Kelly List and Minstral competing at Fair Hill

Every horse that we ride has a lot to teach us.  The longer we ride, the more we can pick out skills that specific horses have taught us along the way.  However, there is always one horse that starts it all for us.  The one that teaches about riding and makes us into the rider we are today.  This new series is going to tell the stories of the horses that started it all.  This week, I got to chat with Canadian, Kelly List, about her first big time horse, Minstral.  All photos are provided by Kelly List and used with her permission.

In 2004, Kelly and her mother flew to British Columbia to try a horse in the snow.  It turns out, that was one of the best decisions Kelly would ever make.  During that trip, she tried Minstral, lovingly known as Danny or “the Danimal.”  After purchasing Danny, Kelly had him shipped to her in Ontario.  They picked him up one night close to Christmas in the local Walmart parking lot.

Kelly had been looking for a one star horse when she tried Danny.  She thought it would take a long time before that goal would be reached, however, it took less than a year.  In the fall of 2005, Kelly and Danny completed the CCI* at MidSouth in KY finishing 7th in the Junior Division.  After their quick success, Kelly’s parents thought it would be a great idea for her to become a working student.  After a lot of searching, they decided to send Kelly to St. Matthews, NC to be a working student for Bonnie Mosser.  Kelly says, “I had no idea where I was going or what I was going to do, but it sounded like it would be a good experience.”

After assessing Kelly and Danny, Bonnie told Kelly that they were ready to move up to Intermediate in the spring.  It was not what Kelly expected to hear, as she never imagined that she would make it past Prelim!  After a lot of training, Kelly and Danny made their Intermediate debut the spring of 2006 and won!  She was on Cloud 9.  Things were just falling into place.  Danny’s dressage was less than stellar, but it didn’t seem to matter as he was always safe and quick around the cross-country.  That spring, they did the CCI** together at Jersey Fresh and finished a respectable 11th.  They were then chosen to represent Canada at the Young Rider Championships.  Along with three other teammates, they brought home the Bronze in the CCI** division.  Danny was turning out to be an awesome horse that just kept stepping up to the plate.

Kelly and Danny competing at Fair Hill

That fall, Bonnie told Kelly that if she and Danny could tackle the bounce into the water at the Gibbs Farm, then she and Danny were ready to move up to Advanced.  She couldn’t believe that they were even thinking of doing Advanced, but she thought she would give it a go.  Sure enough, Danny popped through the bounce like it was nothing, and their fate was sealed.  The following spring, they moved up to Advanced at Pine Top.  Kelly remembers,

“My mom and my good friend, Vanessa, came to watch.  Before cross country, I was white as a sheet and could barely talk.  Vanessa had to tack up my horse for me.  When I was warming up, I kept totally missing at the crossrail.  Bonnie came over and said, ‘Okay, go jump the oxer, and you’ll be ready to go.’  I was in a daze.  However, Danny stepped up again and carried me safely around my first Advanced.  We ended up finishing 2nd in the Young Rider Division.”

That spring, they ran the CCI*** at Jersey, only to have a fall on course from a silly mistake.  After this unfortunate event, they decided to reroute to Bromont, where they finished 13th in the CCI***.

In the fall of 2009, when the monsoon rains came, Kelly and Danny ran the CCI*** at Fairhill.  Kelly says, “In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have run the cross country.”  Danny ran brilliantly around the tough course in the deep mud, however, it took its toll on one of his suspensories.  Kelly was devastated.  They gave him a lot of time off and did stem cell therapy.  Kelly took her time bringing him back, and she was very hopeful that he would make a full recovery.

Kaitlyn Pollard and Danny

In the spring of 2011, Danny made his comeback in the Preliminary at Rocking Horse.  After competing him, Kelly decided that he still not quite right.  She made the difficult decision to retire him from upper level competition.  He was given more time off, but Danny wasn’t a horse that wanted to just stand around in retirement, so Kelly offered to lease him to Kaitlyn Pollard for a bit.  Kaitlyn successfully competed him at Training level before giving him back to Kelly.

Vasiliki Roussakis and Danny competing at HITS this past spring

Danny is currently still at Kelly’s barn, Frog Street, and is owned by Vasiliki Roussakis.  Vasiliki is new to eventing, and Danny is showing her the ropes.  They started at BN together, and they are now successfully rocking around Novice.  They have earned a ribbon at almost every event together, including the Novice Championships.  Danny is now teaching Vasiliki just like he taught Kelly.  Kelly says that the decision to retire Danny was tough, but he didn’t owe her anything.  He had a lot to teach others, and she loves watching him go around happily.  “He doesn’t know what level he’s competing at.  He’s just happy to be out there doing his thing.”

Love this. Photo via Smartpak's FB page

Unfortunately, I am not able to be at the USEA Convention with everyone.  It sounds like I’m missing out on a great time and a lot of learning going on.  John is doing a great job of keeping us all updated on what’s going down there. Today is full of more topics and discussions, as well as hosting world famous Mary King as the keynote speaker!

On another note, I will pay cold hard cash to anybody who can catch a video of John at the Hall of Fame Dinner & Dance tonight, the later and the more cocktails, the better.

Schedule for Saturday, December 8

7:30 AM – 5:00 PM          USEA Convention Registration
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM         Continental Breakfast Sponsored by Rebecca Farm
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM         USEF Eventing High Performance and Technical Committee Joint Meeting (Committee Members Only)
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM        Area Affairs/Chairs (Committee Members Only)
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM         USEA Trade Fair Vendors
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM         Young Riders Open Forum
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM         Safety Committee (Committee Members Only)
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM         EMSA Board Meeting (Committee Members Only)
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM         American Horse Trials Foundation
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM         EMSA: A Clinical Perspective on Air Vests
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM         SpeedCheck Presentation
9:30 AM- 10:30 AM        USEA Open Forum
10:30 AM- 12:00 PM       “It Takes A Sport” Round Table Discussion on Issues Affecting the Sport
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM     Adult Riders Open Forum
12:30 PM – 3:00 PM        USEA Annual Meeting with Keynote Speaker: Mary King
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM          U.S. Eventing Team Reviews London 2012
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM          Round Table Wrap-Up
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM          Rule Change Open Forum
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM          Cocktails
6:30 PM – Midnight         Hall of Fame Dinner & Dance

Links:

Dressage Foundation gives $10K to Adult Amateurs

San Diego Equestrians Help Stranded Performers

Rare zebra gives birth

British Eventing Team stays in good hands

Taking the OTTB Plunge

Foal left to die in car park given a chance at life

Video Day 1 of USEA Convention

I leave you with show jumping from the 1976 Olympics at Bromont

Holly Hepp Hudspeth and Waj Mirage doing their first 3* test together at Rolex.

Every horse that we ride has a lot to teach us.  The longer we ride, the more we can pick out skills that specific horses have taught us along the way.  However, there is always one horse that starts it all for us.  The one that teaches about riding and makes us into the rider we are today.  This new series is going to tell the stories of the horses that started it all.  This week, I got to chat with Holly Hepp Hudspeth about her first 3 star horse, Waj Mirage.  All photos are provided by Holly Hepp Hudspeth and used with her permission.

Holly graduated from high school in Minnesota in 1995 (don’t start doing the math to figure out her age!) and started her own barn in the great white North in 1996.  Later that year, the Goulet’s, a client family of Holly’s, asked Holly to find a horse for the father, Dave.  Holly did some searching and found an OTTB, Waj Mirage, that was owned by a TB breeder.  They wanted $1,000 for him fresh off the track.  The decision was made to purchase Waj and send him to Holly for some training.  She worked hard with Waj, and he turned out to be a quick learner.

In 1996 and 1997, Waj and Holly won a lot of events in the Novice through Preliminary level.  He was a talented horse that really seemed to trust Holly, which made for a winning combination.  In 1998, Holly decided to take Waj and move to Ocala to work with Ralph Hill.  They trained hard with Ralph, and that spring they did their first CCI* at CDCTA in Virginia.  That fall, they took on the CCI** at Radnor, which was no small feat!  The next spring, Holly decided to move Waj up to Advanced.  Pine Top was their first outing, and unfortunately, they had a fall at the ditch and wall.  Seemingly unfazed, Holly then took Waj to run the Advanced at Southern Pines and then North Georgia.  After these two good runs, Holly decided she and Waj were off to the CCI*** at Rolex that April.  Holly laughs and says:

In hindsight, that probably wasn’t the best idea.  We had two Advanced runs under our belt, and we were heading to Rolex.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best direction at the time. Waj was only 7 years old, but he was probably the most phenomenal jumper that I’ve ever sat on.  Not only because of his form but mostly because of his heart.  He trusted me, and I trusted him.

Holly and Waj running around a clean and fast Rolex XC round.

Waj completed Rolex in 18th place with an average dressage test, clean and very fast XC, and 3 rails in SJ.  Holly attributes the rails to Waj being tired from a lack of conditioning.   Following Rolex, Holly talked with David and Karen O’Connor and decided to move to their farm to train.  Her goal was to compete at a 4* with the O’Connors’ help.   While in Middleburg, Holly was working two jobs, galloping racehorses for Doug Fout and waitressing at the Black Coffee Bistro, to afford to keep and compete Waj.  She was paying all of his bills, even though he was owned by someone else.

Unfortunately, while Holly was in Middleburg with Waj, the owner, Dave, decided to send Waj to Ralph Hill to be sold.  This was heartbreaking for Holly, as she had brought the horse along herself and was paying all of his bills.  Waj went on to compete at one or two 4* events with Ralph, but he would never stay sound enough to be sold.  On the bright side, during her waitressing job at the Black Coffee Bistro, Holly met Marie and Bernardo Piskorz who would end up being the owners of her first 4* horse, Lester Piggott.

Holly and Waj jumping their SJ round at Rolex.

Waj taught her a lot about bringing along her own horses.  One has to put in the sweat and have the patience to bring a horse from nothing up to that level.  There is an extreme bond that arises from that kind of relationship.  When asked of her fondest memory of Waj, Holly says:

I remember driving up the driveway to the Kentucky Horse Park and seeing all of the white fencing.  I got out of my truck with a deer in the headlights look.  I couldn’t believe I was there.  There is nothing like cantering up the centerline at an event of that size.  Waj and I had no idea that we were galloping around the cross country way too fast and in the wrong balance.  We probably didn’t belong there, but we had no idea.  Waj put that first feather in my cap as a kid from Minnesota making it in the big time.  That was tough to do.

Holly attributes her success with Last Monarch (Stewie) to everything that she learned from bringing Waj along.  He taught her so many lessons, and she is thankful for that.

Hailey Hudspeth, Holly Hepp Hudspeth's daughter, has gotten her first helmet. Look out, Eventing Nation, a new star is on the rise! Photo via Holly Hepp Hudspeth's FB

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is Dec 1st.  They are calling for temperatures near 70 this weekend, so that makes it even harder to believe!  I am definitely taking this time (with my amazing working student’s help) to get all of the ponies a good bath and clip job while the weather is so nice.

Links:

Second chances for prisoners and horses

Team GB honored at Olympic Ball

Zara Phillips looks for horses in NZ

Retired Police Horse, Chiswick, can’t be fenced in

Two horses gunned down in Indiana

Six horses seized from Iowa farm

55 horses seized from a Minnesota farm

The First Annual $100K Trump Invitational

Three Chimneys Presents Good News Friday

The Eventing Radio Show Merges with PRO

This video is quite interesting.  Phoebe Buckley had quite a few naughty ponies to compete in 2010.

Will Faudree and Antigua at Badminton

Every horse that we ride has a lot to teach us.  The longer we ride, the more we can pick out skills that specific horses have taught us along the way.  However, there is always one horse that starts it all for us.  The one that teaches about riding and makes us into the rider we are today.  This new series is going to tell the stories of the horses that started it all.  This week, I got to chat with Will Faudree about his amazing horse, Antigua.  All photos are provided by Will Faudree and used with his permission.

In 2001, a year after graduating high school, Will Faudree picked up and moved to the East Coast to live, work, and ride for Phillip Dutton.  He had already brought along some OTTB’s himself through the two star and Advanced levels, but he was ready to take it to the big time.  A week or so after arriving, Phillip told Will and his parents that if Will wanted to ride at the 4* level and make it on the map, he needed to get another horse.  The horse didn’t have to be super fancy in the dressage or the best show jumper in the world. They wanted a horse that was incredible on the cross country. Enter Antigua.

Will and Antigua galloping at Badminton

Will traveled to Australia to try Antigua, or Brad, and he felt that Brad had what it took to be a good match.  Brad was 11 going on 12, and he had already done a 4* in Australia.  Moving on to Brad was a new and different experience for Will, as he never pulled on XC.  Will states, “I had brought a horse up to the Advanced level, but I think we scared people on XC more than anything. It is impossible to make the time at the upper levels on a horse that pulls, because you are constantly fighting them.”

The plan for a new horse paid off quickly, as Will and Brad finished 12th in the CCI*** at Foxhall and 4th in the CCI*** at Fairhill in 2002.  In 2003, Brad took Will around Rolex in the spring, won the Mandatory Outing for the Pan Ams, and went on to compete for the team at the Pan Ams.  Brad was quickly making all of Will’s dreams come true.  They went on to do two 3* or 4* competitions every year through 2008.  This included a 2nd at Fairhill in 2005, a 6th at Rolex in 2006, and riding for the team at the 2006 WEG.   In all of that time, Brad never had a XC penalty.

Will and Antigua showing their XC prowess at Burghley

One of Will’s fondest memories of riding Brad came in 2005 at Badminton:

At the end of the course, we had to jump out of the Head of the Lake, go on to the Huntsmans Close, the Quarry, and then home.  I remember coming out of the Head of the Lake and galloping on.  I glanced up and saw the Badminton House, and I thought, “Holy crap!  I’m at Badminton.”

Brad taught Will so many things:  how to be competitive, how to win, patience.  However, Will says the biggest thing that Brad taught him is work ethic.  Every day that Will got on him, he marched away from the mounting block with purpose and ready to take on the task of the day.  Brad loved his job.  He did Rolex at age 19 because he wanted to be there.

Will and Antigua showing off their moves at The Fork

After the WEG in 2006, Will met Karen Stives for the first time at a party.  Karen said to him of Brad, “Don’t expect the next one to fill his shoes,” and walked away.  Will said that was one of the most important things that he has learned.  Every horse is different, and to think that any horse could ever fit in Brad’s shoes would just be ridiculous.

Will and Antigua at the 2008 Mandatory Outing

Brad is 24 years old now and will live out his life with Will.  Just the other day, Will rode him for fun and jumped him over a skinny barrel.  He jumped it like it was nothing.  Will says, “If that horse had had a WFP or Andrew Nicholson, who knows what he could have done, but what he did for me, was put me on the path to becoming one of those names.  I wouldn’t be where I am without him.  I am forever indebted to him.”

My ponies' sentiments exactly! Photo via Smartpak FB page.

I hope everyone survived Black Friday!  I may or may not have gone out in my Hit Air vest for protection from being trampled.  I was tempted just to pull the cord to see everyone jump at the sound.  It would probably have cleared a path to the best sales.  Who knows.  The rest of the weekend is supposed to be chilly here in NC, so I’m planning to bundle up and ride lots of ponies.  Have to work off all of that Thanksgiving food!  I can tell winter is coming, as the eventing news is getting sparse.

The One and Only Event this Weekend:

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

Links:

Callie Schott says goodbye to Constant Star

Klaus Balkenhol to receive Lifetime Acheivement Award

Mark Samuel, former showjumper, to be FEI’s Group 4

Knackerman fined for fraudulent cremations

Stable Mate app available for Android

Christie’s sells Olympics leaping horses

I leave you with this video of the CDCTA Beginner Novice division from the great Buzzterbrown:

Mr. Lincoln at the Pinehurst HT in 2006 in the ON.

Every horse that we ride has a lot to teach us.  The longer we ride, the more we can pick out skills that specific horses have taught us along the way.  However, there is always one horse that starts it all for us.  The one that teaches about riding and makes us into the rider we are today.  This new series is going to tell the stories of the horses that started it all.  This week, I will start us off with the one that started it all for me, Mr. Lincoln.

Mr. Lincoln, aka Abe, (registered as Abe’s Qudradrant) is a 1992 OTTB that I got from Lost and Found Horse Rescue in 1999.  He had been locked in a stall at the track and left for months without care.  He was emaciated, hairless, and had abscesses in all 4 feet.  He was a wreck, but I fell in love as soon as I saw him.  After months of just hanging out with him in the stall, I finally started riding him.  He was a lot of horse, and I did not have a lot of help for a few years.

In 2003, I started at Wilson College with the hopes of taking Abe and learning how to event.  I had ridden all of my life, but I had never learned to jump.  Abe and I had been working together for the past 4 years, but we were still pretty scary!  He got really nervous and stuck his head straight in the air and ran around, and I was clueless as to how to stop it.

During my four years at school, Abe and I became a team.  I had some great help in getting him quieter and on the aids.  We both learned how to jump.  I did my first event with him in 2000.  We had a pretty up and down career together, as Abe never really became completely confident in his jumping.  He had days where he would fly at the jumps and then slam on the brakes at the last second. (Which had me hitting the dirt…or falling off in the middle of a water complex…more than once.)  He also had days where he would jump around like a hunter.  Every day was a learning experience.

Abe gets 2nd at Pinehurst. Our first recognized ribbon ever!

Abe taught me many things:  how to stick, defensive riding, the backseat, subtlety, patience, how to jump, when to push through and when to retire.  He definitely taught me the ups and downs of horses.  We had a very inconsistent record with a lot of E’s and some top 3 finishes.  I evented him through Training level, before I finally decided that eventing with me was just not something he wanted to do.  Sometimes, the biggest lesson we can learn from horses is how to determine what is best for them.

In the fall of 2007, I decided to retire Abe from competition.  He became my lesson horse, and he LOVED it.  When the little girls would come to see him, his face was the picture of pure contentment.  The greatest thing about him was that he would barely trot around on the lunge for the kids learning to post, but if my teenaged students would ride him, he would suddenly wake up.  He knew exactly how much he could give each rider.

Without Abe, I would not be the rider I am today.  He taught myself and some of my students so much.  I will forever be greatful to Mr. Lincoln, and he will live out his days at Rocky Start Stables.

Great pic. Via Smartpak's FB page.

Happy Saturday, Eventing Nation!  This time next week, I will be recovering from a turkey coma and a day full of Black Friday shopping.  I can’t wait!  In the meantime, I am enjoying the down time from showing.  There is nothing like some brisk weather and some new OTTBs to make life exciting.

Events this Weekend:

Ram Tap HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Live Scores]

Las Cruces HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Scores]

River Glen Fall HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Ocala Horse Properties HT: [Website] [Ride Times]

Links:

Long time grooms, Emma Ford and Max Corcoran, move on

Chatting with Eventing Exhibition Champ, Shane Rose

USEA Classic Series Winners get great prizes

Paralympics research raises the bar for Rio

British racing stable hit with EHV-1

Two horse carriages stolen by thieves

Top priced eventers from the Goresbridge Sale

Clinic News:

Andrea Leatherman is teaching a clinic at Buckwampum Farm in PA on Dec 8th and 9th.  There are a few spots left.  Please contact Jill Lukens <[email protected]> for more information.

Video of the Day:

So, you think you're an athlete just because you ride?? Boot Camp with Bonnie Mosser! It isn't all about riding. 🙂

I don’t know about the rest of Eventing Nation, but winter causes me to lose a lot of motivation.  There’s nothing like cold, snow, and lack of shows to keep a rider down!  There are a lot of great EN articles coming out that will help us all get focused.

What are my winter goals?

1.  Dressage, dressage, dressage.  Bug and I are going to be regular DQ’s this winter!

2.  Rider Fitness!  Kate Samuels has been posting great articles on ways to get fit this winter.  With the help of my coach, I am going to be fit for 2013!  If the weather limits my riding, there are plenty of indoor exercises to be done to stay fit.

3.  Project Time!  I plan to get lots of time on all of the project horses.  There is nothing like riding a lot of different horses to improve one’s riding.

I believe that it is very important to set some goals for one’s self for winter.  Without goals, it makes it very easy to fall into the doldrums.

Okay, Eventing Nation, leave your goals in the comments section!  Maybe we can learn from each other.

Emma Ford, Phillip Duttons' head groom, had quite a going away bash!

Once again, I find myself in PA getting ready to teach a clinic this weekend. The competitions are winding down, and winter boot camp is starting to get underway. Now is the time to start filling in the holes! It sounds like the weather here is going to warm up a bit to tease us before things start to really get cold. If you’re not competing, I hope you can use the weekend to get in a lot of saddle time!

Events This Weekend:

Poplar Place November HT: [Website] [Ride Times]

CDCTA HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

Texas Rose HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Links:

USET honored at AllTech National Horse Show

Joanie Morris, the new USEF managing director of eventing

Changes to Blood Rules in dressage

Fox-Pitt fills British number one slot for 11th time

Ryegrass Staggers: The dangers to horses

Handbook of Equine Parasite Control

Claire Lomas wins Helen Rollason award for inspiration

King-Dye honored with Against All Odds Award

One of Nina Ligon’s horses with his new rider. This is Jazz King and Rebekah Calder show jumping at VAHT:

Bug's ears as we hack through the woods. The picture shows that winter is coming fast!

As winter approaches and the snow begins to fall, I find myself looking for inside things to keep me busy when I can’t ride.  I love to cuddle up on the couch and watch a good, corny horse movie or read a good book.  As horse lovers, we know that finding a horse movie or fictional horse book that is close to real life can be difficult.  During college (I was an Equestrian Studies major), my friends and I would rent random horse movies and pick out all of the ridiculous things in them.  For instance, at the end of Hidalgo, he totally turns him back out to the free range with his shoes on!  Any horse person can tell you that is just not cool.

It has been brought to my attention by another eventing lover that a new fictional eventing book has hit the market.  The book is called, A Stallion to Die For, and it was written by Judith Stanton.  It is the first in a series of books, and it sounds pretty promising, if you like horse books with a romantic side.  Dana Diemer, a friend of Judith’s, says that Judith happens to be one of Nate Chambers’ owners, and she put a lot of research into the book.  It is available on Amazon for Kindle.  The picture of the book shows what appears to be Allison Springer and Arthur on the cover.  Here is the blurb from Amazon:

Top equestrian Lexy Imbriani comes to America to keep her fading Olympic hopes alive. Hamp Gambrell, the one man who matches her passion in the saddle as well as off, finds her a position in Southern Pines, North Carolina, historic home to many upper-level horses and riders in three-day eventing — the grueling Triathlon for horses.
At her wit’s end, she hopes to make a go of it with Bo, Hawks Nest Farm’s brilliant but troubled stallion. But then come the threats, accidents and escalating violence, putting her dream at even greater risk.
How to find out who’s trying to sabotage her — boarders? staff? family? Hamp? Digging deep into that death-defying courage she honed riding dangerous cross-country courses, Lexy must protect herself and her magnificent stallion and stop the killer who threatens to end their competing days forever.
This suspenseful Southern family saga belongs on your bookshelf along with the best of Dick Frances’ mysteries, Jilly Cooper’s RIDERS and JUMP, Jane Smiley’s HORSE HEAVEN, and Rita Mae Brown’s Sister Jane Foxhunting series. Horsemen and women will revel in Stanton’s authentically realized horses and action, and anyone else ever dreamed of having a horse will be fascinated by this insider’s look at loving and training these amazing athletes to compete fearlessly and fiercely at the highest level of Olympic three-day eventing.

I love the above video, complete with bloopers. 

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Many people are fascinated with eventing, however, not all people are interested in sitting on a horse while going over huge obstacles or galloping at fast paces.  For those that would like to try the sport but keep their feet on the ground (or on a carriage), combined driving might be for you!  Personally, I feel much safer on top of a horse after an experience with a runaway team of Belgians attached to the huge wagon I was sitting on…  However, I am in awe at the skill it takes to compete in this amazing sport.  I love to watch it.  Combined Driving is a lot like eventing in the way the sport is set up.  The events are normally run over three days including: Driven Dressage, Endurance, and Cones.  There are a few different horse combinations that can be used:  single (horse or pony), pairs (2 horses/ponies side by side), tandem (2 horses/ponies, one in front of the other), and teams (4 horses/ponies, two next to each other, one team in front of the other).

Check out this video of the famous Chester Webber and his 4 in hand doing dressage this year.  I have a hard enough time riding one horse in the dressage.  This is just amazing.  Check out the part where he drives them in a circle with ONE HAND!  Just wow.

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In a CDE (Combined Driving Event), the dressage is a lot like ours, except that the arena is a bit bigger than ours.  The horse and driver combinations must perform a test and our judged very similarly to regular dressage.  Submission, Impulsion, Freedom, and correct position are just a few of the things that the judges are looking for.  A penalty score is given (lowest score being the best), and the combination will move on to the next phase.

Here is what the American Driving Society’s website says about the Endurance (or Marathon) phase:

This phase tests the fitness, stamina, and obedience of the horses and the judgment and capability of the driver. Advanced competitions can have 5 sections (A, B, C, D, E), which may include mandatory walks, trots, as well as a section which includes hazards. Other competitions may have 3 sections (A, B, E), all having a minimum/maximum time allowance. At the end of section B and D there are mandatory 10 minute halts with veterinary checks to ensure the horses are not unduly stressed and are fit enough to continue. Competitors can walk the course before the marathon phase and plan their route. They are given a map and course marker flags for guidance, but no horse is allowed on the course before the start. Drivers may choose any path through the obstacles, provided they drive through each gate in the correct alphabetical sequence, and with the red flag on the right and white on the left. The object is to complete each hazard in the shortest possible time with no penalties. Penalties include time, groom/driver dismounting, driver putting down whip, error of course, knocking down a collapsible element, and turning the vehicle over.

Chester Webber, again with his 4 in hand, manuvering the water complex in Aachen last year.  Watch the grooms as they use their bodies to move the carriage!

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After the Endurance phase, the combinations move onto the cones phase.  In this phase, a course of cones with balls on top is set up a lot like a show jumping course, and the drivers must get through the course under the time allowed.  The cones are placed just bigger than the width of the carriages.  If a carriage hits one of the cones and a ball drops, there is a penalty given.

A super cute little pony rocking the Intermediate Cones:

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As with Eventing, there is a lot of training that goes into this sport.  The horse and driver combinations must be in tune and the horses must be very fit.  I found it really cool that the grooms get to play a large role in the success of the combinations.  In the dressage and cones, the grooms are permitted to ride along in the carriage.  However, in the endurance phase, the grooms play a vital role.  They are the counter balance on the back of the carriage to keep it from flipping!  They also are used to navigate the course and hold any vital paperwork that might be needed.  How many event grooms would like to ride along behind their riders as they gallop around a 4*??

Combined Driving is a very cool sport with a lot to offer those that aren’t interested in riding.  There are many different levels for anyone that wants to get started.

Go, Combined Driving!

Anyone up for a game of chess in this cold weather?? Photo via Smartpak's FB page.

I am at the Virginia Horse Trials this weekend coaching a student and grooming/cheering for a friend in the CCI*.  I am trying to type with frozen fingers, and it is just not working out well for me.  Currently, the jumper classes are going on in the colesium.  Bonnie Mosser was the judge in the first class, and I got to sit in as scorer and announcer.  What fun!  Of course, I’ve got nothing on Brian O’Connor or Brian Ross, but I still had a lot of fun with it. The CCI* has a stacked field, so it should be fun to see how things go.  Mara DePuy is in first with Alimit sitting on a 41.6 with Sharon White following closely on Severn Sky with a 41.9.  Will Coleman sits in 3rd on McLovin’  with a 44.4 who is a catch ride for him.  Now on to the links!

Events this Weekend:

Virginia CCI* and HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Results]

Galway Downs International 3-day and HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Live Scores]

Rocking Horse Classic 3-day and HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Pine Hill Fall HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Links:

USEF Galway Friday Recap — Michael Pollard and Schoensgreen Hanni own the CCI3* dressage lead

COTH Friday Galway Recap

Watch the Royal Winter Fair live feed

Badly burned Northstar receives skin grafts

Discounted iPad version of  Black Beauty

Ireland seeks team managers for show jumping and eventing

USEF and Georgetown University announce scholarship

Chris Stafford interviews Jon Holling

Another horse found butchered in Miami-Dade County

Horses for Christmas are a bad idea–says the BHS

The merits of stem cell repair in tendon injuries being explored

I leave you with a video of the great WFP from Rolex this year.  Since he recently had a baby, I figured he deserved another nod.

The dressage warmup at the TTC Fall Horse Trials. There were a lot of cute horses there!

This past Saturday, October 27th, I set off to Thoroughbred Training Center (known around here as TTC) in Mocksville, NC for their Fall Schooling Horse Trials.  I had two students with a total of three horses to coach.  This lovely farm is about 50 minutes from my farm, so it makes a great destination for schooling young horses and taking students.  It is a beautiful 121 acre farm complete with a large outdoor sand arena, a large dressage arena with sand footing, an indoor arena, and a XC course with 2′ through Training questions.  They also board horses and have a tack shop on the premises!  It’s pretty much the complete package.

TTC was originally named the Tanglewood Training Center and was located at Tanglewood Park in Forsyth County, NC.  It was started by John McCashin in 1964, and was later moved to its current location in 1973 when the name was changed to Thoroughbred Training Center.  They have boarded horses for over 45 years, and they have hosted over 600 shows through the years!  They host everything from horse trials to dressage shows to jumper shows to hunter shows and even a combined driving event!  It is really an all around place to go.  The on site tack shop also comes in very handy when you have forgotten an essential piece of tack or show clothing.

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The SJ arena

The show this past Saturday was up to normal TTC standards.  They had a packed day of Hopeful Rider (2′ division) through Training level.  They had two dressage arenas running, so things went by very smoothly.  The xc jump courses were appropriate for each level, with the BN thru Training having some true to the level questions.  The show jump courses at TTC are known for being tough and forcing the riders’ training holes to show through.  The fences were lovely and very nicely decorated.  The attention to detail was quite evident.

Since I was only coaching, I had a lot of time to watch and absorb.  I love having the time to just take it all in.  What a great way to learn!  I must also give a shout out to my students: Amelia Lowe finished 2nd in both the BN and the Hopeful Rider, and Bob Price finished 4th in the Hopeful Rider.  I’m so proud of them!

TTC still has some shows left on their calendar for this fall/winter.  If you live in the area, come check them out!

So jealous of this awesome autumn hacking shot via Lainey Ashker's FB page. Those are the adorable ears of Tipperary Liadhnan.

I hope everyone is enjoying these last few weeks of recognized events!  There are only a few more weeks left of eventing in the US.  It’s amazing to me how fast the year has flown by!  With all of this talk of the Frankenstorm, I hope that everyone on the East Coast is stocked up on bread and milk, because it’s about to get crazy out there!

Pau Links:

[Full scoring info from worldsporttiming.com]

[Live scores]

[Start times PDF]

Live streaming available on  Equidia, France 3 WebTV, and FEI TV (not free).

Check out Uptown Eventing’s facebook page for photos of dressage and other happenings at Pau.

US Events This Weekend:

Waredaca HT & T3D: [Website] [Ride Times] [3 Day Live Scores] [HT Live Scores]

Chattahoochee Hills HT: [Website] [Live Scores]

Heritage Park HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Live Scores]

Holly Hill Fall HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Links:

TPR is having their own OTTB contest

Copper Meadows is hosting a schooling show from BN thru Intermediate

Help the Swedish people buy Mrs. Medicott for Sara Algotsson Ostholt

Ailish Cunniffe is Grand Champion at Washington International Horse Show

Photos of T3Day at Waredaca

Mary King to lead the British challenge at Pau

Man arrested for dragging donkey

Three missing horses in New York State Park

Oxford Feed and Lumber throws a party for the Martins

Chris Burton and Jonathan Padgett lead Pau after dressage

Zara Phillips to perform Gangnam style for charity

Video of Sara Algotsson Ostholt and her husband, Frank, from Luhmuhlen last year:

Bug and I show jumping in the Advanced at The Fork this spring. Photo by the amazing Mike McNally.

For me, as for many others, the eventing season has come to a close.  Mine happened a lot faster than planned between my Fair Hill debacle and my stallion being out for the season (and thus no VA HT!).  I find myself feeling quite empty.  What to do next?  I am sure a lot of you understand what I’m talking about.

We spend all year with a plan.  Yes, sometimes that plan is changed many times, but we have a plan, nonetheless. All of the work we do is with a goal in mind.  We rush around trying to get everything accomplished so that we are ready for the show that weekend.  We wish life would slow down a little so we can enjoy it.  Days pass, weeks fly by, and before we know it, it’s the end of the season!  It’s like the floor drops out, and we aren’t sure where we stand.  Even on a year that ends as planned, I still find myself floundering to figure out what’s next.  We finally get life to slow down, only to start getting the itch to look at the next year’s omnibus.  I can’t wait for next spring already!

So, what do I do to fill in the void of show season?  Well, in my area, I am blessed with a lot of schooling shows over the winter months.  I plan to peruse all of the local show websites and start filling in my Google calendar.  Of course, my fingers will probably make their way to the USEA online omnibus as well.

Once Bug is back in action, the winter months will give me plenty of time to start working on filling in the holes.  Winter is a great time (assuming you can find good footing) to work hard at the nagging issues that you just didn’t have time to fully fix during the show year.  Of course, if you are blessed with the opportunity, you can take yourself to Aiken or Ocala and be guaranteed some amazing footing.  There are always a plethora of great instructors in these areas over the winter as well.  Now is the time to start planning your vacations boot camps for next spring!

I also find that winter is a great time to get rolling with my project horses.  It seems like show season (when you are a one person team) is a time when keeping up with everything can get sticky.  The competition horses and horses in training always get first priority, so the extra projects that you own can sometimes take a back burner.  Now is a great time to really get them consistent and ready to rock and roll in the spring.

Winter is always a great time to catch up on your life.  You know, that thing that doesn’t exist during show season.  Hanging out with the people that don’t get to see much of your smiling face during the other 10 months of the year is something that is vital.  It is sometimes hard to remember that there is a life outside of horses and showing.

Of course, when I find myself really jonesin’ for the show season, I can watch this awesome recap of 2012 that my very good friend, Jordan Lambert, made for me!

So, Eventing Nation, what are your big plans for winter??

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border winning the Area II Training Championships. Word on the street is that they are the 5 yo YEH Eash Coast Champions. Photo via KSE's FB page.

I am so bummed that I’m at home while everyone is rockin’ it at Fair Hill!  The good news is that Bug had a full work over by my vet this morning, and it turns out that he just has a stone bruise or the start of an abscess in his right front foot.  There are no tendon issues and nothing going on in any other legs.  I’m just so happy that he’s ok!  I want to send luck out to everyone going XC tomorrow at Fair Hill!  Bug and I are routing you on from here in NC!

I wanted to mention that Cavalor Feed is going to be hosting a Feed Digestibility Seminar at Mistover Farm in NY.  For more information check out www.mistoverllc.com  or contact Heather Layton at (201)306-1618.

The Fair Hill Links:

[Website] [Ride Times] [Overall Schedule] [Live Scores]

The Events in the rest of the country:

Hagyard Midsouth Three-day Event & Team Challenge: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Ram Tap Horse Trials: [Website] [Status/Times/Results]

Paradise Farm HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

The Event at Kelly’s Ford: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Results]

And now for the Links:

Hannah Burnett Dominates the Fair Hill 3*

Farm in Utah quarantined with EHV-1 case

New TB and QH color registration rules

Aldon opens gates for last weekend of eventing

Olympic gold medalist, Peter Wylde, joins Missy Clark’s farm

Second horse in the UK confirmed with a case of EIA

Headley Britannia to take part in Express Eventing

Best of Blogs:

Caitrin O’Shea talks about the trials of being a first time clinic organizer

And a reminder of last year’s Fair Hill XC:

Bug and I at the jog at Bromont. Photo by Jordan Lambert

As many of you have probably read, Bug and I withdrew from Fair Hill yesterday.  I jogged him up Tuesday night, and he seemed perfectly fine.  He also felt wonderful when I rode him.  I was so excited to get started with the competition, but as with all things horses, plans can change rapidly.  After I jogged him, I awaited the “Win the War accepted” announcement, but it never came.  Instead, the dreaded, “Win the War to the holding area” came instead.  Bug has always been a very sound horse, so this suprised me greatly.  I have never been to the holding area, and my coach hadn’t arrived yet.  Que queasy stomach.  The vet in the holding area explained that the ground jury was worried about his right front.  He palpated his front legs and found some sensitivity high up on his right leg.  He told me that I could represent if I wanted to, but he was going to recommend to the jury that my horse seemed to have a high suspensory soreness.

Now comes the hard part.  With no experienced coach by my side, I had to make the tough decision of what to do.  I could try to represent and take the risk of getting spun, or maybe I would pass.  If I passed, I would definitely have his leg scanned before moving forward.  However, how would it make me look if I tried to represent a horse that the vet had just told me has a high suspensory soreness?  No matter how much Fair Hill means to me, this horse means so much more.  He has shown me that he is so incredibly talented and takes such good care of me.  It was my turn to step up to the plate.

I chose to withdraw my superstar and start the journey of finding what is wrong and fixing it.  There is no heat or swelling, and try as I might, I can’t seem to recreate the palpation soreness.  I am hoping that this whole thing was just a minor blip, and he’ll be good to go very soon.  I already have my vet lined up to scan the leg when I get home, so I’m sending up a lot of prayers that it all goes well.

I appreciate all of the positive thoughts that I have been getting from everyone.  This was definitely a disappointing experience, however, after losing my filly this summer, I have a lot more perspective than before.  He is alive and well and still nickers to me when he hears my footsteps.  We will fix this and move forward.

Go Eventing!

DOC biking around Rolex this spring. Photo by Pamela Tooker

Many questions have been flying over what changes will be made since David O’Connor has taken over the reins of the US Eventing Team.  Today, riders at Fair Hill were invited to an open forum with Sara Ike and DOC to learn what is going on in the world of High Performance Eventing.

Sara opened the meeting with a discussion about upcoming changes in committees.  She urged all of the riders to be involved with nominating and voting in the Active Athletes needed for the many different USEF committees.  One of the biggest things that I took away from this segment is:  There are a lot of different groups that are involved in the running of our sport, and if we want change, we have to invest in it.   Those nominated need to take the time to show up to the meetings and give back to the sport.  For those of us doing only the voting, we must take it seriously and choose those that we think will make a concerted effort.  So many people have expressed the need for change in our sport.  Now is the time to step up and help to make that change come about.

Also, Sara asked that the riders, owners, etc would give feedback on the Experience Eventing website.  This website was put together to help bring owners and riders together in the hopes of syndicating horses for the future.  There are many different options for syndication available on the website.  This is a very important resource in promoting our sport and making the upper levels more feasible for many riders.  It also allows owners to buy into a horse and get to experience the thrill of owning a horse without having to foot the entire bill themselves.  This is a great resource for our sport, and hopefully, it will become more widely used.

After Sara was through, DOC stood and talked about his goals for our country’s team both now and in the future.  Unfortunately, a lot of his plans still have to be voted on by the “powers that be” before they can be made officially public.  The USEA Convention is going to be the place where most of his ideas will be made more widely known.  For those interested in riding for our country, the first step to learning about David’s plans is to attend the Convention.  David wants to build our program for THE FUTURE not just for now.  The four words that he used to describe what the future holds for our team were: Respect, Integrity, Transperency, and Consistency.

After the meeting today, I am very excited for what the future may hold for the US Eventing Team.  I think DOC has some great ideas for ways to bring this program back to the top.  We must remember that it will take time.  David mentioned that in the early 90’s, the German Eventing Team was pretty much non-existant on the world front.  In 1994, they started a new approach to their training and a new program.  It took that program until 2004 before they finally broke onto the world stage and made themselves known.  Unfortunately, as Americans, we want immediate gratification.  In order for this new plan to work, we need to persevere with patience.

All in all, I thought the meeting was very informative, and I am very excited to see David’s plans put into motion!

Go Eventing!

Gabby and her first pony, Gigs. How cute are they??

  After the Olympics, a lot of discussion started over the future of High Performance Eventing.  One of the biggest ideas that I have seen tossed around in the forums is the addition of a better program for young riders.  Trying to get riders into a program at an early age is one of the ideas, as well as sending young riders overseas to learn the ropes.  A few months ago, I did an article about Jules Ennis taking the big step in going across the pond.  This article is about another up and coming young rider, Gabby Dickerson, who has been a working student since a young age.  Photos used with permission.

Gabby and Folie a Deux at the 2009 MidSouth Training Level Three Day

Gabby Dickerson has been riding since the age of 7 and took two lessons per week where she grew up in the Outer Banks of NC.  She started eventing on a very educational (and adorable!) pony.  In 2007, she bought a new horse from Jodi Hemry and ended up riding him with Kim Severson in a clinic.  Kim was immediately impressed with this young girl that could ride a difficult horse so well.  Gabby’s parents started driving her up to Virginia to ride with Kim, and eventually, in the summer of 2008, Kim asked Gabby (then, age 12) to come to Virginia to be a working student.  Gabby has been working for Kim since then, and she has learned a lot.  When asked about her experience with riding and working for Kim Severson, Gabby said,

 “Kim expects you to give your best effort, to get the best out of the horse, and to push for excellence at all times, while always putting the horse’s well being first.  It was a great time for me to transition from learning the basics, to focusing on the details, as well as the constant training of the horses.”

Gabby and Blue Suede Shoes at Paradise Farm. Photo by Hoofclix.

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In 2011, Gabby’s parents made the move from the Outer Banks to Charlottesville, VA.  They were leasing a farm with a 10 stall barn.  Kim decided to move her operation there and has been working out of their barn ever since.  Currently, Kim is working on setting up her own farm, and she will continue to work out of Gabby’s farm until that happens.  Unfortunately, the farm has been sold, so Gabby’s family will be relocating, but Gabby will continue to work for Kim.

Gabby has had a few different horses during her time with Kim.  One of her most memorable moments in eventing was with Folie a Deux, a lovely warmblood gelding.  They competed in the 2009 MidSouth Training Level Three-Day and won!  Gabby thinks that the experience was something that really shaped how she looked at competing.  Kim had her treat the show like a big three day, and it really taught her a lot about the sport.  Unfortunately, Folie was not the horse for Gabby to move up the levels.

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Gabby and Let's Go Yankees at the Starter Trials at the VA Horse Center this fall

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As Gabby has figured out, there are no guarantees with horses.  Her two latest upper level prospects did not work out.  Blue Suede Shoes had to be retired from competition after a career ending injury, and Hang Time did not really want to be an upper level horse.  He was recently sold as a lovely low level event horse.  However, she has three nice, new TB projects that she is really excited about.  The oldest, Let’s Go Yankees, will be out competing this fall.  She also has another 4-year old and a 3-year old with which she is taking her time.

Gabby hopes to take all that she has learned and will learn from Kim and use it to start her own farm in the future.  She plans to go to college after high school, but she wants to continue with her riding and eventing.  When asked about her future goals:

“I have learned so much while working for Kim, and still every day there is something new or something that can be improved.  In addition to riding, the horse care, business management, and just general day-in, day-out happenings of a professional event barn have been invaluable tools to take with me when pursuing my future goals.  While planning with horses is always difficult, I would like to keep developing the young horses to reach their potential.  I would like to gain some upper level experience while finishing school before possibly heading overseas for a while to learn the tricks of the trade on the European eventing scene.”

Gabby’s maturity shines through, and I believe that whatever she sets her mind to, she will succeed!  I look forward to seeing her out and about with her new horses.

Amelia Lowe and Claire de Lune tackle Fence 1 on the BN course.

Since Morven was oversubscribed, I changed my plans and headed off to WindRidge Farm HT as my last event before Fair Hill.  I am so happy that I did!  I’m so sorry for all of those who got soaked with rain up at Morven this weekend.  Down in Mooresboro, NC, we had some pretty lovely weather.  I was a little worried yesterday morning when there was torrential rain on my way to the event, but the skies cleared and there were only a few sprinkles here and there during the XC.

WindRidge Farm is a new recognized event located in the beautiful foothills of NC.  The farm is owned by Alicia Henderson, secretary extraordinaire.  Many of you will recognize her as the secretary for a lot of events in Area 2 and 3.  She has always done an amazing job organizing things at the big shows, and she has now undertaken a show of her own.  I must say that her experience in running events definitely shines through at WindRidge.

The layout of the place is really quite nice.  There is a hack to the dressage arena, which is down in the woods.  The footing is excellent, and honestly, I think the horses did well with a nice walk before their warm-up.  The walk for the spectators may have gotten a bit tiresome, but it made it easy to work off the amazing food that they had on site.  The show jumping and xc were both very close to the stabling and trailer parking, so getting to those with multiple horses was quite easy.  The stabling is temporary at the moment, but since the event is so new, I would expect that.   The show jump course was on grass with a good bit of terrain that proved challenging in all levels.  I think the course was a great test for each level without being too difficult or unreasonable.  The cross country course is so lovely.  Very natural jumps but they all asked the perfect questions for each level.  Jon Wells, the designer, did a great job of using the lovely rolling terrain to ask just the right things without making it look like a bunch of jumps scattered around the field.

The show ran recognized BN thru OP and also ran an unrecognized Starter division.  Winners included: myself and the amazing Bug won the OP, Tatyana Prueter and Aberjoy won Training A, Chimene Evans and Fernhill Sam won Training B, Kelsey Briggs and Cutter’s Southern Jaz won Novice A, Anne Baskett and Jacamo won Novice B, Kelsey Briggs and Malibu Will won the BN A as well as winning BN B on Three Days Grace and Hunter Metcalf and Cayenne Lily won the Starter divison.  Entries were a bit low overall, but I was surprised to see that the Prelim was the biggest division.  Once word gets out about this great event, I think their entries will really pick up.

Remember, Eventing Nation, it is so very important that we fill out our event evaluation forms! New little events like this need our support and to know what we loved and what we would like to change.  I think WindRidge is a great place, and I would love to see it prosper, but the power is in your hands!

I must send a shout out to Amelia Lowe and Clark Curry.  Both competed in their first recognized BN event this weekend!  Amelia was 5th in her division and Clark was 6th in his division!  It is combinations like these that make this sport so fun.

Also, next Saturday, WindRidge is hosting a cross country schooling day through the USEA.  If you missed the show, this would be a great chance to check out the place.

Go Eventing!