View for the morning. Photo by Kate Samuels.
Ah, tis the season for fox hunting! While most clubs haven’t begun officially going out, they are heading out bright and early for staff hunting, and yesterday morning I went along. Here in Virginia, it’s pretty much decent until about 8 a.m. and then it’s horrid and muggy, so while an extra early alarm clock isn’t my favorite, the views and cool morning weather were pretty nice.
U.S. Weekend Preview
Chattahoochee Hills H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]
Silverwood Farm H.T.: [Website]
News From Around the Globe:
The great Kevin Keane is finally back in the saddle after a long and frightening recovery from an accident off a young horse over a year ago. He got bucked off and landed just so, splintering his tibia and fibula, to the point where the bones were coming out of his leg. This story is a real rollercoaster, so I can’t even sum it up properly, you have to read. [Kevin Keane Narrowly Avoids Amputation]
Equestrian allies, it’s time to speak up: That’s the truth, and the title of a powerful, must-read essay on Noëlle Floyd by Shaq Blake, author of The Black Equestrian blog. “We are advocates for the horses that we work with. We understand what it is to be an ally and an advocate who does everything to ensure our horses — our partners — are loved, comfortable, and happy. Equestrians of colour deserve the same level of ally-ship. Equestrians of colour deserve to be accepted, welcomed, and treated fairly in this sport.” [Equestrian Allies, It’s Time to Speak Up]
Ian Stark is back in the game with a win at Preliminary level riding a relative of his Olympic mount Stanwick Ghost. Ian started and trained Chatsworth Diamond from the ground up, but handed over the reins last year to Tom McEwan before taking him back this summer. At 66 years old, he is ribbed as a dressage queen (scored a 20.5!) but he hasn’t lost is touch for speed on cross country, and sees no reason to slow down with competing. [Ian Stark Takes the Blue]
Got the No-Burghley blues? Despite cancellation the event has a big virtual weekend lined up, with a journey of archive material and an all-star line-up of Sunday guests including Pippa Funnell, Sir Mark Todd, Oliver Townend and five-time Olympian Carl Hester. [Celebrate Our Past, Present & Future on Land Rover Burghley Weekend]
Missing the AEC? In honor of what would have been the first day of competition at the 2020 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds, USEA takes a look back at every AEC starting from the beginning. [Facts and Figures from Every AEC]
More MARS Great Meadow International, please! The USEA’s Leslie Mintz shared a great photo gallery. [Through The Lens: 2020 MARS Great Meadow International]
Let’s keep the Frangible Funding coming. Crane Hill Farm in Ocala and Eckroth Dressage are presenting a ride-a-test clinic with Natalie Lamping to support the USEA Frangible Fund on October 28th. The clinic will be geared toward eventing dressage tests with a $125 donation. Contact Eline to register at 352-362-0404. [More Information]
Ecogold is sponsoring an inaugural dressage symposium on Saturday, Sept. 26. Attendees can watch virtually as Olympic and international trainers share their wealth of knowledge, from riding up the levels to understanding biomechanics, to unlocking key fundamental riding techniques, all from the comfort of your own home. [Register Now]
Bump your fall braiding skillz by checking out all these immaculate braiding jobs and then trying your darnedest to be that good. [Perfect Braids for Days]
Doing some baking this weekend? Your horse would appreciate being included in this (duh) so we found some pretty sweet apple cookies just for your equine buddy that you can make in a flash with normal pantry items. [Apple Cookies for Your Horse]
I’ve got rhythm: Keeping an even rhythm means that you can see distances more easily and that you don’t interfere with the horse’s stride or rhythm which can cost valuable time and mean rails down. [FEI: Jumping Exercises to Improve Rhythm]
Best of the Blogs: “I hope we can all remember, years down the road, how in these times we had to stick together, be kind, knuckle down and endure.” Lauren Sprieser talks grit. [Resilience Resides On The Other Side Of Adversity]
Hot on Horse Nation: Thoroughbred Incentive Program August Youth Ambassadors
Just in on Jumper Nation: Behind the Lens with the Schatzbergs: 3 Generations of Horse Show Photographers
Video: We’ve enjoyed following Jon Holling’s journey with upper-level prospect Ragtime Rebel, a 5-year-old OTTB gelding he found through the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center. Ragtime Rebel (Union Rags X A.P. Elegance, by A.P. Indy) is Kentucky-bred and last raced in April 2018. — click here for his Equibase profile. Here he is getting prepped for this weekend’s Chattahoochee Hills H.T. — best of luck, you two!
One more! In this excerpt from the 2016 Adequan/USDF FEI-Level Trainers Conference, featuring FEI Judge General Stephen Clarke, learn the most important components of a good stretching trot, and how to develop it.
