When eventing meets football…
Kicking off 2023’s eventing schedule with the first CCI4*-S of the season, the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year with the theme ‘First and Ten’.
We all know about football (and baseball) cards and now, thanks to Carolina International and EquiRatings, eventing fans get to play along too. Attendees of the event will have the chance to collect trading cards showing some of the best bits from the event’s history.
You can pick up the complimentary cards in your competitor packets on site, at the Carolina Club and in the Vendor Village.
Collect, trade – even get them signed – who knows, one day you might find you have a card to rival the 1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski Rookie Card (worth around $750,000), or even a Honus Wagner, 1909-1911 ATC T206 (worth a whopping $3 million!).
U.S. Weekend Preview
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Full Gallop Farm March I H.T (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Volunteer]
SAzEA Spring H.T. (Tucson, AZ) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Southern Pines H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Wednesday News and Reading
When you see a horse that you suspect is being neglected, you may be tempted to go all Heartland, hitch up the trailer and rush to the rescue. Unless you’re a fictional horse whispering miracle girl, however, it’s best to take a more considered line of action. This comprehensive guide explains exactly what to do – and what not to do – in order to help in the best way possible for the horse. [When Not To Go All Heartland]
Scientists studying ancient human skeletons have found evidence which suggests that we’ve been riding for 5,000 years. Martin Trautmann, anthropologist and co-author of the study, says, “You can read life histories from bones”. The team studying the skeletons found what is known as ‘horseman syndrome’ – a pattern on the bones caused by the repeated movements associated with riding. It turns out, humans may have been sharing their lives with horses since 3000 BCE. [A Truly Looooong Term Relationship]
Ever wondered what to do if you’re joined by an uninvited wild animal on your trail ride? Having lived in Kenya and spent Pony Club Camp in the bush surrounding Lake Naivasha, seeing giraffes, zebras, waterbuck and perhaps a hippo wasn’t out of the ordinary for me as a teenager. Nowadays, in Wales, the most wild the wildlife gets on my hacks is some curious cows and the odd pheasant emerging suddenly from a hedge. Regardless of whether you’re dealing with bears and cougars, or game birds and cattle, it makes sense to know how to handle animal encounters when you’re out on your horse, starting with training your horse to listen to your lead when things get a bit scary. [Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!]
A recent study has found that particularly fearful horses can be identified as foals, and suggests fear testing foals may be useful in reducing preventable accidents. The premise is that, in identifying horses which are predisposed to extreme fearfulness, those horses can be matched more effectively with experienced owners who are able to deal with their specific needs. In a first of its kind, the study was conducted over three years and tested 25 Danish Warmblood stallions at various ages. The results have the potential to impact training and breeding, and ultimately, safety. [I Ain’t ‘Fraid of No Thingamajig]
It’s International Women’s Day today and so we’re sharing the story of these military wives, who are going on an epic riding adventure. The Forces Wives Challenge (FWC) will see the group take on 130 km over five days, crossing mountains and raising funds for the Armed Forces Equine Charity. Each of the eight women has a personal reason for taking part and their shared message is that “together we can achieve anything”. They begin their journey in June – follow along with #FWC_R2F. [Riding To Freedom]
When the fashion world’s talking about horses… It wasn’t all about high fashion at Stella McCartney’s Paris Fashion Week winter show, in fact, there wasn’t a catwalk in sight – just an indoor sand arena and seven gray horses. Making the point that her clothes are totally animal friendly, the designer used real-life horses as well as equine prints to demonstrate that you can “show animals in a different way” than in furs, feathers and leather. She did make sure that everyone was aware that the horses, trained by Jean-Francois Pignon, are worked with in “a cruelty-free way” and that they were happy to be part of the show. [A High Fashion Horse Show]
Looking for something to sing along to in the barn? Like navigating a 5* cross country course, working out how to watch American Idol here in the UK takes determination, commitment, and quick thinking re-routes to the black flag option. It’s a show that makes me smile, but never more so than when I spotted a contestant’s home video of him going all Heartland and joining up with his horse. I got way too excited about seeing a horse in a music show! On a relevant note, Horse Illustrated has gathered together some horsey songs, which, along with some additions of my own, I’ve turned into a Spotify playlist. Don’t see your favorites? Let me know in the comments and I shall endeavor to add them. [Go Eventing Sing Along]
Sponsor Corner
Only eight more days until the start of Carolina International! Get ready for 2023 with this throwback to when Doug Payne and Vandiver was our Carolina Winner.
Video Break
In need of a bit of a Wednesday wake up? Here’s a brain teaser… Can you spot the odd one out?
