The Monsoon

We have had an unbelievable amount of rain since yesterday afternoon.  I was still ready to ship out early this morning to go show as the rings normally have good footing and drain.  Unfortunately even the best can't uphold in these conditions so my ring was cancelled.  It is disappointing as I had a fantastic school on Poppy yesterday and she felt great.  Such is life. We will try again next weekend.  Weather looks good for the rest of the week so hopefully it all dries up!

It could be worse.  Instead of 70s and rain we could have had this...

This is at my parent's house in Maryland. So beautiful but only if I'm visiting :)

5 Day Challenge Day 2

6. Favorite equestrian book and movie

I absolutely loved the book The Eight Dollar champion.  I enjoyed reading about our sport in its grand hay day and the story of an under dog.  I love to root for the underdog.  I don't like horse movies because they are usually so cheesy and inaccurate but I have probably watched Secretariat 100 times.  Seriously.

7. Most common riding misconception

I guess that it's easy.  People who don't ride don't understand the time, commitment, and skill that is required to ride at a competitive level.  I will leave it at that because I could go off an a tangent about this one here lately...

8. 2 riding strengths and 1 riding weaknesses

I think I am good at trying to figure out a horse and riding them how they like or need to be ridden rather than forcing them to conform to how I want them to go.  I think I also have a strong lower leg.  I feel like I am pretty secure in the saddle and not up there flopping around.  I've learned more leg and less hand gets you far better results.  My riding weakness is my indecisiveness.  Meaning I will sometimes see two distances and not make a decision early enough which can lead to getting there a bit long and weak or deep and backward.  This is something that I am working hard to fix.

9. Least favorite thing about horses and/or riding

Just like everyone else's answer it is the cost.  It would be nice if it was a sport that was available to everyone but it's not.  Owning a show horse has been for the privileged for as long as shows have probably existed.  I make no apologies for being afforded this privilege growing up.  I am incredibly thankful to my parents for supporting my horse addiction as a child and through college but also that my parents required me to work for it as well.  I am bored of the whining from those who didn't have a horse until adulthood because their family didn't have the money.  What I LOVE hearing are the stories of people who instead of whining did something about it.  Maybe they worked their ass off to ride by mucking stalls and riding anything and everything that was offered to them like my trainer did.  Those are the people that have grown into true horsemen and women.  Those are the people I respect.  Pick up the latest magazine from The Chronicle called Untacked and read about Derek Peterson. http://read.uberflip.com/i/218358/37

Ok tangent over, but I seriously do think that show fees have gotten out of control.  From $225 for a stall to all the nickel and diming office fees.  It didn't used to be that way.

10. What do you feed your horse?

I'm not going to list everyone's portions but I feed Purina Senior and Nutrena Compete.  Each horse is on a supplement based their individual needs.  The common one with the 3 horses in work is Tract Guard.  I recently added beet pulp without molasses to Hobbs' diet as he is getting harder to keep weight on as he turns 25 this year.  His cushings also places some limitations in his diet.  Everyone gets T&A hay except the mini horse and Hobbs who get coastal.

5 Day Challenge- Day 1 and Update

I think I am going to have to break down and body clip Ms. Poppy before I show this weekend.  It is 84 degrees today.  We are supposed to get a bit of a cold front this week where it will be upper 60s-70s but I worry about her fluffiness getting too hot showing.  Are you ready to kill me yet???  I know, I should stop because I HATE the cold and karma will probably get me for rubbing this weather in while my friends are freezing in other places.

This week I will be working to prep Poppy for showing on Sunday.  I am hauling her a couple hours away to go do the NAL Adult Jumper Classic.  I am probably nuts for just hauling in to go do a big class like this.  I will report on whether it was a disaster or not on Monday.

In the meantime I liked Tracy's 5 day challenge!

1. Most influential person on your riding

This is hard.  I think my first trainer gave me excellent basics and others were helpful along the way but I got my confidence from my friend/trainer K (barn owner) and her trainers that work for her.  When I first started with her I was a boarder and K and C (her head trainer at the time) both trained me.  Now I train with K's trainers N and M and they are just awesome.  K now just handles the business aspect and is gone judging a lot.

2. Piece of tack you’d love to splurge on

There are many things I'd like to spurge on but probably the most realistic is a pair of custom half chaps.  Tenney's Custom Saddlery does beautiful craftsmanship.  I have a custom show bridle they made me about 11 or 12 years ago that is still beautiful and a pair of full chaps they made me back when the full chaps were popular.  

http://shop.ordertenneys.com/about-us

3. Top 5 riding playlist

None.  I don't listen to music while I ride. I think it's dangerous.

4. Most important aspect of your barn?

There are many things I wanted when I built my place but without millions of dollars at my disposal I built what I could afford, which wasn't a lot.  I wanted a center aisle concrete block barn with indoor wash stall.  In FL the block barn stays cool and it is also sturdy for possible bad storms.  I could make a huge list of other things I want like an all weather ring with lights instead of a grass field but I don't have an endless cash flow. But really, the most important aspect of my barn is that it is less than 100 steps out my back door.  

5. Three winter riding goals

Since winter for me will consist of some big shows these are my goals at them.  One, get more consistent.  Two, make distance decisions sooner. Three, get more comfortable at 1.15m

Hooray it's Friday!!!!

I am so excited the weekend is here.  I have a fun filled weekend planned of riding, getting feed and hay, riding, maybe some laundry, riding, maybe some house cleaning, and riding.  I can't wait to ride with the sun out and get some jumping in!  I was able to ride Poppy in the dark.  Ok under the spot lights from the house and yes I rode around my yard.  Desperation calls for desperate measures.  

 The joy of owning a grey (although husband loves to point out she isn't grey anymore).  How does something so pretty love sleeping in poop?  She is not body clipped, from 10 feet away I think I can pull off not clipping her for next weekend's show.  Right???  Please say yes!

I just found out that Winter Series in January will be 3 weeks instead of 4.  Since it is starting a week later than I thought that gives me an extra week to procrastinate clipping.

Lastly a picture of baby Ketel.  He is just the cutest.

Hope you have a great weekend and happy riding!

Back Into the Swing of It

I finally feel like I am back into my routine.  I got home from work late last night but was able to squeeze in a quick hack on Poppy before it was too dark.  She was good and more relaxed than over the weekend.  When it was pitch black out (Dear Santa, lights pretty please???) I did lateral work at the walk.  She was receptive and responsive.  Though it was a short ride I was happy with her for tolerating riding in the dark.  

I hated not getting any riding in on Tank so I lunged him.  They can see in the dark right??  He was good and surprisingly quiet.  I hope I can get home in time to ride him tonight.

Ketel just got a groom job last night.  I will give him a couple more days and then see if he is trotting sound.

I am still in shock it is December.  A month away from Winter Series starting.  I am hoping the 2 shows I am doing this month will prep us for it.  4 straight weeks of showing at Winter Series is a lot so the less classes we do the less tired she will get.  Our NAL Classic is generally on the last day so the idea is to have her fresh for that class.  You don't want to do a lot of classes Fri and Sat and have rails in the Classic.  If I want to qualify for NAL finals I need some good placings to rack up the points.  But...when I put pressure on myself I tend to ride crappy so I need to also remember the big picture is to have fun.  

Enough babbling.  Here's another pic...

This is why I can't put studs in her front shoes.  And silly mare hates the stud guard girth I bought her.  Such a diva...

More Pictures to Pass the Time

I didn't get any riding in while my family was here so it is kind of boring on the horse front.  I have a rated show with Poppy in 10 days so I'm kind of screwed. When I did get to ride her over the weekend she was a raving lunatic so this week should be fun.  Tank is about as equally wild.  Ketel is still a bit off.  He is much improved but still needs some time.

Here are some more pictures from my last show with Poppy :)

Staycation and Horse Show Pics

Tomorrow I am back to reality after hosting family for a week.  I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine.  I was so blessed to have my uncle drive my 93 year old Grandpa 1200 miles to come visit.  I thought I would share some pictures of him meeting the horses.

I also love this one of my Dad and Cotton.

This week I FINALLY got my horse show pictures in the mail from my last show with Poppy.

This was the first jump in a triple combination.  it was set pretty tight so i was saying whoa, hence my funny expression.  I have more to scan and will try to do that this week.