Visionaire is one of the foundation writers of Eventing Nation from the very early days in 2010. She has ridden up to Advanced level and spent six years as head groom for Dorothy Crowell. After a few years in the Thoroughbred industry, she now spends her time writing for EN, riding a few nice OTTBs, and working with her husband's hay business, A.T. Acres Farm.
The Western Daily Press has a nice article about Zara Phillips, her new baby, and plans to return to competition. Zara mentioned she has her sights set on Badminton this spring– her own mother competed at Burghley when Zara was four months old. And beyond Badminton, Zara hopes to make another British Olympic Team, at Rio in 201
The Western Daily Press included comments from British team coach Yogi Breisner who noted that many riders have made a successful return after having children. He sees no reason why Zara should not return to top form.
Thoroughbred Champion Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry – Lisa Danielle, by Wolf Power (SAF)) took home three big titles, including repeat Horse of the Year, at the Eclipse Awards last night. The 2007 chestnut gelding owned and bred by Morton Fink defeated Mucho Macho Man and Game On Dude for Older Male, and Point of Entry and Magician for Turf Male. The voting for HOTY wasn’t even close… Dan earned 208 votes, compared to just 21 for Mucho Macho Man, and 15 for Will Take Charge. Wise Dan finished 2013 with four GI wins, with his only loss of the year coming in the Shadwell at Keeneland– moved off the turf due to weather, on very sloppy Polytrack where he finished a game second.
Wise Dan has been enjoying a little vacation at trainer Charlie LoPresti’s Forest Lane Farm, but he’ll soon start legging up again in preparation for a start at Keeneland this spring. And we may not have seen Wise Dan at his best, yet.
“The more you’re around him, the more you realize how special he is,” LoPresti said. “Even in the Shadwell, he tried his heart out on a track that was like running in the Florida Everglades. Even in defeat, he showed up. They just don’t come around that often, horses like him–the soundness of him, the ability. It’s just a dream come true to have horse like that.”
According to Fink, fans could finally get what they’ve been hoping for—a return to dirt by the six-time champion.
“I’m hoping that I can convince Charlie—if the horse stays like he is—this year, to run on the dirt going long,” the owner said.
Some of the sports top eventers and show jumpers from six different nations will team up on Sunday, Jan. 19 to debut Jump X Extreme with a Nations Cup competition in the Ocala area’s newest cross-country park.
Jump X Extreme provides riders a chance to be challenged over cross-country terrain while jumping stadium fences as a means to train horses and for riders to become more accurate without the intimidation of solid fences. Fredericks Equestrian International and Exmoor Eventing are introducing this new format to Ocala area riders as a complete show series with a championship show to end the season.
Everyone is welcome to come out and enjoy some cocktails and mingle with some of the sport’s top riders. Festivities begin at 2 p.m. with the Nations Cup demonstration at 4 p.m. The rider roster includes eventers and show jumpers with most of them having competed at the Olympics for their respective nations.
Clayton Fredericks and Scott Keach (AUS)
Ruy Fonseca (BRZ)
Jessica Phoenix and Selena O’Hanlan (CAN)
Joe Meyer and Kirk Webby (NZL)
Daisy Trayford and Robin Walker (UK)
Jennie Brannigan and Michael Pollard (USA)
Upcoming show dates will offer three class levels (2’9″, 3’3″, 3’6″+) open to any horse/rider combination. Each entry combination will complete two separate rounds of the same course, with a break in between. The order-of-go will be determined by random draw, and will run in reverse order for the second round. Each rail that comes down adds 20 seconds to rider’s time. No penalty for refusals. An optional Joker Fence is available at the end of the course. If the rider jumps it without taking down the rail, 40 seconds is removed from the rider’s time. If the rail is knocked down, 40 seconds are added to the rider’s total time.
The time from both rounds is added together and the rider with the fastest combined time wins. Prize money will be awarded from 1st to 3rd place sharing a minimum of 20% of the entry fees. The show series will be held at 850 NE 110th Street, Ocala, FL 34479 on Jan. 29, Feb. 12, Feb. 26, Mar. 12 and Mar 26. Sign up at www.evententries.com. Entry fee is $100 for two jumping rounds.
Are you looking for a good riding horse? Perhaps this one may suit you…reading between the spelling errors, it appears to be a 5-year-old TB gelding son of Stormy Atlantic. The photos are standard for Craigslist: awkward conformation poses standing on three legs, and unhappy-looking horse tacked up in the back yard. But at least he’s in good weight and could be a nice partner for someone.
We own a Good though bred which is good to use as a riding or trail riding horse. Its 5 years of age, and good for all ages. This horse is very calm and is very friendly. Its a Gilding and its father was Storming Atlantic. Good to take out trail riding to places like greenway or on your own land. Asking $1,000.00 O.B.O. We Don’t have a lot of time anymore to ride it. So we want it to go to a good home where it can be ridin. We feed it all its needs and take care for it Great. Call, text, or email me if your interested.
The first event of 2014 wrapped up today at the Florida Horse Park. Many thanks to title sponsor Ocala Horse Properties for another lovely event! The weather was beautiful today and I saw many nice cross-country rounds, and caught a little bit of novice show jumping. A big shout-out to Caroline Martin who looked great today, and finished three horses in the top 5 of the JYOP division.
Here are a few results from the weekend– be sure to check out all the scoreshere.
It’s a beautiful day here in Ocala, about 70 and sunny with a light breeze. The preliminary cross-country course has been riding fairly well and seems to be a good starter course for the season. A few horses have been caught out at 5ab, a hollow-type question with rolltop in, landing down hill, then going uphill to an angled brush out. Some riders are adding a bit of a curve to the line, reducing the angle, making it a bit simpler for the horses knocking some rust off.
Another question on course was the Bit of Britain bank complex: a pheasant feeder, six or so strides curving to a one-stride on/off bank, curving to a corner several strides away. It seemed to be fairly forgiving.
The water was another good tune-up for early in the year– an aqueduct (rolltop) landing in the water, many strides curving to a bank out, three strides to a skinny. The three strides rode very long for most horses, but riders wisely sat back and kicked on for the distance.
EN reader Kathy Viele kindly sent us this note– an eventer treks to the South Pole!
From Kathy:
Eventer Paul Swart recently moved from Bend, Oregon, to Aiken, SC, where he fell in with a dubious crowd: Lynn Coates-Holmes’ eventing Misfits. He’s currently leading an excursion in Antartica, and took the opportunity to take eventing, quite literally, to the ends of the earth. Here he is proudly displaying his Misfit shirt at the one-and-only South Pole. “This one is for Lynn Coates-Holmes and the Misfits team. Red and white in the middle and insanity all around!“
Insanity all around, indeed! Congrats to Paul for his achievement, and showing that eventers really are everywhere. Thanks to Kathy for sharing with us; if you have an interesting story, please sent it to [email protected].
Buck Davidson and Copper Beach at Ocala in 2013. Photo by Dave Elle.
While many throughout the nation are still battling arctic weather, the first event of the year has begun in Ocala, FL. As usual, Buck Davidson has an impressive number of horses competing this weekend, and he can typically be found near the top of the leaderboard in several divisions. [Live Scores]
Here are the Open Intermediate scores after show jumping. There were only five clear rounds out of 16 starters. Cross-country begins tomorrow at 9am.
Some of the lower divisions did dressage and cross-country today. Many scores are still left to finish, but here are the top 6 from Open Training C.
Open Training – C
1. Werner Geven / Rheanna Royale 30.9
2. Robin Walker / King Bust 34.1
3. Ashley Adams / Lup The Loop 35.5
4T. Alexis Brown / Anakin GS 36.8
4T. Buck Davidson / No Remorse 36.8
4T. Christine Grant / Social Misfit 36.8
Update 6:00pm
JYOP
1. Reagan Lafleur / Orient Des Touches 26.2
2. Caroline Martin / Effervescent 29.6
3. Graham Harsh / Rivertown Lad 32.6
4T. Caroline Martin / Spring Easy 38.7
4T. Adrian Jones / Ganymede 38.7
Open Preliminary – A
1. Alexander O’Neal / Corinthian Spirit 30.4
2. Elinor MacPhail / Pecoso 30.9
3. Ashley Adams / Cooley Dawn Raid 31.3
4. Peter Atkins / Lambrusco 31.4
5. Alexander O’Neal / Just Talk’n 33.6
Open Prelminary – B
1. Leslie Law / Fernhill Whatever 32.2
2. Robin Walker/ Canadian Exchange 34.4
3. William Ward III / Soliloquy 34.8
4. Irene Lampton / Daisy 35.7
5T. Elinor MacPhail / Rendezvous With Charly 37.0
5T. Buck Davidson / Riviera 37.0
Preliminary Rider
1. Tracey Corey / Byrnwyck West 37.0
2. Maria Brazil / Pas de Panique 38.7
3. Elliott Blackmon / Talk’s Cheap 40.5
4. Calvin Ramsay / Mac Gilly Cuddy 44.5
5. Kacie Dannehower / Fable 46.3
Open Training – A
1. Sara Kozumplik Murphy / Classico Z 32.2
2. Leslie Law / Call the Law 33.6
3. Jonathan Holling / Lupistar 33.6
4. Natalia Neneman / Legate 34.6
5. Nora Battig / Little Miss 35.5
Open Training – B
1. Clayton Fredericks / Bebop 30.9
2. Clayton Fredericks / Chatwin 32.7
3. Robin Walker / Someday Never Comes 35.9
4T. Amy Tunney / Cartier 36.4
4T. Victoria Fey / Unphased VLF 36.4
It’s been a busy few days in the chinchilla compound, as everyone adjusts to the new format of Eventing Nation. This isn’t our first change– our last one included a change of servers, which presented a whole host of problems, but the look and feel of the site was pretty familiar to the original 1995/2010 version. With today’s new format, we left 1995 behind…and we want to know what you think.
Of course, overwhelming initial response to change is usually an emphatic NO! But some changes have been requested for years; we’ve always had complaints that important posts slip too quickly off the main page, and not everyone liked the idea of scrolling past thousands of words and photos to catch up every few days. This new look will hopefully suit a wide variety of readers and become clear and easy to use. We still have some exciting new features to unveil in the next week or two, so stay tuned.
For regular visitors who miss reading all posts in their entirety on one page– don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Look up to the top toolbar and you’ll see a link for “Classic EN,” which will have all our latest content published like it used to be, no clicking required unless you wish to comment.
There could still be a few bugs and kinks to work out– if you find one, please let us know, and send us your suggestions to improve the site. If you hate it, tell us why! Email [email protected], we welcome your feedback!
It’s hump day, and you need an adorable video to keep you going through the work week. How about a pas de deux with a Shetland pony and an enormous Shire? Cute choreography and a couple unplanned pony bucks make watching this video a good way to spend five minutes of a winter Wednesday.
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters announced the finalists for the 2013 Eclipse Awards today, recognizing excellence in Thoroughbred racing. Winners will be announced at the Eclipse Awards dinner on January 18 at Gulfstream Park.
Horse of the Year: Mucho Macho Man, Will Take Charge, Wise Dan Wise Dan won HOTY last year, and will probably repeat again. He was beaten once this year (off-the-turf at Keeneland), but his victories were dominating, including defending his title in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. This year, that should be enough to win again. Mucho Macho Man won the BC Classic, but otherwise has been a bit inconsistent. Will Take Charge has had an excellent end to the 2013 racing year, but doesn’t have quite enough record to beat out Wise Dan for Horse of the Year.
Three-Year-Old Male: Orb, Palace Malice, Will Take Charge. Will Take Charge’s strong finish this fall, including second in the BC Classic, and a win against older horses in the Grade I Clark Handicap, should make him the favorite for 3-year-old Male.
Older Female: Joyful Victory, Royal Delta, Tiz Miz Sue This award is probably Royal Delta’s to lose. Despite not living up to her 2012 form, she was still far and away the most-feared mare this year.
Female Sprinter: Dance to Bristol, Groupie Doll, MizdirectionMizdirection won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, while Groupie Doll won the Filly & Mare Sprint on dirt. Both repeat BC victories, but I’ll give the edge to Groupie Doll, despite her fourth place finish in the Cigar Mile.
Jockey: Javier Castellano, Joel Rosario, Gary Stevens Joel Rosario had an outstanding spring season, when seemingly every horse he touched turned to gold. But Gary Stevens made a miraculous story-book comeback…will that sway the hearts of voters? All three jockeys are deserving of the win, you could make a case for any of them.
Apprentice Jockey: Victor Carrasco, Manuel Franco, Edgard Zayas
In addition to honoring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will receive the Eclipse Award of Merit and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be recognized with an Eclipse Special Award.
EN reader Rachael Walker braved the cold in Wisconsin to go for a brief ride in the snow. Rachael writes, “I hopped up on my mare today – the temp was about -20º and the windchill reading was at -43º when I took this. She’s still wearing her two blankets and the neck rug, and I’m full-on in bibs, parka, hat, facemask and scarf, and the enormous chopper mitts. We’re up in Beldenville, WI. Thought you’d like to see that we’re still riding, despite the cold!”
It’s interesting how certain breeds of horses are viewed differently around the world. Here in the US, the Gypsy Vanner breed comes with a designer price tag to go along with the pinto color, lots of hair, big feet and feathers. However, in the UK “coloured cobs” are a dime a dozen…and could be filling up equine rescues throughout Britain.
The Horse & Hound reports that thousands of gypsy cobs could end up at equine charities, and that World Horse Welfare is urging riders to consider the “underrated” animals. Having worked with one myself, I think they make great kids horses with their shorter size, friendly temperament, and Barbie-doll hair. Like many draft-crosses, they’re a bit heavy for serious jumping but could be good all-around mounts. The one I rode showed great aptitude for dressage, and was quite fun!
Our friends at SmartPak have come up with some New Year’s Resolutions for 2014, from the rider’s perspective and the horse’s mouth. As it turns out, horses and riders have very different goals!
What resolutions have you and your horse made for the coming year? Leave yours in the comments or at www.Facebook.com/SmartPakEquine.
The weather in Ocala, FL lately has been unpredictable, to say the least. During the Eventing 18 training camp with David O’Connor last week, participants saw some unseasonable chilly rain on their cross-country schooling day. That didn’t stop them one bit, as evidenced by Patience O’Neal taking the water complex in style.
EN reader Cassidy Reese lost her beloved horse Teddy a few weeks ago. Balladeer Ted completed Rolex and Fair Hill in 2005 with Peter Gray, and many European events with Irish rider Allen McSweeny before becoming a wonderful teacher and partner with Cassidy. Many thanks to Cassidy for sharing Ted’s story, and thank you for reading.
Cassidy and Ted at The Fork. Photo courtesy of Pics of You.
From Cassidy:
For many years, I’ve made the trip to Kentucky to watch in awe as the amazing, powerful, fragile, four-legged creatures galloped across the bluegrass. That last weekend of April brings memories of the greats who have come through those finish flags… Courageous Comet, Molokai, Biko, Theodore O’Connor, Custom Made, and the list goes on… But each year many accomplished, lesser known horses gallop through those lanes and achieve what so many of us can only dream about – jumping the final fence and completing the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event.
If only I’d have known what the future held, I would have looked a little closer for a big white star and glistening copper coat to come galloping by while I was attending the event in 2005 (the last year of the full format at Kentucky). A year and a half later I found myself in the right working student position at the right time, and was handed the reins for the ride on Balladeer Ted…that beautiful chestnut with the big star, floppy ears, and droopy lower lip.
At that point, it was determined that Ted would no longer make a potential team horse for Canada, but he did have a lot to offer me in education at the upper levels (as long as I could manage his soundness). I was in complete awe as Rebecca Howard handed over his passport. Stamps from Blenheim, Bramham, Rolex, Fairhill, and countless other events filled the pages. He was also the recipient of the Zeppa International Trophy at Rolex (which is always cool to see in the Rolex program every year). I was sure that this horse had forgotten more than I will ever know, and then he promptly dumped me over a beginner novice log during our first jump school. Like so many upper level guys, his list of quirks was longer than his list of events in his passport, and one of them was that you could not stop riding… ever.
For two seasons, he held my hand as I made some mistakes and learned from his vast knowledge. At the Fork, he taught me that I really needed to make a decision about which side of the tree we’d be going after the bounce bank; at Paradise he informed me that we had two different ideas about what a coffin canter was; and in Ocala he let me feel what a real gallop felt like. I’d had one upper level horse before him, who was also awesome in his own right, but Ted knew exactly what I did and didn’t know, and he would fill in the gaps with only a slight eye roll in my direction.
Ted was a talker, and a very effective communicator to those who would listen. After a big move in my life where Ted was out of the competition program for a couple months, he told me in his own way that he was ready to retire. Once that decision was made in 2008, I only sat on him a handful of times. I think he felt a certain level of pressure from me, and the stress of knowing he couldn’t perform physically would bother him. Instead of me, it was my non-horsey husband who took the reins, and Ted taught him to post the trot, how to ride a buck in the canter, and would politely yet firmly inform all of us when a ride was finished.
Ted and husband John, photo by Linda Sitton
A few years ago, Ted’s health started to deteriorate. A lifetime of strenuous activity had taken its toll on his body, and I had begun to prepare myself for the day that I’d have to say goodbye. He would have a bit of a bad spell, but would bounce back, just as strong as ever. He was our celebrity around the barn, as none of the other horses had achieved even half of what he had in his lifetime and we all cherished every moment that was given to us.
This is exactly what I whispered to him as we walked through his painful spell of colic a few weeks ago. I told him that he’d done things and seen things that very few horses ever get to, and for that reason and so many more, he would always have a special place in my heart. I wanted to think that this bad spell was one he’d bounce back from, but a few days later, it was apparent that this time it was different. Surrounded by a group of people who loved and respected him so much, Ted crossed the rainbow bridge to gallop without pain.
Ted is one of the hundreds of horses who have not only conquered the upper levels, but gone on to pass their knowledge to younger riders. I feel honored to have learned the things that his previous riders instilled in him, and hope I do him justice by passing along that knowledge to my horses and students.
Ted kicking up his heels in retirement Spring 2013. Photo by Kimberly Kulers.
Kate had surgery today and the surgery went really well! She is in a lot of pain but that will ease over the next couple of days, she had screws put in and her jaw wired shut. The screws will come out shortly just over a week, but her jaw will be wired for 6 weeks. She will be a big conversationalist…… Not. 🙂
Sending our healing thoughts to Kate, and hope she feels better soon!
EN reader Rachel Helmbold sent us this amusing take on what the Year of The Horse actually means, according to Chinese prophecy. Most of these characteristics sound pretty familiar! Many thanks to Rachel for writing, and thank you for reading.
Rachel and Caesar
From Rachel:
2014 ~ The Year of The Horse
Apparently 2014 is The Year of The Horse according to the Chinese calendar. Wanting to be one who is educated on all things Equine and finding time on my hands (today is a company holiday and I didn’t wake up to 30 emails to start the day), I decided to Google the meaning and significance of this zodiac sign. I was interested to know what the Chinese believe this year might bring for those family and friends of mine born under The Year of The Horse which occurs on a twelve-year cycle. I am still not so sure what is in store for them, but I did find interesting the characteristics the Chinese have assigned to those born under this sign that supposedly correlate with characteristics that are inherently Equine. In my Google-search (note I did not say research) I found some very interesting traits. I must say, most of the characteristics mentioned resonated wholeheartedly with me and likely with anyone who has ever owned or loved a horse.
The most notably similarity would be “the life of a Horse might be filled with financial struggles and love/life issues”. This, my sympathetic horse friends, needs no explanation, does it? We could probably have second homes and weekly mani-pedi’s (and a reason to have mani-pedi’s!) if not for the financial strain horse ownership imposes. Also on the topic of money, “They typically overspend for entertainment and fun.” Entertainment and fun is exactly what my horse, Caesar, was contemplating when he thought, “I just KNEW it would be fun to chew the cushion off of the trailer bar, and the weather stripping off two stall doors, and the leather head piece off my halter, and the new reins when my mom wasn’t looking, and…”
With regards to health, “Horses will be prone to health issues.” What? Noooo! “They are more likely to be involved in accidents, too. To counteract such bad luck, Horses are suggested to donate blood.” Not sure about you, but typically the blood donation comes concomitantly WITH the accident when my horse is involved. Can I GET an Amen?
On training, according to the Chinese zodiac sign, the “Horse’s lucky numbers are 7, 3 and 2.” That might explain why those 4 and 5 stride lines just don’t ride so well at times, most notably the last line of a course when you are, correction – were, sitting in first! How about, “The Horse can be stubborn (REALLY?) yet they also have their earthy side.” Let me assure you, both sides are earthy…as is their tails, ears, eyes, and blankets this time of year. Actually, I don’t feel entirely guilty if I miss a day of riding as of late because my horse has walked around carrying the weight of a small child in mud on his blankets for 9-10 hours in his paddock all day. Yep, that’s strength training; can take the place of a flat work day.
More on training; “Horses could be arrogant during those times when they are doing chores under pressure.” Queue the walking-on-hind-legs-with-Jazz-Hands when asking for a sharper walk/canter transition. Yes, Caesar, I’m talking about YOU! “They could multi-task, but in between doing the work, they tend to get scattery, resulting in unproductiveness…” Now THAT would explain what goes on between the ears/between the fences on cross country. If I could hear my horse’s thoughts they might go something like this, “Hey, is that a FRESH mound of grass over there. I don’t know; haven’t seen one of those is the last two hours.” Or maybe, “Hey, who is that filly running ahead of me in the distance with those hideous hot pink boots and saddle pad? She just WANTS to get noticed. Is that her competitive edge…distracting me and all….well she might be nice…might share her grain with me….think I might….OH *&^%$ there’s a freak’n jump in front of me! How did that get there? DOPE!” That’ll be twenty please ma’am!
Relating to safety, “Horses will not let you down.” Um, I object your Honor. I have been “let down” as in from their backs to the ground more times than I can count. And while a broken leg, broken arm and severed intestines did not occur because of falls from their back to the ground, I can definitely say that is where I ended up after said tragedies – doubled over in pain by three different horses that “let me down.”
HOWEVER, before you non-horsey readers think we horse people (AKA, DHP’s – Damn Horse People – to those who know us) are completely insane (we are) there are some truths to ponder that the Chinese were kind enough to include relating to their interpretation of Equine characteristics. These qualities make up for the aforementioned liabilities. “As a friend, they will be there to cheer you up and they’ll even take you to great places just to ease out your sadness.” “You will not regret hanging along with a Horse as a friend…. He will be there for you as long as you need him. He is unselfish and willing to give you all his support. He is also practically fun to be with and you can expect no dull moments when you are with him. He will take you to great places… He will try to make you feel like you belong in his world.” Enough said. Here’s to health, happiness and lower Vet bills in 2014! Long live The Year of The Horse!
~Rachel Helmbold
Quotes – via Google “by ALAN” on Feb. 10, 2013 (except for those from Caesar the horse!)
A few Eventing 18 participants getting some tips from David O’Connor. Photo via the USEFHigh Performance Facebook page.
While the top hunter/jumper riders have been soaking up the knowledge from George Morris, our eventing stars of the future have spent a few days in Ocala with head coach David O’Connor. The Eventing 18 Advancing Athletes (riders 18 and under) training sessions have covered two days of flatwork, a day of jumping, and unmounted lectures on stable management, theory, course design, and veterinary care. The sessions are scheduled to wrap up today with some cross-country schooling. [USEA Announcement]
As you can see, knowing the training scale (and push up technique!) is essential! Thanks to Joanie Morris for the video!
The junior riders in attendance are:
Brynn Littlehale
Adrian Jones
David Pawlak
Nicole Doolittle
Jamie Doolittle
Mia Farley
Maddie Temkin
Maddy Mazzola
Caroline Martin
Savannah (Woodge) Fulton
Reagan LaFleur
Patience O’Neal
In honor of college football’s innumerable bowl games, today’s video is of Florida State’s equine mascot, Renegade. Ridden by a student dressed as Chief Osceola, Renegade gallops onto the field before every FSU home game. The Florida State Seminoles will face off in the BCS championship game on Monday at 8:3o pm ET. While I’m technically an SEC fan (War Eagle!), I don’t mind cheering for the ‘Noles and Renegade either. Go college football!
Rhiannon Bosma sent us this photo with a note explaining that Kate Chadderton is not having a pleasant start to her new year. Yesterday, Kate suffered a broken jaw and a concussion, landing her in the hospital on New Year’s Eve. We hope Kate heals quickly and is back on her horses soon!
After the first day of flatwork basics, George Morris is back for more on today with more flatwork and a bit of gymnastics. Yesterday produced a lot of “Inside leg to outside rein,” a mantra many of us have heard before. George got on a horse in each group– the second one in particular was pretty tough, inverted, with a lot of “temperament” as George said. The 75-year-old coach rode for 20 minutes, explaining himself the whole time, and the result was a much softer, more educated horse at the end. “I don’t use draw reins or gadgets,” George said. “I have legs, I have a seat, I have hands.”
USEF is archiving the rides quickly, so if you miss a session, look for it On Demand later. The first group starts at 8am, the second group at 10am. Today also includes a flatwork session with legendary show jumper Anne Kursinski at 1pm.
We post a lot of videos here on EN– at least two per day. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like without Youtube or it’s cousin Vimeo. As the saying goes…if it isn’t on Youtube, it didn’t happen. And so, here’s what DID happen in 2013: some of the most-liked and most-watched moments captured on camera and shared on Eventing Nation. I haven’t embedded all the videos here– it would make the site crash– but click on the links to view.
“Once again, ladies and gentlemen, please keep your dogs on leashes!” In a repeat of Rolex 2009, Buck Davidson once again was chased around cross-country by a dog. Luckily, his horse Riviera didn’t seem to care! Buck and Riviera finished 10th in the Open Prelim-A division.
This one is a MUST SEE that will start your workday off right. I think Budweiser’s ad executives have some competition from Horseware Ireland… you’re going to love this commercial. (Turn your speakers up.)
This race yesterday at Pimlico appears to be business as usual until the leader, Spicer Cub ridden by Xavier Perez, blows the turn and bolts wide coming toward the home stretch. The jockey somehow regroups, only to have the horse bolt again and run full speed between the outside rail and the starting gate. And to top it all off, Spicer Cub straightens out to come roaring home — with the announcer yelling, “Do you believe in miracles?” — after Xavier has lost his irons, and he still nearly wins the race.
The wait is over… thanks to the USEF Network, here is the full cross-country round of the overnight leader, Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo. What an extraordinary horse! And thus, #Nicholsonontwitter was born.
The first 10 seconds of this video will make your heart stop. At Bramham CCI3* (Under 25 division), Arthur Bonneau riding Quasar du Saillan came too quickly on approach to a big galloping fence (#7, triple brush), and missed. The rider actually TOUCHES THE GROUND with his hands in front of the horse’s face, ripping off the bridle in the process. Miraculously, the horse recovers and flings the rider back into the saddle. (HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!) However, the horse takes off with bridle now tangled around his hind feet and the rider, left with no way to control his horse, does what any good Pony Clubber would do: an emergency dismount.
This video is from Chattahoochee Hills this past weekend, and features one of our Blogger Contestants, Rick Wallace! Rick was cantering around his Training level show jumping in a good fashion when there was a little OOPS moment, which resulted in an impressive and hilarious attempt to avoid elimination. One must give credit to the horse, Ultimate Decision, for tolerating such shenanigans with aplomb, and give a round of applause to Rick for his tenacious attempt to monkey his way back in the saddle!
A spectator captured Caroline Harris and Zamio’s trip through the steps yesterday in the Novice Championships at the Festival of British Eventing. Zamio took one look at the steps and decided he wanted nothing to do with them. He then proceeds to defy gravity and perform a sort of pirouette down the steps, somehow managing not to flip over in the process. Now THAT’S an Oh Crap Moment.
Well, it’s not every day you get to see a puissance competition, and it’s certainly not every day that you get to see a horse jump 2.2 meters (7 feet 3 inches for laymen)! Columbian Show Jumper Daniel Bluman and his grey stallion Clyde cleared the impressive height at the Dublin Horse Show in the Land Rover Puissance. What would you be thinking galloping up to that big of a fence!? Check out how big that wall is compared to the horse…he can’t even see over it!! Enjoy.
Evention launched a brand new season of videos and a sparkling new website to go along with it. We were assured that our entertainment and education would continue every two weeks, but as it turns out, they just couldn’t stay away from us for that long. Inspired by “How Animals Eat Their Food“, this week’s fun video features some very good imitations of hungry horses that we’ve all owned at one point or another.
Not only are quadrilles incredibly difficult and awesome to see in action, but the costumes on both the horses and the riders in this instance are unbelievable. How long do you think it took to create each costume, organize and practice the dressage test, and then execute it? How awesome are those horses for calmly wearing what looks like an entire body suit with a fake colored tail? I’m seriously impressed.
Have you ever watched two seemingly flawless jump rounds at a show and wondered, “What’s the difference between first and second place? How did that one person change his lines and gallop faster with such precise turns and huge jumps?” Well, in this short but cool video, we get to see the comparison between first place and second place as Kent Farrington on Blue Angel and Patrice Delaveau on Lacrimoso HDC go through their paces in the jump off. Pretty cool!
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