The softest bed in the barn. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Every time I do gallops early in the season with Nyls, I think to myself “Could I ever put another human being on you and have them survive this experience?”. The short answer is, no, not really. He has a special talent for combining bolting (forwards and sideways, sometimes at the same moment), propping, spooking, and last but not least, leaping over shadows and/or sticks. He pulls worse than any horse I ever rode at the track, and when the watch beeps that his minutes are up, he stops so suddenly that you’d think the engine was cut. No, I did not train him for these things. Yes, all of my attempts to civilize him have failed. Yes, he is old and knows better.
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Southern Pines H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]
Red Hills International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Full Gallop March II H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]
News from Around the Globe:
What’s it like to pursue riding in Nairobi? Ellen Halle works for World Bank, and is currently stationed in Nairobi. She spent the vast majority of her childhood riding horses, but like lots of people, fell away from it in college. Now she has found her passion again in an unlikely place, with a scraggly chestnut thoroughbred mare. Read more for a fascinating perspective from a different part of the world! [Amateurs Like Us: Giraffes on Cross Country]
If you’re a nervous trailer-driver, or just getting ready for the season, H&H has great tips to get you started on the right track. Traveling hundreds of miles around the country with a bunch of horses in tow is the norm for a lot of competitors, but driving your precious cargo can still be nerve-wracking. If you’re a newer driver, you’ll want to check out these steps on how to make sure your experience is a good one. [Terrified of Towing? H&H Tips]
Do you ever feel like you get too caught up in the competition mindset and forget to have fun? If so, you’re not alone. Young professional Ashley Kriegel Trier experienced a come-to-Jesus moment during a Training level show jumping round, and realized that she had forgotten the basis for all of it. All the early mornings, the hard labor 7 days a week, the money and the tears, it’s all because at one point, we thought this was fun. And we need to find that joy again, and not get bogged down by the rest. [Bridging the Gap: Don’t Forget To Have Fun]
Hot on Horse Nation: Mounted Police DO Pull People Over
Thursday Video: Clark Montgomery and Universe doing the Jumpers at 1.3 meters:
