Classic Eventing Nation

My 2014 Goal: Keeping It Simple

By on Jan 1, 2014 1:00 pm -

Life is Good...A Great Philosphy to Follow. Screenshot via www.lifeisgood.com

Since 2013 has officially now come to a close, and I’m sitting here one yet another New Year’s Day…it’s another time for reflection.  Reflection of what I feel that I’ve accomplished in the year that has just ended.  And what I plan to (try) to do or achieve moving forward.  The coming year always seems to hold a great deal of promise from this particular day!  I know that I usually find myself falling into the habit of making a list of goals for the year at this point.  In fact, I already jotted down a few things, before I stopped myself…that first list is now crumpled up and sitting in my recycle bin.  Those “goals” were way too specific, and I fear that I was setting myself up for some kind of disappointment if they didn’t happen when and how I was picturing them.

 

As an equestrian, I feel like I owe a responsibility to 1) improve my own riding, and 2) to keep each of my horses fit and happy.  Each of ‘my boys’ are in a very different place in their life and training.  Instead of setting far-reaching and specific goals for each of them, I want to be fair and realistic.  I am most certainly going to have a different plan for my senior-ish horse then I am going to have for my two younger geldings; but my over-arching goal for all of them is that they are happy, healthy and fit.  The how is what is going to differ.

 

Ripley, for example, has been in my life for over a decade.  He was my very first horse, and we’ve had years together to see just about everything…I don’t really think there is much left for him to learn.  Though he might still have some lessons left to teach me.  Anyway, Ripley has now reached his early 20s, but is still in great health and loves to go out for rides.  My goal is to keep him fit and happy, and only doing as much as he can handle; since I know him so well, this is certainly manageable.

 

As for my two youngsters, Mark and Rufus–at a high level, I obviously want both to progress in their training this year.  I really don’t want to get any more specific than that though; every horse has a unique personality and their brains all work a little differently.  Therefore they learn differently–by different methods and at different speeds.  It is very tempting, and would certainly be very easy to say “I want so-and-so to be to their first starter trial by a certain date” BUT I am going to stop myself from doing this.  One of the reasons that I decided to “grow my own” prospects was so that I could enjoy the journey.  I love watching both Mark and Roo grow up from foals, so why not take my time with their training and enjoy every step, rather then rush to get to showing?

 

Personally, I think that we can stop and learn a lot from our horses.  They usually always content and happy, and wait to face obstacles until they are set up in front of them.  They don’t anticipate or worry about what is coming in the future, but seem to relax and enjoy each moment as it goes by (unless, of course, you are taking a little too long to get to their stall with their grain bucket!).  They don’t sweat the small stuff (unless it’s a plastic bag floating around).  This year, I’m going to try to take a lead from my horses, and keep things simple.  My goal?  Keep things simple.  Enjoy each day.  Work as hard as I can (and play as hard as I can!).  Enjoy each step forward and celebrate the victory.  And most importantly, HAVE FUN!

 

Go Keeping It Simple.  Go Working & Playing Hard.  Go Eventing.

EN’s 2013 in Review

By on Jan 1, 2014 11:30 am -

My kind of resolution!

It’s that time of year, EN. Get out your memo pads and write those resolutions down and get ready to conquer 2014. It’s been an incredible year here at EN, and we owe all of our success to you. I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane and recap some of our biggest stories from this year. So sit back and enjoy, and get ready for an even better year in 2014. Don’t worry, we have the chinchillas working nonstop to make 2014 the best yet! Did we leave your favorite story off the list? Comment below and let us know what you will remember from 2013.

Neville Bardos and Theodore O’Connor Named to Horse Stars Hall of Fame.

Established by the EQUUS Foundation and the USEF, the Horse Stars Hall of Fame seeks to honor talented horses throughout the many equestrian disciplines. Neville Bardos and Theodore O’Connor were two of the inaugural inductees into this new Hall of Fame.

April Fool’s! The FEI now recognizes gay horses.

In one of our most popular April 1 posts yet, we announced that the FEI would be recognizing gay horses, repealing its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. We were also told that Manoir de Carneville was quite pleased with this announcement.

Andrew Nicholson Wins Rolex Aboard Quimbo.

The show jumping portion of Rolex was tough this year, allowing only five clear rounds. Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo came out on top after delivering a nearly flawless weekend.

EN’s First Annual Rolex Tailgating Party.

For the first time, the faces behind Eventing Nation were able to converge upon the cross country course at Rolex. The tailgate was a huge success, and we got to meet many of our loyal readers. Definitely a whole new meaning to “Insanity in the Middle.”

Jock Paget and Clifton Promise Win Badminton.

Jock dethroned Ze Terminator to win a thriller at Badminton this year. Jock also won Badminton on his first attempt, and this was also his first CCI4* win.

Rick Wallace Demonstrates True Stickability.

Blogger contest finalist and upper level rider Rick Wallace stuck to his guns, literally, in a close call at Chatt Hills over the summer. The video quickly went viral, so of course we posted it for all of EN to see!

Jock Paget and Clifton Promise Take Burghley.

Jock and Clifton Promise continued their world domination by winning Burghley this year. Unfortunately they have since been stripped of the title, but at the time we were on the edge of our seats waiting for a Grand Slam finale at Rolex 2014.

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch Win the Advanced AEC

After saving Al for most of the year, Laine and her trusty OTTB stormed through the fall season, culminating with a win at the American Eventing Championships. Laine is now looking ahead to Rolex as Al’s next goal.

Clifton Promise Tests Positive for Reserpine at Burghley.

Unfortunately, the Grand Slam dream for Jock Paget was quickly stamped out as he and Clifton Promise have been suspended from competition after the Badminton and Burghley winner tested positive with two samples for a banned substance.

Two words: Dressage Skillz.

Wylie was kind enough to break Evention TV’s hit down in GIF form. This video definitely goes down on my top 10 list for the year.

Omega Alpha Reader Submission of the Month: December

By on Jan 1, 2014 11:00 am -

EN isn’t just your leading source for eventing news, results and commentary; it’s a community where fans of this crazy sport come together to share their war stories. We love hearing from readers and, in turn, sharing your thoughts with the world. All reader submissions are eligible for the Omega Alpha Reader Submission of the Month in which they are published. All winners will receive an Omega Alpha supplement of their choosing. Have something to share with EN? Send it to us at [email protected]!

Mark and Wally meet for the first time.

We here at EN would like to congratulation Meika Decher for sending in her heartwarming story about her husband’s first horse, Christmas Wally. There’s nothing we love more than surprise horse stories, and this one is no different.

The plan was on Christmas Eve to dress Wally up in red, green and ribbons and then go find Mark and somehow get him into the barn. I concocted a story that there was a pipe leaking, and he needed to help repair it. With a look of dread and pipe wrench in hand, we walked to the barn, and a group of boarders, working students and groom sang “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and watched Mark’s confusion and then smile.

Meika will receive a free supply of an Omega Alpha supplement of her choice for sharing their story. Want to win an Omega Alpha supplement? Send in your story, clinic report, video or other article to [email protected]. If it’s published this month, it will be eligible for December’s giveaway. (Month to be determined by date of publishing, not date of submission.) Many thanks to Meika for writing and to Omega Alpha for supporting Eventing Nation. Go eventing!

Here are a few notable submissions from our readers for the month of December:

Best Argument for Fox Hunting: “Take Your Eventer Foxhunting” by Laura Millerick

“I know, I know, it may seem crazy, but hear me out. What to do when the competition season ends and it gets cold is a question that plagues all of us. Like most, I will not be making the Great Migration to the south for the chillier months, but that’s okay with me since I look forward to hunt season as much as the start of event season.  There’s a lot of reasons why trying hunting with your eventer may be a really great thing for both you and your horse, and they may surprise you.”

Best Memorial Post: “A Tribute to Mighty Military” by Brooke Schafer

“Thank you Ghost for sharing your life with me and taking me to new heights I never thought possible. I am sure you are galloping away over the clouds somewhere, swapping leads as you go.”

Best “Crazy Horse Lady” Testimonial: “No Such Thing as a Free Horse” by Sarah Clark

“Smart pony in need of stimulation and a JOB! He starts to look more like a little gentleman. The owner’s niece wants to try my techniques. Good little pony listens to her. The nephew wants to go for a ride. Pony tolerates said child grasping his neck and poking his heels into his flank. “This is a good pony you have here, he just needs someone to be the boss,” I tell his owner. They think I am the horse whisperer and insist I take him home with me. Free.”

Best Pony Tale: “A Pony Named Richard” by Erin Kimmer 

“Some ponies are worth their weight in gold because of their show records or breeding.  Matty is priceless to me because of the person whom he shaped me into and I feel so lucky to have been able to share him and his life lessons with others.”

Best Fitness Blog: “Preparing for an Ironman” by Margie Kinsinger

“Many have probably heard of the Ironman World Championships held every November in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kona is the “Rolex” of triathlons. In order to race at Kona, you must qualify at one of only a handful of Ironman races held in different locations around the world. The race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles on the bike, and a 26.2-mile run (a full marathon), one after the other, and there is a time limit for each phase.”

 

 

Resolving to Live Whole Heartedly

By on Jan 1, 2014 10:00 am -

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2014 is the year of the horse. Not to put any pressure on anybody, but I’m pretty sure that means amazing things are coming our way in the equestrian community this year. Specifically in Eventing, I predict it to be the year that we really start to see an inkling of results to come for Team USA on the international scene, and as a community we will start to feel rejuvenated and inspired. At least, I hope so, anyway.

As for personal resolutions for the new year, they always seem to fall short of the expectations. We always think to ourselves, “This will be the year that I’ll finally lose that weight/stop eating junk food/stop cursing so much/spend more time with the family/have more self confidence/get that job I want.” However, I think as humans we are sometimes a little too focused on the outcome, the end game, the last jump on course. This year, I resolve to be more invested in the journey, and the process of learning in all aspects of my life.

The first step, at least for my part, is to admit to myself that I have weaknesses, and embrace them instead of hiding them in the closet. On the “horse” side of my brain, I understand this completely. If I’m having a problem with my riding or one of my horses, I go take a lesson and I expose the issue fully so that my coach can assess the situation and hopefully help me rectify the problem. In my personal life….not so much! I like to pretend that I’m on top of everything, and through that I tend to stay in my comfort zone so that I can maintain the illusion. I prefer to appear like I’m in control of my life, which is quite clearly a ridiculous thing to even ponder. Resolution number one: accept that you’re not in control, expose yourself as a regular human being, and work on being more readily vulnerable.

My second resolution is not as much theoretical, but rather more experience related. In the same vein of accepting vulnerability, I want 2014 to be a year where I force myself out of my comfort zone, my known world of horses and horse people. In years past, this idea has seemed to me as a sign of lesser dedication to my sport and lifestyle, but I’ve steadily realized that it makes for a very limited world view if you never step outside one community. This means I want to learn about other sports, other hobbies, and I want to spend energy investing in experiences with other people, and not just on horseback.

A friend of mine recently sent me this TED Talk, and while they might have been sending me a not so subtle cue, I found the video to be revelatory. Brene Brown speaks to the idea of vulnerability, and how to almost harness it for a greater connection to humankind. At one point, she says, “In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really be seen”. When interacting with horses, this is simple because they don’t operate with masks and illusions but instead they are honest all the time. People, however, are far more complex and paradoxical.

Brene speaks to the idea of people living “whole-heartedly through a deep sense of worthiness” in her speech below, and this is my final resolution. Yes, I have yearly goals and destinations and tangible objectives in mind for 2014, but moreover I want to work on living whole-heartedly. I know that I can work my fingers to the bone, and I know that I can succeed through grit and determination and patience, but what I don’t know could fill a football stadium, and I’m working on being OK with that.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o[/youtube]

George Morris Horsemastership Training Sessions Day 2

By on Jan 1, 2014 8:02 am -

 

After the first day of flatwork basics, George Morris is back for more on today with more flatwork and a bit of gymnastics.  Yesterday produced a lot of “Inside leg to outside rein,” a mantra many of us have heard before.  George got on a horse in each group– the second one in particular was pretty tough, inverted, with a lot of “temperament” as George said.  The 75-year-old coach rode for 20 minutes, explaining himself the whole time, and the result was a much softer, more educated horse at the end.  “I don’t use draw reins or gadgets,” George said.  “I have legs, I have a seat, I have hands.”

USEF is archiving the rides quickly, so if you miss a session, look for it On Demand later.  The first group starts at 8am, the second group at 10am.  Today also includes a flatwork session with legendary show jumper Anne Kursinski at 1pm.

USEF Live Feed

USEF Horsemastership Training Sessions Schedule [PDF]

 

8:50am:  Less than an hour in, we already have a quote of the day.  Says George: “Riding with me is like being eaten alive by a duck.”

Happy New Year! News and Notes from MD Barnmaster

By on Jan 1, 2014 2:43 am -

From Abbie:

Happy New Year EN!! I hope you all had a safe and fun New Year’s Eve, and that everyone is starting out 2014 on the right foot. Up-and-coming hunter riders certainly are- the 2014 George Morris Horsemastership Training Sessions began yesterday in Wellington and will continue through Saturday. The USEF is broadcasting a live feed of the proceedings, and you can catch up on all you may have missed yesterday on the website. The Chronicle is also on grounds and providing written and visual coverage of the sessions. Click to check out their Day 1 writeup. [The Chronicle] [USEF Live Feed]

Several horses have tested positive for EHV-1 at a boarding facility in North Carolina. The state veterinary office released a statement saying that the horses at the farm had very little movement on and off the farm and that the premises have been quarantined since December 23. At this point the veterinarians believe that this is an isolated incident that poses little risk to outside horses, but they are still taking strict precautions. [The Horse]

It’s officially a WEG year! Are you thinking about going? Unfortunately multi-event passes are sold out for now, but single event tickets (ie, cross country only) will be put up for sale in March. Check out the official Normandy website for more information. [WEG 2014]

Jan Byyny’s former four-star mount Waterfront stepped out again last weekend at the Friends of the Animal Shelter benefit Hunter Pace in Aiken. The hunter pace was hosted by Jim and Sarah Wildasin at their Fox Nation farm and raised money to assist a new county animal shelter that will be opening in January. Avoca Equine’s Dr. Keelin Redmond rode the legendary Waterfront at the event, and from the looks of things he still going strong. Click for a photo and to read more information about the event. [Aiken Standard]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Wrapping up 2013 with Bobby Costello. Bobby joins Samantha and Jess to discuss 2013 from a High Performance perspective, and then Lynn Samansky stops by to offer a quick training tip. [Eventing Radio Show]

NYC mayor-elect Bill de Blasio has announced that one of his first acts in office will be to ban carriage horses from Central Park. For those who don’t know, the presence of the carriage horses has been a years-long ongoing drama between animal rights activists and those who argue the horses are well-treated and an important piece of the city. At a news conference on Monday, de Blasio said, “We are going to quickly and aggressively move to make horse carriages no longer a part of the landscape in New York City. They are not humane.” [New York Times Taking Note Blog]

Need some ideas for your New Years resolutions? Check out this week’s Idea of Order over on Horse Nation. Illustrator Morgane Schmidt lists her horse-related goals, such as spending at least 10% of her time in a relatively sanitary state without shavings and horse hair attached. [Horse Nation]

Rest in peace Lionel Dunning, accomplished British show jumper. Lionel was 75 when he died on Monday after suffering a fatal heart attack. He was still active in the horse world, and had been teaching on Monday morning before his death. Over the course of his career he was awarded FEI bronze, silver and gold medals of honor as a result of his international performances, as well as numerous national titles and Nations Cup wins.  He returned to the highest levels of competition even after suffering a very serious fall and brain damage in the 1970s. The video below is of Lionel competing in 1981 aboard one of his most famous partners, Jungle Bunny. [Horsetalk]

Best Videos of 2013, brought to you by SpectraVet

By on Dec 31, 2013 2:30 pm -

We post a lot of videos here on EN– at least two per day. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like without Youtube or it’s cousin Vimeo. As the saying goes…if it isn’t on Youtube, it didn’t happen. And so, here’s what DID happen in 2013: some of the most-liked and most-watched moments captured on camera and shared on Eventing Nation. I haven’t embedded all the videos here– it would make the site crash– but click on the links to view.

 

March 11: Buck Davidson Gets Chased at Red Hills

“Once again, ladies and gentlemen, please keep your dogs on leashes!” In a repeat of Rolex 2009, Buck Davidson once again was chased around cross-country by a dog. Luckily, his horse Riviera didn’t seem to care! Buck and Riviera finished 10th in the Open Prelim-A division.

 

March 12: Horseware’s “Rugs For Life”

This one is a MUST SEE that will start your workday off right. I think Budweiser’s ad executives have some competition from Horseware Ireland… you’re going to love this commercial. (Turn your speakers up.)

 

April 14: A Wild Ride at Pimlico

This race yesterday at Pimlico appears to be business as usual until the leader, Spicer Cub ridden by Xavier Perez, blows the turn and bolts wide coming toward the home stretch. The jockey somehow regroups, only to have the horse bolt again and run full speed between the outside rail and the starting gate. And to top it all off, Spicer Cub straightens out to come roaring home — with the announcer yelling, “Do you believe in miracles?” — after Xavier has lost his irons, and he still nearly wins the race.

 

 

April 28: XC Video – Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo

The wait is over… thanks to the USEF Network, here is the full cross-country round of the overnight leader, Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo. What an extraordinary horse! And thus, #Nicholsonontwitter was born.

 

April 29: Run Henny Run, Rolex 2013 Edition

Henny’s Rolex video is back online and better than ever. A million thanks to Peter for posting such an amazing video. Go Henny and Peter.

 

 

June 10: Why You Learn to Emergency Dismount

The first 10 seconds of this video will make your heart stop. At Bramham CCI3* (Under 25 division), Arthur Bonneau riding Quasar du Saillan came too quickly on approach to a big galloping fence (#7, triple brush), and missed. The rider actually TOUCHES THE GROUND with his hands in front of the horse’s face, ripping off the bridle in the process. Miraculously, the horse recovers and flings the rider back into the saddle. (HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!) However, the horse takes off with bridle now tangled around his hind feet and the rider, left with no way to control his horse, does what any good Pony Clubber would do: an emergency dismount.

 

July 8: “Stickability”

This video is from Chattahoochee Hills this past weekend, and features one of our Blogger Contestants, Rick Wallace! Rick was cantering around his Training level show jumping in a good fashion when there was a little OOPS moment, which resulted in an impressive and hilarious attempt to avoid elimination. One must give credit to the horse, Ultimate Decision, for tolerating such shenanigans with aplomb, and give a round of applause to Rick for his tenacious attempt to monkey his way back in the saddle!

 

August 4: Gatcombe Oh Crap Moment

A spectator captured Caroline Harris and Zamio’s trip through the steps yesterday in the Novice Championships at the Festival of British Eventing. Zamio took one look at the steps and decided he wanted nothing to do with them. He then proceeds to defy gravity and perform a sort of pirouette down the steps, somehow managing not to flip over in the process. Now THAT’S an Oh Crap Moment.

 

August 14: Daniel Bluman Jumps 2.2 Meters

Well, it’s not every day you get to see a puissance competition, and it’s certainly not every day that you get to see a horse jump 2.2 meters (7 feet 3 inches for laymen)! Columbian Show Jumper Daniel Bluman and his grey stallion Clyde cleared the impressive height at the Dublin Horse Show in the Land Rover Puissance. What would you be thinking galloping up to that big of a fence!? Check out how big that wall is compared to the horse…he can’t even see over it!! Enjoy.

 

October 4: EventionTV Presents: How Horses Eat

Evention launched a brand new season of videos and a sparkling new website to go along with it. We were assured that our entertainment and education would continue every two weeks, but as it turns out, they just couldn’t stay away from us for that long. Inspired by “How Animals Eat Their Food“, this week’s fun video features some very good imitations of hungry horses that we’ve all owned at one point or another.

 

November 26: Mary Poppins Costume Quadrille

Not only are quadrilles incredibly difficult and awesome to see in action, but the costumes on both the horses and the riders in this instance are unbelievable. How long do you think it took to create each costume, organize and practice the dressage test, and then execute it? How awesome are those horses for calmly wearing what looks like an entire body suit with a fake colored tail? I’m seriously impressed.

 

December 16: Grand Prix Jump Off

Have you ever watched two seemingly flawless jump rounds at a show and wondered, “What’s the difference between first and second place? How did that one person change his lines and gallop faster with such precise turns and huge jumps?” Well, in this short but cool video, we get to see the comparison between first place and second place as Kent Farrington on Blue Angel and Patrice Delaveau on Lacrimoso HDC go through their paces in the jump off. Pretty cool!

 

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Looking Back and Ahead!

By on Dec 31, 2013 1:00 pm -
Skybreaker fall 2013! Skybreaker fall 2013!

Its negative eight degrees in Strafford VT, and I’m sitting by the fireplace on New Year’s Eve wishing it were a warm sunny day! I’m also thinking about how New Year’s revolves around resolutions, and what people plan on doing in the following year differently. Perhaps you made mistakes in 2013, or have bad habits you are trying to kick, or maybe you have particular goals you want to meet in 2014. Whatever the changes, the goals, or the mistakes, this time of the year is a special one for several reasons. For me, instead of honing in on all the mistakes, the misfortunes, the agony, and the losses, I want to remember 2013 in a positive light and look towards the future as inspiration and motivation!

2013 was a summer of firsts and discoveries. The picture above shows the first time I jumped 4’9” on Skybreaker, a horse I never thought I would be lucky enough to ride, or compete. This summer I began my own business that I created from nothing, LG Equine Media. I never thought it would be possible to do what I love doing from home. All those emails, those phone calls, and those interviews finally paid off. This summer I learned how to jump my mare Valonia. I have been jumping her since 2009, but only this summer did I REALLY discover how she wants to be ridden, which has only opened up an exciting new avenue towards communication and a better a relationship.

Valonia Aug Huntington Training

Valonia Aug Huntington Training

In 2013, Skybreaker and I came to an understanding in dressage, mostly because his fitness hit an all-time high. I also learned a lot more about conditioning a horse, and I did my very first ten, and fifteen mile competitive trail ride on a horse I never thought could walk and trot that far. Earlier this winter, after the entire farm packed up and left, I began really thinking about and tweaking my ride on Valonia. This summer I struggled with her flatwork and her strength, but now all of a sudden, I have a whole new horse on the flat and couldn’t be more excited about her future.

I am so excited for 2014 and here’s why:

-More competitions next year at Training level, with a goal of tackling a Prelim in the fall.

– LOTS of jumper shows and even a dressage show or two!

– improve my jumping eye

– hone in on my inner aggression before leaving the start box

– improve my ability to ride on the flat

-spend more time with my friends and family

-improve our home, landscaping, gardening, etc

-set aside time to relax and enjoy the summer

-spend time at Sunnyside

-teach lessons

Our First Ten Mile CTR

Our First Ten Mile CTR

So…what are you looking forward to in 2014?!

 

 

2013 via Flipagram

By on Dec 31, 2013 11:30 am -

In the spirit of the year end recap, I decided to play around with an awesome new app called Flipagram. It’s free and it’s a great outlet for creativity. I collected some moments from the past year that I put into this collage. Look out for some familiar faces!

Note: All photos were taken by Eventing Nation photographers or were used with permission. 

2014 George Morris Horsemastership Training Sessions Begin Today

By on Dec 31, 2013 8:00 am -

Get ready for five straight days of George Morris, EN. We look forward to the Horsemastership Sessions each year, and I plan on spending the days camped in front of my computer with some popcorn. Since George missed most of the sessions last year due to illness, I’m sure he will be back with a vengeance this year. I’ve provided the necessary links for watching the sessions below. Remember that if you are unable to watch the live stream, it will be available on demand.

The complete schedule for the training sessions can be found here.   First session begins TODAY (12/31/13) at 8am and runs through Saturday (1/4/14).

To check out the live stream as well as rider profiles and archived videos, head on over to the USEF Network.