Horse show prep



Our last show was way back in April.

 This weekend we are headed back out to a horse show. Hard to believe we have not shown since April. Our summer of hard work went by really fast. We are also coming off a bombdiggity lesson on Saturday during which Hampton was a legit Third level horse. It was a nice confidence booster going into the weekend.

Anyway, so this weekend is a decent size schooling show (in Lexington). Hampton and I will be accompanied by our friends Nicole and her half Arabian, Davey. They will be showing Training Level, and Hamps and I are sticking to our old standbys, First3 and Second3. My instructor kept urging me to leave First level behind but I really want to have an "easy" test to work on ME and my test riding. I lost a butt load of points at Meadowlake for being sloppy (cutting corners, not being accurate, etc.) and I need to get in there and school myself on how to ride a dressage test. Might as well make it easy for Hampton. He's not the one who needs the schooling here.

Goals:

• Ride my corners
• Ride accurate transitions and figures
• Ask for more in the trot lengthenings & mediums
• Try not to look like a sack of potatoes while sitting the medium trot
• Show off our strengths (lateral work especially)
• Keep my toes forward! (one can hope)



Let's see if I can keep my rogue right toe in line.

 A very generous barn friend is lending me her truck so I can pull my trailer down there. We plan to leave Saturday afternoon, settle in, school, eat and hit the hay (har dee har) before the show on Sunday.

I think it will be a fun time. It's so much more fun to have a friend with you at the show. Nicole and Davey are a really cute pair, but both tend to suffer from nerves (hey, we all know what that is like).

Plus the boy is coming along so there will be photos. I am hoping I do not forget anything and have had some anxiety about this lately. Argh. I don't know why, I mean this isn't my first rodeo (maybe I should not use that word, in fear that is actually TURNS INTO A RODEO.) ... So we shall return with show results. Hoping the weather holds out as it has been unreal here lately. Absolute riding heaven!

... still need to clip up the beast, drop off dry cleaning and pack the trailer. Later gators.

Fly (ing Change) like a G6

Renvers

Well. Dare I say it.
The flying change has been installed.

I started this whole ugly annoying horrible enlightening process ... ummm ... back in March? I knew it would be ugly. And it has been. But the last few weeks we have really made progress and within the past 2 weeks we have gotten a flying change (clean) 100% of the time. Granted, they weren't all pretty - aka they were accompanied by a buck or kicking out - but he CHANGED.

Today I do believe people in Ohio may have heard of shrieks of "GOOD BOY!! YOU ARE SO SMART!" after we nailed one particular change. Canter lengthening across the diagonal ... collect before the corner .. and change. It was straight. Prompt. Clean. NO buck. My jaw must have hit the dirt. "Did that just happen?" I asked myself before making a big stink out of it and immediately putting Hampton away for the day.

Leg yield. LOVE the swishy tail!

Here is how our changes used to go:
Me: Half halt. Please make your canter more jumpy.
Hamps: Ok, can do, captain.
Me: Canter across diaganol ... half halt ... switch legs in a dramatic fashion to new canter ...
Hamps: Uh, wait, what?
Me: Smack with whip "Do something!"
Hamps: OMG you are beating me! Jesus! ....kicks out and/or bucks.

.... scattering of legs and dust ...

Sometimes he would switch in front. Sometimes nothing would happen at all.

Then it turned into this:
Me: Half half. More jumpy canter please.
Hamps: Ok ... errr are we going to do that thing when you smack me? ...
Me: Jump jump, switch legs, SCHMACK!
Hamps: f*ck lady!! I knew it!... bucks ... scampers ... but changes!

Today:
Me: Lets lengthen the canter.
Hamps: Got this.
Me: Before corner, half halt, collect, jump!!
Hamps: I can do that
Me: Half halt, switch legs
Hamps: I bet you want me to switch my lead, don't you. (clean change).
Me: You are the smartest horseh ever!
Hamps: I know this.

A big part of me wants to keep doing changes because it is SO FUN! But I know that I need to back off until October when we will be done with our shows. I still need miles at Second Level and don't want to get burned if he thinks he needs to change during counter canter. So I will back off the changes for a bit. He won't forget about them, now that he understands what I want.

I'll write another post about the various exercises I have used to help install the flying change.

So for those of you learning changes - keep at it. Ride through the ugly. It will get better!

Do what you love.

Saw this on Denny Emerson's Facebook page:

I think it`s exactly the way with humans, it`s not that a person might not be able to be trained to perform a certain job, but if the person is suited for that ...job, has innate ability for that job, isn`t the person more likely to feel fulfilled than in something less oriented to her individual talents?


Same in choice of a riding discipline. An introspective risk avoider maybe could ride in the Maryland Hunt Cup, and could maybe actually do well, but wouldn`t she be happier in a horse sport more in tune with who she is?

Cramming the rider into the wrong horse sport is the cause of so much pain, not just physical pain. Try to do what you love. Not what you think you should love.

Really well said. Do you ever feel that some riders are in a discipline that does not fit their nature? This is why I am so glad I found my way to dressage. The sport fits my way of thinking, my way of riding and my way of learning. Sure, I enjoy dabbling in eventing, hunter/jumpers, saddleseat, reining, buffalo herding, etc. but my heart lies in dressage. I could definitely NOT be an exercise rider, upper level eventer, roper or vaulter. Those disciplines are way too high energy for me. And I don't mean that I am "lazy" by doing dressage, by high energy I mean a high "chi." Your mental game has to be super quick and almost frantic and reckless. That type of energy stresses me out sometimes. And the exercise riders and eventers face a level of danger that makes me uncomfortable.

Why did you pick the discipline you did?

Red Hot Horse Peppers

I have been doing well with the whole getting-up-early-to-beat-the-heat thing. Tuesday I rode at 7:30 am! That is an unheard-of hour for I would bet most of my second shift co workers.

But today I caved. I gave both boys the day off. I found Hampton in his stall wringing wet and miserable. So he got a cool shower, grooming, electrolytes and a flake of hay for lunch. I put him back up under his fan.

Went to grab Rex and he was also a bit sweaty and also had flared nostrils. Back to the washrack with horse No. 2. Another cool shower, grooming, electrolyes, and lunch hay under the fan.

I think it is supposed to cool off later this week into the 80s. Much more manageable.

Otherwise both creatures are doing great. Hampton feels stronger after his body work, and his super collected canter is back. The flying changes are FINALLY making progress. It has really helped us to do the changes out of the canter half pass (instead of just going across the ring randomly). The left-to-right change still frequently includes a buck, but he changes so ... I'm going with it. We are aiming for a schooling show in early August and then a rated show in early September (I want my other second level score, dammit). Possibly a small horse trial in October. I just got 4 brand new tires put on my horse trailer so I am going to use the thing come hell or high water. :)

Rex is getting miles. He is also starting to look a bit rounder and no quite so lanky. He is a sweet boy and the other day I introduced him to clippers. He actually snorted at them and his eyes got big. Ah ha!!! So you ARE a normal young horse after all! He was not fond of the buzzing clippers at first, but he was easily bribed with some Mrs. Pastures cookies. After about 10 minutes I was rubbing the clippers on his neck. I even got some of his goat hairs trimmed up under his chin. Good boy! Won't take long for him to get used to that process. (He will be keeping his mane, tail and feathers - don't worry!)

Hope everyone stays cool this week!

Liebster Award (I know, I'm late)

This blog has been nominated for the Liebster Blog Award more than once. Thank you all who nominated me! I'd love to answer all the questions from everyone ... but I don't have the time and also, I am lazy. SO ... I will just answer one set and leave it at that. Also I know this award has made the rounds already so I won't be nominating anyone who making up my own questions since everyone who I would nominate has pretty much already done this little questionaire.

HOW TO ACCEPT THE AWARD: The Liebster Blog Award is a way to recognize blogs who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word that means beloved and valued. Here are the rules for accepting the award:

•Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to their blog.

•List 11 random facts about yourself.
•Answer the 11 questions given to you.
•Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
•Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or fewer followers to nominate and include links to their blogs.
•Go to each blogger’s page and let them know you have nominated them.

11 random facts

1. I have a degree in Equestrian Studies from the University of Findlay. Also a journalism graphics degree from Ball State University.
2. I have congenital hammer toe on both feet.
3. I am going to be an aunt in October.
4. I hate tomatoes.
5. As much as I have tried over the years (and trust me, I have tried), I still just do not like beer. Certain craft beers I do sort of like but I still think Bud Light, Coors, etc etc taste awful. Mixed drinks and wine are a different story ...
6. I ate earthworms as a toddler. My parents let me.
7. In 2009 I followed Phish from Hampton, Virginia, to Indio, California. I'm still a Phishhead.

8. I do not like the Beatles. Yeah, I said it.
9. My friend and I once crashed a golf cart into some lady's MERCEDES. (that one's for you, Lauren! haha!)
10. I collect model horses and also was once very into showing them. (But then I got Hampton and he eats all my money) I'll have to do a post of this "underground" hobby of mine.
11. In grade school, my music teacher told me to lip sync the christmas musical because I was such a bad singer.

11 Questions For You


1. How do you manage to fit riding into your life?
I have a lot of people tell me that my job schedule really blows. I work 3:30 to midnights most nights. But frankly, I have really learned to love this schedule. My days usually start around 9 when I go out to the barn and ride Hampton and/or Rex. Then I will clean 5 stalls, sweep and maybe drag the arena. By now, it's about 1 p.m. I then have time to grab lunch, shower, dink around on the computer a bit before 3:30 rolls around and I go into work. This schedule works really well for me and allows me to ride nearly every day.

2. If you could train with anyone for one year, who would it be and why?
JJ Tate. I really admire her focus, her drive and of course her riding. I also really admire Catherine Haddad and of course the Kaisers in Indiana.

3. What is your dream job (horse related or otherwise)?
I'd love to design for an equine magazine someday! Not sure about the pay tho ... derrrr....

4. What has been your biggest disappointment when riding?
When I lose my temper. Ugh.

5. What has been the happiest achievement in your riding?
A 71% at Second Level ranks up there ... actually just trotting down the centerline at a USDF show in Second Level was pretty awesome for me. Also ranking up there is the first ride on Hampton.

6. Tell me about your favorite horse.
Hampton and Sparkles are tied for my favorite horses ever. I don't think I need to go into a lot about Hampton. Since you read this blog, you probably know more about him that you bargained for.

7. Does your family support your riding and if so, how and if not, how do you deal with it?
Yes very much so! My sister and I used to share show horses. She still loves horses but now has a "normal" life (husband, bun in the oven, house, etc) so she doesn't ride anymore. My parents are major enablers of my horse "problem" and still come to shows to cheer us on and buy me random horse-related items. Infact for Christmas, my mom just hands me the Dover catelog and tells me to mark what I want. haha! Without my parents I would never be where I am today, that is for sure. My mom really loves horses as well and is a bombdiggity horse show mom. She can do makeup, do any type of hair, tie stock ties, tie regular ties, pin coats, pin numbers, you name it. My dad is also super and always brings OJ and donuts on horse show mornings (even though he knows I will not eat anything until after I ride haha). My dad also has been a gate keeper and warm up ring announcer at Saddlebred/Morgan shows in the past as well. For those of you who have been to Come Again Farm in Indiana, my dad is the one who did all of the tile in the bathrooms! (unless it has been redone recently ... he tiled it back when it was Lowry Stables). Over the years they have actually become quite educated and know a good horse when they see one.

8. Tell me about your biggest "aha" moment.
Too many to list really. I don't really have one that is "bigger" than the others. All the "aha" moments build upon another.

9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I really love Louisville so far but I think my favorite place is Boulder, Colorado.

10. Describe your dream horse (price is no object).
To be totally honest, I already have my dream horse. Of course I could wish for a fancy mover. A Grand Prix dressage horse (Valegro! yes please) but Hampton is a rare find, too. He may not be fancy, but I can ride a Second Level test on him one minute, and the next we can go on a trail ride. He carries beginners around with such care and concern. You just cannot train that into a horse. He is always willing to try for me - even when I am expiramenting and making no sense whatsoever. He is friendly and happy and just a good egg. We take care of each other and he is just so honest. I would much rather have a horse like him, than a super fancy mover who was not honest.

11. What is your favorite horse items (tack or apparel)?
Heritage bridles, Piper breeches from SmartPak, Cowboy Magic, Sore No more, County Perfection saddles heh heh

Up all night to get lucky

Had a super fun weekend full of non stop horses (and working in newspaper land but ... barf). 

Hillary came out and helped with both boys and also hopped on to ride. She also got some AWESOME schooling photos. Thanks girl!

Riding in the double is going well.

bad halt

As you can see one of our very numerous areas of weakness is the halt. See how Hampton stops with his front legs under him? This is because I do not maintain the "push" into the halt. I am also really bad about saying "whoa." When I say whoa, Hampton takes it very seriously (like I taught him!) but it often results in abrupt, unbalanced halts. Need to work on this. Use more seat, less voice!

Hillary rode Hampton on Saturday (check out her blog for more details!). Let me tell you guys this girl can ride. She does not give herself enough credit. I am very picky about who I let ride Hampton and I would feel 100% comfortable handing over the reins to Hillary and I do not say that about many people. She hopped on him and was leg yielding and half passing all over the place!

Legs!

I love this. LOVE.

Cool shot with the clouds.

More cantering

LOVE how up and open he is!

Pats for a good beast

Hampton had bodywork done Monday and his feet done today so he's been spoiled but will go back to work Thursday I think.

And let's not forget about Rex! He has been going quite well, although he is still VERY wiggly in the tack. He has never offered to be naughty or anything but he sure is green! It has been good for me to get back on a greenie as it really is a different type of riding. It is fun though! Excuse my equitation. haha. Hillary hopped on Rex as well and did just fine!

hey not too bad sexy rexy!

Mostly we work on maintaining a steady rhythm (don't care about where his head is).

Weee!! I was a little worried we may not steer at the canter but he did just fine.

opening inside rein helps steer the babies

He did try to leave the arena once. A quick correction stopped that.

Feathers!

Hillary got on Rexy!

Cute pair!

Long strange trip

If you have been reading Hillary's blog HERE, you already know we had a super fun and productive weekend.

I have a better blog with more photos coming soon, but in the meantime enjoy this ... hilarious humbling clip of how not to counter canter. I blame this blooper on Hampton's long toes (he finally gets reset and trimmed tomorrow) and also the fact that this is the most sloppy, strung out counter canter ever.

Don't do this.