Happy Independence Day! No matter how you are celebrating – Parades? Rodeos? Riding at the Beach? Enjoy your holiday weekend and stay hydrated with Pelican Coolers and Hydro Flask personal beverage containers – available at Rainbow! Don’t forget a cooling hat for days in the sun!
For many horse enthusiasts, one of the biggest competitive events in the world takes place soon, the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Thanks to the pandemic, the Olympic Games are being held this summer instead of last, in Tokyo. The Equestrian events –Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country – begin on July 24th. There are some new faces, but also some very familiar team members, several of them riding new mounts. On the Dressage team, 3 of the 4 riders are native Californians – two from San Diego and one from Napa. Meet the Olympic Dressage Team HERE
The Olympic Eventing Team includes Purina Ambassador Boyd Martin. The final selection of the US Olympic Jumping team will be made on July 5th, with ten riders currently on the short list, including 18 year-old Brian Moggre. Riders are required by the FEI to be a minimum of 16 years old to participate in dressage classes and 18 for show jumping and eventing. All horses must be at least 9. There is no maximum age and the oldest Olympic Equestrian was 72-year-old Arthur von Pongracz of Austria who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics, though Japan’s short list for Dressage this year includes 78 -year-old Hiroshi Hoketsu. Equestrian is the only sport in which men and women compete as equals in all events. In 1964, when women were first permitted to compete in Olympic eventing, the U.S. fielded the first eventing team to include a woman, Lana DuPont, who contributed to a Team Silver medal-win. For more information, rider and horse bios, rules and breaking news, and to live stream events, visit the US Equestrian website.
Also during the 2021 Olympic Games, Paralympic Equestrian events will be held the week before. The term “Paralympics” derives from the Greek preposition “para” (beside or alongside) and the word “Olympic”. Its meaning is that Paralympics are the parallel Games to the Olympics and illustrates how the two movements exist side-by-side. The U.S. has also fielded teams in each of the Paralympic Games since para-dressage’s inception at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, capturing four Individual medals. Meet the US Equestrian Paralympic Team.
Maybe your horse isn’t an Olympic candidate but we love them all the same! Summer care for our horses includes protecting them from flies and other insects, and Rainbow has everything you need to keep your horse comfortable during this hot weather. Fly Masks serve double duty as they keep flies away from your horse’s eyes, ears and nose, while also protecting light-colored horses from sunburn. A fly sheet will do the same for pink-skinned horses. Check out the Equine Department for a complete selection of Fly Repellents including sprays, wipes and feed-through options!
Ms Trivia is taking a break this month. The Trivia Contest will return next month.
The June Winner is June Richmond, with the correct answer that it is false that only horses who live in the desert or the beach can get Sand Colic! All horses that graze are potentially exposed to sand impactions.