Monday, June 15, 2009
Moving Around
Hi all! Just a quick note that my blog at the Chronicle of the Horse is live, and located here. Thanks for tuning in!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Photos, And A Big Move
First, the good stuff:
Das Auto
Boots! But you can't see how blue they are so...
... well, this makes it look a little too blue.
They're really, really cool, and they hurt a lot less today than they did yesterday, but it was a good thing I rode Midge in them, because it's really better I don't put my leg on him anyway, and I couldn't have if I'd wanted to.
Das Auto
Boots! But you can't see how blue they are so...
... well, this makes it look a little too blue.
They're really, really cool, and they hurt a lot less today than they did yesterday, but it was a good thing I rode Midge in them, because it's really better I don't put my leg on him anyway, and I couldn't have if I'd wanted to.
But here's the big news: starting tomorrow, this blog will be no more. I know, I know, I just got this blog started, but in the course of the same one week period I got two amazing offers I couldn't refuse.
The first is that starting tomorrow, I'll be blogging for the Chronicle of the Horse. I'll be starting out telling the story of my trip to Gladstone, but they're gearing up for a big web redesign, and they've asked me to play a part.
After Gladstone, I'll also be one of the international riders blogging for the UK-based website HorseHero.com. I'll be joining the ranks of top European riders like Laura Bechtolsheimer, which is a heckova big honor!
Stay tuned to the exact links of my new blogs, and I hope to see you all there!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Somethings New And Blue
Oh man oh man oh man - the blue boots have arrived.
First: it's really not terribly fair to call them blue, because they're really, really, really dark dark dark navy. Like so dark that I hyperventillated a little when I pulled them out of the box because I thought they were black. So I don't think I'll be as much of a trendsetter as I'd originally thought/feared, which is probably a good thing.
I'm guessing they will not make their debut at Gladstone - they hurt like a MOTHER, and while I could probably get them broken in in time, I'm worried about what that would do to my legs, as I really need those to be in perfect working order. You know, national championships at all. But we'll see.
And oh man oh man oh man, part deux: my new car is sitting in the garage downstairs!
I haggled and hemmed and hawwed, and eventually weaseled my way into a very shiny new (!) Honda Fit. It is a very pretty light silvery blue, and it was WAY fun to drive home yesterday. And it holds all this stuff! It has a proper back seat! Amazing.
So I raise my glass (at this hour in the morning, it's orange juice) to my faithful Volkswagen, with its 140k miles and slowly rotting engine, seats, air conditioning, etc: "Lucky," you were a really great car. See you in Car Heaven. Just hopefully not anytime soon.
Now, it's off to stomp around my apartment in my new boots, hopefully just to the point where my knees are thinking of bleeding, but not PAST it.
(and yes, I will take pictures as soon as I can mooch a camera - mine bit the dust last week!)
First: it's really not terribly fair to call them blue, because they're really, really, really dark dark dark navy. Like so dark that I hyperventillated a little when I pulled them out of the box because I thought they were black. So I don't think I'll be as much of a trendsetter as I'd originally thought/feared, which is probably a good thing.
I'm guessing they will not make their debut at Gladstone - they hurt like a MOTHER, and while I could probably get them broken in in time, I'm worried about what that would do to my legs, as I really need those to be in perfect working order. You know, national championships at all. But we'll see.
And oh man oh man oh man, part deux: my new car is sitting in the garage downstairs!
I haggled and hemmed and hawwed, and eventually weaseled my way into a very shiny new (!) Honda Fit. It is a very pretty light silvery blue, and it was WAY fun to drive home yesterday. And it holds all this stuff! It has a proper back seat! Amazing.
So I raise my glass (at this hour in the morning, it's orange juice) to my faithful Volkswagen, with its 140k miles and slowly rotting engine, seats, air conditioning, etc: "Lucky," you were a really great car. See you in Car Heaven. Just hopefully not anytime soon.
Now, it's off to stomp around my apartment in my new boots, hopefully just to the point where my knees are thinking of bleeding, but not PAST it.
(and yes, I will take pictures as soon as I can mooch a camera - mine bit the dust last week!)
Sunday, June 7, 2009
It Takes A Village
Competing at the upper levels truly does take a village. Yeah, yeah, the cliche to end all cliches, but I'm in continuous awe of my good fortune in amassing such a fabulous team.
This weekend I hosted one of our tri-annually-or-so saddle fitting events with my sponsors and dear friends at Advanced Saddle Fit. Colleen, her mighty assistant Janet, and a krebillion saddles come down to visit us from their home base in New Hampshire for a few days, fitting my clients and other interested parties with new saddles, and keeping an eye on my horses' equipment. As a professional, of course I can ride in just about anything and make it works, but on my own horses I certainly have my preferences for how I'd like a saddle to feel. Balancing that with the even-more-important element of fitting my horses brilliantly is no small task, and Colleen has such a gift for walking that line. As they've developed, all my horses have changed shape - some mildly, some dramatically - and Colleen has been a part of every stage, making sure that my tack is always reliable, always appropriate, and always in good repair.
In addition to our marvelous routine care veterinarian, Dr. Lynn Johnson, we are visited regularly by Dr. Tim Casey, a DVM who "grew up" on the track, and whose practice now specializes in accupuncture and chiropractic care. I am, of course, a big believer in Modern Western Medicine, and what I love about Dr. Casey is that he is not a new age nutter - when the horse needs his hocks done, we do his hocks, but the chiro and accupuncture treatments have done tons for my horses and clients. Dr. Casey believes in prevention of problems, which is aces with me! He's caught a couple of Major Problems in client horses almost before I knew they were there, and he's stellar with helping my young and developing horses from the wear and tear that getting strong and fit inevitably causes. Plus, as a track vet, if it's gone wrong, he's seen it!
My farrier, Don Maley, basically speaks horse, and is a whip for a wonderful Rappahannock County hunt. He breeds ponies, and his precocious little monster of a daughter is a heckofa good little rider. Since Donny started doing my horses, I've lost exactly 0 shoes, and he's come up with some very creative solutions to some client horses' foot issues. I'm so blessed as to have good footed horses, but they're universally better now. Plus, Don's a stitch - we love Farrier Days!
I've been feeding Purina Mills feeds forever, and just when I think things can't get better, they whip out something new to impress me. And I just love my friends at Uckele Nutrition, whose supplements are reasonably priced, palatable, and - most importantly - EFFECTIVE!
And of course it goes without saying that I'd be a Lost Soul Indeed without the regular help I get from Scott Hassler, Pam Goodrich and (hopefully regularly!) Lendon Gray. While they are, of course, brilliant teachers and clinicians, all three are incredibly patient with my hyperventillating phone calls (like, for example, when I think I may have left Cleo's right canter half-halt up at Lendon's, and ohmygod I need it back!) and hypothetical questions over the phone ("So, in the half-steps, do I want to encourage Midge to stay on the spot but allow him to be all weird and Dutch and out behind, or send him forward to try and get the hind legs but blur the line between trot and piffle?" "How about neither?" "Ok!")
I'm so lucky to have such a great team!
This weekend I hosted one of our tri-annually-or-so saddle fitting events with my sponsors and dear friends at Advanced Saddle Fit. Colleen, her mighty assistant Janet, and a krebillion saddles come down to visit us from their home base in New Hampshire for a few days, fitting my clients and other interested parties with new saddles, and keeping an eye on my horses' equipment. As a professional, of course I can ride in just about anything and make it works, but on my own horses I certainly have my preferences for how I'd like a saddle to feel. Balancing that with the even-more-important element of fitting my horses brilliantly is no small task, and Colleen has such a gift for walking that line. As they've developed, all my horses have changed shape - some mildly, some dramatically - and Colleen has been a part of every stage, making sure that my tack is always reliable, always appropriate, and always in good repair.
In addition to our marvelous routine care veterinarian, Dr. Lynn Johnson, we are visited regularly by Dr. Tim Casey, a DVM who "grew up" on the track, and whose practice now specializes in accupuncture and chiropractic care. I am, of course, a big believer in Modern Western Medicine, and what I love about Dr. Casey is that he is not a new age nutter - when the horse needs his hocks done, we do his hocks, but the chiro and accupuncture treatments have done tons for my horses and clients. Dr. Casey believes in prevention of problems, which is aces with me! He's caught a couple of Major Problems in client horses almost before I knew they were there, and he's stellar with helping my young and developing horses from the wear and tear that getting strong and fit inevitably causes. Plus, as a track vet, if it's gone wrong, he's seen it!
My farrier, Don Maley, basically speaks horse, and is a whip for a wonderful Rappahannock County hunt. He breeds ponies, and his precocious little monster of a daughter is a heckofa good little rider. Since Donny started doing my horses, I've lost exactly 0 shoes, and he's come up with some very creative solutions to some client horses' foot issues. I'm so blessed as to have good footed horses, but they're universally better now. Plus, Don's a stitch - we love Farrier Days!
I've been feeding Purina Mills feeds forever, and just when I think things can't get better, they whip out something new to impress me. And I just love my friends at Uckele Nutrition, whose supplements are reasonably priced, palatable, and - most importantly - EFFECTIVE!
And of course it goes without saying that I'd be a Lost Soul Indeed without the regular help I get from Scott Hassler, Pam Goodrich and (hopefully regularly!) Lendon Gray. While they are, of course, brilliant teachers and clinicians, all three are incredibly patient with my hyperventillating phone calls (like, for example, when I think I may have left Cleo's right canter half-halt up at Lendon's, and ohmygod I need it back!) and hypothetical questions over the phone ("So, in the half-steps, do I want to encourage Midge to stay on the spot but allow him to be all weird and Dutch and out behind, or send him forward to try and get the hind legs but blur the line between trot and piffle?" "How about neither?" "Ok!")
I'm so lucky to have such a great team!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Vroooom!
A meager 82* was the high for today, which was reached at the farm by 10 am. Nice. It made Midgey delightful - I could put my leg on! I decided to work Cleo today, which may or may not have been a good idea, but she was a little tough in spite of the heat; typical day-after-a-day-off behavior. She'll be a star tomorrow. And Ella is in one of those annoying developmental plateaus where she can do everything I ask as long as I don't ask for the carriage and/or engagement and/or power from the hind leg that I want, or she can give me the carriage/engagement/power that I want as long as we just canter or trot around. She's been a good sport about it all.
Speaking of high performance vehicles, my beloved Volkswagen is contemplating giving up the ghost. It's a 2000 Beetle with 140k miles on it, and while it still runs easily, it's had a Series of Small Problems, $500 fixes. At some point I'm going to get past the value of my poor little Bug, so on Monday I had one of my first Grown Up Experiences: car shopping.
I test drove a few things, and I've narrowed it down to the Honda Fit (my favorite), the Nissan Versa (the cheapest), and the Hyundai Elantra Touring (the priciest, but barely, and feels like a luxury car). I didn't even bother trying the Toyota Yaris - the controls are in the center of the dashboard! What's up with that? - and I hated the Scion xD. And I had a MISERABLE experience at a Kia dealership, with a sleazeball agent.
So I made my test drives, and I'm doing my research, finding used options, looking for the best deals on new ones, looking at warranties, and figuring it all out. Want some fun? Google "buy a new car" and try and make sense of it all. Yuck! Give me horses any day.
Speaking of high performance vehicles, my beloved Volkswagen is contemplating giving up the ghost. It's a 2000 Beetle with 140k miles on it, and while it still runs easily, it's had a Series of Small Problems, $500 fixes. At some point I'm going to get past the value of my poor little Bug, so on Monday I had one of my first Grown Up Experiences: car shopping.
I test drove a few things, and I've narrowed it down to the Honda Fit (my favorite), the Nissan Versa (the cheapest), and the Hyundai Elantra Touring (the priciest, but barely, and feels like a luxury car). I didn't even bother trying the Toyota Yaris - the controls are in the center of the dashboard! What's up with that? - and I hated the Scion xD. And I had a MISERABLE experience at a Kia dealership, with a sleazeball agent.
So I made my test drives, and I'm doing my research, finding used options, looking for the best deals on new ones, looking at warranties, and figuring it all out. Want some fun? Google "buy a new car" and try and make sense of it all. Yuck! Give me horses any day.
A Few Universal Truths
1. If you keep the horses in overnight because there is a forecast of possible thunderstorms, it won't rain.
2. If you leave the indoor arena windows overnight, it will rain.
So the fact that it didn't storm last night, having kept horses in BUT windows open, means...?
I am happy to be home for a few weekends in a row. I'm a bit of a mess anyway, but my apartment looks like a bomb went off. I'm wicked behind in my officework. Ella and Midge are all like, um, hello? Don't we count? And I haven't seen a couple of my clients in weeks. So yay for some home time!
Of course, it's 90* and thunderstorming (or, you know, not), but it's good to be here anyway. Cleo and I had a very intense session of playing in the pond yesterday, and we're going to have another day or two of goofing off before we start gearing up for Gladstone. Midge was such a star at the piaffe last week that I think I'm going to leave it alone until Scott is here on the 9th. And I just entered Ella in her first real Prix St. Georges (she did the Developing Test in May, which I think is a way harder test) at a show in July, so I need to start playing with all of those things.
Today will be a fun day because I'm going to start comitting to dates for breeding Cleo. Yay! We will be doing the ET work at a facility only about 40 minutes by trailer from the farm, which is AWESOME, and they've been incredibly helpful in answering all my stupid first-timer questions. We'll get cracking around July 1. Huzzah!
2. If you leave the indoor arena windows overnight, it will rain.
So the fact that it didn't storm last night, having kept horses in BUT windows open, means...?
I am happy to be home for a few weekends in a row. I'm a bit of a mess anyway, but my apartment looks like a bomb went off. I'm wicked behind in my officework. Ella and Midge are all like, um, hello? Don't we count? And I haven't seen a couple of my clients in weeks. So yay for some home time!
Of course, it's 90* and thunderstorming (or, you know, not), but it's good to be here anyway. Cleo and I had a very intense session of playing in the pond yesterday, and we're going to have another day or two of goofing off before we start gearing up for Gladstone. Midge was such a star at the piaffe last week that I think I'm going to leave it alone until Scott is here on the 9th. And I just entered Ella in her first real Prix St. Georges (she did the Developing Test in May, which I think is a way harder test) at a show in July, so I need to start playing with all of those things.
Today will be a fun day because I'm going to start comitting to dates for breeding Cleo. Yay! We will be doing the ET work at a facility only about 40 minutes by trailer from the farm, which is AWESOME, and they've been incredibly helpful in answering all my stupid first-timer questions. We'll get cracking around July 1. Huzzah!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Video Interlude
I'm about to head out on the town with my buddy Liz Austin (read: danger, Will Robinson!), but a few videos for your amusement:
Ella, schooling canter (she was DOG tired when we made these two, so pardon the missed changes at the end)
Ella, schooling trot, pi-pa and walk
And my personal favorite, Midge making baby piaffe!
Yay!
Ella, schooling canter (she was DOG tired when we made these two, so pardon the missed changes at the end)
Ella, schooling trot, pi-pa and walk
And my personal favorite, Midge making baby piaffe!
Yay!
Weekend at Lendon's
Greetings from Bedford, NY! Cleo and I are having a weekend here to work with Lendon Gray, one of the great American greats in the sport; if I have to explain to you all who she is, climb out from beneath the rock you've been living under. This is an exciting time for Lendon, as she's stepping back from the full-training business (you should see the yard sale they're having at the farm this weekend; holy moley), to pursue her other interests. She will still be teaching and giving clinics (like ours in December, yay!), but she's taking a big life step, and I think it will be a good thing for her.
Cleo shipped like a champ, and we had our usual First Day In A New Place ride - no hind legs anywhere to be found. They'll show up today. After spooking all over the place like a dumb four year old, she did settle and we did a Grand Tour of all the work in the tests. She gave me a neat exercise for the transitions for piaffe to passage, something I'm a little uncoordinated at, and she was a big fan of my pirouettes and extended gaits. Today I'm hoping for some better half-halts at the canter - strike that, ANY half halts at canter - and to do some tests. I have "test brain": I have a plan, but when (inevitably) things don't go according to plan, my brain does the equivalent of "uh..... uh...........," by which time I'm halfway through the test.
So I want to be in CHARGE of the brain today, think a little faster. And try and remember where I packed Cleo's hind legs! They have to be around here somewhere...
Cleo shipped like a champ, and we had our usual First Day In A New Place ride - no hind legs anywhere to be found. They'll show up today. After spooking all over the place like a dumb four year old, she did settle and we did a Grand Tour of all the work in the tests. She gave me a neat exercise for the transitions for piaffe to passage, something I'm a little uncoordinated at, and she was a big fan of my pirouettes and extended gaits. Today I'm hoping for some better half-halts at the canter - strike that, ANY half halts at canter - and to do some tests. I have "test brain": I have a plan, but when (inevitably) things don't go according to plan, my brain does the equivalent of "uh..... uh...........," by which time I'm halfway through the test.
So I want to be in CHARGE of the brain today, think a little faster. And try and remember where I packed Cleo's hind legs! They have to be around here somewhere...
Monday, May 25, 2009
I Barely Passed High School Math, And It Shows
STOP THE PRESSES! I'm a math-challenged idiot. I'm QUALIFIED FOR GLADSTONE by the teensiest tiniest of margins! YAY! HOORAH!
(thank goodness!)
So: Cleo will get some well-deserved time hacking this week, then it's up to Lendon's for three days of "Lauren, could you PLEASE stop flopping like a trout, sit up and RIDE the poor creature?!"
Hoorah!
(thank goodness!)
So: Cleo will get some well-deserved time hacking this week, then it's up to Lendon's for three days of "Lauren, could you PLEASE stop flopping like a trout, sit up and RIDE the poor creature?!"
Hoorah!
Nature of the Business
I'm frustrated.
Cleo was a very good girl in New Jersey, trailed up by herself with no drama, warmed up well Saturday, warmed up even better Sunday. The test was good, not amazing. Piaffe-passage still lackluster, but I was a little braver about putting my leg on and going for it. She snuck an early change in my canter zig-zag, I over-prepared for the second canter pirouette and got one lurchy step. But no disasters, no drama.
The scores were more than 6% apart between the two judges, and the resulting average pulls me off the list for Gladstone by tenths of a percent.
So now I'm begging and pleading with show organizers (who are being very, very kind), and I have to haul her down to Raleigh next weekend - her third weekend in a row, by the way - for absolutely no good reason. I'm frustrated that one person can cause all this chaos. I'm frustrated that Cleo, who didn't put a toe out of line, has to suffer as a result. And I'm frustrated that my plans of letting her have a little down time, of trailering up to work with Lendon and focusing on training instead of showing, and of trying to save a little capital is all going to pot.
The good news: Cleo is fit fit fit, wasn't even breathing hard at the end of the test, so I know she'll take it all in stride. I just don't want her to have to.
Cleo was a very good girl in New Jersey, trailed up by herself with no drama, warmed up well Saturday, warmed up even better Sunday. The test was good, not amazing. Piaffe-passage still lackluster, but I was a little braver about putting my leg on and going for it. She snuck an early change in my canter zig-zag, I over-prepared for the second canter pirouette and got one lurchy step. But no disasters, no drama.
The scores were more than 6% apart between the two judges, and the resulting average pulls me off the list for Gladstone by tenths of a percent.
So now I'm begging and pleading with show organizers (who are being very, very kind), and I have to haul her down to Raleigh next weekend - her third weekend in a row, by the way - for absolutely no good reason. I'm frustrated that one person can cause all this chaos. I'm frustrated that Cleo, who didn't put a toe out of line, has to suffer as a result. And I'm frustrated that my plans of letting her have a little down time, of trailering up to work with Lendon and focusing on training instead of showing, and of trying to save a little capital is all going to pot.
The good news: Cleo is fit fit fit, wasn't even breathing hard at the end of the test, so I know she'll take it all in stride. I just don't want her to have to.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tooling About Town
After going to see sale horses at Leslie and Lesley Laws (very, very nice people and horsemen, by the by), I went into Middleburg to join some friends for a drink. When I pulled up to their office, there was a two-horse carriage standing out front. I went to go pet their horses, while they went rummaging through the office for ice; they then offered us a ride around town.
Someday, I want a two-horse carriage.
It was really, REALLY fun! Two big Canadian mares, who were very good girls who loved their jobs, took us on a little ride through downtown M-Burg (which is a legimate town, for those who've never been - traffic, motorcycles, people mulling around, especially since it was such a stunning day yesterday). We toured the cemetary, went through some residential areas, and saw parts of town I'd never been to before. It was beautiful, and VERY fun, and... yeah, I want a carriage. :)
Ponies are great. I vow to not work Cleo in an arena until we go to the show this weekend; we need a little mental vacation, and yesterday we ran through the Brentina Cup test's trot-passage-piaffe tour in the field, on a hillside, and she was fun and fresh. Ella's still physically recuperating from the show, so we're just tooling around, though she made some nice twos yesterday.
And then there's Midge! Now that we've got a big break between shows, I'm getting back on the piaffe bandwagon, and he made such a nice effort on Tuesday I couldn't even believe it. He was so sensible I almost called the vet!
Someday, I want a two-horse carriage.
It was really, REALLY fun! Two big Canadian mares, who were very good girls who loved their jobs, took us on a little ride through downtown M-Burg (which is a legimate town, for those who've never been - traffic, motorcycles, people mulling around, especially since it was such a stunning day yesterday). We toured the cemetary, went through some residential areas, and saw parts of town I'd never been to before. It was beautiful, and VERY fun, and... yeah, I want a carriage. :)
Ponies are great. I vow to not work Cleo in an arena until we go to the show this weekend; we need a little mental vacation, and yesterday we ran through the Brentina Cup test's trot-passage-piaffe tour in the field, on a hillside, and she was fun and fresh. Ella's still physically recuperating from the show, so we're just tooling around, though she made some nice twos yesterday.
And then there's Midge! Now that we've got a big break between shows, I'm getting back on the piaffe bandwagon, and he made such a nice effort on Tuesday I couldn't even believe it. He was so sensible I almost called the vet!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Head & Shoulders Above
I remember watching a rider school in the rain before the Prix St. Georges at a Morven Park show last year, a light, athletic bay horse and a handsome rider making beautiful changes across the diagonal. He turned the changes into a half-pirouette, and it was then that I realized that he was missing half a leg.
The rider was James Dwyer, an Irish citizen who's training in the US and pursuing a berth at the Paraquestrian events at the WEG. This weekend, he swept his division at the Lamplight CDI. In the brief conversations I've had with him, I've learned he's a quiet, modest guy who deeply, deeply loves his horse. I've also learned that he could ride circles around my ass, all with what some would consider a disadvantage. He's turned his "disability" into an advantage; he can't grip a horse with his calves, bury his spurs. He has to make his horse more honest, more attentive, more crisp to smaller aids, and is the better rider for it.
Congrats, James, you've earned it!
The rider was James Dwyer, an Irish citizen who's training in the US and pursuing a berth at the Paraquestrian events at the WEG. This weekend, he swept his division at the Lamplight CDI. In the brief conversations I've had with him, I've learned he's a quiet, modest guy who deeply, deeply loves his horse. I've also learned that he could ride circles around my ass, all with what some would consider a disadvantage. He's turned his "disability" into an advantage; he can't grip a horse with his calves, bury his spurs. He has to make his horse more honest, more attentive, more crisp to smaller aids, and is the better rider for it.
Congrats, James, you've earned it!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Rising Above
Cleo, after trying very hard to KILL Jess and I in the wash stall, being a total cow to braid, peeing all over her stall door, flirting with anything in sight, nearly biting my leg off, being an ass to tack up and get on, and having the adjustability of a freight train in the warmup, went around the arena for her Brentina Cup test. And when the judge rang the bell, she bolted. I took hold, came to a stop, and took one. deep. breath.
And then Cleo gave me a beautiful test.
It wasn't an oh-my-God test. My piaffe-passage was marginal, but infinitely better than yesterday. My ones were early. My pirouettes were a little big. But man, she was uphill and balanced and organized. She was with me 110% of every minute of that test.
And we got a whopper 62%.
(I don't get it. Whatev!)
Here's what makes me happy:
1. My lovely new navy top hat, in which I look smashing, thankyouverymuch.
2. All the details I worked on this week - centerlines, passage-walk transitions, collected-extended walk transitions - went great and got super scores.
3. That neat-o filly who ran her big bay heart out yesterday.
4. All the Smirinoff and cupcakes (don't knock it 'til you've tried it) I consumed yesterday, surrounded by great friends.
5. Midge and Ella's GREAT efforts in their tests today (to the tune of 66% and 65%, respectively).
6. The 2 8s and a 9 I got on walk pirouettes today (booyah).
7. Midge's very nice tri-color for being Third Level High Point champion (yay!), and my new handsome matching glassware set, shiny matching plates, and VERY useful new white polos (PVDA does give out top-class prizes).
And most importantly:
8. That I get to get up every day and do what I love, and call it WORK!
And then Cleo gave me a beautiful test.
It wasn't an oh-my-God test. My piaffe-passage was marginal, but infinitely better than yesterday. My ones were early. My pirouettes were a little big. But man, she was uphill and balanced and organized. She was with me 110% of every minute of that test.
And we got a whopper 62%.
(I don't get it. Whatev!)
Here's what makes me happy:
1. My lovely new navy top hat, in which I look smashing, thankyouverymuch.
2. All the details I worked on this week - centerlines, passage-walk transitions, collected-extended walk transitions - went great and got super scores.
3. That neat-o filly who ran her big bay heart out yesterday.
4. All the Smirinoff and cupcakes (don't knock it 'til you've tried it) I consumed yesterday, surrounded by great friends.
5. Midge and Ella's GREAT efforts in their tests today (to the tune of 66% and 65%, respectively).
6. The 2 8s and a 9 I got on walk pirouettes today (booyah).
7. Midge's very nice tri-color for being Third Level High Point champion (yay!), and my new handsome matching glassware set, shiny matching plates, and VERY useful new white polos (PVDA does give out top-class prizes).
And most importantly:
8. That I get to get up every day and do what I love, and call it WORK!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
PVDA's Mixed Bag
Here we are at PVDA at Morven Park, where it is (shocker!) raining. First thing's first: photos! Courtesy of my student and right hand gal Jessica.
I rode Cleo in our first Young Rider Grand Prix test, which I did just for giggles. It is a YUCKY, YUCKY TEST, and I didn't ride it terribly well today. Nearly all the passage work is on turns, and I just never got the rhythm in any of the passage, anywhere. The canter work was quite nice, but not nice enough to save the score: 62%. But I've got a better plan for my warmup for tomorrow, and I've done more work on the Brentina test, so tomorrow's gonna be great!
Poor Ella couldn't cut a break either: she had a BEAUTIFUL 4-3, save a few little bobbles, all of which conveniently fell in coefficient movements. And then I got my test sheet back, and the judge hammered me for the quality of her walk (which wasn't great, but not dreadful) and her canter (which actually was pretty good). Weird.
I was pretty skeeved, and was considering scratching Midge, because his weaknesses are, of course, his walk and canter. But the sun was out in spite of everyone's predictions, so I figured what the heck. He was a VERY good boy, a little scary in the medium and extended canters per usual, but better than normal in the medium and extended trots, and my work in the changes has really helped. I smiled and went back to the barn (just missing the ensuing rain) and didn't give much thought when I went to get my score.
Which was a 69.7%. With an 8 on gaits. To win the class, and to be the highest score at Third Level today by more than 2%. I am now the proud owner of a very nice shiny plate.
Wowza!
So: tomorrow is another day for Ella and Cleo, and Midge... more of the same from you, kid. You're a rockstar.
More fun on the rockstar front: student Julie got a 7ty freaking5% at Training Level today on a horse who, six months ago, was quite tricky, and a year ago was pretty dangerous. I'm so proud of how far she's come!
I rode Cleo in our first Young Rider Grand Prix test, which I did just for giggles. It is a YUCKY, YUCKY TEST, and I didn't ride it terribly well today. Nearly all the passage work is on turns, and I just never got the rhythm in any of the passage, anywhere. The canter work was quite nice, but not nice enough to save the score: 62%. But I've got a better plan for my warmup for tomorrow, and I've done more work on the Brentina test, so tomorrow's gonna be great!
Poor Ella couldn't cut a break either: she had a BEAUTIFUL 4-3, save a few little bobbles, all of which conveniently fell in coefficient movements. And then I got my test sheet back, and the judge hammered me for the quality of her walk (which wasn't great, but not dreadful) and her canter (which actually was pretty good). Weird.
I was pretty skeeved, and was considering scratching Midge, because his weaknesses are, of course, his walk and canter. But the sun was out in spite of everyone's predictions, so I figured what the heck. He was a VERY good boy, a little scary in the medium and extended canters per usual, but better than normal in the medium and extended trots, and my work in the changes has really helped. I smiled and went back to the barn (just missing the ensuing rain) and didn't give much thought when I went to get my score.
Which was a 69.7%. With an 8 on gaits. To win the class, and to be the highest score at Third Level today by more than 2%. I am now the proud owner of a very nice shiny plate.
Wowza!
So: tomorrow is another day for Ella and Cleo, and Midge... more of the same from you, kid. You're a rockstar.
More fun on the rockstar front: student Julie got a 7ty freaking5% at Training Level today on a horse who, six months ago, was quite tricky, and a year ago was pretty dangerous. I'm so proud of how far she's come!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Food For Thought
Purina made a big to-do about having reformulated several of their feeds, including Omolene, which I started feeding a few months ago. I didn't think anything of it; my horses were doing well on old Omolene, new Omolene costs the same as old Omolene... boogie down.
I was looking at Midge today, one of the horses eating Omolene. Midgey is STUNNING. His coat is dark and rich and glisteny. He's never, EVER looked like this before.
Yesterday, the owner of the other horse in the barn eating the stuff remarked to me how beautiful HER horse looked, how HIS coat has never looked so good.
Both are easy keepers, and they're maintaining a good, light weight both on the old and new formulas; they're benefitting from both formulas low sugar/starch. But I'm a believer!
I was looking at Midge today, one of the horses eating Omolene. Midgey is STUNNING. His coat is dark and rich and glisteny. He's never, EVER looked like this before.
Yesterday, the owner of the other horse in the barn eating the stuff remarked to me how beautiful HER horse looked, how HIS coat has never looked so good.
Both are easy keepers, and they're maintaining a good, light weight both on the old and new formulas; they're benefitting from both formulas low sugar/starch. But I'm a believer!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Gearing Up
I had the ride of my LIFE on Midge on Saturday. He went TO the bridle. He stepped under instead of up-and-down. And he actually took a half-halt, about 50% of the time. Un. Be. Lievable.
It goes without saying that THAT will never happen again! :)
I actually had a lot of good horse days last week. Cleo and I are dissecting the tests, working on a few pieces at a time, and gearing up for my trial run of the Young Rider Grand Prix test this weekend which, if you haven't read it, is a foul, foul mother. It's as hard, if not harder, than the actual Grand Prix, which is fine, just that the Brentina test really isn't that hard in comparison. Yikes!
Poor Ella gets to suffer through 4-3 this weekend, twice, so we gave it a run and it actually wasn't that dreadful. It's a busy beast of a test too, but she's getting fitter and quicker in the rebalancing, particularly at canter, so I'm cautiously optimistic.
My mom is out of town again, so I'm torturing her poor pony by making him really work - pirouettes that aren't floaty, flying changes that aren't floaty, proper canter collection that isn't floaty... basically, no floaty work! He's getting WAY stronger, and the trot is getting really quite fun; I even made some passage-piaffe-passage transitions that didn't suck, and I got 5 one tempis twice on Saturday. Yay!
Yesterday was so pretty I hacked everyone around instead of doing any proper work, though Cleo did have to make one passage-piaffe-passage transition downhill (with no spurs! yay), and Ella did have to stretch through the WHOLE body, and not just her neck, at canter. Midge had to do quality control on our hayfields, a job he takes very seriously. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.
My task is to try and stay on top of all my paperwork and life stuff, because I'm showing all three this weekend at Morven, then going with Cleo to the NJ Horse Park next weekend, and then up to Lendon Gray's for the weekend after that. And then it's Scott Hassler at home, saddle guru Colleen the weekend after that, one weekend to breathe, and GLADSTONE!
Zoinks! Better do some laundry.
It goes without saying that THAT will never happen again! :)
I actually had a lot of good horse days last week. Cleo and I are dissecting the tests, working on a few pieces at a time, and gearing up for my trial run of the Young Rider Grand Prix test this weekend which, if you haven't read it, is a foul, foul mother. It's as hard, if not harder, than the actual Grand Prix, which is fine, just that the Brentina test really isn't that hard in comparison. Yikes!
Poor Ella gets to suffer through 4-3 this weekend, twice, so we gave it a run and it actually wasn't that dreadful. It's a busy beast of a test too, but she's getting fitter and quicker in the rebalancing, particularly at canter, so I'm cautiously optimistic.
My mom is out of town again, so I'm torturing her poor pony by making him really work - pirouettes that aren't floaty, flying changes that aren't floaty, proper canter collection that isn't floaty... basically, no floaty work! He's getting WAY stronger, and the trot is getting really quite fun; I even made some passage-piaffe-passage transitions that didn't suck, and I got 5 one tempis twice on Saturday. Yay!
Yesterday was so pretty I hacked everyone around instead of doing any proper work, though Cleo did have to make one passage-piaffe-passage transition downhill (with no spurs! yay), and Ella did have to stretch through the WHOLE body, and not just her neck, at canter. Midge had to do quality control on our hayfields, a job he takes very seriously. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.
My task is to try and stay on top of all my paperwork and life stuff, because I'm showing all three this weekend at Morven, then going with Cleo to the NJ Horse Park next weekend, and then up to Lendon Gray's for the weekend after that. And then it's Scott Hassler at home, saddle guru Colleen the weekend after that, one weekend to breathe, and GLADSTONE!
Zoinks! Better do some laundry.
Friday, May 8, 2009
My Students Are Kind Of Awesome
Issy has been riding with me since last Spring. She's a heck of a rider, and a heck of a nice young woman. She plays polo, jumps, events, hunts, and I'm getting her at least somewhat converted to dressage.
Issy's had quite a month.
First, Issy went to the Loudon Hunt Pony Club Horse Trials, where she finished 3rd, on her 34.7 dressage score, at Beginner Novice. This is exciting, but what makes it totally ridiculously awesome is that she ran cross country with one stirrup. It just dun fell off around fence 3. Unbelievable.
And then Issy got invited to go play polo in Miami, which was also a big freaking deal. (she's the star of photo #6.)
And THEN they liked her so much that they named her MVP. And invited her to play all over the world.
She credits? Her dressage training.*
*among other things, I'm sure. But I'm running with it!
So, basically, as much stuff as I ever win, this is the stuff that really rocks my socks.
Issy's had quite a month.
First, Issy went to the Loudon Hunt Pony Club Horse Trials, where she finished 3rd, on her 34.7 dressage score, at Beginner Novice. This is exciting, but what makes it totally ridiculously awesome is that she ran cross country with one stirrup. It just dun fell off around fence 3. Unbelievable.
And then Issy got invited to go play polo in Miami, which was also a big freaking deal. (she's the star of photo #6.)
And THEN they liked her so much that they named her MVP. And invited her to play all over the world.
She credits? Her dressage training.*
*among other things, I'm sure. But I'm running with it!
So, basically, as much stuff as I ever win, this is the stuff that really rocks my socks.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Photos from Morven Park
Monday, May 4, 2009
COTH Article Now Online
Quick note - with gracious and lovely and kind permission of the fabulous Chronicle of the Horse, here's the article on Cleo and her awesomeness.
GREAT Weekend!
Hoo-rah, yesterday was a great damn day!
Midge was about the same, maybe a little tighter, in DREADFUL weather. This judge gave us better scores for the movements and hit him in the collectives for a tight neck, which I appreciated. He won his class again with a 65%.
Ella was a ROCKSTAR!!! She was VERY tired, and didn't make anything in the test as well as she can do it, but she made everything well, went forward, tried her little red heart out, and made NO mistakes. So we won our first FEI test (well, technically a USEF test, but I was wearing a shadbelly; that makes it count) with an absurd 74%, which includes, as Scott said, "a little love" from a certain very... ahem, optimistic judge. When you do what we affectionately call "The Chopra Math," (take your score, subtract 6-8%, get what you really deserved), it comes down to somewhere in the 67% range, which thrills me to death.
I'm still going to pass on trying to qualify her for the Developing Championships - it's expensive and far to travel, and she's still a few months away from really being brilliant at that level, and I don't want to show her against those caliber horses until I can make her brilliant. So it's 4th level and maybe a PSG at the next-next show (entries are already in for the next one, in about 2 weeks), Regional Championships, and get ready for the big time Small Tour next year.
Kelly did a SUPER job under yucky conditions to win her class with a 74%, after which there was a lot of happy yelling and jumping up and down. Student Wendy won both her 2nd level classes with 68%s, and I got word that Lisa, one of my clients in Chicago, went to her first show of the season and was Reserve High Point Champion at 3rd level.
Wowza!
So I ate a big chunk of pizza all by myself yesterday, and I've stepped on the scale this morning, and pushed myself firmly back into reality. Not to mention the HUGE pile of wet, dirty horse-show laundry waiting for me downstairs. Ugh.
But I can still feel that afterglow to bask in, just a little longer!
Midge was about the same, maybe a little tighter, in DREADFUL weather. This judge gave us better scores for the movements and hit him in the collectives for a tight neck, which I appreciated. He won his class again with a 65%.
Ella was a ROCKSTAR!!! She was VERY tired, and didn't make anything in the test as well as she can do it, but she made everything well, went forward, tried her little red heart out, and made NO mistakes. So we won our first FEI test (well, technically a USEF test, but I was wearing a shadbelly; that makes it count) with an absurd 74%, which includes, as Scott said, "a little love" from a certain very... ahem, optimistic judge. When you do what we affectionately call "The Chopra Math," (take your score, subtract 6-8%, get what you really deserved), it comes down to somewhere in the 67% range, which thrills me to death.
I'm still going to pass on trying to qualify her for the Developing Championships - it's expensive and far to travel, and she's still a few months away from really being brilliant at that level, and I don't want to show her against those caliber horses until I can make her brilliant. So it's 4th level and maybe a PSG at the next-next show (entries are already in for the next one, in about 2 weeks), Regional Championships, and get ready for the big time Small Tour next year.
Kelly did a SUPER job under yucky conditions to win her class with a 74%, after which there was a lot of happy yelling and jumping up and down. Student Wendy won both her 2nd level classes with 68%s, and I got word that Lisa, one of my clients in Chicago, went to her first show of the season and was Reserve High Point Champion at 3rd level.
Wowza!
So I ate a big chunk of pizza all by myself yesterday, and I've stepped on the scale this morning, and pushed myself firmly back into reality. Not to mention the HUGE pile of wet, dirty horse-show laundry waiting for me downstairs. Ugh.
But I can still feel that afterglow to bask in, just a little longer!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time For A Hero Story
Today was supposed to be rainy, and it held off; I think that used up our good fortune for the day. Nothing was dreadful, but nothing made me jig for joy either.
Midge was a good enough boy, went around and mostly did his job. We had one very... colorful?... flying change, which involved kicking at my leg so hard I swear it was parallel to the ground, but other than that and a few moments of tension it was an honest little ride. He squeaked a win with a 66%, and we've got one qualifying score for Regionals.
Poor Ella warmed up like a genius. I mean, really amazing. People stopped to watch amazing. And we went up to the ring and started to trot around, and every muscle in her body just locked. Remember, please, that she hasn't been in a showring since October 07, and while she's done plenty of travelling in that time, the show environment is different. Add unbelievable tension to the fact that I didn't, if you want to get technical about it, actually know my test, and we somehow managed an also-ran 62% at 4-2. Wish they'd judged the warmup - she would have smoked it.
My students, though, had a bang-up day; one client with a VERY tricky project horse took almost a 69% in one of her classes, and my working student managed to not hyperventilate in her first show ever on her young horse, who can be a pistol, but was the model of civility today. They'll be On tomorrow, as, I'm hoping, will Midge. Ella rides her first FEI test tomorrow - whoo! - which may or may not be a good idea, but I'm crossing my fingers.
Highlights of my day: a visit from student and buddy Sara, who took AMAZING photos (I'll post 'em when I get 'em), and her family, who are all very amazing; and the oh-so-exciting Derby. If this country ever needed a hero story, it's now, so go, Birdie, go!
Midge was a good enough boy, went around and mostly did his job. We had one very... colorful?... flying change, which involved kicking at my leg so hard I swear it was parallel to the ground, but other than that and a few moments of tension it was an honest little ride. He squeaked a win with a 66%, and we've got one qualifying score for Regionals.
Poor Ella warmed up like a genius. I mean, really amazing. People stopped to watch amazing. And we went up to the ring and started to trot around, and every muscle in her body just locked. Remember, please, that she hasn't been in a showring since October 07, and while she's done plenty of travelling in that time, the show environment is different. Add unbelievable tension to the fact that I didn't, if you want to get technical about it, actually know my test, and we somehow managed an also-ran 62% at 4-2. Wish they'd judged the warmup - she would have smoked it.
My students, though, had a bang-up day; one client with a VERY tricky project horse took almost a 69% in one of her classes, and my working student managed to not hyperventilate in her first show ever on her young horse, who can be a pistol, but was the model of civility today. They'll be On tomorrow, as, I'm hoping, will Midge. Ella rides her first FEI test tomorrow - whoo! - which may or may not be a good idea, but I'm crossing my fingers.
Highlights of my day: a visit from student and buddy Sara, who took AMAZING photos (I'll post 'em when I get 'em), and her family, who are all very amazing; and the oh-so-exciting Derby. If this country ever needed a hero story, it's now, so go, Birdie, go!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Good Thing I Love The Little Snotrag
Midgey is in the BAD PONY HOUSE.
He's a tweaky chestnut dutch thing, and thinks spurs are just The End Of It All for trotwork; at the canter, they really help get the jump in the changes, and so I try and alternate back and forth between the two. Today, I did not wear them, and the trotwork was stellar, so I got brave and decided to try some changes. Which were late. So after trying to correct them politely, and getting run away with one too many times, I took a hold and asked him to rein back.
And the little snot stood straight up in the air.
Well, then.
I solved the issue (with the introduction of My Friend The Big Blue Whip, which I think I've only used on Midge once, so his tail was firmly between his legs at the end of the ride - didn't even try to bite me when I put some ointment on his scratches tonight, the big sissy), but I am NOT SO PLEASED that this is going on with a horse show this weekend. Bastard.
I'm starting to wonder if he needs shoes behind - the walls are definitely starting to break up at the bottom more than usual, and perhaps it's the increasing demands of collection? Maybe he's uncomfortable? Went over him from head to toe, not sore or stiff anywhere. He spent last night in turnout, so he's got nothing to whine about.
Or maybe he's just a pig-headed red DUTCH thing. Who I love. Blindly and completely.
I just don't LIKE him very much right now.
Ella and Cleo, of course, are perfect and fabulous. Had a big ah-hah in the piaffe today with Cleo, which did carry over to the last bit of canter I did, but I'd been working her for a while when I got it, so I didn't want to exhaust her. Poor Ella I think will be over-tested this weekend - I should not have signed up for the Developing Test, but I did ride through the whole thing today without any major catastrophes. She gets better and better every day, but the muscle building just takes time.
And my mom is out of town, so I'm playing with her Tres this week, and having a grand time. He's another one where his mental understanding of the work is better than his muscular ability - he can make some super canter work, but if I go on too long his back muscles hit a wall. Time, time, time. Dressage really is all about patience!
He's a tweaky chestnut dutch thing, and thinks spurs are just The End Of It All for trotwork; at the canter, they really help get the jump in the changes, and so I try and alternate back and forth between the two. Today, I did not wear them, and the trotwork was stellar, so I got brave and decided to try some changes. Which were late. So after trying to correct them politely, and getting run away with one too many times, I took a hold and asked him to rein back.
And the little snot stood straight up in the air.
Well, then.
I solved the issue (with the introduction of My Friend The Big Blue Whip, which I think I've only used on Midge once, so his tail was firmly between his legs at the end of the ride - didn't even try to bite me when I put some ointment on his scratches tonight, the big sissy), but I am NOT SO PLEASED that this is going on with a horse show this weekend. Bastard.
I'm starting to wonder if he needs shoes behind - the walls are definitely starting to break up at the bottom more than usual, and perhaps it's the increasing demands of collection? Maybe he's uncomfortable? Went over him from head to toe, not sore or stiff anywhere. He spent last night in turnout, so he's got nothing to whine about.
Or maybe he's just a pig-headed red DUTCH thing. Who I love. Blindly and completely.
I just don't LIKE him very much right now.
Ella and Cleo, of course, are perfect and fabulous. Had a big ah-hah in the piaffe today with Cleo, which did carry over to the last bit of canter I did, but I'd been working her for a while when I got it, so I didn't want to exhaust her. Poor Ella I think will be over-tested this weekend - I should not have signed up for the Developing Test, but I did ride through the whole thing today without any major catastrophes. She gets better and better every day, but the muscle building just takes time.
And my mom is out of town, so I'm playing with her Tres this week, and having a grand time. He's another one where his mental understanding of the work is better than his muscular ability - he can make some super canter work, but if I go on too long his back muscles hit a wall. Time, time, time. Dressage really is all about patience!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
On The Brink
Scott came yesterday for a great clinic, in spite of some really dreadful weather - it's been monsooning intermittantly for the last three days. Blech.
Ella has been tricky lately - about two weeks ago she suddenly turned into a tight, pissed-off cow, and I gave her some time off and took her to our fabulous chiro/accupuncture vet, and while she's TONS better, I'm still not through it. I think she's waiting for her back to hurt (and she was working like GANGBUSTERS up until this point, so I'm confident there's nothing more serious than the Building-Towards-PSG Soreness Blues), and is still guarding herself a little. Scott was, of course, great with both of us, encouraging me to not hold her so much, and to keep my sections of workout short to keep her confidence up until she was more her usual self.
The mediocre results from the show really lit my hair on fire with Midge - I've been way braver about riding him more forward and risking the balance instead of staying "safe." He's very powerful and up-and-down, so unless I hit the throttle he looks tight and carthorsey but if I do hit the gas he sometimes catapaults onto his forehand and we're off to the races. Scott loved where I was taking him, reinforced all of my exercises, and told me to kick on. Yay!
Cleo was a rockstar. I've been starting to play with the FEI Young Rider Grand Prix test, which is sort of terrifying, and so we went through some of the trickier parts of that. I really get the passage now, and I just need to play with the transitions in and out of piaffe to find the combination of aids that makes them both smooth and active, AND keeps her confidence up. I'll find it. We also worked on keeping her through the neck and not letting me take a hold of her - sound familiar? :)
And it's back to the daily grind today. Is it the weekend yet? I could use another weekend.
(by the way - blue boots are on order. omg!)
Ella has been tricky lately - about two weeks ago she suddenly turned into a tight, pissed-off cow, and I gave her some time off and took her to our fabulous chiro/accupuncture vet, and while she's TONS better, I'm still not through it. I think she's waiting for her back to hurt (and she was working like GANGBUSTERS up until this point, so I'm confident there's nothing more serious than the Building-Towards-PSG Soreness Blues), and is still guarding herself a little. Scott was, of course, great with both of us, encouraging me to not hold her so much, and to keep my sections of workout short to keep her confidence up until she was more her usual self.
The mediocre results from the show really lit my hair on fire with Midge - I've been way braver about riding him more forward and risking the balance instead of staying "safe." He's very powerful and up-and-down, so unless I hit the throttle he looks tight and carthorsey but if I do hit the gas he sometimes catapaults onto his forehand and we're off to the races. Scott loved where I was taking him, reinforced all of my exercises, and told me to kick on. Yay!
Cleo was a rockstar. I've been starting to play with the FEI Young Rider Grand Prix test, which is sort of terrifying, and so we went through some of the trickier parts of that. I really get the passage now, and I just need to play with the transitions in and out of piaffe to find the combination of aids that makes them both smooth and active, AND keeps her confidence up. I'll find it. We also worked on keeping her through the neck and not letting me take a hold of her - sound familiar? :)
And it's back to the daily grind today. Is it the weekend yet? I could use another weekend.
(by the way - blue boots are on order. omg!)
Monday, April 20, 2009
Don't Give Me Any Lip
Dental hygenist this morning, to me: I'm getting some bleeding here in your gums. You want to make sure you're really flossing agressively, because bleeding is caused by plaque getting under your gum line.
Me, to hygenist: You know what else causes bleeding? Being STABBED REPEATEDLY IN THE GUMS by a big metal stick.
Except it didn't quite come out like that, as she had said big metal stick, and both hands, down my larynx. So really, it was more like
Me, to hygenist: mmmrph graah... (sigh.)
Me, to hygenist: You know what else causes bleeding? Being STABBED REPEATEDLY IN THE GUMS by a big metal stick.
Except it didn't quite come out like that, as she had said big metal stick, and both hands, down my larynx. So really, it was more like
Me, to hygenist: mmmrph graah... (sigh.)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
These Boots Are Made For Walking
My senior year of college, I lost 35 pounds. It was awesome, and I'm really, really glad I did it. One unpleasant side effect was that my lovely tall boots really didn't fit anymore. Today, I can pull them on and off with just my hands, and they're not that solid around my leg anymore - they slip while I'm in the saddle.
It's time for a new pair of boots.
I got motivated around Christmas, and I called around. One company sent me a few leather swatches, several of which were in varying shades of navy blue.
And I got to thinking.
My shadbelly is this beautiful dark navy blue, so dark you have to really look at it to see if it's blue. What would be wrong with similarly dark dark dark navy boots? I've dwelled on it for four months, I've called the best dressed people I know, and I'm still just a little hesitant - can a stuffy, stick-up-our-butts sport like dressage handle navy blue boots?
Whaddya think?
It's time for a new pair of boots.
I got motivated around Christmas, and I called around. One company sent me a few leather swatches, several of which were in varying shades of navy blue.
And I got to thinking.
My shadbelly is this beautiful dark navy blue, so dark you have to really look at it to see if it's blue. What would be wrong with similarly dark dark dark navy boots? I've dwelled on it for four months, I've called the best dressed people I know, and I'm still just a little hesitant - can a stuffy, stick-up-our-butts sport like dressage handle navy blue boots?
Whaddya think?
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Woohoo, part two!
Poor Cleo was POOPED today. She was a very good girl, and I rode way better, and she let me fix a few things from yesterday. And then there was our last centerline:
D-X passage.
Around X, Cleo: "Can we halt here?" Lauren: "No, we have to piaffe here." Cleo: "Sigh. Ok."
X piaffe 7-10 steps.
On step 10, Cleo: "Now can we halt?" Lauren: "No, now we have to passage." Cleo: "Sigh. Ok."
X-G, passage.
One step after X, Cleo: "NOW can we halt?" Lauren: "Not yet!"
Two steps after X, Cleo: "NOW?!" Lauren: "Not yet!"
Repeat until G.
G, halt, salute. Cleo: (gasp, sputter, call for horse trailer.)
She got a 64% and change, which is just fine by me! I'm excited having these quality scores on rides with some booboos and things I know I can improve with a little more time and practice in the test. Gives me hope for Gladstone in June!
Midge was my little superstar today. I had a longer warmup with fewer walk breaks, just thinking Go to the bridle, go to the bridle, go to the bridle. No miracles occured, but it was a TON better, and he was more settled in the footing - more like wet footing instead of soup. He got a 65% and change to win the class, including 8s on his entry halt (booya), medium walk (!?), and one flying change (!!!!!!!!). He'll get better and better with more experience at this level, too. Not bad for a horse who I've shown 6 times, all at Training Level, two years ago!
I unloaded the horses from the trailer, gave them some hay, and barely made it up the stairs to pass out - I'm EXHAUSTED. Too much twitching awake with nerves at 3 am. I'm a cool cucumber once I'm on the showgrounds, but anywhere else and I'm mess. Tylenol PM next time (unless USEF decides to follow our neighbors to the North and drug test RIDERS at our Championships. Ick.)
D-X passage.
Around X, Cleo: "Can we halt here?" Lauren: "No, we have to piaffe here." Cleo: "Sigh. Ok."
X piaffe 7-10 steps.
On step 10, Cleo: "Now can we halt?" Lauren: "No, now we have to passage." Cleo: "Sigh. Ok."
X-G, passage.
One step after X, Cleo: "NOW can we halt?" Lauren: "Not yet!"
Two steps after X, Cleo: "NOW?!" Lauren: "Not yet!"
Repeat until G.
G, halt, salute. Cleo: (gasp, sputter, call for horse trailer.)
She got a 64% and change, which is just fine by me! I'm excited having these quality scores on rides with some booboos and things I know I can improve with a little more time and practice in the test. Gives me hope for Gladstone in June!
Midge was my little superstar today. I had a longer warmup with fewer walk breaks, just thinking Go to the bridle, go to the bridle, go to the bridle. No miracles occured, but it was a TON better, and he was more settled in the footing - more like wet footing instead of soup. He got a 65% and change to win the class, including 8s on his entry halt (booya), medium walk (!?), and one flying change (!!!!!!!!). He'll get better and better with more experience at this level, too. Not bad for a horse who I've shown 6 times, all at Training Level, two years ago!
I unloaded the horses from the trailer, gave them some hay, and barely made it up the stairs to pass out - I'm EXHAUSTED. Too much twitching awake with nerves at 3 am. I'm a cool cucumber once I'm on the showgrounds, but anywhere else and I'm mess. Tylenol PM next time (unless USEF decides to follow our neighbors to the North and drug test RIDERS at our Championships. Ick.)
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Woohoo!
Cleo warmed up great, came down centerline, locked her neck, grabbed the bit and ran through the first centerline, entire trot tour, and first piaffe-passage. Then we walked. And then I was in charge.
And it was good!
There's obviously plenty of room for improvement. I spent the first half going ohgodohgod come baaaack!, and the second half going ohgodohgod we're actually doing this!, so a little rideability and focus will go a long way. Reasonably happy with the pirouettes and changes, very happy with the final centerline piaffe-passage (even the transitions had clear rhythm! yay!).
Of course, the test that actually counts is tomorrow, and there's miles to go before we sleep, but we got a 65%, and I am VERY excited!
Midge was a rockstar in absolutely dreadful footing that tried to swallow him whole; he desperately needed a snorkel. Got quite tight in the back trying to get out of the muck, and I got ripped a new one for riding him too short in the neck (if I could figure out how to make his neck longer, I would, promise! no points for effort, though). No suprises, just means we haven't yet finished our homework. Did get both changes though, and came back from the extended canter, and was very ameanable to teh whole thing. Good pony.
My students all lived - the weather was truly appaling this morning, but everyone put on a brave face, and everyone had a few highlights. All in all a VERY succesful day, and I'm eager to give tomorrow a go!
Yaaaaay!
And it was good!
There's obviously plenty of room for improvement. I spent the first half going ohgodohgod come baaaack!, and the second half going ohgodohgod we're actually doing this!, so a little rideability and focus will go a long way. Reasonably happy with the pirouettes and changes, very happy with the final centerline piaffe-passage (even the transitions had clear rhythm! yay!).
Of course, the test that actually counts is tomorrow, and there's miles to go before we sleep, but we got a 65%, and I am VERY excited!
Midge was a rockstar in absolutely dreadful footing that tried to swallow him whole; he desperately needed a snorkel. Got quite tight in the back trying to get out of the muck, and I got ripped a new one for riding him too short in the neck (if I could figure out how to make his neck longer, I would, promise! no points for effort, though). No suprises, just means we haven't yet finished our homework. Did get both changes though, and came back from the extended canter, and was very ameanable to teh whole thing. Good pony.
My students all lived - the weather was truly appaling this morning, but everyone put on a brave face, and everyone had a few highlights. All in all a VERY succesful day, and I'm eager to give tomorrow a go!
Yaaaaay!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Here we go, baby.
I have:
- two brand new, extra-long stock ties (on sale from my local tack shop, booya).
- sewn the neato patches one of my sponsors sent me onto my saddle pads.
- gatorade and NutriGrain bars.
- my tests memorized.
- my coats dry-cleaned.
- a full tank of diesel.
- two fine, fit horses.
- and a bottle of champagne for Saturday night, come hell or high water.
Bring it!
- two brand new, extra-long stock ties (on sale from my local tack shop, booya).
- sewn the neato patches one of my sponsors sent me onto my saddle pads.
- gatorade and NutriGrain bars.
- my tests memorized.
- my coats dry-cleaned.
- a full tank of diesel.
- two fine, fit horses.
- and a bottle of champagne for Saturday night, come hell or high water.
Bring it!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Prince William Returns
I had two goals with Billy. One I accomplished in February of 2007, when Conrad Schumacher told me that I was riding his neck too long. A miracle, indeed. But my second goal had not been accomplished. Until now.
Billy is fat.
He's huge. He's collosal. He's as big as a house. And it looks GREAT on him.
Of course, this has nothing to do with me. Billy just came back up from his winter in Florida with his leasor, who does a GREAT job with him and has learned a ton. But man, I went over to her place today to teach them today, and I almost didn't recognize B-man. He's GIGANTIC.
I love it!
And he does too - he's happy and shiny and totally chill. This is everything I want for him: the opportunity to keep working and teach someone else some of the great things he taught me. They're going to back off the calories a little, especially as he's now eating some proper grass (instead of the weirdo Florida plastic grass), which is probably for the best. But yay! My goals for Billy have been met. Guess I need some new goals. Like... not dying this weekend?
Actually, the kids here have been really good. Cleo and I ran through the whole test today for the first time, and it wasn't as terrifying as I'd feared (though there's some work to be done, in between the hyperventilating). And Midge is going to be what Midge is going to be, but the highlights will be highlights, which is nice. I actually put him in the snaffle today and liked it a lot - we'll see what I show him in.
Scott comes tomorrow for a quick afternoon of help before we all take off to the show. It's going to be a great show - in addition to being a Brentina, Jr and YR qualifier, it's a Young Horse qualifier too, so there's a lot of big guns around. Fun!
Billy is fat.
He's huge. He's collosal. He's as big as a house. And it looks GREAT on him.
Of course, this has nothing to do with me. Billy just came back up from his winter in Florida with his leasor, who does a GREAT job with him and has learned a ton. But man, I went over to her place today to teach them today, and I almost didn't recognize B-man. He's GIGANTIC.
I love it!
And he does too - he's happy and shiny and totally chill. This is everything I want for him: the opportunity to keep working and teach someone else some of the great things he taught me. They're going to back off the calories a little, especially as he's now eating some proper grass (instead of the weirdo Florida plastic grass), which is probably for the best. But yay! My goals for Billy have been met. Guess I need some new goals. Like... not dying this weekend?
Actually, the kids here have been really good. Cleo and I ran through the whole test today for the first time, and it wasn't as terrifying as I'd feared (though there's some work to be done, in between the hyperventilating). And Midge is going to be what Midge is going to be, but the highlights will be highlights, which is nice. I actually put him in the snaffle today and liked it a lot - we'll see what I show him in.
Scott comes tomorrow for a quick afternoon of help before we all take off to the show. It's going to be a great show - in addition to being a Brentina, Jr and YR qualifier, it's a Young Horse qualifier too, so there's a lot of big guns around. Fun!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
It's Showtime!
OH MAN. Oh man oh man oh man.
I have ride times for next weekend, which means that I am actually going to show Cleo at Grand Prix.*
*well, the Brentina Cup tests, which are pretty dang close.
OH MAN!
Three years of working towards this. I'll probably fall off.
She's working really well. The piaffe-passage transitions are still giving me heartburn. I haven't exactly run through the entire test from start to finish yet. I haven't ridden the zig-zags in a standard arena yet. Panic is starting to ensue just. a. little.
But it's ok. It'll be ok. She's REALLY white and shiny, and I look reasonably impressive in my tailcoat. Like someone said to me last week, "Fake it 'til you make it."
Oh boy.
Midge is going too, and Midge is going great. There is still a little, ahem, Orange Dutch Horse Tension that I haven't quite eradicated yet, but the quality of the work in general is quite good, particularly the trot, and the changes will either be spectacular or terrifying, and that's all ok. He also is attractive enough where as long as I don't look like a total bufoon we'll put in a perfectly adequate performance.
Almost all my clients are riding around the exact time that I am, of course, so it'll be an INSANE weekend, but in all seriousness, I'm really looking forward to it. Even if I do fall off Cleo in a rush of ohmygodwedidit, and Midge does launch me out of the tack in the change from right to left. Well, maybe not so much then.
I have ride times for next weekend, which means that I am actually going to show Cleo at Grand Prix.*
*well, the Brentina Cup tests, which are pretty dang close.
OH MAN!
Three years of working towards this. I'll probably fall off.
She's working really well. The piaffe-passage transitions are still giving me heartburn. I haven't exactly run through the entire test from start to finish yet. I haven't ridden the zig-zags in a standard arena yet. Panic is starting to ensue just. a. little.
But it's ok. It'll be ok. She's REALLY white and shiny, and I look reasonably impressive in my tailcoat. Like someone said to me last week, "Fake it 'til you make it."
Oh boy.
Midge is going too, and Midge is going great. There is still a little, ahem, Orange Dutch Horse Tension that I haven't quite eradicated yet, but the quality of the work in general is quite good, particularly the trot, and the changes will either be spectacular or terrifying, and that's all ok. He also is attractive enough where as long as I don't look like a total bufoon we'll put in a perfectly adequate performance.
Almost all my clients are riding around the exact time that I am, of course, so it'll be an INSANE weekend, but in all seriousness, I'm really looking forward to it. Even if I do fall off Cleo in a rush of ohmygodwedidit, and Midge does launch me out of the tack in the change from right to left. Well, maybe not so much then.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Godspeed, Sally Swift
A great light in horsemanship has gone out: Sally Swift, a founding mother of dressage in this country, and a guru of seat and position work.
From Wendy Murdoch: "Sally changed the lives of so many people that it is difficult to grasp just how far reaching her influence has spread. Around the globe her first book sold over 500,000 copies and was translated into at least 12 different languages.
"Sally brought the rider back into the equation of equitation and partnership with the horse. For this she will never be forgotten. Her legacy lives on through each and every one of us touched by her life. Even if it is as simple as remembering to breathe.
"Sally's contribution to the horse world cannot be measured. The lives she changed, the horses that were finally understood, the very way we teach riding shifted when a little gray haired woman from Brattleboro, Vermont wanted to 'teach a few of my friends and travel a bit.'"
Sally recieved an award at the 2006 USDF Convention, and while she was physically pretty unwell at that point, she was sharp as a tack. There was not a dry eye in the house after her acceptance speech. It was an honor and a priveledge to have been there.
From Wendy Murdoch: "Sally changed the lives of so many people that it is difficult to grasp just how far reaching her influence has spread. Around the globe her first book sold over 500,000 copies and was translated into at least 12 different languages.
"Sally brought the rider back into the equation of equitation and partnership with the horse. For this she will never be forgotten. Her legacy lives on through each and every one of us touched by her life. Even if it is as simple as remembering to breathe.
"Sally's contribution to the horse world cannot be measured. The lives she changed, the horses that were finally understood, the very way we teach riding shifted when a little gray haired woman from Brattleboro, Vermont wanted to 'teach a few of my friends and travel a bit.'"
Sally recieved an award at the 2006 USDF Convention, and while she was physically pretty unwell at that point, she was sharp as a tack. There was not a dry eye in the house after her acceptance speech. It was an honor and a priveledge to have been there.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
I am having vehicle drama.
1. Hop in my car, pull out of the drive, and the check engine light starts to flash. Bollocks. I just got an oil change - what could be wrong? And why flashing? In the past when I've had engine problems, the light just goes on. Open up my manual to learn that a flashing check engine light means that the catalytic converter is going - a potentially very expensive repair.
Ruh-roh.
I make it to the shop, the engine losing power and making the car shake with increasing gravity as I go. Tell Fix It Man my tale of drama and woe, and possibly include the a) windshield that has been cracked since last October (when a big walnut tree fruit fell on it - seriously, scared the crap out of me), and b) the driver side window that won't roll all the way down because a deer RAN INTO MY CAR. While in motion. Some girls have all the luck.
My car is a 2000 VW Beetle. It's got 138,000 miles on it. It's been rode hard and put away wet. And I'm fearing the worst.
2. I need something to drive, so I unhook my beautiful 4-horse trailer from the truck, unhook the safety chains, take off the emergency brake line, roll up the gooseneck, put down my tailgate, and drive off.
With the electric line still attached.
I am a dope.
3. Speaking of trailers, I've been half-heartedly searching for a 2+1 gooseneck. My 4-horse is FABULOUS but ginormous, and I have a little weenie 2-horse bumper pull that's great, but Cleo BARELY fits unless I make it a box stall, and there's no room for hay or shavings or whatever. So when I see this ad for a local trailer dealership hosting a bank liquidation sale on brand new Kiefer trailers. The prices are better than new, but still awfully high, so I give them a call. Hey, maybe if I offer cash up front, pick-it-up-today, they'll wheel and deal with me. I am very polite, very dumb and innocent sounding.
Ohmygod BITCHY - the sales rep was a total, unmitigated ASS. No, we don't negotiate. No, we don't care if you don't need financing. No, there's no point in calling the bank. No. No. Absolutely not. No.
I drop the niceness. "Well, the bank must not be interested in selling them then."
Her Bitchiness: "Well, for your information, they are FLYING off the lot."
Well. Bully for you. Schmuck.
4. Fix-It-Man reports that the engine damage was a quick fix - a simple coil that was keeping one engine cylinder from firing. Hoorah! But the windshield and the door and the several lights that are on their way out (bulbs, fuses, who knows) all need to be dealt with before the car will pass inspection, which it'll be up for in July. Boo!
1. Hop in my car, pull out of the drive, and the check engine light starts to flash. Bollocks. I just got an oil change - what could be wrong? And why flashing? In the past when I've had engine problems, the light just goes on. Open up my manual to learn that a flashing check engine light means that the catalytic converter is going - a potentially very expensive repair.
Ruh-roh.
I make it to the shop, the engine losing power and making the car shake with increasing gravity as I go. Tell Fix It Man my tale of drama and woe, and possibly include the a) windshield that has been cracked since last October (when a big walnut tree fruit fell on it - seriously, scared the crap out of me), and b) the driver side window that won't roll all the way down because a deer RAN INTO MY CAR. While in motion. Some girls have all the luck.
My car is a 2000 VW Beetle. It's got 138,000 miles on it. It's been rode hard and put away wet. And I'm fearing the worst.
2. I need something to drive, so I unhook my beautiful 4-horse trailer from the truck, unhook the safety chains, take off the emergency brake line, roll up the gooseneck, put down my tailgate, and drive off.
With the electric line still attached.
I am a dope.
3. Speaking of trailers, I've been half-heartedly searching for a 2+1 gooseneck. My 4-horse is FABULOUS but ginormous, and I have a little weenie 2-horse bumper pull that's great, but Cleo BARELY fits unless I make it a box stall, and there's no room for hay or shavings or whatever. So when I see this ad for a local trailer dealership hosting a bank liquidation sale on brand new Kiefer trailers. The prices are better than new, but still awfully high, so I give them a call. Hey, maybe if I offer cash up front, pick-it-up-today, they'll wheel and deal with me. I am very polite, very dumb and innocent sounding.
Ohmygod BITCHY - the sales rep was a total, unmitigated ASS. No, we don't negotiate. No, we don't care if you don't need financing. No, there's no point in calling the bank. No. No. Absolutely not. No.
I drop the niceness. "Well, the bank must not be interested in selling them then."
Her Bitchiness: "Well, for your information, they are FLYING off the lot."
Well. Bully for you. Schmuck.
4. Fix-It-Man reports that the engine damage was a quick fix - a simple coil that was keeping one engine cylinder from firing. Hoorah! But the windshield and the door and the several lights that are on their way out (bulbs, fuses, who knows) all need to be dealt with before the car will pass inspection, which it'll be up for in July. Boo!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Performance Standards
A while back, there was this Epic Drama about performance standards, USEF's interest in requiring that riders prove proficiency at a level before moving up to the next. There was a lot of name-calling and silliness amid the very good points - how the program, as it was written, was "beatable" by riders who picked their shows more wisely than others, how it favored quality horse over quality riding, how the number of scores required put riders in less dressage-heavy parts of the country at a disadvantage, etc. The plan was defeated, and there was talk of replacing it with a "rider test," judged not like a USEF dressage test but like the Young Horse tests, with a series of collective scores at the end, and that was sort-of the last we heard of it.
I have another idea.
First, USEF's tests need to go the way of the FEI, and make the coefficient for the Gaits score a 1. There's a great article in this month's Dressage Today about the FEI's test rewrites, and the weight of the collective marks at different FEI levels, but which is interesting, but the crux of the article for me was a line about upper-level dressage needing to reward the quality of the TRAINING, and how it improves the horse, not the god-given quality of the horse.
Then, we address the "Rider" coefficient. USEF recently changed that coefficient to a 3. In my system, nothing would change at Training, First or Second Levels. At Third Level, that Rider coefficient would go up to a 4, and a Fourth Level, a 5. 8s on Rider at those levels would easily put talented riders on not-so-talented horses back in the ballgame, "cancelling out" 5s on medium and extended gaits; 5s on Rider would set back those counting on the quality of their horses to get them through.
Now, we all now that the PSG is basically easier than 4th level, so there's need to be some "performance standard-esque" requirement for moving up to PSG - X 4th level scores of Y%, or whatever. But this would be MUCH cheaper and easier to maintain than the previously suggested program, a major complaint. More importantly, in my mind, it puts the focus back where it should be - on the quality of riding.
I have another idea.
First, USEF's tests need to go the way of the FEI, and make the coefficient for the Gaits score a 1. There's a great article in this month's Dressage Today about the FEI's test rewrites, and the weight of the collective marks at different FEI levels, but which is interesting, but the crux of the article for me was a line about upper-level dressage needing to reward the quality of the TRAINING, and how it improves the horse, not the god-given quality of the horse.
Then, we address the "Rider" coefficient. USEF recently changed that coefficient to a 3. In my system, nothing would change at Training, First or Second Levels. At Third Level, that Rider coefficient would go up to a 4, and a Fourth Level, a 5. 8s on Rider at those levels would easily put talented riders on not-so-talented horses back in the ballgame, "cancelling out" 5s on medium and extended gaits; 5s on Rider would set back those counting on the quality of their horses to get them through.
Now, we all now that the PSG is basically easier than 4th level, so there's need to be some "performance standard-esque" requirement for moving up to PSG - X 4th level scores of Y%, or whatever. But this would be MUCH cheaper and easier to maintain than the previously suggested program, a major complaint. More importantly, in my mind, it puts the focus back where it should be - on the quality of riding.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Liniminty Fresh
After the capsacin drama at the Olympics, I was at the office of Dr. Kent Allen, team vet for the eventers, head dude of the USEF Drugs & Meds comittee, and all-around swell guy. He noticed the Equilite Sore No More sticker on my trailer, and asked me if I knew if there was capsacin in Sore No More. No, I said, just herbs and witch hazel. It works a treat, and is totally legal.
He said that another vet (in some important, official capacity; I can't exactly recall) had told him that it was illegal. Eventually, we got to the root of the problem: Equilite's Sore No More contains no capsacin, but there is another company out there who makes a people product under the same name that does.
USEF did some homework, and just recently released this: Sore No More is USEF competition legal, as opposed to these guys. So there's the scoop, recognized competitors! I keep Sore No More liniment in my tack box at every show, and I LIVE for their poultice.
He said that another vet (in some important, official capacity; I can't exactly recall) had told him that it was illegal. Eventually, we got to the root of the problem: Equilite's Sore No More contains no capsacin, but there is another company out there who makes a people product under the same name that does.
USEF did some homework, and just recently released this: Sore No More is USEF competition legal, as opposed to these guys. So there's the scoop, recognized competitors! I keep Sore No More liniment in my tack box at every show, and I LIVE for their poultice.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Seriously.
Travelers everywhere: airport security is not the freaking bar exam.
Having been on airplanes three times in the last four days (VA-IL, IL-FL, FL-VA), I'm amazed at how many people struggle with this. Shoes, coat, laptop, liquids in a bag, belt. Stick 'em in the little box. Then MOVE. Afterwards, get your crap together and KEEP MOVING. Don't wear flip flops. Don't forget socks. Don't bury the laptop at the bottom of the suitcase. Don't wear the Crown Jewels. Doesn't require a PhD.
Don't even get me STARTED on those who can't figure out Southwest's boarding procedure. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
Oy vey.
My monthly Chicagoland clinic was great, as usual. It was nice to finally see the farm - it was 55 and sunny for this trip, the first time it hasn't been cold, foul or both.
Florida was, of course, hot and lovely. I took a client horse shopping, and we're keeping our fingers crossed.
And I missed all the craptacular weather here at home, so I can ride everyone outside tomorrow in the sunshine. Hoorah!
Entries are confirmed for the first show... T minus 3 weeks! YIKES!
Having been on airplanes three times in the last four days (VA-IL, IL-FL, FL-VA), I'm amazed at how many people struggle with this. Shoes, coat, laptop, liquids in a bag, belt. Stick 'em in the little box. Then MOVE. Afterwards, get your crap together and KEEP MOVING. Don't wear flip flops. Don't forget socks. Don't bury the laptop at the bottom of the suitcase. Don't wear the Crown Jewels. Doesn't require a PhD.
Don't even get me STARTED on those who can't figure out Southwest's boarding procedure. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
Oy vey.
My monthly Chicagoland clinic was great, as usual. It was nice to finally see the farm - it was 55 and sunny for this trip, the first time it hasn't been cold, foul or both.
Florida was, of course, hot and lovely. I took a client horse shopping, and we're keeping our fingers crossed.
And I missed all the craptacular weather here at home, so I can ride everyone outside tomorrow in the sunshine. Hoorah!
Entries are confirmed for the first show... T minus 3 weeks! YIKES!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
It's Horse Show Season!
Woohoo! Horse show season is upon us. I've spent the last two days filling out entries for the first two shows of the year (without an OMNIBUS, thanks Region 1...), but the freaking out over which tests to show which horses at has been a several week-long process. But the biggest issue has not been what to show the horses, but when, and how much, for purely financial reasons. I've always done ok enough to show pretty much whatever and whenever I wanted to, obviously not doing crazy stuff like showing every weekend or driving all over kingdom come. This year, with the future looking so bleak, I'm trying to keep costs down, which means showing smart, and some very frustrating decisions.
Cleo is obvious - I need to do three, and really should do four, Brentina Cup qualifiers, so that takes care of that. If my scores are really good I won't make the trip down to Raleigh, NC, as I can do three up here at nearby Morven Park.
Midge is pretty clear, too. I'm going to take him at 3rd-2 the first horse show - 3rd-3 has a little crisper canter tour, something that's hard for him - but I'm trying to get him out as much as possible, to shows with the most, ahem, "optimistic" judging outlook. :)
Ella's been my toughie. I've gone back and forth and back and forth over what to show her at: we've made it through the entire PSG twice now, but it's really killed her physically. She's just not strong enough yet to do the test the way I want to - it's good enough for a 63-65%, but she's far too special to be screwing around with those scores. The debate is this: take her through the Developing Horse qualifiers, running the risk of either not qualifying or qualifying, going and being an also-ran; or wait a few months and show her in the open PSGs, kick some ass and take some names, but only on a local scale?
I don't really have an answer yet, so I'm putting it off by showing her at Fourth Level and doing a Developing Horse test at a non-qualifying horse show. Closing date for the next qualifier after that show is BEFORE that show, so I'll have to make another big choice in a few weeks, but ultimately, I just want her to do as brilliantly as I know she can, at whatever level she's physically ready for. She gives me 110% every day, and is improving leaps and bounds, and I just want her to have nothing but good showring experiences.
(didn't stop us from a line of super 2s today! eeee!)
The grass is finally starting to turn green, my outdoor is finally rideable, birds are back in the trees, and it's finally above 50*. Spring is on the verge!
Cleo is obvious - I need to do three, and really should do four, Brentina Cup qualifiers, so that takes care of that. If my scores are really good I won't make the trip down to Raleigh, NC, as I can do three up here at nearby Morven Park.
Midge is pretty clear, too. I'm going to take him at 3rd-2 the first horse show - 3rd-3 has a little crisper canter tour, something that's hard for him - but I'm trying to get him out as much as possible, to shows with the most, ahem, "optimistic" judging outlook. :)
Ella's been my toughie. I've gone back and forth and back and forth over what to show her at: we've made it through the entire PSG twice now, but it's really killed her physically. She's just not strong enough yet to do the test the way I want to - it's good enough for a 63-65%, but she's far too special to be screwing around with those scores. The debate is this: take her through the Developing Horse qualifiers, running the risk of either not qualifying or qualifying, going and being an also-ran; or wait a few months and show her in the open PSGs, kick some ass and take some names, but only on a local scale?
I don't really have an answer yet, so I'm putting it off by showing her at Fourth Level and doing a Developing Horse test at a non-qualifying horse show. Closing date for the next qualifier after that show is BEFORE that show, so I'll have to make another big choice in a few weeks, but ultimately, I just want her to do as brilliantly as I know she can, at whatever level she's physically ready for. She gives me 110% every day, and is improving leaps and bounds, and I just want her to have nothing but good showring experiences.
(didn't stop us from a line of super 2s today! eeee!)
The grass is finally starting to turn green, my outdoor is finally rideable, birds are back in the trees, and it's finally above 50*. Spring is on the verge!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Things That Only Happen In Virginia
Today, at my chiropractor and accupuncturists' office, I ran into: Paul Cronin, former director of riding at Sweet Briar College, introduced to me by Lendon Gray who holds him in the highest regard (and if Lendon holds you in that high a regard, you're a damn fine horseman); Daphne Alcock, top class show jumping rider and wife of Graham, dentist to the equine stars; and Daphne's mother Nancy Dillon, who has taught bajillions of Northern Virginia children how to ride at her famous school of equitation.
Things like this did not happen to me in Illinois.
Things like this did not happen to me in Illinois.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
ProLite, How I Love Thee
I first came upon the ProLite saddle pads when I got a sale horse in with landshark withers. I had a saddle that was just a little bit big everywhere, and erred on the side of too close to the wither. Colleen suggested a ProLite pad to basically add bulk to this horse's back, rather than have the owner buy a new saddle. The horse went swimmingly, the saddle fit a treat, and everyone was happy.
Shortly after that, Billy's body started changing with age. Even though he's in TOP shape, he's slowly getting "curvier" in the back, and his saddle was starting to get a little uphill look. Enter a ProLite pad with pockets in the back, into which I can insert shims, pieces of ProLite material, to "build" him a back, filling in what he's lost with age. Not only did his saddle sit more evenly, but little tweaky Billy started to really improve, moving better through the back, something he's never been terribly skilled at.
I put one on Ella, another tweaky, sensitive thing. Hot damn, she was a whole new horse, supple and swingy.
I put one on several other client horses, all sensitive souls. They all improved. And I came to worship at the altar of ProLite.
On a whim, I put one on Cleo, who is distinctly NOT sensitive. She went worse, like her back was wearing earmuffs, muffling the sound of my seat aids. I only rode her in it once, and vowed to not put ProLite on thick, strong horses again.
Over the course of the last 8 months, Midge has started to change shape quite dramatically. He's coming 7 this year, and he gave one last good growth spurt to shoot up to 16.3ish, mostly in the wither. He's grown out of his "baby fat" stage and started to pack on muscle over the topline, changing the shape of his ribcage - like most horses, he no longer looks like a square, and instead looks more like a triangle, the musculature of his back causing his ribs and spine to "pop" up. He got especially stronger on the right side, and the result was that my saddle was rocking and rolling. When Colleen came down, she encouraged me to use a ProLite with the shims both in front and in back - the "saddle fitter" pad, not listed on either of the aforementioned websites, but available from ASF if you ask - to help me until I could develop the muscles on his weaker side.
I balked. Midge is a TANK. It took me a year of cantering with his head up because I couldn't keep his hind legs out of his front end's way with my back alone, and I can stop pretty much anything short of a freight train with my back. I feared the lack of sensitivity that I'd felt with Cleo, but I trust Colleen with my life, and gave it a whirl.
It took me a day or two to get the right combination of shims, but day 3 he came into the arena on fire - supple, swingy, powerful but controlable. What a moron I am!, I thought. My saddle was stable, which meant I was stable, which meant I could kick on on getting that left side to match the right.
About a week later, I felt something I'd never felt before - my saddle slipping the OTHER way. Great, I've screwed something else up, I thought. When I went to get him ready the next day, I had a look at his back.
In one week with the ProLite, Midge's back was perfectly symmetrical.
Holy. Crap.
The ProLite gave his muscles the room they needed to grow correctly, instead of being squeezed on one side or the other by an unlevel saddle. I'm still riding him in a ProLite, but one that is flat all the way around.
All horses grow and change as they work, especially youngsters. All horses are "handed," just like people; they build muscle and coordination easier on one side than the other. I am so, So, SO grateful for the discovery of a pad that is going to help me help my horses through their life and body transitions, through their growth spurts, and through their transitions between one-sided and bilaterally organized. And it helps me do more with less - I can get clever with padding now instead of having to arm myself with a hundred different saddles for each horse through their growth and training.
Hoorah for equipment that helps me do my job better!
Shortly after that, Billy's body started changing with age. Even though he's in TOP shape, he's slowly getting "curvier" in the back, and his saddle was starting to get a little uphill look. Enter a ProLite pad with pockets in the back, into which I can insert shims, pieces of ProLite material, to "build" him a back, filling in what he's lost with age. Not only did his saddle sit more evenly, but little tweaky Billy started to really improve, moving better through the back, something he's never been terribly skilled at.
I put one on Ella, another tweaky, sensitive thing. Hot damn, she was a whole new horse, supple and swingy.
I put one on several other client horses, all sensitive souls. They all improved. And I came to worship at the altar of ProLite.
On a whim, I put one on Cleo, who is distinctly NOT sensitive. She went worse, like her back was wearing earmuffs, muffling the sound of my seat aids. I only rode her in it once, and vowed to not put ProLite on thick, strong horses again.
Over the course of the last 8 months, Midge has started to change shape quite dramatically. He's coming 7 this year, and he gave one last good growth spurt to shoot up to 16.3ish, mostly in the wither. He's grown out of his "baby fat" stage and started to pack on muscle over the topline, changing the shape of his ribcage - like most horses, he no longer looks like a square, and instead looks more like a triangle, the musculature of his back causing his ribs and spine to "pop" up. He got especially stronger on the right side, and the result was that my saddle was rocking and rolling. When Colleen came down, she encouraged me to use a ProLite with the shims both in front and in back - the "saddle fitter" pad, not listed on either of the aforementioned websites, but available from ASF if you ask - to help me until I could develop the muscles on his weaker side.
I balked. Midge is a TANK. It took me a year of cantering with his head up because I couldn't keep his hind legs out of his front end's way with my back alone, and I can stop pretty much anything short of a freight train with my back. I feared the lack of sensitivity that I'd felt with Cleo, but I trust Colleen with my life, and gave it a whirl.
It took me a day or two to get the right combination of shims, but day 3 he came into the arena on fire - supple, swingy, powerful but controlable. What a moron I am!, I thought. My saddle was stable, which meant I was stable, which meant I could kick on on getting that left side to match the right.
About a week later, I felt something I'd never felt before - my saddle slipping the OTHER way. Great, I've screwed something else up, I thought. When I went to get him ready the next day, I had a look at his back.
In one week with the ProLite, Midge's back was perfectly symmetrical.
Holy. Crap.
The ProLite gave his muscles the room they needed to grow correctly, instead of being squeezed on one side or the other by an unlevel saddle. I'm still riding him in a ProLite, but one that is flat all the way around.
All horses grow and change as they work, especially youngsters. All horses are "handed," just like people; they build muscle and coordination easier on one side than the other. I am so, So, SO grateful for the discovery of a pad that is going to help me help my horses through their life and body transitions, through their growth spurts, and through their transitions between one-sided and bilaterally organized. And it helps me do more with less - I can get clever with padding now instead of having to arm myself with a hundred different saddles for each horse through their growth and training.
Hoorah for equipment that helps me do my job better!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Two Things
1. Tres, our little Spanish stallion, is a dreadful jumper. Alas, our dreams of show hunter fame... ;)
2. Ella did the WHOLE PRIX ST. GEORGES yesterday, and it didn't suck. Woo!
2. Ella did the WHOLE PRIX ST. GEORGES yesterday, and it didn't suck. Woo!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
TGFV (Thank God For Video)
Just back from my monthly clinics in Chicago, which was GREAT fun - it's a lovely barn with lovely people, so it'd be fun no matter what, but it's also very cool to see the progress in the horses and riders from month to month. And, not gonna lie - the pizza is a big, big deal too. :)
The stomach-flu-of-death has transitioned to the lingering-head-cold-of-death, more annoying than physically detrimental, though it was pretty comical trying to get through airport security holding my own box of Kleenex. My nose was grateful, though: whoever figured out how to get lotion on tissue deserves a Nobel Prize.
I got video of my rides with Pam from last weekend, and I was blown away. Mirrors in the arena are great, but NOTHING beats video. I was encouraged, because the horses really do look as good as they feel, but I was also more than a little embarassed to see that the weird thing I do with my neck has returned, so it's back to equitation school for me. It was also really helpful to see the horses go from beginning of ride to end of ride. Pam told me that I was riding Ella too fast, mistaking fast for forward, and I couldn't believe her - she looked great in the mirror, so what's the deal? Seeing it on video made it really sink in: holy schmolies, I'm running her off her legs! Slow down and allow for cadence and voila, Ella's a genius. Thank god for video! How did Xenophon do it? :)
The stomach-flu-of-death has transitioned to the lingering-head-cold-of-death, more annoying than physically detrimental, though it was pretty comical trying to get through airport security holding my own box of Kleenex. My nose was grateful, though: whoever figured out how to get lotion on tissue deserves a Nobel Prize.
I got video of my rides with Pam from last weekend, and I was blown away. Mirrors in the arena are great, but NOTHING beats video. I was encouraged, because the horses really do look as good as they feel, but I was also more than a little embarassed to see that the weird thing I do with my neck has returned, so it's back to equitation school for me. It was also really helpful to see the horses go from beginning of ride to end of ride. Pam told me that I was riding Ella too fast, mistaking fast for forward, and I couldn't believe her - she looked great in the mirror, so what's the deal? Seeing it on video made it really sink in: holy schmolies, I'm running her off her legs! Slow down and allow for cadence and voila, Ella's a genius. Thank god for video! How did Xenophon do it? :)
Friday, February 20, 2009
Dressage and Instincts
I’m a stranger in a strange land. This part of the world is eventing country, and the extent of my jumping experience was two semesters of the intercollegiate hunters, which in spite of my team coach’s best efforts, were filled with great mediocrity on my part. (I was, however, wildly successful in the 18” crossrail division. Neener neener.)
So when I overheard the tail end of a conversation yesterday (at my chiropractor’s office – I love Virginia), it piqued my interest. Two women were discussing event horses, dressage work, and bravery.
Dressage work is focused on giving the control back to the rider, one said, which is very true. The horse is adjustable, attentive, and obedient. Why would that ever be a problem?, she said.
Because that sort of work kills instinct, the other said, and going cross-country, while of course I want to be able to steer and adjust a little, if I’m wrong, I want my horse to take over and use his best judgment to get us through to the other side.
It was something I’d never considered before. Certainly, we do want to take over the instincts of the horse for dressage work – if I didn’t, I doubt any 1400-pound prey animal with a hair-trigger flight response would ever set foot in the showring at WEF, or Aachen, or the World Cup. I recalled an open house that Pam, another of her working students and I attended the summer I worked for her where we did our dressage demo right after a cutting horse demonstration. The fellow in charge picked a random rider out of the audience and popped her on top of a marvelous older horse, told her to hang on and get out of the way, and turned them loose on a mechanical cow. With both hands on the saddle horn and the reins (safely) tied out of the way, the horse proceeded to keep perfect pace and rhythm with the cow, all on his own instinct. When we took the stage, Pam quipped that if the cutter’s job was to hone instinct, the dressage rider’s job was to kill it.
The result is a well-balanced horse who would jump off a bridge for me, whose whole world is me and my aids and my work and the task at hand. That’s certainly something, at first blush, that I’d want to bring cross-country!
This woman’s point, though, was an interesting one. If I make a bad judgment call in a half-pass, I get a bad half-pass. If I make a bad judgment call galloping up to a solid obstacle at speed, well… the consequences are certainly much direr.
Now, clearly there are riders out there at the top levels of eventing sport whose horses demonstrate great skill both cross country and in dressage. I watch videos of event horses with Ingrid Klimke, who is, to say the least, no slouch in a dressage test, and they look balanced and supple on day one, and both bold and rideable day two. Is it possible to have an instinct-less horse on dressage day and a keen Alpha horse on course?
As cross country courses get more technical, and ultimately more dangerous if a rider gets into a spot of trouble, does it make more sense to have the adjustable horse, responsive like a Porsche, at the rider’s beck and call from the lightest touch, or the horse who knows when to take over and power through to get you safely to the other side?
I don’t have any answers, just musings. :) How’s that for a cop-out?
From my perspective: there’s enough about dressage work that DOES improve jumping, period, end of story – musculature, the development of carrying power, balance and deftness – that no event rider should be without regular dressage work.
So when I overheard the tail end of a conversation yesterday (at my chiropractor’s office – I love Virginia), it piqued my interest. Two women were discussing event horses, dressage work, and bravery.
Dressage work is focused on giving the control back to the rider, one said, which is very true. The horse is adjustable, attentive, and obedient. Why would that ever be a problem?, she said.
Because that sort of work kills instinct, the other said, and going cross-country, while of course I want to be able to steer and adjust a little, if I’m wrong, I want my horse to take over and use his best judgment to get us through to the other side.
It was something I’d never considered before. Certainly, we do want to take over the instincts of the horse for dressage work – if I didn’t, I doubt any 1400-pound prey animal with a hair-trigger flight response would ever set foot in the showring at WEF, or Aachen, or the World Cup. I recalled an open house that Pam, another of her working students and I attended the summer I worked for her where we did our dressage demo right after a cutting horse demonstration. The fellow in charge picked a random rider out of the audience and popped her on top of a marvelous older horse, told her to hang on and get out of the way, and turned them loose on a mechanical cow. With both hands on the saddle horn and the reins (safely) tied out of the way, the horse proceeded to keep perfect pace and rhythm with the cow, all on his own instinct. When we took the stage, Pam quipped that if the cutter’s job was to hone instinct, the dressage rider’s job was to kill it.
The result is a well-balanced horse who would jump off a bridge for me, whose whole world is me and my aids and my work and the task at hand. That’s certainly something, at first blush, that I’d want to bring cross-country!
This woman’s point, though, was an interesting one. If I make a bad judgment call in a half-pass, I get a bad half-pass. If I make a bad judgment call galloping up to a solid obstacle at speed, well… the consequences are certainly much direr.
Now, clearly there are riders out there at the top levels of eventing sport whose horses demonstrate great skill both cross country and in dressage. I watch videos of event horses with Ingrid Klimke, who is, to say the least, no slouch in a dressage test, and they look balanced and supple on day one, and both bold and rideable day two. Is it possible to have an instinct-less horse on dressage day and a keen Alpha horse on course?
As cross country courses get more technical, and ultimately more dangerous if a rider gets into a spot of trouble, does it make more sense to have the adjustable horse, responsive like a Porsche, at the rider’s beck and call from the lightest touch, or the horse who knows when to take over and power through to get you safely to the other side?
I don’t have any answers, just musings. :) How’s that for a cop-out?
From my perspective: there’s enough about dressage work that DOES improve jumping, period, end of story – musculature, the development of carrying power, balance and deftness – that no event rider should be without regular dressage work.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Three days on the couch
I am FINALLY back to being a barely-productive member of society, after spending the better part of three days alternating between couch and bed. Apparently this bug is going around; do whatever it takes to NOT get it. It is way not cool.
A few things I've learned after three days of incapacitation:
- there is absolutely NOTHING good on TV at 3 am.
- it should be illegal for TV ad producers to crank up the volume on their ads. I feel no need to be shaken from on-the-couch slumber by an ad for some structured-annuity-lump-sum-thingy.
- at any given time, on some network, somewhere in the world, one of the many Law & Order shows is on. (except, apparently, 3 am.)
- I could never ever ever have an eating disorder, because that was the worst way EVER to lose five pounds. But I have lost five pounds!
- most of all: nothing, NOTHING, is more special to me than a friend who brings me soup and Gatorade.
So Renee, you're amazing. I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you, but it must have been awfully good.
I'm teaching a little tonight, which is good, because I'm feeling recuperated enough to be going a little stir crazy, and it's back to the grindstone tomorrow. I want to practice all that Pam and I worked on!
A few things I've learned after three days of incapacitation:
- there is absolutely NOTHING good on TV at 3 am.
- it should be illegal for TV ad producers to crank up the volume on their ads. I feel no need to be shaken from on-the-couch slumber by an ad for some structured-annuity-lump-sum-thingy.
- at any given time, on some network, somewhere in the world, one of the many Law & Order shows is on. (except, apparently, 3 am.)
- I could never ever ever have an eating disorder, because that was the worst way EVER to lose five pounds. But I have lost five pounds!
- most of all: nothing, NOTHING, is more special to me than a friend who brings me soup and Gatorade.
So Renee, you're amazing. I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you, but it must have been awfully good.
I'm teaching a little tonight, which is good, because I'm feeling recuperated enough to be going a little stir crazy, and it's back to the grindstone tomorrow. I want to practice all that Pam and I worked on!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Ridiculous week
Last week was really rather stupid. After throwing my back out, I decided it was time to get back on the health bandwagon. I'd already been counting calories for a couple of days in an effort to shed the Thanksgiving/Christmas pudge, but I got back on the schedule of my pilates instructor (who I trade for lessons - how cool is that?), AND was looking forward to a good ass kicking by Pam Goodrich this weekend. Oy vey.
Pam was fabulous, of course, and all the ponies were REALLY good, but I did get my butt kicked. And then, to top it all off, Saturday night I come down with a WRETCHED 24-hour stomach bug, so I can't even leave the couch on Sunday. Pam graciously rode my horses for me, and my marvelous parents and barn staff kept everything running without a hitch.
Good grief!
I am up and at'em today, just barely, but I'm not trusting myself to do anything other than nibble on Ritz crackers and sip gatorade. I'm hoping this is all just karmic redistribution, so I'm storing up bad stuff so the next few months will be ah-MAZING. That'd be great, but I'm not sure anything will be worth the nastiness of the last 24 hours... gross, just gross. Ugh.
Pam was fabulous, of course, and all the ponies were REALLY good, but I did get my butt kicked. And then, to top it all off, Saturday night I come down with a WRETCHED 24-hour stomach bug, so I can't even leave the couch on Sunday. Pam graciously rode my horses for me, and my marvelous parents and barn staff kept everything running without a hitch.
Good grief!
I am up and at'em today, just barely, but I'm not trusting myself to do anything other than nibble on Ritz crackers and sip gatorade. I'm hoping this is all just karmic redistribution, so I'm storing up bad stuff so the next few months will be ah-MAZING. That'd be great, but I'm not sure anything will be worth the nastiness of the last 24 hours... gross, just gross. Ugh.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Brentina
I just learned that Debbie McDonald's wonderful team mare, Brentina, is recovering from colic surgery. Brentina is one of the legends of American dressage, a reminder to us all about how good training and a great partnership makes everything possible. I don't know Debbie well at all, but I know that she loves the mare with every fiber of her being. My thoughts are with them both today, and I wish for "Mama" a complete recovery and a quick return to her most richly deserved retirement.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
UGH.
So Saturday morning, I'm letting Cleo walk around before we school, and she shies at something. I come down in the saddle JUST wrong, and I get this nasty sharp pain in my lower back, on the right. OUCH. I try and trot around a little, but my back is not having it. I put her away, Kelly lunges Ella and Midge, and I park on the couch with some Naproxen, only getting up to teach my afternoon lessons.
Sunday morning I'm feeling a little better, and I can work my three lightly, but no more. I teach all afternoon, and Monday, my day off, I take it super easy. Until the package arrives: the inversion table we ordered. PERFECT!, I think. I'll "hang out" (haha) for a few minutes and I'll be all set to ride on Tuesday morning.
Yeeaaah.
Everything is swell while I'm upside down, but when I try and get up, I'm in agony. I manage to untangle myself from the equipment, but I fall to the floor and I can't get up. I lay on the floor for 20 minutes before I can finally limp up the stairs and onto an ice pack.
Today, I actually felt a lot better (the inversion table worked a charm on the rest of my back and neck!), and a trip to the chiropractor and accupuncturist has me well on my way to recovery. But YIKES!! Scary as hell. And naturally, all this goes on over the first beautiful weekend of the year... sigh.
Sunday morning I'm feeling a little better, and I can work my three lightly, but no more. I teach all afternoon, and Monday, my day off, I take it super easy. Until the package arrives: the inversion table we ordered. PERFECT!, I think. I'll "hang out" (haha) for a few minutes and I'll be all set to ride on Tuesday morning.
Yeeaaah.
Everything is swell while I'm upside down, but when I try and get up, I'm in agony. I manage to untangle myself from the equipment, but I fall to the floor and I can't get up. I lay on the floor for 20 minutes before I can finally limp up the stairs and onto an ice pack.
Today, I actually felt a lot better (the inversion table worked a charm on the rest of my back and neck!), and a trip to the chiropractor and accupuncturist has me well on my way to recovery. But YIKES!! Scary as hell. And naturally, all this goes on over the first beautiful weekend of the year... sigh.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Virtual Yard Sale!
Yard sale! Shipping on all items is $10, and is flat-rate USPS. Please post a comment or email me at lauren at spriesersporthorse dot com.
SOFT TOUCH DRESSAGE GIRTH, black, 32.
Neoprene bottom for comfort, very squishy. Double elastic. Some wear to keepers, but still extremely functional. Retails at around $50; $15. (girth is on R)
CAVALLO BREECHES, navy, 32L
Very gently used Cavallo Chagallino breeches, full seat. VERY slight discoloration around ankles, but will be well hidden by tall boots. GREAT breeches. Retail at $300; $100.
OTTO SCHUMACHER BRIDLE, black with white, horse sized.
Once upon a time, this bridle looked like this one, except in black and white. Now, the white padding is quite banged up on the interior of the bridle, but for the most part this bridle is still perfectly functional. Retails at $400; $40.
SWEDISH PADDED CROWN DOUBLE BRIDLE, black, horse sized.
This guy, lightly used. I REALLY like these bridles for the price - the leather is really soft, and the padding over the noseband and crown is very good. Retails at $189.95; $100.
DOVER GRAND PRIX GIRTH, black, 32.
Here it is new. A lovely, well-padded girth with elastic on both ends for your horse's comfort. In great shape, lightly used. Retails at $110; $50.
PROFESSIONAL'S CHOICE SMx GIRTH, brown, 30.
Brand new with tags, this girth is for use with a short-billet saddle, so it's a pony sized girth. Retails at $53; $40.
SADDLE COVER, hunter green.
Cotton saddle cover for a dressage saddle, with a drawstring. $5.
PIKEUR DIANA DRESSAGE COAT, black, approx. size 14-16L
This is an exquisite coat, very gently used, that was once-upon-a-time an 18L. When I lost some weight (yay!), I had it tailored down to about a size 14-16L. I can take measurements if anyone needs them. Retails at $480; $200.
DRESSAGE COAT, black, approx. size 12-14
No label on this coat, so I have no idea what it is. Double vented in the back, about size 12-14. Medium weight material. Golden buttons. $30.
SOFT TOUCH DRESSAGE GIRTH, black, 32.
Neoprene bottom for comfort, very squishy. Double elastic. Some wear to keepers, but still extremely functional. Retails at around $50; $15. (girth is on R)
CAVALLO BREECHES, navy, 32L
Very gently used Cavallo Chagallino breeches, full seat. VERY slight discoloration around ankles, but will be well hidden by tall boots. GREAT breeches. Retail at $300; $100.
OTTO SCHUMACHER BRIDLE, black with white, horse sized.
Once upon a time, this bridle looked like this one, except in black and white. Now, the white padding is quite banged up on the interior of the bridle, but for the most part this bridle is still perfectly functional. Retails at $400; $40.
SWEDISH PADDED CROWN DOUBLE BRIDLE, black, horse sized.
This guy, lightly used. I REALLY like these bridles for the price - the leather is really soft, and the padding over the noseband and crown is very good. Retails at $189.95; $100.
DOVER GRAND PRIX GIRTH, black, 32.
Here it is new. A lovely, well-padded girth with elastic on both ends for your horse's comfort. In great shape, lightly used. Retails at $110; $50.
PROFESSIONAL'S CHOICE SMx GIRTH, brown, 30.
Brand new with tags, this girth is for use with a short-billet saddle, so it's a pony sized girth. Retails at $53; $40.
SADDLE COVER, hunter green.
Cotton saddle cover for a dressage saddle, with a drawstring. $5.
PIKEUR DIANA DRESSAGE COAT, black, approx. size 14-16L
This is an exquisite coat, very gently used, that was once-upon-a-time an 18L. When I lost some weight (yay!), I had it tailored down to about a size 14-16L. I can take measurements if anyone needs them. Retails at $480; $200.
DRESSAGE COAT, black, approx. size 12-14
No label on this coat, so I have no idea what it is. Double vented in the back, about size 12-14. Medium weight material. Golden buttons. $30.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Why I Do This
I'm really looking forward to this weekend, because it's going to be 60 beautiful degrees and sunny. My horses have all been fairly average this week, with the exception of Midge, who must have read my previous entry about my unconditional love for him and decided to put it to the test by being a rank pain in the ass. Maybe with this weekend's warmth he'll melt a little.
Ella's actually been really good, though I'm in that annoying place where she understands what I want mentally but isn't quite strong enough to offer it physically (canter pirouettes - who needs 'em!). I'm just finding the redundancy of the work a little tedious. And Cleo's been fine, good enough, just not exceptional. I think everyone needs to get out of the arena for a few rides, and hopefully this weekend's weather will provide that opportunity.
What's keeping me going: my students' horses are blowing me away. A new full-training client horse is proving to be a fun project - it's a client I adore, which is great, but her horse is really coming around fast, which is really extra great. I've been also spending a lot of time with my pony clubbers, who are kicking butt. And the highlight of my week has been a young student of mine who got her pony round and through at walk, trot and canter both directions today for the first time. I realized at the end of her lesson that I was grinning from ear to ear, possibly even bigger than her grin. So much for professionalism, but when I'm proud of them, I don't feel any need to contain myself!
Now if only my horses would get the memo!
Ella's actually been really good, though I'm in that annoying place where she understands what I want mentally but isn't quite strong enough to offer it physically (canter pirouettes - who needs 'em!). I'm just finding the redundancy of the work a little tedious. And Cleo's been fine, good enough, just not exceptional. I think everyone needs to get out of the arena for a few rides, and hopefully this weekend's weather will provide that opportunity.
What's keeping me going: my students' horses are blowing me away. A new full-training client horse is proving to be a fun project - it's a client I adore, which is great, but her horse is really coming around fast, which is really extra great. I've been also spending a lot of time with my pony clubbers, who are kicking butt. And the highlight of my week has been a young student of mine who got her pony round and through at walk, trot and canter both directions today for the first time. I realized at the end of her lesson that I was grinning from ear to ear, possibly even bigger than her grin. So much for professionalism, but when I'm proud of them, I don't feel any need to contain myself!
Now if only my horses would get the memo!
Monday, February 2, 2009
But we could have gotten a NICE three-year-old!
All of my horses have their own stories, how they came into my life. Midge's story is a little bit special, because unlike the others, he chose me before I chose him.
Midge's breeder, as I know the story, bred saddleseat-y horses, and had bred this Dutch Harness Horse colt with eyes on keeping him intact and putting him to Arab mares to make super flashy show horses, but had reservations as he grew up that his hind leg stepped too much under and not enough up and down. She decided to have him started like a sport horse, instead of a show horse, and sent him to a trainer I was working for in Chicago.
Midge was just barely under saddle when I came home from college (it was the summer of 05, between my junior and senior years). He was 15.2, downhill, upright, and spooky, spooky, spooky. He wasn't a bolter or a bucker. He'd just STOP. And I could be damn strong, but I couldn't kick him hard enough to get him out of that I'M NOT MOVING! place. So when I rode him the first few times, someone had to stand in the middle of the ring with a lunge whip in case he hit the brakes.
But he got started, and wasn't all that badly mannered for a rising 3-year-old stud colt. As I went back for my last year of school, the breeder/owner was debating whether to take him back home or to sell him. My work was done.
Fast forward to January 06. I haven't given so much as a thought to the little orange Dutch thing, when my mom calls me to tell me his breeder had passed away. Sad, I said. She said they're liquidating her herd of horses. Ok, I said. And she says, so I bought Victorious.
"Chhh," I say. "Why? If we wanted a three-year-old, we could have gone to Europe and gotten a NICE three-year-old."
"Look," she says, "he's got all that chrome, and that darling face, and those cute legs. I got him for a song. Take him to some horse shows, get him going, and flip him. A fun project for you."
"Ok," I say, "but you've got to geld him."
I graduate from college and come home, Billy and Ella, my fancy schmancy imports, in tow, and I go to see this little orange thing my mom took a gamble on. He's a gelding now, and he's coming four. He's taller. He still looks like a goober, but he's at least level. So I turn him out in our indoor.
Holy mother of pearl, the thing can freaking TROT.
Ok, I tell him. You have one year, and then you gotta go.
I showed him at Training Level and in a couple of Materiale classes. When he's not spooky, he wins everything. He doesn't come with me to Florida that winter, but he meets me at Pam's the next summer, now coming five and all the more physically grown up. Still very much a baby, and I show him at Training Level again that summer, to the same tune: when he's tight, he's awful, and when he's relaxed, he scores 75%s. And I put him up for sale.
Lots of interest. One in particular tries him a couple of times, loves him, and just as I'm within a few weeks of going to Virginia, the deal falls apart. I call my mom (who hasn't seen him in 6 months), and she's a little distressed, but we've got no choice - he's got to come home to VA with me.
She can't believe what he looks like when he walks off the trailer, and she REALLY can't believe what he looks like when he goes. She says, you know, I'm sort of falling in love with this horse. And I say, actually, I know exactly what you're talking about.
Midge is coming 7 now. I entered him in two shows last year at First Level, but never made it down centerline - we had some questionable farriery that took a few months to sort out, and by the time it did he was starting to school the changes and the upper-level lateral work, and I said screw it, let's wait until I can show him at a fun level. I've taken him through the Third-3 test a few times over the last few weeks (which is a damn hard test!), and it's all coming together. When he's relaxed, the judges will tell me to develop more swing and relaxation through the back, and when he's tight, the judges will tell me to develop more swing and relaxation through the back. He's not got the conformation for big, straight-legged extended work, but he's got an incredible dyanamicism to the collected work, and great talent for piaffe-passage. I have to work every day on making him less of a leg-mover and more of a back-mover, and I'll be working with that until the day he retires.
But he comes out of his stall every day eager to work, a firebreathing nut, and all I have to do is channel it. He's the only horse I get on who gives me a great ride every single day.
Needless to say, he's no longer for sale!
Midge's breeder, as I know the story, bred saddleseat-y horses, and had bred this Dutch Harness Horse colt with eyes on keeping him intact and putting him to Arab mares to make super flashy show horses, but had reservations as he grew up that his hind leg stepped too much under and not enough up and down. She decided to have him started like a sport horse, instead of a show horse, and sent him to a trainer I was working for in Chicago.
Midge was just barely under saddle when I came home from college (it was the summer of 05, between my junior and senior years). He was 15.2, downhill, upright, and spooky, spooky, spooky. He wasn't a bolter or a bucker. He'd just STOP. And I could be damn strong, but I couldn't kick him hard enough to get him out of that I'M NOT MOVING! place. So when I rode him the first few times, someone had to stand in the middle of the ring with a lunge whip in case he hit the brakes.
But he got started, and wasn't all that badly mannered for a rising 3-year-old stud colt. As I went back for my last year of school, the breeder/owner was debating whether to take him back home or to sell him. My work was done.
Fast forward to January 06. I haven't given so much as a thought to the little orange Dutch thing, when my mom calls me to tell me his breeder had passed away. Sad, I said. She said they're liquidating her herd of horses. Ok, I said. And she says, so I bought Victorious.
"Chhh," I say. "Why? If we wanted a three-year-old, we could have gone to Europe and gotten a NICE three-year-old."
"Look," she says, "he's got all that chrome, and that darling face, and those cute legs. I got him for a song. Take him to some horse shows, get him going, and flip him. A fun project for you."
"Ok," I say, "but you've got to geld him."
I graduate from college and come home, Billy and Ella, my fancy schmancy imports, in tow, and I go to see this little orange thing my mom took a gamble on. He's a gelding now, and he's coming four. He's taller. He still looks like a goober, but he's at least level. So I turn him out in our indoor.
Holy mother of pearl, the thing can freaking TROT.
Ok, I tell him. You have one year, and then you gotta go.
I showed him at Training Level and in a couple of Materiale classes. When he's not spooky, he wins everything. He doesn't come with me to Florida that winter, but he meets me at Pam's the next summer, now coming five and all the more physically grown up. Still very much a baby, and I show him at Training Level again that summer, to the same tune: when he's tight, he's awful, and when he's relaxed, he scores 75%s. And I put him up for sale.
Lots of interest. One in particular tries him a couple of times, loves him, and just as I'm within a few weeks of going to Virginia, the deal falls apart. I call my mom (who hasn't seen him in 6 months), and she's a little distressed, but we've got no choice - he's got to come home to VA with me.
She can't believe what he looks like when he walks off the trailer, and she REALLY can't believe what he looks like when he goes. She says, you know, I'm sort of falling in love with this horse. And I say, actually, I know exactly what you're talking about.
Midge is coming 7 now. I entered him in two shows last year at First Level, but never made it down centerline - we had some questionable farriery that took a few months to sort out, and by the time it did he was starting to school the changes and the upper-level lateral work, and I said screw it, let's wait until I can show him at a fun level. I've taken him through the Third-3 test a few times over the last few weeks (which is a damn hard test!), and it's all coming together. When he's relaxed, the judges will tell me to develop more swing and relaxation through the back, and when he's tight, the judges will tell me to develop more swing and relaxation through the back. He's not got the conformation for big, straight-legged extended work, but he's got an incredible dyanamicism to the collected work, and great talent for piaffe-passage. I have to work every day on making him less of a leg-mover and more of a back-mover, and I'll be working with that until the day he retires.
But he comes out of his stall every day eager to work, a firebreathing nut, and all I have to do is channel it. He's the only horse I get on who gives me a great ride every single day.
Needless to say, he's no longer for sale!
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Wintery Mix: a highly unnatural phenomenon
We had a few inches of fluffy, beautiful snow earlier this week, which looked a lot like this. And then it turned to a little rain over night. And then I had the pleasure of scraping ice an inch and a half thick off my driveway.
I know it's mighty cold in other parts of the country, but 40* days and 20* nights do present their own unique challenges. It took me an hour to clear a path to the flipping arena from the barn - a maybe 50 foot journey. And after all of our sweat and strain, the sun came out yesterday and melted a good portion of it all away.
Ugh. Sometimes I miss proper bad weather!
Colleen, saddle fitter to the equine stars, is here for a few days, which includes a clinic tonight. All the horses passed around a good-pony-memo or something, because everyone's been a STAR this week. And I'm off to go salt the last bit of ice off the driveway before the masses descend!
I know it's mighty cold in other parts of the country, but 40* days and 20* nights do present their own unique challenges. It took me an hour to clear a path to the flipping arena from the barn - a maybe 50 foot journey. And after all of our sweat and strain, the sun came out yesterday and melted a good portion of it all away.
Ugh. Sometimes I miss proper bad weather!
Colleen, saddle fitter to the equine stars, is here for a few days, which includes a clinic tonight. All the horses passed around a good-pony-memo or something, because everyone's been a STAR this week. And I'm off to go salt the last bit of ice off the driveway before the masses descend!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Attack of the Cleones!
It's pretty much decided: if I'm unsuccessful in selling one of Cleo's embryos (or, as coined by a reader, "Cleones"!!!), we're going to breed her and do an ET ourselves.
This is very new and exciting territory for me, as I've never bred anything, and I'm very un-knowledgeable about the process (well, everyone knows THAT part of the process, it's the parts before and after I'm a little unclear on): fresh or frozen? Who should do my repro work? And the most important question of all: who's your daddy?
Fortunately, I've got some top breeders in my arsenal of buddies. I'm turning to the COTH forums for stallion suggestions, which is yielding interesting results thus far; lots of good knowledge there. Scott is, of course, on my list of people to consult. My parents hosted a foreign exchange student whose family is quite close to the Leatherdales, who are very involved in the AHS, not to mention top breeders in their own right. On the whole, I think I'm on the right track.
It's an awfully fun dream, though. I want something to improve her shoulder and front end - we joke that she's got Maserati hind legs and Dodge Dart front legs - and perhaps something a tick more short coupled, and maybe even shorter period (though I am a tall and leggy thing, smaller is easier to deal with). I'd like something very elastic and supple, and most importantly, very, very rideable - I LOVE 'em hot, but they have to be hot in the I'll-work-with-you kind of way, not in the I'll-eat-you-for-breakfast kind of way. I'd take Cleo to a different registry's approvals if I needed to, but I'm confident I'll find a good nick within the American Hanoverians.
It's fun daydreaming!
This is very new and exciting territory for me, as I've never bred anything, and I'm very un-knowledgeable about the process (well, everyone knows THAT part of the process, it's the parts before and after I'm a little unclear on): fresh or frozen? Who should do my repro work? And the most important question of all: who's your daddy?
Fortunately, I've got some top breeders in my arsenal of buddies. I'm turning to the COTH forums for stallion suggestions, which is yielding interesting results thus far; lots of good knowledge there. Scott is, of course, on my list of people to consult. My parents hosted a foreign exchange student whose family is quite close to the Leatherdales, who are very involved in the AHS, not to mention top breeders in their own right. On the whole, I think I'm on the right track.
It's an awfully fun dream, though. I want something to improve her shoulder and front end - we joke that she's got Maserati hind legs and Dodge Dart front legs - and perhaps something a tick more short coupled, and maybe even shorter period (though I am a tall and leggy thing, smaller is easier to deal with). I'd like something very elastic and supple, and most importantly, very, very rideable - I LOVE 'em hot, but they have to be hot in the I'll-work-with-you kind of way, not in the I'll-eat-you-for-breakfast kind of way. I'd take Cleo to a different registry's approvals if I needed to, but I'm confident I'll find a good nick within the American Hanoverians.
It's fun daydreaming!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
This is the year.
This is the year.
This is the year that I break into the big time, with talented horses who love their jobs and do them right. This is the year that I knock socks off, surpass expectations, and rock out. This is the year I prove I deserve that spot on the list with the Big Dogs, and I do it with fairness and compassion and empathy for my horses and clients, every day.
This year, I will work my ass off, lose sleep, fret, cry, give blood and sweat and tears and just when I think it's all going to Hell in a handbasket give that one last push to make it all come together. This year I will suprise myself. This year my students are going to accomplish things they've only dreamed about. This year my horses are going to be fitter and stronger and lighter and happier than they've ever been before.This is the turning point, the beginning of the rest of it all, the place it all began.
And I'm going to blow the other years out of the water.
2009? Bring it.
This is the year that I break into the big time, with talented horses who love their jobs and do them right. This is the year that I knock socks off, surpass expectations, and rock out. This is the year I prove I deserve that spot on the list with the Big Dogs, and I do it with fairness and compassion and empathy for my horses and clients, every day.
This year, I will work my ass off, lose sleep, fret, cry, give blood and sweat and tears and just when I think it's all going to Hell in a handbasket give that one last push to make it all come together. This year I will suprise myself. This year my students are going to accomplish things they've only dreamed about. This year my horses are going to be fitter and stronger and lighter and happier than they've ever been before.This is the turning point, the beginning of the rest of it all, the place it all began.
And I'm going to blow the other years out of the water.
2009? Bring it.
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