I don’t know about you guys, but by the time I hit the Wednesday hump, I need a solid bit of decent eventing TV time to see me through the evening and give me the extra spice I need to tackle the rest of the week. Fortunately for me (and, like, all of us) the Jon and Rick Show is serving up a plate full of the goods with extra Tabasco guaranteed.
Episode nine sees eventing legend Karen O’Connor take to the sofa for an in-depth chat about her incredible career – a must-see for anyone who fangirled from Biko through to Teddy with nary a pause for air. US Eventing’s esteemed CEO Rob Burk also pops on to provide an update on all things sport resumption, while Canada’s Mike Winter checks in with all the news and views from across the pond in the UK. Consider my midweek slump truly abated.
Fight back against an energy crisis that can impact condition and performance.
Equi-Jewel® is a high-fat, low-starch and -sugar formula developed to safely meet the energy needs of your horse.
Whether you have a hard keeper that needs extra calories to maintain his weight, or a top performance horse that needs cool energy to perform at her peak, Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s energy needs. Equi-Jewel reduces the risk of digestive upset, supports optimal muscle function, maintains stamina, and helps horses recover faster after hard work, all while providing the calories your horse needs to thrive.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®.
Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? Kentucky Performance Products, LLC is here to help. Call 859-873-2974 or visit KPPusa.com.
If you fancy yourself the eventing nerd to rule all nerds, this new charity quiz challenge will surely be right up your alley. Top eventers such as Piggy March, Chris Burton, Sam Griffiths, and Joseph Murphy are joining up with sponsors CrossCountry App, Backstage Pass and GVG Brooks Equine Veterinary Practice for a speed quiz benefitting UK-based nonprofit Ebony Horse Club.
The trivia night will be hosted virtually this Friday, June 19 from 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm BST / 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm EST / 11:30 am – 1:30 pm PST. Anyone can sign up to participate for a minimum donation of £10/$12.55. Participants will be pitting their knowledge as well as their reaction time against one another in a fun and competitive format.
All proceeds generated from the quiz night will go directly to the Ebony Horse Club, a community riding centre based in Brixton, London. Their mission is to raise aspirations of local young people through access to horses, providing new opportunities and developing life skills. They run trips, youth work activities, community events as well as regular riding lessons and their work encourages young people to overcome challenges and be the best they can be. Many of their young members are facing adversity in their lives but they are proud to support them to thrive and have seen their riders go on to win races, gain places at equestrian colleges and work in the industry.
Photo of Madison Temkin by Sherry Stewart / Zoe Crawford by Lisa Madren
The 2020 USEF Eventing 25 Emerging Athlete Program is filled with talented and determined upcoming professionals. Just like the rest of us, these young adults have continued to persist throughout the suspension of competitions. In this three-part series, you will get to find out how some of these riders spent their quarantine. In part one, we catch up with Zoe Crawford and Madison Temkin. You can read part one of the series with Alyssa Phillips, Megan Sykes, and Woodge Fulton here.
Zoe Crawford
Zoe Crawford, from Reddick, Florida, started this season out strong with K.B.S Quick Strike and K.E.C Zara picking up few penalties to add on to their dressage scores at Red Hills. Zoe and K.E.C Zara have been partners since 2015.
“Of course the cancellation of the spring season was very disappointing especially when I had my sights set on my first 5* at Kentucky. The first few weeks of quarantine I gave my horses a little downtime. They had a few weeks out in the field and then went on lots of hacks and trail rides. It is sometimes nice to not have the pressures of a competition calendar to enjoy just riding and being around horses.
“The funny thing about horses is they sort of train you for times like these. That is the unexpected and unplanned. Although there are no competitions to help stay motivated, I have found that I have really enjoyed having this time with my horses. There are so many training videos on the internet of different cavaletti, dressage, and showjump exercises that I usually wouldn’t have time to try because of competitions. Quarantine has been great for trying new exercises, training techniques, and approaches to improving the overall quality of my horses’ work.
“Along with online training videos to try I love watching old competition videos from Burghley, Badminton and Kentucky. You can find plenty of years’ worth of competition videos online. I want to be at those events competing one day. Watching the likes of Andrew Nicolson, Ros Cantor, and Michael Jung gallop around those enormous tracks effortlessly motivates me to work as hard as I can so that one day I will be riding around those tracks too!”
Madison Temkin
Madison Temkin is from Sebastopol, California and has been competing on Dr. Hart and MVP Madbum. Madison and both of her horses had a great run last season, ending in the top 15 at Stable View and Fresno County Horse Park.
“During these times of uncertainty this spring I have found different ways to keep myself and my horses motivated. Luckily for me, I live on my farm. As the world around us feels a bit like it is collapsing, I have been blessed in the fact that my life truly hasn’t changed that much. At the beginning of quarantine, I backed off of my upper level horses a bit and gave them an easy few weeks.
“As we begin to (hopefully) see a light at the end of the tunnel, I have begun training harder again. I have taken this time of no shows to really work on my flat work as well as some footwork and ride-ability exercises in the jumping, that really work on educating my horses and making them think. The horses have also been doing quite a bit of water fitness work which has been a great tool to get them fitter and stronger without the stress on their legs. It’s incredible to see how much they have changed over these last few weeks because of it. One of the most motivating things for me is that because we have had all this time off, I want to come out with stronger, more competitive, and fitter horses than I had in the beginning of the year.
“One of the other things that has helped me stay very motivated and focused is that this time off of traveling has been an incredible opportunity to work with the young horses and my students. As much as I strive to see change and improvement in my own riding and my competition horses, I love to see and feel the young horses develop as it gives me a bit of a glimpse into the future with them which in itself, is very motivating for me. It’s hard when we are traveling and competing to truly give them the time they need.
“I have been able to continue taking lessons and most recently had a great couple days of lessons with Tamie Smith, which just makes me even more eager to get back to it. This was definitely not my plan for 2020, but life tends to throw curveballs and at the end of the day, what matters most is how you react to them. I hope that we can get back to showing soon and finish off the year with a few great events.”
“With so much happening around me on the farm it’s been hard to lack motivation — we have a brilliant place to train now and I’m so incredibly grateful for that — the only thing that can dampen the positivity is the possibility that the remaining fall fixtures will cancel. In that case — we will come to guns blazing in 2021! Cheers to all, and hoping to see you all (distantly) soon!”
Emilee Libby and Jakobi, winners of the Galway Downs International Horse Trials CCI4*-S in March 2019. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
West coast eventers who’ve been starving for competition opportunities: Galway Downs has you covered! After some back and forth regarding new dates for their vacated spring events due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kellerhouse Eventing has announced a new Summer Horse Trials at Galway Downs to be held July 17-19 in Temecula, California.
Galway Downs continues to undergo massive ongoing upgrades and improvements to the facility, and competitors this summer will notice a new cross country warm-up, new temporary stabling from Fredericks International, and upgraded permanent barns. With five dressage rings running and divisions ranging from Advanced to Intro, it’s sure to be the summer festival we’ve all been dying to attend.
Kellerhouse Presents is excited to announce our new Summer Horse Trials July 17-19 at Galway Downs in Temecula, CA. Our…
Entries are now open, and COVID-19 precautions will be followed for this event. Events for the remainder of the year may look a bit different and perhaps a little fewer in frequency, but the opportunities continue to arise thanks to the hard work of organizers all over the country. Don’t forget to sign up for a volunteer shift or two. Happy eventing!
I wanted to start off this morning with a little anecdote about diversity. I am a Korean adoptee who came to the U.S. when I was three months old after I was given up for adoption. I grew up in the well-off suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri in a predominantly white, Jewish area. I went to a predominantly white high school where most people of color were either bussed in from the city or flown in from overseas for exchange programs. I grew up positively loathing my Asian-ness. I was endlessly ridiculed for my eye shape. My white boyfriend dealt with constant mockery of the “nasty ch*nk” he was dating.
And in truth, I didn’t have it that bad. I saw kids in the halls each day who were much worse off than I, who looked more haunted than I felt. I still remember them now and I wish I would have done more to help them and stop the bullying.
Yet, I felt solace at the barn. At the barn, it didn’t matter what I looked like, where I came from, or who I was. I found friends (in fact, they left such an impact on me that I wrote about them two decades later), and I found myself. I felt included.
This is not the problem with our sport.
It is undoubtedly true that many riders of color may feel similarly when they reflect on how horses and the barn have made them feel. It’s true that most barns feel like families, which is why many find themselves bewildered at the state of the world now, wondering how so many could possibly feel so excluded.
The issue is this: when I was 13 and had a school project due, I wanted to illustrate my love for horses. I held onto this daydream that perhaps my birth mother was a famous Korean equestrian, and perhaps that was where my horse bug had come from. So I searched on the beginnings of the internet for an Asian woman wearing riding clothes. Pages and pages and pages…and the closest I could find was a brunette woman with narrow eyes. I printed the photo and pasted it onto my poster, squinting to figure out if she could pass as Asian. From that moment on, I tore through every Dover catalog that came into my mailbox, looking for one person who looked like me. One person who I could hang up on my wall and say, “I want to be like her.“
This is the problem with our sport.
Or, at least it’s the problem with diversity in our sport. It’s true that many people of color feel included — once they’re in the sport. But from the outside looking in? Have you ever been to a party full of people you don’t know? If you’re anything like me, you feel some trepidation before you open the door. You feel like a sore thumb sticking out. Once you’re in and you’re comfortable, it may feel better. But taking that first step and opening the door? That’s hard when no one is inviting you in.
I myself am guilty of not shedding enough light on more voices of color within our sport, and I’m undertaking a new intention to change this. I don’t want any other kids flipping through magazines or Instagram feeds and seeing no one that looks like them. I don’t want any other kids to feel they can’t get into something because they don’t see themselves represented. This will take an industry-wide change that involves brands, media outlets, and governing bodies. This is one small way in which we can effect change.
Nonprofit Spotlight: Literacy is a huge part of a young person’s education, and grabbing interest in reading early on can open doors for ideas and imaginations to thrive. Saddle Up and Read is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging youth to “achieve literary excellence through equine activities”. Based in Wendell, North Carolina, Saddle Up and Read has also created a library full of books featuring Black equestrians. You can get involved, donate, or contribute to the group’s Amazon Wish List here.
“I didn’t think Black or Asian people rode horses.” It’s a sentiment reflected on by Horse & Hound writer Eleanor Jones in a new think piece on the barriers to ethnic diversity in equestrian sports. How do we go about changing this notion that only a white majority participates in these sports? Take a look at Eleanor’s dive into the horse community and what can be done to effect change.
This may have been posted in a News & Notes before, but I feel it’s worth another read. I know I learned a lot from this, and it’s important to understand the big picture of what we’re working with and where we need to go from here. Read this breakdown of how diversity and inclusion differ, and why they’re so important, here.
As we return to competition in some areas, volunteers remain an integral part of every event’s success. But there’s a new normal in place for volunteers and competitors alike to adhere to. Take a look at how volunteers are adapting here.
Seattle Slew trainer Billy Turner, a racing legend and oldest living Triple Crown trainer, has had an accident and a GoFundMe has been started to assist with medical bills. Billy was at Ocala Jockey Club International last November for the prize-giving of the Seattle Slew Award, and is much beloved by the equestrian community. Can you help? [Donate Now]
Wednesday Video Break:
Financial literacy matters when it comes to maintaining an equestrian lifestyle. Managing money isn’t fun or sexy, but it is important — and it doesn’t have to be difficult or stressful! I stumbled upon this excellent podcast episode from Young Black Equestrians featuring money educator Jasmine Browne. Learn about things such as credit, budgeting, and misconceptions surrounding financing horses:
Ecovet is an entirely different type of fly spray … and you apply it to your horse in a different way, too. With fly season upon us, we’re sharing some tips for how to best apply Ecovet:
The eventing community continues to support Kailey Giancola, the 25-year-old eventer who suffered a severe brain stem injury on Dec. 16, with our whole hearts. Kailey has been in rehabilitation since mid-January, bravely fighting each and every day to strengthen herself physically and mentally — a battle made all the more difficult, and lonely, by quarantine during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wednesday, June 17, is Kailey’s 26th birthday — let’s rally around her and let her know that we’re still cheering her on. Please send a video message to Laura Welsh ([email protected]) to be shared with Kailey tomorrow. Happy birthday, Kailey! Keep kicking. We know you will.
Kailey Giancola and Saturday Night Clive in the Virginia Horse Trials International CCI2*-L in October 2019, where they finished 11th. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
A message from Laura:
Hey everybody,
I want to begin by reiterating absolute appreciation for the outpouring of support for Kailey Giancola following her tragic fall in December that resulted in a severe traumatic brain injury and her subsequent coma.
Today marks six months since Kailey’s accident.
Tomorrow is Kailey’s 26th birthday.
Kailey is currently still residing at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia, a rehabilitation hospital specialized in traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.
It would be the most amazing gesture if each and every one of you that feel moved to action could make a video message that she could watch tomorrow on her birthday to know she has an entire world of support behind her.
COVID has created unprecedented difficulties in all of our lives, and for Kailey it meant a long period of time where she was alone without even family allowed inside the hospital. Thank goodness she now has her mother living in the hospital by her bedside again, but she is not allowed any other visitors because of the associated risks. This has undoubtedly been a very lonely time.
Kailey’s journey has been a long and arduous uphill climb, but in true Kailey fashion she has continued to defy the odds and make progress towards recovery.
Kailey has been able to answer yes and no questions with red and green buttons and also with a yes/no protocol the therapists have established, she has demonstrated functional object use, and she has moved both sides of her body on command among many other amazing feats — including on one occasion the most triumphant thumbs up I have ever witnessed.
Kailey is here.
Her fight continues.
Hope is ever present.
Please let Kailey know we are all here cheering for her recovery.
Please send videos to my inbox and I will make sure that Kailey’s mother receives them so that she can spend her entire birthday tomorrow wrapped in love.
We had a play down a fab grid (pinched from Laura Collett Eventing) with some of the horses last week – this exercise is great for improving their athleticism & technique as well as sharpening up their reactions…(The raised poles are 2.5 – 2.75 yards from each jump. There is approx 11 yards distance from jump to jump so a good yard short of what it would be for a comp)
Saturday was gymnastics day for the horses at Gemma Tattersall’s yard. She worked through one of Laura Collett’s grids with the goal of “improving their athleticism & technique as well as sharpening up their reactions.”
There are three fences that are each 11 yards apart to give you a short two stride. She’s then set raised poles 2.5-2.75 yards ahead of each fence. Those ascending vees will give you a little extra pop, as well.
Happy jumping!
Flexible Fit Equestrian: Redefining Comfort & Quality at an Affordable Price. Learn more at www.ffequestrian.com.au.
Hunt Club Farms’ Preliminary course is brand spankin’ new and features a Viking theme throughout. Photo courtesy of HCF.
Hunt Club Farms (HCF) has proudly announced they have added a Preliminary course that will debut at their July 25th one-day event in Berryville, Va.
“We decided to make the most of our downtime”, said HCF owner Tracy Zack, “With our spring shows cancelled, we really threw ourselves into making the summer recognized event the best it can be. We’ve moved fence lines and paddocks, created a new dressage ring, improved the parking area, improved the footing and completely moved the cross country course around.”
Photo courtesy of HCF.
Thanks to course designer, Morgan Roswell and course builder Craig Haynes, competitors can look forward to new courses and new jumps across all levels, including the brand new Preliminary course which features frangible pin technology. The courses feature a Viking theme — a nod to Tracy’s Norwegian heritage — with shields, helmets and hammers and of course the Viking Ship jump, placed throughout the grounds.
“I’m really excited to welcome our community back and have them out to compete,” said Tracy, “I love being able to support this sport and offer a friendly, fun and safe venue for competitors.”
HCF is offering prizes for all divisions and a cash prize for the lowest score of the day. HCF is working closely with local, state and federal officials to ensure the safety and well-being of all who attend and to adhere to all COVID restrictions. Entries are open! For more information visit www.huntclubfarms.net
The 2020 USEF Eventing 25 Emerging Athlete Program is filled with talented and determined upcoming professionals. Just like the rest of us, these young adults have continued to persist throughout the suspension of competitions. In this three-part series, you will get to find out how some of these riders spent their quarantine. In part one, we catch up with Alyssa Phillips, Megan Sykes and Woodge Fulton.
Alyssa Phillips and Oskar. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Alyssa Phillips
Alyssa Phillips is from Fort Worth, Texas. She is a five-time NAJYRC medalist and is currently competing Oscar at the four-star level. They ended in the top five at almost every event last season.
“In the beginning, everything was so up in the air and uncertain, so we decided to give my horses a short holiday. They were super happy coming back into work, and that made me happy. During show season, I feel like everything is fast-paced, so my horses and I have enjoyed this downtime. I have been able to focus on each horse’s training needs without rushing to fix the issue or weakness. I love going back to the basics; rideability is key. I’ve stayed motivated during this time because I know my horses are benefitting from it.”
Megan Sykes & Classic’s Mojah. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Megan Sykes
Megan Sykes is from Midland, Texas, and is competing with Classic’s Mojah this year. Shortly before lockdown started, she placed 4th in the CCI3*-S in Fresno. She also owns and operates Classics Eventing.
“Unfortunately, I got injured shortly after shelter-in-place started, from a fall sustained while training at home. This is a very real thing that happens in our sport, and I got very lucky. The fractures in my scapula and pelvis are healing ahead of schedule and I can’t wait to get back in the saddle!
“Before my accident, I was staying motivated by taking advantage of the down time to get to know my new horses and develop a strong foundation and connection with them. I have a new mare, thanks to my supporters Brian and Kailynn, imported from Germany who is coming along very nicely! Due to the pandemic we’ve been able to take our time with her and allow her to settle in.
“For my upper level horse, Mo, I backed off of his fitness and focused more on strength building exercises. Since my accident, my motivation is stemming from trying to heal as quickly as possible so I am ready to leg back up my horses and make a plan for the fall. Not knowing when shows would resume made it hard to stay focused, but making sure my horses and I stay as healthy as possible keeps me more determined than anything.”
Woodge Fulton and Captain Jack at Badminton. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Woodge Fulton
Woodge Fulton, from Finksburg, Maryland, has been competing with Captain Jack and Franky Four Fingers this year. Woodge and Captain Jack had a successful run last season at Badminton, Strzegom, and Luhmühlen.
“These times have been uncertain to say the least, but honestly it’s been super useful for myself and my horses. Every year I find myself feeling like I’m playing catch-up, finishing up one event and then having to try to make last minute improvements before the next. After Ocala, there was no shows in sight, and this caused a weird, ‘Twilight Zone’ feeling where I could just train in a bubble. No pressure of upcoming shows that made me feel like I needed to rush training certain things, nor a potential start back up date to look forward to. For once in a very long time, we were training just to make each ride better and that turned out to be really beneficial for both myself and the horses.
“It was also interesting not being able to take lessons. It can be the case for anyone, but especially for young riders transitioning to professionals, one of the hardest steps is taking a step away from being under the constant supervision of a coach. So often it’s easy to get reliant on our coaches and trainers, and while quality instruction is obviously important, I think it’s good every once in a while to put the full pressure on yourself and know it’s up to you to get better. I intend to use what I’ve learned during this global pandemic going forward, and apply what I’ve learned even when we are ‘back to normal.’ Until then, I hope everyone is being smart and staying safe, and look forward to enjoying our sport together one day soon!”
The Rotten Tomatoes review came in at 95% and IMBd gave them a 9/10!
Ok, not really. BUT – these videos are great for this quarantine with no gym access. Some of us may have the tools we need at home to workout, but for those who don’t have equipment? These videos are here to help you either continue a strength training program OR to start fresh with strength training. No equipment needed.
I know you may be drowning in a sea of Instagram workout videos giving you “tips and tricks” to improve your fitness using body weight exercises. Some of those workout videos can be helpful, but VERY few of them specifically target equestrians. Equestrians are a special group! So I think you need things that are tailored specifically to what you do.
I want to show you five body-weight exercises that will:
Increase your mind-muscle coordination (hang in there – we’ll get to definitions)
Create dense muscles (more on this in another blog)
(And most importantly) Increase your strength for riding
Ok – so let’s start with those definitions. BORING – I know. But it will get us on the same page, so hang in there with me!
DEFINITIONS (please don’t fall asleep yet – good things are on the horizon)
Muscle recruitment
This is all about how many muscles you use to perform a movement. When you go through the process of muscle recruitment your mind is getting betterat recruiting more muscles to perform a task. It makes the movement more efficient so it’s easier to do.
Mind-Muscle Connection:
This is essentially how well can you talk to your muscles and tell them what to do. Performing a movement or an exercise over and over creates the opportunity for you to become aware of which muscles you’re using. Once you’re aware of the muscles you’re using – it’s easier to talk to them and tell them how to work. You can even start to self-correct your technique or form. Why? Because you know what it “feels” like to have good form! Studies show that learning to create the Mind-Muscle connection for one task can even transfer over to other tasks that you’re trying to learn. Score! And once you have a really high level of Mind-Muscle Connection? You start to engrain things in your memory. That means you can complete tasks without even having to think about it. Double score!
Muscle Contractions
There are three forms of muscle contractions (eccentric, isometric and concentric). But don’t worry! We’ll just cover one of those today.
Eccentric muscle contraction happens when a muscle is being lengthened and put under tension. For example: During a squat, the eccentric part of the movement is when you are lowering yourself into a sitting position and your glutes, hamstrings and quads are being lengthened.
The longer it takes you to sit into a squat (meaning the slooooooower you lower yourself) the more of a strength exercise it becomes. If you take seven seconds to sit into a squat vs. dropping it like it’s hot in two seconds – you’ll see much better results from a strength perspective.
The muscle contractions that happen during a squat are the main muscle contractions that help you when you ride. The stronger your glutes, hamstrings and quads are – the better you’ll be at absorbing forces. You’ll remain strong when landing from jumps and you’ll stay in proper position during gallops.
Tempo
When I prescribe exercises for my riders I always give them the speed (or tempo) they should use when performing the exercise. To stick with the squat example – if I gave you tempo of 4 seconds for the eccentric part of the exercise – you would spend 4 seconds lowering yourself into the sitting position of the squat.
Ok good – we’re done with definitions. Still with me?
The five videos below are exercises that will help us with strength AND the fancy definitions you just learned.
Alright so how many times do you perform all these exercises? And how many seconds should you spend on the eccentric phase? Answer: Start at Phase 1 below. Once you’ve done the exercises at Phase 1 for three to four weeks you can move onto Phase 2. Disclaimer: If you’re not very consistent during those three to four weeks, you may need to stay at a Phase longer than 3 to 4 weeks to make sure you’re ready for the next Phase.
Phase 1
Perform a 4-6 second eccentric phase on each exercise
Complete the exercise a for total of 2-3 rounds or “sets” (as we say in the strength and conditioning world)
For each set – complete the exercise 6-8 times (or for 6-8 “reps”)
Rest for 1 minute in between each set
Phase 2
Perform the very first rep for a 30 second eccentric phase, then perform the next 7-10 reps with a 2 second eccentric phase. That super long rep? It’s called a “Pre-Exhaustion Rep” and it will make each exercise harder on you.
Complete the exercise for a total of 3-4 sets
For each set – complete 8-10 reps
Rest for 1 minute in between each set
Phase 3
Perform your first rep for a 30 second eccentric phase, complete 7-9 reps with the 2 second eccentric phase THEN on the final rep – perform another 30 second eccentric rep. YIKES THAT IS TOUGH. That’s a Pre AND a Post-Exhaustion Rep.
Complete the exercise for a total of 3-4 sets
Rest for 1 minute in between each set
Performing this Eccentric work will not only increase your strength to absorb forces during riding. It’ll also build dense muscles (again – more to come on this topic), improve your athletic abilities AND increase your capacity to learn new skills faster. Triple, quadruple, crazy big wins!
Along with a dense muscle blog – stay tuned because I’ll also be covering the other two muscle contractions we skipped today and how they can improve your riding.
I know a covered A LOT today. If you found anything to be confusing, please feel free to look me up on Instagram (@coachsandotraining) and DM any questions you have. You can also email me at [email protected]. Now let’s get after it!
