We all want to do the best with our young horses and to produce well-schooled, educated animals. However, it’s easy to get bogged down in detail and spend a lot of time in the arena. We shouldn’t forget that young event horses need to learn to deal with wide-open spaces, natural terrain, and obstacles - and the best way to do this in an unpressurized way is by going hacking.
US Olympian Lauren Nicholson says: “Hacking is an integral part of my program and really should be part of everyone's. It’s important for the development of the horse’s body - muscles, ligaments, soft tissue, and so on. Event horses are expected to run across the varying ground and jump solid objects, and they need to learn to keep their balance while doing so. Introducing that early on in their lives is essential.”
Here are Nicholson's top tips for successful hacking:
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered!
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to offer the USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the upcoming USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds. The AEC will take place at Galway Downs in Temecula, California, from Wednesday, Aug. 27, to Sunday, Aug. 31.
Seventeen-year-old Carolyn Rice, a high school junior from Johns Creek, Georgia, has spent the last 10 years riding at Willow South Riding School—the very place where she first sat on a horse. What started as a casual introduction quickly became a lifelong passion.
A field of top veteran riders is entered in this year’s Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, a US Equestrian Open Eventing Series Qualifier, at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, which returns to the Kentucky Horse Park, April 24-27.