Classic Eventing Nation

Monday Video from Tredstep Ireland: Retraining Racehorses in Japan

By on Dec 18, 2017 5:30 pm -

With the 2017 USEA Annual Convention being held in California, it’s probably safe to assume that the vast majority of attendees flew in from the east across the continental United States. That was not the case for Boyd Martin, though, for whom off-season downtime does not exist. Boyd jetted across the Pacific Ocean straight to the convention after teaching a three day clinic on retraining racehorses at the Miki Horseland Park in Japan.

The clinic was hosted by the Japan Racing Association, the National Riding Club Association of Japan and Godolphin, who put together the video below in which Boyd reflects on how the riders and horses progressed over the course of the clinic.

Bonus! Ride along with one of the clinic participants:

Weekend Instagram Roundup: Snow Daze

By on Dec 18, 2017 2:30 pm -

Not everybody is into winter wonderlands. Exhibit A: Dom Schramm …

 

Posted by Dominic Schramm on Friday, December 15, 2017

That guy is NOT a happy camper. Exhibit B: Alexandra Brackin …

“It’s beginning to look a lot like I need to be in Aiken” = photo caption of the week. But like it or loathe it, you’ve got to admit that snowfall makes for some magical Instagram photos. Like these!

Squidventures in snow, captured by @anna_honeycutt1999. #squidstyle

A post shared by Maggie Deatrick (@comediceventing) on

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcyCrGmlcww

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc2ZBBVgHfr

Go Eventing!

20 Dollar Store Steals for Around the Barn

By on Dec 18, 2017 1:00 pm -

Photo by Mike Mozart/Flickr/CC.

Why spend more than you need to? Here are 20 dollar store finds for around the barn:

  1. Shallow tubs: Use these shallow tubs to soak their feet. Fewer spills and easier to maneuver than a large bucket.
  2. Diapers: These things are expensive! And if you’re like me and have your horse on pasture board, they don’t last very long. You can buy a variety of sizes and amounts at the dollar store to keep your foot wrapping costs down.
  3. Duct Tape: To fix, wrap, rig, and use on just about anything you can imagine. You can never have too much duct tape!
  4. Scissors: useful for cutting the duct tape and bandages, but also great for other barn chores.
  5. Petroleum Jelly: For those of us that have horses with bell boots. Every once in awhile, my horse gets rubs from his, so I apply this generously to his ankles and it soothes the irritation.
  6. Thermometer: A must-have for a horse person. Know your horse’s normal temperature so that when he is sick you’ll know for sure if there is a difference or not.
  7. Mouth Wash: Do you have a horse that rubs his tail constantly? Try applying a bit of antibacterial mouth wash! It can fight that pesky itch your horse is experiencing.
  8. Baby oil: This is a two in one, because it can help with dandruff as well as sheath cleaning. For horses with dandruff, mix mouth wash and baby oil in a spray bottle (50/50) and apply in the problem areas. As for sheath cleaning … well I won’t go into detail on how to do it, but baby oil can be used as your cleaner!
  9. Washcloths: A great item for bath time, clean ups, and many other barn happenings.
  10. Moisture Eliminating Box: Put this in your tack trunks, tack lockers, tack rooms, etc. This will help minimize mold on your expensive gear!
  11. Lint Roller: You can use this on your own clothes as well as your saddle pads (specifically show pads). It’s a good way to stay on top of clean show gear.
  12. Laundry Detergent/PreWash: I have a lot of white saddle pads (apparently I enjoy laundry?) so using the prewash helps a lot, and buying detergent and spray for just a dollar keeps my costs down from the million horse loads I have to wash!
  13. Multi Tool: A great and handy item to have on you, specifically for hay string cutting!
  14. Socks: Long socks and especially zocks made for riding are expensive and wear quickly. Buy some long socks here for everyday riding and maybe treat yourself to a nicer pair for shows. (Extra sock tip: every year I got to black Friday and buy long Christmas socks. They usually only run me about 25 cents apiece and I get to have Christmas cheer all year long!)
  15. Shallow Baskets: Use this for your polo wraps, jump boots, bell boots, etc. I use one of these baskets because it fits perfectly in my tack trunk!
  16. Fake Flowers: What a great and cheap way to decorate your jumps! These would normally cost you much more than a dollar anywhere else.
  17. Mini Tupperware: Perfect for your supplement organization. These colorful ones are four to a pack but you can also get 10 white top ones in a pack. Up to you if you’d like to go crazy and spend more than just a dollar!
  18. Mints: We know what these are for. And our horses do, too!
  19. Spray Bottles: Useful for fly spray, show sheen, water, the aforementioned dandruff killer, etc.
  20. Measuring tape: You’ll think you don’t need one, and then soon you’ll kick yourself in the butt for not having it!

Total spent: $20!

For more barn bargaining tips as well as an online horse show for only $19, head to BetterDressageScores.com!

EN’s 12 Days of Christmas: Harwich Flash Bridle by SmartPak

By on Dec 18, 2017 8:30 am -

Photo courtesy of SmartPak.

Welcome to day eight of EN’s 12 Days of Christmas! Today we’re giving away a Harwich Flash Bridle from our awesome sponsor SmartPak.

Your horse’s good-looking face deserves the best! The Harwich Bridle offers outstanding quality and features a traditional design with sophisticated, subtle treatments. Crafted from durable vegetable-tanned leather, your horse will appreciate the comfort of its padded noseband, browband and monocrown. We love the rich walnut brown color, set off by white stitching and stainless steel hardware. It comes with 54″ rubber reins.

Ready to win? Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Entries will close at midnight EST tonight, with the winner to be announced in News & Notes tomorrow morning. Good luck! Go Eventing.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday News & Notes from Fleeceworks

By on Dec 18, 2017 12:01 am -

Boyfriend takes on his first hack. Photo by Jaime Giunta.

After years of complete disorganization on my part, I finally took my non-horsey boyfriend out for his first ride this weekend. He’s very comfortable around horses on the ground – in fact he’s Chief Horse Holder at competitions, but he hasn’t had much time ever in the saddle. Once he learned how to steer, he did excellent. He even learned how to post the trot! His biggest takeaway is more a wonder and amazement at professional male riders.

National Holiday: National Answer The Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day

Monday News & Notes: 

Are you an eventing know-it-all? Are you constantly refreshing EventingNation.com to get the latest news on the sport? Could you dominate an eventing trivia game? Test your knowledge with this quiz. [Ready for A Challenge? Take the Ultimate 2017 Eventing Quiz]

Want to strengthen your mental game while also upping your own fitness? Coach Daniel Stewart’s Fit & Focused in 52 is your next read.  This book will structure each week of the next year with unique cross training ideas to give your New Year’s Resolution some direction. Check out this excerpt from USEA. [Get Fit & Focused in 52 Weeks with Coach Daniel Stewart]

The carriage industry in New York City may face big changes next year. An animal rights group expects a carriage-horse bill by early 2018, which would keep the number of carriage horses steady at 196 and force increases in stall size. It would also limit horse’s work weeks to five days, down from seven, and horses would be saved from slaughter after a mandatory age-based retirement. [Animal Rights Group Seeks Horse Carriage Bill Early Next Year]

Congrats to Kerry F., our day seven winner of EN’s 12 Days of Christmas giveaways! Kerry will receive a prize pack including two blends from Dalahäst Coffee Roasters, locally roasted in Jamestown, NY. Tune in to EN today for your next chance to win a prize from one of EN’s awesome sponsors.

Monday Video:

Sport Horse Nation Spotlight: Five Holiday Horses

By on Dec 17, 2017 3:00 pm -
Victoria. Photo via Sport Horse Nation. Victoria. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

In the market for a new four-legged partner? You may find your unicorn on our sister site, Sport Horse Nation. To help with the search, we’re going to feature a selection of current listings here on EN each week. We include the ad copy provided; click the links for videos, pricing and contact information.

Just because you’ve been doing a little extra holiday spending doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself! If you’ve been looking for a new partner and you’re on a budget, here are five horses for sale for under $10,000.

Victoria. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Victoria Alexes ’08 TB Mare – Smart, Willing, Talented Partner!

Victoria is a lovely 2008 OTTB mare looking for a partner. She has been restarted on the flat and over small courses, up to 2’6?. She is 100% a KICK ride!! She has 3 wonderful gaits with a particularly easy, rolling canter. Victoria has been in professional training since August and is making steady progress.

She is schooling Training/1st level with correct leg yields and shoulder in. She has been for her first XC schooling outing and was very brave to the water and ditch on her first try! This girl is going to make an excellent partner for someone. Once she understands her job, she puts her whole heart into it.

Victoria is an excellent jumper. Steer her to the line and she’s virtually point-and-shoot which is a lot to say for a horse that’s only been jumping for a few short weeks! Easy flying changes and a steady rhythm around a course make her a great candidate for a hunter program.

Victoria would be best suited for a confident rider, but does not require a large skill set. She is uncomplicated both on the flat and to jump. She is easy to load, groom, and stands well for the farrier and the vet. Easy keeper. Sound. Great feet! Located in Georgia.

Winnie. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Foxhunter/Jumper/Eventer Type- 2009 Dark Bay TB

Winnie is a 2009 TB Mare standing at 16 hh. Dark bay, almost black, with beautiful dapples, two white socks and a large star. She is built more like a warmblood with a muscular neck and haunches & she holds her weight easily.

Winnie is an excellent & brave jumper, also very brave on xc. She loves the excitement of it & has the endurance & willingness to perform & do well in many arenas. Winnie has been schooling & competing locally at the 3 ft level jumpers, has been competing in beginner novice/novice events, schooling some training level xc & is ready to move up with the right rider.

Absolutely has upper level potential. Has automatic lead changes, very naturally balanced, slow canter, not your typical short strided TB, extremely showy and expressive trot. She has free jumped up to 4’9″.

She is very personable & in your pocket, calm on the ground, she loads & trailers well, stands for vet/farrier, clips well, she does well in new environments, great out in the pasture, doesn’t tear up blankets or get very dirty, stays sound, etc.

Under saddle she tries very hard to please her rider. She has never offered to rear or buck, ever. She is very willing to decorative jumps & has never stopped at a spooky jump, would make an EXCELLENT fox hunter. Ditches, brush, trakehners, banks down into water, banks up, you name it…no stop at anything even her first tries.

She is just looking for her competitive rider to put in the time to take her up the levels. Would be fine for an intermediate/amateur rider who has a trainer. Had a clean vet check when I bought her and no problems since, clean tight legs. I am confident she is very sound for many years of jumping as she has been brought up very slowly.

Selling at no fault of her own, no time due to work. Price negotiable as I have NO time. I am more concerned with her getting the PERFECT long term home that will adore her. The type of mare that will die for her rider once the connection is there. Located in Kansas.

Vino. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Looking for a horse of a lifetime?

Vino is WOW, he is the total package. With his striking good looks he oozes class, and is as sweet and gentle as they come. THIS IS SOMEONE’S HORSE OF A LIFETIME. This horse has never done anything wrong, he is incredibly balanced, has nearly an auto lead change.

Vino could go any direction, just looking at him and watching him stay in rhythm to any fence, you see a hunter; take him xc schooling and watch him strut around the dressage ring you see a top class event horse. He is brave, he is SUPER safe, and he is the sweetest horse in the barn.

Excellent ground manners, very sound, with good feet. He requires NO PREP to ride or take off the property. He can have several days off and he is still the same sweet calm horse. He has been extensively trail ridden, and been to two small schooling shows, and also several other off the farm trips.

He is currently schooling 2’3″-2’6″ courses, he is ready to take out for the 2018 season. He does not require a professional or a super strong rider, AA or YR friendly! Located in Kentucky.

Sheldon. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Upper Level Potential

Straight Sugar “Sheldon” is a 11 year old Thoroughbred gelding. He has evented through Novice and will be ready for Training in spring 2018. Sheldon would also make a lovely jumper. He has a very bold and enthusiastic jump. He is consistent and easy on the flat but does need a rider with experience.

Sheldon hacks alone or in company and stands well for vets and farriers. Self loads/unloads from trailers! Excellent ground manners! Available to be seen at Antebellum Farm in Lexington, KY.

Valdero. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Valdero 2014 TB

Valdero is a 16.1hh 2014 TB by the same sire as American Pharoah. Valdero was started in August and is loving his new job. Valdero is ready to go beginner novice, training level dressage or do small hunter courses. Valdero has good jumping form with a great hind end and takes you to the jumps. He is very brave and hacks out alone or in a group on a loose rein.

Valdero loves to go on adventures off property. He has enjoyed going to the CKRH charity trail ride, a hunter pace and an eventing derby. Valdero has been ridden bareback and rides exactly the same as he does while under saddle. Valdero is oozing with talent, has an amazing personality and can’t wait to find his long term home. Located in Kentucky.

Listings included in this article are randomly selected and confirmed to be current and active before inclusion. Sport Horse Nation features user-generated content and therefore cannot verify or make any warranty as to the validity or reliability of information.

Best of HN: Product Review – Equestrians Against Normalcy

By on Dec 17, 2017 1:00 pm -

It begins; complete with sad truths and wine. Photo (c) Morgane S. Gabriel

Disclaimer: game includes some adult themes.

So you may have heard of Apples to Apples, and if you’re of the darker, more warped variety of individual, you’ve likely heard of Cards Against Humanity (now THERE’s a game where lives are changed). Equestrians Against Normalcy is the hay encrusted, barn car driving, doesn’t know where the mall is but can navigate to every tack shop and show facility with in 500 square miles, cousin of theirs. Seriously. It’s that awesome.

If you’re unfamiliar with how these games are played, check out our earlier post here that goes into more detail (and some background on the game’s inspiration). The basic idea is that it’s a group game where the active player draws a card from the blue deck that has a phrase or question to be answered or completed by a card from the white deck. All players have a hand full of the white, ‘thing,’ cards and they each try to play a card that they feel best answers or completes the drawn blue card. The active player then decides which card they feel is best.

While the general consensus seems to be that the goal is to play the card that will garner the most humorous completion, really the goal should be to play the card that you think the active player will find most fitting, as they get to determine the winner of the round. The winner each round keeps the blue card from that round. The game continues in this fashion until all the blue cards have been completed (or everyone is laughing to hard to finish), the winner being the person who has amassed the most blue cards.

But really, with equestrian gold like this, who *isn’t* a winner? Photo (c) Morgane S. Gabriel

Being the warped individual I am, I thoroughly enjoy Cards Against Humanity (I am also upsettingly good at it, which probably says something I’d rather not discuss) and as someone thoroughly entrenched in the equestrian world, I could not pass up the chance to meet this cousin.

I managed to round up a couple of my horse crazy brethren, some pizza, and adult beverages, and we went to work. I’m not sure anything I could say would be as telling as the images below.

Yes, yes she might. But she’d also probably understand. Photo (c) Morgane S. Gabriel

Aren’t these often one in the same? Seriously though, being a COTHer I cannot tell you how thrilled I was that they got COTH in there. Photo (c) Morgane S. Gabriel.

Many of the earlier rounds were mostly PG.

As the evening wore on and the wine bottle wore down, things got a little less like The Saddle Club and a bit more like the Real Dressage Divas of the OC (No, that is not an actual series, but perhaps it should be).

Because who doesn’t love chocolate, wine, and questionable morality

Ah, innuendos.

Yeah, I’m not sure why this is funny either. Seems legit.

After going through the deck three times, we unanimously decided that the only downside to this game was that we just had the starter deck. Seriously, it was that much fun. I will be taking this on the road this next show season and I am pretty sure that this belongs in every equestrian’s stocking for the holidays. There are additional decks and I would recommend getting at least one of them to further extend game time.

You still have 11 days to snag this gem of a game up for the crazy horse people in your life! Check out the official Equestrians Against Normalcy website for more information and ordering. You can also visit their Facebook Page, where they’re doing some giveaways!

Go Riding! Then play adult themed card games with wine and chocolate.

Morgane Schmidt Gabriel is a 34-year-old teacher/artist/dressage trainer/show announcer/ who still hasn’t quite decided what she wants to be when she grows up. A native Floridian, she now lives in Reno, NV, where she’s been able to confirm her suspicion that snow is utterly worthless. Though she has run the gamut of equestrian disciplines, her favorite is dressage. She was recently able to complete her USDF bronze and silver medals and is currently working on her gold. Generally speaking her life is largely ruled by Woody, a 14.2 hand beastly quarter horse, Willie, a now beastly 7-year-old Dutch gelding, and Stormy, her friend’s nearly all white paint gelding with a penchant for finding every mud hole and pee spot in existence. Visit her website at www.theideaoforder.com.


Botnik Goes to Badminton

By on Dec 17, 2017 11:00 am -

ChinchBot is about to school us all. Credit to DeviantArt user IzaPug.

Over the last couple of days, an incredibly clever AI system called Botnik has been garnering considerable media attention for its absolutely barmy addition to the Harry Potter oeuvre. After having all seven novels in the series inputted into its system, it wrote its own chapter of a new Harry Potter book, which it named Harry Potter and the Portrait of What Looked Like a Large Pile of Ash. Catchy.

The predictive keyboard is a few steps ahead of the sort of text-guessing you find on an iPhone, although it works in a similar way – by inputting chunks of text, the system can analyse how the author would ordinarily put a sentence together and attempt to replicate grammar, word choice, and subject matter. It can then be used to craft stories with lines that range from almost plausible to the completely and utterly bonkers. Case in point, from Botnik’s foray into the wizarding world:

“I’m Harry Potter,” Harry began yelling. “The dark arts better be worried, oh boy!”

You’d be forgiven for thinking that perhaps this absolute GEM of a tool is only available for its creators to play with. You’d also be wrong. As it transpires, you can create a Botnik to replicate almost any author – all you need is a bit of patience, a .txt file, and several hours that you’re willing to sacrifice to our future AI overlords.

Our AI overlords will have exceptionally clean changes.

So what did I, as a very, very serious journalist (and insatiable socialite, obviously) spend my Friday night doing?

I spent it creating ChinchBot, of course, who did some spectacular fortune-telling and wrote up this phenomenal report of cross country day at Badminton 2018. I…I just don’t really know how to prepare you for this. Hold onto your knickers, eventing fans.

The Best Phase: Your Dirty Great Showcase of Eventing at Badminton Horse Trials

The excitement of cross country machine (and actual unicorn) Upsilon hinted at a party for the world at his CCI4 * debut. He sits in the lead after the penultimate stage.

“He’s a horse,” said Julia Krajewski, in contention with Monkeying Around, who is also a horse.

The celebration was massive, and a fitting preview of practically everyone’s glory. Now, a rather shellshocked Tom Carlile attacks fans, but is generally a good boy.

“I think I have to ride tomorrow,” he said.

The rainy morning with redemption on the table was enough to inspire flashbacks of dressage at Luhmuhlen, where Alex Hua Tian fell off and Boyd Martin became Irish.

The riders were remarkably fit, with several of them socially acceptable in the collecting ring. Some of them were more unfortunate.

“I may not ride well, but I have a great salute,” winked Tim Price as he did his stretches. Scooby was witness. He rode Grafton Street. Usually motivated by the atmosphere, today they were like little disappointments, faulting at the first water and the last fence.

“That was really hard,” he said. “I want to get into a fight.”

The course caused multiple problems, especially fence 19abc – a double gremlin with a skinny brush in the arena. Izzy Taylor fell here and sold her bad horse to James Avery.

“Honestly, the horse is really delirious,” she said.

“It wasn’t going to be like motherhood, was it,” said Kitty King of the course, which was “hell, if I’m a bit abrupt.”

32 remained after cross country. In third place, Sam Griffiths initially had a fright from the Macaron Team, but he said: “Chris Burton was really happy, and I was basically not scared sh*tless any more.” He could ride around with Andrew Nicholson, who upsets the French community.

Hannah Sue Burnett and RF Demeter proved that their best moves were much better, thanks to a former pesky leadership.

“Regardless of her changes, today we didn’t understand wearing heels, and so we got the job done.”

The showjumping will commence tomorrow morning, with the rest of the best in the ring, because sometimes dreams slip ahead of them. Michael Jung holds the last burning faith in this phase: will it be a coffin for the leaders? EquiRatings is nonplussed, and says that they’ve obviously benefited from help and royal biceps, but there isn’t a very genuine fear of crowds in this competition. It’s all to play for.

Until the jumping, Go Eventing and GoFundMe!

Welcome to THE FUTURE. #buzzing

EN’s 12 Days of Christmas: Workhorse Coffee Prize Pack from Dalahäst Coffee Roasters

By on Dec 17, 2017 9:00 am -

Photo courtesy of Dalahäst Coffee Roasters.

Late nights mucking stalls, early mornings braiding before dawn, hours spent holding/handling/dealing with rogue horses… all brought to you by coffee, which is the giveaway for day six of EN’s 12 Days of Christmas!

This prize pack includes two blends from Dalahäst Coffee Roasters which are locally roasted in Jamestown, NY. The Workhorse is a a medium blend with rich flavor that will keep you going all day, and The Snöstorm is a limited edition holiday blend with a chocolate mint flavor.

What do we do when it's unseasonably warm outside? Fire up the roaster, of course.

A post shared by Dalahäst Coffee Roasters (@dalahastcoffeeroasters) on

Dalahäst Coffee Roasters is named after the Dala Horse (seen in their logo), one of the most iconic examples of Sweden’s craftsmanship. They operate out of family-owned Peterson Farm where each batch is small, and carefully roasted to ensure each bean reaches its fullest and richest potential. Yum!

Ready to win? Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Entries will close at midnight EST tonight, with the winner to be announced in News & Notes tomorrow morning. Good luck! Go Eventing.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Links Presented by One K Helmets

By on Dec 17, 2017 12:01 am -
Photo by Caroline Marlett. Photo by Caroline Marlett.

Photo by Caroline Marlett.

These may look like ordinary course numbers, but they share a special history! These were first used to mark fences on the 1996 Atlanta Olympic cross country course. Today they will serve local Georgia riders at Silverthorn Farm’s inaugural combined test in Athens, GA. What a special treat!

National Holiday: National Maple Syrup Day

Sunday Links: 

‘Nightmare’ at San Luis Rey Downs Leaves Pain, Promise In Wake

Fair Hill And USEF Address Confusion Over Dutta Corp. Flight Prize

AP McCoy Leads Legendary Jump Jockeys to Olympia Glory

Inside Look: Secrets of Internal Fats in Horses Revealed

Cooling Your Horse Out on Cold Days

CWD iJump Saddle Provides Rider-Friendly Data On Jump Quality, Gait Symmetry, And More

What Should I Do If My Horse was Exposed to Disease 

Congratulations to Julie A, our day four winner of EN’s 12 Days of Christmas giveaways! She will receive four top reads from Trafalgar Square Books. Tune in to EN later today for your next chance to win a prize from one of EN’s awesome sponsors.

Sunday Video: CLICK HERE to jump over to the USEA’s website to watch Boyd Martin’s Keynote Address from Convention!