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The last time I went to Burghley was just earlier this month, when I got to see the course for the first time – but even then, the place was an extraordinary hive of activity and a lot of building work. Putting on an event of this scale takes a tonne of manpower and countless hours, days, weeks, and months — and so this very cool Timelapse posted by the event this morning feels important to acknowledge as we head into competition week. Kudos to the Defender Burghley team — here’s hoping it’s a great one!
Events Opening Today: Poplar Place Farm October H.T., Pine Hill Fall H.T., Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials, Radnor Hunt H.T.
Events Closing Today: The Vista Fall YEH/NEH Qualifier, USEA MDHT YEH Qualifier, Marlborough H.T, Otter Creek Fall H.T., Flying Cross Farm H.T., The Event at Skyline, Aspen Farm H.T., The Fork at Tryon, GMHA September H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
What’s on today at the American Eventing Championships? There’s no need to go deep-diving for that info in the omnibus — US Eventing has rounded it all up for you! Check it out here.
So many of us learned to ride in a riding school. For a huge number of us — myself included — it was only because riding schools offered the option to work off lessons that I was even able to get an education in the saddle. For this reason, and many others besides, it’s sad and frightening that riding school proprietors are facing their hardest times yet, with many facing closure — or already shut. Find out why.
Speaking of riding schools and riding school adjacent things: horse camps. Oh, man, horse camps. I have so many fond memories of my early teens, being trusted to help run the camps at the Appaloosa show stable I was helping out and riding at. It was great fun, and also completely and utterly exhausting. We were somehow all drawn on — the ponies, the counsellors, the campers themselves — and the only place to find refuge was at the very top level of the hay barn, where you could slide into a gap with a friend and have lunch while whispering, giggling, about stable gossip. Reminisce on camp – or share in the misery – with this piece.
I loved Marguerite Henry’s books as a kid. So did writer Susan Friedland — and she even grew up riding some of the same trails as the author. That inspired her, much later on, to dive down the rabbit hole of Henry’s riding life and personal life, and the journey she went on in doing so is a fascinating one. Happy riding, and happy reading!
Sponsor Corner: Did you follow the action at Great Meadow International? After many withdrawals, 7 out of 22 pairs were left to tackle the cross country course. Recap all the action at the link. Coverage sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products.
Watch This:
Check out the seriously tough challenge at the Trout Hatchery at this week’s Defender Burghley Horse Trials!
