [More from thehorse.com]
One of the most famous horses of late is “Joey,” the mechanical puppet-horse from War Horse. When the play was taken to the silver screen, 14 different horses took their turn at playing Joey. Even though we’ve been able to enjoy the film for a while now on cable, it’s finally airing on the BBC for our friends in the UK. [More from radio times.com]
A California horse rescue is in trouble with the county regarding the care of their charges. High Sierra Wild Horse Sanctuary has been in operation for 14 years and currently is home to 66 horse. Recently local animal services has contacted the rescue with concerns about six complaints regarding horses who had no access to shade. [More from bakersfieldnow.com]
It’s a sad thing when any horse dies unexpectedly. Scooter, a horse from North Carolina, has died under mysterious circumstances. The horse went though a 4-foot pasture fence, went underneath a deck and ultimately collapsed in a dog run where he died. His owners think that someone may have shot at him. [More from newsobserver.com]
Hold on to your manure pile, folks; it could be medically valuable. Antimicrobial resistant bacteria is a threat that the World Health Organization and the CDC have been keeping an eye on for some time. Researchers in Switzerland and Germany have discovered that mushrooms that often grow out of horse poo may be the key to tackling this issue. [More from medcitynews.com]
Horses being transported illegally for slaughter isn’t just an American problem. Princess Anne is demanding that something is done about the illegal export of live horses from Britain to slaughterhouses in Europe. Dealers are getting around the ban by claiming the horses are being sent over as pets, work or riding horses. [More from dailymail.co.uk]
Monday Video: Let’s not go to work today; let’s stay inside and clean more tack.
Course walkers, John Robertson and California Poppy. Photo from Tayside Sporthorses on Facebook.
Saturday was an interesting day at Fresno County Horse Park. I don’t know if it is just the end of the season or lots of green horses and less experienced riders, or maybe some sort of full moon bringing chaos and havoc. I think I saw more stops and tumbles than I ever have at a single event. It will be interesting to see how today pans out. I think I might need a ton of coffee to get through the morning.
So what if it isn't the right day for a TBT - Fog and grey skies remind me of the 90's. Photo from Stephanie Nicora's Instagram
The weather in Northern California has finally started to turn. Growing up in the Monterey Bay area, the skies were always grey and the temperature always perfect. That grey has made it’s way out from the coast and northward, bringing me thick blankets of morning fog. Even though it will be an annoyance and danger to drive in this morning, I’m happy to see it. Nothing makes me more nostalgic than fog. With coffee in hand and late 90’s mp3s to keep me company, I’ll find myself cruising down two roads: Memory Lane and the highway that takes me onward to new adventures with old friends.
Best wishes to Buck and Andrea! Photo from Lainey Ashker's Facebook page
It isn’t quite time for the winter migration to Florida, but you’ll find a lot of eventers in the south east this weekend. Why? Because Buck and Andrea tied the knot yesterday! Hooray for weddings! I don’t normally gush or get “girly” over weddings, but seriously this one has me ooh’ing over all of the pictures popping up on Facebook and Instagram. Seriously, how awesome is that saddle? Too cute! Best wishes for a bright and happy future to Buck and Andrea!
The 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off to benefit Area II Young Riders is coming to the Oldwick Firehouse in NJ! Fabulous cash prizes, tasty food and good times galore! Contact Meg Kep for additional details [email protected]
Shamwari 4 hams for the camera. Photo via the USEF Eventing High Performance Facebook page.
Time for a PSA because I did a bad bad thing, EN. Last night, I ruined my barn winter boots. We’ve all done it. You arrive home and just want out of the big ol’ clod hoppers that have been keeping your toes toasty. You know the move. The one where you roll your ankle to the outside and stand on the heel of your boot with the other foot and pull? Yeah, that one. Somehow, this time I didn’t point my toe enough or maybe my boots were just sick and tired of the abuse, but they tore. Oh dear me did they ever tear! They tore right at the heel where foot part connects to the shaft. Thankfully, it isn’t all that muddy out so I’ve got some time to replace my boots! Don’t be like me kids. Treat your boots with love.
The 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off to benefit Area II Young Riders is coming to the Oldwick Firehouse in NJ! Fabulous cash prizes, tasty food and good times galore! Contact Meg Kep for additional details [email protected]
Team DF Riders Amanda Blake, Caroline Dein and Stephanie Nicora
One of the things I love most about eventing is that we’re all family. It doesn’t matter what barn you ride with or how far apart you live. We’re all tied together through the love of the horse and this goofy sport. We see one another sometimes at our worst, but more often at our best. It’s funny that something non-horse people likely think of as a “weekend activity” has such a profound influence on who we are. While I’m bummed that the FEI season in North America has come to an end it’s starting to be time for barn-parties and other end of year activities – more opportunities for us to see one another at our best, or at least our most festive.
Galway Downs International and H.T. [Website] [Scores]
Monday News and Notes:
Trick or treat! Did you dress your horse up for Halloween? If so, Cavalor wants to see! Post a photo on the Cavalor North America Facebook page for your chance to win a box of Cavalor treats. Contest ends on Tuesday November 4. [Cavalor FB]
In addition to eventing, I also play on the Morgan circuit from time to time and have a few friends who are devotees of the breed. This has made the Beth Hoskins cruelty case show up on my radar from time to time. It’s been an interesting saga that has taken some twists and turns that include a Youtube Video of Hoskins singing Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down’ in a theater partially owned by her lawyer. What? Yes, you read that correctly. Most recently Hoskins was found to have violated orders from her neglect case and has been ruled in contempt of court. [More from buffalonews.com]
The end of the show season and Halloween are usually my two joint reminders that it’s time for fall shots. Folks in Texas may want to get vaccinations handled sooner rather than later as a horse has tested positive for Equine Encephalitis in Smith County. Encephalitis is spread via mosquitos and while the area has been sprayed for mosquitos, authorities are still urging concerned horse owners to contact their vets. [More from kltv.com]
Speaking of vaccinations, researchers are attempting to establish an international norm by evaluating the effectiveness of three different vaccination schedules. The research was based around equine influenza and showed some interesting results in the three test groups. [More from thehorse.com]
I feel very lucky to have UC Davis less than an hour’s drive from my barn. Not only is it a top-rate surgical facility, but they’ve now launched an equine ophthalmology service. The service was launched in response to increased demand for specialist consultations on equine eye cases. Horses with eye problems will be seen by Mary Lassaline, DVM, PhD, MA, Dipl. ACVO. [More from thehorse.com]
Getting back in the saddle after a break is hard enough after a few days back. After having children, many women leave the sport behind due to time constraints. Zara Phillips is working on getting back to the top of the game in hopes of representing Britain in Rio. [More from cnn.com]
So, remember how the poor North American finishes at the WEGs has made our Olympic selections a mess with a show-down to be expected at the Pan Ams? A similar scene is playing out on the racing circuit with regards to the Horse of the Year awards due to a debatable call at the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Bayern, the horse who would ultimately go on to win the race, broke left at the start and potentially bumped or herded six horses between him and the rail. Very often, a start like that would have resulted in Bayern’s disqualification. However, after eight minutes of reviewing the tapes stewards let the win stand – but was that the right call? [More from dailynews.com]
Monday Video: One 4* event remains this year – Adelaide. Lets take a peek at the action from last year!
Did you remember to “Fall Back” last night, EN? Today marks the end of Daylight Saving Time, or as I like to call it Erin’s Least Favorite Day Of The Year. Don’t get me wrong, I love sleeping in, but it’s a bum trade. It’s like trading the king-sized Snickers bar and all of the Skittles you got trick-or-treating for a pack of mostly crushed Necco Wafers and an Abba Zabba. Lazy afternoons and evenings at the barn with the daylight stretching out for hours have come to an end for the year and now the reality of rushing to sneak a ride in before the last rays of light fade is settling in. Time to go cheer myself by buying some new winter riding boots and another quarter-sheet!
Bit Checker Extraordinare Ryan Hall rocking her Wonder Woman onsie at Galway Downs!
Good Morning, EN! It’s one of my favorite days of the year Half Off Candy Day! The Halloween spirit was in full effect at Galway Downs yesterday where riders had the honor of having their bits checked by Wonder Woman, aka Ryan Hall! She spent the ENTIRE day rocking her Wonder Woman onsie and checking bits. We can’t do the crazy things we do without volunteers and it makes it even better when they’re obviously having fun too.
Frankie Thieriot and Chatwin. Photo courtesy of Sherry Stewart.
With the season coming to a close we’re starting to get exciting information about the 2014 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention. The convention takes place December 3rd thru 7th at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. Frankie Theiriot is one of the speakers scheduled to present at the convention and will be focusing on securing and maintaining relationships between riders and sponsors. In addition to that, a mountain of vendors are already on the list. I might just have to air-mail myself to Texas to do a little shopping!
We love our volunteers! Let’s face it, without the volunteers at each and every event, our sport would be nothing. So we want to hear your stories! Are you a long-time volunteer at your favorite event? Did you recently have a great experience with a volunteer? Do you just want to say thank you? Send us a quick story and we’ll post it in our new Volunteer Appreciation series! Email [email protected] with your tips.
Do you find trot sets mind numbingly boring and maybe even exhausting? Is it pure agony to drag yourself out on to the track for what feels like mindless conditioning work? Is music the only way you can force yourself to go around again and again and again? You may have stumbled upon a phenomenon science has set out to investigate further. [More from nytimes.com]
There’s a new sheriff in town. Hoosier the Percheron is the latest member of the Detroit Police Department. He’s spent several weeks getting to know the job and will be part of a five horse unit used to patrol neighborhoods and large public events. [More from jconline.com]
Seriously, when I grow up, I want to join the Century Club. Riding really is a life long pursuit and it’s an amazing thing to see people who are still out there actively competing in to their seventies. There are less than 180 members of the Century Club nationally, so it makes it a pretty elite group. This weekend it admitted another member to it’s ranks, 74 year old Mimi Leggett aboard her 30 year old horse Reynolds Aluminum. She has owned the horse since he was two years old. [More from ocala.com]
Outer space smells like horse pee. No, seriously. This doesn’t have a whole lot to do with horses, but apparently Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was “smelled” by sensors on the Rosetta spacecraft and one of the odors it found was that of ammonia. Perhaps my childhood wish for a real-life My Little Pony planet is possible after all! [More from rt.com]
George Morris is awesome. Over the weekend the International Arena at Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina was dedicated to him. 2004 gold and silver medalist Chris Kappler was on hand to make the ring’s dedication. [More from horsetalk.co.nz]
Joseph Murphy and Electric Cruise at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
An exciting conclusion to the action at Pau should be expected this morning. The final jog takes place at 3:10am Eastern (12:10am Pacific) with riders heading to the ring for show jumping at about 8:30 Eastern (5:30 Pacific). Yesterday morning’s cross-country action was very influential with several riders making big jumps up the leaderboard. Joseph Murphy of Ireland was the only rider to finish the track inside the time. With three North American riders in the top ten it could be a day for some serious celebration.
We love our volunteers! Let’s face it, without the volunteers at each and every event, our sport would be nothing. So we want to hear your stories! Are you a long-time volunteer at your favorite event? Did you recently have a great experience with a volunteer? Do you just want to say thank you? Send us a quick story and we’ll post it in our new Volunteer Appreciation series! Email [email protected] with your tips.
It's almost time for audiobooks and quarter sheets!
Today will be an early day of watching the live stream from Pau and then out in to the world to soak up every minute of available light. I’m going to pretend that it’s still the middle of the summer and not the time of year where I find myself inappropriately quoting Dylan Thomas as I rage against the dying of the light. As much as I love clipping, quarter sheets, blankets, late night ghost stories, moonlit Dressage courts and audiobooks, the gradual slide towards winter and the holidays is bearing down with undeniable force this year. I keep checking the times for sunrise and sunset with the same obsessive frequency that consumes me when I want to see if my entries were accepted. The weather in California is too beautiful to accept the reality of dark-by-five that I’ll be wailing about in just over a week’s time.
We love our volunteers! Let’s face it, without the volunteers at each and every event, our sport would be nothing. So we want to hear your stories! Are you a long-time volunteer at your favorite event? Did you recently have a great experience with a volunteer? Do you just want to say thank you? Send us a quick story and we’ll post it in our new Volunteer Appreciation series! Email [email protected] with your tips.
Jennie wins! Photo via Jennie Brannigan's Facebook Page
It’s hard to believe that the season is almost over! With Fair Hill a wrap, it’s time to start heading west for Galway. Just ten days away, Galway is sure to bring awesome weather and intense competition. Many of the usual west coast suspects are entered in the CCI3*. However, most everyone is buzzing like fangirls that Boyd and Trading Aces are making the trip west. I’ve already overheard several conversations about how to best get a photo with Boyd. Perhaps we’ll have to have a contest! Better go get Chinch’s approval.
Equine therapies are being used with more and more frequency, especially when it comes to veterans. BINA Farm Center currently hosts a program for several female veterans, all of whom are are dealing with physical or emotional challenges. [More from bostonglobe.com]
Another one of the Chicago area horse-statues honoring fallen police officers has been found damaged. It was found broken in to several pieces. It is at least the third found to be damaged by vandalism since the art project was installed. [More from chicagotribune.com]
A horse farm may lose it’s claim to an agricultural tax break. Attorneys for the town of Huntington are suggesting that the farm is a hobby. The farm has met the $10k minimum gross sales on a two-year basis which satisfies state and local requirements for agriculture. If the farm’s tax status changes it could be some significant costs. [More from newsday.com]
Braiders are a unique breed of horse person. Braiders handle a time consuming job that allow many of us to sleep in as well as often serve as an impromptu night watch. Braiding at an event is complicated enough, but can you imagine braiding at a month long show like AQHA Congress? [More from dispatch.com]
What is wrong with people? A teenager was arrested for having… inappropriate liasons with a stuffed horse at Walmart. [More from tmz.com]
The Tennessee Walking Horse show at the North Carolina State Fair is facing protests from national and local horse advocates. The groups are pressuring the fair to cancel the events and encouraging a boycott of the State Fair during show days. [More from newsobserver.com]
Monday Video: Not only is she a 3* Winner, but she’s a mean bull-rider too!
Hey there EN, what’s shakin’? I don’t know about you, but my last couple of weeks have been filled with crazy ups and downs. I got a promotion at my office job, which is totally awesome. This means way more money for events and horsey things I totally (don’t) need! On the downside this means that my show-season is pretty much done. Bummer. I really wanted to push for one more qualifying ride for the N3D at Rebecca but I can still go raise hell at some local one-day jumper shows. Which is exactly what I’m off to do today! There’s no reason today can’t be a great day. Lets choose to go and make it one.
Tally Ho! You can be a sexy anything for Halloween!
Have I mentioned that I love Halloween? There’s nothing more amusing to me than an excuse to dress up and eat a bunch of candy. One year, I ended up going out in my show-clothes. We lived in a somewhat horsey-area, so many people knew what my “costume” was. However, there was one elderly man thought I was a lawyer. He told me it was the scariest costume he saw all night. Somehow, I don’t think he’d confuse the above ‘Equestrienne’ costume for a lawyer. Tally Ho indeed.
Nelson’s Hill is still in danger. Remember this article that Sally wrote about the new restrictive regulations the Board of Supervisors of Newlin Township plan to put in place? We helped turn out a record crowd at September’s board meeting, causing a disgruntled board to postpone the vote for a month. Since then, the farm owners of the township have repeatedly asked for a meeting with the board, to no avail. The board plans on voting on the restrictions again on Monday, October 13th, at 8 pm in The Lanfest Center. If you’re in town for Fair Hill and using Nelson’s Hill, please take the time to come support the farm owners! [Newlin Township Petition]
Harry Meade has had some serious ups and downs in recent history. If you followed the World Equestrian Games, you may recall that his horse Wild Lone collapsed and died after cross country. However, did you know that in August of 2013 he broke both of his elbows simultaneously? Ouch! [More from independent.co.uk]
Not all horses are meant to be ridden. Such is the case with the police horse memorial statues in Chicago. Late Friday night, a 25-year-old man was arrested and after climbing aboard a statue sponsored by the Drake Hotel. Originally, the horse had gold colored wings which appear to have been snapped off in the incident. [More from chicagotribune.com]
One of the things we all wish for is an increase in spectators at events. The downside to more spectators at events is the increased biosecurity challenges that they present. One of the biggest things we can do as owners is be mindful of the risks. But what about event organizers? [More from thehorse.com]
Do you have a thing for bling and helping horses? A jeweler in Texas is raffling off a 10-thousand dollar diamond ring in an effort to help support abused and neglected horses. [More from kiitv.com]
Wild ponies are being used to help restore a meadow in Scotland. The hope is that the ponies will graze away the taller greenery that is preventing some of the smaller flowering plants from growing well. The project is managed by a charity called Plantlife. [More from bbc.com]
Monday Video: A peek at some of the challenges presented at Pau as part of last year’s cross country course.
Team Rebecca's Veronica is on her way to Pau. Photo via USEF Eventing High Performance on Facebook
Even though we’re winding down the season, there are still some very big competitions left in 2014. Horses are heading over to Pau this week ahead of the competition there. Veronica will be joined at Pau by Universe, No Boundaries and Wundermaske. I have to admit that I was very surprised at the low number of French riders in the 4*. If you simply looked at the entry list, you would swear that Pau was taking place somewhere in the UK due to the sheer number of Brits entered in the 4*.
Nelson’s Hill is still in danger. Remember this article that Sally wrote about the new restrictive regulations the Board of Supervisors of Newlin Township plan to put in place? We helped turn out a record crowd at September’s board meeting, causing a disgruntled board to postpone the vote for a month. Since then, the farm owners of the township have repeatedly asked for a meeting with the board, to no avail. The board plans on voting on the restrictions again on Monday, October 13th, at 8 pm in The Lanfest Center. If you’re in town for Fair Hill and using Nelson’s Hill, please take the time to come support the farm owners! [Newlin Township Petition]
Hauling fences to the Pacific Indoor Eventing Series. Photo via Louis Martin on Facebook
It’s another one of those big weekends where I find myself pining not just for a trailer, but for a teleporter that can bend space and time in order to put me wherever it is that I want to be. There is way too much that I want to do this weekend. My friends who show on the Morgan circuit are kicking off Grand National today, there’s a tack-swap that some friends are going to as well as a Jumper show just around the corner from me. However, most excitingly of all, today is the first of the Pacific Indoor Eventing Series. Oh, how I wish I was going!
Nelson’s Hill is still in danger. Remember this article that Sally wrote about the new restrictive regulations the Board of Supervisors of Newlin Township plan to put in place? We helped turn out a record crowd at September’s board meeting, causing a disgruntled board to postpone the vote for a month. Since then, the farm owners of the township have repeatedly asked for a meeting with the board, to no avail. The board plans on voting on the restrictions again on Monday, October 13th, at 8 pm in The Lanfest Center. If you’re in town for Fair Hill and using Nelson’s Hill, please take the time to come support the farm owners! [Newlin Township Petition]
Who’s got two thumbs and has already started obsessively planning multiple-Halloween costumes for her pony? This girl right here! There’s something about the season that brings out the kid in me. If I’m honest it is probably all of the fun-sized candies. Now I just have to find multiple Halloween related activities to take my pony to.
Events Opening This Week:
MeadowCreek Park H.T – The Fall Social Event (TX, A-5) Full Moon Farms H.T. (MD, A-2)
Monday News and Notes:
While bowling isn’t as extreme of a sport as eventing, it’s still serious business. Area IV members have the chance to bowl with a pro! Will Coleman, Jennifer Rousseau, Cathy Jones-Forsberg, Katlyn McMorris and Leah Lang-Gluscic will each have a team. You can bid on your chance to join in on one of the teams! There will also be auction items at the event. [More information from useaiv.org]
The upcoming UC Davis 3-Day Event Team Semi-Annual Fundraising Fall Derby! It will be held at the UCD Equestrian Center on Sunday, October 26th. They are looking forward to a fun-filled day of dressage and jumping! We are hoping the dry weather holds out in order to host jumping on the beautiful field, but in case of rain, competition will move to a sand arena. This is a great opportunity to get out and try something new, move up a level, build your or your horse’s confidence, or just have some casual fun! Email Chardae at [email protected] or Emaily at [email protected] [UCD 3-Day Event Team on Facebook]
I love hearing stories of horses who come back from injury and prove that they’ve still got it. Treve, who was unbeaten last season, suffered an injury earlier this year. She finished fourth in her come-back race last month and went on to win the Arc de Triomphe this past weekend. The Arc de Triomphe is the richest turf race in the world. Better yet, this is Treve’s second time winning the race. [More from eurosport.yahoo.com]
West Nile Virus is one of the diseases I worry most about. I’m probably a little hysterical about it. (Seriously, when I come across a dead bird I’m on my phone submitting the ‘I Found A Dead Bird’ form to the state in under a minute.) A horse in Nevada is the state’s first case in two years. Authorities say that the horses vaccinations had lapsed. [More details from miamiherald.com]
Equine therapy is growing in popularity. Not only are horses used to assist autistic and emotionally troubled children, but horses are being used to help inmates. A herd of about 20 wild mustangs and burros are being taken care of by incarcerated caretakers at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center. [More from wtoc.com]
A riding school in Norway was the victim of a burglary recently. In addition to approximately $15,000 of riding equipment being stolen, five horses had their tails cut off. [More from nydailynews.com]
Monday Video: Thinking about having a skeleton horse for Halloween? Check out the work that Horses Inside Out does for some inspiration!
Your winner of the CiC 3* at Woodside this weekend, Bonner Carpenter. Photo via Tamie Smith's Facebook page
One of my favorite things about eventing is that we get awards ceremonies right. Victory gallops and awards dinners make me smile. Maybe it’s simply because it’s one ribbon for the whole weekend, but my eventing related ribbons hold more meaning for me than many of the ribbons from my hunter/jumper days. Yes, even the ones that I picked up at the office. Bonner is adding a lovely one to her collection this weekend after winning the CIC 3* at Woodside.
Another bridle malfunction?! Photo via Gina Miles' Facebook page, by Liz Hall
What a weekend! Right on the heels of the AECs we have tons of intense competition around the country. The Area VI Championships are taking place in California at Woodside Horse Park while back east we have Morven Park. It’s hard to believe the season is winding down already. It’s also hard to believe we’ve seen two bridle malfunctions in as many weeks!
I had to work yesterday, so shots like these were the only way I got to experience Black Friday Madness! Nice Boots Nikki!
Photo from Nikki Ayers' Facebook Page
