AIKEN 2021: DAY 3 THE MOTHER-FING BEACH

The group!
(yes we all have our Aiken 2021 tie-dye T-shirts on. Like I said, we are nerds)

Saturday was *BEACH DAY* which we were all excited about because we are all 12 year olds stuck in 30-40 year old bodies. 

We left JBF just before 8 a.m. and the route to the coast was ... basically murder valley backroads. I am talking Steven Avery shit. Confederate flags. Abandoned buildings. 

But after 2.5 hours we did make it to Hunting Island Beach!

Except wait ... the drive from the park entrance to the parking lot was straight out of Shit-Your-Pants-Jurassic Park. Tight, curvy roads riddled with potholes. Getting my bumper pull through was hard enough and the other gals has big goosenecks! 

Photos don't do this drive justice. 

But we did make it, although when we unloaded we found that my divider pin had flat our broke. It broke at some point on the drive way. Probably thanks to a pothole. This pin has come loose before, but never just snapped. So we have to lift the divider now to hook up the butt bars. #janky. We added that of Things to Be Fixed before the drive home.

That certainly was not going to damper beach day. So we all got on, and started to walk our way to the beach. Hoping we would not die and taking deep breaths haha. Which horse would freak out? Which one would not care at all? Is someone going to go swimming?

The walk to the beach!

This was quite the environment. The ocean is loud, plus you have people with dogs, kids, umbrellas, other horses. I could tell Hamp was a little worried but remained civil. He walked right up to the water but the white waves coming at his feet was concerning so it took me a while to get him to step in the water. He did get in though!

I mean THIS HAPPENED.

Another semi-group shot

Just unreal.

I can't image what they must think with roaring white water coming at their feet over and over.

Our group was excellent at communicating to each other about who is going to trot/canter so no one got surprised or spooked.

Cantering my horse by the Atlantic Ocean. What..

It was .... as beautiful and cool and special as I had hoped. We saw dolphins, pelicans and seagulls. Each of us took a turn trotting and cantering (and videoing each other because DUH). A couple of gals on their OTTBs got to open them up a little! I wasn't that brave although Hampton was really well behaved. We did go for a canter but not a gallop haha.

Back at the trailer I did notice that Hampton was pretty tucked up, with some mild flank trembling so I knew he was probably more stressed than he let on. He was always very willing to move so I don't think he was tying up, but probably got tense and a little dehydrated on me. By the time he was untacked he seemed better but got electrolytes anyway.

Happy to roll when we got home!

After more Jurassic Park off-roading to get out back to the road, we made it back to the farm safely and Hampton got a nice cool bath and dinner. 

Marine base on way to the beach

Wish I could have explored the lighthouse. It looked neat!

That was a big day. But Hampton and I had our first I-2 to do the next morning. So into show mode I went. Could Hampton pull this off?

AIKEN 2021: Day 1 & 2

 

At some sketchy pit stop in TN

I hope you all are ready for some SMOKIN blog material. My blog has been sort of boring lately and I thought maybe Aiken will give me some content.

Oh, it be giving me content.

Loaded and ready to go!

Day 1: Travel

We had five gals and five horses on the road at 5 a.m. sharp Thursday morning. An amazing feat by itself. The trip was thankfully uneventful and we arrived at the beautiful Jumping Branch Farm around 3 p.m.

You know you are in the south when you see big crosses?

Road to Jumping Branch

It was T-shirt weather when we got there! 75 degrees!

Our gorgeous AirBnB

Hampton and stepbrother Royale both traveled great. We had one of the OTTBs act a little funny (high resp rate), but after some electrolytes, banamine and turnout, he was back to normal.

Some of the girls went on a hack, but I let Hampton just relax while I unpacked and got settled. We were all exhausted, and went back to our beautiful AirBnB, stuffed our faces with pizza and passed out. 

Day 2: Hack day

On the lovely track at JBF

Schooling field

We all went on a lovely hack around JBF on Friday. Some did some schooling, some jumped a little. Hamp and I mostly walked with a little piaffe thrown in for good measure here and there. He felt quite spry and fit. We did have one unplanned dismount in the group when the youngest (youngest horse AND rider) had a moment. But both were ok.

Liz and I did some tack store shopping too. We hit up Aiken Saddlery and Dover. I managed to rein myself in but did buy Hamp a lovely new halter.

I wonder if anyone can smell this journalist around here.

Hacking around JBF

Cute train station

After the horses were all fed and put to bed in their paddocks, we had a fabulous dinner back at the house. And then sat outside by the fire for a bit. There might have been alcohol consumed.

Unbeknownst to us, the first two days here would be the most uneventful.

Tik tok tik tok

 THREE MORE SLEEPS UNTIL AIKEN

...naturally, the day we leave it will be back up to 50 degrees. 

I am really feeling for those in Texas who are literally fending for themselves like some episode of Naked and Afraid. That situation should not happen in America but HERE WE ARE. 

So I am not going to complain about this KY winter.

But on Thursday, BYE FELICIA.

Aiken here we come!

Pushing a loaded wheelbarrow through snow is not ok.

A poke and a furry emergency

Dr. Hopper checks Hamp's LF paw
Couldn't go in with your horse, but you could def be a stalker
and helicopter parent from the truck.

Since KY has decided to have somewhat of an actual winter this year, schooling has been a little sporadic this week due to ice, frigid temps and just trying to survive.

Since Hamp was going to have an easy week anyway, it was a perfect time for a trip to Rood n Riddle to make sure he was as comfortable as possible before Aiken.

I had been feeling little things here and there that made me think his LF was starting to bother him again. He wasn't lame, but the right lead canter felt wonky, and sometimes he was getting uneven in passage (not normal for him, so I figured it probably wasn't my riding). 

Sure enough, after not working for 2 days, and trotting on pavement on a small circle in 20 degree weather - he was a 2/5 on that LF for the vet. 

We agreed on another injection to his navicular bursa. It worked so well last time for him so I'm more than happy to do it again. I thought maybe his hocks needed done, too, but the vet thought what I was feeling was all related to that LF.

To inject the navicular bursa, the vet has to go through the DDFT which
makes me nervous but this is why I take him to RnR.

Hopefully we can get some schooling in later this week. We are supposed to get hit by snow, which I can handle. It's this ice that annoys the shit out of me. 

He is fit and ready, and having an easy week leading up to Aiken isn't going to cause him to lose fitness. It's winter in KY and we are all just doing the best we can. It's hard not to feel guilty, or put pressure on myself about all of that but I know in my head that it's all ok. It'll be fine.

Time to start packing, organizing and cleaning!

These two furry buttholes are starting to act more civil.

Oh by the way Ralston had to make a trip to the ER one evening because his breathing had gotten rapid and shallow. Naturally, it cost me almost $500 to find out the old man has asthma. Round of steroids and he is fine.

So basically he has fit right in around here.

We haz been werkin

Porkchop and I continue to chip away at all the things. Our Aiken trip is quickly approaching and we both need to be fit and sharp so we can get the most out of our lessons there.

Here's some stuffs we been workin' on:

Adding power, but keeping the poll up: This has been an issue since ... um ... forever. Hampton has an amazing hind end that fires like a Lamborghini, and what happens is that I push him past his balance and he ends up pushing himself onto my hands. That results in his poll diving and our extended trots look like this:

He is putting in max effort, it's MY fault for letting him go past what he can balance with his poll up. So I've gone back to add power, but not too much, until he gets better balance and maintain his poll at the highest point. It will ALWAYS be a work in progress but it's getting better! He loves the extended trot and it's hard not to get carried away and enjoy the ride. But I think we can get a few more points here.

That's better

The One-Tempis: These need to be more reliable and rideable. Because I have made A Big Stink over occasions when Hampton does a good line of these, he likes to now throw some ones in randomly when I am trying to do the 2s. Or he will start doing ones, but not stop when I ask. He has to wait and listen and let me ride him. All normal stuff, and I'm not at all worried about it. It's just a matter of time and practice. But right now do I know with 95% certainty that I can go in the I-2 and get 11 ones? No. Nope it's 50/50 lol.

Getting to know the I-2: I know a lot of people skip over the I-2 and go straight to Grand Prix, but I feel like this test is a good stepping stone for a green horse and rider. It's not nearly as terrifying as the GP and sets you up for success. Hopefully it will give me some confidence so that I do not totally shit my pants when I do finally try the GP. 

I probably will still crap my pants though let's be honest.

Welp, it's no longer 2020

 Happy New Year everyone! 

(said with caution ... as things don't just magically get better when the calendar rolls over)

Hampton and I are ramping back up after having a really easy November and December. He was only working 3-4 days a week, and most of our rides were stretchy rides, forward and back, long half passes and pole work. 

But now I am starting to up his fitness and will go back up to working 5 or 6 days a week. 1 or 2 of those days are hack and/or pole days. He really does not seem like he has lost much fitness. He's going really well. I, on the other hand, find myself puffing a little too much and I need to get back in FEI riding shape. I don't feel comfortable going to a gym until I am vaccinated, so I guess it's jogging outside for me. That's hard for me because I thrive on routine and structure. But, I'll make myself do it!

New Years Day ride!
Was 35, rain, wind, nasty at 10 am
Naturally by 3 pm is was sunny and 60.

Our first big thing for 2021 is our trip to Aiken at the end of Feb. I am SUPER excited this time because now I know what I am in for.

We have plans in place on following covid protocol, and what to do if someone gets sick when we are down there. One bonus is that nearly half of our group will be vaccinated by the time we go (hero healthcare workers), but we are still putting all sorts of backup plans in place.

My media game is so lame. Plus it's constantly 35 degrees raining and/or cloudy here in KY every damn day. We've got a trail ride planned with the barn girls next week so FFS let's hope it dries up enough that we can go. At least then I will have SOMETHING to blog about!

Ralston has settled right in as a housecat! There have been some ... disputes ... with Buckley, but it's getting better. 

Buckley being a dick. He likes to randomly smack Ralston.
Sucks for Buckley tho because Ralston, being a cat from the hood,
cleans his clock and has drawn blood once! I try to referee as best I can, but
Buckley is a fat bastard.

But sometimes there is peacce

Anyway, wishing everything good health in 2021. Please everyone stay safe and healthy - and your horses, too!

Cheers!

 Happy Holidays!

Love,

Karen & Hampton