Facebook is an unending super highway of material for use in a myriad of applications. I am always amazed by several things. First, how we can consider people we have never seen or maybe even spoken to directly as “friends.” Second, how we are able to use social networking to very positive effects from fund raising for good causes to arranging emergency transportation for rescue horses. Third, how easy it is to learn from so many people who are willing to share really great...

How can you practice anything on your horse when there’s six inches of snow on the ground, it’s below freezing, the wind is blowing, and you’re not blessed with an indoor arena? Here in Colorado, we often have beautiful, sunny days where we can exercise our horses outdoors for hours. On other days, not so much. As a friend of mine said, "it’s not how you ride your horse; it’s how you live your life." He was referring to work you can do off your horse, such as...

Quotable and Holly Orlando (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Quotable and Holly Orlando were named champions of the Sanctuary Regular Conformation Hunter division during the second day of competition for week four of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Orlando and Quotable have been a formidable pair since the beginning of the FTI WEF, collecting Green Conformation Hunter Champion titles four weeks in a row and earning championship and reserve titles in the...

Major equestrian competitions attended by U.S. athletes, both domestic and overseas, are listed in this weekly preview. Please look below to find competition listings by discipline* and breed. We hope you will follow the competitions that most interest you, but check Equestrian Weekly on Monday for a report of any top finishes by U.S. Equestrians. *lists of competitions in all international disciplines will include only FEI competitions or USEF Championships within the USA and international FEI...

Presentation of the top three teams (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Riders Darragh Kenny, Catherine Pasmore, and Meg O'Mara were the winning team of the fourth annual FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (FTI GCC) on behalf of their charity JDRF (the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) on Saturday evening at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Sponsored by Jessie Pasmore and Martha Jolicoeur and corporate sponsor Stone Hill Farm,...

Samba and Jessica Ungerer (Anne Gittins Photography) Samba and Jessica Ungerer were awarded championship honors for the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter division during week three of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Ungerer and her eight-year-old German Warmblood gelding are trained by Robert Bielefield and Jeff Ayres. The pair won both over fences classes during day one of competition for the division and were second and fourth over fences before winning the under saddle...

The Western Dressage world is abuzz with dressage talk. The hot topic of the moment seems to be progressive training, especially as it has to do with pyramids and scales. Pyramids are extremely stable structures that rely on strong, broad foundations and which rise to a point, a pinnacle if you will that represents a point of focus. Without the foundation, the pyramid loses strength. The intrinsic nature of the structure itself necessitates culmination in a point. The pyramid is the perfect...

Two-time World Driving Championship silver medalist Chester C. Weber of Ocala, FL, won the FEI Four-in-Hand division at the 2012 Live Oak International (www.PicsOfYou.com) Ocala, FL - Live Oak International, the only equestrian event in North America to feature both world-class driving and show jumping, returns to Ocala, FL, from March 20 to 24, 2013. For more than 20 years, Live Oak International has been known for its international driving competition. This year, it will offer the highest...

I’m Angelea Kelly Walkup; animal lover, web personality, writer, and dressage rider. For those of you that know me you’re familiar with my USEF Pegasus award-winning work at HorseGirlTV® tag lined, Tune in. Tack up.® and I thank you for watching the series. Still read on as there are free products in store for you plus you just might learn something new about me. For those of you that don’t know me yet, you too read on as there are free products in store and hopefully...

The endurance community has just lost a champion, advocate, ambassador with the death of Anne Ayala. She compiled a record of over 3700 miles in her remarkable partnership with Overlook Nuryev, better known as Beau. Beau and Anne were the recipients of the 2000 AERC Pard'ners Award given annually to a horse and rider team that best exemplifies the unique bond between horse and rider. She was the visionary and driving force behind bringing the trail system at the Biltmore Estate up to the...