Organizer Lyndsey White invited me to come down and cover the event for the Riders4Helmets website. I’m absolutely thrilled for so many reasons. I’m a huge advocate of helmet wearing, I love Lyndsey, I get to stay with my buds Glenn and Jennifer (Horse Radio Network), Lexington is my favorite place on earth, and the lunch menu sounds amazing!

Do you think I should take my new Troxel Reliance helmet that I got on International Helmet Awareness Day and sport it during the symposium? I think I might just fit right in!

Here’s the full scoop on the symposium, including a list of topics and speakers. Let me know if you have any questions based on these and I’ll be sure to bring back answers if at all possible!

PS – If you are in the Lexington area, you can attend the Symposium free of charge! All details are at the Riders4Helmets website.

Helmet Safety Topics to be Discussed by Leading Equestrians and Representatives from Equestrian Organizations and Corporations.

The popular helmet awareness campaign Riders4Helmets will be hosting the 2nd Riders4Helmets Helmet Safety Symposium on July 23rd, 2011, at the Kentucky Horse Park (theater room), Lexington, KY, from 8.30am to 5pm. The symposium is being sponsored by Tipperary, Troxel Helmets, Charles Owen, Samshield, Ovation and Equestrian Professional.

The Helmet Safety Symposium has been organized to bring together representatives from various corners of the equestrian world to discuss the importance of wearing helmets, rider safety and to improve helmet designs, rules and more. The event will provide a series of lectures and panel discussions throughout the day. Many in attendance will also sit on the panels, including equestrians, representatives from the helmet safety testing authorities, helmet manufacturers, equestrian organizations, and neurosurgeons. The chairs of the meeting will be Dr. Craig Ferrell, physician to the United States Equestrian Team and Chair FEI Medical Council, and, Lyndsey White, co-founder Riders4Helmets.

“We are very excited to be hosting the 2nd Riders4Helmets Helmet Safety Symposium and to see it continue to expand,” said Lyndsey White, co-founder Riders4Helmets. “Since US Olympian Courtney King Dye’s accident in 2010, awareness of the importance of helmets has grown significantly and we are delighted to be bringing together individuals, corporations and organizations all in one place, to continue important discussions of equestrian safety related to helmets.”

Symposium topics will include the following:

• Expect The Unexpected
• A Parents Perspective On Helmets
• Traumatic Brain Injury in Equestrian Sport
• Helmet Use In Equestrian Sports – We Are ALL Role Models
• A Strapping Success: Understanding and Promoting Helmet Use with Performance Psychology
• Current Helmet Rules – A Discussion
• Cowboy Hat To Cowboy Helmet: The Transition.

Speakers include: Equestrian Sports Psychology Consultant Tonya Johnston, Neurosurgeon Lola Chambless M.D, Barrel Racing and Extreme Mustang Makeover Competitor Mary Miller Jordan, USEF CEO John Long, and, a special video presentation by US Olympian Courtney King Dye. The full symposium agenda and speakers is available on the Riders4Helmets website.

A fashion show sponsored by Equisafety and Equestrian Collections will be held during the lunch break of the symposium. Models will wear items from the UK-based Equisafety high-viz apparel range, in addition to the Riders4Helmets logo wear collection available through equestrian retailer Equestrian Collections.

Attendance to the symposium is open to any member of the public, but individuals who plan to attend are requested to either pre-register in advance, or, will need to register upon arrival at the symposium..

You can also follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter. Riders4Helmets logo wear is available for purchase at Equestrian Collections with all proceeds supporting the campaign.

Riders4Helmets was founded in early 2010 after Olympic dressage rider Courtney King Dye was seriously injured in a riding accident. King Dye, who remained in a coma for a month following her accident, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and continues to undergo rehabilitation. The goal of the Riders4Helmets Campaign is to educate equestrians on the benefits of wearing a properly fitted and secured, certified helmet.

Planning is in full swing with “London Prepares” as the various committees start running test events to try out the Olympic venues. Today, the first equestrian phase in London Prepares wrapped up with Piggy French of Great Britain winning the Three-Day Event.

Held in the legendary Greenwich Park, a temporary arena with seating for 2,000 (which will be vastly expanded for the actual Olympics) and a full cross country course in the east side of the Park were set up for the competition. 39 riders participated.

John from Eventing Nation gets to do everything cool, and was on the scene for the London Prepares eventing test event. Here’s a great video from Eventing Nation showing the 26-fence cross country course through Greenwich Park:

As much as I loved WEG set in the gorgeous rolling hills of Kentucky, I think it’s super cool to see the city in the background.

I’ll be posting plenty more about the 2012 Olympic equestrian disciplines of dressage, show jumping, and eventing and the US riders and horses throughout the year. Wanna start getting pumped up with me? Revisit these old posts from the 2008 Olympics to get an idea of how the various equestrian competitions work and are scored. There will be some slight variations from Hong Kong, but it will give you the general idea!

Equestrian Disciplines at the 2008 Olympics
Brief overviews of the equestrian sports included in the summer Olympics: dressage, eventing, and show jumping.

How Olympic Dressage Works: Format and rules for Olympic dressage competition, including differences from FEI World Championships.

How Olympic Show Jumping Works: Format and rules for Olympic show jumping competition.

How Olympic Eventing Works: Format and rules for Olympic eventing and the three phases – dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.

The destruction and loss of life, human and animal, has been unprecedented and there are so many that need our help.

• 1,314 tornadoes so far this year.
• More than 4 million people have been affected by the floods adjacent to the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers from Illinois 635 miles south to the Gulf of Mexico.
• Over 500 people have died as a result of these disasters.
• An unbelievable number of animals lost including horses, livestock and household pets.
• Billions of dollars of damage to farms, barns, fencing and crops.

Radiothon June 6, 6-9 pm ET

Hosted by Glenn, Jamie, and Helena from the Horse Radio Network, recorded live from the American Red Cross in Lexington, the 3-hour Radiothon will interview disaster victims, experts on disaster preparedness, top US riders, and workers from relief organizations. It’s going to be a great show – and be sure to have tissues nearby.

Bookmark this post and come back at 6 Eastern to tune in live – and don’t forget to donate to the American Red Cross or the US Disaster Equine Relief Fund for horse relief.

Listen to the Radiothon

Stories of the utter devastation in the more western states due to flooding and tornadoes are heartbreaking. People have lost their lives. Others have lost their homes, their farms, their horses – ultimately their loves and their livelihoods.

It will be difficult for many to rebuild – not just emotionally but also financially.

So, I was more than on-board with the idea when Glenn from Horse Radio Network called me up about an idea to create an initiative called Horse World Gives Back to raise funds for disaster victims. In three days Glenn and his team (including me!) had a plan, a website, Facebook and Twitter accounts, and plenty of support to make it happen.

Two major fundraisers will raise money to be donated to the American Red Cross and the US Disaster Equine Relief Fund of the Kentucky Horse Council:

• Radiothon on Monday, June 6 from 6-9pm interviewing riders, disaster victims, safety officials, and more – and taking pledges of support
• Retail Day on Tuesday June 7 in which participating retailers will donate 5% of the days sales to the chose charities.

Go check out the website, follow Facebook and Twitter (follow #horserelief), and spread the word to everyone you know about Horse World Gives Back. If you are a fellow blogger, please post on your website and consider carrying the Radiothon player. If you are a retailer, please consider participating in Retail Day. If you are a horse person of any sort – go shopping on Tuesday!

Here’s the official info:

Horse World Gives Back to Stage HRN Radiothon and Retail Day on June 6-7, 2011

The Horse Radio Network has announced the creation of Horse World Gives Back; a charitable initiative aimed at uniting the horse world in a fund raising drive that will benefit horses and horse owners affected by the recent flooding and tornadoes across the United States.

HRN will host a 3 hour LIVE broadcast on June 6, 2011, 6-9 pm Eastern as a fund raising effort called the Horse World Gives Back Radiothon followed by a Horse World Gives Back Retail Day on June 7, 2011. Participating retailers will give back 5% of the day’s sales to the charities that will direct the funds towards helping horse owners across the country whose horses have been affected by the devastating weather damage.

This relief aid is being channeled through the Kentucky Horse Council’s Equine Disaster Relief Fund and the Red Cross. HRN and its media partners are reaching out to equestrian and equine related organizations to become involved and unite the horse world in this nationwide effort.

HRN Hosts, Glenn, Jamie and Chris will be hosting the Live Broadcast on June 6th from the Red Cross Headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky which can be heard on the Horse World Gives Back website at and its many affiliate partners listed on the website, Guests will include horse people affected by the devastating weather that has displaced so many horses and their owners, Red Cross representatives, prominent riders and members of the horse community.

How you can get involved:

Website Owners and Associations: Help us promote the Radiothon and Retail Day through your email lists and social media. Plus, you can post the Radiothon Player on your website so people can listen to the show on your site. It is a simple embed code – get the embed code now.

Retailers: Please consider giving back and being part of this national fund raising event. Sign up to be a participating retailer for Horse World Gives Back Retail Day.

Wholesalers, Manufacturers and Horse Businesses: Please call the Radiothon and pledge your support.

Horse Owners World Wide: Tune into the Radiothon and donate what you can to help those in dire need. Plus, if you were planning on buying anything horsey in the next month, please make the purchase on June 7 at one of the participating retailers.

Ben isn’t all that interested in horses himself, but as the husband of an equestrian my safety is THE most important thing to him about my time spent in the saddle. I never leave the house to head to the barn without a “Be safe and wear your helmet” following me out the door – even though I always do.

And I always have worn a helmet. It was a rule by my mom and my barn, and when I’m riding it’s just an extension of me. I don’t care how calm and well-behaved your horse always is – anything can happen in a split second with any horse. The risks to my health that can prevented by simply wearing a helmet make it an easy choice for me.

That’s why I have been a huge supporter of the Riders4Helmets campaign since it’s inception. I’m very much looking forward to the first International Helmet Awareness Day on June 11. Besides the fact that it’s a great message, all kinds of retailers and helmet manufacturers are offering big discounts on helmets that day. My helmet is officially over 5 years old, so it’s time that I replace it. I’m saving up to go shopping on June 11!

Here’s the official info on the International Helmet Awareness day. Be sure to subscribe to Regarding Horses for updates because I will post more information on participating manufacturers and retailers as it becomes available.

Ride safe and Strap One On!

International Helmet Awareness Day 2011

Lexington, KY – Building on the success of National Helmet Awareness Day 2010, the popular helmet awareness campaign Riders4Helmets.com has announced plans to host International Helmet Awareness Day 2011 on Saturday June 11th.

Riders4Helmets has teamed up with leading helmet manufacturers to offer discounts on helmets to equestrians via participating retailers globally on this day. Over three hundred retailers in the USA and 8 retailers Internationally offered discounts on helmets from eight different manufacturers during last years’ event. It is anticipated that the 2011 event will attract participation from over 500 equestrian retailers globally. Helmet brands that have committed involvement in the promotion to date include: Samshield, Troxel, Charles Owen, GPA, Aegis (Devon-Aire), Pegasus, Tipperary, Ovation, IRH and KEP Italia.

Individuals or organizations wishing to hold an event to recognize International Helmet Awareness Day may email for helmet awareness graphics and other support materials. “You can participate and show your support just by wearing a helmet on June 11th, no matter whether you are trail riding, showing or competing” said Lyndsey White, co-founder of the riders4helmets campaign. “Additionally, Riders4Helmets logo wear is available for purchase at Equestrian Collections for equestrians who wish to show their support for the campaign.”

Visit the campaign website to locate the nearest participating retailer. Manufacturers or retailers wishing to participate in the event may visit the International Helmet Awareness Day page on the website for details on how to become involved and to download promotional support materials.

For more information on the Riders4Helmets campaign, visit www.riders4helmets.com or contact Lyndsey White at lyndsey@riders4helmets.com. The campaign is officially endorsed by USEF, USEA, USDF, USHJA, AETA, ARIA, EAF, CHA, PRO, EMSA and many leading equestrians.

Riders4Helmets was founded in early 2010 after Olympic dressage rider Courtney King Dye was seriously injured in a riding accident. King Dye, who remained in a coma for a month following her accident, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. Jeri Bryant donated her helmet campaign t-shirts (featuring the slogan “Strap One On–Everyone’s Doing it”) to an eBay store set up to raise funds for King Dye, and a partnership was formed, resulting in the Riders4Helmets campaign.

This late in the game, I almost didn’t bother to do my usual heads up on the horses. But then my mother chastised me for not posting about the best part of the race – the horses – so she knew who to watch for. It made me realize that while I do know the top contenders, I don’t know anything about the rest of the field. And it’s always so much more fun to watch when you know who the horses are.

So for us crazy horsey people and only casual race fans, here’s a quick inside look at the horses set to step on to the dirt track at Churchill Downs tomorrow evening.

2011 Kentucky Derby Horses by Post Position

Post Position	Horse		Odds
1		Archarcharch Has won 2 out 3 of his 2011 prep races, including the G1 Arkansas Derby. He tends to break in the middle of pack, and then close fast at the end of the race to win. Archarcharch full info…	10-1
2		Brilliant Speed Brilliant Speed’s pedigree is very much suited for the 1 1/4 mile Kentucky Derby distance. He won the Grade 1 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes in prep for the Derby. He tends to do better on turf than on dirt. Brilliant Speed full info…	30-1
3		Twice the Appeal He won the Grade 3 Sunland Derby earlier this year, and his biggest advantage is having 3-time Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel in the saddle. The only other thing he has going for him is that weather predictions are calling for rain, and Twice the Appeal does well over a sloppy track. Twice the Appeal full info…	20-1
4		Stay Thirsty Won the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes and the Grade 1 Three Chimneys Hopeful. He lost to Dialed In in the Florida Derby. His chances could be improved now that stablemate Uncle Mo has been scratched from the race. Stay Thirsty full info…	20-1
5		Decisive Moment He has run second in several Grade 3 races leading up to the Kentucky Derby. He can handle a muddy track, which could be in his favor tomorrow. Decisive Moment full info…	30-1
6		Comma to the Top He is one of the more heavily raced Derby horses with a win in the Grade 1 2010 Cashcall Futurity and a 2nd in the 2011 Santa Anita Derby. He is a speed horse who likes to go the front. He is the most experienced horse in the field, but may not be able to handle the distance. Comma to the Top full info…	30-1
7		Pants on Fire Won the Grade 1 Louisiana Derby this year. He’s experienced, has great speed, stamina in his pedigree, and is coming off a 6-week break. Pants on Fire full info…	20-1
8		Dialed In Is the current favorite after winning the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and Grade 1 Florida Derby. Dialed in is an exciting closer with a penchant from running last to first. He runs very consistently, but has also never been in a field with more than 12 horses. Dialed In full info…	4-1
9		Derby Kitten Is coming off a win in the Grade 2 Lexington Stakes. While Derby Kitten has run well on turf and synthetic tracks, his one race on dirt was abysmal. However, his style and background is reminiscent of another recent long-shot Derby winner: Charismatic.	30-1
10		Twinspired Twinspired has a pedigree good on stamina – and the KY Derby distance. He’s a seasoned horse, with wins in two Graded races and spots in the money in several others. The longer the distance, the better he does. Twinspired full info…	30-1
11		Master of Hounds European-bred horse, Master of Hounds is going to have to prove in the Derby that he can run on dirt. Most of his races have been international, and while he finishes in the money doesn’t have any wins. He will likely start off the pace. Master of Hounds full info…	30-1
12		Santiva Won the Grade 1 Kentucky Jockey Club last year, and has a 2nd and a 9th in his two starts this year. He’s a stalker, meaning he sits behind the leader for most of the race and overtakes them at the end. Santiva full info…	30-1
13		Mucho Macho Man Won the Grade 2 Risen Star and ran 3rd in the Grade 1 Louisiana Derby. Mucho Macho Man has some solid momentum coming into the Derby and some good tactical speed. While his pedigree isn’t great, he has proven himself consistent and a horse to watch in his 8 starts. He can run well as a stalker or sticking close to the leaders. Mucho Macho Man full info…	12-1
14		Shackleford Lost by a head to Dialed In in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. He has won over the Churchill Downs track, and tends to go straight to the lead. Shackleford full info…	12-1
15		Midnight Interlude Midnight Interlude is trained by Bob Baffert, a 3-time Derby winner and comes with a win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He was unraced as a 2-year-old though, which doesn’t bode well as the last time a horse that started as a 3-year-old won was 1882. He has early speed, but likes to sit just off the pace and save himself for the end. Midnight Interlude full info…	10-1
16		Animal Kingdom Won the Grade 3 Vinary Racing Spiral Stakes and has one other win in his 4-start history. He won the Spiral Stakes by 9 lengths easily, and should be well-suited for the Kentucky Derby length. He has never run on dirt, however. Animal Kingdom full info…	30-1
17		Soldat Won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes and led wire-to-wire, before tanking in the Florida Derby where he was the favorite. This horse has speed and is experienced on dirt. We should see him very close to the pace in the Derby. Soldat full info…	12-1
18		Uncle Mo – SCRATCHED
19		Nehro Ran 2nd in two Grade 2 races: the Arkansas Derby and Louisiana Derby. He lost by 22 lengths in January, just to come back and break his maiden a month later. He’s a late bloomer, but has been getting better with each race. He’s a late runner, so will likely be towards the back of the pack and making a dash for it with Dialed In. Nehro full info…	6-1
20		Watch Me Go Won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby and has been very successful as a sprinter. While he hasn’t been consistent, that race shows that he has what it takes on the right day. He’s definitely the long-shot – but the one who could just be the surprise. Watch Me Go full info…	50-1

Regarding Horses 2011 Kentucky Derby Picks

Best Name: Pants on Fire

If a horse were to win the Kentucky Derby based on name alone, Pants on Fire would be a shoe in.

Prettiest Face: Master of Hounds

I don’t think he has a shot at winning the Kentucky Derby, but he’d do well if it was a beauty pagaent. I love his chocolate color, star and snip, and happily pointed ears as he gallops through his workout. He just looks happy.

Best Running Style: Dialed In

I can’t help but love a horse who can go from dead last to ahead at the wire – every time. He was losing the Florida Derby by 14 lengths just to rally and win by a head. This is the Derby race I’m hoping for. I don’t usually like to pick the favorite, but this is one of the few times he has my vote.

Most Likely To Win Long Shot: Twice the Appeal

He hasn’t done a whole lot, but I simply can’t discount any horse running with Calvin Borel on his back.

Best Story: Mucho Macho Man

He has a super cool trainer: Kathy Ritvo. She was born into a racing family and took over the family business just last year when her husband took a job in race management. Mucho Macho Man is her first Kentucky Derby starter. I’ll give her a big thumbs up if she wins.

So, there you have the quick run-down of the Kentucky Derby horses, as well as my top picks. Do you have any favorites, whether it be to win the race or simply because you think they’re pretty and would make a great jumper post-race-days?

A few years ago, the only way to follow Rolex live online was through a Horse Radio Network live chat (read: delayed by 15 minutes) and paying Universal TV to watch the stream. Now we have FEITV for live and on-demand video, live streaming from USEF network, real live blogging from Eventing Nation, and radio coverage by Horse Radio Network. If only I had the time to follow them all!

For the American horse enthusiast, particularly in the English disciplines, Rolex is the event of the year. Here are all the ways you can join in the fun from the safety (IE no tornadoes) or your own home (or office)…

Watch Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event Live Online

Watch Free at USEF Network

Did you catch that? Free! Nearly all of Rolex will be streamed live through USEFNetwork.com. You can watch all of the dressage, all of the cross country (which is what everyone really wants to see anyway), and the early session of show jumping here. NBC will be airing the show jumping Sunday afternoon from 2 pm over the archaic television, so if you want to watch the finals you will have to tune in to your TV. Only downfall, I’m guessing USEF Network is only available in the US.

Thursday Dressage: USEF Network (9am to 3:30pm ET)
Friday Dressage: USEF Network (9am to 3:30pm)
Saturday Cross-Country: USEF Network (9am to 3:30pm)
Sunday Show Jumping: USEF Network (11:30am to 2pm) NBC Sports Television (2pm to end)

(Didn’t feel like retyping that info myself, so I stole it from Eventing Nation. Thanks John! Scroll down for the EN plug).

Outside the US? Subscribe to FEITV for Live Streaming

A live stream from Rolex Kentucky will be available on the subscription based site FEITV, brought to you by – well – the FEI. This is a great service for international viewers. The live stream for Rolex Kentucky is not available in the US. Or Canada. Or Mexico.

You can choose which service you prefer to use. Bonus, all FEITV coverage is also available on-demand post event. So if you can’t watch cross-country at 7:30 in the morning, you can watch it on FEITV Saturday night.

Want to watch just cross country? Get a day pass for $15.99.

Die-hard eventing fans who will sit through two grueling days of dressage? Monthly passes are $27.99.

International eventing fan in general and don’t want to miss anything ever? Get a full year pass for $79.99.

While the live streaming isn’t available in the majority of North America, the Rolex highlight videos on FEITV will be. If I’m not mistaken, these are free to watch. I’m also guessing that the post event on-demand video will be available to all subscribers.

Best Rolex Kentucky Blog Coverage By Eventing Nation

If you really want the inside scoop at what’s going on in Lexington this weekend, you need to go check out Eventing Nation. John et al do a million posts a day on eventing in general, but it’s always better when they are on the ground at the Kentucky Horse Park or other events.

There you can read the most up-to-date information on the horses, riders, and results, get a behind the scenes look, and perhaps even get some great video interviews and pictures from the lovely Samantha Clark.

Plus, Eventing Nation has teamed up with Chronicle of the Horse and USEventing.com to live blog the event. John didn’t say this in his post about it, but I’m guessing they are once again using Cover It Live for ongoing chat and discussion throughout the event. They’ll be posting pictures and commentary, and you can generally join in the discussion to ask questions and share your thoughts.

Side note: I so wish I could plug my very dear friend Courtney from Three Days Three Ways, but she is in California and won’t be at Rolex to get us the very best commentary on jog outfits, snazzy rainboots, and dogs. Hopefully she’s teamed up with someone there and will bring us some great photos anyways! So check out Three Days Three Ways just in case.

Entertaining Podcast Coverage by Horse Radio Network

Our favorite friends over at Horse Radio Network will be providing live, entertaining, and interesting online radio coverage of Rolex. My buddy Glenn and co-host Jamie will be doing Horses In the Morning Live each day, and Chris Stafford will be doing the Eventing Radio Show live each evening. Expect hilarity, great commentary, and some funny and cool interviews with riders, grooms, and anybody they can manage to dig up.

If you are lucky enough (or unlucky judging by the weather), to be at the Horse Park, you will find them recording in the Judges Box in the old indoor arena in the trade fair area.  Please stop by and watch.

HORSES IN THE MORNING live from 9:00am – 10:30am Eastern – Thursday thru Sunday

A light lively look at the fun and excitement of Rolex with Jamie Jennings, Glenn the Geek and Jennifer H.

The Eventing Radio Show live from 4:00pm – 5:30pm Eastern – Thursday thru Sunday

Join Chris as she wraps up the days events and speaks with the riders about their day.

Over the coming weeks I will go more in-depth on some of the riding-related stuff I learned (as well as a mane pulling technique I need to try), but for now I’m going to give you my Top 10 list for the best moments.

Top 10 Best Moments of Equine Affaire Ohio 2011

#10: Icelandic dressage pony with the koosh ball mane

This little Icelandic pony was ridden in Reese Koffler Stanfield’s clinic. Besides the fact that it was an Icelandic doing dressage, his untamed mane cracked me up. His little legs went a mile a minute and his quick step had it bouncing around just like a koosh ball.

#9: Guy McLean groveling after pulling a dangerous stunt in a demo

Guy’s first few demos were really just seminars in out-of-the-way demo rings. He took his “number one” liberty horse Hope and showed off some of the basics of what and how he works with his horses. At one point, he was on rubber mats over concrete in a 20×20 demo ring. He stood up on Hope’s back and started cracking his bull whips, and then suddenly sat down astride looking very sheepish. With red Aussie face, he explained that the Equine Affaire ladies in charge had instructed him to “not do anything dangerous” in the demo.

He apologized profusely, and proceeded to show off Hope’s ability to flex laterally while trotting bareback and bridleless so that he “couldn’t see the scary ladies.”

Hilarious.

#8: Reese’s tip to use counter canter as a collecting exercise

In one of her clinics, Reese Koffler Stanfield used counter canter as an exercise for helping with collection. I think Ace is at a point where he is ready to learn counter canter. I’m always up for new ways to help Ace build up the muscle and movement he needs through good exercises that will work him physically and mentally. New tool for the tool belt!

#7: Wild Bill’s Old Fashioned Soda Pop

This drink vendor has been at Equine Affaire every year, but this time around received prime location smack dab in the middle of both tradeshow buildings and the Coliseum. It paid off. Wild Bill sells these cool 32 oz. stainless steel mugs for $13 that you can then stop by and fill with a variety of old fashioned soda pop anytime throughout the event. Flavors include orange (creme, yum!), grape, root beer, birch, and vanilla creme. My favorite was “Sarsparilla Six Shooter.”

What a great concept!

#6: Matching water buckets and saddle pads

No Equine Affaire trip is complete without some shopping. My purchases this year were small, but still exciting. Ace (and Laura’s bay TB mare Ruby) are now the proud owners of lime green water buckets and dark purple saddle pads with lime green piping and stitching. Ace I’m sure will appreciate the color-coordinated decor of his stall, seeing as the water bucket matches his jolly ball. And the saddle pad totally rocks. Some day when I have time to ride, I’ll get a picture of him modeling it for you.

#5: Stress-free mane pulling with Lynn Palm

The secret to pulling your horse’s mane without driving your horse crazy? Wrap mane around the pulling comb ONCE at the very base of the hair, and instead of yanking, just apply slight downward pressure until your horse relaxes and releases the hair. Sounds weird, but it really does work that way. Lynn Palm demonstrated on one of her Quarter Horses, and he just stood there falling asleep while she worked. She would pull down ever so slightly, and I could see the crest of his neck start to relax, and suddenly the bit of hair would just pop right out. I can’t wait to try this on Ace.

#4: Glenn and Frankie forever banned from feeding ponies

I had the pleasure of going to a great little Columbus pub called Old Bag of Nails with Glenn, Jenn, Frankie, and Sandy on Thursday night. Conversation quickly spiraled downward when we discovered that Frankie and Glenn are the biggest suckers we know and have a penchant for overfeeding small ponies and easy-keepers. Their ponies Popcorn and Beaker respectively (and Glenn’s cat Beast) have the two of them totally worked over! If only their wives could train them as easily.

#3: Reese and Kasper’s glittery dressage freestyle at Pfizer Fantasia

Have you ever seen a top dressage rider grinning ear to ear while riding her freestyle, prompting the crowd to clap and cheer, with horse and rider totally blinged out? I have. And Reese and Kasper’s sparkly decor at Fantasia was only trumped by their fantastic ride and the obvious enjoyment on both their faces. The music was whimsical and fun, the movements were gorgeous, and they were just plain fun to watch.

#2: Jane Savoie’s Clinics. Period.

My entire experience of Jane Savoie has been watching a few of her YouTube videos and reading a handful of blog posts. A friend told me that she is one of those people you either love or you hate. Well, I love Jane Savoie. Her clinics on turn on the forehand and leg yielding as well as teaching a horse the various aids for forward were simply amazing. She is smart, funny, and makes the topics incredibly accessible to the audience.

While she may not be terribly interesting to those well-versed in dressage, for those of us who are just getting started she makes the why and how so accessible. I love how she explains every mechanic of the aids for a leg yield, and then gives specific exercises for both practicing and troubleshooting. I think some of what I learned will take Ace and I to the next level when put into practice. I will share the details on these clinics once I’m able to start implementing them in my riding.

#1 Guy McLean’s Colt Starting Demonstration

Watching Guy McLean start a colt live in an hour was by far the highlight of Equine Affaire Ohio 2011.

When Guy started, this little spit-fire 3-year-old palomino was about out of his mind. His eyes were rolling, his attention was on the audience, he was shaking, and he exploded every time the audience clapped.

Within an hour, he was saddled, bridled, and Guy was standing on his back cracking two bull whips while the audience cheered raucously. He didn’t budge.

Guy was as gentle as possible, but firm when needed (like when the colt kept running him over), and did a fantastic job of explaining everything he was doing and what was happening. It was eye opening as well as entertaining.

I’ll be back in the coming days to share details of what I learned regarding riding and training from the Equine Affaire clinics – including Ace’s review of the techniques. In the meantime, if you were at EA Ohio, what were some of the highlights for you?

Every year I take two days off from work to spend Thursday-Friday in Columbus, Ohio. I stay with my aunt who lives just north of the Ohio State Expo Center where the festivities take place (and also feeds me), and meet up with my mom, my psuedo sister Laura, and horsey friends from all over.

A lot of people go to Equine Affaire for the shopping. I go for the clinics.

The first few times I went, I only cared about the jumping and dressage stuff. The older and horse-crazier I get – the more I love and want to see them all. I love the little nuggets of training and horsemanship I get and can take home to Ace, but also just love getting educated about all kinds of different training systems, aids, skills, and disciplines.

In short, Equine Affaire is paradise for the horse-addicted researchist who loves to know everything about anything equine.

(Never heard of Equine Affaire? It’s a 4-day convention filled with clinics, demonstrations, and performance from top trainers across disciplines. It happens three times a year: once each in California, Massachusetts, and Ohio. It brings in the big guns like Linda Allen for jumping, Steffen Peters for dressage, Julie Goodnight for horsemanship, and Monty Roberts and John Lyons for the natural horsemanship crowd. They rotate speakers every year, so the devoted attendees like me don’t hear the same speakers and lessons over and over again. Oh, and there’s a gigantic tradeshow with every horsey item you can imagine – and some you can’t).

At any rate, my planning is in full swing because Equine Affaire Ohio edition begins one week from today! I’ve been busy highlighting, crossing out, and re-highlighting all the sessions I want to attend (too many that overlap!), buying tickets for the Pfizer Fantasia show for me and my friends, and planning meet ups with all the horsey people I know who will be there.

If you are going to Equine Affaire next week, first leave a comment so we can try to hook up and say hi!, and second – here are my tips on the clinics and presenters you have to see this year.

Equine Affaire 2011 Must See Clinicians

Anything with Guy McLean

Yes, I’m a dressage, jumping, eventing, and Julie Goodnight buff. But if any of those sessions overlap with Aussie horseman, entertainer, and poet Guy McLean – I guarantee you will find me wherever Guy is.

He’s a new name among horsemanship gurus in the US – but is a household name in his native Australia. After years of success entertaining crowds Down Under, he and his girlfriend Emily decided to move to the US last summer with four of their horses and try to make it big here. He was an absolute sensation during the World Equestrian Games, performing both at the International Equestrian Festival downtown and the KY Horse Park. I was very fortunate to meet him at IEF, and get to spend some time hanging out. I don’t know that I have ever seen a horseman/clinician as head over heels in love with his horses as Guy. Plus he’s amazing talented, and very very funny. Go read this old post I did about Guy; it has a video of Guy performing with his horses Spinnaby, Sequel, Pride, and Hope. I have my fingers crossed that they will be performing in the Pfizer Fantasia show…

For Dressage Fans – Reese Koffler Stanfield

She was at Equine Affaire and I love, love, love her! Also met her in person at WEG and she is one of the loveliest, most bubbly and friendly people you’ll ever meet. Plus, she’s an international dressage rider.

While she’s not one of the biggest names, Reese’s clinics at Equine Affaire last year were among the best, most useful dressage clinics I’ve sat through there. She made the techniques and teaching points incredibly accessible to the audience, sharing nuggets helpful for the seasoned dressage rider as well as the newbie like me.

Also for Dressage – Jane Savoie

I got to be a big fan of Jane Savoie while reading her training articles on her Barnmice blog. Her detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to teach a horse forward, the aids for collections, and the difference in aids between bending and leg yields revolutionized my ability to train Ace in those areas. I’m very much hoping for more of that practical, accessible information from her at Equine Affaire (unless of course her sessions overlap with Guy McLean – and then you know where I’ll be).

Horsemanship with Julie Goodnight

Have I mentioned before that I also adore Julie Goodnight? Well, I do. I met her briefly at Equine Affaire two years ago, and then got to spend lots of time chatting horse with her at IEF during WEG. I love Julie because she has a comprehensive approach – starting from the ground up.

She’s one of the few non-natural-horsemanship (although she sometimes gets lumped into that category) clinicians who puts a lot of emphasis on how to deal with horses on the ground, establishing manners, leadership, and trust. She blends good horsemanship skills with classical riding to teach the overall experience. I’ll forever disagree with her about hand feeding treats – but in every other area I’m a true fan.

Lynn Palm Partnership Training

I don’t know a lot about Lynn Palm, other than that she’s a partner and sponsored rider for SUCCEED. She apparently has a trademarked training system called Palm Partnership Training. I’m guessing it’s something along the lines of a Linda Tellington-Jones TTouch deal, or perhaps a Monty Roberts who caters to the recreational rider. She does English and Western. I’m interested in checking out at least portions of her clinics just to get an idea of what it’s all about.

Oh, and she’s doing a seminar on “Stress Free Mane Pulling Techniques” that I definitely need to check out so I can stop torturing my poor thick-haired pony so badly.

Daniel Stewart for Eventers

I don’t really know much about Daniel Stewart, other than that he’s very popular with the Horse Radio Network and some of the eventers I know. He’s doing some jumping stuff, so I might check that out briefly to see what he’s all about.

Who’s Who in Other Disciplines?

Yeah, so I don’t know anything about who’s who when it comes to western riding, Arabians, driving, endurance, and the other disciplines that are being covered at Equine Affaire. If any of those are your thing, please check out the Equine Affaire 2011 schedule and let me know what you think.

If you leave a comment with your must-see clinic/presenter and why, I’ll add it to this post.

You Going to Be There? Stop and Say Hi!

Hi, my name is Jackie Baker, and I author Regarding Horses. I will be at Equine Affaire all four days. I will primarily be sitting in clinics and seminars, will be at Pfizer Fantasia Friday evening, and will most definitely be found at all things Guy McLean. If you see me wandering around, please stop me and say hi. I would love to meet you. And if you’d like to meet up intentionally, drop me an email. I’m happy to exchange numbers so we can plan something!

I’m inclined to think that the magic of Totilas is due to two things: the horse’s inherent natural talent AND Edward Gal’s ride. As one blogger said when news of Totilas’ sale first hit the web, equestrian competition is a sport of couples. It takes more than just a talented horse with a talented rider. They need to have a special connection. It’s more than knowing the right aids. It’s being inside each other’s heads … and hearts. Edward and Totilas had it. Will Matthias and Totilas? I think it’s certainly possible, but not necessarily guaranteed.

Here’s some of the first video that has been released of Matthias riding Totilas:

Compared to Edward Gal and Totilas at WEG:

The handsome horse does the moves for Matthias, but he doesn’t quite have the same flash and presence under him … yet. But it’s very early in the partnership.

What do you think? Is is possible for Totilas to shine under any rider but Edward?