- Breeding
- Horse Breeding, Part 1: The Estrous Cycle
- A Brief History of Horse Breeding
- Horse Breeding, Part 3: Birth and Care of a Foal
- Buying a Horse
- Do you need insurance for horses?
- What to Look For When Buying a Horse
- So You Bought A Friesian, Now what!
- General Horse Articles
- Finding the Right Instructor
- The Riding Tree: Communication Through Aids
- Equine Photography: A Look at the Horse Photos Industry
- Horse Feeding
- Fueling the Motor – Energy Sources for Horses
- Healthy Horse Boutique Supports Haddad Staller In Her Olympic Quest
- Calcium - More than Just Bone
- Horse Grooming
- Keeping Your Horse Beautiful with Horse Products
- Relive Southern Eighths/Nikon Three-Day on YouTube
- What do do when the Panic is On to keep our Horses Safe!
- Horse Health Issues
- Common Horse Illnesses: Laminitis
- Understanding Horse Teeth
- Common Horse Illnesses: Colic
- Horse Training
- Do you need insurance for horses?
- Ask Chelsie Natural Horsemanship - What Does It Mean To Disengage My Horse?
- What do do when the Panic is On to keep our Horses Safe!
- Horses & History
- Battle-Ready: A History of the War Horse
- The History of Horse Breeding
- When Dealing With Horses Get It in Writing - Sign Up for May 16 FREE Webinar
- Horses & Sports
- When Dealing With Horses Get It in Writing - Sign Up for May 16 FREE Webinar
- Nearly $7 Million Generated Annually for the District of Columbia
- How to Prepare for Your First Equestrian Competition
Where to Find Televised Horse Shows
03/23/2009
With the lone exception of the big races like the Kentucky Derby, horse shows are always difficult to watch on TV. But thanks to the miracle of the modern age, watching televised horse shows is easier than ever. You just have to know where to look.
One of the most frustrating things about being a horse lover is that while many people share your love, no broadcaster seems to show you any love. When seasonal horse shows begin, you will be hard pressed to find any network airing them. With the lone exception of the big races like the Kentucky Derby, horse shows are always difficult to watch on TV. But thanks to the miracle of the modern age, watching televised horse shows is easier than ever. You just have to know where to look.
Television has been the traditional avenue through which horse lovers have gone to watch horse shows. I can remember as a kid my sister getting up at 7am to record the Grand National horse shows off PBS. And since horse shows are often seasonal, she would then watch her recorded horse shows for the rest of the year, until next spring came around. If you live in a big horse town (Long Island for the Hampton Classic horse shows, or Orange County for the Del Mar horse shows), you can still find horse shows broadcast on your local TV station if you get up early enough. If you get SportsNet NY (TWC 26, 639 DirecTV), the Meadowlands racetrack horse shows are available during the early spring and summer.
Of course every 4 years, the Olympics bring with them the best in horse shows and horse competition to regular TV. The Olympics can be a frustrating event to watch in TV, since the majority of the horse shows have been heavily edited—sometimes cut entirely. Most TV networks are aware of this frustration and have been taking steps to rectify it. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, NBC streamed all horse shows and equestrian events online, where they could be watched live or downloaded later.
But thanks to satellite TV and digital cable, you don’t have to be a local (or wait 4 years) to catch good horse shows. Animal Planet (Time Warner Cable 86, DirecTV 282) broadcasts the major American horse shows, including the FTI Hampton Classic Grand Prix horse shows. The Universal Sports Channel (Time Warner Cable 162, DirecTV 259) has regular horse shows and equestrian events on the weekend. MSG Plus (Time Warner Cable 48, DirecTV 635) has Aqueduct horse shows recaps.
If you’re passionate about Western horse shows more than the European variety, consider ESPNC (Time Warner Cable 171, 208 DirecTV). ESPN Classic has Western horse shows like barrel racing and rodeo events on every month at least. And often, their “Bullriding” show has a great deal of bronco-riding as well.
For international horse shows, there are two exceptional stations. Universal Sports shows FEI World Cup horse shows (among others) with its regular “Equestrian” show (Time Warner Cable 162, DirecTV 259). BBC America (Time Warner Cable 106 DirecTV 264) has been broadcasting the best in English horse shows and competition, including FEI cups and European finals, for almost five years now. It should be noted that most cable and satellite services charge extra for these channels, so be sure to shop around for the best deal, and compare basic packages with premium ones.
If you’re trying to find specific horse shows’ broadcasts, and aren’t having any lucky with the stations above, consider On-Demand. Most cable companies have some kind of Pay-Per-View or On-Demand option, with prices ranging from $0-$120 depending on the show. If you and some equine-loving friends pitch in, you can split the cost, enjoying the Saturday horse shows from the comfort of your living room.
