Thursday Reader from Devoucoux

The Dressage View at Blenheim (photo from Jess Montgomery's FB)

Good morning Eventing Nation! Welcome to the very first day of Dressage at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace Horse Trials! As I’m sure you’ve gathered, we have quite a few U.S. riders across the pond enjoying some rather chilly weather and about to commence a massive competition in the CCI3*. After looking at Samantha’s XC, I have exactly two things to say: 1) Holy crap, 2) I hope our riders like massive brush corners, because there are at least 27 of them on the course.

Blenheim Links:

[U.S. Riders @ Blenheim Preview] [XC Course Walk]

[Blenheim Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [FB Updates via USEF High Performance]

Events This Weekend:

Poplar Place Farm September HT: [Website] [Ride Times]

Flying Cross Farm HT: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Feather Creek HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

GMHA September HT: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Windy Wyoming HT: [Website] [Ride Times]

Dunnabeck HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

Seneca Valley Pony Club HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

News from Around the Globe:

Andrew Nicholson has paid Jock Paget a few grudging compliments after getting his tush whooped by a youngster at Badminton and Burghley. “Great achievement and what a fabulous horse, and he’s trained it. It hasn’t been one that someone else produced, he got it off the racetrack when it was young. And he’s had a lot of faith in it and it’s rewarding him” says Nicholson. Yeah, yeah, don’t worry, the Silver Fox hasn’t given up his winning ways forever, he’s just saying hey Jock, you have 2013, I’ll take 2014. [Nicholson Compliments Paget]

There are lots of ways to get in trouble with the law involving alcohol, but riding your horse to your brother’s wedding wasn’t one that I saw coming.  Patrick Neal Schumacher, age 45, was “pulled over” by police after he was spotted wandering into Boulder traffic. He told police he had previously lost his driver’s license so had decided to make the journey to his brother’s wedding in Bryce, Utah by horseback. After failing a field sobriety test, a search of his saddle bag turned up a small pistol and several beer cans. Also, he was carrying a pug named Bufford in his backpack. [Drunk & Disorderly On Horseback]

If you’re looking for some ridiculous photos of ponies looking like miniature Totilas’, then you should check out the 2013 Bundeschampionate. Also known as the German Championships for young dressage horses and ponies, the competition is in Warendorf and is an annual extravaganza featuring the most talented horses and ponies in the country vying for the national title. Oh My God. Cuteness overload. [Bundeschampionate Ponies]

How do you know what is “old” for a horse? I’ve heard of Thoroughbreds competing through their late 20’s, but also horses who’s health declines in their teens and they have to be put down. I’ve currently got a pony, I think she’s around 30, and she seems to be living in a pony limbo where she hasn’t really aged for about 5-10 years. What are the signs of an elderly horse, and how do you know when old is too old? [What is Old?]

My best friend just bought a horse this weekend, for the first time in a long time she has a horsey partner. Obviously I had to get her a gift! Her horse is white, so I bought her some stock in purple shampoo, but I also got her a fancy new leather halter for her new horse! It is a timeless “new horse” gift, but also just something you need to have for all of your horses. SmartPak has some excellent ones, but my favorite is the Double Stitched Stable Halter, because it’s really top quality leather, but it won’t break the bank at only $44! Go to your local tack store and try to find a better deal, I dare ya! [SmartPak Double Stitched Stable Halter]

ARE YOU GOING TO THE AECS???!!! Got your attention? Hopefully you are heading to the AEC’s and you have a burning desire in your heart to send us blogs from Texas!! If you’d like to become famous for a weekend, and stretch your literary legs, let us know. If you’re worried about looking like a fool with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, we have editors for that. Really, we don’t care. Send us photos, blogs, anything!! Send us an email and say, “Hey, EN, I wanna blog for the AECs!”. [Seriously, Email Us Now]

Are you a strong writer/editor who loves eventing? In anticipation of some big changes coming to EN this fall, we’re looking to add a new member to our team. So dust off your writing samples and apply by Friday, Sept. 13. Bonus points for applications that include chinchilla poems. [Write for EN]

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