Julia Krajewski and Samourai du Thot. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Last month we learned that Julia Krajewski’s horse Samourai du Thot tested positive for the controlled medication Firocoxib during the 2017 FEI European Championships at Strzegom, Poland, in August. When the B sample was also confirmed positive, Julia was disqualified from the European Championships resulting in Germany losing its team silver medal.
At the time Julia was unable to determine how Samourai du Thot had ingested the Firocoxib and maintained that neither herself nor her team was at fault.
Julia had 21 days (until November 30) to decide if she would pay a sanction to the FEI or appear before the FEI Tribunal to explain her case and has spent that time conducting an extensive internal investigation. Ultimately, she decided to accept the sanction due to insufficient evidence to prove her innocence.
“I am grateful to have been offered support and advice by two experienced experts from UK, one a specialist solicitor, and the other a toxicologist. We have reconstructed the complete routine around Sam from August, 3rd to August, 20th, to get a total review of training, feed and nutritional additions, his whereabouts and the persons present or in charge of him at any time,” Julia said in a statement on November 30.
“We had all feed in question tested for Firocoxib, with negative results. The course of events in my team and in the stable during the Championship have been investigated, the blood samples we could get hold of further analyzed, without revealing any helpful insights. I questioned our hosts at the training camp and the FEI steward in charge of the stables at Strzegom.
“To rule out mistakes of our team, the vet bills of all my horses during previous years have been checked. Equioxx or Previcox, the only medicaments which contain Firocoxib, have never been prescribed or obtained. A contamination through urine (of man or dog) can meanwhile be out ruled.”
Based on their investigation, Julia and her team determined that the controlled substance could “only have been absorbed through the pharmaceuticals Previcox or Equioxx at any one time between the dressage and cross country test at the European Championships.
“The results of these extensive investigations allow me to rule out with certainty a mistake in my own stable management. Neither me nor any person from my team or surroundings have, knowingly or unintentionally, administered one of these medicaments to Sam.”
However, because Julia was unable to explain the exact circumstances surrounding the ingestion of the controlled substance, she has accepted the FEI sanction and subsequent fine.
“According to FEI regulations, I had two options: I could accept an ‘administrative sanction’, which means paying a substantial fine and ending up with a ‘record’ in the FEI register. Or I could demand a hearing before the FEI Tribunal, which would either acquit me, or convict me to a competition ban of maximum six months (which not only applies to starts as rider, but also as a coach).
“The rider is the person who is considered responsible for the horse in every way, thus the verdict will be ‘guilty’, unless I can prove how exactly the substance Firocoxib has gotten into my horse. Being innocent myself, is not sufficient to avoid a verdict including a ban.
“I must regrettably admit that the goal ‘acquittal’ is not attainable. The evidences which we were able to collect are not sufficient to advocate an application to the FEI Tribunal. Consequently, I will accept the administrative sanction.”
Julia lamented that while the case is closed in the eyes of the FEI, she remains unsatisfied.
“I will have to ponder the consequences this incident implicates for my future. Not to know what really happened to Sam will remain a constant worry to me. The wellbeing of my horses is always my first priority, and I will take every possible measure to make sure that something like that can never happen again. I will make use of the next months to design the best possible security for my horses both at home and at competitions.”
“The Allisons” (Allison Thompson and Alison Wilaby), who finished 1st and 2nd in the Thoroughbred Makeover Eventing division in 2017; Alison Wilaby also won Dressage. Photo by Stephanie Griffiths.
Thinking about throwing your hat in the ring of this year’s Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover? Do it! The trainer application process opened yesterday, Dec. 1, and runs through Jan. 15, 2018, with trainer approvals to be announced on Feb. 1.
For roundabout the cost of a regular horse trial, you could not only jump-start the career of an off-track horse but also be part of the biggest OTTB lovefest of the year. The 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium takes place October 4-7 at the Kentucky Horse Park and will feature competition in 10 disciplines ranging from eventing to barrel racing and polo.
Horses and their trainers will compete for $100,000 in prize money and the title of America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred. The event includes seminars, demonstrations, a sponsor fair, and a livestreamed finale featuring the top five horses in each discipline. Many of the horses are offered for sale, so it’s one-stop Thoroughbred shopping at its finest.
The Makeover is open to all members of RPP so if you aren’t already you’ll need to join. Membership is $45 a year and has several perks including a one-year subscription to Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, a copy of Retired Racehorse Resource Directory, a free ticket to the Thoroughbred Makeover, discounts from sponsors and other benefits. Professionals, amateurs and juniors are all welcome to apply.
The next step is filling out an online trainer application, which asks for competition highlights, references, and videos of your riding skills. The application window is Dec. 1, 2017 through Jan. 15, 2018.
There’s a $200 entry fee; if not accepted the fee will be returned minus a $25 processing fee.
Is my OTTB eligible?
The Makeover is open to Jockey Club registered horses that raced or had a published work after July 1, 2016. They must not have begun training for a second career before Dec. 1, 2017 other than a maximum of 15 allowable rides or training sessions that introduce skills specific to non-racing careers. Some trainers will already have horses identified and others will begin a search after they are approved. Trainers can contract with owners or acquire the horse themselves.
What does it cost?
There’s a $200 entry fee; if not accepted the fee will be returned minus a $25 processing fee. Other expenses, such as stabling at the competition, are outlined here.
What if I need to withdraw my OTTB?
Trainers may withdraw a horse from the Makeover at any time using the online Makeover Horse Withdrawal Form. Trainers may replace a scratched horse with any eligible horse as late as August 1, 2018. Replacement horses must be registered with the online Makeover Horse Registration Form.
What does the Makeover competition for eventing entail?
Format for Show Jumping: All horses will be judged over a course set at dimensions for United States Eventing Association (USEA) Beginner Novice (2’7” maximum), Novice (2’11” maximum), or Training (3’3” maximum). Trainers will select their level with their final entry form in August.
Format for Cross Country: All horses will be judged over a cross country course of approximately 12 obstacles. Each obstacle will have at least two options, one at Beginner Novice dimensions (2’7”) and the other at Novice (2’11”). Optional fences may be offered for riders to demonstrate a higher level of training as well. Riders should jump the obstacle choice that best demonstrates the quality and level of their horse’s training. They need not jump all fences at the same level.
Finale: The top three scoring horses will compete for additional points in the finale, demonstrating basic work on the flat and jumping a course that includes show jumps and cross country portables in the covered arena.
Attire and equipment should adhere to that described in USEF Rules for Eventing. Horses can earn a maximum of 100 points per each of the three phases. Overall scores will be the sum of the scores from each of the three phases. Ties will be broken by the cross country score, then show jumping, then dressage. Final placing for the top five finishers will be based on the sum of their three scores plus a fourth score awarded during the finale.
What happens after the Makeover is over?
Owners can choose to keep their horses at the end of the process or offer them for sale. The Makeover Horse Sale is not an auction but an opportunity for buyers and sellers to do business in a setting that allows trial rides, pre-purchase exams and observation of horses in competition.
You know you’re going to have your work cut out for you when your barn-mate texts you a picture of your pony with the caption, “I want to be a brown horse!” Truly, I had to put some solid time in with the metal curry comb and a hard brush before I could even think about putting a saddle on that mess. My pony sure has enjoyed her post-season vacation and, true to form, she’s not about to make it easy for me as we get back to work!
There are many ways to tackle a water complex. Louise Harwood and Mr Potts demonstrate one of the more unusual choices. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The humble water jump: omnipresent on cross country courses around the world, it lies in wait, ready to scare the living daylights out of those who tackle it.
There are two distinct types of Water Jump Fear. Type one is the classic “my horse is absolutely not going to go in this and if there’s a drop into it then I’m going to be the solo spoon in the cereal bowl” fear. Type two is a slightly rarer, but no less valid fear, held by those lucky owners of one of a select group of horses known as ‘waterbabies’. The puddle-jumping types have dolphin somewhere within five generations on their pedigree, and for their riders, the niggling terror is that the bloody thing won’t LEAVE the water jump. Worst-case scenario? The gleeful stop, drop, and roll. Why do we do this sport, again?
Silly question. We do it because of the madness, not in spite of it. Those who paved the way for us to enjoy it in its modern iterations did it for precisely the same reason, and often with many more bumps, bruises, and great pub anecdotes to show for it.
Your Friday video this week looks at the evolution of the water complex, from its horse-swallowing beginnings to today’s much more sympathetic designing. Fortunately, our collective knowledge and expertise has grown throughout the decades to create a much more rewarding experience for both horse and rider, as these seriously tolerant waterbabies demonstrate. No points to the rider who decides to just let his horse be the feral swamp crocodile he obviously aspires to be.
Stable View Farm Main Barn. Courtesy of Stable View.
When an advertiser comes on board with any of Nation Media’s clusters of internet insanity, we try to prepare them for what’s about to go down. They’re going to come face-to-face with the most rabidly obsessed, educated, hilarious, industrious collection of humanity in all of Equestriandom. Our readers are people who work all day and then will literally duct-tape a flashlight to their helmet in order to get a ride in at night during the winter. They scrimp and save on luxuries for themselves to give their horses the best of everything. And they can smell fear.
Which is why we only partner with companies who get that, who are part of that, and who want to help you spend your hard-earned dollars on quality products, nutritious feeds, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
For all of the above reasons, we’re thrilled to welcome the iconic Stable View Farm of Aiken, South Carolina to the EN family! Since Barry and Cyndy Olliff purchased Stable View in 2010, they’ve been putting their hearts and souls into making Stable View “A Gathering Place” for riders who are local, those who are flying south for the winter, those who are committed to the lower levels of the sport, and those who exemplify Eventing High Performance.
An aerial view of the covered barn and surrounding landscape. Photo courtesy of Stable View.
The absolutely stunning facility boasts five beautiful barns, multiple cottages and apartments for boarding of the human variety, acres upon acres of lush Carolina turnout, a state-of-the-art covered arena with Attwood footing (another of our awesome sponsors!), numerous outdoor arenas and derby fields, and obviously, their cross country course which runs Beginner Novice through Advanced across their 1,000 acres of turf, hills, and forests.
Eric Bull and Captain Mark Phillips have designed a marvelous track for all levels that focuses on giving all riders a test but with as many safety features in place as possible, including multiple fences with MIM Clips.
A water complex on course. Photo courtesy of Stable View.
One of many MIM Clip fences on course. Photo courtesy of Stable View.
If you need a little piece of heavenly Stable View Farm in your life, there’s a number of ways to make the magic happen:
1 – Spectate. Tomorrow, for example, you can go observe the Stable View Fourth Annual Southeast Hunter Trials, which includes gallivanting around cross country in Foxhunt attire as individuals and in teams/pairs. It’s going to be partly cloudy and 61 degrees. Just saying.
2 – Compete. Stable View hosts a DIZZYING number of events this winter, including Jumper Nights, schooling and recognized Dressage shows, an Eventing Academy, and three horse trials between January and March alone.
3- Board There. With darling cottages and plush apartments as well as the numerous barn options, you and your whole team can fly south (or east, or north or heck, even ditch the European indoor eventing business and hop the pond, won’t you?) for the winter and set up camp. Obviously, space is limited, so contact Stable View soon if you’re itching for a long term roadtrip.
4- Volunteer. Can’t bring your trusty steed with you? Consider being a volunteer for one of their many events and get the warm fuzzies of bettering yourself and your sport while enjoying the South Carolina sunshine. No. Brainer.
We’re beyond glad to have Stable View Farm not only on Eventing Nation, but as part of the eventing community. We’re a better sport for having them in the mix, and we can’t wait to see what else is in store for the future!
Kelly Beaver and Sempre Fino at Stable View. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
Kelly Beaver is not a professional event rider. She’s an adult amateur who works anywhere from 50-70 hours a week at a job completely unrelated to the equine industry. She rides after work and on the weekends. Her husband and mom are her assistant trainers/ grooms/ videographers. She competes with just one horse, and in their Advanced debut at Stable View Oktoberfest H.T. they finished 10th out of 32 competitors in a division contested by some of the biggest names in the sport.
A lifelong rider, Kelly started out riding hunter/jumpers in Middleburg, Va., before she made the switch to eventing (“which was the best move ever,” she says) upon moving to Pennsylvania. She competed through Training level before having to sell her horse to leave for college. Two years after graduating, she purchased a new horse with the intent of eventing again and maybe even getting to Prelim.
“That horse had a lot of talent, but not a lot of heart,” Kelly recalls. They did manage to complete one Prelim event, but anything more just wasn’t in the cards so Kelly decided to search for a new equine partner.
Kelly and Hobbs. Photo courtesy of Kelly Beaver.
Kelly wanted a more experienced horse and, due to her demanding job, wanted a Thoroughbred that would be much easier to keep conditioned. In 2005 Kelly purchased Sempre Fino, a then 10-year-old Thoroughbred, through her current trainer Courtney Cooper. “Hobbs” had experience up to the CIC2* level with his former rider Charlotte Freeman. Kelly purchased Hobbs with aspirations to compete at Preliminary and hopefully a one-star, but as their partnership blossomed and Hobbs continually stepped up to the plate they’ve been contesting Intermediate, CIC2* and CCI2* events for the past few years.
It’s a huge accomplishment to ride at the upper levels, particularly for an amateur, but Kelly’s success is extra impressive after learning that she’s achieved this while working full-time at a very demanding job with an inflexible schedule.
Kelly and her husband Seth keep their horses at their own farm in Elverson, Pa. Seth had never ridden before he met Kelly, but had always been an athlete and an animal lover. Enticed by the thrill of cross country, he decided to get into eventing, too, and now competes at Training with his horse, Mr. Bojangles. Together, they comprise Beaventing.
“After we got married, it was clear that horses were still a big part of Kelly’s heart,” said Seth. “It was an easy decision to bring horses back into her life. I quickly saw the amount of time and dedication having and competing horses entailed and figured that I better start riding or we wouldn’t be spending much time together. When I started, I was hooked and never looked back.”
In addition to being a fellow competitor in the sport now, Seth is also Kelly’s super groom both at home and at events. On days where Kelly works late Seth takes care of Hobbs’ fitness work and keeps the farm running. The couple tries to get out to Courtney Cooper’s C Square Farm for jump lessons every two or three weeks, and particularly before events, or as often as possible pending Kelly’s work schedule. They are also fortunate enough to have a dressage trainer, Cindi Stephens, who lives five minutes from their house and accommodates their busy schedules and also helps to keep the horses exercised when the couple is away for work.
Kelly and Seth at Virginia in 2016. Photo courtesy of Kelly Beaver.
Like many of us, Kelly once had dreamed of riding in the Olympics. Her path took her to college instead, where she pursued an Engineering degree and played collegiate softball. Though the Olympic dream was put on hold, she still maintained her desire to compete at the upper levels.
“Sometimes I wonder, what if I hadn’t gone to college and I had gone to be a working student instead? Maybe I’d be further along in my riding, but on the other hand I wouldn’t have met my husband and we have an amazing farm which we wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Kelly’s competitive spirit is what fuels her success both in her professional life and in riding. It’s what drives her to be the best she at her job and to keep climbing the levels in eventing.
“I want to prove that just because I didn’t choose riding as my profession, doesn’t mean I can’t do it, too.”
Her success at the big season-ending FEI events, however, has been a mixed bag due to a series of unfortunate ailments that have plagued Hobbs at the most inopportune times: an abscess and boot rubs at Plantation Field 2014, a random leg infection the morning of the first jog at Fair Hill in 2016, and sore feet and a failed second jog at Virginia CCI2* that same year despite sitting in second after cross country.
“It is extremely demoralizing not to be able to finish on a number and to have to head home early, especially when you only compete with one horse,” Seth says.
After a winter of training and discussion with her trusted veterinarian Dr. Kathy Anderson of Equine Vet Care, Kelly decided to keep the now 17-year-old Hobbs focused primarily on non-FEI competition with maybe the odd CIC thrown in since Hobbs was having difficulty passing jogs due to his thin hoof walls.
“When I was younger I dreamed of the jog, but now I dread them,” Kelly laughs. “Hobbs is such a sensitive creature and he’s very quirky when something is off, but he’s very low maintenance otherwise. Kathy has been a reliable trusted resource and friend for many years. She is always there for us when we need her and she knows Hobbs so well and has helped us navigate through the ups and downs.”
Kelly landed a new job this May as the Vice President of Engineering and Operations Support at a large Pennsylvania-based utility company. It was a big step up in her career, and another component of her life that she’s worked very hard for, but it meant working even longer hours than she already did. Due to this and other reasons, her 2017 event season started late and the overall schedule was completely up in the air.
“Getting into each show was very last minute and involved Seth calling up the secretary and begging to get in. Mary Coldren was a life saver although she probably cringed when she saw ‘Beaver’ calling,” Kelly says. “We just didn’t know our schedule in advance.”
This season, they began by running at Prelim — a level both horse and rider are very comfortable at — before returning to Intermediate. They contested the CIC2* at Plantation and finished 15th, the third highest placed amateur, out of 55 starters.
In years past Kelly and Hobbs had both struggled with show jumping — Hobbs has an unorthodox jumping style and it’s not Kelly’s favorite phase, either — but it began to come together for them earlier this year with continuing work with Richard Picken and Courtney Cooper. There had been no doubt in Kelly’s mind that Hobbs could take on a blue-numbered cross country course, but their performances over the colored sticks had kept Kelly from moving up to Advanced.
“One of my insecurities as an amateur is feeling like I don’t belong. I didn’t want to embarrass myself by taking down a bunch of rails,” Kelly says.
Now that the pair was leaving the majority of the poles in their cups, Kelly looked forward to giving it a go at Advanced and Courtney recommended Stable View as a good option for the big move up. But would all the pieces fall into place?
Kelly and Hobbs at Stable View. Photo courtesy of Kelly Beaver.
Whether amateur or professional, what every eventer seeks to do over the course of all three phases is have everything come together. It’s on those weekends where everything falls into place in each phase that we know our horse and ourselves have performed to our highest potential. But, as we all know, keeping it all together during all three phases is no easy feat and when you only have one horse in the game, as is the case for many amateurs, the pressure of performing well can be compounded.
“I ride one horse because that’s all I have time to ride. If I get on course and I don’t ride something right then I don’t get another shot,” said Kelly. “So when it does go right, it makes it so much more special for me, but I don’t get a lot of mileage at each event.”
Out of all the other shows this year, Kelly considers this run at Stable View to be the one where everything came together in the best possible way. Kelly and Hobbs put together a very respectable dressage test and added only one show jumping rail to lie in 18th position going into cross country. They added 12.4 time penalties on a course where no one made the optimum time and moved up to 10th to finish up among eventing’s household names.
“Our partnership is so strong, we just know each other so well. On cross country it felt like there was nothing he couldn’t do and it was really fulfilling to get through that with him because at 17 years old I don’t know how many seasons we have left.”
Kelly’s tenacity proves that it’s possible to make it as an amateur at the upper levels, but it’s certainly not for the faint of heart or those lacking commitment. Her biggest piece of advice for fellow adult amateurs looking to be competitive is to surround yourself with a solid support team that understands your goals and limitations and truly cares about you and your horse’s well-being.
“Because it’s not my job, sometimes I wonder to myself, why do I keep doing this? Then you have those shows where everything clicks and make it worth it,” she says, “but you need those people that support you to get you through the tough times.”
“There’s no way I could do what I do without my husband and my mom. My husband is there for me at all times and has seen me at my worst, and he’s surprisingly stuck around. Trust me, it can be scary when I have a bad ride the week before a big show!”
“My mom has never stopped believing in my riding dream and never will. She is the person that makes me feel like I can never fail and she was the one that supported my habit while growing up even when she really didn’t have the resources to do so. They are my biggest supporters.”
So what’s next for Kelly and Hobbs after this banner year?
“He’ll be 18 next year, so we’ll do whatever feels right by him,” Kelly says. “We have a strong partnership, a team of people who have known him intimately for seven years and we’re on a program that’s working. The team that we’ve built around him — Courtney, Kathy and our farrier — will all make the right decision by him. He owes me nothing.”
Be sure to check out this video of Kelly and Hobbs dominating the Stable View course, and hear how emotional her mom gets at the end!
G’morning Turkey! (And less than enthusiastic Pepe too). Photo by Kate Samuels.
I’m super excited to say that I’ve decided to apply to participate in the Retired Racehorse Project for 2018 with my newest pony, Turkey. He had some time off that I didn’t plan, but you know, life happens, and you get busy dealing with other stuff, so last week I checked the eligibility requirements and was thrilled that he just squeaks in under the wire! I’m pretty pumped about this challenge, and I know that lots of people participate year after year, so I’m hoping to learn a lot and maybe even show off in a new and fancy way!
Interested in participating? Today, Dec. 1, is opening date for trainer applications. Get more information here.
The round table discussion about eventing safety continues with more than a little help from the outside world. Not only do we have some of the top minds in the equestrian industry on board, but we’re getting input from Jackie Stewart from Formula One Racing, leaders from ski racing, Suzanne Smith from NASA, engineer Dave Vos from Google, Engineers Mats Björnetun and Anders Flogård of MIM Construction Frändefors Sweden, Roy Burek from Charles Owen, and many more. [USEA Safety Summit Round Table Part 4]
I don’t even need to introduce Laura Kraut or why you should read these tips from her about how to be a better rider. Did you know that when she was a kid she had to learn to ride her horses without a bridle or halter around a course of poles? She also thinks that the most important thing is to “stay in touch with your ‘why'” when existing in the horse world. Read more to find out what that is! [Laura Kraut: Finding Your Why and Three More Keys to Mental Success]
The “New World stilt-legged horse” has been identified as an entirely new genus of extinct horse. Haringtonhippus francisci fossils have been found in Alaska, the Klondike area of Canada, Nevada, Wyoming and Texas. The stilt-legged horse is described as thin-limbed and lightly built; prior to this study, the stilt-legged horse was thought to be a relative to the Asiatic wild ass or onager, perhaps a subspecies of Equus. Studying the DNA preserved in the fossil record, however, proved that Haringtonhippus francisci diverged from the ancestors of Equus an estimated four to six million years ago. [New Genus of Extinct Horse Discovered]
Tweaking lyrics is a time-honored tradition at Horse Nation — every December we love to re-release our re-imagined Christmas carols so we can all sing about our equestrian problems in the holiday season, for example.
This song, performed by Tom White O’Connor, however, might just take the cake. Accompanied by a video by Joseph Newcomb, Tom croons away about the perils of falling in love with an equestrian. And not just any equestrian — a dressage girl.
Without further ado:
The lyrics, if you’d like to sing along again:
Dressage girls are easy to love, they’re just hard to afford They ride big fancy horses that cost more than most Porsches, I’m sure Saddles and bridles and vet bills and clinics
You say “darlin’ we just can’t go on” Then she rolls those brown eyes and your heart nearly dies It’s time for a new credit card.
Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls Don’t let ’em ride warmbloods that cost way too much Let ’em play softball and soccer and such Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls
You’ll lose ’em for sure, for dressage there’s no cure You’ll be left mucking their stall.
(So good. Oh, but wait, the second verse gets better. Way better.)
Dressage girls ride horses in shows like you’ve never seen They ride sideways and backwards and all alphabetically There’re no cattle or ropin’, barrels or whoopin’ The crowd’s quiet like a Sunday church hall You’ll be proud just to see her, even if you can’t figure what the hell she’s a doin’ out there.
(BRB DYING.)
Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls
Don’t let ’em ride warmbloods that cost way too much
Let ’em play softball and soccer and such
Daddies, don’t your let your daughters turn into dressage girls
You’ll lose ’em for sure, for dressage there’s no cure
You’ll be left mucking their stall.
Truer words have never been sung. (“They ride sideways and backwards and all alphabetically” — GENIUS.) We’re officially adding this one to our Horse Nation playlist.
As winter is fast approaching and Christmas is coming soon, I see dozens of sale ads flash across my social media pages on a daily basis. Sellers are scrambling to find new homes for their horses before the first frost causes buyers to hibernate. From Thoroughbreds fresh off the track to hunter derby champions, if you’re selling horses chances are there are dozens of horses on the market just like yours.
The truth is, social media and classified websites have created a buyer’s market in the work of horse shopping. It’s as easy as point and click, filtering through ads and comparing horses without ever leaving the comfort of your pajamas.
However, it seems some lucky horsemen have rigged the system and can’t keep sales horses in their stalls while others are left wondering why Ol’ Faithful who packs around a 3′ course and always comes home with ribbons is still in their barn after a year. What gives?
How do you set yourself apart from all the other sellers out there? How do you make sure your horse’s ad is seen in the sea of bay Thoroughbreds and eventing prospects filling the pages of Facebook and classifieds websites near and far?
The answer is simple: your photos.
Buyers have the daunting task of filtering through hundreds, if not thousands, of sales ads and most of them don’t make it past the first photo before they scroll on. You have a fleeting moment to capture the buyer’s attention and first impressions mean everything.
Photos courtesy of Hillary Ramspacher.
Both of these photos show the exact same thing – a young Thoroughbred mare ridden by me, trotting in an arena at the same point in their stride. Yet, the photos could not be more different. One is a screenshot taken from an iPhone video, the other is a professional photo edited to enhance clarity. Which one will buyer’s react to?
Photos courtesy of Hillary Ramspacher.
And again. Both photos are of the same horse and rider, jumping in the same arena over very similar fences. Once was taken with a phone, cropped and edited to the best of my abilities. The other was taken by a professional. Can you tell the difference? Which pony will you contact me about and which will you scroll by (even knowing they are the same horse)?
No matter how cute and adorable Fluffy is, or how many ribbons Fancy brings home, buyers rely on photos to help them decide whether a horse will work for them. What photos you choose to use to represent your horse can make or break your chances of selling them.
What can you do?
The simplest answer: care! You put your time and energy into producing a well-rounded partner, writing an honest and carefully-worded description, don’t sell yourself short by throwing a couple of sloppy photos on your ad.
The easiest thing to do is hire a professional. There are extremely skilled equestrian photographers hiding in plain view if you just take the time to look! Most of them offer a sales package and will come to you and take all the shots you need in one appointment. The cost varies depending on your location and the photographer, but will be well worth the investment if it means selling your horse quickly!
For the photos themselves, present your horse and yourself in the best possible light. Groom your horse until they shine, pull or braid their mane and throw some hoof polish on their toes. Make sure to use appropriate tack for the advertised discipline and ensure that tack is clean and well-fitted.
And in the interest of not selling yourself short, make sure to wear professional-looking attire. That means clean, neutral colored breeches, a well-fitting shirt that has been tucked in and polished boots. Really want people to take you seriously? Put your hair in a hair net and up in your helmet.
And why?
This may seem like a lot of work for a few quick photos, but first impressions really are everything. These photos are all the buyer sees before making the decision to click on your ad, which could be the difference between the right buyer contacting you or not even knowing you exist.
Exceptional photos not only grab a buyer’s attention but, by showcasing your horse in the best possible light, can increase demand and your horse’s price tag!
