Germany: Competitors jump into hobby horse championships

AP Photo/Michael Probst

Columbian.com - Full Article

Germany’s first hobby horsing championship has got underway in Frankfurt this weekend with hundreds of young riders competing in time jumping, style jumping and dressage on their wooden stick horses

By STEFANIE DAZIO and DANIEL NIEMANN, Associated Press
Published: September 21, 2024

FRANKFURT, Germany — Germany’s first hobby horsing championship got underway in Frankfurt last week, with hundreds of young riders competing in time jumping, style jumping and dressage on their wooden stick horses.

Roughly 300 riders — mostly youngsters, but there are about 20 adults enrolled — were expected to canter around a gymnasium Saturday and Sunday, watched by 1,500 spectators. The competition is part of a growing wave of hobby horsing events internationally: the United States and Australia also held their first championships this year.

“Hobby horsing just gives me self-confidence and I just enjoy doing it with other people,” said Max Gohde, a 15-year-old competitor from Gifhorn, Germany, who has been practicing since 2020. “And now there’s also this atmosphere here, where everyone is just happy for you. And I think that’s just really cool.”

The events stemmed from a grassroots movement in Finland, where riders trotted their hobby horses through Nordic forests more than 20 years ago...

Read more here:
https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/sep/21/competitors-jump-into-hobby-horse-championships/

How to Lose Friends and Irritate People at your next Endurance Ride

April 1 2024
by Tamara Baysinger

TheSweatyEquestrian.com - Full Story

Do you struggle with being too nice? Do people insist on thinking the best of you?

It’s your lucky day! This post offers exclusive tips for how to lose friends and irritate people at your next endurance ride.

Before the Ride

When you arrive in camp, block the main road for at least ten minutes while you get the lay of the land. Then, park in the middle of the vetting area. Start unpacking quickly so you can look extra harassed when the ride manager asks you to move.

Build a really big electric pen for your horse. This is most effective if parking is limited.

You didn’t turn that electric fence on, did you? Good, because it’s important that your horse escape at least once. When he does, you should shout and wave your arms while he gallops through camp. Bonus points if other horses break loose and join the stampede.

At the pre-ride meeting, be sure to talk loudly while the manager goes over the trail...

Read more here:
https://thesweatyequestrian.com/how-to-lose-friends-and-irritate-people-at-your-next-endurance-ride/

Cool Costumes for a Happy Horsey Halloween

(anastasianess/stock.adobe.com photo)

By: Kim Izzo | October 28, 2022

HorseSport.com - Full Article

Is your barn throwing a costume party, or do you just love dressing up for fun? Here are some wicked good ideas.

As All Hallows’ Eve approaches, many of us will be tempted to create elaborate costumes that reflect the times, as well as our personal tastes in pop culture and horror. And after two years of lockdown, getting out and mingling with our fellow humans is long overdue.

We horsey folks have an incredible opportunity to design and make original costumes that involve ourselves and our horses and ponies. Classic horror characters such as The Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one such example. We scoured social media to find the most popular, scary, and funny horse-and-rider costume combos.

If you do decide to try one of these at home, ensure that you and your horse are in a safe environment, because sometimes even the most bombproof horse confronted by accessories like wings, sheets, or hats can get spooked! And if you’re not sure your costume is PC, check out US Equestrian’s The Inclusion Playbook, a guide to common costume pitfalls to avoid which can sometimes make people feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or unwelcome...

Story and photos:
https://horsesport.com/magazine/equine-ownership/cool-costumes-happy-horsey-halloween/

Over the Top: Gucci Equestrian Helmets

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

If you're looking for an unusual gift or need to make a big fashion statement, these could fit the bill. You're welcome.

By: Kim Izzo | December 21, 2021

If you’re wondering what holiday gift to buy for the equestrian who has everything, the House of Gucci has you covered. The fashion brand has a historical connection to horses and riding; their iconic snaffle bit is used in loafers and as prints on bags, scarves, you name it. Or as the Gucci website explains, “Equestrian references date back to the 1950s, when Guccio Gucci first developed the Web stripe and Horsebit hardware. The House’s roots are continually revisited in new and unexpected ways.”

Now, about those unexpected ways… Current in-house designer Alessandro Michele has served up two equestrian chic offerings for the fashionista horse person in your life (or perhaps that’s you)...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/over-top-gucci-equestrian-helmets/

The Ten Stages of Ride Organising

EGB.myclubhouse.co.uk - Full Article

Blog Admin
14 June 2021

Thinking of organising a ride? You will go through these ten stages.....

The ten stages of ride organising

1) Naïve excitement. You have an embryonic route which you think people will enjoy. Alternatively, an existing ride organiser has managed to persuade you to take on their ride (alcohol is normally involved in this ‘delegation’ process). This is the fun bit, checking the route out, working out if it is a go-er, imagining how much people will enjoy riding the tracks.

2) The serious stage. Doing the sums, sending off the forms

3) Nervous excitement. Seeing your ride in the schedule for the first time...

Read more here:
https://egb.myclubhouse.co.uk/Cms/Spaces/NEWS/Main+Blog/The+Ten+Stages+of+Ride+Organising

Equestrian Aventuresses Horse Podcast Ep 136: Riding Bras - Keeping the Ladies Secure!

EquestrianAdventuresses.com - Listen

by Heather
May 19, 2021

Next to your helmet, a good Riding Bra is a must for every equestrian. In todays’ episode, Heather reaches out to a local lingerie shop to find out all about how to keep the ladies secure and comfortable. We learn about the different Riding bras in reference to styles, fit, when to replace and how to clean them. Heather also gives a review on a few brands as well as options for sizing. Riding bras are a crucial part of your equipment so ensuring that you have a good one is our goal.

Don't miss this episode!

Listen:
https://equestrianadventuresses.com/2021/05/19/horse-podcast-ep-136-riding-bras-keeping-the-ladies-secure/

Caffeine, an Endurance Rider's Best Friend

JudyShatir - Retackling the Tevis Blog - Full Story

Tuesday, April 13, 2021
by Judy Houle

Ever start a ride out without caffeine? Once on the Swanton 100, my new cigarette lighter powered coffee maker refused to work, and I mounted my horse caffeine-less, and instructed him to do the driving until I woke up. He had done the ride before, luckily, so it was no problem for him.

As I approached to first stop at about 30 miles I realized that if I didn't find a form of caffeine at this stop I was going to be in big trouble due to caffeine addiction. I wouldn't just get a headache, I was in danger of getting a migraine. As if endurance riding wasn't hard enough, that kind of pain would be a deal breaker.

So I mention this to a rider who was trotting along beside me, and she said, "oh, I have just the thing for you!" and pulled out a double caffeine Powergel packet. She said, take this, it'll straighten you right out". These things are designed to hit your bloodstream in 10 minutes and give you instant energy. I downed it and literally, ten minutes later I went BING!! my head popped up, and I was a new person! They weren't kidding. So I've been using them ever since (another brand is called GU) both before, and in the latter parts of the ride to stay awake...

Read more here:
http://judyshatir.blogspot.com/2021/04/caffeine-endurance-riders-best-friend.html

13 Normal Objects Spooky Horses are Irrationally Afraid Of

IHeartHorses.com - Full Article

by Amber King

As prey animals, horses are experts at spooking. Some can be trained out of it, but every now and then, we meet a horse that is literally afraid of its own shadow. They spook every time the wind blows, and this can make riding and training particularly challenging. If you have one of these scaredy-cat horses in your barn, you know what we’re talking about. You have to learn what sets them off, and it’s best if you learn fast.

Have you ever met a horse that’s terrified of these ordinary, non-life-threatening objects?...

Read more here:
https://ihearthorses.com/13-completely-normal-objects-spooky-horses-are-irrationally-afraid-of/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Another+Grand+Prix+Win+for+Farlinger+%7C+New+Horses+for+Eric+Lamaze+%7C+Submit+Your+Questions+for+EC+AGM&utm_campaign=HS-Enewsletter2019-Wednesday-Sept+2%2C+2020

Amazon Pivoting to Pony Express Style Delivery

HorseNetwork.com - Full Article

Liz Brown
April 17, 2020
Satire. SATIRE PEOPLE!

Amazon is looking to hire hundreds of horses and riders to help meet increased demand for deliveries during the coronavirus pandemic.

Following reports the company will be hiring 75,000 more workers, Amazon announced this week that it is bringing back the Pony Express to increase their delivery capacity across the western United States.

“My family has been waiting generations for this to happen,” said William Cody Jr., a rancher from Leavenworth, KS. who is supplying Amazon with a string of horses for the venture. “My great-great-great grandad would be so proud...”

Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2020/04/amazon-pivoting-to-pony-express-style-delivery/

New Winter Sport: DEATH TO THE ICICLES!

by Pam Haynes
January 7 2017

With a cabin feverish mind and the prospect of still more snow, one must strive to find new exercises, both physical and mental, to keep oneself from going stark raving bonkers.

The news stations have been feeding us a steady diet of potential roof issues, things like "roof dams", "buckling and sagging" and the sure knowledge that a roof never designed to handle this kind of snow load might have a "catastrophic failure."  Needless to say, in my world, climbing up on a roof with an inch thick layer of ice under a foot of snow, maybe to attack the ice with an anemic hair dryer or even an ice pick, isn't going to happen.

I have however stumbled across a wonderful new aerobic exercise called icicle whacking.  The goal is simple, i.e., to eliminate the five plus foot icicles hanging off my ancient roof, which have gone from being beautiful and soothing to becoming vicious swords, projecting evil death ray thoughts into my snow bound addled brain.

My ice whacking tool of choice is a simple shovel handle (minus the shovel) which for some reason I didn't toss out after said shovel busted.  Lightweight and long, it is the perfect tool for attacking said icicles.  First of course, after dressing for the subzero weather (which is quite aerobic on its own), one must wade through up to three feet (I am NOT exaggerating) of snow covering what used to be a lawn, so you can get close enough to start icicle whacking.  Then with swings worthy of Babe Ruth, DEATH TO THE ICICLES!!!  (Be careful that you don't get too enthusastic with the swing, otherwise you might find yourself on your well padded rear end, trying to stand up while buried in a three foot snow berm.)

The noise and impact are quite satisfying.  Be warned, I advise wearing some sort of glasses to avoid the inevitable shards of flying ice, and do NOT stand too close or you risk being impaled.

So when every day chores of shoveling snow, peeling apart frozen bales of hay, trying to scoop frozen horse poop, filling the water troughs, trying to feed beet pulp before it freezes, shoveling more snow, trying to start the truck, worrying about the water to the house freezing, living in terror of trying to deal with a sick horse (knowing your trailer is firmly encased in several feet of snow) and shoveling still more snow aren't enough, there's always ICICLE WHACKING!!!  

DEATH TO THE ICICLES shall be our rallying cry!!!