Weekend news links

While you were on the couch recovering from that Saint Patrick’s Day pub crawl, the horsey world kept spinning round. EN Abbie and Ali Smallpage tag-team a compilation of everything you missed.

Sad news from England: rest in peace Westwood Poser.

Headley Brittania retires.

The USEF names Laura Kraut on Cedric and Beezie Madden on Coral Reef Via Volo to the long list for London.

Mark Todd is impressive, but we already knew that.

Britain’s big names are all out an about at the Aldon Horse Trials this weekend

A stable hand won 1 million pounds at the Cheltenham racing festival by backing horses trained by his boss.

On the subject of Cheltenham, the deaths of five horses in two days have raised questions about welfare and safety, as they should.

16 horses have died in two months at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, NY, and Governor Cuomo has asked for an independent investigation to be conducted.

On a happier note, three New York racing organizations have banded together and created Take2, a program to help racehorses have a second career.

Professor offers new hypothesis about the cause of head shaking.

Two horses contracted EHV-1 after showing at the HITS Desert Circuit

As Lacy mentioned yesterday, the USEF launched the “Experience Eventing” website.

Feel good story of the day: Sweep the pony helps rehab neglected horses
The Aiken Standard has a terrific interview on 4* rider Kelly Sult. If you don’t know Kelly, you should read the article and get to know her

“The Big Southern Pines” as it’s affectionately known is next weekend. The Pilot has all the details

When Mark Todd isn’t actively being the greatest eventer on Earth, he’s running from elephants

The New Zealand Horse of the Year show: Annabel Wigley leads the CIC3* competition

Lauren Sprieser’s packing/to-do list sounds like ours

Hillary Dobbs won the $6k 1.40m Speed Challenge at WEF

In more Wellington news, Ashley Holzer and Pop Art won the $15k GP CDI3*

British showjumpers aren’t heading to the World Cup apparently

The Cheltenham wrap up for you

Team NZ adds riders

Over $800,000 is being invested into 16 research projects by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.