Equestrian Weekly Articles

When U.S. Army veteran Seyward McKinney took fifth place recently in a dressage competition at the Virginia Horse Center with a Quarter Horse mare named Trinity, it wasn’t just any result. It was an important early milestone in what McKinney hopes will become a competitive para-dressage career, thanks to programs that are introducing military veterans to horses—often for the first time—both for therapy and for sport. Seyward McKinney and Trinity. Photo by Sonya Weaver.

Below are important rule changes that will be effective Dec. 1, 2017 , for the 2018 competition year and affect Hunter/Jumper competition. Please take the time to review these important updates that were developed with horse and rider well-being and safety, fairness of play, and enhancing the competitive experience in mind. Click here for a comprehensive list of rule changes that were approved in early 2017 and will take effect for the 2018 competition year. View the entire 2018 USEF Rulebook

Mary Jordan, a lifelong equestrian and a developing Grade V para-dressage athlete, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) 15 years ago. But despite the ups and downs that accompany the neurological disease and treatment, Jordan has always found a way back to the saddle. Mary Jordan and Rubicon 75 Photo: RMBPhotography.com Jordan competes in both para- and able-bodied dressage. Last month, she won the Grade V Freestyle class at the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship, and now

This article originally appeared in EQUUS magazine , a media partner of US Equestrian. Any horse will cough occasionally, particularly if he catches a noseful of dusty air or gets a bit of debris in his airway while he’s eating or drinking. That’s just a normal sign of a healthy airway keeping itself clean. Sometimes, however, coughing is an early sign of illness or that your horse is developing an inflammatory condition, such as heaves, that will respond better when treated

Skin problems can affect almost any horse anywhere, whether you live in a tropical climate with year-round heat and humidity or are preparing to start blanketing your pony against autumn rains and winter snow. Luckily, most are straightforward to treat—but it’s helpful to know whether your horse’s particular issue is caused by bacteria, fungus, virus, or an allergic reaction. We got the skinny—plus some treatment and management tips—from Dr. Luke Fallon at Hagyard

US Equestrian’s mission—to bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible—extends into the equestrian community in a number of ways, including grants that help fund a wide range of affiliate programs. And that’s making a difference, say US Equestrian’s affiliate organizations. Cassidy Shepard and Chocolualatte. Photo by Blight Photography “It really helps us to have support from US Equestrian,” said Linda Haines, chair of the American

Horses have been a lifelong inspiration for Julie Ferris , but it wasn’t until she went to the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga., that she finally was able to bring her equestrian life and her artistic ambitions together. That fusion is now sustaining Ferris both personally and in her career as a visual artist. Ferris’s art is realistic without being static; it’s infused with an equestrian’s understanding of how horses move and behave. “Especially

This article originally was published in the May 2017 issue of EQUUS magazine, a media partner of US Equestrian. Low doses of a common anticoagulant drug may help prevent a life-threatening neurological complication of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection. Typically, EHV-1 causes only mild clinical signs, but in outbreak situations, an estimated 33 percent of in­fected horses may develop equine herpesvirus myeloen­cephalopathy (EHM), which is characterized by damage of the blood

Lexington, Ky . – Registration is officially open for the 2018 US Equestrian Federation (USEF) Annual Meeting taking place Wednesday, January 17- Saturday, January 20, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Lexington in Lexington, Ky. The four-day event offers plenty of opportunities to network and hear about the progress around equestrian sport from USEF leadership and others in the industry. From specific discipline-focused meetings to moderated forums, attendees will come away with increased

Navicular syndrome—now often referred to by veterinarians as caudal heel pain—is a diagnosis many horse owners dread. But advances in imaging technology, like magnetic resonance imaging, have made diagnosing and treating navicular-related lameness more precise, and, in many cases, a diagnosis of caudal heel pain isn’t career-ending. Here are some things to keep in mind about caudal heel pain, according to Dr. Liz Barrett of the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky.

After years of far-reaching global success, Riders4Helmets has announced that their much-anticipated International Helmet Awareness Day will take place over two days this year: Saturday, September 16, and Sunday, September 17. International Helmet Awareness Day embodies the message of safety that Charles Owen shares 365 days a year. By uniting retailers and riders in an informative day of discounts and safety education, this weekend is an exciting opportunity to support and celebrate the

We’re kicking off the 365-day countdown until the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 , which take place Sept. 11-23, 2018, at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C. WEG only comes around once every four years, bringing together the world’s elite equestrian athletes from eight Fédération Equestre Internationale disciplines: jumping, dressage, para-equestrian dressage, three-day eventing, combined driving, endurance, vaulting, and reining. The