If you’re one of the many equestrians who watch the Super Bowl expressly so you can eat junk food and watch the annual masterpiece that is the cinematic Budweiser Clydesdale commercial, I have a bit of bad news this year: there is no Budweiser Clydesdale commercial.

For some of us (such as myself) this is kind of good news, because I usually have to excuse myself from the room so I can dab at my eyes in private. (The draft horses, man! They just GET me!)

For most of us, however, this is kind of a rip. Budweiser did attempt to mollify what it probably foresaw as a wave of public outcry, however, and released this Internet spot, featuring a noble Clyde thundering all over the country like some sort of harbinger of beer:

Well, it’s better than nothing. (This ad will also run on TV on the days after the game.)

Budweiser has also promised that it will again be hosting its Clydesdale Super Bowl party, so you can keep an eye out for a quick spot during the game’s many commercial breaks that will let you know where you can watch the big horses on live cam just being horses. (Or, you know, you can go outside and look at your own horses. That works too.)

Until 2019, when we hope that the Clydesdales will be back for some Super Bowl tear-jerker action, here are the best big-game commercials from the past few years. Enjoy!

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009 (bonus: there were two this year!)

2010

2011 wasn’t very Clydesdale-y, so we skipped it… moving on to 2012:

2013

2014

2015

Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section!

As seen on …

In a hunter-jumper world that could desperately do with a laugh and a little light-hearted fun right about now, the German Riding Instructor — that is, Ronny Reimer of RCR Equestrian — is here to help.

His selfie videos “live from Ockla, Tyron and Weglington” point out the funnier things about that strange circus that is the winter showing circuit. Here are a few of our favorites.

Follow The German Riding Instructor and never miss a video.

Go Jumping!

A video is rapidly circulating on social media, boiling down a complex scientific achievement into just a few seconds for public consumption:

The science

Kheiron Biotech, based in Argentina, first made international equestrian headlines as a cloning headquarters, successfully cloning some of living polo legend Adolfo Cambioso’s greatest mounts. In fact, Cambioso rode a string of six clones of one of his favorite mares to help propel his team to a win in the Argentinian Open.

Clones are genetic copies of the original, which can provide some advantages to breeders and owners but do not genetically further a breed. Some clones are used as breeding stock, especially if the original horse is unable to breed (for example, if the original horse is a gelding). Others are trained for competition, with one theory being that a clone could feasibly be better than the original with a carefully-regimented training schedule to set the horse up with all available advantages. Clones are not recognized by some breed associations or registries, but the FEI does allow them to compete.

Kheiron Biotech has now pushed the envelope even further, revealing late in 2017 that the lab was able to not only clone but to genetically enhance the genomes of a clone: using a process referred to as Crispr (Clustered Regularly Inter-Spaced Palindromic Repeats) the research team can boost a gene sequence critical to muscle development, endurance and speed. The team was able to produce healthy embryos with this process, and there are plans to implant embryos into surrogate mares within the next two years.

The reaction

The research team believes that this process helps to speed up breeding — selected traits could be enhanced in the lab rather than over generations and generations of breeding with uncertain results. There are also plans to use the Crispr mechanism to edit other genes, with the possibility of eliminating genetic defects.

It’s a bit disingenuous to say “these horses will be allowed to compete in the Olympics.” The FEI has stated that as of right now there are no bans in place to bar genetically engineered horses from competition — simply because it hasn’t happened yet. The organization, however, does plan to continue to monitor these developments.

While the concept of being able to remove genetic defects and hereditary disease, speeding up efforts by breeders, certainly sounds appealing, the concept of “playing God” has been an ethical debate for years ever since Dolly the sheep, the first live cloned animal, popped onto the scene. As science continues to push the boundaries of what we believe is possible, the debate is sure to rage on.

Weigh in, Eventing Nation — what are your thoughts on genetic engineering in horses? Let us know in the comments — and go riding.

[Genetically engineered ‘super-horses’ to be born in 2019 and could soon compete in Olympics]

Photo by Kristen Kovatch.

A recent Facebook posting from Yates Equine Veterinary Services has been going viral around equestrian social media concerning what temperatures could be considered too cold to work a horse. The post has sparked plenty of lively discussion, with plenty of equestrians on both sides of the issue cherry-picking a few key facts to back up their own theories. We’ll establish the facts, combined with common sense, to help readers decide for themselves in the middle of the United States’ intense cold snap (not to mention this coming “bomb cyclone,” whatever on earth that might be…).

The post that launched a thousand comments:

Thanks, Dr. Yates, for digging into the research!

The tl;dr version in bullet facts:

• The horse’s respiratory tract is designed to warm and humidify air by the time air reaches his lungs. Intense exercise (anything more than a walk) speeds up and deepens breaths so that air is not as warm or humid when it reaches the lungs
• Scientists discovered in three studies that respiratory tracts in horses can become damaged by breathing cold air (23 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Damage to lower respiratory tracts was found 48 hours after exercise, including elevated white blood cell counts and inflammatory proteins as well as narrowing of the tracts
• While full text was not available for two of the three studies, the third study was performed on nine horses on a treadmill in a climate-controlled facility. No further information is given on the horses
• Dr. Yates observes that there are no studies done in natural environments (outside) and no studies done in relation to horses’ acclimatization — are horses who live outside in cold environments better acclimated to working in cold temperatures?

Dr. Yates’ conclusion is that she will likely avoid exercise (trotting, cantering and jumping) when temperatures are under 20 degrees F.

Interpreting the results

Some riders are taking these studies as evidence that all riding should cease when temperatures are below 25-20 degrees F, while others are reading this post as justification to just bundle up and keep on training. As with lots of discussions in the horse world, the best path may lie somewhere in the middle — and with the unknown factor of how acclimatization might affect a horse’s ability to work in the cold, common sense should continue to dictate the ride.

Here are a few considerations when deciding to ride in the cold:

How is your footing? Frozen hard-packed bare ground at 25 degrees is a far different riding surface from a snow-covered pasture at 25 degrees. No matter how warm it is, icy conditions should be a no-go for any rider.

Where does your horse live? Again, while acclimatization did not come into play with the above referenced studies, I believe you can make a case that a horse coming from a heated barn to a cold outdoor arena would likely have a harder time both breathing cold air and physically/mentally settling in to work, while a horse living out 24/7 working in the same environment should feasibly be more likely to be ready to go.

What’s your horse’s level of fitness? Going hand-in-hand with considerations of acclimatization, cold weather is not a good time to decide to bring a horse back into work if he’s going to be breathing that cold air into his out-of-shape body as you make him trot and canter. It may take some creative management to exercise a fit horse in extreme cold; hand walking and ground work are good strategies that will protect his respiratory system while keeping him mentally and physically engaged, especially if he’s not the sort of horse who can go out for a snowy trail ride around the property.

Take your time in warm-up. Regardless of your horse’s acclimatization, both his muscles and his respiratory tract need plenty of time to warm up in this weather. The golden rule from multiple sources seems to be a 10-15 minute walking warm-up if you’re planning a regular work in colder weather. If it’s under 20-23 degrees, it’s advisable to walk only to avoid damaging your horse’s respiratory tract.

Cooling down is equally vital. Even if your horse is clipped to allow him to work without sweating up a long, shaggy coat, an appropriate cool-down is essential. For unclipped horses who have worked up a sweat, cool-down is critical to allow the horse’s coat to dry before it freezes, giving the horse a chill.

Discretion is the better part of valor. Seriously, very few of us are in true life-or-death scenarios where we MUST work a horse hard in extreme cold. (And those of us who are — I’m thinking of ranchers with livestock to tend — may have horses who are acclimated to working in the cold and therefore may not be as prone to respiratory damage — again, we’ll need another study to look into this). While it’s frustrating in the immediate moment to be “grounded” due to weather, in the long run our horses and we ourselves may ultimately be happier and healthier if we skip a training ride and instead slow things down for this period of intense cold.

Take a look at your own conditions, your horse and your weather forecast to make decisions in your riding life. And if you can — go riding!

Further reading

SmartPak: Ask the Vet: Too Cold to Ride?

Certified Horsemanship Association: Exercising Your Horse During Winter

Study: “Cold air-induced late-phase bronchoconstriction in horses” (subscription needed for full article)

Study: “Influx of neutrophils and persistence of cytokine expression in airways of horses after performing exercise while breathing cold air” (subscription needed for full article)

Tweaking lyrics is a time-honored tradition at Horse Nation — every December we love to re-release our re-imagined Christmas carols so we can all sing about our equestrian problems in the holiday season, for example.

This song, performed by Tom White O’Connor, however, might just take the cake. Accompanied by a video by Joseph Newcomb, Tom croons away about the perils of falling in love with an equestrian. And not just any equestrian — a dressage girl.

Without further ado:

The lyrics, if you’d like to sing along again:

Dressage girls are easy to love, they’re just hard to afford
They ride big fancy horses that cost more than most Porsches, I’m sure
Saddles and bridles and vet bills and clinics
You say “darlin’ we just can’t go on”
Then she rolls those brown eyes and your heart nearly dies
It’s time for a new credit card.

Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls
Don’t let ’em ride warmbloods that cost way too much
Let ’em play softball and soccer and such
Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls
You’ll lose ’em for sure, for dressage there’s no cure
You’ll be left mucking their stall.

(So good. Oh, but wait, the second verse gets better. Way better.)

Dressage girls ride horses in shows like you’ve never seen
They ride sideways and backwards and all alphabetically
There’re no cattle or ropin’, barrels or whoopin’
The crowd’s quiet like a Sunday church hall
You’ll be proud just to see her, even if you can’t figure what the hell she’s a doin’ out there.

(BRB DYING.)

Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls
Don’t let ’em ride warmbloods that cost way too much
Let ’em play softball and soccer and such
Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls
You’ll lose ’em for sure, for dressage there’s no cure
You’ll be left mucking their stall.

Truer words have never been sung. (“They ride sideways and backwards and all alphabetically” — GENIUS.) We’re officially adding this one to our Horse Nation playlist.

Go riding!

Photo via Trailers of the East Coast/Flickr/CC.

The “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century,” or MAP-21 bill, was enacted in 2012 by Congress with ongoing implementation for the next few years. Of most concern for livestock haulers and horse owners is the phasing in of a requirement for commercial motor vehicles to install and use an electronic logging device, or ELD.

The purpose of an ELD is to log the hours of driving time performed by a driver: Legally, a driver can only be on the road for 11 hours in a 14-hour stretch before they are required to take a mandatory 10-hour rest period. The ELD records drive time and alerts the driver when he or she is over their hours; any infractions are recorded by the ELD and can be viewed during inspection. Drivers found to be in violation during inspection or traffic stop can be fined.

Currently, we’re in the “awareness and transition phase” as described by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) — commercial drivers are not currently required to have an ELD but are encouraged to start the transition now from paper log books, logging software and automatic on-board recording devices. The next stage, phasing in the ELD, begins on December 18, 2017.

While we typically picture tractor-trailers when we mentally envision a commercial driver or commercial motor vehicle (CMV), the reality is that CMVs can come in many shapes and sizes, and these rules and requirements apply to all of them.

What is considered a commercial motor vehicle?

The full legal description of commercial motor vehicles can be found here. The commercial motor vehicle definition as would apply to horse owners can include a truck and trailer with a total gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,000 pounds, as well as a truck and trailer that have been written off as business expenses or are used for business — if you’re a professional trainer and your rig is part of your business, it’s considered a commercial vehicle. Even if your vehicle does not actually require a commercial driver’s license (CDL) but is part of your business, it can be considered a commercial vehicle. If you haul horses for compensation, your truck and trailer are considered commercial vehicles.

If you’re a sponsored rider, you are considered a professional and your truck and trailer are also considered commercial.

Essentially, if your truck and trailer is used for profit or for business purposes, it’s considered a CMV and all of the CMV rules apply, as they always have. You need a Department of Transportation (DOT) number, and some states may require a state number as well.

Exemptions

A full list of exemptions can be found here. The most key exemption for horse owners reads: “Unless otherwise specifically provided, the rules in [Subchapter B, including the definition of a CMV] do not apply to the occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation and not in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise.”

In explanation, amateur owners/non-pros are exempt from the commercial vehicle status if they’re hauling for recreational purposes: you can still load up your horses and go trail riding, and you can still haul your horse to go show for fun as long as you are not deducting your expenses for tax purposes for a business and counting any prize monies as ordinary income (not business income). Essentially, for the recreational horse owner, there’s no need to worry about installing an ELD as hauling is not considered commercial.

Agricultural exemptions also apply to CMVs: the full list of agricultural exemptions can be found here. For transporting horses under the agricultural exemption, you may travel within a 150-mile radius from the source of your commodity without requiring an ELD — in this case, let’s assume your load of horses from your home barn. You may also travel outside of that 150-mile radius no more than eight days every 30 days with the use of a paper log (no need to use an ELD).

Clear as mud, right?

The upcoming ELD requirement starting on December 18, 2017 will definitely impact professional horsemen and horsewomen who spend a lot of time and miles on the road; individuals who are already following rules and regulations for CMVs will likely not have to modify their individual practices. The changes coming in December are increasing the potential for these rules to be enforced more strongly.

More information can be found at the FMCSA website.

All photos courtesy of Equestrians Against Normalcy.

First there was Apples to Apples.

The premise of the game is simple: a group card game, everyone holds a hand of “thing” cards — objects, concepts, proper nouns, etc. The active player in each round draws a “description” card — say, “delicate” or “furry” — and players play the “thing” card in their hand that they feel best (or most hilariously) matches the description. The active player chooses their favorite, and the player who played the winning selection gets a point. This was THE game for many years at gathering and parties.

Then there was Cards Against Humanity: the party game for horrible people.

Same concept, but with a much darker, more cynical, twisted and sometimes downright cringe-y feel. I was coaching a college riding team when CAH first became popular, so needless to say the now-iconic black and white decks made an appearance at basically every away horse show or long-distance competition. Cards Against Humanity launched a hundred spoofs, including a couple of much-loved iterations right here on Horse Nation: check out our first collection and our second collection.

Now, horse-loving ladies and gentlemen, the time has come: introducing Equestrians Against Normalcy, a card game created by an equestrian for equestrians. Viral posts have been circulating early this week featuring Equestrians Against Normalcy, which is in the final stages of development with hopes to be available on the market just in time for the holiday season.

We caught up with game creator Victoria Morrow, a full-time professional horsewoman, to learn more about the game. She’s exactly the kind of sharp, witty individual that you’d expect to find at the helm of a game celebrating the weirder things about horse life — she walks the walk of the equestrian world, finding time to sit down and answer our questions between teaching lessons and thawing frozen water buckets. In short, she’s our kind of girl.

HN: Naturally, we have to ask: how did you come up with the idea for Equestrians Against Normalcy?

VM: Playing card games and board games with regular friends and horse friends has always been a pastime for me — especially when we have been gone to longer horse shows. One of the easiest games to travel with have been card games where you play one card to go with another; over the years quite a few have come and gone. Two of the more popular ones right now are Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity. It was the mechanics of those games that made me think it would be a blast if there was one that was geared towards horse people, and adult horse people especially.

There are some horse-themed games out there, but they are all geared towards kids. This all started to come about last winter while I was laid up from the latest in surgeries from a riding accident years ago. I had a lot of spare time on my hands and can’t stand to sit idle. So I decided that I wanted to make something that would be fun for adult riders to be able to play with each other. At the same time there is nothing in it that is offensive, so it is something that the teen riders could also play.

HN: Who are the masterminds behind the game? Who makes up your team?

VM: Team? That would be great, but it’s just me. I run a stable and offer boarding, training, and lessons.

Horses have been part of my life as long as I can remember. My father grew up on the race track riding horses for his father who was a flat race trainer and was a steeplechase jockey. He started me riding and showing when I was three and later got me into eventing which lead to me being able to compete in the US and Canada and eventually start my own business. I have been very fortunate to have him there for me.

My husband Steve has been kind enough to get the website up and running, and the email working. Luckily he is good with computers as the only thing I use them for is shopping for horses and tack!

HN: There’s certainly a parallel between this game and Cards Against Humanity — did you need to do any special licensing to imitate the original?

VM: I love playing CAH with my friends. And while Equestrians Against Normalcy and CAH have the same game play mechanics of using one card to finish another as do many others, that is pretty much it. EAN was designed specifically for the adult equestrian. All of the cards are equestrian themed and can be safely played in public so that you can play at the shows and stables — trainers can play with their clients.I love CAH but definitely would not play it with my clients or at shows.

Game mechanics are not something that you need special licensing to use — in fact it is one of the things that anyone can use, which is why there are so many games out there using the same ones. EAN definitely is its own stand alone game and we wouldn’t want anyone to confuse it with any other games. We tried to make sure our packaging was not the same as others down to the font.

HN: What is the process like for developing and producing a game?

VM: A lot of work! I couldn’t even tell you the hours that went into just what went on each card. Coming up with unique things for over 500 cards was more work than you would think!

I did have to beg the assistance of a friend of my husband’s for the help type setting the cards. It turns out no matter how much you yell at the computer and computer program it doesn’t help. I also now have a new appreciation of graphic designers and their ability to use Illustrator. It took awhile but I did manage to design the boxes and get the prototypes made.

But before we even had the prototype cards made up we made a basic one at home to play with different horse groups to see if it was as much fun as we hoped it would be, and it was. After the prototypes were printed, that was when we started to send them out to other people to play. Since this is a side business that we are doing, it is taking longer to get to production for sale than it would have if I wasn’t trying to do it between working horses, teaching and running a stable.

HN: There aren’t a lot of games that exist specifically for “horse people” — there are games for horse-loving kids, but I can’t think of any equestrian-specific games off the top of my head. What are your thoughts on this niche market?

VM: I think people definitely have a desire to have a game geared towards the adult rider. Especially after seeing the reaction to our Facebook page! There are so many things out there geared towards riders and their horses, but not things for them to have fun together with. We spend so much money on making sure our horses are happy and have fun in their stalls and paddocks. It is about time we got something too.

HN: What’s next? Where will people be able to purchase a copy?

VM: The biggest thing is getting EAN ready for sale to the public. We are trying really hard to have EAN available for purchase online at the very start of December so that people can have it for the holidays. As soon as it is available we will be posting links to the online purchasing area on our Facebook page Equestrians Against Normalcy and on our website http://equestriansagainstnormalcy.com.

Since it is such a small company — just me with the assistance of my husband — we’re partnering with a company that specializes in card games. Since the decks will be printed on demand, there’s no fear they’ll run out. And their turnaround time for producing and shipping has been fantastic. Plus they ship worldwide so anyone can order!

If the game does well we would love to be able to provide tack stores with them as they have inquired about the game, and to develop different decks for different riding disciplines and breeds. We definitely will keep everyone posted via the Facebook page and website about the game’s availability!

Update 11/14: Equestrians Against Normalcy is now available for purchase! Visit https://www.thegamecrafter.com/designers/equestrians-against-normalcy to order a copy.

We’ll have a sneak peek and game review of Equestrians Against Normalcy coming soon! Keep it locked on Horse Nation and the EAN Facebook page/website for updates about the game. Go riding!

So rustic! So homey! All photos by Kristen Kovatch.

Here’s the funny thing: I don’t even watch a lot of HGTV. Truth be told, we don’t have cable at home — we’re a modern couple, and we went the way of the Roku a long time ago. There are, however, a few times a year that I find myself perhaps in a hotel for the night, visiting family at home or otherwise somehow able to access a television to while away a few hours… and somehow, every time, HGTV seems to be on.

Whether you’re watching House Hunters or Fixer Upper or one of the myriad other “dream home” series that give you the perfect arc of action in an hour or less, there are a few things that I’ve noticed make for the perfect home — whether they’re features already part of the place, or a DIY project you choose to add yourself. And I’ve also noticed that my barn possesses all of them already. Step aside, HGTV. We got this.

1. An open floor plan

This space just really flows, you know what I mean? Visual cues help separate the cross-tie area from tool storage, but at a moment’s notice we could open up the goat pens and use that space for additional wash stalls. That’s what’s so fun and flexible about this space — we’re really making the most of one room.

2. Dramatic lighting

We just redid the lighting in the barn’s center aisle so I’m actually really excited about this — it added a fun new modern update to this rustic space while still flooding the barn with warm, traditional light. (In all seriousness, these flat LED lights will save a ton on the electric bill, are virtually indestructible by overeager horse noggins and they don’t get hot — win win win for a barn setting.)

3. Huge yard

It doesn’t matter if you have one Chihuahua or eighteen kids — the house buyers on HGTV absolutely must have a huge yard that provides versatile space for wearing out said dog or offspring while also providing outdoor living and entertainment spaces with fancy things like a fire pit, outdoor kitchen, maybe some of those big-bulb carnival lights that are so trendy right now.

Feast your eyes on this giant yard. And yes, we do sometimes have campfires and sleep-outs in this versatile outdoor living space.

4. Walk-in closet

When we talk about our gorgeous and interior-lit walk-in tack room, my sister-in-law and I like to look at each other and giggle: I’ll say things like “oh, there’s plenty of room for my random bit collection in here!” to which she’ll respond “not if my goat feed goes in there first!” So cute.

“This tack room is so big you could put a horse in it!” Get out of there, Winston.

5. Sliding barn doors

Sliding barn doors are HAVING a MOMENT, you guys. Everyone wants them for everything, from “discreet” bathroom doors to closet doors to random bedroom doors even though a conventional hinge door would actually be about 500 times easier, but who’s counting. As it turns out, my barn was fashion-forward this whole time, boasting not one but THREE sliding doors that only occasionally run off their sliders and drive me totally nuts.

6. Board and batten siding

Overshadowed only by its currently-sexier cousin shiplap, board and batten siding is JUST DARLING for when you want to add that rustic touch to your living room, guest room, random bathroom wall or heck — the whole house. While the front-facing sides to the barn were redone with metal siding more recently, the back sides are still the original board and batten painted in screaming “barn red” which makes our home style sense totally on point.

7. Your adorable hosts

For all of the above reasons plus this super-staged photo for a product review, my husband and I could totally be equestrian home style makers for HGTV. Just call us Chip and Joanna.

Photo by Kim Bentley