Check out this cool video about equine anatomy by Gillian Higgins and Horses Inside Out.  It’s really neat to see how the horse’s skeleton looks in motion as painted on.  I would have loved to attended a lecture like this in Pony Club!

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“Why Does My OTTB (insert weird quirk here)?” Volume VIII

From Lauren:

This week, I got a bit wordy in my answers so the questions are few but the answers are extensive.  Sit back, perhaps stock up on some milk and bread, and enjoy a little bit of a lengthy read that hopefully clarifies some of the muddy waters that the OTTB’s swim in (sometimes literally at rehab facilities, though those waters are usually crystal clear!).

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Mr. Contrary is extremely right-leaded and basically falls apart on the left lead, if he even takes it at all.  Can you explain the left/right lead thing on the track for me? Does the rider/jockey ask for the lead change on the track or does the horse have to do it naturally?  (Compliments of EN reader Kristen Janicki) 

All horses are taught to switch leads on the track differently depending on where they are broke, how naturally balanced/athletic they are, and whether or not they have a moron in the irons.  When galloping at a slow rate of speed, I really don’t worry about leads.  This is not the case when I am galloping strongly, breezing, or racing.  Let’s assume a horse breaks at the top of the stretch and that they are running one full circuit around the track, finishing up at the wire in the middle of the stretch.  They will ideally break on the right lead, change to the left lead in the first stride into the first turn, change to the right lead in the first stride out of that turn, change to the left lead in the next turn, and change back to the right lead at the head of the stretch.  Has your horse every run in another country?  The above is only applicable in the US and is reversed everywhere else.  I have a horse in training right now that is very right lead dominant, will give me beautiful UL dressage flying changes but is nearly impossible to encourage to pick up the left lead from the trot.  He raced overseas primarily AND has patellar ligament issues and resulting stifle pain. I assume you have ruled out any hock/stifle soundness issues that may come from bearing the extra weight on left hind in the upward transition and without a soundness issue, it may just be a balancing issue that he needs to work through.  Riding green horses just being introduced to the track, I do not stress lead changes but will often use a wide turn and fatigue to encourage changes.  Example: I may gallop two circuits around a 6f track (1 1/2 miles), start off on the left lead, and ask for the right lead change on the last straight away.  Every day I will alter where I ask for the change and eventually will begin asking for more changes as they gallop faster.  Riding young race horses preparing for their first races, to change from the right to the left say, I balance going into the turn and ask with a bit of outside leg (not much since I am riding quite short to the point only my heels touch the horse) and a gentle bump of the inside rein with a slightly upward inclination of about an inch at most.  Riding races (was back in the day) and breezing my horses now, the changes are basically automatic.  If they do not change coming to the last straight away (which is most likely to occur because of fatigue to the point that an extra moment of suspension seems like too much) I may give them a little tap with the whip on the inside but at that time I am riding too short to apply leg aids and do not want to jerk on their face for fear of unbalancing them.  However, there are plenty of hack job morons that jerk them all over the place and beat them into an unbalanced way of going that basically forces or spooks them in to changing.  Hope this helps!

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Banrock has been in retraining for about 6 weeks.  Prior to this, he has a year off after retiring from a million-dollar racing career including divisional honors in NY.   During a recent hunter show hosted at our barn, I did just a bit of flat work in the warm up ring and he responded with, what I imagine, was his pre-race mental preparation. He wasn’t classically tense or nervous beyond reason but he responded with a sort of measured intensity that I was not going to interrupt by asking him to lower his head, soften to the bridle, or turn any smaller than an 80m circle. This response also involved calling to all the horses present to tell them he was the one to watch. I presume this will go away with experience, exposure and a lack of opportunity to actually race at these events. However some fun questions for your column:

Any tips on refocusing an OTTB who is distracted or confused about their job?

How long would you plan to warm up/desensitize an OTTB at their first show?

What would you guess is a time-frame for a horse that raced for 6 years to settle into a new job?

Any supplements you have found effective (and legal) at getting over this “show nerve” training hump?

Should I actually attempt to touch his stomach at some point or choose not getting my head kicked in? (Compliments of EN reader Robin Wherry)

Firstly, it is imperative that racehorses embrace the same amount of focus that you would want a jumper or a dressage horse to embody upon entering the ring.  I ask all of my OTTB’s to pay attention to the rider, ignore outside stimuli, and attend to the job at hand.  However, the difference for racehorses is that they have all of that time in the paddock walking around in hand to get their heebie jeebies out before they are saddled and led out to the track to get down to business.  Upon introducing an OTTB to a show horse job, I will often take them to a schooling show or two without the intention of competing.  I will then spend at least 30 minutes, sometimes an hour or longer, hand grazing, leading, and parading the horse around the show grounds, near the warm up, and near the competition ring if possible.  If all goes well, I will then tack up and plan to school on the flat for 15-20 minutes with another 10 minutes of hacking afterward when appropriate and I will expect attention, obedience, and willingness…though of course there will be the occasional spook, shy, or nicker at times.  I do ask them to be soft in the bridle and to perform patterns, 20m circles, serpentines, and transitions as appropriate for their level.  If a crowded warm up is presenting a problem, I do try to find a small area away from the hustle and bustle to allow the horse to focus, even if at the walk.  Sometimes, ear bonnets are helpful if the area is exceptionally noisy.  I also carry treats or peppermints or some kind of reward for the end of the school and even occasionally intersperse rewards during the ride to positively reinforce the desirable behavior of the horse for focusing on me and not everything else.  Horses that have have only started (raced) a couple of times or who have never raced at all despite being in training are often rather speedy in getting with the show horse program but I find that horses that have started 10 or more times are, in my experience, all typically the same when it comes to settling in to a new life.  I think 6 months is the bare minimum for complete assimilation to showhorse-dom but do occasionally find OTTB’s who are ready to go to schooling shows and sometimes even compete BN/2’6/Training Level Dressage in 4-5 months if in consistent work and sound.  I do not use any calming aids or supplements but I have a boarder (thank you, Kim Phillips!) who swears by raspberry leaves, especially for mares.  When it comes to touching his belly, it will get better!  Start with teaching “carrot stretches” as people call them, encouraging him to bend left and right to reach treats that you hold by his side near the girth without his feet moving.  Once he is able to touch his barrel with his nose or thereabouts, stand well out of the way of flying hooves and gently start by caressing his girth area (or even his shoulder if he is REALLY sensitive) while feeding treats during his stretches.  Then, progressively work your way back towards his belly and, in my experience, horses will learn to associate treats and positive reinforcement with touching in sensitive places and become, in essence, less sensitive….hopefully!  With horses of all breeds, disciplines, personalities, and backgrounds, but especially with OTTB’s, I have found that an ample supply of treats and a repeated positive reinforcement program can achieve just about anything.   Good luck!

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I do hope that some of my answers to the questions above have demystified at least one of your OTTB’s strange quirks and I encourage you to send any further, horse-specific questions to me via email ( [email protected]) for more in-depth and on-point answers.  The EN and COTH response has been great and I look forward to make more thought-provoking questions!  Go Eventing and go gallop a (former) racehorse!

We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the excitement and response to a few articles we’ve posted about Combined Driving.  Dana Diemer kindly sent us some fun facts about the sport and her experiences.  Thanks, Dana!

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Dana Diemer, ‘gator Manny Diemer competing PR Brandy Station, 16 year old Welsh pony.  Photo used with friendly permission of Pics of You.

From Dana:

In 2009 I resigned my position as organizer of horse trials at a major competition facility in the southeast and took up the sport of combined driving.  I inherited a throw-away pony recovering from concussion founder, was lucky enough to be in a community where combined driving is very strong, and three years later I have just completed my 12th CDE.  My husband, an adrenaline junkie eventer and polocrosse player, navigates for me.  We hope to complicate our lives further in 2013 by moving up a level as well as debuting our new pony. And now, for something completely different . . .

 

Fun Facts about Combined Driving.

 

Combined Driving offers four levels of competition:  Training, Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced.  The three lower levels come under the aegis of the American Driving Society while Advanced is USEF recognized. In addition, most advanced competitions are held under FEI regulations complete with jogs and passports.  With six passports you get eggroll, or so I have heard.

 

CDE equals combined driving event (think long format).  HDT equals horse driving trial (think short format).  ADT is arena driving trial, a hybrid not unlike express eventing.

 

Hats.  It’s all about hats.  If you love hats, this is your equestrian sport!

 

 Jacob Arnold with groom Reba Wagner competing Halstead’s Shale, a ten year old Hackney Horse.  Photo used with friendly permission of Pics of You.

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A small dressage ring, used for the lower levels, contains the same letters and is exactly twice the size of a small ridden dressage ring.  A large dressage ring, used generally at advanced and for four in hands and tandems is forty meters by one hundred meters.  A really BIG space.

 

Driven dressage tests are very similar to ridden eventing tests with a few notable exceptions. There is little to no canter work until advanced.  Voice is considered an aid. It’s legal to speak to your horse while in the dressage ring, but this does not mean colorful language carte blanche!  We have a fifth category under the collective marks called presentation.  This score is given for appearance of “driver and grooms, cleanliness, fitness, matching, and condition of horses, harness and vehicle.” It’s a little like pony club formals.  Presentation is usually evaluated during the dressage test (on the move), a good thing if you forgot to clean the bit.

 

Every driven dressage test except the most basic intro test requires a rein back.

 

At a CDE you can expect to be judged by two to five dressage judges depending on the level.  “Nowhere to run to baby, nowhere to hide…..”

 

A groom is required for all advanced competitors during dressage and cones and for all competitors at all levels who are competing a multiple (pair, tandem or four).  Fours require two grooms.  A groom is a carriage appointment and hitching post. Their dress is determined by the overall look the driver (also called whip) wishes to create, from country casual to formal turnout.  Grooms may not remind the whip they have forgotten the thirty meter circle at E or that cone #18 is behind and to the left. Grooms must stay on the carriage, big penalties for spinning your groom off the back as you come down the center line.

 

It’s nice to have two carriages, one for dressage and cones and one for marathon, but not necessary.  You can do it all with a marathon carriage at lower levels. Mostly we like to joke that our ponies take lots of toys to the shows.

 

It’s nice to have leather harness (Oh! the horror of upkeep!) but many competitors use synthetic harness.  You gotta love a sport where tack cleaning for a show involves a pressure washer and Armorall.

 

Costs for a weekend of competing are comparable to the average horse trial.  CDEs can’t accommodate as many competitors as a horse trial, ninety is a full house.  We eat better – there are almost always great competitor dinners.

 

We love our sponsors!  They help driving events break even.

 

The guy on the back of the carriage in marathon (think cross country) is called the navigator or ‘gator for short.  A good ‘gator is invaluable in getting you around the three phases of marathon and providing ballast to keep all four wheels on the ground.  A good ‘gator can bounce you off a post if you’ve misjudged a turn and augured in.  A good ‘gator juggles two to three stop watches to keep track of time.  A good ‘gator is hard to find (I am SO lucky!!) and you need to get along with them as when we say “marathon” we mean it.  At my last CDE, at preliminary level, my pony traveled over 14,000 meters.  That’s about seven times the length of an average novice cross country course.

 

It’s a penalty to drop your whip.  Like-wise a penalty for not having one in the first place.

 

 Rochelle Temple, driving Renie Gillis’ Hemingway, a German Riding Pony.  Photo by Pics of You

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Cones require learning where twenty four to twenty eight sets of orange cones with yellow balls on them are.  They are identical.  No sympathy from a combined driver over difficulties in memorizing a show jumping course.

 

Driving is all about scribing an arc accurately.

 

Take up driving. Learn what the outside rein really does.

 

Two great resources for Combined Driving are the American Driving Society www.americandrivingsociety.org and Driving News www.drivingnews.us

 

Red on the right, white on the left, and a different kind of insanity in the middle.

 

Go Combined Driving!

I’ve always loved to draw horses, though I don’t spend much time at it anymore.  Check out this awesome artist finishing a horse portrait in pastel.

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Thanks to Caz for sending this to us.

In the grand scope of things greater than horses, today is a day to thank those responsible for our freedom.  Known as Remembrance Day or Armistice Day in other parts of the world, it serves to mark the anniversary of the Armistice.  Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.   Since the holiday falls on a Sunday this year, it will officially be observed tomorrow (Monday), with the day off for some government institutions.

Thanks to all veterans who have served in the name of freedom.

With the excitement of Galway Downs last weekend, we didn’t give much credit to the other big horse event in California last Saturday: the Breeders’ Cup.  Royal Delta repeated in the Ladies’ Classic (I still like to call it the Distaff), Fort Larned took the mile and a quarter Classic in a shocker, but my favorite race of this year was the BC Mile.

Run on turf, it was an outstanding field this year in the Mile (despite the lack of Frankel).  Wise Dan, a 5-year-old gelding by Wiseman’s Ferry, was a deserved favorite going into the race; Dan’s won on all surfaces, from a mile to a mile and a quarter, and he’s done it in blazing fashion this year.  Bred and owned by Morton Fink, and trained by Charlie LoPresti, you can’t help but root for the smaller stable who makes it to the big time, and shows the big time who’s boss.

Watch as Wise Dan defeats 2011 Derby winner Animal Kingdom (who ran a brilliant race in his own right, with only one prep race back in February) and sets a new track record of 1:31.78.  With his record of 5 wins and one second this year (at five different tracks!), Dan is in contention for several Eclipse awards, including Older Male, Turf, and 2012 Horse of the Year.

From Lucinda's Facebook page: Toddy cracking open the Champagne whilst visiting me in hospital on my Birthday after my incident...

Best wishes to Lucinda Green for a speedy recovery.  On her Facebook page, Lucinda  announced that she sustained an injury to her foot:

It was a complete freak accident, I was trotting up a horse and she spooked and trod on my boot, I then fell over and the boot fell off. The poor little horse did her best to try and ‘dance’ over me but somehow managed to catch the underside of my bootless foot and ripped the skin about 8 cm along and about 2 cm deep. I had to have surgery and stay in for 3 nights (as it took me two days to pass the crutch test before I was allowed to leave). I now have to have it up for at least 2 weeks which will ruin many a plan, but I better obey because if the stitches break they were talking about plastic surgery…. fingers crossed I can behave! xL

So many silly ways to get hurt around horses!  Even when you do everything right, something can go wrong.  Keep your heads up Eventing Nation, and get well Lucinda!

The poll has closed, votes have been tallied, all absentee ballots reported, and the results are in.  The winner of the 2012 EN Pumpkin carving contest, presented by FLAIR Nasal Strips, is…

Tracey B.!

Congrats to Tracey for her outstanding pumpkin portrait of Karen O’Connor and Mr. Medicott at the London Olympics.  For her efforts, Tracey has won 5 FLAIR Nasal Strips, a FLAIR baseball cap, and a $50 VISA gift card (just in time for Black Friday!).  Thanks to all participants, you all showed amazing creativity and skills!  Thanks to all who voted, and of course thanks to FLAIR Nasal Strips for sponsoring the contest.

Go eventing.

Yesterday, Jessica Bortner-Harris wrote a lovely introduction to the sport of Combined Driving. We received a great email from Carrie Wehle who offered her fantastic perspective on the sport, and it sounds like so much fun! Thanks to Carrie for writing, and thank you for reading.

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Photo used with friendly permission of Pics of You. Check them out at your next event!

From Carrie:

A current event riders perspective on her first CDE.

I do pretty well in dressage. I scored a 16.5 in a recognized horse trials this year. Just when I think I am getting good… someone puts a horse out in front of me and gives me two one inch thick pieces of leather, no seat, no legs and sends me into a dressage arena. Good luck with that!

If you appear to be able to put in a decent dressage test with one horse in front of you, then you get sent out with two. If you are good with two, then four horses out in front of you. The next event rider who complains that their horse was naughty in dressage needs to think about this… they only had ONE horse that was able to be naughty. What do you do when FOUR of them are cranky?!?

Oh and the outfits… I am not exactly a fashion-ista. Packing for dressage at an event is easy – breeches, stock tie, shirt, tall boots, black helmet. No problem, no decisions need to be made except if it might rain. Then I might consider bringing some “other” breeches that I don’t mind being trashed/stained by the dye in my gloves or my saddle.

Packing for a CDE – WAY too much work. I have to have an “outfit” for dressage and for cones. You have to wear long sleeves. Your hat needs to match your coat/blouse, your hat, coat/blouse have to match your lap robe or “apron.” Your hat, coat/blouse, apron all have to match your carriage… seriously? I didn’t put even half this much thought into my wedding dress!

Cross country vs. Marathon

We head out to walk cross country. There is a pretty specific course layout you need to follow. You jump the jump and continue on your way in one direction along the set route. There may be an option or two you can choose to take, but usually things are pretty straightforward.

The good news is that you now have a “gator” better known as a navigator who helps you when you have no clue where you are going.

The bad news is you now have a “gator” that is a back seat driver telling you where to go. In my case it was my husband… perhaps this wasn’t the best idea I have ever had…. I don’t take direction very well… from anyone…

“Gator” at an event is what the TD drives around in. This type of gator can also give you direction. My horse is usually bolting in the direction opposite the oncoming gator…

Head out to walk the hazards. You have to go through A, B, C, D at each hazard. There is no set route. You can go a thousand different ways as long as you go through each gate in the correct alphabetical sequence as fast as you possibly can. You cannot through a gate backward until you have gone through it forward – clear as mud, right?!?

In eventing, one fall and you are eliminated. You head home demonstrating the “walk of shame” off of the cross country course ALL the way back to the stabling. You are (hopefully) OK to come back and ride another day.

At our first CDE we watched a marathon vehicle flip over in the water complex tossing out the driver and navigator. You would think it was time to throw in the towel and go home. Nooooo, not these people. The driver and navigator flipped the carriage back over, hopped back in and off they went!! Really?!! These people were wet and covered in mud. The horse just stood there like it happens all of the time (maybe it does…), waited for them to right the carriage and seemed perfectly content to continue on.

Show Jumping vs. Cones

You head out to the show jumping field to walk your course. Find the judges box, start flags and head for the first fence. Fence #1 – green and white stripes. Fence #2 – stone wall with white rails. Fence #3 – in and out, rainbow rails two strides to red and white striped rails… so on and so forth.

You head out to the cones field. find the judges box, start flags and head for the first set of cones. Cone #1 – yellow. Cone #2 – yellow. Cone #3 – yellow. Cone #4ABCD – yellow, yellow, yellow, yellow… are you kidding me? How am I supposed to learn this course? It’s a freakin sea of at least 20 sets of yellow cones! I walk the course an average of ten times and hope for the best.

In conclusion…

These people are NUTS! My husband Justin and I completed our first two CDE’s this fall. We have a really cool 15.3 hand Dutch Harness horse stallion named “Toverijk.” He had never done a CDE and neither had we – it was truly a match made in heaven.

I will say it was pretty fun to have Justin with me out there on course. Obviously, when I head out on XC I leave him at the start box and he meets me at the finish (or at the ambulance… which ever comes first). It was great to have him involved and nice to have a second opinion (most of the time).

If any eventers out there have any concerns that our sport is too dangerous – try Combined Driving – it will give you a new perspective on what defines “crazy” horse people!

Carrie Wehle

Jeanine Allred and Snap Decision (“Fuzzy”) jumped clean around the CCI2* cross-country course at Galway Downs last weekend.  Enjoy the view from between Fuzzy’s ears!
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We received a lot of great entries in the EN Pumpkin Contest, presented by FLAIR.   We whittled the photos down to the top six contestants.  The winner will receive 5 FLAIR Nasal Strips, a FLAIR baseball cap, and a $50 VISA gift card.  Thanks to all who participated, and thanks to FLAIR Nasal Strips for the prizes!

Please vote for your favorite pumpkin below.  Click on photos to enlarge and flip through them.  Voting ends Friday 11/9/12 at 9am EST.  

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“Jockey Style” brought to you from Da Weighing Room starring National Hunt jockeys: David Crosse, Gerard Tumelty, Sam Jones, Charlie Huxley and Colin Bolger.

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EN blogger finalist Yvette Seger is back with more Tips for Eventers Living in Itty-Bitty Apartments in the City.  Yvette will always be remembered for the famous Insane Walmart Ride, and we welcome her contributions to Eventing Nation.

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From Yvette:

Tips for Eventers Living in Itty-Bitty Apartments in the City:  The Magic Number Edition

Happy Election Day, Eventing Nation!  Wait, what?  You didn’t realize it was Election Day?  If you’re one of the few EN readers who somehow missed/escaped the barrage of TV/radio/internet banner ads or telephone pollsters (hey, I even get them here in DC) and don’t know where you’re supposed to go to vote, click here.  And remember, just like closing dates, you need to be in line at your polling place by the time polls close to ensure you get to vote.  If you’re concerned that your vote doesn’t count for anything, please know that those of us who live in DC appreciate your help in selecting our neighbors (and the Congress who will decide our fate) for the next few years.

As is typical in the lead up to a Presidential election, the front pages of my favorite newspapers and their corresponding websites are filled with charts, graphics, and interactive tools that detail every mathematical scenario that could lead a candidate to the magic number of 270 electoral college votes.  Electoral college nerds like me typically spend election night in a bar (too dark to ride after work now anyway…stupid Daylight Savings), transfixed not by the Equestrian Ryan Gosling in the corner, but by the report of returns in key states, quickly recalculating the wins needed for our candidate to pull off the big two-seven-oh.

The funny thing is…I’m one of those people who proclaims to be terrible at math.

And it’s true, I AM terrible at math.  I was never good at the math problems that pitted Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith in two cars pursuing different routes from City A to City B, and all hell broke loose once numbers started being replaced by crazy symbols in Calculus…but put me in a shoe store with a sale?  Aw heck, I could calculate the cost of those Louboutins…with the tax rate for at least 5 different states AND determine the cost per wear in a maximum of 45 seconds. Same thing goes for that heavyweight turnout blanket or that pair of breeches I’ve been eyeing in the Dover sale catalog.  And in the worst case scenario, I can calculate how many times I’ll need to eat Ramen Noodles to cover the vet bill.  So I can’t be all THAT bad at math…which leads me to this week’s tip.

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Tip for Eventers Living in Itty-Bitty Apartments in the City #14: 

If you have find yourself having trouble solving simple arithmetic in your head, just pretend you’re converting your dressage score into penalties, calculating your total speed faults time penalties, or determining the number of rails you have in hand going into Show Jumping.  Advanced students in equestrian math can choose to up the ante by calculating exactly how far you can drive the truck and trailer on a quarter tank of diesel at a rate of 50 mph.

“Why Does My OTTB (insert weird quirk here)?” Volume VII

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Horse-specific questions were a bit sparse this week (and I was snowed under with organizing and carrying out a Jimmy Wofford Clinic) so here are a few generic questions that I often here from parties interested in purchasing OTTB’s.

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Why do trainers bow tendons on two year olds? Why don’t they make sure they are fit before they run them to try to prevent this?

Honestly, I do not see many bowed tendons in two year olds. Bucked shins, lots. Suspensory damage, some. But not a lot of tendons. It is not beneficial to anyone involved to rush horses. However, our current racing circuit structure promotes prodigious maturity. I personally do not think Thoroughbreds should run at all at the age of two. However, the racing industry is all about investment versus return and the quicker the return, the better. Every day, the horse continues to require care and cost money and there are races being run all of over the country every single day that can offset those costs. Being able to afford to purchase a modestly priced sale yearling is a lot different than being able to afford to campaign one. DAY rates at racing stables range from $50/day to $150/day NOT including farrier, vet, medication, race day fees, etc. That’s a lot of cost to try to offset. Owners are also all types of educated, from those who like to try to read condition books and pick out races (most unsuitable) to those who just see dollar signs, not animals. There are great owners too, but they are hard to come by. No owner buys a yearling expecting to wait two years to run it and recoup any investment. This is just a hard fact of life and unfortunate reality of the industry.

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Aren’t hot walkers hard on OTTB hocks and joints?

I am not fond of mechanical hot walkers. Dangerous all the way around. However, they have really fallen out of fashion at all but the poorest tracks. Humans walking horses in the barn (also known as hotwalkers) are not hard on their joints in my opinion. They don’t walk for extended periods of time, most get to go out and graze if there is grass, and the footing is usually carefully maintained (and raked in a herringbone pattern ;)).

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Why don’t any OTTB’s learn “whoa” (the word)?

30 mph of wind in ponies’ ears sort of drowned out any words of suggestion. It may seem counter-intuitive, but when I go to pull a horse up from gallop I completely relax my body and my hold on the reins. That usually signals to them that we are done and they pull themselves up. Exceptions to every rule on that one though.

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I do hope that some of my answers to the questions above have demystified atleast one of your OTTB’s strange quirks and I encourage you to send any further, horse-specific questions to me via email ( [email protected]) for more in-depth and on-point answers.  The EN and COTH response has been great and I look forward to make more thought-provoking questions!  Go Eventing and go gallop a (former) racehorse!

James Alliston and Tivoli at Twin Rivers. Photo by Taren Atkinson.

Double-clear rounds were not to be had today in the three-star show jumping at Galway.  Phillip Dutton and Atlas came close, leaving the rails up but going just a touch slow to pick up 3 time faults.  James Alliston had a rail on both Parker and Jumbo’s Jake, giving Tivoli the luxury of one rail to save his lead.  Michael Pollard also had a rail on Schoensgreen Hanni, but hung on for third as Buck had two down and Jolie Wentworth had four faults with GoodKnight.

The CCI3* Final Results:

1.  James Alliston / Tivoli  +4  53.4

2.  James Alliston / Jumbo +4  56.6

3.  Michael Pollard / Schoensgreen Hanni  +4  57.2

4.  Jolie Wentworth / GoodKnight  +4   60.6

5.  Buck Davidson / The Apprentice  +8   64.2

6.  James Allison / Parker  +4  68.8

7.  Hawley Bennett-Awad / Gin & Juice  +8   72.0

8.  Phillip Dutton / Atlas  +3    97.2

The show jumping course, photo via Twitter @galwaydowns

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Show jumping proved to be influential today in the competitive one-star and two-star divisions at Galway.  Here are the final results and the top 10.

CCI1* Top 10  [Full results]

1.  Julie Flettner / Ping Pong  +0  42.5

2.  Maya Black / Doesn’t Play Fair  +0  43.1

3.  Frankie Thieriot / Uphoria  +0  44.4

4.  Taren Atkinson / Gustav  +0  44.7

5.  Kelly Pugh / Spot On +0  47.5

6.  Hawley Bennet-Awad / De Mello  +4  49.9

7.  Adrienne Hillas / Valier +8  51.1

8.  Erin Kellerhouse / Roxabelle  +12  52.6

9.  Anna Collier / Gleaming Road  +0  56.1

10. Katherine Groesbeck / Oz Proof of Purchase  +8  58.0

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CCI2* Top 10 [Full results]

1.  Lauren Billys / Ballingowan Ginger   +4  54.8

2.  Zachary Brandt / Cavallino Cocktail  +0  57.5

3.  Bea di Grazia / Lad’s Night Out  +4  605

4.  Gina Miles / S.V.R. Ron  +0  60.8

5.  Jennifer McFall / High Times  +7  61.0

6.  Marc Grandia / Parker  +0  64.7

7.  Jordan Linstedt / Revitavet Capato  +4  64.9

8.  Karen O’Neal / Markus  +4  65.1

9.  Andrea Baxter / Indy 500  +0  66.9

10. James Alliston / Mojo  +8  67.2

Jordan Taylor and Cambridge finished 11th in the CCI2*. Photo by Bill Olson.

Thanks to Frankie Thieriot and the USEA for their coverage of the CCI3*, CCI2*, CCI1* and Training Three-Day cross-country at the 2012 Galway Downs International Three-Day Event in Temecula, California.
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James Alliston on Peggy and Chuck Moore's Tivoli at Woodside. Photo by Sherry Stewart

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There was a bit of a shake-up on the CCI3* leaderboard today, as dressage leader Michael Pollard and Schoensgreen Hanni picked up 6.8 time penalties to fall to third.  Second after dressage, Phillip Dutton and Atlas had a bit of trouble at fence 11, picking up 20 penalties and 27.2 time.  2011 Galway CCI3* winner James Alliston is sitting pretty in first with Tivoli, second with Jumbo’s Jake, and eighth with Parker.

Seven of the 12 starters finished clear;  James Allison made the time with both Tivoli and Parker, as did Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice.

Hawley suffered a fall from Five O’Clock Somewhere at fence 20.  Mackenna Shea and Landioso retired (MR) at fence 16, also where Pam Fisher and Sea Lion retired.  John Michael Durr and Warrick picked up 20 at fence four, and were eliminated when he fell at fence 6.

Galway Downs CCI3* XC Results:

1.  James Alliston / Tivoli  +0  49.4

2.  James Alliston / Jumbo +0.8  52.6

3.  Michael Pollard / Schoensgreen Hanni  +6.8  53.2

4.  Buck Davidson / The Apprentice  +2.8  56.2

5.  Jolie Wentworth / GoodKnight  +2.0  56.6

6.  Hawley Bennett-Awad / Gin & Juice  +0  64.0

7.  James Allison / Parker  +0  64.8

8.  Phillip Dutton / Atlas  +47.2  94.2

Here’s a video of Phillip and Atlas looking good at the sunken road.  Thanks to Kelly Pugh for sharing!

Lauren Billys and Ballingowan Ginger

 Don’t forget to vote for the Dubarry’s Best Dressed Award!

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The CCI1* and CCI2* cross-country has wrapped up at Galway Downs.  The one-star was pretty uneventful, with 31 clear cross-country rounds (26 double clear).   The two-star course also rode pretty well, with 21 clear rounds, though the time was a little harder to make; overnight leader Beth Crabo and Over Easy fell to third with 8 time penalties.  Lauren Billys and Ballingowan Ginger moved from third to first with just 1.6 time.

CCI2* Top 10 after xc   — [Full CCI2* Results]

1.  Lauren Billys / Ballingowan Ginger + 1.8

2.  Jennifer McFall / High Times +6

3.  Barbara Crabo  / Over Easy +8

4.  Bea di Grazia / Lad’s Night Out +2

5.  Zachary Brandt / Cavallino Cocktail  +0

6.  James Alliston / Mojo +0

7.  Gina Miles / S.V.R. Ron +0

8.  Jordan Linstedt / Revitavet Capato +8.4

T9.  Kathryn Morgan / Vishnu +0

T9.  Karen O’Neal / Markus +0

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CCI1* Top 10 after xc   [Full CCI1* Results]

1.  Erin Kellerhouse / Roxabelle

2.  Julie Flettner / Ping Pong

3T. Adrienne Hillas / Valier

3T. Maya Black / Doesn’t Play Fair

5.  Frankie Thieriot / Uphoria

6.  Taren Atkinson / Gustav

7.  Hawley Bennett-Awad / De Mello

8.  Kelly Pugh / Spot On

9.  Katherine Groesbeck / Oz Proof of Purchase

10. Derek di Grazia / Isle of Japan

Kate did a fantastic post about Indoor Eventing and The Royal Winter Fair earlier this week.  Here’s the rider order (reverse order of placing) for tonight, beginning at 8:30pm:

[Royal Live Streaming]

[Royal Fair Website]

Longtime EN guest blogger and good friend Shannon Lilley has kindly agreed to give us her perspective on Galway this weekend.  Thanks for writing this Shannon and thank you for reading.
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From Shannon:

It is funny, John asked me to guest blog… I sometimes think that is silly, because besides James Alliston, I think Dayna Lynd-Pugh and I are the busiest trainers here with at least 12 students from Flying Tail Farms and five more from other independent barns. Flying Tail Farms had  a fantastic day with one in the lead in junior training.  Another in 7th, Hollie Read and Rock Classic, in the T3D with Kelly Pugh and another student, Sophie Hulme, in the top 20.

The ones star finished their competition with some fairly good tests. The one that stood out, who changed the standings, was the ever ready Roxabelle ridden by Erin Kellerhouse. The two star showed some fairly good tests. One that caught most eyes but didn’t score quite as well as we thought it deserved was, Zach Brandt with Cavallino Cocktail. Barbara Cabot, deservedly leads the division, with some solid pairs to follow like Bea di Grazia with Lads Night Out in 3rd place.

The three star was a fantastic showing. I thought James Alliston and Jumbo’s Jake put in a solid test to go first. The next amazing test may not have scored really well but Hawley Bennett rode Gin n’Juice through an unbelievably tactful test. Ginny was ready to blow but Hawley kept a lid on it. Buck came through with a really good test that scored somewhat differently than I had expected. I wanted dressage whips to be legal in the ring for Buck today because I feel like he needed a whip to remind the Apprentice to stay in front of his leg. Michael Pollard put in an absolutely fantastic test to show the world what poetry in motion really looks like. The pair was exquisite and In first place going into cross country.

The training three day had some very good tests. Lindsey Weaver and Sintra lead the competitive T3D. The pair had a lovely test deservedly of first place. The rest of the scores are extremely tight meaning tomorrow’s speed and endurance phase could make it anyone’s game.

Cross country is a new day!
Good luck and go eventing!!

Michael Pollard and Hanni

Michael Pollard and Schoensgreen Hanni lead the CCI3* after dressage.  Phillip Dutton is close in second on his Boekelo mount, Atlas.  Hawley Bennett-Awad and Five O’Clock Somewhere sit in third.

Galway CCI3* Scores

1.  Michael Pollard / Schoensgreen Hanni  46.4

2.  Phillip Dutton / Atlas  47.0

3.  Hawley Bennet-Awad / Five O’Clock Somewhere  48.2

4. Mackenna Shea / Landioso  48.4

5. James Alliston / Tivoli  49.4

6. James Alliston / Jumbo’s Jake  51.8

7. Buck Davidson / The Apprentice  53.4

8.  Jolie Wentworth / GoodKnight  54.6

9T. Hawley Bennet-Awad / Gin & Juice  64.0

9T. John Michael Durr / Warrick  64.0

11. James Alliston / Parker  64.8

12. Pam Fisher / Sea Lion  67.0

Barb Crabo and Over Easy, photo by Samantha Clark

Here are the top 10 after dressage in the CCI2* at Galway Downs:

[Full CCI2* Results]  [All Results]
1.  Barbara Crabo / Over Easy  (Owned by Barbara Crabo)  47.5
2.  Jennifer McFall / High Times (Jennifer McFall)  48.0
3.  Lauren Billys / Ballingowan Ginger (Lauren Billys)  49.2
4.  Jordan Linstedt / Revitavet Capato (Jordan Linstedt)  52.5
5.  Bea di Grazia / Lad’s Night Out  (Bea di Grazia)  54.5
6.  Jeanine Allred / Snap Decision (Laurie Allred) 55.6
7.  Barbara Flynn / Hollywood Diva  (Barbara Flynn)  56.4
8.  Yves Sauvignon / Sanssouci (Ruth Bley)  56.9
9.  Zachary Brandt / Cavallino Cocktail (Zachary Brandt)  57.5
10.  Andrea Baxter / Fuerst Nino R (Andrea Baxter)  58.1

You may remember Barb Crabo and Over Easy as the unofficial winners of the CCI1*-steeplechase last year.  However, Over Easy was later disqualified because she was only 5 years old.  FEI rules (Art 505, Sec 2) state a 5-year-old may compete in a CIC1* or CIC2*; but a 6-year-old may compete in a CCI1* or CCI2*.  [FEI Rulebook]

CCI1* top 10 after dressage:

[Full CCI1* Results]

1. Erin Kellerhouse / Roxabelle (Cheryl Reynolds) 40.6
2. Julie Flettner / Ping Pong (Julie Flettner)   42.5
3T. Maya Black / Doesn’t Play Fair (Dawn Dofelmier) 43.1
3T Adrienne Hillas / Valier  (Adrienne Hillas)  43.1
5. Frankie Thieriot / Uphoria (Tory Smith)  44.4
6. Taren Atkinson / Gustav (Carolyn Hoffos) 44.7
7.  Matthew Brown / Che Landscape (Chelsea Clyde-Brockway)  45.6
8.  Hawley Bennett – Awad / De Mello (Nedra Vincent)  45.9
9.  Jolie Wentworth / Gordon Biersch (Tracy Bowman)  47.2
10. Kelly Pugh / Spot On (Dayna Lynd-Pugh)  47.5

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