October’s Equestrian Update

SARAH MOLESKY, Equestrian Center Director Just as the weather starts to cool down (i.e., not in the triple digits on a daily basis), things are starting to heat up at the Equestrian Center. Thanks to the massive help received from the Oldfield Volunteer Corps (OVC), supported by generous donations, a long standing project has finally been completed. The wonderful run-in sheds are finally done, and the horses (and myself) can breathe a big sigh of relief. I cannot thank Mark Gustafson and the OVC enough for all of their hard work! In other exciting news, the barn interior also received a much needed pres- sure cleaning thanks to a local veteran run company. With all of these projects going on, the Oldfield Equestrian team has not slowed down! The team had the opportunity to visit Longfield Stable at Palmetto Bluff for a great cross country schooling, and some much needed laughter and fun. This fall and winter the team is “stepping up their game” to compete in not only the equitation world, but also in three day eventing shows. From the photos, they could not be more excited! The show season began in mid-September. The team will compete in dressage, combined testing, three phase eventing, stadium jumping, and hunt seat equitation. Three phase eventing (AKA horse trials) got its start on the standard of the comprehensive standards of the Calvary test that required mastering several types of riding, dressage (how obedient the horse and rider are to different levels of flatwork), stadium jumping (a timed speed event with large, brightly colored jumps where the horse and rider maneuver a course of jumps) and a cross country phase. The cross country phase is the ultimate level of fitness and trust between the horse and rider on open terrain covering anywhere from 12-20 fences that can consist of ditches, drops, banks, water complexes, and combinations of solid na- tural fences. This is also a timed event. All of these disciplines compete up to the Olympic level, three day eventing being considered the Triathlon of the horse world.