Yes, I would. I wear gloves every time I ride. I guess the gloveless riders, and there were quite a few, stood out to me. And in our barn, almost all the hunter and jumper riders go gloveless.
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Interesting. I wonder why? Like you, I always wore gloves, even out hacking.
I canât imagine trying to ride an Olympic course in hot weather without gloves (I wouldnât ride over an Olympic course at all, but you know what I mean.)
Sweaty hands trying to have any sort of grip on the reins⊠
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This. I did not hear Lucinda Green say anything negative about any horse or rider in any of the three disciplines. If things were ugly, she just usually said nothing. Once or twice she threw out a âShoot!â if something unfortunate happened, and it sounded like she wanted to say something else but caught herself.
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If you ever have a chance to take a clinic with Lucinda, please do. She is terrific. Praises good effort, gives positive direction if things are going off the rails and sets up exercises to challenge rider and horse, but more the former. She will set up a line at no specific distance and theyâll the riders to â have a bash at itâ. And youâll come away having learned so much about riding to jumps that your confidence will be appropriate and long lasting. Lucindas words may be few, but they are mighty. 
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King Edwardâs #1 fan girl after these games!!! 
Iâm ready to pack my bags and move to Sweden. Or at least celebrate with a trip to IKEA.
There was also an Argentine horse, Emir. First to go in the team final. I feel like if I used a ton of saddle-tite and grabbed mane, he would have taken care of me around the course. That has to be the quietest Grand Prix jumper I have ever seen.
I am gutted for Great Britain- I wanted to see them complete the sweep with 6 medals in 6 equestrian competitions.
Final thought- how the hell did USA pull that off?!?
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I was hearing Melanie Smith. She does a good job.
Or at least celebrate with a trip to IKEA.
Take your pick! If youâre a Spotify subscriber, youâre partway there 
I too am also, as the Brits say, gutted for Great Britain, but, to be honest, I thought they had a terrific Olympics 
Five medals in all three equestrian disciplines is an amazing accomplishment, and a testament to their development of their horses and riders in their country. Germany also did a great job with four medals in two disciplines.
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Even though I would have loved to see the Americans win the whole thing, I feel as if the right team won the gold medal, based on their performance throughout the week. And I feel like they won in spite of the new format, not because of it.
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Definitely!
Honestly, USA was lackluster all week. For them to do so well and take silver was incredible. Had they beat out Sweden for gold after all Sweden has done, I would have been angry. 
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Website and I are having an argument right now, but there are some good quotes from various riders in this article regarding the new format. McLain and Laura more or less read your mind some 5500-6000 miles away.
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So glad for all the teamâs that won mefals: Sweden, US, Belgium.
But feel so bad for the French rider whose horse refused and was elimina ted. One second you are riding for gold and the next your team is off the podium.
All the courses were so challenging. Did the horse just say, âI am done, Madame Penelope.â
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I would totally take Emir out hunting, Thereâs just something about his lolloping around the course that was tremendously appealing.
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This might be amusing. The non-horseperson New Jersey perspective: link to the Asbury Park Press article via northjersey.com, the local online paper:
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I love the picture of the Bruce fans showing their support outside the venue in Tokyo. Too funny.
I love the part about how he has to keep playing shows to feed the horses.
Iâve bit my tongue sharing this story, but Bruce loves his own horses just as much as his daughterâs. Years ago I took care of some of the familyâs horses in a veterinary capacity and he was a very concerned and engaged owner. Heâs far from the only celebrity owner Iâve worked for/with in my life⊠itâs always interesting to see the varying levels of involvement.
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I saw him at horse shows when Jessica was a junior. He and/or Patty were almost always there. However it was understood that he was there as a horse show dad, not as a rock superstar. No one approached him for an autograph, for example, although there was a bit of reasonably subtle gawking from afar.
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Ditto. I never saw anybody bother him.
I still remember the first time I saw him at a show, when she was still on ponies. I saw a very naughty Jack Russell walking towards me on a leash, and I was so busy looking at the dog misbehave that I did not notice the owner until he was right in front of me. Lol.
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Even NPR described it that way.
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Lol I was at Devon years ago, Jessica was still a junior, I was at the concession stand and a man walked up to the window next me. It wasnât until the worker started fan girling a little bit that I realized it was Bruce!
Itâs funny because at horse shows, Jessica is the one that tends to get the fanfare even if her parents are there. As it should!
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