#VIDEO

Tuesday Video: The Vegas Water Box

Kristen KovatchLeave a comment
How well would your horse handle THIS extreme trail obstacle? (Mine would be running in the opposite direction.)

This video is starting to go viral on the horsey internet, and for good reason: how would you like to have this extreme trail obstacle in your arena to play with? This creation by Bar W Ranch certainly makes for some brave horses. (Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view.)

The Vegas Water Box has been so popular on Facebook that Bar W Ranch posted a response late Sunday:

So if you are interested in building your own, check out the Bar W Ranch Facebook page for upcoming plans to be released!

Go riding!

Tuesday Video: Play Ball!

Kristen KovatchLeave a comment
We can think of few things we enjoy as much as this horse enjoys playing with a ball.

Okay, so Tuesday isn’t the most fun day of the week, usually. But this video might help make it a little more enjoyable: watch this horse just go to town partying in the indoor arena with his ball.

Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view.

Nothing like a happy horse to get your day started on the right foot.

Go riding!

Video: ‘The Equestrians’ Series Teaser

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
We’re experiencing all of the feels, right at our core. This eight-episode project is coming soon!

The Equestrians is an eight-part video series exploring the unique partnership between horses and humans through a variety of lenses. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of the vast equestrian industry, which is estimated to have an economic impact of over $300 billion annually worldwide — and while there are plenty of interviews with the world’s industry leaders in the works, the series will also focus on the countless supporting members of this world, from the grooms to the veterinarians to farriers to suppliers and more.

If the teaser trailer is any indicator of the quality of the final product, The Equestrians will cover the diverse scope of the horse world while also reflecting on the simple beauty of the horse and rider. You might see a familiar face or two: the project is loaded with “star power” as well as many lesser-known yet critically important figures in the horse world.

While it’s currently unclear where The Equestrians will eventually release, this is certainly a project we will be following closely. To learn more about The Equestrians, check out the project’s website. We’re excited to see more!

Go riding!

Video: 28-Horse Hitch

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
Never has the ‘Star Wars’ Imperial March been more appropriately played at an equine event.

While my German is a little rusty, what I can gather from the handy “translate” button is that this massive team of 28 horses consists of mares, geldings and four stallions, pulling what appears to be a historically-modeled or restored coach. Despite the huge distance between the leaders and the driver, this team trots all the way around the arena like they do this every day.

(Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view. Click the “F” in the corner to do so!)

I get the impression that this team would carry itself just as nicely whether it was set up in a modest 6 or this gargantuan 28. Shout out to the driver and support crew for such a nicely-presented team!

Need more mega-hitches? Check out these fine featured articles from the HN archives:

Go driving!

Tuesday Video: Texas Gem’s Floppy Ears

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
This filly doesn’t let her unusual-looking ears slow her down!

This video was originally released in November of 2015, but definitely deserves a second look. Meet Texas Gem, a now-three-year-old Thoroughbred filly with an unusual look about her:

Clearly, her floppy ears aren’t slowing Texas Gem down one bit (though you could perhaps argue that the fold-over can’t be very aerodynamic). She broke her maiden in her first start, and then raced again in December for fifth according to her racing records. As stated in the video, the “floppy ears” developed after surgery for cysts.

We’ve covered “floppy ears” before in our “What the Muck” series — learn more about the painless and harmless condition here!

Go Texas Gem and go riding!

Video: Jimmy the Clydesdale

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
While the 2016 Budweiser commercial didn’t have nearly enough Clydesdale, here’s a fun alternative.

Dreamwinds Equine Assisted Learning Centre of Bradford, Ontario produced its third Super Bowl “commercial” in 2016, starring Jimmy the Clydesdale. Says Dreamwinds: “While Dreamwinds’ Jimmy still awaits a call to appear in a real Budweiser Superbowl commercial, he finds Zoey a worthwhile distraction. With dreams of being together, their buddy Benson the donkey is on the job to be sure love finds a way. All you need is love.”

According to Dreamwinds, Jimmy is the official “spokeshorse” for the Stomp Out Cancer fundraising campaign.

Dreamwinds Equine Assisted Learning Centre offers leadership training and team building through work with horses. Learn more about Dreamwinds Equine Assisted Learning Centre by visiting the organization’s website or “liking” them on Facebook.

Go Jimmy, and go riding!

Champion TB Mare Beholder Just Being a Horse

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
“A lot of people don’t understand how important that is — to just leave ’em be, leave ’em in their natural state. Always good for a horse.”

If you imagined that a Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner and earner of over $4 million in purses would be bubble-wrapped and kept in a padded stall on her R&R layoff, we wouldn’t blame you — after all, that’s a big investment. But as this video reveals, the great stakes mare Beholder actually gets to be a horse with all the associated rights and privileges, such as rolling in sand, splashing around in the water trough, and even being ridden.

Much credit should be given to trainer Richard Mandella’s individualized approach to this lovely mare. How cool would it be to throw a leg over Beholder and just go for a ride?

Go Beholder, and go riding!

Someone Finally Went Riding In a T-Rex Suit

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
Our only regret is that it wasn’t a Horse Nation staff writer.

Here’s a confession: some days I wake up and think “today’s going to be the day that I run out of weird horse news and ridiculousness.” And then I turn on the computer, take a deep breath and step out into the world of the internet, in which I have no fears of ever running out of horse news and ridiculousness. Because we equestrians are a special breed of insane, and every day we’re doing new weird things with our horses.

Here’s another confession: I am one of those people who finds the T-rex suit craze to be one of the funniest things that ever happened to the internet. Which is why this guy at Gascon Horsemanship is my new personal hero. Did you ever find yourself wishing someone would ride a Paso Fino in a T-rex suit? Wish no longer, Horse Nation, because here he is.

(Note: must be logged into Facebook to view.)

Just… what… how… you know what, let’s not even think about the how or why. Let’s just marvel and enjoy and laugh until we cry.

Thanks, Allison Everhart, for the tip!

Go riding!

#ThrowbackThursday: Hold On To Your Hats

Lindsey Kahn, Leave a comment
We originally shared this video two years ago when it first went viral, but it’s enjoying a second wave of popularity. Hold on to your hats, folks.
Screenshot courtesy of Ken Patton's Facebook video.

Screenshot courtesy of Ken Patton’s Facebook video.

Editor’s note: While we at Horse Nation respect the use of a helmet as a personal choice, we encourage all riders, regardless of discipline, to #MindYourMelon.

Working cow horses are known for their agility and grit, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Ken Patton’s viral video from the 2014 Fort Worth Stock Show. Watch as competitor Mozaun McKibben and his horse get tripped up by a cow coming out of a fence turn, falling facefirst toward the unforgiving ground. And then… (You must be logged into Facebook to view the excitement.)

 

Holy cow. (Yeah, that’s right, we went there.)

Not only did Mozaun’s horse pop to his feet, but Mozaun also caught his hat and the pair resumed their ride as though nothing had happened. What a great save by both!

Go working cow horses. Go riding.

Video: Minis on the Move!

Lindsey Kahn, Leave a comment
“We’re freeeeeee!”
Screenshot via Journey's End at Birch Hill Farm's Facebook page

Screenshot via Journey’s End at Birch Hill Farm’s Facebook page

Snowed in or not, this will probably be the cutest thing you’ll see this winter. Watch as a trio of fluffy, elated minis taste sweet freedom after Winter Storm Jonas buried the eastern states under ridiculous amounts of snow (Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view):

 

Journey’s End at Birch Hill Farm is a sanctuary in West Virginia that provides a safe home to horses and other farm animals. To help this sanctuary provide hay, feed, and other necessities to their residents, you can donate on their website or check out their Hoodies for Hay fundraising campaign.

Tuesday Video: Snow Can’t Stop Me

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
Deep snow? That won’t stop this horse from getting to where he needs to go.

Adverse conditions bring out our most creative and intrepid sides, and the same can be said of this horse who won’t let chest-high snow drifts prevent him from enjoying a little turnout time. His — shall we say — “unusual” way of going is nonetheless effective!

(Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view.)

 

Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Go riding!

#EquestrianProblems Video: Stuck in the Mud

Kristen Kovatch, , Leave a comment
Look, we’re allowed to laugh at this video, because we all know that we’ve all been there at least once in our lives.

Poor Sara Coull — this is probably not how she pictured getting famous, but she’s just become the poster child for every equestrian’s winter struggles all over the world. Thanks to her daughter Georgia Holliss sharing this video to Facebook, Sara getting stuck in a muddy paddock has been shared over 21,000 times with close to two million views.

Note: you must be logged in to Facebook to view this video. We also recommend headphones if you’re at work, as you don’t want to miss the audio… but the strong language makes this one not safe for your speakers. (We can’t say that we blame her, really.)

 

Sara Coull, we can commiserate. We give you the Horse Nation Salute of Solidarity, from equestrians all over the world.

Go riding!

The Bomb-Proofest Dressage Horse in History: The Sequel

Lindsey KahnLeave a comment
Something is chaotic in the state of Denmark, and a dressage horse couldn’t care less.
Screenshot courtesy of DreamSports.tv

Screenshot courtesy of DreamSports.tv

Remember when we posted the awesome video of Anna Blomgren and her mare Donna Summer casually performing Grand Prix dressage amidst a swirl of umbrellas, fire, chainsaws, and a gigantic tarp? Well, Anna is at it again, this time riding Tørveslettens Quattro at the “Add Drama Show” at the JBK Horse Show in Denmark. If you’re wondering how someone could possibly add more drama to an already-excellent dressage ride, prepare yourself for a scene of summer blockbuster-like proportions, including criminal activity, a police car, gunshots, fire, appropriately epic music, and…

Ridiculous screenshot courtesy of dreamsports.tv

Ridiculous screenshot courtesy of dreamsports.tv

…a freaking dirt bike.

I’m pretty sure that even if my own horse miraculously wasn’t concerned, I would have a heart attack as soon as that dirt bike flew over my head. Anna and Tørveslettens Quattro make it look easy, complete with passage and pirouettes. Needless to say, loud motorized vehicles and horses rarely mix well, so readers are advised not to try any of this at home.

You can find out more about Anna at her website, http://www.annadressage.com/.

Go riding!

Tuesday Video: One-Horse Open… Inner Tube?

Lindsey Kahn, , Leave a comment
There’s something exhilarating and yet soothing about watching this Clydesdale happily pulling a string of passengers in inner tubes through the snow.

dashing

Kenna Nye of Glenview Clydesdales in Michigan posted this video of her and some friends having fun with Gunner the Clydesdale, which has since gone viral… and for good reason! Where can I sign up for this awesome winter adventure?

 

Whether you’re on a horse, sled, or tube, Go Riding.

HN Best of 2015 #4: Mama’s Tough Love

Lindsey Kahn, Leave a comment
Sometimes, kids just need to learn to treat their elders with respect.

It’s no secret that foals can be energetic and playful, even just downright sassy (for instance, we recently shared this video of a Paso Fino foal gaiting like crazy). But a good parent knows when to intervene when things get out of hand. Watch what happens when this naughty colt decides that it’s time to beat up on mom (note: you must be logged into Facebook to view this video):

Nothing like a little tough love to remind a baby that he better watch where he kicks out!

Go Riding!

EquestriansAnonymous.jpg

Video: A Disney World Equine Christmas

Kristen Kovatch, Leave a comment
Dutch, one of the Percheron draft horses working hard at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has a little Christmas secret to share with everyone.

Enjoy this sweet Christmas video from Disney’s animal division, starring Dutch, a Percheron draft who lives at Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Disney World. The ranch houses Disney’s equines who give wagon and “sleigh” rides as well as pull carriages in the nightly parades.

Happy holidays, Horse Nation!