Classic Eventing Nation

Winter 2022 ‘Ever So Sweet’ Scholarship Awarded to Sierra Lesny

By on Nov 18, 2021 11:00 am -

Sierra Lesny, recipient of the Ever So Sweet Scholarship for winter 2022. Photo courtesy of SEE.

Strides for Equality Equestrians and the United States Eventing Association Foundation are proud to announce the recipient of the Ever So Sweet Scholarship for winter 2022. The scholarship, which is the first of its kind, is fully funded by Edy Rameika and provides an opportunity for riders from diverse backgrounds to train with Sara Kozumplik for two months in Florida. Sierra Lesny is the second recipient of the bi-annual scholarship.

The scholarship covers expenses for full board and training costs for Sierra’s horse, several lessons per week, housing for Sierra, a stipend to cover living expenses, competition fees, and coaching at competitions. Sierra got her start riding at her grandmother’s lesson barn when she was two years old. She has spent most of her life catch riding any horse that was available at the time, which has taught her a lot about patience and flexibility.

“This opportunity will allow me to grow as a rider,” Sierra says. “I have been riding since before I could walk and horses have always been a part of my life, but since I financially have not always been able to go full force into the horses, I have worked really hard and been a groom and a working student. I have loved it and it’s taught me so much and definitely made me a better horse person, but I haven’t had as much time to devote to just my riding skills.”

Photo courtesy of SEE.

Sierra is excited that she will be able to dedicate two months entirely to her riding and development as an up and coming professional. Sierra is eager to get her foot in the door and find her place as a trainer. She says, “This is definitely an opportunity that anyone in my position dreams of, and I have dreamed many times about going down to Florida and getting to work with an amazing trainer in the hub of the horse network during the winter … being able to be a part of that is absolutely incredible!”

Sierra will be an ambassador for the ESS scholarship, which is part of the Professional Pathways programs SEE is developing. She will play an essential role in fostering a more inclusive environment within equestrian sports: “For all of us in this world with a darker skin tone, it can be scary and lonely at times. But the only way to change that is to take up space. Be here, be proud, and support one another.”

The scholarship will provide Sierra with the opportunity to make professional connections, which will not only help her as an individual, but will contribute to improving access and opportunities for other BIPOC riders.

“For me growing up, not seeing many people that look like me in the horse world was disheartening,” Sierra says. “Putting people in this space so that younger kids grow up seeing someone that looks like them, doing the things that they want to do is the most important.” You can follow along for updates on the Strides For Equality website and Facebook and Instagram pages.

Graphic courtesy of Strides for Equality Equestrians.

Ingrid Klimke’s Daughter, Greta Busacker, Wins Longines FEI Rising Star Award

By on Nov 18, 2021 9:00 am -

Longines FEI Rising Star Greta Busacker (GER) with Semieke Rothenberger and Mathieu Baumgartner.
Photo by FEI/Dirk Caremans.

Eventers were well represented in the final nominee pool for the 2021 FEI awards: Julia Krajewski (GER) for Best Athlete, Greta Busacker (GER) for Rising Star, Stephanie Simpson (USA) for Best Groom and Laura Collett (GBR) for Against All Odds. All are deserving, but only one took home the top honor at the awards gala in Antwerp, Belgium yesterday evening: exciting German young rider Greta Busacker.

The 19-year-old took home this year’s Longines FEI Rising Star Award and a Longines timepiece. Individual and team champion at this year’s FEI Eventing European Championships for Young Riders, and bronze medallist at the 2021 German National Championships for Young Riders, Greta Busacker is quickly making a name for herself in the sport. Her win made the FEI Awards a decidedly family affair, with her mother and eventing legend Ingrid Klimke a recipient of the 2019 and 2020 Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Awards.

“I’m very pleased to receive the Longines FEI Rising Star Award. Words can’t describe how honoured I feel because there are so many young talented riders out there,” she said. “They work as hard I do and I get to stand here. This is for my whole team, my family, my friends. Without them I’d be nothing.”

She also paid tribute to her horse, the 10-year old Oldenburg gelding Scrabble, with whom she has been competing since 2019. “With Scrabble, I’ve learned to be patient. When I stand in the starting box and the countdown is on, I know that I can trust him one hundred percent. He has such courage and never gives up. Our connection is such a strong bond. Thank you Scrabble!”

Longines’ Vice President Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner was present in Antwerp to present the Longines FEI Rising Star Award created to recognise young athletes between the ages of 14 and 21 who demonstrate outstanding equestrian sporting talent.

“Young athletes like Greta are the future of equestrian sports and we are delighted and honoured to play a part in what we know will be a long and accomplished career,” he said.

“Longines presents an award which celebrates young talent, while telling their story of determination and passion for a sport. These young stars are the future of equestrian sports and we hope that they will continue to inspire budding equestrians around the world for many years to come.”

Other winners included:

  • Peder Fredricson (SWE) took the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award, adding to his already impressive trophy cabinet of Olympic and European Championship medals, as well as his number one spot on the Longines World Ranking that he took in October 2021 for the first time in his career.

  • It was definitely Sweden’s night as Marie Johansson took the Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award, in recognition of her hard work and dedication in looking after Dressage athlete Patrik Kittel’s horses.

  • The 2021 FEI Solidarity Award went to China’s Equuleus Charity, which aims to support young, underprivileged students to reach their equestrian dream while successfully completing their academic studies.

  • Taking the FEI Against All Odds Award was Beatrice de Lavalette (USA), who lost both legs in the March 2016 terrorist attack at the Zaventem Airport in Brussels (BEL) and went on to make her first Paralympic debut in Tokyo earlier this year in the sport of Para Dressage.

 

This year’s winners were decided by combining 50% of the public votes cast on FEI.org and on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, and 50% of the judges’ votes.

More than 300 distinguished guests, including local sporting legends, National Federations, FEI partners and stakeholders attended the 13th FEI Awards, with equestrian commentator Steven Wilde (GBR) acting as Master of Ceremonies. Also present in Antwerp were all of the 2020 Award winners from 2020 — Ingrid Klimke, Semmieke Rothenberger, Carmen Thiemann, Angelika Trabert, Ebony Horse Club and — who were invited to join in the celebration following the cancellation of last year’s ceremony due to the pandemic.

“This is the first time since 2019 that we have been able to celebrate the stars of our sport in person,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “The global pandemic and the EHV-1 outbreak have been very tough on our industry, and I am pleased that we had the opportunity to bring together the community to celebrate these achievements tonight.

“This edition of the FEI Awards is special for me, not just because it is being held in a city close to my home in Belgium, but also because it is the FEI’s Centennial year. These Awards, and the high calibre of nominees every year, continue to be a testament to the growth of our sport and gives us great hope for the future.”

You can watch a replay of the awards gala here.

 

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Nov 18, 2021 12:03 am -

SEU accurate as always. Photo by Hannah Mulliner.

Unofficial promotion for my favorite Facebook Group, Sh*t Eventers Unite, as they’re raising money for the holiday season for World Horse Welfare by selling really fun branded goodies like sweatshirts, bumper stickers, hats, rucksacks, and even really nice thermal coats. Get one for you, and definitely one for a friend, and benefit horses worldwide by contributing to the charity efforts!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

SAzEA Fall H.T. (Tucson, Arizona): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Fresno County Horse Park H.T. (Fresno, California): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

News From Around The Globe:

Quiet hands are key for athletes who reach the top of any equestrian sport. Their hands follow the horse’s head movement, maintaining the same amount of contact on the reins at all times. It’s no wonder that Beezie Madden can tell us how this can be achieved. “For the most part, it comes down to three things,” Madden said – basic position, basic flatwork and trusting the horse. [Riding With Quieter Hands: Beezie Madden]

How do you stay on top of your biomechanics at home riding alone? What if you don’t have a trainer on the ground? What are some ways you can pick up on little asymmetries or bad habits in the saddle? For part 2 of this short series on rider biomechanics with Noelle Floyd, you’ll get some excellent cues that will come in handy for building on the observations of Part 1. [How Do You Feel Asymmetry In The Saddle?]

Team GB’s Olympic eventers have been shortlisted for Great Britain’s Choice Award for their gold medal-winning performance in Tokyo. The award honours the “most memorable moment” from this summer’s Games, with 14 nominations in the running. Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, Laura Collett and London 52 and Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser led throughout in Tokyo to take Britain’s first eventing team gold since 1972, ahead of Australia in silver and France in bronze. [Vote Now for Team GB Eventers]

Is your horse girthy? When tacking up many horses over my career, horses acting girthy has always made me suspicious. It’s not just a weird behavioral thing, it’s an expression of pain that we haven’t sorted out. I’ve long held the theory that girthy behavior correlates to either front end lameness, or ulcers, and now I’ve finally been vindicated by a study by researchers at the University of California, Davis. If your horse is girthy, don’t just ignore it, instead, you might consider looking into it more thoroughly. [Reasons for Girthiness]

Worrying about losing to a rider, or being beaten by another, is a common mistake many riders make. Wondering if you’re going to beat someone or be beaten by someone else is just as common. Together this kind of worrying and wondering is called the opponent effect and is one of the most obvious – and overwhelming – causes of show jitters and performance anxiety. [Pressure Proof with Daniel Stewart]

Video: Cathy Wieschhoff shares her process for trailer self-loading. Good boy, Waffles!

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Piggy March’s Off-Season Plans

By on Nov 17, 2021 4:30 pm -

The season has mostly wound down for many riders, which means it’s time (because eventers have busy brains!) to start planning for what the winter will entail. Piggy March is always looking ahead, and it’s been fascinating to go behind the scenes with her program and the thought behind her planning. In her latest vlog, she discusses the winter ahead — you may glean some ideas on how to formulate your program from this!

Challenge: Maintaining condition during competition and training

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The horse that matters to you matters to us®.  Call 859-873-2974 or visit KPPusa.com.

Community, Transformation, Inspiration: How Horse & Country Expands the Equestrian Lifestyle Through Digital Content

By on Nov 17, 2021 2:30 pm -

Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.

For as much media consumption as is available to us at any given point in time, it’s often disappointing to find few options when it comes to media geared toward equestrian sport enthusiasts. The sport’s airtime on mainstream channels isn’t much to speak of — most of the horse-driven content found on most channels in the U.S. is centered around racing.

But it’s UK-based Horse & Country that’s aiming to change that conversation, building its content platform around three main pillars of Community, Transformation and Inspiration. With a recent expansion into the U.S. market, the acquisition of EQ Sports Net and the formation of a partnership with the USEA and other equestrian membership organizations, Horse & Country has put itself front and center as the go-to source for equestrian entertainment.

It’s precisely what chairwoman and CEO Heather Killen, whose background includes time spent with Yahoo! expanding the brand’s global reach in the 1990s, envisioned when she took over the company in 2008. And though the early days of the acquisition were far from smooth, the brand has since implemented a successful switch from a cable and satellite delivered offering to the multi-platform subscription service it has become.

“We embarked on what has been quite a long, circuitous journey to where we are today, from being a single satellite channel to an international pay-TV channel,” Heather explained. “But now we have evolved further to offer live and on-demand content as well as linear channels, across a variety of digital platforms and streaming devices.”

Connecting with the equestrian audience was not, however, straightforward. Think about yourself as an equestrian: you’re discerning, and you have specific interests when it comes to horses. You most likely want to be inspired, but you aren’t necessarily going to watch a documentary all about horses (unless it’s narrated by David Attenborough, because he could narrate a fast-food menu and it’d be all I’d eat for a year, probably). You want to feel connected to people and riders you look up to. And you need to see those “heart-in-your-throat” moments of top-level sport.

This creates a unique challenge when it comes to creating a catalog of content that will resonate with the right group.

“Our vision is to create a space where people can come and see themselves reflected in the kind of content we have,” Heather said. “Our objective has always been to allow people to make the most of their lives with horses and do that across a variety of dimensions. To not just be a streaming service, but to address all those aspects of these lives people lead.”

To accomplish this, Horse & Country has built its content around three primary pillars:

Community: “People want to feel part of a community, even if it’s a micro or a niche community. Or even a niche within a niche. They want to feel connected to people they recognize and look up to.”

Transformation: “The ‘mud, sweat and tears’ that go into the transformation of themselves as riders and the transformation felt within their horses through training, growing and education. We want to provide content that’s accessible to riders at different levels, being careful not to alienate the more advanced or the just beginning rider.”

Inspiration: “Everyone wants to watch amazing journeys and performances. It’s the top level of the sport, the ‘heart-in-your-throat’ moments that we all need to see.”

“Going deep enough to really satisfy the needs of these individual micro-audiences is one of the big challenges,” Heather continued. “We’ve discovered that where we have success is when we really do understand our audience and give them what they want.”

Through its advancement to be a recognizable channel around the world, Horse & Country now has a broad international presence and has leaned heavily into the eventing space in particular with nearly 20 international four- and five-star level events streaming in 2021.

For her part, Heather says while horses came to her later in life, they’ve now taken up quite a good chunk of her time: she’s also gotten into breeding as she learned more about the horse world, running a full breeding operation in France that produces sporthorses for both amateurs and professionals. In that vein, she says her increased involvement has helped her learn more about the people she’s trying to reach with Horse & Country. “It’s all about closing that gap and enhancing the life you live with horses,” she explained. “I think if you can give people a useful and supportive environment, you can help grow the whole ecosystem.”

If you want to check out all that Horse & Country has to offer, you can learn more about the content library and subscription options here.

A Game-Changing Tip for Riding the Sensitive Horse

By on Nov 17, 2021 12:00 pm -

We’re pleased to welcome Chelsea Canedy as a guest contributor on Eventing Nation and Horse Nation. Chelsea Canedy is an event rider and trainer based in Wales, Maine, at her beautiful Unexpected Farm. Her training approach places a strong emphasis on understanding how horses learn, as well as rider mindfulness, and how that translates into better performance. Learn more about her at www.chelseacanedy.com.

Photo courtesy of KTB Creative.

Here at Unexpected Farm, I have a number of horses in training that I would consider to be on the more “sensitive” end of the spectrum. The pros of having a sensitive horse are many, if you can channel their sensitivity to work with you and not against you. When you’re able to channel that sensitivity, you can produce a horse that is light, responsive to the aids, and one of those dreamy mounts that seems to read your mind and become an extension of your mind and body.

Channeling a horse’s natural sensitivity comes down to your self-awareness as a rider and handler. It means holding yourself accountable for your energy and aids around that horse, and not just some of the time, but ALL the time, because sensitive horses need serious consistency. Sensitive horses ask you to truly examine how you’re communicating with them – and they’ll call you out when you’re being too loud or harsh or abrupt with your aids, or even just with your energy and body language. In this way, they are wonderful teachers.

So, in my years of training, teaching, and riding sensitive horses, here’s my biggest tip to other riders:

Use as little aid as possible, but as much as necessary to create a change, and ALWAYS return to neutral when you get a response.

Let’s break this down!

When working with a sensitive horse, it’s easy to think, “Well, she should be able to tolerate this much leg/hand, because that’s what will make her more rideable!” And yes, we need our horses to be rideable (accepting of the aids), but acceptance doesn’t mean that the horse has to accept aids that are simply too big/firm/loud for what he needs. I’m sure that if you got on a horse like Laura Graves’ (now retired) Verdades, or Ben Maher’s Olympic show jumper Explosion, you wouldn’t need a 10 pound leg or hand aid. The horse’s ability to respond to a small aid is what we want long-term, but what that means for you as a rider is that if you have a habit of using bigger and heavier aids, you’ll need to become more aware of how this pressure affects your horse’s ability to learn.

On the other hand, this doesn’t mean you should be afraid to use your aids. What sensitive horses have taught me is that as long as you return to neutral- or a relaxed energy state – whenever they try to get the right answer, most of them are actually far more willing than you think. They can tolerate a fair bit of pressure….as long as they feel the release of pressure when they try to get the answer right.

This is the pattern to follow: ride in a neutral state where you’re consciously breathing, following the contact, muscles relaxed, and allowing the horse to feel free from pressure. This is where the horse can think, ‘I’m doing a great job!’ Then, ask for what you want in the smallest way possible. If you don’t get a response, add pressure in a slowly increasing manner by firming up your contact, or by giving a light correction for lack of response to your leg. As soon as you get a response to your firmer contact, or immediately after giving a correction, zap the intensity out of your body and return to neutral. Take a moment to breathe and relax. Then, try again following the same process of aid, increasing pressure or correction, then return to neutral.

Do this again and again until you get a response from the lightest aid you can apply. Be patient, be consistent, be discerning about the use of your own aids and your horse’s try.

This took me a long time to learn myself, and I think it’s the piece that many riders are missing. Sensitive horses can escalate into anxious horses that cannot learn or process information, and that can feel intimidating to ride. This most often happens when riders don’t return to neutral after they have gotten an answer right. In these cases, to the horse it feels like there is always an aid on, because the pressure never lets up. Imagine the frustration of that – of correctly answer the question you are being asked over and over again, but your answer never being acknowledged.

Usually this is totally unintentional, and is simply the rider’s own energy or anxiety creeping in and keeping them from relaxing enough to return to their neutral state. To better help your sensitive horse, you’ll need to get more comfortable there. If it’s a challenge to find your neutral state while mounted, for any reason, start with finding it on the ground in some basic groundwork exercises. Take your time. Once that proves beneficial to you and your horse, try it from on board. Do less. As you begin your ride, feel the sensation of your breath and your muscles and your seat just existing softly with no energy or intention. Let your horse be, just as he is.

Over time, you’ll be able to return to this state more quickly and easily at the right moments, and that’s where you’ll start to see your horse’s sensitivity as a gift instead of an obstacle.

Paris 2024 Qualifications Dominate Discussion at FEI General Assembly

By on Nov 17, 2021 9:00 am -

FEI rules and regulations
FEI General Assembly Antwerp 2021
© FEI/Dirk Caremans

The Olympic and Paralympic qualification systems for Paris 2024 were the key topics for discussion at the Rules and Regulations session Tuesday, with the FEI President calling on the community to work together to safeguard the future of equestrian sport in the Olympic and Paralympic Movements.

Opening the Session, President Ingmar De Vos provided an overview of the comprehensive consultation process on the Paris 2024 qualification systems, which is still ongoing, and the IOC timelines.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has set a December 2021 deadline for all sports to submit their Qualification systems for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Due to the postponement of Tokyo 2020, the normal consultation process with the National Federations had to be shortened.

Approval of the Olympic formats will take place at the in-person IOC Executive Board at the beginning of February 2022. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will publish the approved qualification systems for all sports, including Para Dressage in early 2022.

The FEI President informed delegates that a comprehensive consultation process on the Olympic Regulations and Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) will begin after the FEI Hybrid General Assembly 2021. The process will include a dedicated session at the FEI Sports Forum in April, the normal consultation process on the documents produced by the Technical Committees and further discussion at the General Assembly 2022 Rules Session prior to voting.

The MERs, which will be reviewed, will be an important element of the Rules Revision. Para Dressage MERs are already included in the Qualification Systems as the qualification period starts on 1 January 2022.

Also under discussion will be field-of-play decisions, the allocation of regional qualifying events and redistribution of unused quota places. The FEI President underscored that the proposed formats with teams of three, if approved by the General Assembly, will only apply to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and not FEI Championships, Games or Finals.

When the President opened the meeting to points from the floor, the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) representatives presented a last-minute EEF proposal on alternative qualification pathways, based on both teams of four and teams of three.

The proposal called for more emphasis on World Championships and the FEI Nations Cup™ Series as qualification pathways across the three disciplines, rather than Regional Championships.

FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez raised concerns that the proposal does not meet the IOC’s Olympic Qualification system principles, which include providing more than one opportunity for athletes/teams to qualify, fair and equal opportunities to qualify which do not necessitate expensive or extensive travel, and ensuring continental representation.

FEI Regional Group VIII Chair Jack Huang (TPE) stated that lack of preparation in the lead-up to the Games due to lockdowns around the world during the global Covid-19 pandemic could explain some less than optimal performances, but this would be eliminated by strengthening of the MERs for Paris 2024.

United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Director of Sport Will Connell called for longer term thinking on the Olympic formats that goes beyond Paris 2024, to include Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032. “We need to play the long game,” he said.

The FEI President agreed that, as the Olympic Regulations for Paris 2024 would be included in the FEI Sport Forum next year, qualification systems and formats for Los Angeles 2028 should feature in the 2023 FEI Sports forum.

Delegates, both in-person and online, were given the opportunity to speak. Interventions from the floor came from the Russian Federation, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Eurasian Federation, South Africa, Pan-American Equestrian Confederation (PAEC), Denmark, France, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire. There were also comments received online from the Philippines, Botswana, Hong Kong and Sweden, with the latter three countries expressing their support for a continuation of teams of three at the Olympic Games.

The FEI President confirmed to delegates that there would be a preliminary vote on teams of three or four prior to a vote on the qualification system.

After the discussion on the Olympic Regulations, the Session then moved on to clarifications on the proposed modifications to the FEI Statutes, General and Internal Regulations, Discipline Rules and the FEI Veterinary Regulations. There was also an update on Biosecurity requirements at FEI Events and use of the FEI HorseApp.

All proposed Rules amendments will be voted on at the FEI Hybrid General Assembly on 17 November 2022 and updated on Inside.FEI.org here in due course.

The FEI Hybrid General Assembly commences at 09:00 CET and will be available to watch on livestream here.

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Nov 17, 2021 12:01 am -

Photos via Ema Klugman.

You know what’s nearly as fun as the competition season? Off-season hacking, at least in my opinion! There’s something deeply satisfying and relaxing about wandering through the fall foliage with nowhere to be in a hurry and nothing to prepare for on the immediate horizon. Looks like Ema and her mom are doing it right!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

SAzEA Fall H.T. (Tucson, Arizona): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Fresno County Horse Park H.T. (Fresno, California): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Your Wednesday News & Reading List:

This year’s Breeders’ Cup was Lasix-free. Lasix, a drug generically known as furosemide, has commonly been used in Thoroughbred racing to prevent exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) a.k.a. “bleeding”, but whether or not it’s really necessary or even particularly healthy has been a topic of hot debate. None of the 148 horses that competed in in this year’s Breeders’ Cup races were treated with Lasix before their races and there were no EIPH episodes.

Get to know Tot Goodwin and Melvin Cox. Tot is only the second Black Master of Foxhounds in the U.S. (and the only one in the U.S. today) and the first Black person to hunt in Ireland. Melvin is Managing Director of SportsQuest International and a lecturer at UCSC. The both of them are launching efforts to increase diversity within all parts of the horse industry and working towards a day when other people of color have better and more welcome experiences within the equestrian scene.

You thought eventing was an adrenaline rush? It’s got nothing on Native American bareback horse racing. Just watch this trailer for Pure Grit, a new documentary that follows a young woman who is a former champion jockey and chronicles her journey back to the sport and throughout her life over three years. The documentary made its U.S. premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival last month. It doesn’t appear that the the film is available to stream anywhere yet, but keep any eye out for it!

To soak or to steam … that is the question. Both soaking and steaming hay can  provide a number of benefits for horses, from reducing respirable particles to reducing the sugar content of forage. Each method share some similarities in benefits, but there are some key differences as well and a number of considerations to take into account when deciding what’s best for your horse.

Video Break: There’s a new eventing fan in town: the Governor of Maryland.

Christmas Wish List, Done! The SmartPak Winter Apparel You Need

By on Nov 16, 2021 3:45 pm -

Images via SmartPak.

My family is so on top of Christmas shopping that they already have a group text going strong with wish-lists for each individual family member, immediate and extended, with specific sizes, colors and shopping links. Me, I’m always the weirdo who’s comes in hot on Dec. 24 like “What if all of you go in together on a seven-vial of Adequan? Ooh, and some needles and syringes would make a great accompanying stocking stuffer.”

They only took the bait once, and to be honest I think it was a deeply disappointing experience for them. These people, your loving and generous family, they want to see you out in the world actively utilizing and appreciating their gifts (“Why thank you for the compliment on this argyle sweater, it was a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law!”), not injecting their gift into an animal who may well still come up lame at exactly the wrong moment (“Thanks so much for the $300+ dollars worth of Adequan but my horse decided to pop an abscess/impale himself on a fence/other assorted act of self-destruction the day before dressage anyway.”)

Winter riding gear is the perfect solution. Instead of leaving your family to their own devices, AKA another argyle sweater, steer them toward a winter riding gear wish list at SmartPak! It has real-world applications that they can see AND you’ll genuinely appreciate. And today only, you can get 25% off Piper & Hadley Outerwear with code 12Deal9. 

To get you started: