Aiken 2022: Prologue

Mini adventure before Aiken.
Annnnd a powerwash for the trailer is in the plans.

It's that time already! Holy smokes our Aiken 2022 trip has snuck up so quickly.

I am in the midst of preparing. Getting organized, getting the horse cleaned up, packing. Making lists. Freaking out. The usual.

This is the big group trip, and right on schedule everyone is having their own freak outs. Incidents have included:

• Breaking halter and running off
• Rider falling off
• Horse rearing, striking out
• Horse bucking and bolting
• Mild colic
• Hampton Anonymous Grand Prix horse refusing to stop!!
• Back soreness

I won't embarrass anyone by calling out which horse did what though. haha. 

I also took a day off work and hauled up to Indy to take a lesson with JC. I really needed a boost before Aiken. Here are some notes from our lesson.

• Square exercise. In each corner turn on the forehand, but get out before he falls on outside shoulder
• Trot out of turn, think piaffe in turn
• Then start to "tiny passage" on sides, piaffe in turn
• Medium on one side, piaffe to turn
• Kick kick to keep shoulders up! Not forward and flat 
• Slide legs forward toward his shoulders
• Canter out of turns, do 2 flying changes before next turn. Walk, do the turn, canter
• Eventually do a turn on forehand in the canter.
• Outside legs sends him forward
• Think turn on forehand with inside leg, outside legs keeps the forward thought. ... Bingo, super canter piro!
• STOP OVER RIDING (I accept too much work. lol)
• Act like he will be perfect, and then work from there with corrections.

And Hamp got a good session with a Bemer blanket after work, too. He seemed to really enjoy it.

A leg wrap works great as a poll thingie too

Hampton was of course a very good boy. He is feeling fresh, swingy (thanks Adequan!) and fit.

We leave Thursday! 

The Silent Teachers

I saw this post from Olivia Lagoy Weltz on the Gram and thought this was so perfect. It reminded me of Hampton and so many of our horses. Such important creatures.

The road to the Grand Prix and the international arena is a long one full of many ups and downs. It takes a village to get there, and in that village are the horses that the world may never know. They may have just one gift, or many gifts, but they all have something to offer. These amazing teachers come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes you find them in the place you least expect it. Few of these horses will ever become international horses themselves but their place in our lives and our journey is invaluable. To the silent teachers, the horses the world may never know, but without whom there would be no journey.

Human gets a vet check

Hamp and I are a team, and while he is definitely the most spoiled of the team members sometimes you have to care for the human, too.

With the recent, shocking, news that another direct family member has been diagnosed with cancer, I decided it was probably in my best interest to have some genetic testing done. Especially since I now have two direct family members with hormone receptive cancers (my dad had prostate cancer that reoccurred and metastasized, eventually killing him). 

No one should ever have to walk into this building.
It was so busy with patients it broke my heart.

The first part of the appointment was really simple. I met with a lovely genetic counselor who gave me her speech about genetics and what that means as far as chances of developing cancer. She answered my questions, and then drew out a family tree and where there was cancer in my family.

That was alarming to say the least.

Here's a list of cancers in my family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents, siblings. Did not go out further than that).

• Prostate cancer
• Glioblastoma
• Lymphoma
• Cancer of salivary glands
• ovarian cancer (diagnosed young)
• Cancer in the spine
• Melanoma

It was pretty much all over both sides of the family. Eeeks. But the most concerning is the ovarian and prostate cancer since those can be more associated with gene mutations. Interestingly, there is no history of breast cancer in the family. Go us!

A list of gene mutations I will be tested for,
and what cancers they can be associated with

Looking at my history, she did recommend I get the screening done. I agreed.

All I am looking for is information. I could have gene mutations, and never get cancer. Or, I could have no mutations and get cancer anyway. But should I be positive for certain mutations (like the famous BRCA genes), I can reduce my chances of cancer by 90% or so with preventative actions like frequent screening or even surgery.

Cost? The genetic counselor told me most insurance covers this, and no one ever pays more than $200 for a screening. And that's the broad spectrum one. I chose to focus mostly on breast and ovarian cancers, so it will be cheaper if I even have to pay anything.

Results will take about two weeks. *cue Jeopardy music*

Otherwise Hamp and I are just surviving midwest winter!

Catch ride!

 

A feral December Porkchop.

I have said it before, and I will say it again.

Blogger friends are truly some of the BEST people I have ever met.

When T was driving through Louisville on her way back home, she sent me a message and OF COURSE I was like YES LET'S DO LUNCH! And then immediately offered up Hampton to ride.

Aren't they well matched??

Kentucky weather was nasty that day but we weren't too bothered. T rode Hampton beautifully. She is a quiet, kind rider who looked great on Hampton, as she does on any horse. 

Hampton even did a spook n scoot and she sat it quietly, didn't react and kept going. I suspect riding a Saddlebred probably installed this instinct in her. He isn't ALWAYS the most perfect boy hahaha!

Seriously she's never ridden him before. Gets on, has him going around this this.

We had a great lunch and then she headed home. A really nice treat in the middle of a busy ass week!

Thanks T!

Merry, happy, booze filled wishes to you!

 Wishing you all a very happy holiday!

Love,

Karen, Hampton, Buckley and (current foster furr, Stroganoff!)

Stroganoff staying with me through the holidays.
 He is being monitored for bladder stones poor guy
Made himself right at home though haha!

Buckley: GIMME YO LUNCH MONEY
Strogi: No.

A home like this

 

Saturday morning hack

Saturday was a day to just chill and cheer on H who absolutely demolished her first Training XC course. Hamp and I went on an early morning hack around Jumping Branch, played in the water jump for a bit and he had the rest of the day off. 

We left early Sunday and thankfully the drive was uneventful.

Except the customary "How brave am I today?" when it comes to sketch gas station bathrooms.

This is fine. 

Also recommended, podcasts Dr. Death season 3 and Suspect.

After a few days off, Hamp will go back to work. 

Buckley was happy to see me and did not starve to death,
 thanks to a friend who checked in on him.

Meet me at our spot

 

A very good boy.

On Friday I schedule a lesson with local "S" judge, AM. 

She has judged me before, in fact she judged my first GP! And much to my surprise recognized me. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I don't know. haha

She is a lovely person and a fantastic teacher. I clicked with her immediately. She has that tough, but clever way of teaching that really got me riding well and thus Hampton started to morph into the horse I know is in there, but I have trouble tapping into. Here are some notes from this lesson. 

warmups are "not riding for First level, we are suppling for the Grand Prix." Hampton and I tend to trot around very nicely, very obedient, but it's ok to get a little sloppy, to overbend in the leg yields, in order to release his body. She called Hamp "as obedient as it gets" haha awww.

Just trotting around all pleasant in the warm up.

When you leg yield, or anytime you take the hind leg and move it under the body - are you engaging the hind leg? Or are you DISengaging it? 

Keep engaging (disengaging?) the hind leg

Getting chased with the whip. lol! I love it! 

In passage, one step sideways - straight- one step sideways rinse repeat

Hands low. Short reins. (story of my LIFE).

Give a scratch on withers instead of looping my reins in the give part of the half halt

This lesson was fantastic. She called me a good student which is a huge compliment, and was very encouraging about showing the GP. I will definitely be training with her again next Aiken trip.

Lots of great homework to bring back home!