Thursday News & Notes from Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS)

It’s beginning to look a lot like … foaling season! That means so many cute photos you could die, and if you’re lucky, a friend or two with some little squirts that you can squeeze and rub and scratch. Or maybe you’re breeding your own! With spring comes adorable things, like this little dude here. Personally, I think he wants to be an eventer because if that marking doesn’t scream cross country I don’t know what does.

National Holiday: National Fettuccine Alfredo Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Full Gallop February H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Ocala Winter I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Pine Top I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Seven clinicians, six levels, five components to a five-star horse, four days long, three USEA programs, two weeks until it starts, and one Frenchman. Sounds like the weird beginning to a seven days of eventing song … but it’s not. Don’t miss out on the biggest educational event of the year! The 2019 USEA Educational Symposium will be held on February 18-21 at the Grand Oaks Resort in Weirsdale, Florida. Details about the schedule can be found here. [USEA Educational Symposium Schedule]

Looking for more top tips to improve your show jumping and cross country? Dickie Waygood is a former riding master of the Household Cavalry, held the position of performance manager for the British dressage team for seven years, and has now been the performance manager for their eventing team since 2016. I feel like that resume speaks for itself, and he’s got some seriously good tips! [Learn From The Best: Richard Waygood]

What does a CSI5* level show jumper who won the Queen Elizabeth Cup at Hickstead do with his retirement? At 17-years-old, Billy Grand has taken up fox hunting as his second career, in retirement from high level show jumping. The Irish Sport Horse jumped around all of Europe with Dan Moseley, William and Pippa Funnell before this winter joining four-star rider Alice Dunsdon in her yard for a bit of hunting. Apparently, he has taken to his new career like a duck to water and really loves it. [Show Jumping Superstar Retires to Foxhunting]

Hot on Horse Nation: Three Undeniable Truths About Winter Horsekeeping

Video Spotlight: DO try this at home, EN!

We’re impressed by this video of Mariah Smith, age 11, and her pony Macintosh. This was Mariah’s second lesson after not riding for two months because of a broken wrist, and they made short work of this tricky serpentine exercise!

“The most challenging part of the exercise was keeping him cantering in the turns. I had to use a lot of leg. Looking at the next fence was the thing that helped me the most,” Mariah says.

Mariah trains with Jennifer Clover of Allan and Clover Sport Horses, and the video was taken at Holiday Stables in Harwood, MD. Thanks to Chelsea Spear for sharing the video with EN. Chelsea says, “I came back to the barn after taking my horse to a clinic with Chris Talley, and here is this wonderful young rider being incredibly brave. A mom myself, I was in awe of how confident and skillfully she rode that adorable pony! I had to stop and grab a video to show my horse friends!!”