EN Zombie vs. Eventer Defense Tactic #27: Rick from AMC’s The Walking Dead offers an excellent example of how to NOT to utilize your event horse to defeat an approaching stampede of brains-starved zombies. A better strategy would be to perform a turn on the haunches and take off galloping in the opposite direction, as though leaving a cross-country start box.
As an eventer, you obviously have an edge of over the rest of society in the event of a zombie apocalypse. You have a fast horse that you’ve already trained to jump pretty much anything, including but not limited to government barricades and piles of half-eaten bodies. You have guts, grit and quick responses. If you think about it, you’ve pretty much been training for the zombie apocalypse your whole life without even realizing it.
But what about other emergencies? Stuff like tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes… do you have a plan for those? And if so, does your plan include provisions for your animals? Thankfully, and just in time for the impending Doomsday, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters has taken out some of the guesswork for you. In fact, they’ve prepared a 19-page emergency planning guide to help you manage your pets during natural disasters. You can download a free copy here. [Horse Talk]
Cruel Jokes: On Sunday morning, while EN readers were gasping at Boyd Martin’s announcement that Silva was taking over the ride on Neville and HN readers were stunned by news that Rolex had been cancelled, British eventer Harry Meade had his own heart-stopping moment. The Belton CIC*** ground jury spun his horse, Wild Lone, looking very grim before shouting “April fools!” EN’s prank gets a shout-out in the story as well. [Horse & Hound]
Horses vs. Hot Air Balloons: Richland Park H.T. in August may seem like it’s light years away, but organizers are urging competitors to reserve hotel rooms NOW. Apparently, there’s a big hot air balloon competition taking place in town the same week as the event, and the balloon people are going to be booking the hotels where riders usually stay. [USEA]
You can have your armband back now, William: Later this month at Rolex, William Fox-Pitt will be sporting the red armband reserved for the leader of the HSBC Rankings. He last wore it at Burghley in 2011. Second in the rankings is Andrew Nicholson, with Piggy French in third. [Horse Talk]
Hot on HN: When horses and mountain bikes collide; inside Britain’s Royal Mews; and one last batch of equine plankers.
Best of the Blogs: Have you ever seen a foal passage? Check out this video of Take It Easy on Behind the Bit. The foal’s baby daddy is none other than Totilas, of course.
Top of the Tweets: From USEF @USEquestrian, “There are only 8 days left to vote Bill Steinkraus into the @USOlympic Hall of Fame! Vote Today!”
Found on Facebook: From Tennessee eventer Lauren Romanelli, “Nothing inspires my confidence in my event horses more than when they do things like spook at their lead ropes or trip while walking downhill.”
If you can’t beat ’em…
