Classic Eventing Nation

Video Break: Elisa Wallace’s Latest Mustang Project

By on Aug 9, 2024 2:00 pm -

It’s time for some new Elisa Wallace mustang content, and in these videos we’ll meet her latest project, Roman, as he arrives at her Ocala farm and begins his educational journey.

Roman, who is 3 years old, was Elisa’s pick from an online auction and hails from the Twin Peaks, CA herd of wild horses. You can learn a lot about Elisa’s selection process, which in this case was done sight unseen and off pictures and online listings only.

Below, you’ll find Elisa’ vlog about her first real training session with Roman:

You’ll be able to find more from Elisa and Roman’s journey on her YouTube channel here.

Latest Burghley Entry Update: 23 Combinations Feature on Roster

By on Aug 9, 2024 9:45 am -

Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’re keeping a keen eye on Burghley entries as they come in for what promises to be an exciting fall season, even post-Olympics.

In our latest update, a total of 23 horses and riders have been entered. The full current entry list (as of publication) is as follows:

Rider Horse Nationality
Rosie Bradley-Hole ROMANTIC
Jennie Brannigan FE LIFESTYLE
Ian Cassells MASTER POINT
Declan Cullen SEAVAGHAN ASH
Mia Farley PHELPS
Will Faudree MAMA’S MAGIC WAY
USA
Cosby Green COPPER BEACH
Sophia Hill HUMBLE GLORY
Hannah Sue Hollberg CAPITOL H I M
usa
Lauren Innes GLOBAL FISION M
Bella Innes Ker HIGHWAY II
Ryuzo Kitajima FEROZA NIEUWMOED
Lucy Latta RCA PATRON SAINT
irl
Gaspard Maksud ZARAGOZA II
fra
Padraig McCarthy LADY OPHELIA
Nadja Minder TOBLERONE
Monica Spencer ARTIST
Toshiyuki Tanaka JEFFERSON JRA
Emma Thomas ICARUS X
gb
Zara Tindall CLASS AFFAIR
Nicolas Touzaint ABSOLUT GOLD HDC
Aistis Vitkauskas COMMANDER VG
Felix Vogg CARTANIA

On the U.S. side, we now have confirmed entries for Mia Farley and Phelps (who are fundraising to get to Burghley — click here to support their journey or here to buy a Team Phelps jacket), Cosby Green and the ageless Copper Beach, and Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle, in addition to the earlier entries of Will Faudree with Mama’s Magic Way and Hannah Sue Hollberg and Capitol H I M.

Cosby Green and Copper Beach. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

We’ll also have two members of the bronze medal-winning Japanese team featuring at Burghley this year in Ryuzo Kitajima and Feroza Nieuwmoed, who were 15th at Pau in 2022 and also served as reserves/substitutes for Japan in Tokyo. Toshiyuki Tanaka and Jefferson JRA, who earned their share of the bronze medal in Paris thanks to a late substitute in for show jumping only, in the 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding’s first CCI5* and Toshi’s first since 2019.

French Olympic medalist Nicolas Touzaint has opted to approach Burghley this year one of his original horses for Paris, Absolut Gold HDC. After the horse was removed from Paris considerations by his owners, Nicolas told us Burghley was in his sights instead. This is an exciting debut of sorts for Nicolas, who’s done just about everything there is to do in this sport — with multiple medals and wins to prove it — but is making his first trip to Burghley. This will also be Absolut Gold HDC’s first CCI5*, having primarily been targeted toward championships throughout his career to date.

Felix Vogg and Cartania. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Another rider we saw in Paris, Switzerland’s Felix Vogg, has also put his name in the hat with the 13-year-old Holsteiner mare Cartania, with whom he’s finished top-15 at Badminton two times over.

Finally, perhaps one of my favorite storylines in the early going is that of 56-year-old Declan Cullen of Ireland, who is making his CCI5* debut at Burghley with the splashily colored Irish gelding, Seavaghan Ash. Declan came from a show jumping background and, despite not doing a CCI5* to this point, has extensive experience in the sport dating back to the late 90s. He’s produced a number of young horses to compete in the FEI WBFSH Young Horse World Championships at le Lion d’Angers and is also a nutrition and feed consultant who consulted with Irish High Performance for two World Championships and two Olympic Games. Together with his wife, Becky, Declan runs Cullen Equine Solutions, where they both are respected coaches who also provide technology and nutritional solutions for their clients.

You can keep up with Burghley entries as they come in here, and stay tuned for our next update when we see a few more come in.

EN’s coverage of Defender Burghley is proudly presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for every horse. Click here to learn more about KPP.

Friday News & Notes from Stable View

By on Aug 9, 2024 12:07 am -

Guys, if the post-Olympic blues are hitting hard, then I would invite you to take a quick flick through these Olympic moments, which Adam Short – groom to JL Dublin and Tom McEwen – has kindly shared with the world. Have you seen a happier human? To be fair, Adam usually generates positive vibes to all who encounter him, but his reaction to JL Dublin’s Paris performance saw him take that to another level.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not ignorant enough to think that the Olympics were this successful for everyone involved – Jonelle Price sums up the disappointment of her Games in an achingly honest way here – but perhaps it is for that reason that we can all understand the sheer euphoria felt by those who did have one of those rare moments where the stars align, and it all comes right. It is such a rarity in our sport, and make celebrations like Adam’s more than justifiable. As Kiwi eventer Nick Brooks once said – “Eventing is like an Island of Happiness in an Ocean of Tears.”

Admittedly, now that the main focal point of our year thus far is over, it may seem like we’re all in that Ocean of Tears, but there is still much to look forward to before the season is over, not least of all another three 5*’s! So while it may not have come right for everyone in Paris, there is still time for fortunes to change – and plenty more sport for us to enjoy!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Fair Hill International Recognized H.T. (Elkton, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

GMHA Festival of Eventing August H.T. (South Woodstock, VT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Masterson Equestrian Trust YEH/NEH Qualifier (Lexington, KY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Otter Creek Summer H.T. (Wheeler, WI) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

WindRidge Farm Summer H.T. (Mooresboro, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Woodside Summer H.T (Woodside, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

UK International Events

Hartpury International Incorporating the British Championships (Gloucestershire) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Live Stream]

Friday News and Reading

Adam Short is providing A LOT of content right now, and well he should. Like I say, he is an all round great human, and so open to sharing his experiences with the wider public, offering a detailed glimpse of life behind the scenes as a top event groom. On the latest episode of the Equiratings Eventing Podcast, he speaks to Nicole Brown about his Paris experience, once again giving us access to an experience beyond our – and his – wildest imagination!

More podcast recommendations to fill your ears! This one is a new discovery for me, and as the proud owner of two OTTB, one that I am particularly keen to get stuck in to. The brain child of Louise Robson aka Thoroughbred Dressage, this podcast takes a deep dive into all aspects of racehorses – both pre and post retraining. A fascinating look into the world of racing, it offers a whole new perspective on the lives of Throughbreds, and what makes them tick. A must listen for anyone who has – or is considering becoming involved in – an OTTB.

I have waxed lyrical on many an occasion about how vital the team behind the scenes are, and I am not about to stop now. The FEI are jumping on the band wagon too, shining the spotlight on Super Groom, Jackie Potts Their 2014 Groom of the Year, Head Honcho at Fox Pitt Eventing, and latterly, the groom to Kazumo Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne in Paris, Jackie has been in the sport since the beginning of time, and deserves all of the praise – and some more besides. A living legend, three cheers for Jackie!

He came, he saw, he conquered. And now he is leaving the country. That’s right – Australian eventer turned show jumper turned eventer (again), Chris Burton may have just won himself an individual Olympic medal, but he’s not sticking around for much longer. Instead, he and his family are returning ‘home’ to Australia, and as such, there is going to be a pretty big hole to fill at Chedington Equestrian, his current base. It is also home to Kiwi superstars Tim and Jonelle Price, and has everything that an ambitious competitior could ever want. Think indoor and outdoor arenas, stables that most of us could only ever dream of – and even a house for you too! If you, or someone you know would like to find out more, then why not drop them a line? Chedington’s loss could inadvertently be your gain!

Anyone keeping an eye on the Burghley entries will see that it is shaping up to be THE event to be at. The international contingent is growing steadily, and the latest all star competitor to join the list is former European Champion, and 2008 Badminton winner, Nicolas Touzaint. Given how long Nicolas has been competing – and winning – at the top level, it seems unbelievable that this will be Nicolas’ first time at the Stamford event, but he is bringing his Tokyo Olympic mount Absolut Gold HDC to the party, so his debut at the event could be a very successful one. Who said that we had nothing to look forward to beyond the Olympics?!

Sponsor Corner

The August Eventing Academy begins today! Couldn’t come this time? Mark your calendars for the October Eventing Academy on October 11th through the 13th. Haven’t heard of the Eventing Academy? You’re missing out on one of the area’s top schooling competitions. Check it out.

Weekend Watching
Ever wondered what sort of thing goes on behind the scenes for an Olympic Gold Medal winning team? All I am going to say is, you’d be surprised.

GMHA Announces Donation Matching for ‘Bridge to the Future’ Land Acquisition Project

By on Aug 8, 2024 10:00 am -

Photo courtesy of GMHA Festival of Eventing.

The Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA) in Woodstock, VT is delighted to announce that The Manton Foundation, a long-time supporter of GMHA, has generously offered to match all donations to the GMHA Land Acquisition up to $500,000.00.

The hayfield and open land beyond have been used by GMHA with permission from its owners for many years for cross country courses, driving marathons, and trail access. After nearly a year of discussions, the owner has offered to sell us 35 acres, including the hayfield and open land beyond. The acreage also includes about 17 acres of woods on the hillside on the opposite side of Kedron Brook.

A map detailing the land GHMA is working to acquire.

Besides preserving GMHA, the planned land acquisition will help us protect the property from flooding. As you recall, in 2023, four floods between July and December impacted GMHA.

Photo via GMHA on Facebook.

One of the ways to protect GMHA would be to control the amount of water coming onto the property from Kedron Brook. GMHA believes this could be done by flooding (temporarily) the hayfield adjacent to GMHA to the south in the event of a major flash flood event, then allowing the water to disperse over the following days.

This would protect not only GMHA’s property but also our downstream neighbors in South Woodstock and beyond. The board has retained engineers who are working on a definitive plan to look into this idea and GMHA has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the State of Vermont to advance the work and apply for permits.

GMHA’s current fundraising meter.

Projected Benefits of GMHA’s Land Acquisition Project:

* It will increase the footprint of GMHA by over 60% and add potentially buildable land on the hillside out of the flood plain.

* It will protect forever the open lands GMHA have already been using and which their programs have come to rely on.

* It will grant access to the hayfield which will help protect the rest of the property from future flood events.

* And if GMHA doesn’t buy it, someone else will, threatening many of their existing programs

The Manton Foundation has offered to generously match every dollar, up to $500,000.00, donated for the land acquisition. $1 Million is due by October 2024, and every gift helps GMHA reach this goal!

For more information, please contact Bruce Perry or call 802.457.1509. You can also view more information on donating here.

Thursday News & Notes

By on Aug 8, 2024 12:01 am -

The 2024 edition of the Mongol Derby is a go!

Before the race had even started proper, the 44-strong field of riders had already thinned to 43, following a run-in with a marmot burrow which resulted in a broken collar bone during a pre-race training day. You gotta be made of sturdy stuff to contest the longest and toughest horse race on earth, that’s for sure.

The location: the Mongolian steppe; the duration: 10 days; the horses: small but mighty, semi-feral herd dwellers which must be handled with extreme care and attention, prone to dumping riders and even refusing to be mounted, and which can and do gallop off with all the riders’ survival gear; the riders: vastly experienced horsepeople from across the world with an impressively fierce, wild spirit to match their steeds. Meet them here.

Yes, the Mongol Derby is an epic race, but over and above all else, it’s a test of horsemanship. The guiding principle of the event is ‘horses before humans’, with an elite team of equine veterinarians at every horse station and hefty penalties for any rider whose horse fails to meet the strict demands of the rules at each checking point. As well as managing their horse’s welfare, the competitors also have to navigate their way between the horse stations along the race route, taking into account geographical obstacles as well as planning for hydration points for their rides. It truly is a race that tests resilience, endurance and skill and promises to be exciting from start to finish, for those involved and for us watching on in comfort from home.

Race news will be posted daily on the Equestrianists website, you can follow the riders’ progress on the live tracker, and keep eyes on @mongolderby for all the action shots and info as the race unfolds.

I spent much of last year’s race marveling at the spicy, feisty Mongolian ponies, enthralled by their antics and rhapsodizing over my total love for diminutive equines with enormous spirit. Fast forward a year and I’ve now got my own lil’ guy, who’s turned out to be rather more similar to his Mongolian cousins than I’d banked on. Be careful what you wish for.

Kick on and go eventing!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Fair Hill International Recognized H.T. (Elkton, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

GMHA Festival of Eventing August H.T. (South Woodstock, VT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Masterson Equestrian Trust YEH/NEH Qualifier (Lexington, KY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Otter Creek Summer H.T. (Wheeler, WI) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

WindRidge Farm Summer H.T. (Mooresboro, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Woodside Summer H.T (Woodside, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

UK International Events

Hartpury International Incorporating the British Championships (Gloucestershire) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Thursday News and Reading

Changes to the FEI World Rankings. Britain’s team gold medalist from Paris Tom McEwen has overtaken fellow Brit and current European Champion Ros Canter at the top of the standings, pushing 2024 Kentucky winner Oliver Townend down to third. Belgian Luhmühlen winner Lara de Liedekerke-Meier holds onto fourth spot and the USA’s Boyd Martin has moved up from sixth to fifth.

Exciting job opps on both sides of the Pond. British eventing legend William Fox-Pitt has openings in his barn, and Pan-Ams gold medalist and Paris Olympian Caroline Pamukcu is looking for an assistant rider to join her team. Yes to both.

The USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund is providing financial assistance to those affected by the fifth-largest wildfire in California’s history. You can read more about how the fund is helping during this difficult time here, and, if you’re able to, you can donate here.

New research shows that blindfolding horses in emergency situations is not the way forward. The study found that, contrary to existing belief, using blindfolds in fact increased the time it took to lead horses away from dangerous situations and was seen to adversely impact stress levels and behavior. Find out more about the research methods and findings here.

Now the Olympic equestrian events are over for another four years, let’s take a look at some of the non-horsey happenings at the Games: You may have noticed that we love a great photo here at EN, usually of horses but we’ll take an emotional rider shot too. Well, this too-good-not-to-share photo gallery isn’t horse-related, but it does feature a goat, namely the USA’s Simone Biles, arguably the greatest gymnast of all time. The cycling road race is pretty lengthy and the crowd indulged in other Olympic events whilst they waited for the competitors to whizz into view: this guy has a go at replicating the home crowd hero, king of the pool, La Baguette (AKA Leon Marchand) and these guys take on the alternative men’s 100m. Now for some real-life-meets-Olympics – things get romantic in the badminton mixed doubles; the youngest ever competitor spotted at the shooting at minus 2.5 months; a gender reveal at the swimming; and a quick turnaround from fatherhood at 2am to Olympic competitor at 8am; also, US swimming star and most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps has introduced his cute baba to the world of competitive sport early. I’ll wrap all this up fittingly with some Olympic spirit.

Video Break

Take some time out to experience the Mongol Derby in all its horsey and cultural glory in this documentary of last year’s race:

Who Jumped It Best? A Millbrook Advanced Compilation

By on Aug 7, 2024 2:30 pm -

We love a good game of “Who Jumped It Best?” and while this one’s a little different from our typical poll-based editions, this is a great look at the Advanced pairs tackling the water question at Millbrook Horse Trials in New York last month. Many thanks to RNS Videomedia for making these compilations available to us!

Who gets your vote for best ride? Let us know in the comments!

A New FEI World #1 in Latest Athlete Rankings Update

By on Aug 7, 2024 9:00 am -

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin in Paris. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

After spending several months at the top of the FEI world rankings, Ros Canter has now been unseated by fellow Paris Olympics team gold winner Tom McEwen in the latest update.

Tom’s been on a bit of a hot streak this summer, and as ranking points generally run slightly behind, his two second-place finishes at Luhmühlen — one in the CCI5* with CHF Cooliser and one in the CCI4*-S with JL Dublin — helped the two-time Olympic medalist climb from his previous ranking of third in the world. His current 561 point count gives him a good cushion over Ros Canter, who now sits second with 519 points accrued.

Great Britain’s Oliver Townend drops from second to third on this update, and Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier retains her fourth-place position.

Boyd Martin and Fedarman B. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Boyd Martin remains the top-ranked U.S. rider, moving up a spot to claim fifth in the world with 458 points accumulated.

The FEI ranking rules for eventing factor in the number of starters in a field and points are accumulated on a rolling basis annually, meaning points from this time in 2023 will now have dropped off for these riders. You can take a dive into the ranking rules here.

You can view the full updated world rankings by clicking here.

Wednesday News & Notes from Morven Park

By on Aug 7, 2024 12:01 am -

Yesterday marked the end of the equestrian events at the Paris Olympics and, safe to say, the German team’s performance will have prompted an appropriate amount of beer drinking from our Deutsch friends.

King of eventing, Michael Jung, got the party started when he topped the podium for a third time last week, followed up by Queen of dressage, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s continuation of her epic winning streak when she defended her individual title from Tokyo. The German domination was rounded off by Christian Kukuk show jumping his way to Olympic glory, thus completing the triarchy of equestrianism and making history as he did so. Germany already held the record for being the only nation to have taken individual gold in all three disciplines at a Games, that came in 1936, and now they are the only country to achieve the feat twice.

Let’s raise our glasses with a ‘Prost!’ to Germany, and go eventing.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Fair Hill International Recognized H.T. (Elkton, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

GMHA Festival of Eventing August H.T. (South Woodstock, VT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Masterson Equestrian Trust YEH/NEH Qualifier (Lexington, KY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Otter Creek Summer H.T. (Wheeler, WI) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

WindRidge Farm Summer H.T. (Mooresboro, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Woodside Summer H.T (Woodside, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

UK International Events

Hartpury International Incorporating the British Championships (Gloucestershire) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Wednesday News and Reading

I won’t have been the only one with a tear in my eye as Carl Hester finished up his Olympic Freestyle to ‘Those Were the Days, My Friend’. Carl was the youngest British rider at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and went to Paris as the oldest, and had hinted in the run-up that this Games would be his last. When he put down a PB with Fame, and very nearly a career best for Carl, you couldn’t help but think that, should he decide this would in fact be an end to his Olympic career, it was a befitting way for the dressage superstar to call time. Carl Hester has been a part of my horsey life from the very start; I had his poster pinned to my wall (next to one of Pippa Funnell) when I was a pony mad kid who lived for my Saturday morning riding lesson. Even then, in the early days, it was clear that a whole host of equestrians looked to him as a horseman of the best kind, and there’s no doubt that we’ll continue to do so far, far, into the future.

The US saw silver success in the show jumping at Paris. Whilst there was disappointment for the US eventers who we all thought were in with a shot of a team medal, at least, but ended up finishing 7th in the team competition with Boyd Martin and Fedarman B the best of the Americans individually in 10th, there was an altogether different story in the show jumping camp where McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and and Kent Farrington took team silver with just one pole down between the three of them. Chef d’equipe Robert Ridland was obviously delighted with the team’s performance, but also with the sport itself, saying, “It was an amazing Games … just looking at those grandstands, there’s not an empty seat in the house. This is the sport at its best. It just doesn’t get any better”. Read more about the riders who’re bringing home the hardware for the States.

Horse stories from elsewhere at the Games: US gymnast (and team bronze medalist in Paris) Brody Malone may be well-known to sports fans for his high-flying high bar routines and strength and endurance when working the pommel horse, but his roots are with a different kind of horse (our kind of horse) – he grew up competing on the junior rodeo circuit in team roping. Gold medal winning rower, Britain’s Georgina Brayshaw is another athlete with horses in her past, having been a keen rider up until a life-changing accident when she was fifteen, leaving her with injuries which suggested she may never walk again. In an amazing feat of overcoming adversity, Georgina did in fact make a full recovery, taking up rowing at University and now becoming an Olympic champion.

In other Olympic news… Blink and you’ll miss it – the men’s 100m made history when all eight competitors finished in under 10 seconds – listen in to the phone call between the fastest human being on the planet, the USA’s Noah Lyle, and his dad after the race. From land to water and a world record in the pool when the US women won the 4x100m medley relay. Bathroom break alert: you’re in the middle of a 273km cycle race in the Olympics and you need to pee. Sticking with cycling for a second with a standing ovation for the last-place finisher showcasing the true spirit of the Games. Over on the court, Britain’s tennis ace Andy Murray officially retired in Paris; the following day he made up for all the donuts he’d missed out on over the years of being an athlete. And finally, I gift you the Mona Lisas, plural, at the Olympics, watching water polo, because, Paris, baby, Paris.

Sponsor Corner:

Beautiful Morven Park! Photo by Sally Spickard.

Where will you be on October 12th? Join us at Morven Park for their fall CCI4*-L! Tailgate passes are currently on sale. Buy your pass now to get a front row seat to one of only three CCI4*-L courses on the East Coast. Park your car right in the thick of the excitement, and you’ll have prime viewing of the main combinations on course against the backdrop of the iconic Davis Mansion. Tailgate spaces will be available until October 7th, but often sell out early—don’t miss your chance! Buy your Tailgate Pass here.

Video Break

We’ll wrap things up today with Snoop Dogg digging horses because, quite frankly, we’ll never get enough of this.

Body Protectors 101: Everything You Need to Know

By on Aug 6, 2024 2:04 pm -

Your body protector is a foundation piece of safety equipment as an eventer and is the fabulous choice for equestrians of all disciplines. How do you know if your body protector is an optimal fit to provide the necessary protection? How should you care for it? And more importantly, how do you know it’s time to replace it?

Fit
Your body protector will either have closures on the sides made of laces or Velcro. Ideally we want for vest to be adjusted to the middle of the closures so that there’s room for adjustment depending on clothing choices, weight fluctuations, etc.

The anchor point for a body protector is across the chest, so this is where it should be most snug, but it should also fit snuggly below the last rib to prevent the vest from riding up. You also want to ensure that there is ample room for movement of the arm and that the vest doesn’t ride into the armpit.

The vest should come 1-2 finger widths below the last rib on the front of the body and the back reaches to the approximate SI joint. Ideal back length is one hand width from the bottom of the vest to the base of the saddle. Some riders prefer their vest to be slightly longer while others prefer shorter depending on the activity they’re engaging in. For example, a 5* Event rider might opt for a shorter vest, given that they are jumping extreme down banks and dropping into big water, so as to not get caught on the back of the saddle during these efforts.

Your vest shouldn’t gap at the shoulder and some vests offer shoulder adjustability to help prevent this.

Care
You want to make sure your taking good care of your body protector so it can do its job!

Keep your vest clean and fresh by regularly spot cleaning and deodorizing it. Never put your vest in the washing machine. Store it in a dry, temperature controlled environment. If you put your damp, sweaty vest in your trailer or tack trunk, yucky stuff will begin to grow on it – more on that later.

Regularly check the condition of your vest’s foam. When you squeeze it, it should bounce back to its regular form. There shouldn’t be any permanent unevenness or divots – this could indicate that the foam has been compromised.

Also check your zippers and closures. The last thing you want is a zipper failure or a lace breakage when you’re out galloping around!

Replacement
Generally, we say that vests have a life span of 3-5 years, just like your helmet. If you are riding in it just a few times a week and you have taken great care of it, you’ll likely be more towards the 5 year mark. But if you ride multiple horses a day several days a week, then you might need to replace more frequently.

If your vest hasn’t been well taken care of or if it’s super stinky (note above regarding sweat and storage), chances are that bacteria has invaded the foam and has compromised it’s efficacy. Certainly if you see issues with your closures, or visible damage to foam, you should replace it.

We all want our equipment to last as long as possible, but we only have one body, so we should take care of the equipment that protects it, and replace it when it’s no longer up to the job.

Our partner, Ride EquiSafe, is thrilled to announce their first annual Safe in the Saddle week! From August 4-10, they’ll be sharing important safety content to help you stay safe while you’re doing what you love.

Wondering how to check for the fit of your equipment like helmets, body protectors and air vests? They’ll have you covered! What about taking care of your equipment to keep it in tip top shape? And when should you replace it? (Duct tape does not count as maintenance!)

Ride EquiSafe is passionate about staying safe and stylish in the saddle, which is why they carry the broadest selection of safety equipment in North America. And here’s the best part: This is your opportunity to get fully outfitted in the latest safety gear – at a discount! All purchases of safety equipment will be eligible for a 10% discount AND cash back on a gift card valued at another 10% of your overall order value. Buying an air vest? You’ll also get a free canister with your order!

Shop here. 

British Eventing Support Trust Announced as Official Charity for Cornbury House Horse Trials 2024

By on Aug 6, 2024 1:30 pm -

Piggy March and the ex-racehorse Our Old Fella. Photo courtesy of Cornbury Horse Trials.

The British Eventing Support Trust is delighted to announce its selection as the official charity partner for the prestigious Cornbury Horse Trials, taking place from 11th to 15th September 2024. The event, set in the spectacular Cornbury Park near the town of Charlbury in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, promises an exciting lineup of equestrian competitions and activities.

Cornbury Horse Trials hosts international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level, British Eventing intermediate and open intermediate classes, as well as the Howden Way Youth Championships CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S classes. With such diverse competition on offer, the partnership with the BE Support Trust aims to not only elevate the profile of the charity among riders of all levels, but also to raise funds for its vital work supporting the physical and mental health of British Eventing riding members.

Jane Hunter-Walsh, general manager of the British Eventing Support Trust, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership:

“We’re thrilled to have been chosen as the official charity partner for this year’s Cornbury Horse Trials. It’s a super event that’s always so well attended by competitors and spectators which means it will be the perfect place to spread the word about our work. We’re busy planning great fundraising events so keep a close eye on our social media for more info.”

David Howden, Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials added: “As a passionate supporter of eventing and of developing young riders through the Howden Way, I know the job Jane and her team do at the British Eventing Support Trust (BEST) is vital. They aim to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of the eventing community throughout the country. So I can’t wait to help them not simply raise funds but increase awareness about this enormously valuable work.”

Throughout Cornbury House Horse Trials, the British Eventing Support Trust will be hosting a series of events and activities, as well as having staff on hand to answer visitor questions. While specific details of these events are yet to be confirmed, attendees can expect plenty of opportunities to learn about the charity’s mission and contribute to its cause.

The British Eventing Support Trust looks forward to engaging with the equestrian community at Cornbury Horse Trials and is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a prestigious event. For more information about the British Eventing Support Trust and updates on their planned activities for this year’s Cornbury Horse Trials, please visit the website or follow them on social media. You can also choose to make a donation to BEST at checkout when purchasing your tickets.