Classic Eventing Nation

MARS Badminton Entries Revealed: 87 Pairs Accepted for 2024 Event

Meghan O’Donognue and Palm Crescent. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Spring is well and truly in the air as we eagerly await the big CCI5* entry lists, and we’ve got our first fish this afternoon as MARS Badminton has released an 87-combination roster for the 2024 running. We also anticipate getting a first glance at Kentucky entries later this week, so keep an eye out for those.

The Badminton roster can always be counted on as a who’s who of top sport, and this year’s list certainly doesn’t disappoint. A total of 87 pairs have been accepted, with an additional three so far on the Wait List. This list includes representatives from 11 countries, and we’ll see a handful of North American-based pairs heading across the pond as well.

Cosby Green and Copper Beach. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The North American entries include:

  • Jessica Phoenix and Wabbit
  • Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl
  • Cosby Green and Copper Beach
  • Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF
  • Boyd Martin and On Cue
  • Meghan O’Donognue and Palm Crescent
  • Grace Taylor and Game Changer

Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

As is typical, we’ll also welcome back a handful of past Badminton winners, though at this time 2023 winning horse Lordships Graffalo is not on the entry list with Ros Canter. She’s instead got Izilot DHI entered, though word is that she’s also entered the 2023 Pau winner at Kentucky. 2022 winner Laura Collett has two first-time 5* horses entered: the 13-year-old Hanoverian mare Hester as well as the 11-year-old British Sport Horse mare Bling. 2021 winner Piggy March will bring forward the 15-year-old Brookfield Inocent, who was second at Pau in 2020 as well as at European Championships in 2021. Another former Pau winner (2022) and Badminton winner (2018), Jonelle Price, has entered 5* winner (Pau) Grappa Nera, while husband Tim has entered the stalwart Vitali, with whom he partnered at the Tokyo Olympics and has collected a slew of top-five finishes at the 5* level.

Sam Watson and SAP Talisman at Aachen. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

You can view the full entry list, which is of course subject to changes ahead of the first horse inspection, here. 

This year, we have a “bye week” in between Kentucky and Badminton, where typically they are held on consecutive weekends. The extra time in between will benefit the riders, grooms, media, and officials who are working both events. This means Badminton will kick off with the First Horse Inspection on Wednesday, May 8 and conclude with show jumping on Sunday, May 12. Stay tuned for much more from spring 5* season, coming your way from the EN team! Go Eventing.

EN’s coverage of MARS Badminton Horse Trials is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.

MARS Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Tickets] [Schedule] [Entries] [Live Stream]

Welcome to Eventing: Get Ready for Your First Event

Is this it? Is this THE season where you finally compete in your first event? If it is, get excited and stop biting your fingernails!

There’s a right way and a wrong way to compete in your first event. The “right way” is to make it a no-pressure, fun-filled occasion. If you approach your first horse trial by putting pressure on yourself to get a blue ribbon while also quaking in your boots that you may fall off, you’re doing it wrong. Relax. Have fun! That’s what eventing is all about.

First, let’s talk about what your first event could look like. Let’s use the term “event” loosely. You don’t have to dive right into the world of eventing with a recognized horse trial at a busy venue. Ease your way into eventing and dip your toe in the water before you take the plunge. There’s a huge variety of schooling events out there that follow different formats so you can choose what’s right for you and your horse.

 

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Derby crosses are becoming extremely popular. These events are essentially a mix of show jumping and cross country fences that either take place in a field, arena, or some combination of the two. There is no dressage test involved with these events, so they’re perfect for the horse and rider that would rather be out jumping than in the dressage ring.

A combined schooling show is similar to a derby cross, but typically you get to choose some combination of the three phases to compete in. For example, you could choose to just do the show jumping and dressage portions of the test, and skip cross country, or vice versa.

On the other hand, you can do an Eventing Academy-style horse trial. This involves a full three-phase horse trial preceded by two days of schooling at the venue and on the courses you’ll be competing in. It’s a great way to familiarize horse and rider with a potentially intimidating course and get them used to the environment.

Whatever format you decide to choose for your first event, pick a venue you’ve been to before. If you’ve never been to any venue, school your horse at the venue a few times before the competition. There’s no need to add any confusion or nerves to the competition because you don’t know where the show office is, where the cross country course starts, or because your horse is afraid of the flowers in the dressage ring. Since it’s your first event, do everything in your power to make it a success.

By success, I don’t mean coming home with a blue ribbon. We’re eventers. A successful event is one where nobody falls off, you get around the course with minimal issues, and you and your horse have a great time.

You can also cut down on the stress of your first event by understanding the rules of what to wear and having an outfit in mind well ahead of time. Don’t wait until the night before the event to stare at your closet and wonder what you’re supposed to wear. Most schooling shows are relatively relaxed, but be sure to read the rules for your specific competition ahead of time. Different venues and levels of competition will have different requirements.

That being said, we’re eventers. We don’t care if your brown reins don’t match your black bridle. Are you being safe and having fun? Great! At my first event, I actually did compete with brown reins and a black bridle. My little hunter heart was very worried I would get a lot of weird looks. But in truth, I don’t think anyone even looked twice.

Cassidy Brooke Photography. Images courtesy of JPC Equestrian

Most schooling events won’t have a strict dress code. Typically, you should wear white or tan breeches, and a professional looking athletic shirt. For example, a great schooling competition outfit could be a pair of Equine Couture Nicole Breeches combined with the Lettia Equifine Sun Shirt. However, if the event you’re competing in includes a dressage phase, you may need to dress up a bit more, including a show jacket, show shirt, and tall boots.

While eventers don’t particularly care what colors you wear (the more colorful the better!), we do care about safety. If you’re going cross country, you need to wear a safety vest and medical armband. As always, you must wear an appropriately certified helmet for all three phases.

Before the event, take some time to mentally prepare. For my first event, I rode in a team at a derby cross at Waredaca. I was lucky enough to have a very experienced friend, shoutout to Ashley Gross at A&A Stables, who rode in my team and guided me through the whole process. Having a friend who will laugh with you at your mistakes and help you get out of your head and not take the whole thing too seriously will make your first event infinitely more fun.

Ashley Ann Gross and Veronica Green-Gott at the Waredaca Derby Cross.

If you can, I’d recommend riding a “steady Eddy” type of horse who knows the ropes. While I’d recommend this, it’s not really required. I did my first event with my 7-year-old OTTB. It was both of our first events; she’d gone cross country schooling only twice before. We lived and had a great time!

Just remember, when it comes to your mindset at your first event, you’re only there to have fun. Don’t put pressure on yourself to perform well and don’t think twice about embarrassing yourself or looking like you don’t know what you’re doing. All of us have been there at some point and, if you ask me, I’m right there with you!

Go eventing!

This blog contains sponsored links, courtesy of our supporter JPC Equestrian, founder of your online tack store, Breeches.com. If you’re looking for quality tack at amazing prices, check out their website.

Weekend Winners: Full Gallop, Majestic Oaks, & Texas Rose

We’ve got another busy weekend of eventing competition to wrap up, so let’s dive right in!

Our first shout this week goes to our Unofficial Low Score Award winners, Joanna Casson and Sweet Chile Pepper, who won their Starter division at Full Gallop Farm (Aiken, SC) on a score of 19.0. Way to go!

Full Gallop Farm March II H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website][Scoring]

Preliminary: Nilson Moreira Da Silva and FGF Dollarsforpennies (32.5)
Preliminary/Training: Darci Phelps and Sandro Street (25.8)
Training A: Ashley Dodds and Lowland (27.2)
Training B: Cole William Horn and WillOMoor Pathfinder (33.0)
Novice A: Suzanne Hillhouse and Severance Pay (21.9)
Novice B: Brian Kilgo-Kelly and HSF Milchem MBF (32.5)
Beginner Novice A: Lindsay Elwell and Dev Diego (29.7)
Beginner Novice B: Gina Keller and Snack Attach (30.1)
Starter A: Michele McCarty Woods and Old Number 7 (27.3)
Starter B: Joanna Casson and Sweet Chile Pepper (19.0)
Pre-Starter: Bridget O’Neill and FGF Sunset Provision (62.3)

March Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks (Reddick, FL) [Website][Scoring]

Open Preliminary A: Joe Meyer and Gold de Riverland (29.9)
Open Preliminary B: Melissa Boutin and Obeah Dancer GS (26.9)
Preliminary Rider: Abigail Fulmer and State of Reverence (30.0)
Open Modified A: Vanessa Stevenson and FE Black Ice (23.6)
Open Modified B: Sylvia Byars and CSF Dassett Decoy (26.2)
Open Modified C: Jordan Duffett and Charlie il Postino (26.2)
Open Training A: Jennie Brannigan and Revolt (26.4)
Open Training B: Meghan O’Donoghue and Uvera Z (22.6)
Training Rider A: Hannah Boyd and Special K (35.4)
Training Rider B: Tyler Leary and Most Wanted (25.0)
Novice Rider A: Madeline Riley and Bobbie Burns (21.7)
Novice Rider B: Caraline Cathcart and Relentless (35.0)
Novice Rider C: Ashley Allison and Sophie’s Story (28.9)
Open Novice A: Alexandra du Celliee Muller and RH Sophia Lore (26.4)
Open Novice B: Audrey Ogan and Cooley Classified (23.3)
Open Novice C: Lauren Nicholson and Sir Prize (23.9)
Open Novice D: Lea Adams-Blackmore and Nike (27.2)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Nicky Tucker and Pandora (26.2)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Destiny Pastermack and Liviusz (31.9)
Open Beginner Novice A: Colleen Loach and Mazikeen (24.1)
Open Beginner Novice B: Michael Nolan and Carrick Drumkerril Pride (32.2)
Starter – Intro A: Serafina Deldon and Prince Renan (25.3)
Starter – Intro B: Terri Miller and Royal Lufttanzer (30.0)

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX) [Website][Scoring]

Open Intermediate: Davina Warrener and Your Next Big Win (61.4)
Intermediate/Preliminary: Lauren Lambert and Night Watch (45.2)
Open Preliminary: Kate Bell and FE Velvet Black (38.9)
Open Modified: Taylor Higgs and Tuck N Roll (40.5)
Open Training: Sarah Dawson and FE Zardet (31.4)
Training Rider: Elle Snyder and Oakland Quality (33.6)
Jr. Novice Rider A: Abby Adams and Fernhill Doctor Watson (29.6)
Jr. Novice Rider B: Ayden Brandon and Deacon HGF (35.0)
Novice Horse: Ellen Doughty and Orion RSF (29.7)
Open Novice: Chloe McCombs and King Robert (22.8)
Senior Novice Rider: Kristina Brown and Marvel (29.2)
Jr. Beginner Novice: Olivia Miller and 50 Shades of Envy (30.2)
Open Beginner Novice: Megan Correia-Bittner and Millionn (30.3)
Sr. Beginner Novice: Jennifer Enderlin and Young American (26.8)
Starter A: Jackie Ericksen and Devon Ridge Indira (23.3)
Starter B: Laiken Lindsey and Darcy LB (29.0)
Tadpole: Nancy Jaehne (37.7)

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

One of the most exciting things about any Olympic year is the surprises it throws up. It’s easy enough to spend the long off-season speculating about which horses and riders are most likely to make the team based on their form over the season that came before, but every single time, there’s always an endless stream of wildcards once the new one starts. Great horses are sold on; top contenders are sidelined; and, much more positively, unexpected comebacks change the whole landscape of the selection process. And at Kronenberg’s CCI4*-L over the weekend, that’s exactly what we saw, with a win for France from Astier Nicolas and the exceptional Babylon de Gamma, who we’ve seen just once in an FEI event since he ran at the Maryland Five Star in 2022. Now he’s back and better than ever – and Astier knows exactly what he wants from the 2024 season, and that’s glory in Paris.

National Holiday: It’s National Waffle Day. Some of the greatest days of my working student career at Phyllis Dawson’s Windchase Farm came on snowy winter mornings, when we’d get the horses sorted and then decamp to the nearby IHOP for a big breakfast because it was too blisteringly cold to try to ride. May you all have an IHOP morning today, just without the snow and cold.

US Weekend Action: 

Full Gallop Farm March II H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Results]

March Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks (Reddick, FL) [Website] [Results]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX): [Website] [Results]

UK Weekend Results:

Munstead (1) (Godalming, Surrey): [Results]

Tweseldown (X) (Church Crookham, Hants.): [Results]

Major International Events:

Outdoor Horst (Kronenberg, Netherlands) [Website][Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

Two horse-mad kids get their kicks in Pony Club, grow up, find one another, and fall in love. Oh, but plot twist: they both grew up thousands of miles apart and came together through a series of moves in pursuit of chased dreams. That’s the genesis of the love story of James and Helen Alliston, who run a busy and successful coaching and competition program out of the West Coast and live a pretty charmed life doing what they love by one another’s side. Dive into their story here.

The loss of Blair Castle International, which will run for the last time this year, was a major blow to the eventing world. Since the announcement last week,  emotions have been high and there’s been a whirlwind of response, and much of this was discussed at the British Eventing Scotland AGM. Horse & Hound reports on the discussion, which includes underrepresentation of Scottish riders, lack of upper-level fixtures, and the difficulties in finding a replacement venue for Blair.

Fascinating, if slightly damning, research from a number of different studies suggests that riding a horse behind the vertical in a dressage test is actually more likely to lead to better marks. Riding behind the vertical, of course, has been proven to dramatically hinder a horse’s airflow and comfort, but analysis of a plethora of tests across the last few decades shows that the trend is on the rise – and the marks being given are helping, not hindering, this. Read more about what the studies found here.

Morning Viewing:

Jump back in with Donut’s progress en route to tackling the Badminton Grassroots Championship:

 

 

Sunday Video Break: Journey to the Top with Yasmin Ingham

And so we come to the close of another week, the advent of another, and, to our minds at least, the perfect moment for a pause, a breather, and a little bit of inspiration to set the tone for all the things you’ll accomplish in the days to come. Today, that inspiration comes from World Champion Yasmin Ingham, who’s the subject of the first episode of LeMieux’s new Journey to the Top series. Find out how this young talent made her stratospheric climb and the incredible community around her, and get ready to cheer her on at a certain big event soon!

“I Was Amazing”: Goodbye to British Eventer Caroline March


TW: this story contains references to assisted suicide.

It’s with heavy hearts that we share the news of Caroline March’s passing yesterday, March 23rd, just over a month after her 31st birthday.

Caroline was well-known and loved throughout the British eventing community for her big personality and fiery streak, and a zest for the things that she loved that saw her accomplish much in her three decades. She was a professional event rider, competing through four-star, and after a career-ending injury at Burnham Market in 2022, she fought to find new ways to chase joy and purpose. Caroline oversaw the production of young horses from her yard when she could no longer produce them herself and, in the typical spirit of someone who throws themselves into anything they pick up, she began photographing eventers, too, swiftly developing her skills to a professional level.

But no matter how many talents a person has, they are  much more than what they do, and Caroline’s passing — a dignified end to her life that she was able to choose for herself — will be mourned by a wide array people who were fortunate to count themselves among her friends and family.

Caroline penned a farewell letter, which has been embedded below and which tells her story far better than any news piece could. Fair warning that there are — obviously — some tough topics touched upon, and some colourful language. We mean that descriptor in the best possible way. Here’s to you, Caroline — you stayed wholly true to yourself until the end. We’ll always raise a glass to that.

All of us at Team EN send our most heartfelt condolences to Caroline’s family and friends.

While Caroline’s decision represents a freedom of choice that we believe all people should have, we do understand and appreciate that this story may be triggering for some readers in vulnerable positions. If you’re in need of help and support, please reach out to Samaritans or Riders Minds for round-the-clock care and a listening ear.

Sunday Links from SRF Carolina International

When you’re just a horse-crazy kid, who happens to be the trainers daughter, and your birthday happens to coincide with the first schooling event of the season, obviously you have to make a big deal of it all. Shout out to Kacie Preysz who made a viral-worthy eventing-themed cake for my barn group in honor of young Brooklynn’s birthday, which was almost too cool to eat. It’s even a West coast track-based course, appropriate for our Utah venue, complete with flagged water complex, coop, rock wall, and brush box. Setting the standard here everyone — if you can’t eat the course, is it even worth it?

Happy birthday to my favorite Pony Squad member Brooklyn Taylor — unfortunately, the little horse and rider aren’t edible.

U.S. Weekend Action

Full Gallop Farm March II H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

March Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks (Reddick, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX)[Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

European Events

Outdoor Horst (Kronenberg, Netherlands) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Scoring] [Live Stream]

Other Events

Road to the Horse (Lexington, Kentucky) March 21-24 [Website] [Schedule] [Competition Format] [Live Stream]

Links to Start Your Sunday:

Studies reveal dressage judges have been rewarding behind-the-vertical head carriage

A Young Professional’s Perspective on Equestrian Canada’s Coach Status Program

Booli Selmayr And Urania Are Back On Track With Carolina International Win

A New Chapter: Equine Network Launches Foundation

Time for a Re-read: The USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels, Your Ultimate Resource

Sponsor Corner: Couldn’t get to Carolina International this year? Relive the action with this wrap-up article… and mark your calendar for next year!

Morning Viewing: Learn some cool tips to practice your flying changes with Yasmin Ingham! Apparently, I don’t actually have to look where I’m going after all.

Bayou Gulch Horse Trials Brings Eventing Back to the Colorado Horse Park

Five years ago, Area IX rallied  together to fill their Eventing calendar when the Colorado Horse Park cancelled their horse trials. However, after years without one of the area’s significant facilities, the horse trials at the Colorado Horse Park are back up and running with the new Bayou Gulch Horse Trials, thanks to the new ownership of Singletree Equestrian LLC.

After a few years after the last event at the Colorado Horse Park, Bayou Gulch Horse Trials is bringing eventing back! Photo from the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials Facebook page.

The Area IX community has rallied once again in making massive efforts to reorganize and prepare for their first horse trial back this season, during an original date on the Colorado Horse Park schedule of August 3 and 4th, 2024, which Spring Gulch had filled in the Horse Park’s absence.

Heather McWilliams, registered organizer of the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials, has spearheaded a team of dedicated committee members (including Organizing Committee members Kristi Radosevich, Kristin Hardy, and Autumn Sorensen and Fundraising Committee members Britany Chism, Kayce Douglass, Carleigh Fedorka, Kristin Hardy, Heather McWilliams, and Autumn Sorensen), as well as volunteers, and community members to ensure a successful return that benefits the community as a whole. “We couldn’t do this without the support of our amazing volunteers and supporters,” Heather says. “So many people – nationwide – have memories of being at the Horse Park… so many people have given back to show their appreciation of those memories. From volunteering to revamp the cross country jumps to engaging on our Facebook page while sharing memories, the community has come together and united under having [the horse trials at the Park] back.”

Volunteers help to restore the cross country course prior to the first event back in August. Photo from the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials website.

“Footing can be a challenge out in Colorado, as it tends to be quite hard. However, the Horse Park can handle through Intermediate, which we don’t have many facilities nearby that can,” Heather says. “We plan to continue adding levels every year as we build back. We have plenty of fun terrain, interesting features, and older jumps to play with that can make these courses so exciting.”

Although Heather has only been eventing since 2011, she was addicted from the first go. “I am drawn to the partnership with the horse and the horsemanship that it takes, the perseverance to keep getting better at all of the small and large details, the tenacity it takes to keep showing up in spite of the challenges, and of course the people that Event that all encourage each other whether you know them or not, because we each know how hard it is!” Heather says. “The giving of time, treasure, and talents is an important value to my family, so being a part of this venture is just being a part of supporting the Eventing community as a whole.”

The eventing community has come together to make this a successful project, and are continuing to work to develop the vision further. Photo from the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials website.

“The plan for this season is to see these Starter – Modified courses sprinkled throughout Bayou Gulch. And I hope to see so many people thrilled to be there, making a thing of it to be there, and just enjoying and celebrating being back this year,” Heather says.

Moving forward, the Bayou Gulch Committee plans to see a new course, and a new division added each year. In spirit to what drew her to Eventing in the first place, the hope is to nurture an event space that is community oriented — “These spaces can bring in people not directly involved in equestrian sports to see a piece of our industry. By creating a community oriented event, with jumping castles, food festivals, an opportunity to pet a horse that just came through the finish flags, and more, we can bring people in to promote this sport and our horses in a location that is booming with the development of Parker and Denver.”

While the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials committees, volunteers, and community as a whole have worked hard to create a successful event, support from the larger Eventing community will help them continue to prepare for this year, and years moving forward. The Bucks for Bayou Benefit is coming up on April 13th, and will include an online auction. Donations are being accepted for these efforts, and are tax deductible. Additionally, there are sponsorship slots still available, as presenting and title sponsors – contact the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials for more information.

Transforming an OTTB into an Eventer with Boyd Martin at Stable View

Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos on course at Kentucky in 2011. Photo by Leslie Wylie. Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos on course at Kentucky in 2011. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Olympian Boyd Martin has had a longtime love affair with off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs). “I have to say Thoroughbreds have changed my life. Growing up in Australia, Thoroughbreds were pretty much all I had. The whole reason I came to America was because of a horse named Ying Yang Yo, and shortly after him there was Neville Bardos. Two failed racehorses who ended up being CCI5* champions. They started off as a bit of a headache, but ended up giving me a great reason to get on a cargo plane and head to America.”

Recently, Boyd has been training a recent addition to his string, Remi, from his winter base at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina. Remi, racing name “Gold Czar,” is a 6 year old Thoroughbred by Medaglia D’Oro. Boyd found Remi while teaching the Cheshire Fox Hunting Club. He was originally sourced and started by Boyd’s friend, Remi (sound familiar?), and was serving as the hunt master’s horse out in the field.

“What I loved about the horse was basically his look. He’s a nice, tall, rangy horse– uphill type. To me, he’s beautiful,” said Boyd.

The eventing community is very fortunate that Boyd is so active on social media. Boyd shared how he prepped Remi for his first recognized event at Sporting Days Farm in February in a series of super educational videos on Instagram. Watching the series is like a mini clinic you can audit right from your living room as Boyd goes about transforming Remi from an ex-racehorse/ex-fox hunter into an event horse.

Boyd’s goal for tackling the February event at Sporting Days with Remi was simply to finish the event and give him a good experience. Despite Boyd’s well-known ultra-competitive nature, this time success wouldn’t come in the form of a blue ribbon. Rather, Boyd just wanted Remi to end the event with confidence. After watching the whole series and stalking Boyd’s stories, I pulled out six main takeaways that I’m going to put into action with my own OTTB.

Fair warning: We may as well call this piece, “Why the OTTB is the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread,” as Boyd and Remi really make turning an ex-racehorse into an eventer look easy.


1. First Fences: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
According to OTTB Master Boyd, it’s tough to get these horses to understand that not everything needs to be done in a flat out gallop. To achieve that goal, there’s a consistent theme throughout the series: Contrary to what Remi might think, slow and steady really does win the race.

At first, Boyd starts by jumping Remi over a small log at a trot. If Remi picks up a canter after the fence, Boyd brings him back to a trot in a straight line, turns, and repeats the process the other way. This pattern seems to really help prevent Remi from getting too carried away, and it has the added benefit of being the same pattern Remi did in the show jumping ring the day before. While he didn’t explicitly state it, I’m thinking Boyd is using the same pattern to help Remi gain his confidence in the unfamiliar environment of the cross country field.

2. Baby’s First Water Jump: Patience is Key
According to Remi, there are dragons in the water jump at Stable View, although Boyd loves the way the fence is set up, with its two different pools of water and an island in the middle. True to Boyd’s philosophy of slow and steady, Boyd alternated between allowing Remi to look at the water (where he proceeded to eat some sand) before keeping his feet moving and encouraging him forward. According to Boyd, “If you can just get their toe in the water the first time, then you’re away.”

My biggest takeaway from this part of the series was that an undramatic ride pays dividends. There was no pony-style kicking, whip snapping, or growling. Instead, Boyd merely said, “You’ve got to be patient, you’ve got to be prepared to stand there all day.”


3. Introducing Ditches: Take a Tip from Heath

Boyd chose the smallest ditch on Stable View’s extensive cross country course for Remi’s first time. He used a tip he said he learned from Heath Ryan back in Australia, where you walk the horse along the edge of the ditch on both sides. According to Boyd, it better allows the horse to understand where he’s taking off and where he’s landing.

Keep your reins long and approach it at a trot. Be prepared for your horse to stop short or leap awkwardly over it. Remi, like a good OTTB, couldn’t have cared less. After tackling it successfully from both sides, Boyd approached a novice ditch which he cleared successfully the first time, only to stop the second. After Remi stopped short, Boyd had him jump it from a standstill to prevent teaching him to become a chronic stopper.

Approaching it at a trot was key to Boyd’s strategy. “The good thing about doing it from a trot is that they’re jumping it from a place of understanding, not due to momentum and aggression.”


4. Banks: What Goes Up, Must Come Down

When it comes to introducing banks, Boyd recommends starting by going up the bank, not down. Not only does this make it easier for the horse to understand the concept of banks, it’s also harder to commit the cardinal sin of getting left behind and yanking on your green OTTB’s mouth. Grab mane on the way up so you don’t get left behind. When you start going down the banks, keep your reins long and sit back.

As always, the slow approach is the best approach. Here Boyd is taking a non-aggressive approach by walking the banks and allowing Remi to figure it out on his own. There is no kicking forward and Remi doesn’t launch himself off the bank, as other green horses might do. As Boyd notes, he does have fox hunting experience, which may be helping him out here. On the other hand, as Boyd says, “Thoroughbreds are pretty willing animals that want to please. If you point them at it, they’ll most likely have a crack at it.”


5. Even Olympians Get Lost
Finally, the end of the series brings us to the result of all of Boyd’s hard work and preparation: The Sporting Days event. Here we get to join Boyd in his ride around cross country with Remi thanks to his GoPro Helmet Cam.

Now, I’m not 100 percent convinced that Boyd walked this course before riding it. However, he is an Olympian and it’s a Beginner Novice track he could probably do in his sleep. I couldn’t help but laugh as he asks the volunteer the optimum time as he’s in the start box and at one point says, “S**t, I went the wrong way here, buddy.”

Clearly, Boyd’s preparation at Stable View paid off. Remi was an absolute champ, or “legend” as Boyd says, for his first recognized horse trial even trotting into the water on the first try. Despite creating his own course– just a bit– at one point Boyd and Remi were a minute under the time. As Boyd said at the end of his ride, “Once he got the hang of it, I was just trying to slow him down the whole way. Next time I’ll start 30 seconds late.”

Boyd’s Bonus Tip: Don’t let your horse eat grass while you’re riding. “It’s a terrible habit.”

Remi, however, is allowed because, “He’s a Champion.” At the end of February, Remi ran Beginner Novice at the February event at Sporting Days Farm and Novice at the Jumping Branch Horse Trial. At both events, he finished on his dressage score. It sounds like he earned that grass after all.

#goeventing

Saturday Links from World Equestrian Brands

There’s all kinds of action happening this weekend that you should be following! First of all, in case you haven’t heard, Tik Maynard is competing in The Road to the Horse Colt-Starting Challenge this weekend as just the second English-discipline rider ever to be selected for this competition. And he’s making us VERY proud! Tik earned the highest score during round one yesterday (which came with a nice little chunk of change!) Check out this clip of some of his work with his colt Capera Catt and follow along on @goeventing for a little behind the scenes action as Gillian Warner, who is there this weekend, takes over the EN ‘gram!

As for FEI action this weekend, Tilly Berendt is on the ground in the Netherlands at Kronenberg, where a number of elite riders and their horses are stretching their legs in their first CCI4*-L of the season as they begin their Olympic campaigns. After dressage, Tim Price and Falco are leading the way with an enviable score of 23.6, a decent margin ahead of second placed pair Susannah Berry and Wellfields Lincoln. You can catch the livestream via ClipMyHorse.TV!

U.S. Weekend Action

Full Gallop Farm March II H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

March Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks (Reddick, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX)[Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

European Events

Outdoor Horst (Kronenberg, Netherlands) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Scoring] [Live Stream]

Other Events

Road to the Horse (Lexington, Kentucky) March 21-24 [Website] [Schedule] [Competition Format] [Live Stream]

Links to Start Your Weekend:

Elite Dressage Horse Head-and-Neck Angles Associated With Scores

Rule Refresher: Rules You Should Know for Competing at the Starter Level

‘It’s the end of an era for everyone involved’, much-loved horse trials loses venue

Scholarship Alert: The Ed Brown Society

Emma Uusi-Simola: “Less is more when it comes to horses”

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Morning Viewing: You heard it straight from the horse’s mouth!

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