This Week in Horses — January 23, 2015

January 23, 2015

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Note: This is day 23 of my 30-day blogging challenge. What the heck is a 30-day blogging challenge? Read about it here.

Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s what’s been happening in the horse world this week.

Clydesdales all the time. Anheuser-Busch knows they’ve got an invaluable viral marketing tool with these wonderful horses, and now their puppy friend, too. They’re milking it for all its worth this year with a #BestBuds/Lost Dog social campaign and the gradual build up to the commercial’s online release next week. They’ve even released some animated gifs from the ad to keep us interested.

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That second one breaks my heart. I will take you home, lonely puppy!
Pull yourself together, Leslie. It’s a beer commercial.
There’s a reality show called “Teen Mom” and one of its stars(?) posted photos of her young, helmetless children sitting on the back of a 2-year-old horse. People of the Internet responded as they do. Everything about this, you guys…
Massive theft of riding apparel in Great Britain. Thieves ransacked the warehouse of Fuller Fillies, a company that specializes in plus sized riding apparel, walking off with boots, breeches and other items. So if you’re browsing eBay and find these items at deep discounts, there’s a fair chance they’re stolen goods.
Florida horse owners, beware. Creeping indigo, a plant that flowers during cold snaps, appears to be the cause of death of a horse near Tampa. Unlike other toxic plants, horses seem to like the taste of creeping indigo and seek it out, according to this article.
Horses of the Year. Lots of them. The USEF named two Horses of the Year last weekend: One from the international (FEI-recognized) disciplines and one from the national (breed and hunter) divisions. Read about them here. And as you probably also heard, the racing world named its Horse of the Year last weekend. And since California Chrome earned the title, we now have another reason to break out the Chromie is My Homie rap.

Eventing has been added to the Winter Equestrian Festival’s schedule in the form of “compact eventing.” Is it still cross-country if it’s held in an arena? These are the questions we must ponder.
Horses are the great equalizer. They don’t care if you’re a nobody or the governor of the great state of Virginia. They will throw you to the ground and break seven of your ribs if it suits them. In light of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s horse-induced injury (he broke seven ribs, but he’ll be fine), Mother Jones compiled this list of politicians falling off horses. Enjoy.
Boston. The United States Olympic Committee has selected the city of Boston for its 2024 bid. The real test of skill will be getting through the traffic, amirite? Anyway, as always, locals are wary, particularly those around Franklin Park, the likely venue for cross-country should the bid be successful.
The USEF Mission and Vision. Do you know what they are? I didn’t either, but the USEF Board of Directors adopted new Mission and Vision statements, and you can read about them here.