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6 days ago | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
If you’ve ever owned a horse, you are no stranger to unplanned expenses cropping up. Most horse owners budget for care costs without factoring in health emergencies and the frequent vet calls, medications, diagnostics, and treatments that are likely to pop up. During a break at the recent Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in April, I sat down with Jennifer Brocker, Vice President of Client Marketing, Veterinary/Pet Care, CareCredit, and Kate Hayes, Vice President Equine Expansion, CareCredit.
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2 weeks ago | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
Kentucky skies were finally blessed with bright sunshine all day for the conclusion of the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event CCI5*-L. With two rails in hand for the show jumping phase, Michael Jung (GER) and Fischerchipmunk FRH dropped only one to finish on a score of 25.0, granting Jung a record fifth Kentucky 5* win—the others came in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2022. Always modest and soft-spoken, Jung refused to tout his obvious and spectacular talent. “It’s definitely luck,” he said afterward.
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2 weeks ago | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
After a day of deluges on Friday, cross-country day dawned dry, gray, and very cold for late April, with a “feels like” temperature of 45 degrees that persisted all day. The ground was still holding a lot of water, which turned out to be very deep and tiring for the horses, with scads of time penalties in both the 4* and 5* divisions.
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2 weeks ago | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
Under threatening skies that provided on and off downpours and even some lightning, nobody could catch Germany’s Michael Jung on the second day of dressage at the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three Day Event CCI5*-L at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.Jung has four Olympic gold medals and four Kentucky 5* titles.
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Jun 11, 2024 | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
Read on for expert tips on how to prevent grass founder in horses. Picture this: a lush, green field with a horse peacefully grazing. This image is almost every horse owner’s ideal vision of their horse at his happiest. But danger can lurk for some horses if you look a little deeper. Certain horses and ponies are prone to grass founder (laminitis), particularly in the spring when grasses are high in sugar.
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May 31, 2024 | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
On March 25, 2024, The J. F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., hosted its highly anticipated third annual Equine Training in collaboration with the OC Fire Authority’s Urban Search & Rescue Team (US&R). This unique event, generously funded by The Gary Sinise Foundation, offered an immersive experience for over 100 first responders seeking to enhance their skills in horse rescue procedures.
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May 8, 2024 | 
youngrider.com | Ashley SOLLARS |Megan Arszman |Holly Caccamise
Read along for a guide on how to choose your riding helmet for safely riding a horse. Being a horse girl or guy pretty much guarantees you’ll end up eating some dirt at some point. If you haven’t had the joy of hitting the ground yet, count yourself lucky. Even the most easygoing horses can spook or pull a surprise move, and suddenly you’re airborne. Whatever you land on first takes the impact of your fall. Hopefully, that thing isn’t your head.
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Apr 28, 2024 | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
Thanks to a rail down by overnight leader Tom McEwen (GBR) on the 13-year-old German Warmblood gelding JL Dublin, a clean trip over the show jumps bumped Oliver Townend (GBR) to the ultimate win at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L. Jumping in reverse order of standing, Townend’s clear trip aboard the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Mare Cooley Rosalent left him in prime position as the final two to jump had rails down.
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Apr 27, 2024 | 
horseillustrated.com | Holly Caccamise
In a day of heat, then rain, followed by blazing sun, the sun indeed shone brightest on the British riders as they claimed the top three spots after cross-country at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L. Tom McEwen (GBR) and 13-year-old German Warmblood gelding JL Dublin had 4 time faults, but enough of a head start to maintain their overnight lead. Yasmin Ingham (GBR) and 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding Banzai Du Loir had 5.6 time faults but maintained 2nd place.
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Apr 26, 2024 | 
youngrider.com | Holly Caccamise
Tom McEwen of Great Britain had a big day under beautiful skies at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., nailing the dressage test at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L. McEwen rode a steady and accurate test aboard the 13-year-old German Warmblood gelding JL Dublin for a score of 24.6, bumping fellow countryman Yasmin Ingham (GBR) and Banzai Du Loir’s leading score of 26.1 from yesterday down to 2nd place going into Saturday’s cross-country phase.
