Wednesday News & Notes from Attwood Equestrian Surfaces

Jack the Elf has this grid thing down. Photo via Destination Farm FB page. Jack the Elf has this grid thing down. Photo via Destination Farm FB page.

The Elf on the Shelf has become an ubiquitous holiday tradition in many households, with everyone trying to top each other for creative and inventive ways in which to pose Santa’s little helper. My favorite has to be the Destination Farm Elf on the Shelf, who joins in clinics, jump shows, and farm potlucks with apparent enthusiasm for his barn family.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Christmas, obviously.

Your Wednesday News & Notes:

The USEF has proposed a significant rule change to fence construction to improve safety. Thanks to the studies implemented by the USEA and fundraising efforts, research now indicates that impact on the front rail of open oxers in either upwards or downwards force in the vertical plane can alter the trajectory and cause a fall. The USEA has proposed a new rule to the USEF that would require MIM clips on all front rails of open oxers and either MIM clips or reverse pinning on back rails. The wording of the rule does allow the development of future frangible technologies other than the MIM clip to be used once developed. [US Proposes Extraordinary Rule Change]

If you’v ever wanted a backstage seat to a four-star, here’s your chance. Horse & Hound is offering a chance to win press accreditation to the Badminton CCI4*. Potential photographers must submit three photos to be evaluated and a winner will be chosen to receive the press pass. [Taken a Great Eventing Photo?]

Daniel Clasing and Kaitlin Spurlock are tackling a topic often ignored. While most eventers go after already broken horses for their sport horse prospect, the popularity of the unbroken sport horse is growing daily. Daniel and Kaitlin discuss some strategies for using groundwork to establish a relationship with your young horse. [Establishing a Relationship]

SmartPak Product of the Day: It’s time for the great migration south, which means everyone should make sure all of their travel gear is in order. One of my requirements for long trips is for my horses to wear a fly mask to protect their eyes from any bits of hay or straw that might get whipped through the wind. With one horse who can get a bit claustrophobic if I close up the trailer entirely except for windows and vents, protecting those eyes is an absolute necessity. [SmartPak]

Wednesday Video: Why do top professionals choose footing from Attwood Equestrian Surfaces?

Good Footing – Attwood Equestrian Surfaces from Bold Horse Media on Vimeo.