What would a Saturday in April be without a long, luxurious day of Kentucky cross-country, nibbles, and plenty of adult beverages to keep the party rolling on long after the last rider has crossed the finish line? It would be boring, that’s what. That’s why we’re so excited about this year’s Virtual Kentucky tailgating party, which starts tomorrow (that’s Saturday, April 25) at 10.00 a.m. Eastern time/15.00 BST on USEF Network’s Facebook page.
Hosted by commentator extraordinaire John Kyle, Virtual Kentucky takes us back to 2012 with the full cross-country programme, special guests including Boyd Martin and Allison Springer, and a heaping helping of fun and utter madness along the way. It’s going to be ruddy marvellous, folks – but to get the most out of it, we reckon you need a tailgating drink in hand. So we’ve put on our mixologist hats and created some special bevvies, perfectly suited to making the most out of the Kentucky That Wasn’t.
Good luck, god speed, and drink responsibly, folks. Or don’t. We’ll see you at the tailgate!
When you can’t do the thing you love the most, sometimes you discover, upon reflection, that the things you really miss aren’t the obvious ones. Sure, we’d all love to go cross-country, the beep of our watches chasing us across the course. Okay, yes, we’d all love to march up to the organisers’ tent, muddy and knackered, to collect a scrap of ribbon and a dressage sheet. But actually, it’s the intricacies of the thing that tend to hit the hardest: that post-cross country burger that tastes so damn good because you’ve earned it, the moments of chit-chat while you wait to enter the start box and, of course, the thrill of arriving first thing in the morning and seeing the friendly faces of your eventing pals.
As it turns out, Heidi Woodhead of DHI Event Horses feels much the same way – so she decided to overcome her withdrawals by heading out in the lorry to park up in a field. But as it turned out, it wouldn’t be quite so straightforward…
Buck Davidson and Copper Beach. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
World Equestrian Brands’ live Q&A series continues today with five-star eventer and Team USA stalwart Buck Davidson — we sure miss seeing you in the sandbox today, Buck. Buck has galloped around the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event more times than just about anybody; maybe they’ll put a statue of him jumping into the Head of the Lake up someday, too! His top 10 finishes include a 10th with Copper Beach in 2018, 9th with Petite Flower in 2016, 3rd with Ballynoe Castle RM in 2014, and 3rd with My Boy Bobby in 2009.
Tune in at 4 p.m. for a Q&A session moderated by Sally Spickard. WEB is giving away an Amerigo leather care package to one viewer everyday, so submit a question for Sharon for a chance to win!
Each day we’ll be bringing you new deals from over 30 companies via EN’s inaugural Virtual Vendor Village (shop Friday’s deals here), and each day I’ll be sharing my top five favorite deals of the day. Here we go for Friday!
P.S. You can check out Jumper Nation editor Lynn Mueller’s top 5 picks here, and Horse Nation editor DeAnn Long Sloan’s top 5 picks here.
Ride Heels Down: “X < Halt < Salute < Breathe” … um do they make this shirt in “size 14-hand pony”? Princess’ centerline mantra is more like “X < Halt-ish < Pitch a Fit < Pray Judge Has a Sense of Humor,” and she could use some zen in there.
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Ride Heels Down founder Ainsley Jacobs is one of EN’s favorite bloggers — we’ve loved following her adventures (and misadventures) with JJ Spot, with whom she finished 7th at the USEA American Eventing Championships last year. We also love her cheeky tee-shirt designs, which have been on sale this week. You can check out the complete RHD collection here (there’s even a limited edition coronavirus line, love it). Here deal for today is for the above tee for 20% off; be sure to check back each day for new deals! We heart you Ainsley and look forward to seeing you and JJ back in the startbox soon.
Banixx: On his annual Kentucky cross country course walks Jimmy Wofford is fond of referencing one of his many Jimmy-isms: “Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.” I’d say something similar about equine skin infection products — you don’t need them until you NEED them, and by then it’s too late. The wise horse owner keeps skin infection products on hand, so that the moment your horse starts cooking some crud you can jump right on treating it immediately.
I’ve had fantastic experience with Banixx products, and in particular the Banixx Pet Care Bacterial & Fungal Infection Spray. I’ve kept it in my grooming kit, ready to go, this spring, so at the slightest hint of rain rot I was able to treat it from the get-go with a highly effective product.
Banixx products, which also include an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial shampoo and a wound care cream, are on sale this week via Valley Vet Supply — 10% off + free shipping at Valley Vet, and they’ll ship immediately! Click here.
For more information on Banixx Horse & Pet Care visit the website here. And be sure to check out their sponsored column right here on EN, written by the one and only Shellie Sommerson, each Thursday! We thank Jane and her team at Banixx for their continued support of EN.
Equine Therapy International: Event horses log hundreds of hours of conditioning work over the course of their careers. We set our watches and go pounding around the field, cranking out a carefully programmed agenda of trot and gallop sets. But the high level of fitness that is required for eventing also comes at the cost of extra wear and tear on our horses’ limbs.
With an underwater treadmill, there is a certain amount of weight reduction so you’re not having the concussive forces on the limbs. You get a longevity of the joint because you don’t have to work them as hard on dry land. Also, working in the water you can really get an exaggerated flexion so if you have stiff joints it helps with joint mobility. Not to mention the water resistance does amazing things for muscling as well as cardiovascular fitness.
I’ve seen tremendous benefits from using the treadmills with my own horses. Here’s some more #instaponyspam.
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This week Equine Therapy International is offering a 15% off special promotion on their Activo-Med products, which include equine therapy pulsed electromagnetic and massage blanket, boots, pads and combined light therapy. Today’s featured Activo-Med product is its Equine Water Treadmill, which at 15% off equals a deep discount on an incredible tool that will take your horses’ fitness to the next level and prolong the duration of their careers.
FLAIR Strips: I know we’re not competing now, but we’ll be back out there again someday soon-ish. Why not use the down time to restock your show trunk with all the stuff you KNOW you’re gonna need on down the road, especially if you can get a good deal on it now? FLAIR Strips are an eventing essential for respiratory performance; it’s increasingly rare to see an upper-level event horse running without one.
Gonna spam y’all again with another pic (I must be extra missing the barn today).
I went through a phase a few years ago where I thought it would look tough to match my horse’s FLAIR Strips with matching football eye black stickers.
This week FLAIR Strips are offering a discount at checkout with promo code LRK3DE. Thank you for the hookup and for your continued support of EN, FLAIR!
Tapestry Equine Products: The girth revolution is here and your horse wants you to get on board with it. The innovative, patented design of Tapestry Comfort Girths is the only girth on the market that “breathes” with your horse, improving comfort, performance, and competitiveness. The elastic is situated where the horse needs it, from the sternum up the ribcage offering expansion and comfort.
LindaHauck, owner and innovator of Tapestry Equine Products, also innovated Spursuader Spurs. “The reason I developed this spur was in large part my experience riding sensitive horses, particularly Thoroughbreds,” she explains. “How they overreacted to a traditional spur, how some would get tense right away when they knew you were wearing a spur or watching a horse get inadvertently ‘spurred.’ That got me thinking that there must be another way to get our point across to the horse without offending or creating tension in that horse.”
This week you can take 10% off + free shipping with code LR2020 on all products from Tapestry Equine Products!
Banixx® for CHIXX is a topical anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, non-toxic, odor-free & sting free, first-aid spray for a myriad of chicken / poultry problems such as:
Pecking Sores
Raw Vent Area Injuries
Bumble foot (Bumblefoot)
Fowl Pox, Fungus
Chicken Foot / Leg injuries
A host of other cuts, scrapes & abrasions.
Our solution is steroid-free and antibiotic-free with no added dyes (which turn your white chicken into purple) and is completely safe for use around the eyes. It’s not sticky or oily and has no odor and no sting upon application, hence, administration is a breeze. Also use for disinfecting incubators, nest boxes & brooders. Proudly made in the USA.
CLICK HERE to find out where to shop. (Hint! Valley Vet carries Banixx and they’re offering 10% off this month!)
Legends and ProElite have joined the EN Virtual Vendor Village part to offer discounts on feed and supplement options:
Legends GastroCare
We ask a lot of our horses – rigorous training schedules and frequent changes in environments. We owe it to them to keep their digestive tracts in check during periods of stress. Now until 5/31 – take advantage of $5-off a bag of Legends® GastroCare™ Supplement. The only supplement in the Legends line specifically designed to support healthy digestive tract function in show and performance horses. Visit www.legendshorsefeed.com to print your coupon.
ProElite
Save $2 off every bag of ProElite Senior through the end of April. This highly palatable, beet pulp-based, textured feed supports the special nutritional needs of older horses. No coupon needed. Discount applied at point of purchase. Visit https://proelitehorsefeed.com/product/senior/.
Texas Rose Horse Park Summer H.T. is still on the calendar for May 8-9. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
With the USEF and USEA’s suspension of events expiring on May 3 (unless they opt to extend it), and some parts of the country making plans to lift restrictions and reopen their economies, a few cautiously optimistic USEA horse trials remain on the May calendar. All of these but one, Texas Rose Horse Park H.T., are scheduled for the last weekend of the month.
The closing date for Texas Rose Horse Park Summer H.T. was Tuesday and the event is scheduled to take place in two weeks from now: May 8-9. The state of Texas has been on a stay-at-home order since April 2, with the order scheduled to expire on April 30 unless the governor elects to extend it. If gathering restrictions are put in place, that could prove a stumbling block for the event.
Our show season may have ground to a halt but that doesn’t mean we have to stop learning and improving ourselves as riders and horsemen. This four-book bundle from our good friends at Horse and Rider Books gives you some homework to do while you’re homebound.
That’s a $140 value! Enter to win using the Rafflecopter widget below by visiting Horse and Rider Books on Facebook (a “likes” are appreciated but not required) or following them on Twitter. The giveaway is open through Sunday, April 26 at midnight EST. We’ll select a winner at random!
Been missing out on shopping the vendors of spring events? We are very excited to present the inaugural Eventing Nation Virtual Vendor Village, a week-long online opportunity to score fantastic deals and discover new products from our favorite brands. It’s also a great way to show our support for equestrian businesses that have had to close down shop due to coronavirus restrictions. It truly does take a “village”!
The Virtual Vendor Village is taking place right here on EN from Monday, April 20 through Sunday, April 26. Throughout the week, over 30 companies are offering a “Deal of the Day” on their products — which means you’ll want to check in on their “booths” daily to make sure you don’t miss a sale! Expect deep discounts, special promotions and product giveaways. PLUS! We’ll be hosting live Q&As with top five-star riders and flashback watch parties.
MEET & GREET: Tune in to EN’s Facebook at 4 p.m. EST for a Facebook LIVE session with World Equestrian Brands rider Buck Davidson. WEB is giving away an Amerigo leather care package to one viewer everyday, so submit a question to Buck for a chance to win! While you’re at it, be sure to check out World Equestrian Brands’ Virtual Kentucky Store for some amazing discounts on products from Amerigo, E.A. Mattes, Equilibrium and Vespucci!
WATCH PARTY: USEF Network is rolling out its Land Rover Kentucky archives this week! If you’re not already a USEF member, use promo code ENLRK3DE to access. Watch top dressage tests from the past decade and vote for your favorite here.
TODAY’S DEALS:Welcome to Friday’s Deals! Click on each brand’s “booth” tile to be taken directly to the featured item or brand website.
Friday’s Deal Summary!
AtelierCG: 15% off with code BEYOU
Banixx: 10% off + free shipping at Valley Vet
C4 Belts: Spend $100, get a free solid belt + buckle of your choice with code CHOICE20
Ecovet: 30% off with code Virtual30
ENO: 10% off with code Fest2020
Equine Therapy International: 15% off special
FITS Riding: 20% off with code ENFITS20
FLAIR Strips: Special discount at checkout with code LRK3DE
Fleeceworks: 10% off all orders all week with code LRK3D10; Free Easy Care Bamboo Slippers with orders over $100; 15% off Easy Care Bamboo Quilted Pads with code LRK3D5; additional deals here
Hats by Katie: Free shipping with code LRK3DE
Horse & Rider Books: 20% off + free shipping with code KYBK20
Hound & Hare: 20% off all in-stock heeled and flat Regina boots by Fairfax & Favor
Hylofit: 20% off heart monitor with code HYLOEN
Ice Horse: Free HoofWraps Soaker with purchase with code HWS
Jane Heart Jewelry: 15% off all rings with code ring15
Kerrits: Tent sale deep discounts + 50% off winter tops and jackets + free saddle pad with all orders over $250
Kentucky Performance Products: 20% off + free shipping with code LRK3DE2020 (excludes Equi-Jewel)
Legends: Save $5 on Legends GastroCare
ProElite Senior: Save $2 per bag
Martin Collins: 15% off CLOPF Fiber May through July with code KY2020
Nupafeed: 15% off with code LR2020
Nutrena: $10 off 1 bag SafeChoice Perform (click on tile for coupon)
Omega Alpha: 10% off orders over $40 + free shipping with code EN10
Perri’s Leather: 1″ leather turnout halter only $49.95 (regularly $69.95) with code LEATHER
HandsOn Gloves: 20% off with code KY20
Ride Heels Down: 20% off “X, halt, salute, breathe” tee (coupon not required)
SmartPak: Enter to win a $500 gift card (click tile to enter)
Sport Horse Nation: 50% off classified ads with code VENDORVILLAGE
Stable View: 25% off Stable View short sleeve t-shirts (click on tile above to purchase)
Tapestry Equine Products: 10% off + free shipping with code LR2020
Voltaire: 20% off accessories + free shipping
I Love My Horse Eventing Boutique: Buy 2, get 10% off Goode Rider show shirts + free shipping (email [email protected] or text 727-871-5729)
Social distancing is a little hard with this one! Photo by Sara Kozumplik Murphy.
Yesterday, I was referred to as a “pro” at quarantine. I wish I could say this is the first time in the past few weeks that somebody has casually mentioned to this to me, but it is most definitely not. I also have this feeling that I should be a little offended, but I am not at all. And they’re right, I am a pro at quarantine, and while I miss a lot of things (competing) I’m doing alright with my ponies and my hobbies and my hacking.
National Holiday: National Hairball Awareness Day
News From Around the Globe:
All of the Kentucky memories are flooding in. In 2010, before going viral was a thing, Josh Walker took a special photo of a young pony clubber patting Karen O’Connor’s Mandiba after dressage at Kentucky. That young pony clubber, Keely Bechtol, has continued to pursue her equine passion, fueled in part by that special memory. [The Pat Seen Around The World]
Who doesn’t remember Tullibard’s Hawkwind from 2012 Kentucky? I certainly remember watching Jordan Linstedt Granquist, a relative unknown from the west coast, and seeing how she trusted Jack so much on that cross country course. That year was particularly rough for cross country, and while they racked up 79 time penalties, they went clear and our hearts were filled. [Tullibard’s Hawkwind Proved the Naysayers Wrong]
Weird horsey records, you got me. The longest horse, the shortest horse, the oldest horse, the tallest horse, the highest jump by a mini horse, the oldest winning racehorse (19!), the fastest 10 meters on HIND LEGS!? Okay, this is too weird. [22 Flabbergasting & Bonkers Horsey Records]
