This Week in Horses—October 3, 2014

Happy first Friday of October, everyone. Did you know that October is American Magazine Month? It’s also National Cookie Month, so when you’re not riding this weekend, be sure to spend time reading your favorite magazine and eating your favorite cookies. (Or eat kale and do crunches, if that’s your thing.)

Here’s what’s been going on in the horse world this week.

• We talked about Suffolk Downs closing in a previous roundup, and this Saturday, Oct. 4, is scheduled to be the track’s final day of live racing. Check out this photo essay from WBUR and watch the historic slideshow below.
• 75 American Quarter Horses in Illinois are in need of adopters after they were abandoned by their owner, a former breeder. They look skinny, but not dire. There are some nice photos of the herd in this slideshow from the Northwest Herald (yes, one has his halter on sideways.)
• The Pennsylvania National Horse Show begins next Thursday. This show hosts the USEF Medal Final for hunter seat equitation riders and includes the prestigious Penn National Grand Prix. Among the elite hunter/jumper riders will be the inaugural Equine Comeback Challenge, a showcase of retrained rescue horses.
Here’s Lillie Keenan winning the USEF Medal Final at last year’s Penn National. The no-stirrups test is worth watching; it starts at 3:30.

• Sometimes we hear about heroic efforts to save horses that have fallen into ponds or gotten stuck in bogs. This horse, whose name might be Sunny, managed to rescue himself.
• There are lots of big equestrian events taking place in October, and the biggest, is the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio. It’s under way now and continues through the 23rd.
• Other events this week that you can watch thanks to USEFNetwork: Paso Fino Grand Nationals (through Saturday, Oct. 4), USEF Show Jumping Talent Search East and the Capital Challenge Horse Show (through Oct 5.)

Have a great weekend!

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Follow Leslie on Twitter: @LeslieInLex.