Just some ponies on Corolla having a seaside nap. Photo via Corolla Wild Horse Fund.
Fun fact relating to this photo: one of my first ponies was actually from the wild herd in Corolla. They adopt a few out occasionally, if they are removed from the wild herd from one reason or another. I got Moonstar when she was a yearling and I was seven, as her mother was hit by a car and she was taken in as a very young foal and basically domesticated. Not many parents would get their seven-year-old a yearling from a wild herd, but, here we are.
National Holiday: National Talk Like A Pirate Day
Major Weekend Events:
#Plantation Field: Website, Schedule, Entries, Times, Live Scoring, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Twin Rivers Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]
Equestrians’ Institute H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]
Marlborough H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Feather Creek Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Apple Knoll Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Cedar Ridge H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]
News From Around the Globe:
What’s Sam Griffith’s Happy Times up to now that he’s retired? The 20-year-old Oldenburg gelding certainly had a storied career, with many years at top international level and wins and placings at four and five star events. He retired last year, and now lives with his 2012 Olympic groom, Mouse Berry, and his girlfriend, a 12-hand pony named Bluebell. He still hacks about and does a bit of work here and there, and he’s richly spoiled. [Happy Times Retirement Days]
As many of you know, one of eventing’s bright lights went out prematurely last month with the loss of Ann Haller. Ann touched so many lives through this sport around the country, and her family and friends have extended an open invitation to any who are willing to come celebrate her life at Ashland Farm in Covington, GA. [Celebrating Ann Haller]
Real talk: Is there such a thing as a woman’s horse? We hear all the time that horses are either a man’s ride or a woman’s ride, but how much of this is true? Personally, I think a lot of it is tied into our preconceptions about the behavior of men and women, but horses can also definitely differentiate between the two, and if they’ve had a bad experience with one or the other, can remember it for life and generalize against that gender. [Woman’s Horse vs. Man’s Horse]
Warming up the excitable or hot horse is basically an art form at this point. For me, it’s just about figuring out the perfect formula that keeps him with enough energy to perform a nice dressage test, but not bubbling over the top and exploding out the sides. Five-star rider Lisa Barry lends her tips in this article on how she approaches warm up with these types of horses for the best results. [Warm-Up the Excitable Horse]
What did you do this summer? Nothing as cool as Sarah Bartlett and her Fell pony Billy, who rode across England from coast to coast to raise over £6,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Sarah and Billy went along the challenging Trans Pennine Trail, which took eight days of 25-30 miles a day riding. Inspired by her father’s cancer diagnoses last Christmas, Sarah is a hero to us all. [Riding Across England for Cancer]
Ready to see Taylor Harris Insurance at Plantation Fields? Don’t miss the THIS jump in stadium — it’s hard to do so with the splashy red colors! Returning this year as a sponsor, THIS is proud to participate in the highest levels of eventing, and is excited to see some of their riders galloping across the countryside. Learn more about Taylor Harris Insurance Services and how you can join the team! [THIS Horse Insurance]
Best of Blogs: In The Beginning, There Was A Red Filly
Video: Watch the Adequan North American Youth Championships at Rebecca Farm on demand here.
