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Jan 16, 2019
VIDEO: Cross-Country Designs for the Future
We are bringing you select content from the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention on demand in partnership with RNS Video Media, giving you a chance to relive all the action!
James Atkinson led a panel including course designers Captain Mark Phillips, John Michael Durr, Gretchen Butts, Morgan Rowsell, and Cathy Wieschhoff in a discussion about the responsibilities of the course designer and the many factors that influence course design. Atkinson began by stating that course designers are horsemen first and are constantly thinking about how every part of the course will affect the horse. Captain Phillips said, “Our job is to educate the horses . . . We must not go down the road of making courses more difficult.”
The panel educated attendees on how the horse’s vision works and provided examples of how designers use decoration to help the horse see all four corners of the fence. There was discussion of different ways the course designers take the horse’s vision limitations (blind spot, dichromatic vision, ability to adjust to different lighting conditions, etc.) into account. The conversation then turned to terrain, covering how and why designers use terrain and how they use it to influence how the horse sees a fence. They explained how the horse’s balance and stride length relate to the degree of slope. Finally, Morgan Rowsell talked about some of the factors that influence the decision about where to employ frangible technology and the new technology that is in the pipeline.
About the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention
The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place each December and brings together a large group of dedicated USEA members and supporters to discuss, learn, and enjoy being surrounded by other eventing enthusiasts. The USEA organizes multiple seminars in addition to committee meetings, open forums, and tons of fun! The 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is taking place at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, December 11-15, 2019. Click here to learn more about the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.
Feb 23, 2019
Education
What to Expect in the Equine Emergency Room
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if one owns a horse, that horse will eventually injure himself. Sometimes it’s just a mild scratch – easily treated in the barn. But sometimes the ailment is more serious, and then it’s time to call the vet. And what about the true emergencies, the ones that even the vet can’t treat on the farm? That’s when it’s time for a trip to the equine hospital.
Feb 22, 2019
Competitions
Changes to the USEA Online Calendar Listings
At the end of 2018 the United States Eventing Association (USEA) launched a new website and with this update came a new process for the USEA’s online competition calendar. This change was not a result of the new website, but because of the USEA Omnibus no longer being offered in a printed version.
Feb 22, 2019
Eventing News
USEF Announces Selection Procedures for the 2019 Pan American Games
US Equestrian (USEF) has released the selection procedures for the 2019 Pan American Games taking place August 1-4, 2019 in Lima, Peru. The United States did not secure the necessary Olympic qualifying placing at the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2018, so the 2019 Pan American Games are the U.S.’s next chance to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Feb 22, 2019
Classic Series
PODCAST: The Thrill of the 'Chase
This week on the USEA Podcast, USEA Classic Series Task Force member Mary Fike comes on the show to talk about the USEA Classic Series and the work the Task Force has done over the last year. Marcia Kulak returns to the show to talk about fitness programs for long format events.
