Classic Eventing Nation

All Pairs Accepted at Aachen CICO3* First Horse Inspection + Gallery

By on Jul 19, 2018 12:41 pm -

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Jenni Autry.

All 43 horses were accepted at the first horse inspection on a balmy afternoon here at CHIO Aachen in Germany. The ground jury of Martin Plewa (GER), Anne-Mette Binder (DEN) and Andrew Bennie (NZL) did not send a single horse to the holding box — smooth sailing for all pairs!

Aachen is not classified as a Nations Cup on the 2018 series calendar but is still running as a CICO3* team competition. There are 11 total nations represented in the field, with seven nations fielding teams for the CICO3*.

The U.S. team for Aachen is Will Coleman and OBOS O’Reilly, Buck Davidson and Carlevo, Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo, and Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border.

Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The Germans are the defending champions for both the individual and team competition at Aachen and typically dominate here on home soil. German riders have won eight of the 11 runnings of the CICO3* — two wins apiece for Frank Ostholt, Michael Jung and Ingrid Klimke, plus one win for Sandra Auffarth.

Despite La Biosthetique Sam FBW and Opgun Louvo being withdrawn this week — both due to different hoof issues — Germany still has a strong team led by defending winners Ingrid Klimke and SAP Hale Bob OLD. Julia Krajewski is also a threat to challenge for the top of the leaderboard with 2017 Luhmühlen CCI4* winner Samourai du Thot and this year’s Bramham CCI3* winner Chipmunk FRH.

Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson and Australia’s Chris Burton are the only non-German riders to have ever won the event, with Chris winning in back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013.

Chris rides Saumur winner Quality Purdey this year and has the chance to become the first rider in history to win Aachen three times. Hailed the “Speed King” by EquiRatings due to his penchant for beating the clock, Chris is especially speedy at Aachen, having caught the optimum time in four of his six runs here.

Julia Krajewski and Samourai du Thot. Photo by Jenni Autry.

In short, this Aachen field is absolutely packed with quality. We also have last year’s Burghley winners Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class for Team GB, one of only five pairs to make the time at Aachen last year; 2017 Adelaide winners Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation and 2017 Boekelo winners Tim Price and Cekatinka for New Zealand; reigning Dutch National Champions Tim Lips and Bayro; and last year’s Bramham CCI3* winners Yoshi Oiwa and Calle 44 for Japan. Click here to view the full entry list.

You’re definitely going to want to keep it locked on EN for what is sure to be a thrilling two days of competition here at Aachen. Dressage starts at 8:30 a.m./2:30 a.m. EST tomorrow, followed by show jumping at 5:45 a.m./11:45 a.m. EST. Cross country is at 10 a.m./4 a.m. EST on Saturday. You can watch all of the action live on ClipMyHorse.TV.

Dressage ride times for our American pairs are:

  • Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo: 9:10 a.m./3:10 a.m. EST
  • Buck Davidson and Carlevo: 10:53 a.m./4:53 a.m. EST
  • Will Coleman and OBOS O’Reilly: 1 p.m./7 a.m. EST
  • Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border: 2:43 p.m./8:43 a.m. EST

Click here to view the full list of ride times. Keep scrolling for more photos from the first horse inspection, and don’t forget to check EN’s Instagram for bonus photos from #CHIOAachen. Go Eventing.

CHIO Aachen Links: Website, Entries, Dressage Start Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage

Eventing Community Honors the Memory of Kate Gillespie at Rebecca Farm & Beyond

By on Jul 19, 2018 11:30 am -

Kate Gillespie and Renegade Reno in the Twin Rivers CIC3* in 2009. Photo courtesy of the USEA.

Ten years ago, Kate Gillespie stormed around the CCI2* cross country track at Rebecca Farm on her way to a red ribbon finish aboard her beloved partner Renegade Reno. A year later she returned to tackle the CIC3,* their debut at the level. The pair’s skyrocket trajectory continued in 2010, when they were short-listed for the 2010 World Equestrian Games for Kate’s home country of South Africa.

Kate and Reno’s climb to the top of the sport was a testament to her hard-headed perseverance and belief in the tall, dark and handsome yet extremely opinionated horse. She bought Reno despite his renowned skill-set of bucking, biting, rearing and kicking, and in the early days he was prone to hitting the eject button on her with abandon. But Kate, a tough cookie herself, stuck it out and their hard work paid off.

“He’s pretty feisty, but that’s what makes the good ones,” Kate told a reporter after winning the Twin Rivers CIC1* in 2007.

Takes one to know one, Kate.

Kate Gillespie and Renegade Reno in the Twin Rivers CIC3* in 2009. Photo courtesy of the USEA.

Sadly, the equestrian community lost Kate earlier this summer. A warrior until the end, she kicked on bravely and quietly in the years following a debilitating riding accident in 2012 while working for Steffen and Shannon Peters, whose world-class dressage operation she ran for 15 years.

Those whose lives she touched are quick to point out that beneath her force-of-nature personality, she had a tender and giving yet vulnerable heart.

“Kate was a trainer, friend, sister, daughter, aunt, confidant, a shoulder you could lean on, a fire breathing dragon, and tough chick through and through,” reflects Tamie Smith of Next Level Eventing, for whom Kate worked in recent years. “But what she was deep down was a chronic pain sufferer. So many people all over are suffering from similar situations.”

“She was someone that if you needed anything she would drop everything to be there,” Tamie says.

Photo via Kate Gillespie’s Facebook.

Bunnie Sexton says Kate was hugely influential to her own riding career, as a friend and competitor at the upper levels who had her share of riding with injuries.

“When I felt like I couldn’t do it, Kate had a tough but loving way of telling me to buck up,” she says. “She had such a talent, and event while she was dealing with much more serious limitations she got me through the last few months of fear and pain with my dual knee replacements. She made a huge imprint on my life in what seems like such a short time. And although I admired her riding and talent for teaching tremendously, it was her compassion and middle-of-the-night ‘text me if you are struggling’ huge heart that I will miss so much, and always be grateful for.”

Kate’s friends and supporters will be wearing South African ribbon at Rebecca Farm to honor Kate’s memory. Pictured: Madison Tempkin and Dr. Hart in the CICOY2*. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

A community effort is now underway to commemorate Kate’s extraordinary life, including a new memorial jump to be built in her honor at Ken and Bunnie Sexton’s Shepherd Ranch in Santa Ynez, California. The jump, to include Beginner Novice through Prelim options, will be constructed with the guidance of course designer James Atkinson.

“We would be honored to have a jump at Shepherd Ranch that reflects Kate — intimidating at first glance but ultimately the jump that brings out the best in horse and rider,” Bunnie says.

“We wanted to honor her memory for what we all knew she was to each of us, and that was a kind and gentle soul deep down. I know it will be something she will be very proud of,” Tamie says.

Paypal donations for the jump can be made here — please reference the jump in your memo. Donors’ names will be added to the jump, as well as provided with a South African flag ribbon to wear at Rebecca Farm in Kate’s honor. Additionally, a memorial will be held on July 28 at 2 p.m. at Tucalota Creek Ranch in Temecula, California.

Go Kate. Go Eventing.

 

By the Numbers: Rebecca Farm CCI3*

By on Jul 19, 2018 8:00 am -

An event perpetually on my bucket list, Rebecca Farm is the ultimate destination event, with long hauls for almost everyone and vistas to make the drive worth it. The Broussards’ incredible support for the sport includes travel grants to offset the costs to get there — one of many things the family goes above and beyond for.

The Field

Rebecca Farm in the Flathead Valley. Photo by Chesna Klimek.

  • In three years of running, the Rebecca Farm CCI3* has averaged a completion rate of only 53.85%, compared to an average completion rate of 67.56% for all of the other North American CCI3* events over the same time period.
  • However, 24.68% of the finishers have made the time on cross country, compared to 18.44% for other North American CCI3* events.
  • No one has yet managed to lead the division from start to finish, and only one pair has ever finished on their dressage score. That pair was Kurt Martin and DeLux Z, winners of the inaugural running of the CCI3* in 2015.

Dressage Divas

Kristen Bond and Enough Already. Photo by Jenni Autry.

  • Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin have been throwing down on the flat all spring, with three consecutive scores over 70%, two of which were over 75%. If they maintain that trend, a spot in the lead should be a foregone conclusion.
  • Kristen Bond and Enough Already broke the 70% mark in their first outing at the level at Carolina this spring but have maintained right around 33 penalties in their two CIC3* starts.
  • In three starts for the horse at this level, Maya Black and Mowgli have bounced as high as a 35.3, but then rebounded to achieve a 30.6 in their most recent start. An average of 32.8 for the level would put them in good standing in the small division.

Cross Country Machines

Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

  • Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin have also achieved quite the pace on cross country over the last two years, finishing an average of 1.4 seconds inside the optimum time. In their only CCI3* start, they finished only two seconds over optimum.
  • In four clear rounds at the CCI3* level, Ellen Doughty-Hume and Sir Oberon have made the time in three of them. However, the only venue at which a clear cross country round was not also inside the time for them was at Rebecca in 2016, where they finished with 14.0 time penalties. Overall, they average 2.4 time penalties for clear rounds at this level.
  • Sabrina Glaser and Rembrandt will be making their first CCI3* start this weekend, but in five starts at the Advanced/CIC3* level, they’ve never had a stop and have finished within 15 seconds of optimum in three of five runs.

Show Jumping Powerhouses

Caroline Martin and Islandwood Captain Jack. Photo by Jenni Autry.

  • Caroline Martin and Islandwood Captain Jack are the cream of the crop for show jumping this weekend, as this horse has yet to have a rail in five rounds at this level, including one with catch rider Leslie Law.
  • Ellen Doughty-Hume and Sir Oberon are another pair to look to for a good round, jumping clear in three of their five CCI3* completions and never having more than one rail in the other two.

PREDICTED WINNER: Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin

Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Keep Your Eye On:

  • Maya Black and Mowgli
  • Caroline Martin and Islandwood Captain Jack
  • Ellen Doughty-Hume and Sir Oberon

The Event at Rebecca Farm: Website, Schedule, The Event at Rebecca Farm Ride Times & Live Scores, NAYC Ride Times & Live Scores, The Event at Rebecca Farm Live Stream, NAYC Live Stream (use code NAYCE18 for a free fan membership), EN’s Coverage

Thursday News & Notes from Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS)

By on Jul 19, 2018 12:05 am -

Smile for the camera, Ping! Photo by JJ Sillman.

I’m sooooo jealous of a) people in Montana and b) people at Aachen this weekend. Both of those places are definitely bucket list events for me. Quick shout out to my girl Kim Severson this weekend, Crossy is gonna win! That team is amazing and I can’t wait for them to get another taste of international victory. I’ll be stalking both competitions throughout the next four days, and probably live streaming on my phone while I hack out. #safetyfirst

National Holiday: National Daiquiri Day

Major Weekend Events:

The Event at Rebecca Farm C.I.C., 3DE, & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

NAYC @ Rebecca Farms [Live Stream] [Schedule] [Ride Times/Live Scores]

CHIO Aachen [Website] [Entries] [Start Times & Live Scoring] [Live Stream]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Fitch’s Corner H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Moon Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Silverwood Farm Summer H.T. [Website]  [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Penny Oaks H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]  [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Calling all volunteers! The Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Horse Trials is October 20-21 at FENCE and they need lots of volunteers! It will be their 43rd consecutive year, and last year the reviews from both competitors and volunteers through the USEA were outstanding, so this year should be no different. You can sign up online. [Volunteer for TRHC HT]

Wearing green for Jonty this weekend but forgot to pack something to use as an accessory? Don’t worry, Lauren Snider has you covered at Penny Oaks. Just stop by stall E1 this weekend to grab a ribbon or a pin so you can #weargreenforJonty and support him as he recovers in the hospital.

Three star action is soon to be underway at Rebecca Farm. With 11 horses in the CIC3* and 12 in the CCI3*, it’s a mix of experienced 4* combinations as well as 4* first timers. The Adequan USEA Gold Cup CIC3* dressage kicks off Friday at 1:45 p.m. (MST) and the CCI3* immediately follows at 3:50 p.m. (MST). [Montana Three Star Action]

 

 

All Systems Go at NAYC/Rebecca Farm First Horse Inspection

By on Jul 18, 2018 8:12 pm -

Chris Talley and stallion supermodel Sandro’s Star, hopeful future baby-daddy of my superpony mare Princess! Many thanks to Sandro and his team for taking the time between Great Meadow and Rebecca Farm to help knock her up, fingers crossed! Photo by Leslie Wylie.

The sun was shining down on the Event at Rebecca Farm today as the FEI, NAYC and USEA Classic Series divisions took to the runway for the first horse inspection. It’s absolutely breathtaking out here — green grass stretching for miles, dramatic blue peaks on the horizon, and a warm, hair-tussling breeze.

Looking easy-breezy-beautiful out there, competitors! We’ve on the front end of a long weekend in eventing paradise … what’s not to smile about, really?

Helen Bouscaren and Ebay. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

In addition to CCI3*, CIC3*, CCI2* and CCI1* FEI divisions, Rebecca Farm is hosting NAYC eventing as well as Novice and Training Three-Days, both of which attracted dozens of entries. The first horse inspection took the better part of the day, starting at 10 a.m. and wrapping late in the afternoon, a testament to the success of this destination event.

Both the three-star divisions are compact — the CIC3* has 11 entries, and the CCI3* has 12 — but mighty, a fun mix of experienced pathfinders and a few making their debut at the level. They hail from both coasts; you can review the list 2018 Rebecca Farm Travel Grant recipients here.

The FEI divisions were presented before the Ground Jury of Christina Klingspor, Jane Hamlin and Peter Gray. One CCI3* pair, Ellen Doughty-Hume and Sir Oberon, was held but passed upon re-inspection. EN’s in-house fortune teller Maggie Deatrick has used some combination of calculator and crystal ball to deduce a watch-list of CCI3* pairs with an eye on the win — we’ll be sharing those “By the Number” predictions first thing tomorrow.

A few photos from the CIC3*/CCI3* horse inspection:

Forty-four out of 45 NAYC entries were green-lighted by the Ground Jury of Jo Young, Robert Stevenson and Judy Hancock to proceed to dressage. Two horses, Annah Yoder’s Ern More Cash (Area V) in the CCIJ1* and Sophie Tice’s Mojo (Area VI) in the CICOY2*, were sent to the hold box. Mojo was accepted upon re-inspection but Ern More Cash was sadly not accepted — bad luck, Annah. The three-star had my camera lens’ attention today, but I promise the NAYC competitors a full jog photo gallery on Sunday!

Andrea Baxter and Indy 500 were among several competitors sporting a Halt Canter at X quarter mark. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Novice and Training horse trial division dressage is already on the books, with Classic Three-Day and NAYC dressage taking to the sandbox tomorrow and dressage for the two- and three-star FEI divisions to follow on Friday. With so many divisions running simultaneously, it’s a challenge to keep up with everything that is going on, but you know EN is on the case!

Much, much more to come. Go Eventing!

The Event at Rebecca Farm: Website, Schedule, The Event at Rebecca Farm Ride Times & Live Scores, NAYC Ride Times & Live Scores, The Event at Rebecca Farm Live Stream, NAYC Live Stream (use code NAYCE18 for a free fan membership), EN’s Coverage

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Rebecca Farm Course Walk with Ian Stark

By on Jul 18, 2018 4:59 pm -

Dubbed the “Disney World of Cross Country Courses,” The Event at Rebecca Farm  is arguably one of the most beautiful eventing venues we have in this country. From the big sky backdrop to the thoughtful fence construction, these courses have a whimsical feel unique to Rebecca Farm. Take a spin around this eventer’s paradise with special behind-the-scenes insight from course designer Ian Stark.

The Event at Rebecca Farm: Website, Schedule, The Event at Rebecca Farm Ride Times & Live Scores, NAYC Ride Times & Live Scores, The Event at Rebecca Farm Live Stream, NAYC Live Stream (use code NAYCE18 for a free fan membership), EN’s Coverage

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For more information on this new product, visit KPPvet.com.

Rolex Central Park Horse Show Canceled For 2018 Due to Competition Conflicts

By on Jul 18, 2018 2:15 pm -

Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Originally scheduled to take place September 26-30 in Wollman Rink in the world-famous Central Park of Manhattan, the 2018 Central Park Horse Show has been canceled due to competition conflicts in a very busy autumn for equestrians.

The World Equestrian Games wrap up in Tryon, North Carolina just the week prior to the scheduled CPHS; simultaneously, the American Gold Cup is running. One week after the planned CPHS date, the FEI Nations Cup takes place in Barcelona, Spain. With the goal of attracting the best riders in the world, the reality for the Central Park Horse Show and its managing entity International Equestrian Group is that it’s simply too tight of a turnaround for competitors and equine welfare.

The cancellation means we won’t see eventing in the Big Apple this year. The International Equestrian Group has not yet confirmed that the popular Arena Eventing Competition will return in 2019. The inaugural showcase was a sold-out affair last September with 24 riders participating. Aussies Ryan Wood and Dom Schramm sped to win the $50,000 class.  Click here to see EN’s coverage of the 2017 Central Park Horse Show.

The Central Park Horse Show was perhaps one of the most unique showing environments in the world — a pop-up show grounds took over Wollman Rink, a dazzle of lights in the dark hush of Central Park, introducing the world of competitive equestrianism to a whole new audience in the heart of New York City. Horse Nation has examined this concept of the urban horse show in past editorials, championing these interactions as opportunities to keep the horse world thriving and growing with new fans and riders.

Fortunately, the CPHS promises to be back bigger and better than ever in 2019, with the addition of a brand-new FEI CSI5* show jumping competition. This format will put the CPHS on an elite list of shows offering such a designation, which is bound to attract the world’s best to put on a great show under the iconic New York City skyline.

CPHS is well-known for its diverse offerings, including dressage, jumping, arena eventing, hunters, Arabians, arena polo, and Pony Club games. We’re eager to see what the International Equestrian Group has up their sleeves for the 2019 edition!

Go riding.

Shelby Allen contributed to this report. 

[2018 Rolex Central Park Horse Show Canceled, Will Return As A CSI***** Jumping Competition In 2019]

A Grand Passion

By on Jul 18, 2018 12:00 pm -

My favorite view. Photo by Kate Boggan

Horse people are different.

Recently a good friend reminded me of one of my favorite quotes: “Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and once it has done so, he/she will have to accept that his life will be radically changed.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last week I made a regular run to the local co-op to pick up wormer and grain. Walking back out to my truck I bumped into a friend from high school who was working in the loading docks for the summer. We chatted for a bit and he asked me what I had been up to recently. I gave the answer I always give when anyone asks me how I’ve been and said, “Just busy with the horses as usual.” I’ve been the crazy horse girl for as long as I can remember and was known as that by all my peers. My answer didn’t surprise my friend, but his next question caught me off guard: “Oh, so that continues after college?” To tell you the truth I didn’t know how to respond. In my head I thought, “Well duh!” but I politely told him yes. We parted ways and I was left befuddled.

It’s more than just a sport. Photo by Kate Boggan

This strange encounter got me thinking and I did some research when I got home. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), of nearly 8 million students currently participating in high school sports, only 480,000 of them will continue to play on school teams in college*. Roughly 6% of high school athletes will play at the collegiate level. My friend was a football player, (high school boy in Texas, shocking I know) so I looked up the football statistics. Football, which has the largest participation of any NCAA sport, has an estimated 1,057,382 high school athletes and 73,063 collegiate athletes. Only 6.9% of athletes in the most popular sport in the US go on to play in college. Beyond college the percentage declines to 1.6% of those that played in college going on to play professionally.

I had one or two friends in high school that went on to play their sport in college. Those friends that played sports in high school but didn’t make it onto a collegiate team might have played on a club team their freshman year. But by this point in my life (still a poor broke college student pursuing her master’s degree) all of my friends who were athletes in high school have stopped playing their sport with any type of regularity.

It’s a lifestyle. Photo by Kate Boggan

How many of your friends that played soccer in high school still play on soccer teams? How many people do you know that started playing softball at age 30? How many former high school football players are still working with a coach and playing in games on the weekends? It is not at all uncommon to meet adult amateurs in the equestrian world that didn’t get to realize their childhood dreams of owning and riding horses until they were well out of school. It’s completely normal for the weekend warriors that haul to shows and clinics whenever they scrape up the money to do so, to have been riding since before they can remember.  I can’t think of any other sport where a 71-year-old still competes at the Olympics.

Way too often I find myself taking my life with horses for granted. I think because I have never known life without horses I sometimes forget it could be anyway else. This run in with my high school friend reminded me again just how lucky I am to be one of those crazy horse people. How lucky are we that we love a sport that we can be a part of for the rest of our lives? Horses truly are an obsession that seizes a person and causes them to do crazy things like wake up at 4 am to watch an event live-stream across the world or spend every last penny on dried grass to feed a bottomless pit of hunger. It’s impossible to understand if you aren’t one of the lucky ones, so cheers to those of us blessed with a grand passion.

Photo by Kate Boggan

*NCAA women’s equestrian programs were not included in this study.

Grade 1 Winner Ring Weekend in Training with Phillip Dutton

By on Jul 18, 2018 9:38 am -

Phillip Dutton and Ring Weekend. Photo by Maggie Kimmitt.

Grade I winner Ring Weekend has retired from the racetrack and started training for a second career in eventing with Phillip Dutton. The 7-year-old gelding (Tapit X Free The Weekend, by Cryptoclearance) arrived at True Prospect Farm in West Grove, Pennsylvania last week and has started schooling over small fences.

Under trainer Graham Motion, Ring Weekend won six graded stakes races and more then $1.5 million in 33 career starts. He finished fifth in the Preakness Stakes in 2014, the year California Chrome made his bid for the Triple Crown.

Phillip and Evie Dutton with Ring Weekend. Photo courtesy of Anita Motion.

Phillip and his wife, Evie, joined the West Point Thoroughbreds partnership group that owns the horse in 2016. When Ring Weekend retired sound and happy from the track following his last race at Woodbine on June 30, the owners saw it as a natural transition to have Phillip take the ride.

“It’s really cool that Phillip was able to be part of Ring’s racing career, and now has him for the next phase of his life,” Graham said. “He’s a special horse who knows he’s a good one, and we’ll miss having him in the barn.”

Phillip Dutton and Ring Weekend. Photo by Maggie Kimmitt.

Phillip is no stranger to retraining Thoroughbreds for eventing, having successfully transitioned horses like Icabad Crane, Sea of Clouds, Quadrivium and Water Cube over the past few years alone.

“Ring Weekend is incredibly athletic and already showing a lot of promise as an event horse in the short time he’s been with me,” Phillip said. “We hope he will be just as successful in his new career as he was on the racetrack.”

[Grade One Winner Ring Weekend Retired]

Tom’s Trailering Tips: 20 Rules of The Road for Hauling Horses

By on Jul 18, 2018 9:00 am -

Have wheels, will travel: Esther Roberts shares her wise grandfather’s trailering tips that every equestrian should master before they hitch the trailer and hit the road with their horses. This originally appeared on our sister site, HorseNation.com. 

Photo by Esther Roberts.

Owning a horse trailer, for me, meant keeping a covenant I made to my first horse, Sam. My hometown is at the base of a mountain festooned with the ribbon of road known as Interstate 40. One day, a tanker carrying bromine gas wrecked on the interstate. Bromine gas is heavier than air. The entire valley filled up with acrid, orange fumes. The National Guard was called in and everyone was forced to evacuate. I was 14. My schoolteacher mother could not afford a truck nor a trailer. (She had cashed out my college bonds to buy the horse!) When the soldiers arrived at our house, they assured me Sam would be fine outside in the orange fog. I argued back that, since Sam was a mammal, and I, too, am a mammal, then I should also be fine and I would not leave my horse behind.

While I argued and begged and pleaded with one of the officers, another guardsman checked Sam’s water trough and tossed out a whole bale of hay to Sam. Then, with my mother’s consent, two guardsmen picked me up and — as gently as one can when fighting a hysterical horseowner — stuffed me in mom’s car alongside my sister and my sister’s dog, and we were escorted for miles to make sure my mother didn’t turn around and take her shrieking daughter back to her beloved scruffy paint mustang. As Sam disappeared in the rear window, I swore to him I would never, ever again be in a position where I could not load him up and haul him to safety.

After an excruciatingly long 48 hours staying 40 miles away with my grandparents, we were allowed to go home. There stood Sam, hungry, but otherwise just fine. The incident, however, set a resolve in my heart that is steadfast to this day — I want ready access to a horse trailer that has enough space for me to load every horse I own — even if the smallest one must ride in the living quarters in an emergency.

So, as soon as I could, I saved up some money and bought first a truck and next a bumper pull two-horse trailer.  I’ve up-sized my rig over the years, as evidenced by the trailer in these photographs.

Photo by Esther Roberts.

But back then, when I got my first trailer, my beloved and wise grandfather, Tom “T.E.” Crowder, taught me a few things about buying, driving, and maintaining a trailer that are relevant no matter if you’re pulling new or used, bumper or goose, empty or loaded.

Tip 1: Insofar as your budget allows, buy exactly what you want without compromise. Otherwise, you’ll wind up trading and buying and selling trailers, and wasting money in the long run.

Tip 2: If you take out a loan, pay it off as quickly as you can.

Tip 3: Take excellent care of both your trailer and your tow vehicle. Don’t scrimp on basic maintenance like regular oil changes, fuel filters, or brakes. Your life, and the lives of your animals, depend on this.

Tip 4: When you get your trailer, plan on at least a month’s time before you haul anything live in it. Why? See Tips 5-7.

Tip 5: Following up on tip #4, when you get your trailer, hook it to your truck and leave it hooked up (empty) for at least three weeks. Everywhere you go, the trailer goes. Work, grocery, church, school, doesn’t matter. You’ll learn how wide to swing your turns, how much lead time you need to brake gently and slowly, and all the nuances of how your particular rig hauls.

Tip 6: After three weeks of hauling your rig empty, you’re still not ready to haul your horse (In my case, as I was learning these tips, my horse was my dear Sam, and I was so eager to haul him to the Smoky Mountains and trail ride! But Granddaddy said, “not yet…” because… )

Tip 7: After three weeks of hauling your rig empty, now put a glass of ice water (no lid) in your truck’s cupholder. Every day. For one week. When you can haul your rig without spilling a drop of the ice water, you’re ready to give your horse the gentlest and safest ride possible. As Granddaddy taught me, “always pull your trailer with the horse’s safety and comfort in mind. Standing in the back of the trailer, horses cannot see the road ahead, so they cannot prepare for the next turn or stop or whatever. They are depending on you to be a careful, responsible driver, so think about every move you make at the wheel relative to how it impacts the animals in the back.”

Tip 8: Parking lots of large churches or malls or shopping centers make great places to learn to back up and park and those sorts of things. Practice in daylight, dark, and dusk.

Tip 9: Do not be too proud to use orange safety cones to help you learn to back your rig in a straight line. Hay bales can work, too. Pride versus crunching your trailer? You decide.

Tip 10: Speaking of orange cones, always carry a couple with you, in case of a breakdown.

Tip 11: Speaking of breakdowns, always carry at least two gallons of water per animal when hauling. Keep extra lead ropes in the trailer as well.

Tip 12: Speaking of extra lead ropes, a thoughtful horseman (or woman) always keeps a spare halter and lead rope in her pickup; that way, you can be of use to someone when their animal is loose. (Footnote: I have followed this advice religiously and keep a halter and lead in every truck I’ve ever owned. Over the years, those tools have helped catch horses, goats, cattle, and dogs at various times and in various states across the country.)

Tip 13: Always carry one of these:

Photo via SmartPak.

Tip 14: Develop a system for hooking your rig, whether it’s counting the steps (e.g., 1. hitch the ball, 2. hitch lock, 3. right chain, 4. left chain, 5. brake breakaway, etc.) or whatever works for you. Never vary that system. Check every hitch, lock, chain, and door latch before you start to roll. Even if someone you trust helped you hook up, you check behind them. Then, after everyone’s loaded and you’re about to hop in the cab, do one more walk around and check everything again.

Tip 15: Check your rig’s tire pressure, brakes, lights, and grease on a regular basis.

Tip 16: Remember to drop your tailgate. Drop your tailgate. Drop your tailgate.

Tip 17: Remember to raise the trailer foot. Note: Using a block of 6″x6″ wood on the ground under the foot keeps the foot clean, out of ground that might freeze, and minimizes the time you spend raising or lowering the foot. (Especially handy for manual crank feet!)

Tip 18: If you can’t park it, don’t drive it.

Tip 19: Add extra time to your travel schedule so you can drive relaxed and focused.

Tip 20: Take frequent breaks, even if only five or ten minutes. You’ll stay more alert and the animals will appreciate a few minutes to relax the muscles they’ve been using to balance while moving.