There are many things for visitors to do in the Lexington area, especially those who plan to attend the first ever FEI World Equestrian Games to be held here in history. The United States and Kentucky in particular, is proud to have earned the honor of hosting these prestigious and meaningful competitions, which will play out between September 25^th and October 10^th, 2010. For those of us who follow the world leaders in equine training and riding disciplines, the games have been merely an event that we scheduled to watch on television. Thanks to great video coverage and extremely adept and knowledgeable commentary, the television broadcasts still allowed us to keep up with all of the action, heartbreak, suspense, and sportsmanship of the games.

But next year, right in the heart of the country, we will be able to smell it, taste it, and live the thrill for ourselves. Planning, arrangements, ticket sales, preparations and reservations have been under way for months already, and the games are still over a year off into the future. So, what makes this such a special and well received occasion? If you think about the history of the horse throughout the recorded history of human life on the planet, it is easy to see where this strong bond, respect, and love comes from, and why it is still being honored and perfected today.

The first horses that man captured were products of the desert, and depictions of them were mostly mirage-like and vaporous, alluding to the mystery and majesty of these naturally swift, intelligent, and graceful survivors. Not only did they survive, but they were the heart of the desert and the barren lands surrounding, offering the key to survival and an easier life for mankind. For thousands of years, the horse has been bred and crossbred, additional feral horses discovered, and ancient strains developed, until there was a horse for every task in every climate on every continent of the world. And what has the horse asked for in return?

The horse, to most people, is an animal to be honored, respected, cared for, and kept healthy. The horse is an animal without which we might not be here today, and as such he is a noble and courageous beast to behold. Where better to honor him than in Lexington, Kentucky, where everything horse and history meets everyone who understands the importance of both? According to the FEI, nowhere at all.

Home rentals have become an ever increasing option for those who plan to attend far away and exceptionally popular events, such as the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games to be held for the first time in America at Lexingtons Kentucky Horse Park. There are slated to be over 600,000 spectators alone in the area over the course of the two week event, with most of them overlapping for the most popular dressage, jumping, and eventing tests. There are also the stable workers, media, reporters, employees, competitors, handlers, volunteers, and countless other staff members who will be heading in from all over the world at this time, so it is easy to see why the early scramble for lodging.

The World Equestrian Games are growing, thanks to the tireless and endless efforts of their governing body, the FEI. With this growth comes a greater responsibility for the host cities who are charged with getting the games off without a hitch, and the cycle is sometimes so overwhelming enormous that its hard to comprehend how they get off the ground at all. Spectators are rarely made aware of the constant planning, labor, work, determination, and efforts that are going on behind the scenes, and this is just how it should be. Suffice it to say that Lexington has been in full swing toward preparation for the fall, 2010 games since spring of 2008, and it has no intensions of slowing until the last nail is sunk.

This may all seem rather boring and mundane to those who are only interested in the horses, as these amazing creatures are the true celebration and driving force behind it all. Public support of the game efforts and volunteering is as important to the games as the events are themselves, so if you find that you have some spare time to offer, the Ariat Volunteer Center is the perfect contact for you to make.

During the games, all of the most formidable and highest ranking horse and rider teams will vie for the top FEI spot in one or more of 8 disciplines. The other every four years world renowned equestrian event, which occurs exactly at the even numbers every two years between the World Equestrian Games, is the Olympics. New this year is the para dressage contest, where those with physical disabilities are able to prove their metal amongst their able bodied peers from around the globe.

Endurance riding is one of the eight FEI competitions that will take place this year at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. This sport is unique in that it doesnt take place in an area or on a field, but over a long distance trail. It also isnt judged on conformation, style or technique, but on the stamina and endurance level of the horse.

Endurance rides are either 50 or 100 miles long. The first horse to complete the ride first and passing on veterinary checks is considered the winner of the competition. However, many people compete in endurance to improve their horses personal best and consider passing all vet checks to be a win.

Although the competition is open to all breeds of horses, the Arabian tends to be the most predominant choice for riders. This is due to the Arabians natural endurance and stamina that has been created over the hundreds of years of breeding in the Saudi Arabia desert. Arabians tend to dominate the competition at the top levels of endurance riding.

Prior to the start of the endurance ride, all horses are inspected by a veterinarian. This is to ensure that they are healthy and fit to perform the long distance ride. The rider is also briefed and given a map of the route. The map shows the vet check stops as well as natural obstacles, which may include water crossings, ditches and steep hills.

The ride is broken into phases and at the end of each ride, the horses must stop to be vet checked. The horses are checked for dehydration and soundness. Their pulse and respiration is taken as well. To continue the ride, the horse must pass the examination and meet the required heart rate. The required heart rate may vary depending on the terrain, weather and altitude.

After each vet check, the horse and rider must stay at the inspection site for a predetermined length of time. The horses are fed and watered prior to starting again. Horses that dont pass inspection are eliminated from further competition. Horses typically fail inspection due to lameness or excessive fatigue.

Throughout the course, the riders are free to choose their pace and to adjust to the terrain. They may also choose to dismount and walk or jog with their horse instead of ride throughout the competition depending on the horses level of fatigue. However, they must be mounted when they cross the starting and finish lines.

The endurance portion of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will take place on September 26-27th with the award ceremony taking place on the 27th.

There are many arrangements being made already, with still over a year to go, for those who are vying for spectatorship of the FEI World Equestrian Games of 2010. If you are looking for travel and lodging accommodations in or around the Lexington, Frankfort, or other surrounding areas, you are definitely not alone. You may want to try to get a jump on the crowds, however, because this is the first ever hosting of these prestigious games on U.S. soil, and the whole of the country, not to mention the world, is hustling to prepare and to get there fist hand. Home rentals, hotel shares, motel bookings, and even room and board situations are filling up fast, so dont wait for too long.

An estimated 600,000 tickets will be available throughout the two week long stint of competition, with prices ranging from $25 all the way up to $140 per event. Each of the para dressage events are set at the lowest ticket pricing, while the highest admission represents the Grand Prix Freestyle Dressage contest. The counsel is working hard make sure that anyone with an interest is able to be involved in some way, and experience the excitement and once in a lifetime drama that is the world games.

Tickets for all events will be available for sale worldwide on September 25th, 2009, exactly one year from the opening ceremonies at Lexingtons Kentucky Horse Park. A good rule of thumb to follow would be to begin making your travel and accommodation arrangements as soon as you have conformation about the events and dates that you plan to attend. A full list of scheduled events and admission pricing is available at the official Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games website, which is updated daily and proudly posts a countdown of the days until the games begin. Please keep in mind that the longer events, particularly eventing and jumping, are broken up into segments and charged admission as such.

Information about home rentals is available here as well as on the official world games site, along with venue, map, and travel directions and descriptions. There is no greater place for horse lovers in America than Kentucky, and this year, the state has the privileged opportunity to prove to the whole world how important these creatures are to the blue grass region. Kentucky Horse Park will be given yet more recognition for its tireless efforts toward the betterment of life for both the horse and the owner.

At the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, you are bound to see many beautifully matched and dressed harness teams, four by four, prancing about during testing and practice sessions before the three competitions involving them come under way. These are the driving teams, and their jobs are quite difficult, if they do say so themselves. The very first challenge with developing and perfecting this type of unit is finding the four horses that have the qualities that they need in order to work together and do it well. The mental strengths of a front anchor horse, for instance, may need to be a bit higher than those of the horse behind it.

One could never simply hitch four random horses together and make them go well at the drop of a hat. And these teams are meant to go well under some extremely tiring and rough work. The first phase of their competition will be driven dressage, wherein each of the horses individually and as a team will be graded for their suppleness, lightness, comprehension, movement, skill, and for the way that they bend and arch on the move. If you thought watching the individual horse and rider teams practice and perform the beautiful art of dressage, just wait until you see four horses dance this ancient training method with the help reins only.

The cross country leg of the driving contest will find the four in hand teams journeying masterfully along just under 18 kilometers of natural trail obstacles and timed maneuvers. Time faults will occur for every predetermined increment over the allotted time frame for the course. During this phase, the teams will be judged on their endurance, confidence, strength, and ability to perform under tiring and potentially stressful conditions. The driver will be judged on his ability to encourage, guide, and control his horses with the use and mastering of horsemanship skills.

Finally, agility, coordination, balance, and skill will be tested on a stadium obstacle course comprised of cones. These cones are placed in a stationary maze, and on top of each one is perched a ball. Drivers will guide their horses through this timed obstacle course, and for each ball knocked off or cone disturbed, faults will be added to the overall, three phase score. The lowest score will determine the winner of the driving competition, but each team is commended on making it to these, the most exciting and prestigious equestrian games in the world.

If youre really looking for excitement this year at the World Equestrian Games, you might be surprised to find it at the combined driving competition. This part of the FEI World Equestrian Games actually consists of three phases and is much more than simple driving around the arena that you might find at your typical horse show.

Combined driving requires four team members and four horses. Each team member has a role in the competition including the driver or whip, the groom and the navigator. The driver controls the horses and is the only team member allowed to speak to the hoses. The two grooms stay on the carriage and control the horses while they are being hitched. When there are two grooms in this event, it is referred to as four-in-hands. The navigator helps the driver navigate the course and obstacle routs during the marathon phase. They remind the driver where to go and also watches the clock. The navigator sits behind the driver. The second groom may also have the task of standing and keeping the carriage upright.

The horses in the combined driving event must be very responsive with an excellent and reliable disposition. This sport can be very dangerous should a horse decide to go his own way or disobey in some manner. Because there are four horses used in this competition, one of those horses is the leader or wheeler. It is even more important that this horse is suitable and well-trained.

There are three phases to the competition including:

Dressage & Presentation: Presentation is a sub-phase in the dressage portion of the competition in which the team members attire, the horses appearance and the vehicle and tack are judged for cleanliness and safety. This takes place at the halt prior to starting the dressage competition.

The dressage test is similar to those tests that are performed under saddle and include maneuvers such as figure eights, collected and extended gaits, a halt, crossing the diagonal and a rein back. Horses are judged on their ability to move in harmony with similar movement, action and conformation. The test does allow the voice as an aid, which is not allowed under saddle.

Marathon: This phase is similar to cross country eventing. It is a test of the horses athletic ability and stamina. They will have to cross several hazards throughout the test including water, twists through trees, steep hills, fences and pens.

Cones: Cones test the accuracy and obedience of the horses, as well as their speed. It can be likened to the show jumping portion of a three day event. The driver must negotiation 20 pairs of cones, each having a ball on top. Knocking over one or both of the cones penalizes the teams score. Other obstacles may also include raised rails in a U shape, a right angle and a wooden bridge.

If youre looking to experience a unique competition while visiting the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, then combined driving will be an experience like none other.

World championship level vaulting combines both gymnastics and dance on a cantering horse. Done to music, vaulting requires not only harmony between the horse and vaulter, but harmony between the horse and several vaulters. Vaulters may compete individually, as pairs (pas-de-deux), or as a team. Vaulting was first recognized by the FEI in 1983. To reach the world championship level, vaulters must compete regionally, nationally and finally worldwide.

There are various components to the routines that the vaulters must perform. All competitions are held over two rounds. The first round requires that seven designated exercises be performed by the vaulter and each exercise is scored by the judge. The second round is freestyle in which the vaulters are able to choreograph their own performance.

Vaulting is judged based on:
Form
Difficulty
Technique
Balance
Security
Consideration of the horse

The horse, the vaulter and the longeur are all considered a part of the team and are a competitive unit. This is reflected in the final score.

In order for the vaulters to perform well, they must have a trustworthy horse. The horse should be a good athlete with an excellent disposition and temperament. The horse should also be well balanced, as balance is 20% of the final score. The horse is longed by a longeur who is responsible for ensuring the horse stays in a stead and true canter throughout the competition and that the circle maintained has a minimum diameter of 15 meters.

There are seven compulsory movements required in vaulting:
Basic Seat The vaulter sits astride the horse with their arms raised at ear level. The legs are wrapped around the barrel of the horse with soles facing rearward. The riders hands should be held palms down with closed fingers. This position must be held for four strides.
Flag From astride the horse, the vaulter hops up to their knees and extends her right leg straight out behind and holds it slightly above her head and parallel with the horses spine. The left arm is stretched straight forward at nearly the height of the leg.
Mill From the astride position, the rider brings her leg over the horses neck and the left leg is then brought over in a full arc over the horses croup. This movement requires that the rider ungrasp and regrasp the grips. This movement must be performed with each leg for four strides each or sixteen strides total.
Scissors From astride the horse, the rider swings into a handstand and then comes down so that she is astride the horse facing backward. The maneuver is then performed again so that the rider is astride the horse facing forward.
Stand The stand requires the rider to move from the astride position and stand on both feet.
Flank From the astride position, the rider swings the legs forward to create momentum and rolls on the stomach in an arch with a full extension of the legs, nearly reaching a handstand. The vaulter then jackknifes her body and turns to the inside and slides down into a side seat. The vaulter then moves from the side seat, brings her body over the back of the horse and pushes off, landing outside the circle facing forward.

Each of these movements are performed in this order without dismounting or pausing. In team competition, each vaulter must perform these movements following one another.

Eventing is one of the most strenuous and noble competitions contended at the FEI World Equestrian Games. Horse and rider are tested over three days through some of the most demanding and potentially disheartening courses and patterns known to the equestrian world in a brave and dashing attempt to overcome all obstacles and come out at the front. Not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination, especially when given the fierce and talented world class competition that they face from opposing horse and rider teams. All begin with a stringent training, working, communication, and strategy plan, but only one can end in front.

Compulsory is anything but elementary during these events, but rather leaning toward precision, exactness, perfect rhythm, and unison in all motions, movements, behaviors, and competitive actions. True horsemanship and sportsmanship are tested through and through, and the term willing horse is given a whole new meaning through the judging formats and rules of this FEI competition. Many adoring spectators say that they can feel the disappointment radiating off of the horse after faults or mistakes, but the general consensus is that each athlete here is a champion in his or her own right.

The willing horse is expected to be a model of patience and calm happiness throughout each and every moment of the competition. All body language is carefully monitored by the judges during the compulsory and freestyle legs of competition, with special emphasis placed on the absence of hesitation, frustration, confusion, refusal, and fear. At all times, the horse is to remain alert and eager to perform, listening carefully for each nuance created by his rider, and using his entire body to tune into the athleticism and suppleness of each action. If poetry in motion is possible, this is as close a glimpse as most will get to it.

Through the collaborative efforts of the hospitality and travel divisions of the games staff, many rental houses are being listed early so that reservations and arrangements for the quickly filling two week event can be made now. If you are thinking about attending the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, you will find some great deals and accommodations can be made from the comfort of your home, assuring that you wont miss out on one gait, jump, pirouette, or exciting sliding stop of the competition. Hope to see you here, where blue grass and ancient tradition marry seamlessly for the first time in FEI history.

The World Equestrian Games consist of eight equestrian sports. The games are held every four years just two years before the Olympic Games. The World Equestrian Games are governed by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI). Due to this, the games are often referred to as the FEI games.

The Federation Equestre Internationale is the international governing body of equestrian sports around the world. The Federation was established in 1921 and the headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland. When the FEI formed, it joined the national equestrian organizations in the US, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Italy, France, Denmark and Belgium. Later, 126 additional nations joined. There are a total of 134 nations in the FEI today.

The World Equestrian Games are the world championships for eight equestrian disciplines. These include:

Dressage: Dressage means training in French. The goal of this discipline is to develop the horse in to an athlete that is happy and moves in harmony with the rider. The horse should be calm, supple, loose and flexible. It should also be confident, attentive to the rider and keen. In competition, each horse and rider perform a test that consists of a combination of movements and gates that must take place at predetermined areas in the arena.

Combined Driving: Combined driving consists of three competitions which include driven dressage, marathon and obstacle cones driving. The event is competed by four in-hand drivers with a team of four horses.

Eventing: Eventing consists of three competitions as well. These include dressage, cross country and show jumping. Each event is held on a separate day and the entire competition is referred to as Three Day Event.

Endurance: An endurance ride tests the speed and endurance of the horse. The competition is a race against the clock over a 100 mile distance.

Jumping: Show jumping consists of a horse and rider team competing over various obstacles on a course.

Reining: Reining is the only western event at the World Equestrian Games. Competitors run one of several approved patterns.

Para Dressage: The para dressage discipline allows riders with physical disabilities to compete at a professional level.

Vaulting: Vaulting combines gymnastics and dance elements that are performed to music on a cantering horse. Competitors can compete on an individual, pair or team basis.

The 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games will take place over 16 days at the end of September and the first ten days of October. Each event is staggered on various days throughout the 16 days. The World Equestrian Games is one of the most exciting two and a half weeks in the world of equestrian sports.

In order for all to go smoothly at the official 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, there need to be some test runs and pre-game judging forums. Enter: The Kentucky Cup. These will be the official testing games leading up to the fall, 2010 competition bonanza, and they will be held during the summer months of 2009 and the early spring months of 2010. The first two testing competitions that will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park are the reining and the vaulting contests, and these will be the first to take place inside of the brand new indoor stadium.

The Three Day Rolex Event will signal the halt of the 8 separate Kentucky Cup testing competitions, after which the racing and summer seasons will take over before a pause will be made in preparation for the big world games event. These are official qualifying factors, used to determine both the placement of teams going into the World Equestrian Games as well as the overall flow of the functional venues that will hold the competitions next fall. The Kentucky Horse Park is offering the public to view these exciting tests free of charge, and only car parking will be charged during these timed events.

Those who wish to take advantage of these less crowded yet overly exciting and professional testing competitions can take advantage of some very generous hotel group rate codes provided at the Alltech FEI website under testing. Kentucky Horse Park would also like to invite visitors to take advantage of the low admissions costs on these days for the remainder of the park, which include horse drawn tours and two of the finest equine museums in the world. Those who are more interested in house rentals can also find some great opportunities through just a little bit of research.

There will be two phases of both the reining and the vaulting tests on display at the stadium, the reining competition testing in both teams and individuals. Those who wish to volunteer for the world games in the more specialized areas may have been urged to volunteer during the testing events as well, and this is a great opportunity to get familiar with the goings on and demands of the games next year. This is also a wonderful opportunity for those who may not be able to afford the games to get up close to these professional athletes in all of their splendor.

There are many things for visitors to do in the Lexington area, especially those who plan to attend the first ever FEI World Equestrian Games to be held here in history. The United States and Kentucky in particular, is proud to have earned the honor of hosting these prestigious and meaningful competitions, which will play out between September 25th and October 10th, 2010. For those of us who follow the world leaders in equine training and riding disciplines, the games have been merely an event that we scheduled to watch on television. Thanks to great video coverage and extremely adept and knowledgeable commentary, the television broadcasts still allowed us to keep up with all of the action, heartbreak, suspense, and sportsmanship of the games.

But next year, right in the heart of the country, we will be able to smell it, taste it, and live the thrill for ourselves. Planning, arrangements, ticket sales, preparations and reservations have been under way for months already, and the games are still over a year off into the future. So, what makes this such a special and well received occasion? If you think about the history of the horse throughout the recorded history of human life on the planet, it is easy to see where this strong bond, respect, and love comes from, and why it is still being honored and perfected today.

The first horses that man captured were products of the desert, and depictions of them were mostly mirage-like and vaporous, alluding to the mystery and majesty of these naturally swift, intelligent, and graceful survivors. Not only did they survive, but they were the heart of the desert and the barren lands surrounding, offering the key to survival and an easier life for mankind. For thousands of years, the horse has been bred and crossbred, additional feral horses discovered, and ancient strains developed, until there was a horse for every task in every climate on every continent of the world. And what has the horse asked for in return?

The horse, to most people, is an animal to be honored, respected, cared for, and kept healthy. The horse is an animal without which we might not be here today, and as such he is a noble and courageous beast to behold. Where better to honor him than in Lexington, Kentucky, where everything horse and history meets everyone who understands the importance of both? According to the FEI, nowhere at all.