Recently in Let's Discuss Category

 

Developing rider Alex Green and I looking smokin' hot in safety goggles while using a laser thingee on some horse's leg.     

I don't know about you, but reading Samantha's report about the simplicity of Mary King's horse management program felt to me like a swift kick in the bum. That the leading rider in the world is able to accomplish so much with so little (not counting mad training skills and quality horseflesh) is equal parts inspiring and thought-provoking. Certainly, it made me pause and reconsider my own horse-care rituals.

Although I fully understand that there's no substitute for tried-and-true horse management practices, which typically involve a combination of hard work and elbow grease, I'm certainly guilty of having guzzled the Kool-Aid at times. And I'm not just talking about commonplace alternative medicine practices like chiropractic work, acupuncture, massage and the like.

I'm talking about practices that exist on the fringe of the fringe. I've called up animal communicators, and I know how to use a pendulum to see if my horses' chakras are properly balanced. My show trunk contains an arsenal of essential oils, and I've dumped stuff into my horses' grain that sounds like it was harvested from a garden fertilized by pixie dust. I've braided magnets into forelocks before dressage tests and repeated Sanskrit mantras on the way to the start box. I'm a big weirdo, and I'll be the first to admit it.

But I'm not the only one who indulges in bizarre and/or expensive horse-care rituals. I've seen you people with out there with your state-of-the-art infrared-electro-magnetic-whirlpool-massage gadgetry. As competitors in a sport that just keeps getting more competitive, we're all looking for that edge that's going to send us shooting straight to the top of the leaderboard.

So, Eventing Nation, what do you think? When it comes to horse-care, where do you draw the line between what's necessary and what's over-the-top? Are we making our horses feel better, or are we just making ourselves feel better?

With 2012 now off and running and another Olympics quickly approaching on the horizon, we wanted to create a series for the year that would track America's best horses and riders in the lead-up to the Olympics and follow their progression over the course of the winter and spring preparatory events, Rolex, and any overseas competitions the riders choose to attend. The purpose of this series is to objectively rank combinations based on individual level of excellence and potential to be competitive on the world stage in this upcoming year. 

 

Gather 'round, EN readers, and listen to my tale of woe! It's a story about the fruitless search for what I now perceive as Eventing's "Holy Grail," a prize so elusive and crafty that I have devoted countless hours of internet searching and tack shop scouring just to come up empty handed. This longed after but never obtained item is... The Porter Boot.

Kind of Anti-climactic, I know...

What Are Porter Boots:

For those not of the old school eventing mindset, Porter Boots are a form of leg support boot for horses in high intensity disciplines. The boots are most commonly used in eventing, though they are sometimes seen in competitive cross country driving and endurance as well. Comprised of a double layer of tough closed cell foam - one layer as a hard outer shell, the other a supportive inner lining designed to fit the tendons and cup the ankle - these boots are meant to wrap fully around the horses's canon bones and be secured with vet wrap, Saratoga wraps, or some other form of elastic fastening.

Saratoga wraps - a stretchy wrap with grippy gel bands on the interior, for reduced slipping (Photo courtesy of http://www.bigdweb.com )

 

Porter boots essentially come in one size that can be cut down to fit the horse's specific need, and appear to be nearly indestructible as eventing accessories. I know a couple people who have had their porter boots for years and have not yet had to purchase a replacement set! Great value, right? Thats more than I can say for half my splint boots!

Porter Boots and Saratoga Wraps on a Horse (Photo courtesy of braymere.blogspot.com )

The Value of Porter Boots

Porter boots don't particularly look like anything special, especially not after you've taken a pair of scissors to them so they'll fit ole Trigger. But the level of leg support they offer to an competitive and hard working horse is without parallel, especially considering the price (On average, about $80 for a full set of four). Neither the porter boot neoprene material nor Saratoga wraps hold water weight, so the boots become an asset on a long cross country course. They allow a horse's legs to remain cool and light without sacrificing all-around leg support and protection to the tendons.

Porter Boots take a licking and keep on ticking! (Photo courtesy of themuckbucket.com )

The Bad News

So perhaps now that you've read all this great information about the positive uses of Porter Boots in eventing, you're interested in getting a pair for yourself. Well, Tough Cookies! Reports via the internet are inconclusive, and everything else is hearsay through the eventing grapevine, but it appears that Mr. Porter (the fabulous inventor of the Porter Boot) has either retired or passed away, and in doing so has pulled production of his product from the market. In short, no one makes or sells new Porter Boots anymore! Oh, the Humanity!

If this were any other piece of riding equipment - bridles, girths, whatever - the situation might not be so dire. After all, there are typically a hundred other companies making a knock off or imitation version of an original brand, usually produced for a cheaper price tag. Such is not the case with the Porter Boot. It appears to have been unique in its field, and to date only one company has managed to offer a product that even comes close to its design and function. That company is, of course, every eventer's best friend - Nunn Finer.

 

The Richland Boot (Photo Courtesy of BitofBritain.com )

Currently John Nunn and the Nunn Finer brand are developing their own custom-designed version of the Porter Boot, anticipated to be competitive with the original product both in performance and price. This new design is called the Richland Boot, and you can bet I'll be purchasing a pair! But while I am waiting on this new solution to my old problem, What am I to use for my Horse's Leg Protection?!

The Alternative to Porter Boots

It's not like Porter Boots are the only options available to an eventer wishing to provide protection and support for their horse's legs. On the contrary, actually. These days there are more versions of wraps, boots, splints, and pads on the market than ever before. And even better, these things now come in Colors! So why am I all hell-bent on purchasing porter boots and saratogas for my horse? Well, a couple of reasons. Let's review the alternatives:

Woof Boots/Splint Boots - The favorite "go-to" boot of most eventers today, this closed cell neoprene boot provides excellent protection against leg brushing and accidental impact during day to day riding. Their PVC strike pads are very resilient, and the Velcro straps are long lasting (I have a pair that are over a decade old!). I personally love these boots for my daily workouts on my horses because they are quick and easy while also offering the mid level protection I need during training work. However, many of these types of splint boots (whether Woof Wear, Nunn Finer, Davis, or Eskadron) provide little to no tendon support to the horse wearing them, and in fact can even prove harmful by trapping heat beneath the neoprene and in the tendons. This material also absorbs water, making them heavier after a pass through a water obstacle. Ultimately, while I favor these boots for daily workouts and training, they are not my choice for the physical rigors of the cross country phase during competition.

"Tri-Zone" Boots - These boots are less popular than Splint boots, but still a common choice for eventers seeking a cost efficient alternative to some of the more costly cross country boots available. Tri-Zone boots are also made by N.E.W. or Equilibrium, and all provide similar beneficial specs. They feature a hard outer shell (made of TPU) that cups around the back tendon and covers both sides of the cannon bone. Internal padding is made of breathable, impact absorbing EVA, and the front panel of the boot features a dense neoprene plate for added protection over the front tendon and canon. Additionally, Tri-Zone boots have a unique "slatted duct" that allows ventilation beneath the padding to reduce possible overheating of the legs. These boots are truly the next step up from the simple splint boots and provide fantastive impact protection for your horse. Unfortunately, there is still not much in the way of leg or tendon support, and these boots also collect water in the same manner that splint boots do.

Ecogold Boots (photo courtesy of www.ecogold.ca)

 

According to the Horse & Hound, some European countries are not happy with current qualifying procedures.  No, this doesn't concern Capt. Mark Phillips and his Magic-8 ball; this is about how countries are selected to participate in the Olympic Games equestrian disciplines.

 

The issue is that it seems noticeably easier for certain countries to qualify than others-- namely, nations participating in the Pan American Games compared to those based in Europe and elsewhere.  It's something to think about: the diversity of world participation vs. the quality of competitors participating. 

 

From a BBC Show Jumping article, it's a complicated selection process.  The top teams from 2010 WEG are automatically qualified.  Britain is automatically included as the host nation.  From there, different team competitions (European Championships, Pan Ams, etc) will qualify the additional top teams.

 

This wikipedia article breaks it down very nicely into table format for all three disciplines.  In Eventing, here is the result:

Great Britain:  host country, automatically included.

5 countries automatic bid from WEG performance: CAN, USA, NZL, GER, BEL

2 countries from European Eventing Championships: FRA, SWE

2 countries from Pan American Games: BRZ, ARG

"Pacific Rim" Championship (Blenheim): JPN

 

Are the best eventing nations truly represented from the above list?  Is there a better way to get the best countries qualified?  Or should the spirit of the Olympics be more about diverse participation instead of the world's very best competitors?  From a competition standpoint, the Olympics is usually a 3-star level xc course; compared to the 4-star championship caliber of the WEGs.  But how does that figure for Dressage and Show Jumping?  The FEI is planning to conduct a survey concerning this qualification issue. 

 

Sometimes Jumping is More like Interpretive Dance...

Hi EN Readers! Humble Guest Blogger Lacy here, ready to share a little adventure from my recent exploits as an online personality. HaHa, yes, I said Personality!

 

Because I'm a techie nerd as well as a horse rider (Fun Fact: I work in IT at a Newspaper Corp!), I think you'll all be unsurprised to know I spend a lot of my leisure time on the internet. And what am I doing on the internet? Talking about Horses, duh. This means I'm a regular at most of the prominent horse-related message boards, newsfeeds, and blogs, where I lurk and flail my arms at photographs of poor equitation. Riding is an addiction that most of us can never get enough of, and in this age of digital technology there is an endless source of horse related topics to fuel our obsession.

 

So with my online (geek) presence in mind, it's not uncommon for me to receive messages asking for advice or seeking to discuss training and riding issues. While I am certainly not an accredit advice columnist (can you even be accredited for something like that?) I try to offer my best and most helpful opinion whenever possible. I thought I might share some of these opinions with you guys. Because, hey, Visionaire gave me access to the EN Admin Dashboard, and I aim to use it!

 

So anyway, I offer the below exchange:

 

A high school student and aspiring rider expressed her frustration over making progress in jumping. She wrote:

 

I've been horseback riding for about eight years. I own a horse and ride 3-5 days a week. Now, you WOULD THINK that I could jump about 3 or 4 feet, love competition and love to come out. WRONG. I have been working on 2'6 ft jumps my WHOLE life. I feel like i'm never going to push past that point and my teacher just never put the jumps higher. I have 2 years left of high school and my goal was to have jumped 3 or 4 feet before i graduate.

I feel pathetic, because people I know that NEVER ride are doing more than me, are more confident than me, and love horses.

I HATE COMPETITION, I hate lessons, I just want to learn how to jump high then, honestly, I might even quit. BUT ill never quit till i get this goal. I just love to ride and have fun without worrying.

Now im stuck with a low self-esteem about it, I'm afraid to jump higher, afraid to tell my teacher I don't want to compete and would be devastated if I left the bard quitting like a looser. I have competed and I've won a lot of 1st places in 2ft and under. Im done. I want to jump a high jump , be proud of myself for once and maybe move on.

I dont know what to do and I HATE IT. Glad I got that off my back.

 

_______________________

 

Response: I would like to thank you for this honest message about your personal frustrations and fears concerning your riding abilities. Not everyone can be straightforward about the obstacles they face in this sport, especially not when surrounded by other riders that seem to have such an easy time of it. I think your insecurities are more universally shared among equestrians than you realize. I know I have often felt similarly, like I work and work and yet never experience the payoff, never reach that elusive goal. Every rider has a set of personal demons they must overcome in their quest to improve!

 

Okay, so. The first and most important thing I'd like to ask you about is exactly why it is so important that you obtain this goal of higher level jumps. I see you write that you hate competing, which is completely fine. Many people spend their whole lives riding horses and never once go to a horse show. It's just not for everyone. But you also mentioned that you hate lessons, and that it's likely you will quit riding after you have managed to reach this self-determined goal. Why is that? Is horse riding itself no longer enjoyable for you? Do you feel like the trainer you ride with makes horse riding less fun or rewarding? The only reason any person should ever ride a horse is because they love it and they want to. Not because they feel that they Have to, and certainly not because they feel obligated to!

 

I hope you understand that you, as a young person, are growing and maturing, and that part of that process is discovering which passions in your life are longstanding and which should be set aside. It is possible that horse riding itself is not something you wish to continue pursuing like you once did, and that is perfectly okay. Ultimately, what is most important is what makes you happy! And if riding a horse no longer brings you joy, then why continue torturing yourself?

 

However, if your love of horses is definitely not the issue, I propose a couple other factors that can affect your progress over fences. First and foremost is the Fear you feel when jumping. Can you determine why specifically you feel this fear? Is it a lack of faith in yourself? Your Horse? Your Trainer? What elements are leading you to doubt your ability to jump higher, even when you want it so badly? These are questions that need honest answers before you can move to fix the issue.

 

There is also the matter of your trainer (and I say that with the utmost kindness). A person who takes it upon themselves to teach others to ride horses must make sure to do so in a way that is educational, safe, and rewarding for their clients. This means empowering the rider with the tools they need to obtain their goals. Not all horse trainers are created equal, and someone that may work for one person may not suit another. Some more questions to ask yourself:

 

1. How long have you been with this trainer?

2. Do you both communicate openly with one another about your skills/needs/expectations?

3. What is your trainer's opinion of moving up in jumping? Do they use Gymnastic exercises, longe line work, and position exercises to improve your riding?

4. Also, what level does your trainer currently ride/compete at herself?

 

Moving on. As I'm sure you know by now, horse riding is a mutually cooperative partnership between yourself and your horse. You said in your message that you own a horse that you ride regularly, and compete. That's great! That means you've already developed a relationship that is hopefully healthy and rewarding. If you could, I'd like to know more about your horse, because it's very possible some of the limitations you are dealing with have to do with him/her.

 

A couple of questions to ask yourself:

 

1. Do my horse and I work well together? Do they respond appropriately when I ask them to do something?

2. How advanced in training is my horse? Are they young or old? Do I feel like I know more than my horse does about jumping?

3. What is the scope of my horse? Do I feel like they are physically capable of safely carrying me over 3 - 4 foot jumps? Do I feel in control when I jump them?

 

Answering some of these questions may give you a bit of insight into why either you or your trainer doesn't feel you are ready for higher jumps. Because riding is so much a partnership (and jumping even more so), trust in your horse has to be absolute. A gap in education between one or both of you will make the concept of moving up very difficult.

 

So maybe this response isn't so much offered advice, as it is guidance for you to really reach the root of your problem with Jumping. I only wish for you to be safe and happy with your horse, and I hope that is what you wish too. You may find that jumping higher just isn't in the cards for you at this point in your life, and you will be faced with the question of whether you want to continue to pursue jumping, or if you want to content yourself with what you have already accomplished.

 

Please don't let other people make you think that stopping at 2'6" jumps is somehow a failure. It most absolutely is not! Riding at the level, and Winning, is a huge accomplishment! I have had 50 year old students who have only ever jumped 2'3" - 2'6" and they are happy as clams. You know why? Because they don't concern themselves with what everyone around them is doing. All that matters - in horse riding and in everything else - is your personal satisfaction and happiness, and if you spend your life comparing yourself to other people, you'll never find fulfillment. There will always be someone out there who is going further, jumping higher, getting richer, and doing better. And they probably won't deserve it half as much as you or I do.... But that's life, and you can't change it. So there is no point in letting it bother you.

 

Again, I earnestly hope you find a satisfying solution to your problem. You honestly have all the time in the world, so cut yourself some slack. These things have a way of resolving themselves. I know that whatever you choose to do, the experience will ultimately make you a more competent and mature individual.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

Now because the Eventing Nation Census results recently came through, I know that many of you EN Readers are competing at an upper level, and have an average of twelve years experience. That More Than qualifies you all to your own opinions about dealing with jumping frustrations! So please, sound off in the comment thread, offer your perspective! There is always more that we can learn from one another, no matter how experienced we get.

 

Go Eventing!

As the US team vets are thoroughly checking over the Pan American Games short list horses this morning, let's take a look at who you think should get picked for the 5 pair PAG squad.  Remember that the PAG competition is in the Olympic style with the three best scores counting and two show jumping rounds.  Eventing Nation has the smartest readership in eventing and we have a history of picking correctly with polls, so let's see how we can do with the Pan Ams.  Make your selections for the pairs you would pick to make the US squad.  The answers are in alphabetical order by rider last name.  Pick 5 pairs: 



Of course, this poll comes with the caveat that more popular riders might be more likely to get more votes and that we don't have as much information as the selectors, such as the results of the vet exams today.  I'll be along later with thoughts on the Canadian and US selection process.  Go eventing.

A random Barbury photo, courtesy of Beth Collier

Taking a jump off the course during cross-country is always a tough decision that balances equality of competition and admitting an error of course design with the potential risks of not removing the fence.  After 3 of the first 10 horses fell at the main Barbury water complex, the Ground Jury was faced with a tough decision.  The complex had been on the course without major incident for several years and since the cross-country was run in reverse order of placing, the first group of riders was likely to be the least experienced on average.  Lulu Kyriacou wrote in a good discussion of the incident for Horsetalk that the only notable difference in the complex from 2010 was that the D element jump in the water was absent this year.  The Barbury officials decided to leave the water complex on the course and then a few rides later Tom Crisp fell at the drop with Coolys Luxury. 

At that point I was sitting with a few of the later riders, all of whom were surprised at how tough the course and particularly the water complex was riding.  The event was an hour behind schedule--partly because of a long break when both horse ambulances were occupied--and Will Coleman was checking the schedule to see if it would still be light at his revised start time.  Pippa stopped by and said that many of the riders in the warm-up were reluctant to head out on course.  I later heard riders at events in Great Britain sometimes get together in the warm-up and collectively refuse to start until a jump or complex that is riding poorly is removed from the course, which is what reportedly happened after Tom Crisp's fall.  I was surprised to hear that this is a regular occurrence and I would imagine that if I ever refused to start in the States that would be a quick way of getting scratched. 

As a perhaps irrelevant addendum to the discussion, I am happy to report that Coolys Luxury left Barbury Tuesday night.  The vet looked at him Tuesday morning and said he is recovering well and will not need hospital treatment.

The main question moving forward is: what is the best way to handle whether or not to remove a jump that is riding poorly?  Theoretically that is the prerogative of the Ground Jury, but it seems as though they waited at least one fall too long at Barbury to remove the water complex.  I never like to question subjective decisions made in the heat of battle, so to speak, but the real scare would be if Tom Crisp or Coolys Luxury had been badly injured.  Perhaps one option is taking the decision out of the hands of the Ground Jury and requiring an element to be removed after a certain number or percentage of falls.  The problem there of course is that you might have a situation where a jump causes three bad near-falls, or maybe three innocuous falls.  One way or another, we don't want to put events in a situation where the riders have to band together in the warm-up to get something done regarding safety.  Your thoughts Eventing Nation?

I do have a dream, one that I have never voiced publicly in writing before. One of the key reasons I have never expressed this dream publicly is because of my vocal and sometimes extremely frank criticisms of the measures in place for Eventing Safety. I figure that my dream may be a great noose around my neck to help stymy my public comments in the future.

Just this week there was a document with a series of questions sent out to all Eventing Officials asking us to comment on some issues in the sport and the FEI. One area got me thinking pretty hard. Since then I have been working hard scouring the internet for data to back up my thoughts.

Below is part of the document sent out to officials by the IEOC, for a full copy click here.

5. Is there anything fundamentally wrong with the sport at present e.g:

• The present age restriction on FEI Eventing officials: i.e. 'compulsory' retirement after the year of their 70th birthday?

• Appointment of officials for Eventing Championships - who is responsible and is it a fair system at present ...?

• Should there be a clear structure - with transparency - for these important appointments?

All three of these points interest me highly but number two, really got up my nose.

Why? Well it seems that one of the key selection criteria for appointing officials to major championships (Olympic Games and World Equestrian Games), is having been born in Europe (incl the UK). Even more so if you want to be President of the Ground Jury (PGJ), a TD or CD.

The stats show, if you have done it once, you are quite likely to do it at least twice and in some cases three or four times. What does it matter? Well, if our riders from outside of Europe can be at the top of their game and bring home medal hauls, what says our officials are not of equal calibre?

Who is the judge of that and who makes the decisions? This is the crux of one of the big questions, no-one knows or at least no-one is prepared to talk publicly about it. Work hard, be good and perhaps if you are outside Europe you may get a token role.

I note that at the recent WEG held in the USA, the President of the Ground Jury was American Marilyn Payne. Marilyn is the first non-European to head a Ground Jury at least as far back as Los Angeles in 1984. This is by no means a token role and I congratulate Marilyn for earning and achieving the role but it must be said that this is an exception to the rule.

For TDs we need to go back to Sydney 2000 to find a Kiwi TD, Jennifer Miller. The next previous occurrence of an non-European TD was Ewen Graham of Canada in 1988 and 1984.

Please note: I was unable to find any records for WEG at Stockholm 1990 and The Hague 1994.

So what do we need to do to re-balance the whole situation?

I don't know, perhaps it is a question of ensuring more officials from across the globe, get invited to do events within Europe and be exposed to the decision makers. Perhaps an independent panel representing all Continents might work? Something needs to change.

What I do know is the numbers during the period from 1984 to 2010. A total of 78 medals were awarded at WEG or Olympic Games in Eventing. Of those 25 or 32% were won by riders from Down-Under (Aus & NZ), 12 or 15% by North Americans (USA & Can) and the remaining 41 or 53% by Europeans.

During the same period if you look at the FEI Appointed President of the Ground Jury, Technical Delegate and Course Designers, then the numbers are grave! Roger Haller from the USA holds the honor of being the only non-European to have designed a cross country course for a WEG or Olympics since Neil Ayer at Los Angeles in 1984 and there hasn't been one since.

Simply there were 33 PGJ, TD or CD roles in the 11 Championships I could find details for. Of the total 33 only six were non-Europeans. One from Down-Under and five from North America. A stunning 82% of the most senior official roles in our sport were held by Europeans. I have not done an analysis on the four star events but I am confident that these findings will hold true with a wider base.

Please don't think I am bashing on Europeans, in fact I am half English and half German. What I am criticizing is an obvious imbalance and priority given to European officials over all others. Whether deliberate or not, it is real.

As for the compulsory retirement at the age of 70 years old. Personally, I believe this is essential. Not because I believe that people are necessarily past their used-by date, but purely we must find more ways to encourage the new generation of officials.

I am in my thirties and one of the few FEI officials under 50 let alone under 40. To be a TD costs me and my family both in money and time. I get a little support from Equestrian Australia and have been lucky enough to have the support of the FEI as part of the Global Education Program, but it still is not a cheap pursuit to be a volunteer.

Our older and more experienced officials are often retired or semi retired. Time and money is easier for these guys and girls. Many can afford to cover their own costs, which is great for events but not so good for us younger and less financially independent officials.

So what is my dream? Simple, I want to be the TD at the Olympic Games. Unfortunately now that I have written this story, I probably have a higher chance of winning an individual gold medal at an Olympic games.

Pretty sure I won't get one of those red or blue jackets now.

Here is a copy of the table I prepared on the list of Officials for all the events I could get info on.

Yours in Eventing,

ESJ

This video sums up this whole story

One of the greatest pleasures of being an EN writer is the complete editorial freedom that EN John gives the team. I am not given any assignments to write about particular things, this is great, gives me freedom to express my thoughts and ideas.

BUT, (I know I shouldn't start a sentence with but) there is a downside to this freedom. I need to come up with the ideas. Most weeks one or two issues will pop up and give me the basis of a story. This week, nine days and counting I am coming up a complete blank.

I did think about choosing another juicy rule and starting a debate on it, for instance the whole black flag at the last obstacle of a combination. This is a really simple rule with a whole bunch of pictures to explain it, which in my opinion only serve to leave you mentally exhausted after reading and deciphering the nuances in each.



One of the eight different diagrams used to help confuse you in understanding the Black Flag rule

However, I know EN John doesn't have the stomach for another rule debate. When this happens there is lots of debate, which is fantastic, but it sometimes descends to a level best avoided.

I could talk about my upcoming Burghley trip, but I have already done that and it is still over nine weeks away, a lifetime in the eventing world, so that is out of the question.

I could interview some horse people, I do have some very interesting people in the pipeline to interview over the coming weeks and months. Unfortunately, none of them live close by and I prefer to do my 'conversations' face to face if possible.

So 'Team EN', it is up to you as the reading audience, what do you want to see from this Aussie writer down-under? Is there a particular rider or event you would like me to cover? A particular Australian item that fascinates you? I have kangaroos, wallabies and laughing kookaburras in my backyard.

What about Vegemite and Tim Tams, those chocolate biscuits are an essential for any long road trip. How about twitter, I am pretty sure I could give a three hour presentation without stopping for air on the features of twitter, what a #hashtag is? Why it is really nice to get an #FF and why you don't click on links sent to you by random people out of the blue.



I am pretty sure air-dropping Tim Tams into war zones would solve conflicts

You are the readers, let rip with your ideas, suggestions and comments, by submitting a comment below. Be sure to include your email address in the comments so I can write back to get more detail or damn you for giving me a hard time (only kidding on that). I really love getting feedback, even if it isn't always good.

So Team please tell me your ideas and we will see what journey it takes us on. 10 EN Karma points to the first person to correctly decipher the name of this story.

Yours in Eventing,

ESJ

The much debated USEA "one fall rule" will be revisited at the USEA's Board of Governors Meeting in August, as discussed on the Chronicle forums and this COTH article from today.  The one fall rule, as we all know, some better than others, means that any jump related [rider] fall on XC means elimination.  I am hard pressed to find a rule that has divided the eventing community more.  On one hand, I can definitely see the logic behind the rule--there are very legitimate reasons for wanting to make sure a rider and horse are alright after a fall and no one wants to see someone get further injured by continuing on course.  On the other hand, as a rider, there's nothing more that I want to do than get back on the horse after I fall off and it's so annoying to have to walk home after just popping off in a stupid and clearly harmless unplanned dismount.  I'm all for statistical analysis, and USEA President Sabo interestingly told the Chronicle that "If you look at data from last fall, there isn't any evidence, for instance, that a person that gets on after a fall has another fall or is injured from it."  No pun intended, I'm sure.  So, let's do what we do best on Eventing Nation and put the debate up for mob rule vote.



Go eventing.

We have a big weekend of eventing ahead of us, but we still have a couple of posts today about Jersey.  On Sunday morning, we wrote about the meeting Phillip, Buck, Will Faudree, and Boyd had with the Jersey Fresh Ground Jury regarding concerns about judging, footing issues not being addressed, and Jessie's elimination.  Today the Chronicle has published a good article that interviews the various parties and gives their different perspectives.  Perhaps the most important point is that the meeting was positive and both sides say that they found the meeting constructive.  We wrote about the issues of dressage judging and footing in depth at Jersey and I don't have anything to add other than I am quite skeptical about Eric Smiley's point that they covered all of the footing they possibly could with the aggravator.  But, then again there was a layer of snow 4 feet under the ground keeping the footing hydrated.

[Read the article here] 

One important issue from Jersey moving forward is likely Jessica Phoenix's yellow card and subsequent suspension for getting two yellow cards within a year.  In the article, the President of the Ground Jury, Eric Smiley, describes the process to stop Jessica and Pavarotti on course as one that developed from multiple opinions and I can definitely understand why they pulled Jessica up.  The problem with the yellow card process, among others, is that there is a complete lack of flexibility in giving the yellow card in that situation and in the following suspension.  The important point for Jessica's suspension is that it stands for now and anything that might change it probably won't happen in time.  Jessica would therefore miss a chance to qualify for the Pan Ams at the Bromont 2*, but she will have other chances later this summer, including The Event Rebecca Farms, which, as an aside, is shaping up to be a really well attended event again this year.

Go permafrost.