I’ve been feeling a bit like a college student who takes a bunch of different classes for two years before finally picking a major. For a long time, I’ve been writing about whatever I felt like, without any goals or without any purpose. The nice thing is that I’ve gotten to test the waters and figure out what I like to write and what you like to read. The drawback is that there’s no obvious driving purpose behind the blog that says, “Hey, she’s me! This is the kind of stuff I want to read and discuss regularly.”

Some of the best blogs out there are ones that have a specific, driving purpose. Check out Eventing Nation for example. Less than a year old with a huge readership – and a very clear purpose. Or one of my other current favorites, Un-Retired Racehorse, which is all about life as an exercise rider at a New York City track.

The funny thing is, I know exactly who I am and who I am not in the horse world. And I think it’s high time I start writing that way!

I am not …

… a high-level competitor

… a big money investor in the industry

… any kind of horse professional

… interested in following international competition in-depth

I am …

… your average horse crazy girl.

And I know there’s a whole lot of us out there. It’s for those of us who have jobs outside of horses and spend our evening “free time” in the barn. It’s for those of us who do chores at our barns to help cover the cost of board. It’s for those of who work through all our training issues ourselves because we don’t have the funds or time to put our horse in an expensive training program. It’s for those of us who spends hours Googling every little scrape or swelling we find on our horses. It’s for those of us who want to know everything there is to know about horses – from horse care to showing to different disciplines.

But most of all, it’s for those of us who jump up and down, squeal, point, and yell “Look, horses!” at every scraggly pony we see even when we have our own sleek, fat, well-loved steed at home.

We’re your average horse crazies who’ve been bitten by the horse bug.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to completely tear down and rebuild the barn while you’re away for the weekend. I’m going to get rid of the cobwebs, re-organize the tack room, and clearly label all the “stuff” so it’s more obvious whose it is and what its about.

Horses are herd animals. Almost all of them are happier when they are with other horses. But as with most groups, they need to establish their pecking order. They can’t very well argue it out in the office kitchen. So they use what they have: teeth and hooves. And sometimes two horses just won’t get along and will cause serious damage to each other.

Case in point: my thoroughbred gelding Ace was clearly low-man-on-the-totem-pole at the first place I kept him. It was a friend’s farm and he lived in the arena with their three horses. The other three had been together for a long time, and besides the fact that they were all buddied up already, they had a very firmly established pecking order. Ace had no choice but to defer to the last place position.

Some horses are totally OK with being submissive and not rocking the boat, but not Ace. He’s naturally dominant.

For that first year I was constantly finding him with large teeth marks or cuts and scrapes on his legs and head from trying to get away from the other horses. I could see on his face that he was stressed.

Then we moved to a large boarding stable where Ace was put with the least dominant horses on the property so he wouldn’t get beat up. And he promptly made himself king of the field -  a position he has yet to relinquish despite several herd changes.

A few days ago, Ace was turned out with three new horses. I put them out one at a time and kept a close eye on them to make sure there wasn’t going to be any major issues. The first two I walked out together; when released, Ace pinned his ears and backed up towards the other horse, who promptly spun and trotted away.

I brought in the second horse, a Shire gelding. He and Ace sniffed noses for a moment, then Ace pinned his ears and the Shire promptly spun and trotted away. For the next five minutes, Ace herded the other two horses around at a fast walk, keeping himself in between.

The fourth horse was the baby of the bunch, and went trotting right up to Ace, who was grazing between the other two. Ace pinned his ears. The baby spun and trotted away. I watched as for the next five minutes they would approach each other, and quickly leave Ace when he gave them “that look”. Within 10 minutes, Ace and his obedient subjects were all happily tucking in to their dinner.

In the last 10 months since our barn move, Ace has been happier overall and has only come in twice with minor injuries: one teeth mark and one large bump from a kick.

Tips For Turning Horses Out Safely

There’s a little more finesse involved when turning horses out together than just sticking them all in a pasture together. The two keys are making sure all horses get along with their group, and introducing new horses to the herd slowly and carefully.

You may have a serious herd issue to address if you have a horse who either is getting beat up badly and regularly, or one who isn’t being allowed to eat or drink. Both are common in herds where two or more horses really don’t get along.

Here are a few keys for managing horse herds.

Introducing a New Horse to the Herd

Giving horses a chance to get to know each slowly and ensuring their first encounter is in a large, safe area will make for a smoother transition process.

• introduce horses in a large area free of obstacles
• wait until footing is firm; sloppy and slippery makes for dangerous “get-to-know-you” antics
• do it in daylight hours so horses can easily see each other, fencing, and footing in the pasture
• wait until after mealtime so the horses aren’t anxious to be fed and feeling like they have to fight over it
• turn the new horse out first so he can get familiar with the lay-of-the-land, and then turn the other horses out one at a time
• if introducing 2 or more horses to a herd, let the newcomers get acclimated to each other first

Also, it really helps if you spend time watching your horses at pasture. Know which ones are dominant and which ones are submissive. Know how they react to advances from other horses. Know which ones are buddies and will try to protect their friends. This will enable you to be more strategic in picking your turnout groups and selecting an order for turnout when you first introduce them.

General Herd Management Safety Tips

Here are a few tips that will help keep your horses safer when turned out together

• separate mares and geldings. Mares and geldings are more likely to get protective of one another, and they can have some serious fights if for instance two geldings want to be buddies with one mare. If you think this is no big deal, stop over and talk to MiKael of Rising Rainbow Arabians. One of her geldings killed her prize mare when they were turned out together. Is it really worth risking it? This “rule”  isn’t an absolute, but for most horses it’s a good rule of thumb. We do have one little gelding POA at the barn who beats up the other geldings regularly; he goes out with the mares who keep him in line. In general, keep mares and geldings separated unless there’s a good reason to integrate.
• use breakaway halters or nothing. It’s always better to turn out horses sans-halters when possible. It’s too tempting for them to play with each other’s – which can be all in good fun or not. They can also get caught on fences or trees in the field, causing suffocation or injury. If circumstance requires your horse to wear a halter, only use one with a leather headstall or breakaway piece that will release if a horse gets into trouble. Bonus? You can buy replacements for just the headstall if it does break.
• provide an escape route. Avoid building corners into your pasture where horses can trap one another. It can get pretty nasty if a dominant horse traps another in a corner and beats up on him. Make sure they have plenty of room to escape each other if wanted. Don’t confine too many horses together in a small pasture.
• space out feed. If you grain in the pasture or give them extra hay when the grass is low or non-existent, be sure leave lots of space between feeding stations. If you have a particularly food aggressive horse, place an extra station or four so all the horses can get to plenty of feed.
• keep an eye on the herd. Watch the horses for a few minutes after turnout, and check on them periodically to makes sure they are OK. Have at least two pastures available, so that if you have one horse who is too aggressive, you have the option to separate him. Always know what is happening with them and get to know the pecking order. Even if your horses live out 24/7, run your eyes and hands over them daily to check for injuries.

Do you have any other turnout safety tips to share, or funny (or compelling) stories about your horses and their pecking order?

It’s been no secret since the event prices were released last fall that many feel the tickets are out of their price range. Low ticket sales, currently at less than half of what they expected with the Games two months out, have finally got the point across to the WEG Foundation. In the last week, they announced that tickets for certain events (excluding popular ones like the jumping finals) are being reduced by 30% through September 6.

Honestly though, I’ve never had much of a problem with the actual ticket prices. I would save up to go watch the best in the world do their musical freestyles and soar over fences taller than I am. It’s everything else that starts to add up.

If you don’t live close enough to drive, you’ve got airfare. No price gouging there, but it’s still a significant cost.

If you don’t have friends or family in the area, you need lodging. And right now, costs are upwards of $300-400 PER NIGHT for a run-of-the-mill hotel room in and around Lexington.

There’s no such thing as free transportation to the Kentucky Horse Park. You can drive in and pay at least $20 per day per car to park, or you can take a shuttle that’s at least $5 per person per day if you are staying at a preferred hotel.

I don’t even want to think about what they’re going to be charging for a slice of Papa Johns pizza or a 20 ounce bottle of Pepsi.

American spectators who have attended past WEGs in Europe said it’s costing 3 times as much to attend on their home turf.

And the first US WEG is super expensive for vendors as well as spectators. Word on the street is that vendors are paying twice as much for their booths as was charged for the 2006 WEGs in Aachen. Plus required liability insurance, plus airfare, plus room and board for workers for 17 days.

I’m no economist, so I don’t know how the laws of supply and demand and years of a weak market are playing into this. What I do know, is that the prices surrounding the World Equestrian Games are really only attainable by the elite, and are not for the every day horse person.

Sure, a vendor paying $34,000 to attend the Games is what some people for a fancy show pony. But I’d say there’s a lot more of us who would love to attend the Games who pay $1,600 for an off-track thoroughbred, work off half our board doing barn chores, go to local shows, and manage to stay in horses on pretty moderate incomes. And I also think we’re the ones would would enjoy attending the World Equestrian Games the most. (See this Chronicle of the Horse forum thread for great discussion on pricing people are finding, what they’ve paid in the past, and where all this money is going.)

I’m sure that tomorrow I’ll be back to my usual excitement about amazing horses, cool new disciplines, and the wonderful horse friends from around the world who will be at WEG. I don’t want money frustrations to discount the fact that this is still going to be a fantastic gathering of horses and horse people that is totally worth catching if at all possible.

But for today, that little black cloud is hanging over my head a bit. Any ideas on why things are so expensive surrounding WEG? And suggestions for how to get there and make the trip worth your money?

The closest I’ve come to being a jockey is galloping an ex-stakes-winning-racehorse across a hay field. That, and riding an Equicizer in a racing saddle with crazy short stirrups (I could barely walk for the next few days). I’ve learned a bit about the crazy athleticism and lifestyle of a jockey through books like Secretariat and Seabiscuit and through my friend Frankie who was a real-life jockey for many years.

As Frankie coached me through my racing position on the back of his Equicizer, he told me about the jockey education he offers through Jockey Camp. So often, young jockeys are thrown up on the backs of these thousand-plus pound animals running over 30 miles an hour, which zero coaching. And sometimes the simplest things, like learning to change your goggles mid-flight, can make all the difference in the world.

Jockey Camp 2010

Frankie’s annual Jockey Bootcamp is right around the corner on July 30-August 1 in Norwalk, Ohio. Frankie is all about teaching those considering riding racehorses as a career how to get into the industry and how to be safe and effective.

I have always had a passion to help others with their journey and dreams of becoming a jockey. I know what it’s like to want this dream to become a jockey so badly with the passion and drive but I also know how hard it is to find the right information or any information for that matter when you are trying to get started.  I do not encourage anyone to become a jockey, but instead educate them with the realities of the dangers and skills need to ride as safely as possible. Also I give an inside look of the skills and thoughts of all my experiences as a jockey for 25 years. For the students, if this dream is real, I can help them achieve it!

Watch Frankie tell us all about jockey camp and see some clips from last year’s event

What You’ll Learn at Jockey Boot Camp

Just about everything you can think of is covered in this weekend workshop. Here are a few topics that I think look super cool:

• getting started riding race horses
• learning your race track
• a day in the life of a jockey
• finding a job on a horse farm or training center
• form, balance, and position,
• how to ride when a horse acts up
• studying a race before you ride it
• race riding tips

Attend the 2010 Jockey Camp

Here’s the quick rundown on Jockey Camp details

When: July 30-August 1
Where: 819 Dublin Road, Norwalk, Ohio 44857
Cost: $400 for participants, $200 for observers
Contact: equicizer@aol.com

There are still a few spaces left, so contact Frankie right now if you are interested!

Courtney and her first pony, Polish

My parents had no idea what they were getting into, I think it’s safe to say.  A small, bay pony for $500, saddle and bridle included? It’s the steal of the century.

Which was true, navicular disease and aged pony aside.  But what they didn’t count on was this little pony with a scrappy tail becoming the passion of a lifetime.  And where do you steer a horse-crazy little girl that would rather race her dirty pony bareback up a hill than do anything else?  Enter: Pony Club.

I joined Pony Club at age 10, moments after Sun Polish became mine. I loved my pony, but had little knowledge of what to actually do with her.  I kept Polish at my friend’s house and who belonged to a family of “real” horse people in which all three daughters were in Pony Club.  I merely went along for the ride. And what a good thing that was.

Pony Club started in England in 1929 and gravitated across the Atlantic to the United States. To many it’s the quintessential program for youngsters to learn how to ride their ponies safely and with great glee, but also to learn horse management skills so that, say, if abandoned on a desert island (miraculously with water, food, and a stall), we could take care of our ponies all on our own.  Their stated mission is “to provide a program for youth that teaches riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies, thereby developing responsibility, moral judgment, leadership and self-confidence.” I have to say their mission is right on point with my experience.

Courtney as a young rider

At 10 I rated in as a D-2 Pony Clubber.  The organization works on a ratings system of D (most basic), C, B, and culminating with A. To achieve the next rating you must pass a riding exam as well as a knowledge exam. Polish and I went to weekly lessons and regular competitions with a herd of girls and ponies all piled into the trailer. I attended rallies with teammates from my Pony Club, went to camp and met kids from other Pony Clubs, learned how to vault, went Hilltopping with the Middleburg Hunt, and could reassemble a bridle with my eyes closed.

I learned things like how to get dandruff out of my pony’s mane (Listerine), how to get a perfect score on a turn back (check for sweat marks behind the ears and the elbows), how to stay safe (always, always wear your helmet), and clean my tack (I mean really clean it). I rode other ponies, fell off, got back on, and made friends.  I studied for Know-Down, learned from vets about colic and founder and disease, and how to prevent them.   I became a horsewoman.

But what strikes me now is not how much fun I had or how much I learned (which was a lot on both accounts) but that I was encouraged to do it on my own.

There is a rule in Pony Club at rallies that parents are not allowed in the stabling or to speak with their child during the day of the competition. For instance, when I left the dressage ring at Dressage Rally my mother could not rush to my side to polish my boots, scold me for a poor twenty-meter circle, or cry tears of joy. She could only wave from the stands and I would walk, with my teammates, back to the barns.

That girl can ride! Thanks Pony Club.

It feels almost awkward, I know. But think of what it means. It means that I, and all Pony Clubbers, learned independence, self-confidence, how to interact with adults (coaches, horse management judges, etc), sportsmanship, organizational skills, and how to take care of our ponies.  And ourselves.  We stood for formal inspections before every rally not with a parent hovering by, but a fellow team member, frequently our own age, rag and smile in hand.  The cleanliness of our saddle was up to us, not an overly active parent or competitive coach. A perfect score on a turnback was ours to cherish.  That sense of accomplishment and confidence is what, I think, parents look to give their children.  It’s Pony Club’s stated mission, and it’s what I got.

I’m not sure now, looking back, if I would have become the horsewoman I am today were it not for Pony Club.  In fact, I’m not sure I would have become the woman I am today were it not for Pony Club.  Even now when setting to an unknown task I reach back for the confidence I gained as a 10 year-old setting up a stall for my 13 hand pony; just me and a friend with screwdrivers and hammers in our tiny, determined fists. If I could do it then, I can do it now.

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Spending a day down at the Buckeye Sweepstakes Horse Show gave me a new appreciation for the Arabian breed. It also renewed my amazement at the diversity within the horse world. It’s really fantastic to see how our riding disciplines are adapted to suit different breeds and types of horses – showing each off to its very best.

I would have been completely lost, though, if I wasn’t able to pick the brains of the Rodgers, Ltd crew who had a large handful of horses at the show. Trainer Bill Rodgers, amateur rider Raegan Knotts, and owner John Hall were very accommodating as I drilled them throughout the day. Thanks to them, I started to get things figured out.

So, if you ever have the chance to end up at an Arabian show, here are some of the basics you will need to know.

The Breed: Arabian and Half-Arabian Classes

The Arabian Horse Association accepts registrations for both Purebred Arabians and Half-Arabians. The non-Arabian half can be any breed. You’ll see a lot of Arabian Quarter-Horse crosses in the reining and Western pleasure classes. Arabian Thoroughbred crosses are popular for the Hunter styles. Arabian Saddlebred crosses (also known as a National Show Horse) are great for the Park and English pleasure styles.

The classes at an Arabian show are mostly separated into Purebred and Half-Arabian. So, there will be a Arabian Hunter class and a Half-Arabian Hunter class.

Often, the classes for cross-breds will be denoted as HA/AA, which stands for Half Arab/Anglo Arab. An Anglo Arab is specifically an Arabian Thoroughbred cross.

Here’s a quick key for some of the breed terms you’ll see thrown around in the Arabian world:

• Purebred or Arabian: a horse whose dam and sire are both Arabians
• Half Arabian: a horse who has one parent who is Arabian and one parent of any another breed
• National Show Horse: an Arabian and Saddlebred cross
• Anglo Arab: an Arabian and Thoroughbred cross

The English Styles: Park, English, Country, Hunter

The area of the Arabian breed shows that was most unfamiliar to me was the variety of English styles. Arabians (and Half Arabians) perform and compete in four different English disciplines, each looking for a different type of movement.

Park, English, and Country are known as the “motion” disciplines. These disciplines require the horse to put a great deal of his weight on his hindend, creating a very uphill carriage and high-stepping motion in the front legs.

The difference between the three styles is how much motion the horses display in the front end. Here’s the order in how much motion should be in the gait:

• Park – high motion
• English – medium-high motion
• Country – moderate motion
• Hunter – least motion

Arabian hunters should have the flattest movement of the four. While they are similar to a traditional hunter – they should still show some motion as is characteristic of the breed.

And don’t get confused if you see a class listed as “Country English Pleasure.” This is interchangeable with “Country Pleasure” but NOT the same as “English Pleasure.”

Purebred Arabian Park Horse

Other Arabian Breed Show Disciplines

Other classes you might see at an Arabian show are:

Driving
Sidesaddle
In-hand (judged on conformation)
Native costume

Western classes:

Reining
Cutting
Working Cow
Trail
Western Pleasure

For Juniors:

Equitation
Showmanship
Western Horsemanship

There are also Arabian Sporthorse shows and Nationals with jumping and dressage disciplines.

That should give you a very brief primer on what you are looking at when you visit an Arabian horse show. If you are interested in learning more, particularly what it’s like to breed, raise, and train Arabian show horses, check out the Rising Rainbow blog. And if you still have questions, be sure to leave them in the comments! I’ll try to dig up answers, and I bet we have some fellow readers who can answer them even better!

Check out William Fox-Pitt’s winning rides at Rolex Kentucky 2010

William Fox-Pitt Jogs Cool Mountain

Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain’s 2010 Dressage Test

At the Head of the Lake on Cross Country

William Fox-Pitt and Cool Moutain’s Winning Stadium Jumping Round

Recaps and Coverage

Visit Eventing Nation for the full results and Rolex 2010 analysis. Visit Three Days Three Ways for everything behind the scenes at Rolex, including rider interviews, shopping, style, fans, and much more.  And listen to the Eventing Radio Show for daily coverage with special guest hosts, interviews with riders, and lots more.

Here’s the rundown on Rolex this year and how you can follow it via online coverage.

Rolex Kentucky 2010

April 22-25, 2010
Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington

Rolex Kentucky is a 4 star event and is one of the major international competitions for eventers. Besides the prestige, it’s made even bigger this year for two reasons:

1. Oliver Townend is vying to win the “Triple Crown” of eventing, having already claimed victories at Badminton and Burghley
2. and the World Equestrian Games are coming to the Kentucky Horse Park this fall, making Rolex huge for those wishing to qualify as well as a great opportunity for a test run at the cross country course.

Also, running simultaneously with Rolex this year are the Kentucky Cup Dressage and Jumping test events for the World Equestrian Games.

Competitor highlights this year include:

• 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Champion, four-time Olympic veteran and 2009 U.S. Eventing Association (USEA) Leading Rider of the Year Phillip Dutton of the United States.
• William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain, a member of the 2004 Olympic Silver Medal Team and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medal Team, and winner of the 2008 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials CCI**** and the inaugural HSBC FEI ClassicTM Series.
• Three-time Olympian and 1999 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** winner and two-time Rolex CCI*** winner Karen O’Connor of the United States.
• Three-time Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** Champion and 2004 Olympic Team Bronze and Individual Silver Medalist, Kim Severson of the United States.
• Members of the 2008 US Olympic Team, Becky Holder and Amy Tryon.

Visit the Three Days Three Ways blog for a really fantastic run-down of 2010 Rolex competitors by eventer Peter Green.

Rolex Kentucky Online Coverage

The online coverage of Rolex just gets better and better every year. And this year some of the best are covering the event, and they’re doing it in every medium available. So, whether you prefer podcasts or blogs – or all of it – you can follow Rolex live online.

Eventing Radio Show Daily Podcast

Our good friends over at Horse Radio Network will be on-site at Rolex and providing daily wrap-up shows on the Eventing Radio Show. This year’s event kicks off as usual with the veterinary inspection on Wednesday  afternoon, which will launch their daily coverage together with a preview of the record number of entries for this four-star event. One of the Eventing Radio Show’s favorite co-hosts, Max Corcoran, will be preparing Mandiba for her rider, Karen O’Connor. Several of their guests from the past year will also be in the running or officiating so they’ll be sure to catch up with them too. Plus the Rolex Quiz winner will make their special appearance during the event.

I will be carrying the daily podcasts here on Regarding Horses, so be sure to subscribe via email or RSS for the updates.

Three Days Three Ways Blog

For what is sure to be the very best blog coverage of Rolex, hop on over to Three Days Three Ways and be sure to subscribe! Courtney, an eventer herself, is currently packing her sundresses and wellies and heading off to catch all the Rolex action in person. Besides daily coverage of how the competition is going, I’m sure she’ll be giving us great pictures and rundowns on the shopping, fashions, and parties as well video interviews with competitors and an inside look at the lives of top eventers.

Chronicle of the Horse Cover It Live

I got REALLY sucked in to the live chat commentary Eventing Radio ran through Cover It Live last year. I was streaming video in one browser and chatting with others in the other for four days straight. Too fun! This year, Chronicle of the Horse is taking charge of the live chat. Even with the 15-minute delay, it’s a great way for those of us stuck at home to get in on the action and discuss it with other fans. And you don’t have to leave Regarding Horses to do it either! Sign on for the Rolex Live Chat right here.

US Eventing & Eventing Radio Video Coverage

US Eventing will provide videos of the daily press conferences at Rolex as well as video coverage of the recording of the Eventing Radio show. Perfect for those of us who are visual and like to watch as well as listen. Visit Eventing Radio for daily video coverage starting Thursday.

Rolex Live Online Streaming Video

You can watch Rolex live online for a small fee on Universal Sports. It looks like the cost to login and watch is $9.95 per day.

Rolex Kentucky 2010 Television Coverage

A recap of the 2010 Rolex Kentucky event will air on NBC on May 15 from 3:00-4:30 pm EST (just prior to the Preakness Stakes).

So, what is your favorite way to follow equestrian events online? You a blog reader or a podcaster? Or do you like them all? Also, be sure to share in the comments if you know of any other Rolex coverage that I missed. Hope to “see” you all there!

Needless to say, I very quickly developed a profound respect for combined driving competition – and decided it was next on my list of World Equestrian Games discipline overviews because I wanted to know more.

Here’s the scoop on combined driving competition at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

What is the Combined Driving Event?

Combined driving is modeled after three-day eventing and includes similar three phases: dressage, marathon, and an intricate pattern through a course of cones. Competitions are available for drivers with a Single horse, Pairs (two hitched side-by-side), Tandem (two hitched one in front of the other) or Teams with four horses hitched as two pairs. Ponies and horses compete separately.

Penalty points are incurred in each of the three phases, and the competitor with the lowest overall penalty score wins.

Driven Dressage

The combined driving dressage phase is a series of compulsory movements performed in a 100×40 meter arena. Horses are judged on the smoothness of maneuvers, obedience, impulsion, regularity of pace, harmony, bending, and positioning. Competitors are also judged on their style, accuracy, control, and the turnout and condition of the horses and carriage.

Cross-Country Marathon

The marathon phase tests the fitness, stamina, and obedience of the horses and the judgment and capability of the driver. The marathon course is a maximum of 18 kilometers and includes a series of hazards such as sharp turns, water, steep hills, and constructed obstacles. The course must be completed within the optimum time allowed. Mandatory vet checks during the course ensure the horses are healthy and sound. The marathon phase is typically the most thrilling for drivers and spectators alike.

Obstacle-Cone Competition

The object of the cone competition in combined driving is to negotiate through narrowly spaced pairs of cones cleanly within the time allowed. Each cone has a ball placed on top, and any miscalculation will dislodge the ball,  incurring a penalty. This final phase tests the fitness, agility and obedience of the horse and the accuracy and skill of the driver.

Vehicles, Grooms, and Navigators

The same vehicle can be used for dressage and cones, but a more rugged version is used for the marathon course.

Each competitor’s team may also include a groom and a navigator. The groom helps the driver stay on the correct course through the marathon course and keeps track of the time, and may accompany the driver on dressage and cones. The groom is also the one on the back assisting with keeping the carriage weighted correctly. They may give verbal assistance only on cross country.

Here’s a great video with highlights of all three phases from the 2009 USEF national driving championships held at the Kentucky Horse Park:

Gives me chills!

Combined Driving Competition at WEG

The combined driving event at the World Equestrian Games is for four-in-hand Teams only. Medals will be awarded for both individuals and nations.

The WEG Foundation is hoping to see 30-40 driving teams total participate in the 2010 games. Each driver will bring 5 horses and can use any combination of the five horses throughout the three phases.

International Qualification Requirements: All horses and drivers who competed at the Four-In-Hand World Championships in March 2008 are automatically qualified for the World Equestrian Games. Those who didn’t compete at the 2008 championships must complete three FEI national or international driving events. They must also incur no more than 70 penalties in a special driving dressage competition.

US Team Selection: the USEF driving high performance committee will select the horse and driver Teams who will represent the US at WEG. Drivers interested in qualifying must achieve a minimum score at a set of pre-selected competitions.

Driving Schedule and Tickets at WEG

The combined driving competition will take place over four days at the World Equestrian Games. Purchase your tickets for combined driving through TicketMaster.

Additional Resources:

• World Equestrian Games coverage on Regarding Horses
• Full competition schedule & ticket pricing
• American Driving Society
• FEI International Driving Information

All About The Disciplines

• Para Dressage
• Eventing
• Combined Driving
• Jumping
• Dressage
• Reining
• Endurance
• Vaulting

Here’s the quick breakdown:

Grounds Pass: $25 per day good for pre-selected days ($20 if purchased from April 16-May 30

Flex Grounds Pass: $30 per day good for any day of the event

Kids under 12 get in free with paying adult

From what I can tell, entrance to the Park is included with your event tickets if you’ve purchased them for any of the competitions. You only need a Grounds Pass if you don’t have an event ticket. However, you have to pay the event price to access the grounds for eventing cross-country day and some of the driving competition days.

Those seem a tad pricey to me to make much of a trip out of it, but is also a once-in-a-lifetime event if WEG is practically in your backyard like it is mine. I’ll still consider going for a weekend if I don’t make my Plan A – winning the Live From Lexington Blogospondent contest.

Here are all the details on the general admission tickets from the WEG press release:

Grounds Pass tickets for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will go on sale Friday, April 16 at 10 a.m.

Grounds Pass tickets will be priced at $25 each, but from April 16 through May 31, as a special promotion, tickets will be available for $20. Each Grounds Pass will allow entry to the 2010 Games venue for the selected date of purchase.

To provide for an affordable, family-friendly event, admission for children 12 years of age and under will be free of charge when accompanied by a paying adult.

A limited quantity of Flex Grounds Pass tickets will be available for $30. The Flex Grounds Pass can be used for entry on any one day of choice, without selecting a specific date of attendance at the time of purchase.

Tickets will be available for purchase through www.alltechfeigames.com/tickets, on www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet and via the Ticketmaster hotline at 1-800-745-3000.

Grounds Pass tickets allow entry to the 2010 Games for the selected day of purchase and will give spectators access to a wide range of activities at the Kentucky Horse Park venue. Activities include shopping at more than 250 Trade Show booths; exciting exhibits and entertainment at the Kentucky Experience tourism pavilion and the Alltech Experience pavilions; and the Kentucky Horse Park’s world-renowned exhibits and museums.

In addition, spectators will be entertained and educated in the Equine Village, which will present more than 40 exhibitors and some of the world’s top equine entertainment acts and clinicians, including Pat Parelli, Clinton Anderson and the kid-friendly Equimania.

Grounds Pass tickets are available for 13 days during the Games, excluding the competition days of Endurance, Eventing Cross Country and Driving Marathon. Spectators who wish to purchase admission for these competitions should visit www.alltechfeigames.com/tickets.