Coree Reuter

Did you know that the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games start in 57 days? It seems like it wasn’t very long ago that the WEG was a far-distant speck on the horizon, and now it’s just around the corner. 

Since the WEG is showcasing eight different equestrian disciplines, and many of you may not be familiar with all of them, I decided that each event needed its own history lesson on this blog. And since dressage could be considered the foundation of every equine sport, I decided to start our nine-week countdown with “ballet on horseback.”

So what is dressage, anyway?

I have to admit, a little sheepishly, that I still get pretty darn excited about things from my youth. Who doesn’t fondly remember The Smurfs, Pretty Pretty Princess, POGS, Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rainbow Bright, Strawberry Shortcake and Dinosaur? Of course, there’s one thing that makes me squeal like a Justin Bieber tween fan whenever I see them: My Little Pony.

I’m willing to bet almost none of you are familiar with a horse named Bamboo Harvester. Yet he’s probably one of the most famous horses in U.S. history.

Need a hint?

Bamboo Harvester was born in 1949 and was bred to be a show horse. For the first 11 years of his life, he was just that, traveling across the country gathering championships.

Walking down the boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., just isn’t the same these days. What once was a prime vacation destination for the rich and famous in the early part of the 20^th century, rich in upscale hotels, attractions such as Steel, Million Dollar and Iron Pier, side show acts, entertainment and nightlife, has now become a boulevard of towering casinos prevailing over the Atlantic Ocean’s horizon.

Check back every Wednesday through Aug. 18 for more articles in the Mobile Horses: Care On The Road series, sponsored by UlcerGard.You can find all the articles on our Mobile Horses page.

Ever since I read Misty of Chincoteague when I was a kid, I’ve wanted to attend Pony Penning Day and bring home a Misty all of my own. Of course, that wish was always a far-fetched one, since I grew up on the West Coast, thousands of miles away from the two islands and adventures that Marguerite Henry described in her book. It’s been a long time since I’ve picked up the novel, but I still remember being swept away by the story of Misty.

Check back every Wednesday through Aug. 18 for more articles in the Mobile Horses: Care On The Road series, sponsored by UlcerGard.You can find all the articles on our Mobile Horses page.

After a potentially career-ending injury, John Crandell’s mount is back at the top of his game.

“He’s a freak of nature,” John Crandell III said of Heraldic after winning his sixth and Heraldic’s second Old Dominion 100 on June 12 in Orkney Springs, Va. “He’s not the easiest personality in the world to get along with, but physically, athletically, he’s a freak of nature. That’s the best way to describe him. He’s just athletic in every way you can imagine.”

It’s been a chocolate kind of week here at The Chronicle. We typically have a bit of a lull in the schedule in the middle of the summer, so we’ve all been busy catching up on projects and trying to stay ahead of the game in preparation for our incredibly busy fall season.

I took a break today to have a bit of chocolate, and much to my surprise, there was a horse on it! Now, I’ve never really paid attention to chocolate logos, but this one intrigued me.

I’m not going to lie. I was a little apprehensive about covering the Old Dominion 100 this past weekend. The idea of hiking through the woods for hours on end didn’t bother me, but I was nervous about taking pictures! I wanted to find the perfect, most beautiful spot on the trail to showcase the event.

I should have settled for an easy place to find.