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Equestrian Weekly Articles

Here you can find our archive of stories from Equestrian Weekly, our once-a-week look at affiliate news, international competition, amateur profiles, horse care tips, and more. You’ll also find stories from the USEF Insider, a twice-monthly email newsletter packed with features about USEF people and programs, including our drugs and medications program, regulations, and competitions departments.

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Meet Charles Owen’s Kylo Helmet: Safety Features, Style, and Savings

by USEF Communications | July 25, 2023

Equestrians devoted to both safety and style have consistently looked to the innovators at Charles Owen. With its new EQ x helmet line, Charles Owen is announcing a revolution—in both design and price. The Kylo helmet is certified to three international safety standards. Photo: Courtesy of Charles Owen The company unveiled the EQ x line with the Kylo helmet in May, and it’s already become a bestseller as equestrians take advantage of the Kylo’s pioneering dial-fit feature,

Get More Out of Your Training Time with Ridely

by Glenye Cain Oakford | July 17, 2023

Have you ever wished you could download quick, practical advice directly to your brain from Olympians and other top U.S. and international equestrian competitors? You can’t do mental downloads (yet!). But Ridely brings that wisdom directly to you, in a succinct, step-by-step format, via the Ridely PRO app, which is available at a 30% discount for USEF members. And their stable of experts is growing: this week, Ridely is launching a series of videos for equitation, hunters, and jumpers

"You Can Enter a Career": Young Licensed Officials Discuss Their Path

by Emily Girard | July 13, 2023

Rob Jacobs, 'r' Hunter and Hunter/Jumping Seat Equitation Judge. Photo: Julia B Photography The USEF Licensed Officials program provides training for people interested in becoming judges, course designers, technical delegates, or stewards. USEF also offers grants to reduce financial barriers to licensure, such as travel costs associated with apprenticing or attending official clinics. The program started in 2022 and aims to encourage new licensed official applicants to climb the

Saddlebreds Can Do It All

by Glenye Cain Oakford | July 10, 2023

If you want to know how versatile the American Saddlebred is, ask Missouri equestrian Jean Mutrux to introduce you to her mare, CH Absolute Empress. The 13-year-old Saddlebred mare competes at Prix St. Georges in dressage. She also has evented, competed in hunter and jumper classes, led the jumping field across country with the Bridlespur Hunt, and served as a therapeutic lesson horse. Jean Mutrux, who bought Emmy for $1,000 when the mare was two, took some time to share her thoughts on

Five Things to Know About Your First Western Riding Lesson

by Emily Girard | June 29, 2023

From reining to dressage to equitation, the Western category encompasses multiple disciplines that are open to all. Photo: Courtesy of the Arabian Horse Association The Western category encompasses a wide variety of disciplines, including reining, trail, ranch, equitation, and Western dressage, all of which have lesson programs at barns across the country. “The lesson programs are such an important part of all of our breeds and all of our industries, because it's the way we're

From Muncie to Aachen: Dan Kreitl Making His Dreams Come True

by Kathleen Landwehr, US Equestrian Communications Department | June 27, 2023

Dan Krietl and Carmango, or "Frtiz," won The Dutta Corp. USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship in the fall of 2022. (Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian) Amateur competitor Dan Kreitl has been getting attention for an impressive string of results on the eventing scene. Kreitl competed in his first FEI eventing competition in 2021 and won The Dutta Corp. USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship to close out 2022. The result earned him and his young, talented mount, Carmango, a flight grant to

Five Things to Know About Fortunato H2O

by Emily Girard | June 1, 2023

A rising star in the para dressage world, Fortunato H2O has a string of achievements to his credit, including first place in all Grade I tests at the Tryon Summer Dressage CPEDI3*, a win at the Grade I FEI Para Grand Prix A Test, a grand championship at the Devon Breed Show, and a bronze medal at the 2022 Orifarm Health FEI Para Fortunato H2O with rider Roxanne Trunnell at the 2023 Adequan Global Dressage Festival Week 3 CPEDI3* Photo: Kimberlyn Beaudoin/KTB Creative Group Dressage World

Five Reasons to Watch the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair

by Kathleen Landwehr | May 30, 2023

The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair's history dates back to 1896. (Taylor Pence/US Equestrian) The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed horse show in the U.S. It is a historic event in Devon, Pa., that draws equestrians from across the country and local fans alike to enjoy all that it has to offer. Here are five reasons to follow the excitement of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair from May 25-June 4. 1. The Devon Horse Show and Country

Barn Upgrades for Horse Health

by Kim F Miller | May 22, 2023

Richard III’s Shakespearean battlefield cry, “A horse, a horse. My kingdom for a horse,” has come to describe that one essential thing in a given situation. Fresh, circulating air is the essential veterinarians urge when planning barn upgrades that most affect our horse’s health and well-being. Designs and management Abundant fresh air is important in maintaining horses' respiratory health. Photo: Fotema/Adobestock.com strategies to reduce airborne dust and ammonia

50 Licensed Official Applicants Receive USEF Grants

by Alina Brazzil | May 10, 2023

The grant program helps reduce financial barriers for USEF or U.S. FEI officials to complete application requirements related to a new license application or a license promotion. Photo: Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian The USEF has announced grants totaling $19,600 for 50 licensed official applicants as part of a grant program to support the development both of new licensed officials and of higher-level officials. USEF launched the grant program in 2022 to reduce financial barriers for USEF or U.S.

Event Horse Owner Spotlight: Jerry Hollis

by Jerry Hollis | April 24, 2023

Jerry Hollis, Sommersby, and Jenny Caras. Photo courtesy Jerry Hollis. Having been blessed with two wonderful daughters has always kept my wife and I rather busy. Like most parents, we wanted extracurricular sports for them that were healthy, built character, and taught responsibility and we found those qualities in abundance in the eventing community. We happily ferried the girls to lessons and clinics in the afternoons and on weekends. We cheered them on at their first shows and watched with

Jim Gornall's Reminiscence on Eventing in America

by James “Jim” C. Gornall | April 24, 2023

Caveat: The writing that follows may not be exactly historically accurate. These are recollections from a long time ago when I was a young man just beginning my lifelong involvement with the sport of eventing. Since I am neither a scholarly researcher nor a trained journalist, everything I write is limited by my personal experience which, as we all know, is only a small slice of what might have been going on elsewhere and by all the usual frailties of human memory. I rode in my first event at