Just as everyone has diverse taste in music, riders have different taste in pump-up music. Start-Box Jams plays homage to the songs that give us the courage to tackle cross country. Do you have some favorite start-box jams you’d like to share with EN? Email me at [email protected]
I am easily as passionate about music as I am about horses. I have zero musical talent myself so I opted to go a different route. I spent my 20s as a radio DJ on various alternative rock stations in the U.S. It was an amazing experience. I spent a lot of time working with music — setting up playlists, determining which song to play to keep the energy going or to push it in a certain direction. I stepped away from the radio industry in 2010, but still habitually make playlists and soundtracks for experiences. The start box and the moments leading up to it are the essence of the eventer experience, and that deserves a soundtrack.
Andrew WK is one of my favorite artists. I’ll be honest — his music isn’t incredibly deep, and he’s not writing epic symphonies or songs that define a generation. His songs are silly rock anthems about partying and positivity. Everything is joyful and exciting in Andrew WK’s world.
“Party Hard”
He’s just plain fun. It is impossible to be sad, unmotivated or fearful of what is to come when you rock some Andrew WK. This song served as the official theme song for the 2012 World Snowboarding Championships in Oslo, Norway. Even though it’s technically a snowboarding song, I know I can identify with it. Also, I’m fairly certain this is my mare Jing’s personal anthem.
When it comes down to it, nothing beats those last five seconds in the start box. We’ve got things to do. It’s time to party. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … Have a great trip.
Last week we showed you a Buzzfeed GIF that poked fun at football player Eric Berry’s fear of horses. This week, NFL Films takes an in-depth look at the Kansas City Chiefs safety’s fear, which is clinically called equinophobia or hippophobia. Eric’s fear is a problem because the team’s mascot is a horse that gallops around the football field pumping up the fans throughout the game. Berry said that he can keep his fear under control as long as there are “10 to 12 players” between him and the horse at all times. Are eventers as tough as football players? We’re at least tougher than this guy. Go Eric.
Despite the fact that my weekend didn’t go exactly as planned (cue a pony that is too fit for his own good in the sandbox equaling disaster), I still managed to have a reasonably good time this weekend at Plantation Field International Horse Trials. The weather was beautiful, I met some awesome new friends (shout out to Holly Jacks and Callie Evans!), and had a great time watching all my friends and cheering them on from the top of the hill.
I also brought my helmet camera, but just as a forewarning a) my helmet slipped a few times and the lighting got all funky and b) my horse was entirely too fit and he thought that the first three fences were too small and he decided to run off after 3 to make it more fun. Despite these two things, he was foot perfect through all the combinations, and came home with only a few seconds time over a tough course. I was luckily one of the last riders for whom the water complex was removed, but sadly that means you don’t get to see my head go through a keyhole. Enjoy!
The big news today is FEI President Princess Haya won’t be seeking a third term, which doesn’t exactly come as a surprise considering her husband is currently embroiled in a horse doping scandal. Click here to read Princess Haya’s official statement on the FEI website. As always, Horse Nation delivers very important analysis on this issue.
I think we can all agree that the Sheikh and his wife, FEI President Princess Haya, are not having the best year ever. Being the caring website that we are, we thought we’d reach out.
First, there is the scandal surrounding the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s history of drug violations in the sports of racing and endurance. Earlier this year, 11 thoroughbreds trained at the Sheikh’s Godolphin Racing Stable tested positive for banned steroids. And then, just this month, over 100 unauthorized medications were confiscated from the operation that houses the Maktoum family’s endurance horses.
Photo from luxist.com.
What makes everything especially awkward is that the Sheikh is married to Princess Haya, whose big legacy was supposed to be the FEI’s Clean Sport Campaign. Bet that made for some terse dinner table discussions! Now Haya is seeking a third term as president of the FEI, but her bid is being met with opposition by some countries who sense a conflict of interest.
Man, that’s a sticky situation. We thought the royal couple could use a little bit of Horse Nation wisdom, so we wrote them an open letter. Here goes:
Dear Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya,
First, please know that we are huge fans. Princess Haya, you have the greatest collection of fancy hats and it was so awesome when you stuck up for gay sporthorses! Sheikh Mohammed, you continually crack us up with your hilarious scowls and grumpy faces. Sure, we’ve given you a hard time in the past, but it’s all in good fun.
We know you’re having a rough year–the little doping thing, and now nobody wants the Princess to be president anymore, etc. Maybe it’s time to take a little vacation from the horse thing, eh? You know, try something new, explore the unknown. There are so many other Olympic sports out there that could benefit from your money, power and smooth charm. Here are some ideas to get you started:
So many awesome possibilities! I mean, we’d hate to lose you (who would we make fun of then?), but you know what they say: Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end, yeah.
Get ready to show off those EN photography skills!
If you have thrown in the towel and joined Twitter and will be in Texas for the AECs this weekend, this contest is for you.
What: We are looking for your best EN photos from the upcoming weekend. Feel like spelling out EN with your stud kit? Did your gray horse wake up on dressage day with a suspicious, EN-shaped stain somewhere on him? Can you spell out Eventing Nation with the massive amounts of electrical tape that you brought with you?
When: If you are at the AECs this weekend, we want to hear from you.
What’s in it for me?: Our brand new Eventing Nation hats are coming hot off the presses soon and you could be the lucky recipient of one of the first ones! The winner will be selected next week and will receive a very official EN hat.
How do I enter?: Just snap the best EN photo you can come up with this weekend and Tweet it to @EventingNation using the hashtag #insanityinthemiddle. We will compile the entries and post them up after the AECs for your viewing pleasure.
What if I don’t have a Twitter account? If you are not a Twitter-er (Is that a word? It is now!), you can also submit your photos to [email protected].
Questions? Just email [email protected] if you’re not sure about how to enter.
Don't worry — this horse was saved! Photo via Colorado Flood Relief's Facebook page.
As everyone is aware at this point, Colorado has been suffering through some of the worst flood damage on record when the state received well over their yearly rain allotment in a few short days, resulting in massive floods affecting hundreds of humans as well as livestock. We’ve had reports from eventers in areas that are completely underwater — and now awaiting a plague of locusts — as well as testimonies from equestrians who haven’t fared as badly.
Now, the USEF has set up an Equine Disaster Fund in order to help the horse owners in the flooded areas who have been devastated by the damage of the water. Thousands of horses are stranded across the 4,500 square miles of ruined terrain. Many horse owners and farms have a great need for hay and feed for the horses that they have rescued thus far, and this must be air lifted in to them.
From the USEF:
Having originated during the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund was formed to help ensure the safety and well-being of horses during trying times. Money donated to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund is used to prepare for disasters and assists equids of any breed who are victims of disasters including but not restricted to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards and fires.
Money donated to the fund is held by the USEF in an account restricted for this purpose. “It is important to understand this fund is a dollar in and a dollar out,” says USEF Chief Executive Officer John Long. “Nothing is withheld.” Any donation to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund is a timely and efficient benefit for horses and horse owners.
Donations can be made to the Equine Disaster Relief Fund by visiting the USEF website. [Equine Disaster Relief Fund]
Win the War and I into the water. I have my game face on to scare away the water gremlin. Photo by the amazing Amy Dragoo.
Bug and I made the trek up to beautiful Unionville, Pa., for our first visit to the Plantation Field Horse Trials in 2008. I was excited for us to run our first CIC* together in prep for the full format CCI* at MidSouth later that fall. This was the last year that the CCI* full format counted in the FEI, and I was excited to be a part of history.
Bug and I put in one of our better dressage tests, and then he rocked around the cross-country course, adding only a handful of time penalties to our score. We were sitting in ninth going into show jumping. I was beyond elated. About an hour and a half after we completed cross country, Bug started acting funny. He had always been a super healthy horse with no issues, so I knew immediately that something was wrong. His vitals were all normal, so the vets didn’t believe that there was anything wrong, but I keep reiterating to them that I knew my horse very well and he was colicky.
Due to the strictness of the FEI rules, there was only so much we could do legally to treat him. Nothing seemed to work, so I decided to withdraw him to be able to give him the treatment he needed to help. I was praying that once we gave him Banamine, everything would be fine. Unfortunately, it didn’t end up that way.
That afternoon, Bug and I took the short drive from Plantation to New Bolton. Again, when I got there, the vets did not believe that he had anything major going on. They kept him there and sent me on my way with the hope that it was something medical, as they did not think he was a surgical case.
Bug through the keyhole. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Again, no such luck. After I left, his vitals started to change a bit, and the vets decided exploratory surgery was the answer. It turns out that Bug had a displacement of his colon. It was as minor as colic surgery can be, but without the surgery, he would not have made it. The vets complimented me over and over for knowing my horse so well and ignoring what everyone else was telling me.
My first weekend at Plantation was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. After this experience, I had been avoiding Plantation like the plague. I do not tend to be a superstitious person, but I found it very hard to take Bug back there. Finally, this year, I decided enough was enough, and I was going back. I am very glad that I did!
Though there was controversy surrounding the cross country on the CIC3*, I thought the rest of the event was pretty super. I couldn’t believe how much it had changed since I had been there five years ago — what a gorgeous venue and well-run event.
Bug and I did not put in our best dressage test. There was nothing horrendous about it; it just wasn’t up to par. I left a lot of points on the table that I could easily have picked up, which was very frustrating to me. However, I quickly forgot about Friday when Saturday morning rolled around. I had come to take back my missing jumping mojo.
Marc Donovan always designs very influential show jumping courses. One really has to ride forward in good balance to get them done. I walked the course and I had a plan. I had my game face on, and I was ready to “Win the War”!
Bug and I jumped around double clear to a round of applause. The course felt amazing. Bug was jumping great, and I was on top of the world. We ended up being one of 12 double clears in the 51 horse division. It felt so great to have so many people come up and compliment us on our round, as I have been working so hard at home to put all of the pieces together.
Going into Sunday, I knew that I had to ride forward to the fences, and I was determined to shoot for the time. I was going to take my game face from yesterday along for the ride. Bug flew around that course like it was child’s play. He answered each question with ease, and I just kept kicking.
I had an idea that people were having issues at the water. I decided that once I was on my line in, I was just going to keep Bug in front of my leg, but let him sort out how to drop in. He sailed through the whole thing with no problem. We ended up going clear and only six seconds over the time. I was elated. In fact, I am still having problems wiping the silly grin off my face when I start thinking of our jump rounds this past weekend.
We ended up finishing 18th out of 51 in the divison, moving up from 45th after dressage. I am pretty proud of a top-20 finish in such a competitive CIC3*. This horse of mine is truly a phenomenon. I must also say that I am pretty proud of myself for putting on my big girl britches and riding like I know I can.
The newest in the "Forget the Battle, Win the War" line of fundraising T-shirts. Order through the end of September!
Also, for those that have been looking for more Win the War wear, I am selling a new long sleeved T-shirt this fall to help support all of Bug’s upkeep for the competition season. If you are interested in ordering, you can do so with PayPal here on my site. I am taking orders through the end of September. I would love to see Bug fans in his shirts scattered around Fair Hill this year! We will be working hard between now and Fair Hill. Bring on the CCI3*.
The USEA has arrived! Photo courtesy of the USEA Facebook.
Alright everyone, the countdown is almost over: ONE MORE DAY until competition kicks off at the Texas Rose Horse Park for this year’s American Eventing Championships. If you missed Sally’s excellent preview post titled “Top 10 Reasons to Get Pumped for AECs” make sure to check it out to find out about all the cool things that will be happening this week (besides the competition, which we already know will be fierce). One cool perk that bears repeating is that AEC (and EN!) sponsor FLAIR will be handing out free nasal strips in each competitor packet this weekend. The USEA has put together a great resource webpage that has all things AEC in one place, and make sure to keep checking EN for the latest reports and competition updates. Go (American) eventing.
Calling all Area II eventers: Morven Park needs more volunteers to jump judge at its October 5-6 event. This is a huge event that is the traditional final run before Fair Hill International for many pairs, and most of the East Coast’s top riders have already entered. Volunteer and snag a front row seat for the intense competition! [Morven Park]
There has been a schedule change for the October 5-6 Roebke’s Run Horse Trials. Originally it had been posted that all dressage would run on Friday, however now only CIC1* dressage will run on Friday afternoon. All other competitors will now do dressage on Saturday. In addition, the organizer has waived late fees and will accept entries until Monday, September 30. [Roebke’s Run]
William Fox-Pitt is backing Jock Paget to win the Rolex Grand Slam after Paget’s Burghley victory. According to Yahoo Sport, Fox-Pitt said “He needs to enjoy the moment. It doesn’t happen for many riders but he has brought that horse on so well and I take my hat off to him.” Paget is the first rider to win Burghley and Badminton in the same year on the same horse in 24 years. [Yahoo Sport UK]
Daniel Stewart’s sports psychology tip of the month: Get comfortable outside your comfort zone. Daniel notes that our greatest learning opportunities may lie outside of what we feel comfortable with, and we should embrace the feeling of moving outside what we are familiar with. Mistakes will happen, but they should be seen as learning opportunities. Click to read his full explanation. [US Eventing]
The Supreme Court in Connecticut will soon issue a ruling declaring whether or not horses are a “naturally vicious” species. A lower court found that horses are naturally dangerous, and the case is now on appeal to the highest state authority. The appeal stems from a 2006 case that arose after a horse at a farm bit a young child on the cheek. If the “naturally vicious” opinion is upheld, there could be serious consequences for the state’s horse industry and on the ability of equine owners to procure insurance. [Horsetalk]
This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Boyd and Sinead join Samantha and Jess for a Plantation Field wrap-up. In addition Jess weighs in on Clark’s exciting win with Universe in the Advanced division in Allerton last weekend. The pair is gearing up for the Pau CCI4* later this fall. [Eventing Radio Show]
Today on the SmartPak Blog: A multivitamin makeover. One of SmartPak’s signature supplements, SmartVites, has been completely revamped and released in four different formulas better tailored to individual horses. Click to read more about the supplement’s content and new makeup. [SmartPak Blog]
Bonus AEC Fun: Remember Elisa Wallace’s amazing freestyle performance with her mustang Fledge which won them the grand prize at last year’s Extreme Mustang Makeover? AEC attendees will have the chance to see her perform a new freestyle with her new mustang partner, Rune, on Thursday evening. And as if that isn’t enough, Elisa will also be riding Corteo and Ultimate Decision in the actual competition this weekend. Check out a preview of her freestyle below.
Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hot on the heels of the USEF’s announcement of the US team for Boekelo, the fall Land Rover travel grants have also been announced. The fall travel grants will send the recipients to either the Fair Hill International CCI*** or the Galway Downs International CCI***. The following pairs have been awarded the Land Rover Competition Grants:
Fair Hill International CCI***
Katherine Groesbeck and her own 16 year old Anglo-Arab, Oz the Tin Man
Ellen Doughty and her own 11 year old Holsteiner-Thoroughbred, Sir Oberon
Galway Downs International CCI***
Buck Davidson and Sharon Will’s 10 year old Oldenburg, Absolute Liberty, or Sergio Rios and Caroline Martin’s 11 year old Thoroughbred, Petite Flower
Allison Springer and the Copycat Chloe Syndicate LLC’s 10 year old Trakehner-Thoroughbred, Copycat Chloe
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica at Richland. Photo by Jenni Autry
The USEF has named four combinations to represent the U.S. in FEI Nations Cup competition at the Military Boekelo CCIO3*, October 10-13, 2013 in Boekelo, The Netherlands.
The following horse-and-rider combinations have been awarded Land Rover Competition Grants to compete at the Military Boekelo CCIO3*:
Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp (East Sussex, United Kingdom) on her own Fernhill By Night or HHS Cooley Fernhill By Night is a 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding HHS Cooley is a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding
Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, VA) on Team Rebecca, LLC’s Veronica Veronica is 2002 Dutch Warmblood mare
Marilyn Little (Frederick, Maryland) on Team Tabasco’s RF Tabasco RF Tabasco is a 2000 Trakehner gelding
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pennsylvania) on Trading Aces, LLC’s Trading Aces Trading Aces is a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding
The following horse-and-rider combinations have withdrawn from the Military Boekelo CCIO3*;
Will Coleman (Charlottesville, Virginia) and Four Star Eventing Group’s OBOS O’Reilly
Buck Davidson (Ocala, Florida) and Debbie Adams’ DA Adirmo
Caitlin Silliman (Chestertown, Maryland) and her own Catch A Star
Learn more about the Military Boekelo CCIO3* here.
