Horse Illustrateds coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics is presented by CareCredit.The Olympic equestrian competition, as well as the pentathlon, will all take place at the iconic Chteau de Versailles estate (Palace of Versailles). Not since the London 2012 Olympics, when the Queens House and Greenwich Park hosted equestrian sports, has an Olympic venue backdrop been so breathtaking.An aerial view of the Palace of Versailles in France, which will play host to the 2024 Paris Olympics equestrian competition. A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, the Palace was originally the home to several Kings of France (Kings Louie XIII, XIV, XV and XVI) and is now a major tourist attraction. The palace and grounds comprise 1,977 acres and is home to over 70,000 art works and antiquities. It is located about 15 miles southwest of Paris. Photo by Thomas Garnier/Chteau de VersaillesArguably the grandest of all European palaces and the domicile of successive French Kings Louis XIII, Louis the XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI, the palace began as a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII in 1623. He rebuilt it on a slightly grander scale in 1631. The estate buildings and grounds were developed more and more by his son and grandsons from the 1650s until the French Revolution when Louis XVI and his wife Marie-Antoinette were forced to leave in early October 1789.Later, Napoleon resided on the estate, but chose discretion, opting to live in the smaller Trianon rather than the main Palace. When Louis-Philippe,King of the French, took the throne in 1830, he initiated the development of Versailles as a museum in 1833. During his reign, Napoleon III used the Palace for parties and received Englands Queen Victoria there. The Palace survived World War I and at least two treaties were signed there during that war. For a time, the Palace was then home to the French Parliament and was the site of presidential elections for 81 years. American businessman John D. Rockefeller, Jr. fell in love with Versailles on a visit and in 1924 donated significant funds to boost preservation.A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979, the estate is around 2,000 acres and includes three major palaces (Versailles Palace, Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon) and other buildings, a Royal Stables, and a huge park with over 350,000 trees surrounding a Grand Canal. There are over 190 acres of manicured gardens with 55 fountains and 824 statues on display. Over 70,000 works of art and historic artifacts are housed there, including a number of grandly decorated carriages. The estate is open for public viewing six days a week, even during the Olympics.The Kings Louis all had a passion for horses. Two Royal Stables buildings are situated prominently on the estate. Equestrian art is prevalent throughout the Palace of Versailles, from the newly restored Apollos fountain, complete with gilded chariot horses, to various bronze and marble equestrian statues and numerous paintings and objets dart.Restoration work on one of the gilded horses from Apollos Fountain at the Palace of Versailles. The work was completed in March 2024. Photo by M. Riolet/Chteau de VersaillesA portrait of Louie XIV aboard a perlino horse performing a levade, which was painted by Ren-Antoine Houasse in 1674, hangs in the Palace. There is also a public equestrian show performed by riders studying at the equestrian academy at Versailles. The horses used are either dun or perlino in color to add extra flair.A special treat for anyone visiting the estate this summer or fall is the Horses in Majesty art exhibition which runs through November 3. Approximately 300 visiting works of art from around the world are featured in key places throughout the Palace.In a normal year, the Palace of Versailles sees over 8.2 million visitors walk through the gates; it is expecting to top that in 2024 with Olympic visitors. The Olympic equestrian competition venue has been constructed at the far western end of the Grand Canal (on the end furthest from the Palace) in an area referred to as the toile Royale (Royal Star). There a 16,000-plus-seat grandstand has been constructed around three sides of the main arena. 1 of 2 An artists rendering of what the equestrian venue at the Palace of Versailles will look like on the first day of competition. Photo courtesy Paris 2024 The Paris 2024 Olympic equestrian venue under construction in the Etoile Royale area (formerly the site of a Royal zoo) on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. Photo by EPV/Thomas Garnier A bit closer to the main Palace in an area called the Menagerie (which was once a Royal Zoo) stables with 220 stalls, a veterinary clinic, galloping track and supporting facilities have been built. The 3.29-mile eventing cross-country track will run around the Grand Canal and will include 27 obstacles with at least one jumping effort encompassing a fountain.The Palace of Versailles park hosted an eventing test run in 2023. Photo by Didier Saulnier/Chteau de VersaillesThe construction has taken over two years to complete and 494,400 cubic feet of soil was moved. As was the case with Greenwich Park in London in 2012, the grounds at Versailles have to be restored to original condition after the Games. Pierre Le Goupil from France is the eventing cross-country course designer. Santiago Varela from Spain and Gregory Bodo from France are co-course designers for show jumping.Find all of our coverage, brought to you by CareCredit, on our Paris 2024 Olympic Games main page.The post 2024 Paris Olympics: The Paris 2024 Equestrian Venue appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

As humans we are constantly reminded to drink plenty of water, with a recommended daily intake of 6-8 glasses of water per day. When it comes to our horses though, we tend to be better at researching what food we are giving them, but not so much about how much water they need.How do you know if your horse is dehyrated?On hot sunny days, or after long periods of travel, it may be obvious that horses will need additional water to replenish what has been lost through sweat, urination and temperature control. However, there are also times when horses are simply not drinking enough, for no apparent reason. Due to this, its important that you can recognise signs of dehydration in your horse so that you can treat it quickly.The tell-tale signs of dehydration include lethargy, depression, dullness in the eyes, dry skin and mouth, thick and sticky saliva or dark looking urineIs it important to keep your horse hydrated?Yes, it is critical water makes up 70% of your horse.Water is essential to many of the horses bodily functions that maintain good health and well-being; delivering saliva, stomach acid, enzymes of the small intestine and enabling fermentation to occur in the hindgut.The horses body also relies on water to carry oxygen to and carbon dioxide away from cells as well as transporting hormones and antibodies.Will dehydration affect your horse's performance?This will of course depend on the level of dehydration but ultimately, yes. Increasing levels of dehydration impact the bloodstream as it reduces the fluidity of the blood. This can in turn lead to issues with the heart, oxygen starvation and dysfunction of organs. When this occurs, muscles will struggle to maintain any level of activity. You should always consult your vet if you think your horse is dehydrated because in worst case scenarios, extreme hydration can lead to death fairly rapidly.This is why its so important to consider water intake in your horses diet, just as much as their feed.What can you do if your horse won't drink their water?Owners can do the best they can by ensuring that horses have adequate access to clean, fresh water but sometimes horses just wont drink. It has been calculated though that 5-7% of a horses weight is needed as a daily intake, so it is important to look at other ways to hydrate a horse that doesnt want to drink.Water should be considered as the essential nutrient and be present in the daily diet at around 2-3 times the dry matter fed. Horses do naturally eat wet feed; grass moisture can be as high as 80% and is sufficient to keep a horse hydrated under normal conditions. However, there are situations which may increase a horses water needs.Adding a wet food to their diet is one way to make water intake more appealing to these horses in situations where additional hydration is required. Soaked mashes like Speedi-Beet supply highly digestible fibre and soaks 5 x its own dry weight in water, providing 12.5 litres of water intake for every 1kg dry scoop when soaked as recommended. Where more hydration is required, it can absorb up to 10 x its dry weight in water, which essentially creates a really palatable soup.Hydrating your horse during the recovery periodWhen horses exercise, they lose fluid through sweat and temperature regulation, so it is important to replenish what has been lost as they recover from their period of activity.Soaked feeds like Speedi-Beet are so beneficial because they have sufficient water binding capacity to hold the moisture until it reaches the hindgut, providing continuous hydration, plus they are perfect for adding supplements like electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and anything else your horse requires as part of their rehydrating recovery.Hydrating a horse on a restricted dietSpeedi-Beet is not just for winter! We know many of our customers love to feed Speedi-Beet with warm water as a winter warmer, in some cases also supporting your horses condition. However, Speedi-Beet is also suitable to be fed as part of a calorie-controlled diet with low sugar content and only a trace of starch. Due to its ability to expand, Speedi-Beet doesnt have to be fed in large quantities and it soaks within just ten minutes, making it simple to fit into your summer routine.Find out more about Speedi-Beet with its plethora of key benefits and more about our full British Horse Feeds range here.The post BHF Nutrition Summer Hydration appeared first on British Horse Feeds.

Ocala, FL The 2024 Summer Series is officially underway at World Equestrian Center Ocala with thrilling hunter/jumper competition Wednesday through Sunday through August 11. Spectators are welcome, there is no charge for admission or parking! Saturday night grand prix events are back! Join us every Saturday night at 7:30pm* for elite show jumping action under the lights in the WEC Grand Arena. Visit[...]Read MoreThe post Whats Happening this Week at World Equestrian Center Ocala appeared first on World Equestrian Center.

The exciting showjumping competition held at Bitcon Arena on Thursday 11th July saw Oliver Tuff and his gifted mare, Miss Moneypenny 007, put on the most impressive show of the day. With a time of 41.26 seconds Tuff and Miss Moneypenny 007 secured their victory with the only double clear of the competition.With only five of the initial 24 combinations able to earn a clear round to proceed to the jump-off, it was clear that course designer Rafael Suarez created a challenging 12-fence course.We look forward to seeing Oliver take on the final at Horse of the Year Show later this year.For more information and expert advice from our nutritional team contact British Horse Feeds on 01765 680300 or visit our website onwww.britishhorsefeeds.com.The post Bicton Arena sees Oliver Tuff take the win in the seventh British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet Horse of the Year Show Grade C Qualifier appeared first on British Horse Feeds.

Dr. Frank Andrews explains what signs horse owners should look out for that might indicate hindgut problems in this excerpt from Ask TheHorse.The post Signs of Hindgut Problems in Horses appeared first on The Horse.

Twelve months ago, British riders produced a rare double at Hickstead, with victory in both the Nations Cup and the King George V Gold Cup. Now the home nation will be hoping they can replicate that feat, with a strong line-up of British riders due to compete at the Agria Royal International Horse Show (24-28 July). Robert Whitaker became the first British rider in 10 years to win the King...