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Aug 02, 2024
In Memoriam: Indy 500
Andrea Baxter has announced her five-star horse Indy 500 died this week due to complications from foaling. She was 19.
“Indy” came to Baxter’s family farm, Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, as a 4-year-old in need of breaking and training. Her owner, Linda Miller, planned to sell her, but Baxter fell in love with the mare’s personality and made a trade to keep her.
The pair competed in the USEA Young Event Horse 4-year-old classes in 2009 before Baxter decided to give Indy some time off to mature. She bred the unraced Thoroughbred (Cromwell x Tensofthousands) to the Holsteiner stallion Linaro and got Laguna Seca, who she would go on to compete the CCI4*-L level.
In 2011, the pair competed in two YEH 5-year-old divisions (a rule at the time allowed for mares who had a foal during their YEH career to compete an extra year). They continued to move up the levels until they reached Advanced in 2012.
They made their five-star debut at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2017 and went on to complete it again in 2018 and 2019. They completed the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (England) in 2018 and 2019. Their last competition together was the MARS Maryland 5 Star in 2021. The pair spent 10 years at the Advanced level together.
Indy had recently given birth to a foal, Cha Ching 500, but endured complications after his birth.
“You were truly my horse of a lifetime and I’m lost without you. Baby Cha Ching 500 has big shoes to fill. I hope he’s just like you! I never knew I could be so upset but thank you for showing me that too,” wrote Baxter in a Facebook post.
The USEA sends our deepest condolences to Baxter and all of Indy 500's connections.
Jan 19, 2025
That “Forward” State of Mind
We’ve all been there—on the horse who pokes his way around the warm-up ring, needs leg, leg, leg coming into the combination, or brings up the rear on every trail ride. None of us wants each and every ride to be a lower-body squeezefest, nor do we wish to do anything with our crop except maybe wave it at that annoying deerfly. In this excerpt from his book The Sport Horse Problem Solver, former international eventer Eric Smiley explains the essential quality of forwardness and how to prepare the horse to expect you to look for it in all that you do together.
Jan 18, 2025
Interscholastic
Stars of the Interscholastic Eventing League Shot to the Top of the 2024 Leaderboards
The inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championships may have been the pinnacle for program members of the IEL last year, but that’s not the only exciting achievement that occurred in 2024. A total of 41 events offered IEL Team Challenges for over 360 program members, and in the end, a year-end leaderboard champion was named at every level from Starter through Intermediate. The following IEL members worked tirelessly with their clubs and on their own competitive journeys in 2024 to earn the title of Interscholastic Rider of the Year at their respective level. Join us in congratulating these up-and-coming eventers on their success!
Jan 17, 2025
Volunteers
2024 USEA Volunteer of the Year Susan Hart Makes USEA History with Gold Medal Achievement
Veterinary pathologist Susan Hart has been trapped in an “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” loop on the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) Volunteer Leaderboard since 2022. After two years of chipping away at the leaderboard, 2024 was finally her year to proverbially walk down the aisle. With a total of 691 and a half hours, Hart topped the leaderboard to become the 2024 USEA Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by Mrs. Pastures, and win the first gold medal in USEA VIP history, which is awarded for achieving over 2,000 lifetime volunteer hours.
Jan 16, 2025
Instructors
5 Tips For Cross-Country Riding from the USEA ECP Symposium Day 3
Day 3 of the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Symposium at Galway Downs was all about correct cross-country position after an informative discussion from sports psychologist Natalie Hummel.
