Hot, flat and crowded

I rarely talk about the day-to-day realities of being a pro. One side of it is that it's busy, so the ability to write and write well about any subject but carving out 20 meters in my sand box tends to get lost around 8pm. The second reason is that like the Great and Powerful Oz, there are certain things that should be left behind the curtain at the end of the day.

Being a professional in any industry is tough. But when you're industry is more luxury versus necessity, the playing field for capital resources tends to be very tight and ultra-competitive.

Capital resources in the equestrian community can run physical, such as barns, arenas, horses; to the human element, specifically speaking, ownership.

I have zero qualms with putting out there that the majority of my horses, minus Sinari, are either owned or co-owned. My ownership is diverse ranging from breeders to PhDs to Executives of major corporations. There's not a day that goes by that I feel that I'm not appreciative of the business they've allowed me to have.

My business is run more as open community. While some people (namely the attorneys) view this as a socialist experiment with hippie-dippy flower power, I realized a long time ago that I cannot be everything to everyone. Nor can I got out and make every horse an FEI horse (nor do I want to). In short, no person is an island.

A prime point for this are the babies.

I stopped backing horses years ago. I really feel that I'm not in a position anymore to a) take that risk or b) be fair to a horse that's just starting out. I hand the reins over to a rider who does nothing but babies. It's a great relationship. He rides quality horses and moves his career further in the direction he wants, and I get a sane baby  with a job description at the end of it.

Same goes with horses that I don't get along with or who are really out of my depth. Over this year, I've given up two rides to other riders who the horse simply went better for them. There's no guilt or shame over it.

So, for a lack of better term, I outsource.

Outsourcing, which is usually a negative thing, is a great resource for professional riders building their community and network. Got a horse that doesn't go well for you? Find a rider that will make them shine so they can be sold on to another home. Need help finding a barn for that big clinic because your barn can't handle the capacity? Network so both facilities can benefit. Student having trouble? So and so has this neat-o exercise to give a go. Or my favorite- co-oping through outside disciplines to source good horses (e.g. one man's trash is another man's GP horse).

But this kind of relationship is a two way street. Yes, it does take an understanding. Also, unfortunately on some occasions made people overstep bounds and pilfer or use the reference as an excuse to behave in a less than stellar fashion.

I had this happen three times recently. Once, with a young rider, once with a client and one professional in the community that indefinitely overstepped their boundaries. Each time I was lucky, either the damage was minimal or the ownership and contract was in place to secure my spot; and the rides were unavailable.

Pilfering is nothing new in the community. It happens, a lot. It's why riders vanguard their owners heavily throughout their careers with them. Owners are huge investments for riders and finding good ones, are like finding rare gems and developing a long term relationship is a very big deal.

 Which in many ways is sad as well because owners, like the Mrs. Mars, the Akiko's, the Thomas' should be shared and developed within a community of riders to help them achieve goals. Because even though we are a global sport with a long reach, the truth is, our overall resources are shrinking and the competitive landscape has become much more hot, flat and crowded within the last decade or so.

So while those peoples' ambitions and actions were incredibly short sighted it reminds me that while the community is changing with an overall perspective more in mind, it's not very long before the overall community's perception is changing for the better.

Shake it out

It's finally July, the great and terrible month of the year. 

On one hand Danzador is doing great, he's progressing so much and physically looking like a dressage horse instead of a gawky leggy colt. We finally got his video up and loaded on YouTube, plus a little extra showing his ultra talented half steps in hand. He also has been actively being ramped up to show in August if not under contract by then. Seriously, whoever ends up with him will be incredibly lucky. There's not enough nice words in Webster to describe how genuinely cool he is. 

Flair finally foaled out as well! Couldn't be happier with the results of her first foal- a black/bay colt by Diamond Stud. He's aptly named Justus SSM. For a maiden's colt, he's huge, and shows zero fear. He's a brilliant little mover as well, showing the strengths of the Ferro/Donnerhall blood and the modernity of his dam's sire. Both mom and baby are doing great- Flair is reportedly good spirits, and is handling things in stride. I still can't wait to get the call come fall/winter that she's on the trailer to ship. She's my next long-term project and I feel that she is going to make a good horse. 

I also have investors actively looking at horses for me. It's hard to realize that this is actually happening and I may be flying to some pretty cool places pretty soon. It seems like I've looked at 200 or so horses every week ala YouTube. They're mostly KWPN horses from every direction, but a few from the GOV and other books. 

I found a few that I like, but nothing to really make me jump up and down and scream like a kid in a toy store over a must have. I have a few other personal feelers out there and a few old industry friends are sending me tape on other horses as well, but show and breeding seasons are dominating their schedules, so I get to keep on waiting.  

Then there's the flip side that's been hanging around for a little while now.

After two trips, several blocks, a bone scan and several lameness evaluations, Sinari's intermittent lameness isn't really a outlier occurrence caused by a soreness. 

It's much more serious that involves extensive time off and therapy. The prognosis is more than good, but still we're really looking at a year out. The only way now is to go through rehab and proceed from there.

While I know (and was reassured by several DVMs who have been looking at her case study) there's nothing that could have been done- I still feel like kicking myself. It sucks. I can easily whine how it's not fair, or how karma is cruel or even how hopes/dreams/ect for FEI glory are dashed. It doesn't matter. At this point, I'm relieved that there is a diagnosis and wanting my horse back and sound. If she's going to compete again, we'll approach that hill when we get to it. Right now, it's just one day at a time. 

Matchmaker make me a match

When I worked at a corporate coffee shop back in the day, I was surrounded by a lot old school New

York Hasidic Jewish women.

These women, at least once a week, would order their coffees and sit down and gab for a little while; talking just about everything.

Eventually, they pulled me aside and asked me if I was single, and why on earth I wasn't betrothed to a nice man. After being given the third degree, I found out that these women were professional matchmakers who set up arranged marriages much like I now set up breedings, weighing what both parents can contribute- in the phenotypic and qualitative departments.

I've since then found the nice man, but the concept of matchmaking is something that's kinda stuck with me.

I love to shop for horses, and I love pedigree (comes with the gig of working for breeders). I love matching riders to them. Pairing the right riders with the right horses is this fantastic alchemy that if done right is just magic.

In the time I've been selling, I've been lucky. I've had pretty good pairings.

The most recent being between two long-term clients that connected over a horse that needed a new direction. It's any agents wish to have that kind of connection.

With Danzador officially on the market, I hope whoever ends up with him enjoys just as much as I do. It goes for the same for any horse that I represent. I genuinely love my 'inventory'.

For as many love stories that are out there there is no shortage of horror stories.

With what amounts to an emotional investment equivalent from a new car all the way up to purchasing luxury real estate to a visit to outer space, it's a huge financial investment. Selling and buying amounts to a high stakes cash game where it's literally all or nothing.

I count myself, and the people I have dealings with as honest and transparent, but there are people who shockingly are still out there who just try to hide or do things less than above par. The bigger irony is many of these horses are in the low figures, and not the high six figure ones.

I've unfortunately been on both sides- as a buyer and as an agent when the sale goes south.

From my first buy when the former owner had sellers remorse and snuck on the property and took back the horse during after hours to dealing with an owner who violated several clauses within a contract via social media to finding out one of my horses was underweight at the sales barn to dealing with a seller that non-disclosed surgeries on a horse that were caught on the radiographs.

Eventually everything was resolved and it makes for entertaining drinking stories, but I wonder what thought ran through their heads to make those actions acceptable. Were there life lessons in those? Unfortunately, yes. Personally, I would rather not have a sale go through than face the consequences and heartbreak that happens if it goes wrong.

So what makes people fall in for a horse?

For me, I fell for Sinari not because she was conformationally awesome, but because she had an honest try in her- in my horse shopping experience (I usually end up in the worst situations), she was put through the tryout from hell, and passed, there wasn't, and still isn't a no in her. She had three elastic gaits and was hot enough I felt to do the FEI. She's also probably one of the soundest horses (knock wood) that's doing FEI today. She received her first injections at 15- and is maintained on a monthly joint supplement. The farrier adores her feet and bone, and most trainers who I work around complement her very correct basics.

My owner picked Danzador for me thinking he was a KWPN with a lot of hair. He didn't look like your typical PRE, and is conformationally very correct (straight, no sewing machine, a little paddling, three good gaits).

Flair happened in to my life after I began following the dam, and really fell for her personality.

The point is, that no horse is perfect and sometimes things just fall into your lap, but whoever you choose, love it.

Gravity wants to bring me down

Gravity got the best of me a few Tuesdays ago.

It's the joy of riding very fit babies in Spring. Even the best of them can have an ADD moment, and in the next instant you can be on the ground. Aside from bruised ego and soreness, everything is fine, got back on and rode through some of the issues.

I get some feedback occasionally about pushing young horses or having expectations. While I agree that there is an often fine line, the kids need to have expectations. They also need to know that there's a few things that are non-negotiable.

Sometimes, the side effect of those expectations (this goes for any horse), is that they push back and gravity takes over.  At least it's a lovely shade of blue that goes with the spring decor.

The last few weeks have been all over the place.

Danzador sat out on JJ's visit, which kind of disappointing, because JJ has so many good things to offer in between rounds.  But at Alfredo's, he was confirmed in what he needs to be confirmed in and is gearing in for the Sayre school show. At this stage of the game there's very little you can do except work on building things, one slow step at a time. The other day we diversified and took him over some jumps and on a hack. He was relatively good, but world-class show jumper he will not be any time soon.

Sinari also sat out JJ's clinic as well, despite feeling positive about her training since last year, she came out of the field looking a little wonky and so I made the decision to sit her out and get her checked by the vet. Nothing is worse when things are going so well to have a bump in the road.

A few tweaks in the support system and she's back into work preparing for Alfredo's clinic and preparing for the season. She's becoming much stronger. I really credit CORE Therapies, Dr. Tummlin, Dr. Metcalfe, Back on Track, Sore No More, Surpass and the new perspective from the ground. She's confirmed three's and two's, her half pass zig zag is really gaining power, and now, we're just putting together the I1 test. The pirouettes still suck, but she goes out and does five to six piaffe steps, so there's a trade off.

The spring also brings the busy season of babies. I'm no exception this year, breeding another prospect for the future. Flair also surprised both her breeder and myself turning up pregnant. Prior to her being sold to me, the plan was to do an ET in the summer of 2013, and then ship her down. We honestly thought she had reabsorbed (normal checking at 30, 60, and double checking at 90) and was just packing on the winter pudge, thankfully, she was ultra sounded and it revealed a healthy new baby running about 280 days at this point.

I'm sure she'll do everything with her usual style and panache and the foal will be beautiful.

Mirror Mirror

It's April, and life has been one giant blur since mid-March.

Since Alfredo's visit, things have been kicked into high gear, despite minor herd reduction.

I walked into my arena when I got back to discover brand new sets of mirrors have been erected while away. My barn owners are awesome that way. I love them already and I don't know how I lived without for a lot of years. On the other hand, mirrors are hard. They're very much tattlers on your position, your body, your horse, just about everything you don't want to see, you see it in 20 foot glory.

My herd was reduced back to three with a few horses coming in and out with their riders for teaching.

While I love the fact my business expanded, I also enjoy the small, quality herd that I have. There are some things that haven't changed, that I ride everyone five to six days a week, and that I know all of them and their idiosyncrasies. But sometimes, adjusting to life on a time budget kinda sucks. When you have five in your barn and they all have to be ridden, tack cleaned, bathed, videoed, ect., you're going to have to limit time. On the upside it teaches you to ride very effectively.

The weather has cleared up consistently now to the point I don't have to worry about being frozen out. April brings rain and the ability to get out of the arena and go start conditioning for the season. We're backlogged for doing sets, and have lost a few weeks of regular training thanks to the horrid weather, pipe bursts and terrain.

Needless to say, Weight Watchers would have a field day.

We started last week taking the horses out, one by one on their first gallops of the season.

Sinari, who had the luxury of having the majority of the last few weeks off (weather, chiro, dentist, clinic, ect) went back into serious, consistent work. Last year's problems are fading away, especially since we've changed around the level of support care and the way we view things. The pirouettes are already stronger, the tempi-sequences are getting faster, and the pi/pa stuff is getting there.  But she lacks overall fitness that would help her endurance.

Yes, endurance.

With the FEI tests, the movements are secondary to fitness. The tests are much longer than even a second or third level tests and everyone is expected to be strong enough to hold themselves together for three to four minutes at a time going through the sequence. And from PSG out, the movements do not let up. 

Sinari has traditionally been very hard to condition from the get-go. She easily looses it and is hard to gain. So the sets help immensely with just getting around. Plus it's a nice mental break.

Her schedule at the moment is two days (barring weather) out in the field, five days in the arena. This might change as things progress. But for now, she's gearing in pretty rapidly.

I'm debating about which show to really start her in. The temptation is the KDA, the footing for the FEI classes is really nice, but it's also a CDI, where we're judged by panel and also judged alongside the CDI. Not exactly a nice move up show where we can bury our heads. So, time to shop around.

Danzador has also started doing little sets. His fitness is much better than Sinari's to begin with. He hasn't been out too much, much of the focus has been on developing him physically in the arena. Also mentally as well, even though he's great in the arena, he's still a kid and has a big case of baby ADD, so hacking him was always a challenge as a klutzy four year old.

He's still not ready to tackle the track Sinari has been doing, but he has been going for walks up and down hills in fenced off paddocks with a bunch of questions- like a smalls stream, uneven footing, rolling pitch, cows and a few other things.

He's doing better, where he would spook or be immature, he's now mentally buckling in and really settling into being a good egg despite distractions. He hasn't gone out and galloped, but he does decent trot sets in company.

The winter has done him a world of good, and he's already much more mature. The photos are slowly coming back from the clinic and he's already less of a stork. But, the ubiquitous solution to everything is: needs more top line, and he's no exception. He's come out of the clinic really well, not sore, and still on a progressive track forward in his training. Right now, aside from conditioning, it's about playing with more forward and back. Getting the medium trot in an uphill balance, and coming back and not loosing the balance or rhythm.

It's a huge challenge in the trot. But he's getting really well.

As for me, my own fitness has become a priority this year. Back in January, I started back on the treadmill, and going to yoga three times a week.

I hate doing this part of the job.

I was never a gym person, and I feel very socially odd in those settings. I can walk into any room normally and feel fine, but at a gym I feel compared, and very much lesser than the girl who just cranked out a six minute mile or who did that flow-y inversion thing to another difficult pose.

Plus there's the mental stigma. At one point I felt yoga was just about having that nice stretch and eating your random protein shake in your yoga pants while driving a compact hybrid to feel socially better about yourself. And running was running.  

Not to mention my body is physically awkward in yoga, and holding the postures for four to five minutes at a time is a screamer. Running, well, I just hate running and I did two marathons.

While I do don yoga pants (I like getting my protein from a different source and I drive a truck), this yoga is anything but a gentle stretch and mediative period, it's active and it makes running look like a walk in the park.  But I'm glad I'm doing it, and I'm elated that there are two other people going through the same thing and keeping me motivated to keep going.

However, it doesn't make wearing white pants any better. Perhaps somethings will forever be uncool. 

I spend my money on regular miracles

The last week has been foot to the floor busy, not only are all horses training for full weeks and baths

have been administered, clip jobs have been dispensed, but with Spring in full force, it also means my season has kicked off (until Sunday, when the wintery beast returned and temps plummeted with "wintery mix").

First on the agenda was the Alfredo Hernandez clinic which, for me kicked off last Thursday with organizer duties. I was looking forward to seeing an dear friend and mentor as well as good clients. Wasn't disappointed. Alfredo is full of good insight, not just for the piaffe and passage work but for trouble shooting and gymnastic work.

Despite the up-down nature of weather, most of the horses have been fairly well prepared for this clinic. I was somewhat worried about Danzador, because he's my walking, talking results- for better and worse.

Danzador has had confirmed half steps in hand for awhile now, but I'm a little wonky for asking him under tack (my lack of coordination).  He also has a lot He's less fussy about the connection. He just does it, no fuss, no muss, just six quality steps than a couple laps around the arena. He accepts the bamboo as well.

It's almost his learning habits, where, he isn't comfortable, expresses it, and then over time just accepts the pressure. It's also really a useful tool, it's helped improve his balance and his trot and canter work, but to also identify where he's feeling particularly stuck that day.

He didn't really disappoint. For a four year old rising five in two months, he did a wonderful job, and was complemented on his correct basics and foundation. With Alfredo saying he's more than in the correct direction, and for all intensive purposes ahead of schedule. It's a huge sigh of relief especially after going foot to floor to play catch up on major holes in his training. He also complimented on his piaffe and passage work in hand.

It was also a good chance to get a game plan for him. At this point there's three ways of approaching the season. First is the FEI five year old path, which, while I want to do, I know that we're barely pushing the quality that we'll be going up against. Secondly is the national path, which is your normal tests, and finally there's the furlough path- where we take a light year.

Even though he's mentally progressed and is very fit, he's still physically gawky. He's a stork. He grew another inch, he's still gaining width, and needs, my solution for everything: needs more top line. His gaits are still developing into what they will be, and some days it's great and some days it's not. Part of me wants to just furlough for another year, take it light and then in the six year old year, hammer down and go on. But ownership (including myself) needs him to show to have some version of a record as a young horse, and getting him out and giving him exposure would be good too.

The advice was a light year at national shows wouldn't hurt, but let the focus in on developing the gaits and letting him mature physically. Develop the passage and piaffe to develop the canter and trot.

Overall, I'm very happy with him, and even kinda excited about having him develop so quickly. In short, he's fit, and he's ready to roll, now just to bite the bullet and start sending a few entries in. But I don't want to repeat the mistakes of other riders and push too far too soon, and we're carefully guarding him against it.

Eight days a week

This is the first real work week back for all horses, and in a way it felt like spring cleaning- a chance to air everything out and get the house in order.

It's the first time in a long time that all the tack was stripped, not just wiped down, that all the windows were open, that I didn't shy away from anything water based in fear that I would be frozen to it and I could wear a short sleeved polo instead of the eight layers of StayPuff jackets for warmness.

Also on the housekeeping list is updated videos, and photos of the horses and pony parlor days of grooming.

Because our show season was pushed back to April instead of February, it gives the opportunity to really prepare grooming wise. All this week horses were scrubbed, washed, a few had their mains pulled, the rest had their braids put in. Tails are being deep-washed, getting the grease and gunk out of them and then being conditioned and picked through regularly until the strands feel better. They also got their first taste of post-workout wash downs.

My wash rack looks like a disaster zone from the mud and embedded dirt that's come off the horses. But they're starting to get their blooms under the wiry winter hair. Hopefully the weather will keep going so they can really get the deep-set grime out.

Spring is also the time to evaluate feeding programs, so Pennfields is due out to look over the new horses, adjust the old, and see how things are going. Their regular bags- Fibregized and Ultra Balancer, have been staples in my barn now for the past five years.  I can't wait to add in the Progressive line again. Their electrolytes, Topline, and hind gut formulas are excellent complements to the Pennfields line.

Fantastic, shiny summer coats start with good baseline nutrition which is supported by good grooming.  It also gives me time to create a game plan for how each horse's meals should be developed to address their needs.

So while we're waiting on the visit, the stock in Suave has risen by a few cents due to massive purchases of coconut smelling shampoo and conditioner.

It's also time to break out the clippers and get goat hairs, old man hairy ears and strays out of the picture. The Hidden Pond Farm horses are going to get clipped so they don't look like they're out of the ice age.

But the best sight is the wet saddle pads hanging outside, showing proof the higher temps and sweating it out in the sandbox. I can't wait until the trails clear up and I can get back to conditioning, walking up and down the driveway is fun for all of five seconds.

Sinari continues to come back in good form, she's really becoming more solid in the FEI degree of self carriage. Its now just a question of sharpening the movements. Four's and threes are no issue, as are the trot half pass and mediums/extensions, I need to solidify the twos and keep working the full pirouettes. Her half steps are stronger, as are her pirouettes. I need to start playing with the zig-zag again.

Danzador is motoring, he's had a few intensive days of on the lunge with some p&p work to get his head back in the game. He also went through a growth spurt during the heavy part of the winter. He's gained height and looks like he's about ready to gain width again. He continues to be clever, finding his gears in the trot and schooling walk-canter, canter-halt transitions. I'm hoping by the end of spring we can put a change on him which should gear him nicely for the end of the year. I think the idea is to have him schooling close to third level and be showing/working second. I also need to start working through his lateral work and make it more educated and more on the spot.

Denia HPF is a little superstar. She's stepping out everyday trying to improve. While she doesn't have the gaits like Danzador or Asanto, she's a very game, balanced mare who is very clever and observant. Even though she's not very fit and doesn't last very long within the work, every day she's stepping out and accepting the progression. Her main challenge at this point is keeping the relaxation to maintain thoroughness, because she's so anxious to please often times she over thinks. The time with her is split lunging to help her gain her balance, and riding. She will be looking to do a couple small schooling shows in the next few weeks to get her around.

Asanto HPF is also progressing. His personality is actually growing on me. When he first came he was a bit stand-offish. But now, if he's not at the center of attention he will get it immediately with an playful little nip or lipping your hair. He's English schoolboy cheeky, and a pony stuck in a very large package. The main thing we've been focusing on is straightness, strength and like Denia HPF, relaxation. His time is also spent between the lunge and also playing in hand. Even though he has an uphill balance point, right now his hind end over powers the front because he can't hold himself together for more than 15 minutes, lunging helps strengthen him and the in hand piaffe/passage work helps him get the concept of straightness, sitting, pushing, upping the balance point and engaging without loosing the entire package.

Flemmiro SSM is preparing to make the trip down to the US shortly. I wish she would have come in January so Alfredo could see her in the March clinic and get a better idea about developing, but knowing what we went through this winter season, it wouldn't have happened anyways.

All you need is love

I and my horses for the better part of a week have been grounded and I've been spending more time at

my desk or at the gym working through the winter woes.

If there's an upside of this winter, it's that my shirked paperwork is getting done and I'm setting down a firmer calendar and there's a myriad of holidays that involve chocolate.

For the first time in three years, I'm at home with my other. Valentines day isn't so much a big holiday with us and normally he makes the visit to wherever I'm staying, but it is something we try sit down, have a nice meal and watch a few movies. My other isn't horsey, but for all the stuff that I do and the time I spend, he's my biggest of fans and supporter in this sport. I know I'm incredibly lucky to have him in my life.

My other, however, isn't the first love of my life. Sinari is.

Sinari is one of those ponies that has always been there. She's really the foundation of everything that goes on in my life, she's the first to ride, and the first to really get the credit for where I'm at today. She's been my blackboard of mistakes, trial runs, first attempts and my go to when my confidence has taken a thorough pounding. While there will be many horses, there will always be her.

I know while I can never replace her I know I have to eventually choose another for the long haul. Danzador is great, crazy talented, but I also know that he's always on the market. As are many of the horses that are coming to me. I don't know if the relationship will last one month or nine. It's the way of things.

Leave it to Valentine's Day to really intercede.

A while back, I alluded to Flemmiro SSM a 2010 Canadian-bred KWPN filly by Flemming out of a Ferro mare. Flair, is that heir apparent. She's really good quality, and has the brains and ability for the upper levels. She was already to commit to come in for long term training, but with the breeder looking at the finances and the next horses down the pike (which are spectacular), we ended up striking a deal that would leave ownership to me and provide retirement to Flair when the time comes.

Seriously better than chocolate.

Edited:
Video as a two year old here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv7Mj6kC93g

No sleep till Brooklyn

We came back last Friday evening/Saturday morning to the frozen tundra that is Kentucky (12 am is an odd hour). I woke up to a complete white out nine hours later and an unplowed/salted road in front of my house. This weekend, it's gone from 60 and sunny to 40 and raining with another front rolling through with ice and misery following behind it.

I picked a ripe time to stay north.

I managed to start working horses not soon after the roads were cleared day after day, but even as I managed even stretch sessions or lunging or finding entertaining ways to keep everyone sane and fit in the indoor as temperatures plummet below sane working conditions.

Despite proverbial down time, I've made use of the time itself. I managed to design Team EnGaged Dressage's new website, in addition to giving the blog a spiffy revamp to make it look more streamlined and a little less emo-looking. The clinic site is next just to kinda regain some presence there as well and both will be moved over to actual domains. I'm e

The horses are still doing well also in light of the horrid on-again-off again schedule. The work, has mostly been focused on the basics.

With Denia HPF and Asanto HPF, fitness and relaxation have been the two biggest areas that have been focused on. From those two areas they're building a lot of strength, their paces are also getting more expressive as well. Denia's are becoming competitive, and she has one of the best walks I've seen on a PRE.

The fitness stuff doesn't end in the arena, it also helps that they're turned out on hills and walking them every day while they graze.

They're doing really well here and I'm excited to see both of them develop into their potential as spring comes on. They are wonderfully temperamented horses who are happy to work and enjoy their day to day routine. Whoever buys them will be very lucky, and very competitive wherever they take them.

Sinari is clipping along at a steady pace doing stretch work and focusing on cleaning up the basics. It's boring, tedious work, but it needs to be done to address strength and build back into things for spring. She's happily marching along in her program

Danzador is for all accounts the star of the group. He's rising five this year, and has already shot up another inch in the shoulder. He's now pushing a solid 16.2 and a quarter, but physically still looking a little gawky, but the time back on the lunge and the intermittent schedule has refreshed him. Yes, there's moments of the errant ADD young horse getting back into work, but for the most part he's mentally accepting everything. Lately, the emphasis has been developing medium and collected paces. His half halt, even at this stage of the game is a lot more refined than Sinari's and if the last series of tape that I saw with him, he's going to be really fun in the next two years.

PRE's and collection are naturally married together. It's easy for them and they can produce it without hesitation, but there's trade offs. It's the extension part that takes more strength for him. He's getting it with more fitness and more support from being shod and working on the lunge to develop the knowledge. Danzador gets it four to five strides at a time before loosing it and finding it again. Typical baby things.

Also despite weather and early year status, I've also begun looking at barns to be at next year in/around in Wellington. Needless to say, we've learned our lessons. The thought is, to co-op a group of professionals to drive down the cost, while sharing the benefits. If people are interested get in touch! Should promise to be an adventure either way.

But in the meantime, I do have my sights set roasting a certain rodent.

It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll

I escaped the second snowfall of the year by a narrow margin (12 hours by many counts) and while

my horses are freezing, I'm in the sunny equestrian-themed island of Wellington, Fl.

My trek this year with ponies was changed because I really felt that the time, money and effort spent should be concentrated towards other things. It's been rewarding, Hidden Pond Farm sent horses down for training, and there are other on their way that would have not been on the boat to Florida. But it's been a lesson of how to tolerate the cold and getting creative with schooling sessions.

Before I left, everyone schooled great. Danzador is on a lighter schedule, taking time to just work stretching and mediums. Sinari is also hammering in the I1 really well, the zig-zag canter work is becoming easier. The trot work is solid. Asanto HPF and Denia HPF are getting their sea legs back, they started doing light lunge work and if the weather is better when I get back, they should have their first grooming overhaul session.

Both of them are very sweet, talented horses who should do very well in the Amateur arenas.

Already the trip has been wonderful, if not busy. The first couple days I spent in Wellington were full of catching up with old friends and some new faces. I was attending the Young Rider Graduate Program, and already the time spent with people in similar and the same situations is really refreshing to know no man is an island.

The resources developed here have a far reaching impact. Not only is there face time with a lot of industry professionals, but there's legal help, there's networking for a future generation, there's brand revitalization and my phone will not stop buzzing with people who are realizing, spring is only a short 60 days away and there's things to do!

The second day proved just as fruitful as several judges, riders, trainers and industry professionals helped us lay out solid plans for the upcoming year and future quarters. I have a concept of how to go forward, and I'm working with people to help guide the process and make it a little less intimidating.

It's refreshing to know that there are also several people who haven't had the Young Rider accolades, who are doing things in a non-traditional path and there's even someone who is also making the transitions from a traditional amateur to the open.

The take-away message is you create your own success through stepping out of your comfort zone and finding/taking opportunities that are presented, no matter how small or large. Yes, it will cost you (money, time, sweat, lost clients), but you have to do what you feel is right for you, no one else will.

Outside the conference, the quality has been nothing short of inspiring.

I visited barns and caught up with old clients and really started to make a plan for the horses for 2014 and 2015. I had specific things I needed to do in a very short time span to make this year and next year viable and also to help my clients gain exposure for their horses.

2014 will be concentrated on the spring seasons and sales. The business needs to focus on the cash flow, education, maintaining the calendar and creating good results.

By 2015 we will hopefully be doing a full season in Florida. For the last three years now, it's become a very large part of what I do and I don't see it ever going away. It's where I feel I'll be able to further myself the most and in an area that's productive

In the interim, I miss my horses. It's tough being down here and having everyone around you ride, and you not be able to at least experiment with ideas and concepts. But this will change as I go back into the Polar North that has become Kentucky.

There was snow, white snow

The first week of the new year and things seem to be looking up, minus the temperatures, which are unfortunately approaching unwanted single digits and negative wind chills. I'm preparing to loose two days of training while everyone hunkers down and tries to stay warm.

In something out of Rip VanWinkle, I got to the barn on New Years Day and all my just-cleaned saddles and bridles (everything gets wiped off post ride) were covered in what looked like a year-long buildup of dust and dirt. It almost looked like I stumbled back in my tack room after a year's hiatus.

I was a little miffed about it, but privately, I took it as a sign that whatever happened in 2013 is long done and over; and that this is a new year and a brave new world.

The new year also feels like someone flipped a switch on my horses. They've all been working exceptionally well.

Sinari has been riding great, she's seems to have blown past a bunch of issues, and now it's just refocusing in on the basics. We've been working transitions in, out and between gaits. I wish the weather was more cooperative for fitness, but after the freezing cold is slop. I can't knowingly run horses in the mud and risk a tendon.

The other fun variation I've been playing with is riding the different movements within those transitions. It's definitely challenging especially as you try to press the balance, connection and keep the half halts in order. Her piaffe/passage work is becoming stronger which gives some exciting moments (I wish I had more ground help to operate a whip, my timing is off) and I wish I the tempi's would come back in order, which I'm sure they will when things truly get going again.

We finished out the week with just stretching and loosening, which with the impending weather is good set up for keeping mobile despite the likelihood of being stall bound.

Danzador is quickly stealing the show. He's turned in stellar work for being very young. The focus is creating, keeping and driving the balance up in the paces and through the movements. Even though he's gaining strength I definitely see him as a good candidate for the upper level work. He's smart, talented, willing and is developing really expressive gaits. I seriously cannot wait for him to start working changes, I think they're going to be fun for him.

In the last few weeks he's been schooling baby half pass, solid shoulder in/ haunches in, walk-canter-walk transitions, 10 meter circles, medium to collected, walk pirouettes and some half steps. It's hard work for a young horse, mentally and physically. Mentally, he can take the pressure with very little issue and it's important in this stage to introduce the expectations of the pressure and work in a fair way.

Because he's so willing and ready to do the work, it's mostly play with the emphasis on developing the strength and carrying power. His old evasions, going behind the vertical, locking his ribs and running sometimes still come into play especially when he's tired.

Interlaced with the riding is lunging days, just days where he can purely stretch. It's been a huge help developing his hind end and creating expression through cavaletti and a few other techniques.

Overall, I'm happy, but it's only week one, 51 more to go.

Hope is a four lettered word

2013 is over. I can't say I'm unhappy to see it go, it was a tough year for a lot of reasons, but it also

showed that we've come a long way.

The holiday time for me has always been about downtime, the horses aren't pushed, I can pretty much have a glass of wine and take time to say thanks and plan the new year.

There's a lot to be thankful for- I'm thankful for supportive owners and clients who've been very supportive and supplying the equine talent and funding to start achieving goals. I'm thankful for my team: Dr. Laurie Metcalf, Jake Burdine, Dr. Lark Carol, Dr. Kimberly Tummlin, Doug Leavitt and a host of others who keep us all running on track.

I'm incredibly thankful to my owners who have stepped up to the status change to keep me mounted on quality up and coming horses: Noble Spirit Farm, Sunshine Meadows, Rosanna and Carey Gage; Wendy and Kelly Spencer and a few more who are coming up . Without them I think honestly I would still be bopping around not really doing much. They make me better, not just as a person, but as a horseman.

A big thank you goes to Alfredo, JJ and a number of others, who got me out of a slump. I really look forward to continuing the relationship and growing the team with some really passionate individuals who are in my corner and want to be apart of everything.

My goals on paper for 2013 weren't overly ambitious, but they involved hard work. I took the year to be a building year, I did a grand total of two shows this year, both I wish I would have forgotten, but for the most part they were apart of the learning curve that is being an under-30 rider.

2013:
1. Finish Silver, start the Gold.
I completed my Silver, in 2012 I had a mis-scored test that I didn't catch until after I left the show grounds. There wasn't a way to correct it so, I had to wait until 2013 to finish out my one fourth level test (seriously fourth level) and get my medal in January. I didn't start my Gold at all, I took a year off with Sinari to let her down after three hard years of campaigning and training. We went out all of twice (January and September) with so-so results. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail again.

We will go out with some more frequency in 2014- but will be picky about shows for her. We are on our last two years of showing, and at 15, it's hard find an excuse to keep her campaigning continuously without being unfair. The focus also shifted to the younger horses, developing them to find the next heir apparent. Which is hard, because a horse that steps into those shoes is going to have a lot of expectations.

2. Be training I2/GP
We can roll through about 65-70 percent of the sequences of the GP at this point. It's no where near show ready. Still need to put on one's, a firmer p&p sequence, and clean up a bunch of other things.

3. Find investment horses.
Did this and a little more. Initially, Reba's Song was an investment back up horse. However, she showed her preference to jump and with Anna Kate did exceptionally well for her first year showing (I think winning a major national title is cause for celebration). The Spencers purchased Danzador MSM and put me onboard as rider/partner. Flemmiro SSM is also her breeder's investment for the long haul as well. There are also a few more coming in as client sales horses and potentially a few big horses as well.

4. Devote two weeks of intense training per quarter
With the notable absence of an integral team member by May, I had to scramble hard to find a solid pair of eyes on the ground that took us at least somewhat seriously. We were left floating really until July, until things changed and I found people who not only clicked with me but really made a huge change in what I do. I've now added one more set of eyes and started utilizing technology to keep up with things.

5. Continue to grow the business and remain fiscally solvent.
The business grew and had some ups and downs. There was a lot of change in dynamics and how things developed. I'm now the tour manager for Christoph, I'm developing clinic locations and the clientele has expanded. I got to work with William Fox Pitt and I look forward to expanding my network with eventers and getting to know them a bit better.

2014:
1. Start Gold. Be schooling the majority of GP.
2. Have national rankings on each horse. End up in the year end awards for All Breeds and at minimum be qualified for regionals.
3. Increase fitness (human and horse).
4. Expand clients, horses in training, and investments that are capable, at minimum of shining on the national stage, also continue to remain fiscally solvent.

I'm dreaming of White Fences

The weather has been nothing short of disastrous.

The area has been nicely coated in a crystal casing of ice, doused with snow, and thawed and refrozen several times to make for very interesting travel conditions.

The horses have also started to get cabin fever as friends start making their way down to Florida for the season I'm slowly going just as insane. 

Literally our area has become a desolate polar paradise with little chance to escape until the ice breaks up and the sun starts shining consistently.

Sinari is an old pro and is used to the winter blues routines. She's wintered many times in the north. But  still can get very fresh under saddle. But for her, it's manageable and cool to have that focused, amplified energy to work with. It's literally refreshing for me as well to just sit there and play director. But even then managing her day-to-day energy outlet of a pony coming back into fitness can be hairy at best. Keeping her from stiffening up is also become easier with Back On Track products (hock boots and a sheet). 

Danzador is still adjusting to things a little. While he's used to being confined for a few days, he's not used to the swinging temperatures in the area. The first ride during the big drop was hairy, he was electric and while it was great to have the energy his concentration wasn't focused. He also physically isn't mature enough to keep loose, so we stepped up the body work on him. The next few days he's come in and has went better, but for the most part things have been about stretching and keeping things low-key. He has a show this weekend, which while I want to go I'm not looking forward to. 

Also with the downtime for Danzador, we started adjusting some of the support systems he's getting. He already receives regular chiro and massage, but with all the development he's undergoing he needed more support with shoes. 

His feet are solid and he's done alright without them, but he gets a little tentative in his body when he can't get traction, combine that with a natural propensity to tighten the back it's stagnated some development. Already I can see and feel a difference. His balance is lower, he's more confident and his overstride has already gained at least a few inches. 

The weather has also screwed with my schedule.

My last full clinic has been canceled, and I'm busy applying for several more to keep busy for the new year. Show organizers haven't put out their prize lists, so I can't really start picking and choosing where I want all of us to go. It's literally the dead time which I dread and enjoy all at once. 

The last cancellation left me with an open date and around a horse show time. With both horses actually feeling good, I tossed both of them in at last minute thanks to a generous secretary making space. The weather is decided to add value to the horse show by going from 40 and sunny to 28 and freezing rain. 

Then there's a huge step down from FEI.

It feels odd to be doing training level again. Especially on a baby that's pretty fit (ps. it's never a good time to show babies, you just have to go) and a test that's a fraction as long as the one you're used to.  I'm used to seeing two pages of test, a movement-by-movement breakdown, and now I had 14 grouped movements to get a good score on a four year old that is still physically developing, in a cold arena. 

I'm exceptionally proud of him in what could have been easily a mental undoing of a lot of horses. He was high, and cold, but the minute the bridle went on he started to click in, he warmed up great in a busy arena with kids trying to run into him, he gave me great balance, and minus stopping and staring at things, he thought it was the most fun he had in a long time.

I'm not happy with the score, because it felt appropriate. But the comments were somewhat valid.

There are things that can be improved off the bat- like the drunken sailor line, general crookedness and tenseness that comes from lack of showing. Mentally he was half in the zone and half baby ADD.

He does need to lengthen his top line out. But, I also know that comes from building carrying power to lengthen the entire frame. His main avoidance has (and possibly always will be) been behind the vertical, it comes from me asking for the balance and power. I honestly don't really think he's going to be a world beating training level horse, he's going to start to shine around second level. But until then he's going to keep going out at little shows to get experience until his mediums/lengthenings and lateral work are confirmed, which hopefully will be spring.

Otherwise, I'm proud of both of them. 

She's buying the stairway to heaven

A few weeks ago I vaguely explained what's happening with the herd and how my life is changing.

Then William Fox-Pitt, convention,  and a number of other things took over my life and I had to put introspection aside and do what I do.

A few weeks ago, I left my regular paying, 9-5 corporate non-equine related job. I left the security of knowing that despite good pay, a 401k, stock options and other various, great things in the normal world, I was unhappy. I survived six years of a job that had a crazy mentality and demanded total unrelenting obedience.

I'm happy that I had that opportunity to be there, it's given me a huge amount of perspective that I wouldn't have gained otherwise. It gave me a background for business which has become invaluable. It's helped me expand my skills to deal with a lot of situations. It was a good resource and the team I worked with was one of the best in the world.

But in the end, this was a hobby to them and no amount of bargaining or discussing could change this. So, after the last management change, the talk of unionizing and facing down another winter, I finally said I couldn't do it anymore without mentally becoming undone.

In the meantime, I'm still continuing the clinics, which has been a good thing overall. But there's one final step I'm taking and that's going Professional.

"Going pro" has been on my radar for sometime. It's not something I necessarily wanted to do until I was totally confirmed at Grand Prix with at least appearances at major venues. I enjoy the sport but lately I've been pushing the defining boundaries of what it means to be an Amateur.

I still have a slightly romanticized version of the ideal professional who not only scores exceptionally well, but has a balance between teaching, riding, business and the normal life. They have that pipeline of horses that can sell somewhat easily in the market to buy up or take the capital and run, have committed lovely clients who want to progress in their various paths, a workmanlike barn and an overall love of the game.

While I have many of those attributes, I still struggle with the idea of playing in a broader field, and fear doing what you love may lead to burnout. There's also the fear of becoming apart of the crowd.

In short, aside from the USEF rule book, there is no how-to human resources cook book of guidelines that gives you a path of what to do next. For a lot of us, there are still, and always be questions of how to do this without killing yourself. But I know now that I can't wait around until Grand Prix and to be treated seriously you have to change.

The nice part is my herd has changed too.

In addition to Sinari, Danzador and Reba, there are going to be a few new faces.

Flemmiro SSM, by Flemmingh out of a Ferro mare will be joining the herd.  There are also a few planned breedings in the works to keep things growing in the right way.

So in 2014, with the renewal of my cards, the quality added to the herd, my Amateur status is officially done. I loved my time in this group. It's given me a huge amount of perspective of what people go through to achieve goals.

What will become of us

Winter has become equally as busy despite the adamant refusal to move everyone south (I will regret

this later) for the winter season. It's snowed on and off again for two days, leaving my woods covered in unfashionable post Labor Day White.

Starting in December with a double convention days (USDF/USEA Area 8), each week is booked out with something to do, whether it be clinic, show, symposium, meetings, hosting and travel.

Before I even start making rounds I still have the horses.

Danzador, even through some awkward stages, is getting the knack of things. As a four year old, he offers a lot of glimpses into a really bright future. He just gets the lateral movements and has a really lovely balance point. More importantly, he never stops trying. The adjustability is being developed, which I think will come when he figures out more collected work. He's not going to be FEI five and six year old material but will be a good candidate for the Developing Horse or the straight FEI tests. He still has a lot of maturing he needs to do over winter and with some changes in the program he'll be just fine.

Sinari is still going on, she's come back into work and is regaining a lot of the fitness she lost. The little mare is pretty much getting the idea of the zig zags, and reeled off three's today without really thinking. The main goal is to push for the I1 next year and be schooling all of the Grand Prix work. She's working solidly every day, I just wish the footing would cooperate so we can get out of the arena more often, hacking up and down the driveway isn't what I call fun.

Reba's first year and a half with my team and her rider has come to an end, and I couldn't be more proud of what they've done in less than a half a season of eventing and showing. With Anna Kate in less than 10 overall events, she finished with minimal penalties and usually on sub 30 dressage scores. She won Beginner Novice at American Eventing Championships, was Reserve Champion on the Area 8 Leaderboard and started showing Novice at the end of the season. On a horse that has had barely a season of jumping and has only really returned to work last August this is very quick progress.

I honestly can't wait to see what next year, the second/third year of this project holds for everyone, in the meantime we're celebrating with some holiday downtime. The horses were chiro-ed on Tuesday and have had yesterday and today off. We'll return on Friday with some light work to finish out the week. Plus there's a few changes coming up that I'll announce when they're confirmed.

How quick are you gonna get up?

The season is officially put to rest.

I got back on Thursday evening after I drove home from William Fox-Pitt's clinic that finished the day prior. I can barely remember how Friday was spent, except that I ended up at the barn riding that day and I was happy to be back to some version of normalcy.

With 200 plus people on both days, and some fun situations in between, it was well worth it and I had a blast. But somewhere between the final airport run and getting turned around on Route 50 because of construction traffic, I hit the wall.

I pulled over at an overlook and just sat there for awhile, wondering what I had just done and what it will mean. Probably sat there for a solid 10 minutes just looking out before my phone pinged with people sending on media, Facebook, and emails of congrats (Virginia has sketch signal and I guess things catch up when you stand on top of a hill). I found myself wishing for my horses.

The ponies didn't make the trek with me and earned some time off from the under saddle work. Prior to leaving, they were working really well. But at the clinic I found myself really wanting to ride in what little down hours I had and experiment with what was going on.

The horses didn't mind the absence so much. 

Prior to taking off, Danzador was working a little passage in hand and doing more than a solid training level/first level work, we even schooled a green change here or there. The last day with him was spent trying to find his gear for the lengthening, the horse doesn't quite trust where all his feet go yet, and can only give a solid five steps, but at least it's progress.

The last few days have been spent stretching and just getting him back in gear but yesterday, for giggles, we put him through a trail horse clinic. After the initial snorts and spooks, he became almost bored with the process as he tried to eat the tarp, the flowers, the sparkly confetti things.

As much as I raise dressage horses, they are horses first. They need to be exposed to a bunch of things that make them good citizens. Often times, as riders, we forget that, we try to sterilize the environment to make it safe, when in reality we're only doing ourselves a disservice. I also believe that submission, one of the core tenets of the sport, is first developed on the ground.  What you do there also reflects what's being experienced in the saddle.

I think he's missed the work, and the attention because he's come back looking more mature with a better trot and walk, his canter can be a tad scrambled but he's willing to collect and hold himself together. His walk canters are coming along very smartly. He's ready to do a show very soon.

Sinari's post hock injection work keeps improving, she's way more comfortable in the work and has returned to the level that she was at prior. We're still taking stuff slow, she lost a little bit of fitness due to the compensation she put her body through, but already she's lighter and softer in the bridle, she's not stuck in the back and she's happy about the work.

She's comfortable handling the three's and two's again, and I've been working on cleaning up the pirouette work. It's coming, it's just going to take time. But already she's willing to sit and wait more, just needs the strength. But already things are looking up.

Everything that kills me makes me feel alive

I'm heading down a busy week of travel and riding.

First on the menu is the final prep for William Fox-Pitt's clinic, I'm pushing just over 200 people (riders, sponsors, auditors) for two days- during the week. It's by far and away the largest weekday clinic (if not clinic, Edward Gal was large, but not like this). This means packing the car, coordinating, doing laundry and having barn coverage.

Also during my trip out East I get to meet up with some old hunt friends that I met at Breyerfest in 2012. These guys are awesome and I haven't seen them in two years. So, I'm using this as an excuse to ditch the dressage gear and go have end of the season fun. I have a feeling that I'll be wrangled in to something that goes across country. I also get to see an old high school riding buddy and another few good friends. Either way, I'll be fine, hopefully alive after all of it.

It's also the week I generally start planning travel and shows.

On the docket for 2014 is air tickets to Europe for February to Holland for the KWPN stallion show and also co-oping it into a few other things. I would like to graduate with my L, and campaign the youngsters a little on the East. I will most likely make an stop in Canada at some point as well.

This week is also a heavy week for vet work.

While Danzador is clipped for the next few months, Sinari still needs to be clipped. Normally I'd have this done same day as the others but the one foible about Sinari is that she's petrified of clippers. No amount of coaxing, convincing will ever convince her otherwise. So drugs are necessary. Which means calling the vet out. 

We're going for a two for one special.

After a recent chiro session, we found that Sinari was also hyper sensitive on her hock and hock points.  This is a horse that's in six days a week of work, upper level work and has had joint support throughout her career (a daily oral, and a bi-monthly Adequan until Adequan decided to do some interior decoration of their plant then over to Legend) plus regular body work and has a good farrier. She goes on good footing, has properly fitting tack and everything has been done within reason.

But at 14 the work is hard, and has come time to inject the hocks.

I loathe injecting for the sake of injecting. I've been in barns and situations where the first answer is the needle and not really sourcing the issue (ill fitting tack, questionable footing, lack of development, no support, ect). My vets know this as well, as does the majority of my team that I'd rather avoid doing the unnecessary until options are exhausted and the horse dictates.  

Right now, she's dictating. She's still a little uncomfortable in the work, her normal good changes are sticky, the departs are a little rough going and she's not as fluid over the back. Then after her chiro work, she started telling us directly where it hurt. To make her comfortable for the next few years of competing/training, this is necessary.


After a decade of work, it's time. I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten away with it for so long and to have an honest horse to tell me when it's time. The injections went undramatically.

Danzador is doing exceptionally well, he's maturing into a fabulous young horse and gaining topline and fitness. He's so easy to ride, and as he's expanding his horizons, he continues to really try to figure things out. The other day he started doing changes, while they're green and all over the place he's getting the idea. He also started playing with baby half passes and park a bus in them pirouettes. While I still feel Sinari is smart, this guy is a brainiac sponge.He's just that quick to pick up on things and go for it. It's interesting, and very surreal when you have a horse that at four, can pick up on your mistakes quickly.

Don't let me down

Last week wasn't a competition highlight.

Sinari walked in tired and we both walked out frustrated with ourselves. We were fully on track for a 65 percent things came apart in the canter work on each day. The heat didn't help, nor did the footing, the crooked FEI warmup, I didn't help by intensively schooling throughout the week, plus having zero body work done prior to it. It didn't also help it was our first time back in six months in an important show. It was just a bad point in our career, and poor planning on my part. 

I look at the photos and the video from this year and the last, there are changes, huge changes in the muscling and balance points for the better, but like learning the walk pirouettes, it comes with a bit of an attitude at first.

Also downgrading her from I1/I2 work to the PSG also made her a bit mad throughout the weekend, and because of the new muscling- people were questioning whether she was a he.  A lot of mare owners quickly inquired to our breeding status and whether she was available for stallion services.

We'll work on through the issues for the winter with a good pair of eyes. I'm happy that's upcoming soon, and find a number of schooling shows to get our groove back. In the meanwhile I've gone back to playing around with the curb bit, maybe that'll sort things out a tad quicker.

The show itself was a great place to catch up with everyone. I ran into a lot of old pony friends, clients and caught up with them. It was the largest pony show to date with 73 pony entries and a huge FEI class. It was finally great to see this event enter into maturity and get the numbers.

Because it was local, I had to commute between barns so everyone was still being worked whether on or off grounds.

Danzador was surprisingly the highlight of the week, by the end of the week he was greenly schooling half passes and getting more consistent in the balance point. I like where his half steps are going. He too is lacking body work and it shows... badly. On the ground he's going over cavaletti, developing his mediums and trying to develop his back more. It's painfully slow work, but he'll come around. 

Devon is next week, and we hit the road again. 

The luxury of knowing

News does not travel fast when you are in the middle of nowhere.  So, I'm surprised when I walk in to a place when I have full network/bar connections and I have 10 phone messages and 12 text within 10 minutes as.

It's a little unnerving to be without full communication for a week, unable to check things at the drop of a hat, and to make fine tweaks to my program. I was lucky that I can pirate internet connections, and iPad has allowed me to do chat, but phone calls are rare, if impossible.

I've been worried most of the week about two of my entries, the National Dressage Pony Cup and the Dressage at Devon entry. I entered in NDPC quasi last minute because I wasn't too sure about rolling through the FEI again, I sent Devon in advance but didn't receive a confirmation of it.

I seriously hadn't practiced a test (lower level or FEI) in about six months, all this time has been training and conditioning, mentally stepping away from the last three years of the circuit and developing to the last stage of Sinari's career, and having to redevelop key assets in my team. 

The first PSG test I rolled through was a train wreck, everything about it was rushed, hurried and not johnny on the spot. Sinari still feels clever about the counter canter to change at C, and while the pir's have improved, it's still not my cup of tea. The changes were adjustable went from fours to twos in three strides (had to deprogram the two's) and the mediums and extensions felt blasé. 

But we forcibly kept rolling through it and just before my self imposed exile sans horses, it felt solid again and I shoved my entry out knowing this year was going to be a big class (and it is! Five entries! Including Jane Pride's Ilja, Lauren Chumley's Newyn, myself, Jack Flash and Spar Trek) and knowing that we will have to show a lot more to be competitive.

Throughout my trip up, I kept on checking. When my name didn't appear on the list, I was

becoming really worried. My USPS is bad sometimes to the point of why bother. So it's why I tend to utilize online entries or mail drop at the main hub where I know it will be stamped and sent the same day. Which also made me worried about Danzador's entry for Devon. 

A couple of emails, a few phone calls promising various things (first born not included), both my entries are confirmed. I'm entered with times for NDPC, and the Devon was confirmed late last Wednesday (with email confirmation on Sunday) as I was leaving the "green zone" of cell phone usage.

Huge sigh of relief as I begin packing again for the fall and starting to hammer home tests and to catch up with the rest of the herd.

I started riding again yesterday, and I had forgotten how bad the humidity can be in Kentucky after being adjusted to NYS air.  I've never felt more sick in my life in the saddle than I did on Monday- I think my blood sugar completely tanked.

I completed the two works with equally tired, dripping horses, managed to look in on a friend who was having green horse issues and went home, grabbed the nearest bottle of Advil and have a piece of bread (carbs). Today, we get back to it in cooler weather and start rolling through tests again, the weekend I know is fast approaching. 

No one puts baby in the corner

I used to hate lateral work, I found it tedious and a means to the end. Go side ways, move this or that,

look cool doing it. That was about it. My half passes lacked power, my pirouettes were interesting and that shoulder in could definitely be muddled through or cobbled together.

It wasn't until very recently (read: four weeks ago) that I really began to understand and find it useful beyond making whoever obedient to the leg.

Yes, prior to that I was sufficiently nagged to include more lateral work, and I did to some success. But, it was the same old thing.

After Alfredo's clinic, I caved in and started warming up in lateral work, not because I thought it was particularly useful at the time, but the way he related it to me made sense.

Basically long straight lines are served as cardio, they do warm the horse up, but not as thoroughly as it could get. The purpose of a warmup, as explained, is (along with several other reasons) is to mentally click the horse in, create a better balance and create flexibility.

I used to think a few laps around the arena and let the movements do the work, and we have liftoff. Until over four weeks ago, I was comfortably ok with this scenario and then I was introduced to this new way and perspective shifted.

The work is very basic, specifically shoulder in, haunches in on 20 meters (and variations on it). Different horse entirely, different human too.

I added in using the deep corners and making a working pirouette out of them. Part of this was for the horses, the other part was for me to make sure I was using my body in an effective way. Either way it's a neat exercise.

Push forward a few weeks, everyone was warming up more and more uphill, and mentally clicking into the work faster. I started building on the corner exercise again in regular work after I saw old tape of another rider. After the corner pirouette, I start to add in the half steps and pseudo-passage.

The ponies picked up on this way too well, and upcoming dressage competitions (I think we're out of the NDPC, because USPS decided to do naughty things) I've started to downgrade a lot of the new material.