Classic Eventing Nation

Friday Video from SmartPak: Perfect Plaits – Just Like Piggy’s

By on Apr 3, 2020 5:48 pm -

Are neat, perfectly spherical plaits – that’s braids, for you yanks among us – something you’ve always dreamt of but never quite managed to nail down? If so, then you’re in luck, because Piggy March‘s travelling groom Amy Phillips is showing us exactly how she gets her horses ready to go out and win, you know, everything. If you’re a plaiting pro but have only ever banded, give this a watch, too – Amy provides an easy primer to using a needle and thread super-neat, ultra-secure ball plaits. Consider this the ideal out-of-the-saddle afternoon activity – and no, it’s absolutely not too lavish to come out at a one-day with Badminton-worthy sewn plaits when all this is behind us. #WhatWouldPiggyDo?

Bored at Home? Here’s an Online Event You Can Enter from Your Camera Roll

By on Apr 3, 2020 1:25 pm -

Tim Lips, shown here piloting Herby around the Young Horse World Championships, takes on judging duties. Photo by EquusPix.

Wouldn’t self-isolation be a bit of alright if we could all just crack on with our four-legged partners, whiling away long hours in the saddle, improving our performances for the restart of the season? Unfortunately, life in a pandemic isn’t quite so straightforward, and for a variety of reasons – temporary stable closures, bans in certain countries, or a desire not to burden health services – many riders are finding themselves grounded for now. While a spate of remote coaching and competing opportunities have started popping up online, few of them have catered to the widening demographic of horse people without a horse to ride. That’s why we’re particularly excited about a three-week, three-phase event that’s being held by the Netherlands’ Bavaria 0.0 Event Team. This star-studded team, helmed by Olympian Tim Lips, is in charge of the judging, and you – wherever you may be based – are the field of entrants.

The process? Simple. This week is dressage week, and today is the deadline to submit a 60-second video of yourself riding on the flat at home. To submit, simply upload your video to Facebook or Instagram with the hashtags #onlineeventingcompetition and #bavaria00eventingteam, and tag the Bavaria 0.0 Event Team if you’re on Facebook, or @eventing_team if you’re on Instagram. Make sure your post is public so they can see it. Then, pop your video in an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Online Eventing Competition” and your name.

Dressage videos will be assessed on Monday, the 6th of April, and then you’ll be able to post your 60-second showjumping entry. Entries can be submitted from 10.00 a.m. Dutch time (9.00 a.m. BST/4.00 a.m. Eastern) on the 6th of April until 18.00 Dutch time (17.00 BST/12.00 p.m. Eastern) on the 10th of April. Finally, 60-second cross-country videos can be submitted from 10.00 a.m. Dutch time (9.00 a.m. BST/4.00 a.m. Eastern) on the 13th of April until 18.00 Dutch time (17.00 BST/12.00 p.m. Eastern) on the 17th of April. Final assessments will take place on the 20th of April, after which a slew of excellent prizes will be awarded, including…

  • 1st place: a CWD martingale and a full set of Air Tech eventing boots from Kentucky Horsewear
  • 2nd place: a sweet iron loose ring snaffle, single or double jointed from TRUST and a high-quality garment from Onori Fashion & Gifts
  • 3rd place: a bag of Blue Hors goodies from Welfare Horse & Care
  • Overall originality prize: a pair of breeches from Petrie

So how does this cater to a grounded rider? Well, while the competition has been designed for those who can specially record a video, the guidelines are gentle enough to allow for other submissions, as long as you follow a few rules.

  • Videos must have been taken at the yard – no travelling allowed
  • Videos from lessons or shows are not eligible
  • All three phases must be completed aboard the same horse
  • Bavaria beer for the best rider over 18

Other than that, those 60 seconds are yours to play with: you can show off exactly what you and your horse do best. If you’ve got a video from a previous schooling session that fits the bill, that’s great – consider yourself part of the show! Full terms and further information can be found here.

Here’s how entrants will be judged:

Dressage

The participant is allowed to submit a video of a maximum of 60 seconds. In this video, the participant can show at whatever the dressage level of the combination is. That could be a walk-trot test, or you might want to show off your upper-level movements. Emphasize your strong points.

The participant is assessed on:

  • Riding skills and effectiveness of the aids
  • The straightness and relaxation of the pony/horse
  • The posture and seat of the rider
 Showjumping

The participant is allowed to submit a video of a maximum of 60 seconds. In this video, the participant can show at whatever level they’re comfortable with. Any type of fence and height is acceptable. Participants can send a video of a full course, combinations, grids, or even single fences.

The participant is assessed on:

  • Riding of the lines towards and after the obstacle(s)
  • Control of the tempo and impulsion
  • The straightness and relaxation of the pony/horse
  • The posture and seat of the rider
Cross-country

The participant is allowed to submit a video of a maximum of 60 seconds. Any height or type of fence is allowed, but the video must have been filmed where you keep your horse. No cross country obstacles available? Be creative! As long as you’re safe, anything goes.

The participant is assessed on:

  • Riding of the lines towards and after the obstacle(s)
  • Control of the tempo and impulsion
  • Preparation for the obstacle
  • The straightness and relaxation of the pony/horse
  • The posture and seat of the rider

Excuse us while we scroll through our camera rolls – we’ve got a show to enter!

A Letter to Me — Jennifer Wooten

By on Apr 3, 2020 10:04 am -

If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would you say? That’s the topic of a new series by Equestrian Marketing Firm Athletux. Today Jennifer Wooten shares her letter. Based on the central coast of California at Trinity Eventing, Jennifer has found success with several horses, including her most famous partnership  with The Good Witch, the mare with whom she contested five-stars around the world. Their finishes at the level included placing 11th at Pau in 2007, 7th at Kentucky in 2008, 31st at Burghley in 2009, 18th at Luhmühlen in 2010 and their final five-star was Badminton in 2011. 

Previous letters: Tamie Smith. 

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wooten.

Dear Teenage Jennifer,

Do you remember the day when you decided you were going to be an equestrian professional? I do. Those were big words back then.

You were 12 years old and at the last minute filled in as a horse manager at a pony club C level Combined Training rally in Moorpark. Your eyes were wide open as you discovered the sport.

You studied the horses, the riders, what they wore, how they rode. You tried to understand the dressage, walked the courses but the XC was what really caught your attention. This sparked the match that took fire to your childhood hobby which fueled your passion and will nurture your dream.

This same dream will lead you down the path of wonder, questions and determination. This dream will take shape over time and will not disappoint. It will shape you into an International 5-star competitor!

You will do whatever it takes to do what you love. You will muck 20 stalls before school to help your mom make rent, you will travel the world with some of your best friends and a horse that in so many ways kept you focused, fighting for the right to play the game, and who will ultimately save your life. You can do it, and you will!

Years later, when you are a mother (yes you will become a mother someday and that too will change you) with a successful business, do not doubt you can do it again if you choose.

No matter what, don’t forget where you come from and how hard you have worked to get there. The sacrifices you make along your journey, those are important. Be proud of yourself for making them for what you want. Don’t forget to give yourself time to dream and to be brave. You’ll prove you can make lemonade out of lemons and so much more.

Your skill set includes being tough, smart and strong. You’ll prove you can beat the odds. Now do not be afraid to continue to do it again and again.

You’ll build yourself an amazing business. You’ll surrounded yourself by genuine, loyal people.

You’ll give your all to help make other’s dreams become a reality, but don’t forget about your own. Express them, share them.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Some of the strongest people can also feel the most vulnerable when they share what means the most to them. Share! Share those secrets — own them, give them a chance to breath and become alive.

You are Grit. When someone tells you no, it’s like a challenge to prove them wrong.

Recognize the day it doesn’t need to be a challenge anymore. You will prove yourself over time and build a respectable reputation and become untouchable to some.

Share, dream and ask for help from the ones who truly support you and love you. It will push you to put you first and not to forget who you are.

The long hours will teach you to work, see something thru and be reliable. They will educate you.

Heartache and tears come with being a competitive competitor but don’t beat yourself up. Take ownership of your disappointment, then move on. Don’t focus on the negativity, it’s everywhere and will consume if you let it. Don’t let it.

Poverty, you’ll get past those days, lying awake wondering how you’re going to make ends meet, how you’re going to afford this life, how you’re going to afford your horse’s basic needs, you will figure that all out and put those days behind you. Embrace the fruits of your labor but don’t take it for granted. Continue to be thankful for what you do have and how much more you have to offer.

Tears of frustration, the letdown, being told you’ll never be good enough, you don’t have the financial backing or the bloodlines — it will build your character and you will not let it break you.

Continue to study the riders you respect and admire. There’s free education out there if you’re aware enough to notice, and I know you are. You will continue to develop the self-taught skill throughout your riding career, and I know you will continue with it. A critical eye can be a blessing and a curse, continue to be open, it will give you what you need.

Most importantly, find that special horse to connect with and continue to remind yourself to have fun.

You are such a slave to perfection that you will forget why you chose this path at times. From the time you took off on your first pony, to the moment you leave the start box in your first five-star, you will feel a sense of freedom, oneness with your horse, but most importantly you will feel full of FUN.

Don’t let expectation, results and comments take away your childhood dream. Continue to be you, you have so much more to do, give and offer, but please have fun.

Love, Jennifer

Equestrian Marketing Firm Athletux has recently restructured its business model to focus on three main areas: equestrian brands, athletes and events. This is a particularly exciting development for brands, who will benefit from Athletux’s wealth of industry insight to help build their image, maximize use of social media platforms and email marketing campaigns, manage sponsored riders, assist with graphic design and more. Learn more by visiting the just-launched new Athletux website here.

Friday News & Notes from World Equestrian Brands

By on Apr 3, 2020 12:03 am -

Cali Johnson doing some magical roping on a young horse at Morningside. Photo by Morningside Eventing.

Despite this being the weirdest time in the literal world, this part of the year is my favorite. The magical time when the grass is coming in, everything is really bright green and the trees are poking out their first leaves, and the weather is usually pretty delightful. If you can, take a chance to enjoy some of the little things like sweet spring grass and budding flowers, as silly as it sounds.

National Holiday: National Tweed Day

News From Around the Globe:

Staying positive during this pandemic is tough, but maybe positivity isn’t what you think it is. Everyone on social media might be tempted to only post happy thoughts and photos, in an attempt to counteract the global feeling of dread, but it’s important to remember that it’s also okay to feel crummy. It’s okay to miss your horse, miss competing, miss your normal way of life. It’s also okay to appreciate the good things, even when they’re small. [Staying Postive with COVID-19]

During a time when many are only thinking about their own survival, one woman has dedicated herself to ensuring the survival of a neglected horse. Horse Nation brings us the story of Esther and Regal, a 20-year-old quarter horse gelding, who has a body score of 1 and is only 629 lbs. Faced with a long uphill climb, Esther is determined to use her time for good, and help this little gelding get back on his feet. [The Rehabilitation of Regal]

What does the equestrian community look like around the world? COTH readers sent in photos and stories of how they’re occupying their time with or without their horses from countries all over the globe. From the US, to Ireland, and all the way to Australia, it’s comforting to know we’re all in this together. [COVID Across the Globe]

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: The Dressage Score of Dreams

By on Apr 2, 2020 5:00 pm -

Happy birthday, Ingrid Klimke! It’s been another year of kicking the proverbial and taking names, and even though none of us can beat you, we also can’t bring ourselves to resent you, because you’re just so damn nice. But you know what we can do? We can watch you, eagle-eyed, and try to figure out what it is that makes you do crazy things like throw down a 16.4 dressage at Wiesbaden’s Event Rider Masters leg in 2019. And believe us, we’re watching.

Studying the masters is a tried-and-true technique that yields improvement in any discipline – there’s a reason you’ll always spot the world’s top riders lurking by the collecting ring. They’re not necessarily sizing up their competition – they’re learning from them, and amalgamating the best bits of what they see into a better performance when they get into the ring. The best thing about learning by watching? You can do it any time, anywhere, and you don’t need to get on a horse straight away to reap the rewards. If you’re grounded by a shelter in place order, you can still come back even better than your best. We promise. (As a totally anecdotal bit of evidence, I had to go without riding for a period of time a few years ago for a couple of reasons, and I spent my free time watching every video I could get my grubby little hands on and backing it up by reading training articles and books so I could better understand what I was watching, and why it worked. When I finally got back on board? I was able to do things I’d never mastered before. Like riding a shoulder-in to the left, which had confounded my poor, uncoordinated body for years. Just me? Ah well.)

There’s no better way to learn than from the very best, and not only does this video show off a sparkling performance in the ring, it also offers a glimpse of some of the preparation behind it – like the interesting fact that Ingrid was one of very few riders to get off her horse’s back and rise to the trot before entering at A. Does that make a difference? We’d be willing to bet it does.

What are some of your go-to videos for learning by watching? Drop them in the comments!

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.

After the Pandemic

By on Apr 2, 2020 3:00 pm -

Three equestrian doctors who thank you for staying home: Christina Cox, Elena Perea and Joanna Newton with her horse Margot Rita. Photo by Mellisa Warden.

Everyone is sick of hearing about how COVID-19 has changed the world — we are living it every day. You can’t go out when you want or where you want. Millions of people are out of work and struggling financially. Parents are home-schooling, or struggling to get childcare.

Perhaps most disappointing to some readers here is the fact that equestrian competitions the world over have been canceled or delayed. Everything from Land Rover Kentucky to Badminton to the Tokyo Olympics will not happen this year. The disappointment from competitors who have worked their entire lives for this was clear, and the arguments against the decision of the USEF and others were voiced on the internet chatrooms and social media sites. “The virus isn’t that bad.” “It’s like a cold for most people—worst case the flu!” “Only the old or debilitated will die—who is old and debilitated that rides?”

As someone who reports to a tertiary care hospital for work every day, I can’t say thank you loudly enough to the USEF, USEA, USDF, and USHJA for heeding the warnings of experts. Every day, my colleagues and I sit down and take stock of what preparations need to be made in coming weeks: we are waiting for the storm we know is coming. It’s not here yet, but we can see it headed toward us, down the east coast, unimpeded by vaccines or sunny weather.

Elena Perea and B E Isabella at the Vista. Photo by Joanna Newton.

I went to medical school, through five more years of training in the field of psychiatry, and have been practicing and teaching for a decade at some of the best medical schools and hospitals in the country. If you had asked me at any point in the last 15 years of my involvement in medicine if I ever thought this would happen, I would have said not a chance. No way would we, the richest nation in the world, ever be unable to care for the people due to lack of beds.

Never would doctors be in short supply in the largest city in the nation. It was absolutely inconceivable. Somehow, however, retired physicians are volunteering for service. My colleagues and I are anxiously reviewing medical texts, trying to remember things we haven’t done since internship, just in case we have to practice a specialty that is not ours, to help the experts do the work of saving our country.

After the pandemic, we will still have horses. Mine is out there now, enjoying the break from competition, enjoying the spring grass. She really likes it when I come to see her and all I want to do is hug her and not make her work! She will still be there when it’s time, ready to go run around a Training, maybe a Prelim with my old debilitated adult amateur self.

After the pandemic, the events will run again. They will fill on opening day, since we will have missed them so much. They will draw spectators that have been housebound, and attract new fans. The events will be reborn, and the jumps will be freshly painted, and we will flock back.

But for now, please stay home, give blood, and thank everyone that works in medicine that you know.

Elena Perea is a physician in southern Appalachia, an adjunct professor at the UNC School of Medicine, and an avid adult amateur eventer.

Shedding (or Perhaps Not Shedding), Brought to you by Banixx Horse Care

By on Apr 2, 2020 2:08 pm -
Shedding,NotShedding,Banixx,Anti-fungal,Anti-bacterial,Cushing's,PPID,Vitamin,Wound Care,Scratches

Slowly shedding pony. Photo by Shellie Sommerson.

Your horse is not shedding out like you expect him to?

Normal shedding is triggered by a hormone produced in the horse’s pituitary gland when your horse is exposed to longer daylight hours. But sometimes, the pituitary gland does not ‘work’ correctly, and there are other factors that affect your horse’s ability to shed.

What helps your horse shed:

  • Longer days/sunlight — for 60 days, constant, from day to day, 16 hours of daylight (natural and artificial light) are enough hours of light to trigger the necessary hormone to cause your horse to shed his winter coat.
  • Exercise – increases circulation and healthier skin to aid the shedding process.
  • Sebum – an oily secretion of the sebaceous glands. Your horse gets this from forage, but dry forage has reduced amounts; this ‘secretion’ does do other things but plays a part in shedding.
  • Vitamin and Minerals — Vitamin A, vitamin B, protein and amino acids (hair is 95% protein), zinc and copper.
  • Regular grooming!!! Good ole elbow grease!

Problems that cause a horse to not shed or not shed well:

  • Low thyroid function
  • Pituitary Pars intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) – Equine Cushing’s Disease which is a disease of the endocrine system affecting the pituitary gland.
  • Parasites
  • Poor health in general
  • Weather and short days – cold days and nights

Solutions to speed shedding

Your veterinarian can help rule out PPID (Cushing’s) and thyroid function issues with a simple blood test. If Cushing’s is the problem, daily medication can easily be administered.

Check your deworming schedule and consider getting a fecal egg count on your horse (via your vet).  Some horses are just more prone to worms and may need to be dewormed more often.

For stall-kept horses, leave the barn lights on for an hour or two after it gets dark.

Improve your horse’s nutrition; do your own research on safely increasing vitamins and minerals, read product labels and speak with your veterinarian. Increasing grazing time if your horse does not have metabolic issues is another option as well.

Finally, the easiest one, get out there with your horse and get him moving; this is good for his overall health, and a healthy coat follows!  Moreover, this gives YOU a benefit; horses provide relief from stress, and who doesn’t need that right now? Our horses also add to our exercise regime, thus improving our health and well-being too!

Brought to you by Banixx – the #1 trusted solution for equine and pet owners! Learn more about Banixx  by clicking here:

Event Horse Madness: The Elite Eight

By on Apr 2, 2020 1:00 pm -

You ever do that thing where, in the middle of a global pandemic and a national lockdown, you just forget what day it is? Yeah, me too. On the plus side, that means you guys got a few extra days to go to battle for your favourite horses in the Sweet Sixteen round – and boy, did you ever. Now, we’re down to just eight horses, fighting it out for the chance to be the winner of EN’s Event Horse Madness, 2020 edition. Let’s have a quick recap of how gameplay goes down.

HOW IT WORKS

32 of the world’s best event horses will come together in an NCAA-style bracket, with the winners of each bracket advancing to the next round and facing a formidable new opponent. In order to avoid a year-long argument amongst team EN — and because we’d really, really love to bypass any aggressive comments chastising us for missing anyone — we pull our contenders from the Olympic rankings, which are updated to the end of 2019. Then, we use those rankings to fill four categories, as follows:

  • Seven horses from North America
  • Seven horses from the UK and Ireland
  • Seven horses from continental Europe
  • Seven horses from New Zealand/Australia

“But that doesn’t equal 32,” we hear you protest. And you are not wrong, you little math whizzes. The next step is to find the four best-ranked horses from the rest of the world. Each of them will then be added to one of the above groups in chronological order, and seeded based on their position in the rankings.

These horses represent the top ranked six of each of their global regions. If a horse has since been sold to another region, they’re skipped over. (Before you come for us, know that this only happens in one case — and its previous rider is still represented by another horse in the bracket.)

Once pulled from the rankings, each horse is given a seed number within its group. The higher their position within the Olympic rankings, the higher their seed number. Winners of five-stars or major championships in 2019 will automatically be given top seed.

HOW THE WINNER IS CHOSEN

It’s all popular vote, baby, so the fate of your favourite is entirely in your hands. We wholeheartedly encourage as much devious social media campaigning as you fancy undertaking. This is, after all, Very Serious Bizzness: the winner will get full bragging rights as the EN readers’ favourite horse in the whole WORLD.

Each round will open up for voting as follows:

Round of 32, Part 1: Wednesday, March 18
Round of 32, Part 2: Friday, March 20
Sweet 16: Thursday, March 26
Elite 8: Thursday, April 2
Final 4: Sunday, April 5
Championship: Wednesday, April 8

TODAY’S LINE-UP

There was some surprise upsets in the Sweet Sixteen round, particularly in Camp Europe: Felix Vogg‘s Colero beat superstar SAP Hale Bob OLD, piloted by Ingrid Klimke, by a hair, while Tim Lips‘ remarkable Bayro, who was tragically euthanised this week, edged out Michael Jung‘s fischerChipmunk FRH. In the British quarters, Sarah Bullimore‘s quirky 5* partner Reve du Rouet advances to the Elite 8 over Oliver Townend‘s Burghley-winning Ballaghmor Class, and 2019 Badminton victor Vanir Kamira just sneaks in ahead of Imogen Murray‘s Ivar Gooden.

It’ll be a closely-fought contest for the Americans in this round, as National Champ Tsetserleg and beloved Bug Vermiculus face off for a spot in the final four. Meanwhile, a little further south, Tim Price‘s Ascona M has won each round by a landslide – but can she maintain her trajectory against three-time Adelaide winner Willingapark Clifford? It’s time to choose your fighter and find out. 

Train with the Stars: EquiRatings Launches Virtual Coaching App

By on Apr 2, 2020 11:00 am -

Ready to up your game while stuck at home? EquiRatings can help with that.

The future is now, folks – or at least, we’re speeding there ever-faster as our current circumstances force us all to get a little bit creative. Something that’s on the rise is the advent of digital coaching, which allows riders to continue to hone their skills even when they can’t see their trainer for lessons.

If there’s any company that’s embraced the forward-thinking nature of sports technology for the equestrian market, it’s our friends at EquiRatings. For the past few years, we’ve seen them develop a method of interpreting data that’s resulted in significantly lower fall rates and remarkably accurate performance predictors, creating both a safer sport and a new way for team selectors to make big decisions. Their data has also given the media a more in-depth view of the sport, both at large and in minute detail. Gone are the days of sifting through FEI records with a notepad and a calculator, and our math-phobic brains couldn’t be happier.

In recent months, EquiRatings has also come up with a way to bring stats to riders at every level, with the introduction of their Simple Metrics. These easy calculations allow riders to identify their strengths and weaknesses, which in turn offers a way to set both long- and short-term goals. But until now, they’ve left the act of getting from point A (your current performances) to point B (your goals) to the trainers.

“We knew pretty quickly that we had a gap in the improvement loop, just no money, or time, or team to solve it yet. People said, ‘I get that this is my performance now and I understand the targets, but how do I actually get better?’,” explains the team. “We didn’t have the answer immediately. ‘That’s the art, the coaching, the learning, we are just the science’, we initially thought. Before long, we realised that if we were ever going to actually close the loop for people, we needed to help them access the coaching.”

With this in mind, EquiRatings partnered with US digital company OnForm, which has devised a system for athletes across a number of sports to work remotely with their coaches. OnForm utilises a variety of methods: it can be used to send video back and forth, with a messaging system for trainer and student to discuss the footage and the ability for coaches to record voiceover analysis, and it can be used to mark up the video, too – useful for demonstrating a better line to a fence, for example, or the need for more or less angle in lateral movements.

So who’s it for? Well, everyone, really, as EquiRatings explains:

  • Coaches who want to access the global market of equestrian athletes
  • Athletes who may be limited in their access to feedback by either time or distance
  • In-person coaches who want to give a rider feedback quickly during a lesson using precise slow-motion controls and markup tools
  • Teams or organisations who wish to organise equestrian videos or clips centrally and then distribute for discussion and feedback from coaches, selectors or committee members
  • Athletes and owners to share training clips, with a voiceover tool for videos being uploaded to social media with explainers or stories.

This means that you can use the app to keep up-to-date with your current trainer or, rather excitingly, you can opt for video feedback and coaching advise from a number of high-profile riders and trainers. One of those is EquiRatings cofounder and Team Ireland stalwart Sam Watson, who has launched his new training website, chock full of insight into improving your performance, in tandem with the release of the app.

“My biggest passion is progress and I strongly believe that riders seeing their own performance, accompanied by expert feedback is the key to better understanding, faster learning and improved performance,” explains Sam. “Access and opportunity can be major blockers to performance progress in sport. ‘I only see my coach twice a month’ is no longer a reason to train without purpose or without feedback. This tool is a great step for EquiRatings to bring people through the full loop of where you now, where you want to get to and now, how to do it.”

Here, Sam offers up a quick demo of how the app can be used to review a submitted video.

Ready to give the app a go? It’s currently available on iOS, with plans for an Android release soon, and can be downloaded from the app store. To celebrate the launch and ensure easy access for coaches and riders affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, EquiRatings has made the app free to join until the end of May. After that, you’ll be able to subscribe for $7.99 a month, or $79 annually. Within the app, coaches set their own prices for feedback, ensuring that they receive 100% of the revenue.

Want some more information before you dive in? The Eventing Podcast has a new pod dedicated to the app, with great tips on how to get the most out of it. EquiRatings has also put out an article with ten tips for remote coaches to help ease the transition from in-the-ring coaching to virtual education. Still on the fence? Dive into this fascinating article that posits that video is one of the most useful tools for improvement – as evidenced by Oliver Townend, who set two dressage records at Badminton and then admitted that his incredible results were mostly down to watching videos of dressage superstar Carl Hester in action. If it works for him…

A Groton House Farm H.T. Dream on Hold

By on Apr 2, 2020 9:00 am -

Debbie MacConnel and My Echo. Photo by Lyndsey Adams.

This week’s announcement that Groton House Farm H.T. (June 26-28 in South Hamilton, MS) is canceled is heart wrenching. OK maybe a small exaggeration but let me explain….

Groton House is magic to me and I have NEVER had the pleasure to participate. Way back when I lived in Boston and then the North Shore of Boston, I rode out of Myopia, fox hunted, did some jumpers and played over the cross country jumps in the woods. I started dabbling with the idea of eventing. I watched Groton House but hadn’t taken the leap into what I now call my home sport, eventing. Eventers are the VERY best people in the whole wide world and my only regret is that I didn’t become an eventer until I was just shy of 40 years old.

Back in 2002 I lived in Ipswich, MA, on a funny little corner lot where three roads intersected. It was a triangle of land with just enough room for a single paddock and two stalls where I kept my horses. I had wonderful access to the Essex county trail association. My own little slice of paradise! It was there that I started thinking that I wanted to event but never quite took the leap and in 2003 life took a turn which included a swift kick to the head that nearly killed me — lucky for me my farrier Steve was there to call 911 to come to save me. After recovery I made a bizarre choice and moved to Lexington, KY, and Groton House became a dream…

In the spring of 2003 I entered a barn in Lexington, KY, called Champagne Run and told trainer Maggie Wright that I want to event this horse! Maggie said, “What’s he done?” To which I replied, “He jumps and he’s a little quirky on the flat, picks up right lead from the walk and left from the trot but you can’t switch them around!” She laughed saying, “There is a show in two weeks time, I can get you in, what would you like to do?” My reply, “Well, Novice of course!”

Debbie MacConnel and My Echo. Photo by Lyndsey Adams.

Two short weeks later I walked my first cross country course convinced that those Novice fences looked mountains, I innocently ask, “What should my goal for this horse be?” Maggie’s priceless reply without hesitation, “Well a CCI* (now **). I ran home and googled CCI* and to my dismay realized this trainer thinks I am going to take this horse Prelim and participate in a long format three-day. I was pretty sure that Maggie had lost her mind and oh what a sleepless night I had that night!

And so began my love for eventing, ad with clear cross country and stadium rounds and less than stellar dressage score I conquered that first event! Fast forward 2 1/2 years to MidSouth Team Challenge at the Kentucky Horse park where My Echo and I conquered the CCI* long-format (and won)! Intermediate was the next logical step until I realized a month later that I was pregnant with my now 13-year-old son.

So back to Groton House, in June 2017 we packed our bags and headed back to Massachusetts. Excited for the opportunity to finally do Groton House my show cloths were optimistically packed in the trailer for the trip. That first summer was occupied with house hunting and plans to compete quickly moved to 2018. 2018 arrives and wouldn’t you know it I had a perpetually lame horse due to one misbehaving hoof and being new to the area couldn’t find the right farrier to help with the problem. Finally in 2019 I made it back to competing with two great mounts and cobwebs firmly planted in my brain! My goal to ride at Groton House was again postponed due to my nephew’s wedding in Oregon.

Coming into 2020 all plans revolved around competing at Groton House! My son’s camps, potential family vacations, visits to Oregon to see family, the entire summer planned around Groton House! And well we all know what is going on in the world with social distancing and lock downs everywhere. What struck me in the cancelation of Groton House is the “hope” that we will be on the other side of this soon. No one knows what the coming months will bring. No one knows if the kids will go back to school or whether summer camps will take place or when life will return to normal. No one knows if we will even have an eventing season in 2020.

Photo by Lyndsey Adams.

All that I know is that if we do I’ll be ready as my horses live in my backyard. I truly feel for everyone affected but this with barns closing to boarders and life as we knew it coming to a quick halt, I am taking this time to slow down, listen to my horses and the most miraculous thing is happening. I am now introspective in my riding and all the things that my trainers, Stephie Baer and Lainey Johnson, have worked with me on over the past year+ are sinking in.

In slowing down I have begun to interpret the meaning of things that weren’t sinking in cause I always had a “show to go to or a clinic to ride in or a GOAL to reach.” I want to use this time to reflect, regroup and slow down to focus on the good. Forgetting about competitions to focus on my partnership with my horses is truly a gift (though still wish I had Groton house in my headlights).