Steffen Peters and Ravel led the U.S. team with a score of 77.705% (Shannon Brinkman) Greenwich, UK - Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) returned to the Olympic Games with Ravel and proved that the 14-year-old KWPN gelding still has what it takes to be competitive at the highest level of the sport of dressage. Four years after they were fourth individually in Hong Kong at the 2008 Games, Peters and Ravel scored 77.705% in Greenwich Park's main arena to lead the U.S. Team to fifth place at the...

Vivian Yowan and Parker swept the over fences during the Large 15 and Under Junior Hunters at the Kentucky Summer Classic. (Ashley N. Williams/PMG) Lexington, KY - The third day of the Kentucky Summer Classic welcomed Junior riders to the Stonelea Arena. The Kentucky Horse Park was alive with hunter action as the best horse and rider combinations competed for top honors during their respective divisions in the Small Junior 15 and Under Hunters, Small 16-17 Junior Hunters, Large 15 and Under...

Lexington, KY- The excitement of vaulting comes to the Lexington this weekend with the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championships being contested August 2-5, 2012 at the Kentucky Horse Park. A total of 10 USEF national titles will be up for grabs this weekend as the best vaulters from across the United States descend upon the Alltech Arena. This is the same venue that hosted the 2010 Vaulting World Championships as part of the Alltech/FEI World Equestrian Games, where the U.S. claimed the Gold...

So when I got here I thought ‘How hard could it be to take 20 minutes every day and write about what happened’? Very difficult when you are running around like a headless chicken. Cross country day brought glorious weather and some epic performances were on display. The crowds were amazing and you could hear the horses coming by the roar of the crowd all the way around the course. There were people installed along the galloping lanes, not even anywhere near a fence. It was...

Phillip Dutton and Mystery Whisper over the last fence. (Shannon Brinkman) Greenwich, UK - The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team climbed into fifth place with three strong cross country rounds around Sue Benson's testing cross country course against the stunning backdrop of Greenwich Park. Germany continues to lead the team effort on a score of 124.7 followed closely by Great Britain (130.2) and Sweden (131.4). New Zealand is on a score of 133.4 in fourth and the USA's score of 155.2 has them...

Lexington, KY - Sarah Hood is not your typical high school cross country runner. On torrid Georgia afternoons, after classes are over, she joins her teammates for practice and runs for miles. After that, most of her teammates head home. Sarah Hood heads to the barn. "As my teammates and l left every day, drenched in sweat and exhausted," she says, "many complained about being tired and couldn't wait to go home and crash. I just smiled as l left, knowing that I had horses waiting to be...

The seventh in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder Before we learn to read we must learn the ABC’s. William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle (1593-1676) suggested an analogy between the education of a child and horse trainers who made unrealistic demands on young horses. Centuries ago he asked, ‘I would fain ask such stupid people, whether, by beating a boy, they could teach him to read, without first showing him his alphabet?’1 Systematic progressive training is not...

Maggie Ridenour Traverse City, MI - The final Saturday afternoon of the Horse Shows by the Bay Hunter/Jumper Series kicked off with the featured HJAM Junior and Adult Medal Finals. After one course walk prior to the three hotly contested Finals, Horse Shows by the Bay held a moment of silence to honor the recent passing of Richard A. Cram, Sr., a legendary Michigan horseman. His son, Rick Cram, Jr., provided a tribute to his dad that was read to the large crowd gathered to pay respects to a...

So we got the competition started yesterday. Literally. Boyd was first in on Otis Barbotiere and did a great job with the French phenom. Still green, Otis tried his heart out and coped remarkably well with the atmosphere. Unfortunately the judges weren't all quite on the same page yet, as the caffeine in the coffee was seemingly NOT evenly distributed. There was a 7 point spread in his scores which in the sport of reining, for instan ce, would be cause for an audit.We got over that, but it...

Reed Kessler leads the 2012 Hagyard Challenge Series Leading Rider Standings (pictured with Cylana). (Rebecca Walton/PMG) Lexington KY - Although young rider Reed Kessler of Lexington, KY, is currently representing the United States at the Olympic World Games in London, she still holds the top spot in the 2012 Hagyard Challenge Series, sponsored by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Consisting of seven grand prix classes to be held during the 2012 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park, the...