Don those trash bag suits, ladies and gents, it’s clipping season! In order to carry on training through the cold weather, keeping the hairy winter coat becomes a necessity to prevent overheating and improper cool down. But clipping isn’t always a skill that comes naturally, and if you’re a little out of practice or just want some extra pointers, be sure to check in with Courtney Cooper and C Square Farm‘s recent Tip Tuesday tutorial. For more tips like this, follow C Square Farm on Facebook.
Each year, the FEI takes a moment to recognize its broad membership and the athletes representing it through the annual FEI Awards. The FEI Awards were launched in 2009 to put a spotlight on the individuals and organizations that are making an outstanding contribution to the progression of and excellence in equestrian sport. This year, 55 nominees across 19 national federations are represented for voter consideration in five categories: Best Athlete, Best Groom, Rising Star, Against All Odds, and Solidarity.
“These Awards are a way to honour the heroes of our sport through their amazing stories of resilience, horsemanship, determination and passion,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said in a press release.
“Equestrian is not just a sport, but a way of life for many people and this has been a desperately difficult year for the equestrian community, just as it has been for everyone, in every sector. Now, more than ever, we need to focus on the positives that our sport has to offer and celebrate the fantastic ambassadors that we have, both on the field of play and behind the scenes making a difference.”
We’re thrilled to see a healthy number of eventers and eventing grooms within the ranks of the nominations, which are spread to every discipline. Here’s a look at the eventers and eventing grooms nominated for a 2020 FEI Award:
Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete
Ingrid Klimke
Michael Jung
Cavalor Best Groom
Jackie Potts
Alice Gaillard
Michelle Robson
Longines FEI Rising Star
Victor Levecque
Nina Lamsam Ligon
Alex Hua Tian
The remaining two categories of awards highlight the efforts of equestrian athletes and organizations to overcome odds and expand the reach of horses to a larger number of people.
The FEI Against All Odds award is given to a person who has pursued his or her equestrian ambitions despite a physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstances. Life-threatening illness, accidents that have changed how these riders live their everyday lives, and other obstacles have faced these courageous individuals. You’ll want to read about the 11 nominees for the Against All Odds award here before casting your vote.
Last but most certainly not least among the categories is the FEI Solidarity award, given to an FEI Solidarity or equestrian development project, an individual or organization that has demonstrated skill, dedication and energy in expanding the sport.
Notable among the FEI Solidarity nominees is Chinese eventer Alex Hua Tian’s The Horsemanship Charity Programme, founded to introduce the core values of horsemanship to children in China. This program received the Solidarity award in 2018.
Also nominated this year is the UK’s Ebony Horse Club, which we’ve featured here on EN previously. The Ebony Horse Club strives to raise aspirations and provide opportunity for underprivileged youth in South London. It is the hope of this organization that, through the positive impact of horses, the participants can thrive both in and out of the barn.
South Africa’s Wendy Gidlow is another nominee for the FEI Solidarity award for her work with Heritage Equestrian. This stable provides the opportunity for underprivileged children to work with and ride horses. Wendy has dedicated a huge amount of her personal time to forge connections with the kids in her program, working each day to see her goal of bridging access gaps and sparking inspiration realized.
These are just three of the 11 organizations and individuals nominated for the FEI Solidarity award, and each is equally deserving of recognition for their efforts to create opportunity and provide a source of empowerment.
Your votes can be cast through November 22 on the FEI Awards website here. Winners of this year’s awards will be announced in December.
USEA CEO Rob Burk, a frequent eventing volunteer himself, stops to thank jump judges at the 2017 American Eventing Championships at Tryon International Equestrian Center. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
This week’s highly anticipated Tryon International 3-Day Event is closed to spectators but there’s still a way to glimpse the action: volunteer! Or, if you’re competing, now’s a great time to do your part to lend a helping hand on whichever day you aren’t doing dressage. (Once more, and louder, for the folks in the back — riders, do your part!)
We hear that they are desperate for some help, particularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Here are the positions still needing to be filled:
Thursday — dressage scribes, score runners, in-gate and warm-up stewards and hospitality helpers
Friday — all of the above plus cross country finish timers, crossing guards, jump judges (there are 24 spots left to be filled!), videographers, starter scribes, warm-up stewards and vet box assistance.
Saturday — cross country crossing guards, jump judges, videographer, warm-up stewards and hospitality helpers.
Morning, afternoon and all-day shifts are available. You can sign up for the position and time slot of your choice at EventingVolunteers.com,
Remember to log those volunteer hours with the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP), as there are plenty of perks and awards up for grabs at the end of each season. You can check out the Volunteer leaderboard here and find more volunteering opportunities on EventingVolunteers.com.
Tryon International 3-Day Event, host of the sole East Coast CCI4*-L of the year and 2020 USEF National Four-Star Championship, takes place Nov. 12-16 at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Creek, North Carolina. Keep it locked here as we’ll be bringing you all the latest!
Graphic courtesy of Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE).
The United States is an increasingly diverse country, but equestrian sports do not reflect that reality. This can and should change. The “moonshot” idea conceptualized by five-star eventer and trainer Heather Gillette and historian Dr. Anastasia Curwood, along with United States Eventing High Performance rider Matthew Brown, Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) is pleased to announce its official launch.
Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) is an allyship program for the equestrian community and represents a first step towards addressing the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in our discipline. This organization hopes to partner with a 501(c)3 nonprofit in the future to fully expand its vision.
The mission of Strides for Equality Equestrians is to promote a more inclusive culture within the horse community by listening to and addressing the concerns of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) within the equestrian community and educating everyone about how to be an effective ally.
Recognizing that we must be the change we wish to see in the world, SEE will encourage equestrians to stand shoulder to shoulder to fight for equality and justice. Not quietly, not anonymously… but proudly and loudly. We all share a love of horses and the sport, and that shared commitment should bring us together. It can be uncomfortable to confront the bias and microaggressions that exist within our sport – but our strength lies in moving forward in open discussion, together.
Together, we will do our best to make allyship seen and heard. We will make equestrian sports accessible. We will encourage growth in understanding of issues that affect people of color. We will encourage empathy and inclusion. And we will make equestrian sports better for all.
The Strides for Equality Equestrians founding committee has determined that by (1) promoting a more inclusive culture and (2) creating equitable opportunities for BIPOC people we can increase the strength and diversity of the equestrian community.
Immediate Goals
Create a safe and respectful community that values the voices and contributions of BIPOC people within the eventing community. This includes not just riders, but also volunteers, officials, grooms, and everyone who loves equestrian sport.
Educate members of the equestrian community about how to be an effective ally and why this work is important.
Increase the visibility of both BIPOC members of the equestrian community and their allies.
Long Term Goals
Create Equitable Opportunities
Support equestrian programs that serve BIPOC individuals and communities through collaboration and fundraising (Detroit Horsepower, City Ranch in Baltimore, Compton Juniors, Work to Ride, Metropolitan Equestrian Team, etc.)
Create new pathways for BIPOC equestrians to become involved in equestrian sport and related industries by creating and institutionalizing internship, apprenticeship, and mentoring opportunities (riding, grooming, farrier, vet, course design & building, etc.)
Strides for Equality Equestrians will be led by a steering committee of predominantly BIPOC members of the equestrian community and active allies. The organization hopes to collaborate with similar initiatives in other disciplines to advance our mission across equestrian sport.
Members making a monetary donation will receive a SEE pin that can be worn proudly on a jacket lapel as a show of visible allyship. More merchandise opportunities are forthcoming. To learn more and to make a donation, please visit www.stridesforequality.org.
All eyes are on Tryon this week for the jam-packed CCI4*-L division. The speed queens Indy 500 and Andrea Baxter are now en route from California with Indy traveling in the flashy Air Horse One from Tex Sutton. This year may have been a mess, but thankfully the team at Tryon and MARS Equestrian have stepped up to make a three-day possible!
Have you shopped SmartPak’s 12 Days of Deals yet? Today’s deal will net you up to 25% off SmartPak brand tack. Spruce up your tack trunk and shop here until midnight tonight. Then check back for a fresh new deal tomorrow!
Alex Blackston faces a unique set of challenges in the saddle. Her sensory processing disorder prevents her from feeling physical sensation, including pain. While her experiences may be different, much of her mental game sounds familiar to a lot of riders. [Without Fear or Feeling: Riding with a Sensory Processing Disorder]
While the Hylofit App may become unavailable at the end of this year, there are other options to continue using the device. Other apps will support the Hylofit, so you can continue to get data on your rides. [Using Hylofit with Other Technology]
Australia’s Andrew Hoy has become super dependable for a good helmet cam after any event that he has run with his ginger unicorn Vassily de Lassos, so of course we were waiting to pounce on and share his most recent run from Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy which took place this past weekend. Owned in partnership with Paula and David Evans, Vassily racked up yet another formidable placing with a fifth place finish in the CCI4*-L, adding just some cross country time to their dressage score. You can read more about this weekend’s action in our report here.
We’re looking forward to seeing much more out of Italy in a few years as Pratoni was selected to host the 2022 World Equestrian Games. Enjoy the ride with Andrew and Vassily, and enjoy this sneak preview of it’s beautiful course and rolling landscape!
As we head into colder weather here in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s a good time to hunker down in front of the laptop and do some good old-fashioned online shopping. To help you out with this task, over the next 12 days, our friends at SmartPak are blasting off with some deals you’ll have to see to believe.
The SmartPak 12 Days of Deals begins today with a Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal on the popular SmartPak Piper line of breeches and tights. The Piper breeches and tights are available in a wide array of colors and styles, meaning you can kit yourself out for riding both at home and at an event with today’s deals.
The Piper Foil Print Ombre Riding Tight.
If you’re out to make a fashion statement, you might consider opting for the Piper Foil Print Ombre Tight, which is a limited edition that will suit you at the barn or out and about.
The Piper Knit Mid-rise Breast Cancer Awareness Breech.
If riding for a cause is what floats your boat, then you’ll love the Piper Knit Mid-rise Breast Cancer Awareness Breech, a portion of proceeds from which will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
The Piper Original Low-rise Knee Patch Breech.
But if tradition is what you gravitate toward, then perhaps the Piper Original is more your style. The Original is available in a variety of rises as well as both knee patch and full seat styles.
No matter what your style is, chances are you’ll find a match in the ever-growing collection of SmartPak Piper. Don’t miss today’s deal, which ends at midnight tonight. You can enter code “DayOne” at checkout to receive the promotion.
Ingrid Klimke and SAP Asha P. Photo courtesy of Massimo Argenziano.
The final CCI4*L of the European season before riders head off to the Portugal Winter Tour was held at the Centro Equestre Ranieri di Campello in Italy this weekend, and it was all Klimke for the headlining divisions. The German champion took home the top honors in both the Long and Short format CCI4* aboard SAP Asha P (Hera x Askari 173) and SAP Hale Bob OLD (Goldige x Helikon xx), respectively. Ingrid also won the CCI2*L division with Asha P’s half-sister on the dam side, Van Hera P (Hera x Verdi TN).
Ingrid Klimke and Van Hera P. Photo courtesy of Massimo Argenziano.
It was a wire-to-wire weekend for Ingrid in the CCI4*L, where the 9-year-old SAP Asha P put in a 26.9 for early first place. They would go on to finish on this score, holding off Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon and the 12-year-old One Night Love, who moved from fourth following dressage into second overall on a score of 29.9.
Ingrid Klimke and SAP Asha P. Photo courtesy of Massimo Argenziano.
SAP Asha P has now collected eight FEI wins throughout her young international career, which began in 2017 under the tutelage of Ingrid. She has described the mare as a “laid back and practical horse with a happy, friendly character,” and has enjoyed a long partnership with Asha after purchasing her from breeder Lutz Pietscher with the help of the Lauber family.
This was the first CCI4*L start for second-placed One Night Love, the 12-year-old gelding by Hurricane owned by The Sweep Syndicate and ridden by Vittoria Panizzon. Vittoria has produced “Sweep” since he was a three-year-old, building on his exceptional paces to slowly produce a confident competitor.
Completing the podium for the premier class are Germany’s Sophie Leube and Jadore Moi, who most recently finished in the top 10 at Luhmühlen. They would also finish on their dressage score of 31.5 to seal their third place finish. This was a CCI4*L debut for both horse and rider, who have been partnered together since 2016. Sophie at one point rode for Ingrid Klimke, even taking a younger SAP Hale Bob for a spin back in 2011.
Looking to the CCI4*S, it was Ingrid’s stalwart competitor, SAP Hale Bob OLD, who would rebound from a shaky performance at the German Eventing Championships to cap off his 2020 season with a win. The 16-year-old gelding earned a 20.8 from the judges on day one and added a handful of time to end on a 24.4.
Felix Vogg and Colero. Photo courtesy of Massimo Argenziano.
Honorary American Felix Vogg, who represents Switzerland, and Colero picked up a second place finish in the CCI4*S division, ending their weekend on a score of 36.5. After spending a year competing in the U.S., Felix relocated his business back to his family’s farm in South Germany, where he’s been hard at work with a handful of top horses. The 12-year-old Colero, a Westphalian gelding, most recently finished second at this venue but improves on his finishing score (40.7) this weekend.
Rounding out the CCI4*S top three are The Netherlands’ Merel Blom and The Quizmaster, an 11-year-old Dutch gelding making his fourth start at the level. Some time added in the jumping phases would keep this pair out of second place, but their finishing score of 38.1 would be enough to secure a podium finish.
Here’s a look at the winners of the other international divisions contested this weekend at Pratoni:
CCI1*: Valentine Ray and Alienor D’Agenais (32.6)
CCI2*L: Ingrid Klimke and Van Hera P (26.2)
CCIP2*L: Giulia Mannoni and Douglas (38.5)
CCI2*S: Emiliano Portal and Creevagh Limited Edition (27.8)
CCI3*L: Michael Jung and Kilcandra Ocean Power (30.7)
CCI3*S: Bjinse Venderbosch and Vesuve D’Aveyron (33.2)
Photographer Massimo Argenziano has graciously allowed us to use some of his photos from the weekend. You can view more of Massimo’s work on his website. Many thanks, Massimo!
Fall eventing may be my favorite time of the year, so I always enjoy having a look at everyone’s scores and social media posts on Monday mornings.
This weekend’s Unofficial Low Score Award comes to us from the final War Horse Event Series leg of the season, where Cassandra Wallskog and Quentus 3 cleaned up their Training division on a score of 18.1. This is a personal best for this pair, who previously finished on a 29.9 for their first personal best together at the Novice level earlier this year. Congratulations!
Prelim/Training: Maggie Buchanan and 3,2,1 Blastoff (30.4)
Open Training: Courtney Cooper and Excel Star Double Clover (30.2)
Training Rider A: Christa Schmidt and Chakiris Star (31.1)
Training Rider B: Christa Schmidt and Royal Diamond II (31.6)
Novice Rider A: Melissa McNally and Land of Jewels (29.8)
Novice Rider B: Heidi Wardle and Cold Spice (30.0)
Open Novice: Cat Karp and It’sakatthing (29.8)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Anna Fedak and B E Never Say Never (25.6)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Meagan Hennessy and B.E. Mansfield Park (29.7)
Beginner Novice Rider C: Laura Gorrell and Texas Riddle (30.6)
Open Beginner Novice: Courtney Cooper and Excel Star Phoenix (28.6)
Intro A: Aylah Dhruv and Sig (37.0)
Intro B: Marlene Dugan and FMF Roxy (43.8)
Open Starter: Margaret Kinsinger and Leap of Faith (32.8)
Open Preliminary: Alex O’Neal and Rock On Cooley (25.9)
Preliminary Rider: Sara Blackwell and Brig’s Swift Arrival (36.8)
Open Training A: Joe Meyer and Lassban Royal Minstrel (31.4)
Open Training B: Beth Murphy and Jimba (27.1)
Training Rider: Jessica Simons and Thought I Could (31.0)
Novice Rider A: Beth Allen and Remastered (29.8)
Novice Rider B: Anne Kearley and Carlingford’s SRS Imperial (36.6)
Open Novice: Karl Slezak and HSF Liam McCarthy (26.2)
Beginner Novice Rider: Juliette Cain and Mariska (31.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Nicola Buckingham and Lex Go (27.2)
Starter: Allie Jones and Master Envoy (35.8)
Thank you to the crew at Majestic Oaks for putting on a great show yesterday! Erin Walker’s Rock On Cooley finished on his dressage score to win the Prelim, Anna Kjellstrom’s Icarole completed her first Prelim, adding just some time to her dressage score of 33, Sarrasin finished fault free in the Training for 2nd place and Trendy Lady finished her second Training in 3rd place 🤩👏🙌
Preliminary Open: Amanda Richard and Count Julian (36.2)
Preliminary/Training: Breeana Robinette and The Dark Mark (30.8)
Training Open: Jennifer Coleman and SS Palantir (25.7)
Training Rider: Millie Kennedy and Fly High Harvey (35.1)
Training/Novice: Alex Sharp and Big Star Bound (33.3)
Novice Horse: Emily Watson and Finnegan (26.9)
Novice Open: Brooke Kahl and Nata Montada SCF (23.3)
Novice Rider Jr.: Hannah Tabor and Tator Chip (32.9)
Novice Rider Sr.: Nicole Austin and Annaghmore Beach Boom (31.4)
Beginner Novice Horse: Callie Scissom and Al Caponey (28.3)
Beginner Novice Open: Heather Sinclair and Captain Clare (30.9)
Beginner Novice Rider Jr. A: Riley Jones and Senor Santana (30.0)
Beginner Novice Rider Jr. B: Alison Otipoby and Category 5 (26.8)
Beginner Novice Rider Jr. C: Larkin Albarado and SF Lil Bit O Texas (27.8)
Beginner Novice Rider Sr.: Marla Doran and Miss Tosonna (24.5)
Open Intermediate: Anna Pierce and Obiejohn (60.2)
Intermediate/Preliminary: Rebecca Hunt and Snowflake Lane (36.7)
Open Preliminary: Georgia Dillard and Galileo WP (31.1)
Preliminary Championships: Camdyn Rahe and Fashion Forward (30.4)
Jr. Training Rider: Brooks Searcy and FE Chiara Mia (29.5)
Open Training: Katherine Anderson and High Class (27.2)
Preliminary/Training: Samantha Tinney and Glenbrook Cooley (38.0)
Sr. Training Rider: Greta Hallgren and Elianna (33.3)
Training Championships: Savannah Welch and Langcaster (26.2)
Training Horse: Nicole Hatley and Biscotti (23.8)
Jr. Novice Rider A: Rebecca Dyer and Fairhaven’s Phoenix (34.3)
Jr. Novice Rider B: Elle Snyder and Fernhill Bijzonder (28.3)
Novice Horse: Ellen Doughty-Hume and Roll The Dice (32.9)
Open Novice: Christy Niehues and Flight School (24.1)
Sr. Novice Rider A: Martha Thomas and Monte’s Nightingale (25.2)
Sr. Novice Rider B: Sherry Pound and Gestalt (30.2)
Jr. Beginner Novice A: Avery Eisenman and MDS Marigold (28.3)
Jr. Beginner Novice B: Kylee Willis and Saw My Magic Talent (27.5)
Open Beginner Novice: Alexandra du Celliee Muller and Professor Flittwick (22.5)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider: Casey Locklear and FLS Major Bounce (23.6)
Intro A: Amber Block and The Boy Next Door (25.3)
Intro B: Jaeli Uselding and My Little Rebel (33.3)
Intro C: Anna Steinhaus and Eric Church (34.7)
Tempus Eventing logged another fantastic weekend. What an amazing group of people
War Horse Event Series November Championships: Final Results
Advanced CT: Booli Selmayr and Millfield Lancando (39.77)
Intermediate CT: Ariel Grald and Caballe (31.0)
Preliminary H.T.: Maia Kantorowski and Pebbly Maximus (35.5)
Modified H.T.: Dana Cooke and FE Quattro (24.6)
Training Championship: Leila Cluff-Ryan and Grand Finale (31.7)
Training H.T.: Susanne McDaniel and Corelli (21.4)
Training Rec. H.T.: Cassandra Wallskog and Quentus 3 (18.1)
Novice Championship: Sofie Vachino and Supernova (19.3)
Novice CT: Christy Gavin and Gunpwder-n-Pb (34.2)
Novice H.T. A: Alexandra Kleinmann and Love Run (27.1)
Novice H.T. B: Cameron Boggs and Ballyorney Mullach Abu (25.9)
Novice H.T. Jr.: Lily Dal Cin and FE Bobby Dazzler (31.4)
Novice Rec. H.T.: Daryl Kinney and BEC Valencia (25.0)
Beginner Novice Championship: Rachel Thompson and Glenhaven Timka (23.9)
Beginner Novice CT: Robin Wherry and Coriacci (26.9)
Beginner Novice H.T. A: Emerson Gill and Billy Idol (31.1)
Beginner Novice H.T. B: Blaine Holland and Just Red (29.6)
Beginner Novice H.T. Jr.: Ava Friese and CMF Diamond Promise (26.4)
Beginner Novice Rec. H.T.: Lindsay Staiano Williams and Quiet Love (21.9)
Green As Grass Championship: Courtney Bauer and Horse Feathers Caspian (21.3)
Green As Grass CT: Mary Hope and Sir Dantae (31.2)
Green As Grass H.T.: Amanda Miller and Imperial Exchange (23.1)
Green As Grass Jr.: Parker Foley and Flojos Ultimator (32.8)
Maiden Championship: Cindy McNeely and Jonah (25.3)
Maiden CT: Cassidy Bock and Chunky Pony (38.5)
Maiden H.T. A: Rebecca Banta and Fool’s Golde (26.0)
Maiden H.T. B: Cassidy Sitton and Song of the South (23.5)
Maiden Jr.: Kenton Willard and One Fine Bay (29.3)
What an amazing last War Horse, for 2020! My horses were all great, Punch moved up to modified, just adding one rail to…
Ingrid Klimke’s furry mascot poses with the Team Klimke haul at Pratoni.
Hands up if you’re suffering from post-Election Week insomnia? Maybe this is a unique phenomenon for those of us who had to stay up until 2.00 a.m. just to watch Biden and Harris’ speeches on Saturday night – and who may have been guilty of cat-napping through each prior night with CNN on so as not to miss the crucial moment – but man, it’s hard to shake now. I feel like I’m back at university preparing for exams, except now I have a big crush on news anchor Jake Tapper and no way to appease it.
Whether you watched religiously or picked up the highlights of each day’s news on social media, I think we can all pretty universally share in the relief that the longest week that ever was is over and done with, and we can focus all our time and attention on our horses once again. Having never been a big TV person, though, I’m finding it hard to adjust to life without its constant company – so any recommendations for unapologetically horsey viewing will be warmly received.
National Holiday: It’s World Freedom Day, which commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall. We recommend celebrating with a good blast across the fields with your favourite four-legged pal – the best expression of freedom available to us horsey lot.
Italy’s Pratoni del Vivaro – the site of the 2022 World Championships for eventing – hosted a huge week of international classes, with every level between 1* and 4*-L catered for (yes, both short and long!). Germany’s Ingrid Klimke and SAP Hale Bob OLD took the CCI4*-S class by a winning margin of 12.10 penalties ahead of second-placed Felix Vogg and Colero, back in action after some time out last year. Queen Klimke also took the CCI4*-L, this time riding spicy young mare Asha P, who’s gone from strength to strength since winning the Seven-Year-Old World Championship in 2018. Meanwhile, Michi Jung qualified a fifth horse for next year’s Olympics with a sixth-place finish with fischer Wild Wave. At what point is it just greedy?
Your Monday Reading List:
A 27-year-old showjumper has undergone a double mastectomy after discovering that she has a genetic anomaly that predisposes her to breast cancer. Now, she’s hoping that being vocal about her experience will help protect other woman – particularly those who consider themselves too young to be at risk. [Showjumper who underwent double mastectomy hopes her story may help save lives]
Warm-up routines are largely subjective, but could understanding the science behind preparing your horse for work help create a better athlete? That’s the question that Hartpury University researchers had in mind before embarking on a new study of warm-up practices across the disciplines. [The art of the warm-up: Riders reveal how they get their horses ready for action]
If, like me, you spent your Sunday in a pair of colossal coveralls, painstakingly giving your horse a back, sack and crack, you’ll appreciate this. Heels Down’s seven reasons why body-clipping is THE WORST is wholly #relatable. [7 Reasons Why Body-Clipping is the Absolute Worst]
It can be pretty hard to keep up with lockdown riding rules in England, particularly when governing bodies release contradictory guidelines. Horse&Rider has broken down the latest update – released by British Equestrian – and explains what you’re still allowed to do. [British Equestrian Updates Lockdown Advice for England]
SmartPak launched its 12 Days of Deals promotion today, which means you can save big each day! The first daily deal is a Buy 2, Get 1 Free promotion on the always popular Piper breeches and tights. Use code DayOne at checkout to redeem this deal. [12 Days of Deals: Day One]
Monday Viewing:
I’ve been missing France since returning home from my adventures at Le Lion d’Angers and Pau – but rewatching the entirety of Pau’s cross-country (with delightful French commentary) has helped ease my blues and reminded me what an incredible competition it was.
