I spent a lot of nights on the run

It's been a few months since an update happened here.

It's not because there isn't anything going on, it's actually the opposite. Myself and my team have been busy, and to the point where I just didn't have time to update. 

Spring is here, and that means a lot of things in this region. It mostly means that we've stepped up to a full week of training, that foals are being born, dams are being rebred, horses are being sold, and the rigs remained fully hitched to go places. 

It's been a lovely blur. 

May we started back out showing. 

First up was the Spy Coast Young Horse Series, a show that I've come to love and really appreciate as a relaxed starter for my guys. We brought everyone out except Flair (who aged out of contention this year), and came away with qualified horses, ribbons, highpoint and cash. 

We then turned to Kentucky Dressage Association's Annual.  

This has been a staple in the community for 30 years, and I occasionally come to play there. It's my way of catching up with people, saying hello, and getting to sleep in my own bed at the end of the day, which if you travel the circuit, you come to really appreciate. 

It's not my favorite to bring untested young horses out since the atmosphere can be too intimidating, but we took Fahrenheit out for just a materiale class. 

The problem is that both Mike and I couldn't ride. Mike had to have some unexpected time off (he's fine), and my allergies had become so bad I had to carry an epipen incase I went into some weird attack or had a reaction to whatever happened to be in the air. 

So, I asked a favor and got a nice junior rider to pilot him instead. With four rides, he confidently put 

out a great result (78,9 and 81,5), and handled everything that the Kentucky Horse Park threw at him.    We're now focused on USEF Four Year Old Qualifiers at Tryon, Dressage at Lexington and a sale. 

Then there's Flair, who has become savant-like with work. On great days, she gives you changes (right to left is fab, left to right is... interpretive), piaffe/passage work, working pirouettes, walk pirouettes, super lateral work; and on the bad days well... the walls take a beating. 

She went in front of JJ in April and we've been taking semi regularly lessons off the farm.  It's been a tremendous amount of help in developing her since it's been a bit of time since my last young horse and my expectations have undoubtably changed. 

But putting it in perspective is that she's only been under tack for a grand total of a year. She's vastly 

changed from the Alberta Brown Cow to a lovely, modern sport horse.  

This year she has IBOP on the menu and I would really like to get her out at third if we can get our acts together.  

Then there's the steady drippings of sales, and looking at prospects. Already this year two have sold sight unseen. Justus SSM (Diamond Stud/Flemmingh/Ferro) and Mirage CBF (Balta C'zar) sold pretty quickly to their respective homes. 

My contacts in Germany are already looking at another young horse to come in, I have another client wanting to breed mares, and then there's another partnership in the works with another nice, young, horse, which will be sorted as soon as everything else gets sorted out. 

As for the rest of the year, Tryon will play a pivotal role as to if we pursue the rest of the Young Horse classes, or if we go more for the HOY items. Then there's the year end things of Inspection and Keuring, with no less than two or three to attend to in the fall, and the fall clinic schedule to host. 

To L with it.

Cross off one of the goals for 2010, I've begun to pursue my USDF L license.

I've done plenty of scribing over the years, however, it wasn't until this year that I started seriously going after my L. I've always wanted to become a judge since I started riding. This weekend, after sitting between to FEI I judges, it only solidified that feeling.

The L program is the next logical step in a progression.

I've finally begun document my scribe hours, starting with the KDA's Annual CDI*.

I'm about 8 1/2 into it and I'm feeling very positive that it will be completed out in mid-July where I will be scribing at NAJYRC.

Speaking of the CDI*, the show went fantastically this weekend. It was well-organized with wonderful management behind it. I'm happy to see the KDA expand again, and improve and capitalize on last year's show. While I miss the breed show end of it, I can understand the reason to expand the under saddle classes.

It was truly wonderful seeing everyone again, and hearing their opinions on the variety of clincians that the Team is bringing in (also all the suggestions for next year). I can't wait to see them at these events.

But the best part was the visit from County Representative- Sara Ivie. We got to try out and fall in love with a County Connection. I about nearly cried when I felt Sinari's back lift and become instantaneously comfortable in the changes. My riding wasn't the best that day, but damn, I'm on a payment-for-life deal.

All, in all, a wonderful weekend.

101 Things: Number 97: The Human Element

On a cold snowy Saturday, I packed my equipment up and headed over to the annual GMO Gala.

The annual speaker this year was the USEF long-listed, Heather Blitz, someone who I've long admired for her ability and personality.

In the hour and a half long speech on her life, her horses, rider bio mechanics and her methods, she mentioned one thing that struck me the most:

"There is not enough concentration by riders on themselves. What feels normal is usually is not correct. What feels correct is interpreted as weird. That the correct place is only "weird" feeling when its new and you make changes to get here, until you do enough repetitions so that it becomes normal feeling. And that it's hard to go for the weird feelings and believing in the beginning that they're right.It's not until we look at ourselves in the mirror we figure out what we've been compensating in."

At that moment, I really felt like standing up and cheering.

As riders, we concentrate so much on the horse's athletic potential that riders forget themselves. Riding is not only a mental game, but a physical one as well. While the average rider doesn't need the physical fitness of top riders or the mental fitness of Einstein, they do need to sit straight, sit in balance and be able to work effectively for at least 30 minutes in the saddle. They need to know theory and practice, be able to mentally condition themselves to the sport and form positive habits that will influence their riding correctly.

We, as humans naturally accept our physical and mental compensations. It's discovering them, accepting them, and then changing them to make the partnership better is vital. Accepting your personal faults is never easy. Changing them is harder.

To become an athletic partner that we intent on being- we need to be aware of what we are doing in and out of the tack, and create a personal system that encourages that correction and development.

(photo credit: Horse Radio Network)

All together now

$250 later, I have my saddle back with some nice flocking.  Again, it's worth every, single, cent.

It also meant that I had to give back the nice Custom Saddlery saddle to my coach. It was a good move too, because I was becoming way too attached. It is for sale for anyone who is interested.

We rode straight through this week, most of it was in the snaffle with one day in the double. Results that were beyond what I expected.

With most of the work concentrated on bending and riding as flexibly as possible, she achieved a better amount of thoroughness and shwung through the back.

The major lateral work was sticky, so I left it be until the end of the week.

By the third session, we were in real work.

We began schooling more transitions, more collection and definitive parts of tests. Such as the double half pass from three-two and the canter V pirouette from PSG.

Schooling in the double was more of a mental exercise on both our ends. Mentally, it was for me to be still and keep the curb light and for her- to not hit the curb and overly react to it.

Schooling piaffe, we utilized the reinback to piaffe. The changes are her forte now, she's crack smart about changing, and threw in a small 'gimme' line of fours on her fresh day in addition to the regular changes. We also schooled reactions, the halt to immediate canter depart, the hi-ho silver routine, which helped immensely in piaffe/passage and medium work.

Pirouette work proved to be more tricky. The first two steps are brilliant, the third to fifth, however present issues. We utilized the 10 meter square exercise to help improve, but we're still about a yard too far from the line.

Shoulder-in and haunches in to the left is still very strong, however to the right, it's still a little hard, especially when I ask for a series of three's (three steps shoulder in, three steps straight, three steps of haunches in). Half pass she's once again getting too straight in the line I have to remember to hold back a few steps then release.

I'm most excited about her collection, Saturday we decided to a bit of back and forth from ultra collected canter immediately to medium/extended. She has it in her, just needs a more emphatic transitions. She gave five excellent transitions late into the session.These will only get better as we school them.

Overall, I'm extremely pleased and Sinari seems quite happy with herself.

On a side note, I'm considering breaking my New Year's vow of no showing. KDA is offering a few classes I feel would be up our alley. I'm also sponsoring said classes with cash incentive.

As much as I would like to complete out my bronze, the length of the counter canter required for second level is now way too much for her. Anyone have a pony that I could go second level on? ;-)

Ride a painted pony

It's almost winter and things are slowing down out here.

The season officially ended at the end of October and with it come the flurry of bills and renewals that have to be done in preparation for the next.

Among the renewals is KDA, USDF and USEF. That's about 100 bucks.

I'm also trying out for the Gifted Scholarship and the new KDA Scholarship.

I finally keeled in and bought into Smart Pak. I figure it would be worth it because I don't always have time to get to the feed store and they don't always have the supplements. It costs about the same (joint and energy supplement).

We're also due for dentist, shots, coggins, Iron Pony (car) checkup and a slew of other things in the upcoming month(s).

There goes my pay.

Can we also say holidays? I work at a holiday-centric factory and the upper ups are rubbing their hands and dusting off the coffers in anticipation of a sizable holiday (apparently they didn't get the memo on the economy).

Gifts are going to be mild this year.

I figure most people will get a bottle of wine out of me (support crew), close friends will get some version of artwork (Liz Pizzo's Painted Ponies), books, loved ones I haven't quite figured out yet.

For me, I could stand supplies as gifts. Or software (hint hint), since I started doing web content and design. (Shameless promotion: www.kentuckymarecare.com)

It's been hit or miss with riding lately.

Bella's rides are subjective to the weather, I'm stuck with just an outdoor with her. Sinari's is due to time constraints at the moment. The week has been super busy (between plans), but the one who isn't lacking attention is the uber pregnant mare.

She's getting a spa day with the massage therapist and is sporting a new (well not really new) binky. She's waddling worse than a quintuplet carrying woman. I need to get her registration in order.

For what we've accomplished under saddle, I feel happy, Sinari getting much better through the neck and back and by the time Snowbird II rolls around she's going to be in good form. I just want to tinker with the saddle. My current one is on the market and hopefully will be sold soon. Thinking about a Duett Fidelio. She too is getting a visit from the magic fingers lady.

Bella is doing mostly first level work now at the trot, however, the canter is still coming slowly. But it's coming along. She's anticipating it more now, which is nice, but I don't want her launching herself into it.

For now I'm ready to go back to bed until spring.

Dream on

It's getting cold, and the days are growing shorter, and I'm retreating back into my indoor more and more these days with the odd gallop out on the crisp, indian summer afternoons.

The season is over and I'm breathing a temporary sigh of relief until December when we begin all over again. This temporary sigh includes remastering the freestyle, redoing a few websites and getting through second level.

Not to mention catering to my "real life". You know, significant other, potentially going back to school and J-O-B.

No one said being an amateur was easy, no one said the sport was a cake walk either.

Don't get me wrong, I love to compete. It brings something different to the table every year. But by Regionals time though, I'm ready to call it a done deal. This year wasn't any exception. I competed two under saddle for the first time, next year I might have three to four at various levels.

It also leads me to re-assess my goals. Everyone has a laundry list of stuff that they would like to accomplish short and long term, and I'm no exception.

Next year:

• I would like to earn my final scores towards bronze (just four away!). Be schooling/showing fourth level.
• I would like Bella to be confirmed first level.
• I would like May's foal to be going to the MSEDA breed show (preferably beating up on all the warmbloods;-)).

Long term:

• Confirm piaffe, passage, changes with Sinari.
• Condition Bella for second level.
  
• Qualify for the two year old jack pot with May's baby.

Then there are the lofty, perhaps unattainable, such as going after the Brentina Cup. Yes. I said it. I have the odd ambition to qualify for the Young Adult class. I know, I have sucker for punishment written all over me.

Unfortunately, due to rules, I can't qualify with the pony (no ponies or mules allowed) and I don't have a Grand Prix (or I2) horse. So I have a stick horse's chance in a fire so far.

Compounding the problem: you need to qualify via three (3) competitions with an average of 62 percent or better, and I think they need to be CIC* or larger. Luckily, there are two in my area, Paxton and Kentucky Dressage Association. The third international would be in Lamplight, a solid EIGHT HOURS away.

Like I said, it's a huge reach, but for some reason my crazy ambitions have a way of turning out.