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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

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Area Area II
Highest Level Competed Advanced/CCI4*

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Fair Hill CCI2* Preview: Part I

By on Oct 14, 2013 10:30 am -

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Fair Hill International this year, I’m bringing you not one, not two, but THREE preview posts of all the horse and rider combinations slated to compete this coming weekend. Fair Hill is widely considered to be the toughest CCI2* and CCI3* competition in the United States, and the entries this year are enormous. Today I’ve got the first half of the CCI2* division, as there are 79 total entrants, talk about a competitive division! Without further ado:

[Fair Hill Website] [Entries by Division]

Arianna Almeida & Drummer’s Call: This pair has been competing successfully at the Intermediate level since the beginning of 2013. Ringo is a really lovely athletic horse, and Arianna has had him for quite some time now, so she knows him and rides him well. These two were 5th at the CIC2* at Virginia in the spring, and this will be their first effort together at the CCI2* level.

Susie Beale & Isabella II: This mare is easily one of the most athletic horses I’ve ever seen, and an extremely impressive jumper. While she and Susie have been absent from the upper levels in the past years, in 2009 they competed at the Advanced level multiple times with success. They have competed at Intermediate twice this year, and might still be a little rusty, but have the experience to pull this off at Fair Hill.

Allie Blyskal & Sparrow’s Nio: Allie & Neo have been tearing it up at Advanced recently, looking better than ever. Neo is a grey Connemara gelding, by the famed Grange Finn Sparrow pony stallion. This pair is coming off a 2nd place finish in the extremely competitive Morven Park Advanced, and while dressage might not be Neo’s favorite thing, he makes up for it in the jumping phases. They have completed several CCI2*’s and will be looking for a more competitive result this time around.

Kristen Bond & I’m Sew Ready: I don’t know much about this horse, and they only have two competitions on their record so far, an Intermediate at Plantation Field, where they placed 9th and a second place in the Open Intermediate at Morven Park just recently. As a new ride for Kristen, I’m sure she’ll be looking for an educational clear round for the both of them.

Kristen Bond & Seams Ready: This horse has completed a Preliminary with Kristen, at Plantation Fields where they placed 6th and the pair just had a win at the Area II Intermediate championships. This horse seems to have all the right components of a competitive team, but it’s still a new partnership.

Lara Borson-Knight & Shooby Do: Lara and her bay gelding Shooby have been featured on EN a number of times, as they represent the power of the OTTB quite well. These two have been rocking around the Intermediate levels successfully for some time now, and even made the move up to Advanced at Poplar Place, finishing 9th. Although they were unsuccessful in their attempt at Fair Hill last year, I’m positive they will be on top of their game this year.

Allie Blyskal and Sparrow's Nio last year at Fair Hill (photo by Jenni Autry)

Diana Burnett & Diamond Cut III: Diana has not had the best year with this horse. They have not completed a competition since February at the Ocala HT, and have had multiple problems at water jumps on cross country. I’ve seen both this rider and this horse go beautifully at different times, but I fear that 2013 just isn’t their year. Diana is a great rider for the Canadian team, but just needs a little more confidence to make it around this challenging course.

Rebekah Calder & Jazz King: Jazz is one of my favorite horses out there, and one of the best jumpers you could ask for. Rebekah isn’t usually very competitive on the flat with him, but he’s more than capable of jumping double clean in both phases with his eyes shut. I saw him trot several elements of the Advanced at Millbrook, so trust me when I say that he’s got it under control.

Rebekah Calder & The Game Plan: This horse has been competing at the Intermediate level for quite some time now, but this will be his first attempt at the CCI2* level. I haven’t seen him go in person, but he has a decent amount of good results, and Rebekah will be benefiting from having two horses at the same level to give her more information about how to ride the course.

Jenny Caras & Fernhill Fortitude: Jenny and Forty moved up to the Intermediate level last fall, and have completed a few CIC2* competitions since that point, finishing well in all of them. This horse puts in nice, workmanlike dressage tests and jumps around well, and I predict that she’ll get a great education out of this weekend, and possibly be quite competitive.

 Kate Chadderton & VS McCuan Civil Liberty: This pair began their Intermediate career together this spring, after a late fall move up in 2012. They’ve been quite successful, with several top placings at horse trials and a 5th place finish at Bromont in the CCI2* this summer. Kate’s got a great eye for super jumping thoroughbreds and Liberty is no different. I think he’ll flourish in the jumping phases and be able to move up quite a bit into a good spot at the end of the weekend.

 Leslie Chelstrom & Cecelia: Leslie and Cecelia moved up to Advanced in 2011 and contested the CCI3* here at Fair Hill last fall, successfully finishing in 11th place. They had a great spring at Advanced, including a win at The Fork but ran into problems on the cross country at Bromont in the CCI3*, and have since then seem to have lost a little of their mojo. I heard that this pair simply missed some gallops on their way to the CCI3*, and thus have re-routed to the CCI2*, where they should be quite competitive.

Kate Chadderton & VS McCuan Civil Liberty at Pine Top (photo by Samantha Clark)

Hallie Coon & Namaste’: Hallie and this chestnut gelding have already been dipping their toes into the Advanced waters this year, with success at a few horse trials. While they aren’t always competitive in the dressage, their extra experience around some tough Advanced tracks will serve them well in the jumping phases this weekend, and a strong performance on cross country could move them up quite a bit.

Buck Davidson & Santa’s Keeper: This lovely dark TB is a real stunner, and I think as he grows up will be a really nice top level horse. This spring he was 2nd at both the Ocala CCI2* and Bromont CCI2*, so you might want to keep an eye out for this horse’s name at the top of the list on Sunday. He thrives on the 3-day format, and this weekend might not be any different.

Buck Davidson & Wiley Post: Buck’s second ride is an old campaigner who knows his job well. Max has been going really well lately, and earlier this spring won the CIC2* at Poplar, and finished 11th at Jersey Fresh in the CCI2*. Buck will be looking to improve upon his show jumping from Jersey this weekend, and finish with a nice clear, which should set them up to be pretty competitive.

Mara DePuy & Alimit: Mara always has really lovely horses underneath her, and Alan is no different. He’s new to the Intermediate level, having only moved up this summer, but he’s been quietly successful so far at each competition. This pair is coming off a 3rd place at Morven in the Intermediate Championships, and I think this is a super talented young horse for the future.

Maggie Deatrick & Divine Comedy: Maggie is another one who’s been testing out the waters at Advanced in preparation for this event, although unfortunately she was one of the victims of the Plantation water complex, so I hope all her bruises are healed for this weekend. This pair had some good results this spring, but seem to have lost their mojo this fall. However, their experience at Advanced should serve them well and they are more than capable of making it through the weekend.

Danielle Dichting & The Graduate: After selling her big horse Tops last year, Dani has a wonderful replacement for the upper levels in Benjamin, a lovely German chestnut gelding. He has all the power in the world, and is fully capable of a solid three phases. He did compete at Advanced a lot in 2012 but has spent the majority of 2013 at the Intermediate level, but is coming fresh off a 3rd place finish at Poplar CIC3*. Their joint experience over tougher courses will serve them well this weekend in the CCI2*.

Buck Davidson & Santa's Keeper in the Ocala CCI2*.(photo courtesy of Palmer Photo)

Lucy Disston & Captain Jack: Lucy and Jack have been competing at the Intermediate level for several years now, but this will be their first time contesting a CCI2*. While this pair do not relish their time in the dressage ring, I think their wealth of experience at the level should help them complete the event and finish the weekend with a smile.

Sarah Dunkerton & Matapeake: Sarah and Petey are a really competitive pair to watch for this weekend. They’re coming off a win at the Poplar CIC2*, and several top five placings at horse trials. They can put in a very nice dressage test and jump to keep that score, and they will be looking for their first completion of a CCI2*. I hope to see this pair in the victory gallop.

Callie Evans & Glendening Avis: Callie is one of my favorite Canadians and Avis is an absolutely stunning big buckskin mare that you just can’t miss. This pair are very competitive on the flat, and quite good at the jumping. Avis might have time penalties on cross country, but I expect that’s about it. They were recently 8th in the super competitive CIC2* division at Plantation Field. Look for these two tearing it up this weekend and stealing all your ribbons.

Eliza Farren & Fuscia Diamond: This horse is a nice Irish type gelding, and has just moved up to the Intermediate level with Eliza in August at GMHA, where they placed 4th. I think their inexperience will keep them from being competitive, but she’ll be happy with a nice clear cross country to teach this young horse more about the level.

 Will Faudree & DHI Colour Candy: This is a lovely young horse that was actually 4th here in 2011 and competed at the Advanced level during 2012, but Will took a tumble on XC at last year’s CCI3*, and they have since then returned to the Intermediate and 2* level for 2013. They are coming off a 2nd place at the Morven Intermediate Championships. I really like this horse, and I think Will is a classy rider who can easily bring the two of them into the victory lap this weekend.

Debbie Foote & Fly Me Courageous: This pair moved up to Intermediate this spring, and have contested quite a few horse trials and CIC2*’s in preparation for this event. While the dressage is not their favorite phase, they seem to have a good handle on running fast and jumping clear over the cross country, and I think they’ll do just fine this weekend in their first attempt at a CCI2*.

Callie Evans & Glendening Avis, 8th place Plantation CIC2* (photo by Kate Samuels)

Nina Fout & Walk About: Nina and this lovely bay thoroughbred gelding moved up to the Intermediate level last fall, and have had some good placings at the horse trials and CIC2* level. They also completed the Jersey Fresh CCI2* this spring in 15th place, and just recently were 6th in a division of Intermediate at Morven Park. The dressage is not their strong phase, but I think this horse will thrive in a jumping competition, which is what Fair Hill usually turns out to be.

Heather Gilette & Boris O’Hara: Boris is a really nice Dutch Warmblood gelding, and has a lot of talent, but sometimes too many opinions! Heather has been really patient figuring out all the keys to getting Boris on the right track, and I hope it’s all in line for her this weekend. I don’t think they’ll be competitive but it will be a great education for Boris and a good move for Heather as she works to let him become her upper level mount.

Ariel Grald & LBF O’leagh’s Image: This is a super pair, and I think they’ll be nicely competitive this weekend. This grey mare can turn in a professional dressage test and she’s a super careful jumper capable of also making the time on cross country, so I expect to see these two in the top realms on Sunday. They were recently 13th in the really competitive CIC2* division at Plantation Field.

Ariel Grald & Fernhill Cove: Ariel’s second ride is a new one for her, as they just joined up earlier this year. The horse has experience at the Intermediate level, but this will be their first CC2* together, and I think they have potential. They are both capable of turning in three solid phases, which should bode well for them after a tough competition like Fair Hill.

Sara Gumbiner & Polaris: Sara and Larry have had a great move up to Intermediate early this spring, and contested their first CCI2* together at Jersey Fresh, finishing in 12th place. They might not be able to catch the low scores on the first day, but they’ll sit in a good position going into cross country, and Larry is a super jumper. I know that this pair will finish with a huge grin and clear jumping efforts.

Brynn Hamel & Cavalier Clover Boy: Brynn and her bay Irish gelding have been competing at the Intermediate level all year, with good results. They don’t always start at the top, but they are very consistent in both jumping phases, and usually good at pulling a double clear in the show jumping when most other people have rails. That kind of performance will go a long way at Fair Hill, and I think they should do well.

Sara Gumbiner & Polaris, VA CCI* 2012 (photo by Kate Samuels

Lillian Heard & FYI: FYI is a lovely jumping horse that was previously campaigned by Boyd Martin and recently transitioned to Lillian this summer. They’ve had good results, and are well prepared for the challenge this weekend. Their dressage is on the cuff of being competitive, but in a huge division like this I think she’ll stay right outside the top placings. They will easily jump around the two jumping phases.

Jodi Hemry & In Style: This pair completed the Jersey Fresh CCI2* in 2011, but were missing from action all of 2012 and have come back to the Intermediate level quietly this year. They were 10th at the CIC2* this year at Jersey, and recently 3rd in a division of Intermediate at Plantation. While they are perfectly capable of a nice test on the flat, I think they’ll be edged out by some fierce competition on that day, but they have a great jump record and should be able to climb into a competitive position in the end.

 Melissa Hunsberger & Starstruck: I saw this horse at Plantation and it is a super nice jumper, and Melissa rides him very well. Jarmen is a super talented Brandenburg’s Windstar foal with a fierce personality. This pair competed here last year and will be looking to improve upon their dressage score and get around professionally for a better finishing place.

Dasha Ivandaeva & Autorytet: Dasha rides this lovely grey here this weekend, fresh off of Young Riders this summer. This pair dipped their toe into the Advanced pool at Plantation and finished, but encountered some troubles on cross country. That education will serve her well for getting around here this weekend.

Holly Jacks & More Inspiration: My other favorite Canadian competing here this weekend is Holly. We were stabled next to one another at Plantation and you couldn’t ask for a nicer girl! Holly’s horse has an extremely cool story, as he was gifted to her as a young TB by her grandfather, went on to win over $90K for Holly at the track, and now has become her first awesome upper level horse. Morris can run and jump like nobody’s business, and whatever small lead she gives away in the dressage she’ll steal right back after running double clear for the next two days. She’s coming off a super finish at Plantation, placing 10th in the very competitive CIC2* division.

Kimberly Kojima & High Time II: This pair has had an easy year, with a few Intermediate horse trials early in the spring, and a clear effort at the Ocala CCI2*, finishing in 18th place. They’ve had one Intermediate since then, finishing 4th at Poplar Place in preparation for this weekend. They won’t be able to be competitive on the flat, but they should jump around just fine.

Holly & More Inspiration, 10th Plantation CIC2* (photo by Kate Samuels)

Leah Lang-Gluscic & AP Prime:  We know Leah & AP from EN’s Got Talent earlier this year, where we learned his story from the CANTER ranks to the 2* level. They’ve been competing at the Intermediate level since 2012, but this will be their first CCI2*. These two have had some really good results recently, including a 14th at the competitive Richland CIC2* and a win at Otter Creek. If all goes their way, they could be nicely competitive this weekend.

Leslie Law & Billy Wiz: Billy moved up to the Intermediate level this spring, but so far has done no worse than 4th place at any of his competitions, culminating in a recent 4th place finish at the Poplar CIC2*. With Leslie in the irons you can bet he’ll get around the course clean and I’d put money on these two being in the top 15 at least on Sunday.

Edith Lee & Prince Halory: Edith has the distinction of riding the only stallion this weekend, as this chestnut TB takes on his first CCI2*. They are new to the Intermediate level, having completed two horse trials and a CIC2*. They were 2nd at Otter Creek in August, and 15th most recently at the AEC’s. They’ll be looking for a nice round to complete their first effort at this level.

 

Part II debuts tomorrow, so hold onto your hats! The CCI3* preview will be on Wednesday morning, prior to the beginning of the competition.

 

10 Questions with Dom & Jimmie Schramm

By on Oct 14, 2013 9:00 am -

Jimmie & Dom (photo by Rob Bowersox)

Dom and Jimmie Schramm are the masterminds behind EventionTV, and have quickly become a household name through their video education series. I had the great pleasure of meeting both of them in person when Jimmie and I were stabled across from one another at Millbrook, and shared thoughts about our Advanced competition. Since then, I’ve made a point of catching up with both of them all all subsequent events, and you’d be hard pressed to find two nicer, harder working individuals. Both Jimmie and Dom are headed to Fair Hill this weekend, for both the CCI3* and the CCI2*, so let’s learn more about them and cheer them this week!

 

  1. Tell me about your respective backgrounds: how did you grow up and get into horses?

 Jimmie – Originally I am from Dallas, Tx. I started riding by copying my older sister Nicki and we rode together for quite some time. She ended up going to ballet route and I kept with the horses. I started eventing through pony club and kept riding through high school. I was lucky enough to make the Team for Young Riders and after my first real team competition, I knew I wanted to give this a real shot. My horse at the time came to college with me and the rest is sort of history.

Dom – I am Australian and am from a small outback town, Charleville in Queensland.  My mother Kym was horse mad and had me sitting on a horse before I could walk. She was a very capable and successful rider in the show ring and that’s where I started too. I started with a pretty naughty pony, Piping Pedro who I had over 400 falls from in 18 months around age 7 – 9. Since then I have never been afraid of falling off.  I dabbled in straight dressage on our old QH Blue but it wasn’t until we spent 12 months in England at age 11 that I was first exposed to Eventing.  Upon returning to Australia, I became hooked and slowly made my way through the levels during high school.  When I finished school I worked for Chris Burton for 2 years and was put on the Australian Young Rider Squad. I also rode track work 6 mornings a week, as well as breaking in horses, riding problem horses and working with young horses.  I spent some time riding in both the UK and Germany before  I relocated to the US in 2010 and have been pursuing my dream of getting to Badminton ever since.

  1. What horse (past or present) would you most like to take a spin on?

Dom – I have been lucky enough to have sat on quite a few big 4 star horses at some point or another which is always great fun but I think I would love to be able to ride a legendary dressage horse like Totilas or Valegro, just to experience how good the dressage can actually get.

Jimmie – Its funny Dom and I were just talking about this the other day.  I have always loved Leslie Law’s Shear H2O, just seemed like a really cool and regal horse to me. Though lately I have been eyeing up that Clifton Promise as well, that would be another one I would love to sit on.

  1. What is your favorite quality in an Event horse?

 Jimmie – My favorite quality in an event horse I think would be desire, desire to want and love its job. There is nothing worse then getting on a horse that clearly does not love what it is doing.

Dom – I agree with Jimmie on this one.  I am also looking for a horse that screams Athlete, an animal that looks like its whole body is built to run and jump.

  1. How did you come up with the idea of EventionTV?

Dom – It actually started as an idea to write a book whilst I was driving to do a clinic out in the bush somewhere.  I spent a good deal of time teaching kids in pretty remote areas of Australia where they develop a great feel but not always the ‘finesse’ we are looking for in the dressage or show jumping arena.  I found the most effective way of teaching these kids was to keep it simple and give them ideas for what you are trying to teach them in a way they could relate to.  For example if you teach a young lad about turning a turn in the jump ring using the outside rein and aids, he is going to not understand and switch off.  But if you liken it to the same way the horse turns when cutting out a beast when he is mustering, he will probably understand better and stay much more enthused.  That influenced the way I taught and I slowly realized that it wasn’t just kids in the bush that benefited from this kind of teaching.  Then I figured being in a digital age, that being visual and online made more sense then print.  The name came later and the humor really started because Matt who films it got sick of all the takes we were doing because Jimmie and I kept joking in front of the camera – so he decided to leave it in and it has become part of it now!

  1. What is the one thing in your barn that you can’t live without?

 Dom – Our Super Woman Stephanie Simpson! She is working student/barn manager/groom/rider all rolled into one and without her and her extraordinary work ethic and sense of humor we would be lost.  If you are reading this Steph…. GET BACK TO WORK!

Jimmie – This may sound ridiculous but I have a favorite black small curry comb. It is Bellamy’s favorite thing, a good curry, so I spend a lot of my time looking for it and when it’s missing I don’t stop until I find it.

(photo by Diane Pitts)

  1. If you could take six months off with no worries, who would you go learn from?

 Jimmie – I have two people I would choose between,  Michael Jung is one, he is just so good in all three phases and he is really inspiring to me. The other is Nicholas Fyffe,  Nicholas is a dressage rider from Australia and is a good friend of ours. I have been riding with him for a little while now and he is amazing. Not just as a rider but as a teacher as well. He has a lot of faith in me and my horse which gives me a lot of confidence.

Dom – Like Jimmie, I think Michael is producing some amazing riders right now so he would be great but I would also love to train with Ingrid Klimke on the flat and Marcus Ehning in the Showjumping .

  1. What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t riding professionally?

Dom – My dream job would be to work in a feed store. Come in the morning, see the deliveries for the day, load the truck, drive around and drop stuff off and having a chat with the regulars.  Just the right mix of being outside, a little physical but slightly different each day and LOW Stress.  Either that or I would be a race car driver……

Jimmie– If I wasn’t riding I would either want to work at a record label or I would do something with clothes and retail. It’s unfortunate that for my job I have to wear breeches and get disgusting everyday because I actually really love fashion.

  1. What is your favorite aspect of training horses and/or riders?

 Jimmie– My favorite aspect of training horses and people is seeing it click. When you are teaching anything to a horse or a person all you want is for them to understand what you are saying or wanting. When a horse finally understands an aid or when a person finally understands a feeling, that’s what I like most.

Dom – I am pretty competitive so I like it when hard work and good training pays off with a good performance at a big show.

  1. What is your worst pet peeve in life?

 Dom – People trying to drive like maniacs when I am driving slowly with the horse trailer on (cough*Maryland*cough).  But nothing quite irritates me as much as when my wife forgets something and we have to double back and get it.  It’s ok if I do it though because there was probably a good explanation.

Jimmie – Just so we are clear, it’s not always me that actually forgets something, but it does get blamed on me. Either way my biggest pet peeve is people smoking around me and not making an effort to keep it away. I normally will make some sort of comment or horrible valley girl noise if it does happen. If I wanted emphysema then I would smoke. The other is people chewing loudly, so annoying.

  1.  What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Jimmie – Best advice ever, I will quote my dad Jim Holotik on this one. “No tooting.” This is what he says to me every time before I go into the ring or onto cross country.  He is hilarious, but on a serious note best advice I got just the other day, when training horses ” Don’t punish , only correct the horse no matter how long it takes.”

Dom –  Wet saddle cloths make good horses! There is just NO substitute for hard work in both riding and in life.  I think it’s easy to get focused on the struggles and comparing yourself to other people who have new trucks and expensive horses and nice shoes.  But in the end if you can keep finishing on that dressage score and treat your horses and the people around you with respect, then I believe you can get to where you wanna go!

Top Five Halloween Costumes For Your Horse

By on Oct 13, 2013 12:28 pm -

Too. Much. Cute

Halloween is coming up, which means a number of different things. 1) it is the time of year that I am guaranteed at one point to eat so many candy corn that I feel sick 2) EVERYTHING is pumpkin flavored 3) you can’t help but imagine absurd costumes for everyone around you and 4) costume classes at local shows are mandatory. If you are of the crafty persuasion, this is your time to shine. Horse costumes are wonderful and the best way to shame your equine partner, period.

Big Mac Horse: While I wouldn’t attempt this costume with a horse who’s headshy, I do have to admire the work put into this getup. The McDonalds saddle pad? The fries on the feet? The horse already looks ashamed of his burger head.

The Attending Doctor & Patient Costume: If you want to pay homage to any recent injuries garnered while riding, here’s the way. We’ve all probably got an extra set of crutches, maybe a foot brace and a temporary cast in that back closet (oh the memories), so just pull those out and away you go! Probably best to wear some pants under your hospital gown though…

Dorothy & The Cowardly Lion: While we admit that Dorothy would be better off with a helmet in this picture (“how can you talk if you haven’t got a brain?”), we have to give props for this costume. This is obviously a very tolerant horse, as he seems to be bearing this giant lion’s mane with aplomb. He’s even got a lion tail!

We Three Kings: …of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star! Do you have an excess of minis? Want to be the envy of all your normal sized horse friends? This costume set is your way to heaven.

Mary Had A Little Lamb: This costume made me laugh out loud for a solid five minutes. The mother of this child and pony must have put so much time into sewing puffballs on a blanket and I assume a sleezy that her fingers fell off. Matching child and pony costumes are ALWAYS the best kind of idea.

 

If you by any chance followed through with your yearly hankering to dress your horse up for Halloween, we want to see it! Send your pictures to me with a short blurb including your name and that of your horse at [email protected]. Happy costuming!

How To Show Your Human

By on Oct 12, 2013 2:30 pm -

While we often have articles on here written by horse enthusiasts for horse enthusiasts, we don’t regularly get the point of view of the horse himself. This week, I’m introducing a new blogger for Eventing Nation. He’s French (which makes him both prissy and fancy), he’s larger than life, and he has way more opinions than any of the regular writers for EN. His name is Nyls (pronounced “Nilz”) and he’s here to tell you all the ways in which you can succeed at being a really B.A. event horse, and also a colossal pain the butt. Without further ado, I present it straight from the horse’s mouth.

"Win Picture" for Warmbloods

After my first installment on Eventing Nation (Spooking and Other Ways to Excel at Annoying Your Human) was received so well in both the equine and human world, I felt that it was my duty to continue in my education of my fellow equines. The purpose of my literary series is to enlighten all of you on ways in which you can handle your humans, and train them as you wish. Obviously, this is a daunting task with no real graduation date in sight, as humans tend to be both slow learners and stubbornly independent in some ways.

One of the ways in which our humans like to spend their time with us is to throw us on the moving metal boxes, rattle us down the road and then spend a few days at something they call a “show”. These things can be varying degrees of interest to us horses, and sometimes even fun. However, shows are the times when humans become the most bossy, requiring you to behave yourself for extended periods of time, and sometimes multiple times in one day! Here are my favorite ways of handling this situation, from beginning to end, all of which are tried and true methods by yours truly.

  1. When you realize that the trailer is being packed with all of the usual accoutrements, quickly dirty yourself. If you are in a stall, roll in some poop the best way you can (I know, distasteful….but this is imperative) or even better if you are in a field, dig up a dirt/mud hole and scrounge your skin in it. When your human comes to fetch you for the traveling, be sure to look adorable and innocent. After all, a dumb animal like you couldn’t have known better!
  2. As for the travel itself, well, nobody really likes it, so be sure to let your human know in some way. Pretending that you’ve never been on a horse trailer and have completely forgotten how to load works in a pinch. At stoplights, use the opportunity to kick with varying degrees of strength, just to stretch your legs. When you arrive at the event and unload, showing off your Arabian ancestry with a flagged tail and some passage is always a nice touch. Entrance is everything.
  3. For the next few days, if you are stabled at the competition, your human is your personal slave. Let them know this unequivocally. Expect that poops will be cleaned from your stall within minutes of being dropped. Your hay and water should never run low, and if it does you should feel free to harass the horse next to you for his, thereby creating a fun reason for your human to apologize talk to the human next door.
  4. When you hear the trumpet of “LOOSE HORSE!!!” throughout the stables, this is nothing if not a call to action. Imagine all the mustang movies you’ve seen of herds of horses galloping away in a cloud of dust….this could be you! Those “stall guards” that your human attaches to the door of your room are attached by flimsy string that pop with just the slightest lean of a chest…and you’re off! If you can gallop around the dressage arenas, all the better.
  5. When it comes to the actual competition part, I like to vary my routine between behaving and acting like I’m a fresh two year old. I’m sure that each and every one of you have your own personal flair here to add, and I will only add one caution: If you are naughty on the show grounds, you must behave under tack, or visa versa. There cannot be too much naughty or too much nice, because that just makes everything boring. Pick your battles!
  6. When your human is preparing to take you out into the competition, they are generally wearing their best, cleanest clothing. White pants?! HA! Who thought that one up!? This is an invitation to sneeze, rub, or blow slime on any part of your human that you can reach. Upper thigh of the white pants before dressage + green mouth slime = perfection.
  7. If your human is genuinely nervous about something, this is the time to bring out your professional side. We must, in some ways, consider ourselves babysitters for the lesser species, but they do in fact have the key to the feed room so……

At the end of the day (or weekend) it is important to remember to indulge your human in some way, no matter how small. Whether you choose to nicker slightly when you see them (which we know as the call to breakfast) or allow some snuggling after rides, you must allow the human to continue in their illusion that they are in charge. After many years of mental challenges, your human will eventually come to accept you as the superior being in both physical and mental realms, and then you will know that you have trained them properly. Constant vigilance!

EventionTV Presents: How To Know When To Move Up

By on Oct 11, 2013 3:30 pm -

Here’s something we all struggle with: how do you know when it’s the right time to move up a level?? Sometimes this answer is more clear cut than others, but especially when you are starting out in Eventing, or you have a horse that has never competed, it’s tough to figure out. EventionTV is here to break it down for us, phase by phase. This week features the different skills required for dressage tests from Beginner Novice to Training, the first three elementary levels. Dom and Jimmie Shramm bring us basic information on how to know where you stand in the levels, and I’m looking forward to the jumping phase videos!

Newsflash: Clipping Season is Upon Us

By on Oct 11, 2013 12:00 pm -

Karen Bayha's clip job from 2012 on "Henry Huggins"

Despite the fact that different areas of the United States are experiencing all of the separate seasons at the moment, one thing that unites us all is the fact that our horses are growing their fur out for winter. Some of us have the joy of owning the enviable thin coated slick horse that waits until December to poof up, and some of us have already body clipped our horses twice.

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. Did you hand lose a little bit of sensation for a while? Did your significant other find some black hair that wasn’t yours in your ears? Yep, it must be clipping season.

However, one of the joys of clipping season is that if you’re brave enough, you can let your creative juices flow. If you’re not headed to a fall 3-day, why not have a little fun with those blades and see what you can create? Embarrass the hell out of your horse!

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 its all about. Include the name of your horse, your name, and where you are from. Email them to me at [email protected]!

The Evolution of A Horse Show

By on Oct 10, 2013 3:30 pm -

Going to a horse show is an emotional event. You spend all your money getting there, all your energy preparing for it, and then you get there and experience everything from extreme elation to utter despair at least once in the span of three days. Then, you drive home, and recharge for a few days, only to look on your calendar for the next one coming up! We love ’em and can’t live without them. Here’s some GIFs to perfectly sum up this roller coaster of emotions.

 

When You Arrive And See All Your Friends Stabled Next To You

 

In The Warmup For Your Dressage Test

 

How Your Horse Sometimes Imagines The Dressage Judge

 

That Split Second When You Think You’ve Forgotten Your Test: In Your Head It’s Like

20 Minutes Later, When You’re Checking Live Scores, And You Didn’t Get A Good Score

 

When You Walk Your Cross Country Course The First Time

 

That One Fence: You Just Know You’re Going To Look Like This:

 

Your Coach’s Face in Show Jumping Warm Up

After Your Double Clean Show Jumping Round

 

The Night Before Cross Country: WINE

 

Heading To The Start Box: So Ready

 

After Cross Country

 

When You Get Back Home

 

Thursday Reader from Devoucoux

By on Oct 10, 2013 12:03 am -

Happy Thursday, Eventing Nation! Today marks the official beginning of Boekelo CCI3* in Enschede, The Netherlands. Jenni is on the scene and will be bringing us news updates and photos as soon as they happen, which is what Eventing Nation is all about: coverage you can’t get anywhere else!  Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night will be the first U.S. pair to perform their dressage test, going today at 2:49pm local time (8:49am ET). Lauren Kieffer and Veronica will go on Friday at 11:55am local time, followed by Martin and Trading Aces at 4:18pm local time.

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

Events This Weekend:

Greenwood Farm Inc. Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Colorado Horse Park Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Grass Ridge H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm [Website] [Entry Status]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [

Fall Horse Trials at the Ark [Website]

Pine Top October HT [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

News From Around The Globe:

Incredible artist Beth Munnings-Winter has donated a personalized oil painting to raise funds for Amy Barrington. You can purchase a $5 raffle ticket (or 6 for $20) to be entered in the drawing for a 16×20 oil painting on canvas of one of your animals. All proceeds will go directly to Amy’s medical bills. [Munnings Art Donation]

Ireland just opened a new National Horse Sport Arena, to be enjoyed by all Irish equestrians.  The arena will give Irish equestrian athletes access to world-class facilities which have been developed in accordance with the High Performance training needs of equestrian riders and under the technical guidance of Horse Sport Ireland and its affiliate bodies. [Irish National Horse Sport Arena]

British Eventing reports that rising costs of production are requiring increased entry fees. Luckily, they are also looking into ways to increase prize money to help riders cope with the bigger bills. BE is also considering a refund policy, one which I personally wish the USEA would also think about. [BE Entry Costs Rising]

There’s a new craze in London: horse bikes! It’s a horse…it’s a bike….it’s a rocking chair?? It’s all three, in fact. Combine your fuzzy rocking horse with your best bike for beating the traffic, and you’re right in style in the British capitol. [Horse Bikes Are The Wheel Deal]

I pulled out one of my blankets yesterday to use in the newly chilly weather, and UGH it smelled SO BAD. I thought I had diligently washed all of my turnout blankets last spring when I put them all away, but I guess this one didn’t get it’s due time in the washing machine. Luckily, I was able to throw it in there with some Rambo Blanket Wash, specially formulated to clean but not remove the water resistant qualities of your turnouts. My SmartPak pick of the week is this stuff….can’t live without it! [Rambo Blanket Wash]

 

 

 

Making Mistakes

By on Oct 9, 2013 1:30 pm -

Nyls at Morven into the water (photo courtesy of Christine Lafreniere)

Eventing is a sport of inches, of centimeters, of tiny measurements and small moments of either brilliance or disaster. Those who pursue Eventing as more than a hobby are a certain cousin of the perfectionist, and yet somebody who understands that perfection is impossible. Mistakes are inevitable, and even those who win the biggest competitions could easily pick out multiple unintentional moments of their weekend. Our sport is both wonderful and perpetually challenging due to our quest for the impossible perfection.

I was asked recently if I was surprised at my win at Morven Park this past weekend. Well, yes and no. The idea behind competing is generally to win, although I believe the bigger picture is to be satisfied with your performance and that of your horse, and if the scores match up, all the better. I think we are all pleasantly surprised when we win an event, but we also believed it was a little possible from the start. To be able to pull all of your skills together over three days, over three separate tests, and simultaneously convince your horse to put in the best performance is a feat indeed. However, isn’t that the result that we all work for every day?

At the end of the weekend, no matter what placing I earned, I always reflect back over my performances in each phase, over each jump, and each movement in my dressage test. I read my dressage test comments and think, “How could I have ridden that better? Could I have prepared my horse better for that?”. I re-live every jump, every gallop stride and recall what I liked and what I would have changed. Inevitably, I sometimes linger on the mistakes that I made, and I hold onto those mistakes until I fully understand how not to repeat them.

 

Plantation CIC3* (photo by Jenni Autry)

Sometimes, as intense competitors, we are ashamed to admit mistakes. We search for other reasons, other variables that could have caused the undesirable result. This shame can be understood as the fear of disconnection. Is there something about me that if other people know it or see it, that I wont be worthy of connection? If I reveal the vulnerable side of my riding, my efforts, will I still be accepted? This is universal, and we all have this emotion.

In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be really seen as we are. The best riders do not shy away from admitting weakness, vulnerability or personal mistakes. Instead, they embrace them, and utilize them as learning tools to avoid similar situations in the future. The best riders understand that the situation they find themselves in is not unique, and in fact has been experienced by every great rider alive. As humans, we cannot avoid mistakes, but the best we can hope for is to learn from them as quickly as possible.

 

“Caption It” Contest for William Fox-Pitt

By on Oct 9, 2013 11:00 am -

WFP Himself (photo by Samantha Clark)

It’s time for another “Caption It” contest, Eventing Nation! This time, we’re asking you to come up with your best, most clever, most witty caption for the above photo. Give it your best shot, because you could very well become that girl in the jean jacket. Think, what would you do to have a chat with the real William Fox-Pitt?

What’s the prize, you ask? TWO TICKETS to audit the exclusive William Fox-Pitt Clinic on November 5th and 6th at Morningside Training Farm in Virginia. Not only do you get to hang out two days in a row (or one day with a friend) and watch the master at work, but you get to see him work with riders and horses of all different skill levels, eat delicious food and drink delicious beer! There will be vendors and fun stuff at the clinic too!

[Clinic Details] [Clinic FB Page]

All you have to do is submit your caption through the comments section on this page, and that’s it! In a week we’ll pick the top captions, and have a vote. GOOOO CAPTION!

Matt Ryan Retires from Eventing

By on Oct 8, 2013 9:00 am -

Matt Ryan at Gatcombe 2013 (photo by Samantha Clark)

Internationally respected Australian Eventer Matt Ryan announced his official retirement from competition via Twitter yesterday. Matt boasts an impressive and long list of accolades at the very top levels of our sport. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Matt and Kibah Tic Toc won both the individual and team gold medals, and in 2000 he returned to the Olympics with Kibah Sandstone to take another team gold medal home. In addition to that, he has many top placings at all of the best European events, including Badminton & Burghley places inside the top 10 multiple times.

He went on to say that he will be focusing on “training, teaching and media work” for the days to come. Matt will remain based in England for his retirement.  We wish all the best to Matt in his new pursuits!

[Bonza Eventing]

 

Monday Video from Tredstep Ireland: Morven Park Advanced

By on Oct 7, 2013 10:30 am -

Buzzterbrown was out on the scene this past weekend at Morven doing his usual awesome job videoing everything. Of course he managed to catch me at the two fences where my horse was doing his darndest to be a naughty son of a gun and run away with me, so that’s lovely. This would be the first time Buzzterbrown has attended Morven without being rained on the whole time! It was not only hard on the ground but the sun was boiling hot and very strange for this time of the year. Who knows, maybe it will be 2013 that brings the first hot and dry Fair Hill??!

Woodside International CIC 1*,2* & 3*

By on Oct 6, 2013 9:00 am -

Debbie Rosen & The Alchemyst, winners of the CIC3* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

While all the riders on the east coast were busy at Morven Park getting ready for Fair Hill International in two weeks, most of the west coast riders were at The Event At Woodside, which hosted Beginner Novice through Advanced, in addition to three FEI divisions. The CIC1*, CIC2* and CIC3* were all well attended, and very competitive. I imagine that many of the riders were using this event as a last tune up before Galway Downs International in about a month.

[Website] [Live Scores/Results]

While I have never been to Woodside myself, I hear nothing but wonderful things about the competition.  Woodside international is considered to be one of California’s top competitions, and with beautiful facilities and a challenging set of courses designed by Derek di Grazia, it seems to always be a great experience. Many thanks to Sherry Stewart for taking all these wonderful photos and sending them our way!

Lauren Billys & Ballingowan Ginger, 2nd in the CIC3* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

In the Adequan USEA Gold Cup & PRO Tour Series CIC3* this year, 15 riders started out the weekend in a strong competitive field. Gina Miles won the dressage with her lovely mare Chanel on a 46.4, with Lauren Billys & her mare Ballingowan Ginger close behind with a 47. Unfortunately Gina & Chanel had a rough round in the show jumping, taking 4 rails and dropping to 6th place, leaving Lauren & Ginger to hop into first with only one rail down. After cross country, however, Debbie Rosen and her own The Alchemyst stole the lead with a slightly quicker round on course. Props to Helen Bouscaren who moved all the way up from 10th place to 3rd after a double clear round in the show jumping and the fastest cross country time of the day!

Matthew Brown & BCF Belicoso, winners of the CIC2* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

Matthew Brown had an amazing weekend in the CIC2*, leading from start to finish on the lovely BCF Belicoso. The pair added only a little time from both stadium and cross country to finish a few points off their dressage score of 46.3. Mat also pulled a neat 1-2 in the division, finishing second on Aida with the only double clear round of the division in both jumping phases. John Michael Durr finished in 3rd place on Esprit de la Danse with only a rail to add to their dressage score of 50.2.

Kristi Nunnink & Corner Street, winners of the CIC1* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

In the CIC1*, the dressage was extremely competitive. Lauren Billys topped the board with Jitterbug with an impressive 37.5, followed by Kristi Nunnink on her super young horse Corner Street on a 40.8. Unfortunately, Lauren was eliminated in the show jumping, and Kristi was able to stay in first place with a double clear in both jumping phases. Mat Brown was there again to take second with Happenstance, moving up from 4th after dressage with only a rail to add. Kate Lathrop riding her own Worth The Wait moved up all the way from 15th after dressage to 3rd on the strength of two double clear rounds in both jumping efforts.

 

Morven Park Advanced Cross Country Preview

By on Oct 4, 2013 10:30 am -

The second water combination at fence 20.

Morven Park Horse Trials starts today, and considering this event offers the Area II Championships as well as the last run for the majority of horses headed to Fair Hill, it’s a pretty special competition. Beginner Novice through Advanced is running in both championship and regular divisions this weekend. With more than 400 entries, the event is positively packed with top-notch horse and rider combinations at every level.

While most competitors haven’t arrived yet, the championship Advanced and Intermediate combinations are already on the grounds, as those divisions start early this morning with dressage and show jump in the afternoon on the grass in the steeplechase field. Just briefly looking at that course from afar, I can tell it will be influential because of the tricky terrain.

I arrived yesterday and took the opportunity to walk the Advanced cross country course to see what it’s all about. There are three divisions of Advanced this weekend: Advanced Championships, Advanced CT and Advanced HT. The regular division is large, with 22 entries, while the Championships is relatively small. The CT division is small as well, but it’s wonderful of the organizers to offer it, as they also do the same three-star test in dressage that they will see in a few weeks at Fair Hill.

The cross-country course is designed by Tremaine Cooper, who seems to be designing just about everything on the East Coast right now. Unfortunately, after being completely rained out all spring and summer, Virginia is experiencing a dreadful drought, and the ground is quite hard. They are working very hard here to aerate and aggravate the ground, but I imagine that with a three-day looming in the near future, there will be quite a few combinations that will opt out of cross country due to the ground.

I was pleased with the course, and I think it flows quite nicely. There are a lot of technical combinations that require accuracy and the ability to find a distance on a bending line. The terrain is used quite well to make the questions a little more complex, but I was surprised to find so many options. Every combination has a black-flag option for one or more of the elements. This is not characteristic of Tremaine’s courses, but I was unable to find him late in the day to figure out what he was intending.

However, this means that riders can choose to have an easy and slow day to build some confidence for less experienced horses or go the direct route and challenge their horses to step up to the task. Overall, it looks challenging and also inviting, and I’m excited to give it a go on Saturday morning.

Morven Park Fall H.T. Links: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

EventionTV Presents: How Horses Eat

By on Oct 4, 2013 9:00 am -

Last week Evention launched a brand new season of videos and a sparkling new website to go along with it. We were assured that our entertainment and education would continue every two weeks, but as it turns out, they just couldn’t stay away from us for that long. Inspired by “How Animals Eat Their Food“, this week’s fun video features some very good imitations of hungry horses that we’ve all owned at one point or another. I currently own both the stuffed one that gets only two sprinkles of grain and the grouchy one that steals everyone else’s food! For more great videos, be sure to check out the new EventionTV website and take a look back at Season 1!

 

Thoroughbred Legends Presented by Cosequin: The Shaq Attack

By on Oct 3, 2013 3:00 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].

The Shaq Attack over an Intermediate cross country fence. Photo by Carlos Gonzalez.

Twenty years ago, an enormous dark bay colt was born, registered as Right On Spruce, and sent right into training as a Thoroughbred racehorse. However, due to his size, he was unable to race until he was 3, and even then his showings were not promising. After 12 starts, only one win and total earnings of $1,200, the colt was retired from racing and shipped off to Maryland to find a new job.

“I got a call from my trainer, who said she had found a horse that was just my type,” Erica Davis said. “I went to see him, and he was absolutely huge, over 18 hands, and he had this awful pencil neck. He was so gangly and ridiculous looking, but I got on him and rode him around and popped him over a cross rail. I knew right then that he was a special horse.” Erica renamed the gelding The Shaq Attack due to his enormous size and brought him right home.

Shaq began his training to become an eventer and instantly garnered a fan club. He was extremely recognizable due to his stature, and his gentlemanly ways won everyone’s hearts. However, in his 4-year-old year, Shaq was diagnosed with EPM, which at that time was a largely untreatable ailment. “I ignored all the advice to put him down and sat down on the computer and researched different trial treatments available,” Erica said.

Erica & Shaq at the AECs (photo by Karen Hecker)

Her dedication to Shaq payed off; through a little luck, her vet was able to obtain an experimental EPM medication from Canada. This medication, a chicken antibiotic that later became Marquis, had very little proven efficacy at the time. Erica dutifully fed Shaq a pound and a half of powdered medicine every day for a month and hand-walked him through the woods and over logs to help his muscles regain some coordination. After a full month, Shaq was recovered, and Erica was elated.

The next year, the two of them began their eventing career together. Shaq was not overly fond of the dressage phase, as it was quite difficult for him to fit his large body in the tiny arenas. However, he more than made up for that with his enthusiasm for the jumping. “In stadium jumping, as we would canter around, Shaq would get so excited about jumping that he would strike out with his front legs and squeal like a pig.” As you can imagine, he was hard to miss at a competition, and his fan club grew.

Erica and Shaq steadily moved up the levels from Beginner Novice to Intermediate. They both learned the levels together and were extremely successful the whole way. Shaq positively adored the cross country, eating it up easily and galloping around with the happiest expression on his face. He was a total machine and never once had any cross country penalties.

Shaq strutting his stuff recently at the Maryland Million OTTB Showcase. Photo by Karen Hecker.

The bond between Erica and Shaq is the stuff of legends and is proof that the Thoroughbred heart simply cannot be matched. “I’m very proud of my accomplishment of bringing a horse off the track up to Intermediate level. You don’t have to find a made horse, and you can be an amateur and still achieve your goals,” Erica said. “These horses off the track are well worth the effort.”

As for a memorable Shaq moment, his rider had a hard time picking just one. While she was competing at Waredaca one weekend, Shaq slipped going up a bank and Erica just popped off the side. She lost her reins and Shaq decided to head back to the start box. “He went back the exact same way he had gotten there, including jumping all the jumps backwards,” Erica said. “I had to get a ride on a golf cart back to the start box to get back on him and return to the fence where I fell.” Erica remembers the time fondly. “That horse really loved jumping cross country.”

At the age of 18, Shaq started to slow down a little. He developed some minor issues associated with old age, and Erica decided it was best to retire him from upper-level competition. Shaq now enjoys keeping younger horses in line and continues to trail ride and get attention daily. Recently he represented OTTBs at the Maryland Million Race Day at Laurel Park, and Shaq was more than proud to show off for a huge crowd. He never lost his polite and gentle demeanor, and Erica will always consider him her horse of a lifetime.

Thursday Reader from Devoucoux

By on Oct 3, 2013 12:03 am -

Why hello fall! (a photo taken from yesterday on a hack)

Happy Thursday, everyone! I feel the fall officially coming on, as the days are getting shorter and my hacks are now populated with the crunching sounds of leaves underfoot. While I do enjoy some cooler weather, and some awesome fall events, I also realize that the “hair factor” largely outweighs these fun things on a daily basis. If you clip your horse, it’s annoying to blanket constantly, and if you don’t its annoying to clean them constantly and worry about disgusting things living under wads of fur. #winterhorsegirlproblems

Events This Weekend:

Morven Park Fall H.T. [Website] [Ride Times]

Roebke’s Run H.T [Website] [Entry Status]

Woodside International H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Kent School Fall H.T. [Website]

News from Around the Globe:

Star of the current show, Jock Paget, might be competing at Adelaide CCI4* in November. He will be in town celebrating his 30th birthday, and will definitely be competing in masterclasses in the main arena, but is hoping to do the CCI4* as well. While it’s doubtful that he will bring Clifton Promise or Clifton Lush all the way back there for the event, it’s unknown who he plans to compete as of yet. [Paget Ready to Win Adelaide]

As the government shutdown continues, the BLM is struggling to keep workers caring for the thousands of mustangs held in captivity.  The Bureau of Land Management said the minimum number of employees needed to humanely care for the horses were deemed exempt from the shutdown. Executive director of the wild horse advocacy group, Protect Mustangs, Anne Novak said: “This is a perfect example of why wild horses and burros should be living on the range and why 80 percent of America’s wild horses and burros should not be kept in federally funded facilities.” [Skeleton Crews Caring for Mustangs]

It’s no secret I’m a fan of Alycia Burton, who became famous from her YouTube video with her palomino paint horse jumping without tack of any kind. A local news personality took some time to go and meet Alycia and check out her skills on horseback. Turns out, Alycia is trying to break a Guinness world record for jumping a full course of jumps at 2 meters without tack of ANY KIND. That’s badass. [No Saddle, No Bridle, No Problem]

If you aren’t already familiar with Horses Inside Out, now is the time to have a good look. Founder Gillian Higgins, a Sports Remedial Therapist, Equine Therapist and anatomist, started giving lectures about horse biomechanics and anatomy, when she realized she kept getting the same questions from her clients about their horses’ bodies. So these skeleton, muscle and tendon paintings proved to be an entertaining and memorable way to teach riders and trainers about a horse’s anatomy. [Horses Inside Out Are Both Cool and Creepy]

Speaking of the “hairy factor”, isn’t about time you get to indulge in some blanket shopping? Here’s a cool deal: between now and November 26th, you get to trade in your clean used turnout blanket and get $50 off a new turnout blanket from SmartPak. How sweet is that? My favorite is the Rambo Wug, and knock on wood I’ve had mine for about 6 years and it’s still going strong. [SmartPak Blanket Deals]

 

Best of Blogs: 20 Ways In Which Horse Riding Becomes Life Itself

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: A Camel Pas de Deux

By on Oct 2, 2013 1:30 pm -

I have certainly seen some interesting pas de deux competitions in my lifetime, and they usually involve crazy costumes and painted horses. However, this video is a first: a camel and a horse in unison completing dressage movements! This camel does shoulder-in; he does half pass; he seems to have a leg yield and a haunches-in. And if you wait until 1:40, you’ll see that he even has clean changes! Now … if only I could train him to gallop fast and jump big tables, we’d be set to compete at Advanced!

 

Morven Park Area II Championships: Ready to Rock

By on Oct 2, 2013 10:30 am -

My first Training at Morven Park (circa 2001?)!

Morven Park Horse Trials has always held a soft spot in my heart, and it is one of the classic Area II competitions. I competed there for my first Training on a mare I got off the track and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I fell off, landed on my feet, and scrambled right back on and continued before the jump judge even knew what had happened (in the days before the one fall rule).

[Morven Website] [Ride Times]

This year, the event is positively chocker block full of competitors for both the regular horse trials and the championship divisions. There are more than 400 entries, and 15 of the top 25 riders in the country are coming to compete. Championship divisions from Beginner Novice to Advanced are held this weekend, and a lot of riders from the East Coast who felt that the AECs in Texas were too far away to haul are replacing that event with Morven. Competing against the best of the best on this coast, who can argue with that?

In addition to the Championships, there are many competitors who use Morven as their final run before Fair Hill, and there is even an entire division just for Advanced entries who want to only do a combined test. Keep your eye on the Intermediate and Advanced divisions, as it serves as a good preview of the action at Fair Hill in a few weeks!

If you weren’t able to get into the event or won’t be riding for another reason, you should think about taking the day to spectate and volunteer. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous (no rain for once!) and working as a dressage scribe or a jump judge can be an incredibly educational experience for any rider. Contact Sheryl Williams [email protected] for dressage volunteering and Joanna Yeomans at [email protected] for cross country volunteering.

A look back at the 2012 Advanced Championships, courtesy of the wonderful Buzzterbrown:

How Will the Government Shutdown Affect the Horse Industry?

By on Oct 2, 2013 9:00 am -

Unless you truly live under a rock, you’ve gathered from the various news sites, social media networks and radio shows that there is a government shutdown happening right now. What’s that mean? A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass a spending bill and the government discontinues providing services that are not considered “essential.” Typically, essential services include police, fire fighting, armed forces, utilities and corrections. It also means that #ShutdownPickupLines is trending on Twitter.

I usually take the tactic of continuing on my merry way in Horse World and assume that all the absurd political befuddlement will resolve itself and I will remain fairly unaffected. I’m aware of the world outside the barn, but I don’t spend my energy getting as worked up about it as roughly three-fourths of the other people on Facebook. I generally learn about politics the way it is most palatable: through BuzzFeed (Why The Shut Down Is Exactly Like Mean Girls). However, this time my interest was piqued, as I realized the positively massive effect that the government shutdown was having, even upon my little equestrian microcosm.

Parks & Recreation: The National Park Service, Fish & Wildlife Service and the BLM all fall under federal jurisdiction, and thus have been closed. All the employees are off on furlough, and that means you can’t hack through their lands anymore! If you are a rider that depends on the use of a local park for your riding, you’re just out of luck.

Veterinary Testing & Disease Outbreaks: Possibly one of the scariest negative side effects for the animal industry at large is the possibility of a disease outbreak occurring during the shut down. All veterinary tests that start after the shutdown will be stored by the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Services staff for later processing. Should something really freaky happen and a disease outbreak occur, only high-priority tests will be run on a case-by-case basis. On a less scary level, this is a huge inconvenience for our general veterinary practices with horses.

Imports & Exports: The USDA is in charge of all equine import/export quarantine facilities. Border inspection is currently listed under the essential category, and these facilities operate on personal fees, so you actually won’t see much of a disruption here.

Horse Slaughter: Here’s an actual benefit of the government shutdown. The USDA controls and regulates the transport program for slaughter-bound horses, so the whole program will remain completely closed for as long as the government is as well.

Visas & Temporary Workers: All processing of applications for temporary agricultural workers and non-agricultural workers have come to a grinding halt. This will totally prevent any influx of valuable workers for a number of equestrian jobs throughout the disciplines. Visas for foreign competitors at U.S. events could also be delayed, so it’s a good thing we aren’t anywhere near Rolex!

Let’s all just hope that this is resolved in an expedient manner, and we can get on with our lives and continue riding in the parks. I encourage the continuation of freebies for furloughed workers (free barbecue!) and also approaching the matter with a sense of humor and not a sense of apocalyptical panic. Get on your horses, and continue on your merry way!

Top Ten Important Fall Preparations

By on Oct 1, 2013 9:00 am -

It's starting to look a lot like fall!!!

Ok, I’ll admit it: I LOVE FALL. Seriously, is there nothing better than realizing you get to wear pants legitimately out in public (to hide your absurdly pale legs, obviously) and cozy up in bed with flannel sheets? I also enjoy riding in jackets, because it means I can stop storing everything for my hacks in my sports bra, and I can bring snacks while I’m out riding for several hours. Sweater weather rocks.

However, there are some aggravating drawbacks to fall. Let’s talk endless blanket put-it-on-take-it-off-the-weather-won’t-stop-changing every single day. And how about the hairy-ness factor? They’ve all begun the customary poofing by now, and those lucky people with exceptionally furry monsters have already delved into the clipping bonanza. Fall is, after all, a preparatory stage to winter, and thus it brings some unpleasant things with the pumpkin pie. Here is how to make your barn life the best it can be this fall, so you have more time to hack out through the changing leaves!

  • Mud Prevention: You know how all the gateways get disgusting every year, and it’s awful to turn the horses out because you have to slog through some nasty bog just to open the gate? This year, take control. Put down some gravel dust or some mulch in a preventative move. Sometimes, when I don’t have either of those handy, I’ll recycle some shavings and manure, because it soaks it all up and beats a foot of mud.
  • Blankets: You’ll be using your blankets soon, if you haven’t already begun. Unless you are my mother (aka: incredibly OCD and overachieving when it comes to blankets), you probably have a few that are still dirty or ripped or needing repair from last winter. Get it done now! You’ll thank yourself later. Perhaps you also need to indulge in some blanket shopping??
  • Clippers: If you’re clipping yourself, or even hiring someone with greater skills to complete the task for you, you’ll need some sharp blades. Nothing, I say NOTHING is worse than realizing half-way through a clip job that your blades are dull and you’ve partially mangled your horse and he looks like an idiot. I take my blades to the local Dover and send them all off to get sharpened at once so I have several pairs to switch with in case something goes wrong.
  • Bedding: With winter coming up, most horses are going to be spending more time indoors, which means it’s extra important that you have a healthy environment inside the barn. Horses can frequently get respiratory problems because of dusty bedding, or living in a barn that is too closed up. Remember, your horse would rather be a little chilly than be stuffed in a dusty box!
  • Dietary Changes: The grass isn’t looking so green anymore, and that means it’s losing some of its nutritious value to your horses. For some, that means the grazing muzzle can finally come off. For others, it means you need to increase their hay and think about some alternative ways to pack on pounds. For older horses, things like hay cubes soaked in water or beet pulp with rice bran are really easy to eat and good ways to keep them plump and happy through the winter.

*Extra apples do not count as legit dietary changes*

  • Skin Funk: I’m sure there is a more scientific nomenclature for what I’m talking about, but you all get it. Winter is prime time for skin funk, whether it’s on the legs, or under the blankets, it’s coming for you. Everyone has their own personal concoction for treatment of the dreaded scud (baby oil and Listerine, anybody?), so stock up on that. Another alternative for horses that are already prone to such things is putting them on a great immune boosting skin supplement, which is what I do with my chestnuts with sensitive skin.
  • Vaccinations: This is a pretty obvious one, but you’ll definitely want to check with your vet to see that all your horses are up to date on their shots. It’s helpful if you can get all the horses in your barn on the same schedule. Keeping everyone up to date on vaccines is an easy way to keep them healthy heading into winter.
  • Winterise The Barn: When the ground is frozen, you’re not going to want to have to fix that fencing that you’ve been letting languish all summer. And that gutter on your barn that’s all clogged and gross and you’ve been putting off cleaning it? Time to do that. Think of anything around the farm that can be adversely affected by the heavy weight of rain or snow, and then fix it up now before there is a problem.
  • Frozen Frenzy: While we aren’t quite ready for this problem yet, it’s a good time to think about all the stuff in your aisle that will freeze when the temperatures go down. All your fly spray bottles, ointment tubs, and random concoctions need to have a new home for the winter in a warmer location (the tack room with a space heater).
  • Set Some Goals: Besides all the other things you have to do around the barn, sit down and set some goals for yourself and your riding. Winter is an easy time to get complacent or even bored with things because there aren’t as many exciting competitions. Find some clinics near you, and if you can’t ride, audit! Ask your coaches about their favorite educational books, and snuggle down for some reading to inspire your riding.

While part of the season involves the surprise factor that will always keep you on your toes, using these tips will help you enter the colder months in a smooth and seamless fashion. Also, buying those toe warmers will really help you out too. Go winter Eventing!

Spooking and Other Ways to Excel at Annoying Your Human

By on Sep 30, 2013 12:02 pm -

While we often have articles on here written by horse enthusiasts for horse enthusiasts, we don’t regularly get the point of view of the horse himself. This week, I’m introducing a new blogger for Eventing Nation. He’s French (which makes him both prissy and fancy), he’s larger than life, and he has way more opinions than any of the regular writers for EN. His name is Nyls (pronounced “Nilz”) and he’s here to tell you all the ways in which you can succeed at being a really B.A. event horse, and also a colossal pain the butt. Without further ado, I present it straight from the horse’s mouth.

Spooking at Liverpools is always a necessity

Look, we all know the ways in which we horses are instructed to succeed at our jobs as Eventers. The basics are pretty much the same: be obedient and flick your toes on the first day, be brave and sure footed on the second day while also galloping fast, and jump high and pick up your feet carefully on the third day. This is simple enough….so when those of us who are obviously overqualified for these requirements get bored, we have to entertain ourselves with other activities.

If you’re a horse like me who has an agile mind and a willing spirit to pull a little more fun out of each day, you’re in the right spot. I’ve decided to share some of my trade secrets on how to win at Eventing, and life in general. Extra points to those who can stick to a strict schedule of repeated behaviors that drive your human up the wall.

  1. When being tacked up, choose something small to object to, no matter how many times it has happened to you before in your life. This way, your human knows you’re going to pitch a fit, but they have to do it anyway. It’s highly entertaining to watch them go from attempting to persuade you to behave, to denying that you are going to misbehave, to anger that you won’t stop, and then finally to begrudging acceptance that this is real life, and it’s happening every day. I chose being brushed on the right side of my neck, so no matter is too small!
  2. Pick something to spook at every single day while being ridden, and make it both irrational and consistent. Me, I like to spook at jump accessories. If there is a pole on the ground, or a standard on the side of the ring, it’s important that I refuse to go near it every time I see it. When, after about ten minutes, you finally relent and let yourself be forced near the dreaded object, be sure to always keep an eye and an ear cocked towards it, and never bend your neck the other direction.
  3. There should always be something that you refuse to do at home, but do perfectly fine at shows. Preferably, it should be something that embarrasses your human when he/she goes to lessons with other humans. An example is liverpools, something every normal upper level horse has to jump every competition. However, this is very funny if you act like an irrational maniac when it is brought up in a non-show environment. “Really, I swear he jumps them at shows!” will become something you hear a lot.
  4. While we are on the subject of horse shows, it’s necessary for the good of your human that you behave well at two shows, and then wild at a third show. When you’ve been practicing your dressage and doing very well at home, pretend like you’ve forgotten how to canter, or even better, act as though you have never seen those white sides of the arena before! This way, your rider never has to stop learning how to ride you. Really, it’s for the best that they don’t become complacent.
  5. This final part is very important to your continued success at life, and your longevity as a beloved yet rued king member of the family. Whenever you purposefully enact one of these tips, you must act the part convincingly. The spooky pole actually WILL eat you, believe it and portray the character of the scared horse well. In addition, it is imperative that after an episode of spooking or freaking out in the cross ties, you behave very innocent and loving to your human, so that he/she has no choice but to snuggle with you, forgive you, and then feed you treats (obviously).

While I cannot guarantee that these tips will help you rise to Advanced, I can assure you that they will enhance your daily level of entertainment, and even strengthen the bond between you and your human. People like to feel that their horse is actually the weirdest, quirkiest horse alive and that every day is a challenge. This is something you can fulfill for them, with just a little extra effort! Good luck and go spooking!

Saturday Video: Behind the Scenes of XC with Zara Phillips

By on Sep 28, 2013 1:00 pm -

Yet another fabulous video from our friends at Land Rover UK, following in the lines of their “Pursuit of Excellence” series. This collection of videos follows Olympic riders Ben Maher (Show Jumping), Laura Tomlinson (Dressage) and Zara Phillips (Eventing) in their daily lives and preparation for competition at the highest levels. In this video, Zara explains the importance for Eventing horses and riders to have the ability to react in an instant to a situation on cross country and complete the question ahead with aplomb. Enjoy!