I’ll never tire of silly horse faces. Photo by Kate Samuels.
For the past two days, it’s been raining non stop in Virginia, but also about 65* at night. SIXTY FIVE at night. In November. What is happening?! Also all of the horses that I clipped last month already need to be clipped again and I don’t know what this combination means as an omen for the winter season, but I’m extremely skeptical.
U.S. Weekend Preview:
MARS Tryon International Three-Day Event: [Website] [Schedule] [Drawn Order] [Volunteer] [Show Photographer] [Live Scores]
Morven Park H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times] [Show Photographer] [Volunteer]
Twin Rivers November H.T.: [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Show Photographer]
News From Around the Globe:
The winter season is a perfect time to give your horse an active rest. Not just time off, but relief from the hard mental and physical work of the show season schedule. Your horse’s brain can get exhausted from the workload, but also tendons and bones and muscles don’t always get the rest they need during the year, so now is the time to switch it up, accomplish some goals, but get out of the ring. [Active Rest: 3 Ways To Keep Your Horse in Shape While Preventing Burnout]
In a refreshing twist, dressage rider Jan Brons preaches simplicity as the key to success. While other riders have the equivalent of calculus to keep their horses happy and trained well, Jan rides and coaches with the idea of simple puzzle solving. Selecting honest horses and training them one piece at a time until it all comes together for the big picture. “Dressage should be easy” is his motto, and the results speak for themselves. [Success Through Simplicity]
Spend the winter getting that perfect half pass to bring out with a bang in 2021. When a horse and rider have a good understanding of each other and get that elusive open shoulder and big crossing, it’s the perfect picture of harmony and ease. In reality, of course, getting a fluent and expressive half-pass requires strength and suppleness from the horse, as well as considered and precise riding. Learn about the correct aids, common mistakes, and how to train it better at home. [Riding the Perfect Half Pass]
Barn cats! No real barn is truly fulfilled without a few barn cats, most of which live until they’re 20 and see legions of horses and riders go through their barn. But caring for them and protecting them from the outdoor elements and predators is a different task than your other domesticated animals. You take care of them, they take care of your rodents, and rub your legs every day. [Caring for Barn Cats]
Helmet cam action from Pratoni, which FYI, is the host of the 2022 WEG!!
