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]!
__________
Vicki and Hoppi
We’re pleased to announced that Vicki Martinez’s reader submission, “Hoppi, My Horse of a Lifetime: One Amateur’s Story,” is the Omega Alpha Reader Submission of the Month for February. Vicki and Hoppi completed their 10th season of preliminary together last year. From Vicki: “It makes me wonder if many other horses have gone more than a decade of successful eventing in to their 20s — and that on a second career after stadium jumping his first decade. Hoppi has been a rock for me through the highs and lows of life, always encouraging life’s important qualities: discipline, commitment, courage, trust, humility, and most of all, balance. I am incredibly fortunate to have been blessed with Hoppi, my horse of a lifetime.”
Vicki will receive a free supply of an Omega Alpha supplement of her choice for sharing her story about her incredible partnership with Hoppi. 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 March’s giveaway. *Month to be determined by date of publishing, not date of submission. Many thanks to Vicki for writing and to Omega Alpha for supporting Eventing Nation. Go eventing!
–
Here’s a look at other reader submissions we loved from last month:
Most educational: “Florida’s First Line of Defense” by Colleen Hofstetter
Colleen explains the history and reasoning behind Florida’s agriculture inspection stations, which all horse owners are required to stop at when entering the Sunshine State. From Colleen: “The Interdiction Stations are considered to be essential in safeguarding the state’s agricultural production, which is second only to Florida tourism, and generates approximately 57 billion dollars in direct sales each year. Horses, in the eyes of Florida, are part of the agricultural industry; the Florida equine industry has an estimated horse population of 350,000, with an overall estimated economic impact of $6.5 billion annually and a capital investment of $7 billion (USDA).” This post is particularly interesting considering the recent outbreak of EHV-1 in Florida. Thanks for writing, Colleen!
–
Best clinic report: “Nicola Wilson Clinic Report,” by Maggie Deatrick.
Maggie audited a Nicola Wilson clinic — one of the first the fabulous British event rider has given in the States — at Locochee Farm in Middleburg. Nicola challenged the horses with a variety of seemingly simple exercises that proved to be much more challenging in practice. From Maggie: “Although only six jumps were set up in the indoor, Nicola managed to create courses that were challenging in a consistent manner. Generally, the courses started with an outside five or six stride line, followed by a bending five to seven stride line, and some combination thereof. There were two bending lines that mirrored each other, so one could ride a bending line bending either way from both directions.” Thanks for writing, Maggie!
–
Most challenging: “A Collaboration: Learning from Other Disciplines” by Rebecca Barber
Rebecca challenges eventers to get out of their comfort zone and cross train in other disciplines to better themselves as riders. When she rode hunters last summer with hunter trainer Baily Dent, Rebecca found herself able to be more effective in a lighter seat. From Rebecca: “It was definitely frustrating and at times outright humbling (imagine jumping the same 2 foot vertical 10 times while struggling to maintain a rhythm, stay light in the seat, and perform a proper crest release), but at the same time it was completely worth it. Not only could I feel a difference riding her horses but I was able to translate it into my riding of ‘my’ eventer.” Thanks for writing, Rebecca!
–
Most inspirational: “From Race Tracks to Galloping Lanes” by Brooke Schafer
Brooke tells the story of her OTTB Mighty Military, or “Ghost,” who had a war-horse career on the racetrack and retired to a successful eventing career. After a nasty bout of sinusitis sidelined his competition schedule, Brooke his hoping to move up to training level with Ghost in April. From Brooke: “When I went home for a month to Kentucky for Christmas, my friends reported to me that Ghost was extremely depressed while I was gone. After returning, Ghost wouldn’t let me out of his sight and often nickered loudly to me whenever I had to leave. I have a bond with him that is not like any other I’ve ever had with a horse. I trust him with my life every day and I hope we are able to go far together in the upcoming years.”
–
