In searching for epic helmet cams to share with you on this cold (at least in the Midwest!) Sunday, we stumbled on this great find thanks to helmet cam company Cambox ISIS. Michael Jung donned one of these cameras while out on course at Luhmühlen earlier this year, where he and La Biosthetique Sam finished in third place overall.
I don’t know about you, but the ride looks just as smooth from this perspective as it does from other angles — just another Ze Terminator trademark!
With this year’s Retired Racehorse Project come and gone already, it’s time to start thinking ahead to next year. There are so many eligible Thoroughbreds out there — it’s just a matter of finding the right fit! As always, it’s difficult to select just a few listings to feature each week, but here are some of our favorite available OTTBs from this week.
Photo via Finger Lakes Finest.
I may be a bit biased based on name here (you know, that really catchy Major Lazer song, “Lean On”?), but this adorable girl is available through Finger Lakes Finest in New York. Major Lazer (Alphabet Soup – I’m a Cheetah, by Kiridashi) is a 2011 mare who has never raced as she shows more promise as a sprinter, which decreases her local value. The track’s loss is your gain in this instance!
Major Lazer on Finger Lakes Finest
Photo via New Vocations.
This solid boy is a 2011 gelding who is currently up for adoption through New Vocations’ Lexington location. Spun Hard (Hard Spun – The Real Melody, by Unbridled’s Song) has just four races under his belt and is described as primarily a push ride so far in his restarting. He stands 16.1 hands and looks like he will be a straightforward project for a suitable new owner!
Photo via PA Racehorse Rehoming.
Hot Stocker (Andiron – Crept By, by Snuck In) is an adorable 3-year-old gelding who is currently available through PA Racehorse Rehoming. Hot Stocker raced 11 times, winning twice and earning a shade over $32,000 on the track. He is described as retired sound (his last race was at the end of October) and on clean legs.
Brody Robertson explains an exercise to a clinic group. Photo by Bonnie Anderson.
We are all familiar with Brody Robertson’s successful show jump design business, but did you know he’s also a well accomplished rider and effective clinician to boot? Area IV riders got to experience a Brody clinic first hand when he visited West End Farm in Kansas City, Kansas earlier this month.
Brody has many years of experience in the show jump ring and brings a hearty focus on rider position and effectiveness to his clinics. His teaching style immediately reminded me of George Morris, whom Brody has also learned from over the years, from the delivery of his instructions to the basic yet integral position fixes that are so important for all styles of riding.
The riders in this clinic ranged from younger children on their ponies to Training level eventers, and all walked away with a few new tools to utilize in the upcoming winter season. Using a simple, equitation-style course, Brody emphasized the importance of straightness and the intent with which you must deliver your instructions to your horse.
He started each group off with at least 10 minutes of simply walking on the buckle with feet out of the irons. This allows both horse and rider to relax and stretch before starting work, he explained. It was interesting to see a few of the typically keyed up horses visibly relaxing when they weren’t put immediately to work. This also provided the opportunity for Brody to explain his teaching methods, which he peppered with entertaining anecdotes and analogies to make them relatable.
Brody watches as Lyndsey Gruber completes an exercise. Photo by Bonnie Anderson.
From the walk, riders were put through each respective gait, with Brody immediately honing in on leg and seat position and how this translates over into jumping. Another thing I was very impressed with was his knack for remembering names! The first group contained seven riders, and he did not once forget a name. I suppose I am impressed with this due to my complete ineptitude for remembering names.
While not every rider in this clinic was an eventer, I think that the concepts taught were applicable for any discipline. Brody kept using the analogy of asking his math teacher why he had to learn certain things. “When am I ever going to use this in the real world?” he asked. He then explained that even something as simple as honing your jumping position would pay off over time through both physical fitness as well as effectiveness as the jumps increased in size.
Brody was quick to let a rider know if they’d done something incorrectly, throwing out a few George Morris worthy quips, but he was equally quick to offer helpful advice on how to improve on that mistake the next time through.
Jaiden Waddle and Ursa Minor make quick work of a course. Photo by Bonnie Anderson.
My personal theory with clinics is that if you can come away with just one new tool to use in the future, it is a success. Not every clinician will instruct the same way or focus on the same things, but there is always something to learn. No matter what discipline you choose, there is always a new concept to wrap your mind around. Even the reining riders who share the barn watched several sessions, asking questions and subsequently expanding their knowledge base.
Brody was a very approachable clinician who instilled confidence in the riders with his quiet approach and systematic teaching. He did not over face anyone but made his exercises challenging for even the most advanced rider. We definitely plan to invite him back, and would highly recommend taking the opportunity to participate in a clinic near you!
Jen McFall and High Times. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Jennifer McFall announced this week that she will begin offering syndicate shares for her upper level partner, High Times. “Billy” is an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding who successfully completed his first CCI4* in Kentucky last year. Since then, he’s racked up his fair share of consistent results at the three-star level, and Jen has big plans for the future.
“We are excited to share some big news as we have announced our plans to syndicate Jen’s Four Star partner, High Times aka Billy,” Jen wrote in a statement.
“This syndication will offer ownership opportunities at an affordable cost for those interested in experiencing eventing as an owner with this proven four-star horse.
“This opportunity gives ten shareholders a chance to own a world-class horse. With career highlights that include completing his first CCI4* at Rolex Kentucky in 2014, wins at numerous horse trials, and a recent third place finish at the Rebecca Farm CIC3* in 2015, “Billy” is an exciting horse to be a part of looking to the 2016 season.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to have people join Billy and I in his prime years as owners. Syndicating him will allow us to take advantage of education opportunities, so that he can truly compete at the elite level I know he is capable of with the highest possible degree of success.
“This is not a one person (or one family) endeavor in my eyes, but rather something that will be most enjoyable to experience with a group. I feel like this horse really is “the people’s horse”. He is someone that a lot of people relate to with true talent that could hit big with the right support.”
For those interested in becoming involved with this syndicate, email [email protected] for more information. We wish Jen and Billy the best of luck with their future endeavors and look forward to seeing more from this pair in the future.
The forecast says 27 degrees tonight. Time to bust out the caterpillar suit!
I know, I know, 27 degrees isn’t THAT cold to most of you out there, but for those of us in Northern California it is positively arctic. In my part of California, it is rare that it dips down beyond the low 40s at night. We don’t have to deal with snow, driving rain or biting wind, so for the majority of the winter a body clipped horse in good weight can rock a mid-weight blanket and be just fine, even if they live out. With the cold creeping in though, I had cause to whip out the “three nights a year” neck-rug. Blanket shopping is one of those things that I have a love-hate relationship with. I’m still in the love phase as I have hope I’ll find something that doesn’t rub my mare. The hate for it comes in around late January when I realize exactly how much I’ve spent on blankets this season and still can’t find a blanket that doesn’t rub her shoulders!
U.S. Weekend Action:
Pine Top Thanksgiving H.T. [Website] [Entry Status][Live Scores]
Sunday Links:
The Horse Radio Network Holiday Radiothon is coming up on Cyber Monday, Nov. 30! Featuring 20 hosts, celebrity guests and over $2,500 in prizes, you don’t want to miss this epic 12-hour long party. EN’s own Jenni Autry and Leslie Wylie are hosting the final hour, and we need YOU to call in so we can show the world eventers are awesome. [HRN Holiday Radiothon]
Frying Pan Farm Park is proud to host another Indoor Dressage Schooling Show Series as well as their Just Jumpers series. For show series dates, online entry and show information please visit Frying Pan Farm Park’s website. [Frying Pan Farm Park]
If you have any questions please feel free to email me.
Prince Harry falls off twice during polo match, still manages to look fantastic
Look inside 82-Acre Equestrian Estate under $2 Million
Investigators searching for stolen miniature horse
High water horse rescue captured on camera in Texas
Sunday Video:
Is it too soon to start posting the “got a pony for the holidays” videos?!
We’ve seen an increase in drone footage of cross country in recent months, and this short look at the use of these machines for a unique angle on videography gives us another perspective on the use of drones.
Some of the benefits mentioned in this video are from a training perspective — drones could potentially be beneficial with the “eye in the sky” point of view, giving coaches and their students a way to see the lines a rider is using in a combination, for example.
What do you think, EN? Do you think the benefits outweigh the potential risks for using more drones in eventing? Weigh in below!
Our friend, David Robinson, sat down and wrote about his background as an equestrian videographer and where his journey has taken him through the years. It’s a great look into the behind-the-scenes of some of our favorite compilation videos. Many thanks to David for his services! Be sure to check out his YouTube channel here.
There is an old adage which states that if a deal seems too good to be true then it probably is. And I sense that people feel this when I tell them, “Yes please, I really do want you to use my videos and I’m happy for you to use them free of charge; it really isn’t a problem.”
“What’s the catch?” they think. “What’s this bloke’s angle?”
Of course the answer is quite simple; I want something far more valuable to you than mere money. I want you to commit your time to watching the video, I want endorsement by you sharing the video with your friends and I want the credibility that your endorsement garners.
This simple deal is very much at the heart of what motivates me to continue to be Harveywetdog. It is important that the videos I produce are high quality, that the horses come across as the main characters and that the Harveywetdog brand continues to grow.
What is also important is that this growth is organic; fundamentally that means it has to be achieved by “word of mouth” and however you would define that in these days of social media. It certainly means that I’m not going to pay for views or pay to promote my page.
The Harveywetdog Mission
It’s taken me a few years to define that what started as a hobby, and is now in danger of becoming an obsession, could be summed up by my Harveywetdog Mission statement which is to:
The without sensationalism piece is important as well. Don’t come looking to me for “Horse Fails of 2015” all neatly packaged for you to gasp at.
That doesn’t mean if they happen in front of me I’ll edit them out, they are a feature of the sport after all, but they’ll only appear as a part of the overall event.
Early days
So how did it all start? Well I’ve always been more interested in the moving image, initially cine film, than still photography. This started when I bought my first Super 8 Kodak projector to watch some football films I’d obtained and soon after that I bought my first Kodak cine camera.
My parents bought me a top of the range Canon cine camera for my 21st birthday which served me well for a number of years until I had to accept that video was here to stay and make the inevitable switch to that medium.
With the video cameras I’ve been a solid Sony user all the way through from the early analogue tape devices through to today’s 4K Ultra HD Handycam. I’m of the generation that believe the Sony name stands for high quality and cutting edge technology. I’ve certainly learned it doesn’t necessarily mean cutting edge customer support.
Getting Started with YouTube
My earliest published videos were largely a collection of stills edited into a video with a music track. I started doing this for my own amusement and to mark significant events at work.
For horses it started because I was a bit bored sitting around all day at the Nationals. I then started supplementing the stills with snippets of video and this progressed to recording whole tests which I could then publish.
At first I limited this because the video camera wasn’t recording with sufficient quality but that all changed when I upgraded to the HDR-PJ780VE in 2013 and recorded a number of tests at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage.
The music that accompanies my videos has always been important to me. The channel strap line is where Music Meets Motion. This is at the heart of my creative influences.
I hear a song or piece of music, I think how can I use that, and then the creative processes take over and I will not rest until it is published. This started with “Captain Sunshine” in 2011 and is still going strong with “Happy” and “The Fall” in 2015.
Where Music Meets Motion
At one time I felt every piece of video needed a piece of music. I’m less insistent on that now mainly because with the longer Eventing videos it is difficult to find the length of music track to match it and also because I’ve found my audience do like to hear the commentary and sound from cross country control, the fence judges, radios etc.
That’s not to say I’m not still inspired by music, it is an important source of inspiration to me. I’m always drawn towards the chilling rather than the bouncy exciting stuff, something that can create atmosphere, drama and suspense.
As I said when I published “The Fall” after Aldon International in Autumn 2015, “Slow motion, close up, spraying water, a bit of angst and a lot of beautiful horses and skilful riding are very much the Harveywetdog trademark and I trust this video, which is my celebration of the end of the 2015 eventing season, won’t disappoint.”
Going Eventing
I’ve always been a keen follower of eventing as a sport and thought that riding cross country is what riding a horse was all about. Unfortunately many, many lessons with Nigel Taylor at Somerford Park were not enough to convince my Cleveland Bay Max that it was the sport for him. But it’s the journey that’s important isn’t it? As I’ve got older my recent trips to events have taken on a more social intent or a chance to walk the dog and see some cross country.
Badminton 2013 seems to be the first time I published a video recorded at an event and the four minutes of “Brave”, containing the inspirational shot of Andrew Nicholson and Avebury, have continued to be a firm favourite with channel viewers.
I also recorded at Blenheim and the Festival of Eventing in 2013 and it was at this time I became aware of the Eventing Cinema competition and made two entries towards the end of the year, one based on Hartpury International and one entitled “The Spirit of Eventing”. I didn’t win, but I got the bug!
Eventing Cinema
I went into 2014 with the full intention of winning the Eventing Cinema competition and set about the task with gusto. The format of the competition changed with monthly heats building up to an overall winner.
I started strongly with Vicki Hancox at Broadway on the Easter weekend. As always with competitions you have to play by the rules and the rule that I found the most difficult to deal with, and creatively stifling, was the one around the rights to the music. But I persevered, I won trips to Badminton, Bramham, Barbury and Burghley and won the overall title with my video from Gatcombe and a piece of Royalty Free Music by Capo Productions.
I recorded 35 different cross country courses at a variety of venues in 2014 and this together with excellent views for my videos of Badminton, Burghley and Carl Hester at Hartpury gave the Channel 240k views in the year a feat which it is going to be difficult to repeat.
Accreditation 2015
Having won in 2014, I knew it would be bad form to take part in Eventing Cinema 2015 so I wasn’t particularly worried when British Eventing decided not to run the competition at all.
I suppose I imagined I’d continue in 2015 where I’d left off in 2014, explore and record a number of different courses, make a few special videos and generally keep the channel moving.
The first indication I had that things were different was when I received a tweet from Gatcombe saying that we needed to talk urgently — you just know that it isn’t going to be good news, which became clear in a later phone call when I was told that I should have asked for permission before videoing there.
British Eventing explained that the rule was really intended to prevent commercial exploitation by professionals but to be on the safe side as an amateur I should ask permission from organisers “as a courtesy.”
This has been my modus operandi ever since and has served me particularly well when travelling long distances to record at the larger events where seeking permission generally involves seeking accreditation. I can’t begin to say how grateful I am to the Media Officers and Directors at a wide range of British Dressage and British Eventing venues up and down the country for giving me permission to work at your events — you know who you are.
Even more of a wakeup call for me was the day I got an e-mail from Hugh Thomas at Badminton specifically telling me I was not allowed to broadcast video of the International Course. I saw that as recognition of a sort and had had such a miserable day in the wind and rain at Badminton in 2014 that I was prepared to oblige! However Hugh and his Media Director Julian Seaman did agree to me videoing at the Grassroots which was good because it enabled me to feature Fern Wrighton but bad because we had the high winds and torrential rain on that day instead!
Cotswold RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association)
Another aspect of the Harveywetdog year is providing the music for the Cotswold RDA musical ride each spring and then videoing their entry for the RDA National Competition. Having won the competition three years in a row it has become increasingly challenging to come up with new ideas and new musical themes.
This year the helpers set the “Flying” theme but various things conspired to mean we weren’t at our best on the day of recording yet still managed a creditable second place nationally. (Me forgetting my monopod didn’t help!)
However the Group were given the chance to reprise the ride in front of the Princess Royal when she visited the Centre in July and I’ve got to say it was a super emotional performance; the team absolutely nailed it, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
4K Ultra HD; looking forward and looking back
2015 has seen me invest in a new 4K camera. The difference won’t be immediately obvious on YouTube but it does help when I come to take stills off the videos. Fortunately my local Broadband exchange has been upgraded and while upload speed remains pitifully slow it is now practicable to upload a 4K dressage test in a reasonable time. I plan to spend the winter getting used to the camera and learning how to better edit the output it produces. This will probably require some new software and a new PC.
What has been nice this year has been the increasing number of people around the events that I know, can shake hands with and ask how they’re getting on. This includes fellow videographers, photographers, fence judges, organisers and competitors. It has also been great to catch up with Vicki Hancox and her team again and to see Fern Wrighton qualify for the Mitsubishi Cup in 2016.
For 2016, I intend to expand my horizons further and look for some new events to visit as well as returning to the local events who have looked after me in the past and have established themselves as my favourites. Hartpury obviously but Calmsden has also impressed me and seems to have room for expansion; will we see an International Competition there one day?
Of course as one star rises (no pun intended) another wanes; the one thing that has struck me in the little time that I’ve been managing the channel is how quickly things change. So I’m ultra-proud of the record I’m creating for posterity.
This is not just in terms of the equine stars that we have lost, but also in terms of great venues, almost institutions, that are gone as well. Salperton, Somerley and Weston Park International are names of great events that I’m now helping to live on in our memories.
Being Harveywetdog
As I said at the beginning I’m more than happy for any organisation, owner, rider or event to use my material using the links from YouTube. Where possible, I’ll make clips available for use on your own social media; you only have to ask but it does help if you ask before the event rather than after it.
I hope that’s given you an insight into the Harveywetdog Project and what it takes to be Harveywetdog. It all comes down to patience, long hours on the motorway, a bit of nerve, the eye for a good angle through a combination and being brave enough to fill the view finder with horse while thinking, “I can make something with this.”
Footnote
Silly but true: Harvey was the name of our German Wire Haired Pointer; I created the name Harveywetdog in frustration one evening when I needed a user name for something and Harvey Robinson had already been taken.
Ingrid Klimke and Parmenides lead the victory gallop in Stockholm. Photo via Ingrid on Facebook.
Indoor eventing season is in full swing, and it definitely seems to be a staple on many European riders’ calendars. Ingrid Klimke, fresh off of a competition at Stuttgart last week, took home the win in the Indoor Eventing at the Sweden International Horse Show on Thursday evening aboard Parmenides.
Parmenides is an 11-year-old Trakehner gelding who has a good amount of experience at the two-star level. Ingrid’s had the ride on this horse for the entirety of his FEI career, and she clinched the Indoor title this week with a score of 72.48, scored on time and jump faults.
In second were New Zealand’s Daniel Jocelyn aboard Beaucatcher, who scored a 72.65, followed by Andreas Ostholt and Pennsylvania (72.81) and Linda Algotsson and Fairnando (75.41). There was also a team competition in which Germany took home the title (surprise!), followed by the combined team of Australia and New Zealand in second, Sweden in third and the Brits in fourth.
We’re finding some videos of rounds from the Indoor competition, including Paul Tapner and Kilronan’s round:
Watch Kilronan at The Sweden International Horse Show Stockholm Indoor XC challenge where he and Paul were part of the “Down Under” team who finished 2nd behind the Germans!
Posted by Tapner Eventing Team on Saturday, November 28, 2015
As well as this assortment of rides, including an interesting routine that seems to be a sort of rally race…
Congratulations to Ingrid and Parmenides on their win! Go Indoor Eventing.
Sweden International Horse Show: [Results]
Beth Sokohl on Buckharo and Kate Chadderton on Collection Pass out for an afternoon hack.
For me, Thanksgiving not only means bountiful amounts of delicious food, it also marks the end of most of my horses’ holidays.
After a 3-Day Event (or the end of the season), they get a break from riding and the opportunity to hang out and get fat (much like me!). Over time I’ve found that the Thoroughbred horses enjoy the routine of being in work and often want to come back in.
For the first week they only walk. If the weather is lovely they’ll go into the woods, if the weather is average they’ll hack around the farm, and if it’s snowing then it’s straight to the indoor. As I’ve said in the past, I’m a big proponent of walking on hard surfaces to aid soundness.
After the first week, I add in some trot basic trot work. Nothing too stressful on the horse, and I use the opportunity to work on my position.
By the third week we’re cantering and starting to do a few movements. In this time there’s nothing too stressful, it’s more about strengthening their bodies than fine tuning.
My horses normally start competing late January, and I find this routine helps get them where they need to be in time to be ready to compete.
Looking for more useful tips and tricks? Check out Kate Chadderton’s previous columns here.
I'll take one of each color please. Time to do some holiday shopping at my local tack shop. Photo from Tack Warehouse on Facebook
I must admit, I partied way too hard on Thanksgiving this year. My husband and I had some friends over and despite spending all day in the kitchen and none of my time at the barn, we had a lovely time. Which really means we spent the evening doing our best to ensure that we would be far too hungover come Friday morning to even consider doing any Black Friday shopping. It looks like it’s almost safe to go back outside. Today, after a morning ride I’ll be making an attempt to navigate the chaos of Black Friday Weekend sales with my one required stop: my local tack store.
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Pine Top Thanksgiving H.T. [Website] [Entry Status][Live Scores]
Saturday Links:
The Horse Radio Network Holiday Radiothon is coming up on Cyber Monday, Nov. 30! Featuring 20 hosts, celebrity guests and over $2,500 in prizes, you don’t want to miss this epic 12-hour long party. EN’s own Jenni Autry and Leslie Wylie are hosting the final hour, and we need YOU to call in so we can show the world eventers are awesome. [HRN Holiday Radiothon]
Horse rescued after slipping on wet concrete
Carolina foothills towns to feature ‘The Art of the Horse’
Oklahoma cowboy ready to make another run at cutting horse crown
The liability of leasing a horse to a kid
Secrets of a Japanese horse breeding empire
Saturday Video:
