Couldn't help myself
Happy Thursday Eventing Nation! I don’t know about the rest of the country, but here in Virginia it’s already starting to feel like summer. The horses are out all night naked (because it’s a balmy 75 degrees all night), I’ve started finding ticks on them, and most telling of all, I’ve got about 6 new tan lines which are related directly to the different shirts that I wear riding all day. Despite living the glamorous life of an EN writer, I too suffer from chronic “riders-legs”, which not only refers to my strangely muscular quads but my complete and total lack of tanning ability. My arms and shoulders are a toasty brown, but no matter what, my legs continue to reflect the light (even at night!). Le sigh.
Events This Weekend:
Fair Hill International HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]
Holly Hill Spring HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]
Longleaf Pine HT: [Website]
River Glen Spring HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]
Redland Hunt PC HT: [Website] [Entry Status]
News From Around the Globe:
Like the classy lady that she is, Black Caviar bows out of racing unbeaten in 25 starts to retire sound and happy and at the top of her game. She will remain one of the greatest racehorses alive, and I’m glad to see her retire as a happy six year old, and honestly, what more could you ask of her? “We thought 25 was a great number… it’s the right time to call it a day on what’s been a wonderful career of one of the finest horses we have ever seen,” trainer Peter Moody said. In her honor, her colors (salmon with black dots) will never be used again. [Black Caviar Retires Unbeaten]
If you’ve been riding long enough, you’ve had a concussion (or five). Concussion in sport is a serious injury that can have long-term consequences on intellect, especially for youth whose brains are still developing. Scientists in New Zealand are are offering free cognitive assessment of concussion for individuals aged 12 to 19, and then to be re-tested and monitored in 2013 if they sustain a concussion in order to gather more information on how it affects young brains. [Concussion Study in NZ]
Sadly, due to the EHV-1 scare at Badminton, there will be no stallion parade this year. Always an exciting sight that follows the Dressage on Saturday at Badminton, the stallion parade will have to wait for 2014 due to increased biosecurity measures on the property. [No Stallion Parade at Badminton]
PETA finally dropped the lawsuit against the owners of Totilas and Matthias Rath. The charges were originally filed in October of last year, claiming that the 13 year old stallion was being abused due to his constant isolation from other horses and his trainers subjecting him to rolkur daily in his exercise. Six experts and an animal welfare officer visited the farm and found that not only was there no evidence of such claims, but the photos and videos submitted by PETA were clearly not taken from the farm or of the actual horse. [PETA Drops Totilas Lawsuit]
Today’s SmartPak Product of the Day…..FLY PREDATORS!!! I know, they sound scary and slightly like they might be tiny dinosaurs, but be not afraid, fellow riders, because Fly Predators will change your summertime life. Buy these little baby bugs, let them hatch in their bag, and set them loose on your poop pile. Simple as that! Seriously though, these things have changed my life, and my fly population in the barn is down to the bare minimum, which my horses really appreciate. If you haven’t already done so, go buy these, and thank me later. [Fly Predators from SmartPak]
Best of Blogs: Horse Shopping VS Online Dating (Part II)
