Diversity: The state of being diverse; variety. Brittney Chambers says she loves both interpretations of the word. Photo courtesy of K.Paz Studios.
I absolutely fell in love with this image shared by K.Paz Studios of Brittney Chambers, who you may know from her work with her program, CBC Therapeutic Horseback Riding Academy. Brittney, who appears in the shot above, says that the image perfectly captures the essence of diversity in every sense of the word. Brittney herself dabbles in both English and Western riding and instruction and has become a champion for the mental health benefits of riding through her work. Recently, Brittney and CBC Equine were recognized as California’s Congressional District 8 2020 Small Business of the Year. You can read more about Brittney and her work in the most recent SmartPak blog here.
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Apple Knoll Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]
Meadowcreek Park Fall Social Event: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]
Sundance Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Twin Rivers Fall International: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Wednesday Reading List:
Do you want to support the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship? This program was designed to “provide opportunities for youth aged 17-27 from marginalized communities to become involved or stay involved in horse sports through financial awards and mentorship focusing on not only horsemanship and equestrian pursuits, but also career planning and education”. Now’s your chance to pitch in and grab a new pair of lucky socks for cross country in the process. Purchase a pair of the specially designed OYES Dream & Do Socks from Dreamers & Schemers and $5 from your purchase will go directly into the scholarship fund. Dreamers & Schemers has a whole collection of “Dream & DO!” products, each supporting a different organization or cause. You can shop the collection here.
Patricia Jackson founded the Oakland, CA based nonprofit We Ride Too out of a desire to bridge the diversity and inclusion gap within the equestrian community. We Ride Too was launched in January of this year and is dedicated to providing the equestrian experience to riders who may not have access to sufficient funding to get their foot in the stirrup. You can learn more about We Ride Too and find out how you can be involved here.
Want to win some FLAIR strips? We’re giving away two six-packs to a lucky winner this week. All you need to do to enter is submit a photo of your favorite FLAIR strip color – details can be found here.
The USEF has issued guidelines having to do with the West coast wildfires and resulting dangerous air qualities. This can have an impact on both horses and humans, so it’s important to stay aware and educated. Read more from the USEF here.
Wildfires continue to ravage the West coast, displacing many animals and their humans in the process. This harrowing account from Chronicle of the Horse blogger Camilla Mortensen tells the story of evacuation in Oregon and the aftercare needed for horses exposed to smoke.
“Why is my horse bucking?” If I had a dollar for every time I asked myself this in my life… Lucky for you, though, this new article from the FEI addresses some background behind bucking. Remember: most behavior is symptomatic of something internal. This is a good place to start when faced with any behavioral issues.
Wednesday Video: Radoine Elhaoussa started his own riding access program in Morocco in 2011. The idea was to provide “fulfilling” experiences with horses so that the horse bug could take root and grow within the student. This program is dedicated to encouraging the love of horses and horse riding in children. With the help of animal communicator Anna Twinney, the program intends to develop and improve the awareness to a natural partnership between horses and riders.
Ecovet is an entirely different type of fly spray … and you apply it to your horse in a different way, too. With fly season upon us, we’re sharing some tips for how to best apply Ecovet:
