Sport Horse Disciplines

Australia is Ahead of the Game in Eventing Safety

Though some other "real" horse publications may have already published details from last month's release of Australia's Eventing Safety study, ONLY Citizen Horse has the real dirt on the who's, why's, and how's behind the research.

Ms Denzil O'Brien, former CEO of the Equestrian Federation of Australia (EFA) and now with the Research Centre for Injury Studies at Flinders University, joined us last week for a Q & A session about the details of the report...

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Combined Driving - Mysteriously Awesome

Of all the sport horse disciplines, Combined Driving seems to get the least amount of attention. Though the feats performed in carriage behind the horses are nothing short of remarkable, Combined Driving is a very important equestrian sport that is undeserved and virtually ignored by "mainstream" horse media.

It probably doesn't help that Combined Driving barns are nearly impossible to find, and locating Combined Driving events nearby (anywhere) is almost fruitless. Personally, I've only ever met one combined driver; an old farrier who picked up the sport after he retired from Eventing. As I kid, I did though, sure, driving horses is cool, but better than riding? No way!

As an adult, I have witnessed only one Combined Driving practice and was duly impressed by the skill and team aspect that isn't seen in any other equestrian sport.....

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Cross Country - Respect!

If there is one thing I watch in complete awe, it's the Cross Country section of upper level Eventing. That is some "ballsy" stuff. I can canter up to a 5' oxer and feel okay, but put up a 3' solid fence and I get a little squeamish!

When I was young, I took my pony fox hunting and we jumped solid rock walls, downed trees, and other solid obstacles. Also when I was young, there were trails near the barn that had similar obstacles. Tenacious as I was, 3'6" solid rock walls didn't faze me, even though Rikki would slam on the brakes and toss me over without a mount.....

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Eventing - 3 Disciplines Done Inadequately

Eventing has slowly been getting a bad rap these days. With the 12 rider deaths in the past year and a half with six horses dying in the sport just this year; no wonder 3 Day Eventing has been under scrutiny. Because of Eight Belles' recent death at the Kentucky Derby, Congress is holding a hearing in June to examine breakdowns, medication use, and breeding practices in Thoroughbreds. I'm actually surprised there isn't more investigation in the Eventing sport.

Not to compare Eventing with horse racing; racing has so many flaws with the most apparent being the poor, unsound, and over breeding of Thoroughbreds. The two industries just do not compare; but in so many ways, there are some similar questions about safety concerning horses that overlap in each sport.

Eventing poses a huge question of safety to the horses. There is no doubt that the fences are often too much for a galloping horse with no fear to conquer. Possibly, making some safety adjustments to certain obstacles could curtail the need to make the cross country phase "easier" with smaller or less obstacles....

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Hunters - Not a Sport

If there is one part of English riding that I loath, its the hunters. Not because there isn't some style, grace, and purpose; I think everyone should start in the hunter ring. But, the politics involved in the pre-green through regular working hunters is a joke. I have been to many horse shows where you didn't have to watch the rounds; as long as there wasn't anything major that happened (refusal), you knew who would be in the top three to five by the names of riders, and sometimes, the owners....

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