I’ll admit I’ve not been particularly productive over the last few days, but I have been giving my thumbs a jolly good workout on Instagram, where I’ve been thoroughly enjoying scrolling through eventers’ recaps of their 2022 seasons. Ups, downs, learning opportunities, and a shared commitment to using it all to make 2023 the best year yet are all commonalities — and that’s something I can totally get on board with. We’re all learning as we go in this funny old game of life!
National Holiday: It’s 55mph Speed Limit Day. I dunno, man. According to NationalToday.com, “55 mph Speed Limit Day is observed on January 2 to remember former U.S. President Nixon’s 55 mph speed limit proclamation. If you drove a car in the United States between 1974 and 1995, you had to adhere to this law unless you were a daredevil rule breaker. In 1974, President Nixon signed the wildly controversial law intending to cut down gas usage in America and make roads safer. Two categories of people celebrate 55 mph Speed Limit Day: the first and most popular category remember the former nationwide speed limit with fondness and believe it should be reinstated; the second category did not experience the limit but agree that it would do some good today. Regardless of your thoughts on the speed limit, 55 mph Speed Limit Day is a day to think about road safety and energy conservation and make smarter and safer decisions on the road.” If this is a big priority for you, I’d like to prescribe you a long session at the barn to cure you of what ails you.
Your Monday Reading List:
Nobody ‘gets’ winter quite like Canadians. And although here in England, we’ve emerged from our serious cold spell into a period of much milder (and wetter) temperatures, none of us can be sure another one isn’t on the way — and so I’m taking every bit of advice I can to prepare for round two. [The Canadians share their wisdom]
I love reading riders’ letters to their younger selves. And although this edition, which features hunter judge Rob Jacobs, doesn’t come from our corner of the industry, it’s a salient read about growing up as a young black man in an industry that’s predominantly made of up white folks. [Keep opening the doors]
Every time I watch a film or a show with horses in it — even tangentially — I find myself wondering how I could get into stunt riding. This interview with prolific British stuntman Ben Atkinson, who’s worked on shows such as Peaky Blinders, The Witcher, and more, has made me realise that it’s perhaps a little more involved than I expected — but even more fascinating, too. [On training and trick-riding]
Running upper-level event horses ain’t cheap. Part of it, then, necessarily involves getting owners on board — but more and more riders are turning to syndicate options to make it work for them and, in many cases, to allow people who can’t afford to be outright owners to get access to the upper echelons of the sport. Here’s a few riders — including the USA’s Hallie Coon — who are doing just that. [Joining the club]
The FutureTrack Follow:
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If you loved cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt’s recent New Yorker cartoon on why she’s chosen horses over kids, you’ll love following her account, which has plenty of horse-girl content for your brain box to absorb.
Morning Listening:
Get your 2023 goals in order with an inspiring listen from Irish Olympian and EquiRatings co-founder Sam Watson, who’s on the US Eventing podcast this week to explain how to set sustainable, actionable goals and see them through. Just what we all need after weeks of non-stop cheese consumption and stasis.
