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Sally Spickard

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About Sally Spickard

Sally Spickard is a Korean adoptee living in San Diego, California. Sally joined the Eventing Nation team in 2013 and has subsequently written for Noelle Floyd, Heels Down Mag, and other publications both in and out of the equestrian world. Sally is an eventing fan through and through and enjoys telling the stories of riders who are not well-represented within equestrian media.

Latest Articles Written

Celebrate a Triple Crown Winner, Adopt an American OTTB, Presented by Cosequin

By Sally Spickard on Jun 7, 2015 6:30 pm -

We’re all still recovering from the thrill that was witnessing a moment of sports history yesterday. American Pharoah has to be part unicorn, right? Either way, he’s the symbol of how great those American Thoroughbreds are — as if we needed any further proof!

In honor of Pharoah’s big win, we snapped up three of our favorite OTTB listings for your perusal this week. If there was ever motivation to go ride a Thoroughbred, it was that race. Our listed horses this week may not have had the success American Pharoah is enjoying, but that just means they are ready to become your next sport horse!

We were really pleased to see that Bob Baffert announced that he was donating $100,000 between himself and his wife, Jill, to various charities, including those focused on Thoroughbred aftercare. “(American Pharoah is) a lucky one,” Bob Baffert said in an interview after the Belmont. “When he’s retired, he gets to be a stallion and enjoy life.”

There are countless organizations which need our support to continue offering these horses a chance at a new home and a second career. We’ve compiled a list at the bottom of this post of some organizations that could use your support, so please take a moment to check them out and offer your support if you can. If we missed any, please comment and we will get them added!

Here are this week’s OTTB Wishlist listings from our awesome sponsor, Cosequin.

Photo via Finger Lakes Finest on Facebook.

Looking for a horse related to a current upper-level eventer? Look no further: Finger Lakes Finest is currently offering Distinct Attitude, who shares the same sire as Leah Lang-Gluscic’s horse, AP Prime. Distinct Attitude (Aptitude – Distinctive Flag, by Distinctive Pro) is a 5-year-old gelding standing 16.3 hands. He raced 31 times and earned nearly $20,000 throughout his career. He’s said to be sound and possesses great movement for the sport world.

Check out more about Distinct Attitude on Finger Lakes Finest here.

Photo via After the Races.

Next up is this adorable gray gelding, Mo Bandit. “Mobie” is a 5-year-old gelding standing 15.3 hands. Mo Bandit (Valid Request – Most Impressive, by Spectacular Bid) raced just five times, and is said to have retired a little sore behind. Further examination has found a hematoma or an outcropped vein on his hock which should not pose an issue in the future. He is enjoying some letdown time with After the Races in Pennsylvania and will be ready to move on to his new home soon!

Learn more about Mo Bandit by visiting After the Races here.

Photo via the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center.

Finally this week is a handsome guy available through the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center in Lexington, Ky. Dare Me (Johannesburg – Oatsee, by Unbridled) raced just three times and has already started his continuing education while he awaits his new person. More information will be coming soon, so keep an eye on his listing if he’s caught your eye!

Visit Dare Me’s listing on the MMSC here.

If you love OTTBs as much as we do, here is a handy list of rehoming and adoption sites. Don’t forget, these horses need our help! Once again, please let us know if you know of a reputable agency that can be added to the list.

CANTER

Finger Lakes Finest

Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center

MidAtlantic Horse Rescue

New Vocations

PA Racehorse Rehoming

Recycled Racehorses

Retired Racehorse Project

Second Stride Inc

Wise Espartaco Collapses, Dies After Cross Country at Roebke’s Run

By Sally Spickard on Jun 7, 2015 11:00 am -

Ronald Zabala-Goetschel and Wise Espartaco. Photo by Charles Swita/Brant Gamma Photography.

It is with great sadness that we can confirm Wise Espartaco, owned and ridden by Ronald Zabala-Goetschel, collapsed and died following cross country yesterday while competing in the CCI2* at Roebke’s Run Horse Trials in Minnesota.

The event organizers said in a statement that a necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. The USEA Equine Cardio-Pulmonary Task Force will subsequently review the findings.

“Manny,” a 12-year-old Argentinian Sport Horse gelding, was making his debut at the CCI2* level. He jumped clear on cross country with 24.4 time penalties before collapsing and dying soon after.

The horse was a consistent competitor at the Preliminary and one-star level and stepped up to Intermediate this year, most recently finishing 15th in his Intermediate division at Virginia Horse Trials. Ronald was using Roebke’s Run to qualify the horse for Ecuador’s Pan American Games team.

Please join us in sending our most heartfelt condolences to Ronald and his team for the heartbreaking loss of a talented horse.

Godspeed, Espartaco.

Friday Video from World Equestrian Brands: Copper Meadows CIC3* Cross Country Preview

By Sally Spickard on Jun 5, 2015 5:30 pm -

CIC 3* Coursewalk With Hugh Lochore Copper Meadows June 2015

Frankie Thieriot and Ride On Video have teamed up again this weekend to bring us some great video coverage from Copper Meadows. Frankie chatted with Hugh Lochore, the new course designer for Copper Meadows this year, about his vision for the CIC3* cross country course.

The video shows us each question on the course and includes some special commentary from others as volunteer coordinator Margie Davis, who is one of the hard working individuals who helps ensure the show runs seamlessly.

We posted our predictions for the CIC3* earlier today, and we’ll be bringing you more coverage from the West Coast all weekend. Go Copper!

Copper Meadows: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Ride On Video]

Area II Announces 2015 NAJYRC CH-J* Squad

By Sally Spickard on Jun 5, 2015 3:00 pm -

NAJYRC team announcements are pouring in, and talented young riders from all over the country are getting the call to step up to represent their respective areas this July at the Kentucky Horse Park. Area II announced their CH-J* team and alternates yesterday, and high hopes rest on this talented team as Area II is the defending CH-J* champion.

We took a few minutes to get to know the CH-J* team members, so without further ado here is your 2015 Area II NAJYRC CH-J* team!

Morgan Booth and Twizzel. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Morgan Booth and Twizzel, Will Coleman’s former Olympic ride, are fresh off of a third place finish in the CCI* at Virginia Horse Trials. Morgan began competing Twizzel in 2014 with NAJYRC as her main goal. And this pair is on a roll. Save one pesky TE in their first event together, they have failed to finish outside of the top three in five events together.

Morgan’s been working with both Will and Katie Coleman to really get to know all of Twizzel’s buttons, and they’re primed to make a great showing in Kentucky next month. This will be her first appearance at NAJYRC.

What is your number one goal for NAJYRC this year? “I would say my number one goal is to have our best performance in Kentucky. He’s such a special horse and I would love to do well for him and for Will. Specifically, I would love to put in our best test and finish on our dressage score. I’m so excited for this experience with a great team!”

Amanda Clement and Peter Pan. Photo courtesy of Brant Gamma.

Amanda Beale Clement and Peter Pan. Photo courtesy of Brant Gamma.

Amanda Beale Clement is another NAJYRC first-timer who will be competing Susie Beale’s Peter Pan, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding. This pair has many miles at the Preliminary level and most recently completed the CCI* at Ocala. In 9 starts at the Prelim or one-star level, Amanda and Peter Pan have finished outside of the top 10 just once.

What part about being a member of the Area II team are you most excited about? “I am very excited for the opportunity to be apart of the area 2 team and cannot wait to build a strong relationship with my team and my horse.”

Skyler Decker and Inoui Van Bost. Photo by Lauren Mannix.

Skyler Decker and Inoui Van Bost, her 7-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, have been together since 2014, where Skyler started her partnership with him at Novice. They’ve just stepped up to Prelim together this year and also completed the CCI* at Virginia last month. This pair has also been very competitive at the Prelim level and will certainly add even more depth to the Area II team.

While this is Skyler’s first time competing at NAJYRC, she traveled with the team to groom for Area II and Grace Fulton in 2014.

How did you find out, and what was the first thing you did? “I woke up to my email alarm and it was the team announcement. I think I probably texted my mom, Ella (Groner), and my coach, Lillian Heard.”

Ella Groner and My Security Blanket. Photo by Sam Groner.

Ella Groner and Beth Mueller’s My Security Blanket were also named to the Area II team and also train with Lillian Heard. Ella began riding My Security Blanket in 2014 after the 15-year-old Thoroughbred finished a brief campaign with Lillian, and the pair hasn’t looked back.

Ella and My Security Blanket won their Junior Training division at USPC Championships and went on to place third in their Preliminary debut at Loch Moy in October of 2014. They also completed the CCI* at Virginia last month in preparation for July at the Horse Park.

What was the first thing you did when you got the team announcement? “I texted my trainer, Lillian Heard. She has helped me to become the rider I am today, and I couldn’t have done it without her.”

Camilla Grover and Remington XXV. Photo via Camilla Grover.

Yet another former four-star horse is making an appearance at NAJYRC this year: Boyd Martin’s former ride, Remington XXV. After finishing his time with Boyd, “Remi” went on to Caitlin Silliman, who was looking to gain some more mileage and experience at the upper levels. From there, Remi moved to Camilla Grover-Dodge, who will be taking the reins in the CH-J* this year.

Camilla began riding Remi in 2014 at Training level, and the number of blue ribbons they’ve earned together is impressive. They picked up four consecutive wins at the very beginning of their partnership and have also completed a hat trick of wins at the Prelim/CIC* level in 2015.

What is the first thing you’ll do when you arrive in Kentucky? “When I first get the the horse park I will probably go out and explore around to get an idea of where everything is! Unless the horses are there first, then I will definitely go check on Remi first!”

Morgan McCue and Shannondale 54. Photo by Leigh McCue.

Morgan McCue and Shannondale 54 round out the CH-J* team for Area II. Shannondale 54 is a 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse who came to Morgan in 2014 after competing with Ryan Wood and Jon Holling. Morgan also competed Shannondale 54 in some Young Event Horse divisions, in which he consistently placed at or near the top.

This is another pair that has been virtually unstoppable, collecting numerous top places at Training level before stepping up to Prelim. After moving up this past winter, Morgan and Shannondale 54 have completed three CIC* and one CCI* in their campaign to represent Area II.

What do you think the most important part of your preparation for NAJYRC has been? “Getting my horse mentally and physically prepared!”

Alternates were also named for the CH-J* team in the event one of the team members is unable to compete: Kira Statue and Castle Jordan, Sunny Greene and Flinder’s Chase, Quinn Riddle and Folk’s Hero, and Emma Stolzenthaler and Wynthrop.

Congratulations to the Area II CH-J* team! Don’t forget, we’re looking for guest bloggers from Kentucky this year, so if you are interested in contributing, please contact [email protected].

Jessica Phoenix Cleared to Return to Riding

By Sally Spickard on Jun 4, 2015 3:00 pm -

Jessica Phoenix is all smiles back in the saddle. Photo via the Phoenix Equestrian Team on Facebook.

We’re thrilled to report that Jessica Phoenix has officially made her return to the saddle after suffering a heavy fall at Jersey Fresh last month. We’re also fairly sure that she needs to have a new jersey made with #SUPERWOMAN emblazoned on the back, because we can’t think of any nickname more fitting.

Jessica had a check-in with her doctor this morning, and she was thrilled to let us know that she has “officially been cleared to go back to full equestrian activities with no restrictions.” While she’s no doubt ecstatic to be back in the saddle, we’re sure she is already planning the competition schedule for the rest of the year. She also wishes to thank everyone for their continued love and support throughout her recovery.

Jessica broke three ribs and her sacrum, the triangular bone at the base of the spine, in a fall on cross country at Jersey Fresh. She also sustained damage to her liver, which was repaired in surgery.

Jessie informed us that she plans to make her return to competition at Dreamcrest later this month. We’ll be sure to bring you more updates on Jessie’s comeback to competition as they become available. In the meantime, please join us in breathing a collective sigh of relief and congratulating Jessie on her recovery.

#teamjessica

[Jessica Phoenix Released from Hospital]

[Jessica Phoenix Transported Back to Canada]

[Jessica Phoenix Moved Out of ICU]

[Jessica Phoenix Injury Update After Fall at Jersey Fresh]

William Fox-Pitt Reclaims Number One Spot, Boyd Martin Third in FEI World Rankings

By Sally Spickard on Jun 4, 2015 10:30 am -

William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning at Badminton. Photo by Nico Morgan.

The latest FEI World Rankings were released this morning, and William Fox-Pitt has reclaimed his spot at the top over Michael Jung, who enjoyed a short time at the top thanks to his big Rolex finish. You can’t hold William down, though, as he quickly regrouped and casually won Badminton just a couple of weeks later.

Michael Jung will now sit in second place (until his next four-star win, that is), just 15 points behind William. At this point, the lead could easily swap between the two so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top when the next list is released.

In other exciting news, Boyd Martin has climbed one spot to the number three in the world. Boyd is fresh off of a 7th place finish at Rolex aboard Master Frisky and a third in the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh with Pancho Villa. He’ll also be representing the U.S. at the Pan American Games in Toronto next month aboard Pancho Villa.

Two other Americans are present in the top 20: Phillip Dutton (11th) and Buck Davidson (15th). Colleen Rutledge (37th), Matt Brown (39th), Erin Sylvester (41st), and Marilyn Little (47th) also represent the U.S. within the top 50.

We must give a shout-out to Matt Brown, who made some big moves this time around, jumping from 51st to 39th thanks to a 5th and a 10th place finish in the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh aboard Happenstance and BCF Belicoso, respectively. Congratulations, Matt!

[Eventing — FEI World Athlete Rankings]

Wednesday Videos from Kentucky Performance Products: Jon Holling’s On a Whole New Level

By Sally Spickard on Jun 3, 2015 4:30 pm -

Canada here I come! So excited to get to the frozen North.

Posted by Holling Eventing on Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Jon Holling is on a whole new level of ridiculousness this week as he checks in on his trip up to Canada. If he’s not caught streaking, he’s got some other trick up his sleeve to keep us all entertained this week. We aren’t sure if he’s got a lifetime supply of helium with him or if he found a new app to distort his voice, but we aren’t asking questions.

Final stretch. Nearly there!

Posted by Holling Eventing on Tuesday, June 2, 2015

According to Jon, he’ll be video blogging from Bromont this week, so keep an eye on the Holling Eventing page for more top-notch, professional reporting. He’s going to give us a run for our money this week! It’s on, Jon. It’s on.

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An Ironically Named Horse Finds His Person and His Courage

By Sally Spickard on Jun 3, 2015 9:00 am -

Chelsea Kolman and Dante enjoying their pre-cross country ritual. Photo courtesy of JJ Sillman.

Dauntless Courage, an 18 hand Percheron/Thoroughbred cross gelding, was anything but an embodiment of his ironic name when Chelsea Kolman first met him. Chelsea, who makes her home in Lexington, Ky., first met “Dante” as a 3-year-old when he was failing miserably as a police horse in training in Asbury College.

“He actually came with his name, which is really ironic as he is very nervous and was basically feral when I first met him,” Chelsea said. “He wasn’t working out as a police horse because he was too uptight and spooky about things. He was also a PMU baby from Canada, so when he came from there he spent two weeks on a trailer getting down to Kentucky.”

A big and brawny horse, even as a weanling from a PMU program, his handlers named him “Dauntless Courage” at Asbury, thinking he’d live up to that name with his size and presence. The name quickly became ironic, though, as Dante proved he was in fact not full of courage.

Chelsea found Dante when he was three and she herself was just 16. Chelsea keeps many horses at home, most of which are rescues, and she was looking for a prospective event horse. When she discovered his timidness, though, she knew she needed to find a solution.

Chelsea and Dante share a moment. Photo courtesy of JJ Sillman.

“He spooks at shadows and doesn’t like butterflies,” Chelsea, now 20, said. “I needed to find a way to center this horse and get him more relaxed. I ended up going to watch a demo by Guy McLean, who showed everyone how he lays horses down. I remember him saying, ‘It’s a big deal for them to lay down since they are prey animals. If you can get a horse to lay down, then he completely trusts you.’ I thought that this was exactly what I needed to do with Dante.”

So Chelsea set to work. She first tried the process she had seen Guy use with a pony she owned to make sure she understood everything before attempting on the big and strong Dante. “It was a complete and total personality change (with the pony),” she said. “So I started working on it with Dante, and he picked it up right away. I started laying him down after every ride, and while he did seem more relaxed, I thought we needed a ‘real’ test.”

Chelsea took Dante to his second show at Masterson Station, and the horse quickly decided the situation was too stressful and refused to walk into the barn. With Dante rearing and spinning, the situation was becoming increasingly strained, and Chelsea knew what she needed to do.

“I took him over to the grass and laid him down. As soon as he did, he let out a big breath, and when he got up he walked straight into the barn,” she recalled. She had found her solution, and Dante was slowly finding his confidence.

Since she taught Dante to lay down, Chelsea uses the technique to relax him every time he goes to an event, including before cross country when it comes time to put his studs in. “He loves cross country, so each time I would go to put his studs in he would get really antsy,” Chelsea said. “He’s an 18 hand Percheron/Thoroughbred, there was no way I was going to fight him to get the studs in. So I started laying him down, and it cut the time in half. He treats it like his own personal pre-cross country nap.”

Chelsea and Dante. Photo courtesy of JJ Sillman.

Now an 18hh 7-year-old, Dante has found his stride. He eats cross country for breakfast and always looks to Chelsea for guidance. Chelsea has set a goal of qualifying for Young Riders in 2016, and the pair moved up to Prelim this spring, already collecting two second place finishes.

“I would love to take him as far as he can go,” she said. “I also train with Emily Brollier for the dressage, and she thinks we could be competitive in pure dressage so I want to dabble in that as well. I definitely want to get my USDF medals on him, which I’m fully confident he can do.”

Indeed, Chelsea has produced a lovely horse who has the trust in her to do anything she asks. She credits the laying down with a huge boost in her horse’s confidence. Now the name Dauntless Courage isn’t so ironic, as he’s found the person with which that courage can grow.

We’ll be following Chelsea and Dante’s adventures this year and wish them the best of luck with their goals!

Tuesday Video from SpectraVET: Relive Tattersalls with Pumbaa Eventing

By Sally Spickard on Jun 2, 2015 5:03 pm -

Pumbaa Goess-Saurau and Dunno Fear. Photo via Pumbaa Eventing on Facebook.

Tattersalls wrapped up an exciting weekend in Ireland on Sunday, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s event. UK based rider Pumaa Goess-Saurau competed in the Tredstep Ireland CCIJ* with her “Wonder Dun” Dunno Fear and kindly sent in this recap video.

They jumped clear around a tough cross country track and had rails down in the show jumping to finish 14th overall, but Pumbaa said she is still thrilled with how her weekend went.

A video to sum our week in Tattersalls! Such an unbelievably fun and friendly event, can’t wait till next year. The Wonder Dun, as ever, tried his heart out for me – a shame it didn’t all come together on the last day but we’ll get there eventually! Thank you Team Goatis for an awesome few days Claire S Harries Fran Agius Rupert Batting!

Posted by Pumbaa Eventing on Monday, June 1, 2015

We did a bit of digging into Pumbaa Eventing since the name calls to mind a certain portly animal from The Lion King, and what do you know? Check out Pumbaa Eventing’s logo:

Pretty awesome, right? Here’s the back story, from Pumbaa’s website:

“Now to all of you who are wondering about my name (and I can’t imagine that there are many who aren’t), please allow me to explain; my mother has a very ‘advanced’ sense of humor and when I was a baby and my first teeth came through she thought they looked like tusks … like Pumbaa’s in The Lion King! It isn’t actually my real name though (that would be Franziska), just a nickname.”

We love it, Pumbaa.

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Announcing Your Fifth Annual Blogger Contest Finalists!

By Sally Spickard on Jun 2, 2015 1:00 pm -

We received fantastic entries in the 5th Annual EN Blogger Contest, and as always it’s exceedingly difficult to narrow the field down to our finalists. We are pleased to announce that six entrants who will be moving forward into the second round of this year’s contest. Without further ado, here are your 2015 Blogger Contest finalists:

Ashlyn Hayworth
Ashley Hebrank
Kathryn McLeod
Seija Samoylenko
David Taylor
Michelle Wadley

We will be publishing our finalists’ round one submissions over on Bloggers Row this week, so be sure to comment and leave us your feedback on their writing. In the meantime, each finalist will now be hard at work on their round two submission:

A number of sweeping overhauls to eventing were discussed at the recent FEI Sports Forum, from potentially changing the name of the sport to altering the Olympic and WEG formats. What can we do to make eventing more appetizing, engaging and understandable to the mainstream public? Share your ideas in an interesting, funny, informative and creative way.

These submissions are due next week, so keep an eye out for the names of who makes it through to the next round. Best of luck to all of our finalists, and thank you to everyone who entered this year!

Monday Video from Tredstep Ireland: Bobbie Jones’ First Training Level Helmet Cam

By Sally Spickard on Jun 1, 2015 5:30 pm -

Bobbie Jones and Rebel's Heartbreaker. Photo via Bobbie on Facebook.

Our favorite chatty eventer is back with her latest helmet cam from IEA this past weekend. Together with her American Paint, Rebel’s Heartbreaker, Bobbie successfully completed her first Training level event in ninth place with a double clear cross country run. Despite some rainy conditions, Bobbie and Rebel cheerfully made their way around the course, with plenty of verbal encouragement from Bobbie.

Bobbie excitedly posted on her Facebook after her run:

“Well, it’s official, Rebel and I are a Training Level team! We completed our very first Training event with a double clear cross country round in the rain, despite pulling another shoe (Yes ANOTHER…. that makes 2 shoes off in 3 days….), and finished 9th! I am so proud of that pony! He’s absolutely the best pony ever, no doubt about it!”

Congratulations to Bobbie and Rebel on successful move up! You can catch up on Bobbie’s other helmet cams using the link below. Don’t forget, we want to see your helmet cams too! Send them to [email protected] and look for them right here on EN!

Bobbie Jones and Rebel’s Heartbreaker Take Texas by Storm

Product Review: Bucas Buzz Off Full Neck Fly Sheet

By Sally Spickard on Jun 1, 2015 9:00 am -

Photo by Sally Spickard.

I went to the barn the other day in shorts (and muck boots — blasted mud!) and came home feeling all crawly from the number of flies that are already out this year. It’s been so wet here in Kansas City that I can only imagine how many creepy crawly creatures are having a free for all reproducing, and they’re definitely out in full force on the hot, muggy days in between thunderstorms.

The pasture my horse lives in is kind of neat because it’s on top of a hill, which makes for a nice breeze to keep the air moving on the stuffy days. It also helps a bit when it comes to keeping the bugs away. Unfortunately, flies are some of the most resilient creatures I’ve ever encountered, so my poor guy still finds himself all twitchy from the flies.

I’ve been exploring fly sheet options, and the last thing I wanted to end up with was something that felt like it was made from old lawn chair material. You know, the stiff, unforgiving nearly plastic feeling “mesh” that wards off flies and also prevents any sort of movement, nevermind comfort.

Having enjoyed my experience with Jesse’s light turnout blanket, which is a Bucas Power Turnout, I was eager to give the Bucas Buzz Off sheet a try as well. Obviously, my first criteria was the material, which did not disappoint me. The mesh is very lightweight and flexible, which means it can move when Jesse moves without rubbing.

I went ahead and tried the full neck option for Jesse — call me overprotective, #sorrynotsorry — and was pleased to see that he looked well covered once I got it on, but also not like he was going to sweat to death underneath all of that covering.

The belly band feature of the Buzz Off Fly Sheet. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Once again, the attention to detail on Bucas’ part is fantastic. From the front closure, which emphasizes comfort and protection, to the well thought-out belly band which offers another layer of protection from the biters, it’s clear that the horse was in the designers’ minds as they created the fly sheet.

The belly band is really neat, and it’s flexible which will allow Jesse to roll or go through any of his other daily antics without worry of dislodging the blanket. But, if you aren’t a fan of the belly band it’s fully detachable, although the belly band does help stabilize the sheet, so it’s a nice way to ensure it doesn’t get loose during turnout.

Although there are no shoulder darts on the Buzz Off sheet, I was pleased to see that Jesse was still able to move around with it on. He has gained a bit of weight from the spring grass, so even though he typically wears a 75″, I found this sheet to be just a bit snug. However, his Power Turnout is also a 75″ and I tried that on to be sure that it was just him gaining a bit of weight, and I can report that the sheet does still fit true to size. Suffice it to say, now that he’s going into full summer work the sheet should fit perfectly soon enough.

The Bucas Buzz Off Fly Sheet is available in a full neck and also a classic sheet. There is also a matching fly mask available if you want to get the full outfit going on. Why not, right? I sure would want everything possible to ward off the flies this summer. It’s going to be an interesting one!

You can find more on the Buzz Off line (and purchase your own!) here. We’re also giving one of these great sheets away in this week’s Fab Freebie, so be sure to enter here before midnight on Friday, June 5. Good luck!

Fab Freebie: Bucas Buzz Off Fly Sheet

By Sally Spickard on Jun 1, 2015 9:00 am -

Photo by Sally Spickard.

Fly season is here! And, if you are lucky enough to live in certain parts of the country, locust season too. I was driving to the barn yesterday and happened to have my windows down so I could hear the buzzing of what sounded like thousands upon thousands of locusts. Great, right? At least they aren’t particularly pesky, but I’d still prefer to not have a bunch of insect carcasses strewn about. Just my preference, though.

Luckily, Bucas offers some really great options for fly control, and with any luck your horse will be comfortable and relatively fly-free this summer. If you’ve been in the market for a new fly sheet for this year, you definitely need to check out the Buzz Off Fly Sheet from Bucas. It’s offered in full neck and regular options, and we’re giving you the opportunity to win one this week! Be sure to read up on the Buzz Off Fly Sheet in our review here.

You know the drill: simply use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter up to three times. We’ll announce the winner in Friday’s News & Notes. Good luck to all! We’re sure your horse will thank you.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Dear Mz. Manners: Horse Edition

By Sally Spickard on May 31, 2015 11:00 am -

Photo by Jessica Spengler via Flickr/Creative Commons

As part of the Thoroughbred Aftercare movement, CANTER has watched the transformation of endless horses as they leave the racetrack to embark on new adventures. Some horses make the transition seamlessly, others find the sport horse world foreign and ridiculous. For those horses, Mz. Manners is primed to address their questions and concerns.

Dear Mz. Manners,

I recently shipped to a new track and have found myself in a delicate situation. The people are nice and all, but the riders are colossal in size. There’s no way these jocks are making weight. I swear to you, these riders are so large, no one will offer them a leg up; instead they bribe me to stand beside this huge wood block just to get their Amazon feet in the stirrups. It’s like carrying two riders on my back; is this what handicappers mean by a “daily double”?

Weighed Down in Wilmington

Dear Weighed Down in Wilmington,

On behalf of those riders who have not weighed 116 pounds in a very long time, I apologize. However, I think you will find numerous benefits that go along with your “gigantic” lifestyle. Have you noticed nearly everything in your world is bigger – stalls, paddocks, treats? I am certain within a few months you, too, will be letting your girth out a few holes and join the category of “colossal.” Enjoy it!

Mz. Manners,

I have this sweet new owner who purchased me off the track; she found a huge green paddock for me to live in and life is good, mostly. However, she has a dark side. Every day she pulls me out and tortures me with what she calls “grooming.” She has these special made brushes that are made out of nails; I’m telling you if she pushes any harder my skin is going to rip off. I wanna kick her in the gut. Please explain this barbaric practice?

Bald in Buffalo

Dear Baldy,

Transitioning a human to OTTB etiquette takes patience; you may wish to study up on different types of negative reinforcement to address unwanted behavior. I would start with some fair, but firm nipping. Aim for any loose or flabby skin; you’ll get double impact of causing physical pain, as well as mental anguish in the realization that she’s been consuming far too many Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappachinos. If her uncalled-for conduct persists, you may progress to the next step, an old-fashioned foot stomp. By swishing your tail prior to aiming, she will assume there is a fly and will immediately forgive you. If all else fails, kick her in the gut – people need rules and boundaries.

Mz. Manners,

Since leaving the racetrack, my owner rides me ad nauseam. Six days a week, round and round we go. I try to coach her on aerobic fitness, randomly scooting forward and sideways, but she always goes back to that incessant jog, circling until I’m too dizzy to object. Didn’t anyone tell her that at the track we only have to make two laps and we’re done for the day? To rub salt in the wound, she tells all her little friends I’m a RETIRED racehorse. I don’t think that word means what she thinks it means. Help!

Overworked in Orlando

Dear Overworked in Orlando,

People talk about racing being strenuous, but many after-track careers are no joke. While the day in day out training may be more monotonous than you are accustomed, with consistency comes results. For instance, have you taken a glimpse of yourself in the dressage mirrors lately? SCRUMPTIOUS BOOTY, don’t you think? You will need a strong caboose to fight off all those advances in the pasture. So rest up, my friend, you have several decades before you can cash in on that pension!

To all the ex-racehorses who have bravely made the career change from runner to sport horse, we applaud you. If you or your human have any questions to be addressed by Mz. Manners, please feel free to e-mail her at [email protected].

Weekly OTTB Wishlist from Cosequin

By Sally Spickard on May 29, 2015 2:12 pm -

Oh hey, fellow OTTB lovers of the world! We’re wrapping up three of our favorite listings from around the interwebs this week, and we can’t wait to see where these lovely horses end up next. We’d also like to take a moment to thank the organizations responsible for helping these horses by allowing us to share their photos and listings. The more people we can share these horses with, the better chance they have of finding an excellent new home.

Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Finest.

Our first listing this week comes to us from Finger Lakes Finest in New York. Warrior From Above (A. P. Warrior – Mooncoin, by Conquistador Cielo) is a 2008 gelding standing 16 hands tall. He raced 51 times, most recently on May 22, earning $62,846 in his career. According to his listing, Warrior From Above’s trainer has nothing but great things to say about his athletic ability. He’s said to be a barn favorite and will surely excel in a worthy new home.

Warrior From Above on Finger Lakes Finest

Photo used with permission from CANTER Texas.

Calling all gray fans! If only they could find a way to make those dapples permament, eh? Mister Ricky (Air Commander – Sal’s My Gal, by Empire Glory) is a 2010 17 hand gelding offered through CANTER Texas. This guy raced 22 times and won once, also hitting the board on eight other occasions.

Mister Ricky is said to have a great mind and is sound for his next career. Don’t let this one be the one that got away!

Mister Ricky on CANTER Texas

Photo courtesy of CANTER Illinois.

Finally this week is a listing from CANTER Illinois by the name of Bullet Bob (Good Reward – Dart, by Farma Way). Bullet Bob is a 2011 model standing 16 hands and ready for you to take him to his new home. Bullet Bob raced 16 times and is advertised as very sweet to handle. We think he makes quite the athletic looking package!

Bullet Bob on CANTER Illinois

What Do You Do When No One is Watching?

By Sally Spickard on May 29, 2015 11:53 am -

Sometimes the behind the scenes moments can be the best.

I recently read a quote that resonated with me: “Don’t compare your behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”

That stuck with me, and made me really think about the nature of comparison and how it correlates with self-worth. Social media is here to stay — if anything, its presence in our lives is growing at a frighteningly exponential rate.

It’s easy to put on a face. Upload a few photos of your smiling face to your Facebook and insert a few “humble brags” about your latest show or ride and you’ve easily created a picture of yourself that others may aspire to be. And that’s fine! That is what your Facebook is for — to remember things, the good, bad and the ugly.

But on the flip side, it’s very easy to get sucked into someone else’s world by comparing your life and your accomplishments to theirs. You see someone who is 10 years younger than you competing at Rolex. Someone just bought their second or third horse when you’re still saving for your first. These things happen, so how do you stop yourself from falling into that pit of comparison envy?

Think about what you do when no one is watching. What does your “behind the scenes” footage look like? Surely it’s not all glitz and glamour — if it is, please tell me your secret!

Let’s say you have a goal. That goal is to compete in an FEI event with your horse that you’ve produced yourself. Sure, it’s easy to look around your Facebook or Instagram and see people who already there. They make it look easy! Maybe you aren’t cut out for this, since you’re barely cantering cross rails right now. Before you know it, you’re down in the dumps and you aren’t entirely sure how you go to that point.

Remove yourself from the trap of comparison for just a moment. Take a good look at what your everyday life looks like. What are you doing to achieve your goals? Every moment spent envying someone else’s accomplishments is a moment wasted that could have been used to take one small step closer to making your dream a reality.

Instead of focusing on what others have that you don’t, focus on what you need to do to become the person you aspire to be like. Focus on the little things.

Do you and your horse look respectable each time you set foot in the arena, or do you look like you just climbed out of bed and pulled your horse out of a mud pit? Do you take the time to listen to what your coach is saying and practice the things you don’t like when they are not around?

Do you spend time with your horse, establishing a bond and getting to know every vital sign and every marking on his body so that you are the first to know if something is off?

When you get home, do you immediately switch your brain off until the next ride, or do you reflect on what you learned and what you need to work on? Do you take a few minutes to read an article on an exercise you’d like to try or watch a video on YouTube of a rider who sets a good example for your riding style?

These are just a few of the questions to ask yourself when you get stuck in a cycle of feeling down on yourself. Be meticulous. Do your homework. Trust me, each and every person out there has had to walk a difficult road to get to where they are. Horses are heartbreaking, and they’re expensive. This is a reality that every horse person must accept and work with — they don’t call it an addiction without good reason.

This is something I myself struggle with on a daily basis. When I read the quote I began this post with, I tried to realign my way of thinking (which is much easier said than done) and focus more on what steps I was taking to improve myself.

Be cognizant of what you do when no one is watching. These are the moments that build you up to reap the fruits of your hard work. Soon enough, your own highlight reel will be more than enough, and it will all be a result of your focus on the behind the scenes.

Sam Griffiths Leads, Buck Davidson Just Outside of Tattersalls CCI3* Top 20

By Sally Spickard on May 28, 2015 1:30 pm -

Tattersalls CCI3* leaders Sam Griffiths and Favorit Z. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

It was a stiff day of competition in the CCI3* at Tattersalls in Ireland today. North American riders are represented in nearly every division this weekend, and Buck Davidson with Carl and Cassie Segal and Sherrie Martin’s Copper Beach represents the U.S. in the CCI3*.

Sam Griffiths and Favorit Z will take the lead in the CCI3* after the dressage, scoring a 36.1. Favorit Z is a 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Sam as well as Sue Brendish. Favorit Z achieved his personal best FEI dressage score today and was one of just two horses to crack into the 30s.

The next few positions on the board belong to British riders, with Flora Harris and Bayano scoring a 37.4 for second and Nick Gauntlett and Crown Talisman in third on a 41.3.

Crown Talisman, as you may recall, was sold to Nick Gauntlett after campaigning to the three-star level with U.S. rider Doug Payne. This is the first CCI3* competition for Nick and “Tali”, who most recently completed the CIC3* at Belton.

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach had a nice, consistent test. A bobble in one of the flying changes cost them some marks, but this was a very nice debut for this horse in his first overseas start. Buck and Sean scored a 50.1 to sit just outside of the top 20 going into cross country.

This is Buck’s first time competing in Ireland, and it’s also the first trip to an Irish event for the Segals. Sherrie Martin is also supporting her daughter, Caroline, who is prepping for Bramham in the CIC3* with Quantum Solace.

U.S. coach David O’Connor is all smiles. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

The remainder of the North American riders will compete tomorrow in the dressage. You can read more background information on the North Americans at Tattersalls this weekend here.

As always, we’d like to thank Niamh Flynn of the Tattersalls press team, Libby Law Photography and the Eventing Consultant himself Diarm Byrne of EquiRatings for giving us behind the scenes access this weekend at #Tatts2015. Stay tuned from much more from Ireland.

Tattersalls Links: Website, Entries, Ride Times, Live Scores, Schedule, Live Stream, @Tatts2015

: Katherine Coleman smiles through the rain. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

: Scenes from Tattersalls. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

: Scenes from Tattersalls. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Jumper Rider Ali Boone Acquires the Ride on Otis Barbotiere

By Sally Spickard on May 28, 2015 9:00 am -

Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

After sending Otis Barbotiere to Florida earlier this year to be tried as a jumper mount, Boyd Martin confirmed that Ali Boone, a young jumper rider from Kentucky, has acquired the ride on his London Olympic mount. The news comes several months after Trading Aces, another of Boyd’s four-star mounts, was sold as an equitation horse to young rider Alexandra Pielet.

Otis, a 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate, most recently competed with Boyd at Luhmühlen CCI4* last year, where they finished 15th. After that competition, Boyd and his syndicate members made the decision to seek a new home for Otis, as they felt that upper level eventing was not ideal for his longterm soundness.

“He still loves competing, and he’s a high energy horse that likes to be in on the action,” Boyd said. “We made plans to redirect his career. We originally paired him with Lauren Hough down in Florida, who would take him and show him in some jumper classes.”

Lauren then searched for a rider she thought would be a good match for Otis in a jumper career. “Lauren wouldn’t let him go to just anyone,” Boyd said. “She did a wonderful job and found him an excellent rider in Ali Boone, who takes excellent care of her horses.”

With Otis’ longterm soundness in mind, Boyd and Lauren wanted to find a rider who competes on a lighter schedule. “We didn’t want someone who would use him up too much — Ali shows him maybe twice a month. She wintered in Palm Beach and will spend some time in Kentucky before heading up to Calgary to compete at Spruce Meadows,” Boyd said.

Otis, who is by Quidam de Revel out of Java Barbotiere, by Veneur de Baugy, is well bred to be a pure show jumper, and he began his competition career as a jumper in France before coming over to the U.S. to event with Boyd.

Boyd said he is happy to see his horses move on to homes where they can thrive. He’s grateful to the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate members who have provided their support, and he hopes that eventually his next “needle in a haystack horse” will come along as his next eventing superstar.

“Now that two of my big syndicated horses have gone on to other careers, I’m not necessarily actively looking, but special horses come along once in a blue moon. I am hopeful that when the next special horse comes around, the syndicate members will be ready to have another go,” Boyd said.

“Otis really completed a dream of mine to compete at the Olympics. It’s something I’ll always be indebted to him for. I can proudly call myself an Olympian, and I will never forget riding around Greenwich Park — a very testing course — and he showed wonderful grit and determination. He tries so hard, and it’s my duty to make sure he’s looked after for the rest of his life.”

We wish Otis the best of luck with his new rider, and we’ll be looking for updates from Spruce Meadows soon!

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: On Board with Ingrid Klimke + Data Analysis

By Sally Spickard on May 27, 2015 5:00 pm -

We have begun excitedly refreshing YouTube when we hear that Ingrid Klimke was out competing over a weekend, as her helmet cams with SAP Analysis have been a huge hit for fans all over the world. SAP Equestrian Analytics has been able to sync Ingrid’s helmet cam to provide up to the second data on speed as well as her position on course.

Ingrid competed FRH Escada JS in the CIC3* at Wiesbaden this past weekend, finishing in fourth on a final score of 46.7. If you missed any of the recap from this German event, you can catch up on Maren Engelhardt’s report here.

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Stefanie Brand Released from Hospital After Rotational Fall

By Sally Spickard on May 27, 2015 2:00 pm -

Stefanie Brand and Claudius. Photo via Stefanie on Facebook.

We’re pleased to report that Stefanie Brand was released from the hospital in Atlanta last week after undergoing surgery to place a plate on her broken collarbone sustained after a rotational fall at CHC International earlier this month. After spending the night in Atlanta, Stefanie was on a plane the next day to return to her home country of Guatemala to begin physical therapy treatments.

“She’s feeling much better now that she is out of the hospital and seeing the real world again,” family friend and groom Barry Tomason said. “She’s of course itching to get back on her horse, but she’s taking it one day at a time at this point.”

Stefanie’s horse, Claudius, was uninjured in the fall and has traveled to Canada with the rest of the Guatemalan team. Claudius will continue his preparations for Toronto with Peter Gray, although at this point Stefanie’s plan of running at Bromont is no more.

“Peter will continue to ride the horse and keep him sharp,” Barry said. “At this point, she is not running Bromont. We aren’t sure yet if someone will ride him and do the dressage, but she will not be riding.”

As it stands now, Stefanie still would like to represent Guatemala at the Pan American Games in July, but naturally her recovery will be the top priority as she looks ahead to the rest of the summer.

We will continue to provide updates on Stefanie and her progress as it becomes available. In the meantime, we’re relieved to hear that she is well on her way to returning to the saddle and that Claudius was able to walk away from the fall unscathed.

Kristi Nunnink Announces R-Star’s Venture Into Jumper Ring

By Sally Spickard on May 27, 2015 12:00 pm -

Kristi Nunnink and R-Star. Photo by Samantha Clark.

It’s been a rollercoaster of a week for Kristi Nunnink, who announced the heartbreaking news on her Facebook page that her talented former four-star mare R-Star lost her foal by Royaldik just before the due date. Fortunately, the prognosis for “Rosie” is good, and the mare should make a full recovery.

“We still aren’t exactly sure what happened to the foal,” Kristi said. “I had dropped Rosie off at the vet clinic on my way to a show over the weekend, because she was due while I was gone. I’m very thankful that I did that, because I’m afraid we would have lost her as well if the vet wasn’t right there.”

The first sign of trouble came on Thursday evening, when the vet called and told Kristi that the foal’s vital signs were “slowing down.” Kristi instructed the vets to do whatever they could to save her beloved mare. “It was very nerve wracking,” she said. “I wanted that baby, but I love that mare more than anything, and so I told them to do everything they could to keep her alive.”

Rosie ultimately never went into labor, and the foal died in utero. The 14-year-old Holsteiner mare remained under veterinary care for the next few days while her own vital signs returned to normal, and she was released to Kristi’s care this week.

Now, Kristi has begun planning to bring the mare back into work. While a heart condition discovered before Rolex last year will prevent R-Star from returning to her career as an event horse, she’s been cleared to continue competing as either a pure dressage or a pure show jumping mount.

“Her heart could handle everything but the high cardiac activity for a prolonged amount of time,” Kristi said. “I’ve been given the green light from the vets to see what she wants to do in the jumper ring.”

R-Star was never one to have much trouble in the show jumping phase during her eventing career, so Kristi has not done much in the jumper ring with her. “I’ve done up to Fourth Level dressage with her to help her settle, but she’s always been so good with the show jumping I never felt she needed the extra time,” she said. “But I grew up doing hunters and jumpers, so it will be great to be able to make a return to that.”

Kristi is confident that Rosie will make a return to full work soon, as she’s been ridden periodically since her retirement from eventing. “She was unhappy sitting around, and she hated seeing us leave for shows,” she said. “So we eventually put shoes on her, and I had my girls start riding her here and there, just so she felt she was doing something. Once she got pregnant, she seemed much more content.”

Despite the loss of her foal, Kristi reports that Rosie is in good spirits. The mare is definitely purpose bred for dressage or show jumping (by Riverman out of Marisol, by Corofino I), so it looks like she should be right at home in the jumper ring.

“She’s quite good at getting to the base and jumping around and not up,” Kristi said. “I’ve been told on multiple occasions that she had the talent to either be a Grand Prix dressage horse or a Grand Prix show jumper, so we’ll just see what she wants to do. I don’t think I’ve even tapped into her scope. The big question is: How high can she go without me falling off?”

Kristi hasn’t left her dream of breeding R-Star behind just yet, but she does not want to put the mare through another pregnancy at this time. “I do have some very nice semen frozen still,” she said with a laugh, “so not this year, but maybe next year we may look at doing some embryo transfers.”

“I’m really looking forward to riding her — I’ve missed her!” she continued. “I’m not in a hurry to get to a jumper show; I know I will spend a lot of time doing flatwork to get her stronger, and when she feels really good, we will find a show to go to.”

We wish Kristi and R-Star the best of luck in their new adventure together and send our condolences for what surely would have been a lovely foal. We’ll keep you updated on Rosie’s new foray into the jumper world as we learn more.

Go Rosie.

Tuesday Video from SpectraVET: Eventers Tackle Devon Hunt Night

By Sally Spickard on May 26, 2015 5:00 pm -

Devon Hunt Night is a popular night for those attending and competing at the popular Pennsylvania hunter/jumper show. It seems that each year, a team of eventers tackles the hunter ring on Hunt Night. Last year, we profiled Justine Dutton’s Sport Ponies UK team, who placed second out of 16 teams.

This year, Sara Gartland, Samantha Fillman, and Brooke Holloway decided to swap their neck straps and monoflap saddles for martingales and hunter pads for a chance to compete at Devon.

Sara and As You Wish WF, Samantha and Adonis, and Brooke and Ace On the River (cool name!) placed fourth out of 18 hunt teams Saturday night — way to go, ladies!

Sara and As You Wish WF compete in Training and Prelim level events, Adonis and Sam compete in Novice and Training level events, and Ace on the River and Brooke are converts from the jumper ring (she qualified at Devon for the jumpers a few years ago) and currently compete at Beginner Novice and Novice level events.

Congratulations to another event team who showed the hunters how it’s done at Devon! Thanks to Julie Brooks Rudisill for providing video of this team’s round.

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Monday Video from Tredstep Ireland: Ze Terminator Helmet Cam

By Sally Spickard on May 25, 2015 5:00 pm -

Michael also competed Marbach CIC3* winner Halunke FBW, who is also entered at Luhmühlen next month, in the CIC3* at Pfingstturnier in Germany this weekend, placing second on a score of 42.1. He brought a string of 9 horses with him to Pfingstturnier, competing in show jumping and eventing — because why just win in one discipline when you can achieve total world domination in every other as well?

The 10-year-old Württemberg gelding named Sportsmann S was a winner in the CSI4* 1.45m class as well, proving that Michael wasn’t kidding when he said at Rolex that he has many horses that competing in pure show jumping and dressage. He’s truly an example of being a master of his craft. We salute you, Mr. Jung!

Eventing Nation