Nyls spent the first day of 2014 on a two hour hack involving lots of hanging out in rivers (his favorite)
Well, the holiday season is finally over. We’ve exhausted ourselves with shopping, making a million lists, cooking for everybody we can imagine, seeing old friends, hanging out with family, drinking wine and eating feasts. So now what? Now we buckle our seatbelts for the 2014 competition season!! The count down begins today, as we prepare ourselves for the first events of the spring season, and for the great migration down south!! Hooray!
News From Around The Globe:
George Morris horsemastership training sessions day one: a lesson in leg and lateral movements. If you’re looking for some inspiration for 2014, look no further than this excellent recap of the first day of this George Morris Clinic from COTH. George is not fooled by gadgets or fads, and he focuses on basic flat work and rideability.“It’s the detail,” Morris concluded. “What’s interesting with horses is the perfection of little things. The big things will take care of themselves, I guarantee you.” [GM Day One]
Gambia recently hosted a giant working animal show, featuring some very fine equines. The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust show had over 200 competitors this year, judged on condition and interaction with their handlers. “Keeping horses and donkeys healthy is difficult at the best of times in Gambia, and the owners of the show winners deserve great recognition for overcoming the obstacles of tropical disease, food shortages and poverty to maintain healthy working animals,” organizer Anna Saillet said. [Gambian Horse and Donkey Show]
Top Five Nutrition Resolutions for 2014: it’s not just for people. Keeping your horse healthy and giving them the best possible nutrition is imperative for success, no matter if you’re pursuing Beginner Novice or Rolex. My favorite resolution? “Forage First”. If you’re struggling with weight or energy, try looking at the grass and the hay that your horse is eating before changing their grain. [Equine Nutrition Resolutions]
2013 was a year full of excellent research on equines. Did you know that we developed a standardized scale of facial expressions called the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) to determine pain? Or how about the study that confirmed a direct link to a mare’s access to good forage and her fertility? There were lots of cool studies this year, and you should be sure to check out this top ten list. [Equine Research Highlights]
Did you want a mash up of 68 of 2013’s best pop songs? Good, because that’s what you’re getting.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/HJMapA8WgYw[/youtube]
