However, eventing was still a small, disorganized group of people who wanted to gallop at speed over solid obstacles and then party like hell that night.
― James Wofford
OVERVIEW:
I want to introduce one of my latest reads and among my favorite books…”Still Horse Crazy After All These Years” by the legendary Jim Wofford. I am still fairly new to the eventing world but I’ve known about Jim Wofford for many years.
Get your copy at Trafalgar Square Books
I was lucky enough to see him recently at Equine Affaire in Massachusetts in 2021. He passed away earlier this year, I was so saddened by the news. I learned a lot watching the one clinic I watched, he had so much wisdom to share and he presented it in a way that was easy to understand. He also had a great sense of humor. Additionally, he explained the WHY of everything he had the riders doing and the WHY of how he set things up….he had an attention to detail absent in a lot of clinics I’ve seen. I wish the WHY was more common, I rarely excel when I simply do what I’m told (and I think I speak for many others). But I digress…
His humor shines through in Jimmy’s book. There are several occasions I found myself laughing out loud or taking a photo of a passage to share with a friend.
It was a wet summer, even for Ireland. The sun was out the morning I landed in Dublin and shone again the day I left-and it rained every day in between. When I mentioned this, I was told, “Yes, but it’s a dry rain.” The Irish have a subtle conception of the truth.
–James Wofford
Jim gave us a look inside his life. From his early beginnings and all the way through his retirement. He was born into the equestrian world and his family was well-known across the world. He described himself to be a troublemaker and often referred to his years in school as “prison.”
I’m not that young, I can at least say I was born in the 80s…but it almost came as a surprise to realize the one-room schoolhouses weren’t all that long ago. The way he describes his youth seems like it would be something that should have been much further antiquated. I reflected on this and how remarkably fast the world has progressed technologically since then. And how different things are these days in the modern world….in the equestrian world….with land disappearing and the human population growing.
While General Humberto Mariles of Mexico was winning the gold medal in show jumping on Arete, I snuck into the enclosure at the base of the Olympic flame tower in Wembly Stadium to do what little boys do. A horrified English bobby, helmet and all, chased me over the fence, calling me a “horrid little boy.” He did not know how right he was.
–James Wofford
I enjoyed learning about the early years of eventing. Eventing had been entirely military-based for a long time and its slow entry into the civilian world. I had some previous knowledge of the early days of eventing thanks to Jack LeGoff in Horses Came First Second and Last (The Sunday Review: Horses Came First Second and Last). Jack didn’t enter Jim’s life until later, so in this book, we get a look inside Jim’s experience.
On the second day of a Classic at Olympic and World Championship level, the “speed and endurance” test length totaled 22 miles, which included a 2-mile steeplechase, and a 5-mile cross-country phase.
― James Wofford
I think about the above passage and how vastly different the eventing world is to date. In many ways good but bad in many other ways. I don’t think many horses OR riders could handle a classic in today’s world.
I really enjoyed learning about how horses were conditioned and prepped for competition. One of Jim’s early trainers initially taught him how to condition a horse safely and slowly by walking. A lot. I really liked this part, as I read the book during my injury so it made me hopeful that as I recover I can condition Stanley by working him slowly to build his muscle and fitness.
Horse Crazy After All These Years also regaled us with the years at the height of Jim’s competitive career. He admitted to unhealthy lifestyle choices and uninformed decisions. Our knowledge of both horse and human health is so much more advanced today than back then. He commented on his lack of nutritional education as they fasted all day long just so they could enjoy a steak dinner and alcohol.
However, eventing was still a small, disorganized group of people who wanted to gallop at speed over solid obstacles and then party like hell that night.
― James Wofford
I also had a lot of fun learning about the atmosphere of the eventing community. From the sounds of it, things haven’t changed all that much.
Final Word:
We lost a legend when we lost Jim Wofford this year, but he’s left an incredible glimpse into his life and his story. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book so fast. It was educational, entertaining, and a joy to read.
I also want to add that I buy most of my horse books from Trafalgar Square Books, I’ve loved them for many years and always buy an armful at Equine Affaire. This happens to be one of such books. I was recently brought on as an affiliate, so you can find your copy through my affiliate link here, It’ll let TSB know I sent you!
Still Horse Crazy After All These Years by James Wofford
The Green Horseman 
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