Thoroughbred lovers from across America will gather at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland on Oct. 5 and 6 for two full days of educational seminars, meetings, demonstrations and the culmination of the Thoroughbred Makeover. Twenty-six trainers from 15 states in 10 equestrian disciplines will demonstrate what their off-track Thoroughbreds have learned in just three months of second career training.
Polo, dressage, eventing, barrel racing, cattle work, police work, hunters, jumpers, natural horsemanship and tricks will be featured both by the Makeover horses and in special demonstrations from top horses in many of these disciplines. The weekend includes a trade fair and a dinner celebration with Thoroughbred storytelling by very special guests.
But wait, there’s more! EN has partnered with Bourbon Lane Stables to shuttle 25 lucky eventers in a bus from Morven Park over to Pimlico to attend the the party on Saturday night. Are you competing at or attending Morven that weekend? Do you want to support the Retired Racehorse Training Project? Are you interested in seeing the project horses from fellow eventers like Cathy Wieschoff, Erin Sylvester, Daniel Clasing, Allie Knowles, Jessica Bortner-Harris and Lara Knight?
Here’s what you need to do! Click here to buy your ticket to the Saturday night party, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 in the Pimlico Hall of Fame Room at Pimlico Racetrack. Your ticket includes dinner by Maryland Turf Caterers, drinks, live music by Hot Buttered Nuggets and Thoroughbred storytelling by some very special guests. The first 25 people to forward their EventBrite ticket confirmation to [email protected] will get a spot on the EN bus!
And here’s one more incentive to support RRTP by attending the Thoroughbred Symposium and Saturday night party: The 25 people who ride the EN bus will have the first glimpse of the brand new EN logo we’re unveiling this fall. And we’ll have a limited amount of swag to hand out at the Saturday night dinner as well. That’s all we can say for now. Don’t miss this very cool event. Go RRTP!
CBS 4 News in Denver published a story yesterday of how a dozen horses and cattle were rescued from flooded fields in Weld County, Colorado. The Oschner family and other ranchers spotted their horses and cattle in helicopter footage that aired on CBS4 and — grateful to know the animals were alive– were determined to help get them out of danger.
“One neighbor called another neighbor and before long we had a yard full of pickups and trailers,” Ochsner said.
The result on Saturday was that nearly a dozen horses were taken to safety. Together they were able to reach them by boat and then move them to higher ground. They were then taken from near Greeley to an area outside of Milliken. All the animals were successfully rescued by the next day.
While I couldn’t find a video of Blenheim CCI3* winner — and Team Tredstep rider! — Aoife Clark in the show jumping with her lovely mare Fenya’s Elegance, I did find a lovely double clear round from Harry Dzenis and Dromgurrihy Blue; they jumped one of the 13 double clear rounds yesterday. Our own Samantha Clark kept us up to date all weekend with her fantastic Blenheim coverage, which you can view in its entirety here on our Blenheim page. Congrats to Team Tredstep rider Aoife for her big win and to our North American riders for their excellent placings. Go Blenheim!
Lisa Saabye and Ebella were winners of the Training Rider Division. Copyright Flatlandsfoto.com.
GMHA Horse Trials is always a favorite in Vermont. Thanks to Katie Murphy for sharing her blog with us, and congratulations for a successful first outing with Esccord RGS at Preliminary! Thanks also to official event photographer Joan Davis of Flatlandsfoto.com for sharing her photos. Go GMHA! [Results]
Suzie Kent and Jag were winners of the Open Beginner Novice Division. Copyright Flatlandsfoto.com.
Paige Skipper and Wauwinet were winners of the Preliminary Rider Division. Copyright Flatlandsfoto.com.
Lisa Saabye and Ebella were winners of the Training Rider Division. Copyright Flatlandsfoto.com.
Jane Hamlin and Fernhill King Mustard were winners of the Novice Horse Division. Copyright Flatlandsfoto
Finally, the time had come. Garth was ready, willing and able to conquer a preliminary horse trials. What fun! Our adventure began at GMHA‘s fall horse trials, nestled in the lush mountains of Vermont.
Despite a lovely warm up, our dressage test was a disappointment. Much of the upset rested within the counter canter. Garth is naturally balanced, and performs flying lead changes and tempi changes with the ease of a nicker or twitch of the ear. Preliminary test B requires a counter canter around half the ring, including the short side (B to E, and E to B). We have been working diligently on learning the counter canter, while building the strength and balance to hold the movement. I was suspicious that the counter canter movements may become compromised during our test: due in part to my riding and the ring size (those white borders make a ring feel tiny!).
I was right. We started off our test lovely, fluid, forward and balanced, We scored an 8, then a 7 and an 8 on our trot lengthening. Fantastic! Our lateral work was lovely, but not quite as solid as it was in our warm-up. We were able to hold the left lead counter canter, however aesthetically unpleasant and then moved into the same movements to the other direction. He held the right lead counter canter until we reached the judges booth, then with grace and ease, he performed a flying change. Several attempts to regain the counter canter (and a few silent mutterings) did not prove successful. We were at E and needed to move on to the remaining trot and walk movements. I was very disappointed. As we walked from the Upway ring back to day parking, I reflected on the entirety of the test. Most of the issues lied within the movements associated with the counter canter. I was pleased with the rest. A sigh of awareness and appreciation brought to light a reminder of how far Garth has come within his career. Our collective marks were strong: an 8, 7, 6 and 7. The judge was wise, and I greatly appreciate her awareness and intuition. She noted “Lovely horse. Hard for such a big mover in small arena. Work on more effective re-balancing.” Smart judge.
As the sun lost the fight to shine through the clouds, and a chilly autumn breeze cooled the Vermont air, we eagerly prepared for stadium. The course was sharp, and would either prove to make the most of horse and rider pairs, or prove to be their downfall. Jump, turn, jump, deep turn, jump, land STRAIGHT, turn, jump, jump. Awesome. Garth entered the ring and immediately lit up like the North Star. He was dull, but obedient in warm-up. A spook set off a good step forward, and he maintained focus over the larger fences beautifully despite the many potential terrors that lied within the bright standards and along the ring’s perimeter. We sailed effortlessly around the course, proving that this is a stepping stone for Garth – these fences are just the beginning for him. He jumped double clean choosing to ignore the last stride to fence 5 and a good crack of his back as he stared into the liverpool over fence 8. Brilliant boy.
As the sun broke through the early morning clouds and dew began to dry on the Vermont fields, cross-country day began. Our course incorporated gallop stretches, an array of questions, and great fences. I was very excited and certain that this would be a progressive step forward for Garth and his budding career. My goals were to have less adjustment in front of the fences and seeing a forward distance from further away. Forward distance is key. Of course, this is not to overshadow the importance of adjustability when necessary, and continuing to build Garth’s confidence throughout this new challenge. I also wanted to build his gallop and get a feel for our conditioning program was working.
He was brilliant. Really, really brilliant. What a wonderful horse! As could be expected for a 5 year old, he was spooky at fences and other stimuli: spectators, fence judges, random large rocks, and retired obstacles stored along the tree line. He was bold, confident, and I think he genuinely enjoyed himself. He thought nothing of the weldon’s wall, two trakehners, large tables and technical elements. He carefully worked through the coffin (with sunken ditch), and was incredibly smart over the brush and corner combination, angling the second element. He tackled a line of fences down the hillside beautifully: jumping over a large brush, landing down hill and angling another brush, turning to a roll top at the base of the field. Garth chose to trot over the drop into the water and was very honest over the skinny chevron – I was unable to re-establish the canter before the drop and we lost our impulsion for the distance over the skinny. He could have easily run-out, but instead cleared it from a slightly angled approach. His gallop has improved, and I was thrilled to feel him eat up the distance between fences with each stride. We were one of only four pairs in our division to make time. Check ourFacebook Page for XC video, coming soon!
I am thrilled with Garth. He is an incredibly special horse and I adore him. Every day, he teaches me something new, and together we are growing as a team and partnership. Through his innate ability and athleticism, he has opened me to new experiences. It is because of Garth that my riding has improved and I have experienced a level of performance. I am very excited for his future.
EN is everywhere, even at a fancy LA store! Photo by Erin Milman.
How was your event this weekend? Did you have fun in that clinic last week? Was it beautiful on your hack yesterday? Send us your photos and stories! We love hearing from our readers and enjoy sharing your experiences on the site. This week, we see how Buck Davidson prepares for Plantation Field HT, a horse asks,” is it Christmas yet?”, Kyle Carter plays hairdresser, and one reader’s trip to Burghley was capped with a beautiful rainbow. Thanks to all contributors, and keep the submissions coming to [email protected].
Buck, Bruce, Carolyn Martin, and Madeline Blackman.
I thought I’d share this picture that I took today at the Martin’s beautiful Buckwampum Farm. Buck organized a very fun mock horse trial to get prepared for Plantation cic *** this weekend. This picture is of Buck, Bruce, Caroline Martin, and Maddy Blackman watching Nora Battig show jump.
– Jill Lukens
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Connor
Is it Christmas yet? Connor wants his photo on EN!
-Hillary Parker
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Kyle Carter is not just a fantastic clinician, he's also a stylist!
Thought you might have some fun with these photos of our weekend clinician, Kyle Carter, banging the tail and helping roach the mane of one of the clinic participants today.
– Lauren Romanelli
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I just got back from the UK and while we were there, we got to go to Burghley last weekend. We have gone to Rolex many times, so we thought it was time to check out another 4 star! Anyway—the entire weekend was awesome. I got some great pics, but this one I thought might be “Eventing Nation worthy.” Saturday, about an hour after the end of x-c, it started raining while the sun was still out. We were walking back to our car and caught these pics of a rainbow over Burghley House including the first and last x-c jump on the course. We were like, “Really? A fabulous x-c day followed by a rainbow over the course?” No leprechauns were sited, but it was still pretty amazing.
‘When riders get nervous, often times they will either chase or choke their eye.’ I can’t tell you how many times I have heard Denny say this during a jump lesson. I never really noticed until I started riding with Denny that lots of riders have a tendency to do this. No finger pointing here. In fact I will be the first to admit I have a tendency to chase my eye when I get nervous. If I am worried about a certain jump and I start to feel the nerves building I will more often than not feel the need to charge at the fence which obviously doesn’t get me anywhere. Some riders “pick” as they come to a fence, and others will flat out run.
So, if we feel confident about our ability to see a distance to a fence and we believe we have a fairly reliable three stride eye, then how can we trust our training and not allow fear or anxiety to overpower us? How can we stay cool, calm and relaxed when the bar begins to raise? How do we trust our instincts and ride each jump to the best of our ability without allowing fear and anxiety to creep in?
Practice! The only way we are even going to get better at something is if we practice. Some riders are more gifted than others. I have definitely struggled for years and years. Oh crap, there’s an enormous roll top out there…I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to do….I am not seeing any sort of distance…UMMMM….I’ll just blindly gallop towards it and hope for the best. These are literally thoughts that use to go through my head. I was very inexperienced and did NOT have a reliable three stride eye. I couldn’t see a distance to save my life and never really practiced getting that perfect uphill, balanced and adjustable canter that is required for jumping.
One of the best pieces of advice that Denny ever gave me was to do the “footprint game.” Meaning, find a footprint in the sand, or dirt far enough away that you have time to get to it, but close enough so you can actually see it. Now, canter towards that footprint and get in right. This can also be done over poles on the ground. This helped my eye tremendously. I was so tired of randomly getting in right to a fence that I had to take matters into my own hands and force myself to have a better eye.
Pressure. I have noticed that I am much more likely to chase my eye when I am nervous. The only way for me to get over nerves is by putting myself under pressure. I am under pressure when I go to a jumper show, or a competition, or if I am riding in front of a group of other riders. The more times I can put myself in these types of sitautions the more comfortable I will become.
Valonia over the last fence at Huntington Farm 2012
The CANTER! Denny always talks about the canter and how so many horses don’t have jumping problems, they have cantering problems. What does this mean? A lot of horses that come here for a lesson, or a lot of horses that we have all ridden with Denny over the years struggle with their canters. Some want to run on their forehand and jump flat over a fence, while others lack impulsion and can barely make it over a jump because they are like a log stuck in the mud. Creating a canter that has impulsion and balance can take years, but can be accomplished.
So how exactly do we avoid those moments where we either chase or choke our eye? The only thing I am certain about is that IT TAKES TIME. Learning to ride, or learning how to jump, or learning how to see your distance to a jump repeatedly does not happen overnight. Learning to ride and become a good rider takes time. I think you have the ability to speed up the process if you are eager to get better and you are a dedicated rider. We can have lessons every single day, but at the end of the day, it’s the homework that really needs to be done. It’s not up to our trainers or coaches to make “it” happen…it’s up to us as riders.
Aoife Clark must be feeling like a total rockstar this morning after her win at Blenheim. I must confess that I am always to see the Irish win because I absolutely adore the Irish riders’ green coats. I too have a green coat but it is nowhere near as gorgeous and buried somewhere very deep in my closet. I’m thinking I may have to dig it back out soon. I’d forgotten how much I loved the color. Nothing quite like a green coat on a chestnut horse. Way to go Aiofe!
Aoife Clark and Fenya’s Elegance took top honors at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace CCI***. Jean Teulere finished second on Matelot Du Grant Val and Clark Montgomery finished third with Loughan Glen. Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti only dropped one rail to finish 10th, while Meghan O’Donoghue and Pirate finished 11th. Were you crazy busy this weekend? Check out some of the earlier EN Blenheim Coverage: [Blenheim Jog Photos – Seriously, check out the Ground Jury and Veterinary Delegate’s threads! LOVE IT!] [Meghan’s XC Recap] [Catching up with Team North America after XC at Blenheim]
WFP clinched the win in Blenheim’s Young Horse Championship. This is WFP’s second win since it began in 2009. I’m starting to be quite a fan of Fernhill Pims. WFP describes him as a quick, nimble little horse who’s always been competitive. Sounds like my kind of guy! [More From Horsetalk.co.nz]
Amy Barrington Update. Amy suffered a serious brain injury following a fall on Wednesday, September 4th. From the Facebook page chronicling her progress, Greg reports that Amy is using her left hand quite a lot and that she should be moved to a the Shepherd Center in Atlanta as soon as they are ready for her. [Initial EN report][Amy Barrington Recovery on Facebook]
On a much lighter note, I totally need this. Seriously, you can put a horse on just about anything and I’ll probably buy it. I don’t wear a whole lot of make up other than various shades of barn-dirt, but these colors are pretty and I want it now! Do you think Smartpak will start carrying makeup if I ask very very very nicely? Also, I hope it’s run resistant after that last link. I’m still a little misty eyed. [Chantecaille Wild Horses Palette Review]
It’s Marcia Kulak’s birthday today! Marcia competed at GMHA this past weekend, where she rode two horses and won both her divisions despite enduring a cracked tail bone from falling down her hay mow stairs. Happy birthday, Marcia!
Last chance to vote for your favorite finalist in the Success Equestrian Contest! The finalists have been chosen and it’s up to you to select the winner! Voting closes at Noon EST today! [Vote Here]
Google Glass is the new tech gadget you can't afford.
So, I’m kind of a nerd. Ok, I’m kind of a big nerd. But I happen to think technology is pretty cool, and so when a new “it” gadget makes waves on the likes of Gizmodo and Endgadget, my first instinct is to figure out how it coincides with the horse world. On that note, I bring you Google Glass.
It looks like a pair of glasses, I get it. It also may or may not make you resemble a cyborg, but I’ll let you formulate your own opinion on that one. However, the features and functionalities of these glasses are just out of this world. In the video below, you can see what it will look like when you are wearing Google Glass. It’s not intrusive, and it allows you to view information such as emails and text messages and, most importantly for us, take pictures and video. There is a (very short) snippet of what the view would look like from horseback in the video, and it’s pretty cool!
The clip is intended to show how it feels to wear Google Glass, which appears as a small, suspended screen that can show images, messages, translations, mapping information and video chats with people who aren’t present.
How great would it be if you were allowed to integrate your course comments and notes into your Google Glass so that you could see it while you tear around cross country? Come to think of it, I’m sure that will most definitely not be legalized in our sport, but one can dream. You know, “down bank approaching, please don’t screw it up!” Ok, maybe I can tell myself that without needing a pair of glasses.
With the exponential rise in the use of helmet cams, I am sure that those of you who are lucky enough to get their hands on Google Glass will also be eager to test it out on horseback. Perhaps we can get Peter Atkins to be the first official EN guinea pig?
If you’re one of the brave riders heading down to Texas in two weeks, I sincerely respect your dedication to driving long distances for competition. But really, it’s the AEC’s, you can’t miss it!! This year, competing in the Championships got a little bit sweeter for those of you riding Thoroughbreds, as the prizes available have increased exponentially! One of the best parts of the AEC’s is the prizes, so why not set yourself up to win a little more?
If you’re partnered with a Jockey Club registered Thoroughbred for the 2013 Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships, you can take a few easy steps prior to the event to put your name in for the chance to win more swag and top Thoroughbred trophies. The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) is supporting both the AECs and the breed by offering prizes in all the levels for both first and second highest placed TIP registered Thoroughbreds.
What’s a TIP registered Thoroughbred, you ask? In order to be eligible for a TIP number you have to have one of the following:
The Jockey Club Certificate of Foal Registration (or similar document from a foreign stud book) or a copy thereof OR
The horse’s lip tattoo, the horse’s 5-cross pedigree and the successful tattoo lookup result from The Jockey Club’s Tattoo Identification Services, (located HERE) OR
A letter from The Jockey Club verifying the horse’s identity
If you have one or more of these things, you’re ready to apply for a number! It’s easy and free, through the TIP program online. Click HERE to apply for a TIP number. While your at it, get a number for both the rider and the owner of the horse, to make sure you qualify for all the prizes.
