The Winter Q&A Series gives Eventing Nation readers a forum to ask their most burning winter-training questions. Panelists Katie Murphy, Doug Payne, Denny Emerson and Jennie Brannigan will answer reader-submitted questions through March, with their answers appearing each week on the blog. Have a question for our panelists? Submit it to [email protected]. Denny Emerson is answering today’s questions.

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Denny posted this picture on the Tamarack Hill Facebook page this week: "It would be more of a Vermont Christmas story if I could say that Core Buff was hauling in the Christmas tree from our own woods, but he's actually pulling Robert Heath on skis. This would have been sometime in the late seventies."

How do you recommend cooling off a horse after a winter ride, particularly if there is not a stable available? (Submitted by EN reader Laurie)

Denny: On the really cold, windy days, don’t ride your horse to the point where he gets soaked. On days when he is more soaked, if you have access to some sort of shelter, put on layers of polar-fleece coolers after the ride. When the first one gets wet from the steam, keep swapping it out until he is dry. You can also rub the horse dry with towels. If all you can do is turn the horse out in a field after a ride, just be sure not to get him soaked.

What are the best things to do with your horse when you don’t have an indoor arena and the ground is frozen/hard to keep them in at least light work? (Submitted by EN reader Linda)

Denny: Lumpy ground is a real ankle turner. Every rut that a tractor makes or a lump from a hoof print will freeze that way. You have to be awfully careful that your horse doesn’t get a stone bruise. When the ground is very frozen with lots of ruts, I would only walk. But it also depends on the horse too. If he’s fit then he has a better chance of being OK to work harder on the frozen ground. If you’re unsure, then just stick to walking.

With the ground frozen, I’d like to ride on the road, since the surface is even and cleared of snow and ice regularly. How much time do horses need at the walk to adjust from grass to pavement before it’s ok to do short trots? And would you use studs on a horse with just front shoes? (Submitted by EN reader Aneesa)

Denny: If you have to go on snow or ice to get to the roads, use borium on all four feet, unless the horse can go right onto a road. I don’t think it takes very long before you can start some trotting. Downhill trotting is much harder on the horse’s legs than uphill rotting. I would be very careful when you trot. Ideally, trot slightly uphill so you don’t have as much of the banging from the road affecting the horse’s legs.

Horse Nation reader Trudy Innes Richardson sent in this "Oh Crap Moment" on her OTTB. Be sure to like Horse Nation on Facebook to see more great saves like this one. Well sat, Trudy!

A barn friend told me yesterday that after recently retiring her 24-year-old Quarter Horse gelding, she found herself with an abundance of time on her hands to catch up on the important things in life she’d been missing out on at the barn — like visiting her grandmother, spending quality time with friends and hanging out with her non-horsey husband. The off season is generally a quiet time where the cold temperatures and short days make it difficult to get out to the barn as regularly as we’d like. Instead of going stir crazy in the off season, let’s use it as a time to catch up on what we’ve been neglecting. Now’s the time to do it; because, come spring, we’ll all be living at the barn again.

Your Sunday Links

Ireland Seeks Eventing, Jumping Managers

Crowley Retires from Steeplechase Racing

Britain’s Best Inducted into Hall of Fame

Animal Health Experts Attend Sport Horse Talks

Whipping of Horse in Charity Race Draws Fire

British Eventing Remembers Friends of the Sport

Joe Fargis Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Toxic Weed Suspected in Deaths of 19 Horses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exm-aGG3MhI
Sledjoring: Invented to prevent eventers from going stir crazy in the off season 

EN’s Got Talent is Eventing Nation’s newest series. We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? This series 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].

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Kelli and Rocco in the dressage at the YEH Championships. Photo credit to Shannon Brinkman.

While Kelli Temple never planned on aiming Scirocco, a 5-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Jules Stiller, at the YEH Championships, a solid start to his eventing career convinced her it might be a possibility. “It became apparent that maybe he was going to be able to catch up enough to do it,” Kelly said. “I want to the Waredaca qualifier in August so I could present him to the judges. It’s a little bit of a crapshoot, because everybody thinks their 5-year-old is nice. You have to see whether the judges will agree with you or not.” It turned out that the judges agreed with Kelli. “The judges wrote some very encouraging things to me,” Kelli said. “But at that point he was still very green. He didn’t jump cross country; he show jumped cross country. He was over jumping and not understanding how to  jump out of a gallop, so we still needed to work on that.”

Kelli continued advancing Rocco’s education, especially his jumping, with incredible results. After the YEH qualifier at Waredaca, Rocco moved up to training level, winning his next two events at Maryland and Middleburg. His final outing before the YEH Championships was also at Maryland, where he placed second by just .9 faults. At Fair Hill, Rocco’s lovely gaits turned heads — including mine — showing he would be one of the 5-year-olds to beat. “He’s such a crowd pleaser,” Kelli said. “When people see him go in dressage, he has such a gorgeous trot and uphill canter that he catches people’s eyes. I could easily see doing straight dressage with him.”

Kelli and Rocco jumped in the pouring rain at the YEH Championships. Photo credit to Shannon Brinkman.

Bad weather at Fair Hill is just par for the course, but Kelli Temple saw the worst of it during the jumping. A gentle rain turned into a monsoon about midway through her round. I can say “monsoon” confidently, because I was there trying to take pictures. “He was the only horse that had to go in that torrential rain,” Kelli said. “He’s never had to compete under those circumstances before. He jumped the first jump so big and my tack was so wet that I just could not stay in the saddle. I went flying up and landed on his back. I was terrified to jump the next jump because I thought I was going to fall off.”

While Kelli thought Rocco jumped around brilliantly, some of the comments made by the judges perplexed her. “For the most part he got very good scores,” Kelli said. “The jumping was a little bit strange. They made some comments that maybe I couldn’t see, like that he doesn’t use his head and neck. It just didn’t make sense. But everyone has their opinions. You just have to go with it and surrender yourself to that. You know going in that it’s not based on penalties; it’s based on someone’s opinion. Everyone thinks their horse is the best, so you just have to let it go.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an1gH9iHHLc
Rocco’s dressage test at the YEH Championships 

Rocco finished the 5-year-old YEH Championships in second place, just .69 points behind Kim and Jackie Severson’s Cooley Cross Border. After a fantastic finish to his season, Rocco is enjoying the off season before starting next year at training, with a move up to preliminary planned for the spring. Kelli has her sights set on the one-star at Bromont, but she plans to let Rocco make the decisions about his future. “I would love to be able to continue Rocco’s education up through the levels, but the bottom line is he is for sale and I fully expect someone else will get that pleasure.” Until then, Kelli fully intends to enjoy the ride.

Next week on EN’s Got Talent: We’ll show OTTBs some love when we meet VS McCuan Civil Liberty, a 7-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Patrick McCuan and campaigned by Australian native Kate Chadderton. He most recently placed seventh in intermediate at the Virginia Horse Trials last month; he also placed 17th at the Bromont CCI1* earlier this year. “He’s only small — just 15.2hh — and quite a quirky little bugger; he likes to bite,” Kate said. “To ride he’s like a little rubber ball. He’s the most athletic and nicest horse I’ve had the privilege of riding. OTTBs are my personal favorite. I grew up riding them and somehow keep on coming back to them.”

Photo by Eric Swinebroad

Christmas has come early for the eventing community, as the FEI has just published a detailed FAQ that should help answer many of the questions that have been raised since the General Assembly. We’ll be back with more commentary on the rules and FAQ later. For now, the main thing we can take away is that CCI/CIC qualifiers will not expire. You can view the full rules on the FEI website here. A PDF of the FAQ can be seen here.

From the FEI:

Further to many requests of information on the Eventing Rules 2013, published on the FEI website, the Eventing Committee have issued the following guidance notes to answer the most frequently asked questions. We hope that the following will allow easier reference to the changes and new concepts that have been included in the 2013 Rules.

Questions/ answers:

1. How has my national federation had input into these rules?

National Federations have been actively involved along the consultation process since June 2011. The was finalized with the approval by all NFs of the new rules at the General Assembly in Istanbul (November 2012). Eventing Open Forums have been organised in Luhmühlen (GER) August 2011, Guadalajara (MEX) October 2011, Adelaide (AUS) November 2011 and Kihikihi (NZL) April 2012 and a special session for Eventing during the FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne (SUI) May 2012. NFs were invited in July 2012 to review 1st draft and propose amendments and the final draft of the 2013 Eventing Rules was made available on 11 October 2012. More comments were then received by a number of NFs and a final agreement, including several transitory provisions, with the Eventing nations was made at the General Assembly on the 7 November 2012.

2. How do the new rules better define the differences between CCIs (Long Format) and CICs (Short Format) Competitions?

The main areas where the differences between formats have been reaffirmed and strengthened in the new rules are: the distances of the Cross Country Test, the order of tests and the overall duration of the Competition.

3. National competitions used to be a part of the FEI qualification pathway (MER matrix) but these have been replaced by international Events – why?

For that part of the qualification pathway that is under the responsibility of the FEI it is important that the FEI can maintain records and can directly control and verify the level and standards of the Competitions involved. This is only possible for the FEI in the international Events held under FEI Rules and with the direct involvement of FEI Officials.

4. Are there any circumstances when national Competitions can still be used as part of the FEI qualification pathway?

As a transitory provision for 2013, it has been agreed that, if necessary and for specific reason, NFs could apply for a limited number of targeted national Competitions to be considered equivalent for qualification purposes to international Competitions of the same type/level. This is to avoid, during the first year of the implementation of the new rules, the possible risk of insufficient qualification possibilities in some areas with limited numbers of international Competitions.

5. Has the FEI qualification pathway (MER matrix) changed from before?

The basic MER matrix only includes minor changes, some new principles have been introduced and are now reflected in the new matrix.

New principles are:
• Categorization of Athletes
• Qualification as a combination for Athletes not categorized at the level
• Qualification for the Horse only for Athletes categorized at the level
• International Events only to be considered

6. Are the periods of qualification deadlines of 2 preceding years maintained?

For CI’s and CIO’s once the qualification has been achieved it will be for an unlimited period and will not expire after two years. For Championships, as in the past, the qualification will still expire and therefore must be achieved within the preceding or current year.

7. Do I progress through the FEI qualification pathway as a combination?

For CI’s and CIO’s qualifying as a combination or not will depend on the category of the Athlete and the level of the Competition entered. For Championships the qualification procedure is unchanged and all Athletes and Horses must qualify as a combination within the preceding or current year.

8. Is Athlete Categorisation the same as ‘Rider Licence’?

The idea is similar, but to make the concept clearer the definition was changed further to the comments received by the NFs after the 1st draft of the Rules. The Athlete categorisation principle has been introduced to recognize the riders who have proven their capability through a volume of positive consistent results.

9. What is the purpose of Athlete Categorisation?

It is to create a framework where proven competence and experience of the Athletes at the different levels of the sport can be recognized and valued. Having an objective system based on results that can recognize the difference in experience and competence of the Athletes is a prerequisite for creating a more refined system of qualification that can take into account the great variety of situation that we experience in the sport. The idea is to have a system able to show more “trust” for the Athletes that have already “proven” themselves while still taking care of the new and less experienced Athletes.

10. Do I have to be in an Athlete Category to compete in FEI Eventing?

No – As previously Athletes must achieve Minimum Eligibility Requirements to participate in FEI Eventing Competition, but there is no need to be in any special category to compete in FEI Eventing.

11. Will the Athlete categorisation be used for selection/balloting procedure for event entries?

No – Categories will not be used as the basis for the selection or balloting procedure for events, thus ensuring every athlete, whether qualified by category will have equal chance to gain entry to events for which they are qualified.

12. Do I have to be in Athlete Category A to compete in 4 star Events, WEG or the Olympics?

No – There is no need to be categorized to participate at 4 star Events, the WEG or the Olympics.

13. Does an Athlete with a higher Athlete Category gain any advantage when competing in the same class as another with a lower AC?

No absolutely not.

14. Within the Athlete Categorisation article, what is meant by ‘corresponding level’?

Corresponding level refers to the star level of the MERs used to define the different categories: D=1 star, C=2 star, B=3 star, A=4 star (e.g. 2 star results are taken into consideration for the achievement of the C category then the 2 star level will be the corresponding level to the C category.)

15. What is the purpose of reverse qualification and how does it work?

The purpose of the reverse qualification is to ensure that when the Athlete is eliminated/when it goes wrong on the Cross Country, the basic principle of horsemanship of stepping down one level to regain confidence is applied. This should clearly happen also without a specific rule, but this is the safety valve to ensure the Athlete takes responsibility.

16. Are many of the rule changes driven by safety and intended to increase the responsibility on Athletes to ride within their capabilities?

The changes in the Rules governing the technical requirements for participation in international Competitions are in line with the evolution of the concept of safety and risk management and with the need of better focusing the responsibilities where they belong. Athletes supported by their trainers and NFs are ultimately the ones to decide when and if to upgrade themselves or their Horse. No qualification system should ever shift this responsibility.

17. When do these new rules take effect?

1st January 2013. However during 2013 a number of transitory provisions (listed in the Rules preamble) will facilitate the progressive implementation of some of the new provisions.

18. These are new and untried rules, what mechanism is in place to review and adjust them in light of experience from 1st Jan 2013 onwards?

The Eventing department will closely monitor the implementation of the new Rules and communicate any unforeseen circumstance to the Eventing Committee. Should any new provision appear to be truly inapplicable or unfair the Eventing Committee will review these immediately and propose a solution.

19. If so, what is the review timetable?

Immediate if urgent and necessary while a full review will take place at the end of 2013.

20. Who do I talk to if I need further clarification of any points in these new rules?

The Eventing Department at the FEI HQ.

NOTE: Attention: Event results:

NFs and athletes need to check their XC results at the event carefully to ensure that the any penalties, El, WD or RT be correctly stated on the official results of the event, to ensure the reverse qualification is correctly implemented.

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John’s laptop keyboard probably has smoke pouring from it after he furiously typed up more than 15 lengthy posts over the course of four days at the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention. Reading his reports was the next best thing to being at the convention, and I highly recommend you take the time to review the posts. I’ve included them all here, along with a short summary of what you can expect to read. The posts on David O’Connor’s sessions are particularly notable, as they outline his plans and programs that will set the framework for the next phase of U.S. eventing upon their approval by the USEF. John took away three themes from the convention: eventing in the U.S. enjoys a really strong position right now, the future of U.S. high performance eventing has never looked brighter and the generosity of our sport’s big financial supporters will help us be competitive on the international stage. Go reading and go eventing!

Posts from Thursday, Dec. 6

David’s Breakfast: The Road to Excellence — Incoming U.S. eventing coach David O’Connor held an unpublicized U.S. high performance seminar where he introduced his vision for the future, particularly for high performance athletes. He presented principles and techniques he believes our high performance riders must adopt in order to be successful at the highest levels of the sport. To get to the top, riders must possess ambition, intelligence and emotional control, technique, the appropriate horses, proper horse and time management, and talent.

USEF Eventing Technical Committee: The One-Fall Rule Again — First off, tough-as-nails Karen O’Connor attended this meeting as a committee member. Well done, Karen! The meeting primarily focused on reversing the one-fall rule for beginner novice and novice riders. The proposed rule change would stipulate that the rider has to land on his or her feet to be allowed to continue. The rule will have to go through the USEF Safety Committee before being presented to the USEF Board. On the FEI qualifications, Derek Di Grazia valiantly attempted to describe the new rules that have confused the eventing community for several weeks now.

David’s Lunch: Technical Training— David focused on technical training concepts during his lunchtime open forum for the high performance program. Marilyn Payne praised David’s session as the best lecture she’s ever heard on dressage. Trust me when I say you’ll want to read this one. David addressed position, communication, the training scale, frames, the half-halt, lateral work, lead changes, halts and corners. He also emphasized the importance of rider’s using their backs and keeping quiet hands so that the horse actually learns to pay attention when you use a rein aid.

Professional Horseman’s Council: Rider Reps, Footing and FEI Rules — The council hopes to boost the rider rep form response rate, which was only 45 percent in 2012. The new footing management program will either lead to purchasing testing equipment or aerators. Robert Kellerhouse explained the new FEI rules, which split riders into categorized and uncategorized and affects how riders qualify for certain levels. There’s really no way to summarize this succinctly, so please ready John’s full breakdown of the FEI rules discussion.

Eligible Athletes and Owner’s Task Force: Much More From David — Joanie Morris discussed the new five training-list system: Under 18, Under 25, National Talent, World Class and Global Talent. David led the rest of the meeting, asking the riders what they expected from him as a coach. David also proposed two selection lists and emphasized his willingness to travel wherever he is needed. The Eventing Owners Task Force explained that its primary goal is to enhance the U.S. ownership experience. Moving forward, the four pillars of the U.S. program will be respect, integrity, transparency and consistency.

Posts from Friday, Dec. 7

David’s Friday Breakfast: Judging Excellent/Selection Criteria— David said he could have chosen an early-section model, which allows riders to build camaraderie and team spirit before an event, or a late-selection model, which keepers riders fighting it out until the bitter end. He decided to go with an early-selection model because he believes so strongly in team building and morale. He gave approximate selection dates for WEG 2014, Pan Ams 2015 and the Olympics 2016. When it comes to selection, David expects pairs to perform lower that 45 in dressage, quick and clean on cross-country and within 10 seconds of the time, and a clean show-jumping round.

USEA Board of Governors Meeting: Officials, Membership and Falls — About half of eventing’s officials are projected to retire in the next 10 years, primarily “R” judges and “R” TDs. The sport is projected to grow over the next year, which will create a problem because many of the people qualified to be officials plan to continue riding. The board proposed restricting certain areas of the USEA website to encourage non-members to take the plunge into membership. Continuing the one-fall rule discussion, the board proposed that the rider must land on his or her feet and also show no apparent injury.

Friday Afternoon: Awards, PRO, and More High Performance — Future grants will allow Young Event Horses to compete at the FEI World Championships for Young Horses in Le Lion d’Angers in France. PRO is hoping to improve the spectator experience at certain events next year, especially Plantation Field. Suggested ideas include holding show jumping on Friday night under the lights and running cross country in reverse order of standing. David outlined more of his goals for the program going forward, including a four-year plan and his goals for 2014, 2015 and 2016. This is another must read!

Posts from Saturday, Dec. 8

EMSA: Air Vest Presentations from Point Two and Hit Air — In regards to air vests, Point Two rep Lee Middleton said, “These are not going to completely stop people from having injuries. What we are saying is ‘is there a window where an airbag can save someone’s life?’” Transport Research Laboratory impact testing attempted to recreate a potentially fatal impact to the chest. These tests showed that Point Two jackets reduce chest compression and severe chest impact by more than 55 percent.

Saturday Morning: USEA Open Forum and ‘It Takes a Sport’ — USEA President Brian Sabo addressed rumors about redistricting the areas. If redistricting is approved, it would only be done to level the playing field in regards to changing demographics. Brian also said the lack of volunteers in the sport is quickly emerging as eventing’s biggest problem. In the round table, David said he believes it’s critical to offer top-notch educational opportunities at every level of the sport. The round table also played an interview with Michael Jung, who said he has 25 horses all owned by sponsors or owners.

USEA Annual Membership Meeting — The USEA is in fantastic financial shape right now, with a total budget surplus of $228,000 for 2012, which is a result of strong membership numbers, strong start numbers, higher than expected horse registration numbers and increased private support of the Young Event Horse program. Nominees for the 2013 board were put forth and approved unanimously. New officers were chosen for various committees as well. Brian also gave a shout out to the USEA’s wildly successful useventing.tv program.

U.S. Eventing Team Reviews London — Former coach Mark Phillips, Karen O’Connor, Will Coleman, Phillip Dutton and stable manager Dougie Hanum discussed the London Olympics and answered questions. Jim Wolf, director of USEF sport horse programs, noted that cross-country day was the most spectated event at the Games, securing eventing’s spot in the Olympics. Phillip took full responsibility for the team’s lackluster performance. Will Coleman said Twizzel’s refusal at the bank will “haunt me for life.”

Video: Mary King’s 2012 USEA Convention Keynote Speech — Click for full video coverage of Mary King’s keynote speech. John summed it up best, so I’ll let him do the talking: “I’m a huge believer about the power of enthusiasm to inspire people, and Mary absolutely exudes enthusiasm and positive energy. If you are an up-and-coming rider and want to know how to find and keep top owners, watch Mary’s speech. We have spent a lot of time over the past few days asking how we can find more owners for our sport, and I think we could go a long way by learning from how Mary presents herself and her program.”

Ms. Jacqueline Mars Pledges $500,000 to U.S. Eventing Program — Rumors circulated around the convention for days of an announcement of a major donation to U.S. eventing. Those rumors proved to be true, with an announcement made at the USEA Hall of Fame Dinner that Ms. Jacqueline Mars has pledged $500,000 to supporting U.S. eventing programs, as long as the donation can be matched by June 1, 2013. David praised Ms. Mars, a longtime owner of some of eventing’s top horses, as the greatest supporter our sport has ever had.

The USEA Open Rule Change Forum — The Ground Jury may “direct” that someone who has a bad fall unrelated to an on-course fence, such as in warmup or galloping between fences, must be examined before continuing. The current proposed one-fall rule change would mean 65 penalties for a beginner novice or novice rider who lands on his or her feet with no apparent injury. Those still confused by the FEI qualification rules can rest assured that the USEF is working day and night to clarify and study the rules. The USEF Technical Committee has requested clarifications and extensions from the FEI as well. Go USEF!

Posts from Sunday, Dec. 9

USEA Board of Governors Meeting Notes — Derek Di Grazia has spent countless hours compiling a spreadsheet of the new FEI qualification rules, which is on its way to USEF committees for approval. The spreadsheet will be circulated shortly, officially answering many of the questions that have been raised over the last few weeks. The 2013 USEA Convention will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dec. 3-8. Phyllis Dawson would like to see the conventions made as affordable as possible to raise attendance. About 370 people attended this year’s conference, as opposed to about 350 last year.

John reported that this video was a highlight of the USEA Board of Governors meeting this morning at the convention. What happens at the convention stays at the convention … unless a group of High Performance Eventing ladies get together to film a fan video to Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie.” Then we’ll broadcast it to the world. Originally posted on Sinead Halpin’s Facebook page, see how many High Performance riders you can spot in this video. This video was produced by ‘Anonymous.’  Go eventing.

Tis the season to have absolutely no idea what to get any of your friends or family, for the umpteenth year in a row. Every once in a while you find the perfect present, but especially for horsey friends, the pressure is on. Obviously you’ll be purchasing something horse-related, but does it have to be pink and have a fat pony on it? We here at Eventing Nation say NAY! That’s why this holiday season each one of our impressive staff writers is picking one unique, amazing, thoughtful and clever horsey gift to help you along during this time of stress. Happy holidays!

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Horsehair bracelets are a beautiful keepsake you will treasure for years to come. Photo via Tail Spin Bracelets.

Our horses are an integral part of our lives. While we can’t always be at the barn — apparently eating, sleeping and working have to occasionally take a priority — you can always keep a part of your horse with you by wearing a horsehair bracelet. Plus, if you’re anything like me, your taste in jewelry is mediocre at best … if existent at all. Who has the money to spend on fine jewels and metals after board, lessons and vet bills have been deducted from your bank account? But a horsehair bracelet is an affordable, beautiful piece of jewelry that makes a fashion statement while also looking earthy and understated. You can wear it to work, to the barn or out on the town.

I know what you’re thinking. Our horses’ tails might as well be under lock and key. I know several horses whose tails never leave a tail bag due to their owner’s fear that half the tail will find its way into a jagged fence board. You’d have to be slightly out of your mind to sacrifice a piece of your horse’s beautiful tail in the name of fashion, right? But Tail Spin Bracelets, a small business founded in 2008 by horse lovers Kim Caulfield and Terri Spencer, only needs several small snips from below your horse’s tailbone to make the bracelet. You’ll never even notice that a few pieces are missing. And at $85, these bracelets won’t break the bank.

Additionally, Tail Spin offers numerous sterling silver charms you can add to the bracelet to make it more personalized. You can add just a plain charm or engrave the charm with your horse’s name to make the gift even more special. If you’re thinking of purchasing a horsehair bracelet for your equine friends, think about how thoughtful you’ll look when they unwrap a one-of-a-kind bracelet made from their horse’s tail. Hopefully they’ll be so overcome by Christmas cheer that they won’t question how or when you snuck into their horse’s stall to steal a piece of tail. It’s all in the name of friendship, after all. Happy holidays and happy shopping!

All four of the horses competing in the Retired Racehorse Training Project’s 100-Day Thoroughbred Challenge are now into their first week of training at Steuart Pittman’s Dodon Farm. The 100-Day Challenge is running in lieu of last year’s Trainer Challenge, as Steuart wanted to place more emphasis on the horses’ talent in this year’s competition. The horses will be introduced to the public at the Maryland Horse World Expo in January, with the winner set to be crowned at the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo in February. Each of these horses are a textbook example of how beautifully OTTBs can transition to a second career. In case you missed my introduction of the four competitors, here’s a recap:

Declan's Moon on his first day of training. Photo from RRTP website.

Declan’s Moon (Malibu Moon X Vee Vee Star, by Norquestor) won the Eclipse Award as an undefeated two-year-old. He went on to win his first race as a three year old before an injury took him off the Triple Crown trail. After a full recuperation and another 13 races, his longtime owner Samantha Siegel of Jay Em Ess Stable retired him to the Pons family’s Country Life Farm in Maryland, where he has been turned out with two other Malibu Moon champions. Josh Pons approached Samantha about entering Declan, now 10, in the 100-Day Challenge because “he is such a beautiful mover and a great example of the quality horse that our industry produces.”

Gunport in her first training session. Photo from RRTP website.

Gunport (Mizzen Mast X Directive, by Deputy Minister) is a gorgeous 3-year-old filly with a petite head, magnificent topline and no desire to race. She was born and raised at Sagamore Farm, which Kevin Plank of Under Armour has returned to its former glory under the guidance of Tom Mullikin and his team. Sagamore horses are treated like royalty and Gunport was no exception. She trained to race, ran once at Colonial Downs in the summer, made it clear that she was not interested and Team Sagamore respected her wishes. She has been dubbed the beauty queen of the 100-Day Thoroughbred Challenge.

Suave Jazz in his first training session. Photo from RRTP website.

Suave Jazz (Suave Prospect X Cavite Starlet, by Jazzing Around) is a 9-year-old who ran 70 races and won $651,000. He was a favorite of trainer Tony Dutrow earlier in his career, so he told the owners he would take him back when he was ready to retire. That happened in August of this year and the horse has been resting since. Dutrow is a partner in Walnut Green Farm with Mark Reid, who was eager to find a good horse to enter in the 100-Day Challenge. “He’s not the prettiest horse, but he’s a good mover,” Reid, whose eye for a good horse has made him a leading bloodstock agent, said. “And, by the way, we want to win this thing.”

Alluring Punch in his first training session. Photo from RRTP website.

Alluring Punch (Two Punch X Alluring Elixir, by Cure the Blues) is a 3-year-old gelding who earned $12,000 in 10 starts. Barbara Ryan bred the horse and got him back after his last race on Sept. 1, knowing that he would make an outstanding sporthorse and eager to get him some good training. When she heard about the 100-Day Challenge, she contacted Northview Stallion Station with a proposal that the horse be entered to honor Two Punch, his sire, who died at Northview last summer. Two Punch offspring like Vaunted, who competed at Rolex in 2009, epitomize the versatility and athleticism of Thoroughbreds.

Here are videos from Day 1 of the 100-Day Thoroughbred Challenge, shot Monday, Dec. 3 at Dodon Farm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wFSyDr_YuQ
Alluring Punch’s first training session 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GWug8tv7GE
Declan’s Moon’s first training session

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38xQ_2t18_w
Gunport’s first training session

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugNT2PlY-g
Suave Jazz’s first training session 

High Performance riders visited the USOC Training Center yesterday morning in Colorado Springs. Photo courtesy of Jennie Brannigan's Facebook page.

While I couldn’t be in attendance at the USEA Convention this weekend, John’s rapid-fire updates kept me — along with the rest of the eventing community — informed of all the important developments that came out of the annual meeting. From detailed overviews of David O’Connor’s new program plans to a full analysis of London from the Olympic team, John’s posts helped me feel like I was there; I hope you did too. I’ll be bringing you a roundup of John’s best posts from the convention tomorrow. Until then, you can relive all the action by clicking back through the most recent pages of the blog. There is enough material there to keep you reading for several hours. The future of U.S. eventing is upon us. As David said at the convention: Watch out, Germany. We’re coming for you.

USEA Convention Schedule — Sunday, Dec. 9

7:00 AM – 9:00 AM         ICP Committee (Committee Members Only)
7:30 AM – 11:00 AM        USEA Convention Registration
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM          Continental Breakfast Sponsored by Rebecca Farm
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM         USEA Trade Fair Vendors
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM         USEA Board of Governors Meeting
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM        ICP Certified Instructors Forum
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM      Introduction to ICP Workshops

Your Sunday Links

USEA Announces New Prize for Young Event Horses

USEA Annual Meeting and Convention Day 2 Review

Former Top Rider Honored for Eventing Volunteer Work

New Stars to Join British Horse Society Hall of Fame

British Eventing Confirms Selectors will Continue in Roles

Dressage Foundation Awards $10,000 to Adult Amateurs

New Zealand Puissance Record to be Challenged

Survey Shows Knowledge Lacking on Horse-Meat Origins

Embryo Storage Presents Next Breeding Challenge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XkJlY4m6PE
Part 1 of Mary King’s keynote speech at the USEA Convention
Click here for Part 2 

EN’s Got Talent is Eventing Nation’s newest series. We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? This series 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].

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Kelli and Rocco battled a torrential downpour at the Young Event Horse East Coast Championships at Fair Hill. Photo credit to Shannon Brinkman.

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Kelli Temple doesn’t just want to see how far Scirocco, a 5-year-old Holsteiner gelding, can progress through the levels. “I want to go to Rolex!” she said. When Jules Stiller, who owns “Rocco,” sent the horse to Kelli for training earlier this year, he had barely been backed. But he placed second in the Young Event Horse East Coast Championships just a few months later, showing Kelli that Rocco has serious potential for the future. “He’s just a stunning horse in every aspect,” Kelli said. “He has strong conformation and a great gallop. He’s a fantastic jumper with amazing style, a beautiful mover and just so balanced.”

While Kelli could immediately see that Rocco moved and looked like a superstar, she never intended on aiming him toward the YEH Championships. “At first I was just trying to get him going,” Kelli said. “Normally my 5-year-olds would be going training and then do their first prelim at the end of their 5-year-old year. He was a bit slower to get going.” But once he started his eventing career, Rocco showed just how talented he is, winning the first event of his career in novice at the Maryland Horse Trials in May. “He was perfect for a young horse,” Kelli said. “He had a very steady dressage test with no mistakes. It was very workmanlike and relaxed.”

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Rocco shortly after he arrived at Kelli's farm this spring. Photo courtesy of Kelli.

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Rocco is already far ahead of the curve when it comes to the dressage, which comes very naturally to him due to his fantastic build. “The sky’s the limit with him because he has such good movement,” Kelli said. “He’s already very supple laterally. He schools shoulder-in, haunches-in, half pass, counter canter and flying changes. He’s a child prodigy. I could easily see doing straight dressage with him.” Looking to the future, Kelli thinks Rocco’s dressage will continue to develop easily as he moves through the levels; but, of course, she’d love to see him have a successful career as a straight-up eventer.

Rocco is equally talented when it comes to jumping, although cross country and show jumping have presented their own unique challenges. “He’s very careful and he doesn’t like to hit anything,” Kelli said. “It took him awhile to level out. He would just jump straight up. It’s a fun feeling, but I was glad I was going novice through that phase and not prelim.” While Rocco is very brave to elements like the water on cross country, he can be spooky in show jumping, especially when it comes to boxes, fillers and flowers. While Kelli acknowledged Rocco is tough to ride in the show jumping, she’s also confident he will settle more as he advances through his career.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRyRwLJfmUE
Rocco at the Maryland Horse Trials in July 

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“He could be so many things,” Kelli said. “He could do just jumpers or dressage, or be an event horse. At this point I’m just going to carry on making him stronger. I’m getting some help from Linda Zang; she likes him a lot. Phillip Dutton helps me with his jumping. With a young horse, many times they are extremely talented and it just comes down to developing the physical aspect of their training. Just because the horse is talented doesn’t mean you can’t take your time.”

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Next week on EN’s Got Talent: Kelli breaks down Rocco’s performance at the YEH Championships, including her wet-and-wild jumping round during a torrential downpour. “He jumped the first jump so big and my tack was so wet that I just could not stay in the saddle,” Kelli said. “I went flying up and landed on his back. I was terrified to jump the next jump because I thought I was going to fall off in front of all those people.” Luckily, Kelli was able to stay firmly planted in the saddle for the rest of her round.

The Winter Q&A Series gives Eventing Nation readers a forum to ask their most burning winter-training questions. Panelists Katie Murphy, Doug Payne, Denny Emerson and Jennie Brannigan will answer reader-submitted questions through March, with their answers appearing each week on the blog. Have a question for our panelists? Submit it to [email protected]. Jennie Brannigan is answering today’s questions.

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Big snowstorms are just around the corner for much of the U.S. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

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My biggest question, and I debate about it every year, is whether or not to do a partial clip. I ride regularly, but I end up just doing a lot of walking and hacking in the woods because it gets too icy to do much. (Submitted by EN reader Chelsie)

Jennie: I would have to say that when it comes to picking out what kind of clip you would like to go for through the winter, the most important part is to think about how sweaty your horse is going to get when being ridden and how prone to skin issues your horse is. At our farm at True Prospect Farm, if a horse is coming back from a vacation or doing a lot of walking and jogging, we will just give it a trace clip. The majority of horses will just have their bodies clipped. The ones that are prone to getting scurf or rainrot I like to have fully clipped so I can see what’s going on under all the hair. It sounds like in your situation you would best be suited for a trace clip. It keeps your pony warm and, hey, it’s less time for you to be clipping!

Also, if the ground is icy or frozen, I would say to not jump on it. Trailer over to a friend’s indoor and do some grids! I little hard is one thing, but completely frozen is a definite safety factor!

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During the dark months, there’s just no way I can ride during the week. The OTTB I work with will get out hunting, so fitness isn’t a big concern. Keeping in mind that he’s green and still thinks he’s a racehorse, I’m wondering what I should do with him — if anything — to keep up his eventing education. I hope he doesn’t turn into the kind of field hunter that can’t focus on the boring stuff come spring. (Submitted by EN reader Julie)

Jennie: It sounds like you’ve got a nice horse that can go out and hunt as well as event! What a bummer you can’t ride during the week. To be honest with you, I love hunting and think it’s a fanstatic thing to do with horses to get them savvy with learning about how to cover ground and getting them calm in groups. To me the biggest challenge would be making sure your OTTB’s mind stays in good form for when you switch back to eventing. If you’re only riding on the weekends and one day is spent hunting, I would say your best bet is to do some flatwork on the other day with a lot of relaxation work — maybe even just in a long and low frame to remind him to stay relaxed and over the back. If his mind is quite good with the hunting, you’re already doing great prep work for next year’s eventing season, so hunt on. In the spring, I would do a lot of work in grids and trotting jumps to make sure he’s rideable and mix back in a lot of flatwork in and out of the jumping ring to make sure you have your rideability.

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Assuming bare feet are not an option, what is the safest way to shoe a horse who will remain in work throughout the winter months? (Submitted by EN reader Jacqueline)

Jennie: If you’re shoeing a horse for the winter months and bare feet aren’t an option, ask your farrier to put borium on the shoes. They will literally weld it on and it helps with road riding and icy conditions. We often do this at True Prospect when we start doing road work in the winter to ensure our horses aren’t slipping.

It’s that time of year when hundreds of influential leaders, owners, riders and members of the eventing community flock to the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention. Held again this year at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, the USEA convention hosts Mary King as the keynote speaker, along with a variety of forums tasked with tackling issues and solving problems to ultimately better the sport. John will be blogging live from the convention, bringing you full reports of all the major developments. Here’s a look at some key sessions from each major day of the convention:

Thursday, Dec. 6: The USEF Eventing Technical Committee meets first thing Thursday morning. The new FEI rules and qualifications for 2013 will undoubtedly be at the top of the committee’s agenda. Kate is currently working on a very detailed report of how those new rules affect eventers, and John will be bringing you the latest developments from the open forum hosted by the Technical Committee. If I had to guess, I’d say there will be quite a few people who pose questions to the committee in regards to the new FEI rules.

Friday, Dec. 7: David O’Connor will make his official debut as the new leader of Team USA on Friday afternoon during “The Care and Coaching of our Future Olympians: Meet the New USEF Head Coach.” When I spoke last month to Joanie Morris, the new USEF Managing Director of Eventing, she indicated David would be unveiling his vision and game plan for Team USA at this session. Joanie also said David has several new programs in the works, which he will also be discussing in detail.

Saturday, Dec. 8: Much has been said about the U.S. Eventing Team’s Olympic performance in London. The “U.S. Eventing Team Reviews London 2012” forum on Saturday afternoon marks the first opportunity for members of the team to jointly break down the Olympics in their own words. This will be a fantastic chance to hear firsthand analysis from the riders, who I’m sure will also be offering their thoughts on the future of U.S. eventing.

In addition to these exciting seminars, forums and meetings — click here for a full schedule — the convention also offers an excellent trade fair for shopping, featuring vendors like Point Two, World Equestrian Brands, Charles Owen and Nutrena. Click here for a full vendor lineup and get ready to crack open your wallets, if you’re lucky enough to be attending. The USEA will also be selling Mountain Horse jackets and fleeces embroidered with the association’s logo.

The Hall of Fame Dinner & Dance, in which six new inductions will be made into the Eventing Hall of Fame, will close the convention on Saturday night. The inductees are: Roger Haller, one of the sport’s most notable volunteers; two-time Olympian Amy Tryon, who tragically passed away earlier this year; Lana Wright, the first woman to compete on an Olympic team and win a medal; Giltedge, who still holds fourth place on the USEA All-time High Score Horse Leaderboard; and The Gray Goose, a movie star and incredible competitor.

For more information on the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention, visit the USEA website.

I love that Evention addresses practical horse care topics, in addition to answering pressing eventing questions from fans. The most recent episode of of Evention addresses what to put in an equine first aid kit. Be sure to watch the entire episode to see the Schramm Equestrian crew dancing Gangnam style in the barn aisle. Watching this week’s episode is a great opportunity to go through your first aid kit to make sure you have all of the items recommended in this episode, such as these:

Epsom Salts — Not just for abscesses; also helpful for stone bruises

Saline Solution — Useful to flush out a weeping eye

Body Powder — Very helpful after a bath to avoid rain rot

Aloe Vera — Great for cuts on the face

Bag Balm — Perfect for blanket rubs

Evention Tip of the Day: Don’t forget to stock a first aid kit for your trailer!

Declan's Moon, the 2004 Two-Year-Old Male Eclipse Award winner and a Kentucky Derby favorite, will represent Merryland Farm in the 100-Day Challenge.

Several weeks ago I told you about the new format for the Retired Racehorse Training Project’s 100-Day Challenge, in which four OTTBs from major Thoroughbred operations will train at Steuart Pittman’s Dodon Farm, with a winner being crowned at the PA Horse World Expo in February. Since I live in Harrisburg and will be going to the expo to bring you a full report on these talented youngsters, I’ve been stalking RRTP’s Facebook page for news about the four horses that will be competing.

Here’s your sneak peak at the competitors. The star of the show — at least at this initial stage of the competition — has to be Samantha Siegel’s Declan’s Moon (Malibu Moon X Vee Vee Star, by Norquester), the 2004 Two-Year-Old Male Eclipse Award winner and a 2005 Kentucky Derby favorite until he was sidelined with a knee surgery. The gelding has been retired in a field at Merryland Farm for four years with other Malibu Moon stakes winners.

Gunport will represent Sagamore Farm in the 100-Day Challenge.

Gunport (Mizzen Mast X Directive, by Deputy Minister), a 3-year-old filly, only raced once before the owner, Kevin Plank of Sagamore Farm and Underarmour fame, opted to retire her, as she was apparently uninterested in racing. Isn’t she gorgeous? I can’t wait to see her in action.

Suave Jazz (Suave Prospect X Cavite Starlet, by Jazzing Around), a 9-year-old gelding who ran 70 races and won $651,000, was originally owned by Mark Reid and Tony Dutrow of Walnut Green Farm before they lost him in a claiming race. When they heard about the 100-Day Challenge, they bought him back to enter him. “Mr. Reid is one of the country’s leading bloodstock agents and said he didn’t want to enter just any horse,” Steuart said. “He wants to win.”

The fourth and final horse is Alluring Punch (Two Punch X Alluring Elixir, by Cure The Blues), a 3-year-old colt owned by Barbara Ryan and representing Northview Stallion Station. Northview stood the acclaimed sire Two Punch until he died last year at age 28. The stallion made an incredible contribution to the sporthorse world, producing offspring with lovely gaits and scopey jumps. Alluring Punch retired from racing this fall.

Stay tuned for much more on the Retired Racehorse Training Project 100-Day Challenge!

Plantation Field's Denis Glaccum, left, and Katie Walker, second from right, present a $15,000 check to The Barn at Spring Brook Farm. Dan Stark, middle, and Mary Beth Drobish, right, were thrilled, as was Bonnie, one of the therapy animals at The Barn.

Plantation Field Horse Trials recently donated $15,000 to The Barn at Spring Brook Farm, a non-profit organization in Chester County, Pa., that provides free animal-assisted activities for children with disabilities. The Barn maintains a small herd of child-friendly animals — including miniature horses, donkeys, sheep, goats and rabbits — that are used in the organization’s therapy programs. This nonprofit provides a safe, caring environment for children with disabilities to receive physical therapy and participate in animal care and interaction, allowing them to gain knowledge, confidence and self-esteem.

Plantation Field also donated $2,500 to the Cheshire Land Preservation Fund to support the organization’s open-space initiatives. The fund seeks to promote and encourage the preservation of open space, agricultural resources and natural ecological systems in Southern Chester County, Pa. Through its efforts, there are now more than 30,000 contiguous acres near Plantation Field protected by conservation easements and deed restrictions that will permanently preserve their rural character and agricultural use.

We love to see the eventing community give back. Thanks, Plantation Field, for showing that the eventing community cares!

Sinead Halpin and Holly Payne taking full advantage of the off season. Photo via Sinead's Twitter.

Have you heard of Howdaa? This new educational website launched by Meg Kep and Dana Romano seeks to serve as a resource to learn from equine experts. Howdaa is hosting a Working Student Bootcamp next month at Sinead Halpin’s barn in Long Valley, N.J., where 10 lucky people will serve as honorary working students for an entire weekend. I am super pumped that I was selected to be one of those working students. We’ll be learning all aspects of how to be a working student, from barn management and nutrition to equine first aid and grooming techniques for competitions. I’ll be blogging about the entire experience to bring you a firsthand look at what it’s like to be a working student in Sinead’s barn. Go eventing!

Your Sunday Links:

Olympic Qualification in Spotlight at FEI Forum

Zara Phillips to Appear on Sports Quiz Show

Dressage Superstar Totilas to Focus on Sport

Former Jockey has a Shot at X Factor Final

Tips for Enjoying Your Horse on a Budget

IHSA Rider a Rhodes Scholar for Second Year

Gadd Wins USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award

John Smith’s Pulls Out of Grand National

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOTc35OrNgw
How a treadmill endoscopy is performed — fascinating!

The Winter Q&A Series gives Eventing Nation readers a forum to ask their most burning winter-training questions. Panelists Katie Murphy, Doug Payne, Denny Emerson and Jennie Brannigan will answer reader-submitted questions through March, with their answers appearing each week on the blog. Have a question for our panelists? Submit it to [email protected]. Doug Payne is answering today’s questions.

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Doug Payne's farm in New Jersey saw several inches of snow this week. Photo submitted by Doug.

In Europe, it’s quite common to let horses down for a few weeks or months during the winter and then bring them back in the spring. Do you endorse that philosophy — or at least a reduction in work — or do you think it’s best to work your horse relatively strenuously year-round to maintain fitness? (Submitted by EN reader Sarah)

Doug: I do think it’s very important to give your horse a break or two throughout the year. I make sure to work it into our horses’ annual schedule. Your horse has no ability to let you know of that little nagging ache or pain. Time off will ensure you give their body time to rest and recuperate. I think it’s critical to the longevity of your horse’s career! Aside from the physical benefits, you’ll see tremendous mental benefits as well. I always used to panic, thinking I was losing ground to the competition. Lost training time meant I was going to be behind the curve and playing catch up, and, admittedly, I hate losing! I now know better. You’ll be shocked how well your horses will come out of a break. It’s almost as if the time off allows all of the ideas and concepts you were working so hard on are somehow solidified into their mind. They will come out a better horse.

As for the timing and duration: There are two natural periods during the year which allow for some downtime. We usually have a slow June and November/December. For the big guys who finish off either season with a CCI, they’ll get anywhere from two to six weeks off. The younger horses will generally get a week or two, or a reduction in intensity in the spring and a true break in the fall.

Remember when bringing your horses back, start slow and progress slow. There is no rush!

What’s the best way to condition and build fitness when limited to an indoor for most of January to mid-March before the season starts? (Submitted by EN reader Julie)

Doug: There are plenty of options. Be creative; it will keep both you and your horse engaged and motivated. If you happen to be in a location where it often snows, then bundle up and head out a few times a week! Riding in the snow is excellent for the horses. It’s hard work without a lot of pounding. Throughout the year we do a lot of walking on our local roads. We’re very lucky to be surrounded by hills; if you’ve got them, use them! Hill work is unparalleled; you’ll be shocked how fit you can get your horses by walking alone.

If you’re strictly limited to the indoor for conditioning days, make the best of it with some small gymnastics and jumps integrated into your interval training. I’ve often set up a ‘gallop’ in the indoor with jumps set around X on both diagonals set a few holes lower than the height at which you compete. Each short side set three to six bounces of various sizes, but all smaller than you’ll see in competition. You’ll be surprised how much effort cavaletti height bounces can require. Again, start slow, working up to the following durations. BN/N: three sets of three minutes. Training: three sets of four minutes. Prelim: three sets of six minutes. All sets should have two minute intervals of walking. Remember, speed kills, especially early in the fitness process. Each set shouldn’t be much faster than a canter. I like to start with a lap around the outside, then across a diagonal to change direction. Continue this process until your set is complete. Not only will your horse get more fit than you can imagine, but it will also get him a lot quicker on his feet. You’ll start off at your first event feeling sharp and prepared!

What procedures do you recommend for safe cooling off? Do you recommend clipping even if you have no indoor access? (Submitted by EN reader Andrea)

Doug: It all depends on how hard your horse is working. My general rule of thumb, understanding that these horses are working hard five to six days a weeks, is clip as soon as you see sweat. On the very cold days we do use quarter sheets to help keep them a bit warmer. It can be a challenge to cool your horse off following a hard workout, and a long coat will make this exponentially more difficult. The last thing you want to do is leave your horse at the barn in a cold sweat, chills or baking! It’s just much easier to regulate their body temperature without a fur coat, so clip away!

Doug Payne and Running Order at Rolex earlier this year. Photo by Heather McGreer.

You can’t keep Doug Payne down. After several stressful months that saw his former four-star ride Running Order ultimately be sold to William Fox-Pitt, Doug bounced back by officially forming Virtus-DPE. The new syndicate unites the seven shareholders he had lined up to buy Running Order, with three slots still open. Rather than focusing on just one horse — as the vast majority of current syndicates do — Virtus-DPE seeks to support two future superstars, with syndicate owners jointly owning a portion of both horses.

“When everything with Running Order fell through, I was very lucky that the people behind me with him said they would roll their shares into another syndicate,”  Doug said. “I thought my best shot going forward was to get two horses at it, so I started heading in that direction in forming this new syndicate. If you have two horses in the mix and one’s on vacation, gets hurt or taps out at the two-star level, you still have another horse there. Having two horses allows you to still keep the syndicate engaged in that scenario.”

Doug plans for the syndicate to purchase one 7- to 8-year-old already competing at about the intermediate/CCI2* level and one 4- to 5-year-old just starting its eventing career. While Doug thinks younger horses can be easier to find, he knows he’s in for a challenge in finding an older horse further along in its career. “Right now I see a lot of people buying two-star horses, but I don’t think they’re getting the top tier,” Doug said. “They’re maybe getting the 80th or 90th percentile, because the very best ones at that age often are not for sale. If they are for sale, it’s for a lot of money.”

When it comes to younger horses, Doug is open to the idea of finding a prospect without much experience and starting from scratch, much like he did with Running Order. “If it’s talented, I have no problem doing that,” Doug said. “Every horse that I have right now I started from scratch. I enjoy it because there aren’t holes made by other people in the horse’s training.” Doug isn’t set on sourcing the syndicate’s horses from any one place, but he hopes to plan a trip overseas at the end of December or beginning of January to start looking.

Doug has seen the good, the bad and the ugly of syndicates, but he still believes they are critical for the future of eventing. “They’re a key component and I don’t see a way of going forward without them,” Doug said. “I don’t see the Running Order situation as a knock against a syndicate. As long as everything is very clear cut from the beginning, I don’t think it should end poorly.” Kristen Burgers, an attorney who owns half of Doug’s mount Royal Tribute, helped Doug structure the legal aspects of Virtus-DPE to ensure the syndicate can be successful going forward.

When it comes to filling the final three shareholder slots, Doug is looking for people who enjoy being involved in the full spectrum of the training process. “That’s a huge help in the end,” Doug said. “I really want people that are coming in and want to take part in the whole journey.” Doug recently spoke to Carl Siegel, who owned Buck Davidson’s mount My Boy Bobby, about the owner mentality. “He said, ‘I find as much enjoyment watching a training event as I would at Kentucky,'” Doug said. “He enjoys the whole thing. That’s what I’m looking for.”

The remaining three shares are available for $17,500 each. But Doug made it clear that he’s willing to split those three shares into partial shares. “I want it as inclusive as possible,” Doug said. “I don’t want somebody to think that’s too much money, so they can’t be a part of it. If someone has a desire to be a part of it, I would like to talk to them and figure out a way to do a fractional share or something different.” Interested shareholders can contact Doug at 908.399.9112 or [email protected].

EN’s Got Talent is Eventing Nation’s newest series. We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? This series 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].

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Garth cruises in the galloping phase at the YEH Championships. Photo by GRC Photography.

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Last week we met Katie Murphy’s Esccord RGS, known around the barn as Garth, who won the 4-year-old Young Event Horse East Coast Championships at Fair Hill last month. Garth had never been exposed to an atmosphere quite like Fair Hill, so Katie was very pleased that he was able to focus, especially during the dressage. “He was very good considering all the stimuli,” Katie said. “It was his first time being in an atmosphere that big and that electric. You had other rings nearby, the judges sitting in big pick-up trucks, cross-country jumps parked right beside the arena, a massive spectator tent and flapping flags. He just handled it so well.”

Katie noted Garth did have a bit of a “goose moment” coming down the centerline to start off his dressage test; but, overall, she thought he maintained his composure very well. “Aside from the tension in his top line, he was pretty darn good,” Katie said. “The quality of his canter has really built tenfold from where he was earlier this year. I’ve really been pushing for more power and engagement in the canter. He was able to show expressive movement in the big ring, so the extra space was greatly appreciated. The judge actually said ‘possible FEI dressage prospect’ in the comments.”

Garth competes in the jumping phase at the YEH Championships. Photo by GRC Photography.

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While Garth shows great potential in his flatwork, he also impressed the judges during the jumping phase of the competition. I will never forget standing in the pouring rain at Fair Hill, trying to take pictures of the YEH jumping with a plastic bag wrapped around my camera. Luckily for Katie, by the time the 4-year-olds went out to jump, the skies had cleared, although the footing had definitely been compromised. “Hearing everyone come back and talk about the footing was worrying me, because Garth didn’t have studs,” Katie said. “I purposefully had chosen not to put studs on him, because I want him to learn where his body is and how to react to slippery conditions. Plus, to have that torque with studs worried me when it came to his joint health.”

When Kelli Temple returned from her ride and said putting in her “biggest bullets” wasn’t enough, Katie really started to worry. But Kim Severson told her to go hack Garth near the course and see how it felt. “I thought it was fine,” Katie said. “Our last horse trial before the YEH was at the University of New Hampshire, and it was an absolute downpour. It was just as bad as at YEH, so having that experience with some of the bad footing was great to prepare us for the conditions at Fair Hill.” When Katie actually started her jumping round, Garth’s traction wasn’t a concern at all. “In the last third of the season he gained a huge amount of confidence,” Katie said. “We’re now at that teetering point where he’s like an excited teenage boy who thinks he knows how it should be done and is not as willing to listen.”

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pi3xaV67gQ
Katie’s helmet cam of the YEH jumping and galloping phases

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While Garth was a bit “bullish” to the fences, Katie loved that he showed boldness, especially through the water complex. “Now that he’s gained confidence, he’s not quite as keen and tight through his knees and his bascule,” Katie said. “Hopefully next year, if we qualify for the 5-year-old championships, his jumping capability will be more apparent.” In all, Katie is thrilled with how Garth performed at Fair Hill and has her sights set on continuing to advance Garth’s career next season. “He’ll do a full season of training next year with a potential move up in the fall, and then continue on at preliminary the year after that,” Katie said. “Depending on how his gallop progresses, he may be a good candidate for a long-format one-star in spring 2014.”

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Next week on EN’s Got Talent: We’ll meet Kelli Temple and Scirocco, another YEH standout who finished second to Kim and Jackie Severson’s Cooley Cross Border at the 5-year-old East Coast Championships. In addition to his standout performance at the YEH Championships, “Rocco,” a Holsteiner gelding imported from Germany in July, also won his first training-level event on an 18. Sarah Delaney tipped me off to this future superstar: “He is a little horse with a lot of heart and he and Kelly have a really great partnership.” Thanks for the tip, Sarah!

Loughan Glen enjoys his vacation in the UK. Photo submitted by Clark Montgomery.

We heard from Clark Montgomery at Plantation Field in September that he was planning to base his business in the UK after the first of the year. All his plans seem to be falling into place, with he and Jess gradually selling off many of their possessions in anticipation of the big move. Loughan Glen and Universe stayed in the UK after Boekelo, and Sinead Halpin reported via Twitter this morning that Garrison Flash is headed to the airport for his flight across the pond today. I checked in with Clark to see how his plans for a UK base are progressing.

From Clark:

“Glen and Buzz have been on vacation in the UK since Boekelo. They have been living the high life at Christian Landolt’s yard with turnout in fields of deep green grass. Garrison Flash heads over today to get settled in too. I will be heading over straight from the convention in Colorado to start my winter training with Sandy Phillips and Carl Hester. As for the spring and beyond, I will be doing my level best to stay based in the UK. As with any move, this depends on the continued support from owners and sponsors and the successful growth of our business. We are hugely excited about this opportunity and are looking forward to sharing it with current and future owners and students.”

Garrison Flash prepares to head to the airport. Photo via Sinead Halpin's Twitter.

Rosalie and Jack complete their Century Club ride. Photo courtesy of The Dressage Foundation website.

The Century Club, an initiative of The Dressage Foundation, seeks to recognize senior dressage horses and riders whose combined ages total 100. Riders apply for admission to The Century Club, stating their intent to ride a dressage test at any level and any dressage show or event that is scored by a dressage professional. The Dressage Foundation then sends the rider a black-and-gold Century Club ribbon, to be awarded after riding the test. The newly inducted Century Club horse and rider also receive an award bearing their names, the year of the ride, and their team number. I found the story of team 122, Rosalie Nitzsche and Bonny Glen Hi Jack, particularly touching. Go Rosalie and Jack. Go Century Club. Go dressage.

In Rosalie’s own words, from The Dressage Foundation website:

On my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me my first horse.  We lived on a farm and I did all the normal kid activities – 4-H shows, many neighborhood rides with friends, and so on.  As a young adult I took a few jumping lessons, but after seeing some accidents, decided to change my focus to something I perceived to be less dangerous.  My jumping instructor suggested dressage.  A number of years passed with marriage and motherhood taking up most of my time before I pursued it.

Since I could be the poster child for buying horses for all the wrong reasons, I decided to shop for a horse with a bit more aptitude for dressage than any I currently owned.  I shopped and I shopped.  I really wanted a Morgan but they seemed in limited supply with the qualities I sought.  Finally I narrowed the list to two and asked my trainer, Maryal Barnett, to make the choice.  She chose a red chestnut Morgan gelding named Bonny Glen Hi Jack, age six.  It seems he had a questionable past.  He was shuttled from pillar to post, exposed to many differing disciplines and, after continually failing, landed back at his breeder’s farm.

Jack seemed to like the structure of dressage.  He spent a month now and then with “Aunt Maryal” to learn new things.  Our lessons progressed and, even though I had no plans to compete, we eventually found ourselves in the show ring.  I think our competition career encompassed three years or so in the early nineties.  We earned the American Morgan Association’s Bronze Medallion in dressage, a second place in Training Level USDF Vintage Cup, and other certificates of achievement.  Dressage was a fit for us.

Jack is not a gorgeous horse.  He does not have outstanding gaits or impulsion.  What he does have in abundance is a kind, gentle, and willing spirit.  He is honest and always gives the best he can.  Jack successfully fought back from EPM and just last December suffered a torn cruciate ligament.  The prognosis was to hope we could make him pasture sound, but his riding days seemed over.  That was very difficult to accept, but the barn owner, Renee, took me aside and quietly said, “Don’t count Jack out.”  She was right.  After months of rehabilitation, we were back to limited arena work.

With much encouragement, Jack and I joined a weekly riding and lunch group at the barn.  When weather permits, we explore trails and fields.  On the trail Jack is a calming influence for the younger horses when it comes to footing and wildlife issues.  He is a joy to ride.

A friend of mine started talking about something called a Century Club Ride that could be done at the Michigan State University Dressage Club Fall Schooling Show.  Since Jack is now 30 and I am 70, we qualified.  I braided, clipped, and made Jack presentable for competition.  It was my great pleasure to once again enter at A, halt at X, and share with him this last dressage test.  We won Training Level Test 1 with a score of 70%.  We concluded our show careers with the judge’s kind words – “A pleasure to watch.  Thank you.”  I consider our Century Club ride a gift from Jack.  Through the years he has given me so much.  He has taken me places I never thought I would go, literally and figuratively.  We have made many wonderful memories and friends in our 24 years together.

Rosalie and Jack proudly display their black-and-gold Century Club ribbon. Photo courtesy of The Dressage Foundation website.

The Winter Q&A Series gives Eventing Nation readers a forum to ask their most burning winter-training questions. Panelists Katie Murphy, Doug Payne, Denny Emerson and Jennie Brannigan will answer reader-submitted questions through March, with their answers appearing each week on the blog. Have a question for our panelists? Submit it to [email protected]. Katie Murphy — www.murphyeventing.com — is answering today’s questions. Take it away, Katie!

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Katie Murphy and her former mount "First Glance" brave the New Hampshire snow several years ago.

1. Do you have any tips for winter riding without a lit arena? How effective are headlamps for riding in the dark? Are there certain features to look for? Any other tips for riding when you do not have lights in the arena? (Submitted by EN reader Leah)

Riding without a lit arena is completely feasible; I’ve been doing it since I was 8 years old. Depending on your budget, headlights offer various strengths, settings and color options. I ride with one on the front and one on the back of my helmet for my visibility and as an alert for approaching traffic and pedestrians (when riding on the road). I prefer one with a larger face for better visibility and one with a regular light (not blue), as I don’t think the blue light is as conducive to visibility in the dark. Exercise caution your first few times wearing a headlight, as your horses may be spooky about the moving “light from above.” Another option is the moon: I have many fond memories of riding in the snow-covered fields under a bright moon. With the reflection off the snow, it is surprisingly bright and beautiful! If in doubt, you can always follow Torrance Watkins’ example. I heard she used to park cars around her ring, turn on the headlights and ride into the evening.

2. Winter is a time a lot of people use to develop young horses for the next season. Do you have any suggestions for preparing a spooky young horse for a show atmosphere? (Submitted by EN reader Britta)

The more things you can expose your young horse too, the better prepared they will be for a show atmosphere. Take this time to play with gymnastics over ground poles and jumps to keep them thinking and help them build awareness of how to use themselves through the questions. If you have a ring, keep rides new and fresh by constantly changing things: jump location, fillers beneath the fences, fold a tarp under ground poles or a jump, place a towel over a ground pole/jump, etc. Organize a time to ride with other people in the ring so they have the experience of riding in a group. If you can, vary your time of day when you ride. Activity in the barn may act as a stimulus for your youngster that can relate to the distractions and energy levels at a show. If you don’t have a ring, ride in the snow, ride on the road (changes in footing are a great preparation for cross-country tracks), ride at varying times so lighting becomes part of the question: shadows, dark surroundings beyond a lit area, etc. Do whatever you can with what you have to keep it fresh and fun. If you have the time and transportation, take your horse to new areas to hack out, school, etc. They will continue to learn, grow in confidence and build their attention span despite environmental stimuli.

3. My farrier wants my horses to go barefoot through the winter to grow more hoof. I want to keep riding through the winter — mostly dressage work — but we will be attending some gymnastic clinics and doing lots of trail rides with long, slow distances over ground that will be frozen at times. What, if any, shoeing changes do you recommend in the winter? (Submitted by EN reader Sarah)

I keep shoes on my horses throughout the winter because I like to hack out whenever possible. Most of my riding is on the dirt road (often icy in mid-winter) and snow-covered fields. My farrier adds boriums to the heels and two at the toe of the shoes for traction, and rim pads to prevent snow from compacting in the shoe. Some people prefer the pads that pop snow out after enough has packed into the shoe. Share your riding plans with your farrier and discuss how your horse will react to doing gymnastic barefoot and riding on various surfaces. If you do a lot of hacking, your horse’s hooves could get worn down and this could slow his hoof growth in the spring.

4. What are some good exercises that can be done on snowy and/or hard ground to build hind-end strength? These eventers have the luxury of going south for the winter. However, some of us are still stuck in snowy/cold areas with no indoors. How do you suggest that the cold-weather people stay competitive? (Submitted by EN reader Amy)

I am a huge fan of stifle-strengthening exercises and I do them year-round. You can do this by walking your horse over raised ground poles, and by backing them up at the walk in a straight line in-hand (active walk, not dragging the hooves). Be careful and mindful, as these are targeted exercises and can make your horse sore if you do too many repetitions. Start slow. Other strengthening exercises include walking and trotting in snow — be prepared for bounce! — and hacking up and down hills when the footing is safe. I also like to do low gymnastics, fence lines with varying distances, questions; and low wide oxers.

I have only been able to go south for the last two years — and my time was limited at first to one month, and then to two months. As a young rider, I competed through Intermediate without a ring or indoor and did not send my horse away for training. You can stay competitive by taking this time to strengthen weak areas of performance and education. This is dependent on your footing and available riding areas. Until three years ago, I did not have a riding arena or consistent footing. I relied on a neighbor’s fields, a 15m x 25m area for flat work and our slanted field for jump exercises.

In the winter, I hack out a lot and ride through snow to improve fitness for me and my horse — and it is fun! Often I have to ride in darkness after my office hours — with a headlamp and reflective gear — in the fields or on our dirt road. This is a wonderful time to further your communication with your horse. Hacking down a dirt road with icy areas builds trust and sharpens reaction time to the aids. If you have reliable footing, school on the flat and build on your level’s movements toward the next level’s expectations. Ground poles and gymnastics are a great way to sharpen your eye for distances, approaches and adjustability. You do not have to jump large fences to become a better, more effective rider. Build your core fitness as well through various exercises — I take time in the winter to strengthen my lower back— in preparation for spring.

If you need further clarification, please email me at [email protected] or call me at 603-391-6078.

The Tinney Eventing crew watches Stuart's cross-country round on FEI TV. Photo courtesy of the Tinney Eventing Facebook page.

This morning concludes the Adelaide CCI4*, the final 4* event of the year. While 14 pairs started in the CCI4*, only eight will show jump this morning. Fence 13 on cross country, a skinny rolltop brush in the water, caught out the remaining six pairs, including Stuart Tinney, last year’s winner. Shane Rose, who led overnight, retired at this fence, leaving room for Craig Barrett and Sandhills Brillaire to move into first heading into show jumping. The two came home from cross country with only .8 time. Shane still holds his lead in the 2*, after completing with 1.6 time on CP Qualified. Jogs begin at 10:30 a.m. Australian time, with show jumping starting directly after. Go eventing!

All Things Adelaide: [Adelaide CCI4* Results] [Adelaide CCI2* Results]

The One and Only Event This Weekend: 

Pine Top Thanksgiving HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Live Scores]

Your Sunday Links:

Barrett, Sandhills Brillaire Claim Lead at Adelaide

Craig Barrett Shows How it’s Done at Adelaide

Clayton Fredericks Talks Strategy for Canadian Team

Lauren Sprieser Talks the Real Reason for the Season

Sport Horses Worth €708m to Ireland’s Economy

MyDressageStats.com Helps Riders Improve Scores

Breyer Announces Mold of Dressage Superstar Totilas

Western Dressage: What’s the Difference?

How to Avoid Frozen Pipes in the Barn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px_9pwt6-r8#!
“Duck Cam” footage shot yesterday at Adelaide by ESJ