Endurance riders from across the U.S. and Canada made their way to Louisville, KY, for the American Endurance Ride Conference’s 2008 convention, held February 20-21 at the Galt House Hotel. The convention, which included educational seminars, “hot topics” workshops, trade show, meetings for international competitors, a class for veterinarians, and a dance, concluded with a heartfelt and tearful national awards banquet. Suzy Kelley, a longtime endurance rider from Southern California, was taken...

As a reminder, the FEI issued new dressage tests for the following levels, effective January 1, 2009: Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I and Freestyle, Intermediaire II, Grand Prix, Special, and Freestyle, Young Rider Grand Prix, and all Junior and Young Rider tests (including Team, Individual, and Freestyle). These new test versions must be used by all USEF-licensed dressage competitions and CDI’s beginning January 1, 2009, and for all 2009 USEF High-Performance, USEF National, and North...

The 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) opened Wednesday to rave reviews for the $10-million makeover of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Opening day in almost perfect weather with temperatures reaching a high of about 80 degrees F (27 degrees Celsius) saw 854 hunter and jumper trips in 10 competition arenas. The annual George H. Morris Horsemanship Clinic filled another arena. Although the premiere jumper rings, International, DeNemethy and Mogavero arenas drew 231 entries...

Dressage4kids, Inc., invites everyone interested in horses and riding to their Seventh Annual Weekend Educational Program. The program is Saturday and Sunday, January 31-February 1, at the Nonnewaug Regional School in Woodbury, CT. Thanks to very generous sponsorship from The Kuehner Foundation, the fee for each day is $20 for adults and $10 for youth, if your application is received by January 23. The day fee includes lunch. Hotels are located in Woodbury, Southbury, and Waterbury, CT. There...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has approved the following modifications to the Selection Procedures for CSIO/CSI Competitions, aka “the USEF Computer List”. The following changes (noted in bold/italics) became effective on December 1, 2008. CONSEQUENCE LANGUAGE • If a competitor withdraws from a CSI***/CSIO*** and above (US, CAN, MEX are excluded) more than three (3) times in one year after Athlete Services has sent the competitor’s invitation request to the...

After years of research and planning, a much-awaited plan that allows piroplasmosis positive horses to compete in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) was announced at November’s FEI General Assembly, by the World Games 2010 Foundation in coordination with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Games will be held in Lexington, KY, at the Kentucky Horse Park September...

Imagine what would happen if your trailer became disconnected from your tow vehicle, and your emergency breakaway battery was fully discharged. Disaster! However, when a breakaway system is working properly, it will lock the brakes automatically if the trailer becomes disconnected from the tow vehicle. “Be a good steward—don’t take chances with the safety and welfare of your precious cargo,” said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider, the nationwide roadside assistance program for...

Every competitive horse owner knows that showtime is stressful. However, stress from training to trailering can affect horses, too. Horses can continue feeling the stress even after stepping off the trailer. Situations such as increased stall time—especially at an unfamiliar facility—and limited turnout, along with training and competing, can often lead to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS). In fact, 63% of nonracing competitive horses can suffer from EGUS. EGUS can diminish the...

Denmark's Lars Petersen played his crowd-wowing cartoon medley to Success to capture his second straight major grand prix freestyle with a convincing win at the Holiday & Horses CDI*** at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Saturday night. The score of 73.90% with four of the five judges awarding first place for the longtime partnership that began in Europe and flowered in America edged out 2006 World Cup Finalist Arlene "Tuny" Page and Wild One of the USA who placed second with...

If horses could talk, humans would certainly hear some amazing tales. The stories told by Jamaica, the 17-year-old combined driving horse that helped his owner Chester Weber win a Silver medal at the FEI World Championships in The Netherlands, would be some of the most inspiring. At first glance, the high-spirited champion combined driving horse bears little resemblance to the carriage horse in the childhood story Black Beauty . That’s until you learn that the gelding was rescued from a...