Local newspaper, The Pilot, recently published a story about successful Young Rider, Lizzie Snow.

By Stephanie Diaz

Eventing enthusiasts who have seen Lizzie Snow ride cross-country would say she has a good eye for reading a course.

And they’d be right.

A recent graduate of The O’Neal School, Snow, 18, is one of the nation’s top young event riders, and the recipient of the United States Eventing Association’s 2009 Junior Preliminary Rider of the Year award.

From The Blog of Kelly Pugh

Today was the two star dressage and boy was I nervous! Usually dressage tends to be our weaker phase and as I went out on our morning hack I started looking at the other two star horses and thinking to myself "there canter is better then mine" or "my canter departs are not nearly that good!" I had a moment of self doubt but then I realized that I can only control how I do, sometimes not even how my horse does, but definitely I can control how I ride. I did some intense visualizing and after hacking her I was feeling way better. She felt amazing and I was confident that with all our dressage lessons with Nicole Perry and all the work I had put in with my mom that I needed to have a little more faith in myself.

Many event horses, from Beginner Novice packers to elite Olympians, got their early start in the racing industry, with many having two, three, and even four or more different careers before their retirement. Writer Kitson Jazynka had the opportunity to volunteer at a local horse rescue and got some hands-on experience with rescued horses, many of them originating from Florida racetracks, and surrounding areas. Do you have an ex-racehorse or rescued horse who events?

by Kitson Jazynka

It’s one thing to read about discarded racehorses heading to slaughter in cramped, hot trailers. It’s another thing entirely to spend a summer morning hosing and sudsing a sweet, young nibbly Thoroughbred boy who might otherwise have ended up on a dinner plate in Europe. This was on my mind recently as got acquainted with Merlot (his Jockey Club name is Can’t Stop the Light) over shampoo and a bucket. As the adorable dark bay gelding snuffled my pony tail and enjoyed the spray of cold water on his face, I wondered where life will take this sweet, young horse.

(Left: Author Kitson Jazynka pictured with Taff, one of the horses residing at the Pure Thoughts Horse and Foal Rescue.)