Classic Eventing Nation

Stars of the Future and Solid Citizens: The Horses We’d Like to Take Home from the Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale

By on Nov 1, 2023 12:00 pm -

I love this time of year, because for me, as a thirty-something lifelong horse addict, the launch of the winter event horse sales catalogues is a little bit like that moment that the new Dover Saddlery catalogue would land through your letterbox with a hefty thump, promising an afternoon packed with multi-coloured penwork (red for things I’d realistically like to order; blue for the things I’d order if I won the lottery, of course) and daydreaming. These days, it’s trawling through free-jumping videos, looking at hock and pastern angles, and trying to picture sweet baby faces hanging over stable doors at the yard I’m based at (but all, of course, still sort of interlinked with that ‘if I won the lottery’ philosophy, if I’m honest).

Occasionally, and more so in the off-season, I also dip my toe into matchmaking horses and riders, and so when I browse through the Goresbridge Go For Gold catalogue, which I’ve been doing basically non-stop since it dropped, I’m not just looking for my own perfect horse: I’m looking for those standouts who could be a dream come true for a number of different clients, from young riders who want their first smart project to professionals who’d like to have a crack at a team in the future. And so, with that in mind, here are my favourite horses from this year’s lineup, and what I think they might be best suited to.

Fancy seeing more, including video and comprehensive X-rays? Just click on each horse’s name to head into its catalogue listing. An important note: my favourites have been chosen based off video, imagery, pedigree, and vibes – but I’ve not done a dive into those X-rays. If you’re looking to purchase, I always recommend getting your home vet to have a browse through them — there are plenty available for each horse. Now, with that boring, grown-up proviso out of the way, let’s go window shopping!

Unnamed – 16hh three-year-old filly (HHS Cornet x Lady Louisa, by Royal Concorde)

There’s a lot to like about this solid little filly, who has a presence that makes her seem much bigger than her 163cm. I’ll admit it: she first caught my eye because of that bloom of golden dapples across her coat, which, okay, isn’t the best way to pick favourites, but when I clicked through to see more of her, I found much to admire beyond aesthetic appeal. She’s got a sweet eye, and a calm confidence about her that really appeals to me – even when she’s being led around in walk, she’s curious and attentive to her surroundings, but strides out with a long, prowling, panther stride that suggests she notices everything but is confident enough in her own skin to take it all in. She’s got a neat jump on her, too, and for this reason, I’d be putting my hand up for this very commercial prospect. Even if she doesn’t end up as a top-level horse, I think she’d be a great one to produce and sell on to an amateur or young rider, because she comes across as a horse who could do a lot of different jobs. Plus, while her strong sire line barely needs mentioning, chock-full of elite jumping stallions as it is (hello, Cornet Obolensky), I love that she has a dam line full of proven producers. Her second and third dams alike have each put international event horses on the ground.

MMG Candy de Venu — 16.1hh three-year-old gelding (Sligo Candy Boy x Valina de Venu, by Venu du Theil)

As far as raw material goes, there’s a lot that’s caught my eye about this flashy gelding, who might be Irish by studbook, but is about as continental as they come, with smart Holsteiner and Selle Français lines top and bottom, and a link through to the French stallion Starter both through his sire line, thanks to the Starter grandson Baloubet du Rouet, and through his dam, who’s a granddaughter herself. He’s bred to jump, with a lot of the lines that we see event riders favouring for our sport, too, but one of the things I really like about him is that it looks like he hasn’t been overproduced as a three-year-old. Something that can put me off very quickly is a video of a three-year-old who massively overjumps, cracking its back in the air and pulling its knees to roughly the apex of its baby brain box, because often — though not always! — that tendency comes from a bit too much production for these sales. This guy, though, naturally susses out the fences, and jumps like a (talented) baby; right now, he lifts his body rather than tucking his front legs, and that’s something that doesn’t bother me one bit, because I’m confident that as he begins his ridden career, he’ll learn to be very neat. His paces are balanced and pleasant, rather than ‘WOW’, and that, too, is something I like. You’d be able to develop the thrust off the ground, and find it easier than working with a horse who has so much natural pizzazz that he unbalances himself in the process.

Something else I love about this guy is that I get the sense that he’s probably a bit of a cheeky chappy: there’s a humorous glint in his eye and a head-toss upon landing from a fence that tells me he’ll give the right rider a lot of fun, but, as with many Balou du Rouet progeny, even once removed from the great sire, he’s probably got a touch of the professional ride about him. I’ll be keeping a close eye on who puts their money forward for this one.

MBF Longford — 16hh three-year-old gelding (Moonlight Silver Shadow x Grace Flight, by Test Flight)

Every year, there’s a couple of part-Connemaras in this sale that I think would be SUCH good fun for a younger rider, who’s ready for such a task, to produce — and this year is no exception. This cute-as-a-button, petite-but-not-pint-sized gelding is Connie on top, Irish Sport Horse on the bottom, and while he’s largely inherited a bit of the natural pony paces, he’s really got a pop on him and looks brave and tough, too. I could see him doing lots of different things — eventing, hunting, zooming around some Pony Club jumping, and I suspect he could be quite useful in all of them. Of course, Connies can be little spitfires, so I’m hardly recommending you throw a bid down for your ten-year-old kiddo to have something to ‘learn together’ with, but this could be a really cool project for a teenager or an amateur rider who’s got a good trainer on side to supervise.

Borris Chacoa Time — 16.2hh three-year-old gelding (Chacoa x First Time, by Lancelot)

For some reason, it feels like there’s a lot of entries in this year’s catalogue called Boris or Borris or BoJo, all of which kind of gives me the ick because I’ve had to live through a chaotic Tory government for the past few years and frankly, I’d rather not think about that when I’m decompressing at the yard. But this guy can make my list anyway, because I think he’s quite a cool horse. I like Chacoa, who tends to throw versatile, athletic horses across the disciplines; he even has a couple of upper-level dressage progeny, and his eventing offspring include Nicola Wilson’s One Two Many, Karl Slezak’s Fernhill Wishes, and Aaron Millar’s KEC Deakon, who did a 28.8 at Badminton this spring and was top ten in the CCI4*-L at Bramham.

This chap ticks a few boxes for me: he’s got plenty of clearance behind, so there’s less of a chance of interference as he’s moving; he’s well-put-together and balanced; and he seems clever and sensitive. I like how he jumps, and the innate ability that he has to use his shoulder at every part of his effort so that he lands lightly and travelling forward, rather than plunging and having to pull himself back up. I get the sense he might have a bit about him, so perhaps he’s for the more experienced rider, but someone who can tap into a quick, sensitive horse like this will have a lot of very good raw material to play with. After all, it’s those riders who will find they want a bit more sharpness as they move up the levels. I think we could well see this one go to a ‘name’.

Newmarket Rocco — 16.1hh three-year-old gelding (Uricas VD Kattevennen x Newmarket Bouncer, by Mermus R)

Okay, I’m going to be really really real with you here: at first, I was going to scroll straight past this chap, because I didn’t love his long, thin, high-set neck. And then I realised exactly what it reminded me of: Ros Canter’s Blenheim and Pau winner, Izilot DHI, who has such a similar set and shape to his neck that sometimes, if you catch him at the wrong angle, he looks a bit look a spooky brontosaurus. But also, he’s extraordinarily talented, so I thought perhaps I should be a bit less neck-ist and actually have a look at Rocco’s videos.

There, I found plenty of plus points, most of them to do with a super, active, straight hind end. I enjoyed how much space he gives himself when you watch him move on a straight line; I enjoyed, even more, seeing the reach and step he naturally has in trot and, more pertinently, in canter. His jump is still pretty raw; though he’s not a tall horse, proportionately he’s all leg at the moment, and you can see that in the way he lands, but I also think that time and growing up will work their magic there. I also like that he’s out of a Mermus R mare; there’s a few Mermus R progeny floating around the International levels that I like, and he’s a stallion I’m curious about. The more I think about this horse, the more I like him. I think he could be a very cool horse in the future.

MBF Replacement — 16.1hh three-year-old gelding (Stetter x Voshana M, by Oberon du Moulin)

Mostly, I’ve been reeled in here by this gelding’s goofy, charming expression. It’s giving class clown and feed bowl chucker, and I think every yard needs one of those to keep spirits high on long, dreary winter days. There’s also potential here to create a real athlete; he has a nice, big step, plenty of push off the ground in both trot and canter, and while he doesn’t have the super-fast reaction times while jumping that some of the really sharp types can have, he’s game, and sensible, and scopey enough to give his new owner plenty of fun and satisfaction while producing him. He might not be a five-star horse — or he might, because there’s only so much you can tell from an unbacked three-year-old — but I think he’d do a job very handily, and make for a nice one to produce through or one to start and then sell on to his long-term person.

Unnamed — 16.1hh three-year-old gelding (Imperial Hights x Mill River Princess, by Nigrasine)

I’m not sure I’d ever actually go for a Master Imp for myself — this chap is a paternal grandson of the famous sire, whose progeny include Mandiba, High Kingdom, and Ringwood Magister — but there’s no denying they’re seriously, seriously capable when produced by a pro. Often, a Master Imp will have no limit to its jumping ability, but that comes paired with a quirky, sharp temperament; this guy, of course, isn’t a direct son, and so it’s fair to hope that there might be some dilution of that, um, sparkle. I do also like Master Imp lines best when they’re mixed with plenty of blood, and this chap’s dam’s breeding is half unrecorded, but the half we can see is Thoroughbred, so that’s promising, too. It’s evident, anyway, that he finds jumping very, very easy indeed, and so he’d be a horse I’d like to see in the flesh, to interact with in the stable, and to watch jump at those Barnadown days to see what he’s really made of.

The Goresbridge Go For Gold Select Event Horse Sale will take place November 13–15 at Barnadown and the Amber Springs Hotel in Co. Wexford, Ireland. Bids can be made in person or remotely, and horses will be available to view over the three days at Barnadown. For more information, to check out all the lots, and to register as a bidder, click here — and Go Shopping!

Where Are The Adult Amateur Opportunities?

By on Nov 1, 2023 9:30 am -

Photo of Kayla Schnell used with permission from Xpress Foto.

As I sat and watched the American Eventing Championships live stream earlier this year, I couldn’t help but see a pattern in the topic of conversation. Young rider, professional rider, young rider, professional rider, young rider, and so on. All while the adult amateurs gritted through the same tough water combinations as the rest of them.

As an adult amateur, it was – to put it lightly – discouraging. Now, not to take away from all of the hours and hours of work, thousands of dollars, blood, sweat, and tears that these groups put in… that’s not what I’m trying to do here. But, I do think it’s a little bit unfair to mostly (and most often, solely) focus on the young and the superstars.

This bothered me so much that, in addition to my multi-story Instagram rant, I sent a text off to one of my friends who is a professional in the business. She pointed out the fact that there are Adult Rider programs throughout the country, and clinics to go along with them. Okay, I like a good devil’s advocate every once in a while. But, this kind of reminds me of the story of Cinderella, you know, where the stepsisters get all of the beautiful gowns, and Cinderella gets the leftovers? We should be happy with what we get, right? Wrong. I think it’s our turn to find our glass slippers.

Adult amateurs really and truly work their tails off while most often having full time jobs outside of the barn, families (kids in some cases – though my kids all have fur, so I can’t pretend to represent that group of riders,) and grown up responsibilities without any assistant or assistance. Yet we still make time – whether it’s at 5 a.m., 10 p.m., or on our lunch break – to get to the barn, sneak in that lesson before our first meeting, and get our hours in the saddle. Often for me, it is 5 am or 10 pm during my busy work season. We still do it, and we love every red-eyed second.

Aside from the pure recognition that our pros and YRs get, there are so many opportunities that are solely offered to the younger members of our sport. EA21, YRDP, and even the USEF Eventing YR Championships (I could go on and on with more, but you get the idea) are only open to YRs. I know these kids are great and no doubt deserve to have these opportunities, but don’t we? Emerging athletes can only be under 21? Maybe in football, but I’ve seen multiple 70+ year old women and men galloping around in top placings and dancing to dressage greatness.

That’s one of the wonderful things about equestrian sports – there really is no time limit. So why are we putting one on ourselves? What about an Adult Amateur Eventing Championship? Can we have the chance to ride against people that have similar life situations as us, that put in the work no matter how this entry fee almost caused them to be late on rent for the month?

A perfect representation of this are the Young Rider and Adult Rider pages on the USEA website. The AR program page nearly fit entirely in one screenshot. The YR one? Links to various landing pages, and multiple scrolls of content. Endless opportunities. This sport really comes down to one thing — the love that we have for our horses, our teammates, our partners.

Why should that have to stop being a dream at 21? What if there are some young riders don’t want to go professional, but like us, they want to have big goals alongside their 9 to 5?

In addition to the clinics and competition opportunities, scholarships and sponsorships are so much more widely given to the YRs and professionals. In a lot of cases, there is a good amount of monetary support from parents/families, or from syndicates, that help take off the financial edge (though, owning horses is a 100-side square, so there are plenty of edges to go around). The brand ambassador movement is a big one, and those opportunities are repeatedly given to YR/pros. I get it, they usually have the biggest Instagram following. But in all honesty, I want to see a product work, and I will definitely see that in my barn, where I’m surrounded by bada.. adult ammys, or at a show when the woman at the stall next to me is wearing a cute pair of Free Ride breeches (not to mention comfortable – have you tried those?!)

Let me tell you, I’ve tried so many side hustles to pay off bills that I can’t even name them all anymore. Plus my full time job, and my part time job, and my side job, working off lessons at the barn, et cetera. I wouldn’t change it for a thing (okay, maybe the lottery would be fine), but don’t we deserve a little something for being extra gritty and resilient? For all of those early wakeup calls or late nights, for the days taken unpaid at work because we’ve run out of vacation, for skipping our own care because it can’t possibly fit in our schedule? Or our budget?

If my words make you do nothing other than recognize and appreciate the adult ammys in your life, then they’ve served at least a little bit of purpose. But largely, I’d love for this to be a call to action. Let’s change this system. Let’s create more opportunities for people like you and I – we can create the change we want to see in our world. We just have to figure out where to start.

Wednesday News & Notes from Ocala Horse Properties

By on Nov 1, 2023 12:01 am -

 

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A post shared by Libby Seed (@libbyseed)

I’ve emerged from child’s pose (briefly) to write this after an epic end to the 5* eventing season that consisted of a double of top-level events with just one short stride between them, not to mention the Eventing World Championship for Young Horses and the Pan-Ams which ran alongside.

After four days of bringing you live updates from Pau, my fingers are considerably shorter than they were, I’ve eaten only pizza for what feels like forever, and I slept for seventeen hours in the twenty-four following Ros Canter’s win with Izilot DHI. I’ve been left with an eventing hangover so significant that I’m even going eventing in my dreams.

When I sat down to start today’s News & Notes, my husband asked how I could possibly squeeze any more words out. About eventing though, always. (I plan to fill the winter months talking to him constantly about the great events of 2023 and everything there is to look forward to next year – hello, Paris!)

Not able to put it down just yet, between sleeping and being curled up in a ball breathing, I’ve spent the last couple of days scrolling through the celebratory social media posts from the riders who competed at Pau. I just love to see those who perhaps didn’t finish up at the top of the leaderboard acknowledging the huge achievement it is to complete a 5*. Seriously, even to get to the point of sending in your entry is a massive tribute to the whole team.

Take Great Britain’s Libby Seed (pictured above) for example, an amateur rider eventing just one horse. In real life, she’s a medical sales executive, and on the side she’s 5* eventer competing with the best in the world.

Kudos to everyone who goes eventing, whatever the level. I’m wrung out just writing about it!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Rocking Horse Fall H.T. (Altoona, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs (Temecula, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

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

Virginia Horse Center Eventing Fall (Lexington, VA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Wednesday News and Reading

We now know how things played out for the dressage riders and eventers at the Pan-Ams, with the show jumpers getting their turn over the next couple of days, but did you know that not one but two 70 year old equestrians have been competing at the Games? Jose Ramon Beca Borrego took the title of oldest equestrian athlete in Chile when he represented Uruguay in dressage, but close on his heels, just eight months younger, eventer Juan Carlos Tafur Eisenmayer flew the flag for Columbia when he set off out of the start box with his fourteen-year-old homebred mare Blue Moon. Unfortunately their competition came to an end on the cross country course, but that takes nothing away from the achievement of competing at the Games as a septuagenarian. He was joined by Columbian teammates Lucero Desrochers S, a professional rider and coach, Andres Felipe Gomez Sanabria, “a young man studying medicine”, and Mauricio Benmudez, “a lawyer who just bought an Irish horse”. Find out more about this inspirational eventer, who’s worked across South America as well as in South Africa and Canada, in this celebration of a long equestrian career, and a competitive spirit that knows no bounds. [Age is Nothing But a Number]

The stats for accidents involving horses on the roads in Britain are frankly quite scary, but this rider has created an innovative way of reminding drivers to pass wide and slow. After too many near misses, Heather Muir took it upon herself to create the VisiWhip, a high-vis triangle that slots onto the end of a whip which allows riders to take up more space, forcing cars to pass wider than they may have been tempted to. Last year in the UK, there were around 3,500 road incidents with horses, with over 150 riders injured and almost 70 horse fatalities. Anything that brings those terrifying numbers down gets a thumbs up from us. [Whoa There]

The competitive season is winding down, providing us with the perfect opportunity to focus on conditioning work with our horses so they come back out next season in tip-top condition. Practical Horseman has brought together some fun exercises and expert advice for maintaining your horse’s fitness through the off-season. From stretching to walking, this simple to follow plan will ensure your horse is fit and ready once winter is in the rear-view. [Winter Moves]

Who hasn’t watched Heartland and longed to live there? Well, this horse lover actually went ahead and followed her heart after being inspired by Amy Fleming and her horse whispering ways. Not only did she quit her office job to focus on horses, but she’s also used training methods and alternative remedies from the fictional drama in real life. Sure, the show is sweeter than a box of chocolates, but if it inspires people to want to take care of horses in a gentle way, that’s gotta be a good thing. [When You Follow Your Heart to Heartland]

And that article led me to this archive piece – a romantic meandering through time spent on the trails with an equine pal. As winter approaches, the chances are we’ll all need a bit of inspiration to leave a warm house to head out to a chilly barn. Well, perhaps the promise of just how lovely it is spending some time with your horse in nature will be just the trick. If you’re looking for a pleasant, dreamy kind of read, this is for you. [Happy Times on the Trails]

If you follow fashion even just from the corner of one squinted eye, you’re sure to be aware of the ‘coastal cowgirl’ trend. But that’s just the tiny tip of a pointy toed boot when it comes to equestrian influences in the fashion world. I won’t name drop – except erm, Beyonce – or summarize, because this piece deserves your full attention. From unscuffed cowboy boots, to high fashion horse blankets for your couch – enjoy the ride. [High Fashion Horse Wear]

Sponsor Corner

Team Canada wins gold, USA wins silver, Brazil wins bronze in Santiago. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Ocala Horse Properties‘ Miks Master C and rider Liz Halliday-Sharp were part of the USA’s silver medal-winning eventing team at the Pan American Games last weekend! Catch up on all the coverage here: Canada Books Paris Ticket + Team Gold, USA Win Team Silver + Individual Gold

Video Break

Tune in to the last of the season’s Eventing Weekly podcast before they turn themselves out for the winter. They’re looking back at best bits and looking ahead to 2024. Enjoy, and go eventing!

Tuesday Video Break: The Eventing Duo of Phillip and Olivia Dutton

By on Oct 31, 2023 3:30 pm -

Is it only a matter of time until we see Phillip Dutton and his daughter, Olivia, tackle a CCI5* together?

“Well she needs to hurry up!” Phillip jokes in this sit down during the MARS Maryland 5 Star. “He’s getting too old!” Olivia agrees.

Follow along with Phillip and Olivia in this mini-vlog from the USEF and Maryland 5 Star — and catch all their awesome content captured at Maryland here.

MARS Maryland 5 Star: [Website] [Final Scores] [Live Stream Replays (North America)] [Live Stream Replays (Outside North America)] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of MARS Maryland 5 Star is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products.

Win Tickets to the Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge at The Royal!

By on Oct 31, 2023 3:20 pm -

Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (November 3-12) is one of our favorite shows, and we’ve teamed up with the new title sponsor of opening weekend’s Indoor Eventing, Mad Barn, to give away a fabulous ticket package which includes two tickets to both Friday and Saturday night’s horse show performances Nov. 3 and 4 (that’s both rounds of the Mad Barn Indoor Eventing challenge, as well as the Canadian Show Jumping Championships.)

To enter, follow the instructions on the Facebook post below (click here if the embedded post does not display in your browser):

📣 🇨🇦 Mad Barn has just given us some tickets to give away for #MadBarn Indoor Eventing Challenge Friday & Saturday…

Posted by Eventing Nation on Tuesday, October 31, 2023


Please note this contest includes tickets for the Friday & Saturday evening horse show performances (which include general admission to the Fair) and does not include transportation, accommodation or any other associated costs.

You must be able to pick up your tickets in person at The Royal in Toronto with photo ID in order to redeem your prize. This contest is not in any way affiliated with or endorsed by Meta, its subsidiaries or associates. Contest closes Nov. 1 at noon EST.

Winner will be drawn at random and announced on tomorrow, Wednesday Nov. 1.

What’s On Tap: The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs

By on Oct 31, 2023 12:30 pm -

The grand entrance into the main arena at Galway Downs, which also plays host to international show jumping and dressage competition. There’s also a full Thoroughbred training track in operation here. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

We aren’t quite done yet! Two major events remain on the U.S. calendar before we get an ever-so-brief break from competition. They’re two exciting ones, too, and located in some of the more enviable locations for horse events, if you ask me.

First up this weekend is the Eventing Championships at Galway Downs, which begins tomorrow with First Horse Inspections and pre-event activities. You can view the full schedule for the action-packed weekend here.

Galway Downs is hosting a full roster of fall championships: the 2023 USEF CCI2*-L and USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championships and the 2023 USEF Eventing Young Rider National Championships, presented by USEA. The event will also host USEA Area VI Championships, as well as the popular Challenge divisions for all National divisions. Prize money for the event totals $100,000, with $50k up for grabs in the Defender CCI4*-L division.

2021 Galway Downs International CCI4*-L winner Alexandra MacLeod & Newmarket Jack (PC: Tina Fitch Photography)

The 4*-L features a 12-combination entry list:

  • Rebecca Braitling and Caravaggio II
  • Sophie Click and Tarantino 54 + Quidproquo
  • Dana Cooke and FE Quattro
  • Ariel Grald and Diara
  • Tommy Greengard and Joshuay MBF
  • Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker + Shanroe Cooley
  • Emilee Libby and Toska
  • Tamie Smith and Cooley By Design + Kynan + Elliot V

You can check out the full entry list for all divisions here. 

And yes, you’ll be able to watch live, for free! Bookmark the Ride On Video live streams here and here — I’ll update this post with the schedule once it’s available.

Want to get in on the action and earn some great karma while you’re at it? There are still several openings for volunteers — click here to sign up for a shift!

Stay tuned for much more from Galway right here on EN!

The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer]

Rachel Lawson: Thoroughbred Champion, Through Thick & Thin

By on Oct 31, 2023 9:30 am -

Rachel Lawson Dunning and High Tide. Photo courtesy of Equestly.

As the owner of an opinionated off-the-track Thoroughbred mare, I’ve always been fascinated by eventing’s love affair with the Thoroughbred. Though purebred Thoroughbreds have now gone out of fashion, many top riders, if not all, still choose their five-star mounts based on how much “blood” they have. No, not blood in their veins, but how much Thoroughbred breeding they have in their pedigree. Through four-star eventer Rachel Lawson’s relationship with her OTTB High Tide, you can come to understand why eventing and Thoroughbreds have always gone hand-in-hand, why they’ve drifted apart, and if the breed has a future in the sport.

Rachel Lawson’s name is synonymous with Thoroughbreds. She has built a career off of restarting off-the-track Thoroughbreds for both herself and her clients. She’s still competing the horse that inspired her love of the breed, and for ex-racehorses in particular: High Tide, a 13 year-old OTTB, owned by the rider. Despite their rocky, and sometimes scary, start together, Rachel says she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Tell me about High Tide. What’s he like “behind the stall door?”

High Tide, barn name Kai, was my first off the track and he could not have been more difficult. He was just absolutely wild. Very anxious. He would have these just blind rage kind of anxiety attacks. So I spent about almost two months really just working with him doing natural horsemanship and just rope halter work and forming that bond and communicating with him and speaking with him in his own language. People literally joke that he was basically going to end up in the slaughterhouse, and they’ll say either ‘Thank god he ended up with you’ or ‘He’s gonna kill you one day.’

I just started to really learn that a lot of his antics were because he wanted to do the right job so bad that if he didn’t feel like he was doing his job 100 percent correct, he was almost like a little kid who was hitting his head against a wall saying, ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid.’ He wants to give you 500 percent and if he thinks he’s giving you 499 percent, he just can’t handle it. And I am very similar to him, so it was very easy for me to understand him.

I remember going around our first intermediate together and half way through I had this really emotional moment of thinking to myself, like, ‘Wow, this horse is gonna go all the way. All of my dreams are gonna come true on this horse.’

Since then, we’re constantly learning and it’s never ending and the journey is always continuing. We’re always striving to do better and improve. But he is in a place now where the pieces are in a row and he’s so confident in himself and in what he’s doing.

He’s my buddy and I love him and we just have such a great partnership. We have that great partnership because I just listened to him from day one. And I listened to all the things he was telling me, I understood him, and I took my time.

What was your mindset like when you were training High Tide, particularly through his younger, wilder years?

With High Tide, less is more. So I really kind of had to work on myself, as well as finding my own kind of zen place and peace. I am the same way as High Tide. I am an overthinker and I’m a worrier. With the whole anxiety thing– It was really all about learning how to positively influence him, essentially by removing myself from the equation in some ways, if that makes sense.

Despite all the difficult moments, has Kai inspired you to specialize in retraining ex-racehorses for your clients? Why did you fall in love with this breed?

Oh, absolutely. I mean, my barn is pretty much all Thoroughbreds. I just really love these horses. I think that it’s so incredible that they are purpose-bred to do this one thing, but they end up doing so much more. I mean, you see them in all disciplines across the board and you don’t see other breeds doing that, you know, and they’re just incredible.

They’re so smart and they have the biggest hearts. I will say maybe not all of them, but for the most part, they want to go to work and they want to please and they try so hard to learn all these new things and do the right thing. I think a lot of that is hardwired into their DNA, but also they’re put to work at such an early age and they thrive off of doing something and having a job, especially when they have a good relationship and partnership with their person.

And not all of them are like High Tide. I went to go see one and I looked in the stall and watched them pull him out. He was quiet as can be. No chain in sight. I watched him jog and I picked him up the next day. I typically don’t go for three-year-olds, but I had the space to turn him out for a while. So he got thrown out in the field for about six months and I pulled him back in when he was four and got on him. I mean, he just hacked out on the buckle and you could tell he was just such a good old soul. And he ended up being one of those horses that I would say you could give them off six months and you could go get them in the field bareback and ride them off and you know he would always be the same horse.

So they’re all so different. The brain to me is so so important. But you know, there’s all kinds of Thoroughbreds.

Rachel Lawson Dunning and High Tide. Photo by Nicole Binneman.

How does track work translate to eventing? What education do the horses bring with them after getting off the track?

I galloped racehorses and I broke the babies, I did that for years. You definitely get a much greater understanding of the start to their life before they end up in a second career doing that.

So when it comes to the leg, one of two things can happen: they don’t respond to your leg because it doesn’t mean anything to them, or they’re very explosive to your leg. So Kai was very, very, very reactive to the leg. On top of that, you have to be so still and quiet with your hands and your body because on the track, when you move your hand that means go faster.

It’s really just taking everything that they know and how they’ve been started in life and their purpose in life and basically telling them, ‘Okay, clean slate, forget all that. I’m going to teach you a whole other game, a whole other world, a whole other life.’ Some of them have really great brains where they figure it out quickly and some of them are just a lot trickier.

With High Tide, you just always had to really reassure him and make a big deal and make it very clear like yes, like that’s what you’re supposed to do, even if it’s just the thought of what he’s supposed to do for a brief second. But those brief seconds build up and then one day you have 10 seconds and then one day you have five steps and so on and so forth. Once he really figured out what leg meant, moving off the leg when you’re seeing that he’s very sensitive to what you’re seeing guys. Then you get it was the same thing with the groundwork. Then you get to a point where he’s a cool, calm, free dressage horse.

How do you work with OTTBs before getting on them for the first time?

My mom loves natural horsemanship, and that was a huge part of my education growing up. She loved John Lyons and Monty Roberts. So that was kind of already a little bit in my repertoire, which carried over to when I first got Kai, Handling him on the ground, he was wild. He was rude. He was pushy. He had no personal space. Anything would make him nervous. I mean, like lights are on but nobody was home kind of just blacked out about things.

When he came to me he had been let down for about 10 days. And so we just started, you know, trying to do all the rope halter, just groundwork, I mean, the kind of the basic Parelli routine, getting him to ring back to work on a circle, change directions off your body language, and it was a nightmare. He was just so bad and so awful, he ripped away from me so many times and went galivanting around the property.

That’s where you could really start to read if he wasn’t sure of what he was supposed to do, his go to move was just a mental breakdown. That took a really long time to just kind of get through to him. Some days we’re about two hours of just trying to get him to turn the light on on the rounds, or just to take one step backwards. So it took a lot of patience, and it’s just about being very clear. Ask a very clear question and make a big deal about it when they give you even the slightest hint of the correct answer. And, you know, those that answer eventually it gets clearer and clearer and then you have this really, you know, well oiled second language that both you and the horse understand and that translates massively under saddle.

Where do you think the stereotype that Thoroughbreds are crazy comes from?

There’s a lot of people who want a horse. Thoroughbreds in the US are a dime a dozen off the track. They don’t have a big price tag on them. They get scooped up by maybe not the right homes, or the most educated homes, so they kind of end up getting a bad or a false reputation.

The last thing you should do when you get a Thoroughbred is just put pressure on them. You cannot pressurize them. It’s like sealing a tarp on a volcano. It’s gonna blow and that’s where it goes downhill. They’re a completely different animal than any other horse.

I think you see them shine when they’re in the right homes and then it doesn’t matter what discipline you ride. I’ve seen Thoroughbreds barrel race and in the show hunters. They can do so many different things. It just depends on if they end up with somebody who’s willing to listen and guide them, and let them shine in their own way and at their own pace. Educate them, listen to them, don’t put the pressure on them.

You go back to slowing things down a lot. Can you dive into that a little more? What does that mean in the context of training OTTBs?

So just taking the time and slowly trotting things is one of the best things you can do with any young horse, but especially the off the track ones. Their go-to answer for any question you ask them is speed. That’s all they know. It’s very hard for some of them to learn how to process things by slowing it down, slowing their brain down.

High Tide’s brain, for example, always wants to run a million miles an hour. And he had a really hard time trying to process things and slowing down. You can take him to events and he would want to run at the fences and seems so bold and brave and dragging you too much to the fence. But, if you came back around and just tried to slowly walk up to it or trot it, he would have a mental breakdown and he would spin and he would run backwards and not understand it at all.

I spent a lot of time walking cross country fences, which was the most intimidating thing I’ve ever done. In his younger years, I spent more time halting in front of jumps than I actually did jumping them, just to get him to understand ‘Hey, you have to half-halt here.’

So it was a very long process, teaching him that he can do things without speed took a long time, really well into his career I was still working with that. In the jumping phases, more so in the show jumping. I think that’s because when you go out on cross country you can allow them to have a little bit more of a gallop. But, as I said, even around his first beginner novice, he tried to go around it like he was running Kentucky.

Rachel Lawson Dunning and High Tide. Photo courtesy of Equestly.

Why do you think we don’t see many Thoroughbreds at the upper levels of eventing?

This sport used to be dominated by Thoroughbreds. The Thoroughbreds thrived in the long format because that was where they were in their element. I mean, it just comes down to the galloping and the fitness required. When we lost the long format, it allowed the doorway to open for the warm bloods to come in, the more show jumper and dressage-bred horses. The long format was so catered to the Thoroughbred that you wanted to be sitting on a Thoroughbred back then and that’s not necessary anymore.

And the problem is that Thoroughbreds are not for everybody. They’re very specific to the kind of ride that you’re looking for. I think if you’re a Thoroughbred person, you’re a Thoroughbred person. That’s all I want to sit on, you know? But I know people who can get on a Thoroughbred and it just doesn’t work.

Even though they can end up with a false or bad reputation, if we continue to advocate for them and believe in them, I think they’ll start to make more and more of an appearance again. The pendulum I think is kind of swinging back to that middle ground. The coolest thing about eventing though, is there’s so many different breeds. Like there’s not one stamp of a horse that’s an event horse. My first event horse was a Morgan and he was 14.3! I mean, you see Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods and Connemaras. I mean you can have a Heinz 57. There’s a place for all of them.

What advice would you give to someone who is looking at an OTTB for the first time?

Take your time, be patient, be quiet, listen to what the horse has to say. Let them tell you what they’re ready for. Don’t get greedy– I can’t stress that enough.

Because there’s so many equestrians who start off with an ex-racehorse and they’re like, ‘Okay, well, let’s go cross country schooling. Let’s go do that. Let’s go do this.’ And the horse does it because that’s what they know how to do. They know how to do what you ask them to do.

I think the best thing that you can do with an off the track Thoroughbred is just take your time and don’t get greedy, because it can be very easy to do. And I don’t think that that sets them up for success. I think that sets them up for being over faced or insecure and losing confidence.

This article was sponsored by Equestly. Check out their new app or shop their full line of equestrian gear on equestly.com. For her part, Rachel sings praises about Equestly. “I have two of the Lux 2-in-1 Jackets now and I wear them every single day, throughout the whole winter. But I think the first day that I wore my first pair of Equestly breeches, I didn’t want to take them off and that’s usually the first thing I want to do at the end of the day. But honestly, there’s not one thing that I can say is my favorite. It’s just all wonderful, great stuff. I mean I live in their stuff every single day.”

Click here to discover the full collection of Equestly products.

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Oct 31, 2023 6:31 am -

 

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We’re delighted to be able to share the news with you that, after a frightening fall on course at Pau that necessitated a long hold, Austria’s Lea Siegl and her horse, DSP Fighting Line, are absolutely fine. Poor Lea does have a couple of broken ribs and has needed a bit of sewing back up after sustaining a wound to her face, but there’ll be no long-term damage and after a bit of healing time, she’ll be back out kicking ass and taking names as Austria’s leading superstar. We look forward to seeing you again next season, Lea — now, get those feet up and enjoy a bit of r&r!

Events Opening Today: None! We’ve reached that time of year, folks…

Events Closing Today: The Event at TerraNova, Ram Tap H.T. & Classic 3-Day

Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:

There are few better ways to end the season than a spin round a classic three-day. I love how much more prevalent these have become across the lower levels, making them an accessible goal for most riders — and one they’ll learn tonnes from, too. Meet a couple of winners from Hagyard Midsouth and find out why they wanted to focus their attentions on eventing’s “old school”.

There are some concepts that transcend disciplines — and lightness and feel are two of them. See what legendary hunter trainer and judge Geoff Teall has to say on the topic, and how he trains both horses and riders to attain both, here.

Another great way to end the season? With a win and a qualification for Badminton’s Grassroots Championship — and that’s even more exciting if you’re only thirteen years old! Meet the champ in this sweet piece from H&H.

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sponsor Corner: Les 5 Etoiles de Pau is known to have an atmosphere like no other, complete with flash mobs and patriotic parachutists. Despite the raucous atmosphere, Ros Canter and the mildly overwhelmed Izilot DHI have come home a winner. Pau coverage was brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products, creator of high-quality supplements to better your horse’s quality of life.

Watch This:

Us Brits love nothing more than a Shetland race. I’m glad to see that this, from Maryland, proves that the trend is spreading. Look, we all know the tiny hairy ones will take over the world eventually — let’s not fight it.

Monday Video: Boyd and Bruno Beat the Clock at Pau

By on Oct 30, 2023 4:30 pm -

I unfortunately couldn’t watch Les 5 Etoiles de Pau cross country livestream this Saturday, but I could tell from the pinging of messages flying through the EN team Slack channel that it was an absolute doozy.

Thanks to EN team superhero Cheg Darlington running live updates, I was able to fully catch up with all the drama on course but my first real glimpse of the action has just come via this video of Boyd Martin and the Goodwin family’s Federman B‘s catty and FAST run across Pierre Michelet’s bold course.

Boyd and “Bruno” were the only pair to meet the optimum time out of all 54 pairs to leave the start box that day. While they did trigger a MIM-clip at fence 13B, their quick round still saw them climb from 16th to 9th after this phase, and then a double clear jumping round the following day would see them complete the event in 8th — that’s two for two top ten five-star finishes for Bruno now.

Enjoy their full cross country round above!

Les 5 Etoiles de Pau: [Website] [Results] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Weekend Winners: Chattahoochee, Waredaca, & YEH

By on Oct 30, 2023 12:30 pm -

We hope that you all had a Happy Halloweekend, celebrating the spooky season with your friends and family, both two legged and four. It was a productive weekend for Eventers, despite only three events running. We saw competition through the 4* level at Chattahoochee, celebrated and enjoyed the long format at Waredaca, and highlighted the upcoming talent at the YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier.

Congrats to all on successful outings! As always, an extra special shout out to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award, Mia Soules and Nirvana, who scored an impressive 21.8 in the Beginner Novice Rider division at Chattahoochee!

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website][Scores]

CCI4*S: Sara Kozumplik and Rock Phantom (41.5)
CCI3*S: Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill (27.9)
CCI2*S: Leslie Law and Lady Chatterley (25.7)
CCI1*S: Candace Elizabeth Bell and Fernhill Fuerst (28.0)
Advanced: Matthew Ulmer and Wellview Mister Lux (82.5)
Open Intermediate: Mary Bess Davis and Imperio Magic (31.2)
Open Preliminary: Ariel Grald and Kingston Van Meerzicht (26.3)
Open Modified: Chelsey Sawtell and Toto’s Weather Tamer (32.0)
Open Training A: Madison Manley and NDR’s Fez (30.1)
Open Training B: Melanie Smith and Ballynoecastle TD (28.9)
Training Rider: Brie Murray and Fernhill Ranga Tanga (28.0)
Novice Rider A: Celia White and To Infinity and Beyond DASH (31.7)
Novice Rider B: April Hays and Anteros HSH (25.6)
Open Novice A: Ariel Grald and Sunhill Cobrio (27.3)
Open Novice B: Tessa Geven and Ameristan (25.0)
Beginner Novice Rider: Mia Soules and Nirvana (21.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Margaret Stocker and Smilla’s Sense of Snow (22.7)

Waredaca Classic Three Day Event & H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website][Scores]

Modified Three Day: Kate Nolfi and Wild Pioneer (36.6)
Training Three Day: Danielle Downing and Caribe PCH (28.5)
Novice Three Day: Nancy T. Read and Classic Chrome PCH (25.0)
Beginner Novice Three Day: Emma Whitaker and HSH Golden Boy (26.0)
Open Preliminary: Shannon P. Lilley and Ideal HX (31.7)
Modified Rider: Bailey Kent and Scooby Dooby Doo (38.3)
Open Modified: Martin Douzant and Caspers Run (25.5)
Open Training: Isabelle Bosley and Conner (24.7)
Training Rider: Madison Markley and Olney Uncle Sam (28.3)
Novice Rider A: Silvio Pappalardo and Pure Biz (31.1)
Novice Rider B: Emma Makovitch and Twoggeron (32.5)
Open Novice: Tracey Bienemann and After Eight (27.5)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Sophia Tews and Carson Too (29.1)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Lindsey Morris and Lucky Charm (27.5)
Open Beginner Novice: Martin Douzant and Beall Spring Chanel (26.6)

YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier (Paso Robles, CA) [Website][Scores]

Dutta Corp. USEA YEH 4 Y.O. West Coast Ch.: Amber Birtcil and Oxford K (83.1)
Dutta Corp. USEA YEH 5 Y.O. West Coast Ch.: Andrea Baxter and Camelot PJ (85.9)
Young Event Horse 4 year Old LCQ: Amber Birtcil and Oriental Star (88.3)
Young Event Horse 5 Year Old LCQ: Jordan Linstedt and LS Crown Royal (90.9)