Tell me you’re not jealous of my fashion. Photo by…my mom???

When I was growing up, my backyard was basically always full of ponies and horses, and I was basically an only child so I just hung out in the fields a lot to entertain myself. I found this gem today, of this old polo pony that lived at my house, his name was Riemenschnieder (I know, a mouthful), but we called him Remo. He would let me go out in the field and literally scale his body to climb on his back, and if he started walking too fast for my liking, I would pretend to fall off, and he would immediately stop. I remember it being so deeply hilarious, but good god, what a nice horse he was. Also, you love my outfit, admit it.

National Holiday: National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

Major Events:

Fair Hill CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Ocala International CCI & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Twin Rivers CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Fence H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

New From Around the Globe:

Tamra Smith’s rising star, Sunsprite Syrius, is known around the barn as The Serial Killer. That’s due to his less than friendly attitude towards other horses, but he loves his people! Fun fact number two: he has never been outside the top three in the 11 FEI events he has competed in, including winning his debut at the CIC3* level recently at Galway Downs. [Behind the Stall Door: Sunsprite Syrius]

Britain has been hit really hard this spring with too much rain, causing cancellations up and down the list. However, organizers at Badminton are confident that they can keep the event going as scheduled. Many riders are worried about preparing for the big event, having maybe only one competition under their belts before heading to the hardest four star in the world. Don’t worry though, defending champions Andrew Nicholson and Nereo won’t mind if they have to go in cold. [Badminton Will Beat Wet Weather]

Hot on Horse Nation: 12 #EquestrianProblems According to Twitter

Training video of the week! Boyd Martin worked with a group of riders to practice rideability with their horses using a figure-8 pattern over two verticals with a long approach before the fence and a roll-back turn after the fence. Martin encouraged the riders to use their heads to gently look where they are going to direct the horse and stay square in their position instead of swinging their bodies to encourage the horse to turn. [Eventing Training Online]

When lightning strikes….oh no! Don’t worry, Taylor Harris Insurance Services has a policy especially for crazy unpredictable accidents like lightning, fire, or random transportation disasters. They really do have you covered for every possible situation. [THIS Protection]

Just gearing up for NotRolex in my mind….

Do you need more daffodil dog photos? Of course you do.

OK, it’s time to apologize for my April Fool’s joke article about banning dogs, mostly because it’s totally hypocritical of me. I love my dogs, and I just got a puppy two months ago, and I can’t wait to take him to shows with me. But don’t worry, he’s totally cool around horses, and he’s even going to a six week course in doggie obedience this spring, so he will most certainly not be one of those dreaded doggos that gets filmed chasing down a horse. Maybe we should just have mandatory dog obedience and horse training classes? Let’s get on it, FEI.

National Holiday: National Caramel Popcorn Day

Major Events:

The Fork: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

WEG Test Event: Website, Schedule, Friday Dressage Order, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage

Chattahoochee Hills CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

CDCTA H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

Pine Hill Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Spring Bay H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Southern California Equestrian Sports (SCES) has announced a donation of $3,000 to Aspen Farms Horse Trials. This generous donation will be divvied up, with two thousand going towards event enhancement, and the remaining thousand given as prize money to the top placing SCES members in the CIC1* and CIC2*. [SCES Supports Aspen Farms]

Twin horses are not very common. Twin horses racing one another is completely unheard of. Mr. Ping and Mr. Pong will be running against one another at Charles Town today, both out of a mare named Washingtonian and by the stallion Denis of Cork. Less than 1% of twin pregnancies make it to term with live foals, and nobody has ever heard of them both making it to the races, let alone the same race. [Twin Thoroughbreds Race One Another Today]

Horse people have a weirdly unique way of shopping in a tack store. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what discipline you ride, but if they have a wall of bits, you must go inspect it. Just in case you find something super cool! Also, items must be smelled, and if possible, opened and then smelled. We get you. You’re weird, just like us. [5 Things Every Equestrian Does In A Tack Shop]

Golden Spike Horse Trials in Ogden, Utah (Area IX) is hosted once a year, and offers Intro through Preliminary levels. Created and organized by the Wasatch Pony Club, Golden Spike was first run in 1987, and has continued to have recognized and unrecognized events as well as clinics and cross country schooling ever since that time. In the past few years, the event has received grant money to revamp the facilities, and fix the drainage on the cross country course, making the event better than ever. [USEA Events A-Z: Golden Spike HT]

Schramm Sesh of the Week

Jimmie and Dom Schramm have teamed up with Kentucky Equine Research to provide an inside look into their conditioning program using KER ClockIt Sport. Each week we’ll share an example ride and some notes of what the Schramms look for as their horses progress.

So far we have featured work programs for developing horses, but this week’s session illustrates Jimmie working Bellamy, an Advanced-level Thoroughbred gelding, through one of his last gallops before the Rolex (now Land Rover) Kentucky Three-Day Event.  The session took place at the famous Nelson’s Hill in Chester County.

“Eventers have been getting their horses fit on this hill since the 1970’s and 80’s, which is pretty cool,” says Jimmie. “The hill takes about two and a half minutes to climb from bottom to top. The first half is steeper before it plateaus out and there is a little cross-country field. The second half is a long, slow hill that is almost slightly stair-stepped.”

Jimmie recounts the day of the session: “It wasn’t very cold, it was in the 60’s. Leading up to these gallops Bellamy had worked his way to a 20-minute jog with a 15-minute canter through months of interval training. When we got back to Pennsylvania from being south he was just going up the hill once a week and then it was bumped to two times up the hill.”

“For Bellamy, you can see I walked him down to the cross-country area and jogged for about 10 minutes around the jumps to make sure his muscles were warm,” Jimmie explains. “The first time up the hill I was aiming to get it done in 2:30 minutes and we got pretty close to that. I start at about 19:20 and finish and 21:56.”

Jimmie then hacked him back down the hill which takes about 10 minutes, enough time for his heart rate to settle back down again.

“The second time up I was trying to go a little bit faster to push him for a higher heart rate and higher speed, climbing the hill in 2:15 minutes. Then we had a nice long hack to let his heart rate settle back down and cool down his muscles.”

She concludes, “All in all, hill gallops are a really good way to get horses fit and this session shows how to execute a hill gallop for an advanced horse.”

Check back next week for another Schramm Sesh! Want to gain insight into your horse’s fitness? Try KER ClockIt Sport. The free app helps take the guesswork out of equine fitness by monitoring heart rate, speed, distance and altitude during rides. EN’s guides to the app explain all the details: 7 Reasons to Download KER ClockIt Sport and How To Get the Most Out of KER ClockIt Sport.

Maddie Wiggins killing it over the THIS jump at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show last week. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.

Today is National Burrito Day, which is a pretty big deal. Never mind it’s the first day of dressage for the WEG test event, we have Mexican food to be thinking about! Technically a term for a small donkey (also represented heavily at my house), it’s one of the most delicious foods in the entire world. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to celebrate this important day in history!

National Holiday: National Burrito Day

Major Events:

The Fork: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

WEG Test Event: Website, Schedule, Thursday Dressage Order, Friday Dressage Order, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage

Chattahoochee Hills CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

CDCTA H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

Pine Hill Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Spring Bay H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Are you ready for The Fork? Gold Cup Fast Facts: The Fork CIC3*After fifteen long years, The Fork moved to Tryon last year, and this time around they’re preparing for the WEG. Not only are there 37 horses and riders in the CIC3*, but 23 entered in the two Advanced classes. All of last year’s winners are returning, including Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous, Liz Halliday-Sharp with Fernhill By Night, and Jessica Phoenix with Bentley’s Best. [Gold Cup Fast Facts: The Fork CIC3*]

Ten years have passed since Gina Miles rode her lap of honor in the Olympics, but her thoughts are once again towards representing Team USA. Gina Miles & Greenfort Othello Think BigWith recent Galway Downs CIC2* winner, Greenfort Othello, Gina has her sights set on returning to the top levels and perhaps gaining another Olympic medal. Othello had been sitting around for a while, but has an incredible work ethic and an amazing jump, so Gina has big hopes for the 13-year-old gelding’s future. [Gina Miles & Greenfort Othello Think Big]

Hot on Horse Nation: Pet Trusts: What Happens To My Horse When Something Happens To Me?

Everybody loves a good rags to riches story, especially when it is an OTTB. Lucky Starlite ran nine times, never hitting the finish line first, and ended up at a sales lot going for the low price of $1,700. Picked up by Janna Jopp and then gifted to Melinda Thomas, “Tiki” ended up becoming a star broodmare, creating multiple top level show jumpers and fox hunters. [Thoroughbred Aftercare Spotlight: Lucky Not Once But Twice]

Importing a horse soon? Don’t worry, Taylor Harris Insurance Services has you covered. You can insure a horse overseas as soon as you purchase it, so you can be sure it’s protected before it even gets home to your barn. THIS covers horses internationally, so you can have peace of mind no matter where you are. [THIS Horse Insurance]

Nyls is literally such a model.

You know, I’m not really that much into bling. I know, controversial statement, but I grew up in a time when brass clinchers were about as flashy as it came. But now, you can get bling anywhere and everywhere. Your hat, your spurs, your boots, your saddle, your bridles…. And then last week I tried this Dy’on Swarovski Crystal browband. And I died a little inside (in a good way). I mean, it was just SO sparkly, and so so so cute, I almost couldn’t resist. Also, can we talk about what a good model my horse is? (There was a piece of spooky white paper on the ground, obvi).

National Holiday: National Turkey Neck Soup Day

Burnham Market International [Live Results]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Morven Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Rocking Horse Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Galway Downs CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Southern Arizona H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

2018 marks the 20th anniversary for the Galway Downs Horse Trials in Temecula, California. The event has been offering a CIC3* every spring since 2003 — making 16 years of the division. The CIC3* serves as the first West Coast leg of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup in 2018. With 290 competitors set to go this weekend, 26 in the CIC*, 17 in the CIC2*, but only seven in the CIC3*, its going to be a cracker of an event. [Gold Cup Fast Facts: Galway Downs]

It’s real: there is a movie about girls riding hobby horses. Hobbyhorse Revolution is a movie about the Finnish phenomenon that has thousands of young girls competing in the equestrian events of dressage and jumping upon the backs of stick horses. The film follows three avid competitors — Alisa, Aisku and Elsa — as they trot, canter and jump their way through life. We watch the girls, all of whom face very real struggles in the real world, take refuge in the world of hobby horses. [HN Movie Review]

Founded in 1926, GMHA is the nation’s oldest continuously operating horse organization. Now considered a staple in the Area I competitive calendar, GMHA offers three events every year, with levels from BN-P. They focus on offering educational, competitive and recreational activities for horse enthusiasts of all ages. In 1957, they held the first horse trials to take place in the U.S. since Cavalry team competition. [USEA Events A-Z: GMHA]

Can you volunteer at The Fork, AKA the 2018 WEG Test Event? Volunteers are needed for numerous positions from April 1-9, in both equestrian and operations capacities. Whether you want to serve as a jump judge with a front-row seat for cross country competition or work behind the scenes, there’s a spot on the team for you! [Sign Up to Volunteer]

Schramm Sesh of the Week

Jimmie and Dom Schramm have teamed up with Kentucky Equine Research to provide an inside look into their conditioning program using KER ClockIt Sport. Each week we’ll share an example ride and some notes of what the Schramms look for as their horses progress.

This week’s session illustrates Jimmie preparing Royston, a Warmblood cross, to move up to Preliminary level.  The session took place at a track where she routinely works horses. She canters on a track before doing a single gallop up a steep hill.

“[Roy] had been doing interval training on the flat all winter and spring, so this is toward the beginning of his hill work,” Jimmie said.

“You can obviously see the incline in the graph in his heart rate and speed while using the gallop,” Jimmie points out. “This is why we use the incline, because we can get the heart rate high without galloping too fast or for too long.”

She adds, “Funny side note: there is a place on the track where Roy always spooks the first time around and you can see around the seventh minute that his heart rate increases and speed decreases right in the spot where he normally spooks.”

Check back next week for another Schramm Sesh! Want to gain insight into your horse’s fitness? Try KER ClockIt Sport. The free app helps take the guesswork out of equine fitness by monitoring heart rate, speed, distance and altitude during rides. EN’s guides to the app explain all the details: 7 Reasons to Download KER ClockIt Sport and How To Get the Most Out of KER ClockIt Sport.

If you’re looking for the best cross country photobombs, look no further than Sleeping Fox Farm Eventing on FB.

I’ve decided this year that I want to learn to have a green thumb. I’ve got the baking and cooking thing down, but I think I should be a little more domesticated. Also, the front of my cabin looks…..crummy. So now I have to re-seed my lawn, and do tons of flower planting in the front so it looks like I care. This is going to be an uphill battle. How do I know? The only plant that has survived my care thus far is a cactus somebody gave me in middle school, and honestly it’s pretty tough even for a cactus because I think I water it once a year.

National Holiday: National Vietnam Veterans Day

Burnham Market International [Live Results]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Morven Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Rocking Horse Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Galway Downs CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Southern Arizona H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Bummed out with continuing winter weather? Don’t worry, we’ve got a video for that. You don’t need to look further than this video of Yogi Breisner working with a group of riders in Florida. He instructed an ICP clinic session on the importance of stride, especially when jumping fences. He works with riders at the canter to move from a more forward canter to a collected canter, using the seat to encourage the horse to collect. He also challenges riders to ride an absolutely straight line, as if entering the dressage ring on center line and discusses the importance of straightness for success over fences. [Eventing Training Online]

The title of this article is: “Meet Charlotte, The Eventing Clydesdale”. Need I go on?? 28-year-old Cortney McDaniel is a 911 dispatcher in the state of Washington at night, and a Clydesdale jumper during the day. She originally purchased Charlotte with the hopes of vaulting, but Charlotte had other ideas. Her ideas involved jumping out of her paddock every day, and taking up Eventing. Her goal? To be the first Clydesdale to compete in the long format three-day at Rebecca Farm this year. [Charlotte the Eventing Clydesdale]

Hot on Horse Nation: The Healing Power of Horses

Best of Blogs: Prepping for Prelim: Does Size Matter?

Insuring your horse doesn’t have to be a scary and complicated process. You can get a quote today from Taylor Harris Insurance Services by just filling out this quick online questionnaire, and an agent will contact you right away with a quote. How easy is that?! [Request an Equine Insurance Quote]

For real though.

So, I rolled up at Carolina International yesterday, and looking out my truck window I see everyone is super bundled up and Jenni Autry is looking like she’s living in the damn tundra. I thought it was straight up balmy at 50 degrees, considering Virginia is still covered in snow, but all y’all snowbirds coming up from Florida were unhappily surprised to discover that it’s STILL kinda winter. Sorta. I mean it’s in the low 30’s overnight, which I’m excited about, but they’re devastated to experience. I’m gonna get my tan on today! Fifty degrees is tropical!

National Holiday: NATIONAL PUPPY DAY

Major Events:

Carolina International CIC & H.T.  Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Poplar Place H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Southern Arizona H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Sadly, this week we said goodbye to the incredible Thunder Gulch as he was euthanized due to complications of old age. In 1995, Thunder Gulch won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont, and just missed out on the Triple Crown with a third place in the Preakness Stakes. He stood at stud at Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud since 1995, after retiring with a record of nine wins out of sixteen starts, and $2.9 million in winnings. He was 26. The Thoroughbred world will greatly miss him. [RIP Thunder Gulch]

An enormous equine seizure was conducted this week in Wicomico County, Maryland, after the discovery of what many are calling one of the worst cases of animal neglect in recent history. With 25 identifiable dead and decaying horses found on the property, and 100 of them barely alive in varying states of starvation, Barbara Pilchard’s 150-acre farm was discovered by a news helicopter last week. According to Wicomico County sheriff Mike Lewis in a Tuesday, March 20, 2018 press conference, law enforcement was familiar with the property and stated his officers had visited the address over 80 times in previous years for complaints about the horses being loose in neighbors’ yards, gardens, and in the roadway. [100 Horse Seized from Maryland Farm]

Galway Downs is probably the most famous event on the West Coast. Based in Temecula, California (Area VI) hosts four events a year: two horse trials that offer Intro through Intermediate levels in February and May, an international CIC3*/2*/1* in late March, and an international CCI3*/2*/1* and Training Three-Day in early November. Both international events also offer Novice through Preliminary horse trials. Galway Downs also hosts a Young Event Horse qualifier at their event in May. Galway Downs is a multi-use facility that hosts dressage and hunter/jumper competitions, one-day unrecognized horse trials, and offers cross-country schooling in a separate area of the property in addition to the USEA recognized events. [USEA Events A-Z: Galway Downs]

Schramm Sesh of the Week

Jimmie and Dom Schramm have teamed up with Kentucky Equine Research to provide an inside look into their conditioning program using KER ClockIt Sport. Each week we’ll share an example ride and some notes of what the Schramms look for as their horses progress.

This week’s session illustrates Dom’s gymnastic training day with Quadrocana, a recently imported 5-year-old German sporthorse mare owned by Christina Moutray and the Quadrocana Syndicate.

“She is a great natural jumper,” Dom said. “However, she is still a little immature in her body. I do small gymnastic exercises to help strengthen her canter and work on basics like balance and straightness.”

“This work consisted of adjusting the canter over small raised poles, then adding small crossrails and a bounce, and culminating in adding them together with a gymnastic line to finish,” Dom explained.

Here’s a video clip:

Check back next week for another Schramm Sesh! Want to gain insight into your horse’s fitness? Try KER ClockIt Sport. The free app helps take the guesswork out of equine fitness by monitoring heart rate, speed, distance and altitude during rides. EN’s guides to the app explain all the details: 7 Reasons to Download KER ClockIt Sport and How To Get the Most Out of KER ClockIt Sport.

Photo via THIS Facebook Page.

We’re delighted to have Taylor Harris Insurance Services on board with Eventing Nation, as they are already big sponsors of the Eventing world at Great Meadow, Plantation Field, Millbrook, and more. Founded by horse people for horse people, THIS knows what it’s like to be a rider and an owner in any part of the world, and hopes to be part of your journey while helping you protect your horse.

National Holiday: National Goof Off Day

Major Events:

Carolina International CIC & H.T.  Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Live Stream, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Poplar Place H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Southern Arizona H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Carolina International! One of our favorite events of the year! This year there are a whopping 62 entries in the CIC3*, second only to 2016 when we had 75 entrants. The competition is fierce with last year’s winner The Apprentice, Blenheim winner Cooley Cross Border, and last year’s CIC2* winner Deniro Z all vying for the top spot alongside countless other top contenders. Over 30 vendors will be in attendance too, so be sure to bring your wallet! [Carolina International: Fast Facts]

Andrew Hoy’s longtime partner Rutherglen is stepping down from four-stars, and helping a young rider transition from ponies in the role of a schoolmaster. He competed in 10 CCI4* events with Andrew, and at 15, they decided it was time for him to take a step down from top level, and found a perfect match with young student Isabel Finemore. They just recently competed in their first event at BE100 and finished on their dressage score of 31.8 with double clear jumping. Rutherglen is loving his new role, and Isabel is one lucky girl. [From Four Star to Schoolmaster]

Two intrepid eventers have taken up the challenge of running the 2018 London Marathon in April to raise funds for Africa’s rhinos. Did you know that the horse’s closest genetic relative is the rhino? Me neither. Pierre Colin and Paul Swart have decided to run 26 miles representing Rhino Conservation Botswana a non-profit organization that monitors and protects rhinos that have been relocated to Botswana from heavily poached areas in other countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe. Near the brink of extinction due to poaching for their horns, the rhinos can use some help. Check out their fundraising page to learn more. [Running for Rhinos]

Northern Virginia riders, get ready for the spring season by attending this free helmet fitting and head safety educational clinic on Saturday in Middleburg! Experts from INOVA Health System’s Concussion Team will be on hand from 8-1 to discuss brain injuries, how to prevent them, and how to heal from them. Charles Owen representatives will also be there to check the fit of any helmet from 8-11, as well as fitting body protectors. Inspiring individual Forrest Stone Allen will also give a speech at 12:30 on his own personal journey from a massive traumatic brain injury that left him unable to move or speak. The event will be held at the Middleburg Community Center. [Middleburg Head Safety Clinic]

Shannon Brinkman’s daughter, Roya, living every child’s dream with a unicorn from Redemptive Love Farm at Red Hills. Photo by Shannon.

Man. I gotta say, I hate daylight savings time. Now it’s dark again when I wake up and that’s gotta be the most depressing thing in the world. Add that to the fact that it’s now light until 7:30 (aka you can keep working outside until then) and my days just got exponentially longer. I miss being lazy in the winter and quitting at 5 or 6! Bring it back!

National Holiday: National Artichoke Hearts Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Ocala Winter II H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

MeadowCreek Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Copper Meadows Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Full Gallop Horse Trials is one of the Aiken fixtures throughout the year, but it’s been a long work in progress for owners Lara Anderson and Daniel Brown. They bought the property in 2000 with just one barn and a fenced paddock, but a lot of potential. By 2006 they had built enough stalls, arena areas, and cross country jumps to host their first recognized event. The event still runs “old school” style, with dressage and show jumping on the grass, thanks to the excellent natural footing of South Carolina. [Events A-Z: Full Gallop]

Team Ireland Equestrian and Eventing Ireland members will take to the racetrack to help raise funds towards their High-Performance Squads and the senior athletes journey to the World Equestrian Games, in Tryon later on this year. The World Equestrian Games is the first opportunity for the Irish Eventing team to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The Event Riders Challenge Race is the last race on the card in Dundalk Stadium on Wednesday, March 28. Team Ireland Equestrian sponsors and Dundalk-based company, Horseware Ireland, have kindly agreed to be the title sponsors for the race. [Event Riders Racing Towards WEG]

Volunteers are truly the backbone of our lovely sport of Eventing. While all the riders and grooms and owners work hard with the horses to get them to the competitions, the show literally cannot go on without extensive help from volunteers. We rely on them for scribing, starting box duties, fence judging, score running, commentating and hospitality to name a few. We can’t do it without volunteers! [Volunteers: The Unsung Heroes of Eventing]

Schramm Sesh of the Week

Jimmie and Dom Schramm have teamed up with Kentucky Equine Research to provide an inside look into their conditioning program using KER ClockIt Sport. Each week we’ll share an example ride and some notes of what the Schramms look for as their horses progress.

Hills are an important part of many eventers conditioning strategy. So what do you do when you’re wintering in flat Florida? Dom Schramm starts his horses with three 3-minute canters, working up to 5-minute intervals. He warms up with a 15-minute trot, and gives a minute-long break between each canter.

“Typically I only do interval training while we are in Florida as we don’t have any hills down here,” Dom said. “I also think it’s a good way to get them back to fitness after having a winter break. I normally start at 3x3s and slowly work them up to 3x5s by the time we are headed back north at the end of March. I find by the time they have gotten to this point and have done a few shows they are about ready to begin hill gallops when we get home to Pennsylvania.”

Dom recorded this session with Whitford, a young horse he’s preparing for a CCI1* in June.

Check back next week for another Schramm Sesh! Want to gain insight into your horse’s fitness? Try KER ClockIt Sport. The free app helps take the guesswork out of equine fitness by monitoring heart rate, speed, distance and altitude during rides. EN’s guides to the app explain all the details: 7 Reasons to Download KER ClockIt Sport and How To Get the Most Out of KER ClockIt Sport.

Leslie Law & Tre de Kernet. Photo by Christine Quinn.

It’s never too early to think about the fall season! Stable View’s Oktoberfest 2018 is forecast to be one of the East Coast’s major contributions to rider’s preparations for Fair Hill. The combination of over $75,000 in prize money including Land Rover/Jaguar leases for the winners of Stable View’s first CIC3*, 2* and 1*,  with world renowned course designers and elegant setting, will set the stage for Stable View’s first FEI level Horse Trials.

Positioned three weeks before the Fair Hill CCI3*, Stable View’s Oktoberfest is the ideal event for horse and rider combinations to test their preparedness for Fair Hill. Captain Mark Phillips cross country courses are always challenging, asking technical questions for the upper levels. International show jumping course designer Mark Donovan will be designing the show jumping courses for all levels.

Intended to be run over three days, and depending on entries, possibly four, Stable View will also run all of the national levels, BN through Advanced. All divisions will receive prize money to third place.

National Holiday: National Everything You Think Is Wrong Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Ocala Winter II H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

MeadowCreek Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Copper Meadows Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

The YEH seminar is coming to the west coast! The USEA announced that Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California will be hosting a Young Event Horse seminar to instruct judges, competitors, owners, breeders, and anyone else involved or interested in the program in the new judging and scoring system that was introduced at the beginning of 2018. [YEH Meets West Coast]

For your weekly educational video, we bring you Buck Davidson coaching a group of riders in California over jumps. Buck coached the riders through a course containing a series of exercises designed to build confidence and sharpen fundamental skills prior to competing at an event. He emphasized the importance of riding forward, having a good canter, riding a proper line, and moving the horse’s shoulders to maintain straightness and a true connection through the outside rein. [Eventing Training Online]

A lot of times, when you’re buying an OTTB, a conformation photo is all you get before you make the decision. Therefore, the ability to have a little knowledge of what you’re looking for before you buy is a great skill for every horse man and woman. This OTTB Critique from the USEA features Another Gulch, and he is reviewed by John Michael and Kimmy Durr of Durr Eventing. [OTTB Critique: Another Gulch]

Jumper Nation Jamz: Greys For Days

TBT 2017 Oktoberfest with the OG Joanie Morris:

Southern Pines!! Photo by Jamie Gornall.

I decided this time around with my four-year-old OTTB to start him over fences in a completely different way than I’ve ever done before. In an attempt to make a horse that is fairly self sufficient and confident from the beginning, I’ve taught him to jump completely on the line, without a rider. Today I’m taking him cross country schooling for the first time, or rather, I’m having my friend Cali school him on a long line up and down banks, into water, and over his first cross country obstacles. Time will tell if this experiment works, but I think I’m on the right track so far.

National Holiday: National Get Over It Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Southern Pines H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Red Hills International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

Red Hills weekend!! Nothing is quite so glamorous early in the year as Red Hills, and it is certainly a destination event every year. Did you know that Phillip Dutton has won the CIC3* here an astonishing six times? Can he do it for the 7th time on I’m Sew Ready? Dressage action starts today at 8am sharp, prepare yourselves. [Red Hills Fast Facts]

If you want to see the best ISO Horse ad in the entire history of the internet…look no further. We got you covered. [Horse Nation]

Ahhh, training a young horse to stand quietly on the trailer at shows. This can be one of the most frustrating training activities to participate in, especially if you have a horse that is rather opposed to the idea. They can really get into protesting. Jason Webb of Australian Horse Training has some excellent pointers that I will personally be using in the future of how to help a horse with anxiety and/or impatience about standing quietly on the trailer. [How Do I Get My Horse To Stand Quietly on the Horsebox?]

Schramm Sesh of the Week

Jimmie and Dom Schramm have teamed up with Kentucky Equine Research to provide an inside look into their conditioning program using KER ClockIt Sport. Each week we’ll share an example ride and some notes of what the Schramms look for as their horses progress.

This week Jimmie and Eclaire, a 7-year-old German Sport Horse, put in a final XC school in preparation for Rocking Horse HT.

“With this schooling the aim was to just touch on all the questions,” Jimmie said. In her final school before an event, Jimmie likes to string together several exercises in a row to replicate the real cross-country day experience. “I always build through the exercises, working from the easier questions to more technical,” she explained.

Jimmie presented Eclaire with three sets. She took short breaks in between, both to allow the mare to recover physically and “digest mentally what she has learned in hopes that it carries over to the next question.”

“She felt particularly good this day, very focused and listening really well,” Jimmie said. “She loves to run so sometimes not taking over is difficult for her, but she was spot on!”

Check back next week for another Schramm Sesh! Want to gain insight into your horse’s fitness? Try KER ClockIt Sport. The free app helps take the guesswork out of equine fitness by monitoring heart rate, speed, distance and altitude during rides. EN’s guides to the app explain all the details: 7 Reasons to Download KER ClockIt Sport and How To Get the Most Out of KER ClockIt Sport.

Friends don’t let friends forget their dressage test without suffering the consequences. Photo by Heather Morris.

So, I entered my first local combined test this weekend with my baby TB. Don’t worry, it’s only Baby Green with an Intro test and a 2′ jump course, but it’s pretty serious. He’s very nice for the most part, but he still believes in bucking exuberantly and repeatedly when picking up the canter, and has never been in a dressage ring or honestly seen jumps away from home. So obviously, the weather forecast for this weekend is 35 and raining. And we go first thing in the morning. How do you think this is gonna go? #neckstrapsindressage

National Holiday: International Women’s Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Southern Pines H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Red Hills International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

Don’t deny it, you’re fascinated with how Carl Hester keeps and trains his horses too. He is notoriously open about how his horses live their lives (mostly outside) and how he trains them from the age of three all the way through Grand Prix. He believes in lots of hacking (revolutionary for the dressage world) and keeping horses as much like normal horses as possible. [How Carl Hester Succeeds]

Roy Burek from Charles Owen gave a presentation at the USEA Convention on the differences in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) between men and women. On the whole, women tend to suffer from increased symptoms and recover more slowly compared to men when they are in similar accidents based on data, but the cause of this isn’t known. There are several possible causes, including structural differences, societal differences, and hormonal influences. [TBI Differences in Gender]

Thanks to modern veterinary care, horses are living longer than ever, with many horses even competing at the top levels well into their late teens. The key to keeping your older horse happy is having a constant relationship with your vet, and detecting issues before the horse even knows that they’re a problem. The top concern with older horses is dentistry, but that is easily solved by having it attended to more frequently than a younger horse. [Senior Horse Health Concerns]

Hot on Horse Nation: 10 Horses Who Are Serious About Mud

For anyone who knows Trance, this is a magical video of him with his newest child, bee boppin’ around Training at Sporting Days…20 years young!!

No comment needed. Photo by Boyd Martin.

I think I jinxed myself with talking about my desire for spring weather yesterday, because it promptly went right back into a day full of cold depressing rain. I had to comfort myself by cooking up a huge batch of the most delicious pad thai at the end of the day. Home cook pro-tip: always own a ridiculously huge wok pan, because when you need it, you’ll really be happy and you’ll wonder why you don’t cook everything in it.

National Holiday: National Banana Cream Pie Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Rocking Horse III H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Sporting Days H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Twin Rivers Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

With several more EHV-1 outbreaks happening in my neck of the woods just this past week, it’s important to know what you’re dealing with here. EHV spreads from horse to horse through nasal discharge, whether by nose-to-nose contact, aerosol droplets sneezed or coughed into the air, or shared equipment and feed or water. The types equestrians are most likely to see, EHV-1 and EHV-4, often cause only respiratory illness with few long-term aftereffects, but EHV’s easy movement between horses and the fact that the virus can cause potentially fatal neurological symptoms have made it a serious concern for horse owners, facility managers, and competition organizers alike. [EHV: What You Need to Know]

Next week, Red Hills Horse Trials is celebrating their 20th anniversary in a big way. Not only did they reveal some big course changes for the event, but it’s the first big qualifying competition for the 2018 WEG later this year. As the first big challenge at the upper levels that we look for as talent develops for the spring, we’re always excited about Red Hills, but maybe more this year than ever! [WEG Qualifier Red Hills Next Week]

Hot on Horse Nation: 49 Horses Living Their Best Life by Napping

Want to know about the inner lifestyle of The Troll? How about why Lauren says this mare is the horse she would want to be on during a zombie apocalypse? Troll lives a very normal life, for a four-star superstar who isn’t perhaps the friendliest. She likes going on hacks down the road, living out in a field, and most of all, sleeping and snoring and snacking all at once. [Veronica’s Health Care Routine]

DOC Back In Action

When being handsome is sooooo tiring. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Oh my GOD I can’t wait for spring weather to be here. Virginia has been mixing in some delightful weather here and there, and it just makes you that much more resentful of the cold and the rain when it comes back. I spy little bits of green grass coming in, and the horses are shedding out, and I’m just SO READY for it all to be over. I can’t. I literally can’t.

National Holiday: National Horse Protection Day

Ongoing Events:

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Rocking Horse III H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Sporting Days H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Twin Rivers Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

Almost a year after suffering a stroke while warming up a horse at Carolina International, Peter Barry is back in the saddle. With Phillip Dutton on one side, Richard Picken on another, and Emma Ford leading, Icabad Crane was the lucky horse who got to be the star of Peter’s comeback story. He still suffers weakness on the left side of his body, but was pleased to find that his balance is still good, and 15 hand Icabad was the perfect gentleman. [Peter Barry Back in the Saddle]

Applications and area declarations for the NAJYRC 2018 are due today! If you are a junior or a young rider and thinking about competing in the NAJYRC this year, get your nomination in right now! As somebody who competed in this championship (too man years ago to think about), I highly recommend it. I had an incredible experience and still have friends to this day from my team.  [USEF NAJYRC Applications]

Speaking of young riders….some enterprising young ladies from Area III have already started a fundraiser for their efforts to get to Montana later this summer. They’ve already gathered a big group of stallions to auction off breeding rights at a discounted price in order to help them on their way to championship greatness. Check out this opportunity if you’re interested in breeding sometime soon! [Area III NAJYRC Fundraiser]

Schramm Sesh of the Week

Jimmie and Dom Schramm have teamed up with Kentucky Equine Research to provide an inside look into their conditioning program using KER ClockIt Sport. Each week we’ll share an example ride and some notes of what the Schramms look for as their horses progress.

This week’s example session is a dressage school with Jimmie and Eclaire, a 7-year-old German Sport Horse who recently moved up to Prelim.

Jimmie hacked over to the arena, schooled for about 20 minutes, then cooled out with a hack around the farm. This was an easy job for Eclaire, whose heart rate stayed below 60% throughout.

Jimmie normally schools Eclaire in dressage twice per week. She sometimes also adds brief focused dressage work on specific test movements into a canter set day. Her routine warmup starts with stretching in the walk and trot, before moving into transitions within the trot. “I spend a lot of time here making sure she is in front of my leg and can come back to me and collect without resistance,” Jimmie said. “Then I normally put her through some lateral work and movements that are in my tests.” After a walk break, she moves into canter work before finishing up with a walk hack around the farm.

Check back next week for another Schramm Sesh! Want to gain insight into your horse’s fitness? Try KER ClockIt Sport. The free app helps take the guesswork out of equine fitness by monitoring heart rate, speed, distance and altitude during rides. EN’s guides to the app explain all the details: 7 Reasons to Download KER ClockIt Sport and How To Get the Most Out of KER ClockIt Sport.

True love! Jimmie Schramm, Jenni Autry and Bellamy at Ocala Winter I H.T. Photo by JJ Sillman.

I know I probably say this every year, but I think for real this time, it has to be the wettest late winter/early spring I’ve known for a long time. It is truly revolting. My fields usually hold up pretty well through the winter, but the drought at the end of last year combined with the nonstop pouring rain at this moment has just completely ruined everything. Bring on real spring with warmth and sun!!

National Holiday: National Margarita Day!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Advanced CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Three Lakes H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

David O’Connor is back to his winning ways, topping a division of Preliminary last weekend with Cooley Dream at Ocala HT. It’s been 18 years since he won his Olympic gold medal, and 14 years since he really competed (he’s been a little busy with some other stuff, I guess), but the man and the myth is back in action these days, and hasn’t skipped a beat. He’s got a few young horses, and is hoping to get to a CCI2* with Cooley Dream later this spring once he gets his qualifications for it! [DOC Back At It]

Time to get your tickets for Great Meadow International! With the distinction of being the only Nations Cup outside of Europe, you’ll be sure to see top riders from all different countries competing in this exciting and glamorous event. You can purchase tickets for the VIP Tent, a Ringside Box, Tailgating, or just General Admission. Get them now while they’re hot! [GMI Tickets]

Day two of the 2018 USEA Educational Symposium again featured clinicians Leslie Law and Kai-Steffen Meier as they conducted another day of the ICP Symposium. Building on their lessons from the first day of the ICP Symposium, both Law and Meier emphasized the importance of making sure each horse was adjustable within the gaits and moving forward in front of the rider’s leg. “Yesterday I talked about how you improve the working gaits, and as I said when it comes to young horses, it’s first off finding their natural balance and finding their rhythm and then you can begin with jumping jumps out of that balance and out of that rhythm,” said Law. [Day Two of ICP Young Horse Symposium]

We talk a lot about using hills in our fitness regimes, but primarily uphill. What about downhill training? Surely on our cross country courses we spend just as much time galloping down the hill as we do up the hill, and yet it is unusual for us to incorporate that into our daily training programs. This article from Horsetalk explores the conundrum between these factors. [Downhill Training and the Sporthorse]

My sister’s horse this past weekend in Wellington in her first CDI! Photo by Kate Samuels.

Today is my 30th birthday, which frankly, is a little terrifying. Now I’m supposed to have all my ducks in a row officially, even though I feel more or less the same as I did a year or two ago. I’ll spend it just like I spend all other days, with my ponies and my dogs, and maybe I’ll be lucky enough to enjoy a special delicious dinner at the end. What more could a girl want?

National Holiday: National Almond Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Rocking Horse Winter II H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Paradise Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

Fresno County Horse Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

World Number 1 Kent Farrington suffered a severe injury to his leg yesterday while competing Evergate Stable LLC’s Lucifer in the 1.30-meter jumpers in the Mogavero Ring at the Winter Equestrian Festival. He was immediately transferred to Wellington Regional Medical Center for treatment. [COTH]

In 1925, William DuPont Jr started amassing land in Pennsylvania that amounted to 7,600 acres that would become known as Fair Hill. In 1989, Fair Hill International was born to replace the CCI3* lost from the last Chesterland International Three-Day, headed by a group of top level riders interested in preserving the sport. Mike Tucker was the first course designer, and Derek diGrazia took over 10 years later in 1999. [USEA A-Z: Fair Hill International]

Hot on Horse Nation: #EquestrianProblems According to Twitter

Most of us, at some point in our careers, have to sell one of our horses. If you’re a professional, this is just part of life. There are definitely better and worse ways to complete the objective, and Horsemart gathered info from William Fox Pitt and rising star Caroline Harris on how to best proceed with selling a horse. [Selling A Horse: How to From the Stars]

I is helping, yes? Photo by Aly Rattazzi.

Welly World, Welly World, I am heading to Welly World! How to explain to the rest of the universe exactly what is Wellington? The best I’ve done so far is find a video (taken from the back of a horse, obviously) of a person being pulled on rollerskates down a road by a miniature pony at quite the little clip. I feel like that pretty much sums it up. If you’re interested (and you know you are) here is the link to said video.

National Holiday: National Pizza Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Intermediate H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Ocala Winter I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

The USEA Area III Young Rider Program is currently accepting resumes/bids for the 2018-2020 competition years for Young Rider Summer Camp Trainers and North American Junior Championship (NAJC) and CICOY Nations Cup Coach. If you’ve ever dreamed of getting involved in molding the youth of tomorrow, or giving back to the program that you benefitted from as a young rider, now is your chance! [Apply Now to Coach Young Riders]

Out of 794 accepted trainers for this year’s Retired Racehorse Project, nearly 550 of them are newbies to the program. EN blogger Lindsay Gilbert is going for her third consecutive year of competing at the year-end championship, and she’s got some solid advice for the new comers: don’t get caught up in competing just yet. [Stay In Your Lane: Some Advice for First Time Thoroughbred Makeover Trainers]

We’re sad to report that Secretariat’s exercise rider, Charlie Davis, passed away this week after a short battle with lung cancer. As one of the famous team behind the storied Triple Crown winner, Davis was always quick to brag on the big horse, and just as quick to minimize his sizable contribution to the success. He galloped horses for the vast majority of his life, sitting on other fast ones like Riva Ridge and Belmont winner Amberoid. He will be deeply missed. [Charlie Davis Passes Away]

Hot on Horse Nation: 5 Horse Sales Phrases And What They Really Mean

A little dressage inspiration for your Friday…

I have never been so excited about jumping a 2 foot vertical in my life.

Tomorrow I am escaping the cold and wet and mud of Virginia for three-point-five blissful days of Florida weather. I can’t wait to show off my ghostly pale skin, and take pictures of pretty ponies in the sunshine. I’m headed to Wellington to watch some of WEF with both the hunter/jumper world and the dressage world, and paparazzi my sister as she competes in her first CDI. See ya later mud city! …And by that I mean I’ll see you on Monday, when the mud will still be here 🙁

National Holiday: National Fly A Kite Day

On-going Events:

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Intermediate H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Ocala Winter I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

Got the course designing bee in your bonnet? This is your chance! If you have ever considered becoming involved in eventing as an official, particularly as a licensed course designer, eventing judge, or technical delegate, then the B & C Jumping/Course Design Training Program is for you! This training program must be attended by certified cross-country course designers every three years to maintain certification which allows designers to design for Beginner Novice through Training level at USEA recognized events. This training program is also fulfills licensing requirements for prospective “r” Eventing Judge, “r” Eventing TD, and “r” Eventing CD. [Get Licensed Now]

Riding through your college career is not for the faint hearted, not only is scheduling a nightmare, but affording it all while still eating ramen for dinner is a challenge too. Budgeting for your horse habit is possible, with these eight fantastic tips from Haley Rufner at Horse Nation. [The Academic Equestrian: 8 Ways To Ride in College On a Tight Budget]

Your horse’s nutrition can really make or break their ability to be successful, so it’s important to be well informed. Their diet can have a great impact on their competition performance and post-competition recovery. Nutrients such as protein, amino acids, fat sources, mineral interactions, and water intake all play a huge role in your horse’s success, in both daily training and intense competition. In this presentation, Russell Mueller discusses some of the latest nutritional technologies that can optimize health and muscle fueling, function, and repair and how you can apply what you’ve learned to lead to greater success and a happier horse. [VIDEO: Equine Nutrition for the Performance Horse]

Just a lil Friday motivation to get you to the end of your week! Photo courtesy of Taylor Harris Insurance Services FB.

Weekend! Weekend! Weekend! Ok, so for horse people, a weekend isn’t really a weekend, but sometimes it still feels special. If you’re competing it’s special! If you’re here in Virginia in the cold and expecting snow…..well…not as much. I mean, unless you think it’s fun to anticipate how to thaw and chip away at ice in your buckets.

National Holiday: National Groundhog Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Three Lakes H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Sporting Days H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

Galway Downs Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

Hey, you wanna win $1500 worth of SmartPak goodies? All you have to do is literally fill out the teeniest tiniest form on the site, and you’ll be entered to win an amazing gift card to your favorite store. DO IT! [SmartPak’s Ultimate Horse Health Challenge]

Canadians will be rolling up to the 2018 WEG in style with Noel Asmar Equestrian as the official apparel of the Canadian Equestrian Team. They first partnered together for the 2016 Olympics, with great success and flair, for both the equestrian athletes and the supporting team staff. With riders from eight different equestrian disciplines to outfit, they’ve got their work cut out for them! [Noel Asmar Partners with Canada for WEG]

At the USEF Annual Meeting this month, SafeSport COO Malia Arrington presented on the SafeSport initiative, and resources have been made available to members via a Safety & SafeSport Policy page on the US Equestrian website. Included are sections on how to recognize, respond to, and report misconduct and abuse. Under the Safe Sport Policy, all USEF Designees are now also required to successfully complete awareness training every two years. It’s up to all of us — riders, parents, coaches, administrators, ALL participants in equestrian sport — to utilize this critical resource to help protect our young athletes. [Times Up: SafeSport Polices Sexual Abuse in Equestrian Sports]

Trying to take your horse’s photo when he has no concept of personal space. Photo by Madison Davies.

Look, I love young horses, maybe more than the average person. What I don’t necessarily love is when they discover fun new ways to become airborne during normal type activities. My OTTB, Turkey, is feeling really great lately, and has developed a love for acrobatics worked into everyday life. He can kick out one hind leg, throw one front leg out front, squirrel his head, and continue trotting on the bit all at one time. Sometimes, when he’s feeling really hilarious, he also throws in a black stallion style rear in the middle too. Like, dude, we get it, it’s nice to be flexible, but enough already.

National Holiday: National Baked Alaska Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Three Lakes H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Sporting Days H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

Galway Downs Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

Advanced is a go at Carolina International! The event issued this clarification: “Due to an error in our Omnibus listing, we would like to clarify that an Advanced division WILL be offered at this year’s Carolina International CIC & Horse Trial. The Advanced division will have dressage on Friday, March 23, cross country on Saturday, March 24, and show jumping on March 25.” [Carolina International]

Allison Springer was spreading her knowledge at a clinic recently about communicating with all ages of horses. “As trainers, we need to ask questions that they can answer. Deliberate, simple questions.” Allison worked with a group of riders on the turn on the forehand to increase their responsiveness to aids, and help the horses wait for their riders before jumping to conclusions with their bodies. [Video: Eventing Training Online]

Did you recently get a new horse? Yeah, we can tell. You’re in the honeymoon phase. You know, the one where you can’t stop taking “cute” photos of him/her and telling everyone about their funny quirks (please note the photo and paragraph above about MY cute new horse) and you lie awake at night fantasizing about what you’re going to do tomorrow with the aforementioned cute new horse. Who needs a real honeymoon when you have this? [6 Signs You’re In The Honeymoon Phase with a New Horse]

Stretching your horse before riding: yay or neigh? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist). Seriously though, when done correctly, stretches for your horse on a daily basis can really improve their performance under saddle. Like anything though, you kinda have to know what you’re doing, and just randomly stretching them doesn’t really help as much as having an equine physiotherapist tell you how to get the most out of your time. [How to Stretch to Improve Suppleness]

She got ELEVEN 10’s on this test. Eleven!!

OK. I have to have one.

You guys. This is not a drill. You can have one of these unicorn bonnets. There is a real Etsy shop that sells “horse fashion, fly bonnets and unicorns”. I’m really, really tempted to get one, because not only are they really affordable, but imagine the photo shoot magic that I could have with a damned unicorn bonnet. I just think it would be the most incredible Instagram post ever. Hold me back, y’all.

National Holiday: National Peanut Brittle Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Rocking Horse Winter I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

USEF has issued a clarification that in cases of FEI provisional suspensions, USEF reciprocates FEI rules. Specifically, FEI General Article 169.5.1, which states that suspended athletes may not participate in, or be present at, public events in any other capacity than as a spectator and/or auditor. I.e. An athlete’s suspension extends to events under the jurisdiction of the USEF as well as FEI events. [USEF FEI Reciprocity suspension rules — see page 78, GR615] [FEI Case Status Tables]

Even if you don’t follow show jumping, you should know who Harrie Smolders is. Even if it’s just because you know his unbelievable horse Emerald. Harrie had what can only be described as a phenomenal 2017 year, winning the Longines Global Champions Tour overall and ending the year as the second highest ranked rider in the world, amongst other big wins. He recently did an in-depth interview about his philosophies behind the success, his horse management techniques, and his competitive edge. It’s totally worth reading. [Smolders Smashes 2017]

Important Reminder: Horses Can Grow Insane Mustaches

Looking for a rags to riches, mustang to DQ story? Look no further than Marsha Hartford-Sapp and her mustang Cobra. Cobra was returned the to BLM three times prior to meeting Marsha, and was deemed unadoptable, but with some help he competed through Prix St Georges level, and also has now taken on the world of Western dressage. Oh, did I mention there is a country song about him? Yeah. [From Wild to World Champion]

The OTTB pre purchase exam: let’s open this can of worms. Just about everyone has a different opinion on PPE’s, and doing one on a racehorse is definitely recommended, because despite their relatively young age, they’ve had more miles than most other horses starting a new career. There are lots of considerations, and certainly no one right answer, but The Horse got Dr Janik Gasiowroski to talk about components to consider when getting a new OTTB. [OTTB Pre-Purchase Exams]

My horse is so fat.

I finally clipped my entire horse (minus the legs) yesterday, and underneath all that hair, he is SO fat. Like, so fat. Morbidity level. He had an unplanned vacation for three months this winter due to something completely ridiculous, so he really packed on the pounds. He is on a hardcore diet and he hates it so much. He gets a handful of grain twice a day so he doesn’t feel left out with the barn, and has a few flakes of day in the hated nibble net and it’s the WORST EVER in his opinion.

National Holiday: National Irish Coffee Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Rocking Horse Winter I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Results]

Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Results]

News From Around the Globe:

Max Corcoran gave a presentation at the 2017 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention with her tips, tricks, and advice on how to make good decisions when it comes to taking care of your horse.  While she needs no introduction, her resume includes grooming at the highest level of the sport for some of the world’s top riders for nearly 20 years, working for the O’Connor Event Team for 11 years, numerous Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, and many CCIs across the United States and Europe. Now a freelancer, Corcoran travels around the world as a groom and also teaches horsemanship clinics for the USEA and USEF Developing Rider Programs. [Video: Making Good Decisions]

How do top riders use their cross country colors to build a worldwide brand? You know the ones who have an extremely recognizable outfit wherever they go, and all their horses kitted out in matching outfits? It’s not just a random choice, a lot of the time, in face these colors have deeper meanings and intentions. [What Do Cross Country Colors Mean?]

Frozen water troughs: the bane of our existence. Seriously though, one of the worst things about winter with  horses is trying to keep water from freezing. It takes up so much of your time during your daily chore rounds, and the second you get all the ice chipped away, it starts freezing again. Luckily, Horse Nation has looked up some super easy, low tech ways for you to keep your water drinkable without investing in super hardcore sub zero automatic waterers and heaters for all your troughs and buckets. [Horse Nation Investigates How to Keep Water Thawed]

Important Quiz Of the Day: If You Were A Horse, What Breed Would You Be?