The Championships will take place at Galway Downs in Temecula, California, from August 27 – 31, and eventing fans will be able to watch the action live and on-demand free on H&C’s streaming service H&C+, as well as on EN’s platform EQUESTRIAN+ (free of charge and without viewer registration).

The dressage, cross-country and show-jumping phases of the Advanced class will be streamed in full, and there will be extensive coverage from other levels including all of the cross-country competition and the final top ten from every show-jumping class.

“We’re delighted to be working with the team at Equine Network on this prestigious event,” H&C Director of Content Jonathan Rippon said. “In coming together, we’re able to significantly extend the reach of the USEA AEC into key international markets, and we’re running a heavyweight marketing campaign to our core audience, the passionate eventing community.”

Mariah Hammerschmidt, EN Director of Marketing and Video Services, noted that H&C has been a trusted destination for eventing fans for many years. “Partnering with them to co-stream the USEA AEC feels like a natural fit,” she said. “Together, we’re making it easier than ever for fans across the globe to follow the action live, on-demand and to even take home their favorite competition moments with exclusive clip purchases.”

For More:

• For more on clip purchases, click here.
• You can livestream this year’s AEC free of charge and without viewer registration on EQUESTRIAN+.

About Horse & Country

Horse & Country is the leading international sports network for the passionate and active equestrian community. Headquartered in London, England, it’s available globally via connected TVs, mobile and web, as well as on leading digital and pay-TV platforms in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Australia. H&C programming includes live coverage from leading competitions in all equestrian disciplines, as well as training and learning shows, documentaries and entertainment.

These combined trade shows create the world’s largest marketplace of equestrian industry products from leading manufacturers and brands. For us, the event presented an ideal opportunity to check out the newest, most innovative products on the market to learn how they can make our horse lives better. We talked with a number of top brands and visionaries in the equestrian retail industry from around the globe, as well as up-and-coming brands, to get the scoop on everything new for both horse and rider.

Here’s a sneak peek of the exciting new products and fresh takes on some of your favorite trends we spotted at AETA this week. (Plus, we learned several top-selling and rider-favorite products from the U.K. will be launching in the U.S. soon!) We hope this preview helps you find tack, equipment and apparel for you and your horse that will be sure to add value, comfort and fun to your partnership.

Just to get things started… did you know that gray isn’t considered a color, but rather a pattern of white hairs? Read on!

The ABCs of Color

Actually, the above subhead should read “The A’s & B’s of Color.” We’ve distilled the standard color classifications into two categories for ease of visual identification: horses with black points (mane, tail, ear rims and lower legs–such as you see on a bay); and those with non-black points (think chestnut).

Simply put, black and red are the two basic equine color pigments. Your horse’s ability to reproduce these pigments is an inherited trait, with red being recessive (see “Glossary,” below) to black.

Each pigment can be modified by other genes, such as the dilution genes, to provide the rainbow of colors that modern horses wear. (In fact, you’ll see that dilution can be powerful enough to water down the black on a genetically black-point horse, shifting him into the non-black-point category.)

In keeping with this duality theme (and excluding white-pattern coats), you need only the fingers of two hands (plus two fingers) to count the equine world’s primary colors:

Black-point colors are bay, black, brown, grulla, buckskin and zebra dun.

Non-black-point colors are champagne, chestnut/sorrel, cremello, red dun, palomino and silver dapple.

As with the human hair labels of blond, brunette and redhead, variations within these primary categories would take many more than twelve fingers to count. Toss in the white-pattern colors of gray, paint/pinto, roan and Appaloosa, and identification can render you colorblind!

To help you decipher the myriad of equine coat colors, we’ve grouped them based on the visual presence or absence of black points, then added a section for white-pattern colors. We’ve also given you a broad example of sire and dam color, in the form of a “sample genetic recipe,” that could produce such offspring. While breeding those-colored parents won’t necessarily guarantee you’ll get your chosen color, they’ll help you to hedge your bets. (For more information on color genetics, see “Genetics 101,” below.)

Black-Point Colors

All of the following colors can be narrowed down visually by their black manes, tails, legs and ear rims. (Tip: To avoid confusion, focus on leg color–manes and tails can fade in the sun.)

Bay: Body color ranges from reddish-brown to washed-out yellow, with or without a mix of darker or lighter hairs; dark eyes.

Sample genetic recipe: Bay X any color.

Sample variations on color:

• Blood bay: a rare dark, blood-red shade (almost purple).
• Cherry bay: medium shade of the very reddish of bays.
• Golden bay: a rare lighter, golden tone, rather than the typical bay.
• Mahogany bay: a bay so dark as to be nearly black.
• Sandy or light bay: a light, washed-out, yellowish shade of red.
• Sooty bay: dark shade of bay produced by the sooty effect (see “Glossary” below).
• Standard bay: reddish-brown medium shade without a mix of darker or lighter hairs.

Black: Has solid black body, legs, mane and tail; dark eyes. Note: Some black horses’ coats may fade in the sun; those that don’t are referred to as “jet” or “raven” black.

Sample genetic recipe: Black X any color; bay X any color (needs a bay parent carrying a recessive black gene).

Brown: Body is brown or black with lighter shades around the muzzle, eyebrows, quarters, flank and girth. These lighter areas are often called “mealy” (see “Glossary”). Dark eyes. Note: Brown is not considered a separate color in some registries, but rather a shade of bay.

Sample genetic recipe: Bay X any color; brown X any color; black X any color.

Sample variations on color: Seal brown: a black horse whose hair has a mealy look.

Buckskin: This dilute (see “Glossary”) version of bay can range from cream to a yellowish or orange shade; dark eyes. Although buckskins are often confused with duns, today “buckskin” is a term generally reserved for tan or yellowish-colored horses that have black points but lack a dun’s hallmark primitive markings (see “Glossary”). The term “zebra dun” is generally used to describe buckskin-colored horses with primitive markings.

Sample genetic recipe: Cremello X bay; buckskin X any color; palomino X bay; black X bay (black parent needs to have a recessive cream gene).

Sample variations on color:

• Dusty buckskin: a dark shade of brownish yellow.
• Golden buckskin: a dark shade of gold.
• Silvery buckskin: the lightest shade of buckskin, so light as to look almost silvery.
• Sooty (or smutty) buckskin: dark shade of buckskin due to a sooty effect (see “Glossary”).<
• Yellow buckskin: a medium shade of yellow; the “standard” buckskin color.

Grulla: This is a dun dilution of black or seal-brown hair that results in a slate-gray or mouse color. Look for a dark or black head, black primitive markings and dark eyes.

Sample genetic recipe: Grulla X any color; any dun X black; any dun X bay (if bay parent carries a recessive black gene).

Zebra dun: Horses are similar in body color to buckskin, but with primitive markings. They tend to be more of a tan shade than the lighter, clearer yellows of most buckskin horses. These are the most common group of linebacked duns (see “Glossary”).

Sample genetic recipe: Zebra dun X any color.

Sample variations on color:

• Coyote dun: black shading over the withers, back and hips, resembling a coyote’s coat; hence the name.
• Dusty dun: a rare beige body color that’s nearly grulla but lacks that color’s black or dark head.
• Golden dun: a deeper yellow shade.
• Peanut-butter dun: tan body color in a peanut-butter hue.
• Silvery dun: the palest shade of zebra dun.

Non-Black-Point Colors

Just as you can identify certain base colors via the existence of points, you can visually segregate the following by their lack of black points.

Champagne: This is a recent term for a dilution gene that affects hair and skin pigment. It causes red hair to go gold and black hair to become chocolate-colored. So while your horse may genetically carry the black factor, the champagne gene turns it to brown! (To help you visualize this effect, picture a chocolate Labrador Retriever versus a black Lab.) As a point of identification, keep in mind that the champagne gene always results in lightened skin that lacks black, and in amber-colored eyes (which can darken almost to brown with age).

Sample genetic recipe: Champagne or any champagne variation color X any color.

Sample variations on color:

• Gold champagne (genetically chestnut): golden-yellow body and legs; red/gold or white mane and tail. For years, these were called–and registered as–light-skinned palominos. Particularly light-colored horses in this shade can resemble cremellos, but the amber eyes tell the true story.
• Amber champagne (genetically bay): gold body; chocolate mane, tail and legs.
• Champagne (genetically black): khaki-colored body that can have almost greenish highlights; mane, tail and legs are chocolate. A strain in the Tennessee Walking Horse breed is famous for this color.

Chestnut/sorrel (see “Sorrel Versus Chestnut,” below): Reddish or copper-reddish body and legs are representative of the red factor. Mane and tail can be the same color, flaxen or almost black; dark eyes. In North America, chestnuts/sorrels are generally named by body shade only, ignoring mane and tail color. The exception is “flaxen chestnuts.”

Sample genetic recipe: Any color X any color (except cream colors).

Sample variations on color:

• Dark (or liver) chestnut: a liver- or chocolate-brown body, mane, tail and legs. Shades can vary within this subgroup and are sometimes referred to as “dark liver chestnut” and “light liver chestnut.”
• Flaxen chestnut: a chestnut body with a flaxen mane and tail.
• Light chestnut: also called “sandy chestnut”–a sand-colored body, mane, tail and legs.
• Red chestnut: copper-penny-colored or redder body, mane, tail and legs.

Cream or cremello: This double dilution of chestnut/sorrel results in a color so light as to be almost white. In many cases the coat is described as ivory; mane and tail are white or nearly so; skin is pale pink; eyes are always blue.

Sample genetic recipe: Palomino X palomino; palomino X buckskin; buckskin X buckskin; black X palomino; black X buckskin; black X black (in each case, black parents must have a hidden cream gene).

Sample variations on color:

• Perlino: same as cremello, except that small amounts of color (cream or coffee-colored) are retained in the mane, tail and lower leg. (Perlino is a double dilution of bay.)
• Smoky cream or smoky perlino: same as perlino, except that even more pigment is retained in mane, tail, lower legs and (in many cases) on the body.

Red dun: A dominant dilution gene results in tan to reddish-brown to yellow-colored horses that could be confused with chestnuts except for the presence of primitive markings (most commonly a dorsal stripe, or “lineback,” hence the general term “lineback duns”) and dark points. However, they lack the black points of a buckskin, grulla or zebra dun–a key point of differentiation. Mane, tail and legs can be darker than the body color; dark eyes.

Sample genetic recipe: Any color dun X any dun color; any dun X any color.

Sample shade variations on body color:

• Apricot dun: a pale peach-skin or apricot-skin hue.
• Claybank dun: a pale shade ranging from pale straw to yellow clay, characterized by a yellow cast to the hair; mane and tail are mostly cream or white.
• Sooty red dun: red dun with sooty effect.

Palomino: This color is actually the result of chestnut with a cream dilution factor. Look for a rich gold to clear-yellow body; manes and tails are generally white or pale; dark eyes.

Sample genetic recipe: Cremello X chestnut (will always produce palominos); cremello X any color; palomino X chestnut (you’ll get only chestnut or palomino); palomino X any color; buckskin X any color; black X any color (if black parent has a hidden cream gene).

Sample variations on color:

1. Isabelo: the palest palomino shade or dark cream with amber eyes.
2. Sooty (or smutty) palomino: black shading mixed with yellow body hairs; can be quite dark and difficult to distinguish from a chestnut.

Silver dapple: A dominant gene acts on black pigments (such as points) by lightening them. It leaves red body pigment unchanged but does lighten manes/tails in red horses. Now known simply as the “silver gene,” as only a minority of horses actually show dapples. Uncommon in North America, except in pony breeds (think chocolate-colored Shetland with a flaxen mane and tail) and such gaited breeds as the Rocky Mountain Horse.

Sample genetic recipe: Silver dapple X any color.

Sample variations on color:

• Silver-dapple bay: body red; mane and tail flaxen or mixed; legs light; eyes dark.
• Silver-dapple black: body chocolate-silver dapple; mane and tail flaxen or white; legs chocolate brown; eyes dark.

Patterns of White

Even though you may think of gray as a horse color, it’s actually considered to be a pattern of white hairs. Pinto/paint, roan, and Appaloosa are considered to be patterns characterized by white patches. Here’s how it breaks down.

Appaloosa (or spotted horses): There are lots of leopard-patterned horse breeds in the world, but Appaloosas are the best known, especially here in North America. The leopard pattern is a dominant gene that produces coat patterns characterized by dark or white spots, blankets and “varnish” (see below). Also characteristic of this factor are white sclera visible around the eyes, mottled skin pigment on the face and/or genitals and striped hooves. A sparse mane and tail can be typical of some Appaloosas.

Sample genetic recipe: Appaloosa X Appaloosa; Appaloosa X any color.

Sample variations on color:

• Blanket: a dark body with a blanket of white hair over the loins and hips, which may or may not contain darker spots; mane, tail and legs are dark; eyes are dark.
• Few-spot leopard: white body and legs with a few dark spots scattered throughout; white mane and tail; dark eyes.
• Frost: roaning-type white spread over the croup and hips; dark eyes.
• Leopard: white body and legs with numerous dark spots; mane and tail mixed; dark eyes.
• Snowflake: white patches up to nearly 3 inches across, scattered over a darker base color.
• Varnish roan: not actually a roan, but rather a manifestation of the leopard complex with a mixture of white and dark hairs. Bony areas (such as the face, withers, hip and stifle) are darker than the rest of the body; the exact opposite of the “frosty roan”.

Gray: This is a dominant pattern caused by individual white hairs. Such horses are normally born colored, then progressively acquire white hairs as they age; the body, mane, tail and legs are gray; eyes are dark. The speed with which graying occurs varies from horse to horse and from breed to breed. All gray horses eventually turn white or flea-bitten (see below). Some horses’ manes hold color longer than others, but eventually all turn white if the horse lives long enough.

Sample genetic recipe: Any gray X any color.

Sample variations on coat pattern:

1. Dapple gray: dark dappling that can be seen on some young gray horses before they “white out.”
2. Flea-bitten gray: small flecks of color (generally red or black) remain in the coat.
3. Iron gray: gray that lacks dapples.
4. Porcelain gray: older gray horses that are white with pigmented skin.
5. Rose gray: pinkish-gray body color; dark eyes. Not a permanent color, but rather a descriptive term for a stage of gray through which a bay- or chestnut-hued young horse may go through as he gets progressively grayer.

Pinto/Paint: Their coats are characterized by irregular, asymmetric patterns of white spotting. Any number of background colors can exist; mane, tail and legs vary depending on genetic coat pattern (see below); eyes can be dark or blue.

Sample genetic recipe: Any Paint/pinto X any color.

Sample variations on color:

• Overo: may be predominantly white or dark, generally characterized by dark feet and legs, with a head marked extensively with white. (Extensive white on an overo head has been linked to deafness.) Legs may have markings similar to those on solid-colored horses. White spots generally occur on the body’s and neck’s middle or sides and only rarely cross the topline between withers and tail. They tend to be irregular and are described as scattered or “splashy.” Mane and tail are usually one color; eyes may be dark or blue. (Caveat: Breeding overo to overo can result in a lethal genetic defect, called “Lethal White Syndrome”–see “Glossary.”)
• Sabino: an overo pattern that usually involves extensive white on the legs and face. Body spots are generally on the belly and appear as roan, speckled or (rarely) white patches with clean edges. Most sabinos are roaned or flecked. Mane and tail are colored or mixed white; eyes are dark or blue. Minimally marked sabinos lack body spots and have only white leg markings (such as “high white”–that which reaches to or extends over hocks and knees) and extensive facial white (such as that which dips under the chin). Such horses aren’t classified as spotted but can produce spotted offspring.
• Tobiano: generally has a dark color covering one or both flanks, with all four legs usually white below the hocks and knees; mane and tail are often white and dark. Spots tend to be regular and distinct as ovals or round patterns that extend down the neck and chest and usually cross the back. Head is usually dark, featuring markings like those of a solid-colored horse (star, blaze, etc.); eyes are usually dark. Note: Homozygous (see “Glossary”) tobianos generally throw 100 percent patterned coat.
• Tovero: a spotted blend of overo and tobiano characteristics.

Roan: A dominant genetic effect results in the intermingling of white hairs with the base-coat color throughout a horse’s body, but not on the points. True roans are said to be born roan or to shed out to that color when they lose their foal coats, rather than slowly progressing to it as with grays.

Sample genetic recipe: Any roan X any color.

Sample variations on color:

• Blue roan (roan over black): white hairs intermingled with black ones; dark eyes.
• Frosty roan: a distinctive and unusual roaning pattern characterized by an uneven mixture of white hairs (like a frost) mostly over the bony parts, such as the hips, down the spine and over the shoulders; dark eyes.
• Red roan (roan over bay): white hairs intermingled with bay ones; dark eyes.

So there you have it. A rainbow of equine colors — ones you can now identify.

For assistance with this article, the editors thank D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Genetics at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg; and Ann T. Bowling, PhD, of the University of California Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Davis, California.

Sorrel Versus Chestnut

Still confused? Here’s a simple rule of thumb: When the word “paint” or “pinto” is being used in a generic, descriptive sense, it doesn’t need capitalizing. However, when you’re referring to a horse that’s registered as a Paint Horse (another clue–the APHA prefers that nomenclature to help thwart confusion) or a Pinto, treat the term as a proper noun. (Example: “A Paint Horse called Impressive Spot won the Hunter Classic at last Saturday’s Happy Meadows Horse Show.”)

So…is your chestnut really a sorrel? Or is that sorrel really a chestnut? It depends—and it’s subjective.

Different breeds use the two terms to describe different genetic variations or shades of color. For instance, draft-horse breeders often reserve the term “sorrel” for chestnut horses with the mealy effect (see “Glossary”) superimposed. Other breeds, notably the American Quarter Horse, apply the term based on body shade alone: To them, “sorrel” refers to red or lighter chestnut shades, with or without the mealy effect.

A third approach, though rare, is to use the term “sorrel” to describe a light chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. The common link to the term “sorrel” seems to be its reference to lighter-colored chestnut horses–despite the fact that draft-horse fanciers and Quarter Horse aficionados each use different logic to arrive at that description.

Bottom line? Unless you’re into Quarter Horses or draft breeds, “chestnut” may be the term of choice, at least in a generic sense. Check with your breed registry, if applicable. They can tell you what colors they do and don’t recognize, so you can most accurately describe your horse’s color for registration purposes.

Paint or Pinto? What’s Right?

When is a pinto not a paint? When you’re referring to breed associations rather than color patterns. Even then, a Paint can sometimes be a Pinto, and vice versa. Confused? Here’s how it works.

The terms “paint” and “pinto” generally mean the presence of asymmetric white spotting patterns on the horse’s coat. In this generic sense, they’re often used interchangeably. Confusion over proper usage has lingered because in years past the term “paint” was used to describe a piebald horse (see “Glossary”). “Pinto” was used to describe a piebald or a skewbald (see “Glossary” again). No wonder we were mixed up!

The trend has been to drop those dated English color descriptions in favor of genetically distinctive coat patterns, such as overo and tobiano.

However, confusion still arises when “paint” and “pinto” are used to designate breed names. The American Paint Horse Association and the Pinto Horse Association of America add documentation of pedigree qualifications to genetic color patterns. The difference in eligibility between the two registries has to do with bloodlines:

Paint Horses (those registered by the APHA) are of Western stock type and are limited to equines of documented and registered Paint, Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred breeding. The PtHA registers similar stock-type horses and also allows for registration of Miniature Horses, ponies and horses derived from other approved breed crosses, such as Arabian, Morgan, Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse, plus some warmblood registries. Most Paint Horses can be double-registered as Stock or Hunter-type Pintos. (For more information, contact APHA here or PtHA here.)

Glossary

Allele: Either of a pair of genes located at the same position on both members of a pair of chromosomes, conveying characteristics that are inherited. (See “Heterozygous” and “Homozygous.”)
Base colors: Referred to as the building blocks of all equine color, these are black and red (chestnut/sorrel). They form the base from which all other colors can be built via genetic modifications.
Bend Or or Bend’Or Spots: Random dark spots on a chestnut/sorrel background, ranging in size from small to large, and generally dark red, brown or black in color. Can occur on other colored horses, but less commonly. Named after a Thoroughbred horse.
Blood marks: Large, distinct patches of color–usually red, hence the name–that can develop on gray horses as they age.
Dappling: Roundish-shaped clusters of lighter pigment surrounded by dark borders. Generally considered a reflection of good health. Most likely reflect blood-flow patterns in horse’s skin; also could indicate slight variations in hair texture and growth patterns, which make the dapples stand out.
Dilution: Different dilution genes literally “tone down” the intensity of basic body colors. For instance, a black affected by dilution becomes grulla; bay becomes buckskin; chestnut becomes palomino.
Dominant gene: A gene that can mask another gene, so its presence is revealed in every generation. (Compare to “recessive gene.”)
Heterozygous: A pair of alleles that aren’t alike on a single chromosome, hence not always breeding true to type for the color involved.
Homozygous: A pair of alleles that are identical on a single chromosome, hence breeding true to type for the color involved.
Lethal White Syndrome: A fatal condition that can occur when overo is bred to overo, producing a homozygous overo foal. Such foals are born healthy and vigorous, with solid white bodies and blue eyes. Not immediately apparent is the fact that they lack crucial nerves in the intestinal tract, resulting in a constriction through which material can’t pass. They generally die within three days. If you’re looking for color, breed your overo to a solid horse. You’ll have a 50-50 shot at netting a spotted foal–the same odds you’d have from breeding overo to overo, without the risk.
Lineback (also called “dorsal stripe”): A so-called “primitive mark” (see below) that’s darker than the base color, resulting in a stripe down the horse’s back. Generally associated with light colors, such as duns.
Mealy: A genetic modification that causes pale red or yellowish areas on the lower belly, flanks, behind the elbows, inside the legs, on the muzzle and over the eyes. An example of the mealy effect is that of an essentially black horse with a brown muzzle and other mealy markings (often referred to as “mealy-mouthed”); such a horse would be classified as seal brown. This effect can also apply to chestnuts in the form of multiple shades of red on the body.
Pigment: Color.
Piebald: An older English term used to describe any black-and-white-colored horse.
Primitive markings: Markings, darker than the base color, including dorsal stripes (lineback), a stripe over the withers (cross, or withers strip), bars on the hocks and/or above the knees (zebra or tiger stripes), and concentric rings on the forehead (cobwebbing or spiderwebbing). Most common in dun-colored horses, but can occur on darker colors, such as bay and chestnut. While they do occur in primitive breeds, these markings also occur in many highly developed ones.
Rabicano: Coloration similar to roan, except that white hairs are concentrated in the flanks; can be speckled in appearance. The tail base will also have white hairs; this is a hallmark of the rabicano. Also known as “skunk tail” or “white ticking.”
Recessive gene: A gene that can be masked by another, only to be revealed in future generations. (Compare to “dominant gene.”)
Skewbald: An older English term used to describe white spotting on any color other than black (see “Piebald,” above).
Sooty: Also known as “smutty.” A genetic modification in which dark shading occurs along the back, shoulder and croup, resulting in a horse that’s dark on top and light underneath, as though he’s been covered in soot.

Originally published in the January 2001 issue of Practical Horseman magazine.

“Everyone knows ShowSheen. It’s across all disciplines and is in everyone’s tack trunk because it’s great for shine and detangling,” she noted. “But I wanted to provide you with a little tidbit that I learned from a top five-star eventing groom.”

Tail care is a must at Ashker’s barn, and to get the best effect, she thoroughly sprays her horses’ tails with ShowSheen. Then, starting from the bottom, she uses her fingers to work the product into the hair all the way up to the dock and allows it to dry before brushing.

“This activates the detangling portion of the product, so that when you do go to brush out your horse’s tail, you won’t break any hair, which can eventually make the tail look thin and sparse,” she said. “This horse specifically has a fake tail, so I really want to avoid pulling or breaking those hairs, too. I also use the same treatment on my horses’ manes because of the great detangling effect it has on the individual hairs.”

In addition to using ShowSheen keep her horse’s manes and tails glowing and tangle-free, Ashker also applies it to her horses’ coats to bring out extra shine for the show ring. “I apply it to their coats when they’re still a little wet,” she said. “I think of it like a leave-in conditioner when you’re coming out of the shower, and it really creates that nice shine.”

Watch Ashker’s video below to learn how you can use her tips to keep your horse’s mane, tail and coat healthy and shiny.

About Laine Ashker

Five-star eventer and dressage professional Lainey Ashker has competed in numerous FEI competitions at the five-star level, including the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CC14* and the Defender Burghley Horse Trials CC15*. The horsewoman, who trains out of her Keystone Acres farm in Chesterfield, Virginia, also won the National Eventing Championship (Advanced Level) in 2013 aboard her long-time mount, Anthony Patch. More recently, she won her first CDI in May 2023 aboard her upper-level dressage horse, Zeppelin.  

This video is brought to you by Absorbine.

For More:

• Learn how to beat the bugs this summer with Laine Ashker’s top tips for fly control here.
• Gallop a CCI3* cross-country course with Ashker in this high-velocity GoPro footage, where she shares her strategies for tackling each obstacle over the challenging track at Maryland’s Fair Hill here.

These tasty horse-approved, fruit-and-veggie popsicles not only provide your horse with a cool, refreshing treat in the brutal heat, they can also help him stay hydrated, replenish electrolytes lost from sweat and keep him entertained during the dog days of summer.

Horse, Rider and PH Editor-Approved Recipe

When I first found this recipe based off a reader tip from years ago, I was a bit skeptical on palatability—would my horse actually enjoy a carrot-popsicle, thumb his muzzle at it or be peeved he couldn’t get to all the good stuff at once? So, I decided to try two varieties—apple and carrot—and put them to the test at my barn last weekend.

To my surprise, 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding Balou was thrilled with his frozen Honeycrisp apple-pop, gobbled it within a few bites and looked disappointed when he’d finished. Portia, a 19-year-old Thoroughbred mare with many strong opinions about all things, was equally pleased with her carrot popsicle, although with a higher ice-to-vegetable ratio in this version, it proved more challenging on the edibility side. (More tips on this below.)

Supplies

• Reusable or disposable plastic cups; or paper cups
• Fruits and veggies
• Toothpicks
• Water
• Knife
• Cutting board

Optional Add-Ons

• Popsicle sticks
• Ice-cube tray
• Bundt-cake pan
• Baling twine
• Electrolytes (powder of liquid form)

Ingredients

Depending on your horse’s taste palate, the following fruits and vegetables are safe (in moderation) to include in his frozen treats:

• Apples
• Apricots
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Grapes
• Green beans
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Pumpkin
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

Absolutely Avoid:

The following are not safe for you horse to consume:

• Avocados
• Cherries
• Cruciferous vegetables or plants from the cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts)
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Rhubarb
• Tomatoes

Instructions

Solo-Carrot Popsicles

• Position a large carrot, preferably one with a leafy stem (unlike my stem-less guy here), vertically in the center of a plastic cup.
• Use toothpicks (see photo) to keep the carrot centered.
• Use a watering can or add water to the cup directly from the tap.
• Freeze overnight.

Tips:

If you don’t live close to your barn, throw your popsicles in a cooler or an insulated cup/thermos like those made by Yeti to keep them frozen. (I live about 45 minutes from my barn and my pops stayed frozen in a cooler.)

To avoid the higher ice-to-veggie ratio I mentioned above, you can chop additional pieces of carrot (or other fruits or veggies) and add them to the bottom of the cup around the base of your carrot before you add water. This will make it easier for your horse to break the popsicle down into bite-sized pieces. You can also put the carrot-pop in your horse’s water tank/bucket or his grain bin to lick on.

Chopped Fruit-and-Veggie Popsicles

• Select your horse’s favorite variety of fruits and veggies.
• Chop as needed (blueberries, grapes and strawberries may not need to be cut).
• Add fruit and veggie medley to cup.
• Fill cup with water.
• Freeze overnight.

Tips:

In order to offer these popsicles to your horse without getting freeze-burn on your hands, add a popsicle stick to the center before freezing. As long as your fruit and veggie mixture is dense enough, you can easily position the stick so that it’s semi-centered.

If your horse is active throughout the summer and tends to lose vitamins and minerals through heavy sweating, consider adding liquid or powdered electrolytes, as well as water to your recipe. (See product instructions for dosage recommendations.)

Additional Frozen Edibles—Based on the Same Recipe

Mini-Frozen Horse Treats

• Chop fruits and veggies in smaller/finer pieces.
• Place them in an ice-cube tray (or muffin tin).
• Add water.
• Freeze.

Bring the trays out to the barn in a cooler to dispense at will. (You can even use these tiny versions for training treats on steamy days.)

Frozen Stall Lick

• Throw your fruit and veggie mix into a Bundt-cake pan (or any baking pan with a hole in the middle). You can add as many layers and different flavor combinations as you want.
• Add water (and electrolyte mix, if desired).
• Freeze.

Once you get to the barn, remove the frozen concoction from the pan, run baling twine through the center and hang in your horse’s stall or paddock to encourage delicious hydration while also keeping him entertained.

We hope your horse enjoys these frozen treats as much as Balou and Portia did!

For More:

• For more on how to protect your horse from intense heat, click here.
• Learn how to avoid common rider hydration mistakes here.

Nestled in the red and white pine forests of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, Traverse City Horse Shows at Flintfields Horse Park is ideally postured between Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay and Elk Lake and is home to 130 acres of pristine showgrounds that welcome more than 1,800 horses during the peak of its summer show season.

What started as a one-month, mid-summer show now spans over 13 weeks from June through September and hosts such prestigious events as the American Gold Cup, Longines FEI Jumping World Cup CSI5*-W and FEI North American Youth Championships with top riders representing 48 states and 26 countries, thousands of attendees and $7 million in prize money.

Since 2015, Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) management has continued to invest in the growth and modernization of the venue with the goal of transforming it into one of the premier venues for equestrian sport in North America. TCHS Communications Director Gary Howe says that every improvement aims to enhance the experience for the horses, riders and spectators.

“Riders like us in part, because the owners continually put revenue back into the park, and I think that’s reflected by the top-level riders we draw,” Howe said. “We have 12 weeks of competition where there is at least one Olympic rider here, as well as other five-star riders.”

Olympian and show-jumping legend Margie Engle has been coming to TCHS since the Morrissey Management Group took over the show’s management in 2015 and has brought many clients to the venue over the seasons. A longtime fan of Gene Misch’s jumping competitions, she feels the Morrissey group has provided an extension of what Misch started in the sport. “Gene was an innovator by starting the grand prix tour in America and did so much for the sport of show jumping,” she said. “The Morrissey group has basically carried on his legend.”

Engle appreciates the attention to detail TCHS provides for the exhibitors, horses, grooms and spectators alike, and that management constantly seeks feedback on ways they can continue to improve. “Traverse City has become a home away from home. Their organization and management is world class. They always hire the best people—whether it’s at the in-gates, the jump crew, the barn managers and everyone involved,” she said. “And their shows are extremely inclusive and have divisions for all levels—no matter what level of jumping you’re doing.”  

From its state-of-the-art show facilities catering to both horse and rider’s well-being, ever-improving amenities and cool summer climate to its superior management, tranquil scenery and proximity to a myriad of summer activities and fine dining, the Traverse City experience continues to attract thousands of riders while also captivating new audiences. Here, we take a look at what it’s all about.

Creating a Premier Summer Show Destination

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event in its entirety was known as the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival and lasted from four to six weeks. During the summer of 2020, however, when Michigan opened outdoor sporting events for competitors after pandemic restrictions had halted national and international sports during the spring, the show committee launched into action.

“The pandemic actually helped us expand. Even though we didn’t have spectators that summer, it helped us fast forward some growth plans that were already in the works,” Howe explained. “It turned out to be an amazing opportunity, and we added the Traverse City Spring Series, as well as the Tournament of Champions in the fall. Now, all together, we have 13 weeks of showing with 12 of those weeks being FEI competitions.”

Along with top riders, TCHS has also attracted a swath of upper-level events that continue to help boost their growth, including the FEI North American Youth Championship as well as a Nations Cup and three five-star grand prixs this year. “All of these things play into making sure that we are the premier summer show destination,” Howe said.

The expansion of TCHS also makes a significant contribution to the local economy each summer, with one 2021 study estimating the duration of that year’s show brought in roughly $130 million to the area. But even more important than the economic benefit, Howe, who grew up near the horse park, says the showgrounds have also had a positive cultural impact on the local community.

“This was always cherry country. And while it’s been transitioning for years, the community held on to their love for wide-open agrarian views,” he said. “These days, there are still cherry orchards, but also equestrian farms. And in a way it’s kept that same feel, which is a pretty good trade-off.”

Stay—and Show—Awhile: Why Riders Love TCHS

While Traverse City can be logistically challenging for riders in some parts of the country, Howe says a lot of people come up and stay for the summer. “Our average stay for competitors is over 30 days,” he said. “There are plenty of barns around the country who come and stay for the whole season.”

Now that Engle isn’t competing abroad as much, she stays in Traverse City and competes for most of the summer. And compared to the steamy temps in her homebase of Wellington, Florida, she says the weather in northern Michigan is second to none during their show season.

“It’s probably cooler here at this time of year than anywhere else in the world. Even places in Europe we used to go to have been warmer in recent years,” she noted. “I enjoy showing all over the world, but the weather here and the people in the Midwest are just really wonderful.”

International show jumper Hunter Holloway of Topeka, Kansas, who currently operates out of California, is also a TCHS regular and appreciates the management’s dedication to continual improvement.

“We come every year. You can’t beat the management and the facilities are top-notch. Every year they’re always doing improvements,” Holloway said. “You come back and there’s something new and better for the exhibitors, the horses, the spectators—all of it. Plus, you can’t beat the weather, and the downtown Traverse City area is amazing.”

For some, the event presents a family-bonding experience. Mom-and-daughter riders Amy and Eden Immerfall of Charleston, South Carolina, stay in the Traverse City area for the summers with the rest of their family and enjoy pursuing their equestrian passions away from home.

“It’s so much fun here. The staff is so nice and friendly, and the jumping courses were a lot of fun,” 12-year-old Eden, who is competing at TCHS for the second time, said. “The food is really great, too. I love the chicken tenders.”

Amy, who competed in the meter jumpers, enjoyed her first experience at TCHS this summer. “It’s so beautiful here and the weather is amazing. I also love that it’s all so walkable and feels small, but there are so many upper-level riders here,” she said. “You get to watch the best in world, and then you get to ride. It really feels like an honor to get to show here.”

State-of-the-Art Facilities and Easy Access

With thousands of horses, riders, grooms and support teams flooding in and out of Flintfields Horse Park throughout the summer, the venue has been expertly designed to facilitate both equine and human athletes, as well as their entourage of trainers, grooms and family.

The park is currently home to six permanent barns with modern, secure stabling, roomy stalls and ample storage space for those who stay long-term, and Howe says they aim to add two additional barns per year, simply based on construction limitations during the winter. During peak season, they expand the facilities across 18 temporary barns with 2,100 stalls. Turnout paddocks and shaded grazing and turnout areas are also available.

“We build in March and April and make sure all new construction projects are finished by May before people start moving in,” he said. “We’ve recently added new judges’ booths and we’re always updating the footing—refreshing or replacing it if needed.”

The park boasts a total of 15 rings including seven show arenas with premium GGT Footing, plus those for schooling and longeing, and additional facilities are constantly being added to meet the needs of growing international competition.

Another advantage of being in northern Michigan, Howe notes, is the natural sand footing around the grounds. “It drains really well naturally, but the FEI schooling ring and the FEI grand prix ring have a state-of-the-art pooling mechanism underneath, so it helps the arena dry quickly after rain,” he said. “Even if we have a big storm, a couple hours later after a quick drag, we’re back up and running.”

Engle appreciates continual improvements to the barns, stalls and footing and says management always keeps the horses’ well-being at the forefront of their plans. In these efforts, they recently opened a new area of expansive forest where riders can trail ride to give their horses a reprieve from the show environment.

“It’s a beautiful piece of land and gives the horses and riders a break to get off the showgrounds and wander around in a nice, open space in nature to relax,” Engle said. “We don’t’ get a lot of that at many places, so that’s a huge bonus.”

Through their partnership with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, TCHS recently opened this mile-long bridle path that runs south of the property. “It’s already become a rider favorite,” Howe laughed. “Margie isn’t the only one raving about it!”

All major show arenas have massive, high-resolution video boards with all classes being livestreamed daily on Clip My Horse. “The boss likes to brag that we have the second largest fiber network outside of the local hospital,” Howe laughed. “But that’s really important when we have the World Cup broadcast on CBS Sports. And last year, we had two competitions on ESPN 3.”

The airport is 10 minutes from the venue, and as for lodging, the horse park is 10 minutes south of Elk Rapids, and Traverse City—the hub of northern Michigan—is 15 minutes west with a plethora of hotels, motels, long-term suites and rental homes and condos. (There are even beachfront rental homes on nearby lakeshores.) Even closer to the park at just two miles down the road and with plenty of lodging options are the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel and the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

“It’s really convenient that everything is so close. I know there are plenty of shows where you’re off in the middle of nowhere,” Howe said. “Plus, there are lots of great restaurants in Traverse City. So, it’s a nice reward after putting in a 14-hour day at the show, you can be in a fine-dining establishment 10 minutes later.”

Among Engle’s many favorite restaurants in the Traverse City area, Forest—A Food Studio tops her list. The cozy eatery offers family-style seating and a seasonal menu that changes monthly. “It’s kind of like a food experience with tapas-style servings and is always fun because you get to meet people from all over the world and try different types of food including their pastas made from scratch. It’s all fantastic and definitely a unique dining opportunity.” (See “Good Eats: Dining in Traverse City” below for more recommendations.)

Broad Appeal: Fun for All

In addition to making TCHS a top destination for equestrians and their horses, Howe and the show management team strive to make the experience enjoyable for spectators who are new to the sport.

“I’m trying to bridge the gap between people who are new to equestrian sport and those who’ve been in the game for a long time,” Howe said. “Before, a lot of the messaging was really focused on the equestrian world. But the locals didn’t understand what we were talking about. You can’t really advertise for a grand prix or a five-star when people have no idea what that means.”

But Howe’s education efforts have paid off, and people in the local community have started to recognize the top level of equestrian sport in their backyard and are continuing to come back year after year and even cheer for their favorite horses and riders.

“There’s definitely nowhere else in Michigan where you can watch Olympic athletes compete all summer,” he said. “It’s such a beautiful destination and people come out and relax and have drinks with friends or grab a bite and sit in the sun and watch the action.”

Howe notes management’s efforts to create both a horse- and family-friendly atmosphere. “At major shows, the industry average is about 3.2 people per horse,” he said. “We have an average of five to six people per horse—mainly because we’re in northern Michigan and it’s such a great place to come in the summer that everyone brings their families.”

Equestrian or not, the venue offers a little bit for everyone with a wine museum, kids’ play area and plenty of notable nosh spots. Concessions include yummy quick-service staples like French fries, burritos and chicken tenders, as well as the uber-popular Great Lakes Lemonade stand and a rotating fleet of food trucks with offerings like pizza and acai bowls. Other on-site favorites for food and drink include the Cabana Coast Club, the Bonobo Bar (with wine offerings from their local vineyard) and One Trick Pony coffee bar with organic Higher Ground roasts.

In addition to their regular fare, this summer’s special events include a Farm to Stable Dinner Series with celebrity chefs including James Rigato, Sarah Welch and Joe VanWagner, along with local farmer and winemakers. “We wanted these dinners to have a distinctly local take on culinary creativity,” Howe said. “So, every menu will be designed with ingredients sourced from farms in northern Michigan.”

During her long stays in Traverse City over the summers, Engle has lots of non-equestrian family and friends visit and says, in addition to stopping by the show, they enjoy the multitude of outdoor activities and sightseeing opportunities in the area.

“We do everything from going to the wineries and enjoying the local history to hiking, sightseeing at the rock cliffs and sand dunes and renting a boat to go out on Torch Lake,” she said. “For those of who show regularly, we even have a weekly poker game in the VIP tent, which is always a fun social escape where we don’t talk horses for bit.”

While Howe says it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the local community that there’s a lot of money involved in the sport, he finds the people who work so hard and are 100% committed to their equestrian goals more paramount to the experience.

“There is so much passion behind this sport,” he said. “You’re not going to find anyone who works harder than people at horse shows—from every level. And I’m really trying to build an appreciation for that here.”

Click here to watch a video from Traverse City Horse Shows 2025.

“So often in our sport, you mess up or have bad luck or the wind blows the wrong way. There are so many things out of your control,” she said. “For everything to go right and hearing the crowd screaming after that last jump was just a magical feeling.”

Yet, even at the pinnacle of her career, Smith finds the art of horsemanship a lifelong process and is devoted to continuing her education every day. “Learning is such a crucial piece of the puzzle with horses and is one of the most rewarding aspects of training,” she said. “Horses don’t think like people do, so you have to learn how they think and process information. That way, you understand why they react the way they do.”

Like most eventers who achieve five-star success, Smith’s journey was rarely easy, but every road bump revealed a new layer to her edification in the sport. Whether she’s coaching a student, bouncing ideas off her peers, babysitting her granddaughter or fielding questions from reporters at the Kentucky Three-Day, Smith exudes kindness and a genuine passion for every pursuit in her life. She talks about what contributed to her success, balancing motherhood with her eventing career and breaking gender barriers in the sport.

Defining Success In a Sport Ruled by Murphy’s Law

After every competition, Smith journals about what worked and what didn’t and reflecting on decades of her notes, she found a common thread among the most successful people in the sport—use mistakes as learning opportunities. “That’s the key ingredient to success in eventing,” she said. “Use failures to your advantage, and eventually you start to see all these micro successes.”

Unlike many at the top of the sport, Smith never struggled with being afraid to fail. To her, mistakes are simply lessons to add to her training toolbox to help both her and her horses learn and improve.

“I work hard to never allow my ego to get involved. I simply try to learn what went wrong. I’m resilient, but I’ve been knocked down a lot and there have been times when it was a real struggle to get back up,” she said. “That’s why the mentality of not just looking at the end result but focusing on the substance of the journey is so important. You need to have the drive to make it happen, but in an empathetic way.”

 The Five-Star Grandma

When Smith had her daughter and now fellow eventer Kaylawna Smith-Cook in 1996, there weren’t many women riding at the five-star level who were simultaneously tackling motherhood. And she now jokes that she might be the only five-star grandmother, since Smith-Cook had her daughter Kennedy four years ago.

“As scary as it seemed at the time, I feel like having my kids has been such an advantage to my career. They helped me keep my work-family life balanced,” Smith, who is also mom to her 21-year-old son Tyler, said. “I had Kaylawna when I was so young that we really grew up together. During the hard times, she was my saving grace because I had this little support human depending on me who thought I was the world.”

Smith-Cook grew up riding under the tutelage of her mom, Australian show jumper Scott Keach and eventers Gina Economou and Bec Braitling. While she continues to help run Smith’s sales program at Next Level Eventing in Temecula, California, Smith-Cook now owns and operates her own training program, K. Smith Equestrian, and has a current string of exciting up-and-coming horses.

“I have a lot of pride in watching what Kaylawna has been able to do with her own career. It’s been amazing to see her cultivate a great group of owners and horses,” Smith said. “I’m really excited about that for her.”

While she admits it was challenging to stay in the “mom zone” during her daughter’s formative training years in the sport, Smith is grateful to her friends for offering up their expertise to the young, budding eventer.

“No one wants their mother telling them what to do in all aspects of their lives 24 hours a day. But we found a good balance so that I could be there to her support when she wanted my help,” she said. “It’s been amazing to watch Kaylawna grow and move up through the levels. And now being in the same sport together as adults I love bouncing ideas off her. One of my dreams is that she and I get to compete on a U.S. team together someday.”

Breaking the Mold

As one of the few five-star eventers to take on motherhood from a young age to being the first woman to win the Kentucky Three-Day Event since 2011 with her and Mai Baum’s 2023 victory, Smith has already made huge strides in breaking down gender barriers in a sport that’s predominantly been led by men.

“I don’t like to say that I’m at an unfair advantage being a woman in the sport because I genuinely don’t feel that way,” she said. “Equestrian is the only Olympic event where men and women compete equally, which is a testament to our sport in that it requires a high degree of skill and experience—not just strength.”

Smith notes, however, that as she’s gotten older, she has to hit the gym more than her male counterparts. “No matter how much we work out as women, we have to face the fact that men are naturally physically stronger than we are,” she said. “And if you’re galloping around a five-star cross-country track and aren’t on a Thoroughbred, strength matters.”

While women have undoubtedly made advances in the sport, Smith says the physical and hormonal changes that can affect muscle strength, bone density and energy levels they experience in their 40s and 50s is something that still needs to be addressed. And while most Olympic athletes don’t compete later in life, equestrians do.

“If you’re a woman my age going into an Olympic sport and are experiencing depleted hormone levels, you aren’t allowed to supplement or get help for those issues,” she said. “Men don’t go through that. So that, to me, is an unfair advantage.”

Smith, who had additional challenges after being diagnosed with uterine cancer in her late 20s and having a hysterectomy at 30, points out that for some women, those changes happen even sooner in life.

“I really think we need to look at this and figure out how to fix it for other women coming up in the sport,” she said. “Because as we all know, we become better riders, competitors and horsemen and women with more experience, and age is part of that equation.”

For More:

• Read more about Tamie Smith, here.
• To listen to our recent podcast with Smith, click here.

This article first appeared in the summer 2025 issue of Practical Horseman.

General Rule Changes

GR402.1 Testing: The Board approved changes to this rule allowing the Federation to test hair in addition to blood and urine from horses. Hair testing allows regulators to detect certain prohibited substances such as barbiturates (including the euthanasia drug) more readily and for a considerably longer period of time than blood or urine. This change, effective July 1, 2025, is intended to help detect and discourage the use of banned substances. A full list of banned substances will be published prior to rule implementation. 

GR843 Veterinary Services on Competition Grounds: This new rule that becomes effective December 1, 2025, will require veterinarians treating horses on competition grounds to register with the Federation, though it would not mandate they become US Equestrian members. The purpose of this change is to ensure event organizers have contact information for practicing veterinarians in the event they need to issue communication about disease outbreaks, biosecurity, and best practices for rule compliance. 

Referred General Rule Changes

Changes to Chapter 3 regarding Hunter/Jumper competition mileage and points, GR803 regarding whip use, GR843 regarding blood on a horse, and GR848 regarding return to competition were referred to upcoming meetings later this year, as the Board wanted additional work on the proposals before voting. 

Presidential Modifications

Under GR153, modifications to the application of Federation rules may be made by the President. These are applicable only for the duration of the current competition year and are intended to be followed by a formal rule-making process.   

One Presidential Modification was approved and impacts two rules dealing with horse collapses at Hunter, Jumper, and Hunter/Jumper Competitions. The intent is to ensure our equine partners receive appropriate care and are fit to compete before they return to the ring after an unexplained collapse. This Presidential Modification will address our concerns about the impermissible administration of substances and ensures there is sufficient time for a licensed veterinarian to examine the horse and evaluate their fitness to compete.

Effective July 1, the following changes will apply:

GR122 Falls: Language will be added stating that “in the disciplines of Hunter, Jumper, Hunter Jumper Seat Equitation disciplines, a horse is considered to have fallen when, while it is not being ridden, any part of the horse’s body, except for the hooves, unintentionally touches the ground or an obstacle and the ground, even if the horse stands back up afterward.” 

GR849.8 Collapse Rule: This rule will be modified to state that any horse/pony who collapses at a Hunter, Jumper, or Hunter/Jumper competition is barred from competing for a minimum of seven (7) days afterward, and is not permitted on the grounds of a Federation-licensed competition during that time. The horse may compete again only if a licensed veterinarian files a form with the Federation attesting the horse has been examined and is fit to return to competition. 

The return to competition form for horses after a collapse is available here. A list of frequently asked questions about the change is available here. 

During US Equestrian’s horse welfare town hall held earlier in June, officials sought feedback on modifications to the collapse rule which would have barred a horse from return to competition for 14 days. Stakeholders expressed that a seven-day ban combined with required removal from the show grounds would likely be more effective. As the federation continues to consider possible welfare rule changes, we welcome additional input sent to feedback@usef.org.   

Position Statements

The Board approved position statements for the organization on Equine Overuse and on Equine Safety and Welfare.  

The Equine Safety and Welfare statement emphasizes US Equestrian’s commitment to ensuring horses are fit to compete, maintaining optimal conditions for equine welfare, increasing uniformity, integrity and clarify through oversight, providing lifetime care for horses, and sharing information that enhances safety for every horse, every day.  

The Equine Overuse statement acknowledges the growth of competition calendars in several disciplines, which has resulted in more opportunities for horses to compete frequently. US Equestrian wants to make sure horses are assessed regularly for signs of discomfort related to overuse and that the highest standards of care and treatment are in place to protect them. 

Other Noteworthy Rule Changes

Here’s why: Our national and international competition committees are continually raising the technical requirements of our sport, and our elite riders keep raising their proficiency. Part of their proficiency is based on the number of hours they spend daily in the saddle—most of which are sponsored. They are getting paid to practice. At the same time, the rising cost of riding and training makes it more and more difficult for you to develop your talents and perfect your skills.

Although it’s generally accepted that 10,000 hours of practice is necessary to reach elite levels of performance, the sad fact of the matter is that if you’re able to ride one horse a day, five days a week, it will take you a long time to log that 10,000 hours. Instead, you are going to spend a lot of your time hanging over the arena fence watching other riders while wishing you could be out there competing and improving.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that, as Yogi says, you can observe a lot just by watching … and thereby improve your riding. There’s a catch, however: You have to make sure that you’re observing and not just watching because there is a difference.

It Begins With Books

If it’s a given that you’ll have to develop the ability to learn by observation, then you must make sure that you’re watching the right things. Let me put it to you in a different way: If you want to develop your skills, you must learn to short-circuit the usual heuristic (learning by trial and error) process historically associated with learning to ride at an elite level.

There are several steps toward developing the ability to observe, to learn and to apply what you have learned. First, it will accelerate your learning process greatly if you have a sound understanding of the technical basis for modern riding. For example, what are the leg and rein aids? Where, when and how are they applied? Even though you may not yet be able to apply what you observe, you need to understand why certain things are happening.

You can find the answers to your questions by endless trial-and-error on your own, by taking extensive and expensive lessons or by reading books on the subject. While you cannot learn to ride solely by reading books about riding, you can certainly take advantage of the advice contained in good books.

Why not videos? Most of the videos I’ve seen are excellent, but most assume prior knowledge on the viewer’s part, which means you need to turn the pages in a book before you turn to videos as an aid to learning. Once you understand what is good and bad, video is an excellent learning tool. It enables you to watch the same exercise or competition again and again, using slow-motion and stop-action functions to analyze each step or stride of the horse and each action of the rider.

If the video is about a high-level show-jumping competition, and a horse has a knockdown or refusal, watch it again and again, trying to observe what happened to cause the mistake. When you watch videos of your own riding, avoid the temptation to concentrate on the winning performances; instead, watch your errors endlessly. The next time you ride, make sure you can prevent that mistake from happening.

Learning to Observe

One of the best things I ever learned from former U.S. show-jumping coach Bert de Némethy was to analyze what caused a mistake and to recognize when in a series of actions the mistake occurred. I was standing behind Bert one day, watching as usual, and a horse jumping a schooling course knocked down the front rail of a square oxer.

“So, Jimmy, where did the knockdown occur?” I immediately answered, “At the square oxer.” Bert replied, “No, it happened three fences before that, at the triple bar. The rider did not rebalance his horse after the big spread, and he was too much on his forehand to jump the oxer clean.”

At that moment, I understood that it was possible to observe far more than I had previously realized. My observational powers started to develop, and I no longer had to make a mistake in order to learn from it.

If you are one of those people who must learn everything yourself, all I can say is “good luck.” It is a positive attribute to learn from your mistakes, but you should not insist on making every mistake yourself because there are too many possibilities for error as we learn to ride. When you read a book, watch a video or observe a good rider, you are learning from someone who has already made innumerable mistakes. Profit from their experiences!

Before we get down to specifics, we need to discuss how to observe. When you first start to watch for the purpose of instruction rather than enjoyment, everything is a blur. The horse and rider have a knockdown or a refusal or a dressage movement goes badly wrong, and you are left to ask yourself, “What happened?” What happened is that you tried to see everything at once—and consequently ended up not seeing much of anything.

Instead, practice at first watching one particular part of the whole system. For example, concentrate on watching a horse’s left hock for several moments while you ignore the rest of the dressage test. Chances are that you will, for instance, notice a loss of regularity in the hind legs just before the horse comes above the bit.

Next, watch one front foot and try to determine how it and the opposite hind foot work together, and what happens when they are not harmonious. If you isolate various parts of the horse’s body and concentrate your observations on each aspect alone, you will eventually be able to “see” the whole body of the horse and understand how each part interacts to produce the performance you are watching.

Then, the next time you train your horse in dressage, you might feel the irregularity of his hind legs and know he is about to come above the bridle. This time, however, you will improve his engagement to keep him on the bit rather than pull on the reins in an attempt to “keep his head down.” You learned this valuable lesson without going through the hours of instruction that would have otherwise been necessary.

Education Through Observation

If you are unable to compete, go to an event as a spectator and sit on the rail of the warm-up arena. Devote 10 minutes to observing each horse’s eyes as he approaches an obstacle, ignoring the rest of the horse’s body. Try to feel what the horse sees and when he decides how he is going to meet the fence. Most horses make their decision long before the average rider “sees her stride,” which explains why coaches who insist that riders keep the rhythm in the final approach are successful. A horse traveling in rhythm is in balance, and balanced horses jump to the best of their abilities.

When does a horse jump well? Does he jump well when he is brought to the fence on the bit, just as in dressage? Or is he better when he has the plane of his face at roughly a 45-degree angle to the ground as he approaches? I think you can find the answer, but you have to observe carefully, not just watch.

When you watch cross-country, make sure to observe riders over both a combination and a single “fly” fence designed to be jumped at a high rate of speed. Again, concentrate on one thing at a time. Try to decide the correct place for the necessary speed change before the combination and the correct approach speed. At the fly fence, watch the riders’ actions in the approach. Do they sit down or do they sit back, and why? Which works better?

In all of these instances, make sure you imagine yourself in the saddle and mentally rehearse your actions based on your observations. I think this technique of observing explains in part why a skilled rider can get on a totally strange horse and immediately ride the horse better than his usual rider. The skilled rider has been watching—observing—hundreds of horses like the one she just got on, and she is mentally prepared to ride it.

We cannot spend all our time in the saddle, but we can observe carefully while grounded so as to be ready when the chance to ride presents itself.

For more with Jim Wofford, click here.

Microchips are increasingly becoming a standard part of responsible horse ownership. They serve to help positively ID your horse during natural disasters, disease outbreaks, theft and paddock escapes and offer other benefits. And, in some disciplines and jurisdictions, microchips are now required for competition or registration.

So, we’re curious! Is your horse microchipped or are you considering one?

PH Gallop Poll:

Read about microchip rules for hunters and jumpers, including in USEF and USHJA competition, here.