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It’s been fun following Nox Martin, Boyd and Silva Martin’s 10-year-old son, as he explores riding (and takes to it quite naturally, if we say so). This weekend, Nox and Boyd’s 4* ride, Miss Lulu Herself (owned by Bonnie Stedt), took a spin around the Cheshire Hunter Trials!

Many thanks to Amy Dragoo for capturing and sharing the moment!

Photo via the Cheshire Hunter Trials on Facebook.

U.S. Events Opening Entries Today

SAzEA Fall H.T. (AZ)

U.S. Events Closing Entries Today

Waredaca Classic Three-Day & H.T. (MD); Bouckaert Equestrian International (GA); Windermere Run H.T. (MO); Hitching Post Farm H.T. (VT)

News & Reading

It’s a big week, with both the US Equestrian Open Final as well as Military Boekelo each playing key roles on the fall CCI4*-L calendar. You can get in on the action by selecting your EquiRatings Eventing Manager — and there’s some extra on the line this week! The highest combined total of points earned from these two events will net the winner some YETI goodies like a backpack cooler. All you have to do is sign up (for free!) to play Eventing Manager here. To add to the fun, you can join the official EN league by using code PCTD.

Curious about the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP)? The USEA has instituted the ECP to help standardize coaching here in the U.S. and provide coaches with professional education and support. You can get some of your top questions about the program answered here.

We’re bidding a fond farewell to beloved equestrian author Jilly Cooper, who penned multiple classics situated within the horse world. Jilly passed away on October 5 following a fall at the age of 88. Jilly was the author of 44 books, including her first long novel, Riders, that sold over 11 million copies worldwide. She was awarded an MBE in 2004 for services to literature, and her legacy will continue to live on through her work. Read a tribute to Jilly and her storied (pun intended) career here.

At just 19 years old, Northern Ireland’s Soul-be Courtney has already crossed oceans, conquered challenges, and carved out a name for herself in the equestrian world. From teaching in Maine to chasing eventing dreams back home, her passion and determination shine in every stride. Don’t miss the story here.

Sponsor Corner: Kentucky Performance Products

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When it comes to picking hay for your horse, not all bales are created equal. The type of hay available, the maturity of the plant when it was harvested, and even the region where it was grown all play an important role in nutrition.

Different types of hay offer different benefits.
Grass hay like timothy, orchard grass, and fescue is typically higher in fiber but lower in calories per pound, and it tends to be low in essential vitamins such as vitamin E. Legume hay, like alfalfa and clover, provides more protein and calcium, is lower in starch and sugar, but is also low in vitamin E. Mixed hays will vary in nutritional value depending on the ratio of grasses to legumes.

Maturity matters.
As plants age, they produce more lignin, a fibrous component that gives the stalk strength but is indigestible to horses. Older hay with thicker stems and more seed heads will provide less energy and fewer nutrients than hay harvested earlier in its growth.

Soil plays a part.
Mineral levels in hay depend on the soil in which it’s grown, with selenium levels varying greatly across the country. Knowing what’s in your hay—and what’s missing—is key to keeping your horse healthy.

Because hay can often lack the vitamins and minerals horses need, Kentucky Performance Products created Micro-Phase—a tasty, low-calorie pellet that fills in those nutritional gaps by supplying the essential vitamins and trace minerals necessary for good health.

Learn more here.

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William Fox-Pitt on the Talk Horse podcast!

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Canadian eventers got a serious boost of inspiration this past weekend as National Team Program athletes Dana Cooke and Lindsay Traisnel hit the road to kick off Equestrian Canada’s coast-to-coast clinic series, Eventing Clinics Across the Nation.” Dana made the trip to Halifax, NS while Lindsay traveled west to Red Deer, AB, where both shared not just their knowledge but also their lived experiences rising through the levels of the sport. From coaching in the arena to sparking big-picture conversations about growth and resilience, their enthusiasm left riders, coaches, and fans alike buzzing.

The weekend also featured insightful Lunch & Learn sessions with Mad Barn, diving into the fundamentals of equine nutrition for event horses—a reminder that performance starts from the inside out. None of it would have been possible without the generous support of Alhambra Stables, Red Ridge Farm, Hobby Horse Farm, Alberta Horse Trials, Nova Scotia Horse Trials, and the PTSOs, who helped bring these opportunities to local communities.

This clinic series—powered by Canada’s National Team Program athletes and the Eventing High Performance Advisory Group—isn’t just about two days of lessons. It’s about uniting Canadian eventing from grassroots to high performance, building knowledge, and preparing the next generation. With future stops on the horizon (Mike Winter at Wesley Clover Parks Sept. 30/Oct. 1, Colleen Loach at Équilibre Horse Trials Oct. 18/19, and Jessica Phoenix at Phoenix Equestrian Dec. 6/7), it’s clear this initiative is already making a coast-to-coast impact.

You can learn more about this clinic series here.

U.S. Events Opening Entries Today

The Event at TerraNova (FL); Ram Tap H.T. and Classic Three-Day (CA)

U.S. Events Closing Entries Today

MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory (MD); Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event (KY); Ram Tap National H.T. (CA); Willow Draw Charity Show (TX)

News & Reading

There are, of course, different organizations mentioned in this piece from The Plaid Horse, but the message relates to everyone who competes: fees are here to stay, and they’re going up. US Equestrian recently sent out an update regarding increased fees for membership, horse recording and more, and when combined with association and membership fees, the bill just rises. You can read this insightful breakdown here, which may spur up some discussions of your own about the rising costs of owning and competing horses.

The 2025 USEF/USEA Developing Horse Championships are right around the corner. Now in its third year, this championship features two divisions—a CCI2*-S division for 6-year-old horses and a CCI3*-S division for 7-year-olds. This year’s championship takes place during the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials, which will run Oct. 9-12 at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA. Learn more about this pipeline program here, and stay tuned for the upcoming USEA podcast, which will dive into the topic in even more depth.

From saddlery and safety gear to apparel, grooming products, supplements, and feed, the equestrian equipment and consumer goods market is worth billions. Recent years have brought significant change, with sustainability, digital retail, and welfare-led innovation rising to the fore. This analysis from Equerry / Co explores the current state of the market, the drivers behind consumer demand, and the growth opportunities on the horizon.

Sponsor Corner: Kentucky Performance Products

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Let’s revisit the topic of gut sounds and how they can factor into your horse health monitoring. We all know that an active gut is a healthy gut, but is there a knack to knowing just how frequent you should hear gut sounds, and what they should sound like?

The abdomen is divided into four areas or quadrants: left side top and bottom, and right side top and bottom. From each quadrant, you can glean different types of information. Curious? Click here to dive deeper.

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Elisa Wallace takes us for a romp around the Stable View Oktoberfest CCI4*-S with Morven Park-bound Lissavorra Quality, owned by Donna Biggs and Rosemarie Spillane:

Photo via MidAmerica Eventing Association.

This direction sign from Heritage Park Horse Trials in Overland Park, KS was too creative not to share! On this sign, you’ll find the directions and distances of some famous events and Kansas City-area landmarks. Competitors at Heritage Park are always treated to a local flair among the show jumping and cross country fences, all in homage of Kansas City, its home football team the Chiefs, Taylor Swift and more.

U.S. Events Opening Entries Today

Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks (FL); River Glen Fall H.T. (TN); Fleur de Leap H.T. (LA); Full Moon Farm’s Fall H.T. (MD)

U.S. Events Closing Entries Today

Morven Park Fall International & H.T. (VA); Poplar Place Farm October H.T. (GA); Pine Hill Fall H.T. (TX); Redefined Equestrian H.T. (CO); The Event at Isaacks Ranch (NM)

News & Reading

We’re teaming up with Sentinel Horse Nutrition to give away a year’s worth of Sentinel Horse Feeds! This sweepstakes is accepting entries until 11:59 p.m. ET on October 6. You can full the full terms and conditions + enter for your chance to win a big break for your bank account here.

“Although training a horse always involves repetition, it has to be done in the right way at the right time for it to actually further the training.” So writes Horse Nation‘s Gwyneth McPherson in her latest column. Repetition is a skill every rider must cultivate, as it’s the best way for both horse and rider to learn. But there exists a line between repetition and drilling, and perhaps the first part of developing this skill is to recognize when you’re nearing that line. Gwyneth provides more perspective here.

If you’re in the area, you might want to pick up a ticket for an Ingrid Klimke Masterclass during the iconic Dressage at Devon show. This event takes place this Thursday, September 25, and there are still some tickets remaining as this publishes. Ingrid will also being doing an autograph and book signing session, and riders like 5* eventers Jennie Brannigan and Hannah Sue Hollberg, as well as Grand Prix dressage rider Silva Martin, are slated to appear as demos for this Masterclass. You can find more information and sign up here.

Sponsor Corner: Kentucky Performance Products

Digestive health is the cornerstone of a happy, healthy horse—and that’s where ProbioticWise™ shines. Available exclusively through your veterinarian, this concentrated blend of prebiotics and probiotics supports a balanced gut, aids in digestion, and helps horses bounce back when challenges arise.

From reducing diarrhea and inflammation to lowering the risk of colic and laminitis, ProbioticWise™ is designed to keep the GI tract functioning at its best. Riders across the country are calling it a “miracle” for their horses’ comfort and well-being.

➡️ Talk to your vet today about ordering ProbioticWise™ from Kentucky Performance Products and give your horse’s gut the support it deserves.

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Ride the Preliminary track at Florida Horse Park / Ocala’s Summer Horse Trials with Elisa Wallace and Rick Wallace’s/Briggs Surratt’s Booming Bodhran: