Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I’ve already had one Thanksgiving, and I’m on to two more today, as my tradition dictates the I have one with my extended family and one with my best friend’s family. I just show up at each house with wine and a pie, and everybody welcomes me in, and that’s the best way to do it, in my opinion. May your day be filled with turkey, stuffing (why don’t we eat this more often?!), wine, and pies that you would never eat in the middle of the day otherwise. And leftovers for days!
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Pine Top Thanksgiving H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]
News From Around the Globe:
Four-star rider Kristin Schmolze is offering two incredible positions in her program for the coming year. If you’ve ever dreamed of being a professional groom or a working student for one of the best riders in the country, this is your chance! Kristin is looking for a head groom to travel to competitions and run the program, as well as a working student to learn and work for one of the best. If you’re interested in furthering your career in Eventing, check it out. [Kristin Schmolze Eventing]
A successful Junior rider in the U.S. during the 1980s, Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum talks about the differences between the American and European riding systems and the evolution of her winning style. “The American forward riding system is based on riding Thoroughbreds who are light, quick and catlike going over the fences, like Joe Fargis’ Touch of Class and Michael Matz’s Jet Run. Riders are in a light seat to free the horses’ backs and ride them very forward; the horses stretch out their heads and necks and carry the riders to the jump. That is how I grew up riding.” [Practical Horseman]
It’s the holidays, so your horses should enjoy overindulgence too, right? Horse cookies are great for bonding, training, and general feel good motives, but what can you take from your kitchen to the barn? A lot of things you enjoy on Thanksgiving aren’t a great idea (think brussel sprouts) but some things are ok. Horses like leftovers too! Sometimes they even like pumpkins, so you can try letting them snack on some stuff after you feast today. Just consider their delicate intestinal functions, and for competing horses think about what might show up on a drug test. [Horse Treats] [Pumpkin Horse Treats]
As the winter comes in, and the cold hits our bones, we think about bran mashes for the horses. But what is it really good for? Nutritionally speaking, not much. However, it’s a longstanding tradition to feed bran mashes during the winter months to horses after hard workouts, on days off, or to those who are reluctant to drink enough. While it’s been praised for years for it’s laxative properties, recent studies have shown just the opposite. Before you feed wheat bran, research a little about the nutritional properties and how it can be used for good in your horse’s dietary schedule. [Bran Mash: What’s It Really Good For?]
Best of Blogs: Groom Spotlight: Trial by Fire, Part II
KER ClockIt Session of the Week:
Just because you’re stuck indoors doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout. This week’s featured sessions compare a gymnastic school (A) and a dressage work (B). In the gymnastic session, you can see how short bursts of intense activity quickly raise the horse’s heart rate, whereas the response to dressage work is more steady. Think of it as interval training versus going for a nice, easy jog. Many human athletes utilize interval training to increase their aerobic capacity.
This weekend is your last chance to share your sessions for a chance to win a $100 gift card to http://shop.kerx.com! There’s no limit to the number of entries—the more sessions you record and share, the better your chances of scoring KERx supplements, saddle pads, ClockIt accessories, and more! More details: http://www.kerclockit.com/sport/share-your-sessions/
Because why not:
