More derp from horses! Photo by Jim Fiorini.
I don’t want to jinx it, but I think we escaped the winter without too much pain and suffering caused by ice and snow? My attitude towards winter is always supreme skepticism, and I assume that good weather in December will result in my punishment in February, and I never trust it. However, this year in Virginia was extremely mild, and the grass is already happily blooming. I’m now convinced that karma will catch up to me in June with the worst bug season thus far.
U.S. Weekend Preview
$50,000 Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field (Aiken, SC): [Website] [Entries] [Tickets] [Live Stream] [Scores] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]
Full Gallop Farm March Wednesday H.T. (Aiken, SC): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]
Rocking Horse Winter III H.T (Altoona, FL): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Sporting Days Farm March H.T. II (Aiken, SC): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]
Twin Rivers Winter H.T. (Paso Robles, CA): [Website] [Volunteer] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]
News From Around the Globe:
British Equestrian has released a unified concussion guideline for use within the equestrian industry. The six-page guidance document aims to help participants to recognise concussion and know what actions to take, both in the immediate aftermath and during recovery. The guidelines have been produced in response to the action plan published by the UK Government in December 2021 to address concussion in sport to help reduce risks and potential long-term effects associated with head injuries, which Eventing is certainly familiar with. [View Concussion Guidelines Here]
As One Racing Stables has launched the first diverse and inclusive racing partnership! The group will race under the As One Racing banner and has acquired its first equine athlete to promote the group’s mission and vision. As One Racing was formed by a group of six like-minded individuals with a desire to grow the sport by broadening its base and bringing new faces to the industry. Turning to history, the group recognized the need for the African American community that had once been a vital part of the industry to be welcomed back. The group’s founders and management committee reflect its vision– a diverse group of individuals working together to compete at the highest level while carrying out a vision and mission of promoting diversity and inclusion. [Diversity Efforts in Thoroughbred Racing]
Best of Blogs: Top Five Things That Improved My Plus-Sized Riding Life
If you want to look towards classical training, Klaus Balkenhol is a good place to start. It was back in 2005 and the Rolkur debate was in full swing with heated accusations flowing. Klaus Balkenhol is a man of few words, but then again, they say that actions speak louder than words and this writer was lucky to witness one of the most telling contributions to the debate about the right – and wrong – way to work a horse when Klaus Balkenhol gave a training demonstration for a group of Italian Hanoverian breeders. He brought out the exciting young stallion, His Highness, with his stable rider, Stefan Wolff, in the saddle, and proceeded to give a demonstration of just how beautiful the correct way of working can be. [Correct Way to Train]
My dream….
