Okay, okay, I know I’ve given you two days in a row of London International Horse Show chat now — but for us UK-based horsey folk, the show is the one true herald of the holiday season. Now that it’s wrapped, as of yesterday evening, I feel like we’re zooming at full speed into Christmas, with all its joys and stresses. It’s only the 19th and I’ve effectively been tied to the oven for two days straight, so my top priority today is buying my horse a Christmas present and getting some quality barn time in — make sure you find a moment to do the same (the barn, not necessarily the present) in all the madness. You deserve a fighting chance at keeping your sanity over the next week. If you can’t actually get out of the house? Take some time to watch 68-year-old John Whitaker jumping nearly two metres to win the Six Bar competition. What. A. Legend.
Events Opening Today: Sporting Days Farm February Trials H.T. II, Three Lakes Winter I H.T. at Caudle Ranch
Events Closing Today: Sporting Days Farm January Horse Trials I
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
Grubby eventing types (it’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me) in both Ireland and the UK have something to celebrate this week. Both countries’ governing bodies of eventing have confirmed that dark breeches will be allowed in all three phases of competition next year, which means no more hoof polish marks and, way, way more blissfully, considerably less fear about wearing white breeches while on your period. Hallelujah.
If you teach kiddo lessons, my heart goes out to you at this time of year. It’s cold, it’s wet, and those adorable little stinkers have lost their damn minds with excitement over the festivities. After Sarah Susa of Black Dog Stables realised that her charges weren’t even capable of remembering to put girths on their saddles as holiday season approached, she rejigged how she framed her lesson programme between Thanksgiving and Christmas — and tbh, I’m desperate to be one of her barn rats now.
PPEs — totally essential, right? Well, maybe — but for one writer and horse owner, they’ve become a thing of the past. I’m still all for a comprehensive vetting myself, but with a crucial caveat: I’m not looking for perfection, but I do want to be able to manage the horse I buy within the requirements of the role I’m buying it for, illness, injury, or unforeseen circumstances notwithstanding. Check out the argument against them here.
I think that for all of us, 2023 has been one heck of a year: whether because of extraordinary highs or crushing lows or, as seems to be the norm among most of my social circle, a weird and exhausting mix of the two. The start of this year’s season feels like it was both five minutes and five years ago, and so today, I’m sticking on the latest episode of the US Eventing podcast to recap what actually went down while I’m frantically attempting to get through the Christmas baking. Maybe it’ll soothe me — but really, when has eventing ever?
Sponsor Corner: Does your horse have EPM? Or do they have another disease that just masks as EPM? Getting a definitive diagnosis for this life-changing disease can be harder than it looks. Read more from Kentucky Performance Products.
Watch This:
Live vicariously through a lesson with the legend that is Lucinda Green as she teaches 4* rider Ashley Harrison:
