Classic Eventing Nation

Opening the Doors: When Cool Ridings Met with the Howden Way

By on Jan 19, 2023 2:00 pm -

Cool Ridings members were given a great educational opportunity subsidised by the Howden Way programme. Photo by Mia Benton.

British Eventing delivered The Howden Way regional academy to a group of Cool Ridings members at the weekend, giving its riders a fantastic taster of the superb training on offer via its national training syllabus.

Cool Ridings was founded in 2020 by event rider Lydia Heywood, who represents Jamaica. The organisation addresses an array of factors to improve diversity and ensure long-term sustainability of equestrian sport. The Howden Way ethos and that of Cool Ridings have perfect synergy in that both have a core objective of ensuring that everyone has access to the tools they need to succeed and overcome obstacles associated with riding competitively, whilst also ensuring equine welfare is at the centre of everything they do.

The academy was hosted purely for Cool Ridings members and saw a diverse group of riders hosted at the National Training Centre at Hothorpe, Leicestershire. The group had a broad range of experience, from those who had been riding competitively and already enjoying success, through to those who have been riding for a relatively short time, and some were on borrowed horses.

British Eventing Level 4 coach Michael Paveley delivered the riding sessions throughout the day, focusing on flatwork, a practice trot-up and then showjumping training within a replicated competition scenario. Riders also had the opportunity to benefit from a feeding and nutrition session delivered by British Eventing’s official feed partner, Baileys Horse Feeds, who focused on feeding the sport horse and answering any specific questions they had individually.

Eighteen-year-old Fabian Williams was one of those riders who attended.

“I come from a deprived area in London and I haven’t had many opportunities with horses, but I have a passion which has enabled me to create opportunities,” he says. “To have the chance to ride with a BE Level 4 coach feels surreal because coming from inner London, where there are absolutely no opportunities like this — it felt unreachable, unreal and unimaginable. These are the things I pray for and being able to attend last weekend felt like my dreams were becoming a reality.”

Justine Parker, Head of Training and Development at British Eventing, says, “This has been such an inspiring day and the talent and commitment of the riders, across all levels, has been exceptional. This is the first academy day of its kind that we have run, and it has been an absolute success on so many levels. Today absolutely reinforces why we should be delivering days like this for riders, who may not normally have had access to our academies which run across the country for our members. By creating a bespoke day to cater for those who were borrowing horses and were perhaps coming to their first ever training day, it allowed them to take on the day confidently.

“One of the core messages when we announced the launch of The Howden Way training structure was that it was to be a vehicle to deliver an accessible holistic education syllabus for everyone and to create a welcoming and nurturing environment, growing camaraderie and mutual support, which today epitomized. The Academies are open to non-members for their first two sessions, and we trust that today’s riders will feel it has given them a stepping-stone to move into our national The Howden Way regional academies with confidence.”

Lydia Heywood summed up the success of the day: “Cool Ridings recognise that bringing underrepresented riders together for training creates an enormous amount of camaraderie and confidence which is vital when it comes to progressing in equestrian sport. I had high expectations for this alignment however the experience certainly went above and beyond them. Michael Paveley made the perfect coach with his kind, wise and well-informed approach. I am overjoyed to witness these academies in action and the spectacular syllabus that was distributed. We are truly very grateful for the opportunities that have been made available to us by British Eventing and The Howden Way.”

Five Years On: The Impact of the New Modified Level in Eventing

By on Jan 19, 2023 9:30 am -

Katie Malensek & Lion’s Share compete — and win — at Modified. Photo by Lisa Madren.

‘Modified’ was first introduced by the USEA in 2017, and that year, there were just 28 starters at the level — but five years on, has it developed and fulfilled its intended purpose? It would appear so: in 2022, there were 1555 starters at the Modified level across the United States, according to data from the USEA. This sharp increase in numbers is likely due to the investments that eventing venues have made in cross country courses so that they can hold Modified divisions, as well as the realization from riders that the Modified level is educational, challenging, and highly useful because it is less challenging than Preliminary.

I admit that I was skeptical of the Modified level when it was first introduced. Why did we need a level in between Training and Preliminary? Shouldn’t riders and horses be able to make the jump up to Preliminary without a level in between? 

A few years later, I have completely changed my mind. I have ridden three different horses at the Modified level, mostly for brief periods of time (one or two events) as they were making their way up the levels. Introducing them to a higher level through the half-step between Training and Preliminary was educational and encouraging for both me and them, and each of these horses was able to get their feet wet jumping bigger jumps and slightly more technical courses without having their eyes pop out of their heads moving up directly to Preliminary from Training level. Where a Prelim cross country question may have been a big table on a bending four-stride line to a brush corner, the Modified equivalent would be a smaller, ramped table on a softer, bending six stride line to a corner. The Modified variation would be kinder and with a broader margin for error, while still testing the same concepts. The confidence that the runs at the Modified level gave my horses was wonderful, and it also informed me of the areas of weakness I had to work on before introducing them to Preliminary. 

The jump from Training to Preliminary is widely regarded as one of the biggest move-ups in our sport, because the technicality and size of the jumps increase considerably at Preliminary. Horses and riders who can successfully navigate Training level may find themselves thrown in the deep end when they attempt Preliminary. It’s impossible to know for sure, but it may be that the introduction of the Modified level has made cross country safer overall. Pairs that would have moved up to Preliminary instead try their hand at the Modified level first. If that proved challenging enough for them, they may stay at the Modified level. 

The Modified level has had the impact of reducing the overall number of both Training and Preliminary starters across the country. The data confirms this. According to the USEA, the Modified Level currently makes up 5.1% of national HT starters (BN-A). For comparison, Advanced makes up 1.0% of the national HT starters, Intermediate makes up 4.4% of national HT starters, Preliminary makes up 12.5% of national HT starters, and Training makes up 22.9% of national HT starters.  

Rewinding back to 2016, before the Modified level was introduced, at year end Advanced made up 1.1% of national HT starters, Intermediate made up 4.8% of national starters, Preliminary made up 15.8% of national HT starters, and Training made up 27.3% of national HT starters. 

The difference in the number of Preliminary starters (15.8% to 12.5%) and Training level starters (27.3% to 22.9%) from 2016 to 2022 suggests that some of those Preliminary and Training level starters were displaced by the Modified level starters. In other words, people who would have been going Preliminary and Training were going Modified instead. Overall, this is probably a good thing. Pairs that may not have had the skills to do Preliminary but wanted something more challenging than Training level benefitted from the Modified level. 

Fiona Hazel and Menue Rendezvous. Photo courtesy of Joan Davis/Flatlandsfoto.

One issue with introducing a new level is that it takes time for venues to invest in the infrastructure to cater to that level. Not every venue has Modified level events on offer. Area II, where I’m based, has a plethora of Modified events compared to other areas — but still, fewer than half of the venues in Area II offer the level. The expenses associated with procuring a new set of cross country jumps for a Modified course are not small– and while it’s true that some Modified courses share jumps with Training and Preliminary courses, venues must still make an investment in many new jumps to hold divisions at the Modified level. 

It’s difficult for venues to spend tens of thousands of dollars on new jumps if they don’t have the assurance that their investment will pay off in the form of enough entries at the Modified level. But organizers should be encouraged by what the data is saying about the popularity of the Modified level. If you build it, they will enter. The number of Modified level starters has increased considerably year over year. There were 28 Modified starters in 2017, 321 in 2018, 564 in 2019, 791 in 2020, 1410 in 2021, and 1555 in 2022. So although the initial investment may be large, over time the corresponding increase in entries should prove to pay off that investment. 

Another benefit of the Modified level is that it prepares horses and riders for FEI competition, especially with the introduction of the one-star level at international competitions. There were almost 60 entries in the CCI1*-L division at the November Tryon International Three-Day Event, with entrants ranging from teenagers and amateurs entering their first FEI event to established professionals giving their younger horses FEI experience. A few years ago, there was no CCI1* level at all, anywhere in the world — or at least not at this height. The FEI levels began at the 2* level, which was originally named the 1* level, but is equivalent to the national Preliminary level. Now the 1* level is well-subscribed and popular — largely because it’s more accessible for juniors and amateurs and creates a positive, tangible goal that’s realistic for many more competitors. 

Overall, the introduction of the Modified level to U.S. Eventing has been met with support, and it appears to have many benefits. I’ll continue to use it to help my young horses move up the levels confidently and to introduce my students to the upper levels in an educational way. I encourage other event riders to do the same, and eventing venues to hold the Modified level. 

Thanks to the USEA for providing the data for this article.  

 

Thursday News & Notes

By on Jan 19, 2023 12:01 am -

An unrepentant failure of a retired horse. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Nyls, as many of you may remember, was my partner at the Advanced/4* level for many years, and this year he turns 22. This seems impossible, as I’ve had him from the age of 4, and he’s defined my life. However, semi-retirement is not to his liking (he would prefer to be doing Advanced still) so he’s rediscovered an old beloved habit from his younger days: jumping out of the field. In the new year of 2023, he decided January 15th was a good night, and escaped once again. Look at him, does he look like he regrets his decisions? Like he’s sorry in any way for continuing to terrorize me? No. He does not.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Stable View Aiken Opener H.T. (Aiken, SC): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Grand Oaks H.T. (Weirsdale, FL): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Ariel Grald has rocketed to the top of the eventing world, thanks to fantastic partnerships with her horse and owner. A horse-crazy kid, a microbiology degree, a chance encounter with the owner of a lifetime, and a whole lot of hard work and humble grit. Just ten short years after Annie Eldridge partnered with Ariel, they were competing at the World Equestrian Games. Ariel has been quietly picking away at 5* events with Leamore Master Plan, her first horse at that level, and finished last year with an 11th place finish at the WEG in her first Team appearance. [Ariel Grald’s Fast Moving Career]

Your bodyworker wants you to know that it’s super easy to spot horses that are trained with too much compression of the neck. The parotid gland is the hidden indicator of training quality and we just weren’t paying attention. When you don’t see them, it is most likely a good sign. Parotid glands are usually clearly visible on horses that tend to move in a short, tense, and compressed frame. This can be caused by bad training, and some horses may offer this frame themselves – in both cases the horse needs to learn to trust the rider and reach to the bit in a soft and balanced way. [The Invisible Gland]

The revamped USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP — formerly known as ICP) is hosting an educational symposium at Barnstaple South in Ocala, FL this week. Participants are certified or pending certified coaches who participate in seminars, lessons, and demos from world-renowned pros in order to bolster their tool box for students. [Keep Up with ECP Symposium Coverage]

Best of Blogs: Unboxing Old Breyer Horses

Riding along with your vet is invaluable experience. I did it during the summer in my high school years, and besides getting to snoop in other people’s barns (my favorite!), you learn so much. Not just medical stuff, but you learn about horses, owners, riders, managers, and so much husbandry to help you on your way as a horseman. [6 Non-Medical Things I Learned From My Vet]

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: The Most Iconic Horses Equestrian Sport

By on Jan 18, 2023 5:44 pm -

There are so many horses throughout the course of modern equestrian sport that have, realistically, changed the whole discipline around them: in recent years, there’s been Charlotte Dujardin’s dressage phenom Valegro, who pushed scores well beyond anything we’d ever seen before; Charisma, who became the poster boy of eventing with Mark Todd; Rodrigo Pessoa’s Baloubet de Rouet, whose pictures I stuck all over my teenage bedroom walls. Regardless of which discipline is ‘yours’, the truly great horses inspire us universally and set our pony-mad hearts to dreaming, and so I was delighted to find this short documentary feature from the FEI on a recent YouTube rabbithole-dive. It’ll transport you out of dreary midwinter and straight into lofty goal-setting territory, guaranteed.

Challenge: Winter weight loss.

Solution: Equi-Jewel®, a high-fat, low-starch and -sugar formula developed to safely meet the energy needs of your horse.

Whether you have a hard keeper that needs extra calories to maintain his weight, or a top performance horse that needs cool energy to perform at her peak, Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s energy needs. Equi-Jewel reduces the risk of digestive upset, supports optimal muscle function, maintains stamina, and helps horses recover faster after hard work, all while providing the calories your horse needs to thrive.

The horse that matters to you matters to us®.

Have you grabbed your winter running horse stickers? Check them out at KPPusa.com/winter23.

 

 

The Power of Perception in Addressing Mental Health for Equestrians

By on Jan 18, 2023 3:25 pm -

Tyler Held shares a moment with FE Lifestyle. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dr Tyler Held is a professional groom and Sport and Performance Psychology Consultant. You may have seen her over the last few years working for 5* rider Jennie Brannigan or listened to an episode of her podcast, The Whole Equestrian. Tyler started riding at summer camp at the age of 5 and essentially never looked back. She obtained her Undergraduate degrees in Animal Science and Equine Business Management from the University of Findlay in 2014. During this time, she spent her summers doing her first working student job at an eventing barn and quickly became obsessed with the sport. After experiencing some mental blocks in her own riding, she decided to focus on grooming and learning more about Sport Psychology. In 2017 she moved to Chester County, PA to work as a Vet Tech and groom for Dr. Kevin Keane, which opened a lot of doors in the eventing community. Just as she finished her Master’s Degree in Sport and Performance Psychology, she took the reins at Brannigan Eventing as head groom. Now partially retired from grooming, Tyler is focusing on life as a Certified Mental Performance Coach (CMPC).

My good friend (and five-star rider) Emily Hamel and I have talked about mental health for equestrians for the past four years as an element to our podcast, The Whole Equestrian, with the mission of bridging the gap between riding and wellness. We’ve provided actionable advice, and we’ve gotten positive feedback from our listeners who have been able to put the lessons to work in their everyday life. And yet, as someone who knows the reality of working in an eventing barn in this country, I still feel like our dream to promote health and happiness through our love of horses is just that: more a dream than a reality.

In our dream, workers can take sick days, plan and keep doctor’s appointments, sit down to eat a healthy lunch, and see their families more than once a year. The dream is that these individuals have time to pursue a hobby outside of horses, cook healthy meals for themselves, and even cross-train their bodies and minds outside of the barn and the saddle. 

The reality, as someone who has lived it, is a bit different. The reality is that horses require around-the-clock care. Managing them exhausts most of our physical and mental energy for the day, and even if you wanted to eat healthy or work out, the time and resources to do those things are non-existent. 

Don’t get me wrong, when I was grooming I tried to do all the things. I made it a personal mission to ignore the ‘harsh realities’ and worked to pave my own path. I practiced Jiu Jitsu almost daily, I took classes towards my doctorate in sport and performance psychology, I read books, I meal-prepped, I pursued relationships outside of the barn and I even snuck in a few ‘non-horse’ related trips. However, in doing all these things, I suffered from a lot of stress and anxiety. I rarely lived in the present moment because I was always thinking of the ‘next thing’ on my to-do list and I even suffered from some pretty severe stress rashes. On the outside, I was doing all the ‘right’ things I had learned from my study of high performance that were supposed to make me successful, and yet by pushing too hard and doing too much, I actually ended up in a stress overload. 

I’ve had a lot of time over the last year to think about this particular problem, and how mental health can be more attainable within the harsh realities of our industry. Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t things that could and should be done on the side of the employers and the structure of our industry to make things better, but that’s another article for another day. Instead, I want to talk about how our perspective (something we can control) can help us feel a little bit more healthy, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in at this moment. And I hope to do this using a parable about three bricklayers, who are working to construct a church. 

When asked “what are you doing?”, the first bricklayer says, “I am laying bricks”; the second bricklayer says, “I am building a wall”; and the final bricklayer exclaims, “I am building a house for God.” The physical task that these three bricklayers are doing is identical and yet the more meaning they put behind the task, the more they’ll be driven and inspired throughout the process.

I bring up this example because when I first started grooming, I truly felt that I was like that third bricklayer, building a house for God. Any sacrifice that I made didn’t feel like a sacrifice at all, because it served a greater purpose and helped me belong to the sport of eventing in a way that made me feel empowered and unstoppable. 

The tricky thing about perspective is that almost anything can shift it. It can be an injury (to yourself or your horse), a string of bad weather, a bad performance at a show or in a lesson, or a bad fall. Or, if you’re like me, maybe you just tried to do too many things at once and burnt yourself out and all of a sudden what once felt like building a house for God turned into just laying bricks. 

Now, I’ve never been a bricklayer before, but I can imagine that the task reduced down to the task itself becomes monotonous, back-breaking work. Not unlike mucking out yet another stall, taking another horse out to the turnout field that is farthest away from the barn, or doing another 35-minute trot set on the same track you’ve just taken five other horses on. 

It doesn’t matter how we lose our perspective, but it certainly does suck when it happens. Because the thing is, most people get into horses for the love and there’s nothing more heartbreaking than when something that you love doesn’t bring the same joy to you that it once did. 

So I invite you to spend some time thinking about yourself, and your journey with horses and the bricklayers. Why are you here? Can you put yourself back in the shoes of that excited, nervous feeling you felt when you first stepped into the saddle at pony camp? Do you remember how awestruck you were the first time you watched a horse gallop past you on the cross country at Kentucky? Do you remember the last time you spent time with a horse and really enjoyed them for the pure magic that they bring us? 

Reconnect with your ‘why’, and define the value that you get out of this industry. Strong values drive committed action and they might just bring a little bit more of a spark to the in-and-out day-to-day manual labor that “comes with the job”.  And, if you find yourself in a space where you’ve searched your soul and you still can’t find that spark, keep looking. My life now isn’t anything like what my horse-crazy kid-version of myself would have ever dreamed of, but I still get to have horses be a huge part of it working as a Mental Performance Coach for Equestrian athletes and I’m grateful for every second of it. 

 

Big Feelings: An Emotive Response to Eventing and the Public Eye

By on Jan 18, 2023 10:00 am -

Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Let’s be clear, the fact that the public is so concerned about horse welfare is a good thing. And many people are concerned: a survey commissioned by World Horse Welfare and performed by YouGov found that 20% of respondents did not agree with the use of horses in sport, with 40% only supporting their use should welfare improve.

The eventing community and the public are obviously on the same page when it comes to wanting to keep horses happy and healthy. The discrepancy lies with how the public perceive equestrian sports with regards to welfare, and what is actually going on at the competition and at home in the stable and the training ring.

Emotions run high when considering the use of animals for entertainment. The rise of the vegan lifestyle over the last few years, due in no small part to social media campaigns such as ‘Veganuary’, has no doubt encouraged people to think more widely than just diet, and is likely to have fed into the concept that animals are not for human use.

A clear example of this is when a contestant on the popular reality TV show ‘The Great British Bake Off’ (in the US, ‘The Great British Baking Show’) identified herself as vegan whilst displaying photos of herself horse riding on her Instagram account. The British public spoke up, loudly and critically, condemning her for using an animal for entertainment whilst claiming to be vegan. As I said: emotions around this topic run high.

It’s this depth of emotion that I want to talk about.

When I watch eventing, I don’t just see it and hear it, I feel it.

Nothing comes close to replicating the emotions we feel as a part of this sport. Photo courtesy of FEI.

I love the build-up of excitement and awe as I watch those glorious horses prance their way through the horse inspection, full of promise and anticipation, hope and ambition.

What may seem like the beginning, I know, is in fact the culmination of the journey: the start of an event is the destination for many. Just being there.

I recognize the months and years of work: the slogging it out in the gym and the exercise arena, the mindful approach to nutrition and training for both horse and rider, the expert care it takes to produce a horse, and the dedication to excellence shown by all involved in the horse’s care. I know that the riders want success for their horses as much — if not more — as for themselves.

But not everyone knows all this. I didn’t when I first started watching eventing.

In my early days as an eventing spectator, I obviously focused all my attention on the cross country, adding in the jumping as I got sucked into the competition and then the horse inspection when it became more widely available to view online. Eventually, the buzz of the event as a whole swallowed me up and I began to dedicate entire days to the dressage tests, too.

In eventing, the dressage phase brings the opportunity to chat about the training of event horses: the time and dedication to the flatwork, how the written movements are founded in the natural movements of a horse, and why this type of exercise helps to keep horses fit and happy.

I know some people think of dressage as dancing horses, but for me, dressage is more like yoga. It increases suppleness and balance; there is unity between the horse and rider, their bodies and brains working as one. It’s at once difficult and free and easy. There is strength paired with ease and grace. It’s knowing all of this that takes away the performative aspect of horses seemingly being made to dance for sport.

Having said that, I must admit, I do enjoy it when dressage is jazzed up with some apt musical accompaniment. It was a feature of the Event Rider Masters series that I particularly loved. Not only did it prompt spectator interaction via some toe tapping, humming along and perhaps a random dance move or two, but it also gave some fun insight into the riders’ personalities: Matt Ryan’s choice of ‘The Lion King’ for his trusty campaigner The Lion, for example.

Steffen Peters (USA) and Suppenkasper. Photo by FEI/Christophe Taniere.

It’s certainly a way of capturing the public’s imagination, as Steffen Peters’ Tokyo 2020 freestyle dressage demonstrated with #ravehorse Suppenkasper — just do a quick TikTok search and you’ll see. The video shared on YouTube by the official Olympics channel has 825,000 views; in comparison, the final jumping round of the individual eventing on the same channel — with medal wins for Germany, Great Britain and Australia – has 166,000.

Once the public’s attention is won, sport has the potential to inspire a huge positive emotive response. Take the English women’s football (soccer if you’re in the US) team, the Lionesses, for example. The summer before the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off in Qatar, the UEFA Women’s Euro tournament caused football fever to sweep the UK; specifically, women’s football fever. The Lionesses were a source of inspiration for both football fans and less regular viewers alike, with their positive messaging about women in sport and their passion for sharing those messages.

We all know that bad news travels — that’s just how it is, but good news can travel too, if it’s shared enough.

A survey by the FEI’s Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission found that the public’s concerns over welfare vary between equestrian disciplines. Dressage, for example, is perceived to have the least welfare issues, according to the public, with 53% of respondents concerned about welfare in dressage, as opposed to 68% in eventing. For context, endurance was the most concerning discipline for respondents (78%), with racing and show jumping equal at 67%.

Photo by Tilly Berendt.

This means we can surmise that it’s the jumping phases that the public, perhaps understandably, sees as the most potentially harmful to the horse in eventing. Maybe bigging up the emotion of the event, rather than focusing on how big the fences are, how hard of a task the course is, and how tired horses are on the final day, may encourage people to feel more positively about eventing.

For me, there’s nothing quite like cross country. No matter how I’m feeling or what’s going on in my life, I can put on a video of any cross country day and get totally lost in it. I get caught up in the emotions of every rider, owner, groom and connection.

With every horse that jogs their way into the starting box, I hold my breath. Hearing the starter shout, “Good luck!” has me tearing up. What a feeling, to be setting off on a journey that you’ve put your heart, sweat and life into. To have made it. Wow. Then I’m hooked, totally invested in both horse and rider: wishing them luck, willing them on, feeling for them if things don’t go their way and celebrating with more happy tears when things do.

The surveys suggest that the public has an emotional response to horses being used in sport. I certainly do. The difference is, my emotional response is because I’m aware. I’ve listened to the commentary, I’ve watched the rider interviews, I’ve seen the pictures of content horses in the field at home after an event, and I’ve read the posts showing outpourings of love for the equine partners that help make people’s dreams come true.

In a world where equestrian sports in the Olympics are under the public microscope, it is vital that all those involved in the sports — directly and, as in my case, indirectly as a fan — act together to show the world why our sports are deserving of the love they so inspire in us.

Let’s think about the recent announcement that show jumping will not be part of the Modern Pentathlon at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The decision came after the very public outrage following viral footage of some unsavory scenes from the event in Tokyo 2020.

Embed from Getty Images

Having watched Modern Pentathlon show jumping at the two previous Olympics, (often grimacing from behind a cushion — some of the rounds looked like they belonged in the blooper reel, not an Olympic event), I was aware of the problems of the show jumping phase, although I hadn’t witnessed anything quite like that of Tokyo. The problems already existed, but once the public became aware and spoke out, change was prompted incredibly quickly. The power of the public is something we need on our side. To be clear, not every athlete, coach, or official involved in Modern Pentathlon is at fault. The behavior of the few has had a huge, lasting impact on the reputation — and future — of the sport.

At the recent U.S. Equestrian Federation Annual Meeting, David O’Connor, USEF Chief of Sport, said: “Can we train with current practices in the middle of Central Park in New York City and defend your actions? If not, those practices cannot happen”.

Regardless of your opinion on having to defend yourself to those who are not perhaps as knowledgeable or experienced as you, it’s clear that this is something the equestrian world must take heed of, for the good of the sport.

But it’s not just about having a good defense. In order for a sports team to be successful, it needs a good attack too. Let’s take the media hype surrounding the dressage in the leadup to the London 2012 Olympics, for example. I was obviously aware of all the equestrian sports on offer but, being an all-out eventing fan, I’d never watched pure dressage before. The enthusiasm of BBC presenter and horsegirl Clare Balding piqued my interest and, like so many others, I tuned in to watch Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro dance their way to Olympic gold in front of the historic Queen’s House (not her late Majesty’s actual house, but an impressive backdrop all the same).

Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Granted, I was in the UK and watching a home Games; the British media was bursting with Olympic fever and Britain’s success (at first potential, and then realized) in the dressage ring understandably raised the profile of dressage in this country. However, it could be argued that the potential of Britain’s eventers wasn’t to be overlooked, having medaled at every Olympics since Sydney 2000, with 2012 team member Tina Cook winning Bronze at the previous Games in Beijing in 2008. Making up the team for London, along with Tina, were William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Zara Phillips and Nicola Wilson — an all-star cast, if you will. Yet eventing didn’t prompt the hype that dressage did.

It’s a bit like being in drama class at school and the teacher tells you to make everything bigger. Bigger movement, bigger voice, bigger expression. You feel like you’re doing it big — enormous, even — but that’s not coming across.

The pride in the horses, the hope of the competition, the achievement of being there, the gratitude every rider I’ve ever heard interviewed has for their horse. The tension at the top of the leaderboard as they enter the jumping ring. The desperation not to let their horse down. The elation just to complete for many, regardless of how many poles may fall or how far over the time they may have been. The absolute love for their horse.

After all, it’s clear to me that eventers don’t event just because they love the sport; they love the sport because they love their horses.

And all this is reciprocated by the horses. You can see it in their ears, in their gallop, in their faces – there’s love for the sport written all over them. It’s common knowledge that a happy dog wags their tail, and a happy cat purrs; perhaps we need to make the signs of a happy horse common knowledge, too.

Wednesday News & Notes from SRF Carolina International

By on Jan 18, 2023 12:01 am -

Nothing makes me much happier than seeing the newly appointed Ever So Sweet Scholarship recipients acclimating to their new opportunity. Winter ESS recipient Micah Green has arrived in Florida and is learning the ropes with Sara Kozumplik, and we are green with envy! Be sure to follow along on the SEE Ever So Sweet Instagram page to see more from Micah as he gets into full swing.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Stable View Aiken Opener H.T. (Aiken, SC): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Grand Oaks H.T. (Weirsdale, FL): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Wednesday News & Reading

The revamped USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP — formerly known as ICP) is hosting an educational symposium at Barnstaple South in Ocala, FL this week. Participants are certified or pending certified coaches who participate in seminars, lessons, and demos from world-renowned pros in order to bolster their tool box for students. [Keep Up with ECP Symposium Coverage]

#supergroom Hailey Burlock has had a wild year as an integral part of the Will Coleman Equestrian team, culminating with the receipt of the Liz Cochran Memorial Grooms Award at the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention. Read all about Hailey’s journey to WCE and what new skills she’s picked up along the way. [Hailey Burlock is Prepared for the Unexpected]

Longtime eventing supporter Sue Davies has passed away after a battle with cancer, and British World Champion Yasmin Ingham penned a lovely tribute to one of her original supporters on social media. [Remembering Sue Davies]

What can be learned at cowboy camp? Much, it turns out, as Heels Down Mag writer Justine Griffin reported last summer. [This one’s worth a re-read]

Sponsor Corner: Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International

There’s lots to celebrate this year at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International, including a perk of free stabling in between Southern Pines H.T. and Carolina International for those competing at both events. Opening day for the CI is January 31, and we can’t wait to see what that entry list looks like!

More info on entries, sponsorship, vendor opportunities, VIP packages, and more can be found at carolinainternationalcci.com.

Wednesday Video Break

Take a peek at some training with Pippa Funnell, courtesy of the riders participating in the Wesko Foundation’s program (click here if the embedded Instagram video below does not display in your browser):

Tuesday Video Break: Take A Walk Around Barcelona 1992 with Lucinda Green

By on Jan 17, 2023 3:00 pm -

Here’s a cool throwback treat for us on this fine Tuesday! Lucinda Green was on site at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona — one of those hot, Spanish weekends where the heat was intense and the sun was unforgiving — to take a candid walk around the cross country track.

This was a significant Olympics on the world stage, too. A reunified Germany, aided by the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and a post-apartheid South Africa were a part of the mix for these games. This Olympic cycle also served as a catalyst for increased sport-specific research, after it became apparent that more information was needed as to the demands the sport placed on the horses when many horses presented with exhaustion, heat-related illness, and ongoing symptoms after the Games concluded.

Have a listen — and marvel at the size and stature of the jumps we are not too far removed from in 2023! — and if you can’t see the embedded Instagram posts above, you can view them on Lucinda’s XC Academy page here or on YouTube here.

Enjoy a few action snippets:

Down but Not Out: Twin Rivers Ranch Needs Your Support to Recover from California Floods

By on Jan 17, 2023 12:00 pm -

Flash flooding pushes loads of water onto Twin Rivers property last week. Photo courtesy of Bec Braitling.

Andrea Baxter, her family, and Bec Braitling were in the midst of a normal morning on January 9. She, like most California residents, had kept one weary eye on the always-open weather apps since late December as historic “atmospheric river” weather has dumped record-breaking water on a state more prone to drought and fire risk than flooding. The severe weather had brought with it warnings of flash flooding in San Luis Obisbo County, home to Area VI staple venue Twin Rivers Ranch, but so far the water had kept away from the property.

“We bought [Twin Rivers Ranch] in 2001,” Andrea told EN’s Tilly Berendt this morning. “And we knew that it was in a ‘100 year flood zone’, but in saying that it’s never flooded. I think the last flood was in 1960, and by flood, I think that it just maybe barely tipped over the levee.”

The dressage area will need some serious rework after sustaining major flood damage. Photo courtesy of Bec Braitling.

She was in for an unpleasant surprise, however, on returning back home later that afternoon. “I don’t think anybody ever imagined that this kind of water could ever come our way,” she said, describing the scene when she pulled onto the property. Four inches of river covered the dressage courts, and the rising water was making its way onto a significant chunk of the venue’s 500 acres, home to parts of the cross country course, the trot hack field, and the racetrack.

“You call it a flash flood. And that was, you know, we hear about flash floods, and we do hear about them in California, but where we are in particular, it’s just never applied to us. So you know, it’s just crazy how you don’t realize these things can happen until they happen to you,” Andrea explained.

Debris is strewn about the cross country course. Photo courtesy of Bec Braitling.

At that point, Andrea, her parents, Bec, and anyone else who was currently on the property ran down to save what they could of the dressage arena — Andrea here jokes about her mother urging the group to pick the letters up in order, spoken like a true organized horse person! — but still lost about 20% of the framework (someone will have quite a few questions when the letters wash up in the yard, I’d say). The cross country, meanwhile, was in many parts underwater, leaving much to clean up in the river wash wake.

As of today, January 17, Andrea says the water has receded, and while more rain has continued to dump on the area no other flash floods have occurred. The damage done is substantial, however, and so the venue has launched a GoFundMe with a fundraising goal of $25,000 to help cover the costs of bringing in jump builders to assist with getting the cross country in top shape, repairing of the dressage footing and arenas, and other clean-up tasks.

Luckily, all horses and horse areas were safe from the floods — but some of the land was reclaimed by the river. Photo courtesy of Bec Braitling.

The first weekend in March will play host to the first event on the Twin Rivers calendar, and while Andrea says there is much to be done, and the dressage will likely be moved to a different part of the property for this event, riders shouldn’t worry about missing the event. “The main major damage was to the dressage area, race track, and north field where we trot hack,” Andrea explained. “In terms of the March event, we should be able to pull it off. I don’t think we’ll be running dressage in the historic location, but we have somewhere else appropriate for the dressage. But the cross country is in decent condition and in terms of the jumps, it’s going to be more cleaning debris and making sure the footing is safe.”

At the time of this article’s publication, the Twin Rivers GoFundMe had reached nearly $5,000 in donations. You can send a donation to help the clean-up efforts here, and you can also follow the Twin Rivers social channels as well as here on EN for more updates and ways to help.

Tilly Berendt contributed to this story.

US Eventing Grooms Association Unveils 2023 Winter Education Series Schedule

By on Jan 17, 2023 9:00 am -

Hailey Burlock and Dondante. Photo courtesy of Alleyn Evans of Shannon Brinkman Photo.

Venturing to Florida in the winter season carries many benefits, but chief among them is the ample opportunity for learning while you’re in the area. An undeniable hotbed of eventing action, particularly in the winter, the Ocala area plays host to a whole array of recognized and unrecognized competitions, clinics, lessons with top pros, and educational seminars. And these aren’t just riding opportunities — the US Eventing Grooms Association is also aiming to educate as many riders as they can reach about the ins and outs of immaculate horse care.

In 2022, the USEGA began offering educational seminars in cooperation with the Event Riders’ Association, and this winter those sessions will continue with a full slate of six seminars on the docket. Each seminar will be held at a farm in the Ocala area — best to follow the USEGA/ERA Facebook Group for more updates on where to attend and if there will be any live streaming available. This year’s educational seminars include:

January 24: Grooming 101 with Max Corcoran
February 7: Veterinary Care with Dr. Shane Harley
February 13: All Things Show Jumping with Chris Barnard
February 21: Equine Massage Therapy with Jo-Ann Wilson
March 7: Nutrition and Supplements with Cat Hill
March 14: Everything Finance! with Rich Booth

Continuing education is always something we’re up for, and EN will be bringing you reports from a few of these sessions — stay tuned for more! Go Eventing.