How can you practice anything on your horse when there’s six inches of snow on the ground, it’s below freezing, the wind is blowing, and you’re not blessed with an indoor arena? Here in Colorado, we often have beautiful, sunny days where we can exercise our horses outdoors for hours. On other days, not so much. As a friend of mine said, "it’s not how you ride your horse; it’s how you live your life." He was referring to work you can do off your horse, such as...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the winners of two prestigious awards in the discipline of Endurance, the Maggy Price Endurance Excellence Award and the Brunjes Junior/Young Rider Trophy. The awards will be presented at the USEF Horse of the Year Awards gala and dinner on Friday, January 18, 2013 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky. Heather Reynolds (left) riding Riverwatch at the 2012 Longines FEI World Endurance...

This is a truly thrilling time to be a part of Western Dressage and the Western Dressage Association® of America! I recently had the opportunity to chat with Cliff Swanson, who has been instrumental in many facets of the program, including authoring and editing the new tests, working with the Rules Committee, developing the Train The Trainers™ Program and conducting a wonderful series of Skill Set Clinics. Cliff also sits on the Advisory Board for the WDAA. According to Cliff,...

The thirteenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder With growth comes ‘growing pains.’ The situation surrounding Western Dressage becomes more complicated with each passing day. More and more shows are offering WD classes with tests from several sources. YouTube watchers see a huge variation in the WD videos presented there. At least three different rulebooks now grace cyberspace and you can read articles and letters to the editor in national and local magazines. The...

Wayne, IL - Champions were crowned in four divisions Saturday at the Lamplight Equestrian Center as the Developing Horse Grand Prix, Five-Year-Old , Four-Year-Old and 13 & Under equitation competition wrapped up. In the USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix Championship supported by Hilda Gurney and Carol Lavell, Lisa Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro HU proved unbeatable as they cruised to victory by a decisive margin. Claiming the 2012 Five-Year-Old title was Lientje Schueler and Regalo, while...

a guest blog post fom Mary Cox The following three ideas may take being somewhat adventuresome but trust me, the result will make it all worth it ! First, research a local stone fabricator in your area. A fabricator makes the template and cuts the stone for granite, marble or stone countertops. Once you’ve located one, pay them a visit and remember to put on your best “I’m a Tack Hoarder – help me” face. Then ask them very sweetly if you can do some “Dumpster...

A guest blog post from Katie Shoultz You touch the future when you embrace the youth. In keeping with this spirit, the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) has a sharp focus on the future with their efforts to engage younger generations in equestrian sports. The IEA was established to promote horsemanship skills in the middle and secondary education level. The 2011-2012 competition year marks the Association’s 10th Anniversary with their yearly National Finals set to take place...

Laura Kraut and Cedric winning at last year's circuit. Wellington, FL - The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) will be held on January 11 to April 1, and it will welcome some of the best riders in the world to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) to chase the highest number of FEI ROLEX Ranking points ever offered in the United States. FTI Consulting and Equestrian Sport Productions LLC welcome you to compete in our "International Tour." Riders can earn great...

Becky Broussard's Legacy Rides on with Record Number of Competitors Registered for the West's Largest Equestrian Competition July 21-24, 2011 Kalispell, Mont. - A record 503 competitors are registered to compete in the 10th Anniversary of The Event at Rebecca Farm where many of the world's best horses and riders, as well as promising young competitors, will compete July 21-24, 2011. The Event is the largest equestrian triathlon in the U.S. and a selection trial for the 2012 London...

Kirsten Coe has recently arrived in Europe to prepare for the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final. Coe will be riding fiance Ilan Ferder's Tristan in Leipzig, Germany. Kirsten will be blogging for The Chronicle of the Horse about her experiences preparing for and at her first FEI World Cup Final. We Finally Made It to Europe! All The Math Paid Off