Linger

We are ONE WEEK away from our big clinic with Olympian Kasey Perry Glass!!!

Naturally, Hampton pulled a shoe. And popped a splint.

But since it seems to never stop raining in KY anymore, the ground is soft so I really don't feel bad about working Hampton in the soft outdoor. #ruthless. He is totally sound without the shoe AND with his splint. I got a concoction from the vet to treat his splint with, which is hard and cold and doesn't bother him. And the farrier is coming out Thursday to replace the shoe.

Looks good this year coming out of winter! #booty Not sure why he looks so butt high tho

But otherwise I seriously CANNOT WAIT.

And after the Kasey clinic, we are going up to Indiana to FHF for a couple of lessons from my long-time instructor.. Good time for a little boot camp before show season. I always come back so inspired with new tools. (My home instructor is awesome too! Their coaching actually really compliments one another)

So I should have plenty of blog fodder for a little while! Feels like I haven't had much to post recently.

Oh! I have finally upgraded my tack locker!

Our barn owner built this for me, and I installed all the fixings. I actually put the door on, too. I'm just a regular Miss Fix It Now basically.

Have a few more things I want to install but holy cow it's nice to have so much room! I have been living out of my old box that my dad built me 20 YEARS AGO. It has served me well, but I outgrew it a long time ago really. And now it can retire to be a storage box.

I am actually using pieces from my dad's workshop and office to spruce up my new locker, so I know he would be most proud of my resourcefulness. lol

Tomorrow we are having a barn clean up day in preparation for the clinic. Here we go!!

30 Things

Hampton and his weirdo human a few years ago.

I'm so late to this party - but I have really enjoyed reading everyone else's so maybe I can come up with 30 interesting things. Certainly not going to compare with some others but here goes.

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1. I have congenital hammer toe on both feet.

2. When I was around 3 or 4 years old, I liked to eat earthworms. My parents just let me.

3. I didn't get my driver's license until I was 17, mostly because I was too scared to drive on my own.

4. My first concert was New Kids on the Block. I was a Joey fan haha.

After the NKOTB concert! My sister fell asleep but you can tell I had the concert bug already!
lol my dad took us. What a guy.
(also THOSE GLASSES)

5. I have never watched any of the Lord of the Rings movies. Nor will I ever.

6. I taught myself to play guitar. And can also play a little piano. Not super great at either.

7. I used to play and sing at open mic nights once a week. See number 6.

Thankfully cell phones with video recording didn't really exist yet
when I played open mic nights.

8. I'm a terrible cook. I will make something easy (mac n cheese) or just go out to eat.

9. A was a "professional" horse trainer for about 7 months back in 2007. I rode young draft cross horses for a lady who bought and bred them. She still owns Hampton's sire I believe.

10. I quit that job on the spot one day. Knowing I had no back up plan, totally broke, depressed and almost wanting to sell my horse and quit riding for a while. But I didn't. And a week later a newspaper called out of the blue and hired me.

From my short stint as a pro. I rode young draft crosses. This one is Graham.

11. I have a degree in Equestrian Studies from the University of Findlay.

12. My other degree (because I knew I needed a "real job") is in Visual Journalism from Ball State University.

13. I'm in the minority because I use BOTH my degrees daily.

14. I am obsessed with documentaries. Doesn't matter the topic, I'll watch it.

15. I have never smoked a cigarette.

17. in 2009 I was furloughed from work so I followed Phish around the country - from Hampton, VA, to Indio, CA. One of the coolest things I have ever done.

One of my all-time favorite photos I captured while following Phish. This was at Red Rocks.
Even the cops were laughing.

18. I've met Mike Gordon - the bassist from Phish.

19. I have never been arrested.

20. I refuse to eat, smell or touch seafood. BARF.

21. Speaking of barf, I have emetophobia.

22. ... which led to Avoidant Restrictive Intake Disorder.

23. Basically I'm crazy.

24. I got stung by a wasp one time at the barn, so naturally I put magnapaste on it. My entire arm swelled up. My mom made me go tot he ER where I got a lecture about putting horse products on my skin. #didn'tlisten

25. Also if you mix banamine and water, and apply topically, it takes the pain out of sunburn.

26. I did quite a bit of line dancing in college.

27. When I was in choir class in grade school, the teacher told me to lip sync.

28. I really want to cut my hair super short but am too chicken to do it.

29. I can roll my tongue, but I can't whistle.

30. I wuv horses.

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Well I bet that's a couple minutes of your life you will never get back. hahahaha

It's my job

Hampton as a young 3 year old! 

At risk of sounding like Andy Rooney here ...

You know what really bothers me?

When people blame their lack of work and training with their horse on anything other than themselves.

A few years ago I was at a dressage show with Hampton. The facility was lovely, and a couple of vendors had set up tents to display their products. The tents were not even close to the show rings. On Friday evening, I was out schooling Hamp and a lady started bitching to management about how a tent was spooking her horse and they should take it down immediately.

No, that's HER PROBLEM. Her lack of training with her horse. It's not the show's problem, or the sponsor's problem. As a rider, THAT'S YOUR JOB to deal with things like this, and to teach your horse to deal with it too.

Maybe the worse thing he ever did while starting him? 

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Recently a friend was competing and the judge stopped her in the middle of the test. I guess the judge lost her place, and was trying to get her ducks back in a row. My friend was pissed that she had to stop, and blamed the judge for "ruining her test" and thus her score for the event.

Yes the situations sucks, but as the rider IT'S YOUR JOB to teach the horse that sometimes we stop, and then we go right back to work. It should not be an issue IN DRESSAGE, especially lower levels, to pick right back up and keep going. Judges make mistakes, too. If your test was ruined, that's on YOU.

His first horse show. I was so happy nothing disastrous happened.

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We all have unpredictable situations happen both on and off the farm. Of course I would speak up if someone was doing something completely dangerous and inappropriate, but otherwise I deal with the environment. And teach my horse that no matter what, he needs to keep listening to me. Am I always successful? No. That's horses. But I am certainly not going to blame show management, sponsors, friends, judges, etc. for something that happens to me.

Like when we got dive bombed by a horse fly in the middle of a test. Bad luck? Yup, but I handled it.

Smacking the shit out of that damn horse fly.

Or when a plastic bag blew into the arena right where we were doing a turn on the haunches. Hampton peeked, but stayed right with me.

Or when a loose horse galloped by us as we waited outside the ring. Hampton stood stock still. Other riders had to stop their test because the horse was running through other rings. Crappy luck? Yep, but you deal with it.

I have had Hampton spook, stop, buck and stumble during tests. No one to blame but myself. Not people on the rail, not my coach, not even really my horse.

Hot mess express right here

Umm err this movement not required in tests

He wanted to spook at the judge here, and then protested when I dug
my spur into him. oops. lol

It's my job to teach him how to handle things, and help him during times of uncertainty.

It's MY job, not anyone else's.