At a barn of three horses that are outside most of the time (in during storms), we use about 240 bags of shavings, 64 bags of feed, 12 dewormers, 10 supplement containers, and 120 bales of hay (240 strands of baling twine) per year. That is a lot of waste — and a barn with more horses equals more trash! The debris from all of that does not decompose quickly. Polypropylene baling twine takes 50 years to decompose. The “skinny” on baling twine: Natural fiber baling twine is less available and breaks easier than polypropylene twine, so farmers use the polypropylene twine more often. Some more ‘information’ — biodegradable plastics decompose in three to six months, whereas synthetic bags take several hundred years to decompose.
Yard Art by Ed Bauer from used horseshoes. Photo Credit: Shellie Sommerson.
Typical recyclable items in a barn
Feed bags – The bags are usually recyclable. The brown paper liners of feed bags make excellent paper wrapping for poultice wraps. The bags are also great to use as trash bags or storage bags and secure them with baling twine.
Brown paper packing from boxes (used as packing material for shipping) – Also great paper for wrapping for poultice wraps.
Baling twine – Made of polypropylene, 100% recyclable. It takes 50 years to decompose (or make a hammock out of it so you can relax after a long day). Polypropylene baling twine is NOT suitable to use for break-away tying unless you cut most of the fibers away (weaken it significantly); use natural fiber twine for that purpose!
Supplement buckets – Use for halter and lead storage at the gate of turn out areas, or as an electric fence cover, grooming buckets, keep fence and other repair tools in your feed cart.
Water tanks and feeders – Make great planters (plant flowers or vegetables).
Water bottles, Coffee cups, soda cans/bottles, and other beverage containers can be recycled with your regular household recycling.
Old tack and equipment – Reusable or recyclable pieces. Tack repair professionals often desire brass rings and buckles. Cloth is recyclable. Artists may want some of the parts and pieces.
Horseshoes – They make great yard art! Or recycle the metal at your local waste management.
Dewormer tubes – Cleaned up they make great dosing syringes, and the plastic is usually recyclable.
Farm implement type items, old fans – Recycle the metal.
Water tanks for above ground planters. Photo courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. Elliott.
What is the “green strategy” at your barn?
Keep a bag, or bags, easily accessible for single-use recyclable items. If your recycling center only accepts items that are separated out by type, then use a separate feed bag for each type; if they accept mixed recyclables, they can go into the same container.
No recycling pickup at your barn? Trade-off with others for taking the recycling home. Be sure not to let it overflow; make it easy and convenient as possible for everyone.
In your vehicle traveling to and from the barn it is easy to accumulate ‘trash’ in your vehicle. A few grocery bags are a simple receptacle for keeping recyclables and trash separate without taking up much room.
Some additional tips:
Reusable cups that are washable – have a few so that you can swap them out for cleaning.
When you pull through the drive-thru for a quick bite, do you really need all that ‘stuff’? Ask them to give you only specific items (exactly what you need, not extras).
Consider having a baggy with utensils (spoons and forks) that you have on hand for when you need them. Did you know that most ‘disposable’ utensils wash well in the dishwasher so you can reuse them?
Large venues:
Horse show venues are another challenge! Heaps of trash, but is it really trash? Did you throw those water bottles in the trash? If recycling bins were available at shows/events, would you use them? Horse show management teams are often stretched with the resources they have, so adding additional tasks, such as recycling, with its tough logistical issues, is often avoided. The logistical challenges being transporting the recyclables to the proper location from the show venue when the show is over.
Start small and build up! If your area has a recycling center that pays for particular recyclables like aluminum, then contact your local 4-H or Pony Club and suggest a recycling fundraiser.
What works for you? Share your tips! We ALL will benefit!
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We’re kicking off this week’s Volunteer Nation with a cool story from the Fair Hill International team in Maryland. Longtime volunteer John Bratton makes his home along one of the trails used for Fair Hill’s Foxcatcher Endurance competition. During a recent event, John laid out a “hospitality station” for horses and riders passing by in the night, complete with light to help them see their way. A true example of a kind soul, this one.
We’ve compiled some resources on volunteering with COVID-19 regulations in mind. We’ll reference this list each week in Volunteer Nation, so take a few moments to familiarize yourself with what’s new and different.
As always, you can earn merit points when you donate your time through the USEA’s Volunteer Incentive Program. Registering to volunteer through EventingVolunteers.com makes it easy and seamless to both find a job and shift as well as learn what your role will entail.
Here’s a look at the volunteer positions still available for this weekend:
Event: Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event and Team Challenge
Dates: Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 18
Address: 4089 Iron Works Pike, Lexington, KY, 40511
Positions Available: XC Crossing Guard, XC Jump Judge, Event Takedown – XC
Event: Hunt Club Farms H.T.
Dates: Friday, October 16 through Saturday, October 17
Address: 294 Longmarsh rd, Berryville, VA, 22611
Positions Available: Event Prep – XC, XC Jump Judge, XC Starter, XC Steward, XC Warm-up, Parking Cars, Score Runner, SJ Warm-up
Event: Pine Hill Fall H.T.
Dates: Friday, October 16 through Saturday, October 17
Address: 1720 Hwy 159 East, Bellville, TX, 77418
Positions Available: Event Prep – General, Greeter, XC Jump Judge, XC On Course Timer
And to close things out, a big thank you to all of our sport’s amazing volunteers. It’s great to see a five-star rider out giving back and participating in the sport from a different perspective!
Lynn had a fun day volunteering at the Middleburg Horse Trials as the cross-country starter. Thanks to everyone who volunteered their time to put on this great event!
Fair Hill Five Star Team assemble! Photo via Maryland Five Star Twitter.
And just like that, it’s clipping season. Last week I didn’t have any horses to clip, and all of a sudden I have at least one horse to clip every day. They all went from reasonably hairy to so furry they can barely function in the snap of a finger. It’s ok, I’ve got some excellent audiobooks ready to go, and fresh blades in my bag. But, seriously, please don’t send me any more horses to clip, I’ll be drowning in hair.
FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship for Young Horses – Mondial du Lion: [Website] [Start List/Live Scores]
News From Around the Globe:
While we watch Le Lion unfold this week, we will miss seeing American riders on the entry list. Since 2015, he Holekamp/Turner Grant has awarded significant funds that provide a USEA Young Event Horse graduate the opportunity to represent the United States in the 7-year-old Championship at Mondial du Lion in France. However, due to COVID-19 and the complications with the 2020 competition season, the Holekamp/Turner grant will not be utilized in 2020. The current funds for the grant remain and the USEA looks forward to awarding the grant in 2021 and 2022. [Notes Regarding the Holekamp/Turner Grant]
This week, the best six- and seven-year-olds in eventing from around the world converge on Le Lion d’Angers in France to fight it out for the prestigious young horse World Championship titles. This competition is well known for predicting future stars, and has done for many years past. Just a few names you might recognize like Galan de Sauvagere, some horse called Primmore’s Pride, Oslo, a little mare named FischerRocana FST, and a chestnut named Mr Medicott were all winners at Le Lion, and I feel like they had ok careers. [9 Previous Winners at Le Lion]
Skin crud got you down? Tis the season for mud and leg scud, and frustrated grooms worldwide. Luckily, we’ve got some tricks you might not have heard of from top professional grooms across the world. Sheeps wool clipped freshly off a sheep? If you’ve got it handy, it works great. [Mud Fever, Scratches Be Gone]
It’s spooky season! But hopefully not spooking season! It’s time to get your horse out on the trails for some leisurely hacks, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. Don’t go galivanting around without knowing the trails, and maybe taking some friends with you too. [Spooky Season Trail Tips]
Great Britain’s Rosalind Canter could hardly believe it when German rider Ingrid Klimke and SAP Hale Bob OLD lowered the last fence in the show jumping finale at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games. That one pole would keep Ingrid out of the individual gold slot and give it instead to Ros and Allstar B, who would finish on their dressage score to take the top honor.
In this reliving as a part of the FEI’s Icons series, take a walk down memory lane through those nail-biting final moments that led up to the crowning of a new world champion. The British team consisting of Ros Canter, Piggy March (née French), Tom McEwen, and Gemma Tattersall would seal the team gold medal and reinforce the country’s status as an eventing powerhouse.
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Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
This week kicks off an event we’re always keen to watch: the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Le Lion d’Angers, France. This championship event attracts the cream of the 6- and 7-year-old event horse crop each year, and while we’re missing an American contingent this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is no shortage of talent on display this weekend.
Tilly Berendt is our eagle eye on the ground in France this weekend, but if you’d like to see the action as it happens, the FEI will be live streaming each phase of competition starting in the wee hours of tomorrow morning (if you’re a night owl, now’s your time to shine). Here’s a look at the streaming schedule, along with links to each video for bookmarking:
Baby horses gonna baby horse: Lara de Liedekerke-Meier’s Origi hangs out with his tiger before his trot-up. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Bienvenue à Le Lion d’Angers! Though the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses has a slightly different feel to it this year, as it’s being run behind closed doors, the excitement and expectation is still high here in France’s Loire Valley. After a season of not much at all, we’ve finally come to our first — and indeed only — major championship of 2020, and our competitors will have a big week ahead of them as they battle to overcome a sparsity of runs with these six- and seven-year-old horses.
Though it’s sad not to see Le Lion’s usual enormous crowds, which provide an incredible atmosphere in ordinary circumstances, there are some new developments here that are so exciting. Chiefly, the installation of a proper surface in the main arena, which was vocally campaigned for by riders after torrential weather last year saw the playing field deteriorate into an almost unusable quagmire. It’ll be exciting to see how this new addition changes things for these exciting, talented, but still very green horses.
Ros Canter’s Izilot DHI gives the ground jury as thorough of an inspection as they give him. Rhian Smith (GBR) and Irene Leva. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
But first, the trot-up — and though it was masked up as expected, it felt delightfully normal to be back in the capacious concrete stables of Le Lion to get a first glimpse of these young horses. Starting the afternoon’s proceedings, 37 combinations presented for the Six-Year-Old CCI2*-L first horse inspection ahead of ground jury members Sandy Phillips (GBR), Laure Eslan (FRA), and Gerd Kuest (GER) after a brief announcement to all assembled to “think of unconditional love — and spread it around. The world needs it right now.” Don’t threaten us with a good time.
Albert Hermoso Farras and Keenabout Wonderland Z inspire a moment of drama in the first horse inspection. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
There would be just one moment of tension through the proceedings when Albert Hermoso Farras‘s Keenabout Wonderland Z was sent to the hold box, though ultimately the Zangersheide mare by Kannan was accepted after what felt like an achingly long period of deliberation.
Daniel Dunst and Della Stella SDH. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Roland Pulsinger and Tiefenhof’s Lavalino. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
An extraordinary 19 nations are represented at Le Lion this week, though none embraced their heritage quite so fully at today’s trot-up as the Austrians. Both Daniel Dunst, who brought forward Austrian Warmblood mare Della Stella SDH and Roland Pulsinger, presenting Holsteiner stallion Tiefenhof’s Lavalino, opted for some truly festive lederhosen, though Daniel embraced a sort of sports-casual hosen get-up, while Roland went full Oktoberfest. Any lederhosen’s a good lederhosen, if you ask us.
Over in the Seven-Year-Olds, both the outfits and the goings-on were much less dramatic: there were no lederhosen whatsoever, and none of the 43 presented horses was sent to the hold box throughout the inspection, which took place under the watchful eye of ground jury members Gerd Kuest (GER), Judy Hancock (GBR), and Ciska van Meggelen (NED).
Dressage gets underway tomorrow morning with the first half of the six-year-olds taking to the main arena from 9.30 a.m. local time/8.30 a.m. BST/3.30 a.m. Eastern. They’ll be followed by half the seven-year-olds after the lunchbreak from 14.00 local/13.00 BST/8.00 a.m. Eastern. You can find times for the six-year-old CCI2*-L here, and times for the seven-year-old CCI3*-L here.
So who should you be keeping an eye on tomorrow? In the six-year-old class, Felix Etzel‘s Trakehener Promising Pete TSF, Tom McEwen‘s MHS Brown Jack, Kitty King‘s Monbeg Hendricks, and Merel Blom‘s Corminta Vom Gwick will be very much on our radar in the morning, while the afternoon will be tough to call: look to Sophie Leube‘s Sweetwaters Ziethen TSF, Laura Collett‘s Moonlight Charmer, Tom Carlile‘s Darmagnac de Beliard and Cathal Daniels‘ Shannondale Mari to shake things up from the get-go.
And now, onto the important stuff: the photos!
Go Eventing.
The Six-Year-Olds in Pictures:
Maibrit Laustsen’s Lillifee AJK (DEN). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Storm O’Connor’s Ballygriffin Chacoa Power (RSA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Francisco Gaviño Gonzalez’s Ultrasource del Cerro 35 (ESP). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ingrid Klimke’s Cascamara (GER). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sanne de Jong and Jarelly MBF (NED). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Steven Smith’s Mike of Mourne (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Isabel English’s Glenorchy (AUS). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Karim Florent Laghouag (FRA) and Embrun de Reno. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Aria Ramkali (SWE) and Flanders. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Oliver Townend (GBR) and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Cathal Daniels’ LEB Empress (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Karim Florent Laghouag’s Embrun de Reno (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Karim Florent Laghouag (FRA) and Embrun de Reno. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Felix Etzel (GER) and Promising Pete TSF. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Origi, the Paris horse for Lara de Leidekerke Meier. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kevin McNab’s Cute Girl (AUS). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Isabel English (AUS) and Glenorchy. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Jonathan Cisterna Lariviere and Elite de la Mouline (CHI). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Matteo Zoja and Dante di Alma Terra (ITA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Felix Etzel (GER) and Promising Pete TSF. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Antonio Cejudo Caro and Gallega HSM (ESP). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tom McEwen (GBR) and MHS Brown Jack. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Didier Dhennin (FRA)and Eden des Musez IFCE. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Karim Florent Laghouag (FRA) and Embrun de Reno. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Stephanie Werthmann’s Eventing de Fay (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Simone Vinther and Abildgaards Synergy (DEN). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sophie Leube’s Isselhooks First Sight TSF (GER). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Steven Smith and Mike of Mourne (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kevin McNab (AUS) and Cute Girl. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tom McEwen (GBR) and MHS Brown Jack. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Albert Hermoso Farras’s Keenabout Wonderland Z (ESP). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Didier Dhennin’s Eden des Musez IFCE (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Oliver Townend’s Cooley Rosalent (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Steven Smith’s Mike of Mourne (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tiana Coudray (USA) and Cabaret. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Adela Cisarova’s Amana (CZE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Rebecca Chiappero’s Cooley Kil Mhantain (ITA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Lara de Leidekerke-Meier (BEL) and Origi. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ingrid Klime (GER) and Cascamara. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
William Nilsson Fryer’s Joel (SWE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kitty King’s Monbeg Hendricks (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tiana Coudray (USA) and Cabaret. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tine Magnus’s Dia Van Het Lichterveld Z (BEL). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Roland Pulsinger’s Tiefenhof’s Lavalino (AUT). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
William Nilsson Fryer and Joel (SWE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Maibrit Laustsen (DEN) and Lillifee AJK. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Merel Blom (NED) and Corminta Vom Gwick. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kitty King (GBR) and Monbeg Hendricks. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tiana Coudray’s Cabaret (USA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Cyril Gavrilovic and Elmundo de Gasco (BEL). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kevin McNab (AUS) and Cute Girl. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Cathal Daniels and LEB Empress (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Francisco Gaviño Gonzalez and Ultrasource del Cerro 35 (ESP). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ingrid Klimke (GER) and Cascamara. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Johan Lundin’s Dos Si Bon (SWE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kitty King (GBR) and Monbeg Hendricks. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Aria Ramkali’s Flanders (SWE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Miroslav Trunda (CZE) and Ideal Coeur de la Licorne. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kitty King (GBR) and Monbeg Hendricks. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Gabriela Slavikova and Grant (CZE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sophie Leube’s Isselhooks First Sight TSF (GER). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ingrid Klimke’s Cascamara (GER). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Samantha Lissington (NZL) and Ricker Ridge Ricochet. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Isabel English (AUS) and Glenorchy. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Seven-Year-Olds in Pictures:
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier (BEL) and Hooney d’Arville. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Yasmin Sanderson Olsson and Inchello DHI (NOR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Brian Morrison (IRE) and Global DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Rhian Smith (GBR) and Irene Leva. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Nicolas Touzaint’s Diabolo Menthe (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Luc Chateau (FRA) and Degas Galotiere. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Adam Haugh’s Ballybolger Lionman (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Donatien Schauly (FRA) and Dgin du Pestel Mili. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sian Coleman and Hush a Bye Baby (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Camille Lejeune (FRA) and Dame Decoeur Tardonne. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Jessica O’Driscoll and Ramiro Diamond Lady (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Merel Blom’s Crossborder Radar Love (NED). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Karim Florent Laghouag’s Don’t Worry Me Lameth (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tom Carlile’s Spring Thyme de la Rose (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Yasmin Sanderson Olsson and Inchello DHI (NOR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sophie Leube (GER) and Sweetwaters Ziethen TSF. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Alex Bragg’s Ardeo Premier (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Carlos Diaz Fernandez (ESP) and Taraje CP 21.10. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Jeanne Rossez (FRA) and Welland Shining Star. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Rebecca Juana-Gerken’s Fame 227 (GER). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier (BEL) and Hooney d’Arville. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ugo Provasi and Quasary du Hans (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Brian Morrison (IRE) and Global DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Cathal Daniels (IRE) and Shannondale Mari. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ros Canter’s Izilot DHI gives the ground jury as thorough of an inspection as they give him. Rhian Smith (GBR) and Irene Leva. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Camille Lejeune (FRA) and Dame Decoeur Tardonne. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier’s Hooney d’Arville (BEL). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Brian Morrison (IRE) and Global DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kristina Hall-Jackson and Igor B (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Cathal Daniels (IRE) and Shannondale Mari. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tom Carlile and Darmagnac de Beliard (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kristina Hall Jackson’s Igor B (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Carlos Diaz Fernandez’s Taraje CP 21.10 (ESP). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Susie Berry (IRE) and Kilcandra Capitol. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Paul Richard Donovan (IRE) and Sportsfield Lux Impressive. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Paul Richard Donovan’s Sportsfield Lux Impressive (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tom Carlile’s Spring Thyme de la Rose (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Filippo Gregoroni (ITA) and Unnamed. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sophie Leube’s Sweetwaters Ziethen TSF (GER). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Rhian Smith (GBR) and Irene Leva. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Donatien Schauly’s Dgin du Pestel Mili (FRA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Ros Canter and Izilot DHI (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kristina Hall-Jackson and Igor B (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Susie Berry (IRE) and Kilcandra Capitol. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Laura Collett and Moonlight Charmer (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Merel Blom and Crossborder Radar Love (NED). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier’s Hooney d’Arville (BEL). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Martin Denisot (FRA) and Diabolo d’Ems AA. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Cathal Daniels’ Shannondale Mari (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kai-Steffen Meier’s Charming Ciaco (GER). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Gireg le Coz (FRA) and Drakkar Littoral. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Merel Blom and Crossborder Radar Love (NED). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Susie Berry (IRE) and Kilcandra Capitol. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Caroline Powell (NZL) and Greenacres Special Cavalier. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Nicolas Touzaint (FRA) and Diabolo Menthe. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sian Coleman’s Hush a Bye Baby (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Gireg le Coz (FRA) and Drakkar Littoral. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kristina Hall Jackson (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Laura Collett’s Moonlight Charmer (GBR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Rhian Smith (GBR) and Irene Leva. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Rebecca Juana-Gerken (GER) and Fame 227. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Alex Bragg (GBR) and Ardeo Premier. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Jessica O’Driscoll’s Ramiro Diamond Lady (IRE). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Yasmin Sanderson Olsson and Inchello DHI (NOR). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Olivier Chapuis (FRA) and Demoiselle Eygalieres. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Welcome to a place that’s neither an arena nor a field! FOR NOW (she says, forebodingly). FOR NOW.
Bonsoir, readers, and welcome to the dark side. I’ve been seeing the word ‘blog’ chucked around like a searing bit of weaponry lately, and as is my wont, I’ve decided to embrace that which is meant to harm, or something along those lines. Basically, I’ve gone adventuring, and I’m bringing you along for the ride. Strap in, because it’s going to get bumpy.
Look, you don’t need me to remind you that this year has been A Weird One™. I’ve spent a lot of time in my own company (risky at best) and not an awful lot of time standing out in far-flung fields, watching horses career past me like hairy mopeds with opinions and bad intentions. But now, in the latter stages of the year, things are creeping back towards normality – or as normal as they can be, anyway, when eventing’s become a bit like the world’s soggiest and most exclusive nightclub (with a truly regrettable dress code to match). In 2019 I lost count of the competitions I travelled to somewhere around the 25 mark; this year, I’ve managed four reporting outings so far. And man, that’s a lot more than many people, and a lot more than I thought I’d get, so I’m very aware of how lucky I am.
This month is a special one, though, despite the spectre of the Boekelo That Wasn’t looming over its first week. This is the month I get to go abroad for work again; the month in which I get to embrace the very best bits of my job – the joyous fumbling mess of adventure and mishaps and eventing drama all rolled up into one.
As I make my way from home — just south of London, for anyone who’s keen on stalking me — to the Young Horse World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers and then on to Pau, the only CCI5* of 2020, I want to take you all with me to see the bits that don’t make the reports. Is it all a bit Kim Kardashian of me? Yes, quite possibly. But pass me the butt pads, baby, because I’m all in.
The one where the journalist takes to the skies (with her worms)
Say what you want about budget airlines — it’s probably all true; they’re fairly crap — but I do enjoy the big orange office in the sky. Flying to a country on the Naughty List (that is, one of the European countries subject to a two-week quarantine upon returning to the UK) in a pandemic is a unique experience, and the roughly ten or so of us on board all took one look at one another and unanimously decided to be as committedly antisocial as possible. Feeling like I’d reached peak Mariah Carey, I luxuriously unfurled myself across a whole vacant row of seats, perched a very large Starbucks latte (apparently made for someone called ‘Chile’) delicately on one of my excess of tray tables, and got stuck into writing about faecal egg counting. Bliss.
You might assume I’d have flown straight into Nantes, the closest major airport to Le Lion. That would be a sensible assumption, and while it did play a starring role in the original iteration of my two-week plan, that plan has undergone about five major overhauls over the last few months as everything I’d prebooked, and apparently every direct flight to any city other than Paris, fizzled out into extinction. And so Paris it was, not so much when it sizzles as when it drizzles. I couldn’t wait to arrive in the most romantic city in the world and hole myself up in my hotel room, where I could continue to research worm larvae, but maybe with a bit of Edith Piaf playing in the background.
In which I fraternise with the locals
“Paris,” I remarked to my friend Charlie as we sought out an unshuttered bar, “has got cleaner.”
And it’s true: in an unexpected coup in the global dumpster fire that is 2020, Paris’ citizens apparently decided to stop using the streets as a public toilet. The City of Light? The city of shite, more like; who among us has never stopped to eye up a particularly diverting bit of architecture only to feel the ominous tootsie dampness that can only mean you’ve been caught downstream of an en plein air widdler? But this time, I only dodged four rogue turds in three hours of flâneuring! The suspect puddles were confined to the Metro! I didn’t feel curiously sticky!
Would I lie to you, baby? Would I lie to you?
I’ve always found the idea of Paris Syndrome quite extraordinary — in short, it affects tourists who are so taken aback by the reality of the city (in comparison to its almost unrecognisable Woody Allen alter ego) that they come over all funny and have to call a special hotline that talks them out of hurling themselves from the top of the Tour Eiffel (too expensive; don’t recommend — try the Tour de Montparnasse instead, you’ll get a better view en route). In real life, Paris is smelly, dirty, absolutely fraught with a homelessness epidemic the likes of which I’ve never seen anywhere else, and you will always have a little bit of poo on your shoes, no matter how careful you are.
(Don’t think I’m saying this from atop my high horse, either — as Charlie and I wandered along the Seine, chatting about his thus far fruitless hunt for an apartment, he mentioned that he might go back to a former haunt of a few years ago. I remember the place well; I was once violently ill out of its fifth-floor window after some truly suspicious corner-shop plonk, but the view over the river and the Marais will go down in history as the most delightful thing I’ve ever gazed upon mid-chunder.)
It might sound like I hate Paris. I don’t. I lived here once, several years ago — something I highly recommend because it means you can start lots of stories with “when I lived in Paris…”, which will make you feel very cool and make everyone around you wonder who invited the colossal knobber to the party.
I think about Paris in the same way a parent (probably) thinks of their child: sure, that one over there’s a tiny prodigy and will matriculate at Harvard at the age of nine-and-a-half (or 114 months, depending on the kind of parent you are) while yours is happily shoving chubby fistfuls of sand into his gob like he’s actively seeking out the half-life of a Michelin star. He may be an idiot, you think fondly, but he’s your idiot, and that makes all the difference. Paris — poo and all — is under my skin and in my blood (gross), and I will always welcome the chance to return and have a good whinge about it.
Staying by the Sorbonne makes you smarter by osmosis. That’s just science.
Spending the night in the city gave me the rare treat of being able to go for a good stomp around with one of my favourite non-horsey friends. I spend so much time with people who understand all my references and the world I work in, which means my questionable chat has got more and more niche over the years. When presented with the opportunity to be a “normal” for a little while, I don’t exactly run out of subject matter — look, I can happily jabber about anything from Tarantino to Tintoretto — but I find myself unable to avoid mentioning some of the general goings-on in my work life.
This presents an interesting conundrum: how do you explain some of our sport’s characters to someone who, in all honesty, probably thinks the whole thing’s just a bit of poncy trotting in circles? I found myself trying to paint a verbal picture of Michael Jung, with only a modicum of success.
“…and when he was first on the scene, he didn’t really speak English, so he just told everyone that everything gave him a good feeling.” I thought back, briefly, to every mixed zone I’ve ever been in. “Actually, he still tells everyone that.”
“And this is some kind of genius of the sport?”
“Oh, Christ, yeah. Absolutely the best in the world. The Roger Federer of poncy trotting in circles. A golden god with a fierce receder.”
(AN: Thank you again to the British Equestrian Federation for awarding me the Journalist of the Year title in 2019 for my work in presenting the sport to a mainstream audience. I hope I’m doing you all proud.)
After a few hours of discussing the important things in life (such as: what would your OnlyFans niche be, if you had to join it to make a living? Mine would be a series of reviews of international crisp flavours, conducted in my knickers, for £20 a pop), it was time to bash out a bit more of the Pau form guide and head to bed to dream of adventures to come.
5/10. Bit bland. (Sorry, mum, but as Nora Ephron once said, everything is content, right?)
As it turned out, I would need the sleep. An early-ish start somehow became a characteristically late and rushed exit, because of my truly regrettable tendency to throw the contents of my suitcase around like an early-noughties rapper making it rain in the club. And so, wearing yesterday’s jumper (again: not curiously sticky!) and stubbornly hiding my bare face behind a face-mask and some absurdly big glasses, I toddled off to pick up my new road trip buddy.
On French Enlightenment philosophy
In 2018, EN editor Leslie Wylie and I had the utter joy of tag-teaming Pau. It was then that she introduced me to a philosophy that made me a truly enlightened woman: foux du fafa. Allow me to just leave you with this for a moment.
Foux du fafa is a song that means absolutely sod all, but it’s been adopted as an honourary life motto of sorts for our worldly gallivanting. It’s a bit like c’est la viemeets sh*t (quite often literally) happens, and could most accurately be translated as “look, babe, you’re in [insert country here, but let’s be real, most often France], absolutely nothing will happen as you plan it; laugh it off and mainline some €2 wine because you’ve got stuff to do.”
And so I foux du fafa-ed my way through the fairly excruciating process of picking up my hire car, which was having a nice snooze at the company’s garage about ten minutes away from the airport depot. They sent someone to bring it over — now half an hour late for my prebooked 11.30 a.m. pickup — and that person evidently did a merry little tour of the périphérique, stopped to watch a few episodes of “Emily in Paris,” and then disappeared to drink the pain of both those experiences away. By the time 1.00 p.m. rolled around, I was at very real risk of doing a little widdle of my own on the floor and had exhausted my limited French to try to explain with some urgency that I needed the car at the time I’d booked because I needed to get to an urgent job. (That, dear reader, was a lie — I just really wanted to go swan around Versailles. Je ne regrette rien.)
And so tonight’s chapter comes to an end. Did I end up getting a car? Did I have a sad accident in the lobby of a EuropCar depot? Are the cruel allegations that I took the wrong exit on the périphérique seven times because I kept spotting the Eiffel Tower — or, to use its proper name, the Great Sparkling Phallus of the Sky™ — based in any kind of reality? And how much cake did Marie Antoinette really have kicking around, anyway? All this and more in tomorrow’s instalment. In the meantime, if you fancy seeing more of France, you can tune into my obnoxiously stream-of-consciousness Stories over on the ‘Gram. Shameless? Look, I’m just Kardashian-ing it here.
Lexi Scovil and Chico’s Man VDF Z. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
If you look closely at a program that consistently produces good horses and competitive results, certain core elements of that program stand out. In order to reach success in any sport, athletes must commit themselves as students of their craft, ever in pursuit of improvement. Taking a study from programs which an athlete wants to emulate in their own professional career is one such way to improve one’s craft through study and practice.
Lexi Scovil is one such lifelong student of her sport. A bright, curious mind and a passion for empathetic, correct riding has led her on a tour of some of the most successful programs in the eventing world — and in the midst of all the lessons learned, she’s creating her own core riding philosophy.
Throughout a riding career that includes four consecutive trips to the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (now known as the FEI North American Youth Championships) for talented young eventers, a liberal arts degree that allowed her to expand her worldview, and now a trip overseas to work in the United Kingdom, Lexi, 28, has carried the same attitude: learn as much as you can, from as many people as you can.
Now, she’s had the opportunity to immerse herself in three strong programs: those of Jon Holling, Leslie Law, and, most recently, William Fox-Pitt. It’s this education that is pouring in a strong foundation for her own professional career, a skill set she says she feels more confident in with each passing day.
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
I asked Lexi what her primary takeaways that she would fold into her own business were. She talked at length about several of the key lessons she’s learned through her educational experience.
Don’t drill so much. Lexi says one of the most beneficial parts of her time in England has been the sheer amount of time spent outside of the arena. The difference in the horses, she explains, is noticeable. “You don’t always have to drill and drill,” she said. “That’s another thing with (Jon Holling and Leslie Law’s programs), is they aren’t doing a ton of jumping or drilling dressage. They want the horses to enjoy the work, so often not having a strict plan for a ride has a lot of benefits.”
Be more businesslike. “I’ve learned to be much more businesslike with my riding,” Lexi explained. “Yes, things like physio and therapy are helpful, but at the end of the day the horse does need to buckle down and do the job.” Lexi says that basic horsemanship, free of gadgets and trends, is a recurring theme at Fox Pitt Eventing. “You have to keep the emotions out of it, be straightforward, and have an obvious training plan, not go with the ‘switch this out’, chase the gadgets type of mentality.”
Always have a plan. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to ride with William or audit a clinic, you’ve likely noticed that he doesn’t say a lot. Rather than dictate every step of a ride, William expects riders to have their own plan. “You need to make your own decisions,” Lexi explained. “William is a big believer in knowing your horse and knowing your riding. And you need to have confidence in your plan; this has really been a building block for my own business.”
When in doubt, go back to basics. For many riders, one silver lining of the lockdown imposed by the global coronavirus outbreak was ample time for fine tuning details. The “back to basics” mentality is one always emphasized by William, but now the riders had even more time to work on their individual horses. Lexi says she’s seen these payoffs in a big way with her advanced horse, Chico’s Man VCF Z. “‘Sprout’ has really become a rideable, enjoyable horse on the flat, which wasn’t something I could say before,” Lexi said. “It’s very much been about going back to the basics rather than drilling the movements over and over.”
Indeed, patience and reinforcing the basics have helped Lexi and “Sprout” solidify their partnership. Purchased as a 6 year old, the now-10-year-old Zangersheide gelding has taught Lexi the true meaning of partnership with a horse. “He’s really taught me about bold riding,” she said. “The braver you are, the better it worked out. And once I started believing in him, he was like a different horse. Now I can say I feel confident at the (Advanced) level, not just getting by.”
All of these nuggets of knowledge have become the cornerstones on which Lexi is building her own training philosophy. While she says she felt “tentative” about starting out on her own before heading to England, she now feels more prepared, more confident in her abilities.
Lexi Scovil and Chico’s Man VDF Z. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
As she looks ahead to her impending return to the U.S., Lexi says she’s ready to hit the ground running, ticking off more goals with Sprout and hopefully taking on some clients of her own who want to be immersed in the process of producing elite event horses. For her, it’s about the continuing education and the pursuit of improvement – a process she’ll always enjoy.
“It isn’t about winning all the time,” she said. “It’s about producing the horses in the best way. It’s amazing how much my horse’s and my own confidence has grown since I’ve been in William’s program. Where I felt I wasn’t ready to go out on my own before, now that’s becoming a much stronger reality.”
A post shared by Emily & Sarah (@sistershorsingaround) on
The latest issue of Sidelines Magazine introduced me to the Harris sisters, the siblings behind the Sisters Horsing Around YouTube channel and proud first generation horsewomen who love sharing the horse world with others. Like many of us, myself included, Emily and Sarah Harris did not grow up in a particularly horse-centric family. This quote sums it up impeccably: “The love of horses was not in Emily and Sarah’s blood — it was stamped on their souls.”
After diving in “feet first” and purchasing the first family horse, Emily and Sarah become full-fledged horse nuts, devouring every experience they had in the process. Their love of horses eventually transcended their own time in the saddle and led them to launch Sisters Horsing Around with the intention to be proud role models for Black equestrians and anyone new to this world.
You can learn more about Emily and Sarah Harris and the infectious love for the horse world in the Sidelines Magazine feature here.
Brand Shoutout: I thought it would be fun to add a little section to this column each week highlighting a brand that has put its best foot forward and made efforts to diversify its marketing and advertising. Representation is such an important thing for people of color (you can read a little more of my personal experience with this here), and what may seem insignificant (a photo of a rider or a model used in a photo shoot) can actually have a huge impact on many riders.
This week, I’ll kick things off with a shout-out to Ariat. I’ve noticed that their social media team has begun featuring a higher number of BIPOC riders in recent weeks. Here’s a post that really made 12-year-old Sally smile with delight.
FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship for Young Horses – Mondial du Lion: [Website] [Start List/Live Scores]
Wednesday Reading List:
Tomorrow is the final day to submit an application for the first Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship. This $600 scholarship will be given to one deserving rider (or aspiring rider) each quarter, with the intention to bridge the gap of access for individuals who need a little financial boost. You can read more about this incredible offering in our feature here.
A case of Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) has been confirmed in Texas. A Quarter Horse located in Brazoria County, Texas tested positive, prompting a quarantine of the premises.
Great news for Area IV riders! Catalpa Corner in Iowa City, Iowa, will be hosting a 2021 event. We were sad to learn that the perennial Midwest favorite event had discontinued hosting horse trials earlier this year and are thrilled to see a revival in the works. To keep up with the latest updates from Area IV, follow the Facebook page here.
Peter Gray has had some pretty incredible experiences as a horseman. With experience not only as a top rider, but also as a coach and judge, Peter has seen our sport from every imaginable angle. This makes for some fascinating stories, some of which he tells to the USEA in this article.
The USEA Appreciation Awards committee is currently accepting nominations through November 13. The USEA Appreciation Awards provide an opportunity for the sport to recognize those horses and riders who excelled in eventing throughout the year. It is also an opportunity to recognize and honor the very important people who have served the sport tirelessly both in a non-riding capacity and riding capacity during their golden years.
Wednesday Video Break: Go behind the scenes of the Sidelines Magazine feature and photoshoot with Sisters Horsing Around.
Well, as much as we hate to admit it to ourselves, blanketing season is officially upon us. And as simple as the blanketing process can and should be, there are always some new nuggets of knowledge to pick up to make things more pleasant — not to mention, safer — for all involved.
In celebration of October being Maryland Horse Month, the team at Full Moon Farm (you may recognize the name as the home base of five-star rider Woodge Fulton and host of multiple Area II events) is putting on a series of informational “Barn Tip Tuesday” videos on their Facebook page. The first in the series was full of blanketing know-how. We’ll share future Barn Tip Tuesday videos here on EN, but you can also hit “Like” on the Full Moon Farm page to see the latest.
In addition, each week during Maryland Horse Month, a free webinar series has been introduced to help newcomers to equestrian sport familiarize themselves with getting involved. As we all know, the horse bug is very real, and providing this information to curious parties can help bridge the gap to horse sports. Here’s a look at what’s coming up in this webinar series:
What to Wear and Bring When Riding Horses
October 14, 2020, 4pm
https://go.umd.edu/what2wear
Are you looking forward to starting riding lessons and realize you have no idea what you need to wear and bring? Learn about the basic gear and items a barn may require for lessons or showing so you can be prepared. Our experts from The Surrey and Fair Hill Saddlery will go through the “must have” items for every rider.
How to Select a Horse to Buy or Lease
October 21, 2020, 4pm
https://go.umd.edu/buyahorse
When you are finally ready for your own horse, the options can be overwhelming! Brittney Carow of the Maryland Equine Transition Service and Dr. Justin Sobota of South Mountain Equine will discuss what you should look for and considerations to be made to find the horse that is right for you!
Buying a Horse Property: Know Before You Buy
October 28, 2020, 4pm
https://go.umd.edu/buyingafarm
Are you ready to make the leap into farm ownership and keep your horses at home? Purchasing a farm is a big decision. Tracy Diamond, realtor, has a lot of experience in matching property to new owners and will share tips to make your search more efficient. Keith Wills from Mid Atlantic Farm Credit will join in to share how to prepare for financing that dream farm!
Shopping for a new blanket? Now through tomorrow, October 14, you can shop and receive Horseware Bonus Bucks for redemption later on. You can view Horseware’s collection of blankets by clicking the banner below. Happy shopping!
