… like a Chestnut mare. They give a whole new meaning to the word spicy, am I right? Inspired by these rowdy red-heads, here’s your latest roundup of #EventerProblems:
EN TRENDS:
Classic Eventing Nation
Weekend Winners: Full Gallop, Galway Downs & Rocking Horse Winter I
Eventers threw down this weekend in Altoona, FL., Aiken, S.C. and Temecula, CA. Let’s see who won what.
Jane Musselman & Engapore are the unofficial low score winners of the week after finishing on a 19.1 in the Open Novice B at Rocking Horse. This partnership has earned this recognition a number of times. If we had EN award for most low scoring finishes, Jane would likely win it. Well done!
Full Gallop Farm H.T.: Final Scores
Preliminary: Arden Wildasin & Sunday Times (38.6)
Preliminary/Training: Grace Montgomery & Fernhill Wonder (27.7)
Training: Woodge Fulton & Irie (31.5)
Training/Novice: Mellisa Warden & Unfolding Blame (29.5)
Novice A: Alexander Conrad & Cooley Caviar (26.2)
Novice B: Sara Gumbiner & Harmony HPF (27.1)
Beginner Novice A: Alexander Conrad & El Paso III (28.6)
Beginner Novice B: Alexander Conrad & Cearney (23.6)
Starter: Kaitlin Hartford & FGF Gumdrop’s Chiclet (44.6)
Galway Downs Winter H.T.: Final Scores
Advanced/Intermediate: Erin Kellerhouse & Woodford Reserve (36.3)
Open Intermediate: Tamra Smith & Solaguayre California (37.9)
Open Preliminary: Tamra Smith & MaiStein (38.4)
Open Training: Megan McIver & Dasset Whisper (22.4)
Senior Training Rider: Mackenzie Davison & Balla Ruan (36.2)
Junior Training Rider: Morgan Taylor & The Sun Feels Good (31)
Open Novice: Bari Boersma & Smarty Pants GWF (23.6)
Senior Novice Rider: Jennifer Achilles & Excel Star Lance (26.4)
Junior Novice Rider: Eva Herbert & Bodestar (30.3)
Open Beginner Novice: Erin Kellerhouse & Bridgestone Dezhou (23.9)
Beginner Novice Rider: Sabrina Teater & Get Busy (31.9)
Open Introductory: Amelie Kelsall & Mommy’s Ferrari (31.1)
Rocking Horse Winter I H.T.: Final Scores
Open Intermediate A: Bruce Davidson Jr. & Erroll Gobey (26.6)
Open Intermediate B: Bruce Davidson Jr. & Carlevo (28.7)
Open Intermediate A Friday: Lauren Nicholson & Landmark’s Monte Carlo (32.1)
Open Intermediate B Friday: Lauren Nicholson & Paramount Importance (36.9)
Intermediate Rider: Megan Betzel & Valhar (42.7)
Intermediate/Preliminary: Sarah Ertl & Global Showtime (21.9)
Open Preliminary A: William Ward III & Grando (30.2)
Open Preliminary B: Ariel Grald & Isla de Coco (30.4)
Open Preliminary A One Day: Elisa Wallace & Let It Be Lee (32.6)
Open Preliminary B One Day: Kendal Lehari & Iron Lorde (26.8)
Preliminary Horse: Lesley Grant-Law & Castle Howard Romeo (32.6)
Preliminary Rider A: Hannah Warner & Drombane Dynamite (29.3)
Preliminary Rider B: Rylee Gailey & Dukes Up (31.7)
Preliminary/Training: Christina Henriksen & CIERRA (24.6)
Open Training A: Sophie Miller & Quarlotta C (30.2)
Open Training B: Kendyl Tracy & HSH Golden Boy (21.7)
Open Training C: Hugh Wrigley & FE Santos (21.4)
Training Horse A: Karl Slezak & Chevalier (30.7)
Training Horse B: Ashley Trier & Quality Vintage (30)
Senior Training Rider A: Audra Alland & Delana Lady Wolf (34.8)
Senior Training Rider B: Claire Strehlow & Seabanks Theygo (36.4)
Junior Training Rider: Kelsey Seidel & Forever Lookey (28.8)
Open Novice A: Lauren Nicholson & Carbon Copy Z (24.5)
Open Novice B: Jane Musselman & Engapore (19.1)
Novice Horse A: Clayton Fredericks & FE In The Sun (23.6)
Novice Horse B: Anna Loschiavo & Contefino Grande (23.7)
Novice Horse C: Ronald Zabala-Goetschel & Wise Pirello (31.6)
Senior Novice Rider: Henley Fletcher & Fernhill Harley (30)
Junior Novice Rider: Kiera Kenny & FE Chardonnay (23)
Open Beginner Novice A: Mia Farley & Newtown Lewellyn (27.2)
Open Beginner Novice B: Cemone Rovira & Bear (31.7)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Morgan Mindrebo & Alexander (26.7)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Sarah Egel & My Lucky Irish (28.9)
Monday News & Notes
At the forefront of many of our minds is how we can create a more inclusive equestrian industry. If the magnitude of the question has left you with an uncomfortable feeling of inertia, try setting some actionable goals this month that’ll increase your awareness and allyship. While the onus is absolutely on all of us with a platform in the industry – whether that’s working in media, running stables, or sitting on the board of a governing body – to ensure we’re opening doors and creating a safe and welcoming space for every rider, individual actions are so important, too.
I found this Instagram post from the blackequestrians account so insightful and educational. Have you ever stumbled over the word ‘Black’? Are you unsure whether it’s a better choice than, for example, African-American? Does the thought of getting it wrong push you away from engaging in conversations in which it could come up? Take ten minutes this week to read an article or two penned by a Black writer, which will help you understand the nuances of terminology and make you that much more comfortable with it. Don’t be afraid of being corrected by someone who’d prefer you use different language. Accept it with grace, thank the person for letting you know, and commit to the change – that one small step will make a difference in creating a space that’s open to everyone. Oh, and while you’re at it, give this piece by John Eligon a read to learn about why we capitalise ‘Black’.
National Holiday: It’s National Freedom Day, which marks the anniversary of the formal abolition of slavery in 1865. It’s also the start of Black History Month – and we’re excited to bring you plenty of special content looking into the history of Black equestrians throughout February.
US Weekend Results:
Full Gallop Farm H.T.: [Results]
Galway Downs Winter H.T.: [Results]
Rocking Horse Winter I H.T.: [Results]
Your Monday Reading List:
Have you joined the insanity yet? ICYMI, Eventing Nation is now on Patreon! We’ve created a private Facebook group just for Patrons and are giving out an EN Yeti mug or wine tumbler for anyone who signs up by February 14. Click here to learn more!
As the pandemic continues its reign of terror, an event rider has called for fellow equestrians to take risk management seriously. Many of us are continuing to ride and train our horses as normal – but when Sasha Hargreaves had an accident at home, she saw firsthand just how over-capacity the medical system is. [‘We must minimise risk’: eventer’s eight hours in hospital highlights scale of Covid pandemic]
There are some lucky folks out there who are in a position to get out competing right now. I enjoyed this reflection on the eight things you learn on returning to the ring – and not just because it gave me a chance to live vicariously through someone else’s far more exciting life. [Eight Things I Learned This Week]
Liz Halliday-Sharp certainly made the most of her 2020, winning the USEA Rider and Lady Rider of the Year titles. But she’s not the only member of her team to top the rankings – Cooley Stormwater has been named the USEA Seven-Year-Old of the Year. [Cooley Stormwater: 2020 USEA 7-Year-Old Horse of the Year]
How well do you know affable British star Alex Bragg? We’re willing to bet at least half of these fun facts about the rugby-player-turned-farrier-turned-rider will come as a surprise to even keen fans of Alex and his top horse, Zagreb. [Horseball, water treadmills and a French connection – nine things you didn’t know about Alex Bragg]
Opportunity of the Week: Want to take your horse to college, but don’t have the means to transport them across the country? Brook Ledge Horse Transportation can help. Their new scholar programme will award one student with a return trip for their horse – and you don’t have to be on an equestrian course or team to be eligible. Check it out here.
Follow of the Week:
Celebrities who ride have been a major topic of conversation since Chrissy Teigen donned her first pair of tall boots and rolled around her living room floor in wholly relatable agony. But my attention’s been caught by Selma Blair, the noughties queen of film whose MS diagnosis in 2018 brought a new wave of attention to the nervous system disease. Nearly one million people in the US are affected by MS, which can cause pain, numbness, and loss of hearing and motor functions, and for which there’s not yet a cure. But Selma’s candour about her condition, and her outspoken hope and optimism, prove that your life doesn’t end at diagnosis – and we’re thrilled to see her back in the saddle, exactly as she’d hoped for when she first broke the news two years ago.
Morning Viewing:
Irish Olympian Camilla Spiers is getting more than she bargained for from her tough new trainer…
Best of JN: Confessions of a Hunter Princess Gone Rogue from Old Folks’ Hell Week with Jimmy Wofford
This clinic report was first published on our sister site, Jumper Nation.
Generally when one is invited to something called “Hell Week,” the answer is no. Any sane person would say no to something with that name. I, however, have not claimed to be sane and I’ve certainly never passed up a new lesson opportunity with Olympian Jimmy Wofford. So, on January 18th, 2021 this hunter princess began six days of Hell Week.
What IS Hell Week you ask? It is six days of lunge lessons designed to improve the rider’s dressage (flat) position, taught by Jimmy. It’s been a regular part of Jimmy’s training program since its inception in the spring of 1973. You may be surprised to know that Jimmy did in fact come up with its name, and it’s doubtful that any participating rider has disagreed with the namesake. Hopefully you aren’t surprised to hear that many of our sport’s “forefathers” have been big fans of lunge lessons. Horsemen like Chamberlain, Jack LeGoff, Mike Plumb and even Bill Steinkraus used them. The cavalry was known for starting riders with no reins and stirrups. The exercises within Hell Week were not designed to be easy, but rather to be very helpful in developing independent aids, correct use of the spine and balance in the saddle.
Shall we set the scene? An even number of riders are needed, generally four but occasionally six riders participate. For old folks Hell Week, there was myself (of ACE Equestrian), Tom and Clare Mansmann (of Pacific Farms) and Courtney Olmstead (of LCO Eventing). I lovingly named our Hell Week, Old Folks Hell Week, because in general, all four of us are roughly 15-20 years OLDER than the usual riders who participate in Hell Week. We got to work in the indoor at Destinaire Farm all week which provided protection from the cold as well as soft footing for our old bones to smash onto should we take an unscheduled flight off our horse.
Amanda of ACE Equestrian, photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
The week began on a Monday afternoon with a class room lecture. Jimmy covered the basics of the different positions we use and when we use them. He then gave a description of the exercises we’d be doing. The exercises were as follows:
Ready position– Outside hand holding the pommel to pull your pelvis deep and inside hand behind the back. By the end of the week, we were just touching the pommel instead of pulling ourselves in.
Ankle rolls– Exactly as it sounds. Draw big circles in opposing directions with your toes. Done at the walk.
Leg Stretches– Grab your right ankle with your right hand and pull the heel to your seat, stretching the knee downwards. This should happen without leaning or tipping of the body. Repeat with the other leg.
Splits– Place your arms crossed over your chest and move one leg straight and as far forward as possible, while the other goes back. The trick is completing this without tipping of the body and seat bones. Isolating just the leg movement. Done at the walk.
Puppet Master– Stretch your arms out, palms up, at shoulder height and move one leg at a time towards your hand (as if you were following a string up to your hand). This was another exercise to isolate leg movement. It really highlighted stiffness in the hip. Done at the walk.
Windmill– Starting with your arms at your sides, palms to the back, bring one arm forward and around. Your other arm rotates opposite of the first arm that moved. Imagine the hands of a clock. This exercise opens up the shoulders and is meant to be done in the rhythm of your horse’s gait. Done at the walk, trot, and canter.
Amanda of ACE Equestrian, photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
Body twisters– Arms outstretched shoulder height, palms up and rotate the body until you and your arms are parallel to the horses body. You should be able to look to the opposite hip. Then you twist back around the other way. Meant to isolate body movement. Done at the walk, trot, and canter.
Sit-ups– Yes I said sit-ups. Arms crossed in front of your chest and you bend forward, touch your helmet to the horses neck and then bend backwards and touch your helmet to the horses croup. Serious strength training. Meant to be done with the abs and not by pinching with the knee. Done at the walk and canter.
Courtney of LCO Eventing, photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
Side saddle– Without a side saddle. Inside hand holds the cantle and outside hand holds in the pommel, to be starting with legs on the outside of the circle. Switch your hand position when you switch your legs to the inside. Done at the walk and canter.
Tom of Pacific Farms,photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
Jockey position– Pull yourself into a tight two point that mimics the position jockey’s do.
The next exercises were called the gymnastics portion. The horse is standing still for each of these. Safety was a common theme during the week and there were always two spotters for these exercises. I won’t go into spotter body placement, but I will say, kids don’t try this at home (unless you’re doing this with an educated Hell Week graduate).
Amanda of ACE Equestrian, photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
Around the world– Bring both legs to the left side of the horse, lock your elbows and place the hands on the pommel and withers, rotate your body clockwise so you’re facing the horse balancing on your palms and then swing your right leg back over the horse. Repeat on the other side.
Heel clicks– Put your palms on the withers, lean forward while tucking your chin, swing your legs up and behind you and click your heels together.
Scissor kicks– Put your hands on the withers. Begin like for a heel click, but cross your legs to land back in the saddle facing the opposite direction.
Flying dismount– Heel click, push yourself away from the horse and stick the landing like a gymnast.
Backflip– Both legs on the right side of the horse and your left hand on the pommel and your right hand on the cantle. Shimmy your seat down the flap of the saddle and then kick your legs up and over you until you land on the ground facing your horse.
These exercises were all done in repetitions of five.
I can’t say I was feeling super confident after hearing all of the exercises, but I was the lunger first, so I did get to watch Clare do everything. Despite knowing that I’m less flexible than she is, I felt better after watching everything. Later in the week, when I watched things like the canter side saddle, it created some form of dread.
Day 1 came and went, no one fell, we laughed A LOT and despite all waking up feeling a little sore, there was a sense of confidence when we entered day 2. This however was also the day that the “gloves came off”. During our lecture we didn’t actually talk about which gaits we’d be doing for each exercise. I felt really comfortable with body twisters and windmill at the canter. I thrive off of counting around a course, so these motions felt like my body counting the strides. But when I witnessed going from the walk to the canter in side saddle, I peed a little.
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- Clare of Pacific Farms, photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
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- Clare of Pacific Farms, photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
Although I had picked the laziest, most comfortable school horse for Clare and I, I was still panicking when it was time for the transition. Panic makes you do really dumb things, like tighten every muscle in your body even though you know you need to relax in order to follow the canter motion. As if picking up the canter wasn’t bad enough, I had to return my left leg to the correct side, switch my hands and move my right leg over the neck, all while cantering. Watching back the video, I know I was being a huge baby, but in my head it was the most terrifying task of the day.
By day 3, you could see the pain in everyone’s faces. The mild soreness we felt on day 2 was a distant memory and today we all felt like the oldest people to attempt Hell Week. Day 3 brought on the new activity of doing sit ups at the canter, which no one seemed to enjoy. Luck was bestowed upon me this day, I did not have to do canter sit ups. Why you ask? Well because I had an epic launch off my horse while cantering in side saddle. I earned my first “honorable scar of combat” (I’m not sure anyone speaks as eloquently as Jimmy). I didn’t bring any pride to these lessons, so fortunately the only thing I damaged was my left hip that I landed squarely on.
Photo by Courtney Noel Studio.
That night the doctor assured me I didn’t have a fracture and I limped into day 4. The rest of the week was somewhat limited for me, since I didn’t have a great range of motion and a decent amount of pain. I was bummed about that, but happy I didn’t get taken out completely. My unscheduled flight with air-Jimmy meant I had to use a different horse for day 5 and 6. On a slightly confident whim, I chose my horse Duncan. He may spook at dead grass, but he somehow doesn’t mind acrobatics on his back. It was an invaluable opportunity to improve my seat on my own personal horse.
I expected to learn a ton, and I wasn’t disappointed. If you’re a Jumper Nation fan, you’re likely a hunter or a jumper, not an eventer. It’s also likely you’re familiar with the H/J way of doing lunge lessons and no stirrups. Because the focus was on our dressage position, Jimmy wanted our leg as long as we could manage, with droopy toes. I have pictures to prove just how hard letting my toes droop was. What I also learned, however, was that by lifting my toe, I tense my ankle and by association my whole leg, making it much harder to sit with the motion of the horse’s spine. Everyday I became more aware of what I tense in my body that keeps me from being able to sit deeply and correctly. With everyday that our seats and positions improved, we felt our horses become more sensitive to the littlest change in our back and seat.
Overall, my Old Folks’ Hell Week experience was a 10 out of 10. I can’t wait to take these exercises and start using them for my students.
Sunday Links
Photo courtesy of the Carolina Horse Park.
Changes are afoot at the Carolina Horse Park. Above you’ll see a sneak peak at the new James P. Baker Show Pavilion, which is set to be completed in March. This space will host officials’ and announcers’ platform, an education and learning center as well as spectator viewing and hospitality space. Additionally, the Park has installed a brand new 160′ x 250′ area with all-weather footing. The team at Carolina Horse Park is always aiming higher, especially as we get closer to their major event, Cloud 11~Gavilan North LLC Carolina International CCI and Horse Trial, which will be held March 18th – 21st, 2021.
National Holiday: National Hot Chocolate Day
U.S. Weekend Action:
Full Gallop Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Galway Downs Winter H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Rocking Horse Winter I H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Sunday Links:
‘We must minimise risk’: eventer’s eight hours in hospital highlights scale of Covid pandemic
Introducing the USEA Classic Series Modified Three-Day Event
Unpopular Opinion: It’s time for the hunter world to decide if they are a sport or an exhibition
LiftMaster Returns for 3rd Year as Title Sponsor
Trauma doctor shares simple life-saving actions all equestrians should know
Sunday Video: Elisa Wallace takes her gang cross country schooling.
Dappir Ridge Road to the Makeover: Meet the New OTTB Lineup
For trainers accepted to the hybrid 2020/2021 Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, the work continues after a weird last year. The 2021 event will take place at Oct. 12-17 at the Kentucky Horse Park. Between now and then, this team of four trainers will be blogging their journeys, including their triumphs and their heartbreaks, successes and failures, for Eventing Nation readers.
In 2020, we met the team of trainers from Dappir Ridge Eventing in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it sounds like they’ve had some hills and valleys since their last check in last summer. Here’s the latest Dappir Ridge Eventing update!
Kelly and Robbie Jones finished 6th at the 2020 War Horse Championships at the Carolina Horse Park. Photo courtesy of Brant Gamma.
Quite a few changes have transpired since our last blog post in June. Of our four main 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover hopefuls, only one of them still remains with Dappir Ridge. Sevennotrump (“Tricks”) and Hunters Dream (“Fox”) found wonderful new homes, while Prince Attack (“Prince”) returned to Illinois to be enjoyed by his owner, Laurie. Only the infamous Robbie Jones remains with us- Kelly will fill you in on his recent adventures below.
Over the fall and winter, we have had a handful of OTTBs pass through the barn, which we have brought along as resale projects. A few have since been sold, and a few of them were just too nice to let go! Those in the latter category will stay with us this season to hopefully contest the 2021 “Mega Makeover”.
Of our collection of “keepers”, there is one common thread, which is fairly unusual: ALL of them came from Illinois! Go figure! Since Kiki, our fearless leader, hails from the great state of Illinois, it is only befitting that all of our horses would be from there as well.
Adriana Nannini
Last fall, my 2020 Makeover horse, Sevennotrump (“Tricks”), found his stride in the jumper ring. I took him to a couple of jumper shows at the Virginia Horse Center, where he earned himself champion in the 2’6 division, then easily moved up to the 2’9. In November, Tricks was sold to a 5* event rider, and is now in Aiken for the winter, living his best life! We can’t wait to see how Tricks (now called “Ted”), progresses with his new rider.
There’s a new face in the barn, and a cute one at that, whom I hope will be my 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover project. Her name is Wicked Soprano, aka “Raven”, a 2017 model 16hh black/dark bay filly, purchased sight unseen from CANTER Illinois. Raven had 7 starts on the track, without much success. She was described by her race trainer as a “Morning Glory”- a horse that performs well in their workouts, but doesn’t run well in the actual races. Lucky for me!
This fancy lady stole my heart from day one. She is gorgeous, feminine, and full of pizzaz. Alex says that her human doppelgänger is Posh Spice, if that gives you any idea of her diva personality and stunning looks. Under saddle, Raven has springy, expressive gaits with incredible natural balance, and seems to be a quick learner. She is sensitive to the leg and soft in the bridle- a real sportscar type.
Hacking out is a huge part of our program with the OTTB babies at Dappir Ridge, but some of them take to it more readily than others. Raven really seems to love it, so far! She has hacked alone and with company, through fields, wooded paths, and down our dirt road in a brave, quiet manner. Most recently, Raven has begun trotting over poles, cavaletti and small cross rails, and has taken to it all with confidence and nonchalance. Furthermore, she is sweet and polite to handle in the barn, and has a very persuasive cookie face!
I think my main challenge with Raven will be teaching her to slow everything down. She is a forward-thinking type- I probably say “whoa” about 1,000 times during each ride! She is respectful and wants to learn, but sometimes she still thinks she’s a racehorse. After all, her last race was in mid-December, not that long ago!
I am super excited to bring along this spunky, athletic mare and look forward to our journey to the Thoroughbred Makeover together this season.
Adriana Nannini and Sevennotrump at the Virginia Horse Center in October 2020. Photo courtesy of Adriana Nannini
Wicked Soprano, aka “Raven”. Photo courtesy of Adriana Nannini
Raven and her human doppelgänger. See the resemblance?! Photo courtesy of Adriana Nannini
Raven’s first post-track ride! Photo courtesy of Kiki Osbourne
Dr. Kelly Giunta, VMD
Robbie Jones had a fantastic fall. His feet were finally doing great and we were able to attend most of the shows at the Carolina Horse Park War Horse Event Series. We ended up coming in 6th place in the series championships for Beginner Novice! We also practiced schooling the Novice course a few times and it was no problem at all for Robbie.
In October, we went to a hunter show at the Virginia Horse Center and won a ribbon in a big class against fancy warmbloods! Robbie even went fox hunting a few times with Farmington Hunt Club!
This winter we have been working on perfecting our dressage training with the help of Kiki. We were just figuring out counter canter (sort of) when we were sidelined by a foot abscess- the 2 week long drain out the heel bulb kind! So now, Robbie is nursing his foot back to health and mom is going skiing. We should be back in action soon.
Kelly Giunta and Robbie Jones at the War Horse Championships. Photo courtesy of Brant Gamma
Kelly Giunta and Robbie Jones at the War Horse Championships. Photo courtesy of Brant Gamma
Alex Austin
Last summer, Hunters Dream (“Fox”), came into his own and really grew up, with each ride becoming a little more focused and a little more productive, and handling new environments gracefully. He was listed for sale in August and went to a lovely home with the first people who came to look at him! We keep our eyes out for him on the local show scene, as he didn’t go too far away! I feel very honored and grateful to have been a part of Fox’s training.
This year, my Makeover hopeful is nearly the exact opposite of little Fox. Crafty Oak’s Run, “Rōnin”, is a 2016 17hh (!) liver chestnut, who came to us from Robbie Jones’s trainer in Illinois. Rōnin had very little (read: zero) success as a racehorse with only three starts. Also, just like Robbie Jones, Rōnin has a lovely sensible brain and affectionate and engaged personality. Not to mention three gaits that are balanced and have a surprising amount of suspension. My face was plastered with a huge smile during the entirety of my first ride on him.
Rōnin reminds me a bit of a Great Dane puppy at the moment, head and feet a little too big for the body and a similar disposition. He is ready and willing to please and has been a joy to work with so far, hacking out alone or with others, and learning to handle his large body in the smaller space of our arena than previously used to on the track. The right lead is frequently elusive for him at this stage, and bending left is most difficult…my left side will be very strong one day.
I am very excited to see what this big guy wants to do in his second career!
Alex Austin and Hunters Dream in Summer of 2020. Photo courtesy of Adriana Nannini
Alex Austin and Crafty Oak’s Run. Photo courtesy of Alex Austin
Crafty Oak’s Run, aka “Rōnin”. Photo courtesy of Adriana Nannini
Alex Austin and “Rōnin”. Photo courtesy of Kiki Osbourne
Kiki Osbourne (Our Fearless Leader)
It’s been a short while since we all checked in! Thanks to our ongoing pandemic, not surprisingly, the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover was canceled. Because of this, my 2020 Makeover hopeful, Prince Attack, didn’t have to stay with us until November anymore. Onto “Plan B”. Laurie, Prince’s owner, was anxiously awaiting his return to Illinois so she could get to know her “little carrot”, as she fondly calls him. Shortly after one of the War Horse events, Prince loaded on a fancy horse van with one other horse, an American Pharoah filly- I told him he really had to behave in that company! Laurie met the van in Kentucky and shipped him back to his old/new home state of Illinois. Prince originally came from the CANTER Illinois crew, so I think he’s a Midwest boy at heart!
Laurie took Prince to meet “Cowboy Tim” so that he could continue his education. Laurie was just getting back into riding after a long hiatus, so Prince needed to keep improving his skills to be a suitable mount for her. It was really nice that Laurie understood this, and didn’t try and take on the 4 (now 5) year old solo.
Prince has been thriving in his new home. I get pictures and videos frequently. He even has an Instagram account (@princeattack_ottb)! Prince has learned about western tack and being a versatile citizen. He actually looks pretty fancy in that western saddle! At this point, since it seems like so much is still not a sure thing, we are unsure if Prince will make it back to Virginia in the spring to continue moving toward the 2021 Makeover, or if he will remain with his mom in Illinois instead. Either way is fine with me, I’m just happy Laurie is enjoying the journey with her horse! If Prince doesn’t make it back East, I may have one more option…
In November, I saw another horse on the CANTER Illinois site named Shake and Spin. He was a 2018 model, jet black, leggy gelding and a grandson of Vindication (sire of my beloved OTTB “Galvani”). I hesitated to call because he was only 2, but kept going back to his picture/video, and a few days later decided to call the trainer. Not surprisingly, she told me that he had been sold- to someone in Virginia. I had a hunch who had bought him. Sure enough, about 3 days after my call, a picture and post about him showed up on Liz Millikin’s Facebook page. Of course I had to comment on the post that she beat me to him, and that he looked lovely. Thanks to Liz, after a phone call and a text or two, I was driving up to Middleburg to pick him up. Hmmmm. There’s now a stunning 3 year old in my barn, now named “Frijole”, or “Ole” for short.
“Ole” had 4 recorded workouts but zero starts, so he is much different than most racehorses. He is a soft, rangy mover and is exceedingly quiet. We have only been on him 5-6 times since the first of the year. He is technically not even quite 3 yet, and clearly has some growing to do, so we plan to mostly just hack him for the next few months, then slowly start some work. If he’s moving along ok, and seems mentally ready for a big atmosphere like the Thoroughbred Makeover, he could maybe go and do some dressage tests, or something low-key. He won’t be forced to go out and do a ton this year if he’s not ready. As usual with horses, time will tell!
Prince Attack with his owner, Laurie, in Illinois. Photo courtesy of Laurie Baker McNeil
Shake and Spin, aka “Ole”. Photo courtesy of Adriana Nannini
Kiki Osbourne enjoying her new mount, Shake and Spin. Photo courtesy of Adriana Nannini
We hope you enjoy following our continued journey to the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover. Go Eventing and Go Thoroughbreds!
Saturday Links
This saddle rack is one of the items up for auction and I can’t be the only one who thinks it’s really neat! Photo via CDCTA.
I always like to practice and preach shopping locally and I believe that the sentiment is the same for supporting local organizations as well. If you happen to be located in Norther or Central Virginia, the Commonwealth Dressage and Combined Training Association (CDCTA) is running a silent auction through 9 PM this Sunday (Tomorrow, 1/31!) which is a great opportunity to support eventing locally. There are lots of gift certificates for lessons up for grabs as well as other neat items — take a look!
U.S. Weekend Action:
Full Gallop Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Galway Downs Winter H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Rocking Horse Winter I H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Saturday Links:
Looking for More Insanity In the Middle? Meet the New EN Patreon!
The Kentucky Horse Park Will Serve as a Regional Vaccine Site
An Update on the 2021 Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event
Area Declaration Extended for 2021 Adequan®/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge
Empowerment Happens When You Own Your Labels: Dr. Auriel August’s Journey Back to the Ring
Monarts Masterpiece Made 2020 Look Easy
Saturday Video: “‘For the Love of Equestrian’ is actually not looking at it from only the horse point of view, but actually the whole community that is around the horses.” Wise words from Namibian show jumper and veterinary student, Salom Nghinamito.
Friday Video from SmartPak: Ginger Spice Rides Horses, Guys, and We’re Into It
Do I take my role as a purveyor of very serious equestrian news stories seriously? Totally. Have I been thinking about Geri Halliwell — the very best of the Spices — and her involvement with the horsey community ever since she wandered into the stables at Blenheim a year and a half ago and cuddled Oliver Townend? Honestly, nothing else has so much as flickered in my brainbox.
If you’re as much of a sucker for pointless celebrity non sequiturs as I am, you’ll love nothing more than diving into the sweet (and, okay, slightly bittersweet) story of Geri and her rescue horse Beauty, and how their relationship gave her the courage to embrace her inner Spice once again. If nothing else, it might make you really, really, really wanna zig-ah-zig-ah, whatever that means. Need me anytime soon? You can find me desperately trying to get Geri on board for an EN interview and horse box karaoke session and doing no other actual work.
Detecting and Treating White Line Disease in Horses, Presented by Banixx Horse & Pet Care
White line disease in progress. Photo courtesy of Banixx.
White Line Disease is a hoof infection caused by fungi, bacteria, or a combination of both that destroys tissue connection within the hoof. The disease gets its name from a powdery, crumbly, white residue that is visible when the hoof is trimmed. This residue is made of the hoof’s disintegrating white line area. White Line Disease is also known as Seedy Toe.
The fungi or bacteria enter the hoof via old nail holes, cracks and other weak points. Once inside, they slowly erode the layers of connective tissue or laminae that make up a healthy hoof and hold the coffin bone in place. The coffin bone is the largest bone in a horse’s hoof and helps shape the hoof wall. The destructive organisms lead to cavities and weaknesses within the hoof. If left unchecked, the hoof slowly disintegrates from the inside out and requires professional care to treat it.
Detecting White Line Disease
If you see white residue, take swift action to get it diagnosed by your farrier or veterinarian to prevent worsening internal separation of the interior hoof laminae. But here’s the tough part: you can’t actually see the infection. Even though the disease enters from the outside, it doesn’t spread to the hoof’s exterior, it only attacks the vital internal hoof tissue. The pathogens that make up White Line Disease are anaerobic, meaning they cannot tolerate exposure to oxygen. That makes the interior of a horse hoof the perfect place for them to thrive without interruption. Perhaps a more accurate name or description for this hoof infection is “hoof wall separation” since the infection separates the white line hoof tissue from the interior hoof laminae.
Luckily, this disease is not fast-acting. It’s a sneaky infection that has the tendency to be easily overlooked. When White Line Disease is caught in the early stages, it is easily and quickly treatable. As with so many infections, early detection is key to successful treatment without complications.
Treating White Line Disease
Most veterinarians and farriers agree that the most effective treatment for White Line Disease follows a two-step process. First, begin with an x-ray of the affected hoof. An x-ray will assess the damage and determine the extent of the infection. This step must not be skipped, as there are no visual cues you can rely on to accurately assess the infection’s severity. It is important to determine how far inside the hoof the damage traveled which can affect the integrity of the hoof. No hoof, no horse!
The second step is to resect the affected area of the hoof (either by drilling holes or hoof removal) to expose the offending organisms to oxygen and treat with a solution, such as Banixx.
In minor cases, conventional procedures call for the infection to be first dug out using a small pick, hoof nippers, a knife or a Dremel-type tool followed by the chemical treatment. More advanced cases might require the removal of the diseased tissue (this means the hoof tissue) to expose the disease’s anaerobic pathogens to oxygen that spells their demise.
Some success has been achieved with an easier and less invasive process such as drilling access holes at the top of the infection site. A time-honored practice in more complicated cases is the removal of areas of the hoof wall. However, removing large areas of the hoof wall will compromise hoof stability and likely result in your horse needing a special custom shoe. While this doesn’t sound particularly frightening, there is danger if your horse loses this shoe.
A common issue with the traditional method of trimming away affected hoof tissue is that it simply isn’t comprehensive enough. If even the littlest smidge of white line disease infection is left, it will multiply and you’ll be back to square one.
Banixx has even proven to be effective at eradicating stubborn, long-afflicting White Line Disease thanks to its unique pH level which completely inhibits the growth of any fungi or bacteria.
Applying Banixx for Treatment
To apply Banixx the hoof must be awash in the solution. You can set up this treatment via a medicine boot or via a homemade device which possesses an entry point where you can re-apply Banixx. A clean, used, saline IV bag (obtained from your vet) may serve well for this purpose if a medicine boot is not available.
In summary, with Banixx, you change the pH of the hoof environment to arrest infection but render no damage to healthy hoof tissue. This method also avoids accidentally exposing your horse to potentially harmful chemicals such as copper sulfate, formaldehyde or certain chemicals found in iodine-based treatments. Banixx is safe for your horse and you, as well as safe for the environment.
Preventing White Line Disease
Although White Line Disease may be a common problem, do not disregard it as a “minor disease.” If allowed to progress, your horse may require extensive hoof repair, treatment, and rest – that means no riding potentially for months while incurring significant expense. Keep your horse’s feet current with a qualified farrier; it’s a much more cost-effective solution.
White Line Disease loves to grow in mostly warm, moist climates, although it’s not uncommon for horses living in dry climates to suffer from it. It can affect both shod and unshod feet, and it can affect one hoof as easily as it can affect multiple. Even horses being reared under the most sanitary conditions can succumb to it.
Remember that regular hoof care and good hygiene are your best defense against White Line Disease. Moreover, it’s vital to note that even with an “abnormal” hoof confirmation, a defensive, well-thought out trim job goes a long way to avoiding this disease. Additionally, knowing what to look for, such as the appearance of crumbly, white granules in the area where the firm white line used to be or an unexplained lameness that suddenly develops can serve as a signal to investigate more deeply. Any hoof cavities that you discover should be quickly disinfected with a high-quality antifungal/antibacterial product such as Banixx with follow up with your farrier and possibly your veterinarian. Early detection and effective treatment will greatly simplify you and your horse’s life!
Brought to you by BANIXX – The #1 trusted solution for equine and pet owners! Learn more about Banixx
British International Season Opener at Thoresby Cancelled in Face of Pandemic Uncertainty
The British international season was set to begin with new fixture Thoresby Park, the intended replacement for Belton, pictured. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The British eventing season has taken an early hit to its calendar after today’s announcement that the Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby, Notts., the intended opener for the year’s international roster, has been cancelled amid uncertainty around pandemic regulations.
Intended to run from April 1–3, the Carnival was set to host national classes from Novice to Advanced and international short-format sections from CCI2*-S to CCI4*-S. Its 2021 iteration was its second attempt to run as a new event on the calendar, and its second thwarting at the hands of COVID-19.
Stuart Buntine and his team at BEDE Events were forced to make the tough decision for the second year running as it became clear that there would be no immediate easing to Britain’s current lockdown, which will remain in place until at least March 8 but is expected to continue on beyond that date.
Though the fledgling fixture, which was intended to replace the much-loved Belton International after its last renewal in 2019, hasn’t yet had a chance to settle into its role as season opener, it was used as the host for 2020’s autumn British Young Horse Championships. Ordinarily hosted at nearby Osberton, the Championships gave riders and sport stakeholders the chance to see the venue’s enormous potential as an eventing hub.
“Thoresby Park is a fantastic venue and we were very relieved when we were able to re-route the autumn Osberton International Horse Trials [here],” said Buntine in a statement released this morning [January 29]. “We ran what quickly became known as ‘Thoresberton’ to much praise from riders, owners and sponsors thanks to the efforts of Thoresby Park’s Gregor Pierrepont and the team.”
Thoresby’s much-anticipated season opener will be shelved once again until 2022. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography for BEDE Events.
Stringent stay-at-home orders meant that the BEDE team’s preparation period was drastically reduced in the lead-up to the event, which would have served as a crucial run on the road to Badminton for many horses and riders.
“In order to run The Eventing Spring Carnival in April, work needed to start in early February, which has meant we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel this year’s event and plan towards a bigger and better 2022,” Buntine continued. “As ever at BEDE Events we are a positive team and are sure our busy calendar of fixtures will get underway before we know it, but in order for riders to plan their season we felt they needed to be kept in the loop.”
Buntine praised the support of the team at Thoresby Park and lamented the necessity of such a tough decision: “It is very sad for Gregor and the team at Thoresby Park as they have been a brilliant support and this is the second year that the virus has led to cancellation of the spring event, but let’s hope 2022 is third time lucky. Of course, we are very aware that whilst the sport is central to our lives and those of our competitors, it is vital that we support the efforts to rid the country of this pandemic.”
The striking backdrop of Thoresby House made its debut as the one-off home of the British Young Horse Championships in 2020. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography for BEDE Events.
Gregor Pierrepont of Thoresby Park supports Buntine’s call and remains optimistic about the event’s future.
“Over the last two years we’ve done everything that could be done to make the inaugural Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby Park the best it can be, and we remain determined it will launch in 2022 with a bang,” he said. “The autumn event at Thoresby really showcased our strengths as a venue, with massive potential to put on a truly international event. We are determined to get there and look forward to welcoming everyone as soon as we can.”
The BEDE team is in ongoing communication with British Eventing to find a suitable new date for their Oasby Horse Trials, which ordinarily runs on the second weekend of the season but was cancelled when the organisation pushed 2021’s start date to March 26. Oasby, which hosts classes from BE90 to Intermediate, is an early and comprehensive season opener for riders across the levels – and one that would be a significant boon for those with major international aims in the formative part of 2021.
Just one international remains on the British calendar prior to Badminton in early May: competitors will set their sights en masse on Norfolk’s Burnham Market International, which runs April 16-18.
