A boop of magnificent proportions. Photo by Morningside Eventing.
I accomplished a magical thing this year, and managed to get my thoroughbred to take almost a WHOLE MONTH of vacation. Trust me when I tell you this is truly an early Christmas Miracle, as in previous attempts after five days he would start going bonkers. Of course, I brought him back into work and was hacking for a few days and then he cut off half his frog, so now we’re clinging to the precipice of sanity and hoping that heals quickly…
National Holiday: International Ninja Day
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Sporting Days Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
News From Around the Globe:
If you read one thing this winter about working with young horses, read this. Matt Brown writes about working with a particularly athletic OTTB in his barn, one that had him stymied intellectually. That is, until he remembered a lesson he learned from his sensei at karate school as a kid. Sometimes using your brain instead of your brawn gets the best results. [The Middle Path With Mr C]
Let’s talk crookedness. Crooked horses come in many shapes and sizes, whether from conformation, lameness, a crooked rider, or other causes, it’s never a good thing. Our job as riders is to help our horses be as straight as possible not only because it’s correct, but because it’s the most physically sustainable way to travel, and going about crooked tends to lead to discomfort down the line. [The Crooked Horse]
Gemma Jelinsky has been Liz Halliday-Sharp’s head groom for seven years. She redefines the term super groom, with traveling between England and the US, as well as heading to other countries to accompany her horses in their competitive endeavors. However, the life of a groom, no matter how good, is a tough life, and Gemma has been open about the toll it has taken on her life. [Gemma Loves Her Job, But Grooming Takes It’s Toll]
Winter has tons of horse health worries, but you can sleep sound at night with Taylor Harris Insurance Services on your side. With just five minutes and your morning coffee, you can fill out this online quote request form, and be well on your way to joining the ranks of top eventers who trust THIS. [THIS Matters in Winter]
