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Jenni Autry
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Jenni Autry

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About Jenni Autry

Originally from San Diego, Jenni discovered eventing thanks to the Bedford Hunt Pony Club in Virginia. After working in both newspapers and magazines, she joined the EN team in 2012. She travels extensively covering the U.S. Eventing Team and has reported at the Olympic Games, World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games, Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Luhmühlen and Pau. As for her favorite event, it’s a toss-up between Aachen and Boekelo. When she isn’t on the road, she’s busy competing her heart horse, Imperial Striker, better known as Derry.

Latest Articles Written

Liz Halliday Talks Dressage at Boekelo

By on Oct 10, 2013 11:10 am -

Liz Halliday breaks down her test with Coach David O'Connor.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Liz Halliday this weekend at Boekelo. Since she’s been based in the UK for nearly 15 years, she’s not a name we’re that familiar with here on EN, and that’s a shame. A woman of many talents — she’s an upper-level eventer AND a professional racecar driver — Liz stepped up to the plate to compete in her first-ever team competition at Boekelo, and she was the lead-off rider today for Team USA. As I explained in my recap of her test, her lovely mount Fernhill By Night — a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding better known as Blackie — swapped leads on the centerline before the first halt and salute, which likely marred their scores for the remaining of the test.

But as you’ll see in the video of her test — which you can view here — they really had some lovely moments, and for the horse’s CCI3* debut, I think he really had a lovely test. Liz was kind enough to speak with me right after her test, and she was quite hard on herself about that swap. But if we’re going to go after Ze Germans, we need riders who refuse to look past those little mistakes, and I applaud Liz for her commitment to riding the absolute best test she can. Kudos to Liz for making it through dressage day in her first appearance as a member of Team USA. And I have to point out that she hails from Fallbrook, Calif., which is just minutes from where I grew up in Vista, Calif., in northern San Diego county. Go Avocado Capital of the World!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Order Of Go] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Michael Jung Leads at Boekelo; Liz Halliday First Out for U.S.

By on Oct 10, 2013 10:10 am -

Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night

The whole U.S. contingent gathered ringside this afternoon to watch Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night perform their test as the first out for Team USA. This is the first CCI3* for “Blackie,” a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding who just moved up to the Advanced level this year but thus far has shown himself very capable every step of the way. He proved that again today by handling the big atmosphere at Boekelo with poise, and Liz said she was very happy with him when I spoke to her after her test. Unfortunately, Blackie swapped on the centerline right off the bat, a bobble Liz said she’s never had happen with this horse before.

Michael Jung and Fischer Rocana FST

As often happens with mistakes early in the test, I think the judges had that blip in mind when scoring the rest of the test, which was very solid to ultimately score 51.8 to put them just inside the top 20. They had a beautiful halt and reinback — which has been tricky today for many riders as their horses have struggled with the big atmosphere — and her canter depart after the reinback was one of the best we’ve seen all day. For Blackie’s debut at the CCI3* level and Liz’s first team competition, I’d say this was a very good performance. I caught Liz for a video interview right after her test, so you’ll hear much more about her test in her own words once that finishes uploading.

Geoffroy Soullez and Madiran du LiotHN

German Julia Krajewski and Lost Prophecy held the lead for the entire first half of the day, but we didn’t have to wait long for someone to challenge her score, as Michael Jung and Fischer Rocana FST sailed into first place on a 39 as the first ride after the lunch break. This little mare is just 8 years old, and she looks like quite an opinionated horse. In typical Terminator style, they worked beautifully together, even with the mare seeming a bit tense and distracted by the atmosphere. If she can throw down a 39 at just 8 years old, think about how good she’s going to be a year from now — just one more top-notch horse in Ze Terminator’s arsenal.

Felix Vogg and Onfire

We also saw a very good test from French rider Geoffroy Soullez and Madiran du Liot*HN, who scored 39.2 to sit just behind Michael in second place provisionally. I’ve never seen this striking chestnut before, and he had some of the nicest changes we’ve seen so far today. I spotted Michael Jung coaching Swiss rider Felix Vogg in warmup before his test, and some of Ze Terminator’s luck must have rubbed off on him, as he scored 41.8 to move into third place with Onfire, one of several Thoroughbreds competing here at Boekelo. And Tim Lips, who has twice been the Dutch champion, let the hometown crowd know he means business this weekend, scoring 44.4 with Concrex Oncarlos for seventh place provisionally.

Laura Collett and Allora 3

Michael’s test sent Germany firmly into a commanding lead in the Grolsch Nations Cup team standings, while Geoffroy’s test moved the French team into second place a full 17 penalty points behind ze Germans. Australia is currently holding third place in the Nations Cup standings. We’re moving into the final riders of the day here at Boekelo, where the clouds are rolling in and temperatures are hovering at a balmy 50 degrees. In addition to the videos I’m posting to my YouTube Channel, be sure to check out Boekelo TV, who have been kind enough to interview many of our Americans and will be uploading lots videos throughout the weekend. Stay tuned for much more from Boekelo.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Order Of Go] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Germany Leads But Great Britain Steals the Show at Boekelo

By on Oct 10, 2013 7:42 am -

Nicola Wilson and Watermill Vision

Good morning from Boekelo! We’re halfway through the first day of dressage here at the Grolsch Nations Cup, and Germany holds the preliminary lead, as Julia Krajewski and Lost Prophecy put in a lovely test to score 43.6. As just the second pair out this morning, Julia — who is riding as part of the German Nations Cup team — pushed through the chilly low-40 temps to set a high bar no one has been able to catch thus far. But the next three spots on the leaderboard are all Union Jack, as Great Britain has made a big statement this morning at Boekelo. Longtime British team member Nicola Wilson threw down in the last group to go before the lunch break to take second place with Watermill Vision on a 43.8.

Dani Evans and Raphael II

Nicola and Watermill Vision almost fell victim to the horse-eating marquee poles that flank either side of the dressage arena entrance. Silva Martin had just commented to me that the poles had to be extremely spooky for the horses, and just moments later the bay Dutch Warmblood gelding refused to enter the ring. Nicola calmly circled the horse and represented him to the poles, and the horse put on his big boy pants and went right in. We’ve seen quite a few horses spooking at the shiny poles this morning, as the bright sun is casting a sharp glare. Many riders are smartly circling their horses in front of the poles before entering the arena, and we’ve luckily managed to avoid any major mishaps thus far.

We also saw a lovely test from British young rider Dani Evans, who looked very poised and polished in her test aboard Raphael II, a 10-year-old Dutch gelding. This pair finished second in the Bramham CCI3* for under-25 riders earlier this year, and while they’re not a counting score for the British team here at Boekelo, they’re certainly a promising pair for the future. Oliver Smith and Noon Hill — whose test I caught on video — are another up-and-coming pair for Great Britain; they scored 45.8 to tie with Dani and Raphael II for third place. Sarah Ennis and Stellor Rebound, a lovely 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, round out the top five on a score of 46.6.

Oliver Smith and Noon Hill

While the British riders have laid down very dominant scores this morning, none of their riders in the top five are a part of their Nations Cup team. Sweden currently leads the team standings, as they’ve been the only country to send out two qualifying riders thus far. Germany is in second place, while Ireland is in third. The second half of the day will be very exciting, as Michael Jung is first out after the lunch break with his lovely young horse Fischer Rocana FST. This 8-year-old German-bred mare looked simply stunning in the trot up yesterday, and I’m very excited to see her go in person.

Rosalind Canter and Zenshara

We also have the first of the Americans to go this afternoon, as Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night ride their test at 2:49 p.m. local time, or 8:49 a.m. EST. I chatted with Liz yesterday about her partnership with “Blackie,” and the horse has really had a banner year, stepping up at the two-star level with an impressive sixth-place finish at Hartpury. He also contested his first three-star just last month at Ballindenisk, where they finished 12th. This is Blackie’s first CCI3*, and Liz is confident the horse is ready to rise to the occasion. I’ll be checking in right after Liz’s test to bring you a video and photos. Go Team USA!

William Fox-Pitt and Gaucho

It’s a brisk but beautiful day here in the Netherlands, and thus far we’ve managed to dodge the rainy forecast that’s been threatening to dampen the festivities all week. I really can’t say enough about the event and the organizers; the venue is top notch, and the volunteers and officials are so friendly. I’ve never been treated so well at an international event, especially by the press team. The kind ladies in the media center just served me a Dutch staple — a butter sandwich on raisin bread — for lunch, and I’m feeling very spoiled already. Many thanks to all the officials and volunteers for their hard work; it absolutely is not going unnoticed. Stay tuned for much more from Boekelo!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Entries] [Schedule] [Results]

Katie Walker: Greetings from Boekelo!

By on Oct 9, 2013 12:00 pm -

I’m very pleased to introduce Katie Walker as our special guest blogger for Boekelo. Katie is one of the owners in the Trading Aces Syndicate, and she’s traveled to the Netherlands this weekend to support Boyd Martin and the rest of Team USA. She’s also sits on the board for Plantation Field Equestrian Events and secures the sponsorships that keep the CIC event growing bigger and better every year. Many thanks to Katie for writing!

Boyd Martin and Katie Walker after the first horse inspection at Boekelo.

From Katie:

I’m happy to be here across the ocean with Team USA at Military Boekelo. My Boekelo blogs will focus on the owner’s perspective at a CCI3* level event and how it’s different from what we see at home. I am part of the Trading Aces Syndicate, which owns the horse Boyd Martin has here, Trading Aces. So in essence, at 10 percent, we proudly own “Oscar’s” tail — and what a lovely tail it is! I love being part of a syndicate because it takes you very top-shelf places like Rolex — which I was lucky enough to attend in the spring — and Boekelo, which otherwise I wouldn’t be able to attend.

Trading Aces’ last start was at our very own Plantation Field CIC3* in Unionville, Pa., where he finished sixth in a great prep for Boekelo. In addition, you may have heard he also competed just days later at Dressage at Devon, where he placed fourth in a Fourth Level test with Silva Martin in the saddle. This is one busy and well-traveled horse!

We arrived here just in time for the first horse inspection. As soon as we walked through the gate, I recognized and greeted Brits Ed Holloway — our infamous announcer at Plantation Field for the past five years — and soon after Rachel Wakefield and Michael Wynn of Uptown Eventing fame and their adorable daughter Lily. I saw Brian Hyslop, who is grooming for Swedish rider Anna Hilton; Nick Turner, who is coaching the Irish team; Niklas Lindback, who just rode at Plantation as one of our international guest riders; and then bumped into Silva Martin with her sister and niece. So I felt right at home in the first 10 minutes.

While I made my way over to the jog, I also saw Joanie Morris and David O’Connor as they prepared Team USA for the inspection. After all three USA horses passed with flying colors, Boyd took me over to stabling where I was bowled over by the facilities. The tent has beams on the ceilings and proper lighting down the aisle — it’s amazing. We are going to need an upgrade at Plantation!

As an owner, I was showered with gifts from Ariat, including a coat, jacket, polo shirt and hat, which was so nice. Oscar was trying to open these gifts for me, but I shooed his nose away from these highly sought after goodies. Tonight there is a party at 7 p.m. — the Military Classic Night Fair — and I look forward to having my first ever Grolsch here on the grounds adjacent to the beer factory. So far, so good! More later!

Team USA Looking Sharp at Boekelo

By on Oct 9, 2013 9:46 am -

Super groom Lindsey Taylor prepares Trading Aces for the first horse inspection.

Hello from Boekelo! The festivities have officially kicked off here in Enschede, the Netherlands, as we saw more than 100 horses trot up this afternoon for the first horse inspection. I’ve always heard wonderful things about Boekelo, and the venue definitely doesn’t disappoint. Set in the picturesque little town of Enschede, which is right next to Boekelo, the cross-country course runs through cornfields and right past the factory that produces Grolsch, one of the leading beers here in the Netherlands. Now in its 32nd year of running, Boekelo has become a premier event on the fall calendar and holds the honors as the only CCI competition in the Nations Cup lineup.

With 21 nations competing this weekend, this is truly an international event. From Japan to Brazil and Russia to Hungary, riders from all over the globe have traveled to Boekelo to contest this event, and I’m proud that Team USA has thrown its hat into the ring this weekend. Despite seeing multiple last-minute scratches, we’ve put together a competitive team that can hold its own against the stiff competition. Team USA is Boyd Martin and Trading Aces, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, and Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night, and I’m pleased to report that all horses passed the jog. All our horses and riders looked fantastic in the jog, with the horses all wearing matching Team USA coolers and the riders wearing patriotic colors.

I have to give a big shoutout to the grooms for turning out the horses so nicely. The women behind the horses this weekend are Lindsey Taylor for Trading Aces, Katie O’Neil for Veronica, and Gemma Jalinska for Fernhill By Night. I’ve never seen Fernhill By Night in person, and this Irish Sport Horse gelding is seriously to die for. Since Liz is based in the UK, we haven’t covered her much here on EN, and I’m excited to meet her, Gemma and Fernhill By Night this weekend and help you all to get to know her better. As is always my goal with major European competitions, I’ll be shadowing all of our Team USA riders and their grooms to bring you all the behind-the-scenes action.

And speaking of behind the scenes, I’m very excited to introduce Katie Walker as our official guest blogger for Boekelo. Katie is a member of the Trading Aces Syndicate, and she’ll be blogging about the experience of attending a major international event as an owner. I’ll also be bringing you much more from Team USA, who all went straight into a meeting with Coach David O’Connor following the first horse inspection. I’m hoping to catch up with our riders later this afternoon. As is EN tradition, the weather is gloomy here in the Netherlands, with temperatures in the 50s and clouds rolling in. The forecast isn’t looking promising for the rest of the event, but maybe EN karma will smile on us. Go Boekelo!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Entries] [Schedule] [Results]

 

EN’s Got Talent: Tex Catches George’s Eye

By on Oct 6, 2013 12:00 pm -

We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? EN’s Got Talent introduces the future superstars of the sport, interviewing riders about how they’re tackling training with these youngsters. Have you spotted a spectacular young horse at an event you think should be highlighted in this column? Tip me at [email protected].

George Morris and Mellow Johnny. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Last week we met Dom Schramm and Mellow Johnny, an eye-catching 7-year-old buckskin Thoroughbred/Paint gelding who had his 15 minutes of fame on EN earlier this summer when George Morris hopped on him at a USEF High Performance Jumping Clinic at Boyd Martin’s Windurra Farm. “It’s always a bit of a treat to see a rider like George on your horse,” Dom said. “He jumped him around, which actually looked a bit sticky at first. Once George got the hang of him, he jumped really well. George said he’s a very cute horse and a quality horse. He explained that Tex has two moments in his jump because he’s so careful. Until you get the hang of riding both moments, it’s hard to get your timing perfect.”

“Tex” jumped beautifully when I saw him at the George Morris clinic, but Dom said the show jumping didn’t always come so easily to the horse. “In the beginning, he felt like he had a good, energetic jump, and he felt great in the air, but he was careless about the rails,” Dom said. “I took a clinic in Aiken with Grant Wilson, who works with the Belgian eventing team, and he said the horse had all the right ingredients. He recommended I trot him into the base of a lot of verticals over and over again. He needed to learn to lift through his withers and get those front legs in front of him. It wasn’t trying to get him to have a rail but to learn to lift in front. We did a lot of those exercises, and it really helped him in the show jumping.”

George Morris and Mellow Johnny. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Even with those problems in the show jumping, Tex has only pulled two rails in his eventing career, and he’s been very competitive at the lower levels. Dom ran him slowly at the horse’s last event at training level at Bucks Country Horse Park last month in preparation to contest the American Eventing Championships. Unfortunately, truck problems prevented Dom from making the trip to Texas, but he’s still planning to move Tex up to preliminary at Pine Top during the winter season. “He’s comfortably training at that level at home,” Dom said. “He’s very comfortable in the dressage, so the challenge is getting his show jumping to where it needs to be. He needs to see more combinations.”

For those of you who’ve enjoyed reading about Tex these past couple weeks, I have some good news: Dom has decided to sell the horse. “He’s the first horse I’ve had the opportunity to produce since I moved from Australia, and it’s great to have a horse with such natural talent because you’re in no rush and can give them a successful start in the sport. He’s a bit of a triple threat because he’s good at all three phases, so we’re just exposing him to new things at this point.” Interested in Tex? For more information on this really cool horse, visit Schramm Equestrian’s website here. Go Tex, and Go Eventing.

RF Tabasco Withdrawn from Boekelo [Update: No Alternate Will Be Named]

By on Oct 4, 2013 5:15 pm -

Marilyn Little and RF Tabasco. Photo by Julia Rau.

In another round of bad news for Team USA at Boekelo, Marilyn Little withdrew RF Tabasco tonight after the horse sustained a minor injury in the pasture. This news comes just a week after Buck Davidson officially withdrew D.A. Adirmo and Caitlin Silliman withdrew Catch A Star. Will Coleman withdrew OBOS O’Reilly last month. As the goal presumably remains to field a team for the CCIO3* competition, I’m assuming an alternate will be named. At this point, Team USA will be Boyd Martin and Trading Aces, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, and Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night or HHS Cooley.

From Marilyn’s Facebook page:

“Unfortunately, RF Tabasco sustained a minor injury in the paddock yesterday, which will preclude him from completing his final preparations before the event at Boekelo next week. Though it appears Tabasco should require only a few days of monitoring before returning to normal work, with only a week prior to the event the timing couldn’t be worse.

“I am incredibly grateful to my staff, veterinarians and farriers for their attention around the clock and am so sorry to miss the incredible opportunity to join the U.S. team at Boekelo this year. It goes without saying that the chance to represent our country while competing at what has become the Raylyn Team’s ‘hometown event’ — located only 10 miles away from our summer base here in Holland — is an opportunity sadly lost, but we all look forward to coming to support the other U.S. riders throughout the week.

“Fortunately, Tabasco should be back in form in short order, and we are hopeful that upon confirmation from our veterinarians that he is fully ready to return to competition, we will be able to re-route our fall plans to include a CCI3* at this year’s Galway Downs in California before our team returns home to the East Coast in November.”

Update 10/04: Joanie Morris, the USEF Managing Director of Eventing, confirmed this afternoon that an alternate will not be named to replace Marilyn Little and RF Tabasco. According to the FEI rules governing Nations Cup competitions, teams of three are perfectly acceptable, so the U.S. will still be able to compete as a team. The lack of a fourth rider means there’s no drop score, unfortunately.

According to the USEF High Performance Facebook page, Veronica and Trading Aces are currently waiting at JFK Airport to board their flight to Boekelo. All the action kicks off on Wednesday at 1 p.m. local time with the first horse inspection, and I’ll be your boots on the ground to bring you all the action and news from Team USA. Go eventing.

Post by USEF Eventing High Performance.

Horse Nation: Pony Shaming: ‘Fess Up

By on Oct 4, 2013 4:30 pm -

From Horse Nation:

Guilty! But awfully lovable. Enjoy these shameful submissions from readers across the country.

VEGETABLES DON’T COUNT.

shame fat

~~~

“THE FIRST TIME I HAD AN ITCH.THEN I REALIZED THEY WERE ‘QUICK RELEASE’ TIES AFTER ALL!” – JOEY

shame joey crossties

~~~

YOU GROOM YOURSELF IN YOUR BATHROOM, WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

crazy pee

~~~

THE DIRT COLOR IS SLENDERIZING

shame jacob bath

~~~

WHAT? ISN’T THAT WHY THERE’S A DRAIN IN HERE?

Shame pee

~~~

MY NEIGHBOR’S PINNED EARS ARE HIS SPECIAL WAY OF SAYING “HAVE SOME!”

shame chili

Pony Shaming. Send us a snap of your pony coming clean. It’s easy. It’s cathartic. And we are certain in the knowledge: No equine is innocent.

Get out the Sharpie and email your best/worst to [email protected]. If you’re handwriting’s as bad as mine (or even if you think it’s not) please also type out the Message of Shame, your pony’s name and any helpful info about their misdeeds.

Thanks Victoria F. Chin, Sarah Hayday, M. Wette and Jamie from Horses in the Morning and their ponies, for today’s shames.

The View from Washington State Presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Oct 4, 2013 3:00 pm -

EN loves photos shot between the ears! If you happen to be out for a hack, are riding in some obscure place or just take some cool photos aboard your mount, send them to [email protected] with a quick blurb about the photo’s story. This week’s View comes to us from Mieka Decher in Washington State.


From Meika:

Here is an ears photo of my horse, The Last Say, who is competing in the 100-Day Challenge sponsored by the Prodigious Fund. She ships to Donida Farm today for the final debut at Emerald Downs against the four other Thoroughbreds in professional training. Go OTTBs!

Watch Jock Paget’s Analysis on His Burghley Win

By on Oct 4, 2013 1:30 pm -

Burghley gave us all a little treat to end the week by posting Jock Paget’s analysis of his winning weekend with Clifton Promise. Watch the video for Jock’s excellent fence-by-fence commentary on his cross-country trip with Promise, as well as to hear him answer questions like “Has it sunk in yet that you’re essentially taking over the world?” It’s hard to believe we’ll watch another Grand Slam showdown play out next year, only this time it will be here on U.S. soil when Jock and Promise try to clinch the Rolex win. Go eventing.

Ellen Doughty: My Journey to the AEC Advanced Gold Cup

By on Oct 4, 2013 12:00 pm -

Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon have had a fantastic year, most recently finishing in third place in the Advanced division at the AECs. Ellen was kind enough to write in to tell us about her amazing journey with Obie. Thanks for writing, Ellen, and good luck at Fair Hill! 

Ellen and Obie approach the big Advanced drop at the AECs. Photo by Aruna Matata.

From Ellen:

My life with horses began when I was 8 years old when my mom and dad sent me off for a week of Girl Scout camp. I absolutely fell in love with everything about horses — the way they smelled, grooming them, riding them and just being around them. I couldn’t get enough! After camp, my mom signed me up for weekly lessons, and the rest is history! I dabbled in a few different English disciplines (hunters, saddleseat and dressage) before finding my true love, eventing. After that first time out on a cross-country course, I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

My parents helped me purchase my first horse, an off-the-track Thoroughbred, when I was 16. I sold him less than two years later for a profit and bought myself another OTTB, which I trained and competed through Training level. I sold him a few years later and purchased two more horses, which I also trained and sold, and the story goes on from there. Part of my training philosophy is to let each horse work at its own pace and realize that not all horses are created equal.

Some horses take two years to do what another horse can achieve in two months of training; my job as a trainer is to let each horse work at its own pace and strive to make that horse the best that he can be. Some horses will top out at Novice, while others can go all the way. I think it is important to realize what the horse is capable of achieving and maximize that talent to the highest level possible.

In high school, I was captain of my varsity swim team and also captain of my varsity softball team. I held three jobs: lifeguard at the YMCA, waitress at a Greek Restaurant and waitress at a banquet hall for weddings on the weekends. I also found time to ride my horse daily and keep straight A’s.

My parents taught me to work hard for what I wanted, and I knew what I wanted — to one day be able to afford a horse that could take me all the way to the Advanced level, maybe even Rolex CCI4* and ride on a team. I had big goals, and I knew to achieve those goals; I would need to work hard. During high school, I joined Pony Club and started working my way through the levels, eventually attaining my A rating.

Through college, I was head trainer at an Arabian barn to help pay expenses and also was a working student for ICP faculty member, Robin Walker, for a year. My last semester of college, I spent six months in Northern Ireland at an equine college taking courses such as jumping equitation, dressage equitation, equine sports medicine and equine nutrition. Upon returning from Ireland, I took a job in Fort Worth, Texas, at Curragh Equestrian Center as the head trainer/instructor.

I worked at Curragh for two years, gaining a lot of teaching and riding experience. In October 2008, I decided to venture out on my own and started my own business, Pegasus Eventing. During these years, I also realized that I really loved teaching all levels of riders, even the beginners. I try to teach every lesson as if the student one day wants to ride in the Olympics, even if their goal is only to learn the basics and have fun.

Ellen and Obie at the AECs. Photo by Aruna Matata.

My Dream Horse and Dream Job

In November 2008, I came across Sir Oberon online while browsing for horses for sale for a client of mine. I called his owner right away and went to see him the next day. From the moment I saw him and sat on him, I knew this horse was something special. I purchased him and started working with him. I spent a year giving him a solid foundation at Training level. I took him to the AECs in 2009 in Chicago and ended up eighth in the Training Horse Championships. I moved him up to Preliminary for a season and then took him Intermediate.

In 2010, we traveled to Chatt Hills in Georgia for the Preliminary Horse AECs and ended up 13th after one judge gave us a 28 and the other gave us a 40. I was so disappointed, but I kept my head up and knew that one day Obie and I would get our big chance if we just kept working hard. Someone once told me that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, so I took the judge’s comments to heart and worked hard to improve those things to make my test better for the future. Obie kept getting stronger and better in each phase, and we did several two-stars in the spring of 2011, finishing eighth at Poplar CIC2* and sixth at the Ocala CCI2*.

Our plan was to move to Advanced in May of 2011, but Obie suffered a very slight strain in a hind suspensory ligament and needed some time off. I scraped the piggy bank to afford to get him all of the latest in treatments to make sure he had the best chance of full recovery, and the vets cleared him to go back to work in less than two months. I decided to give him some extra time off, just to be doubly safe, and took him to the Aqua-Tred, an underwater treadmill for horses. I started bringing him back slowly in the spring of 2012. He started jumping again that summer, and his first event back was in the fall of 2012.

About that same time, I moved to my current location in Terrell, Texas, at the beautiful Southern Cross Equestrian Center. We are only 25 minutes from downtown Dallas and have a wonderful 80-acre facility with awesome, sandy loam footing and turnout; an indoor arena; and a cross-country course in progress. The two owners, Michelle and Kim Cheney, are two of the kindest people I have met in this business, and I think I have really found a forever home at this barn. Having a great facility with people who believe in you means everything.

Ellen, Obie and a pint-sized fan after the victory gallop! Photo by Angie Mitchell.

Moving Up to Advanced

Obie and I moved up to the Advanced Level this spring at Texas Rose Horse Park. He won the dressage, went double clear in the show jumping and then the rain hit. We had a rain delay, and after the rain was over I put in his studs and headed up to the warm-up. I got up there, and I was the only one up there. I was told that everyone had scratched because of the rain. We warmed up and Mary D’Arcy — who I had asked to coach me that weekend for my first ever Advanced — and I decided that the footing seemed to be holding up well and that it was safe to run.

I took off my watch and decided that we were going to go out and have a fun, safe and confident first Advanced experience. I “put my big girl pants on” and off we went out of the box with Obie wondering why I was making him go so slow. He is a horse who likes to go, and I normally don’t have to push him. He knows when they say GO that he should run like the wind. But not this day.

I brought him down to a nice prelim pace and ran the whole course, taking all of the long routes and giving him a steady, slow ride. We came home clear at our first Advanced with about 60 time penalties. I was beyond thrilled! To my surprise, my good friend, Julie Norman, was the only other Advanced rider to go cross country that day and she ended up winning, as she finished with fewer time penalties.

This year has been a whirlwind. Our next event was the Chatt Hills CIC3* in Georgia, where we finished in second. We also traveled to Montana on a Broussard travel grant to compete at the Rebecca Farms CIC3*, finishing in seventh. Next it was on to Michigan for the Richland Park CIC3*, where we finished in 14th against a strong 40-plus horse division. Leading up to the AECs, I took Obie to several recognized dressage shows and debuted him at Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges.

We earned our Bronze and our Silver USDF rider medals in just three shows. I truly believe that dressage is the basis for any equestrian discipline, and dressage is what I focus on most at home. I believe that improving your dressage will improve every other phase and aspect of your riding. The week before the AECs, I found out that I was one of the two grant recipients for the Fair Hill Land Rover Competition Grant — so thrilled.

The 2013 American Eventing Championships

Coming into the AECs, my goal was to have another confident run at Advanced. I thought we had a steady dressage test, but I know this horse has so much more in him. I will keep working hard to get him stronger and get more out of him in his dressage tests. The cross country looked big and technical, but so did the last three three-star courses, which Obie sailed around with ease. I went out on the course confident and with the intention of riding him more forward through the combinations instead of over-collecting him.

He is so easy to adjust that I tend to over-adjust him and waste time, so I have been working on letting him travel on a bigger stride while keeping his balance uphill. I thought he was foot perfect on the cross country, and I could not have been more pleased. Show jumping was supposed to be Saturday evening, but a huge thunderstorm ended up delaying it until Sunday morning. It was agonizing to have to wait another night to jump.

We ended up with two rails down in the show jumping to drop us from second to third, but I again couldn’t have been more proud of my horse. This was our first season at Advanced, and I can’t wait to see where the future takes us. Our last show of this season will be the Fair Hill CCI3* in Maryland, which will be our last qualifier for our CCI4*. Wish us luck!

Never Quit

This sport takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication. I have learned that if you truly put your heart and soul into it, you will one day be rewarded. This sport certainly has its ups and downs, but it is well worth it in the end. For those that think it’s impossible to make it to the top without a fancy horse and a lot of money, I am here as proof that anything is possible. Keep working hard, and one day you will succeed.

I can count the number of lessons I have had in the last four years on my two hands, and I don’t have a trainer I work with on a regular basis, mainly because of funds. I am still that girl scraping pennies together, buying and selling horses, trying to make it in this world. Those times when it is hard and you just want to throw in the towel, remember to push through and find a way to visualize your end goal. Work harder than everyone else and you will succeed.

Video Throwback: 1993 NAYRC Footage

By on Oct 3, 2013 12:00 pm -

“It’s August. It’s Wadsworth. Where are your teenagers? Out badmouthing your country and listening to punk rock music, I suppose. No! They’re at Temple Farms, site of the North American Young Rider Championships.”

Those are the opening lines to this fantastic video, which offers a look at the 1993 NAYRC in all its 90’s fabulousness at Temple Farms in Wadsworth, Ill. The video opens with Paul Laschinski rocking a very 90’s hairstyle and a feather earring, flanked by Michael Barisone and Ralph Hill. Together, they offer commentary on pure dressage, eventing and pure show jumping.

If you want to skip straight to the eventing like I did, jump ahead to the 14:13 minute mark. This footage was shot long before the days of the one-fall rule, so you’ll see plenty of riders clawing their way back into the saddle after taking a spill. There are plenty of familiar faces in the video, including a young Gina Miles 15 years before she won an individual Olympic silver medal.

Here’s a look at the order in which the riders and their horses appear in the video:

Erika Radtke and Maker’s Mark
Matthew Brown and Maximum Speed
Trudy Race and Our Trilby
Kenneth Dierks and Greystone
Amy Slayter and Renaissant
Rumsey Gilbert and Night Train
Mara DePuy and Hopper
Gina Ostini and Southbound
Aaron Thomson and Winds of Time
Virginia Jenkins and Talisman

This is a gem, EN. Enjoy! Go eventing.

U.S., Great Britain Join WEG 2018 Bid Process

By on Oct 3, 2013 9:08 am -

Will the Kentucky Horse Park host the 2018 WEG? Photo by Lisa Andres of Wikimedia Commons.

The FEI announced this morning that the U.S. and Great Britain have joined the bid process to host the 2018 World Equestrian Games. It seemed Bromont had the bid in the bag earlier this year when all other potential host cities withdrew from the process, but the FEI began accepting new bids in July when Montreal was unable to commit full public sector financial support for the Games. Wellington, Fla., and Lexington, Ky., have now officially thrown their hats into the ring, and Great Britain must declare which city will seek to host the Games by a Nov. 15 deadline.

From the FEI:

The FEI has received formal Expressions of Interest from Great Britain, the USA and Canada to host the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018, after re-opening the bidding process on 1 July 2013.

The USA has identified two potential host cities — Wellington (Florida) and Lexington (Kentucky) — and Great Britain will have to confirm the proposed host city with the FEI before the 15 November 2013 deadline for receipt of Bid Applicant Questionnaires.

Canada confirmed its initial bid to host the 2018 Games in Bromont/Montreal. The FEI Bureau opted not to allocate the Games to Canada at its July meeting after the Canadian delegation was unable to provide the full public sector financial support required. As a result, the Bureau re-opened the bidding process for 2018, but expressed the hope that Canada would confirm its decision to continue in the bidding process. The Bureau made it clear at the time that any follow-up bid from Canada would be evaluated in the same way as other applicants.

The Bid Applicant Questionnaires will be reviewed by the FEI Evaluation Commission at FEI Headquarters before the host city candidates are announced on 2 December 2013.

In the final stage of the bidding process, the Candidates will formerly present their bids to the FEI Bureau at its spring 2014 meeting, after which the host city for the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018 will be announced.

“The FEI World Equestrian Games is our flagship event, appealing to huge global audiences of equestrian enthusiasts and sports fans, and these expressions of interest by Great Britain and the USA alongside Canada are testament to the power of these Games”, FEI Secretary General Ingmar de Vos said.

“We are now looking forward to receiving the Bid Applicant Questionnaires next month, to naming the candidates in December and ultimately of course to announcing the host city for the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018 next year.”

University of Alabama Launches Eventing Team

By on Oct 2, 2013 6:00 pm -

EN has closely followed the rise of collegiate eventing in the U.S., we’re very excited to announce that the University of Alabama has launched an eventing team. Mackenzie Spaes, UA’s team vice president, wrote in to tell us all about the new program. She rode for nine years with Carrie Barrick before moving to Tuscaloosa to start her freshman year. Take it away, Mackenzie!

Mackenzie Spaes and Ripple Effect representing Area VIII at the 2012 NAJYRC. Photo by Brant Gamma.

 

From Mackenzie:

Growing up in Louisville, Ky., I was always surrounded by horses and knew that I wanted them to be a part of my life. What I loved most about the sport was the strong sense of family and community that defined eventing. Whether it was at horse shows or just at home, I always felt a bond with my fellow eventers. Everyone looked out for one another. As I packed up to leave my home of 18 years for college, I just knew I had to find this community in Alabama.

Collegiate Eventing is not a well known organized sport when it comes from the perspective of the university. I struggled with picking a college because I knew I was going to have to stay in the saddle. There was absolutely no question of attending school and not riding. I know any eventer out there will agree with me when I say once you pick up the reins you never really let go.

Something about Tuscaloosa captured my heart, and I knew this was where I belonged for the next four years. The only thing that Alabama did not have to offer to me was eventing. If I learned anything from Carrie, it was that if I set my mind to something, I could achieve it. I knew I could always come to her with some outrageous goal and she would say, “You want it, go get it.” I took this advice the minute I stepped on campus. I knew I wanted collegiate eventing to become a recognized sport at Alabama.

I had absolutely know idea where to start. I was an out-of-state student in a brand new city who was trying to get settled into college. Where in the world was I going to find time to start an event team? Luckily, I did not have to look very hard. Lizzie Walters, a junior at UA, contacted me one night, and to say I was excited was an understatement. I scared my roommate have to death when I jumped out of bed screaming that I found fellow eventers, and I could not wait to be reunited with my horse family.

Lizzie, who is now our team’s president, had almost everything organized. She had contacted the University of Georgia’s event team, which thankfully gave us a ton of information and support; we are very thankful for their help. I finally felt like I found my calling. Lizzie was ready to start this team, and I was right behind her. Over the next week, both of us blew up social media and tried to find fellow eventers throughout campus who were ready to jump on board.

Anyone who has owned a horse knows that all you do on Facebook is post adorable pictures of your horse. It’s just inevitable that the only pictures all over your page are selfies of you and your horse or your competition photos. That made it easy to scout out our potential new members. Everything seemed to be coming together. I tried to help Lizzie as much as I could scheduling meetings; meeting with members; and, of course, marketing our idea everywhere.

I’m proud to say that we have almost 20 members for our upcoming team, and this is such an accomplishment. I could not even imagine this happening without the hard work of our board members and our team members. And this is just the beginning. I have to say our biggest inspiration is the event team at UGA. They have done amazing things with their program, and I hope one day that UA will be on the same level as them.

The program UGA has created is outstanding, and they have set a standard for us. I know with the dedication of Lizzie, myself and the rest of the UA event team that we can achieve the same recognition as UGA. This is just the start for UA Eventing, and I promise you that we are ready to get the ball rolling. We hope to compete as a team for the first time at FENCE Horse Trials in the Collegiate Series. We plan to attend Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials in October just to market ourselves and try to meet people.

As eventers, we get things done. Always. This saying has been close to my heart ever since I left that start box for the first time. This is my next conquest. Welcome to UA Eventing. And, of course, Roll Tide! If you have any questions or want to get involved in the new UA Event Team, contact Lizzie Walters, president, at [email protected] or Mackenzie Spaes, vice president, at [email protected].

Kristi Nunnink: A Fantastic Trip to the AECs

By on Oct 2, 2013 3:00 pm -

Kristi Nunnink and R-Star just returned home to California after a fantastic performance at the AECs. Rosie romped around Texas to finish with the Reserve Champion Advanced Gold Cup title, and she’ll soon be hopping on a plane to France to contest the Pau CCI4*. Many thanks to Kristi for writing. Go West Coast Eventing!

Kristi Nunnink and R-Star at the AECs. Photo by Liz Hall.

From Kristi:

So we are finally home from the great AEC adventure, and it did seem like an adventure. Getting there was the easiest part. When we arrived, we were greeted by a beautiful facility. The infrastructure was amazing. All of the horses had huge stalls that were well protected from the elements, luckily. The arenas had lovely footing that held up quite well to the different weather conditions, and there was tons of room for everyone to ride.

The cross-country course was indeed at a championship level. Capt. Mark Phillips designed a perfect course that was both big and technical and very tightly metered. It separated the boys from the men while remaining safe for the horses and riders. Show jumping was delayed at times by monsoon-like rain, and the Advanced was actually postponed a day, which was fortunate, as the footing had gotten quite a bit better by Sunday morning.

The West Coast had a strong group of riders and trainers that participated this year, and I think we did quite well, especially if you remember that Gold Cup winner Laine Ashker is originally from California.

Our trip home was a little bit tedious; it felt like we kept going in circles. Our new trailer blew a tire early Monday morning, and we discovered that our old lug wrench did not fit the new lug nuts. Luckily, USRider came to our rescue. All in all it was a wonderful experience and I can hardly wait to go back next year. Rosie is not happy with her Reserve Champion title and would like a rematch with Al.

Ain’t Nobody Got Cash For That: Hoof Pick Edition

By on Oct 2, 2013 12:00 pm -

Welcome to Ain’t Nobody Got Cash For That, the new series in which we cash-poor eventers marvel at all the things the rich people buy with their endless supply of dollars. Today EN reader Emily Beaver laments the apparent rise of designer hoof picks, and I offer my best guess as to how Hermes priced this Clou de Selle at such an outrageous price. Have an absurdly priced horsey item you’d like us to break down? Email [email protected].

Photo courtesy of www.usa.hermes.com

From Emily:

“I was online shopping the other day — dreaming of all the things I could buy if I didn’t spend all my money on horses — and I stumbled upon the Hermes website. I know — only crazy rich people shop at this store, but a girl can dream, right? I was looking at all the beautiful saddles that they had, and then I got to looking at the grooming supplies.

“The first thing on the list was a hoof pick, and I was incredibly excited because I thought this might be my chance at actually owning something from Hermes without going bankrupt. Then I looked at the price: $260 dollars. Yes, you read that right, and it’s not even covered in gold. Just thought everyone should know what the rich and famous horse people buy in one’s spare time.”

How Hermes Priced It:

Wow, Emily. You sure know how to find a bargain. While it’s difficult to ascertain how a company arrived at a $260 price tag for an item you can find for 99 cents at any local tack shop, here’s my best guess at how Hermes priced it:

There you have it, EN. A hoof pick can in fact be valued at $260 when you consider the appeal of a fancy French name, the equally fancy Moroccan goat who contributed to the cause, the comfort of a perfectly curved handle and the quality of a brand name like Hermes. Go eventing.

Clinic Raises $7,000 to Benefit Amy Barrington

By on Sep 29, 2013 6:30 pm -

The eventing community has rallied around Amy Barrington and her family since her accident last month. Tamie Smith sent in this wonderful report on a benefit clinic and silent auction that members of Area IX held for Amy. Many thanks to Tamie for writing, and go Amy. 

Tamie Smith teaches at the clinic. Photo courtesy of Hillary Whitt.

From Tamie Smith:

Last weekend, a group of amazing people all came together to help Amy Barrington and her family get through this terrible tragedy. It all started when Niki Clarke, my dressage trainer and one of my very good friends, called me up after days of crying about Amy and asked what we could do. She wanted to make a difference in Amy’s recovery. We brainstormed and started organizing a fundraiser clinic at Galway Downs.

It was that phone call that inspired my thought of also donating the proceeds of a clinic I was heading to Utah to teach at Lynnleigh Farm. Erin Hofmann, Area IX chair, fellow two-star competitor, and queen of organizing an amazing clinic and silent auction really outdid herself. She organized the clinic at Lynnleigh, and everyone involved was outstanding.

Some of my sponsors offered to donate items to the cause, and then a lot of people started donating items and services, and then we had a full-fledged silent auction. What a wonderful world we live in. The weekend ran smoothly. The weather was immaculate. I was able to teach Beginner Novice through Intermediate riders and horses and had a very rewarding time doing it watching them all improve.

I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be surrounded by such wonderful people. We went home to look at what everyone raised and it was $7,000 in just two days. I’m so excited that we could help contribute to helping a fellow competitor, and we did it by doing what she would have loved doing.

Horses are dangerous; this is a fact. Some people ask me why and how I can compete in my sport when I have children. I say to them that my horses love what they do as much as I do and sometimes more, and if you go through life worried about every bad thing that could happen, that’s not a very fun way to live.

Living is dangerous! I am an example to my children to strive to be the very best, to have passion, determination and to never give up. I’m living my life to give back to the sport that saved me as a kid and to the people who I have been lucky enough to have in my life since I was 8 years old.

This weekend reminded me of how blessed I am to have so many excellent people in my life. Amy Barrington will recover! With all of the people who have pulled together to bring out the power of healing, she has every chance to make a full recovery. I just wanted to thank you ALL for your contribution. Big or small, the wonderful gift of coming together is beautiful.

Mallory Striver: A Great Weekend at the AECs

By on Sep 29, 2013 12:45 pm -

Mallory is competing at the AECs for the first time this year at novice level. After qualifying with a second-place finish at the Area IV Championships, Mallory was heartbroken to learn her horse was starting to develop degenerative joint disease. The AECs will be their last event together before he retires from jumping. They are sitting in eighth place heading in show jumping today.  [AECs Live Scores]

Mallory and Phoenix heading to cross country.

From Mallory:

Hello again, Eventing Nation! It has been a pretty busy past couple of days here at Texas Rose Horse Park, and the weather is humid and hot. Volunteers have been busy making sure everyone is staying hydrated, and they have a large cooling out station out by cross country, which has been beneficial. I’ve got to hand it to the event volunteers; they are really working hard to make this a great and smooth event. It has been a pretty successful weekend so far for Julie Wolfert Eventing. Including Julie and her nine students, seven of us are in the ribbons. That is pretty exciting to have that many students qualify, but then to actually do well is an accomplishment in its own.

Friday was a hectic day of constant running around. I braided early and then lightly lunged my horse to help him stretch out his old man back. He was definitely feeling himself that morning, bucking and exploding into his canter transitions, which reassured me that he was feeling good. I wasn’t feeling too nervous for dressage because since I haven’t been able to jump my horse leading up to this, I really hammered the dressage work in.

All of my hard work paid off because Phoenix was great from the get-go in warmup and carried it right over into his test, earning us a 28 to start the weekend off in eighth place — and my new personal best dressage score. I set it my goal to score in the 20s this weekend, so I was pretty ecstatic to accomplish that. After that I filmed some dressage of the girls from our group, and watched some upper-level cross country. Julie and Aires made easy work of the Intermediate course to move them into third, and then we all headed back to the barns to tuck our horses in for another day. Needless to say, our whole group was pretty satisfied after dressage day.

Cross country day was another exciting day. The weather was absolutely perfect the first half of the day, with temps in the 80s and a breeze. It’s amazing how much cooler it feels with a little cloud coverage. There was a lot of action going on at the park. Upper levels were stadium jumping from 8 a.m. up until the storms rolled in at 5 p.m., while lower levels stormed around cross country all day.

Phoenix and I went early in the afternoon and went clean and inside the time to stay in eighth. The course rode great — definitely a championship course for the level, and the terrain really decided where the jumps were placed. Later in the day, we watched (and drooled over) some nice horses in the Intermediate. Julie jumped a beautiful stadium round, but unfortunately had the last rail down to finish in fourth place, which is still exciting! After the Advanced division got rained out due to that crazy downpour, I skipped out on the competitors party to braid and prepare Phoenix for show jumping.

I’m really excited for stadium today. The course looks fun, and I feel more than ready to finish the weekend strong. I’m sad to see the weekend coming to an end. I’ve literally counted down to this week for the past year, and just like that it has come and gone in the blink of an eye. It has been a great first experience at the AECs, and I know as Texas Rose starts to add its flavor to the event that the next two years will be just as awesome. Go eventing.

The View from California Presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Sep 27, 2013 4:30 pm -

EN loves photos shot between the ears! If you happen to be out for a hack, are riding in some obscure place or just take some cool photos aboard your mount, send them to [email protected] with a quick blurb about the photo’s story. This week’s View comes to us from EN’s frequent West Coast correspondent Bill Olson.

From Bill:

This is Hawley Bennett-Awad on Livingstone — better known as Hank — at Copper Meadows several weeks ago. The last time Hawley had this view was at Rolex in 2009 where they ran a clear cross-country trip. Hank ran in the Novice division with Hawley’s student, Sue Spencer, at Copper Meadows. Go Hank!

EN’s Got Talent: Dom Schramm and Mellow Johnny

By on Sep 27, 2013 2:00 pm -

Mellow Johnny. Photo by Grace Darnell.

This week’s featured horse on EN’s Got Talent is a bit of a celebrity in that he headlined an EN meme post of George Morris that went viral last month. Thousands of Facebook likes later, Dom and Jimmie Schramm of Evention fame — Season 2 just launched! — contacted me about featuring the very same horse in this series. Meet Mellow Johnny, a 7-year-old buckskin Thoroughbred/Paint gelding Dom is currently campaigning at Training level. The Schramms acquired the horse after former owner Chrissy Allison, who used to ride with Jimmie in Dallas, began battling some health issues, and Jimmie convinced Dom to consider the then coming 4-year-old as an eventing prospect.

“He’d mainly just done some basic dressage at that point, and he hadn’t spent much time outside of an indoor arena,” Dom said. “When I finally took him outside, he was spooking at grass, cars, his own shadows — essentially everything. But I thought he was a really precious horse, and Jimmie and Chrissy kept pushing me to ride him. I popped him over his first couple of fences, and we ended up deciding to take him.” Dom immediately started working on desensitizing “Tex,” and he soon realized the spooking was almost a game for the horse. “He gets in this mode where he’s almost looking for something to spook at,” Dom said. “He has that bit of cheek on him.”

Dom and Tex at the George Morris clinic. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Dom saw Tex’s cheeky personality firsthand at the horse’s first show at Poplar Place in March of last year, where they contested a Novice event together. “I took him around in warmup and he was being his usual fancy self, and I almost got a little bit cocky riding this nice horse around,” Dom said. “I was going around the arena before the test and a little crowd had gathered to watch him go. As I went past the judge, she rang the bell and he saw something imaginary and started leaping and bucking and striking. I used all of those 45 seconds to try to settle him, and he still ended up passaging down the center line. I was basically just trying to survive at that point.”

Despite breaking during the free walk and picking up the wrong lead due to being so tense, Tex still scored a 25.7 on that first dressage test. “I think the judge was so smitten with him,” Dom said. “Ever since then, I’ve not taken his warmup for granted at shows. He’s a lot better now and knows his job.” Since then, Tex — who is by the Thoroughbred stallion Noble Houston (Houston X Vague Game, by Vaguely Noble) and out of a registered palomino Paint mare — has won four of his eight events in his career and finish second in two. “He’s the first horse I’ve had the opportunity to produce since I moved from Australia, and it’s great to have a horse with such natural talent because you’re in no rush and can give them a successful start in the sport.”

Next week on EN’s Got Talent: We’ll learn all about Tex’s 15 minutes of fame when George Morris decided to ride the horse during a USEF High Performance Jumping Clinic at Boyd Martin’s Windurra Farm last month. “It’s always a bit of a treat to see a rider like George on your horse,” Dom said. “He jumped him around, which actually looked a bit sticky at first. Once George got the hang of him, he jumped really well. George said he’s a very cute horse and a quality horse. He explained that Tex has two moments in his jump because he’s so careful. Until you get the hang of riding both moments, it’s hard to get your timing perfect.”

Even More GIFs That Perfectly Articulate How You Feel

By on Sep 26, 2013 11:30 am -

When your non-horsey friends ask you to explain eventing for the 6,397th time …

When your alarm clock goes off at 3 a.m. for an event …

When your horse destroys his brand new turnout sheet …

When your arch rival just edges your dressage score …

When you watch your friend jump the wrong jump on cross country …

When you realize that max table IS on your course …

When you’re watching the Rolex live stream and your favorite rider jumps double clear …

When someone tries to open the port-a-potty door while you’re inside …

When you have way too much Red Bull on the way to an event …

When your friend says her horse has never had a cross-country jumping penalty …

When you’re the only person in your division to go double clear in show jumping …

When you pop into the barn just before meeting friends and your horse slimes you …

When you look at your ride times and see you’re in a division with five Olympians …

When you’re trying to learn your dressage test and the people next to you won’t shut up …

When someone tells you your horse is just “an OK mover” …

When your horse comes trotting up to you in the field …

Go eventing.

[The Original 16 GIFs That Perfectly Articulate How You Feel]

[16 More GIFs That Perfectly Articulate How You Feel]

NFL Films Analyzes Eric Berry’s Fear of Horses

By on Sep 25, 2013 3:00 pm -

Click to view the video

Last week we showed you a Buzzfeed GIF that poked fun at football player Eric Berry’s fear of horses. This week, NFL Films takes an in-depth look at the Kansas City Chiefs safety’s fear, which is clinically called equinophobia or hippophobia. Eric’s fear is a problem because the team’s mascot is a horse that gallops around the football field pumping up the fans throughout the game. Berry said that he can keep his fear under control as long as there are “10 to 12 players” between him and the horse at all times. Are eventers as tough as football players? We’re at least tougher than this guy. Go Eric.

 

An Open Letter to Sheikh Mohammed & Princess Haya

By on Sep 25, 2013 12:33 pm -

The big news today is FEI President Princess Haya won’t be seeking a third term, which doesn’t exactly come as a surprise considering her husband is currently embroiled in a horse doping scandal. Click here to read Princess Haya’s official statement on the FEI website. As always, Horse Nation delivers very important analysis on this issue.

From Horse Nation:

I think we can all agree that the Sheikh and his wife, FEI President Princess Haya, are not having the best year ever. Being the caring website that we are, we thought we’d reach out.

First, there is the scandal surrounding the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s history of drug violations in the sports of racing and endurance. Earlier this year, 11 thoroughbreds trained at the Sheikh’s Godolphin Racing Stable tested positive for banned steroids. And then, just this month, over 100 unauthorized medications were confiscated from the operation that houses the Maktoum family’s endurance horses.

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Photo from luxist.com.

What makes everything especially awkward is that the Sheikh is married to Princess Haya, whose big legacy was supposed to be the FEI’s Clean Sport Campaign. Bet that made for some terse dinner table discussions! Now Haya is seeking a third term as president of the FEI, but her bid is being met with opposition by some countries who sense a conflict of interest.

Man, that’s a sticky situation. We thought the royal couple could use a little bit of Horse Nation wisdom, so we wrote them an open letter. Here goes:

Dear Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya,

First, please know that we are huge fans. Princess Haya, you have the greatest collection of fancy hats and it was so awesome when you stuck up for gay sporthorses! Sheikh Mohammed, you continually crack us up with your hilarious scowls and grumpy faces. Sure, we’ve given you a hard time in the past, but it’s all in good fun.

We know you’re having a rough year–the little doping thing, and now nobody wants the Princess to be president anymore, etc. Maybe it’s time to take a little vacation from the horse thing, eh? You know, try something new, explore the unknown. There are so many other Olympic sports out there that could benefit from your money, power and smooth charm. Here are some ideas to get you started:

So many awesome possibilities! I mean, we’d hate to lose you (who would we make fun of then?), but you know what they say: Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end, yeah.

Go Riding,

Horse Nation