First, I am sure most of the equine & blogger community has heard about the barn fire at Boyd Martin's place. Words cannot describe how heartbroken everyone connected to that tragedy must me. So sad and a good reason to hug your horse today. Eventing Nation has additional coverage and also ways to help with the relief funds.
Denny Emerson is donating half of his royalties from his new book "How Good Riders Get Good" to help with the recovery. Click on the link below to buy the book and help:
***
Hampton has been going pretty well this week. He has been a bit foot sore up front, so I have only been riding every other day. I am sure it is because everything is sopping wet and his feet got a little soft. He seemed a lot better when I rode him on Sunday. Yesterday I decided to attempt to have fun like a normal person and I went fishing in a gorgeous state park about an hour away. It was fun and relaxing. And cheap! And the company was good. *wink wink*
Noah will be staying yet another month, which is great because I am just now starting to make some good progress with him (after starting totally over). Tomorrow we are going to ride in the big ring and work more on steering. We worked on trailer loading for a bit yesterday and he walks right on now! This is the horse that would not load at all 2 months ago. I also worked with Hampton and he self-loaded for the first time!
I have tomorrow off so I plan on working Zippy and Marisol as well as the big boys. Busy day!
Well this was a scattered post. lol. We shall see what tomorrow brings. With 4 horses to work, I am sure some good blog fodder will result. :)
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
So you want to be an eventer. [fear]
For several years I have wanted to try eventing but have not really had the horse for it. Now that it is becoming obvious that I DO have a horse for it (although he needs to grow up a little bit more), the idea of eventing is starting to become a reality for me.
This both excites and scares the crap out of me.
I know this is a few years away as I of course intend to start at Beginner Novice (or below!), but the idea of galloping. Like, REALLY galloping ... well, it terrifies me. There. I said it.
Yes, I can hand gallop. I can enjoy a nice romp in an open field. But when I watch the Rolex riders ... they are not going for a romp. Even some of the Training level riders (a level I think I could reach with Hampton someday), are cooking around the course.
I am not afraid of my horse taking off. I am afraid he will trip and fall down. That is my fear. It's not the speed, it's that I am afraid of him tripping at a gallop. Weird? I'm not scared of jumping - but I do have a healthy respect for it. And I am certainly confident with the dressage phase. I did ride hunter jumpers in college so stadium jumping doesn't make me super nervous either. In general, I feel pretty prepared to start out at the very lower levels of this awesome sport. But ... what if we get good enough that we need to start galloping?
... Yup, I'm a dweeb.
This both excites and scares the crap out of me.
I know this is a few years away as I of course intend to start at Beginner Novice (or below!), but the idea of galloping. Like, REALLY galloping ... well, it terrifies me. There. I said it.
Yes, I can hand gallop. I can enjoy a nice romp in an open field. But when I watch the Rolex riders ... they are not going for a romp. Even some of the Training level riders (a level I think I could reach with Hampton someday), are cooking around the course.
I am not afraid of my horse taking off. I am afraid he will trip and fall down. That is my fear. It's not the speed, it's that I am afraid of him tripping at a gallop. Weird? I'm not scared of jumping - but I do have a healthy respect for it. And I am certainly confident with the dressage phase. I did ride hunter jumpers in college so stadium jumping doesn't make me super nervous either. In general, I feel pretty prepared to start out at the very lower levels of this awesome sport. But ... what if we get good enough that we need to start galloping?
... Yup, I'm a dweeb.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Shout outs!!
We interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging for some plugs and shout-outs ...
• Ashley over at a Process of Learning is hosting a really cool giveaway. Check it out!
• Stacy over at Behind the Bit is also hosting a giveaway contest for Ultrashield GreenGel.
• My new favorite website/blog - Eventing Nation - also has frequent promotions, video clips and updates from the eventing world and the horse world in general.
• Catherine Haddad wrote a great blog recently about teaching and learning. Read it here.
<<< ---- This is one of my favorite books. I use it many times each week!
• LOL catz ... enough said.
• Every Sunday, the Postsecret website updates with new secrets. This is truly one of the most moving websites I have ever encountered.
• For those with a more twisted, sick sense of humor, don't forget:
Texts from Last Night
F My Life
And for those who enjoy e-books, check out the following links:
• Ashley over at a Process of Learning is hosting a really cool giveaway. Check it out!
• Stacy over at Behind the Bit is also hosting a giveaway contest for Ultrashield GreenGel.
• My new favorite website/blog - Eventing Nation - also has frequent promotions, video clips and updates from the eventing world and the horse world in general.
• Catherine Haddad wrote a great blog recently about teaching and learning. Read it here.
<<< ---- This is one of my favorite books. I use it many times each week!
• LOL catz ... enough said.
• Every Sunday, the Postsecret website updates with new secrets. This is truly one of the most moving websites I have ever encountered.
• For those with a more twisted, sick sense of humor, don't forget:
Texts from Last Night
F My Life
And for those who enjoy e-books, check out the following links:
Monday, May 23, 2011
Up, open, active
Hampton has been giving me some great work all week. I'm not sure if it's because the horses have been having some time out in the grass field, or because I upped his grain slightly (he's looking a bit thin to me again) ... but the boy has has energy to spare!
Yesterday was 85+ degrees and I thought for sure I would be having to push him along. Oh no. Some horses took off in the pasture and Hampton does a little scoot and head shake to express his opinion. Um - ok? I was only going to trail ride but if he had that much energy then we shall work. Boy did I get some excellent shoulder-ins, good leg yields and he was up, open and active. Which I LOVE - especially for a 4 year old. This is different from above the bit. He was on the bit, with the poll at the highest point, nose slightly in front of the vertical. And he was forward and working. We even touched a bit on haunches in (I'm still figuring out the best way to teach him this, it seems difficult for him. Or I am just not communicating well enough what I want) We did eventually go out on a short trail ride which was windy (thankfully) and lovely.
After we came back from the trail ride, I set up a small jump. :) First just a cross rail, and then a vertical! Ok, he did knock it down a couple of times. But it seems if I put something different under the jump, he will jump it like a champ. After a few times over, he gets bored and stops putting in the effort. We did get some lovely little jumps (it was maybe a 2 foot vertical if that). He was calm about the entire thing, which was my goal. I think we are ready to start hauling away for some more formal jumping lessons! yay!
I am also making plans to go on an overnight trail ride. Perhaps to Brown County State Park? I really think Hampton needs to haul to a new place and have a relaxing time and not have it be a busy horse show. Ok. The real truth is that we BOTH need that. haha. The only thing that worries me is that the park doesn't have stalls. Your horse will need to spend the night tied to something ( your trailer, a picket line, whatever). I love Hampton, but I DO NOT TRUST HIM to remain tied all night. He will untie himself and all the horses around him. Because that he now he rolls. lol. Ideas?
After we came back from the trail ride, I set up a small jump. :) First just a cross rail, and then a vertical! Ok, he did knock it down a couple of times. But it seems if I put something different under the jump, he will jump it like a champ. After a few times over, he gets bored and stops putting in the effort. We did get some lovely little jumps (it was maybe a 2 foot vertical if that). He was calm about the entire thing, which was my goal. I think we are ready to start hauling away for some more formal jumping lessons! yay!
I am also making plans to go on an overnight trail ride. Perhaps to Brown County State Park? I really think Hampton needs to haul to a new place and have a relaxing time and not have it be a busy horse show. Ok. The real truth is that we BOTH need that. haha. The only thing that worries me is that the park doesn't have stalls. Your horse will need to spend the night tied to something ( your trailer, a picket line, whatever). I love Hampton, but I DO NOT TRUST HIM to remain tied all night. He will untie himself and all the horses around him. Because that he now he rolls. lol. Ideas?
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
EHV-1 virus
The equine world is abuzz with talk about another outbreak of this horrible virus.
A year after I graduated from the University of Findlay equestrian program, this virus slammed the English barn. It killed 12 horses in about 4 days. Read another article here. There were so many sick horses, the staff and students (only juniors and seniors were even allowed in the barn), were tying the sick horses to the ceiling with baling twine in the large indoor arena. This is so that when they went down, they were more easily moved. A couple of the horses that died were favorites of mine when I was a student there.
I believe it was traced to a young horse that came in for the Young Horse class who was infected and/or shedding the virus. More than 120 horses developed a fever (about 140 lived on that farm alone).
I'm thankful right now that I live in the Midwest - where we are likely pretty safe from the current outbreak. But you can never be too careful. The majority of the horses at our farm don't go anywhere. Hampton is one of a handful that go to shows and trail rides.
It's a good idea to take your horse's temp for a week to establish what his or her healthy baseline temp is, so you can quickly spot a fever. That's my plan for the next 5 days or so. Everyone should do it.
 |
| The English farm at Findlay. |
I believe it was traced to a young horse that came in for the Young Horse class who was infected and/or shedding the virus. More than 120 horses developed a fever (about 140 lived on that farm alone).
I'm thankful right now that I live in the Midwest - where we are likely pretty safe from the current outbreak. But you can never be too careful. The majority of the horses at our farm don't go anywhere. Hampton is one of a handful that go to shows and trail rides.
It's a good idea to take your horse's temp for a week to establish what his or her healthy baseline temp is, so you can quickly spot a fever. That's my plan for the next 5 days or so. Everyone should do it.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
It's all in the preparation
I think most of our issues from this weekend were a result of bad prep on my part.
At the February show, I took Hampton out, showed him, put him back in his stall. Rinse and repeat for two more tests. At this weekend's show, I took him out, showed him and stayed out (in the warm-up) since there was only 3 rides in between our tests. He never did really relax. I think he is one who needs to school, be put back in his stall and then brought back out to show. Then put back away again before each class. He comes out more relaxed every time. This also gives him a chance to pee and get a drink - both essential to Hampton's happiness. :)
So I am going to try that strategy next time and see if I get a more relaxed horse. I don't have a show in mind yet but hopefully we will get to one in June.
How do you all prep your horses - especially the green beans - for shows?
Sunday, May 15, 2011
A timeline of a horse show. :)
7 a.m.: Get to barn, fetch horse from pasture. Throw him in stall to eat his breakfast.
7:15 a.m.: Off to hook up trailer. Get trailer hitched and pull up to driveway. Discover a tire is flat. WTF!!!!
7:16 a.m.: Limp up the road to nearest gas station to put air in tire.
7:30 a.m.: back at farm, load up last minute things. Start to braid the horse.
8:15 a.m. Finish braiding said beast.
8:30 a.m.: Load horse, hit the road.
9:40 a.m.: Arrive at show. Wow. LOTS of horse trailers here this time. Find a good place to park. Unload horse, throw him in stall with hay and water. He was a bit sweaty coming off the trailer.
... So my friend/groom/reader and I spent most of the morning just watching and relaxing. I felt it would be good for Hampton to spend some time in his stall without me bothering him. Also I wanted to get a feel for how the combined tests and event derbys were run.
12:30 p.m.: Start grooming beast.
1 p.m.: Off to lunge the horse. He was an idiot on the lunge. Great. Super tense, some screaming ... But did eventually start to calm down. I realize he might be a little too fit for a young dressage horse. We lunged for nearly 40 minutes and he wasn't even out of breath in the slightest. I decide to just get on as I know I can get his mind working better under saddle.
1:45 p.m.: Aboard the horsie. We spend maybe 15 minutes just walking to see if he will RELAX. Works maybe a little. The hunter pace begins and we are informed that those participants will be galloping directly through our warm-up ring - including a log jump obstacle. This freaks out a few people, but the horses never even blinked.
2 p.m.: Still trying to relax the horse. He is tense, wiggly and is bucking through canter transitions. A classic sign he is super super stiff right behind the saddle. Turn on the haunches helps him some and starts to get him somewhat more obedient.
2:30 p.m. We go in the ring for Training Level test 3. Right off the back horse spooks at a terrifying hay bale in the field next to the ring. Judge is kind and lets up work that out before ringing the bell. Off we go.
2:40 p.m.: Our test begins ... there is much spooking (not at the hay bale). One side of the ring butts up against the side of the barn and so when we rode by, the sand would hit the siding and Hampton was most offended. This resulted in a 3 for our first trot loop. Yes, a 3. And a comment of "disobedience." Everything seems like a hot mess. So much so that now I am laughing. I am surprised I did not get a -2 for use of voice. :) End of test - judge kindly smiles and me and says that was a very "tactful" ride. I am grateful for her kindness and understanding. We manage to pull off a 61% and 3rd place.
3:15: Next text Training Level 1. The spooking went away but now horse is irritated (I later discover he really, really had to pee). There was much squirming and BUCKING at the canter transitions. Good grief. Also, my reader loses her place. Thankfully I had the test memorized and continue on. Again, I am laughing at what a hot mess this has turned out to be. This test earned us a lovely 59%. Oh Hampton! :)
3:20: Put horse back in stall. He pees like a race horse. I take a break and decide to scratch out last test and decide I will just school him instead. I get my scores and find I have earned 8's on rider position and seat!! This makes my day!!
4:30 p.m.: Hop back on horse to school. He is of course relaxed, no bucking, and obedient. :) I am happy with this as I wanted his last ride to be a good one. I start eyeing a cross rail set up in the warm up ring for the jumping people. ... I wonder over there .... I will just trot him up to it and see what happens ...
4:35 p.m.: Hampton jumps his very first cross rail under saddle. At a show. In the middle of a field. I am BEAMING now. We pop over it a few more times. One time he did a little happy buck after. He LOVES this. I now eye the cross country area ...
4:40 p.m.: We "school" just a bit of cross country. At the walk! We walked over the bank and over a few logs. :)
4:45 p.m.: I look out over all this beautiful jumps. At the beautiful farm. At my naughty but beautiful horse and realize just how lucky I am. I also feel an irresistable desire to try this eventing thing ...
4:50 p.m.: I trot back to the barn as the skies are now black and there is thunder. We quickly pack the trailer, unbraid the horse, load the trailer and load the horse just as a massive torrential downpour hits.
6 p.m. Home safe. I turn horse out and he GALLOPS out to his friends. I guess he wasn't tired. But I sure was!!!
7:15 a.m.: Off to hook up trailer. Get trailer hitched and pull up to driveway. Discover a tire is flat. WTF!!!!
7:16 a.m.: Limp up the road to nearest gas station to put air in tire.
7:30 a.m.: back at farm, load up last minute things. Start to braid the horse.
8:15 a.m. Finish braiding said beast.
8:30 a.m.: Load horse, hit the road.
9:40 a.m.: Arrive at show. Wow. LOTS of horse trailers here this time. Find a good place to park. Unload horse, throw him in stall with hay and water. He was a bit sweaty coming off the trailer.
... So my friend/groom/reader and I spent most of the morning just watching and relaxing. I felt it would be good for Hampton to spend some time in his stall without me bothering him. Also I wanted to get a feel for how the combined tests and event derbys were run.
12:30 p.m.: Start grooming beast.
1 p.m.: Off to lunge the horse. He was an idiot on the lunge. Great. Super tense, some screaming ... But did eventually start to calm down. I realize he might be a little too fit for a young dressage horse. We lunged for nearly 40 minutes and he wasn't even out of breath in the slightest. I decide to just get on as I know I can get his mind working better under saddle.
1:45 p.m.: Aboard the horsie. We spend maybe 15 minutes just walking to see if he will RELAX. Works maybe a little. The hunter pace begins and we are informed that those participants will be galloping directly through our warm-up ring - including a log jump obstacle. This freaks out a few people, but the horses never even blinked.
 |
| I love Triple Creek Farm. |
2 p.m.: Still trying to relax the horse. He is tense, wiggly and is bucking through canter transitions. A classic sign he is super super stiff right behind the saddle. Turn on the haunches helps him some and starts to get him somewhat more obedient.
2:30 p.m. We go in the ring for Training Level test 3. Right off the back horse spooks at a terrifying hay bale in the field next to the ring. Judge is kind and lets up work that out before ringing the bell. Off we go.
2:40 p.m.: Our test begins ... there is much spooking (not at the hay bale). One side of the ring butts up against the side of the barn and so when we rode by, the sand would hit the siding and Hampton was most offended. This resulted in a 3 for our first trot loop. Yes, a 3. And a comment of "disobedience." Everything seems like a hot mess. So much so that now I am laughing. I am surprised I did not get a -2 for use of voice. :) End of test - judge kindly smiles and me and says that was a very "tactful" ride. I am grateful for her kindness and understanding. We manage to pull off a 61% and 3rd place.
 |
| There were some lovely moments ... |
3:15: Next text Training Level 1. The spooking went away but now horse is irritated (I later discover he really, really had to pee). There was much squirming and BUCKING at the canter transitions. Good grief. Also, my reader loses her place. Thankfully I had the test memorized and continue on. Again, I am laughing at what a hot mess this has turned out to be. This test earned us a lovely 59%. Oh Hampton! :)
3:20: Put horse back in stall. He pees like a race horse. I take a break and decide to scratch out last test and decide I will just school him instead. I get my scores and find I have earned 8's on rider position and seat!! This makes my day!!
4:30 p.m.: Hop back on horse to school. He is of course relaxed, no bucking, and obedient. :) I am happy with this as I wanted his last ride to be a good one. I start eyeing a cross rail set up in the warm up ring for the jumping people. ... I wonder over there .... I will just trot him up to it and see what happens ...
4:35 p.m.: Hampton jumps his very first cross rail under saddle. At a show. In the middle of a field. I am BEAMING now. We pop over it a few more times. One time he did a little happy buck after. He LOVES this. I now eye the cross country area ...
4:40 p.m.: We "school" just a bit of cross country. At the walk! We walked over the bank and over a few logs. :)
4:45 p.m.: I look out over all this beautiful jumps. At the beautiful farm. At my naughty but beautiful horse and realize just how lucky I am. I also feel an irresistable desire to try this eventing thing ...
4:50 p.m.: I trot back to the barn as the skies are now black and there is thunder. We quickly pack the trailer, unbraid the horse, load the trailer and load the horse just as a massive torrential downpour hits.
6 p.m. Home safe. I turn horse out and he GALLOPS out to his friends. I guess he wasn't tired. But I sure was!!!
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