HONG KONG, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Bermuda's Sandy Mitchell, aged 64and believed to be the oldest rider of the equestrian events at the Beijing Paralympic Games, is looking to earn a medal, no matter its color, in the upcoming competition.



Born in Scotland with cerebral palsy in 1944, Mitchell began riding as a boy but did not devote himself to the sport until just 15 years ago.



His experience as a spectator to applaud for Bermuda's first equestrian team to compete in the…

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GENERAL

Brian O'Connor is the announcer of the equestrian events - http://special.equisearch.com/blog/brianoconnor/



EVENTING Greg Tryon

http://teamtryon.blogspot.com/



SHOW JUMPING

Beezie Madden - http://teamusa.usatoday.com/bmadden/



DRESSAGE

Debbie McDonald-…

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So starting with yesterday, rough day at work. Just busy busy busy.



I go out to the barn and I'm saddling up Sky. My mom calls and I'm talking to her while saddling up, and I told my mom straight up that I really couldn't talk because I was tacking up. My mom is a horse person, she should know this.



Well, she kept talking. And Sky mildly scared herself, I don't exactly know how, and she jumped in the air and landed on my two middle toes of my left foot. It wasn't her…

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Just for fun, we asked Canadian Olympic dressage rider and Barnmice member Belinda Trussell to give us the scoop on some stuff that only the athletes know.



1. How do they organize all the athletes before they march into the stadium? What is everyone doing?



All the athletes travel to the stadium on a bus. In Athens, I was on a bus with the other members of the equestrian team, as well as the baseball team. I sat next to a nice ball player whose name I didn't…

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Yesterday was "Talk to the Hoof" day. No matter what I did, how hard I asked, begged, cajoled or pleaded with my leg, I was greeted with "talk to the hoof." Bear was simply not interested in listening to my opinion or in going forward the way I wanted him to.



Was it the heat? We worked in the arena because the sand ring was too soggy, and even with the doors thrown wide open, there wasn't a lot of air circulation. We both were coated in sweat when we were done. (This lady doesn't…

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Olympic Short Lists Now Available 31/07/2008

The short lists for the three Olympic disciplines have been unveiled and are now available on the FEI Olympic website.



JUMPING: 79 horses and riders + 14 reserve horses and riders

DRESSAGE: 50 riders and horses + 6 reserve riders and horses

EVENTING: 73 riders and horses



The full lists are available on this page (complete address:…

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My trip has now been finished off with three days at Talland. They were three very good days and as always, I learnt a lot.



Every day this time and last time I was there I rode a mare called Jovie, who I got along well with. She was trained to about Prix St George, which is perfect for me to learn on. She had to be ridden with a very soft contact and mainly from the seat, as if you had too much contact she just went faster and faster! 'Quick-releases' helped her come up in front and… Continue

Last week I had to go to a meeting in the city centre (I live in a small village on the outskirts). I also needed to collect a pallet of feed as my horses are trialling a new mix from Winergy. As the feed store is on the way, I decide to drive the horse lorry & grab the feed on the way home.



So picture me in a suit & high heels trying to park up a horse truck in the city centre! I'd also popped my dressage saddle in as I wanted the saddler to take a quick look. Well, I'd…

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Now I am in the UK where we are currently looking for property around the Cotswolds area. All of the little villages are so pretty! I love the cream teas and good english pub food here.



For the past three days I have been at Talland School of Equitation which is run by Pammy Hutton, a very well-known international dressage rider and trainer, and you know why when she teaches you. I have had three lessons a day and my butt is paying the price!!!



I was actually very…

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I am so relieved that our exams are over! We started early this morning, with barn duty at 6.30. The dressage tests started at 8.30 so we had to be on and warming up by at least 8am. I think I was quite nervous because I was really quiet and serious and held a straight face for most of the morning. Usually I act normal before a performance, but I guess I didn't know what to expect because being in front of German judges and riding an unfamiliar horse isn't exactly the most ideal situation!…

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This week has been hard work! I am glad it is the weekend and we get a bit of a break, although we still had to ride once yesterday and do barn duty this morning, which is okay because the rest of the weekend is fun!







Yesterday (Saturday) after our riding and lungeing lesson we went back to Stall Ramsbrock, i rode the same young horse as last time, and then we went to the second property of Heinrich Ramsbrock which was where all of the foals and broodmares were kept and it… Continue

Wow i still can't get over how awsome it is over here! Not only are the horses amazing, but the whole atmosphere of the town and people is so comfortable and you feel so at home.



Well the days at the Equestrian Centre are long and hard. We have to be at the barn by 7.30 to do barn duty or to get your horse ready for a dressage lesson, and when you aren't riding you are preparing or putting away your horse or watchhing lessons and studying the theory out of The Principles of…

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Wow so much has happened already! Yesterday we met nearly everybody who was doing the course at the State Equestrian Centre, and they are mostly americans who are really nice! Alex Wortman, the Chief Instructor, is such a great guy who is so funny, and so is his wife.



This morning we went to Stall Ramsbrock, which is home to 1400 horses and the owner is the world champion in breeding. We got to ride, and i rode 3 horses. the last two were only 5 months under saddle, and the other 2,… Continue

A classic after all these years...

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"Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps." David Lloyd George

 

I like the word "if" in this quote. How many times do we take a big step -- like moving up a level in the show ring or learning new dressage movements, etcs. -- when we really ought to be focusing on mastering what we're doing right now? I get caught up in that sometimes. I think to myself "Oh, I should be riding at this level," or "Bear and I need to do…

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... "Go as far as you can see. When you get there, you will be able to see further." ~ Thomas Carlyle ~

We cannot always see the light at the end of the tunnel; especially on those days when life has dealt us a blow and we are smack dab in the abyss of that dark moment.

I was involved in a freak riding accident once that, unfortunately, claimed the horse's life. Though I was unhurt physically, I was left devastated and emotionally shattered for a while. I recall lying in bed…

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