Going Over Fences - Photos

I volunteered and worked for over 20 years at a horse barn where we bred, trained, and showed horses.  Horses that were bred and trained for three-day eventing - dressage, cross country, and stadium jumping.  I loved the sport and still do...  and there are many ways to ride and jump: you can participate in a point-to-point, in steeplechasing, in cross-country events, riding across country, trail riding, - you name it.  Of course, it's best to know what you're doing, and to have taken lessons - and balance is extremely important, too.  The biggest thing to remember is: The more you ride, the more you fall.   Here are a few photos of jumping and just riding....

The best view ever - from the back of a horse

In eventing, the more skilled you and your horse are, the harder the obstacles...

Helmet cam shot of a cross-country jump

Jumping works because of a complete trust between horse and rider

There are many types of obstacles

A fall at the steeplechase course in Aintree, England *

A point-to-point fall and crash *

And sometimes your horse feels good and just bucks from excess energy...

** The horses and riders in these two fall survived with bumps and bruises,

thankfully with no serious injuries **

Sleepy Sunday; Olympic Cross Country Results

I did laundry and dishes yesterday, as well as scrubbing the kitty litter boxes, and I watched a bit of the Olympics coverage. But I was a sloth most of the time and slept a great deal. We had a good rain last night, with plenty of lightning and thunder - and for my walk this morning, the air felt positively cool. I hadn't realized it until this morning, but the kits have been collecting grasshoppers and turning them loose indoors. I sat down to a bowl of fruit this morning after my walk, and found myself contemplating a large tan and black grasshoppper on the rim of my bowl. I've caught and released 22 grasshoppers so far today.

Official individual results for the Olympic Cross Country are in:
1st place: Hinrich Romeike, of Germany, on Marius
2nd place: Ingrid Klimke, of Germany, on Abraxxas
3rd place: Megan Jones, of Australia, on Irish Jester
4th place: Clayton Fredericks, of Russia, on Ben Along Time
5th place (tie): Gina Miles, USA, on McKinlaigh
5th place (tie): Mary King, of Great Britain, on Call Again Cavalier
Mark Todd on Gandalf, from New Zealand, finished 29th; Karen O'Connor on Mandiba (USA) finished 54th. Amy Tryon and her horse, Poggio II, (USA) fell and were eliminated.

Unofficial (right now) Team results for the Cross Country are:
1st place: Germany
2nd place: Russia
3rd place: Great Britain
The US Equestrian Team is in 7th place as a Team.