EN isn’t just your leading source for eventing news, results and commentary; it’s a community where fans of this crazy sport come together to share their war stories. We love hearing from readers and, in turn, sharing your thoughts with the world. All reader submissions are eligible for the Omega Alpha Reader Submission of the Month in which they are published. All winners will receive an Omega Alpha supplement of their choosing. Have something to share with EN? Send it to us at [email protected]!
Mark and Wally meet for the first time.
We here at EN would like to congratulation Meika Decher for sending in her heartwarming story about her husband’s first horse, Christmas Wally. There’s nothing we love more than surprise horse stories, and this one is no different.
The plan was on Christmas Eve to dress Wally up in red, green and ribbons and then go find Mark and somehow get him into the barn. I concocted a story that there was a pipe leaking, and he needed to help repair it. With a look of dread and pipe wrench in hand, we walked to the barn, and a group of boarders, working students and groom sang “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and watched Mark’s confusion and then smile.
Meika will receive a free supply of an Omega Alpha supplement of her choice for sharing their story. Want to win an Omega Alpha supplement? Send in your story, clinic report, video or other article to [email protected]. If it’s published this month, it will be eligible for December’s giveaway. (Month to be determined by date of publishing, not date of submission.) Many thanks to Meika for writing and to Omega Alpha for supporting Eventing Nation. Go eventing!
Here are a few notable submissions from our readers for the month of December:
Best Argument for Fox Hunting: “Take Your Eventer Foxhunting” by Laura Millerick
“I know, I know, it may seem crazy, but hear me out. What to do when the competition season ends and it gets cold is a question that plagues all of us. Like most, I will not be making the Great Migration to the south for the chillier months, but that’s okay with me since I look forward to hunt season as much as the start of event season. There’s a lot of reasons why trying hunting with your eventer may be a really great thing for both you and your horse, and they may surprise you.”
Best Memorial Post: “A Tribute to Mighty Military” by Brooke Schafer
“Thank you Ghost for sharing your life with me and taking me to new heights I never thought possible. I am sure you are galloping away over the clouds somewhere, swapping leads as you go.”
Best “Crazy Horse Lady” Testimonial: “No Such Thing as a Free Horse” by Sarah Clark
“Smart pony in need of stimulation and a JOB! He starts to look more like a little gentleman. The owner’s niece wants to try my techniques. Good little pony listens to her. The nephew wants to go for a ride. Pony tolerates said child grasping his neck and poking his heels into his flank. “This is a good pony you have here, he just needs someone to be the boss,” I tell his owner. They think I am the horse whisperer and insist I take him home with me. Free.”
Best Pony Tale: “A Pony Named Richard” by Erin Kimmer
“Some ponies are worth their weight in gold because of their show records or breeding. Matty is priceless to me because of the person whom he shaped me into and I feel so lucky to have been able to share him and his life lessons with others.”
Best Fitness Blog: “Preparing for an Ironman” by Margie Kinsinger
“Many have probably heard of the Ironman World Championships held every November in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kona is the “Rolex” of triathlons. In order to race at Kona, you must qualify at one of only a handful of Ironman races held in different locations around the world. The race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles on the bike, and a 26.2-mile run (a full marathon), one after the other, and there is a time limit for each phase.”
