Photo courtesy of Amelia Newcomb Dressage.I love riding, I love horses, and then of course, I love helping as many people as possible to really be able to enjoy their horses, to make progress and communicate with our horses and to have a really good relationship with our horses.Amelia Newcomb is well on her way to reaching as many people as possible; currently shes teaching as many as 400,000 people via her social media accounts and YouTube channel. But unlike many dressage trainers, she isnt in segmenting her student base to only professionals or just beginner riders. Instead, her mission is Dressage for All. With students literally across the globe, Amelia is teaching dressage to riders of all levels from a variety of disciplines in places as far away as Japan, the Middle East, and even Africa. Dressage really is the foundation that allows you to do all of the other disciplines, whether youre on the trail or youre jumping, or youre chasing after a cow, or you just want to enjoy your horse as a pleasure horse, Amelia said. You want to have the fundamentals of dressage, you want your horse to be supple and relaxed and on the aids, so that you can stay safe and enjoy your horse. Its really about helping people regardless of their level, or their horses breed, or their discipline. Its about developing a connection with your horse, and then also teaching your horse to use and move their body in a way thats really healthy and efficient for them.A Multi-Disciplinary BackgroundComing from a multi-disciplinary background herself, Amelia practices what she preaches. I started out riding dressage, and then I went to the Western world for a while. I had a horse who was really difficult and he was rearing and so we went back to doing groundwork and natural horsemanship stuff to kind of rehab him and get him back going. I did roping, reining, and cow horse stuff for a while. So Ive definitely been in that realm as well.Theres a reason why many of the best riders out there are not the best teachers. Its difficult to teach what comes naturally to you. Amelias journey to becoming a professional rider is probably what makes her such a good teacher. When I started riding, I was not a natural rider. I fell off a lot, I was very unbalanced and uncoordinated, and it was hard for me to really learn how to stay on and what to do with my body and how to develop my seat and my position, Amelia said. I have also had some really, really difficult horses. Horses that made me feel like Im not a good rider, and I should just quit, and I should give up and this is too hard. And so I feel like its my obligation to give back and to help people through that journey, which can be so difficult and so hard, and so heartbreaking at times. If I can help them just that little bit to get through some hard times, or to figure something new about their horse or about their riding, then thats really special.Now, Amelia has grown to appreciate the difficulties that come with riding horses. One thing I love about riding and horses is that youre never done learning. Its endless. My husband says, You can be frustrated for life. Theres always going to be a new problem or something that you need to try to fix.Amelias journey to teaching was sparked with a little support from her brother, Joseph Newcomb, who runs Joseph Newcomb Dressage. So my brother actually had a YouTube channel, and he was like, Oh, you should start one, Amelia said. I started making one YouTube video each week and it started out really slow. But then I started getting feedback from people saying, Wow, this video really helped me with my riding. It just grew from there.The Benefits of Going VirtualOriginally I was admittedly skeptical of Amelias business model. Having only ever taken in-person lessons, I was a little confused as to how students could learn a physical sport online. It turns out, I wasnt the only one who started off skeptical. At first, I thought, Oh, theres no way that people could learn to ride online, said Amelia. But the proof is there. I was at the Horse Expo last weekend, and I had people come up to me with tears in their eyes, saying, Youve changed my life. And I had never even met them before. Its become something really special. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Amelia Newcomb Dressage (@amelianewcombdressage)Because she does all of her teaching through Zoom, Youtube, Facebook, and her website, theres no geographic limit to Amelias student base, and she works hard to ensure theres no financial obstacle either. Amelia promotes accessibility to the sport with various forms of free content. One thing that I think is very hard about any horse sport is that it is very expensive and it can get very elitist, Amelia said. So that is also part of the Dressage for All mission. If you want to learn and you want to have a better relationship with your horse, Im here to help you.Amelias 30 Day Challenges are likely her most popular program, and its easy to see why. With a chance to win cash prizes totaling $10,000 dollars, theres a big incentive to not only join the challenge, but commit to it wholeheartedly. The challenges are really fun because they motivate you to work towards a goal, Amelia said. You have 30 days to improve your riding in a specific area. You submit a video at the beginning and at the end, and then we review hundreds of videos, which is kind of insane. But whoever improves the most wins the most.If you want to have a little bit more of that community feel thats present in traditional lesson programs, you can join Amelias Dressage Club. We do have an amazing community. We have a free Facebook group, which is called Amelias Dressage Club. Its just a group of horse enthusiasts that are excited about learning. We work really, really hard to keep it a safe space where people can ask questions, and get positive and constructive feedback.Basics, Empathy, RespectAmelias program is founded on the philosophy that most training issues can be solved by a return to the basics. Oftentimes, when you run into a training problem with your horse, its when youve made things too complicated. Its about really going back to the basics and breaking things down, step by step, and kind of using frameworks and using exercises to make it more understandable for you and for your horse.Photo courtesy of Amelia Newcomb Dressage.Her background in natural horsemanship has impressed upon her a deep gratitude and respect for the horses she works with. Whats really important to me is helping the horses, because by helping the riders, Im helping the horses to feel more secure and more confident and to understand what they want from their riders, Amelia said. Horses are such incredible creatures, the fact that they let us ride them and train them to do these amazing things is remarkable. We have to train our horses through understanding and kindness, rather than just forcing them and adding pressure. So thats part of why I do it, too. Its not only for the people, I do love all my audience, but its also for the horses.Learning dressage online is completely different from traditional in-person lessons, making it a good choice for dedicated students who want to extend their learning to outside the saddle. When youre on your horse, you have to be very much in the moment, Amelia said. Whats happening around you? Is your horse getting tense or nervous? Whats the rider next to you in the arena doing? Whats your horse going to spook at? Sometimes in the moment, its hard to digest new information. Your trainer might be trying to explain to you the theory of riding or a new exercise or where to put your leg, but youre so wound up in whats happening or what could happen, that its hard to process that information.Amelia recommends studying her content in a quiet moment. Go home at night, sit on your couch, and hear that instruction again when youre in a moment where you can really close your eyes and visualize and think through it. It really, really helps.Its for exactly this reason that Amelia says trainers will recommend her videos and blogs to their students. Their students are going home and studying and learning outside of their lesson time, it allows the student to make a lot more progress and to really maximize their time in the saddle.Dressage for Safety and FitnessHow often do you work on your dressage each week? Im willing to bet theres quite a large group of eventers out there who spend more time focusing on their show jumping technique or gallop sets. However, Amelia emphasizes that we should focus on our dressage not only to get ahead in competitions, but also for safety and fitness. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Amelia Newcomb Dressage (@amelianewcombdressage)I think that a big part of dressage is about getting your horse on the aids and developing communication and trust with your horse, and you need that when youre out on cross country, Amelia said. If the footing isnt perfect, or if you have a big fence, or if your horse gets spooked, you have to have that control and that adjustability to be able to keep you and your horse safe. First and foremost, dressage is about safety and having that control and that bond and that partnership.Amelia points out that you cant exactly teach your horse to be more responsive in the heat of the moment as you bear down upon a large fence. Or, at least, its a lot safer if you teach responsiveness and adjustability before you find yourself in that position. Horses can only learn in times when theyre relaxed, and they feel safe, Amelia said. You always want to teach your horse how to respond to your leg, to your reins in a situation where theyre safe and theyre relaxed. You dont want to wait to see if the aids actually work in a pressure-filled situation, like when youre at a full gallop and youre headed to a fence. If your horse isnt listening thats not a good feeling. And thats not going to be good for you or for your horse. It really is first and foremost about safety for you and for your horse.Photo courtesy of Amelia Newcomb Dressage.Commonly referred to as weightlifting for horses, dressage can also help build our horses fitness. It takes so long to build a partnership with our horses that to have to start over again because of an injury is just terrible and heartbreaking, Amelia said. A big part of dressage is the soundness, both physical and mental for the horses.With the right exercises, we can help our horses become more symmetrical, which reduces the risk of excess wear and tear and compensation injuries. One thing that we always work on in dressage is getting our horses really symmetrical, and using their bodies in a way thats efficient. If your horse isnt supple, and theyre leaning in and counter bending, theyre going to be putting a lot of pressure on that inside front leg and thats not so healthy for them long term, said Amelia.Amelia believes dressage can transform the event horse both in and out of the ring. I think of dressage as kind of like gymnastics. We really want our horses to be both strong and flexible, Amelia said. Its amazing how with consistent training, you start to feel your horse change in the way that they use their body. They use their body more evenly. They use different muscles. And youll even see that when you turn them out in the field, theyll start carrying themselves differently.Since starting out with just one YouTube video a week, Amelia has built herself a significant online following. With a platform of 32,000 followers on Facebook, nearly 74,000 followers on Instagram, and 292,000 subscribers on Youtube, Amelia has a lot of eyes on her every move. I feel like I have such an obligation now to be providing really good quality, correct content, and making sure that its the right type of content thats actually going to help people.No matter how many followers Amelia gains, her end goal stays the same: to help horses and to help riders with Dressage for All. Riding is hard, Amelia said. We all have days that we feel like we should just quit and give up. We need to be able to reach out and get the support we need, no matter who we are, where we come from, or in what discipline we ride.

Irish duo can hold their heads high as thoughts turn to Dublin Daniel Coyle and Shane Sweetnam were unable to add to Team Irelands medal tally in todays Individual Show Jumping Final as the exertions of the week, a demanding track that led to only three of the 30 finalists going clear, and in the case of Coyles equine partner Legacy, a lost shoe, took their toll. The Irish duo can hold their heads high, having made the final after contributing to the Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping Teams seventh-place finish on Friday when within touching distance of a medal, as well as to a year of remarkable success for the Green Jackets. Along the other member of the Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping Team, Cian OConnor, Coyle and Sweetnam are guaranteed a warm welcome home at next weeks Dublin Horse Show, where many of the human stars of the []

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The 2024 Paris Olympics equestrian competition closed with the Show Jumping Individual Final today, a dramatic end to 11 days of equestrian competition here at the Chteau de Versailles southwest of Paris. The huge course, co-designed by Santiago Varela Ullastres from Spain and Grgory Bodo from France, was higher, wider, longer and required a faster pace than previous courses in the last week.Christian Kukuk (GER) and Checker 47 soar over a jump during the Show Jumping Individual Final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo courtesy FEI/Benjamin ClarkJumping Course SpecsThe course included 15 numbered obstacles with 19 jumping efforts, with fence heights ranging from one at 0.95 meters up to several at the 1.65-meter maximum height allowed. The fence spreads were also quite challenging, with oxer spreads ranging from 1.35 meters up to a massive 1.90 meters and the water spanning 4 meters. The track was 555 meters long and the prescribed speed 400 meters/minute. The time allowed was 84 seconds.View the course map here.In the jump-off for medals, there were eight jumps total (fences 1, 2, 16, 7, 10b, 10c, 12b and 17 were reused from the original course with fence 16 becoming an oxer for the jump-off) with a time allowed of 47 seconds. View the jump-off course map here.The ChallengersThe lineup of 30 horse and rider combinations returning to compete in the individual final changed slightly overnight as Harry Charles of Great Britain bowed out of contention, moving Canadas Mario Deslauriers and the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Emerson up to the start list. Mario is quite familiar to U.S. jumping fans, as he competed for the USA for many years before changing back to compete for his native Canada again a few years ago.Competing for the USA were Laura Kraut and Baloutinue, a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Balou du Rouet owned by St. Brides Farm and cared for by Margo Thomas, and Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque, a 12-year-old Selle Franais mare by Zandor Z owned by Signe Ostby and groomed by Tessa Falanga. Also in the lineup were the current World Champions Swedens Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward, who were also part of the Olympic Champion team in Tokyo, among other big names.Riders from these countries competed: Argentina (1); Austria (1); Belgium (2); Brazil (2); Canada (1); France (2); Germany (2); Great Britain (2); Ireland (2); Italy (1); Japan (1); the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2); Mexico (1); the Netherlands (3); Norway (1); Sweden (1); Switzerland (2); United Arab Emirates (1), and the USA (2). View the full order of go here.Competition SummaryIn the end, the course would prove quite a formidable challenge with only three double-clear rounds out of 30 first competing (ten percent of the riders). Thus, a jump-off was required to determine the medals.First in the ring in the jump-off was Germanys Christian Kukuk and Checker 47, who completed the jump-off course with no faults in 38.34 seconds. Second to go was the pair from the Netherlands, Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z (who won individual bronze in the last Olympics in Tokyo); they had an unfortunate rail at the fifth fence and finished in the time of 39.12. The final horse and rider to go in the jump off, Switzerlands Steve Guerdat on Dynamix de Belheme, also grabbed one rail (at the second-to-last fence), but finished in a quicker time of 38.38. The medals were set: Kukuk gold, Guerdat silver and van der Vleuten, bronze.Kukuk and Checker 47 take their lap of honor after winning gold. Photo courtesy FEI/Benjamin ClarkKukuk, 34, who rides for German Olympic rider Ludger Beerbaum, was riding in his second Olympic Games, having been on the German Team in Tokyo in 2021 as well. Kukuk said that knowing he already had locked in a medal going into the jump-off, he wasnt too nervous: I knew it doesnt matter what happens; I have a medal, and thats already a really huge thing. But, I also I knew what my horse is able to do. I knew what I am able to do. We won already two Grand Prix [classes] this year, so we are very competitive.There was some drama today during the first round when two riders fell, although everyone is reported to be OK. Mexicos Andres Azcarraga fell when his horse, Contendros 2, refused after a very tight turn to the water. Then, later in the class going 24th in the order, World Champions Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward parted ways after a miscommunication between rider and horse as to which way they were going to turn next. As von Eckermann fell, he pulled off King Edwards bridle, but the horses groom was nearby and the horse was caught and haltered easily. Von Eckermann walked his longtime equine partner out of the ring after giving the horse an appreciative kiss on the forehead.In addition to the three clear rounds, there were eight four-fault rounds in todays final. Three other riders chose to retire their horses on course and save them for another competition after incurring enough faults it was obvious they were out of contention for medals: Brazils Rodrigo Pessoa riding Major Tom; Irelands Daniel Coyle riding Legacy, and Japans Takashi Haase Shibayama riding Karamell M & M.For the full results from the Paris 2024 Olympics individual show jumping competition, click here.With Kukuks win in individual show jumping, this gave Germany a lock on individual gold in all three Olympic equestrian sports here in France, since Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH won in eventing and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl took gold dressage.U.S. PerformancesWhile not quite the day that the riders and U.S. fans were hoping for, the two U.S. horse and rider pairs performed admirably. Going out into the ring first (fifth in the order) for the USA was Kraut and Baloutinue. They had a beautiful round going until they tipped the top rail on the final fence for four faults, finishing in a time of 81.61, good enough for eighth place overall.It was heartbreaking. My horse was on it today. He didnt deserve that, said Kraut about their round and the fence they had down, Unfortunately I was a little worried for the time; I knew Id taken a couple of places. I felt like I was on the border with the time. So, when I jumped the second last, I thought [I would] just let him just come right on to the last. Unfortunately, the minute I did that, he kind of dropped in and looked at it. The angle that the last fence sits at, if it were a little bit straighter, it would have been fine. But I was almost parallel as I was going to it and then I just couldnt get [to it correctly].Laura Kraut and Baloutinue. Photo by Cealy TetleyOn the strength of their clear round in the individual qualifier yesterday, Cook and Caracole de la Roque entered the ring as 16th to go today. The pair had jumped clear in all of their previous rounds in both the team and the individual competition here in France. They started out beautifully for the first half of the course, but then presented awkwardly to fence 12, the Jeu de Cartes Franaise double and took both 12a and 12b down to accrue 8 faults and finish in a fast time of 79.72. They finished 16th. This was the first Olympic appearance for Cook and he was full of emotion as they finished, leaning down to kiss Caracole on the crest of her neck.Cook commented on their round today, As far as Im aware, she was the best horse in the class. You just have to find your distances. We made a mistake around the turn; I probably cut the turn too sharply and took my first distance. I needed to be more patient. She was jumping amazing before.After three clear rounds at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque had two unfortunate rails down during the Show Jumping Individual Final. Photo by Cealy TetleyCatch Up On Olympic ActionIf youve missed out enjoying your favorite sports in real time over the last two weeks or just want to re-live some of the action, you may be able to watch replays of all of the exciting Olympic equestrian action here in France. Go to NBCOlympics.com or Peacock for on-demand replay information.Plus, find all of our Olympic equestrian coverage on our 2024 Paris Olympics main page.Paralympics Next UpAs the Olympic Games come to an end with the Closing Ceremony on August 11, thoughts turn to the Paralympics which run August 28-September 8 (with equestrian competition on September 3, 4, 6 and 7). The USA will be sending a talented squad of para-dressage riders with high hopes for medals. Go to NBCOlympics.com for Paralympic broadcast information.Stay tuned to our2024 Paris Paralympics main pagefor updates and coverage.Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.The post 2024 Paris Olympics: Dramatic End To Show Jumping Individual Final appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

We caught up with our Redpost Riders to hear all about what they have been up to this JulyJake MyersRedpost Rider Jake Myers has just come back from Chard CSI3* International where he jumped a clear round and placed in the top 10 in both the 1.50 LR and the 1.55 LR Grand Prix on the 2014 Bay Stallion J Superstar.Robert MurphyRob Murphy had a successful July at the Longines Tops Summer Festival. Riding Catch Me van Berkenbroeck, his 10-year-old stallion, securing third place in the 4* 1.45 ranking class in the first week. He then won the CSI2* Grand Prix qualifier on his 12-year-old mare Hulde G. Murphy continued his streak by placing in the top 10 in the CSI4* Grand Prix with a clear round on Catch Me van Berkenbroeck. Additionally, he claimed second place in the CSI2* Grand Prix on the 9yr old bay mare Kannem J.A.Z. Chloe ReynoldsJuly has been busy for Redpost Rider Chloe Reynolds who spent 2 weeks down at the Bicton July Tour with 6 horses. A couple of her 6yo horses stepped up to jump their first 1.20m 6yo classes with a few finishing top 3! She also had good results with her older horses with Oppi Prince taking home top 3 in some fast 1.30m classes. Chloe is finishing July preparing at home with a new team of horses for her next show, YH Championships, at the beginning of August.Michael TuffRedpost Rider Michael Tuff has also had a successful July at the Bicton July tour, with his own Nashville finishing 3rd place in the 6 year old final. Other results included the 2017 mare Brokagh Lady dor placing 4th in a 1.15m and Betty II clear and placing 7th in the Redpost Equestrian Senior Foxhunter Qualifier.Harry MeadeHarry Meade, fresh off his first British CCI4*-L victory at the Bramham International Horse Trials in June, has had a busy July. Away Cruising made his first appearance since Badminton at Upton House, delivering an impressive performance with a beautiful test scoring a competitive 26 and achieving a flawless double clear. Meade has also competed at Aston-le-Walls International and Burgham International this July.Oliver TuffOliver Tuff also had a successful July. He clinched first place in the Speedi-Beet Horse of the Year Show Grade C Qualifier at Bicton Arena, riding the talented mare Miss Moneypenny 007 and delivered the classes only double clear. Additionally, he also won the CSI YH 1* Jump Off at Chard International with the 7yrd old Bay Mare.Kirsty ChabertKirsty Chabert has had an exciting July, representing Team GB with her horse Classic VI in the nations cup in Chio Aachen securing team gold Cameron BeerCameron Beer had an impressive July, marked by a standout performance at Aston-le-Walls. Competing against a very strong field, Cameron posted another double clear with a quick time, securing the win in the Novice category on his grey gelding Newports Definitely Untouchable.Alice WatsonAlice has spent July focussing on her young horses and building her team for the future. Highlights include 4yo Pashmina TH showing incredible consistency and talent Jumping to =1st in the 4yo Championships at both Bicton Summer Tour and Chard Young Horse Show.5yo Omega V has impressed also coming =1st in the 5yo Final at Bicton and jumping consistent Double Clears in Foxhunter/ 1.20m Classes. These two will go to Hickstead for the Young Horse Championships before having a well deserved holiday!Alices homebred 5yo Extra Zest, out of her incredible mare Billy Lemon has jumped numerous double clears in 5yo classes and Newcomers. She is now enjoying a few weeks holiday in the field. Her 3yo half sisters have been backed and turned away and look to be very exciting prospects for the futureWant to know more about our Redpost Riders? Check out our Redpost Riders here The post July Highlights: A Redpost Rider Round-Up first appeared on Redpost Equestrian Blog.

In a thrilling day of showjumping, ending in a tense jump off between the only three riders who managed to jump clear in the challenging first round, the equestrian action at Paris 2024 has drawn to a close.Germans Christian Kukuk maintained his cool throughout, and earnt himself the ultimate accolade with the sensational Checker 47. Switzerlands Steve Guerdat bagged silver with Dynamix de Belheme and The Netherlands Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z finished in bronze.Britains Scott Brash with Jefferson and Ben Maher with Dallas Vegas Batilly missed out on the medals, each incurring four faults in the first round, but both finished in the top 10, taking sixth and ninth respectively.Fellow gold medal-winning team mate Harry Charles had to withdraw Romeo 88 before the final due to an overreach injury, saying he was disappointed but was not taking any risks with the special horse who has performed so well this week.Althoug things didnt go Germanys way in last weeks team competition, Christian remained focused and his two foot-perfect rounds could not be matched. The champion acknowledged the challenging nature of the course, with five of the fences standing at 1.65cms and spreads as wide as 190cms.Its the toughest course I have ever jumped, the toughest course I have ever seen and Checker made it feel like just another Grand Prix! he said of the opening round.I enjoyed every single momentChristian, Steve and Maikel were the only riders to keep all the poles up in the first round, so the trio headed into the jump off knowing they would each win bronze at least.We only had three clear rounds so I knew I had a medal so I felt zero pressure going in the ring, said Christain. I really enjoyed every single moment when I went in. I told myself, you will try your best like always and whatever happens you will accept it.I also I knew what my horse is able to do and what Im able to do. We won already two Grand Prix this year, so we are very competitive. I tried to find the balance, to not overdo it and to not take the last risk. But still I was that quick that I knew the other two would have to take some risk here and there and then they might have one down. That happened to both of them. They had to try and they had one down. So, I was the only double clear and it makes me very proud.An emotional Christian explained how much winning Olympic gold, and becoming the sixth German to do so, meant to him.This is the highest you can achieve in our sport, Im one of only a few ones calling myself Olympic champion Olympic gold medallist this is something that will last forever! he said.In the next days there probably is also a lot coming up for me, but in this moment Im just really, really proud and happy for my horse, my family, my staff, my groom, my whole team. I know that this is very lucky, and I really will enjoy this day.An Olympics to rememberThe conclusion of the showjumping final marks the end of the equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.Team GB have had an incredibly successful week, securing five medals team eventing gold, individual eventing silver, team showjumping gold, team dressage bronze and individual dressage bronze.The Paralympics are still to come, running from 3-7 September, with an all-female British squad.Three medal-winning riders from Tokyo 2020 feature, in addition to the current para dressage world number one, Mari Durward-Akhurst, who will be making her Games debut.For the full results from todays showjumping final, click here.Images by FEI/Benjamin ClarkFurther readingBronze for Lottie! Team GB equestrian secures fifth medal of GamesBrilliant Bronze! Team GB third behind formidable Germany and Denmark, securing Britains fourth equestrian medalGold! Team GBs showjumpers outstanding and ice cool in Paris 2024 victoryYou can never dream too big: Laura Collett wins individual medal in ParisWe brought it home!: Britain wins historic fifth team eventing goldThe post Nail-biting final brings equestrian action at Paris to a dramatic close appeared first on Your Horse.

Piggy March and the ex-racehorse Our Old Fella. Photo courtesy of Cornbury Horse Trials.The British Eventing Support Trust is delighted to announce its selection as the official charity partner for the prestigious Cornbury Horse Trials, taking place from 11th to 15th September 2024. The event, set in the spectacular Cornbury Park near the town of Charlbury in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, promises an exciting lineup of equestrian competitions and activities.Cornbury Horse Trials hosts international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level, British Eventing intermediate and open intermediate classes, as well as the Howden Way Youth Championships CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S classes. With such diverse competition on offer, the partnership with the BE Support Trust aims to not only elevate the profile of the charity among riders of all levels, but also to raise funds for its vital work supporting the physical and mental health of British Eventing riding members.Jane Hunter-Walsh, general manager of the British Eventing Support Trust, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership: Were thrilled to have been chosen as the official charity partner for this years Cornbury Horse Trials. Its a super event thats always so well attended by competitors and spectators which means it will be the perfect place to spread the word about our work. Were busy planning great fundraising events so keep a close eye on our social media for more info.David Howden, Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials added: As a passionate supporter of eventing and of developing young riders through the Howden Way, I know the job Jane and her team do at the British Eventing Support Trust (BEST) is vital. They aim to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of the eventing community throughout the country. So I cant wait to help them not simply raise funds but increase awareness about this enormously valuable work.Throughout Cornbury House Horse Trials, the British Eventing Support Trust will be hosting a series of events and activities, as well as having staff on hand to answer visitor questions. While specific details of these events are yet to be confirmed, attendees can expect plenty of opportunities to learn about the charitys mission and contribute to its cause.The British Eventing Support Trust looks forward to engaging with the equestrian community at Cornbury Horse Trials and is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a prestigious event. For more information about the British Eventing Support Trust and updates on their planned activities for this years Cornbury Horse Trials, please visit the website or follow them on social media. You can also choose to make a donation to BEST at checkout when purchasing your tickets.

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View this post on InstagramA post shared by Ride EquiSafe (@rideequisafe)Your equestrian body protector is a foundation piece of safety equipment as an eventer and is the fabulous choice for equestrians of all disciplines. How do you know if your body protector is an optimal fit to provide the necessary protection? How should you care for it? And more importantly, how do you know its time to replace it?FitYour body protector will either have closures on the sides made of laces or Velcro. Ideally we want for vest to be adjusted to the middle of the closures so that theres room for adjustment depending on clothing choices, weight fluctuations, etc.The anchor point for a body protector is across the chest, so this is where it should be most snug, but it should also fit snuggly below the last rib to prevent the vest from riding up. You also want to ensure that there is ample room for movement of the arm and that the vest doesnt ride into the armpit.The vest should come 1-2 finger widths below the last rib on the front of the body and the back reaches to the approximate SI joint. Ideal back length is one hand width from the bottom of the vest to the base of the saddle. Some riders prefer their vest to be slightly longer while others prefer shorter depending on the activity theyre engaging in. For example, a 5* Event rider might opt for a shorter vest, given that they are jumping extreme down banks and dropping into big water, so as to not get caught on the back of the saddle during these efforts.Your vest shouldnt gap at the shoulder and some vests offer shoulder adjustability to help prevent this.CareYou want to make sure your taking good care of your body protector so it can do its job!Keep your vest clean and fresh by regularly spot cleaning and deodorizing it. Never put your vest in the washing machine. Store it in a dry, temperature controlled environment. If you put your damp, sweaty vest in your trailer or tack trunk, yucky stuff will begin to grow on it more on that later.Regularly check the condition of your vests foam. When you squeeze it, it should bounce back to its regular form. There shouldnt be any permanent unevenness or divots this could indicate that the foam has been compromised.Also check your zippers and closures. The last thing you want is a zipper failure or a lace breakage when youre out galloping around!ReplacementGenerally, we say that vests have a life span of 3-5 years, just like your helmet. If you are riding in it just a few times a week and you have taken great care of it, youll likely be more towards the 5 year mark. But if you ride multiple horses a day several days a week, then you might need to replace more frequently.If your vest hasnt been well taken care of or if its super stinky (note above regarding sweat and storage), chances are that bacteria has invaded the foam and has compromised its efficacy. Certainly if you see issues with your closures, or visible damage to foam, you should replace it.We all want our equipment to last as long as possible, but we only have one body, so we should take care of the equipment that protects it, and replace it when its no longer up to the job.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Ride EquiSafe (@rideequisafe)Ride EquiSafe, is thrilled to announce their first annual Safe in the Saddle week! From August 4-10, theyll be sharing important safety content to help you stay safe while youre doing what you love.Wondering how to check for the fit of your equipment like helmets, body protectors and air vests? Theyll have you covered! What about taking care of your equipment to keep it in tip top shape? And when should you replace it? (Duct tape does not count as maintenance!)Ride EquiSafe is passionate about staying safe and stylish in the saddle, which is why they carry the broadest selection of safety equipment in North America. And heres the best part: This is your opportunity to get fully outfitted in the latest safety gear at a discount! All purchases of safety equipment will be eligible for a 10% discount AND cash back on a gift card valued at another 10% of your overall order value. Buying an air vest? Youll also get a free canister with your order!Shop here.