A sight worth crying over. Photo by CSW Equestrian.
Well, it’s happened. It’s officially no longer winter, but instead it is mud season in Virginia. I always love a little drought in the winter, and we were spoiled until this week, when everything turned into a swamp, and I live on the side of a hill. Sometimes I think that people started going south for the winter to Aiken or Florida just as much for the sandy footing as the warmer weather, and I’m beginning to think they have a point. If anybody has tips for surviving mud season other than wine to cope, holla at your girl.
News From Around the Globe:
After 2020, the idea of buying a horse at an online auction doesn’t seem so crazy anymore. It almost seems too good to be true: Dozens of well-bred horses for sale, with useful photos and videos provided and perhaps even radiographs, all available to purchase in one place at the same time. And often you don’t even have to be there in person, because the whole enterprise may be online and livestreamed. But how to be a savvy auction buyer is slightly more challenging than just throwing in your bid willy-nilly. [Buying Horses at Auction]
We aren’t the only ones spending the last few days of 2023 reminiscing about our favorite moments….COTH just posted their favorite photos as well as their most popular blogs, and you’ll definitely want to check both out.
Anything from Ingrid Klimke is worth revisiting, even if this clinic recap is from earlier in December. Ingrid’s passion for horses was the most tangible takeaway, especially as it factored into her approach to each of the 15 horse/rider pairs participating. Tailoring the work to each horse’s personality, abilities and brain is critical, Ingrid stressed throughout. “If you don’t get the answer you were looking for, figure out a way to ask the question differently.” Clear communication in the aids and a pat or other acknowledgement of things done right were key. Minor disobediences, usually due to distractions, were to be ignored whenever feasible. [Ingrid Klimke’s Tools of the Trade]
Most Importantly: Horse Nation’s Funniest Post of 2023
Maybe horses in all sports should be treated in more species-appropriate ways, rather than treated with kid gloves. This was the conclusion of a study on what was said after welfare campaigners gained access to the racecourse before the 2023 Grand National. The paper, published in Animals, investigated how what was said could affect public acceptance of involvement of horses in sport. Changing the way we talk about equine welfare – and treating horses like horses rather than “like kings” – may not only improve it, but also protect our sport for the future. [Horse Welfare for Sport Horses]
