Andy Kocher Suspended for 10 Years For Electric Spurs

Andy Kocher Suspended

The Fédération Equestre Internationale Tribunal has suspended U.S. show jumper Andrew Kocher for 10 years and disqualified him from eight events for using electric spurs on horses. He also has been fined $10,889 and ordered to pay costs of $8,166. Kocher was first investigated in June 2020. In response to the FEI’s finding, Kocher released […]

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Master Saddlers Put Skills Toward Mask Making

British Saddlers turn to Mask Making

In this COVID environment, many people have gotten creative about face masks, but none quite as much as the members of the British Master Saddlers, who turned their leather crafting skills to mask making. The competition, which ended mid-March, challenged saddlers to make a decorative mask — for a carnival, masquerade, animal or fancy dress. […]

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US Team Rider Accused of Using Electric Spurs

Andy Kocher accused of using electric spurs

Who knew electric spurs — which deliver a zap to the horse when a rider pushes a button — were even something you could buy? A while back I posted about “electric jockeys” who use “buzzers” or “machines” to shock their mounts. Now, American show jumper Andy Kocher is accused of using shock spurs on […]

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Virtual Windsor 2020 Starts Tomorrow

Virtual Windsor 2020

Virtual Windsor 2020 has received a total of 4266 entries across its classes after launching a month ago following the cancellation of the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The show was launched in 1943 to help raise funds to help the British Army during World War 2 and has been attended ever since by senior royals. […]

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Hobby Horse Dressage

Hobby Horse Dressage

Dressage Anywhere is running online hobby horse classes, with 80% of the entry fee going to NHS Charities Together’s Covid-19 fund. The competition runs from April 16-April 30. Dressage Anywhere is running Novice, Grand Prix, Pony Club and RDA tests which may be ridden in any size arena and on any surface.  £8 of the […]

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DOJ indicts 27 for doping in horse racing scandal

Drugging racehorses

The most recent horse racing scandal sounds like a plot out of a Dick Francis novel: 27 professionals in the horse racing industry including Jason Servis, who trains Maximum Security, and trainer Jorge Navarro, were indicted today on federal charges for using performance-enhancing drugs on racehorses. You can read the full indictment here. The cast […]

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Toughen up Snowflake! The cult of bullying coaches

What am I looking for?

George Morris has been in the equestrian news a lot these days. His ban is due to findings that he sexually molested minors. But the other thing that’s been talked about a lot is his coaching style. Honestly, I thought that would bring him down long ago. Let’s face it. George Morris epitomizes the bullying […]

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Indian Summer

Indian Summer

After some terrible, cold, rainy weather we finally had a day of 60-degree weather. Had to get out and enjoy it while it lasts. I felt a little bad for Zelda as I haven’t clipped her yet and she got pretty hot. But not so bad that we didn’t go out for a good hack. […]

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