October 19, 2012 -- The second day of dressage at the Dansko Fair Hill International CCI got off to a late start on Friday after lightning storms caused an hour delay. Rain continued to threaten throughout the day and struck during the first rides of the final afternoon session as competitors completed the first phase the USEF National Two and Three-Star Eventing Championships. In the CCI3* Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot hold the lead going into the cross country with a score of 43. No one was able to catch Thursday's CCI2* leader Susan Beebee and Wolf as their score of 40.8 proved to be unassailable.

USEF National Three-Star Eventing Championship

Three-star competition got underway Friday with all 34 entries contesting their dressage tests in front of the Ground Jury of Angela Tucker, Janine Rohr and Wayne Quarles.

For more information about the Dansko Fair Hill International CCI visit; http://www.fairhillinternational.com/.

Follow the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team here.

The McDermott barn

1. Take your time and choose a fair and reputable contractor. Visit their work independently on your own and get fair and unbiased feedback from the customers.

2. Consult a structural engineer if you are excavating to the extent we did (digging down 4-5 feet below the existing floor level) to assure soundness of overall structure to gain as much knowledge of added costs and or issues prior to digging.

3. I visited all of my friends' barns and some others to gather as much knowledge and ideas for design, layout and useful applications as possible. I asked each one of them what they would change if they could or what they would have done differently. The overwhelming response, funny enough, was "A larger drain in the wash stall!" I immediately changed my drain to the biggest I could find. (In retrospect, this was one of my most important steps.)

4. Create a plan and budget prior to construction. Review with builder/contractors and follow as closely as possible to avoid delays, added cost and mistakes.

5. Work closely with contractor on a daily basis. Follow progress, make or review changes and monitor daily activity for any adjustments that need to be addressed or reviewed.

6. Should changes or additions occur during construction, immediately review and agree on cost with contractor and get an addendum to contract or agreed price in writing. This will avoid any misunderstandings and issues regarding costs.

7. I invited my "horse" friends and owners over to visit the project and give me input and advice from their many years of practical horse daily living. It was both a wonderful experience and education. I made some changes per their suggestions and am happy every day because of them.

8. Measure, measure, measure! Take the time to walk through the layout and structure prior to installation of cement footers and alleyways. This is a lesson I learned the hard way. The evening prior to the poring of our cement alleyway a couple of my horsewomen friends stopped by to see the progress. Our plans clearly indicated 12x12 stalls, but as we walked through my friends commented on the stalls looking smaller than what was called for. So I immediately measured and to my dismay they were correct--the stalls would have been 9'6"x12. I immediately called the contractor. Had my friends not noticed we would have been "set in stone" and had a major issue to correct.

9. Keep an organized file of all names and numbers of contractors, subcontractors, companies and suppliers of equipment and materials used for the project. You may need these for future repairs, replacements or additions. We already have.

10. Be as prepared as possible both mentally and financially for a project like a major structural renovation. Inevitably it will take longer and cost more than what was originally planned.

Julie Cook's Top 10 Tips
View Julie's barn renovation photo gallery!

The Cook barn

1. You are never really finished renovating the barn if you do it yourself, because it seems like the projects keep on coming based on how much spare money you have to spend on it.

2. You can learn how to do almost any project yourself with the help of the Internet. Don't be afraid to look up instructions/directions on the Internet--with a little searching, there is always a source for incredible information and insight.

3. Interlocking stall mats are a must, but if finances dictate (or, as in our case, you have an odd-sized stall), carriage bolts work great to keep the mats in place without ANY shifting. Drill holes in the mats and place 6" carriage bolts through the mats and into the dirt underneath. This keeps them solidly in place. This was a tip from a friend, and it works fantastically well.

4. Invest in good metal exterior doors and stall doors, but know that just because you get them powder coated doesn't mean they won't rust.

5. Wash rack drains are a pain no matter how they are constructed. Pay attention to how they are put in and make sure that gravity is on your side. We ended up having to dig ours out and re-do it. It works perfectly now.

6. The interior stall walls are oak planks that we had planned to make smooth. We stained them and then applied six coats of clear gloss--they wash up like a dream when soiled. I questioned my husband's sanity when he said we were going to do it this way, but now I see the benefit in having them so easily cleaned.

Jan. 27, 2006 -- On January 29 from 8-10 p.m. EST/PST, Animal Plant explored the remarkable bond that some of music's modern stars share with their horses in the world premiere of "Trail Mix" (check your local listings for reairings). Among the featured stars is world-renowned Irish tenor, Ronan Tynan.

At the age of 20, Tynan's legs were amputated below the knee after complications from an auto accident. He went on to win 18 gold medals and set 14 world records between 1981 and 1984 in the Paralympic Games in track and field and equestrian.

Tynan won both the John McCormack Cup for Tenor Voice and the BBC talent show Go For It less than one year after beginning the study of voice at the age of 33. He joined Anthony Kearns and John McDermott (later Finbar Wright) in 1998 to become The Irish Tenors. His first solo album was released in 2005.

Below is an exclusive interview with Tynan.

Ronan Tynan on horseback

© Animal Planet

Question: How did you first get interested in horses?

Answer: There has never been a time when horses weren't part of my life. I was born into a family that had been breeding horses for three generations.

Q: How have horses impacted your career?

A: They gave me my first taste of freedom, and from then on, there was no stopping me.

Q: How or why do you think horse riding can help other people dealing with physical challenges?
A: It allows them to put their cares away and enjoy the moment with the animal.

Q: How do you find time for horses with a busy career and travelling?
A: I don't have much time for them, but I wish I had more. I try and make time for them whenever I can.

Q: What are some of your upcoming projects? Are horses part of any of the projects?
A: Horses are always part of something I do. They gave me the inspiration to do great things.

Q: What other hobbies do you enjoy?
A: I enjoy reading, walking and watching movies.