Lindsey Cline

Horse people aren't always known for being the best environmentalists. Unfortunately, there just isn't a good way to drive horses all around the country that doesn't involve lots of diesel fuel and giant gas-guzzling vehicles.

However, that doesn't mean we can't go green around the barn. In honor of Earth Day, we've put together a list of some simple changes you can make that will really have an impact. Living the green life isn’t as complicated as it seems. And not only is it good for the earth, it’s good for your wallet.

Lucy Davis topped off a year full of accomplishments by winning big at the European Youngster Cup. The 17-year-old was the only rider to jump clear in the final round to win the Cup in Frankfurt, Germany, on Dec 17-20. 

Davis rode True Love, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Old Oak Farm, to a clear first round and a 4-fault second round against Europe’s best 26 riders under 25. Their score was good enough to make the final, which featured the top 16 after the first two rounds.

Soon the world’s leading show jumper will be easy to pick out in a crowd—he or she will be sporting a green and gold “Number 1, The Rolex Rankings” armband.

The International Jumping Riders Club and the Fédération Equestre Internationale launched the program to recognize the top rider according to the Rolex Rankings at FEI jumping events in 2010, and the program is set to begin at the 2009 Rolex Top 10 Final in Paris, France.

Members of the British Equestrian Federation and the Belgian Federation are appealing a decision by Fédération Équestre Internationale officials to demote the British and Belgian show jumping teams to the Meydan FEI Nations Cup Promotional League. BEF officials flew to Geneva, Switzerland, on Dec. 10 to appeal their case according to Horse and Hound.

Norwegian show jumper Tony Andre Hansen lost his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Dec. 4 for his medication control offence at the 2008 Olympic Games. Hansen’s horse, Camiro, tested positive for capsaicin.

The CAS ruling will cost Norway the team bronze medal. After officials excluded Hansen’s scores, Norway fell to eighth place and pushed Switzerland into third.

Capsaicin, a chili derivative, is known for its effectiveness as a source of pain relief in products like Equi-Block and for hypersensitizing horses' legs.

George Williams, U.S. Dressage Federation’s vice president, will replace Dr. Samuel Barish as president of the organization. Williams, a successful international dressage rider, won Dressage at Devon’s (Pa.) Grand Prix and Grand Prix freestyle an unprecedented three times, earned fifth at the 2003 World Cup and helped the 2005 U.S. Nations Cup team claim bronze in Aachen, Germany.

In a letter to the national federations posted on Eurodressage.com, Princess Haya has asked for a written vote to allow the “20 October List” to be implemented in April 2010 in place of the “Progressive List.”

The October 20 Equine Prohibited Substances list does not allow any use of NSAID, unlike the Progressive List.

Steffen Peters and Ravel will not defend the Rolex FEI World Cup title they won this year in Las Vegas, Nev., according to Dressage-News.com.

After discussions with Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang, owners of the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Peters told Dressage-News he won’t attend the FEI World Cup Final in ’s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands next year.

Instead, Peters will focus on the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky., Sept. 25-Oct. 10.

Update: Results for the third horse showing symptoms of equine herpesvirus at Calder Racetrack came back negative Saturday, Dec. 5. Calder officials lifted the quarantine on the barn with this horse and the two others that showed signs but tested negative.

Three other Calder barns remain under quarantine after a horse was diagnosed with EHV-1 on Nov 30. No other horses have tested positive. Calder officials hope to lift shipping restrictions on the entire stable area on Dec. 13 and to lift the quarantine for the three barns by Dec. 20.

Update:FEI Releases Statement On Holmes' Departure