Lateral work is helpful in strengthening and suppling the equine body, and in teaching the horse more advanced moves in performance. Most people start moving a horse’s shoulders and hips sideways from the saddle. For example, they might ride to an arena corner, face the corner, and ask with their outside leg behind the girth and steady hands for a turn on the forehand. For a turn on the haunches, they would follow a similar procedure, placing the horse’s hind end in the corner then using their inside hand and outside leg at or slightly in front of the girth for a turn on the haunches. You ..read more

Tamie Smith has elected to withdraw veteran partner Mai Baum from the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event CCI4*-S this week. Smith made history last year when she won the 5* division in Kentucky on the black gelding (aka, Lexus). It was her career first 5* title and the first win for an American woman since 2005.   The pair were the favorites to win the CCI4*-S in the bluegrass state this year, but have been sidelined due to a minor injury. Wrote the American eventer on Instagram: “Sadly, Mai Baum will be sitting out this Kentucky 4S and resting up for an exciting summer. They say timing ..read more

Just call him the Robert Downey Jr. of show jumping.   Last weekend at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Riyadh, Sweden’s Peder Fredricson finished third aboard the 18-year-old Catch Me Not S in a field that included a handful of the best horse and rider combinations on the globe. Ironically enough, the gelding’s “senior” status may actually be the least interesting thing about him. Despite “Charlie’s” steely-grey good looks and seemingly reserved personality (not to mention the veritable ease with which he clears highly technical, 1.60m tracks), in his younger days, Catch Me No ..read more

“He’s due for work.” “She might need injections.”   “It’s time for some routine maintenance.”  They’re all different expressions for the same, common veterinary treatment in horses. For many equine athletes, joint injections are an important part of a regular, veterinary care program. The reason for that is simple: in competitive horses, or those with an injury, injections can help to prevent osteoarthritic pain; both now and, ideally, in the future.  “When we look at joint pain, it’s a feedback loop,” says Dr. Beau Whitaker, a Texas-based sport horse veterinarian and certi ..read more

Four gruelling rounds. Four foot perfect performances. King Edward and Henrik von Eckermann were at the top of their game in Riyadh. The world no. 1 horse and rider pair didn’t just successfully defend their Longines FEI World Cup Final title in Saudi Arabia, they left no question about it, leading from start to finish without dropping a single rail all week. “It’s amazing. It’s something I could never dream of when I was younger that I would be two times winning after each other,” said the exhausted and delighted Swede on Saturday. von Eckermann might not have imagined it, but the Jumpr stats ..read more

One of only two 19 years on the start list, USA’s Skylar Wireman was among the youngest riders to qualify for the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Riyadh. She was also on one of the youngest horses in 10-year-old Tornado. Partnered for less than a year, the young American made her championship debut for Team USA last week. And they didn’t disappoint. In Wednesday’s opening speed round, Wireman and the Swedish Warmblood gelding finished 10th against world-class talent. But by Thursday’s jump off class, their greenness showed in an uncharacteristic 16 faults. At 1.60m, the pair avera ..read more

Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward retained their crown at the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final, winning every leg over three days of championship jumping in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Heading into Saturday’s fourth and final round, the world no. 1 and his chestnut phenom had a rail in hand. Four faults and they’d force a jump off with speed specialists Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Dubai du Cedre. A clear would mean victory. And they delivered. If not the smoothest round they’ve ever done, one of the most significant. “It’s amazing,” said the Swede of winning back-to-back Finals ..read more

Patrick Kittel has eight times contested the FEI Dressage World Cup Finals. Eight times, since 2010, he’s finished in the top 10 and with five different horses. Twice, he just missed the podium. Kittel was fourth at the 2016 World Cup Final in Göteborg on Watermill Scandic and again in the 2018 Paris Final aboard Deja. This year, he returned with a new World Cup partner in Touchdown and, on his ninth try, scored a “touchdown” 14 years in the making. In Wednesday’s Grand Prix, Kittel was second on a score of 73.292 behind Lottie Fry (GBR) and Everdale. It was his then best World Cup finish. “I ..read more

Shockwaves were sent through the FEI World Cup Finals for the second day in a row. World Cup favorites Lottie Fry and Everdale, leading by a 2% margin after Wednesday’s Grand Prix, were eliminated in Riyadh prior to contesting Friday’s medal deciding Freestyle after judge Hans-Christian Matthiesen (DEN) spotted blood the horse’s mouth. Under the FEI blood rule, fresh blood in a horse’s mouth or in the area of the spurs results in an automatic elimination. From the FEI: British athlete Charlotte Fry and her horse Everdale were eliminated from the Grand Prix Freestyle competition today at the F ..read more

When I think of summer Olympic sports, I think of track and field, swimming, gymnastics, equestrian and a few other staples. But now because I have successfully made it to middle-age, I look at some of the new sports being introduced and I think how seemingly unsuitable. Skateboarding for one and new to the 2024 lineup is what they call “breaking,” which is what we call breakdancing. Yes, I’m aware there’s a lot of skill involved with both athletic endeavors and yes, there are probably just as many injuries in these sports as any other. It just seems to me that these sports are a little bizarr ..read more