Classic Eventing Nation

Self Examination: An Excerpt from Doug Payne’s ‘The Riding Horse Repair Manual’

By on Jan 12, 2024 12:00 pm -

In this excerpt from his book The Riding Horse Repair Manual, Pan American Games Team USA gold medal winner Doug Payne tells us how to analyze where you are now so you can get where you want to go.

Photo by Amy Dragoo.

Riding is a game, and regardless of how forgiving your horse is, he will be constantly exposing weaknesses in your foundation and training system. Problems you see in your horse are a reflection of your training. Stay objective and slightly removed from the situation; any emotional response will be counterproductive. Think of all these so-called “problems” as challenges alone. Finding the solution to the puzzle presented by your horse can be addictive!

Before you embark on dealing with any horse problem, you need to take an honest look at your horse and at your own current skill set.

Evaluating the Horse

Ask Yourself:

Is your horse’s “problem” physical? I strongly recommend having your trusted veterinarian out to the farm for a basic soundness exam to rule out any physical issues or to give you a better idea of treatments that could improve the horse’s situation. Upon the conclusion of this assessment, you can expect to have an idea from your vet of any limitations your horse might have. It might seem like common sense: There is no reason to ask a horse to do something he is not physically able to perform. After you’ve ruled out any medical diagnosis, you can move on to the problem at hand and look to correct it.

Does your horse’s behavior issue have its roots in a missing component of his training foundation, or does it stem from “attitude”? First, maybe there was some sort of building block skipped or rushed (a foundation flaw) that caused the horse not to completely understanding what is being asked. Think of this like a person who doesn’t entirely comprehend a language—it just happens to be the language of the equestrian sports.

Second, when the horse has an “attitude,” the behavior can have more “malicious” roots, since the horse fully understands what is being asked and is simply ignoring you, or worse yet, actively working against you. You might ask, aren’t they related? Of course they are, but I think the real distinction is the horse’s disposition.

Evaluating the Rider

Ask Yourself:

Can you handle the horse’s problem? I want to help you develop a concrete plan about which challenges you are able to attack alone; which ones you may need help with; and which might just be better left to a professional trainer. Regardless, the way to truly improve is to be completely open and honest with yourself: Only through a thoroughly objective assessment will you be able fix the issues that could limit your success. So to begin, do your riding ability and confidence level enable you to safely address your horse’s issue?

Do you have a personal goal in mind? If not, one needs to be established. Where would you like to be with horses in two weeks, two months, or two years down the road? It is very important to set attainable goals; without them it’s very easy to flounder about without improving.

Are you mentally prepared to improve? A change in your habits or expectations may be as intimidating as riding your bucking horse or worse! In order to improve you must set up realistic goals and go after them with conviction. Don’t sell yourself short. You have the ability to improve so go out and get it!

Are you at the right barn? Sometimes barn dynamics can hinder your progression. I find a lot of people get stuck in their barn’s hierarchy of rider ability. Keep an eye on your goals, and don’t let anyone stop you. You can achieve more.

With your goal in mind and the environment ripe for improvement, is your horse truly able to reach that goal with you? When your answer is “Yes,” this is ideal! Keeping your goal in mind and using the specific skills needed to succeed, get out to the barn and start working!

When your answer is “Maybe,” it is probably because very often, like me, you will not be exactly sure how far a particular horse can go. As long as you enjoy riding him every day and you are progressing, keep working. And when progress slows to a crawl, try to figure out what’s stopping it. If it’s the horse’s talent alone, and your goals are to achieve more, then it might be worth thinking about moving on to another horse.

When your answer is “No,” it is definitely time to think about getting another horse. I’m the first to say that if you are happy where you are and just looking to ride him, great! However, even though frustrated with his limitations, many people are so attached to their horse, they give up trying to achieve their goal, and even get turned off riding, which is a great shame. There are plenty of people out there willing to give your horse a fabulous home and love him as much as you do. Allow him to move on, so you can achieve your goals with another horse.

Are you willing to make the best of the opportunity you have with your horse? When your answer is “Yes,” get ready to work hard! Progress will come to those who work the hardest and smartest. It’s not easy, but well worth it. When your answer is “No,” again, it might be time to look for a different partner. There are an unlimited number of horses available.

Do you know when it’s time to go to a professional trainer for lessons? Limited resources, stubbornness, or a reluctance to be critiqued may make regular lessons difficult, but the benefits are well worth the cost!

What do you need to improve before dealing with the horse’s specific problem(s)? Every horse has some particular weaknesses that will limit his progress unless you can handle the issues. Perhaps you have dealt with a similar horse in the past with success? If not, do you have the skills to tackle the job? It’s a good idea to figure out which of your skills need further refinement. Ask your instructor to whittle down your riding flaws to a “Top Five” list. At the same time, do a quick self-assessment and write down your own Top Five skills that need improvement. Combine these lists, and make it your mission to reduce this new list to zero!

Do you have the desire—and time—to dedicate to solving your horse’s issues? For some horses to succeed, a significant amount of time is required. It can mean you’ll need to ride them six or seven days a week.

Is fear limiting your potential? Both these last two questions must be answered before embarking on this journey. If either answer is not in the affirmative, maybe you should consider a different horse—one that knows the ropes a bit better so that you can enjoy your limited time in the saddle without seriously testing your confidence every time you get on.

This excerpt from The Riding Horse Repair Manual by Doug Payne is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.horseandriderbooks.com).

More Winter Grooming Tips from The #Supergrooms

By on Jan 12, 2024 9:37 am -

When it comes to taking care of our horses, there’s a strong argument there’s no better person to ask than a groom. They tend to these horses every minute of every day, anticipating their every need, and ensuring they can perform their best.

As we head into the tough winter months with the additional considerations of the cold, the ice, the mud, and the lack of daylight, we figured we could all use some more tips from these #SuperGrooms to bolster our spirits for the long, and freezing, days ahead. Check out part one here!

Lea Adams-Blackmore and Sharon White at the Pan American Games. Photo courtesy of Sharon White / US Equestrian.

Lea Adams-Blackmore

While we normally highlight Lea Adams-Blackmore because of her own eventing career, this year we caught up with her after she took on the role of groom for Sharon White at the Pan American Games. As Sharon’s full-time assistant trainer, Lea splits her time between working with Sharon’s horses and clients and riding her own horse, Frostbite. Earlier this year, Lea and Frosty took part in the Bromont Rising Program at the MARS Bromont CCI Horse Trial for the second time. She also tackled the CCI3*-L at the Maryland Five Star in October, where she and Frosty finished on their dressage score just one tenth of a point away from the top ten.

When I caught up with Lea to talk about winter grooming tips, she was visiting her family in Vermont, so you know she has some experience with a true Northern winter.

Winter Grooming Tip:

“I hot towel them often. Sharon loves a good hot towel. So when it’s this time of year and it’s a little bit too cold to give them baths, we take a little bucket of really warm water and put a dollop of Ivory soap in it. We use Ivory soap for almost everything. We’ll use it to clean tack, we use it to give horses baths. It’s super gentle on their skin.

“Take a rag and rub them down. You rub down all the sweaty bits, basically just go over their entire bodies with the warm soapy rag, and then you let them dry. We’ll put coolers on them. Then you come back and curry them with Coat Defense so that you get all the sweat off. The Coat Defense powder is great for keeping the coats healthy.

“They love it. They all get itchy this time of year, especially where the tack has been. So my horse, personally, loves his hot toweling. He loves his face rubbed pretty aggressively with the hot towel.”

Winter Grooming Pet Peeve:

”Definitely static electricity. Taking blankets off of horses drives me nuts when there’s static electricity. Half the time you shock them and then they freak out. And I’m like, ‘I didn’t mean to shock you!’ It drives me nuts. But I find that if we keep their coats really oiled and super conditioned, it gets better. We use a lot of coat moisturizing products. So I feel like that helps but yeah, the static electricity this time of year drives me nuts.”

Steph Simpson and Fedarman B, the ride of Boyd Martin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Stephanie Simpson

As Boyd Martin’s head groom, Steph has her hands full. Last time we caught up with Steph, we talked about how she handles bringing along her own project horses, her passion for the sport of eventing, and how she avoids burnout from such a demanding lifestyle. You can refresh your memory and catch up with Steph in our Between the Ears column.

Not only does she take care of Boyd’s horses in Pennsylvania, but she also travels with them down to Aiken for a couple months over the winter. Which, lucky for us, means that we get a double whammy! Winter grooming tips for those of us who stay up north, and for those who go down south.

Winter Grooming Tip:

“One thing we struggle with when we go south is the sand, which is very irritating to their skin. I think a lot of people struggle with it in both Florida and South Carolina. To get rid of the sand as fast as possible, I like to wash their legs when they come in from turnout. And I use a lot of Hair Moisturizer, we call it pink spray. I love that stuff. If you think about it, if you’re washing their legs often or they’re getting bathed a lot, you’re stripping the oils from the coat. I find that it’s really helpful to use the pink spray to restore what you take. It also helps a lot with flaky dry skin.

”If you can get away some days without giving them a bath, I find currying them and then using a witch hazel spray really helpful. It’s just an astringent, like the same stuff in face wash. If they do get slightly sweaty, it just helps dry everything out and keep bacteria from forming. So that’s a definite go-to for us, just in our daily routine.

“We groom three times a day. Obviously before they get ridden and then everyone gets groomed after they get ridden and then at the very end of the day everybody gets groomed over and blanketed appropriately and stuff like that. So grooming is key, but also there are a few products that can help you out along the way if you have some struggles.

“I think it’s important to groom often because you can stay on top of stuff. If they get a little nick while they’re on turnout or if someone pulls a shoe in turnout that somebody didn’t notice when they brought in, it gets picked up when they get groomed at the end of the day.

“We have really nice arenas, but they’re all wet sand. So, as far as hoof care goes, at the end of the day what’s really important is getting that wet sand out of their hooves. I feel like if you don’t get that out of there, that’s when thrush can show up. If that wet sand stays in there, that’s just asking for disaster.

“If we get something in that’s got kind of shelly, weak feet, we will use Keratex, but I think for the most part as long as you keep the feet really clean and you know always be on the lookout for thrush or little quarter cracks and stuff like that for the most part you can stay ahead of it.”

Winter Grooming Pet Peeve:

“Oh God, blanket straps. Really tight ones or dangly ones that they’re definitely going to get their legs caught in when they lay down or they roll or chest straps being done up really tight. I’m really particular when it comes to blanketing.

“Sometimes they’ll get shoulder rubs, so we’ve found that if you use a slinky– a shoulder guard– that can reduce the rubs. But if a blanket isn’t fitting great, I’ll go for different brands or different styles. I’ll just try a different fit. Maybe one has an attached hood and maybe one has a detachable hood that’s just rubbing them differently. So we’ll just kind of play around with what build of horse suits what type of blanket.”


Sophie Hulme

While Sophie does have her own training and eventing career to attend to, she moonlights as a groom for James and her friends when she has time. When we previously caught up with Sophie in early December, she told us how grooming for her old mentor, James Alliston, at Boekelo helped her continue to recover from a trailer accident that resulted in the loss of her top three horses in 2021.

According to Sophie, “It was really nice for James to let me groom for him at an upper level like that because, at some point, I would love to be at that level,” she said. “You get to be a part of everything in a different capacity when you’re grooming, which I think is really fun and really cool because you’re still a part of the team at the end of the day.”

When I spoke with Sophie on the lighter subject of winter grooming tips, she was muddling through the rainy English winter.

Winter Grooming Tip:

“In the UK, we always make sure that we wash and dry the legs off properly. We get mud fever, or scratches, like crazy over here and do little tips and tricks like using baby oil or udder cream to help stop mud fever and keep the legs from getting scratches. Last winter we just had a bunch of them come up with loads of mud fever and everything and it’s not fun stuff to treat. But a friend of mine recommended udder cream and if you rub it in, it works a treat, like properly does it

”We also always have nice backup rugs for any weather and we always pack extra ones in the lorry. We always keep a rain sheet and a cooler at all times in the lorry. So you’ve got extra backups so that nothing gets too wet or too cold when you’re at shows or when you’re out.”

Winter Pet Peeve:

“Putting a wet or dirty rug back on clean or freshly clipped horses. That is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. On our yard, we’ve got a big industrial washing machine. So if anything is a bit scruffy or the rugs are a bit dirty, it goes into the wash and they get a fresh new one. You have to make sure the horses are dry as well. I’ve had bad skin conditions come up before because someone’s put on a damp or not-so-nice rug that has no breathability, it’s like a turnout or something. You get fungal things cropping up if you do that.”

 

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A post shared by Emma Ford (@worldclassgrooming)

Emma Ford

We haven’t spoken to groom Emma Ford since the spring, when she was helping Sydney Solomon pack for her debut at LRK3DE. Emma is very well known in the grooming world and in the horse world as a whole. Together with Cat Hill and Jessica Dailey, she published World-Class Grooming for Horses in 2015, which she wrote while grooming for her long-time employer, top eventer Phillip Dutton.

Currently Emma is working with the USEA Grooms Program, which will be hosting lectures in both Ocala and Aiken this winter. The lecture series is open to anyone who wants to attend, whether you’re a groom or a rider.

Winter Grooming Tips:

”I think my best winter grooming tip is to think about your individual horse’s needs. Are you staying north or are you going south? With those decisions your winter grooming needs change so much. If you’re staying north, clipping and style of clip depends on how your horse is stabled and the time you have available to care for them once ridden.You don’t want to put them away while they’re still wet. But then you also have to consider, are you the one who changes the blankets or are you boarding and therefore you require  staff to do that for you? You want to keep your blanketing system relatively simple for your barn staff.

”If you’re staying in colder climates, you’re not going to be washing them as much in the winter, so I use a lot of hot toweling. I use Shapley’s Number One Light Oil added to hot water, and then go through the whole hot toweling process. I definitely hot towel after riding to lift up the sweat and the dirt, but also as part of my daily routine. It helps to add some moisture and oil back into their coats, which tend to get very dry in the winter.

“I think currying is probably one of the most important things you can do to really get the circulation going and bring the oil to the surface and smooth that oil through the coat, especially if your horse has a super long coat. 

”You have to look at your hoof care program as well. Different things affect the way the horse’s hooves breathe. Are you going south for the winter or are you riding in an indoor a lot this winter? Waxy footing won’t let the horse’s foot breathe if you don’t clean it off. I pick out my horse’s hooves when they come in from turnout and before and after riding. 

”If you’re staying north, it’s important to make sure your horse is staying warm and drinking enough water. To encourage the horses to drink more water in the winter I also make what I call a tea. I put some grain in a bucket of warm water and a lot of horses will drink that down. You also have to make sure they always have hay in front of them. Not only for weight, but to keep themselves warm as well.”

Winter Grooming Pet Peeve:

”You really need to pay attention to what is right for your horse and for your lifestyle and not what’s just most convenient for you. For example, whether or not you need to do a blanket clip instead of just a trace clip. You need to think about things, like is your horse living out 24/7 or are they inside a lot? If you’re riding a lot, maybe a high blanket clip will keep his back warm and be more beneficial to him than clipping him out completely.

”I see people use a lightweight sheet when it’s maybe 40 degrees and starting to rain on full coated horses. What they don’t understand is that that is actually worse than being naked, because all that does is flatten down the hair coat and there’s zero insulation in the sheet. So, either don’t blanket them because they have a good thick coat, or use a blanket with at least 100 grams or 200 grams of fill in them.”

To wrap things up before 2024, we asked EN readers (you!) to nominate a groom they love one last time. This is the groom who has gone above and beyond all season long, always staying late at the barn, and going the extra mile to make sure the horses are safe and happy. Together with Achieve Equine, we’re thrilled to announce that we have not one, but two #SuperGrooms for 2023: Hannah Black and Stephanie Simpson!

Read the full story here.

The EN #Supergroom series is brought to you thanks to support from Achieve Equine, providers of FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, VIP Equestrian, and Iconic Equestrian.

Friday News & Notes from Stable View

By on Jan 12, 2024 12:01 am -

It’s wild to think we’re already hurtling toward a new season (words I know I write every year; I’m probably due for some fresh thoughts, but that’s a tomorrow task), but here we are! Training camps are in full swing, with both the USEA’s EA21 camps and the USEF’s U25 camps taking place around the country in recent weeks.

One of my favorite bits of these camps is seeing the gorgeous work of the creatives who work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the concepts to life. Content is a beast that’s never satisfied, and the time spend on creating those Reels we all share or the recaps detailing the training is high. So, be sure to follow the creators who breathe so much life into our sport!

U.S. Weekend Preview

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

Friday News & Reading:

Speaking of cool views of training camps, check out these Behind the Lens shots from EA21 over on the USEA’s website.

Check in on the happenings down south at the Robert Dover Horsemanship Clinic, always a great source for back-to-basics tips and reminders for all disciplines. [Riders Go Back to Basics]

Can you quantify “harmony” on horseback? Well, researchers are trying to answer that question. How? By taking measurements of the rider’s pelvis position at certain points during a ride. A part of Dr. Celeste Wilkins’s (University of Hartpury Margaret Giffen Centre for Rider Performance) PhD research, the study intends to identify a correlation, if there is one to be found, so that we can have a greater understanding of the concept of harmony and how to achieve it. [Is Harmony Measurable?]

Sponsor Corner:

Have you heard?? Stable View is getting a new arena! The new arena will be built by Attwood Equestrian. Watch as they prep for it on News from Stable View:

Friday Video:

More U25 content for your enjoyment:

The Debrief: Olivia Miller on Trusting Your Training

By on Jan 11, 2024 12:30 pm -

Welcome to The Debrief, where we’ll recap the experience of a rider following a big result or otherwise memorable competition/season. Click here to read more editions of The Debrief. This week, we catch up with rising professional Olivia Miller, who hails from the West coast and is now a part of Sharon White’s team in Summit Point, WV. This edition of The Debrief is brought to you in collaboration with Athletux’s Young Professionals program.

Olivia Miller and Cooley Starstruck. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

What was your number one goal for your season?

My ultimate goal for Cooley Starstruck (Aiden) and I this season was to compete in a 3*L, but we fell just short of that. We had made the move up to Intermediate this spring and had a handful of runs at the level before contesting our first 3*S at the beginning of summer, where we finished in the top 5. As the season progressed, we had some ups and downs and came to the decision that it would be in our better interest to aim for a 3*L in the spring of 2024!

What did you practice the most in the weeks leading up to the season?

So as a working student I have the privilege of riding a large variety of horses, which is great because it gives me the opportunity to work on my own self all of the time and is not just limited to the time I spend riding Aiden. I can then spend my time with Aiden more focused on his strength development and training.

Leading up to any event I just try to go back to the basics and keep things super simple and confidence boosting. There really is no point in putting all this added pressure and stress on myself or my horse because nothing super useful comes of it. The more confident I am is how confident my horse can become, which is exactly what I want my horse to be going into a competition.

Describe your feelings after finishing cross country in three words:

Relief, grateful, proud

Olivia Miller and Cooley Starstruck. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

What do you do after a big event? Do you spend a lot of time rewatching your rides? Do you go back and watch any of the live stream? We’re interested in any process you may have to “debrief” yourself after your rides.

After any event really I absolutely watch videos of my rides and a lot of times, especially with dressage test. I will compare the ride to previous tests to see if I like any of the changes that I have made and reflect on what additional changes need to be made. Now, that’s a little bit harder to do with jumping because obviously the show jump and cross country courses aren’t the same but I do love to watch those videos over and see what worked and maybe what didn’t work and then formulate a better plan for next time.

What is the number one thing you learned about yourself this season? What about what you learned about your horse?

My biggest takeaway this season as a whole is to trust your training.

The hardest thing to recognize some of the time is how much your hard work and training has actually worked. A lot of times I catch myself riding the horse I used to have instead of the horse that’s under me that day. So then oftentimes the pendulum swings too far the other way and before you know it you have the opposite extreme of whatever issues you have been working on.

As far as Aiden goes, I think the number one thing I learned about him this year is just how genuine of a horse he really is. He is great in the sense that he won’t hold anything against me. I could mess something up seven ways to Sunday and it’s almost as if he were to say “well that wasn’t it but let’s try again.”

Olivia Miller and Cooley Starstruck. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Describe your history with your horse.

Aiden and I’s story starts back in December 2020 when I purchased him from Tamie Smith, who I was working for at the time. I was actually able to compete him prior to buying him as he was sort of a sales horse/lesson horse that everyone got to ride and compete, so that was a great opportunity to really see all sides of him.

At the time he had been professionally produced up through the Preliminary level. It did take me a little bit to get him figured out as he was a completely different ride from my previous horse. I went from a pretty small, compact little horse, who didn’t have the biggest stride or the most scope and had to make do with what he had, to Aiden who has an absolutely massive stride and scope to spare.

So, learning how to steer and use Aiden’s abilities to my advantage has been my biggest challenge. It almost feels at times that he’s too powerful for his own good. We then moved out from California to the East coast where we are now based in West Virginia with Sharon White. Just this year we made the move up to Intermediate and completed what was both his and I’s first 3*S.

What is a piece of advice you would give to yourself, 5 years ago, now?

If I could give my self a piece of advice to my self from 5 years ago I would say to just always give it your best shot. It wont always be easy — in fact, it hardly ever is — but if you just keep working hard towards your goals it will all be worth it in the end.

How do you plan to spend your off season? What do you like to do when you’re not riding and competing all the time?

So as a working student my “off” seasons probably look a bit different than others. I primarily utilize the off seasons to spend time either breaking and starting the young horses or just giving the greener, less experienced horses the time and training that they maybe didn’t get when all of the other upper-level horses were in work. So, there isn’t really any period of time when I’m not riding, just maybe not competing as much.

Czech Republic Granted Individual Olympic Place, Denmark Loses One After Tie-Break

By on Jan 11, 2024 10:30 am -

Miroslav Trunda and Shutterflyke. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Less than a week after the release of the individual slots for eventing at this summer’s Paris Olympics, a major revision has been made, which will see an additional nation come forward to contest the Games.

17 individual slots were awarded following the end-of-year deadline for each team nation to confirm its eligibility. These were awarded based on Olympic rankings points: individual horses and riders with the best Olympic ranking in their regional group effectively earned the place for their country, though not, necessarily, for themselves. These individual slots were originally awarded as follows:

Olympic Ranking – Group A: Denmark (1) and Finland (1)
Olympic Ranking – Group B: Spain (1) and Austria (1)
Olympic Ranking – Group C: Lithuania (1) and Hungary (1)
Olympic Ranking – Groups D & E*: Chile (1), Argentina (1), Ecuador (2)
Olympic Ranking – Group F: South Africa (1) and Morocco (1)
Olympic Ranking – Group G: China (2)
Three highest ranked in overall rankings: Spain (+1), Finland (+1), Denmark (+1)

A revision has now been made in the final group, the highest-ranking nations in the overall rankings. Though the final slot had originally been awarded to Denmark, the result that earned that spot – that of Mia Hastrup and Constantin M – actually tied with Miroslav Trunda and Shutterflyke. As the athletes were consistent in their results, the FEI tie-break has had to be used, which favours the combination with the best cross-country score at the highest level event. This goes the way of Trunda: he and Shutterflyke finished third in the CCI4*-L at Floresti with a clear cross-country round and 5.6 time penalties, edging them ahead of Hastrup and Constantin M, who were also third in a CCI4*-L in 2023, at Strzegom, but added 14.8 time penalties. The Czech Republic will now make their return to the Olympics, while Denmark will also retain an individual place, having topped the Group A list.

A nominated long list is required from each nation by March 28, with final entries due to Paris organizers by July 8. Competitors have until June 24 to obtain any needed final MERs.

Follow along with all of EN’s coverage of the Olympics here.

Thursday News & Notes from Achieve Equine

By on Jan 11, 2024 12:01 am -

I’m all for injecting a bit of fun into daily proceedings wherever possible, and, being a word nerd, I just can’t resist these ingenious (and hilarious) suggestions for horsey vocab improvements by self-confessed comedian and Head Groom @evangrooms.

I mean, they make total sense and I for one will be petitioning the dictionary people to update the relevant entries immediately.

So, gladdle-up your parkhorses, giddy up and go eventing.

U.S. Weekend Preview

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

Thursday News and Reading

Got a keen bean when it comes to jumping? Try lengthening your reins. Whilst we obviously want our horses to take us forwards towards the fences, an over-strong horse isn’t so much fun. Badminton winner and European Champion Ros Canter has some handy tips to try at home to take the fight out of riding a forward going horse.

Get to know 5* eventer Jennie Brannigan’s ‘quirky’ chestnut FE Lifestyle – and meet his lil’ buddy Hank the Tank. Despite not originally being destined for eventing, ‘Foxy’ proved his mettle at the top level last season, with twelfth place finishes at both Kentucky and Burghley. He’s an unlikely eventer – only about 37% blood – but Foxy finds the big tracks easy and loves his job, with Jennie crediting the gelding with making her a better rider. COTH went behind the stall door to find out just what makes this striking chestnut such a special kind of guy.

Call for owners of horses or ponies over the age of 15 to contribute to new research. Feed company Spillers has launched a Senior Horse Survey to learn more about the specific needs of the older horse. As well as adding valuable info to the research, you’ll also be entered into a prize draw to win free feed. Here’s the link to find out more.

Work/life balance is a tricky balancing act when you’re freelance, and when your work is with horses, the water’s are particularly muddy. Sunday evening race meets are currently being trialed in the UK and there’s understandably some consternation over what the addition may mean for the health and wellbeing of not just the jockeys, but the support staff involved in the sport too. For many of us working in the horse industry, it’s not just a job we’re doing, it’s a dream, an ambition, the culmination of a lot of dedication and hard work, of grabbing opportunities and making the most of every single one – the boundaries between work and ‘life’ are certainly blurry. For jockeys, missing a meet may mean losing future rides, and therefore income. It’s a tricky spot to be put in, for sure.

It seems that people have been riding for centuries longer than previously thought, as proved by a 4,000 year old skeleton. Signs of wear and tear on the bones suggest that the ancient man was no stranger to the saddle, dating horseback riding to around 1,000 years earlier than first thought. An arthritic spine from mounting, a sacral fracture indicating a fall, accentuated thigh bones – familiar aches and pains associated with riding that have been making their mark on horse people across the ages.

And finally, this guy’s doing Deliveroo a little differently. Fed up with the long lines for fuel due to a truckers’ strike in India, this delivery driver ponied up and headed out to work on his horse.

Sponsor Corner

Hannah Black with Jennie Brannigan’s Twilightslastgleam and Stella Artois. Photo by Abby Powell.

Stephanie Simpson and Tsetserleg in Tokyo. Photo via Stephanie Simpson.

Big news! The Achieve Equine #Supergrooms of the Year have been announced! Huge congratulations to Hannah Black and Steph Simpson. Here’s why they’re #Supergrooms.

Video Break

And now for a different kind of riding.
EN will totally have eyes locked onto the front of Cowboyd’s breeches this season to see if he makes good on his promise…


Wednesday Video: Andrew Hoy’s 1980 Olympic Story

By on Jan 10, 2024 3:30 pm -

Australian eventing legend Andrew Hoy has 6 medals under his girth from 8 Olympic appearances, so it’s no wonder he’s got Paris on his mind.

Andrew is looking forward to the big event this summer with a series of videos looking back at some of his favorite Olympic memories. First up, he recalls the 1980 Alternative Olympics in Fontainebleau, where he rode his Pony Club horse. He came home with the first of his Olympic medals, team Bronze, but the trip over to France was just as tricky as the event. Find out why in the video above (click here to watch the video on Instagram).

UPDATED: Le Grand Complet at Haras du Pin Cancelled for 2024 Following Financial Dispute

By on Jan 10, 2024 12:00 pm -

The beautiful ‘bowl’ of Haras du Pin, which hosts Le Grand Complet each August. Photo by Christophe Tanière.

Quotes within this news story have been translated from the original French. The article was updated on January 11 to include a response from Haras du Pin, at the bottom of the page, also translated from the original French. 

It has been announced today that France’s Le Grand Complet at Haras du Pin will not run in 2024 following a financial dispute between its organisers, Ustica, and the estate and regional department in Normandy.

Though many will know Haras du Pin primarily for its role as host of the 2014 World Equestrian Games and 2023 FEI European Eventing Championships, for continental European eventers, it’s a mainstay in the calendar each summer for its Le Grand Complet fixture, which hosts classes at CCI2*-L, CCI3*-S, and CCI4*-S, inclusive of the French leg of the FEI Nations Cup series.

While Le Grand Complet’s origins trace back to the mid-90s, it hosted its first FEI event at the turn of the millennium at its original site in Martinvast, where Ustica’s office is based and the home of André le Goupil, who rode for France in the 1968 Olympics. In 2010, it began its tenure at Normandy’s Haras du Pin, one of France’s prized national studs, and its association with the le Goupil family remains steadfast: one of Ustica’s directors and its resident course designer is Pierre le Goupil, who has also been appointed as course designer for the Paris Olympics.

 

But while Ustica was able to pull off last year’s European Championships, which it had originally been awarded for 2021 but ultimately lost in the initial cancellation and subsequent reinstatement of all FEI European Championships for that year, all has not been well behind the scenes as they navigate their relationship with Haras du Pin and the Conseil Départmental de l’Orne, the area’s governing body. The Départment’s taxpayers helped – alongside French and European funding – to contribute €24 million to the estate’s equestrian development project, which began in early 2022 and was completed just months before the Europeans, and which saw the competition facility add four new arenas, permanent stabling, a hospitality complex, offices, and associated facilities, all of which were debuted at the Championships. It was a development project that was largely seen as a positive one, and one that further invested in the estate’s rich equestrian legacy, but as Ustica President Valérie Moulin explains in a statement released this morning, it’s one that has also been used to increase the demands upon the organisation that facilitates the largest sporting event held at the site.

On March 31 of 2023, the Department decided to implement an up-front fee for Ustica to use the site for Le Grand Complet. The €80,000 fee would include a €60,000 site rental charge, €10,000 for personnel and material charges, and €10,000 to compensate against impact on tourism numbers on the site during the event. Furthermore, the estate has requested that Ustica fund further development and make changes deemed untenable, including relocating the event’s shopping village – which currently exists by the original arena on the cross-country side of the estate, to a stretch of road not currently supplied with electricity and not yet stabilised for structures. The estate and Department have also terminated the use of storage facilities on site, established with Ustica thirteen years ago in a bid to reduce organisational costs. Ustica appealed the result of the vote in the first part of 2023 and, explains Moulin in the statement, were subsequently threatened with the cancellation of the European Championships.

Ustica was asked to pay the up-front charge for the 2024 event on December 27, 2023, forcing them to cancel the renewal of the event as, explains the statement, they risked finding themselves unable to pay the contractors – most of whom are connected to the local area – who “faithfully contribute to the structure of the event.”

“We were criticized for our lack of political approach and, in June, less than two months before the event, threats to cancel the holding of the European Championships were made so that we could meet certain requirements that are quite incompatible with a sporting event of this level,” explains Moulin. “If our determination to maintain our choices has made it possible to deliver a Championship of undisputed quality that was welcomed by the highest sporting bodies, the other side of the coin has been strategically orchestrated. Indeed, for the first time in 25 years of organization, the demand of a subsidy from the department was made on December 27, thus preventing the association from financially settling with the many local companies with which we work faithfully, and also contributing to the financial asphyxiation of our associative structure.

“We deplore the way in which our association, which has been fully invested for years in the development of the sport, is excluded from a site that it has largely contributed to promoting, since Le Grand Complet is recognized as the only event to welcome so many visitors to Haras du Pin,” says Moulin, who points out that, with 15,000 visitors each year, Le Grand Complet is the biggest bringer of tourism to Haras du Pin, which sees 40,000 annual visitors for non-sporting events. “The sporting, media and economic benefits of the event seem to be deliberately ignored by management, since the relationships deteriorated when Ustica preferred, for economic and safety reasons related to hygiene, to work with a local restaurateur other than the one installed year-round on the site.

“Today, after 24 million Euros invested from public funds, this tool becomes a profit center whose cost of use is simply inaccessible to associations in the sector. This choice is harmful not only for external organizers, but especially for the entire sector and the territory.

“The loss of the event here will damage the area and the Department. We don’t understand why the owners are trying to stop the competition, but we are hoping our eviction for 2024 will not disrupt the evolution of the Complet in this place that is so emblematic. The passion is still absolutely there for all of Ustica’s members, and we hope to deliver news in 2025 of its return to Le Pin or its movement elsewhere.”

January 11 update: 

Haras du Pin has published a press release in response to the cancellation of the event, which is translated in full as follows:

“Since 2010, the USTICA association has joined Haras du Pin to organize the Grand Complet.

“In 2023, the Haras du Pin turned an important page in the history of this site, and built an International Equestrian Sports Centre to host the largest competitions. That same year, it received the FEI European Eventing Championship, but also the World Pairs Driving Championship, among others.

“This new equestrian complex of international level and these new major facilities obviously involve new challenges and economic objectives. Le Haras du Pin has therefore revised the entry requirements of event organizers, in order to offer them a tailor-made welcome while respecting the economic balance of the Haras. It is in this context that a commitment on booking requirements was proposed to the USTICA association.

“Without commitment from USTICA, Haras du Pin was forced to take a decision to advance in its already busy 2024 season, and define a sports program with many national and international events, including an international showjumping competition (CSI) as part of the Normandy Summer Tour, for example. This is why the dates requested by USTICA were assigned to another organizer.

“Le Haras du Pin regrets this situation because, if relations with USTICA have always been complicated on an administrative level, the sporting aspect under the authority of [Pierre] Le Goupil and [Guillame] Blanc has always been there. Haras du Pin is ready to welcome USTICA in 2025.”

 

Want to Ride with William Fox-Pitt? How to Win an Ocala Clinic Spot

By on Jan 10, 2024 9:30 am -

Sierra Lesny rides cross country in front of William Fox-Pitt. Photo by Lisa Madren.

British Olympian William Fox-Pitt is returning to the States for another winter clinic tour, which will also coincide with a stop at the $100,000 Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field (Aiken, SC) the first weekend in March. If riding with William is on your bucket list you’ll want to keep reading.

William will be teaching two clinics in Ocala, FL during this tour, and Eventing Nation is pleased to be hosting a contest to award one spot in the clinic being held February 27 and 28 at Overlook Farm South (show jumping) and Barnstaple South (cross country). Levels from Beginner Novice through Intermediate will be welcomed for this clinic, with riders divided into small-to-medium sized groups for instruction.

William Fox-Pitt teaches at Liz Halliday-Sharp’s winter base, Horsepower Equestrian in Ocala. Photo by Lisa Madren.

So, how do you win your spot?

Tell us a story! How did you catch the eventing bug? What connected you to the horse you have today? Did a top rider make a strong impression on you? Or perhaps a childhood trainer?

We want to know why you love eventing — simple as that. Write us a short story (350-750 words is great, but you can write something shorter or longer if you desire; entries will not be judged on length) telling us why you’ve chosen this sport to call home.

The EN team along with a handful of guest selectors will choose a winner from a group of semi-finalists chosen by EN. We may select some stories to share with our readers by way of an article under your byline on EN.

The deadline to submit your entry is Wednesday, January 24 at 5 pm ET. You can submit your entry using this link or by emailing it to [email protected]. Please include a photo of you and your horse, as well as your desired Clinic Level, with emailed entries. The winner will be announced on Thursday, February 1.

What’s covered by this award: Entry fee to William Fox-Pitt’s clinic in Ocala February 27 and 28, admission to Barn Dinner and Cocktail Party hosted by Sara Kozumplik, Rhonda Sexton, and Derek Strine
What’s not covered by this award: Transportation/hauling to and from the clinic locations, stabling, housing, food/drink outside of Barn Dinner and Cocktail Party

Wednesday News & Notes from Ocala Horse Properties

By on Jan 10, 2024 12:01 am -

Tickets please! Badminton tickets, that is, which go on sale today.

As the clock struck midnight signaling the end of 2023, I knew that it was time to officially get excited about the 2024 eventing season, and start dreaming about it (literally), but that’s a story for another day, perhaps.

With less than 100 days before the first 5* of the year – Adelaide Equestrian Festival – and 106 days ’til Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, followed 13 days later by the 75th anniversary edition of MARS Badminton Horse Trials, I’m literally counting down the days before we’re back up and running. And as of today, we’re under 200 days out from the Olympic eventing getting underway at the Chateau de Versailles. And that’s just for starters.

Check out some of the biggest equestrian events on offer this year and, as always, go eventing!

U.S. Weekend Preview

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

Wednesday News and Reading

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has launched the 2024 Athlete Culture survey. If you’re an adult competitor of any sport in the United States, and have experienced abuse or misconduct whilst competing, they want to hear from you. Submissions are anonymous and the results of the research will be made public this summer. Here’s the link if you would like to contribute.

There’s a free online course in horse behavior and safety available for teenagers. Running until March, the course covers a whole bunch of handy topics, from herd behavior and handling, to helmet safety and trailering. Here’s how to join.

Maryland champ Austin O’Connor shares three exercises he does as part of his everyday training with his horses. Eliminate the need for Pony Club kicking with these relatively simple exercises to encourage your horse to respond more effectively off your aids. I can’t promise they’ll guarantee you a 5* win (never say never, though, right), but they will help to get your horse working in front of the leg.

@MissBlackEquestrian talks about inspiring young people, making her competitive debut, and how horses truly are magic. Ashleigh Wicheard’s career is in the racing industry, but being a role model for others is equally important to her. She uses her social media presence to promote diversity in equestrianism, having been motivated to step up following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. She spoke to FEI about the work she does, both in the saddle and out.

And finally, for fun, do horses have eyebrows, nipples… wear pants? And does a pony grow into a horse? All these (totally rational) questions – and more – are being searched on Google, right now.

Sponsor Corner

I may or may not have just spent a full 45-minutes staring at this gorgeous horse farm 🤤 64 acres. 28 stalls. A ✨ beautiful ✨ covered outdoor arena. A Live Oak-lined driveway. Who wants to buy this for me??

Video Break

What happens when two Olympic eventers (and an Olympic eventer’s husband) get together? Well, if you’re anything like Laura Collett and Hawley Bennett-Awad, you jump out of a plane: