Wintery weather conditions didn’t keep the eventers away last weekend at Stable View’s season opener horse trials, which ran nearly 300 starters braving the cold weather. Thanks to the hardworking grounds crew at Stable View, the water jumps were kept unfrozen and the footing was kept aerated to keep it from getting too wet and frozen over the weekend. It was a true team effort, and it’s one Stable View owners Barry and Cyndy Olliff are proud to be a part of. “The easy thing would have been to cancel, but it’s not down to us,” Barry noted, expressing his gratitude for the officials and helped make decisions to keep running in a safe way.
Here’s to warmer weather for the next eventing competition at Stable View, which will be the first Eventing Academy of 2024, February 16-18. Check it out here.
U.S. Weekend Preview
Full Gallop Farm January H.T (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Rocking Horse Winter I H.T. (Altoona, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
News & Notes:
Here’s a useful analogy to think of when it comes to balance in the saddle. When you carry a bag of feed over your shoulder, your weight shifts to compensate and balance. This is a tip Buck Davidson brought to a recent clinic from Practical Horseman’s Win a Day Clinic Contest. [11 more tips from Buck here]
USEA members! There’s a very valuable survey currently being circulated in an effort by the USEA to collect sentiments and data points pertaining to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Your opinion is valued and important, so take a few minutes to fill it out here.
What the heck is the Equine Activity Liability Act, and why should you care about it? Well, we all know riding horses is, well, not the safest choice of activity in the world, but there are other facets of liability that pertain to even being on property at an equine facility. Read up on how this can affect you and your business here.
Customers and employees alike were surprised to hear news that Haygain Ltd. has entered administration, appearing to cease business operations and laying off employees. No word yet on what the future of the company, best known for its heavenly hay steamers that fill your barn with enough aroma to make you strongly consider adding hay to your own diet, considering the cost of a bale these days. [Haygain Goes into Administration]
Video Break:
EN writer Amanda Chance recently shared an experience she had with her horse after listening to this excellent “Ask An Expert” on Ride iQ, focusing on the topic of equine ulcers. Here’s Amanda:
And here’s the episode of “Ask An Expert” that got her spidey sense tingling: