The muck heap at Pratoni! Photo courtesy of Jackie Potts Equestrians Services FB.

I know everyone is excited about the World Championships this week, but can we spare a moment of silent reverence for this muck heap contraption at Pratoni? Jackie Potts posted a video of the action and honestly I was so excited about the future of horse shows. Can we bring this technology to the US so I can stop dealing with horrendous terrifying muck heaps at competitions? This nifty little gadget takes your poo on an elevator ride up and away into the tidy bin in blue, making all your poo pile dreams come true.

Want more Pratoni news? Head over to our Ultimate Guide to FEI World Championships for Eventing, and be sure to sign up for the #Pratoni2022 Daily Digest email, which will be delivered straight to your inbox each day through Sunday, September 18.

FEI World Championships for Eventing: [Website] [Definite Entries] [FEI TV] [ EN’s Ultimate Guide ] [EN’s Form Guide] [Timing & Scoring] [Daily Digest Email] [EN’s Coverage]

U.S. Weekend Preview

Aspen Farm H.T. (Yelm, WA): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

The Event at Skyline (Mount Pleasant, UT): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring]

Flying Cross Farm H.T. (Goshen, KY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Marlborough H.T. (Upper Marlboro, MD): [Website] [Entry Status]

Otter Creek Fall H.T. (Wheeler, WI): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Stone Gate Farm H.T. (Hanoverton, OH): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Tryon Fall H.T. (Mill Spring, NC): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Unionville H.T. (Unionville, PA): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Major International Events

Blenheim Palace International (Oxfordshire, England): [Website] [Schedule] [Entry Status] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]

News From Around the Globe:

The long-awaited 2022 FEI Eventing World Championships are just days away and horse and rider pairs from all over the country are settling in and getting the lay of the land at the beautiful Pratoni del Vivaro in Rome, Italy. The host site, which will also host the 2022 FEI Driving World Championships, was the venue for eventing at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome as well as the site for the cross-country competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games in 1998. [Fast Facts of Pratoni]

“Teamwork makes the dream work” has become a popular caption on social media feeds of athletes from all disciplines. This phrase seems particularly relevant for those in the eventing world. While the spotlight might shine on a single horse and rider combination during the heat of competition, every event rider understands theirs to be a fundamentally team sport, dependent on the efforts and skillsets of grooms, barn managers, trainers, working students, and often a wide array of friends and family, without whom the strains of competition, training, and travel would not be sustainable. But what exactly goes into the “work” that holds together a team for the long haul? One trainer who seems to have cracked the code for building a cohesive and enduring team is Fylicia Barr. [Making the Dream Work with Fylicia Barr Eventing]

Carrot stretches may seem outdated but they’re highly useful for improving performance. Not only can you as the rider use carrot stretches to learn more about their body, but your trainer can see how they react when bending both ways, and how it effects their performance under saddle. Your equine physio, saddle fitter, and vet can also learn plenty from applying carrot stretches. [Understanding Horse Performance]

One of the ways you can help your horse recover from a strenuous workout, such as a gallop or jump school, is to apply a liniment, brace or cooling gel to his legs and/or any large muscles that might be sore. This helps promote circulation which, in turn, reduces swelling in tendons, ligaments, muscles and other soft tissues. But there is a right way to apply liniment, and a wrong way. [How to Apply Liniment]

A beautiful tribute by Charlie Mackesy.

Buckingham Palace announced yesterday afternoon that Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully at age 96. We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Her Royal Highness—a fellow equestrian and lover of horses. Perhaps eventers have even more affection for her, as we share our enthusiasm for Three-Day Eventing with Princess Anne as well as Zara Tindall, but all of my favorite photos of her are the ones where she is simply gazing into the eyes of yet another horse with the wonderment and joy of a young girl. The horse girl fever can’t be cured, no matter how young or old, no matter what your position in life might be.

U.S. Weekend Preview

CDCTA Fall H.T. (Berryville, VA): [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer]

Chardon Valley H.T. (Decatur, MI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Five Points H.T. (Raeford, NC): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Fall H.T. (Medford, N): [Website]

GMHA September H.T. & Area I Championships (South Woodstock, VT): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Honestly, we aren’t over Cornelia Dorr’s 5* debut at Burghley with Daytona 8 yet. Her year abroad working with Kevin McNab has certainly proved fruitful, and it’s not over yet. A five-time North American Young Rider Championship medallist, Cornelia worked for Sharon White for 6 years before going out on her own, and ultimately deciding to take her top three horses to England for the year. Daytona hasn’t been the easiest to bring along, but damn, after watching that cross country round, it has to all be worth it. [Ringside Chat with Cornelia Dorr]

After a successful week at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials where Tim Price finished on the podium in third place and Jonelle Price was right behind him in fourth, Team Price have a few days to re-group before heading to Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy for the 2022 World Championships. But before then, it’s time for the Kiwi camp in Wiltshire and time to ‘reload’ says Tim. Check out this video to see what he and his wife plan for the week between the two big events. [Time to Reload]

Kelly Mahloch is intensely aware of the responsibility Sundance Farm has to the eventing community in the Midwest. As one of the few recognized horse trials in a large, geographically- dispersed area, Sundance is tasked with a myriad of important roles that might be shared among several venues in more densely-populated locations. In addition to cross-country schoolings and their recognized event in the fall, Sundance also hosts the annual rally for the Regional Pony Club as well as competitions for the Area IV Young Riders. In 2020, the Area IV Championships were held at the farm and they will be again in 2024. [Catching Up With Sundance Farm]

Best of Blogs: Stranded on the Steppe

Training Tip of the Week: What Being on the Forehand Means to a Horse

Delwyn Ogilvy on Jabberwocky at Avenel Horse Trials way back when. Photo courtesy of Equestrian Memories Australia.

Ah, the olden days of Eventing. Granted, the jumps at the highest levels now are proper frighteners as well, but there is something nostalgic and insane about the designs they came up with in decades past. Take for instance, this “house” which is literally the size of a small home, which riders jumped up on, pitter pattered across, and then popped down in the Advanced at Avenel Horse trials. Fun fact: Delwyn Ogilvy (pictured) is in her sixties and still competing and winning!

U.S. Weekend Preview

CDCTA Fall H.T. (Berryville, VA): [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer]

Chardon Valley H.T. (Decatur, MI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Five Points H.T. (Raeford, NC): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Fall H.T. (Medford, N): [Website]

GMHA September H.T. & Area I Championships (South Woodstock, VT): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Want all the Pratoni news? Head over to our Ultimate Guide to FEI World Championships for Eventing, and be sure to sign up for the #Pratoni2022 Daily Digest email, which will begin delivering to your inbox daily on Tuesday, September 13.

Awesome news about the upcoming Blenheim Horse Trials: it’s free to stream! Blenheim Horse Trials will be providing a free to watch live stream of the 2022 event as part of a new deal between its organisers and RaceTech. RaceTech has been chosen by the Jockey Club, which took over the running of Blenheim from British Eventing in 2021, to provide outside broadcast coverage of the four-star fixture. The full event will be shown on the Blenheim Horse Trials website.

Mark Phillips watched Burghley this past weekend for the first time in 30 years as a regular citizen. He’s been designing the course since 1989, and has created the cross country track we know today as one of the most challenging tests for horse and rider. This year Derek DiGrazia designed a really excellent track, and Mark had some interesting reflections watching the action on Saturday. [Opinion: Is Bigger Sometimes Safer?]

Do you stick your tongue out when you jump or while you’re concentrating on your dressage test? Turns out you’re not alone, in fact you’re in the company of some pretty high achieving riders. According to a 2015 research paper by Comparative Cognitive Neuroscientist Dr. Gillian Forrester, something called ‘motor overflow’ can occur during complex activities involving the use of our hands, causing some of us to stick out our tongues. Forrester and her team studied how a group of four-year-old children did just that while participating in increasingly complex fine motor tasks. The result? Dr. Forrester discovered that not only is there a correlation between fine motor activity and tongue-sticking, but the way in which the children stuck out their tongues—typically, to the right side of their mouths—suggests an evolutionary link could be at work. [Why Riders Stick Their Tongues Out]

Best of Blogs: A Reorganization of Painful Childhood Horse Memories 

WFP trotted up Courouet for Sarah Bullimore, photo courtesy of Fox-Pitt Eventing.

If there is anything you take away from Burghley this week, it’s that size really, really doesn’t matter. Take 15.1 hand Courouet here, with the size reference of William Fox-Pitt. That little horse blew us away in dressage yesterday, but just you wait until cross country. I remember watching him on course this spring at Kentucky and every jump made me smile so hard. He has absolutely no idea that he’s considered an underdog due to his height, and certainly doesn’t consider those jumps a challenge.

Just in case you’re behind the eight-ball on this, all you need to know for the AECs can be found here, and everything Burghley can be found here.

North American Weekend Preview

News From Around the Globe:

Classic Moet just keeps on keepin’ on. At 19 years of age, this machine of a little mare shows no signs of slowing down, which is a testament to both her toughness, and the management team behind Jonelle Price. She may be a little unorthodox, but she’s always a joy to watch on Saturday, and jumps for fun. Horse & Hound interviewed Molly’s groom to find out more about the black mare. [Treasuring Every Moment]

The horse-human connection is one that honestly boggles the mind. In mounted teams, horses, with prey brains, and humans, with predator brains, share largely invisible signals via mutual body language. These signals are received and transmitted through peripheral nerves leading to each party’s spinal cord. Upon arrival in each brain, they are interpreted, and a learned response is generated. It, too, is transmitted through the spinal cord and nerves. This collaborative neural action forms a feedback loop, allowing communication from brain to brain in real time. Such conversations allow horse and human to achieve their immediate goals in athletic performance and everyday life. In a very real sense, each species’ mind is extended beyond its own skin into the mind of another, with physical interaction becoming a kind of neural dance. [Becoming a Centaur]

What happens if your horse’s shoe takes down a pole in show jumping? Now, the shoe in question was not attached to the horse at the time, so does it count? When it comes to horse sports, anything is possible, and Taylor St Jacques knows that well as she and her chestnut mare Jakilly encountered a strange penalty issue in their five-star debut. [Rogue Shoe Can’t Ruin Five-Star Debut]

Speaking of unfortunate mid-course accidents, Nicholas Beshear recently pulled a Toddy at Great Meadow International, finishing the 3* course on Rio de Janeiro with only one stirrup after fence 9. He finished the course with no jumping and no time penalties, finishing 6th individually, and topping the Under 25 Combined Leaderboard. [No Stirrup, No Problem]

📩Inbox (1)

Your invite to enjoy the very best of elite Eventing is here! 🏇

The FEI Eventing World Championships head to Pratoni in just two weeks' time. ⏳

The question is… are you ready?

Tune in live on https://t.co/ZETyrXb88S to find out.👀#ChampionsAsOne #Pratoni2022 pic.twitter.com/ZXe7p8eh9u

— The FEI (@FEI_Global) September 1, 2022

A very special Deer at his retirement ceremony. Photo courtesy of KT Eventing.

This week is just a full-on eventing bonanza, with both the AECs at Rebecca Farm and the return of the big bad Burghley, you could just settle down for four straight days of live-stream action if you didn’t have a job and horses to look after. We’ve got you covered for both events, so don’t worry, you can totally sneak peaks at the action from your work desk or while you’re hacking a horse. All you need to know for the AECs can be found here, and everything Burghley can be found here.

North American Weekend Preview

 Thoroughbred racehorses are known for their silly registered names. I’ve had everything from very cool to absolutely abysmal come through my barn, and if you’re a thoroughbred junkie like me, you’ve seen your fair share of silly ones as well. Sometimes they come with cool barn names, and sometimes they don’t come with anything, and you’re left to be creative. [What’s In A Name?]

Sponsor Shout: Who’s ready for Stable View Oktoberfest?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stable View (@stableviewaiken)

Just a wee table at Great Meadow International. Photo courtesy of Holly Jacks-Smither.

I got the BEST surprise package this week from none other than our own Sally Spickard: a box packed full of horse books. I am an absolute book nerd of the highest degree, and I’ve had to build extra bookshelves in my house just to have locations for them all. Sally sent me autobiographies from several notable riders from different disciplines, a book on stretching your equine athlete, and a certain amazing new book on grid exercises loved by riders from around the nation. I’m so deeply excited to dig into each and every one, I barely have time to actually ride my horses.

U.S. Weekend Preview

MARS Great Meadow International: [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Order of Go] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [Tickets] [Erin Gilmore Photography] [EN’s Coverage]

Shepherd Ranch Pony Club H.T. (Santa Ynez, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Town Hill Farm H.T. (Lakeville, CT): [Website] [Scoring]

Major International Events

Land Rover Blair Castle International H.T. (Pitlochry, UK): [Website] [Schedule] [Timing & Scoring]

Millstreet International H.T. (Cork, Ireland): [Website] [Timing & Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

The return of Burghley CCI5* is on the horizon! If you’re not pumped already, I guarantee that watching Laura Collett walk the cross country course will get your blood pumping. We haven’t seen anybody compete at Burghley since 2019, which seems like an interminably long time to not see horses leap over the leaf pit as we hold our hearts in our mouths. [Laura Collett Walks Burghley]

Have you ever been told to “drive with your seat bones”? I almost guarantee that you have, as it’s one of the most common things we hear in lessons. Jimmy Wofford thinks that this phrase isn’t really worth the time though, and has a different perspective on what the instructor is trying to communicate, and it’s not about your seat bones. [Lost in Translation]

Twenty-three years ain’t nothin’ for Sagacious HF. Heading into the arena for her Intermediaire II ride in the Adequan/USEF Young Adult Brentina Cup Championship on Wednesday morning at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Championsips, Jordan Lockwood needed a little help from her support crew to lead Sagacious HF into the arena. At 23 years old, the gelding is older than his rider but still just as enthusiastic about his job as when he first trotted down centerline in 2004 at first level. Throughout his career, “Kitty” has taken several riders to Grand Prix, most notably Lauren Sammis, who earned individual silver and team gold at the 2007 Pan American Games at the small tour level. [Still Making Dressage Dreams Come True]

Best of Blogs: Leffkowitz Believes in Second Chances

Keepin’ it real. Photo courtesy of Boyd Martin.

There’s a genuinely model-worthy shot that followed the photo above, but I figured it was more fun to post the real one, and not the perfect Instagram photo. Look at old Neville! He is just so bored with all of it, he knows he’s too cool for school. Honestly, Silva and the dressage horse still look fabulous, and Neville and Boyd look very derpy, which is pretty much on point anyway.

U.S. Weekend Preview

MARS Great Meadow International: [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Order of Go] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [Tickets] [Erin Gilmore Photography] [EN’s Coverage]

Shepherd Ranch Pony Club H.T. (Santa Ynez, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Town Hill Farm H.T. (Lakeville, CT): [Website] [Scoring]

Major International Events

Land Rover Blair Castle International H.T. (Pitlochry, UK): [Website] [Schedule] [Timing & Scoring]

Millstreet International H.T. (Cork, Ireland): [Website] [Timing & Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Em Loerzel grew up hearing stories about the Ojibwe horse from her uncle, about small ponies that would roam free near Ojibwe communities tucked among the forests and lakes along the Minnesota-Canada border, and help with tasks such as hauling wood and trap lines. She recently raised money to rescue several of the Ojibwe ponies, and brought them to a farm owned by a friend outside River Falls, where Loerzel moved last year with her husband. And she started a nonprofit called The Humble Horse, to raise awareness about the breed–which is also known as the Lac La Croix pony, and to help revive it. Only about 180 Ojibwe horses remain, mostly in Canada. [Return of the Rare Ojibwa Horse Lifts Spirits]

Every teacher of riding lessons has A Thing that makes them nutsy. Maybe it’s people who want to fly up the levels and do tricks without a solid foundation. Maybe it’s students who talk all the time and don’t listen as well. Maybe it’s students who make the same mistake over and over again. For dressage rider Lauren Sprieser, the thing is students who talk back, who tell her why the thing she’s suggesting to them won’t work, or why they can’t try it. [Let The Yeahbuts Live in the Forest]

Ever been shocked that you need to carry a crop or wear spurs with a former racehorse? At the recent Thoroughbred Logic Clinic, riders addressed horses that ranged from four to twenty years old, hot to sluggish, mares to geldings. The great thing about addressing them throughout a single day was that despite a wide range of differences, clear trends surfaced in how to approach successfully riding each one. This week, we’ll take a look at how to be incremental but effective when in the irons. [Thoroughbred Logic: Incremental but Effective]

For creatures of any species, proper diet and exercise are key to maintaining health and proper body weight and condition. But when a horse isn’t getting regular exercise, the onus falls on diet alone. And, of course, this presents its own set of challenges. A horse might be idle for a variety of reasons. He could be a senior mount who has served his time in work and is enjoying a well-deserved retirement. She could be a young prospect who is getting time to grow and mature before starting in training. Or he could be a mature campaigner with a performance-limiting injury who’s embarked on a new career as an equine babysitter. [How To Feed the Non Working Horse]

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach. Photo by Abby Powell.

Just here today on Sunday to say we are super proud of our fellow EN girl Ema Klugman for kicking butt this weekend as the only finishing member of the Australian Team at the CCIO-4* Nations Cup up in Bromont. Ema and her super cool mare Bronte Beach finished in 5th place with just a few time penalties added to their dressage score. Brains and skills!! Go Ema!

U.S. Weekend Preview

The Event at Archer and Area IX Championships (Cheyenne, WY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Waredaca Farm H.T. (Gaithersburg, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Results]

Sunday Links:

Teaching Horses True Self Carriage & The Importance of Strengthening the Thoracic Sling

From 4* Eventing to Green Incentive Championship Hunters

All About Feeding Horses Alfalfa

Blown Up By Petrol Covered Bonfire, Begins Riding Career

Grazing with a Bridle: The Controversy Continues

Just some more Ema fandom:

Luke 140 is definitely excited to be back in work. Photo courtesy of Boyd Martin.

Remember yesterday when I was gushing about how fun it is to see “retired” upper level horses enjoying a sound and productive second career in their twenties? Yeah. Then at 5am I received a text from my neighbor saying that she had caught two horses loose on the road and returned them to stalls in my barn, and she hoped they were mine. Cue me running outside in my sleepwear to determine who was missing and who was in the barn. I’ll give you ONE GUESS who was the culprit. That’s right. Twenty-one-year-old Nyls, having jumped out of the field in the early pre-dawn hours, somehow convinced one of his buddies to accompany him on an escapade, and was unapologetic about his behavior. I swear he’s gonna be the death of me.

U.S. Weekend Preview

The Event at Archer and Area IX Championships (Cheyenne, WY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Waredaca Farm H.T. (Gaithersburg, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

A paint Cob-Percheron cross might not be the first choice for most dressage riders, but Oreo has a work ethic to beat the band and a heart of gold. Purchased as a three-year-old by her sexagenarian amateur owner Elaine Knowles Cole, her good brain has carried her far. As far as leading the victory gallop at this year’s NAYC by earning a team gold medal with Mary Claire Pillar in the irons. Both of them were debuting at the CDI level as well as their first NAYC, and Oreo’s future looks bright. [An Unexpected Oreo at NAYC]

Grooms have all the best stories from behind-the-scenes. Aside from interesting facts from the barns at big competitions, traveling with upper level horses can sometimes have crazy complications, and ridiculous tales are one of my favorite things. Check out this compilation of stories from the world’s top grooms across disciplines of hilariously weird things that have happened to them at important times. [It shouldn’t Happen To A Groom…But It Did]

“Your horse needs colic surgery.” This is the statement horse owners hope they never hear from their veterinarians. Improvements in recognizing when horses need referral to a surgical facil­ity, more advanced diagnostic capa­bilities, and safer anesthetic protocols developed over the past few decades have improved prognoses for horses undergoing colic surgery. Yet, many owners still perceive colic surgery in a negative light. They might know someone whose horse had colic sur­gery, or people have told them how horses do after it. The outcome in those cases, instead of the facts, can heavily sway decisions to pursue surgery. Let’s look at which common rumors are just myths. [Common Myths About Colic Surgery]

Best of Blogs: Why We Clinic

If there is one thing that we can all agree on, horses probably need to jump less than they do. Between the demands of learning, practice, preparation, and actual horse showing, it can sometimes be a difficult balance to keep the number of jumps to a manageable level. In this article, you’ll learn how poles or small boxes can be used in the place of jumps to help improve your horse’s straightness, balance, form fitness, jump intelligence, and other improvements without the impact of repetition taking off and landing from larger fences. [Mindful Flatting with Ground Poles]

Happy Times! Photo courtesy of Griffiths Eventing Team.

As the owner of a “retired” Advanced horse, I love nothing more than a good story of a successful upper level horse continuing life into their twenties. It’s a true testament to the management of a program when you see that a horse is still sound and happy to compete after many years of working at the highest levels of the sport, and I truly admire the entire team behind Sam Griffiths and Happy Times. At 23 years of age, Happy is still able to compete and win in his second career!

U.S. Weekend Preview

The Event at Archer and Area IX Championships (Cheyenne, WY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Waredaca Farm H.T. (Gaithersburg, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

The US Eventing community continues to mourn the loss of Richard Picken this week. Richard was key in the success of so many of our upper level competitors, as well as lower level riders across the board. He was not only an amazing show jumping coach, but a wonderful, supporting human who will be deeply missed. [In Memoriam: Richard Picken]

Currently, equestrian helmets undergo only a pass/fail certification before they hit the market. That certification, from the American Society for Testing and Materials, indicates whether the helmet will withstand a catastrophic, skull-fracturing impact. ASTM puts each helmet on a wire drop tower, which looks similar to a guillotine, but with a helmet mounted to a head form instead of a blade, which then is dropped onto a steel anvil. If the helmet withstands an impact at a force equivalent to what would cause a skull fracture or death in a real-life situation, it passes. What ASTM testing does not measure is how the helmets perform at lower impact—like that involved in many riding falls. [Helmet Ratings Advance]

Riders returned to Aspen Farms in Yelm, Washington for the final day of the USEA Emerging Athlete (EA21) Regional Clinic with USEA Instructor’s Certification Program Level IV Certified Instructors Rebecca Brown on Tuesday. Coming off of a solid first day focusing primarily on proper flatwork and dressage basics, the twelve young riders took to the outdoor arena for the show jumping portion of the clinic. Brown, who trained under the legendary show jumper, Joe Fargis right out of college, shed some much needed light on what she called “the most difficult portion” of three day eventing. [Cadence, Canter, & Candidness]

Hot on Horse Nation: Just A Few Moments From Team USA’s Podium Finish in Para Dressage

Back to school, but make it equestrian. Photo by Danielle Mauldin.

Alright August, I’m ready to stop waking up at five in the morning in order to have the energy to ride my barn of extremely energetic thoroughbreds. I don’t know how many of you are in Virginia, or have experienced a Virginia summer, but there is something completely and utterly soul sucking about the combination of heat and humidity. If you like sweating for ten hours straight and feeling a sense of panic about dehydration for months on end, I recommend Virginia. It’s beautiful here, but you’ll regret your life choices every summer.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Fair Hill International H.T. (Elkton, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

GMHA Festival of Eventing August H.T. (South Woodstock, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Otter Creek Summer H.T. (Wheeler, WI): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

WindRidge Farm Summer H.T. (Mooresboro, NC): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Major International Events

NAF Five Star Hartpury International H.T. (Gloucestershire, England): [Website] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]

Le Grand Complet International H.T. (Le Pin au Haras, France): [Website] [Timing & Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to compete in a traditional long format Three-Day Event? Can you imagine the thrill of three additional phases leading into cross-country? In the early 2000s, eventing began to shift away from long format events and toward modern short-format competitions. Luckily, the USEA Classic Series competitions preserve eventing’s history and allow riders at the Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels to take on the challenge of traditional long format events. Get some top tips on incorporating a long-format event into your schedule from Dorothy Crowell. [Dorothy Crowell’s Tips on Long-Format Competitions]

We love a good comeback story, and successfully rehabbing from a severed tendon certainly counts. Victoria Gulliksen helped the Norwegian team win the 2019 Longines FEI Nations Cup in Greece with her horse Equine America Papa Roach. On the flight back to Norway, a piece of metal came loose on the plane and severed a tendon on Papi’s back leg. The vets said he was finished, and he would never return to competition. With patience and an incredible rehab however, Papi has returned to the top level. [From Severed Tendon to World Championships]

Trying to go see the Maryland Five Star this year? You’re in luck! Enter this contest now to win a trip for two to the Maryland 5 Star, October 13-16, 2022. One Grand Prize Winner will win an all expenses paid trip including airfare, accommodations, and VIP All Access Passes to the 5 Star! [Practical Horseman Contest]

Making your championship debut by leading the standings isn’t a bad way to start. Dominating proceedings at the top of the leaderboard after two days of competition at the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships in Herning, Denmark, is French rider Julien Epaillard, riding the 10-year-old mare Caracole De La Roque. This fiery mare, whom his rider describes as slightly out of control at times, needs a special routine to manage her quirky nature, but there is no doubting one thing – she has bucketloads of ability and a fierce will to win. [Meet the Show Jumping Championship Leaders]

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tamie Smith (@tsmitheventing)

Rory is home! Tamie shared on Instagram this week that Fleecework’s Royal has finally made her way home from Kentucky to California. We all watched in horror as Rory had a catastrophic freak injury on cross country at the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event this spring, and luckily she was rushed immediately next door to the Hagyard Equine Hospital for emergency surgery, and months of following recovery time. This tough mare had to fight every day to make it this far, and we’re so glad she’s looking happy and healthy.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Fair Hill International H.T. (Elkton, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

GMHA Festival of Eventing August H.T. (South Woodstock, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Otter Creek Summer H.T. (Wheeler, WI): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

WindRidge Farm Summer H.T. (Mooresboro, NC): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Major International Events

NAF Five Star Hartpury International H.T. (Gloucestershire, England): [Website] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]

Le Grand Complet International H.T. (Le Pin au Haras, France): [Website] [Timing & Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

As the cutoff date to qualify for Le Lion inches closer, talented young horses and riders in contention for the The Holekamp/Turner YEH Lion d’Angers Grant are gearing up for the final push in hopes of being selected as the grant recipient. With just under two months until the declaration of the 2022 recipient of the grant, the leaderboard has seen a clear front-runner for a majority of the summer, Galwaybay Blake, an ISH gelding owned by Sherrie Martin, Molly Hoff, and Caroline Martin. Though, a new leader has emerged from the pack– another one of Martin’s rides, King’s Especiale, formerly known as Redfield King, now is the highest ranked YEH horse in contention for the grant, as he won the 2020 Championships on an impressive score of 93.52. [New Leader in the Race to Lion]

I know it’s not eventing, but if you’re not following Pony Finals, you’re missing out on a whole pile of cuteness. In this article, we meet the wisest and cutest ponies of them all. These older, seasoned show ponies have been in the ring for many years, carrying around the next generation of riders, building confidence, and still doing what they do best, even well into their twenties. They are trusted by the whole barn family to carry the young riders in Short Stirrup and itty-bitty jumpers. They are smart, hardy, and kind; the best combination for a children’s mount. With their gentle dispositions and flashy appearances, they continue making a name for themselves, no matter their age. Meet 20 ponies over 20 years old who are qualified to compete at this year’s Pony Finals in Kentucky. [Twenty Over 20]

In 2011 Kristi Wysocki was judging a dressage show, and during a break she wandered over and caught sight of riders competing in the USEF National Para-Dressage Championships. That night she joined the three para judges for dinner and started picking their brains about the sport. Now Wysocki has fallen in love with the sport. She’s the only U.S. Fédération Equestre Internationale five-star para-dressage judge, and she’s about to judge her third major international championship at the Orifarm Healthcare FEI Para-Dressage World Championships. [Kristi Wysocki Is All About The Why]

For your podcast of the day, listen to international eventing star Lucinda Green as she brings her vast experience and knowledge to the first day of a training level clinic session. Her exercises and no-nonsense approach help the riders to succeed in an early spring outing cross country. [Cross-Country at the Training Level]

Mike Pendleton and Steady Eddie. Photo by Abby Powell.

Today we wish a very happy retirement to the indomitable Steady Eddie! Mike reported yesterday that at the ripe age of 19, Eddie is being retired from competition. After a successful career with Boyd Martin, Eddie competed through the 5* level and then turned his capable hooves to the education of Mike Pendleton, who was at the time working for Boyd. Eddie took Mike around his first advanced three years ago, and then gave him 3 starts at the 5* level. In total, Eddie competed in a staggering 41 FEI competitions, with fourteen CCI4*-S, seven CCI4*-L, and eight CCI5* events. Eddie was never meant to win the dressage, but the education he offered was priceless, and we will miss seeing his blaze galloping around cross country!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. (Centralia, WA): [Website] [Volunteer]

Catalpa Corner Charity H.T. (Iowa City, IA): [Website] [Scoring]

Cobblestone Farms H.T. II (Dexter, MI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Early Bird Summer Event at Galway Downs (Temecula, CA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Farm Mini Event (Medford, NJ): [Website]

Hoosier H.T. (Edinburgh, IN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Olney Farm H.T. (Joppa, MD): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

River Glen Summer H.T. (New Market, TN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Spring Gulch H.T. (Littleton, CO): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring]

Major International Events

ECCO FEI World Championships – Herning 2022: [Website] [Schedule & Scoring] [Live Stream]

FEI European Championships for Ponies (Strzegom, Poland): [Website] [Schedule & Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]

News From Around the Globe:

Colleen Loach is having one helluva week, in a good way. Not only was she selected to represent Canada at the World Championships on Vermont, but she has been very successfully dabbling in Grand Prix showjumping this summer with Vermont and FE Golden Eye. This week she won the $50,000 modified Grand Prix at Bromont with Goldie, who was her 2019 Pan American Games partner. Earlier in the day, Goldie also gave a kid’s walk-trot lesson, because he’s the best. [What A Week for Colleen Loach]

Podcast of the day goes to Vet Visit with Zoetis. Dr. Eleanor Green is a trailblazing veterinarian, former dean at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and an advocate for shaping a brighter future for the industry through improved gender and racial diversity. This week, she reflects on her experience as a female veterinary student in the 1970s, the cultural shifts she’s seen since, and key challenges impacting veterinary professionals today, including the ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of animal care and building resiliency in the face of adversity. [Evolution of Veterinary Medicine]

The Worth the Trust Educational Scholarship was established in 2002 in honor of Ms. Joan Iversen Goswell’s horse Worth the Trust. “Trusty” was a full Thoroughbred who went to the highest level of the sport while ridden by Karen O’Connor. Together the pair won the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 1997. “It has been my distinct pleasure to have offered the Worth the Trust Educational Scholarship for Amateur Riders from 2002 through 2021,” stated Goswell. “Regretfully, the scholarship has come to an end this year, 2022. I hope past scholarships have given amateur riders the knowledge and ability to compete successfully and safely. I also wish each and every one of you future amateurs, both young and old, much good luck, and success in your endeavors.” [Worth The Trust Scholarship Retires in 2022]

Best of Blogs: The Benefits of Bonding with Your Horse

Bug is ready for Italy! Photo by Lauren Nicholson.

Well folks, I returned from my great Irish adventure in one piece and had a hell of a time. Even if you’re not going to look at pretty Irish ponies, I highly recommend a summer getaway to the Emerald Isle, even if it’s just for a reprieve from the sweltering summer heat. I enjoyed ten days of delightful 65° with a breeze, and in the 50’s at night. Coming home, however, has been an adjustment that my body is not happy about. Literally walking out of the airport in the afternoon, I immediately regretted my decision to live in Virginia. Electrolyte pills and cold showers are my friends right now.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. (Centralia, WA): [Website] [Volunteer]

Catalpa Corner Charity H.T. (Iowa City, IA): [Website] [Scoring]

Cobblestone Farms H.T. II (Dexter, MI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Early Bird Summer Event at Galway Downs (Temecula, CA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Farm Mini Event (Medford, NJ): [Website]

Hoosier H.T. (Edinburgh, IN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Olney Farm H.T. (Joppa, MD): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

River Glen Summer H.T. (New Market, TN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Spring Gulch H.T. (Littleton, CO): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring]

Major International Events

ECCO FEI World Championships – Herning 2022: [Website] [Schedule & Scoring] [Live Stream]

FEI European Championships for Ponies (Strzegom, Poland): [Website] [Schedule & Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]

News From Around the Globe:

This year’s Mongol Derby winners are USA’s Deidre Griffith and South Africa’s Willemien Jooste. Our own staff writer Gillian Warner was lucky enough to catch up with them after they crossed the finish line. Deirdre and Willemiencrossed the finish line of the 2022 Mongol Derby four days ago as unplanned partners. The two riders hadn’t anticipated riding together, but had unexpectedly met up to ride out to camp on Day 2 of the race, and never turned back. [Conversations at the Mongol Derby Finish Line]

Even though we literally just learned the roster of our team for the World Championships, horses and riders have already arrived in Herning for the beginning of the event on Saturday. This year, the World Championships has a different setup, with dressage, showjumping, para-dressage, and vaulting being held separately from the eventing, and in an entirely different country. The competition in Denmark begins on August 6th and concludes on the 14th. [Herning 2022 World Championships]

Lucinda Green is killing it with the online master classes, and naturally her specialty is cross country. You can sign up for XC Week through her website, and it will reframe how you train cross-country and most importantly make it fun! There are many misconceptions of how we should cross-country school. In this week Lucinda will unpack these and show you that less is more when it comes to developing the crucial trust between you and your cross-country horse. [Lucinda’s XC Week]

Michael Pollard might be the only five-star eventer to say that he’s been “ostrichized”. No, I didn’t misspell ostracized, I mean literal ostriches. How do horses and ostriches coincide? Best listen to this interview on Major League Eventing to find out, plus learn what he’s up to these days since he gave up his professional riding career. [Michael Pollard vs Ostriches]

Big sky country lives up to it’s name! Photo courtesy of Brittany Caroline.

Okay, so I didn’t get to go to Montana this year (it’s still on my bucket list obviously), but I am flying to Ireland today, so I guess that is an acceptable swap. Catch me next weeks gawking at the Cliffs of Moher, galloping Connemara ponies across the beaches, and maybe possibly building a love for Guinness. That last part is….questionable to be honest, I’ve never really understood drinking a loaf of bread.

U.S. Weekend Preview

The Event at Rebecca Farm (Kalispell, MT): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scoring] [Volunteer] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Instagram]

Course Brook Farm Summer H.T. (Sherborn, MA): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Full Moon Farms Aloha H.T. (Finksburg, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Silverwood Farm Summer H.T. (Camp Lake, WI): [Website] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Joan Harper is a committed rider, eventing volunteer, and course decorator that has been in love with horses since she was a child. She started out trail riding for fun before she’d even made it to grade school and was serious about horses by high school. However, while participating in a few unrecognized events, it wasn’t until her 30’s that she was introduced to the sport of eventing when her daughter joined the local Pony Club. From there, she started learning all she could; stating, “I tell people that at 50, I started my second childhood with eventing. [VIP Volunteer: Joan Harper]

Sometimes with weddings, it’s not about the venue or the catering or the dress. Sometimes it’s about the timing, and newlywed dressage riders Katherine Abrams and Molly Ryan can agree on that. So on Saturday, July 16, during the bustle of the Dressage at Lexington horse show, amid a cluster of friends, family and decorations in Barn 2 at the Virginia Horse Center’s stabling, which one passer-by briefly mistook for a stall-decorating contest, the professional trainer and the amateur dressage rider were married in a ceremony officiated by a fellow trainer. The moment was fitting for a couple so dedicated to dressage; the timing of that moment was more solemnly intentional. [Get Me To The Barn On Time: Dressage Riders Wed at Dressage at Lexington]

Best of Blogs: Sea Of Clouds’ Journey and What It Means for Thoroughbreds

A lameness exam can help you decide in the purchase of a horse, but it’s not really a fail/pass scale. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has a beneficial lameness scale used by veterinarians to determine the grade of a horse’s lameness. Veterinarians will begin a lameness exam by watching the horse’s gaits and understanding the horse’s history, including how long the lameness has been going on, breed, workload, age, has the owner medicated the horse, and has that helped, among other factors. Then, the veterinarian will watch the horse at a jog, use hoof testers, and perform palpations, flexion tests, or other diagnostic procedures. [Lameness Exam Video with Dr Evan Becker]

Just a normal weekday afternoon with Momo Laframboise. Photo by Angela Brickenden-Colterjohn.

This time next week, I’ll be hopping off a red-eye to the luscious green landscape of….Ireland! I’ve never been to Ireland, and it has to be the most frequently travelled country for Eventers in general, so I feel like I’m making a pilgrimage of sorts. Some of my local fellow eventing friends and I are heading for a little bit of horse shopping, but also this thing called a “vacation”? I’m not sure what that entails, but I’m excited to find out.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Champagne Run at the Park H.T. (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer [FEH/YEH Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Do you love eventing? Are you comfortable with small, naughty rodents? If you’re also interested in a lot of insanity, you might fit in with our crowd here at EN. We’ve extended the deadline for our 9th Annual Blogger Contest due to popular request, so now you can submit your entry until July 22nd! Trust me, you want to join our weird and fun group of writers. We have wine and snacks. [Enter EN’s 9th Annual Blogger Contest]

Tryon International Equestrian Center is offering a one-day Unrecognized Event and Cross Country schooling for Eventing athletes on the White Oak Course on Sunday, July 31st! Levels start at Tadpole and go up to Preliminary. Entries are open now, and close on Sunday July 24th, so hop on over to their website and get your entry in. [TIEC Unrecognized Event]

A horse person is only as good as all of the tools they store in their tack trunk! Let’s face it, as eventers we never know what we might need and when we might need it, so having everything prepared for whatever life might throw at us each day is essential. Needing some help deciding what items to stock up on as you prep for the rest of your 2022 show season? USEA members shared their favorite go-to items that they can’t live without in their tack trunk to help inspire you for things you might need to snag the next time you are at the tack store. [11 Tack Trunk Essentials]

Best of Blogs: Always Moving Forward

Dressage changes can be the bane of an upper level horse’s existence, sometimes even through the highest levels they continue to struggle with them. However, other disciplines are easily doing multiples, and much earlier than we teach them in eventing. Are we missing something? Read this to learn some tips about how to better train the flying changes on your anticipatory horse. [Flying Changes Top Tips]

What is even going on here?! Photo by Jade Barker.

One of my favorite mindless activities is to scroll through Sh*tEventersUnite on Facebook, which is where I found the gem of a photo above. There are some photos where you just wonder, what exactly is the story here? How did this happen?? Did the girl fall off the bay and then immediately hop up to catch her friend falling off the grey? That’s truly content creation at it’s finest, and I guarantee you she was thinking, “Dang, I’m gonna post this on SEU for sure”.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Champagne Run at the Park H.T. (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer [FEH/YEH Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Do you love eventing? Are you comfortable with small, naughty rodents? If you’re also interested in a lot of insanity, you might fit in with our crowd here at EN. We’ve extended the deadline for our 9th Annual Blogger Contest due to popular request, so now you can submit your entry until July 22nd! Trust me, you want to join our weird and fun group of writers. We have wine and snacks. [Enter EN’s 9th Annual Blogger Contest]

“The clinic was truly magical experience for all of us,” said amateur eventer Tiffany Morey. Morey was the winner of Practical Horseman’s Buck Davidson Win A Day Clinic contest sponsored by ADM Animal Nutrition. She and nine friends had an “unforgettable day” at Flora Lea Farm in Medford, New Jersey. There the members of Southern New Jersey’s Pineland Riders Pony Club enjoyed a day of private training with leaderboard topping five-star eventer, Buck Davidson. Pick up some top tips from the man himself here. [12 Training Tips from Buck Davidson]

Horse Nation blogger Amanda Ronan is a professional rabbit hole girl. By that I mean, she does a lot of digging into the weird and wonderful niche worlds of equestrian culture. This time, she’s fallen down the hole of circus horses, and discovered a whole bunch of strange facts. [Circus Horses: The Outtakes]

I tell all my students that when riding in the summer, make your choices carefully. In Virginia it’s tooooo hot sometimes, and it’s not healthy for horse or human. Riding early in the morning is best, but afternoon shade is okay too. Choosing the length of your ride, the frequency of walk breaks, and maybe opting for a hack in the woods versus boiling in the hot arena, are all important considerations. [When Is It Too Hot to Ride?]

This child is living my dream:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Britt Sabbah (@brittsabbah)

Snoot! Photo by Kate Samuels.

Ah summer, the days of waking up when it’s dark outside just so you can try to ride all the horses before you boil alive. Virginia has been so spoiled this year with pleasant weather, but now it’s July and the jig is up. When I feel the need to take a cold midday shower just to regulate my body temperature, you know things are bad. When I was in my twenties, I would dunk my head in a bucket of cold water between rides to avoid heat stroke, but then I realized I was ruining my helmets, so now I take a lunch break and take a cold shower. Highly recommend.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Arrowhead H.T. (Billings, MT): [Website] [Volunteer]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Hunt H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

The Maryland International + H.T. (Adamstown, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Round Top H.T. (Castle Rock, CO): [Scores]

Summer Coconino H.T. (Flagstaff, AZ): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

FEI Nations Cup of Eventing CCIO4*-S (Avenches, Switzerland): [Website] [Schedule] [CCIO4* Leaderboard] [Live Stream]

Keyflow Feeds Barbury Castle International CCI4*-S (Marlborough, England): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Live Stream]

News From Around the Globe:

In 2020, a group of photographers came together to create the Equestrians of Color Photography Project, a weekly blog that promotes inclusion and amplifies the voices of equestrians of color ready to openly share their story with the community. This week you get to meet Quinnton Alston, Brittany Hazzard, and Lara Rahman, each from different realms of the equestrian world and telling their stories. [Equestrians of Color]

Are you an excellent equine vet looking for a grant? The Coyote Rock Ranch Scholarship awards top veterinary school students with a dedication to equine medicine for their academic excellence, leadership in their school and chapter, and their long-term goals. Penelope Knight, an avid horsewoman and strong advocate of horse health, created the Coyote Rock Ranch Veterinary Scholarships in 2015. Three scholarships of $75,000 are awarded each year, so apply now! [Coyote Rock Ranch Scholarship]

Speaking of vets, please be extra kind to yours. Whether equine or small animal, there is a real shortage of vets everywhere. When COVID hit, there was a surge in appointments, and the virus precautions made everything more difficult and time consuming. Vets are exhausted, and they already have an incredibly strenuous job, both physical and mental. [The Great Vet Shortage]

As costs of horse ownership rise, owners are faced with some tough budgeting decisions. Owners have been urged not to cut corners in essential horse care as the cost of living crisis “starts to bite”. Concerns continue around rising costs, but industry experts have warned that with horses, prevention is “better than cure” and veterinary treatment, hoof care and saddle fittings should not be scrimped on to save money. And please, don’t be mad at your barn manager for raising boarding costs as our hay prices go through the roof. [Budgeting with Horses in 2022]

Best of Blogs: Permission to be Proud: A Step in My Battle with Imposter Syndrome

Sponsor Corner:

Zoetis Equine is celebrating hardworking vets! Nominate a vet to recognize their efforts:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zoetis Equine (@zoetisequine)

A little behind-the-scenes of the thought and work that goes into course building:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cathy Wieschhoff (@cathywieschhoff)

Sometimes it’s so hot in Virginia what you need is to ride your horse bareback in the river. Photo by Kate Samuels.

I’m stealing a quote I found from Isaac Johnson here today as a little inspiration for you today:

“The #1 rule around here is ‘Have fun’. I have always believed that no growth happens in the comfort zone. It is very important to push yourself, set goals, sacrifice, and work harder than you think possible. But… It is really easy to take ourselves too serious, hold ourselves to an unrealistic standard, set goals and expect to achieve them right away, and get frustrated and discouraged because we want to be better.”

U.S. Weekend Preview

Arrowhead H.T. (Billings, MT): [Website] [Volunteer]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Hunt H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

The Maryland International + H.T. (Adamstown, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Round Top H.T. (Castle Rock, CO): [Scores]

Summer Coconino H.T. (Flagstaff, AZ): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

FEI Nations Cup of Eventing CCIO4*-S (Avenches, Switzerland): [Website] [Live Stream]

Keyflow Feeds Barbury Castle International CCI4*-S (Marlborough, England): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Live Stream]

News From Around the Globe:

If you want to start a heated discussion among equine enthusiasts, ask the best way to cool a horse after exercise. Chances are, most will agree that actively cooling the horse with cold water is the best place to start. After that, though, the conversation may rapidly devolve when you ask whether to leave the water on the horse or scrape it off? Spoiler alert: put down the scraper. [Thermoregulation: What’s the Best Method?]

Mustangs are becoming more and more common in the eventing world, as people realize what amazing little horses they can be. It makes perfect sense that a rider would want to partner up with a wild mustang for eventing—big risk, big reward! But more importantly, big heart. If you’ve ever gentled a mustang, you know that trust is a key ingredient to success. It’s easy for our domesticated horse handling experience to rely on our tools—halters, lead ropes, trailer dividers, ramps, hay bags, the list goes on when we bring home our new steed—but mustangs have no use for these things at first. Our familiar tools are a foreign language, so we must learn to communicate differently and reach for our roots. Mustangs ask you all of their questions up front, and if you answer with the correct recipe of horsemanship, trust and respect, they can lend a fresh perspective on all three phases of eventing and teach us something about ourselves as riders and handlers. [Mustangs in Eventing]

Think you know everything about that bloke Boyd and his amazing wife Silva? Think again. Go inside their farm, their barns, and learn about a day in their lives with this neat article from Equestrian Living. [Boyd & Silva]

There are so many things to love about a classic long format event: the way the conditioning and preparation strengthens your bond with your horse, the educational opportunities to enhance your skills as a rider, and, of course, the steeplechase. There are eight Classic Series events taking place across the U.S. in the 2022 season and they are a great goal for many horse and rider pairs to work towards. Featuring the traditional long-format phases of roads and tracks and steeplechase in addition to the three regular phases of a horse trial, a long format event puts partnerships to the ultimate test. For riders who have already ticked off completing a long-format event from their bucket list, looking back on the thrill of steeplechase before heading out on cross-country often comes with fond memories. Check out what these USEA riders had to say about their favorite steeplechase moments! [Riders Share Memories of Steeplechase]

Lea Siegl’s DSP Fighting Line. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Happy Friday! Tomorrow is my life partner’s birthday, and he turns 21. Of course I am talking about Nyls du Terroir, my first Advanced horse and the most impeccable steed that has ever existed. I’m off to purchase some Guinness for him, and I’m 100% making him a customized carrot cake and doing a photoshoot just for the Instagram likes. So, stay tuned.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Twin Rivers Summer H.T. (Paso Robles, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Summer Coconino H.T. I (Flagstaff, AZ): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Essex H.T. (Far Hills, NJ): [Website] [Ride Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

CHIO Aachen: [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Leaderboard] [Eventing Main Page] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

News From Around the Globe:

In 2015, Lauren Balcomb had a successful eventing career in her native Australia, but like so many others, decided to cross the globe and settle down in the US. She grew up down the road from Boyd Martin, and continued her eventing education with him once she was here, but quickly met Australian show jumper Sharn Wordley, and began to change her focus onto show jumping. This week, she won her first FEI Grand Prix aboard her own and Sharn’s Verdini d’Houtveld Z in the $140,000 Lugano Diamonds FEI CSI3* Grand Prix at the World Equestrian Center. [From Eventer to Show Jumper and Around the World]

Independence Day is here. Many of us enjoy the 4^th of July with picnics, parades, time with family and friends, and – of course – fireworks. Although we may relish in the festivities, our equine pals may not be quite as thrilled with our revelries as we. The loud noises and disturbances caused by the fireworks, parades and other celebrations can upset our horses and lead to injuries, runaways and other problems that, frankly, most of us can do without. With that in mind, here are 10 ways you can ensure your horses are safe and as comfortable as possible during the upcoming holiday. [10 Ways to Keep Your Horses Safe for July 4th]

Horse shows can be truly mystifying to the metropolitan journalist, as expressed by their often convoluted coverage. While I won’t name exactly which publication has fallen victim to this teachable moment *cough*, I will say that as an athlete Mary-Kate Olsen deserves better sports recognition. The thing is we would love for more mainstream media to cover equestrian events, so this isn’t an attempt to dissuade journalists from making valiant efforts to grasp our niche sport. We just want you to sound informed doing it. (Because horse people notice.) [A Guide to Covering Horse Sport for Regular Journalists]

Best of Blogs: Pressure Proof with Daniel Stewart — The Quickie Plan

All the post-cross-country feels. Photo by JJ Sillman.

In my continued effort to understand the equine experience, I’ve purchased myself a veritable library of books on physical therapy, massage, myofascial release, and acupressure amongst others. I’m a nerd, and I love learning random new skills, and I’ve been applying some of what I’ve learned to each of the horses that I interact with every day, and it’s really made a huge difference for all of them. Just knowing how to read reactions and pain responses as I slide my hands over their bodies is amazing, and I highly recommend having your body worker teach you a few moves. Your horse will thank you!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Twin Rivers Summer H.T. (Paso Robles, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Summer Coconino H.T. I (Flagstaff, AZ): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Essex H.T. (Far Hills, NJ): [Website] [Ride Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

CHIO Aachen: [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Eventing Main Page] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

News From Around the Globe:

McLain Ward and Contagious took their first win of the week at CHIO Aachen and one of the first individual victories at the iconic venue for Ward, besting a class of 56 entries for a competitive win. The duo stopped the timers as the third fastest combination in the first round and ultimately secured victory after finishing the second round in 41.41 seconds. “Contagious was fantastic. This is a class that everyone in the sport dreams of winning and for us, Aachen is the biggest competition in the world, and the one that means the most to the rider. The Rolex Grand Prix, the Nations Cup, and the Prize of Europe are the main events here and it’s very important and such an honor to win one of those classes,” said Ward. [McLain Ward Wins Aachen]

Amateur eventer Amy Dobbins didn’t really expect her college project pony, Oliver Twist, to re-enter her life years after selling him, let alone watch last month as he helped cinch a U.S. Eventing Association Intercollegiate National Championship. Now 17, “Ollie” has brought multiple young riders across the country through the eventing and show jumping rings, moving from Georgia to Arizona to California before returning to Dobbins at the end of 2020. [Pony Boomerang Wins Championship]

Imagine: you are at the biggest sporting event of your life. The stakes are high, and you have spent countless hours preparing for it. However, you are expected to just show up and immediately perform. You cannot stretch or take a practice swing. You have no time to loosen up or sharpen your eye. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Just like us, our horses need adequate time to warm up each day. A warmup is any preparation for work, and it is often the leading edge of that work. It is the small aid response that becomes the more advanced aid response. [A Case for Warming Up with Kyle Carter]

Best of Blogs: Hard Work Isn’t Enough to Show Successfully — It’s About Privilege 

Heel problems are common hoof issues in horses, with some estimates attributing more than one-third of all chronic lameness to the heel (caudal) region. The condition owners might be most familiar with is the low heel, which also happens to be one of the most difficult heel problems to manage. Scott Morrison, DVM, partner and head of the podiatry center at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, in Lexington, Kentucky, described the issues low heels can cause and the mechanical tools farriers and veterinarians can use to address them. [Managing Low Heels in Performance Horses]

Sponsor Corner:

Check out this heck of a save from Area III Championships at Stable View’s summer event last weekend:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stable View (@stableviewaiken)