*Sound on* The secret to Quality Time’s double clear Advanced round last week? Senan schooling her up!
Posted by Bourke Eventing on Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Tim Bourke and Quality Time has a super outing at last week’s Pine Top Advanced H.T., finishing 2nd in the Advanced-B division on a score of 36.8. Tim gave all the credit to training sessions with his and wife Marley’s two-year-old son, Senan. Be sure to watch with the volume up!
Yee-haw. Go Eventing!
The Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Turnout with Disc Front Closure. Photo courtesy of Horseware Ireland.
Horseware has been an industry leader in blanketing innovations and clever solutions for horse owners since the company’s launch in 1985, with an emphasis on durability, quality and ultimately comfort for our hardworking equine partners. Their newest innovation comes in the form of a Disc Front Closure System that makes blanketing a breeze and provides superior comfort for the horse.
The Disc Front Closure System features a flexible disc made of non-corrosive polypropylene, which is a highly durable material but also extremely lightweight. You can easily bend the disc in your hands, which means it can also move and flex with the horse to allow for a more comfortable fit.
Combined with Horseware’s V-Front closure system, which cuts the front of the blanket in such a way that it mimics the horse’s shoulder movement, the disc is designed with ergonomic, countered curves that follow the natural shape of the horse’s neck. The disc’s contoured design gives more freedom for the horse’s neck to lower comfortably for grazing and eating and avoids binding at the base of the neck.
In addition to providing more comfort for your horse, the Disc Front Closure System is about as easy as it gets to use. The disc is attached to the front of the blanket with velcro straps, and you can easily open and close the straps with one hand, or while wearing bulky winter gloves. The Velcro is strong and durable to ensure the blanket stays put, even when your horse is romping around like a madman in turnout (ask me how I know).
Horseware’s Disc Front Closure System is now available on select Amigo turnouts, fly products and coolers. I’ve tested it on the Amigo Evolution Fly Sheet, Rambo Airmax Cooler and most recently the Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Turnout, which is Horseware’s best-selling Amigo turnout blanket.
Made with an extremely durable 1200-denier polyester outer shell, the Amigo Bravo 12 Plus is highly waterproof and breathable, and also includes a detachable hood. The rug features a smooth polyester lining to enhance shine on your horse’s coat, leg arches, reflective strips, three cross surcingles, a wrapped tail cord (one of my favorite features of Horseware’s blankets — it’s so easy to wipe clean!) and loops to attach liners.
Horseware’s Disc Front Closure System is now available on select Amigo turnouts, fly products and coolers, including the Amigo Hero pictured here. Photo courtesy of Horseware Ireland.
The Amigo Bravo 12 Plus comes in a lighter 100-gram weight, which makes it perfect for milder winter climates and spring. I’ve used it during cold snaps in Ocala this winter, as well as on the road while competing at Pine Top Advanced Horse Trials, and the Amigo Bravo 12 Plus is a fantastic rug to have in your arsenal for use at home and at shows. The Surefit neck design makes it comfortable for your horse to wear, and the addition of the Disc Front Closure System ensures freedom of movement when grazing.
The Amigo Bravo 12 Plus with Disc Front Closure (100g Lite) retails for $230 and is available in a beautiful navy with red and gold trim — it definitely looks sharp! The Amigo Bravo line of turnout blankets is well known for being durable. We have a number of these rugs at Schramm Equestrian, and they hold up fabulously through the years. This is definitely a blanket I know I’ll have for years to come.
Click here to learn more about the Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Turnout and to find a stockist in your area. Have you tried Horseware’s Disc Front Closure System? Let us know in the comments below.
Gird your loins, chaps: the countdown is ON to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, and we, for one, couldn’t be more excited — not least because this year is a special one. 2019’s competition is the 70th anniversary of the inaugural Badminton, and since its first running in 1949 the sport, the venue, and the characters within this epic story have changed and evolved significantly. To celebrate 70 years of brilliant Badminton, we’re going to be bringing you an extra-special inside look at the event and its rich and exciting history, every week from now until the competition begins on May 1. Consider the archives your own personal Gringotts, and EN your loyal turquoise goblin sherpas.
This week, we’re looking back at where it all began — the inspiration for, and organisation of, the very first Badminton…
Sixth at the very first running of Badminton, Captain Tony Collings and Remus would return a year later to take the title. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.
The Birth of Eventing
Despite Great Britain’s reputation as the mecca of three-day-eventing, the country was actually a bit of a slow burner when it came to adopting the sport. In fact, it’s the French who can boast of the earliest iteration of it; their military competition, the Championnat du Cheval d’Armes, featured challenges resembling modern eventing as early as 1902. But it wasn’t until the king of Sweden’s Master of the Horse, Count Clarence von Rosen, got ahold of it in 1912 that the first true event was staged at the Stockholm Olympics, because why spend a few years ironing out the details of a sport when you could just chuck it into the most prestigious championships in the world and figure it out as you go along?
Open only to active military men on military horses, the ‘Militaire’ began with a 33-mile endurance ride, followed by a three-mile cross country course. The second day was a rest day, followed by steeplechase on day three, while day four was devoted to the showjumping test. Only on the fifth day did horse and rider enter the dressage arena — there, they would perform a 10-minute long test to a panel of seven judges, ostensibly to demonstrate their ability to perform in important military displays such as the changing of the guard, or in the parades that were often used to celebrate the country’s monarchy.
The test, called ‘Prize Riding,’ bore little resemblance to modern-day dressage: many riders rode one-handed, showing off movements such as ‘fast walk’ (bring this one back, please), Spanish walk, and gallop. Bafflingly, the test included five show jumps of roughly 1.10m (3’7), and one instance of Don’t-Try-This-At-Home: horse and rider had to jump an overturned barrel while someone rolled it towards them. Yeah, we don’t know either.
Sweden’s Axel Nordlander survives all 862 phases to take the individual eventing title at the 1912 Olympics. Many horses and riders would contest more than one discipline. Show-offs. Photo via Public Domain/IOC.
By the time the Antwerp Games rolled around in 1920, the decision had been made to scrap dressage altogether, proving that eventers are made of the same fundamental stuff, no matter which decade you find us in. But by 1924, some sadist decided it probably ought to be slotted back in.
The organisers of the 1912 Games had had a pretty appealing reason to pop dressage in at the end of the competition: “With respect to the order in which the various tests should be executed, it was thought best to place the prize riding last, as the clearest obedience-test could thereby be obtained. A well-trained horse that has been severely taxed should, even after taking part in the previous tests, be able to do itself justice in the final one too.” Paris, clearly laughing in the face of danger, reintroduced everyone’s least favourite phase at the beginning of the competition, and modern-day eventing was born, sort of.
Eventing Comes to England
Despite fielding a team at every Games, Great Britain had only managed to medal once in the equestrian disciplines, when they clinched a team bronze for eventing at the 1936 Berlin Games. But this wasn’t, perhaps, something to write home about — the fourth-placed Czechoslovakian team finished on an incredible score of 18,952 after one of their riders got lost on cross country, and then misplaced his horse, and took three hours to find his errant nag and his way home, after all. There was a lot to be done, but outside of the military barracks, no one in the UK knew, or cared, about eventing. Berlin’s Games — known as the Nazi Games — would be the last Olympics for two cycles: both the 1940 and the 1944 Games were scheduled and ultimately abandoned because of World War Two. In 1948, though, the Olympics were back — and this time, they were heading to London.
The three-day eventing competition was held at Tweseldown Racecourse, part of the Aldershot military complex and, to this day, one of the most popular one-day event venues in Britain. The host nation, with its rich equestrian history, expected itself to do very well in these disciplines, despite a shortage of equine talent — and far too little training time — after the ravages of the Second World War.
They categorically did not. Riding horses they’d only begun to school that spring, the British eventing team had just one finisher — Major Borwick made it to the end of the competition, while Brigadier Lyndon Bolton hit the deck twice and Major Stewart’s horse went lame before it could even begin the cross country. The competition was a wash-out for the Brits, but it did have one enormously important legacy: it introduced eventing to a hungry audience who had grown up on the hunting field and saw success in this exciting new triathlon-of-sorts as a birthright.
“It came as a rude awakening to find that we were not very good,” mused The Horseman’s Year some 11 years later, pointing out that “there is nothing which so gets under the skin of an Englishman as to be told he does not know how to ride.”
One Englishman and Olympic committee member in particular thought something ought to be done — and his conviction set the wheels in motion to create the heart of the sport in his home country.
A Star is Born
His Grace the 10th Duke of Beaufort, Henry Hugh Arthur Fitzroy Somerset, or ‘Master’ to his nearest and dearest, was a man of enormously high esteem. His sprawling Gloucestershire estate was home to one of the country’s most famous packs of hounds, and when he wasn’t carrying out his duties as Master of the hunt, the Duke could be found serving as Master of the Horse to the royal family, a position he would hold for a record-breaking 42 years, serving under three sovereigns. He took equestrian sport incredibly seriously; in 1933 he headed up a committee that would establish the London International Horse Show at Olympia, which remains one of the country’s most beloved horsey establishments, and he was vice president of the FEI and the BHS, too.
As such, he was one of the first people to see Great Britain’s immense potential for success in this exciting new discipline, and together with his close friend and British Horse Society council member Colonel Trevor Horn, he began to research the logistics and formalities of building an international-standard three-day eventing venue on his own Badminton estate. With the right infrastructure and a home competition at which to practise, he was sure that the British team could bring home a medal at the next Games. Somehow, he suspected, there was even a way to get past Britain’s deep suspicion of ‘dressage’, this ostentatiously continental pastime of silly circus tricks that seemed so thoroughly at odds with the fast and furious galloping and jumping the rest of the sport was based around.
He wasted no time. The BHS granted its approval and the Duke assembled an organising committee of military men, with Horn stepping into the daunting role of director. Horn’s legacy is, perhaps, one of the most overlooked — after all, he had just that one Olympic event to use as a reference point, and the FEI was yet to draft a set of rules for the sport, so he was working with the most raw of materials: a sprawling acreage, an end date, and a set of ideals. But that was all he’d need to create the blueprint for British eventing, and the rules he made up as he worked built the framework for the sport as we know it.
Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.
‘The Most Important Horse Event in Great Britain’
Britain in 1949 was an altogether different beast. Just a handful of years out of the devastation of World War Two, it was a nation rebuilding itself — and reexamining itself, too. The class system that had defined British society and culture for so long was unravelling; two long wars had shaken the country’s foundations and life was suddenly becoming much less Downton Abbey for all concerned. But it wasn’t quite there yet. Although it’s commonplace now to be able to walk into just about any stately country home you so choose, thanks to the ministrations of the National Trust and the need for the remaining ‘landed gentry’ to cover upkeep costs, back then access to these upper echelons of society was restricted to a privileged few, even in this new dawn. In fact, it was in 1949 that the first of the country’s many manor houses was opened to the public — that was Longleat House, an Elizabethan prodigy house set in sumptuous Capability Brown-designed gardens. Its acreage would later become home to the UK’s foremost safari park.
Come one, come all: despite dressage’s limited popularity in Britain, and some arguably poor examples of the discipline, spectators still flocked to watch the first phase in its old location on the north side of Badminton House. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.
When the public realised they’d get the chance to make merry on the very same grounds frequented by the who’s-who of British society, they jumped at the chance. The crowds at the very first ‘Badminton Three Days’ Event: The Most Important Horse Event in Great Britain’ were considerably larger than its organisers expected at roughly 6,000 people, and once inside, they were given free rein. The dreaded dressage and showjumping took place in front of the house in those days, were only the horse inspections take place now, and rather than piling into grandstands, spectators and judges alike stood atop their cars or sat on straw bales to watch. The cross-country course wasn’t roped, and instead, people were expected to keep their wits about them and get out of the way of an oncoming horse — tricky, perhaps, when riders were allowed to take whichever line they so choose from one fence to the next.
Judges oversee the final showjumping phase:
Making a Go of It
Forty-seven horse and rider combinations put in entries for this intriguing new competition on the spring calendar, among them military men, hunters, racing types, Thoroughbreds, cobs, and, though they weren’t yet allowed to compete at the Olympics, women. Of the twenty-two eventual starters, a quarter were female. The highest-placed of the 1949 #girlpower contingent was Vivien Machin-Goodall, who would go on to be the first female three-day event winner.
The shopping was almost as good then as it is now. Almost. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.
Even adjusted for inflation, entering the first iteration of the Badminton Horse Trials was as cheap as chips. The entry fee was just £2 per horse (roughly £69 in today’s money — a tenner less than an entry into Tweseldown’s BE80(T) or Beginner Novice class would cost you now), while the winner was promised a princely sum of £150 (£5190), a pittance compared to today’s first prize of £100,000.
But then again, the first Badminton was a gamble, with almost all of its first competitors admitting that they didn’t necessarily take it seriously — it was, in the words of David Somerset, who would go on to become the legendary 11th Duke of Beaufort, “just a sort of hunter trial” in that first year. But with its exciting and almost totally unprecedented sporting action, its friendly, laid-back feel — there was space to picnic at the Lake in those days, and you might find yourself eating your sarnies next to the royal family — and its promise of future Olympic glories, it would very quickly become a competition to be taken very seriously indeed.
For all its risks, the very first Badminton proved a hit with competitors and spectators alike, totting up a grand total of £20 (£694.25 today) in profit. Before too long, smaller events began to pop up around the country. Just as Badminton had been devised as a way to train for the ’52 Helsinki Olympics, these events were intended as a way for riders to train for Badminton, creating a funnel system that would eventually become a set of distinct levels. Badminton — the topmost echelon of eventing — led the way, and the rest of the sport was built down from there. Now, Britain holds the most one-day and three-day events prior to Badminton of any country in the world.
‘Tis the season to hit the refresh button on your flatwork foundation! You’ll see the extra effort pay off not just in improved dressage scores, but in improved performance in the jumping phases as the year goes on. Has your practice plateaued? Struggling to feel inspired? In partnership with Trafalgar Square Books (www.horseandriderbooks.com) and our sister site Horse Nation, we present #FlatworkFebruary, a month-long series of book excerpts from leading dressage experts around the world.
This week: Emotional energy can have a big effect on how you ride. Linda Tellington-Jones elaborates in this excerpt from her book Dressage With Mind, Body & Soul.
Photo by Barbara Schnell.
Coherence is defined as a logical, orderly, and aesthetically consistent relationship of parts. Understanding how the mental and emotional energy, emanated and controlled by your heart, can become coherent, and learning to manage this energy can be a powerful force in your work with horses. It’s called “heart rhythm coherence.” Positive emotional states produce coherence within human systems, and this in turn can drastically improve your effectiveness when addressing tasks, large and small.
Most of us have experienced this on more than one occasion: perhaps your child gives you a hug and a kiss before he or she goes off to school, or your significant other reminds you how much he or she loves you before you hop in the car to go to the barn. Your positive emotional state, in this case the result of an exposure to love and caring, makes the mundane magical and the difficult a little easier. You may find yourself humming while you warm up your horse, perhaps with more patience than usual, and the movements you’ve struggled to grasp until now suddenly seem to come more easily.
According to the Institute of HeartMath (a recognized global leader in researching emotional physiology, stress management, the physiology of heart-brain research, and how students learn — www.heartmath.org), research has shown that “sustained positive emotions lead to a highly efficient and regenerative functional mode associated with increased coherence in heart rhythm patterns and greater harmony among physiological systems.” In other words, when you handle your horse or ride him with positive emotions weighting the scale, your body will react to his movement and the demands of your schooling figure or test more smoothly, cohesively, and in a more skilled manner than it will when you are anxious or angry, for example. And, even better, research has also shown that human beings can regulate their own heart rhythm coherence by actively generating positive feelings and intentions. You can achieve a higher performance state by “thinking good thoughts.”
How do you replace negative emotional patterns with positive ones? I have a few easy exercises that I regularly use to remind myself to think positively and find heart coherence, whether at home or in the barn.
In addition, there are physiological reasons for smiling when you are riding. Eckart Meyners, a specialist in riding and kinetics for more than 30 years who often presents on behalf of the German National Equestrian Federation (FN), says that when you smile you “activate muscle chains running from your face through your neck area, and your pelvis all the way to your feet. A rider who is smiling will naturally follow the horse’s movement with her body” (Rider Fitness: Body & Brain, Trafalgar Square Books, 2011).
An excerpt from Dressage with Mind, Body & Soul by Linda Tellington-Jones with Rebecca M. Didier, reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.horseandriderbooks.com).
Photo of the softest thing in the world via THIS FB page.
You guys, is it happening? Is spring upon us? For those of us who haven’t gone south for the winter, it’s been pure agony. But the daffodils coming up outside my house tell me that maybe hope is in the air? I don’t want to jinx it, but honestly it makes me feel pretty optimistic, even if it’s still pretty darn cold at night, because I’ve seen the sun a few days in a row and *gasp* the GRASS is coming up!! Please please please please be spring and not false winter 2.0!
National Holiday: National Chocolate Souffle Day
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Full Gallop H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Rocking Horse III H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Sporting Days H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Twin Rivers H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]
News From Around the Globe:
SafeSport: Do you know what you need to know for 2019? In this video, Sonja Keating, General Counsel for the USEF, gives a summary of the changes to the SafeSport program that have taken place over the last year, covering changes in federal law as well as policies of the U.S. Center for SafeSport and the policies of the USEF. She also discusses the history of USEF’s policies to protect minor athletes and shares that a Task Force has been appointed to determine other safeguards that can be put in place to protect athletes that comply with SafeSport and are not an imposition to members. [What You Need To Know About SafeSport]
Do you love ex-racehorses? Are you super active on social media? New Vocations wants you! This is the last day to apply for their Ambassador program to help promote adoption of ex-racehorses through the power of social media. As the largest racehorse adoption program in the United States, this is quite an opportunity for the right person. Applicants must have a minimum of 1,500 followers from Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. [Apply Here]
Who won USEA blue ribbon awards in 2018? The list is extensive! With seven winners in the Advanced division, fifteen in the Intermediate division, and an unbelievably huge amount at all the other divisions, you should check out the best riders in our country. [2018 Blue Ribbon Awards]
Taylor McFall took the reins of her mum Jen’s five-star mount, High Times, to tackle Training at Fresno County Horse Park CCI & H.T. a couple weekends ago — and watching these two together galloping around together is as much fun as you imagine it would be!
The pair won their Jr. Training division on their dressage score of 25.0. Taylor was all gratitude and heart emojis on Instagram about the experience: “So thankful to be able to show Billy 🙏 … Thanks so much Mom 💖💖💖.”
Photo via Instagram.
It warms the heart. Go Eventing.
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Coast to coast, what’s one breed of horse you should be able to find anywhere in the good ‘ol U. S. of A? The American Thoroughbred, of course. No matter where you go in this country, if you’re in search of a new horse you’ll likely be able to get your hands on an OTTB.
This week we have three eye-catching OTTBs from three different organizations in three different states just waiting for someone to scoop them up. Bring one home with you!
Looking Ready. Photo via New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.
Looking Ready (MORE THAN READY – SEEKNFIND, BY GIANT’S CAUSEWAY): 2015 15.3-hand New York-bred gelding
Looking Ready will certainly have you looking good in the show ring — you can already see from his lunge video what lovely expressive movement he has. “Louie” is a very refined type, but has plenty of athletic ability and work ethic. The staff at New Vocations liken him to a sports car — light and maneuverable with plenty of ‘go.’ Louie raced in a few stakes races as well as claimers, starting a total of 13 times and winning a respectable $85,668. His last race was in November 2018 and he is RRP 2019 eligible.
Located in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.
View Looking Ready on New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.
Taghleeb. Photo via Second Stride Inc.
Taghleeb (HARD SPUN – JUDHOOR (GB), BY ALHAARTH (IRE)): 2011 16.1-hand Kentucky-bred gelding
This 8-year-old comes with some serious bragging rights: he’s a Graded Stakes winner and has earned over $600,000 in 31 career starts. Taghleeb was retired from racing after sustaining an injury to his left front sesamoid during training last May, but Second Stride took him in and has been diligently rehabbing him with the hopes that he’ll be able to show his athleticism in a second career. After also recovering from an abscess, “Tag” is now back under saddle and slowly working his way back up. With his kind demeanor and good work ethic, he has that same professionalism characteristic of many ‘war horses.’
Located in Prospect, Kentucky.
View Taghleeb on Second Stride, Inc.
Everleigh. Photo via CANTER CA.
Everleigh (LUCKY PULPIT – ARGUE MY CASE, BY CLOSING ARGUMENT): 2015 16.1-hand California-bred mare
If you love a fiery redheaded mare, then Everleigh could be the one for you. This 4-year-old was in training at Santa Anita but was deemed too slow to even make it into the starting gate so she remains unraced. Luckily for Everleigh and for whoever adopts her, she has the potential to be a great sporthorse prospect. Though still growing, she has a nice solid yet compact build and although she was slow on the track she’s shown her natural athleticism and talent by jumping over the four-foot high fence of her turnout! While you might have to take some extra security measures for this girl, her talent and spunk may very well be worth it. Everleigh is still very green under saddle and will need someone experienced to continue her training, but clearly the sky is the limit for her!
Located in Del Mar, California.
A group of friends and I are watching The Bachelor, now on season 23, for the first time all the way through. On Monday nights we will drink rosé, or whatever left over bubbly wine/alcohol we have in our refrigerators come Monday night. We order Domino’s pizza and have low-fat frozen yogurt for dessert because we are health-conscious.
I’ve only ever been tangentially aware of The Bachelor and what I never realized is how similar it is to eventing. Both eventing and The Bachelor can be an ultimately fruitless endeavor, wherein you don’t leave the weekend with a success or a fiancé. Some weekends after an event you can be beat up, emotionally and sometimes physically; you can be hungover and questioning all your life decisions that led you to this low point in your riding career.
All of these sensations seem to mimic how the contestants of The Bachelor feel. There can be fights with words or fists between contestants. They are constantly drinking on the show, so hangovers are a staple. And, hopefully, once the contestants realize that all 20 of them are dating the same guy, they stop for some self reflection about their decision-making process.
Keeping all these similarities in mind, here is the completely unnecessary, totally nonsensical, recast of The Bachelor with event horses that no one asked for:
The Bachelor
Colton, featured man-candy of The Bachelor season 23. Photo via ABC.com.
Sharon White and Cooley On Show. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Colton: Cooley on Show
Colton seems to be a sweet, conventionally attractive dum-dum from Colorado, who genuinely thinks that he can find a wife on a reality TV show. Colton is a performer, and before he was a bona fide reality show star he was a professional football player. He reminds me of Sharon White’s Cooley On Show, known in the barn as Louie. Louie seems to be a low-key, chill guy who comes out on an event weekend and is happy to strut his stuff. The horse is maybe a little better looking and has a higher IQ, but he’ll do.
The Contestants
We are currently into the final four contestants. This week’s episode was called “Hometowns” and featured Colton traveling to all the contestants’ families to meet the parents. This process should help Colton decide which of his four girlfriends is “wife material.”
TAYISHA 28 | Corona Del Mar, California | Phlebotomist. Photo via ABC.com.
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Tayisha: Veronica
Tayisha has had her eye on the Colton prize since day one. She’s never said that she’s only there to make friends, but she’s definitely not concerned with other girls’ feelings. She’s made sure she has had consistent one-on-one time with Colton, but never so much where she put herself in any of the other girls’ crosshairs. Now, with only three other girlfriends instead of 24, Tayisha is ready to emerge victorious.
Veronica, very much like Tayisha, knows when to perform and wants to win. She can be a grumpy troll, but when she goes into that ring she turns on the burners and digs down into that brilliant well of grit that mares seem to possess and tries to win. Veronica wastes no brilliance in the warm-up.
CAELYNN | 23 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Miss North Carolina 2018. Photo via ABC.com.
Jonelle Price and Classic Moet. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Caelynn: Classic Moet
Caelynn is the 2018 Miss North Carolina title holder and was 1st runner-up at Miss America. When she sees a goal, she can get it done. While she knows what she’s good at, Caelynn does struggle to play well with others. Earlier in the season she and Hannah B., former Miss Alabama, had a feud dating back to their pageant days.
Classic Moet has a similar relationship with dressage. She definitely doesn’t like the first phase but will tolerate it in order to get on to the fun parts of winning fastest cross country round at almost every 4*. Classic Moet has the type of crazy that can ruin a weekend before any jumping happens, or pull out a win (see: Badminton last year).
Caelynn seems to have a similar ability to charm Colton into a proposal or she could possibly snap and break a bottle open over his head and be sent home.
HANNAH G. | 23 | Birmingham, Alabama | Content Creator. Photo via ABC.com.
Hannah Sue Burnett and RF Demeter. Photo by Libby Law.
Hannah G.: RF Demeter
Hannah G. has been a front-funner since episode one. She was given the first-impression rose by Colton, which is a feat considering he had met 25 potential girlfriends in one night. Hannah G. had faded into the background since the first episode (she might have been too nice and boring for the producers to feature). Now, she has re-emerged with a vengeance, and all she and Colton could talk about after their first one-on-one date was their “deep connection” despite only having known each other for a handful of weeks.
Hannah G’s arc on the show reminds me of RF Demeter. A lovely mare that tries her heart out and always gives 110% no matter what. Demeter is easy in the barn and endears herself to everyone in her life. Similarly, Hannah G. has no beefs with the other girls and, like Demeter, turns in consistent results no matter who she’s paired with.
CASSIE | 23 | Huntington Beach, California | Speech Pathologist. Photo via ABC.com.
Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
Cassie: RF Scandalous
According to the other girls in the house, Cassie and Colton have had a magnetic attraction since day 1. Cassie has been a top player in the show consistently. A lot of fans have said that Cassie is definitely a front runner for a proposal at the end of this, although I’m sure Colton’s three other girlfriends might have something to say about that.
RF Scandalous is known for her consistent top form at competitions all over the world. She’s quickly turning into a seasoned pro and is hard to bet against. Cassie also has an advantage over the other girlfriends in that this is not her first reality show. Cassie and Colton’s connection, plus her previous reality TV show experience, makes Cassie a favorite to win. Just like RF Scandalous at any event ever.
Basically, The Bachelor is fun, trashy TV that we all can enjoy. The one thing we know for sure is any equine mentioned above is great and wonderful and miles better than anyone on this primetime American television show.
So go enjoy some dumb TV and then go eventing!
The World Class Grooming clinic group for the July 2018 summer series. Photo courtesy of Emma Ford.
What we bring to the barn in the mornings affects our horses. If we bring love and compassion to the barn as we hear greetings of nickers and inquisitive heads popping over stall doors, our horses will reflect our positive emotions and energy. Recently, I participated in a clinic that made this idea a reality.
Last summer, a friend encouraged me to sign up for the World Class Grooming clinic series with Emma Ford at Phillip Dutton’s farm in Pennsylvania. I have always been someone who wants to learn. Growing up, I loved school, riding lessons, and reading whatever I could about my interests. Today, I still thrive on learning. Even if I get a small tidbit of information from someone, I hold it dearly. It is part of who I am. Even if you don’t learn something that you’ll use in life, you may learn what you don’t want to do.
I have always chosen jobs in the horse industry where I thought I would learn something. In college, I worked at several different barns because I felt like I would see how people manage their barns differently and learn by leaps and bounds — and I did! I sat in a dressage saddle for the first time, learned how to clean 20 stalls efficiently each evening, and how to look after older, loved school horses.
After college, I chose to be a working student because I felt like I would see so many things while traveling the winter circuit with the professional and his farm. Since then, I’ve worked for a dressage professional and have taught and coached at a boarding school. Today, I spend my days grooming for an event rider and working in a tack store, where I continue to expand my knowledge in an encouraging and supportive environment.
Choosing to sign up for the clinic with Emma was the best decision I’ve made in recent years. In fact, I think it might be the most important clinic I’ve ever participated in as well because of the main messages that were shared and demonstrated throughout the four sessions of the clinic.
During our first session, Emma opened with a question — “What is compassion?” — which led to the question of “What is Respect?” This then led to a discussion of the importance of energy and awareness in the barn. There were no right or wrong answers — everyone had important ideas and reasons. These three key elements were not only discussed, but thoroughly demonstrated by both Emma and all the participants throughout the month of clinic sessions. I was blown away as I had never openly seen this in the horse world.
As a group, we all discussed the importance of compassion and respect. Whatever happens at the top of the barn’s structure trickles down from the professional to the barn manager to the working students, etc. Not only does it affect people, but the horses are affected by how we treat each other and ourselves as well. As a groom, it’s my job to look after the horses in my barn. I want them to be happy, healthy and in a good mindset. If I’m sour or have had an argument outside of the barn, I cannot bring it with me. It’s important to learn how to leave the negative feelings at the barn door or far away from the farm if possible. This was something we discussed in length. This brings about a tricky concept: the idea of being aware of oneself.
To be aware of oneself means to know what you are feeling or what you’re bringing to the barn every day. Emma discussed that there might be days where you don’t accomplish everything you’d like because of how your day is going. That’s OK. To me, this means that sometimes, a plan for your ride might alter depending on the energy of you or your horse. If you’ve had a hard week, maybe it’s best to not have an intense ride focused on flatwork if it won’t be as productive as it could be on a better day. If you need to step out of the barn and have some quiet time, that’s acceptable as well. Do whatever is necessary to regroup and re-enter the barn with more positive emotions, so that staff members and horses will be affected in a positive way.
Throughout the clinic, Emma and the participants demonstrated respect. We, the participants, came from a myriad of backgrounds. There were event grooms and barn managers, amateur show hunter riders, Pony Club students, and some parents who wanted to learn more tidbits of knowledge, ranging from when to use which kind of studs to tips and tricks when grooming. Regardless of who we were or who we worked for, we were all treated equally. Emma treated us all with kindness and respect. We, the participants, all worked together as well — there was never any disrespect toward any other participant and any questions could be asked and discussed without judgment.
After college, I took a job as a working student for a hunter/ jumper professional in Virginia. I was “green” to the world of A/AA horse shows, especially to being part of the winter show circuit. At the time, I viewed the horse world as being sat upon a high pedestal — it was something bright and shiny! Quickly, I realized that I may have been there to learn, but the professional and their staff members were not there to teach me. Overall, I was treated as if I was the scum of the Earth. It trickled from the top down and left me feeling like I was not meant for the horse world. There was not respect in that barn.
When Emma discussed the importance of respect, I was astounded that a top barn manager would emphasize it. It gave me hope that people, such as Emma and Cat Hill, or World Class Grooming, could create some change in the equine industry by discussing such importance topics, but also by demonstrating them.
During one of the sessions, we learned about braiding manes and pulling tails. I grew up in the hunter/jumper world, and I was mortified when I heard we were going to pull tails. I had always been taught not to touch them, unless necessary. After working for a dressage trainer, I learned that I did, indeed, like the look of a banged tail, but a pulled tail was a whole other story. If we wanted to, we were all given a chance to pull part of a tail after it was thoroughly explained. And once again, I learned that I did, indeed, like the look of a pulled tail.
On this same day, we were taught about button braids. By growing up in the hunter world and not coming from a wealthy background, I can braid tightly down and pull the braids up for a neat hunter braid; however, creating a button braid from my tight braid was a different story. Luckily, as Emma was only one person in a large group, another participant helped me create a button braid until Emma could make it back to where we were practicing. With that, I helped another participant figure out how to braid tightly enough to be able to create a tidy button. This seemed to be the theme of most of the clinic — respect and compassion for each other and the horses.
Similarly, we spent some time on wrapping and boots. In a Socratic circle of sorts, we discussed and passed around various boots and wraps. I have pages and pages of notes written from this session. I had no idea what a strike guard was in a cross country boot before this session, but now I understand that we want them to be flexible because they disperse the energy when they receive impact.
We were all given a chance to practice putting boots and wraps on a very patient horse. Emma allowed us to wrap as we normally would and critiqued, but in a positive manner. If people were not used to wrapping, they were given a chance and given guidance throughout the process. As I’ve worked in the horse world, it seems like everyone has a slightly different way of doing things, but if the basic, safe principles are followed, it’s OK. Just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s wrong. To me, the clinic sessions and Emma followed this idea.
A few weeks ago, someone made a comment that they would never want their daughter to be a groom for someone like I was. That made me think, why not? What is wrong with being a caring and loving groom to a barn full of happy horses? Every morning, I wake up and know that there are horses waiting on me and they greet me each in their own way.
I have seen and heard so many stories of people who are treated badly by professionals and Big Name Trainers because they believe it’s OK if that professional has that reputation. People pay to be in clinics where they’re torn apart. There is a difference between people who push you because they care and know you can grow, versus the people who belittle you because they can. At this point in my life, I am happily with a supportive professional where I can grow and learn — where compassion, respect, and awareness are part of daily life.
Throughout the clinic, we learned many things. We practiced taking the temperature, pulse and respiration (TPR) on a variety of horses in the barn, including Mighty Nice, who won Olympic bronze with Phillip Dutton, but also discussed the importance of using more natural products with the horses, such as coconut oil and witch hazel. Not only did Emma share her wisdom, but we also discussed our own remedies as a group. There was so much knowledge in the barn during these clinic sessions. Personally, I went home and put witch hazel into a spray bottle for the barn.
What I truly appreciated was the fact that I had a few questions arise where I worked while I was involved in the sessions — and I was able to ask Emma for her expert advice. Not only did she find answers for me, but everyone could ask questions to further their understanding. I never felt like I didn’t belong, even though I didn’t have an eventing background.
The World Class Grooming Clinic taught many things, ranging from the care of the horse to taking care of tack to cooling out horses after they’ve galloped cross country, but I think that this clinic is changing the horse world, one session at a time, through discussing and demonstrating the ideas of compassion, respect and awareness. Without these, the industry will not change, and younger generations need to be inspired to continue in the footsteps of older generations of horsemen and women. The horses and humans are worth it.
Learn more about World Class Grooming at their website here.
A couple weeks ago, in response to this Horse Nation post, we challenged EN readers to show off your museum-quality body clips — and you delivered!
From imaginative full clips …
Photo submitted by Arwyn Anthony: “17 hours over two weeks and I can’t tell you how many mini clippers I burned through…”
Photo submitted by Brit Vegas Gengenbach: “My Thoroughbred, Scotchnwater.”
Photos submitted by Kelly Hageman.
Photo submitted by Jenna Stauder.
… to these meticulous quarter marks …
Photos courtesy of Erika Adams/Julie Pate.
Photo submitted by Hannah Hill: “Love my skull & cross bones!”
Photos submitted by Tori Traube: “A few of my favorites that I’ve done!”
Photos submitted by Miranda Fischer.
Photo by Kerrie Garvey: “Hunger Games theme”
Photo submitted by Amanda Barbillion.
… and this one-of-a-kind bum bow …
Photo submitted by Cara Choy.
… clearly, we have some artists in the house! Check out this gallery:
Go Eventing.
