And I want more

The last few weeks have been a blur between a lot of highs and lows.

The season is here, and it's breathing down our necks and after two straight weeks of training, it feels like we're prepared enough to roll down centerline this weekend at 4-1. No promises for photos and videos, I have no idea about the amount of extra hands I'll have about.

In between I tossed both ponies into Houston and Hess' clinics.

Sinari, dug deep on the first day of Houston and produced a solid school with really ramped balance and collection. The second day, riding in the heat of the day, we ran out of juice and schoolmastered around trying to keep her comfortable. She was able to pull a little bit out of work, but we mostly worked on biomechanics and positioning.

Sincere benefited as well, getting a base feeling and direction as to where to take his training in the next few months. In the end, I know the more we develop on the ground the more we will have under saddle.

A day off from work and we shipped over late to Rolling Hills to train with one of my all-time favorite judges, Christoph Hess. Christoph, who has an equally quick eye as Houston and Koford, picked up on the work quickly. He began ramping us into this week with emphasis on scores. We picked apart and reviewed and picked some more. His goal aside from setting the stage was to push an electric ride.

Talk about a different ride entirely! Sinari became positively hot off the aids, to the point where we were pushing control issues. But that's where we needed to go, just to the edge.

Hess also noted a year over year improvement on the mare, which was great to be not really re-humbled back to a 20 meter stretch circle for 45 minutes.

I also brought out Sincere to this one as well. The purpose was two fold, the first being that getting him off the property and getting him into a job (even a basic mindset of work) in a new place is fun and he shouldn't worry about it. The second, is I have a huge amount of respect for the people I work with, Hess being one of the top people in the young horse world I wanted his thoughts on what was produced three years ago.

While Sincere was a trooper, and I didn't kill either one of us in long lines, Hess was not as impressed. Sincere pretty much looked like a turkey trotting around tense and not his loose usual self.  But, given that he shipped in 30 minutes prior, was groomed, tacked up in a busy barn and lunged in a strange arena, I give him more credit.

Overall it went well, and we'll be back for more.

Under Pressure

I can't believe it's Friday. The days have really just blurred together. I only have a few more days here in what seems like a never ending horse show.

But I think that's what happens when you put your head down and train like there's no tomorrow.

Time here has been spent very well. All three horses are going great and well, the new found holes in my breeches serve only as proof that you really can ride your ass off. I think I would give my right arm for a whirlpool and some salts.

Sinari is doing all the PSG work. We've put the screws in the last two workouts to her to ramp the balance, compression and the fitness up. Needless to say the results have been mixed (partially me, sometimes her), but I have a feeling she'll sign on soon enough. I really wanted to roll through the entire test, but the monster canter tour is getting the better of us at the moment. I was deservidly snarked at for doing changes after the pir tour not in the right place. Today it's more of the same, compress, compress, compress, and rotation.

Merlot, had a day off and came back ready to go. We've been upping the compression and lateral work with him. He now has turn on the haunches, shoulder in, leg yield, canter-walk-canter, haunches in, traverse, renverse, and a few other tricks in his bag. I really want to toy with the change, but since he's doing a test, I don't want to screw with his counter canter too much. He still likes to fall out the left shoulder, it's annoying but fixable. We've now have to really start pushing the tests.

Wylie is still in development, we do relaxed sessions with lots of walk breaks. His lateral work has always been very strong so it's more or less about organization with him. He doesn't last very long still but at the same time he also tries super hard. Have also been working after him to keep in front of the leg, and balance on the smaller circles.

Shameless promotion: Jim Koford

For those who know him, Jim Koford is an amazing guy and one of the best people in the industry to know. Bar none.

Seriously, who else can roll around Rolex and compete Grand Prix dressage the next and then go out for a beer and shoot the breeze? Koford.

Jim is known for a lot of antics, but recently he's managed to find himself in a place that a lot of us would envy: high performance dressage with not just one, but two horses that have a very serious shot at the Olympics, World Equestrian Games and several other venues where the Team is planning on showing up. 

One of the horses is Rhett (R. Johnson). He is American-bred (in fact Kentucky-bred) by Shirley McQullian who lives maybe six miles from my house. 

This is indeed a unique situation.

A lot has been said over the years by numerous people who have bemoaned, that despite successes of the US team, the field is still, for the most part made up of European imports. That breeders do not support the efforts of trying to field riders with international-caliber mounts via their program.

Not in this case.

We, as an American community, have a superb opportunity to showcase two Americans, one horse, one human, on the world stage. We, as a breeding community, have the opportunity to send a message to others that yes, small breeders who thoughtfully breed and support riders CAN be competitive in here and Europe. We, as a riding community, finally have a shot to bring someone who is authentic, personable and realizes, it's about something greater and far more important than the DQ mentality.  

So why the hell NOT support them? 

While there are the normal ways (Medal Equus, direct donations, sacrifices), McQullian and several members of the community have put together a treasure trove auction of canvas art, pottery, bronzes, jewlery, breedings, lessons, books and other fun items on FACEBOOK.  

While I'm sure everyone has gotten their Holiday shopping done, I would be much obliged if you would visit, leave a comment and pass the word along. If you find something interesting, bid on it, the auction ends December 10th.

In the meantime, if you run across Koford, give him a kick in the ass and a slap on the back. He's gonna need all the help he can get.