United States Eventing Association

It’s back-to-school season, but it’s not just school students who need to be thinking about schedules. Whether you’re gearing up for fall eventing competitions or winding down from a summer season peak, now is a great time to incorporate more schooling outings into your horse’s program.

You wouldn’t have to do an extensive search to find many ways to utilize pole exercises to benefit horses in training and development, so this article is going to look at pole exercises in a different way—how can we use them to benefit rider development and in all three phases.

Sooner or later we’re all going to experience something that’ll leave us feeling a bit uncomfortable, doubtful or even afraid. High-velocity sports like riding often creates these kinds of emotions, but it’s the unpredictable nature of our horses that really fire the fear in many of us.

“Nobody in their right mind would start coaching riders again after enjoying such a nice, long career away,” said Cass Kordecki with a laugh as she helped pack her 12-year-old daughter Rachel Strong up to attend the Catalpa Corner Charity Horse Trials (Iowa City, Iowa). Kordecki, who is in her mid-50s now, began her eventing journey in the ‘80s, but life took her away from the sport for a while until her daughter showed a love for horses at a very early age.

You’ve made it to your horse trial, your horse is settled, your equipment is unloaded and organized, you have checked in with the secretary, and everything is good to go–now what? It’s probably a good time to go on a little walk around the facility and familiarize yourself with your cross-country course.

The race to Le Lion continues, as the 2024 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships edge closer on Oct. 17-20. The USEA continuously tracks the horses in contention for the 7-year-old championship in Le Lion d’Angers, France, and this year includes several competitive horses vying for the Holekamp/Turner Grant, which provides significant funds to one eligible horse to represent the United States in France.

Recently, while teaching the USEA EA21 Central Clinic in Kansas City, Missouri, I found myself reflecting on what it means to produce eventing horses all around this huge country where trainers, coaches, and athletes find themselves with vast differences in access to cross-country courses, schooling fields, or just open land.

As the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Championships approach this fall at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill (East) and Twin Rivers Ranch (West), the USEA is connecting with eventers that have their sights set on competing with their 4- or 5-year-old prospects. This month, Kaitlin Hartford checks in from Callahan, Florida, to talk about her journey with her own and Elly Schobel’s 4-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion, Tak For Farven (Tempest WT x Ostentatious).

What’s a Hunter Pace? The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center's Hunter Pace is a cross-country-style course around Sherwood Forest over various natural obstacles/terrain. The course ends with a final treat for riders to take in stunning views of Mt. Hood with a loop through the old Far Hill Farms field. The beginning of the course will first start with a warm-up loop around show jumping obstacles in the outdoor ring at Sherwood Forest and then riders will continue directly onto the course. Sign up as a solo rider, pair, or team.

There is so much more to proper grooming than keeping your horse picture-perfect for the horse inspection. Good grooming practices are critical to proper horse management, no matter if you are planning for your next FEI appearance or your Starter level debut. To help you maximize your knowledge of grooming practices, we opened up the opportunity for USEA members to submit any questions they might have on our Instagram and Facebook stories. In this week's episode, Host Nicole Brown sits down with three of the highest-regarded grooms in this industry, Max Corcoran, Emma Ford, and Stephanie Simpson, and asks them all of your questions and more to help you perfect the art of grooming.