Monica Spencer and Artist. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Happy New Year from all of us at EN! 2024 certainly was a whirlwind, and we’re eager to see what 2025 has in store for us. Whether or not you’re a resolution-maker, we hope this year brings you everything you’ve worked for and more.
U.S. Weekend Preview
We’re back! The U.S. season kicks off this weekend in Aiken, and you’ll find links to events happening during the upcoming weekend here each Wednesday – Sunday in our News & Notes.
There are three movements most riders aren’t aware of that cannot be judged on talent as their proper execution is the result of correct training alone. These are exercises that riders should pay extra attention to as they are not only a gauge of the quality of your training, but also because they can be honed so that even less talented horses can received exemplary scores on them. Find out what they are here.
Take a look back on this year’s USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in Seattle, WA with the latest edition of the USEA podcast here.
Take an enlightening trip through history to see how helmets have changed over time. There was a period where safety was not as well-known and well-publicized when it came to riding, and helmet technology reflects this. See more here.
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A quick tip for doing basic stretches with your horse!
It wouldn’t be the close of an Olympic year without a way to commemorate the accomplishment of becoming an Olympian! Karl Slezak (CAN) got some new ink to mark his first Olympic appearance with Hot Bobo in Paris this past summer. No word on whether he also got a Nickelback tattoo (or if he already has one!).
The first USEA Emerging Athletes training camp is happening this week, beginning today in Ocala, Fl. These riders were hand-selected following the five USEA EA21 Regional Clinics that took place in the summer of 2024 and will spend the week immersed in an educational experience like no other with classroom sessions, hands-on learning led by industry experts, and in-the-saddle instruction facilitated by O’Connor. Click here to read more fast facts about the week ahead.
Take a look back at 2024 through the lens of stories told on The Chronicle of the Horse throughout the year. Click here to read.
Horse & Hound tackles the topic of the blood rule in competition. Is it working? Why are they in place? Do stakeholders feel the regulations are working? Take a dive into this important topic here.
Sponsor Corner: Kentucky Performance Products
Tips for Feeding Special Needs Horses in the Winter
Preventing Weight Gain in Easy Keepers:
1. Some horses gain weight when given a winter break from trail riding, training, and/or showing.
2. Monitor your horse’s weight carefully during breaks and, if necessary, back off on concentrates.
3. When you feed less than the recommended amounts of a commercial concentrate, you need to supplement with a complete vitamin and mineral pellet (Micro-Phase ™) to ensure your horse’s nutrient requirements are met.
4. Never cut back on hay to reduce calorie intake; instead, change to a more mature grass hay that will provide plenty of fiber but less energy.
More tips for other special needs can be found here.
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A tribute to Ros Canter’s horse of a lifetime, Allstar B:
Another chance to learn from British Olympian William Fox-Pitt is heading your way in March! Registration is now open for an upcoming clinic with William at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, Md.), March 9-11. You can register for this clinic on Strider here.
News & Reading
It’s time to start thinking about your goals for 2025. They don’t have to be lofty — heck, they don’t even have to involve riding! — but every goal deserves the time and consideration needed to make it a reality. Coach Daniel Stewart reflects on this in his final USEA blog of 2024 here.
How can you best help your horse recover from a joint injury, and what’s the best way to give him the best possible future post-recovery? You can always learn something new about caring for injuries, and this article from The Horse contains some good resources.
A blast from the past kicks us off this Sunday morning from Lesley Grant-Law and Max Corcoran! Check out this incredible, star-studded entry list from the MBNA Foxhall Cup in 2002. Quite a few combinations we’d love to see kicking around cross country again if we had the chance. Who would be your pick to see again from this list?
Don’t forget to get those votes in for the SmartPak/USEF Horses of the Year and USEF Equestrians of the Year honors, to be distributed at the upcoming Pegasus Awards Dinner at the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky. on January 23. Voting closes on December 31 at 11:59 p.m. EST, and two eventing athletes are up for the top honors, among many other accomplished horses and riders. Paris Olympian Liz Halliday was nominated for USEF Equestrian of the Year, while Will Coleman’s Paris reserve horse, Diabolo, is up for International Horse of the Year. Click here to learn more about the nominees and to cast your vote.
Horses’ noses are among their most sensitive body parts, and some horses need just a little extra reassurance. Look no further than the Equilibrium Net Relief, available on World Equestrian Brands. This non-invasive net helps treat headshaking, featuring contoured mesh for a comfortable fit over the muzzle that’s been shown to reduce headshaking by up to 79%. The Equilibrium Net Relief also is constructed to fit unique bridle shapes such as Grackle and Micklem. You can grab one for your horse here.
Stéphane Landois and Chaman Dumontceau. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Some bittersweet news about one of the most incredible stories from the eventing space this year. You may recall the horse Ride for Thais Chaman Dumontceau, a horse piloted at the Paris Olympics by Frenchman Stéphane Landois. Stéphane rode in honor of Chaman Dumontceau’s former rider, Thaïs Meheust, who passed away in a cross country accident in 2019. Though Thaïs sadly never realized her own dream of competing at the Olympics, Stéphane was able to realize this dream in tribute at the Paris Olympics, where they finished 14th individually and in silver as a team for France. Now, the 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding will move to a new rider, a yet-to-be-revealed young British rider. “We felt the need to close this book that is both so painful, so strong, so extraordinary and so paradoxical. Chaman is sold to England and will continue under the saddle of a young rider,” ownership group The Thaïs Meheust Foundation said in a story on An Eventful Life. You can read more about the story and the sale here.
News & Reading
Recap the best of 2024 with the help of the USEA in their annual look-back! Take a trip down memory lane for some of the top highlights from an action-packed season here.
Also recapping their year is The Chronicle of the Horse, where horse welfare has been, deservedly, top of mind in 2024. Check out some of the most-viewed stories on COTH here.
A sweet story of how a “grinch” of an OTTB helped give his amateur rider’s dreams wings — don’t miss it here.
Want to head into 2025 in a proper head space? Don’t forget that yoga, meditation, and sound baths can be found at Stable View! For just $30 a person, you can sign up for a December 30 sound bath session and yoga class at Stable View. Sign up here.
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Some wise words from Tamie Smith from her recent webinar with Horse Illustrated, which you can watch in full here.
Remember THAT Opening Ceremony in Paris this summer? We sure do, and we know there was an absolute mountain of work that went into this history-making Olympic opener. A new film takes us behind the scenes of the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, from the first concept sketches to the delivery of the entire show. You can watch the film here.
The Christmas competition at True Prospect Farm is just one of the many holiday traditions floating around social media this week. What’s your tried-and-true barn tradition around the holidays?
Looking for the perfect story for this Christmas Eve? Here’s a great one: Once Upon a Time in Eventerland, narrated by Sam Watson. The story of “Little Badminton” is perfect for eventers of all ages, so enjoy and happy holidays from all of us at EN. We’ll be on a light, primarily News & Notes schedule until January 2, 2025, and we’ll see you back in the new year!
Effective January 1, a new rule change within British Showjumping dictates that padded whips may only be used to back up a rider’s leg aid and not for punishment. Padded whips had already been in place under British Showjumping rules, replaced traditional whips five years ago. Horse & Hound reports further here.
There are many ways to help eventing thrive in the new year (and beyond), and they don’t all have to do with competing (or even riding). From volunteering, advocating for welfare, and increasing your education, the sport has many avenues of support. Learn more about what you can do here.
We sing about them, decorate our Christmas cards and ugly sweaters with them, and love to hear the sounds of a horse-drawn wagon or sleigh bedecked in bells. But why bells? Horse Nation explores here.
Did you know you can find Kentucky Performance Products supplements on SmartPak? Combine your horse essentials with two of our favorite partners, and check more off your restock list each month. Click here to shop for KPP on SmartPak.
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British Olympian Ros Canter stopped by the London International Horse Show for a demo with her retired and thriving former 5* partner, Alfies Clover:
Many congratulations to 5* rider Gemma Stevens, who emerged victorious in the crowd-favorite Cavago Six Bar jumping class at the London International Horse Show on Saturday, besting 12 other competitors aboard Envoy Merelsnest Z through five rounds in which the jumps were raised after each. Facing off against Olympic show jumper John Whitaker and Sharid, Gemma and Envoy Merelsnest Z cleared a massive 1.95m final fence to seal the victory.
“Honestly, I am amazed – he was absolutely brilliant,” Gemma told British Showjumping. “I’ve always known he can jump a big vertical, but putting it all together is the real challenge. I genuinely can’t believe we won today. The atmosphere here at London International is incredible, and like usual he gave his all, trying so hard to clear every jump.”
Enjoy some highlights below or watch the full replay with your H&C+ membership here.
US Equestrian has issued an alert regarding the dangers of the screwworm, a devastating and potentially deadly pest, as it spreads around Mexico. “Screwworm has expanded uncontrollably in the last several months from South America and now into Mexico,” USEF said in a press release. “If not controlled the screwworm flies will continue to move north into the United States. There is the additional risk illegal horse entry into the United States could bring in screwworm. You can read more about this warning here.
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? During the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, held Dec. 12-15 in Seattle, Washington, USEA CEO Rob Burk was joined by a panel of individuals deeply involved in the USEA Foundation including USEA Foundation Chair Hilary Miskoe, multi-time Foundation grant recipient Sharon White, Beth Lendrum of the Broussard Charitable Trust Foundation, and USEA Foundation Development Officer Katherine Cooper. Together, these five individuals shared their top tips for those interested in applying for USEA Foundation grant funding in the future to help make sure your application stands out in the most positive way. Read their advice here.
Thinking of attending the USEA ECP Symposium at Galway Downs in January? There are a lot of benefits to furthering your education as a coach or prospective coach, and this seminar is one way to do it! Read up on what you could take away from attending a Symposium here.
You may have heard of TMJ disease in humans, but until fairly recently it wasn’t known that horses could get it as well. TMJ pain can be caused by trauma, arthritis, infection, inflammation or just wear-and-tear and can manifest as a number of symptoms including head tossing, head sensitivity, trouble eating, uneven wear on the teeth, and difficulty with bits and flexing at the poll. Read more about how TMJ can affect your horse here.
Not necessarily the collab we all had on our bingo cards for 2024, but a cool one nonetheless! British Olympic gold medalist Tom McEwen stopped by to cut the ribbon to open the new Aldi store in Bristol, England this week. Next up, an Aldi sponsorship perhaps? We wouldn’t say no to some cool snacks and horse show meals! Put a good word in, will you Tom?
We have a winner! Many congratulations are in order to the newly crowned EquiRatings Horse of the Year for 2024: Pau winner D. Day, piloted by Great Britain’s Caroline Harris! This pair notched an incredible first 5* win on a soggy weekend in France for the final event at the level for 2024, besting a field that saw major changes on cross country, epic mud and weather, and a test unlike any other we saw this year.
Want to relive Caroline and D.Day’s big weekend? Click here to dive into our full final report from Pau.
Here’s a deal for you just in time for Christmas! Sergio Grasso’s Evolution and Progress line of tall boots are on clearance while supplies last through the World Equestrian Brands outlet. Don’t wait! Save your 50% here.
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Wise words from one David O’Connor himself! Watch, then watch again:
A hallmark of every horse person in England’s calendar, the London International Horse Show, is in full swing at ExCel in London and the final few days of the show will take place this weekend. While there aren’t any eventing-specific competitions on the docket, eventers have certainly been out in full force all week long! The British Eventing team and their fellow Olympic medalists had a ceremony to celebrate their back-to-back team gold in Paris, Tom McEwen was the prize presenter for the Defender Shetland Grand National, and one of the jockeys in the Shetland Grand National rode in purple and white for Georgie Campbell. Other eventers were on hand to participate in Masterclass demos and much more.
If you’re like us and having FOMO, you can follow along on the @LondonHorseShow Instagram here, and you can also watch the show’s live stream via Horse & Country, FEI TV, or BBC here.
News & Reading
Beloved Texas venue, MeadowCreek Park, has come up for sale. Its longtime owners have promised that the facility will not abandon its 2025 show season, but interested parties can check out the full listing for the 100 acre farm here.
Meet this month’s USEA VIP Volunteer, Cathy Hale! With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Read all about Cathy’s love of volunteering here.
High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) has announced a $160+ million investment into 36 National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) over the next four years through to the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Game. “This investment package is designed to maintain the targeted approach that has helped deliver ongoing international success for New Zealand athletes, while continuing to increase wellbeing support within the high performance system,” says HPSNZ Director of High Performance Steve Tew. Read more about this investment here.
Love Yellowstone? The Monmouth County Hunt in New Jersey is working to make their hunt more accessible and fun for all, and a Yellowstone-themed hunt was just the ticket. The result was an eclectically dressed field, from traditional hunting attire to full-on western gear, and a few combinations somewhere in between. Read the recap here.
That’s a wrap on the 2024 Stable View Eventing Academy season! Congratulations to all for a successful season. It’s already time to start planning for next year! View the full schedule of 2025 Eventing Academy dates here.
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(Mis?)-adventures with a mini horse make every childhood brighter!
We’ve got some bragging to do about our team this morning! Our roving reporter/photographer/wearer of all hats, Tilly Berendt, received the news last week that this photo from the Paris Olympics show jumping has been tapped as a finalist in the World Sports Photography Awards for 2025! The winners will be announced soon, but you can take a gander through the finalists across sports categories here.
You can also hear from our co-Publisher and Managing Editor, Sally Spickard, who was a guest on the most recent episode of the Major League Eventing Podcast hosted by Karen and Robby Bowersox. You can listen to the interview on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
News & Reading
With the conclusion of the 2024 competition season, the standings of the USEF Eventing Developing Horse Series are now final. The series includes divisions for 6-year-old and 7-year-old horses, and the leaderboard is determined by the average of the horses’ two best finishing scores in CCIs at levels specified by age. Meet the top finishers from 2024 here.
Could riding lesson programs be made more successful and enjoyable by introducing a tiered system of leveling up? Chronicle of the Horse blogger Sarah K. Susa tested the theory with her barn’s “Ribbon Levels Program”, which provides Atomic Habits-type scaffolding for both mounted and unmounted skills with horses across six different levels. Dive into the concept here.
A social media duel between two show jumping Olympians has made waves online this week. After Noelle Floyd reshared an old blog excerpt with Karl Cook, fellow U.S. teammate Mclain Ward took to his own socials to share a different take on Karl’s thoughts on position and effective riding. Mclain’s post went viral and the story has since been picked up by multiple media outlets. Read one take here and another here.
A good dose of empathy is required when thinking of training, riding, or competing your horse. For instance, if you were asked to go run an obstacle course today, not even an “American Ninja” level one, just something equivalent to what you ask of your horse, could you do it? How much strength and agility training would you need in order to perform on an equal level of athleticism as you require from your horse every day? While there is certainly a difference between the average weekend warrior human athlete and any seriously competitive athlete, we all can agree that the better prepared one is prior to attempting their favorite sport, the better things generally tend to turn out. Gwyneth McPherson explores this further in her latest column on Horse Nation.
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Watch Elisa Wallace work with her newest mustang, Nodin, and getting him comfortable with a staple piece of horsemanship equipment – the flag:
The Princess’s Cup Thailand was hosted by the Thai Equestrian Polo Club last week, and the sporting schedule featured discipline-specific competitions. Congratulations to Hong Kong’s Yuxuan Su, who earned a great result in his Category A Eventing Individual competition.
To see more from the Princess’s Cup Thailand, click here.
U.S. Weekend Preview
The 2024 season has officially ended! We’ll see you in January with more shows coming your way.
News & Reading
The longevity of eventing counts on many things, not the least of which is the sport’s accessibility to others. A recent survey of USEA members and former members revealed some interesting findings in terms of inclusivity, and this deep dive from The Chronicle of the Horse expounds on opportunities for the sport to open its doors to more participants. Don’t miss the full read here.
Did you miss out on any of the happenings at this past weekend’s USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in Seattle? Here’s a round-up of some notes about this year’s convention attendance and catch up on more coverage here.
A ban on double bridles, curb bits and riding behind the vertical could be on the cards in Denmark – and has been debated in the European Parliament, Horse & Hound reports. The Danish Council on Animal Ethics, which advises the national government, published a series of recommendations regarding new “legislative initiatives” for the involvement of horses in sport in Denmark, which included a proposed double bridle ban. Read more on this developing story here.
The 2025 USEF Annual Meeting returns to Lexington and will adopt an agenda that builds off the interactive format and strategic topic of social license and horse welfare, which became a major focus two years ago and continues to be at the forefront of our industry. A full schedule of workshops and speakers have been planned out and you can find more information here.
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How to get 11 horses from Germany to Rome for the winter:
Sometimes you’re the cross country conqueror-of-all-things — sometimes you’re the “unexpected dismount demonstration.” JJ Sillman happened to catch both at the same time in an all-out accurate description of our sport in a nutshell. We’ve all had both days!
UK Sport has revealed its greatest investment to date with £330m in Government and National Lottery funding set to benefit more than 50 sports as they embark on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games cycle. This includes increases to funding for Equestrian and Para Equestrian, with Para Equestrian receiving nearly 10% in additional funding for this next cycle. You can read more about this news here.
Threats and opportunities for the future of the equestrian sector will be addressed at the 33rd National Equine Forum (NEF25), to be held at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), London on Thursday, March 6th, 2025. See what’s on the docket and how to obtain early bird pricing for tickets here.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation has announced the athletes who have been invited to participate in the 2025 USEF Horsemastership Training Series, taking place Jan. 2-5, 2025, at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival show grounds in Wellington, FL. This year’s clinicians for the mounted sessions are Anne Kursinski, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward. Click here to read more.
The Zara Buren Memorial Award will open for applications ahead of 2025 starting Friday, December 20. Keep an eye on this page for the application, and in the meantime start reading up on the legacy of Zara Buren and how you can prepare for your application.
Do you have a handle on what your horse’s typical vital signs are, and what a healthy or normal range is for each? Kentucky Performance Products created a helpful infographic you can save or print out here. The more you know!
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Follow a training day with 5* rider Alex Bragg and vloggers Lucy Counsell & Jancis Weal, or The Eventing Journey:
Olympic combination Mélody Johner and Toubleu de Rueire topped an all-female podium on home turf at CHI Geneva’s Indoor Cross. Dutch Olympian Janneke Boonzaaijer and Acsi Champ de Tailleur and Belgian Olympian Lara De Liedekerke-Meier and Kiarado d’Arville claimed the other podium spots.
Need some new blankets this winter season? You can save 20% on SmartPak blankets using code DecBlanket at checkout! Shop here.
With the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in the rearview, we’ll dedicate this section to relevant news from the weekend:
Molly Pellegrini is the USEA President Elect, the US Eventing Association confirmed over the weekend. Molly first took on the role of active horse show mom, but her years of servitude on countless boards made her an excellent candidate to support the sport at the grassroots level, and she soon found herself working alongside Meg’s Pony Club, serving on the USEA Area VI Board, and eventually becoming a member of the USEA Board of Governors. Read more about Molly here.
Catch up on some key updates from the USEA Board of Governors meeting held at the Annual Meeting and Convention in Seattle this weekend. Among the updates: some Board of Governors personnel changes were made, different models for future Annual Meetings will be examined by a newly-formed Task Force, next year’s Convention will take place in New Orleans, and much more. See more in this easy to follow breakdown of the meeting.
Upcoming rule changes for 2025 were discussed at the Rule Change Forum in Seattle this weekend. A few changes that pertain to eventing include a potential to allow horses and riders to wear biometric sensors for safety purposes, a definition of faults to align with the FEI’s regulation on reattempting frangible devices, and others. Read a summary here.
Tik Maynard, a 4* rider and winner of the 2024 Road to the Horse Colt Starting Championship, gave a moving address as the keynote speaker at the Convention. He reflected on the Road to the Horse competition and how he applies the lessons learned to his eventing, how he encourages others to find their “superpower”, and more. Read a recap of his speech here.
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Watch Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI take on a slightly different type of competition:
Do you make most of your income outside of horses? Are you competing regularly at Beginner Novice or above? Apply for the C Square Farm/ Excel Star Sporthorses Amateur Scholarship!
Winners will receive board for themselves and one horse for a total of 7 days in 2025. The scholarship can be redeemed in Aiken, SC or Nottingham, PA, as Courtney travels. Winners will also enjoy daily lessons on their horses, (with the possibility to ride other horses), and coaching at an event if they choose to compete during their stay.
Transportation to/from C Square Farm, outside facility fees, and competition entries are not included in the scholarship.
Ready to apply? You can request one by emailing [email protected]. Applications should be submitted TODAY, December 15, 2024. Courtney and a panel of her Amateur clients will review applications and choose a winner by December 31, 2024. Good luck to all!
The 2024 Wofford Cup recipient Daine Pitts receives a big hug from Jim Wolf during the 2024 USEA National Year-End Awards Banquet. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo
United States Eventing Association (USEA) members from all over the country gathered on Friday afternoon for the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Year End Awards Ceremony. The afternoon’s ceremony was led by Master of Ceremonies Jim Wolf and recognized riders, horses, and game-changers in the sport of eventing with multiple awards and grants. We’d like to congratulate all of the award winners from this year, and there’s a big list to dive into!
A few notable awards:
USEA Wofford Cup (The Wofford Cup identifies those who have given so much to the sport that they rise to the very top. They dedicate their life to the betterment of eventing): Diane Pitts
Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant: James Alliston
Rebecca Broussard National Developing Rider Grant: Julie Wolfert
Essex Horse Trials Grant: Cassie Sanger
The Wilton Fair Grant: Cassie Sanger and Gabby Dickerson
USET Connaught Grant: Sharon White
American Horse Trials Foundation Chasing the Gold Grant: Sharon White
Richard Picken Memorial Grant: Madelyn Cease
Kim Meier “Kick On” Memorial Grant: Jules Batters
Don’t miss the full recap of all the goods given out yesterday here.
The Equilibrium Therapy Massage Pad and Hotspot Massage Mitt from World Equestrian Brands are perfect additions to your training program to help keep your horse free from unnecessary soreness. These products can be easily integrated as a pre-ride warm-up and a post-ride recovery option. Shop for yours here.
A little piece of history leads us off this Friday morning, all the way from Burghley Horse Trials in the UK! Here’s what Burghley shared about this photo series:
We were sent the first of these photos by Pierre le Goupil, Course Designer of the 2024 Paris Olympic cross-country course, from his parents home last week – an invitation from British Equestrian (formerly the BEF), and Burghley Horse Trials to the drinks party for the 1974 World Championships held at Burghley. Pierre’s parents were both successful event riders, and his late father, Andre, competed at the 1968 Olympic Games.
This little piece of history inspired a further look into our archives to these World Championships, which were won by Bruce Davidson and Irish Cap. This victory marked the first time an American had won a World title in eventing. It was a pivotal achievement for the sport in the US and contributed to their hosting of the next World Championships at Kentucky in 1978.
The 1974 World Championships were the second that Burghley hosted, the first being in 1966. In only the second year of the horse trials running, Burghley hosted the European Championships (1962), and went on to host a further five in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989 and 1997, as well as one Young Riders European Championship in 1978 – no other horse trials site has staged as many Championships.
Thank you Pierre, for inspiring a trip down memory lane!
News & Reading
Here is your chance to support one of our valued eventing venues, Virginia Horse Center. The Virginia Horse Center Foundation is running its annual donation drive to support ongoing efforts to improve and expand the Horse Center in Lexington, VA. You can donate here.
Equestrian Australia is updating its helmet safety standards to follow recent updates to FEI guidelines.Click here to see how this affects your helmet choice for competition.
Sally Cat is a 7-year-old mare who transitioned from an untrained rescue to a confident eventing partner under the guidance of Mikenna Hallock. Sally Cat had farm from an auspicious start to her career, having been surrendered to a rescue after her initial owner entered hospice care. She was untrained and fearful, but with Mikenna’s help she’s transformed into an eventing partner of a lifetime. Read this inspiring tale here.
Working with a new OTTB this winter? The first ride outside of the arena can often be a little anxiety-inducing, but never fear! The Retired Racehorse Project has rounded up some advice from a pro to help you make this a great experience for both you and your horse. Read it here.
Entries are officially open for the Aiken Opener H.T., happening January 18 and 19 at Stable View in Aiken, SC! Divisions from Starter through Preliminary are on offer, and it’s a great opportunity to start knocking off that winter rust and legging up for the new season. You can make your entry here, and you can also learn more about the full calendar at Stable View here.
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Make those braids and quarter marks shine next season with these tips from freelance #supergroom Jennie Savolainen:
Boyd Martin and Fedarman B. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It’s time to vote for the EquiRatings Horse of the Year for 2024! Eight horses have been nominated for the top honor, including the USA’s Fedarman B, owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate and partnered with Boyd Martin for the Paris Olympics.
Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It’s truly an impossible list to choose from, but one must rise to the top!
To vote, join the EquiRatings Eventing WhatsApp channel here and vote in the poll. Voting closes next Wednesday December 18 at 16:00, when the winner will be announced.
You can also hear more background on the contenders for this year’s award in the launch podcast here.
News & Reading
Get ready to kick off the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in Seattle, WA! The USEA has rounded up all of the information on sessions, special events, and more for the weekend ahead. Bookmark this for more resources.
Sydney Collier is a powerhouse in the world of Para-Dressage, a Paralympian, and one of the stars of the award-winning documentary ParaGold. Known for her determination, infectious positivity, and groundbreaking achievements, Sydney has redefined what it means to pursue greatness in the face of adversity. Read an exclusive interview with Sydney here.
In the latest episode of the Major League Eventing podcast, hear from 1994 WEG Individual Silver Medalist and Inaugural Kentucky 5* winner Dorothy Crowell. Dorothy talks about her famous partner, Molokai who was inducted into the USEA Eventing Hall of Fame in 2015. Today, Dorothy organizes Educational Classical Format 3-Day event for Starter up to Training and discusses the importance of horsemanship. Listen to the episode here.
Four-time Olympic medalist and renowned cross country designer Ian Stark sat down with Horse & Hound for a chat on being superstitious at competitions, learning respect for his horses and the importance of feeding according to work. Read the interview here.
Continuing our vein of Olympic horses coming back from vacation, perhaps in *slightly* more civil fashion, here’s a look at Tom McEwen getting JL Dublin back and going after a well-earned holiday following Paris. That’s the gold medal life right there!
U.S. Weekend Preview
The 2024 season has officially ended! We’ll see you in January with more shows coming your way.
News & Reading
The story of Caroline March, the sister-in-law of British 5* rider Piggy March who passed away earlier this year, is one that carries a heavy weight. Through the efforts of organizations such as Cycle4Caroline, which is raising funds and awareness for the British Eventing Support Trust and Spinal Research, is the tip of the iceberg. This thought-provoking and emotion-inducing article (a fair warning to the reader, the content deals heavily in the concept of assisted suicide) provides a glimpse at the lived experience of those who carry on Caroline’s memory.
Ram truck owners: check your mail! Stellantis, the parent automaker of Ram, has issued a recall of over 300,000 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks because a faulty part could cause certain braking and tracking systems to fail. The trucks in question are all model years 2017-18 and include the Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500. The recall includes a total of 317,630 trucks, including a small number of them in Canada, Mexico and elsewhere. You can read more information about this recall here.
Since its inception in 2015, Detroit Horse Power has served the city’s youth, ages 11-18, with riding and other equine-related programming that helps its young participants develop social and emotional skills. For those nine years, the organization has operated on borrowed horses, equipment and facilities, transporting students from the urban center to participating barns outside of Detroit. Now, Detroit Horse Power is building what stands to be the largest urban equestrian center, continuing to make moves in a world that remains heavily inaccessible due. Read more on their exciting expansion here.
Want to become a professional equine photographer or improve the skills you already have? Now is your chance to learn from one of the best in the business! Shelley Paulson, an equestrian photographer with over 20 years of experience, has opened up her Wings Equestrian Photography Mentorship program, a 3-month, immersive mentorship and learning experience, for new participants! You can learn more information and apply for a spot here.
It wouldn’t be winter without us waiting with bated breath for the next installment of “how London 52 comes back from vacation”, otherwise known as “whatever Laura Collett eats for breakfast, I’ll have twelve”.
Laura shared a compilation of her 5* and Olympic partner enjoying the, errr, joys of jumping over the last few winters, and we’re eagerly awaiting the 2025 edition! Never change, London 52. Never change.
Ingmar De Vos and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges have been elected as President and Vice-President of the International Horse Sports Confederation at the IHSC General Assembly in Hong Kong on December 6. The IHSC was established in 2013, when the FEI and the IFHA joined forces to create the first formal vehicle for cooperation between the world’s leading bodies for equestrian sport. Read more here.
Equine Network has acquired a controlling interest in Nilforushan Equisport Events to further enhance equestrian shows on the West Coast. This collaboration aims to make the West Coast the preferred destination for hunter/jumper events. Read more on this new partnership here.
A new Education and Research Fund has been established in memory of Chromatic BF through The Foundation for The Horse. The “Chromatic Fund,” a collaborative initiative of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), US Equestrian (USEF), Chromatic’s breeder KC Branscomb, and The Foundation for The Horse will fund innovative research and education initiatives designed to improve the health and welfare of sports horses worldwide. Read more here.
A study of dressage horses found oral lesions caused by the bit in a surprising 45% of horses examined at one competition. At the 19th International Society for Equitation Science (ISE) Conference in New Zealand, associate professor Janne Winther Christensen presented her recent findings: “Oral behaviour during riding is associated with oral lesions in dressage horses – A field study” with co-author Dr. Mette Uldahl. The talk discussed the relation between oral behaviour and lesions in the corners of the mouth in dressage horses. Her presentation highlighted the importance of understanding discomfort signals and emphasised the need for improved training practices to enhance equine well-being. Read more on the study here.
As you continue to care for your equine companion through the seasons, it’s important to adapt your horse care approach to their ever-changing needs. This guide from Kentucky Performance Products delves deeper into specific strategies for managing your horse’s well-being during the transitional periods of fall and spring. From adjusting their diet to accommodating fluctuating weather patterns and maintaining stable conditions, you’ll find provide actionable tips to keep your horse healthy and comfortable no matter the season right here.
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Nail your spiral circle to improve suppleness with Amelia Newcomb Dressage:
