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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

Austin Eventing: A Karen O’Connor Clinic from Rider and Auditor Perspectives

By on Jun 1, 2014 3:00 pm -

Austin Eventing and Lisa Marie Bauman recently participated in a clinic with Karen O'Connor. After the clinic, Austin Eventing posted a unique perspective on the clinic from both an auditor and a rider's point of view. We can certainly all relate to the nerves that come with taking a lesson with the likes of Karen O'Connor, but we are happy to report that Karen truly got the best out of each and every horse and rider as only Karen can do. Many thanks to Lisa for sharing this post with us. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Send it to [email protected].

Karen O'Connor in her teaching element. Photo courtesy of Austin Eventing. Karen O'Connor in her teaching element. Photo courtesy of Austin Eventing.

Day 1: Dressage

Auditor: 

Karen O’Connor’s in the house—I mean the arena-and she’s setting the bar. Wait, who am I kidding? She is the bar. Now she’s chatting with each horse and rider pair, asking about their trouble spots, adjusting a cheek piece here, suggesting a different bit there, and they’re calmly talking to her. And they’re are off around the arena, striving for a steady tempo, following the horse’s motions with their arms—soft elbows, elastic arms.

Before I know it, the session is over and they’ve accomplished more in forty minutes than they’ll probably accomplish in next six months.

Rider:

Oh my God, were we supposed to be braided?! Why is that little girl braided?!  Oh, thank God, she is not part of the clinic.  I don’t think she is anyway.  Is she?  Is it a sign of disrespect if I don’t take the tail bag off my horse?  Seriously, this is the ONE time, my grey horse rolls? Oh my god, it’s Karen O’Connor.  That’s her. I can see her piercing eyes from here.  I hope they are running on time.  I don’t want to be late.  Stop pacing.  I have to stop pacing.  I have 2 hours before my ride.  Where is the other girl I am riding with?

Still no sign of the other girl I am riding with.  Should I be nervous?  Did they move locations?  No, that’s Karen in the arena, but where is the other girl?  Am I even registered in this clinic?

Ok, well, I’m getting on.  My horse is starting to show off her piaffe skills while I am attempting to mount.  This is going to be a long morning. At least there is another girl in my dressage lesson.

There is no one else in my lesson?  I’m having a private lesson with Karen?

I suddenly feel nauseous.

What is my name?  Good question.  I’m looking frantically around the arena at faces smiling at me.  All sounds are muffled by the deafening roar increasing in my ears.  My mouth is moving, but I have no control over the words coming out, much less comprehension of technical questions.  Somehow I must be answering in a coherent fashion, though how absolutely alludes me.  I feel as if I am watching myself on TV and am not actively participating in this lesson.

Canter?  Do you have a sedative?  No, for me.  The horse is always like this.

That is all I remember before the darkness set in.

Day 2:  Stadium Jumping

Auditor:

Circle of death with just one jump on a fifteen meter circle—amazing what that can do for yielding your horse’s shoulder. Straight lines, bending lines, and turns. Regulate your tempo, count your strides and execute your point of turn to get your line of direction. Karen packs it all into a coursework session that sharpens each pair’s stadium jumping skills. It’s amazing how much she pulls out of each and everypair.

Rider:

Even though I’m convinced I blacked out mid dressage lesson, it appears I made it through unscathed and possibly showed improvement. I have no reason to believe this, as I don’t remember the second half of the ride. Regardless, I have survived Day 1 of the Karen O’Connor clinic.  I think.

Now the real terror sets in.  My hands are shaking with mild tremors so I shove them further into my pockets, so as to not alert the EMTs that I might at any point have a seizure.

I keep telling myself that I am here to get help.  She is here to help me.

My horse is a runaway.

I will be sitting on a freight train with no brakes.

Dear God, I swear I have jumped before.  No, this is not my horse’s first time in an arena.  Is that smoke coming out of her nose in the stall?  I’m pretty sure I smell fire.  I think it’s coming from my mare’s eyes.

How many feet apart are those fences?  It doesn’t matter, we are going to be going to fast to count.  What are strides?  I blink and stand in the middle of the lesson before, in wonderment of their horses’ maneuverability.  They can halt.  I’m in trouble.

Day 3:  Cross Country

Auditor:

The phase that everyone who calls themselves a three day eventer lives for. From refining your gallop position to setting your pace, from tackling up and down banksto the ever terrifying trakehner, there’s no better way to hone your skills than with five time Olympian Karen O’Connor. She doesn’t back down from the challenge of getting every horse and rider through each obstacle and neither do the horse and riders. It’s a combination of go-for-it students and take-no-prisoners clinician that leaves everyone feeling like there’s nothing on the cross country cross that they can’t handle by the time the session has ended.

Rider:

Galloping can only help me at this point.  I’m trying to ignore the fact that my mare reared immediately in warm up. I keep checking my air vest. I might need that. Medical arm band? Definitely. Check.

My eyes start to focus again and my breathing starts to dip slightly below hyperventilating.

We are here for the cross country.

Deep breath again.

Here we gooooooooo….  click, click, click.  It all falls into place.

To follow along with more Austin Eventing adventures, check out their blog.

Sunday Video: Evention TV on Helping Spooky Horses Jump

By on Jun 1, 2014 1:30 pm -

Evention TV released their latest episode this past week, and it contains some helpful hints on working with spooky or green horses over fences. As someone who has had horses who love to at least pretend that they are afraid of the horse-eating jump in front of them, I found this video quite helpful.

What methods do you use to help your horses gain confidence over fences? We’d love to hear your input, so post in the comments below.

 

Izzy Taylor and Allercombe Ellie Win Tattersalls CCI3*

By on Jun 1, 2014 12:00 pm -
Izzy Taylor and Allercombe Ellie. Photo courtesy of Prime Photography. Izzy Taylor and Allercombe Ellie. Photo courtesy of Prime Photography.

Great Britain’s Izzy Taylor had a rail in hand going into the ring to jump today, but did not need it as she show jumped double clear to clinch the win after leading overnight. Izzy, who took over the ride on Ellie this season from Aaron Millar, planned to take the mare to Saumur this spring. Unfortunately, after picking up three top 3 placings in their first outings together, the pair was eliminated at Chatsworth, which re-routed the pair to Tattersalls this weekend. This mare has been competing at the Intermediate and Advanced level for some time now, and she and Izzy certainly seem to be getting off on the right foot together.

Louise Harwood and Whitson picked up second place after also jumping double clear, and the top Irish rider in the division was Sarah Ennis with Stellor Rebound, finishing in third. Ciaran Glynn and Killossery Jupiter Rising, also riding for Ireland, moved from sixth to fourth overall.

Sitting in second place overnight, Australia’s Paul Tapner and Indian Mill knocked two rails to drop down to fifth overnight. This is Indian Mill’s first CCI3* and, while it does seem that the horse tends to have rails down in the final phase, Paul will likely be pleased with this result and has another three-star horse to add to his string.

Canada’s Kathryn Robinson and Let It Bee stayed in 14th place after show jumping. Kathryn and Let It Bee have been together for quite a few years and continue to grow and hold their own against some gritty European competition.

I will update this post with new photos as they become available. Keep refreshing this page for more.

Tattersalls Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [Schedule]

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Tattersalls Morning Score Update: Gemma Tattersall Wins CCI2*

By on Jun 1, 2014 9:00 am -
William Fox-Pitt and Luxury FH. Photo courtesy of Prime Photography. William Fox-Pitt and Luxury FH. Photo courtesy of Prime Photography.

In a fitting ending, Gemma Tattersall won the CCI2* at the Irish event that shares her name. Gemma was able to move up from fourth to second after a double clear cross country, and ended the weekend on her dressage score. Overnight leaders Piggy French and Seapatrick Dark Cruise had an unfortunate rail to move down to third overall. William Fox-Pitt and Luxury FH picked up second place after also jumping double clear today.

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Riders from Great Britain dominated the CCI2* division, taking home the honors in 12 out of the top 20 finishers. Australia and Ireland round out the remainder of the top 20. The highest place North American rider is US pair Jules Stiller with Cash Advance, who jumped double clear to finish 22nd on the weekend. This is Cash Advance’s CCI2* debut, and Jules has a string of talented horses currently that are looking good for her.

In the CCI2* U-25 division, US rider Jacob Fletcher moved up from 11th to 8th after show jumping to give the US a top 10 finish this weekend. Winners Millie Dumas and The Duke of Cavan led after dressage and never looked back, adding nothing to their dressage score to clinch the win today. Tom McEwan and Emily King round out the top three. Interestingly enough, the 7 out of the top 10 finishers in this division all finished on their dressage score, making this group quite the talented bunch to watch for the future.

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I’ve received some photos from the show jumping thus far today and will add those to this post once they are fully downloaded. I’ll also be back later with a CCI3* recap, so stay tuned for more from Ireland. Go Tatts.

Tattersalls Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [Schedule]

 

Saturday Score Round-Up: Colorado Horse Park, Waredaca, Poplar Place, IEA

By on May 31, 2014 4:30 pm -
Courtney Carson's Bird is the Word taking in the sights at IEA. Courtney Carson's Bird is the Word taking in the sights at IEA.

Another busy weekend is in progress around EN! If you are out competing, volunteering, coaching, spectating, or attending an event in any capacity, don’t forget to send your photos and videos to [email protected]. Once again, please join us in giving a huge thank you to all of the organizers, officials, and volunteers who make weekends such as this possible. We truly could not do this without you, and we thank you for all of your time spent and hard work.

The Colorado Horse Park is running their spring Horse Trials this weekend, with divisions running from Intermediate down to Beginner Novice. James Atkinson and Man on a Mission III lead after dressage and show jumping, scoring a 28.2 in the dressage to take a nice lead over Martha McDowell and Nabouco de Lessay. No one in this division jumped double clear, and all competitors had one rail down to keep the leaderboard fairly intact going into show jumping.

The Colorado Horse Park H.T.  [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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In the Intermediate division at Waredaca, Boyd Martin holds the top three spots after cross country in the Intermediate, which caused its share of problems today. Unfortunately, overnight leaders Mackenna Shea and Landioso elected to retire on course after scoring a 25.9 to lead the field after dressage. Meanwhile, Boyd moved up from second with Shamwari 4 and from sixth and fifth, respectively, with Pancho Villa and Otis Barbotiere. Boyd will no doubt be over the moon with these results, and although this was meant to be a lighter prep run for Shamwari 4 and Otis Barbotiere, he should feel confident going into his overseas trip.

Waredaca H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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In Georgia, Poplar Place is running Starter through Preliminary divisions. Werner Geven and Grey Prince are your Prelim leaders going into show jumping after adding 4.0 time to their dressage score. Stephanie Heinsons and Peekaboo Street enjoyed a nice jump up the leaderboard from ninth to second after a rocking double clear round, and Werner and his second ride, Kid Kaline, also moved up from eighth to third after cross country to round out the top three.

Poplar Place Farm June H.T.  [Website][Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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IEA is also having a busy weekend, with several three-day divisions as well as Beginner Novice through Intermediate-Preliminary horse trials divisions running concurrently. Suzie Harrison and Let’s Be Frank lead the I/P division, moving from fourth to first after clocking in the fastest cross country round with 4 time. Irene Lampton and Daisy picked up 14 time to move from first to second, and Kelty O’Donoghue and playtime round out the top three.

IEA Horse Trials, Classic Training & Novice 3-Day  [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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Bloggers Row: Kentucky Performance Products Joint Armor Review

By on May 31, 2014 3:00 pm -

If you haven’t been visiting Bloggers Row every day, you’re definitely missing out. In addition to guest rider blogs and posts from around Eventing Nation, we also have our very own Product Reviewer, Colleen Peachey. Each week, Colleen reviews items that eventers (and equestrians as a whole) may want to add to their tack or feed room. Be sure to check out Colleen’s reviews and all of the other insanity happening over on Bloggers Row!

Front Label on Kentucky Performance Products container of Joint Armor

Front Label on Kentucky Performance Products container of Joint Armor

Having the chance to share a partnership with your horse is, in my humble opinion, an honor. Getting the chance to work with them day in and day out really allows you to get to know their individual personality. What motivates them. What bores them. What scares them. And even what excites them. When you get a new horse, getting to know them is a process. Over time though, it is rewarding when you start to fall into sync with your horse, and develop the foundation of every important horse and rider relationship-trust. What’s more, I find that creating a partnership, and working to build your horse’s skills and developing their talent from the ground up is one of the most rewarding experiences that I can describe.

I’ve had the absolute privilege of owning my Quarter Horse gelding, Ripley, for over half of his 24 year-old life. Ripley came to belong to me when I lost the ride on a horse that I was leasing, and I think that we found each other. He had some serious abuse issues, and had only Western training when I first got him; it took a great deal of time for me to earn his trust, and then to progress with his dressage training on the flat, and his over-fence training. But the re-training experience is priceless to me; I know feel like Ripley and I know and trust each other completely.

With the freakish mind-reading bond that Ripley and I have, I’ve started to notice in recent years that he has slowed down. Sure, he still loves to gallop out across our back fields, and hurl himself over small jumps, but he has reached his mid-20s. Age happens. And I’ve noticed that Ripley would tend to come out of his stall a little on the stiff side; warm-ups started to take longer, and it would take us maybe a good ten to fifteen minutes of trot work before it would feel like he would loosen up enough to really step out and lengthen his stride. But when we would first start out warming up at the trot, I felt myself flashback to the days when Ripley used to ‘jig,’ because his stride was so short and choppy. He would even be a little grumpy and resistive when I would ask him to lift and carry himself. But for Ripley, I didn’t just notice his performance under saddle suffering; I also could tell when I went out for AM feedings that he seemed to be in a grumpy mood. He just seemed to be on the irritable side in the mornings, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.

For the majority of the time that I’ve owned Ripley, he has not been on any kind of supplements; it has only been in the past few years that I’ve found the benefits of using supplements to fill in nutritional gaps in my horse’s diets. With the signs of age that Ripley has shown, I definitely felt as though I needed to do something to try to help ease any discomfort that he might be experiencing, and to help maintain his joints. After all, what else does my long-term equine partner deserve? So I was very excited when I recently had the chance to try Joint Armor, from Kentucky Performance Products.

Measuring out the Joint Armor maintenance dose (one scoop) for Ripley’s grain

Measuring out the Joint Armor maintenance dose (one scoop) for Ripley’s grain

When I started Ripley on Joint Armor, the first thing that I noticed was how good the supplement smells when you open the lid–I’ve heard someone describe it as smelling like cake batter, and I don’t think that’s far off! The jar may not seem overly large at first glance, but a maintenance dose is only one scoop per day. The 1.16lb container of Joint Armor contains a 75 day supply of the supplement, when administering a maintenance dose (one scoop). For the first 28 days, I gave Ripley two scoops of Joint Armor (to get him through the “loading dose” period, to ensure that he was absorbing the ingredients properly). I found that Ripley ate his Joint Armor without any qualms whatsoever (although, who wouldn’t want to eat a supplement that smells like cake batter?).

Within the first two weeks of starting on Joint Armor, I could start to tell a difference in Ripley’s demeanor; he started to have his ears pricked, and look excited when I would come out for AM feedings–rather than have them back or to the sides, along with his grumpy face. I could also tell the difference when he would step out of his stall for daytime turnout–his stall is part of a shed-row barn, so he has a beam to step over on his way out. Stepping over the beam to come out of his stall started to look easier for him; and he just gave an air of being happier overall.

Ripley is more willing to move forward now that he is on Joint Armor

Ripley is more willing to move forward now that he is on Joint Armor

And under saddle? Let’s just say that I started to notice a difference pretty quickly! Again, within the first two weeks of starting on Joint Armor, I noticed a difference in Ripley. After tacking him up and mounting up, he had a little bit of an extra bounce in his step. And I certainly noticed that it didn’t take nearly as long for Ripley to warm up enough to be comfortable stepping out. After about a full month of Joint Armor, I would say that I observed even more of a difference than I did at the two week mark; the stiffness that always overshadowed Ripley’s warm-up was something that I was having trouble noticing at all. Ripley actually wanted to move forward for me. Right off the bat. He also was much more willing when I asked him to get on the bit and carry himself, which is something that he had really been starting to fight me on pre-Joint Armor. And I feel much better about asking Ripley to tackle small fences–he certainly gives me the impression that he feels good doing it, since he seems to hurl himself over them.

Now that Ripley is about through his very first container of Joint Armor from Kentucky Performance Products, I will absolutely continue to keep him on a maintenance dose of the supplement going forward. Ripley has been a great equine partner for me for many years, and has taken care of me while I’ve been in the saddle; and now he has reached the point in his life when I need to take care of him and look after any special needs that he has. Joint Armor has really seemed to help to ease Ripley’s stiffness–both coming out of his stall in the morning and during his warm-ups under saddle–and it also seems to help him move better. I like the results that I’ve seen with Ripley on Joint Armor so much, that I also want to start my two younger geldings in training on the supplement as well, as their activity level increases. Suffice to say though, that I’m extremely happy to see Ripley feeling much more like his old self again.

Go Joint Maintenance.  Go Kentucky Performance Products.  Go Eventing.

Great Quotes from Premier Equine Insurance

By on May 31, 2014 1:30 pm -
Photo by Sally Spickard. Photo by Sally Spickard.

This captured moment perfectly illustrates the ultimate highs of the sport of eventing. As Evander Holyfield so wisely said, heart is one of the biggest measures of success. In this tough sport, it is absolutely important that both horse and rider have a strong partnership in order to experience any form of success. We hear all the time that it’s all about the heart; everything else can be fine-tuned.

Both Ballynoe Castle RM and Buck Davidson are prime examples of heart and courage, and their Rolex performance this year will be one that we will always remember.

Our horses are our most precious investments. As with any investment, it is important to protect our horses in the event of an accident. Premier Equine Insurance is a family-owned company that is dedicated to bring you personalized and prompt attention. Owned by husband and wife David and Kirsten Buffamoyer, Premier Equine Insurance has three locations to serve you and is just one phone call away at all times. Be sure to stop by or call in for your FREE quote and consultation today!

Premier Great Quote Banner

Score Update from Tattersalls

By on May 31, 2014 12:00 pm -
Izzy Taylor and Allercombe Ellie. Photo courtesy of Prime Photography. Izzy Taylor and Allercombe Ellie. Photo courtesy of Prime Photography.

Cross country has wrapped up in the CCI3* at Tattersalls in Ireland today, and the leaderboard has shifted as a result. Kitty King and Persimmon were eliminated on course, allowing Izzy Taylor and Allercombe Ellie to move up into first place after a double clear run. Only six riders came home clear and under the time, which rewarded some with big jumps up the board.

Ireland’s Ciaran Glynn and Killosseery Jupiter Rising moved from 13th after dressage to 7th after cross country, and Great Britain riders Hannah Bate, Oliver Townend, and Richard Jones also moved up significantly to sit within the top 10 going into show jumping tomorrow.

The sole North American pair in the CCI3*, Canada’s Kathryn Robinson and Let It Bee moved up from 17th to 14th after incurring 9.8 time penalties on course to come home clear. Overall, two pairs retired on course and five were eliminated.

Tattersalls Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Live Steam] [Schedule]

Click to enlarge.

In the CCI2*, there were many more double clear rounds, and it’s all Great Britain and Australia in the top 10 going into show jumping. Piggy French and Seapatrick Dark Cruise sit on top with a 34.3, but they have no breathing room as Gemma Tattersall and William Fox-Pitt are hot on her tail with less than a rail separating them. It will certainly be a nail-biting finale in the show jumping tomorrow.

It was a tough day for the US contingent in the CCI2*. Both Jules Stiller and Katherine Coleman were eliminated on course, but Jules is still in the competition with Cash Advance, who accumulated only .8 time to lie in 27th after cross country.

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The CCI* division wrapped up today, and it was Oliver Townend who will take home the win with Colonel Joe. Ollie stalked the lead all weekend, moving from third after dressage to second after cross country. Overnight leaders William Fox-Pitt and Top Biats knocked one rail, which was enough to drop them down into third place overall. Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser also jumped a double clear round to take home second place on the weekend.

Jacob Fletcher and Ann Taylor, the US riders in the CCI*, each brought home two horses with completions for the weekend. Jacob with his two rides, Willunga and Van Gough, finished in 30th and 40th, respectively. Ann, with Striker IV and Lyrical, completed the weekend in 62nd and 65th, respectively. Jacob also had a third ride, Bacardi W, which he withdrew prior to show jumping.

Jacob also finished the CCI2* U-25 cross country with Atlantic Domino in 11th place after a double clear round.

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The final horse inspection and show jumping will get underway first thing tomorrow morning at 8:30 am local time (2:30 am EST), so stay tuned for much more from Tattersalls.

Saturday Video: Evention Teases New ‘Along for the Ride’ Show

By on May 31, 2014 10:30 am -

Dom and Jimmie Schramm, the creators of Evention TV, have another new idea coming down the pipe for viewer enjoyment. After the rousing success of their #mindyourmelon campaign, Evention teased a new “reality” type show that would follow riders who are trying to make it as professionals.

Titled “Along for the Ride,” Evention recently posted a teaser of the new series, although further details are not yet available. Check out the teaser video above and let us know what you think!

Watch Tattersalls Live CCI3* Cross Country Stream

By on May 31, 2014 9:00 am -
Emily King and Walitze F Vejgard on the CCI2* Under 25 division cross country. Photo by Prime Photography via Tattersalls Facebook page. Emily King and Walitze F Vejgard on the CCI2* Under 25 division cross country. Photo by Prime Photography via Tattersalls Facebook page.

It’s always challenging to juggle sleep with the more important things in life, and weekends when there are events running overseas are no exception. Luckily, the CCI3* cross country at Tattersalls gets underway at 9:30 am EST, so you officially have no other plans this morning other than sitting back and watching some great action from Ireland.

Team Great Britain threw down the gauntlet in the dressage, with British riders holding six of the top 10 spots currently. Kitty King and Persimmon are in the lead on a 40.4, followed by Izzy Taylor and Allercombie Ellie, not far behind on a 41.0. Australia’s Paul Tapner and Indian Mill are in third with a 42.2. All in all, it’s a tightly bunched group of 34 pairs going into cross country, where one refusal separates the majority of the field. It promises to be an exciting day, so don’t miss out on the action.

I’ll be back with a full recap later on today, but you can watch the live stream on Ustream here or the Irish Horse TV stream here. Go Tattersalls.

Tattersalls Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Live Steam] [Schedule]

Saturday Links from Tipperary

By on May 31, 2014 12:01 am -
Ending a great clinic day with some kickball! Photo via Hawley Bennett. Ending a great clinic day with some kickball! Photo via Hawley Bennett.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big fan of super humidity. Yes, yes, I know I was just complaining about the winter apocalypse a few months ago, so suffice to say I am just never satisfied. It’s getting quite hot and muggy here in the Midwest, which is really making me itch to move West that much more, or at least head up to Bromont next weekend where the weather might be a bit more acceptable for Ms. Picky here. How are you enjoying these first few weeks of real summer, EN?

Be sure to check in to the Tattersalls live stream today to watch cross country. The live stream broadcast begins at 9:30 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. EST) with the CCI2* U25, followed by the CCI2*. CCI3* cross country then starts at 2:30 local time (9:30 a.m. EST). CCI* prize giving will stream live at 5:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. EST). Go North America!

Tattersalls Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Live Steam] [Schedule]

Events This Weekend:

Waredaca H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

GMHA June H.T.  [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Poplar Place Farm June H.T.  [Website][Ride Times] [Live Scores]

The Colorado Horse Park H.T.  [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club Spring H.T  [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

IEA Horse Trials, Classic Training & Novice 3-Day  [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links:

USEF Eventing Show Jumping Coach Silvio Mazzoni has received an administrative penalty from the USEF after flunixin, or Banamine, that exceeded the maximum permitted level was found in Little Zegg’s system at the Ocala Premiere USEF Local Day Horse Show held on Jan. 31. The USEF has made the following statement: “Silvio Mazzoni was assessed an Administrative Penalty for an overage of a quantitatively restricted NSAID. This is a strict liability offense, there was no finding of intent,  and sanctions have been satisfied.” [USEF Administrative Penalties]

Do you have or know of an awesome Thoroughbred that deserves to have his or her story told? If so, you should check out the EN series Thoroughbred Legends, presented by Cosequin. We love sharing the stories of the horses that have helped us along the way, so if you have one to share please email me at [email protected].

The Event Derby at Fresno County Horse Park is rapidly approaching. To be held on June 14-15, this fun and educational competition is currently accepting entries. There will be a dressage phase followed by a jumping phase that is a mixture of stadium and cross country fences. Be sure to check out this great opportunity! [The Event Derby]

Jock Paget’s London hearing is coming up soon

Edwina Tops-Alexander’s veteran show jumping mount Itot du Chateau retiring this year

Feeding tips for lactating mares

Missing horse rescued from river

Emily Llewellyn retires Pardon Me

Is “Horseball” the next Olympic sport?

Best of the Blogs:

Jennie Brannigan reflects on Rolex

Saturday Video:

Well, that’s one way to do it!

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Throwback Thursday Presented by Ice Horse: And the Horse Is …

By on May 29, 2014 4:30 pm -
Sally Cousins and Tsunami at Rolex. Photo by Kasey Mueller. Sally Cousins and Tsunami at Rolex. Photo by Kasey Mueller.

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We may need to start digging up some harder challenges for you, EN! You all did wonderful on this week’s mystery horse. Racing under the name Tsu Tsu Roe, this week’s featured horse is none other than Sally Cousins’ Tsunami III! This scrappy mare is one of the most fun horses to watch run across country, and if you haven’t gotten the opportunity to see this pair in action, definitely add it to your EN bucket list.

Winner winner chicken dinner! What upper level horse is featured this week?

Winner winner chicken dinner! What upper level horse is featured this week?

We’d like to thank the Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program for allowing us to use their vintage photos in the last few weeks. Check back next week for a new edition of Throwback Thursday, presented by Ice Horse!

Classic pics are priceless, but today’s innovations make it so much easier to keep our horses feeling and performing their best. They may be black and white, but Ice Horse’s line of products deliver a full spectrum of cold therapy. Check out the Ice Horse Evendura ice compression wraps, the Big Black Boot for concentrated hoof cooling and Ice Horse continuous cooling machines.

EN’s Got Talent: Joe Meyer and South Paw

By on May 29, 2014 3:00 pm -

We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? EN’s Got Talent introduces the future superstars of the sport, interviewing riders about how they’re tackling training with these youngsters. Have you spotted a spectacular young horse at an event you think should be highlighted in this column? Tip me at [email protected].

Joe Meyer and South Paw. Photo by Susan Merle-Smith. Joe Meyer and South Paw. Photo by Susan Merle-Smith.

Joe Meyer has another star on the rise in his barn. Although Joe has had a less than ideal past couple of months, dealing with a broken pelvis and the peaceful passing of his veteran partner, Snip, he is still excited to have a wonderful young horse coming up: a 7-year-old Hanoverian/Thoroughbred stallion named South Paw.

South Paw’s sire is the well-known Hanoverian stallion, Sir Caletto, who stands in California and is known for producing elite level hunters. South Paw was bred by Katy Cowan and owned by Nora Yaney, who had a lot of previous experience with Sir Caletto offspring. Sir Caletto was bred with the Thoroughbred mare Rodozoom and Nora handled the young South Paw in his earliest days. Incidentally, Nora moved in next to Joe’s property in Florida, and a partnership was formed to bring South Paw into Joe’s barn once he was started under saddle.

Joe began campaigning South Paw as a 5-year-old and primarily competed him in some jumper classes at the 1.25-meter level in 2013 as a 6-year-old. “He’s always done everything quite easily, and by the end of last year, we really wanted him to start eventing,” Joe said. “He started off a wee bit ditchy and got me off at a triple bar with a water tray underneath when we first started. I think we jumped every ditch in Ocala and even built one on our property. Once we did all that, he started to realize that he could do it and kept progressing from strength to strength.”

By the time Joe began eventing South Paw in earnest, he was already very practiced in the show jumping phase and had a good aptitude for cross country. “Apart from the initial ditch issue, he really was keen for it when I took him cross country schooling,” Joe said. “He’s very brave and scopey. He looked like a hunter before, but now that we’ve got him trimmed down a bit, he looks more like an event horse. I kept asking myself the questions: Can he jump and can he gallop? And he kept answering them, so I figured I should have a go at (eventing) with him.”

South Paw came out at the Training level late in 2013, placing 13th at Ocala Horse Properties. The black stallion came out swinging this year, easily stepping up to the Preliminary level as a 7-year-old and picking up five top-five placings before moving up to Intermediate. “Especially in the dressage, he’s really starting to show me what’s in there,” Joe said. “We’ll get it out of him, though. I think he’s got a lot of potential to keep moving up.”

Next week on EN’s Got Talent: We’ll learn more about how Joe has gone about fine-tuning South Paw’s skills in the dressage, as well as his plans for the future with this young stallion.

Meet EN’s Most Famous Fan: Sarah Kate Kangas

By on May 29, 2014 1:30 pm -
EN's newest Most Famous Fan!

EN’s newest Most Famous Fan!

You may remember a little contest we ran after Rolex that urged you send us your photos with our fancy EN tattoos handed out at our tailgate party. We had a lot of fabulous submissions for this contest, and with a prize of eternal glory EN fame on the line, you all definitely brought your A game. We are pleased to announce that, by way of popular vote, the winner of our “Show Us Your Flags” contests and our new most famous fan is Sarah Kate Kangas!

Sarah Kate attended her very first Rolex this year with her mother, Melissa. Melissa has a background in eventing and has naturally introduced Sarah Kate to horses, which includes taking part in a yearly trip to the Bluegrass State. Sarah Kate, who is 5 years old, thoroughly enjoyed her first Rolex experience and even got to rub elbows with some of the best while she was there.

Sarah Kate poses with William Fox-Pitt.

Sarah Kate poses with William Fox-Pitt. Photo by Melissa Zeller.

“This was Sarah Kate’s first Rolex and her first flight, so she was really excited, ” Melissa, of Alexandria, Va., said. “Leading up to Rolex, we would read Eventing Nation together so we could talk about what she would see at Rolex. She was pretty excited to visit the EN tent when we got there, and she just had a great time.”

Sarah Kate, who has been riding ponies at home and currently rides in leadline classes, really got a chance to see what eventing was all about during her trip to Rolex. This included meeting some famous faces, such as Hawley Bennett and William Fox-Pitt.

“During our time there, she got autographs from several riders, but William Fox-Pitt was her favorite,” Melissa said. “He was really sweet to her when she asked for his autograph, and she has since written him some postcards telling him that he is her favorite rider and that she was happy that he won Rolex.”

Sarah Kate and Audrey getting ready for a lesson with Mary Alice Scola.

Sarah Kate and Audrey getting ready for a lesson with Mary Alice Scola. Photo by Melissa Zeller.

Sarah Kate also met Andrew Nicholson and Mark Todd at the airport while they were waiting for their departing flight. “I actually saw Andrew sitting at a table and sent Sarah Kate in to ask for his autograph, and I saw him motioning someone else over and realized it was Mark Todd!” Melissa recalled with a laugh. “They were both very nice to her and signed her hat, so she was just thrilled.”

At home in Virginia, Sarah Kate takes lessons with Mary Alice Scola and has gone foxhunting and beagling with her mom. Naturally, we all hope that Sarah Kate picks up the eventing bug soon, but in the meantime she is content to be a girl who loves horses — and William Fox-Pitt.

Sarah Kate with twin brother Tristan and little sister Daisy at the Keswick Horse Show. Photo by Melissa Zeller.

Sarah Kate with twin brother Tristan and little sister Daisy at the Keswick Horse Show. Photo by Melissa Zeller.

Sarah Kate is thrilled that she has become EN’s Most Famous Fan, and both she and Melissa love being a part of Eventing Nation. Keep those flags flying, Sarah Kate and Melissa!

Throwback Thursday Presented by Ice Horse: Guess the Horse

By on May 29, 2014 10:30 am -
Winner winner chicken dinner! What upper level horse is featured this week? Winner winner chicken dinner! What upper level horse is featured this week?

We here at EN are big fans of the OTTB, so we’ve got a special edition of Throwback Thursday for you today. This horse is a four-star campaigner whose talent was spotted on the track. Not only has this horse had success at the upper levels of eventing, she even picked up a win or two in her racing days!

IceHorse-BannerAd-600x100

Think you can identify our mystery horse this week? Post your best guess in the comments, and we’ll let you know if you were right later on today. Good luck!

TBT 4

Classic pics are priceless, but today’s innovations make it so much easier to keep our horses feeling and performing their best. They may be black and white, but Ice Horse’s line of products deliver a full spectrum of cold therapy. Check out the Ice Horse Evendura ice compression wraps, the Big Black Boot for concentrated hoof cooling and Ice Horse continuous cooling machines.

Grand Prix Show Jumper Peter Wylde Tests the Eventing Waters

By on May 28, 2014 1:30 pm -
Boyd with Peter Wylde. Photo by Fernanda Kellogg via Boyd's blog. Boyd with Peter Wylde. Photo by Fernanda Kellogg via Boyd's blog.

Grand Prix show jumper Peter Wylde, who won team gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, took a journey to the dark side this week under the watchful eye of Boyd Martin. Boyd posted on his blog that Peter rode Barbara and Donald Tober’s horse, Tawny, in his first-ever cross-country lesson this past weekend at Boyd’s annual Memorial Day clinic at Fitch’s Corner. We are all familiar with the story of Marilyn Little, who successfully crossed over from the Grand Prix ring to the Rolex arena — could Peter be the next?

Photo courtesy of Fernanda Kellogg.

Photo courtesy of Fernanda Kellogg via Boyd’s blog.

Ride Around the Saumur CCI3* Course with Doug Payne

By on May 28, 2014 10:30 am -

Doug Payne and Crown Talisman finished sixth in the horse’s international debut at Saumur CCI3*, which Doug said he was very happy with in his final blog from the event. He’s stayed on in France to enjoy a belated honeymoon with Jess, and he finally found strong enough wifi to upload his HD helmet cam complete with analysis for us.

For those curious about Pierre Michelet’s courses, this is a great example of his work. Check out the angled brush combination at fence 5AB, which caused many problems throughout the day. The skinny barrels in the main arena are also classic Pierre, and something similar will likely surface on the WEG course in Normandy.

Eventers Take On Hunt Night at Devon

By on May 28, 2014 9:00 am -
Team Sport Ponies UK at Devon. Photo by Hillary Moses.

Team Sport Ponies UK at Devon. Photo by Hillary Moses.

Last year, we posted Bryce Weber’s recap of Hunt Night at the Devon Horse Show. This year, we’re pleased to announce that a team of event riders once again took on the hunters, placing second out of 16 teams in a hotly contested class. Justine Dutton took two of her students and three event horses to Hunt Night this year and thoroughly enjoyed her experience.

Justine and her Preliminary mare, Jollybo, competed alongside students Tori Hain and her own Chaser and Katie Bibeau with Hillary Moses’ Madox, making up Team Sport Ponies UK. “I’ve ridden at Hunt Night two or three times, and the girls really wanted to go,” Justine said. The team managed to squeeze in the short trip to Devon in between competition at Flora Lea that weekend. “Jollybo actually ran the Prelim the morning of Devon, but she is fit enough to be able to go around one course that night,” Justine said.

Justine, Katie, and Victoria on course. Screenshot from USEF Network video.

Justine, Katie, and Victoria on course. Screenshot from USEF Network video.

The experience was a new one for all three horses, two of which had only come over from England last year and one which is a former Young Rider horse. “It was a lot of atmosphere, as there were so many people watching, and the class was held under the lights. Our horses were fine until everyone started screaming and cheering, but overall, they handled it quite well.”

What about preparation for this different type of competition? “We practiced twice at home, and since the warm-up was pandemonium, we went over to a different warm-up ring to canter around and get our spacing down, but that was about it,” Justine said. “We set a pretty fast pace on course, as many teams were too slow and their horses got too backed off to the fences, which caused a lot of stops.”

Although Team Sport Ponies UK was outfitted in hunter attire, the girls still couldn’t resist adding a bit of eventer flair to their ensembles; they threaded red and white yarn into their horses’ braids and put glitter on their quarter marks to add a bit of glitz and glamour to their outfits. “It’s always fun to be an eventer and be able to show up and compete in a hunter class,” Justine said. “It’s a great place to be seen, as there are so many spectators as well as current and potential clients who attend the event, so it was a great opportunity.”

Check out the stream of the Hunt Night class on USEF Network; Team Sport Ponies UK goes around the 18:55 marker. For more information on Team Sport Ponies UK, visit their website. Congratulations on your second place ladies!

How Kelly Rover Learned to Drive Her Ferrari

By on May 27, 2014 9:00 am -
Kelly Rover and Wilder Than Syn after their May Daze win last weekend. Photo by Megan Moore. Kelly Rover and Wilder Than Syn after their May Daze win last weekend. Photo by Megan Moore.

Four years ago, Kelly Rover found herself with a Ferrari in her barn, but without the tools to drive it. That Ferrari was an OTTB named Wilder Than Syn, or Owen. Kelly had been on the hunt for a horse that could take her to the Training and Preliminary levels, as her previous Appendix partner — her F-150, as she put it — would not be able to go past Novice.

Kelly met Megan Moore, of Team CEO Eventing in Lexington, Ky., at Queeny Park Horse Trials in St. Louis, Mo., in 2009 after seeing several sale flyers around the event. “I told (Megan) what I was looking for, and she said she had the perfect horse for me,” Kelly said. “She said he wasn’t advertised anywhere, but that I would have to come out and try him.” Kelly was intrigued, so she made the trip to Lexington over Fourth of July weekend and immediately fell in love with Owen.

Owen was a former steeplechase horse owned and trained by William Wofford, brother of Jimmy. Owen campaigned up and down the East Coast until he was 6 years old, having some success over some of the toughest chasing tracks in the country. Megan had seen Owen a few times throughout his career and jumped at the opportunity to acquire him when his racing career was over to find out if he had potential to be an event horse.

Kelly and Owen at Kentucky Classique in 2012. Photo by Megan Moore.

Kelly and Owen at Kentucky Classique in 2012. Photo by Megan Moore.

Megan is well-known for her affinity for “hot” horses and her ability to really get through to them and coax the talent out. When Kelly met Owen, she immediately fell in love with the hot and nervous Thoroughbred and brought him back to St. Louis with her. Once they got home, though, it was hardly smooth sailing.

“He is very hot and extremely nervous,” Kelly said. “He’s the one I would take cross country schooling and would be dripping white lather just from pure nerves. I literally had this Ferrari and had no idea what to do with it.” Without a trainer at home, Kelly found herself struggling to harness Owen’s power and use it to her advantage. “I took him to some 2-foot classes at some hunter/jumper shows and some Beginner Novice events, but we had a lot of problems and would get eliminated a lot. The first couple of years were tough.”

Owen had a tendency to use his prior steeplechase training and run full speed at a fence, only to lose his confidence at the base and slam on the brakes. “It was really the worst extremes on both sides: extreme acceleration and extreme brakes.”

Kelly realized that she needed more help with Owen, so when she saw Megan at Queeny Park again, she asked if Megan would consider taking on an adult working student. “Most working students are 18 to 22 years old and are able to commit to at least six months of work,” Kelly said. “Here I was, a 30-year-old adult with a full time job wanting to come work for just a few months, which is all I could take off from work.” Megan generously welcomed Kelly into her program in Lexington, and Kelly and Owen were off to spend the summer at Team CEO bootcamp.

By the conclusion of their summer work with Megan in 2012, Kelly and Owen were successfully competing at Novice, including a third place finish at Jump Start that September. “I learned how to be very direct and purposeful with my riding so that I wasn’t flopping around sending mixed signals,” Kelly said of her time in Kentucky. “Through riding (Megan’s) sale and training horses in addition to Owen, I learned a lot about my riding and my horse.”

Kelly and Owen schooling in Aiken. Photo by Le Tilghman.

Kelly and Owen schooling in Aiken. Photo by Le Tilghman.

Kelly and Owen moved back to St. Louis and resumed their work, only to begin running into some struggles again. “I realized it was never going to get better unless I had more help,” Kelly said. Incidentally, Kelly and her fiance, Nathan, were planning their upcoming nuptials. “I asked him if we could move to Kentucky after we got married, and I got really lucky when he said yes,” Kelly said. Both Kelly and Nathan work for IT companies, and they were both able to obtain permission to move; within 30 days the couple was married, had gone on their honeymoon and moved to Lexington to reunite with Megan.

“Having the ability to ride, train and compete regularly has just been wonderful,” Kelly said. “Owen has gotten to the point after four years competing together where people will comment and tell me how lucky I am go to have such a quiet horse! If only they knew how very hot and nervous he actually is. The difference is that now he has the confidence to look to me for an answer, and I have the confidence to know that he has my back as long as I have an answer for him.”

This year, after about eight months working with Megan full-time, Kelly and Owen, who is now 15, have amassed a hat trick of three consecutive wins at the Novice level, most recently picking up a win at May Daze in Kentucky. “We’ve definitely come a long way together, and I have to give the credit to Megan for helping us every step of the way,” Kelly said. “It’s all about keeping him confident and happy, and as soon as I feel he is losing confidence or not enjoying his job, we will take a step back.”

Kelly plans to move up to Training level next, which has been a big goal of hers since the beginning. This year has gotten off to a wonderful start for a pair, and Kelly is immeasurably thankful for the opportunity she has had to improve her riding and take a leap of faith. “Megan was definitely the right person for me to end up with,” she said. “There are trainers and programs all over the country where I could have probably been just as successful, but I think there was an advantage here since Megan already knew Owen. It’s just been an incredible opportunity, and I wouldn’t have been able to get to this point without her.”

You can follow along with Kelly and Owen’s journey on her blog, Event Reiter.

Woodside Preliminary Challenge Recap

By on May 25, 2014 5:00 pm -

A grand total of 48 horses and riders were entered in the $15,000 Preliminary Challenge Horse and Rider divisions at Woodside this weekend. With substantial prize money hard to find in the US, Woodside has made a distinct effort to up the ante for riders who are not competing at the Advanced levels. The Preliminary Challenge is an annual event at Woodside, adding to the ever increasing numbers of elite competition opportunities on the West Coast.

This year, the Preliminary Challenge Horse division belonged to David Adamo and Henry, a Holsteiner gelding who moved up to Preliminary in 2013. The horse has several Prelim wins under his belt and was coming off of a second place finish at Galway Downs last month. David and Henry led from start to finish in the division, adding nothing to their dressage score of 30.0.

Rounding out the top three in the Preliminary Challenge Horse division are Emilee Libby and Magnum 44, who moved from sixth place after cross country to clinch second place with a double clear show jumping round. Erin Kellerhouse and Raffaella bring up third place, dropping down one spot after knocking a single rail in show jumping.

In the Preliminary Challenge Rider division, JoAnna Saunders and Ansel Adams steadily worked their way up from third place to take home the blue. This is JoAnna’s second year this level, and she picked a good place to pick up her first Prelim win!

Ruth Bley and Rodrigue Du Granit picked up second place on a 39.0 followed Cara Julian and Wunder Schon, who finished on a 41.7. Only three riders turned in double clear show jump rounds, so the final phase definitely proved to be influential.

Frankie Thieriot of Athletux and Ride On Video have been working together all weekend to bring us recap videos from each day of competition. Please take a moment and enjoy the action, and many thanks to Frankie, Athletux, and Ride On Video for their coverage. We will add the Show Jumping highlight video once it becomes available.

Dressage Highlights:

Cross Country Highlights:

Kassidy Woody: My Horse of a Different Color

By on May 25, 2014 3:30 pm -

"A Horse of a Different Color" features horses and ponies that have been successful in the sport of eventing while representing a unique breed. Do you have a horse that you think would be a great feature subject? If so, email [email protected].

Kassidy Woody and Legally Rich. Photo courtesy of Kassidy Woody. Kassidy Woody and Legally Rich. Photo courtesy of Kassidy Woody.

From Kassidy:

I have a 14 year old bay Standardbred mare named “Allie”, or Legally Rich. I got her four years ago when I was ten years old. The lady before had purchased her from Canada after she was not deemed fast enough nor was she suited for harness racing. She had re-trained her and done a bit of cross country jumping here and there.

When Allie’s owner got pregnant, she decided to give her away to a good home because she couldn’t stand to see such a good horse stand in the pasture all day. My first horse, Polish Arab, had recently passed away and I was looking for a more Western horse to continue the 4H work I had recently begun.

My mom found Allie on a local website and, since she was so close, we decided to go look at her. Of course I fell in love and we bought her even though I was scared to death of her big trot. The owner was very nice and included all of Allie’s tack with her. I started working from the ground up using Clinton Anderson’s Down Under training methods (I had a lot of free time, so I studied and trained a lot).

Photo courtesy of Kassidy Woody.

Photo courtesy of Kassidy Woody.

Clinton Anderson’s tips worked their magic! Soon, I was riding her in a few shows but still nervous to go very fast on her because of trust issues. Eventually those trust issues went away. I got involved in Pony Club then and started jumping Allie. It was so fun! She already had some jumping experience so I wasn’t as nervous.

As our bond grew, we started going to more shows and jumping higher. I’m soon going to rate up to a C1 in Pony Club, and I’m an Intermediate in 4H as well. Allie is my only horse, so she does it all. Flat classes, show jumping, hunter classes, showmanship, trail (she hates showy trail but loves trail riding), gaming (which she LOVES), and just started eventing. We went to our first horse trial last fall in Beginner Novice and got 5th , which made me very happy. I plan to continue eventing.

Being a Standardbred, her conformation works against her. She has a really long back and lightly muscled hindquarters, which makes it difficult to compress her stride and be bendy and very light. She tends to fall to her inside shoulder, and four beats her canter. It isn’t a true canter, but she tries so hard. Right lead canter is very hard for her as well, which I am not sure why; left is much easier to pick up. Her trot is my pride and joy, though! It is improving wonders, but she absolutely loves cross country and galloping; she will just not stop. She would go all day if she could, and she is not afraid of any jump. She’ll throw her heart over anything for me. She tries to catch me when I get unsteady after a jump too; that happened at our horse trials and she halted after the jump and was dodging every which way to keep me on.

These horses have such big hearts and even bigger talents. I wish they were more appreciated!

Horse Nation: 5 Takeaways from the George H. Morris Gladstone Program

By on May 25, 2014 2:00 pm -

The George H. Morris Gladstone Program wrapped up this weekend, and as always there were plenty of nuggest of Morris knowledge handed out. What will we ever do with ourselves when Mr. Morris is no longer teaching? I'm beginning to think that we should have him record himself saying every training phrase imaginable a la Morgan Freeman so that he will always be a training presence in all disciplines. Horse Nation's Carla Lake took some time to pull five important takeaways from this year's Gladstone Program. Thanks Carla for this great summary!

Photo courtesy of Horse Nation. Photo courtesy of Horse Nation.

From Carla/Horse Nation:

Oh George.

This Sunday marks the end of this year’s George H. Morris Gladstone Program, an annual opportunity for talented young showjumpers to learn how to develop their skills for team riding on the national and international level. But you don’t need to compete at Maclay to benefit from Uncle George’s (often delightfully cantankerous) teachings:

Pick up a book: Dang kids with their cell phones and their Insta-chats!

Photo courtesy of Horse Nation.

Photo courtesy of Horse Nation.

“People are too busy these days to study,” Morris said while shaking his head. “They go to horse show after horse show. Everything we learned at Gladstone so many years ago is extinct. Everybody should read and learn everything that they can. I was fortunate enough to start and stay at the top of the sport. I am 76 years old, and I had one great teacher after another throughout my career, but I supplemented my knowledge on the horse with knowledge in the books.”

Gif via Land Rover UK YouTube.

Gif via Land Rover UK YouTube.

Don’t over jump. On the third day of the program, riders were faced with several different jumping exercises (details here). However, once the horse “got it,” George didn’t drill.

“Horses need to jump for a reason,” Morris said, “When they have learned, stop jumping. Do not over jump. ”

Drop those stirrups! As is his custom, George focused an entire day of the program on no-stirrups work. His bag of tricks included everything from posting the trot without stirrups to lateral work and scissoring the legs to stretch the adductor muscles.

Photo courtesy of Horse Nation.

Photo courtesy of Horse Nation.

“You can never grow out of these exercises; they not only help to make you supple, but they allow the horse to trust you. It is important that the horse always trust its rider,” Morris said.

Want to know the rest of Carla’s takeaways? Head on over to Horse Nation for the rest!

Sunday Video: Mary and Emily King’s Tips from the Top

By on May 25, 2014 12:30 pm -

Mother-daughter power duo Mary and Emily King recently joined Equestrian PR for some “Tips from the Top.” It’s always great to hear from riders who have made it to the top echelons of the sport and find out what their training tips are. Don’t have a fancy arena? Never fear, Mary does most of her training out in the fields. We all know that Mary’s training has proven to be among the most effective around, so enjoy these tips from one of the sport’s best and most promising pairs!