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Nov 12, 2022
10 Tips from the USEA Membership to Help You Survive Winter
For many of our members, winter is right around the corner (and for some of our Northern members, winter might already be upon you!). While some eventers head south for warmer weather in the winter months, a large part of our membership huddles down at home and use the winter months as an opportunity to rest from the season behind them or prepare for the season ahead. We asked our members what some of their favorite winter weather hacks around the barn were to help you make the most of the winter season.
Tips For You
Kristen W: " Put rubber dishwashing gloves over your normal gloves to fill waters, break ice, etc. Warm and dry hands make a huge difference!"
Free Rein Equine LLC: " Keep your water troughs filled halfway and place a 12" rubber play ball in each trough. The ball will move with the airflow and keep your trough from freezing. No airflow? Simply lift the ball from the trough for easy access to the unfrozen water! Perfect for field boarding and when horses are turned out. Let Mother Nature help you!"
Tanya A: " Bringing out a hot drink to the barn for motivation and layer up!"
Katy N: " Wool socks and insulated boots."
Ariel W: " Ororo heated vest is the best way to stay warm and not freeze!"
Elise S: " We love having a microwave in the barn for bit warmers and to keep our coffee/tea/hot chocolate warm!"
Tips For Your Horse
Kelner Equine Services: "Winter is a great time to work on groundwork or hack out in the deep snow. If we end up at an indoor lots of creative pole work, obstacle work, and don’t forget transitions, transitions, transitions!"
Kristian R: " Hot toweling the horses before and after rides is my favorite. I lose bit warmers so I always hang my bridle around my neck under my coat so it’ll warm up."
Melissa H: "We like to give our ponies a month off for Christmas, then lots of hand walking with bands to work on core strength. Plus some fun riding in the snow and plenty of groundwork."
Ashley H: " We live in Colorado. The trace clip is my best friend. I love for my horses to live out as much as possible, so with a full clip they get a bit cold, but we still do work in the winter because we have a nice large indoor."
Dec 23, 2024
Education
Saddle Fit Simplified
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
Dec 22, 2024
USEA Foundation
Top Tips for Applying for a USEA Foundation Grant
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
Dec 21, 2024
Education
3 Ways to Help Eventing Thrive in 2025
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Dec 20, 2024
Sponsor
“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
