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Wednesday, January 18 2023 / Published in Weekly Feature

Planning for the Season Ahead

By Liz Halliday-Sharp It’s a new year and the 2023 eventing season is just around the corner. Now is the time to start thinking about what competitions goals you have for you and your horse(s), and what path you should take to achieve them.  The USA is unique in that the season begins very early in January on both sides of the country. This, of course, requires traveling to where the winter weather makes these competitions possible, but the opportunity is there for those who wish to take it. While it can be an advantage to compete early in the season for some, I believe there is a real balance that needs to be found and it’s not just about getting out to the first event available.    After living in England for many years, I initially found it hard to figure out a system that worked in the USA. In the UK, we generally started eventing in mid-March, sometimes later if the weather was particularly unkind, and then finished at the end of October. The horses would then all have a holiday and would be brought back into work in December with the early part of the new year being dedicated to show jumping and dressage competitions. Starting this late could sometimes mean that it was tough to get enough runs in for the horses aiming for big shows in late April or early May, but for the most part it meant that the seasons were no longer than about seven months. In the United States, it’s possible to have a season that runs from January to December, and I think it’s very important to make a plan for your horses so they do not event 12 months of the year! I try to put together a schedule for my horses based on the individual. By the time the previous season is ending, I generally already have an idea of what my goals for each horse are for the following year, and this helps me to plan their early competitions more effectively. My team and I are lucky to be based in Ocala, Florida, in the winter, so with my green, younger horses, I will often start competing in late January or early February to give them experience at events where they don’t need to travel too far. We now also have many one-day events in Florida, which I think is great education for the young horses. With the ones who start early in the year, I always try to give them a mid-season summer holiday of three to four weeks in the field, or sometimes two separate mini breaks of two weeks. Even giving the horses an easy week or two of hacking can be advantageous in letting their muscles, tendons and ligaments have a break, and can sometimes help to avoid an injury that would otherwise happen. In addition to these periods of rest and recovery mid-season, they still get a good vacation at the end of the year. I really believe that it’s important for the younger horses to get these breaks in the competition schedule to think about things, to give their bodies a rest and to just be horses.   With the more experienced horses, I don’t start eventing until late February or early March. January and February are spent building up strength and fitness, and going to local show jumping and dressage shows so that they are well practiced before the season begins. This is a great time of year to think about what your strengths and weaknesses were from the season before and to get some regular lessons in that might be harder to organize once the competitions get started. Be honest with yourself and make a plan for how you can improve, whether it’s more help, more practice in the ring or just working on the details that will make you and your horse better. You should also consider your own fitness and how prepared you were for the level you were competing in the previous season. If you are considering a move up to the next level, then you should think about maybe increasing your own fitness work as well as your horse’s so that you are both fighting fit for the challenges ahead.  The winter is a time to get you and your horse prepared for a successful season. It’s not about the number of events you do, but how well you do them.   Photo: Liz said now is the time to prepare your horses for a successful season.   Photo courtesy of Liz Halliday-Sharp   

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The June issue of Sidelines Magazine is here!!! G The June issue of Sidelines Magazine is here!!! 
Get ready to meet the cutest, funniest and very talented equestrian couple from California - Evan Donadt and Ashley Donadt. Thanks Jeni Brunner for the great cover photo! 

Evan is a Tik Tok and social media star, along with several of their horses and ponies. So get ready to laugh, and also be inspired by their relationship and Ashley's dressage goals - she's headed to the top! You will love them and their story will make you want to follow them on social media! 

We also feature hunter-jumper rider Will Baker who has a new farm near Ocala, Florida, complete with a cute donkey (and lots of amazing horses of course), equestrian artist Jan Lukens of Jan Lukens Fine Art (if you were a fan of Gem Twist you will love his paintings!), talented Texas dressage rider John Mason who has a great story, hunter-jumper rider Addison Reed who is now showing in the Grand Prix, and we catch up with the amazing Kate Egan and her larger-than-life horse and her story about how she won a car!

Former eventing groom Courtney Carson tells us about her new career, eventer Nicole Zardus shares her story of retraining racehorses for the eventing and foxhunting world, and we catch up with the very talented rider Luke Jensen who is now a professional rider for North Run's Missy Clark and John Brennan. Don't miss Luke's touching story about the horse Jamaica! 

We feature Robert Crandall in our Unbridled column, along with our great columnists who share their wisdom: eventing with Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing, dressage with George Williams, hunter-jumper with Rob Jacobs R.L. Jacobs and sports psychology with Margie Sugarman. Also enjoy the Show Time pages from The FEI World Cup Finals and the American Equestrians Got Talent competition. It's another great issue!!

Don't forget to visit our website and order a subscription - one year for $14.95 - you can't beat that! In the meantime, enjoy the June issue. Link in bio! 
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🌞 🐴 The HITS-on-the-Hudson Summer Series in 🌞 🐴 The HITS-on-the-Hudson Summer Series in Saugerties, New York, is officially underway! Don’t miss your chance to experience the new Wordley Martin renovations, including the redesigned Grand Prix Ring, featuring Wordley Martin’s premium footing blend. Make it a summer to remember on a riding surface you can compete on with confidence. For more information about building your own Wordley Martin arena, visit WordleyMartin.com.
Ever dreamed of owning your own island? Check out Ever dreamed of owning your own island? Check out this stunning private estate on the Chesapeake Bay.  Contact Brent Berisford- berisfordb@yahoo.com- (240) 372-0661 or Mike Novak mike@ccioffice.com- 410-458-1189 for more information. 

You can always count on Sidelines Magazine to deliver some of the most elite real estate properties! Follow for more!
A sawhorse and tack made from household items is n A sawhorse and tack made from household items is not the typical way people fall in love with horses. But that was how Amy Coleman, MD, got her start in the equine world. From being a sickly child to an Air Force career to an entrepreneur, Amy has had many wonderful experiences and has flourished in the equine world.

 Horses and equestrians have helped Amy throughout her life and now she’s able to give back to the equestrian world with her business, Wellsmart Medical Services in Georgetown, Kentucky. Focusing on helping people in a more natural manner, Amy helps equestrians be more in tune with their bodies, which helps them be more in tune with their equine partners.

Wellsmart Medical Services has helped many people with chronic illnesses that many other practitioners claimed were “not important enough” to address. As Amy grows more in her relationship with her body and the world around her, she has been able to help her patients grow in the same way. 

Read the rest of Amy's story at Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more! 

Photos by Ruby Tevis

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