It feels like a near universality for young, horse-mad folks in the US to dream of running away to Ireland — the Emerald Isle of horsepower and horsepeople, where riding across the country is something that’s in your blood and in the blood of your sure-footed horse, too. Certainly, I spent much of my teenage years delving into documentaries, articles, and books on Irish horse culture and bloodlines, and still feel a bit wide-eyed with wonder when I get to pop over to look at good young stock. If you’re hardwired a bit like I am, this documentary on the Irish Thoroughbred industry will make for a great bit of evening viewing indeed!
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Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: All Hail Boleybawn Prince, Indoor Eventing Superstar
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You don’t need to be fluent in French to understand the gist of Maxime Livio‘s latest Instagram reel: the nineteen-year-old Boleybawn Prince has begun the year as he finished the last, picking up his third consecutive win in a row in an indoor eventing competition. This one came at Saumur, and follows on from decisive victories at Geneva and Stockholm — proving that age truly ain’t nothin’ but a number. Check out his lightning fast round and get inspired!
Challenge: Winter weight loss.
Solution: Equi-Jewel®, a high-fat, low-starch and -sugar formula developed to safely meet the energy needs of your horse.
Whether you have a hard keeper that needs extra calories to maintain his weight, or a top performance horse that needs cool energy to perform at her peak, Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s energy needs. Equi-Jewel reduces the risk of digestive upset, supports optimal muscle function, maintains stamina, and helps horses recover faster after hard work, all while providing the calories your horse needs to thrive.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®.
Have you grabbed your winter running horse stickers? Check them out at KPPusa.com/winter23.
Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products
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Here at EN, we truly believe that grooms are some of the real superheroes of our industry, and we love every opportunity we get to pick their brains and see them in action at events all over the world. And one groom in particular has been a real celebrity for anyone who wants to be a better groom, or simply a better horseman: the ineffable Jackie Potts.
This year, Jackie celebrates 30 years as the head honcho of Fox-Pitt Eventing this year, a tenure that began for her right at the beginning of William’s international career. She’s been by his side as the architect of his success all the way through, and in the last few years, she’s been the lynchpin of Kazu Tomoto’s extraordinary career, too. My own interactions with Jackie have been numerous, and varied, and all completely brilliant: ‘Grans’, as she’s known on the circuit, is always quick with a smile and a chat at events, and will answer even the silliest of questions as she juggles her millions of responsibilities and basically keeps the world turning.
But I first met her not as a journalist, but as a teenaged eventing enthusiast spending three days trialling for a working pupil job at William’s. It was there that Jackie taught me several things that I’ve used consistently since — horse management tips, mostly, but above all, the concept of the ‘shit sandwich’. This pillar of Jackie’s much-loved and respected management style works like this: when you want to make a constructive criticism or point out a mistake, you begin by mentioning something that the person has done well. Then, you offer advice for improvement on the thing that’s not so good, before finishing with another positive point.
It works in every facet of life, because it leads with kindness and makes people feel even more motivated to improve and succeed. So from all of us at EN, happy anniversary, Jackie! Thanks for your wisdom and your positivity. We have no criticisms to put in this sandwich.
Events Opening Today: SAzEA Spring H.T., Southern Pines H.T., Chattahoochee Hills H.T.
Events Closing Today: Pine Top Intermediate H.T., Full Gallop Farm February I H.T., Rocking Horse Winter II H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
We’ve all been glued to the FEI Eventing Forum, which took place in France over the weekend. One of the major topics on the roster was safety within the sport, and how it can be improved — and some of the numbers crunched showed that although rotational falls are on the decline, the severity of those that do still occur is significant. Here’s what that means, and what the next steps could look like. [Eliminating rotationals]
One of my favourite parts of the season is seeing the Intercollegiate competition photos. Weirdly specific? Not if you’ve ever seen a truly hilarious photo of a college sports mascot invading a cross-country course, nor if you’ve ever felt your heart warmed by the sheer joy of a team of students absolutely smashing out a win. It’s a brilliant programme, and one I would love to see even more of this year — so if you’re a college student who loves eventing, check out the newly-released calendar and start planning! [The Intercollegiate Eventing League calendar is here]
Winter’s not good for much, but it is a chance to get your horse’s mane and tail in check. I’m a bit lazy, so I tend to let my horse have a bit of a free-growth period before I get the pulling comb out ready for early-season plaits, but even if your horse needs to look show-ready throughout the winter, you can use this time to tend to those scabby bits, the bald patches, and all the rest. [Here’s how]
It’s a tough call to make — but sometimes, stepping back from eventing is the right thing to do. That’s the call that five-star competitor Hannah Bate after discovering that eventing just doesn’t light her fire anymore. Her experience isn’t totally uncommon, and it’s an interesting one to read. [Hannah’s next steps]
Sponsor Corner: Could Vitamin E help horses with neurological disease? New research shows that the right vitamin E supplement could be beneficial! Check out this blog on the topic from Kentucky Performance Products!
Watch This:
Can’t cross-country school at the moment for whatever reason? Reap the benefits by tuning in for British eventer Ashley Harrison’s lessons:
Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack
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Wrap up tight in your winter woollies — for those of us in the UK, at least, temperatures plunged to -7C last night and I suspect we’re all dealing with frozen and burst water pipes, ice-rink fields, and solid arenas today. Sometimes, you’ve just got to embrace it and go for a potter down the line on your fluffiest pony, like Kevin and Emma McNab’s gorgeous kiddos Annabelle and Charlie have opted to do. Smart smalls!
National Holiday: It’s…Measure Your Feet Day! Which sounds an awful lot like ‘…and then buy new boots day’ to me, tbh.
U.S. Weekend Events:
Stable View Aiken Opener H.T. (Aiken, SC): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Grand Oaks H.T. (Weirsdale, FL): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Your Monday Reading List:
Have you begun planning your 2023 season yet? If hours at the kitchen table poring over the fixtures list are your new normal, you’ll appreciate this update from Liz Halliday-Sharp, who knows all too well how overwhelming the process can be. She shares her thought processes for getting the year in shape, with insights she learned from her years spent competing in the UK as well as being based in various parts of the States. [Whip your calendar into shape]
If there’s one thing I really don’t enjoy, it’s lunging. (Okay, okay, and sheath cleaning.) Mostly, I just find lunging incredibly boring — but I do also understand the benefits, if I were to commit my time to doing it sensibly and properly. These tips from Fizz Tickridge-Marshall make use of poles, transitions, and sensible, actionable goals to turn any lunging session into something verging on — dare I say it? — fun. [Get your lunge on]
You probably know that the Lipizzaners of the Spanish Riding School narrowly escaped tragedy during WWII. But do you know the full extent of the story, and the characters involved in ensuring their safety? This book excerpt will take you down the rabbit hole, and once you get there, you’ll just want to keep on digging. [The dancing horses of Vienna]
Happy kind-of retirement to those top event horses who’ve found a second career. One of those is RF Demeter, formerly ridden by Marilyn Little and now having a delightful time as the dream young rider’s dressage horse. [Catch up with her here]
The FutureTrack Follow:
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I’m in full holiday-dreaming mode now, and my inspo of choice is Laurence Kellard Safaris, founded in Kenya by two former top-level event riders. Beautifully schooled horses and once-in-a-lifetime animal-spotting opportunities? Sign. Me. Up. In the meantime, I’ll get my fix from scrolling their ‘gram.
Morning Viewing:
I started my day with a real case of the Mondays, but this video of a dancing dressage-bred foal showing off with his mum has slowly eked the bad vibes out of me. I can’t cope with his little attitude and flicky toes! May we all embrace the start of the week like this small kiddo embraced his first audience.
Tune In in 2023: Your Guide to USEF Network’s Collab with ClipMyHorse.tv
Holly Jacks and Candy King at Kentucky — one of the events that’ll be included as part of USEF Network’s merger with ClipMyHorse. Photo by Kristin Strehlow Photography.
There’s something about USEF Network, isn’t there? For years, it’s been the Old Reliable of streaming services, happily giving us all access to top-level eventing (and plenty of other disciplines besides, including my own guilty pleasure: equitation finals!) for low to no cost. And so when the announcement of its amalgamation with European-based streaming giant ClipMyHorse broke last week, there was an understandably mixed response: would viewers need to lock themselves into yet another contract to be able to tune into the sport? Would being an equestrian enthusiast soon start to price out everyone except the very wealthy?
The answer, thankfully, is no — and USEF has taken the time to clear up some of the primary concerns.
Why has the merger happened?
Primarily, to widen US equestrian sport’s reach. ClipMyHorse is a German company, and the primary streaming service around Europe, with competitions such as CHIO Aachen on its roster already. But it also has a handy functionality for riders, owners, and connections: you can easily search a horse or rider and find isolated clips of their participation in every competition that’s been streamed through the service. That’s a real boon to buyers and sellers of horses, who can easily access the content they need, but it’s got plenty of uses beyond that, too. (Sincerely, a woman who occasionally just searches ‘Corouet’ and sits there with hearts in her eyes.)
Do I need to make a new login?
Yes, but it’s not too tricky. Click here and create an account using your current USEF Network email address and a secure password.
Do I have to pay for a ClipMyHorse subscription to watch what I used to get for free?
Nope! Everything you streamed via USEF Network, using your competitor, subscriber, or fan account will still be free, you’ll just need that new login you just created to access it. If you want to rewatch legacy content on demand, you’ll be able to do so as part of your competitor or subscriber account, but if you have the free fan membership, you can upgrade to on-demand access for $25 per year.
What if I want to watch competitions that are outside the USEF Network schedule?
Great news: you get 10% off a ClipMyHorse premium subscription through USEF. The code is USEFCMHTV and it’ll save you some dosh on the annual subscription price of $179.99 per year, which gives you full access to the whole shebang, including FEI TV, National and international competitions, and training content, too. But if you just want the USEF Network content, you absolutely don’t need to pay!
If you’ve got any further technical questions about the merger, you can find the answers here. Now if you excuse me, I’ll be thinking about both the Maclay and Corouet, as usual.
Friday Video: Meet BE CEO Helen West (Chapter Two!)
Last week, we shared the first part of an interview with British Eventing CEO Helen West, conducted by sports journo supreme Andrew Baldock in the lush surrounds of the Badminton estate. This week, we’ve got our grubby little mitts on part two, where the pair talk about the organisation that Helen now spearheads, how her tenure there began, and what she’s working towards regarding the future of the sport, and of BE.
US Eventing Grooms Association Expands Winter Education Series to Aiken
Hallie Coon’s Global Ex gets some love from groom Tabby Fiorentina. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Shortly after the announcement of an absolutely stacked series of educational opportunities for grooms in Ocala, the US Eventing Grooms Association has announced another Winter Education series, set to take place in Aiken, South Carolina from early February through to mid-March. The seminars, which cover subjects such as leg care with Stephanie Simpson, head groom to Boyd Martin, rider wellbeing with five-star rider Emily Hamel, veterinary care with Dr Ashley Taylor, DVM, and much more, are all set to take place at Bruce’s Field from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and best of all, every single one of these hugely informative sessions will be completely free.
This is the second year that the USEGA is running these popular seminars, and in the interest of ensuring that whole-horse education can be as accessible as possible, we’ll be aiming to bring you reports and updates — and you can follow the Association on Instagram and Facebook to get updates, attendance information, and — potentially — live-stream access.
The Aiken seminars include:
2/7: All Things Veterinary with Dr Ashley Taylor, DVM
2/14: How Well Do You Know Your Horse? with Emma Ford
2/21: Leg Care 101 with Stephanie Simpson
2/28: Let’s Not Forget About the Rider! with Emily Hamel
3/7: The Importance of a Good Rehabilitation Plan with Maxine Emerich-Jaquish
3/14: No Foot No Horse with Dan Martial
Thursday Video: Sam Griffiths’s Simple Exercises for Maximum Impact
I love a schooling exercise, and one of my favourite parts of being a magazine journalist was (and is, when I freelance!) getting to try out all the tips in the training features I penned for top riders. But some of them, admittedly, require quite a lot of legwork behind the scenes, whether that’s because you have to memorise twenty steps or because you have to spend an hour setting up a labour-intensive grid before you can even begin. Not so with these tips from Australian eventer and New Zealand team trainer Sam Griffiths, who’s all about incorporating simple, straightforward exercises into your day-to-day. They’re hard to get wrong and easy to make use of, and over time, they have a huge positive effect. Tune in to this video from Horse & Rider magazine in the UK and try them out for yourself!
Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: The Most Iconic Horses Equestrian Sport
There are so many horses throughout the course of modern equestrian sport that have, realistically, changed the whole discipline around them: in recent years, there’s been Charlotte Dujardin’s dressage phenom Valegro, who pushed scores well beyond anything we’d ever seen before; Charisma, who became the poster boy of eventing with Mark Todd; Rodrigo Pessoa’s Baloubet de Rouet, whose pictures I stuck all over my teenage bedroom walls. Regardless of which discipline is ‘yours’, the truly great horses inspire us universally and set our pony-mad hearts to dreaming, and so I was delighted to find this short documentary feature from the FEI on a recent YouTube rabbithole-dive. It’ll transport you out of dreary midwinter and straight into lofty goal-setting territory, guaranteed.
Challenge: Winter weight loss.
Solution: Equi-Jewel®, a high-fat, low-starch and -sugar formula developed to safely meet the energy needs of your horse.
Whether you have a hard keeper that needs extra calories to maintain his weight, or a top performance horse that needs cool energy to perform at her peak, Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s energy needs. Equi-Jewel reduces the risk of digestive upset, supports optimal muscle function, maintains stamina, and helps horses recover faster after hard work, all while providing the calories your horse needs to thrive.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®.
Have you grabbed your winter running horse stickers? Check them out at KPPusa.com/winter23.
Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products
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I’m not even a little bit sorry about leading with a meme today, because I just know so many of you will relate to this one from the frankly top-notch Dressage Queen of Memes. I’ve helped a few friends with their small breeding operations and we’ve spent weeks, if not months, doing our research into stallions, watching endless videos, tracking down progeny to see what they’re like, stopping just short of pulling together a few punnet squares (but like, I’m definitely going to try that next time). But when it comes to Hinge? My wilderness years were filled with horrors, including the time I went on a date with a chap who told me, ad nauseum, about his very iffy opinions on closed borders. For months I had a note hanging in my kitchen that said ‘PLEASE DON’T SLEEP WITH ANY FASCISTS’. It’s a rule I’ve stuck to, but lord, the dating thing was hard work.
Events Opening Today: Sporting Days Farm March H.T. II, Rocking Horse Winter III H.T., Twin Rivers Winter H.T.
Events Closing Today: Three Lakes Winter I H.T. at Caudle Ranch, Sporting Days Farm February Trials H.T. I, Galway Downs 2023 Kickoff H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
It’s something none of particularly want to think about — but one day, we’ll all die. And when we do, we need to make sure we have watertight plans in place for what happens to our horses, otherwise they could be dispersed. If you haven’t made a will yet, this piece might compel you to do so. [Making plans for after the fact]
Ever considered using a sports psychologist? Or, more specifically, ever been put off using one because a) you’re not really sure what they do and b) you’re not sure you’re the target clientele? Dr Paul Haefner is here to dispel all your doubts, with some useful information on what to expect and how to find the best practitioner for you. And yes, you’re the target clientele, even if you don’t compete. [Get a sports psychologist on your side]
In great news for aspiring event riders on a budget, a new scheme in the UK is matching kids with competition ponies — for free. Project Pony is the brainchild of a former Team GB pony rider, and it provides free loans of very good competition mounts to young riders who may not otherwise have access to such quality to learn from. Among those kids? 5* rider Tom Crisp’s son Harry, who’s finally getting the chance to prove himself over BE courses as a result. [A pony for you, and a pony for you, and a pony for EVERYONE]
We recently reviewed the Eques Pante on EN and loved it. But what we arguably love even more is that behind these small businesses are real human beings — and the horses they love, too. Sadly, founder Jessica Andrews recently had to put her heart horse, Nahlea, to sleep, and she’s penned a lovely tribute to this special mare that shares their whole story together — from the meat man’s bargain bin to the beginnings of a brilliant business. [Saying goodbye]
Sponsor Corner: Could Vitamin E help horses with neurological disease? New research shows that the right vitamin E supplement could be beneficial! Check out this blog on the topic from Kentucky Performance Products!
Watch This:
British vlogger Lucy Robinson recently took her ex-racehorse, Ember, to his first-ever arena eventing competition. Check out how they got on:
Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack
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I’m a little sad to see that Gemma Stevens (nee Tattersall, for those of you who haven’t been keeping up with your eventing weddings!) said goodbye to the very cool MGH Candy Girl recently. Gemma has been moonlighting as a (very good!) show jumper on the side of her eventing for a while now, and this pocket rocket of a mare has partnered her around some enormous, prestigious tracks. She’ll now be campaigned by British jumper Matt Sampson, and no doubt Gemma has some very good horses lined up to fill her space in her string, but nonetheless, I’ll miss seeing these plucky ladies out on course.
National Holiday: It’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Here are some great podcasts to listen to.
U.S. Weekend Action:
Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Ram Tap Horse Park Combined Test (Fresno, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Your Monday Reading List:
We won’t be seeing British eventer Georgie Goss (nee Spence) at Badminton this year — but for good reason. She and her husband Toby, who wed in July of 2021, are expecting their first child this spring! [Congratulations to the happy couple]
Whether you’re buying or selling a horse, you’ll be familiar with the idea — and the potential positives — of a trial period. But with those positives come risks; risk of injury, risk of negligence, and a liability risk, too, that can’t be overlooked. To help make the situation less fraught, it’s wise to familiarise yourself with the legal complexities of the situation, allowing you to get a robust contract in place that protects all parties, should things go pear-shaped. [Here’s what you need to know]
Single girls know the struggle: if you make it clear that you’re a horse girl on your dating profiles, you get all sorts of weird behaviour in response, from questions about what you like to use your whip for (ew) or cynical insinuations about your wealth (non-existent, thanks for playing). But when you’re on the hunt for the perfect partner — one who’ll show up and support you in your maddest, rainiest habits even if they’re not a horse person themselves, does it really pay off to hide the thing that makes you you? [The answer? More leg maybe idk]
What are the factors that contribute to your choice to stable, or turn out, your horse? Canadian researchers conducted a study on a sample group of horse owners, some of which let their horses live out the majority of the time, and some of which prefer to keep their horses largely stabled, to try to find out the ‘human’ motivators for this big decision — and what horses actually prefer. [In or out?]
The FutureTrack Follow:
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It’s a good moment to click that follow button on Kimmy Cecere, who’s just gone solo after years of being part of Lauren Nicholson’s team. She’s also just finished up her first year in the UK and will be heading back for another season shortly – so you’ll get some great insights into what it’s actually like to train with some of the world’s best riders and compete at some of the biggest events.
Morning Viewing:
Here it is: a stable tour that’s actually going to make me buy a lottery ticket. How is it so clean?
Saturday Video: Check Out How the Dressage Queen Gets It Done
I’m a real sucker for both a snoop around other people’s yards and a trip abroad, and this fascinating vlog serves up both: it’s a deep-dive into Olympic gold medallist Jessica von Bredow-Werdnl‘s day-to-day life at the extraordinary Aubenhausen, the sprawling facility she shares with brother Benjamin and a whole host of very, very good horses. There’s a few surprises to be found once you get through the gates, too, including Riding for the Disabled ponies, horsey spa amenities, and — best of all — much more turnout than you might expect to see at a top-end dressage facility. It’s certainly a slice of horsey heaven, by anyone’s estimations — and after you see the care and attention to detail that’s been put into the place, you won’t be surprised at all that Jessica’s career has been such a success so far.
Friday Video: What It Takes to Win a CCI3*-L
We’re already longing for the next edition of the MARS Maryland 5 Star, which delivered us one of the sunniest (well, mostly) and most enjoyable weeks of 2022 — and yielded some seriously cool stories, too. One of those was Elisa Wallace‘s victory in the CCI3*-L class with the excellent Renkum Corsair, which she’s relived for her fans and followers with a fascinating vlog. In it, you’ll get to see footage from all three phases and find out, with Elisa’s informative voice-over, how she prepared for each one and got the best ride possible out of her horse. It’s a great way to relive a brilliant event, but also a really useful way to learn a tonne about the actual mechanics of getting the performance you’re hoping for in each phase.
Thursday Video: Making the Most of the Rainy Season
The other day, I went down to the far end of my mare’s field — a place only ventured to by thick tyres or four sturdy legs — and promptly lost a welly boot six feet under, never to be seen again. In the twenty minutes it took me to somehow squelch my way back up to the gate and back to safety, the mares galloped past me gleefully approximately thirteen times, apparently totally indifferent to my plight. Horses, eh? Winter, eh? Anyway, when EN’s editor, Sally, sent me tonight’s video — from the comfort of her WARM AND DRY California home, no less (well, actually, maybe not, all things considered) — I was initially wholly repelled by the concept of galloping through flooded fields. But then I rewatched it again, and realised that being atop a sturdy Irish horse would mean no wet feet, and no sequestered welly boots, I started to warm to the idea. This is just about the only situation in which I can see the fun in flooding, now, but only if there’s plenty of hot toddies on offer to make it worthwhile.
Equestrian Sport New Zealand Announces 2023 Eventing Squads
Tim Price and Falco help secure a medal for New Zealand in Pratoni. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It’s a big year for Team New Zealand: after taking both team and individual bronze at the FEI World Eventing Championships at Pratoni, thus ending a long spate of slightly unfortunate luck at championships, they’ve got a year to focus wholly on building upon those foundations ahead of next year’s Olympic Games. With that in mind, they’ve revealed their first set of squad lists for 2023, which comprise six different groups and a number of seriously exciting horses and riders across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The top-level squad, or the High Performance Squad, is a short but sweet line-up, consisting of just two riders and five horses. No bonus points if you can guess who those riders are: World Number One and Two Tim and Jonelle Price remain at the forefront of their country’s championship efforts. Their named horses on this squad are:
- Grovine de Reve, owned by Therese Miller and Jonelle Price (Jonelle)
- Grappa Nera, owned by the Grape Syndicate (Jonelle)
- Falco, owned by Sue Benson and Tim Price (Tim)
- Xavier Faer, owned by Trisha and Sophie Rickards and Tim Price (Tim)
- Coup de Coeur Dudevin, owned by Jean-Luis Stauffer (Tim)
The High Performance Recognition Squad currently has no horses and riders listed, while the High Performance Futures Squad, which is designed to recognise and develop talent for future podium appearances, is jam-packed with talent. This list is as follows:
- Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding
- Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier
- Clarke Johnstone and Aces High
- Clarke Johnstone and Leopards Action
- Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park
- Dan Jocelyn and Blackthorn Cruise
- James Avery and One Of A Kind
- Jesse Campbell and Diachello
- Jonelle Price and McClaren
- Maddy Crowe and Waitangi Pinterest
- Matthew Grayling and Trudeau
- Monica Spencer and Artist
- Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ
- Tim Price and Happy Boy
- Tim Price and Vitali
A number of riders have been named to the High Performance Potential Squad, and will receive support and training across their strings to help them develop and hone their performances. These riders are:
- Abigail Long
- Bundy Philpott
- Christen Lane
- Ginny Thompson
- Hollie Swain
- Lauren Innes
- Tayla Mason
- Vicky Browne-Cole
Two riders have been named to the Talent Development Squad, and both are currently based in New Zealand:
- Brittany Fowler
- Charlotte Penny
And finally, eight New Zealand-based riders have been named on the Talent ID Squad:
- Alena Dorotich
- Bridie Quigley
- Carys McCrory
- Charlotte Treneary
- Jasmyne Speake
- Kelli Frewin
- Lilly Anderson
- MacKenzie Marlo
The lists will be reviewed and updated again in May/June of this year.
Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: BE CEO Helen West’s Life Story
Know the name Helen West, but not sure who the woman at the helm of British Eventing actually is? Saddlers Voltaire Design are on a mission to change that with the latest instalment in their Life Stories series, helmed by sports journalist Andrew Baldock. Find out how Helen got into the sport herself, and what she did before taking on the role of CEO at British Eventing, as the pair chat through her story lakeside at Badminton House.
Challenge: Winter weight loss.
Solution: Equi-Jewel®, a high-fat, low-starch and -sugar formula developed to safely meet the energy needs of your horse.
Whether you have a hard keeper that needs extra calories to maintain his weight, or a top performance horse that needs cool energy to perform at her peak, Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s energy needs. Equi-Jewel reduces the risk of digestive upset, supports optimal muscle function, maintains stamina, and helps horses recover faster after hard work, all while providing the calories your horse needs to thrive.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®.
Have you grabbed your winter running horse stickers? Check them out at KPPusa.com/winter23.
Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products
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Remember back in the good old days when one of your well-meaning aunties would ‘adopt’ a tiger for you for Christmas? Now, in my 30s, there’s a part of me that wants nothing more than to sign up for loads of those ‘adoption’ schemes and cover my fridge with photos and updates from all my far-flung four-legged children, and so if you need me today, I’ll be down the rabbit hole of rescued horses like gorgeous Zak, whose sweet face I CANNOT stop thinking about.
Events Opening Today: Three Lakes Winter II H.T. at Caudle Ranch, Pine Top Advanced H.T.
Events Closing Today: Full Gallop Farm January H.T, Rocking Horse Winter I H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
Coaches, listen up! We’re just one week away from the start of the 2023 ECP Symposium, which will take place at Ocala’s Barnstaple Farm from January 17-19. The symposium is jam-packed full of great speakers and educators, and you can get to know them here!
If your fields are starting to resemble that scene from The Never-ending Story, you’re not alone. And you also don’t have to continue to suffer through the worst of the muddy season! Instead, employ some handy mud-management tips and get a handle on nature’s most annoying substance.
New research is yielding an interesting way to monitor horses’ stress-levels. UConn researchers are using monitors to track an array of responses across a number of controlled stress environments, with the long-term aim of improved welfare for domesticated horses. So far, they’ve learned that umbrellas are scary.
Sponsor Corner: Got a hard keeper?
Kentucky Performance Products has a whole stable full of science-backed nutritional support products, and one of the real gems in their arsenal is EndurExtra® — a high-fat energy source that’s rich in antioxidants and direct-fed microbials. That makes it a great source of support for hard keepers, OAPs, and, of course, hard-working competition horses.
[Three Tips to Help Your Hard Keeper]
Watch This:
If you’ve got a gelding with Labrador energy, this’ll resonate.
On the flip side, if you’re a mare person (like me), you might recognise your horse in this.
Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack
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No doubt, by now you’ve already seen this truly ridiculous video of Ireland’s Fred Scala bringing his top horse Donald (Everon Vivendi) back into work after a prolonged period of time off due to injury. I think I’ve probably watched it ten times now, both because I’m really impressed with how well Fred sits some serious acrobatics, and because I’m quietly delighted that I never have to sit on anything like that ever again. The perks of amateur life!
National Holiday: It’s National Clean Your Desk Day and I. Simply. Won’t.
Your Monday Reading List:
The most-viewed TikTok in the UK for 2022 is…a farrier. Sam Draycott probably wasn’t expecting the general public to be quite so interested when he posted a video of a shoe removal and hoof tidy-up, but interested they were — and now the chap is becoming something of an influencer off the back of his success. It’s a bit of an odd one, but it’s nice to have horses in the mainstream media for positive and harmless reasons, frankly. [Pony pedicures hit the big time]
If you’ve ever rehabbed a rescue horse, you know how fraught the process can be. One of the toughest parts? Resisting the urge to allow free access to food to a horse that’s been starved. Instead, it’s important to carefully — and slowly — increase food intake, keeping a close eye, too, on what, exactly, you’re feeding them, otherwise those sensitive horse insides can suffer catastrophic consequences. [Here’s how to do it]
I feel a little shiver of envy every time I read about the Inter-Scholastic Eventing League. Imagine! Eventing as a high school sport! I would have relished the opportunity — but I’m delighted that other kids get the chance to be part of this very cool program. The 2023 team challenge calendar has just been released, so if your school doesn’t have an IEL team yet, take a look and see if it might be worth setting one up with your friends. [I encourage varsity jacket wearing]
We often see articles and studies about the benefits of horses to folks with various disabilities. But what about the positive impact they have on equestrians who are dealing with a mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety? For those of us who share similar diagnoses, there’s a definite correlation between time spent at the barn and time spent feeling, well, normal. [Horses are an antidepressant (but also it’s fine to take antidepressants)]
Based in the UK, and fancy getting out and about to some events in a volunteer role? There’s loads of great jobs you can do — from fence judging to ring stewarding, you’ll get to see some great sport and drink many hundreds of cups of tea, probably. To get you started, consider signing up for a BE Volunteer Workshop, the dates of which have just been released. [Join the volunteer squad]
The FutureTrack Follow:
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British up-and-comer Steve Heal looks set to have a very exciting season indeed — and there’s even an opportunity to get involved, with a raffle currently on the go that could nab you a syndicate membership in the lovely Hagonda (Holly) for 2023. The impressive mare is stepping up to 4* this year, and syndicate members will get to experience the excitement and joy of horse-ownership first hand.
Morning Viewing:
I’ll never really understand the intricacies of our cousin sport, combined driving, but I sure do enjoy watching the mayhem unfold.
Saturday Video: The Three Daily Groundwork Exercises That’ll Change Your Horse Forever
I’ll admit it: I’ve always been a little bit lazy when it comes to groundwork. Not in a my-horses-are-total-nightmares kind of way — I never let the manners and basic training degenerate. But I also don’t really ever swap riding sessions for, say, in-hand pole work sessions or anything like that, because I always feel like I can use my time in more productive ways. More fool me, of course, and this is something I’m really realising while my mare has some forced time off from ridden work, but still wants something she can put her mind towards — and I, too, want something we can do together so we still get that one-on-one bonding time in. Cue groundwork, which doesn’t just improve manners; it also improves strength, suppleness, and balance, which are all things we need in abundance when we finally get back between the boards and out on course. Dressage rider Amelia Newcomb has really nailed the brief with this video primer to three of her favourite basic exercises, which are so quick, simple, and effective that you can do them every. single. day. Even the days when you’re in a rush! I reckon if you make a belated New Year’s resolution to work these into every barn session this month, you’ll feel a noticeable difference by February — especially if your horse tends to be prone to inattention or tension.
Friday Video: Catch Up on David O’Connor’s New Developments with USEF
The latest episode of the Jon and Rick Show might be more aptly called the John and Elisa Show, as Elisa Wallace takes on co-hosting duties while Rick’s off on a safari holiday — but as always, it’s packed full of interesting insights. This week’s guest is David O’Connor, the new Chief of Sport for USEF, and he’s got plenty of updates from behind the scenes, where he’s been working on new programs and exciting developments for the upcoming year. Tune in and find out what he’s been working on!
Badminton Box Office Opens for New-Look 2023 Renewal
Germany’s Christoph Wahler delivers a classy round with Carjatan S at Badminton in 2022. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Nothing says ‘New Year’ like the first inbox announcement that an eventing box office has officially opened for business — and in this dreary first week of January, it’s Badminton Horse Trials that’s done us the honour of offering up a bit of cheer.
Okay, okay, so there’s a catch: the box office is only open right now for priority booking, which is available to those who’ve previously purchased tickets. But if you’ve done that, you’ll be able to sign into your account here and get your mitts on general admission passes, Members’ badges, passes for the expanded campgrounds, and more before the box office opens to the public at large next Wednesday, January 11.
Pre-purchasing tickets for this year’s event, which takes place from May 4-8, is essential: just as the event did last year, there won’t be any tickets available on the gate for this year’s running. That’s part of a bid to minimise the backlog of traffic that tends to fill the surrounding villages, which previous attendees of the event will be all too familiar with. (The key? Aim to arrive early, bring a picnic breakfast to eat in the car, and tune into Badminton radio to make the inevitable standstill feel a bit brighter.)
The eagle-eyed among you will notice that the dates of this year’s event span a Thursday to the following Monday, in a rare departure from the Wednesday-Sunday schedule we’d ordinarily see at a three-day. That’s because Saturday — historically cross-country day — is also the date of King Charles’s coronation, and so, in order to accommodate the whole shebang, the first horse inspection will now take place on Thursday, May 4, while Friday, May 5 will host a full day of dressage tests. On Saturday, we’ll see day two of dressage start earlier than normal, allowing for a pause in proceedings wherein the coronation, which is expected to be roughly an hour long, will be shown on big screens around the venue. Then, Sunday can be devoted wholly to cross-country, while the final horse inspection and showjumping finale will take place on Monday, May 8, which is a national Bank Holiday.
That’s not the only change in store for the first Big B of the year, as Event Director Jane Tuckwell and Commercial Director Andrew Tucker shared on the first episode of The Eventing Podcast’s Inside Badminton series. This year, we’ll see the course expand into an area of the estate’s parkland that hasn’t previously been used — and, even more tantalisingly, it’s a much more undulating piece of ground than we might expect to see at the relatively flat spring five-star.
Almost as exciting? Jane and Andrew have also promised much-improved phone signal and Wi-Fi across the event site — so with any luck, this year we won’t need to check ourselves into the lost children tent in order to locate our friends. Maybe.
Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: One Great Documentary to Get You Over the Hump
Though the racing world intimidates me in so many ways — the betting, the form guides, the punters, the seriousness of it all — it’s certainly not actually that far removed from our funny old world. Well, the similarly mad environs of jump racing aren’t, anyway! Though the numbers-driven public image of racing has never really drawn me in, the characters certainly do, and so this hour-long documentary with Grand National winner Daryl Jacob was a really interesting watch for me, a self-confessed beginner to jumps racing spectating. If nothing else, I’m very ready to head out to a local point-to-point now with a much more finely-honed idea of how the whole world works. And even more than that? I’m inspired to keep battling on with my own goals, just as Daryl has.
Challenge: Winter weight loss.
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The horse that matters to you matters to us®.
Have you grabbed your winter running horse stickers? Check them out at KPPusa.com/winter23.
Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products
I’m thoroughly enjoying going ‘behind the scenes’ in Tamie Smith’s string as she introduces all her horses — quirks and all — on her Instagram page. It’s a great chance to get to know characters beyond the big boys like Mai Baum and Danito, and frankly, I’ve already fallen in love with up-and-comer Kynan as a result!
Events Opening Today: Jumping Branch Farm H.T., Ram Tap H.T., Ocala Winter I
Events Closing Today: Stable View Aiken Opener H.T., Grand Oaks H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
Our sister site, Horse Nation, continues to mythbust some of the horse world’s longest-standing assumptions — and on the chopping block today is the subject of alfalfa. Namely, that is, whether or not feeding it’ll turn your horse into a raving loony. Find out the science, the benefits, and the truth of the whole matter with this fascinating read. [Is alfalfa a stimulant?]
Most of us grew up as bona fide barn rats. But now that we’re grown up, who’s taken our place? Theres so much nostalgia packed into this piece — those barn parties where we all bobbed for apples and then climbed up into the upper levels of the hay barn to gossip and eat snacks; the fearless rides on naughty school ponies who took full advantage of the chance to plonk us straight onto our bottoms; the dog-eared horse magazines we all read cover to cover before dumping them in the tack room to discuss. And then, of course, there’s the very real question: in a much more litigious society than the one we grew up in, is the era of the barn rat over and done with? [Let horse-child spirit never die]
I love the Equestrians of Color Photography Project, because it mixes two of my favourite things: gorgeous photos and fascinating stories. The latest instalment features Ateasha Baltodano, who grew up feeling like the odd one out at 4-H, and Josh Boggs, who has tips for pushing through when the going gets tough. [Meet the equestrians]
We’re no strangers to the concept of picking up a cheap-as-chips Thoroughbred. But seldom do those Thoroughbreds come from the rodeo, as jumper rider Kimberley Harker’s Just A Dream did. Though his origin story is an unusual one, his eventual blossoming into a much-loved competition horse feels comforting and familiar for all of us who love OTTBs just a little bit extra. [This Thoroughbred can]
And finally, a retired firefighter is looking forward to making his eventing debut — with a difference. 60-year-old Dave Farrington is planning to use his experience as a way to fundraise for Motor Neurone Disease and Alzheimer’s research, and he’s already roped in some big names to help him out along the way. [Check out his story]
Sponsor Corner: Got a hard keeper?
Kentucky Performance Products has a whole stable full of science-backed nutritional support products, and one tried-and-true helper for the one who could *just* use some extra help is the popular Equi-Jewel®. Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s energy needs. Equi-Jewel reduces the risk of digestive upset, supports optimal muscle function, maintains stamina, and helps horses recover faster after hard work, all while providing the calories your horse needs to thrive.
[Managing Metabolically Challenged Horses During Winter]
Tuesday Video:
I love a yard tour — and this one, from Helgstrand Dressage’s German base, has me reaching for a lottery ticket today!
Stable View
Success Equestrian
FutureTrack
Sport Horse Nation
Juli Hutchings-Sebring
3/4* Absolute JUMPING MACHINE
