Stunning in the snow…the Cross Country course but not as you know it…#beautifulburghley pic.twitter.com/oIzBn3lp5D
— Land Rover Burghley (@LRBHT_Official) February 11, 2021
As I sit here writing this, there is snow piling up outside my window, but it’s not going to look as beautiful as this picture of Burghley. I mean, it might for a few hours in the morning, but then it will inevitably turn into more mud, which I can hardly believe is possible. Having my fields on the hillside is great most of the year because it helps my horses with their fitness, but in the winter, it’s a straight up slip ‘n’ slide. I have one flat paddock, and the dummies go in there for a few hours in the morning so they can get their hoohas out without breaking a leg. I wish I had an indoor for riding, but also maybe for turnout sometimes.
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Fresno County Horse Park H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Full Gallop Farm February H.T.: [Website] [Volunteer]
Ocala Winter I H.T.: [Website] [Volunteer]
Pine Top Intermediate H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Show Photos] [Volunteer]
News From Around the Globe:
Only two days left to take advantage of our Patreon launch promo! We’re giving a free EN Yeti tumbler or wine mug to every new Patron who signs up by Sunday, February 14. We’re excited about the exclusives our Patrons will get to take advantage of as members of our private Facebook group – don’t miss out! Click here to join us and become a supporting fan of EN.
Exercising your horses in the winter is different than during warmer weather, and not just because of the layers of clothing required. You’ll definitely want to increase your warmup and cool down times, keep an eye on the frozen footing, and sometimes you just have to sacrifice a workout for health reasons. If it’s too cold to breathe, it’s probably too cold for your horse to exercise, so just let it go. [Tips to Safely Exercise in the Winter]
In 2018, a Utah couple was doing landscaping in their backyard near the city of Provo when they unearthed something surprising: an almost complete skeleton of a horse about the size of a Shetland pony. Scientists and the media took note. Preliminary data suggested that the horse might be more than 10,000 years old. A new analysis of a horse previously believed to be from the Ice Age shows that the animal actually died just a few hundred years ago—and was raised, ridden and cared for by Native peoples. The study sheds light on the early relationships between horses and their guardians in the Americas. [Horse Remains Reveal New Insights into Native Peoples]
How do top grooms keep their tack so clean? Aside from a lot of elbow grease and experience, worldwide professional grooms have their own secrets to taking care of the expensive and valuable accessories for their top performance horses. [Tips & Tricks on Cleaning Tack]
Keep things steamy this Valentine’s Day weekend with Haygain! Steamed hay offers so many benefits to your horse, including respiratory health, digestion, increasing hydration, and improving palatability. What more could your love ask for this holiday season? Now even better because they’re having a Valentine’s Day sale! [Haygain Love]
Best of Blogs: WEC is the Future, and the Future is Here
Video: So pretty and proper.
