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Kate Samuels
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Kate Samuels

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About Kate Samuels

Kate Samuels is an avid 3-Day Eventer who currently competes at the Advanced/3* level with her wonderful Selle Francais gelding, Nyls du Terroir. A rider since the tender age of three, she is a young professional in the sport learning as much as she can from various mentors, both equine and human. Kate has worked for Eventing Nation since 2011, and has enjoyed every minute of it. She brings a lifetime of experience with horses as well as a wealth of knowledge gained through competing at the top levels of the sport. When not riding through the boiling hot, freezing cold, rain or snow, Kate enjoys baking pies, photography, and finding ridiculous videos on the internet.

Eventing Background

USEA Rider Profile Click to view profile
Area Area II
Highest Level Competed Advanced/CCI4*

Latest Articles Written

Ten Habits of Highly Successful Riders

By on Jan 14, 2014 3:00 pm -
A little leap of faith. Photo by Jade Cooling.

A little leap of faith. Photo by Jade Cooling.

All over the internet, we see lists telling us how to be slimmer, how to get a leg up in the corporate world, how to improve our love lives and how to find satisfaction in life. A lot of the time, these lists are in the form of “Ten Habits,” and they are meant to inspire change for good within your life — and not just what you wear out the door in the morning. So how can we boil it down for riding? What are the top 10 habits of a successful and effective equestrian?

1. Patience: This one’s a no-brainer. Good riders know that you can’t rush things when it comes to horses, and at the end of the day, it’s better to have small positive experiences than big negative ones because you lost your patience.

2. Empathy: Understanding your equine partners can be hard since they can’t speak their mind. Horses have to use other methods of communicating thoughts and feelings, and a good rider always considers the reasoning behind actions, even if they are generally thought of as “bad behaviors.” Empathy helps you think and feel from another perspective, and that’s integral for interacting with horses.

3. Persistence: Good horsemen and horsewomen around the world will tell you that persisting with a difficult horse, a challenging task or a complex issue is the only way to solve it. Running away from problems and not addressing issues won’t help you at all when it comes to training horses, and those that are willing to try more often will succeed more often.

4. Willingness to learn: A successful rider knows that there is something to be learned from every person, horse and experience that you have in life, and they’re willing to take it any way they can. This willingness also helps them up when they are handed disappointments because they can view it in an educational light, despite the pain.

5. Knowing when to quit: Just as important as persistence is knowing when to call it a day. Good riders have an intuitive sense of when to quit and end on a good note. This is a constantly morphing and changing part of horses because no matter how old you are or how experienced the horse, some days you just won’t get exactly as much as you wanted, and knowing how to remain positive at the end is important.

6. Logical thinking: There is no way you can be a successful rider and not have an ability to step back and logically think out a situation. Horses can pull all sorts of emotions out of us, but they don’t belong in the saddle. Good riders must be able to rationally assess things and approach problems from a logical point of view.

7. Self improvement: Not only do successful riders have an open-minded approach to learning, but their thirst for constant self improvement is never ending. There is no one answer, no pure right way to do anything with horses, and there are always more answers and different ways to accomplish goals. Good riders recognize this, and they pursue knowledge until the day they die.

8. Efficacy and efficiency: Good riders know how to produce the biggest and best result with the smallest amount of effort or pounding on the horse. They know that repeating a single jump endlessly without improvement is a waste, and they figure out how to make things happen efficiently. They are constantly honing their skills to create what they want in the horse without drilling them or using a large amount of physical force.

9. Recognizing talent: Yes, successful riders usually have a knack for recognizing talent in a horse, but they also know when they see talent in other riders. Whether it’s a rider from their own discipline or another, they can see it, and they want to be around it. Surrounding themselves with good influences is the number one way to self improvement and inspiration toward better things.

10. Determination: As all of us know horses have a funny way of bringing both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows into our lives. Those that choose to be successful in any equestrian sport must have an inner determination and grit that is almost unequalled in any other world. In order to get up and dust yourself off from almost daily disappointments, you have to have this quality, or you’ll fall by the wayside.

This is just my short list of necessary qualities that I think all successful riders must have. What would you add? Let me know in the comments below.

Lionheart Undergoes Colic Surgery, Recovering Well

By on Jan 14, 2014 12:06 am -
Lionheart with previous jockey William Fox Pitt. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Lionheart with previous jockey William Fox Pitt. Photo by Samantha Clark.

We’ve just gotten word that Allison Springer’s brand new CCI4* mount, Lionheart, is recovering from a colic scare on Monday. While in training with Allison in Florida, Lion began showing signs of colic and Allison made the decision to take him directly to the veterinary clinic and have colic surgery performed upon him to resolve the issue. As of right now, Lion is recovering well, and the surgery went off without a hitch.

As we all know, Lion was recently acquired for Allison to campaign, as he was previously ridden by William Fox Pitt to great success. Lion already boasts an Olympic resume, and is quite accomplished at the CCI4* level. A horse of this talent paired with a rider of Allison’s caliber is always exciting, and the whole Eventing community has been eagerly awaiting their debut in the competition world for 2014. We are keeping our fingers and toes crossed, and sending all the good vibes towards Lion tonight, as we wish him a speedy recovery.

From Allison Springer Eventing:

This morning Lion began showing signs of colic and not wanting to take any chances, we transported him to Palm Beach Equine where ultimately the decision was made to perform colic surgery.

Once in surgery, the doctors were able to quickly find and resolve an impaction in his small intestine. We were incredibly fortunate to have caught things very early, and as a result his surgery was minor in comparison to most colic surgeries that take place. Lion woke up from surgery very well and all of the vets involved are optimistic that he will have a quick, non complicated recovery.

We are not out of the woods yet, and as you all know colic is a very scary thing, however when I left the clinic tonight Lion already seemed much improved! He loved me scratching him and the twinkle was definitely back in his eyes. He is one of the sweetest horses I have ever been around and truly does have the heart of a Lion!

I appreciate everyone keeping him in your thoughts in the coming weeks, and I want to sincerely thank all of the vets at Palm Beach Equine as well as every member of the Team Lionheart Syndicate LLC for their unwavering support!

‘Rewilding’ Movement Releases Rare Horses in Spain

By on Jan 13, 2014 5:00 pm -
Two-dozen Retuerta horses have been released into the Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve in western Spain. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Two-dozen Retuerta horses have been released into the Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve in western Spain. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Two-thousand years ago, the Romans moved to western Spain, captured all the wild horses and domesticated them, ending a long tradition of roaming herds in the wilderness. Thanks to recent efforts on the part of a project by Rewilding Europe, four-dozen rare Retuerta horses have been released into the Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve, an unfenced area that was once their natural habitat. As one of the oldests horse breeds in Europe, the Retuerta is most genetically similar to the ancient Iberian horses that once roamed free in this region, and it is the first time for two-thousand years that they have been free.

The Retuerta horse is a breed that is almost extinct, with only about 150 remaining in the world, all of which were previously living in the Doñana National Park in southern Spain. When a species lives in such a small region, they are in great danger of being completely wiped out by a single natural disaster, which is why wildlife experts have decided to move them to the Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve.

Rewilding Europe is a nonprofit group focused on creating biodiversity in places that have been forsaken due to the loss of the agricultural lifestyle. According to their website, “Rewilding Europe aims to rewild one million hectares of land by 2020, creating 10 magnificent wildlife and wilderness areas of international quality. We will especially focus on Europe’s huge areas of abandoned land, and on providing a viable business case for wild nature”. This particular horse project is only one of six efforts of a similar nature, including the rewilding of bison, beavers, red deer, brown bears and white-tailed eagles in places like Poland, Croatia, Spain, Slovakia and Romania.

Eastern Europe is particularly well suited to the aims of the group, having a lower human population density than other parts of the continent. As many people were drawn to the big cities several hundred years, Spain and other countries like it remained largely farmers. Because of the large amounts of abandoned lands, the natural underbrush is growing at a rampaging rate, increasingly causing problems with dangerous wildfires every year.

The effort to re-introduce the Retuerta horse into the environment will, in part, control the growth of the bush through grazing and trampling. On a larger scale, this is just the beginning of a beautiful conservationist effort to preserve and promote the wilderness of Europe. As more and more people move to cities, Rewilding Europe hopes to keep biodiversity alive in the lands left behind.

In Loving Memory of Don Gerlach

By on Jan 13, 2014 12:00 pm -
Don competing at Rebecca Farms. Photo courtesy of Pam Nowell.

Don competing at Rebecca Farms. Photo courtesy of Pam Nowell.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the loss of a great man in the Eventing community, Don Gerlach. Don passed away suddenly in his home last week of natural causes, and behind him left an enormous hole in our hearts and our lives. Don was an active member of the Area IX Eventers, known for organizing competitions and designing the cross country course at Powder Basin Horse Trials, as well as a fierce competitor in his own right, with results through Intermediate with his own Hale Bop.

Don was one of the best known members of the Area IX community, and they just lost their hardest worker, organizer, and friend. Teresa Craig, a member of the Powder Basin Equestrian Center, was nice enough to write this tribute to Don.

From Teresa:

Don loved to teach anyone anything he knew, especially riding and skiing. Family reunions were spent skiing at Tahoe, Jackson Hole, Steamboat and the Big Horns, tropical cruises, Hawaii, and trail riding in the Big Horns trying to find Bomber Mountain. His faithful dog, Walker, was always by his side.

Don has been a very supportive member of the Campbell County Horse 4-H Program  in Gillette for 21 years. He was always there to coach a kid, build a trail pattern, or whatever was needed at the moment. His tireless work and devotion will be sorely missed by all the youth and adults in the Program. He gave selflessly and never asked for a thing in return. He kept the 4-H Horse equipment trailer cleaned and stocked and would always move it to the venue it would be needed at next. For the past several years he took it upon himself to set up the Trail and the Programmed Ride at all of the Progress Shows and County Fair.

Many will have fond remembrances of Don; toothpick securely clamped in his mouth with his horses Baby and Paris, entertaining the crowds at the Stock Show in Denver, the summer fans at the Colorado Horse Park, in Estes Park, and the hometown fans in Wyoming. He was know as the “Jumper Ambassador” at the NWSS because he was kind and engaging to everyone from the pre-schoolers strolling through the stall aisles, his fellow competitors and to the crowd in the stands. He was the beacon of the person who showed with the clear joy of being with his horses. Don was a wonderful and unique individual who was always ready to help others. Small in stature, he was larger than life–always there with a laugh or hug when you needed it. He volunteered the majority of the manual labor, construction, and heavy equipment responsible for creating and maintaining the Powder Basin Equestrian Equestrian Park at CAM-PLEX which was his second home which he was very proud of it. He rescued friends (and strangers) in any situation; he was a thoughtful and caring friend.

Don and his trademark toothpick. Photo by Teresa Craig.

Don and his trademark toothpick. Photo by Teresa Craig.

This was Don:

  • If your old horse or dog needed to be put down in the middle of a cold winter night, you could call Don and he would be there to do it for you with respect, and he will have brought his backhoe to bury him in your pasture too.
  • If you broke down anywhere on the road and could get hold of Don, he would come and get you and tow you and your horses home.
  • If a horse got loose, Don would fetch him, no matter how long it took or where it was.
  • He never remembered your name but knew who you were by your horse or your interaction with him.  If you asked him if he saw Philip Dutton or David O’Connor at Rolex, he would say, “Who’s that?’
  • If a rattlesnake was found under a jump on a course walk at your horse trials, Don and his sons would take care of it with glee.
  • If there was something jumpable, Don would jump it.  Forwards, backwards and sideways. Run outs didn’t count, he would always laugh and come back and try it again, maybe faster will work. Didn’t matter what horse he was on.
  • If you needed to borrow a flatbed trailer to go pick up your stranded college kids and their car on 1-25 by Glendo, he would happily lend it to you.
  • Telephone poles or railroad ties left too long outside a yard (or inside) in town would sometimes mysteriously end up on the Powder Basin Course.
  • If you ran out of hay for your horses, he always had some and would deliver it.
  • If your kids’ 4-H horse needed to be shod the morning of the horse show, he would drop everything and do it.
  • The catered food at the Powder Basin competitor parties was almost always paid for exclusively by Don.
  • He singlehandedly cleaned all of your stalls after you left Powder Basin Horse trials, so that the club would not get charged for this.
  • For your convenience, he built two hitching rails and two tie poles in the parking lot of the Equestrian Park.
  • Most of the trees at the Powder Basin course were planted by Don.
  • The show jump ring and three dressage sand rings were built by Don and all of the sand was hauled and donated by Don.
  • The two storage sheds and the office were hauled in and donated by Don.
  • The many many steel panels at the Equestrian Park used for portable stalls, a round pen and fencing were all scrounged from the oilfield by Don.
  • If your out of town group was coming to school the water jumps at Powder Basin, Don would make sure there was water in them. If you needed to stay overnight, he would put up portable stalls for you.
  • If you had a big tree that was growing in your way, Don would come and cut it down for you and take it to the Powder Basin course to jump.
  • If you had anything at your place that looked jumpable, it just might get hauled to the Equestrian Park.
  • If you had visitors coming to town who wanted to ride a horse, he would haul Jasper and Baby to the Equestrian Park and give your visitors a free lesson and guided tour of the park, and probably demonstrate on a few of the biggest fences.
  • If an out of town group needed help building or moving their cross-country course, Don would be there with his heavy equipment.  Moonrock, Windy Wyoming, Big Horn, Moqui Meadows, Arrowhead, Colorado Horse Park, Rebecca Farm all knew him well.

Don has been an active member and organizer of the Powder Basin Equestrian Association in Gillette and an avid competitor in Eventing and Hunter/Jumper competitions in Wyoming and surrounding states. Everyone knew him at these horse shows for his unique style and helpful and positive attitude.

Funeral services for Don will be on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 6:00pm at Gillette Memorial Chapel In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Don Gerlach Memorial Fund to perpetuate and maintain the Equestrian Park or the Campbell County 4-H Horse Program. Checks may be sent to PBEA, Teresa Craig, 3200 Fitch Dr. Gillette, WY  82718

Saturday Video: Remembering Exploring

By on Jan 11, 2014 1:30 pm -

Yesterday, the Eventing world lost one of our greatest upper level horses, a horse responsible for bringing Jessica Phoenix into the international world and jump starting her career. As a stalwart member of the Canadian team, Jessie has been able to take what she learned with Digby and translate it into success with many other horses. Our hearts are heavy on this day, but friend and fan Hannah Bundy took the time to make a video remembering the life and love that Digby brought into our world. So, here’s to Digby.

Thursday Video: British Show Jumping in the 1960s

By on Jan 9, 2014 4:30 pm -

In this excellent short film on the show jumping lifestyle of the 1960s in Britain, we get to follow the trial, purchase and training of a cheeky Irish horse named Beethoven, as well as watch some great footage of the old-style Hickstead courses. Fun fact: Beethoven went on to win the 1970 men’s individual World Championships with David Broome! It’s always fun to see the original horses and riders who tackled those insane obstacles and even more fun to watch them train at home over enormous open ditches and scary upright vertical gates. Actually, I think the narrator is my favorite part — do you think we can get him as an announcer at competitions?!

Thoroughbred Legends Presented by Cosequin: Duane’s Country

By on Jan 9, 2014 1:30 pm -

Thoroughbred racehorses that go on to second careers are unique in that they have two retirements in their lifetimes: the first from the track and the second from the show ring. Thoroughbred Legends, a new EN series presented by Cosequin, seeks to honor off-track Thoroughbreds that went on to accomplish great things as upper-level eventers and now enjoy a second retirement in their golden years. If you know of a great Thoroughbred for this series, email [email protected].

Carrie Meehan & Duane's Country. Photo by Tom Gibson.

Carrie Meehan & Duane’s Country. Photo by Tom Gibson.

Duane’s Country was born on April 4, 1990, as a bay Thoroughbred colt with absolutely no white anywhere on him. From a modest background, the plain gelding raced in Oklahoma at a small racetrack, never winning a single contest and retiring as a 4 year old with little to no prospects. Luckily for him, he was purchased by Bobbi Pratt and brought into the sport horse world after awhile out in a field for some down time.

In 2002, Carrie Meehan was searching the country for her next mount. At the age of 13, she had outgrown her childhood Quarter Horse and was looking for an upgrade. On the way to Texas with her family, she made a quick pit stop in Oklahoma to try the plain bay gelding, and it would change the course of her equestrian life forever. “I’m sure Bobbie got a good laugh when I rode him the first time,” Carrie said. “Neither Country nor I had any idea what we were doing, but I remember the feeling of his jump; it was so amazing! We even jumped around a few small cross-country jumps that day, which was the first time for both of us. I was totally hooked.”

As soon as Carrie fell in love with the tall, leggy Thoroughbred and brought him home, she realized she might have overestimated her ability to deal with a young, fresh horse straight off the track. He round-house kicked her within the first week and broke so many halters in the cross ties that she had to get a stock of them in the tack room. Country was so head shy from his experiences at the track that Carrie could barely get a bridle on him, even with help from treats and step stools. Two months after the purchase, they discovered that Country had bone chips in a hock and a fetlock and had to have surgery to remove them.

Carrie & Country on course. Photo by Tom Gibson.

Carrie and Country on course. Photo by Tom Gibson.

Despite all these struggles, in 2003 Carrie decided that they were ready for their first eventing competition. Ever since those first few cross-country jumps, she had been itching to get out there, and Country seemed like a willing partner. “I had cross country schooled him maybe once before, but he hopped around the Beginner Novice course and never batted an eye!” she said. “He was a huge boost to my confidence. I’m pretty sure I just hung on, and he’d jump anything I put in front him.”

Through their willing attitudes and zest for the sport, the green horse and green rider progressed through the levels. Dressage wasn’t really their thing, but cross country certainly was. “I’m sure if I had been able to train him on the flat correctly from the start, it wouldn’t have been an issue, but by the time I got the proper training myself, it was always a battle,” Carrie said. Through the years, they worked their way up the Preliminary level, and even notched a second place at the 2008 AECs in the Training Amateur Division. Country was also responsible for bringing Carrie out to the East Coast to train with some of the top professionals in the sport, exposing her to the wonderful world of upper-level eventing.

As time went on, it became apparent that Country was limited to Preliminary level, and Carrie had higher aspirations. As hard as it was, in 2010 she found a wonderful teenage girl in South Carolina named Kendal Bryan who bought Country and stayed in touch with Carrie consistently. There, he went on to instill great confidence in Kendal and brought her up through the levels to Training once again.

Country with his young rider, Kendal Bryan. Photo by Carrie Meehan.

Country with his young rider Kendal Bryan. Photo by Carrie Meehan.

Like many of the wonderful Thoroughbreds that we hear about in this series, Country was single-handedly responsible for igniting Carrie’s passion for eventing and keeping her love of horses alive throughout her life to this point. “Country taught me that you don’t have to have a horse with a big price tag to be successful, as long as you’re willing to work hard,” Carrie said. “Eventing is so much about having that close partnership with your horse, and so much can be overcome if there is that special connection.”

Sadly, in July 2012, Country was struck with a severe case of colic, and the decision was made to euthanize him. Kendal was at his side as he passed. “It gave me a sense of comfort knowing he lived a wonderful life with two little girls who loved him more than life itself, and that’s all I could have really hoped for him,” Carrie said. “He may not have gone to Rolex or won a bunch of blue ribbons, but there is nothing that can replace a horse who gave his heart for the dreams of two little girls who loved him, and for that, I am forever thankful.”

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Selling Your Horse

By on Jan 9, 2014 9:00 am -
The cool new sales map on Sport Horse Nation The cool new sales map on Sport Horse Nation

Spring is a big time for equestrians to think about buying a new horse for the upcoming competition season, and as a result a large amount of horses that were improving over the winter come out fresh and strong in the spring, listed for sale on many various websites and forums. In this modern day, most horses are marketed through the Internet, and buyers are accustomed to rifling through hundreds of possible equines, searching for “the one.”

As a seller, this is great because you get access to a massive audience at an affordable rate (hello Sport Horse Nation) and your horse is seen by more people than ever before. On the downside though, you now have to compete with every other person who is selling a horse that shares any similarities with yours, and you have to stand out somehow. Just like with anything else, a first impression can be really important, and you want to be sure that it’s a positive influence. So, straight from the collective experience of the chinchillas and myself, I give you the Do’s and Don’ts of selling your horse on the Internet.

DO get somebody to spell check your classified advertisement before you post it in public. There’s really nothing worse than reading something that seems phonetically spelled out by a 5-year-old boy.

DO post pictures … but please make them relevant! If you are marketing a horse as an eventer, include a photo of the horse jumping, as that’s pretty important in our sport. I try to think of the top three photos: flat, jumping and conformation shot. Three photos of your horse trotting is not helpful. One photo of him standing in the field with his butt facing you is really not helpful.

DO take the time to get good photos. Pay a friend with lunch or dinner, and find somebody with a decent eye to help you. It’s the little things.

DON’T use photos that show your horse or the rider in some unsafe situation in order to prove how “safe” or “quiet” he is. Let’s leave that to the Craigslisters, OK? While I’m at it, let’s just categorically say that propping a toddler up on his back really isn’t helping your case either.

DO be honest in your description. Imagine what kind of information you would want to know if you were the buyer. What is the horse’s personality like on the ground? What is his temperament under saddle? What type of rider would suit him best? Does he have any known medical issues? Writing white lies about any of these topics won’t help you in the long run. You will just end up wasting your time, the buyer’s time and potentially hurting your own reputation. Just don’t bother.

DO assume that your horse’s USEA event record will be checked! If you’re selling a show hunter or jumper or dressage horse, many of us clever ones have figured out how to stalk find your horse’s record even if you’re attempting to sell it into a new job!

DON’T take conformation photos of your horse grazing.

DO know that it’s confOrmation, not confirmation!

DO make time to create a comprehensive video or two of the horse both on the flat and over fences. Remember, a lot of people are willing to travel great distances to find “the one”, but they usually won’t make that leap without a video or two. Try to show the different skills of the horse in question, i.e. movements on the flat or different types of jumps. A video of your horse trotting in a 20-meter circle for five minutes and 30 seconds of a cross rail at the end is not what I’m talking about.

DON’T put a really annoying pop song over your sales video. Just please.

DON’T make a video that is of such poor quality or shaky videography that we actually can’t tell what’s going on. Also, zoom is wonderful. If I have to squint to see the speck that is your horse jumping a log two fields away, that’s not working for me.

DO list a price, even if it’s a price range. That way, you can save a lot of time on both ends for inquiries of that nature. When it comes down to it, the final question for the buyer is: “Can I afford this? Is this a reasonable amount of money to spend on this horse?” Be upfront about what you think the horse is worth.

DON’T be offended when people offer you less than you are asking. Haggling is part of the process, and if you don’t like it, that’s just too bad.

DO be prompt and polite to all inquiries. Especially in the digital age, you are bound to receive many emails, texts and phone calls from many different sources with many varied questions. Leaving a message unanswered for days shows that you are disorganized and not motivated to sell.

DON’T take a video of your young horse/prospect being chased around a ring with a plastic bag tied to a whip, four people and 12 dogs, and then suggest that your terrified horse is a fantastic mover. Her tail is over her back, she will need her neck adjusted after this exercise and I will recall that my obese Shetland Pony looked like a Prix St. George prospect under similar circumstances! A video of your horse at liberty can be very useful, but a realistic view of how they move or jump when their brain is still in their head is more useful.

DON’T oversell or undersell your horse. Be realistic and honest about his prospects for the future, his current talents and what kind of life he would thrive in. If he’s a world-beater, say so! It’s okay if he’s not destined to jump around the upper levels, but trying to fool somebody into thinking he will is not okay.

DO realize that the goal is to find the best match for everybody. You want to feel satisfied with the deal — that you got the money you needed and that you placed the horse in a home that will serve him well. You also want a happy buyer at the end of the day because that’s a buyer who will think of you fondly, recommend you in the future and ultimately treat that horse right because he is, in fact, “the one.”

Thursday News & Notes from Devoucoux

By on Jan 9, 2014 12:03 am -
Hat tip to Dom Schramm for finding this gem on the internet.

Hat tip to Dom Schramm for finding this gem on the internet.

Day two of the official new website launch!! I hope you are all adjusting to the new format, because we’re really excited about it. Don’t forget that if you want to hang on to the old scrolling version for a little longer, you can always click the button on the top bar that says “Classic EN” and return to what you know. As always, we value your feedback and want you to let us know if you find any glitches, bugs or weird things while we sort through our first few days, so don’t be afraid to email us with comments!

Events This Weekend:

Ocala Horse Properties Winter HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

News From Around The Globe:

The FEI calendar starts early this year, with Pine Top Spring Advanced HT running a CIC* and CIC** on February 21-23. John Williams’ infamous cross country courses have been upgraded and have several new jumps on course, and show jumping design has been taken over by Chris Barnard. Competitors will be glad to know that some work has been done on the show jumping arena, and topsoil has been added to make a better footing. If you can volunteer please email organizer Janet Wilson. [Pine Top Advanced]

Ian Stark is opening a new equestrian center on the Scottish Borders. Ian hopes that creating the center will help local equestrians, as the area has the highest number of horse owners per capita yet has never had access to a proper equestrian facility. So far, the farm has an indoor arena and stables, and they are building an outdoor arena and a cross country course too. The facility will be used for education, therapy, and to harbor Ian’s project of working with a small group of wild ponies that came from an elderly farmer who had over 100 in a field. [Ian Stark’s New Digs]

Area you in Area II and looking for a way to knock off some dust in the dressage ring this weekend? You’re in luck for two reasons. 1) It is forecasted to be in the 60’s this weekend, finally defrosting the ground. 2) Difficult Run Pony Club is hosting a schooling dressage show, with all the new 2014 tests! They are accepting late entries, and you can enter in a snap online. [DRPC Dressage Show]

Eventing 18 riders started the new year off on the right foot, thanks to Team USA coach David O’Connor. When he wasn’t whipping them into shape by forcing them to do push ups in puddles, David was very helpful with their riding and hopes to shape their budding careers into useful team material in a few years time. Twelve riders participated in the camp, learning a lot about David’s detail oriented approach to riding and training the event horse and rider. “It was an amazing opportunity. He stressed establishing a core foundation for riders to advance in equestrian sport, because when you have good basics things more advanced questions become easier. It was great to meet other riders and make connections that will hopefully last a really long time” says Nicole Doolittle. [Eventing 18 Riders Rock]

If you used to be a jockey, but due to an accident you are now paraplegic, what do you do? Ride across Dartmoor on a pony to raise money for the Injured Jockey Fund, of course. Sarah Gaisford is taking part in the Liberty Trails Challenge on March 29 to raise money for the fund, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Before her accident in 2007, Sarah won 50 point-to-point races and 15 other races, and only returned to the saddle in 2012. [Paraplegic Jockey Treks Across Dartmoor]

This amazing little horse rocks out at reining and cow horse competitions, AND competes at Prix St Georges. Haidaseeker Playboy and Andrea Caudill play both sides of the coin, as this cool quarter horse masters both worlds at once. Originally from the western world, Andrea and Matt tried dressage one weekend at a schooling show, and decided to take it on in earnest. They have moved through the dressage levels, and earned their USDF silver medal at Prix St Georges, while still competing in reining competitions on the side. [Haidaseeker Playboy Wears Different Shoes]

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Switzerland Bans Hyperflexion, Poling

By on Jan 7, 2014 9:00 am -

While both the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and multiple national federations currently prohibit hyperflexion (also known as rollkur) for horses in competition, the Swiss officials have stepped it up one notch and created a national law forbidding the use of hyperflexion anywhere in the country. Until this point, all rules relating to the use of rollkur have only applied to competition venues, but now in Switzerland it is also illegal to train using this method. In addition to that, they have banned “poling” horses, or whacking horses’ legs with jump poles as they clear jumps in order to make them jump higher.

Switzerland’s Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) proposed the ban in 2008, and it was approved in October of last year, taking effect at the beginning of 2014. Article 21 of the Ordonnance sur la Protection des Animaux states that it is forbidden to “require the horse to maintain its head and neck in hyperflexion (rollkur).”

The FEI has described rollkur as “a dressage method compromising the animal’s welfare”. Further adding that “this method, used in dressage, consists of imposing on the horse a particularly low position of the head, either by aggressive pulling on the reins or by other means, which provokes a hyperflexion of the head and neck and excessive tension in the back”.

David Ramey, DVM: This Shouldn’t Have To Be So Expensive

By on Jan 6, 2014 10:30 am -

David Ramey, DVM, has been in private sport and pleasure horse practice in the Los Angeles area of southern California since 1984. He has published over a dozen books on horse health, and has lectured to both lay and professional audiences in the United States and Australia. His blog and web site www.doctorramey.com hopes to help bring horse sense to the horse world. I thought that this article was particularly poignant and relevant to many of my friends, and David kindly allowed me to re-print it here on EN. Many thanks to David, and thank you for reading!

From David:

In the veterinary publications that I read, there’s concern about a decline in visits to see veterinarians.  Most of the are couched as concerns that decreasing veterinary visits will imply a concomitant decline in animal health, and wonder what can be done about the “problem.”

Being able to afford to take care of your animals is a problem throughout the veterinary profession.  People are going to avoid taking their animals to a veterinarian if they feel that the cost of care is too expensive, or if they don’t feel that they are getting value for the money that they spend.  So, here’s some advice to help you make sure that you’re getting value for your money spent – make sure that you ask how any outcome would be different as a result of a diagnostic test or procedure before you spend money on it.

Historical aside:  In Bologna, Italy, and the surrounding area, from the 15th – 18th centuries, physicians had to give your money back if you weren’t satisfied with the outcome.  It’s a pretty interesting story, actually – click here if you want to read a brief introduction to the book Contracting a Cure, from Google books.  That’s not the case today (although you might feel that it should be the case), but, insofar as taking care of your horse goes, really, what’s important is the result, not necessarily how you get there, right?

When it comes to getting there (there being the desired outcome), it seems to me that people are losing sight of some of the more pragmatic aspects of veterinary medicine.  Any decent veterinary (or medical) professional knows that some large percentage of cases will improve with time – in some cases, they improve in spite of the treatment given!  I think that, as a profession, as a group that likes and wants to continue to work on horses, it behooves us (there’s a pun in there, but it’s unintentional, I promise) to talk to people about the choices that they make, and the likely outcomes.  And it’s important for you, the client, make sure that you’re involved in your horse’s care, to make sure that the money that you’re spending is likely to make a difference.

Let’s pick an example of how “advances” in veterinary medicine have changed care, definitely increased expenses, but not necessarily improved outcomes.  Let’s take the case of a routine tendon injury.

tendonbow

You come out to your horse’s stall, and you notice that he has a swelling in the tendon area, behind the horse’s cannon bone.  Yesterday you had a long, hard ride, maybe more than you intended – today, your horse is limping a little bit.  From the looks of the swelling, you’re concerned that he has a “bowed” tendon.*

If this is 50 years ago, you’d call your veterinarian (on a phone with a dial on it), who would come out and do a physical examination on your horse.  He (not being sexist – it was essentially always a “he” 50 years ago) would confirm that your horse has injured his tendon.  He would prescribe some sort of treatment – sometimes it was not-so-benign, but that’s another story – but mostly, he would tell you that you weren’t going to be able to ride your horse for a while.  Maybe he would suggest that you turn your horse out to pasture, or, if you had a mare, that you breed her.  After time passed, you’d call your veterinarian again, who would come out to check your horse, and, ultimately, would find that it’s time to get back to work.  You’d have paid for a couple of veterinary visits, and, all-in-all, your horse would have had a pretty satisfactory outcome. At the end of the day, your horse with a tendon injury would probably end up being OK, albeit with a bit of an enlarged tendon.**

Fast forward 50 years.  Your horse is limping a little bit, and has a swelling on the back of his tendon.  You call your veterinarian.  He or she examines your horse and tells you that your horse may have a bowed tendon.  An ultrasound examination is suggested.  The exam confirms that there is a slight tear in the tendon.  Stem cell therapy is suggested.  You go for it.  A month later, another ultrasound is recommended.  Your horse is carefully monitored, and work is slowly increased.  You have periodic ultrasounds along the way.  At the end of the day, your horse with a tendon injury ends up OK, albeit with a bit of an enlarged tendon.

If you made it through the last two paragraphs, there’s one important thing to note:  the last sentence of each paragraph is the same.  The big difference is that, 50 years ago, you might have paid your veterinarian $100 or so for the visits and exam – today, for the same injury, with the same outcome, you could be out $7,500.00, or more.

Laser treatment to a tendon. Photo by Samantha Clark.

That extra expense (beyond what you’d expect from inflation – I mean, the prices of everything have gone up) is not necessarily all wasted money.  For example, it’s good to have information from ultrasound about how badly the tendon is damaged; it can help you understand how long it’s going to take for the injury to heal, and help you understand why it may be necessary to proceed with caution.   However, with stem cells (and lots of other “cutting edge” treatments), after years of use, there’s still absolutely no reason to believe that, at this time, healing is going to be better in the end.  So, really, why spend the money?

I am not saying that there’s nothing good from technological advances.  I am not saying that there haven’t been improvements in veterinary care.  What I am saying is that newer and more expensive is not necessarily better, and that you, as a savvy consumer, need to make sure that you know what you’re paying for.  You need to make sure that what you’re paying for is going to make a difference for your horse at the end of the day (and this applies to all sorts of things).

If are involved in your horse’s care, and you ask questions before you go for treatments, you may find that your veterinary costs aren’t as substantial,*** that your horse is still getting good care, and that you’ll have a little extra money left over for that bag of horse treats.  And at the end of the day, that’s something your horse really cares about. 

_______________________________________________________________

* The reason it’s called a “bowed” tendon is that if you stand looking at the leg from the side, the swelling of the tendon causes the back of the leg to bow out, giving the profile of the bow of an archer.  It’s one of many colorful words that exist in the equine medical vernacular.

** If your horse was a racehorse, there’s a decent chance that he wouldn’t be able to successfully race after his injury.  That’s still the case today.  Otherwise, chances for a full return to function are pretty good with most tendon injuries.

*** Don’t get me going about all of the worthless supplements that are out there.

Original article can be found HERE.

Clipping Creations: New Year Edition

By on Jan 5, 2014 12:00 pm -

There’s nothing that says “horse person” quite as much as the sensation of a buzzing clipper in your hand for two hours straight, wearing a rain coat and rain pants inside the barn, and sneezing horse hair out of your nose for days. Yep, it must be clipping season. I want to see your amazing, entertaining, beautiful and clever clipping creations. Send me a picture that shows off your artistry and a little blurb explaining what it’s all about. Include the name of your horse, your name and where you are from. Email [email protected]!

Andrea G, Texas: “Here’s my clipping creation for the year, on my Selle Francais mare O-Ren. My vet said she looked a bit like a castle… or possibly the Great Wall of China!”

***

Maddie, Lansing MI: “I am leasing a 7 year old Holsteiner mare, nick-named “The Puma”.  She has earned her nickname by harassing other horses in perfect puma form — pouncing on them and scraping her teeth to create claw like marks down their backs.  Despite her little quirks, she is very handy under saddle — a careful jumper, a sensible mount out on the trails and a very fancy mover.”

***

Brianne, Maryland: “This is Hershey and his clip design of a seahorse. We took him to Assateague Island and rode on the beach for the first time ! He had so much fun and loved the ocean, so I decided to clip a seahorse on him.”

***

Kelly Doke, Mequon WI: “This is my 22 year old AQHA gelding, Red. I’ve had him for most of both of our lives, at this point. He’s retired from jumping but is a veteran of the Hunters, Equitation and Jumpers, plus a little foray into Eventing. (He drew the line at getting in the water.) I keep him fit and active with Training/First Level Dressage work now. Up here, winter is too long and life is too short not to have fun with your horse’s haircut so I left the Starfleet symbol on his hip this year. I’ve been a Trekkie almost as long as I’ve been Horsey and I do everything I can to make sure he continues to live long and prosper. ;)”

The First Countdown of 2014

By on Jan 4, 2014 10:30 am -

Wishful thinking? Skyeler Icke-Voss' students brave the snow for some late night lessons. Photo courtesy of Skyeler.

As we all slowly exit our holiday hangover, most horses and riders are suffering through tolerating the cold winter weather, including ice, snow and bitter winds. Some horses are starting to go back into more structured work, and some have a few more weeks of light exercise left before their season begins. However, did you know that the first competition on the USEA calendar is only a week away? That’s right. One week.

There’s a select group of Eventers who are dedicated enough, crazy enough, and lucky enough to have started their training and preparation earlier than the rest of us, and those people are called “Ocala Bums”. Show Jumpers and Dressage riders go to Wellington, and Eventers go to Ocala, Florida. Some riders skip the whole winter and migrate in the beginning of November, and others wait until the new year has passed before trekking down to the sunshine state. Florida boasts warm weather all winter long, and the very first competitions of the year for the brave of heart (ahem, Buck Davidson has no less than 13 entries in said event).

The second wave of migratory competitors has yet to come, but it’s a much larger contingent of riders, spanning all ages and levels, and involving a lot of Maria’s margaritas and Takosushi. These folks usually head down south in mid-January to mid-February, in order to catch the all-important February festival of competitions. This includes both Pine Top Horse Trials, which features the yearly debut of most east coast upper level combinations.

There's only so much fun to be had in the snow

While not everybody can up and leave to head south for an extended period of time, the USEA calendar seems to encourage it more and more every year. Especially for the upper levels, there are a number of incentives. As the FEI levels begin in March now, with a CIC3* at the Carolina Horse Park starting on March 20th, riders have to be on top of their games for weeks prior to that. The Training Sessions with Coach David O’Connor are during February as well, and you can bet your shorts those riders won’t be showing up without having practiced all their moves.

There is a contingent of horsemen and women who believe that, as a sport, we’ve started pushing our horses too much too early these days. I agree that we need to give our equine partners definitive breaks to ensure longterm physical and mental success, but I believe there is a way to still take advantage of the perks of the southern life without pushing it too far. Namely, that each horse gets a significant and total break following the fall season, and that they compete during the year with intention instead of haphazard point chasing. My horses also get a break during the summer, during which they hack and have a mental recess, but that’s just my personal preference.

While not everybody wants to or can manage to get down to either Ocala or Aiken this year, the competition season is undoubtedly upon us for 2014. This year is bound to be exciting as everybody gets ready for the WEG in Normandy, and tensions will be running high at all the big competitions. The spring season starts in seven days, so get ready!

The View from The First Day of 2014 Presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Jan 3, 2014 3:00 pm -

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

From Kim: “Who else was riding at sunrise on New Years Day 2014? Those that weren’t missed out. Joey Snider and Jager enjoying sunrise in Virginia New Years Day.”

 

Thoroughbred Legends Presented by Cosequin: Dollar Spot

By on Jan 2, 2014 12:00 pm -

Thoroughbred racehorses that go on to second careers are unique in that they have two retirements in their lifetimes: the first from the track and the second from the show ring. Thoroughbred Legends, a new EN series presented by Cosequin, seeks to honor off-track Thoroughbreds that went on to accomplish great things as upper-level eventers and now enjoy a second retirement in their golden years. If you know of a great Thoroughbred for this series, email [email protected].

Rebecca Diesinger and Dollar Spot. Photo by Jane Cory.

While a lot of our Eventing superstars are quite obviously failures at the track, Dollar Spot certainly earned his colors, racing 45 times, winning only six times, and garnering $23,758. Born in 1992 out of La Sylphide by Electric Blue, Dollar was a plain bay gelding who would eventually stand at 16 hands at full height. After his not so illustrious career at the racetrack, he was sadly sold at an auction, bound for the slaughterhouse. Luckily, Lost and Found Rescue of York, PA bought him directly off the slaughter truck and saved his life.

In 1999, at the age of seven, Dollar was saved again, this time by Jane Cory, who owned and operated the Eventing barn Pleasant Hollow Farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The gelding arrived covered in fungus and severely underweight, and required several months to gain his health back enough to begin training. Rebecca Diesinger was a working student for Jane at that time, and took over his schooling, under instructions to make him safe for the lesson program. Adopted for $800 from the rescue operation, Dollar sported an old racing injury and was not slated to be an upper level competitor, but had a great attitude and Becca began to compete him lightly.

While Dollar seemed to take to Eventing immediately, he was not without his challenges. He was initially wary of water jumps, and Becca was trying her hand for the first time at training an OTTB, so much of their experience was experimental. “Dollar has the stereotypical thoroughbred brain,” explains Becca, “so dressage could be trying and stadium would be too fast and long, but we kept at it. Learning to show jump him well took years, and I think we finally got it together when we hit Intermediate”. The pair quickly adapted to each others quirks, and they got along great from the beginning.

Dressage with Dollar. Photo by Jane Cory.

After easily moving through the levels up to Training, Becca and Dollar moved up to Preliminary in 2001. In 2002, they placed 5th at the VA CCI*, which was a first for both of them. Despite the fact that neither Jane nor Becca had intended to use him as an upper level horse, he seemed ready for the challenge, and with coach Bruce Davidson’s blessing, they moved right on up to Intermediate, eventually completing the Radnor CCI2* in 2002 with no cross country penalties. In 2003, Dollar and Becca completed their first Advanced horse trials at Fair Hill, placing 5th. “That was so unreal to me,” remembers Becca, “How could we be competing at this level against all these professionals in such a short time!?”

In the fall of 2003, Dollar recorded his first stop on cross country since Beginner Novice, but only due to the fact that he twisted an ankle on a big landing. Upon diagnosing the problem, Jane and Becca discovered that he was sporting a pin through that ankle, courtesy of his life at the race track.

In 2004, after rehabbing all winter, Dollar returned to the Advanced level, competing at Over The Walls, Millbrook and Menfelt, and finally heading to Fair Hill CCI3*. They had one stop on cross country, for which Becca takes full responsibility. “He tripped up a bank and I should have turned for the option, but I didn’t think fast enough”. They finished in 37th place, which was impressive considering they were competing at Beginner Novice only five years previous.

 

Becca and Dollar. Photo by Jane Cory.

Dollar competed a few more times at the Advanced level in 2005, but injured his suspensory on the same leg as the pin, and they made the decision to retire him from upper level competition before he was injured beyond repair. Dollar returned to light work, and began teaching other riders the ropes over smaller obstacles. He even competed a few times at the lower levels with some of Jane’s students. In 2010, however, he was diagnosed with a hind end lameness, and it was decided that he should be fully retired. However, after a year of turnout, it was obvious that Dollar was bored, so he returned to work again, but this time without any jumping. Since 2012, Jane has been his main rider, working on dressage, hacking out and occasionally going for a good gallop!

Becca went on to leave Pleasant Hollow and start her own business at Flying Horse Farm in Pottstown, PA. She still gets thoroughbreds off the track and retrains them for Eventing, all the while remembering Dollar. “He showed me how important the heart of your horse is; his was huge,” remembers Becca. “I remember countless times that this plain brown horse saved me from my own inexperience. He taught me to keep going forward, and not to dwell on hard days, and learn from my mistakes. I want to especially thank Jane for giving me the chance to have such an amazing opportunity, and to feel what a real upper level horse is like. Not every upper level horse has to have a six digit price tag, you just need to find the right one”.

 

Thursday Reader from Devoucoux

By on Jan 2, 2014 12:33 am -

Nyls spent the first day of 2014 on a two hour hack involving lots of hanging out in rivers (his favorite)

Well, the holiday season is finally over. We’ve exhausted ourselves with shopping, making a million lists, cooking for everybody we can imagine, seeing old friends, hanging out with family, drinking wine and eating feasts. So now what? Now we buckle our seatbelts for the 2014 competition season!! The count down begins today, as we prepare ourselves for the first events of the spring season, and for the great migration down south!! Hooray!

News From Around The Globe:

George Morris horsemastership training sessions day one: a lesson in leg and lateral movements. If you’re looking for some inspiration for 2014, look no further than this excellent recap of the first day of this George Morris Clinic from COTH. George is not fooled by gadgets or fads, and he focuses on basic flat work and rideability.“It’s the detail,” Morris concluded. “What’s interesting with horses is the perfection of little things. The big things will take care of themselves, I guarantee you.” [GM Day One]

Gambia recently hosted a giant working animal show, featuring some very fine equines. The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust show had over 200 competitors this year, judged on condition and interaction with their handlers. “Keeping horses and donkeys healthy is difficult at the best of times in Gambia, and the owners of the show winners deserve great recognition for overcoming the obstacles of tropical disease, food shortages and poverty to maintain healthy working animals,” organizer Anna Saillet said. [Gambian Horse and Donkey Show]

Top Five Nutrition Resolutions for 2014: it’s not just for people. Keeping your horse healthy and giving them the best possible nutrition is imperative for success, no matter if you’re pursuing Beginner Novice or Rolex. My favorite resolution? “Forage First”. If you’re struggling with weight or energy, try looking at the grass and the hay that your horse is eating before changing their grain. [Equine Nutrition Resolutions]

2013 was a year full of excellent research on equines. Did you know that we developed a standardized scale of facial expressions called the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) to determine pain? Or how about the study that confirmed a direct link to a mare’s access to good forage and her fertility? There were lots of cool studies this year, and you should be sure to check out this top ten list. [Equine Research Highlights]

 

Did you want a mash up of 68 of 2013’s best pop songs? Good, because that’s what you’re getting.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/HJMapA8WgYw[/youtube]

 

Resolving to Live Whole Heartedly

By on Jan 1, 2014 10:00 am -

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2014 is the year of the horse. Not to put any pressure on anybody, but I’m pretty sure that means amazing things are coming our way in the equestrian community this year. Specifically in Eventing, I predict it to be the year that we really start to see an inkling of results to come for Team USA on the international scene, and as a community we will start to feel rejuvenated and inspired. At least, I hope so, anyway.

As for personal resolutions for the new year, they always seem to fall short of the expectations. We always think to ourselves, “This will be the year that I’ll finally lose that weight/stop eating junk food/stop cursing so much/spend more time with the family/have more self confidence/get that job I want.” However, I think as humans we are sometimes a little too focused on the outcome, the end game, the last jump on course. This year, I resolve to be more invested in the journey, and the process of learning in all aspects of my life.

The first step, at least for my part, is to admit to myself that I have weaknesses, and embrace them instead of hiding them in the closet. On the “horse” side of my brain, I understand this completely. If I’m having a problem with my riding or one of my horses, I go take a lesson and I expose the issue fully so that my coach can assess the situation and hopefully help me rectify the problem. In my personal life….not so much! I like to pretend that I’m on top of everything, and through that I tend to stay in my comfort zone so that I can maintain the illusion. I prefer to appear like I’m in control of my life, which is quite clearly a ridiculous thing to even ponder. Resolution number one: accept that you’re not in control, expose yourself as a regular human being, and work on being more readily vulnerable.

My second resolution is not as much theoretical, but rather more experience related. In the same vein of accepting vulnerability, I want 2014 to be a year where I force myself out of my comfort zone, my known world of horses and horse people. In years past, this idea has seemed to me as a sign of lesser dedication to my sport and lifestyle, but I’ve steadily realized that it makes for a very limited world view if you never step outside one community. This means I want to learn about other sports, other hobbies, and I want to spend energy investing in experiences with other people, and not just on horseback.

A friend of mine recently sent me this TED Talk, and while they might have been sending me a not so subtle cue, I found the video to be revelatory. Brene Brown speaks to the idea of vulnerability, and how to almost harness it for a greater connection to humankind. At one point, she says, “In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really be seen”. When interacting with horses, this is simple because they don’t operate with masks and illusions but instead they are honest all the time. People, however, are far more complex and paradoxical.

Brene speaks to the idea of people living “whole-heartedly through a deep sense of worthiness” in her speech below, and this is my final resolution. Yes, I have yearly goals and destinations and tangible objectives in mind for 2014, but moreover I want to work on living whole-heartedly. I know that I can work my fingers to the bone, and I know that I can succeed through grit and determination and patience, but what I don’t know could fill a football stadium, and I’m working on being OK with that.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o[/youtube]

SmartPak Top Ten Horses Of The Year: Part Two

By on Dec 30, 2013 9:00 am -
Andromaque and Will Faudree at Richland. Photo by Jenni Autry. Andromaque and Will Faudree at Richland. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Yesterday we brought you Part One of the Nutrena USEA Top Ten Horses of The Year, presented by SmartPak, and today we bring you the second half of those amazing athletes. Determined by USEA year end points, these are some of the horses that have made our year exciting and we’ve all grown to love them. So, without further ado, I present to you the second half of the Top Ten Horses of The Year.

Coming in at number six with 176 points, Andromaque is the fourth mare on the list, making this a banner year for the girls. Missie and Will started out the year with two back to back wins in Advanced horse trials with a blue at Pine Top and another at Southern Pines. The pair also won the Jersey Fresh CIC3*, leading from start to finish, which set them up nicely to travel to Saumur CCI3*, where they logged the best placing of all US riders, finishing in 5th place. After a summer break, they returned to competition, placing 3rd at the Richland CIC3*. Sadly, while preparing for Pau CCI4*, Missie sustained a small injury and had to be withdrawn, but we look forward to her presence in 2014.

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica at Plantation. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica at Plantation. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Veronica had a super 2013 in her first year under new rider Lauren Kieffer, after Karen O’Connor handed over the reins in the fall of 2012. In all ten competitions that this pair completed this year, they never once placed outside the top nine, which is seriously impressive. They were 4th in the Advanced at Poplar Place in March, and went on to win the CCI2* at Ocala in April. Following that, they won the CIC2* at Jersey Fresh, and the CIC3* at Chattahoochee the next week. Traveling up to Canada, Veronica led the dressage in the CCI3* by a large margin, but sadly ran into trouble on the cross country. They still finished in 9th place. In the fall they were 9th in the Richland CIC3*, and won a division of Advanced at Plantation. Unfortunately, after traveling to Holland to contest the Boekelo CCI3*, they had a fall on cross country and were eliminated. This mare finished the year with 142 points.

Sally Cousins and Ideal Contini at Bromont. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sally Cousins and Ideal Contini at Bromont. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sally bought Ideal Contini late last year with high hopes for his future, and the athletic grey gelding has certainly proven he’s a good contender for the future. Taz was 9th in the CIC2* at Poplar, 3rd at the CIC2* at The Fork, and won a division of Advanced at Fair Hill. At Jersey Fresh, they finished 4th in the CCI2*, and went north to compete in the Bromont CIC3*, only to sadly have a tumble on cross country. Rebounding for the fall, they placed competitively at a few Intermediate competitions, and were 2nd at the Millbrook Advanced. At Plantation CIC3*, they placed 11th, and went on to Fair Hill CCI3*, but once again were victims of a fall on cross country. Not to worry, though, because Taz has been out in three more horse trials since then, and all seems well because he’s placing in the top five again. Taz finished the year with 136 total points.

Buck Davidson and D.A. Adirmo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Buck Davidson and D.A. Adirmo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Moe is Buck’s second horse on the top ten list, and they’ve had quite a good year together. In early spring, they won a division of Advanced at Rocking Horse, and were 13th at the Red Hills CIC3*. They won two divisions of Intermediate in a row, at Poplar Place and Ocala HT. Moe narrowly missed out on a win at the Jersey Fresh CCI3*, placing 2nd by only a rail. They started the fall season with another win at the Intermediate level, at Maryland HT. Sadly, they didn’t get to finish out the fall season due to a pulled groin on Buck’s part, but Moe will be back out next year competitively. He accumulated a total of 135 points.

Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon at Richland. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon at Richland. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Rounding out the top ten horses of the year is Sir Oberon and his rider Ellen Doughty. Obie started the year out with a win in the Intermediate at Feather Creek, closely followed by a 2nd place in the Advanced at Texas Rose and a 12th place at the Ocala CCI2*. In May they were 2nd at the CIC3* at Chattahoochee Hills, and then travelled to Montana for a 7th place at the CIC3* at Rebecca Farms. In Michigan, they were 14th at the Richland CIC3*, and in Texas they were 3rd at the AEC’s in the Advanced division. To finish the year out, they completed their first CCI3* together, finishing in a beautiful fashion in 6th place overall. Look for this pair at Rolex in the spring!

SmartPak Top Ten Horses of The Year: Part One

By on Dec 29, 2013 4:00 pm -
RF Demeter and Marilyn Little at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry. RF Demeter and Marilyn Little at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.

As 2013 comes to a close, there are lots of wonderful memories to look back on. Eventing Nation became a whole new beast this year, sending reporters to all the top competitions armed with wi-fi, cameras and capabilities for instantaneous reports. One of my favorite parts of this was the ability to follow my favorite horse and rider combinations, and see photos of them competing on the same day. And so, in honor of the top horses that made our year exciting, I give you part one of our top ten Eventing horses of 2013, as determined by the Nutrena USEA leaderboard, for SmartPak Horse Of The Year.

2013 was certainly a mare dominated year, but the lovely Oldenburg mare RF Demeter tops them all, with 259 points. Starting her year out with a 4th place at The Fork CIC3*, Demi and Marilyn sadly suffered a fall at Rolex, but rebounded with another 4th at Jersey Fresh CIC3*, and a trip to Luhmuhlen for a 7th place in the CCI4*. Staying in Europe this year, the mare then proceeded to place 5th at Blair Castle CIC3*, and 2nd at both Breda CIC3* and Schenefeld CIC3* before traveling to France to finish 18th at Pau CCI4* to cap off the year.

R Star and Kristi Nunnink at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.

R Star and Kristi Nunnink at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Coming in at number two is yet another amazing mare, the beautiful big Holsteiner R Star, owned and ridden by Kristi Nunnink. They were 3rd this spring in the Galway CIC3*, and moved on to Rolex where they placed 8th together. They moved right on from that to defend their title at Rebecca Farms, winning the CIC3* for the second year in a row. Traveling to Texas, Kristi and Rosie were 2nd in the AEC’s Advanced division. Sadly, they did not finish out the year the way they wanted, shipping all the way to Pau CCI4* only to run into trouble at the 6th fence on cross country. Rosie accumulated a total of 215 points this year.

Hawley Bennett-Awad & Gin & Juice at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Hawley Bennett-Awad & Gin & Juice at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Rounding out the 2013 mare trifecta is the indomitable Gin & Juice, with her lovely rider Hawley Bennett-Awad. Accumulating 208 points throughout the year, Ginny started out with a winning streak, grabbing the blue ribbon at two Advanced horse trials in a row and the CIC3* at Galway in the spring. The pair went on to Rolex, finishing 7th after positively bouncing around cross country. Ginny was 8th at the AEC’s in the Advanced, and then travelled to France to compete in Pau CCI4*, where they made it look like child’s play, and finished in 16th place. I personally saw Ginny at the last water complex and a well known course designer standing next to me said, “What a little powerhouse”, which I think is probably the best descriptor for Ginny.

Lynn Symansky & Donner at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lynn Symansky & Donner at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Donner positively burst onto the international scene this year, becoming the poster child for badass OTTBs. After spending much of 2012 out of competition, Lynn brought him back out this spring with a whole new game, and it payed off. This pair won the hotly contested Fork CIC3*, and went on to Donner’s first CCI4* at Rolex, where they finished on their dressage score for a solid 5th place. They were 10th at the Richland CIC3*, 13th at the Plantation CIC3* and then shipped overseas to Pau CCI4*, where they boasted the quickest cross country time over a trick course and finished in 13th place overall. Donner finishes the year with 199 points.

Buck Davidson & Ballynoecastle RM at The Fork CIC3*. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Buck Davidson & Ballynoecastle RM at The Fork CIC3*. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Rounding out the top five this year is Buck Davidson’s stalwart competitor Ballynoecastle RM. This pair started their season early in 2013, with two wins at Rocking Horse in January and February, and a 3rd place at the Red Hills CIC3* in Florida. Buck and Reggie were also 3rd at The Fork CIC3*, and went on to Rolex Kentucky to finish in 4th place. They were slated to compete for Team USA at the Aachen CICO3* in June, but had to withdraw last minute due to a small injury. Despite a truncated competition season, Reggie finishes with 177 points.

 

 

 

Inspiration Friday: Just A Horse

By on Dec 27, 2013 10:30 am -

For my second installment of Inspiration Friday, I’m giving you a video that every single one of us understand. How many times have you heard from your “regular” friends that it’s just a horse, that it’s just a competition? Every day, when I explain that yes, I do have to go do the barn chores AGAIN, and yes, I do have to run home to change the blankets when the weather warms up, and yes, I do have to ride today also, I know in my heart that all the everyday nagging annoyances are worth it, even if it’s for just a horse. For all the effort I put in, I know that all of my best moments are also with just a horse.

Thoroughbred Legends Presented by Cosequin: Too Much Tango

By on Dec 26, 2013 1:30 pm -

Thoroughbred racehorses that go on to second careers are unique in that they have two retirements in their lifetimes: the first from the track and the second from the show ring. Thoroughbred Legends, a new EN series presented by Cosequin, seeks to honor off-track Thoroughbreds that went on to accomplish great things as upper-level eventers and now enjoy a second retirement in their golden years. If you know of a great Thoroughbred for this series, email [email protected].

Petal in the field. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Petal in the field. Photo by Kate Samuels.

The year was 1997, and the small bay filly was born in Virginia, destined for a life at the racetrack. By Gilded Age, out of Dianthus, she sported a huge white blaze and a small hind sock, and was almost runt sized at birth. They named her Gilded Petal, and despite her small stature, sent her off to be a racehorse, hoping that her heart would rule over her size. However, this was not fated to be, and she returned to a farm in Virginia after only a few unsuccessful starts, and was turned out in the back forty for a year.

In 2002, I was a fresh faced teenager of fourteen, and having only recently outgrown ponies, I had upgraded to a horse the previous year. Despite his good looks, this horse was my first introduction to the “accident prone” species of Thoroughbred, and had been sound for a whole two weeks of our first year together. Things were not looking up. My family went on a horse scouting trip to find a mount suitable for both myself and my mother, and we stumbled upon a farm that had several ex-racehorses at affordable prices, sweating in the summer sun in a giant field. It was there that I met Petal, and she changed my life forever.

Petal was quite tiny, and on a good day she stood just shy of 15.3 hands at the wither, and probably 16 hands at the rump. When I got her, she had been in work for a few weeks, and jumped once. Knowing no better, I had jumped her the first time I got on her, and she seemed willing enough. I was under the impression that she would belong primarily to my mother, but after bringing her home, we found that she had an unsettling tendency to rear straight upwards with surprising speed and strength. In an effort to keep my mind off my perpetually lame but beautiful 17 hand bay Thoroughbred gelding languishing in the barn, Petal was given to me as a project, and I dove right in.

Petal in the Training at Morven Park in 2004. Photo by Joe Samuels.

Petal in the Training at Morven Park in 2004. Photo by Joe Samuels.

Petal proved to be a big challenge for a relatively uneducated fourteen year old. I’d never had a horse with so much energy, and I returned to the barn many times frustrated beyond belief. It took a solid six months before she stopped rearing, and I almost had my teeth knocked out a few times. Perseverance was in my nature, however, and I was not about to give up. Once we got going, I knew that I wanted to try Eventing, so my mother found Marcia Carabell, a local rider who in 1993 was both 2nd and 3rd at Rolex with two OTTB horses that she had brought along herself. Marcia was my first introduction to serious riding, and I spent many weekends camped out in her guest room with Petal in the barn.

Together, we learned about flatwork, and how to improve what you have. As a fairly downhill horse, dressage was not her forté, and I had no clue what I was doing, so we never scored as well as we could have. I was lucky in that the mare was a natural jumper, and super with her knees, so I could miss at about anything and she would take care of me. Marcia persevered with us and was our cheerleader as we entered the world of recognized Eventing. I dubbed her “Too Much Tango” in honor of her spicy personality, and got my registration number from the USEA.

In the fall of 2003, we competed in our first event together, Novice at the Virginia Horse Trials, and I swear to you that I have never had so much fun in my life. After conquering Novice, it felt natural to move up a level, and in the spring, without any fanfare, we came out and as our first event did Training level. I specifically remember jumping a trakehner, and having never schooled such an item, literally did not even know the name for the jump. Bless that little Thoroughbred mare, she never batted an eye at anything, and through my own ignorance I didn’t even know how special she was. The only cross country penalty that she ever incurred was when she spooked at a creek crossing on course and I flew over her head, only to land on my feet facing her and holding the reins. Luckily, at that time you could still remount, so I scrambled back on before the jump judge had even realized what happened.

Petal with her new owner in New York. Photo courtesy of Sharon Grelsamer.

Petal with her new owner in New York. Photo courtesy of Sharon Grelsamer.

At the end of 2004, she took me to my first Preliminary, for which I was woefully underprepared. We barely scraped through the dressage and the show jumping, before I realized that I was in over my head and withdrew before cross country. She was a clever jumper, but we had reached a level where she needed help, and I was still in a stage where I was unable to assist properly. In 2005, she went with me to my first official working student position in Middleburg, where I worked for Stuart Black. This was an enormous culture shock, as I had never really been in a barn full of top level horses, and didn’t fully understand the depth of the sport that I had chosen. My eyes were wide open.

While schooling at the farm in preparation for another attempt at Preliminary, Petal sustained a small suspensory strain, and was sent back to my farm with my parents. Once more, I was horseless, but luckily my status as a working student left me with several horses to exercise each day regardless. Of all the horses there, one was a rogue and disliked by all the riders, and as the youngest student he fell into my lap. This horse, of course, was Nyls du Terroir, and I credit Petal to forcing our introduction and our fortunes together.

Petal was rehabbed from her injury and recovered fully. I made the decision to sell her to a less stressful life, but I was worried about her feisty nature and how a lower level rider would be able to handle it. A wonderful lady drove from New York to try her one weekend, bringing her trainer. They wanted to cross country school her right away, and I was filled with trepidation. The mare was not crazy, certainly, but I knew her as a bit of a fireball. However, as soon as this quiet woman mounted my mare, Petal showed one of the beautiful traits of her breed and instantly adapted to her rider. She poked around, simply popping over small jumps and slowing down afterwards. She never spooked, leapt or showed any sass. She was sold that day.

Petal moved up to New York, and I continued to receive loving updates from her owner regularly. She has been nothing but a superstar, and everybody adores her big blaze and her sweet nature on the ground. In the winter, when turnout is limited due to the snow buildup, Petal is turned out in the indoor arena prior to a ride to “get her sillies out” so she can buck and fart and run inside a bit. I’m thrilled to have found a wonderful home for the horse that took me to my first recognized Events and sparked a love for the sport that none of us could have predicted. A true Thoroughbred, she was perfect in every way for each situation, and exactly what I needed at the time.

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Thursday Reader from Devoucoux

By on Dec 26, 2013 12:33 am -
I may or may not have watched this movie about 507 times at this point

I may or may not have watched this movie about 507 times at this point

Holy Christmas Hangover! Today is reserved for cleaning all the dishes you left out yesterday, trying to find all the scraps of paper that you shredded in ecstasy, and attempting to recover from weeks of sleepless nights and spare time spent at the shopping mall or in absurd traffic jams. Or, if you’re in Canada, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Afria or Malta, today is Boxing Day! Contrary to what I thought when I was a kid, it does not mean you go around challenging everybody you know to boxing matches. Sadly, that’s not real life (but it would be kinda cool, you have to admit!).

News from Around the Globe:

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a report of a drunken Santa Claus causing an accident with his sleigh. After a little too much to drink, Santa and his elf assistant headed off in their horse drawn sleigh down the main street of Ustrzykach Dolnych, Poland. Due to some irresponsible driving and some weaving about, the fellow drivers tired of Santa’s escapades and a honk from a car spooked his horse, causing the horse to rear up and crash the sleigh. Both Santa and the elf suffered from concussions and were taken to a nearby hospital. [Santa Celebrates A Little Too Much]

ASPCA executive Nancy Perry got an OTTB for Christmas this year. After growing up as a horse crazy kid, Nancy had a Thoroughbred whom she owned and competed until he died at age 26, but hasn’t owned one since. So this Christmas, she sought the assistance of Bev Strauss of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in locating a Thoroughbred for her, and on Dec. 17th, Perry adopted Atticus, who was retired after his trainer found him to be sore. “This trainer stopped him before he got hurt, which is great,” Perry says, noting, “I wish more trainers would do this.” [ASPCA Exec Gets OTTB for Christmas]

Eventing Radio Show…holiday edition! Nate Chambers and Joe Meyer host, chatting with #1 rider in the USA and #3 in the world, Buck Davidson. Nate is freezing up in Virginia, while Joe is down in New Zealand enjoying some time with the family and the warm weather! Tune in for some cool interviews and some holiday talk! [Eventing Radio Show 280]

Winter problem number 38: are your horses eating the bark off your trees?? Yeah mine too. Let’s talk about a variety of weird eating habits, including eating dirt, eating manure, and eating trees. Things to consider when you see this: does your horse have adequate supply to fiber, minerals and salt? How old is your horse? Does he have ulcers? Sometimes eating weird things is OK, and sometimes it’s cause for concern. [Abnormal Eating Habits]

devoucoux11

 

 

An Eventing Christmas: Pay It Forward

By on Dec 24, 2013 9:00 am -
My morning view.

My morning view.

Now that the majority of maddening and yet enthralling consumerism has almost reached it’s fill, it’s time to take a deep breath and truly think about the meaning of Christmas. This holiday isn’t about stuff or things, or even delicious foods (although I admit that’s a huge bonus for me). Christmas, in it’s simplest form, is about love. And who knows about love better than Eventers? We love our horses and our sport more than we should, despite obvious evidence of insanity and delusion. We love our horse families, the guys and girls we know from the barn, who share our passion and our lifestyle. This year, I suggest that we forego physical gifts and focus instead on the essence that brings us all together as Eventers. I suggest we pay it forward.

One of the most precious and important thing about Eventing is the community that comes with it. Never before have you experienced such a feeling of warmth and group effort as you will when you go to an Eventing competition. There are people willing to help you unload your heavy wheelbarrow from your truck, or waiting to help you pull hind shipping boots off a twirling horse. When you go into the warm up arena, everybody is courteous and certainly nobody hogs a practice fence and prevents you from using it for yourself. As you walk to cross country, a fellow competitor coming back from the course will always wish you good luck, and more than often offer a few words of advice about a tricky combination.

So, for this Christmas, I am hoping to encourage all of you to move in the spirit of Eventing and pay it forward. For every time that a fellow horseman has offered you a hand, a word of welcome advice, or perhaps a pair of spurs when you’ve forgotten yours, I want you to do the same for another rider. We all have memories of early mentors who let us ride their private horse, took us on amazing trail rides and spoke to us like adults when we were twelve, and that favor can easily be re-payed. We’ve all been with a naughty or nervous horse that requires consideration, and grateful when others offer it. If you see an opportunity to improve the life of another, if only for a few seconds, take it with both hands.

I fully believe in the idea that good things will come back to you as you send them into the universe, and there is no better way to express it than helping your fellow humans. It doesn’t have to mean spending money, or donating time, it just means everyday kindness, and the offer of a hand when you see someone in need. Christmas is about love, and the more you give, the more you get, especially in the Eventing community.