Top Picks; Dressage Horses & Show Jumpers

This weeks Top Picks in both the Show Jumping and Dressage ring, go to the following, both fine examples of their discipline.



**Video originally uploaded by: Gayaenpurdy on YouTube.com




**Video originally uploaded by: horsespre on YouTube.com

Top Picks; Lucinda Green - Planned Purchase

Lets take a look at the tips and advice on purchasing a horse from top event rider, Lucinda Green. What are the important questions you should ask and what you should be looking for while on your horse hunt? Here is what Lucinda has to say..



**Above video uploaded by: yourstables on YouTube.com

The Riders; Meredith Michaels Beerbaum

Meredith Michaels Beerbaum is a well-known name in world of international level Show Jumping. Ms. Michaels Beerbaum is arguably one of the most talented in her sport. An impressive resume which includes being the first women to be ranked number one in Show Jumping in 2005 and numerous gold medals.

In 1998 Meredith married fellow Show Jumper, Markus Beerbaum. Although Meredith is American born (Los Angeles, 1969), upon marrying Mr. Beerbaum, Meredith attained citizenship to Germany. Mr. & Mrs. Beerbaum reside in Germany with their newly born daughter, Brianne Victoria Beerbaum.



Above Video Originally Uploaded By: Valux92 on Youtube.com

Check out this video by Rolex - click here.

Merediths' impressive resume includes the following;

Gold Medal winner of the 2009 World Cup Final in Las Vegas, USA (Shutterfly); Winning all three rounds

Gold medal winner of the 2008 World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden (Shutterfly)
* The first woman to have reached the No. 1 position on the FEI show jumping
world rankings (December 2004)
* Ranked #1 in the world four consecutive months (February-May 2007)
* Individual and team bronze at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen,
Germany (Shutterfly)
* Individual gold and team silver, European Championships, Mannheim 2007
(Shutterfly)
* Gold medal team member at the 2005 European Championships in San Patrignano
(Checkmate 4)
* Gold medal team member, 9th individually, at the 1999 European Championships
in Hickstead, England (Stella)
* 5th place at the 2006 World Cup Final in Kuala Lumpur (Checkmate 4)
* Gold medal winner of the 2005 World Cup Final in Las Vegas, NV (Shutterfly)
* Silver medal at the 2004 World Cup Final in Milan, Italy (Shutterfly)
* Nations Cup starts:27 Wins:8
* Ladies German Championships Gold Medal in 1999 and 2001, Silver medal in 2002,
Bronze medal in 1998, 4th place in 2004
* German Championships Bronze Medal in 2004, 5th place in 2002
* German Championship Winner in 2008 at Balve Optimum
* First woman to win the World Cup Finals three times (2005, 2008, 2009)
* Ranked #1 in the world 11 straight months in 2008 (February thru December)



Photo credit to Alex Grimm



(Could not locate photo credit)


(Could not locate photo credit)

References: Wikipedia.com - Meredith Michaels Beerbaum

Vespucci Patent Leather Bridle

Patent leather in the world of equine riding equipment, is a fairly new look. When one thinks of patent leather, it's not always in the best way. The idea of patent leather is more along the lines of what one might think of as "tacky" or "cheap." A wanna-be version if you will, of leather. Patent leather - the shiny, black, slick material. Over-done, patent leather does look a bit tacky (no pun intended). Entire purses made of it? Hmmm, it leaves some speculation as to what statement the purchaser was trying to accomplish. But, patent leather does have it's place.

Welcome to the Vespucci line of patent leather Dressage bridles by Amerigo!

This specific line of bridles is respected by Carl Hester as well as Kyra Kyrklund to name a few. Last year the bridle was unveiled in the ring by Mr. Hester. The public reaction to this bridle, was rather positive, striking orders to soar. Orders were coming in so much so that a waiting list inevitable.



"A stunning new addition to the Vespucci range! An elegant patent leather double bridle and dressage snaffle to flatter every horses’ head. Browband and noseband in patent leather, fine leather reins with a grip friendly rubber backing, and stainless steel buckles as well as billets for that simple elegance, and of course, the unique Vespucci integrated headpiece. " - Amerigo

What are you feelings on this bridle?

**Above photo copyright to Amerigo. No copyright infringement intended.

Friday Fabulous ; Mattes Eurofit Pad

It's Friday again. To kick off your lovely weekend, lets indulge in the sight of stylish saddle pads!

Saddle pads are practical. But, who doesn't want a little taste and flair when it comes to suiting up your mount? Saddle pads come in the average cuts for the Dressage, close contact and all-purpose saddles. You will often see half-pads as well, dressed in fleece on top of your typical square pad. Although the square pad will always remain a timeless choice for schooling and showing, we can't help but love this look.

Meet the Eurofit saddle pad by E.A Mattes. The best part, you can customize it. This look joins together the fitted pad and the square pad in a modern, tasteful hybrid-like design. Swooping up from the bottom of the saddle flap, in a clean, rounded line, but still leaving enough for the eye to see, this pad is complimentary of the lines seen throughout the horse itself.

There are many color choices for the quilt color, fleece, binding and piping. Fitting for all colors of tack, barn colors and especially to enhance the color of the horse. The pad also comes with optional rear fleece trim and in both all-purpose and Dressage cuts. Check out these...



All-purpose cut.


Dressage cut.





"Mattes Pads are known worldwide for their quality and design innovations. Following this tradition of excellence, Mattes is proud to present the E.A. Mattes Couture Collection. The Couture Collection offers a multitude of quilt, sheepskin, and binding colors, allowing you to design a truly unique pad with custom color specifications. Be your own designer, thanks to E.A. Mattes.

The Mattes Euro-Fit Pads offer the same benefits of the half pad but in a full pad style. The Euro-Fit pattern offers a stylish line along the bottom edge of the pad. The sheepskin panels offer protection under the saddle, just like a half pad, while the "bare" or unlined flaps minimize bulk under the rider's leg. The flaps are quilted with a layer of poly-flex that absorbs energy and eliminates bounce." - SmartPak.com

You can order custom-made Mattes Eurofit pads through SmartPak by going here.

** Above photo credit and copyright to, SmartPak.com No copyright infringement intended.

Top Picks; Dressage & Jumpers.

This week's top picks for Dressage horses and Show Jumpers. Enjoy!



**Originally Uploaded By: StalPopperlaar




**Originally Uploaded By: MussennistDressage

July Equestrian Blogs Top Pick; Nina Akerley

I am proud to announce Nina Akerley and her blog for the Live From Lexington contest, was voted this months Equestrian Blog Top Pick!

Nina Akerley particpated in the contest, Live From Lexington, which was hosted by Purina Mill's. The purpose of this contest was to find two deserving and eligable candidates, through a near month voting and blogging period in which the public was able to view the writing of the four semi-finlists and vote on their pick to travel to the 2010 World Equestrian Games as a "Blog-O-Spondent."

As most of you may or may not know, Nina Akerley was among the four chosen by Purina to advance to this voting and blogging period. As of Monday the 12th, when voting closed, Nina and her blog, won the ticket to travel to the WEG!

My family jokes my first word was pony, I wouldn’t be surprised. For as long as I have conscious memory, my love for horses has been a constant fixation of my heart and mind. Never able to afford a horse of my own, I’ve been feeding a voracious appetite for everything equine through reading and writing. I’ve never given up, because I know that my passion for horses will afford me the opportunity to someday achieve a saturation of horses that I hunger for.

Nina's blog was inventive, inviting us into the eyes and mind of a horse-loving adult who never gave up on that childhood dream. She achieved this through her descriptive stories, her desire and passion for all things horse and her willingness and enthusiasm to share information surrounding the games that enhanced the readers curiosity and interest to continue to read on and learn more.

There is nothing more cliché in the horse world than the oft used phrase, “Horses are in my blood.” What does that mean anyway? We casually throw this phrase around to convey how deep our conviction for horses runs. It’s meant to capture in words our unyielding passion, devotion and timeless obsession with horses. As if mere words could really capture something like that…sigh, we try anyway.


The above is a quote from one of Nina's blog posts, named "It's In my Blood...Ahhhh!!!!". In this post Nina shares with us the common phrase we hear often in the horse world and a few names within the horse world that this phrase very much could apply to.

"We, are horse people. We walk around in tall boots “like it ain’t no thang” and think it’s completely normal to wear a beaver top hat, a shadbelly and white pants while traipsing around the barn. “Breeches” isn’t an antiquated term or an extinct form of clothing in our opinion. That’s right I’m calling us all out right here and now." - Quote from post, "Keeping it Classy Kentucky."

Nina's blog however, as interesting as it may be never lacks a nice laugh or plain, good fun.

There is a simple question or common curiosity behind Nina's posts which are inviting for all to enjoy. Much of which, we can relate to in one way or another. Her writing, in addition, is calm, inquisitive and a nice blog to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee with. All the while, keeping you wanting to return the following day for more. - Coffee or tea and a good read never gets old!

But one desirable trait of Nina's? Her sincere dedication to the horse. It's evident how much these creatures mean to her and how much they have played a role in her life as direct or indirectly as it may be. But no matter what, this in itself, speaks volumes of her character.

"It would make sense then, that we as a community should treat our own well. After all, that person you just met could be your next barn manager, your child’s instructor or your best friend’s trainer in the future. It’s inherent that in a community with so many competitors and perfectionists there will be disagreements and gossip. However, you will get so much more out of this membership if you are kind, respectful and support fellow horse lovers. Yes, this may be a little kumbaya-ish, but it’s also an advantage for those that practice it. Try it out and I think you will see that it benefits you as an individual as well as our entire horse community. Having horses in our blood can be hard enough as it is, sometimes we need all the support we can get." - Quote from post "The Horse World is Smaller than You Think."

Congratulations Nina on being one of two selected to report from the World Equestrian Games! It's been a pleasure reading your blog!

Top Picks; Ralph Lauren, The Belt.

Each rider can attest to the fact that a good belt can surely complete the turn-out for riding. Or of course, anywhere else you'd like to flaunt your equestrian lifestyle. Whether you want something fresh or something a little more traditional, these belts by Ralph Lauren are sure to do the trick. Let's take a look..


The Horseshoe Plaque Belt



The Polo Match Brass Belt
Yes, my favorite.



The Tri-Strap Leather Bit Belt

Complete the above with a pair of white, rust, brown or taupe breeches and you're well on your way to a classic look sure to turn heads.

**All above photos copyright to Ralph Lauren Media LLC. no copyright infringement intended. More can be seen at www.ralphlauren.com

Purina's Live From Lexington Contest - The Bloggers Pt. 2..To the Finish!

As I wrote in my previous post regarding the Live From Lexington contest, I have been following on a daily basis. The second and third place position has been an up and down rollar coaster, back and fourth. Who will win (as in second place) this contest? Even as of now, Nina Akerley leads over Sheri Israel by rougly 1,100 votes. The contest will be over at exactly 11:59:59 tomorrow evening. It's hard to tell if the many Sheri fans (including fellow equestrian blogger, Stacey Kimmel Smith at Behind the Bit blog) will take this contest and run with it in the last 12 hours. My prediction is that this will be a close second between the two, but ultimately I believe that Ms. Akerley will be the second place finisher and will go to report at the World Equestrian Games.

From the beginning, I have been keeping a close readers eye on Sheri Israel a fellow blogger. Her "Great 8" concept was fabulous, creative and she was able to pull in viewers and readers with those videos because it allowed us a more in-depth look into the kind, confident, equestrian women that she is. All while we traveled with her to experience the various disciplines that are recognized at the WEG. The videos for Sheri's "Great 8" was a nice change from her entry video, a little anxious. But that is my personal opinion, all in all, I think Sheri is a true testament to hard work and dedication. Sheri blogs regularly at DressageMom.com. A mother of two, a wife, emoloyed full-time, a devoted equestrian in the sport of Dressage and not to mention a wonderful owner to her Arabian gelding Kaswyn. Yes, Sheri seems like super mom! If she is one of the two semi-finalists that go to the WEG, she certainly deserved every bit of it and us readers would be lucky to have her give us her reports.

But, lets not forget Nina Akerley. This girl can write, report and has all the means of being an excellent source for all the best information coming from the WEG. Her blog posts are always written in such a way that you get humor, honesty, emotional, throught-provoking content, all rolled into one. There is an undeniable balance in her writing. What seems to be different from Nina and Sheri, is that Sheri shares great stories and thoughts with us on her personal experiences, where as Nina shares, along with personal experiences and stories, shares current topics and interests throughout the equestrian community. One of my favorite, recent posts by Nina includes the two-part series; Equine Sports Medicine & Nurtrition where Nina gives us a look at the various sports medicine teqhniques as well as the nutrition requirements for the top performing athletes in different disciplines. Nina, in the beggining of this contest, vowed to donate the 1 ton of Purina feed to an equine charity. And she did just that! Here is what Nina had to say (blog post can be found here);

"...I don’t have to win for a worthy equine rescue get the help it desperately needs in these tough economic times. Who can afford to donate, never mind adopt a horse these days?! Well, maybe some people can, but I can’t so I’m grateful that my writing and reporting has given me an opportunity to do something."

"For those of you who haven’t had time to read all my blogs or have forgotten what I’ve posted in the past, here’s the gist of the situation: In my entry video, I pledged that if I won the contest I would donate the prize of one ton of Purina horse feed to my local equine rescue. Then I let you all know that each of your votes was actually supporting two worthy causes, the equine rescue and the NAHRA. Later on, I announced that the MSPCA at Nevins Farm was to be the beneficiary of my donation."

So the contest is down to the wire. Who will we be seeing Live from Lexington?!

Top Picks; Holsteiner Show Jumpers - Catweezle

This week's top pick in the show jumper category goes to this 2005 Holsteiner gelding, Catweezle.

This lovely horse is standing with the German Horse Center; www.germanhorsecenter.com.



**Above video originally uploaded by; GermanHorseCenter on YouTube.com

No copyright infringment intended.

Equestrian Blogs Top Pick; July Nominee's!

Thank you to those who voted for the Equestrian Blogs Top Pick for this month! Below are the nominees.

Voting begins today and will run through July 14th. You can vote using the poll to your right.

Nominees;

Nina Akerley - Live From Lexington Blog

Fuly Horse of the Day

and finally,

Eye on the Horse

Happy Independence Day, America!

To all of our American readers, this blog post is for you. Happy Fourth of July!
"In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States." - Wikipedia

I'd like to show you some of the way's the Fourth of July is celebrated across America within the equestrian lifestyle. Let's take a look!


The Great American Barn Originally Uploaded on Flickr by; WoodleyWonderWorks



Patriotic Barn Originally Uploaded on Flickr by: MollyPop



A Barn Located in Boone County West Virginia; Photograph by Teresa Perdue.

"This photograph of a barn owned by the late Earl Graley of Emmonds in Boone County has garnered several awards.

The flag on the barn was painted by Ann Wilkinson and her husband Matt, in honor of those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001. The photograph was taken by Teresa Perdue of Ashford, Mr. Graley's daughter. The photograph first appeared in the wonderful West Virginia magazine's May 2002 Eidition; and was later published by Country Living Magazine; Woman's Day Magazine; Parade Magazine ("Barn in the U.S.A"); and Photographer's Forum Magazine. The photograph was also used in publications published by the Charleston Chamber of Commerce and the Coal Valley News. Ann Wilkinson is Teresa Perdue's niece and Mr. Graley's granddaughter." - Boone County, WV.


Fourth of July Carousel Horse by; Marysue Griffin

And lets not forget...



The 2010 Winter Games Olympic Team Uniform. Now this is..chic.

Happy Fourth of July U.S.A!

Friday Fabulous ; EquiFit Inc.

A quick note, the nominations for the July Top Pick for Equestrian blogs, has been extended until July 6th . Go here to nominate.

It's Friday...already! Wow, the week has flown by. I'll be doing a post during the weekend, for Independence Day for all our American readers, but today, it's Friday Fabulous!

This week, we are taking a look at EquiFit Inc.

Alexandra Cherubini, an entrepreneur, founder of Samson Projects, as well as an active equestrian competing both in the jumpers and hunters ring, developed EquiFit Inc to bring some of the best technological equine produtcs to the market.

Ms. Cherubini, "set out with a team of orthopedists to research and develop performance- enhancing equestrian solutions. She found inspiration from the medical industry and soon founded EquiFit, Inc. to create her own technologically advanced product lines." - EquiFit Inc.

During Alexandra's search, she came across a padding which invented and used by NASA, known as "T-Foam."

"Reacting to body pressure and heat, T-Foam absorbs 97% of shock and vibration providing superior protection under impact. T-Foam products conform fluidly to each horses body with 100% recovery for the next use." - EquiFit Inc.

The product line at EquiFit Inc is designed to offer all the technological advances in equine and equestrian comfort and performance. So what exactly do they have?

Well some of my personal favorites are the T-Sport wraps. These wraps are exceptional to any other I've seen on the market. They conform to the contours of the horses leg far better than your average polo, allowing optimal support.

"Breathable T-Sport Wraps transfer out heat and keep your horses legs cool while at work. Made of composite materials combining open-celled, non-latex foam with high-quality fabrics, this unique combination was developed for certified athletic trainers, PTs and sports MDs." - EquiFit Inc.


But that's not all, EquiFit is also home to, ShouldersBack. In case you haven't heard or seen this or a similar product, it is deigned to do just what the name says, get your shoulders back.

"Designed by orthopedic specialists, ShouldersBack is a vest-like garment that gently pulls the shoulders back to improve posture while riding. Velcro straps can be adjusted to increase or decrease corrective force. Lightweight, comfortable and breathable, ShouldersBack can be worn under a show coat and is also great for everyday use." - EquiFit Inc.

Have you used any of EquiFit's products? What are your favorites?


For more information on EquiFit Inc or the T-Sport wrap please go to; www.equifit.net

**Above photos copyright EquiFit Inc. No copyright infringement intended.