EN, meet Abbey and Chalupa. This little dynamic duo competed in their first recognized USEA event together this past weekend at Mill Creek Pony Club Horse Trials in Kansas City, much to the delight of many new and old fans.
Chalupa is a mini gelding standing just about 10 hands tall, and Abbey is 10 and trains with Kris Wallace. While this little pair may be tiny, they were the hit of the competition as they tackled jumps that were seemingly just as big as them!
“When Kris bought him not quite 2 years ago he was green broke to drive, didn’t know what a saddle was or how to let us pick his feet,” Abbey’s mother, Josette, said. “So Abbey has trained him from ground zero by herself.”
Abbey wants to show Chalupa a few more times before she outgrows him, and has big plans of competing at Rolex one day. For those of us who feel the nerves looking at those big jumps, just remember, if Abbey and Chalupa can do it, so can we!
News & Notes:
We love the “Amateurs Like Us” column curated by The Chronicle of the Horse. Given the fact that eventing is made up of a lot of amateurs, I found this edition to be particularly applicable. Meet Dr. Kathleen Herbig, who balances quite the life with her eventing career. Amateurs Like Us: Dr. Kathleen Herbig
Fiber is a very common component of every horse’s meal, but exactly how beneficial is it, especially for horses of age? This commentary column from The Horse breaks down the uses of fiber and how horses digest it within their diets. Senior Equine Feeds and Fiber
Tuesday Video:
What’s it like to be a jump judge? Well, we’re glad you asked!