Horsemanship is something that’s been on our minds recently, with a whole host of people voicing their opinions on the matter in both in words and text. For anyone involved with horses, it absolutely should be. Whenever we’re around horses – whether they’re competitive partners or our garden buddies – horsemanship should be at the forefront of every decision we make and every action we take, something Pippa Funnell addresses in her recent Facebook post celebrating the partnership she has with 5* campaigner Majas Hope. It’s a tribute to Hope’s journey, her relationship with him, her responsibility as patron for World Horse Welfare and as a horsewoman, and the joy of a life lived with horses.
U.S. Weekend Preview
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Fair Hill International Recognized H.T. (Elkton, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Hunt Club Farms H.T. (Berryville, VA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Otter Creek Spring H.T. (Wheeler, WI) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Spring Gulch H.T. (Littleton, CO) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]
The Vista Spring YEH/NEH Qualifier (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Wednesday News and Reading
Alberta is currently under a provincial state of emergency due to multiple wildfires burning across the province. The situation poses a huge threat to humans and animals and the Alberta Equestrian Federation has set up an Emergency Help directory specifically for horse owners. If you’re able to provide help to those who need it, you can sign up here. If you need assistance, click here to view the directory of people offering help. The AEF are also collecting donations via their Equine Disaster Fund. [Alberta Wildfires Emergency Help Directory]
It’s National Numeracy Day today and what better way to do math than have it be about horses. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have designed an experiment using heart monitors and behavior observation to determine whether horses prefer pats or scratches – Horse Lover’s Math have explained the results of the research and added in some math questions based on the findings for good measure. There are ten questions covering fractions, percentages, place value and more – and if you’re inclined to check your work (or cheat), answers are included. [Horse Math is the Best Kind of Math]
Sycamore seedlings are a no-go for horses and it’s not just grazing near sycamore trees that we need to be aware of – they can get into our hay supply too. I noticed little shoots sprouting up literally everywhere this year and worried that the woodland was attempting to take over my home. Then my vet shared a post on social media explaining that the abundance of sycamore seedlings was due to, of course, the weather here in the UK. A relatively warm, wet fall saw the seeds multiplying quicker than bunnies; follow that up with winter winds so fierce my barn roof blew off and came through my bedroom ceiling, and the little helicopters had the perfect conditions for a massive flight path. The seedlings can be incredibly dangerous for horses as they sometimes contain a toxin which causes atypical myopathy, a potentially fatal muscular disease. I’ve read that there are tests available to determine whether the toxin is present in particular trees, but it’s important to note that the toxicity of the tree alters, so if you go down that route make sure you test trees annually. [Beware the Sycamore Seedling]
Social license has been on all of our lips recently with regards to high-profile international events, but we need to consider all the ways we present horse-human relationships to the world. I watch an awful lot of horse videos online – often for research, often to feed my scrolling habit. So many times I think I’ve found something interesting to include on this page, but then I watch it and, rather than a humorous take on life with horses, I see a horse displaying upsetting behaviors or in situations that, at best just aren’t funny, and at worst, are potentially dangerous. Research and Equine Psychologist Antonia J.Z. Henderson, Ph.D. considers the ever-popular moody mare memes in the context of social license. [The Bigger Picture]
In the latest installment of ‘Pressure Proof’, Daniel Stewart talks about how what’s happening upstairs affects the downstairs (ahem) – in other words, how our thoughts impact our riding. As a keen yogi, I’m not unfamiliar with the concept that different emotions manifest in different parts of our bodies – feelings of tension will show up in your hips and hands, for example. Daniel explains how a simple technique called thought-stopping can help to clear your mind of unhelpful clutter, thus freeing up your body to be the most effective it can be while you’re in the saddle. [Thinking Skills for Equestrians]
And finally, we have this guy. He’s attracting a fair bit of attention for his exploits on a horse he bought off Craigslist with the intention of riding from Austin to Seattle. Some say he’s chasing a Netflix deal, he says he’s fulfilling destiny. There has been a lot of criticism and a few altercations. I just hope his horses are OK. [A Series of Dubious Events]
Sponsor Corner
Did you know that 4* eventer Sara Kozumplik bought her farm from Ocala Horse Properties? Listen in as she talks about her experience working with Matt Varney and Chris & Rob Desino.
Video Break
Joe Stockdale (son of the late Tim Stockdale) and Jack Whitaker (son of Michael Whitaker, nephew of John) have been busy show jumping at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, which took place May 11th-14th (available to watch on demand with a H&C+ subscription). But it’s not all work and no play for the pair. Here’s what went down when they met The Household Cavalry.
