Sunday, November 13, 2011

Rolling in the deep

Fall is something else in the horse industry. Between the color, clipping and the year end wrap up, the whole population is in transition.

Kentucky winters are catch and catch all. Some years they're mild, and will not get below 50 degrees; and others, well... you don't get to leave the house for three months.

There are people who are making the yearly trek down to Florida and then there is the indoor shuffle. I've officially joined the thundering herd, at least temporarily.

My herd is back in transition. I spent this week trying to recover from my last week's trip to Florida and planning the next few trips down there as well for business.

I have decided to go to Florida this year with Sinari. I've been avoiding it in years past simply because I didn't have the cash and it feels stupid to take a horse down there that isn't competing at a certain level. I also felt stifled to expand my network in an unknown area. It wasn't until recently did I know anyone that does that trip, and felt comfortable enough to do it.

We've ended up in Ocala this year simply because of friends and cash flow and hopefully by next year we'll be in Wellington as an FEI pair (I'm planning on using the time to get my scores at fourth and qualify for DAD and part of my silver).

The trek to Florida also means prepping up and out for it. A first major goal since the splint.

Sinari is back to being powder keg hot. It's nothing short of wonderful. She doesn't last long still but with another few weeks she will be back to it. Worked a lot of lateral work, a lot of schooling pir's and changes. Her changes are bigger, but inconsistent. Trying to find my schedule with her has been a bit challenging, but with a few upcoming changes it should be better.

Sincere I couldn't be happier with. He walks, trots and canters under saddle, off the lunge, round, and fairly balanced. He is above all obedient. It bodes well. He too will be breaking for winter fields and then back to work in spring. As a 2 ½ year old, he's done plenty.

I also did a minor fashion splurge for the 2012.

I purchased my first shadbelly. I've been holding off for a while, I wanted a nice one, and nice ones run in the area of 600 on up. Then I ran across this one, of all places Facebook. A 14R, for 30 bucks. Sold. It arrived the other day, tried it on and while the waist needs to be tailored a little shorter (and I was thinking about putting different buttons on it), it fits like an old favorite jacket. It's beautiful and elegant, and surreal.

Another surreal thing is I got the notice that I was accepted into the USDF Young Rider Graduate Program.
I had applied a bit on a whim not thinking I would be remotely competitive enough or even accepted. A lot of the riders who apply have been to the NAJRYC, have been competitively mounted and trained since the age of 18. While I've been trained, and continue to have access to really good teachers, I've never been competitively mounted on anything trained by someone else. Plus I'm only now getting good results and records.

So to be invited to that and have the potential to go to the FEI Trainers conference has made my day. 

2 comments:

Karen said...

So excited and happy for you! Can't wait to read about your Florida adventures. That is a goal of mine in the future ...

Kelly said...

oh Karen, you too will know the joys of packing. ;)